Ahnasha could not help but to smile when Calia started to "look" at her with her hands. If they were fortunate, that would not be a requirement forever. She took a moment to look around the room and make sure that the priest was nowhere close by. Regardless, she still whispered to Calia. "Well, there are a few advantages to our condition. Heightened strength, disease immunity, lengthened lifespan, improved recovery from wounds, better senses. Fendros has all these things too, of course. Don't worry though, a frost atronach is a good deterrent to anyone looking to be a bully." She chuckled.

When Calia turned her tone more serious, Ahnasha shifted her expression to match. "I understand. There is a lot I'd like to speak to you about when we have more time. Maybe after the ceremony? I doubt we really have time to go into it all in detail. I know my lifespan might not seem like much to you, but I think Fendros and I will be able to be happy together for longer than you think. Like I said, we'll both be healthy for quite a while. Aside from that, I was wondering real quick if I could ask you about the ingredients you need for your medicine? Specifically that nettle from high rock. Those ingredients would not be difficult for us to obtain at all."

Nearby, most of the others were standing by waiting for it to seem appropriate to speak to their new guests. Obviously, Fendros and Ahnasha would want to speak to them first, but Meesei expected they would want to speak to them eventually as well.

There was much implied in Ahnasha's words, but Calia did not outwardly react. She simply addressed each point, one by one.

"I am abundantly aware of your differing lifespans. This decision you have made to marry after your time together tells me that you have accepted that fact. There is no reason to attempt to comfort me there." Calia regained a small smile. "And I appreciate your concern, but it shall only take a few years of good growing seasons to fund procurement of the ingredients for my eye remedy. It would not be appropriate to place any such burden on you on your wedding day. Of everything else, I would wish to speak with you more after the ceremony."

Calia suddenly shot up one finger between them, interrupting whatever insistence Ahnasha may have had. "As I was saying before, Ahnasha." Her chin angled slightly upwards. "You are to become a wife today. You shall be taking oaths today, and I expect you to uphold them. I also expect you to see to the wellbeing of not just one another, but your marriage. I am unaware of your preconceptions of this, but just because you may not live as long as us, it does not mean you may treat this like any imperial marriage. Dunmer, like any mer, understand the depths of time and its way of changing things. There will be times where one or both of you are frustrated with the other, in hard times, in contempt, breaking boundaries of trust. Both of you may change. When that happens, I want you to remember that this marriage is not a superficial nicety, it is a challenge against the centuries. It will be hard work. Keep it healthy and strong for you and your family, and you will be healthy and strong as well." Calia's chin levelled. "Do you understand?"

There was something of an awkward moment between Fendros' siblings and the pack. Neither knew who should begin. Fendros broke it.

"So, it has been quite some time," Fendros said, holding his palms together. "Monderyn, Llarasa, these are my friends. As a reminder: Meesei, Lorag, Kaleeth-Rei, Sabine, Janius, and the children, Newt and Rhazii." He gestured behind the pack. "Right, and Gallus. He is...also a friend, though not a regular of our travelling group." Fendros was glad that he remembered to censor himself in front of the priest.

Llarasa, remembering all of their faces, nervously grinned and gave them all quiet greetings. To the children, she let inhaled with a wide smile. "Hello there! My, Rhazii, you have grown so much since I last saw you! And your name was Newt? Oh, you are just adorable!" Llarasa peered up at Kaleeth and Janius. "Is this little one yours?"

Monderyn gave nods to the pack, but kept his arms crossed and his lips sealed. Fendros took his arm and encouraged him closer to Meesei and Lorag, which elicited a mildly fearful look on his face. Fendros noticed and stopped to give him a few words.

"Brother, you've given your apologies and we have given you forgiveness," Fendros said. "There's nothing to worry about, I promise. At least share some words."

"What words to I have to share, Fendros?" Monderyn complained under his breath. "I am not welcome amongst your...friends."

Fendros pat a hand on Monderyn's back. "You cannot know that until you have tried. Come, you can start with a 'hello.'"

Monderyn was encouraged by Fendros' hand to at least move to face Meesei and Lorag. He didn't quite give a simple greetings. Instead, he pursed his lips and avoided eye contact. "I suppose I owe you just as much of an apology for the last time we met."

"No really, it is no burden. We actually have half those ingredients on hand alrea-" Ahnasha began before she was quickly interrupted by Calia. Regardless of the arguments she had in mind, she decided to let it go for now. It did not really matter if Calia refused help anyway, Ahnasha would likely end up sending the ingredients regardless.

