Chapter 7: God of Time

What is this place, She thought as she floated through a starlit void. She must be in the cosmos itself. She giggled and did a loop in the vast weightless emptiness. Suddenly a star shown brightly with a white light and Akatosh himself appeared. He was a large bright gold dragon with a wingspan that seemed to be able to envelope the world. Her jaw dropped and she had the sudden urge to drop to her knees in worship. She resisted the latter of those two. Akatosh chuckled and that surprised her almost as much, "Hello, my dear chosen confidant. Do you like this place?"

She looked around. It was like being in the star filled sky, "It's the most magnificent thing I've ever seen."

"You flatter and puzzle me. Usually when I appear to a mortal they bow. They have to. Hmmm... It must be part of the deal of being my chosen. I like it. You have spunk. Of course, that's why you're the one I chose. I've never had a Chosen before. Never ever. I don't know the ins and outs of it quite yet."

"Why did you bring me here?"

"I can't chitchat with my Chosen Hero? That doesn't seem fair."

"No one told me you were a jester, Akatosh."

"When you rule over time how can you be anything but?"

"True."

"I'm also a thief really. I steal time from people all the time."

She laughed, "Wow, I never thought of it that way either... Now honestly, you must want something. People appeal to the gods all the time without get a response. I get a personal visit from the god of time out of the blue and you say it's just to chat."

"Well I did pause your time to bring you here. You see, I brought your spirit outside of time itself."

"Very nice. I'm impressed."

"I brought you here to tell you there's a fork in the time stream coming. And that you and Martin are the pivot on which all of Tamriel turns."

"But no pressure."

His voice was suddenly very serious and he sounded much more godlike, "There's a time of confusion and chaos ahead. The moment will come when you chose the path of the world. My Amulet of Kings has been taken from my kinsman. You must retrieve it. Soon a messenger will come from the Imperial City calling upon the Temple to send a Blade to help one who's hot on the trail of the Mythic Dawn and the precious amulet."

"Fine then. I guess it's me then, right?"

"You don't have to, but I have a feeling you should volunteer. It is in your favor to do so. But it is also in mine. It calls upon your skills as a thief which I'm happy to say are superior to any Blades. They have plenty of brute strength not enough stealth, cunning, and agility. You'll be of great use to them once the snowball starts down the mountain."

"If all this works out, you will be the Thieves Guild's patron god. Because something so elaborate can't possibly work."

"It has to. Or Dagon shall rain fire and ash upon my world. MINE. And the other gods world, but mostly MINE!" He sounded angry. And she almost fell to her knees. Almost but not quite.

"Now, there, there, all powerful one. Shoosh, it's alright. I've got it covered. Really. So please don't yell. Your upsetting the stars." It was true. They all flared with light once he mentioned Dagon. They settled down again as he did.

"You're right, of course. But I don't expect you to do all this for nothing. So, I've decided to let you see a brief shadow of the past. Whatever would make you the happiest right now. Perhaps your mother and father? Or that 'friend' of yours?"

She smirked, "I can't see both?"

"Not all in one trip."

"Then my parents. I don't have as many memories as I do of him. I'd like to see how they met."

"Ah, that's a good choice. Then we are off to the Imperial City. Twenty years ago."

Suddenly she was in the Floated Bloat. The half ship, half lodge in which she'd stayed on her first trip to the Imperial City. It was cheap and close to her guild. It hadn't changed except the Altmer was much younger and his father was still running the place. "Alcmene!" called the older Altmer from a chair around the table, "We've got a customer out here waiting for a refill! Hurry your Breton skirt up!"

"I'm coming! Hold your tail why don't ya!" The hair, the cheek bones, almost Tsamusa's entire being stood from behind the counter, "What'll you have, sir." Tsamusa turned and saw a Bosmer man. Taller than most his kind. He was staring at her, open mouthed, wide eyed. He also appeared to be drunk. "Sir?"

"Come 'ere a sec." She rolled her eyes and Tsamusa's heart jumped, she was her mother's child all right. The Breton did however walk over and stand by his chair, "Wha's your name?"

"Alcmene."

"I is Amlolas."

"Well, now Amlolas. What will you have?"

"How 'bout you?" He then grabbed her hand and tried to pull her down on his lap. Instead he received a shock of electricity.

"Next time, try some manners." And he fell over out of his seat. Tsamusa giggle, and so did her mother. "That'll sober you up quick, I bet." But she was smiling. Suddenly everything stopped moving.

"Was it what you imagine?" The voice seemed to be coming from everywhere at once.

"Better. So sweet a beginning. I also know where to ask what my mom was like. And my dad too. This will help a lot!" She smiled at the scene. "Thank you, Akatosh. You're a real stand up dragon."

"From you, that is the best compliment you could give. Now, it's back to your body for you."

"Tsamusa!" that was Jena "Tsamusa, omigosh! Are you alive!" She shook off the sleepy feeling and looked at Jena, "Don't scare me like that. It's a good thing Jauffre sent me for you when he did. I wouldn't want you boiled to death! Which, you would have if you feel asleep in here. Martin would have my head for sure."

"Sorry, it was only for a second. Really." But she felt like it had been hours. A goodnight of sleep in a mere instance. "Now what was that about Jauffre asking for me?"

"A messenger has come from the Imperial City-"

"Tell Jauffre I'll do it. I head out in an hour."

"But I didn't even tell you what he said."

"Someone has a lead on the assassins and the Amulet right?"

"Yea... How did you-?"

"Hunch. Tell him I also accept the offer he made before. I'd be proud to join the Blades."

She squealed, "Yay, then we can be Knight Sisters!"

"Yay." Her's was less enthusiastic.

"You're to meet the Blade at Luther Broad's Boarding House."

"Nice place. Anyway, I'll get going."

"Make sure you tell Martin goodbye. It's impolite to leave without telling the Emperor."

She rolled her eyes and got dressed. She went to Martin's new chambers and knocked thrice. "Didn't I say I wasn't to be disturbed! I'm suppose to be an Emperor. what happened to-" He flung the door open and saw her in her travel gear. Martin was in only a pair of short knickers. She tried not to giggle. "Tsamusa?"

"Hello Martin. Sorry to wake you. But I wanted... To say goodbye before I was off to the Imperial City. Someone has a lead on the Amulet. I volunteered to help."

Martin frowned, "Oh." He didn't seem to like that in the least. He sighed, "If I ordered you to stay?"

"Then I'd have to sneak out while your guards aren't looking."

He sighed, "Stubborn, Bosmer. Why can't you just stay here? It's safer. Those assassins really meant business. Do you really want to get more involved than you already-?"

"I didn't come to get your permission, YOUR HIGHNESS." She put as much venom into it as she could muster. Her irritation rising. "I came to see you before I left. Why is it every man who sees me off wants me to stay so I'll be safe? It maybe dangerous for you but I'M perfectly safe and capable of taking care of myself. I saved your ass as I recall not the other way around." With that she turned and stalked off down the stairs, leaving a speechless Martin at his door.