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<\/p>\n\u201cI\u2019ve never seen any kind of portal near Pinewatch,\u201d Brynjolf said as they walked up the road east from Falkreath. \u201cAnd I\u2019ve spent more time than I\u2019d like to remember walking this road in the past couple of years.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sayma nodded, and peered up the road ahead of them. It wasn\u2019t raining, not quite, but there was a heavy mist through which the sun had not yet broken. Almost anything short of a dragon could have been lurking ahead of them unseen.\u00a0 She was cold, and damp, and actually was looking forward to being in the hot, dry desert again.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cYou wouldn\u2019t have. I have to cast a spell for it to appear.\u201d\u00a0 She sighed heavily. \u201cThis damned spell. I wish I had a septim for every time I had to cast it getting to Ben Erai. It\u2019s fascinating, the way the process to get there was set up, but I\u2019m no mage.\u201d<\/p>\n
She\u2019d told Brynjolf a bit more about her trip through the Old Way of the Thieves and beyond as they travelled southeast toward Falkreath proper, although she hadn\u2019t gotten to the most frightening parts. The only time he\u2019d reacted with anything other than calm acceptance was when she\u2019d described the room of flame; then he\u2019d shuddered. \u201cFlames and I have not been on good terms for some time,\u201d he\u2019d told her, and had pointed to his ruby ring. \u201cEnchanted. Flame resistance.\u201d She\u2019d watched the emotions that flitted briefly over his face and sighed. She was never going to understand all that had transpired in his life during the intervening time. It made her sad.\u00a0 But at least at the moment he was talking to her, easily; and she would take that.<\/p>\n
He nodded. \u201cI found myself casting a lot of spells as well, in the past couple of years. I even reanimated a skeleton once. I can\u2019t imagine how. I can\u2019t do the spells anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n
The hair on Sayma\u2019s neck rose as she tried to imagine Brynjolf raising a skeleton from the dead. \u201cNecromancy?\u201d<\/p>\n
There\u2019s nothing at all that I like about the fact that Bryn was a vampire. This makes it even worse.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cIf you want to put it that way. It just happened. We were in a tight spot and I reacted.\u201d<\/p>\n There were so many things she wanted to say, and she didn\u2019t know how to approach any of them.\u00a0 Part of it was that she was Redguard.\u00a0 I\u2019ve never been religious, but even as young as I was when my parents died I learned the message that the undead were simply\u2026 wrong. <\/em><\/p>\n \u201cBryn,\u201d she began, and then trailed off.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat is it?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t even know how to ask.\u201d<\/p>\n He glanced at her, one eyebrow raised. \u201cSo just ask. We\u2019ve known each other long enough to be past polite chit-chat.\u201d<\/p>\n Alright, I will<\/em>.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n She knew why, in part. She had puzzled that out, sitting in the cave in Coldharbour. She knew he had needed something to fill the emptiness. But knowing that didn\u2019t answer her visceral need for it to have been different, as impossible as that need was to answer. She still wanted to know why, to hear it from him.<\/p>\n He snorted. \u201cI might ask you the same question.\u201d<\/p>\n She sighed. Yes, you\u2019ve got me there.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cBut I\u2019ll give you an answer anyway,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019ve already told you, all of you. I wanted the power.\u201d\u00a0 He shrugged. \u201cI wanted to protect the Guild. I never wanted to be controlled again. Or see someone draining us dry from inside. Never again. I wanted to make sure that I could protect it all, forever if I could manage it. It doesn\u2019t make much sense, now that I hear myself say it; but that was why.\u201d<\/p>\n He was staring straight ahead, scanning the road for dangers. Sayma studied his face from the side. She might have expected him to look angry, or distressed, or saddened; but he was simply being matter-of-fact.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd Andante? How did he fit into the picture?\u201d<\/p>\n One side of his mouth rose. \u201cA means to an end.\u201d<\/p>\n She stopped, and put both hands on her hips.\u00a0 He continued a few steps up the hill, but stopped when she didn\u2019t keep pace and turned to stare at her.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t give me that.\u00a0 I saw the way he looked at you.\u201d<\/p>\n Brynjolf sighed.\u00a0 He returned to her, and put his hands on her shoulders.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll be honest with you, if you want. You won\u2019t like it.