Presenting the Destruction Instructor Faralda with KaNack's writ of passage had been more than enough to welcome the two Dark Brotherhood assassins past the gates of the school. The Arch Mage had included in the note that the two were to be personal apprentices under the three resident members who had been a part of the Winterhold Five.
Shaleez had been surprised how easily it had been for both her and Dro'marash to blend in with the rest of the apprentices of the Winterhold College. With the Arch Mage being an Argonian, and his assistant a Khajiit, the school seemed to have a surplus of the beast races applying to improve their skills in the arcane arts.
For the last few weeks, both she and her brother had been almost always been in the presence of the feline J'Zargo, Brelas the Bosmer or Onmund, one of the very few Nordic mages in Skyrim. The Dark Brotherhood was going to make sure that the Morag Tong did not strike out against these three.
The more time that the assassins spent with the mages, the more they became attached to them all. KaNack's friends all had quirky personalities, which made it very easy for the Dark Brotherhood members to get along with them.
Once the Argonian's bitter rival, J'Zargo's opinion on the conjurer had changed, and now considered the reptile one of his dearest friends. The cat was arrogant and often boasted of his position as the substitute Arch Mage when KaNack was not present. He had a good heart, however, and knew where and when to be humble. The Khajiit had an open door policy and would never turn away an apprentice who needed assistance if he could help it.
Brelas was young for an elf, even if she was twenty years older than her husband. She had a feisty personally and always walked around with a smile on her face. Whenever she and Shaleez were together, the Argonian usually found herself getting mixed up in some kind of prank involving one of the instructors. Despite the Wood Elf's happy outlook on life, she still managed to produce dangerous fire spells without the influence of anger.
Onmund, the Nordic mage, and Brelas' beloved husband. As a Nord, the gift of frost spells seemed to come naturally to him; he had mastered them before any of the others when he was still a student. Small compared to the fighting Nords of Skyrim, he was much bigger and physically stronger than most of the inhabitants of Winterhold. Though he was larger than the others, he was one of the gentlest casters in the entire school. Stories relating to the war painted a different picture of the Nord, but those behind the golden gates could never seem to find a mean bone in his body.
Onmund loved to help others and both he and Brelas acted as Faralda's teaching assistants in the Destruction magic classes. The Altmer saw the couple as proof that one did not need to embrace negativity in order to cast effective Destruction spells.
Dro'marash and Shaleez stood next to each other with the other apprentices that were gathered in the courtyard of the college. They had to once again participate in a tradition that KaNack had inducted shortly after he had been named the new Arch Mage. All the instructors and students had to gather outside and sing the College of Winterhold anthem just as the sun set for the day.
The assassins still did not know all of the words, but they had overheard the Listener either humming or singing the song when they drank at the Windpeak Inn. The two were surprised to learn from the other students that ironically it had been their bard hating leader that wrote the song with the help of the other members of The Winterhold Five.
"Casting spells…Magelight…Wielding staffs….Scrolls shall we…" Shaleez tried desperately to try and fake her way through words that were being proudly sung by the others around her.
"Hmmm, Dro'marash would like to have an anthem for our family as well," the Khajiit whispered over to his scaled sister as he hugged himself trying to keep warm. "Perhaps we can convince our leader to write one?"
"Yeah, I get the feeling he was probably fairly drunk when he came up with this," she hissed at the cat.
"In this school, we reside! Standing side-by-side!" the mages all sang together as the anthem came to an end. As always, J'Zargo, Brelas and Onmund released a resounding 'Huzzuh' when the song had concluded.
"All right, young apprentices! That's all for the day!" Tolfdir announced when the murmuring of the crowd began to die down. "The other instructors and I will see you all tomorrow! May Julianos watch over us tonight!"
Dro'marash let out a sigh as he watched everyone disperse from the courtyard. Their three top priorities started towards the Hall of the Elements while everyone else returned to the residential quarters for rest.
