If all my years within the Legion had taught me anything it was when to be quiet and hold my tongue. Despite his anger and passion and the fact that he and the other two noblemen were directing it in full force at me I stood as still as a stone, my feet placed on the floor in such a way that it could not be mistaken as being at attention. I also somehow, with increasingly great difficulty managed to keep my face blank and none of my own building anger to be seen as the way the other two were watching me made me feel as though they were waiting for me to react. There was something about the whole situation that reminded me of the few times that I had been in front of Legate Quintillius or Tribune Herana for various reasons.

  It was a set up. A trap and while I didn’t fully understand their reasoning an identified trap was one you could avoid and so I stood in silence as the Duke continued raving for a few more minutes before running out of steam. He stood on the far side of the desk as it was flanked by the other two and I stared him down, refusing to budge despite the vast disparity in our rank.

  “The Elder Council has elected me to be the Knight-Commander of the Order of the Nine.” His voice still contained a quaver from his outburst and he was obviously flushed as he returned to speaking normally. “I understand that you and your… ‘knights’ have been responsible for retrieving the other six relics and that is to be applauded. However, as you have not personally retrieved these relics and have been unable or unwilling to wield them, then such an honour falls to me.”

  My face remained blank but I replied with another simple ‘Yes, my Lord’ as I knew that it was the best and safest response at the time. Sir Wirile however tilted his scarred expression in my direction as though he had been waiting for the moment to speak. “Your name holds a great weight, Sir Desin. Within Cyrodill at least. Several members of the Elder Council ensured that your actions and deeds were to be rewarded which is why you have been made the second in command.”

  The Duke didn’t have any reservations at this point of showing how he felt and was practically growling like a starved animal. “Their authority, especially after seeing the horrendous state of this place and the numerous grievous mistakes on your part is the only reason why I am unable to strip everything from you.”

  Every thought and part of my will was focussed on remaining impassive and calm despite every fibre of y being demanding blood. I had originally felt relieved that the responsibilities of the Order would no longer be mine but after having all of my efforts and those of the men and women who had given so much already I was increasingly angry. I held my tongue as much as it was almost physically hurting me, and all nervousness was now replaced with a smouldering rage that the vampire was trying to use as a method of release.

  Dragging the chair out of the way and pausing for a moment as though he was about to sit, the Duke thought better of it and remained standing, clasping his hands behind his back. “What were your intentions with this Order?”

  This was an answer I had readily available despite how my every thought was bent towards keeping my face as impassive and blank as possible. “Train a number of cavalry and field as many infantry as I could supply and equip until such time as Umaril was found.”

  “It appears you truly are a fool. The Unfeathered one is dead; banished to the bounds of Oblivion and incapable of returning.”

  “And the attacks on the Church my Lord?” I said with my voice growing as cold as the atmosphere within the room.

  His gaze didn’t waver and while I refused to back down I could see a pair of hunter’s eyes framed within his bearded face. “Heretics and daedra worshippers. Once this Order has been turned into something of use we will hunt down and burn such a taint from the land. There is no great conspiracy, no returning daedra and certainly nothing beyond the evils of women and beastfolk behind these criminal acts.”

  I could no longer ignore my mind’s hissed warnings, or the fact that every time the hilt of the Sword of Arkay revealed itself from behind his head my gaze was drawn to it. While I knew that he and presumably Sir Wirile and Sir Jaseton believed what he said was true, Viconia and I especially knew better. Their attitudes and the strange yearning desire to claim the Sword had put me on edge even without their constant attempts to gain a reaction from me.

  “Very well, my Lord.”

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  Silence fell between the four of us and the Duke stood still, his eyes slowly moving from my head to my toes and taking note of every detail of my armour. His expression was unreadable but I could see the way that he lingered over certain portions of my armour, especially the breastplate and daedroth scales. Unlike his armour and those of the two knights flanking us my armour was battered and dented, showing signs of damage and combat that very few people would have experienced. Their armour’s were signs of their titles and accomplishments as much as mine were, but theirs stemmed from wealth and noble birth rather than trials, hardship and blood.

  “The other Relics.” He said after some time. “Where are they?”

  “Secured in the Undercroft, my Lord.”

