Upon feeling a tug at her apron, Hulda looked down to see a brown haired little girl. Despite the busyness of the evening, the proprietor of The Bannered Mare knelt down to face the young girl.

"I'm looking for my mama," the girl stated before Hulda could ask her what she needed. "Have you seen her?"

"I'm not sure, child." The innkeeper replied, somewhat at a loss. "Can you tell me what she looks like?"

The child nodded. "She's tall, like you," she answered. "And very pretty," she paused thinking a bit. "And she likes to where a plain blue dress when she goes out."

Hulda frowned. With the fact that The Bannered Mare was the only true inn in Whiterun, it was the most popular place among the city's citizens to spend time. She saw dozens of patrons each night. Even more so when the caravans or legion soldiers came through. But she was determined to help the poor girl.

"Can you tell me anything else about her?" Hulda asked.

The girl frowned and simply replied. "I don't know."

"Hmm … does your ma have anything noticeable about her, like a scar?" The innkeeper asked hopefully.

"No," came the simple reply. "At least none you can see when she has clothes on."

"I see," Hulda wondered, "What about a tattoo? Does your ma have a tattoo?"

The girl shook her head.

"My dear child, there must be something else you can tell me about your ma." Hulda said gently. "I see a lot of people in my inn every day. So many that, sometimes, they all look the same. Is there anything about her that is different from other people?"

The girl just shrugged.

"Let try it this way." Hulda finally started after an exasperated sigh. "Is your ma a Nord, like me?"

The girl nodded.

"Does she have brown eyes, or blue?" The innkeeper asked.

"Blue." The child replied. "But they are very light blue. Like silver."

"What color hair does you ma have?"

"White."

Hulda suddenly straightened. "White?" She asked with a wary expression on her face. "Your ma has white hair?"

"Yes…" The girl drew the single word out, almost as if she seemed to dread answering the question.

"Child, it's been almost a fortnight since your mother was here." Hulda explained. The feeling of worry and almost fear was creeping up her spine and it was made worse by the fact that the girl's look of panic lasted only an instant before it was replaced by one of calm curiosity.

"Do you know where my mama went?" The child asked in a matter of fact manner that the innkeeper found quite strange. Wouldn't a child be in a full blown panic by now?

"No, child," She answered. "I'm afraid I don't know where they went after she left my inn."

The girl's face scrunched up in thought. "Was there a man with her?" she finally asked.

"Yes, there was. Quite the striking fellow he was."

"Did you hear anything about what they talked about?" The child asked after another brief bout of thinking.

It was Hulda's turn to think. It had been almost two weeks ago that the girl's mother had stayed at The Bannered Mare. She usually did hear snippets of countless conversations and generally paid them no mind unless there was something particularly interesting being talked about. This woman had been one that had piqued her curiosity multiple times in just the span of a night and day. Then it finally came to her.

"Your ma had some interesting things to talk about." She finally answered. "The night she was here, I recall the two of them mentioning some elf mage. Then the morning they left I heard the man she was with say something about the embassy. I'm guessing they were talking about the Thalmor Embassy, but who knows."

The girl's face lit up with excitement.

"Thank you miss." She exclaimed. "Thanks a whole lot."

"Child," Hulda said grabbing the girl gently by her shoulders. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." She answered quite assertively which surprised the innkeeper.

"Are you sure?" She pressed despite seeing angered annoyance flash in the girl's eyes. "Are you going to be okay without your ma?"

The brown haired girl delayed a bit before eventually answering. "Don't you worry. I'll be fine. I have our house servant with me."

"Your house servant?" Hulda asked struck somewhat dumb. This encounter was getting weirder by the minute.

"Yeah, she's over there." The girl pointed across the common room to a Dunmer woman sitting quietly and alone in a chair near the stairs up to the rooms. A look of confusion and anxiety passed across her face before she waved back at the child pointing her out.

"She can take care of you?" The innkeeper questioning skeptically.

"She uses magic." The child whispered with a smile.