"Still sleeping in the Arch Mage's quarters, J'Zargo?" Onmund asked with a grin as he held open the door.
"J'Zargo is merely keeping an eye on the Argonian's things during his absence! Nothing more!" the Khajiit insisted.
"And it has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that it's full of ingredients, soul gems and the largest bed in the school?" Brelas snickered as she entered the building.
"J'Zargo is professional in every sense of the word!" the cat exclaimed. "That reminds me. This has absolutely nothing to do with J'Zargo's stay in the room, but I need to send a few students out to gather about ten nirnroot."
The two assassins watched at the mages disappeared into the Hall of the Elements. It was time for them to get to work.
"Well, let the night watch duty commence," sighed the black and red Khajiit. "I'll handle J'Zargo tonight; think you can manage the love birds?"
"Sure, it's always the same. They go to their quarters, look over the notes for the next day's lecture and then go to bed. Let's move."
The two sped forward and entered the Hall of the Elements and that was where they went their different ways. Dro'marash vanished through the side door that led to the Arch Mage's quarters. Shaleez took her time as she ascended the stairwell to the second level where the magic instructors handled most of their class preparation. Keeping to the dark shadows, the Argonian snaked along the walls, following the kind and familiar voices.
"I still think that if it were true, we would have heard of it already," Brelas voice piped up in the distance. "Dear, I just don't want you to get your hopes up."
"Just think of it though. A whole new spell, creating a layer of ice over any surface! It would grant a power similar to that of KaNack's ice form Shout," the Nord answered in an excited tone.
Stopping just before the entrance way of the couple's quarters, the assassin peeked in to keep an eye on the two mages. Brelas was settled at her desk, looking over the notes as usual. Onmund was pacing restlessly from one side of the room to the other.
"Are you coming with me downstairs, Brelas?" the mage asked as rested his head on her shoulder, trying to look into her opal eyes.
"Someone has to go over all these notes, Onmund. Obviously tonight it's not going to be you since you are off to learn some mythical spell with your friend."
"Well, if you change your mind, you know where to find me," Onmund said as he took a step back from the Wood Elf who was pretending to look busy. Sighing, the Bosmer turned and smirked at him.
"Onmund, if I am right and this spell turns out to not be real, don't think I won't be doing the 'I told you so' dance."
"Oh, how I do love that dance," the Nord laughed quietly as he leaned down to kiss the Bosmer on the cheek. Onmund's wife shook her head as she ran a hand lovingly across his face.
"I know this man has taught you some rather unique spells. I just have my doubts that anyone not of dragon's blood can emulate the force of a Shout."
"Iiss!" Onmund shouted as he cast a light frost spell at Brelas' feet making her jump.
"Onmund!" she barked angrily, brushing at her heels. "That's cold!" The Bosmer spun around in her chair furiously as she scowled back down at her notes. Brelas' husband, not allowing himself to be dismissed so easily, wrapped his arms around her, nuzzling into her golden hair. Slowly the angered expression lifted and the Mer huffed in frustration as she reached up to stroke her husband's face.
"By Julianos, I'm in love with a fool."
"Is he taller than me?" Onmund asked with a smile.
Laughing, Brelas turned back around in her chair pulled Onmund down by his neck to kiss him. Her husband was tall and had to drop to a knee to make the kiss slightly less awkward for him. As the affectionate gesture came to an end, the Nord rested his head on her chest making a contented sound as the Mer lovingly stroked back his dark brown hair.
"Onmund, what am I going to do with you?" asked the Bosmer as she smiled down at the Nord who seemed rather content where he was and close to falling asleep. "You always get so excited about the slightest thing that you newly discover about magic."
"I am sensing a great deal of magic right here," the caster mumbled quietly. Holding up a hand, he cast Clairvoyance and the blue trail snaked its way back to the Bosmer's chest. "Yes, two fantastic orbs of magicka. Let's see what happens if I try and disenchant them."
