"I won't let you drag this college into darkness with you."
"That isn't what I'm trying to do. I would never have chosen to come here, and you know that. The only reason I did is to help that little girl."
"You've taken a sudden interest in young vampires? Come on, Athene. There's more to this you're not telling me."
"Of course there is. You refuse to see anything impure, so why should I try to show it to you? Stay here in your ivory tower, ignore the world outside, pretend everything is fine, but help me with this one thing. Not even me–Help her with this."
Shaude waved her hands like she wanted to throttle her sister, but stayed back. "How do you suppose I do that? Cure vampirism? You have no idea how difficult that would be!"
"But possible."
"Prove it!"
"I was cured."
Athene could have counted out half a minute in the silence that followed, as Shaude stared at her. Then the Arch-mage said, "Well, that makes sense."
"I don't even want to ask what that means. I just want to know if you can do it. Falion, the one who cured me, used to live and work here. He'd dead now, and I found nothing in his research in Morthal, but maybe he left something here. Maybe in the records, or even word of mouth, something you can piece together to figure out how he did it."
"Will you describe the ritual?" Shaude had a bit of parchment now and she scribbled notes as Athene told the story of the dawn, the Black Soul Gem, and all the arm waving Falion had done before she'd felt her soul properly return to her body.
Her tale told, Athene was silent a while then realized her sister was lost in thought and study. So she stood up and toured her quarters, waiting to be noticed again.
Last time she'd been at the college was shortly after the previous Arch-mage had died, victim of his own greed. Savos Aren betrayed them all in his quest for power, and Shaude had been chosen as his replacement not just for her skill in Restoration magic, but because she was so utterly sensible and unlikely to corrupt.
It had always been so. After the purge they'd stayed together to stay alive, and because they were family, all they had left. As they travelled further from Valenwood the differences between Athene and her little sister had yawned wide, showing itself at every village and with every decision. When Athene tried to lay low, Shaude was laughing it up with a bard at the local inn. When Shaude began practicing Healing Hands on livestock to help farmers, Athene was poaching to make ends meet. The argument that had split them up and led one to Winterhold while the other lived in a bandit cave had been legendary, even by their standards. It had taken Athene years to seek Shaude out. What finally drew her was the knowledge that Shaude would never have left Winterhold to seek Athene. What she'd found in the college was exactly what she'd always sought.
When Athene wasn't angry she was jealous of that.
Her last short visit was more than three years ago. Mirabelle was right to be wary that the silence was broken. It may have been an estrangement, but it was also a truce.
There was an odd gem sitting on the beside table. It glowed and spun, pink and bright. As Athene considered taking it, Shaude finally spoke up.
"Maybe," she said. "Maybe I can do something with this. I think Arniel Gane might have some insight into the use of the Black Soul Gem, and of course Phinis… Colette… All right, Athene. You were not a complete idiot to bring the girl here."
"That's incredibly big of you."
"Don't interrupt. Yes, we might be able to help her. And no, I can think of no better place. We'll take care of her, if nothing else. At least she's out of that… lair. Movarth, you said? I've heard of him. We have some books."
She began shuffling said books on the shelves nearest to her, and after a while Athene realized she was alphabetizing them.
"Hello," Athene said. "Still here."
"I know you're there. I was just… All right. Fine. Athene, you brought us a vampire. A young, albeit un-tried vampire, who doesn't know her own strength, but a vampire. A killer. Into the college. You brought her here without warning, without even a letter stating your intentions. And you're not going to stay, are you? You're just going to leave her here and go back to… to what? What do you do now, anyway? Are you just a thief, or is that Sithis' brand I see on your soul?"
"Do you want me to stay?"
"No. You have a shadow over you, Athene."
"Seems like I'm doing right, then."
"Seems like you win, yes. You've managed to fit what you want to do into what you have to do. I should not be surprised. Safe travels, sister. Keep your darkness to yourself."
It was easier to walk to the door, to look at the fine tile flooring shining with faint blue light, than think about that. Than respond to that. So Athene walked and said nothing.