Skyrim at War

[King Acunasti]

"This way, please." The officer headed through the doorway.

[JVElEven]

Markarth

"Now," Iaestra said in a slightly more friendly tone. "Was there anything else you wanted to discuss?"

[Crepe the Ashlander]

Spoiler:

JV, my capital is Nimalten, not Riverwood

Nimalten - City Gates

The guard looked at the man dressed in Reachmen garb, "Urgh, I think the Jarl doesn't have anything happening at this moment, what are your intentions?".

Nimalten - Outside the Jarl's Longhouse

The guardsmen looked at him, wary that the man me be a Nord supremascist waiting to assassinate the Jarl, "You wish to have an audience with the Jarl you say? Sorry for my apprehension, but why do you seek an audience?".

[AddictedtoMorrowind]

Nimalten
"I wish to speak to him about a possible alliance with the Hold I represent. I represent the Eastmarch Hold, and the Jarl, Arelan Indaren, has given me his confidence and permission to talk about an alliance with The Pale's Jarl."

[Eltee]

Markarth
"Nothing else, my Queen." Bradenach said.
Dawnstar
Eddar followed the officer.

[Crepe the Ashlander]

Nimalten - Jarl's Longhouse

The guard twitched a little bit and looked to his right before looking back to the person in front of him, "Oh, you represent te Jarl of Eastmarch? Sorry, to hold you up, i'm sure Jarl Belvyn will be pleased to see you, he isn't in his throne room, if I remember he should be in his study".

[JVElEven]

Spoiler:

JV, my capital is Nimalten, not Riverwood

Nimalten - City Gates

The guard looked at the man dressed in Reachmen garb, "Urgh, I think the Jarl doesn't have anything happening at this moment, what are your intentions?".

Close enough.

Nimalten

"I wish to discuss diplomacy," the Reachman answered, impatiently tapping his foot on the ground.

Markarth

"Then, if it's okay with you, I'll move on with the act of governing my realm," Queen Iaestra said.

[AddictedtoMorrowind]

"So... should I go into his study? Or would that be too insolent?"

[Crepe the Ashlander]

Nimalten - Jarl's Longhouse

The guard had only started his first ever guard posting on the Jarl's Longhouse last week and was understandably jittery, "Sorry, I shall accompany you into the study, I can't imagine the Jarl would be too happy with an unmentioned interruption", the guard looked over to a nearby guard, "Hey, Brunjulf, can you guard the door while I take this diplomat to the Jarl", Brunjulf nodded.

Nimalten - City Gates

The guard looked at the Reachmen, "Diplomacy, hm, I believe another diplomat had arrived earlier, so he may be busy, but you may as well come with me, I will show you where the Longhouse is".

[JVElEven]

"Then what are you waiting for? Move on," the Reachman said, dismounting his horse and approaching the town.

[AddictedtoMorrowind]

Spoiler:

JV

"That will be fine, thank you."

[POMC S117]

Spoiler:

I thought Riverwood was in my Hold!

[AddictedtoMorrowind]

Spoiler:

Riverwood is in the Pale.

[POMC S117]

Spoiler:

Damn it!

This means war!

[Crepe the Ashlander]

Nimalten - Jarl's Longhouse

The guard escorted the diplomat to the Jarl's study. Jarl Belvyn was standing over a map of the Pale and surrounding holds, with several small stone pieces scattered about in several locations, he was in the room with the commander of the guard, Deekus Swings-Blade-Quickly, an Argonian, "I believe my men can hold the Sunbask front long enou...", the guard had presented the diplomat to the Jarl.

"Sir, this man, he says he's a diplomatic ambassador from the hold of Eastmarch", Belvyn immediately dismissed the guard.

Belvyn looked at the man and sat down on a small chair by the table with the map, "Please, take a seat, commander before you go, cover the map with the blanket, not to be of offence, but I don't know who you are".

"So, before we discuss your intentions, may I hear your name, it will make conversing a lot easier".

Nimalten - High Street

The gate guard escorted the Reachman through the busy high-street of Nimalten, many market stalls lined the sides of the streets, boasting of exotic goods from far lands, and nearly all of the buildings on the high street were merchant holdings. Nimalten flourished under Belvyn's rule, although the hold had been suffering for a long time with the strife from rebels and bandits under the guise of Nord supremacy.

A contingency of soldiers marched passed the gate guard and the Reachman, all of them stared at the Reachmen as they passed as if they had never seen one before, "Sorry about them, quite a lot of the guard haven't been out of the Hold in their life", the gate guard turned around to look at the Reachman, "Now this is the Jarl's Longhouse".

The gate guard approached the door guard who had just allowed the Eastmarch diplomat into the Longhouse, "Is the Jarl occupied?".

"Yes, he is in disposed currently to a diplomat from another hold, I can quite remember though, who is this?".

[POMC S117]

Spoiler:

Somebody engage me in diplomacy!

[Crepe the Ashlander]

Spoiler:

I think it's because in your current hold, it would be a tad risky to be in alliance with you, what with your rather central location

[AddictedtoMorrowind]

"My name is Res Dayn. It is an honor to meet you. I come from Eastmarch, representing the Jarl, Arelan Indaren. He has wished for me to come here to discuss things, Your Highness."

[POMC S117]

Spoiler:

But if I am in the centre then it is easier for allies to move around.

[AddictedtoMorrowind]

Spoiler:

And it is easier for people to attack you.

[POMC S117]

Spoiler:

Hmm...

"Steward, get over here!" Shouted Idolaf, reclining on his throne.

His steward, a weak man with an even weaker set of lungs, coughed and spluttered his way to the dais on which the chair was sat. "Y-Yes sire!"

"Send an envoy to..." He thought for a moment. "Markarth."

"Yes sire." Coughed the steward. "Anything else."

"Yes, tell the Jarl that I want to spark an alliance. Oh... And take the day off."

The steward smiled and left Dragonsreach.

[JVElEven]

Spoiler:

So POMC... Which Jarl? And I'll reply when you arrive in quaint little Markarth...

Nimalten

"My name is Boraig," the reachman said. "And I bring envoy from the Queen in Rags, Iaestra Bloodheart, Ruler of the Reach."

[POMC S117]

Spoiler:

You!

The envoy set out on a horse. He travelled beside a khajiit caravan that was also going to Markarth. He arrived at the stone city. From far off, he was in awe. He could believe that the Dwemer had made it.

[JVElEven]

Spoiler:

Uh oh... Is the envoy a Nord?

The envoy from Whiterun was halted by the gates to the ancient city by a guard.

"Stop! State your business and Hold of origin."

[POMC S117]

Spoiler:

No, my Jarl is smart enough to send a Breton.

"I am here on behalf of the Jarl. He hopes to expand our relationship. I hail from Whiterun."