The Cure For Curie (Complete!)

No Time for Sweet Rolls

"Hey, I'm headed to the market. Do you need anything?" He asked, poking his head in the door. "Please, don't forget to eat." He said when she hadn't responded.

Lilelle had been pouring over Nelacar's translations of the red book the second they set foot in Proudspire Manor. She had suggested the house after wanting a quiet place to study that provided her access to information. With her Dark Brotherhood and Thieves Guild spies among the local guard, the very experienced court mage at the Blue Palace, and the bustling crowds in the Winking Skeever should couldn't ask for a better spot. She would have the privacy she required without being cut off in one of her homes in the wilderness.

It had been a full week of this and Cosnach was starting to worry. She had been trying to figure out the Undead King's location by deciphering the notes. Lilelle was being swallowed by the research. She had barely slept, usually slumping over top the table out of sheer exhaustion. She refused to give up her search.

More whispers of necromancers danced in the mouths of every caravan driver that managed to pass through the inn. Cosnach had over heard one troubling tale after another camped out on his bar stool. Their numbers were growing, the roads becoming more dangerous by the day, and still Lilelle studied.

"The Master still stays sequestered?" Jordis, their housecarl, asked as Cosnach made his way downstairs.

"Yes. I'm going to the market for some food. Hopefully they will have something special that will pull her away, if only for a moment."

"You miss her?"

"I do, Jordis. I do indeed. She's not herself any more. She barely speaks, barely even drinks, her nose always snug in that book. I don't think she even needs the translation anymore." He tried to joke.

He said his goodbyes and headed out the door and into the streets of Solitude. Cosnach hated all the green of the city. He missed the cold strong stone of Markarth. He never thought he would live to see this day. He had dreamed of nothing but escape and adventure from deep inside the silver mines. He didn't miss his old life, that wasn't it.

Cosnach hadn't missed the long days of grueling labor digging for silver. He didn't miss drinking alone at the Silver-Blood Inn, and he certainly didn't miss going to his miserable room in the Warrens. He missed the quiet, and the normalcy of it all. He had lived out his fantasies of danger and glory. He had found his most prized treasure, the love of Lilelle. Now he hoped for nothing more than living out their days through boredom. What he would give to have absolutely nothing to do.

He knew these thoughts were crazy. To take adventure from her life, would be snuffing out her fiery spirit that drew him to her in the first place. He was well aware of the price he would have to pay to remain by her side. He was just worried about her, more than ever now. This quest she was becoming enveloped by had become more dangerous by the day.

Madness seemed to swallow any they had met that got too close. He feared that it would take her from him as well. Necromancers were dangerous enough on their own, and now they had to deal with long forgotten gods and a ghoulish king. It was enough to almost steer him directly to the closest tavern and never crawl out again.

"Hey." Whispered a guard as he walked past. "She still looking for information?"

"I believe she is, yes." Cosnach answered, halting his stride. "Why? What do you have?"

"Word is the temple took in a very interesting guest. He was all beat up. Said some necromancers kidnapped his village and are making them dig in some hole in the north."

"Well that is interesting. Thank you, for your service." He said shaking the guards hand. The man slipped the Septims in his pocket and moved to finish his patrol.

Cosnach turned on his heels immediately, running back to the manor. He crashed through the front door, causing Jordis to jump up. Without stopping he ran up the stairs in front of him, the front door swinging in his wake.

"We need to get to the temple." He said breathless as he entered the room.

"Cosnach dear, I can't leave right now. I think I'm on the verge of a breakthrough." Lilelle replied without even glancing up from her papers.

"No, you need to. They have a man there. Says he had a serious run with our buddies."

"Seriously?" She said in surprise, standing from the table. "Let's not waste another second."

Lilelle slipped on her hood before heading downstairs. She knew that if she tried to step foot outside the doors, the city wouldn't let her down the street. Townspeople often stopped her to pay tribute, ask for a blessing, or give her trinkets of thanks. She didn't have time to give to them at the moment.

"See, I knew I'd find something to pull her out of that room in the market." Cosnach said, winking at the now smiling housecarl.

"Where is he?" Lilelle bellowed as she burst through the giant wood doors into the Temple of the Divines.

"Jarl? What a pleasant surprise. Did you come for a blessing?" Freir greeted her. The beautiful blonde Nord was a gatekeeper of sorts for the temple and Lilelle had no patience for pleasantries with the kind woman at the moment.

"I need to see High Priest Rorlund, it's of utmost urgency."

"I'm sorry ma'am, but the High Priest is busy tending to the injured. I can relay a message to him."

"I'm well aware of what he's doing Freir. His patient is the reason I've come. He will have information about the necromancers."

"So you're here about the rumors then?"

"Rumors?" Lilelle asked.

"Yes. People are talking about necromancers gathering slaves to dig out ruins in the north. The man downstairs managed to barely escape with his life."

"We are here for different reasons but we are seeking the same enemy, it seems. Now where is Rorlund?"

"Come, I'll take you to him at once."