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Part Three: A Treethane's Dilemma
Loyalty, prized by friends and demanded of subordinates, must still be tempered with flexibility. Otherwise, loyalty is a trap, and a dangerous one.
Take, for example, the story of the former Treethane of Silvenar, Thalrinel. I served her loyally for her entire, if short, stint as custodian of the city, just as she served our lordships, and even the Aldmeri Dominion loyally during her term.
But when the Hound, Lord Ulthorn, arrived, he declared a new order, and his men enforced loyalty to the Bosmer first. Naturally, I saw the immediate wisdom of the Hound's position.
Unfortunately, Thalrinel did not. She resisted his welcome ascendance as the Green Lady's consort, and her misplaced loyalty was rewarded with nothing but pain. She fancied herself a representative of the Silvenar, an archaic symbol of outdated oaths, not a representative of Silvenar, a city full of mer who needed her loyalty.
Fortunately, I saw the wisdom in Lord Ulthorn's reasoning. And the Hound saw the benefits of my flexibility. He promised my ascendance to treethane if I would back him and help complete the inevitable union between the Green Lady and himself.
What could I do? The fate of the city was in the balance. When she arrived, I welcomed her and gave her the drink and food set aside for her by Lord Ulthorn. I'm certain he knew what was best.
All was going well until the Silvenar arrived. The Houndsmen were prepared, and I'm certain this business of "heroes" and "villains" will be resolved in our favor. My loyalty cannot be questioned. I'm certain Lord Ulthorn will remember me in the end.
If only I could—