8 Second Seed, 4E202 - Reflections

Lena was tired. She left Fenris in Skingrad and hoped that re-connecting with his roots through Falanu might help him find himself in time. Some of the vampires in Bernice's coven seemed to have had checkered past, too - marred by slavery, perhaps. Most people did not choose vampirism, it usually got them by surprise, or there was no means to cure the precursor disease... And while some succumbed to it mentally as well as physically and became vicious predators, many remained the same people as they were before the infection.

Vampires in Cyrodiil largely chose to learn to live with it - and even to advance in society. That meant regular feeding, at least once a day. For some, like the wife of Janus Hassildor, this was unacceptable, and usually meant suicide. But others accepted their fate and found ways... Captives, usually, because bottled synthetic blood, like bottled breast milk substitute, could not sustain them fully. Yes, Lena remembered that time all too vividly - and recent events had shown that she wasn't free from that curse after all. Not completely.

So... Fenris was a vampire, her slave, her property, her responsibility. She wasn't about to waste him. The Dunmer had long lives of their own - Queen Barenziah had lived for a thousand years. Vampires were immortal, of course - Fenris had a lot of time ahead of him still, and Lena was determined that he wouldn't spend it all as a slave.

Lena was riding towards Bravil, thinking these thoughts. Bravil never judged.

I will keep this brief as I do not wish to break up the post flow of your tale.
I like it…read a fair bit…not all as yet, but it entices!
I did not exist until Skyrim, but my host, my ‘otherhalf’, indulged a lot of Oblivion and this tale pulls up all those old memories. The Shivering Isles being bigger than many entire games itself. Yes, it is well recalled with your prompts as Lena ventures. Thank you.

Thanks, Adella! Glad you enjoy it. Not much has changed in the last 200 years since the Oblivion Crisis, it seems, and history keeps repeating itself on many accounts. Doesn't it always - people tend to make the same mistakes over and over again. Lena is experiencing a lot of deja vu - but then again, it's never quite the same the second time around.

9-10 Second Seed, 4E202 - Sanguine

"Offer a bottle of Cyrodilic Brandy and My Lord Sanguine might speak with you" - one of the worshippers at Sanguine's shrine told Lena. "But don't be offended if he doesn't" - he hastened to add, looking her over.

"Actually, I think I shall be offended if he doesn't" - Lena replied to the horror of the worshipper.

She placed the bottle on the altar.

"Ah... another mortal has come to beg for some excitement... Oh - hello! What brings you here, Wolf?"

The worshippers stared at Lena with envy and disbelief.

"I need to speak with you, Sanguine" - Lena told the statue. "Privately" - she looked around at the glaring faces of the worshippers and glared back at them.

"Very well, meet me in The Three Sisters' Inn in Leyawiin - the upper floor room. There's also something we need to do at the castle there."

The worshippers got up to leave.

"No, you don't!" - Lena jumped in front of a Bosmer who appeared to be their leader. "Sanguine is to meet me, not you, and in private. Meaning: you are not coming!"

"Nobody is meeting My Lord in private without my blessing, and you are certainly not getting it!" - the Bosmer retorted, baring his teeth in a growl.

"Oh yeah? Watch this!" - Lena bared her own teeth. She snapped her fingers and summoned a dremora. This was looking distinctly like a toddler squabble.

"I honour my Lord by destroying you!" - the dremora roared automatically, but then looked around and didn't see any threats. He turned to Lena with a question in his eyes.

"Tell them who is your Lord, please" - she asked him, smiling.

"I serve My Lord Sanguine" - he replied, turning to the Bosmer. The Bosmer paled.

"And if Sanguine wishes to see me privately, do I need a blessing from one of his worshippers?" - Lena asked the dremora with a mischievous smile.

The Bosmer did not need a reply. The other worshippers were already cowering behind the statue, not wishing to offend the dremora in any way - whether he served Sanguine or any other Prince.

"My Lord will meet his lover without your blessing" - the dremora glared down at the Bosmer. It was rather fun to watch.

"Thank you, my friend" - Lena patted the dremora on the arm. "I should better be going - Sanguine will be waiting."

She dispelled the dremora and mounted Roach to leave. The only thing missing from this scene was Lena pulling her tongue out at the Bosmer. But who's to say that she didn't do it after she rode off.

...

"Do you wish to rent a room?" - Shuravi asked when Lena entered the inn in Leyawiin. "I have one on the second floor free."

"I am expected on the third floor already" - Lena answered with a smile. "Has the room been paid for?"

"For a whole week, yes" - Shuravi looked at her with suspicion. "By a dremora!"

"Thanks!" - Lena replied quickly and was gone before Shuravi could serve her a sermon on the devastating effects of consorting with daedra.

...

"Why did you call me?" - asked Sanguine after they exchanged the usual greetings. "You sounded concerned."

"Yes" - Lena rubbed her chin. "Do you remember Dylan? That Mazken that's been following me around back on the Isles?"

Sanguine's eyes glazed over at first, but then he remembered and nodded.

"It's somewhat vague, but yes, I remember. There was a lot of brandy involved - and all that felldew..." - he trailed off, smiling to the memories.

"Sanguine - get back here" - Lena tugged at his sleeve, smiling, too. "Focus, please. Dylan. Help him."

"Help him?" - Sanguine repeated, surprised. "What sort of trouble is he in?"

"He's lonely" - Lena took Sanguine's hand. "And you know better than any other how to deal with mortals... and the feelings that come from that."

"Well... may be I do" - Sanguine smiled. "Daedra don't feel the same attachment to one another as we can feel towards mortals, it's ironic. And you're the first one for him, then" - he nodded. "But why doesn't Sheogorath just banish him while you're gone?"

"Because I asked him not to" - Lena went red. "I hadn't thought it through. So now Dylan will have to learn to deal with it."

"And naturally you run to me for help!" - Sanguine laughed. "Not Mara, Dibella, Azura, Vaermina, or even Hircine - no, you ask me! Yet each of them could provide a solution, too."

"Stop it, Sanguine!" - Lena jumped up and sat on his lap. "He needs to learn to deal with it, not drown it in sorrow or something. How do you deal with it when one of your mortal lovers dies?" Lena's face was close to Sanguine's, her eyes level with his.

"I grieve, how else" - he answered softly. "It is the way of things. I drink, remember?" - he smiled. "I have been careful of late to only take cursed mortals as lovers - vampires, werewolves, that sort of thing - but some have had the audacity of taking the cure..." - he kissed her.

"And losing their immortality" - Lena finished after a pause.

"Yes" - Sanguine was looking into her eyes again. "But you never forget the ones you loved."

"You'll help him then?" - Lena's voice was but a whisper.

"If Sheogorath allows" - Sanguine nodded.

"He'd better!"


"So, what was it you wanted me to do here at the Castle?" - asked Lena. It was late morning and they were still in bed.

"Oh, right" - Sanguine smirked. "The Countess needs a bit of cheering up."

"Meaning?" - Lena looked at him with suspicion. You could never trust Sanguine in these matters.

"She needs a bit of a diversion, a bit of frivolous entertainment" - he chuckled. "You'll need to get yourself invited to one of their stuffy dinners, and then you'll cast a spell and everyone will be naked."

"What!?" - they laughed at the mental image of the pandemonium in the castle dining room. "But it will land me in prison!" - Lena frowned.

"Nonsense!" - Sanguine waved it off. "You'll just cast one of your illusion spells - vanish and slip away or something. You assassins are good at that" - he winked. "I'll give you the Rose as a reward. And I booked this room for a week" - he added, smiling.

"Well, all right then" - answered Lena, letting herself fall back onto the cushions. The Countess could wait.

Personal relationships with the princes and to have a reason for speaking to them is so much more fun than simply walking up to throw an offering on the alter to get a quest.

The party crasher quest cracked me up the first time I played it.

Thanks! That quest is fun indeed! Did you manage to do it without going to jail? And to watch what happens afterwards?

What a fun and creative treatment of Sanguine's quest and how you have woven it into a much bigger picture/relationship with Sanguine. A fun read!

I believe I did but it was some time ago (10-years maybe), long before this current story. What I remember is that I stood there watching everyone running around stark naked (undieless body mod). Don't remember if I used invisibility spell or potion which requires precise timing or if I wore several items enchanted with chameleon to total 100. I'm sure that I had to restart several times.

10 Second Seed, 4E202 - Stark Reality

"You forgot to tell me that I'd be stripped naked by that spell - that is, all my stuff vanished!" - Lena appeared in The Three Sisters' Inn upper floor room, her invisibility cloak finally dispelling. "I had to keep casting the cloak all the way from the castle!"

"But did you have fun?" - Sanguine laughed. "Don't bother getting dressed - supper is already here." He pulled her into the bed, there was wine, cheese and fruit at either side. "How did it go?"

"Well..." - Lena couldn't stay angry with him for long. "I had to time it quite precisely, to disappear before the spell hit, but it worked! Everyone got absolutely frenzied. I couldn't resist staying to watch!" - she laughed at the memory. "Then the oddest thing happened - the guests all returned to the table, and carried on as if nothing was the matter!"


"No!!!" - Sanguine roared, laughing. "And I missed that!?"

"But then the Countess returned - all dressed up again, and had us all arrested for indecent exposure!" They laughed at that and drank some wine.

"But you are here and not in jail" - Sanguine remarked.

"That bedroll was dirty" - Lena winked. "As dirty as those clothes they gave us - I left them there, too. I wasn't going to stay. And of course your spell had all my money vanish - so I couldn't even pay the fine!"

"So you cheated" - Sanguine kissed her.

"Magic is not cheating" - she returned his kiss. "I understand now why you booked this room for a week."

"I may have expected a delay, yes" - Sanguine winked.

"Good thing I left my stuff here before going - or you'd have me ride all the way to your shrine in the nude!"

"Aww, you cheated again!" - Sanguine laughed heartily. "You know what to expect by now."

"You should chastise that Bosmer at the shrine. He tried to tell me I couldn't see you without his blessing - and he tried to come here instead of me!"

"He is confused" - conceded Sanguine. "It's Mephala who likes men, not I."

Lena didn't get to complain any further. The evening with Sanguine was just beginning.

11 Second Seed, 4E202 - Dessos - The Order of Virtuous Blood - Rufio

Lena woke up late, opened her eyes and saw Sanguine sitting up in bed watching her. She smiled to him and stretched out her hand to caress his face. She always slept well in his company.

"I do miss the time in the Isles" - she said. "I felt at home there."

"There's nothing to stop you from going back, you know" - Sanguine smiled at her. "And let another two hundred years slip by."

"No, it's not the same" - she sat up as well, reaching for sweetrolls. "I still feel at home there when I go back - and I shall never stop going back there. But it's Sheogorath's Realm again - not mine. My place is here, in Mundus. Besides, I have friends now."

"Now you see why I never bothered with a Realm of my own" - Sanguine got a sweetroll too. "It's the people that make up a life, not the land."

"Speaking of which - I've got work to do." Lena stretched and got out of bed. "After I retrieve my money from the chest at your shrine" - she winked. "And the Rose of course! I missed it."

"You need to get better at those drinking games if you want to keep it for longer" - Sanguine laughed. "And in future if you want to see me, just ask Dessos - he'll let me know."

"Dessos?" - Lena turned to him in surprise.

"Your dremora. It's been the same one for a long time already, you noticed. He insisted" - Sanguine smiled.

"Oh!" - Lena blushed. "Thanks."

...

Lena got to the shrine of Sanguine in the afternoon, having stopped just once along the way. She didn't dare to go to Bravil as she had no money and she was sure there was a bounty on her head for breaking out of jail. She had no wish to go back to jail just because she had no coin on her to pay the fine.

The worshippers at the shrine pretended not to see her, even when Sanguine spoke to her through the statue. Lena smirked and left them to their jealousy.


Lena got to the Imperial City in the early evening. She stopped at her house on the Waterfront for a quick break before going into the city - she had a job to do there.

Passing through the Temple District, she was approached by a Dunmer woman asking her with great urgency to go see a certain Seridur, right there in the district. Lena thought it might have been a trap, but decided to go anyway.

"It is good to finally meet you, Assassin" - said Seridur. "Your reputation precedes you."

"Oh?" - Lena gave him a blank stare.

"That Altmer noble killed in the skooma den... that Dunmer agent killed in his house... and of course Fathis Ules hitting his head on the stone steps of an inn in Chorrol... Do I need to go on?" - Seridur smiled. Something in his face didn't look right.

"Oh I see!" - Lena said. "And you think somehow that those unfortunate deaths are linked to me?" - she smiled.

"No, of course not!" - Seridur laughed. "It was just a little joke! Please follow me."

Lena followed. A Dunmer in daedric armour stepped aside to let her pass.

"I am Seridur's bodyguard and... assistant" - he said.

"Yes..." - Lena thought. She sensed where this was going. The question was whether they could sense her.

...

"Welcome to the headquarters of the Order of Virtuous Blood!" - exclaimed Seridur when they entered the basement. "The Order of vampire hunters!"

"How ironic..." - Lena thought. "But what a clever disguise." No, Seridur couldn't sense her, and the other two members were not vampires.

They wanted her to track down and kill a certain Roland Jenseric who, Seridur claimed, was a vampire. Why, Seridur saw it with his own eyes! Roland kissing a girl in a back alley, and then the girl was dead with two puncture marks on her neck! That proved it - Roland did it!

"So you see, now you must go and slay him!" - Seridur said triumphantly.

"Well, that is certainly quite a task!" - Lena said, pretending to be in awe. "You need a professional assassin for this. Have you considered contacting the Dark Brotherhood or perhaps Morag Tong?"

The Dunmer vampire hunter in the room twitched, the Argonian changed colour, but Seridur remained calm.

"It is too risky" - he said. "Claudius Arcadia will rot in the Imperial Prison for the rest of his life for performing the Black Sacrament. Even though there is no law against it. Which is why we need your help!"

"Well..." - Lena looked into the expectant faces of the other two vampire hunters. "I can certainly look into it... although I still think you need professional help."

"Payment will be forthcoming, do not worry" - Seridur said with a smile.

"Oh - I would not require payment for doing the right thing!" - Lena exclaimed. "The Mages Guild wouldn't stand for it!"

"Mages Guild?" - Seridur was taken aback.

"Mages Guild Warlock at your service" - Lena bowed her head. "I thought you knew who I was?" She gave Seridur her brightest smile and thought to herself: "Feeding too often dulls your senses."

She turned to leave.

"I'll be in touch."

...

First of all Lena had to follow up on that business with Claudius Arcadia. Was it true? She found him in the Imperial Prison complaining to anyone who'd listen. Yes, he prayed to the Night Mother and got arrested for it! And there wasn't even any law against it! And the City Watch confiscated his house, too! The unfairness of it all! Arrghhh!

"Quick - unlock this door so that I can escape!" - he cried excitedly.

"And go where?" - Lena looked at him with regret. "There's a guard on every corner, and this section is not the one with the underground passage."

"Passage? What passage?" - Claudius' eyes lit up.

"Get yourself transferred to the other section, and who knows - I might visit you again" - Lena replied. "Compliments of the Night Mother" - she smiled.

She left and wondered who it was that Claudius wanted killed - and why. She had to investigate his house.

...

"Only assassins and thieves are out in the Imperial City at night" - thought Lena passing through the Market District at 2 a.m. where she just bumped into Carwen canvassing the shops.

Claudius' house was across the street from Hauk's, in the Talos Plaza district. A public notice on the door stated that the house had been seized by the City Watch. Lena thought it was likely that a watchman would be inside, so wrapped herself in a chameleon cloak before picking the lock and entering.

She found the scene of a Black Sacrament in the basement. But who had been the target? There were no clues there. The ground floor was deserted, but upstairs she found the watchman sleeping in Claudius' bed. No matter, she still went through the chests and desks until she found a diary. She was surprised that it hadn't been taken away as evidence, but there it was.

"It worked!" - she read. "A man visited me and money has been exchanged! Rufio will die!"

