Authors note. Thank you to the two anonymous users who commented on my story. Thanks especially for pointing out a continuity error in chapter 23. As of this time I've already edited it to make it more consistent with previous chapters. You guys are a part of my writing team and I need as much input as you're willing to give.

The fighters guild hall was unusually quiet. The only person I found was Hasphat Antabolis who was laying on his bunk with an old leather bound book. The middle aged Imperial removed a pair of reading spectacles at my knock on the door frame.

"Hey, where's everyone at?"

"They're all out and about. Eyedis sent Wayn, Balyn, and Fascile to take care of some poachers, Flaenia said she had some business in Caldera, and Eyedis is at a meeting with some local Hlaalu nobles. She was rather excited about it. I'll bet she makes a contact or two that'll feed us some steady work."

I leaned on the door jam with a smirk. "Do you always know where everyone is?"

He chuckled. "I ought to. I'm the guild record keeper and historian. Don't think I'm just a soft old scholar though. I still take assignments."

"Any idea when Eyedis will be back?"

"Can't be sure. She's been gone for two hours. Who knows how long negotiations could take?"

"Alright then. I'll probably check back in after an hour or so."

The Imperial waved me off, putting his spectacles back on and I went back out into the rain. I meandered across town, getting soaked, but was reluctant to go to my other source of work. I wondered if Caius Cosades was wondering where I was. I found myself down the street from his house and staring at the door. Reluctantly, I shuffled through the rain and knocked. There was no answer. I knocked again, but there was no sign that anyone was home.

"Looking for me?" I jumped in surprise when Caius showed up behind me with a large burlap sack of groceries. He wore a very Cyrodilic style hooded cloak that seemed waterproof. "Be a good lad and help me with the lock would you? The keys are on my belt."

I took the key ring from his belt and fumbled with the cold wet iron, inserting the key Caius chose into the heavy lock. I welcomed the warm space inside, my nose burning slightly at the smell of the fire in the coal stove. Caius went about sorting his food. I made sure to lock the door behind me. "The Empire must be in tip top shape if its master spies have time to browse the markets," I teased.

"Well, I don't know what rumors you've heard about the Emperor's Blades, but I assure you, I have to eat just like you. Not that I can blame you for your ignorance, we haven't had time to chat or even have a proper introduction. I worried a bit when you disappeared into the ashlands, but I was reassured when you were reported seen in Suran. Once I heard you were back in Balmora I thought, Wouldn't it be nice if I had something to offer the fellow when he stopped by? So yes, I went grocery shopping."

I got the feeling Caius was making a show of how widespread his network was.. "How did you know all that?"

"Poor Dunmer. You're all so concentrated on keeping secrets that you don't give much thought on how to acquire them. That's why the Empire's stood so long in my opinion. It's not the strength of our armies, nor the vibrancy of our economy. It is our ability to speak and listen."

I rolled my eyes. "Well I can understand why you'd think I'm interested in politics by the fact that I'm a political assassin, but I truly don't care about the Empire."

Caius chuckled pleasantly as he bustled around his small home. "Yes yes, of course. You're a family man. You commit crimes to earn money to take care of your family." He turned his back on me to prepare a meal. He set a tea pot on an already lit coal stove to boil and started chopping vegetables. "What motivates you now that you're alone?"

My eyes bored into his back. My mind raced again. "What are you getting at?"

He glanced at me when I didn't answer. He paused what he was doing, face frozen in thought before the light of realization shown in his eyes. "Of course, we haven't gotten your mother yet. Not that I know of. If I were to venture an informed guess, you're probably planning on smuggling your way to the mainland and finding her, am I right?"

The hairs on the back of my neck stood up and my hand fell to my sword. "So that was the Emperor's plan all along? Use me to find my mother."

Caius shook his head. "If that was the case, I wouldn't have told you about it, would I? Go ahead and try to leave if you like. I have great reason to believe you will fail to leave Vvardenfell. In the meantime, I'll pay you to gather information from certain informants I've contacted and tracked down. That'll put you closer to your goal won't it. I know what smugglers charge."

I scratched my head and fell into a cushioned, high backed chair. My heart sank at the thought that my only plan was revealed and yet I was confused that he wasn't going to try stopping me. "I knew it was a mistake to come here this evening."

Caius again chuckled pleasantly and set a plate on the coffee table in front of me. It had cold cuts of salt pork and a more attractive arrangement of vegetables than I'd seen since the Emperor's birthday party. All my father's teachings urged me to ignore the food. Ignore the peace offering. Stare your enemy in the eye, but I couldn't meet Caius' gaze. He was the better saboteur, no question. He was a spider and I was caught in his web.

I slowly accepted the plate and picked at the food. "This is better than mudcrab and ash yam," I commented sullenly.

Caius let the meaningless comment hang in the air a moment before speaking. "Han-lu, you don't have to hate me. I'm not the Emperor, I'm not a judge, and I'm definitely not your enemy. This land is in turmoil whether you care or not, and it is my job to take care of it. I made that clear to the Emperor when I took this position. I love Vvardenfell. That is what motivates me. Not punishing a crime that occurred a nation away."

I looked across the table and met the old man's gaze. "Look Han-lu, if it's still family that motivates you, I'll help you. I get copies of reports from all over the Empire. If any inkling of news about your mother comes up, I'll inform you, but you have to work for me."

After a moment of hesitation, I nodded. "Alright. What do you need done?"

Caius laid his plate aside. "I'm gathering information on two secret cults here in Vvardenfell. The Nerevarine Cult and the Sixth house cult. I'm identifying sources that may have information about one or both. The first informant is a local named Hasphat Antabolis."

"Oh, I know him from the fighters guild."

"Perfect. He should have some information for me, but he needs to trade favors. You'll have to help him with something. Return to me when you have the information."

I took that as an excusal, and eagerly accepted the chance to leave.

"One more thing," he said before I closed the door. "Hasphat is quite the scholar when it comes to Morrowind's history. It might not be a bad thing for you to brush up on, considering you live here now."

I finally shut the heavy door and breathed a sigh of relief. I could hear the lock turn behind me