Memories of a Clockmaker

Chapter 3

"You bloody N'wah!"

"You swits wouldn't see an oppurtunity to rise against the Nords if the High King came here and offered you Resdayn!"

Sil sat in the Council chambers beside Nerevar and Voryn Dagoth, who turned out to be the patriarch of House Dagoth.

It was chaos in there. The several houses quarreled amongst each other like bickering children. With every minute it got worse. The Great Houses seemed to disagree on every step of the way to freedom. This had been going on for about an hour now, with no one having the chance to speak. Nerever leaned over to Sil.

"This is how it often goes, politics be damned."

Sil couldn't take it anymore. He weaved a simple spell to make his voice sound like the thunder from a storm and stood up.

"My Lords and Ladies of the Great Council!" Sil shouted across the room.

The voices slowly died and the councillors turned their heads to face Sil. Some looked interested to see what the last living member of House Sotha had to say, others looked at him annoyed that they had been interupted.

"Skyrim is soon to be in civil war. The land will be in shambles, each Jarl wants the throne for himself. We all agree that this is the time to strike, that this is the time to make Resdayn free again as in the days of Saint Veloth, bless his name. Yet you sit here bickering like little children about this corner and which road to take. If we sit here and find a way that everyone agrees to we will sit here for hundreds of years. Our time is now."

Sil turned and looked at Nerevar. He raised his hand and pointed at him, to which Nerevar looked at Sil with suprise.

"Most of you will know this man. Nerevar. When I lay on the ground ready to face the wrath of Merhunes Dagon himself Nerevar stopped the fury of the Daedric Prince. The blessings of the gods are upon him. He is the blessed one, chosen of Azura!"

Whispers started to rise within the crowd, but Sil didn't pause.

"I call to unite Resdayn. I call to unite the Chimer race. We need someone to lead us. No man better than the chosen of blessed Azura! I name Nerevar the Hortator of the Chimeri people!"

Voices errupted all at once. Some cheered and praised Nerevars name, others seemed to object but it did not matter.

"Nerevar will travel to all your holdings in the coming years. He will sit at your table and drink your sujamma. And he will claim the titlr of Hortator as he should, by uniting the Chimer people under one banner."

The people objecting were slowly overruled by the cheering and concending voices.

Almalexia stood up and took Nerevars hand in her own, raising it up high. Voryn Dagoth sat there with a bright smile on his face. The voices slowly died once again, and all looked at Nerevar. After a few moments of silence the Hortator to be spoke.

"I accept the nomination as Hortator. I will travel across Resdayn and win your loyalty my Lords and Lady's, and I will lead Resdayn into a new age! But not as a man without a name. Together with the love of my life, the Lady Almalexia, I will found a new House. House Indoril. Justice knows no sleep: Indoril shall order, the Temple shall judge. Saint Olms, blessed be his name, will be our patron saint. Let all who want to join House Indoril step forward and declare their loyalty."

Many of the nobles stood up and bowed before Nerevar. Sil sat down, surely Nerevar would understand that he couldn't abandon House Sotha. Not now.

Soon after Nerevars speech the Council meeting was ended. Nerevar was held up by an endless line of nobles wanting to speak to him, but luckily Sil managed to leave the Council chambers. In the hallway he was held up by Almalexia, who pulled him in a dark corner.

She smiled at Sil, holding a soft hand on his shoulder.

"You have no idea what you did for us Sotha Sil. I cannot thank you enough."

"I know exactly what I did Lady Almalexia, and I would do so again in an instant. Nerevar should be the one to lead us."

Almalexia leaned close, so close that Sil could feel her warm breath against his cheeck.

"With you and me beside him as his most trusted advisors. He has taken a liking to you. And so have I. Your voice will be heard I promise you."

She leaned back and with another smile on her lips she walked away. Sil watched as she went. A gorgeous woman who liked to show off her famous husband and her power. Maybe that could come in handy one day.

Voryn Dagoth also made a short stop when he noticed Sil to thank him. This was something Voryn had been waiting for for a long time.

Later in the night Nerevar stood before Sil's chambers. They sat down with some sujamma and some smoked guar meat.

"You have pulled Resdayn into an uprising today my friend. I thank you for making this possible."

"There is no need to thank me Indoril Nerevar."

He smiled at that.

"That will take some time getting used to, let alone being named Hortator if all goes according to plan."

"It will grow on you. I was the youngest councillor in the known history of House Sotha. You'll get used to it sooner than you know."

They talked late into the night and managed to get quite drunk after one bottle sujama too many. When Nerevar retired to his own chambers Sil fell in his bed and closed his eyes. Sleep took him instantly.

The next morning he woke of a loud knock on the door. The loud noice hurt Sil's head quite a bit, damnit, he hadn't been drinking since his twenties.

"Master Sotha Sil, Lord Indoril Nerevar has summoned you to his personal chambers for a meeting. You are expected within the hour. I have left a plate with breakfast for you on the table."

Sil got out of bed. His white hair was in tangles but he really couldn't be bothered. He started on his breakfast. Some bread with a thick layer of Netch Jelly did wonders for his stomach. And afted a cup of canis root tea his head felt a lot better.

After finishing up his food Sil washed his face and his hair before donning his white robes. All ready to go he headed thowards Nerevars chambers.

Almalexia awaited him within Nerevars chambers and invited Sil to sit with her.

"Nerevar will be here soon with his last councillor. Together we will lay down plans to unite Resdayn and start the uprising."

"Will Voryn Dagoth join us then?" Sil asked as he took a seat.

Before Almalexia could answer Nerevar walked in with a young Chimer at his side. The Chimer had white hair in a mowhawk simmilar to Nerevar, a spear made of wood and chitin strapped on his back.

From the moment he walked in Sil knew that the boy was special. Magical energies seemed to radiate arround him in some way, and he couldn't quite put his finger on it what it was.

"Sotha Sil meet Vivec. I took him under my wing recently. The boy is bright and quick to learn and I trust him with my life, same as you and Almalexia. You will be my inner council, my Tribunal. I ask you to take Vivec and me under your wing Sotha Sil, for your wisdom of the world exteeds our own by far. I have great respect for you and wish to learn more about the arcane and the world."

"AYEM AE SEHTI AH VEHK. We are delivered and made whole, the diamond of the Black Hands is uncovered." Almalexia said.

"Wherever so he treads, there is invisible scripture." Sil replied.

"Let us now guide the hands of the Hortator in war and its aftermath. For we go different, and in thunder. This is our destiny." Vivec spoke.

And so the Tribunal was born.

By the word I wind the gears.