King Edward , Book VIII Summary . This book is part of a twelve - part series on King Edward , as follows : Content . Chapter 8 : Wilderland The journey through Valenwood was pleasant . The weather held fair for the most part , with sunny days and cool nights . Bright leaves of scarlet , crimson , gold and green drifted down to form a carpet beneath their horses ' feet . Valenwood was very different from the somber , steep forests of High Rock . When they reached the northern border , Edward , looking back , saw that the trees were mostly bare , shorn of their glory . Before them lay a wide green land of rolling hills with only a few stands of trees . It seemed to spread on forever . " This is Wilderland , Edward , " Moraelyn said . " Be on your guard . It seems a pleasant land , but no king ' s writ runs here . Each man ' s hand is against every other ' s and there are worse than men . All the races of Tamriel meet here , and clash , save thine , perhaps . " They journeyed for some days more with small incident , save one for a band of Khajiit raiders that crept up on their camp by night . These were easily repelled . Silk slew one and the rest ran off yowling . The gentle wood elf girl , Willow , lobbed fireballs after them . There were no roads , just small paths that criss - crossed one another and seemingly led nowhere . After two weeks of steady riding they came to a bowl shaped place in the hills where the land was tilled . The fields looked fair and were stacked with harvest , but the folk were dispirited , ragged , and unfriendly . Questions about inns got only shrugs and puzzled looks . Armed bands challenged them at times and demanded to know their business . When Moraelyn said they were bound for Morrowind , they were told to pass through quickly and mind they stole nothing . " Passage is all we wish , " Moraelyn said quietly . " Someone should teach these folk manners , " the usually placid Mats growled . " Thou mayst stay and open a school of etiquette , if it pleases thee , " Moraelyn said , " I fear my life ' s too short to teach the lessons these villains require . Still , I like not the look of the sky ; it looks even more evil than the folk . I think we ' ll try our luck in the town . " The town was surrounded by a palisade of wood and had a stout gate . Guards looked them over and refused them entrance . " None but humans enter here , elf . Take thy rabble and begone . " " I see . Ali , Mats , Edward , thou seemst to qualify for the hospitality here . The rest of us will shelter elsewhere . " Aliera announced that she would see them all blown back to Firsthold by the storm before she ' d step within these gates . So they circled the town , passing a moat with stone walls within and a keep of some sort within that . A track north took them past a small house with a large barn nearby . Both looked in poor repair , but Moraelyn sent Aliera and Edward to knock at the door and ask if they might sleep in the barn . The rest waited in the road . An elderly woman answered their knock ; she looked pleased to see them . " Stay ? Aye , I ' d be glad of the company . No need to sleep in the barn , though , lady . I ' ve a room to spare . My name ' s Ora Engelsdottir . " Aliera gestured toward the waiting Companions . The woman squinted toward them . " Thy man ' s there and some friends ? Aye , we ' ll all squeeze together then . T ' will be warmer so . I ' ve a pot of soup on the fire ; made it to last me a week but you ' re welcome to it . I can make more . " " My husband ' s an elf . " " Is he so ? He looks to take good care of thee and thy son . Thou ' s fat as pigs . Bring them in . I wish my grand - daughter had such a one to care for her . " Ora refused payment , saying she was not yet at such a pass that her guests must pay for her hospitality . She said tales and song and an evening ' s merriment would be payment enough . Pots and dishes were set out to catch the worst of the leaks ; she knew them all well . They gathered around the hearth and made very merry while the storm raged , banging the shutters and doors and threatening to blow the roof away altogether . " Tell me , my lady , " Ora whispered apart to Aliera , " He ' s truly good to thee ? He ' s so big and so black . " " Truly good , " Aliera said keeping her mouth serious while her eyes laughed . " Aye , ' tis well , then . He put me a bit in mind of our baron , who ' s big and dark . . . oh , not so dark as thy elf . He took my grand - daughter , Caron , and he does not treat her well . He . . . he hurts her , my lady . And she dare not run away . Where would she go ? " Tears gathered in Ora ' s eyes and followed worn familiar tracks down her cheeks . When their hostess had gone to sleep in her own room , Aliera repeated what she had been told . " Let ' s rescue the girl , " Beech said , " we grow stale with inaction . " " Aye ! " said Silk and Willow