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I enter the throne room of the Blue Palace only to be completely ignored by everyone but the king and his guard who eye for a bit, but don't otherwise react. The rest are still busy shouting at each other at an ever increasing volu. I am starting to understand why the greybeards might have decided to withdraw the voice from their people...
I note a hint of recognition on the King's face so he must want to see how I will behave. Surprisingly prudent for the 'boy king'.
Taking a mont to look over those present I get a gist of what is going on here by doing what I do best, cheating without a hint of remorse.
On one side there is a group of nobles under Thane Bryling, from my understanding they are the 'traditionalist faction' of the city, well as traditionalist as one can be in the most tropolitan part of Skyrim.
They are the reactionaries to the other side, usually aning that they don't really do anything but oppose any kind of change, which is a big no-no in my books.
On the other are the influential rchants under Thane Erikur, the 'pragmatists' as they like to call themselves, but that is usually just an excuse to exploit any opportunity to get rich, they are the Hlaalu of Skyrim, also a big no-no.
I also notice a representative of the east empire company among them which has all manner of implications.
My apparent new colleague, Sybille Stentor is sitting in her own corner, completely uninterested in what is going on reading a to on so kind of restoration magic.
Rembering a rather important detail about her, I decide to 'look' her over... So this is what a vampire feels like? Not as dead as a lich but close, yet sohow still filled with 'life'...
Weird.
She seems to notice the slight glow in my eyes and smirks but doesn't react otherwise.
My musing is interrupted by Erikur shouting "So you want us to just do nothing and let the entire city continue to rot just to save your fragile sensibilities?!"
Bryling bristles at his words "Of course I don't want that, I just don't want you using this as an excuse to enrich yourself further by selling the people into slavery!"
He scoffs "It isn't slavery. No one would take them otherwise."
"Oh, and the nice bonus you were offered has nothing to do with your sudden willingness to help the people?" Bryling rolls her eyes.
Eirkur takes a deep breath, seemingly counts to ten, and says patiently "By the gods woman, it is rely a contract of work for five years and then they are free. How is that slavery?"
"And when the contract gets 'lost' on accident?" She snarks.
"How am I supposed to control that?" He shrugs, exasperated.
I loudly cough to get everyone's attention, it seems to work as I am currently feeling the furious gazes of dozens of nobles on .
Naturally, I ignore them with zero sha and say in a faux-polite tone "While the debate is most riveting and my lowly self is inspired by your visionary ideas, I am afraid that my servant and I have traveled long to get here and would like to get our business done soti this month."
The king shakes his head, and Sybille has to keep herself from laughing at my audacity. Bryling's eye twitches, but she doesn't react hoping to get so dirt to throw at her rival, and he promptly delivers.
The wealthy Thane slowly turns his head to in so kind of childish attempt at intimidation and asks "And who are you to force yourself into a eting of the royal court?"
I raise an eyebrow "If I wasn't supposed to be here, do you think I wou-"
"You could be a servant and still get in." He interrupts with a disdainful smirk.
My eye twitches and I go to ignore the literal man-child, I turn to the king and prepare to give him the customary bow, but of course, it doesn't end there when spoiled nobles are involved. "I wasn't done talking to you!" Erikur snarls while getting up from his seat.
Ok, if you can't take the hint I guess it is ti for violence.
I turn back to the fuming Erikur and whisper "wuld" appearing right in front of him and grabbing his shirt.
I look down at him with glowing red eyes and growl out slowly "Interrupt again and I am throwing you out the window." He starts shaking in fright "Are we clear?" I ask after a mont and he nods frantically. "Good." I drop him and return to the center of the room as if nothing happened.
The king's guard gives a bemused look but still says "No violence in the throne room, you have been warned."
I nod politely to both him and the king "But of course, do excuse my behavior. I have been traveling for a month to get here and my patience has been strained by the land's dangers."
Torygg smirks "Yes, Balgruuf did inform of your deeds in his hold. Skyrim is lucky to have you."
"It is my honor to be of service, King Torygg." I incline my head.
"Excuse ." I hear Bryling's voice from behind "While it is obvious that the King is aware of who you are, it would be a great relief for the rest of us if we knew who was the one
speaking."
Oh, I can practically sense her own annoyance at my behavior, but she seems to have taken her etiquette lessons very seriously judging by her self-control.
I smile without a care in the world "Do forgive my lack of manners, as I said it has been a
trying ti." She smiles thinly, but I can feel the glare at my non-answer.
I smirk and mock-bow "Reyvin Fla-tongue, High Enchanter of Winterhold. At your service madam."
She raises an eyebrow "The tongue?"
I scratch my chin "Hmm, never really liked that title... sounds dirty."
She blanches, but I hear Torygg let out a very quiet snort. Erikur has no such subtlety as he laughs loudly at my implication.
