"Go! Go!" Sulla roared the words as he ran. The soles of his leather boots echoed loudly in the stone cavern as he sprinted.

The thief Roxanne raced just ahead of him, almost at the great lift. A wonder of Dwemer creation, they had no time to appreciate it now considering the creatures that followed them.

Sulla heard a blood-curdling yell come from behind. He knew it came from Phrixus but he didn't look back.

Roxanne slid into the lift at a crouch. She fixed a cold stare upon Sulla as she reached for the Dwarven metal handle.

An arrow whizzed past Sulla's right side settling his fate and Roxanne's.

The red-headed thief jerked back with a gasp of surprise as the poisoned arrow embedded itself in her left eye before she could yank the lift handle.

Sulla skidded into the cylindrical chamber that formed the lift shaft and kicked the handle hard.

"No!" Yvette's protest came as a wild scream more than a yell.

Sulla turned at last as the stone wall started to whirl round and the metal gears made clunking sounds as they shifted. He glimpsed the hire for hand Bosmer Yvette sprinting towards him with two Falmer on her trail as the stone clicked into place and the platform below him started to rise up.

Sulla let out a pant as he stared at the stone wall for a few alarmed minutes as he ascended up it, unconvinced that Falmer weren't about to come charging through. It took ten minutes before he slid down onto the platform, taking care to stay away from the walls the platform slid up against.

Sulla glanced Roxanne's way, she lay stiff and silent and he figured she had died instantly. He bore her no ill will, their small group had always agreed if it came down to it they would save themselves.

Sulla swung his tan, leather backpack round and unbuckled it to lift the flap and have a peek at his wares. He had a scant amount of tarnished gems, some gold coins and a few Dwemer cogs, taken more out of fascination than need, as well as a Dwemer carved helmet that he didn't think would fit him but hoped might go for good coin. In a small pouch concealed on the inside of the backpack was his most prized find, a couple of sheets of parchment with inked out sketches and writing in the Dwemer tongue. The language was difficult to decipher but from what Sulla could tell it did not refer to anything Dwemer but in fact served as a warning about dragon artefacts from a time before, the Merethic Era. This period was something Sulla knew very little about, all he had heard were stories that were little more than scant myth and spoke of things so grim that it seemed the world wanted to forget them. However, now that dragons had proven to be very real and were flying about the world again, well it just wasn't possible to forget them now.

Sulla sighed and looked up to the darkness he travelled up through. It had taken hours to get to this depth and he was still learning how Dwemer lifts worked. He estimated he'd have at least a couple of hours if not longer of travelling like this. The wonder wasn't just limited to the movement of the lift but how the small, gold plated bowls around the edges of it had come to life with flames through machinery rather than magic.

Sulla contemplated the value of his wares and knew even without having to divide it up this time once his outgoing expenses were deducted it wouldn't be much. He wondered wearily how long he had been absent from the upper world this time and knew he was liable to get a scolding from his superior as his meagre findings wouldn't be worth the time he had consumed and the losses.

Sulla's excursions to Dwemer and Nordic ruins were irregular and infrequent, tailored to any that happened to be nearby on his legion's tours when he had a break. Then it became a matter of using what short leave time he had to wrangle up a group of affordable people who were willing to risk their lives in dangerous ruins for the possibility of treasure. Sulla knew he would have to break this dismal pattern somehow. People he'd only known for a handful of days were getting killed out of greed, he needed experienced people.

The time trickled by slowly. His first clue to freedom was the blast of icy fresh air to replace the stale stench of the Dwemer ruins.

Sulla found himself in a gated archway of exquisite craftsmanship that he had no time to appreciate. Outside he could see that nightfall had arrived, which meant dealing with nocturnal predators on his trek back.

Sulla secured his backpack and checked that his sword could still slide swiftly from its hilt before he stood up. He glanced back to Roxanne grimly before tugging on the ringed chain to release the gate. It opened with a low creak, granting him exit to the cold wilderness.

It was three hours before midnight when Sulla entered General Tullius' tent in the Imperial Camp.

The general looked up from his seat by the fire wearily whilst his companion jumped up from hers and ran to the blond with a squeal of delight.

"Papa!"

There she was, Celestia Trebatius, the reason why Sulla remained a Praefect. Alright so it was two positions above an Auxiliary but his companion Gaius was now in the Penitus Oculatus. Sulla knew he should have more to show for having served so many years of service in such turbulence times. Alas, he wasn't allowed to move to the front line and earn his promotions because he was a single parent and his general didn't want to have an orphan on his hands if it could be avoided. Sulla did consider it to be a cruel irony that he probably risked a lot more in tombs and ruins than he would on battlefields.

