There was one delay to my rest. It seemed there was always another delay, another distraction. 'Perhaps,' I thought, 'Some God was trying to teach me patience.' However, thinking back on the line of events leading to this moment, I realized it was my own fault. When I'd let Safia Dren go and made a fake letter and hadn't returned to the Fighters guild till early morning, these deceptions inevitably led me to another lie I had to tell. Eyedis Fire-eye now stood before me with arms folded, aiming her expectant gaze at me. Contrary to her name, her eyes were a cold ice blue, I thought in my fevered musings. She cleared her throat bringing me back out of my haze. What had her question been? Oh right. How did I get the letter back?

"Well, after leaving your room, I chased the thief south, down the street and out the southern gate. She crossed the bridge toward Fort Moonmoth and I followed her."

Eyedis raised a brow. "How do you know it was a her?"

'Damn, I thought. "I'm getting to that part." I quickly thought up a trivial detail to give me time to think. "I think I could have overtaken her sooner, but I wasn't wearing any shoes. Anyway, I followed her past the fort and across that big bridge. I was able to make up the distance on the bridge because I wasn't stepping on rocks, but I didn't quite catch her. I was running out of breath and once the bridge ended I knew she'd lose me, so I threw a rock at her. It hit her in the back of the head and she collapsed. I didn't have much time to search her though. That bone creature thing was right off the side of the path. I turned her over and found the letter right before the thing rushed me. It poked me in the chest and I had to retreat. I healed the wound over with magic, but the infection set in fast. Who knows just what diseases those creatures carry?"

Eyedis stopped me. "Did you see anything on the thief that could identify her? The Dren's messenger seemed most interested and asked me to pass any information I could get on to them."

I struggled within myself. I had to throw them off the trail of Safia if I could, but at the same time, Eyedis had fought her if only briefly. She seemed to be under the impression that the thief had been a man, but that didn't mean she hadn't seen the red eyes. It would be easier if I could say it had been a human or something, but Eyedis might already know it had been a dark elf. I cursed myself for slipping up and giving away the gender. If only I was well rested. Thankfully, I had a moment to think all this through, while pretending to search my memory for the answer to her question. I rested my chin in my hand and tapped my lip theatrically. "I know she was a Dark elf. Other than that, it's difficult to say. She had darker skin like an ashlander, but I think that's all." That would hopefully be enough to throw them off of Safia's trail. Anyone who knew anything about Dunmer could tell at a glance that Safia was not an Ashlander. My cheeks seemed to burn as I considered her complexion..

Eyedis seemed to accept this, withdrawing into her own thoughts. "Very well. Why don't you get some rest? You look like you could use it."

I mentally praised Mephala that my clumsily crafted lies had been enough to convince the Nord woman. She was a warrior, not a plotter. Had it been Orvas Dren himself who had questioned me, it may not have gone so smoothly. With relief, I fell back into my bunk, still feverish, but I managed to take a nap. I awoke mid-evening and didn't feel like getting out of bed. I twisted and turned, but my mind remained active.

I sat up and turned to my equipment. I ran my thumb over the edge of my orcish sword, but my fight in the tomb hadn't blunted it at all. As for the bow, the limbs were in good condition, but the string was dry and starting to show fraying. I made a mental note to buy some wax to protect it. I'd normally have a new string made so I could replace it when needed, but I could do that once I was back in Cyrodiil.

After checking my weapons, I went through my satchel. It held the potions Ajira had made for me, a couple cloth sacks of gold, and the book I'd bought to copy the letter for Safia, The Pilgrim's Path. I picked it up curiously. I hadn't read any of it, I'd just bought it for the type of paper that it was made of. With nothing else to do, I cracked it open. It turned out to be a short guide for a certain pilgrimage commonly made by Tribunal Temple worshippers. There were seven sites of worship detailed in the pages with a story for each one telling some deed of the Tribunal god Vivec. One told how Vivec had helped a poor farmer by pulling a plow like a beast of burden. Another caught my attention. It detailed a confrontation between the Daedric prince Sheogorath and Lord Vivec. Sheogorath tried to destroy the city named after Vivec by nudging a moon out of its course. The book said that Vivec stopped its fall "with a single gesture and the grace of his countenance." I couldn't help but laugh. However, the book said that the moon not only halted over the city, but was used as a citadel for the temple Ordinators.

