A chill wind was the first thing Elesane noticed; then the light of a bright cold day blinded her for a moment. She always prefered summer; Red Mountain never let dunmers have a snowy winter. But the snow shines like a diamond; it is like a rich furry coat that covers

A huge snowball hit her in the arm. Mesmerised by the view of snow she couldn't track where the snowball came from, until the nord appeared from the pile of snow and threw another one.

"Welcome to Skyrim, m'lady." He grinned, and that only angried Elesane more.

She casted a spell and a perfect snowball appeared from the pile of snow. She didn't want to behave like a fool, but she really needed to hit him for every stupid comment he made.

"No, that's not fair!" shouted the nord, running away from the rain of snowballs. Still, he was laughing, and Elesane smiled, a bit. She wanted to let the anger go, and she wanted to do something nasty, but throwing snowballs seemed actual fun. It was a strange sensation she didn't feel for a long time since she left Vvanderfell.

She found the nord laying on the ground and moving his hands and legs. It was strange, but Elesane started getting used to that. She threw a last snowball, not that tight and mostly oval, in his face.

"It is still Morrowind, you know. The wayshrine even called 'North Morrowind gate'."

Then she walked to the nearest bench. She laid the map on her lap, trying to mark the places where books should have been: red for the actual well known places, blue for possible, and green for the lost books, but there still was a chance of finding them. The map was full of blue and red, with several green dots.

"It is a long way indeed." He came silently and sat next to her. "That's gonna cost you a hole in your pocket, you know."

"I know. It doesn't matter if we find at least one book."

He looked at her for the first time with respect.

"Then we are going to need some food and blankets. It is mostly warm here, but the nights might draw some cold winds; we can still buy some mead, it will keep us warm."

Elesane closed the book as saying "no drinking in my present." The nord thought that still he's gonna buy at least some of the mead; they say they bring here some sorts straight from Winterfell.

"Considering the long walk, we should at least try to know each others names. Would be a shame if we get lost and won't be able to find each other."

"Elesane." She didn't even look away from the map.

"Ruthbrok Nixonspire at your service". He smiled. She looked like a bird that just learned to fly in this place; she didn't belong here. Her place was under the warm sun in Deshaan; among the books and candles. But she was there. Her hands were shaking from cold, or fear - most of the books were on the enemy's territory - or maybe both.

"Okay, let's separate our ways here. You are going to buy some blankets, I'll get some provision." He got up and hurried with a thought that he definitely need some mead.

It surely took some time to drink a mead and find a suitable bottle for other two, but when Ruthbrok came to the place he left her, Elesane was already gone. She was not in the city; he thought that maybe she just left him here and went on her own, maybe he was just an excuse so they let her come here. But she didn't seem like that. Trying to remember the dots on the map, he saw the Scroll Temple of Chim. She might have gone here, thinking it's safe inside our own lands; but it is not.

The walls of the Temple were destroyed, the flame still burned here and there. The soft purple shining was filling the temple, and there she was, holding a book. But it seemed like the book that she came here for was not of her interest; it was the scroll she wanted to touch.

"Don't." Ruthbrok caught her hand, warning her. "It is a sacred Scroll; it belongs to the Pact. No need to disturb sacred power right now. Though you can pray."

Elesane silently nod, still she couldn't take her eyes from the Scroll.

"You've got the book. Come one, we need to go."

She uneasily turned away from the scroll. This place felt holy; the name of the Scroll gave her that warm feeling inside. Chim. Lord Vivec was teaching the ways of Chim, and for a moment it felt like is she touched the scroll she would feel Chim.

"Do you know what Chim means?" she asked the nord, still lost in her thoughts.

"I have no idea." The feeling of losing her adventure partner, even though it wasn't a day they worked together, sobered him.

"It is a feeling; no, a state. You feel really calm, and nothing troubles you. It is enlightenment, it is everything. Can you imagine that?" She turned to him, talking so energetic.

"Of course I can" he told her, opening a bottle of mead. "But we, nords, have our own way of Chim." Ruthbrok knew she wouldn't approve, but the winds and the taste of meed brought back the feeling of being a homesick.

Through the Gate of Chim to the west; it was a long road to some lake, but the lake itself was not a problem for the nord. He's been there several times; he enjoyed the view, but he never thought that all that time he was so close to someone's dream. The book might have been there all the time and he simply didn't notice it.

But still, Fort Dragonclaw was near. People of Daggerfall Covenant wouldn't like some strangers in their land, taking things that belong to the place. Nevertheless, Ruthbrok felt happy to see his favourite fort again.

Elesane started hating snow. It was everywhere - in her boots, under her coat. She felt freezing, as if the winds blew through her. The nord has offered her the mead, but she refused. I'm not that desperate. It is just a start of my journey, and then we are going to the south. I need to be patient.

As they came closer to the lake, Ruthbrok smiled wider and wider.

"What?" asked Elesane angrily.

"You'll see."

And she did. When they came to the lake she understood all that funny mood of his. There was no bridge, not even some patches of ice to cross the lake to the island in the middle. It meant she'd have to swim. She tried to go back and forth, to find the narrow part of the lake to cross it without swimming. But the lake was deep, and the nord was already undressed. He winked and jumped into the water, leaving splashes all over. Ruthbrok crossed the lake easily, and was already searching for the book. Elesane unwillingly took off her clothes, shivering. I can't swim. If i die here, that will be a shame. Step by step she tried to go into the water.

"You'd better jump in it as fast as you can. Then you won't feel so cold."

Reluctantly, she got into the water and started swimming. Her legs felt twisting from cold; she tried to swim faster. The water was cold, but not as the winds that felt like knives after she got on the island.

Four gargoyles were watching the island. Inside there was a place with candles and bottles. Ruthbrok opened one bottle and drank some liquid. It wasn't poison though, for he smiled and offered the bottle to Elesane. She refused, looking around for a book. I wish the book was with me, so I can read a hint. But the book was on the other side of the lake with her clothes.

Elesane explored every gargoyle. In a mouth of one gargoyle was something, that didn't seem right. Elesane reached her hand inside, wishing there was no trap that would leave her without a hand, and felt rough cover of the book. The book was perfect and undamaged; but she still had to cross the lake back with it.

Seeing a puzzled face of Elesane, Ruthbrok took a book and started swimming back, trying to hold the book above his head, so no water will reach the old pages of history. Elesane was grateful. I might have been wrong in my thinking. I wouldn't deal with everything without him as fast as we are doing now.

"I know you don't drink, but it's better to drink mead that to die coughing and freezing."

She agreed and took a sip. The mead was sweet and burned her throat, but she felt the warmth inside her body. She dressed and wrapped herself in the blanket. It was a good day after all - they have already found two books.