Rastislav
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Arc 8 Chapter XXXV: Onwards To Resdayn!
🕑 Added 2024-11-21 23:06:21 +0000 UTCIn the end coming up with an actionable plan, or at least something vaguely resembling one if you squinted real hard, wasn't even that difficult.
I had the power, I had the prestige, and most importantly the wealth to pretty much walk in there without anyone being able to do a single thing. Mephala might be disappointed by what I suspect will be a subpar amount of scheming and general fuckery I might get up to but she already got enough of that here.
Hopefully she didn't fuck something up when I let her loose into the city...
The echoing seductive giggle in the back of my head was not encouraging in the least.
Shaking my head at the admittedly terrifying thought, I still knew that things could go wrong so as usual a proper spy ring would need establishing, par for the course really. And not the small number of agents I had at the eastern edges of the province, oh no, if I got my way I was going to fully suborn the Morag Tong as quickly as I could.
That would no doubt silence everyone with enough braincells to rub together... And the rest of them now that I think about it, only in a much more permanent fashion.
'If I wasn't made of literal fire I'd be able to cut myself on just how edgy that was.' Scorch's dry chirp come from within.
I naturally ignored him.
The caravan would be moving out later today, early enough to have time to reach the castle-town of Chalman to the northeast of the City Isle before night came and we had to camp up.
I'd have to actually follow them around for most of the time at least, mostly because people were still twitchy about the recent surge in danger and my presence would reduce guard costs greatly.
Annoying but understandable.
But first, to actually settle matters here.
-----
And so that was how I found myself seated within my study a mere hour after leaving it, mug of steaming coffee in hand and a quintet of vassals and one Akulakhan in front of me.
"Right then." I speak to the non-mechanical part of the group after taking a sip of the delightfully bitter brew of the gods "As you know I will be leaving Cyrodiil for a prolonged period of time, I sincerely hope none of you will be quite so foolish as to create issues while I am off galivanting."
"We shall as always do only our best to serve." Alor is the first to speak as he notices the others hesitate "Though I doubt you have called us solely to tell us to behave, my lord?"
"Maybe I have?" I quirk an eyebrow but do not bother continuing the jape "That aside, I wanted to make sure all of you gave me one final report and to give you your tasks while I am gone."
"Seeing as you were the first I might as well start with you" I go on, my eyes still focused on Alor "What is the state of the Sworn Mer?"
The Falmer hesitates but only briefly, inclining his head in a mix of determination and barely hidden shame "The loses shook some of them but as you told me all of them knew to expect such things. There is some murmuring about getting reinforcements or outright recruiting while we remained stationed here but morale is holding up after some rest and relaxation."
"Nothing out of the ordinary there." I nod and consider briefly "It will be your choice whether to call for reinforcements or recruit, you already have access to the stipend so resources will not be an issue."
He somehow manages to pale but nods.
"Your task" I pause dramatically "Will be to place your men and yourself at Minthara's disposal, to accomplish any military task she deems necessary. Your secondary mission will be to act as my dignitary and diplomat, primarily with the nobility up to and including the Alinori who I hear will be staying for a period."
He outright balks this time "My lord I-"
"You are quite eloquent when you are not scared shitless." I cut him off with a light snort "You will represent me before the nobles, and thus train yourself up in both tasks."
Alor just stares for a long while before accepting his fate "As you command, my lord."
"Excellent." I clap my hands and turn to a somewhat bored looking Dunmer "Edrassa, you are to mostly continue with experiments on dwemercraft and expanding production, but I also noticed we have made no real contacts with the local academia of the non-magical variety."
She suddenly turns a bit more interested, her mind quickly putting the pieces together "A rather... wise choice, even if oddly late."
"One step at a time." Is the only explanation I give alongside a shrug "Aside from that do make sure to aid the others whenever necessary, the rest is up to you."
She accepts my command without a word, and seeing as she regularly gives me reports on what she does I have no need to question her further.
"Jackal" I call.
The masked Dunmer bows "My lord."
"You are already aware of all your tasks and they are as always to remain between you and me." He nods "Is there anything requiring my attention now?"
"The nobles are somewhat restless but thoroughly cowed through either awe, loyalty, threats, or blackmail." He answers without missing a beat "The merchants are happy with trade constantly increasing, and the guilds are mostly returning to business as usual as they have no other choice."
"The dumbfuck at the head of the Fighter's Guild barely avoided getting her head lopped off." I shake my head with disgust.
"Her lack of importance saved her life, yes." Jackal almost jokes "The only issue would be the Alinori and them attempting to extract advantages in their unenviable situation but my brothers and I will be more than able to deal with it."
"As always the Woodsmen do good work." And I genuinely mean what I state as I give him a respectful nod.
"Eldor." I turn to the rising name in the Market District "Numbers still going up?"
He grins in his distinctly disturbing manner "Indeed, not counting the initial boom of noble purchases, our automata have started being bought up even by wealthy households and the like, even large freeholder farmers for hard labor."
"Constant growth then?" I quirk an eyebrow.
He grins wider "Not a single drop since the opening."
Not much to say there beyond "Keep at it."