Sulla crouched down to embrace the young girl who had come running towards him. Eight years old and all Celestia had known was warfare and bloodshed, living life in homes made from animal skins and wood that were built and destroyed in a handful of days. The younger soldier hugged her close to him and let his bitterness fade as he was reminded that fatherhood meant far more to him than his ever waning military career.

"My little star." Sulla cradled her into him and breathed in the soft scent of the lavender soap she had been bathed in.

Lavender was Celestia's favourite smell but she considered Dragon's Tongue the prettiest flower to look upon, which was why Sulla had a small bunch of them ready for her tucked into the back of his belt. He wondered moodily what it said of him that he had watched and listened to three people die just hours ago and yet remained unshaken enough to remember to pluck the finest looking Dragon's Tongue flowers he could find for his little girl. That had been no easy feat in the darkness and had involved an unfortunate trek through unseen skeever shit.

"Have you been good for the general?" Sulla leaned back and rested a hand on her golden locks.

The young girl beamed up at her father before turning the same sunny smile upon the Imperial general. Her smile created a brightness that even the stern leader of the Imperial troops in Skyrim had to bow to. When Celestia should have long been cast out of the camp life of soldiers and banished to an orphanage or some home Sulla could offer coin for her keep, instead she had been permitted to stay. An oddity amongst the soldiers who, as time passed, soon became viewed as their cheery spark and a lucky charm of sorts. It was hard to stay grim even in warfare when one had the innocent giggles of a child amused by how a goat brayed or how the birds bathed in puddles to accompany them.

"Uncle Tully read to me about horses," she said happily. Her smile faded a little as she looked back to her father. "Only it got boring."

Tullius permitted a small smile at this as he stood at last. "It was about the best breeds for soldiers," he explained.

"Ah." Sulla stood and saluted his superior at last. He had long forgotten the odd sensation of addressing Tullius with all the formalities he deserved as a general while his own daughter continued the name of affection she had given him when she had first started speaking- 'Uncle Tully'.

Tullius had been her rescuer and despite having little time to be considered free as he had risen up the ranks during her short lifespan he somehow made a point of being her best babysitter when he could. Permitting Sulla his diversions to the ruins seemed to be Tullius' way of showing the soldier his gratitude for bringing the girl into their lives, intentional or not. Of course there was also the fact that the army took its cut of treasure and glory from whatever Sulla found and held hopes that he might stumble upon ancient Nordic or Dwemer weapons blessed with magic that could give them the advantage they needed against Reachmen, Stormcloaks, and, if ever it came to it, Thalmor alike.

"Well Celestia," Sulla addressed his daughter formerly at last as he reached for her hand with his own. "Thank the general for looking after you and let's get you some supper and then bed."

"Will you tell me about your adventures today?" Celestia pried.

Sulla grimaced slightly, a gesture noted quickly by Tullius. "I wouldn't want you to have nightmares," he murmured darkly.

Realising what he had said, the soldier looked down to the child who had turned tense against him. He offered her a warm smile. "I'll tell you the legend of the next tomb I hope to visit," he offered, "it involves a princess."

Celestia's blue eyes widened at this and she nodded eagerly. "Oh yes, please!"

"Right, supper first, let's see what's at the campfire."

"Nothing," Tullius remarked. "You've missed the meal, which is why I had some brought here."

The general gestured to his own small fire where a pot bubbled and some sweetmeats rested on waiting plates close to the hearth.

Sulla gave his general a grateful look although he sensed the price he'd have to pay for the good food even before Tullius said it.

"It will give you a chance to show me what you plundered today and tell me some of your adventure," Tullius said calmly.

Sulla nodded wearily as he felt the trap close about him. The Imperial army also had to have its share of its winnings even though they didn't share in the risk. He could still see Roxanne dying in his mind's eye and hear Phrixus' screams. Soon he would forget their names but not their deaths. It would be another set to add to his tormented memories. He couldn't go through it again. No more amateurs.

Sulla reached back for the bouquet of yellow flowers and plucked them out to offer down to his daughter. The least valuable of his wares and yet she eyed them as a bandit would gold.

"You always remember papa," she said with delight as she took the bouquet delicately in both hands and brought it up to her face. "They're even more beautiful than the last, thank you."

Sulla smiled and patted her on head, wishing briefly that he was more like her and capable of seeing the value in beauty and nature. Alas, when he considered giving up both his desire to increase his knowledge of the Dwemer world, the Atmorans who had come before the Nords, and this mysterious Dragon Cult he felt certain had been real, and discover something worth being remembered for, horror almost consumed him. No, even for Celestia he would not give up those dreams.

Sulla headed to the fire at last. He shrugged off his backpack, took a seat and reached up a plate before turning to offer it out to Celestia.

