Quiet Moments

The rest of the day was largely spent with the gathered forces mobilizing. Even united, not all of them were willing to travel together. There were squabbles between holds that could erupt into something worse with the rigors of the road, a few old enmities that no one was willing to risk...and, of course, the simple fact that Sorine had brought her automatons, and Gunmar had brought his trolls, and no one else wanted to be within half a mile of either of those!

Veleth...could only stare. He had thought they were joking about the trolls. He had hoped they were joking about the trolls. But no. There were gods-damned trolls here, making the whole place reek of, in Nevano's words, candy and shite. Fecking. Trolls.

Zak stared in disbelief at the armored creatures himself. He'd only caught half a rumor of them; but he'd wanted to see for himself what the fuss was about. There were ten of them, an unusually large number to have in any one place: grunting and growling at each other, but not fighting...and too well trained to leave their pen without Gundar's say-so. Anything that got in the pen was likely not coming back out, but they were not leaving.

"I...I thought they were joking about the trolls." Veleth said. "Why trolls? Just why?"

"Because they're good for the job, that's why." An enormous bear of a Nord came out of a nearby tent, a huge spiked collar in his hand. "One troll that knows what it's doing can wipe out an entire coven before they know what's coming for them. They can take on gargoyles without trouble, and even death hounds aren't much more than a nuisance to them."

"Then comes my next question: how?" Veleth couldn't stop staring.

"Not much harder to train than a big cat or a stubborn horse." He let out a few whistles and called a name, and one of the trolls came forward and knelt, letting him get close to its neck with the collar. "There. Let's see if that's more comfortable, eh? Just have to use different incentives. And make sure you feed 'em well enough that they're not looking to supplement."

"Today I learned something." Veleth's brain was still...stuck on 'there's fecking trolls'.

"Oh?" Gunmar was taking it all in stride. He was...used to people's reactions to his trolls.

"Oh yes." Veleth almost laughed. "I kind of want to round up a herd of Hunger to see what you could do with those."

"Hunger?" Gunmar tipped his head sideways a little.

"I just caught a whiff of amusement as soon as I said that..." Veleth nearly facepalmed. "Daedra. Little ones. Look like they're all skin and bones but got claws that'll cut open the bigger Daedra easily enough. And tongues that can hold a grown man down."

"Hm. Daedra are tricky. Most of 'em are too clever to really train; got minds of their own. But if they're the brainless kind, chances are good you could do something with 'em."

"Oh, they are absolutely fodder." Veleth said. "Think chickens that are big enough to want to try to eat you."

"I've encountered those," he quipped. Then something else caught his eye, and he yelled. "Sorine! Get those away from the pen! Now!"

Veleth looked over.

"I wasn't going to aim at them!" A Breton woman hurried over, moving two Dwemer Spheres away from the pen. Slightly further past that, the towering form of a Dwemer Centurion could be seen, still as a statue.

"After all I've been through with Nevano...I'll absolutely take the trolls over anything Dwemer any day," Veleth said with heartfelt conviction.

Gunmar didn't seem to notice; he and Sorine were now in the middle of a heated argument that, judging from the reactions of everyone around them, was rehashing the same issues for well over the hundredth time.

Veleth took one last good look at the trolls before beating a hasty retreat. He was less fond of Dwemer artifacts than he was of trolls. Trolls at least hated fire. Dwemer artifacts didn't notice.


In town, Ravenlight was making up for missing out on the Radiant Raiment by taking Dreyla to the only place in town that sold clothing: Belethor's General Store. Considering that Belethor sold more than just clothing, Dreyla very nearly bought him out entirely, purchasing ordinary houseware to make up for everything she'd lost to the demon back in Blacklight.

For once, Dusty didn't make his displeasure at being strapped to his mother's back known to the entire hold. With so many strange faces around, he had contented himself with watching quietly, occasionally sticking his tongue out at those who smiled at him and giggling quietly.

Belethor had seen Ravenlight empty purseloads of gold on his counter before, usually in exchange for nearly bankrupting him with more items than he normally received from merchants. However, this was likely the first time he'd ever seen her come in solely to buy and not sell, and the amount of gold he'd just received from the Dunmer woman stunned him into silence for the first time in his life.

Dreyla was determined that when they went home, there would be something there. The rest they could work out but she did not want to have to live with a parent again. Especially not her father. Gods no...

"What's the market in gems like in Blacklight?" Ravenlight asked absently as they were walking back to Breezehome, a pair of guards behind them almost staggering under the weight in the chest she'd also purchased to help carry all of Dreyla's purchases back.

