The night was deep for Mah'ika, but for Iona... She couldn't help it, her frustration against Lawhawk's words... and the way she felt... like Lawhawk was hiding... something...
She couldn't sleep, so she decided to go to the armory, take care of her equipment.
She was adjusting her shield's gripes when she heard Sa'shar's voice, "She gave you a bad time eh?"
Iona was surprised to ear him, but stayed focus on her task, "She had quite the words to enrage me, that all."
"Don't take it personally, she always want to see what others are capable off, but that's the only way she know how to."
"You mean she's like that to everyone? What a hell." falsely mocked Iona.
"Well, that way, you can say that she knows who to trust."
"Who does she trust then?"
"All of us, you too it seems."
"Who is she, really?" asked Iona after a little silence.
"Juliette Joorson Septim." responded Lawhawk's voice as she entered the conversation.
Hearing the emperor's name as well as the hero of Cyrodiil's, Iona was baffled. "You mean..."
"I'm the great grand daughter of Orn Joorson, and Martin Septim."
"Didn't expect that."
"Nobody ever." smiled Sa'shar.
"Questions answered, now you two go sleep." ordered Juliette in a strong voice.
Sa'shar obeyed her as Iona kept working her shield.
"I said, the two of you."
"And I never said yes. Let me work. I can't sleep anyway."
Lawhawk sighed, "To think you were renowned for your beauty as well as your skills..."
"What?"
"Look at you, you're a mess. Dark circled and tired eyes, hairs roughly cut, you can still fight well, but for how long?" stated Juliette.
"Long enough."
"I lost more than you can think, kid, I know how much of a mess it can left you as, trust me. Take breaks, simple things, don't do what you do."
"And what am I doing?"
"You're destroying yourself. Trying to worn out, so you can secretly follow Nora down."
"How do you...?"
"Know of her? Before getting killed, her family was nobles of Cyrodiil, of course I knew. But mostly, I can read it in you, kid, you loved her, but she married another."
"A man she didn't love... she died in his arms instead of mine." said Ioan tightening her fists' grip on her axe, which she was now verifying.
"It was expected of her. Now stop it, go sleep, and if tomorrow I see you tired, forget my help." ordered Juliette, pointing the exit to Iona.
Once in her bed, Iona through of what Lawhawk said : "Look at you, you're a mess. Eyes tired, hairs roughly cut, you can still fight well, but for how long?" those words entered her mind and she began to feel it, the tiredness Juliette talked about, she was helplessly dragged into sleep.
Iona woke from her slumber when she heard the sound of armors. Soon, Juliette entered her room. "Get ready kid, meet me at the war room in an hour. Take a bath and be battle ready by the time." Before exiting.
Mah'ika was, himself, all ready.
Iona just came out of her bath and looked at herself in a mirror, those words echoed again in her head, "You're a mess". "Maybe I'll take care of that after", she through, arranging her hairs a little.
Observing her eyes, she noticed the look she gave herself for the first time since Nora's death. She looked tired beyond measure, and mostly, there was a indescribable sadness in her eyes.
She had to snap out of her auto-analysis, she had to take on her armor and go.
Now in the war room, Lawhawk explained her plan to everyone. Cheydinhal was already to them. But they had to march up to the imperial city, the center of Cyrodiil. While the forces will attack and take every other town, Cheydinhal's forces will be given open gates by the Empire to kick the Thalmors out of the country.
"The Imperials will let us do that?" said Iona, surprised.
"Of course, they want the Thalmors out as much as anyone." responded Juliette, she pointed at a part of the city on the map, "Here, is the Thalmor Dominion HQ. Iona, you, me and our two Khajiit friends will go in front line. Entering the HQ by the back door, we will kill the Dominion's chief that are still in here. The others will be outside, fighting against our forces."
"That's a pretty aggressive plan..." commented Iona.
"That's how you fight an enemy like the Thalmors." Ended Lawhawk, walking to be out of the war room.
She faced her, now ready, army and began a speech.
"Everyone! As you know, we are going to kick the Thalmors out today!"
Her army cheered.
"Diplomacy failed to gain this war peacefully, the empire had to make a decision : to die, or follow the Dominion. Those elves who claim to be our masters... let them taste a little rebellion! Taste our freedom!"
Her army cheered again.
"Let me present to you someone." Juliette turned to Iona and motioned for her to come. She shyly arrived, facing hundreds of soldiers, ready to fight. "This is Iona Northsan! The Rogue Stormcloak! She came to help us get Cyrodiil back. And in return, we'll help get the Thalmors out of High Rock. She faced many dangers, only to seek our help in return for this. I'll ask you if you're okay with it, but first..." she turned to Iona and asked her to speak.
She nodded, took two steps forward and a deep breath.
"Like Lawhawk said, I am here to help you all get the Thalmors out. As you know, I'm considered a traitor to the Stomcloak. It is true. I followed a different way Ulfric did. He took the same way of the Thalmors to stop them... I'm here now to seek help of Cyrodiil to liberate High Rock, which is being invaded as we speak. Ulfric turned down a diplomatic alliance with them, but I didn't! I admit it's being selfish of me to ask that, especially considering what I did as a Stormcloak... But I'll ask all of you... once the Thalmor are out of Cyrodiil, will you help me get High Rock, and later, Skyrim back?"
The soldiers stood idle, some whispering.
"What say you men?" asked Juliette.
