The incessant rumble of the river behind Ivarstead effectively muted the sound of two warriors squaring off behind the wood mill. The small hamlet's lifeline would eventually intersect the great Black River flowing north into the Eastmarch to be absorbed by the White River. From there it meandered and widened all the way north-eastward to serve as Windhelm's port, providing sheltered passage to or from the Sea of Ghosts. Salmon were migrating already and their silvery bodies flashed occasionally in the tumbling white water, but the warriors took no heed of them. Judiiz blocked another onslaught from Lydia and her arm vibrated from the impact.

"Better!" Lydia grunted and swung her practise sword at her Thane's knees. Judiiz stepped back, lost her footing and stumbled backwards. Lydia pounced and the wood sword Judiiz held flew from her grasp.

"Ow!"she exclaimed and shook her stinging hand. Lydia was unrepentant though.

"Watch your footing. Always!" She stumbled back in surprise when Judiiz Shouted at her, mischief in her sapphire eyes.

"Hey, that's unfair!"

"Huh uh! All's fair in war!" Judiiz wagged her finger and giggled at her expression, and the Housecarl couldn't help smirking as well. They'd reached Ivarstead early that day and she'd decided to start coaching her Thane in the art of swordplay. The thin girl was deceptively strong; it must be her Dragon Blood manifesting, but she lacked all skill and finesse. A bow was good at a distance and she had her own, but daggers, even the fine ones Judiiz now possessed, would provide little defence against a much heavier sword in the hands of a skilled opponent. They were excellent for very close combat and stealth kills. Judiiz had caught on quickly and the dagger she still wielded in her left hand instead of a shield would prove deadly if she could deflect the swing of a large blade first. It was good to see Judiiz enjoying herself though; Lydia had thought her cold and distant at first, unnaturally quiet and evasive. With the keen insight only women seemed to possess, she'd sensed that that her Thane was carrying dark burdens for one so young, even though she didn't know the details. Such things would need time. It was also invigorating to be outside in the world and on the road again; she hadn't realised how much she'd missed it.

"Fine, I'll give you that one," she relented and just shook her head as Judiiz squeaked a jubilant "Yay!" and performed a little dance. It was charmingly innocent and disarming at once to see the Dragonborn, the confidante of her Jarl and her own Thane just … being a girl! She'd almost forgotten herself what it was like.

"Alright, let's call it a day. Work on your footing though. A good sword is no use when you're looking for a place to fall down," she advised gently and they made their way back to the inn. Although taxing, as Lydia was far more skilled than her, Judiiz was very grateful for the lesson and she hoped that it wouldn't be the last.

Early the next day, they found two women a few miles east of Ivarstead in robes of an unfamiliar design. The roads were still devoid of fellow travellers as the sun was barely breaching the Velothi range to the east. Clouds were gathering in the distance and it would probably rain soon.

"Careful," Lydia muttered and they approached cautiously. A recently dispatched vampire lay between the women and the two of them still glowed faintly with magick-repulsing wards. "Hail, Vigilants!" Lydia raised her voice in greeting.

"Hail travellers," they returned and visibly relaxed their guard. The vampire was beginning to smoke in the sunlight and they stepped back as it ignited and quickly burnt down to ash.

"You're Vigilants?" Judiiz queried. It was most peculiar that they would run into some of them so shortly after learning of them from Durak.

"Vigilants of Stendarr," one of the women added genially. "You've heard of us?"

"I met an Orc from the Dawnguard yesterday who spoke of you. Have you been active in Skyrim long?" Judiiz wanted to know.

"Oh yes. Our order was founded after the Oblivion Crisis. We dedicate our lives to facing the threat of Daedra wherever they appear. We're quartered in the Hall of the Vigilant, although we've been travelling for a few weeks now. Keeper Carcette heads Skyrim's branch of our order there, providing healing and justice as needed."

"Oh no … I'm sorry to tell you, but … the same Orc I spoke to? He informed us that the Hall was completely destroyed by vampires very recently." Gasps of shock followed her words and she downright loathed being the bearer of such news.

"That is … I can't believe … what do we do now?"

"The Dawnguard is actively recruiting. Their fort is to the south-east of Riften apparently. Maybe you could go there? I planned on doing the same after concluding my business in the city," she suggested lamely. Her advice sounded so weak after she'd just revealed to them that their whole organisation and probably their friends and colleagues were no more. The Vigilants thanked them solemnly and departed and they continued their own journey in glum silence. Lydia occasionally made them stop so she could point out edible mushrooms or to explain the alchemical properties of different plants. She showed her young companion how to better track the deer abundant in this area or to be weary of bears when encountering their damage to trees, and Judiiz wondered why she hadn't asked Lydia to accompany them before. She possessed a veritable trove of knowledge in woodcraft.

