A/N: Merry Christmas!! I'm in the gift giving mood, even though I can't tie a bow on this and we haven't even opened ours. Oh, well, it's the thought and spirit that counts. Thanks to everyone for their reviews and, Canna, I don't think I mentioned. My sister in law's family is doing great, her brother came home from the hospital and is doing much better. Thanks so much for your thoughts and prayers and I wish everyone the best! Take care, catalina

"My turn," Deryl said cheerfully, falling into step beside Katryn as they walked towards Vivec's Plaza canton, "How old are you?"

"113," She answered and tugged her hood a little closer. The rain hadn't let up since they left Balmora, not that she was surprised, and the closer they got to the coast the worse it became, "Which would be about 56 where Imperials are concerned and whatever it might be in relation to everyone else."

"So you're young for an Elf?" He tried to clarify.

"Yes, middle age for us is 140. It doesn't make sense, I know that," She smiled a little as she shrugged and they started down the lower balcony of the canton, "But that is probably why we do it."

Vivec was a complex city. The 10 cantons were all connected by brownstone bridges or there were gondoliers that ferried people between them. For newcomers, it was nearly impossible to find their way without asking and even those that made regular trips could get turned around. The huge buildings were made of ancient stone slabs and the odd squat shape gave the illusion that they had come from the bay they were built over. All the cantons were girded with lower and upper balconies and tunnels at each corner that led up to the interior doors. Once you were inside the cantons, hallways intersected and twisted like labyrinths and the hawkers and shops were practically on top of one another. The Plaza and Arena cantons were by far the busiest of them all and Katryn picked up the pace a little as they made their way to one of the gondoliers. She paid the 7 gold pieces that it took to get them to the Temple canton and then settled into the little boat.

"Your turn," Deryl commented as he plunked down beside her and earned a dark look from the gondolier.

He ignored this and turned his attention to Katryn. They had been playing his 'game' since they left Cosades' house. The Elf had remained stubbornly mute the night before and he was burning with curiousity about her. So he had proposed that they take turns asking one another simple questions. Katryn hadn't refused to play but she hadn't agreed either. He simply started by asking about her family and she grudgingly answered him. Clearly she had hoped that he would grow tired of it or of her silence and was let down when he persisted stubbornly, so she had returned the favor and merely mimicked all his own questions. Not that he minded. He had used it against her fairly early on. She had obviously been mocking him and when she parroted his sixth question, he took a leap and asked her when she lost 'it'. For a moment, the Elf had been stunned and then her cheeks burned pale blue and she had snapped sarcastically that it was much later than he himself which he didn't argue with. But it brought a quick end to her attempts to throw him off.

"Brothers or sisters?" She questioned quietly as the gondolier steered them expertly between the cantons.

"None that I know of," He replied and stretched beside her. His muscles were sore and he could feel the effects of the corprus disease and cure still working on him. Also, it had been a long time since he had done this much exercise. He wasn't one to go into cursed tombs and caverns just for kicks; unless of course there happened to be a pot of gold at the end, "I was raised by my grandparents and there was never any talk about siblings. But you never know."

She was only partially listening to him. Her fingers itched to dig into the pack and pull out Cosades' journal again or one of the books that he had left her but the gondolier was looking at them curiously and she resisted the urge. She couldn't allow a stupid mistake like that to blow their cover.

"Right, Kat-"

"Ask then," She interrupted quickly, wishing she could smack him. He was clueless! He'd be willing to reveal their plans and who she was to about anyone just to find out the name of the first boy she had kissed!

"That's not what I meant," Deryl's voice was almost a little hurt by her sharp tone and she looked around at him in surprise. Waving one hand at the gondolier who now looked like he wished he hadn't picked them up, he added, "He was saying that the farthest he can get us is the Redoran canton, as there's something wrong with the dock at the Temple."

Katryn shook herself mentally and then flashed the gondolier a quick apologetic smile. She would have to pay more attention.

"That is fine, thank you."

Deryl was frowning at her, still managing to make her feel like he knew what she looked like naked. His eyes were more green today and she hated the fact she like that the best, that she thought he was most attractive then. She'd almost prefer to be back at the palace with Martin and his inability to keep his hands to himself and then immediately felt guilty for having that thought. He loved her and could clearly see she still loved him which made it even harder for her to snap at him about keeping his distance.

