[i]Major Kerztar Stungnthamz of the Dwemer High Government's Ministry of Order[/i]

<Tell me, Lieutenant, why do you think we won the war?> Colonel Kerztar asked, looking out at the forested coast and high-peaked mountains framing the blue sky.

<Our superior technology, Sir. These people run at us with their swords and armor, none of that means anything to us. We simply shoot them down,> Lieutenant Razgulf took his eyes from the pistol he was toying with to look at his commanding officer, <Sir.>

<The civilians,> Kerztar spoke in a hushed manner, most of his attention watching a hawk circle overhead, he smiled at this, <The civilians, the noncombatants, Lieutenant. They won the war for us. Once you make sure a Kingdom's people do not support a war, you've already won.>

Sandwiched between the Corten Mont mountains and the sea was the narrow and rocky road to Roseguard. A small fishing village that had grown through the years. This is where the carriage driven by an old man who had agreed to take them on this trip carried the infamous Major Kerztar Stungnthamz and his men, all the way to Roseguard. A week ago, a local informant had notified an Authoritarian patrol that he had seen fishing boats returning from a trip with more people than they had left with. These men were also strangely very different looking, Cyrods, more than Redguard. The Major knew already what was happening, he had heard that the arrogant Altmer had decided to invade Cyrodiil to depose an Empire in its weakest moments. It did not concern him, as these Altmer had done no wrongs to any Dwemer controlled territories along the Jeralls. What did concern him on this very day, though, was the fact that fishermen in this village were illegally harboring refugees, enemies of the state and, by extension, enemies of the people.

The carriage came to a stop, the door was opened by a Dwemer soldier and Major Kerztar Stungnthamz stepped out of the carriage, looking like the very epitome of what it was to be an officer in the Dwemer High Government's employ, the wine red tunic with gold trim, the purple sash, sword and pistol at the hip. The one thing he forwent, unlike most other mer in the Dwemer army, was a long beard, preferring to keep his chin and cheeks bear, permitting those who looked upon him to notice his strong jaw, angular chin and pointed nose. A handsome mer in uniform, but they would dread his face today, not admire it. The hot sun was a bit more bearable when an itchy beard did not do its part to heat your face. Major Stungnthamz's boots stood upon the grassy ground around Roseguard and its quaint stone houses and quaint beaches with their resting quaint boats. The same quaint boats that had carried the illegals into Volenfell. When the local informant came running up to Major Kerztar in his tattered shirt and breeches, cracked and dry leather sandals and thin, patchy beard, Major Kerztar simply asked, <So, which boats did you see returning with the illegals?>

"All of them," the thin man panted, trying to catch his breath, "I saw every one of them come back with at least one."

<I see, and you know the men who captain these boats?> Major Kerztar asked, clasping his hands behind his back. The wiry man nodded vigorously, pointed his finger towards the town and thrusting the finger out a few times, telling him to follow as he started a bouncy jog towards the village. Major Kerztar followed behind the informant at his own leisurely place, nodding to a woman hanging up clothes to dry, smiling to a group of children running around with wooden swords and sticks that looked vaguely like the pistols carried by Major Kerztar and other officers. Their mother hurried them into their house with weary eyes and wary glances.

The informant waved him to Major Kerztar to keep following, to where he brought them to a house at the top of a small hill that led down to the rest of the village and then the sea beyond. The informant stopped at the door and nodded as he did before, rapping his knuckles on the wooden frame. An elderly man stood in the doorway, hunched over with white hair, wrapped in a simple brown robe and leather sandals, "Yes, sir, what business brings you to this village?"

Major Kerztar bowed his head with a smile, looking back up to the man, he said, <My name is Major Kerztar Stungnthamz, I am the Commandant of the Southern Volenfell Cohort of the Dwemer High Government's Ministry of Order. I am here to address a recent issue that has come to light for us,> The Major offered his hand for a shake, which the old man took, <May I come inside, Mister...?>

"Malif Sheif AKham, is my name, sir. Please, by all means, share my home with me as if you had been living here as I was." Malif said with a practiced smile. Kerztar felt like this hadn't been the first time this man had had to deal with the Ministry's agents. The two men took a floor cushion at the man's table, his wife already pouring tea into not just one cup, but two, bringing them to the table with a smile that Major Kerztar returned, taking a sip of it and nodding, raising a hand.

<Simply delicious tea, where did you get it, may I ask?> Major Kerztar asked, returning the cup to the table and folding his hands in his lap.

"It was a gift, from a friend, traveling abroad. I am glad that you like it, I'm the only one who drinks it in my house. My wife doesn't like tea but she buys too much of it when she goes into town for food." The man laughed. The two men took another sip of tea, savoring the taste. Major Kerztar's tongue was hard at work trying to figure out where he had tasted this tea before in the past.

