The next morning, the first ones awake were the ones who could run on a bare few hours of sleep.
"I can always see if Ma will get spare armor from Relas and Garil when she gets them, if Ravenlight doesn't insist on making you armor. Don't want her to spend her whole time here making armor." Veleth said to his father quietly, not wanting to wake anyone else up. "Still, you need a weapon. I think your old one either got buried in the cathedral when we burned it down or Nevano hid it in that hoard he has on Vvardenfell."
"That sounds most likely. It's a museum in there, though some of that stuff needs to remain buried." Jorun agreed in good humor. "If we get word they are digging up Balmora, we'll go dig all that out. Almost more inclined to hunt keys than dig through whatever is hidden in there."
"Some of those things bite." Veleth sighed. "Still...don't have you back just for you to get killed again. Don't want that. So, here." Veleth handed over the harness that held the silver and black sword he had gotten from Boethia's Tournament of Ten Bloods. "This sword is too good to leave behind. You use a sword far better than I do. I got the spear I need to practice with, since Sul doesn't know how to use a blade but used a spear and..."
It was as near to babbling as he had ever come, his emotions obviously getting the better of him. He stopped when Jorun hugged him.
"I couldn't say it before as a wolf and I never said it enough before." Jorun said. "I missed you, son and I'm so very proud of you."
Zak might have been a statue for all he was moving; but his gaze shifted over to the pair, and he watched the reunion with at least a little more softness in his eyes.
Veleth hugged him back fiercely.
"None of all that was ever your fault. Not a bit." Jorun said. "Everyone made their choice in all that. You cannot control the actions others make. Only your choices are in your control. You made the choice to never give up and to move past every obstacle that stood in your way. You only became a better warrior and man for it. I couldn't be more proud."
It was everything Veleth obviously so desperately needed to hear. Even after he let go he was quiet, absorbing it all. Finally he did speak, his voice only cracking a little. "Just glad you're back. Very glad, because you can take your job back. I hate it and I quit."
Jorun laughed quietly.
A hint of a smile creased the side of the Drow's face, before he turned back to his vigil, pretending he hadn't noticed any of that.
"I'll be back before too long. I know what I'm looking for at least." Jorun promised. "Might just borrow a few and bring them back here."
"Yeah, about that. I saw how many 'borrowed' books you had." Veleth groaned. "Don't take the whole library this time."
"Lock them up like the damned books are going around committing horrific crimes and someone is going to make a fuss that they are innocent." Jorun didn't sound the least bit perturbed as he went down the stairs. "I just happened to be the first to act on it. Funny how no one realized it. Oh well. And no, I'll give these back."
"You'll have to explain to ma and Ravenlight otherwise." Veleth said.
"Not a force I'm willing to tangle with." Jorun flashed a smile at Zak as he walked by but otherwise let the ruse stand that Zak hadn't heard anything. "If Bal knew how deadly those two are, he'd go belly up now. Just glad your mother didn't bring a broom. Deadly with that she is." He gave a casual wave as he headed out.
Gyrmallion was the next downstairs, moving a bit more stiffly than he normally did. He nodded to Zak. "Think we can duck whatever the women are planning and go out and spar a little more again today?"
Zak raised an eyebrow. "You're certain? You're already having trouble walking now, and you want more punishment?"
"It'll work the stiffness out." Veleth came back down, holding a wiggling Dusty.
"Maybe not as many sessions as yesterday. And maybe not out of city bounds. But yes, I do want to keep sparring. Keep training." He shrugged. "And yes, keep getting knocked on my ass until I can hold my own against you for more than two minutes."
The respect that appeared in the Drow's eyes was grudging, but real. "All right. If that's what you want."
"I think we can find a place in the city." Veleth said. "Might take some convincing but we have a few convincing people in our group."
Dusty looked over at Zak and perked up. "Zzzzzzz!"
Zak stared with an expression somewhere between shock and disbelief...with perhaps a hint of blind panic still not quite making its way up.
"He has been trying his hardest to say your name since we were in Whiterun." Veleth said.
"Zzzzzaaaa," Dusty said proudly.
Zak clearly had no idea how to react to a baby trying to say his name. He looked almost like he wanted to faint, or perhaps run...and didn't quite dare to do either.
"Looks similar to the look I was told I had when Dreyla walked up to me belly first." Veleth said.
Farkas came upstairs, half-dressed and rumpled. "Um...is the innkeeper up? Nevusa wants some tea. Bad."
"Haven't seen her yet." Veleth tilted an ear, listening. "Don't hear her either. I can go see if any of the healers are up though. My mother might be."
"Okay. She's really not feeling good this morning." He turned around and went back down.
Veleth gave in to Dusty's demands and passed him to Gyrmallion before heading upstairs. "I warned her but something tells me she didn't actually want to prevent this."
Gyrmallion glanced up, briefly puzzled, then understood. "Ah. Yes, they were...not exactly being careful back in Jorrvaskr."
"Not in the slightest." Veleth said dryly.
Dusty giggled.
"Good thing they're moving that fast on the wedding, then." Gyrmallion blew Dusty's hair back, making him squeal and giggle more. Dusty held up the little pig figurine that Nikki had given him the day before. Gyrmallion chatted with him quite seriously about the little pig. Behind them, more or less unnoticed, Zak took the opportunity to slip off.
Drelasa came down a few moments later. "Gods praise Elealda for this tea." She murmured. "I'll throw in my recipe for the rockfish potion when I give her the hackle-lo plants as well."
Veleth blanched and nearly tripped down a stair when she said that and sat back down. "Oof. That's a...hefty one."
Gyrmallion looked up. "That would be her miracle tisane?"
"The one that'll cure everything but almost makes you wish it hadn't, yes." Veleth made a face.
