Glad to see that Lukas is starting to get past intimidation tactics that others try to oppose upon him. Way to grow a backbone!

Hmm, now how will the reaction in Leyawiin go? As far as I remember, that place is even more decrepit than Bravil.

The count of Leyawiin takes the advice of his wife, the daughter of Arrianna Valga, Countess of Chorrol. Leyawiin might not be the most sophisticated city, but the Countess knows all about politics, and she's a complete supporter of adventurers who rid the land of thieves and general evil-doers.

If anything, I would imagine she'd be one of the leaders willing to hold to help the Empire come back to power (by extension the count will be as well).

[/u]
“Well if you ask me, that didn’t go as bad as I thought it would. But then again that’s probably only because he wasn’t drunk just yet. I bet he’s having a drink with his fool of a son right now,” said Baurus.

“Either way we left as the victors, for once,” Jauffre said, “but we still have business to take care of in Leyawiin. I assure you Lukas that this conflict isn’t over just yet. We still have to deal with Alessia Caro.”

“Wait Jauffre, isn’t that Marius’s wife? Shouldn’t I be more worried about him?”

Baurus and Jauffre both took a moment to laugh for a few seconds. Apparently something I said was hilarious.

“One would think so Lukas, but Alessia Caro is pretty much the rule maker in Leyawiin, and that’s actually a good thing.” Baurus said with another chuckle. “She knows a lot about politics, and I know she will appeal to your cause. She is a smart woman indeed.

“She one of the “good-guys”, let’s just say that. Though I am not sure why she brought troops over the border mark. That seems remarkably odd coming from a bright woman such as herself,” Jauffre replied while scratching his balding head.

“Perhaps Marius is finally calling the shots himself?” I offered.

“No, no, that can’t be it. Something must’ve happened to set her off. I wouldn’t be surprised if Regulus did something to upset her,” Jauffre answered back.




It took not over an hour more until we made our final stop south. The city of Leyawiin was much easier on the eyes than its hostile neighbor to the north. Everything about the place was rather pretty, and one would think this would be a perfect place to live, but then you’d realize a majority of the population consisted of Argonians and Khajiits.

Not to sound racist or anything, but the beast races were always known for their thievery and dishonesty, except perhaps for the Orcs. The large presence of Argonians and Khajiits seemed to be the only reason Leyawiin was being held down as being known as a safe place to live.

“Why are all these Argonians and Khajiits here Jauffre? It wasn’t even near this bad at the Imperial City, or even at Bravil.”

“The province of Black Marsh is just to the right, across the border. That is the homeland of the Argonians, and many have migrated here for a safer home, not that I can blame them. And then, to the left just past The Lower Niben River, lies Elsweyr, home of the Khajiit, who migrated to Leyawiin for the same reason.”

“But my mother used to tell me stories and some of those proposed that Khajiits and Argonians don’t get along. Is that true? If so, how in the world can they stand living amongst one another?”

“Your mother is right Lukas; the two races despise each other, but believe me, they’d much rather have it this way than to live where they did once before. That’s not to say there aren’t any scuffles here and there, but for the most part Leyawiin is a peaceful city.”

“And you have Alessia Caro to thank for that!” Baurus said loudly. “Marius Caro is an idiot. I have no clue how Alessia is attracted to him, but I guess it doesn’t matter what I think,” he said with a laugh.

“Is Marius really that dumb?” I asked.

“It’s not that he’s dumb in its literal sense, he just doesn’t have the integrity of his wife. Don’t get me wrong, she is very intelligent and knows a lot about pretty much everything, but her maiden name certainly helps her out as well,” Baurus replied back.

As we walked amongst the lizards and cats I watched how they acted. Jauffre might have been right in suggesting that the two races got along, but they certainly didn’t seem to like it. If you asked me, I’d say a full-scale war could erupt between the two any given day. But I guess the strong leadership here in the city has kept that from happening.

When we finally got to the castle a guard was standing on each side of the gate, both wielding tall silver spears. Unlike in Bravil, these soldiers actually looked trained and thankfully not one of them appeared to be tipsy.

“I’m sorry sir, but we can’t let you through unless you are scheduled to meet with…wait….aren’t Lukas Septim?” asked one of the guards.

“Yes, I am Lukas Septim, and it is very important that I speak with your rulers.”

The guards immediately bowed down to me. “Yes sir, please step inside and speak with Caelia Draconis. She is the Captain of the Leyawiin Guard and she’ll be able to help you my lord.”

Inside there were several guards standing around two chairs, and those chairs happened to be the thrones of Marius and Alessia Caro, but it was only Alessia who was present, and she was talking to a woman that I took to be Caelia. Neither had seen us enter the castle, for there were many maids and butlers walking about, and the noise was rather loud.

As the three of us walked over to Caelia, she looked up saw me, seemingly knowing who I was. She then whispered something into Alessia’s ear and suddenly the Countess and Count stood up from their thrones.

“Lukas Septim, welcome to my home!” She stepped down from her place and walked over to me to shake my hand. “I’ve been expecting such a visit from you my lord. I assumed that if you to be a great leader; you would personally meet with the other rulers of Cyrodiil. I am glad to see that I was right. Come, follow me to my chambers.”

The four of us left Caelia and the others as we climbed a set of wooden stairs and entered a hallway with beautiful portraits displayed on the wall, most of them being Alessia and her husband.

That’s when I realized Marius wasn’t anywhere to be seen. “Excuse me Alessia, but where is Marius? I would like to talk to him as well.”

A grave look came over her face and right then I knew something happened to Marius.

“I’m afraid my husband was killed yesterday, while hunting in the woods. My men said that they had lost track of him and when they finally caught up they found Marius lying on his stomach with an arrow sticking from back.”

“I’m so sorry. Did you catch the culprit?”

“Yes, a black bow bandit was found wondering about and he is now residing in the town dungeon. He is scheduled for execution tomorrow at noon.”

The strangest thing about all of this was that Alessia didn’t seem too sad about her husband’s death. I expected her to be more saddened by the tragedy, and Jauffre was thinking the same thing apparently.

“I’m sorry your highness, but we can wait to meet with you at a later time. I’m sure you wish to grieve alone right now. It’s terrible what happened to your husband,” Jauffre offered.

“No, that will not be needed. Marius would want me to continue on with what he left off. He would want me to stay strong and that is exactly what I’m going to do.”

The tone of her voice had no sadness at all. It was just so weird. Down the hall we entered a door and we were then inside Alessia’s chambers, which was just as beautiful as I had imagined it would be. Many portraits and plants were displayed throughout the room, and it really was a “lady-like” atmosphere.

“First off, Alessia, I would like you to pull your back your troops from Bravil territory. You and I both know Regulus isn’t a very stable person, and sending your troops across the border doesn’t help,” I said sternly.

“I understand your fear of civil war Lukas, but what Regulus probably forgot to mention to you is that three of his agents were caught wondering through my dungeon area three months ago. What they were looking for I do not know, but I locked the men up and refused to release them. I sent my across the borders because I was given word that another one of his agents had set up camp just passed the border, and was planning to infiltrate my castle at night. I could not let that happen.”

“Very well Alessia, but who gave you the information?”

“That I will not tell you my lord, for I simply cannot give away my sources. It is as simple as that. But you have my word that I will not send troops over the border again. I’ll admit that I might have been a bit hasty in that decision of sending out my soldiers, but the fear of enemy spies got the best of me. I promise it will not happen again, for I am a woman of peace. I do not wish for war.”

“Thank you Alessia, I wish for the same thing as you. We are one country; fighting each other is the last thing we need. Now, are there any specific problems your city has right now?”

“No, my husband and I have done an excellent job of keeping everyone in line, but at the same time we weren’t brutes to the people. I plan to uphold that during my reign as Countess.”

“That you have, and again, I am sorry to see your husband’s passing. If there is anything you need, let me know.”

“Thank you my lord. Before you leave I just want to say that I do believe in you, and other than Regulus, I think the others do as well. Also, it is getting late. Why don’t you take my guest chambers and stay the night? I have rooms for your companions as well.”

After talking with Jauffre and Baurus we decided staying the night was the safest and smartest option. So I was taken to my chambers and Jauffre and Baurus were taken to theirs. When we were all settled in Jauffre and Baurus came back to my room to discuss what happened today.

“You did a good in silencing the conflict between Leyawiin and Bravil, but I fear something more evil is happening,” whispered Jauffre, just loud enough for Baurus and I to hear.

“What do you mean?” I said.

“Her husband’s death just doesn’t add up. I knew the man personally before he was named Count. He was absolutely horrible with a bow and blade, and would never find himself hunting of all things. He was a politician, not a killer. I assure you this story of him dying sounds very fishy to me.”

“What are you saying Jauffre, that Alessia is hiding something from us?” asked Baurus.

“I don’t know, but she’s not telling the truth. I mean she wasn’t even a bit distraught by her husband’s death. Something isn’t right here.”

“Well there isn’t really anything we can do Jauffre,” I said.

“Ah, but there is Lukas. All bodies are put in a small room, beneath the castle, where they are sorted and then decorated for burial. The room is supposed to be a secret, but I found out about it years ago. The process of decoration takes about two days. The body of Marius, if he really is dead, will be down there, and we are going to find it.”

“Are you serious? Sneak down to a place we are not even supposed to know about? This is crazy Jauffre! I can’t believe your even thinking about doing that,” I whispered a little too loud.

“Keep your voice down Lukas. Now listen, I know it sounds insane, but I’ve got a feeling. I can’t explain it but I know I’m right.”

“Alright, even if we were to go down to that room, what do we say when we’re caught sneaking around?”

“We will not get caught Lukas, I assure you that. Actually, I think I should be the only one to go. Baurus doesn’t even know where the room is, and I don’t think we really need three people wandering around anyways.”

“No Jauffre, I will go with you. But I too believe Baurus should stay. Two people is more than enough.”

“So what, do I get shunned away from all the fun?” Asked Baurus, but with humor, not seriousness.

“I’m sorry Baurus, but it just wouldn’t be safe for three of us.”

“I know, I know, I’m just kidding with you. To tell you the truth, it would probably be best that someone stays, just incase something happens to you two.”

“And what do you think is going to happen?” Jauffre asked.

“I don’t know, I’m just saying.”

So we decided that Baurus stay in my room while Jauffre and I sneak down to whatever room we were talking about. I still wasn’t sure if what were doing made sense. I knew it wasn’t right, but what if something really was happening? Then I suppose it was right…




“Shhh…do not talk Lukas, just follow me.”

Jauffre and I were standing next to a couple of beer kegs down in the basement where all the alcohol and food was kept. We had to sneak past only two guards to get down here. I was so nervous, even more edgy than when I had given my “speech” at the Imperial City.

Then Jauffre tapped a small marked spot on the wall, and suddenly it separated. It wasn’t too loud thankfully, meaning that the guards wouldn’t hear us. I followed Jauffre as we stepped through the space and had to duck down as we crawled down the cold passage way, which was pitch dark, other than the torch Jauffre had found.

When we got to the other end there was a door that for some reason was unlocked. Carefully Jauffre opened it and peered inside, where a room was lit by many torches, but was empty of any bodies…living that is.

We stepped inside and sure enough, there were many bodies, just as Jauffre had said there would be. But the strangest thing was that they were all Argonians, Khajiits, and few Dunmer, except for one body, which was covered by a large white towel.

All of the bodies that could be seen were bloody and deformed, with different body parts missing and eye sockets bloodied. It was a terrible seen indeed, and I could no longer keep in my insides. I leaned over to the right and hurled more than I have ever done so in my life. The stench was horrible, nothing like I had ever experienced.

When I was finished Jauffre and I walked over to the covered body and lifted the sheet. Not surprisingly to Jauffre, the lifeless body of Marius Caro lay there, with his eyes still open. But something about them wasn’t right, and Jauffre seemed to have the answer.

“He was poisoned. I can see it in his eyes.”

Then he turned the shirtless body over and there were no marks suggesting that an arrow had penetrated his skin. It was true…Alessia really did lie to us.

“Are you certain he was poisoned Jauffre?”

“Yes, I’m positive. There are other things that suggest he was not killed by an arrow. Look at his skin. Its color is not normal. He was definitely poisoned. ‘Why’ I am not sure, but obviously Alessia has something to do with it. She might not have done it herself, but she definitely played a part in her husband’s death.”

Just as the two of us turned to leave the room a figure at the passageway’s tunnel stood there, watching us. Then it walked out from the shadows and we were face to face the Captain of the Guard, Caelia Draconis. Baurus unsheathed his sword, ready for whatever happened next…


AUTHOR'S NOTE: The room above is not the torture room from the game. It is something that I put into the castle myself. I just wanted to say this so no one gets confused.

CHAPTER SEVEN

“Well if you ask me, that didn’t go as bad as I thought it would. But then again that’s probably only because he wasn’t drunk just yet. I bet he’s having a drink with his fool of a son right now,” said Baurus.

“Either way we left as the victors, for once,” Jauffre said, “but we still have business to take care of in Leyawiin. I assure you Lukas that this conflict isn’t over just yet. We still have to deal with Alessia Caro.”

“Wait Jauffre, isn’t that Marius’s wife? Shouldn’t I be more worried about him?”

Baurus and Jauffre both took a moment to laugh for a few seconds. Apparently something I said was hilarious.

“One would think so Lukas, but Alessia Caro is pretty much the rule maker in Leyawiin, and that’s actually a good thing.” Baurus said with another chuckle. “She knows a lot about politics, and I know she will appeal to your cause. She is a smart woman indeed.

“She one of the “good-guys”, let’s just say that. Though I am not sure why she brought troops over the border mark. That seems remarkably odd coming from a bright woman such as herself,” Jauffre replied while scratching his balding head.

“Perhaps Marius is finally calling the shots himself?” I offered.

“No, no, that can’t be it. Something must’ve happened to set her off. I wouldn’t be surprised if Regulus did something to upset her,” Jauffre answered back.




