Proelium and Administria
Weynon Priory, Cyrodiil
Midyear, 8th
Esbern was hosting a meeting of the Blades leadership. The emperor was going to be hosting his own council meeting, and as the Grand High Priest of Talos, Esbern was afforded a seat. Of course the real reason was his position as Grandmaster of the Blades, but that was not public knowledge. Esbern was concerned that there would be political fallout from the high priests of the other divines, but they were all content to be left alone.
Each of them was happy to run their own orders without interference from or contributions to the Empire. The high priests of each order met on a semi-regular basis and many of them were happy to welcome Esbern and the order of Talos back in to the fold. Esbern was happy to take any of their concerns to the Empire, but as of yet, none of them had anything worth reporting.
That left Esbern mostly able to focus on the Blades. He was able to assemble the entire leadership team. No small feat with the world's events. Aranea, Hadvar, Lydia, Mjoll, Delphine and Aldis were all present. Aranea was a Master Chronicler, the head of the scholarly order, Delphine was a Grand Spymaster, the head of the intelligence order, Aldis was a Master Knight the head of the knightly order, Lydia was a Knight Commander, the head of the Emperor's personal guard and Esbern, not only Grand High Priest of the priestly order, but Grandmaster of all the Blades.
After a little while of small talk, Esbern decided to open the meeting. "Good day, and thank you all for coming. The Emperor has established his own council of advisors and he will be holding his first meeting as soon as he returns from Elsweyr. I'd like to get updates from you all so that I can fully inform him of our status."
"Wait, you'll talk about the Blades at the council meeting?" Delphine asked.
"No, I'll stick with the priestly orders at the council meeting. Afterwards, I will have a private conversation with the Emperor," Esbern replied.
"Wouldn't it be easier for him just to be here and get the update himself?" Aldis asked.
"Now that we have a structure in place, and have established ourselves, he is stepping back slightly. He may request us to meet with him from time to time, but in general, I'll be the one who updates him on the Blades. That being said, Delphine will be contacting you all individually and sharing discreet ways of communicating, so we will not need to meet like this very often. The less we do, the more secure we'll be," Esbern explained.
There were nods around the table as people understood what was being said.
"You all will be fairly autonomous in your respective areas, but we need to communicate as an organization and some of us may need to work together. As I said, Delphine will work out inconspicuous methods of communication, but for now, please update me on where each of you stand in your respective orders. Aranea, why don't you go first?"
"Thank you, Esbern. The new Arch-mage of the mages guild has allowed the foundation of a new school. Its mandate is the pursuit of knowledge. Some sections will be the pursuit of magical knowledge, and others will be general knowledge. The Arch-mage agrees that pursuit of all knowledge should be one of the tenets of the mages guild and has not only inducted me a senior member, he has allowed for considerable resources. While most members of the mages guild are solely interested in pursuing the magical arts, a surprising number are interested in the pursuit of knowledge itself. I've identified more than a few who I believe worthy of becoming blades. I can talk to you more about this afterwards if you would like."
"Thank you, Aranea. It sounds like you are off to a good start with your mission. I will trust your discretion when it comes to inducting new members. Simply report their names and their ranks and that will be sufficient," Esbern requested. "That goes for all of you. We'll keep a master record here of all Blades members, and you can forward your reports monthly after Delphine has instructed you how. Aldis, how are your projects going?"
"I've been focused on two particular aspects. Gathering materials and recruiting from within the legion. Gathering materials has been easy. There are two blacksmiths who are willing to help, Alvor of Riverwood and Adrianne of Whiterun. Both are discreet and both know how to get ahold of materials. We've also been using the Khajiit caravans. They are all about discretion and with Elsweyr about to become part of the empire, and more importantly, leveraging the Emperor's relationship with them, they too are more than willing to help. As for recruitment, I have nearly six companies worth of soldiers who have been inducted into the blades."
"That many? That was fast!" Hadvar pointed out.
"Not necessarily, many Legionnaires in Skyrim fought alongside the emperor before, well, before he was the emperor. He gained a lot of respect from the troops. As Legionnaires, they take an oath to server the emperor and the empire. Given how many have fought alongside our emperor, they are willing to beyond the normal oath and swear a blood oath to serve him directly. I've been discreet, but the response has been very good so far."
"That's good to hear," Hadvar interrupted. "I fought beside him many times and can attest to the bond that forms. I'd like a company's worth of soldiers. What I intend is to make the first company of the first cohort all Blades. I can send you a company's worth of sword singers. I'm sure they would be happy to be closer to Hammerfell."
