Meesei, of course, knew what it was that Gallus was referring to. She disagreed with his dedication to finding this boy. It would provide no benefit to the clan, if Gallus would even be able to find him at all. Gideon was, after all, a fairly large city, and there was no guarantee the boy was even still alive, or ever existed at all. Even so, Meesei found no reason to deny him. He could be of some use on the journey, and as helpful as he had become in the clan, there were others who could perform his duties. "I will not deny you the ability to join us, Gallus, but understand that we will not be diverting to Gideon, so you will need to make that trip alone, or with your pack if they choose to join. As well, you will likely need to make the return trip to Skyrim alone. I will not stop you, but I do encourage you to reconsider. Do you believe the potential benefits of your decision truly outweigh the time and risk required to carry it out? Black Marsh is not a safe place, particularly for non-Argonians. If you are not going to be dissuaded, I would recommend you find a volunteer among your Argonian friends to help guide you. If you do not have any Argonian friends...you may wish to try to find one before we depart. Normal survival skills may not be sufficient for some of the challenges of the swamp's roads."

---

Saras took a drink as he looked ahead at the children playing in front of them, slightly amused. "Oh, there is no turn of phrase. The Nerevarine walked into our sanctuary, killed all, or nearly all, of my brothers, and nearly killed me with a blade that cut from my shoulder down to my hip." He explained. Reaching up to his collar, he pulled down his shirt just enough to show the very top of a frighteningly deep scar beginning on his left shoulder.

"You see, the Dark Brotherhood was my family. I had been an assassin among them for over a century. Even so, had I known they had accepted a contract on the Nerevarine's life, I would have fled and never looked back. There would have been no one left to chase me. After the Nerevarine arrived in Vvardenfell, the Brotherhood made several attempts on his life, each of which ended in the death of the assassin. After he killed his first god, Dagoth Ur, he finally decided to go to Mournhold to deal with what I can only assume to have been a nuisance to him. Our sanctuary was beneath the city, in the ruins of OLd Mournhold. After he found it, he walked straight in, alone, and proceeded to systematically kill every one of the trained assassins who inhabited it. I did not recognize his face at the time, as his fame was fairly recent, so I clashed blades with him for a few seconds before he cut me open. I was not killed immediately by my wounds, so I played dead until he left. Perhaps there were others in my sanctuary who did the same, but I did not bother to remain long enough to check. My life with the Dark Brotherhood ended that day." Saras explained, fairly unemotionally.

"A 'yes' was all I needed to hear, Meesei," Gallus assured. "I will sort out a guide myself."

Oswall's face had darkened. He punctuated Gallus' remark with a low, growling hum. "Son, I thought you had given up ideas of finding some lost child. You cannot save every unfortunate soul made from this war, much less made by all lycans."

Gallus turned his head to Oswall only after he had finished. "Are you going to stop me, father?"

Several tense seconds passed as the father and son stared one another down in their seats. It was ended when Oswall let out a sigh and tightened his lips. "I shall not," Oswall spat. "You need to learn this lesson on your own, as usual." He dismissively flicked a hand. "For the Huntsman's sake, at least take the time to find a guide. You might be experienced in travel and ranging, son, but do not think the marsh will be within your capabilities."

There was no snide comment from Gallus, only an understanding nod.

---

Janius remained still and frowning during Saras' recollection. Apart from the occasional blink, he did not break his gaze from the Dunmer.

"I...am unsure what to say." Janius finally looked down into his drink. "I've never met anyone from the Dark Brotherhood before. You only hear sinister things about them, but...if they were your family, you, uh..." he lifted his cup, speaking into it. "...Have my condolences." He swigged a mouthful, unsure whether to be sympathetic or otherwise.

Janius eventually thought of a question to escape the awkwardness. "Were you turned before or after the attack?"

Meesei had no remark between Oswall and Gallus. Any issues that Gallus' decisions created between them were private, family matters, and she had no desire to become involved. The reason she intended to allow Gallus to join him was simply because she recognized that it would be a cheaper, more convenient traveling arrangement.

Once Gallus was finished, Meesei took another look around the room. "If there are no other announcements, I believe that is all we have to discuss for now. Once we have reports on the clan's financial situation, we will meet again to discuss compensation for Ariel."

As the meeting was adjourned, Meesei packed up her belongings, but remained seated in case someone wanted to speak to her. In particular, she imagined that Sabine might want to talk.

---

"Oh, they were quite sinister. In all likelihood, they deserved their fate." Saras remarked, again with no particular regret or other negative emotions in his tone. "The Dark Brotherhood takes in many kinds of people, from heartless, sadistic murderers, to desperate people with no other choices in life. For the shadowscales, they were simply taken at...hatching, for training. But, all of us were killers with no reservations. Except, I had a desire for survival. I did not become a werewolf until about fifty years after the Oblivion Crisis, but that physical prowess would have meant nothing, even if I had possessed it at the time. For the Nerevarine, he cleared our sanctuary just like it was another bandit lair. It was an experience that...changed me, certainly. I did not understand how one person could be so powerful. I took a certain, almost scholarly interest in his achievements, and those of other heroes in history. By all accounts, he went on to kill the goddess Almalexia, which would be the second god he had killed, and third he had defeated. Prior to coming to Mournhold, he was involved in the Bloodmoon Prophesy. If you are as devout as your Champion, you know that is a hunt that Hircine himself holds every era, involving whatever beings on Tamriel he deems powerful enough to be sporting. For the Nerevarine to have survived, he would had to have defeated an aspect of Hircine in single combat. There are few people in history who have held that kind of power. Thousands of years ago, they were often known as Shezarrines: incarnations of Shezarr, or Lorhkan as he is known outside the old Cyrodilic tradition. They were heroes with almost supernatural fighting prowess, like Pelinal Whitestrake or Talos. Some say that modern heroes, like the Nerevarine, may also be Shezarrines, but that is purely speculation."