"Will you help me take Tamriel back?! Will you be who the people are waiting for? Will you liberate our all beloved country? Will you make Talos, proud of all of us?" Added Iona.
All the soldiers lifted their weapons and cheered out with all of their might. Screaming "Count on us!" to Iona.
She was relived to hear that, she allowed her breath of anticipation out and smiled.
"Smiles suits you well, kid." said Juliette, putting one hand on Iona's shoulders, she added, "And you have what it takes to be a good army leader."
Surprised of Lawhawk's words, Iona could only say "Thanks...?"
All the troops were ready now, they all marched to the imperial city. All equipped, Juliette got in her armor. A seemingly new, Stalhreim armor. On the road, Iona asked about it, Juliette answered that it's the last armor her great grandmother made. That's right, Iona heard stories about the hero of Cyrodiil being a Skaal Nord from Solesteim and a skilled Blacksmith, but never had she believed it to be at the point a hundred year old armor to still look new.
They all entered, making sound of fight to make the Thalmors get out of their HQ. All went according to plan when they arrived at the building. "Are you all ready?" asked Lawhawk looking at everyone. They all nodded as she kicked the door opened, skewering the guard with her rapier. While Iona charged, her shield raised, Mah'ika and Sa'shar both cup Thalmors throats open with their daggers. Building their way up the officers quarters, they felt the defenses to be more and more hard, each passing floors. Soon, they encountered strong forces up here.
Hid behind walls, Thalmor archers opened fire at them
"I wasn't expecting them to throw oil barrels and arrows at the same time." exclaimed Iona.
"Just watch me kid." smiled Juliette as she jumped out of cover. Opening her free hand, she unleashed a fireball at a flying barrel. Making it explode in midair, she ran up the stairs, running through the fire as well as destroying the Thalmors' defenses. While she as her rapier through the armor of an elf, Sa'shar jumped out of cover too, followed by the two others.
Two more floors and the barrels became boulders and mages.
"How did they even got those?!" said Iona.
"The whole tower is made of stone, kid!" exclaimed Juliette.
"Can you protect me from the spells?" she asked.
Lawhawk changed magic and spread a field around Iona, "Now hurry, I will take as much as I can, but my magic is limited." she said, visibly maintaining the spell.
The red-head got out of cover, deflecting the rocks with her shield. Now up the stairs, she decapitated all the mages before they could use a spell and soon had the soldiers' corps down the stairs.
Midway in the next stairs, Iona asked "How much floors left to be cleared?"
"The last one is ahead of us."
They arrived at the last floor, there was no defenses. On their guard, they investigated it. It was empty, but then, it didn't seem like they all fled, they all left their plans on the tables. Like they just vanished. Iona was looking outside, the window to see that the army got rid of the Dominion's forces. Lawhawk asked her to come over the table. On it was a map of High Rock.
"Seems like they left their plans on sigh." stated Iona.
"It feel weird, kid." said Juliette.
They all heard the sound of a dagger being draw, but before she knew it, Iona had an elven dagger in her side.
Lawhawk had just enough time to be surprised and unsheathe her rapier before hearing more daggers. She had the reflex to turn and quickly kill the one she heard behind her and turn to see Iona's attacker threw her on the floor and prepare to go for Juliette. But too late, he had his heart pierced while the two remaining felt their respective targets behind them and nothing more.
They all got to Iona's side while she held her wound as she could, feeling her stamina unexpectedly falling to zero as well as her field of view.
"Kid!" said Juliette, now compressing her injury for her.
Sa'shar looked at the dagger and examined it. "Poison! We need to stop it quick!" he exclaimed.
Mah'ika, quickly took a vial out of his pocket, lifting her head as Lawhawk tried to use the little magic she had left to heal Iona.
"Don't die on us, my friend. Skyrim is counting on you, we all count on you." he said to her, trying to make her drink. But the sour liquid dropped on the floor.
"No. No no no! Drink it! My friend, you must!" began to panic Mah'ika.
As Juliette stopped using her magic, he began to let lose of Iona. Putting her head down and looked at her. White veins had climbed up her neck. Looking, he saw them begin to look normal again. He soon saw that the once full mouth of Iona was now empty, observation soon followed by coughing from her.
"My friend! You did it!" said Mah'ika with a smile.
She grabbed him by his thief armor and pulled him close, "Don't. Ever. Make me. Drink that. Again." she intoned with all her terrifying self.
"She's fine." said Lawhawk with a smile and an helping hand to Iona.
She took it and got offered a shoulder to hold on.
"Alright... now that's a mess." said Iona, looking around her.
"That's called a fight, kid." said Juliette.
"Ha! I call that a warm up, old one." laughed Iona.
"Don't call me old, kid."said Lawhawk in a inquisitor tone.
"Alright... mother of Hagravens."
"I feel like someone is getting down these stairs on her own." joked Juliette. As she walked Iona to the stairs.
As Sa'shar and Mah'ika both shrugged, Iona looked at the table where the plans were before beginning their exit of the tower. On the way down, she said, "I guess those plans were fake...".
"Most likely, kid..."
Just outside, all her soldiers and imperial ones saluted them, as they all made them a guard of honor while they all cheered at the victory.
The four of them walked to their horses while Iona said, "I could get used to those."
"A bigger one is waiting for you after High Rock, you better get to like them, 'cause that's what you get when you free a country." said Lawhawk as she helped Iona on her horse.