One Night with the Emperor

Chapter Seventeen – Epilogue

High Chancellor Ocato held up his hands. A hush fell over the crowd. Amazing how many people showed up. Even more amazing how many people crammed themselves into the front half of the "new" Temple of the One. "New" because it's now a memorial to the last Septim Emperor and they decided against putting a roof over it. The builders simply evened the tops of the remaining walls and sealed them off.

It actually took Ocato three weeks to get everything set up. Three weeks. And my heart is still missing.

Ocato lowered his hands. I knelt in front of him. Five other members of the Elder Council emerged from under the dragon statue, each bearing a piece to the set of Imperial Dragon armor to be gifted to me. Typically only worn by Emperors, but an exception made in my case.

"In my capacity as Lord High Chancellor of the Elder Council, I hereby proclaim you Champion of Cyrodiil!"

I stood and stepped forward. Cheers and thunderous applause filled the air. It was deafening. I tried to smile. I really did. But it failed.

Ocato raised his hands to silence the crowd again. "And, as a small token of gratitude for your service to the Empire, I had a suit of Imperial Dragon Armor made for you."

The five Elder Council members stepped up to us. The one holding the helmet handed it to me. I turned. Faced the audience. Held it high.

Cheers, screams, whistles, and applause even louder than before.

The parties lasted long into the night. I slipped away the first chance I got. Returned to my room in the Palace that Ocato let us have until the celebrations died down. I hated being in here, but it was better than being out there. At least we were only in the servant's quarters.

I didn't want to be here. Preferably, I wanted to be in Martin's arms. Even if it was in the afterlife. But that wasn't an option. So, I wanted to be out in the wilds, hunting down bandits or goblins or something and trying to forget this past year of my life. I could remember it later, when it didn't hurt so badly.

A knock on my door. "Hey, it's me."

Baurus. He and Jauffre took good care of me these past few weeks. Helped keep me distracted. Found new fights for me in goblin dens or bandit camps. Held me when I needed to cry. They even tried to make me smile and laugh. It hadn't worked yet, but maybe one day I'll laugh again.

"Can I come in?"

"Sure."

He opened the door. Closed it behind him. "Jauffre found out about a few bandit groups who are trying to take advantage of the celebration. Want to try out your new armor? The people could use a Champion."

"A few bandit groups? That was almost an entire bandit army! What did you think you were doing?!" The healer scolded me.

I shrugged. It hurt. "Saving lives?"

"Saving lives, yes. But you very nearly lost yours! And then where would Tamriel be without her Champion when she so recently lost her Emperor?"

Jauffre, lying on a bench next to me with another healer tending him, cleared his throat. "That's enough. We stalled them until the guard could arrive."

"Yeah," Baurus agreed from Jauffre's other side. "And nobody on our side died."

My healer sighed and turned his full attention back to healing me. The room fell silent. Jauffre's healer finished first. She cleaned up and left. Jauffre left to wash up and find clean clothes.

While Jauffre was gone, Baurus' healer finished. Cleaned up. Baurus similarly left to wash up and find clean clothes.

My healer continued to work. Figured. I dealt the most damage, but also took the most. As with every bandit camp or goblin hole we cleaned out these past few weeks. I always had the same healer too. He decided it's his position to mother-hen me about all my current near-death experiences. Too bad I can never seem to remember his name.

Jauffre and Baurus returned shortly. They waited quietly for my healer to finish. It didn't take long.

"There," my healer announced, washing his hands. "Done again."

I sat up. "Thanks again."

As I moved to stand, he put a hand on my shoulder. "Wait."

"Please, spare me another lecture."

"No, not that." He took a deep breath. "I don't normally say this so soon, but congratulations."

I waved him off and stood. "Yes, yes. You've already thanked me for saving Tamriel. No need to do it again."

"No, Abiyomi, you're not understanding what I'm saying. You're pregnant."

My legs buckled. I landed heavily on the operating cot behind me. What did he just say?

"Again, I don't normally say this so soon, but through all the fighting and punishment your body has taken, your child has held on. I'm confident this child will come to full term."

"H-how… how long?" Why did I ask? I already knew. I'd only been with one person in this past decade.