Did he forget I just threatened his life or does he just not care?
The young King shakes his head and says "Reyvin here, has graciously accepted my invitation to serve as an extra court mage due to the turbulent tis. He is renowned across Skyrim as a great battle mage and enchanter, so treat the newest mber of the court with respect."
The angry gazes turn calculating in re monts, and the place starts to actually feel like the nest of vipers that it is.
Deciding it is ti to skedaddle I say to the King "Thank you very much for the introduction your majesty, but as I said we have traveled long and would prefer to get so rest before I
can get to work."
He gives a nod of understanding "Of course, Sybille will show you the way."
The court mage gets up from her seat, the book she was reading nowhere in sight, and signals for and Davos to follow her.
We exit the throne room and head toward the south-east of the palace, I think I saw a tower in
this direction.
My suspicions are confird when we reach a tall blue tower, otherwise featureless, making it highly contrast with the rest of the palace with its lack of artwork.
My guide, a tall Breton woman with slightly glowing red eyes and long dark brown hair, finally speaks in a voice far too youthful for soone her age "This is the mage's tower of the palace, both of you will be staying here for the duration of your employnt. Do not fear, there is more than enough space for everyone."
She doesn't wait for any response and after opening the iron door leads us up a narrow circular staircase without saying anything.
Once we are halfway up the tower she points to a small doorway and says patiently "These are the servants quarters, they were mostly left empty as I prefer to live on my own but the palace steward still had them cleaned regularly. Make yourself at ho."
Davos looks at and I shrug.
He nods and enters the room, quickly making himself at ho.
We walk further and further up the stairwell.
"Please don't tell that our rooms are all the way upstairs." I grumble.
I don't see her face as she is in front of but I know she smirks "Then I won't say anything."
"Wiseass"
She giggles into her hand "Aww is the young mage too weak for stairs?"
"Not all of us have nigh infinite stamina woman" I snark back.
She doesn't react at all and asks as if discussing the weather "Whatever could you an by
that? Did you see sothing I did not?" Yup, she definitely noticed at least sothing.
I smile brightly and ask "Whatever could you an by that?"
Now it's her turn to grumble.
I throw myself onto the floor, almost hugging it while breathing heavily.
"Oh co on, it wasn't all that bad." I hear from above .
I slowly sit up and lean onto a nearby wall "Wasn't all that bad? Woman I have enhanced
myself far beyond the strength of an average person and that was the most grueling
experience of my life!"
She shakes her head "Now you are just being dramatic."
"Yup." I smirk "But this tower is still unnecessarily tall."
"On that we agree..." She sighs "But it does keep the annoying sycophants away."
"A worthy sacrifice then." I nod seriously.
We both turn silent for a bit and I take a mont to look over my temporary ho. There seem to be five apartnt-like rooms encircling small hall. The rooms themselves seem very well equipped with everything a mage of so ans might need.
I turn to Sybille "We have more colleagues?"
She seems a bit surprised by my question but quickly realizes what I am on about "Oh no, the rooms are kept furnished but I was the only resident for years now. That young Altr, laran had the potential to join but Erikur snatched him too quickly"
"Right, that reminds ... What do we actually do at court?" I ask.
She sighs "Listen to the fools bicker and then give a bit of advice when magic is involved." My
face pales slightly and she smirks "Or that is what I have been doing, but with the rising tensions in the hold I expect we will be doing much more field work. Especially with the
rumors of undead and forsworn rearing their barbaric heads."
"Oh yeah, fighting those might be fun" I mutter.
She hears apparently as she asks "Fun?"
I shrug "Eh, I may or may not have gotten addicted to fighting other mages..."
There is a hint of realization in her eyes as she gives a look of a fellow victim "Oh, let
guess. Faralda taught you?"
I stare at her with dead eyes "You as well?"
She seems to be going through so kind of episode but quickly snaps out of it and also says
in a dead voice "Yes."
After a bit more silence I decide to handle the most important question here "How long have
you served as court mage here?"
She humms "About twenty five-ish years, why?"
I give her a blank stare "You don't seem a day over twenty."
Her lips thin in annoyance "Is this going to be a problem?" she asks frostily.
I shake my head "Not if you don't make it one, just make sure you don't make a ss and I am
not associated with whatever you end up doing. Try and show your fangs anywhere near and I will show you how I earned my na, deal?"
She seems a bit conflicted, a part of her is very offended at the child that just dared speak to her like this, while another seems rather intimidated by my magical presence and fortunately the more rational part wins out as she sighs "Very well, it's not like I would be really changing
anything anyway."
"Quite" I drawl, and then clap my hands and ask with the subtlety of a warhamr "So! Care to tell how vamprism works?"
More power I desire, thus thine stones I require.
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