The ash storm cleared up the next morning, and the sun shone between puffy white clouds as Tharlennis passed into Ald-Ruhn.

Julan was sitting at a table with an older Dunmer man who was also dressed like an Ashlander. She sat down next to him. "Hey," she greeted him. "I told you I'd come back for you. Are you doing all right?"

Julan bit his lip. "I…" he began. "I'm sorry for what happened back there."

"Sorry for what? And is that stuff you're drinking any good?" Tharlennis asked. "Honestly, you don't have anything to apologize for."

"Boderi's matze is the best I've had," Julan answered. "Gods, you must think I'm an utter coward. But I swear this to you: I am a warrior. I have never run from a fight, and I do not fear death."

"Then what were you afraid of? May I?" At Julan's nod, Tharlennis poured herself a mug of the local brew he'd been drinking. It was strong, but its bitterness was not overpowering.

"I'm not afraid of the ash monsters on Red Mountain, it's something else… hard to explain," said Julan, resting his forehead in one hand. "I think it's something to do with these weird dreams I've been having."

"Weird dreams? How so?"

Julan sighed, and took a long draught directly out of the jug. "I often have dreams that I'm climbing Red Mountain, and it's dark… the air is filled with ash, and it's getting into my eyes and mouth… it gets harder and harder to keep moving." He paused a moment and dropped his voice. "And there are all these voices surrounding me, whispering things…"

"Like what?"

"I don't know," he admitted. "I can't understand what they're saying. But they sound…" He paused, looking for words. "Not good," he decided. "I mean, you've heard of Dagoth Ur, right?"

Tharlennis nodded, frowning.

"I thought so," he replied. "Even an outlander must know about him – the devil that lives under Red Mountain, yes? Who is supposed to make people go insane by sending them dreams? Well…"

"And you've been getting dreams. You're not about to go crazy on me, are you?"

"No!" Julan said decisively. "I'm not insane, and I'm not planning to be! Dagoth Ur is just a powerful figure in our history and legends – of course a lot of people dream about him. It's nothing," he said, sounding as if he was saying it to convince himself as much as Tharlennis.

"All right, I'm sorry I mentioned it," said Tharlennis. "So what's bothering you so much about these dreams that you can't set foot on Red Mountain?"

"They aren't. I mean… they won't," he amended. "I know it doesn't make sense. Just give me time, please. Maybe we can carry on with my training. I need to take my mind off things."

"Whatever you say," Tharlennis assured him. "So you're up for learning a little magic? Come on, let's see what you can do. How good are you with fire?"

"Not bad," he replied as they walked up the stairs and out of the inn. "Nothing like what you did to those clannfears."

"Well, I suppose that's as good a place as any to start," said Tharlennis. "Come on, we'll find some cliff racers to practice on outside the city walls ."

It was not difficult to find cliff racers – in fact, the aggressive creatures found them. Tharlennis watched and instructed as Julan took one on with just his magic. He killed it without too much difficulty as Tharlennis left the other two in a scorched heap, and Tharlennis corrected his technique, showing him how to efficiently move his hands past an opponent's defenses. "Practice on me," she said. "Don't worry about hurting me, I can heal myself just fine. It's no good to go halfway. Be ruthless – you have power, so use it."

"You sound like a Telvanni," said Julan.

"Do I? I've never met any," said Tharlennis. "From what I hear they're much more lenient than the Guild. Come on, burn me. No, more than that. I told you, don't worry about hurting me. Ouch! Better. Much better. No, I'm fine. Stop worrying." She ran her fingers over the spot Julan had touched, and with a pale blue glow, the burn disappeared. "I wonder if they'd take me on as a retainer. I could use a…" She stopped herself before she said "cover identity."

"They might," said Julan. "You're definitely magical enough. It probably helps you're a Dunmer, too, even if you are an outlander and not crazy. They'll probably be less picky anyway, since you're so good at magic. Why?"

