"Did he die?"

"In a manner of speaking, perhaps. Who is asking?"

"My name is Lilou Travere." Her gaze slides around, assessing the privacy of their little nook. Then, putting her back to everyone other than Elliane, voice a low murmur that won't carry even with how strange a chapel's acoustics can be - 

"It's a matter of imperial and, frankly, personal security. If he's dead - I need to find anyone of his blood, if such a person exists, to get my message through."

Sigh. "And... If he's in any theoretically recoverable state - I've already entered Oblivion for this. I'll go farther, if I must."

Frown.

"Why in the world would you care about his blood? He was no one, an orphan."

"...Is there somewhere more private we can talk?"

She gestures at a side room and leads the way there, shutting the door behind the group.

"Thanks."

"I'm - assuming you've heard the emperor was assassinated, and all his surviving children. Their children and grandchildren, too, were killed - their entire families. And some members of the distaff line were targeted in the months and years leading up to this, but... More subtly."

"The imperial family has spread its seed wide plenty of times, though, and there's bastards who weren't acknowledged. Some known, some probable, some simply suspected."

"We're tracking down, at this point, every single one of those, every one of their possible descendants, and every distant member of the distaff line, and every member of the Septim family whose deaths haven't been confirmed. They're at risk, and, also, we don't have an heir."

"Why not simply crown someone else? I'm sure there are more than enough willing nobles."

"It has to be a Septim. The Dragonfires must be relit."

"Which is what prevents stuff like that portal."

"...Honestly it's possible the Amulet doesn't require whoever is maintaining the Dragonfires be Emperor, but... I trust its judgment on who to select better than I trust 'this noble really wants to be Emperor.'"

Hmph.

"I was Martin. My name is Elliane now."

"...Oh thank fuck."

"Mm."

"Are you willing to wear the Amulet of Kings?"

"I've no interest in becoming empress."

"Then tell the Elder Council to figure out some kind of regent set up. Are you willing to just add maintaining the Dragonfires to your priestly duties?"

"And, to be clear, the people targeting the Septims are cultists of Mehrunes Dagon. There's a decent chance Kvatch was chosen for this invasion in pursuit of you, and the longer the Dragonfires are unlit, the easier it will be for Dagon to shove his way into this world."

"Perhaps next time you should lead with that."

"I hadn't known who you were."

"News of the purposeful and opportunistic invasion of Tamriel by a daedric lord is of interest to many people."

"...I was kind of suddenly recruited less than thirty six hours ago, I have no idea what is or isn't classified, except general 'it is bad if the Mythic Dawn knows what we're doing.'" 

"Also, I don't know what their information on our state of information is, and I don't know how to reliably spot disguised cultists."

"Then you were a bad choice for this mission. After all, at present you have only my word for who I am."

"By the time I asked to step into private, I was about as certain as I could that you weren't a cultist, and suspected you were either the person we were looking for or protecting him - and I was pretty sure of that by the time you said so."

"I'm sorry I didn't go into more detail on the threat at that point."

"Quite. But I cannot leave while this city is still under threat. I have responsibilities here."

"I understand."

"We'll continue helping turn aside the invasion. But, once the city is secure - "

"Will you follow us?"

"Where are you going?"