"Brisk. We make most of our trade in mining. Ebony and glass mines produce lots of emeralds, rubies and diamonds." Dreyla said. "Though you can get the flawed chips by the handful for next to nothing, if you have a perfectly cut gem, you can make a pretty drake. Though, small secret, Felsi has a fondness for gems cut in a tear shape. The price of those have gone way up. Square cut gems you'll get more with armorers. Easier to work with."

"Hm. That's helpful." Ravenlight grinned. "I do a lot of digging raw ores while I wander, and over the years, I've amassed...let's say a number of precious and semi-precious gems. More than I know what to do with, actually. And I know a highly skilled jeweler, down in Riften. He can make some nice teardrop shapes; might even work some of them into actual jewelry, if that would sell for higher for you."

"Dunmer tend to favor rubies. Mages like emeralds for some reason. The rest we ship out and-wait. What?" Dreyla spun to her.

"I'll...be frank." Ravenlight shrugged, smiling. "Through wandering, fighting, selling, and various other trades, I have amassed what is probably a greater fortune than half the holds of Skyrim. And you've lost your house. I want to help you. Septims aren't worth anything in Morrowind...so what I have that would help you there are gemstones."

"Ravenlight, you don't have to do that!" Dreyla's eyes were wide.

"No. But I want to." She smiled at her. "Those gems really aren't doing me any good, locked away in safes and strongboxes. You can make far better use of them than I can."

Dreyla had her hands to her mouth, her eyes wet.

"We failed to realize the situation in time to keep your home from being lost. At the time, it was enough that you and Dusty survived. But that's not so easy when you've lost everything you've ever owned." Ravenlight gazed into the distance. "I've...been there. I started with nothing: it was a miracle I found my pack again, with what little was still in it, after Alduin's attack on Helgen. I had little to no money, only a few poor weapons, and the knowledge I'd gained wandering Tamriel. The kindness of a few helped me rise again." She put her hand on Dreyla's shoulder. "I've been determined, ever since, to offer that kindness when it's needed."

Dreyla hugged her tightly. Dusty blinked as Ravenlight was suddenly in his face. "Thank you! We aren't bad off but Veleth only just won being able to get paid because they fought so hard against him. He didn't get paid much when he was in Solstheim but it wasn't as if he was planning on this...it's been a fight for something he didn't intend on doing and it was being used against him..."

Ravenlight put her arms around her, careful not to squash Dusty as she did. "In that case," she said, "I'll do what I can to make sure you can live comfortably even with those misers fighting your husband. And maybe tell Dismas where he can expand his guild."

Dreyla released her, swiping at the tears streaming down her face. "Drelasa would have a day with that. Veleth is trying. Hard. It's not something he's...comfortable with. I feel bad but...it's the fight he's got now and he won't ever just leave it."

"Your husband certainly strikes me as more stubborn than a cart wheel frozen into the marsh, that's for sure." Ravenlight gave her one more careful squeeze. "So. Let's get you back to Breezehome, and then we can figure out how we're going to work this."

"That is...an understatement." Dreyla sighed. "He's been far more giving on this whole thing but on his own turf? Not. Budging. Ever. Until he gets home. Then he actually sleeps."

"So let's make sure he'll have that place to sleep." Ravenlight grinned at her. "I've got a strongbox or two in Breezehome, I can show you the sort of collection I've amassed and you can help me pick out the ones that'll get you back up on your feet the fastest."

Dreyla nodded happily, eyes still shining. Dusty let out a happy shriek and bounced.


Dragonsreach had fallen quiet, with the various jarls and commanders now out getting their men ready to march, and telling them what they had learned in the Hall. Inside the hall, however, a few people were keeping watch by Gyrmallion: two older women, one Imperial, one Dunmer...and by the wall, a Breton woman with the expression of someone who had had a worldview severely shaken.

Drelasa had chosen a chair next to the Altmer, it being far easier, and more reassuring, to listen to the going-ons while seeing the steady rise and fall of Gyrmallion's chest. Ahmetia sat on her other side, watching him closely. She hadn't been able to get close enough to see what had really happened when the claw had struck him, but she'd seen him suddenly go limp and topple backwards and had been close enough to hear Ravenlight say she was trying to keep his heart going. He was still pale, and would likely be weak for some time, but at least now she knew he would live.

"I will never deny our merry band of warriors are brave. In fact, they often move me to tears with how valiant they can be." Drelasa commented. "However, I do so wish they'd stop taking hits like this."

Delphine shifted uncomfortably by the wall. She knew-without any doubt-that if he hadn't moved when he had, it would have been her that claw had struck. She also knew that she didn't have an elf's constitution and probably would have been dead before anyone could have reached her with healing.

"So do I." Ahmetia absently stroked Gyrmallion's forehead. "It was the other one...Nevano? Who was like this on the island. That head wound you noticed was fairly severe."