Throughout Calia's explanation of her expectations for marriage, Ahnasha could not help but to smile once more. Her short speech was something she had obviously been thinking on for a while, and it showed that Calia really had accepted that Ahnasha would be a permanent part of Fendros' life. And, perhaps a small part of hers. Following Calia's speech, Ahnasha closed her eyes and breathed in deeply as she thought. "Honestly...I believe I understand that better than most couples ever do. In the years we have known one another, we have been through so, so much together. The challenges we have faced...it is hard to really put it into words. There has been more than one occasion where I have quite literally put my life at risk for him. When he or Rhazii were threatened, and I was willing to die for him. We...were not in as safe of a position then as we are now. There have definitely been times that I've been so angry with Fendros that I wanted to claw his eyes out, but every time I'm angry, I always have in the back of my mind the times where I knew he was the only thing in the world that mattered to me. The times of desperation where he was the only thing that could give me hope. I know what it's like to really rely on him as a part of myself, and for him to rely on me. You can believe me when I say that I truly do understand the kind of bond you describe."

Kaleeth reached her hand down and placed it gently on Newt's back. Like Rhazii, he was entirely confused on who these people were, perhaps even moreso since he had never even met them in his life. "Yes, he is our son. He and Rhazii have grown up together. They are...brothers, really. In all the ways that matter."

Meanwhile, Meesei responded to Monderyn simply and directly. "Fendros and Ahnasha were the ones you harmed. If they have forgiven you, then I have forgiven you as well."

"Huh, yeah, sure, that sounds good." Lorag added, somewhat apathetically as he turned his head back away from looking at anything in particular. He was not being intentionally dismissive of Monderyn as much as he was simply not paying that close of attention. His mind was distracted elsewhere.

"Do not mind Lorag. He has been in a foul mood as of late due to some personal issues." Meesei explained briefly. "Regardless, you should not feel unwelcome among us. You might be surprised at how accepting we can be."

Again, Calia remained neutral through Ahnasha's response. She remained silent for a few seconds, not showing signs of whether she was processing a negative reaction or merely thinking. When she finally spoke, it was brief and neutral. "Good. Now, I have yet to meet the rest of your companions. And, of course, the child."

"Very well," Llarasa nodded to Janius and Kaleeth. She knelt down to look at both the children at eye level. "In that case, I would be be honoured to call you both my nephews."

"What's a nephews?" Rhazii asked through his mouthful.

Janius chuckled and reached down to pull the tail from Rhazii's mouth. "A nephew is your brother's or sister's child, Rhazii."

"But Newt doesn't have a child!" Rhazii complained, his ears leaning back slightly in confusion.

"That's right, but Llarasa here is your daddy Fendros' sister." Janius prodded Rhazii on his nose. "That makes her and Newt your nephews, and it makes her your aunty, boys."

Llarasa giggled and stood up. "Well, I should greet the others as well. Perhaps we might chat later?" Llarasa turned and waved down someone behind them all. "Hello there Sabine, don't think you can get away from me!" The conversation between the two of them started off easily. "It has been so long! I can see you have grown as well, you look lovely today."

Monderyn was still having a bit of trouble. "Mhm, I...have already been surprised. By Ahnasha, that is. She seemed to think very little of it." He itched at the back of his neck. "I had best not hold up the ceremony. Fendros?"

Sensing his continued discomfort, Fendros decided to cut his brother some slack for now. "Alright, well, the others are looking forward to meeting you as well. We'll finish the rounds and chat more after the ceremony."

Various greetings and small talk filled the relatively small temple for the next half an hour. The priest knew the schedule, but stayed behind without imposing.

Monderyn did his best to meet the others in a respective manner, but seemed particularly uncomfortable around Meesei and the children. He knew Ahnasha well enough by now that he did not seem quite as distant when speaking to her, but it remained that he had to be encouraged to participate most of the time.

On the other side of the coin, Llarasa spoke with everyone happily. The many things she had heard about from the letters meant that she never ran out of talking points. She especially built a rapport with Rhazii and Newt, who still had a little trouble grasping the difference between 'aunt' being used to describe Llarasa as opposed to Kaleeth or Ahnasha.

In the middle was Calia, gliding between the various guests with either Fendros or Monderyn on her arm to guide her around. The emotional mother that had received Fendros yesterday had been completely replaced with an experienced woman guarded by courtly manners. The only time where this facade was interrupted was with regards to Newt and Rhazii. She grinned and gave them a similar treatment with her hands as she had given Ahnasha. Rhazii and Newt found her a little strange at first, but eventually warmed up to the kind heart she was showing them. She was sure to tell Ahnasha and Fendros afterwards just how beautiful a child Rhazii was.

