The Search For Kathea, A Leap Into Saying Farewell To A Friend

The Search For Kathea, A Leap Into Saying Farewell To A Friend

     

      As the next few days go onward, Iriisii makes certain to be seen in the Imperial City. Even while supervising the plans for Quintus' funeral. She sees it as her task, not only to do this one last thing for a 'son' of the Empire but to draw her enemies' attention to her activities, letting Blackwell's and Letho's spy networks go to work.

     When the day of the funeral arrives, she makes certain any last-minute details are taken care of. The absence of Quintus' son is explained by the previous arrangement to foster him in the Court of High Queen Elisef in Solitude. The plans currently are set for a tribute procession around the Imperial City ending in the Temple District, where his pyre awaits. His ashes will be gathered and placed in his family tomb, with his previous wife and children, who were killed in the Great War by the Thalmor when they took the Imperial City.

     As the procession moves on, Iriisii and Yennefer are on horseback, surrounded by every Legionnaire who was within traveling distance. It sedately makes its way around the City streets, the sides of which were standing room only, people hanging out of windows, on balustrades, and roofs to watch the procession go by. The Legion Musicians played the songs used for military funerals as they marched with the soldiers, behind Iriisii and Yennefer.

     At last, they reach the Temple District, Quintus' body, being carried on his shield by an honor guard of his closest friends, slowly mounts the dias where his pyre waits. They carefully place him in the center and step back to the edge of the dias. Iriisii and Yennefer step up to his body and kneel to pray to the Nine to accept him into Aetherius. Then Iriiisii rises and turns to the massive crowd, Yennefer still kneeling by her late husband's body.

     "Citizens and guests of the Empire of Tamriel, Soldiers of the Legions of the Empire, I welcome your presence here, now, as we gather to send one of ours to his well deserved rest in Aetherius. I knew and respected him, and fought beside him in several battles, the first of which was when we assaulted Table Mountain and rooted out the Tsaesci vampires along with one, Morag Sethius, who was working with them even then, to plan the invasion that would come just four scant years later. 

     Quintus was there deep inside with me and High Queen Rigmor as we faced Morag to end her reign of death and terror among the children of Cyrodiil and Hammerfell. But even before that, he was with me at the Battle of Whiterun, against a numerically greater force of Thalmor, Bosmer, and Orsimer called the New World Order. Who wanted nothing less than the total eradication of all who were not Altmer within all of Tamriel. 

     We fought together to win our way to the Imperial City. To be honest, neither I nor High Queen Rigmor intended for things to go the way they did. We came to discuss peace terms, and we would have been satisfied with that. But the Gods had other ideas in mind, as we found out shortly thereafter. And when we fought to repel the Tsaesci from our shores.

     But it was because of Quintus' tactical skills, his decisions, his dedication, and his love for all of us, that our Empire still lives, is in fact reborn, and will grow until we are all of Nirn, united under one banner, our banner. He was taken from us too soon, for we are never prepared to lose one such as he when that moment comes. As he has now gone to his rest we mourn his passing, but his line is still with us. All that was his, will go to his son on the day he reaches his Age of Majority, this promise I give to all of you here listening to me this day.

     I have always been proud of him in all that he did when I was able to award him the promotion from Legion Commander to Legion General when he took my Court Sorceress, Yennefer as his wife, and when they had their first son together. But now I grieve that I must send him onward in the time-honored tradition of the Imperial Legions of the Empire."

     Iriisii turns and goes to Yennefer, kneeling down beside her, asking, "are you ready to do this?"

     Yennefer nods her head and rises to stand as Iriisii goes to a lit brazier on the side of the dias, drawing two lit torches from it. She goes to Yennefer and hands her one of the torches. Then they go to opposite sides of the pyre and place the flames of the torches against the oil-soaked wood logs. Stepping back as the fires catch and lick their way up the sides.

     Iriisii takes Yennefer's torch and places both in a bucket of sand to douse them. She then goes to stand with Yennefer as they watch the fires continue to rise higher and higher.

     "Can you see his soul?"

     "He has already gone."

     "You know where he went to?"

     "Arkay has opened the gates to the 'Land of the Dead', where he has been greeted by his previous wife and children."

     "Thank you, he so wanted to be with them when he passed over."

     "I am sorry."

     "As am I, but if I may ask one favor of you?"

     "If it is within my power to grant, it is yours."

     "The memories of him are too strong here for me to withstand. May I go with you when you leave?"

     Iriisii places her arm across Yennefer, "I would be honored to have you with me once more."

