He'd been waiting for nearly an hour, now. He'd gone back outside a couple times to drink some water from the stream flowing right by the exit- it was the clearest, freshest water he'd ever tasted, but Divines was it cold- but remained inside where it was warm, for the most part. Finally, he started to hear a commotion echoing its way through the tunnel from the great hall. It sounded like- fighting?

He pushed himself back to his feet and made his way back to the hall, peeking around the statue to see what was going on. He nearly leapt with joy when he saw who was there, killing the last of the draugrs.

"LUCY!"

"Emmet?!" He stepped out from behind the statue so she could see him, and she sprinted toward him, throwing her arms around him when she got close. "I'm so glad you're okay!" He hugged her back, reveling in the embrace. "Those creepy jerks didn't hurt you, did they?" He blushed when she started checking him over for injuries.

"Uh, well- they were kind of rough, but I'm not hurt, I promise. How did you find me?"

"With the help of a dark elf wizard that lives here, Neloth of House Telvanni. He's been studying the strange phenomena going on around the island, the way people are in these weird trances, building structures around the Elemental Stones. He told us to come find the temple in the center of the island," said one of Lucy's friends. Emmet recognized her as the tall elf lady he'd met way back at Helgen. Goodness, had that really even been that long ago?

"Guy's a stuck-up jerk," huffed Lucy's other friend. Emmet didn't recognize him. Lucy seemed to pick up on the look he was giving her companions.

"Oh, right," she murmured. "Emmet, this is Mayhem, our second in command, and this is Bruce, he's in charge of our information network. Guys, this is Emmet, the Dragonborn."

"A pleasure to meet you properly," Mayhem joked, and took Emmet's hand when he offered it. He smiled back at her, but shrank away at the scrutinizing stare Bruce was giving him.

"Knock it off, Bruce," Lucy huffed. "And let's get out of here, this place seriously gives me the jeebies."

"Me too," Emmet mumbled. "I found a shortcut over here."

Bruce stared at him. "You found a way out, and didn't leave?"

"I don't know the way back…"

"Bruce," Lucy hissed in warning. "Quit being such an antagonistic jerk." She turned back to Emmet. "Why don't you show us?"

"Sure," he agreed, taking them down the side tunnel. The sky was dark when they stepped out, and Emmet gasped at the green haze. "What is that…?"

"You didn't see that on the way here?"

"I spent most of the trip being seasick…"

"It's some sort of spell," Bruce answered. "A very powerful spell, probably what has so many people here entranced. At least that's what Neloth thinks."

"Does he know who cast it?"

"We asked," Mayhem answered. "He didn't know."

"Come on, let's get back to Raven Rock," Lucy said. "There's no way I'm setting up camp out here."

"Agreed," Mayhem sighed.

The sun was just peeking over the horizon again by the time they made it to the Dunmer settlement. Emmet was struggling to keep on his feet and his eyes open as they stumbled into the corner club- the closest thing Raven Rock had to an inn. The Dragonborn was out cold before he was even fully horizontal, which made Mayhem giggle. "Oh, the poor boy," she murmured, watching as Lucy tried to make him a little more comfortable.

Emmet had talked a lot on the trip back, at least for the first half of it. He was too tired to focus on much else but putting one foot in front of the other for the second half. It was mostly about his conversation with the Ambassador, how he was nearly accused of purposely causing a distraction at the party (which had his three companions cracking up that he'd actually gotten away with it), and then the trek across Skyrim to Solstheim with his kidnappers. He kept unusually mum about anything that might have happened in the temple, though, which made Lucy suspicious. Though he'd insisted he was fine- and he'd been completely honest with her thus far- she couldn't help but wonder if perhaps something had happened.

The thought made her sick to her stomach. She hoped he'd open up to her about it when he ready- though preferably sooner than later.