It took not over an hour more until we made our final stop south. The city of Leyawiin was much easier on the eyes than its hostile neighbor to the north. Everything about the place was rather pretty, and one would think this would be a perfect place to live, but then you’d realize a majority of the population consisted of Argonians and Khajiits.

Not to sound racist or anything, but the beast races were always known for their thievery and dishonesty, except perhaps for the Orcs. The large presence of Argonians and Khajiits seemed to be the only reason Leyawiin was being held down as being known as a safe place to live.

“Why are all these Argonians and Khajiits here Jauffre? It wasn’t even near this bad at the Imperial City, or even at Bravil.”

“The province of Black Marsh is just to the right, across the border. That is the homeland of the Argonians, and many have migrated here for a safer home, not that I can blame them. And then, to the left just past The Lower Niben River, lies Elsweyr, home of the Khajiit, who migrated to Leyawiin for the same reason.”

“But my mother used to tell me stories and some of those proposed that Khajiits and Argonians don’t get along. Is that true? If so, how in the world can they stand living amongst one another?”

“Your mother is right Lukas; the two races despise each other, but believe me, they’d much rather have it this way than to live where they did once before. That’s not to say there aren’t any scuffles here and there, but for the most part Leyawiin is a peaceful city.”

“And you have Alessia Caro to thank for that!” Baurus said loudly. “Marius Caro is an idiot. I have no clue how Alessia is attracted to him, but I guess it doesn’t matter what I think,” he said with a laugh.

“Is Marius really that dumb?” I asked.

“It’s not that he’s dumb in its literal sense, he just doesn’t have the integrity of his wife. Don’t get me wrong, she is very intelligent and knows a lot about pretty much everything, but her maiden name certainly helps her out as well,” Baurus replied back.

As we walked amongst the lizards and cats I watched how they acted. Jauffre might have been right in suggesting that the two races got along, but they certainly didn’t seem to like it. If you asked me, I’d say a full-scale war could erupt between the two any given day. But I guess the strong leadership here in the city has kept that from happening.

When we finally got to the castle a guard was standing on each side of the gate, both wielding tall silver spears. Unlike in Bravil, these soldiers actually looked trained and thankfully not one of them appeared to be tipsy.

“I’m sorry sir, but we can’t let you through unless you are scheduled to meet with…wait….aren’t Lukas Septim?” asked one of the guards.

“Yes, I am Lukas Septim, and it is very important that I speak with your rulers.”

The guards immediately bowed down to me. “Yes sir, please step inside and speak with Caelia Draconis. She is the Captain of the Leyawiin Guard and she’ll be able to help you my lord.”

Inside there were several guards standing around two chairs, and those chairs happened to be the thrones of Marius and Alessia Caro, but it was only Alessia who was present, and she was talking to a woman that I took to be Caelia. Neither had seen us enter the castle, for there were many maids and butlers walking about, and the noise was rather loud.

As the three of us walked over to Caelia, she looked up saw me, seemingly knowing who I was. She then whispered something into Alessia’s ear and suddenly the Countess and Count stood up from their thrones.

“Lukas Septim, welcome to my home!” She stepped down from her place and walked over to me to shake my hand. “I’ve been expecting such a visit from you my lord. I assumed that if you to be a great leader; you would personally meet with the other rulers of Cyrodiil. I am glad to see that I was right. Come, follow me to my chambers.”

The four of us left Caelia and the others as we climbed a set of wooden stairs and entered a hallway with beautiful portraits displayed on the wall, most of them being Alessia and her husband.

That’s when I realized Marius wasn’t anywhere to be seen. “Excuse me Alessia, but where is Marius? I would like to talk to him as well.”

A grave look came over her face and right then I knew something happened to Marius.

“I’m afraid my husband was killed yesterday, while hunting in the woods. My men said that they had lost track of him and when they finally caught up they found Marius lying on his stomach with an arrow sticking from back.”

“I’m so sorry. Did you catch the culprit?”

“Yes, a black bow bandit was found wondering about and he is now residing in the town dungeon. He is scheduled for execution tomorrow at noon.”

The strangest thing about all of this was that Alessia didn’t seem too sad about her husband’s death. I expected her to be more saddened by the tragedy, and Jauffre was thinking the same thing apparently.

“I’m sorry your highness, but we can wait to meet with you at a later time. I’m sure you wish to grieve alone right now. It’s terrible what happened to your husband,” Jauffre offered.

“No, that will not be needed. Marius would want me to continue on with what he left off. He would want me to stay strong and that is exactly what I’m going to do.”

The tone of her voice had no sadness at all. It was just so weird. Down the hall we entered a door and we were then inside Alessia’s chambers, which was just as beautiful as I had imagined it would be. Many portraits and plants were displayed throughout the room, and it really was a “lady-like” atmosphere.

“First off, Alessia, I would like you to pull your back your troops from Bravil territory. You and I both know Regulus isn’t a very stable person, and sending your troops across the border doesn’t help,” I said sternly.

“I understand your fear of civil war Lukas, but what Regulus probably forgot to mention to you is that three of his agents were caught wondering through my dungeon area three months ago. What they were looking for I do not know, but I locked the men up and refused to release them. I sent my across the borders because I was given word that another one of his agents had set up camp just passed the border, and was planning to infiltrate my castle at night. I could not let that happen.”

“Very well Alessia, but who gave you the information?”

“That I will not tell you my lord, for I simply cannot give away my sources. It is as simple as that. But you have my word that I will not send troops over the border again. I’ll admit that I might have been a bit hasty in that decision of sending out my soldiers, but the fear of enemy spies got the best of me. I promise it will not happen again, for I am a woman of peace. I do not wish for war.”

“Thank you Alessia, I wish for the same thing as you. We are one country; fighting each other is the last thing we need. Now, are there any specific problems your city has right now?”

“No, my husband and I have done an excellent job of keeping everyone in line, but at the same time we weren’t brutes to the people. I plan to uphold that during my reign as Countess.”

“That you have, and again, I am sorry to see your husband’s passing. If there is anything you need, let me know.”

“Thank you my lord. Before you leave I just want to say that I do believe in you, and other than Regulus, I think the others do as well. Also, it is getting late. Why don’t you take my guest chambers and stay the night? I have rooms for your companions as well.”

After talking with Jauffre and Baurus we decided staying the night was the safest and smartest option. So I was taken to my chambers and Jauffre and Baurus were taken to theirs. When we were all settled in Jauffre and Baurus came back to my room to discuss what happened today.

“You did a good in silencing the conflict between Leyawiin and Bravil, but I fear something more evil is happening,” whispered Jauffre, just loud enough for Baurus and I to hear.

“What do you mean?” I said.

“Her husband’s death just doesn’t add up. I knew the man personally before he was named Count. He was absolutely horrible with a bow and blade, and would never find himself hunting of all things. He was a politician, not a killer. I assure you this story of him dying sounds very fishy to me.”

“What are you saying Jauffre, that Alessia is hiding something from us?” asked Baurus.

“I don’t know, but she’s not telling the truth. I mean she wasn’t even a bit distraught by her husband’s death. Something isn’t right here.”

“Well there isn’t really anything we can do Jauffre,” I said.

“Ah, but there is Lukas. All bodies are put in a small room, beneath the castle, where they are sorted and then decorated for burial. The room is supposed to be a secret, but I found out about it years ago. The process of decoration takes about two days. The body of Marius, if he really is dead, will be down there, and we are going to find it.”

“Are you serious? Sneak down to a place we are not even supposed to know about? This is crazy Jauffre! I can’t believe your even thinking about doing that,” I whispered a little too loud.

“Keep your voice down Lukas. Now listen, I know it sounds insane, but I’ve got a feeling. I can’t explain it but I know I’m right.”

“Alright, even if we were to go down to that room, what do we say when we’re caught sneaking around?”

“We will not get caught Lukas, I assure you that. Actually, I think I should be the only one to go. Baurus doesn’t even know where the room is, and I don’t think we really need three people wandering around anyways.”

“No Jauffre, I will go with you. But I too believe Baurus should stay. Two people is more than enough.”

“So what, do I get shunned away from all the fun?” Asked Baurus, but with humor, not seriousness.

“I’m sorry Baurus, but it just wouldn’t be safe for three of us.”

“I know, I know, I’m just kidding with you. To tell you the truth, it would probably be best that someone stays, just incase something happens to you two.”

“And what do you think is going to happen?” Jauffre asked.

“I don’t know, I’m just saying.”

So we decided that Baurus stay in my room while Jauffre and I sneak down to whatever room we were talking about. I still wasn’t sure if what were doing made sense. I knew it wasn’t right, but what if something really was happening? Then I suppose it was right…




“Shhh…do not talk Lukas, just follow me.”

Jauffre and I were standing next to a couple of beer kegs down in the basement where all the alcohol and food was kept. We had to sneak past only two guards to get down here. I was so nervous, even more edgy than when I had given my “speech” at the Imperial City.

Then Jauffre tapped a small marked spot on the wall, and suddenly it separated. It wasn’t too loud thankfully, meaning that the guards wouldn’t hear us. I followed Jauffre as we stepped through the space and had to duck down as we crawled down the cold passage way, which was pitch dark, other than the torch Jauffre had found.

When we got to the other end there was a door that for some reason was unlocked. Carefully Jauffre opened it and peered inside, where a room was lit by many torches, but was empty of any bodies…living that is.

We stepped inside and sure enough, there were many bodies, just as Jauffre had said there would be. But the strangest thing was that they were all Argonians, Khajiits, and few Dunmer, except for one body, which was covered by a large white towel.

All of the bodies that could be seen were bloody and deformed, with different body parts missing and eye sockets bloodied. It was a terrible seen indeed, and I could no longer keep in my insides. I leaned over to the right and hurled more than I have ever done so in my life. The stench was horrible, nothing like I had ever experienced.

When I was finished Jauffre and I walked over to the covered body and lifted the sheet. Not surprisingly to Jauffre, the lifeless body of Marius Caro lay there, with his eyes still open. But something about them wasn’t right, and Jauffre seemed to have the answer.

“He was poisoned. I can see it in his eyes.”

Then he turned the shirtless body over and there were no marks suggesting that an arrow had penetrated his skin. It was true…Alessia really did lie to us.

“Are you certain he was poisoned Jauffre?”

“Yes, I’m positive. There are other things that suggest he was not killed by an arrow. Look at his skin. Its color is not normal. He was definitely poisoned. ‘Why’ I am not sure, but obviously Alessia has something to do with it. She might not have done it herself, but she definitely played a part in her husband’s death.”

Just as the two of us turned to leave the room a figure at the passageway’s tunnel stood there, watching us. Then it walked out from the shadows and we were face to face the Captain of the Guard, Caelia Draconis. Jauffre unsheathed his sword, ready for whatever happened next…


AUTHOR'S NOTE: The room above is not the torture room from the game. It is something that I put into the castle myself. I just wanted to say this so no one gets confused.

Oh yeah, the emperor is taking charge.

I love how different Lukas acts now. It is as if he said to himself: ,,Screw this. If people don't like me, I'm sure as heck not going to try to appeal to them. I'm the damn Emperor and they'd better remember it!"

Regulus is a shifty fella. At first I was positive about Alessia but as soon as the 'Khajiit Argonians hate each other' popped up, I got suspicious. Surely it can't be that easy to keep the peace? And during the conversation, my suspicions grew greater and greater till now, I'm pretty sure Allessia is one scheming witch.

Minor nitpick, the last sentence had Baurus unsheathe his sword. This should be Jauffre.

Ah! That's a terrible mistake!!!

Dun dun dun! Cliffhanger! Such a great way to end a post isn't it? I use it quite a bit myself.

Well this certainly proves that Caro has "other" methods of keeping the peace. Perhaps her husband find out about it...

I look forward to seeing how this plays out.

Ahh, DANG YOU EVIL COUNTESS!!!
This is such a great story. Though, it's too bad you didn't have any meetings with the other counts and stuff but, that would take too long. And this Leyawiin thing sounds very interesting.

I've read the past 2 updates though I've failed to comment on time. My appologies. Regarding the two updates I must say I thoroughly enjoy them both, especially the way you handle the political intrigues between the two counties. When I played Oblivion, Count Marius didn't seem that useless and submissive to his wife. Besides some prejudice against the beast races, I can't say I noticed anything particularly extraordinary about the Countess, though I could suspect there was something about her that wasn't right. You played that side of her excellently in your last update. So it seems that the Countess is the one actually to blame for all the bad blood between Leyawiin and Bravil. It remains to be seen how much she is involved in the matter.

I eagerly await to see how Lukas and Jauffre handle Draconis' intrusion. Good luck!

Who said there weren't going to be any more meetings?

Oh, I thought it was mentioned somewhere that they already visited everyone else. Oops, sorry, I'll read more closely next time.
But this is great news!!!

CHAPTER EIGHT

For what seemed like minutes, though it was merely seconds, all three of us stood there gazing into each others’ eyes, waiting for the other to make the first move. But what Jauffre and I were completely wrong in what we assumed. We thought she was the aggressor, but actually she was only a pawn a mad woman’s game.

“Thank Talos you found this room!” Yelled Caelia with tears streaming down her cheeks. “You have to do something; Alessia’s been torturing these poor people for years!”

“Hold on a minute, just slow down and tell us what’s going on. Why are all these bodies here and why did Alessia lie about her husband’s death?” Demanded Jauffre.

“I’m so sorry; I wanted to do something, I wanted to tell somebody, but I was too afraid. She may seem like a nice person, but she’s terribly evil when outsiders are not around.”

Torturing? What on earth was going on in this place?

“So she’s been torturing people; But why?” I asked.

“She is prejudice against Argonians, Khajiits, and Dunmer. She’s been like that ever since I can remember. This room was kept a secret for a very long time until Marius learned of its existence just days ago. When he threatened to let the public know of her evil deeds she had him killed! The true cause of her husband’s death has been kept a secret as well,” she claimed.

This wasn’t making a lot of sense to me. If all of these events were supposed to be kept secret, then why did Caelia seem to know everything?

“But how do you know all of this?”