"Sounds familiar." Gyrmallion laughed. "I was talking about Elealda's tea."
"Yes. They've gotten very eager in their exchange of recipes." Veleth sighed. "What else do we need to warn each other of? Because you know those are the first ones that are going to go back and forth."
"Well, if you suspect you've been poisoned, Elealda's come up with a cure-all for that." He made a face. "It'll make sure you get through it, I'll give it that...I'm the reason she had to make it. That one doesn't make you vomit; some poisons will be made worse when that happens. What it does is, well...it flushes it out of you the other way. And sweats it out, it's worse than having a bad fever break."
"My mother has a concoction that is, very honestly, very helpful in getting you through a bone setting. Or resetting. Depends on how long it takes you to see her." Veleth said. "You won't feel a thing, even though you are wide-awake. Though only problem is, you can't stop talking." He shook his head. "Normally not a big deal but this stuff acts almost like a truth serum. Except you won't react to prompts. You'll just randomly start babbling about that incident you did when you were five and you lied to your parents about it. Except it will feel like the world's worst crime and you will start crying about it. For some reason...this potion turns any liquid coming from your body almost blood colored. So...just be prepared to be blubbering about highly embarrassing stories while crying blood."
"Ugh, yes...she doesn't use a potion...but she's skilled in a medical art known as the Light Touch." Gyrmallion shuddered, making Dusty giggle. "It...uses needles to heal, don't ask me how. It can be useful in easing pain, especially from old injuries, but there are places she can stick you that...paralyze. She'd use it to make some of the more...stubborn members of our regiment stay still while she was patching them together." He shook his head ruefully. "It doesn't make you look like you're crying blood...but divines, the babbling. You either can't speak, or do not stop talking. And talk about anything. It would be a helpful tool for a spy, if that spy had the patience to sit through fifty-seven unrelated stories about food and illness...and all too often, detailed descriptions of visits to the brothel...to get to a few useful pieces of information."
"My parents tried to refine one for such purposes but it didn't work so well. Nevano had such a bad panic attack, and he volunteered, that they scrapped it. Or that one at least." Veleth said. "Since we'll be meeting up with them...if you get hurt, the Card'vel will insist you drink this 'tea'. To purge whatever remains from whatever you faced. It purges alright. Everything you ate since last winter. For some reason, it comes up black, which proves their point to them and scares the fire out of you."
"Nothing like that. At least yet." Gyrmallion grimaced. "Not...looking forward to that, I'll admit."
"If Kaid-Anit decides he likes you, he'll drop you into a sleep so deep you won't dream." Veleth said. "That or he doesn't want to hear the cussing and cursing."
"Kaid-Anit...he's the shaman, right? Nevano said that old Ko'Haryla back on the island reminded him of someone with that name." Gyrmallion pulled a face that made Dusty rock back in laughter. "Now she had concoctions I'd do just about anything to avoid. They worked, and well...but most of them were pretty… nasty."
"I guess you could call him a shaman. Hears gods, I know that much. Not sure the full extent of his abilities but if it's a fraction of his sister's, they'll wipe up Highrock handily." Veleth said. "It's his crazy sister and whatever the wise women of the tribes come up with that makes everyone avoid getting hurt. Nevano told me about what they used to cure ash blights. Something about the cure being as bad as the disease."
"I believe it. Divines above, I believe it." He shuddered again, then laughed when Dusty bounced as if asking him to do it again. "Oh, is that funny?"
Veleth grinned at his son. "He's a silly one. Thinks everything is funny."
"I've noticed." He smiled down at the baby. Dusty gave him an enormous 5-toothed grin.
"Somebody's happy this morning." Ravenlight came down the stairs, rubbing at her hair.
Dusty squealed happily at her, the pig figurine echoing him.
"Good morning," she greeted, stretching a little. "Ugh. Well, Mirdovek checked in again last night; things in High Rock are getting...intense."
"How bad?" Veleth frowned.
"Three more clans have arrived, including one from Valenwood; and of course, they don't all get along. The Mistress is out of the ruin; she and a few others are trying to invoke order, which is happening slowly if at all; three of the more powerful dragons that decided they were going to fight independent of us are there now, and keeping the vampires from the neighboring towns."
"Very intense." Veleth whistled.
"Oh, and it would appear there was a pretty dramatic shift in relations between the Thalmor and the town after you and yours were strung up, Gyrmallion. Possibly involving a mutiny, though he didn't get close enough for me to see anything clearly. At any rate, there are Thalmor defending Fell's Run from any vampires that make it past the dragons."
"Well, that's good at least," Veleth muttered.
Gyrmallion smirked. "I'm...going to have to try quite hard indeed not to be insufferably smug about this."
"Why even bother?" Veleth asked. "You got more cause than anyone to rub an 'I told you so' in a bunch of faces."
"Yes, but not you. When we get back to Fell's Run, well...that's another story and I will enjoy that. Greatly. Here and now, though...not so much."
"That's what I meant." Veleth laughed. "Especially after we deal with that Mute. Doubt that one will want to sit for that."
"No, he won't." A flicker of something dark briefly entered Gyrmallion's eyes, though it cleared away again quickly when Dusty made a questioning noise. "I...will be glad to get my hands on him, I know that."
"I bet," Ravenlight said.
"We got a lot of work ahead of us. Hopefully it won't take a whole tower to stop them this time." Veleth said.
"And we can start here." Gyrmallion saw Dreyla coming and handed Dusty off with some reluctance. "I won't be sparring with Zak all day; I hope to have the chance to get together with Jorun and Drelasa."
