The Champion nodded, more to himself than to the Khajiit, who was already hurrying out of the dirty tavern. He suppressed a smile at the Khajiit's haste -- this clearly wasn't the kind of place he'd choose to be -- and then paid for the ale. He took it with him, and headed toward the Imperial at the other end of the bar. The man had ordered a drink, and, by the smell of it at least, it was non-alcoholic. "Good," he thought to himself. "He knows better than to drink and talk treason at the same time."

Getting a better look at the Imperial now, the Champion's earlier observations were reinforced. Despite the plain brown robe, this man was a fighter. His build, his posture, even the crisp, clean-shaven face -- not to mention the buzz cut hair -- gave away his profession, or, perhaps, ex-profession. Of that, the Champion wasn't sure...yet.

"Sorry about that disruption," he apologized to the soldier. "Shall we find a table?"

Zalphon arrogantly responds "Slavery is our right, if you could still be in slave bracers you would..."

This N'wah! He dare say despises the dunmer, I will roast his tongue, slit his throat, throw his corpse on the bitter coast, let animals pick him clean, and use his dead body as a pet, a skeletal pet...

Knock.. Knock... Knock.

Gauj had already been in the process of leaving his coffin a milisecond before the first knock came. A messenger from Ocato stood over his sleeping area. "Why have you disturbed my slumber?"

"Sir, Emperor Ocato requests your presence immediately."

"Get out of my sight, tell Ocato I'm on my way," hissed the frustrated Vampire, leaping out of his coffin and speeding past the messengers, leaving them confused and startled.

Gauj lunged over a manservant, who dropped the papers he was holding. Before he knew it he arrived at Ocato's chambers. He slid through the doubledoors and awaited his lord.

"You called, Master Ocato?" sung the croaky voice of the vampire.

Emperor Ocato nodded as his adviser's voice came to his ears. "I did indeed," he responded. "There is a matter that concerns me, as it endangers our empire." He paused, for effect and to see if Gauj was paying the attention that the matter was due. Satisfied, he continued, "Since Jauffre and the rest of the escaped traitors disappeared and the Militia razed Cloud Ruler Temple, you know how scanty information about them has been...a sketchy report here, an unreliable witness there..."

Ocato was pacing again. He paced frequently. It helped him to think, and it helped to soothe his nerves. He hardly took note of the vampire, and seemed to be thinking out loud now rather than speaking to another person. "Now that that fool of a Champion is back, or at least so the rumors say, they've more reason to surface. The people loved them for what they did...defending Bruma, working with Martin, helping to end the Oblivion crisis."

"It's precarious, this whole situation...we've got the people to see them for the traitors that they are now, but, if they all joined together...well, the people are fickle...would seeing them together, united, make them remember their heroes," he wondered, with the faintest hint of a sneer, "and despise their Emperor?"

He frowned deeply but did not answer the question. Instead, he looked suddenly straight up Gauj. "They've been spotted...Jauffre, Baurus, and a few of the other traitors. They were seen recently in the ruins of Cloud Ruler Temple...my sources think they've been hiding out there for some time, probably since shortly after the Militia left." His eyes flashed. "I need them gone, Gauj. The empire needs them gone."

A lone figure stood outside the tavern, on the upper decks. As he stared out into the emptiness of the cloudless sky, he stood motionless, simply whispering to himself in a half drunken stupor. As the wind picked up for a moment, he gripped his empty flask, hanging it over the side of the boat, as he leaned up against the wooden rails.

"Its so warm out tonight?kind of reminds me of home."

Which home would that be? The one you abandoned or the one you betrayed?

"Both actually?kind of funny that, you know? How things, people, places?could be so different, yet so alike in so many ways."

Like those priests you never hesitated to butcher for your gods? The ones that held the same wavering loyalty as you did, yet you never bothered to simply look outside the box, and ask yourself why?

"But making mistakes is apart of life, its apart of growing."

It's all your life has ever been filled with though; your own stupidity, your own blindness, your own incompetence. It's a wonder you're still alive.

This had been going on for the last few hours. As with most folks, Eromar drank to forget. Unfortunately, his thoughts always drifted back to the ones he tried hardest to suppress. However, he couldn't help it. He'd sit here arguing with himself for a bit, until his purse ran empty of coins, or the sun greeted the horizon.

