The Return of Sithis, Volume 1: Awakening

"I...I'm confused," she said as her expression changed to one of pain, "Why would you say something like that?"

She continued to act out of character, as she tried to find out why everyone thought she was being strange. Her head didn't have any bruises or cuts, or anything else to suggest she had literally hit her head. And it didn't hurt like a normal injury would, so she couldn't figure it out.

"O-... Ode-..." she struggles for a minute, gripping her head in pain as she is obviously fighting something in her mind, before a look of complete mental clarity is seen on her face. "Odette. That's always been my name."

Upon hearing Avenicci call her Lorelei, she starts breaking down. She clutches her head, trying to make the throbbing and the maddening memories go away. The rest of her body is shaking, as the personalities of both Odette and Lorelei try to be the one to answer him. Odette needed to tell him that she was telling the truth, but Lorelei needed to deny that she ever said she was Odette, and blame it all on madness. As she became unable to keep in her cries and screams from the pain in her head, she needed one side to win, just for long enough that she could go back to sleep. Because then everything would be better later, no more pain and confusion.

"Are you alright!?" Avenicci shouted as he gripped her shoulders tightly while releasing a Calm spell through his touch. "Answer me!"

"No, my head..." she said as she had to use Avenicci for support again to keep from falling. "I need to go back to sleep."

As her eyes began to close, she seemed almost scared to fall asleep again. But it also seemed to be painful for her to fight sleep, so in the end, she had to push her fears aside.

"I'm always sleeping...but I never get any rest..." she said just before falling into a deep sleep.

After a long walk back to Karthwasten, they found a carriage heading southwest towards Markarth. They paid a small sum of money for transport to the city of the dwarves and within an hour, they reached the city.

"Where's the nearest doctor!?" Avenicci shouted at one of the guards who was guarding the main gate.

"Woah there, Imperial. Calm down." The guard shook hi hands as he backed away and pointed to his left. "The Hag's Cure, turn right, then left by one of the streams. Oldest shop in Markarth, since before the Dragon Crisis."

"Thank you." Avenicci quickly replied as he threw a small bag of coins at the guard's feet and rushed inside with Doroan before heading into the aforementioned potion shop.

"We need a doctor!" He yelled as he had Dorian put Lorelei down onto a table in the shop. "She's been suffering from chills, strange nightmares, partial memory loss, and confusion!"

"Coming!" A woman's voice could be heard from the back room before a Breton woman appeared behind the counter and looked at Lorelei. "Oh, dear. It's past closing time, and the door should have been locked. Let me see her..."

The Breton skittered over to Lorelei's body before takin her pulse, breathing pattern, and examining the inside of her mouth before moving we into a nearby stretcher.

"She needs a priest more than an alchemist, but I'll see what I can do." She explained as she rushed her into a room of to the side.

Mostly due to Elena's constant praise, Varren expected a welcoming party from the Jarl. He just didn't expect quite the welcoming he got. As the Gullwind neared the port, and Windhelm in all it's majesty loomed above them, a full platoon of guards stood waiting on the docks. Far too many for the welcoming of the Jarl's friend, and far too many for a escort. That many guards could only mean one thing. Jarl Nelod has betrayed the Guild. He's betrayed Elena.

The Guildmaster herself is still below deck, and no one else notices anything wrong-so much for a ship of thieves- so Varren springs into action. He sprints towards the second level of the deck, racing up the stairs. "Turn the ship around!" He snaps at the helmsman, who simply blinks in disbelief at the order.

"Who the blazing hell do ya-"

He never finishes, as Varren shoulder tackles him to the ground, sending him skidding across the deck like a drunk in a storm. Varren gramps the wheel and harshly turns the ship to port. The Gullwind groans as the mast leans, and the ship gradually begins turning back out to sea. The guards on the docks, realizing their plan has been discovered, draw their weapons and bark orders at more guards, hidden on the bridge above. Oh, s***... Archers. And a lot of them.

And if that wasn't bad enough, as the archers mounted on the bridge high above notch their arrows, Varren notices small flickers of light. "Take the wheel!!" Varren screams at the helmsman. "We're under attack!"

The sailor's eyes widen as he jumps into action, seizing the wheel from Varren like a madman. "What in Aetherius is going on?!" Elena barks, finally exiting the cabin below.

She's quickly interrupted by Varren tackling her from behind, as the first volley of fire arrows is unleashed. Thankfully, the Gull had already begun to leave port, and most of the arrows fell short. But not all. Elena lands beneath him with an oof, instinctively clutching his shoulders. "We're under attack," Varren breathes to her, and her eyes turn icy. "I can see that! Let me up!"

