The Dark Brotherhood members are apparently all in today, chatting a bit about the new contract. Well, most of them. Arnbjorn is standing off to the side, working on some diagram.

Nazir laughs as she enters, says, "I've heard she's got Meridia's sword, Babette. You might not be the best choice..."

Babette fakes a pout, then turns to Ena, a wicked grin on her lips. "Ena," she sing-songs, "Who do you think we should send? I think I'm our best bet. Our target has - what was it, five little street urchins? Surely room for one more. And poor wittle me all alone in the cold, who just needs a loving family..." She snickers. "This spoilsport thinks Gabriella. In, snipe, out. Or were you arguing Arnbjorn last time? Fake - well, not really fake - a werewolf attack while she's roaming the wilderness?"

Nazir crosses his arms. "They're both valid considerations. But what do you think, Ena? You have good instincts."

Ena smiles, a bit coy. "Why not Festus Krex or Veezara? Surely their experience and unique skills must count for something."

Nazir nods. "A good point. They're also less impetuous than Babette. Better at waiting for opportunities."

"Oh come on, I'm not so bad, am I Nazir?" Babette half whines, a glint of mirth in her unnatural eyes.

He shakes his head, and then turns to Veezara, and the conversation winds on.

Ena settles back to watch, offers neutral suggestions every now and then, but otherwise doesn't make a big deal of herself.

After a while, Astrid enters and nods to the group. "I've heard all your suggestions, and made my decision. Our Babette will be the one to take point on this mission. The rest of you may help, but it's not required. We've taken tougher targets before."

Babette cheers, while the others (Ena included) congratulate her.

Then, from Babette: "Now will you tell me where she is, Nazir?"

That's a very good question, Ena thinks.

"Last time my contacts saw her? In Solitude, where she usually hovers around, talking about heading to Dawnstar," Nazir says, tapping his chin. "She didn't say why." He grins, somewhat wry. "Of course, even for the fastest couriers, that was over a month ago."

Babette groans. "Solitude? That's two months away, too. No fair."

Ena nods, mind spinning. Lianda had mentioned something very similar in her last letter - that she was planning on scouring the frozen wilds around Dawnstar, in an attempt to find something about the recent vampire attacks. Ena's not sure what.

Nazir chuckles. "We'll provide you with horses, Babette. And possibly a companion - I know Festus Krex has contracts in Solitude - so no one questions a girl on her own. Maybe speed things up a bit."

"Ugh. Horses. Still, a girl does what she must," Babette says, sighing dramatically.

Ena snickers with the others, then says, "They're better than ships, at least."

That sparks a quick discussion of the horrors of horses versus the sea, which Astrid tolerates for quite a while before clearing her throat, and saying, "Do you have an initial plan, Babette dear?"

Babette hums, rocking in place. "Well, if she's based out of Solitude, she'll come back eventually. Perhaps by the time I arrive. I have patience, you know. That'd give me plenty of time to establish myself in the city. Sniff out a few rumors. See if anyone's seen her fight, though with any luck I can avoid that."

The others take their turns offering advice - keep at a distance if it's a fight, poison's best for this though, you do remember that spell for muffling your footsteps, right, Babette...

Then Babette turns to Ena, and asks, "Well, what's your advice, new eyes?"

Ena smiles. "Don't underestimate her. She reportedly killed a dragon with a lot less than a daedric artifact, and people speak well of her. While she's away from her allies might be a good time to strike."

And it'd be a good time for Lianda to not feel constrained in what she can do. Or for Ena to swoop in without eyes on her, should it be needed.

Babette nods. "I'll consider it. I'm more of an opportunities while they're hot kind of girl, but maybe..." She shrugs. "I'll head out later today. Camp in the wilderness, don't spend too long in the little villages. What're you going to be doing, Ena? Any exciting new contracts?"

She laughs and shakes her head. "You know very well Nazir's still got me on everyone else's dregs. I might see if those little dregs can get me your way for a bit, though. Wouldn't want to miss this."

And 'what will she do' is a very interesting question, indeed.

Ena's first, and most immediate thought, is she really, really doesn't want to confront her sister directly. She doesn't want Lianda to know about this - if she can help it. She'd rather not send a warning, especially given the possibility Lianda will see through it to the author. She'd strongly rather Lianda not know she's an assassin.

They haven't met face to face in three years.

Ena's fine keeping it that way.

But Lianda's an idiot. Prone to blundering in where the Divines themselves would hesitate to go. Stupid, self-sacrificing, protective of random strangers...

And Ena's not sure she can safely follow Babette, not without getting caught. The girl looks like a kid, but she's older - and better - than any of the rest of them combined.

Which means following Lianda around. Simple enough.

As for what else to do, because Ena doesn't want to leave it at that...

She has options.

She could kill Babette. But the Brotherhood would just send another assassin - or several - and Ena does, actually, like the squirt somewhat. Not enough to save her life at Ena's expense, but enough she'll shelve murder for later.

She could kill Astrid. The woman's - 'this is a Family, and we are your Family' grates on Ena. She didn't take that shit from her mother. She's not taking it from some near stranger. It'd be somewhat of a final option. That'd be hard to get away with. She might end up with the entire Dark Brotherhood after her. It'd stop them in their tracks, though, and might dissolve the organization...

Though she does like this line of work. It'd be harder, riskier on her own.

She could sabotage the mission, as subtle as possible. Risks exposing her, but less directly than killing someone does. It'll be hard, given Babette's experience, but possible. Lay a false trail. Spread contradictory rumors. She's already started on 'giving bad advice.' Make sure Babette's horse throws a shoe. The possibilities are nearly endless.

She lets the conversation drift away from her while she thinks. No real point attempting to tag along with Babette. Ena doubts she's that good a liar. No, she's going to try to get ahead of them - Babette's headed for Solitude, which means west around Lake Ilinalta and then up past Rorikstead most likely. Ena will swing around the other way, past Whiterun up to Dawnstar, then cut over - probably at the Hall of the Vigilants, she's heard some vague rumor they'd suffered a defeat but if Lianda's looking for vampires she'll start there, nevermind the bad blood between the Vigilants and anyone with a daedric weapon, let alone the title of 'Champion.'

She talks to Nazir, turns in her completed contracts, gets another batch, and retires to her room while Babette, Festus, and Nazir make arrangements for the departure.

She doesn't want to leave too close to them, unfortunately. It'll mean losing a day at least, but it's better than either experienced assassin growing suspicious of her.

The big problem with killing Astrid is the woman almost never leaves the Sanctuary, and doesn't tell the others when she does. She's paranoid about her food and drink, and probably immune to most poisons anyways. Walking up to her and stabbing her would get Ena caught, and would probably fail miserably. Ena's not good enough at magic for an option in that category.

In the end, she decides to try and sabotage Babette. It's easy enough to slip something into the horses' feed - not enough to kill them, or be obvious, but it'll slow them down and hopefully make them irritable.

Ena leaves the next day, after having a light chat with Veezara about two targets of hers, one in Whiterun, one in Dawnstar. (She won't bother picking them up on the way, but maybe later.) She needs speed - Babette's got a longer route, assuming she doesn't just stay in Solitude to wait, but she's got enough horses to move quickly, and a companion to make the road safer.

Ena, obviously, needs a horse.

The one problem with that is she has all of a hundred thirty nine septims to her name.

Well. She's never been a horse-thief before, but how hard can it be?

She'll go for one horse, just for caution's sake, even though it's likely to be a bit slower.

Falkreath has a stable, if a small one, with a horse for sale - scrawny thing, looks like some wagon-master's reject. A bit skittish.

This'll be fun.

It's still the early hours, before anyone wakes up, when she reaches Falkreath. She observes the paddock, picks the lock, and then -

Tries to catch a horse.

...Horses, it turns out, aren't too fond of her, and this one really likes running.

Still she's fairly sure the stable-hand didn't get a good enough look at her for a bounty when she galloped off, and the horse is a good sport about being led off road and told to lie down while Ena hides from the guards.

Possibly this used to be a show horse.

The horse keeps attempting to either eat or nuzzle her hair, she's not sure which, as she leads it around Falkreath's borders, in the opposite direction she fled, and sets out towards Lake Ilinalta. She'll avoid the village there - and most of civilization anywhere within a few day's ride - but she has enough supplies to camp for a while.

...Hopefully the horse can eat grass.

She might have to buy feed in Whiterun.

With the day's delay from avoiding the guards, she gets to Whiterun eight days after she left, around midday of the 26th of Last Seed. She's made decent time so far, and buying further provisions is painless - she just barely makes up for the cost by liberating a few careless idiots of their money purses. Gets a few extra septims out of it, but only eleven - she's not willing to linger long enough to make a serious earning.

It's another three days into the foothills of the mountains between Whiterun and Dawnstar. It's cold enough she grudgingly gives up on camping and enters a tiny little mountain village - there's a tavern (really the great room of someone's house) willing to let her sleep on their floor for two septims.

She's woken in the night by a roar, and a rush of air like a bonfire, and a scream.

Ena bolts up and outside - that sounds like a dragon, she does not want to be caught in a burning wooden building - and tries to find her horse.

The villagers are probably screwed if this thing's serious and not just after their cattle and a bit of sport.

She might be too.

She thinks she can get away on her horse, but it'll be risky - the dragon might chase her, and then she'll be alone fighting it. The villagers have bows, and are already organizing into a militia and a bucket brigade.

Which begs the question.

Should she stand and fight, or should she run?

Ena, after a long, frozen moment of consideration, decides to fight.

It's risky.

But taking the chance of fighting a dragon alone is riskier.

She leaps over the fence around the little paddock her horse is in, retrieves her gleaming dwarven bow, strings it, hooks the quiver around her waist, and grabs another cluster of arrows to hold in her hand, then runs to where she'll have a clear shot but the dragon will have to go past the militia to get a clear run at her.

The villagers clearly aren't used to turning their bows to anything greater than an elk, and there's clear fear on many faces, but one bowman is barking orders and they seem to fear or respect him more.

The dragon twists, flares its wings as it swoops down for another pass.

Ena releases her bow at the same time as many of the villagers. Her shining arrow flies true, cutting through even the fierce winds around the dragon's wings - not so for many of the wooden arrows wielded by the villagers. Most of them are blown away. Many bounce uselessly off the scales. A few scratch or even pierce the wings - where she's aiming.

The dragon shrieks as their arrows tear through its hide, and twists, sending a blast of flame at the bulk of the archers, who scatter. A few are burned, but no one looks dead so far.

Ena keeps shooting, bow twanging rapidly - she hasn't done this properly in a while, assassination rarely calls for hordes of arrows, but she shot competitively in Hammerfell, and when the dragons returned she decided it was a good hobby to keep up. She falls into a familiar meditative trance as she fires, first the arrows in her hand, then dipping into those in her quiver -

She rolls just in time as the dragon strafes her. Fire roars through the alleyway she'd been crouching in, setting aflame both buildings. Her side is painfully hot, and a few burning embers land on her exposed skin. She brushes them off as she gets to her feet, sprinting for new cover, before turning her bow back.

