The Wolf Queen , Book VI Series . This book is part of an eight - part series , as follows : Content . From the pen of Inzolicus , Second Century Sage : 3E 120 The fifteen - year - old Empress Kintyra Septim II , daughter of Antiochus , was coronated on the 3rd day of First Seed . Her uncles Magnus , King of Lilmoth , and Cephorus , King of Gilane , were in attendance , but her aunt , Potema , the Wolf Queen of Solitude , had been banished from the court . Once back in her kingdom , Queen Potema began assembling the rebellion , which was to be known as the War of the Red Diamond . All the allies she had made over the years of disgruntled kings and nobles joined forces with her against the new Empress . The first early strikes against the Empire were entirely successful . Throughout Skyrim and northern High Rock , the Imperial Army found themselves under attack . Potema and her forces washed over Tamriel like a plague , inciting riots and insurrections everywhere they touched . In the autumn of the year , the loyal Duke of Glenpoint on the coast of High Rock sent an urgent request for reinforcements from the Imperial Army , and Kintyra , to inspire the resistance to the Wolf Queen , led the army herself . 3E 121 " We don ' t know where they are , " said the Duke , deeply embarrassed . " I ' ve sent scouts out all over the countryside . I can only assume that they ' ve retreated up north upon hearing of your army ' s arrival . " " I hate to say it , but I was hoping for a battle , " said Kintyra . " I ' d like to put my aunt ' s head on a spike and parade it around the Empire . Her son Uriel and his army are right on the border to the Imperial Province , mocking me . How are they able to be so successful ? Are they just that good in battle or do my subjects truly hate me ? " She was tired after many months of struggling through the mud of autumn and winter . Crossing the Dragontail Mountains , her army nearly marched into an ambush . A blizzard snap in the normally temperate Barony of Dwynnen was so unexpected and severe that it must certainly have been cast by one of Potema ' s wizard allies . Everywhere she turned , she felt her aunt ' s touch . And now , her chance of facing the Wolf Queen at last had been thwarted . It was almost too much to bear . " It is fear , pure and simple , " said the Duke . " That is her greatest weapon . " " I need to ask , " said Kintyra , hoping that by sheer will she could keep her voice from revealing any of the fear the Duke spoke of . " You ' ve seen the army . Is it true that she has summoned a force of undead warriors to do her bidding ? " " No , as a matter of fact , it ' s not true , but she certainly fosters that rumor . Her army attacks at night , partly for strategic reasons , and partly to advance fears like that . She has , so far as I know , no supernatural aid other than the standard battlemages and nightblades of any modern army . " " Always at night , " said Kintyra thoughtfully . " I suppose that ' s to disguise their numbers . " " And to move her troops into position before we ' re aware of them " added the Duke . " She ' s the master of the sneak attack . When you hear a march to the east , you can be certain she ' s already on top of you from the south . But listen , we ' ll discuss this all tomorrow morning . I ' ve prepared the castle ' s best rooms for you and your men . " Kintyra sat in her tower suite and by the light of the moon and a single tallow candle , she penned a letter to her husband - to - be , Lord Modellus , back in the Imperial City . She hoped to be married to him in the summer at the Blue Palace her grandmother Quintilla had loved so much , but the war may not permit it . As she wrote , she gazed out the window at the courtyard below and the haunted , leafless trees of winter . Two of her guards stood on the battlements , several feet away from one another . Just like Modellus and Kintyra , she thought , and proceeded to expound on the metaphor in her letter . A knock on the door interrupted her poetry . " A letter , your majesty , from Lord Modellus , " said the young courier , handing the note to her . It was short , and she read it quickly before the courier had a chance to retire . " I ' m confused by something . When did he write this ? " " One week ago , " said the courier . " He said it was urgent that I make it here as quickly as possible while he mobilized the army . I imagine they ' ve left the City already . " Kintyra dismissed the courier . Modellus said that he had received a letter from her , urgently calling for reinforcements to the Battle of Glenpoint . But there was no battle at Glenpoint , and she had only just arrived today . Then who wrote the letter in her handwriting , and why would they want Modellus to bring a second army out of the Imperial City into High Rock ? Feeling a chill from the night air at the window , Kintyra went to shut the latch . The two guards on the battlements were gone . She leaned over at the sound of a muffled struggle behind one of the barren trees , and did not hear the door open . When she turned , she saw Queen Potema and Mentin , Duke of Glenpoint , in the room with a host of guards . " You move quietly , aunt , " she said after a moment ' s pause . She turned to the Duke . " What turned you against your loyalty to the Empire ? Fear ? " " And gold , " said the Duke simply . " What happened to my army ? " asked Kintyra , trying to look Potema steadily in the face . " Is the battle over so soon ? " " All your men are dead , " smiled Potema . " But there was no battle here . Merely quiet and efficient assassination . There will be battles ahead , against Modellus in the Dragontail Mountains and against the remnants of the Imperial Army in the City . I ' ll send you regular updates on the progress of the war . " " So I am to be kept here as your hostage ? " asked Kintyra , flatly , suddenly aware of the solidity of the stones and the great height of her tower room . " Damn you , look at me ! I am your Empress ! " " Think of it this way , I ' m taking you from being a fifth rate ruler to a first rate martyr , " said Potema with a wink . " But I understand if you don ' t want to thank me for that . "