EliteCommander

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"She sent you simply to speak with Dro'cahi, and nothing else? Very well." Dro'cahi answered skeptically. Nevertheless, he motioned for Gallus to follow as he walked a short distance from the table. "You only just arrived here a few weeks ago, so this one cannot blame you for any opinions you might have on Dro'cahi, or Ri'vashi. She was one of the first people you spoke to, and the person you have been dealing with throughout this military planning, and interrogations."

Once they were at a spot sufficiently away from most of the others in the chamber, Dro'cahi stopped, standing upright with his hands clasped behind his back. "How much would you say you know about Ri'vashi? Her politics, the choices she's made, what she has done with this clan as its leader? What kind of person do you think she is?"

---

La'khay curled her lips. "Hmm, yes, the painting will be better if you both are clean anyway. La'khay is going to need to get your hair fixed up again, so she will take the time to get what she needs. Where is your room?" She asked.

"It it on the level just below the main chamber, on this side of the stronghold. It's the third door on the right in the hall of rooms closest to the dining chamber." Peiter explained. La'khay climbed out of the pool shortly after La'tahne, showing excitement even in her stride. Peiter chuckled, and gave Sabine another kiss. "Not what I expected to be doing today, but it should be interesting. I wonder how big of a painting it will be? It will probably be a smaller one, else it would take too long to pain. But...anyway, didn't you say earlier that you wanted me to bathe you." He grinned.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Based on his expression, Dro'cahi's immediate reaction to Gallus' introduction was one of skepticism. He had seen Gallus and Ri'vashi speaking before, so he naturally related that to the fact that Gallus was suddenly approaching. "Did our clan leader send you to speak to Dro'cahi? Even were you not a companion of the Champion, this one would be glad to speak to you. But, if we are to speak honestly, this one must ask if Ri'vashi has sent you to speak to this one under any kind of pretense."

Seeing as Dro'cahi was speaking with one of the Champion's companions, most of the others he had been speaking to slowly dispersed to review the reports, and to allow them the chance to have something of a private conversation.

---

Peiter knew that having one's self painted was time-consuming, but like Sabine, he had never been the subject of a painting before and felt it would be a novel experience. "Hmm, it could be interesting. I've never been a model for a pointing before; I say...we should do it."

With Peiter's confirmation, La'khay clasped her hands together excitedly. "Wonderful!" She said as she stood up to her feet. "This one thinks you will be satisfied with the outcome. We should go somewhere quiet where we won't be bothered. Perhaps just come with this one to her room? Or, your room would be better, actually. One of the members of this clan volunteered their room to you when we arrived, correct? La'khay just needs to...oh, wait, she does not have her painting supplies from back home. This one nearly forgot about that."

Just as La'khay was about to become disappointed, La'tahne spoke up reassuringly. "Don't worry, La'tahne can get you everything you need. Just give her a few minutes to collect everything, and she will bring it to you."

La'khay smiled. "You continue to impress this one, La'tahne. Thank you. Now, why don't you take us to your room?" La'khay asked Sabine as she extended her hand towards her to help her out of the water.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Ri'vashi glanced briefly towards Dro'cahi with some uncertainty. "Ri'vashi thinks he may be restraining himself for appearances in front of the Champion. He likely does not want to come off as being too...aggressive against her ideas. He can be a very impassioned person, with strong convictions on his ideals. If he is convinced, or at least can accept the plan, this one would not expect the others to give any issues."

Ri'vashi noticed that Dro'cahi too gave a few glances in their direction, though he mostly seemed to be focusing on Meesei and Gallus. "It could perhaps be a benefit for you to speak to him." Ri'vashi suggested. "He does not yet know you, so he does not have any strong predisposition towards you. At the very least, you could get more of a sense of who he is."

---

La'khay shook her head at Sabine. "Now, now Sabine, don't refuse a compliment from your mate. Or anyone, for that matter. If you are getting a compliment, then you almost certainly deserve it. You are indeed quite a beautiful woman by Human standards. Maybe you need a bit more jewelry to pass for royalty, but you have an...enticing form."

