The brightness of the moons on this night had given way during the intensifying riots to the reddish-orange haze of fires and the beacons lit across the walls of the Imperial City as little by little the Legions struggled to regain order. Yet as smoke filled the night sky and the calls to order sounded over angry citizens, a shift to the atmosphere could be felt as rumor spread like wildfire and fanned the rioters into a panic in the face of the watch. The guards in the prison shifted back and forth as they rested, swapping in and out with each other as some came in from the streets battered and bruised and trying to get a moment of rest before heading back in. Some just wanted a moment to breathe, a moment of relative silence in the wake of so much violence gripping the city.
But the rumor carried even down into the prison proper, the words said before anyone could try and stress the importance of keeping such things to one's self. "Murdered. At his own wedding." A man fresh from the Palace District sat with his back to the wall, blood spattered across his armor from his flight to Legion headquarters. Some of it looked clearly to be his own, a lot more civilian, rioter or otherwise. At first as he said those words, not many paid him much mind, a murder at a wedding was an awful affair but not enough to cause as much destruction as was ongoing. Then another man entered, pulling a dented helmet from his head and tossing it in the corner of the bastion up above. His face was bruised and split where he had clearly chosen to catch a blunt object with his face, though maybe not quite intentional.
His voice carried all the way down to the prison proper, outraged and over his fellow guards trying to calm him. "Dead! All of them!" A commotion sounded from above, and some of the guards down with the prisoners glanced nervously at each other, wondering if they should step in and help, but deciding it was probably best to keep out for now. "Geldall, his traitor-bitch wife, and all the others. People with masks and red robes all over the damn city stabbing anyone and everyone, took a knife just trying to get here." Where before the other cells had been just as packed as their own and rather busy with people arguing their own issues, a silence descended upon them for the first time all night. Hands gripped the bars and a collection of faces leaned in to try and get a look for themselves in disbelief. A soft murmuring, some questioning, others denying, the conversation building all around them as even the guards had their own takes.
Up above there was more shouting and arguing, the man trying to rally a few to go with him to the palace only for panic to set in and the sound of blades clashing. Though the prisoners could not see, it was clear a fight had broken out in the bastion and without any further information it seemed as if the city itself had gone mad. Screams, the sounds of rent flesh and steel, until one voice cut across all others and put some order to the chaos around them.
"Legionnaires! Phalanx!"
A woman's voice, one that may have been familiar to at least one member of the cell, and even if unfamiliar to the others this one was someone clearly in command. Imperial through and through, but with that subtle Breton lean, she needed no further insistence as the guards by the cell pulled together into an impromptu phalanx with a pair up front with shields and the rest drawing their blades and waiting. They need not wait too long, as with a scream of protest, a man in red robes and a black metal mask came cascading down the turn in the corridor, tumbling into the front ranks. Those two up front worked the shields to carry the robed man's momentum, sending him above the six guards in the corridor and into their drawn blades to die behind them. Then another came down, and they shifted to the sides of the corridor to allow the second rank to step forward, plunging their swords into the man's chest and pulling him out through the formation to the back. A third and the sounds of fighting up above went silent, replaced with heavy boots coming down the stairs and more distant shouts.
"Gaius, Titus. You two are with Lady Alexandria, help her rally the Legions and take back the city. Lucia and Marinus, gather whoever is rested enough to mount a defence of the Prison District. Assist Lady Julia with organizing relief and securing the isle."
The guards took several steps back, that same woman coming into view now as she turned to look into the cell, her disappointment clear as well as no small amount of disgust. It was clear that she was very unamused with the people within this cell, though the exact reason why was unclear at the moment. Yet for those who knew… Her armor marked her out as a member of the Blades, but the katana at her side bloodied and the scabbard dented was more than enough for even the most novice of Imperial Citizens to recognize the distinct danger they may be in. The Blades. Here. In the prison. Either someone within the cell had made a rather severe error in who they struck during the riot or-
"If it wasn't for the riot burning the Arena District to the ground, I would be having one or all of you in the interrogation cells to explain this, but we have more important matters at hand." Captain Renault beckoned with her hand and she was joined by two other dour-faced Blades, taking a look back at her charge and ensuring that the corridor was safe for now. The other cells had gone quiet, even Valen Dreth had somehow found it in him to keep his mouth shut and stay out of sight. "Open this cell and get these people out of here. We need through and we need-" Slowly another came into sight, this one not armored like his escorts but they gave him the kind of deference that made it very clear who he was. An older man gray of hair and with a weary expression across his features as he looked into the cell and shared a moment of disappointment with the captain of his Blades. All the more as someone actually asked the question of who the old man was, to which Yashar very quietly told said person in as kind a tone as possible, that they needed to be very quiet and be ready to move when told to.
"The one from my dreams…" Uriel Septim stood before them as the door was quickly unlocked, his Blades stepping in just in case someone decided to make a move they disagreed with. "Elara, this was written in the stars… Today is the day." Captain Renault frowned at this, though she gestured to one of the others to step into the cell and make his way through the throng of people to press at the wall behind Caddach with a brief apology.
"Okay." The other man stepped in to address the group, allowing Renault to guide the Emperor off to the side and to give a clear path up the stairs. "Your Emperor and his Blades is in need of moving through your cell, and in his benevolence is bestowing a pardon of all crimes to each of you, but either move up the stairs or down the tunnel." Baurus nodded to his captain, ignoring her disapproval and opting for expediency in this endeavor, watching a couple already taking advantage and rushing back up the stairs to the relative safety above. "Make your choice, but know there is danger no matter which direction you go."