Avari and Sybina stood in the hall of Leyawiin's castle being greeted as guests. Avari watched Sybina as she did her courtly duties, playing her role flawlessly. She never knew the women was so sophisticated. She slowly roamed the entry hall, looking at the large and priceless paintings by men and women that she had never heard of. Too scared to touch anything at all she kept her hands folded behind her back, bending slightly to look at a lovely golden and jeweled vase. As beautiful as it was it seemed so pointless to her and she couldn't help, but raising her eyebrow to it.

"You dress like a lady of a court and yet I question if that is just what you are."

She looked over at the stranger who had stopped beside her, his face turned to look at one of the many giant paintings on the wall. "Excuse me?"

He smirked slightly, turning to face her. "I said you are not playing your role very well."

"I beg your pardon, but what role should I be playing?" She kept her face blank, looking up at the man while she spoke.

"Deculin Vasna." Sybina seemed to sing the name, approaching them from behind and placing her hands on her hips. "I hope you are not harassing my friend here."

"Oh, so this belongs to you?" He turned to look at the woman.

"She belongs to the Countess of Bruma, you'd be wise to treat her as such. Or has your Aunt finally taken your status away from you? I do remember the brawls you use to begin, you have never behaved the way one of your family should."

"It is lovely to see you also, Sybina." He smiled. "Now who is she really?"

"She is a maiden in training. What else would she be, Deculin?"

The man named Deculin looked over at Avari. "For the Countess?"

"Yes, for the Countess." Sybina smiled, looking to Avari who smiled in return.

"I apologize if I have offended." Avari played her part, bowing to the man.

"Just what are you doing here, Deculin, besides harassing my young lady?" Sybina watched Avari walk to her side.

"I was speaking business with an important man. What of yourself?"

"We were visiting a friend not far from here, I thought it would be best to send a gift to the Count."

"And you couldn't leave without making an appearance here at the castle?" He stated it in understanding. It was more than likely the same reason he was standing there with them.

"It would have been rude if we had not."

He nodded his head, glancing over at Avari once more. "And where are you heading from here? Home I would imagine?"

Sybina smiled, tilting her head slightly. "You are quite curious."

"Well, surely you know of the rumors?"

"There are always rumors. It became a bore trying to keep up with them all."

"Even when they are about your own court?"

"Especially when they are about your court. Do you listen to every nasty rumor spreading about your family? Just from our short trip I have heard the Vasna name spoke harshly."

He narrowed his eyes slightly.

Sybina linked her arm with Avari's. "We must cut our conversation short, as thrilling as it is." She bowed with the Nord next to her before turning on heel to leave.

"Lady Sybina?" Deculin called out, waiting until the woman had stopped and turned to face him. "Allow me to escort you back to Bruma, the road in these times is no place to be traveling alone."

"I will have to decline, I am on business for the Count. It is something that I wish not to involve you in, not with all the rumors you see." She smiled, giving Avari a tug of the arm.

Once they were outside the castle and waiting on a bridge, looking over the railing at the slowly moving water below them, Avari spoke. "Who was that man, Sybina?"

"Deculin Vasna. A noble, only by name, with no real claim to anything. He is nothing, but a trouble maker who likes to throw his family's name about like a sword. He causes more trouble for his family than he is worth and is of very little importance to them. Why they have not taken their name from him is beyond me. The man has caused his family to lose a lot of their friends, lucky for them they have more coin and status than they would ever need. It will be many years before someone takes the name Vasna from the pedestal."

"He is that awful?"

"For a noble, yes. Very awful. It is rumored that the only reason his Aunt does not run him out is because of her sorrow for the boy. Deculin's parents were butchered in front of him, in the most horrific way. I know only the rumors, but the rumors probably do not compare to what happen to them. That seems to be the only thing saving him from being just another nameless man in a sea of countless other forgotten faces."

Avari looked over the rail at the water below before turning around to look at the castle behind them. She nudged Sybina with her elbow as the man named Deculin walked quickly towards them.

Sybina groaned, rolling her eyes. "I politely declined the first time Deculin. I will not be so polite this time."

"I did not make my way down here for you, I wished to speak with your companion." He looked to Avari. "I did not catch her name."

"Her name is of no concern to you." Sybina narrowed her eyes, moving slightly in front of Avari.

"I think it is, but I do not need to get it from you. I can simply place my marriage request with the Countess. She is to be a lady of the Countess is she not?"

"I'm not looking to marry." Avari spoke up.

"If you are not looking to marry then why are you coming into the Countess' court?"