The dragon's wings are tattered, now, and her next arrow must sever a tendon because one wing falters. The dragon dips, wobbles, and then crashes in a barren field outside the village. The lead bowman redirects the archers to cover a charge by a few hunters with boar spears - idiots - while Ena moves, lines up a new shot -

And while the dragon is reared back to take a bite out of one moron with a spear, she puts an arrow through the roof of its mouth. It thrashes, gushes flame - a few hot rocks hit her as they fly past, cutting thin lines - and then a hunter gets a spear in its neck, cutting off the escaping flame. The dragon's belly bloats out, it half-screams -

And then dies.

Ena almost drops her bow.

Now that her adrenaline's fading, she's able to realize her burns are worse than she thought. She crouches, trying to breath through her mouth, trying not to throw up -

Someone runs up to her. "Hey! Hey, stranger," he calls. His voice sounds young. "You did a lot of good - come on, we have healing, our priest's pretty good - "

Gentle hands help her stand, and support her as she joins the injured stumbling towards the temple. It was among the burned, but any flame has since been put out. Still, all the injured are being directed to stay out of the building, and are instead being tended to out in the open.

"We think a lot of stuff's not safe to go in, lotsa the roofs flared up," her helper babbles. "'s not good with the cold, but the grain's okay and the animals aren't too injured - " There's indeed a cow among the triaged people. Thankfully put after any serious cases. "We're tryna get enough blankets - you did a lot of good, everyone saw you with that fancy bow - "

She nods, tries sluggishly to think of how she can twist that to her advantage, and accepts the healing when it comes. Their priest, an old wood elf, isn't as good as the healers she would've had access to in her mother's house (and why is she thinking of that...), but he's good enough that she shouldn't have more than a few small scars that'll fade soon anyways.

She tiredly thanks him, which he waves off before moving down the line.

Her helper's been talking to - probably the closest they have to a guard captain, or a lead hunter - and he then returns to hand her blankets and help her into one of the cleared houses. Apparently she's being given something resembling preferential treatment - most of the others they're insisting on shelter for are old, young, sick, pregnant, or worse off than her. She doesn't have the pride to protest it more than is demanded by politeness. Sleeping somewhere warm is fine by her.

(She does insist on keeping her bow with her. Unstrung, of course. The boy nods.)

The next morning, the villagers give her some cold weather gear - they apologize and say they can't afford to spare any provisions. She waves them off, too tired for this song and dance. She's not persuasive enough to wring more out of them, and it'll burn daylight trying to do so.

Her horse apparently escaped in the night, when the dragon burned part of the paddock, but it stayed with the cows, who came when their farmers called, so she has it back. With her things, even.

She's slow on the road that day, lingering soreness from the burn and her horse's exhaustion from the night before meaning she doesn't get nearly as far as she'd wanted. She's grateful for the cold weather gear when she winds up having to camp between villages. All told, she's probably lost a day.

The next day, when she's left a little crossroads village behind and is approaching the last village before the contested lands - which will be fun to argue her way through - she sees a man with a broken cart. There's a box on the cart, and the man's wearing a jester's outfit, of all things. How he hasn't frozen to death yet is a mystery.

He's shouting as she approaches, apparently talking to himself. Something about his mother.

Ena slows, and sighs.

Great. Just what she needed.

She tries to go past him, but he gets in her way, and her horse is skittish, unwilling to just run him down, so it dances out of his path. Ena glances at him, jaw firm. "Need something?" she asks.

"Yes! Yes, Cicero needs something! Cicero's poor mother is cold, and will never get to her new crypt if my wagon remains stuck!" he wails. "Poor mother! Her children do not have her guidance, no, there is no listener, and her keeper cannot take her to her resting place..."

Something about those phrases twinges in the back of her mind. "Who is your mother?" she asks, almost idly, while plotting a way to get around him without her horse dancing into the deep snow.

"The Lady of all! She's everyone's Mother - and you're one of hers too, aren't you? You know the words to speak to the Night Mother - but oh, she doesn't speak back! Not in years, and not to poor Cicero..." he sighs.

The Night Mother.

Of all the luck.

If she wants to stay in the good graces of the Dark Brotherhood - assuming she gets away with protecting Lianda - well. She doubts Astrid will like him or his distraction much. (But if people are torn, between the Night Mother and Astrid, she may just have an opportunity there...)

She nods, distracted.

Should she help him? It'll slow her down, but she's been making good time, and the later rewards might be worth it. But, she very well might never even have a chance to collect on those rewards...

"Alright, I'll help," she says - soon enough her hesitation shouldn't be too obvious. While it will slow her down, she should get to Lianda's general area before Babette. And the Keeper's favor is potentially invaluable.

"Oh, happy day!" Cicero cries, dancing a bit, as Ena swings down from her horse.

She nods, absently. "You coming down from - Dawnstar?"

Cicero hums. "Yes, yes. We took a ship in. It's a long walk to Mother's new home, but it is worth it!"

There's something odd in his eyes, Ena thinks. Not mirth. Not insanity.

He's the Keeper, likely for a reason.

She makes a vaguely agreeable noise, and circles around the wagon, examining what broke. It looks like the wooden axle snapped - probably an easier fix than an entire wheel, but she has neither tools nor knowledge.

Ena sighs.

She knows where will.

The village she passed this morning. It's only a few hours behind her, but that's a greater delay than helping him roll his wagon out of a ditch.

"There's a village two hours' ride the way I came," she tells him. "I don't have any tools for fixing this, but they will. Are you alright staying here?"

He nods and quivers a bit. "Oh, yes! Yes! Cicero has warm clothes, and food, and is prepared for the winter - but not for how few people there are here, no not at all..."

She sighs. "I'll be back in - probably five hours, okay? Whoever I get to help might take a bit longer, but I'll be able to let you know when they're coming."

"Oh thank you, thank you so much!" he cries, dancing about. She waves him off, then returns to her horse, and turns its head back to the village.

Convincing a wagon-wright to come out out with her is a bit difficult. The folk here are suspicious of outsiders, especially since the outbreak of the Civil War, and Ena's never liked having to talk people into things. Plant rumors, sure. Command, sure. Persuade? That's always been her sister's job.

There is an apprentice, though, willing to help out even a described eccentric, who borrows a draft horse and rides out following Ena. The apprentice apparently can fit all of her tools in a few packs, and she's traveling light enough they make decent time back.

The apprentice develops a rather strained smile when she actually sees Cicero, but is polite enough not to say anything. She waves off any offers of help, beyond occasionally asking them to help lift this or that, and sets to work.

Ena stands to the side with Cicero, prepared to say her goodbyes and move on, when he turns to her and says, "You've helped us quite a lot! I hardly know what we would have done without you, alone in the cold. In return, whispers for your ears - Cicero hears much, sees much, knows much. A riddle just for you!"

A valuable trade indeed, Ena thinks, and gestures for him to go on.

[Rumor placeholder during vote]

[One of:

"The sleeping ones are waking, yes, and people do not listen! They do not know what is coming."

"No one remembers the clock's story, do they? Lost, lost, lost, and it spins deep below."

"There's a game being played. Many, many players. Many pieces, falling apart."]

She blinks, thanks him seriously, and files it away - it's not obvious now what he even means, but perhaps it will be, later. And it seems like the type of thing to not dismiss out of hand.

He nods, dances back over to the apprentice, and calls out a thanks again as she rides away down the road.

It's another six days to Fort Dunstad, currently held by the Imperials, marking one of their skirmish borders with the Stormcloaks. They eye her, and question her, but let her through when she professes to be merely a traveling storyteller, going to Dawnstar.

The two days between Fort Dunstad and where the Stormcloaks have expanded Fort Fellhammer to block the road is desolate, inhabited only by snow-covered ruins, some of them fresh.

The Stormcloaks are harder to get past, and one mutters under his breath about her, but she's able to talk her way through eventually.

She makes good time over the next four days, getting to where she was planning to turn off in search of the Hall of the Vigilants when she was originally scheduled to, despite the two delays on the road. She camps there, gathers her strength, and then sets out. It's treacherous going, the small path covered in ice and snow, and it takes her five days to get to where the path forks, one pointing towards where her map says the Hall should be, one climbing the mountain.

...There's fresh tracks in the snow over there.

Ena jumps down from her horse, instructs it to stay, curses the snow, and creeps around the bend.

Of all the luck.

Her sister is there, with a companion Ena doesn't recognize.

Ena ducks back, just as her sister turns, scanning the horizon.

"I know you're there," Lianda calls, voice strong and sharp. "Come out, whoever you are."

Crap.

Ena stills for a moment. She contemplates staying where she is, and only revealing herself if Lianda persists, but, well, Lianda persisting is likely. She contemplates sneaking back to her horse - but while Lianda's not a tracker, she knows nothing of that companion, and the snow is unfortunately crunchy.

So she steps forward and calls out, "It's been a long time, sister."

Even though she'd steeled herself against it, looking at Lianda full on - even in the dying sunlight - is uncomfortable. Precarious.

She doesn't like it when plans go awry.

Lianda pauses, examines her. "Ena," she says after a few moments.

"So, I'm guessing this whole family reunion wasn't exactly planned," the woman with Lianda says, voice somewhere between skeptical and amused.

Ena spares her a glance, but it's hard to read her face beneath the full hood she has pulled up and forwards. The woman's probably pale, probably dark haired, so either a Nord or a paler Imperial, but it's a bit hard to tell given every inch of her skin except her face is covered in thick cloth and leather. She has cylinder - possibly a scroll or map case - on her back, but no other apparent baggage.

"Well, not by me," Lianda comments, crossing her arms. "What're you doing out here, Ena? And that couldn't wait on a letter, or for me to return to Solitude?"

...Ena is strongly regretting getting caught, and still doesn't want to explain what she's been doing with her life, so she hedges. "I became aware of a credible threat against your life, that probably would've outstripped a courier. I was planning on checking on you, to make sure you were okay."

"There are a lot of threats against my life," Lianda says, voice wry. "You didn't visit over the dragons, let alone the myriad of people I've angered by not taking their side."

"This one was a bit closer to home." Ena keeps her voice soft, lets a hint of vulnerability leak in. "And I think is more credible - you're strong, enough to make facing you in battle inherently risky, but you're not immune to a knife in the back, or to poison."

Lianda raises an eyebrow, clearly not believing her. "So you came out here, to warn me of an imminent threat, against your usual ways?"

Ena keeps her expression earnest and doesn't scowl, even though she wants to. "Someone's taken out a contract on you with the Dark Brotherhood. Rumors don't have them what they used to be, but there's been high profile killings. You're terrible at subterfuge."