at once . Mats growled an agreement . Mith and Ssa ' ass looked interested . Moraelyn looked doubtful . " We cannot right every wrong in Tamriel . This baron offers his folk shelter of a kind . They could leave if they liked it better outside . " " Aye , " Mith said , " he keeps the bandits off so he may rob the folk at leisure . " " And we pull him down ? There ' ll be another to take his place . Or else the outside will come in and there ' ll be nothing left at all . " " Nothing would be better than this filthy something , " Mats said . " There ' s that . " The storm seemed to have moved away . Aliera went to the door and stared up into the sky where clouds raced past the eastern moon . A single large brilliant blue star hung near the moon . " Zenithar hangs near Tamriel tonight . Moraelyn ? " " I ' d thought to mend her roofs tomorrow if it ' s fair , " he said as she returned to the fireside . " We ' ll do so much at least . As for the rest , Aliera ? " " She asked for my help , in a way and I . . . I think I hear Zenithar ' s voice in the wind and feel his hand in the rain on this night . " " Thy quest , then , wife . " Aliera nodded , unsmiling . She curled up with Moraelyn in the chimney corner and they whispered and laughed together for awhile . Edward fell asleep . In the morning he was sent up on the roof to help Beech and Willow place new shingles . Moraelyn wrote a letter which he gave to Mats , telling him to take it to the baron , to arrive at the castle around dinnertime and to go afoot . " You ' re going to challenge him for the girl ! " Edward grinned . " But will he fight ? And wouldn ' t he take her back again once we ' re gone ? " " Mmm . Since he wouldn ' t let me in his town , thy mother thought to invite him to our house instead . " Moraelyn stamped the letter with his sealing ring and handed it to Mats . " Oh . It ' s a long way to your house still , isn ' t it ? " Edward felt a bit of disappointment that no rescue seemed imminent , but he supposed it really was not reasonable to expect eight people to take a keep , even if they were Moraelyn ' s Companions . Probably the songs exaggerated their deeds . Moraelyn grinned , ruffled Edward ' s hair and told him to cease his questions , get up on the roof , and mind his mother . Moraelyn and Mith set off together on foot . Aliera said they were going hunting . They did not return even at suppertime . Aliera told Edward not to worry ; they ' d meet later . It was well after sundown when she bid their hostess farewell . They took all the horses with them and left them in a grove near the north wall of the keep . Aliera asked Edward if he wanted to wait for them with the horses . Edward asked where they were going . " We have to enter the keep to get Ora ' s grandchild out . No questions , Edward . If you ' re coming , then stay with me and do exactly as I say . Levitate across the moat : I must swim . Once across we ' ll scale the wall . Once inside , just follow me and be as silent as you can . " Edward gaped at his mother and the other Companions . How could the six of them possibly storm a keep ? Three women , two men and a boy ? There would be guards up on the wall and a lot more inside . Mats would be inside too , though , he guessed . But where were Moraelyn and Mith ? There were fearsome things in the moat . Edward began a protest , then thought better of it . Ssa ' ass slid into the moat first . There was some splashing and hissing , then the water went quiet . Aliera entered the water . The others levitated . " Here ' s the ropes , " Beech said , feeling along the wall . There were three ropes . Edward , Beech and Ssa ' ass went up first ; Aliera , Willow and Silk followed . Moraelyn and Mith were waiting above . Two guards were snoring softly in a heap . " How . . . " Edward began , and found his mother ' s hand clapped over his mouth . A guard from another wall section called out and Edward ' s heart stopped beating . Mith called something back to him and tramping footsteps moved away . The Companions went silently down the stairs and slipped across the yard like shadows . There was no guard on the door to the keep itself . Inside the passages were eerily quiet . They stopped at an imposing door and flattened themselves against the wall beside it . They could hear voices within . A thin chilling wail sounded and died away . Moraelyn whistled a snatch of song into the silence that followed . The door swung open and they raced inside , falling on the startled guards like furies . Edward was last inside , Tooth in his hand ; he stabbed the nearest guard in the side , and Beech finished him with a blow to the head . Mats had been inside ; it was he who had opened the door . His axe clove the head of one guard , then swung against the inner door . Aliera and Willow had barred the strong outer door . Moraelyn ' s opponent was a very young man . He ' d taken