Arnbjorn sat on the cold stone ground beside a seated Babette as they watched Lis wander around in her pen. The vampire child was a little suspicious as to why the werewolf had even sat next to her. Gabriella stood beside Festus as he leaned over the enchanting table and tinkered with an iron dagger. The dark elf handed him filled soul gems and various items without enchantments whilst taking the newly enchanted items and placed them in a basket at her feet.
"Are you familiar with a pink haired girl named Lightning?" Arnbjorn questioned. Babette's interest peaked as she became curious as to why he asked about her.
"Yes. Sephiroth seems to be quite attached to her. Why do you ask?" She inquired in reply.
"There just seemed to be something going on between them. That's all." He replied with a shrug. Sephiroth wandered into the room and approached the pair at the black table. The vampire and the werewolf shared a glance as they waited for a chance to find out the truth about the assassin and the soldier.
"Festus, Astrid told me you have the details for my next contract."
The mage stood away from the table and crossed his arms.
"That is correct. Your next task is to kill the Gourmet and steal his Writ of Passage in order to enact the next part of the grand plan. I have here a signed copy of the Gourmet's cookbook, 'Uncommon Taste'. It is addressed to Anton Virane, who is the cook for the Jarl in Markarth's Understone Keep. You will need to get information about the famed chef from Virane and kill him. Loose ends, you know, you can't be too careful, your tracks need to be covered. I'm sure you understand that. Once you find the Gourmet's whereabouts, you will go kill him, hide his body and take his Writ of Passage. Do you understand your task?"
"Yes, I understand."
"Good. I trust you will not disappoint us."
"I haven't yet, have I?" Sephiroth asked with a raised eyebrow. Festus shook his head and sighed.
"Don't get all overconfident now. We've come too far to let everything collapse due to a careless mistake." The mage replied. Gabriella picked up the basket at the foot of the arcane enchanter and Festus handed the silver haired man the book. Sephiroth took it and placed it in his satchel as the wizard and the elf left the room with a rather cheerful, "Take my advice, bodies of water are very good hiding places."

Babette and Arnbjorn glanced at each other sideways and stopped Sephiroth from leaving the room without giving them any answers. He looked at them with suspicion as they ushered him down to Lis' pen.
"What's going on?" Sephiroth questioned.
"So, what's going on with Lightning?" Arnbjorn asked with a grin. Sephiroth pinched his brow and groaned.
"There's nothing going on with her. She's just my ally." He replied.
"I don't think so. You didn't see that look they gave each other after slaying that dragon in Whiterun. There is something you're not telling us." Babette said and placed her hands on her hips.
"You two are being ridiculous. I do not have feelings for her. Don't fool yourselves into seeing something that isn't there." Sephiroth announced and crossed his arms. The vampire and the werewolf both gave each other amused glances.
"Sure there isn't." She replied with a sarcastic tone.
"Come on, tidbit. You can tell us. We won't say or do anything." Arnbjorn said and looked down at Babette who mumbled, "Yet."
"There is nothing going on between us. We're just friends." Sephiroth replied.
"Would a friend help you complete a contract without getting caught with the risks being that people would believe that they did it instead of you?" Babette's eyes widened as she heard from the werewolf what Lightning had done.
"A best friend would, but a woman in love would too." The vampire answered with a smirk.
"We're just friends. I don't see why I can't be friends with a woman." Sephiroth argued and leaned against the wall. The other two looked at each other with a sense of defeat, even if there was something between them, Sephiroth wouldn't tell them no matter how hard they pressed him for answers.
"Alright, if you say so. But if your view of her ever changes, please notify us." Babette said with a grin. Sephiroth stood away from the wall and stopped at the doorway.
"And if I do tell you, please do not under any circumstances meddle with my affairs. My relationships are not your plaything. Understand?" He questioned sternly and walked out. They stared at the ground for a moment before Babette crossed her arms and smiled.
"We're taking him to Riften when he gets back and getting him an amulet. No matter what he says." She chuckled.
"Of course. We'll convince him that it's a 'permanent alliance'. Maybe that way he might consider it." He added with a grin. They both nodded to each other and the werewolf headed back to the makeshift forge as the vampire sat down at Lis' pen again.

Ralof, Terra and Lightning wandered out of the their rooms at the Silver-Blood Inn and sat at the bar. They all bought themselves soup and an apple for breakfast. Many of the soldiers who fought in the battle for Fort Sungard a few days ago stayed in the inn to rest up for before they all made their way back down to Windhelm to wait for their next mission. Terra sipped her soup slowly as Lightning picked at the meat and Ralof slurped his soup loudly. Some of the other soldiers sat around and talked quietly, whilst others headed out to the barracks or wandered out to go worship at the shrine of Talos. The trio weren't that surprised that their comrades weren't showcasing their usual rowdy behaviour like they usually did. The war had been quite intense and the entire Stormcloak army were starting to feel the effects, but no one felt it like the general. The green haired mage almost giggled as she noticed a few soldiers fall asleep by the fireplace with Vorstag sitting beside them and dismissing their tiredness as being simply a hangover. Ralof swallowed the food in his mouth and quickly glanced at her as she tried not to let her soup trickle out of her mouth as she giggled. Lightning and Ralof didn't seem all that fazed by Terra's amusement at the tired soldiers because they felt the exact same way as they did. Lightning was sure that Terra was just as exhausted as everyone else, but she still managed to show a little bit of cheer.

Galmar took a seat next to the rose haired woman and rested his hand on his chin.
"Are you alright, general?" She questioned. He opened his eyes and yawned with a nod.
"I'll be fine. I just haven't slept well lately. Silver-Blood isn't adapting to his new role well at all." He replied and rubbed his eyes. Terra got up from her stool and stood beside the sleep deprived general. She placed her hand on his back and gave him a small smile.
"If it helps, I'll go down to the Hag's Cure and find you a salve that will help you sleep." The green haired mage suggested. He wearily returned her smile and nodded.
"That would be... very helpful. Thank you Terra." He replied with a yawn. He stood up and stretched his arms out in front of him.
"I'm trusting you three to keep these soldiers from getting in trouble whilst I'm helping the new Jarl. Do I make myself clear?" He asked.
"Yes sir. You can count on us." Lightning replied with a salute.
"Good. Now, if you excuse me I have to take my leave." Galmar announced and wearily made his way out of the inn and up to Understone Keep. The trio went back to finishing off their soup. It didn't surprise Terra that Ralof and Lightning had finished their meal before her. Terra finished hers a minute or so later than the others. The battle mage rubbed her eyes wearily and wiggled her fingers to stretch them.
"I think I'll have to head off to the Hag's Cure. If they don't have a salve ready to sell it would definitely have to be made to order." Terra said and stood up from her stool.
"Do you want someone to go with you?" Ralof questioned and went to get up.
"No, I think I'll be fine." She answered and went to wander out into the streets of Markarth.

"Terra, wait a minute." Ralof called. She turned around and walked back as Ralof gestured for her to return to the bar.
"What's up?" She asked and crossed her arms.
"Remember what I told you about our Lightning here sharing a mead with her so-called friend Sephiroth?" Ralof questioned in reply.
"Oh, I remember! Is there more to it?" Terra asked as her eyes widened with excitement and walked back towards her friends and stood between the rose haired woman and the blonde man. Lightning crossed her arms and shook her head with disbelief.
"So, seen him recently?" Ralof asked as Terra sat on the bar between them.
"I did. We ran into each other whilst I was on my way to the Reach camp." She replied. Terra and Ralof looked at each other with smirks tugging at their lips.
"Does he interest you?" Ralof questioned.
"I wouldn't get along well with him if I didn't." She answered.
"That's interesting..." Terra said and crossed her legs. Lightning understood what they were trying to do and it irritated her.
"If you're implying that Sephiroth and I have something going on, you're wrong. We're just friends." She snapped and stood up.
"Light... just indulge our curiosity. Please?" Terra asked with a small smile and a minuscule shrug. She stood there for a moment as Terra's smile began to falter and the green haired mage looked to the nord for help. The female soldier crossed her arms and shook her head.
"No. My business is my business." She replied and turned to leave.
"Please don't be difficult." Ralof said with a roll of his eyes. The pink haired woman turned and glared at him dangerously.

