Gods Magic Guilds History Monsters Geography Tamriel Main |
World of Tamriel Books - Biography of Queen Barenziah, Vol II |
Links People Credits Society Dictionary Downloads UESP Main |
by Scribe Stem Gamboge
The first volume
of this series told the story of Barenziah's origin, heiress of the throne of Mournhold until
her father king rebelled against His Excellency Tiber Septim
and brought ruin to the province of Morrowind. Due to the
benevolence of the Emperor, the child Barenziah was not
destroyed with her parents, but reared by the Baron Sven of
Blackmoor. She grew beautiful, pious, and trusting in his
care. This trust was exploited by a wicked orphan stable boy
at Baron Sven's estate, who with lies, tricked her into
fleeing Blackmoor with him. After many adventures on the
road, they settled in Rifton, a Skyrim city on the border of
Morrowind.
The stable boy Straw was not altogether evil. He did love
Barenziah in his own selfish fashion, and the lie was the only
way he could think of that he might have her. She, of course,
felt only friendship for him, but he was hopeful that she
would change her mind. He wanted to buy a small farm and
settle down in marriage, but his earnings were barely enough
to feed and shelter them.
After only a short time in Rifton, Straw fell in with a
bold villian of a Khajiit thief named Therris, who proposed
that they rob the Imperial commandant's house. Therris said
that he had a client, a traitor to the Empire, who would pay
well for the information they would find there. Barenziah
happened to overhear this plan and was appalled. She stole
from their rooms and walked the streets of Rifton in
desperation, torn between loyalty to the Empire and to her
friend.
In the end, loyalty to the Empire prevailed over
personal friendship, and she approached the commandant's
house, revealed her true identity and warned him of her
friends' plan. The commandant listened to her tale, praised
her courage and assured her that no harm would come to her.
General Symmachus had been scouring the countryside in
search of her since her disappearance had just arrived in
Rifton, hot in pursuit. He took her into his custody, and
informed her that, far from being sold, she was to be
instated as Queen of Mournhold as soon as she turned
eighteen. Until that time, she was to live with the Imperial
family in the new Imperial City, where she would learn
something of Imperial government and make the acquaintance
of people of importance.
And so it came to pass. In the Imperial City, Barenziah
became great friends with Tiber Septim during the last years
of his reign; Tiber's heir Pelagius also came to love her as a
sister. The ballads of the day praised her beauty, chastity,
wit, and learning. On her eighteenth birthday, the entire
Imperial City turned out to watch her procession back to
Mournhold. Sorrowful as they were at her departure, all
knew that she was ready to be the glorious sovereign of the
new kingdom of Mournhold.
Continue on with Volume III
If you have any problems, suggestions or comments on this page or website, please feel free to use the Contact Form to send a message to the WebMaster.