As Saras spoke, it was clear that he had at least some degree of respect for the Nerevarine, despite what he had done to his "family." Though, while some of what he said was common knowledge, there were quite a few details which showed that he was educated at a level well-beyond the average person. He would had to have spent a great deal of time performing dedicated research on such subjects.

Sabine remained looking down at her clasped hands in her lap, only glancing up to check on those shuffling out of the room. Marcaille and her still had some work to do in the afternoon, but Sabine quietly answered "later" when asked about when she would be around that team.

Vera was the last out of the room. She glanced back from the door, giving Meesei and Sabine a small smile before leaving.

It was at this point that Sabine stood up and walked around the table to Meesei with her eyes to the floor. The way she was breathing indicated that she didn't know where to start.

"...I feel like I should be more excited," Sabine eventually said. "I want to see Ariel again. But bringing her back...she has so much in Thorn. It is dangerous to take her from there."

---

"That sounds larger than life," Janius responded with astonishment. "I have heard about the Nerevarine, but not all of those details. You're right, that is hard to believe." Janius looked into his cup and swirled it around. "Although, I suppose if others have slewn and eaten the souls of dragons or fought against hordes of invading daedra, I suppose killing living gods isn't much farther to step up."

Janius paused to drink again. "So, you had a run-in with a hero, you researched said hero, what then?" Janius raised an eyebrow. "Did you learn more? Did you ever meet the Nerevarine again?"

Meesei nodded to Sabine. "I agree. But, if she knew what kind of a situation we are in...what kind of danger you are in, I have no doubt she would already be trying to help us. Indeed, I honestly doubt we would have to give her anything for her to help, but I do not want her to lose what she has. There is much we will need to discuss with her, much we will need to plan, but hopefully we will be able to reach an agreement that does not cause her too much harm."

"I know we have not been able to exchange letters in a while, with the clan moving, but what was her life like the last time she wrote to you?" Meesei asked. "Have there been any major developments in her life?"

---

Saras shook his head. "No, I have noticed these heroes have a tendency to disappear, or fade away into time. The Nerevarine became immortal as a part of the prophesy, but he went on an expedition to Akavir shortly before the Oblivion crisis, and did not return. The Hero that closed half of the Oblivion gates in Cyrodiil disappeared after stepping into a strange portal that opened up in the Niben bay, Talos either died, or became a god, depending on whose religion you believe. The only great hero who is known in Tamriel today is the current holder of the title Ysmir, the one who slayed the dragon Alduin. But, I would have no desire to meet any of these people; there would be nothing I would gain from doing so. Being a werewolf, it would just be a risk. I study them only out of...curiosity, and because I have the capability to do so. I have learned quite a lot about information gathering through the years. It was an important skill while I was with the Dark Brotherhood, and I have only gained experience since then. It is why I suspect that our Champion will ask me to become the spymaster for her new council. I have been debating on whether or not I should accept." Saras explained, mostly ignoring his drink by this point.

Sabine reached one forearm around her back and held onto her other arm. She answered in a flat, quiet voice, as she did when anxious. "There was a flood recently. She is okay. She lost some expensive stock. She said she would recover after a few months." Sabine made eye contact with Meesei. "She often talks about things as if they are not as bad as they are. I think she is having more difficulty than she has told me."

---

While the change of subject seemed sudden, the new topic certainly piqued Janius' interest. "Is that so?" he asked. After tilting his head in an acknowledging gesture, he looked to the children and continued. "Well, you sound like you'd be quite the asset. Meesei's looking for the best and you've had more experience than probably anyone else that we could find." He sipped and turned his eyes to Saras. "Do you have reservations about being the spymaster?"

"If that is the case, we may even be able to help her." Meesei remarked. "With the number of clans we have, and the efforts we have been making to pool more resources, the kind of coin we can spare for compensation is the kind of coin that can be a great boon for an individual person."

Standing up from her seat, Meesei grabbed her belongings and motioned for Sabine to follow her out of the room. "Floods are very common in the swamps, even in the cities. The people of Black Marsh are more than used to dealing with them, and I am sure Rukeewei will be able to help her recover, and perhaps improve her storage methods for the future. Buildings are made to resist, or at least survive floods, and the one she purchased would be no different. She may not have been understating anything to you. Once we are there, we can discuss all of the specifics with her and work out an arrangement. I am not sure what she would want to do to maintain her business in the meantime, or about Rukeewei, but I am not sure if we should try to make plans about such things without her in the conversation."

---

Sara gave a brief nod. "Only my concerns for who would lead the Riften clan in my absence. I have arranged my clan in such a way as to keep them out of sight, while still close enough to society to not be separated from it. We have greater awareness of events occurring in the hold than most clans do for their regions, and we are capable of effective information gathering. However, to maintain that requires a certain amount of adaptability and knowledge. It would not be enough for them to simply follow instructions that I leave behind. There are strong leaders in my clan, but I do not know if they could maintain the same kinds of operations."

Leaning forward and finally taking another drink, Saras let out a sigh. "But, perhaps that sacrifice would be worthwhile. My experience could be to the benefit of our efforts against Vile, even if my clan faces troubles as a result."

Sabine still frowned at the floor, but by the way her shoulders lowered slightly, she seemed to be at least somewhat mollified by Meesei's assurances.

"Okay." Sabine murmured.

She took another slow breath in and decided not to worry where there was no point in it. Of course, the next issue was more than willing to come to Sabine's mind instead. She turned her head to peer one eye at the table. "Peiter and I will be away from each other for a long time," she stated. "I do not...know what to do."

Strangely enough, Sabine didn't seem upset about that issue as much as overwhelmed. It was the first long-term relationship that was going to be subject to a long time apart.

---

Janius gave a conceding nod. "Well, you know your clan better than I, but..." He swigged. "Even though you might not have a pack or a dark brotherhood, that clan's your family now. I'd say their best interests lie in having this war over as fast as can be managed."

Lifting his mug up once more, Janius drained the rest of his ale. He looked at Saras with an amicable smile. "Thanks for that, Saras."