Her sister shrugs. "I'll admit it's not my strong point, and not something I'm interested in." She stops, stares at Ena for a few long moments. "Thank you for the warning, though. You're welcome to return to Solitude with us; I need to consult with Malielle about something."

Ena nods, thinks, and figures she needs to be there to head off Babette. "The offer's appreciated. I might leave before we get there, once we're on the main roads. Places to be, you understand." Like 'lurking around Lianda.' Her sister must have gotten lucky with seeing her that first time. "Let me get my horse."

Lianda smiles, though it's not a particularly friendly expression. "We'll walk with you, how about."

"Oh, of course," Ena says, not bothering to fake a smile. She leads the way back, and, voice deceptively idle, asks, "So, who's your friend?"

Lianda glances over at the strange woman, quirks an eyebrow.

The woman makes a little gesture, probably a dismissal. "Serana. Otherwise it's not really all that important. Lianda agreed to accompany me somewhere, after a detour or two."

Lianda's lips go a bit thin.

Interesting, usually Lianda would outright argue if someone claims she'll do something she hasn't agreed to, but Ena can't pinpoint any other part of Serana's statement Lianda could be objecting to.

Ena smiles, probably obviously fakely but not insultingly so. "My pleasure. I'm Ena, Lianda's older sister. Lianda's a helpful person like that."

Serana makes an amused noise.

They reach the horse, and Lianda tilts her head. "Have you given him a name yet?" she asks Ena.

Ena blinks. "No. Absolutely not. You are not naming my horse."

"...If this is about the cat, Swiftclaw Shadow-slayer was a great name," Lianda responds, clearly amused. "You never name animals. They need good names. Names they can be proud of. Like, Grand Aurora Racer, Proud Star Hoof..."

"No, no, no, and no, and no to your next twenty suggestions too." Ena gestures quite broadly. "The horse doesn't need a name!"

"That's rather unfair to your horse," Serana says, clearly laughing inside. "Perhaps Gloamstrider."

"That's barely any better," Ena says, shaking her head. "It's my horse, anyways."

"Greatly Shining Mane," Lianda continues, apparently completely ignoring Ena. "The Duke of the Open Road."

"Mister Stampy," Serana adds.

"I'm going to stab you both, why did I think this was anything approaching a good idea..." Ena mutters.

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.

"I'm not used to such lax security," Serana says once they're through.

Lianda shrugs. "It's hard to filter everyone coming and going - Solitude's massive, over twenty thousand people. Smaller than the Imperial City, of course, or where I grew up in Hammerfell, but for Skyrim? It's ridiculously big. There's inspections of goods if anyone's coming in with a wagon, and the guards know the faces of the area's wanted folk. They all know me, and while there's some people who're suspicious of me because of my connection to the Meridia, plenty of people concern themselves more with what I've stood against. Volunteering to fight dragons gets you a lot of trust."

"That does make some sense, yes - but the war's not an issue? They don't send disguised soldiers?" Serana asks.

"They check more thoroughly at the Imperial borders - you saw how heavily militarized Dragonbridge is - and it's hard to get here without going around up north, swimming, or crossing there," she explains as they exit into Solitude proper. It's still the early morning, and most people out are going briskly about their business. Lianda pulls her hood up, and walks like someone with somewhere to be and no patience for distractions while she heads to the museum.

Whoever's been sent after her might still hear that she's back, but Lianda would like to muddle things at least some.

This time of day… Malielle's probably not in her apartment anymore, and is likely working to get things set up for the day, so Lianda heads for the main entrance. There's a scrawny teenager in charge of the front desk, who kind of awkwardly opens the front door when Lianda knocks and peers out.

"Uh," the teenager says, eyes a bit wide.

Lianda takes pity on them and smiles. "I'm Lianda, a friend of Malielle's. I'm a consultant on daedric theory and history."

The teenager nods, a bit frantically, and opens the door. "Miss Malielle said you might come some point, um, sorry I'm new here she's in the back rooms - " They've started vibrating, hands twitching.

"It's alright, I know my way around, but why don't you walk us down? Or if you're busy with opening, I can find my own way," Lianda says gently.

They bite their lip. "Um. I'm not supposed to let visitors just. Wander. So I'll walk you!" They take off almost without waiting for confirmation.

Lianda shakes her head, glances at Serana, and follows.

The vampire tags along. "The city's grown a lot since I was here last," she comments lowly. "This used to be a small little shrine."

"That's still part of the museum, actually," Lianda says, nodding. "Well, as much of it as is intact."

"Hm. Good, that not everything's forgotten." Serana falls quiet then, as they reach the employees-only entrance into the back rooms.

The visible portion of the Museum is a tiny fraction of it in truth - the main calling is repairing, restoring, identifying, and investigating historical artifacts. Most of them aren't actually stored here once the museum's finished - that's asking for trouble - but there's still a few people at work this early. Most of them nod or wave to Lianda, and send Serana curious glances, but don't stop to chat.

Malielle's in her office when they arrive, and the teen hastily introduces Lianda, before Malielle waves them off back to their post, smiling. Her black hair's pulled back into a messy bun, with a few curly strands escaping to frame her pale face. She turns to Lianda, grins, and after the door closes says, "I wasn't expecting you back so soon. Who's your friend?"

"Her name's Serana. Turns out, she's who I was looking for," Lianda says.

Malielle observes Serana sharply, tilts her head, and says, "Vampire? Old one, too. Hidden with something important."

"You're clever," Serana says, voice faintly amused. "I'm older than your Empire, yes. The important thing is - something I need to get back to my father."

"Not your usual company, Lianda," Malielle comments, still keeping the light tone to her voice.

Lianda sighs and nods. "Odd times make for strange bedfellows. But Serana needed help, and I thought it would be prudent to talk to you."

"Heh. Usually is." Malielle pauses, turns to Serana. "Is there anything you need? I'm unclear on how often different vampiric subtypes need to feed, but drinking blood's illegal here - I can pretty easily find a volunteer who won't tattle, or you can go clear out a bounty on some bandits, but feeding off random citizens isn't acceptable."

"A volunteer would be appreciated - I'm not the most martial type," Serana says. "I don't desperately need to feed, but I likely will soon."

"Right. Well, I'll hear the story, as much as either of you will share - then I'll want to talk to Lianda alone. You can wander the main areas of the museum while we do if you'd like," Malielle says, shrugging.

"That's acceptable," Serana says, then begins her story - it doesn't have any more detail than Lianda's heard. She was in the coffin for an unknown length of time, she needs to return to her father, yes they're vampires, she's sure he'll still be in his old castle, she doesn't need to rush so can accompany Lianda on trips. She's reluctant to go alone, since she's unsure how dangerous the wilds are, and how well she measures up given how much has changed, but she will if she has to.

Serana leaves to go wander the museum after that, and Lianda turns to Malielle. "She's hiding some. The thing in her scroll case is an Elder Scroll. I'm certain her father wants it for something - but the Elder Scrolls aren't in my field."

Malielle hums. "Prophecy, probably, or else past-viewing, or else magical knowledge - though that's unlikely. Most of the possibilities aren't inherently dangerous, but they could give him an informational advantage - assuming he can even read it. They drive most people mad, and even those who train ardently to read one go blind. He'll probably be looking for a Moth Priests, if he knows he's getting a scroll - assuming you let Serana reach him." She pauses, observes Lianda. "I'm curious why you didn't just kill her and take the scroll. She is a vampire. The sort of thing you're sworn to oppose."

Lianda glances aside. "I'm not Meridia. Serana doesn't feel like a monster. And there's - a riddle, here. If I killed her, there'd be no easy way of knowing what her father plans. Plus, she hasn't attacked me, or acted at all aggressive. I refuse to be someone who kills people for what they might do."

"She's probably killed plenty of people, given that she's a vampire," Malielle points out. "But if she's willing to follow society's rules, and not cause trouble, I don't have a problem with her. Her past is the dead's concern."

Lianda shakes her head. "That's not it. But I'm not here to debate morality with you again, so. I'm giving her a chance for now." She sighs, rubs at her face. "The question here, I guess, is - where do I go from here? We can probably delay a while to research any hints of her family, but the records that far back are few and far between. I'd rather not make a pilgrimage to ask Meridia if she knows anything, even if it's probably on the way - Serana indicated it's the northern coast, probably this Hold. Meridia isn't one for nuance. At all."

"My options," Lianda continues, "As far as I see them, are return to the Dawnguard with Serana and kick the decision to Isran, tell Serana she's on her own, or accompany her as far as it's reasonable. The problem with Isran is that Riften is very far away, that he very well might make a decision I'm uncomfortable with, and that I'm not sure Serana would follow me into a fort of vampire hunters. But it's probably the reasonable thing to do, and reduces the chance of conflict with the rest of the Dawnguard - some of them are already uncomfortable with me, Isran follows Meridia but we absorbed enough ex-Vigilants that's not universal. If I tell Serana she's on her own, I lose an information source, but I don't risk involving myself. If I accompany her - there's likely to be further hard choices down the road."

Malielle nods. "I can advise you - but it is ultimately your decision."

"I'm aware," Lianda says, sighing. "I'll think on it."

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.

Lianda waves when she spots Ena and takes the last few steps quickly. "Hey," she calls, softly. "Thought you weren't hanging around?"

Ena shrugs. "I wanted to talk to you some more. About that issue earlier."

Her sister nods. "I know a place we can go. It's fairly discrete."

"That works," Ena says. "Lead the way."

The little cafe Lianda takes her to has music, and private booths, and enough background noise to make hearing other people nearly impossible, without so much that they need to raise their voices. The staff don't even blink at Lianda and her company, and fill Lianda's request for somewhere out of the sunlight without a fuss.

Serana situates herself in the darkest corner of the booth and pulls her ever-present hood back, tucking a stray lock of black hair behind one ear. Her skin's smooth, fuller than it was before, and she's relaxed and languid.

Lianda sits directly across from Ena, puts her elbows on the table, clasps her hands, and leans forward (so that's where Runa got that from). "So," she says, once their orders have been taken. "Talk."

Ena nods. "You need to get your family out of Solitude," she says. "At least for a little while. A vacation. Visit friends. - I'd almost suggest Hammerfell except the entire mess there."

Lianda levels her with an unimpressed glare. "Is this mystery assassin of yours a threat to my family?"

Ena makes a so-so gesture. "Probably not. But they won't be above using your kids to get to you. The city gives - too many opportunities."

"Ena," Lianda says, voice flat. "I'm not accepting that. Not without an explanation."

"I've explained! You pissed someone off, the Brotherhood's after you - " Ena says, exasperated (and hiding a mild worry).

"No. No, you haven't." Lianda cuts her off, making a sharp gesture. "Don't give me any bullshit about rumors. You know something. Something more than 'someone made a contract.'"

"I can't, not right now - you and Serana should leave, rather than dawdling, maybe with your family, maybe on whatever business - in secret, preferably - " Ena says quickly.