     "Tomorrow, I will spare no effort to find his murderer and see justice prevail once again. Today, I must grieve the loss of the love of my heart, he deserves no less. I will understand if you must go."

     "No, I will stay. As you say, he deserves no less."

     The sun has fallen, and the smoke from the embers of the pyre still rises, with the moons and the stars. The last of the mourners have at last gone to drown their sorrows in a mug of whatever is left in the tavern, be it ale, mead, or wine. Iriisii and Yennefer still stand in the vigil of Quintus' passing. Iriisii turns to Yennefer, "go and sleep if you can, it will be a long day tomorrow."

     "What of you?"

     "There are still things I must attend to before sleep finds me. Go, I will be in my bed soon enough."

     "All right, and thank you again for what you did for Quintus."

     "He earned every word and many more I could not bear to speak of without breaking. Rigmor will kill me for leaving her out of this, even in the condition she is in."

     "Will she be all right?"

     "Oh yes, she is much tougher than she sometimes lets on, and we will give her every chance we can to beat this."

     "Good night then, Your Majesty."

     "Good night, Yennefer."

     Iriisii stands in the quiet night, watching the path of the moons and stars across the night sky.

     "I know you have something to say, do you not think it is about time you say it?"

     "You knew I was standing there?", as a figure materializes close by.

     "It is not difficult when you know what to look for. Besides the fact that I expected you earlier, you have pleasantly surprised me that you were respectful enough to wait until I was alone."

     "Not all of us are so respectful of others, that is why I was chosen to come and speak with you."

     "I take it my presence concerns all of you, yet if the Nine were so concerned, I would expect one of them to have spoken to me by now. So I take that to mean your sisters have sent you to me without the knowledge of the Nine? Is that not carrying some risk?"

     "Yes, it does, but we cannot ignore the disturbances in the Aether that your presence brings."

     "I apologize for that, I am still learning how to mask myself in that regard. I assure you, that when my business is done, I will be returning to the other Realms to continue my work there."

     "If I may ask, what is your business here, at this time."

     Iriisii gestures toward the still-burning embers, "he was murdered and his son abducted in order for his wife to send me a message requiring me to return and settle old business. If I remained outside, the boy would be drained of blood and life, then another would have been chosen. And so it would go until either I returned to deal with it or enough innocents gave their lives that those living here took up arms and dealt with it. How many would have to die before that happened and how many would die before the miscreants were dealt with?

     That is why I am here, one innocent has already fallen, that is one too many. I will not allow any more to fall for my sake."

     "And if we ask that you go, and promise to take care of this matter in your stead?"

     Iriisii looks hard at the 'human' jill, "that is not yours or your sisters' concern. It is mine, as it derives from my past. You and yours have not the power to deny me, and I will not endanger Nirn, or Mundus by challenging you. As long as you stay out of my way, I will do what I must and leave. Stand against me or hinder me and I will have words with Akatosh about this and let him decide what course of action to pursue. But somehow I do not think he is going to side against me."

     "Why is that, pray to tell? Perhaps that argument will sway my sisters to stand aside."

     "I stand to accept the 'Mantle of the Mother' when the Jihad of Truth is won. Once done, it will be my task to reorder Creation. All those who are Gods will have their positions either reaffirmed or replaced according to my will. And if you do not understand, ask your lore keepers about the 'Mother of the Cosmos' and her position in the Celestial Hierarchy.

     Tell your sisters this, I serve the 'Great Balance' as its Champion. It is through the balance between 'Good' and 'Evil' that Mundus and the rest of this Creation survive. I will do whatever is necessary to see that Creation lives and thrives. There are far more Dragonkind that live within the Realms of Creation than the ones who live in Mundus. They call me the 'Mother of All Dragons' and they respect and obey me. I will not force you to choose between me and Akatosh, so ask them to stand aside or help me. I leave the choice to them out of respect, but I will not let them dissuade me from my responsibilities."

     Later as she makes her way to the royal quarters, "momma, it is you!" Kintyra runs to her and embraces her. 

     "Oh it is so good to see you once more, you are growing so fast. It is hard to believe that you will soon reach your 'Age of Majority."

     "Everyone keeps mentioning that, but when I ask why is it so important, they say to ask you, and where is Mama Rigmor?"

     "Your Mama Rigmor is indisposed, she would have been here if it were safe for her to travel."

     "She is not...?"

     "No, although we do have two more little ones now. We will have to bring them when we can and let you meet them. But as to your 'age' being important, please sit and I will explain."

     They each sit in a chair facing a warm fire lit in a brazier. "You know I sit on the 'Ruby Throne' as Empress of the Empire?"

