Chapter XXIV: Of Councils And Caravans

A merry Christmas to all of you of the western Christian variety!

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"You seem quite chipper today." Titus rose an eyebrow as I sat in his inner council's dedicated chambers, the two of us joined by Ara Maeris and Francis Vierre.

Jukulus was also there of course but at this point I just considered him a feature of Titus more than anything.

"Just had an... interesting evening is all." I stretch my shoulders a bit.

Who knew two supercomputer-brained nerds would be able to turn a war game into a game of another kind? I certainly didn't but it was a damn fun discovery non the less.

Salacious strategization aside I ignored Titus' quirked eyebrow and spoke "So, what is on the agenda today?"

Ara cleared her throat, no doubt hoping to skip the small talk and get stuck in with her own personal passion "As you no doubt know already, we wish to discuss with you the minutiae of resettling the great slum currently stuck to the north of the city, while we could manage it to a reasonable degree, your experience in the matter would no doubt prove invaluable."

"Yes" Francis cut in, with the look in his eyes "Exploiting our access to supremely cheap labor is an impressive opportunity to engorge all of our collective coffers."

Titus gave him a sideways glance, the look so scathing the Breton shut his mouth instinctually "While we will no doubt use the opportunity to strengthen the Empire." The Emperor spoke slowly "Our priority is ensuring the long-term prosperity of its people."

"To be entirely fair, Titus." I cut him off with a slightly apologetic expression "You can't truly have one without the other."

Francis' eyes alight with excitement while Titus grumbles something to himself and permits himself a nod "You are not incorrect, at least not fully. However we must temper our greed with duty in this situation."

"An excess of anything usually ends up being counterproductive so there is no need to even consider going so far" I shrug "You will find that ensuring both their prosperity and that of the wider Empire will inevitably go hand in hand if we plan things right."

Titus withholds any further protestation.

"Indeed." Ara nods along and places a impressively sized piece parchment with the outline of the map of Cyrodiil atop the large table between us. She gives Titus a quick look and he nods "Now gentlemen let us begi-"

The doors behind me are shoved open as the familiar armored steps of the Marshal and Commander of the PO reach my ears, the faint feeling of frustration contaminating the air around them.

"Titus." Marshal Valenicus speaks without waiting, his frown practically audible "That lousy bastard Julius has overstepped his bounds again!"

"Indeed." Maro joins in, sounding particularly ragged, like he hadn't slept in days "We have discovered he plans on smuggling a force of retirees into Hammerfell to help the Forebears with their resistance."

Titus merely rose an eyebrow at their admittedly rather audacious interruption, staring the two men down for a whole ass minute before they remembered themselves and saluted him, offering their apologies and meaning it.

"This is not the first time this has happened." Titus finally breaks the silence as he keeps staring at the two grown ass men turned scolded children "Why do you think that is?"

Maro, having a bit of sense, rose his hand, earning a nod from his liege "Apologies, my Emperor but tings are different this time. We know you tacitly approve of such expeditions but this time" He gives me a quick questioning look, seeing me not react he turns back "He got the Dragonborn involved."

"So that is why she asked me to promise not to be mad before she left." I mutter while scratching my chin, all eyes now on me "How very sly of her..."

I looked back at them and shrugged "What? It isn't like I can stop her..." I tilt my head "Well, at least not without ruining a district at minimum."

Ara visibly flinches at the mere thought of the act.

Maro gives me a look before absently asking "Isn't she your..."

I merely raise an eyebrow at this, pointedly imitating Titus. The intelligence officer growing increasingly uncomfortable under my stare before I simply snorted and tossed him a stamina potion "Sit down and gather yourself man."

He still waits for Titus to give his approval with the Emperor merely waving for him to sit his ass down. All eyes now fell on Valenicus.

The General, while offering his apologies earlier, still remained standing firmly with his shoulders straight "What I mean to say, Titus, is that Julius is growing too uncaring for the proper chain of command. It is fine when he does little things to annoy the Thalmor, but influencing the Crown Princess?" He practically growls the words out "I would have him flogged for it."