Lianda shakes her head. "The roads aren't safe. I was attacked nearly ten times coming back here with Runa, and that was months ago, before the dragon attacks got bad this far north, before the Civil War heated up, before people started vanishing in the night. Even if I could teleport them, there's nowhere safe to go. Hammerfell? One of these days those agents will figure out what happened, if they haven't already, and it's quagmired in its own problems. Whiterun? Is likely to be the first major battle-site of the Civil War. Raven Rock? I'd be trading one set of monsters for another. Dragonbridge? That's practically front lines. A pilgrimage? Almost all of the shrines for the Divines are contested in the war, and Meridia's shrine is too far from any backup if undead try to take it again. Markarth is embroiled in their own war with the Forsworn. Falkreath is close to the densest concentration of dragons. Windhelm doesn't like me. Winterhold doesn't even have walls. Riften is a hive of villainy, and the Thieves' Guild has connections to the Brotherhood. Dawnstar is probably the safest, and that's barely by anything at all - and it's also likely to be an early battle. Rural areas are being increasingly targeted by minor undead, by werewolves, by strange creatures..."

"Okay, I get it, the world's practically on Oblivion's doorstep," Ena says, cutting off the list of everywhere too dangerous for children. "But here's not much better - "

Lianda raises a hand. "No. It is. The Brotherhood wants to pick a fight with me? Let them. My blade is sharp enough. This, of course, would be easier if you would tell me who their assassin even is."

"I don't know," Ena says, but the lie is weak.

"Ena." Lianda's tone brooks no argument. "I know you're up to your neck in assorted shit. You always are. You always have been. Now stop lying."

Ena glances to Serana. No help there. And back to Lianda...

Ena gestures for Lianda to give her a moment, and leans back. Not only does she need to think, she needs to spin what she's going to say. Flat out deception doesn't seem to be working all that well. She's tempted to get up and leave. Storm out, even if Lianda might try to stop her. Plenty of arguments have ended that way before. Alternatively, there's a part of her that wants to just - put her cards on the table. Tell the truth. Possibly even all of it.

That feels risky, though. Ena's not sure it's rejection she's scared of - they've had the sorts of fights that would shatter the closest of bonds before, and they eventually recover. But, well, joining the Dark Brotherhood is a few steps past what Ena's done in prior times.

There's got to be a middle road, though, but - she's not sure there's any explanation that doesn't mention some link to the Brotherhood. But there's nothing saying she has to admit to full membership.

"I have connections. People I know, mostly in the Brotherhood's contacts but in the organization itself, too. People who like to gossip, especially when a high profile target's chosen. The assassin is Babette, an infiltration specialist, and a vampire who looks like a child. She's old, and she's powerful. If she attacked you, I think you'd win, but she's too smart to attack you openly." Ena takes a deep breath. "She's already here in Solitude, and she's spoken to Sofie, and possibly some of the others."

Lianda goes very, very still, in a way that makes the hairs on the back of Ena's neck rise. "So she plans to worm her way into my family, and kill me from there?" Lianda asks, voice deceptively mild.

Ena nods. "She's flexible, though, and there's another assassin in the area she can call on for backup - Festus Krex, a magic specialist, and the Brotherhood's second most experienced assassin."

"Well," Lianda says. "I don't suppose the Brotherhood takes messages?"

That makes Ena hesitate. "Some contracts are dropped or shelved, if they're deemed too costly in lives, but the leader very well might decide this one's worth pressing on - both for revenge and to rebuild the Brotherhood's fame."

"So I'll watch what I eat and drink, watch strangers, watch my back," Lianda concludes. "Until they're done or gone."

"I still think you should remove your family from the city for a time, and leave here yourself, all in secret," Ena says, softly.

Lianda considers that, then shakes her head. "No. That just kicks the problem down the line. More your style, than mine. I prefer not to make problems for future Lianda. I'll leave - but I'll do so publicly. They want me? Let them know exactly where I plan to make my stand. The fewer bystanders around, the better. As for my children…" She makes a frustrated noise. "Babette will wait patiently if I just keep coming and going, won't she? Which does, in fact, mean moving them, at least until this is done. But my point about the complete lack of safety anywhere on this damn continent still stands. Except…"

She leans back, sighs, and continues with, "The Museum has a safehouse. Multiple. I don't want to alarm my kids, but if smoking out the Brotherhood isn't likely to take too long…" She rubs at her face. "I'll have to think on it. And if I'm sending them anywhere, I'll likely want to accompany them." She glances to Serana. "You alright with a delay?"

Serana hums. "I don't have a problem with it, a few more months hardly makes a difference, but my father's unlikely to agree. And I don't think you want more of his agents after them, either."

Lianda shakes her head. "No, no I don't. And I promised to help you, which means moving them after we get you where you're going." She groans. "Why does everything happen at once?"

"Time has it out for you personally," Ena says, wryly. "Thought you would've noticed by now."

Her sister doesn't seem particularly amused by that, judging by her exasperated glance. Lianda then returns her gaze to the ceiling, clearly thinking deeply.

Lianda sighs. "I'm leaning Whiterun, but - that's a month and a half out at their pace. I could manage it in less on my own, but that still makes for a massive delay. And, unless they leave in secret - hard to do with children - there's nothing to stop your assassin from following them there.

Ena hums, leans forwards. "Can you send them without you? I know it's less safe - but you'll have people after Serana, and your personal enemies are a dime a dozen. Send a courier - you're bound to have someone in Whiterun representing your interests, right - and get a group to meet your kids halfway. You have friends here, too, who could reasonably have business - can't your Museum friend send some adventurer with them?"

Lianda considers that. "I have Lydia here with them - she's strong, if not at 'solo a dragon' levels - and a friend in the Companions who can get around fast. Malielle could possibly be persuaded to send someone, yes, and I have enough friends among the adventurers connected to the Museum to find a few. Stealth's a different concern - I'm not going to be able to hide them arriving, even assuming I can hide their departure."

"You just need to hide it long enough to draw the assassin out," Ena points out. "And you can accompany them just about to Dragonbridge - that'll cover at least five of the days - before turning aside. Though I'm not sure how you'd balance leaving publicly with removing your family secretly."

"Have them set out ahead of me, probably in the early morning, then at midday make a big deal about where I'm going, catch up to them," Lianda says, "But if we want the assassin following me, we don't want her knowing where I'm sending my kids. I'm not sure how to tangle her up while they're leaving, though, especially if she's been able to move around in the day..."

"She hasn't been, really - she was keeping well out of the sunlight, and she's usually lethargic when the sun's up even if she's underground. She's got something that allows her to go out in the sun, but she's still at a severe disadvantage when she does," Ena says.

"So morning is probably a good time to send them - if it was just the assassin, I'd say midday, but by then more gossips are out and about." Lianda huffs, leans back a bit. "I hate this cloak and dagger stuff, but even the guards here get annoyed at me if I get into fights in the street. Plus, throwing magic and weapons around in the city's dangerous. Why can't everyone respond to a challenge to a duel at high noon like normal people."

Ena exchanges a despairing glance with Serana. Serana seems more amused than 'why is this my life', but Ena will take what little scraps of sympathy she can get.

"Some Nords I've known would be quite eager for that," Serana says, hiding a smile behind her hand.

"Well, brawls are something different - not that I haven't made plenty of friends that way… Anyways, assassins would hardly play by regulations." She shakes her head. "If you have nothing else for me, Ena, I'll go start dropping word that I'm back - and leaving already."

"No, nothing really," Ena says. "I'd offer to accompany you, but I think I'll be better served prowling the streets. Keep an eye out for any attempts, try to find where the two are holing up…"

Lianda raises an eyebrow, but doesn't respond other than to nod. "I suppose you'll either catch up to me or slink off," she says. "You're welcome to tag along - either with the two of us or the kids."

"I'll consider it," Ena says, feeling a bit evasive.

Her sister lets that slide, pays their bill, and then heads out.

Lianda stops back in at the Museum to request an escort from Malielle, then heads almost immediately to the Winking Skeever, Solitude's largest inn and usually the first choice of visitors from the mainland. She keeps her eyes open, but doesn't see any suspicious kids or old men hanging about. She supposes she wouldn't, though.

She's welcomed quite heartily by the inn's regulars, and she waves off any questions about her new friend with a laugh and a, "Oh, just someone I picked up. She needed an escort, and I can never say no to a pretty face."

Her friends laugh at that, and one man doesn't even up from his cards to say, "Or an ugly face. You helped this old man plenty of times," as he elbows the man to his right.

"I think he's quite classically handsome," Lianda says, brow arched, before a scuffle can break out. The men all laugh, and start needling each other - and Lianda, of course.

She elaborates a bit more later in the night - yes, she's headed up north, she needed to stop in Solitude to pick up cold weather gear, she's not planning on passing by Meridia's Shrine so can't leave a token for you, sorry (that conversation is held in hushed tones - Meridia's the least terrifying of the Princes, and she's had a resurgence in followers since the vampire attacks and wandering draugr picked up, but she still isn't liked). She's heading out around noon tomorrow, expects to be gone right near a month, maybe a bit less if she makes good time and none of the passes are blocked with snow.

She keeps her ears open, too, and notices Serana paying keen attention to the soft murmur and flow of conversation. There's rumors aplenty, many of them from far-flung reaches - one of them enough to drag her attention briefly away from her task.

"Markarth's jarl is dead, I tell you!" one haggard man proclaims, waving his arms widely. People are beginning to turn to him, as a hush falls in the face of the news. "I fled the city, rode my horse into the ground and ran over the hills - the news won't have come yet, that woman, Oblivion take her, killed everyone who gave a hint of opposing her, and secured all the messenger birds first."

"What woman?" someone in the crowd calls, her hand tense around her mug.

"Some Forsworn - those savages were calling her Aithne, though it was mixed in with that barbaric tongue of theirs," he replies, red in the face and shivering.

Lianda doesn't start, but it's close.

She knows that name - had heard it mentioned a few times, when she stayed in Markarth on her way from Hammerfell. Her friend Maeghin had called the woman an upstart. Ambitious. Clever. Ruthless. Often quiet, but with a watching air to her. Charismatic and divisive. He'd been confiding in Lianda about the turmoil among his people after Madanach's capture, and the assorted personalities stepping in to take advantage. (She'd suspected there was more going on than he'd admitted, of course.)

There's concerned murmurs rising around her, people restless and on edge. "Markarth's Imperial territory!" one woman calls. "We can't let this stand - "

"You want another Civil War - " her tablemate interrupts, gesturing broadly, her voice loud and tone somewhere between scared and angry. "Our last daughter off into that meat grinder?"

And then more, people shouting and discontent.