     "Uh-huh."

     "Well, when you reach the 'Age of Majority, I plan on stepping down and giving the throne to you."

     Kintyra sits quietly thinking over what Iriisii has said, then she blurts out, "no, I do not want the throne."

     Iriisii does not know how to answer her on this but feels she has to try.

     "Can you tell me why?"

     "You are never here, you are everywhere else but here!" Tears fell down her face.

     "I know, Gods how I know. But I can tell you this, it will not be the same for you. Please listen to me and try to understand. I came into this when the Empire was broken, almost dead. Truthfully I did not even really care about it, I was in love with your Mama Rigmor, and Ariel Sethius, who was Emperor then, saw her as a threat to him.

     He had her exiled to Roscrea, where the Tsaesci soon came to get her for Morag Sethius, Ariel's wife. She wanted Rigmor as well, but for entirely different reasons. The only way I could protect her was to rescue her from Roscrea, and then come back and back Sethius into a corner forcing him to leave us alone. It was in the middle of all of this that you were conceived."

     "How did that happen? I mean, I know it takes a man and a woman, but I have never heard of two women having a child before."

     "We were on the road on the edge of Hammerfell, along the Brena River, when we came to a 'Shrine of Mara'. Rigmor wanted to take a bath in the river, among other things, but we were interrupted by a 'spirit' sent by Akatosh, at least that is what I thought at the time."

     "You figured out who he was then didn't you."

     "Later, yes. He was my real father, 'Talos', the 'Ninth Divine' or rather an avatar of him. He talked to us about a 'Golden Plan' that Akatosh and the other Divines wanted to bring about for Nirn. A time, when there would be peace, prosperity, and justice for all races living on Nirn. He said that Akatosh had looked ahead in the time streams and found who he needed to bring into the world the one person who could do what they wanted to be done."

     "Who did he say...no...no...I will not do it. You do it, you have fought for the Empire, guided it along with this far."

     "Kintyra, my daughter, I have no say in this. And what you do not know and realize is, that my own destiny has caught up with me and will take me away from here for good."

     "Mama, you can not leave, I will not let you go."

     "I do not want to go, but I must. I had to learn the hard way, the cost of not doing what I have been called to do."

     "What cost, how bad could it be, taking you away from me."

     "Nothing less than than the end of all things."

     "What do you mean, the end of all things?"

     "Exactly that, the end of all the different Realms within Creation, of which Mundus is just one of many. Please understand that I had no idea it would lead to this. But by the time I found out, it was too late, I could not turn back. What good would I do to work to save Nirn, to protect the Empire, to be here with you, when it would all come crashing down when Creation was destroyed. I wanted you, your future children, and theirs, to have a home, to have a life, to have hopes and dreams. 

     And so I went onward, to do just that, because I love you, and wanted to give you a chance to have a life, to have family, children, friends. I hope you can someday forgive me for being away from you. I just wanted you to have a life, a life that would be cut short, if I did not do what I could to save everything, and also the many, many other lives that would also be cut short. Is it fair to them to have their futures cut short, for me to turn my back on them to spend what time would remain with you? "

     Kintyra thinks about this, trying to think of all the others out there in those other Realms, with families, dreams, lives to live, and her mother is out there, fighting for them as well as for her.

     "No, it is not fair. If you can do this for all of them, as well as me, then I can accept the throne when my time comes and do it for the peoples of Nirn. But you are going to have to tell me how I am to do this because I have not the foggiest idea."

     "That I can do, I have thought about teaching you about the Thu'um and your role as a Dragonchild. I can enable it within you, and share my knowledge with you. It will come to you when you need it, and a part of me will always be with you, no matter what. Come outside under the stars and the moons, let them be witness to this moment when you come into your own."

     They walk outside on the veranda, the same one that holds so many memories of times with just her and Rigmor. "I remember so much of the times Rigmor and I would be out here, listening to the bustle of the citizens going about their business. Watching the sunset, and the stars and moons rising in the night sky. So many happy memories, I hope you make your own memories out here."

     It is then that a fog rises and envelopes them. "Mama! What is this?"

     "Hold on to me, whatever happens, do not let go." They are whisked away, and find themselves standing on a stone floor, a cold breeze blows. Iriisii looks around, then at the sky above, at what is there and what is not, then knows where she and Kintyra have been taken.

     "Where are we, mama? Do you know?"

     "We have been brought to Secundus, look at that huge moon, that is Masser."

     "But who brought us here and why?"