The door swung open and Sephiroth wandered in. Terra's face lit up with the hope for answers as she spotted him.
"Sephiroth!" Terra exclaimed with a wave. Lightning pinched her brow with a breathed outward with irritation. The assassin walked towards them and stopped before the soldier as she sat back down in her chair.
"Lightning. We have to stop running into each other like this." He said with a smile.
"Well, I did tell you where I was going." She replied and crossed her legs.
"So, are you here to see Light?" Ralof asked with a grin and nodded to the rose haired soldier.
"No. As much as I like drinking with her, I'm here on business." He replied. Terra tapped her fingertips as Lightning crossed her legs.
"What business?" Terra questioned.
"I found a cookbook that belongs to the chef in Understone Keep and I was going to return it. He asked me to look for it for him." He answered. He looked at Lightning and she smiled almost as if to tell him that she knew his real purpose for paying the chef a visit.
"Do you know the way?" The green haired mage inquired. Sephiroth shook his head and Terra hummed with thought. She thought it was odd he didn't know the way despite claiming he met with the chef before, but she gave Ralof a prod in the thigh with her foot and he gave her a smile as if to know what she wanted him to say.
"Lightning, why don't you show him to his destination?" Ralof asked.
"Sure. But remember, Terra you need to organise that salve for Galmar." Lightning commanded in reply and stood up. They headed outside and the doors shut behind them. The warm sun shone on the stone city of Markarth as they made their way up to Understone Keep. Stormcloaks replaced the city guard and they patrolled their areas with differing degrees of sleep deprivation. The city seemed to be stuck in a period of stasis, in which it was slowly healing from its wound it obtained in the sudden change of power.
"So, what happened to your coat? And boot?" She questioned.
"Traps and a troll." He answered with a little frown. They continued walking through the city and Lightning felt a little less cold. She knew that the sun and movement were helping her thaw out. She scalded herself for tossing her coat away because she had a feeling that she would freeze back in Windhelm. Sephiroth wished that the way towards their destination wasn't so quiet.
"Did you take care of the clown problem?" Lightning inquired after the long period of silence.
"No. He's still alive." Sephiroth replied.
"Psst. I know who you are. Hail Sithis." A female Stormcloak whispered as she passed the assassin. Lightning laughed and he looked at her with confusion.
"How does she know?" He asked.
"Well, you are part of the only guild that wears red and black." Lightning replied as she recalled what Arnbjorn wore when she met him in Dawnstar.
"That's a good point." Sephiroth said. They stayed silent again as they continued up the steps leading towards the large golden doors of the keep guarded by two Stormcloaks.

"Ralof and Terra seem to think there is something going on between us." Lightning said abruptly.
"Arnbjorn and Babette seem to think so too." Sephiroth replied.
"That's a strange coincidence." Lightning said.
"Very." He added with a nod.
"What do you think?"
"About their views on our relationship?"
"Yeah. That."
"I don't know, it sounds a little absurd. I mean, we're just friends... Right?"
Their eyes met and they stared at each other in silence before they tore their gazes away to focus on anywhere but the other. The soldiers at the door watched on with curiosity, listen to anything in order to fight off boredom and sleep. After a while of avoiding gazes and awkward quiescence, Lightning finally decided to answer his question, "Well, we are friends but... as much as I refuse to admit it to them, I believe we could have something more."
Sephiroth crossed his arms and smiled at her as she placed her hands on her hips and shifted her feet.
"Is that so?"
"Well, do you want to be more than friends?" She inquired and raised her eyebrow in curiosity. His smile dropped as he thought about his answer.
"Well, yes. I do believe we could be more than friends too. But I don't want to jeopardise our friendship." He replied.
"If there's no spark, we can still be friends. If there is, we can go from there." Lightning said with a shrug.
"So, how would we know if there is a so called spark?" Sephiroth questioned.
"Kiss her, of course!" One of the soldiers exclaimed. They stared at the soldier who spoke up for a second before their gaze returned to each other. Sephiroth placed a gloved hand on her cheek. He slowly craned his neck as his fingers ran down her cheek and gently lifted her chin. She noticed that the height difference between them affected how difficult it was for him to lower his lips down to hers so she balanced herself on the balls of her feet to make it a little easier. A small smile touched his lips as he acknowledged that little action she had just performed. They closed their eyes as their lips touched. The soldiers posted on either side of the golden doors looked at each other awkwardly, trying not to make any other sounds that would disturb the two warriors. The kiss lasted for a few seconds before they pulled away and Lightning lowered her heels back down to the stone. When their eyes opened, their gazes stayed connected in silence before their eyes broke away.
"What do you think?" Lightning asked and crossed her arms.
"I can't believe I'm saying this, but I think they're right." Sephiroth replied with a small shrug.
"There definitely is a spark there." She said and placed her hands on her hips. An awkward quiescence fell over them for a few seconds before she decided to break the silence.
"So... what do we do now?" She questioned.
"I guess we just see what happens." He answered.
"Alright then. I guess I'll see you later." She said and smiled.
"See you later." He replied and wandered into Understone Keep. As soon as the door closed, Lightning sighed at the awkwardness that was the kiss and the conversation that followed. She thought about it on the way back to the inn and contemplated whether she should tell Ralof and Terra or not before she came to the decision that she would tell them once they got back to Windhelm. The two Stormcloaks gave each other a look and they walked back to their posts beside the doors.
"That's something that doesn't happen everyday." The other guard said.

Sephiroth wandered up to the kitchens and found Anton Virane slaving away at the pot by the fire. The chef was sweating from being around intense heat and constant movement around the kitchen in order to get the food ready for dinner. His two assistants were always in and out of the room with baskets of ingredients, firewood cradled in their arms or bottles of wine in their hands. It seemed like no one had any time to stop and catch a breath. The scent of sweetrolls and slow cooking venison filled the air as the assassin pulled out the signed book and walked up to the busy breton.
"Anton?" Sephiroth asked. The chef seemed to be either too focused on his cooking or didn't even hear him.
"Anton?" He asked louder. Virane turned around with a hum. He noticed Sephiroth and put down the spoon.
"Oh, a visitor. Sorry, we're always busy around here. What can I do for you?" He questioned and wiped his hands on the cloth hanging from his belt.
"I need to ask you a question." Sephiroth replied.
"I don't have time for this! I'm much too busy!" He exclaimed and went back to cooking.
"Voada! Where are those carrots?!" Anton shouted. The female assistant ran in and handed him a bowl of chopped carrots. He took it and ungraciously poured them into the pot as she rushed off to fetch something else.
"I need to talk to you about the Gourmet." Sephiroth said. The breton's head whipped around to face him as soon as he mentioned that name.
"Rondach! Look after the soup!" Virane exclaimed. The male assistant dropped the firewood in his arms and looked after the soup for the head chef as he led the assassin into the kitchen staffs' communal bedroom.
"Why are you asking after the Gourmet?" Anton questioned and crossed his arms.
"I found your cookbook and I was wondering if you knew him." Sephiroth replied and handed him the book.
"Yes, I know him. I don't see why you're asking for him."
"I would like to speak to him about using lavender in desserts for a dinner party."
"You could ask any chef how to do that."
"Yes, but it's for a noble's wedding I'm catering for in the Summerset Isles. The bride is a friend of mine who loves lavender and her husband-to-be is a rather well-known Thalmor politician. Everyone's talking about how it will be the wedding of the year."
Anton hummed in thought with a sigh and Sephiroth wondered what was going through his head.
"Alright, I'll tell you who he is and where to find him. But you will keep this between us, understood?" Virane asked. Sephiroth nodded with a small smile. He didn't realise how easy it was to obtain that information.
"Understood." Sephiroth replied.
"Good. His name is Balagog gro-Nolob and he's staying in Nightgate Inn. He enjoys hiding in the cellar." Anton said.
"Thank you." Sephiroth replied with a nod.
"Now if you excuse me, I must get back to work." The breton said and headed towards the kitchen. Sephiroth clamped his hand over the breton's mouth and dragged him back into the room.
"The void awaits your arrival." He muttered and whipped out a dagger before he plunged it into the chef's chest. The body fell limp and Sephiroth slid the body underneath the bed before he walked out of the kitchen before the corpse was going to be found. As he passed the Jarl's sanctum, Galmar's voice boomed out irritably, "Sit down, shut up and listen to me! Talos give me strength!" Sephiroth stood there for a few seconds and then he shook his head and left the keep. He wound his way back through the stone city and made his way towards Nightgate Inn.