"Rufio?" - Lena smiled to herself. "Yes, Claudius, the contract has been completed."

She took the diary. There was no need to leave evidence lying around. With her other business in the Imperial City completed, she decided to go home and get some sleep before riding to Cheydinhal.

12 Second Seed, 4E202 - Thieves Guild - Travel plans

"Fathis Ules - Master Thief, top fence; J'baana - Master Thief, master of security; S'krivva - Shadowfoot, doyen; Othrelos - Shadowfoot, master of covert affairs; Orrin - Shadowfoot, high level fence. That's the entire top of the Thieves Guild, plus the Guildmaster, of course - the current Grey Fox. And Corvus Umbranox." Lena was going through the list. "There are plenty more members, but I don't think we can eliminate all thieves in Cyrodiil, and neither should we wish to."

"Agreed" - Lucien nodded. "How close are you to completing?"

Lena shot him a glance.

"You know how close I am - these deaths are not exactly low profile" - she smiled. "But fine, have it your way: Fathis Ules - 1 Sun’s Dawn, Othrelos - 8 First Seed, S'krivva - 5 Second Seed, J'baana - 11 Second Seed. I released the wraith of Sithis in Umbranox' abandoned house on 15 Morning Star, so it's been nearly four months. The last two deaths being so close together should make him think it'll soon be him, but no, not yet."

"In particular with J'baana hiding in the Imperial City prison" - Lucien smirked. "But of course you've been there on several occasions already." He paused, reading through a parchment. "Lady Umbranox wishes her husband 'to suffer the anguish of being hunted for at least six months before he is killed' - it says here" - Lucien read from the contract. "You are on schedule" - he smiled.

They sat sipping their wine for a while, each making notes and looking through more papers.

"What did the Night Mother say about this contract?" - Lena ventured a question that's been bothering her for a while now. "It requires publicity and is remarkably vague on detail."

"The ultimate target was clear from the start, so she couldn't refuse" - Lucien frowned. "I had to negotiate adequate compensation, considering the breach of privacy for the Dark Brotherhood - we are not the Skyrim assassins. But the Night Mother approved that you should be the one to handle it, given your previous work in Anvil - she is fully aware who it was that provided that anonymous tip on the identity and whereabouts of the real traitor."

Lena looked up in surprise.

"But how did she know? I was in hiding from the assassins all the while..."

"And yet you tracked down the traitor. She knows." Lucien was watching Lena across the table, pondering something. Then finally he asked: "Why did you do it?"

"To clear my name" - Lena answered automatically.

"No, why did you really do it? Not the official version, please" - Lucien smiled.

Lena sat back in her chair, lifting her eyes from the papers to meet Lucien's, still watching her.

"He had to be stopped. Everyone at the Sanctuary was being hunted, and you disappeared - in hiding or exile, I didn't know, but it wasn't good. The others didn't know the details, so they couldn't help, and I couldn't find you, so I had to act on my own. Until someone gave me that anonymous note suggesting to investigate a certain address in Anvil..." Lena broke off, seeing Lucien shaking his head. "What?"

"Not how you did it, but why?"

"Oh..." - Lena looked confused. "I never thought of that... I couldn't not do it."

Lucien felt that she was holding something back, but decided not to press her any further. He sensed that it was something to do with the Sanctuary, with himself, perhaps... He watched Lena across the table, thinking of the time when she just joined his group, so very young, yet determined, a vampire, but dealing with it, not giving up, not turning into a beast. She was an assassin, but not just that - she was more, so much more, like her mother. Lucien didn't know her mother very well, but from what he knew and heard, the resemblance was striking, and not just skin-deep. He couldn't help but take an interest in this young half-Breton half-Nord brought up by an Argonian from an early age... But surely she was too young for him. Back then - yes, but now? She kept coming back to his fort, he wondered why. She never checked to see if he was there, and sometimes he was - cloaked in chameleon, he moved silently, yet she must have noticed. She never showed it if she did. She would spend the night there, sometimes touching him in her sleep. Was she aware of that? It seemed she wasn't.

Two hundred years was a long time to wait, she said. Perhaps. Lucien wasn't just sitting and waiting though - life continued, he was busy, not having a Silencer to share the work, and Ocheeva had always insisted he shouldn't neglect his own needs either... Ocheeva could always see everything plainly. Yet with every woman he kissed, he felt an increasing emptiness and a growing longing for that one half-Breton half-Nord that kept coming to his fort while he was away.

Then one day Lena reappeared, and not just in his fort - she was back in Mundus, looking as young as when she joined them. Was it really she? He had to watch her for a while. Yes, it was she, vampirism cured, looks restored, experience gained. The Shivering Isles - that's where she'd been! That explained everything - why they could not find her when she was being hunted, why she completely vanished afterwards with only brief appearances at long intervals, and why she hadn't aged two hundred years like everyone else. But she wasn't in her twenties either - no longer a child, far from it. And she was still an assassin.

The Night Mother agreed it was time to call her back. Lena didn't need asking twice - she was happy to be back with the Sanctuary, all the old friends that she'd missed. She refused a promotion when Lucien offered it to her - no, she wasn't made to be a Black Hand... "Well, you'll change your mind in time" - he thought and didn't insist. She was back in his life - that was all that mattered.

Then there was this contract from Lady Umbranox, and the Night Mother gave it to him - to his group, but of course there was just one person he'd give it to. The Night Mother agreed, she'd been expecting it. Lena took the contract, drew up a plan, left it in Lucien's fort for his approval. Lucien was going to write a note in reply, but then he left her flowers instead - goldenrod, morning glory, lily of the valley, blue hyacinth. Would she understand the meaning? He was sure she would. Good fortune, my dear - yours, always. Yours. A lily of the valley would send a much stronger message than a rose.

Lena kept the flowers, but didn't give a response. "Are you sure?" - she asked. Yes, he was sure. She was his missing half. But whether he was hers... time would tell.

...

"Come with me to Skyrim" - Lena said suddenly.

"You're asking me to accompany you?" - Lucien wasn't used to being an escort.

"There's work to be done there, as you well know."

"Work that you are more than capable of doing yourself" - Lucien interjected. "Even if you don't want any of your friends to help, you could ask your brother."

"You know about Wolf?" - Lena should have expected it, but she didn't.

"News travels fast. He's famous."

"In his own right, yes. But..." - Lena realised that further discussion was pointless. Of course Lucien knew about her brother. She had to lay more cards on the table. "I want to spend time with you."

"If you don't know me as yet..."

"I know you, Assassin!" - Lena interrupted. "I want to know Lucien now."

"They are one and the same."

"Are they? Did the Assassin give me that lily of the valley?"

Lucien looked up sharply.

"Very well, my Barenziah."

13-14 Second Seed, 4E202 - Vampires of the Imperial City

Before Lena could go to Skyrim, there was one unfinished business she had to follow up on: Seridur. She had to choose between Roland and Seridur - which one would she believe? She chose to believe Roland.

Having asked around following Roland's tip, she discovered that Seridur was known to take regular trips to the Memorial Cave, always carrying food and other supplies. Lena went to investigate.

The cave housed a small group of vampires whom Seridur was obviously supporting. Lena tried talking to him, but he attacked, and the other vampires joined in. There was no other way but to slay them.

There was however something strange about this group: the cave was set up for Necromancy, with several dread zombies and wraiths roaming in it. The only way these undead would have been ignoring the vampires was if the vampires had raised them. Were they then necromancers as well? Stranger things had happened.


Lena found a dead captive in a cell. Vampires would normally keep him alive. It all seemed that they were more interested in raising the dead than in maintaining their own existence. Could a vampire ascend to lichdom? Could an undead become undead?


Lena checked the corpses, collecting vampire dust. Almost all Elves. They did say that the Elves in the Imperial City looked out for each other. She checked Seridur. No vampire dust. His eyes hadn't been red either. Was he perhaps an ex-vampire like herself? That would explain many things. And if he wasn't drinking blood anymore, he would not have been able to sense her past vampirism either. Lena recalled that incident with Thadon's chalice - her fangs had returned and she bit Dylan's neck and drank his blood. No, she wasn't a vampire any longer, but that blood had woken up her senses again. Not so with Seridur.

So what did really happen in that back alley in the Imperial City? Roland's girlfriend came to stay with him, but after a time started taking solitary walks in the evenings. Roland suspected an affair, followed her and caught her in Seridur's embrace. Roland claimed that Seridur was biting her neck, but what if it was a kiss, not a bite? Seridur turned on Roland, pushing away the girl, she slipped and fell, cracking her skull on the stones.

Both men were now blaming each other for her death, Roland out of jealousy, Seridur to protect his vampire friends. The Order of Virtuous Blood was a sham of course, but did Seridur really have to die? Lena never got a chance to find out what those vampires were like, but admittedly it didn't look good. So be it, her hand had been forced.


It was well past midnight when Lena came out of the Memorial Cave. The whole affair left a rather unpleasant taste in her mouth - she felt like she was being used. She rode straight to Roland's cabin to tell him of the outcome, and she didn't care if she had to wake him for it. At least she was certain that he wasn't a vampire.

Roland didn't mind being woken up in the middle of the night. He thanked Lena and asked her to see him in Seridur's house - he intended to carry on with The Order of Virtuous Blood.

"Well" - Lena thought on the way back. "They are not exactly competent. For all their talk of great knowledge, they didn't suspect Seridur - or me, for that matter! And they should have. What a waste of space."

She turned her thoughts towards her upcoming trip to Skyrim - Lucien would be meeting her in Bruma, then they would take the Pale Pass North.

History repeats itself once again. Seridur experimenting in lichdom, now that's an interesting twist.
Really, the OVB hasn't had an accomplished vampire hunter since... oh, what's his name? I can't seem to remember.

I always felt that quest was weird. Both men lying, neither of them a vampire. Then the cave not looking anything like a vampire den, except for the vampires within. Really strange.

Seridur's excuse for insisting that it should be us to go handle the "vampire": "We are just three old men, we are no match for a vampire." Well then, if the three of you cannot handle a single vampire, then what are you doing calling yourselves vampire hunters?



Yes, I've heard of him. Ja...something or other? I hear he had enough of them and retired to wine making on the Gold Coast.

Up to post 11 now. That makes so much sense, about the Stormcloaks who made their camp just to the east of Helgen. Never thought of it that way. So they rushed away from Helgen, maybe found that spot, that dell in the middle of the forest. Made camp for the night, and then never left.



In my imagination, this is how I imagine the huge disparity between low-leveled enemies (such as, let's say, Level 1 through 5 bandits) in one area, but higher-level enemies in another area. They are malnourished / sick / diseased if they're low-leveled, which makes them easy prey for our characters. Yet often in a lower-leveled environment there will be a boss who matches our character's level, or nearly so. This boss takes most of the food, most of the things which keep the rest of the party in poverty. The boss allows them to live there, which (from their standpoint) is better than braving it out somewhere in the wilderness. But they can't get rich / better-nourished under such conditions since the boss is taking the lion's share. Protection in numbers seems to be the main idea.

You were right, Lena. Now that I've finished Post 1, the rest of these are quicker reads.

The vampire hunting mod I use fixes that a bit. Seridur becomes a nasty one. Before he is cured of his affliction, he goes into a long discourse on how he's going to taste all the young maidens in the Imperial City.


That's the plan but just like Borne, Wick, and Corleone; he keeps getting pulled back in.

As you travel the roads of Skyrim and meet Stormcloak patrols, you often hear them complain of supply problems. They say they are cold and hungry and Ulfric doesn't care to fix it. They say it themselves! Justifying to one another the need to raid passers by because they've got to eat! So I just pulled it into the story here.

14-15 Second Seed, 4E202 - Bruma

"Hello!" - Hafid Hollowleg greeted Lena at the Jerall View Inn. "Your room is ready."

"Nice to see you again, Hafid" - Lena smiled. "But how did you know I'd be coming?"

"Weren't you the one trying to break up a fight between a Legion soldier and a Bruma city guard just outside the gates? Again?" - he laughed.

"Point taken" - Lena laughed too. "I just think it's such a waste!"

"Oh don't worry about it, it's not to the death. Nothing a good helping of mead wouldn't cure. Dinner?"

"Yes, please" - Lena looked around the room, spotting Lucien at the corner table. "I'll be over there."

"You're with... Oh!" - Hafid's face broke in a broad smile. "Of course!"


"Do you have a plan?" - Lucien asked when they met in the dining room for breakfast.

"The same as in Cyrodiil" - Lena answered. "We'll need to make our way to Riften."

"Yes..." - Lucien looked in the distance. "But perhaps we should first pay a visit to a certain group in Falkreath."

"You mean..?" - Lena's eyes widened.

"No-no, just to talk" - Lucien smiled. "Bring the game out into the open. And - you lead. It'll be fun to watch" - he smirked and winked at her.

Lena smirked too: "All right. I know just how to approach them."

"And then? Straight onto Riften or do you want to see your brother first?"

"Wolf first" - she said firmly. Lucien nodded.

16 Second Seed, 4E202 - A visit to the Skyrim assassins - About mother

"You thought I fancied you" - Lena whispered into Arnbjorn's ear locking his arm behind his back. "Why would I when I've got him?"

Lucien readied his blade.

"Who are you?" - asked Arnbjorn suddenly realising that his mistrust of Lena was well founded. Werewolves could sense things and he was the only one of the Skyrim group to mistrust Lena to the point of dislike.

"I am Lucien Lachance's Silencer."

"But..." - Arnbjorn broke off. Information wasn't Astrid's strong suit, it got them into trouble many times before. They didn't mind killing the wrong people - one could always fix that - but now she had led a traitor into their midst. "Lucien Lachance has been dead for 200 years and we are the last Dark Brotherhood group in Tamriel" - Arnbjorn recounted the official version of events.

"Ai, that's what you'd read in the Imperial Chronicles" - agreed Lena. "It was a convenient way to take attention away from the real Dark Brotherhood, but we were never gone anywhere."

"You have come to perform Purification" - concluded Arnbjorn.

"No, because you are not the Dark Brotherhood, you are just a bunch of murderers. Ah-ah!" - Lena pressed her silver dagger to Arnbjorn's side as he tried to twist out of her grip. "I'm not done talking to you yet."

"So what do you want?"

"To warn you. Tell the others we'll be watching. We know who you all are, and we let you live at our discretion. We have no branches in Skyrim, so you may continue calling yourselves whatever you like. But remember how easy it was to get to you."

She released Arnbjorn's arm.

"And you may want to drop that Black Sacrament business since it does nothing for you anyway. Your contracts simply come by courier - didn't Astrid tell you that?"

And while Arnbjorn was gasping at the idea that his Astrid wasn't entirely open with him regarding their group - and what else then? - Lena and Lucien vanished and left the Sanctuary.


"What do you think they'll do now?" - Lena asked turning to Lucien, as this was his idea.

"They'll go after us - or try to" - he seemed amused at the prospect. "We need to stay alert, but I wouldn't worry too much. Let's get a dog or something."

"They are not entirely useless though" - Lena was more cautious. "Penitus Oculatus has been after them for years, in vain."

"And you infiltrated them within a week" - Lucien pointed out. "We could have wiped them out now if we wanted to. Penitus Oculatus has the wrong methods."

They rode in silence for a while.

"Why did Arnbjorn think you fancied him?" - Lucien asked.

"I have no idea!" - Lena protested. "No, wait - I think I know. I paid attention to him, talked to him, asked personal questions - I did the same with each of them, of course. They all thought I was getting to know my new family, but Arnbjorn must have sensed an ulterior motive - werewolves are good at that. And naturally he assumed I fancied him."

Lucien smiled as if it had been an entirely innocent question.


Approaching Lake View Manor, they saw Geralt chopping wood in the yard.

"Are you hiding from Sven's mother again?" - Lena teased him.

"Yes" - Geralt grimaced. "She keeps going on about her son and how wonderful he is. Makes me sick." Then turning to Lucien he added: "Hello, Lucien. You look remarkably fresh for someone who's been dead for 200 years."