"About a month. When I healed you for the first time after you and Martin defeated Mehrunes Dagon, you were about a week along. I figured then, but I didn't want to say anything, just in case. May I ask, who is the father?"

The world spun. Closed in on me. I couldn't breathe. "I-I'm sorry. I need to go."

I stumbled to the door. Bounced off the far wall in the hall. Knocked over a table.

"Abiyomi! Stop!" Jauffre commanded.

I ran faster. Collided with somebody. Mumbled an apology. Burst outside. Blinked in the morning sunshine.

"There she is!" Somebody called. "The Champion of Cyrodiil!"

Only a few cheers sounded from those still awake. It felt like they erupted all around me. Pressed in on me. Away. I need to get away.

I pushed through the remainder of the crowd. Ran for the front gates. A guard saw me coming. Opened it. Didn't even ask why.

I ran to the bridge. Across it. Through Weye. Into the wild.

My feet kept moving. I had no idea where I went. No idea where I was. Just kept moving.

I leapt over a rock. My feet didn't hit the ground. For a moment I hung suspended in nothing. Just like going through a portal.

My feet hit ground. I stumbled to my knees. Opened eyes I didn't know I closed.

A Wayshrine stood in front of me. Dibella's Wayshrine. I crawled over to it. Leaned against it.

"Dibella," I whispered. "Why? I don't understand. I can't raise a child by myself!" Tears began streaming down my face. "He would have loved to be a father…"

"Oh, my child." A voice floated down to me on the wind.

I looked wildly around. Nobody. "D-Dibella?"

"You have served us well this past year." Dibella spoke into my mind. "As we knew you would. Martin's death was necessary. You know this. We could not allow the Daedra to threaten our people any longer."

Anger bubbled inside of me. "But why let me fall in love with him? Why punish me when I've served you so well?!"

"Think, Abiyomi. Martin was not attracted to you solely for your beauty. What does love do? What purpose would it serve you and Martin?"

"Right now it just hurts."

Dibella didn't respond.

That's what some people disliked about the gods. They didn't just tell you what to do. They let you figure it out and taught you things in the process. The perfect teachers.

I sighed. "I don't know. Have babies?"

"Sex is not always love."

"I know that," I sighed again. "I'm sorry."

What is love? Well, love is love. How am I supposed to describe that?

Okay, try again. Love is… happiness? No, not really, I'm definitely not happy right now. That and people in love get into fights, which aren't happy, and still love each other. Love is… patience. Staying together through the happiness and the fights. Being selfless through thick and thin.

Tears began streaming down my face.

"L-love is strength. When you hold each other up because you can't stand by yourself. Love turns anywhere into a home. Simply because they're there. Love is bringing them happiness when you want to tear them down. Making them laugh when they can't even smile. Love is accepting their faults. Helping them see their virtues. Love brings out the best and worst in people. But it strives for the best through the worst. Love is willing to sacrifice anything for them, no matter how much you want it.

"And… love accepts their sacrifice. No matter how large."

"Very good, my daughter." For the first time since Martin's death, I let healing enter into my heart. "You are still willing to try and understand. You brought joy to Martin's last year of life. More joy than he knew his entire life, right when he needed it most. You gave each other the strength you both needed to save Tamriel from Mehrunes Dagon."

My tears flowed freely. I couldn't stop them. Didn't want to stop them.

"Yes, you hurt because you love him. You miss him. You will always miss him. And that is completely natural. You are right to hurt and miss him. But don't let it warp you. Don't let it hurt your child."

I moved a hand to my stomach. "Wh-what about my child? Why?"

"She is a gift to you."

"She?"

"We had to take Martin from you, so we gave her to you. She will be great and do great things, but not until your time is done."

I smiled through my tears. "Just like her father."

"And her father's fathers. And her mother and grandmother and previous women in your line. Greatness runs in her family, dragon blood through her veins, and a dragon's soul in her spirit. But remember, the Septim dynasty ended. She will never sit on the Dragon throne. Her greatness will come elsewhere. Somewhere you will never know."

"I'm okay with not knowing. It's probably better that way. So she can carve her own path without my interference. Well, as little interference as I can."

