Thellias,
The Embassy was attacked recently by Khajiiti assailants. I have every reason to believe En'zhar was involved. I have regained control of the Embassy, but everyone else here is out for blood, myself included. I can no longer suggest bringing him back to the Embassy for imprisonment, as one of us - I am ashamed to count myself among the number - may kill him while he's here.
I'll arrange for transport to Alinor. Send me a letter when you've apprehended him, and I'll tell you how to get him back to Alinor as quickly as possible.
Elenwen has gone missing, too. I initially suspected she was killed in the chaos, but if that's true, her corpse is missing entirely. I strongly suspect she had a hand in the attack, but I have no proof to substantiate the claim thus far.
-Saarie
Vindicator
The door to the Nightgate Inn opened once again. Irileth entered first, followed by an unfamiliar woman. She was followed by Adalla... who was followed by...
Elenwen gazed at Runael as she walked inside for the second time. She cast a glance at Najati, then En'zhar, then looked back at Runael. "It's..." She didn't know what to say.
For a few long moments, both Altmer simply stared at each other, as if searching for answers as to why the other was there... and in Elenwen's case, she was trying to determine where Runael's mind was at. She had already walked out of the Nightgate Inn once already; would she do so again if Elenwen said the wrong words, did the wrong things? Would the new Arch-Mage of Winterhold abandon Elenwen once again?
It was Runael who broke the gaze first. "I'm headed outside for a while," Elenwen heard the other high elf murmur to Irileth. The Dunmer quirked a brow. "Fresh air," Runael explained. She looked over her shoulder at Elenwen once again, then slipped outside in a much less terrified manner.
"Well, this is awkward," En'zhar chuckled softly. "Both want to talk, yet neither want to start."
"It's not..." Elenwen paused briefly. "I... I just..."
En'zhar grinned. "I rest my case." He stood slowly. "I wonder if she'll stick around this time...? Well, it's hardly any concern of mine." He extended a hand toward Najati. "Shall we get some sleep?"
"I think so." The female Khajiit rose, stretched out her arms and legs lightly, then followed En'zhar to the room they'd paid for.
This left Elenwen alone with Irileth, Adalla, and the woman she didn't recognize. She suddenly felt immensely awkward and uncomfortable. "Excuse me," she murmured, standing abruptly and striding for the door.
"Elenwen." Adalla's voice made her stop. "Be careful."
"Thank you."
"I'm sorry." Adalla's tone was sincere.
Elenwen understood why she was apologizing. "It's alright. I'm sure there was something inhibiting you." She looked over her shoulder. "It no longer matters anyway. I'm no longer the one you'd be reporting back to." With those words, she opened the door and stepped outside into the cold Skyrim evening.
She immediately began searching the area for Runael, and was relieved to find she didn't have to look for long: she was standing at the end of a small pier upon the pond outside. She stepped down slowly, arms wrapping around herself in an effort to keep herself warm.
As she walked, she wondered what to say. She had a lot on her mind, but wasn't sure how she could word it properly... and without losing what relative calm she had.
"I know you're there, Elenwen," Runael said, making her jump; her foot hadn't even touched the pier yet.
"Sorry. I wasn't trying to sneak up on..." Elenwen's voice trailed. "You... you seem well."
"I am." Runael's tone was... not what Elenwen was expecting: cold and distant.
"...Listen, Rune, I-"
"Please don't call me that," Runael interrupted.
"Will you listen anyway?" When she got no response, she assumed so. "Things... things are changing. Fast. Too fast. I don't know if these changes can be stopped."
"Such as?"
"A Vindicator has come to Skyrim."
Silence settled between them. Even though she hadn't said anything, Elenwen could tell the words had an impact on Runael.
"So you're here on their behalf?"
The words felt more like an accusatory stab, and it made Elenwen blink. "No! No, I-I... immediately after he arrived, I was relieved of my position as First Ambassador!"
"Why don't I believe that?"
Elenwen was at a loss for words. She was afraid to say anything now - afraid that she'd anger Runael.
"I defected, Elenwen." Runael finally turned around to face her. "I abandoned the Embassy, I abandoned the Thalmor... I abandoned you. Adalla told me you wanted me to come back. How do I know you're not simply trying to bring me back in person?"
"Why don't you trust me?" Elenwen asked, unable to hold it back any longer.
"Why did you want me to come back?"
"Why do you think I did?" Elenwen said, her voice raised.
