The Wolf Queen , Book IV Series . This book is part of the Wolf Queen series , as follows : Contents . From the pen of the first century Third Era sage Montocai : 3E 109 Ten years after being crowned Emperor of Tamriel , Antiochus Septim had impressed his subjects with little but the enormity of his lust for carnal pleasures . By his second wife , Gysilla , he had a daughter in the year Year 3E 104 , who he named Kintyra II , after his great - great - great grandaunt , the Empress . Enormously fat and marked by every venereal disease known to the Healers , Antiochus spent little time on politics . His siblings , by marked contrast , excelled in this field . Magnus had married Hellena , the Cyrodiil Queen of Lilmoth - - the Argonian priest - king having been executed - - and was representing the Imperial interests in Black Marsh admirably . Cephorus and his wife Bianki were ruling the Hammerfell kingdom of Gilane with a healthy brood of children . But no one was more politically active than Potema , the Wolf - Queen of the Skyrim kingdom of Solitude . Nine years after the death of her husband , King Mantiarco , Potema still ruled as regent for her young son , Uriel . Their court had become very fashionable , particularly for rulers who had a grudge to bear against the Emperor . All the kings of Skyrim visited Castle Solitude regularly , and over the years , emissaries from the lands of Morrowind and High Rock did as well . Some guests came from even farther away . Year 3E 110 Potema stood at the harbor and watched the boat from Pyandonea arrive . Against the gray , breaking waves where she had seen so many vessels of Tamrielic manufacture , it looked less than exotic . Insectoid , certainly , with its membranous sails and rugged chitin hull , but she had seen similar if not identical seacraft in Morrowind . No , if not for the flag which was markedly alien , she would not have picked out the ship from others in the harbor . As the salty mist ballooned around her , she held out her hand in welcome to the visitors from another island empire . The men aboard were not merely pale , they were entirely colorless , as if their flesh were made of some white limpid jelly , but she had been forewarned . At the arrival of the King and his translator , she looked directly into their blank eyes and offered her hand . The King made noises . " His Great Majesty , King Orgnum , " said the translator , haltingly . " Expresses his delight at your beauty . He thanks you for giving him refuge from these dangerous seas . " " You speak Cyrodilic very well , " said Potema . " I am fluent in the languages of four continents , " said the translator . " I can speak to the denizens of my own country Pyandonea , as well as those of Atmora , Akavir , and here , in Tamriel . Yours is the easiest , actually . I was looking forward to this voyage . " " Please tell his highness that he is welcome here , and that I am entirely at his disposal , " said Potema , smiling . Then she added , " You understand the context ? That I am just being polite ? " " Of course , " said the translator , and then made several noises at the King , which the King reacted to with a smile . While they conversed , Potema looked up the dock and saw the now familiar gray cloaks watching her while they spoke with Levlet , Antiochus ' s man . The Psijic Order from the Summerset Isle . Very bothersome . " My diplomatic emissary Lord Vhokken will show you to your rooms , " said Potema . " Unfortunately , I have some other guests as well who require my attention . I hope your great majesty understands . " His Great Majesty King Orgnum did understand , and Potema made arrangements to dine with the Pyandoneans that evening . Meeting with the Psijic Order required all of her concentration . She dressed in her simplest black and gold robe and went to her stateroom to prepare . Her son , Uriel , was on the throne , playing with his pet joughat . " Good morning , mom . " " Good morning , darling , " said Potema , lifting her son in the air with feigned stain . " Talos , but you ' re heavy . I don ' t think I ' ve ever carried such a heavy ten - year - old . " " That ' s probably because I ' m eleven , " said Uriel , perfectly aware of his mother ' s tricks . " And you ' re going to say that as an eleven - year - old , I should probably be with my tutor . " " I was fanatical about studying at your age , " said Potema . " I am king , " said Uriel petulantly . " But don ' t be satisfied with that , " said Potema . " By all rights , you should be Emperor already , you understand that , don ' t you ? " Uriel nodded his head . Potema took a moment to marvel at his likeness to the portraits of Tiber Septim . The same ruthless brow and powerful chin . When he was older and lost his baby fat , he ' d be a splitting image of