"Because I ought to fit in somewhere," she decided after a pause. "I don't exactly have a home just now. If I got involved with a Great House, I might be able to carve out a niche for myself. That's not to say I'd stop training you, of course," she finished.

"Well, that makes sense," said Julan, nodding. "I guess you'll want to go to Sadrith Mora, then. I'm pretty sure that's their capital. How would we get there?"

"I'd probably ask a caravaner. Come on, it's getting late – let's head back to the city."

-------------------------

The caravaner informed Tharlennis and Julan of the route they'd have to take to reach Sadrith Mora the next morning, and Tharlennis paid the fare for two to travel south, then along the coast until they reached the citadel of Molag Mar, where they switched to a boat. It was a few days before they reached their destination, and when they arrived at a long, curling dock carved of living wood, it was twilight. Tharlennis and Julan walked side by side toward a marvelous gatehouse hollowed out of some giant plant or fungus. They walked beneath it through a green tunnel and emerged to a view unlike anything either of them had ever seen. "So this is Sadrith Mora?" Julan asked admiringly. "It's so huge and weird!"

"It's beautiful," Tharlennis breathed. She gazed upon the structures that made up the city, the setting sun's rays painting their white walls pink. "A living city… I knew they existed, but I never realized how amazing it all would be. Have you ever seen anything like it?"

"I've been to Vos and one or two of the other Telvanni towns a few times, but this is something else," replied Julan, his eyes climbing to the top of the huge tower in the center of the city, and sighed. "Tharlennis… can I ask you honestly… do I seem like a complete savage to you?" Before Tharlennis could answer, he continued. "I know how people see Ashlanders – violent, uncivilized barbarian tribes, living in filth and squalor, obsessed with ancient superstitions. You settled types with your luxuries can't understand we choose to live as we do, so you think we must be ignorant savages – but let me tell you, we are proud of your culture. We have things more valuable than the tasteless displays of wealth you get in cities like this."

"I wouldn't call this tasteless," said Tharlennis, still gazing about in the waning light. "This is… I know, I already said it, but it really is. It's beautiful. It's so… organic. But I don't think you're a savage. I'm not about to tell someone else how to live their life."

"You're more open-minded than most people I meet," said Julan at that. "Perhaps it is because you are an outlander. Strange. You seem to understand me better than the native Dunmer!" he laughed. "But really, people like you are rare, and my people are viewed with suspicion in the cities. I may be proud, but my mission must be kept a secret, and I worry about looking too conspicuous. I don't know. What do you think?"

Tharlennis checked her purse. "Well, I've got some money," she said. "Let's work on finding you some new clothes, or at least some clothes that smell less like a goat."

"I have never even seen a goat. How could my clothes smell like one?"

"Well, they smell like something, and if it's not goat I don't know what it is. Never mind. The point is that you need new clothes. Maybe some new armor, even – the stuff you've got looks pretty worn out."

Julan nodded, and they set about finding a tailor or merchant, but every seller of clothes they found charged ridiculous prices to a non-Telvanni. "If you want me to give you a discount, go talk to the Mouths in the Council House and see if they'll let you be one of us," was the most generous answer Tharlennis got when she tried to haggle. She asked directions, got them, and crossed a root bridge to the large, nearly iridescent globe that was the Council House.

She opened the round wooden door and crossed the threshold into the structure. "Is this where I go to join House Telvanni?" she asked the first person she saw, a Dunmer woman in a robe. The woman directed her through another door into the main council chamber. Tharlennis cautiously opened the door to the vaulted room, its walls lined with shining crystals, and looked around. A number of elegantly-robed Dunmer stood on shelf-fungus platforms at the room's edge: the Mouths. "Excuse me," Tharlennis asked one. "My name is Tharlennis. Are you accepting applicants?"

