-An Exert from the 1st journal of Gaius Latro, the Hero of Kvatch-

It's a strange thing getting old. You can remember how easy it was doing something, anything when you were young. You remember when you could walk down a street without needing a cane to keep you up. You remember the brave deeds you accomplished with only your wit, skill and a lot of luck. You remember your mistakes. You remember the faces of all those friends who aren't here to age and get old with you.

There comes a time when a man must look back and wonder if he did all that he could do. As I look back on my actions, I can sit here and say I did my duty. I have done enough. Yet a part of me still wishes to ride out and do more. To have one last great adventure.

Many of the knights here think I need to start writing down my stories and adventures. I don't see why anyone would want to read about my life, but I suppose it'll be a good way to pass the time.

Since this is going to be the first of many journals I should start at the beginning. Now many would probably think that my journey began with a royal decree from the Emperor him self. Or that the Blades came asking for my help. It may come to surprise you then that my adventure started in a small damp prison cell, which to this day I still don't know what I had done to get thrown into. But being a young man of only 20, it probably had something to do with too much drinking.

The First Entry 01

With a groan Gaius slowly opened his eyes to look around. He could tell immediately he was on the floor and not in his bed at the local inn. Sitting up, Gaius groaned and leaned against the nearest stone wall. His head was killing him. Absently he also noticed he had been lying in a puddle.

"Please gods, let that be water."

Slowly, as to not increase the pounding that was taking place behind his eyes, Gaius rose to his feet. Walking around he soon found his path blocked by iron bars.

"Am I…is this a prison? Gods, how did I even get here?"

Reaching out, Gaius grabbed hold of the bars and gave them a hard shake. The iron groaned but did not budge, "so much for that idea…"

Gaius then heard a noise from the cell across from his. Watching the cell, he saw a lone dark elf come up to the cell door. The two stared at each other from across the hall before the elf began to cackle.

"Oh look, an imperial in the imperial prison. I guess they don't play favorites huh?"

Frowning Gaius asked, "I don't suppose you know why I'm hear?"

The smirk the elf gave was a little unsettling for Gaius, "Your own kinsmen think you're a piece of human trash."

A lot of help this guy is turning out to be, thought Gaius. Sighing, "I guess I'll have to ask when a guard comes then. Hopefully I'll get out of here before the day ends."

Again the elf laughed, though there was a touch of malice to it this time, "You think you're leaving, how sad. I bet the guards give you special treatment before the end."

Gaius couldn't believe what he had just heard, "wait what do you mean!?"

"Oh that's right. You're going to die in here, imperial. You're going to die. Imperial criminal scum like you give the empire a bad name you see. You're an embarrassment. Best if you just…disappeared."

Gaius felt like a chunk of ice had been dropped into his gut when the elf said 'disappeared'. In an act of desperation Gaius kicked the gate, but only succeeded in hurting his foot. Though this seemed to greatly amuse the dark elf. Soon though both he and Gaius heard a door open from upstairs. The elf smirked at Gaius, "Hey you hear that? The guards are coming for you!"

Gaius felt his hands tighten on the iron bars. He listened as the foot steps got closer. Every step sent a feeling of dread right through his very soul. When a woman suddenly spoke though, Gaius felt that something was amiss.

"Baurus! Go back and lock that door behind us!"

A man quickly answered the woman, "Yes sir!" Gaius could hear the man quickly run back up, and clamp the locks to the door shut. Gaius frowned at the voices. They sounded tense. Almost in a panic. A new voice soon joined the others. But unlike the others, his was mournful and didn't have the same volume.

"My sons…they're dead aren't they?"

The woman answered, "We don't know that sire. The messenger only said they were attacked." Gaius could tell that the woman didn't believe her own words.

Neither did the other man apparently, "No they're dead. I know it."

The woman sighed, "I'm sorry sire, but my job right now is to get you to safety."

Soon the group entered into the light of a nearby torch and Gaius got a look at them. Gaius recognized them immediately as the Blades. The woman stopped at his cell and glared at him. Gaius blinked back, not entirely sure what was going on. The woman practically snarled as she turned to one of the other Blades, Baurus if Gaius had to guess.

"What's this prisoner doing here? This cell is supposed to be off limits!"