“As regretful as I am of my past, I played a key role in everything that has happened. When Alessia first took the throne I tried to get close to her, only in order to show my loyalty. But unfortunately I got to know her dark side, and for some reason she showed me the room. But there’s another one as well. This is only where the bodies are kept; there’s also a room where the actual torturing takes place!”

“So what you’re saying is that you have helped Alessia with her actions?”

“Yes, I feel terrible about it, but I didn’t know what else to do. I was too afraid…” She started to sob even harder than before, and then she collapsed to the ground with her hands in face.

Jauffre walked over and grab her arms, pulling her up from the ground. “Who killed Marius Caro? Answer me!”

“I…I did!” She continued her crying and Jauffre let her fall to the ground.

“What should we do now, Jauffre?”

He looked down at Caelia and then back to me. “This is not what needed; not at all. Never once in my life would I have foreseen something as terrible as this, not from someone of her name. The Valgas are a prosperous family of honor. It just doesn’t make sense.”

He paused to collect himself before continuing.

“We’ll have to confront the Countess, Lukas. I am almost afraid of her response because I do not know how she will react, but something must be done.”


“Wait, Jauffre. We don’t have to deal with her just yet. Let go back to the Imperial City and gather some troops. Then we will come back and question her. She wouldn’t dare do anything with five hundred Legion soldiers backing us up.”

“Hmm…that does sound like a good idea, but what are we to do with Caelia?” He said while pointing to her pouting body. “What if she informs Alessia of our discovery before we can get to her first?”

“I think that is a chance we will simply have to take. If this is all the Countess has done wrong perhaps we can only impose severe sanctions against her, rather than take the throne away from her.”

Jauffre didn’t like that idea at all.

“You are the Emperor, so that decision lies solely to you. However, as your advisor, I will give you my view on the situation. Think of it this way, what if you were the sibling or spouse of those dead bodies? What if you were the child of those corpses, now mother and fatherless because of what Alessia did? Can you really live with yourself knowing that you have a murderer ruling one of the cities of Cyrodiil?”

I knew exactly what he was getting at, and it wasn’t as if I was differentiating from what he was saying. I actually happened to understand and agree with everything coming out of his mouth. It wasn’t a matter of deciding whether Alessia’s acts were severe enough for harsh reprimands, because they definitely were, I was fully aware of that. I was only a bit nervous. I didn’t want to have to make these kinds of decisions, but what else could I do? I am Emperor; I am no longer a little boy. It’s time that I grow up and show a little backbone.

“Listen to me, Lukas. I know you’re scared, but that comes with your new title. War is something a country never wants, especially civil war. But if that is what it comes to you must stand firm. Alessia, if all of these accusations are true, is a killer. But that is the interesting thing about all of this. So far we only have allegations, even if we do know for sure that she lied about her husband. Do not worry, Lukas. I will stand behind you whether or not you heed my suggestions.”

I had already made my decision sometime between vomiting and then seeing Caelia drop to the floor in tears. Alessia would be punished for her actions, that much was certain. I was just hoping she would go peacefully. I never really did consider anything but dethroning her. If I had ever said anything else it was all an act; that I was simply scared, but now that is all over.

“Alessia will no longer be the Countess of Leyawiin. She cannot continue her role after what she has done to these people. But we have to do this carefully. We must go along with what we were doing before all of this happened. Tomorrow morning we will leave and head back to the Imperial City. There we will gather a small army and confront Alessia with our accusations. If she does not cooperate we will have to remove by force, and like you said, if a war is what it takes then a war we shall have. I’ll do anything to protect my country and its people.”

“That was very well said, Lukas. You certainly are learning fast. The way you handled the situation in Bravil was excellent, and I am sure the same thing will happen with Alessia and Leyawiin. But, what are we to do with her?” Jauffre said, looking over to Caelia, who was still sobbing loudly.
“Get up Caelia,” I said to the crying captain.

When she struggled to perform my request I walked over and helped her up myself. Despite my young age I was already five-foot eight-inches, and because of my work around the house I had become rather strong for someone as little as I.

“I’m going to make you a deal. You will stay here and pretend none of this happened, okay? We will come back tomorrow with an army big enough to eliminate Alessia and all of the evil doings that have been going on in Leyawiin. Even if you are a murderer, which is something that will be hard to live with for the rest of your life, I will not throw you in jail, as long as you cooperate and stay on my side that is.”

I looked over at Jauffre, and his eyes were raised, giving me a surprised and questioning look.

“Rather than put you in prison, I will only strip you of your title and banish you from Leyawiin for the rest of your life. I doubt you will ever get a job of such prestige ever again, but that is another aspect of your punishment. Such a sentence may sound a bit harsh to you, but it is either that or you can spend the rest of your days rotting in a cell. The choice is your Caelia…”

Jauffre’s expression was awfully difficult to read. I couldn’t tell whether he was happy with my decision, or if he disagreed with what I was doing. It mattered not, some decisions should be made by me, and I alone.

“Okay…I’ll do it. Thank you so much for understanding, my lord. I promise nothing like this will ever happen again.”

“I don’t need any apologies, Caelia. Let us now leave this room and never speak of it again until Alessia is removed from her throne.”

So the three of us left the bloody room and Jauffre and I walked back to my quarters, where Baurus was waiting so anxiously to hear what we had to say.

“What happened? Did I miss anything good?” Baurus smiled. He didn’t know how grave the situation now was. But when I told him of our discoveries, his happy stature changed to a more serious expression.

After a few minutes of talking, Baurus and Jauffre left chambers to go to theirs. It was late and time for rest was greatly needed. Hopefully tomorrow wouldn’t turn out to be a disaster.









The next morning the three of us got up and left the city of Leyawiin after giving our last goodbyes. So far everything was going okay and fortunately word had not yet gotten out that Jauffre and I found her secret room. If we were lucky, Alessia wouldn’t find out about that until it was too late. Though I wasn’t a bit scared of doing what needed to be, I didn’t want to use force unless it was absolutely needed.

“We have to get back as soon as possible, so do you think you could pick up the pace from our previous rides?”

Jauffre had asked our Dunmer transporter of the favor, and he seemed happy to go a little faster. Unfortunately faster was definitely and understatement. The Dunmer drove wildly the whole way and we almost hit a tree twice. Despite the dangers nobody could take away from the speed we were going. Those horses must’ve been trained well, because we got to the city before nightfall, which was amazing considering we had started out all the down in Leyawiin.

I found Lex eating dinner at his home in the Elven Gardens. When I first him of my findings he at first was a little confused. He though that perhaps I was mistaken. But after I told him some other things he came around to believing me and immediately left to organize a small army. I wanted to leave first thing in the morning, sometime around six a.m.

“Yes sir, I’ll gather the troops right now. Which officer will lead the army?”

“I would like Itius to come with us while you stay here. You’ve done a nice job while I was gone and I think we should keep it that way. The people seem to like you Lex.”

He could see where I was going with that particular comment. “Don’t worry sir, the people will come around sooner or later,” he said as the two of us left his house.

Within two hours the soldiers were chosen and were waiting for me to speak with them before going to sleep that night. Jauffre told me that it would be best to give a few words in order to gain the men’s trust, which I guess was a good idea, but to tell you truth I was bit worried they wouldn’t buy my comments.

“Just listen to me, Lukas; the men won’t laugh at you anymore. Soldiers of the Empire are the most professionally trained, I guarantee you. It doesn’t matter how much the war drained them, I assure you they are ready to get out onto the battlefield once more. It’s what they were trained to do.”

“All of that makes sense, Jauffre, but we aren’t automatically going to fight with Leyawiin, I’ve already told you that. I want to avoid war at all costs.”

“That’s fine, but at least give them a few words before going to bed.”

And that was that with our argument. I looked outside the door and the men were getting a bit restless, probably wondering why they were all standing there doing nothing. Itius was there as well, speaking with Lex and Baurus. It had appeared that Baurus and Jauffre were back on good terms, which was obviously a good thing. Then there was the confusing Itius…

When I first told Itius that he would be commanding the army he was ecstatic. For once he seemed to be in a better mood, now that he was getting a leading role that is. In my mind he was power hungry and wanted to be the center of attention, but I was beginning to think that perhaps I was a bit over the edge with that assumption. Could it be that he was only a born leader and that was what he was supposed to do? I surely hoped so, because sooner or later I would have to choose a commander of the Imperial Army.

That decision would come down to several things, one being their skill in combat obviously. I want a leader that is just as good with a blade as they are with words. I think Lex would win the battle of words, for we is an excellent speaker, or so Jauffre had said. I haven’t been able to speak with the troops just yet and I will certainly get there take as well. I want someone who the soldiers look up to, and that will most likely be someone who knows a thing or two about fighting.

“The time is now Lukas, the men are getting impatient!”

Jauffre was starting to get on my nerves, but nevertheless he was right. It was time to talk to the men.

So I opened the door and walked out. Immediately the men got quiet and thankfully I had not heard any snickers, at least for now anyways. I stood only a few feet away from the men, so that I could get a good look at their faces. From what I could see I was getting mixed emotions. Some looked as though they were interested in what I had to say, but there were still some who looked as though they were still questioning my role as Emperor. Hopefully I would be able to change their views by time they leave.

“I’ve called you here, tonight, in order to tell you why we are about to embark on our first mission during my reign as Emperor. But before I get to that, I want to make sure we are all on the same page. Now, I know seeing me here, a fifteen year old boy, seems a bit strange. But let me give you another perspective you probably haven’t thought about. Think about what it feels like to be a fifteen year old boy commanding a bunch of grown men. It isn’t easy for either of us, but I am committed to making it work. I’ve only been Emperor for a couple of days and I’ve stopped a war between Leyawiin and Bravil, and I’ve also uncovered a secret torture chamber in Leyawiin. I’ve accomplished these things because I am ready to lead you. Whether you believe in me or not remains to be seen in the upcoming days, but I want all of you to know that you can trust me; I promise you that. Jauffre and Baurus are doing a great job of informing me of what goes on in this country, and I’ll be the first to tell you, it will take a while getting used to things. But that’s okay because I am a fast learner. I am going to bring this country back to its prestigious glory and before you know it we will once again be respected by all, even the Council. Right now they are too ignorant to see what I bring to the table, but down the road they will eventually realize how good of a choice I was once they see Cyrodiil more prominent than ever before.”

I wasn’t sure what to expect but what happened next gave me lots of confidence. All of the men began applauding my efforts, and it really did not seem as an act. I really think they were starting to believe in me. Once the applause died down I continued my first “true” speech.

“Now I will tell you the true reason we about to march our way south to Leyawiin. When Jauffre, Baurus and I made our visit to Leyawiin, we unearthed something that threatens the balance in our country. Alessia Caro has a torture chamber and has been killing Argonians, Khajiits and Dunmer for who knows how long. We cannot allow this to continue and we will stop Alessia from her evil acts. As of right now she does not know that I am aware of her doings, but tomorrow, when we arrive at her city, she will be ordered to step down as Countess. My plan is for her to go quietly, but something tells me that will not be the case. And if we have to use force she will be witness to a magnificent display of skill at the hands of her own men. I do not want to send you in battle unless I have to, but if it comes to war then so be it. I will NOT allow a murderer to be Countess of one of my cities…ever!”

Another thunderous round of applause commenced as I ended my apparent successful speech. As the soldiers left, many of them actually came up to me and shook my hand, congratulating me and letting me know that they fully support me. One soldier’s word really took me by surprise:

“When I first learned a fifteen year old child would lead our country I seriously thought about quitting. I’ll admit that earlier this morning I was actually filling out some papers and I was going to quit tonight. No matter how dishonorable it would’ve been there was no way in the world I was going to let a boy boss me around. But hearing your speech here this evening, my views have turned around and are heading in the opposite direction. You are very good with words my lord and I believe in everything you say. I can’t explain but I feel more confident than ever before. There is not a doubt in my mind telling me you will lead our country well.”

I felt very good about myself as everyone left the area, and so did Jauffre. He came over to congratulate me on a job well done, as did Baurus, Itius and Lex as well. I talked to them for a bit before they left to rest for the night, except for Itius.

“Excuse me sir, I know you are likely tired, but can you spare a few seconds of your time?”

“Of course, Itius, you can always come to me no matter what time it is. What is it that you wish to speak of?”

“I don’t have much to say, just that I just wanted to thank you for the opportunity to display my leadership skills. I won’t let you down sir.”

Itius was a good a person, and I think that I was going over board in believing he was power hungry. He simply wanted to lead, and lead he was going to do.

After watching Itius leave I entered the palace and then to my chambers after nodding to the guards outside my room. It was finally time for rest, and I certainly needed. Tomorrow would be a long day…

An excellent update. Lukas certainly is coming into his own as Emperor, and I have high hopes for his future. I'm glad to see that others are starting to come around as well.

I hope that his upcoming encounter with Alessia doesn't get too bloody; the Council would have a picnic with the PR mess it would create to have the Emperor forcibly remove a Countess during his first week on the throne.

Good thinking, getting some backup first. Baurus made me laugh. ,,Did I miss anything?" Nah, not much, just the pile of rotting corpses. That's all. Go back to sleep.

But like Mplantinga, I hope she'll just pack her bags and leave.

This is a good story. Quite refreshing to have something from the perspective of an Emperor and its interesting to see someone else's view of the characters from the game.

My only comments would be that you have the occasional verb in the wrong tense and occasionally say things which could be shown (and example would be "I felt very good about myself ... Jauffre. He came over to congratulate me" - you might want to consider just writing the dialouge and characters reactions in that situation) though they're only minor things and are more a matter of style.

So yes, its enjoyable and I shall wait for the next part.

That was absolutely enjoyable. I personally hope the Countess is beheaded but, I'm sure that wouldn't work...
I always like Leyawiin, it's so sad to see it in such bad hands.

When I first started to read this story, I marveled at all of the original new characters and made-up places. Then I finally figured out that this is an Oblivion fanfic.

