I kept my head slightly bowed, my gaze upon the expensive carpet that I was walking down. Five rows down I raised my head and smiled like I was happy, happy when my heart had shattered barely minutes before. I knew it was a mistake to invite some of Whiterun as well, but it was more of a mistake to invite the only companion that hated me: Njada Stonearm.

I stood at the Altar, not really focused on the words of the priest.

'Are there any objections to this lawful marriage?'

Immediately Brynjolf stood up, his brogue thick as he flat out objected to the marriage.

'I'm sorry, but your objection is invalid.'

I spotted the Illusion Mage instantly. He was one of the guards, controlling the wedding and making sure everything went in Ulfric's favor.

'I now pronounce you man and wife, may the nine watch over you.'

That was it, the deal was sealed and I was officially married.

—

So being married isn't so bad. I've already managed to get out of Windhelm and meet up with my friends at Breezehome in Whiterun, from there we'd start the journey to Cheydinhal. A few others had joined us as we'd lost some. Jespar and Sirius had decided to part ways with us and were replaced with Redal Greengrass and Hazel Highstone.

Redal was a tall Imperial, nearly the height of Brynjolf. He wore the signature armor of the Dawnguard, a silver crossbow over his back. He had long black hair tied up loosely in a half bun and shocking bright yellow eyes. Hazel was a high elf who was rather short for her kind, just shorter than Nightstone. She specializes in Restoration, and wore robes of white, embroidered in gold, and had a staff slung across her back. Hazel's hair was as white-blonde as the average high elf's, and it flowed freely down her back in gentle white-blonde waves.

Today we'd managed to get as far as Riften, where I treated us all to a luxury evening in Honeyside because I just happened to own the damn place. My housecarl, Iona, was hardly pleased with my company but was powerless to object in case she had a dagger in her back later on.  Of course, Ulylle had made sure that Brynjolf and I had spent the entire time right next to each other, even going as far as making us spend the night together too. At dawn, we made haste towards the Velothi Mountains and their border, deciding to cross into Morrowind before Cyrrodill, for we had no desire to be caught and executed before my brother who had sadly healed rather well after my initial attack.

By now we had entered Morrowind and were camping just inside the border. Ulylle had offered to take first watch, though Nightstone had immediately shut any feeble protests of hers down as he swept her off her feet and into their shared tent, stating firmly that she was going to make herself seriously ill if she dared take the watch for us before forcing her to down some medicine. I offered to make a mixture of poppy seed and valerian root to help ease Ulylle into sleep, not taking into account the fumes that would be released after crushing valerian root. Minutes later there was a soft green haze hanging over our encampment as I ground poppy seeds into a fine powder before taking a small silver dagger and slicing off both ends of the valerian root, then proceeding to crush it with the flat of the blade and draining the small brown root of its violently purple juices.

I then took a smooth malachite rod from my alchemy kit and stirred the powdered poppy seed and valerian root juice into a paste before tipping it all into a pot over the campfire, adding drinking water and stirring until the potion turned sky blue and began bubbling cheerily, emitting strong fumes that made my eyelids heavy. Swiftly transferring the potion from the makeshift cauldron into a cleaned and empty wine bottle, labeling it neatly as "Potion of Dreamless Sleep". I carefully filled a vial with just enough to have Ulylle asleep for two hours and handed it to Nightstone.

'Make sure she drinks it all, and she'll be awake again in two hours. If you'd like, you can help me with her special medication.'

The tall thief nodded, his cloak swishing behind him as he entered his and Ulylle's tent. I set to work, pulling out my copy of "Advanced Alchemy" and flipping pages until I found the recipe I was looking for.

POTION OF ULTIMATE CURE DISEASE

~ 1 Mudcrab Chitin

~ 1 Vampire Dust

~ 2 Felsaad Tern Feathers

~ 2 Charred Skeever Hide

Nightstone reappeared, adjusting his cloak and wandering over.

'Lucky you, you're off to the waterside to kill me a mudcrab and bring back it's chitin.'

Nightstone nodded as Mel worked her way over with Hazel and Firenze.

'Mel, I want you to watch over Ulylle. Hazel, you're going with Firenze to find Felsaad Tern nests and get some Vampire Dust.'

The three dispersed, going their own ways while I read the instructions for the potion.