"That may be the case. It depends on if Gallus intends to bring the rest of his pack with him." Meesei pointed out. "If so, you will only be separated after our groups split from one another. In any case, it is inevitable that you will have to separate from him for an extended time eventually. Our pack will be taking on missions against Vile as soon as we have re-established ourselves fully, and with Peiter being unable to fight, he will not always be able to join us. Your relationship will need to be able to handle separation. If not...he may not be the perfect partner for you. I do not doubt that you both love one another, but it is rare for someone to find their best match on the first try, so to speak. You may have, and Peiter may be that person, but do not think you have done anything wrong if it does not work out." Meesei explained, trying to be as encouraging as possible.

---

Saras nodded briefly. "On that, we can agree. The more time a Daedra as cunning as Vile has to plan, the lower our chances become. If only we had god-killers among our clans. I would like nothing more than to be rid of him permanently, but we will likely have to settle for diminishing the power of his followers. On that note, there is more I should do today. I am sure I am going to be speaking with your Champion again soon."

---

It took some time for Meesei and the rest of the clan's leadership to collect reports on their overall finances, but the reports were reasonably encouraging. The Blackreach clan was, of course, stretched thin in terms of their finances, but other clans were having an easier time. In the wake of their attack on Vile's stronghold in Elsweyr, other clans, especially those in southern Tamriel, experienced less disruption by the enemy. That was sure to change once the enemy was able to fully re-establish themselves and increase production of their soul-tearing gas, but for the moment, Meesei had some coin to work with. Before her pack, Gallus, and everyone he had decided to bring along left for Black Marsh, she made sure to send word ahead to the Stormhold clan to set aside some coin for when they arrived. Combined with what Meesei's pack would be bringing with them, it would almost entirely pay off Ariel's immediate debts. The Stormhold clan would certainly have time to prepare, as, after some persuasion from Ahnasha and Fendros, they convinced her to take a detour through Cheydinhal.

It had been weeks since Meesei's pack had departed from Blackreach. Being a small group, they were able to move relatively quickly south through Skyrim, and the Jerrals separating them from Cyrodiil. They had taken the most direct route possible, and were now camped out in the forests south of Lake Arrius, not terribly far from Cheydinhal. In fact, they were not far from the area where they had first found Fendros, years ago. It was around midday, so Ahnasha and Fendros would have plenty of time to do what they needed, while some of the others probably went into town for supplies.

Sabine looked at Meesei while she spoke. She did not make a sound, but she began to blink with greater frequency. What Meesei spoke was what she had been trying to deny in her mind for a long time. Her eyes began to glisten. "We might try?" Sabine murmured. "I do not...I do not want to..." She lowered her head to hide her cheeks tensing and reddening in sadness.

Without any other source of comfort around, Sabine stepped up and embraced Meesei tightly. There was no use arguing about it; Sabine would be going with Meesei away from Peiter whether it was on this journey or a later one. For now, she held on to the naive parts of her mind that hoped that it would still work between herself and her first real love.

---

The weeks of travel were pleasantly peaceful, if cold. No bandits stopped the pack's path to foolishly assail them this time. There was only a sense of familiarity. After packing away their furs as they arrived in the Heartlands, they regularly hunted to save coin and to sate their beast spirits. It was then that what might have been described as nostalgia came over the pack. Even though it had been only four years, so much had happened that a return to such simple living reminded them of happier times.

It was just what Sabine needed to cheer herself up. It wasn't more than one day after leaving Blackreach that she hugged Ahnasha in camp and cried against her shoulder for half an hour straight. When asked about Peiter during this episode, she did not respond to everything, only shaking or nodding her head. They had not officially 'ended' their relationship, but the conversation they had before separating was likely more theatre to hold onto hope before reality set in. They were unlikely to be the same when they next saw one another.

Fendros, on the other hand, became progressively quieter as the pack approached Cheydinhal. The only time that he could apparently take his mind off things was when he started telling stories to Rhazii about his family and how he was turned. Rhazii eventually asked whether he would meet his aunt, uncle, and grandparents, but Fendros couldn't give an answer more certain than 'maybe' before his expression darkened.

As evidenced by Sabine's mood, Gallus opted not to bring his pack with him. He only brought an Argonian acquaintance who owed him a gambling debt, reasoning that they would move fastest in a pair. Luckily for Gallus, his Argonian guide -- named Cuts-Canes-Faster -- was born in Gideon. His travels to the Bruma clan came with an ill-fated trading career. Thankfully, he knew his way around Black Marsh and was kind company around the camp fire. Gallus was in good hands.

While they were travelling, not two nights went by without Gallus sitting alone quietly, pulling out a long, tattered red feather from his pocket, and combing it back into shape with his fingers. At first glance, the feather looked to be one of Meesei's, but given his mission, it could be inferred where it really came from. That Gallus had carried it all this way was an accomplishment in itself.

---

The birds sang an upbeat chorus above Ahnasha and Fendros as they walked up a dirt path outside of Cheydinhal. The sun, the green flora, the speckles of flowers, and not least of which the sounds made for a complete contrast with Fendros' mood. He held his head forward, looking to the path and trying not to catch the eyes of anyone else around them. He even had a loose grip on Ahnasha's fingers, as if unsure whether to even display that much affection even though he needed her support. Perhaps it was the shame, but he didn't have to worry about being recognised on the street. He had grown and kept a beard for years that he never would have grown before he found the pack.

They had donned civilised clothes for this occasion, with Fendros in a plain shirt and breeches and Ahnasha in something similar. Despite being so close to his old life, Fendros felt further from reality than in his entire life save for his dreams. The pair eventually came to a fork in the path.

"Well, here we are," Fendros announced without looking up. "Should we go to the temple of the reclamations first, or..." He rubbed the back of his neck and looked up at the Vineyards in the distance. "Or get the hard part over and done with?"

As he lowered his hand from his neck, Fendros' found the guard of his sword and ran his thumb over the crest on the hilt.