<I'm sure it is only because she cares about you and does not want you to run out. She thinks of you, that is a mark of a good wife. I applaud your choice in women, Mister AKham.>

"Thank you, young sir, but you're almost making it sound so good that I have doubts you're talking about my wife." The man laughed once more, he really did love to laugh. Major Kerztar smiled and nodded along, taking another sip of the tea.

<Now, Mister AKham, I have a question for you to answer, and I want you to look deep into your memories for anything that you can remember, am I clear?> Major Kerztar asked with a friendly smile.

"Anything, please. Ask away, young sir." The old man bowed his head with a bit of a chuckle.

<Now, I am sure that you are aware of who I am, before I ask this question, just so we can establish just what this will be about and who you are talking to, as to avoid any mistakes, lapses in judgment and to perhaps rekindle some memories so as not to forget any parts of them.>

"You are Major Kerztar of the Dwemer High Government's Ministry of Order, of course. You said this earlier."

<Yes, that is my official title. Though, are you familiar with what some in the Authoritarian Cohorts have taken to calling me?> Major Kerztar asked, a slight smile crossing his lips as he waited for an answer.

"You are the Huntsman." Malif answered again, though a bit quieter and with something akin to hesitation.

<Yes, I am the Huntsman. Do you know how many Enemies of the State one has to execute or send to the arena to get a title such as that, and become a Major, no less?>

"Many, many men." Malif almost whispered, clearing his throat, he shifted nervously.

Major Kerztar reveled in his own laughter before clearing his throat, his demeanor not changing, <Now, Mister AKham, it has come to my attention that your village has been reported by an anonymous informant to be sheltering Enemies of the Dwemer State of Volenfell. What is the truth to this?>

Malif only became more nervous, "There have been a few examples of thievery not seen before from my village's own, I suppose this could be from your Enemies of the Dwemer Sta-"

<Your village has been reported, with sufficient proof to incriminate you, to be sheltering Enemies of the Dwemer State. Your villagers are not doing it unknowingly by supplying midnight thieves to snatch their food scraps, my informant saw your fishermen bringing more than their catch that day. I suspect that you know where they are hiding, and I know that they are hiding somewhere in this village.>

"I assure you, I don't-"

<You were expecting me. This tea is not just a gift from a friend, Mister Al-Kham, but it is from Cyrodiil. Even if your wife went to town, she would not be able to find tea with ingredients from Cyrodiil, as we have forbade the importation of foreign products from territories not owned by the Dwemer High Government and their subordinate Governors. You received this tea as a gift from a refugee, knowing full well that owning this tea was the crime of owning contraband items, as we've burned all foreign imports from Cyrodiil and the southern Provinces> Major Kerztar rose from the floor cushion, his voice becoming more severe, <Sheltering the people who gave you this tea is the crime of Sheltering an Enemy of the Dwemer State of Volenfell. Where are you hiding them, Mister Akham?>

"Please, don't hurt my wife. Just don't-"

<Your wife is safe, as far as you know. If you do not tell me where these Enemies of the State are hiding, I will sentence you to immediate execution for the crime of sheltering enemies of the state, your wife will be alive, as far as you know. I could also send you off to the arena with a sentence of fifty fights, though I doubt you will last one at your age, again, your wife will be alive as far as you will know, being so far away from her,> Major Kerztar clasped his hands behind his back, <I will ask you once more, where are you hiding these Enemies of the State?>

With a heavy heart, Malif began to cry, his lip quivering and his breath becoming ragged and uneven. The sound of his wife sobbing in the bedroom could be heard as Malif rose the shakiest hand the Major had seen so far in his years. These Enemies of the State were hiding upstairs then. Well enough. He would not have to chase them. Major Kerztar walked to the doorway, opening the door and letting his men in. He pointed to the stairs and the soldiers bounded up the steps. Major Kerztar looked at Malif and his sobbing face, the Major nodded formally right before a resounding staccato of cracks from the rifles of the soldiers upstairs made Malif jump and his wife scream. From the other side of the door, a new soldier showed up, quickly saluting before handing Kerztar a letter, sealed with the Minister of Order's own seal. He hastily broke the seal and opened the envelope, his hurried eyes taking every written letter in before he packed the letter back up, giving it back to the messenger, who saluted and quickly left the same way he had come, quickly, without words and on a horse.

He was to make haste to Rihad for an assignment of the utmost importance on behalf of Governor Razlinc herself. Something about the Heroes of Tamriel. Major Kerztar clasped his hands behind his back, drew a breath and nodded to Malif, <Thank you for your cooperation today. The Minister of Order thanks you for doing your part in keeping order in Volenfell. Goodbye and have a nice day.>

Kerztar looked to the skies, spying the hawk swoop down near the road and carry away its prey. A content smile crossed his lips.