A/N: I don't know if I emphasized this enough in previous chapters, but Margot tends to have delayed reactions to many things. This was planned to some extent.

Disclaimer: I don't own Oblivion.

When I awoke I was aching all over. It was morning, and many of the worshippers were returning, finding the comfort to leave only in darkness. I had been like that once.

I had been a lot of things once.

I knew the trolls had hit me, and bruises covered my arms and back. My knees couldn't hold for long, even when I managed to stand.

Sometimes you can stave off reality for just a little while. Yes, I remained numb.

And I occupied my mind with thievery.

The worshippers, whether they remembered me or not, knew me as the holder of the Skeleton Key. I had the favor of Nocturnal with me at all times. They asked me questions when I was awake. I answered them without thinking too deeply. I didn't want to think deeply.

"How did you avoid getting caught?"

"Shadows and silence."

"Did you ever kill anyone on raids?"

"No."

"So the Skeleton Key really works?"

"Yes."

"Is it true you broke into the castle?"

"Many times, yes."

"Have you ever been caught by a guard?"

"…please go."

I spent the day there, drinking the restoration potions they offered and insisting all gifts go to the Shrine. I feigned sleep for a considerable amount of time as darkness approached.

"When did you last use the Skeleton Key?"

I opened my eyes to find the dim sun disappear beyond the horizon. One moment I was dozing and the next wide awake.

I sat up, finding less effort was needed after a day of resting and potions, and turned to see a woman in a cloak sitting on the ground next to my bedroll. Her hair flowed out of the hood, black as night, and her face was shadowed.

"Truthfully, it has been months, maybe a year, but I never stopped carrying it." I answered.

"And when did you stop being a thief?"

"That has been… a lifetime ago." I paused, "Do you think I've lost Nocturnal's favor?"

She smiled, "No. You remain unknown, and that is what's important. You have been to the darkest corners, have you not?"

I forced myself out of those thoughts, "Yes. I have been many places."

"Perhaps it's time you returned."

I gave a bitter smile, eyes downcast. "Perhaps… I might as well. Maybe I'm supposed to."

"And who decides that?"

I paused, "I'm beginning to think there's something else out there. Stronger than the Divines and Daedra, and the gods of old. Something at the beginning." I sighed, "I haven't thought about it much, though it still makes sense."

"I am not here to discuss beliefs. That is a sign I should go." She smirked, "You would make a good thief." And then she swept her cloak around her, turning and walking into the forest.

I stayed for another day, but left the very next morning. This place was familiar, but the people were not. I had forgotten their faces, and it felt odd for them to know me without me knowing them. It was superficial to stay and be treated that way.

It was only after I dug through my pack around midday, that I realized my nightshade was missing.

It seemed wrong for things to go back to normal, but I found history repeating itself as I traveled aimlessly along the river.

I met a ghost as night fell. He stood on the shore, looking so very mournful. I tried to run, but I heard him crying and whispering, his back to me.

If I were to die, let it be while taking pity.

I rode up in front of him, a good distance away. He looked up, and our eyes met.

"Help me."

I can't help anyone. I pointed across the river. "Bravil. They can help."

He held up a hand in parting, and I mimicked the gesture, turning to ride on into the night. I could camp somewhere else.

And indeed there was a small alcove up ahead by the water, devoid of annoying mudcrabs and crying ghosts.

I lay my cloak on the ground, having never taken it from my pack. I ate some grapes idly, watching the stars. I still remembered much of my studies, naming the patterns and committing a few to memory so I could find their names later.

I fell asleep at some point, though I don't remember it.

The next day I had another strange occurrence with the dead.

And the living, for that matter.

I crossed a hill and suddenly spotted a chapel, though it looked rather unkempt. I thought nothing of it, assuming it was abandoned.

Then I donned Fin Gleam, just to make sure.

A necromancer was standing in the shadows, and met my eye.

He banged on the wall, holding his hand up. "Someone's here!"

I recognized the way he held his hand, to cast a spell, quickly urged Black into a gallop, seeing more pink flare up in my vision. I faced forward. Someone yelled, and I heard moaning. Lots of moaning.

I was through the trees and out of sight before they could muster an attack. I realized I must have been halfway to the Imperial City by then. I threw on my cloak just in case, though I slowed Black so he wouldn't tire.

Of everyone who could take up residence in a chapel, it had to be necromancers.

I bet they wanted people to assume it was safe. Such a cruel practice, enslaving those you kill. Later I would note the parallel, how dead seem to control the living. That wasn't until later, though.

I still couldn't think about the dead for very long at that point.

Before any of that could happen, I saw Claudia again.

I believe in deity for those sorts of occurrences.

A few hours after I spotted the necromancers, I came upon a group of mages on horseback.