It was late afternoon when he returned. Alfred greeted him and informed him of the nearness of supper, to which he only nodded, and continued on his way. The energy of the place had changed during his brief absence. There was excitement, and also tension. When he followed the voices and stepped into the dining hall, he discovered the reason for that- Kitty and Iron-Tail had been successful in their mission. He could only guess the former Blades member and the First Emissary had a run-in with each other at some point.

"You're back!" Kitty cheered.

'I'm back.'

"We can start asking questions now!" The Knight turned to Penn, tilting his head in askance.

"I made them wait until you returned before bombarding Vitruvius with their thousand questions," she explained with a chuckle.

'I see. I suppose I returned at a good time, then.'

"Indeed you did," Vitruvius agreed, making his way over to introduce himself. "You must be the Black Knight I've been hearing so much about."

'That's me. And you're Vitruvius.'

Vitruvius grinned up at him. "Now that introductions have been made, shall we get started?"

The remaining few stragglers trickled in as supper was brought out, and the Knight noticed that even the Ambassador had joined them- no doubt curious to hear what Vitruvius had to say about the dragons, as well. The old wizard answered every question they fired at him with remarkable patience, explaining everything he knew. He told them about Alduin, the World-Eater, who terrorized mortalkind during the Merethic Era, some four thousand and five hundred years before, and began the Dragon Cult in mankind's ancient homeland of Atmora.

"He was stopped, but not truly defeated," Vitruvius explained. "Our ancestors knew that one day he would return, and bring with him the end of the world. I despaired over this for the longest time; after all, there hadn't been any Dragonborn for two hundred years."

"But then we all heard the summons," Jenny said. Vitruvius nodded. "But from what Lucy tells us, he's really not a fighter…"

"I can confirm that," Sirius sighed. "He was… not at all what I was expecting of a Dragonborn, when I met him."

'Which is why I assigned Lucy to him- she is a fighter, and one of our best. But things are going to get harder the longer this goes on. There are many dragons, and only one Dragonborn. We must help where we can, and work together to end this threat.' The Knight fell still for a moment. 'They've already started attacking smaller settlements. I passed several burned-down houses while I was gone, and I didn't go very far.' The hall fell into uncomfortable silence at that. 'I did manage to kill one, though, and made some useful discoveries.'

"Like what?" Penn asked.

'Wards can block their breath attacks, though you must use a stronger ward. A lower-level ward will simply shatter upon contact. Also, go for the wings. You tear the membrane, and they can't fly any more. A grounded dragon is easier to fight. And if you're feeling especially daring, their throats are vulnerable.'

"You actually went out to find a dragon's weak spots yourself?" Sirius asked, incredulous.

'Any reason I shouldn't?'

"I just-" He shook his head in disbelief. "You're their leader, these people obviously look up to you and hold you in high regard. If you'd died…"

"We hold him in such high regard because he's willing to put his life on the line for us," Ken told him, scowling at him. "Also, if any one of us could ever hold their own against a dragon by themselves, it's him. I mean, have you ever seen him fight?"

"Once," Sirius muttered. "Maniac." A few snickers went up around him. He wondered at that. It was certainly a different dynamic than he was used to- the other Thalmor always just scolded him like some child, whenever he decided to take his life into his own hands. And actively going out to fight battles? Forget it; they'd sooner chain him up in one of the prison cells than let him on the battlefield.

He watched as the Knight went around the table, speaking with the other rebels before gathering his own supper and bidding everyone goodnight. He didn't seem to treat them as underlings, but as equals, and he seemed to care about each of them quite a bit. Their strong sense of companionship made him almost uncomfortable; he'd never experienced such a thing with the Thalmor.

He would have to continue his observations, and see if there was perhaps a way to use it against them.

There is a lot of love between them, though not in a romantic sense. Cary, his brothers, and Barbara had all been the best of friends as children. She was the sister they never had, and they were the brothers she never had, and it's a bond that's persisted through their lives.

Sirius will. Eventually. He's very stubborn though, so it's going to take a long time. XD;