2920 , vol 06 - Mid Year A part of the twelve volume set " 2920 " . Content . 2 Mid Year , 2920 Balmora , Morrowind " The Imperial army is gathered to the south , " said Cassyr . " They are a two weeks march from Ald Iuval and Lake Coronati , heavily armored . " Vivec nodded . Ald Iuval and its sister city on the other side of the lake Ald Marak were strategically important fortresses . He had been expecting a move against them for some time . His captain pulled down a map of southwestern Morrowind from the wall and smoothed it out , fighting a gentle summer sea breeze wafting in from the open window . " They were heavily armored , you say ? " asked the captain . " Yes , sir , " said Cassyr . " They were camped out near Bethal Gray in the Heartland , and I saw nothing but Ebony , Dwarven , and Daedric , fine weaponry , and siege equipment . " " How about spellcasters and boats ? " asked Vivec . " A horde of battlemages , " replied Cassyr . " But no boats . " " As heavily armored as they are , it will take them at least two weeks , like you said , to get from Bethal Gray to Lake Coronati , " Vivec studied the map carefully . " They ' d be dragged down in the bogs if they then tried to circle around to Ald Marak from the north , so they must be planning to cross the straits here and take Ald Iuval . Then they ' d proceed around the lake to the east and take Ald Marak from the south . " " They ' ll be vulnerable along the straits , " said the captain . " Provided we strike when they are more than halfway across and can ' t retreat back to the Heartland . " " Your intelligence has once again served us well , " said Vivec , smiling to Cassyr . " We will beat back the Imperial aggressors yet again . " 3 Mid Year , 2920 Bethal Gray , Cyrodiil " Will you be returning back this way after your victory ? " asked Lord Bethal . Prince Juilek barely paid the man any attention . He was focused on the army packing its camp . It was a cool morning in the forest , but there were no clouds . All the makings of a hot afternoon march , particularly in such heavy armor . " If we return shortly , it will be because of defeat , " said the Prince . He could see down in the meadow , the Potentate Versidue - Shaie paying his lordship ' s steward for the use of the village ' s food , wine , and whores . An army was an expensive thing , for certes . " My Prince , " said Lord Bethal with concern . " Is your army beginning a march due east ? That will just lead you to the shores of Lake Coronati . You ' ll want to go south - east to get to the straits . " " You just make certain your merchants get their share of our , " said the Prince with a grin . " Let me worry about my army ' s direction . " 16 Mid Year , 2920 Lake Coronati , Morrowind Vivec stared across the blue expanse of the lake , seeing his reflection and the reflection of his army in the cool blue waters . What he did not see was the Imperial Army ' s reflection . They must have reached the straits by now , barring any mishaps in the forest . Tall feather - thin lake trees blocked much of his view of the straits , but an army , particularly one clan in slow - moving heavy armor could not move invisibly , silently . " Let me see the map again , " he called to his captain . " Is there no other way they could approach ? " " We have sentries posted in the swamps to the north in case they ' re fool enough to go there and be bogged under , " said the captain . " We would at least hear about it . But there is no other way across the lake except through the straits . " Vivec looked down again at his reflection , which seemed to be distorting his image , mocking him . Then he looked back on the map . " Spy , " said Vivec , calling Cassyr over . " When you said the army had a horde of battlemages , what made you so certain they were battlemages ? " " They were wearing gray robes with mystical insignia on them , " explained Cassyr . " I figured they were mages , and why else would such a vast number travel with the army ? They couldn ' t have all been healers . " " You fool ! " roared Vivec . " They ' re mystics schooled in the art of Alteration . They ' ve cast a spell of water breathing on the entire army . " Vivec ran to a new vantage point where he could see the north . Across the lake , though it was but a small shadow on the horizon , they could see gouts of flame from the assault on Ald Marak . Vivec bellowed with fury and his captain got to work at once redirecting the army to circle the lake and defend the castle . " Return to Dwynnen , " said Vivec flatly to Cassyr before he rode off to join the battle . " Your services are no longer needed nor wanted . " It was already too late when the Morrowind army neared Ald Marak . It had been taken by the Imperial Army . 