The Mouth looked down at Tharlennis and Julan with eyes that pierced through their mundane exteriors. "Which of you seeks to join us?" she asked, and when Tharlennis indicated herself, nodded. "Yes, you may be worthy," she said. "In fact, we are even seeking an Outlander for a special job. Perhaps that is you."

"So you'd take me? What would I be getting myself into if I did join you?"

"We trust all members of House Telvanni to use their own judgment," said the Mouth, her tone indicating she'd said the same thing to many others. "If you steal from another Telvanni, but still live, then clearly you deserve whatever you stole. Murdering your opponents by magic or treachery is the traditional way of settling disputes. If you win, then clearly your argument has more merit. You may be expelled as in any other Great House, but most Telvanni will not care or even know about it. Does this appeal to you?"

Tharlennis knew the Telvanni were lenient about rules, but she had not expected them to be this lenient. "If I'm to have so many freedoms, of course it does," she told the Mouth with a smile. "What was this special job you mentioned? I'll take it on."

"Good," said the Mouth. "You are now a member of Great House Telvanni. Welcome, Hireling Tharlennis. The task I give to you is one of stealth. Is your companion trustworthy?"

Tharlennis looked at Julan, then back to the Mouth. "Anything you can say to me, you can say to him," she said.

"Then your task is to be a spy for us. Lead the Guild of Mages to believe you work for them, and learn their secrets. Those secrets you will tell to us."

Tharlennis made a face. "I hadn't meant to pledge myself to a guild that would take my own secrets for theirs," she said sourly.

"Then feed them misinformation. Sow dissension where you can while you earn their trust. Follow the orders of the guildmasters only when they serve your own purposes, otherwise stall. We will not ask you for your secrets, either – only theirs."

"Then I suppose it isn't such a bad thing," Tharlennis thought aloud. "All right. I'll do it. Where do I go to sign on with the Mages?"

"Wolverine Hall. Their Guildmaster is an Argonian, so he won't be hard to recognize," the Mouth instructed. "South of the city. Big Imperial castle – hard to miss. Go."

With a nod, Tharlennis left the council chamber, to try and find some proper clothes and armor. There wasn't much for sale in Sadrith Mora, so they instead headed for Wolverine Hall. The Mages' Guild quarters were somewhat hard to find in the castle's confusing passages, but eventually they found them. Tharlennis saw one Argonian among the elves and humans, and approached him. "I'm here to join the Guild," she told him.

The Argonian looked up from his alchemical apparatus and blinked slowly. "Welcome." His voice was soft. "You are a mage?" At Tharlennis's nod, he closed his eyes for a moment. "Yes, we could use you. Will you take the Mages' Oath and join us, then?" He saw Tharlennis's cocked eyebrow and explained. "Perform any duties you are assigned by the masters of the Guild. Learn from them and grow strong. Always share your knowledge freely with other Guild members. Never strike or steal from another member. Does this appeal to you?"

I suppose I'll just have to avoid being caught, Tharlennis thought, and said aloud, "I agree to that."

"Then you are now a member of the Guild," said the guildmaster. "I have no duties for you, but Ranis Athrys in Balmora or Edwinna Elbert in Ald-Ruhn might. Iniel will transport you there for a small fee." He waved a scaled hand in the direction of a young Altmer woman.

Tharlennis thanked him and turned to Julan. "Shall we head for Balmora? I think that might be the best place to buy you some new things, and I have someone there I need to speak to." At Julan's nod of assent, they paid Iniel, stepped up onto the platform beside her, and vanished reappearing on a similar platform in a blue-lit adobe room. A female Khajiit worked at a desk making potions, occasionally stopping to tend a kitten Tharlennis assumed was hers in a basket. "Where can I find Ranis Athrys? I need something to do."

The Khajiit purred. "Ajira has not met you before," she said. "You a new associate?"

"Yes. I'm Tharlennis. Where can I find her?"