As I have not played Oblivion, there are moments where I am ... well, "confused" would be too strong a word, as I am following the essential plot ... but I do feel that I am missing bits here and there. I would like more description or perhaps a few lines of background for each incident/setting/encounter. In my Bloodmoon fanfic I tried to put in enough description to make it sensible for someone who has played Morrowind but not Bloodmoon. Don't know if I succeeded in this, but it was my intention.

Anyway, that minor point aside, I am quietly following this story and I do wonder what happens next.

A thought on this very last chapter ... what if Caelia is lying and Alessia is actually innocent and unaware of what is going on in that secret room?

Lol, Blockhead. I've never seen this "torture chamber" in the castle (I know the body chamber is not real), and now I'm beginning to wonder if there's anyone whose ligitimate and moral right now (hopefully, Arianna Valga is still alive and kicking, *crosses fingers*)

I'm a little confused. Are you criticising me for making up the "body chamber"?

I don't think he is. He's just saying he never explored the castle that much. The 'body chamber not real' bit was just meant to make it clear that he was talking about the ingame torture chamber, not your invention. Personally, I like the idea of a room to dump the 'leftovers'. I mean, you can't just toss them out on the street, it would cause a riot!

That's what I figured, I wasn't angry or anything, just a little confused. it happens a lot...

It'll be nice to see Lukas coming down in force with the legions. A civil war wouldn't be that bad of an idea, you know? It would make for an epic fan fic and whatnot, but then again a fan fic with political intrigue and the like wouldn't be bad either. It's your choice anyway, since it's your fan fic. An interesting twist you made with the Countess killing off the Count. Given her nature, it would seem natural. I also like these situations where everything appears normal at first, but when given a better look everything is actually decrepit and corrupt. This seems to be the current situation in Leyawiin. Hopefully, it will not be the case in the other cities.

Keep up the great work!

Short chapter, more of a transition to bigger things, "wink-wink"



CHAPTER NINE


The next day started off too quick for me to recall any detailed information, other than Jauffre, Baurus and I set off towards Leyawiin with our twenty-five hundred troops, led by Itius. Three hundred archers, seven hundred spearmen and fifteen hundred swordsmen made up our small army. Leyawiin had a little over fifteen hundred men, and I wanted to make sure we had more, but not too many. I had to make sure the Imperial City was still heavily protected during our leave.

According to Jauffre, the Empire as a whole consists of roughly fifteen thousand Imperial soldiers, at least in Cyrodiil that is. The Empire’s influence is spread across all of Tamriel, in places such as Morrowind, but in Cyrodiil our numbers are weakened, thanks to the Oblivion crisis. We’ll of course have to recruit more men if we want the Empire to get back where it used to be, but that’s a subject that I’ll look into later.

“What are you planning exactly, Lukas?” Jauffre said.

“When we arrive at the city everyone, except for Itius, you and Baurus, will wait outside the gates. The four of us will enter the city and order Alessia’s surrender of the throne.”

“That’s a terrible idea, unless you want to die I suppose. Did you ever think about what would happen if Alessia doesn’t go peacefully? Then what will you do with fifteen hundred Leyawiin soldiers surrounding us with our own men outside, unable to do anything?”

“Well, Jauffre, I never thought of that. What would you suppose we do?” I said while rolling my eyes.

“Bring all of the men with us when we enter the city. It is only for your safety. And besides, you are the Emperor. What is Alessia going to do, throw you out of her city?”

It sounded like a good enough idea, and actually I was a bit surprised I hadn’t though of it in the first place. I had to be careful, just as Jauffre had suggested, because she wouldn’t be too happy when she finds out what Jauffre and I found below her castle last night.

But when we arrived at Leyawiin, some four to five hours later, it appeared that she had already learned of our discovery. Soldiers dressed in green, gold and white armor were lined up outside the city gates, with officers in the front. Archers were stationed atop the walls and were also situated in the towers as well. Their army had been waiting for us the entire time.

“Well would you look at that! Somebody must’ve snitched on us. I wonder who that could’ve been,” Baurus said sarcastically.

Baurus seemed to be right in insinuating that Caelia told Alessia about our plans, because the gates to the city opened and out rode five figures on horseback. They rode towards where I was standing, but I feared not for my life.

When the figures came close enough for me to see their faces, I realized it was Alessia and Caelia, along with three officers. I was very surprised to see that Alessia knew how to ride a horse, simply because she was a girl, or woman to be politically correct.

The five dismounted from their respective horses and neared me, where my soldiers around me unsheathed their weapons, but only until I signaled for them to conceal their edges.

“Lukas Septim, what do you think you are doing in my territory with an army the size of this?”

She pointed and talked loudly towards the sweaty, anxious faces of my men; the faces of soldiers who wanted nothing more than to slit the throats of the enemy this very instant.

“It is not wise to taunt my men when they are so eager to kill, Alessia. And you can cease with the sarcasm. You know why I am here, thanks to your bodyguard, Caelia,” I said defiantly.

“Yes, my loyal officer told me all about your conniving scheme to overthrow me and my army. Ha! Such an idea is preposterous and I dearly hope you reconsider that idea of suicide, because that is exactly what it is…suicide.”

She had wide, evil grin spread across her face. I didn’t want to have to wipe that smile off by force if it was not needed, but unfortunately it looked as if I had no other choice.

“You were a fool for trusting Caelia, Lukas. Her allegiance lies to me, and I alone; although I am extremely dissatisfied with her plea for your help. Oh yes, she told me all about that as well. While I am disappointed with that, I am glad she came to me. It was the smartest decision she could make.”

Caelia stood behind her master, cowering at the presence of Jauffre and me. Her eyes were full of tears and her entire body was shaking, just as she had been back in the body chamber. She knew very well how foolish she looked. She could have saved her people and her fellow soldiers. I just didn’t understand why she caved in to Alessia. It just didn’t make any sense.

“You are wrong, Alessia. Whatever I do, it will not be an act of suicide. I will give you one final chance to surrender. If you do not take heed of my warning, I will be forced to crush you and your army. I’ll do whatever it takes to protect my people, and I am not afraid to do it.

My defiance was not very well liked by Alessia, and she made her feelings on that subject very clear.

“You are brave, Lukas, no one can deny you that aspect, but it is a foolish bravery I’m afraid; one that will most definitely bring the death of your troops, and ultimately you as well. I will not back down to your commands, for I am not afraid either. I will now show you the skill of my soldiers.”

She turned around and started walking back to her horse.

“That would help if your soldiers actually liked you,” I said, trying to bring the haughty countess to the edge. It appeared that I had succeeded in that attempt.

She quickly turned around and walked right up to me, her face mere inches away from mine. I could smell her breath, and I have to say it wasn’t a very pleasant scent.

“My men are as loyal as can be, “Emperor” Septim. I heard about your debut in the Imperial City. It didn’t go too well, did it, Lukas?”

Again she had the same malevolent grin as before, but just as quick as it came, it was erased in the same swift fashion. Before I even knew what had happened a blade came through the stomach of Alessia. Blood immediately spouted from her mouth and splashed me in the face. Her smile changed to a look of complete shock. She then fell forward into me, knocking me down to the ground, with her body falling on mine.

Blood from her opened mouth continued to seep out, hitting me in the face because I was unable to move from my prone-position. When I was able to move my arms I wiped the sticky red liquid from my eyes, only the see Caelia smiling insanely, and holding a red-stained sword in her right hand.

Caelia began laughing wildly, and I knew then we had lost her. Her mind had wondered to who knows where, and Alessia was dead.

“Ha ha ha! I killed her! She cannot abuse me anymore! NO MORE I SAY!”

Jauffre pulled Alessia’s limp body off of me, and as quick as possible I jumped up and got away from Caelia, not knowing whether she would go after me next.

She then started dancing around maniacally, waving her blade through the air like it was some sort of ritual-relic or something. It was very strange seeing all this. I was still trying to put all the pieces together when one of Alessia’s officers asked: “So it is now over? There will be no war?”

I looked at the soldier, not able to give him an immediate answer. I looked at Caelia, who was now being driven to the ground by some of my men, attempting to tie her hands and feet together. Then I looked over to Alessia, whose eyes were still open and filled with shock. She was dead, and the threat to Leyawiin was seemingly over. I walked over and shut her eyes with my hand, and then I looked up at the Leyawiin officer.

“No…there will be no war between countrymen today….”

I've been thinking, how would this have turned out if the assassin of the Dark Brotherhood had managed to kill the Draconis Family...... Ceali didn't seem the least bit disturbed during the Oblivion Crisis, oh well.

Ya, but not many NPCs had much emotion, now did they?

True, or they had some extreme facial expression to show. She still seemed like a normal guard captain, confident, close to her family and all that. Nevermind me, I get like this sometimes.

Dang, I'd kinda hoped that the 'diplomacy' (ok, threats flung back and forth) would go on a bit longer. Still, it was good stuff.

Caelia has definitely gone nuts. If she was so focussed on killing Allessia, couldn't she have done it sooner? I mean, who would stop her? Well, Lukas would probably toss her in jail if he found out, which is what I expect him to do with her anyway. For now at least.

Oh, and one more thing.
,,Your soldiers are wimpy, mine are not. You are going to die! Ohohoho!" Err, are you as nuts as the captain of your guard? Don't taunt an army when you're standing five steps away from them and your army is on the other side of the hill. What kept Lukas from having you shot/stabbed/speared and turn around before a battle could start? His sense of honour? It didn't feel like you cared much for that. Though it is funny that Lukas essentially planned the same thing at first. Heh, funny.

I'm also rather amused by how all the counts and countesses so far all say ,,Get out of MY territory!" And generally treat him worse than the lowest peasant. All while still referring to him as emperor. A contradiction? Maybe.

Lukas has only met two counts/countesses so far, and only one wanted him off their territory. Alessia was only territorial once she found out about Lukas's discovery. And when I have the counts/countesses adress him as emperor, it's written as "emperor". Note the quotation marks, used for sarcasm.

I realize that Alessia had to be dealt with, but it seems to me that taking an army to the city gates sets a bad precedent for our young Emperor. I hope that the other Counts and Countesses understand why it had to be done and don't try to force the issue. There is now, also, the burden of finding a replacement to rule Leyawiin, and possible repercussions from Alessia's mother. What a marvelous can of worms Lukas has opened.

EXACTLY!!!

Yes I do like how he's been forced into doing something the other counts certainly won't think much of. And what will he do about a new count - he could put a puppet to rule for him but neither people nor the counts would like that, but it would keep Leyawin under his control...

I like how this is going

CHAPTER TEN

The officers let out a shout of glee, and I knew I was right in assuming their hatred towards the fallen Countess Alessia. If anything they fought for her simply out of fear. I could only imagine what kind of tyrant Alessia had to have been to her soldiers.

“I am sorry about Caelia, but I’m afraid she has lost her mind. There is nothing we can do but lock her up,” said Jauffre to the officers.

“It matters not to us. Caelia was an oddball from the get-go. I always knew nothing good would happen with her as Captain of the guard, but what was I to say? Alessia favored her over everyone else, and I was too afraid to say anything out of fear of being killed by the Countess’s own orders. But now it is all over and our city can have peace once more,” said the same officer who had asked me the previous question. “It’s too bad Count Marius had to die, but the city of Leyawiin will go on.”

“And what is your name, officer?” I asked him.

“My name is Lerexus Callidus; one of Alessia’s chosen few to lead the Leyawiin Army. I was given the title of officer just a few short months ago actually. The other officers and I, the whole army even, have lived in fear for countless years, and now you have saved us from her evil reign. Sure, Caelia was the one who actually killed her, but thankfully that happened, because we all know our army would have been crushed by your Imperial Legion soldiers. It is not that I am not confident in my men; I actually think their skill in battle matches your soldiers at the moment. It is just that we are outnumbered greatly, and we would not have stood a chance. I am very thankful for Caelia’s decision to rebel from Alessia’s grasp, even if it almost happened too late. Hundreds of lives were spared today, my lord. And we have you to thank for that.”

I thanked the officer for his kind words, and then I motioned for the Leyawiin officer to lead me into the city. They cheered vigorously, happy to see their leader fall. I still just couldn’t believe all of what was going on. How in the world did Alessia rule that long without her husband, the Count himself, knowing of her evil deeds? He paid the ultimate price when he at last discovered the room, but the murders are over now. The people are Leyawiin will finally be able to live in peace.

Inside the city, the news spread around quickly, and soon every citizen was dancing merrily through the streets, singing and rejoicing from the news of Alessia’s death. All was well at the moment, but soon the immediate and obvious problems clouded my mind as I knew they eventually would.

Leyawiin was now without a Count or Countess. I decided with Jauffre and Baurus that I shall stay in Leyawiin until a new Count or Countess is named. Jauffre didn’t like the idea at all, but finally decided to let me make that decision as long as I kept one hundred of my own soldiers with men, plus Baurus and Itius. I agreed on those principles and Jauffre set off with the other troops back to the Imperial City. He would tell Lex and the people of my great deeds, and hopefully they would start to realize what kind of leader I really was.

“So what do you have in mind for this city, Lukas?”

Baurus asked the question while munching loudly on an apple during dinner, where he, Itius and I all sat a table in the castle’s dining room. It was a little past eight o’clock in the evening, and the celebration had just recently ended. The people of Leyawiin had found their way back to their homes, drunk of course. I had never seen such a festival in my life. The way people shouted and sung was amazing. Alessia was certainly a hated person.

“Baurus, chew with your mouth closed! That’s revolting!” Itius yelled.

“You won’t have to see if you stop staring at me. What’s wrong, you think I’m cute or something?” Baurus replied playfully.

I knew how serious of a man Itius was, and I also knew he wouldn’t like Baurus’s comment either. I was right and Itius’s face turned red and he went back to his eating.

Even though I didn’t mind the joking, we still faced a problem that would loom over our heads until we finally made a decision on what to do.

“Okay, enough with the jokes, we do have a serious problem here, and I’d like to get it fixed as soon as possible. Leyawiin needs a new ruler, and the three of us need to think of a plan to get them one. Any ideas?”

For several minutes the three of us merely sat staring at each other as we continued our meal. Then suddenly, out of nowhere, Itius jumped up from the table.