\u201d<\/p>\n Probably not. <\/em>\u201cTell me anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAt first, he truly was just a means to an end. And a diversion. A nice one, at that. He reminded me so much of Dynjyl; I was lonely, and he was interested. I played him exactly the way he wanted to be played, because I knew he was a vampire and I knew he could give me that power. It was as carefully planned out as any con I\u2019ve ever run.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBryn.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI told you that you wouldn\u2019t like it.\u201d<\/p>\n She looked up into his face, so subtly changed from the way she had known it before, and saw something else in his eyes.\u00a0 That\u2019s not the whole story. I know it, and he realizes that I know it.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cAnd?\u201d<\/p>\n His eyes softened.\u00a0 \u201cAnd he made me feel alive. He made me\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n He was gazing at her face, but she knew he saw something else, a million leagues away and in another time. He spoke as though he was speaking to himself.<\/p>\n \u201cHow can I say it without sounding stupid? Breathless. He\u2026 well, you said you saw how he looked at me.\u201d He waved his hand in the air, emphasizing the brilliant ruby on his finger. \u201cHow often have you ever had a person make<\/em> you a thing like this? I was what mattered most to him. How can you not be taken away by something like that? It didn\u2019t happen all at once, of course. It snuck up on me.\u201d<\/p>\n And he was right. I didn\u2019t really want to hear this. But I suppose I deserve it. And I suppose I should be grateful that he feels comfortable telling me these things.<\/em><\/p>\n Brynjolf turned and started trudging up the hill again, and she followed. He started speaking again, quietly.<\/p>\n \u201cHe gave himself up for me. I can\u2019t do anything for him in return, because he\u2019s gone. All I can do is try to free Dynny from the Soul Cairn, because that\u2019s what he wanted to do.\u201d\u00a0 He glanced at her again, as if anticipating her questions. \u201cI can\u2019t tell you why Dynny and I fell for each other, all those years ago. I\u2019m not one to believe in fate, but if I did that\u2019s what I\u2019d say about him. Andante knew that. In spite of not really wanting to share me with anyone else he tried to help Dynny, and he helped us find you.\u201d He turned to give her the smallest of smiles. \u201cThat\u2019s why I\u2019m here with you now. I need to do this.\u201d<\/p>\n Sayma nodded.\u00a0 I can understand that, a little bit.\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n \u201cYou miss him.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOf course. I\u2019ll always miss him.\u201d\u00a0 He turned to glance at her for a moment. \u201cJust as I\u2019ll always miss Dynjyl. But that doesn\u2019t mean I\u2019m going to stop living. I have things to do. I still need to protect the Guild.\u201d<\/p>\n That\u2019s remarkable, Sayma thought. It hasn\u2019t been that long. He\u2019s still grieving. And yet he\u2019s pushing forward. I think I might have crawled into a hole to die.<\/p>\n Then she remembered, yet again, what Roggi had told her. \u201cWhen you left, he fell apart. He was trying to end it, the slow way.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n So what was different about that?\u00a0 I don\u2019t understand.<\/em><\/p>\n They passed Falkreath and started up the incline toward Pinewatch. Sayma\u2019s mind was whirling. In part it felt familiar and comfortable to be walking down the road with Brynjolf, and she supposed that it must feel that way to him as well. Otherwise, he\u2019d never be talking about these things with her.\u00a0 On the other hand, there were the awkward truths that stood between them, starting with the fact that she looked completely different \u2013 a fact that would forever point out her betrayal.<\/p>\n \u201cHe made you feel alive by making you undead.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes. It doesn\u2019t make much sense, does it?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUndead are\u2026\u201d she shuddered. \u201cOne of the places I had to visit in order to get to Ben Erai was a tiny island in Coldharbour.\u201d<\/p>\n Brynjolf\u2019s sharp intake of breath told her that he was as shocked by that as she had been to learn he\u2019d reanimated a skeleton.<\/p>\n \u201cI thought I could just, I don\u2019t know, swim to the mainland and escape. The water, though. It drains you. Your life. Pulls it out of you, like a\u2026\u201d She trailed off again, remembering the hideous pain of that water, and shuddering.<\/p>\n He nodded slowly. \u201cLike a vampire.\u201d He frowned. \u201cWell if it\u2019s any consolation to you I tried to be careful. It\u2019s possible to cast a spell, and only take as much as you need to feed yourself, without killing the mark. I was careful, most of the time.\u00a0 Andante, though; he just took whatever was in front of him. Every bit of it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGods.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d\u00a0 There was a pause while they turned off the road toward the portal. \u201cThat was one of the reasons he was so exciting. No limits.\u201d<\/p>\n Sayma sighed.\u00a0 I suppose I do understand that.\u00a0 Why else did I join the Brotherhood, after all? <\/em>She frowned.<\/p>\n \u201cSpeaking of limits,\u201d Brynjolf said, \u201cyou might be interested in this. You remember the bedside table in Honeyside?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGods. Sixty-four bottles of skooma?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMmm,\u201d Brynjolf said, smiling. \u201cThe very best. Andante made it. I\u2019m sorry; I know you don\u2019t like the idea of me using it. I didn\u2019t expect you\u2019d be around to worry about it.\u201d<\/p>\n Sayma stopped and stared at him. \u201cBrynjolf, is there really any reason you have to be cruel to me right now?\u201d<\/p>\n His face softened. \u201cI don\u2019t mean to be. I was going to tell you that I had Delvin get rid of them.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cReally?\u201d<\/p>\n He nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cYes. I just wanted you to know that. It was one thing while I was a vampire, but now? Not a good idea at all. I\u2019m telling you, it was the best, and I don\u2019t know how well I could have avoided ending up like\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPlease, Bryn,\u201d she said, shaking her head and putting her hand on his arm. \u201cDon\u2019t.\u00a0 It still hurts after all these years. But thank you for letting me know. That\u2026 means a lot to me.\u201d<\/p>\n He nodded. \u201cAye. I thought you might be pleased that it\u2019s gone. Besides,\u201d he added, stretching his neck, \u201cit probably has made a lot of coin for the Guild. Delvin\u2019s connections are always good for that.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSomething tells me you wouldn\u2019t have found me if not for Delvin\u2019s connections.\u201d Of course, it helped that I couldn\u2019t stand it anymore and had to let you know that \u2018Dag\u2019 was still alive.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cDelvin\u2019s and Roggi\u2019s. He may have been out of the business for years but he still has an impressive network.\u201d\u00a0 Brynjolf grinned. \u201cI suspect Dardeh doesn\u2019t quite realize the extent of it.\u201d<\/p>\n Sayma chuckled, and looked around the area. \u201cUp here,\u201d she said, pointing up the hill from where they stood.<\/p>\n They padded quietly up the dirt path.\u00a0 Sayma raised her left hand, gathered her power, and cast the Ancient Vision spell.\u00a0 As usual, it exploded noisily, revealing a stone plinth next to the trail.\u00a0 Sayma reached for Brynjolf\u2019s hand, rough and warm as she remembered, and pulled him near it.<\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s go,\u201d she said, and activated the portal.<\/p>\n Brynjolf grumbled, when they stepped out into dark interior of the Ben Erai fortress. \u201cThis doesn\u2019t look like a desert to me. It could be the fort at Pale Pass for all I can see.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cStop acting like a grumpy old man and come out here,\u201d Sayma said, pushing open the door and stepping out, squinting, into the heat of the day. The desert palms swayed in a very hot and dry breeze that bore no resemblance whatsoever to Pale Pass, and only the momentary blindness caused by sun on bleached sand would make a person think of snow.<\/p>\n \u201cOh!\u201d<\/p>\n She chuckled.\u00a0 I haven\u2019t gotten that reaction from him very often. Maybe that very first day, when I told him no in the marketplace in Riften.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cThis is Ben Erai. Somewhere in Hammerfell; I\u2019m not sure where, exactly. I came here from another spot the first time \u2013 up to the northwest. No need to ever visit those places again. In fact, I\u2019m not sure we could, even if we wanted to.\u201d She looked up at the sky and noted the sun, high overhead. It wouldn\u2019t be long before the heat would be unbearable. \u201cWe need to get under shade for a few hours. I have just the place.\u201d<\/p>\n She led Brynjolf through the guards\u2019 encampment and along the tiled pathway toward the center of the village, watching in amusement as his gaze flitted from place to place, from person to person, few of them though there were outside at this time of day. He\u2019s casing it. Of course he is. Some things never change.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cI bought a house here,\u201d she said quietly as they approached.<\/p>\n \u201cYou what?\u201d She grinned at his incredulous look.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, it\u2019s nothing special. Really. Come on in,\u201d she said, pushing the door open.<\/p>\n It was all she could do to keep from giggling as she watched him take in the full expanse of the tiny room. She forced her face to stay as neutral as possible and waited.