La'tahne nodded in agreement. "Indeed, this one does not think La'khay is wrong. She does not know you as well as La'khay, but just by looks, you are a wonderful couple."

"That is why this one would like to paint them." La'khay added. "This one could immortalize you on a canvas, to you a lasting image of the love you share, at this point in time. To the best of her ability, of course. She doubts you would want to be a model for as long as it would take to make a painting that would look entirely real."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Gallus' short speech caused yet more discussion among the lieutenants, this time a bit louder than before. The leadership of the Senchal clan had, of course, been in agreement over the attack for quite a while now, and the lieutenants closest to Dro'cahi were at least seriously discussing the matter. One detail Meesei noticed was that they were becoming more absorbed into the documents on the table before them. Likely the discussion so far had created enough doubt that they wanted to review the reports themselves to see exactly what the warriors would be facing.

"Perhaps it would do well for us to take a break and allow everyone to review the reports in greater detail." Meesei suggested in a loud, clear voice. Grabbing up some of the papers in front of her, she handed them to Ri'vashi and instructed her to pass them down the table. "I would recommend looking over the maps and other illustrations to get a clearer picture of the enemy force. We will reconvene in fifteen minutes."

With general agreement from the group, many in the meeting stood up to speak with their peers, or simply stretch their legs. Ri'vashi remained seated and let out a sigh as she ran her hand down her face. "Well...it is more civil than usual, at least."

---

La'tahne's smile widened even further. "Only if you consider a few hours to be old. This one just met La'khay admiring her garden. This one finds she has a very agreeable sense of beauty. Among other things."

Peiter, meanwhile, responded at first with a kiss to Sabine's cheek before giving his answer. "I'll stop treating you like royalty when you stop looking like it." He answered, deciding to commit fully to giving her excessive compliments.

La'khay's expression almost seemed prideful as she observed the exchange. "You may be a couple even cuter than Tzirret and Ma'tanza. There is just so much passion in your love; like a work of art. La'khay is thinking about making a painting of you two. It would surely come out to be just as beautiful as the two of you are together."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"Bringing this attack forth at all guarantees we will be losing some of our brothers and sisters." Dro'cahi answered. "If we fight, there will be no avoiding the deaths that will come as a result. This one merely wants to ensure that the innocent of our clan do not suffer directly from it."

At this point, Meesei had heard enough to speak up. She understood Dro'cahi's objections, and why he wanted to approach with such caution, but it was not enough to justify weakening their attack. "I have dedicated everything that I am to halting the suffering of our people, of that I can assure you. One point on which I believe we both agree is the horrible nature of this war. It is destructive, and unnecessary. However, it is not something we can choose. We do not have the option to simply choose not to fight, it is something that has been forced upon us. You might say that we could choose not to attack, but that would only ensure our defeat. If we want the fighting to ever end, we cannot remain purely defensive. In this case, that means we need to dedicate everything we can to an attack. As you said, we must plan for the unexpected. It is entirely possible we could capture their fortress with less warriors, but that would leave little margin for failure. The warriors taking part in this attack will be in far more danger than those remaining behind, and they will need all of the support we can give."

The debate was sparking murmurs among some of the other lieutenants. There were some that had seemed supportive of Dro'cahi, but even some of them showed a measure of doubt once Meesei gave a reminder of who the aggressor was in this war.

---

Peiter chuckled. "Of course, right away." He answered as he waded out into the water. As requested, he carried her over in their direction, then carefully sat himself down nearby to La'khay, with Sabine still in his arms. Sitting down near the edge, the water came just up to his chest. He allowed Sabine to lay across his lap while he helped to support her head and keep it above water

La'khay could not help but to grin for the entire time Peiter was carrying Sabine, and she nudged La'tahne shoulder as soon as he took his seat. "See, what did this one say? Romantic."

La'tahne chuckled. "Indeed. This one's name is La'tahne, good to meet you. From what she has seen, you two are mates, yes?" La'tahne asked.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Dro'cahi remained respectful and did not interrupt as Gallus was speaking, but wasted no time in giving his own response. "Dro'cahi is sure you have taken a detailed account of our resources, based on what he has read in this report. However, two months is a long siege to endure, and many of our people here are not equipped, physically or emotionally, for the challenges that would present. This one recognizes that it is very unlikely for an enemy force to arrive immediately after our warriors leave, but a siege is still a possibility. Provided, of course, that the enemy does not find a way to immediately break through into our stronghold."