“By Talos, why didn’t I think of it before?”

I watched as Itius pumped a fist into the air, yelling with great enthusiasm. Then he took a long drink from his glass of ale. I had never before seen Itius act so daringly, because he had always been a quiet man with great manners. Now he was dancing around like a drunken fool.

“Sit down you fool! You’re embarrassing all of us,” Baurus yelled. Apparently he was surprised by Itius’s actions as well.

“What is it, Itius?” I asked.

“Adamus Phillida!”

I had no clue who he was talking about, but Baurus seemed to recognize the name.

“You mean that old retired Imperial officer? Isn’t he the one who retired just a few months ago from the Legion?” asked Baurus.

“Yes,” he said. Then Itius looked at me. “He’s the one Lex was talking to you about. Adamus would be an excellent decision.”

I had never met this Adamus Phillida. How was I supposed to agree with Itius on the matter when I didn’t even know the guy? “And why is that, Itius?”

“To be totally honest, Adamus never was much of a soldier. But his way with words and the way he treated the citizens was outstanding. Everybody respected him because he respected them. I’m telling you, he’s the man for the job, the only man for the job.”

It all sounded good, almost too good even. If what Itius spoke was true I had already found my new Count. But even if it was true, what if this Adamus fellow didn’t want to be Count? Baurus was thinking the same thing I was.

“Okay, you make strong points. But what if Adamus doesn’t want anything to do with being a Count? Then what?” said Baurus.

“Ask him, ask him tomorrow and I assure you he’ll take the job. I know that man better than anyone, with the exception of Lex. His passion for the people was what gained him respect from the citizens of the Imperial City. And now that I think about it, picking Adamus would boost your popularity with the people back at the capitol. They love Adamus.”

Itius’s words sounded great of course, but I still wasn’t sure about this. Although I have to admit the idea of gaining some of the people’s trust was tempting me, I would have to press further before naming my new count.

While Itius and Baurus bantered back and forth I spotted an elder servant dusting an old set of cabinets close to the dining room door. I called for the servant and he reluctantly came over to our table. By the look in his eyes I could tell he was skeptical of taking orders from a boy. He probably thought I was a stuck up brat. I was going to prove him wrong.

“Excuse me sir, but can you please fetch Lerexus? The matter is terribly important and I need to see him as soon as possible.”

The servant’s eyes were wide with confusion, because he did not expect a please, I’m sure of that. Instead I displayed good manners, something I planned on showing everyone I met.
“Yes, my lord,” commented the servant.

“Thank you,” I replied back.

The old servant scurried out the door, shutting it fast behind him.

“What did you call Lerexus for? Are you going to ask him about Adamus?” Itius asked these questions with great enthusiasm.

“Well, sort of, but not exactly. I am not going to specifically ask about Adamus, but I will ask Lerexus for a suggestion. If he mentions Adamus then I will certainly consider interviewing the man for the job. If what you say is true, Adamus seems like the only choice.”

“That’s what I told you, didn’t I, Lukas?” Itius said with a grin.

“We’ll see about that Itius. I still don’t think the man will even want the job.” Baurus was still very critical of Itius’s idea.

“And just why is that, Baurus? Why are you so negative about this subject?”

“I just don’t think he will want the job. I talked with him close to before he retired. He was so exhausted from everything; from the Oblivion crisis to all the trouble we’ve had rebuilding the Empire. I just think he’s too worn out to want to have such a burden.”

“I understand what you’re trying to say, but you didn’t know him like I did. He wanted to be something other than an Imperial officer, I know this. He talked with me about the subject many times. Adamus always told me how great a profession politics would be.”

“Okay, Itius, I’ve only spoken with the man a few times, but that one time I spoke to him before he retired, I asked him what he was going to do the rest of his life. He told me he planned on settling down somewhere in the south. He never hinted on anything other than that. Itius, I think you’re wrong, but we’ll just have to wait and see I guess.”

Just then the dining room door reopened, and in stepped the servant, accompanied by Lerexus, who was dressed down in civilian clothes. He seemed rather disgruntled, signaling that perhaps I had awakened him from sleep.

“Yes, my lord?”

“I am terribly sorry, Lerexus. I did not intend to wake you. You do need your rest, I realize that, but we are in need of your assistance.”

“There’s no need for apologies sir. What can I do to help?”
“My two companions and I have been pondering on what do with your city. Obviously Leyawiin is in need of a count, or countess, but we are at odds with whom to choose for the position. I’ve called you here to discuss matters with us. I assume you have taken the empty position of Captain of the guard, am I correct?”

“Yes, sir, I was next in line.”

“Good. In your honest opinion, for the good of the people of Leyawiin, who would you choose to lead the city?’

Lerexus was a bit surprised by the question, and for obvious reasons to which he soon explained.

“I’m sorry for the silence, my lord, but I have to admit I’m a bit taken back by your question. Neither Alessia nor Marius ever asked an officer’s opinion. I’m very surprised by this, but of course greatly appreciative of your kind thoughts. Now, to the matter of a new ruler, only one person comes to mind that would automatically make an admirable leader. And that is Adamus Phillida.”

As soon as he uttered his last two words I immediately looked at Itius, whose eyes were shining as bright as the stars and were just as large also. However, Baurus on the other hand looked disgusted and was rolling his eyes. He didn’t like to be wrong, but not all was lost for him.

“We still have to interview him and ask some questions. We don’t even know if he will accept the position, let alone actually want it,” Baurus said to Lerexus.

“There is no need to worry about that my Redguard friend. Adamus has become quite the politician here in the city. His speeches and enthusiasm for a better living place is extremely popular with the people. I am certain he’ll take the position,” Lerexus said matter-of-factly.

Baurus said not a word, but merely shrugged his shoulders in apparent defeat. Itius jumped out of his seat and chugged the last of his ale. Then he walked over to Lerexus and shook the man’s hand, and then mine.

“I am glad to see your wisdom taking place, Lukas. I promise you will not regret this. Once you talk with Adamus tomorrow you’ll realize how great a man he really is,” Itius said happily.

“No, I would like to talk with the man now. There are other matters to take care of and if at all possible, I’d like this man Count of Leyawiin tonight, so that the three of us may arrive in the Imperial City by late morning.”

“But, my lord, it is nearing eleven o’clock. Do you really wish to wake the man at this hour?” Itius asked.
“Very well, but at the crack of dawn we will meet with this Adamus. I want a new leader named quickly, for there are matters else where that need attending to.”

Itius nodded and left the room, heading towards his for the night, as did Lerexus and Baurus as well. That left me alone in the dining room, where the old servant showed me to my quarters that I would be sleeping in. On the way up a flight of stairs the servant began an interesting conversation with me.

“My lord, excuse me for speaking to you because I am certainly not worthy of it, but I just wanted to let you know what a wonderful man you are. That might sound a bit strange because of right now, you are just a boy of course, but seeing you talk and act, you appear a man in my eyes. Your ways with words are far beyond your age. Do not worry about what anyone else says, my lord. You will make an excellent Emperor.”

“Kind sir, never think you are not worthy of speaking to me, because such an idea is absolutely ridiculous. I am one who does not believe in not speaking with those higher than you unless told to do so. In my eyes everyone is equal, morally of course. Obviously my rank of Emperor outweighs yours, but that does not mean you cannot speak to me.”

The old servant smiled as we arrived at my room. I shook the man’s hand and stepped inside the room, closing the door leaving the servant behind me in the hall. It was late, and sleep had never sounded better.

I like how you had the Leyawiin army hold onto their common sense and admit they would have lost in a fight.

I also like the further play between Baurus and the others. And the way Lucas subtly fished for the worth of this Adamus. Actually, I can't think of anything I didn't like. So, I'll guess I'll wait for the interview now.

Another solid update. Lukas is progressing well. But of course we'll have to see have the Adamus situation pans out.

CHAPTER ELEVEN


I woke up early the next morning, somewhere between five and six o’clock. I thought about going back to sleep, but then again I’d have to wake up soon anyway. It would be good for me to get an early start.

I walked outside and entered the general area of the castle, where the servants of were just then starting their morning cleaning. It was good to see that even when they were leaderless they still cared that much about their city to keep it clean.

Rather than sit and wait for everyone to wake up, instead I exited the castle and took a walk along the city streets. I don’t why, just that I didn’t feel like sitting around. It was still a bit dark outside, and the sun was slowly making its way upwards into the sky.

But before I left, I told a servant to send word to Baurus and Itius, whenever they woke up that is, that I had gone on a walk, and not to worry.

As I began along the path I noticed how dirty the streets were, from the festival last night of course. I figured a mess like this would take days to clean, but who knows, if the cleaners were as loyal to their work as the servants were it would take no time at all.

Soon I found myself walking outside the city itself and down a dirt path to the east. I walked until I found myself at a small pond where there were many fish swimming about. They swam peacefully with not a care in the world, as if life was so simple to them.

I stared at the fish for a while and then I looked up into the sky. The sun had fully risen, and it was now probably seven o’clock, and I had been at the pond for over and hour. Time had flown so quickly, and through all of this time I had failed to notice an elderly man sitting on a stone at the opposite edge of the pond where I was standing.

Like I had said before, the pond was a small one, and I could easily see the cheering smile coming from the man’s face as he merrily waved at me. I didn’t even know who he was, yet somehow I knew he would cause me no harm. So I left my position to join the elderly man where he was sitting.

“Good morning, young Lukas Septim. How are you doing this warm, sunny morning? Come, sit beside me, there’s much we need to speak about.” The man said. He had short, gray hair, and his skin was very wrinkles. It appeared that age was not favoring him in any way.

The man knew my name, and talked as if he had been expecting me. Even with a better view, I was still clueless of to who he was. He was not at all familiar in any way, yet there was still something about him that was biting at me.

“Excuse me sir, but how do you know my name?” I asked him curiously.

He still had the same warm smile, and then he answered my question. “You are a very important person, Lukas. It is true that there are people, who see you as a burden to the country, but important you still are, and important people are always recognizable.”

He spoke rather philosophical in way. This was mysterious man was definitely catching my attention.

“Yes, unfortunately you are correct. What about you? What do you think of me?”

“I have yet to have an extended time to see you, Lukas, but from I have seen I have to say that I am very impressed with you. Despite your youth you handle yourself intelligently. Your decisions seem to be the right ones, and let me tell you one thing, the people of Leyawiin certainly adore you,” he said with a hearty laugh.

“That’s good, I just hope those in the Imperial City will feel the way someday,” I said.

“Lukas, people are ignorant. Through my years I have learned that, and ignorant they will always be. You will gain the respect of your people in due time. I understand the frustration you’re feeling, but let me give you a perspective you yourself might not have thought of.”

I nodded in acknowledgement and awaited the man’s words.

“The people of Cyrodiil have each suffered greatly in the recent years, everyone knows that. Mehrunes Dagon and Mythic Dawn have caused great disaster, but especially to those in the Imperial City. I am not sure if you know this or not but the city was besieged by Mehrunes Dagon and his minions, resulting in a major battle that ultimately resulted in a victory for Cyrodiil. But that victory came with a terrible price. Many people in the Imperial City were killed and a vast majority of the city was destroyed. The people were greatly traumatized by the horrific events, and they are still nursing their psychological wounds. They dislike you simply because they are still recovering from the war. In time they will see what kind of leader you really are, Lukas. I promise you all will be well.”

“All of that sounds well, sir, but I just hope it actually happens. By the way, what is your name?”

The old man laughed again, something he seemed to like. He smiled at me and said, “Why Lukas, I’m Adamus Phillida!”

And there he was, Adamus Phillida, the man I’ve been talking about for the past day, sitting right beside me. I now felt very stupid. Adamus was clearly waiting for me, because somehow he knew I was coming, but how?

“How did you know I was coming here?”

“Well, Lukas, it’s very simple actually. As I was taking my nightly stroll through the streets last night, I ran into Lerexus as he was making his home to the barracks from the castle. He told me about what happened last night, and all of the discussions you’ve had about me with your companions. Then, this morning, I saw you leave the city and I just assumed you would come here. So I took a shortcut to ensure I was here before you. Thankfully it worked out. Pretty clever, heh?

Yes, very clever indeed, but perhaps more of a lucky guess. This Adamus fellow, he seemed to be certainly different from anyone else I had ever met. But I had a strong feeling it was a good different.

“Well, since you know what I want from you, what is your answer?”

He looked at me and continued to smile as he has been the entire time. He was truly a cheerful man, and I had yet another feeling: That already he was the man for the job.

“Well, Lukas, I am a politician, something I am sure you’ve heard. This position you offer me; I am much honored to be named to such a position. But I am a little confused. Are you asking me if I want the job, or are you simply asking for an interview? I suppose what I am trying to ask is: are there any other candidates for the job?”

“I’ve heard all I need to know from the others. You are certainly a high praised man, Adamus. I am prepared to offer you the title of Count of Leyawiin, right here, right now.”

“Yes, I accept your proposal, Lukas,” He said while shaking my hand and then giving me a hug. “Now, let us walk back to the castle so that we may make this decision public. Also, Lukas, I want you to know that you can always come to me when things are not going your way. I’m sure Jauffre is a good mentor and all that, but he has flaws, that much is sure. But then again, everybody has flaws, don’t they?” He said while laughing.

We walked back to the castle, where Itius, Baurus and Lerexus were sitting at the table, talking with one another. I announced to everyone what happened and also my decision. The room erupted into applause from Lerexus, Itius and the other guards and servants. But Baurus, just as I had assumed, was looking irritated by my choice.

As Adamus walked over to talk with Itius and Lerexus I walked over to Baurus, who was making his way back to his room. He was noticeably fuming from the ears with anger. I ran over to him and grabbed his shoulder, turning him around.

“What in the world is wrong with you, Baurus? Why are so set on him not being the ruler of this city?”

He shoved my arm aside violently and got inches from my face.

“Don’t you grab my shoulders like that, boy! I am angry because you defied my plea in not naming him Count. You don’t even listen to what I have to say, and to tell you the truth, I don’t even know why I am here.”