"With all the rearranging they have been doing with the Legions lately, we should be easily able to arrange the transfer of a few companies," Aldis confirmed.
"That's good. Go through the proper Legion channels to make that happen," Esbern directed. "Delphine, how goes the intelligence gathering."
"We've made inroads in Elsweyr, Hammerfell and Valenwood. We have assets from, well, we have assets in place. We're coming up empty in Morrowind and Black Marsh, but we may have some leads in Morrowind soon. Also, we've found a few blades who survived the purge. The good part is they have been underground for so long, they are well established in their roles. Activating them will take time and money, but I believe it will be well worth it in the end. Speaking of which, Hadvar, I have some intel you will want to bring to the legion."
Hadvar nodded, but said nothing.
"Thank you, Delphine," Esbern acknowledged. "Lydia, what do you have to report?"
"The Emperor's Personal Guard is well established. I've pulled mainly from the legions, recruiting not just capable warriors, but those who have demonstrated honor and a commitment to their fellow legionnaires. We have three separate sections. The more mundane daily guard that has replaced many of the palace guards. The ceremonial guard who will accompany the Emperor when he travels and an undercover guard for any sort of event. Delphine has been gracious enough to provide us with some guidance in that regard. I'm starting to be a little more selective in my recruitment and will only recruit from within the Blades going forward."
"Thank you, Lydia. It sounds like all of you have taken your assignments and gone beyond expectations. Delphine will contact each of you regarding how to communicate going forward. I anticipate few of these types of meetings going forward, but don't hesitate to reach out if you or your people need anything. As always, discretion is fundamental." Esbern officially closed the meeting, but some of them remained for some small talk.
War Room, Imperial Palace, Cyrodiil
Midyear, 9th
Consul Jonna was hosting an emergency meeting with his Praetors, a few generals and a few staff officers. The Thalmor had launched a massive invasion on two different fronts. The first was the city of Dune in Elsweyr. The Thalmor had sent three divisions to besiege the city. The second was the city of Skingrad in Cyrodiil. The Thalmor had sent three divisions to besiege that city as well.
"It looks like your intelligence was timely, General Hadvar," Jonna began. "The news allowed both cities to fortify themselves and keep the Thalmor out. Now we need to look at how to either prevent an overall siege or how we break the sieges and which city we focus on first."
"If I may, Consul," Praetor Whitestone requested. Jonna nodded and Whitestone continued. "Skingrad is better fortified and more of a hard target than dune. They can withstand a siege for a little while. I recommend we focus on Dune. That will show the Khajiit we value them as citizens of the Empire."
"It would," Jonna agreed. "Especially since they sent all their divisions here, except the one they agreed to keep all Khajiit for garrison duty."
"I would like to volunteer First Legion," Hadvar said.
"Thank you, Hadvar. In fact, the entire First Army will go. Hadvar, you will be in overall command. Praetor Whitestone will remain here and coordinate our defense," Jonna ordered. "I am sending several companies of Khajiit with you. You will need to organize your troops and incorporate them on the fly."
Hadvar nodded. "Yes, Consul."
"Praetor Laudis," Jonna continued, "send Fifth Legion and Sixth Legion to accompany the first army to Elsweyr. Use Seventh and Eighth Legions to harass the Thalmor around Skingrad. Keep them from building siege engines if you can, but limit direct engagements until reinforcements arrive from Dune."
There were a series of acknowledgements around the table, and then each of them left to carry out their respective orders.
Palace, Dune, Elsweyr
Midyear, 9th
The City of Dune had a long and storied history. The city was built on a hill and had five distinct layers. The top layer contained the Palace and the Temple of the Two-Moons Path. Because of the temple, it was once again poised to be the capital of a united Elsweyr. Because of the temple, the City of Dune would be where the new Mane was chosen.
Kharjo, Ri'Zakar, M'dessi were gathered in the palace, going over the ceremony and the procedures. Martin was present as Kharjo's special guest. A Khajiit soldier came rushing into the room, interrupting the meeting.
"You better have a good reason for interrupting us," Ri'Zakar said.
"Yes, the Thalmor have sent multiple divisions to attack the City of Dune. Three, possibly four. The city is locked down, but Thalmor are moving to encircle and besiege it."
"You will fetch General Dro'shanji and have him meet Kharjo on the roof," the soon to be Mane ordered.
The soldier nodded and left to carry out his orders.
Kharjo and the others went up to the roof of the palace. From that vantage point, they could see the Thalmor. Massive columns were coming from the west, and the troops were moving to encircle the city and take up positions for the siege of Dune.
