XVII Accord of Madness

V

  The Council was furious when I entered the slightly stuffy chamber with its heavily laden bookshelves and glass cases filled with soul gems of all power levels, lit only by the flickering candles that stretched their shadows up the wall. Were they deliberately trying to oppress me by not using a spell to light up the room? Trying to close me in with their imposing stature? To this day I am still not certain as to what their intentions were, even less so as to their personal feelings towards me. However, I am very much aware that Raminus was as much to do with the sour mood in the room as I was in saving Cyrodiil from starvation.

  “I hope you have a very good reason for dismissing us earlier,” Raminus hissed, forgetting his customary politeness and deferential tone.

  Elitlaya threw a sympathy glance in my direction, but I didn’t need it. I was the Arch-Mage of this University, this Council; I held the most power, no matter my age or experience. It was only natural then that my retort came out in a harsh tone.

  “As a matter of fact, I have rather valid reasons for doing so, and I would advise that you sit down and hold your tongue, Raminus Polus.”

  Raminus took his seat with a surprised expression, a mixture of anger, amazement and admiration. Everyone else’s face displayed the same expression, actually. Besides Elitlaya, of course. She loved when I became irritated, and she could tell that I was reaching my peak. It was only when I was truly angry that I used someone’s full name.

  “I dismissed us earlier,” I began with no hint of apprehension, “because I dislike the manner in which the Council is being conducted, especially when we are out on public display like we were earlier. Every one of you were behaving in a rude, inconsiderate and downright arrogant manner towards your fellow colleagues. Do you really believe the Mages here are going to have any faith in a Council that cannot even work together efficiently?”

  “Arch-Mage, you don’t-” Raminus broke in.

  “I said hold your tongue!” I half-hissed, half-yelled at the Master-Wizard.

  The disturbed faces of the Council told me that this was unexpected behaviour on my part. Even Elitlaya shifted uncomfortably in her chair at my unprecedented outburst, although I had nothing to say to her. I had for some reason been inspired by a great passion, of which I was unaware of the origins, but was seemingly willing to embrace.

  “I elected this Council as I believed that you would all be able to communicate in a mature manner and resolve problems with solutions that do not compromise another area of the arcane and damage the reputation of your fellow magicka users. Was I wrong?” I paused, which lead to a deafening silence that let me know that my words were being heard loud and clear. “If you can’t sort yourselves out soon, I’m going to have to replace in you in the Council or just remove your position and reduce the size of the Council or even ban you from being involved in Guild affairs. Is that quite clear?”

  Heads nodded all around the table. No one spoke, waiting to see if I was about to speak again. Naturally, in my uncompromising state of mind, I was.

  “Who leads this Council? Who deals with all the Mages’ complaints, regardless of their relevancy? Who has had their ass worked off with all of their other duties resulting in not being able to have a fair night’s sleep in weeks, and comes back to find that she can’t even trust her own Council to deal with things in her absence?!”

  I wondered if I had turned purple yet, because the Council members sat with their jaws hanging around their ankles. Elitlaya raised a hand slightly. The sight of this infantile action almost made me break my stern expression to laugh, but I composed myself in an attempt to prevent her panic.