Sylvi collapsed onto her bed with a sigh. Lord Hightower had interrogated her after Aemond had spoken with him, which had been followed the next day with a lengthy discussion with the council. After being dismissed, Sylvi had started to weigh her options. Going to Dragonstone alone was too risky, even if she used stealth. She needed to find her friends.

Sylvi got up from the bed and changed into her leather armor, once again keeping the cowl as a scarf. The urn went into the bag, cushioned by the dragonscale armor. With one last look around the room, she put on her backpack. Guilt made her hesitate. She at least wanted to tell Helaena, but it would be hard to find another time when the council, and Ser Cole, would be as distracted as they were at this moment. Sylvi quickly jotted down a note before putting on the backpack. After using an invisibility spell, Sylvi escaped out of the window. She kept to the outside walls as she crept around the city. Finally finding the exit, she quickly made for the shadows before the spell wore off.

Sylvi tried using a clairvoyance spell again. This time it led up the path towards a nearby small town. With a laugh of joy, Sylvi followed the stream of magicka to search for her friends. It led to a tavern, and Sylvi knew which friend it was before she had even entered. Sure enough, Marcurio sat at a table and sang "The Dragonborn Comes." Waiting to greet him after his admiring friends had left, Sylvi watched the crowd's reaction. They mostly seemed to think it was just a fun song. When Marcurio was alone, Sylvi walked to his table and took a seat next to him.

"If I were a Thalmor… I'd kill you right now," Sylvi said as she pulled down her mask.

Marcurio let out a joyous laugh and put an arm around her shoulder. "As if they could! I heard a tale of a crazy woman who leapt on top of a wild dragon, and I thought… well, I know only one crazy woman who would do such a thing."

"And I know of only one man crazy enough to sing the Dragonborn's song to any who might listen."

Marcurio smirked and said, "You can just admit that you were lost without me."

"I believe it might be the other way around," Sylvi countered with a smirk of her own. "Now come with me. We need to find the others"

"Very well! Once more into danger!" Marcurio said as he stood and followed Sylvi out of the tavern.

Sylvi used her clairvoyance spell once more and bit her lip in frustration. It had started to branch out in two directions.

"Let me guess… one way leads north and the other south, correct?"

"Correct… So I guess they are split up."

"That was my conclusion. It might be better to go south. A lot less land to cover, and hopefully the others will be headed to King's Landing in search of our fearless leader."

"Unless they can't pass the border," Sylvi said, remembering the tension between this country and the one below it. "We'll head south and come back to King's Landing."

Marcurio nodded in agreement with her plan. Sylvi had some of this country's money on her. They could at least get a wagon if they could find one. As they walked in search of a ride south, Marcurio told his tale of woe after awaking to find no one with him. He had tried a clairvoyance spell, but it had led to a dead end. After he finished with the tale of his journey, Sylvi told him hers. How her Voice had been damaged, how she had sailed to Westeros to find them… and how Ondolemar had died. With arrows in his back.

Marcurio nodded in understanding and said, "I saw… before we were separated. I saw the Thalmor archers, and then I saw your Altmer friend running for you. I was never fond of the pointy bastard, but… we shared one thing in common. A friend to the end."

Sylvi nodded as she looked away. This was not the time for tears. Finding the others and stopping the Thalmor needed to come first, and then she could grieve. The feel of Marcurio's arm on her shoulder steadied her as she calmed herself.

"Am I hallucinating?" Marcurio asked in a horrified whisper.

A sudden darkness enveloped them, and Sylvi looked to the sky to see a giant dragon soaring above them.

"It's okay… I think," Sylvi said, trying and failing to reassure Marcurio.

"You think?"

"I know the rider. Let's see what he wants," Sylvi said as Vhagar landed a small distance from them. "Be respectful; he's a prince."

Marcurio mocked her words under his breath but followed Sylvi as she approached the beast. Aemond leapt down from the saddle. Sylvi noted with relief that he didn't look angry.

"My apologies, Prince Aemond. Time is of the essence. I need to find my friends and prepare to fight the Thalmor. I don't have time for your grandfather or his council to fight on what should be done next."

"I agree," Aemond said, surprising her. "Rhaenyra has many unclaimed dragons at her disposal. The only thing that stops her is a lack of riders. Should these Thalmor find a way to send the dragons to battle without a rider… we will lose. Our home and our lives. Please allow me to join you. I can at least promise a faster steed." Aemond's face carried a hint of a smile as he gestured to Vhagar.

"No. Absolutely not!" Marcurio said, looking at the giant dragon. "I remember the last time I rode a dragon with you–!"

"That was your own fault," Sylvi retorted irritably. "The dragon only circled because you couldn't decide where you wanted to go. And look. At least he has a saddle. That should make it easier."

Marcurio gave her a look that all but said "you are insane" as he looked from Vhagar to Sylvi.

"You could stay here," Aemond offered at Marcurio's discomfort. "There are taverns with rooms nearby."

Marcurio took a deep breath and reluctantly said, "And leave the Dragonborn to cause havoc? I cannot do so in good conscience. Lead the way."

Sylvi followed Aemond to Vhagar, who lifted her head at the sight of the unfamiliar people. As Aemond helped Marcurio into the saddle, Sylvi greeted the old dragon, who watched Sylvi with curiosity. Vhagar slowly lowered her head until she was eye level with Sylvi's head. Reaching out a hand, Sylvi waited for Vhagar's reaction. The old dragon merely snorted before lifting her head. Sylvi let out a bark of laughter before letting Aemond help her into the saddle. As Marcurio muttered something about Sylvi's sanity, Vhagar flew into the air.