"Okay, I guess." Hulda finally let go of the child and stood. "Good luck finding you ma."

And with that, she turned back to the bar to see to her neglected patrons. The little girl threw a quick wave to her dark elf companion before walking out of the tavern.

Babette had only been outside a moment when she felt a strong hand grip her shoulder. She turned to see a rugged looking Nord man looking down on her with eyes full of concern.

"I overheard your plight in there, little one." He stated in a friendly, but concerned tone. "I would like to come with you and help you in your search."

"Who are you?" The child vampire asked, now aware her ruse with the innkeeper had been a little too convincing.

"Taldir is my name," the big man replied, "I'm a guard here in Whiterun."

"How would you be able to come with me?" Babette put the innocent child act back on. "Don't you have to stay here and guard things?"

Taldir smiled. "No, I have been placed on a leave for a fortnight after recovering from my injury." He offered, then continued when he saw a doubting look cross the child's face. "But, don't you worry. I can still fight and protect you if need be. I just walk with a slight limp is all."

"A limp?" Babette asked. "What happened to you?"

He made a brief noise that seemed part growl and part scoffing. "Was out clearing a hole of bandits just north of the city. One of the Oblivion damned vermin shot me with his bow. Took the arrow in my knee."

Babette let out gasp of surprise, playing her part well.

"Not to worry, little one," he assured her. "A strong throw from my axe split his head cleanly, it did."

The tiny assassin couldn't help but smile at that. The guard, misinterpreting her expression, smiled back at her and mussed her hair. Babette to fight the urge to rip his hand off at that. She might have failed, but just then, the door to the inn opened and Gabriella joined her. The Dunmer was just about to say something when she saw Taldir standing next to Babette and stopped, her mouth hanging open for a moment.

"And who's this you've met, child?" She asked after recovering from her surprise. "You know your mother doesn't want you talking to strangers." Gabriella added in an attempt to disentangle her child-looking friend from whatever hanger-on had attached himself to her.

"Bah, I just introduced myself to the child." The man replied with a dismissive wave at Gabriella. "I am called Taldir. I've offered to help this poor girl find her missing mother."

"Indeed." Gabriella returned unimpressed.

"And he is a guard!" Babette exclaimed with child-like exuberance. "Won't he be so helpful?"

"If he's a guard, my dear, I'm sure he'll have to stay here and see to his duties." Gabriella replied.

To her surprise, Babette shook her head empathetically. "No, he can come with us because he is on leave for the next fortnight! Isn't that great!?"

Gabriella's eyes went wide in shock. She recovered a moment later and hoped it wasn't seen by the stranger. The look in her vampire friend's eyes told the dark elf that she didn't think it was great at all. If anything Babette was greatly annoyed and wanted him gone.

"I … I appreciate your offer, Taldir," the dark elf started, "but I'm sure we'll be fine as long as we keep to the roads."

"Nonsense." The big man blurted out. "Have you not heard of the strange monsters roaming about attacking people? Not even the roads are safe. I won't take no for an answer."

"Why not?" Gabriella shot back a bit more curtly than she wanted.

"Because I would hate to see this poor child be sent to Honorhall if her mother can't be found." Taldir replied. "I hate to say it, but the authorities probably wouldn't look to you as a valid caretaker, miss. I know, myself, what befell the children that were sent to that orphanage. That witch, Grelod, was running it when I grew up there and I was quite glad when I got the news she'd been murdered. Please, let me help you and the child. Even with it in better, kinder hands, I'd much rather see a child reunited with her mother than be sent there."

Both women were at a loss and both were very irritated. There was no way they could allow an average citizen into The Family's business, but it was clear they weren't going to talk this one out of his desire to muddle in the Dark Brotherhood's affairs. There was only one thing to do now. They had to get rid of him.

"Alright, Taldir, I thank you for your help." Gabriella consented. "We must resume our search as soon as possible."

