Fragment of the Gorieada, #3

Fragment 3, "Death of fair Ami-El."

...the land of Cyrodd had grown somber over the years, and so the passing of fair Ami-El was met with much weeping and quiet, uncomfortable thought towards the future, though the land had a capable and worthy heir. For many nights, the Lord and the Lady (for Ami-El had truly been both for her people) would not appear in the sky, so that it appeared even the stars mourned her passing. As was custom, the Ruby of Empire was left to adorn the body in vigil within the Temple. The late Empress had no true family save her grief-stricken son, so her vigil was attended only by the Temple elite, a handful of nobles, and a mysterious Kothri tribeswoman who arrived just days after Ami-El’s departure to the scaled side of Akatosh. Marukh the Prophet prostrated himself in prayer before the corpse and the Stone for 5 days and 6 night before abruptly departing, his face twisted with solitary illuminations and mind-splitting insights, barely contained. He departed the city soon after, and would not return again. The coronation was a grand international affair, a ceremonious and deeply religious event. Praise, prayers and ceremonies honoring the Dragon and the Mother of Empire lasted for several hours. Memorial and praise to the accomplishments of fair Ami-El followed, then the prince, with great solemnity, claimed the Ruby of Empire from her cold breast, and annointed himself Emperor. Kings, dukes, and lords from all kingdoms and clans of the Heartland pledged fealty to Gorieus as he mounted the Ruby Throne. Of foreign attendance were the Beast of Anequina, the Nordic High King and his heir-apparent, the Chimer general Nerevar, and Dumac the Dwemer-King, both of strange and heathen Resdaynia in the distant East, all come to pay their respects. Half of Nirn’s provinces bowed that day to the glory and honor of Empire. Each lord in turn approached and offered tribute to the new Emperor. Fierce Senche war-mounts, exotic and incredible raw materials, [untranslatable], fine moth silks, and ancient tomes and sagas were gifted between the more mundane offerings of wines, spices, gold and loyalty. That night, the Serpent chased the Apprentice across the sky as the emperor slept in his new chambers at the top of the White Tower. Few saw the portent, and fewer still understood it, but the Kothri tribeswoman departed swiftly, and her tribe….