He somehow makes his expression even worse but Edrassa's disturbed look soon makes him school his face.
Finally, I turn to the room's final living occupant who does not even wait for me to speak up "I will be going with you, of course."
My eyes narrow ever so slightly "Oh?"
"I made an oath." Anondor simply states, not in any way forceful but merely stating a fact "Besides you going completely alone could be construed in many different ways by the native Dunmer."
"Akulakhan will be accompanying me." I point out.
"And so shall your shades" The snow elf's expression remains serene as he turns to the automaton "No offense to you, of course."
"You serve my master ably, for a meatbag." Is all the automaton says in response.
I lean back in my armchair, pushing it slightly off the floor as I leaned a bit too far but obviously not falling due to simple telekinesis. A full minute passes before I let out a considering hum and allow the chair to return to its original position with a thunk "Fine."
The Paladin of Arui-El perks up at that.
"But I expect no complaints on whatever it is I choose to do." I add "There will be a lot of danger and exploring I suspect and I am not one to shirk such opportunities."
"All the more reason for me to accompany you." He smiles serenely.
"Right." I drawl.
I wasn't truly against him following me around and he made a good point about optics. Besides, it isn't like I wasn't going to flood the place with my own people at some point anyway, the excitement Boethiah hinted at would no doubt give me the perfect excuse for it as well.
"That should be everything." I state after a bit more thought "You may all return to whatever it is you were doing before. Anondor, we head out in four hours."
They all salute me in their own way and shuffle outside, leaving only the silent Junior behind.
"My master" Akulakhan speaks up "Should you really let the pale one dictate what you should and should not do?"
"Dictate?" I quirk an eyebrow and shake my head "No."
The automaton just stares.
"He made a suggestion at best." I explain "He may have followed me from a distance anyway but quite frankly that is his right so long as he informs me he is leaving his task here. He isn't actually in my military."
Aaand he keeps staring.
"Not everyone needs to obey me at all times." I roll my eyes "That would be incredibly dull."
He pauses for a while longer, making me think I would need to go deeper into this but he does speak up in the end "As long as it entertains you, I suppose."
I just shake my head, kids sometimes...
-----
A few hours later, I had finished my preparations and was making my way to the caravan.
Minthara and I had already said our goodbyes but her band, which now returned from their job down south, did insist I at least share a drink with all of them. And while Lydia and Junia were mostly just polite, Marco requested I record everything that happens so he can get some free inspiration.
Cheeky but fair enough.
The two Blades though... Well, let us just say that they were still somewhat awkward about the whole me sleeping with their divinely ordained boss thing but it was mostly just awkwardness as they already knew I was their superior in all but name months ago anyway.
Titus and his Council though took a bit more time out of me, we went over all our short and long term plans, I listed out any idea I could come up with and the old Emperor also took me to the side so we can discuss the future of the Empire in truth.
The conversation was a bit on the uncomfortable side, if I was a blushing teenager that is, since it included topics like "securing the succession" and "dynastic troubles" but since I failed to react like he expected he just grumbled good naturedly and wished me luck.
And so, having just sent a bunch of commands to Davos to begin preparations for future moves, I found myself joining a downright massive caravan as we left the heart of the Empire.
The Emperor himself made a short speech from atop the walls as we left, a large crowd gathering to send us off as the sun began slowly setting in the horizon.
The caravan was, as I previously noted, rather massive. So massive in fact that it warranted mentioning twice.
There were thousands of people, a good chunk of them of the Dunmeri variety as many of them were interested in helping their homeland or outright wanted to resettle back. There were even a few hundred refugees from the first migration after the eruption of Red Mountain, all of them rather young when it happened two hundred years ago and now respected elders among the diaspora.
We were accompanied by a cohort of light cavalry, and an equal number of Fighters Guild members on contract, the cohort would follow us to the border where a Redoran detachment would replace them, leading us to our final destination at Blacklight.
Something told me that wouldn't be the case for me but honestly? I would not have it any other way.
We managed to reach Chalman by nightfall, and continued the long march as soon as the sun began to rise, numerous Dunmeri travelers performing minor rituals to Azura at dawn and dusk as was tradition to the more faithful while the rest merely pretended to care.
Days passed and I began talking some of them up, when I wasn't spending the vast majority of my time orbing about or reading that is. Most were at first surprised I even bothered wasting time with them but after a while they opened up and I began gathering information on what they knew and how they lived their lives.
I grew bored within days.
So bored in fact that I grew outright twitchy.
By the time we reached the pass leading to Morrowind, the entire County of Cheydinhall had been thoroughly cleansed of bandits, goblins, ogres, and minotaurs.
Yes, I was in fact that bored.
The pass took us another full day to go through, it was long, it was narrow, it was rocky, and worst and most damning of all, completely unmaintained for divines know how long.
Once more, my twitchy ass did its thing and I ended up using alteration to flatten widen the road for a full cart to pass along the entire length or we would have spent three days instead of one.
Just as I was beginning to turn twitchy once more I felt it.
The air became warmer
It became dryer
It smelt faintly of fire
And tasted like ash
I breathed in as deeply as I could and felt my whole body thank me as it realized
We were home.
