Corpus Tamrielicum - The Imperial Library

116 2. THE ELDER SCROLLS CHAPTER 2: DAGGERFALL
"So three days later he's back with the twins AND Ssa'ass AND Slave. The Archmagister
looks at them and sort of bobs up and down, but he speaks real quiet. 'Dark Elf, by pair of
twins, did you mean TWO SETS of twins? Are you going to tell me that these...these are
twins???' Well, I could see that Moraelyn was kinda sorry he hadn't thought of trying that, but
he said, 'No sir, the twins are Beech and Willow. The Argonian and the Nord are not
prospective initiates. They are specimens. For your collection. You don't have any like them
so I thought...'"
"'You thought. I do not have a dragon either! Are you going to think to bring me that next?'"
"'Oh, aye, I could. Would you like one?'"
"'Tell me you are not serious.'"
"'Well, I couldn't promise. And it would take quite a long time, a year maybe, but...'"
"The Archmagister's eyes rolled up toward heaven. 'Thank you, All-Mother, I have at least a
year to prepare.' he whispered."
"I don't think Mats and Ssa'ass should have been made specimens. They're people. Even if
they aren't elves."
"Oh, they made Ssa'ass an initiate when they found out that he had some interesting Heal
spells."
"But Mats?"
"Mats never minds anything. He hasn't a bit of magic; he couldn't be an initiate. Anyway he'd
have hated it. He spent his time gaming with the guards. When he wasn't being studied.
Seems he has some interesting magic resistances. Anyway, since then, the initiates aren't just
High Elves. And they don't all follow the Mage way."
"I shall. I shall be just like the Archmagister."
"Oh, aye, exactly," Moraelyn's voice sounded lightly behind him. "I'll cut the ears off a
donkey for thee and dye thy skin with saffron. Bleach thy hair white and stretch thee a foot"
Moraelyn swung him high. "Art well, son? I told thee so, Aliera. He's not ill at all. Good,
because the Archmagister's returned. We go to the Tower tomorrow."
'We' was just Moraelyn and Edward. Aliera had caught Edward's cold and they took some
pleasure in insisting she remain in bed. Moraelyn rowed them across the river in a small boat
and they walked for most of the day, resting a little at midday. It was evening when they
reached the tower and the setting sun was glinting off it. Even the sea far below looked red.
There was a hush over the countryside.
"It's tall, isn't it?" Edward paused to look.
"Towers generally are."