     "As to who, I believe I know, as to why we should wait and let those who brought us here tell us."

     They hear the flapping of wings and the thud of dragon bodies dropping onto the surface of Secundus.

     "Mama! Dragons!"

     "Jills to be precise."

     "Jills?"

     "Female dragons, servants to Akatosh, they keep the timelines straight and repaired when things go awry. There is a book in the library that I will show you later about when just such an occurrence happened."

     "That is yet to be decided."

     "My previous words to you, that I gave your messenger still stand. And you stand on very thin ice, that is even now cracking underneath you."

     "We do not take threats lightly."

     "And I do not threaten you, I am simply telling you where you are now, and where your actions are taking you, proceed with great care for you surely have no idea who you threaten with your actions."

     "We do not threaten, we act to protect Mundus from threats."

     "And so you seem to think I may be one such threat? You truly have no idea of what is going on around you. Your focus has become so small and narrow that you miss the greater threats. Ask your 'Father' if this is not so, I know he is aware even if you are not."

     "He has not spoken to us in some time, and now perhaps we see the reason."

     "You believe that once his 'Golden Plan' has been enabled that he would no longer have a place for you? You are very much mistaken if that is what you surmise. Events outside Mundus are reaching a crux of such power that what will happen will affect all of the Realms of Creation, including Mundus. There will be no way to isolate Mundus from the rest of Creation."

     "So you say."

     "Are you blind as well as daft? You have the ability to see beyond, why not look and see for yourselves."

     "Because that is not our task. Our task is the continuance and well-being of Mundus and Nirn."

     "Then you should be acting to bring his 'Golden Plan' to fruition. For it would bring an end to the strife, the pain, the suffering that has plagued Nirn for so long."

     "But nothing lasts forever, we have seen what lies ahead beyond this 'Golden Age' you speak of."

     "Yes, I know. I have been there. But you also know that the future is not set in stone. That the future you saw is not the only one that can happen."

     "We know, but it is not up to us to change the path Nirn and Mundus take. You usurped Alduin's place and so you must do what he was to do."

     "If it must be so, then it will be so, but only when Father Akatosh says it is time, not before. But until he says it is time, I reserve the right given to me to choose the path through the time streams that Creation will travel, and last I looked, Mundus was and still is a part of Creation."

     "So you say, we believe otherwise. No one is powerful enough to guide all the Realms through the streams of time."

     "And you know this how? By what means? If I say to you that you as 'jills' are not all that exists, that Dragons other than the ones Father Akatosh created do exist, and so other 'jills' must also exist. If I can prove this, will you then listen to me?"

     "Prove your words with actions, then we may deign to hear your words."

     "Stand next to me, Kintyra. Do not be afraid for I can and will protect you from all threats."

     "I am not afraid, do what you must."

     Iriisii looks over to the open side, between herself and the 'jills'. Then she orders her mind, thinking of her dragon companion she left on Telios. She pictures her, building that picture until she can feel her scales under her fingers, hears the whistling wind as rides her dragon's back through the cold winds, feels her as she prepares to unleash fire on their enemies, sees the energy crackling as it travels up and down her back, jumping from one row of spikes to the other. And then she calls out her true name, "Biiqokendov", and in a flash, she materializes on Secundus. 

     She looks around and sees the other 'jills', then she sees Iriisii and Kintyra. As she inhales, the taste of the air tells her the human child is Iriisii's daughter, and that she too is Dragonchild. And so she walks over to Iriisii, bows her head at Iriisii's feet, and asks, "how may I serve you this day, 'Mother of All Dragons'."

     Iriisii lays a hand on her snout, "protect my daughter if battle begins."

     "It will be as you will it, 'Mother of All Dragons'."

     "Why do you speak of her as 'Mother of All Dragons'?"

     "Because she has earned the right to be called such. Who else can lay claim to resurrecting all of the Lyrium Dragons, once lost to the untold depths of time, called them to her and restored their bodies, all two hundred-twenty-five! And she did this not one at a time, but all at one time. She hosts the soul of the first of the Dragons of Destiny and has found hosts for the second and third, with the fourth soon to be placed with a host. And she has been called to summon the souls of the Draconic Divines from the place where the 'Dead Gods Lie Dreaming'. The Dragons of the third Creation look to her as their mother, for she shelters them under her wings, listens to their lives, offers them wise counsel, and has fought those who sought to enslave them. What other be they mortal or immortal has done as much?"

     "Blasphemy! The Draconic Divines were dead long eons before Mundus was even created. There is no way to summon that which is truly dead."