Tonight would be no different, except for the rather large crowd the Float attracted this evening. When he first came in things had been relatively quiet, but since that time, the ruckus had increased. It was evident from the noise there was a party of some sort going on downstairs, which forced many of the regulars to the upper decks.

Aside from that there seemed to be a meeting or something taking place between a few tables. Even in his intoxicated state, the stench of old rotting flesh was familiar to him, and when he turned to find the source of the hideous odor, his eyes met those of a Dunmer, a Khajiit, and a robed figure all gathered together.

It wasn't any of his business though, so he turned and continued downing the last bit of brandy he had in his flask, staring at the empty bottle for a few minutes before beginning his ranting. By this time however, he noticed the bouncers moving through the crowds; they had begun throwing the thoroughly intoxicated out.

As to avoid a confrontation, he figured it might be best if he left right now. As he headed downstairs he saw the robed man once more, posted up by the bar. He just wanted to return his flask before he departed, so he avoided eye contact, keeping his head down until he made it to the bar.

"Excuse me Miss how much have you had tonight?" Shara felt a tap on her shoulder. She twisted violently, apparently surprising the bouncer tapping her shoulder.

"I'm...I'm not done yet." Shara wasn't used to heavy drinking, and the alcohol certainly was taking its toll on her. "But...maybe I should be...should be heading home." She stood, brushing off her shirt and running her hands through her long hair.

"See ya, Altmer." The last word was barely audible, as Shara took her first step forward, she fell, collapsed more likely, onto the Bouncer. "Not drunk at all..." Shra pulled herself up, and tried to maintain her balance as she briskly walked out the front door (which was definitely not easy).

She stumbled her way back to the manor. This was probably the only time in her life Shara had returned to her home drunk. Her boss will likely not be happy. Despite that, the conversation she had overheard while in the Bloated Float was rather surprising. Why were shady characters meeting together like that? Who was the hooded man? She remembered clearly, despite her drunkenness, what the Khajiit had said to the hooded man in the bar.

"Yes, J'Tava will find out what he will. And concerning the elf, J'Tava already knows what he has been told. The Zalphon is of the Morrowind house Telvanni, a Master, so he said to J'Tava."

The words were very clear in her mind, even if everything else was a blur.

Hurrying through the manor, trying to make sure that nobody saw her enter. She slipped into her room without incident and collapsed on her bed. The alcohol had dulled her feelings regarding Dorian's murder, but now she had something more to think about.

They didn't look like common skooma dealers or brigands...they looked much...deadlier.

Shara let her sleep overcome her. Whatever the words meant, she'd think about it the next morning.

"My lord, you do honor me so. That me, a humble servant of thine self, be chosen for this quest, it does me great honor to have the responsibility of this mission," chided the vampire. "So I'll be infiltrating Cloud Ruler Temple. Well I do say, I had thought someday you would send me there. You are smart in doing so. But of course, my services do not come... Cheaply."

"My rewards will be A. You will consider Vampirism, even if you must use illusions to hide it from the public. B. My personal forces will be given five hundred more footsoldier, and twenty-five cavalry units. C. I want my own personal alchemy lab with an assistant with it, for my various poison blueprints."

"Oh, and of course, what companies do I have at my disposal to bring with me to the Temple? I hate to barrage you with questions, but, my lord Ocato, they are quite.. Necessary."

"Godsdamned Redguard," she muttered under her breath, standing up from the table shortly after the Bosmer had left.

She stumbled a bit as she stood, using the table to steady her. With a quick motion, she pocketed the gold that had been sitting on the table. She downed the last of her drink in a single gulp and then staggered toward the exit. She wasn't thinking much about the strangers that abounded, but rather about what the rest of the night would hold. Upon reaching the edge of the boat, she stopped, well aware of the sickening sensation in her gut. She bent over the railing and pulled her hair out of her face with a single hand, eyes rolling. The first heave was rather empty, but was quickly followed by two more heaves, depositing the contents of her stomach into the water far below. Her lungs felt crushed as she continued heaving long after bile and liquor stopped rolling out of her mouth.

"Damn," she moaned, then heaved, "it."

With luck, the heaving stopped, and she walked away from the railing, leaving the tavern in a fuming stupor.