"Da went to go find a few books he was making noise about last night. He won't be long. My old man can sniff out exactly what he needs pretty quick." Veleth said, smiling at Dreyla as she settled next to him. "Undoubtedly he's got some idea and he's thrilled he's got someone who can appreciate and plan with instead of me telling him to hurry up and tell me what dirty job I'm going to be doing."
"It will be...more than interesting to work alongside the head of the Armigers." Gyrmallion smiled. "I'm looking forward to it."
"All the spy shite." Veleth said without heat. "Just tell me what you need destroyed."
"And what we don't need destroyed?" He laughed easily.
"I can get more specific but I need to work with this spear a bit more. I'll get back to you on that." Veleth said.
"Chances are good we will, too." He looked around. "When will Jorun be back, do you have any idea?"
"He left about an hour ago." Veleth said. "Shouldn't be but about a half hour more."
Gyrmallion nodded. "I probably shouldn't get too into it with him yet; but I wanted to arrange to come back after Zak's finished with me, and that should probably be fairly early."
"It'll give him time to go through everything." Veleth agreed. "You really don't want to try to deal with that. Better to deal with him after he's read up what he needs."
"If he's anything like the way you would get," Elealda said mildly as she came down the stairs, "then for heaven's sake, give him time."
"Has sixteen things open at once, no rhyme or reason as to what he's reading, starts to tell you about one thing but then leaps to something completely unrelated in the next breath while looking at a third unrelated thing?" Veleth asked. "By the time he's finished talking you through what he's doing, you have no idea of the time or even what year it is because your mind has simply shut down from the overload and he gives a look like you are crazy because that made complete sense."
"Plus eating only if there was something in front of him, and not bathing until he'd found exactly what he was looking for." She smirked at him as he flushed. "Auranwe said she used to dump water over him to let him know he was going too far." A soft giggle sounded from the lantern.
"By the gods, why do we have two of them now?" Veleth groaned.
"Maybe because we need them?" Ravenlight laughed. "Going to be interesting watching the two of you, I'll say that!"
"If you ignore the water, just be aware it makes the lightning following it hurt even more." Veleth warned.
"Oh, I did not ignore the water," Gyrmallion said dryly. "Especially since it was either quite hot or extremely cold. And it wasn't a pitcherful, either. I still have no idea how she carried it, but she'd bring a small tub in with her. I had to put waterproofing runes on my entire library."
"Do not, my dear, ever underestimate how strong a very fed-up wife is." Drelasa was suddenly behind him. "An entire pond is not totally out of the question."
"I...became aware." He brushed his fingers against the sides of the lantern.
"Oh good. Because I don't think either one of you wants that nasty lake water all over you." Drelasa said sweetly.
"I assure you, I don't. I will...try not to become too enthralled."
"I think that depends how deep you two dive in." Drelasa sighed.
"I think they'll find a cold finger to the ear will do just as well to bring them out, if needed," Ravenlight said, grinning mischievously.
"In the meantime...do not leave the city to spar." Drelasa said. "The island itself is protected though. You can spar right outside the walls. There's enough space there. I'm just going to assume Nevano couldn't resist the chance to be close to home for a little while, which is why you were out in the woods."
"Possibly. I don't particularly want to risk leaving the city again." Gyrmallion shook his head. "That...I don't want another hybrid attack right after we're finished with sparring."
"Wasn't the best timing there, was it?" Drelasa said. "How are you feeling this morning?"
"Stiff and sore," he admitted. "I'm probably going to spend longer at the baths that I am sparring once we're done. But nothing lingering from being hurled against the wall."
"Good. The stiffness and soreness is normal at least." Drelasa nodded.
"I've had head injuries that lasted before," Gyrmallion admitted. "They...weren't pleasant. I'm glad Ravenlight's healing spells were strong enough to keep that one from lasting this time around."
"All of you seem to be going for the head this time around." Drelasa sighed. "Do try to aim for a more...forgiving body part today."
"Somehow I suspect he will." Gyrmallion knew he was going to be a miserable mass of bruises again...but it wasn't stopping him.
Drelasa smiled. "Somehow I suspect that won't stop any of you."
"Not me, anyway." Gyrmallion looked around, noting that the others were starting to get up and come out. "Nor the others, I suspect, either."
"Breakfast before you go." She said sternly.
"Yes, ma'am," he said meekly.
She smiled then. Zak had managed to escape this time but no one under her care was going to wander off to spar on an empty stomach. Drelasa looked over at Ravenlight. "What do you have in mind for today, darling?"
"Largely getting acquainted with the city-once the armor is done, that is. I managed to strike up a friendship with one of the master smiths: a Nord. He agreed to help me get the armor done, both for the Chii Chare and something for Zak. We got the designs laid out yesterday, and he was working on a mountain of ebony scales by the time I headed back to the inn."
"We'll spend the day finalizing plots and plans. Tomorrow though...we need to really start putting things into play. I'd push for today but Nevusa isn't feeling all that well." Drelasa said. "Better to give her a day to rest a bit."
Ravenlight eyed her. "Do I want to know what sort of plots you're getting into?"
"At any one time, dozens." Drelasa smiled. "In this case, I'm forging letters. I got a few stolen letters delivered to me so I have the seals and handwriting. Just need to study to get the tone correct. I'll have a few fake letters that will be so real that even the supposed author won't be able to say if they did or did not write it."
"Those members of the court you and Gyrmallion were concerned about?" Ravenlight nodded. "If it'll make sure Ahmetia and her kids are safe-go for it."
"In association with Varro." Drelasa said. "But I'm expanding it a bit. I'm not satisfied with only taking out those few. After hearing Jorun last night, I want everyone who so much as sent a note of greeting to the Thalmor. I want them all so flipped upside down and crashing into each other that it will never recover until it is far too late. We'll see who comes crawling out with their tail between their legs, swearing they were never involved with the Thalmor at all." Drelasa sniffed. "As if they were loyal to the empire all along. Though I want this disaster to be bad enough they stay that way for a while. By then, things will hopefully strengthen. It won't be so appealing to find a new master. The ones closely involved I will destroy utterly."