     "That is not dead, which can eternal lie. And with strange eons, even death may die. Old Gods cannot die, they are eternal, they can be forced into slumber, their bodies reposing in the Dreamlands, in that place where 'Dead Gods Lie Dreaming'. But if one is powerful enough, they can be brought back, first, their souls must be freed and once more awakened. Once their souls are restored, their bodies can be summoned and their souls reunited with their bodies. Thus is it written in the Holy Scrolls of Skelos, Prophet of Acheron."

     "Again I say, blasphemy! The old gods never return, never!"

     "And you know this how? Because you have not seen it, because you have not heard of it being done. I have shown you a 'jill', not one created of Akatosh, to prove my words are true, and even with the proof before your very eyes, still, you will not believe. Go and do what Father Akatosh bids you do and leave me to that which I am called to do. I have no desire to reprimand or do battle with you, so go about your business as I go about mine."

     "You would reprimand me! Now you go too far!"

     "SILENCE AND STILL YOURSELF, you blathering idiot of a 'jill'!"

     "Father! She..."

     "I SAID SILENCE! You have no idea of just who she is, what she has done, or the power she commands. The fate of Creation has been placed in her hands, which means the fate of Mundus, and your fates are in her hands. She has repaired timelines beyond any you can access, she can bridge Realities, shifting from dreams to memories, to the past or future in the blink of an eye. She is the true Champion of the Great Balance, the only hope for the continuance of Creation. And she is the Daughter of Talos and Alessia, Goddess of Eld by virtue of a Test of Apotheosis. She is now an Elder Goddess, the first ascendant in many long eons of time to reach that level.

     You will cease trying to stand in her way, and allow her to go on with what she came to do. Everything she does, every word she speaks, has a place in the future of not only Creation, but Mundus as well, for this is the Realm of her Birth. And it behooves us to stand with her, not against her, do I make myself clear on this? Well? Do I?"

     "Yes, Father! You do."

     "Good, then I expect no further problems from you then. Go on, you have work to do, be about it."

     The 'jills' take to the rarified air of Secundus and port out to wherever they were supposed to be. Akatosh turns to Iriisii, who bows low to him. He places a hand on her shoulder and raises her up.

     "I apologize for them, they had no reason to do what they did, and I am proud that you held your composure with them. But please introduce me, if you would be so kind."

     "Of course", Iriisii gestures to her 'jill', "this is Biiqokendov, of Telios. Biiqokendov, this is Akatosh, lead God of the Pantheon of the Nine Divines of Mundus."

     "I am honored to greet you Lord Akatosh", "the honor is mine, Biiqokendov, you are the first Dragon not sired by me that I have met. I knew there had to be others out there among the Realms, but I never had the pleasure of meeting any until now. I must say I wonder if a little jealousy among my 'jills' may have had some influence on their reaction, you are truly a work of art, my dear."

     "And now I would like to introduce you to your granddaughter, Kintyra." As Iriisii turns to Kintyra to complete the introduction, Kintyra gives Akatosh a deep curtsy, "I am truly blessed to be in your presence Grandfather." Akatosh walks up to Kintyra, drops to one knee, and holds his arms out, as Kintyra steps into them and wraps her own around him.

     "Remember, this is how a granddaughter should greet her grandfather. You, I think, will most certainly be like both of your mothers, and Nirn will never know what it is in for when you step up. Also, I want you to know that I understand your loneliness, it is not easy, but your mothers are needed where they go. For it is the truth that there is no one else in all of Creation that can do what they can do. They bear a heavy burden upon their shoulders, but they gladly bear it to give long life, peace, and joy to all that live within Creation. Just as you will do the same for those who live upon Nirn."

     "I realize that now and I promise to do what is needed to be done to bring your 'Golden Plan' to all who live on Nirn."

     "If ever you need anything, even just to talk, I will be there for you, I promise."

     Kintyra kisses Akatosh on his rough cheek and goes to stand with Iriisii.

     "I thank you for your blessing, child." Looking to Iriisii, "she is indeed very special and I will make certain she is protected when you cannot be with her. Do what you must to find the culprits and exact whatever justice you feel deserved. Oh, and one last thing, thank you for what you did to free my 'love' from Nagasel. You were right in that the portals placed above prevented me from going to her myself. I shall have to tell her about seeing you again, she fondly remembers you still and asks if I have news of your travels."

     "I am glad that it worked out between you, even if I did not fully understand what was happening."

     "I will send you back as you have tasks to do, just as I do. I need to have a stern talking-to with my 'jills'. Farewell, and may you find your heart's desire at the end of your road."