"Because you didn't want to let go of an effective operative," Runael replied coolly.
"There was that, I can't deny-"
"I knew it." Runael turned away from Elenwen once again.
"I wrote a letter to Alinor!" Elenwen shouted, finally unable to contain it any longer. "I didn't send it, but I wrote it! I got to thinking, though: what if I could bring you back to us? I was willing to sacrifice my position, my job, my life - all for you! Adalla was willing to sacrifice just as much in trying to reach you at the College! You may be blind to it, Runael, but I was willing to sacrifice everything that makes me comfortable for your sake! Gods above know I've lost almost everything already for the infiltration! And yet, here you are, casting judgment on me when it's because of you that everything could be in danger! All it takes is one person - one mer, Runael - and you will have the entirety of the Thalmor bearing down on you in a way I don't want for you!" Elenwen's voice was heavily tinged with frustration, and she could have sworn her eyes were lining with moisture. "I was trying to save you from the penalties that come from defection... and this is how you repay that."
It wasn't until after several minutes passed that Elenwen realized those minutes had passed in utter silence. Where she had previously felt heated and frustrated, she now felt herself shivering - and not because she was outside on a cold Skyrim night. She wanted to apologize for yelling at her, but knew to hold her ground: if she apologized, then-
"I'm sorry." Elenwen hadn't been expecting Runael to be the one to apologize. "I just..." She took a deep breath, and let it out slowly, then turned to face Elenwen once again. "I know how they can be sometimes. You and I both know the lengths to which the Thalmor will go in order to achieve their objectives. Deceit and double-crossing aren't exactly uncommon methods."
Once again, Elenwen blinked - this time at what Runael was implying. "You... mean..."
"I needed to see that you were serious." She smiled softly. "You only yell like that when you're stating the truth. I saw enough of you to know that that's a fact. So for deceiving you in my own way, I'm sorry." She clasped her hands in front of her and bowed her head lightly.
Elenwen only then realized she'd been holding her breath, and let it out with a heavy sigh. "Dammit, Rune... I really thought that you..." She took a deep breath, then let it out in a sigh. "Don't you ever scare me like that again."
"Sorry." Runael jerked her head toward the inn. "I'd say I've gotten enough 'fresh air'. Shall we head back inside?"
The former First Ambassador shook her head, finally able to let the first genuine smile in what felt like months slip to her lips. "You, my dear, are still something else," she managed with a small chuckle.
The Regent of Whiterun stared into space, fingers thrumming upon the armrest of the throne. "So you never actually retired."
"No." Thellias' tone was one of dissatisfaction. "Veritable weeks from retirement, and they thought they'd send me on a 'blaze of glory' mission..."
"And thus why you've entrusted it to Saarie."
"Of course." Thellias reclined lightly in his chair. "I figure I should be retired already... Saarie is coming into her own as a Vindicator quite nicely... so why not leave the matter entirely to her? Although I'd rather not be here, there is a sort of... untamed beauty to Skyrim that even I can appreciate."
"You mentioned you were looking for En'zhar?"
Thellias reached into the small satchel at his waist and pulled out a letter, handing it to the Regent. "Seems Saarie's having a tough time of it already, but such trials are to be expected," he commented.
She read the letter, eyes widening a little. "The nerve... attacking the Embassy so boldly...?" She handed it back to him. "Well, now I get it. You get En'zhar, you get to return home. Saarie remains here to deal with the infiltration and defection, everything-"
"Defection?" Thellias looked surprised to hear the word. "What's that about?"
The Regent blinked. Oh no... I almost forgot. "If her suspicion is correct, Elenwen has defected, yes?" I hope he buys that... can't let him know about Runael.
He gave a nod, which made her relax very, very slightly. "Yes. Sorry, I just..." He chuckled lightly. "And this is the reason I've passed what should be my mission on to Saarie," he mused.
She laughed lightly at that.
"How is your sister? I didn't see her at the Embassy. I understand she had a rather major part to play in our seizing of Whiterun?"
"Last I saw her, she was well. As I understand it, Elenwen gave her leave to visit the College of Winterhold - which has always held interest for her. Where she is now, I can't say; I've been here, after all," she added, gesturing to the great hall of the palace. "I'd guess she's still there."
"She hasn't been recalled?" Thellias asked, brow quirked.
"Elenwen and Runael have... a thing." The Regent gave a sheepish grin. "The rest of us just kind of got used to the, ah... 'favoritism'."
