Chapter Nineteen

Everyone sat around the table in the same seats that were in the previous day, with Ravenwood and Jurgis at opposite ends. The Breton I saw upstairs yesterday was placing plates of fruit and cheese onto the table as Ravenwood started speaking.

"We are here to confirm war plans made between the Council and these proven men and woman of Tamriel," he began and the Breton Council member, who I learned was named Maranique, wrote down his words. "Jurgis and Frelene Wind-Shifter, Ambassadors of Skyrim, will be returning home to report their finding of Elsweyr and Cyrodiil. Malpenix Sintav will be taking his position as General over this small group, with Ormvard Stone-Eye ad Lugrub Gro-Kharbush as Legates under him. We are placing these men over the soldiers at the Boethia Camp. We will need to send the proper documentation with them when they travel, so they can inform the current General and Legates that they will be relocated to Bruma. Emerald Floramer shall act as General Sintav's communication between himself and the Thalmor spies that are now under his control, which raises Floramer's rank from new soldier to low-level Altmer spy."

I could see Mal's face harden as he attempts not to blurt out his rejection. When Frelene told me the Council wanted me to do a little spying, I knew Mal would do everything within his power to put a stop to it. Though the Council promoted him General, he was still powerless to overrule their orders. The more I thought about my new position, though, the more excited I grew. I realized it was my opportunity to create my own stories to pass on to future Floramers, if there were to be any. Perhaps Syndus will tell his children of me. Besides, it wasn't as if I were infiltrating the Aldmeri Dominion. I was simply going in to parties to provide communications to the real spies.

After making a few more points, Ravenwood opened up the table for discussions. Mal was the first one to speak up, saying that I was too "green" to be allowed to do such a task. The Council quickly dismissed his worries and Jurgis gave him a stern look of warning. Mal took the warning and stayed silent, only speaking when absolutely necessary. The rest of the conversation had to do with food rations and movements of soldiers. After the sun had set and all the food had been eaten, the Council meeting finally convened and we went back to the Five Claws Lodge to celebrate our final night in Leyawiin.

We sat at the longest table at the Lodge and drank a round of ale to the Wind-Shifters and their return home. Mal staid very quiet but Ormvard drank until he was laughing himself into the floor. Lugrub matched Ormvard mug for mug but held his alcohol much better. At one point, Jurgis and Frelene began to get cozier than they've allowed us to see before and snuck off upstairs. Soon after, Mal decided he had enough of the celebration and gruffly left the table. Lugrub and I agreed that Ormvard had enough and we slowly lugged the huge Nord up the stairs and to his room.

"Some way to see your superior," Lugrub joked and gave a grunting laugh as we placed Ormvard on his bed. After a good laugh, we said goodnight to one another and I headed off to my own room.

I didn't draw my weapon this time when I saw Mal sitting on my bed.

"Don't you have your own room?" I asked as I shut the door behind me. I knew why he was here and I didn't want to have a fight tonight.

"That's what the dress is for, isn't it? You knew all day what the Council had planned for you and you didn't say a word. You let me walk in there and get blind-sided by this," he griped.

"I didn't realize it would be that big of a deal. Besides, I thought you might be a little proud of me that the Council thinks I can do something like this!" I said, my temper starting to flair.

"Proud of you? They only want you do to this because you look the part, not because they think you have a specific skill set. It's grunt work that unnecessarily puts you in the line of fire!"

Anger and rage filled me so completely that I didn't even know the words to pose a proper argument. The best I could come up with was, "Why would you even care if I were in danger? All of what has happened here is an act, right? So what does any of it matter?"

He closed his eyes and searched for his calm while he ran his hand over his newly short beard. "Emerald, you know that all I want is your safety. This isn't an act," he gestured to the bed, "Everything out there is. I know you can do this and I won't stand in your way – and not because I'm taking commands but because you've made it clear that it's what you want. Curse Mara and the rest, but you know it matters to me. You know you matter to me."

"You say that, but nothing is going to change. Not out there, anyways, is it?" I asked crossing my arms.

He walks over, uncrosses them, and pulls me up into his arms so my eyes are level with his. "If I let anyone else, especially the Council, know of my feelings for you then they'll take you away from me. They'll place you in Bruma or Anvil or Elsweyr or Skyrim. They'll put you as far away from me as they can. This may be hard on us both, but at least we can be together even if it means we'll have to be stay General and soldier. Even if means we'll have to only be friends."

"Ormvard will figure it out," I finally say after giving his heavy words a lot of thought.

"Ormvard won't say anything, but Lugrub must never know. Damn Orcs don't like to bend the rules of battle."

"You sound like a Nord."

"You sound like an Elf."

"I thought I was a skeever."

He pulled my body closer to his and pushed me against the door. His nose was nearly touching mine when he said, "You are definitely a skeever. A damned hardheaded skeever."

He then kissed me deeply and passionately. He carried me across the room and placed me on the bed, never relenting in his kiss nor releasing his grip.

Afterwards, we lay in the bed twisted up in one another. My head was on his chest and his hand played with my dark hair. I was somewhere between sleep and awake when he let out a heavy sigh.

"I don't want morning to come," he said solemnly. "I don't want this night to ever end."

I wasn't sure if I was prepared to forsake the outside world, so instead of agreeing I tug his beard to get his face close enough for a kiss. He let out a small laugh and when I asked him about it he leaned his head back on the pillow.

"Look at us, Emi. We're two orphans waging a war against an unbeatable force."

"Do you really think the Thalmor won't be defeated?" I sat up slightly so I can see his face better.

"Not by us or our forces. It will take a reuniting of all the man, mer, and beasts – and that won't happen while the Thalmor are forcing more and more of a wedge between us. But don't fear, girl. I'll be happy if we win a few battles. I want justice for my family and for all those lost during the Great War, but I'm aware that may not happen within my lifetime."

His words made me sad, and I didn't want to be sad tonight. I kissed him softly and we found something to distract us both from the thought of tonight's end.