The one leading them had bright red hair and a smiling face.

"Claudia!" I exclaimed, more enthusiasm in my voice than there had been in a while. It still fell flat, but it was something.

She turned sharply, "Margot!"

We both dismounted, hugging in greeting.

"How have you been?" I asked quickly.

She smiled broader, "Wonderful. And you?"

I was getting good at not thinking about things. "Ah… I'm surviving. How are things with Martin?"

"Much better! I do worry about him though… But he is finally acknowledging me along with the crisis going on."

"That's good. What did you do, give him some Daedric Lava Whiskey?"

She laughed, "No no, not yet. I should though, that could be entertaining." She stage-whispered, holding a hand up, "He's a lightweight."

I almost had a real smile. "So could possibly take you from such an opportunity?"

Her face darkened, "Hunting necromancers."

Yes, there is deity.

"There's a chapel," I pointed, "Filled to the brim with them. I was just running from them, actually."

Her brow furrowed, "Really?" She smiled, "What a coincidence!" She paused. "You know, someday I hope to lift the ban."

A shocked look crossed my face, but she held up a hand.

"Necromancy wasn't wrong to begin with; studying living anatomy without hurting anyone. It's the ones that rebel with thralls and victims as soldiers that are wrong, and the threat should be taken care of before I will allow it back in my guild."

"I see you've thought about this a lot."

She sighed, "I've had to think about a lot of things. We all do, eventually."

I departed soon after, saying I would write to her.

She stopped me as I mounted Black.

"Promise me this time, Margot." Her face was worried.

"I promise."

"I worry about you too, you know."

I stepped down and hugged her, "Thank you."

"Find a place to stay. I won't ask you to promise me that, but please try." She said.

I nodded, "I will."

I don't know why I didn't change my direction when I saw the White-Gold Tower rising in the distance. I guess I was just tired and wanted a bit of nostalgia. I was already suppressing so much, why not a little more?

I felt awkward as I came closer to the city, realizing just how much could have changed in my time away. How long had it been? I couldn't imagine that lifetimes ago could have been so short, or that years could have been so long.

I left Black at the stables closest to the Waterfront, and then slipped around to camp on the bank. Guards still didn't patrol in parts of it, and I knew which parts.

I settled down in a corner, knowing I couldn't get caught there. There was no angle where you could see one little shadowed form on the bank, and I planned to be up long before dawn. The guards I had passed paid me no mind, but then again I had changed a lot since they last saw me. My hair had grown back a bit, so I was unsure of the best name to go by.

I smelled rain, but I couldn't tell if it was coming or had just passed.

It takes a lot of energy to avoid your own thoughts and memories.

And my mind was so very tired.

I reached down and pulled some flowers from beside the pond. I made a note to look them up in my books, because I didn't remember ever seeing them before. There were a few in the water, but I didn't want to wade in my leather armor.

I turned and walked back toward the warehouse, flowers clutched in my hands. I didn't have my pack, so I'd have to find it again. I walked into the stuffy warehouse...

The guildhall was almost empty. A few people nodded my way, casting odd glances at the flowers in my hand. I didn't care, not recognizing them anyway.

Then I realized I must have left my pack at the Shrine of Nocturnal. I stepped outside and spotted Claudia.

It tore me up when I realized I still hadn't written to her, but I couldn't sneak away.

"Oh, hello Eduard." She said, smiling brightly. A man I couldn't describe stood beside her.

"You don't have to call me that." I answered.

She laughed, and drew the man away with her.

I walked forward, taking steps toward the Shrine.

"Don't go there, Eduard." Oreyn said, but I couldn't decide if he was walking with me or if he stood in front of me.

I kept walking anyway. The worshippers stared at me blankly, even the priest. I was sure I knew them, yet they did not know me. I reached the Shrine and looked up at Nocturnal's face.

Fire split the sky and I ran, ran until I found a cabin. I hid inside and found Viranus standing there.

He smiled, "Eduard! You finally made it."

"You don't have to call me that." I said.

His expression didn't fade. "What else would I call you?"

"You know my name, Viranus." I was becoming frantic. "Call me by my name."

"Eduard, what are you talking about? Come on, drink with me. Mother won't know."

"No, no…" I took a step back, fumbling for the doorknob. "I'm not Eduard. I can't…"

A fell through the open doorway, and broke off into a sprint. I ran past the docks and the huge ships. I dodged the lighthouse and ran past the blurred shapes, and suddenly I was in the city.

The light was dim, but I knew there had to be a place where I could hide.

I spotted a familiar face through the blurring shapes.

Lex.

"Lex."

I ran forward, wrapping my arms around him. His armor was cold, but I didn't care.

"What the—? Margot?"

I nodded.

"Is it really you?"

And then I realized I was awake.