"You can finish playing clock patience later, Flopsy." Eldaline said the next morning. "Come with me."
"Yes, Second Archivist."
"Where are we going?"
"Somewhere fun." said Eldaline.
"Look, Madam! A dear little Mr. Mousy! I wonder who he belongs to."
"Let's wait here until he has settled on a direction."
"We are going to bully harmless civilians, Flopsy." Eldaline explained, once Mr. Mousy had moved on.
"Will you teach me how, Second Archivist?" said Aralina. "My patience has never suffered a bully long enough to properly observe the behaviour."
"I'll explain on the way."
Aralina followed Eldaline through the Marsh District market, up the steps to the residential Wind District, and down the steps on the other side of the town centre into the food market of the Plains District, all the while listening to the Second Archivist's instructions. "Are you certain that you do not mind?" she asked eventually.
"I'm a senior officer of the Thalmor, Flopsy."
"Yes, Second Archivist."
Aralina cried out loudly and indignantly as the reached the market. "There she is! Oh, look at her the way her hair curls! I am sure she is just rubbing it in our faces."
"I despise the delicate arching of her back and curve of her hips." said Eldaline. "It puts me in mind of the goddess Dibella and the worship of the female body."
"Do you suppose she is trying to rub it in Dibella's face too, Second Archivist? Do you know what would put an end to this blasphemy?" said Aralina.
"I can think of a number of things." said Eldaline, from behind the greengrocer. "A tragic and sudden lightning storm to burn her shapely legs to stumps."
"A poisoned cake to shrivel her rosy lips to husks. Look at the natural and unpretentious flow of her brow, Second Archivist!"
"What about it?" said Eldaline.
"I imagine you have to pluck yours to attain a pale resemblance of them, Madam."
"Fresh fruit and vegetables for sale, please come over here and look at them." called the greengrocer.
"As a matter of fact, Flopsy, they grow like this naturally. There's no need to be like that."
"Of course, Madam, I would never compare you to a woman in the warm bloom of youth. It would be frankly unfair."
"You." Eldaline ordered. "Yes, you. Wash the revolting mess off your face. You are distracting your simple menfolk."
"Second Archivist," said Aralina. "upon closer inspection, that is entirely her natural appearance."
"You're right." said Eldaline. "A delicate blushing flower standing where anyone could crush her."
"Please don't crush me." said the greengrocer.
"And still she taunts you with the buoyant slope of her bosom. It is too much, Second Archivist, she is definitely doing it deliberately in your direction, and I do not suppose yours has ever been as pert."
"We are tired of you and your excessively feminine beauty." said Aralina.
"Get out of Whiterun, if you value your safety." Eldaline said. "The Jarl cannot protect everybody."
"But I'm a mother." said the greengrocer.
"Yes, you are. A soft and defenceless creature of the hearth. What are you going to do about it? Put on armour and join the Merry Men?"
"Companions, Second Archivist." said Aralina.
Eldaline said, "Yes, them."
"Oh!" said a suddenly-appearing child. "Hello, Second Alchemist Eldaline! I am so glad that you came by. Mama, I told Second Alchemist Eldaline about how you were worried about the big fight in the market today between the six shopkeepers who all wanted to marry you. I see it hasn't happened! Thank you so much for stopping the fight, Second Alchemist Eldaline!"
At around the same time, south of the Jerall Mountains, the people of Bruma were also going to the market, or to work.
It was a little cold so early, and from the thick snow on the roofs of the houses, Skavild deduced that it was unlikely to get much warmer, even in summer. Fortunately, he intended to spend most of the day moving about.
"Keep an eye on that child if you're going outside the city walls." suggested the guard with his smart shield.
"What child?" said Skavild.
"Rufus, stay here, son, it's dangerous out in the wilderness, and I'll be back before dark to take you for supper at the inn. The nice one, not the one where your Ma cooks."
"All right, Da."
The soft morning sun turned the thick clouds white over the Jeralls.
Where it melted the snow on the mountain tops, icy waterfalls cascaded noisily through the cold forest.
Skavild marched along the path at a brisk pace, enjoying the fresh air.
Rufus hurried along behind him.
"If you're a good boy at the temple, I'll take you on a day out at Sancre Tor." said Skavild.
"Wow, really, Da? Ahh!"
I'm glad no one was around to see my son tripping over absolutely nothing. Thought Skavild.
I'm glad my son doesn't do embarrassing things like that. Thought the mushroom picker in the bushes.
A little further up the path, Rufus antagonised a pack of timber wolves.
"Keep your eyes open for some old lantern posts leading away off the road, Rufus."
"All right, Da." said Rufus, and forgot all about it.
"Ain't your legs cold, son?" said Skavild.
"No."
A very steep incline led to a grove of trees. "The temple's somewhere behind them trees." said Skavild.
And there were the old lantern posts. "This must be the old road." It was. It was terribly overgrown.
Rufus paused and stared into space. Aw. Thought Skavild. He's prob'ly pondering the futility of war and death.
Rufus wasn't thinking about anything.
Skavild continued to lead the way up the old path. "Look at this up ahead, son. Do you know what this is?"
"A rabbit, Da."
"No, Rufus, it's either an onager or a mangonel, it's really impossible to be specific unless you can see the whole contraption in one piece. Wait, sorry, you were supposed to say 'trebuchet', not 'rabbit'."
"I'm going to kill it." explained Rufus, running away after the actual rabbit.
"By the Nine, that boy can waddle fast when you don't want him to." Skavild said aloud.
"Footprints?" It was fortunate that he was looking down into the snow, for there were the light impressions of two pairs of soft boots.
To mark the way, there was an old shrine with Akaviri markings.
Rufus was just executing some dead bodies he had found.
Leaving the child for a moment to his youthful gamboling, Skavild stepped through the ancient archway of Cloud Ruler Temple.
There was an eagle circling overhead.
Things that fly see more of the world together in one place, and more of history together in a single moment.
To the south, the eagle saw the Imperial City's White Gold Tower, built by the Ayleids, taken by the Alessians, liberated by the free states of Cyrodiil, conquered by the Thalmor, liberated by the Legion. To the near south, the eagle saw Bruma, founded by the Nibeneans, settled by the Nords, besieged by Daedra, saved by champions. To the near west was Rielle, built by elves and sacked by men. Below was Cloud Ruler Temple, built by men and sacked by elves.
He didn't much care. He was only a bird.
- continues -