Sephiroth wandered into Nightgate Inn and looked around. The wooden interior of the building and the rather warm atmosphere felt quite comfortable. It was a small piece of isolated serenity. Sephiroth smiled when he realised that the beautiful sense of calm that was present there would be severely disturbed with the discovery of a dead body. He looked around the inn and tried to see if he could find the cellar. The barkeep was asleep at the counter, happily snoring away. Sephiroth knew that he could afford to, considering that the inn was in the middle of nowhere. He wandered behind the counter and found a staircase descending to the bowel of the building. He walked down the stairs and opened the door.

The cellar wasn't quite as dark as he expected, but it smelt damp and slightly of spoiled wine. The sense of warmth and peace from upstairs had appeared to stay there as the one-winged angel felt the chill begin to prickle his skin. He slowly stepped into the cellar and saw vats of alcohol sit on both sides of the cool, dark room. Even though the room felt empty and soulless, there was somebody down there with him and he knew exactly who it was.
"Balagog. Is that you?" Sephiroth questioned. The orc turned around and crossed his arms.
"Yes, I'm Balagog. Who are you?" Balagog asked in reply.
"I'm a big fan of yours and I need some advice." He replied.
"Oh, alright. What do you need help you with?"
"I'm catering for this big wedding in the Summerset Isles for my friend and her Thalmor fiancé. You see, she loves lavender and she has requested desserts made with it and I'm having trouble finding something that works. What can you suggest?" Sephiroth inquired with a shrug. The Gourmet stood there for a few seconds and hummed in thought.
"I think you need to modify the classic sweetroll recipe. Make the roll sweeter and use the lavender in the icing. Also try lavender tarts and maybe lavender and honey danishes. Trust me, they are crowd pleasers." Balagog replied with a smile. Sephiroth returned the smile and stepped closer to him with a false sigh of relief.
"Thank you. I don't know what I would've done without your help."

"I'm always glad to help out a fan. Now I hope you don't mind, but I would like to go to the lake." The orc said and went to head out. Sephiroth barred his path and smirked evilly.
"I'm sorry, but only one of us will emerge from the cellar today and I'm afraid that person, will be me." The silver haired man replied. Balagog's eyes widened and he stepped back in fright.
"I... I don't think I heard you right... What did you say?"
"I said, one of us is going to die. And it's not going to be me."
The orc stepped backwards quickly as Sephiroth advanced.
"Wait! Don't hurt me!" He exclaimed as he tried to run away. Sephiroth lunged for the orc and caught his furs in his fingers.
"Please! Please! Spare me!"
"I don't think so." The assassin said and pulled him in close before he snapped his neck. The body crumpled to the ground and Sephiroth rummaged through his pockets in search of the Writ of Passage. He found it and put the paper in his satchel before he stood up and looked around for a place to stash the body. There was an empty wine barrel with a lid resting down beside it.
"Perfect." He muttered and slung the corpse over his shoulder and walked it over to the barrel. He placed the orc in headfirst and moved his limbs around to make sure that he fit properly. He picked up the lid and placed it on the barrel with a smile. He didn't think it would've been that easy to track down the Gourmet and kill him. He wandered out of the cellar and headed out quietly to try and keep the barkeep asleep at his counter and made his way back to the sanctuary.

Gabriella sat on the edge of her spider's pen whilst Babette pulled vial after vial of hagraven blood out of a basket and Festus was reading a book at the table when Sephiroth wandered in. The little vampire heard his footsteps and smiled when she turned around to see him walk in.
"He's back." She chirped and continued to place vials on the alchemy table. Festus put the book down and turned around.
"The two chefs are both dead and bodies are hidden. No one suspected anything." Sephiroth announced and crossed his arms.
"Good. And here's your reward, gold and the Nightweaver's Band." Festus replied and placed a large bag of gold onto the table along with a silver and amethyst ring beside it. The silver haired man picked up the ring with the bag of gold and put them into his satchel.
"Be sure to see Astrid for your next task." Festus said as he picked up the book.
"Of course." Sephiroth replied. Nazir wandered in as Gabriella gently petted her spider's head.
"Ah, our resident angel of death has returned!" He said with a laugh. Sephiroth crossed his arms and smirked.
"This our home after all." The silver haired man replied.
"That's right! And Astrid's waiting to hear the good news, so go hop to it." Babette said with a mockingly innocent smile.
"Okay, I'll go tell her." Sephiroth replied with a nod and walked out of the room and headed up to Astrid's stone table.

The assassin leader looked up from the map and smiled.
"So, how fares the contract?" She inquired.
"I have that piece of paper we need for the next step." He replied and patted his satchel. Her smile evolved into a laugh as she walked out from behind the table.
"Perfect. Everything is going according to plan. There are no contracts left. Now we move on to remove our main target, the Emperor. You will pose as the Gourmet and use the Writ of Passage to get into Castle Dour. I have here a rare ingredient you will use in the soup that will be served to the Emperor, it's called Jarrin Root. One taste of this and he will drop dead." She said with a laugh and placed the root on the table. Sephiroth placed the root in his satchel and she walked over to the stone archway.
"That sounds easy enough."
"You'll need a disguise. You're very recognisable."
"I'll figure something out."
She leant up against the archway and crossed her arms as she chuckled to herself.
"I admire your determination." She said.
"I never leave a job unfinished." He replied.
"Good, now go make us proud." Astrid said with a nod and headed back behind her stone table.