"Perhaps the 'Lightning Bringer' could show us his gift," Ri'Zakar said, with no small amount of sarcasm.
"The Lightning Bringer will be happy to, but first, I have an idea," Martin replied. He turned to Kharjo who nodded slightly and let loose his Thu'um. "Od…Ah…VIING!"
Ri'Zakar looked confused, but a few moments later, they all heard a roar in the distance. They looked to the north and saw 5 specks in the sky. As they got closer, the specks formed into vague outlines, then the vague outlines turned into dragon outlines. Odahviing and four other dragons rapidly approached the city.
Odahviing approached the group on the roof while the other dragons hovered outside the city walls. "How may we be of assistance, Dovahkiin?"
"You brought friends," Martin observed.
"As I mentioned, many of my kind did not think you would keep your word. Now that you have, a few are willing to assist. I make no guarantees this will happen every time you call, but for now, you have their aid as well as mine," Odahviing explained.
"Please pass along my appreciation for their aid. As you can see there are several Thalmor divisions approaching and surrounding the city. Imperial reinforcements are at least a day away. If you can help prevent them from establishing lines, or even camp, that would help us keep them distracted until help arrives," Martin said.
"Your city. This territory is Thalmor territory, is it not?" Odahviing inquired.
"Technically it is independent territory," Martin explained, "but soon it will be part of the Empire once again."
"Through conquest?" Odahviing asked.
"No, through diplomacy," Martin replied.
Odahviing grunted, but Martin thought he detected a hint of grudging respect. "Shall we focus on the main columns?" Odahviing asked.
"No," Martin replied. "At least, not yet. Focus on the troops gathering north of the city. Once the lightning clears, any help you can provide with the main column would be welcome."
Odahviing nodded and flew towards his compatriots.
Martin turned towards Ri'Zakar, "If you will be so kind as to bring me to the western wall on the lower level, I will gladly show you the power of my Thu'um."
"We must wait for Dro'shanji," Kharjo said.
They did not have to wait long. Dro'shanji arrived just a moment later. The group left together and went to the wall between the lowest and second lowest level. From there, they could see the main column of Thalmor troops advancing on the city. Ri'Zakar looked at Martin expectantly.
Martin smiled, drew a breath and shouted, "STRUN…BAH…QO!"
Immediately, dark clouds began to form overhead. Lightning struck inside the Thalmor ranks. The bulk of which hit inside the main column. Several Thalmor soldiers were killed instantly. Many more were injured. When the lightning had cleared, the dragons followed up with strafing attacks using their fire and frost breath.
Ri'Zakar was unable to hide his astonishment. "By Jone and Jode!" He exclaimed. "You have greatly impressed Ri'zakar. Forgive me as I was sure the tales were embellished."
Martin simply smiled, letting his actions speak for themselves.
.
Imperial Legion Camp, Halfway between Riverhold and Dune
Midyear 9th (Evening)
Hadvar as in his command tent. Around him was the largest assembly of Legionnaires he had ever seen. Less than a year ago, he was a minor officer, taking place in quelling a rebellion in order to unite a single province. Now he was commanding the largest force he had ever seen in order to help unite an empire. It was a little unnerving, but he had good officers working for him and with him. He was confident he could do this.
Currently, he had a few other generals in his tent, including Razelan, Aerin, Rikke, S'thasa and J'Kier. Hadvar had the monumental task of ensuring the Khajiit troops were integrated with the Imperial Legions. He was trusting his generals to assist.
In addition to the Generals, Ralof, now a Legate in the Imperial Legion, had accompanied General Rikke, much to Hadvar's surprise.
"Ralof? What are you doing here?"
"The emperor offered amnesty for any of us willing to kill Thalmor. I signed up."
Hadvar turned to Rikke. "Are you sure he can be trusted?"
"I wouldn't have made him a Legate, otherwise. Listen, Hadvar, I know there is a lot of bad blood, from the civil war, but we need to get passed that in order to defeat the Thalmor."
Hadvar sighed, then nodded. "Welcome aboard, I guess. You'll have an opportunity to prove yourself soon." Then Hadvar turned the group. "Ladies and gentlemen, this is the largest assembly of Legionnaires I have ever seen. Largely thanks to our Khajiit brothers and sisters. We have two monumental tasks ahead of us. Integrate the Khajiit soldier and break the siege of the City of Dune."
"It may be monumental, but we can do this. You can do this, Hadvar," Rikke encouraged him. "Just a few months ago, you were under my command. You rose quickly through the ranks because of your skills. Now, I am under your command. You earned this and tomorrow, we will all show the Thalmor our skills."
