Ena meanwhile decides to find Babette - but she doesn't, actually, enter Solitude right away. There's a good chance, given Babette's stated goals, she's in the sector Lianda's most known to spend time in. Other than the historical district around the museum, that's likely going to be the outskirts nearer her house. And the sprawling towns fading into farms outside the wall don't have guards checking everyone who enters.

She stables her horse nearby - has to give a name for it, annoyingly enough, and Gloamstrider is the best she can think of - and then walks the rest of the way. There's a little nexus of shops in easy walking distance of Lianda's home she heads for first. And - there's Blaise and Runa, playing with a few other children. Ena's hardly seen them - she met Runa twice, and otherwise she's heard of the kids in stories - but Lianda described them well enough she's decently confident of who they are.

Ena pretends to window shop while keeping half an eye on the children - and indeed there's a hint of familiar laughter on the air. Babette.

Ena lets herself meander closer, and glimpses Babette sitting and talking to a dark haired girl about her apparent age, who seems to be slowly easing into animatedly telling a story. The girl's likely Sofie, Ena thinks - though she can't be sure until she hears Babette use the name. Lianda's usually described her second eldest as shy and lonely - but Babette seems to be expertly navigating through her shell.

Which, argh, Lianda's already got a soft spot for urchins, 'helps with other children's problems' is not a trait Ena's expecting to be a drawback.

She successfully fights the urge to sigh, and then sets out in search of accomodations for the night - it puts her face out there, but she's less likely to be harassed as an anonymous traveler than if she tries to sleep on a roof.

Which means getting away from where Babette's likely to be lurking. The Foreigner's District or Dock Districts both seem least likely to ask what a Redguard is doing in the area, and they're likely good places to gather rumors. She lurks around Lianda's area first for a while, asks someone idly about whether the war's impacting the children at all - gets a long screed about homelessness, and orphans, and families devastated by the loss of a parent or uncle or sibling, and how a new orphan girl wandered in just recently, her family dead and farm lost when the income dried up…

Ena nods, makes sympathetic noises, notes Babette's current cover, and moves on.

She settles in the docks for noontime, keeping an idle ear out - even if her current main concern is protecting Lianda from the Brotherhood, Skyrim is constantly in motion, and Lianda has a talent for involving herself in trouble. There's a variety of rumors, but most people's minds are fixated on a few topics they keep circling back to. The Civil War's been heating up - ships are being pressed into service in increasing numbers, more and more sons and daughters of Skyrim and the Emprie are returning home in coffins or not at all… There's concern about trade, too, and agriculture. Between the dragons, the vampires, the war, and the rest of the way the province is going straight to Oblivion Ena's honestly surprised there's any harvest at all.

Of somewhat more concern - someone claims that someone they know from Dragonbridge saw a draugr in the night, just walking around, and there've been odd lights and noises coming from Wolfskull Cave. The general consensus is that the Jarl isn't doing anything, which has people nervous - just increasing patrols on the road.

None of it seems likely to draw Lianda's attention immediately, though.

She moves on, drifts into the Foreigner's District, and doesn't hear much more of substance. Grumblings, of course. People are worried about just about everything.

She returns to lurk near Lianda's home in the afternoon, gets food at a little cafe, and is distracted for a moment -

There's a little clatter as the chair across from her's pulled out. Ena whips around - to see Runa, Lianda's eldest child, climbing into the seat.

The girl grins, sharply, leans forwards, puts her elbows on the table and her chin in her hands, and chirps, "So. Feeling shy, aunty?"

Ena doesn't send her a withering glare, but does lean forwards. "I was in the area, and wanted to check on my favorite niece," she says, lightly.

"You've been checking a lot today," Runa points out, grinning. "I'm good at spotting people. Spotted you in Riften, didn't I? And you were being extra sneaky then. You're looking for something. Don't you want to say hi? Mom's not home, so you can even avoid her like you did last time."

Ena smiles. "She's busy at the museum. I'll be gone before she's home."

Runa kicks her legs. "Nah-ah," she sing-songs. "You're lurking. What'cha up to?"

Isn't she the perceptive one.

There's a few ways this conversation can go, Ena thinks, glancing surreptitiously around. No one's close enough to hear them. Babette, thankfully, is nowhere in sight.

So.

What should she tell Runa?

After some consideration, Ena puts her elbows on the table, and levels Runa with her best serious look. "Runa. Look. That new kid, who's been hanging out with Sofie? She's bad news."

Runa pauses, considers that. "Babbie? She's been nice, but I trust you." She examines Ena, making a very cute attempt at a grave look. "What's going on? Is she bad news, like thief, like spy, like…?"

Ena shakes her head. "Really bad news, but - it might be best not to say."

The girl leans back, crosses her arms over her chest. "You should. And you should tell mom. You never tell her anything. But she's smart. And she's been good 'bout me stealing stuff."

Yes, but Ena isn't a cute child with a troubled past. And killing is the sort of thing Lianda will look on worse than a little theft. "I'll consider it, but for now - don't tell your mom I was here, okay? It can be our secret."

Runa raises an eyebrow. "Sure," she says, entirely insincerely.

Ena's not sure how to impress upon the girl the importance, but - "Babbie also can't know I was here. At all. That'd be a disaster."

"Hm. I don't think she saw you," Runa says. "She's been really distracted today. But I won't say anything to her. Dunno if I can get Sofie to stop talking to her. I haven't been around as long, and Sofie doesn't listen to me much. You probably could."

Ena waves a hand dismissively. "I've never talked to Sofie in my life. She has no reason to trust me at all."

Runa makes a considering noise, then says, "I should probably get back before Blaise comes looking for me."

"That'd be good. Just… Stay safe, okay?" Ena says, feeling awkward.

Runa grins, says, "Sure aunty!" and hops down from the table, before skipping off.

Ena shakes her head, leans back, and thinks about what to do.

Runa raised some uncomfortable points. It very well might be safest to warn Lianda. But… There's the large part of Ena that doesn't want to.

That doesn't, actually, trust her sister that much.

Her emotions don't matter as much as the practicality of the situation does, though. She has a few hours probably before Lianda gets back. She has time to think, and decide, and maybe even act.

So what should she do?

Ena decides that Lianda's family should, ideally, not be in Solitude, especially not while Babette's entrenching herself. And if Lianda leaves Solitude, Babette might go looking for her. Might wind up out in the open.

The Dark Brotherhood rarely abandons contracts, even ones that take a very, very long time, unless they're deemed just too costly in lives - and even those it's often more of a 'wait for an opportunity.'

Ena knows she needs to think about that. That this situation - trying to balance between Lianda and the Brotherhood - won't last forever. But she needs options, she can't take on the entire Brotherhood by herself and would really rather not. If she has to pick, Lianda's more important to her, but the Brotherhood is a good opportunity. A good life.

The problem now, then, is convincing Lianda to send her family away. A vacation surely wouldn't hurt?

She heads back into Solitude, lingers outside the museum there, and waits for Lianda and her new friend to emerge.