Season Unending

Miraak was not really fond of peaceful negotiations.

For one thing, he had never seen peace. In his first life he was a rogue priest, the first to ever notice the fact even the Dov were mortal, or rather killable. That had coincided with the rebellion in the mainland, which meant he was duty-bound to serve his kind. In some way.

In the end, he hadn't fought though. Most of the rebels thought him to be an arrogant fool who'd refused to fight for his kind. The truth was that he had distracted the Dov, had made the destroyer send half his army to destroy him, and they hadn't. not until Vahlok, anyway.

And after he'd woke up, he had been thrown into a Keizaal that had lasted Four THOUSAND years.

Into a Keizaal in civil war.

besides, he wasn't really fond of negotiating either. He was a good fighter, and if he couldn't decimate a foe with magic and might, he would trick them. Blackmail and threatening were always a better way to stop a war.

This one, however, was necessary to stop. He couldn't allow more souls to be entrapped in Alduin's snare. He couldn't give him more soldiers than the Dovahhe he already had.

If it was up to him, he would've thrown the legion and all its soldiers into the sea. It would be better for his people, but it wasn't. not really.

He had heard of the prophecy.

When misrule takes its place at the eight corners of the world

The Imperial simulacrum. The countless wars, those that had begun due to the incompetency of the Imposter, had been the first sign.

When the Brass Tower Walks and Time is Reshaped

The Warp in the West, the only one of its kind that had happened ever since the first era. That had been the second.

When the Thrice-blessed Fail and the Red Tower Trembles

The Blight in Morrowind. The one the incarnate had managed to stop, by killing every party involved. That was the third sign.

When the Dragonborn Ruler loses his throne and the White tower falls

the Oblivion Crisis. When Auri-El had, finally, done something worthwhile.(Of course Miraak suspected the only reason Auri-El had moved his arse to do something was because the Gate-walker was an elf) the time when the dragonborns finally lost their power, and the dragonguard crumbled.

And finally

When the snow tower lies sundered, kingless, bleeding

Which could only mean this civil war.

He had no other choice. He had to stop it.

And he knew just the best way to do so.

So that was when the two sides met on neutral ground. The Dragonborn's home.

Governer Tullius and his companion, his most trusted Legate Rikke met Ulfric and his huskarl on his grounds.

"he invited you too?" asked Rikke with only the slightest bit of indignation, "why we ought to-"

"go?" said Ulfric, in a rare show of his training as a pacifist. "go, and prove it even to the Dovahkiin that the empire can't be reasoned with?"

Rikke growled, "shut your trap, deserter! If anything, you're the one who can't be-"

"25th of the Rain's Hand" said Miraak as he walked out of the shadows of his stables, "that was when the empire tried to murder me, for being in the same area as a group of captured stormcloaks"