"There's an upwards lift this way, looks like it's accessible from this side."

"After you."

She'll lead the way towards the lift, apparently entirely unconcerned about being backstabbed, but the blonde with her does keep sending the vampires suspicious glances.

Elana smiles pleasantly at the blonde.

"Shall we?" she inquires of her own companion.

"Sure."

To the elevator. "Your sister is a stubborn one."

"I know. I grew up with her. She's. Something. Was always butting heads with our mother."

"Do you think we can trust her to pass on the information as she said?"

"...She might lie if the other option was the world getting destroyed? But. I have seen her successfully talk a highwayman into taking credit instead of robbing her - and then actually paying that. She's stupidly honorable."

"Then I suppose we'll just have to delay until she's finished with the dragons." They enter the elevator. "Was there anything left outstanding in the world that you wanted to do?"

"Nothing short-term. Had a vague idea of taking my niece under my wing someday. She's got an instinct. Doubt Lianda's going to let me near her now, though."

"I hear there's a civil war going on. It might be interesting to prod it."

"Could be. Finishing it somehow would be tactically beneficial, anyways, help coordination against the dragons, and I'd like Skyrim to have its shit together enough to kick the Thalmor in the teeth someday. There were also some goings-on in my guild, I should probably consider making sure they don't miss me, but, also, I hadn't been there long before Lianda dragged me off. One of them's a vampire, though, she might like you."

"Which guild was that?"

Ena glances at Lianda - who doesn't seem to be close enough to hear - and says "Assassin's. The Night Mother hasn't talked to anyone in a while, though, so they're scraping by more than they used to."

"I think I might like to meet these people."

"They're an interesting bunch."

"They would have to be."

"Mhm."

They reach the lift, the journey up of which involves some awkward standing around, Lianda's companion not-quite-glaring at the vampires, and Lianda apparently blithely ignoring her sister.

It's still dark outside when they reach the surface, but the horizon is lined in a way that suggests dawn will arrive within an hour or two.

"Well, pleasant as this meeting has been, the two of us had best be moving on."

"Not going to stick around for the information? I doubt couriers go to the vampire castle."

"Are you going to open the Scroll here?"

"At High Hrothgar. There's an - anomaly."

"Mountain climbing does not especially appeal to me. I'm sure that when you have finished, the effects will be noticeable across Skyrim."

"If you're planning on waiting for me to kill Alduin, maybe, but reading the Scroll itself - I might not get a chance to use that information right away."