The Nord looked round at the sky. "Night will soon be upon us." He stated. "We shall have to wait til tomorrow. Come! You can stay with me tonight. I am the only one in the infirmary wing of the barracks so there will be plenty of room. And I'll be able to get my sword as well."

Gabriella gave Babette a questioning look at the mention of the infirmary wing. The false-child answered with an almost imperceptible shake of her head. And cried "Yippeeee!" as she turned to follow the off-duty guard to his lodgings.

Sable ducked under the claws of the creature, spun, and popped up behind it, planting both daggers into its emaciated form. It crumbled to dust as it fell to the ground. There was no time to admire her victory as another came rushing at her. The assassin reversed her grip on her elven daggers and launched herself at the impending assailant. She crashed into it bringing it to the ground and immediately got up to find another target. That one already disintegrating; two dagger shaped holes where its thin beady eyes used to be.

There was a flash of light and a loud cracking sound, evidence that her mage companion had joined the fray. A second later, there was another flash and crack and this time a bolt of lightning shot by her, blasting one of the spiked monsters off its feet. Another took a swipe at her and lost its hand for the effort. Sable spun low and swept its feet out from under it and put her blades into its chest three time in the blink of an eye. She was gone, moving on to the next target before it had finished vanishing back to Oblivion.

As she weaved and danced through them, it occurred to her that she had not yet seen a pack of them this large. While they were easy enough to dispatch, she would begin to tire soon and would be overwhelmed. She had no idea how long Sionis' magic would last but figured there was a limit to that too. Then she heard her companion's voice call out to her. She turned to see him standing with both hands thrust out before him, palms together fingers splayed out wide, shooting ice from them, freezing solid any of the creatures that got close enough.

"Come to me," he called. "Come through the wall, but do not break it."

At first she was confused by that statement, but then she saw that the frozen creatures were beginning to form a makeshift barrier around him.

Yet another of the fiends came at her, howling as it charged. As soon as it was in range, it swiped its clawed hand at her. The assassin blocked with the hilt of the dagger in her left hand, but also caught hold of its skinny arm as she did. In the next moment, she stepped under and then behind the captive limb, twisting it as she did so, and brought the blade in her right hand down on to it just below its shoulder. The quicksilver blade never stopped as it completed its arc, severing the creature's arm effortlessly. The minor daedra howled again, though this time in pain. The howl was cut short a moment later as Sable freed its head from its shoulders and then took off at a dead run for her companion.

She slashed and stabbed as she went, hoping, but not knowing if she killed any. Her only thought was to get to Sionis. A second later, she was at the menagerie of – now – crystal monsters. She danced through it quite easily and then found herself standing beside her companion.

"There are too many of them." He stated simply.

"Tell me … something I don't … know." She huffed between breaths. "I've … never seen … a horde this big … before."

"I have." Sionis replied. "I can win this fight for us."

"That sounds good." Sable countered. "Let's do your idea."

"The spell is an intense one. I need a moment to prepare it." He finished with a pointed look at her.

"I get it." She said. "I need to be your bodyguard while you get ready."

Sionis nodded.

"Alright, but just this once." She said in mock frustration. "And only this once."

By now the chipping sound of ice breaking as the fiends began working their way through the barrier reached them.

"Whatever we are going to do, it needs to be now." Sable stated.

"I will need you to follow my instructions immediately and perfectly." Sionis said firmly. "You must trust me."

Sable felt a surge of anger and at being directed by the mage in such a manner. She never gave up power over herself to another in the way he just asked her to do. But as the howls of the creatures began to ring out again, she fought her every instinct and pushed her anger down and gave him a simple nod.

Turning around, she holstered her daggers and took her bow from her shoulder. She nocked an arrow, drew the bow string and waited for first target to appear.

She didn't have to wait long. Only a moment later, the ugly tusked face of one appeared through a crack in the grotesque wall. She fired. The arrow buried itself into the monsters head and it fell with a shriek and disintegrated. Immediately another appeared. The white-haired assassin grabbed another arrow and fired. She missed. A second later, a shriek told her the arrow had found a mark further back.