"She is there for training, the Countess would not accept a marriage offer for her before she is even fully accepted into the court." Sybina kept her glare on the man.

Deculin ignored her, staring at Avari's eyes. "Either way she will know that I am interested." He finally turned to Sybina, smiling slyly.

"Then you do what you must, but I forbid her from speaking with you without the Countess approving." Sybina tugged Avari's arm, pulling her along.

Once clear of the city Avari laughed softly, drawing the attention of Sybina who raised her eyebrow. "I'm just imagining how angry Miraak would be."

"From what I have heard he has quite the temper."

"More than you could imagine." Avari's smile slowly faded.

"You okay?" Sybina looked over at her.

"I'm fine." Avari forced a smile and looked over at the girl.

"Are you beginning to regret coming here?"

"No, not regretting it."

"But you miss him?"

"I'm beginning to, yes." She sighed.

"When Tenven first began leaving it was hard. I was always worrying if he was safe, where he was, if he was finding trust worthy people." She laughed to herself as she spoke. "He spoke so much of you and your husband that I began to be jealous."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be, he was doing something that he knew had meaning."

"Why did you not come with him?"

"Because I was the only person he really trusted here. If I left he'd be questioning any information he was receiving. With me he knew I'd do my best to send anything of importance to him, along with anything he requested. He wouldn't have to question if I was leading him into something."

"You've been a big help to us all."

Sybina smiled, looking to Avari before her face twisted again as she glanced over her shoulder. "He just does not stop, does he?"

Avari looked over her shoulder, recognizing the man riding quickly towards them. "What should we do?"

"Ignore him."

"What if he follows us?"

"We will deal with that if it comes to it." She lowered her voice, turning her eyes forward to the road.

"Excuse me miss." Deculin rode next to Avari, slowing his horse to match hers. "I still did not get your name."

"Rikld."

"And your family name?" Deculin smiled.

Avari looked to Sybina who sighed loudly. "She was an orphan to the war."

"Ah, I apologize." The man quickly looked away. He spoke once more when they turned onto the road that would lead them to Kvatch. "Are you not heading to Bruma, Lady Sybina?"

"Since you insist on accompanying us, we will just take you to your Aunt and explain to her how you are involving yourself in Court matters."

"Ah, good." He smiled widely, not fazed by Sybina's comment.

They'd rode in silence for sometime, making their way past Kvatch. The sun was just beginning to disappear from the sky, bringing the rise of the dual moons.

Deculin adjusted himself in his saddle. "Should we not stop to make camp?"

"Nonsense, the inn is not far from here." Sybina ignored his complaints.

"If it was an inn you wished for. Why did we not stop in Kvatch?"

"Because I would have been forced to give more greetings and stay longer than I wished to."

The three rode in silence until they had arrived, no one speaking a word till they had paid for their rooms inside of the old, run-down inn. Sybina finally speaking as she pulled Avari with her up the stairs, voice low enough that Avari barely caught what she was saying. "We have to leave as soon as he is gone. The window will suffice as our escape route."

Avari gave a nod of her head.

"Are you ladies not going to join me for a bit of food?" Deculin called after them.

"We are exhausted from the ride." Sybina called over her shoulder. "We will see you with the sun, Deculin."

As soon as the door was shut and latched Sybina hurried to the window, pulling roughly at the rusted lock and pushing it open. She swung her legs over the ledge and pushed herself out, waiting just outside in the brush for Avari who was close behind. Avari pushed the old window closed and the two set off into the night, holding tightly onto each others hands in the dark. How Sybina had found the overgrown hatch was beyond Avari, she couldn't even see the tip of her nose. Pulled by the Breton she slipped inside before the loud bang of the hatch being closed behind her filled her ears.

"Took you long enough." Teldryn appeared suddenly, causing Avari to jump slightly and squeeze Sybina's hand. He held a torch out to the woman, exchanging it for Avari's hand.

"Everything go okay with you guys?" Sybina looked up at the Elf.

He shrugged his shoulders. "They found our contact."

Sybina frowned. "Is he?"

"He was hung only a few days before we arrived, they had not even removed his body from where it swung."

"Where is Tenven?"

Teldryn nodded towards the lit hallway a ways in front of them.

"Are you okay?" Avari spoke after Sybina had left.

"Yes, are you?"

She gave a nod of her head.

"We received another raven." He began digging in his pocket, pulling out piece of parchment still tightly folded. "This was for you."

"Thanks." She sighed, taking it from his had.

"I'd give you space, but I think they need it a bit more than us right now."