This was all surprising. Why was Baurus acting like such a baby? But before I could utter one word, Itius’s body flashed by and pushed Baurus away from me.

“Never again lay your hands on the Emperor! Not everyone is going to agree with you, Baurus. Unfortunately your selfishness has gotten the better of you once more. When are you going to learn to grow up like Jauffre has told you hundreds of times?”

Itius’s words seemed to have cut straight through Baurus. He unsheathed his sword and looked as if he was going to attack Itius. When Itius too unsheathed his blade, I thought a fight was going to break loose, but fortunately the two simply stared at each other until finally Baurus continued.

“Fine, I am done with this mess. I’ll see you fools back at the Imperial City, a place where maybe someone will listen to me.” Baurus took off his Blades helmet and tossed it to the floor, along with his shield. Then he stormed past everyone and left the castle. I started to run for him, but Itius and Lerexus held me back.

“No, Lukas, just let him cool himself down. He’ll realize how wrong he is sooner or later,” Itius said.

Rather than argue any further I let Baurus walk out. Surely he would find himself back at the Imperial City, and then Jauffre would wonder why he abandoned us. When Baurus tells Jauffre what happened he’ll no doubt scold Baurus for his selfish actions. I didn’t care at the moment; I had a Count to name.

“I’ll deal with Baurus later. Lerexus, I want you to gather the people up and bring them here, outside the castle. There I will officially name Adamus as Count of Leyawiin.”

Lerexus left the room, as did the servants and guards, who were going to prep the area for all of the civilians. I planned on leaving right after the announcement, but not before I had a few words Adamus and possibly some of the people. I wanted to make sure all was well before departing.

“Don’t worry about Baurus, Lukas; he’s like that all the time. If you ask me, I don’t know how he’s a Blade. Sure, he can fight with the best of them, but he’s the biggest baby I’ve ever seen in my life. His immaturity will be his eventual downfall, mark my words.”

Within about an hour everything was set and everyone was standing outside the castle, and they were getting a bit anxious. So I walked out there, along with Adamus, Lerexus and Itius, and upon my arrival the crowd erupted into a humongous display of applause. I let the cheers continue for a few minutes before motioning for silence. To my pleasant surprise they actually quieted down. I wish it had been that easy back in the Imperial City.

“I have called you all here for some much need good news. Obviously you are without a ruler, and it is that subject that has been discussed for the past day. I have come do a decision and the new ruler of Leyawiin shall be Adamus Phillida!”

Again the place roared with thunderous applause and that was all I needed to say. I shook the hands of Adamus, Lerexus and Itius, and then the celebration commenced. A great meal was quickly prepared and we ate that night. I wasn’t so keen on staying, but I thought ‘what the heck’, and stayed anyway.

I was certainly glad I had chosen to do so, because that night we had a magnificent feast. I met with several citizens, both of low and high quality. I met with three of Adamus’s associates, to whom he hinted would be his personal advisors.

“I’ve been thinking since last night, when Lerexus told me about you. I knew I was going to accept the position, and so I thought about some kind of “Advisor Board”. You know, a group of advisors that will help me with daily issues? I haven’t mentioned anything to them yet, but I’ll let them know sometime tomorrow.”

“That sounds like a good idea, Adamus. I’m glad to see your taking this seriously. I think I found the right man,” I said while shaking his hand once more.

“Yes you have, Lukas. Thank you for this opportunity, and may Talos guide you on the way home.”

I nodded at Adamus and then my entourage and I left Leyawiin. I was so excited about what had just happened the past day. I couldn’t wait to tell Jauffre everything. Unfortunately I didn’t know my good deeds would be overshadowed by the evil acts of someone else.

Damn, Baurus needs to grow up! He gave no reasoning why Lukas shouldn't pick Adamus nor did he mention someone else who could've done the job. He has no reason to get bent out of shape for some self-imagined personal slight.

Hehe, it takes some good writing for me to get annoyed by the actions of a character.

Why thank you Metal Mallet!

Another good instalment. The pace is getting quite nice and I'm interested to see what happens next.

One thing:


"Unfortunately I didn’t my good deeds would be overshadowed by the evil acts of someone else."
Just because its the last line I noticed this. There is a verb missing somewhere. Its just a little mistake but because its in the last line its quite noticable.

Also you might want to consider leaving some things like this as surprises. But thats just personal taste.

So yes, I'll look forward to the next bit.

Ya know, I'm worried about Baurus. Sure, he might have done this earlier, but aren't his words a bit foreboding? And he threw down his helmet and shield, as if he's saying. ,,I am not a Blade!"

It worries me.

Anyway, good stuff with Adamus. I liked it.

I've read the past 3 updates. Quite interesting stuff. The mysteries which Baurus' reactions raise are quite numerous. Could he have wanted the position of Count for himself? Did he know something he wasn't quite so anxious to reveal? Perhaps he suspects Phillida because of some unnamed factor? Why the heck is Phillida even alive considering he gets k****d in a Dark Brotherhood quest? Anyway, leaving that little issue behind, I quite liked the way Lukas handled the whole Leyawiin situation. The only problem now is that he has got Arriana Valga on his "close friends" list, and any dealings with her are bound to go bad. She did seem like a reasonable woman in-game however, but she also had very high influence with the other counts so the death of Alessia might have grave consequences for Lukas.

Anyway keep up the great work!

The next chapter should be up by tonight, depending on how much COD4 I play.

I'm going to be honest with all of you, many things have happened in this story so far, and I am not sure how I want the story to continue. So for now I am going to end this story. It will definitly be continued, but I need time to figure things out. Too many things are happening at once, and I need to slow down and think about what I want to happen next. Until then I'll start on another story because I can't simply stop writing altogether, but I just wanted you all to know that I am NOT throwing this story in the trash. Here is the 12th chapter......


CHAPTER TWELVE


We had just past Bravil and were only about five hours away from the Imperial City when the rain started pouring down from the sky. It was coming down hard, making the trip a miserable for my troops. I have to admit I felt guilty riding in my carriage while Itius and the rest of the soldiers were either on horseback or on foot. It didn’t matter, either way they were getting drenched.

The rain made me think about Baurus. I felt bad for what happened back at Leyawiin, but not enough for me to blame myself for his actions. Baurus was getting to be a tad bit aggravating. At first I wasn’t too worried about it; I just assumed it was something that would eventually wear itself out. But now that he is continually acting like a child, perhaps this a problem that needs to be fixed before it escalates.

It was good thing Jauffre wasn’t there when Baurus went on his angry tirade. He would not have stood for he and Itius’s confrontation, and I can only wonder what the punishments would have been for the two. True, Itius was only protecting me, but I highly doubt Jauffre would’ve accepted any fighting with one another.

I looked back outside my window and saw Itius get off his horse, and then ordering a soldier to look after it. He then walked over and entered my luxurious cabin and sat down in the warm.

“By Talos that rain is cold! How are you doing, sir?”

“I’m just waiting to get back home. This slow trip is killing me,” I replied back.

“I know, my lord, but don’t worry, we’ll be home soon.”

“Yes, I hope so.”

We sat in silence for nearly five minutes, and it was getting quite awkward. I was beginning to think Itius only wanted to stay dry, which made me a bit angry. What kind of commander left his troops out in the rain?

“Are you here just so you don’t have to ride in the rain?” I asked him.

He looked at me with saddened eyes, but I didn’t know why. Immediately I knew I was wrong with what I had thought, and that actually something was wrong with Itius, though I didn’t know what yet.

“No, actually, there was something I wanted to tell you…about Baurus that is,” Itius said without looking at me in the eye.

“And what do you want to tell me,” I said.
“He’s…a little more troubled than you might think. I’m sure you think his attitude is just an isolated situation, but you’d be wrong about that.”

“What are you getting at, Itius?”

“Baurus has a troubled past, I’m afraid. A while back, even before they found you, Baurus wasn’t acting like himself. After the Oblivion crisis he was war-weary, and asked Jauffre for a ‘vacation’, if you will. When Jauffre denied him that luxery Baurus went into a fit of rage and started claiming that Jauffre was throwing his weight around, bossing everyone when he didn’t need to. Jauffre responded that Baurus grow up and learn to respect those above him. It didn’t turn out well and Baurus ended up walking out, and we didn’t see again for a whole week. You can imagine how hard a time that was for Jauffre, seeing as he and Baurus were the only ones Blades left. Despite all of the troubles we had in the Imperial City, I helped Jauffre out a ton since I had personally known him for years, and that is the only reason I know this, and I trust you enough that you will not repeat what I am telling you.” Itius paused before continuing his story.

“It was during that time Jauffre told me before Baurus was a Blade, he was a town drunk somewhere in Hammerfell. Jauffre explained that he had seen something in Baurus while traveling through Hammerfell, and he then decided to take Baurus under his wing. There were many who criticized Jauffre for making Baurus a Blade at such a young age, but he went along with it and it appeared he made the right choice. Everything went fine, but then the war with the Mythic Dawn came about. Baurus had not been a Blade that long, and if you ask me he wasn’t ready for what was to come. Granted, he did his part in defending our country, but afterwards his old self came around once more. Now, when Baurus walked out Jauffre and I feared he would never return, but in fact he did, just as I said, a week later. He was extremely apologetic and begged for Jauffre’s forgiveness. You know how strict Jauffre is, but for some reason he did forgive Baurus and everything that happened was forgotten. That was about a month ago, and now Baurus is getting that too-cocky-of-an-attitude once more. It doesn’t matter what Jauffre says to defend his decision, I just don’t think he should have made Baurus a Blade in the first place. He will only be a burden to the Blades and the Empire.”

I sat and thought about what Itius said. I never would have guess Baurus used to be a drunk. I just couldn’t believe Jauffre would associate himself with such a person. I’d have to ask him that when I saw him later.

“Well, I certainly wasn’t expecting that,” I said.

“I just thought I’d let you know his background. This isn’t just a faze, Lukas, this will go on and on until something terrible happens. I know I have no control over what you do, but I highly suggest you evaluate Baurus with Jauffre, and if you ask me, get rid of Baurus for good.”

Itius left the carriage and jumped back on his horse. The rain was still falling down but I didn’t care anymore. I was now thinking about Baurus more than ever. What if he really was turning into his own self? What is was a burden to the Empire? All of this was so confusing. There were so many things an Emperor had to worry about, it was all just so overwhelming, and I’ve only been the ruler for a mere three days. I had a lot more to come…




As we neared the Imperial City, at about seven thirty at night, I could just make out a couple of figures standing near the city gates. They were not in armor so I knew they weren’t guards, and when we got even closer I realized it was Jauffre and Lex. As soon as our carriage stopped in front of the gates, I got out and walked over to Jauffre and Lex. I didn’t like the looks are their faces one bit.

“What’s wrong, Jauffre?”

I saw Lex quietly shuffle his feet, looking at the ground. Obviously something bad had happened, and Jauffre then told me of what happened during my absence.

“Lukas, the Champion…he passed away while you left. Just a day ago in fact,” Jauffre said solemnly.

At first I could’ve sworn I saw a tear drip down Jauffre old, unshaven face, but then I realized it was only a glare from the sun. But even still, I could tell how saddened Jauffre was. From what I had heard he and the Champion had been rather close during the Oblivion crisis.

“Jauffre, I’m so sorry. Was it his disease?”

“Yes, it finally caught up to him, and he died in his sleep, peacefully. We buried his inside Cloud Ruler Temple, but on the outside, in the grass. That area was once used to spar with one another, but now it shall remain a shrine, reminding all the main reason we were able to fend off the Daedra horde.”

Again a moment of silence was fell upon all of us. I didn’t know what to say; I had never really been involved with anything like this before. Actually, this situation was quite awkward for me, so after a few minutes I broke the silence.

“Have preparations for the funeral been set?”

“Well, usually funerals are kept privately within the victim’s family, but obviously this is a different situation. The Champion has no family, or at least none have claimed to be of his kin. I think we will let the funeral be public, for all of Cyrodiil. The people owe him more than that, but this will give them an opportunity to pay their last respects before he finally laid to rest.”

“Very well, Jauffre. I haven’t been here long but the people have showed a tremendous amount of love towards him. Baurus did say he might have angered him by killing that drunken Nord that was coming after me, but I don’t believe it.”

Jauffre then asked for Baurus’s whereabouts.

“Now that you mention him, where is Baurus?” He asked me.

“What do you mean? He isn’t here?”

“No, Lukas, he was with you, do you not remember?”

I then explained to Jauffre what had happened back in Leyawiin, of his confrontation with Itius, and with me even. Afterwards Jauffre was furious, and was ready to punish Baurus on the spot, if he was present that is.

“I’m sure he’s sulking around Luther Broad’s Boarding House, in the Elven Gardens. You can always find him there when he’s feeling down. Come, Lukas, we shall go fetch him so that we may begin announcing funeral plans to the people.”

The soldiers, Itius and Lex went their own way while Jauffre and I headed over to the Elven Gardens. Once I first stepped foot into this district, for the first time I should add, I immediately realized that this was where the wealthy resided. The buildings in this particular district where magnificently crafted, and they were larger as well. I could only wonder how much it cost to live here.

We walked through the streets and over to our destination, and along the way we really didn’t see a lot of people. Granted it was now already eight o’clock in the evening, but still I was expecting more than the two elderly Dunmer women that were walking along the sidewalk.

But then the two walked up to Jauffre and I, seemingly wanting to start a conversation. I really didn’t have a lot of spare time, but of course I wasn’t going to shun the old Dunmer woman away.

“Excuse me, my lord, but may I please have a moment of your time?”

“Of course madam, what’s on your mind?”

“Well, my sister and I heard about what happened in Leyawiin with Alessia Caro. We also heard how you extinguished the bad vibe and replaced it with our dear Adamus Phillida. We wanted to thank you very making such a wonderful choice, Emperor. Adamus will never show the hatred towards Dunmer that Alessia apparently showed!”

She then shook my hand and the two ladies walked off into the moonlight. I was glad to see I had a few fans, I was just hoping it would eventually turn into more than two.

