Chương 194: Interlude I: The Empire Stirs
(General POV:)
South of Skyrim, at the center of the fertile heartland of Cyrodiil, stood the greatest city on Nirn. This great city carried many names throughout its long history but its current residents settled on merely calling it the Imperial City, for that is exactly what it was, the city that was the Empire.
At the city's center stood an imposing tower, one of the towers that held the world together in fact but that was not widely known. The White Gold Tower, or simply the imperial palace was a hive of activity at the moment for the Emperor had just dismissed a meeting concerning a very dire development.
The many nobles of the imperial heartland and the members of the Elder Council were unbalanced for but a moment before their interests asserted themselves. Some sought glory in battle and invested their influence into escalating the upcoming conflict, some sought profit and had already left the palace to prepare their businesses for increased production.
Only the rarest among the nobles and councilors, those interested only in the betterment of the empire, held back from immediately reacting. For they were the only ones the Emperor would truly listen to and consider the counsel of, the Elder Council was an ancient edifice of an empire long gone and the last living Mede had no intention of wasting his time politicking when the nation he bled for was on the verge of collapse.
And consider their counsel he did, for a day and a night they debated on their course of action and once again Titus Mede II was left feeling defeated and exhausted, for he could not send his legions north in any kind of real force, the Dominion would take the opportunity without hesitation. All that was left for him was to send all the help he could and wish for the best.
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A man in his early fifties wearing the armor of a Legionary General strode through the ancient halls of White Gold at a brusque pace, his back straight and his eyes firm with resolve and experience.
The Penitus Oculatus guards did not even deign to look at him as they waved him into the office of the Emperor. 'Failures all of them' Thought the General with disdain.
"Ah, Servius. It is good that you arrived promptly." Greeted Emperor Titus Mede II, though his light joviality could not hide the tired bags under the man's eyes.
"Sir." The General saluted simply.
His Emperor sighed lightly but did not correct the stubborn soldier "I trust that you know why you are here?"
The General nodded "The unrest in Skyrim is my only guess."
"And you guess correctly Servius." Titus nodded before his expression turned completely serious "I shall be blunt for we have no time to waste, Skyrim must remain within the Empire, or the Empire shall fall like a house made of cards. I have considered my options and found that I trust only one person to ensure such a fate does not come to pass, the Empire must stand and you Servius shall make sure of it."
The General nodded without hesitation.
"Step forward." The Emperor commanded.
He did so.
The Emperor folds an ornately written scroll and presents it to the soldier "You are hereby ordered to take command of six legionary cohorts, their composition left to your discretion, and march north to Skyrim. You are to aid the High King in organizing his forces and take over recruitment efforts for the Legion, you are to aid them in strategy and in battle as you see fit, but beyond all that your primary task superseding all others is to make sure that Skyrim remains a part of the Empire no matter the cost, do you accept your orders, General?"
"I do." The General saluted immediately before narrowing his eyes "Though I must question the size of the force you are giving me, am I expected to make due almost entirely with local forces?"
The Emperor's expression turned conspiratorial "No, dear Servius, you are to expand the Imperial Legion while ensuring peace in Skyrim, even after you are done you are to keep expanding the Legion, do you understand my meaning?"
Servius' smirk was an almost imperceptible thing "I shall endeavor to ensure that the Legion is ready to follow your plans for the Empire after my task is done." His light smirk turned into a frown "Still, are six cohorts really the only support I can expect? Could you at least not ensure help from the other provinces?"
To the General's great surprise, the Emperor chuckled at his question "That is the thing Servius, it would appear that young Torygg has already made indirect overtures to two provinces."
Servius stared at his old friend but noticing that he was not about to volunteer the information he sighed "Please elaborate."
Titus held back another chuckle at his friend's reaction "Messages have already been sent to the Lords of Evermor, Jehanna, and Wayrest, requesting their knightly orders' assistance in return for a combined expedition against the Reachmen after the civil war. They have so far been received rather well and two dozen knights have already left Evermor and are traveling to Markarth as we speak."
The General hummed in satisfaction before his honed mind reminded him of another thing his liege had said "You spoke of another province? I do not believe Morrowind is ready to send help even if our previous overtures were accepted by House Redoran."
