Hey guys. Unfortunantly my classes are starting back up next week, so updates will be less frequent than they have been recently. Anyway, enjoy this latest installment.

Miris sat for a while, finisher her drink, before ordering another to take upstairs with her. She made her way up to her room with a glass of wine in one hand, stopping on the way by Kaiden's door. She gently placed her ear to the door and listened carefully. What was that noise? A gasp of breath, a whispered conversation, or a low moan of pleasure? It was enough to send Miris bursting into tears. She ran to her room before she could be heard by anyone and sat on the bed. She slowly sipped her wine and thought to herself.

In less than a day her world had been turned upside down. She would no doubt be hunted by the Dark Brotherhood, and her brother, the only person she was ever truly close to, had found a woman he loved... not such a bad thing really, if it made him happy, but for Miris it was an unfortunate situation, since she and Kaiden had loved each other in more ways than real family ever really could.

Miris finished her glass of wine and lay back in her bed... willing herself to fall asleep.

It was a restless night for Miris. She tossed and turned, every time she managed to fall asleep, Miris saw Kaiden's smiling face, her heart raced and she would awaken, only to start the cycle again. After several hours of this Miris simply got up. She put her hooded cloak on and silently exited her room. Miris walked to Kaiden's room and tried the handle softly. As she expected it was locked. Miris easily disarmed the lock in a few seconds, using a large hair pin from Alria's bag, she opened the door just a crack and peered in.

Kaiden was sound asleep, Alria beside him with an arm draped over him, clothes scattered by the bedside confirmed the events of the previous night. Miris sighed and tip-toed in, making her way to Kaiden's side of the bed. She watched him for a little while before leaning into kiss him on the cheek, then she made sure he was fully covered by the blanket before exiting the room.

Miris headed downstairs, the innkeeper had just begun his day and was wiping down a table.

"Early riser." He said, spotting Miris. "Fix you some breakfast?"

"That would be nice."

The innkeeper bought over a plate, with a thick slice of bread and some dried meat, as well as a pitcher of milk. Miris ate slowly, not particularly hungry, but just to pass the time. Soon after the sun began to rise. Miris looked over to the innkeeper who was currently faced away from her, placing bottles on a shelf behind the counter. She reached into her bag and pulled out a glass bottle of human blood, quickly draining half the bottle before returning it to her pocket. The innkeeper was none the wiser, and Miris could now bear the sunrise in complete safety. She continued her meal.

A few minutes later, to Miris' surprise, Kaiden walked down the stairwell without Alria. Miris quickly pulled her hood up, just in time to hide her face from Kaiden, who quickly glanced around the main room, before exiting onto the street.

"Where are you going?" She whispered to herself.

Miris stood up and moved to the door, poking her head out just in time to see Kaiden duck down an alleyway. No doubt going to ease his own blood thirst. Miris stepped back in and saw Alria coming down the stairs, looking around the main room.

"Where did he get to?" She said to herself.

"Can I fix you some breakfast?" Said the innkeeper across the room.

"Ohh... no thank you, I have no money left."

"You can finish mine." Said Miris, "I'm not really hungry."

"Ohh, thank you." Alria replied.

Alria went to sit down at the table, and Miris sat across from her. She stared at Alria for a second, Alria feeling somewhat awkward and doing her best to not return the gaze.

"You're uhhh... boyfriend, just headed out, probably for some fresh air, I'm sure he'll be back soon." Said Miris

"Ohh, thanks, my name is Alria by the way."

"Yes and I'm Mir...anda."

"Well thanks for breakfast Miranda."

"No problem. You're a very polite women I must say."

"Oh, thank you very much."

Alria smiled at Miris, Miris did her best to return the smile.

"Well." Said Miris, "I had better go and gather my things, I will probably be leaving soon."

"Well, have a good trip, where ever you're headed Miranda."

Miris headed to her room and gathered her belongings.

"You're boyfriend just headed out for some fresh blood Alria, he'll be back soon." Miris smiled to herself.

"My name's Miranda, no sorry that's a lie, I'm Miris and I tried to kill you two nights ago."

Miris laughed softly to herself as she tried to imagine Alria's responses to these statements.

"Well, I'd better go and gather my things before I snap and stab you in your pretty little throat."

Miris laughed again and then paused.

"Am I really that vicious?"