"Geralt" - Lucien nodded a greeting.

They've never met before but each recognised the other from rumours.

"Don't get my sister into any more trouble than she would do herself" - said Geralt half-jokingly. "She's very good at it as it is."

"She doesn't let me" - replied Lucien returning Geralt's gaze.

Geralt's stay at the Lake View had its benefits. He valued comfort when it was available, so there was hot water in the kitchen, food in the larder and roaring fire in the grate. They sat down for dinner.

"Tell us about our mother" - said Geralt filling Lucien's goblet. "I understand you knew her?"

Lucien looked up. There was another man who knew more than he let on.


"I didn't know her very well" - answered Lucien. "She was a few ranks above me when I just started. She gave me some training and some advice, as is the custom. She was particularly skilled at healing... if you survived her fireball, that is" - he chuckled. "Not all recruits did."

"Yes, she was a mage, we knew that" - Geralt indicated this wasn't enough.

"Well, there isn't much more to tell, really. She quit soon after I joined."

"Quit?" - Lena was astonished. "You don't just quit the Dark Brotherhood!"

"You did, for a time" - Lucien looked at her and smiled. "She was very persuasive. I later learned that there was a man involved - someone rather high placed, that she wanted to be with. Your father, I surmise."

"So she was allowed to leave as a favour to him?"

"No, I don't think so. Rather as an assurance of the Dark Brotherhood's continued existence" - he paused, tasting the wine. "We are powerful, but we are not all-powerful. We wouldn't want to go against Morag Tong, for example."

This wasn't much, but it fitted with what they already knew about their parents. And again there was no real clue of their father's identity. He was a Nord, but there were many Nords in high places at the time, including the very top... But no, Lena wasn't a Septim - she figured that out already during the Oblivion Crisis. It was someone else...

"You mentioned before that mother went rogue" - Lena remembered something Lucien once said. "What was that all about?"

"She... refused an order, like someone else here" - Lucien winked at her. "It wasn't a Purification order though, but she refused a contract. That in itself would get her exiled, but she killed the contract giver instead."

Lena laughed.

"She was making sure that no one else would pick up that contract in her stead. How did she know who issued it?"

Assassins weren't usually informed of all the details.

"I am not sure" - answered Lucien. "She must have gotten it from the Speaker or even from the Listener - no one else would have known. Healing wasn't her only strong suit - she was also adept at illusions."

"Ok then" - Lena conceded. "Who was the target?"

"Your father."

Suddenly a whole different picture was emerging.

"So..." - Lena was laying out grapes on the table in a row, as was her habit. "She was allowed to quit because she had defeated Sithis' wraith every time, having taken care of the contract in her own way. With the contract giver dead, the plot or the coup or whatever was shattered, and the Dark Brotherhood was keen not to have been a part of it." Lena started eating the grapes now, in the order they lay on the table. "She protected the person important to her - exactly what I would have done" - she concluded picking up the last grape.

"I know" - Lucien said, having followed the grape manipulations with his eyes. "I cannot help but admire it."

"And her death later?" - asked Geralt.

"Swamp fever, I believe" - Lucien turned to him. "Nothing to do with us. There was quite an epidemic."

Again, this fitted with what they already knew. Yes, even gifted mages died of swamp fever.

...

It was getting late and Lena and Lucien intended to set off for Riften in the morning. They checked on the horses and readied some supplies. The evening was drawing to a close.

Geralt put his arm around Lena's shoulders in a big brother way, and led her out onto the deck. The stars were bright in the clear sky.

"Leave him alone" - he said. "He isn't your lover."

"But--" Lena gasped, lost for words. "But he said he loved me!" - she protested.

"Which isn't the same thing!"

"But you and Yen - how many times you've broken up and came back together again, and all the while--"

"Me and Yen" - Geralt interrupted - "have started out as lovers, you haven't. Do you share his feeling?" - he looked at Lena sternly. "Do you? Or are you just taking advantage of it?"

She didn't know. Feelings were complicated, she was confused. She was never spoken to like that, either. Who did he think he was? Oh right, her brother.

Lena thought of all those nights she spent in Lucien's fort, believing or pretending to believe that he was away. Why did she go there? Because it was convenient and she needed a place to stay, or because she sought something else? Friendship? Companionship? Safety? Excitement?

Geralt was watching Lena's face. "Do what you came here to do, and don't get killed, either of you. You are mortal again - remember that."

"Even vampires can be extinguished" - Lena said automatically.

Lucien came onto the deck too.

"It's a beautiful night but we wanted to leave early tomorrow. Better get some sleep" - he looked at Lena and Geralt as if he knew exactly what they'd been talking about. He probably guessed - he was, after all, much older than either of them.

He was right, of course. It was time to get some sleep.

17 Second Seed, 4E202 - Riften - The first assassination attempt

Lena and Lucien arrived in Riften in late afternoon. It has been a long journey and they decided to relax for the rest of the day - walk around town, have a meal and retire early.

"Welcome if you've got the coin, or else hit the road!" - they were greeted at the Bee and Barb.

"We've got the coin" - Lena smiled.

"Oh hello - back again?" - the innkeep recognised her. "With a different friend this time? We're fully booked though, so you'll have to share."

"What's the occasion?" - Lena looked around the crowded room. "It's busier than usual."

"A wedding. The Temple of Mara keeps us busy."

"A perfect backdrop for an assassination" - Lucien whispered in Lena's ear. "A lot of strangers in town. We should be watchful tonight."

...

The rooms might have been all booked, but the guests were still feasting downstairs, and the upper floor of the inn was deserted. Lena and Lucien entered their room and closed the door.

"We'll have to take turns sleeping" - said Lucien looking out through a crack. "They might well make a move tonight."

"I have a better idea."

Lena snapped her fingers summoning the Spectral Assassin.


"Sister?" - he greeted her.

"I need you to stand guard while we sleep" - she told him. "Wake us if someone enters."

"I am an assassin, not a bodyguard" - he protested. "I am Lucien Lachance."

"No, I am Lucien Lachance" - said Lucien. "You are an apparition. Brother." Then turning to Lena he added: "What if one of the other assassins tries to summon him as well?"

"Then they won't be able to. There is only one Spectral Assassin, and he's here."

She walked over to the Spectral Assassin who looked rather confused.

"He's right, you know, you can't be Lucien's ghost because Lucien is still alive and well and standing before you. But it doesn't matter - we still need your help."

"I serve the one who summoned me. But who am I? Am I still an assassin?"

"Without a doubt" - Lena tried to sound convincing. How do you cheer up a ghostly apparition? "Krex created you, and made you believe you're Lucien's ghost. But I think you're your own man instead."

That seemed to have worked. The Spectral Assassin sat down and prepared for a long wake.

...

Lena woke up as if a bucket of cold water was poured over her. The Spectral Assassin was holding her by the shoulders.

"Wake up" - he whispered. "There's someone in the hall, and I think they've come for you."

Lucien was on his feet and behind the door before the Assassin finished whispering. Lena prepared her daggers but didn't get up, instead she closed her eyes almost completely. The Spectral Assassin crouched behind her - his smokey shape barely distinguishable in the dark.

The door opened slightly - someone was peering in. Faint candle light reflected off their hand. An Argonian. Was that the ex-Shadowscale from the Sanctuary?

With one jump he was on top of Lena with his daggers against her throat, but she had been expecting him. She blocked his strike, and kicked him off. A short struggle followed.

"So... Arnbjorn didn't lie..." - he groaned. "You are a Silencer. And you've got Lucien Lachance's ghost with you, too."

"No" - Lucien stepped out of the shadows. "That's a Spectral Assassin. I am Lucien Lachance" - he said, sheathing his dagger. "You can go and tell them that. If you live long enough."

The Argonian crawled out of the room.

"The next one we'll kill" - said Lucien noticing confused looks from Lena and the Spectral Assassin. "Don't you worry, they'll try again. But not tonight - besides, it's already morning."

The sun was starting to rise, but Lucien returned to bed.

"That's something I picked up from your friend Hauk" - he told Lena. "A swift death is not always the right answer. Come on, let's sleep some more."

She dispelled the Spectral Assassin and settled down next to Lucien for another nap.

18 Second Seed, 4E202 - Broken Helm Hollow - Gabriella

"We shouldn't be staying in Riften" - said Lucien in the morning. "It's too easy for the assassins to get to us. Let's find a cave just outside town to stay in."

"What about the Broken Helm Hollow that Grosta was talking about?" - suggested Lena. "If it's just bandits, it won't be too hard to clear, and there should be a camp inside."

The hollow was just outside Riften, and indeed was easy enough to clear. It had everything they needed - a camp site with a good fire and a cooking pot, several bedrolls, and fresh water just outside. The cave even had a lockable door and a trap by the entrance.

"Still, we should also block the entrance with a boulder for the night" - said Lucien, looking around. There didn't seem to be another entrance.

...

Racket, stifled screams and swears woke them up. Someone just tried to enter the cave. With all the noise that they'd made, Lena and Lucien had enough time to retreat into the shadows.

Gabriella. After the traps, she caught herself, became careful - much too late of course. She looked around the cave, saw the campfire with glowing embers, the empty bedrolls, she tried to peer into the dark corners of the cave, but didn't dare to use a night eye spell, so didn't see either Lena or Lucien, even when looking straight at them. Perhaps she decided they were not in?

"I know you're here" - she said. "But I made a fool of myself and alerted you. Come out and fight!"

She should know better than that, really. That's a stupid suggestion. Why on Nirn would they do that?

Lena dipped an arrow in poison, silently took out her Shadowhunt. Gabriella heard the arrow being released, but at that range she was hit almost immediately. She turned towards Lena and felt Lucien's blade on her neck. He moved as Lena shot.

"We won't let you go, you know" - he said. "We've warned you people enough, but still you come. It's your call."

He cut her throat.

...

Gabriella was sitting outside the cave, as if enjoying the morning sunshine. The door was locked and the boulder was back in place blocking the entrance. It was much too early to get up.

19 Second Seed, 4E202 - Preparations - Nazir

"So, we have a plan then" - Lucien concluded, summarising their conversation over breakfast. "Did we miss anyone?"

"There might be more members that I'm not aware of" - Lena looked pensive. "But this town is not exactly keeping quiet about who's in the Thieves Guild, so those members would be rather low-ranking, I would have thought."

"Not important enough" - agreed Lucien. "And if they think they are - we'll notice."

The plan was to remove the Thieves Guild from existence. Of course it would never be possible to remove all thieves from existence, no matter how much Lena would have liked to do that. And they didn't think they could touch Maven Black-Briar - they didn't think they should touch her, rather. She was the patron of the Thieves Guild, true, and as corrupt as could be, but she was also a supporter of the Empire, and thus could be useful in the Civil War. Besides, there didn't seem to exist a single uncorrupt noble in Riften anyway. No, Maven Black-Briar would be spared.

The day would be spent getting the lay of the land - walking around town, discovering all its secret passages, exploring the Ratway, and not actually doing anything suspicious. Although two people nosing about was going to be suspicious in itself.

"Let's hope we won't get into too many fights" - said Lena. Lucien looked bored.

...

When they returned to the Broken Helm Hollow, they found the boulder removed and the trap disarmed. Gabriella's body was no where to be seen. They had visitors.

"Well, this will be interesting" - smiled Lucien.

They entered silently, keeping to the shadows, but they knew they could not be completely hidden. The cave looked empty - the assassin was keeping to the shadows, too.

"Babette or Nazir" - Lena breathed into Lucien's ear. "The others are too blunt."

"Nazir" - answered Lucien pointing at a fleeting glow in the far corner - Nazir's curved sword briefly reflected Lucien's shooting light. Of course it gave away their location, but that being the entrance, it was obvious already anyway.

They split up, quickly moving to the opposite corners of the cave - left and right from the entrance. Nazir was now between them, he would have to choose whom to attack first. Lena decided on a diversion and summoned a dremora in the middle of the cave.

"I smell weakness!" - roared dremora, taking up his greatsword and turning towards Nazir. There was no hiding from a dremora.

Nazir shot an arrow at the dremora - he was good. The dremora stepped back, momentarily stunned, then lunged forward. Another arrow - and he was banished.

Unfortunately for Nazir, this was exactly what Lena had expected to happen. It was only a dremora churl - they made a lot of noise but were not that hard to defeat. The noise, the commotion and Nazir's attention fixed on the dremora allowed Lena and Lucien to reach Nazir before the show was over.

...

"Well, that's another one of them dealt with" - said Lucien propping up Nazir's body at the cave entrance. "At this rate, they'll hunt themselves into extinction."

"Babette might come at night" - said Lena, looking into the distance. "I believe there are some vampire covens nearby, she might be staying there. She might even have Arnbjorn with her - she calls him 'puppy' and I think he likes it. Not that he'll ever admit that, of course!"

"We better poison the trap then" - reflected Lucien. "And the boulder. They'll have to touch it to move it. Fighting a vampire and a werewolf in tight quarters is not going to be easy."

...

The night was quiet - nobody came. In the morning they carefully disarmed the trap and moved the boulder slightly, to see if there was an ambush outside. All seemed clear. They readied their blades - just in case - and moved the boulder to the side. They stepped out. Nothing. No ambush. All was quiet.

"Nazir's body is gone" - noted Lucien. "They are changing their tactics - we might have impressed them after all." He looked pleased.

Am up to post 19. Wow, so she rid all three subjects Astrid presented to her! The parts when Geralt keeps pinching her back had me laughing.

She had to get it right. This wasn't the time to be merciful.


I think he quite likes being the big brother.

20-21 Second Seed, 4E202 - The Ratway

"They won't get me as easily as that" - said Lucien emerging from a back passage in the Ratway. He was casting healing spells, but still bleeding.

"Lucien!" - Lena rushed to him. "You've been poisoned." She pulled him into one of the prison cells and onto a cot. "You need to lie down."


"I can't cast spells lying down" - he protested. "And it isn't the first time I've been poisoned. Comes with the job" - he smirked.

"Yes, but now I'm here" - Lena could be stubborn too. "Come on - on the cot!"

Lucien looked bewildered but obeyed.

"I forgot already what it was like to have a partner" - he said. "Ok, do your thing, I won't interfere. Just - don't rip the robe to shreds, will you?"

Ripping the robe into strips for bandages was exactly what Lena was going to do...

"Oh, right - the enchantment" - she caught herself. "Ok, let's see what else we've got."

There was no shortage of suitable clothing on the corpses around them, and soon Lena was engrossed in the old fashioned healing techniques of cleaning the wounds, extracting the poison and covering the patient in bandages - preferably starting with the face. She could do without helpful hints, thank you very much. Lucien allowed her to proceed with it all, even refraining from the hints - and Lena wouldn't dream of bandaging up his face without a need. His face wasn't injured.

"Where did you learn all that?" - asked Lucien when she was finished.

"Magic can only get you so far" - she said. "The real healing is done by your body, I'm just giving it a hand on the right level." She smiled. "And no, I didn't learn it at the Temple... just picked it up along the way." She thought of all those "crazy" people in the Shivering Isles that had taught her, people that dared to prefer bandages to magic. "It's a useful skill, I found."

The prison cells in the Ratway Warrens were definitely not the most luxurious lodgings in Skyrim, but they were safe, certainly for now, and Lucien had to rest. So they decided to stay there for a day or two.

...

The new tactic of the Skyrim assassins turned out to be to warn the Thieves Guild and have them wait in the Ragged Flagon armed to the teeth. Babette herself was no where to be seen, though Lena was sure it was Babette's doing. But even without her, the fighting was intense - much too intense for a couple of assassins, even skilled ones. The Spectral Assassin really showed his colours here - such as they were - he was an assassin and he was going to prove it, and contrary to a regular summon, he was not bound by time and would only be banished once he was defeated.

The thieves expected two people, not three. They led away Lucien into the Vaults and quickly closed the gate behind him, separating him from Lena. Their plan was obviously to get Lena first, as she was the weaker one of the two. Then they would overwhelm Lucien in sheer numbers, reinforced by a dozen or more of local lowlife waiting there.