"I had wondered about that..." Drelasa's tone went a bit flat. "Sat just like this with him more times than I care to count. Same with my son and husband. Added Drizzt to that too. Twins as well. They won't rest until they know everyone is safe."

"Ravenlight's the same way," Delphine said in a low voice.

"Maybe that's why everyone listened to her out there," Ahmetia said. "Not just...because the demon attacked and made it blatantly obvious how bad things are, but because she and him, and Nevano, and...all the rest...are the sort of people who will step in between danger and others. And have."

"It's exactly why." Drelasa said. "There are those who have been made leaders but folk wouldn't follow them out of a cloth sack. Then there are those...who have been called to lead. They may not always want it but they refuse to let those who so desperately need them down. They are the first to arrive, the last to leave, the ones who will never ask more than one can give while giving everything and more themselves. They give their lives for someone they have never met because there's a chance that person will go on to do great things. These are the people that don't even have to ask for others to follow. We just do."

"I wonder..." Ahmetia looked down at him. "I'd always wondered, over the years, how it was that even that small group he'd brought with him was so...willing to go along with keeping us safe. If even one of them had let on that they hadn't killed us, it would have cost every single one of them their lives...but they all sheathed their blades when he did, and I knew, looking at them, that none of them were going to betray us. And during the Great War...that was something I simply did not expect."

"This one here...is marked for something big." Drelasa agreed. "When a long dead king battles his way in to make his opinion on that known..."

"A long-dead king?" Delphine glanced at Drelasa curiously, moving from her puzzled examination of Ahmetia to the stranger question from the Dunmer.

"The Nerevarine is among our companions, though he is not here at this moment. You will undoubtedly meet him." Drelasa had zero doubt of that...possible altercation. "Nerevar himself pushed forward through him to give his judgment."

"The Nerevarine?" Delphine's eyebrows shot up. "I'd read the records of him, before...well, before everything went bad and they were lost...but official record stated he left for Akavir shortly after the Oblivion Crisis."

"That...was a lie." Drelasa smiled broadly. "One I'm very pleased to hear is still circulating. Nevano himself will be pleased too. He was exhausted by then. Exhausted, burned out and very disenchanted with the increasing demands on him. He was very young then. Too young. An already jaded child caught up in the machinations of gods and emperors. So a lie was created to allow him to escape. It was never expected to last but here we are, centuries later, and it's still believed in parts."

"So...where is he really, then?" Delphine glanced back at Gyrmallion.

"Currently? Solitude." Drelasa said. "He will join us in a few days, even if I have to go there myself and drag him, kicking and screaming. Besides, I brought his pack with me. Can't part him from it for too long."

The Blade frowned. "So...why would he be there when everyone else is here?"

"Because removing him from where he has put himself would be detrimental right now." Drelasa laughed. "Fear not, he's well aware of all that's going on."

"And Serana would probably not be happy with us, either." Ravenlight rapped at the doorjamb, then came in. "How's he doing?"

"There are not enough dragons roaming Tamriel currently to break that up without a massive fight." Drelasa giggled. "It'll be a few days but his breathing and heart are strong. As is his will to live. He'll sleep for the rest of the day and night and feel much better in the morning."

"Good." She smiled, touching his hand. "I have already assured Larifa and Rellino, several times, that we're not leaving until he's fit to travel. By the way, Drelasa, I'm providing Dreyla with enough gemstones to be able to replace her house, but I'd like to talk to you a little about what advice I might give her to make sure that she doesn't somehow come under suspicion of where she got them all."

Drelasa's eyes went wide. "Darling, you don't have to do that! I was going to use my inheritance for that!"

Ravenlight laughed. "Drelasa, I dig raw ores nearly everywhere I find them. I have more of those stones than I know what to do with-and more jewelry made from them, too, for that matter. They're sitting in safes and strongboxes collecting dust. Much better that they go to someone who really needs them."

"Oh my...darling, I..." Drelasa could barely get the words out around the lump in her throat.

She smiled. "Remember what Blaise said while we were taking the skiff over to Solitude? I've got more wealth amassed than some of the holds. I don't mind at all helping someone who needs it."

Drelasa didn't even bother to stop her tears as she wrapped Ravenlight in a hug. "Thank you. Thank you so much for helping them."

She hugged her back, tightly. "That's what family does, isn't it? You're welcome, ammi."

"Not sure which god out there decided to bless me with the children I have." Drelasa said. "Perhaps a touch of several."

"Maybe so." Ravenlight sat up, her own face wet. "I...won't say I was orphaned when I left my home, but I left with the knowledge that I might not ever go back. I was alone for years until I finally met Drizzt, and gained a brother in him." She smiled fondly at Drelasa. "This...is truly a blessing for me, too."