Varren quickly bolts to his feet, and as Elena leaps to hers, the ship finally comes alive. The two other Nightingales burst from below decks, already dressed in full battle gear, bows drawn and arrows notched, followed by swarming Guild members. However, the Gullwind is rapidly gaining speed, and the distance between them and their adversaries is steadily increasing. The two Nightingales, along with Elena, manage to eliminate six or seven archers, before the gap proves too great. Within minutes, Windhelm lays behind them, and they're safely out at sea.

"What the hell happened?!" Elena snaps, whirling on Varren.

He narrows his eyes dangerously. "I just saved our hides, that's what. Your friend, Jarl Nelod, betrayed us. They were waiting with a large, meticulously planned, ambush. An ambush of that size isn't meant to take prisoners."

Elena deflates like a lead balloon, all her anger vanishing, leaving only resignation and hurt. "But... Why? I've known Nelod for years, decades even. Why would he want to kill me?"

"I don't know," Varren admits. "But I intend to find out."

"As much as I hate to interrupt," the Khajiit Nightingale Droithe says in a tone that implies differently, moving to stand between Varren and Elena. "We can discuss they whys and wherefores later. Now, we need to discuss a new plan of action."

Elena nods, clearly troubled. "You're right. It's probably best if we just sail down the coast. We can moor the ship in the old waterways, east of Riften."

Droithe seems pleased with this, and Varren narrows his eyes again. He really doesn't like this cat. Elena brushes past Droithe as she barks the order to the helmsman, before walking back to Varren. "I'm sorry for snapping at you earlier," she says softly. "And thank you. You saved us all."

Varren merely nods, watching as the troubled elf heads back down below deck. For some reason, instinct maybe, he turns around to look for Droithe. But the cat is nowhere to be seen.

" was your mother Marthdia?" The girl asks.
Siegemund was tired, undoubtly so.
"What does it matter?" He asked none to gently.

The girl steps back as the merchant manhandles her.
"Sorry sir, this is Thaeva Grey-mane, daughter of Siglund." He says frantically.
He is quickly repelled by Thaeva elbowing him in the face.

"Marthdia was my aunt." She replied gruffly.
Siegemund wasn't expecting this piece of information.
"Quit the jokes, Marthdia was married to Herman." He chuckled dryly.
Thaeva shook her head," broken boy soldier, you should know that's a lie."


"I am not a soldier, nor broken. Why are you calling me this? I dot even know you." He exhaled.
"Because, she is telling the truth." The two whirled around to see Nephle behind them, staring at her feet.
It became clear to Siegemund," you gave me to relatives? I'm confused." He said.

"Marthdia was a grey-mane. I knew this, and the fact she never married Herman Septim." Nephle continued guiltily.
"Impossible. My parents were married. They refered to each other as so in my memories." Siegemund insisted.
"Your right, I'm sorry." Nephle said.

"There's room at the house for two more. Father is at the Skyforge for now, mother would be happy to see her Nephew." Thaeva grinned.

Siegemund didn't want to believe this woman was a relative of his, but Nephle had confirmed it.
"Thank you, I'm sorry for not believing you." He apologized.

The group of three made their way back to a home located in the wind district.
The house was spacious and fit for a mansion.
On the porch stood a woman with equally grey hair, fixing weapons.
She looked up at Thaeva before her eyes were drawn to Siegemund.

"Impossible." She whispered. The boy had vanished months ago from the home.
Her eyes moved to Nephle and glinted with coldness,"I told you not to return to my home imperial." She scowled.
"I'm only here to bring back your nephew. I found him on a ice field." Nephle replied strained.
Siegemund did not like this tension one bit.

"I've known her far longer than I remember you. Where I go, she stays." He glared.
"Mother." Thaeva pleaded. Eventually, the old woman sighed and nodded," very well, I will allow you I stay,but who you are must stay hidden."
She said.

Siegemund followed behind the three women, pondering on the recent events.
Tomorrow he would see the jarl.

The priestess of Dibella that came and examined Lorelei told them that she couldn't do anything for them and redirected them towards the Temple of Kynareth in Whiterun. After buying a good stock of potions from the store and some food for the trip, Dorian, Lorelei, and Avenicci headed towards Whiterun on the carriage that they had hired previously. About halfway through the trip, Lorelei began to stir again, so Avenicci attempted to wake her up.

"Lorelei." He called as he poked her face with his gloved right hand. "Wake up. Lorelei..."

After his initial attempt failed, he grabbed her cheek and pinched it tightly. Now frustrated at being beaten by a sleeping woman, Avenicci tuned away, only to formulate a new plan. He slowly took off Lorelei's shoe before tickling her foot with great fervor.