"Is that one of the old ruins?" Lydia asked around mid-morning and Judiiz consulted her map. The place was called Angarvunde and was slightly south off the road, but they had time for a short deviation.

"Want to go see?" she asked with no real interest and Lydia nodded eagerly; anything to break her young companion's dark mood. The place was so severely worn by time, that the entrance appeared to be little more than a cave opening. There was a small camp set out though and they found a journal on a rickety table, belonging to a Madesi Dran. Her spidery scribbles hinted at great treasure within the ruin and they drew their bows before entering cautiously. They found a Dark Elf who introduced herself as Madesi, muttering to herself at the top of hastily constructed timber stairs leading further down. It turned out that she had a full expedition with her, who'd run at the first signs of Draugr roaming the darkness. With little effort, she convinced them to dispatch the offending creatures for her in return for a share of the treasure. It was Judiiz' turn to teach Lydia how to sneak up to the wandering corpses and how to discern if one was merely feigning true death as they lay in their burial recesses within the walls. Lydia was astounded at the amount of gold simply lying about; it was no wonder Judiiz had accumulated funds so quickly in her travels besides doing odd jobs for needy citizens. Madesi of course betrayed them the moment they had a particularly difficult gate unlocked for her, running ahead to claim the prize for herself. In the blind haste of her greed she activated a hidden trap and a circular section of floor rose rapidly with her on it, into cruel spikes pointing down from the roof. There appeared to be no way to retrieve her body and they were forced to leave her there. The raised section did reveal stairs leading further down though, and a short while later Lydia watched in fascination as Judiiz approached a curved ancient wall and absorbed a Word of power from it.

"Raan," Judiiz whispered in wonder.

"What does it mean?"

"Animal," Judiiz translated. "If I understand correctly, I can call on the animals of the wilds to defend me in time of need."

"Now that would be helpful. A sabre cat would be handy in a scrap," Lydia remarked drily.

"How do you do that?" Judiiz asked her, looking at her curiously.

"Do what?"

"Accept all these things so easily. Don't you find it strange?"

"Oh, of course. But I grew up on these legends; every child of Skyrim does. The only thing that's strange is seeing it in person."

"Huh. I wish I'd grown up in Skyrim. It might have prepared me better for all of this."

"Where did you grow up?" Lydia prompted gently. Judiiz sighed pensively as they made their way back to the entrance.

"I was born in Kvatch apparently."

"You're not sure?"

"I was orphaned shortly after birth, so I was told. I was moved to Bruma when I reached my tenth year."

"I'm sorry," Lydia muttered and Judiiz smiled sadly.

"It wasn't … too bad." She didn't elaborate further and Lydia didn't ask. She did protest however when Judiiz divided the spoils from Angarvunde evenly between them, but the younger redhead would not be moved. They continued their journey through the perpetually autumnal forests of the Rift, reaching the notorious city of cutthroats and thieves just before darkness and rain claimed the day.

Judiiz appeared withdrawn and was impatient to get indoors. As a result she was more than a fraction annoyed when a brutish Nord sporting a severe scowl and rusty steel armour stopped them just inside the gates.

"I don't know you, you in Riften lookin' for trouble?"

"Really?" she quipped with irritation. As if the guards trying to extort a bribe for entering the city weren't enough… She tried to step around him but he moved his bulk to cut her off.

"Hey, I'm not finished with you yet!"

"I am finished with you, whoever you are," she told him firmly and tried to continue on her way.

"I'm Maul," he informed her and pushed her back. "Last thing the Black-Briars need is some stranger stickin' their nose where it doesn't belong." She went stone-rigid at his unwanted touch and for some reason, the fine hairs on the back of Lydia's neck started tingling.

"You will get out of my way now," Judiiz stated with the serenity of death and her normally unruffled Housecarl experienced a foreboding arctic dread at the dual-tonal quality creeping into her words. Who was this? Where had the innocent carefree girl who'd sparred with her yesterday gone? She stepped forward and laid a soothing hand on her thin shoulder. Judiiz flinched slightly at the touch and Lydia could sense bow-tightness uncoil reluctantly under her fingers.

"We are just passing through," she informed the scowling Nord calmly. "We are not looking for trouble."

"See that it stays that way," he warned them darkly and stepped aside, completely oblivious to how close he'd been to his own ruin. Lydia gently urged Judiiz along in the direction of what appeared to be an inn and booked rooms for them. She sighed in relief after Judiiz was settled and she could retire as well. For all her prowess and strength, her experience earned in battle and her indomitable Nord spirit, she'd felt as a mere mortal faced by a wrathful god after witnessing the Dragonborn's quiet menace. It diminished bulging muscle, sturdy bone, sharp steel and a stout heart to insignificance and it was so easy, looking at her, to forget her true nature. What help could she be to such a being? Was she pouring cups of water in a lake thinking she was assisting in filling it?