Drelasa cupped her face with both hands. "You and Drizzt have definitely become part of my brood. If there is ever anything you need of me, you don't even have to ask. I will do all I can for my children, for you all have my heart and my love." She gave a small laugh. "It took decades and much heartache just to have my son. Now I have many children. I couldn't be happier."

Delphine coughed and looked away, as if to remind them that they weren't alone for this.

Drelasa settled back down. "As to not making it suspicious, I have quite a few ways for that. It won't be that difficult. I just need to make sure certain mouths stay shut."

"Good." Ravenlight laughed. "It's...easy in Skyrim, if perhaps not quite so lucrative: you take the gems and plank them down in front of the person who's most likely to be interested in them. Haggle over the price if you choose; then you take the gold and he takes the gems, and you both part happy."

"See? So much easier, Morrowind needs to learn from this." Drelasa sighed. "Because I'll need about a dozen people, a few really good lies and to forge a document from a mining company or three. Might make it four. Hmm...I could also use trading company stock. Actually, that's a far better idea. I can use my trade routes, have it shipped home, no one will be that suspicious. Mostly."

"If I need to sign a document that says I sold them to her, I'm willing," Ravenlight said. A flicker of garnet appeared in her eyes along with the smile. "And if I need to come down and verify that they were my gems originally and I've turned them over to her, I'll show up on Odahviing to clear things up."

"Hopefully it won't come to that but that entire thought is extremely amusing." Drelasa grinned wickedly. "Always good for the upper echelons of Morrowind society to be...rocked a bit."

Even Ahmetia giggled at that idea. "It's been a while since I had to deal with them...but from what I remember, I agree with that." She smiled. "I remember hearing talk at the wedding that Morrowind is no longer part of the Empire, but I strongly doubt that will keep us completely separate."

"It is not. That was on the decline since the Oblivion Crisis and the Thalmor were the final insult." Drelasa nodded. "However you are right. Morrowind cannot truly survive on its own. It's too unpredictable and too unstable. Even part of the empire, we experienced famine every now and then, especially when the volcano was spitting ash over us. Blacklight was covered in ash for two weeks when Modyn was little. Killed most crops. We rely on trade. Though perhaps the relationship between the two can improve now that they are separate."

"Perhaps!" The two women smiled at each other. "Larifa, I think, is probably more likely to succeed my father or me; at some point, either in the Imperial City or even here, we'll have to get together and try to figure out some of the logistics of that...and you'll have to bring me up to date on the house heads." A knowing glint appeared in Ahmetia's eyes. "I...somehow get the impression that you are very well connected where that's concerned."

"I pass the time with that small interest." Drelasa laughed.

Ravenlight was looking in the right direction when Delphine finally realized just who Ahmetia was, and had the pleasure of seeing the normally unflappable Blade, for once, look thoroughly flapped. She hadn't been that stunned after discovering that Ravenlight was, indeed, Dragonborn.

"Hopefully by then the...royalty of Morrowind will have learned some manners as well." Drelasa's tone indicated she knew exactly who was going to be teaching those manners.

"Hopefully." Ahmetia shrugged delicately. "I'll just have to make sure that the Empire's royalty will. And…it's high time that Larifa married; I'll have to keep my eye out for a suitable man for her. It's too bad that all the ones in your group are attached; nearly all of them would be perfect."

"Vilkas isn't attached," Ravenlight mused, "but right now he's too busy covering his eyes and pretending to gag whenever Farkas and Nevusa get too...blatant."

"I don't know of any younger bachelors." Drelasa said. "I know of a few older ones though. Might be a touch too old for her though."

"We'll help keep an eye out." Ravenlight didn't sound too worried. "We're certainly going to be sifting the wheat from the chaff when it comes to the men of Tamriel, that's for sure."

"I was wondering...that other fellow, the unusually dark Dunmer. Not the one with lavender eyes, a blind man could see he's happily married. But the other one." Ahmetia pursed her lips. "I just wish I could get him alone to talk to him enough to get an idea of what he's like..."

"Zak?!" Ravenlight stared. "No. No, gods be merciful, no."

Drelasa nearly laughed. "I think it might be better off introducing you to the single general I know!"

"He's that bad?" Ahmetia blinked. Delphine, sensing a story, moved a little closer.

"Well, just for starters," Ravenlight said dryly, "he's the lavender-eyed one's father. He's also got some...issues when it comes to women. To put it in a few words: Drizzt's mother's name was Malice."

Drelasa quit laughing, a bit of a revelation sparkling in her eyes.

"Really?" Delphine looked both skeptical and stunned.

Ravenlight nodded. "Drizzt's family were collective pieces of crap. Zak's the only one who was worth anything. My brother was...damaged is putting it lightly, when I met him. Broke down sobbing when I finally called him brother, just..." she swallowed, "just because he finally had a sister who truly cared about him."

Drelasa carefully considered the black ring, wondering how much it would cost her to find those souls.

