Hello readers, this is arbiterssword. I want to give a shout out to shadows123456 for being the first to post a review. To anyone following this story, I'm happy to chat via PM messages, especially late at night. I work the night shift and holy cow I get bored. Happy to take comments, feedback, and questions as long as I don't have to explain where babies come from.

Ajira was a little hungover the next day, but she was excited too. On our return trip, we would follow a path between Lake Amaya and the mountain range that marked the edge of the ashlands. Many exotic plants grew along the shores of lake Amaya and Ajira needed to gather some of them for research.

I, on the other hand, was sure it would be a boring day of walking. Not that I minded. It could be nice to have a break from ash storms, cliff racers, and giant Orcs. There just wasn't any money to be made on a boring day.

We started late, having no reason to get up particularly early. Gildee was long gone. Ajira said she'd taken her canoe out to hunt again, which was fine by me. That elf made me uneasy. I didn't ask Ajira about what happened with her dancing partner last night and she didn't ask about Gildee. That was fine by me.

The sky was cloudy. Beyond the rope bridge in Suran, the land was covered in low rolling hills and separated by many rivers and lakes. Ajira explained that there were many islands on the south coast and they were so close together that a great network of bridges had been built to connect them. Vivec, Vvardenfell's largest city lay at the southern tip of these islands with another city, Ebonheart, not far west of it.

The difference that a few miles had made in climate and plant and animal life amazed me. After the drab plantless ashlands, I welcomed the tall grass, the giant mushrooms, and the occasional trees. We topped one ridge and I stopped in my tracks as a creature four times as large as a horse floated across the path in front of us. It had a chitinous shell and six tentacles hanging down, just brushing the ground beneath it. There were nearly a dozen of them further ahead, although I noticed that some were smaller, lacked shells, and had only four tentacles.

"What are those," I asked, pointing at the magnificent creature. It let out a long low moan, gliding toward lake Amaya.

Ajira watched the creature, just as entranced as I was. "That is a netch. Ajira has heard that they float with gases trapped inside their bodies. Some say it's a magic spell though."

I looked closer and saw that the netches underbelly was bright blue and its surface seemed to ripple like tissue paper in the breeze. "Is it dangerous," I asked?

"Not if you leave them be. Come." Ajira led the way. We walked around the animals if they got in our way, careful not to touch the tentacles.

We passed two farms along the northern edge of lake Amaya and I could see more across the lake. Workers eyed us curiously as we passed. Looking at their wrists, I could see most of them wore magic draining bracers, marking them as slaves. Ajira always placed herself with me between her and the plantations. One Dunmer man who had been standing in a field with a coiled bullwhip spotted us and moved into the road blocking our path.

We stopped just out of range of the whip. "Show me your wrists Khajiit," he growled!

Ajira quickly pulled up the sleeves on her mage robes, showing that she wasn't wearing any bracers. "Ajira is not a slave. She is a mage from Elsweyr."

The Dunmer pointed the coiled whip at me. "What's your business with this Khajiit?"

Ajira looked to me, eyes afraid and ears plastered to her head. I shrugged my bow off my shoulder and into my hand, anger rising. "I don't believe I have to explain anything to the likes of you. Now are you going to let us pass, or am I going to have to put an arrow in your chest?"

The slave master scowled at us, but conceded to my threat. He moved to return to his field where a handful of Khajiit and Argonian workers harvested crops. He flicked his whip in the air, making a loud crack.

I laughed and turned to Ajira, speaking loudly enough for all to hear. "I guess when you torment half starved slaves all day, you start thinking you're pretty big and bad. Bet he wouldn't last a day in the ashlands."

Some of the slaves glanced up and grinned at my gibe at their overlord, but another angry crack of the whip and they were back to work. When we were out of earshot, Ajira huffed, "Ajira hates those places. Ajira is afraid she will be kidnapped and sold to one of these farmers before she can finish her research. And even after that, there is no leaving Vvardenfell because of the quarantine."

I nodded and didn't respond. I knew what she was thinking. I'd told her my plan to find a smuggler when we'd first met. I could tell what she was going to say before she said it.

"Han-lu. When you return to Cyrodiil, will you help Ajira get on the boat too?"

I sighed. "You'll need money. If you can save around five thousand septims, I'll see what I can do."

Ajira nodded, looking down at the ground in concentration. She was quiet, making calculations for the next few miles. We made occasional stops for Ajira to clip a few leaves from a plant or petals from a flower or leaf, or to dig up a bulb. We made it to the western edge of the lake without any other occurrence of note, but when our path diverged, one leading west to Balmora and one leading south to a town called Pelagiad, I saw two Dunmer men watering horses by the side of the lake and arguing over a map.