"Precisely. But somebody wishes to see you and they grow impatient."

"Who?"

Dibella didn't respond. I stood up. Looked around. Nobody even approached the Wayshrine. What did-

A hand gently rested on my shoulder. I knew that touch. Martin. My body screamed both rejoicement and confusion at his touch. Slowly, I turned around. But I couldn't see him. So I closed my eyes.

An image filled my mind; we stood in our room at home– at Cloud Ruler Temple. He wore his normal robes and I wore that blue velvet dress. I opened my eyes again. The image didn't change. It all felt so real. I even looked around and blinked a few times. Nothing changed.

"Abiyomi," Martin said.

I broke down into tears. He pulled me into his arms. Sat down on our bed. Cradled me in his lap. Let me cry into his chest.

This whole thing felt surreal. Bittersweet. Knowing that Martin is dead and yet being able to find comfort in his warm, loving embrace one last time. Knowing that I carried his child inside of me.

Finally, I began to calm. My tears ran dry. The sobs and sniffles quieted. Hiccups slowed. Trembling stopped.

"Why–" my voice cracked. I cleared my throat. "Why do we get this?"

"What do you mean?"

"This." I waved my hand to indicate the room and lightly hit the side of my head against his chest. "You're dead. You sacrificed yourself to save Tamriel. But I get to see you, hear you, feel you. And in the only place we called ours. Even if this is only an illusion, why do we get this luxury? We weren't even officially courting but a week, though we did talk about getting eloped if our circumstances were different. There are those out there who lost the love of their life who they were with for decades, if not centuries, who don't even know how to live without the other anymore. There are those who lost other family members, like dear parents. Siblings. Young children stolen by the daedra. While I don't get you to help me raise our child, I actually get our child, with the knowledge that she'll come to full term. That she'll grow into a beautiful young woman. That she will find her own greatness and not live in our shadows her entire life. Why do we get this? Why don't they?"

Martin tucked a loose hair behind my ear. "You forget a few things."

"Like what?"

"Like some people do get something like this. Some people see their lost loved ones in their dreams for the rest of their lives. Others get to encounter the ghost of their loved ones before being put to rest. They get bodies to hold and cry, funerals to say goodbye at, and private gravestones to visit. You don't have any of that. And the gods have told parents before that their unborn child will be great. Maybe not directly like Dibella told you, but told nevertheless.

"And Abiyomi, who of those people you brought up went through what we did?"

I stayed silent.

"Exactly." He nuzzled the top of my head. "Nobody has ever gone through what we did, and nobody else ever will. They all had mildly normal lives, or similar lives to somebody who lived before. We didn't. Not once in our entire lives. But especially not while we were together. They had the chance at being together for years. We didn't even have that. And, well, there are perks for falling in love with the Avatar of Akatosh."

"I did not fall in love with the Avatar of Akatosh. I fell in love with Martin. Continued to love him as Emperor Martin, and still love him as the Avatar of Akatosh." I sighed into his chest. "But why do you have to be so smart? This both makes too much sense and is really confusing at the same time."

He smiled into my hair. "Try not thinking about it. You're good at that."

I punched his chest lightly. He chuckled. Held me tighter.

We lapsed into silence. I leaned into his chest. Let the healing magic that is Martin heal my shattered heart.

Time passed. I broke the silence. "Your daughter is going to be a handful."

"How do you know that?"

"She's your daughter."

"Says the one who likes to play with swords."

"Says the one who's an expert at destruction magic."

Martin laughed. "Point taken. She gets it from both of us then. Just imagine the trouble she would have gotten into at White Gold Tower."

My tears started again as I smiled. "Just imagine all the trouble the three of us would have gotten into."

Martin laughed again. "Jauffre would have lost the rest of his hair because of us."

I laughed. It hurt. But I laughed. "You know, I don't even know what types of names you like."

"Something like yours."

"Well, that's helpful. What makes it like mine?"

"Slightly exotic. Heavy vowels. Something like… Oraelli."

I moved my hands to my stomach. Tears kept sliding down my face. I would see Martin in her face and in her name. "Oraelli. It's a beautiful name."