"The witch-goddess they follow had it out for him, too." The grin that spread across the Bosmer's lips was humorless...and far more draconic than a mer's face should be. "She learned to leave him alone, though. That was...satisfying, to say the least."

"Yes, I've heard Mephala complain about that." Drelasa said. "Whatever causes the Spinner to blatantly curse like that..."

"She's a piece of work, too. But she's got scars from dragon-jaws in a few unpleasant places now. I'm no Martin Septim, but..." The draconic smile widened. "Well, what I am is sufficient."

Drelasa laughed.

Ravenlight paused then. "That...xivkyn. I remember; I drew on that power to fight him. And I hurt him, pretty badly too. But...he wasn't afraid of it. Wasn't afraid of what I manifested." Her hand clenched. "It...was not a pleasant feeling, to have that power singing through me, and to have that thing laugh at it."

"I am familiar with many types of daedra but that one I've never heard of." Drelasa frowned. "Yet it was a full daedra?"

"Definitely a daedra. But it was...almost fouler than the hybrid children," Ravenlight said. "Which is saying quite a bit."

"It might help to learn a bit more about these." Drelasa said. "Azura or Meridia or Boethiah would be the best ones to ask."

"We need to ask. I might find out if Cattie-Brie did bring that dragonbone flute; the true dreams would be helpful in that case." Ravenlight sighed. "That's assuming she carries it and didn't put it in a place of honor somewhere in her house, which is nice, but...not all that helpful." She paused. "Although..."

"Yes?"

"I don't always carry it, but...Azura's Star. And I know I left it in Breezehome."

"Oh you have it!" Drelasa smiled. "I also have a few other objects that might attract her attention as well. Put them together, she won't resist."

"We'll do that, then." Ravenlight nodded. "I have a bad feeling we'll learn more than we wanted...but we do need to know what those things are, if we're to have any chance of countering them. I'll bring the Star to you tonight."

"I'll dig through Nevano's bag to see if there is anything else in there that might help too." Drelasa sighed. "I'm rather afraid of what I might find. He always carries the most random things..."

"I think all boys are guilty of that." Ahmetia shook her head. "What I would turn out of my son's pouches in the evening...and I have no idea of how he even came by half of it, on that tiny little island."

"We can never figure out where he keeps getting the thrice-damned forks from!" Drelasa exclaimed.

"I did see the one he threw at Veleth," Ravenlight mused. "And I think they mentioned something about tormenting General Garil with one?"

"Yes. That one-eyed bastard was not prepared to deal with Nevano." Drelasa sighed.

Ravenlight glanced over at Delphine. "Be warned...you might find yourself on the wrong side of him, too. He really isn't fond of Blades."

She sighed. "At this point, I'm not surprised. It's..." She stared at Gyrmallion. "Been quite a day."

"And unlike Gyrmallion...Nerevar might agree." Drelasa said.

"Nerevar isn't dealing with the same thing either of you two are," Ravenlight said, her mouth twisting slightly. "It doesn't justify what happened, but...the town Gyrmallion's family was in was destroyed not long into his campaign against the Blades-and yes, this included his pregnant wife and two young sons. There was evidence that seemed to show that the massacre was the Blades' doing. It wasn't until after I nearly killed him in the Ratways that he discovered that the Blades weren't responsible. That...hit him hard. Not just discovering that the Thalmor killed his family to spur his campaign on...he was frank about respecting the Blades, considering them worthy adversaries, and enjoying the...difficulty of matching them. Meeting you face-to-face..." She shook her head and sighed.

"Forced him to look at all that in the face." Drelasa said. "He's admitted to his mistake. In many many ways...the Chii Chare are similar to the Blades."

Delphine started to bristle, then sighed. "No...you're right. We have made mistakes." She shrugged. "Probably going to make plenty more. But...at least we can try not to make the same ones over again."

"Exactly." Drelasa said. "The Empire is tearing itself apart, not because past mistakes were not fixed but because the same ones are being made over and over. It can recover and all the provinces be brought together again to their prosperity; but a change in thinking must start somewhere."

Ahmetia considered. "It occurs to me that we will have a unique opportunity because of the situation in High Rock. All the leaders of the various provinces, or at least some rather clear-sighted members of each, will likely be gathering in the Imperial City. At some point, we should, perhaps, gather them all together, and at least get an idea as to what the problems facing each is. That way, mistakes can be identified, solved, and hopefully avoided in the future."

"That is an excellent idea." Drelasa said. "Won't shut the slithery ones up, nothing ever does, but it will go a long way in warming the hearts of the people."

"What you do with the slithery ones is hold them off," said Ravenlight. "Or stomp on them if they get to be too much trouble. Don't even have to kill them; just let them know the option is there."

