User blog:Lonesome Courier/Ancient Legends: Civil Unrest VIII

Winterhold, The College of Winterhold, 2nd of Rain's Hand, 4E 203

The next morning, Darius and Arabelle were awoken and told to report to the Arcaneum immediately.

Arabelle got dressed and made her way there.

Darius joined her there soon afterward, dressed in his Archmage robes.

"Who's the crazy guy who ordered the Archmage of the College out of bed?" Darius grumbled.

"I am."Galmar Iron-Fist stated angrily.

"Oh shit..."Arabelle sighed.

"Oh shit is right..."Galmar growled.

Darius sighed. "What brings you to the College, Galmar?" He asked, with an unavoidable tone of annoyance.

"No thanks to you, Riften is ours. But I'm here for a higher purpose." Galmar stated.

"Now both of you listen. And don't get cocky Darius, just because you run this college doesn't make you any better. Can't you see it now? Your love for Arabelle superseding your love of Skyrim has almost gotten your best friend killed. Korgrav wouldn't have been in the shape he is had you two been at your post. He could have died, and we could have lost the Rift. Had you been there the seventy nine men we had to bury might've stood today. I had thought better of you Darius... And Arabelle, after Solitude, you're dismissed from the Stormcloaks for conduct unbecoming of an officer. Your undergarments were found hanging from someone's roof ledge... I do hope you two take a good long look at yourselves before proceeding in life..."

Darius was struck silent, his eyes dropping to the ground.

No...

Arabelle started to sob and ran back to her room... She was shamed beyond belief...

"Darius, you are the last Dragonborn, the Archmage of this college, and according to my sources the master of a guild I don't think I need to mention. You've mastered the thu'um, you've bested Alduin, you've mastered magic, but you can't master self-control. I expect in three weeks your crew to be at our stronghold outside solitude, ready to take Skyrim."

"But I suggest you make a trip to the Rift to talk to the men there. They'd like to hear an apology I'm sure..."

Darius looked at Galmar, anger burning in his heart and tears beginning to gather in the corner of his eyes. "I'll head to the Rift soon. just allow me a few moments..."

"Very well... I'll be waiting at our Stronghold." Galmar stated before leaving.

Darius turned to the bare stone wall behind him, tears starting to fall.

"Why is it... No matter what I do.... I can't find a place to lay my head?!" He shouted at the wall, in anguish.

"Is that my fate?! ANSWER ME! YOL!"

Darius unleashed a tongue of fire at the wall, out of rage at the universe, who had taken his one chance at solace from him...

The Archmage pounded on the blackened wall, tears falling freely.

Arabelle cried her eyes out... Mara I beg of you to fix this broken heart...

Darius turned around, his back to the wall.

His heart broken into a million pieces, the Archmage who had single-handedly defeated Alduin, Harkon, and Miraak put his head in his hands, and wept.

Mara... If you hear me, I beg you to make this right somehow someway someday... Arabelle couldn't breathe without sobbing.

Talos, Julianos, Mara, don't you see this isn't right?!

Darius took a shaky breath, before shouting to the heavens.

"NOOOOOOO!"

Korgrav came up behind Darius. "Brother, I am here for you."

Arabelle wept until she passed out on the stone floor in the middle of the hall of countenance. Where her tears fell, deathbell now grew, and still does to this day.

Yslana came across Aras, and carried her to her own room, and sat next to the bed, and waited.

"I didn't think it was possible, brother..." Darius took a breath. "But my heart is broken..."

To this day, students passing the blackened wall swear that they smelt rain, as it fell on worn stone...

"Look brother there is a saying,'If you love something, let it go. If it's meant to be, it'll come back. If not, then it was never meant at all.'" Korgrav sighed placing his hand on Darius' shoulder.

Arabelle eventually awoke clutching her chest as if it had a massive hole through it.

"If she doesn't come back, I don't think I could handle it." Darius admitted.

"Aras... I'm sorry.' Yslana spoke.

"She may not come back today, tomorrow, or next month, but as all things have a fate and none can outrun it, if you two are meant to be, you will be together again. Patience is the mightiest virtue yet the hardest to get right, but in time, we all can master it." Korgrav sighed.

"It's not fair Ys... What did we do to deserve this? And now I have disgraced myself, my family, the Stormcloaks, Darius..."Arabelle ranted before sobbing once more.

"You sound like Paarthurnax." Darius chuckled weakly. "I kept telling him I don't believe in fate..."

"If you do love him, then not even the gods can keep you apart. Someday, someway, I know that you two will find each other." Yslana offered.

"Well Just remember what I said."Korgrav offered.

"I just... I don't want to wait..."Arabelle cried. As she cried the sweetest yet saddest aroma of wysteria began to fill the hall.

Darius sighed. "I guess I have to head to the Rift now.... deal with the consequences..."

"I believe Darius is just as heartbroken as you." Yslana stated. "I have no doubt he would do anything to make it up to you."

"Don't you see it though Ys? We can't be right now." Arabelle cried.

