Finding a rope ladder, Elarie climbed onto the prison ship. Bodies littered the deck, victims of the ranged attacks from the Redoran Guard. 'Wanted' posters of Teldryn were tacked in several places.
Stepping inside the cabin, she found an office of sorts. More posters of Teldryn, a few potions, but a folded paper on the floor caught her eye.
Her eyes widened. Sigrun had left this note for someone, possibly the bandit leader. She asked them to follow up with her in Solitude. The note receiver was to meet her there with proof of Sero's death. Teldryn must be here somewhere, she was justified in coming. But the next sentences made her heart skip a beat – Sigrun acknowledged the possibility that Sero was innocent, but didn't care, writing that he still deserved to die as her husband did. And that she had let Geldis escape, to alert Neloth and unwittingly destroy the prison ship for her, along with the hired help she couldn't trust anymore.
Elarie carefully tucked the note away. It would aid Teldryn in his defense if he needed it. She cautiously made her way to lower decks, noting that several bandits were resting in their rooms.
She'd made it to the lowest deck before she was spotted. The sight of Teldryn bound, and hearing his curses to the guard threatening to torture him further sent her rushing into the room.
"Stop!" she yelled, blade up.
The guard turned, surprised to see her. It was the same man who'd confronted them at Glowstone Hall. "Now why would I want to do that?" he said.
"Sigrun is the real criminal," the mage responded. "You heard her when Teldryn was captured. She wants him dead but doesn't care that he didn't kill her family."
At the guard's skeptical look, she added, "And because Neloth is going to blow this ship up at any time and everyone needs to leave. Sigrun organized it."
The guard laughed. "Neloth? Right," he said. "She's been hunting him for years," he indicated the shackled mercenary. "She wants him alive."
Teldryn looked up. "Keep away from her, n'wah," he rasped to the guard.
The mage's lips pursed. Teldryn had been stripped down to his pants, arms cuffed to the wall. His skin was paler than she'd ever seen, yet his voice still rumbled with defiance. She was about to challenge the guard when an explosion rocked the ship. The guard's face went white. "What's that?"
"Neloth. We need to get out of here!"
The guard turned and ran out of the room, Elarie could hear his warning the rest of the bandits on his way out. She immediately moved to undo Teldryn's manacles, the mercenary falling heavily on her when the second explosion hit, causing fires to start on the decks.
The mercenary was trying to shield her from the fires as best he could, but he was moving only through sheer willpower. She cast a Heal Other spell on him once before lifting a ward to protect them both. She dragged an unsteady Teldryn with her, only to find the next door closed and the locks melted. She needed to find another way out.
"Windows," came Teldryn's voice. Of course – she'd seen the windows as she passed the last room, and made a beeline for them. She'd only just smashed them and gotten clear of the frame when the next explosion came.
She cast Waterbreathing and swam away as quickly as she could, still holding Teldryn close. Casting a ward to protect them from flying debris from the ships, she thought they were nearly clear, when another explosion landed nearby just as her ward fizzled. She felt the mercenary's arms wrap around her to again shield her from the fiery debris, before another one rocked them and she blacked out.
•••••
Waking to find herself on land, she saw a small campfire before registering the few bandits scattered around her. She sat up in alarm drawing a ward, but no one made a move, except to watch her curiously.
She spotted the guard who had nearly tortured Teldryn. He held up his hands. "Don't worry," he said. "As far as we're concerned, your warning saved us – at least some of us." He looked over her shoulder. "Sero dragged you here from the water. And he's behind you."
Elarie turned, and released the ward spell. Teldryn dropped to his knees to inspect her for injuries. "Elarie," he said, holding her hands tightly.
The mage's look of surprise earned her a small smile from the mercenary. She smiled in return, and gave him a hug.
"Little Altmer," he murmured, his cheek against hers. "Remind me that I need to have a talk with Geldis about timing."
The mage laughed, before her face turned serious once again. "We have to find Sigrun," she said. "Before she can make any moves against Brunwulf."
Teldryn agreed. "If you're feeling up to it, here's our next move."
•••••
The mage and mercenary arrived at the Windhelm docks, having paid Captain Salt-Sage triple to get his ship underway quickly. Elarie made straight for the Palace of Kings to see Jarl Free-Winter while the mercenary picked up supplies and made arrangements for the next stage of their journey.
She returned shortly. "He's not there," Elarie told Teldryn. "He went to High Hrothgar with Tobias and they haven't returned yet."
He nodded. "At least the Oaf can't complain that we left him out," he said. Elarie smiled, knowing the Dragonborn would indeed feel left out of this venture regardless of the circumstances. "We'll head directly to Broken Oar Grotto. It's large, and one of the few places near Solitude where she can hide the ship." The pirates who had managed to survive the prison ship explosion had been more than happy to tell their rescuer where Sigrun planned to hide the Sea Tiger in Skyrim.