"You're a strange one, hero," Deryl's smooth, slightly husky voice broke through those thoughts and she glanced up at him. They were coming up on the short dock at the Redoran canton and she couldn't help but feel relief, "You've got to be the first woman I've ever met that has more trouble talking than staying quiet."

She snorted and felt her lips curling into an amused smile. For all his annoyances and slip-ups in using her name, he was entertaining and she needed that.

"It keeps you on your toes at least," She returned and got to her feet as the gondolier tied the boat to the dock.

Katryn was moving forward to step off as Deryl stood. His weight made the little boat pitch suddenly and the Elf, poised precariously with one foot in the air, lost her balance. Deryl reacted quickly and reached forward, grabbing her elbow and steadying her against his body. She allowed herself to be held momentarily and when she caught the gondolier's questioning gaze, she stiffened and disentangled herself from him as kindly as possible, not wanting to draw even more attention. Her cheeks were flushed and she murmured thanks to Deryl as she climbed out of the boat and started up the ramp to the lower balcony of the canton. The Nord caught up with her easily and once more fell into step beside her. She didn't have to look at him to see his amusement and she bit her tongue to keep from snapping at him. He had been all too keen on giving himself reasons to touch her and the barriers she was frantically trying to erect between them were useless against this.

"My turn," He announced and she heaved a sigh without bothering to try to hide it. Deryl ignored it, "You said you love this part of the country, that you grew up outside Pelagiad, right? So why choose to live on the western-most coast of Cyrodiil?"

Katryn shrugged as she saw the Temple ahead through the haze of rain and drifting fog. Mehra Miro's quarters were in the Hall of Wisdom, according to Cosades' journal, and Katryn went over in her mind the way to get there. It was more difficult than most, but one of her brothers had worked in the Temple for some time as messenger and errand boy and he had shown her everything when she visited.

"Anvil is a beautiful little fishing town and the people needed a healer," She answered finally, feeling his growing impatience and getting a vindictive sort of pleasure from it, "When I returned home after everything, I got bored. This place held nostalgia for me but I had seen some of the most beautiful places in the world while running errands for the Blades and I wanted more. Anvil is quiet and small; everyone knows each other and the people are friendly and relaxed. I guess it was what I needed after all the insanity of Jauffre Mel and Martin Septim's trials."

"Healer?" He repeated and she heard the shocked disbelief in his voice.

Glancing up at him, she mocked indignation.

"My turn, remember?"

The Nord clearly didn't expect her to play along and it took a moment before he saw that she was teasing. He nudged her good-naturedly with one elbow and wondered how he could keep that pretty smile on her face.

"See, it's not so hard."

They fell silent again as they crossed the last bridge and hurried through the increasing rain to the doorway. Katryn flung it open and stepped gratefully into the dry warmth of the large lobby area. Several Temple attendants were milling about the room and worshipers were coming and going steadily, in spite of the weather. The Elf pushed her hood off her dark hair and started down a long hallway while Deryl followed. He had to fall in behind her as the hall was too narrow and crowded to allow anything but single files. Katryn finally pushed through the last few crowds and made a turn up a staircase to a deserted passage. Glancing both ways and hesitating for a moment, she cast a look up at him.

"You don't remember which way by chance, do you?"

Deryl was looking to their right and straining to see one of the many tapestries covering the walls. After another glance to the left, he motioned with one hand and led the way.

"It's here," He said with certainty, "I remember because I thought it was odd they had a Nordic tapestry hanging in an Elvish temple."

They paused briefly before a tapestry that depicted a young hero battling with a monstrous creature. The hero's blade was pitted and bloody but his face was set, drawn and completely single-minded as he drove forward against his towering, grimy skinned and black-eyed foe. The creature had a dragon's snout, ram's horns and thick barrel-like body. Its tail was spiked and it was leaning forward in such a way that any hope for the hero was non-existent.

Katryn frowned at it and shook her head.

"That's not Nordic, Lofolk," She said, "It is the story of Felkirch battling Molag Bal. He was supposed to have been a Breton with a Dunmer mother. Molag Bal, of course no one claims, but that's a Dunmer tale."

