Winterbell lost no time in exerting her authority over Gotheren's household. There was no resistance, for the succession had been perfectly within the traditions of the House. There was some muttering when Winterbell ordered everyone to spread the word about where Telvanni's newest base would be, but with Baladas drifting around looking menacingly pleasant no one complained openly or stepped out of line.

Winterbell never stopped moving. With things organized at Tel Aruhn she traveled to Tel Vos, to talk with Aryon, who was most pleased. It was only now that she realized he was rather surprised that she'd succeeded in killing Gotheren, a revelation that soured her mood somewhat, although she didn't let it show.

Eddie was dispatched with the news and a set of orders for the Mage's Guild, and he departed smartly with his nose in the air, presumably already composing his next letter to his mother.

Baladas declared the damage done to the shock centurion superficial, and it hissed and hummed along behind Winterbell, causing comment and consternation wherever it went. Winterbell soon grew used to the noise, and to her surprise the machine had no trouble rolling up and down flights of stairs. In what Baladas dryly described as a 'stunning display of originality', Eddie had referred to the machine as Shocky, and the name stuck, despite Baladas's protests.

Baladas eventually got bored and returned to Gnisis, telling Winterbell he'd be in Balmora the next day and that he looked forward to seeing what she had planned. Winterbell had been asked more than once what she planned to do about the Hlaalu Council House, which was in Balmora, and probably wouldn't appreciate the influx of Telvanni. Winterbell merely said that they'd get by on a technicality and that if Hlaalu knew what was good for them they'd stay out of it.
"We don't want to start a house war," Aryon cautioned her.
"Hlaalu has its own problems," Winterbell said cryptically.

Winterbell gathered an entourage and traveled to Wolverine Hall. Skink was circumspect in his congratulations, but Winterbell grinned at him cheerfully and told him that his branch of the Guild would soon become one of the most important ones, as trade started with Telvanni. He didn't look totally convinced, but managed to smile weakly as Winterbell and half a dozen Telvanni used Guild transport to Balmora.

In Balmora only Marayan was conspicuous by his absence. Winterbell barely had time to dwell on it, instead explaining that Balmora was her home and she intended to continue to conduct business there.
"But I need to have Telvanni representatives too," she explained, "so I'm setting up a little colony nearby. They shouldn't bother you at all."
Estirdalin put on a frosty smile, "Of course. We wouldn't be bothered by a few Telvanni. They could stay here, if they'd like."
Winterbell said she thought separate accommodation would be more appropriate. The Telvanni behind her agreed.

In the late afternoon sunshine Winterbell led her group of Telvanni out into the square. Behind them trailed the Mages, interested to see what would happen next. The guards hefted their weapons uneasily, but no one had broken any laws, and they did nothing but frown.
Winterbell raised her hand, pointing at the towering grey hills to the north of Balmora.
"That ought to be sufficient," she said. With no further ado, the Telvanni started scaling the hills, carrying several large seeds.

It had taken weeks for Winterbell's tower to be grown by one solitary Orc. Winterbell had no time to waste, and so several wizards were assigned each seed, and within minutes they were sending shoots into the rock, sending small stones rolling down the side of the hill.

Winterbell, along with the majority of the citizens of Balmora sat back and watched as the twisting vines groaned under the stress of growing so fast, and the rock beneath them shivered and cracked. As bulbous rooms were formed, and twisting green spires coiled into the sky, Winterbell decided everything was well in hand, and sought out Estirdalin, to ask her about Marayan's whereabouts.

The mage answered her distantly, her eyes fixed on the towers sprouting above the town. Marayan had gone to visit his brother, she explained, and had apologized for not being there for Winterbell's return. He'd said he didn't know when he'd be back.
"Or if he'll be back," Winterbell said grimly.

Winterbell stalked back to her house, Shocky following.
"He's an idiot," she muttered. "He'll end up dead." She sighed and rubbed her temples. She didn't want to steal his glory the way Baladas had stolen hers; what Marayan had to do was in a sense far more important.
"To hell with it," she said, and picked up her bell hammer. It would make a nice change to fight someone who wasn't a mage for once.

Night was falling as Winterbell snuck away from the continuing construction, which still seemed to hold the entire town in thrall. She told the stilt strider driver that she wanted a detour to Pelagiad, and that it would not be in his interest to refuse. Since she was the only passenger he agreed, and Winterbell promised him a generous tip.

Winterbell had left Shocky back at Balmora, since she was going to attempt to sneak into the plantation, and pouring potions on the machine seemed to have no effect.

The path to the Dren Plantation was now a familiar one to Winterbell, and she made good time. She guessed that Marayan would make one last attempt to talk his brother out of whatever he planned to do, and she hoped that they were still talking. Ultimately, neither really wanted to kill the other.

Winterbell cast her Amulet of Shadows and as quietly as she could, eased her way in though a side door. She'd never been inside the Dren manor before, and was disoriented for a moment as she found herself halfway up a set of stairs. There were no signs of the Ienith brothers, which was to be expected. There was a guard down near the door, and she could hear servants or slaves working in a kitchen somewhere.