  Crawling up my spine, the look that the three men suddenly wore made me tense and the vampire growled in the depths of my mind. Despite the situation the charged tension in the air was potent and I found myself reading for an attack while struggling my body to remain still, especially when Sir Wirile’s hand came to rest on the pommel of his sword in a relaxed gesture that appeared everything but.

  “Very good, at least you can do something right.” Looking between the two other nobles, the Duke gave a slight grin of triumph before giving me a smile that reminded me of a slaughterfish, or Viconia about to commit some form of violence on some hapless individual. “The Relics are pivotal to our efforts and my claim to them will not be denied and the Knights of the Nine will become the premier Knightly Order within all of Tamriel. Have taxes been collected?”

  Caught off guard from his sudden question, I felt myself start and twitch before I could control my expression again. “Taxes, my Lord?”

  “By the Nine, what kind of Noble are you? Taxes! Septims! Money that will be required to operate an organisation of this magnitude!”

  “The Church is providing a percentage of their tithes towards maintenance and operating the Order. Once a month a caravan will arrive bearing the relevant amounts.”

  The news seemed to please the three men, and their reactions somehow put me even further on edge when I thought that I couldn’t become any more concerned. “That’s a start, but judging from your words you haven’t collected any from the… squatters here.”

  “The people here are craftsmen and labourers, otherwise they are men at arms. There are a few with families but they all contribute to the Order.”

  “Then they can contribute by making donations to their faith.” I couldn’t bring myself to believe that the ‘donations’ that the Duke spoke of would be voluntary and I found myself gritting my teeth that were increasingly tingly. “Cedrccer, see to it.”

  Sir Wirile’s grip on the pommel of his sword turned into an amused tapping and the smile that creased his face was not pleasant. “Your will be done.”

  “As for you ‘Sir’ Desin, you will take us to the Relics.”

  Between their reactions, their opinions and my gut feelings I felt myself stiffen and a decision had formed in my mind even without needing to consider it. “I must apologise my Lord, but that is not possible at this time.”

  More than just Sir Wirile’s hand tightened on his sword and I found myself itching to grip Sunchild at my hip. The Duke’s expression turned dark, then cold and while there was no outwards sign of it for the moment there was anger building under the surface.

  “Why not?”

  “The undercroft is secured behind a door and after we secured the Relics last month it… broke.”

  “Broke? Surely something as simple as a door shouldn’t impede the progress of such an ‘esteemed’ individual as yourself? Take a few of the animals you call ‘soldiers’ and bash it down.”

  “I would have already done so, my Lord, but the door is enchanted. This entire building is over two hundred years old and has been abandoned for most of that time, but the magicka is powerful. None of those here have any experience with magicka and I have been in liaison with the Mage’s Guild for assistance.”

  Despite the lie, it flowed off my tongue as easily as breathing and I felt myself relax as the three men accepted it. The undercroft and the door was enchanted, and still just as powerful as it had been when Viconia and I had discovered it but the only thing keeping the door closed was Sir Amiel’s signet ring attached to a cord around my throat. I didn’t fully understand my own reasoning but I knew at that moment that I was not going to let these men access to the relics until I knew more.

  “Finally, you speak some sense.” Clicking his tongue in thought, the Duke looked between me and Baron Jaseton. “We will no longer need to deal with the likes of the Guilds but it pleases me that you don’t affiliate with such people. Denos, how about your pet wizard?”

  “Mayvraud is an illusionist, but I will dispatch him to make an assessment.”

  “Excellent.” His attentions turned back to myself and he couldn’t have made it any more poignant without holding a loaded crossbow at my chest. “I want full records and details of all finances and expenditure provided to me before last light.”

  “I shall send for the scribe, my Lord.”

  For a moment it appeared as though he was going to speak but instead he straightened a little more and turned his back to me. “You are dismissed.”

  The sword of Arkay was in full sight, secured to his spine with leather straps in its leather sheath and I found myself almost salivating at the sight. There was definitely something unusual about the sword and I had to physically drag myself and my gaze away from it to leave the room. It was almost impossible not to see the expressions and half concealed smiles of the other two nobles as I pulled the door open and stepped through into the main hall.