The plan worked at first - Lena and Lucien got separated. But Lena wasn't going down easily - she summoned the Spectral Assassin, and together they dispatched their immediate opposition at the Flagon. Following into the Vaults, she sent the Assassin after Lucien - he had no problems passing through locked gates - while Lena focussed on clearing the passages around her. Those numbers had to be brought down.

Eventually Lucien emerged from the section he was in - one of the thieves had a key to the gate. The Spectral Assassin fell in battle, and Lucien looked pretty bad himself, yet he was still alive.


"So, what have you learned about me so far?" - asked Lucien at dinner. Lena had reluctantly agreed that he did need to sit up for eating.

"That you make a decent patient" - she smiled. "And also that you need to be more careful - and not attack five assassins at once!"

"What?! They weren't assassins - just thieves with daggers! Don't tell me how to do my job! I've been at it far longer than you..." - he broke off. Were they having an argument? "You provoked me" - he said much more calmly, looking at her suspiciously. "Why?"

"You are a very level-headed assassin" - she said. "But I wanted to see what lay beneath the still waters."

She looked him in the eye. He didn't divert his gaze. They sat there, keeping eye contact, until one of them would break it - but who? They were equally strong willed.

A rat sneaked up to them and grabbed a piece of roast.

"Hey!!" - two fireballs went after it, charring it.

"Well, I guess it's a tie" - said Lucien, smiling.

22 Second Seed, 4E202 - Sapphire - Assassin's End

"We didn't get everyone we wanted" - Lena went over her list. "I've checked all the corpses, and four important people were not among them: Sapphire, Brynjolf, Karliah and Mercer Frey. Also Maul wasn't there, but he's closer to Maven Black-Briar than to the Thieves Guild. How is your wound? Let me see."

She motioned Lucien not to get up from the cot.

"It's... fine" - he groaned and rolled his eyes but let her check the wound.

"Ok, your insides will stay inside - it closed" - Lena was satisfied. Abdominal wounds were not to be taken lightly. "Still, you should take it easy for another day. Sapphire is hanging around The Bee and Barb - I'll see what it's all about, she seems to be waiting for something."

"I'll come with you" - Lucien insisted. "To keep reminding you not to attack her out in the open. You are too hot-headed."

Lena was going to protest but then thought better of it. Don't be hot-headed.

...

"He owes me a debt, and that's that" - was what Sapphire had to say about Shadr.

Lena took the easy way out and offered her a bribe. It worked. Sapphire moved away - to the Ratway.

"And this is where you kill her without witnesses" - Lucien smiled. "And get your money back, of course."

One more corpse didn't make much of a difference. Someone would have to clean it all up, before the rot set in.


"Not bad, Silencer" - Lucien was watching from the side. "A bit crude, perhaps, but I didn't think you needed any help."

"I didn't know you watched us train" - Lena looked surprised.

"Oh but I have. It is the duty of a Speaker to watch over his Silencer - as well as the other members of his group" - Lucien smiled. "Of course, the others have Ocheeva and Vicente watching over them as well. But you - you just have me. Come on, we're done here. I've had enough of the smell."

...

"I think I know where Brynjolf is, and I wouldn't be surprised if Karliah and Mercer Frey were somewhere in the same area" - Lena said at lunch at The Bee and Barb. "It was about six weeks ago, but I did bump into Brynjolf at Irkngthand. He looked concerned, and lost, somehow."

"Well, they are the top of the Thieves Guild, are they not?" - Lucien looked up from his slaughterfish stake. "And they weren't here, so that's as good a lead as any. What's the nearest inn? Nightgate?"

"It is" - Lena nodded. "But I have another place in mind where we can stay" - she smiled at the memory.

"Oh?"

"You'll see."

Lucien frowned - he didn't like not to know what was coming, but decided to let Lena have her little surprise.

...

"You are holding the map upside down" - Lucien laughed when they stopped at the same signpost for the third time.


"I am not!" - protested Lena, rotating the map. "But look - this signpost shows Whiterun - South, and the next signpost on the same road sends us right back!"

"Perhaps we missed another turn in between?" - Lucien suggested, still laughing.

Lena was furious at the map, at the signposts and at their mutual contradictions, and Lucien was finding it very amusing.

"It is definitely more entertaining to travel with you than by myself - I don't tend to argue with signposts." He peered at the map over her shoulder. "It doesn't show the roads - not very helpful."

"I know!" - Lena rolled her eyes. "These new 'terrain' maps are useless for actually finding anything..." She folded the map. "Well, let's trust this signpost and look for that other turn that we might have missed..."

...

"Through here" - Lena pointed at a barely visible fissure between some rocks near Whiterun. "Did you know about this place?"

She turned to Lucien, but he shook his head - he didn't know. Lena smiled.

The fissure opened into a cave which led to a familiar door.

"The Whiterun Sanctuary?" - Lucien looked at Lena in surprise. "I've heard that it was well hidden, and here it is! But can we enter?"

"We can" - Lena put her hand onto the door. "It knows us - the Black Hand enchantment."

The door opened and they were inside.

"Well, well!" - Lucien looked around.

"Sister. Brother" - the assassin in daedric armour greeted them. "Good to see you again, sister."

"And you, brother" - Lena smiled. "But I thought you were going to leave?"

"We will" - the assassin confirmed. "Will you be staying?"

"Just for a few nights. We still have no branches in Skyrim, we are on business here."

"Of course" - the assassin nodded. "The Sanctuary is at your disposal. We decided to stay until someone moves in."

He walked out of the room.

"Who is he?" - asked Lucien, following him with his gaze.

"A memory of an assassin who used to live here. This is what they all are - guardians of sorts."

They walked down the corridor greeting other assassins. It felt like home.

23 Second Seed, 4E202 - Irkngthand

"Well, have you come to your senses, lass? Ready to make some coin?" - Brynjolf was standing by the entrance of Irkngthand, waiting for someone.

"Sure" - Lena beamed at him. "Fancy meeting you here!"

"I saw you here already before" - Brynjolf said non-committally. "Why are you back?"

"There were some chests inside that I couldn't open last time" - Lena said quite truthfully. "I came to have another go. There should be a lot fewer falmer in there now, too."

Brynjolf grimaced.

"Foul creatures! That's exactly why I haven't gone in yet. But" - he beamed at Lena - "why don't you come with me? I'll help you with those chests."

"Ok, let's go" - Lena nodded.

"Except..." - Brynjolf looked uncertain. "I've been waiting for a friend of mine, but she's not here yet. She should arrive shortly, we'll have to wait."

"You go on, I'll wait here" - Lucien leaned against the wall. "When she arrives, I'll tell her you went ahead."

...

Even though Lena tried to avoid most of the fighting last time, the ruin was littered with broken Dwemer automatons and dead falmer.

"I'm sure it wasn't me who killed all of those!" - Lena commented. "Someone else had been here in the meantime. Oh and look - that chest - I couldn't open it, but now it's open and empty!"

"Frey" - Brynjolf frowned. "He got here first!" He swore. Then turning to Lena, added: "There's a legendary Dwemer artefact in the final chamber - a giant statue - have you seen it?"

"I couldn't enter the final chamber, the lock was too hard for me to pick" - Lena made herself look ashamed.

"Ah... Well, if you join us, we can fix that" - Brynjolf looked happy. "Come on, it shouldn't be too hard to get there, now that Frey killed whatever was left over after your exploration."

They continued through the ruin, there were still traps in full working order and more Dwemer automatons released from their crevices. The falmer were mostly dead, until they got to the Grand Cavern - those were mostly still alive.

"I sneaked past these ones last time" - Lena turned to Brynjolf. "It's not too hard."

They sneaked past without an incident, all the way to the final door that Lena could not unlock.

"Here, let me" - Brynjolf stepped forward. A few moments later, the lock clicked.

They heard soft footsteps behind them. Lena swung around, sword at the ready. It wasn't a falmer - it was a Dunmer woman.

"No, no - it's Ok" - she gestured. "I'm Brynjolf's friend."

"Karliah!" - Brynjolf turned around, smiling. "Just in time. Come on."

They entered the final chamber. A giant Dwemer statue stood in the middle, with a man jumping about, removing the gems from its eye sockets.

"Frey!" - Brynjolf cried out. "Stop right there!"

"Oh? Why should I? And who did you bring with you? Is she going to make waves?" - he smirked.

"You must return the Skeleton Key!" - Karliah joined in. "It belongs to Nocturnal!"

"I won't! It is nothing but a key to unlimited wealth! My blade will be stained with Nightingale blood today!"

He cast a spell, causing a cave-in - the door behind them was now blocked. Brynjolf and Karliah started fighting.
"What..?" - Lena looked at them in disbelief.

"It's his power" - Brynjolf explained, parring with Karliah. "We cannot stop ourselves. You must kill him, or we'll stay here forever."

Lena looked back at Mercer Frey.

"So... the door behind us is blocked, thanks to your little trick" - she said coldly. "And there is no other way out. How were you planning to leave?"

"I have my ways" - he answered, rather more angrily than was called for, Lena thought. She suspected he didn't have a clue. Then he attacked her.

The battle didn't last long - Frey's disappearing tricks didn't fool the Spectral Assassin that Lena had summoned.

"I am not a thief" - Lena said in Frey's ear. "I am an assassin." She put her blade through his heart.

Brynjolf and Karliah stopped fighting - the spell was lifted.

"Oh good" - Brynjolf rushed to Frey's body. "Quick - get the Skeleton Key."

It was too easy. As Brynjolf kneeled over Frey's body going through his pockets, Lena put her blade through his heart too.

"Assassin?" - Brynjolf looked up, going pale. Then he was dead.

Karliah watched, bewildered. Then she ran at Lena, sword drawn - or at least she started running at Lena, because the water in the room was rising, and Karliah got swept off her feet at that point. So was Lena. They were going to drown.

"Let's find a way out first" - Karliah shouted. "Then I'll kill you!"

"Ok - except for the last part" - Lena shouted back.

They tried the door - pointless, it was completely stuck. Some rocks in the ceiling looked to be loose, and there was a draft coming from there, but they couldn't reach them. Not yet - but the rising water was bringing them close. They climbed onto the statue, put their shoulders into it - and a small avalanche of rocks tumbled down, revealing a passage.

"That's it - let's go!" - Karliah pulled herself up into the passage. Lena was just about to follow, when the water suddenly started receding - the door must have given way and opened.

"I'll go that way" - Lena told Karliah. "You can try to kill me another time. Give my regards to Nocturnal - I prefer not to kill Nightingales."

"Oh?" - Karliah was confused. "You seem to know an awful lot. Who are you and why are you here?"

"I am an assassin, and I don't like thieves" - Lena replied.

"You are not with Astrid's group" - Karliah looked suspicious.

"No, I am with the Dark Brotherhood" - Lena smiled. "The real one, that is."

"That explains a lot" - Karliah nodded. "So the Ratway?"

"Yeah, it was us."

"Well..." - Karliah turned to crawl further into the passage. "Shadow hide you."

...

"It's a good thing I followed you" - Lucien greeted Lena as she squeezed through the opening in the door. "You can't trust thieves."

"Thank you!" - she smiled at him, blushing slightly. "Still watching over me, I see."

"Always" - he smiled warmly.

...

"I didn't kill Karliah" - said Lena, stretching her hands towards the fire at the Nightgate Inn. "She is a Nightingale. Admittedly, so was Mercer Frey, but he was also the Guildmaster. He had killed Gallus - the third Nightingale, and this was what the quarrel was all about - Brynjolf muttered as much along the way. I thought Nocturnal should keep one guardian."

"Without the Thieves Guild ranks to back her, she alone won't be able to do much harm" - conceded Lucien. "And we do respect Nocturnal."

"I don't understand what the fuss with the Skeleton Key is though" - Lena mused. "I did a favour for Nocturnal back in Cyrodiil, and she gave it to me - or one of the copies, anyway. But the Nightingales here claim it must remain in the Sanctum, or else. Doesn't make sense to me" - she shrugged.

"I doubt it was Nocturnal's idea" - Lucien nodded.

They sat in silence for a while.

"What are you going to do with the Grey Cowl of Nocturnal once you have it?" - asked Lucien after a pause.

"Return it to Nocturnal" - Lena looked into the distance. "It's like you said - we respect her. Shadow hides us."

23-24 Second Seed, 4E202 - Fort Dunstad - Dawnstar Sanctuary

"Here - have a look at this bounty letter" - the innkeep at the Nightgate Inn slid a piece of paper towards Lena. "It seems that bandits have taken residence in Fort Dunstad again - they are bothering people from there. You two look like you could take them on" - he looked at Lucien with significance.

"Whatever gave you that idea?" - Lucien looked up, raising an eyebrow.

"I never forget a face" - the innkeep winked. "During the War. Don't tell me you're a mage - that was the other fellow." Then turning to Lena, he added: "Give him my regards, will you?"

"I shall" - Lena smiled. "Thank you for not knowing any of us."

They took a room for the night - it was too late to go back to the Whiterun Sanctuary, and Lena was tired after her Irkngthand exploration.


"So what do you think about this Fort Dunstad?" - asked Lena at breakfast. "Shall we do the Jarl a favour?"

"Why not - practice makes perfect" - Lucien nodded.

...

Fort Dunstad was a rather large Imperial fort, complete with a tavern on the grounds - The Stumbling Sabrecat. Unfortunately, the bandits had killed the barkeep.

"It would have been a really nice place with the Legion still around" - Lena sighed. "I like the cat above the fireplace."


"Well, the Legion is not here" - Lucien interjected. "But the bandits are. Come on - we're not done yet."

It wasn't that hard to clear the bandits. The fort had several separate areas - the barracks with a kitchen, the commander's quarters and a large prison. The prison cells were filled with skeevers...

"How odd" - commented Lena, warming up the bandit chief with her fire spray while Lucien put a blade through his heart. "Why would the chief choose to sleep in a prison cell?"

"Makes him feel at home, I guess" - smirked Lucien.

They found more skeevers in the barracks - cages full of them. Then finally all became clear in the kitchen.


"Do you know what this reminds me of?" - Lena looked at the skeever roast in disbelief. "Goblins. In Cyrodiil they are the only ones to keep rats for food!"

"They shouldn't have murdered the barkeep. Chances are, he had better supplies" - Lucien nodded. "We're done here. Let's go to Dawnstar - they've got a decent inn."

...

"We should check on the old Sanctuary while we are here" - said Lucien at lunch.

"I've been there" - said Lena. "I couldn't enter, it's sealed."

"Ah" - Lucien smiled. "But now I am here."

...

They approached the Sanctuary door. Lucien touched it.

"What is the greatest illusion?" - a hushed voice asked.

"Innocence, my brother" - answered Lucien.

The lock clicked. They entered.

"Dank and dimly lit, but still home" - said Lucien, looking around. A guardian ghost drew his weapon but did not attack. "They recognise us - enough to allow us in."

The Dawnstar Sanctuary had not been used in a very long time. Rubble and cobwebs gathered in the corners and the air was somewhat musty with fungus and skeever smells.

"How did you know the password?" - asked Lena.

"I've been here before" - Lucien cast a shield spell. "There's a trap ahead, it will deactivate once we are through."

"Blood everywhere..." - Lena noted. "What happened here?"

"Greed" - Lucien shook his head. "This group took rich prisoners. They tortured them in the cellars for ransom. Of course they killed them afterwards, but someone was still able to follow the money trail. There's a cave behind that stained glass window - it leads into the cellars. Intruders came in through that - there was a bloodbath."

"Was everyone killed?"

"All the intruders, yes, and most of the assassins. The Sanctuary was deemed compromised though, and sealed. Until now."

"But is it safe now?" - Lena looked uncertain.

"Yes, it is. This was over a century ago" - Lucien touched the old walls, they were covered in dust. "The Night Mother asked me to check in. She thinks it might be time to return to Skyrim."