Calia's approach to the others were in the capacity of friends to Fendros. As such, she did not bombard them with severe questions and demands as she had Ahnasha. If anyone was given anywhere near to that scrutiny, it was Meesei. Being the leader of their 'travelling group' gave Meesei the responsibility to watch over Fendros almost as much as Ahnasha. In the end, it was not a challenge for Meesei to withstand Calia; even Fendros' mother could not offer as much of a challenge as ancient vampires, let alone daedric princes.

The time was nigh for the ceremony eventually. The signal that they should probably start soon was the strong potion of fire shield that the priest handed to Ahnasha with a politely cleared throat.

As much as Ahnasha wanted to hold conversations in dept with Fendros' family, she also wanted to be respectful to the priest who was holding the ceremony and did not want to force him to wait around for too long. Meesei was of the same opinion, so she had already taken her seat in waiting of the ceremony's start. Though, she was not going to do anything to rush them after the ceremony's end. They could leave the next day if need be and it would not terribly impact their schedule. Indeed, Meesei expected that Calia would want to speak to her more in-depth than the few questions she had answered about herself. It could take some effort to convince her that her capabilities were not being exaggerated by Ahnasha. Even Lorag was starting to see the ceremony as a decent enough distraction from his own thoughts, so he would possibly cease his brooding soon.

Ahnash a understood the signal to begin immediately, so she gave a nod to Fendros, then walked up towards the front of the temple. Although, she stopped quickly to speak to Llarasa and ask her to watch Rhazii during the ceremony. She reasoned that it would be a good chance to bring Rhazii a bit closer to Fendros' family. She held the fire shield potion close to herself, though she did not uncork it just yet. She did not want to drink it too early and have it wear off, so she kept her eye on the priest and waited for him to give the okay to drink it. Meanwhile, the others started to notice Ahnasha and Fendros moving to the front, so they began taking their seats as well. Kaleeth was sitting at the front pew on the right side next to Janius, with Newt in her lap. Meesei was beside them, and Lorag on the far end.

The motions to take seats and begin spread swiftly amongst the guests. Fendros' family seated themselves on the front pew on the left, alongside the pack. Rhazii, Sabine, and Gallus sat with the pack as well, Rhazii trying to slot in next to Newt and Kaleeth.

What proceeded was a few more minutes where some discussions sprung up. Despite the priest's signal, he spent a few minutes turning the coals of a brazier in front of him until it formed a fine ash. The smell of the burning wood actually reminded many in the pack of their campsite, making the scene oddly familiar. Ahnasha and Fendros stood opposite one another, either side of the softly smoking brazier, silently waiting for proceedings to begin.

When the priest was finally satisfied, only a small amount of glowing coals remained amongst the white dusty ash. He spoke softly, the temple carrying his voice only as far as it needed to with the few guests present.

"The union of two souls in harmony has been as sacred and ancient a tradition as any amongst the Dunmer. The words that we speak and the oaths that are taken are often attributed exclusively to us elves of Morrowind. The fire and ash..." The priest leaned down and scooped up a handful of the still hot and powdery ash and let it fall in a settling cloud back into the brazier. "Dunmer, indeed, have a proud history and culture. The reverence of our ancestors, the mission of our houses to better themselves. Marriage, ostensibly, is all in their service. However, in my many years of life in Cheydinhal and around Tamriel, I have witnessed the greatness of all souls. With my very eyes, I witnessed Mehrunes Dagon opened up portals to Oblivion and threatened all of Nirn. I witnessed all worthy souls push him back. It was not even known whether the hero of Kvatch, the champion who found Septim's heir and brought Dagon's invasion to a halt, was even a Dunmer himself. Nay, neither the Nerevarine of years behind the Oblivion crisis had such a determined nature, in spite of his or her presence in Vvardenfell at the relevant time."

His tone shifted to a less epic note. "But what are we in that situation? What are we to our reclamations? To Azura, Mephala, Boethia, blessed they be? Our souls stand in the same light in eternity, regardless of what their original circumstances landed them in. We are souls of a kind. Mortal and alone. In this, souls of a nature other than Dunmer may even thrive amongst us. Some may even find affection, intimacy, sacrifice." He spread his arms. "And that is why, against conventional tradition, I stand in favour of uniting these two souls in the eyes of our patrons. For, what is the tradition of marriage, if not to unite us lonely souls against eternity?" He lowered his arms and nodded to the couple in front of him. "Fendros Avarul, Ahnasha, daughter of Gwindir. You shall be united."