Lianda stands, takes a deep breath, and - "Silence." It doesn't have quite the weight of the thu'um, but there's power in her voice nonetheless, and people hush and draw back from her. "We have no confirmation of this. No knowledge of what Jarl Elisif or the Imperial forces will do in response. Squabbling and panicking like a disturbed flock won't change the facts of the matter here." She sweeps her gaze across the room, meeting each person's gaze in turn. Many of them avert their eyes. "Go home. Pray. Speak to your families." And back to the man who started all this, "And you. Why aren't you at the Palace, with news like this? Surely the jarl needs to know?"

He falters. "I needed a drink! After that long hard road - "

She gestures, sharply. "The Palace has drinks. Come. She'll want to know. Everything."

He hesitates, until the angry murmur of the people around him - agreeing with Lianda - propels him forwards. She nods to the innkeeper, leaves her pay on the table, and leads the man out and into the cooling night air.

Serana follows them both. "Never a dull moment around here, huh?" the vampire comments.

The man shoots her a glare. "Markarth's plight isn't for your amusement, woman!"

Lianda puts a hand on his shoulder, gives Serana an exasperated glance. "That wasn't what she meant. We've all had a long day, stranger, and it's about to get longer. Let's get to the Palace."

He grumbles, but subsides, and lets her lead him. The Palace guards know her, but are far more reluctant to let her in at this hour, especially with unknown companions. The Markarth man has to recite his abridged story (far less dramatic now) to the gate guards, and then to the guard captain, before they'll let him in.

Jarl Elisif doesn't look particularly like they woke her as she sweeps into the throne room. She never does. Lianda appreciates that about her. The jarl sends Lianda a fondly exasperated glance, before sitting at her usual place, and setting about drawing the man's story out of him.

The facts are as such:

-The man was a minor bureaucrat in Jarl Igmund's court

-The attack happened quickly.

-The walls weren't breached - the Forsworn were already in the city, wearing normal garb.

-The woman herself walked into the Keep despite the barricaded doors, threw the Jarl down from his throne, and killed him.

-The Thalmor were among the first dead in the scuffle.

-The man escaped through a window in the chaos - and he has a swollen ankle to show for it.

-The dovecote was taken over by Forsworn, so no messages could get out.

-He got out of the city by scaling the mountainside - he's never been more grateful for his youth as an adventurer.

-This was twelve days ago - a remarkable time given Markarth's distance and the rough terrain, speaking to the man's desperation.

Lianda listens stony-faced, but can't perceive a lie in the man's words. She might ask Serana, later, if she saw anything, but the vampire's going to be at a disadvantage due to an unfamiliarity with modern geopolitics.

The Jarl keeps her expression level as she thanks the man, and sends him to get food and rest. She then turns to Lianda, once the room is empty of all but them and her guards. "You've helped us before," she notes. "We need to investigate this, and you're known for your neutrality and good will to all. Will you help us again?"

"Yes, my Jarl," Lianda says. "But I have another commitment I must attend to first."

The Jarl sighs. "That stands to reason. But this is quite urgent."

Lianda nods. "I understand that. My detour shouldn't add more than ten days to the journey - less if I'm able to move as quickly as I think I can."

"Still faster than I could send a diplomatic force - or gather intelligence more subtly," the Jarl says, leaning back with a contemplative look on her face. "My request stands. Go to Markarth. Investigate - I'm not asking you to take a side, but find out as much as you can about this Aithne, what happened, and what other forces are moving. Is she opposed among her own people? How stable is her hold? How tyrannical? Has she replaced Markarth's defenses utterly - and how prepared are her own forces to defend the city?"

Lianda nods. "I'll see what I can find, and what information I can have returned. In exchange… I have recently had cause to send my family outside of Solitude for a time. But the roads are dangerous. I would have guards accompany them, since I may not. Discreetly, as I don't want to advertise where they're going."

"An odd request," Jarl Elisif says, examining Lianda. "But I'll grant it, as payment for the favor you are doing us. Speak to my Captain about your requirements; I'll have him informed of our agreement."

She bows. "Thank you, my Jarl." She holds the bow until Elisif dismisses her, then goes to speak to the Captain of the Guard.

He's exasperated, a bit, but agrees to send a small detachment with her family - four guards, mostly strong bowmen in the event of a dragon attack, with keen eyes and sure loyalties. (She confides privately about the threat posed by the Dark Brotherhood, not revealing nor even hinting at her source for the information. He seems worried by the news, but accepts it.)

Once her business at the Palace is taken care of and she's gotten a letter sent to Whiterun, Lianda leaves with Serana, then leans against a convenient alley wall and drags her hands down her face.

"You doing alright?" Serana asks, coming to lean across from her.

"Yeah. Just. This's been a lot," Lianda says, huffing. "Long month, pretty much. At least I'll get to sleep in my own bed tonight."

"Always a bonus," the vampire says, voice faintly amused. She then quietly keeps Lianda company until she's ready to head home.

Her children all greet her at the door, voices layering over each other as they clamor for attention. Well, Sofie's hanging back, still shy, and Runa's still in the 'above this all' mood. Lianda manages to draw Sofie into a hug, but Runa's glance shows she won't tolerate such a thing.

She shakes her head, fondly exasperated at her brats, then does her best to usher them all off to bed - which they won't do without a story. She gives in, since she won't be seeing them again for a while, and lets them know they're going on a vacation tomorrow - but they can't tell anyone. That seems to disquiet them - they all have known a hard enough life to be aware that dark things move in the shadows sometimes. But she's found it's best to warn them well ahead of time, rather than rush them in the morning. They might lose sleep for it, but they'll be better prepared.

Once they're at least pretending to be asleep, Lianda draws Lydia aside to warn her about Babette, and Serana, and Ena, and the entire Dark Brotherhood fiasco. Her housecarl's expression is severe as she listens.

"I don't think you should trust Ena's word," Lydia says, voice soft. "Nor this Serana's."

Lianda shakes her head. "You think I don't know that? But I don't see many other paths here - Ena isn't against this family, no matter how morally bankrupt she otherwise may be. The threat posed by the Dark Brotherhood seems legitimate. And I don't have the time to check with the Dawnguard what should be done about Serana - and accompanying her gives me some control of the situation."

"As you will, my Thane." Still, there's something tense in Lydia's voice - disagreement.

Lianda decides to let it lie. She doesn't have the energy for an argument right now, especially when Lydia's clammed up. "I so will. Now, I should likely sleep before the morrow - and so should you. Tomorrow will be long."

Lydia nods, and after she's dismissed goes to take up her usual watch - and not to sleep. Lianda rolls her eyes, but Lydia's an adult and in charge of her own sleep schedule, so she goes to bed without contesting it.

Still, she keeps Dawnbreaker close at hand.

Her children leave the next morning without incident nor too much gossip, meeting the quartet of guards outside the gates. Lianda watches them leave, waves a bit to them, then goes to solidify knowledge among her neighbors that she has business in Skyrim's north before she heads to Markarth - and the news that she'll be looking into the Markarth situation seems to calm people's nerves a bit in the wake of the rapidly spreading news of the Forsworn's victory.

Lianda leaves a few hours after her children, Serana and Serana alone at her side. She plans to turn off at the same route to Meridia's Shrine - two days out of Solitude - and then turn west to go past Clearpine Pond, rather than her usual route of east to the shrine proper, or north towards the mining towns and forts that watch over the coast. After some consultation with Serana and the most detailed map of the region she could find, she's fairly sure she knows where the closest land point to the island holding Serana's family is.

Unfortunately, it's near a Thalmor fort, and her family's good name is unlikely to go far in Skyrim.

The first two days are uneventful, although there's worried murmuring among the caravans she passes, and the route is far more heavily patrolled than usual. After they've turned off, and passed the entrance to Meridia's Shrine - where the last of the foot traffic stops (and where Lianda informs the priests that she's not stopping, but continuing on north) - Ena swings down from the side like nothing's happened, and falls into step beside them.

Lianda quirks an eyebrow at her. "Have you been following us this whole time?" she asks, somewhat amused.

"The target didn't follow your brats. You're welcome for the news. She was still hesitating over whether to leave Solitude when I decided to follow you. You're slow, and obvious," Ena says.

"Thank you," is Lianda's first response. "I haven't been subtle about where I'm going, no. The point is she'll follow me."

"The point is you wouldn't know stealth if it slapped you in the face," Ena grumbles.

Lianda smiles and laughs a bit. "That too! You got all the liar genes, apparently."

"Oh. Wow. You're hilarious." The way Ena's rolling her eyes is practically audible in her voice.

"I try," Lianda says, then elbows her sister. Or tries. Ena just dodges and sends her an unamused glance.

"I hope you have a travel plan, and aren't just wandering?" she asks, voice a bit sour.

"We're fairly sure about our destination, yes. And the route's even relatively clear - there's probably some threats on the way, enough to discourage idle wanderers, but nothing we can't handle," Lianda says with a shrug. "Might have some problems with the Thalmor fort we'll be passing, but we'll see."

Ena nods, and lets the conversation lapse.

Four days later, as it's getting close to dusk, they reach a cave mouth that opens to the north, with a path winding down the mountain to their right. Lianda calls for a halt, then says, "If my information about this area's right, this should connect at the base of the mountain - and it'll cut two days off our journey."

"You're insane," Ena says, voice flat. "Do you have any idea what types of monsters like to make their homes in Skyrim's caves?"

Lianda waves a hand. "I go delving all the time. These areas might have stronger creatures - they're not traveled as frequently, so the place isn't cleared too often - but I'm familiar with trolls, bears, and the like. There's a risk, but I think the time saved is worth it, especially since there might be a time crunch in Markarth."

Ena rocks back, and seems to be thinking.

Ena glares a bit, says, "I really don't think two days is worth the risk… But I know how stubborn you are."

Lianda grins. "Knew you'd say that. Come on, where's your sense of adventure?"

Ena stares blankly at her, then says, "I agreed, didn't I. And I don't want to see anything you think is an 'adventure'."

(Serana's definitely snickering at them. Ena can't hear it. But she can tell.)

"I'll go in first, you can take the middle and pelt them with arrows, and cover Serana," Lianda says cheerfully, completely ignoring Ena, who rolls her eyes and follows Lianda into the monster's den.

The cave is at least less bone-chillingly cold than the outside wind, but that doesn't change the numbness of Ena's fingers even under her gloves. Shooting in these conditions - frigid cold, thick gloves, and short, narrow, and irregular corridors with uneven cover - is going to be a nightmare. She goes ahead and takes her bow out, stringing it - best not to save that for when they're being attacked.

The footing's mildly treacherous, and the cave itself is long and windy and branches often - though they keep to the largest branch, which is in Ena's opinion suspiciously walkable compared to the jagged paths leading off. Bones of animals - small and large - occasionally peek out of the ice.

There's a grumble from up ahead, a deep bellows sound. The path drops a bit then rises, curls under a beam of ice -

And there's a monster up ahead. Enormous, larger than giants, with blue skin and clothes made of fur and bone, a mammoth-skull mask upon its face. Its back is turned to them, as are the backs of two of the three enormous white wolves sprawled around it. The one wolf facing them appears to be asleep.