"I'd like to see that," I said aloud. It didn't mention how large this moon was, but a chunk of rock floating over a city? That would take a significant magical force to be held aloft. I'd have to go see it when I went to Vivec.

Overall, visiting each site was supposed to teach a principle to live by such as humility or daring. It made me curious to learn more about the religion. Before falling back to sleep, I even had the errant thought that maybe I'd get to meet these gods. That would certainly be exciting.

The next morning, I got right back to business. Ajira probably would have told me I needed more time to recover, but at the same time, she was anxious to leave Vvardenfell and so was I.

I dressed and donned my weaponry. This time I let Eyedis know I had a project before leaving. Thankfully she didn't try to push any new jobs on me.

I was waiting by the door of Ra'Virr's shop by the time he opened for business. He ushered me inside as soon as he saw me.

"Ra'Virr was beginning to think you had reconsidered," the lion maned Khajiit admitted.

"I just needed to work out the details. I have mark and recall potions to teleport the crates to the store. Where do you want them?"

The Khajiit put his shoulder to a bookshelf, shoving it to the side and revealing a trap door. He led me down a ladder into a hidden cellar under the floorboards. "Drink your mark potion here. Ra'Virr will close the store for the day. How many times will you teleport in?"

I carefully picked the small vial labeled 'mark', unstoppered it and poured the liquid down my throat, trying to ignore the odd taste. A strange sensation enveloped and left my body and disappeared just as quickly.. "I have three recall potions so I'll bring as much as I can back with them." The thought of how much money the assorted dwemer artifacts would bring put me in a chipper mood.

The rest of the day passed quite pleasantly. I took the long hike out to Arkngthand three times. The place had not been touched since Hasphat and I had cleared out the looters and any remaining automatrons were still locked in the sublevel, thank Azura. I found the small pile of things the looters had found and packed as much of it into a crate as I could. There were strange tubes, vials, and ingots along with a few weapons. Nothing I was interested in, but well worth taking.

Once the crate was satisfactorily overflowing, I popped the cork off a recall potion and hung it from my mouth. After picking up the crate with a mighty grunt, I tipped back my head and let the potion spill into my mouth. Faster than I could blink, I was in Ra'Virr's cellar. The cat began sorting the contents of the crate before I even left. The second trip was much like the second. A couple travelers noticed me take the bridge towards the Ashlands just beyond the gate to Balmora. I supposed it wasn't a common way to go for most folk.

The third trip had me scouring the ruins myself for artifacts as I'd already taken everything the looters had gathered. I swept through cupboards and drawers of ancient unused bedrooms, a kitchen, and the other rooms with a less obvious purpose. I found a number of ancient coins and even jewelry and gems, both cut and uncut. After loading the rest of the spoils into the crate, I once again teleported to Ra'Virr's store. Setting the crate down, I said, "That's all of it."

"Good, good," Ra'Virr said, never turning his attention away from the ledger he was keeping. "There is tea and some biscuits upstairs. Feel free to have some. Ra'Virr will join you when he finishes."

I climbed the ladder and indeed there was a kettle over a small fire in the hearth. A silver tray sat on a table. I lifted its cover off to find the biscuits along with a jar of honey. I spooned a generous helping of the golden substance onto the biscuit and attempted to eat it without getting my fingers sticky, a truly impossible task. A half hour later, I was nursing a hot cup of tea and relaxing in a comfortable chair. Ra'Virr climbed out of the basement, covered the trap door, and stretched his back with paws on his hips. He approached and poured himself a cup of tea.

"Ra'Virr is done with his appraisal." He sat in a chair across from me and handed me a slip of paper. The items I had brought were listed and itemized according to what he was willing to pay for each. I scanned the list, keeping a neutral look on my face. The dwemer artifacts were quite valuable indeed and the price reflected such. The other items such as the jewels and gems which weren't illegal to buy or trade had an average pawnbrokers price fixed to them. The grand total came to just over 11,000 septims. I glanced over at the Khajiit who sipped his tea casually as if paying me no mind. We both knew I could squeeze him for more if I felt like bartering. I believed he'd taken that into account when he made the number, making it just fair enough to hope I'd agree. On the other hand, I was at a disadvantage as far as bartering went. It wasn't as if I could deny his offer and take my items to the shop next door.

After considering all things, I laid the paper down and said, "The amount is fair."