"I, odd as this might sound, will help," Gyrmallion said. "Though at the same time, I'm going to be hunting for the decent ones among the Thalmor in the area and spreading the word of what Rumalashorn has done. It'll be helpful if the Chii Chare are more than just a handful by the time we officially head to High Rock."
"I was avoiding everyone outside of the heads of households just for that reason." Drelasa said. "You have a gift of speech. More so than many monarchs I've heard. You could convince all but the most fanatical to turn their backs on the Aldmeri Dominion. The more you can convert, the more chaos we can sow. As long as Jorun doesn't sniff out a serious snag in all this, we will have this city well in hand."
He nodded. "I'll look for the supporters, as well. In fact, I'll try to get them interested-or at least aware that I'm here-while I'm sparring with Zak. Going to ask Nevano for a fairly public place this time: one where we can be seen."
"Before you do that..." Jorun came back in, putting an armful of books on the table.
"...And Jorun sniffed out a snag in the plans." Drelasa sighed. "Alright, my love. I'm ready. What did you find?"
"Only the best possible thing that could show up in the middle of all this." Jorun said with the same easy smile he always had but there was a tiny hitch of irritation in his voice. "I was wondering if the Thalmor was going to send one in the moment it was made public that the princess and her children had come back from the dead. I have to say, this is one of those things I don't like being right about. A Mute arrived at dawn. I was hoping to avoid severe bodily injury or death but the Mutes are something I will make quick exceptions for."
Gyrmallion jerked up, eyes widening. "A Mute? Damn it...I should have guessed." He frowned for a moment, thinking, then looked up. "My name and my role in their survival and return needs to be all over the city. The compassionate Thalmor, the princess's protector-and the one who defied Naarifen and lived. I don't think we have enough men in the palace to keep Ahmetia or her children safe alone: I'll be the decoy to pull it off her at first."
"I don't have the feeling he will attack right away." Jorun said. "At the risk of sounding callous, to suddenly arrive and immediately attack is sloppy. All it will do is turn a celebrating city into an enraged mob. When they attacked the Imperial City the first time, they faced a city in terror. Much easier than facing an angry one. All it will do is plunge them into open war with Cyrodiil, again, only one burning with rage, not desperation. Molag Bal doesn't want that. That pulls all his key searchers off their chase and into war, making him have to do some actual work. Ahmetia's safety lies in a Daedra Lord's inherent laziness."
"There's truth to that," Gyrmallion agreed.
"We won't have that much time though and I'm not going to sit on this, I can assure you of that." Jorun frowned a little finally. "The speed at which they got that Mute here is telling me a few things. One, they absolutely rushed that Mute here. It's not as if they have a Mute camped out outside every city in the empire. Those Mutes are difficult to create and train and they are deployed very purposefully. They thought the empire was well in heel and, surprise, here's a good reason it won't be much longer. Another thing it tells me is that the Thalmor are worried. You've been making waves everywhere you go. Sending a Mute and not more soldiers? You have their attention. I daresay there might be grumblings that, perhaps, a certain someone might have been right all along." Jorun smiled again.
"Which might mean I don't need to put myself out as decoy," Gyrmallion said, though with a little smile and nod back to Jorun."But it could very well mean that moving alone will be dangerous."
Behind them, Ravenlight grabbed a sheet of paper and an inkwell, bending over and sketching something out.
"Be best if someone went and found Zak. At least until we know what this Mute is capable of." Jorun said. "And no decoy. I said I don't like messy and I meant it. This one is going to disappear. His body won't be found until after we've left and where we want them to find it. Add to the chaos Drelasa is already going to cause."
Gyrmallion nodded. "Zak probably isn't outdoors yet...though I have to say, I'd be astounded if anything short of another hybrid could sneak up on him."
"If they sneak up on him, they will get far more than they bet on." Jorun smirked a bit nastily. "It's a lovely thought, really."
"I honestly don't think that hybrid could have got past him if he wasn't already in the middle of a fight," Ravenlight said. "They take paranoia to an art form where he's from. And if they try to sneak up on him...well, messy will be the mildest word to describe it. Even without Sheogorath's little champion helping him out."
"Or the Black Knight." Jorun said. "Honestly, most warriors here could take a Mute on. I won't even go into the casters we have because that's just asking for a pile of cinders. However, I remember what Nevano said about the Mute in Fell's Run. Mutes are, traditionally, mer that have been stripped of all family, relationships and sense of self to create a cold, cruel, living weapon. The Mute in Fell's Run was more than that. He was magically enhanced. In ways beyond most mortal mage's capabilities. I didn't get a good sniff of this one but my gut is telling me this one is also magically enhanced in some way."
"They'd be foolish to send an ordinary one against the likes of us," Ravenlight said in a matter-of-fact tone. "I believe they sent one against me during my offensive against them a year or two back. I'm not certain because I'm pretty sure that's the one Odahviing ate."
"Poor thing probably got indigestion from it." Jorun said with a laugh. "We'll prepare as if they are geniuses but we won't be taken off guard by anything stupid."
"Probably wise." Ravenlight stood and held out the paper. "Gyrmallion, this sword; does it mean anything to you? I've been dreaming of this for the past five days, always in connection with the armor I made you."
It was a long, slender, single-bladed weapon, not quite as curved as a scimitar, but not straight either. The handle was long enough to wield with either one or two hands; the guard wide enough to protect the hands from slipping down onto the blade, and curved inward enough to catch and trap an opposing blade.