"I witnessed the legions do more with less at Gilane," Razelan added. "This will be no different. Tomorrow, we send the Thalmor all the way back to Summerset Isles…any who survive, that is."
Hadvar smiled. "You are both right. We will be victorious, but first we need to ensure our legions are working together. Kharjo, I mean, the Mane, or soon to be Mane, has agreed to keep one all Khajiit legion as a garrison legion here in Elsweyr. The rest will integrated by adding two companies of Khajiit soldiers to every cohort. We don't have an exact match for each cohort, so things may be a little patchwork for a while. Still, with the help of S'thasa and J'Kier, I have a list of company strength units for each of you to incorporate into our legions at the cohort level."
Hadvar passed out parchments to each general. "Here is a list for each of you. You and your cohort commanders are to seek out the commanders of the Khajiit companies and fold them into your units. Every cohort should camp together tonight, so that every legion is ready to move out in the morning. I won't lie, this is going to be complicated, and there will be some confusion, but I have no doubt we can make this happen. We attack the Thalmor first thing in the morning, so you all need to be ready by then."
Weatherleah, Cyrodiil
Midyear 10th
Weatherleah was a small village with a storied past. Located halfway between Chorrol and Skingrad, it started off as a homestead of a prominent thief. It fell into disrepair after an orc attack, but was restored years later by the Jermane Brothers, sons of the thief, and became a successful farm in its own right.
A year after the Oblivion Crisis, the Imperial Legion burned the town of Hackdirt to the ground for the second time. This time, the legion went into the caves, hunting down the brethren and the deep ones. There were only a handful of survivors, and rather than rebuild, they made their way to Weatherleah.
The Jermane Brothers, owning a growing farm agreed to employ some of them. The rest were permitted to build houses around the farm in return for rent. Over the years, paths were cut through the forest leading directly to Chorrol and Skingrad. These paths opened trade. Slowly, over the years, more settlers came, opening inns/taverns and stores.
By 4E202, Weatherleah had become a thriving village in its own right. The paths linking it with Chorrol and Skingrad were designated part of the Orange Road, which now lead from Skingrad all the way to the Silver Road and on to Bruma. The city was populated by a good mix of races and most of them were middle class, with a few being fairly wealthy.
One thing the village lacked, however, was its own militia. This would prove to be its undoing.
The sun was just below the horizon when an entire division of Thalmor troops swarmed the village. The set fire to fields and buildings alike. The farmers who were just starting their work for the day were quickly cut down, as was anyone else unlucky enough to be in the streets. Homes were set alight with villagers still inside them. In one such home, a lady grabbed her small son, pushed him through the window and quickly followed suit.
They quickly made their way to the forest, but were spotted before they reached the tree line. Thalmor troops chased after them. They caught up to the woman, and grabber her. As she struggled, she yelled after her son, "Run, Ralfric! Run! Don't look back! Don't stop! RUN!"
Ralfric did as he was told, running as fast as his little legs could carry him. If he had looked back, he would have seen his mother run through with multiple swords and her body careless toss back into the burning structure that used to be his home.
.
Chorrol, Cyrodiil
Just over an hour later
Ralfric kept running, all the way up to the gates of Chorrol. There were two guards standing out front, and Ralfric ran straight for them, "Help me! Help me!" he shouted.
The guards immediately went on alert looking for a threat that would cause him to run wild eyed straight toward them. They saw nothing but the boy, who didn't slow down and barreled right into one of them. "Help me!" he kept shouting.
"What is it, boy? What's wrong?"
"Soldiers, fire, soldiers kill mommy, help me!"
"Slow down, boy. What soldiers? Where? What happened?"
The boy pointed and shouted, "Fire! Soldiers!"
"Skingrad?"
The boy shook his head.
"Weatherleah?"
The boy nodded. Out of breath and on the verge of tears, he was all shouted out.
"Come with me son, we're going to talk to some important people."
The boy reached out and grabbed the guard's hand. The guard was taken aback at first, but his heart softened. Taking the boy's hand he led him inside the city and straight for Castle Chorrol. The Captain of the Guard was there, but the count was not yet awake. The guard shared what happened and what his interpretation was. The captain left for a few moments and returned with the Count. The Count squatted down in front of the boy and gave his best child-friendly smile. "Hello, what's your name?"
"Ralfric"
"Hi Ralfric. I hear you had a pretty scary morning. You are very brave to come here and tell us what happened. Can you tell me what happened?"
"Soldiers. Fire. Mommy," the boy started to cry again.
"You are very brave," the Count repeated. "Can you tell me where you are from?"