Serana goes very, very still and quiet. She taps Ena on the shoulder, then, and yanks her thumb over her shoulder when Ena glances back. Her eyes, though, are fixed firmly on the monster, some concern in them.

Right. Above their pay grade, Ena's guessing. She taps Lianda's shoulder in turn, shuffling forwards as softly as she can. Lianda raises an eyebrow, but seems to take both her companions' concerns seriously, and begins backing up.

The monster twitches. Turns around, and then surges to its feet with a roar, brandishing a club made out of a metal anchor. Its beady red eyes are set too low and wide apart on its wrinkled face, glaring out of the gaps in the skull mask it wears.

Definitely time to go. Ena turns to run -

And there's a wolf the size of a horse blocking their retreat.

She doesn't waste her breath on cursing, instead starts firing arrows at the wolf.

Serana gestures sharply, purple energy wreathing her hands, and the numerous skeletons reassemble themselves and take up the defense.

Lianda, being the world's biggest idiot, darts in to attack the titan.

It misses her by a tremendous margin, and her glowing sword cuts through its knee, burning the flesh there. It smells far too sweet, like charred fruit. It roars, shaking the cave, and the wolves around it leap up, snarling.

Lianda apparently has some sense, because she summons a flame atronach before throwing herself back into combat. The atronach starts focusing its attacks on the wolves, driving them back, while Lianda duels a titan. She's at least faster than it, able to avoid most of its attacks with ease.

Ena and Serana are having a bit more ill luck, neither of them being melee focused. The skeletons seem to be keeping back the first wolf well enough, but it's barely injured, and another is doing its best to circle around Lianda, eyes focused on the two women in the tunnel.

Serana curses, then -

What happens next doesn't make a ton of sense except in retrospect. Something primal in the back of Ena's head starting gibbering in terror. The wolves all whimper, and the titan snarls.

And Serana bursts into swirling shadows, and emerges as something - else.

Something apparently fully capable of going toe-to-toe with giant wolves, though Serana opens with a spell that starts draining the largest wolf of life.

Ena wisely turns to focus on the ones harassing her sister. It takes all of ten seconds for the wolf behind them to slump over, dead, at which point a swarm of bats flies over her shoulder. The titan stomps, creating a whirlwind of ice shards, and the bats resolve into the bat-monster Serana had turned into.

Serana's apparently fully capable of ignoring minor damage like that, as she strides forwards, her skeletons surging down past her to tie up the other wolves, and she starts draining them, too.

(Ena's not jealous, except how she utterly is.)

Lianda takes a few blows in the time it takes Serana and Ena to drop the wolves, but the titan's apparently weak to the flames wreathing her sword, because she's able to kill it within seconds of the last wolf falling. She staggers over to lean against one wall once it's dead, healing herself, and then glancing over at Ena. "You injured?" she asks between gasps.

Ena shakes her head. Technically, she has a few minor cuts from the flying ice shards, but it's nothing that can't wait. Lianda's far worse off, going by the amount of blood on the ground and how gingerly she's moving.

"Next time?" Ena says, as Serana starts shrinking back to a pretending-to-be-human shape, "We're not taking the shortcut."

Lianda laughs a bit, mutters 'ow', then straightens. "I can finish healing while we walk. Come on, let's get out of here."

Ena crosses her arms. "No. We don't know what else is there. You will wait until you're healed and mostly rested, and then we'll either keep going or turn the fuck around."

"Unlikely to be two of those," Serana points out. "Ice titans were rare already in my time, and territorial. I can't imagine that's changed."

"So we keep going," Lianda confirms, and settles in to finish healing herself.

There's a drop, later - it looks like the titan had a ladder to navigate between the two levels of the cave, but the rungs are much too far apart for them. Serana turns into a cloud of bats, resolves at the lower level, and sends the other two a thumbs up that that chamber at least is clear.

Fortunately, it's not a deadly drop, even if Ena does land in the water and have to spend the next several minutes trying to dry herself off with a fire spell before she gets hypothermia.

The next few days are comparatively uneventful - they manage to skirt around the Thalmor fort. The sentries watch them carefully, but they're left alone as long as they don't approach. Serana refuses to answer any of Ena's questions about what the fuck was with the bat-monster form, except to confirm that she's a vampire, never mind that Ena's never seen a vampire capable of doing that.

"Well, this's the closest point. Looks like they've been through here before," Serana says as they reach a rickety little dock. "There's even a boat. Someone must be out."

"...That thing looks like it'll sink if we sneeze at it," Ena says, eyeing it warily.

Serana snorts, says, "It's safe. You two coming?"

Lianda nods, and Ena rolls her eyes, supposing there's nothing for it but to follow.

The boat ride is long and miserable, and the island they're bound for is wreathed in a bone-chilling fog. Hawks circle over it - but at second glance there's something wrong with their shapes. Too thin, too dark, with a flash of white at their heads.

Serana pauses once they reach the bridge that spans the thin little gap between the island they arrived at and the enormous castle looming out of the mists beyond it. "So. Look," she starts. "Let me do the talking, okay? They should be grateful you guys helped me, but… It's just safest if I make the introductions."

Oh. Great. Moody vampiric relatives. Still, Ena nods alongside Lianda.

There's a watchman at the entrance to the keep. Serana talks briefly with him - he seems surprised and delighted she's back, and he opens the trellis before rushing in to announce their (well, Serana's) arrival.

Court's clearly in session beyond - and Ena has to fight to keep her expression blank rather than wrinkling her nose at the bloody mess they've made of the tables. Really. Ancient vampires, and they can't clean up after themselves?

Lianda looks openly disgusted. Ena suspects for her it's more of a moral rather than scrupulous objection. She starts silently urging Lianda to not start a fight. Any of these could be just as powerful as Serana, and even with Lianda's sword they're not going to win that.

The man at the far end of the hall stands from his throne, spreading his arms wide. "My daughter! Returned to me at last. I trust you have my Elder Scrolls?" he proclaims.

"Missed you too, dad. Of course I have your scroll. Where's mom?" the woman asks, crossing her arms.

"Your traitor mother stole a scroll from me and fled," he says, voice low and threatening. "If she was here, I'd let her watch this reunion before putting her head on a pike. Now, who are your companions?"

"They rescued me, and escorted me here," Serana says.

(Ena notes the partial lie - she was hardly involved in either endeavor. Still, she supposes it's the safest cover for her.)

He turns to them, then. "For my daughter's safe return, you have my gratitude. Tell me, what are your names?"

Lianda speaks up before Ena can. "Lianda and Ena at-Sharinda," she says, voice steely.

"And I am Harkon, Lord of this court. By now, my daughter will have told you what we are - some of the most ancient and powerful vampires in all of Skyrim. For centuries we lived here, far from the cares of the mortal world. All that ended when my wife betrayed me and stole what I valued most." He snarls as he speaks of his wife, his almost carefully beautiful face turning ugly.

Lianda inclines her head slightly. "And what happens now?"

He gestures broadly, voice booming as he says, "Now you must be rewarded, for you have done me a great service. There is but one gift I can give equal in value to the Elder Scroll and my daughter - I offer you my blood. Take it, and you will walk as a lion among sheep. Men will tremble at your approach, and you will never fear death again."

Lianda's jaw firms. "And what if we refuse?"

(What the fuck Lianda, don't insult the vampire - )

"Then you will be prey, like all mortals. I will spare your life this once for the service you have done me, but you will be banished from this hall. Perhaps you still need convincing? Behold the power!" And shadows gather around him, clinging, as he transforms into an enormous bat-like creature, radiating dark power. "This is the power that I offer! Now, make your choice!"

"I refuse," Lianda says icily.

Ena glances at her sister, torn, and unsure what path she should take.

It's not, actually, that easy a choice - Lianda will still be at risk, there's bound to be a catch, Lianda might now try to kill her - but Ena wants it, desperately, wants immortality and power and everything promises. Besides, Lianda has to forgive her eventually, right?

"I accept," Ena says, showing no sign of her hesitance.

The man smiles, something cruel in his eyes, even as Lianda whips around, clearly furious, hand on the hilt of her sword. "Very well," the man says. "I see you each have chosen a different path." He gestures, and a spell hits Lianda, causing her to crumple.

Ena doesn't flinch. Just continues to face him, expression blank, as he has his lackeys take Lianda back to Skyrim's shore.

"Now - for your reward - " He strides forwards, grabs her, and bites - her shoulder, her body, explodes in pain, and the world spins until she sinks into the depths.

She wakes up, she doesn't know how much later, sore. Her hand goes to her shoulder, but it's fully healed, and there's -

It's dim. There's no light sources in the room. But she can see perfectly well.

Ena grins, stands, and goes to find her hosts.

Lianda, when she wakes, invents several new curses - and reuses a few old ones. This isn't the first time her sister's pulled shit, but… Lianda had thought she'd grown up.

She stands, glares at the distant mists hiding the castle, and stalks off.

At least she can move faster on her own.

She stops by Meridia's Shrine on her way back to the main road - it adds time, but she needs to warn them about the powerful vampires to their north. She doesn't mention Ena's betrayal. She also makes use of their courier - faster than the messengers she'll be able to find in Solitude, and more loyal to her - to send a message first to Lydia (this time warning of Ena), then to High Hrothgar (requesting information on the Elder Scrolls), and then at last to the Dawnguard (about the vampires, and the Elder Scroll, and that she'll return once she's finished her tasks in the area - which hopefully won't be long).

But the question about what her tasks are remains.

She promised the Jarl she'd investigate Markarth, and the city's fall is of regional if not continental importance.

The vampires are an unknown threat - certainly to Skyrim, for all that they haven't been as deadly as the war or the dragons yet, and possibly to Tamriel if their ambitions reach high enough.

It'll be hard, handling them both at once - Markarth's in another direction entirely from Riften, and demanding the Dawnguard come out to meet her will stretch thin her already tenuous reputation amidst them. If she goes to the Dawnguard, she'll likely lose her ability to steer anything happening in Markarth at all.

What's more, the Dark Brotherhood is a lingering threat - and she needs to handle them sooner rather than later.

Serana's lurking outside the room when Ena leaves. She nods to Ena and straightens.

"Hey there," Serana says. "I volunteered to show you the ropes, somewhat. Father's… Interested, but I wasn't sure you wanted to be talking to him too much."

Ena shakes her head. "Distance is appreciated. And… Thanks, for the whole - " She waves her hand to encompass 'lying' and 'giving me this opportunity.'

"No problem." Serana inclines her head, and starts walking. "The old cathedral's probably the best place to practice. High ceilings, and all that."

"Right," Ena says, and follows.

Learning the Vampire Lord form is… Interesting. It's not as nimble as her usual body, doesn't turn as well, she can't really sneak - but it's powerful. A melee option, at a minimum, if she's ever caught out in a battle. And even outside of it, all her senses are keener, it's almost second nature to shift so she's quieter when walking, she's marginally faster, spells are easier…

"So what's the deal with this whole - clan?" Ena asks between sparring bouts.