---

Everyone else in the travelling party save for Gallus, Cuts, and Leaps were inside the walls of Cheydinhal in the meantime. The place hadn't changed an awful lot since the last time they were there. The stream still flowed, the market still buzzed, and the statues remained looming. Their task was simple in comparison to Fendros and Ahnasha's.

"Okay, so, to recapitulate," Janius began at the gate, counting off his fingers. "Get our knives sharpened at the smith's grindstone, sell our hides, and..." Janius looked up at the sky and bit the corner of his mouth.

Rhazii half-jumped on the spot. His high voice pealed up in excitement, "Rivets!"

Janius smiled and ruffled the small Cathay-raht's head. "Rivets. You are correct Rhazii." Rivets were a hassle to make in the wild, and the amount of leather they had to work made them nearly essential.

"Very well, you're most qualified to deal with the sharpening, Lorag." Janius handed over a bag of clinking knives that had been collected from the travelling party. "How should we do the rest, Meesei?"

Even if Ahnasha had been blind, she would have been able to pick up on Fendros' anxiety. She was a simple blue and green outfit with a long, ankle length skirt that marginally annoyed her. She knew how to seem perfectly Cyrodilic, not that she particularly cared about blending in with every societal norm. When Fendros loosened his grip on her, the put her arm around his in protest. No matter where they were, she did not want them being dishonest about who they were to each other.

Regardless of Ahnasha's stubbornness, she did not ignore the struggles that Fendros was surely facing. She had been through it before in Leyawiin, so she was not going to push him too hard at once. "I think we should get the hard part out of the way, but...maybe not too much all at once. How about we try just to find your sister? Talk to her, let her know we're here, and them figure out what we should do from there. You know I think you should confront your whole family, but we don't have to start out with them all."

---

Among the group in the city, Lorag was the one essentially guiding them. There had been a lot that had changed since he left, but the basic layout remained the same. He knew where to find the market, the guilds, residential homes, and a few specific stores. As they were divvying up tasks, Lorag took the bag Janius gave him, but he did not move from where he was standing, despite knowing exactly where to find the smithy. "Hey, uh, look. Maybe someone else should deal with the smith, right?"

By this point, Kaleeth had heard a lot of Lorag's stories a few times over, so she knew where he was from, and what he was avoiding. "Do you think they're still here? You know what Fendros' sister said."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. But there's more than one family of Orcs here. How about someone else just talk to the smith first, and if I don't recognize 'em, I'll step in." Lorag responded. So preoccupied was his mind that he did not even consider just looking for another blacksmith. There was only one he knew how to find off the top of his head.

Fendros looked down the path to the vineyard and sighed. He took a few moments to stare ahead, as if he might come up with an excuse not to go. He conceded with a low voice. "Very well. We might be able to find her."

On they walked. Fendros reluctantly put an arm around Ahnasha's torso as they progressed.

When they reached the gate -- a large wooden arch opening up in between two fences -- Fendros stopped and stood. Ahead of them was a two story Cyrodilic building surrounded by white gravel and grass. It was hardly a mansion, but neither was it a hovel. It looked like it belonged inside the walls of the city. The creeping vines covering one face of it was perhaps the only thing that tied it to the nature surrounding the property. Beyond and to one side were rows of grape vines on long stretches of supporting fence. There was no one in immediate sight and the windows of the house were too dark to look into at this distance.

Fendros lowered his arm from Ahnasha's back and frowned, scanning the surroundings like a startled deer. Ahnasha could tell that his heart was racing and his breathing was shallow, even if he tried to hide any outward signs of fear.

He took one step forward, crunching the gravel with his foot. "Come," he said without looking Ahnasha in the eyes. "Llarasa's room is at the side of the house. Her friends throw stones at her window all the time, we might catch her attention there."

As they walked down the path to the house, trees gave way to more features of the vineyard. Hens wandered the grounds, pecking for food around a nearby coop. A long wooden shed, built sunken partway into the ground, had a set of barrels around it, along with curved trolleys to port them around. Bootprints tracked mud around the place, showing evidence of recent activity. There was the smell of Fendros' family in the air, but they were nowhere to be seen. It was peaceful out here.

---

Janius shrugged. "Sounds fair to me. Let's go."

Cheydinhal was not the largest of Tamriel's cities, but even then they made great time with Lorag navigating. Janius and the rest stepped into the blacksmith to trade. Before a few minutes were up, Janius stepped out with the children and the knives to be sharpened.

He handed the bag to Lorag with a smile. "The smith told me we could use the grindstone as long as an Orc was doing the work." He pat Lorag on the upper arm. "I'll watch the kids out here. The others are still haggling, they'll be out in a bit."

Without much else for it, Janius took Rhazii and Newt over to watch a street performer. A small crowd was forming, but Lorag could still watch from the grindstone. It wouldn't take long to sharpen and hone everything up properly.

After about a minute, Rhazii and Newt were seated on the ground, captivated by the contortion act that the performer was showing off. At that moment, a small Orc girl in a dress came by to sit next to them and begin talking. She looked around Newt's age, perhaps a little older.

It was an innocent enough interaction. The boys loved to socialise in cities after long stretches with only each other to play with. They were about to stand up to run around when a familiar voice rang out from nearby.

"Narsi! Come on, it's time to go home!" The voice was unmistakeable, though her attire was not. In a long dress of blue, white, and leather, with a basket of vegetables in one hand, was none other than Harriet. The previous great warrior and lieutenant of the Bruma clan stood in the middle of the street with a stern look.

The Orc girl spun and ran, half turning to wave at Rhazii and Newt with a parting, toothy grin. She bounced along on her little feet until she reached Harriet, holding her by the hand and following her as they began to walk down the street. Harriet's eye subtly glanced to catch Lorag's. There was a hint of haste in her steps after she recognised him, but all she did in response was pull up her cowl against the light breeze and keep going.

