Corpus Tamrielicum - The Imperial Library

140 2. THE ELDER SCROLLS CHAPTER 2: DAGGERFALL
"No!" Aliera protested. "My quest, my kill!"
Moraelyn swung to face her. "Aliera..."
"I want it sung that he died by Aliera's hand! I claim my right to face him, king."
"Leave him to me and we'll sing it your way! He's twice your size. D'you want to fight me for
the right?" The elf leaned over her, a full head taller.
"If I must." Aliera brushed past him, slinging her shield on her arm, and drawing her short
sword as she ran. Moraelyn grabbed at her, missed, and ran after her. His size hampered him
in the low, narrow passage. Sparks flew from his spell shield as he caroomed recklessly off
the walls.
"Come on, you two," Mith yelled from ahead. "I'm not promising to save him for you."
"Moraelyn," Edward gasped, running after him. "You're not going to let her!"
"Let her! How d'ye propose I stop her? I'm open to suggestions, short of actually fighting her
myself." He seemed half-angry, half-amused.
"M-maybe he's gone by now."
"Nay, he's locked in here with us; we found the exit earlier from the other side and Mith set a
lock the baron will not undo."
"Well, paralyze her. You can carry her."
"She's activated her shield; it reflects spells, among other things. I'd only paralyze myself and
I'd be inconvenient to carry. She'll be all right. It's an excellent shield. It casts a very powerful
protective spell. I'ric himself devised it."
"Having a spot of trouble with your locks tonight, baron?" Mith's voice came clearly from
ahead. They emerged into a larger space where the baron had been clawing vainly at switches
beside a massive door. "Shoddy work. You should get another smith."
"He won't be needing one," Aliera snarled. The Companions spread around her in a semicircle.
The baron set his back to the door and set himself in a fighting stance. He was a big
man, as big as Mats, and he was holding an axe as big as the one Mats wielded, and wearing a
breastplate and helm. He addressed Moraelyn.
"Nine against one. I'd expect odds like that from you black devils," Moraelyn was at the back
of the group, yet the baron had singled him out as the leader. People did, somehow.
"You prefer the advantage of weight, do you not? But my wife wants you to herself. She
cannot resist your charms it seems. Nor can I; I could not wait for you to respond to my
invitation, so I came to you instead."
"I beat her and the rest of you kill me? Hah! It might be worth it at that," he added, staring at
Aliera with cold dark eyes.