"No it isn't," Deryl argued without the slightest bit of consternation. He wasn't even considering that he could be wrong, "It was begun as a Nordic tale and you all stole it. The hero's name is Kalbhar and the monster's Helfron. He was the origination of everything evil in Skyrim. Kalbhar was the Nords' only hope and he confronted Helfron before he could split the sky and destroy the world. They fought for two straight days and realized they were too evenly match and so Kalbhar did the only thing that would stop the monster once and for all. He allowed Helfron to kill him, sacrificing himself for the rest of the world and Helfron was destroyed as well," The Nord grinned wryly at her and then shrugged his shoulders, "You Dunmer decided that you liked the story and so you adopted it several thousand years ago, without asking of course, and changed the names. We're still waiting for it to be returned."

Katryn realized she was staring at him and she blinked, shaking her head a little as she glanced between the tapestry and Deryl. It wasn't often, if ever, that she received a history lesson from someone else and the fact that this came from him shocked her into near speechlessness.

"How in the hell..."

Deryl's grin widened and there was more than a little self-loathing in his face. He reached out and fingered the dangling tassels with one hand.

"I was raised by my grandparents, remember? They had no love for the Dunmer and I grew up listening to all of your shortcomings and faults, whether they were truth or not. That one happens to be one of few that were real," He dropped his hand and started walking again, "It'll really grate on all these self-serving, pious, holier-than-thou... Dunmer when they find out a Nord with a very biased upbringing ends up being their salvation."

Katryn felt the sting of his hatred in those words and this shining, new-found respect for him grudgingly grew a little bigger. This time she fell in beside him and said patiently,

"It already is."

He glanced at her briefly and saw that she still looked insultingly shocked.

"I didn't mean any disrespect to you, Kat. It's not your fault you were born to these authoritarian bastards."

"And just think of all the things I could say about Nords, alphabetically even" She murmured in reply, keeping her voice soft and dangerously sweet. There really weren't any hard feelings about his comments; she knew how unfair and intolerant her people could be, but that wasn't about to stop her teasing, "Starting with you- annoying, brash, conceited, debauchee, egoist, feckless, grievance, hedonist, impote-"

"That one you'll have to wait and find out for yourself," He interrupted quickly and grinned when her cheeks flushed a little and her eyes danced wickedly.

"You have no idea what I was going to say," Katryn defended herself and realized they had stopped walking. She really would have to pay more attention. They lost too much of the outside world when mocking each other.

He cocked his head at her and his eyes became rather shuttered as he searched her face. This wasn't good for either one of them. He wasn't a fool; it would be too easy to get attached to this woman and he had no idea what those ghosts in her past were, just like she didn't know his. And yet here they were, joking once more about the sexual innuendo that really should remain a taboo between them. All the while they were supposed to be tracking down Mehra Miro.

"But that's what you were thinking," He said and arched his brows at her.

Katryn rolled her eyes and began looking at the doors, trying to steer them back to their task at hand. There were little name plates beside some and she saw that the one immediately to their right was Miro's.

"Keep your fantasies to yourself please, Lofolk," She returned absentmindedly, her mind changing gears so rapidly she wasn't surprised he looked confused for a moment, "We have more important things to focus on now."

She stepped forward without waiting for an answer and knocked on the door. Her ears strained to pick up on movement behind the wood but all remained stubbornly quiet. Rapping her knuckles a second time, she glanced over her shoulder,

"Cauis' journal said he was afraid they were watching her. Do you think- Deryl?"

The Nord was a couple of paces down the hall from her and was partially hidden behind one of the tapestries. As she watched in bemusement, he retrieved something small and walked towards her, extending one hand.

"You think this'll help?" He asked and showed her an intricate silver key.

Placing one hand on her hip, he gently pushed her away and inserted the key in the lock. Katryn stared in shock and then reacted.

"By the stars!" She hissed, glancing furtively around at the still, deserted hall, "What are you doing? You can't-"

"She told me where the key was," He grinned roguishly at her and then winked, "Just because my grandparents didn't like Dunmer doesn't mean I don't. She wouldn't have told me if she didn't want me to use it."

The door sprang open rather unexpectedly and Katryn could hear footsteps on the stairs, coming their way. She shoved Deryl into the apartment and quickly closed the door behind them, snapping the lock into place. The room was dim in the poor light from the windows and it was empty. It was furnished with simple, fine taste. There weren't many things cluttering the satin smooth varnishes of the tables and cupboards; durable rugs covered the rather unsightly brownstone floors and the furniture was simplistic almost to an extreme. It was clean and neat and Katryn knew instantly that Miro had told Deryl where the key was in case something went wrong, which was clearly what had happened. She shot a rather venomous look in his direction and added to her alphabet, nevermind she'd already almost clarified 'I',

"Idiot."