\u00a0 Finally, he cleared his throat.\u00a0 Here it comes.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not exactly \u2026 opulent here, is it?\u201d he said tentatively.<\/p>\n Sayma fought her face more, trying not to burst into laughter. \u201cNo, it\u2019s not a wealthy village. And this isn\u2019t a big house. There\u2019s a nice patio up on the roof, though, where you can catch a breeze without burning to death.\u201d<\/p>\n He nodded. \u201cThere\u2019s one thing, though.\u201d<\/p>\n She raised one eyebrow. \u201cOh?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt needs dusting. It\u2019s full of cobwebs.\u201d<\/p>\n She stared at him for a moment in disbelief, because while there was an inevitable coating of fine dust anywhere in a desert, there was nothing like a cobweb in this home, anywhere that she had seen. Then she saw his eyes start twinkling and, in spite of all efforts to the contrary, one corner of his mouth rose.<\/p>\n Oh good grief.<\/em><\/p>\n She swatted at him.<\/p>\n \u201cYou will never<\/em> let that go, will you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot ever.\u201d He snickered.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re insufferable, Brynjolf,\u201d she said, pretending to be cross; but inside her heart was doing a little dance. He doesn\u2019t hate me. If he remembers that and can tease me with it, he doesn\u2019t hate me. I\u2019ll take it.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cOh, and something else.\u201d She pointed toward one of the chests. \u201cLook in there. That\u2019s for you. I was going to bring it through myself, but since you\u2019re here now we can split the job when we go back.\u201d<\/p>\n Brynjolf flipped the chest\u2019s lid open and made a strangled noise. He knelt down beside it and started rifling through its contents, lifting things out to examine them, every so often saying \u201coh!\u201d or making some other expression of surprise. Finally he rose to his feet and stared at her.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat do you mean that\u2019s for me? That\u2019s a huge amount of wealth.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes it is,\u201d she said, allowing herself a grin at last. \u201cThat path to get here was a test of a thief, a real thief. I told you. It was hard. And it was simply loaded with treasure. I left behind the heaviest pieces but just the gems and the jewelry are enough to supplement the Guild\u2019s coffers for awhile, don\u2019t you think?\u201d<\/p>\n He was silent for several moments, just studying her face.<\/p>\n \u201cYes. Yes they are. Why would you want to do such a thing?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell first of all, I\u2019ll be damned if I let Nocturnal tell me I\u2019m not a real thief. They\u2019d just stripped me of my title and made you Guildmaster, and I had a point to prove. But I owe you. I owe all of you. I disappeared for two years. This is what I can do, since I can\u2019t give back the time. When we go back I want you to take it to the Guild.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSayma.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBryn.\u201d She smiled at him. \u201cIt\u2019s the same thing as you wanting to come with me for the Cowl. We both have something to make right, don\u2019t we?\u201d<\/p>\n He was quiet for a few moments, and then smiled and nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cAye.\u201d<\/p>\n For several hours they rested. Sayma went to the inn and bought some cool drinks, and they spent time on the rooftop and in the house both.\u00a0 They each kicked off their boots, and removed gauntlets, and bandoliers, and capes, and opened up their armor enough to let the breeze cool them down; and Sayma couldn\u2019t help but cast a few furtive but appreciative glances at Brynjolf\u2019s chest peeking out from his unfastened leathers. They were mostly silent, but sometimes chatted about insignificant things.\u00a0 She brought out the map she had slipped from Syloria\u2019s room into her pack, and showed Brynjolf the general lay of the land, and pointed to what she thought were the places they needed to visit.\u00a0 He nodded, and once or twice she thought she caught him smiling at her, just slightly.<\/p>\n It felt good.<\/p>\n After some time she stretched out on the bed to try and nap.\u00a0 She had offered him the bed, but he had shaken his head and said \u201cno, you know I don\u2019t sleep much.\u201d\u00a0 It had taken her no time at all to fall asleep, and it seemed as though no time at all had passed before she heard it again.<\/p>\n Come to me.<\/em><\/p>\n She bolted upright with a cry, and heard heavy footsteps on the stairs outside before Brynjolf burst in the door.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI heard it again! The voice!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat? What voice?\u201d<\/p>\n She shook her head, and tried to calm herself.\u00a0 \u201cThis is the third time. I keep hearing this voice, a man\u2019s voice. It says \u2018Come to me.