Riften was damp and miserable the next morning. The weather had not been kind to the thriving fishing industry overnight but at least the misty morning air was not as enhanced from Plankside below with the charming bouquet of gutted salmon as was usual. Keerava's clam chowder breakfast was a coveted delicacy in the city though; both Judiiz and Lydia were positively bursting when they left the inn. Judiiz' temperament also appeared to have improved and she flitted between stalls with enthusiasm, even tolerating Grelka, the very cranky armour merchant who adjusted her leathers to a better fit. She was busy browsing Madesi's beautifully crafted jewellery when she felt a light tug on her coin pouch where it was fastened to her belt, and she swung around to confront the perpetrator.

"Rasha!"

"Yip! What are you doing he … oof!" Rasha's breath was expelled in a rush when her friend caught her in a joyful embrace. "Okay … okay … can't breathe…" she wheezed and Judiiz released her.

"What were you thinking?" Judiiz accused her abruptly and poked her hard with a finger. Behind her, Lydia nodded her agreement and crossed her arms sternly.

"Ow! I felt fine! I was bored out of my tail fur and …"

"And you just upped and made for Riften? What if something had happened to you?" Judiiz asked, her upset frown turning into anxiety.

"Hey … I'm fine, nothing happened," Rasha reassured her, slightly surprised and oddly touched by her concern. Nobody has ever worried about her in such a way. "So, what are you doing here? You didn't come all this way for me, did you?" she smirked.

"Yes. No. Both really."

"Huh?"

"Well, we did come to see you," Judiiz hastened to explain, "but we also have other things to do."

"Oh?"

"You don't perhaps know where to find this guy called Brynjolf?"

Rasha smiled with delight and waved her hand in a flourish. "Batten down your coin, jewellery, shoes and smallclothes and follow me!"

"The Thieves Guild?" Judiiz whispered incredulously through the gloom. The three of them were holding hands, navigating the Ratway's warren of tunnels and blind passages while trying to avoid the attentions of thugs also calling it their home.

"What? It's not like they kill people at least!" Rasha whispered back harshly and was about to inch forward again when Judiiz tugged her back.

"Wait! Hey, your eyes, they …" Rasha saw Judiiz' hands blindly reaching for her and she tried to escape but it was too late.

"No, don't, you're going to … nyeow!" She screeched like a cat with its tail caught under an anvil and her friend jerked her hands back in fright.

"Shh! What did I do? What happened?"

"You pulled my whiskers!"

"Oh … sorry! Your eyes were just like … glowing …"

"They reflect light, okay?"

"Will you two shut up? You'll wake draugrs in Falkreath with the racket you're making!" Lydia reprimanded them from the back.

"Sorry …" they mumbled sheepishly in unison. Rasha waggled her nose, sure that some of the prize fuzz on her lips were uprooted, before she grabbed Judiiz' hand and resumed their shuffle ahead in silence. Ah, there it is! She spotted the glyph on the door ahead and Lydia breathed a sigh of relief from behind when light flooded their passage. That could have gone far worse, especially with Rasha's unearthly yelp she let loose. It might even have been funny if it wasn't for the threat of attack from any dark corner at any moment …

"Wait here, I'll warn them that the two of you are coming," Rasha stopped them after closing and relocking the door. They did as she asked, eyeing the large cistern and tavern in surprise. It was amazing that places like these still existed under the bustling ignorance of cities, but not unexpected at all that an organization such as this would make their home here. Rasha returned shortly and ushered them around the cistern to a table at the tavern with a broad-shouldered, sharp-eyed male occupant. They sat down, nodding a greeting. Others present in the tavern glowered at them in mistrust and the look from one particular woman with white-blond hair was downright hostile.

"Well colour me surprised," the man at their table started pleasantly, "what brings two upstanding citizens such as you to the Ragged Flagon?"

"Er … we were told to find a Brynjolf who conducts business here," Judiiz explained.

"Oh? Told by whom, fair lass?"

"Delphine," she muttered, her cheeks colouring with annoyance. She knew the compliment may just be his manner, but it still made her … uncomfortable.

"Now there's a name I haven't heard in a while! I take it there's a good reason she had to resort to my services?"

"So you are Brynjolf?"

"And if I am?"

"We are looking for an old man possibly hiding here. She thought you might…"

"Hold on there, lass," he interrupted Judiiz with his hand raised for emphasis. "I am not in the business of giving out free information. Why don't you help me deal with some of my 'problems' first, then we'll see how I can help you."

Lydia leaned forward, having run out of patience. "And we are not in the business of saving your asses from the Thalmor when they descend on this place, trying to find the old man before we do."

Brynjolf's eyes narrowed momentarily before he huffed resignedly, "Well, now that you've put it that way … alright. Your guy's hiding out in the Ratway Warrens and paying us good coin for nobody to know about it. Heh, until now that is. Kittycat here," he indicated Rasha, "will know the place when she sees it. She can take you there right now."