The Tale of Cara, the Tenth Divine

Chapter 26

 Chapter 26

The sound defeat of the Thalmor and Akaviri forces in Cyrodiil, Skyrim and Morrowind left both the Thalmor and the Akaviri in a weakened and vulnerable state that Cara took quick advantage of. She quickly imposed sanctions that she enforced by the growing Imperial Legion and Navy, which forbade the Akaviri to keep a military capable of repeating any such attempts and had them succumb to regular inspections by Imperial generals to monitor. The Aldmeri Dominion met with Cara to draw up a new peace agreement that benefited both sides equally, during which a growing sentiment became known of for the Aldmeri to rejoin the Empire as in ages of old. Whilst Cara stayed out of this debate and left it to the High Elves to settle for themselves, she set up an extensive communication system with the Aldmeri High Command to be certain that conflict between the two entities would be kept to a minimum in the future.

Because of the efforts, Tamriel entered a time of peace not enjoyed in ages. Cara and Rigmor were able to rule and raise their daughter with minimal security efforts. The now strong Imperial Legion was a deterrent against invasion and Cara focused more upon domestic issues, such as crime, advancement of the Empire's cities and taking care of the homeless and orphans, that being an especially close cause to her heart. She and Rigmor were also able to take more time outside the city, and that continued for a few years after the victories at Leyawiin and Morrowind.

"Mommy! Look!" the four-year old Princess Kintyra said as she held up a small mushroom in her hand for her mother to see. Cara, the catgirl Dragonborn Empress of Tamriel, looked down and smiled at her and the child's discovery.

"Yeah, I see it baby. It's called Namira's Rot," Cara replied as she touched the mushroom from her seat on the wooden bench, glad the seat didn't have a back on it to allow room for her wings behind her.

"Rot? Ew!" Kintyra said with a disgusted face.

"That's just the name, honey. It's actually a really helpful mushroom. People can put it into potions and such to help heal."

"Does it taste good?" Kintyra asked as she looked at the mushroom skeptically.

"I wouldn't go eating it on its own."

"Oh..." the princess replied before she tossed the mushroom away. She then stepped away to play near the water's edge, the family spending the day outside the Imperial City at the Roxey Inn. Cara watched her daughter go and play and then turned in response to a voice nearby.

"She gets into a lot for such a small person," Sofia, Cara's longtime friend and Kintyra's personal bodyguard remarked in her odd speaking cadence.

"Yeah. She's a very curious little girl."

"Can you blame her? She spends most of her time in that palace or the palace district. Getting out here and seeing all this is like someone getting out of prison."

"Oh hush. It's not that bad," Cara said with an eye roll.

"Oh sure, it's not so bad. I think that at four years old I had already had my first drunken trip around Whiterun. You need to let this kid get out more."

Cara shook her head and laughed at her friend's comment, looking up at her and seeing Sofia wink and grin and then back to her daughter as she played near the water.

"She has no idea how many people have tried to kill her since she's been born," Cara said as she watched the child explore innocently.

"You're not gonna tell her, are you? You may make her a bit paranoid if you do that."

"Tell her that the Morag Tong was sent to assassinate her? Maybe add that the Thalmor had an entire raiding party sent out during the war with them and Akavir, the sole purpose of which was to take her from the palace and kill her? Should I add the fact that vampires have targeted her because she's my daughter, and they still link me with the Dawnguard? No. I won't be telling her any of that. I want her to grow up happy... not looking over her shoulder every moment for someone to send an arrow flying at her."