Chapter Text
Elahbah had agreed to stay at home and help Sayori if she woke up.
Instead, he had planned to go out to an afternoon party for a friend who was leaving Rimmen for Cyrodiil.
He assumed Sayori was still weak enough to be left alone to sleep.
But Sayori did wake and found the house empty.
And it doesn't matter if you have dragon blood in you. Any small child who finds themselves alone is afraid.
And a sick one is in a worse state of mind.
Sayori had woken from a night terror of werewolf's hunting her family and she being stuck in bed by spider webs.
And now she couldn't find anyone.
She used a large amount of Restoration for her head and nerves before deciding the best thing for her to do was to go outside.
She needed air. And she needed to find someone.
She ran out to the garden to see if Husbar and Regit were training without her.
Regit trained more than she did. Feeling bad that she could read and write before him, she decided to allow her twin to better at something than she.
She was by the far the better archer. But she let him be better at everything else.
Not that Regit would have cared anyway. But she wanted him shine without her taking it up.
Seeing no one there, she wondered if her mother was at Temple.
It made sense of Drosia and Regit weren't there. She wouldn't have gone to work while she was feeling this rough.
So she decided to make her way to Temple.
It was a twnty minute walk. A long time for a four year old alone.
But she almost got there without an issue.
Until a High Elf spotted her and made his way to her.
"Lost your mother Khajiit?"
Sayori's vision was blurred but she looked up, flinching at the sun.
"You won't answer?"
"........"
"Do you not know what I am?"
"......"
This new face wasHonndil Granan
He was a Sorcerer and Third Emissary for the Third Aldmeri Dominion. A Thalmor.
Sayori didn’t know that.
But she knew he was bad news the moment she saw him.
And Karina had told her to be very careful when talking to High Elves in dark hoods.
Granan left letters to his father and friends in the High Isles which showed his disgust for humans and the other elf races.
But he had a big hatred for the Argonian's and Khajiit.
It is heavily suggested that he was posted in Elsweyr as punishment for being caught with a higher ranking Thalmor's wife.
When he first met the young Dragonborn, he was only two months into his new role and hated it.
A lost, very confused, sick child was an easy target for his frustration.
Granan's large right hand gripped Sayori's left arm and he pulled her up to his eye level; "I am in proud service of the Aldmeri Dominion. The same one who saved your moons and your region. You should know not to ignore me."
"Not many four year old's would know who you are Honndil."
The Thalmor turned to see Sōshō.
Sōshō had been out getting groceries but had noticed everyone around him look in a certain direction.
And when he saw what was going on, he couldn't just let it continue.
"A grandchild of yours?" Granan waved the child at him.
"One of my students. Put her down" Sōshō demanded as calmly as possible.
"I'm waiting for the mother -"
"Sayori!"
Karina didn't care who the High Elf was.
She took Sayori who quietly groaned fro the pain her arm was in and held her.
High Priest Saelinthius was there to protect her; "Honndil, I should warn you that the First Emissary hears from me. You cannot harm children who come to the Temple."
"Well pardon me for being rightfully insulted that I got no word from her! Asked what was wrong - nothing!"
"She doesn't talk" Sōshō voice was firm; "And I doubt a tall elf is someone a small Khajiit would be brave enough to say a word."
"Where were you?" Granan demanded from Karina.
Karina was very afraid; "I was at Temple. Her brother was supposed to watch her but -"
"-it's also none of your business." the High Priest got his attention; "use your time here to give the Thalmor a good name.
"Narnro, no need for theatrics" Granan sneered; "I was only trying to help."
"I think we both know what you were doing. Leave it and go about your business. I'm sure harassing a child wasn't in your duty notes."
High Priest Saelinthius earned a lot of respect from the crowd but no one dared to say anything.
Granan saw them an yelled; "Why are you all standing around? Get on with it!"
He then marched into the crowd, yelling at anyone who he spotted staring.
Jahadra happened to be one of them and she ran to her mother; "What happened?"
"Take her home" the High Priest told Karina; "Wuseen and I will get the others - Jahadra, can you help your mother?"
"Thank you" Karina said to him and to Sōshō; "thank you for this."
"Keep her home for another day or so" Sōshō told her; "another big shock Sōshō thinks."
Needless to say, Elahbah got quite a shock when he came home late and his family were waiting for him.
Regit and Sayori were in their mother's room, Sayori in bed, when they heard Elahbah grunt through his well deserved punishment with mother's stick.
Jahadra joined them; "Serves him right. Jahadra is sorry she didn't see it happen Sayori, he wouldn't have dared touch you."
"Who was he?" Regit asked. He was still trying to work out what had happened.
"Elahbah left the house without telling anyone, Sayori went out looking for one of us - Thalmor decided to bully her." Jahadra folded her arms; "Just as well the High Priest in on your side."
Sayori was shattered; "Is Mama alright?"
"Mama's alright. Well, she's furious with our brother."
"She didn't shout."
"She never shouts. Jahadra did. He's an idiot."
Karina then came in.
"How are you?" she asked Sayori gently.
"....... I don't really want to tell the truth just now sorry."
"Mama doesn't care about that."
".....not good."
"How is your arm?"
"Alright" Sayori then turned away and held her large ears tightly.
"Regit, Mama will take care of her." Karina told her son; "Sh won't be left alone until she's better."
Jahadra took Regit's hand gently and took him outside. She knew Karina wanted to be alone with Sayori.
"Do you know who that elf was?" she asked.
"He said he was a Thalmor."
"And you know what they are?"
"....... sort of. They rule over us."
"They do. Or they act for their leaders. They are very important. The High Priest and Master Sōshō were very brave to talk to him."
"I didn't want to talk to him."
"And you shouldn't have had to. If you do end up seeing him again and he talks to you, you will need to say something though. But hopefully we won't see him again. The High Priests has complained to higher authority."
Honndil Granan was reprimanded as his actions would be seen as a negative effect on Rimmen's rather anti-Thalmor population.
What with half of Rimmen being human and elves and a political climate where ruling themselves independently was gaining popularity.
Granan was put to desk work and he glumly did this for a few weeks.
But he didn't forget the insult he felt.
He would get even. He knew it.