"Or make them useful." Drelasa said. "Little bit of extra effort but possible."

"I might have to step back and let you do that." Ravenlight shrugged. "I'm not good with the twisty side of things."

"You just tell me what you want the end result to be and I'll have those muck-kissers dancing." Drelasa gave a malicious grin.

"Give me a few weeks to figure out what's needed." Ravenlight answered the grin. "And then I'll give you names and needs, and step back."

"This will be fun." Drelasa grinned. "So much so, you will probably hear jealous noises because Jorun won't be able to do it himself."

"Speaking of Jorun, and therefore information-gathering..." Ravenlight looked over at Delphine. "We need to find these Thalmor cells. Some of them may be fanatics or allied with Sirinalda. But if there's a chance we can get them into the Chii Chare, we need to take it."

The Blade grimaced, but nodded. "We've got a few scouts in the general area. I'll see what I can do before we head out."

Drelasa smiled quietly.

"And speaking of Chii Chare." Ravenlight stood, exhaling. "I need to stop at Jorrvaskr before I go back to Breezehome and find out what the rumor mill has been spreading in there. Because I've heard twenty different versions of what happened in here-and what happened to Gyrmallion-and if half of them made it into the mead hall, the others are going to be frantic. Especially since at least five of those stories weren't clear on whether or not he was still alive, and at least one person was sure he'd died."

"Will you please check on Nevusa too, darling?" Drelasa asked. "And drag her out if you have to. She can wait a little while longer."

"Yes. I will." Ravenlight smirked a little. "In fact, I'm going to find Drizzt and enlist Guen's help with that. Somehow I doubt that little spell of hers will work on a summon."

"Might want to make sure she hasn't turned half the place into a barnyard..." Drelasa sighed.

"There...is that. We might need to put a charm on her to limit her magicka until she gets her little power kick under control." Ravenlight sighed and headed out.

Drelasa shrugged as Ravenlight left. "Just young, dumb and can't keep her clothes on. Describes every Dunmer under two centuries of age."

"I'll try to talk her into waiting until the wedding," Ravenlight said, just before she left. "No guarantees it'll work...but I'll give it a try."

Drelasa facepalmed.


Ravenlight already knew that Drizzt and Cattie-Brie had taken a room at the Bannered Mare, so she made a quick stop by the inn before heading on to the mead hall. Drizzt didn't mind letting her borrow Guenhwyvar for a little while, and if the way he and Cattie-Brie were looking at each other was any indication, he was only waiting for Brie-Zara to finally go to sleep before thanking his wife for his rescue earlier. She smiled and headed out, leaving them in peace.

Surprisingly, everyone was walking around on their own two legs. No one even mentioned anything about cats or frogs or even a dog. They did, however, nearly mob Ravenlight, demanding the truth about what had happened up at Dragonsreach.

Once she finally got everyone to quit talking all at once, Ravenlight explained what had happened, starting with the attack on Veleth and Zak that resulted in the collapse of the Great Porch, to the survival of the demon and its attempted attack on her. She then clarified that, while Gyrmallion had been hurt, she, Drelasa, Farengar and Cattie-Brie had pulled him through, and that while he was sleeping, he was alive.

As soon as those words were spoken, there was a massive sigh of relief. Ravenlight was mildly astounded to see that more than just the Chii Chare had been worried about him. Though...she had heard about the positive end result of his sparring match with Drizzt, so she supposed she shouldn't be all that and...the more they mingled, the more the Companions simply liked the strange group of Altmer.

She looked around, somehow not at all surprised to see that Farkas and Nevusa were not in the crowd. "Anybody see where Farkas got to?" She stroked the lines of Guenhwyvar's figurine. There was a general, sheepish mutter and shrug from all sides.

Aela caught Ravenlight's eye and glanced in the direction of the stairs that led down to the thickly padded sleeping quarters of Jorrvaskr.

Ravenlight sighed and stroked the figurine. "I thought so. Come, Guenhwyvar." Mist swirled and coalesced into the huge black panther. And while the Companions were more or less familiar with her, there were quite a few startled gasps and oaths from the Chii Chare-who had not previously met her.

She paced, turning in place for a moment, then looked up at Ravenlight. She stroked the sleek black fur. "I need you to find Farkas. And the young lady with him. Bring one of the two back, at your own discretion."

Guen turned and bounded off.


It was quiet downstairs but that was hardly unusual. There were enough rugs and tapestries on the walls that most noise tended to be muffled. It helped with the thunderous snoring every night...partially at least. However, Guen's ears picked up the slight murmuring voices. Nothing overly exciting...just talking.

She lowered herself and slipped noiselessly forward, pausing any time they stopped speaking, taking greater care than normal not to be heard or noticed.