Miris sat down and thought to herself. She remembered a time when violence had been a necessity, but it seemed that the Dark Brotherhood had changed her, to the point where she would kill for pleasure.

"Maybe Kaiden was right, I have changed."

Miris could easily see the contrast between herself, a bloodthirsty assassin, and Alria, all full of "pleases" and "thank yous", and a gentle disarming smile. Miris could begin to understand why Kaiden loved Alria.

"Because she... she is what I USED to be." She thought to herself. "I lost my innocence somewhere along the road, but Alria still has hers intact."

Miris stifled her tears and resumed packing. Once done she headed to the top of the stairs and peeked down. Alria was still there, slowly making her way through her meal, when Kaiden walked in. The two began speaking, and eventually the conversation turned (In hushed tones) To Kaiden's need for blood. Miris was genuinely surprised when Alria offered her own blood to sustain Kaiden. She'd never heard of such an act of generosity before. She would give up a part of her own body for Kaiden? Miris sighed, she couldn't truly hate someone who loved her brother as much as she did, and to make such a sacrifice, surely that proved Alria's love.

After a little while Kaiden and Alria left, and Miris was close behind them. They exited the Imperial city through the main gate on the West side and circled around, south of the city. Miris wasn't entirely sure where they were going, but followed them from the shadows wherever they went.

Miris followed Kaiden and Alria for the next three nights. She watched them closely every night by their camp fire. She watched Alria hold Kaiden and wished it were her instead, realised that it MIGHT be her if only she were bold enough to step forward from the shadows and reveal herself. Miris silently berated herself, but remained hidden anyway. On the third night as she listened to their conversation, Kaiden announced that they were close to their destination, a place called Drakelowe. Miris wasn't entirely sure why they intended to head to his place, so far out of the way. She decided that she would find out the next day and listened intently to the conversation, as Kaiden spoke of his family.

"I was foolish to even think of them. It's been far too long. Miris was my only family."

Miris smiled at this comment. Her brother had not yet forgotten about her it seemed.

"Well, maybe once you're cured, and we become settled... we can have our own family."

Miris nearly choked. Alria was seriously contemplating having children to Kaiden, but, she didn't even know him. How could a girl be so naive? to think a relationship formed a few days ago would last forever? And the thought of Kaiden having children... Miris lay back on the ground, until she realised that she had overlooked a significant part of the conversation.

"Cured?" Miris clapped her hand over her mouth, afraid that Kaiden had heard her. She looked toward the camp site and saw that neither Kaiden nor Alria were any the wiser to her presence. Miris was shocked, her brother sought to cure vampirism, Miris didn't even realise such a thing was possible.

"But how..."

"Oww... AAAGGGHH!"

Miris looked up as her brother cried out in pain. An arrow protruded from his chest. Miris quickly stood and took her bow in her hand. Kaiden shouted for Alria to run, and she did, right towards Miris' position, Miris looked past Alria to the camp site and saw a Dark Elf assassin emerge from the treeline, he raced after Alria whilst nocking another arrow.

Miris stepped out from behind cover, her bow drawn and aimed at the assassin, suddenly Alria realised that Miris was right in front of her. Alria froze.

"Damn that woman." Miris thought to herself, "She's blocking my shot."

Miris shot anyway, her arrow missing Alria by a few inches, and hitting the assassin, just before he could release his own arrow. The assassin fell to the ground, and Miris calmly walked right past Alria. The assassin was trying to get back up, but Miris kicked him brutally back to the ground. She then crouched down and pulled a dagger out, ending the man's life.

Miris pulled back her hood and faced Alria.

"What are you doing out here?" Alria asked.

"Saving your life it would seem. Ironic really."

Miris turned as she heard a sound by the camp fire, Kaiden had futilely tried to get to his feet and fell to the ground. Miris rushed over to Kaiden's side and crouched over him.

"What are you doing here?" He asked.

Miris ignored the question, rolling Kaiden onto his side to see that the arrow had gone right through his back. She broke the point off and pulled the shaft of the arrow out. Then Miris ripped off Kaiden's shirt to use as a makeshift bandage. After that was done she reached into Alria's bag and pulled out a potion bottle.

"Drink this." She said.

Miris helped Kaiden drink the potion, before laying him gently on his back.

"Who are you?" asked Alria

"I'm Miris."