"Then you may as well flog me right now." I roll my eyes "And Titus, and everyone else in this room."

The old General scoffs "You know what I meant."

Deciding to give him a bit of a lesson I leaned back in my seat, rotating the chair without a sound using a bit of levitation "Tell me, Marshal, what does a Dragonborn do?"

He frowned but seeing Titus also waiting for an answer he spoke "They use the voice and slay dragons?"

"Are you asking me or telling me?" I roll my eyes but preempt any other answer "The main ability of a Dragonborn, as even a Nord child could tell you" He doesn't so much as twitch "Is the ability to consume the souls of slain dragons, do you know what that does?"

"I am sure you are about to educate me." Valenicus holds back a sneer, knowing damn well I was right.

He was a gruff asshole but a competent one.

Smiling cheerily I go on "They do not merely gain power from taking the soul but also the wisdom and some of the dragon's experiences." I lean in conspiratorially, crossing my fingers before my face "And do you know what that means?"

He frowns "That the Princess has a plan?"

"Exactly." I straighten and clap my hands "She obviously knows what she is doing and no ambitious General could influence her as you put it." His face still looks like it is made of granite "So stop complaining about it, worst case scenario she fucks up and just grabs one of the dragons we have at Hammerfell to run away."

Titus suddenly chokes "You have dragons... in Hammerfell?" 

"Five of them to be exact." I smirk "Four unruly little shits who were already chomping at the bit to start some violence back home and Odahviing, Minthara's right hand in this case, to keep them in check as they wreak havoc behind enemy lines."

It was good she was showing some genuine initiative at this point. I did not doubt her capabilities for a moment, for the same reasons I mentioned earlier and beyond, but knowing something and seeing it were two rather different things. I did not want her to use me as an eternal crutch and she seems to have finally sensed that wish of mine.

A rather positive shift, I have to say.

"I see..." Valenicus finally speaks up "I will withdraw my complaints on her decisions, however I still stand behind my opinion that Julius should be punished."

"A slap on the wrist would do I'd say." Titus hums "Make a show of it all as a little warning. It isn't as if he went against my wishes in truth."

"Maybe do it only if his actions are actually found out?" I ask aloud "Would be rather odd that we knew of his plans and didn't preempt them otherwise."

"True." The old Emperor nods "It would not do us well to be quite so blatant in our actions..." He pauses and frowns "Speaking of, we will be receiving foreign dignitaries in about four days to discuss our 'sudden' embargo of Alinor and their subjects."

"Great." I deadpan "I suppose we should delay my excursion to Morrowind by a week then? Might as well give myself more time to ensure nothing goes amiss in Skingrad."

"There will be some grumbling from the great houses but we can always cite supply problems" Francis cuts in "A week should not be an issue."

"Then let us go with that." I give him a nod and turn to Titus "Speaking of Alinor" I used the name of the kingdom specifically here as the Thalmor were not directly mentioned "Do we know anything about our mysterious dignitary?"

The Emperor gives his Chancellor a quick look and the reedy Bosmer clears his throat "A Kinlord Narsis, acting as representative of the aristocracy of the island itself."

"So he is going around the Thalmor?" I quirk an eyebrow "Rather bold of him."

Still, it will be fun talking to the pompous bastard again.

"His future wellbeing is none of our concern." Valenicus scoffs as Titus finally waves for him to sit down "His inevitable offer on the other hand is."

Ara once more clears her throat, the noise sounding a fair bit more irritated this time "Gentlemen." She gave us all a downright unsettling smile "If you would all be so kind, I would like to discuss the slums now." Her eyes were closed, one of them twitching violently, and her smile was growing more and more unsettling by the moment.

"Yes." Titus saves our souls "I do believe our tangent has gone on for long enough."

"I thank you for your generosity, Your Majesty." The woman says with a voice so sweet one it was almost poisonous.

