Agents of the Queen Part 7- An Elder Scrolls Online tale

  • Coming Storm

     

    Ian S. McClure

     

    I don't have much time to write, I'm afraid. Even now, the streets of Mistral are vacant, save for the soldiers and guards preparing for the inevitable battle ahead. Yet, it is important that I catalog my experiences, and so I have found a quiet place to write this before I too join them.

     

    I read the report left on Harrani's desk over and over again, memorizing every detail of that parchment. If I was to bring the killer, or killers, of the Silvenar to justice, it was imperative that I thoroughly investigate every possible lead. There were three particular incidents of note in the report, as I mentioned in the previous journal entry. A suspicious apothecary, noises in the warehouse, and a new Maormer ship in port.

     

    I began with the warehouse. Though once, it had undeniably served some purpose, these days it lay abandoned, a testament to the passing of time. And, of course, it was an ideal place for less than trustworthy activity. A quick look around the top floor revealed an ideal hiding spot- some well-placed crates from which I could wait for any suspicious activity. I did not have to wait long, thankfully. A Maormer woman, clad in medium armor, climbed the steps and left a note on one of the crates.

     

    “Perfect.” she muttered to herself. “If that clerk has any sense, he'll find it...”. She then left with haste. With a smile, I rose, and took for myself the note. It read: “We assume the first Anchor Chain is cut. Apply pressure to Mother Tiger to renounce the unwelcome Visitors... We observe unwelcome Visitors recovering from the storm. Cut the second Anchor Chain immediately... Watchful Serpent remains offshore. At the signal, we shall prepare the Tempest.”.

     

    Curious. Though the 'unwelcome Visitors' were clearly the Aldmeri Dominion, and 'Mother Tiger' was quite possibly Harrani, the others were more difficult to discern. The 'Watchful Serpent' could be, perhaps, a ship, or ships, but what were the 'Anchor Chains'? And whatever could the 'Tempest' be? Until I had more information, I could not say. And so, I exited the warehouse to my next destination.

     

    However, upon arriving at the apothecary's shop, it was to find said alchemist in manacles, under the watchful eye of Ulondil. He sighted and rolled his eyes. Apparently, the Maormer were conducting their own investigation. The Khajiit alchemist, panicked and livid, cried: “This elf is mad! I deal in reagents, not instruments of death!”.

     

    “You're saying you haven't sold poisons lately?” I asked.

     

    “I sell no poison.” he said. “Check the ledger inside. I beg of you!”.

     

    I entered the shop, nodding at the other alchemist there. Said ledger was mostly uninteresting- mandrake roots, saltrice potions, fire salts- but there were a few items of note. A lone Daedra heart, and about 30 drams of Daedra blood, all payed for by anonymous customers. Strange, certainly, but those alone do not equal a poison. But when I exited to argue the alchemist's innocence, the apothecary and Ulondil were nowhere to be found.

     

    Nearby was the Serpent's Kiss, the embassy ship mentioned in the report. It was of Maormer make, with various motifs inspired by sea serpents. I climbed aboard, holding onto the railing for support, when I was accosted by a young, angry Maormer woman. “Get off my ship before I throw you off.” she spat.

     

    “I need to get into the hold.” I demanded.

     

    She scoffed. “And I need a new rigging and a serving wench. Too bad for us both. Now get off my deck!”.

     

    I sighed, digging for my coinpurse. “Maybe this will change your mind.” I said, handing her a small sum of gold.

     

    “Well, that's a serving wench... Three minutes. If my sailors see your hands where they don't belong, I'll keelhaul you myself.” she said, handing me a key.

     

    The sailors inside did not interact with me beyond hateful stares, but that was not entirely unexpected. I am, after all, an Altmer. I explored the hold, looking at the armor and weapons therein. Then, I spotted a loose hatch. Making sure no one was looking, I opened it, grabbing the crate inside. Once out of eyesight of the sailors, I opened the crate and confirmed my suspicions. It contained several uniforms and flags of the Sea Vipers, proving a connection between the Maormer embassy and the pirates. Worried, I returned to Razum-dar.

     

     

    He was with Elereth, who despite Razum's earlier claims wasn't inebriated. Rather, she was incensed. “Ardolan! You catch the murderers of the Silvenar yet?” she said angrily.

     

    “Hopefully. Razum-dar, here's the proof I gathered.” I said, handing him various notes I made.

     

    He hummed as he read. “Killing the Silvenar was foolish. The Green Lady and the Silvenar share a life-bond. She has little time to avenge him before she too will die, and she is a most dangerous creature.”. He continued reading for a bit.”The Maormer plan something, but what...? Wait, the apothecary sold Daedra blood in these amounts? That would explain the strange liquid on the-”.

     

    “Raz?” Elereth asked.

     

    “Bright Moons, no.” he muttered, eyes widening. Quickly, he whipped out a flask of some gaseous substance. “This is a sample of the vile cloud from the Silvenar's body. Bring it to the Green Lady. Tell her it killed her beloved. As for the rest, Harrani will see what you have found. We must move like Khenarthi herself is at our backs!”.

     

    Elereth and I rushed to the armorer's home, where the Green Lady stood, her back to us. “The killer will share the pain my beloved's death has wrought. Hand down the throat- a kiss for my wrist. Hand on the lungs, a kiss for my arms. Grasp, tear, yank- and one last kiss for the killer's own heart... What have you found?”.

     

    Elereth handed her the liquid. “This is the poison that killed him.” she said.

     

    She was silent for a bit. “No poison in all of Tamriel could harm my beloved... But. This scent was on his body. Why is it here, as well? I can see it... Leading into the heart of this wretched city.”.