The elder mer rolled his eyes and grumbled under his breath. The Regent could almost swear she heard 'improper bitch' strung into a sentence with 'Elenwen', but wasn't positive. "If I see her again, I will have words for her," he muttered.
"Elenwen's always been like a little child," she replied, shaking her head. "Always wanting to throw parties where people can come and ingratiate themselves to the Thalmor... always wanting to do things however the hell she pleases, just because she's - pardon, was the First Ambassador... gods, I'm never going to get used to that." She closed her eyes. "'Former First Ambassador Elenwen'... it's like music to my ears to hear it."
Thellias grinned. "I had orders to relieve her of her position if I deemed her unfit to continue leading the Embassy. You know my decision on that matter."
"I do." She opened her eyes slowly. "...Hold on, I need to close my eyes again, envision that stupid stunned expression she wears whenever something spirals out of her control." Her lips curled into a smile. "Add the words, aaand..." She sighed softly. "If I'm to die, at least I'll die happy."
"And die you will."
The voice was unfamiliar and unexpected, and caused both the Regent and Thellias to spring to their feet, ready to strike. "Who's there?!" she demanded, eyes flicking this way and that.
No one was in view, but the voice had been so close... She channeled a Detect Life spell through her fingertips, and released it. She was immediately bombarded with an onslaught of energies, each of which identified friends nearby. Thellias, the two guards up the stairs, the two at the entrance, the one perched atop the skull over the throne-
She blinked. I have no guards up... She turned her attention toward the skull overhead... and realized the energies emanating from it were crimson.
"Hail Sithis," the voice spoke again.
The dragon's skull shook as the invisible figure leapt off of it... then plummeted, skeletal fangs first, toward her.
"Ma'am!" The voice jerked Saarie awake, and made her sigh heavily.
She lifted her head from her arms, and was immediately met by the sight of paperwork piled upon the desk she'd dozed upon. She pushed herself up and rubbed her eyes. "Nngh... is something wrong...?" she asked, voice tinged with sleepiness.
"No. Quite the contrary, in fact." The voice sounded enthused about something. "We found the infiltrator."
"Good for you." Saarie's head plopped down upon her arms again.
"You're... not happy? We found him. The one who infiltrated the Embassy months ago."
It took Saarie a few moments longer to fully register the words, and she bolted upright, eyes wide, at the news. "And when you say 'found', you mean 'captured', correct?"
"Correct." The one she was speaking to was outside the door, but she could tell the mer to whom it belonged was all but swelling with pride. "We took the liberty of dragging him into the holding cells below. You have a key, correct?"
"I have a key." She reached down and pulled open the drawer, revealing the key in question. "I'll be right down. Were you the one who brought him in?"
"I was, ma'am. Well, I and the rest of my squad."
"I want all of you to meet me downstairs. There are congratulations and rewards to be administered." Saarie picked up the key and stood. "After that, I will need time alone with our... friend."
"...dare you," Thellias' voice snarled. The sound of something heavy being slammed against the floor followed, and a yelp of pain followed that.
The Regent's head swam. She was... 'alive', so to speak. Still quite unliving as a vampire, but she hadn't been destroyed by the fallen dragon's skull. That didn't mean she'd escaped it unscathed: the fangs of the skull were embedded in her right shoulder, and the skull itself had effectively pinned her to the floor... for now.
"Who ordered the hit?" Thellias was demanding. She couldn't be certain, but she thought he was literally twisting the assassin's arm behind his back, as if threatening to wrench it off. "Tell me, or so help me..."
She heard the sound of someone spitting, and could only envision the assassin spitting in Thellias' face. The spitting sound was soon followed by a heavy slam and a pained wheeze. "Answer me!" the elder mer roared.
"Thellias..." she mumbled. "I'm... fine..."
"That doesn't change the fact that someone has it in for you," he growled. "Give me time alone with this scum... I'll have him singing the answers I desire once I'm done with him."
She shifted beneath the skull and managed to shove it off of her, groaning as the fangs that had punctured her shoulder pulled out of her body. "I'm the one someone wants dead... it could be the whole of Whiterun, really... but leave it to me to find out, my friend..."
She could see him now, and saw that he was torn between giving her what she desired... and making the assassin suffer himself. He settled for standing and pulling the assassin to his feet - hand squeezing the throat of the assassin firmly. "I'll let you take custody of him once you're on your feet. Until then, he's mine."