Sephiroth wandered back towards the room containing the spider's pen. Nazir was the first to notice his re-entrance.
"So, who's your next target?" Nazir questioned.
"The Emperor." Sephiroth answered with a grin. Babette placed the basket down by the alchemy table as Nazir patted him on the back.
"That's a very prestigious contract." Gabriella said as she dangled a piece of meat down towards her pet.
"Oh, you're so lucky!" Babette exclaimed and wandered over to Sephiroth. He noticed the vials sitting on the table and stared at them curiously.
"What are they?" He asked.
"Hagraven's blood." She replied with a smile. He sighed and sat opposite to Festus.
"How many feathers do you need?" He questioned.
"Around ten?" She replied with a shrug.
"Fine." He said and unfurled his wing. The breton vampire inched over towards him with the basket sitting in the crook of her elbow. She pulled feather from his wing, one by one and Nazir winced as Sephiroth groaned when each feather was plucked.
"I feel sorry for him." Nazir said with a grimace. Sephiroth let out a small yelp.
"That was a tender spot!" He hissed. Festus put his book down and walked over to Gabriella with caution. He didn't want to be near Babette if Sephiroth was going to retaliate.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know." Babette replied as she placed it down into the basket with the others.
"Next time you need more feathers, you can wait for them to fall. It hurts when you pull them out." He snapped.
"Aww... Poor thing." She said mockingly and took the basket over to the alchemy table.
"Then maybe we'll pull your hair out, strand by strand. See how you like it." Nazir mused. She pouted at Nazir's comment as Sephiroth folded his wing away with a smile.
"So, when are you heading out to kill the Emperor?" Gabriella questioned as she sat in the chair beside the pen.
"Probably now." Sephiroth replied and stood up.
"Enjoy killing the Emperor." Festus said.

Babette placed the basket on the table and followed the angel towards the exit of the sanctuary. He looked down at her with curiosity.
"Why are you following me?" He asked. She looked up at him with a falsely innocent smile.
"Arnbjorn and I want to take you somewhere before you head off to kill the Emperor." She replied. They wandered towards the makeshift forge and found the werewolf sharpening his axe.
"Hey fuzzy, what's this about you and Babette taking me someplace?" Sephiroth questioned and crossed his arms. The blonde nord turned around and placed his battleaxe on his back before he walked up to them.
"Well, the little bloodsucker and I thought we'd take you for a celebratory drink in Riften." He replied and Babette nodded.
"Good luck doing that. I'm banned from Black Briar's and the Bee and Barb. The only place I can go is the Ragged Flagon." Sephiroth said with a shrug.
"What? The Thieves Guild like you?" Babette asked with curiosity.
"They didn't mind me being there." He replied. The vampire and the werewolf gave each other a slight smile and then looked at Sephiroth again.
"Well alright then! Let's go!" Babette exclaimed and marched towards the door with Sephiroth and Arnbjorn in tow behind her.

"Can you please tell me why you dragged me here?" Sephiroth asked as they wandered into Riften. The werewolf felt rather uncomfortable being around the extreme poverty of the Rift capital. Sephiroth noticed that Babette's nose crinkled as the putrid stench of the poor city penetrated her nostrils. Arnbjorn noticed her reaction and laughed.
"Haven't been here in a while, have you?" He questioned.
"Yeah. I forgot what a dump this place is." She answered and waved her hand in front of her nose.
"Why did you drag me here?" Sephiroth repeated impatiently. The vampire and the werewolf gave each other a knowing glance out of the corner of their eyes at each other whilst the angel stared at them in confusion.
"We're here to introduce you to somebody." The nord replied. The breton's eyes lit up as she spotted the brown robed man speaking with a blonde woman, also in brown robes outside the temple.
"Found him." She mused and jogged towards the priest.
"Come on. We need to introduce you to someone." Arnbjorn said and led Sephiroth towards the redguard man.

"Good afternoon, my children. What can I do for you?" Maramal asked and the two assassins smirked at the oblivious Listener. The priestess noticed Sephiroth and adjusted her hood. The assassin noticed her familiar kind, light blue eyes before the shadows overtook her face.
"I don't understand why you're taking me to see a priest..." He said.
"Our friend here doesn't know about how nordic courtship works. Would you be so kind as to enlighten him?" Babette questioned in reply and patted his forearm. It clicked in Sephiroth's mind why they had planned to take him to Riften in the first place. He glared at them both as they moved off towards the stone wall framing the temple's entrance.
"Certainly. The people here are almost as hardy and ernest as the land itself. But with life being so busy and short, they don't have much time for long courtship, especially with the dragons and the civil war making it difficult. So, an amulet of Mara is worn by a person looking for a spouse. If it is noticed, others will try to express interest. If the interest is mutual, one of them needs to come to me and then a marriage can be performed at the temple of Mara behind me." Maramal answered and gestured towards the wooden structure guarded by the two stone walls. The woman beside him clasped her hands in front of her. Sephiroth had seen nobles perform that little movement at Vici's wedding, but he had never seen a priest do that before.
"Could he get married?" Arnbjorn asked.
"Of course. Anyone can. You just need to find that potential spouse and come ask me to perform the ceremony." Maramal replied with a smile.
"Where can he get an amulet of Mara?" Babette inquired. Sephiroth pinched his brow and sighed.
"I don't understand why your friends are so interested in your affairs." Maramal said and crossed his arms.
"Me neither." Sephiroth replied and glared at the smug assassins leaning against the wall.
"You can find them all over Skyrim, but if you desperately need one, you can buy an amulet from me." Maramal said. Arnbjorn and Babette slunk over towards Sephiroth and the werewolf nudged him in the ribs.
"Come on, lamb shank. A wedding by nordic customs isn't that bad, trust me." He said with an assuring smile.
"Sephiroth, please? Just try it. Throw caution to the wind!" Babette exclaimed with a grin. Sephiroth thought about it for a moment and then nodded.
"Alright, may I buy an amulet?" He asked.
"Certainly." The priest replied. Babette moved her shoulders almost as if she was dancing with glee as they made the exchange.
"Enjoy the rest of your day." Maramal said with a nod and turned towards the priestess as the silver haired assassin pocketed the amulet.

"I told you two not to meddle in my affairs." Sephiroth said. The vampire and the werewolf glanced at each other before shrugging.
"You weren't going to do anything by yourself! You needed our intervention." She said and patted his forearm.
"You didn't need to-"
"Yes we did." Arnbjorn interjected. Sephiroth crossed his arms and shook his head.
"Come on, sour-puss. Let's take you to find Lightning." She said with grin.
"She'd be in Windhelm most likely." Sephiroth replied.
"Then let's go." The werewolf mused and they went to drag him out of the putrid cesspool of a city. He stopped and looked back at the woman in brown as she moved her hood back to its original position.
"Wait a minute. I think I know her." Sephiroth said. The others stopped and turned to see the two priests conversing.
"Do you? I don't remember seeing her last time I was here." Arnbjorn said.
"I do. I saw her come out of the temple as I was going down to the Ratway." Sephiroth replied and wandered over to the woman as Maramal headed towards the temple. The assassin walked over to the priestess and stopped her from following Maramal. She looked down and adjusted her hood again before she raised her head again. Sephiroth found this rather curious, it was almost like she was in hiding.
"Good afternoon." She said with a forced nordic accent coating her voice.
"Do I know you from somewhere?"
"No, you don't know me from anywhere."
"You can drop the fake accent."
"Excuse me?"
"I know that accent is fake. No nord has an accent that thick." He rebutted and crossed his arms. The reguard priest came back to the stone wall and stepped back out onto the wooden pathway. She heard his footsteps and turned around.
"Lady..." Maramal's words faded as the woman shook her head. He cleared his throat as Sephiroth raised an eyebrow.
"My lady, you're needed in the temple." He finished. She walked away from the silver haired man without so much as a backwards glance. The vampire and the werewolf walked up to Sephiroth and they ushered him away from the temple.
"Come on, let's get you to Windhelm." Babette chirped as they led him out of the poor city and towards the centre of the rebellion.