one look at the big dark elf , dropped his sword and fallen to his knees , praying for mercy . Moraelyn eyed him with disgust and said , " Greet Zenithar for me ; tell him Moraelyn of Ebonheart commends you to his mercy . I have none for such as you . " He slashed the young guard ' s throat . Blood sprayed over Moraelyn ' s leathers . His victim fell over , gurgling horribly . A burning acid rose in Edward ' s throat ; he swallowed hard and looked away . The guards inside the anteroom had been dispatched , but outside the door shouts and footfalls thundered and there was pounding on the door . Edward followed his mother into the inner chamber , which was empty save for a naked girl tied spreadeagle on the enormous bed , her eyes starting from her head . The Companions cut her free while Aliera caught her shoulders . " Thy grandmother sent us , child . Where ' s the baron ? " The girl pointed at a bookcase , then clung to Aliera . She was no bigger than Edward and seemed not much older . Her breasts were just beginning . She was covered with welts and blood and purple - yellow bruises . Aliera flung her own cloak over the girl . Beech picked her up . Mith ' s fingers were feeling over the bookcase ; there was a click and a section slid aside . He went through cautiously . The others followed and the secret door closed after them . " I think it ' s just a bolt hole , " Mith said , " but there ' ll be traps , no doubt . " " Go warily , then , friend , " Aliera said . " There ' s no hurry . I think the baron plans to show his departing guests the door , as a good host should . " A narrow passage opened to the left . Mith sent a bolt of light down it . The floor was littered with bones . Human bones . Small skulls stared eyelessly . " I ' m going to enjoy killing him , " Moraelyn said . " 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 semi - circle . 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 . Aliera smiled a terrible smile . Her dark hair swung free about her shoulders and she seemed to glow . " You will not beat this woman , baron , but if you do , then you go free . You are mine alone tonight . Swear it all , by Zenithar ! If he haps to kill me , my ghost will hound him to his grave and beyond . " She sounded rather pleased at the prospect . Edward began to shiver . " By Zenithar ! " The baron laughed , " I don ' t believe you , but one last female for my collection then . Are you so wearied of her , elf ? " " Are you so afraid of her that you ' d rather face me instead ? " Somewhere deep in his mind Edward realized that the elf was right . Despite the baron ' s bravado , he was afraid of Aliera . Edward hadn ' t sworn with the others . He clutched his staff tightly but his feet seemed rooted to the floor . The baron laughed again and swung a mighty blow at Aliera in answer , but it deflected harmlessly off her shield . His eyes widened as he realized she was spell shielded . Aliera danced aside and cut his arm . She was nimble , but he managed to land many blows . If her shield went . . . Edward did not finish the thought . But he was leaving himself somewhat open in the hope of wearing her shield down and she was scoring hits against his limbs . She kept her blows low , trying to cost him the use of his legs and drain him of blood . All the while she taunted him about his manhood , saying she would geld him ere he died . A great blow knocked her back ; her shield flashed and was gone . The baron raised his axe high to cleave her skull with a single blow . Her arm drew back and she threw her slender short sword straight into her enemy ' s eye . He dropped the axe and fell screaming to his knees , hands clawing at his face . Aliera stepped forward and thrust the sword home , piercing deep within the brain . The body fell over , twitching and jerking . " Well fought , wife ! " " I had a master trainer , and a better armorer ! " Aliera laughed , then she threw back her head and shouted wordlessly in triumph , raising her arms , fists clenched . " That you did ! " Moraelyn grabbed Silk in a rough hug and kissed her noisily . " It ' s a neat trick you taught her , Silk . " " I ' ll thank you to cease flirting with my trainer , husband ! " Aliera said , wiping her slender adamantium blade carefully . " Me flirt ? Not while thy blood ' s up , and thy shield ' s still charged . I ' m just thanking her . I ' ll kiss I ' ric too when next I see him . " " Is he truly dead ? " Caron had clung to Beech throughout the fight with her eyes closed . Now she regarded Aliera with Awe , Edward thought was the right word . Edward felt something of the same , although it was akin to horror . " Dead enough , " Aliera said , regarding the still faintly twitching form , with satisfaction . The girl drew closer , then knelt beside him . She picked up a stone and smashed it into the face again and again , sobbing . When she had done , Ssa ' ass cast some healing spells on her . Mith unlocked the door . They ' d come out quite near to where they had left the horses . They took the girl back to her mother ' s house and left her there , instructing her to tell anyone that ventured to molest her , that Zenithar ' s servants would return if she were harmed . The bewildered old woman clasped her granddaughter to her . As she bade them farewell , she whispered to Aliera to look after that man of hers . " Oh , I do , " Aliera said . " I do . " When they stopped for rest Aliera came over to Edward to talk to him , but he protested that he was very tired and just wanted to sleep . Moraelyn tugged her away , saying that if her son did not need her then she could see to her man , who did . They moved out of the circle of firelight . Edward lay wakeful , listening to their small , stifled sounds . That was not unusual . It had troubled him at first . " I can ' t sleep ; you ' re too noisy , " he ' d protested one night . " What are you doing , anyway ? " That had drawn giggles from the Companions . " Can ' t you at least pretend you ' re sleeping ? " Moraelyn had asked plaintively . " Now I know why dark elves seldom have more than one child . What I do not understand is how humans manage to get so many . " Moraelyn and Aliera had come back to lie by him that night , but after that he had pretended to sleep , like the others . And the noises were too familiar now to keep images of the night ' s adventures from flashing through his mind , as vivid as if they were happening again in truth . He could feel his daedra feeding and could not stop it . It just wasn ' t fair , he thought , but now he was beginning to see what Moraelyn meant by feeding his daedra and yet walking with the gods . With Zenithar . Moraelyn came back , carrying Aliera . He set her gently down , then stretched himself out between Edward and her . " It must be difficult , being a woman , " he said softly . " It was hard , watching her . Just watching . " Edward nodded . " I ' ve asked it often enough , of her , " Moraelyn continued . " She told me how hard it is , but I never knew until tonight . I knew she ' d win . Zenithar was with her , and all the baron had was his daedra . And still it was very hard to watch . She makes that cast nine tries out of ten , and there were more uses on the shield if she missed , he ' d have dropped of exhaustion before he wore it out entirely . " " I keep thinking about it , too . . . and the guard you . . . he asked for mercy ? " " I know . And yet , he listened to that night after night . And still he remained the baron ' s man . " " Most men are not as strong as you are . Maybe he couldn ' t help himself ? " Why was he pleading for a man already dead ? His mind kept replaying the night ' s events as if they might yet come out differently , for better or for worse . " Even to witness evil such as that corrupts the soul . To watch and do nothing , Mats would have stayed my hand had there been anything there worth keeping . And it ' s worse for the young ; I am sorry you had to pass through this night . " " Is my soul corrupted now ? " " You feel the acid ' s bite , as do we all , but you ' ll heal . " " Can you Heal me now ? " " Aye . " Moraelyn gathered the boy in his arms , then rolled over so that Edward lay between his parents . Aliera put her arms around him without really waking . Her strong woman smell mingled with Moraelyn ' s musky dark spice odor in Edward ' s nostrils . " She was so angry , " Edward whispered . He ' d wondered if he would ever really feel the same toward her again and yet her arms were still as comforting as before . Maybe Moraelyn too had needed that reassurance and had been wise enough to ask for it . " She ' s a woman . That sort of injury to another touches her near , " he said . How near ? The boy looked the question he dared not put . " Thy father ' s not a monster . But she was wed to a man who did not care for her , and she could not leave him . It ' s common enough among thy race , which makes it none the easier to bear , I think . " " She has a daedra , too , then ? " Edward asked sadly . " You must speak with her about that . " " It wasn ' t really a fair fight , her shielded and not him . " " Fair fighting ' s for the arena , boy . Would you fight a wolf or hell hound without weapons , spells and armor , though they have none ? I would not . " " What will become of Caron and Ora ? And the other folk , now that the baron ' s dead ? " " Do I look like the prophet Marukh ? How should I know ? We can stop here in the spring and see what ' s been planted in the field we burned tonight . I ' ve no mind to stay and plow it . I ' ve my own fields to tend , listen to me , I sound like a Nord farmer . Mines to dig is more like it . " He yawned . " The others didn ' t think about afterwards . You did . " " I ' m a king ; it ' s what we do . "