Ocato eyes narrowed a bit at his adviser's list of demands. Damn him, he thought, he just doesn't give up about vampirism, does he?! The rest seemed reasonable enough, however, so he decided to ignore the first part.

"As always," he said, "you will be well rewarded. And as for how many men you should take, well..." He shrugged. He was a wise enough politician to recognize a good military man when he saw one, and give him the freedom he needed to do what had to be done; he wasn't the sort who needed to micromanage things, so long as they got done satisfactorily. And Gauj always saw his assignments through. "You know best what you need...I leave it up to you to decide how you'll go about it."

That was how things worked between the Emperor and adviser; Gauj did what was needed, but never more. The emperor gave him carte blanche, and the adviser never abused the power. They were a good team, the politician and warrior, each knowing how much to give and how much to take to work things to their own advantage, and get the job done without stepping on each other's toes.

"Oh, and Gauj, my sources say that they have not seen many of them, a few dozen perhaps, but that they seem to have some sort of system of tunnels under the ruins into which they disappear, that maybe we missed the first time. There may be more inside, and we have no idea what fortifications or systems of traps they might have set up." It was the closest that the Emperor could come to saying 'Take care' or 'Good luck', and it was admittedly not very close; he had done his best to prepare the vampire, however, and now it was up to him to take care of things...not that there was much to worry about. Gauj was a ruthless, hardened soldier, and a Nord beside; he would a match for the Blades, and more than a match for the mountains.

Kejinx grinned, and licked the back of his fangs with his dry, brittle tongue. He listened through Ocato's little talk. Kejinx's eyes lightened when Ocato said, ""You know best what you need...I leave it up to you to decide how you'll go about it."

Ocato finished after another little precautionary talk, and Gauj replied, "Lord as always it will be done. If the citizens find out, though, they may not be so happy about us assaulting the old Blades temple," he scratched his beard, and leaped out of the room before Ocato could say anything. Gauj is very spontaneous at moments, and chooses to keep people at edge for anything from him.

Down the hall, the red and gold lined carpets and walls flitting by his vision.

Within three minutes, he had gone a kilometer into the citadel that was Ocato's palace. In the bowels of the palace was where the many elite and veteran soldiers trained, and this was where the vampire was headed.

"Eyy if it aint Gauj Kejinx. I 'idn't fink you'd be comin' down 'ere afta' last time," grunted an Orc, raising his head upwards to show off the scar Gauj had inflicted upon him a couple days ago. It had gotten infected, and was pulsing green with white pus.

"You think you intimidate me? I could kill you right now for your insolence."

"Oh I don' fink da boyz are gunna let datt 'appen," said the large Orc.

Several Redguards and Orcs, with a Bosmer here and there and an Argonian archer surrounded him, bearing weapons that varied from maces to swords.

Gauj slowly stepped backwards, sizing up his opponents. There are too many, I can't take them all at once. Gauj stood his ground, and opened his mouth extremely wide. It was a scary sight for the soldier thugs to see, they gasped, and backed up.

"Roooooooaooaohh!" screamed the vampire, shattering one of the mens' eardrums, and probably was able to be heard by Ocato a mile through the stone of the palace. Most of the people were on their knees, or at least temporarily disorientated. The Orc that had challenged him first stood dumbfounded, his neck stuck out.

Gauj flashed his blade down, leaving the Orc's head hanging on a thread of flesh. "That is for assaulting and disobeying a superior."

The rest of the soldiers submitted, their leader dead. "I'm going to be telling your Captains of this, and I wonder what they'll think about it," he spat, striding through their midst.

Captain Otun was right down the hall, fixing his large iron boot with a hammer.

"Ahh Otun. My friend," said the vampire, putting on a charming act.

"Hello, Gauj. News from Ocato?" asked Otun.

"Ah yes. I shall be taking your company along with Captain Currux's company to Cloud Ruler Temple. Bring a few catapults, be creative. Oh, and a ram. We may need a ram. Bring your full companies. Relay this onto Captain Currux," explained the vampire, who wanted to get out of this blasted place, and feel the cool night air against his skin. "We leave as soon as your companies are ready, or when nightfall arrives."

J'Tava had just scaled the wall to his bedchamber window when a distant yet thunderous roar threatened to topple him back off the balcony.

'What fool is doing this in the high of Jode?'