"You are...sure you are okay with this?" Nevusa asked a bit nervously. "I...don't want you to think..."

Guen halted, ears pricked.

"For once I can't make my tongue work right..." Nevusa sighed.

"You're still better at it than me." Farkas chuckled. "I want to, 'Vusa. I'll just go to the temple here, if that's what you'd rather do."

"I want to be free...but I want to be free with you," she said honestly. "If that means making the biggest deal out of it so that the entire world knows...then let it. I just didn't want you to think this was anything other than me wanting nothing more than to be with the first man who has ever...been everything to me."

"I've never had any girl before," Farkas admitted. "And you...I'd go to the world's end with you, and for you. Getting married in Cyrodiil; if it means I'll have you forever, I'll be glad to do it."

She smiled sweetly. "I'm your first?"

"First ever. And I-I want you to be my only."

"To Cyrodiil then." Nevusa smiled and curled up to him. "I'll be your only, forever."

He put his arms around her and held her close.

There was no telling how long the two would have cuddled, had not the bed suddenly creaked alarmingly behind them, and a large form curled around them with a purring yowl.

"What the...?" Nevusa stared. "Oh! Guenhwyvar right? I've only seen her once."

"Yeah." Farkas blinked at the panther. "She's Drizzt's. What do you want?" Then he yelped as she lowered her head and butted against them, nearly knocking them over. "Hey! Quit it!"

"If I remember, she's far smarter than a mere cat." Nevusa said, frowning a bit. "I assume you were summoned to summon us? A bit ironic...I turn a handful of people into cats so they send an even bigger cat..."

Guen let out a yowl that sounded like a laugh and shoved them again. She was big enough to even push Farkas.

"You are going to have to either wait a moment or find a way to tell them to wait." Nevusa said, not exactly willing to move. "The only one that can truly go back upstairs not wearing any clothes and not start an uproar is you. And those upstairs are not exactly welcome to this particular view."

Guen gave her a look that suggested she was completely willing to haul her upstairs mother-naked if necessary, and that she had better hurry if she didn't want that to happen. She sat down, her tail flicking. Nevusa sighed irritably.

Farkas groaned and reached for his tunic. "Better put on your clothes before she does haul you up. She's stubborn."

Nevusa sighed and looked around for her clothes. Guenhwyvar helpfully fished them out from where they'd been tossed and dropped them in front of her, before sitting back down in the same semi-threatening attitude.

"I might not be able to change you into anything other than a magnificent cat..." Nevusa said. "But you will let me get dressed fully without pushing. Or a very bright pink cat might be going up with my bare ass."

She lay down, apparently unconcerned, and began to lick one paw.

"Find a way to make it last through her coming and going. Be bright pink for a year solid," she grumbled.

Guen glanced at her as if to suggest that being bright pink might be silly, but was hardly the worst thing that had ever happened to her, and that she'd better hurry. Nevusa sighed and fished the rest of her clothes out and on.

As soon as she'd dressed, Guen rose, tapping the floor with one paw, and turned toward the stairs. She glanced back toward them both. Nevusa ignored her and looked to Farkas.

"I'm coming, too." He stood and took her hand. "Come on. Let's see what they want."

She smiled and happily twined her hand with his.


Ravenlight was seated as they came up, Guen padding in front; passing the time by calmly answering Elealda's frantic grilling. Nevusa waited quietly.

"He should be awake again in a day or two," she finished, before glancing over at Farkas and Nevusa. "Well, she didn't have to haul either one of you up here in a blanket, at least."

"She wasn't thinking that."

"No, I did give her permission to haul you up by the scruff of the neck if nothing else was available." Ravenlight reached out and stroked the panther's neck and shoulder, earning a pleased rumble like distant thunder.

"Mmhmm."

"Well. We're going to be a little delayed in setting out for Cyrodiil, though hopefully not too long. Gyrmallion took on a particularly venomous hybrid; he killed it, but it got him just before he did, and it was a pretty close thing for a few minutes. He's alive, but he's sleeping off what damage it did, and probably won't wake up for a while."

Nevusa frowned. "In the middle of all this? The things gone daft?"

"Bold, not daft. Stupid thing was powerful enough to knock down the Great Porch behind Dragonsreach trying to kill Zak and Veleth. Would have got them, and Drizzt, if Kynareth hadn't warned Cattie-Brie." Ravenlight shivered involuntarily.

"Knowing those two, dropping them like that might have only pissed them off.." Still, Nevusa frowned. "Still, this is a boldness that is borderline stupidity. Or extreme arrogance."

"I'm willing to bet the second. It tried to attack me in the hall of Dragonsreach, in front of everyone. Fortunately, Delphine was on the alert and got us both out of its immediate vicinity; Gyrmallion took it on after it knocked her down and was about to skewer her."