Serana shrugs, clearly a bit uncomfortable. "We were some of the first vampires. Turned by Molag Bal. It was… Unpleasant, to say the least. Father then turned others - there've been other Vampire Lords created from the source, but none of them agreed to follow Father, so we're at odds with them. Father's been building this court for a while - there's some new faces since I was here last, and some old ones are gone, so… I'd have trouble, speaking to modern politics. Though honestly I prefer to stay out of all that."

Ena snorts. "Politics are horrible. Only thing I need to know is who's likely to want who dead."

"Well, that's quite a lot of what's here. Different factions jockeying for power." Serana's voice is a bit bitter.

Ena doesn't know how to push that to get more information. Prying might not be the best right now, anyways.

"Hammerfell was like that," she says instead. "Or at least our part of it. Every last one of the noble houses was constantly looking for ways to backstab each other - and even within them. It's a miracle it took this long for me and Lianda to end up on opposite sides, really, mom did her best to encourage us to tear into each other…"

"Sounds charming. I suppose she had some justification?" Serana asks, with a twist to her lips.

"Probably. Never bothered asking. Just - left." Ena shrugs. "She's lucky she didn't try to stop me."

Serana hums. "Your sister's an interesting person. Most people wouldn't volunteer to help their sworn enemy."

Ena laughs, bitterly. "Interesting, definitely." There's an uneasy feeling in her gut - she still doesn't really trust Lianda not to do something stupid or get herself killed. This power was probably worth it, but - Ena's the sort who likes to have her cake and eat it, too.

She'll just have to keep her ears open. Possibly use this turn of fortune to gain more influence in the Dark Brotherhood, assuming she decides to return to them at all.

Serana lets her think for a bit, until a messenger appears in the doorway. The messenger clears his throat awkwardly, then straightens when both women turn to look at him. "My ladies!" he says. "A message from Lord Harkon, for the newest member of our court."

Ena raises an eyebrow, says, "Speak," in her most haughty noble tone.

"There is something of interest to the clan. Speak to Garan Marethi, and let him know that it is time," says the messenger.

"Very well. You are dismissed," Ena says, lowly, and turns to Serana. Once he leaves, she asks, "Any idea what that's about?"

Serana shakes her head. "No clue. As I said earlier, it's been a while."

Ena sighs. "Well, no time like the present. Guess I'll see you later?"

"Sure. Doubt I'll be going anywhere for awhile," Serana says, voice light, and waves her off.

The mission Garan Marethi has is to find a skooma den, fill a magic chalice, and return. Grunt work. Not particularly surprising. The Brotherhood's had her on similar missions.

Speaking of…

There's the question of whether she should bother returning to the assassins. She doubts the vampires are at all pressed for time - the way Marethi talked he wouldn't be surprised if she took a year to show back up - so she has time. But… She's not sure she wants to reentangle herself.

On the advantages side, it'll be a good way to monitor or influence the hunt for Lianda from afar. It'll give her allies outside the vampires, in case she ever needs it. It'll give her something interesting to do with her time, and quite frankly the assassins are easier to bear than the vampires.

On the disadvantages side, it's a time sink. Astrid might suspect her, and Ena's more confident about her abilities in a fight, but not that confident. It's not extremely out of her way, but it is a minor detour, and she'll want to have a few completed contracts in hand when she does return.

Still…

Lianda decides she needs to keep her promise to the Jarl - the Dawnguard can take care of themselves. The Forsworn might not.

And…

It's time to stop skulking around. She needs to confront Babette.

Of course, she'll have to find the vampire. Still, that shouldn't be too hard…

It's a month to Markarth, if she keeps to the roads. Potentially half that, if she cuts cross-country - which is riskier, but she's in a mood to move fast, and with her thu'um she can jump the otherwise inaccessible ravines that make the route difficult for most. Risks losing Babette, but time to establish herself in Markarth won't hurt.

She doesn't spot the vampire during her journey. She makes good time, and meets no delay, though she sees figures mounted on elk-like creatures in the distance a few times. Forsworn outriders.

Ten days after leaving Meridia's Shrine, she arrives at the beginning of the farms and mines sprawling outside Markarth. There's a few people who still remember her from her time in the Reach three years ago, and she's able to easily secure a bed for the night in a farmhouse - and, more valuable to her, gossip.

"I'm investigating what's going on - on my own merits, but also for the Jarl of Solitude," Lianda says, quietly to her host, a woman named Eirny.

Eirny's face is pale, and her eyes are haggard. "I don't know we want interference," she says after several long moments. "Nothing's gone too south - though Vigdis hasn't heard word of her daughter, and she was so proud when she got that clerk position…" Eirny pauses, catches a sob. "But I've already lost my husband and three children to these damnable wars. Aithne… She swore to remain neutral. No more burying family."

"It's a tempting promise," Lianda acknowledges. "What else has she communicated?"

"That anyone who doesn't betray her won't be harmed. I don't know what she means by 'betray', but it doesn't seem to include grumbling - the Silverbloods've been talking angrily enough about her, and not a single one of them's been killed who weren't in the Keep that first night." Eirny leans forwards, rubs at her face. "Been telling my four living kids not to make trouble, though. Three of 'em are teens. Made for trouble, at that age. The oldest… She'll be old enough to fight, soon. I don't want that for them, even if it means rolling over. You understand, right?"

Lianda nods. "My children are all younger, but I know the impulse."

Eirny lets out a ragged sigh. "I don't know much more'n the announcements, or what's been gossip. We're most've a day out, still."

"Have the Forsworn in the area been kind or cruel?" Lianda asks - one measure of a leader is how her troops behave.

Eirny shakes her head. "Hard to say. Cold, almost. Like they're waiting to be mean and something's got them scared stiff a'it."

"Tough leaders, possibly." Lianda leans back. "I'll try talking to a few, see what I can see. Won't mention you helped me, of course, in case of trouble."

"Thank you," Eirny says. "I'd help regardless, you've done so much good, but… I don't want them looking at me more'n they have to."

"It's no problem at all," Lianda says, and lets the conversation drift on.

She doesn't find out anything else of note, and arrives at Markarth's gates the evening of the next day. There's four guards, all Forsworn, one keeping an eye on the stablehands, though all of their gazes snap to Lianda when it's clear she's approaching.

"Halt!" one calls. "No outsiders are being allowed in the city."

She pauses, raises an eyebrow. "I have business," she says.

"Any mercantile activities can be conducted in the market square in Markarth Side," the same guard replies, his voice harsh.

"In the city specifically," she clarifies. "There are those I need to talk to - your leader among them."

"Our leader does not meet with strangers off the street - " the guard continues, eyes narrowed.

He's interrupted by a laugh from the guard tower, and the small metal door there opening. "Lianda!" a voice calls.

She turns, to see a Forsworn man, a veritable mane of untamed black hair spilling down his back. He's still armored like he expects his skin to turn away blades - that is, not at all.

"You know her?" the guard says, voice wary.

"Sure," he responds. "Lianda's an old friend. Exact opposite of an assassin. If she had issues with someone, she'd challenge them to open combat. Respectable, like that."

Her lips twitch into a faint smile despite herself. "Maeghin. It's been awhile. Glad to see you're same as ever."

He shrugs, and then turns to the guards. "Well? Let her in. I still owe her drinks."

The guards exchange glances, then seem to decide this is over their paygrade, and step aside.

Maeghin leads the way through, allowing Lianda her first look at Markarth in three years. The daily market still seems to be going, though people are nervous and subdued. The Silverblood Inn looms by the entryway, but Maeghin makes a face, says, lowly, "Sorry, but I need to take you to the Keep."

"Wasn't expecting anything else," Lianda reassures him. "We can catch up later."

He nods, and then keeps walking.

Lianda lets the conversation lapse into silence, turning over what she'll say in her head as they approach Understone Keep. She hasn't been into the building, but doesn't look around as she walks, instead keeping her gaze forwards.

Maeghin brushes their way past the Keep's guards, and one goes ahead of them to announce their arrival. (Maeghin does identify Lianda as the dragonborn, and the Champion of Meridia, but gives no other titles for her.)

There's a woman sitting on the Jarl's throne. She's tall, with straight black hair woven into a feathered headdress, and light brown skin painted with silver powder. Maeghin touches his right fist to his left shoulder as he enters the audience chamber, and Lianda nods to her - a sort of half bow, as she usually uses for the Jarls.

"My lady Aithne, I present to you Lianda at'Sharinda, dragonborn and Champion of Meridia. She is here to speak with you," Maeghin says.

Aithne gestures, and he steps back. She turns to look at Lianda, then. "Well met. I have heard your name on the wind before; you are well spoken of. What business do you have here?"

"The Jarl of Solitude requested that I come, to speak to you and your people," Lianda says, somewhat bluntly. "I represent myself, but she did ask that I let her know what has happened."

The Forsworn woman evaluates her, then nods. "Your honesty does you credit. Most would try to conceal their motives." She stands, descends the steps from the throne. "Come. Let us talk elsewhere. Maeghin, you may return to your duties. I will have you sent for when our guest is ready to leave my presence."

Maeghin repeats the fist-to-shoulder gestures. "Of course, my lady," he says, then turns and walks out without more than a glance at Lianda.

Aithne turns back to Lianda, then. "There is a private meeting room that would be more fitting for this, do you not think? I will have food and drink sent there." Before Lianda can respond, she gestures at a woman standing in the corner, who leaves.

"Thank you," Lianda says. "My journey has been long, and I appreciate the hospitality."

"It is no bother." Aithne strides off, clearly expecting Lianda to fall into step. "That was something we prided ourselves on, before this whole mess. No stranger turned away. Unfortunately, changing times made us forget who we were once."

"Kindness to strangers is a good value, and one more people should possess." Lianda keeps her voice neutral and light. "It is considered a virtue in Hammerfell, though many of the noble houses make more of a show of it than any actual sustenance."

"An unfortunate trait of many nobles," Aithne says, voice a bit wry. "But it is good to have values shared with at least one neighbor." They reach the meeting hall. Once they're in, Aithne seats herself casually at the head of the table, and gestures to a chair for Lianda. "Now. What would you ask of me?"

Lianda sits, and thinks. "I would like to know the truth of certain rumors, and your intentions for the people of the Reach - all people of the Reach - and your position with relation to the Civil War, the Thalmor, and the Empire."

"A long list." Aithne puts her elbows on the table, clasps her hands, and leans forwards. "I intend simply to help the people of the Reach live the best lives they can. Free from tyranny and war alike - assuming we are left alone. The recent troubles have drained this land of its resources, children, and spirit alike. I would remove us from at least one of those - we might not be able to do much about the dragons or vampires, but we can stand apart from the war."

