When I arrived at the Whiterun gates, I had to tell the guards why I there and what I intended to do. I wasn't fond of everyone's sudden change of attitude towards me. I was used to every treating me with the utmost respect, but that just wasn't possible anymore. I was nothing more than a prisoner lucky enough to have escaped Helgen. I was no longer Sartyl Lovidicus the adopted daughter of Cortumelorius and Faustina Lovidicus, esteemed apprentice mage, and Emporer Titus Mede's favorite goddaughter. I wasn't worth much more to this land than another mouth to feed.

I met with Jarl Balgruuf, who sent me to his court wizard, Farengar. Farengar wanted me to head to Bleak Falls Barrow and grab a tablet that might help him in his research.

I sent a Courier to my parents back in Cyrodiil asking them if they knew of anyone here I could hire to accompany me. I knew I was not strong enough to face the ancestors on my own, so I waited for their response.

A few weeks later, their reply came.

"Sartyl,

We've asked around and the best we could find was an adept mage from Cyrodiil. From what we've gathered, he should be in Riften. You may know him from the college, he studied there. It will cost you 500 septims however. We trust you have managed your money well, since you've arrived. Nevertheless, safe travels, little dartwing. May Talos guide you always."

I appreciated the way they supported my views, though it was unlike their own. I was excited to finally have some company again, after Hadvar left me to report back to General Tullius.

I went through my coin pouch and cpunted up coins. I only had 200 septims. Damn.

I head to the Bannered Mare for some mead and work. I would leave town for several days, kill various animal nuisances and return for a hundred or so septims. I then sent off on my trek to Riften.

I met a hunter along the way, he showed me how to set a campfire and pitch a tent.

I had never spent a night alone in the wild, and now I would be forced to.

As the Sun began to leave the sky, I decided to stop off the side of the road and start my campfire.

Then, as though the sky could sense my fear of being left in the darkness, it began to ran, so I hurried and desperately attempted to pitch my tent.

When I failed at that too, I packed up my things once more and continued to walk to Riften.

Skyrim wasn't so beautiful in the dark. The majestic mountains turned into horrifically jagged boundaries. The beautifully colorful trees turned to the hiding places of horrors unknown. Everything seemed like it was dead set on my restlessness. The night seemed to drag on for days. And daylight seemed unfathomable now.

Every bump, thump, scratch, and breaking branch sent me into hysterics. It's a wonder no actual predators heard me.

Then little by little the Sun awoke. And the guard towers of Riften became visible upon the horizon.

Then as I approached the gates I counted my septims once more.

I had enough and a small bit left over for a couple of rooms in the inn. I approached the gate. And then a guard stopped me.

"Halt. You will have to pay the visitor's tax before entering."

I watched him closely and realized he must be bluffing. So I called him on it and he let me in.

I tried to desperately keep my mind on the mercenary mage, but after three days without sleep it truly was a challenge. I stumbled into the Bee and Barb. I hoped this was the right decision, this mage could be anywhere. I asked the Argonian at the bar if she had heard of a mage for hire.

She pointed towards the bench by the door..

An Imperial man with black hair and robes that screamed nobility of some sort sat on the bench nursing a tankard of ale. He was slender but well-built. His nose hooked at the end and his skin was a nice golden tan, which led me to believe he must have been from somewhere around the Nibensian Bay. He had amber eyes that burned with the fire of more than a few mistakes. He wore adept mage's robes. They complimented him well. His face had stubble and his cheekbones were high.

I turned back to the Argonian named Keerava and thanked her. Then turned and headed toward the mage.

He turned his ever-judgemental gaze upon me and waited for me to speak.

"You're a mercenary, correct?"

"For a modest fee of 500 septims, I'll bring my formidable arcane powers to bear against your foes. What do you say?"

I handed him a sack of coins and he weighed them and counted in his hands.

"Very well. I am Marcurio. If you wouldn't mind, try not to walk into any spike-filled traps or filthy skeever-dens?"

I scoffed at him. "First order of business will be to get a good night's rest."

He saluted me and said, "Aye, aye, captain."

Walked over to Keerava and asked her for two rooms. She checked her log and looked back at me wearing a worried expression.

"Is there a problem, Keerava?" I raised in eyebrow in question.

