The Return of Sithis, Volume 1: Awakening

"Thank you," Lorelei said as she sat up and prepared to leave the temple.

A little while later, she was sitting at the counter in the inn. Avenicci and...that other person, weren't there, so they had to still be sleeping.

"I'm supposed to 'meet' a man here this evening. He claims to be a mage, and he's dressed up like some noble, most likely overcompensating for something else, but that's not the point. You will have seen him, real lonely and can't pick up women himself. Said he might bring a friend. Anyway, is he here already? I need the gold now, not later, so I thought I might start early and pay him a visit."

"Up the stairs over there. Just...try not to be too loud, it makes other customers, and me, uncomfortable," the innkeeper said.

"I'll try to keep that in mind," she said as she twirled her hair.

After following the innkeeper's directions and finding the room Avenicci had rented, Lorelei stopped to listen for any signs of people being inside. When all she heard was breathing, she knew he must be asleep. She quietly unlocked the door with a spell, and stepped inside, locking the door before they even knew she was there. Last, she silently summoned a bound bow, and fired an arrow just above Avenicci's head to wake him up.

Lorelei then fired two more arrows, one on each side of Avenicci's head, to show how angry she was. And then she readied a fourth arrow.

Acting like you're my friend will only get you killed. By me.

"Why do you insist on pestering me? I should have killed you the day you followed me in Solitude," Lorelei said.

Siegemund rolled over to find himself pressed into someone's neck. He inhaled and then fell asleep again.
Later, rays of sunlight entered through the window making him open his eyes.
He tried to get up, but found something holding his mid section.
Nephle snored into his ear as he struggled and pulled him closer.
"She has the strength of a bear." Siegemund wheezed.

How did she even get into his bed in the first place.
As long as no one came in he would be fine. He struggled a few minutes
Before pulling himself free. He let out a long sigh as he walked to the door.
"Wonder if they serve breakfast." He pondered.

Sounds of movement caught his ear and stopped at his door.
Siegemund opened it revealing Abheim who peered inside the room.
"I noticed your friend never came out last night." He chuckled.
Siegemund shoved him out of the way,locked the door and then closed it.

"She was drunk. She slept. End of story." He dismissed.
Abheim nudged him in the side, " she was drunk. You-

A body hit the wall and it wasn't Siegemunds.
"You were drunk. You walked into the wall." He chuckled dryly.

Abheim got up and growled. He tackled the youth from behind.
"First lesson whelp, brawling." He grinned. Siegemud three him up and flipped up.
"Do we really have to break things in here?" Siegemund asked.

"You break something and I'll break the both of you and kick you out." Bela growled.
The two looked at her. She was eating breakfast and glaring at them.
"Of course, I'd never break something." Siegemund remarked.

Bela tossed a folder from the desk at Abheim.
"You two are partners for every mission now on. By the way, an Imperial came looking for a job.
I assigned her to Adarya." Bela said off handily.

"Ah, Nephle? Her hangover will be something fierce." Siegemund cringed.

He walked out the door behind Abheim who was reading the contents.
"Today, we are hunting criminals. This guy is dangerous and won't be easy. Calls himself," the Gutter."
Abheim explained.

"And he guts people?" Siegemund said obviously.
Abheim gave him a look and shook his head.
"Kid, cut the jokes. You're gonna have to be serious about this." He snapped.

"I am serious. Joking is a way for me to all rice the fear I feel in battle." Siegemund replied.

"You don't look like a Nord by the way." Abheim pointed out, hefting his War axe over his shoulder.

"Red hair is rare, I agree. Then again, my other parent wasn't a Nord." Siegemund stated.

"Eh, at least you have the fighting spirit of one. Now Let's send this killed to Sonvgarde!" Abheim cheered.

"Sonvgarde?" Siegemund questioned. " place we Nords believe in and I to in the afterlife, although we don't always end up there." Abheim answered patiently.

"Sounds fun." Siegemund said honestly.

"Said to be as much mead as the eye can see. A true Nords home." Abheim declared proudly.

Siegemund would never understand his race and their love of Mead but decided to I with it.
"Yeah!" He cheered rather weakly.

"I was just-gurk-saying that you are going to need an expert if you plan on staying hidden." He gasped as he tried to pull her hands away. "Sorry, I thought that would just be the best way to convey that message. I didn't mean it in any way like that. I hate him almost as much as you do."

"Okay you're probably right about that." He retracted his statement as he loosened her grip. "I do hate him though."

"If I could, I would." Avenicci panted as he held his chest as he slid down onto the floor. "You didn't hate me when you agreed to come to Whiterun. Actually, you were smiling, which is something I wouldn't think possible if I didn't see it myself.

"You woke up twice!" Avenicci objected as he stood up. "Once before we went to Markarth to get you fixed up after you passed out, and once on the way here! Granted, I woke you up, but still. You then say eyed having headaches and nearly collapsed when I said your name, Lorelei."

"First of all, you were happy." Avenicci's breathing slowed as he slumped over. "Secondly, you called yourself Odette, like the Archmage."