Memories of a Clockmaker

Chapter 2

"All dead." The Chimer interrupted. "I.. I'm sorry." He added after a short silence.

Sil nodded. He didn't expect much else, yet it still hit hard. He wanted to cry, but the tears wouldn't come. Sil had never been one to cry, he cropped his issues and feelings up inside so they would never see the light of day.

"Thank you for saving me."

"You were a lucky one. When Merhunes Dagon stepped out of that portal I was already quite a distance away from the city."

The Chimer stook out his hand. Sil took hold of it and shook it firmly.

"Nerevar is the name."

"Sotha Sil. Or just Sil now, I guess House Sotha is quite extinct." Sil replied.

"You are still left are you not? If you served happily as a member of your House wear the title with pride, Sotha Sil."

As they released their grip Sil noticed a ring on Nerevar's hand but he didn't get a good look at it. It was an intriguing trinket to be sure. Something to keep an eye out for later, Sil thought.

"Nerevar! Get your new friend up. It's time we get moving, the ship won't wait forever."

Nerevar rose to his feet.

"We are taking the caravan to the south shore to catch a ship there. Mournhold is our destination. Seeing as you have nowhere else to go would you care to join us?"

Thus Sil travelled with Nerevar across Vvardenfell. Nerevar was indeed the guard for a merchant caravan, at least that is what he said. Sil had a strange feeling of this man being more than a simple guard. Memory slowly returned to him as the days past, ending with a shining moon and star. The ring Nerevar wore was also shaped as a moon and star. Sil, being the scholar that he was, had an inclination of what that sigil could represent. But all would reveal itself in time, he thought.

Without any tomes to read Sil found himself conversing more and more with Nerevar. He found himself taking a liking in the caravan guard. Sil had always been the silent type, but with Nerevar he talked about loads of things. The politics of House Sotha, his magical studies and more. Nerevar liked to hear the stories, he would ask countless questions and seemed to respect Sil's wisdom at such a young age.

But still Sil listened more than he talked. Nerevar had a sweetheart in Mournhold, one of the Council members there. A young Chimer by the name of Almalexia. And Nerevar had big dreams. Whenever Nerevar started to talk about self ruling Resdayn free from Nordic controll Sil believed he was listening to poetry. Nerevar had big hopes and dreams, and the more they spoke of these dreams the more Sil found himself agreeing with Nerevar. A free Resdayn, Chimer ruling themselves without interuption from the Nords or the Dwemer, what a dream.

After boarding the ship and making a few stops in Stonefalls the caravan arrived in Mournhold. Sil had never been off Vvardenfell and had heard many stories about the fabeled Chimer capitol city. Towering walls and towers stood arround the huge city, countles houses and market places arround every corner and a large castle where the main Chimeri rulers lived and held court. Unlike Vvardenfell Mournhold was full of all the races of Tamriel. Chimer and Nords being the primary races, but the Argonians, Bretons, Altmer and even some Dwemer who mostly kept to themselves walked through the streets as well.

While the caravan set up in the market Nerevar went to visit his sweetheart and invited Sil to come allong. They headed for the castle, but getting there was quite the objective. The streets of Mournhold flooded with crowds, everyone going about their bussines of the day. Buying food, bartering for trinkets, going to work or returning home from it. Sil wasn't used to the city life and he didn't like it one bit. Much too busy, how could all these people stand it? Ald Sotha had been a small city and rather quiet, just the way Sil liked it. Alas Ald Sotha was no more and he was in Mournhold now. It couldn't be helped.

They reached the castle in the late afternoon. The sky was slowly turning orange as the sun sunk onto the horizon. As the two climbed the steps a young woman in council robes threw open the doors. Bright yellow eyes, smooth yellow skin and ginger hair tied up in a neat bun, Almalexia was truly a stunning sight. She ran down the stairs and flung her arms arround Nerevar.

"Oh my love, how I have missed you! We heard disturbing reports from Vvardenfell, Merhunes Dagon has destroyed an entire city there! It is chaos here! I'm so glad that you're allright. I feared the worst!"

"Not to worry my love, you know I'm protected against the Daedric forces."

"Of course love, the mighty champion of blessed Azura would not come to harm."

"Almalexia, you know how I feel about that-"

"Oh shush! You should wear your title with pride love, you should be the leader of our people, not some simple caravan guard. Now who is this?" Almalexia said as she looked at Sil.

"This is Sotha Sil love, only survivor of Merhunes Dagon's destruction in Ald Sotha. He is an extraordinary wizard, especially considering his age."

"Truly now? House Sotha lives another day it seems, the Council believed them to be wiped out."

Almalexia released herself from her embrace with Nerevar and stepped closer to Sil.

"You poor dear, last of your House. Terrible, just terrible. The Council would be interested to hear your tale Sotha Sil." Almalexia said as she stroked Sil's cheek with a gentle touch.

"I would stand before the Council and share my tale Lady Almalexia. It is the least-" Sil couldn't finish his sentence before he was intterupted.

"Nerevar!"

A tall Chimer with long black hair and a short cropped beard came running thowards them.

"Voryn! How have you been my friend?"

The two Chimer took each other in a brotherly embrace.

"No time to talk right now Nerevar we need you and the Lady Almalexia in the Council chambers now."

"What is going on Voryn? The Council has just met." Almalexia said, openly suprised.

"High King Borgas is dead, slain by the Wild Hunt that the Bosmer invoked on Skyrim. The line of Ysgramor has ended. The Moot has met and they failed to choose a succesor to Borgas. Skyrim is in shambles and open civil war! Jarl Hanse is rallying his forces in Winterhold and other Jarls are doing the same. The time to build alliances and plan a rebellion is now. Lead us Nerevar!"

"The Nords in civil war? This would indeed be the perfect time to strike!" Nerevar said in excitement.

"Come on let's get moving." Voryn said and pushed Nerevar and Almalexia thowards the Council chambers.

He stopped and only now seemed to see Sil.

"Who are you then?" Voryn stopped to ask.

"Sotha Sil, I met Nerevar at-"

"Sotha? As in House Sotha? We believed your entire House to be wiped out! Come along then, you'll be your House's voice on the Council from now on."

Thus Sotha Sil entered the Council Chambers with the other three as last living member and patriarch of House Sotha to discuss plans of war.

By the word I wind the gears.