The boy wiped some his tears with his sleeve. "Weatherleah."
"Soldier attacked Weatherleah?" the Count asked.
The boy nodded.
"And they set fire to things?"
The boy nodded again.
The Count stood up and addressed the Captain. "Send a messenger to Imperial City, use our fastest horse. Also, send a team to Weatherleah to investigate and report back to me." The Count took the boy by the hand, "Why don't you come with me. You must be hungry."
The boy took the Count's hand and went with him.
The Captain turned to the guard who brought the boy, "I want you to head to the barracks get ten men and have them meet me outside the south gate, then grab a horse from the stables and ride as fast as you can to Imperial City. Tell the Legion what happened."
The guard nodded and left to carry out his orders. The Captain swung by his quarters, put on his mail and his belt, grabbed his sword and his helmet and went to the south gate where he met the rest of the guards who had gathered there.
"Men, we have a report of soldiers burning Weatherleah, we're going to investigate. I have no idea how many soldiers are there, or what the status of the town is. We will NOT engage, but we will attempt to rescue as many villagers as we can. Two columns. I'll take point. Ailus, you take up the rear. Form up and move out!"
It took them about an hour to make their way to Weatherleah. What they saw when they arrived shocked all of them. Two of the guards lost their breakfast. Embers were still glowing, smoke was rising from every building. The fields were blackened as were the structures. Roofs were missing, many of the stone walls were cracked, with some of them partially fallen over.
The village was eerily silent. The guards broke into pairs and searched every smoldering structure. After a thorough search of the village, there was not a single living soul left. Most of the bodies were utterly cremated, indicating just how hot the fires burned the buildings. There were a few charred remains, but not many. A few more guards lost their breakfast.
Outskirts, Dune, Elsweyr
Midyear, 10th
Early in the morning, while the sun was well below the horizon, the Imperial legions broke camp and moved to the city of Dune. The generals were not able to fully integrate the Khajiit into all their legions, and there was a large contingent of miscellaneous companies, both Khajiit and imperial. Those companies were grouped together in a makeshift unit that reported directly to General Hadvar.
The first signs of gray were just beginning to show when the Imperial Legion was in position. Six legions surrounded the Thalmor. The Thalmor's numbers were cut in half due to the dragons and the lighting. Still, they had surrounded the City of Dune. Now they were caught between the six legions on the outskirts and the one legion garrisoned inside the city.
When the sun first shone its face over the horizon, Martin, Rikke and Ralof rode out to the Thalmor lines. They were met by a Thalmor officer.
"I am Elamer Calinwen. You'll meet with Commander Rimintil. He is by the main gate of the city. I will escort you." The Thalmor rode off without another word.
Hadvar looked at Rikke and Ralof, then he shrugged and followed the Thalmor. They rode around to the front of the city, to its main gate.
Commander Rimintil rode out to meet them. "General Hadvar, General Rikke. You've brought quite the force to bear against us in a territory that does not belong to you. This is an internal matter for the Aldmeri Dominion."
"Commander Rimintil," Hadvar replied. "The Empire recognizes Elseweyr as a sovereign nation. One that has officially requested our aid. Furthermore, the Aldmeri Dominion has launched an assault upon the Emperor. Our forces have yours surrounded and outnumbered. I am not authorized to negotiate with you directly, but I can personally guarantee your safety and escort you to the palace where you can negotiate with the leader of Elsweyr."
Rimintil looked at Hadvar, then at Rikke, and then back at Hadvar. "Very well," he said.
The group approached the main gate under the very watchful eyes of several archers and mages.
.
Palace, Dune
Commander Rimintil, General Hadvar, General Rikke and Legate Ralof entered the main hall of the palace. They were met by M'dessi, who was finely dressed, and were led into a side room for negotiations. Kharjo and Ri'Zakar were there waiting. Kharjo nodded at their entrance. Hadvar, Rikke, Ralof and M'dessi left the room and closed the door.
Commander Rimintil looked around. "Where is the Emperor?"
"Emperor Martin Septim II is not conducting these negotiations. Kharjo conducts these negotiations on behalf of the Free Nation of Elsweyr, which you have illegally invaded."
"But the imperial legions—"
"Are under Kharjo's command while they defend Elsweyr," Kharjo interrupted.
That comment caught Commander Rimintil off guard, and threw him off a bit, which was Kharjo's intention.
"What are your terms?" Rimintil asked.
"The Khajiit will accept the unconditional surrender of the Thalmor troops. The Thalmor troops will surrender their weapons and their armor. The Thalmor troops will construct a facility outside the city in which they will be imprisoned until the war is over." Kharjo explained.