The priest gestured with one hand. "Fendros," the priest began, "You stand, descended of the Avarul clan, to unite into your life and home, Ahnasha, daughter of Gwindir's clan. Does this arrangement serve your clan and will, here and into the rest of your time in Mundus?"

"Yes," Fendros affirmed with a slightly nervous nod.

"Step forward and bring forth your hands."

Fendros did as he was told, stepping up to the edge of the brazier and extending both his open hands upwards over the dying flame beneath. The heat was not a bother for him, but Ahnasha would require the potion to withstand it and the rest of the ceremony.

"Ahnasha, you stand, daughter of Gwindir's clan, to unite into your life and home, Fendros of the Avarul clan. Does this arrangement serve your clan and will, here and into the rest of your time in Mundus?"

These opening statements were described by the priest previously as 'clerical' more than anything. The true oaths would be recited once they joined hands over the flame.

As the ceremony began, even Ahnasha, who had never considered ceremony in general to be important, started to feel some anxiety. Between the presence of Fendros' family, the formality of the priest's words, and the fact that everyone was focused solely on herself and Fendros, she started to get a sense of how others tended to feel about these events. Still, she kept her concentration. The ceremony had been described to her before, so she knew what she was meant to be doing, but it was not as if she knew every detail of the ceremony. The priest's words regarding love and marriage certainly gave her an even greater respect for him. For a brief moment, Ahnasha wondered if Fendros' parents had known of the opinions of their local Dunmer priest. If not, she hoped that conversation came up at some point between his father and the priest.

When the priest came to the words asking them to confirm their union, Ahnasha quickly drank her potion while he was speaking to Fendros and set aside the bottle just in time for him to ask the same question of her. "Yes, absolutely." Ahnasha answered with confidence. She brought her hands up in the same manner as Fendros and awaited for the priest to continue.

Among the pack, there were none who were really familiar with Dunmer weddings, except perhaps for Sabine, given her birthplace. However, there was nothing so far that seemed unexpected. Like Ahnasha, Meesei did not care for elaborate ceremonies and marriage traditions, but she found it to be pleasantly romantic regardless. Even Lorag was actually paying close attention.

The priest smiled. "Then we, the reclamations, and all else present will witness your joining."

With his bare hands, the priest scooped up some of the fine ashes and poured them from the side of his closed fists into Ahnasha and Fendros' palms. Even through the fire shield, Ahnasha could feel its heat. "The fires of our lives turn to ash, through ash we let life thrive. Let the ash of your ancestors mingle to join your lives." The priest gestured towards the centre with his flat hands. "Join hands."

Fendros gave Ahnasha a reassuring smile, before reaching and turning his fingers over Ahnasha's hands. The piles of hot ash in their palms mixed, with excess falling back into the brazier. Their hands were now directly above the hottest part of the remaining coals.

"Fendros Avarul?" The priest said. "Repeat these words. Azura's light revealed you to me...

"Azura's light revealed you to me," Fendros stared into Ahnasha's eyes as he spoke.

"Mephala's webs spun us together..."

"Mephala's webs spun us together."

"Boethiah's sword cuts us free..."

"Boethiah's sword cuts us free."

"But not fire, nor frost,"

"But not fire, nor frost."

"Nor disease, nor famine,"

"Nor disease, nor famine."

"Blood, oblivion, nor hardship and power shall force our souls asunder."

"Blood, oblivion, nor hardship and power shall force our souls asunder."

"As long as I live, Ahnasha, Daughter of Gwindir,"

"As long as I live, Ahnasha, Daughter of Gwindir."

"You are as I would care for my own soul,"

"You are as I would care for my own soul."

"This I swear, for all my ancestors to hear,"

"This I swear, for all my ancestors to hear."

"And the reclaimed tribunal that guides me, blessed they be,"

"And the reclaimed tribunal that guides me, blessed they be."

As unforgettable as the words were, Fendros was grateful for the priest's recital to help him remember.

The priest turned his attention to Ahnasha. "Ahnasha, daughter of Gwindir, repeat these words..."