"Apologies but am I needed here?" Maro speaks up "Keeping Marcus alive before his trial was a nightmare and I really need some sleep." The man looked dead on his feet, or well in his seat at the moment.

"Sorry mate but no can do." I give him a faux salute "You will be needed for this one."

Ara looks a bit surprised at this "Why on Nirn would we need the Commander?"

"Well, that is rather simple, Lady Ara." I answer quite cheerfully "Because we will need to actually make the people want to move in the first place, and we won't be able to do that without removing the no doubt numerous gangs, families, clans, and the like running the place."

The woman looked like she had just swallowed something sour.

Maro just looked like he was about to beg for death.

How very nostalgic.

I may as well pressgang the two Vagyars into helping, they were rather annoying during my meeting and some public service would do them rather well.

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I returned home after a long while, a full plan of action formed with the Imperial Council and all the work naturally thrown into their hands as I finally got a bit of time to actually laze about.

I wasn't about to directly deal with that level of annoyance again, mostly because the Nords were actually fun to deal with. Heartlander commoners of all races were too... meek to be interesting anymore.

Even grandstanding in front of them felt like a waste of time and my love for presentation was known far and wide...

My lack of actual job to do naturally soon turned problematic as the only company I had were Edrassa, who was mostly stuck in my library studying dwemertech, and Eldor who was probably dreaming about founding a dynasty of traders that would live on for millennia.

Fucking loot goblin.

Tapping my coffee table for a bit I simply decided to grab Voendal and whoever else of my childhood friend group still remained in the city and go for a bit of shopping or something. The Market District should have some interesting books to see at least.

For now thought? I may as well come up with some enchanting schematics, a proper war-crime tier staff sounded just about right at this moment.

I do wonder how Alor was doing with his command...

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(Alor's POV)

'Why, by all the gods ancestral and not, were the damned roads so bloody muddy?!' I screeched internally as once more one of our carts got stuck "My the sun strike down the fool who left things to fester for so long." I cursed aloud instead.

I retract every single complaint about removing the supposed Count from power, even the roads of Skyrim were better than this offense to the senses!

"A rather particular choice of curse." Janus Hassildor speaks from atop his steed, his whole from wrapped in what looked to be an imperialized Hammerfell garb, covering every possible inch of skin.

"I am a worshipper of Auri-El." I tell him simply as I focus my mind and levitate the cart, no reason to get my current subordinates dirty "At least nominally." I add as we get back on the road.

"Oh?" I hear the raised eyebrow more than seeing it "And what do you worship truly?"

Not willing to share that little bit of information I simply shrug "Nothing."

"Fair enough." The vampire accepts my choice without complaint.

"How long before we reach the city anyway?" I ask after a good ten minutes of marching, just as clouds began to gather overhead.

"We should have been almost there already." Hassildor practically hisses out "But with the roads in this state and what looks to be an impending deluge, I'd say we have a full day left."

"Just great." I hold back a groan.

Couldn't even read something with the ra-

Pointedly not slapping my own face, I mentally prepare a wind cloak and pull out a primer on sun magic. I may be obligated into working with the vampire, but a constant reminder of my power would serve to keep him honest... I hope.

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(General POV, earlier that day)

"And you are certain this will help us?" Count Ferontius of Skingrad asked his advisor, he had barely held back from refusing the man's suggestion outright as he still feared leaving his castle, afraid someone would murder him for his past weaknesses.

A fear he had carried for over two whole decades of his life.

A fear that cost him his marriage and many friendships.

"Indeed, my liege." The malnourished-looking man nodded "Lowering the taxes in the city after a big speech will certainly give us enough time to remove that bastard Ceix, that and the Emperor will be less inclined to look our way."

"Certainly as good a reason as any." The Count scoffed, presenting a confident front neither of the two believed in "Very well, announce the speech to the populace. We will hold it by the statue of Rislav for more impact."

"I will certainly do so." His advisor, Aloncius, bowed his head.

"Good." Ferontius grunted "Every threat must be removed, no matter the cost."

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Powerstone in the vein

Powerstone in the brain

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