"Uh, yes... I have only one room. And it only has one bed." Keerava loked like she expected me to hit her or yell at her... I was a bit off-kilter upon hearing this news.

"It's fine Keerava, I'm sure we'll figure something out."

"Thank you for your kindness, that will be five septims."

"But aren't they usually te-"

"Five septims. My Inn. My rules." I handed her five septims and Marcurio and I headed to our room.

When we reached our room, Marcurio and I just both kinda stared at the bed. Both of us obviously wanted it, but we weren't going to say it.

"I can sleep on the floor if you want the bed. It's no big deal," I said.

Marcurio studied me for a while. Then he crossed his arms.

"Nope, I'll sleep in the floor. You look like you haven't slept in at least a week. I think it's high time you got some."

"Okay, firstly you're not my mom. Second, I offered you the bed."

"I do not care, you paid me to accompany you. You get the bed." It was at this point that I realized there was no point in arguing with him, if he was anything like most Imperials he wasn't going to give up once a decision had been made. I learned that during the fifteen years I lived with Faustina and Cortumelorius.

"Fine," I sighed. Marcurio looked pleased with himself.

I grabbed my pack and began taking off my sword and shield. "I'm headed to the bath house, Marcurio. I'll be back shortly."

"Don't make me wait too long... I get bored veeerrry easily." I rolled my eyes.

The bath house was located around the corner from the cemetery. So it was a bit of a walk. As soon as my skin touched the cool water of the bath house my anxieties and worries melted away. I became completely... relaxed. I washed off and then just relaxed in the bath. It felt so nice not to be running all over the place. I'd been travelling for over two months now. My bathing schedule wasn't all that great.

Cortumelorius and Faustina had been quite disheartened that I wished to come back to my homeland, but after months of begging and promising to keep in touch as best I could they both gave in. Imperials may be hard-headed, but they aren't impossible to break. Cortumelorius got together all my documents and hired me a carriage driver to take me to the Cyrodiil/Skyrim border. The carriage driver made sure I got rest and remained well-fed and hydrated, but regardless we couldn't always have time to stop at a bath house. Then Helgen, Riverwood, and Whiterun... Now I'm here in Riften once more.

Something nudged my shoulder and I realized I had fallen asleep in the bath house. I looked up and the handsome stood over me with his hand over his eyes.

I jumped trying to cover myself "Marcurio!"

"You took too long. I got suspicious. I promise I didn't see anything. I kept my eyes closed." The mage turned his back to me and continued to talk. "You could've drowned, had I not come. You should be grateful."

I began to get out of the bath and cover myself.

"Oh my bad. Thank you, oh great and powerful skeever-brain."

"Fine. I'm heading back to the Bee And Barb. If you fall asleep again down here, I'm not coming back."

I scoffed at him and he left. The wood door of the bath house slammed shut behind him. I slipped back into my armor and made my way across the city. The sun was setting. I walked out into the marketplace and decided I should sell off some of the useles weapons I picked up.

I noticed a familiar-looking dunmer at one of the stands. It was Brand-Shei! By the gods, was I glad to see him. I started towards him, but was stopped by a tall, good-looking, well-clothed, auburn-haired Nord.

"Never made an honest day's worth of gold in your life, have ya lass?" I was taken aback by his heavy Breton accent.

"My wealth is none of your business." The audacity of this man!

"Oh, but that's where you're wrong lass. Wealth is my business."

"Well you know nothing of mine! So back off!"

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. I'm afraid I can read you like a card, lass." The Nord smiled. "I can tell that you belonged to a wealthy family and then you came decided to go your own way and you lost everything. So, lass, tell me, am I correct in assuming this?"

My face gave me away. "How, in the name of Shor, did you figure all of this out?"

The Nord smiled. "It's quite simple actually. It's all in the way people walk, what they're wearing. It's a dead giveaway. Now, I have an offer to make you lass. A way to make a bit of coin, if you will."

"Very well, what is it?"

He told me I needed to steal a ring from the Argonian named Madesi and plant it on Brand-Shei while he caused a distraction. I agreed. I told him I wasn't ready.

He began the distraction. People herded towards him. I made sure to catch the gaze of a guard and then made a poor attempt at lockpicking... it felt very awkward and wrong.