From the sounds above, the time for talking had passed. As quiet as a ghost, Winterbell ascended to the top floor, following the sounds of battle.

The two brothers were still circling each other, only occasionally striking – giving the other a chance to back down. Marayan was surrounded by the purplish haze of a shield spell and had Winterbell's daedric shortsword in his hand.

Winterbell frowned, maybe if she got her hands on that proof the Marayan wanted a duel to the death would be avoided. As silently as she'd arrived, Winterbell snuck back downstairs. The guard was a problem that Winterbell solved by smacking him on the back of his head with her hammer. He dropped without a sound.

Winterbell had no trouble finding the door. It was heavily locked and Winterbell looked at the intricate mechanism in despair. There was no way she'd get through that. A scroll would take care of the locks, but she had no doubt that Orvas could afford the very best traps money could by. There really was only one way to get through the door.

So Winterbell knocked.

Then she ducked out of the way, and watched as the door opened, apparently of its own accord. Eyes narrowed in concentration, she listened for the telltale scrape of feet, barely daring to breath. Well, there was one, but where was the other?

The Ienith didn't say anything, and eventually Winterbell's nerve broke. She took a breath and whispered a frost incantation. He grunted in pain and the invisibility potion wore off as he turned and swiped at Winterbell with his jinkblade. Winterbell had had enough of being paralyzed and ducked, expecting the move. She wasn't sure, but she thought the other brother was nearby. She didn't dare back away from the wall, for that would leave her exposed on two fronts.

Winterbell cast again, this time a wide spell that caused someone off to the side to yelp in pain. So that's where the second brother was. Winterbell cast the enchantment on one of her gloves – it had been a present from Aryon – and the corridor was suddenly full of atronachs.

Both brothers yelled, and Winterbell flinched as the creatures started hurling spells around. Dren would need to do some redecorating once this was over. Winterbell snuck in through the door, leaving the battle behind her for a second. She found herself in a well furnished room with two beds – the brother's quarters. Winterbell started searching through chests with a speed born of desperation.

Eventually her fingers closed around a piece of parchment, hidden near one of the beds. Winterbell only glanced at it for a second before shoving it into a pocket.

When Winterbell went back out through the door one of the brothers was standing over a corpse. The atronachs were all but dead, the storm atronach still swinging grimly at the Dunmer in front of it. Winterbell raised her hand for a final frost spell, when she realized the corpse was that of the guard, not the second brother.

Winterbell turned and cast as she felt the other brother's blade bite into her shoulder. The dunmer staggered back, his weapon falling to the ground as Winterbell, for the second time that day, found herself unable to move.

The dunmer was obviously dying as his brother howled in rage behind Winterbell. As soon as she felt the spell wear off Winterbell turned, with another spell on her lips to see the atronach finally disappear. And the remaining brother looking rather surprised at the daedric shortsword protruding from his chest.

Winterbell cast the spell anyway, and the enforcer fell to the floor, as Marayan pulled the sword from his chest.

Winterbell and Marayan regarded each other silently for a few moments.
"What are you doing here?" he asked finally.
"I was looking for your proof. So you wouldn't have to kill Orvas. Although it seems I was a bit late."
"Oh. Well, thanks. I was planning on leaving and just faking the proof," Marayan confessed, leaning against the wall. "I couldn't have fought all this lot as well."
"Are you all right?" Winterbell asked.
"I think I have more potions in me than blood, right now."
"That wasn't quite what I meant." Winterbell walked forward and handed Marayan the parchment.
Marayan closed his eyes for a moment, "It's over. He's dead. Ilmeni can, she can probably take it from here. Anyway, I see you're still alive."
"Barely. Still, everything seems to be going well. Big announcements tomorrow – everyone will be there. Everyone who's still alive, anyway." Winterbell glanced around the corpse-strewn floor.
Marayan yawned, "Can't it wait a couple days?"
"Nope, but if you ask me afterwards I'll grant you a holiday," she said cheerfully.
Marayan sheathed his sword and tossed a key to some slaves, who had ventured out to see what had happened, "Get out of here," he told them. "It's under new management."
"Whose management?" Winterbell asked.
"Ilmeni's I suppose. I'll send this parchment to her – let her decide what she wants to tell Vedam. I think I'm a little old for 'I told you so's."
"That's a relief," Winterbell said.
Marayan raised an eyebrow, "Why, are you about to admit you were wrong and I was right about something?"
"No. You might be, but I'm not about to admit it," she smiled and he grinned back.
"All right then, I can live with that. Shall we go to Pelagiad for dinner, Archmagister?"
"Why not? I don't expect to get a moment's peace in Tel Balmora."
"Okay – wait, what? Tel Balmora? What have you done, Winterbell?"
"You'll find out soon enough."
"That does not fill me with confidence."