Commander Rimintil thought long and hard about what the terms that Kharjo laid out. Finally, he made a decision that would shake up the war. He shook his head. "No, that won't work. The Thalmor will launch a second invasion to mount a rescue. They will bring a much larger force, and they won't simply conquer Dune, they will raze it. They will burn it to the ground and leave the ashes as a lesson for the rest of Elsweyr. Let the troops go and take me prisoner instead. Me and my Elamer."
It was Kharjo's turn to be caught off guard. Commander Rimintil had volunteered vital intelligence and was offering himself in place of his troops. Kharjo looked at Ri'Zakar. Ri'Zakar gave an almost imperceptible nod. Kharjo looked back Commander Rimintil. "We insist that Thalmor troops surrender their weapons and armor. The rest of the supplies you may keep. The Khajiit accept keeping you and your Elamer prisoner. You will be permitted one hour to return to your troops inform them of the situation and return to the city. Do you accept?"
Commander Rimintil nodded. Kharjo stood, ending the negotiations. The door opened, M'Dessi was there to escort the Thalmor commander to the palace entrance. Once there, he handed him off to Hadvar, Rikke and Ralof. The Imperial trio escorted the commander back to his troops, listened as he gave his orders and escorted him and his Elamer back to the palace. The Battle of Dune was over.
Imperial Palace, Cyrodiil
Imperial Prison
Midyear, 12th
Martin had an unusual prisoner, one who deserved to be treated better than he was. After the Battle of Dune, Commander Rimintil and his Elamer were separated. The commander requested to see the emperor and once there, requested a transfer to the Imperial City. The request had surprised both Kharjo and Martin, but they both agreed.
Now, Rimintil was in a cell in the Imperial Prison. Martin motioned to the cell door and ordered the guard to open it.
"Your majesty?" The guard paused. "This could be a trick, he could be an assassin."
"Lydia will protect me. Now open the door." Martin ordered, a second time.
The guard complied and Martin entered the cell. It was bare, an old wooden chair and a cot with a torn mattress, most of the straw missing. Martin sat in the chair. It creaked under the weight, but it held. Rimintil smiled at the irony and sat on the cot. Lydia stood behind Martin.
"This is no place for a mer of your stature, even one of the enemy," Martin observed. "I think I can find you better accommodations."
"I would be most obliged, your majesty."
"Just how obliged are we talking about?"
Rimintil smiled. "You know why I asked to come here."
"I have an idea." Martin stood. "My guard will escort you to an apartment in the palace proper. There will be a hot bath and fresh clothes. You may avail yourself of both. We'll talk more this evening."
Imperial Palace, War room
The Imperial war room was a flurry of activity. Martin was meeting with the senior military leaders to review the events of the past few days. The midday meal was being provided, and servants ensured empty plates were removed and empty cups were refilled. The empty plates were being replaced with maps. The first one was a map of southeast Cyrodiil.
"My Liege," Jonna began, "The Thalmor divisions approached Skingrad, but they did not siege the city. The Seventh and Eighth Legions moved to engage, but they withdrew. That night, the two armies camped near each other, and the Thalmor lit the fields and vineyards alight. This proved just a distraction though. As our troops assisted in the efforts to save the vineyards and fields, one Thalmor division moved to the north, towards Weatherleah. They attacked at first light, slaughtered everyone, man, woman and child."
"Any survivors?" Martin asked.
"One, a small child. The Count of Chorrol has taken him under his wing. I'm afraid he was the only one, my liege."
Martin pressed his palms into his eyes, then put his hands on the table and stood. He felt an intense anger rising inside him, but managed to push it down. When he opened his eyes, they were filled with a cold fire, but his voice was surprisingly calm when he said, "We will push them off the mainland, back to Summerset, and then we will push them to Alinor, and then we will push them to the palace, and then we will take their leadership alive and place them on trial for their sins, and then hang them from the palace walls as a warning to anyone who would seek to commit such atrocities. We will make them pay…for Weatherleah!"
The generals, praetors and consul were roused by his impromptu speech. "For Weatherleah!" They shouted in unison.
"If your majesty will permit," Jonna began. Martin nodded and Jonna continued, "We have taken the liberty of planning the liberation of Valenwood."
The map of Cyrodiil was replaced with a map of Valenwood on the table. "The first Army will come from the North, and the Second Army from the East, "Jonna began. First and Second Legions will Garrison at Ebon Ro, while Third and Fourth Legions will Garrison at Thornar Keep. Third Legion will move south and take Stone Fell, then First, Second and Third Legions will assault Silvernar, while Fourth Legion stands by in reserve."
