Divine Chapter 62

I began narrating the tale of my journey with Victoria and the other warriors and mercenaries who joined us in invading the Oblivion Portal. Obviously I left my own special abilities out of the picture, but I didn't hesitate to state bluntly that the monsters and Deadra were far more magically powerful than they should be.

The vampire court mage nodded and said in a soft husky voice even though there was no chance of her deny denying the exhaustion filling in her form. "He is right, the Dremora Lord I fought previously was some two-bit Baron barely more than a millennia old. But he had the average strength and magic of a decently powerful Marquess from a few decades ago." 

'Gotta wonder how strong and old this vampire court mage is actually? And if she has been serving Skyrim's 'royal' bloodline for centuries then she has likely had access to all the knowledge and resources she could want most likely.' I thought before Queen Elisif gave a small exhale as she squeezed her hands together.

"Well, I am glad you and your companion have come back to Skyrim hale and hearty. Now your information is valuable and your service in protecting the heartland of Skyrim will be praised for years to come." Elisif spoke regally before she focused on me more seriously.

"Now warrior of Skyrim I first ask you this, what is the name of you and your companion?" After sharing my, and Victoria's name she nodded and spoke slowly and seriously. "Jake Bariss, I offer to name you Thane to the Hold of Solitude, your bravery and martial will has more than earned you such a title, especially with how you have saved countless lives in closing the Oblivion Gate so quickly."

I raised an eyebrow hearing that and I gave a slight hum before I answered with a slight bow of my head. "I would be honored to have such a title Queen Elisif." 

See, I wasn't agreeing to just have a noble title despite how extremely useful it would be in keeping the military and guards of Solitude off my ass, not to mention giving me the right to interfere with the going on in the land. Besides doing something like sending a Shadow Garden member to make someone disappear or my previous holy papal persona I used to integrate into the world of Emience in Shadow.

Queen Elisif gave a small smile that quickly left her face as she tiredly blinked as it was still in the middle of night and she said. "Good. Normally I would offer a small feast in your honor to celebrate such an appointment, but for now due to both the time and Oblivion situation I must ask you to wait till we have a day of peace."

The queen looked over to the head guard and said. "Jormandur, go and retrieve Jake's symbol of his title from the armory."

My lips twitched at the reminder that becoming a Thane in Skyrim always resulted in the Hold giving you a rather mediocre weapon based on your level in the game but as the guard left the vampire court mage spoke up. "Thane, I wish to purchase the Sigil Stone you retrieved, name your price." 

I gave the court mage a look before I shook my head and said evenly. "I appreciate the offer. I truly do as I am sure you have plenty to offer, but I plan to use the Sigil Stone to enchant something of my own."

The court mage's glowing eyes sharpened on my form and I could feel Victoria tensing as she readied herself to deliver a conjured holy blade to the heart of the vampire that gave me a discontented glare. But the vampire as though reminded of the fact that me and Victoria were all but unharmed after dealing with an Oblivion Portal while she was greatly weakened. 

She visibly pulled back her annoyance with her glowing eyes fading into the darkness of her deep hood as Queen Elisif gave a small cough and said. "I see, well so long as the Sigil Stone is used I am happy with it not being used to open another portal to Oblivion within my lands.

The somewhat awkward moment was however saved as the head guard Jormandur came back... And my face twitched with Queen Elisif giggling as she saw my expression at being handed a fucking iron axe of all things.

"You truly are foreign to Skyrim and its traditions haha. Jake, I mean no disrespect but all Thanes receive a simple if slightly enchanted iron axe for when they first become Thane. And then in doing service for their Hold they can trade in the weapons they receive to get better ones that holds a ranking system for the Thane's place of importance to the Hold." She explained gently and making me nod in understanding while a thought came to mind.

"I assume an Ebony weapon is the top-ranked weapon then?" To which she nodded and as much as I wanted to ask what it would take to get there out of curiosity I put that curiosity down as I said more formally. "Then Queen Elisif, I accept you appointment with all due respect to its position, but I must ask to take my companion and myself to go rest."

Queen Elisif bowed her head in agreement with her giving a small wave as she closed her eyes and exhaled with her own tiredness clear to all as she said. "You are free to leave, and as a Thane of Solitude you are welcome within the Blue Palace to seek an audience with me if needed."

While Victoria and I made our way out of the Blue Palace I could feel Scathach shifting in my soul in warning before she spoke into my mind. "Aurora has strengthened her soul a good deal and with Ereshkigal's help she has managed to form some form a physical anchor to the world. She will leave your soul once you get back to the base you made in the mountains."

I mentally replied in an affirmative while wondering how the Witch was doing in my soul before realizing that I would learn soon enough anyway. But either way we quickly made our way out of Solitude and once we got out of view of the people we quickly picked up speed and used our supernatural nature to speed our way into the large mountains to the north west to reach the base we made in Potema's crypt.