"Not diminishing this in the slightest but there seems...little point in this attack other than saying 'look at me, look at me!'." Nevusa said. "I understood Molag Bal to be a disgusting rape monster but not a complete arrogant fool like this."

"No. This is the same as what he'd been doing previously: striking at the heart. He failed both times by an incredibly narrow margin. If it had caught Veleth and Zak in that landslide it created out of the Great Porch, we would have lost Boethiah and Ebonarm's champion in one swoop. Drizzt would have been a bonus as well, as a favorite of Kynareth. And then..." Ravenlight pursed her lips. "Not to sound conceited, but...the Dragonborn, the Daughter of Akatosh. What would have happened if it had killed me?"

"Not conceited. It's truth." Nevusa said matter-of-factly. "But four champions at once is ambitious. Very ambitious. Why send one demon?"

"Because I don't believe he knew we actually had the ability to strike back in truth," she said. "It was not expecting that consecrated weapon, and Delphine's sword was barely nicking it. And anything that could bring down the Great Porch...well. Come with me, and I'll show you what it did there." Ravenlight stood, beckoning Guen to follow.

"I believe you, that's not what I'm getting at." Nevusa said. "Gyrmallion already used that weapon on Bal's daedra. Unless you sent it to another Daedra Lord...it rises again where it came from. Back to Bal. The weak fodder take months, years even, to crawl back out but the powerful ones don't take as long. They can't just return instantly though so no worries there. Still, Bal would know about that weapon by now. If I was going to attack the two raging bastards, Drizzt with the insanely fast swords, the aka alma and the angry Altmer with a literal sword to grind, not to mention Drelasa was with you with Mephala's power? I'd have sent the entire damn army. Overkill it."

"I don't know." Ravenlight frowned. "You're right, though, it doesn't make sense. Unless...unless he can't." She blinked. "I hadn't even considered...how are these creatures getting onto our plane in the first place?"

"Umm...that's a very good question." Nevusa said. "We haven't actually seen one spawn. They've always...walked up." Her face paled a bit. "Ravenlight...what if they aren't coming from the pits of Oblivion?"

"Where else would they be coming from?" She shook her head. "That last one...there's nowhere else it could have lived previously. A cross between a man, a scorpion and a spider, with venom so caustic it could eat through a mountain? It couldn't have existed on our plane, it couldn't have lived."

"Maybe dormant?" She asked.

"Maybe. Or..." She paused, her face twisting. "Or...they don't look like demons until something is...awakened in them. They're hybrids, after all. What's to stop them from appearing normal until...until the last minute?"

"Oh gods..." Nevusa said. "It's like Dagoth Ur all over again. Sleepers."

"Sleepers?" Ravenlight looked confused.

"Drelasa can explain better than I can." Nevusa said. "But not only were people affected by dreams but there those who would just start...speaking in strange noises, talking about weird things. Some lost their minds entirely. Nevano told of how he'd find them in the wilderness, naked and wandering. Nothing anyone could do for them. If that was from a mad false god even after he was killed...what could a Daedra Lord do? Especially one who...experiments. He won't use dreams...he'd use something else."

"No." Ravenlight's lip curled involuntarily. "He'd use his worshippers, and I don't want to consider how his influence would get to them. I wonder...we need to find those Thalmor cells Delphine mentioned, particularly the ones who are killing conjurers. Because I'm suddenly wondering what it is they might know about that."

"The thought is...sickening. The whole thing." Nevusa said. "This is every bit as bad as creating vampires...or worse. There are vampires who are sane but none of these seem to keep a shred of their former selves. It makes me a bit afraid of what depth he'd go to next."

She looked up. "Are Serana and Nevano okay in Solitude? You don't think Bal would try, do you?"

"He...might." Ravenlight frowned. "But Serana is...not exactly helpless. And Nevano...I never did see how he called those winged twilights, but I definitely saw them, and Drelasa said something about suspecting how he did it. Which makes me suspect he's not precisely helpless, either."

"He can barely light a candle yet he summoned two incredibly powerful daedra. He did something stupid." Nevusa sighed. "I didn't think they were helpless...I just didn't want them hurt when you, Drelasa, and Elealda were here."

"Truth to that." Ravenlight sighed. "While Nimrna's here, I'm going to ask her to call a hawk and send word up to Solitude. With any luck, they'll be all right. Either way...by the end of the day, we'll know."

Nevusa nodded, relaxing a bit.

Ravenlight stood to leave, turning back to Nevusa just before she left Jorrvaskr. "Oh, and before I forget. I want to talk to you in private later, so try to stay aboveground and dressed for a while, all right?" Before either Nevusa or Farkas could make any answer to that, she left and closed the door.

"No promises!" wafted after Ravenlight. She shook her head and sighed, rolling her eyes as she walked off.