Lianda laughs, throws an arm around Ena, and by some miracle doesn't sprout a knife in her ribs. "You know you missed me, sis."

"Mister Stampy seems cold, so we should probably get going," Serana interjects before Ena can twist to throw Lianda over her shoulder.

(Lianda's grinning like she's daring Ena to.)

"Okay, I take back everything I've ever said about Lianda's naming skills, that's worse." Ena rolls her eyes and successfully detangles herself from her barnacle of a sister. "Lianda, it is a very good thing your children came with names already attached, because I shudder to think of what they would've been saddled with otherwise."

"I have an excellent list of great baby names, I'll have you know," Lianda replies, sticking her tongue out. "But see if I share." Still, there's a way her eyes cut to her companion, wary -

So Lianda doesn't trust the woman, and likely hadn't already informed her of the munchkins. Interesting, if they've been companions for any length of time.

Ena makes a vague noise, and says, "Serana's right, though, we should get moving. There's a village nearby, right?"

"Stonehills," Lianda immediately responds. "I'd rather not stay there too long, especially overnight."

Ena raises an eyebrow. "Something to share?"

Lianda prevaricates, then: "There's some people after Serana. Vampires. Night's a bad place to be anywhere they'll be looking for her."

Just great. "So, walk through the night, sleep in the day, push as hard as we can for the city?" Ena says.

Lianda nods. "That was my thought. Serana and I both have good endurance, I'm not sure what pace you can maintain - "

"Don't worry about me holding you back," Ena cuts in. "I've traveled cross-country plenty."

Lianda accepts that, and then they're off.

Over the next few days, Lianda tries to angle in on Ena's reasoning, but Ena successfully deflects. Serana's mostly quiet, seems introspective, but she's friendly enough when she does talk, if a bit clueless in a very suspicious way. Not sheltered, but ignorant of basic facts and customs. Protective of her case, even though she never once opens it.

'Where did Lianda even find her' seems a question that needs answering.

They hear Solitude - Skyrim's largest city by an enormous margin - well before they see it. Bells and the general clamour of human life. Lianda slows to a stop, and glances at her companions. "I think we shouldn't use the main gates," she says, "If Ena's right about someone after me, and in case people are looking for Serana. There's a side entrance; the guards like me enough they've let me pass through before, and it lets out near the Museum."

Ena's well aware Lianda doesn't live in Solitude proper, instead having a small estate out where it bleeds into the surrounding farms, but she doesn't question that decision. She's increasingly confirmed her initial impression that Lianda doesn't trust Serana - and she doubts Lianda wants to lead the woman straight to her family.

"Your friend's the lead curator there, right?" Ena asks, pretending to be absent-minded. She starts spinning through possibilities once Lianda confirms - needing to consult with a museum expert is incredibly strange, especially if it relates to Serana.

Still…

This is the point where Ena should split off or not, and she's unsure what path she should take.

Lianda regards her sister evenly while the older woman thinks. Ena's planning something, and definitely hiding something major. Lianda's not sure what it is yet. Still, the truth will come out eventually. It always does.

Her main concern is making sure whatever secrets Ena is burying don't harm others.

Ena shakes her head after a few moments. "Sorry," she says, shrugging. "I really do need to go."

Lianda nods. "That's fine. If you're still in Solitude later tonight we can get drinks, but I understand if you need to just hit the road. Serana and I will probably be at the Museum until late."

"Don't stay up looking for me," Ena says. "I'll send you a courier in a while, how about?"

Lianda recognizes the deflection, but lets it go. "I'll be moving around a lot the next few months, so it's probably better to just have mail sent to the house. Involves less running around that way. Talk to you later, then, I suppose."

"Same." Ena mounts her horse, waves, and rides off down the road.

Lianda watches her go, then shakes her head and turns back to Serana. "You still alright going to see my friend?" she asks.

Serana makes an agreeable sort of hum. "She sounds interesting. There wasn't much concern for history back before. Artifacts aplenty, and stories, but not many people interested in investigating anything for reasons other than power. A museum is an odd thing to do with powerful objects."

Lianda smiles. "Most of what's on display's not at all dangerous, or is a replica. Still, there are break in attempts. Luckily the security's pretty good. Come on, the side entrance is this way…" She leads the way, chats briefly with the guards - this is more one of their entrances, to easily pass between the inner walls and the dock district - laughs at a few of their stories, and then makes her excuses. They wave her through easily, and that same trust is extended to Serana, like it always is to her friends and companions.