Ahnasha was grateful for the potion, given the nature of the ceremony. Even so, the sight of the hot ash on her heart to start beating faster. Fortunately, the oaths they were about to take took her mind off of it fairly quickly. Being that she did not follow the Reclamations as Fendros did, the words did not connect as deeply to her, but in terms of the bond between them, the meaning behind them was still just as strong. Once Fendros was finished with his oaths, Ahnasha too repeated each phrase after the priest.

"Azura's light revealed you to me,"

"Mephala's webs spun us together,"

"Boethiah's sword cuts us free."

"But not fire, nor frost."

"Nor disease, nor famine."

"Blood, oblivion, nor hardship and power shall force our souls asunder."

"As long as I live, Fendros Avarul."

"You are as I would care for my own soul."

"This I swear, for all my ancestors to hear."

"And the reclaimed tribunal that guides me, blessed they be."

Ahnasha was of course still aware that all of her friends were watching, but for the moment, her attention was solely invested in Fendros, and the priest beside them. She could not help but to feel closer to Fendros than she had been in quite a while.

With locked eyes as they had, the heat of the coals was further placed than the back of Fendros' mind in that moment. In the past, Ahnasha and Fendros had spent many silent periods laying side-by-side and just staring into one another's eyes, but it had never been with this much intimacy before. The oath they had taken may have just put them into a temporary hypnotic focus, some rational parts of their minds might have thought, but there was the hint that their connection was now forged by powers greater than themselves. Fendros, too, felt that he was closer to Ahnasha than he had been in all his immediate memory.

"All have born witness to this moment, where two souls are united," the priest continued. "Release the ashes, come together, and you shall embrace as husband and wife."

Fendros loosened his grip enough to let go of the ashes in their hands. With consciously restrained haste, he stepped halfway around the brazier to meet Ahnasha in an embrace and kiss to seal their marriage. He had no intention of holding back the love he felt, even if they might be pressed together too tightly to breathe.

Ahnasha followed just after Fendros in releasing her ashes and stepping around to meet him. She was actually somewhat surprised by how tightly he held her, but she was no less enthusiastic to embrace him. They held one another and kissed for a time that Ahnasha did not even bother to try to keep track of. Their kiss did not last too long, but Ahnasha simply allowed it to last for as long as was needed to express the love she felt towards her new husband.

Once they had at last pulled away from one another, Ahnasha had almost entirely forgotten what she was supposed to do next, or even if there was anything actually left in the ceremony. She just continued to look longingly into Fendros’ eyes with the widest smile he had seen in quite a long time. If there was something else left to do, she supposed the priest would bring it up.

With the focus they had put on each other, neither Fendros nor Ahnasha had noticed the period of applause that had welled up from their small group of guests. Fendros did not even give it much attention after their kiss, instead returning Ahnasha's smile with a wide grin and loosening his hold on her just enough to see her face. She really did look beautiful in this light. Now she was his wife, and he her husband. It felt like it had always been this way but now he was made aware of it. He could not be happier.

"I would like to thank the friends and family of the new couple for attending today," the priest spoke over Fendros and Ahnasha with a soft smile. "I present to you all, Fendros and Ahnasha, two souls made into one."

The applause renewed for a short while. Fendros ran his hand to hold Ahnasha's fingers, sans the one severed years ago. In his peripheral vision, he could see Llarasa, Monderyn, and his mother Calia clapping with smiles on their faces. In turn, he could see the pack providing similar expressions. Even Rhazii clapped, though he did not likely understand the meaning of the ceremony as much as the rest of them.

"Now, given my previous words with the couple, all guests may remain in the temple into the late afternoon," the priest explained with his sermon tone restrained. "I will be available in the study behind the altar to Boethia if there are any matters that require my attention, but until then, I shall leave the wedding procession to its own devices. Congratulations, Fendros, Ahnasha. May your love outlive you both."

With that, the priest stepped away, leaving the brazier softly glowing behind him.

Fendros barely perceived the shuffling of feet from the pews nearby. He rubbed his thumb over Ahnasha's hand, feeling the remaining powdery ash in her fur. "Hello, dear wife," he murmured to her as if it was his first greeting of the day.

On the pews, Sabine had not stood up yet. She was sitting in a hunch with her hair covering the sides of her face. A sniff from her made Meesei next to her realise that she may have been trying to hide some emotion during the ceremony.

Janius slid one arm around Kaleeth-rei's shoulder after they stood up, giving her a smile. "I admit, I was expecting something far drier. That was a nice ceremony, don't you think?" To give Kaleeth a break, Janius stooped down and picked up newt to hold in his arms.

