"Yes, I'm quite sure." Janius did not explain further. He walked up to the door with an odd lack of hesitation and rapped it four times with his knuckle.

He stepped back, staring at the door with a frown. Some quiet footsteps knocked on wood within. The door latch slid, a creak, and it receded to reveal the elderly butler, Harald. His eyes were downcast as he pulled open the door, but he lifted his face and opened his mouth. He locked wide eyes with Janius, glancing to see the others. He was struck dumb.

"Good morning, Harald," Janius dryly said. "Divines, your old."

Harald's jaw began to quiver. "After all these years," he finally managed. "How can this be?" He stepped forward with his arms raised and took Janius by the cheeks. "Always a troublemaker, oh!"

Janius smiled and took the butler in a strong embrace. Harald was remarkably quite for such a reunion, but his red face showed a tear glistening from his cheek. The man looked as if he was in a wonderful dream by the look on his face. Far removed from the professionalism of the previous night. As if the thought was read in that moment, his eyes found Julan and Rhazii.

"You? You were the boys from last night, weren't you?" Harald pulled back from the hug to look at them properly. "You were not lying after all?"

"Well...uhm..." Rhazii grabbed at his left arm.

Janius turned around with a raised eyebrow.

"This is...extraordinary." Harald was oblivious to the ramifications of his speech, but he quickly recovered to address Kaleeth. "And you, my lady? I apologise for my lack of composure. Who might you be?"

Janius chuckled. "Dutiful as always, Harald."

[hr]
Lunise took the advice in. She was still while she processed it, pausing in a quiet moment. Her mouth thinned. "Hm," she decided. Her head lifted to look at the door. "You are right. I should not delay this any further." She stepped up and knocked on the door.

Another pause. Some pages of paper suddenly scraped against one another behind the door. "Consulting hours ended at midday! Begone!" A frantic male voice emanated.

Contrary to the instructions, Lunise sighed, annoyed, and tried the door handle -- locked. She immediately stepped back, cast a spell on the door, and the handle turned freely. The door opened to a spacious room lined on one side by more large windows, providing ample light. There were racks of books and scrolls, chairs around a small table, an alchemy laboratory, a writing desk, draws, shelves, even an empty bird cage. Spare spaces on the walls were decorated with framed pinned insects and sketches of odd plants. Some were recognisable as from Black Marsh. On the carpet in the centre of the floor, on his knees picking up sheets of parchment, was an Altmer man in a comfortable silk and linen grey robe.

"This had better be important," he said without looking up.

Lunise gently knelt down and helped him gather the parchment.

"If this is about the last article on dendro-alchemical theory, I..." The man spotted Lunise's gloved hand and looked up at her face. He barely showed any signs of age over Lunise. "Oh!" His voice softened. "Lunise, my dear, you surprised me. Er, here, I'll put these aside." He tucked all the parchment together, taking what Lunise had picked up as they stood, and unceremoniously placed them on a nearby table. Once he turned around, he huffed and smiled. "My, my. Come here, my daughter." He brought up his arms.

Lunise smiled back and walked into his arms. It was rare to see her smile so naturally. "Greetings, father."

"I didn't expect that you would visit. Didn't you write ahead?" The man asked. He was evidently Pircalmo.

"Not this time. I apologise." Lunise said. "There was...a rush, you could say."

They separated from their embrace. Pircalmo looked at Meesei and his eyes lit up. "And who is this you have brought? I have not seen an Argonian in some time."

Lunise half turned to introduce them. "This is Meesei. I have been working with her on my latest assignment. She is an ally, and something of a friend."

"I see," Pircalmo stepped forward with his hand extended. He seemed slightly hunched in comparison to Lunise's military spine. "Lovely to meet you, Meesei. I am Pircalmo, a natural philosopher. I have studied your kind extensively. Your physiology is simply fascinating, I must say."