Ra'Virr nodded. "Good. There is just a little more Ra'Virr must tell you. Ra'Virr hopes he doesn't have to mention that this transaction never took place." He waited for a nod of affirmation. "And he is obligated to tell you that if word of our business gets out in the open, Ra'Virr's business partners may have to pay you a visit."

"Understood."

"Perfect," he purred. He set down his cup and stood up behind his counter. I stood across from him as he unlocked a money box and counted out the full amount in front of me. As I took the coins, Ra'Virr bid farewell, saying, "Pleasure to do business with you. May you walk upon warm sands."

I returned his peoples traditional farewell with one of the Dunmer. "May the stars guide and watch over you."

I dismissed myself from the store with all the money I could need to make it home. It was once again raining, albeit lightly. Occasional lightning arced across the sky. I paused under the cloth awning in front of the store. I was a little tired, but it was still early afternoon. I wondered how long the journey to Vivec was. All it took was a glance at the empty silt strider station for me to realize they probably don't travel when there's lightning. Then I remembered that the mages guild offered teleportation services between their guild halls.

I debated whether I wanted to leave today when it was so late already, but figured that it might be more than a one day job anyway. I'd find Addhiranirr first and find out when the next ship was leaving. Then I'd know how long I had to keep up my act with Caius and the Blades. I bit my lip, realizing that if Addhiranirr had a dual loyalty to Caius besides the thieves guild, there was a risk she might inform Caius of my plans to leave. Or worse, when she realized I was a Blades agent, refuse to get me on a ship.

I calmed those fears immediately. All I had to do was make up some mumbo jumbo about being on Blades business. Caius had obviously worked with Addhiranirr before, if not the thieves guild itself. With my mind made up, I reported to Eyedis that I was leaving for Vivec for a couple of days on personal business.

She looked up from her desk just long enough to tell me that I could stay at the fighters guild hall in the Vivec Foreign Quarter during my stay if I could put up with the Orcish guildmaster's snoring.

Once at the mages guild next door, I found Ajira, quietly told her the plan and asked who to talk to about teleportation services.

"The Breton woman, Maselinie Merrian," she answered, excited that our timetable was shorter than I'd estimated yesterday. "Has Han lu ever been to Vivec before?"

"No," I answered.

"You be careful there friend. There are all kinds of people in the city and many are none too friendly."

I couldn't help but tease. "Oh Ajira, are you worried about me?" She rolled her eyes and I continued, feigning strength. "Honestly, you should worry more about anyone who gets in my way and you know it."

"Look, just don't ask too many questions. The Temple will imprison anyone they think is a heretic, so don't mention Daedra or that sort of thing. Ajira knows you like to stir up trouble as it is."

I relented and assured her. "I promise to be careful."

Ajira then took me to the back of the basement near her alchemy alcove. The Breton woman sat lazily in a chair looking bored to death with a book in her hands. "One passenger to Vivec Merian."

She flicked her eyes up at me briefly before saying, "Sixteen Septims." I wordlessly counted the money and put it in her hand. She laid her book in her lap and without moving from her seat, waved both hands at me. It took my brain a moment to realize I was in another room. It happened even more suddenly than it had with the potions.

"Please step out of the alcove, we don't want somebody else teleporting inside you," another bored voice said.

I glanced around to see I was indeed in an alcove with four stone platforms, each of them labeled with the name of the city people were coming from. I quickly stumbled down from the Balmora platform. A man blinked into existence on the platform labeled Sadrith Mora and strode easily into the room. He glanced at me and then to the woman sitting nearby and said, "First timers."

To this the woman simply replied with an, "Mmm hmm." She looked to me. "The exit to the guild is upstairs. It leads to the top level of the Foreign Quarter. I can answer any questions you have."

I gathered my wits. "Thank you, I'll be on my way."

I passed her, taking in the sights. The whole building was made of carved stone with simple, but painstakingly built designs. There were a number of different rooms, but I ignored them and found stairs leading upwards. The guild members paid me no mind, taking me for just another traveler utilizing their services. When I thought about it, this building probably saw significant foot traffic thanks to the guild guide service.

