Morrowind belongs to Bethesda. Oblivion appears to be approaching readiness far sooner than I'd expected…I can't afford a new computer, dammit! EDIT: This chapter has been doing weird things in the editor - I think it's fixed, but let me know if it gets messed up again. -D

As it turned out, Marayan was in.

When he answered his door and saw her standing there his look of surprise was quickly replaced by a scowl. "What do you want?"
"To talk." Winterbell kept her voice calm and even.
"I don't think-"
"Siddown!" she barked, echoing his entreaty of a few days ago.
He looked at her for a moment then relented with a nod of his head, "All right, let me put a shirt on then."

The room was relatively small but well furnished, and Winterbell took a seat at a desk covered in quills and bits of parchment. Marayan still looekd rather sullen, and contented himself with leaning against the wall,
"This better be good."

"Don't make this more difficult than it already is. I have been...a bit on edge, lately, and I can't afford to make any more mistakes." "Well, at least you admit you can make them." "Do you want to hear this or not?"
"I'm listening."

And so Winterbell told her story, from the day she arrived at Seyda Neen to their argument in the tomb. Marayan said not a word during the recital and his eyes never left her face. Eventually Winterbell finished her tale and the pair was silent for a moment.
"I believe you, Winterbell," Marayan said at last, "because no one in their right mind would make up a story like that one."
Winterbell sighed, "It's the 'accidentally joining' Telvanni, isn't it?"
"No, it's the way you've gotten away with everything. Although I have to say I'm grateful for the insight into Telvanni. They can't be as exclusive, or as intelligent, as they seem if they let you in."
"Why thank you."
"Now I want to know one more thing, why are you telling me this?"

Winterbell took a deep breath, "Because I need your help. Because ever since Ajira ordered me to play tricks on Galbedir I have been used by everyone… except by you. Don't get me wrong, I went in with my eyes open, and I've done my share of using. But I can't…trust anyone."
"And you can trust me? I don't think you know how betrayed I felt, Winterbell."
"No, I probably don't. I apologise, if that's what you want."
"Look, you tell me your offer, and I'll tell you what I think about it."

"All right then. You know what I said about Aryon."
"That he wants to use you to get rid of Gotheren."
"And become Archmagister."
"That I find a little more difficult to believe."
"Have a little faith, please."
"Wait – you're actually going to go along with this Baladas? Become head of both? You won't last a week!"
"Maybe I won't have to. Look, I have a plan-"
"Tell me this; if you succeed will we have a Telvanni running the Guild or a Guildmember running Telvanni?"
"Neither," Winterbell gave a bitter little smile, "you'll have me."

Marayan folded his arms and regarded her critically, "I see," he said finally.
"Is that it?"
"What do you want me to say? Winterbell, I'm sorry for what I said earlier. I do appreciate the help you've given me, and I don't believe that it was all for your own ends, but I can't just trust you again. No matter what impressions you've received from Telvanni over this past year or whatever you don't know them like I do. I was raised here; I heard the House debates and my father's dissection of them. I know what they're like."
"But I'm not Telvanni, am I? I'm not anything – just a troublemaker."
"I know, and that means you have no defense against them. They're using you, and at some point you're not going to be useful anymore. I just wonder if you can handle what comes after that."
"Which is why I need your help."

Marayan shook his head and took a seat on the edge of the bed, "All right, prove it."
"Prove what?"
"That I can trust you."
"All right then, sounds reasonable," Winterbell nodded to herself, "At the Grand Council Meeting, in just a few days time, the Mage's Guild Monopoly will be consigned to history."
"What!" Marayan jumped to his feet.
"Not good enough for you?"
"No…I mean…when did this happen?"
"I can't tell you that, I'm not a Councillor, yet. All I know was that we had some Hlaalu agreeing to vote for us and that we needed to convince the Redorans."
"And this is supposed to convince me you're on our side?"
"I am not on your side." Winterbell explained icily, "I am on my side. I am neither Telvanni nor Guild and to be honest I'm getting rather sick of both of them."
"Oh this is really going to upset people." Marayan rubbed his forehead absently.
"I never claimed I wasn't going to upset people. Calm down and listen to me, this is not the disaster it appears, this is a good thing. For everyone."
"You've got some convincing to do."
"I know," Winterbell grinned.
"Well, go on."
"Wait until it's actually gone through the Council. There's always a chance people will change their minds."
"You've got a funny way of making people trust you."
"Is it working?"
"Against my better judgement. You've done some pretty low things to get where you are, Winterbell."
"I know."

"Do you really think you can do this?"
"Let me tell you something interesting, as far as I know there are at least four members of the Guild who are also Telvanni."
"Four?" Marayan's jaw dropped.
"They're not so different. Do you know someone called Fast Eddie?"
"He's an exiled Telvanni," Marayan replied promptly, "Lives down by the river. He is a member of the Guild though, keeps to himself mostly - I can't believe I'd forgotten about him. I heard he would have done better in the Thieves' Guild."
"I know. He's the one who warned me about the little plot during the Festival."
"Why?"
"I gather he wants back into the Telvanni good books. And considering how Telvanni feel about people who've spent any time West of Red Mountain…I was probably his best and only hope."
"Are you going to help him?"
"In a sense. If he helps me," she replied thoughtfully. "I will need a Mouth when I get promoted to the council."
"Is this part of your 'plan'?"
"No, my plan is for after I've made it to the top: I leave."
"Leave? Just like that?"
"Well, no. It will involve a little more planning than that. But getting out is the gist of it."
"Where are you going to go?"
Winterbell shrugged.
"You're going to leave a huge mess behind you," he said rather resentfully.
"Well, I will try to reduce said mess. I'd rather not have a wizardly mob after me, after all."