Dismissing the strange noise to one of the many stranger residents of the palace, be they man or less, J'Tava hung his suit on a nearby coat rack. He carefully retrieved the list of missing allies, unrolling the parchment with utmost care, and proceeding to read it by the flickering candle light.

'Evangeline Beanique: Ex member of Ocato's personal guard, disappeared after openly disapproving of many of Ocato's decisions. Presumed dead. Hmm, little hope there; no doubt Gold Skin killed her. Next is... Roliand: A Blade, last seen at Cloud Ruler Temple. I wonder what has become of that place; many whisper the dread king destroyed it, yet the Blades still wander its halls. J'Tava will look into that. Next is...'

The grate ground slowly and loudly -- oh so loudly -- as it opened. Was it stealth that caused the man behind it, emerging from the long, unlit subterranean passages, to open it so slowly, or was it fatigue? An observer, had there been one, might have been hard pressed to say either way, as the aged, stooped figure jumped at the noise, his eyes darting all about, and yet, perhaps the more so for his obvious fright, seemed a frail, timid creature hardly capable of moving the heavy iron grate.

He was a withered man it seemed, old, bent, and ghastly pale. His pallor, though, for all its ghastliness, was human enough. It, more than anything else -- even the hazy glance of his eyes, and the way he blinked stupidly for a few moments at the moon and stars overhead -- gave away at least part of his story.

It was not hard to guess that the old man had not seen light for a very long time; and it was not hard to guess that his lengthy, thin, unkempt hair and beard had taken some time to grow. It was even less difficult to match these facts with the fact that he was exiting the sewer that serviced the Imperial dungeons, and draw an intelligent conclusion.

He stood still for several moments, looking about him. A light patch of cloud passed in front of the moon, and then moved on. The old man blinked as he was illuminated in the pallid light. He seemed, if possible, more ghostly than before, and yet more distinctly human. Perhaps it was the frailty accentuated by the new wave of moonlight that differentiated the ghostly being from a creature of the netherworld. Then he walked toward the water, his step slow and hesitating. He stopped at the shore, testing the water, and then wading forward.

He was headed somewhere, probably just away from this accursed sewer; and the only way out was by water, as the cliff side could not be scaled. He progressed at a moderate pace, and before long was little more than a ripple in the water, and a strange bobbing oval above the surface.

OOC: Please, no one kill the old man or anything like that...he does have a part to play in the story.

Dragovic shuddered, rising to sit on the edge of his bed. His room was dark, as he'd put out his candles hours earlier, and he imagined it must still be evening, or else very early morning. His dark cell seemed oddly cold and lacking in its usual familiar warmth. He shivered anew, and started as a rustling whisper came to his ears. Was it his imagination, or was there someone else here? He felt his heart beat furiously, and a sharp, stabbing fear surged through his heart.

For a moment he froze completely, his brain seeming to stop functioning except to process his dread terror. Then his senses ebbed back, and he cast an illumination spell to light up his room. He shook his head, laughing shakily as if to calm his nerves. There was nothing...just his imagination. Gods, he thought, I'm on edge lately.

It was true. His nerves had progressively gone downhill over the last two years; and lately, he'd gone from jumping at every noise to jumping at every noise that he imagined. Tonight, after his conference with the Emperor, he was worse than usual. He'd gone straight to bed after he returned, snapping the head off of anyone unfortunate enough to get in his way. Then he'd lain there, tossing, turning, and growing icy cold.

The truth of the matter was, he didn't know what he was going to do. The Argonian, Sum'Ondead was his name, had vanished, simply vanished. Had he had help? That Dragovic didn't know, and, at this point, it almost didn't matter. The fact was, he was gone...disappeared while being transported to jail, gone around vowing his vengeance on the Emperor, whom he blamed for the mage guild arresting him and sending him to jail, and then vanished. His disappearance had raised a stir amongst the people, and more than a stir from the Emperor.

Dragovic shook at the mere thought of it. Somehow, in his bones, he felt that Ocato had lost his tolerance for him. "How did things get to this point?" he had wondered so many times, but in truth he knew.