"Hail Bone-Breaker!" Ralof exclaimed as Lightning walked back into the main hall of the Palace of the Kings. She let a smile tug at her lips as she rejoined her two companions. Galmar was still rather exhausted and it was easy to see that by the way he slumped in his chair and yawned continuously. Ralof had checked on him a few times since they came back, just to make sure he hadn't fallen asleep in his soup or in the middle of a meeting. Terra had been taking him special salves to make him sleep, but she was working on some kind of incense to help him get sleep better.
"Hey Light, what's going on between you and Sephiroth?" Terra asked as she linked her fingers together and placed them over her knee. Ralof walked over to Terra and leant back against the table, eager to hear her response.
"I don't know. It's... quite confusing right now." She replied and crossed her arms.
"How so?" Ralof inquired as Terra shifted in her seat, uncrossed her legs and folded her hands on her lap. Lightning shrugged as she huffed in confusion.
"It's just complicated. I don't even know what's going on." She said and sat down next to Terra.
"I'm sure that everything will become clearer soon." The mage said and gave her friend a pat on the back.
"So, is your knight in the black leather coat going to show up soon?" Ralof joked with a nudge. Terra laughed as Lightning shook her head with an amused smile.
"Maybe. We'll see. Terra, how's that incense going?" Lightning questioned. Terra sighed and twiddled her thumbs.
"It's turning out to be more of a scented candle than an incense. I've put some in the barracks as a test and the soldiers have reported that they have been sleeping better. So, the tester has been working well, and there's one that's ready for Galmar." She answered with a nod.
"He'd be pleased to hear that." Ralof added as he looked backwards to find the general's head slowly falling towards the table. Terra pulled the wax candle out of her bag and let the two soldiers admire it. The wax itself was a creamy white with little hints of purple swirling through it.
"What's in it?" Ralof asked as he ran his gloved finger down its side.
"Bee's wax and a mixture of lavender flowers and oils." She replied with a smile.
"I'm sure he'll appreciate your hard work." The rose haired soldier said as Terra stood up and wandered over to him.

"General?"
He immediately jolted upward and turned towards Terra. He rubbed his eyes and yawned.
"Yes?"
"I made you a candle." She replied and presented the candle to him with a smile.
"Why did you... make me a candle?" He questioned with another yawn.
"Those salves aren't working well for you, I can see that. So, I made you this candle to help you relax and sleep better." She answered and placed it down beside his hand.
"Thank you Terra. I appreciate your concern. But only one candle?" He asked.
"I will make more whenever you need it. You only need to use one at a time. Place it in the room close to your bed and light it before you sleep." She replied and gave him a gentle pat on the head before she wandered back to her friends.

The Jarl walked over to his housecarl to find him examining the candle.
"What do you have there Galmar?"
"Terra made me a candle."
"Like the ones she put in the barracks?"
"Yes. The men say it works, so I'm eager to try it." Galmar replied and yawned. Ulfric placed his hand on his friend's shoulder and gave it a pat.
"I know this campaign has taken a lot out of you. So use this time here to rest and catch up on your sleep. I don't want to have you toppling over from exhaustion." He joked with a chuckle.
"If I stay up another night, I think I might." Galmar laughed and rubbed his eyes with a yawn. Ulfric took a seat next to his sleep deprived friend and folded his hands. There was a small period of silence that followed Galmar's yawn.
"You know that she's going to keep pushing an attack on the Thalmor." The general said with a nod towards Lightning.
"I know. It's not actually a bad idea, but the Thalmor have proven themselves to be more of a threat than anyone originally thought. That is the factor that has been plaguing me every time she brings it up." The Jarl replied.
"I've heard that the Emperor is in Skyrim. He's holding a... a feast in Castle Dour soon." Galmar said with a yawn.
"And of course, Thalmor ambassadors will be there. Yes... that could work." Ulfric muttered and tapped the table in thought.
"Galmar, you head on up to bed. I'll inform her of her next task." He said and gave his friend a pat on the shoulder as he stood up. The weary general merely nodded in reply, picked up the candle and trudged up towards his bed. Ralof straightened and Terra folded her hands in front of her as the Jarl approached the trio.
"Bone-Breaker." He said and she turned abruptly to face him.
"Yes, my Jarl?" Lightning questioned with a salute.
"I have a new task for you. The Emperor is holding a feast in Castle Dour soon. I expect that some Thalmor ambassadors will be present. I want you to infiltrate the Castle and eliminate them." Ulfric commanded. Ralof smiled and Terra exclaimed a quiet little; "Yes!"
"Consider it done." Lightning replied with a nod.
"Good. Talos guide you." He said and wandered back to his stone throne.

"Put the amulet on." Babette instructed and poked Sephiroth in the stomach as the three assassins wandered through the stone city covered in a blanket of white.
"I don't see why I have to do this." Sephiroth replied with a small frown.
"Come on tidbit, it's not that bad. Whatever happened to that fearsome angel of death, hunh?" Arnbjorn mused with a wolfish grin spread across his face. Sephiroth sighed and pulled out the amulet of Mara and held it in his hand as they approached the Palace of the Kings. The little vampire noticed that the necklace was still in his hands. She crossed her arms and tapped her foot impatiently.
"Aren't you going to put it on?" She asked and raised her eyebrow.
"Fine. I'll put it on, but I don't know what you two expect to happen." He replied and put on the amulet. Arnbjorn chuckled as Sephiroth fixed his hair so that the metal touched his neck instead of getting tangled in his long silvery tresses.
"Have enough hair there, princess?" She joked.
"Why? Are you jealous?" He replied with a grin. She pouted and Arnbjorn laughed and nudged him with his elbow.
"I think she is." He laughed. She rolled her eyes at the werewolf and the one-winged angel and she gestured towards the door.
"Come on you two, let's see what happens next." She said. Sephiroth pushed open the door and the others followed him into the main hall.

Terra turned around as she heard the creak of one of the large iron doors behind her and she whacked Ralof on the arm. He turned around and saw Sephiroth wander in with Babette and Arnbjorn trailing behind him. They didn't pay attention on the other assassins that walked with him, they had their eyes fixated on the amulet around his neck.
"An amulet of Mara." Ralof uttered with a grin. Terra smiled and wigged her shoulders in a tuneless dance. Lightning crossed her arms and shifted her weight to her left leg as he approached.
"Ralof, Terra, these are Sephiroth's colleagues, Babette and Arnbjorn." Lightning said and gestured to each person in order. The vampire and the werewolf walked towards the esperkin and the soldier and stood beside them. The four of them watched and waited to see if anything happened.
"I've been meaning to catch up with you. I need a favour." Lightning whispered.
"Finally figured out how I can repay you?" He asked and she gave him a small nod in reply.
"Good. Come on, let's talk about it over a mug of mead." He continued and ushered her towards Candlehearth Hall. Babette and Arnbjorn both huffed with disappointment as they walked out.
"We better follow them." The little vampire announced.
"To see if she 'notices' the amulet?" Ralof questioned.
"That was the plan." Arnbjorn answered with a shrug.
"You think there's something going on between them?" Terra inquired.
"Absolutely." Babette replied with a wink.
"That's funny. We do too." The soldier added and crossed his arms.
"Shall we follow them?" The breton girl asked and gestured towards the door with a sly smirk painted on her lips. Terra grinned and wandered over towards Babette.
"We shall." She replied and they both waved to their male accomplices and they all made their way over to the inn.

Sephiroth and Lightning sat in the corner of the second floor of the inn. They each had a mug of mead and their backs were facing the rest of the patrons who had gathered around the crackling hearth.
"So, what's this favour you wanted to ask me about it?" Sephiroth asked.
"I've been tasked to assassinate the Thalmor ambassadors who will attend the Emperor's feast in Solitude. I need your help to get in." She replied. He smirked as he brought his mug to his lips, drank some of his mead before he placed it down on the table again.
"What a coincidence, I'm going there to poison the Emperor. I'm sure I can get you in. But, we'll need a disguise."
"Easy. I have a friend who is the master of disguise. He can help us... if I can get into contact with him, that is."
"Well, then we'll kill the Emperor and his Thalmor friends."
"To the demise of our targets." She said and raised her tankard.
"To the demise of our targets." He echoed and they tapped the tankards together before they took a sip and placed them down again. Babette, Terra, Arnbjorn and Ralof wandered in and sat down at the table beside them. They all tried to stay close enough to hear what they were saying.