Meanwhile, Fendros' family had stood up and was just about queuing up to see Fendros and Ahnasha. Calia, matronly as she was, had the head of the queue with no one guiding her this time. Though her posture and gait was as commanding as ever, her small smile made her less intimidating. "Congratulations, son." She angled her head to Ahnasha. "And welcome to our family, my new daughter-in-law."

As the priest stepped away, Ahnasha reached up and ran her hand through Fendros' hair. "Hmm, that look in your eyes. You're positively glowing, husband." She said, putting extra emphasis on the word. Before, she wouldn't have thought she would have any real attachment to such titles, but she could already feel it growing on her. Overall, she could hardly believe she was in a position to be the center of everyone's attention, with her friends and family quite literally applauding her and Fendros.

Hearing Sabine, Meesei did not stand up yet. Rather, she put her arm over her shoulder and leaned over along with her to bring her head closer to her ears. Given the context of the situation, and what she knew Sabine had been struggling with recently, Meesei did have an inkling of what might be troubling her now. As such, she spoke quietly so as not to draw attention to them. "Is everything alright, Sabine. If you want to talk about anything, we can go find somewhere to have privacy. I am always available for you."

For Kaleeth, she was all smiles throughout most of the ceremony, along with a few tears. To see her good friends looking as happy as they were simply warmed her heart. With as much uncertainty as they usually faced in the war with Vile, she thought it was nice to have something she considered a joyous occasion. Even after the ceremony ended, she could not help but to rest her head on Janius' shoulder and smile at the newlyweds. "Oh, I just love weddings. I remember going to a few of them back in my village. They were celebrations for the entire village, a chance for feasts, singing, dancing, fun games for all the children. I think it was something that really brought everyone together." Turning her head, Kaleeth kissed Janius on the cheek. "So when are we getting married?"

Ahnasha finally pulled herself away from Fendros to greet his family as they approached. "And I will be glad to have a mother like you. A family like all of you, really. This whole day...I was not expecting it all to be like this, but I'm glad it was. I...think I understand the point of these ceremonies now. I used to think they were almost...silly. Well, not anymore. Now that the ceremony is over, I hope we can have time to really talk."

"I am okay," Sabine mumbled. She wiped at her hidden face with one hand and looked up at Meesei. She had a smile but her red eyes betrayed her feelings. "Can we talk...after all this?"

Janius only realised the possibility of Kaleeth desiring a marriage a fraction of a second before she asked him. "Us? Ahah..." He cleared his throat. "Well, I suppose we could hold a ceremony at the clanhome. We could get together some extra food and have our friends there." He grinned an let out a nervous laugh. "You know, as overwhelmed as I am, I'm surprised we haven't talked about it before. It makes a lot of sense."

Fendros kept holding onto Ahnasha's hand as he turned to receive his mother as well. Hearing that Ahnasha enjoyed the ceremony only seemed to make him happier.

Calia nodded to Ahnasha. "Of course. I understand you have limited time before you travel on, so do not hesitate to call on me at any point. We may even speak now, if you wish."

Meesei pulled Sabine a bit closer to her. "Sabine, I know you are not going to be able to enjoy anything here with this on your mind. There looks to be an empty room over there, let us just head in there and talk about all of this now. I think it will make you feel better." Meesei recommended.

Kaleeth considered Janius suggestion for surprisingly little time before she started to shake her head. "Hmm...no, I don't want to have it at the clanhome. I want to have it in my village. If we ever end up in Black Marsh again after this, we should go there. I have always dreamed about having a real, genuine Argonian wedding. Well...unless you wanted to find your family, like Fendros, and have it with them." She answered. She did not actually want to have a wedding outside of her village, but she supposed she should be fair to him.

"I think we should definitely all take the time to talk. Let's find somewhere comfortable to sit down." Ahnasha answered, almost enthusiastically. "Though, it's hard to say where to begin. Obviously, we don't really know each other that well, since we only met yesterday. I feel like we have years of catching up to do. Fendros has told me about you before, so...I suppose I should start by asking if there is anything you'd like to know about me?"

Sabine turned her eyes to the room Meesei pointed out. She tensed a corner of her mouth knowing that Meesei's insistence would not be easy to shake off. It looked like Fendros and Ahnasha were busy anyway.

"Okay," Sabine murmured before reluctantly standing up to accompany Meesei to the empty room. Knowing these temples, it was probably a quiet shrine to pray in private.

Even with the privacy, Sabine did not seem keen on speaking first.