I exited the front door expecting to find myself outdoors, but to the contrary, I found myself in a room the size of a city block with stone walls and a dome ceiling high overhead. There were a number of buildings built in matching tan stone within this square room. I recognized the Fighters Guild straight across from me along with a blacksmith and apothecary. In between these buildings were streets wider than Balmora's and they were lined with stands and vendors. I looked to the left of the mages guild exit to where the street ended with two large wooden doors that were hanging open. By each door there was a guard. Not like the Balmora or house Hlaalu guards in their dull yellowish bonemold armor. These guards uniforms looked half ceremonial robe half armor. The cloth portions hanging off had multiple layers with a white background, but extravagant designs in purple, red, and blue. Their torso was covered in plate armor hammered into the shape of a chiseled muscular bare chest. It included pauldrons over each shoulder, sweeping up and outward to make them look more foreboding. They each carried a shield not quite tall enough to be called a tower shield, but heavy and formidable all the same. Each also carried a halberd or poleaxe with a broadsword as a backup.

The most noticeable part of the ensemble, however was inarguably the helmet they each wore. It had a tall plumage of red-orange hair in the shape of a mohawk and the front was carved in the likeness of a Dark elf's face with a circular earring on each side and two scars, one across each eye meeting on the forehead, making a point. The metal was gold rubbed, giving it a bright yellow sheen, as were all the metal parts of the armor. The guards looked like statuesque monoliths rather than your average law enforcers. One of them noticed me staring and did a double take as he glanced at me through the eyeholes in his helmet.

"You," he called. "Come here a moment." He didn't shout. On the contrary, his voice was nearly a whisper, but his voice was so deep, distinct, and commanding that everyone within fifteen feet turned, stopping their conversations just to make sure it wasn't them being called out. With trepidation, I obeyed, sizing him up out of habit. He beckoned me forward until I was within arms reach. A plan of action automatically ran through my head. I'm too close for him to use his halberd. If I need to fight, the weakest point in the armor appeared to be under each armpit or the legs, but I couldn't see them under the robe.

The guard shifted his halberd to his shield hand. Then with his free hand, he grasped the top of his helmet and pulled it off. I stiffened as he held it up next to my head as if to compare them. "Hey Daka!" He called to the other guard who was watching us. "It's a pretty good likeness don't you think?"

The other guard turned his helmeted head to face his partner, then wordlessly turned back to watching the crowd, creating an eerie, almost inhuman aura that reminded me of the expressionless dwemer automatons. With a grunt, the Dunmer man replaced his helmet on his head. "Save for the scars and hair, I think you look pretty similar."

I swallowed, finally realizing I wasn't in trouble. "Is that face based off of someone specific?"

"Of course. The temple Ordinators model ourselves after Saint Indoril Nerevar. Surely, you've heard of him. You are Dunmer after all."

"Oh yes, I've heard of him."

"Alright, then. I suppose you've taken enough of my time, haven't you?" His word was final and he resumed his sentinel-like watch. I was happy to walk away. A few steps down a stone ramp and yet again, the city of Vivec stunned me with its view. The market I'd just left wasn't a building on its own. It was merely the cap on a five story stone tower set in the ocean a stone's throw from the southern coast. I walked to the edge of the walkway leading around the fifth story and peered over the edge, trying to comprehend the sheer scale of the building. As if my mind wasn't blown before now, this tower was only one of nine which were all connected by arching stone bridges.

"Boo!" I jumped as another pair of the golden guards patrolled behind me. They laughed, pausing for a moment. "First time in the city?" They asked.

"Yeah. I've seen the palace of the Imperial city in Cyrodiil and the white gold tower is taller, but there's nothing that compares with the mass of these structures."

"Magnificent aren't they? They're called cantons by the way."

They began walking past again. "Oh, excuse me. Maybe you could help me find someone."

They stopped, one of them turning their head back to me. "I'm a law enforcer, not a tour guide."

"Perfect." They both turned slowly to face me at that and waited, gold helmets expressionless. "I'm looking for a Khajiit named Addhiranirr."

"And what would you want with her if you found her?" His voice was deadly serious. "Trouble won't be tolerated in my city."

I shook my head emphatically. "No, no, nothing like that. Dirty beggar cheated me at nine-holes." They continued to stare, unmoving. "I'm not involved with anything sordid."

Finally one of them answered. "I believe she lives in the lower waistworks. However, an Imperial tax collector has been looking for her since yesterday. I'm torn between that cat getting what's coming to her and letting the Imperial run in circles. Good luck finding her."

I let out a breath I wasn't aware I'd been holding. Those Ordinators were inherently intimidating and I didn't feel like crossing any more of them if I didn't have to.