"Ranis," hissed Ajira. "Ranis would not give any duties to the new associate. She would send Tharlennis to Ajira, but that is good, because Ajira needs an assistant. Ajira must write a report on the local mushrooms, but Ajira cannot gather them herself because she must care for a child."

"And you want me to find mushrooms for you? Fair enough. What kinds, and what do they look like? I might even have some of the samples you need on me already."

"Luminous Russula, Violet Coprinius, Bungler's Bane, and Hypha Facia. Ajira knows that you can find all these on the Bitter Coast. Will Tharlennis show Ajira the mushrooms she has?"

Tharlennis dug the samples she had collected on the way to Pelagiad from her haversack and showed them to Ajira. Ajira purred. "Yes, these are all good samples," she said with a nod. "Tharlennis has all the mushrooms Ajira needs," she said, placing the samples carefully on a tray. "Now Ajira can write a report and be a Journeyman. Here – Ajira has made some potions that might be useful to Tharlennis. Ajira is no great alchemist yet, but take them in return. Now Ajira must ask another favor. Ajira made a bet with Galbedir…"

"Who?"

"Galbedir. The Bosmer enchantress who wears too much face paint. Ajira made a bet that she would be a journeyman before Galbedir. While Ajira studies these mushrooms and writes a report, Ajira wants you to give Galbedir a fake soul gem." She rummaged around in her desk and produced what looked for all the world like the genuine article. "Ajira made this," she said proudly. "When Galbedir comes downstairs, take this and put it in Galbedir's desk. Make sure no one sees you do this thing."

Tharlennis picked up the fake gem, and looked at it. "Perfect," she said. She hadn't expected an opportunity to sow dissent and perhaps even mayhem would come so soon. She strolled up the ramp to the second level, passing a Bosmer along the way who, judging by her elaborate makeup, could only be Galbedir.

Julan laughed, and Tharlennis felt his hand on the one of hers that held the false gem. "Can I look at that for a minute?" he asked, and Tharlennis showed him. He hummed admiringly. "It is very convincing!" he said. "I'll have to ask Ajira how she made it – I'd love to try this trick on my mother! But let's get it into Galbedir's desk before anyone sees us."

Tharlennis nodded, and replaced the real soul gem inside Galbedir's desk with Ajira's fake. She looked over the gems on top of the desk, all of them glowing faintly, showing they contained souls. "This is an opportunity," she murmured, and pocketed the largest one.

Julan frowned. "You shouldn't do that," he said. "It'll get you in trouble, and besides, it's not right."

"Nobody saw me come up here," Tharlennis argued, examining another of the gems. "When Galbedir comes back, they'll just have mysteriously vanished, and she won't know who did it. These are valuable, and to be honest, we need cash."

"Well, what if you get Ajira in trouble?" Julan countered. "If she and Galbedir have a bet going, the blame's going to fall on her."

"And she won't know anything about it, and won't have the gems. She won't get in trouble, and by the time anyone tracks it to me, I'll have sold them off. We're helping her, even – how's Galbedir going to enchant anything without her gems?"

"I'm not going to be able to stop you then, I guess," Julan sighed as Tharlennis took the last of the gems. "Come on, we did what we came to do."

Tharlennis casually walked down the stairs and the ramp to speak to Ajira. "It's done," she said, and Ajira thanked her. She turned to Julan. "Come on, I need to talk to someone on the other side of town, and you need to get something new to wear. Here." She tossed him her backpack. "Don't worry about how much you're spending, I'm pretty sure I'm going to get some more money soon. Don't worry about how you look either – just try to find the most well-made things you can. I've got to talk to this guy in private, so I'll meet you at the South Wall cornerclub, all right? If something comes up and you have to find me, ask someone there how to find Caius Cosades, because I'll be at his house."

Julan nodded with a frown. "You didn't make me go away last time," he grumbled. "Fine. I don't care. I'll let you have your Very Important Private Conversation." As Tharlennis made for the other side of town, Julan stalked off in the other direction to buy new things for himself.