his great great great great great granduncle . Behind her , she heard the door opening and an usher bringing in several gray cloaks . She stiffened slightly , and Uriel , on cue , jumped down from the throne and left the stateroom , pausing to greet the most important of the Psijics . " Good Morning , Master Iachesis , " he said , enunciating each syllable with a regal accent that made Potema ' s heart soar . " I hope your accommodations at Castle Solitude meet with your approval . " " They do , King Uriel , thank you , " said Iachesis , delighted and charmed . Iachesis and his Psijics entered the chamber and the door was shut behind them . Potema sat only for a moment on the throne before stepping off the dais and greeting her guests . " I am so sorry to have kept you waiting , " said Potema . " To think that you sailed all the way from the Summerset Isles and I should keep you waiting any longer . You must forgive me . " " It ' s not all that long a voyage , " said one of the gray cloaks , angrily . " It isn ' t as if we sailed all the way from Pyandonea . " " Ah . You ' ve seen my most recent guests , King Orgnum and his retinue , " said Potema breezily . " I suppose you think it unusual , me entertaining them , as we all know the Pyandoneans mean to invade Tamriel . You are , I take it , as neutral in this as you are in all political matters ? " " Of course , " said Iachesis proudly . " We have nothing to gain or lose by the invasion . The Psijic Order preceded the organization of Tamriel under the Septim Dynasty and we shall survive under any political regime . " " Rather like a flea on whatever mongrel happens along , are you ? " said Potema , narrowing her eyes . " Don ' t overestimate your importance , Iachesis . Your order ' s child , the Mages Guild , has twice the power you have , and they are entirely on my side . We are in the process of making an agreement with King Orgnum . When the Pyandoneans take over and I am in my proper place as Empress of this continent , then you shall know your proper place in the order of things . " With a majestic stride , Potema left the stateroom , leaving the grey cloaks to look from one to the other . " We must speak to Lord Levlet , " said one of the grey cloaks . " Yes , " said Iachesis . " Perhaps we should . " Levlet was quickly found at his usual place at the Moon and Nausea tavern . As the three grey cloaks entered , led by Iachesis , the smoke and the noise seemed to die in their path . Even the smell of tobacco and flin dissipated in their wake . He rose and then escorted them to a small room upstairs . " You ' ve reconsidered , " said Levlet with a broad smile . " Your Emperor , " said Iachesis , and then corrected himself , " Our Emperor originally asked for our support in defending the west coast of Tamriel from the Pyandonea n fleet in return for twelve million gold pieces . We offered our services at fifty . Upon reflection on the dangers that a Pyandonean invasion would have , we accept his earlier offer . " " The Mages Guild has generously - - " " Perhaps for as low ten million gold pieces , " said Iachesis quickly . Over the course of dinner , Potema promised King Orgnum through the interpreter , to lead an insurrection against her brother . She was delighted to discover that her capacity for lying worked in many different cultures . Potema shared her bed that night with King Orgnum , as it seemed the polite and diplomatic thing to do . As it turned out , he was one of the better lovers she had ever had . He gave her some herbs before beginning that made her feel as if she was floating on the surface of time , conscious only of the gestures of love after she had found herself making them . She felt herself like the cooling mist , quenching the fire of his lust over and over and over again . In the morning , when he kissed her on the cheek , and said with his bald white eyes that he was leaving her , she felt a stab of regret . The ship left harbor that morning , en route to the Summerset Isles and the imminent invasions . She waved them off to sea as she footsteps behind her . It was Levlet . " They will do it for eight million , your highness " he said . " Thank Mara , " said Potema . " I need more time for an insurrection . Pay them from my treasury , and then go to the Imperial City and get the twelve million from Antiochus We should make a good profit from this game , and you , of course , will have your share . " Three months later , Potema heard that the fleet of the Pyandonea ns had been utterly destroyed by a storm that had appeared suddenly off the Isle of Artaeum . The home port of the Psijic Order . King Orgnum and all of his ships had been utterly annihilated . " Sometimes making people hate you , " she said , holding her son Uriel close , " Is how you make a profit . "