It was unusual to see the mercenary in anything other than his Chitin armor. But it had been lost on the pirate ship when it went down, and Teldryn was using the glass armor set that they had stored at Severin Manor, except for the helmet. The dark full hood he used somehow made him more menacing. It wasn't to his full liking, but it completely covered his face. Elarie thought he looked just as impressive in it as his old Chitin one, but decided to keep that to herself.
She likewise used a hood and was dressed in her full leather armor, hoping to keep herself as incognito as possible, a tip from Marelle. She had said no one looked twice at her in plain leather, and it worked for Elarie as well. She'd had to remove her hood before Jorleif, Brunwulf's steward, recognized her.
They were able to quickly set sail with an East Empire ship that was leaving shortly for Solitude. The company was grateful for the early end to the civil war and happy to provide a small service to Elarie and her companion. They made good time, and the East Empire dock was near their destination. The mercenary grudgingly admitted to the little Altmer that at least the company of was heartless bastards was good for something.
Entering the grotto, they both drew their bows. They'd decided on bows first to take out potential guards quickly and as quietly as possible. With the mercenary muttering about equating bandits with vermin, they took out the first pair of guards before spotting a ship in the distance. "The Sea Tiger," Teldryn whispered. They'd found her.
Working in tandem, they made their way past a few more guard points until they came to a large multilevel structure across a rock bridge. The challenge would be crossing the bridge undetected, they could make out at least six pirates there.
Teldryn was considering their options when Elarie brought out four invisibility potions from her satchel.
"Where did you get these?" he asked, surprised. It wasn't as if you could pick them up at any trader.
"I made them," was the matter-of-fact reply. "I was forced to rest for a few weeks, so I studied Alchemy, and Marelle gave me some pointers on invisibility. Thought these might come in handy to evade assassins."
The mercenary smiled. He'd have to amend his view of scholars. Most studied grand ideas in their specialty. "Ash Shell, invisibility potions," he rumbled amusedly. "And I thought I was the only one full of surprises."
Using the potions, they quickly made their way across the bridge, and took down one pirate before others raised the alarm. With a yell, Teldryn unsheathed his sword and let loose a flame atronach, immediately taking them head on. Elarie stayed back, using arrows to take down a couple of pirates before they could reach Teldryn.
"Sigrun! I know you're there! Come out and face me like a true Nord!" Teldryn's voice challenged the pirate, echoing through the structure. She saw a brief movement at the top of the structure. The mercenary was already on his way up.
She had two pirates with her. Elarie had a clear shot at one of them and hit one just as Teldryn reached the top. He was able to get a jump on the other pirate, unleashing another atronach while he and Sigrun battled. Elarie made haste to join him.
By the time she got there, Sigrun and the other pirate were dead and Teldryn was standing over the leader's body. She laid her hand on his shoulder.
"It's done," he said. "After all these years… it's finally over."
•••••
They returned to Solstheim without seeing Brunwulf, who was still away. Teldryn left a letter with Jorleif for him letting him know of the situation, and took the next sailing of the Northern Maiden back to Raven Rock.
"I never thought I'd be happy to see Solstheim," the mercenary commented, surprising his companion as the large wall protecting Raven Rock came into view. "As much as I enjoy being off this island, it is safer for you to be here right now."
Elarie laughed. "You mean despite bandits, pirates and other creatures?" she asked. "Yes, much more safe."
The mercenary grinned. He gave a side glance at his companion. The little Altmer had only known him for a few short months, but had risked her life to save his, simply because she believed in him. Yes, returning to Solstheim was much more pleasant when she was with him.
They'd had a very long discussion on the mercenary's time with the Free-Winters in Skyrim. She deserved it. The little Altmer had listened and accepted his version of events as truth. Which it was, and he wanted her to know all of it, and his role. She accepted him as he was, and he appreciated her full support.
"I've sailed back and forth so much lately," the mage broke into his thoughts. "Never in an Era would I have believed Solstheim to be like home."
"More than the Imperial City?" the mercenary teased, his voice rumbling with humor.
"Home is where the heart is," was the reply. The half-Altmer looked thoughtful. "The Imperial City is my childhood home. Both my parents left their childhood homes, finding happiness elsewhere. I believe I have found the same for myself."
Teldryn gave her another side glance but her eyes were still on Raven Rock, coming into view. "There are still challenges ahead, Little Altmer. You still may find that Skyrim and Solstheim do not suit your taste."
"It is possible," the mage conceded. "But highly improbable." She smiled at her companion. "I grew up as a scholar. But instead of retreating back into scholarly life, I find that adventuring, helping others, is what suits me best. Savos thought I would be in the same mold as he, but I am not."
"I am glad you aren't," the mercenary said. Elarie looked his way but it was his turn to keep his eyes on the rapidly approaching Raven Rock.
Elarie listened to Teldryn humming a few bars of music as the ship neared its destination. She was relieved that he seemed to regain his good humor quickly, and the two stayed where they were in companionable silence until the ship docked.The two stayed where they were in companionable silence until the ship docked.