Kureeth did not dawdle on the morning he had to return to Whistling Mine. He and Falin had been apart before and survived, they could do so again. After they had said their farewells, he trod his way through the crisp snow back into Winterhold. The town was quiet at such an early hour, with only the footprints of the guard on duty breaking the crust of white.
However, as Kureeth passed The Frozen Hearth, its door opened and an Imperial woman in thick grey furs stepped into the air. Astene Vellius, owner of Whistling Mine's operations. She hailed Kureeth and unhurriedly fell into step with him.
"Heading out again, Kureeth" she asked. "Hope you don't mind if I walk with you."
"Of course not," said Kureeth, reluctantly forming words for his employer. They kept walking, soon leaving the boundaries of the town.
"Nothing like a fresh Winterhold morning, hmm?" said Astene. "This place has really grown on me in the past three years, I can tell you that. Though it is pleasant to get into Windhelm now and again." She laughed abruptly. "Not that it's a great deal warmer down there."
Kureeth had yet to develop a solid opinion of Astene in the month he'd been working in the mine. Their brief interactions, usually on her visits to check the mine was running smoothly, or meeting her by chance in Winterhold, showed her to be a canny businessperson, forthright when it mattered but not above gently mocking herself.
"How long has it been since you started with us now, Kureeth?" asked Astene.
Kureeth wondered again if she could read his thoughts in his expression as he said, "A month."
"And, if you don't mind, what impression have you gained of your fellow workers in that time?"
For some time there was no sound but the crunch of their boots through the snow. Kureeth considered the possibility that this question was some variety of test, designed to gauge his willingness to sell out or dig up dirt on his co-workers. Perhaps everything he would say would be passed on to Masa—if what Relbray had said about that relationship could be trusted. Regardless, he knew where his own morals stood. He coughed and looked away.
"Ah," said Astene. "I understand completely. Though many of the others don't share your convictions."
Kureeth tried to restrain his internal guessing game. Astene was staying in The Frozen Hearth, it would be easy enough for her to observe or overhear the ramblings of the miners more prone to drink than him, even if Masa wasn't passing on information. Relbray was a loudmouth, true, but Kureeth had no inkling as to what Ingarth or Angrenor were like when drunk. Perhaps they complained loudly about their work long into the night.
"Fortunately," continued Astene, "I have heard nothing negative about you. Your work is to be commended. And yet you had no previous mining experience?"
It had been a long circuitous way from Argonia to Skyrim, and Kureeth had taken many jobs along his route. Still, he shook his head.
"Remarkable," said Astene. "Masa would have told you this later today, but you might as well hear it from me—there is a new quicksilver vein in the rear chamber. I want you on it. There is no-one I trust more for such an important task."
Kureeth knew better than to ask if this would mean a pay increase. Instead, he just nodded and mumbled a "Thank you."
When Kureeth and Astene reached the mine, Masa was standing with arms folded near the entrance, a deep frown across their face. Kureeth thought he could hear raised voices coming from inside.
"Ingarth and Ursula are both late," they said.
"Calm yourself," said Astene. "There is enough time for them both to arrive yet. Besides, less people makes it easier for me to move around."
The three of them headed inside to find Relbray trying to stop Angrenor advancing towards them.
"Just keep your voice down, for Azura's sake," the small dark elf was saying. But the huge yet wounded Nord was having none of it. He shook off Relbray and made the distance straight to Astene.
"Our—how do you spect us to live on what you're givin us? Our pay's a fuckin travesty," he said.
Kureeth found himself stepping forward, ready to prevent violence, even though he agreed at heart with Angrenor. Astene nodded calmly.
"We are all going through tough times, it's true," she said.
"Don't try an make this about you!" said Angrenor. "This is about us, livin in a damned hole in the ground."
"I took a chance on you, Angrenor," said Astene. "You assured me that your wound would not slow down your work, though I understand work had not been so easy for you to find back in Windhelm."
Some of the wind seemed to go out of Angrenor. "That's not . . ." he said. He struggled to suppress a coughing fit. "And I'm grateful, boss, that's for sure. I haven't let you down. I don't think I have."
"And yet you're wasting everybody's time with your yelling," said Astene. Angrenor opened his mouth but Astene kept talking. "If you have issues with how this operation is run, come and speak to me on your day off. For now . . . there is work to be done, is there not?"
She looked off to the side for a moment, towards the makeshift camp. She darted across and returned with a loaf of bread. Kureeth noticed that Relbray was looking a little jittery. Astene broke the bread and handed half to Angrenor. After she gestured, the Nord took a bite as she did.
"See?" she said, after swallowing. "Civil discourse is the only way to move forward."
Kureeth spun at some sounds behind him. Ursula and Ingarth were entering the mine.
"Now that everyone's here," said Astene, "the real work of the day get going." She tossed her bitten bread to Masa, who caught it with a frown. "You all know what you should be doing," their boss said as she exited.
"What the hell did we just miss?" asked Ingarth, after Astene was out of earshot.
"Forget it," said Masa. "You heard her."
Angrenor was biting into the rest of his bread with savagery. Relbray's jitters had vanished. Kureeth noticed a burn-mark up Ursula's sleeve that he was sure hadn't been there the day before. As they all moved off to their various tasks, the wind gusted into the mine and produced the sound that gave it its name. But for a moment, as he neared the quicksilver vein, Kureeth was sure he could hear a distinctly different whistle, coming from somewhere deeper in the earth.