Elder Scrolls: Empire of Blood

07: Wicked Schemes and Wicked Hearts

Lavinia stood on the docks of Anvil with her youngest son Alistair clutching to her dress as the two of them watched the ship carrying her only daughter getting smaller and smaller in the distance.

The Empress could feel her heartbreaking with every moment that the Princess grew further from her grasp.

"Mama please don't let them take me," Helena had begged her mother as the maids and guards assigned by her father gathered her things and began carrying them to be loaded into the wagons that would take them to Anvil.

All Lavinia could do was pull her daughter into her arms and hold her to the bitter end she had felt so powerless and useless for she was the Empress of the Empire and a Princess of Evermore but even with all of her titles she could not save her child from sharing the same fate as herself.

"I have done all that I can but as you know once your father's mind is made up not even the gods can change it," she replied wiping away her daughter's tears as she fought back her own "remember my darling no matter what the future may hold that I will always love you."

At last, the royal ship was out of view disappearing into the sunset never to return to the land of its birth.

Though her servants and all the others who had come to see the Princess off had retired, Lavinia stood there gazing longingly out into starlet horizon with tears flowing uncontrollably down her face with anger and vengeance in her heart.

She vowed to herself then and there before the gods that she would make her husband pay, that she would take away from him what he had taken from her.

Drying her eyes she turned away from the sea and made her way to the Castle of Anvil where she and the other members of the royal party were staying as guests of the local countess.

As she moved through the streets she carried herself with an air of both power and determination.

She would stay in the pleasure city by the sea for a few more days before returning to the Capitol and carrying out her plan.

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Not caring anymore what society thought of her Claudia followed her lover to the kingdom of Skyrim to witness both the choosing and the crowning of a new high king or queen.

In her room in the castle of the Emperor in Solitude, the young Imperial woman sat before her mirror applying her jewelry and makeup for the events of the day.

She had just finished donning her earrings when she felt as if someone or something was watching her.

Brushing it off she continued with her task of getting ready when the Emperor entered the room.

Giving her a loving smile he walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her dainty body and pulled her close to him.

"Did you sleep well?" he whispered into her ear as he placed soft and tender kisses along her neck drawing an arousing sigh from her mouth.

The Emperor smiled at the effect his lover's voice had on him as he felt his member begin to stir.

Regaining her composure Claudia looked at him in the mirror and gave him a little pout.

"I waited for you but you didn't show and so I had to eat dinner all alone," she said sadly feigning hurt.

The Emperor smiled and kissed her cheek before resting his head on her shoulder.

"Sorry my love but I had to take care of something very important," he told her apologetically.

"More important than me?" she asked pouting once again to get a stir out of him.

The Emperor then grabbed her by her waist and spun her around and pressed her against himself to where she could feel his hardened erection against her thigh.

"Does this answer your question of how important you are to me?" he asked looking directly into her eyes giving her a look of love and desire before he captured her lips with his own pouring out all of his love and passion for her in a fiery kiss.

Claudia returned the kiss with all the fire of the love she bore him until the pair had to come up for air.

The Emperor then rose to his feet and took her by the hand leading her towards her bed.

Claudia gave him a warm and loving smile as she followed behind him.

The two lovers spent the rest of the day in each other's arms making love and basking in the warmth of their love.

They were so enraptured with one another that neither of them saw the crack that formed in the glass of the mirrors in the room nor the cold angry face of the Witch Queen of Evermore looking out at them.

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Silence surrounded the old Breton woman as the vision of her son-in-law and his mistress faded from her view in the magical bowl of water before her.

You see the bowl was a gift leftover from one of the old Queen's elven ancestors who was a renowned seer in her days.

Pondering over the sight she had seen before her Agatha of Evermore decided that it was time she paid a visit to the Emperor and her daughter and so she sent word to her servants to pack and prepare for the long journey ahead.

She had worked too hard to raise her family to power and she was not going to be sidelined by an imperial harlot with a pretty face.

Turning from the magical mirror the old Queen stormed from the room like a hurricane roaring in from the sea.

She would go to Cyrodiil and deal with these matters personally.