She pauses as servants enter, bearing drinks and light fare, and once they're settled - and the same woman from before has stationed herself in the corner - she continues with: "The recent leadership did not allow the people to be as they wished - not even in as simple a question as their private worship. There was a man in the holding cells when I arrived, interrogated and slated for execution for the simple crime of having the wrong sort of amulet. Imagine! And they are worse towards the Old Gods of my people. As a Champion of the Glister Witch, surely you can sympathize."

Aithne pauses, takes a long sip. And then, in a softer voice: "I have no desire for revenge for the trespasses against my people. Peace and prosperity are my greatest callings. War is merely one path, and one I will only walk if my hand is forced." Her gaze sharpens. "But make no mistake. If the Empire turns against us, we will not make the following fight pleasant for them."

Lianda nods. "I understand your position. Still, there are troubling rumors about your rise to power…" And she recounts the tale of Aithne's ruthlessness upon seizing the city, and her execution of even bureaucrats.

"I do what I must," Aithne says. "And I don't tolerate those who would threaten this land. Still, the vast majority have been left alone - even though they grumble about it, and whine that I don't permit the same excesses the prior administration did."

Lianda takes a sip of her drink to give herself a moment to think - it's a Forsworn brew, taste sharp, and she didn't develop a taste for it when she was in the area last. Still, it's enough for her thirty throat. "Your soldiers seem well disciplined," she says after a few moments.

Aithne snorts. "They know how to shape up, even if Madanach let them run around like children playing at war. One thing the Imperials have over the Stormcloaks is discipline; I dislike much about the Empire, but their soldiers' training is impeccable." She leans back a bit. "I do strongly intend to stay out of the mess with the Civil War, and with the Thalmor. I'll let people worship however they please, as long as they harm none."

"And the other threats facing this land?" Lianda asks.

"I'll stand with whoever against dragons and vampires and assorted other unsocial elements, of course," Aithne says, waving a hand dismissively. "Assuming they don't intend to use it as an opportunity to stab me in the back."

Lianda nods, and considers. She hasn't detected any falsehoods from Aithne - but that's hardly much. Lianda knows she tends to take people (except her sister) at face value, sometimes to her benefit, sometimes not. And Aithne has effectively stated her current neutrality won't last if the Empire pushes it - and knowing them, especially given the fact that Aithne did seize the city with violence, they're not going to let her conquest lie. Jarl Elisif seems inclined to try to find a diplomatic way forward, but Lianda's never known a less martial leader. She doubts the other Jarls or the Emperor will let Markarth's current situation stand.

"If you have no questions of me, I would like to talk with the people here," Lianda says.

"I presume you won't leave the city without notice. I will know how to find you, if questions arise," Aithne says, standing. "Come, I'll have my guards escort you out - unless you wish to talk to the court wizard right away? I let him stay on, and I'm sure he has plenty of complaints about me."

Lianda hums, and considers it.

She decides that, while the court wizard might not be a bad person to talk to eventually, she needs to speak to Maeghin first. He'll know more about the inner workings than anyone else liable to talk to her, and knowing him he won't be unreasonably loyal.

Lianda smiles at Aithne, says, "The offer's appreciated, but I'd like to catch up with an old friend, first."

"Very well," Aithne says. "You're welcome to return at any time. Though I can't promise I won't be busy."

"I'll make an appointment next time. Thank you for your hospitality today." Lianda nods to Aithne as she's dismissed and led out.

Maeghin is waiting by the entrance, speaking to one of the guards in a low voice. He straightens when he sees her. "I'll take her from here," he says to the guards, then turns to Lianda. "So. Meeting went well?"

"As well as could be expected. I thought you were supposed to return to your duties?" Lianda asks, raising an eyebrow.

He snorts. "Technically, escorting potentially dangerous strangers around the city is a guard-duty." He starts walking, and she falls into step with him. "So. I still owe you those drinks. Where to?"

She hums. "I'd been initially thinking the Silverblood Inn, assuming it's still the best place to listen to gossip, but a more private conversation first might not go amiss. There's some things I need to talk to you about." For one, warning him she has an assassin after her is only neighborly.

"Well, that restaurant you liked is still open," he says, musingly. "Though they were a bit miffed to find out I was Forsworn the whole time."

"Maybe not somewhere with a grudge, for now," Lianda says, shaking her head.

"That's going to exclude basically everywhere. People don't like change, even when it's for the better. And even the Talos worshippers aren't sure about us heathens." He shrugs. "But I also don't mind getting take out. There's some good views up in the mountains, and the guards don't yell at me for climbing them like an idiot anymore."

She snorts, and nudges him with her shoulder. "Like an idiot? I need to introduce everyone who's ever called me reckless to you."

Maeghin laughs. "I'll gladly serve as an example for the pinnacle of bravery." He leads the way to a street-side place that offers hot pastry shells stuffed with assorted fillings - meant for workers most likely.

Lianda being there seems to soothe the nerves of the people serving them, and soon enough she and Maeghin are off, climbing into the mountains. They keep their conversation to inconsequentials - mostly Lianda telling the story of how she ended up as Meridia's Champion - until they've gotten past the last guard outpost and into the goat trails leading up to the ridge.

Maeghin seems to have already discovered a particular outcropping he likes, because he leads Lianda right to it, then flops down on the rock. It truly is a wonderful view from up here, especially if you don't mind heights. "So," he starts. "This whole mess."

She sits beside him. Not as close to the edge as he is, though. "I thought claiming the Reach was your people's great goal?"

He groans. "It is. Was. Just. Aithne's brilliant, but I'm not sure she's the best. But I don't know who would be." He levers himself up to rest on his elbows. "She isn't really accepting advisors, not even that spy of hers. Which is… Understandable, the elders are all asshats, but it's nontraditional, and she should be listening more to the guards and the sort. I'm not sure she'll be able to do best as a leader without taking advisors from the Nords and such, either."

"Unfortunately, I don't think I'll have much influence to convince her otherwise," Lianda says, sighing. "This is a tough situation you guys have put everyone in, too. I didn't like the last Jarl, don't get me wrong, but - I don't want this area quagmired in war. And I'm fairly sure this isn't something anyone will stand for. The Empire isn't tolerating the Stormcloaks, and they have more in common with them. Ulfric wants the Reach. The Thalmor will be angry about this."

"Yeah. I know. Preparing our defenses is slightly my job." He huffs. "I think the hope is that Skyrim's current state will be enough of a distraction to entrench ourselves, and then that we'll be able to push for a truce in the face of all the threats. Skyrim's been splintered before, and we won't be the first violent transfer of power."

Lianda hums. "Peacefully would be the best way to resolve this. But I'll need to think on what that is."

He nods. "But you didn't want to talk to me just to commiserate about politics, did you?" he asks, gaze shrewd.

She shakes her head. "No. For one, I need to warn you about something - the Dark Brotherhood's sent an assassin after me. Reportedly a vampire named Babette, in the form of a girl child. I suspect she's a good bit behind me, since I somewhat cheat when traveling, but she should show up eventually."

"Well, that's a mess." He shakes his head. "She won't be let directly into the city, but there's paths around the gate. We've found and guarded most, but that's no guarantee, and someone determined could get in anyways. And she might just lie in wait out in Markarth Side." He leans back a bit. "We're not fond of the undead, and I could increase detection measures - put more mages among the outer guards - under the excuse of keeping out vampiric infiltrators. Which is a legitimate threat, and is how I suspect most vampires were getting inside cities to cause chaos in the first place."

"That'd probably be smart." She rubs at her face. "There's intelligence I need to pass on. That I should, honestly, probably give to every hold and faction. The vampires that've been attacking have a singular leader. A dangerous one." She explains the Volkihar, then - though she skims over Ena betraying her. "They've got some interest in the Elder Scrolls, though I haven't been able to find out what. Prophecy, most likely."

"Let's hope they're not an apocalyptic vampiric cult. I've had enough trouble with the dragon cults experiencing a come-back." He makes a face. "Still, thanks for the warning. I'll see what information our elders know, and what can be found in Markarth's archives - or that Museum of the Voice here. I'll pass anything I find on."

"Thanks." Lianda lays back beside him. "This entire situation is… Tough. To understate things dramatically. But I'm glad to have you as an ally."

He nods, opens his mouth - but is interrupted by a commotion from below. A guard is trying to get up the trails, waving her arms at them and whistling.

Maeghin stands, says, "I need to respond to that," and starts nimbly jumping down the mountainside.

Lianda follows, and is in time to hear the ensuing conversation.

"Report!" Maeghin calls, as he slides to a halt before the guard.

"Sir, there's a situation in the Keep. Our Lady would like your assistance in containing it," the guard responds, only somewhat out of breath.

Maeghin nods, says, "I'll be right there," and then turns to Lianda. "Sorry to cut this short, but I need to go."

"That's fine," she says immediately, then pauses to think. He's unlikely to turn her away if she goes with him, especially if a sword-arm is needed, but she's not sure she wants to further entangle herself…

She considers just going about her day. Very, very briefly. And then: "I'll come with you, to help."

Maeghin clearly hesitates, then nods. "Sure. Come on, let's go see what's on fire."

She follows him and the messenger down the mountainside and across the city - at a fast walk, not a run, the streets are moderately crowded and he's apparently valuing not alarming people over speed. The guards at the Keep let them in immediately, and their messenger leads them to the left instead of further into the throne area - though from the shouting and clanging it's fairly obvious where the problem is.

The already cavernous entrance hall opens into a gargantuan room, clearly once the entrance to a Dwemeri city, going by the elaborate facade along one wall and the outlying towers. There's also giant spiders swarming over the walls towards the exits, and one as large as a mammoth shrieking in the center. The guards seem to be mostly trying to get their people out of the room, and keep the spiders from getting elsewhere.

Lianda thinks, evaluates the shouts she knows, and says to Maeghin: "If you can get me a path clear of people we don't want hurt…"

He glances at her, then evaluates the room. "Depending on your aim, that wall's clear. Let's get you to the front."

She nods, and follows him into the fray. As soon as she's clear of allies, she pauses, plants her feet, and roars, sending a blast of force rippling through the spiders in front of her, throwing them and killing most of the smaller ones. There's a pause, and then the survivors shrieks and more pour down towards her. Another shout causes a few to balk and try to flee over their fellows, entangling them in little fights - and reducing the numbers that face her sword while she catches her breath on the first shout.

A fireball arcs past her, explodes in the center of the spiders, and then Maeghin is surging forwards, cloaked in flame as he fights. His weapon's odd, like a large flattened club, but it seems useful against the spiders.

The two of them tear their way through their side of the room, arcing towards the largest spider in the center. Elsewhere the guards seem to be having their own luck, as more reinforcements arrive and the number of spiders pouring from the entrance into the Dwemeri city thins out.

Finally, they reach the ravine that separates them from the rear wall. Maeghin pauses, and glances at her.

"You alright getting to the bridge?" she asks. "I can clear the ravine."