It looked as if waking up with a dreadful headache was becoming a habit of mine. I could only hope in the future it wouldn't include bound hands and feet as it did now.

Through the dim haze of pain I heard a crackle of fire nearby, and a warmth on my left. There was even a cloth tied over my eyes, but maybe it was just as well. I wasn't sure I really wanted to see where I was. I tried to shift, to move, but something was keeping me as if locked in place. I tried probing with magic, but the realization made my gasp - I could no longer feel the pulse of magic.

And just my luck, even the armor had been taken off. The bastard.

Then a voice, an almost forgotten, but still familiar voice said, "My pardons for this ... well, situation, but I was forced to take precautions."

I laughed and through the throbbing said disdainfully, "This is what you call precautions? My definition would lean more towards torture." I was beginning to get angry. The pain at the back of my head all but forgotten, I unwittingly started to raise my voice, "You bloody bastard! One and a half years you have hid from all of us! Do you even understand what your brother went through? Do you know that because of YOU I had to stay in that INFERNAL, bloody, damned STONE CITY?"

"Yes, I wondered about that." He chuckled, completely unmoved by my anger, and I heard movement, steps coming closer and closer ... Then he spoke again in that calm measured way that was driving me crazy, "You see, my dear Lady Aineliah," he pronounced my name in bitter sarcasm, "I have my ways of gathering information, and tell me, how does an Academy drop-out suddenly become a Legion advisor?"

Movement even closer, right beside me... It was excruciating, just laying there, bound and blind, not able to defend myself from whatever was coming, not able to strike out at this elf, who knew far too much...

Something soft brushed my cheek gently and I jerked away. The voice continued, "I know how, you see. I know who you really are. And you are going to do a favor for me."

"I will do nothing!" I spat, "I don't know what are you talking about, and I don't know why have you dragged me here, but you will pay for this!"

"Oh? Rather haughty, aren't we? For a simple foot-soldier? I think you are lying, my dear lady."

I grabbed my rage like a mad stallion, reined it in and calmed myself, "Possibly we can come to some kind of an arrangement..." I left the question-mark hanging gently in the air.

"Now, now, so you're willing to bargain after all?" The elf was toying with me, I realized. He was going to pay, just as soon as I got my magic back.

"Possibly." I repeated again, even more calmly, if that was possible.

"I'll take you on your word then." More movement, and I was brought to a sitting position, the blindfold taken off. I had to squeeze my eyes shut at the sudden burst of light that attacked my senses. It took a moment to adjust, and I murmured, "Well, you could've left that on."

He laughed and said, "I have to see your eyes, dear, to know whether you're lying. Look at me."

I hesitantly opened my eyes, and there he was, indeed it was him, sitting in front of me, clothed in ragged furs and leathers stitched together, as handsome as the last time I'd seen him...

Reality cut in sharply again, and I cursed myself. Mooning over him, now of all the times? The past was past and there was no need to remember it. Otherwise I could curl up on the floor and start sobbing right away. Time does not heal all wounds, and I could've personally decapitated anyone who said it would. Let's see how time heals that wound.

I took my time to observe other surroundings, beside the more immediate one. this certainly did not look like the cave I was captured in, but maybe we had just moved further inside. The small fire was lighting up the small portion where we were camped apparently. I noticed my armor a way off, gleaming in the firelight.

"First you're going to tell me a few things." He hadn't noticed my brief stare. Hopefully.

"I thought you had your way of gathering information." I said derisively.

"There are things that aren't trusted to couriers. Tell me, how goes the war?"

This was an easy one.

"Maybe you should ask your brother. He has been leading all the attacks." I replied, taking no apparent notice of the brief expression of pain on his face. Oooh, it was like toying with fire all over again. Only this time without the gloves.

He wasn't in a good mood after all. "I asked you how goes-"

"Yes, yes, I heard you the first time. He is leading the final attack on Windhelm in, uh" I looked at the high cavern ceiling in thought, "about a week."

"Very well." He peered closely at me, "Who is now the First Emissary?"

"Lady Elenwen." I said curtly, keeping my expression bare of emotion.

"Even after the little screw-up with the Dragonborn breaking in and all?" He was now clearly laughing at me. I didn't even answer. After a moment quiet sniggering, he continued the investigation, "On that note, what is the Dragonborn doing?"

"Since we destroyed her stupid guild of thieves and all the other dregs of society she had gathered there, in that rathole of a midden-"

"You're getting carried away." He remarked with a sly smile, "You were involved in that operation, were you not?"

"Yes. She went into hiding. Or so she thinks. But we have information that she is living north of Rorikstead."

He had a far-away look for a moment. He was obviously deep in thought.

"Why do you want to know this?" I asked hesitantly.

"That at this moment is none of your concern, Lady Aineliah."

Fine. Two could play that game, and he was probably long out of practice. I could feel the magicka slowly trickling back, and it was only a matter of time before I released myself and brought him in as a renegade who had threatened the daughter of Lady Elenwen.

Two can play that game, Ondolemar, and I have the rulebook.