Corpus Tamrielicum - The Imperial Library

[30.11] KING EDWARD XI
By this point, all of the Companions were sitting within hearing range, and Mats asked: "Did
you have to get your queen's permission? And have there been many difficulties among the
various races?"
"Permission is not quite accurate in this case, Mats; being the beings that we are, it was
moreso that I was obliged to tell her of this so that she would have the information. For
example, other dragons regularly come to me with potential military intelligence, following
this same philosophy of preparedness."
Mats grinned and said, "You mean 'just in case', right? But what about these elves and
humans?"
"Ah, our humanoid Lord and Lady do set a most remarkable example of tolerance and respect
for differing shapes and customs. I owe a debt of gratitude to Moraelyn for the loan of his
smiths and miners, who have been most generous in sharing their knowledge and skills with
the Bretons that my young friend Edward and I have, ah, persuaded to attempt settlement
here. It is my experience that Bretons, well, many Bretons, will do virtually anything so long
as it is profitable and they gain skill and knowledge from it. The Nordic lust for individual
honor and glory makes the mithril armor and weapons produced here extremely profitable -
t'was sheer genius that inspired Aliera to insist that we sell only to the nobility while the
delving opens new tunnels and provides access to - that which we dragons require." Akatosh
smiled a little slyly. He was very reticent on the subject of exactly what dragons required.
"Beech and Willow have made it known among their people that wood elves are welcome
here, so those who have long missed their ancient High Rock homes have returned to these
hills."
"Fortunate for me that I'm now a Duke, and thus qualified to wear and carry mithril. If only I
could afford more than a piece or two! But for the cost I might retire." Mats said.
"If you retired you would not require the mithril," Moraelyn pointed out.
"And what of my son and daughter? Thinkst thou I will beg from thee for them?" Mats said
indignantly. "My knees and wind may not be what once they were, I grant you. I'fact I'm
somewhat tempted to remain up here, now I am here, yet I can still swing my axe with any!"
Mith grinned delightedly, "Nords can't count. It's why they seek honor and glory, not profit.
Honor and glory are not amenable to enumeration much past what one can tally on the
fingers. Mats, if thou art but thirty-nine, thou wert the largest ten year old humanoid I ever
met or hope to meet!"
"But what then are these benefits to those who neither delve nor smith?" Mats persisted,
ignoring his old friend. "I would think that many would be terrified to live so close to such...
formidable beings" Mats spoke the last of this with a sly grin.
"Well, on the other hand, the presence of the 'formidable beings' means that they are certainly
well-protected. And this area is surprisingly fertile, so the crops seem to be growing well, and
although they provide the meat for us, we allocate one fifth of each herd to them for their own
consumption. We've also been finding out what I have long suspected - the three sets of races,
when combined, fight much more effectively than the sum of each when considered in
isolation - that is, each race covers or cancels weaknesses of the others. At least it is certainly
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