Night fell over the province of Valenwood, as Marudil and the Silvenar discussed their plan of action.
"So what is your plan, my friend?" Elberoth asked Marudil, "How will you save us from the clutches of the Dominion?"
"It is going to require a delicate touch. We're striving for independence, not to start another war. We will need to infiltrate the Thalmor Embassy discreetly, then corner the honorable Ondolemar in his living quarters. His cowardice will provide all the leverage that we need to ensure that a deal is struck."
"Why him?"
"He was important enough for the Thalmor to send him from Skyrim to Valenwood... I'd say keeping him at arms' length would be a smart decision."
"So we force them to give independence at the tip of a Bosmeri sword? Sounds awfully similar to the signing of the White-Gold Concordat in Cyrodiil."
"Irony burns."
Elberoth laughed. "Indeed, old friend. Indeed."
Sevria cut in. "Do you know how we can infiltrate the Embassy undetected?"
"I have a hunch." Marudil replied, "I heard tell of the Embassy in Skyrim having a secret cavern used to dispose of prisoners. If such a thing was in the Valenwood Embassy, then it would give us a discreet means of invading the building without alerting the guards."
"Our scouts reported a suspicious passage deep beneath the Embassy back when our tribe was going to war with them." Elberoth pointed out, "That might be the thing we're looking for."
"It's done, then." Marudil gathered his weapons. "Everyone, follow my lead. Sevria, I need you to keep an eye on the Embassy from afar. If necessary, dispose of the guard patrols. Elberoth, I need you at my back. Rudinor, I--"
"Do not involve me in this." Rudinor said grimly.
"Brother... I need your help."
"You are a fool, Marudil. You have always been, ever since you broke the Pact. You will only bring us to war with the Aldmeri Dominion. Your actions this night will forfeit countless innocent lives that could otherwise have been spared, if you'd just listened to reason! ... No. No, I will not involve myself in your senseless vendetta."
"I brought you the pelt... I did as you commanded and still you talk down to me?!"
"The pelt means nothing!" Rudinor snapped, "Nothing in comparison to the peace we finally know beneath the watchful eyes of the Aldmeri Dominion! ... ... May you come to your senses before it is too late." And with that, Rudinor walked off into the wilderness and vanished, leaving Marudil justifiably confused.
"I did as he asked... yet it means nothing to him?"
"He has been uneasy since you returned with the pelt." Elberoth said, "Between you and me, old friend... I don't think he wanted you to come back from that hunt."
"What? He... he sent me to die, you mean?"
"I've said it before, Marudil, but I believe your brother is a coward... he has seen the cruelty of the Dominion firsthand and done nothing to deliver us from their grasp. ... I mean no offense, of course. He is still your brother."
Marudil sighed in frustration. "It matters little... for now. After dealing with the Thalmor, I'll have some choice words for him."
"As we all will, my friend. But as you said, we've got bigger things on the horizon!"
"So let's be off, then!" Marudil drew out his old sword, an ancient Bosmeri blade wielded consistently by the past chiefs of the Silvenar tribe. "To the Embassy! For freedom!"
"For freedom!" The other tribesmen repeated, following Marudil's lead toward the Thalmor Embassy. Finding their way to the place was not a difficult task; the Altmeri construction clashed heavily with the surrounding wilds. From there, Marudil and his people were left to uncover the alleged 'secret entrance' into the Embassy.
"Elberoth." Marudil took the initiative, "Do you remember where our scouts said that the passage was?"
"Yes, actually... but just roughly. Let me see here..." Elberoth investigated the hillside that they'd come to. "I think this is it. Marudil, lead on."
Sneaking cautiously into the cave, Marudil kept a wary eye open for any signs of danger. The cave was dark, and reeked of rotting flesh and spilled blood. The air was dirty, and so was the ground, which was littered with the remains of man and mer alike.
"What happened to them?" Elberoth wondered aloud, "Did they perish over time?"
"No..." Marudil muttered, "Something got to them. And we're about to meet it."