"Interesting" - Lena was kindling the fire in the grate. "What about Astrid's group though?"

"What's left of it, you mean?" - Lucien grinned. "Wasn't there one or the other person among them worth keeping?"

"Krex - the mage" - Lena looked up. "He doesn't like the way things are done. Everyone else worships Astrid."

"That's a start" - Lucien nodded. "There are no provisions here - what have we got with us?"

"Plenty" - Lena started putting food on the table. "Enough for a couple of days."

"Good. Because there's nowhere else I'd rather be right now..."

They were home.

25 Second Seed, 4E202 - Barenziah

The last couple of days had been strange. Lena and Lucien had completed their Thieves Guild mission, which meant they were ready to return to Cyrodiil and to their separate lives. Yet something was holding them back, they were finding things to do that took them North - away from the Cyrodiil border crossing. They talked - but only about the immediate matters, not the reason why they were not going back.

Finally, Lucien took the lead.

"We're done here" - he said - "but you are not yet ready to return. And neither am I."

"You..?" - Lena looked surprised. "I thought you were just doing me a favour with this trip."

"Getting to know each other works both ways" - Lucien pointed out. "I saw sides of you I never suspected to exist. Like that healing" - he touched the side of his abdomen where Lena had treated his poisoned wound.

"Oh, that skill..."

"I don't mean the skill. Yes, that too, but what I mean is that you took charge and... what you did to get the poison out."

She looked up.

"Well, I had to do it to clean the wound - the cloth got inside. I had to take it off" - she shrugged. "You needed help. And..." - she smiled - "You didn't stop me."

"No, I had to see what you'd do..." - he gave her a long look. "It's like I said - getting to know each other goes both ways."

They sat in silence for a while, drinking spiced wine. The Sanctuary was quiet around them.

"Perhaps I should have another look at that wound" - Lena smiled, blushing slightly. "You know, just in case..."

Lucien got up, taking her hand.

"Then come" - he pulled her in an embrace. "You don't know how long I've been waiting for this..."

He had called her his Barenziah. But was he her Symmachus or her Nightingale?

26 Rain's Hand, 4E202 - Dawnstar Sanctuary

"I can feel your affection" - Lucien held Lena's face in his hands, looking into her eyes. "And I can see your confusion. Don't worry, time will tell."

Their kiss was long, they didn't want to stop. They had each been waiting for a night like this for such a long time.

"Confusion, yes..." - Lena said softly. "You are a part of my life more than you know. Have been ever since you came to see me back then..." She kissed the palm of his hand, intertwining her fingers with his. "Who was it I had killed? It was a mistake, I think - I only meant to kill bandits. But I was grateful for it."

"Is that why you haven't said a word that night?"

"You remember?" - Lena smiled. "I lost my voice, I think..."

"I thought you were but a child, or nearly - so very young" - he stroked her cheek. "I told Ocheeva to keep an eye on you - we've had trouble enough with Antoinette Marie. But you were very different from the start. So determined, so meticulous - like your mother, even though in truth I only knew her very little. But I've heard a lot."

They now sat at breakfast, Lena staring at her sweetroll.

"Lucien" - she started hesitantly. "You deserve better. You've waited patiently for two centuries, didn't even kick me out of your home, and here I am not able to make up my mind." She looked at him apologetically.

"Oh that..." - he paused. "Why did you keep coming to my home? I wondered about that."

"I've been asking myself that recently" - Lena looked pensive. "I wanted to be with you."

"Then why did you never check to see if I was there? Sometimes I was."

"And what would you have me say?" - she looked at him in disbelief. "'Hello Lucien, I missed you'?" - she smirked.

"Is that what you felt?" - said Lucien slowly.

"Yes, that's what I felt. That, and shame. I would not have wanted you to see me the way I looked. Well, you have seen me, of course" - she blushed.

"After you've taken the cure?" - Lucien raised an eyebrow. "That... Yes, I see why you wanted to stay away. I would have still been glad to see you... I was glad to see you when you came."

He took her hand, bringing it to his lips. His long black hair fell forward as he bowed his head in a kiss. He looked Elven.

"Don't rush it" - he said. "Your feelings will clear up in time - as your looks have done. I'll wait." He looked at her releasing her hand. "But next time you come to my home and decide to stay overnight, I won't pretend not to be there."

26 Second Seed, 4E202 - Silverdrift Lair - Windhelm

Emotions can be draining, expressing emotions can be exhausting, in particular for people who are usually quite reserved and private, like Lena and Lucien - yes, Lena, in spite of her outbursts of rage every now and again. Rage is easy, love is hard. After such an emotional night and morning, they needed time to relax, they needed a diversion. They rode to Windhelm.

...

"Hey!" - Roach reared up, a dead spider at her feet.

"Whoa!" - Lena nearly fell off. "Where did that come from?"

She got off the horse to harvest spider venom - and retrieve an ebony arrow. Lucien.

"How very romantic - throwing dead spiders at my horse's feet" - Lena grinned at him.

"I thought you preferred your spiders dead, but I'll try to keep them alive next time, if that's what you want" - Lucien laughed. "Anything for you, dear!"

They continued on.

"That's close enough!" - two bandits shouted at them from the steps of the Silverdrift Lair.

"If I ever heard an invitation..." - Lena muttered, drawing her bow.

"Aauww!" - "Let us end this little ga... Ahh..."

"I thought we were going to Windhelm?" - Lucien raised an eyebrow, getting off his horse. "Or shall we end their misery?"

"Let's" - Lena nodded. "I am feeling charitable today" - she smiled. "Besides, this is apparently a 'lair' - I wonder how it differs from regular crypts."

They went in.

...

"Well, Dragonborn, now I see why you go into these crypts - to learn a new language" - Lucien watched Lena study the Word Wall. "But next time you use that shock wave, make sure I'm not in range, please - that blew me right into a fire trap."


"Sorry" - Lena blushed. "Next time don't get ahead of me when I'm drawing breath! I can't stop it then."

"I wonder how often dragons end up frying each other by accident?" - he smiled.

"I'm not a dragon" - Lena smiled back. "I can't even do it as well as some of the draugr... But then again, they had more time to practice."

...

Candlehearth Inn was warm and welcoming as usual. No one was paying any mind to a pair of mages in black robes - because who else would wear plain black robes besides mages? They had a late lunch, then went to walk around town.

"I haven't been here in a long time" - said Lucien. "It brings back memories..."

Windhelm hadn't changed much, although the Snow Quarter was now the Grey Quarter, and the docks were inhabited predominantly by Argonians. Some Nords were outspoken supporters of the Stormcloaks, others were not saying much - supporters of the Empire were not welcome here.

"There is an aura of death here" - said Lucien as they walked around the more upmarket parts of the city. "An aura of death and a stench of blood. Literally." He rattled the handle of Hjerim. "Locked. I wonder..."

Lena walked over to the house next to it.

"This one doesn't feel right either" - she said. "I can sense something..."

Blood trail led to the cemetery. There they found a young woman lying dead on one of the graves. She was naked and pale, but her belongings were right there next to her, including her coin purse.

"We have no time to deal with this" - the guard was saying. "Nobody had seen anything again, and I have no clue how to find the murderer."

"Again?" - Lena picked it up.

"Yes, again - this is the third young woman killed in this fashion! But like I said - I don't even know where to start looking!" She seemed angrier than usual.

"Well, can I help perhaps?" - Lena asked hopefully.

"You have to take that up with the steward at the Palace" - the guard sounded annoyed as well as angry now. "We can't have just anyone walk around claiming they are on an official business! But if he allows it, then be my guest!"

With that, she marched off - too busy to attend to a mysterious murder.

"That's City Guard for you" - was the general response from the onlookers.

"Let's have another look around" - said Lucien following the blood trail back up the stairs towards Hjerim. "This house seems important - lots of blood here. But we cannot do anything right now - perhaps later" - he said taking Lena's hand and pulling her into a back alley. "Fair maidens shouldn't be walking through back alleys" - his eyes twinkled. "Wasn't that the mystery you were solving in the Imperial City just before we left?" He kissed her. "Haven't you learned anything?"

"I have" - Lena returned his kiss. "There were no vampires involved."

Tova Shatter-Shield was about to enter her house when she heard strange noises coming from the back alley of her late daughter's house next door. Worried that the murderer had returned, she went to investigate.

"Oh, pardon me! Do carry on" - she laughed, nodding approvingly. No one could accuse the Nords of shunning passion.

26 Second Seed, 4E202 - Vampires of Windhelm

"You are not a mortal!" - a vampire reeled back from Lena, having bitten her neck. Her blood looked black on his lips, his skin turning blue.

"I am a mortal" - Lena spun around, silver blade in her hand. "Just not a virgin mortal!" - she hissed, her fangs bared, her eyes red. "And I am famished!"

She put her blade through the vampire's heart - her blood had weakened him already and he didn't resist. She ran back towards the entrance where Lucien was dancing with three thralls. One was a pile of ash already, the other was bleeding out. Lena fell onto the third one from behind, burying her fangs in his neck and pinning him down on the ground.

"Ahhh..." - the thrall let out an ecstatic sigh, his body limp like that of a kitten picked up by the scruff.

A few minutes later Lena got up, her lips cherry red with blood, her fangs retreated and her eyes amber. She touched the bite mark on her neck.

"That stupid vampire should not have touched me" - she said, matter-of-factly.

Lucien was watching, leaning against a wall.

"It's nice to see you haven't lost your touch" - he grinned. "That was some jump!"

"I couldn't do it now" - Lena smiled, licking her lips clean. "Not after I fed."

"So what now?" - Lucien nodded at the thrall. "Should we kill him?"

"Kill the other one" - Lena pointed at the second thrall that was bleeding out. "But this one will protect us now. Well, me - because I drank his blood."

The thrall scrambled up from the floor.

"Mistress" - he went down on one knee, looking at Lena pleadingly. "I am your servant."

...

"This is quite a nice little place" - said Lucien after they examined the underground lair. "We could stay here unless you expect more vampires to turn up?"

"We've killed them all, I think" - Lena looked on as the thrall was moving the bodies towards the trapdoor. "They don't like venturing out during the day" - she winked at Lucien. "I don't think the thrall lied - he's bound to me now." Then, turning to the thrall, she said: "Wait until the night to take the bodies out, then dump them on the graveyard. Try not to get caught. And here" - she handed him a coin pouch. "Go get us some food and drink from the market. Buy some beef - you need to get your strength up."

"Yes, mistress" - the thrall gave her a broad smile, taking the coin pouch. "I shall have more blood for you." He left.

"Mistress... Is he your slave now?" - Lucien was following the exchange with interest.

"No, not a slave. He's a servant and, well, cattle. But he likes it - Skyrim vampires can turn mortals into thralls who crave being fed on. It's an addiction. A particular strain of vampirism. In Cyrodiil we just infect our cattle with Narcolepsy, so they sleep all day, but a conscious and willing thrall is so much better."

"We?" - Lucien raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah... I accepted it now" - Lena sighed. "I am not a regular mortal - the cure didn't go far enough. You've seen what I can do... what I have to do sometimes. And I have to nurture it to remain human when I turn."

"Like a werewolf" - Lucien nodded.

"Molag Bal will be pleased" - Lena glared at something only she could see. "There he is - grinning."

"I don't approve of rape" - said Lucien, putting his arm around Lena's shoulders. "Makes me think he couldn't get Lamae to go willingly. I've never had any such problems myself... Forget Molag Bal" - he sent a shooting light to where Lena was looking. "There's nothing there."

Lucien's touch was calming, and soon Lena regained her composure.

"Imperials" - she thought.

27 Second Seed - 1 Midyear, 4E202 - Windhelm murders - Dawnstar Sanctuary

"Well, we should look into these murders, since I promised" - Lena said at breakfast. She and Lucien spent the night in the underground lair guarded by the vampire thrall. It was far more secure than Candlehearth Hall.

"The last victim had deep cuts on her body" - said Lucien in reflection. "And although I spotted bite marks on the neck, they were somewhat old - not the cause of death."

"Agreed" - Lena nodded. "Her murder is probably unrelated."

The thrall walked into the dining room carrying more food.

"Susanna used to come here sometimes" - he said. "The old masters wouldn't have killed her."

...

They walked around town, asking questions. Tova Shatter-Shield gave them the key to her late daughter's house that had so much blood near the door. They found a necromancer's laboratory in there, and some journals. So, it was necromancy - the women were being killed for the tissue in their bodies. But who was the necromancer?

"It's the court wizard, it's got to be!" - several people said. "He is named The Unliving for a reason!"

But Lena didn't think so. She spoke to him before - he was an old mage, very quiet and experienced, he would not be caught out quite so easily. No, it was someone else. He gave her a clue as to when the killer might strike again - and where - the murders were ritualistic, dates and places of importance. And he was right - the killer had struck a victim right in front of a guard, and for some reason it was up to Lena and Lucien to chase and kill him. The guard just stood there, gawking. Too busy to assist.

"And this is why this city is going to the dogs" - Lucien said in disgust when they left the Palace. "Not only are they not investigating a murder, they are not even pursuing a murderer when he strikes in front of their eyes!"

"Perhaps then this is the perfect setting for a new Sanctuary?" - Lena turned to him with a smile.

"It would have been, but with so many Dunmer around, Morag Tong is never too far away" - Lucien shook his head. "Better not step on their toes."

"Then let's return to Dawnstar" - Lena said as they entered the underground lair.

"Tomorrow."


"All this place needs is a bit of a clean up" - Lena walked around the Dawnstar Sanctuary, straightening out a few things here and there. "And to strengthen that glass."

The big stained glass window in the common room was very impressive with the light of the icy cave behind it shining through. And although it wasn't completely shuttered, it had some cracks - large enough for Lucien to squeeze through. Still, it was keeping the snow out.

"Not my idea of security to have a window to a cave with an exit to the surface" - smirked Lucien. "This is how the intruders got in - as well as all these animals that the troll was feeding on."

The cave was littered with carcasses of the unfortunate deer and goats that fell into the opening. If it was big enough for a deer to fall through, then a person would have no problems getting in either.

"Of course with the Sanctuary being abandoned for so long, nobody was bothering with it, but should we return, things will have to change" - Lucien's face looked decisive. "I have a report to write - let's hope there's still ink and parchment here somewhere."

...

Writing of the report took three days. With Dawnstar so close, they restocked their kitchen and other necessary supplies. They were in no rush to leave - there were books to read, garden to tend to, clutter to straighten out... and lots of love to give. After all, they had two hundred years worth of catching up to do. Cyrodiil could wait.


"We should be getting back to Cyrodiil" - Lucien said at breakfast. "Are you ready?"

"Yes, let's" - Lena smiled. "I've had enough of snow in summer."

"Give Hauk my regards, will you?" - Lucien smiled too. "I hear he's back on Legion duty. Tell him our previous arrangement still stands."

"Arrangement?" - Lena asked in surprise, but then thought better of it. "No, never mind. He mentioned your paths had crossed during the War - that's all I need to know."

Lucien nodded.

1-2 Midyear, 4E202 - Lake View - Cheydinhal

"I bought a plot of land on the moors" - said Geralt at dinner. Lena and Lucien stopped at the Lake View on their way back to Cyrodiil. "I am having a house built."

"Wow, that's great news!" - Lena beamed. "Here - take this money" - she dropped a heavy purse in front of him. "Courtesy late Thieves Guild."

Gerald grinned.

"I can certainly put it to good use" - he lifted the purse. "But doesn't your Brotherhood require a dividend from the job?"

"We do" - confirmed Lucien. "That isn't all that we recovered."

This job was unusual. It was Lena who performed the Black Sacrament for the members of the Thieves Guild, and the Night Mother wisely gave the contract to Lucien. The payment for the Brotherhood would be of no issue, they were certain. Between the Thieves Guild and the bandits that they cleared along the way, the surplus was significant, and it was now on the table.

"Make sure to leave a large empty room for Yen's megascope" - Lena winked at Geralt. "And that other thing."