Ahnasha was not nearly as nervous as Fendros, but she was alert. There was no denying that there was some risk in what they were doing, perhaps not to their lives, but in other ways that were important to Fendros. For the most part, she knew what he was going through, but there were potential problems for him that she had not been forced to face in Leyawiin. His parents were much different from her own. The vineyard itself was nice, tranquil. It was close enough to benefit from the safety of the city, but far from the crowds that inhabited it. For one less adventurous than herself, she might see the appeal of living in such a place.

"Okay, so that window?" Ahnasha asked, pointing as they reached the side of the house. Once she had confirmation, she carefully picked up a stone from the ground and grabbed a hold of it telekinetically. She was not nearly as skilled in the practice as someone like Meesei, but she could hold up a simple stone. She floated it over to the window and used it to knock just loudly enough to be heard from within. It perhaps would have been simpler just to throw stones normally, but she wanted to make sure that only Llarasa heard them.

---

It only took an instant for that voice to alert most of the pack. Lorag, Meesei, and even Kaleeth turned their heads towards her. The moment she recognized who it was, Meesei reached into the satchel on her hip. Luckily, she had brought it with her into the city. Ever since Harriet's escape, she had carried her tracking ring with her, the one bonded to the ring she had implanted within Harriet. She did not always carry it on her person, but it was at least with her belongings. This time, it was with her, and when she slipped it onto her finger, she felt that its counterpart was within range.

Meesei looked around quickly, giving a nod to Sabine, Janius, and Lorag. Kaleeth walked over to Janius and touched him lightly on the shoulder, whispering to him that she would take over watching the children. Lorag, without any sudden movements, put away the knives he was sharpening and picked up his bags. Meanwhile, Meesei was already taking the lead after her. Lorag and Harriet had made eye contact briefly, but she had not yet seen Meesei. The fact that she had put up her hood to cover her face made it even easier for Meesei to remain out of her peripheral vision, and the bustle of the crowd nearby hid her footsteps.

Meesei did not have any intentions of threatening Harriet just yet, but she was not going to wait to confront her. No matter what Harriet might believe, Meesei currently had the advantage. As soon as she was close enough behind Harriet, Meesei spoke up clearly, and in a neutral tone. "You know that we could not attack you right now, even if we wanted to. The least you can do is talk."

A few sharp taps against the glass preceded a few seconds of waiting. Fendros put his fist on his hip as he looked up at the window. It didn't take long for a pair of curious red eyes to float up, framed by the grey oval that was a Dunmer face. The eyes widened when they found Ahnasha and Fendros. There was wooden clunk and creak as the window was opened from the inside, revealing Llarasa with a shocked expression.

"Is it...? How did...?" Llarasa held her hands against the window sill for balance.

"Good morning, Llarasa," Fendros began.

Immediately, Llarasa put a finger to her lips and leaned forward in a fluster. "Hush-shh-sh!" She hissed, before pointing down to the pair of them, "Stay right there. Monderyn and father are out on the fields, they might hear you!"

Fendros breathed in to reply, but Llarasa already disappeared back into the window, closing it as she retreated. A few muffled clomps of shoes on wooden floors could be heard from within the house. Fendros looked to Ahnasha with a high brow. They had written ahead saying that they might visit in the future, but it was surprising to see Llarasa taking secrecy into account, even here.

Of course, there was only so much guile possible when Llarasa came running out from one side of the house in a plain dull blue dress and charged across the gravel into Fendros. Upon impact, Fendros stepped back to rebalance. Llarasa had her arms tightly wrapped around him. It took a moment for him to do the same.

Llarasa's voice whimpered against Fendros' shoulder. "It's so good to see you again, brother." She sniffed. "I'm so glad you decided to come."

For the first time all day, Fendros' shoulders lowered with an outward breath. "It's good to see you too, Llarasa."

The siblings remained in a tight hug for several seconds further until a realisation came over Llarasa. She pulled back and spun to Ahnasha. "You've come too, Ahnasha?" Llarasa let out huff and almost grinned. She stepped forward and gave Ahnasha a quick hug as well. "It's good to see you, too, but..." Llarasa took two paces backwards and alternated her glistening eyes between the two. "We shouldn't remain here if you don't want mother and father seeing. We should go out somewhere!"

"Actually, Llarasa..." Fendros' anxiety returned. He averted his eyes from her. "I've come to see everyone."

Llarasa's smile lowered and she blinked. Her eyes flicked to Ahnasha, then back to Fendros. It was in that silence that they noticed Llarasa's breathing becoming irregular. "Um..." she murmured after a while. "Are you certain? I...I don't they will react."

Fendros nodded. He was determined.

"Where are-" Llarasa's voice cracked and she stopped to swallow. "Where are the rest of you? Where is little Rhazii?"

Fendros looked to Ahnasha. He let her answer. Fendros convinced her that showing their child might be too much at once, leaving him to the pack while they were in Cheydinhal. She might have other things to add as well.

---

Harriet stuck to the most crowded streets for reasons that Meesei had already deduced. She tilted her hooded head when Meesei spoke, but didn't face her. The little Orc girl holding onto her hand, Narsi, had her other hand in her mouth as she looked up with curiosity to Meesei. Her big eyes mostly seemed confused.

"Hm? Sorry miss, I'm in a hurry." Harriet's voice came out in a surprisingly oblivious tone. "If it's about a pair of shoes you ordered, you can come with me to my house, I just have to put my daughter to bed. It's nap time and she gets cranky if she doesn't have her nap time."

Harriet wasn't stopping. She was approaching what looked to be a small house at the edge of the markets. It had a number of doors, suggesting that it was a shared building. The door she approached did not suggest that she had a lot of living space.

"He's in the city, with the rest of the pack. they're getting supplies." Ahnasha answered. She was not whispering exactly, but she definitely had a hushed voice. "We can go get him if...everything else goes well."

At this point, some of Ahnasha's nerves were starting to show, since they were getting closer to the confrontation with Fendros' parents. She had been mentally preparing herself for this for weeks, but she knew it would not be pleasant. "We wanted to find you before we did anything else. Wanted to get your advice on what to do, who to talk to first, when to talk to them. I know this isn't going to be easy. We ended up finding my parents in Leyawiin and...well it just wasn't. I know...how things are probably going to be for me with them, but after a lot of talking, debating, some arguing, I think we agree it's not right to keep everyone in the dark. I don't know how much of everything Fendros wants to tell them, but I wanted to be here for him."