Janius looked to the side. His face seemed almost pained. "You don't have to worry about that. I don't think seeking out my family is such a good idea. Your village, though..." Janius sucked in a breath through his teeth. "Kaleeth, even if we do find them, I don't remember leaving on the best of terms."

Calia stepped aside and extended a hand away from Ahnasha. "Let us take a seat, then. Fendros, perhaps you might help your siblings to mingle. Monderyn may think I do not notice, but he had been avoiding conversation."

"I'm right here, mother," Monderyn mentioned.

"You are? Good, that means you can start talking." Calia glided back to her seat, reaching and feeling for its position before sitting down.

Fendros leaned to kiss Ahnasha once more on the cheek. "Careful, she's prepared this time," he mumbled into her ear, before letting their hands slide free and leading his siblings over to the rest of the pack.

"You know, Janius was fighters guild too, Monderyn. Try asking him about that," Fendros suggested as they approached. They got about halfway before Rhazii ran into Fendros' arms, prompting him to pick Rhazii off the ground with a wide smile.

"Now, Ahnasha," Calia began their separate little interview properly once Ahnasha was settled. "You are correct in that we have not been able to get to know one another. Perhaps you might start by telling me about your upbringing?'

The room that Meesei guided Sabine into was not one that Meesei could immediately identify. It was mostly empty, save for a sizable circle filled with ash in the center of the room. But, regardless of its purpose, it would give them the chance to talk in private, as long as they kept their voices at a reasonable level.

"Now, you can tell me what is bothering you. I am always here to help you." Meesei said reassuringly.

Despite Janius' reluctance, Kaleeth maintained her confidence. "Nonsense. Father was upset, yes, but I think my mother was just surprised and confused. And Father had probably been talking bad about you to her. But I'm their only remaining child; I know they still love me. If they didn't love me, then they wouldn't have cared so much about me leaving. Father just had his own ideas of what was best for me. I'm sure once they see how good things are for us, they'll be happy for me."

Briefly, Kaleeth looked away with a bit less enthusiasm. "Though...I don't know when we'll ever have a chance to look for the village. Or if we'll be able to at all. It might just be an idea."

Ahnasha had no problem explaining her own past to Calia. "Well, I was born in Leyawiin. My father is a Bosmer named Gwindir, and my mother's name is S'nashi. They own a general store in the city, so they taught me and my brother, Vasiq, all about business. My brother took to it a lot more than I did. They also tried to raise me to be a devout follower of the Eight, but again, I didn't really identify with them. My parents cared about me, definitely, and they tried to do the best they could for me, but I suppose they didn't really understand why I wouldn't want to be like they raised me to be. Or maybe they just thought my interests were a phase. Either way, I taught myself a lot about archery, fighting, magic, and hunting in general. I started..." She said, pausing briefly to make sure there were no priests or other strangers nearby. "...worshipping Hircine. Eventually I left and hunted down a minotaur to earn an audience with an aspect of Hircine himself. He guided me to Meesei's pack, where I became a lycan myself. I did go back to my parents eventually, a few years ago, to try to make up for at least some of the lost time between us."

Sabine waited for a few moments longer before speaking. She did not make eye contact with Meesei. Rather, she frowned in an attempt to keep her feelings hidden.

"Ahnasha and Fendros, they are very happy," Sabine finally said. "It is lucky that they are together. Kaleeth and Janius are also lucky." Sabine stopped to sniff. "When I was with Pieter, it felt nice. I do not...need that that feeling. It is just nice." Sabine's breathing began to shallow. She spoke slowly. "But if we keep travelling, I will not meet anyone that can come with us. Making friends is hard that way and...Pieter was..."

By this point, Sabine's face was tensed and her eyes beginning to blink rapidly. She couldn't continue without letting out any more tears.

Janius tried to sound encouraging, even if he knew the chances of finding Kaleeth's village to be just as slim as she did. "One day, Kaleeth." Janius readjusted Newt in his arms and looked at the child with a smile. "You'll get to see your grandparents one day, Newt. Mum and dad can get married then."

Knowing Newt, he was probably tired from all the unfamiliar sights and people and more than likely was cranky. Janius couldn't quite tell if he was asleep or not.

"I thought your maiden name sounded Bosmeri," Calia said with a small smile. "I should not be surprised; the Bosmer and Khajiit have generally been diplomatically closer than most neighbouring nations." Calia seemed odd to talk to with nothing of her body apparently moving but her face and her folded hands in her lap. "Regardless, it appears that your early life was in Imperial culture, correct? What can you tell me of your education? Did you have an instructor for magic?"