He looked down at me. Smiled. Wiped my tears away. "Our time is running short."

More tears spilled over. "I know. I've always known."

His grip on me adjusted. One arm around my back and the other under my knees. I gripped his shoulders. He lifted me.

The scenery around us changed. No longer were we in our room at Cloud Ruler Temple. Martin held me out in the wild, in an area I recognized. If I were to look away from him, I would be able to see White Gold Tower.

He set me down. Held me close. Put a hand on my stomach. "You'll make a great mother. And don't worry, you won't be alone. Another man will help you raise her. He'll do a good job. He knows how you feel right now, a strong love, yet lost. He experienced it a long time ago. It's what motivated him to become what he is today. You'll love him, different than you love me, but still love. Just don't force it. Heal first."

I ran my fingers through his hair. "I wish you could raise her with me."

"I will be. I'll always watch over her, and you."

I smiled. Tasted tears. "Why are goodbyes so hard?"

He smiled back. "This isn't goodbye. We never said goodbye when you left on those death-defying missions. You will join me again one day. But for now, the Champion of Cyrodiil is called upon for her swordsmanship mastery. You know, since she's already saved the world and all that."

Tears streaked faster. "You saved the world. I just helped."

"Essential help. I couldn't have done it without you. I love you. So much."

"I love you too."

Martin pressed his lips to mine. For the last time. I released myself into it. Absorbed the way it felt. The way he felt, tasted, smelled, looked, sounded. Locked it into my memory.

He pulled away. Kissed my cheeks. My forehead. My nose. My eyelids. My stomach. Released me.

"Be careful."

I opened my eyes. He was gone.

"I'll try."

"Abiyomi!"

Jauffre and Baurus ran across the mostly empty plaza toward me.

"Where have you been?" Jauffre demanded. "What are you wearing?"

I glanced down. The blue velvet dress still adorned my body. A lavish present. As expected from a high-society courtship.

Dammit, Martin.

Baurus raised my chin with one finger. Studied my eyes. "You seem… different. Your spirit is changed."

I smiled. "I have shared dragon blood in my veins. A dragon's soul in my womb."

Jauffre shushed me. "Be quiet! This needs to be kept secret! We must tell High Chancellor Ocato at once!"

"No."

Mid-turn, Jauffre froze. He slowly turned back toward me. "What?"

"Think about it Jauffre. A Dunmer nobody becomes Champion of Cyrodiil. Who's to say the power won't go to her head? And now she comes forward, claiming that the previous Emperor impregnated her a week before he died? With no way to prove it? My daughter will be deemed an impersonator by one or many groups. It only takes one assassin."

Jauffre's eyes narrowed. "Your daughter?"

I nodded. "Dibella told me that I will have a daughter and that she will never sit on the Dragon Throne, but find her own greatness. I went to her Wayshrine."

"You've only been gone a few hours. Even if you stole a horse, that's impossible."

"I think she teleported me. Because–"

Jauffre threw up his hands. "I don't want to hear it. I always knew you and Martin would be the death of me. But I never imagined it would be like this."

I smiled even though it hurt. "Nah, not kill you. Just make you lose the rest of your hair. And honestly, maybe you should have imagined it. If our attraction was apparent enough back then, it only makes sense that we–"

"I said I don't want to hear it. But we still need to protect you two."

I shrugged. "I keep being Champion until my armor doesn't fit. Then we curl up at Battlehorn Castle and make it a haven for Blades, proclaim I'm pregnant, and somebody else is the father."

"I'll do it," Baurus spoke up. "I can pretend to be the father. And I heard that there's trouble in Anvil. Somebody attacked the chapel of Dibella."

"There we go. Problem solved. We can leave tomorrow." Jauffre waved his hand in our general direction as he turned away. "I'm going back to our rooms. I need a brandy."

Baurus glanced over at me. "You don't mind, do you?"

I shook my head. "No, I don't mind."

"You saw Martin, didn't you? He let you say goodbye."

I met his eyes. "Martin and I don't say goodbye. I'll see him again. One day."

Thus begins the tale of Oraelli, Dragonborn.