Gyrmallion looked at it curiously. "It...almost looks like an Akaviri blade...but not quite. I don't think I've ever seen one quite similar."
"Hm. I'll probably be working on a few blades then, in addition to the armor." She did not sound perturbed at the idea.
"You've seen it in your dreams?" Jorun said. "What color was the blade?"
"I thought it was moonstone at first; but the more I saw it, the more I realized it was actually too silvery to be pure moonstone. I'm still not sure what kind of alloy would make that particular color."
"This looks a lot like Goldbrand." Jorun said. "Correct me if I'm wrong on that."
Ravenlight looked over at Veleth and Drelasa. "What do you think?"
Drelasa smiled. "Certainly looks like it."
Veleth smirked. "A fun one. Was made by dragons, according to legend, and given to a knight who was sworn to protect the dragons."
"Not sure how much dragons need to be protected, really," Ravenlight muttered. "So...I have a sneaking suspicion that someone really wants Gyrmallion to have that blade. Not going to make any guesses as to who that might be, because at this point, it could well be any of them."
"Oh, I know who." Veleth smirked wider.
Gyrmallion grimaced. "Boethiah?" His hand dropped to the lantern.
"Very much so." Veleth said. "She didn't make Goldbrand. No one is even sure how she got ahold of it, actually. She gave it power though. Nothing with her usual bite. It tends to set whatever it hits on fire."
"Lots of fire in this group," Drizzt said, glancing over at Ravenlight. "It'll fit right in."
"Didn't you say Boethiah's creatures were fighting over who would get Goldbrand?" Serana asked. "That day you went to ask her for help against Vaermina?"
"It was...recently released." Veleth said. "See, the blade was most recently in possession of a Dremora who served Naarifen. Boethia has been in a bit of a rage lately. I got flashes of her getting her Titan to breathe fire on it over and over to clean it."
"I...don't blame her for that." Gyrmallion's face twisted in revulsion. "Though I don't know if a corrupted dragon's fire would do that."
"She was seriously considering dropping it in a lava pool. Not sure that would have helped much either. By then I was about laughing and she threw me out." Veleth said. "She was in a fit. Though having Ravenlight dream about it...this is either Boethia admitting she was wrong, which is staggering enough, and proving she's playing nice with us...or she is going to tell you it's your job to clean the blade."
"Cleaning Goldbrand..." Gyrmallion looked thoughtful. "Almost...a metaphor for reclaiming the Altmer. Turning them from Thalmor to Chii Chare."
"Ravenlight, where did you see this blade in your dreams?" Jorun asked. "Somehow I doubt it's going to drop right in front of either of you."
"I mostly saw it paired with his armor. But last night...and the night before actually..." She closed her eyes, trying to remember. Then her eyes snapped open. "The Temple of the One. And-is there still some place in the city that has either a shrine or a statue of Talos? Because I saw his statue as well."
"That I don't know. Nevano knows this city best..." Jorun looked over at Serana. "Still asleep or in trouble somewhere?"
"He...was still asleep." She glanced away in a manner that suggested a blush. "I'll go wake him up." She turned and hurried back upstairs.
Jorun snorted a little. "Well, once you get that blade, you'll make an impression. There was a hero during the Great War. Called the Forgotten Hero. No idea who it was, disappeared completely afterwards. He was actually captured by the Dremora-Reive, I think his name was. Once again, a hero in prison. He and a Blade called Tyr escaped and they helped bring about Naarifen's downfall. No Thalmor is about to forget all that in a hurry."
"No. No, they certainly won't." Gyrmallion nodded.
"Modyn was right about one thing. Boethia is admitting she was wrong." Jorun said. "See, she has her own breed of Dremora. Reive very well could have been one of hers and she could have been backing the Thalmor. She withdrew that favor fairly quickly though."
"Probably good for everyone concerned," Ravenlight said, not quite snidely. "Though... a situation like this, you put old mistakes behind you."
"As long as she's not making new ones." Jorun crossed his arms. "And how long do we feel like giving Nevano before we find our own alarm for him?"
A noise from overhead caught their attention, and they looked up to see Serana pulling Nevano out of their room. He was...dressed, though not neatly, and his hair looked wilder than usual. He did not look entirely awake.
"Well...that's familiar." Jorun snorted.
"Come on," she fussed, patting his face. "You said you were awake ten minutes ago!"
"That...was not ten minutes ago." Nevano mumbled.
"I can wake him up for you," Ravenlight offered, raising one hand. The blue-white of an ice spell began swirling around it.
"Ugh, don't even think about it, daeseh." Nevano muttered without even thinking.
The other Dunmer all grinned. He actually meant that. Quite the turn-around for him from even a mere month ago.
"Then you need to wake up, stitsi betulo." She didn't understand what he'd called her; but she could tell, from the reaction of the others, that it was positive, and her voice was fond.
"I'm awake. I'm standing here." He could hardly be considered 'standing there' but he was at least upright. "What do you need?"
"Is there a place in the city that still has a shrine or a statue of Talos?"
"The hell you need one of those?" He asked irritably.
"Nevano, a Mute is in the city." Jorun said.
That woke Nevano up with astonishing speed. "What the feck?!"
"Apparently, he arrived this morning," Gyrmallion said.
"Gods...not this shite again." Nevano groaned and rubbed at his face. "Um...right. A shrine. What do you need a shrine for while I try to think of where they'd hide one?"
"Because either a shrine or a statue of Talos, along with Akatosh's avatar here in the city, may well be key to Gyrmallion receiving Goldbrand," Ravenlight answered.
"Goldbrand?" Nevano blinked, trying very hard to decide if he truly wasn't awake and not getting it or if they were not, actually, making sense.