---

Meesei maintained a demeanor that was neutral, both in tone and expression. The rest of her pack was someone behind her, since she had started ahead of them, but they were keeping up. Besides which, she did not want to crowd Harriet too much to start. She was not yet sure what she wanted to do with her, now that she had her close. The answer to that question had changed many times over the last few years, depending on how she was thinking about it in the moment. For now, she could see the advantages in several approaches.

Meesei followed close, even if Harriet had no chance of escape. With the bonded rings still active, she could know exactly how to find her at any time. As Harriet requested, she followed silently all the way to the Orc's home. Meesei stepped inside, albeit cautiously. She had been stabbed in the gut far too many times to let her guard down, especially now. Whatever awaited her within, she would be ready for.

"I am in no mood for games, Harriet. We speak, and we speak now." Meesei said before she had even stepped fully through the door.

Llarasa began pinching at her fingers. "I see. So you want them to know?"

Fendros nodded again. "Yes. At least about my condition, perhaps more." He looked to one side. "I do not know how much I'll tell them today."

One of Llarasa's knuckles made a snap as she began twisting her fingers in her anxiety. There was a long pause where she simply stared at the ground between Ahnasha and Fendros. "You should probably see mother first. She's inside." Llarasa beckoned as she turned to lead them to the front door.

Walking inside the house was louder than outside. The wooden floorboards knocked against their shoes in a manner impossible to hide from any occupant.

A tired voice called out through the short hallway. "Llarasa? Have you brought friends over again? I've told you before, you must brew tea for them before they arrive."

"Mother, I have some people you need to meet." Llarasa lead them slowly. Fendros had slowed down.

Fendros peered up and around. The main furniture in the house was just as he remembered it, perhaps with some items shuffled around. Llarasa reached for his upper arm and urged him on before he could slow to a stop.

"Oh? Is it the healer again? Tell him I have been taking my medicine. I have no need of a check up today."

They turned a corner and stepped through an open doorway. Within was a modest sitting room, furnished with soft, well upholstered couches and chairs. The fireplace crackled softly on the opposite wall, barely more than a small mound of glowing coals. On one of the seats was an aged Dunmer woman wearing a brown gown and white apron. In her hands was a large quilt that she was carefully sewing together. She did not turn her head to look at them, neither did she appear to be looking at the quilt. Her eyes were half-shut as if she was sleep-walking. In spite of the lines on her face, she did not appear to be much older than Llarasa. That was not likely the case by elf standards of aging.

"Mother?" Llarasa clasped her hands together.

Fendros' mother turned her head towards them. Her eyes were milky. She sniffed. "I smell a cat. Llarasa, I told you that you are not to have any pets without your fathers' permission!"

"Mother, please. This is important."

The face of the Dunmer woman softened. Her voice even seemed to level after detecting the weight of Llarasa's words. "Very well." She placed the quilt to one side and stood up. She put her hands together and bowed her head. "My name is Calia, welcome to our home. Might I know your names?"

Fendros had been paralysed since he saw his mothers' eyes. He opened his mouth to speak, but it took him a moment to come up with anything. "I'm...it has...it has been a while, mother."

Calia froze up at Fendros' voice. "Excuse me," she said, quavering. "Could you say that again? I think I misheard you."

Fendros took a step forward and extended a hand. "I am so sorry."

In the light coming in from the windows, Calia's lower lip began to quiver. She took a defensive tone. "If it is your intention to play me for a fool, I would ask you to take your cruelty elsewhere!"

"This is not a trick, I assure you mother." Fendros took another step forward. The sound of his footfall caused Calia to take a half-step back. Fendros continued, "It was about four years ago, wasn't it? I can hardly remember. I was going hunting because I had an argument with father. I didn't know what I was doing, I intended to come back a few days later. I was going to bring back rabbits to stew. You always liked them the best. I could never fathom why."

"What?" Calia breathed, "What did you just say?" Fendros did not step forward. Instead, it was Calia that brought her hand up, carefully reaching for Fendros' face. Fendros took her hand and brought it to his cheek. "Fendros?" Calia's face twisted into sadness. "My son?" Her quivering knees shuffled up to him. "My son is returned?" Calia was careful trying to embrace Fendros, as if he would slip away if she wasn't careful. "I'm not dreaming. I'm not dreaming."

Fendros brought his arms around Calia in turn. A tear from each eye ran down his cheeks as he held her tight. "I'm here. It's okay."

Calia broke down into long, shuddering sobs as her tension ran off her like invisible water.

Llarasa watched on, suppressing whatever emotions she might be feeling. She was no doubt internally glad that meeting Fendros' mother first was turning out well.

Fendros and his mother cried in each other's arms for a solid minute, going back and forth with small comments that further confirmed just what Calia had been through. It wasn't until she slowly separated from Fendros that she started asking questions. "Where have you been all this time? What happened to you? What...just...we must tell your father and brother!"

"Mother, wait, please." Fendros held out a hand and stopped her by the shoulder. "We need to sit down. There is a lot to say, and I want you to know first. Well...Llarasa has been told, but do not worry the others yet. Please."

Calia suddenly became more grounded. "If that is what you wish." She slowly lowered herself back into her chair. "Llarasa, please make us some tea. You, by the door, come, sit. I never heard your name?"

---

Harriet's abode was not spacious. It was drafty and damp, bordering the line between cramped and cosy. There was only one small room with basic furniture and a kitchen corner, while a set of stairs near the door lead up to the next floor.

At the base of the stairs, Harriet turned her head to face Meesei with a low brow and a deep frown. "I insist, miss. I am not playing any games. Please allow me to put my child to bed so we can speak without disturbing her." Now out of the crowd, Harriet's tone was severe and unambiguous.