Gaius frowned at the same time as Baurus answered, "usual mix up with the watch, I…"

The woman waved him off, "never mind! Get that gate open." She then turned her attention back to Gaius and drew her sword, pointing it right at him. Quite suddenly she had Gaius's complete and undivided attention, "Stand back prisoner. We won't hesitate to kill you if you get in our way."

Gaius looked around, hoping to find the perfect place to keep him safe from the woman's sword, "where do you want me to go?"

Baurus spoke up, "Over by the window. Stay out of the way and you wont' get hurt."

Gaius nodded and moved to the far end of the cell. Seeing that Gaius wasn't going to try anything Baurus waved the others in.

"Now stay put. Understand."

It wasn't a question but Gaius nodded all the same. It was then that he noticed a new member of the group. Unlike the others he was not wearing the armor of the Blades, but heavy robes or blue and red, trimmed with white. Around his neck he wore a large red gem. He was old, and he seemed to carry a heavy weight as he walked.

When the woman Blade moved over to where the cell's bed was, Gaius watched as she pushed in a loose block, and slowly the wall began to move and open. Reveling a hidden passage.

"Sire this way please."

As the old man moved, his eyes fell upon Gaius and suddenly he stopped.

"Sire?"

The old man stared at Gaius before he spoke, "You…I've seen you… Let me see your face."

Gaius slowly stepped into the light, well aware that the Blades were more than ready to cut him down.

A strange look dawned on the old man as he finally got a good look at Gaius, "You are the one from my dreams. Then the stars were right, and this is the day. Gods give me strength."

Gaius frowned, "What do you mean? What's going on?"

The man sighed, "Assassins attacked my sons, and I'm next. My blades are leading me out of the city along a secret escape route. By chance the entrance to that escape route leads through your cell."

"Your Blades? Then are you the Emperor; Uriel Septim?"

Septim nodded. Gaius felt his jaw drop. The Emperor was standing right in front of him…and had just said that his sons were killed and after him as well.

"Sire…you said you've seen me before? I don't understand. I don't even know why I'm in this cell?"

"Perhaps the gods have seen fit to intervene by sending you here. As for what you may have done, it does not matter. It will not be what you are remembered for."

The female Blade placed a hand gently on the Emperors shoulder, "Sire please, we must go."

"Yes…yes you are right."

Turning the group entered the passage, leaving Gaius alone once again. From inside the tunnel he could hear someone ask about closing it. They decided not to since it could only be opened from the outside and if they needed to fall back, they'd be trapped.

Gaius stood alone in the cell for several seconds, and then from across the hall he could hear the elf at the bars. Giving the dark elf a quick glance, Gaius entered the tunnel and after the group, unsure as to even why.

I still wonder why I went after them. Maybe I hoped I would find some answers as to why I was in that cell. Ultimately though, I would only find more questions, and death.

Authors Notes:

To be honest with everyone I never really planned to write this story. But after getting a little stumped on a Dragonborn chapter in my other story, I decided to just type something out to try and clear my head. Low and behold this popped out. It should be fun writing some stories with Gaius. Also while The Legend of the Dovahkiin has arcs, The Hero of Khvatch Chronicles will have journal entries and like my other story there won't be any over reaching chronological order to them unless I say so. Also Dragonborn 4 is almost ready. Just filling in some stuff between some dialog.

Anyway I hope you all liked this, and please leave a review. Also let me know if you seen any grammar errors!

Characters:

Gaius Latro: The Hero of Kvatch, Savior of Bruma, 7th Champion of Cyrodiil, Second Divine Crusader and Lord Sheogorath Daedric Prince of Madness and so on, and so on. A man of many names, Gaius Latro is a text book knight in shining armor and willing to run head first into danger to protect innocents. The man is a saint, proof of this being that he can wear the Relics of the Crusader. Gaius is a pure melee fighter, relying on his wits, skill and luck to survive. As such he has no real talent for magic. After the death of his friend Martin Septim, Gaius with drew from society, even his own knights, moving from one place to another trying to help as many people as he could, so that his friends death to save them would not go to waste. After several years wondering the land he returned to the Priory of the Nine where he took up teaching the new recruits. However even then he was always ready to set out if his help was needed, even until his old age.

Baurus: The youngest member of the Blades. Working with the Hero of Kvatch, he uncovered the identity of the Order of the Mythic Dawn.

Uriel Septim VII: 21st ruler of the empire of Tamriel, and key figure in the first four Elder Scrolls games.