He had joined Ocato's coup as soon as its success was assured, and as soon as Ocato's opponents began to vanish en masse. He had never supported it from ideological standpoint. Gods, no. But he had done what he had to do to survive. He was just one man after all, and not even his considerable prowess as a mage could save him from the wrath of an emperor. He was not the sort of man to run like a frightened sheep and hide like an animal in some rat hole for the rest of his life, or until an Imperial spy found him and he was killed, or, worse, sent to a living death of being buried alive in the Imperial dungeons. No, he had worked too hard, overcome too many obstacles in his life to end up like that; he was a brilliant man, a learned man, and one who had devoted his life to his craft. He couldn't let that go, however he felt about the coup. Times had changed ? the emperor had changed ? and he just had to accept that, and change to meet his new reality.

At least, that's what he'd thought then. Now that it was far too late, he wasn't sure how he felt anymore. The life he'd chosen for himself, fulfilling his dream of running the Mage's Guild albeit at the cost of being the servant of a cold but powerful emperor, had not been all that he hoped it would be. He had always feared that Ocato would sense his lack of ideological loyalty, despite his protestations of good faith. He had always feared Ocato's temper and sense of vengeance. He had always dreaded being called in as a partner in Ocato's often brutal work of quashing any and all rebellion. And, seeped in those fears, he had gone from the most respected mage in the guild to a cringing, nervous old man, afraid to face his fate. Now he could not say...if given a second chance, even if the risks were all the same, would he have done the same thing? He didn't know.

Yet, his comfortable, but depressingly still and solitary, chamber now lighted, he rose and slipped on his robes. He could not sleep...there was no use pretending. He would call for his underlings, and draw up a plan to catch the rebel argonian to bring him to justice...at least, the emperor's version of it.

OOC: Just thought about this...I realize I'm posting separate topics in different posts, at least for the longer ones...is that preferable, or would it be better to have one giant post?

Ocato sighed as the vampire sprang out of the room. He enjoyed being erratic, the Emperor knew...but still, it was an annoying habit. Oh well...

He settled down in a comfortable chair, weary after his pacing and deep thought. He was tired, after all, and now that the things plaguing his mind were cleared up, he felt like he might be able to sleep. He closed his eyes, and slowly began to drift into slumber.

Then, all at once, a hellish, earsplitting screech rent the air, and Ocato leapt to his feet, his heart pounding. "Gods damn it!" he bellowed, recognizing the scream as vampiric, and coming from Gauj. "Can't that man at least behave like a human being?!"

Despite knowing the source of his fright, his heart still beat abnormally fast, and Ocato realized that any hope of getting to sleep was probably lost. He swore again, and then decided to call in his scribes. If he couldn't sleep, he might as well work.

* * *

Meanwhile, Captain Otun was making haste to deliver the vampire's message to Captain Currux. He arrived in the barracks with several other soldiers, a clanking of armor and weapons signaling their arrival, and waking a host of now ornery soldiers.

"Sir!" Captain Otum hailed the other captain, "Gauj Keijenx orders that we immediately assemble your company and mine, as well as siege equipment, to leave tonight for Cloud Ruler Temple."

Currux had been prepared to chew out his fellow officer for this sudden entrance in the middle of the night, but refrained upon hearing his message. Instead, he blinked sleepily, and asked, "Tonight? Now?"

"Yes sir," Otum replied.

"Why?"

Otum cleared his throat. Does he really expect me to know? he wondered. Aloud, he said only, "I have no idea, sir. Those are our orders."

Currux sighed. "Very good," he said. "But what siege equipment?"

"A ram, catapults, and...I'm not sure what else, sir. He said to 'be creative'."

"Oh dear," Currux murmured. A challenge from Gauj Keijenx to 'be creative' could end in any number of ways, not all of them pleasant. "Well, see to your company, and I'll assemble mine."

"Sir, yes sir."

Currux rose as the other man headed out to meet up with his troops, putting on his armor and sword, and shouting orders for his men to do the same, and fall in when they were done. The cacophony of heavy footfalls and clanging armor and weaponry would seem deafening to the unaccustomed ear, but the soldiers were used to it by now, and proceeded as if nothing was amiss.

Currux hastily inspected his men when they assembled, and, seeing nothing out of order, began shouting orders anew. He sent men to bring out the mangonels and a smaller trebuchet that would be easy enough to transport, and to ready the ram for transportation. He hoped that that would be enough, and the right sorts of siege weaponry for Keijenx, but one never knew with the vampire. As it was, he had little idea of what to expect at Cloud Ruler Temple himself, for, though he'd heard that it had been razed, he'd never seen it himself, and he did not know how much of the structure still stood or if any had been rebuilt.