"Oh no - she is not bringing that! It won't go on a ship!" - Geralt protested.

"No, I suppose it won't" - Lena agreed. "Which is why I sent you mine from Cyrodiil. I expect you will soon hear from the shipping company."

Geralt looked up in surprise.

"You didn't!"

"I did" - Lena gave him a broad grin. "It's got Hircine's blessing, so be gentle with it. It was the only unicorn in Cyrodiil."

Geralt shook his head, laughing.

"Count yourself lucky she'll never make you use it" - he winked at Lucien. "The only thing even less suitable is a live unicorn!"

"Oh I wouldn't mind, myself" - Lucien grinned complicitly. "But not to worry - there's always the Shadowmere."


They rode straight to Cheydinhal - they both had paperwork to complete.

"What's next for you?" - Lucien asked at dinner. They were back at his fort.

"Necromancers and ruin crawling" - Lena grinned. "I'm not sure where I'll be - Traven is bound to send me all over the place."

"Well, in that case..." - he took her hand. "Why don't you stay here tonight."

2 Midyear, 4E202 - A woman's scorn

"She will die for it" - Rayenna muttered under her breath. She saw them - she peered through the trapdoor of Lucien's fort and saw him and Lena make love. She watched long enough to see Lena's face - this was important, Lucien never brought women to his fort. This wasn't just any woman - this was Rayenna's rival, and she had to die. Too bad she was a Sister - Sithis would just have to accept it. Rayenna was another Speaker's Silencer. "How could he choose her over me?" - she thought with scorn. She had been making advances towards Lucien for a few years now, and she was such a striking looking woman, what was he thinking? To prefer this child?

"You should leave now" - Sa'sinar touched her shoulder. "Let's say you never came here at all."

Rayenna jerked.

"You followed me?" - her eyes narrowing.


"A Speaker must take care of his Silencer" - Sa'sinar smiled. "Your infatuation with Lachance is not exactly a secret." His ears went back and his eyes narrowed, too. "Sa'sinar hopes Rayenna is not planning anything foolish. Wolf is her Sister, and Lachance's Silencer!"

"You..." - Rayenna looked at Sa'sinar with suspicion. "You didn't look - how did you know?"

"Sa'sinar hears things..." - his ears went up again. "The Night Mother knows. You should leave them be."

But when was the last time a Redguard woman took anyone's advice? Or accepted defeat?

3 Midyear, 4E202 - Rayenna

"I have to speak to the Night Mother" - Rayenna insisted. "There is a traitor in our ranks."

"The Night Mother speaks only to me" - Ungolim's face was impenetrable. "And I speak to the Speakers. Why are you here? Are you accusing Sa'sinar?"

This wasn't going according to plan. The Dark Brotherhood had a strict hierarchy, and Ungolim - the Listener - was not about to allow Rayenna to break it.

"It's not Sa'sinar" - she replied, looking away. "But remember what happened last time there was a traitor? He played on the rules and the hierarchy - and this is what got several Black Hand members killed. We have to consult the Night Mother."

Ungolim remembered all too well what happened last time - he was one of the intended victims. He was attacked on several occasions, and had to kill several of his brothers and sisters in self-defence. The Night Mother didn't blame him or them - they didn't know who he was - but Ungolim still felt like he was betraying the Brotherhood. But to summon the Night Mother this early... No, he would need to have proof first.

"Very well, if you want to keep it between us, I'll allow it" - he looked at Rayenna, searching. She was a fairly new member, joined after those dreaded events. She didn't even know that Ungolim was around then. "Bring me the details and some proof, then we'll see." He wouldn't dismiss her claims just because she was fairly new, after all, it was a fairly new member that found the traitor last time.

Details and proof was something that Rayenna didn't have, for the simple fact that there was no traitor. She wanted to confront the Night Mother for allowing a Speaker and his Silencer to be romantically involved. She was going to argue that it undermined their efficiency and was bad for business. It was a weak argument, but worth a try.

But now Ungolim wanted details and proof - and Rayenna had worked herself into a corner. If she admitted that there was no traitor, she would be punished for attempted subterfuge. If she did nothing, Ungolim would start an investigation suspecting her to be the traitor. If she carried on and fabricated some details and proof... well... she hoped she'd never be discovered.

"I shall bring you proof" - she said, looking determined. "Give me some time."

Right, Rayenna - start thinking, she told herself. She went back home to Anvil - the sea always helped her to keep calm. Her father used to work at the docks, she didn't know her mother - her father refused to tell her who she was. "She left you when you were but a babe and scampered to Hammerfel with that lover of hers - and good riddance!" - he'd say, looking dark. "You have me, that should do."

They lived in the Castle, like many dock workers - the Countess kindly allowed working folk to use the cellar. "Better in the Castle under the watchful eye of the Guard, then out in the caves with the smugglers" - she used to say.

When Rayenna grew up and started earning a living of her own, she rented the cellar of the Anvil lighthouse.

"You seem a nice young woman" - Ulfgar Fog-Eye was careful who he rented the cellar to. He heard of some trouble in the past... Some said the place was cursed - but surely, that was just superstition?

Rayenna worked at the docks with her father at first, but then when he died, she started venturing out into the wilderness. She would run into bandits, kill them, take their loot. Nobody cared - those were bandits who'd kill for the loot as well. So... how was she different? She became a bandit herself - she'd ambush and kill anyone who came into her "hunting grounds" as she called them. She fancied herself a lioness stalking her prey.

One day a Khajiit came to see her. She attacked him, but he easily disarmed her, pinning her down.

"Khajiit could kill you now, but he will not, for Khajiit has an offer for you" - he said.

"But who are you?" - Rayenna breathed on awe.

"This servant of Sithis is called Sa'sinar. He wishes to invite Rayenna to join his family."

He knew her name. This was an offer she could not refuse.

...

Rayenna took her new duties seriously. She was determined and careful, executing her contracts with precision. She was praised by her superiors and quickly rose through the ranks. Once she made Assassin, her contracts became more complex, requiring planning, preparation, patience and stealth. They were testing her abilities - only a small number of assassins would ever make it to the Elite. Of course, there were no openings, but the Brotherhood always kept a shortlist of candidates ready for the times when an opening appeared. One day Sa'sinar offered Rayenna to become his Silencer.

"Sa'sinar's previous Silencer was killed while performing a contract, and Sa'sinar had to finish the job himself. He wishes Rayenna to take on this role. Does Rayenna accept?" - the Khajiit spoke formally, not something he did every time. Brought up in Cyrodiil, he was just as fluent in the Cyrodilic way of speaking as in the Khajiiti way, but he always used Khajiit for serious matters.

"I shall be honoured" - Rayenna beamed.

Being a member of the Black Hand meant that Rayenna was introduced to the other Black Hand assassins. If the Brotherhood had learned anything from the last traitor business, it was that the Black Hand had to know each other. The reason that attack went on for as long as it did, was that the Silencer that was being set up to murder the other members of the Black Hand, had no idea who they were. That would never happen again.

Introductions were made, but they didn't go beyond a handshake and a name - no background information was shared. Thus Rayenna knew that Ungolim was the Listener, but she had no idea how old he was or how long he had been with the Brotherhood. He didn't look old, and she didn't stop to think that for a Bosmer, that said nothing about his age.

Like everyone, Rayenna had heard of Lucien Lachance. Like most, she believed him to be dead - until she met him during the introductions. No, he wasn't dead, and he didn't look old, either. He looked in his prime, and his quiet confidence completely won her over. He was polite, welcoming her to the Black Hand and wishing her every success in her endeavours.

"Sa'sinar is known for his wisdom" - he said, smiling warmly. "I can see he chose well."

Rayenna melted. Those damned Imperials had a way with people.

Lucien Lachance had become Rayenna's personal project - he was the man for her, she decided. She was a lioness, and she was stalking her prey.

Rayenna met Lucien on many occasions - she made sure to create them. It was always business-related, but she would add an informal element to it too - a dinner or even a shared trip. Lucien never tried to evade her, and although he did not respond to her attempts at flirtation, she was sure he'd come around eventually. She just had to keep at it.

"Your attention to Lachance has become quite obvious" - Sa'sinar told her one day. "You would do well to be more discrete."

"But I am not doing anything!" - Rayenna protested, blushing a vivid shade of red. "We have common projects, that's all it is!"

Sa'sinar smiled a toothy grin, baring his fangs.

"Khajiit has seen this before" - he said, fixing her with his gaze. "Redguards are passionate, Rayenna is passionate, but Lachance must not be the object of her passion."

Rayenna stared at him, lost for words.

"I'm just saying - leave him alone" - Sa'sinar softened his tone. "He is your Brother - remember that."

Rayenna respected Sa'sinar, he was her mentor, he was her Speaker, and he seemed to see right into her soul. But she could not stop.

Lachance was popular with women, she discovered. Women that had nothing to do with the Brotherhood, women that didn't tend to ask questions. Oh, he was no monk. She didn't mind that - those women didn't matter, and otherwise he was unattached. She found his fort, found the hidden entrance directly to his living quarters. There was a crack in the trapdoor - one could just peer inside. It was a comfortable place, she thought, nice furniture, a fire, everything one would need... plus, undoubtedly, laboratory equipment in the other corner of the room. And no evidence of a woman. Good.

Rayenna was satisfied. She was taking it steady and slow, and she was sure of her success, eventually. And then...

"Hello, I am Lena Wolf" - a new Silencer was being introduced to the Black Hand. Lucien Lachance's Silencer. But she was just a slip of a girl! Early twenties, no more. What was he thinking? And why some of the Black Hand acted as if they'd met her already?

"I've met them already" - Lena smiled brightly, noticing Rayenna's confused looks. "Just last week - there was another meeting. But it is so good to finally meet you too."

Her smile was charming... irresistible... infectious... One couldn't not instantly like her... It was as if she used a charm spell, except of course she didn't... Surely, Rayenna would have noticed a spell being cast! Well...

Rayenna smiled back, feeling euphoric. Something about that girl wasn't quite right...

Rayenna never met a vampire before that hadn't turned into a beast. Or an ex-vampire still in possession of her powers. She fell for it - she was in love.

...

"Wait... what?!" - Rayenna caught herself fantasising about Lena. "You fall for women now?" - she said sternly to herself. No, Rayenna wasn't falling for women, she was sure of it. But she couldn't help herself. "Should cut down on the brandy" - she finally decided. "Better go see what Lachance has been up to - haven't seen him in a while" - she thought. Surely, that would provide a diversion.

...

"She will die for it" - Rayenna muttered under her breath. She saw them - she peered through the trapdoor of Lucien's fort and saw him and Lena make love. "Traitorous scamp!" The charm vanished, replaced by hatred. "How could he choose her over me? She's but a child! Oblivion take her" - she thought with scorn.

"You should leave now" - Sa'sinar touched her shoulder. "Let's say you never came here at all."

...

Sa'sinar was right - Rayenna should be cautious. She wanted Lena removed, yes, but she still wanted Lucien for herself. That required careful planning. An obvious murder wouldn't do.

3 Midyear, 4E202 - Adamus Phillida

Lena was walking around the Imperial City looking for Hauk. He wasn't at home, not at the Tiber Septim Hotel, and not at the Foaming Flask. He did mention that the Legion wanted him back on duty, but what would that mean? Perhaps she should try the Bastion.

She found Hauk in the Legion Offices talking to Adamus Phillida.

"I just know it - who else could have gotten inside the Imperial Prison and out again, completely unseen?" - Phillida was saying. "It's the Dark Brotherhood - they got both Valen Dreth and J'baana."

"But you are not even certain they were both murdered!" - interjected Hauk. "What's your proof?"

"Dreth was found with a poisoned arrow stuck in his neck - I'm pretty sure he didn't do it himself!" - Phillida was getting agitated. "J'baana... he died apparently of a heart attack, but I don't believe it. Poison, more likely - there was a small cut on him. Not unlike Fathis Ules and Othrelos, and he was Thieves Guild too."

"Ok, this does look suspicious" - Hauk conceded. "Someone seems to be after the Thieves Guild."

"It's the Dark Brotherhood, I tell you!" - Phillida spun around and finally noticed Lena standing at the door. "Good morning citizen, how can I help you?"

"My apologies, I was just looking for Optio here" - Lena greeted Hauk. "On a Mages Guild business" - she hastened to add.

"And you are..?" - Phillida's eyes narrowed.

"Lena Wolf, Mages Guild Warlock, at your service" - Lena gave him a bright smile. Some titles were more convenient than others.

"Oh... I've heard of you" - Phillida softened. "Handled some necromancers recently, have you?" - he shuffled some papers on his desk. "We've had some reports of graveyards being dug up, and Traven insists it's necromancers, but the corpses were still there, it's the jewellery that went missing" - he smirked. "So unless they are making zombie amulets, I think it was something else."

"Do you still need me for anything, Commander?" - Hauk turned to Phillida. "You know where to find me if you do."

"No, thank you, Optio, sorry for taking up your time" - Phillida was courteous. After all, Hauk's rank was higher. "I was just hoping that with your experience in covert affairs, you might be able to help me see what I'm missing... There must be a way to pin them down somehow!" - he clenched his fists. "But every time we identify a Dark Brotherhood assassin, it is only when we find his corpse! Well, at least they are not immortal - that's a consolation. Oh what would I give to see one standing before me!" - he glared at Lena and Hauk, then caught himself, rearranging his face in a smile.

"You never know - you might get your wish" - Hauk said, shaking his hand. "Good luck to you."

...

"Good to see you" - Hauk turned to Lena when they were back in the City proper and could drop the act. "Lunch?"

"Let's."

The Feed Bag had a few people in, having lunch, drinking mead and wine, discussing shopping and the latest fights at the Arena - all providing a comfortable din to drown out a conversation.

"So, you've been busy" - Hauk smirked. "J'baana! Right under the noses of the Imperial Watch, too! There's no hiding from your Brotherhood, is there?" He laughed. "Masterfully done! Better than Valen Dreth, I must admit."

"I didn't have much choice with Valen Dreth - I shot through the bars. But you're right - it was too obvious." Lena made herself a crab sandwich. "What did Phillida want from you?"

"To help him find evidence in a collection of statements and crime scene sketches. But all he's got is a string of suspected murders, and even if he thinks it might be the Dark Brotherhood, he can't prove anything. And even if he could - he doesn't know who you all are!" Hauk attended to his own crab sandwich. "Completely futile, if you ask me."

"Ocheeva worries about him though" - Lena mused. "Several assassins were killed recently while performing a contract - or attempting to perform a contract, I should say - and they were wearing our armour, even had some papers on them... Ocheeva was livid about the papers, because now Phillida knows what our armour looks like."

"That's the drawback of having a uniform" - Hauk agreed. "Which is why I never wear Legion armour on assignments."

"I doubt you carry any Legion papers, either" - Lena smiled.

"No, of course not" - Hauk smiled back. "And don't you worry - Phillida will get no help from me. I am not with the City Watch."

"Oh I am not worried" - Lena bit into an apple. "Lucien sent his regards."

"I heard The Ratway turned to blood recently" - Hauk was starting on the cheese. "The Riften City Guard had to call in the Legion to help clear it up" - he chuckled. "Even though the Jarl supports the Stormcloaks!"

"Let me guess - the Stormcloaks do not do the dirty work of hauling corpses out of the sewers, do they?" - Lena poured herself some wine and passed another bottle of mead to Hauk.

"No, they don't" - Hauk laughed. "The entire top of the Skyrim Thieves Guild taken out! Maven Black-Briar was livid."

"Maven is lucky to be alive" - Lena noted. "We only spared her because she doesn't like Stormcloaks."

"So, what's next?" - Hauk hovered over the cheese selection, then picked up a piece of creamy goat cheese.

"Lie low for a bit" - Lena turned to a bowl of berries. "Do some adventuring - Mr. Umbacano has been reminding me about that High Fane job that I agreed to do. Months and months ago! It seems Claude Maric has been dragging his feet too."

"Dangerous ruin?" - Hauk's eyes lit up.