No sooner had Marudil finished his dooming promise, when the group came face-to-face with the creature that the Thalmor kept around to deal with prisoners: a captive troll. It roared hungrily at the intruders, and charged forward furiously. At Marudil's command, the group spread out and evaded the troll's massive arms as they swung mightily over their heads.
"The eyes! Archers, aim for the eyes!" Marudil ordered, drawing back an arrow to pierce the troll's uppermost eye.
Marudil's arrow flew swiftly, and successfully blinded one of the creature's eyes. Enraged, the beast charged straight after Marudil, who nimbly climbed the cavern's rocky surface and slipped into the troll's blind spot. Now the monster was confused, and in its confusion another Silvenar warrior drew out an arrow and shot its second eye.
Now lacking depth perception, the beast swung its arms wildly in a desperate attempt to slay the invading Bosmer... but its efforts were in vain. Finally a third Silvenar warrior shot a third arrow, blinding the troll completely. The beast roared loudly in pain, and Marudil claimed this opportunity to shoot the creature in the mouth. His arrow pierced through the skull and into the creature's brain, dropping it soon after.
"The beast is dead... have we any wounded warriors?" Marudil asked the group.
"No." Elberoth replied, "In fact I don't think that could have gone any better."
"Good. Now we have only to invade the Embassy... onward to the dungeon!"
The warriors climbed up the rocky walls of the cavern, and managed to reach the passageway leading directly to the Thalmor dungeon. Once inside, it was noted that the facility was unusually empty... there were no prisoners, no torturers, and no signs of anything living.
"This is strange..." One of the warriors mentioned, "I thought they'd at least have guard patrols or... something. Anything other than this. Do you think that they know we're here?"
"No... no, that's not possible." Marudil responded, "If they heard us fighting that troll, they'd have sent their guardsmen here to protect the door or to investigate the noise."
"We'd best keep a sharp eye." Marudil reasoned, "Stick close and keep to the shadows. Ondolemar should be here somewhere."
With that, Marudil and the Silvenar slipped out of the dungeon and crept into the Thalmor Embassy's central complex. As with the dungeon, the place was eerily empty... and quiet. It was as if the Embassy had been evacuated recently, for unclear reasons.
"Over there... see?" Elberoth pointed out one room. "Awfully nice-looking bedroom there..."
"It must be his. All of you, follow me." Marudil ordered.
The Silvenar quietly followed Marudil's lead toward the bedroom. And sure enough, there he was: the honorable Ondolemar, sleeping soundly in the "safety" of his quarters. Marudil snapped his fingers by Ondolemar's ear, then drew a knife to his throat when the high elf woke up.
"You-- you're... you're supposed to be dead!" Ondolemar said in shock, "Northwing said that--"
"The report of my demise was greatly exaggerated." Marudil said with a sly, glaring grin on his face. "But there will be nothing exaggerated in your downfall... if you do not lend us your listening ear and grant us our one request."
"You... you mean to tell me that you went to all this trouble, breaking into the Thalmor Embassy and threatening me with violence, all over one request? Are you mad?"
"I'm going to let you in on a little secret, Ondolemar: most dealings with the Thalmor have been known to fall on deaf ears... or so I'm told. You and your people made this necessary... and now you pay for it."
"Okay, fine, just... follow me to our meeting chambers. We can document your request officially there so that it can be made clear to the rest of the Dominion."
"Silvenar," Marudil ordered his loyal Bosmer warriors, "Keep your arrows at the ready... in case our friend here should attempt to escape."
And with that, Ondolemar got up from his bed and began leading Marudil and his people to the Dominion's meeting chambers. They were stationed outside of the main structure of the Embassy, meaning that Marudil and the Silvenar had to be taken outside... but when Ondolemar lead them to the door of the meeting chambers, he stopped abruptly. Without turning around, he began to speak aloud... but not to his captors.
"Gentlemen... you remember Marudil and the Silvenar of Valenwood, don't you?"
Instantly Marudil and his tribesmen looked around, and were shocked to find themselves surrounded by 10 fully-armored Thalmor soldiers. 5 of them had arrows at the ready, while the remaining 5 drew out their swords. Ondolemar smirked as he gave his order.
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