26: Speeches and Salutes

A cold northern wind blew down upon us as we set off from the Priory stables. The sky rapidly grew dark, and soon the clouds opened up on us. We were drenched almost immediately, and there would be no point to going back or seeking shelter. We could deal with the cold, but if any assassins found their way to us when we weren’t expecting it we would be in a heap of trouble. The rain continued for a great time, and we were just entering the mountains before it stopped. I had decided to take a bit of a detour from the main road, forcing us to push our horses up several steep hills but also cutting our trip time in half. The rain kept all manner of creatures away from us during the ride, but I did see a pack of wolves following us for a while. We outran them and were soon riding up the final slope to Cloud Ruler Temple.

It was quite an impressive sight. By the time we reached the fortress, the skies had cleared completely and the sun was just about to set. The walls were made of curved stone and it was at the very peak of the mountain. I understood then how it could be defended so easily. The fortress was both elegant and functional, its walls thick and sturdy, and the people guarding it were the best trained in the entire empire. Martin would be very safe here indeed.

We dismounted and approached the huge gates. They opened slowly and a man in the armor characteristic of the Blades stepped out to greet Jauffre.

“Welcome, Grandmaster.” He glanced at Martin. “Is that him, sir?”

“Yes, Cyrus. This is Martin Septim, Son of Uriel Septim, and heir to the Throne of Tamriel.” Cyrus went up to Martin and knelt, welcoming him to Cloud Ruler Temple.

“Thank you, Cyrus. But I am not Emperor yet!” Martin was obviously not used to being someone of great importance. Cyrus stood and ushered us into the Fortress. We went up a few flights of stairs, and there stood a large group of Blades in two lines along the path, each bowing as Martin passed. Martin was unsure of what to do, and he looked almost scared. We came to the head of the group and Jauffre turned around. He began a short speech to the group of Blades.

“Blades, dark times are ahead of us. Emperor Uriel Septim and his sons were murdered under our watch, and the barrier between Oblivion and Nirn has been damaged. The Amulet of Kings has fallen into the hands of the Enemy, and the Dragon Fires have been darkened.” The Blades listened with intensity, showing no signs of fear or hopelessness. Jauffre continued, “But all hope is not lost… The man who stands before you today is Martin Septim, Son of Uriel Septim, and true heir to the throne.” He turned to Martin, raised his sword, and cried “HAIL DRAGONBORN! HAIL MARTIN SEPTIM! HAIL!” The Blades all did likewise, and I felt I should join in.

Martin was a little bit shocked, to put it lightly. He nearly jumped when Jauffre started saluting him, and when the salute died out, he stepped forward hesitantly and gave a very short speech.

“Jauffre, Will, everyone, I thank you all. I know you all expect me to be Emperor. I’ll do my best, but all this is going to take some getting used to. I will try my hardest to be worthy of your loyalty in the coming days. That’s it, thank you.” He stepped back and started to drop his gaze, but then thought better of it and held his chin up.

“Well, the Blades are at your command, my liege. Everyone back to your posts now.”

Martin turned to me, “Well, that wasn’t much of a speech was it?”

“They didn’t seem to mind” I replied truthfully.

We spoke for a while about his future as Emperor, as well as the Amulet of Kings and Daedric Magic. He agreed that the rules had changed. There was no possible way those Oblivion gates could have been sustained before. He believed (as well as Jauffre did) that the Amulet of Kings was a sort of “key” to maintaining the barrier between Nirn and Oblivion, and that the Dragonfires were the physical representation of that barrier.

I thought about this as I went to rest in the barracks. It was getting late, and I had a lot to think about. Plans must be laid for the future, and we need the Amulet of Kings back if we are going to stop Mehrunes Dagon.