"Shall I accompany you?" Korgrav stated.

"Yes... Thank you, Korgrav." Darius sighed.

"Then at least a farewell?" Yslana suggested.

Korgrav grinned,"No problem brother."

"I can't... I just... " Arabelle sobbed, hoping she'd understand.

Yslana fell silent, and hugged Arabelle.

Darius brushed through his hair, suddenly discovering the lingering scent of honeysuckle from Ivarstead.

Oh, Aras...

Fighting back more tears, Darius opened another portal to Riften.

Arabelle clung to Yslana, sobbing softly in her arms.

Korgrav sighed and stepped behind Darius through the portal...

The spring winds from the west blew through the moats of Riften, as the Archmage stepped out of the portal.

Korgrav stood behind Darius and awaited to see his plans.

Darius made his way to Mistveil Keep, as a few thieves shadowed the Archmage in the shadows. These thieves weren't looking to rob him, rather, they were protecting him.

The Archmage of Winterhold had a complicated relationship with the Skyrim criminal underworld, and there were even rumors that it was the Archmage who had facilitated the Thieves Guild's meteoric rise...

"Darius... We have company... Shall I end them?" Korgrav growled.

"No, They wouldn't attack the Guildmaster." Darius held up a hand.

"That ones eyeing me too much. Gesture to him I'm good, or I'm going to beat his face in." Korgrav grumbled.

Darius produced a sharp whistle, and cast a quick spell displaying the "Protected" Shadowmark.

The Theives stopped eyeing Korgrav.

The Stormcloaks oddly enough were gathered in the Market. Apparently, Galmar had known that Darius would do the right thing, and had sent word.

The Archmage sighed, and dispelled the Shadowmark spell. He ascended the Mistveil Keep steps as the clouds gathered overhead, setting the scene.

The Stormcloaks hushed in reverence to Darius's incoming speech. Korgrav stood in the crowd. In truth this was as much an apology to him as it was to them.

Darius cleared his throat, and looked to the heavens once more.

He looked back down and took a breath, and started talking.

"Long ago, Aryon Drethan, the Nerevarine of Morrowind, came to this conclusion about love: It is a double-edged sword, both the sweetest and bitterest thing on Tamriel. It can empower or destroy a man. Time and time again, he has been proven right, and will continue to be proven right until the end of days."

Darius sighed.

"I am here to admit that Aryon has been proven right again. I fell in love, and it almost destroyed me. It killed 79 men unnecessarily, and almost killed my Shield-Brother, Korgrav Titanborn."

"But that is the past. Today, I stand before you, a broken man, with one request: accept my apology for not tending to my duties, and respecting my shield-brothers and sisters."

The men and women in blue were silent until Korgrav saluted Darius with the Stormcloak symbol which in turn caused them all to eventually do the same.

Darius sighed. "Thank you. Free drinks at the Bee and Barb, courtesy of the Thieves Guild."

With that, Darius returned the salute, and headed off to the other good spot in town: the Ragged Flagon.

Korgrav stopped Darius before going in the sewers.

"Passage for your shield-brother?"

Darius looked at him tiredly. The Guildmaster nodded and motioned for Korgrav to follow him.

Darius perked up noticeably as they entered the Flagon's rotunda.

"Guildmaster!" Vekel called out. "The latest haul from Solitude came though, and it's massive! The money from the proceedings are in the chest."

"Lovely place you have here!" Korgrav laughed.

"Oh, it's my second home." Darius smiled.

The Thieves Guild conducted it illicit business loudly. Tonila was pawning off stolen Imperial furniture to a Morrowind client.

"Dar, what's on your mind?" Korgrav asked.

Darius chuckled, bitterly. "I feel like I just drove a fire-enchanted sword through my gut with that speech."

"Well it could've been worse. It could've been a flaming fire poker." Korgrav smiled,"Look Dar, there comes a time in life for everything. A time to be born, a time to die. A time to wage war, a time to make peace. A time to speak, a time to be silent. And most important, a time to act, and a time to be patient. Good things come to those who wait for the right time. If it's meant to be, then it shall, but perhaps now it's not the right time."

"Everyone's telling me and Aras that 'it's not the right time.' But nobody's told the fucking Vigilants 'sorry, come back later!'"Darius snarked bitterly, displaying the biting sarcasm the broken-hearted Dragonborn would become known for in the post-war era.

"Don't you think the gods all have ways of making things happen exactly when they are supposed to? No earlier and No later?" Korgrav stated.

"Well then, if that's true, forgive my bluntness, but the gods are asses." Darius snarked. In a moment of sincerity, he pulled out an old Amulet of Talos, and held it out to Korgrav. "Take it. if- no, when I get proven wrong on this point, give it back to me."

"I surely will, and when the day comes that I give this back to you, promise me you'll frame it or some shit as a reminder to all that the gods are always at on our side."

Darius smiled and gave him the amulet.

"I suppose we should start getting ready for Solitude..."