As much as Meesei would have liked to talk about whatever issues might have been troubling her, they needed to be more focused now that they were in the Imperial City. Meesei kept quiet as they headed through the gates to Green Emperor Way, but she did start to speak up softly once they were a safe distance from the guards they had passed. “I will be revealing my ability to teleport to Marod today, so it would probably be wise to act as if you have only learned recently as well, should he ask. I would not want him to think that I am favoring you, or the Dominion.”
Shortly afterwards, the pair approached the steps leading up to the large doors of the White Gold tower itself. There was a palace guard on either side, wearing the traditional, ornate silver and gold armor of their station. Normally, the first few floors of the tower were open to the public, but not after dark, except to those authorized to be there.
Meesei stepped up to one of the guards and spoke a few words quietly, softer than what Lunise would be able to hear. The guard appeared to pause for a moment in thought, then nodded and unlocked the door for them. Their destination was on the third floor of the palace, and Meesei had only been to it once before, but the tower was simple enough to navigate. The hallway for every floor circled around the outside wall of the tower, with the rooms for each floor on the inside of the circle.
The lycan clans had been given a handful of authorization phrases to allow them to identify themselves to the Penitus Oculatus, though the only authorization such phrases provided them was to reach the parts of the palace necessary to contact the Penitus Oculatus. She imagined that anyone who had an official reason to contact them would have such a phrase. A Thalmor diplomat like Lunise would likely have one as well, so it was likely that she was perfectly aware of what was going on, even if she did not have a phrase to enter the palace itself. Meesei had to give her phrase a few move times before they eventually made it to their destination on the third floor.
The Penitus Oculatus headquarters was one of the Imperial organizations that was in operation both day and night. Given the nature of their work, Meesei would not have been surprised if they were even more active after sunset. It also would not surprise her if the office she and Lunise had entered was not actually their headquarters, despite what she had been told. Meesei found it more likely that it was simply a place designated to meet with outsiders to the organization. The agents inside wore the Penitus Oculatus uniform, though compared to the Legion, it was a uniform much more rarely worn. Usually, their organization worked in secret, and in disguise.
Neither of the two were greeted upon entering the relatively small waiting room. There was a uniformed Imperial man behind a desk at the center of the room, who looked up at the pair expectantly. “We are here to meet with agent Marod.” Meesei stated directly before leaning in to give her phrase. The man recognized it much more quickly than the palace guard, and Meesei saw in his expression a brief glimpse of that familiar anxiety that often appeared when a non-lycan realized who, or rather, what they were speaking to. Although, anxiety might not have been the word to describe it for a trained member of the Penitus Oculatus. He was more defensive, on guard. Regardless, he gave a single nod and stood up.
“Wait here.” He instructed.
Like Lunise, Marod’s assignments usually required travel from him, but Meesei expected he would still be in the Imperial City. One of Saras’ agents had given him an update on events that same week, just before their planned mission against Do’rhajul, so it was more likely than not that he had not yet left. They did have a wait of roughly half an hour in the room, but considering the presence of the two other Penitus Oculatus agents in the room, Meesei had no opportunity to speak with Lunise. Fortunately, Marod did indeed arrive to meet them, though he did appear as if he had just woken up, with no time to hide that fact.