Without waiting for an answer, she lead Narsi up the creaky stairs. "Take a seat. I won't be long and I won't try anything."

Narsi kept looking back to stare at Meesei with her confusion starting to turn into worry. They turned and strode out of sight at the top of the stairs. A closed door and Harriet's soft and muffled voice sounded out. After some words, her voice began to sound like a calming, melodic hum. She was likely singing Narsi to sleep with a Cyrodilic lullaby.

As soon as the group stepped inside, Ahnasha remained quiet and stayed slightly back from the others. What was about to happen was very personal for Fendros and Llarasa, and for most of it, it was not her place to be involved. Fendros needed to have time with his mother, and she needed time with her son. Their home was fairly nice, and a bit larger than her family's home back in the middle of Leyawiin. The scene they walked into was almost like something out of a storybook, with an old woman sewing a quilt by the fireplace. Granted, Ahnasha actually had no idea how old she was. She was around elves fairly regularly, but even so, she had no idea how even they could determine the age of their own kind.

It took longer for Calia to recognize Fendros that it had for her father to recognize her, likely because of the fact that Fendros' appearance had changed a bit more than hers had since they left. That, and a fair amount of disbelief on the part of his mother. Still, when she did realize what was happening, the result was nothing short of heartwarming. Perhaps, Ahnasha thought, this would work out after all.

Eventually, Calia's attention did find its way to Ahnasha. Regardless, she decided to keep her answers short for now. "My name is Ahnasha." She answered, taking her seat. "I am...well, I should probably let Fendros explain who I am. Just...know that Fendros did not leave you all entirely by choice."

---

Meesei followed Harriet's requests for now, if only to improve the chances of her being cooperative. With the ring around her finger, Meesei would know immediately if Harriet attempted an escape. She had hardly expected to find Harriet with a little girl, if she ever found her again, but that did nothing to change what had happened. There still needed to be some conclusion to matters, whether peaceful or otherwise.

The rest of Meesei's pack was just a few seconds behind her. She stepped to the side to allow the others to file in to the increasingly crowded room. Turning back, Meesei spoke quietly. "Let us not do anything to threaten her for right now. I want to speak to her, then determine what we should do."

Calia did not follow Ahnasha's movements as she sat down, but the sound of Ahnasha's voice made her squeeze one arm of her chair for a moment. By the time Ahnasha mentioned that Fendros' absence was not entirely his choice, she gave a small nod. "I wish I knew what you meant by that, Ahnasha." Calia brought her hands together on her lap, though her milky eyes continued to disregard everything around her. Strangely enough, her voice correlated with her appearance to seem more middle-aged than an old woman. Sewing a quilt gave the impression of a doddering elder, but her presence had changed something more elegant and regal without any of them noticing. "You are a Khajiit, aren't you?"

"Mother, I should probably get to the point." Fendros sped up his words all of a sudden. "The reason...the main reason that I disappeared was that..." He sighed. His mouth was moving faster than his mind. "Have you heard of lycans before? Werewolves?"

There was a look of surprise from Calia. "I was young when it happened, but I was alive when Solstheim was subject to the wrath of Hircine. That cursed prophecy. The last I heard of any werewolves was some rumours of attacks to the north of the Imperial City." She tilted her head. "What of them, Fendros?"

Fendros opened and closed his mouth. He leaned forward and looked at the floor to try and find a way to put it. "I have a...disease, you could call it. I contracted it in the forest. Ahnasha said it wasn't my fault because I was attacked without provocation by the beast that gave it to me." Fendros looked up, even though Calia took no notice. "That disease is called lycanthropy. It infects your mind with a sort of spirit. The spirit is no more than a beast, but it can take over your mind temporarily. When that happens..." Fendros raised his palms to gesture to himself. "I...transform. Physically and mentally. I become a beast that needs to hunt."

Llarasa returned with a tray holding a teapot and cups. She placed the tray on a low table before them all and leaned down to pour cups for everyone. Calia was frowning at Fendros, too busy listening to mind the tea.

"When you are first infected, the spirit is strong and you do not know how to control it. It's dangerous-"

A door shut somewhere else in the house and both Fendros and Llarasa stopped to look at the doorway. There were at least two sets of boots coming down the hall. They had no time to do anything before someone uncanny walked by and stopped at the doorway. Dressed in a dark smock and trousers secured by a belt was a short-haired Dunmer man that looked the spitting image of Fendros, albeit with crow's feet around the eyes, a rougher face, a less muscular build, and a very clenched jaw. Following behind was Monderyn in similar garb.

Monderyn was merely wide-eyed and stunned to see who was in the sitting room. The Dunmer man narrowed his eyes and scowled. "Calia," he muttered. "Who are these strangers?" His glower found Ahnasha. "And why are they in our house?"

"Do you no longer recognise your own son, Rossarm?" Calia's tone seemed sharp, scornful even. She did not so much as turn her head to the Dunmer man.

At that, Rossarm, evidently Fendros' father, turned his eyes to him. Fendros' beard disguised him for the first look, but Rossarm's severe eyes seemed to intensify as he realised the situation. The very grinding of his teeth could be heard in the resulting silence.

---

The soft singing continued for another two minutes. Janius stared up at the ceiling where the sound was originating. He wanted to comment on the situation, but it was too tense. They would just have to hear it from Harriet's own mouth.

When the singing stopped, there was a moment of quiet, a door latch shutting, and the sound of furtive footsteps on the stairs. Harriet paced down into the view of the pack in her house. She did not look at any of them with her despondent face until she reached the base of the stairs. She turned and gave each of them a look. Janius, Meesei, and Lorag.

Looking down again, she crossed her arms and leaned her side against the banister beside her. One last sigh and her expression changed to a new defiance. The Harriet they all knew reappeared in an instant.

"Well...you found me," she said with shrug. Her next breath was shaky. "What's going to happen?"