"'J's' next," He replied, "Good luck."

She was looking around the room for any clues that Miro might have left and hardly listening. Moving into the bedroom, she spotted an envelope on the dresser beside two scrolls that glimmered in the dim light.

"Don't worry about me, I will think of something."

Katryn picked up the envelope and felt him move to stand next to her. Across the surface was the word 'Amaya' and she frowned. There were other papers and envelopes on the dresser top as well and she got the feeling that it was all for show, that it was meant to keep others from looking too closely at any of it.

"I'll answer though you didn't ask," Deryl cut in, "That code means nothing to me."

"I think it was just meant to catch your attention," Flipping the envelope over, she slid one slender finger under the flap and broke the seal, "Those scrolls there are called Divine Intervention. She would not leave something like that unless whatever she's involved with is fairly serious."

"If it involves the Nerevar," He spread his arms, "It'll be deadly."

Katryn had to concede to that and she pulled out the note, unfolding it and taking in the short message before reading aloud to him. Sure she had called him an idiot and although she was fairly certain that he could read, she would be shocked if he understood Elvish.

"'Amaya,'" She translated, "'The High Inquisitor had a need to question me at the Ministry of Truth so it looks like our meeting will be later. If you'd like, you can grab a levitation potion from the cupboard and meet me. I wasn't hoping to be kept long and our friend Alvela Saram will keep you company. He's been posted at the back door, can you believe it? After all that time he wasted in trying to climb to the top. Ah well, take the scrolls too and let me know if you need anything else. All the best, Mehra.'"

Deryl was watching Katryn's face as she read the note and he could see that she was already thinking through their plan of attack here. It surprised him that while she was candid and open about all the strategies, she was as easy to read as a wall concerning everything else. Meeting his gaze, she arched a brow and shoved the note into her pocket.

"Well, at least she left us all the clues," Immediately she was crossing the room and opening up the cupboard where potions lined every shelf. It took her a moment to find the levitation and she grabbed the last two, muttering, "She won't need them anymore. Grab the scrolls, we have to get out of here before someone is sent to search this place."

The Nord didn't move other than to cross his arms over his chest. He met her gaze and shook his blonde head.

"No," He said firmly, "I've done a lot of stupid things since I came here but this? This is suicide."

Katryn felt irritated anger flood her and she met him glare for glare as she stalked across the room and took up the scrolls herself. He himself said this would be deadly if it involved the Nerevar and she had taken that to mean that he was willing to do anything. Now he was proving himself to be a coward and she wondered why she was so surprised. Several foul names were scrolling through her head, all in Elvish, and unfortunately none of them started with 'J'. So she had to settle for Basic speech.

"Jackass," She snapped and moved to the door, "I told you I would think of one. If you feel that way, wait here and tell the Ordinators when they come that a suicidal woman is going to break a priestess out of the Ministry of Truth. We'll see who they lock up more quickly for insanity."

The Elf was unlocking the door and grabbing the handle to pull it open when his hand slammed into the wood, making that impossible. She shifted to glare at him and was surprised when he reached out with his free hand to take the scrolls from her. He was closer to her than she realized and she involuntarily took a half-step back, not trusting the fire in his eyes. Of course he spotted this and something deeper than fire, almost a hunger for her, took over. He smirked and leaned even closer to speak rather conspiratorially, seeming to forget her biting words.

"You know, if I had stayed in Skyrim, I'd be elbow deep in women and wine not death and madness."

She tilted away from him and didn't like that it took an effort to swallow around her sudden nervousness. He was aware of what he was doing and his eyes, now shifting from grey, now to blue, kept straying to her mouth and then back to her steadily burning gaze, almost like he was asking permission. Permission that wasn't about to be granted.

"Well," She finally managed, "How good for all of us that you didn't. Here Morrowind's fate might have had to rest on a lone Dunmer woman. Could you imagine the horror?"

Deryl grinned and she attributed the sudden leap of her heart and flip of her stomach to what they were about to undertake.

"Glad to see you're back, hero," He slid his hand down the door and turned the knob to open it a crack, "After you."