\u2019\u00a0 I don\u2019t know whose voice it is, but I only hear it here, in Ben Erai.\u201d<\/p>\n Brynjolf frowned. \u201cThat\u2019s strange. Any idea who it could be?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot a one. It\u2019s got to have something to do with the Cowl. Doesn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know.\u00a0 Maybe we\u2019ll find something out as we travel. Unless you know someone here who we could ask.\u201d<\/p>\n Sayma shook her head and grumbled. \u201cNo. The only people here I could talk to would be all full of \u2018Yes, Dragonborn. No, Dragonborn. Whatever you need, Dragonborn.\u2019 We\u2019ve waited two hundred years for you to get here, Dragonborn.\u201d<\/p>\n She didn\u2019t notice that Brynjolf had gone silent for several moments.\u00a0 When she did, she looked up to find him staring at her.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDragonborn?\u201d he said, one eyebrow raised. \u201cDardeh is the Dragonborn, isn\u2019t he? Or is there something you haven\u2019t told me?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh.\u201d By the gods. I didn\u2019t tell him this, did I?<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t \u2018oh\u2019 me. What\u2019s this all about?\u201d<\/p>\n She blew out a long breath, and rubbed her forehead.\u00a0 \u201cYou may as well sit down, Bryn. This is as strange a story as Coldharbour was.\u201d<\/p>\n She spent the next little while telling him about the dragon she had fought with Roggi and Dardeh. How she\u2019d nearly been frozen to death, but Roggi had stepped between her body and the beast\u2019s maw and saved her once again. How she\u2019d watched Dardeh finish the dragon, the magnificent sight of its energy rushing to surround him, to enter him.<\/p>\n \u201c\u2026 and?\u201d Brynjolf asked flatly.\u00a0 \u201cWhat\u2019s the rest?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSome of it, the energy\u2026 it came up the hill toward me.\u00a0 Dardeh thinks I absorbed it, the way he does.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHmm.\u201d\u00a0 Brynjolf stroked his beard. \u201cAnd why would he think that?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou just don\u2019t give up, do you?\u201d she snapped at him, and then thought better of it.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m sorry.\u00a0 The whole thing makes me uncomfortable to think about.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, I don\u2019t give up,\u201d he said quietly. \u201cWhy would Dardeh think you absorbed the power?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBecause, Brynjolf,\u201d she said, looking him square in the eyes, \u201cbefore that, when I heard a dragon roar I heard loud sounds. When Dar Shouted, I heard loud sounds. That was all. After that \u2013 the energy – Dardeh Shouted, and I heard what he had said. I understood the words. Three words: frost, cold, freeze. In dragon language.\u201d<\/p>\n He stared at her.\u00a0 He turned and walked the two or three paces it took to span the length of the house, and turned back.<\/p>\n \u201cCan you make the words yourself?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo. I can understand them but that\u2019s all.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut that\u2019s enough to make these people think you\u2019re Dragonborn.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt must be. But the weird part, Bryn, is that something about me made those people out in the Reach think I was Dragonborn before this happened. They sent me here. It\u2019s supposed to be something only the Dragonborn can do. And yet here we are. All these people talk about is their ancestors and Caio Umbranox and how he left the Cowl for the Dragonborn to find.\u00a0 Ancestor this, ancestor that.\u201d<\/p>\n Brynjolf sat down at the table and stared at the floor, clearly deep in thought.<\/p>\n \u201cWell,\u201d he said, \u201cit must have something to do with your ancestors, then. Yours and Dardeh\u2019s. Because we know he is Dragonborn. No question of that. And you\u2019re his sister.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHalf-sister.\u201d<\/p>\n Brynjolf looked up at her and smiled, gently. \u201cSo you\u2019re half Dragonborn, then. Maybe. It\u2019s got to be something you have in common.\u00a0 Or someone.\u201d<\/p>\n Sayma frowned. \u201cIt\u2019s not our father\u2019s voice I\u2019m hearing, Bryn.\u201d<\/p>\n He shrugged. \u201cAs long as it\u2019s not threatening you, does it matter?\u201d<\/p>\n She stared at him for a moment, and then shook her head. He\u2019s just trying to help. I should be grateful for the support.<\/em> \u201cNo. I guess it doesn\u2019t. But it\u2019s the most unsettling thing.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sure it is.\u201d He chuckled. \u201cWell, no. The most unsettling thing would have been for you to watch me change to a Vampire Lord. That would have been very unsettling.\u201d<\/p>\n She felt a shudder ripple out from her core.