Lightning picked up the tankard and swirled the drink around as she glanced at the amulet and took another sip of mead.
"You don't strike me as the type who would settle down." She said and prodded one of the stones with a slightly sideward smile. He let out a little amused breath as she sat back into her chair.
"It wasn't exactly my idea, but I guess I began to like it. I suppose it wouldn't be bad to have someone I know I trust beside me." He replied with a shrug.
"Does this have anything to do with what happened in Markarth?" She questioned.
"Markarth?" Terra mouthed in confusion. Babette and Ralof shrugged at her question. Arnbjorn brought his finger to his lips to tell her to be quiet and pointed towards them, indicating that he didn't want to miss out on any information. Sephiroth closed his eyes and let out a little laugh before he folded his hands around the tankard.
"No... Well, yes, but I can't help feeling like this has been a long time coming." He answered and drank some mead.
"How so?" She inquired and cupped her hands around the tankard. The four eavesdroppers leaned in close as she moved her chair closer.
"When we fought that dragon outside Whiterun and you decapitated it, you impressed me. Even with a singed cape and blood over your face, I couldn't help but to be a little... interested in you." He replied and Lightning looked down at her drink to try and hide the slight embarrassment that rushed up to her cheeks.
"Told you so." Babette mused quietly and nudged a grinning Arnbjorn. After a few seconds of swirling her drink and staring at it to hide the flush that made her cheeks glow. She looked up after the heat in her cheeks faded.
"I think that the moment when you began to catch my interest was when I saw you in the Bannered Mare mumbling about this letter you received. You weren't the calculated and cruel swordsman I encountered during the war of the gods. I don't know if it was the alcohol or your frustration with that letter, but some of the things you said lingered in my mind. And then there was that crazy trust exercise with the dragon and I think that's where it really started." She confessed with a little shrug. Ralof and Arnbjorn shifted in their seats as Lightning's attention focused back on the amulet.
"I still can't believe you came here wearing an amulet of Mara." She said with a shake of her head.
"Are you interested in me?" He asked.
"I won't lie, I would be glad to stand beside you until the Divines take us, if you'll let me." She inquired in reply as he placed his hands on her waist. She looked down at his hands with a raised eyebrow and a smirk.
"I will stand by you even if Cosmos and Chaos drag us back." He replied and leaned towards her.
"Then it's settled, you and me, together." She announced.
She felt his breath touch her lips as she began to lean in towards him and ran her fingers through his hair.
"You and me, together." He echoed with a whisper and pressed his lips up against hers. Her fingers lightly brushed his cheek as he gently pulled her closer. Terra beamed with delight and almost cheered as she shook Ralof's arm so violently that he feared it would fall off. The vampire almost danced in her seat and swatted the werewolf's hand away as he jokingly tried to block her eyes. Ralof averted his eyes as the kiss lasted a few more moments than he was comfortable witnessing. Their lips parted and they both exchanged a small smile before Sephiroth shifted in his seat and Lightning unclasped the amulet and placed it down on the table.
"So... what now?" Lightning asked and picked up her tankard.
"We go to Riften to get married, I guess. But for now," he said and picked up his tankard and raised it with a smile, "we'll finish our mead."

The four eavesdroppers snuck out of the inn and wandered over to the doors of the stone palace where the only people around were the two guards that stood by the entrance.
"That went better than expected." Arnbjorn told Babette with a chuckle.
"So, what now?" Ralof questioned and crossed his arms. The little vampire stood before them with a mischievous grin stretched across her face.
"Arnbjorn, you're taking me to Riften and then going to get the Family." She instructed and he nodded. She turned to the two Stormcloaks and pointed at the air between them.
"You two are in charge of taking a few of her fellow soldiers to Riften."
"We'll do it first thing tomorrow. I'd feel bad if I had to wake Galmar up." Terra replied with a shrug.
"That's fine. Just get them there as soon as possible. We don't want them to miss it!" Babette exclaimed and gripped Arnbjorn's wrist. She dragged him down past Candlehearth Hall and out of Windhelm. Terra and Ralof wandered inside the Palace of the Kings and he headed off towards the barracks whilst she walked up towards the wizard's quarters.

Babette turned her nose up in disgust as she spotted a rotting skeever carcass lying in her way. She pulled a displeased facial expression as the stench reached her nostrils.
"This place is disgusting." She muttered and lifted her skirts and stepped over the body before she continued towards the main area of the Ragged Flagon. She spotted Delvin sitting at a table drinking from a tankard. The little vampire grabbed hold of a nearby chair and dragged it towards him. She placed the chair next to his and sat down with a little smile touching her lips.
"Delvin, it's good to see you again. How you live in this cesspool is beyond me." She said as she folded her hands in her lap. He placed his tankard down and sat up straight with a little smile of amusement.
"Babette. It's good to see ya. What can I do for ya?" He asked and crossed his arms.
"I need you to get me something in a few days. Think you can do it?"
He raised his eyebrow in interest.
"What do ya have in mind?"
"A wedding dress."
"A weddin' dress?"
"Yes, a wedding dress."
"I won't go pokin' my nose into your business, but..."
"Well, you can because you're invited to the wedding. How could we not invite you? You're almost one of our own."
"If ya don't mind me askin', who's gettin' married?"
"Sephiroth, I'm sure you know him. He's been down here before to see you."
"Ahh, him. Yes, I know him. Well, I'm sure we can do somethin' for ya."
"Good." Babette said with a grin and pulled out two pouches, put them before her and placed her elbows on the table, which looked rather uncomfortable for her considering how much smaller she was compared to it.
"This one is for the dress and its transport," she said and pushed forward the bigger bag of the two, "and this one is for the inconvenience of it being last minute."
"I can get it for ya in a few days. No problem." He replied and picked up the two bags before he stood up.
"Pleasure doing business with you." Babette mused.
"See ya soon." He replied and headed off towards their fence, Tonilla as the little vampire left the Ragged Flagon, watching her step as she wandered out.

After a few days on the road, they arrived at Riften. Lightning and Sephiroth wandered into the temple of Mara. The scent of lavender, snowberries, and nirnroot assaulted their nostrils as she closed the door. The hooded blonde woman noticed them walk in and headed down towards the basement. They barely noticed them as Maramal looked up from behind the altar. He smiled and walked up to Sephiroth slowly and reverently.
"Hello my child, it's good to see you again so soon," he said with a small bow and then turned to Lightning, "ah, is this your fiancé?"
"Yes and we'd like to get married." Sephiroth replied and took Lightning's hand. She looked up at him and smiled slightly.
"That's wonderful! It's always warming to see love blossom, especially in these troubled times! I can perform the ceremony for you at dusk tonight. And congratulations on your wedding." Maramal said and wandered back behind the altar to talk with his fellow priests and two of them walked down to the lower levels to meet with the woman who went downstairs.