"It's okay." She sat against the wall, patting the ground next to her for Teldryn to sit.

He flopped onto the ground with a groan, adjusting his arm when she laid her head against his shoulder and began to carefully unfold the parchment. Letting his head fall back and closing his eyes to relax and give her some kind of privacy. The last thing he wanted was to make her feel like he was reading over her shoulder. He'd just began to doze off when he felt her shift against his side, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist. Whatever had been in the letter had clearly upset her. He draped his arm around her shoulder and gave her a tight squeeze, rubbing the fabric over her shoulder with his thumb in lazy circles.

"He doesn't seem too mad anymore." She spoke softly, welcoming the comfort from her friend.

"What has you so upset then?"

"He says he feels betrayed, by all of us."

"Well..." He sighed.

Avari frowned before closing her eyes tightly.

"Hopefully the punishment will not be too bad."

"I won't allow him to punish any of you. It was my choice and I acted alone, I didn't really give any of you a choice in the matter."

Teldryn opened his eyes and turned his head towards the nearing foot falls, bright light appearing from the owner's torch.

Tenven carefully placed the torch in a free holder before speaking. "Teldryn, I need you to take Avari back to the inn and return here until morning."

"We're leaving her alone?"

"Sybina just informed me that they had a companion that seems to have followed them. He's going to be more suspicious than she described if he wakes to find them both gone. Sybina and I will be heading for Anvil to secure passage to Morrowind for you both."

"So I take her back to the inn and what, head for Anvil? Leave her to this stranger to insure her safe arrival to Anvil?"

"No." Tenven groaned, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Play your role as a mercenary and Avari will 'hire' you to escort her. From there Sybina will send a message to inform Avari that the Countess has asked her upon the request of the Count to travel via ship with sensitive merchandise. Hence why you both would be boarding a ride bound for Morrowind. Sybina says this man is dense enough that he should not cause further trouble after that."

"You two aren't coming with us?" Avari looked up at the Dunmer.

"Not this time. I still have plenty of work here to deal with, you'll have to give Miraak my apologies for not being present."

"And what do I do if this man insists on joining us still?" Teldryn spoke while pushing himself to his feet and helping Avari to hers.

"You make sure that he doesn't. We will inform our contact to watch for the man, if things progress to that point he will step in and secure him."

"That won't compromise him?" Avari asked, brushing the dirt from her dress.

"No." Tenven nodded towards the hatch. "You two get going."

Sybina slowly walked up beside Tenven. "I really enjoyed meeting you, Avari."

"As I did you." Avari smiled.

"Make sure you keep that ring on until you're safe."

"I will. I'll send it back to you as soon as I can." Avari's fingers twisted the ringer around her finger.

"Keep it." Sybina smiled. "I have plenty of others and that one was done just for you, you may need it again and if you don't you'll have something to remember me."

Avari embraced the woman tightly. "Come with Tenven the next time he returns."

"I'll try my best to." Sybina returned the gesture. "I'll make sure to write you and send them with Tenven's reports."

"I don't think Miraak will be letting me handle anything for awhile." Avari chuckled, releasing the woman.

"Well when he is done reading them he can pass my letters to you." Sybina suddenly frowned.

Teldryn stepped up the ladder, pushing the latch open and climbing through the hole.

"Look for Teldryn when you wake." Tenven reminded her as she walked towards the ladder.

"I will." She nodded before following after Teldryn.


Deculin was already sitting at an empty table, enjoying his breakfast when Avari made her way down the stairs for food. He gave a nod to the chair next to him and she forced a smile, scanning the area to find Teldryn sitting near the door. He was intently occupying himself with something, picking slowly at his breakfast. She made her way to Deculin sitting down in the chair.

"Lady Sybina has not risen yet?" He pushed the large plates of food towards her.

She began to fill her empty plate as she spoke. "She left early this morning, the Count needed something of her. She's suppose to meet me in Anvil."

"Oh?" He raised his eyebrow. "She'd have you travel alone there?"

Avari took a bite of her food before answering, hoping to deter him away from speaking further with her poor table manners. "Mercenary." She spoke through her food, looking over to Teldryn who was still ignoring her.

He looked over to the Dunmer, narrowing his eyes. "That still is not safe." He turned back to Avari, smiling widely. "You do not need to hire a mercenary, I will accompany you to Anvil."

"I still have to hire the mercenary, Sybina asked for him before she left."

"Either way, I'm going to ride with you. I won't trust a stranger to safely escort you."

"Thank you, Deculin." She hurried and filled her mouth once more after speaking.