“See, Lukas, the people are already coming along. But don’t think those two mean everyone is going to all of a sudden jump on your side. What you did in Leyawiin will certainly help your cause, but now another disaster has struck the people. The death of the Champion has hurt them dearly, and you are the one that help them heal. They will be watching you during the funeral service, and when you make your speech,” Jauffre said.

“Speech? What speech? You never said I had to talk during the services!” I said surprisingly.

“Well in case you have forgotten you are the Emperor. What would the people think if you said not a word, and let me do all the talking?”

“Jauffre, you knew him, not me. You should be the on to talk…”

Then he interrupted me before I could continue, “And I will talk, but so shall you. Why wouldn’t you want to talk to the people, Lukas? This is the perfect time to get them on your side. With the right words you can sway their opinion for the better. I know it sounds like we’re taking advantage of the people during a trying time, when a hero has just fallen, but now’s the time to say what you want, for they will listen now. They wouldn’t dare say a word to interrupt you, not during a funeral service, especially the Champion’s.”

I guess he was right, but I didn’t want to admit it for some reason. I don’t, I suppose I’m a little bit afraid of speaking in front of everyone again. The last time I tried that I was almost killed by that drunken Nord, but thankfully the Champion saved me from death. But he’s not here to protect me anymore.

Of course that means I’ll have to grow up and deal with things myself. I can’t keep depending on people to protect me from harm; from now on that’s my job and nobody else’s. As Emperor of Cyrodiil it’s high time I ship up and lead this city like a true leader should. So far I have virtually shunned the people away, offering no explanation as to what happened in Bravil, or Leyawiin. Sure the people were far away, but I could have easily sent an informant to update the people of my travel. Tomorrow I will set things straight and explain everything to everyone.

Just down the street from where I had met the Dunmer woman there stood a fancy looking building with a sign reading: Luther Broad’s Boarding House. We had found our destination and I followed Jauffre as he led me through the entrance.

Inside the place was expectantly deserted, but far more than we were hoping. Nobody could be seen drinking and talking, accept for an old Imperial man, who was scrubbing away violently at the countertop. His face looked to be full of angry and irritation. I looked at the table he was cleaning and noticed that it was exceptionally dirty. I figured the man was Luther Broad, and then Jauffre reassured my assumption.

“Good evening, Luther, how was business today my good friend?”

Luther looked up from the counter with a huge smile once he heard Jauffre’s voice. Then his mean-looking attitude changed to that of a more high-spirited one.

“Jauffre, good to see you! Business’s been great as usual, but this dang mess is driving me insane. You should’ve seen Baurus earlier. He came in huffing and puffing as if someone had taken his money from him,” Luther said while laughing. “He never told me what was wrong but rather he ordered a couple rounds of beer. Once he had his fifth I told him I wasn’t going to give him another, because as you know that’s my rule. Well, he didn’t like that at all. He said something along the line of ,‘oh, so you’re going to treat me like a child as well?’, and then he stormed off outside.”

Jauffre sighed heavily and then took a seat on one of the counter stools. “So he was here, but now he’s gone?” he asked.

“Yes, why, are you looking for him?”

After Luther’s question, Jauffre responded by explaining everything that happened the past couple of days, everything from my trip to Bravil all the way up to naming Adamus Count of Skingrad. After he was finished Luther looked at me, and I knew I was right then and there the immediate center of attention.

“Lukas Septim, the last heir. It’s about I get to meet you in person,” Luther said to me. Then he turned back to Jauffre. “Some friend you are, Jauffre. If I was as good of a friend as you say I am I should’ve been able to meet him the first day,” he said playfully.

“Sorry, Luther, but we’ve been very busy.”

“I know, I know, I’m only pulling you leg. How about some drink and food?”

“I’m sorry, but we have matters to attend to. The Champion’s funeral will be held tomorrow evening, and we still have preparations to make. Everyone is aware of the funeral, but we haven’t even brought the casket to the burial spot yet.”

“Ah, that is true. You do have some work ahead of you. Well, I’ll talk to you tomorrow I guess. It was good t meet you Lukas. Hopefully we’ll have more time to speak in the future.”

Jauffre and I walked out of the inn and made our way back to the palace. There, Itius and Lex were both waiting for us, ready to help with whatever needed to be done. The four of us entered the Champion’s chamber and took all of his belongings out, which wasn’t much. Itius and Lex were sent to the Imperial prison, where they would store the Champions belongings in the armor. That is until we decided what to do with them.

While Lex and Itius carried the items away, Jauffre asked me to accompany him while he had a last view of the Champion. He told me tomorrow the casket would stay closed, because he didn’t want anyone to see what the disease had done to his face and body.

So the two of us walked down a set of stairs and into the basement, where the casket itself was locked away in a small room. Outside the room two uniformed soldiers were standing guard, to keep away any intruders. The soldiers nodded at me and I nodded back. One of the soldiers unlocked the door and Jauffre and I stepped inside.

The room was rather dim, only lit by two small torches. Because of the low light the casket was just barely in view, stationed in the center of the room. It was a rather cramped space, and Jauffre and I were almost touching shoulder to shoulder. He walked up to the casket, quietly and slowly opened the lid, and look inside. He murmered something about not being able to see, so he grabbed one of the torches, and he was about to shine the light upon the body, but then he asked, “Are you sure you’re going to be okay with this, Lukas?”

“Of course I’ll be fine.”

“Lukas, this is not going to be pretty. You have no idea what the disease did to him before it finally took his life. Are you positive you want to see his face, as it is now?”

“Yes, I’m sure.”

He nodded at me and then shined the light on the Champion’s face. I thought I was going to be okay with whatever way he looked, but as soon as I laid eyes upon his face the true effects of his disease. The Champion’s skin was a sickly pale green, with brown bumps all over. His eyes closed and the skin of his eye lids appeared to be almost wrinkly in a way. He had to ears, just a hole on each side of his head. As for hair, he had none at all, and the brown bumps were on his head as well as his face. I hadn’t noticed it before, but a stench was beginning to fill the room. Something so revolting I was beginning to cough a bit. Jauffre shut the lid close once more, this time for the last time.

After regaining myself I looked over at Jauffre, who was leaning over the coffin with his hands pressed over the hard wood. He did not look up at me but I knew what was happening. Although he was doing it quietly, I could hear Jauffre cry. It was so saddening, seeing him like that, and I wanted to be there for him right now, but then again I wasn’t sure if I should just leave him alone. I was about to leave the room in order to give him some peace, but he sensed I was going to leave, and he quickly motioned for me to stay.
“No, Lukas, it’s alright. I’m…I’m done crying. It…won’t do me or anyone else any good sobbing like this.”

The way he was trying to stay strong was commendable, but at a time like this nobody could blame him for weeping. He had just lost a great friend.

“Jauffre, you just lost someone close to you. I understand how you must feel right now. You should take this time to let it all out. There’s nothing wrong with that at all.”

“Yes, but enough is enough. We’ve got a funeral to get ready for tomorrow, and we don’t even have things set. I don’t know how we’re going to get things done on time.”

“Don’t worry, Jauffre, we’ll get it done.”

“I sure hope so, for the Champion’s sake at least…..

Hm...the champion is dead, long live the champion. Lukas' evolution has been quite interesting so far. I'm not really glad you're taking a break from writing this story but heavens know that it's quite important to relax once in a while, since the same old story can get quite stale. Not to mention that the ideas can run out, especially if you write things on the spot, as I do. I can never quite get along to actually plan any of my writings. Since my own fan-fic is quite long, and somewhat old, I could say it's rather hard to catch up to. The One-shot stories section on the other hand...that's a whole other ball-game. I whole-heartedly reccomend you to write some stories in that thread since it helps get the creative juices flowing in other directions.

Solid update once again. It's interesting to hear about Baurus' past since it certainly helps to show a possible reason to his behaviour. And it's definitely depressing to hear that the Champion has died. I look forward to seeing how Lukas handles the funeral.

That is, after your well deserved break.

Good piece. And also a good place to take a break - not right in the middle but you have left promise of more to come. Lukas definately has an opertunity with the death fo the champion though. It will be interesting to see how he takes it.

I'll wait for the second section.

Nice bit with the Champion again. I'm honestly wondering just what his affliction was.

I also liked the little details with the two Dunmer and the tavern owner. While the overall tone was one of sadness, with Baurus gone and the Champion dead, these three normal people give you some hope for Lukas.


And don't feel bad if you need to take a break. As Griff said, try your hand at a one-shot sometime. I rarely do myself, as I can never make up stories that fit in as a one-shot or a two-shot. But my way is one of keeping multiple stories. Then I can alternate and keep things fresh. And at other times, I simply get distracted by other forms of entertainment and I don't write at all.

Thanks to everyone for your continued interest in this story.

As for writing in the "one-shot-story" thread, I had thought about it, but I already have an idea for another story, and I've written nearly two pages for the first chapter, so hopefully I can get that particular tale out in a couple days.

Good! You will continue this then....Excellent....it's a good well written story so I'm glad ..you made the right decision...

Finally I have continued writing this story. Here is the 13th chapter:


CHAPTER THIRTEEN


I patted Jauffre on the shoulder and we left the room, leaving the body of the Champion to the workers that were now coming in. They would fix him up and make him a little more presentable to the people. Jauffre obviously didn’t want the people to view the Champion the way he was now. He didn’t want them to see something so hideous, but then again I didn’t really see an effective way of “cleaning” him up per say. But I suppose we’d have to see about that one.

“After the funeral we’ll immediately head out for Cheydinhal. There you will meet with the Dunmer Count, Andel Indarys,” Jauffre mentioned while we walked in the light rain. I was following him but unfortunately I didn’t even know where we were headed to. “Andel is quite the character I might add. Being the only non-Imperial ruler of Cyrodiil his views will obviously be different from what you will expect. His is an immigrant of Morrowind, where he was part of House Hlaalu.”

“And how do his views differ from the other rulers?”

“He wants more Dunmeri influence. He has always felt that there has been too much Imperial rule, and to him the country would crumble soon if more races weren’t allowed to rule in the Empire.”

“Sounds like he’s fairly outspoken,” I understated.

“Yes, and to tell the truth, I don’t really think much of the elf. During this time of need and rebuilding he will be asking you plenty of questions, and he’ll also give you his opinion on what should happen with the Empire. No doubt he’ll have some foreign recommendations of people he finds useful to you. You know, officers, diplomats, things of that sort. But don’t worry, Lukas, I’ll be there.”

“Will Lex again play the role of “temporary Emperor” while we’re gone?”

“That is for you decide, my lord.”

“Well, I say keep things how they were. Itius can travel with us as I think we should bring an army with us again.”

“I agree, Lukas, but this time we need not to bring as many soldiers as before. After all, Cheydinhal is only about two hours away, give or take a little. I’d say bring no more than five hundred men.”

“Alright, that sounds good. But may I ask where we are going right now, Jauffre?”

“Oh, yes, I am sorry. I think I have an idea where Baurus is. I’ve been thinking about it ever since we left Luther’s tavern. The last time he ran away he went to this very place. I am almost sure he’s there.”

“And where is that?”

“The prison sewers, at the same location where Uriel Septim was assassinated.”

That was certainly a peculiar place to be. There had to have been a specific reason for him to go there.

“Why would he go there?”

“When the Emperor died Baurus was so angry with himself for several days following the death. He was actually kind of close to the Emperor. Even when many questioned his childish antics Uriel was still confident in Baurus’s abilities. After Uriel died Baurus blamed himself for not being able to save the Emperor from an early death. Since then Baurus always goes there when he is stuck in a difficult situation.”

“Do you think he will be hostile?”

“No, not all. Every time I find him there he’s sobbing or praying; one of the two. It is a peaceful place for Baurus; one where he can calmly think about things without any interruptions.”

So in about twenty minutes Jauffre and I were at the entrance to the sewers. The gates were unlocked, further hinting that Jauffre was actually in there. Jauffre opened the gates and we stepped inside the damp and dark passageway. We walked in silence no more than five minutes until we reached a room. And in that room red writing was displayed all over the wall and red candles were lit everywhere, along with several torches as well. Jauffre’s face was full of shock and surprise. Baurus was nowhere to be seen.

“Oh my god…”

The writing on the wall wasn’t even really writing at all. It was more just simple slashes, as if someone has scratched their fingernails on the wall. Jauffre stepped up to the wall and took a closer look at the writing.

“It’s blood.”

I got a closer look of my own and sure enough it was blood. This was definitely not what Jauffre was expecting and he was suddenly struck with fear.

“We have to get out of here, Lukas, now.”

I did not question his order and the two of us turned to walk out the door, but when we did, Baurus himself was standing in our way. He was not wearing the standard Blade armor, but was instead wearing nothing but a pair of old tattered pants. Blood had been splattered on his muscled chest. Baurus’s face was rather dirty, and he had an almost insane look upon his face. He had nothing with him except for his katana, which he was gripping tightly with his right hand.

“I knew you’d come eventually,” Baurus said with an evil smile.

I looked at Jauffre and he absolutely shocked.

“Baurus, what are doing? Where is your armor?”

“That doesn’t matter. You no longer control me, Jauffre. I am my own man now and you will not boss me around anymore. I am going to make sure of that.”

I could sense Baurus had totally lost his mind, and Jauffre also sensed this as well. This wasn’t a very good situation were in and Jauffre made his best attempt at distinguishing it.

“Come on, Baurus. Put the sword down and we’ll go have a couple of drinks at Luther’s. How’s that sound?”

Baurus simply laughed at the proposal. “You take me as stupid, Jauffre?” No, I will not fall for your antics. It is all over now, “Grandmaster”. You, and unfortunately Lukas, will never have the chance of having a drink. In fact, you will not leave this room I’m afraid.”

Jauffre unsheathed his own katana and then told me to step aside. I retreated to the back left corner of the room as Baurus began walking towards Jauffre with his blade held forward.

“You don’t have to do this, Baurus,” Jauffre while getting into a defensive stance.

