"You're mother's from Black Marsh?!" Aurana's interest only grew. She leaned forward more. "What's it like there? I've read about it in books, it sounds dangerous, but wondrous!"

Rhazii chuckled. Julan's new aunt may have been strange, but she was hard to discourage.

[hr]
The parents had already investigated the area around Janius' old home with no sighting of Julan or Rhazii. All they found was a faint scent trail. A short distance following it and the trail was leading them towards the canal. They were all certain without saying it.

Janius was not happy. There was the worry that the boys had met his parents, but the last thing he wanted was to find them having crossed the canal during the night time. There were wider reasons for them to avoid it.

On the street near to the main bridge, the bare streets had added a feature that wasn't a pair of patrolling guards or a skittering rat. The group spied a young Khajiit woman in a black dress with a candlelight spell hovering over her head. She clutched a woollen shawl around her shoulders and had a desperate look on her face. She was much too clean and well-groomed to be a beggar, if the magic did not already give it away.

The young woman would have been inconsequential had she not approached the group. "Excuse me! Excuse me." She said with her Anequinan accent, waving them down.

"Are you alright, miss?" Fendros asked, curious.

"I am looking for a young lady named Aurana Aetius, an Imperial-" the woman gestured to herself while clutching the shawl in her other hand. "-long blonde hair, pale complexion, a little taller than myself. Have you seen her? Please, she has wandered from home tonight and I simply must find her."