"I've been dreaming of a particular sword in connection with the armor I made Gyrnallion for five days now," Ravenlight explained. "When I sketched it out, Jorun said it looked like Goldbrand, and both Drelasa and Veleth agreed. Then I remembered that, last night and the night before, I saw the Temple of the One and an image of Talos right before the sword appeared by his armor."
"Akatosh, Talos and...Boethia." Nevano blinked. "I mean, I know she likes Stendarr but we are talking about the dragon god and the human god...allying with the Daedric Prince who created Malacath by eating Trinimac and shitting him out in front of his own followers. Right...uhhh...I think I know where one could be. Makes sense. Have to check though."
"We don't need the blade at this moment," Gyrmallion said. "We can wait a few days or so before we know for sure."
"Well, it's not far, really." Nevano scrubbed at his hair, making it even wilder. "If I'm right. I mean, what better place to hide a shrine than...under a temple? The sewers under the city are huge. Can easily have a whole temple under there."
"True," agreed Gyrmallion. "And...that would make sense. They wouldn't bother going under the temples to make sure the images of Talos were removed from there."
"Plus, who wants to go diving into a sewer?" Nevano shrugged. "Even if you build a temple down there, still unpleasant. Plus someone is going to have to patrol down there. Sewers are filled with creatures like goblins or, worse, enormous rats."
"But, to keep something they considered as precious as the worship of Talos...not to mention knowing they were sticking it to the Thalmor doing so...I bet there is something down there. Warded against the worst intrusions, and secretly patrolled to keep anything else out."
"So, to confirm without diving into the sewers and getting lost...find guards that smell like sewers." Nevano said.
"It won't be far from the temple," Gyrmallion said. "People would still go there to pray. Anyone there just wouldn't notice where they went in the temple. So that should be where we look."
"Last I checked...there were no sewer entrances around here. But that's been a good long while and the temple has had a few renovations since." Nevano said. "Makes perfect sense."
Gyrmallion grinned. "Well. I'm planning to go let Zak smack me around again today. Think you can recommend a place to do that where we can find the closest baths to the temple afterward?"
Nevano blinked a bit. Despite all that, he still wasn't fully awake and the change in subject was taking a few moments to fully sink in. "Uhh..."
"Staying on the island. Not quite so public." Drelasa supplied. "Perhaps just outside the walls?"
"Oh, yeah. Okay, if you go around the Temple of the One and take the main street directly south, you'll go through this...tunnel looking thing. It'll open out to the Waterfront District. You can hop off the road and be on the outside of the walls just on the other side of the tunnel. Find a grassy spot, check for beggers and spar all you want."
"You want to come with us? Just to make sure we don't get lost?" There was a teasing smile on the Altmer's face, but the invitation was sincere.
"Give me a little bit to wake up and...yeah. Sure." Nevano was more than a little shocked at the invitation.
"Well, I haven't eaten yet-and we still need to find Zak. So take the time you need." Gyrmallion looked him over and laughed. "And maybe put your clothes on right-side out. And turn them around."
Nevano looked down at himself. "Yeah, well, you're lucky I'm even wearing any."
"I gathered that," Ravenlight said dryly.
Nevano was not the slightest bit bashful about it. Behind closed doors, clothing just became an irritating obstacle between him and his wife.
"Well. Maybe get straightened up before we head out into public," Gyrmallion advised with a laugh. "And...Ravenlight, is there any way you could find Zak?"
"Sure." She lifted her hand, blue light spilling from it. "Ah. He's off hiding down in his room again, as always."
"Dusty, I think, overwhelmed him." Veleth admitted. "Almost got Zak's name out. That last letter he hasn't quite gotten yet."
"Oh my," Ravenlight giggled. "Yes, that would do it!"
Dusty, for his part, giggled madly.
Nevano yawned and turned to head up to his and Serana's room to wake up a bit more...and fix his clothes and armor. "By the way, Jorun...when you take care of that Mute, don't forget you have the Mad God who will happily help. She might drop him in a giant pot of melted cheese."
"Oh, I haven't forgotten Nikki." Jorun smiled. "I haven't forgotten her at all."
"I'm not really sure anyone could." Ravenlight shook her head.
"Though we might need to keep a bit closer watch on her." Jorun sighed. "That poor girl behind the desk might never want to see cake ever again..."
Ravenlight's head thunked down on the table, followed by several muttered Bosmeri epithets.
"She's...been baking cake all morning." Jorun said. "A lot of cake. While singing about...you know what, never mind, that part isn't important. Baking cake itself isn't such a big deal and...we'll make use of it."
She sat up and sighed. "Something tells me I will be glad to be at the smithy most of the day."
"Even though there is a lot going on...don't worry about it, sweet child." Drelasa smiled warmly at her. "We have this in hand. The only things I really want you to worry about is your children, armor, how much you want to bet at a horse race, and watching the men squirm in nice clothes at a wedding. Oh, and picking up two generals tomorrow. That's all."
"Oh, they're arriving tomorrow?" Ravenlight sat up, a little more interested...and noting that Elealda had perked up a little as well. "Sooner than I had expected, actually."
"With a little determination, one of my fastest Armigers and maybe a borrowed horse or two." Drelasa smiled.
"We'll have quite the surprise waiting for them," Gyrmallion noted, glancing over at Jorun.
"You have no idea how much I am looking forward to that." Jorun's easy smile widened. "So far, Nevano is ahead of me in taking Garil by surprise. I aim to make it even with this."