     

    We looked at each other. “I didn't notice a scent.” I said, confused.

     

    She cast a strange spell then, making a red trail appear, only visible to us. “Follow if you can.”.

     

    We followed the trail, winding through the streets, until we arrived at a small house. The Green Lady did not hesitate- kicking down the door and drawing a dagger. We rushed in, and saw a Sea Viper doing a ritual! Before she could react, I smashed the crystal, and she toppled, disoriented. “Who hired you? Who killed the Silvenar?” I spat contemptuously.

     

    She coughed. “I followed his orders. Daedric poison, for the Wood Elf and his mate. I followed... His orders!”.

     

    “Who ordered this?” I asked.

     

    “Ulondil. He said they could stop the Tempest. Had to be removed.” she gasped.

     

     

    “I've heard enough.” the Green Lady said menacingly.

     

    “His orders!” the woman cried desperately. “Had to follow his orders!”.

     

    “There, there.” the Green Lady said, mockingly kind. “You did what you had to.”. Suddenly, she tore out the woman's heart, blood spattering everywhere. She smiled then, a horrible thing. “As did I.”.

     

    “Come on, Ardolan!” Elereth said, rushing outside and leaving the Green Lady. “Harrani has to know of this!”.

     

    The guards held Pelidil, the Dominion envoy, at swordpoint. Ulondil turned to us, a nasty grin on his face, as Harrani stared. “Ah, the errant deputy. I was just informing Headwoman Harrani of the apothecary's connections- to the High Elves of Summerset Isle. Once the torture begins, we'll learn why the Dominion killed their own diplomat.”.

     

    “Stop lying!” I roared. “Your assassin confessed, we know it all!”.

     

    Ulondil blinked, then his grin widened. “Oh... Well done. It doesn't matter now. The Green Lummox and her idiot husband lie dead. There's nothing you can do to stop us.”.

     

    A chuckle broke the silence. It was so unexpected, it took me a moment to see that Elereth was the one chuckling. “The Green Lady isn't dead.”.

     

    The grin slipped off of Ulondil's face. “You're lying! She must be dead, or else she'd have come for me!... She's- coming for me, isn't she? I-I'm a duly appointed ambassador of the Maormer people. The grounds of the embassy are sacrosanct, according to our treaty! The tempest is coming. You cannot stop it!”.

     

    Panicked, he made a mad dash towards the embassy. Pelidil cried, “Sea rat coward! I'll have your head for this!”.

     

    The Green Lady appeared then, crying with mad glee: “I have his scent! And soon- his heart!”.

     

    Harrani cried, “Stop! All of you! This madness ends now! There has been enough death in this city!”.

     

    “It is clear the Maormer betrayed us. He deserves this.” I said.

     

    “That does not excuse mindless slaughter! We are better than them. You must apprehend him. Don't let the Green Lady cut him down. We must learn their plan!”.

     

    Followed by the guards, blade drawn, I stormed the building, climbing the stairs. The guardsmen turned pale benath their fur, however, upon seeing the Green Lady, mentally torturing Ulondil with a spell, dagger drawn. “Move.” she spat. “Unless you don't mind the spatter.”.

     

    “What- are you doing to him?” I asked, appalled.

     

    “I'll keep him alive. For a time. His limbs have so much flesh to sustain him. Go tell Harrani the Maormer is dead. Leave me to my work.”.

     

    “This isn't justice. It's revenge.” I said, low.

     

    “Exactly!” she responded. “And I'll have the blood that's due! What does this- creature's- life matter to you, anyway?”.

     

    I looked her directly in the eyes. “Is this what the Silvenar would want?”.

     

    “You dare speak for my Silvenar!?” she cried, dagger now aimed at me. “I'll beat you with your own flayed skin! I'll smash your teeth to dust- and choke you with the powder! You- You're-”. She fell silent, then sheathed the weapon. “You're right. Curse your bones, you're right. Take him away, before I lose myself.”.

     

    The guards manacled the mer, leading him outside. He was clearly shaken after the torture, babbling incoherently. “Good work.” Harrani said, nodding. “No treaty will keep him from proper justice. Thanks to your quick action.”.

     

    I smiled. “So, it's over.”.

     

    Harrani shook her head. “No. The Maormer have ships offshore. Ulondil's people signaled them before the Green Lady arrived. Some sort of... Invasion force. With the Dominion's help, perhaps we can fortify the city. That alone will save lives.”.

     

    “So, you joined the Dominion?” I asked.

     

    “I signed a new treaty moments ago. Vicereeve Pelidil assured me the Dominion will protect our island. It's a new beginning. We will prosper or fall- together.” Harrani said. “Now. You and your Bosmeri companion are fighters, yes? Commander Karinith needs every able person for the fight ahead.”.

     

    “Of course, Headwoman.” I said. “They will not take Mistral.”.

     

    Now, I have retrieved my repaired armor, prepared my blade for the battle. As Harrani said so aptly, we will prosper, or fall... together.

     

    -Ardolan Larethbinder 

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Comments

4 Comments   |   Karver the Lorc and 1 other like this.
  • Caladran
    Caladran   ·  July 14, 2017
    Exciting chapter! 
    • Tenebrous
      Tenebrous
      Caladran
      Caladran
      Caladran
      Exciting chapter! 
        ·  July 14, 2017
      Thanks for reading!
  • Tenebrous
    Tenebrous   ·  November 15, 2016
    Perhaps. But then, does *anyone* deserve to die? A riddle for the ages...
  • Karver the Lorc
    Karver the Lorc   ·  November 15, 2016
    Ah, yes. The dilemma. Kill or not to kill. I let Green Lady to do her work. Bloody Maormer deserved it.