I hadn't known Vvardenfell had any horses, so I was tempted to go speak with them. One of them spotted me and they both mounted, trotting towards us. I discreetly drew an arrow and knocked it to my bow before turning to face them. They stopped a respectful distance from us. They each wore light leather armor and a sword on their backs. A closer look showed their swords to be obsidian black with red veins running through the metal. I realised that these were extremely rare daedric weapons. They were expensive because they were forged in Oblivion. Mortals only got them when Dremora came to this world and were killed leaving them behind.

"Hail strangers," I greeted. "What can I do for you?"

One of them wore a mohawk and the other was clean shaven. The one with the mohawk introduced them. "I'm Llaro Llethri and this is my brother Gathal Llethri. We're knights and retainers of Duke Orvas Dren and we're searching for an escaped Argonian slave. You wouldn't have happened to have seen her, have you?"

I shook my head. "I'm afraid not."

Llaro nodded. "Oh well, our chances of finding her are slim to none. She escaped into the river near our master's plantation. The way Argonians swim, she could be to the eastern coast by days end."

Llaro's brother Gathal gestured at Ajira. "We don't mean to be impolite, but could your friend show us her wrists? There's nothing more suspicious in plantation country than a Khajiit or Argonian in long sleeves." I gritted my teeth, but Ajira was quick to comply. If I were her, I thought, I'd say it was none of their concern.

However, Ajira's cooperation set their minds at ease. "Where are you headed?"

"Balmora."

Llaro leaned over to his brother. "You know, maybe we should head to Balmora too. We can stop by the council club, have a drink, ride home, and Orvas would be none the wiser. We're not going to catch that slave anyway."

His brother pursed his lips and nodded his agreement. Llaro turned back to me. "You two care for a ride?"

"Sure," I answered without consulting Ajira. She backtracked.

"Uh, Ajira has never ridden a horse before."

Gathal shot his brother an amused look. He offered Ajira a hand as I climbed on the back of Llaro's grey. Reluctantly, she accepted and we were soon riding double back to Balmora. I'd mostly taken the opportunity so I could ask about the horses, but the ride was welcome after my travels.

"I didn't know there were any horses in Morrowind."

Llaro replied, facing forward. "My lord had four brought here by boat years ago, before the quarantine. Then, once the quarantine was instituted, he and one human noble from Cyrodiil were the only ones with breeding stock available. There are fewer than thirty horses on all the island of Vvardenfell and each one is worth a fortune. Orvas made chests full of gold from the husbandry business."

I was impressed. "That was very fortunate for him."

"Fortunate for us too," Gathal commented. "We don't have to ride those nasty guar."

"What's a guar," I asked?

"An ugly, big headed, two legged, lizard creature local to Vvardenfell," Llaro answered. "The Dunmer traditionally use them as mounts and pack animals. Admittedly, they're much better adjusted to the ashland region, but a horse is faster and easier to ride."

We entered an opening in the short mountains ahead and we found ourselves in a foyoda. Llaro and Gathal led the horses across the valley, obviously familiar with the route. To the north, I spotted the great Dwemer bridge Ajira and I had passed two days prior. A little ways up the path and we were passing fort Moonmoth. During the last few minutes of our ride, Llaro asked me about myself. I explained that I was from Cyrodiil and who I was working for. Llaro listened intently, seeming intrigued. I lied when he asked why I'd come and said I just needed a change of pace.

I was relieved to arrive and not have to answer any more questions. The sky had become cloudy and a light drizzle had begun, so our goodbyes were short. Ajira and I left the two brothers to care for their horses and headed straight for the mages guild. It was mid afternoon. We entered the guildhall looking for Ranis. I didn't see her right away when we entered the basement, but in the blink of an eye, she appeared in an empty chair.

"Oh good, you've returned. Please, take a seat." We did so without asking why she'd just been invisible. "Tell me you have good news." I placed Manwe's payment and Llarer's contract, along with his letter, on the table. Ranis took the contract and viewed the sealed letter with interest before storing them in her robe pockets for later review. "Very good indeed. I assume you collected the ingredients you needed during your trip," she said, turning her red eyes on Ajira.

"That and more," Ajira replied curtly.

I chimed in, remembering I'd promised to talk Ajira up. "She was actually quite helpful in convincing Llarer to join. I think he might've had me killed if she hadn't taken charge."

"Very well. Thank you, Han-lu for escorting my student on this journey. I haven't got any other jobs at the moment, but check in often. You never know what might come up."

She hurriedly paid Ajira and I before excusing herself. I shrugged to Ajira with an 'I tried' look before standing to leave. She stood and walked me to the exit. "What will you do now Han lu?"

"I've got a couple other sources to check for work. You should do the same," I suggested, reminding her that she needed money if she was going to leave the island with me.

"Don't worry about Ajira. There is much work for an alchemist in this guildhall. Ajira will earn the money soon."

"Good. I'll check in every so often." Ajira closed the door behind me.