The Nord couldn't help but laugh as his wife smacked him slightly across the head.
"You never change, Onmund," Brelas sighed as she returned to lovingly stroking his hair, "and I hope you never will." The Wood Elf smiled warmly down at the drowsy Nord. "Don't go. Stay here with me," she insisted gently.
"I'm tempted," he answered quietly. With his eyes shut and his head resting quite happily on pillows that were his wife's breasts, he weighed his options between keeping the Bosmer company or possibly attaining the power of a dragon Shout. "I am rather comfortable."
Shaleez sighed inwardly as she watched the two mages interact with each other. She had always been so busy focusing on her skills as a mage that she never really had an opportunity to involve herself in a romantic relationship of any kind.
Brelyna had the Listener, Kaie had Vytalas and here was Brelas with her gentle Nord. Why did the elves seem to find and embrace love so easily?
"Oh," Brelas muttered as she tapped the side of Onmund's head so he would look up at her. "It's fine, my love. I know how important this new frost spell is to you. Go ahead and meet with your friend." She lowered her head to nuzzle into his hair. "I'll still be here waiting for you when you return."
"You're too good to me, Brelas," Onmund said gently as he beamed up at her.
"I know," she smirked.
Shaleez grumbled to herself. She had not counted on the two to separate. If it were still day, it would not concern her. Classes would still be going on and there'd be too many witnesses for the Morag Tong to strike.
This friend that Onmund was meeting with sounded suspicious, however, and the assassin decided it would be wise to keep her eyes on the Nord. She swiftly returned to the shadows as the large mage stepped out of the room and started along the hall to the stairs.
As the reptile followed, she tried to weigh her options. Should she stay to the shadows in case it turned out to be nothing? Should she make her presence known so this supposed 'friend' might not attempt anything if he was not whom he claimed to be?
Shaleez decided Plan B, since the Nord was already familiar with her and would not be threatened by her presence.
"Onmund!"
The Nord turned around and his eyes widened when he saw the tawny Argonian hurrying towards him.
"Shaleez? It's after hours, you're not supposed to be in here," the mage said in confusion. He crossed his arms as he gave the assassin a stern look. "Please return to the Hall of Attainment, this isn't a matter you need to involve yourself in."
"I'm too restless, can't we just talk for a little while?" she asked innocently as she clasped her claws together and smiled sweetly at him.
The Nord grumbled as he looked over at the empty chamber. "Well, I guess you can stay until my friend arrives. I hope you don't sneak into the Hall of Element's regularly, Shaleez."
"Not as far as you know," the assassin answered as she took a seat on the stairs. The older mage grumbled down at her, but settled down on the step next to her. "So, Onmund," she started trying to prevent an awkward silence, "how long have you known the Arch Mage?"
"By Julianos," mumbled the Nord. "It must be at least twelve years now. We met when we were still apprentices here in the college. Long before the Eye of Magnus or the war."
"I never knew him in his youth, what was he like?" The assassin was genuinely curious, as she knew next to nothing about her leader's life outside of the Dark Brotherhood.
"When I first met him, he was one of the most temperamental mages I had ever come across," Onmund answered. "In fact, J'Zargo and I even questioned his skills in magicka." The Nord's eyes narrowed. "Then he stuck his spectral wolf on us."
Shaleez covered her mouth to hide her laughter. "Yes, that does sound like something he would have done."
"He did grow up in the end, though," said the caster as his look softened. "I don't know what exactly happened when he took those two extended leaves of the college, but each time he came back he was stronger and definitely more mature." He grinned. "He brought us all together. Me, Brelas, J'Zargo and Brelyna. Sure, we had been friends, but he made us into something even closer. Despite being of different blood and races, we became a true family."
The way Onmund had said the word 'family' was the exact same way the Listener said it when referring to the Dark Brotherhood.
