Rastislav
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Arc 8 Chapter LXXXIII: Of Travels And Catching Up
🕑 Added 2025-02-14 22:02:13 +0000 UTCA/n: A bit of a slowdown I know, but sadly for all you excitement addicts we are going to be going slow for a bit longer. Too much murder and too little goofing about makes Big D a dull boy.
Or a psychopath.
Probably both.
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(Reyvin's POV)
"Hahh" I let out contented sigh as we finally enter Cyrodiil proper, my massive horse barley so much as shifting as the air slowly turned noticeably less charged "Say what you want about Morrowind's new coat of paint but there just isn't beating good old fresh forest air."
'That isn't filled with Hist filth you mean' Scorch scowls causing me to do much the same.
"Agreed." Minthara's own expression mimics my own "No offense to your people but Morrowind isn't all that pleasant."
"Too much heat for you?" I quirk an eyebrow.
She nods, being part Nord part Altmer really made the place hell for he, even if she managed to hide it very well "And I thought Hammerfell was bad."
I just chuckle, drawing a curious glance from her "It used to be far worse."
She pauses halfway through stirring her horse onwards and gives me a look of utter disbelief "Seriously?"
"Oh yeah" I nod with false cheer "Imagine the entire land being bombarded by storms of searing ash throughout the day, and now add a subtle curse of doom to it all."
Minthara turns silent for a long moment before blurting "How the fuck did they survive then?"
"Pure damn grit from what I am understanding" I shrug, unwilling to go into another long elaboration "Thing is they weren't surviving, not truly. If I wasn't as ridiculous as I am the land would have probably died a slow death in a few centuries."
"That or your 'Good Daedra'" She uses the term with careful neutrality "Would have just sent someone else."
"Probably poor Nerevar again." I snort.
Minthara, who had been at least somewhat informed of Nerevar's experiences during the first leg of our journey, shivers "They really did not hold back with him, did they?"
"It is probably better that you don't know just how right you are." I shake my head with a bit of disgust. Oh I knew it was mostly Azura, but that was exactly the point, it was mostly her while her two 'colleagues' did nothing to stop it.
Really nice to be reminded of just what kind of creatures I am dealing with on a nearly daily basis, most excellent for my beauty sleep even!
Shaking the discomforting thoughts away, I focused back on the road "I doubt we will be reaching Cheydinhall today so we'd best set up camp sooner rather than later."
"Sorry about the whole no teleporting thing" She winces slightly.
But I wave her off "We need to be paraded about a bit, I know, I pretty much taught you that stuff to begin with."
"When did you teach me about politics exactly?" She gives me a faux glare and huffs.
Offering an elaborate bow in response I smirk "Why by watching my example of course."
"Right" Her lip twitches, betraying her dry expression "The example where you just scare everyone into submission?"
"Your point?" I retort immediately.
She goes to retort but stops, and then frowns "Huh."
I begin chuckling and shortly later she joins me as well "it really is just threats of violence in the end, isn't it?" She asks.
"Yup" I grin "Good thing there are not many people better at it than we are."
She grins back, her expression somehow both brightening and darkening at the idea.
"Now go and tell them to set up camp, I've spent too long herding my own subjects around and refuse to do it for at least a week!" I point at the caravan behind us while raising my nose imperiously.
She looks like she wants to protest but the moment she sees my expression as I prepare to bully her into it she just huffs and turns her steed around with far more skill than before and leaves me mounted atop a hill overlooking the forests of northern Cyrodiil.
It had been some three days since Minthara's bold proposal, and things in Morrowind didn't even have time to go wild so they could calm down as we were leaving.
Naturally it was perfectly understood why I'd have to travel to Cyrodiil by my subordinates but that did not stop the inevitable rise in unrest, however slight, that would follow my rapid departure.
The other Great Lords were more than capable of keeping order however, and with Davos' own network that was slowly subsuming both the shadowy guilds of Morrowind. They would have all the information they need to keep the peace and order until my subjects all calmed the fuck down and accepted the new truth of their lives.
Which meant a great decrease in oversight from yours truly, a fact that held both advantages and disadvantages but a necessary one non the less. Not like I couldn't just teleport back whenever I wanted either.
Naturally, I did not leave Morrowind by myself, as Minthara's procession found itself tripling in size as I was joined by a band of the Unmourned, a few curious Telvanni, a bunch of Sadras traders practically frothing at the mouth for the opportunity to use my influence to grow rich, and a small honor guard chosen from each of the Great Houses, all of them employing familiar faces who had been steadily rising in the ranks, especially sine every single one of them was a Thorn Pass veteran.
My thoughts were interrupted by a quartet of particularly meaty steps and I turned around to see Tiberius approaching atop his recently enlarged familiar "Battlemage Gracchus." I greet him with a smirk "What a surprise."
"Your Grace" He smiles and offers a perfectly practiced courtly bow "What an honor to meet such a personage in the flesh."
We stare at each other for a moment before both laughing and shaking our heads "How have you been Tiberius?" I ask after a while.
"Well" He straightens in his special saddle "Skyrim has certainly done a lot for my reputation, especially since I participated at Skuldafn, but I can't say I will miss the cold."