"I also have reports that a certain guest should be arriving in the next day or so as well." Drelasa went on. "The Shad Astula was gracious enough in allowing my Armigers to make use of their guild guides in getting these messages, and people, across Morrowind quickly. They arrived in Kragenmoor at last message. They'll probably go to Cheydinhal and then from there to the Imperial City. I still haven't told Nevusa...or Nevano." She glanced up the stairs where Nevano had staggered off. "The former will be thrilled. The latter...he'll be fine."
"Which guest would that be?" Drizzt asked.
"Nevusa's mother, Sorosi." Drelasa said. "The only member of that family with any grace, wit or charm...or politeness, manners, friendliness or any of those characteristics that allows other members of the population to enjoy one's company. In truth, Sorosi is a lovely woman, rather quiet but is willing to step into the fire to bless her only daughter's wedding."
"Nevusa will be thrilled," Ravenlight agreed.
"She will be. Very much so." Drelasa smiled. "Though...you will meet her and wonder how in all sixteen levels of oblivion did she and Nevano get together at all."
"Considering a sharp-tongued witch who lived in gilded halls ran off with a guard who had next to nothing, you really can't say all that much." Jorun drawled, earning a swift slap to the chest.
Ravenlight rose. "Well. I'm going to go see if the innkeeper was too traumatized by Nikki to work on breakfast and possibly get it started myself, if needed; after that, I'll head off to the smithy and get to work."
"I'm going to go check on Nevusa, make sure that tea is working for her." Drelasa headed for the stairs. "If any of you try to sneak off without breakfast, your feet will be frozen to the floor for the day."
From the looks on Jorun and Veleth's faces as well as Dreyla's giggle, it was no idle threat.
Gyrmallion rose. "I'm not going to make this harder for myself by heading out on an empty stomach. But I am going to try to get Zak back up here before that."
Veleth watched them go and looked back at Drizzt. "Feel up to a spar as well? Got that spear to practice with now."
Drizzt nodded. "It's different to fight with a spear, but there are similarities at the base of it. Be interesting for me, as well."
"In the middle of fighting with that hybrid, Sul decided to let me know that he has never fought with a sword before. He fought with a spear." Veleth said flatly. "Hell of a time to remember that. That spear came out of nowhere and...it felt like I had fought with a spear my whole life. I think that was one of the problems I was having."
"Might have been," Drizzt agreed. "I've seen the way Nevano and Nerevar can fight; it clearly helps in that sort of situation to be...working together."
"We will find out." Veleth said. "Nevano and Nerevar can switch back and forth or fight at the same time together though I saw that Nerevar steps back when they spar with Zak, letting Nevano learn on his own. Sul and I...definitely need to work together because it's a mess otherwise."
"Almost as bad as the twins?" Drizzt tried, unsuccessfully, to hold back a laugh.
Veleth groaned and buried his face in his hands. "Those two..."
"Sparring with them the other day was...interesting." Drizzt glanced upstairs. "Think that's part of the reason we haven't seen them this morning? They were worked...pretty hard."
"Probably. I'll check on them in a few minutes." Veleth said. "Working apart sends them into a bit of a spiral."
"I...noticed. I was also wondering how sore they are. They picked up some bruises from me, I know, but Zak..."
"Kicked them up one side and down the other. They needed it though." Veleth said. "Need to be able to handle it from someone other than just me. They'll get used to it though."
"He was almost harder on them than he was on the Chii Chare," Drizzt muttered with a soft laugh.
"The Chii Chare were trying at least." Veleth said. "Twins weren't exactly willing. Reminded me of when I first met them, only far less curses in Velothi and not nearly as many glares that threatened to set what trees were left on fire."
"Going to be interesting to see how today's session goes, that's for sure," Drizzt agreed, glancing over as Gyrmallion reappeared, Zak behind him.
Fortunately for Zak, Dusty was fully and completely entranced with Elealda and showing her his pig figurine to notice him coming back. He was still careful to keep to the edges of the room, trying to stay out of the baby's sight.
The girl who ran the desk appeared finally, slightly wild-eyed. "Umm...I...I apologize but...it might take me a bit to get breakfast going."
"Did Nikki finally leave the kitchen?" Gyrmallion smiled.
"No...she's still working in there." The girl was obviously struggling very hard with what was going on in there. "I have no idea where she got everything! There's so many cakes...in so many colors..."
"The blue ones and pink ones are always safe." Nevano finally came back down, properly dressed this time, though his hair hadn't improved any. "The red ones are iffy. Never touch the green ones. Orange and yellow are pretty standard cake. Ahh...oh, the purple ones might make you hiccup bubbles for a while, nothing too bad. What am I missing...?"
"How about the combinations?" Ravenlight reappeared. "Nevano, will you come distract her, please? I'm going to help get breakfast ready, because otherwise we won't be able to eat until after noon with the way she's going."
"As long as there's no green in it, you're fine. None of them will hurt you any...I just know what she uses to make green." Nevano disappeared in the back. A few moments later they heard him yell out. "NIKKI! WHAT THE HELL?!"
"Well, that woke him up," Ravenlight muttered.
All at once, the door to the kitchen swung open. Odd 'gabbling' noises spilled out, along with a flood of...colors. The small, wildly animate things were moving so furiously that it took everyone a moment to realize that what they were seeing were...cakes. Shaped cakes. Twenty-five of them, in all sorts of bright colors, moving on their own, and in such a way that they almost appeared to be squabbling with each other.
Nevano came back out, hauling Nikki out by the waist while she squealed and complained at him. She stopped once she saw the cakes. "THERE they are! Put me down! I got to show you these!"
Nevano dropped her on her rump, where she landed in a cloud of flour. "Ahhhhh good! Most of you are here! Especially the gods touched ones. Look! Looklooklook! Hey! Straighten up!"
The cakes all quit fighting and stood up straight. Now that they weren't moving, they could all see that they seemed to be...in the rough shape of the Aedra and Daedra.