The time seemed interminable to the anxious Captain while his men fulfilled his orders, but, at last, the preparations were winding to a close. More frightening to his mind than an necessary delay, Currux was now faced with entering the vampire's lair to inform him of their readiness.

Calling forth his courage, he breathed deeply a few times to steady his nerves, and then proceeded. He walked quickly and deliberately, willing himself as it were to face his fears. Gauj's quarters were deep within the palace walls, in a dark, secluded wing of the fortification. The captain's footsteps rang loudly on the stone floors as he approached the vampire's haunt. He came at last to the large, single door of Gauj Keijenx's abode, and it seemed very imposing to him at that moment. He knocked.

OOC: When are we going to move out of the bloated float and get on with the story?

The Redguard Kale couldn't take it anymore, it was time to start sending some people to their rooms. Kale then jumped up on a table and screamed at the top of his lungs,

"YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE!!! EXSCUSE ME!!! EVERYONE SHUT UP!!!!", and right then as the redguard yelled shut up the whole room fell silent and all eyes fell on him.

"Okay for the next couple of hours we are renting out free rooms to anyone who wants it. Also for the next couple of hours we are going have to kick most of you out. If you have had more than 3 pints of alcohol you must leave immediatley, or else me and my orc friend over here", Kale said pointing to the orc bouncer. "Are going to take you out by force. Now please leave right now if you have had more than 3 pints of any alcoholic drink!!!!!"

Gauj was behind where the door would open to. He had decided to give the good Captain a little scare. He nodded to his butler, who opened the door. Captain Currux strode into the room. He walked over to the coffin, and waited over it. Gauj slid over to his backside and hissed in his ear, "Boo."

The Captain jumped a little bit, surprised and confused. He reeled around, hand on his sword sheath.

Keijinx gave off a laugh, or whatever his deteriorated throat could muster up after the scream he had given off. "Good Captain Currux, you amuse me so. I assume the forces are ready?"

"Y-yes, my liege."

"Good, good. I will be at the assault point immediately," said the vampire, who exited in an unusually orderly fashion, beckoning the Captain to follow, which he did. "I expect your soldiers are in their peak of performance, Currux?" asked the vampire, playing with Currux.

"As always, liege."

"Oh please, don't be so formal! Call me Gauj."

"Of course, li-Gauj," stammered the nervous captain, sweat beading his brow.

After walking a few more minutes in silence, they arrived at the ground level. "Ahh the cool night air of Sithis. It soothes the skin so."

They trekked out of the bustling Imperial City. Keijinx's dreadful appearance startled many-a citizen of the city, their stares and gasps bringing much amusemant to Keijinx.

The hike to Cloud Ruler Temple would take quite some time, perhaps they would have to wait through the day if they couldn't make it there at night, but his Lord Ocato never said anything about "when" it had to be done, simply to do it.

OOC: Hawks, to speed the story line up I'm going to have the Champion head out. Feel free to catch up with him later.

Dragonheart looked up as the Redguard made his announcement. He hadn't had more than a sip himself, but he didn't want to risk drawing the bouncer's attention, even if it only was to ascertain that he wasn't drunk -- and in the process draw more eyes than necessary toward himself. He glanced over the Imperial, who seemed to have the same idea in mind, judging by his manner of glancing about.

"Scratch that," he told him, "I think things are heating up too much inside here...I'll be at the waterfront later this evening, if you want to talk." With this, he took a second sip of ale, and then strode toward the exit. He passed the Redguard, who was clearly stressed out after all the activity of the evening, with a polite nod, and then continued; the bouncer didn't try to stop him. He followed the gang plank to the pier, and then glanced around him to see who was out and about at this hour.

Captain Currux walked behind his lieutenant, keeping as great a distance between him and the vampire as he could without being disrespectful. The fact that the city residents were gaping and recoiling from one of the Emperor's most trusted advisors would be bad enough; matters were only worsened by the fact that they were recoiling because of his vampirism. Surely, Gauj had to be sensitive on the topic...yet, oddly, he seemed more amused than offended.

