Waking Up

     Do you ever get the feeling, right as you wake up, that you do not know where you are or how you got there? That was the feeling that washed over me as I became aware of my surroundings. They were grim, dirty, and musky. A cell. I lay on a cell floor, dirt coating my worn prisoner garments. Laying there I tried to remember how I got there, but nothing came to me. My memories were a black, looming cloud that was laughing at me as I tried to remember what had happened. Frustrated I clambered to my feet. A window lurked at the back of my cell.

    Turning towards the cell doors I saw chains hanging from the ceiling, they were dirty and unused. I walked, my hands outstretched, to the locked door that kept me from running. As I approached it I heard movement in the cell across from me, another prisoner. I reached the door as he began speaking to me. He spoke of my impending doom, as we heard voices approaching the cells he told me they were coming for me, and that I was going to die.

    I stood, watching the stairs, waiting to see who the people were coming our way. My hands began to tremble, and I broke out into a cold sweat. I didn't want to die in this cell, I wasn't ready. The voices got closer, and I could make out a bit of what they were saying. Something about a 'sire' and about getting this 'sire' to safety. They came around the bend of the stairs, three guards, and someone dressed in expensive clothing. Someone of great importance.

    The female guard turned towards my cell and took a step back in surprise when she saw me, it could not be that I looked intimidating, standing there helplessly in rags. She questioned one of the other guards as to why I was in that cell, mentioning that it was supposed to be off limits. The older of the two men answered that it must have been a mix up with the watch, he seemed unable to give her a clear answer. Frustrated she told them to just get it open. The male who spoke earlier motioned to me and told me to go over by the window. Not wanting to die I complied. I shuffled towards the back of my cell by the window as they opened the cell door. The female came through followed by the older male guard, then the man dressed in royalty's clothing, and the youngest male came through last, closing my cell door behind him. The older male gestured at me and told me to stay put and to not make any sudden moves. He had a long sword sheathed by his side. He would think me crazy to make a move against three well armed, clearly, trained soldiers.

    Suddenly the man dressed royally looked at me; he let out a small gasp. Confused, I met his gaze. He told me to come closer, so I took a hesitant step towards him.

"I have seen your face," he said to me.

 How could he have seen my face if I had never seen his before? As I went to reply, he stated that he had seen me in his dreams and that the stars had spoken to him. He told me that this must be the day, he asked the Gods to be with him, and he warned me that my path would be filled with blood and death.

If I thought I had been frightened beforehand, I was mistaken. The fear overwhelmed me. What had he seen?

"Who are you?" I asked, unsure if I really wanted to know the answer.

"I am your Emperor Uriel Septim," he stated with confidence.

   The female guard interrupted our encounter and told him that if they wanted to leave that they needed to go now. Turning back towards me, Uriel told me to be safe. He then followed the female guard through a secret tunnel that had materialized after she had hit a hidden button to open it. The others followed faithfully.

   I let them go ahead of me for a time before heading after them. I wanted to know what life he had seen me leading. What was he talking about? Why was I there? Following them was the only way I would get any answers to my questions. I fearfully took the first steps toward a journey that I never dreamed I would live.