Meesei pulled Sabine in close for a hug, staying silent for a few moments to allow her a chance to calm at least somewhat. "I understand how you are feeling, Sabine. I know that your relationship with Pieter was not perfect, and you two had some problems, but I know you were happy when you were with him. What happened to him...I wish there was something I could have done. It did change him, and it has kept him from leaving the clan. I hate what it did to him, and I hate what it did to you. If there is anyone that deserves happiness, it is you, Sabine. But, just because things have not been going well recently, that does not mean your situation will never improve."

Meesei let out a soft sigh as she thought back on her own past. "Trust me, I know what it is like to love, and to lose that love. I believe I told you before about the partners I had growing up. I believe there was a time with each one of them where I thought they were the love of my life. But, it never lasted forever, for one reason or another. Losing those connections was some of the greatest emotional pain I had ever felt, but, well this may sound like terribly stereotypical advice, but it is hard to see too far ahead when you are young, and caught up in the moment. As much as you cared about Pieter, there are other people in this world who you may be able to care for just as much, if not more. I do not believe that there is only one single person that any person is 'destined' to be with. I believe there are quite a lot of people who you may eventually come to love. I know our lifestyle, our tendency to travel, does not make it easy to form bonds like that, but it is still possible. Our pack is family, but it will not stay the same forever. Some of us may one day leave, others may join. If you found a mate, someone who you were actually going to spend the rest of your days with, I would not keep them out of the pack. Or, perhaps one day you will create a pack of your own?"

Ahnasha nodded to Calia, despite it being quite literally a useless gesture to her. "Yes, I would say I've really been raised more Imperial than Bosmer or Khajiit." Ahnasha answered. "I suppose I was taught as most children are, by my parents. They were fairly well-off as far as merchants are concerned, but they did not really have the coin for private tutors like nobility. They did of course teach me about the Bosmer and the Khajiit, but they taught me how to be an Imperial citizen first and foremost. They taught me about Imperial history, quite a lot about the Eight, and of course, business. Learning how to be a merchant was really the focus of the education they gave me. How to speak eloquently and persuasively, mathematics, financial planning, and general business advice. I did not have a great deal of interest in it, but it is what they taught me. Fortunately, I was lucky in that their general store was always buying and selling books from travelers. Whenever the store was closed, I was able to read whichever ones interested me. What got me interested in archery and hunting was actually an old training manual I found. I learned quite a lot more through practice and experience than I ever could through a book, but it sparked my interest. The magic tomes were of much more direct help to my learning. They are what got me started in my magical studies. I found illusion most helpful to keeping me hidden from animals, and helping me convince my parents to let me hunt more often. As for an actual magic instructor..."

Ahnasha paused briefly to look around for Meesei, but could not spot her immediately. However, since Calia could not see what she was doing, Ahnasha decided to continue quickly. "Meesei, our leader, was the person who gave me most of my more formal instruction after I joined her. She built upon what I had taught myself, and really helped me to improve. She is, without a doubt, the strongest mage I have ever met. Magic has been a part of her for her entire life, and she has access to magic that you might consider lost to Tamriel as a whole. She is the strongest among us, no question. More recently, I also have been learning conjuration from another master. I am to the point where I can summon a storm atronach, albeit inefficiently." Given that a storm atronach was a rather powerful Daedra, the fact that Ahnasha was close to being able to summon them reliably did paint her as a skilled conjurer.

While in Meesei's arms, Sabine never quite reached the point of sobbing, but Meesei could feel Sabine's tears seep onto her shoulder. "How is it possible?" Sabine squeaked. "I am bad at making friends quickly like Janius. I cannot fall in love in three days. But I do not want to leave the pack just to try and find a mate." Sabine held Meesei tighter and buried her eyes into Meesei's shoulder. "I will not find anyone."

Ahnasha's last statement did make Calia raise her brow by just a hair. "A storm atronach? I had no inkling that your talent flew so high for your age. I am impressed." Calia turned her head to where she last knew Meesei was, even though she had since moved on. "I shall have to speak with Meesei myself. There are very few things that Dunmer respect about Argonians, but their magic is well known as something not to be taken lightly. If what you say is true, there is more to both of you that meet the eye indeed."

Calia's eyes turned again to Ahnasha's general direction. "But I digress. I have just one more question for now, Ahnasha. I am aware that you have been spending much time in travel, so I understand if there is little to speak of, but you are from a family of well-to-do merchants from what you describe. Do you have any notable assets to your name? Fields, houses, or business for example?"