Martin nodded as he followed along, "And Second Army?"
"They will come in from the West. Fifth Legion will occupy Karthdar Square, Sixth Legion Lynpar March, Seventh Legion Cormeir Spring and Eighth Legion, Haven. Then Second Army will move on Elden Root. With Elden Root secure, they'll move up to Moonmont. From there, First and Second Armies will move on Falinesti. First Army coming from the East and Second Army up from the South."
"And what about our southern flank?" Martin asked.
"It's mostly swamp…here…and here," Jonna pointed to the map. "However, we will have scouts covering the area in order to ensure we are not outflanked or caught off guard."
"Ok, looks good. When do you propose we launch?"
"I recommend as quickly as possible. Although we need to finish integrating the Khajiit troops into our legions. Three days?"
"Very well," Martin said. "Make it happen. Make them pay…for Weatherleah!"
"For Weatherleah!" The officers shouted.
Imperial Palace, Grand Meeting Chamber
With the war heating up, Martin considered cancelling the meeting of his new council. In the end, he decided he really needed the help with administrative matters and kept it as planned.
The individuals he had chosen all arrived a few minutes before the scheduled start and milled about the room, making small talk.
Martin was selective about the people he chose; Lornus, Archmage of the Mages Guild; Elnath, Consul and Chief Administrator; Esbern, Chief High Priest, Order of Talos and representative of the Nine Divines; Aela the Huntress, Master of the Fighter's Guild; Jonna, Consul of the Imperial Legion; Lydia, Consul and Chief of the Emperor's Guard.
At the appointed time, everyone took their seats at the table. Once Martin sat, he began the meeting. "Welcome to the inaugural meeting of the Dragon Council. I'd like for this to be mostly informal, yet informational."
"Dragon Council," Elnath piped up. "That has a nice ring to it."
Martin smiled. "I'm glad you appreciate it." Then he got serious for a moment. "Each of you is not only a trusted advisor, but I consider each of you close friends. You have all been given a tremendous amount of responsibility and authority for your respective areas. The purpose of this council is to discuss items that impact the empire and to ensure that each of you are kept informed of big events happening or issues occurring. Questions before we begin?"
There were none. "Ok, Elnath, since you like the council name, why don't you begin?"
There were a few light chuckles, and Elnath smiled as he began. "I've taken the imperial treasury council and incorporated it into the Imperial Finance Committee. They will cover the treasury, taxes, tribute and fees, plus any other financial matters that arise. I have also formed the Imperial Infrastructure Committee, to assist with Reconstruction in Hammerfell, Elsweyr and Morrowind. I'd like to establish a liaison with the Imperial Legion to look at some of the ruined forts dotting the landscape."
Jonna nodded, "Of course, we can meet at your convenience to discuss."
"Thank you, Consul," Elnath continued. "I have also created the Imperial Trade Committee, to handle all cross-province trade. We have issued the special trade documents that you have requested, Your Majesty."
"Thank you, Elnath. I have a recommendation to fill one of the seats on the Imperial Trade Committee." Martin turned toward the Archmage, "Lornus, news from the Mages Guild?"
"The integration between the Synod, College of Whispers and College of Winterhold is proceeding apace. We have created new school of Scholarly Research, headed by Aranea Ienith. She has also filled my seat on the council. Right now there is a budding controversy over Necromancy. Some want it completely and totally banned, including the school of Conjuration. Others want it completely open, including the Dark Arts of Mannimarco. Most seem to want the status quo, with dark arts banned, but Conjuration still permitted."
Elnath made a disgusted face at the very mention of Necromancy. Martin looked at him, but he did not comment, so Martin motioned for Lornus to continue.
"That covers most of it. I would like to recommend Aranea for the position of Archmage. She's intelligent, able to rise above politics and as an 'outsider' of sorts, she's not beholden to any particular faction. Plus, I think she can help guide the guild back to its roots of magical research and gathering of knowledge."
"I travelled with Aranea for a short time after she helped me recover and purify Azura's Star," Martin said. "I think she would be a fine choice. I take it you would like to return to the position of Imperial Battlemage?"
Lornus nodded, "With your Majesty's permission, of course."
"Very well, bring it up to the Mages Guild Council, and let them know she has my endorsement," Martin said, then he turned to Esbern. "What do you have, Esbern?"
"Recruiting is going well, but other than that, I have nothing for the group. Each of the orders is currently satisfied with how things are going." Esbern replied.
