Journal of Aicanian Aedus, Dominion Soldier: 4E176

Written by recovering marine and future Thalmor agent Aicanian Aedus in his apartment in Lillandril in 4E176, and subsequently eaten in a fit of paranoia shortly afterwards

I still remember the ambush. I remember how the light filtered through the leaves, how Rondello almost fell when he stepped in the divot in the road, how I had a craving for stuffed peppers instead of the salted rations I had eaten for weeks. I remember the roars of the minotaur irregular when he came crashing out of the brush. I remember the imperial splinter-rune slashing open my leg and jaw. After that, all I remember is seeing red. What I don't remember is breaking my sword in the minotaur's eye socket, what I don't remember is seeing Rondello and Enrielle and Dar'Vrego and Variem die killing the main force while I was mad with pain and chasing after the two battlemages. What I do remember is glancing back to see the dead bodies of the ambushers and my friends as I crawled to the base of an old oak to pass out.

I went to their funerals a week ago, well Rondello's and Enrielle's. Dar'Vrego's was in Elsweyr and Variem didn't have any living relatives to throw him a funeral. Variem didn't even get his name on the memorial in Alinor because it was deemed that "it would be demoralizing for the general populace" to see too many names on the monument. And since Variem didn't have any family, his name was one of the ones that got chopped.

Celarre is a Justiciar now, I suppose that I have her to thank for having my wounds healed so quickly and completely. The menacing hood doesn't suit her well, but she seems to think that her presence is an intimidating one (even though I remember when she used to blush and hide behind her books when the debate team captain glanced her way in school). She's recommending me to some sort of research program, telling her superiors that I'm a patriot and a hero. I don't feel like a hero, I feel like a mer who wants to go back to his hobby of writing comedies, but Celarre says that refusing the program would place me and her under suspicion by other Justiciars for "insufficient zeal". I'm supposed to board a ferry to the Thalmor base on one of the islands to the south of Alinor in four days.

I can't bring myself to eat stuffed peppers anymore.