Sulla knew instinctively that his daughter would be too busy smelling her flowers to consider food. Eating was a necessity for his daughter, rarely a joy, she derived no pleasure for food, considering a meal to take up time she could spend looking for fish, chasing rabbits, counting stars or some equally frivolous thing that only a child could find joy in. Sulla supposed it was partially because of the army life she had been raised with, when food became whatever you could scramble up and often had to be abandoned half-eaten or devoured without time for savouring because you needed to dismantle the camp or deal with an ambush. Often it would be poor quality too, whatever was cheap and available or could be bought and transported easily in a large supply, which was almost always some form of grain to be mixed with boiled water or, if one was fortunate, milk not yet soured.

Tonight was not so bad, there had been hunting earlier and as this was the general's tent he had received the plump spoils of rabbit, spiced beef, and some still steaming beef and potato stew along with some soft cuts of bread, cheese wedges, and a small pot of ale.

Celestia took her bouquet in one hand to accept the plate in the other. She took a seat on the wolfskin rug by the small fire, looking to the flames with appreciation as she could feel the cold of the night creeping in at the edges of the tent.

Sulla lifted up a bowl of the soup before glancing up to his superior as he felt the general's eyes upon him.

"You're back alone then," Tullius made it a statement rather than a question.

Sulla nodded wearily. "Yes, we met with some Falmer," he explained bluntly.

Sulla's blue gaze shifted down to Celestia and he saw her looking up to him now in fascination as she listened in.

"Eat your food before it gets cold little star," Sulla ordered her gently.

"And did you find anything worthwhile?" Tullius queried calmly.

The general stood, trying not to tower over Sulla. He retained a suitable distance, hands clasped behind his back as he looked to Sulla's backpack. He was a tall man, swarthy skinned as many natives of Cyrodiil were with the handsome, noble features of a man born to lead. His expression was usually stern as suited his rank, his hair silvered before its time although it only added to his features, and his eyes, so dark they were often mistook for brown, gleamed with a stormy grey that promised violence upon his foes without mercy.

"Gems, gold coins, a Dwemer helmet," Sulla explained. He kept careful to keep his disdain from his voice, knowing that Tullius would be seeking the legion's share of it soon.

Gems and coins to help procure horses, armour, weapons or whatever else the legion needed and Sulla would get no credit for it because it was viewed as his duty. He loathed the arrangement he had made with Tullius and thus the legion all those years ago. His excursions were viewed as out of army work and therefore he could gain no promotion from his treasure hunting but as he used more than the ordinary free time granted to a soldier and often sought to explore upon the chance passing of a ruin or tomb when they were on a march, the legion did feel that he used up their time in a fashion for his explorations but they would be fair about it. Sulla would be granted the leave to explore and whatever other resources he might need- other soldiers, coin to procure mercenaries, food supplies, bedding etc. and in exchange he would give a percentage of his findings over to the general for the legion's benefit.

Sulla knew that Tullius used his profits exactly as he said he would, the general was neither corrupt nor greedy on a personal level. Sulla also had to consider that Tullius did mind his daughter on a regular basis and never requested any coin for that, considering Celestia's smiles to be more than ample payment. Yet, despite this, Sulla felt a bitterness anyway when he had to hand over treasures and never heard of any credit or thanks from an emperor he had never met.

"I'll render unto the emperor as expected," Sulla added in a low voice.

Tullius frowned slightly as he caught the bitterness in the words but he resisted an urge to admonish the young man.

Sulla had always been ambitious and rebellious in a way, he had all the makings of a great explorer but he wanted more than treasure hunts, he wanted a name for himself, that was plain to see and evidently he had hoped to make it in the army. Tullius could guess at the young, cocky blond's dreams and desires of building up to be a captain or a general and then using the wealth and title of this post to procure himself all that he needed to go adventuring. For men with names and coin all doors opened easier, even the ancient ones.

Alas, Sulla was somewhat of a womaniser too, led by his urges as many youthful men were. Blessed with handsome looks he found it easier to answer his temptations for beautiful women more than most. It was this side of things that had stalled the ambition for him because, as he had learned so young, there was a price to pay for casual dances beneath the sheets with willing women if one wasn't careful about it. A baby bastard that he couldn't even leave up to the mother for she had died, a child Tullius had half-expected the blond to send off to some distant relation or abandon with a ward.

There was another issue for Sulla and why he remained so desperate to make a name for himself. He had no well known name at present. No one knew of the Trebatius family because it had all but gone. As Tullius had come to learn upon asking if there was no parent, sibling or even aunt or uncle to send the child to, Sulla had advised that he had no family left. His name came from a father than had drunk himself to death and his mother had died giving life to him. Sulla was the first and last born to the pair, and he had never been made aware of any siblings for either of his parents. It was perhaps why Sulla had determined to keep Celestia with him, to spare her the fate of the lonely childhood without family that he had suffered. Bad enough she should have no mother without losing her father too.

Tullius' dark grey eyes shifted from Sulla to Celestia as he contemplated his next question. "Any more raids planned?"