Sable fired again and took down her intended target this time. But another crack from the ice breaking signaled that there were now two targets to the worry about. She fired twice, as quickly as she could. She killed neither of them. One took an arrow in its shoulder; the other came on unscathed.

Just then she heard ice breaking to both her left and right. Quick glances to each side showed her that there were impending breaches from those directions as well.

"Anytime Sionis!" She called as she dropped her bow and rushed to her right with her daggers drawn. She slashed the throat and chest of the one coming through and then dashed back the other way, just as the last vestiges of the wall were broken in front of where she had been standing. Three of the fiends came barreling though. A moment later, she slammed into all three, daggers in a blur of action. Another moment later, they all began crumbling.

She looked up to see holes opening up all across the hedge of ice statues.

"Sionis!" She screamed.

She was about to run to meet the next group of daedra when she finally heard the mage call out.

"Now Sable! Drop!"

Unable to simply halt herself from being in a dead run, the curvy assassin threw herself backwards in a skid, landing on her back with a thud. As soon as she hit, she heard the loudest clap of thunder in all her life. It stole her sense of hearing and left her with nothing but a ringing silence. But she saw it. A tendril of lightning as big around as a large tree trunk shot over her. What was left of the wall of ice exploded when the lightning hit it. Sable shielded her face with her arms for a moment, then watched as the column of death tore through the monsters. It was breathtaking as it swept from side to side, instantly vaporizing any fiend it touched.

After a few moments, there wasn't a daedra to be found and then it was gone just as abruptly as it had come. Sable scrambled to her feet and looked back to Sionis in sheer, unbridled astonishment.

"That was amazing." She muttered in awe of what he had done, and then added under her breath so he couldn't hear. "You're amazing."

"I should … heal you cheek." Sionis answered through gasps for breath.

It was only then that Sable began to feel the intense pain running through the left side of her face. She reached up and touched it. She pulled back with a wince and saw blood running down her gloved fingers. A piece of shrapnel from the improvised barrier of frozen daedra had slipped through her arms and found her cheek.

Sionis brought his hands up to her face and a warm golden light filled them and then poured into her face. The assassin sucked a breath through gritted teeth at the agony of her skin knitting back together under the direction of the healing magic.

A few minutes later, her companion took his hands away.

"There, all better." He declared. "Doubt there will even be a scar."

"Ha! It would be a shame to mar such perfection." Sable mock boasted with a laugh and a smile.

"Indeed it would." Sionis agreed under his breath so she couldn't hear.

"Come on," she called back to him as she walked away, oblivious to his remark. "We should see if we can find the horses and get on our way again."

Sionis sighed as he trotted to catch up with her.

Some time later, they were riding at an easy trot on the road to Whiterun. The attack notwithstanding, they had made good time since leaving Solitude, being just outside of Morthal two days later.

"So that was better than Morthal?" Sionis asked about the battle, questioning a statement his companion had made just before leaving the town earlier that morning.

"As I said earlier," Sable asserted. "Anything is better than being in Morthal. It's the armpit of Skyrim." Then she added with just a hint of a smile. "Though I did meet a nice guard there once."

"I see," was all the mage had to say.

"What are those things, anyway?" The assassin asked, changing the subject.

"I don't know what they are called," Sionis answered, "but I'm certain they are some kind of servant of Boethiah. I first saw them right after I killed Naga. From reports I've heard, they began terrorizing Skyrim in general shortly after that. Since Naga was connected with Beothiah, I assume - with a fair degree of certainty - that they are from him."

"Boethiah's servants?" Sable echoed. "How would her minions be getting onto the mortal plane?"

"That, I don't know. But I know mage in Windhelm that would probably know. I can try to pay him a visit when we get there." The mage answered and they rode in silence for some time after that.