19 Mid Year , 2920The Imperial City , Cyrodiil The Potentate arrived in the Imperial City amid great fanfare , the streets lined with men and women cheering him as the symbol of the taking of Ald Marak . Truth be told , a greater number would have turned out had the Prince returned , and the Versidue - Shaie knew it . Still , it pleased him to no end . Never before had citizens of Tamriel cheered the arrival of an Akaviri into their land . The Emperor Reman III greeted him with a warm embrace , and then tore into the letter he had brought from the Prince . " I don ' t understand , " he said at last , still joyous but equally confused . " You went under the lake ? " " Ald Marak is a very well - fortified fortress , " explained the Potentate . " As , I might add , the army of Morrowind has rediscovered , now that they are on the outside . To take it , we had to attack by surprise and with our soldiery in the sturdiest of armor . By casting the spell that allowed us to breathe underwater , we were able to travel faster than Vivec would have guessed , the weight of the armor made less by the aquatic surroundings , and attack from the waterbound west side of the fortress where their defenses were at their weakest . " " Brilliant ! " the Emperor crowed . " You are a wonderous tactician , Versidue - Shaie ! If your fathers had been as good at this as you are , Tamriel would be Akaviri domain ! " The Potentate had not planned to take credit for Prince Juilek ' s design , but on the Emperor ' s reference to his people ' s fiasco of an invasion two hundred and sixteen years ago , he made up his mind . He smiled modestly and soaked up the praise . 21 Mid Year , 2920Ald Marak , Morrowind Savirien - Chorak slithered to the wall and watched through the arrow slit the Morrowind army retreating back to the forestland between the swamps and the castle grounds . It seemed like the ideal opportunity to strike . Perhaps the forests could be burned and the army within them . Perhaps with Vivec in their enemies ' hands , the army would allow them possession of Ald Iuval as well . He suggested these ideas to the Prince . " What you seem to be forgetting , " laughed Prince Juilek . " Is that I gave my word that no harm to the army or to their commanders during the truce negotiations . Do you not have honor during warfare on Akavir ? " " My Prince , I was born here in Tamriel , I have never been to my people ' s home , " replied the snake man . " But even so , your ways are strange to me . You expected no quarter and I gave you none when we fought in the Imperial Arena five months ago . " " That was a game , " replied the Prince , before nodding to his steward to let the Dunmer battle chief in . Juilek had never seen Vivec before , but he had heard he was a living god . What came before him was but a man . A powerfully built man , handsome , with an intelligent face , but a man nonetheless . The Prince was pleased : a man he could speak with , but not a god . " Greetings , my worthy adversary , " said Vivec . " We seem to be at an impasse . " " Not necessarily , " said the Prince . " You don ' t want to give us Morrowind , and I can ' t fault you for that . But I must have your coastline to protect the Empire from overseas aggressions , and certain key strategic border castles , such as this one , as well as Ald Umbeil , Tel Aruhn , Ald Lambasi , and Tel Mothrivra . " " And in return ? " asked Vivec . " In return ? " laughed Savirien - Chorak . " You forget we are the victors here , not you . " " In return , " said Prince Juilek carefully . " There will be no Imperial attacks on Morrowind , unless in return to an attack by you . You will be protected from invaders by the Imperial navy . And your land may expand by taking certain estates in Black Marsh , whichever you choose , provided they are not needed by the Empire . " " A reasonable offer , " said Vivec after a pause . " You must forgive me , I am unused to Cyrodiils who offer something in return for what they take . May I have a few days to decide ? " " We will meet again in a week ' s time , " said the Prince , smiling . " In the meantime , if your army provokes no attacks on mine , we are at peace . " Vivec left the Prince ' s chamber , feeling that Almalexia was right . The war was at an end . This Prince would make an excellent Emperor . The Year is Continued in Sun ' s Height