"Great. Swing by my office later and we'll get caught up over some wine."
Esbern smiled and nodded.
"Consul Jonna. I know we met earlier today, but would you please fill in the council on the status of the legions and the war?"
"Of course, your Majesty," Jonna began. "With the integration of the Khajiit units, we will have a total of twelve legions, divided up into three armies. The Third Army consists of garrison legions. We have one legion garrisoned in Skyrim, Hammerfell, Cyrodiil and Elseweyr. With the expansion of our legions and promotion of some of the Generals to command each of the Armies, we are short two commanding Generals. We can promote from within, of course, but I do have a recommendation for a Commander of the Garrison Legion in Cyrodiil."
Martin closed his eyes for a moment and re-opened them. "Would this recommendations be a General who is currently under house arrest?"
"Yes, my liege. If you're Majesty will permit. We could use his experience. He would report directly to Praetor Tullius." Jonna confirmed.
"I…will consider it." Martin replied. "Anything else?"
"We've gone over the plans for the liberation of Valenwood, would you like me to share them with the group?"
Martin shook his head. "No need."
"Then the biggest items we have are finding commanding generals and integrating all the Khajiit units. The legions should be integrated and organized in two days."
"Good. That's very good. Thank you, Jonna." Martin turned towards Aela, "What do you have for us, Aela?"
"Word has spread quickly that the Fighter's Guild is once again an organization to be reckoned with. Contracts are coming in all over the empire. Sell-swords and adventures are signing up in each province. We will be restoring some former guild halls and opening new ones to handle the growth. Next week, I will head to Elsweyr to speak with the Mane about opening guild halls there."
"Excellent!" Martin exclaimed. "Each of you has far exceeded my expectations. I am confident each of you will continue to do so."
Martin formally ended the meeting, but a few of them stuck around for informal and social discussions afterwards.
Imperial Palace, Emperor's Anteroom
Martin had just finished a very long day of meetings and he was hoping to relax a little with Lydia. He had just opened a bottle of Surilie Brothers Wine when there was a knock on his door. He went over to open it and a guard was there.
"I beg, my liege, pardon the interruption, but you have a caller. Councilor Lleril Morvayn is here with an important matter to discuss."
Martin was puzzled, and tempted to push the meeting to the morning, but curiosity got the better of him. "Show the Councilor in."
The guard left and returned with Lleril a moment later.
"Councilor, it is good to see you, always, but this is highly unusual," Martin said.
"Forgive the intrusion and the late hour, but I was instructed to deliver word without delay and this is the first moment you have been available."
Now Martin was really curious. "Please come in. Wine?"
"No. Thank you. I bring news which I believe will have a great impact on both our people. Word has not only reached Morrowind, but it has spread like the Red Mountain's ash."
"Word? Forgive me councilor, but you have me at a loss," Martin replied.
"Of course forgive me." Lleril backed up and started from the beginning. "A few days ago the Thalmor launched an invasion of both Cyrodiil and Elsweyr yes?"
"Yes, that is correct."
The Empire sent most of its legions to defend the city of Dune in Elseweyr and as a result achieved a near perfect victory. However, there was great cost to Cyrodiil, if the reports are to be believed. Fields, vineyards, even an entire city, completely razed."
"Yes," Martin unconsciously clenched and unclenched his fist. Lydia put a hand on his shoulder and he visibly relaxed.
Lleril waited a moment to see if Martin would say anything else. When nothing came, he continued, "The Empire was faced with a choice. Defend its own people or defend a province that while friend to the Empire was technically not a part of it. You chose to defend your friends, and you did so at great cost to your own people. Your actions have shown all of Tamriel, that you value all races, not just the Imperials or the Nords. You value mer as much as men. While it may seem odd to you, there were many who doubted such. Much of that doubt is being erased by your actions."
Martin was thoughtful. He sat and invited Lleril to do the same. Both Lleril and Lydia sat as well. Martin considered his words before responding. "Sarethi said at our last meeting, that words would not win anyone over, but actions would."
"Correct," Lleril agreed, "and while the chest of gold was a nice touch and appreciated, it did not have the impact you thought it would. However, defending your friends at such a great cost to your own province and your own people. That has had a tremendous impact."
"Forgive me, Lleril, but what are you saying exactly?"
"The council is ready to pledge its support to the Empire."
.
Author's Note: Over 100k words! The war is going to start heating up. Special thanks to Dark Brotherhood Listener and Mercy Medical angel for beta reading this chapter and providing some very good suggestions. Seriously, beta readers make the story much better. If any of you notice anything amiss or have any suggestions, feel free to message me.