She sighed softly. "Selfish... save a little for me, mm? And for the love of the gods, don't kill him," she added, gesturing to the assassin's face, which was rapidly turning blue. "He's no use to me if he's dead."
"I won't kill him. It's amazing what one can live through." Thellias watched as the Regent pulled herself to her feet, using the throne to help. "I'll drag the assassin to the dungeon while you get your shoulder looked at."
"I'll be fine," she murmured. "I need to make sure you don't make it impossible for me to get details out of him."
"You don't trust me anymore, my friend?" Thellias' voice was one of hurt.
"I don't trust your temper, Thellias. There lies the key difference." She reached up and gripped her right shoulder firmly, eyes flicking back to the skull. "I always thought the skull was in a strange place... it's not going back up there, I assure you." Her eyes flicked back to the assassin. "You. Who sent you?"
"My mistress," the assassin growled, voice strained and laced with pain.
"And who hired your mistress?"
The assassin looked up - and spit in her face.
"You little-" Thellias threw the assassin across the room as far as he could, eyes flashing dangerously. "I ought to-"
"And yet you won't, because I will... once I have the information I seek." The Regent stepped toward the elder mer and patted his ebony-clad shoulder gently. "Thank you for your concern, though." She moved her hand to wipe the spit from her face. "Would you mind dragging him to the dungeon? I'm in no condition to pick him up myself. I'll be right behind you."
A.N. - Short chapter is short. It's also late, so I feel miserable. Still, I didn't foresee the confrontation happening any other way without otherwise-open hostility, escalating out of control.
Part of the reason this update is late is because of a little thing called Elder Scrolls Online. I picked it up, played it one night... haven't played it since, but that's not because I dislike it - quite the contrary. I just don't want to lose track of time playing the amazing game and find out my day/night has passed before I know it. Because I pre-ordered it, I got the Explorer's Pack. Even before I realized that meant I could play any race in any alliance, I was already eyeing the Aldmeri Dominion as my alliance-of-choice. I was torn between high elf, wood elf, or Khajiit. I've always liked both elves, but my initial playthroughs of Oblivion/Skyrim saw me finishing the main storyline as Khajiit. I spent maybe 10 minutes staring at the Character Creation screen, trying to make up my mind.
Leuran is a level 6 Redguard Nightblade with the Aldmeri Dominion. I made the decision when I realized I could not choose between Altmer, Bosmer and Khajiit without feeling mildly guilty about not indulging one of my other favored races. (I realized, several minutes after I was getting used to the initial controls, that 'Leuran' is an anagram of 'Runael' - which was NOT intentional.) One-handed weapon/Shield combat was just bizarre for me to start with - I've always favored ranged combat in the Elder Scrolls series. When I found my first bow, then, I swapped weapons immediately and haven't looked back. I hadn't been aware you could 'rapid-fire' the bow for the first few hours I used it, either - I'd been under the impression I had to fully charge the shot. It was after I accidentally tapped the left mouse button that I realized 'oh hey, I just fired an arrow without charging it up - doesn't do much damage, but still...' With that bit of knowledge, I've begun opening with a fully-charged shot, then doing my best to kite my enemies while I fire quick shots at them. (Kiting is easier with a slowing effect, but I haven't uncovered such an effect just yet.) Most of the common enemies I come across lately drop within my opening sequence: Fully charged bow shot, then my Poison Arrow, then my initial Siphoning skill (can't remember the name of it). By the time they're hit with the third, they're basically dead, and one or two quick shots are more than enough to finish them off - all before they can get halfway to me. Bosses are, understandably, another matter altogether, but manageable nonetheless.
I've also been working on a Skyrim mod here and there. I've made a dungeon, created a follower, finished the first quest in what's planned to be a string of quests... now I just need to buckle down and get dedicated to actually -cluttering- the dungeon. I tried the other night, but found the tedium of trying to angle a table so it looks like it had been overturned was just... well, tedious. X/Y/Z angling just didn't want to agree with me. Then there was the fact that I'd begun thinking 'maybe I should redo the dungeon, make a semi-simpler one'. (My current dungeon has three 'identical' rooms on top of each other, staircases connecting them at opposite ends, leading off to a bigger room toward the end.) I got disoriented at one point when I was checking it out in-game for any open seams I may have missed in the Creation Kit. We'll see, I guess.
I promise next chapter will be bigger and better than this one. I also promise not to let ESO and the Creation Kit consume too much of my time, especially when it comes to updating this story.
-Spiritslayer