METHOD:

POWDER Mudcrab Chitin until fine, add small amounts of Vampire Dust and mix.

CRUSH feathers and add to boiling water.

GRIND Skeever Hide into fine salts and add to boiling water.

MIX  Feathers and Skeever Hide until the water turns light green.

ADD Chitin and Vampire Dust mixture.

MIX All ingredients until smooth and dark green.

'Here's your Chitin.'

I took the large ingredient from Nightstone and snapped off a chunk, beginning to grind it into a fine powder piece by piece until Firenze and Hazel returned with their respective ingredients, allowing me to add Vampire dust to the "dry" part of the mix. When I realized I had forgotten the Charred Skeever hide, it was far too late for me to simply ask Nightstone to fetch some.

'Need something, lass?'

'Funny you should ask. Can you fetch two Skeevers for me? Preferably dead.'

Brynjolf nodded, heading off into the night with a torch and his trusty glass daggers. He'd returned fairly quickly with a sack of charred Skeever hide already cooked, a smirk on his face

'Where did you...?'

'Stole them from a few bandits, they gave me a rough time but I managed to get away.'

I nodded, slicing off some hide and beginning to grind it into a fine salt, soon making my way through two pieces and adding them to the pot of boiling water alongside the feathers where I stirred them determinedly until the water turned light green like the recipe said it would. It was after I had stood there for hours, perfecting the potion, that Brynjolf decided to make me stop.

'Come on lass, it's bedtime.'

'I've got to get this right, just five more minutes.'

'You said that an hour ago, lass.'

'But I'm nearly done!'

'You said that two hours ago, lass.'

I sighed and poured the perfected potion into a large red bottle and labeled it before I allowed Brynjolf to drag me off to our tent just as it started to rain heavily. I bolted back out into the clearing and gathered up all of our possessions as quickly as I could, coming face to face with a troll that had wandered right into our camp. I made quick work of the beast, receiving plenty of cuts and bruises for my trouble. When I had removed all danger from the camp, I met Brynjolf back in our tent.

'What happened to you?'

'Scrap with a troll, had to rescue our stuff.' I panted.

Brynjolf tutted, checking me over.

'Hang on, let me clean these cuts.' He said, grabbing a couple of potions and creams.

'Cream of Yarrow and Comfrey for cleaning wounds, Bryn.'

'Aye, and it's the Garlic and Ginger mix for blood clotting.'

It was a short while before I began returning the favor by cleaning the cuts that Brynjolf had gotten when he was off hunting for Skeevers, humming as I worked. After he'd finished cleaning up my face I made him turn around and grimaced at the network of cuts all over him.

'First of all, I'm going to need to repair this armor of yours. Second of all, you've got plenty of cuts I'm going to need to clean. Therefore, take off your Curiass.'

'Can't you get the cuts from there...?' He asked hopefully.

'If you take off your cuirass I'll give you a magicka potion.'

Brynjolf took off his cuirass while I grabbed him a magicka potion, which he sipped happily while I cleaned his wounds. I knew he loved Magicka potions, even though he wasn't a Mage. Admittedly they tasted really good, but I was more inclined to finely ground Moon Sugar mixed with Skooma and Balmora Blue. That may be a mixture of dangerous drugs but Skooma and Moon Sugar had little effect on me.

'There.' I Said, allowing Brynjolf to turn around as I pulled his cuirass closer to me, pulling out a needle and thread.

'No. You are not staying up for me. You are going to go to sleep, we can deal with that in the morning.'

I sighed, putting his Cuirass down and drawing the silken curtain that I had made to divide the tent so I could change into simple black leggings and a black singlet top for sleeping in. I drew the curtain back and prepared for bed, checking that my silver dagger was safely under my pillow and that my new bow was laid beside my bedroll. My old Ebony one had snapped on the Throat of the World, so I was using an Elven Bow until I got another one.

I let out a little squeak as I was pulled down.

'Bryn?'

'I'm cold.' Came his muffled reply.

'You aren't cold.'

'I'm cold, Lass.'

'You Nords have a resistance to frost, you aren't fooling me.'

'I'm cold.'

'You aren't cold, you just like my fur.'

'It's not like you can move, I'm stronger than you.'

I sighed and rolled over, snuggling into Brynjolf's warmth.