Currux shivered, quite unable to make heads or tail of the vampire, and unnerved because of his failure to do so. "Sir, we are moving out at once, then?" he asked. It made sense?they would have to stop in a few hours, because Gauj Keijinx's...condition...would prevent him from traveling in the sunlight; but at least they'd get a few good hours of marching in. Plus, on the upside, they'd be able to take a nice long rest after starting the trek ? which would be good for the troops, and good for him too; he still hadn't forgotten Gauj's crack about his troops being in tip-top shape, and now every hefty officer in his company was causing him mental distress. Maybe he worried too much, or maybe the vampire enjoyed playing with his head. He couldn't tell. And that worried him too.

Eromar had placed his flask on the edge of the bar, and not seeing the bar tender Ormil, nor any one else behind the counter, turned and headed towards the exit of the establishment. As he was pushing past the several dozen people all clamoring about, he saw the Redguard from earlier climbing upon a table, before making some sort of announcement. He listened only for a moment to what he had to pass, and before the Redguard had finished speaking, he continued towards the door.

Stepping outside was a relief from the bustling crowd he had just mashed himself through. All the noise, the heat and smoke, the strong smell of alcohol, all seemed to pass into the wind as a gentle breeze whistled through the night sky. Eromar breathed a sigh of relief, and slowly made his way up the walkway before reaching the cobblestone, and turning into the Waterfront district. After walking a few more steps he turned and plotted himself on the edge of the cobblestone, dangling his feet above the water.

It was then that he heard a faint chime, echoing from a bell nearby. As he turned his head to place the sound, his eyes met the entrance of the Float, its door just swinging ajar. Stepping out appeared to be the robed figure from earlier, whom he had seen with the Imperial, and before that the Dunmer and Khajiit. While Eromar was certainly curious about this fellow, who seemingly garnered the attention of many of the patrons only moments ago, he didn't particularly care.

It was obvious he was attempting to hold some thread of ambiguity, what with the cloak and hood draqed so over his face. Perhaps he was a criminal of some sort, or someone on the run. Then again?no no I don't think so Eromar thought for a moment to himself as he eyed the man over his shoulder. For a split second he thought he recognized the man as he caught a glimpse of his face. Something about his eyes struck a chord with him, but Eromar brushed the thought aside.

Realizing that he had been staring at the man for longer then a standard glance, he spoke. Maybe it was the alcohol, or maybe it truly was that he recognized him, he wasn't quite sure.

"You'd think there was a festival going on with all the ruckus this evening." He spoke in a mildly friendly tone.

The Champion nodded at the speaker, saying, "You never can tell, with the crowd here...sometimes it's quiet as a ghost town, and other times its loud enough to wake the dead."

He watched the Dumner covertly, appearing to nonchalantly look out over the waterfront. He'd felt the other man's eyes on him, and he wondered why. He was a tall man, a bit lanky, with dark, medium-length hair and deep, gray and red eyes. His cheek bones were high, but balanced by the determined jaw. It was hard to say how old he was, but Dragonheart guessed he'd seen a few centuries at least. Perhaps that was the reason for the cold turn of his eye, even now when he was being friendly.

No, he thought, it's more than age...there's a history here. It was probably irrelevant, he knew, but it made sense for him to understand people he came into contact with, be they friend, enemy or something in between.

* * *

The old man pulled himself out of the water slowly, taking long, deep, gasping breaths. He lay on the shore, his breaths seeming to wrack his frame, for many minutes. Then, he stood.

His appearance was altered but a little now. The deep crusted dirt on him had turned to a sludge, and the long, straggly hair was wet and stringy. Other than being wet and a bit more haggard, though, he was unchanged. He glanced about him. He was on the far side of the Imperial island, with the nearest gate being the main gate. Even so, that meant he had quite the hike ahead of him to get there; and a longer hike to get anywhere else.

Predictably, however, the old man turned away from the main gate, and headed along the edge of the island. The escape has to be noticed by now...and the alert would have gone through the city already. It would never do to show up looking like this...even if the alert hasn't gone out, they'd stop me. No, I have to get rid of this hair and beard, and find some different clothes. Such was his thought process as he headed toward the waterfront district of the city.

The dunmer conjured a note from thin air and handed it to the Champion...