"Took me alllll morning to get them made!" Nikki beamed. "Messed up a lot. Then I had to make a cake for me and one for everyone else and one for the girl at the desk and the one at the market stall and the man at the..."
"Nikki!" Nevano interrupted her.
The reactions to the cakes were...mixed. Zak looked to be on the verge of bolting back down to the cellar to get away from them, and Drizzt wasn't much better. Even Gyrmallion looked decidedly nonplussed.
Jorun didn't seem fazed in the slightest. "That's brilliant. You made cake figures of all the gods and are letting us know how each of them are faring and what they are doing since you are, technically, a god yourself and can let us know what we need to do to help focus them or make sure they are helping like they should?"
Nikki blinked. "Yeah! How did you know? Never mind, you have...Mephala's creepy always knowing thing. Tchhhh! Don't need him." Nikki waved away Molag Bal's figure, cake exploding everywhere, to the babies' delighted giggles.
"Aren't you missing a few?" Nevano said.
"No!" Nikki said. "I'd never forget Ebonarm! I made him first! He's just waiting on one more."
"One more?" Nevano blinked.
"Had to make Sai." Nikki said. "There they are!"
Sure enough two more cakes, one black and one gold, joined the others for twenty six in total.
"Okay, ready?" Nikki began to motion for the cakes to start moving. "You have Akatosh, Arkay, Kynareth, Mara and Talos with you. Go on. Move." She nudged them a bit. "You also have my favorite Black Knight, Sai, sorta, no one has him fully, as well as Azura, Mephala, Boethiah, Meridia, Nocturnal, Sanguine, because he's funny, Vaermina because you got Boethiah to kick her butt and Hircine. Oh and ME! That's a lot. Boethiah wanted to talk to you but I think you know all about that. Soooooo that leaves...Vile, ew, Mora, really ew, Malacath, another ew, Dagon, not ew but bleh, Namira, ewwwwww, aaaaaand Peryite but no one cares about him."
"Impressive...array." Gyrmallion still looked a bit on the stunned side.
"Clavicus Vile, we haven't seen him." Nikki said. "We don't know where he is. Or Dagon. Or Mora, but everyone is relieved about that. If you can find a way to talk to Malacath and Namira, you should try. Peryite...do I have to?"
"Nikki, you should talk to him." Jorun said patiently, ignoring her whining. "After all, you did help him."
"ONCE!" Nikki waved her arms, the cake figurines jumping like puppets. When Jorun's gaze didn't relent, she whined but crossed her arms. "Fine. I'll talk to the little worm."
"Thank you." Jorun smiled.
"Vile..." Ravenlight was leaning in the door of the kitchen. "I actually have an in with him. Did his helper Barbas a favor once; I can probably convince him to at least let us know what's going on. And I earned Malacath's respect, helping one of the orc clans in Skyrim. Namira, though...I destroyed her cannibal cult in Markarth, so I don't imagine she's all that pleased with me."
"Know the feeling. Dagon hates my guts. All of my guts." Nikki said solemnly.
"He was curious about me at first, until he realized the whole Daughter of Akatosh thing. Then he backed off fast." Ravenlight beckoned to the still-alarmed girl. "Come on. I'll help you clean up and get breakfast going."
"Nikki...don't you dare." Nevano said. Nikki's hands froze in midair. "Remember what I said if I had to clean up another cake mess?"
Nikki's eyes went wide and she flew back into the kitchen, to dual startled yelps and began a frantic cleaning.
Somehow, Ravenlight was able to work around her, helping the girl prepare the food for the morning.
Nikki, as it turned out, was just as handy at cleaning messes as she was making them under the proper motivation. Whatever Nevano had promised long ago, she was not eager to see carried out. The kitchen was cleaned in record time, with her even cleaning as Ravenlight and Selene cooked. The massive stack of cakes, however...they weren't sure what to do with.
Her pancakes were good, if...too much. The cakes...after seeing the shaped ones move, none of them trusted even the ones that weren't moving. Ravenlight sighed. They'd have to ask Nevano to convince her to do something with them, or...take them elsewhere. Without causing a meltdown.
By the time they came out, Veleth had coaxed the twins out who were keen to stay nearly glued to each other and were covered in black bruises to the point where nearly their entire hides were mottled. Zak had seemed mildly repentant the previous day when Gyrmallion had hit the ground after a missed block smacked his head. He did not appear repentant in the slightest as to how the twins were acting.
Veleth shook his head. He had warned them. He had told them that this would happen one day. But, like most of his men, down the line wasn't something they thought about. It wasn't happening now so they would ignore him. Well, surprise. It was happening now.
Zak regarded them, then looked over at Gyrmallion. "Take them along, too? Looks like they could use some more work, as well."
The twins looked at each other. There was a silent conversation with small nods and a shrug. Then they looked back at Zak.
"You're coming, then? Good."
They both nodded. Apparently, they had managed to work through their hesitation overnight.
"Not going any easier on you," he warned.
"We know." Min said.
"Good."
Nevusa never came up while they were eating, though she did boot Farkas out to eat, insisting she was fine and his stomach growling was keeping her awake. He looked dismayed enough that Ravenlight pulled him to the side to talk to him about how women sometimes acted during pregnancy, being one of the few there who, while never having been pregnant herself, had dealt with pregnant women more than once while growing up.
Nevusa wasn't mad at him, she explained. Just irritable at the situation and how she couldn't control what was going on with herself. He listened intently, almost with the air of one taking notes.
"Eat, spar, bathe, go back to her," she finished. "She'll be very happy with that."
He nodded. The boys would have another person heading out to spar with them this time around...which was a good thing. She wasn't sure when the last time was he'd gone out to get some air!