Elder Scrolls: Empire of Blood

04: Blessings of the Eight upon you

Every noble in the kingdom of Skyrim made an appearance at the entombing of their former high queen Elisif the Fair.

Among the mourners in attendance was the Jarl Frother of Whiterun his daughter Fredis and his eldest son and heir Eric.

"As we commend your soul to Aetherius, blessings of the Eight Divines upon you," said the high priest of Arkay as he performed the funeral rites over the body of the famous Queen.

"This all pointless if you ask me," said Jarl Sigmund of Dawn Star both bored and annoyed with the snail's pace caused by all of the pageantries and pump that came with the burial of the high born of the Empire "she's dead but Skyrim still lives we should name a new high king or Queen and get back to our duties."

Frother laughed at his old friend's lack of decorum when it came to the traditions of the nobility.

His fellow jarl was famous for his inpatients and for his disliking of all things that he deemed frivolous and unnecessary.

"All in good time Sigmund but now we must give the people time to mourn and have this final moment to say goodbye," Frother replied turning back to the ceremony at hand.

"I have to agree with uncle Sigmund the whole thing is both slow and a waste of time," said Eric earning a shocked look from his sister which he shrugged off as he crossed his arms "we should be more focused on her replacement instead of her corpse."

The Jarl of Whiterun let out a sigh he knew that both his son and friend were right but it only seemed right to give honors to a woman who had given so much of herself to the Kingdom.

After the final words were spoken and her body placed inside the Queen's tomb was then sealed forever.

Frother said one last silent prayer for the departed and then turned to follow his family and the others as they departed from the Queen's burial site.

There would be a moot held in the coming weeks that would decide who would Rule over all of Skyrim in the Empires name and Frother could only hope that that person would be a kind and just ruler, for the kingdom of the north had seen too many years of bloodshed that still stained both the land and the memories of its people.

Later that night as the Jarl of Whiterun sat in his private study in his family estate in the ancient city of Solitude he received an unlikely set of visitors.

The Nord ruler had been completely enthralled with the work before him that the moment his servant Helga knocked on the door he had almost jumped from his seat.

"Sorry my lord but there are some men here to see you," said the Nord woman giving her boss an apologetic look for frightening him.

Frother finally got his heartbeat back to normal and recomposed himself.

"Send them in," he told her pouring himself a glass of honeybrew mead.

Though the Blackbriars were tyrants and dangerous people by all accounts they really knew what they were doing when it came to mead.

Helga returned with the four men who were all wearing red cloaks with a lion pendant that he knew well.

"Welcome to my home your Lordship," Frother said giving the Emperor a bow of respect which caused Helga to gasp before joining her lord in the bow.

"Come, old friend neither you nor your kin need ever bow to the likes of me," Basilius said pulling his friend to his feet.

The two men had met as children after the Stormcloack rebellion when the Basilius had accompanied his father to Skyrim to flush out all lasting resistance and help restore order to the kingdom.

When the Imperial rallied his supporters to take the Throne of the Empire the young nord led a group of loyal warriors south to aid him fighting beside his friend all the way up to the steps of the White-Gold Tower.

After Helga had shown the Emperor's guards to their appointed rooms in the house the Emperor and the Jarl sat down to supper and began to catch up on all the things that had happened to them since the last time they had seen each other.

"Tell me this what brings the Emperor of Cyrodiil North besides paying respects to the dead Queen?" Asked Frother curiously as he took a sip from his glass.

Basilius took a sip from his own glass and then cleared his throat.

"As you know there is to be a moot in the coming days to choose Skyrim's next ruler," he replied leaning forward in his seat "and the Empire has decided to back you as a candidate."

The Jarl of Whiterun sat there shocked by his childhood friend's words.

"Surely you jest?" He asked him thinking that it all had to be a joke "there must be others more worthy of the title?"

The Emperor rose from his seat and stood by the fireplace gazing into the flames as they danced back and forth before his eyes.

"Frother I fear a dark cloud lays on the horizon for the Empire and I need allies I can trust, the Empress and I are not on the best of terms, and her mother the old witch of Evermore and her kingdom have both grown cold towards the Empire since the passing of her late husband the king," he informed him in a grave and serious voice as he then turned from the fire and looked at Frother.

"I am marrying my only Daughter to the prince of Gilane to gain both an alliance and a foothold in the Kingdoms of Hammerfell and I was hoping to do the same with Skyrim," he continued taking a sip from his mead.

After hearing the last part Frother knew what his friend was going to ask him next.

"My friend I wish to join our two lines by offering your daughter Fredis position as the future Empress by marrying my eldest son Prince Pius," the Emperor continued turning to the Jarl with a hopeful look on his face.

Frother thought over the offer and concluded that it would not only be in the best interest of his family but also the people of his hold and the people Skyrim as well.

Rising from his seat with both of their glasses in his hand's Frother smiled at his friend.

"Whiterun accepts this great honor," he replied handing the other glass to the Emperor.

Basilius took the offered mead and raised it in a toast.

"To the future!" he then said with a bright and happy smile as the two of them clinked their glasses together.