The note said "Champion, this inn will be our downfall if we stay much longer..."

"Yesss.. We move out now," he hissed, a fleck of spittle landing on Currux's helmet.

The Captain wiped it off, disgusted.

The Captains' companies were assembled outside the Imperial City, and looked quite the spectacle. "Ahh you have overdone yourself, Currux. I wouldn't have it any other way," winked Gauj, dry eye juice crunching and falling off as he did so.

"Ehh let us begin, then, my Lord Keijinx?" said the Captain, who began to march, his men following him in suit.

"Yess. Cloud Ruler Temple will be razed to the ground! Hahaha!" shouted Gauj, leaping into the forest.

OOC: This isn't dying is it? I thought this was a great rp :/

OOC: I hope not, HW.

IC: No sooner had the Champion spoken to the lanky Dumner than did the first Dumner to approach him, Zalphon, accost him a second time. Zalphon, seeming to conjure the note out of thin air, handed him a sheet of paper. It read, "Champion, this inn will be our downfall if we stay much longer..."

Dragonheart glanced up, and nodded. With a polite farewell gesture to the second Dumner, he stepped away from the ship and headed toward the shack he'd mentioned to Zalphon. He was sure the Dumner would follow him there, perhaps not directly, but soon enough. If not...well, he still had plenty to do.

* * *

Currux shuddered with disgust as the Vampire's signs of decay manifested themselves. That was the thing about being undead, he thought, you might live forever, but you're just...well, repulsive!

He fell in behind his lieutenant, and beside Captain Otum. At that very moment, Gauj loosed a hissing, laughing scream. "Yess. Cloud Ruler Temple will be razed to the ground! Hahaha!" The two Captains inadvertently exchanged glances at this rather startling bit of news. Currux had known, of course, that they were on a siege mission...but a mission of sheer, wanton destruction? That seemed a bit much, even for Ocato.

"Sir?" Otum asked, watching him somewhat perplexedly.

Currux started a bit, and he realized that he'd been frowning deeply. "Oh...I was just thinking," he replied.

"About our mission?"

Currux nodded. Destruction, for its own sake, was not one of Ocato's tactics...so it seemed reasonable that they were not going to Cloud Ruler Temple just to bring down the ruins. Therefore his original idea, that they were planning to siege the fortress, must still be valid...in which case, the ruins must have been re-inhabited and possibly even rebuilt by someone. Who? Maybe whoever was left of the Blades?

Currux cringed at the thought. He was a loyal servant of the emperor, one who did not hesitate to obey his orders, whatever they were...but even he was made uncomfortable by Ocato's brutal destruction of an order that had served the empire -- the Emperor -- so well in the past.

"Do you know why we're going to Cloud Ruler Temple?" he whispered to Otum.

"No sir," the other man responded. "Do you?"

"No," Currux shook his head, his frown returning.

The two Grand Companies reached a cave about an hour before sunrise. "Master Keijinx, I suggest we make for a day's rest here.. With your condition, and all," said Otum, genuinely unconcerned about Keijinx's well being, but wanting to perhaps lighten the Vampire's mood so he won't yell at him.

"Ahh yess.. We will rest here. Good, good," hissed Gauj, and unexpectedly kicked in the door to the cave.

"What was that noise?" shouted a voice from further within.

"I dunno boss sounded like tha' front door breakin' in," said another, trying to be a [censored].

Gauj slid into the dank darkness. "Currux, Otum. Check in here when the blasted sun falls. I hunger," he said, fangs glistening with saliva, anxious for the killing to come.

A thug wielding a spiked club came into view, followed by a tall Nord already swinging and flail at the vampire. Gauj dove under the Nord's swinging arm, the flail connecting with the rock walls behind him, and he kicked out the man's legs. Keijinx snatched the flail from the Nord and swung it full force into his buddy's face, which was most likely a fatal blow.

The Nord was already standing, and the Vampire was too close to swing a flail. He pushed the tall man's long arms aside, and snapped them both backwards. "Raghghh!" grumbled the injured and bleeding Nord, falling to his knees.

"It's for a good cause," laughed the Vampire, sinking his fangs deep into the Nord's neck, succulent and warm blood pouring into his mouth. The nord was seizuring and Gauj tossed him aside, stalking deeper into the cave to satisfy his unending hunger.