Marcurio gripped onto Sylvi as they soared into the sky. Sylvi held onto Aemond's waist and let out a whoop of joy. Aemond couldn't help but laugh as Marcurio launched into a lecture at Sylvi's 'carelessness' and Sylvi fought back.

By the time they made it to the border, the sun had sunk below the horizon, and night was beginning to fall. Leaving Vhagar in the nearby hills, Aemond, Marcurio, and Sylvi walked into town to find an inn. Aemond kept his hood over his white-blond hair. A wise decision, Sylvi thought as she looked around the tavern where they had found rooms. A couple of the men looked far too interested in them for Sylvi's comfort. Sylvi found herself alone in a room. Sitting on the bed, Sylvi put her backpack on the floor. After a moment of hesitation, she opened the bag and pulled out a book. When Ondolemar's body had been burned in Essos, one of the attendants had brought her his journal.

Sylvi stared at the plain, leather book with trepidation. It was possible that at least part of the Thalmor's plans were in this book… but she couldn't read it. Ondolemar was a Thalmor agent stationed in Markarth, and the only reason that she had reached out to him at first was to get into the Thalmor Embassy. However… he had grown on her during her visits to the stone city. While his presence at the Dwemer city had meant that he had known something about the Thalmor's plans, Sylvi wasn't sure if she could handle how much he knew.

A knock on her door made her flinch, and she heard Marcurio say something about food. Gripping the book, she stayed on the bed for a moment more to collect her thoughts. If she couldn't bring herself to read it, then perhaps Marcurio would. Sylvi shoved her bag under the bed and left her room to join Marcurio. A hooded figure caught her attention. Sylvi joined Aemond at the table and set the journal down.

"Where's Marcurio?"

"Your friend said that he would be back in a moment," Aemond explained before noticing the journal. "Some light reading?"

"Not quite," Syvi replied solemnly. "It belonged to my friend... I was going to try to get Marcurio to read it for me."

"Is it in a different language?"

"No… I just… I couldn't get past the first sentence… My friend was a member of the Thalmor."

Aemond raised a brow in confusion and asked, "Do you normally try to befriend your enemies?"

"No… Well, if an enemy becomes my friend, then have I not vanquished an enemy?"

Aemond nodded thoughtfully, but he wore an amused grin. "I can read it for you if you would like. If it is from the Thalmor, then it may contain their next move."

Sylvi hesitated for a moment, but she slid the book over to Aemond. They were allies. The Thalmor were a threat to both of them, and she saw no reason to hide it from him. Aemond focused on the journal with an irritated expression. No doubt he didn't care for Ondolemar's way of speaking. Arrogant was the nicest way to refer to him.

Sylvi looked to the fire as Aemond read. The fire danced back and forth. Crackling warmth emanated from the hearth as Sylvi focused on watching the flames. The sound of the book closing caught her attention, and she turned back to Aemond. His expression had changed. He seemed… remorseful. Aemond slid the book back to her.

"There is nothing in there that we do not already know… but I would recommend not reading it here."

Sylvi gave him a worried glance, and Aemond said, "I didn't mean anything strange. It is just… very personal. I believe that you would want to be alone when reading it."

"So it's just a record of his thoughts… Perhaps I shouldn't read it then."

"No. I believe that he would want you to read it."

"Was it written so well that you completely understand him now?" Sylvi joked, trying to cut the tension.

"I do not agree with everything… but we have a shared interest," Aemond said and tilted his cloak over his face as more people came into the tavern. "And I would want you to read it… were I him."

Sylvi gripped onto the journal tightly, taking in Aemond's words. She reached out and touched his hand while saying in almost a whisper, "Thank you, Prince Aemond."

"Just Aemond. You never know who is listening…"

"Then thank you… Aemond. I really appreciate it."

"It was… no problem at all. I'm going to take a walk outside. A bit too warm in here," Aemond said as Marcurio stumbled in through the front door.

"How are you already drunk?" Sylvi asked Marcurio as he took a seat in front of her. "I just saw you."

"I'm not drunk… just a bit actually," he admitted playfully before spotting the book. "What are you reading?"

"It was Ondolemar's journal. I got Aemond to read it for me. It doesn't have any useful information."

"I'll be the judge of that."

Marcurio held out his hand for the book, and Sylvi handed it to him. Marcurio wore a look of indignation as he began to read Ondolemar's journal. The food was brought out. Sylvi thanked the worker, and Marcurio took bites in between pages. As he finished, he no longer had a look of indignant anger.

"Nothing we can use against the Thalmor?" Sylvi asked.

"No… not useful for anything."

Sylvi held her hand out for the journal's return, and Marcurio hesitated.

"Aemond recommended that I read it. He said he thought that Ondolemar would have wanted me to do so. Do you have a different opinion?"

"No…" Marcurio replied, but he still didn't offer it back. "I think he would have wanted you to read it… Just not now. After we get home."

"Do you think it will upset me?"

Marcurio sighed and held out the journal for her to take. "I don't know what to think quite frankly… Other than that he really didn't like me."

"I can't imagine why not," Sylvi said playfully. "You're practically a human sweetroll."

Marcurio playfully punched her arm before focusing back on the food, and Sylvi let the warmth of the fire and sounds of the tavern distract her from her worried thoughts.