Why Teroiah appeared so confident despite Hal-Neesa's reactive posturing could only be speculated. It might have been something left unsaid or it could have been simple misplaced boldness from familiarity with the vampire. She responded with a look that would have paralysed any of her subordinates, though only clashed with Hal-Neesa's own leering.

"Hal-Neesa, the only detail I feel the need to mention is how gratified I am that you would place your bountiful power in the hands of a pathetic, ideologically blinded, foolish, too-young, too-inexperienced, too-brash-and-proud, too-spoilt, too-idiotic, bested-by-a-beastfolk-shaman Thalmor commander." Her eyes widened only slightly. "And that is to say nothing of the Orc and the Khajiit. You may rest assured we shall not be putting your capabilities -- much less your pull on the enemy -- to waste."

Sabine's eyes darted between the two.

Gro-Tagnud was the one who broke the silence. "With all due respect, how about we leave the underhanded crap for our strategy against Clavicus Vile? Come, we have map positions to size up."

Unlike most Orcs, Gro-Tagnud did not use even light profanities save for exceptional circumstances.

[hr]
Lunise let her eyes close to recall every detail she could from the sight of Artaeum. Granted, much of the memory was dominated by the voice and touch of her mother Nytala and a younger version of her father Pircalmo, but the image was there all the same. The sound and smell of the waves against the docks framed the feeling of the wooden deck under her feet. Bright sunlight shone over robed figures walking between buildings backed by the scant island terrain. The tower cast a shadow over the whole scene just as Meesei finished opening the portal.

And then it was right there in front of her.

Meesei's hand on her back brought Lunise back into reality. She stepped forward with her. In their hurry, Lunise fell into the water as well, in spite of trying to pull back when overbalancing. She yelped before hitting the water. The skirt of her dress billowed out with the air trapped underneath before she could resurface, and she opened her eyes in shocked anger when she did.

"Why is it your portals mishap whenever I must be the one to direct you!?" She snapped, despite only one mishap occurring before. "Ugh! My dress is ruined!"

Lunise's tantrum was cut short when she turned her head to see what Meesei was seeing. Her face sunk. Connections from senses to memory reunited in a fit for the first time in centuries. She was so distracted that she did not start towards the shore until Meesei tugged her along.