"Already using the accolades to grow your house's influence, no doubt?" I quirk an eyebrow.
"Would be a fool if I didn't" He shrugs, being utterly in the right "Ever since I decided to study conjuration, my father had been supportive and financed all of my needs but there was always this... undertone of disappointment."
Humming along I say "Guessing there is no such thing between you anymore?"
"Of course not" Tiberius scoffs "It may be just another day for you, Reyvin, but all of us that participated in that battle are treated as war heroes by literally everyone. By Oblivion, I walked into the new temple of Mara in Falkreath a few months back and barely left with my life when they realized who I was."
Blinking at that little tidbit of information all I can do is nod, I truly did not even bother considering just how much of a reputation boost it was to fight at Skuldafn and win "Woe is upon you indeed" Is what I drawl out instead.
He snorts "Yeah, right." And turns quiet for a while as he joins me in observing the distant vistas "Damn, we really came far, didn't we?"
My mouth twists into a low grin "From a bunch of children hungering for magic to veterans of multiple wars and sovereigns and officers... Far indeed."
Tiberius practically radiates contentment at my words, once more turning quiet for a while before speaking once more "What of the others?"
"Well you should be more than aware that the Flame-Hearts are still supposed to be in Legion custody" I half state half ask.
His eyes brighten in recognition "Ah that, yes. The General saw fit to release them now that the tensions have reduced."
"Good on them" I hum "As for Morrigan, she seems content to serve the Jarl of Morthal, while Edrassa is currently busying herself working on my automata for most of her time."
"Well, at least she has her comforts again" He huffs.
Shaking my head in amusement I go on "Marwyn has been reported to have moved to Solstheim to work as a mercenary for Raven Rock, he is probably fighting beasts even as we speak."
"Will probably do him well in the long run" Tiberius notes, having experienced such himself "Also, Solstheim? Isn't that the tiny island the previous High King gave the Dunmer?"
"Yup" I pop the P "The colonization effort hasn't had much success and what little they do have is having issues as we speak, but it is no great issue at the moment."
Sorry mate but you are not in the inner circle, and too many people are aware of our plans already.
"Fair enough" He nods "Can't be everywhere and everywhen, no matter how powerful you get."
"Don't temp the world" I chuckle.
He pretends to be terrified for a moment before we share in another bout of chuckles.
"Speaking of Falkreath and the good General, how did things go during your garrison duty?" I ask after yet another pause.
Having drifted off deep into though, the Imperial startles a bit before blinking his surprise away "Nothing too exciting I am sad to say. It was mostly just patrols and overlooking the penal workers while they rebuilt Falkreath and slowly won the trust of the people there, I did go and hunt down a few dozen bandit groups but honestly after fighting dragons chasing down a bunch of starving desperates was simply sad."
"So what you are saying is that you don't have enough excitement in your life?" I ask ominously.
He immediately backtracks "Of course not, I am perfectly content with my life thank you very much, there is absolutely no need for you to get involved, not a bit!"
I keep smirking at him as he panics "We will see about that."
"Shit" He hisses before noticing my amusement and rolling his eyes "You never change, do you?"
"Fuck no" I snort.
"Of course" He deadpans "Anyway, Falkreath has been mostly rebuilt by now, or the living spaces at least. The walls will be taking a much longer time but I hear the Mistress of Infrastructure has been conjuring some interesting plans for the place so they should get their chance to prosper no matter what."
"She does indeed have some plans" I confirm rather easily, much to his utter lack of surprise "But I don't feel like elaborating on that, so" I go on rather cheekily "Tell me something interesting you experienced while up north, I've been dealing with too much politics and as happy I am for Torygg's successes I am this close to pulling my hair out."
The Imperial gives me a long look before chuckling "Sure thing, so long as you do the same."
"But of course" I drawl.
And then proceed to spend the following hours sharing anecdotes with my old schoolmate, while he told me of the many feasts the Nords rebuilding Falkreath had organized and of their inevitable consequences and aftermaths.
So much time did we waste in fact that the sun had begun to set before the sound of music began spreading through the center of the freshly built camp, and the two of us went to join the rest in their revelry as Marco revealed yet another admittedly impressive song of his.
The fact it was a rhyme about a certain dragoness being too bold about gathering things for her hoard was just a nice little coincidence of course.
Her embarrassment was well worth the bribe.
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Three days later, we once more approached the Imperial Isle in the distance, the White Gold Tower having long since pierced the horizon beforehand. Our caravan was as jovial as it was when we first left Morrowind, with even the Ashlanders growing excited at the idea of exploring the lands.
Especially after being given their just rewards for the war in addition to their respectable salaries.
Probably should make a rule about no whoring now that I think about it, letting soldiers in my employ get up to such idiocy would probably reflect rather poorly on me, wouldn't it?
Well, that was for tomorrow's Reyvin to worry about, today's Reyvin had to deal with the official reception Titus had prepared for the Hortator of Morrowind.
With all the pageantry and ritualism involved in such a meeting.
Even the mere thought had me wanting to break shit, and we weren't even across the bridge yet!
Sigh.
Comments
Speide Hardy
Thanks for the chapter
Hakkira
Thank you kindly for the chapter π