Marayan tapped a fingernail thoughtfully against his teeth. Winterbell wasn't really watching him anymore; she was making plans and discarding them while staring blankly at the desk beside her.
"If," he broke into her thoughts, "you can make the end of the monopoly 'good for everyone' I'll help you. I think."
"I suppose that's the best I'm going to get. Thanks."
"Don't thank me yet."

Winterbell got up to leave, "So, how's the family?"
"We will be having a council meeting of our own at the end of the week." The strain was evident in his voice, "And we'll see what happens. At least I will be able to see Ilmeni again. I gather she's going stir-crazy in Ebonheart, at least, that's the tone of the letters I receive."
"Good luck then."
"I have the feeling we'll need it."

Winterbell walked home, feeling much better than she had in days. Even though it was late she spent some time writing down lists of names and drawing arrows between them; a network of allies and enemies to play off against each other.

Winterbell glanced out her window across the Odai River. Fast Eddie's house was directly opposite hers, on the other side of the water. His light was on. Winterbell was planning on spending the last few days before the Council Meeting in Tel Vos, and so she decided it would be better to talk to the disgraced Telvanni sooner rather than later.

Once again she crossed the river, nodding automatically at the guard on night duty. The guards knew who she was, and considered her a vaguely suspicious person – one worth keeping an eye on, but not worth bothering.

Winterbell knocked sharply on Eddie's door. She could practically sense the person on the other side trying to work out whether or not they should pretend they weren't home. She knocked again, more impatiently.

Evetually Eddie opened the door. "It's you!" He seemed genuinely shocked to see her.
"Who were you expecting? No, wait, I really don't want to know." Winterbell stepped into the house without waiting for an invitation.
"What do you want?" Eddie asked nervously.

"I'll keep this brief, as I'm sure you're…busy," Winterbell said as she glanced around at the cheap items that haphazardly furnished Eddie's home. "I think we have rather a lot in common, don't you?" Winterbell asked with a predatory smile.
"The Guild and Telvanni thing, yes." He spoke quickly, making no secret of the fact that he wanted her out of his room as soon as possible, "I just want to go back, there's nothing for me here."
"You can't go back, Eddie. Things aren't the way they used to be, but there is still a new way, my way."
"Your way doesn't sound-"
"How would you like to be a Mouth, Eddie?"
"Oh," he said quietly.
"You can stay in Sadrith Mora, at the Gateway if you like. Money isn't really an object."
"It…it's not?" Winterbell watched his fear recede in the face of a wave of pure greed. "But…they won't let me back."
"You leave them to me; I'll take care of it. So, do we have a deal?"
"Wait, what do I have to do for all of this?"
"Exactly as I tell you, but don't worry, it is in my interests to keep you in one piece."
"And if I refuse?"
Winterbell shrugged, "It's your choice. I'll find someone else and you can stay here. For the rest of your life. I have no time for people with no ambition. Remember, you were the one who first approached me."

Eddie looked around his room, torn. "You- you have to understand," he sounded almost pleading, "I'm not much of a mage."
"I'm aware of that, which is why I'm not going to ask you to do anything I don't know you're already good at."
"Like what?"
Winterbell's smile showed a lot of teeth. "I'm glad you asked."
"Suddenly, I'm not."
"I'll start you off with something easy. I want Gadar's home address."
"Gadar? He's…in Vivec, isn't he?"
"He's also a Telvanni spy. Don't talk to him; just tell me where he lives. Oh, and while you're in Vivec, try and get a hold of a complete list of guildmembers. Trebonius must have one somewhere."
"You…you're kidding, right? I mean, Trebonius is a powerful mage-."
"He's also an idiot. If you can't talk you way of a confrontation with him then I really don't think you're worthy to be a Mouth either."
"I…I'll need some money," he said finally. Winterbell nodded and removed a pouch from her robe and tossed it onto the table. It landed with a dull, heavy, and reassuringly fiscal sound. Eddie quickly opened the bag, just in case.

With the pouch carefully stowed at his belt Eddie turned to Winterbell,
"How come they didn't throw you out, when they found you were in the Guild?"
"Because I had a talent that you, Eddie, are going to pick up just as fast as possible. I was useful. Just as you are going to be useful. I will be in Tel Vos for the next little while, and I expect the results of your labours to be under my door by the time I return."
"What do I call you?" He asked, as Winterbell turned to leave, "Spellwright? Wizard?"
"You will refer to me, at all times, as your Master. Because that is what I am, little rat. Everything you accomplish will be because of, and for, me. And if you do well, I will let you forget it."
"Yes, my master."
"One more thing," Winterbell looked back, "Try and find out who Baladas's contact in the Guild is. That is something I would be most interested to learn."
"I understand."