"We had to be that close. We needed to have complete and utter faith in one another if we were to ever join the Imperial Legion and go to war."
"He's never gone into much detail about that," Shaleez remarked as she played with her claws. "In fact, I didn't even know he had been in the war until I found out that he was the Dragonborn. I believe he called you all The Winterhold Five."
A smile crossed the Nord's face and he reached into his satchel, pulling out a golden pendent that had the Winterhold Imperial eye engraved on it. "Yes, that's what we were called. Together, we were unstoppable."
"What we lacked in strength, we made up for with our magicka." The Nord sighed as he looked down at the glowing magelight pool that was illuminating the empty chamber. "The Stormcloaks had numbers and muscle in their favor, but we had strategy and abilities that they confused for weakness." Onmund leaned back against the stairs as he thought back to his days of serving General Tullius.
"So you weren't always a big cuddly teddy bear?" the assassin asked as she nudged into him playfully. "Sorry, I can't see you hurting anyone."
"Well, I think I did enough killing to last a lifetime, my dear." Onmund got a dark look his eyes and his entire body became stiff. "We had our share of dark times as well."
The Nord's expression concerned the reptile and she rested a comforting hand on his arm. "Onmund, are you all right?"
The older mage shook himself out of his stupor and rubbed at his eyes. The assassin had seen that same expression on Lachance before; it was when the spirit was thinking back to a time when he had endured horrible pain. Seeing her concern, the Nord forced himself to smile at her.
"We were lucky to all survive and be able to share the glory of victory. It was a great day for us as we stood together before the conquered Palace of the Kings." The caster chuckled likely. "After Ulfric's defeat, most of us returned to the college, but KaNack decided to remain an active member of the Imperial Legion. Who knows, maybe someday we'll have an opportunity to reform the old team again."
The Nord replaced the pendent back into his satchel and looked at the Argonian sadly. "You know, J'Zargo tried to keep a journal," he said. "He wanted publish the recordings of the war from the perspective of a mage."
"What happened to it? I've been to the library, there's no such tome in the collection."
"With an ego like his, I would have thought he'd of lept at the chance to get noted for writing a tome." The caster shrugged his shoulders. "I guess maybe he felt that what we went through was too personal and special. That his private thoughts were not meant to be exposed to just anyone."
Onmund rested his head on the palm of his hand as he stared straight ahead. "You should ask him to let you read it sometime. He really painted us all in a very flattering light. With as much as that cat talks, it was no surprise that he had such a gift for words."
Shaleez was glad to have this time with Onmund. Hearing him speak of KaNack and their time together helped her get a better sense as to why the Argonian felt it was so important to keep the three mages protected from the Morag Tong.
This was his family outside of the Dark Brotherhood. His brothers and sisters in magicka. The Listener's deadly and merciless nature did not change the fact that deep within he was a caring and devoted friend.
Those who threatened him would find nothing but death in their future; those whom were fortunate enough to earn his affection would find themselves in graces of one who would do anything to keep them from harm.
When Cicero had been taken by the Penitus Oculatus, her leader had made sure that there was not an agent left breathing. She was not sure what had happened in the war that caused Onmund to become slightly upset just from the memory, but the Argonian was positive that whatever it had been, KaNack did not let it go unpunished.
The Dark Brotherhood leader kept his friends close and his enemies dead. That was the way he had always been and probably always would be. To his final gasping breath, he would always be a loyal ally and guardian to those he loved.
Onmund's head perked up as he heard the great doors open, and the Nord squinted his eyes to try and see through the dim illumination of the magelight who was approaching. A smile formed on his face as he recognized who had entered.
"Ah! There he is, Shaleez. Now it's time for me to learn a spell that might even cause the mighty Arch Mage to gawk in shock." The caster stood up from the stairs and made his way down to greet the man that was waiting for him in the center of the chamber. "Othrelos! My Dunmer friend! I was wondering when you were going to show up!"