"What do we do now?" Lightning asked.
"Wait around, I guess." Sephiroth replied.
"Do you want to go to the Bee and Barb?"
"I can't. I'm banned from there and the Black Briar meadery thanks to Kefka."
Lightning let go of his hand and crossed her arms in intrigue.
"Tell me how that happened?"
"Well, we drank too much at the meadery and we got into a brawl and we were kicked out. Then we went to the Bee and Barb and were kicked out of there too. I then passed out on the planks around the front of the orphanage and Kefka slept on the roof."
"Seems like I'm not the only one who does stupid things whilst heavily intoxicated."
"At least I didn't marry a hagraven."
"We weren't actually married. We were engaged. And I'm glad I didn't go back drunk because that would've been a really big mistake." Lightning replied with a small grimace as she remembered what the hagraven said to her after she returned to get Ysolda's ring back. Sephiroth laughed and she gently nudged him in the ribs.
"Do you want to go down to the Ragged Flagon?" He questioned.
"Where's that?"
"Down in the Ratway."
"No thanks."
"It's not that bad. You just have to watch your step."
"But who in their right mind would go down to a tavern in the Ratway?"
"Fine, I guess we'll do nothing." Sephiroth said and crossed his arms.
"Or, you can go and get that boot and that coat fixed." She replied and raised an eyebrow.
"Or, maybe you can get yourself some proper armour." He rebutted with a slight smirk.
"Says the man who doesn't have proper armour either." She remarked and prodded his stomach.
"Alright, let's go then." Sephiroth replied and they left the temple.

He held the door open for her and they headed down to the marketplace.
"Do you know who to go to?" She asked.
"I'll ask Grelka, she usually deals with leather armour so I'll ask her about repairs." He replied.
"I'm heading over to the Bee and Barb. Is there anything you'd like?" She questioned.
"I'm fine with meat and vegetables, if that's okay." He answered.
"Alright, off you go." She said and he wandered off towards the stall as she headed over to the inn. Sephiroth approached the assertive merchant and she placed both elbows on the wooden stall and leaned forward.
"What are you looking for?" She asked.
"Would you know of anybody who does leather repairs?" He inquired.
"It depends on what you're asking for."
"Boot and coat."
She hummed with thought and stood up straight.
"The boot I can repair myself. I don't think coats can be repaired as easily, even by a professional."
"How much would it be to have my boot repaired?"
"20 septims."
"Done." He replied with a nod.

Lightning walked into the Bee and Barb and noticed that it was rather empty. Keerava stood behind the bar and cleaned a tankard as Lightning approached her.
"Good evening, what can I get for you?" She asked and placed the metal mug on the bar.
"Some grilled leeks and two venison chops, please." Lightning replied. The argonian innkeeper and the rose haired woman exchanged food and gold before Keerava bid her farewell and went back to cleaning tankards. Just as Lightning began to leave the inn, Ralof, Terra and Galmar wandered in with a few Stormcloak soldiers trailing behind them. The esperkin saw the l'Cie and smiled at her.
"What are you doing here?" Lightning asked. Ralof and Terra let a nervous smile touch their lips as Lightning crossed her arms.
"We're here for your wedding." One of the soldiers replied. She glared at her friends as they shuffled in their spots.
"In our defence, it was Babette's idea." Ralof announced.
"Of course it was." Lightning replied with a nod.
"Terra tells me that your fiancé is quite the accomplished warrior." Galmar said.
"He is. I'm pretty sure that he could take down Chaos with ease." Terra said with a nod.
"I have no doubt in my mind that he couldn't." Lightning added.
"So, where is he?" Galmar asked.
"Getting his boot fixed." She replied and shifted her weight onto her leg.
"Come on, I'll go introduce you to him." Lightning said after a few seconds of silence and led the group of Stormcloaks out of the inn and towards the marketplace.

Sephiroth paid Grelka for her services and put his boot back on. He noticed Lightning and wandered towards her. As he got closer, he realised that she had company. He recognised Ralof and Terra out of the crowd behind her, but that was where the extent of his knowledge of her comrades ended.
"Is this him?" The general asked.
"Yes. General Galmar, this is Sephiroth." Lightning replied. Sephiroth noticed Galmar's eyes studying him.
"He doesn't look like much." The general stated. The rose haired woman glanced at the silver haired man and noticed the dangerous glint in his glowing eyes and half expected him to challenge him to a duel.
"Believe me, appearances do deceive." The assassin replied calmly.
"That they do." Babette chirped from behind him. Terra's eyes widened in surprise as Ralof jolted a little.
"And who's this?" Galmar asked.
"This is Babette, one of Sephiroth's colleagues." Lightning replied and stood next to Sephiroth as Babette slowly wandered over towards Galmar.
"What? You work with a child?" The general chuckled with disbelief. She crossed her arms and pouted.
"In appearance, perhaps. But I am much older than you and more experienced as well." She announced and shifted most of her weight onto one leg. Galmar raised an eyebrow at her and she rolled her eyes in annoyance.
"Her eyes may offer you a hint as to why." Sephiroth said as Lightning handed him a chop and half of the leeks. The nord leant down and gazed into her golden eyes and cleared his throat as he stood up.
"Yes, that makes sense." He replied. She stood up straight again and uncrossed her arms before placing her hands together in front of her and batting her eyes naively.
"Not so sweet and innocent now, am I?" She joked with a smirk. Before an awestruck Galmar could stop rubbing his neck and open his mouth, she ceased smirking and crossed her arms.
"Ah, the Family are here." She announced and glanced at Sephiroth. Terra, Ralof, Lightning and Sephiroth turned towards the group of assassins that approached.

"Astrid, what are you and the others doing here?" Sephiroth questioned.
"Arnbjorn told us that you're getting married." She answered with a shrug.
"I suppose I have to introduce you all. This is Astrid our matron, you know Arnbjorn and Babette, this is Nazir, Festus, Gabriella and Veezara. Everyone, this is Lightning, my fiancé." He said and gestured to each person as he mentioned their name. Astrid crossed her arms and slowly walked forward to study the pink haired Stormcloak. Her eyes darted towards Sephiroth and he gave her a small nod of assurance.
"She's a very capable warrior." Ralof remarked.
"And you are?" She questioned.
"This is General Galmar, our battlemage Terra and this is Ralof." Lightning answered and each of the mentioned people nodded as they were introduced.
"Shall we gather in the temple?" Babette asked and gestured towards the hidden wooden structure.
"Yes, let's continue this conversation in the temple." Terra replied and the two of them led the small crowd into the temple.