To Ahnasha, it seemed that Fendros was braver than herself when it came to admitting his condition. Granted, Ahnasha had gone with a different explanation for her absence. With Fendros, the truth might have been the least painful option to give them. The Daedra were not quite as Taboo among the Dunmer as they were in Cyrodilic culture, so the association with Hircine might not have been quite as bad. Plus, it would affirm to his mother that he did not suddenly leave by his own choice, and did not intend to hurt them. Their situations were different, so it was natural that their approaches would be different. Calia at least did not react badly to the news, though they did not have time to gauge her opinion on the revelation before they heard footsteps coming from the hall. Ahnasha had little doubt of who it was. She had hoped that Fendros would be able to explain everything to his mother before moving on to his father, but she supposed it was too much to expect that everything go to plan.

The atmosphere became much more tense once Fendros' father, Rossarm, entered the room. She did not know a great deal about him, but even if she had, she knew there was nothing she could do to clear the tension. All she could do was stay silent, and hope that Fendros would be able to say what his father needed to hear.

---

When Harriet finally re-emerged, Meesei did not act as if she was angry per ce, but neither was she pleasant. Her gaze was intense as she stood with her arms crossed, staring down Harriet. Even Meesei's own pack likely did not know what was going to happen until she finally spoke up.

"Do not fear, I am not going to kill you. Only a monster would kill the parent of a child like that." Meesei answered harshly. Given the context of Harriet's crimes, the insult was obvious.

"What I want first is information. I want you to tell me everything that has happened since you fled the clan." Meesei demanded.

Rossarm was the one to break the silence with a deep monotone. "Fendros." He seemed a walking statue as he stepped and lowered himself into a seat next to Calia. It was uncertain what he was thinking with his blank face and his grinding teeth. What could be discerned, especially from Ahnasha was that there was the distinct buzz of residual magic around him.

"Father," Fendros responded, trying not to blink.

"I'll get some more cups," Llarasa placed down the teapot and very nearly began jogging out of the room. "Go sit down, Monderyn," she urged her transfixed brother as she passed.

Monderyn was usually more outspoken, and he was not expected to change that much since they ran across him in the Imperial City. However, whenever it seemed that he was going to say something, he glanced at his mother and father and curled his lips instead.

The tension rendered the very air into invisible treacle. Breathing was slow, time was slow, and no one knew how to proceed. Fendros was the one to break the staring contest. He swallowed and breathed in to speak. Rossarm interrupted him.

"Four years." Rossarm continued his hollow speech. "You went missing for four years. We searched far and wide. We lost much trying to find hope. Trying to find any sign. There was none. An empty receptacle where your ashes were meant to be stands by the fields." Rossarm raised his chin just enough to show some sort of emotion. Disdain. "...But now you appear before us, healthy and alive. There was not a single sign given. My eldest son, my blood heir, do you have any idea what you have put your family through?"

Llarasa re-entered the room with the presence of a mouse. She poured tea for Monderyn and Rossarm, but neither took them just yet. Llarasa took a stool behind Monderyn to sit upon, looking over their heads with her hands clasped together.

Fendros was staring into the cup in his hands. His mouth felt dry, but he didn't feel like drinking. All he could do was to make his face a wall against the shame that was creeping into his mind.

"Rossarm!" Calia snapped and shot a cross visage to Fendros' father despite looking past him. "It was not his fault!" She flicked a hand out to backhand the air. "If you would stop radiating your bottled grief all over him, he might have the space to tell you that he caught lycanthropy!"

While Rossarm flicked his eyes over to listen to Calia, he took a quite moment afterwards to scowl at what she said. "You should start explaining yourself, Fendros."

"I had hoped that seeing you again would have a better outcome, father" Fendros said, keeping his voice low and careful. "I'll just start again..."

Almost word-for-word, Fendros proceeded to repeat his explanation of lycanthropy to the rest of his family. This time, his wording was more clinical and emotionless. In particular, he made the danger of coming back to his home as clear as he could. When he reached the point of explaining the pack, he slowly lifted his teacup to his lips while he thought of what to say.

"This still does not explain the Khajiit you have brought with you," Rossarm observed.

Fendros pursed his lips to suppress a subtle anger and found the courage to look his father in the eyes again. "This is Ahansha. She is a close friend of mine now. Her and some of her friends found me in the woods. They are lycans themselves, so they took me in to take care of me. They also taught me how to control the beast spirit."

Rossarm butted in at the next pause. "They kept you from letting us know of your whereabouts."

There was a small exhale from Fendros. "No, I already told you, it was too dangerous." Fendros put his hand forward. "I knew you would try to make me stay back home even if I told you. If I had transformed in front of you back then, when I had no control, anything could have happened! I stayed away because I didn't want anyone to be killed by it. Please, understand that. It was risking you all to let you know or keeping you safe to keep you ignorant. I had to make that choice."

---

To Meesei's snide remark, Harriet squinted her eyes. It was unclear whether she was pained or angered by the statement. When it was her turn to speak, Harriet's eyes went down and to one side. She took a moment to recall, swallowed, and began.

"I ran. I just ran. None of that leadership crap mattered any more. I didn't know where I'd end up, I knew I just needed to..." She cut herself off and shook her head. "I never looked for any agents of Vile. That slimy lizard was the only one I really spoke to. I didn't find any more, before or after. They didn't find me either." Harriet looked up at Meesei and took a deep breath. "At first, I looked for a wizard who could get your ring out of me without killing me. That was too much to ask for. Anyone with the expertise was too expensive to even talk to."

Harriet tilted her head to one side, her eyes avoiding the pack's. "I spent some time wandering, living off the land, staying away from packs and clans. After a few months, I had to settle down. The kid was coming. I couldn't move and hunt like I usually could. I chose Cheydinhal because an Orc wouldn't be out of place here and there aren't any local lycan clans that come by often. I worked as a servant for a bit, learned to swallow my pride and stop being an ass, then I started taking side-jobs repairing clothing." She huffed out a short-lived laugh. "You get plenty of practice doing that as a lycan. Narsi came out, I've been making a new life here ever since. I thought someone would find me eventually." She shrugged again. "I guess I hoped that wouldn't happen."