The Emperor smiled in approval "Indeed, even if they accepted potential reintegration in return for food aid their warriors are all occupied with their constant border conflict with the Argonians." His smile then turned into a contemplative expression "Torygg was able to secure the aid of one Great House, however."
Servius' mind whirled for a moment before he spoke "The only house besides Redoran that would be of any real use would be the Telvanni, and I sincerely doubt they would even consider sending aid."
"And you would be right to doubt Servius." Titus agreed easily "The house he recruited was none other than House Dagoth."
The General's eyes narrowed "Is this some kind of jest Titus? That house has only one member remaining after the incident and I sincerely doubt that said member has any love for the Empire." He outright scowled "And even then the child is exactly that, how would he matter in any meaningful way?"
"You have read the reports on Torygg's most recent expedition against the Reachmen, no?" Titus asked instead of explaining himself.
Servius nodded and immediately started considering the implications, his mind whirled at incredible speeds as the dots started connecting themselves. Barely a moment after the Emperor spoke Servius' eyes snapped to his "Vyren's son is Reyvin Flame-tongue?"
"Indeed." The Emperor's smile didn't reach his eyes "Someone who can easily be called an Archmage before he even reached two decades of age and Torygg has managed to get him on his side."
"There is something you are not telling me here." Servius stated bluntly.
"As perceptive as always my friend." Titus stated in turn "There is one little detail that I may have omitted."
Servius simply stared at his friend, his eyes as hard as iron.
Titus smirked, and added the lightest dramatic inflection to his tone "All the information I have on Vyren's son was provided to my spy by none other than an official Morag Tong agent."
"What did he do to enrage the Morag Tong?" Servius asked immediately.
"Ohohoho!" The Emperor chuckled loudly "My dear Servius, the information bore his personal sigil and signature."
"Oh..." The General surmised his feelings perfectly.
"Quite." The elder said with amusement "Which easily tells me there is far more than he was willing to share with us. Thankfully he seems receptive to our cooperation and understands the necessity of the incident's coverup."
"He must want something in return for his help." Servius points out.
"That he does." Titus reveals easily "Though it is not something that I find trouble giving him, put it out of your mind Servius."
"As you say." The General nodded "Will that be all, my Emperor?"
"Not quite, there is a recruit with great potential I would like you to bring north."
"Who do you have in mind?"
"One Tiberius Gracchus." Titus informed him.
"Julius' brat?" Servius scowled "Wasn't he spoiled beyond repair?"
"Simply confirm my recommendation on your own, you might be surprised." The Emperor waved him off and his aura shifted to that of a seasoned Emperor, one used to being in complete command "Now then, General Servius Tullius, I believe you have your orders."
General Tullius firmly saluted his liege. He would complete his task... or die trying.
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A tall, well built young Imperial lounged lazily atop an opulent seat, feasting on food most would consider outright decadent while dozens of people went through harsh training and sparring against each other.
Well, some may call them people but in truth they were Daedra that young Tiberius forced into imperial-esque armor and then had them run drills ad nauseam. His own Glorious Legion he called them, and his belief in himself was so potent that some of the mad Daedra even begun liking their new situation.
The life of a mage was indeed worthwhile! Thought Tiberius as a beautiful Dremora, likely one of Azura's own, fed him grapes from his father's vineyard.
The sound of the courtyard's doors opening distracted the young man from his enjoyment and he spoke without turning "Kindly inform my father that I have finished my exercises for the day."
Whoever walked up to him stilled for a moment before speaking in a steely tone that Tiberius would never forget "I might just do that."
In what might as well could be the blink of an eye Tiberius stood at attention before General Tullius, a crisp salute already in motion "Greetings General."
The middle aged General looked at him unimpressed, nay he looked at the entire gathering unimpressed, not the least bit intimidated while being surrounded by literal demons. "You have been chosen to join me in the Skyrim civil war as a junior officer, you are to pack up as swiftly as possible."
Before Tullius could blink the Daedra had already formed up behind Tiberius, a trio of Scamps already carrying bags and backpacks with the young man's possessions.
"When do we move out?" Tiberius asked with the intensity of an Orc.
This time the steely gaze of the General relented for but a moment, something that was as rare as a reasonable Thalmor happened, Servius Tullius looked at the young man with approval clear in his eyes.
"Immediately." He said and they both begun their long march.
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A stone for ya bois Tullius and Tiberious!
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