“Oh, that Reesa reminds me of someone here in Cyrodiil” – Lena laughed, interrupting Hauk’s story. They had set off from the Imperial City on their journey South and were just approaching the Old Crow Inn at the junction of the Red Ring Road and Gold Road.

“Whoever do you mean?” – Hauk looked at her with suspicion, a long string of faces flashing before his eyes. Could she know of any of them? Nah, impossible!

“A certain Orc that the publican here asked me to kill” – Lena turned to look at Hauk, clearly enjoying his worried expression.

“An Orc?” – Hauk replied casually, still holding his breath. That was an old story indeed… Whichever of the Orcs she meant… Oh, wait – something to do with the local publican. So, none of what he was thinking. Good. He exhaled with relief. Lena laughed.

“And here I was thinking that it’s just the sanguine eyes that would always get you going. But I see that green skin can have the same effect…” – she chuckled.

“Well, may be. Or may be not. Not any more anyhow, not after…” – he smiled at her, realising that she’d been fishing and got him. “Never mind that. What was it about an Orc that you had to kill?”

“An Orc seductress who led away this lady’s mate” – Lena explained, making a mental note to find out about Hauk and the Orc… Orcs… whatever. “I had to kill that mate as well, of course, so the lady is now unattached, and she’s a Dunmer…” – Lena added, pushing the door to the inn.

…

“Well, hello!” – the publican beamed at Lena seeing her come in. “And a warm welcome to your friend as well!” – she beamed at Hauk too whose broad grin told her all she needed to know. “You can use the basement room as before, it’s ready for you. Would you care for something to eat first?”

A most pleasant evening was about to commence. Lena and Hauk sat down for dinner, even though it wasn’t particularly late in the day yet, but hey – here was a friendly inn and good food, and they were not likely to walk away from that in a hurry. Elsweyr could wait – they would get up early in the morning and make up the time tomorrow.

The basement room was well-furnished, clean and tidy, just as Lena left it last time. Hauk noticed the excavation deeper in and a strange door that was locked. He asked Lena about it.

“The person who furnished this room was looking for some rare artefact and tracked it down to here. Apparently there’s a tomb behind this door, and the artefact is there. But we are not going in” – she added firmly.

“Oh? Why not?” – Hauk felt there was more to the story. “Since when did you stop poking your nose into every mystery you come across?”

“I didn’t” – Lena grinned. “I tracked down the fellow who dug this up. I found his corpse hanging upside down in his house.”

“And?” Corpses never stopped Lena before.

“Some numbnut followed me there and declared that if I were to go into that tomb, the same would happen to me.”

“And that put you off?” – Hauk couldn’t quite believe it.

“No, not that. He also said that the artefact in question was gifted to their dead relative by one of the Divines, that the artefact was powerful and should be left interred with its owner.” She looked at Hauk, but seeing that he was still not satisfied with her explanation, she added: “It isn’t one of Pelinal’s relics, but it sounded very much like it. I just don’t want to touch anything Divine.”

“All right” – Hauk nodded, but kept his eyes on Lena. “What have you done?”

“Oh nothing out of the ordinary” – she smiled at him. “Nothing unusual, if that’s what you mean. I’m just not that devoted, you know… All right, yes, I pray to Arkay and he seems to accept me, but I wouldn’t be so sure about the others, what with my occupation and all…”

“Wolf, stop beating about the bush” – Hauk looked at her sternly. “You are not the only assassin around. You’ve never had troubles before. Something’s happened. What is it?”

“I… well…” – she sat down. “I spoke with Sithis. I nearly went with him, too.” She looked at Hauk in despair.

“And that got you worried?” – Hauk took her hand. “Don’t. He’s an Old God, older than the Divines, the Daedra, older than Nirn itself! You’ve been to the Fade again, then?”

“Yes, for the wraith exorcism at the old Pale Pass Fortress – Geralt sent me to get the wraiths to come to Mundus to fight.”

“So. And there the Void found you. How did you return?”

“My baby” – Lena put her hand on her belly, the baby just moved inside. “Reminded me where I belonged. And Sithis let me go – I think I’ve been marked now.”

“Marked with what? Don’t talk rubbish” – Hauk shook his head. “You’ve been listening to the priests too much. Sithis does not consume souls, and neither does he mark mortals in any way.”

“How do you know?”

“I’ve been to the Fade too” – Hauk smiled at her. “When I died, remember?”

“Sithis?”

“Was there. Said it wasn’t my time. Then you turned up.”

They sat in silence for a while – this brought up a lot of memories.

“Lucien and I plan to get married – in the Temple” – Lena looked up at Hauk. “We shall need Mara’s blessing.”

“And you’re worried she’d strike you down instead?” – Hauk’s expression cleared. So this was what it was all about!

“Well…” – Lena sighed. “We’re not exactly pious. And Geralt killed that priest back in Dawnstar for Vaermina…”

“You worry unnecessarily – again!” – Hauk exclaimed, topping up her goblet with the better Tamika wine. “The Divines don’t strike people down… Well, Mara doesn’t anyway… You’ll be fine. When’s the wedding?”

“After we’re back from Elsweyr. Lucien is arranging it – you’ll get a letter with the date and everything.”

“You’re doing the right thing getting married” – Hauk looked at her approvingly. “The child will need both parents registered in the Imperial Archives.”

“That’s what Lucien said too” – Lena nodded. “That’s why I agreed. But Hauk – what if the child is yours?”

“It doesn’t matter, Wolf” – Hauk said softly. “I’ll be around for as long as you want me, I am not backing away, but I am not your man. You chose Lucien. And he accepted the fatherhood, so be it. We won’t fight over it, he and I, our bonds are stronger than that.”

“Your bonds?” Lena felt that there was another world hiding behind those words, the world she had so far had no inkling about.

“I can’t tell you, Wolf, I am sorry” – Hauk smiled with regret. “May be one day, but not now. We’ve known each other for a long time, Lucien and I – but you knew that. Let’s just say, we’ve shared so much, that sharing a child with the woman we both love feels like the most natural thing ever.” He paused, looking at her intently over his mead. “And besides, you’re my best friend.”

Lena sighed, watching Hauk across the table. He was her best friend, and more. She decided to focus on “friend”, the rest was just too complicated. But she no longer worried about Mara refusing to join two assassins in marriage.

…

The night was quiet and the following morning they got up with the first light and took the Gold Road South towards Riverhold.