As the topic was now focused on the stronghold's defenses, Ri'vashi could now speak well-within her element. "Dro'cahi, both Ri'vashi and her father before her saw to this stronghold's defenses. Every single stone lining the walls of our home has been checked for cracks and weaknesses. We know all of the thinnest points in the walls separating us from the outside, which are still more than adequately thick, and have reinforced them regardless. There are three separate points prepared along both the main entrance and escape tunnel that can be safely collapsed in the event of an attack, and with the scaffolding leading up to the top of the main chamber, we can have our warriors guarding from the top of a nearly insurmountable hill. Our stronghold was designed to be defended, and we have only improved it. For our enemy to have some knowledge of how to break through it that even we do not possess would be...unlikely. Ri'vashi would never want to deprive her home of the basic forces it needs to defend itself, but in this place, we do not need the majority of our soldiers to give an effective defense."

There was a hint of frustration in Dro'cahi's expression, but with a glance to Meesei, he maintained his composure. "This one has the utmost confidence in your military ability. Of that, there has never been any doubt, but is it not wise to plan for something to go wrong. Rather than assuming that our defenses will hold, would it not be better for us to leave more than we think we need here in case the unexpected comes to pass?"

Meanwhile, it was uncertain if Lorag was even paying attention to the debate going on around him. He was simply staring into his mug, silently and intensely. Any number of thoughts could have been passing through his mind, but it was almost certain that they all regarded Do'rhajul.

---

"At once." Peiter answered, matching her grin. Although, he delayed carrying her out of the room in order to kiss her a few more times. Eventually, he ceased the more intimate contact with her once he actually carried her out into the hall. There was only one place in the ruin where one could actually swim, at its lower levels near the stronghold's source of water. It was a public place, of course, but was generally only crowded in the morning, or in the evening after most everyone had finished their duties for the day. From where they were, they did not have to cross through the main chamber to reach the water, so they did not have to pass through any large crowds. Even so, it was not a normal sight for one to be carrying someone through the halls, so they did garner a few looks from the people they passed.

While the stronghold has access to more water than most other places in the desert short of Orcrest itself, the chamber they used for bathing and swimming was still not as extensive as other clans. The pools back in Bruma were much deeper and wider, and even the outpost the Senchal clan had been using had access to a larger river. Regardless, it served the same purpose. There were others who were swimming and bathing as well, so Peiter carried Sabine towards the least crowded side of the pool. There were two others that seemed to be relaxing near the edge on that side as well, but as they drew closer, Peiter realized that he recognized one of them.

In the pool, La'khay and La'tahne were sitting side-by-side, much closer than Peiter would have expected. Even more strangely, La'khay had her arm over La'tahne's shoulder, much like he would do with Sabine. Just as Peiter had recognized her, La'khay of course recognized him and Sabine almost immediately. She smiled widely as she motioned towards them. "Aw, just look at that. How romantic you two are. This one insists you join us."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"Between three and four weeks." Meesei answered. "We have already taken stock and determined that we have more than enough food and water to make the journey, following paths between oases. I understand that does mean we will be away from the stronghold for close to two months at minimum, but it will allow us to deliver a crippling blow to Vile's forces in this region."

The next person to speak up was midway down the table: Dro'cahi. He was an older, brown-furred Khajiit, with an accent unlike that of an Elsweyr native, though he still spoke similarly. "This one knows our warriors are willing to undertake such a journey, of course, and he has the deepest respect for them, but are we sure it is wise to separate this clan from so many of its warriors for so long? This stronghold is defensible, but only if there remain those capable of defending it. The enemy has already sent a group of infiltrators into our ranks, what if they next send an army?"

Meesei had expected such an objection, so she was ready to answer. "We tricked one of the prisoners into divulging information, most of which is contained in your reports. They had not had a chance to send a messenger to report on the clan's location before we arrived. Vile's forces as a whole still do not know of this location."