Sionis couldn't help pondering his companion's behavior. Her reaction to the dress he'd bought was strange. And not only had she packed it with her for the trip, but she was quite cheerful towards him ever since. He couldn't figure out what it was exactly, but he was sure that she was setting him up for some kind of retribution somehow. He'd tried to apologize, but she had laughed him off and told him there was nothing for which to apologize. And here he was out in the middle of nowhere, with nothing but his thoughts and wishing he had never bought that Oblivion-damned dress.

"So, he turned out to be a screamer." The child stated as she sat a careful distance away from the campfire.

"Yes, he did." Her Dunmer companion agreed.

"Honestly, I didn't figure him for that."

"No, he didn't seem the type. Do you feel better now?"

"Yes!" the child beamed. "It had been quite a while since I had my last."

"I know," the dark elf woman replied. "I'm glad you're feeling better."

"I am. It didn't hurt anything that he tasted quite good either."

"He did?"

"Yes, he was in good health and getting it fresh is always better than the artificial stuff."

"I see."

"And I'm glad we decided to cut across the plains instead of keep to the roads." The little girl added upon realizing there was no other conversation forthcoming from her friend.

"Oh?" the Dunmer questioned. "I thought you'd want more opportunities for meals."

"That's what I thought too," the child answered. "But I was getting tired of all the looks and questioning."

"Tired of being seen and treated like a child?" The woman mused while poking the fire.

"Yes!" The child exhaled. "And, at least this way, we don't have to worry about anymore would-be do-gooders trying to tag along."

"No, just have to worry about all the hostile and carnivorous Skyrim wildlife."

"You mean like spiders?"

"And skeevers."

"And trolls!" The girl almost yelled.

"Oh my, I hate trolls." The dark elf snapped. "The only good thing about them is setting them on fire. And even then you get the stench of burning troll fat."

"And don't forget The Hunger." The child reminded her.

"Indeed. Tell me, what other advantage was there to cutting across the country instead of staying on the main roads?"

"We're trying to catch up to Sable and stop her from killing herself by taking on a Daedric Lord, remember? We started out about a week behind her. We've got to make up whatever time we can."

"Ah, yes. That's right." The Dunmer sighed. "Tell me something, sister. Would we be out here breaking ourselves over any other member of the Family?"

"Of course." The child replied emphatically. "Though no other member of the Family would actually accept a contract on a Daedric Prince." The dark elf nodded her head in agreement before her friend continued. "But, yes I would be out here for any brother or sister. Wouldn't you?"

"Yes." The woman replied sincerely, before a playful smile crept onto her face. "Except for maybe Festus."

"What!?" The girl cried out. "How can you say that? He's like the overly cranky uncle I never had."

"My friend, I think he's old enough he could have actually been your uncle."

"Perhaps." The child said after a laugh. "Seems bitterness preserves one just as well as vampirism does."

"Probably so." The Dunmer managed to say in between fits of laughter.

"Do you think we'll catch up to her?" The dark elf asked when the laughter finally died down.

"I hope so," the girl shrugged. "But you know how she is."

"Yes," the woman agreed. "She is rather determined isn't she?"

"Mmm … as mistress is so fond of saying, 'quite the overachiever'." The child replied.

"Do you think she can really do it?" The dark elf asked.

"Do what? Kill Boethiah?"

"Yes."

"I would say no. No one can kill a Daedra Lord."

"But Sable would try. She would die trying."

"And if that happens," the girl answered venomously through gritted teeth, "I'll kill that wretched mage for even putting the idea into her head. I'll tear him apart with my bare hands!"

"I guess we'd better hurry then."

A/N: Greetings. We're getting closer and closer to a confrontation with a Daedric Prince. I already have plots ideas and outlines forming for the next tale, so even though we will probably be reaching the end of this book within the next few chapters, fear not. There will be more coming afterwards. I do hope you have enjoyed reading Sable's tale. Please feel free to review and/or PM. I love hearing from you.

I also know have a tumblr setup that to which I will try to post fairly regularly. Check it out as I will post sneak peaks of upcoming chapters and even future stories as well as some profiles for my characters and anything else I find interesting. Just look for King's Tales.

Thanks again for reading.

-E.K.