The guard approached me and asked me for the money to pay the fine and any stolen goods I had. I went willingly. I would never do anything to hurt Brand-Shei.

I reported back to the Nord who seemed slightly disappointed, but told me to go to through the ratways to find the Thieves Guild and that his name was Brynjolf.

I wasn't sure if I wanted to join the Thieves Guild.. I've never stolen a thing in my life and I wasn't sure I wanted to make it my hobby now. The extra coin was tempting, however.

The Nord left and I hurried over to Brand-Shei.

"Brand-Shei! It's me, Sartyl!" The dunmer looked at me with confusion at first but then it melted into recognition. His arms opened wide as he approached me.

"Dartwing!" Brand-Shei embraced me in the way old friends do. I had missed Brand-Shei. "Well, tell me, Dartwing, how was Cyrodiil? Is it as wonderful as rumors tell it?" The dunmer's eyes were wide with curiosity.

"It was wonderful. My mother and father were happy to show me all over Cyrodiil, but we stayed mostly within the Imperial City."

"The Imperial City, eh? Did you meet Emporer Titus Mede II? Did you live in a mansion?"

"Erhm, actually, yes. Cortumelorius is like his right-hand man, much like my birth father was, except to a friendlier extent. They're cousins, in fact. The Emporer is my godfather."

"Well, silly Dartwing, what, in the name of Sheogorath, are you doing here then?" Brand-Shei looked at me like I'd gone mad.

"Brand-Shei, this is my homeland. Even as I was bathed in the finest things, Skyrim beckoned me to come home."

"I understand, but you couldn't have possibly chosen a worse time. Skyrim is in the midst of a bloody civil war and the dragons are awakening."

"Oh, trust me I know. I was at Helgen."

"How on Nirn did you survive?"

"I had help on both sides. The Stormcloaks led me to the Imperials and the Imperials led me to Riverwood."

"You are a true wonder, Dartwing! Now I don't suppose you came all this way to catch up on the past fifteen winters, what is it that you needed?"

"Well I came to catch up with you and sell my wares."

"Well, since I last saw you I've been coming out to this stand every day and trading with travelers making enough extra septims to live on. Now what have you got for me."

I sold all of the excess stuff I had to Brand-Shei and said my goodbyes. I pushed open the doors of the Bee and Barb and marched upstairs. I reached my room where Marcurio lay on his back in the floor with his arms behind his head. His eyes were closed, so I attempted to sneak in as to not wake him.

His eyes shot open and he rose off the bedroll he had in the floor. "Fall asleep in the bath again, did we?" He had a smirk on his face that would only be complete with a slap to the face.

"No, actually I got stopped by Brynjolf in the marketplace and then I caught up with Brand-Shei."

"You left out a poor attempt at petty thievery and a refusal to frame an innocent party."

"How did- What?"

"You've got to work on your observation skills."

I sat my stuff down on the table behind the door, ignoring Marcurio. I opened the door and used it as a way of blocking Marcurio's line of vision as I stripped out of my a

armor and pulled on a set of bed clothes Alvor's wife Sigrid had made me.

I closed the door and blew out the candles that lit the room.

"Til tomorrow, Marcurio."

"You never told me your name."

I thought back and realized I hadn't. "I'm Sartyl Shrouded-Hearth Lovidicus."

The mage gasped and snapped his fingers which sparked a small flame in his palm. "You don't mean Lovidicus as in like -"

"What? Cortumelorius and Faustina Lovidicus? Lovidicus as in the daughter of the cousin of the Emporer? Yes, that's exactly what I mean."

"You? Imperial royalty? You're a Nord, though."

"Actually I'm the goddaughter of the Emporer. I was adopted by Cortumelorius Faustina."

"You're joking. There's no way. Prove it!"

"Light one of those candles and I'll see if I can't find it."

With a wave of his hand, a candle lit near my knapsack.

I began digging through it, remembering Hadvar giving them back to me once we were in Alvor's house.

Then beneath potions and septims and lockpicks I found a few crinkled documents.

I carefully pulled them out and smoothed them. I brought them to the curious mage, who gradually looked more and more defeated. I smiled with pride as he read the documents with disbelief.

"Alright. I believe you. You can lose that mocking smirk now."

I blew out the candle and got back in bed. "Good night, Marcurio."

"Night, Sartyl."