<\/p>\n \u201cGods, Bryn. I don\u2019t even want to think about that.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAye. I don\u2019t blame you.\u201d He stood and grinned at her, his eyes twinkling. \u201cI was pretty fearsome. Great big wings and you can\u2019t imagine the claws\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCut it out, already. I don\u2019t even want to picture it!\u201d<\/p>\n He laughed at her.<\/p>\n I\u2019m going to break his nose.<\/em><\/p>\n She looked at the window and judged the angle of the light. \u201cIt\u2019s probably cool enough now that we could start on our way, if you\u2019re up to it.\u201d<\/p>\n Brynjolf snorted. \u201cAre you calling me an old man, now? Of course I\u2019m up to it.\u201d\u00a0 He started pulling on his boots; and as he did so and bent over to tug them on, his leather jacket opened even more.\u00a0 Sayma stared at him for a moment and then made herself turn to her own boots.<\/p>\n I should not be looking at him like that.<\/em><\/p>\n No? I thought you liked that view.<\/em><\/p>\n Oh for the sake of all the gods, please shut up now.<\/em><\/p>\n She cleared her throat.<\/p>\n \u201cAll of the places we need to check first are to the north and northwest. I suggest we go as far northwest as we can, along the foot of the mountains, and see what we find.\u201d<\/p>\n Brynjolf stood and began fastening his jacket, shrugging into his bandoliers and pauldrons and pulling on his gauntlets.\u00a0 \u201cThat sounds like a good plan to me.\u201d A moment or two later he looked at her and snorted. \u201cThat is, if you ever get ready. You do plan to put on the rest of your armor, yes?\u201d<\/p>\n Sayma had been just watching him dress, taking in the sight of him, and she both jumped in surprise and blushed furiously.<\/p>\n \u201cUm, yes, I\u2019m almost ready,\u201d she said, turning to pick her cape up from the bed and put it on.\u00a0 Gods damn it. What in Oblivion am I thinking about? He doesn\u2019t want me looking at him like that.<\/em><\/p>\n The sun had sunk fairly low in the sky by the time they walked out through the gates of Ben Erai.\u00a0 Sayma pointed northwest, toward the small oasis where she\u2019d met Arenar Esdrecus.<\/p>\n \u201cThat way, generally speaking. There\u2019s at least one oasis out there, probably more.\u00a0 Let\u2019s see if we can make some progress before it gets too late, because when that sun goes down\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes?\u201d<\/p>\n She turned to see him standing with his hands on his hips, his expression unreadable.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen that sun goes down it gets really dark. No giants\u2019 fires or settlements to light the way. And I was told there are things called dune rippers out there, that have fireballs that can kill us.\u201d<\/p>\n This time she could read his expression.\u00a0 He shuddered.<\/p>\n \u201cAlright. Let\u2019s get going.\u201d<\/p>\n They walked for a short time, in silence, only the sound of their leather boots whispering through the sand accompanying their passage.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s going to get cold, isn\u2019t it?\u201d Brynjolf said out of nowhere. \u201cOnce the sun goes down.\u201d<\/p>\n Sayma laughed. \u201cYes. That\u2019s usually how it goes in a desert. Blazing hot in the day and cold at night. Very cold.\u201d<\/p>\n They walked for a few more moments.<\/p>\n Brynjolf chuckled.<\/p>\n She turned to look at him, puzzled.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s so funny?\u201d<\/p>\n He grinned at her.<\/p>\n \u201cRoggi and I were caught out in the rain and we both thought about how much you hate to be cold.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBrynjolf. You both did? That\u2019s\u2026 embarrassing.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo. It was funny that we both said the same thing. I thought it was funny, anyway. Roggi was embarrassed.\u201d<\/p>\n She took a few more steps, staring straight ahead, feeling herself blushing in spite of all efforts not to, and very grateful that the light was dimming.<\/p>\n I can imagine. Good grief. <\/em><\/p>\n Brynjolf chuckled again. She turned to find him smiling at her.<\/p>\n \u201cWell don\u2019t worry. I\u2019m human again. Nord. I\u2019m still warm.\u201d<\/p>\n She had no choice but to smile back.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve never seen any kind of portal near Pinewatch,\u201d Brynjolf said as they walked up the road east from Falkreath. \u201cAnd I\u2019ve spent more time than I\u2019d like to remember walking this road in the past couple of years.\u201d Sayma nodded, and peered up the road ahead of them. It wasn\u2019t raining, not quite, but … <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/baakay.com\/FanFic\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/4-1-15-2.png\")
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<\/p>\nPart I: Sayma Sendu<\/a><\/div>\nPrevious<\/a> \/ Next<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"