"They may not know of our exact location in the desert, but it does seem evident that Vile's forces know of this location." Dro'cahi pointed out. "They knew enough to put their infiltrators int he right area, and even if they have to begin their search anew, two months will be a long wait. To say that it is not possible for them to find us in that time seems to be a dangerous assumption." Dro'cahi's objections, as Ri'vashi had predicted, were direct, and spoken with confidence. They were also not unreasonable, so Meesei could not deny them outright.

---

After a few minutes of simply laying together, and a few intimate touches from Peiter, Sabine spoke up again on his suggestion. Once more, he smiled, this time because he had guessed the thought of a bath would sound enticing to her. Peiter's mood was upbeat, and even playful, so slowly and carefully, he crawled over Sabine to stand up by the side of the bed and look down on her.

"Agreed, I think it sounds relaxing. But, if you don't feel like going anywhere yourself..." He began before quite suddenly putting his arms underneath her and lifting her up off the bed. "...perhaps I can just carry you there? I don't mind carrying you around like royalty."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"Know something? I...no that...that can't be right." Lorag began, his tone matching his words to convey the disbelief he was experiencing. "How common of a name is that with you people? The Do'rhajul I know is dead; he was killed when my patrol was ambushed by those werewolves."

Lorag's interruption was all that Meesei needed to be reminded of where she had heard Do'rhajul's name. Lorag had spoke of him before, about how he had been a leader and mentor to him when he had served in the Legion. She could certainly understand Lorag's disbelief, as it was a coincidence that seemed far too unlikely to be reality. Of course, where Daedric lords are concerned, coincidences could be far less random than they seemed to mortals on Nirn.

"Your old commander, I remember now. It is possible that it is not him, but...he does match the description. If it is him, then that would raise many questions, but could also give us an advantage. In any case, we still have an opportunity to attack. I would like to review the information we have on the enemy fortress' defenses. Apart from the...identity of our enemy's General, are there any questions." Meesei asked.

---

It had been some time, though Peiter had hardly been keeping track. He was laying in bed, arms wrapped around Sabine, and was breathing a bit heavily. He kissed her neck, then laid his head so that he could easily whisper in to her ear. "It never gets old. Just make sure you make plenty of those potions for the march to Corinthe. How much of a tragedy would it be if we were to run out?" He commented with a chuckle.

After a brief pause, and a few enthusiastic kisses, Peiter continued. "I know you said you need to practice magic at some point, but...maybe we could stay together for a while longer? Perhaps go for a swim?"

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

I didn't have anything specific in mind for them. I just figured it would be a goodbye scene before they left the clan.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"They've met? That may be..." Ri'vashi started, but her voice trailed off as she noticed that all of the others had taken their seats. Normally, Ri'vashi was the one to lead the meetings in the stronghold, but this time, of course, it was Meesei that would be directing them. Meesei laid out her papers in front of her and cleared her throat before she started.

"It seems as if everyone is here, so we may begin. As I am sure you know, we are meeting today to discuss our march on Vile's stronghold. We will need to make the final decision on what forces to commit, and what resources we will need. The warriors of the Orcrest clan have been prepared to move for several weeks, from my understanding, so we may begin our march at any time. In front of you all are copies of most of the relevant information we will be discussing. I would like you all to take a moment to read through the information as I start explaining the situation. As you may already know, the enemy stronghold is located to the northeast of Corinthe, in the forests. It is close to a month away by land, so we will need to prepare accordingly. The impostor who arrived before me had intended to lead this clan's warriors into a trap, but in this case, that has worked in our favor. According to our interrogations of the prisoners, and the scouts reports, the stronghold's defenders are not at full strength. Even so, it is still well-defended, and we will need a powerful force to overtake it. The stronghold is the headquarters of our enemy's General: a Cathay-raht named Do'rhajul." Meesei explained.

Nearby to Meesei, Lorag had been taking a drink from a mug of water, or possibly alcohol, and as soon as she spoke that name, he coughed as if he were choking on it. "Gah, say what?" He exclaimed.