Terra, Babette, Ralof and Arnbjorn sat together in the first row and began to chat. Veezara, Festus and Gabriella began to converse with the other Stormcloaks. Lightning and Sephiroth stood to the side as Galmar and Astrid began to inquire about the opposite halves of the couple.
"My husband and Babette speak very highly of Lightning. I hope she is as skilled as they claim she is. Sephiroth is quickly becoming one of the most valuable members of our Family and I want to make sure that she is a good match for him." Astrid said with crossed arms.
"She truly is one of our best, you can trust me when I say that. She's progressing through the ranks fairly quickly. Lightning and Terra have also spoken highly of Sephiroth. They say that he is an extremely formidable warrior."
"He is. He's also quite intelligent and cunning. He has only been sighted by guards once and has never been caught."
"What do you do that involves evading guards?" Galmar questioned with a raised eyebrow.
"We're the Dark Brotherhood." Astrid announced and Galmar found it hard to put his surprise into words.
"Oh. That- I didn't expect that." He said with an unsure smile. Lightning and Sephiroth glanced at each other with a hint of amusement. Astrid chuckled as she studied the general's face. One of the doors opened and a breton in brown rags wandered into the temple. As soon as he saw Lightning, he wandered over with a grin on his face.
"Ah, my champion! I didn't know you were getting married!" He exclaimed and patted her on the head. She grimaced and fixed her hair as he crossed his arms.
"So, who's the lucky one?" He asked.
"Sam, this is Sephiroth. Sephiroth, Sam is my friend who is the master of disguise. Speaking of disguises, do you think you could meet us in Solitude? We need your help with a disguise." Lightning replied.
"What for?" He questioned.
"We're going to kill people at the Emperor's feast and we can't get in looking like we usually do." Sephiroth answered.
"Sounds good to me. But for now, I'm going to watch the ceremony." Sam announced and took a seat beside Ralof and introduced himself to the vampire and the werewolf.
"That was easier than I thought." She said and nudged Sephiroth in the ribs gently.
"I'm intrigued to see what he comes up with." He replied. The door opened yet again and Babette jumped up and hurried to the door as she noticed it was Delvin who had walked in.
"Delvin, good to see you. Do you have what I asked for?"
"Oh yes. I have it here." He replied and gave the satchel that sat on his hip a tap. He pulled it off of his body and handed it to her. She took it with a smile.
"Thanks for getting it on such short notice."
"That extra tip sweetened the deal. Now if ya excuse me, I need to catch up with Astrid." The thief said and walked over towards the Stormcloak General and the Dark Brotherhood Matron. Babette walked back towards the other four sitting on the pews.
"Terra." The green haired girl turned as she heard her name.
"Yeah?" She asked. Babette lifted up the satchel and Terra excused herself from the conversation between the males and walked over to the little breton girl.
"What's in the bag?" Terra questioned and Babette grinned mischievously.
"You'll see. Just help me get Lightning to the Bee and Barb." She answered and the two of them wandered over towards the pink haired soldier.
"Sephiroth, mind if we steal your fiancé for a little while?" Babette asked and smiled at him with a very authentic innocence about it. It was no wonder to him why people didn't take her seriously as an assassin when she was that good at acting the sweet and harmless little girl. As genuine as it seemed, Sephiroth saw through it and crossed his arms.
"You'd have to ask her." He replied.
"Why?" The rose haired woman asked.
"Because we want to take you out for a quick celebratory sweetroll." Terra replied with a smile. Lightning had a feeling that those two were up to something, but she decided to go along with it.
"That sounds good. I'll go with them." Lightning said.
"And Sephiroth, either fix that coat or put on another one." Babette said and the two women took the soldier to the inn.

Once they were inside, Babette rented a room from Keerava and the argonian maid led them up to the room and left to go tend the bar again. The little vampire placed the satchel on the bed and went out to usher the two Stormcloak women into the room.
"What's this all about Babette?" Lightning asked.
"Just a little surprise I put together for the wedding." She replied and laid the dress out on the bed. The green haired mage wandered into the room and laid eyes on the dress. Babette smiled when she saw Terra's eyes light up when she saw it. The mage ran her hands down the ivory silk and traced her fingers around the delicate golden embroidery that wound its way around the neckline and the skirt. It also consisted of a white vest decorated with the same golden detailing on its front and it laced up at the back. It was simple, but elegant.
"It's so pretty..." She uttered with an excited smile.
"Go bring her in." The little vampire whispered. Terra walked out to find Lightning leaning against the wall with her arms crossed.
"Come in. Babette has something for you." The mage said and the soldier followed her in. The little breton vampire stood away from the bed and stood beside Terra.
"What do you think?" Terra questioned as she fidgeted with her fingers. Lightning studied it carefully, she noticed that the golden designs depicted some of the carvings and sculptures that she remembered seeing in Korvanjund.
"It's beautiful... How did you get it?" She asked in reply.
"That doesn't concern you. Put it on." Babette instructed as she ushered Terra out of the room. It wasn't long before Lightning had called them back in to help her lace up the vest. Terra took hold of the two laces and stood there for a while, trying to figure out how they were meant to be threaded and tied. Babette rolled her eyes and moved a chair into the centre of the room.
"Sit, I'll do it for you." Babette said and Lightning sat down on the side so that the back of the chair didn't hinder the vampire's nimble fingers. Terra watched in awe as Babette quickly threaded the vest, pulled it tight and tied it into a tight bow at the top. The rose haired woman stood up and Terra put the chair back into its original position. Terra walked towards Babette and stood beside her. They smiled as she turned around and looked down at the dress.
"It fits well." Lightning commented.
"It's perfect." Terra said.
"Let's go. I can't wait to see the look on their faces when they see this." Babette said and put Lightning's stuff into the satchel before she slung it over her shoulder. As soon as they reached the exit of the inn, Terra helped Lightning keep the hem of the dress off of the ground as Babette instructed them to, she didn't want the bottom of the dress getting dirty before anyone got to see it.

Once they entered the temple, Terra and Babette straightened out the dress and headed over to join the others. The vampire gave the bag to the mage as she took a seat next to the werewolf. The hooded woman who stood next to the brazier at the doors saw her and smiled. Babette looked over at Sephiroth and was pleased that he had indeed put on another coat.
"Ah, here's the blushing bride now. We are ready to begin." Maramal said and stood behind the alter as Lightning went to take her place beside Sephiroth. Babette noticed a tiny twinkle in his eyes as he glanced down towards the woman beside him. The priest cleared his throat and raised his arms up towards the ceiling.
"It was Mara that first gave birth to all creation and pledged to watch over us as her children. It is from her love of us that we first learned to love one another. It is from this love that a life lived alone is no life at all. We gather here today, under Mara's loving gaze, to bear witness to the union of two souls in eternal companionship. May they journey forth together in this life and the next, in prosperity and poverty, and in joy and hardship." Maramal said and placed his arms down before him and clasped his hands together. He turned towards Sephiroth with a small nod and asked, "Do you agree to be bound together, in love, now and forever?"
"I do. Now and forever." Sephiroth replied. The priest then turned to Lightning and asked, "Do you agree to be bound together, in love, now and forever?"
"I do. Now and forever." She replied.
"Under the authority of Mara, the Divine of Love, I declare this couple to be wed. I present you two with these matching rings, blessed by Mara's divine grace. May they protect each of you in your new life together." Maramal said and he gave two simple golden bands to the silver haired man. He took her hand and threaded a ring onto her finger. She removed his glove and she did the same to him before he placed his glove back on.

Astrid bid farewell to Delvin and Galmar as Arnbjorn helped her round up the members of the brotherhood. She approached Sephiroth with a grinning Babette and Arnbjorn behind her.
"Congratulations on your wedding and good luck with your task." Astrid said.
"Thank you, I will not fail you." Sephiroth replied and the Dark Brotherhood left and headed back towards the sanctuary. Delvin headed down towards the Ragged Flagon as the Stormcloaks gathered together and walked over to the newlyweds.
"Congratulations, Light. We look forward to seeing you two once you've finished that business you need to complete." The general said.
"Thanks and you know that I will get it done." She replied with a salute. Terra gave Lightning the satchel with her stuff in it and with that, the Stormcloaks headed back towards Windhelm.
"I'll meet you two outside Castle Dour. And congratulations!" Sam exclaimed and left with a wave. An air of quiescence fell over them as the door closed. Their eyes connected for a moment before Lightning began to study the temple. When she looked back at Sephiroth, she noticed that he was staring at her with a small smile.
"Why are you staring?" She asked.
"Because you're... you're beautiful." He replied and moved a few strands of her hair away from her bright blue eyes. Her cheeks glowed as she smiled a little.
"Thank you." She said and shifted her feet in embarrassment.
"So, we're married now. I guess that means we're permanent allies now, right?
"Right. That means no defecting to the other side, Sephiroth."
"I wasn't planning to. I prefer working alone to working with the other Chaos warriors."
"Good. Now come on, we better head to Solitude." Lightning said.
"You're not going in that dress are you?" He asked.
"No. You'll have to wait for me outside the Bee and Barb." She replied.
"Alright, let's get ready to leave." He said and they left the temple. It wasn't long before Lightning had gone into the inn, changed and come back out again.
"Ready?" She asked. He crossed his arms and smirked.
"Let's go kill some dinner guests." He replied and they made their way to Solitude.