“Oh, yes, yes I do. I will not allow you to torment me any longer. Lukas will have to die too because he is a witness, and that is a shame. But then again back in Leyawiin I got a small taste of his true attitude. He treated me as a child just as you have done countless times. That will happen no more.”

Baurus swung his sword at Jauffre but he blocked it easily.

“No, Baurus, you’ve deserved all the scolding you’ve received. I have tried relentlessly to teach you the right ways, but I see it was of no use. You have fallen out of reach and unfortunately I realize there is nothing I can do to save you from you ill-chosen fate.”

Jauffre swung his sword quickly several times at Baurus, but he blocked all three attempts. Despite his infective swings, I was greatly impressed by Jauffre’s “ritual-like” maneuvers. Even in old age he swung his blade smoothly. It appeared Baurus was impressed as well.

“You fight well for an old man, Jauffre. Too bad it’s not going to good enough.”

The two continued to fight and the battle went on for what seemed like forever. Every time Baurus thought he had a good chance to may contact with Jauffre’s skin the Blade master avoided the attempt. It appeared that as the battle wore on Baurus was getting fatigued. But Jauffre on the other hand never seemed to lose a breath.

“You’re getting tired, Baurus? Perhaps this is because you have not trained as I have told you many times before…”

“SHUT UP!”

Baurus swung heavily with his sword, but again with no prevail. Jauffre took advantage this time and sliced across Baurus’s back. He fell to the ground for a moment, but then got back up ready to continue. It was clear that he was in pain but his determination was certainly admirable.

But it was of no use, as Jauffre’s skills in battle were simply too high. Baurus lunged at him with all his might, attempting to tackle the old Imperial, but Jauffre sidestepped and Baurus ran into the wall. When he turned around, dazed and confused I might add, Jauffre sliced across his stomach this time and Baurus did a sort of flip and landed hard on his back on the stone floor. Jauffre raised his katana high into the air and then shoved his blade though the Redguard’s stomach, ending the rift between one another once and for all.

I watched as Jauffre looked down on Baurus’s corpse for several seconds. Then, after picking up Baurus’s blade, he turned to me and said, “Let’s get out of here.”


+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


The next morning I was finishing up a warm bath, and as soon I was done I would be meeting with Jauffre, Itius and Lex. There were many things to discuss, namely Baurus’s death, but also plans for the Champion’s funeral.

When Jauffre and I had made it back to the city last night he told me to take a bath and get some sleep. He wanted me to meet him in the morning at nine o’clock, in the meeting room of the Palace. It was currently 9:30, meaning I had already missed my deadline.

During the trip back from the sewers last night he had said not a word. Clearly he wished he didn’t have to kill Baurus, but the stubborn Redguard had given him no choice. I admired Jauffre’s hard-nosed willpower, but I was also feeling sorry for him. His job was extremely hard and killing his own man doesn’t help the stressful position as Grandmaster of the Blades. But that is what comes with the title and I probably shouldn’t be surprised by Jauffre’s demeanor. He’s head of the Blades for a reason.

After I was done bathing I dressed myself into a pair of tan linens and a brown shirt, along with cowhide shoes. I had yet to shop for lavish clothing that could actually fit me, so I was forced to wear clothing of lesser quality. When I arrived at the Palace the other three were already in the meeting room, according to a soldier that escorted me. I opened the large doors and stepped inside the room, where the three rose to their feet.

“Lukas, you’re a little late,” Lex said playfully.

“Yes, I am sorry for that. So, where shall we begin?”

The four of us sat done and the meeting began.

“Lukas, I’ve spoken with Lex and Itius about Baurus, and we’ve decided that the best decision would be to give him a proper burial. Even if he was a pain sometimes, he still did a lot for the Empire. I sent a unit of soldiers to fetch his body. We’ll have a private funeral for him after the Champions, just before we leave for Cheydinhal,” Jauffre said.

“Who will attend?”

“Just the four of us, I think. I don’t see a reason for anyone else.”

I let the subject go because it seemed as if Jauffre did not want to discuss it anymore. I didn’t blame him, so instead of pestering him about Baurus I asked them how the funeral preparations were coming.

“The people of the city have been aware of his death on the day it happened. We announced it as soon as we could. As for invitations to the funeral, they were sent out yesterday and announcements have been made throughout the city. Believe me, Lukas, everyone knows,” Lex said.

“The workers have set up a place in front the statue of your father, in the Arboretum. I don’t know if anyone has told you, but your father turned into the avatar of Akatosh. It was truly a sight to behold when he…”

Lex was excited about the statue and kept talking about it, but Jauffre cut him off, rather rudely at that.

“We don’t have time for idle chit-chat, Lex. I am not in the mood for it, so let us simply get down the business. The funeral is set for six o’clock tonight. Afterwards we will get some sleep, wake up in the morning and bury Baurus, and then we will take off for Cheydinhal, except for you of course,” Jauffre said looking at Lex.

“Now, Lukas, I think you and I should do some shopping while there’s time. You definitely could use a new wardrobe,” he said staying my attire down with distaste. “Don’t worry about preparations. We have many people working on it was we speak.”

We all left the room, with Lex and Itius going there own separate ways. I looked at Jauffre, who was yawning and stretching his arms upward. He looked as if he had not slept just yet.

“Forgive me for saying this, but you look awful.”

Jauffre smiled just a little bit and replied, “I couldn’t sleep last night. Not after what happened back in the sewers.”

“I’m sorry you had to do that, Jauffre. I know you must feel awful, and…I mean, you can always talk to me about it if you want to…”

Jauffre laughed loudly and rubbed my hair. “Thanks, Lukas; I know I can count on you. I’ll be alright; it will just take a while in getting used to things without Baurus around, that’s all.”

“What did Itius and Lex say about it, if you don’t mind me asking I mean.”

“They weren’t really surprised. They both seemed to have thought it was going to happen sooner or later. I can’t say I would say the same thing, but it’s over now. And I don’t mean to be rude, Lukas, but I don’t want to talk about it anymore. Surely you can understand.”

He wasn’t trying to sound mean to me, but he just simply didn’t want to talk about. And I wasn’t about to keep clawing at him with the topic, so I dropped it. But then again, I would probably question him about Baurus sometime in the future. The whole situation was just so confusing and sudden.

“Sure thing, Jauffre. Now…where shall we start our little shopping spree?” I asked while rubbing my hands eagerly.

“I think we’ll visit Divine Elegance. It’s an expensive clothing shop run by the Altmer, Palonirya. She has an excellent selection of lavish clothing that will fit your Emperor needs. After that we’ll head over to Red Diamond Jewelry, a jewelry shop owned by the Nord, Hamlof Red-Tooth.”

I scoffed at the word ‘jewelry’, and Jauffre noticed my expression.

“Lukas, jewelry is not only made for women. Men wear it as well. It is a sign of good fortune and high quality. Do not worry, nobody will think of you as girlish,” Jauffre said after laughing.

We continued on and walked to the Market District, where the place was lively and going, even at about 9:30 in the morning. Several people waved to me and most of the people had happy faces when they saw me. That was a good thing. Perhaps naming Adamus Count of Leyawiin was even smarter than I originally thought, and that’s saying a lot.

When Jauffre and I entered Divine Elegance, an elderly Altmer lady was humming a tune while folding some expensive-looking dresses. When she heard the door close she turned around to greet us with a warm smile.

“Jauffre, what a pleasure it is to see you! It’s been a while.”

“Yes it has, Palonirya. Forgive me for my absence. But I think I can make up my lack of presence with a little spending, eh?”

“You most certainly can! And who is it here you have?” She asked, eying me with her Altmeri eyes, which almost appeared magical in a way.

“Why, Palonirya, this here is Lukas Septim.”

“Lukas Septim. My, my, my; what an honor it is to meet you, young lord. You certainly are younger, and shorter I might add, than our previous leader. But I am sure that will not disable you in ruling our fine province!”

“No, it most certainly will not. I bring young Lukas here to purchase some clothing. As you can see he doesn’t exactly look like an Emperor.”

She made a sort of tut-tut noise with her mouth and commented, “Oh heavens no he doesn’t. But let me think…I believe I have something that’ll do him just fine.”

She left the room and walked over to a chest. I shot a quick look at Jauffre, who was smiling tremendously. He patted me on the shoulder and I turned back to the Altmer lady, who had several pieces of clothing in her arms.

“Here, sweetie, try these on for size. There’s a small room over there in the corner where you can undress,” she said cheerfully. This lady was without a doubt the happiest being I had ever met. And I think I had a feeling why it was that she seemed so happy. As I walked over to the room I eyed Palonirya, and she was staring into Jauffre’s eyes, and vice-versa. Now I am no romantic or anything like that, but even I could plainly see that the two were flirting with one another. I’d have to agitate Jauffre about that later.

While inside the small closet, (and small was definitely an understatement), I tried on all of the clothing Palonirya had given to me. When I was all dressed I looked into the mirror that was nailed onto the wall. I was wearing some fancy looking blue pants, and a shirt to match. I was also wearing a pair of blue suede shoes, and even though I felt strange, I also felt extremely comfortable as well. So I trotted out of the closet proudly to show off my new attire and Jauffre asked, “How do you feel?”

I looked down at my clothing and replied simply, “distinguished.”

Palonirya giggled a bit and ran over to the wooden counter to see how much everything was. “Let me see here…ah yes, the total will one hundred septims even. And I should probably mention I’m giving you a small discount,” she said slyly to Jauffre.

“I’m sure I can return the favor someday,” he replied while handing her a handful of gold coins.

Jauffre and I left the shop and as we did I could have sworn I saw Palonirya wink at the old Blade grandmaster. I looked up at his face and his cheeks were bright red, further giving evidence that what I saw was true.

Outside the sun was shining and I was only one stop away from actually resembling an Emperor. We walked across the section and entered the jewelry shop, where a strange-looking Nord was talking to himself.

“Stupid kids always trying to steal me items. I’ll show them, hahaha, I’ll set a trap and catch the little brats. Hahaha, that’ll show ‘em…”

“Ahem”

“Oh, Jauffre, I didn’t see ‘ya come in.”

“Obviously. You’re facing in the opposite direction, Hamlof,” Jauffre replied bluntly. Something told me he wasn’t the Nords’ biggest fan.

“Yes, well, what can I do for ‘ya?” The Nord spoke in the typical Nord accent, and I couldn’t help but notice how poorly dressed he was. That struck me as strange given the fact that he was jewelry merchant.

“Lukas here is looking to purchase some jewelry. Nothing too fancy, a couple of rings I suppose.” He said this quickly, as if he did not want to talk with the Nord more than he had to.

“Ah, well it just so happens I’ve recently put a discount on me glass rings. Care to take a gander, boy?”

I walked over to a large glass case that was full of different rings, amulet, etc. Hamlof took out a gleaming glass ring and held it to my eye. They were so beautiful looking and I immediately fell in love with the jewel. I looked at Jauffre and nodded enthusiastically. He reached into his pocket tossed a few coins on the counter and said, “Keep the change.”

When we stepped outside into the sunshine Jauffre commented, “Remind me not to go in there ever again, alright?”

“Okay, but may I ask why? You didn’t seem to care too much for the Nord.”

“I don’t, but that’s not really important. Let’s get you back to the palace. We have everything you’ll need for the funeral. I’ll have a maid purchase some more clothing for you at a later time.”

Jauffre and I walked back to the Palace, where the place was empty except several guards. Jauffre explained that most of the staff was present at the funeral spot setting things up. It was already noon and soon people would be arriving at the Arboretum. They would talk until about five and then we would start filing everybody in place.

I spent that time in between eating some lunch and talking to Jauffre. He explained that the funeral would be an extremely sensitive atmosphere and I would have to watch what I said. It would not be a smart move to anger the people at their hero’s funeral. But after the talk of the funeral I asked Jauffre a more personal question; One pertaining the Altmer, Palonirya.

“Jauffre, I hope not be rude, but I couldn’t help but notice how happy you were in Palonirya’s shop. Would you like to explain that enjoyment?”

Jauffre smirked a bit and his cheeks once again turned a shade of bright red. “Nothing escapes your eyes, eh?”

“Well actually it was kind of noticeable.”

“Okay, okay, you’ve caught me red-handed. Would you like to hear the entire story from beginning to end?”

I nodded.

“Very well, then. It all started back in Chorrol. Palonirya used to run a clothing shop there, but back then she sold clothing of all quality. Whenever I traveled into the city I would stop there and have a chat. She was always a nice lady, and quite attractive as well. Well, one day I happened to ask her out to dinner, and to my surprise she obliged to the offer. I knew Countess Valga personally and she allowed me to dine with Palonirya in the Castle dining room. All went well and we had a grand time and after that I would see her daily. Things went great for the first couple of weeks, but then something happened. There was a jewelry salesman that held shop just beside Palonirya. He too fancied her almost as much as I, and he became quite angry when he learned that Palonirya and I were dating. He made several attempts to stifle our relationship and he even went as far as to claim that I was already married, which of course was completely absurd. Well, one thing led to another and ultimately Palonirya decided that she couldn’t go on with dating me. She claimed she couldn’t serve me as well as she should, or something stupid like that. I was totally angry with her and I stopped seeing her. But the one thing that hurt the most is that I think the real reason was that she was attracted to jewelry salesman. The next thing I knew she moved here to the Imperial City, as did the salesman two days later. Of course I thought something was up but I didn’t look into for several reasons. One being I was too angry to even care; but also I was too busy with the Blades. And guess what the real kicker is…”

“What?”

“That salesman is none other than Hamlof Red-Tooth.”

It all made sense now. No wonder Jauffre seemed to dislike Hamlof so much.

“I’m sorry, Jauffre.”

“Don’t worry, Lukas, it’s not important. Even if my attraction to Palonirya has been renewed, it won’t amount to anything. I’m through with her. Anyways, it’s already five thirty. I think it’s time we make our way to the funeral, wouldn’t you say?”

I nodded in agreement and we left the palace. Even with Jauffre’s words I had a strong feeling his little fling with Palonirya was anything but through…

And the story continues! Wonderful update. Shame about Baurus though.