"Undoubtedly" - Lena grinned. "Although how it compares to other ruins, I am not certain."

"Well, there's only one way to find out!" - Hauk emptied his mead bottle. "When do we leave?"

4 Midyear, 4E202 - Lena's romance

"I missed you" - Lena kissed Hauk good morning. "But if we want to get to the East edge of the Nibenay Basin by tomorrow, we should be getting out of bed."


They spent the night at Hauk's house in the Imperial City, having done all the preparations for the trip the day before. They would just stop by the Tiber Septim Hotel next door for breakfast, and be on their way. Jowan was still staying in Bravil, and they were glad to spend time together, just the two of them.

After that intense trip to Skyrim with Lucien, Lena felt the need to relax and unwind - and Hauk was so easy to relax with. She would have to choose between him and Lucien eventually, but she wasn't ready to choose yet. In fact, she was even more confused about her feelings now than she was before the trip. She was ready to go to Oblivion and back for either of them, she'd done it already and would do it again, both friendships would remain intact. More than friends, they were family. But romance... that was on an entirely different level.

Lena's life did not resemble a typical young woman's life. It started out ordinarily enough, as a young girl Lena had her friendships and childhood romances, then youth romances up to the point when she caught vampirism at the age of seventeen. She was instantly shunned, all her young friends abandoning her in horror. Only the Mages Guild was still treating her like before - but they were all older people, her mentors and advisers, and certainly no one interested in romance. Her fellow young associates and apprentices were shunning her as well. At times Lena felt that her only option was to find a vampire coven to join, but ironically the vampires that she met, treated her with hostility - she was too "fresh", she had to prove herself first. Would she succumb to the disease mentally and turn into a beast? Many vampires did, and no coven was ready to accept a young fledgling risking to develop into a liability over time. One older vampire took pity on her and gave her a book - Manifesto Cyrodiil Vampyrum. "Follow it, if you want to be one of us" - he said. "Come back in twenty or thirty years, then we'll see." She had to survive that long, and not allow her personality to be destroyed. Fortunately, the Oblivion Crisis kept her busy, providing the necessary distraction.

How long was it before Count Hassildor offered her help finding a cure? She couldn't say for sure, but it was at least four years - or may be more? It was difficult, and took a long time to get everything that was needed - perhaps another year? Two? It didn't matter. Eventually the day came when the witch gave her the potion - "Drink it and you will be mortal again." She drank. Yes, she was mortal again - her eyes were no longer red and her fangs had retreated. But she looked like an old woman, stooped, wrinkled, covered in sores. And she was weak.

The one thing that Lena was longing for the cure to restore was her place in society. People were no longer afraid of her, true, and she could shop wherever she wanted, but she was still in her twenties, yet her youth was gone. Young people continued to shun her just like before. Loneliness persisted.

And then a miracle happened - Dylan took her to the Mazken Wellspring and Lena's looks were restored. She looked to be in her early twenties again.

In the Shivering Isles that didn't really matter. The Shivering Isles had no problems with Lena's vampirism before or with her old woman's looks afterwards - but everyone there was too consumed with the Greymarch destroying the Realm. And Lena was too busy.

Lena's return to Mundus some twenty or thirty years later proved to be a bit of a shock, and not because nearly two centuries had passed there in the meantime. She was suddenly getting a lot of attention - romantic, erotic, vulgar - all sorts. It was flattering while it was novel, but became annoying soon afterwards. None of it relieved the loneliness either, and Lena was no longer in her twenties. She soon tired of casual fun.

She went about restoring her life in Cyrodiil - her Mages Guild membership, her house in Bravil, her citizen's rights. "You will no longer be alone, child" - Dagail told her. "I have seen this." She proved right - Hauk appeared a month or so later, not entirely without Dagail's help. They struck a friendship, went adventuring together, then gradually grew to like each other more and more, and now Hauk was Lena's closest friend - a friend she could be intimate with.

Lucien was a different story entirely. She had known him for all of her adult life - since he came to offer her a place within the Dark Brotherhood. Oh, she fancied him straight away - but he was the head of her group, and therefore off limits. And of course he was a much older man - Lena wasn't even eighteen at the time. She told herself to forget it.

Then the traitor made his move, setting events in motion, and Lena couldn't just walk away. She sensed who the attacks were aimed at - the traitor was after Lucien, and she could not allow it to happen. Oh, the traitor was going to destroy her whole Cheydinhal family in the process too - and she couldn't allow it either. Things she had done to protect them all... closing Oblivion gates paled in comparison. And then she was gone - to the Shivering Isles. At first it was to avoid the assassins - she was still being hunted. She would come to Mundus sometimes, and would go to Lucien's fort - to make sure he was all right, she told herself. She didn't dare to go to the Sanctuary. After a while she noticed that the hunt had been called off, yet still she didn't go to the Sanctuary, but just kept coming to Lucien's fort. One day there was a change of furniture - his narrow cot was replaced by a nice double bed, with other conveniences added. Yet there was no sign of another person living there, and Lena chose not to think about it, completely ignoring her suspicions. He was off limits.

And then he wasn't. That revelation truly turned her world upside down. All those feelings, her longing, her passion, her shame for ignoring the obvious, came rushing in - and overwhelmed her. That evening Lucien helped her deal with it - whatever else was going on, he was her oldest friend and her Brother. She went with that.

When Hauk died and Lena went to the Fade to get his spirit to come back, she faced many demons. Twice was she tempted by a demon pretending to be Lucien - she escaped the first time, but the second time, after Hauk's spirit returned to Mundus, she let the demon have its way. She got what she longed for.

"Leave him alone - he isn't your lover" - Geralt told her when she and Lucien stopped at the Lake View on their way to Riften. Was it that obvious? She wouldn't be forward, not with real Lucien... But Geralt could see through her - he was no stranger to passion himself - and one to break the rules for it. Did they get it from their father or from their mother? Or from both?

"But next time you come to my home and decide to stay overnight, I won't pretend not to be there" - Lucien told her that morning. He was her lover now, as well as her Brother and her intimate friend. Life was complicated.
_____________

Clever explanation.

That frost troll on the side of High Hrothgar is particularly tough, I remember the first time one of mine almost got his or her ass kicked by it. There's some explanation, like it's high in level, or scales far above the player or something. Interesting that she summons somebody who knows who she is!

Post 20-- Yes I can see staying in Ivarstead a few days, especially with its pleasant autumn weather & golden sunshine. The crypt across the road makes for some definite adventuring fun too, without needing to trek anywhere for supplies. Only a couple things are missing. In my Skyrim, I added a smith area outdoors and also a cottage whose owner buys & sells. Now it's even tougher to leave, sometimes.

Woo, I've read Page 1!

Just an aside…With Mr. Troll being so slow you can use any rock/tree or just sufficient wide space to circle and get past without taking a hit.

To end Mr. Troll when you are too weak to battle him….Just lure him into High Hrothgar where the Greybeards will dispatch him for you.

Warning! Enter the monastery just before the Troll gets to the entrance steps….otherwise he will spawn inside, infront of you and then you are screwed!

You can….and I have (with an extra spawns mod) get Seven of them into High Hrothgar all at once. The chaos is fabulous.

Right…Sorry, lets get back to reading Lena

A.

I never thought of this. Only problem is, if we're going up that mountain and it's our first time, we don't know where the Greybeard temple is, yet. Or if there are other trolls ahead which are just as tough as that one.

4-5 Midyear, 4E202 - Fort Entius - Malada

"It is good to be back on the road, my friend" - Lena turned to Hauk as they stepped onto the long bridge across the Niben. "And not to expect assassins on every corner." She winked.

"Indeed" - Hauk grinned. "Assassins or... whoever."


The bridge was stretching before them. They pressed on.

...

"Oh look - someone had the good grace to restore Crestbridge Camp!" - Lena exclaimed as they approached the location. Last time they were passing there, there was nothing but an empty fire pit there. They stopped for lunch.

"Malada is a distance East from here" - Lena was pouring over the map. "We could take the road South and spend the night at the Imperial Bridge Inn, then take North East from there... or we could try going cross country." She looked up at Hauk with a question.

"Well, it's only just past midday, so we have time" - he looked around. "Let's try cross country. Besides, there might be other interesting things along the way" - he winked and grinned. They were going to get side-tracked.

...

"Oh look!" - they came to a fort next to a bridge across the river. "Shall we?"

Fort Entius was quiet, except for a few rats.

"What? Nobody there?" - Hauk was disappointed. "No vampires or necromancers or not even beasts?"

The lower part of the fort was flooded, but they found some nice loot in old chests. Then...

"Ouch!" - Lena got hit by a powerful shock spell, nearly knocking her out.

"Stay back!" - roared Hauk, summoning a daedroth. Lena summoned a clannfear and focussed on healing. The room ahead was ablaze - someone was casting inferno spells, along with the bolts of lightening. This was not a place Lena could survive...

When the inferno blasts stopped, she cautiously advanced and saw that Hauk had forced a mage into a corner. The mage was constantly healing herself and Hauk wasn't getting very far.

"Let me..." - Lena thought, crouching and dipping her Sufferthorn in poison. "This will soon be over."

She didn't need to get the heart, but she did it anyway.

...

They took the bridge over the river and found a dirt road going East. They followed it and soon they saw white stones of an Ayleid ruin.

"This must be it" - Lena pointed at the ruin. "But what's with the advance guard?"

There was a camp nearby with two occupants in full top-notch armour.


"Beautiful countryside, isn't it?" - they said in a greeting. "We are just here for the fresh air."

...

"Claude Maric's men" - said Hauk when they were out of earshot. "They'll attack us when we come out. Be ready."

But first they had to be ready for whatever lay within.

First, there were beasts and traps.

"That's too easy" - Hauk looked suspicious, even though the fighting was nothing like easy. "You remove that carving and all Oblivion will descend onto us." He pointed at the panel that Umbacano wanted.

"Well, there's nothing else for it" - Lena said, resigned. "Ready?"

She pulled on the carving and it came away with ease, causing the wall behind it to collapse and two side pockets to open at the same time. If the skeleton Champions and their summons were not bad enough, the Nether Lich behind the rubble added a certain spice to it all.

The rubble prevented the summons from getting to the lich, and Hauk was too busy fighting five skeletons - the lich's summon appeared in front of the rubble.

"Well, there's nothing else for it" - Lena thought, rubbing her Spelldrinker amulet and downing a spell absorption potion. "I'll go down of course, but hopefully not before I manage a summon."

She readied a clannfear spell, took out her Sufferthorn and climbed over the rubble.

The lich shot a blast from his staff and Lena went down, but her clannfear was already charging the lich. Lena never got a chance to use her Sufferthorn.

...

"Ugh!" Lena felt wet sandpaper rubbing her cheek. The clannfear. "Good dog" - she patted the clannfear, just before the summon was banished. Hauk stood among two piles of bones, casting healing spells.

"It never looks quite as bad afterwards" - he said, pointing at the bones. "Just the two piles now... no one would believe me if I said there were five of them!"

"No one who never fought the undead" - Lena corrected him, smiling. "But we know better. Come on - there's a door behind that lich."

They could have just returned the way they came in, but here was a door previously concealed behind a wall... How could they resist?

...

"Oh no! This is bad" - was all Lena had time to think before darkness swallowed her and she went down. Gloom wraiths.

Cold, so cold... Lena came to, shaking. She scrambled to her feet - quick, a summon! A Hunger should do it...

Freezing cold was bracing her... She came to again. Something was wrong - the wraith was growing stronger.

"Hunger is a living creature!" - Lena thought. "The wraith is leeching its life energy... I need something else..." She summoned a headless zombie. Remarkably effective, if rather mundane.

"Hush!" - a second wraith screeched, hitting Lena with a freezing silence spell. Darkness again...

...

"You are not dead, so rise!" - a voice sounded inside Lena's head. "Let the cattle know their place!"

"But wraiths are not cattle?" - Lena thought to herself, but decided not to argue. She rose, feeling stronger. The wraiths were extinguished - Hauk sat in a far corner swallowing potions, looking pale. She rushed to him.

"Here - let me" - she started casting healing spells. She had more magicka somehow.

"Thanks... Oh!" - Hauk looked up. "Wow."

"What?" - she stopped casting.

"You are a vampire."

"Temporarily... I hope" - Lena smiled weakly. "Ever since I resumed drinking blood, it's been getting stronger every time. The wraiths must have triggered it."

Hauk started taking off his cuirass.

"What are you doing?"

"You need blood."

"No, not now" - Lena stopped him. "And not from you - you've lost enough of it to the wraiths" - she pointed at several deep cuts that were only just closing. "There is a welcoming committee outside - remember? They are not expecting a vampire" - she winked. "Let's rest here."


"Hello there!" - Claude Maric was waiting for them by the entrance. "You are getting rather good at it" - he smiled. "I am even starting to like you. Now hand over the carving."

"Oh, it's no trouble" - Lena beamed at him. "I can carry it to Mr. Umbacano myself, thank you."

"Are you sure?" - he raised an eyebrow. "Well, that was... foolish. Kill them!"

Three mercenaries attacked, Claude Maric vanished.

"The sun is rising, I need blood" - Lena thought feeling a slight tingle on her skin. It was nearly 6 a.m.

Leaving two mercenaries to Hauk and his daedroth, she led away the third, paralyzed her, pulled off her daedric helmet. The woman looked up in horror watching Lena bare her fangs. She felt Lena's hand gently turn her head to the side, exposing the vein...

...

"Ah, I needed that!" - Lena rose, a drained corpse at her feet. The sun tickled her face, but did not burn. She heard battle noises and ran towards them, summoning a clannfear. Hauk was still fighting - Lena was only gone for a few minutes.

...

"Well, that's the three of them" - Hauk turned around, sheathing his claymore. "Maric is gone though. Oh, you look better!" - he smiled at Lena. "Had your fill?"

"I have" - she grinned. "Maric's horse is here though. If we lead it away and then release it, it should return to Maric, in theory."

"In theory, yes" - nodded Hauk. "Or it might walk all the way to the Imperial City stables, for all we know. But it's worth a try, I suppose."


They followed the horse for a while but it was headed straight for the Imperial City, so they left it alone and turned South West hoping to reach the Imperial Bridge Inn by the evening. But they came upon the Nayon Camp on Lake Canulus first.


"It's lovely here, let's stay a while" - Lena was looking into the distance. "We haven't slept the night, so why not here."

Why not indeed! It was already late afternoon anyway.

Yeah, after the Oblivion Crisis, Skyrim invested in extra security. Too bad they didn't think to make it dragon-proof too.


Well, she summoned a random dremora... You never know which one will turn up.


Woo-hoo! You're getting on with it!!

6-8 Mid-Year - Oblivion - Home - Imperial City

"Oh look - there's a bridge across the river over there" - Lena pointed at a hanging bride in the distance.

"This is the shrine of Peryite" - noted Hauk. "But something is wrong with the worshippers - they are not moving."


Lena touched the statue.

"My foolish worshippers have transported their souls to Oblivion wishing to be close to me" - Peryite spoke. "I would have you go after them and make them return. Planes of Oblivion are no place for mortal souls."

Lena looked at Hauk.

"Well, I'll go. It's not as hard as that, and I've done it so many times before..."

Hauk nodded.

"All right. I'll wait here."

She touched the statue again.

...

Oblivion was hot, Peryite's Realm being much like Mehrus Dagon's. Lena cloaked in chameleon and moved around without fighting. One by one she found the souls and sent them back. Still, it took her all day.

"How was it?" - Hauk greeted her when she returned. "I saw the worshippers coming to life one by one."

"It was hot and now I'm thirsty" - Lena replied, rummaging in her pack for a bottle of mead and handing one to Hauk. "I need a snack."

They sat at the shrine for a while, eating crab sandwiches. Then they walked over to the Imperial Bridge Inn for the night.