Sulla sipped at his soup as he thought of the parchment he had found. There was a side to him that wanted to keep it secret, were such an artefact to be found then he did not want to share any credit for it but he knew he would need time, coin and resources to try to find this one. He thought back to eight years ago and the failed mission in Ragnvald for a powerful mask and felt certain that the mask and these writings of Dragon Cults and dragon weapons were connected.

"I found a possible connection to the mask we tried to find in Ragnvald," Sulla admitted at last. "It's vague, there are references to a Dragon Cult and weapons they had, written in Dwemer, it will take time to decipher. I would consider following up on that."

Sulla took another sip of soup before turning a serious gaze to his superior. "I would need a lot for that, a proper group this time, people vetted correctly, not just every day for hire idiots," he grumbled. "It's going to take a lot of time too, I don't even have a location in mind yet."

"Would you try Ragnvald again?" Tullius queried coolly.

The general thought about the soldiers that had died that day, he still remembered their names.

"Not yet," Sulla admitted, "we didn't even begin to scratch the surface there and couldn't handle it."

"You'll need a mage."

Sulla bristled at the suggestion, he was a spellsword and adequately trained in destruction magic, what other need would there be for a mage? They were always casting the wrong spells or underestimating their range or aiming incorrectly.

"They're useful," Tullius said as he saw Sulla's annoyance in his stare.

"They made a city collapse."

Tullius gave a small smile at this. "Only partly and no one has proved the mages did that."

"Their college is right beside it."

"A coincidence perhaps."

Sulla's eyes widened slightly until he spied the slight twinkle in the general's eyes that suggested he jested.

"At any rate Sulla, they are not all city destroying monsters," Tullius advised, "and one would be useful for this, especially when you might be dealing with magic. Perhaps a native could be considered too," his mouth turned downwards at this and his brows narrowed slightly, "although that is a risk. However, it is their history you are trying to uncover. Nordic history seems nonsensical most of the time and dragons do not lend support to it even if they are flying about again."

Sulla nodded and looked to Celestia once more. He smiled as he saw she had nodded off. He set down his empty bowl and reached up to the brass clasp of his red cloak. He unfastened the cloak and bundled it about the young girl gently.

Sulla could remember the dragon in Helgen as well as any soldier who had been present there and survived. He still considered it nothing short of a miracle that Celestia had been on the outskirts of the town with Hedani, her nursemaid turned sitter, looking for rabbits.

Hearing the thunderous roar of the dragon had prompted Hedani to take the child to shelter under the bank of a river. They had cowered in the shadows of the muddy rise, knee deep in water, waiting until the roars had faded to silence. Then they had returned cautiously to find Helgen on fire, rampant as villagers, prisoners and soldiers alike struggled for survival. Thankfully, Sulla had spied them on his retreat and they had been reunited.

Sulla found it hard to believe that only been a handful of months ago. So much had happened since then- Ulfric held base in Windhelm stirring his uprising, there was talk of a Dragonborn walking amongst them, and dragons continued to fly through the air plaguing the land.

Sulla had grown tired of it all, they had been fighting for all eight years of Celestia's life and then some. The uprising had been stopped and Ulfric had been captured eventually but now he was free again continuing the Civil War and beasts of legend were burning up the world around them. The Thalmor had its boot firmly on the Emperor demanding an end to Ulfric and his blasphemous Stormcloak followers but some of the Imperials weren't so sure that the Thalmor hadn't been the one to start this fight in the first place. It was certainly doing wonders in keeping attention from them and whatever they were up to.

"Well we are heading for Whiterun as you know," Tullius said quietly, "perhaps you can start gathering your resources there. We will be there for a few days to speak with this Jarl and hope he sees sense with his allegiances. After that I must go to Solitude but maybe if you can compose some suitable evidence with a plan and a destination I can sanction an expedition." Tullius lowered his voice again as he stepped forward and leaned down slightly. "If it is going to give us a weapon that can end this war and perhaps prevent any others from starting then I think we can offer serious coin for this."

Sulla nodded and his blue gaze dropped once more to Celestia as he wondered where she would be in all this, in Castle Dour at Solitude? He supposed maybe he could consider some funding for an education there but he didn't know how long this expedition might take him and the idea that he might be parted from her for anything more than a couple of weeks was unbearable. She was all he had and he was all she had, he could not do that to either of them. Yet to bring her along, well perhaps the Khajiit could come too and keep her occupied outside the ruins and tombs, waiting with a token guard maybe for whatever hours or days her father's explorations took.

Sulla stood up, bending down to scoop up the young girl gently in his arms, keeping her bundled up in his cloak as he did. The flowers remained grasped in her right hand, limp but still bright.

"Thank you for minding her general," Sulla said softly.

Tullius nodded. "Keep her safe Sulla, she is one treasure you will never replace."