"Oh hello" - Lithnilian greeted them. "I've been making excellent progress with the Welkynd crystals in the Bramblepoint cave since you kindly cleared it out" - he beamed at Lena. "I have also been able to persuade that Legion soldier to come with me and stand guard. So much better!" Then, turning to Hauk, he added: "I won't be going to bed for a few more hours, in case you wanted to retire early." He smiled.

"Why - thank you!" - Hauk beamed. "It has been a long day for us, indeed."

He looked at Lena. She got up and they went upstairs.


"Why don't we go via Bravil" - Hauk said softly watching Lena look wistfully over the water. They stopped at Fort Grief to refill the stash, and Lena got home sick.


"Thank you" - she mouthed, squeezing his hand.

A short stop for a round of shopping and lunch was enough to lift Lena's mood, so they continued on to the Imperial City in the afternoon.

"We should take some time to rest and repair our gear" - said Hauk as they were approaching the Imperial City. "And it's too late to see Mr. Umbacano today, it will have to be tomorrow. Let's stay at my house."

Lena didn't argue. She was tired, her body ached all over and Hauk's house had a bath while hers didn't...


They went to see Mr. Umbacano in the morning, receiving a reward for the carving and a task in negotiating with a rival collector. As they left the Umbacano manor, a Legionnaire approached Hauk with a message.

"Optio" - he saluted and left.

Hauk's face was impassable as he was reading the message, then he folded it and turned to Lena.

"I am being called away - I am sorry. I'll be gone for some time." He took her hands into his. "You take care of yourself in the meantime."

"You too" - they kissed goodbye. "Make sure I don't have to go looking for you in the Fade again."

They parted and Lena went to see Hannibal Traven at the Arcane University. It was time to finally tell him that Mannimarco had returned.

...

"What?!" - Traven was livid. "And you waited to tell me about it this long?! How dare you!!"

"I am so sorry, Sir" - Lena decided to appear frightened. "I thought you knew! I mean, even I could have guessed something like that, what with all the necromancers around, and you being the Arch Mage..." - she went bright red. "I just could not imagine you did not know!"

"Well..." - Traven softened his tone. "I suspected something like this, of course. And..." - Lena was looking pleadingly at him, such an innocent young girl that she was, so charming... "Well, never mind, my dear, it's fine. It doesn't make a difference, really..." He smiled warmly and stroked her cheek. She blushed, but kept her gaze down. "Innocence herself..." - Traven thought. He had not read her file - not important enough. He could see she wasn't a vampire...

"I need you to check on the Bruma Guild" - Traven shook off his trance. "We haven't heard from them for a while, it is unusual. Please see that everything is alright there."

"Of course" - Lena nodded, smiling brightly. "I won't be long."

She left.

"Such a bright young girl" - Traven thought looking at the teleport platform where she disappeared. "So pure... so unspoilt..."

Oh, I remember Peryite's quest! Buffy used that quest as a 'training ground' to learn how to fight daedra and survive in the Deadlands before trying to help close the Oblivion Gate at Kvatch.

Lena knows how to push the right buttons with Traven.

Peryite got some real bright worshippers. They ran off to the Deadlands of Mehrun Dagon. No wonder they're stuck.
I have to look at it that way otherwise if that was supposed to be Peryite's realm then I'm severely disappointed.

Lena went through the entire Oblivion Crisis as a vampire. She learned to live with it, mostly going hungry to allow the skills to sharpen (and to avoid biting too many necks). She would feed before going into town, but even so she could never blend in completely. So when she needed anything from most people, she would have to use her charm power to even get them to talk to her. She learned a lot about buttons... And Traven is too preoccupied with his personal vendetta to pay attention to anyone else.


I wonder whether he even has a Realm of his own. It appears he might be just working in the "generic" Oblivion - the "public space" created by Lorkhan. This would mean of course that Mehrun Dagon used the same space too. And may be he did! Who knows.

8-9 Mid-Year, 4E202 - Sanctuary rumours

The day was spent doing chores. Lena went to talk to the collector of Ayleid artefacts who was refusing to sell one of her items to Mr. Umbacano. She claimed that Umbacano was evil - seeking to waken up some dark power of the Ayleids, and her artefact was the key. She suggested that Lena should retrieve another similar artefact from a ruin that - oh look! - she happened to have a key to.

"Give him the substitute and he'll never know!" - she said, beaming.

Lena was doubtful that Umbacano wouldn't know, but decided to retrieve that other artefact first. But not alone, and not today, this would have to wait.

After that, Lena made a dash for Chorrol - her monthly payment for the supplies to the Battlehorn Castle was a week overdue. Emfrid didn't mind, but Lena made a mental note that it was getting tiresome. Perhaps she should switch to a quarterly schedule.

Then she was on the road again - to Cheydinhal. As the Imperial City came into view, Roach wanted a rest, so they stopped at Alleswell. The publican still had no food or drink to offer and his Most Unpleasant Sisters told Lena to go away. So she turned around, patted Roach on the back and promised her a nice long rest at the Roxey Inn instead. "And you can chat to your pal the Legion horse there as well" - she added.

...

Lena got to Cheydinhal by 10 p.m. She left Roach at the stables and walked home. As she was crossing the bridge by the chapel, she saw the Eastern gate. Beyond it was Fort Farragut - and Lucien.

...

Lena stood by the trapdoor, ready to enter, when a little voice in her head said quietly: "Perhaps you should knock." Wasn't that what people usually did before entering someone else's house? She knocked, then lifted the trapdoor slightly, looking in. Lucien stood below, smiling. "Come in."


In the morning Lena went to see Ocheeva at the Sanctuary about another contract.

"What is he like?" - Antoinetta Marie pulled Lena into a dark corner as soon as she entered.

"What is who like?" - Lena looked at her, confused.

"Lucien. What is he like?" - Antoinetta's eyes burned with the hunger for gossip.

"He is an assassin" - Lena frowned, doubtful. "And our Speaker. You know that!"

"I don't mean that!" - she shook her head. "What is he like... a man - you know!" - she winked.

"What?!" - Lena went bright red. "How did you..?"

"Oh come off it - it's the talk of the Sanctuary! Someone saw you!"

"What?! Who? How?" - Lena was so taken aback, she wasn't making sense, not even to herself. They were careful - how could anyone have seen them?

"Oh, don't worry, I don't mean it badly" - Antoinetta touched Lena's arm. "It wasn't me, I don't even know how the rumours started, and anyway, it's not unheard of - Gogron and Telaendril have been at it for ages. I was that close but you got there first!"

Lena stood there, gasping.

"What? I... What do you mean - you were that close?" - Lena's eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"Antoinetta dear, I believe you owe me a septim!" - Telaendril was standing over her shoulder.

"Oh all right, she just got lucky!" - Antoinetta grimaced, passing the coin to Telaendril.

"Gossiping again, are you?" - Ocheeva joined them, looking at each of them in turn. "Shame on you, Telaendril, Antoinetta, for making bets like that! As if either of you ever stood a chance!"

"Can someone please explain to me what is going on?!" - Lena exploded cutting through the conversation. "What's all this betting about?" - she glared at Antoinetta and Telaendril.

"Well, since you put it this way..." - Telaendril grinned. "Antoinetta has a crush on Lucien, and she's been trying to get into his bed for... well... since before you joined the first time" - she winked. "Without success, or else everyone would have known."

"Like you never tried it yourself!" - Antoinetta looked angrily at Telaendril. "You forgot to mention that bit, I guess."

"Anyway..." - Telaendril raised her voice slightly. "As you were a vampire when you joined, we didn't think you stood a chance, but then you returned, looking all young and fresh, and Antoinetta here bet me a septim that she'd have Lucien first before you do! And she lost."

"That's enough of that now!" - Ocheeva said sternly. "You've had your fun, now leave it be."

"No, wait" - Lena rubbed her chin. "You said someone saw us. But we... well... we have been discrete. They had to spy on us to see us. This could be a serious matter."

"Then..." - Ocheeva looked pensive. "You have to tell us where they could have seen you."

"In Cyrodiil? Lucien's fort" - Lena offered. "In Skyrim... no, they couldn't have, I am certain."

"You have to tell Lucien - if his fort is compromised, it is indeed a serious matter" - Ocheeva wasn't smiling. Everyone went quiet - they still remembered the last traitor. "Antoinetta, Telaendril, I need the two of you to find out how the rumour started - and when. Especially since it isn't just a rumour. When did you..." - she sighed and smiled at Lena. "Sorry, dear, it's private, I know, but it could be important - when was the first time that they could have seen you?"

"When we returned from Skyrim" - Lena answered, looking at them in turn.

"So... It is either an incredible coincidence, or..." - Telaendril looked at Antoinetta - "there is another woman wanting to get into Lucien's bed."

"Count half of Cyrodiil, I think" - Antoinetta winked. "It is only this hard if you are with the Dark Brotherhood!"

"So... she's one of us" - Ocheeva said heavily. "She is an assassin."

They didn't like the sound of this. Antoinetta wasn't jealous of Lena, well, not jealous enough to do anything about it besides teasing, but who knew what that other woman was like.

"Night Mother preserve us from a woman's scorn" - Telaendril breathed.

...

Rayenna's plan was working. First, she was going to destroy Lena's reputation, then she would suggest ill intent. Judgement would be swift - Lena would be declared a traitor to the Brotherhood, and that would not only get her killed, but also get her out of Lucien's favour, bringing Rayenna to the fore. It could not fail.

9-10 Mid-Year, 4E202 - Bruma Mages Guild - Hannibal Traven

"I shouldn't delay that Bruma job" - Lena thought as she was leaving the Cheydinhal Sanctuary. "Better go there straight away."

The trip took her most of the day - she arrived in Bruma in late afternoon. Still, it wasn't too late to go to the Mages Guild.


"Good to see you!" - Jeanne Frasoric greeted her. She was wearing Necromancer robes, and the Mages Guild had Necromancer tapestries adorning the walls instead of the standard Guild tapestries.

"Oh wow, what a change of decor!" - Lena exclaimed, looking around. "How come?"

"Oh you know - if you can't beat them, join them!" - Jeanne beamed. "Mannimarco came around - such a charming man, so good looking! - and asked whether we wanted to restore our previous specialisation. Well, this was before my time, you see - Traven appointed me here, so I had no idea! Necromancy was what Bruma Mages Guild did before! How could I refuse - of course I agreed, it was only right, and so you see..."

Lena raised her hand trying to stop this flood of babbling.

"Please, Jeanne, not so fast!" Jeanne stopped talking abruptly. "Mannimarco was here? When?"

"Oh no that long ago" - Jeanne was evasive. "He came a few times..." - her eyes glazed over. "I was hoping he would stay here - I was ready to let him have my room even - but he insisted on leaving, don't see why really, surely some cave cannot possibly be as comfortable as a nice warm house..."

"Jeanne!" - Lena had to raise her voice to bring Jeanne out of her verbal trance. "So he came here and what? Did he threaten anyone?"

"No! Well, yes" - Jeanne fluttered her eyelashes. "He let slip that if I didn't agree he would have no choice as to remove me, you see... He is far more powerful than Traven! And so handsome..." Her voice trailed off.


"Right" - Lena shook her head. It was obvious - Jeanne followed whoever she thought held the power. Perhaps the others had more to say.

"Well yes, Bruma did specialise in Necromancy before Traven became the Arch Mage" - Selena confirmed. "We weren't killing anyone though!" - she hurried to add. "There's no need for that - old crypts are filled with bodies. But of course when you start driving people out of their homes because you disagree with their area of research, it does breed resentment..."

"And Mannimarco?" - Lena prompted her.

"He and Traven go way back - they were rivals at first, and became mortal enemies over time. Traven does misuse his position to scorn Mannimarco, and Mannimarco is obviously just as touchy and volatile for allowing Traven to get to him." She looked at Lena with regret. "And the rest of us are the victims in this clash of egos. Not worth dying for."

"Selena is primarily an alchemist, so it doesn't matter to her as much as it does to us" - Volanaro joined in. "But we had all our work ripped away from us and outlawed. When Traven took over, we had to either abandon everything and fall in line, or leave - and I mean leave civilisation. Many did that, and it mostly got them killed, but we stayed put, kept our heads down and waited. It didn't take that long for trouble to rise above ground level."

"So what now?" - Lena asked, turning to the sound of footsteps.

"Now we return to our old research" - J'skar appeared next to Volanaro. "We do not threaten anyone, but Traven is not welcome here." He gave her a toothy grin.

"Whether Mannimarco will win in the end or not" - Volanaro added - "we do not believe that Traven will remain Arch Mage for much longer. Tell him - the Bruma Mages Guild will not be destroyed."

Lena nodded, looking into their faces.

"Well, I'll certainly tell him that. He still thinks I'm just a young apprentice eager to please" - she grinned at them and winked. Jeanne looked surprised - she too seemed to have taken Lena's apparent age at face value.

"What of Jowan?" - asked Volanaro. "He is welcome here - he's not just a Blood Mage, you knew that, I suppose?"

"Yes, we've seen some of his spells" - Lena smiled. "He's been staying in Bravil - you know Kud-Ei, always the caring type."

"Well, tell him - we've got a place for him if he wants it."

Lena got a clear idea who was really the head of this Guild Hall - and it wasn't Jeanne.


Lena spent the night at the Jerall View Inn and returned to the Imperial City in the morning.

"Traven is not going to like this!" - she thought. She was right, of course.

"They WHAT?!!!" - Hannibal Traven went white with rage when Lena told him that the Bruma Mages Guild went back to practicing its old specialisation. "How dare they!!! I'll have their heads!!!"

Lena stood there, watching him in amazement. She wasn't surprised at his reaction but at the threats - of death, no less.

"Well, I don't mean that literally, of course" - Traven caught himself belatedly, noticing Lena's stare (to which she prudently added a touch of horror). "So we can assume then that they have all resigned."

"Yes, I think that's the gist of it" - nodded Lena.

"Right. Well, this is more serious than I thought" - Traven said grimly, having finally gained control over his temper. "I'll need to think it over."

He paced the room up and down a few times.

"We have come to depend on you" - he stopped in front of Lena, looking into her eyes. She smiled timidly, lowering her gaze slightly. "Yes..." - Traven's voice trailed off. "Come and see Polus in a few days, he should have something for you then."

Lena left.

"Dirty old man" - she thought. She didn't care for the way Traven looked at her.

...

"Well, Roach, we've got a long road ahead of us" - Lena patted Roach on the back. "We are going to Anvil."

Roach heaved a sigh - you could just see her thinking: "And I hope you don't expect me to make it in one day!"

No, Lena didn't expect that at all. She was planning to stop in Skingrad for the night.

...

"Mistress, you have returned!" - Fenris Bero greeted Lena when she entered her house in Skingrad in late afternoon. "Will you be staying? I shall prepare dinner for you."

"Well, at least he did not kneel this time" - Lena thought. She smiled at him: "Yes, please, I'll be spending the night. How have you been?"

Fenris looked well, and not just physically. Spending time with Falanu seemed to have worked wonders.

"Have you been back to the Leyawiin Sanctuary at all?" - Lena asked, thinking of the captive there who needed food.

"Indeed I have - several times" - Fenris beamed at her. "I can even travel during the day now, if the sun isn't too strong. I never knew it was possible..."

Lena shook her head. "Of course it is possible, if you feed often enough..." She smiled, remembering her own discoveries back then. "But be careful - feeding too often makes you weak, takes away your powers. You need to find a balance."

Fenris was listening intently. He had been a vampire for so long, yet all he knew was constant hunger. This was a different life indeed.

"I bought you a horse" - Lena nearly forgot. "It's at the stables - just give them my name. It will make your travels easier."

"Thank you, Mistress!" Fenris dropped at her feet. "You are so good to me."

Lena stifled a sigh, thinking: "Here we go again." Then, lifting Fenris up by the shoulders, she said: "It's how life should be. You'll see."

...

Lena took time to bathe and rest, she had another long day of travel tomorrow.

When I first played Oblivion, Jeanne Frasoric was my favorite character. I literally cried when she died in the destruction of the Bruma Mages Guild.