Mierrik adjusted the tine slightly, applying gentle pressure until she felt the familiar vibration. Release. Move on. She breathed out a prayer that the lockpick wouldn’t snap and continued. Fortunately, luck was on her side. The chest’s lid slid open and the contents were hers for the taking.  It was rare for an unattended chest to wash up on shore during the day. Normally someone would be scouting the area, ready to pluck up the illicit cargo and whisk it away to a hideout.  That said, there was always a chance the person looking for this particular piece of luggage would turn up at any moment. Best not to dawdle. She picked out the items she knew would sell well and closed the lid again, testing the lock to ensure it was back in place.  Slipping the items into her pack, she continued walking down the beach, whistling to her companion. It was a beautiful day, although that isn’t saying much in the Summerset Isles. Every day was beautiful for the Altmer. The sun was bright, the sand soft and supple beneath her feet. It wasn’t where Mierrik wanted to be right now. Everything here reminded her of Veldessian. The ruins just ahead were where they had first met. Where she had proposed. Where they had planned out their lives. It was the first place she searched when he had vanished. It had been over a year since he had disappeared without a word and yet the wound was still raw. She had searched across Tamriel for her husband and the constant travelling had taken its toll. Now she was back in lands that were not her home, hoping desperately that she would hear something. Anything. She felt like a shadow of her former self, only through using her skills as a thief did she feel even remotely like the person she used to be.  Her hound gently nudged her hand, panting happily by her side. Mierrik stroked his coat idly while staring out to sea. She should be enjoying this view, enjoying this moment of peace. Instead she was wallowing in self pity.  What if he never came back? What if too much time passes and she can no longer find him? What if he had left because he wasn’t happy? What if. What if. What if. Her very worst fear was that she would never have answers... and yet that was the very future she faced. Release the memories. Move on to a new life. Could she do it?

Mierdessian:who holds the umbrella when it rains - Veldessian. Unless his hands are full or they're doing a cover where she has to do stuff like that for him.who is the grumpiest in the morning - I would say Veldessian, but I think it depends on situations, if they had to share a bed prior to their relationship then it's definitely Veldessian 8D teeheewho worries more when the other is sick/hurt - Mierrik probably worries about implications, Veldessian worries about how to deal with it. Or at least, he doesn't deal with it.who plays pranks on the other - Neither? Mierrik definitely teases him and pushes his limits all the damn time, but it's never spiteful, she just likes getting a reaction out of him.who is always the first to suggest cuddling on the sofa - I think they're pretty equal in this. They're both happy to curl up, no one really needs to initiate it.who insists on creating nicknames for the other - ahahahahahahhahahahahahahahha the instant they meet each other they have nicknames at the ready. "Agent" and "Di'Mora". When they're in an actual relationship I think their names become something so significant to them. They both don different identities all the time for work, recognizing and calling each other by their real names is more meaningful.who drools on the other when they’re asleep - Neither? They're not the drooling type. Well, unless one of them got an injury that made it impossible to avoid drooling... which is kinda hard since both try to avoid getting their faces wounded.who says ‘I love you’ first - Mierrik, she's certainly the most open about saying it to him. Veldessian prefers to show his love through his actions.Khamra (that is seriously a hilarious ship name):who holds the umbrella when it rains - Kham, he sort of falls into a bodyguard routine when they're out, and that includes holding shit so she can go kick ass.who is the grumpiest in the morning - Kham, but he's generally grumpy 24/7. Pretty sure the scowl is tattooed onto his face.who worries more when the other is sick/hurt - Hera, she's not used to people getting ill/hurt and dealing with it, so she's constantly overreacting.who plays pranks on the other - Hera is more likely to, but neither actually do anything.who is always the first to suggest cuddling on the sofa - Kham, it takes him a while to persuade Hera to relax and cuddle, but he always manages it.who insists on creating nicknames for the other - Neither, oh god they both hate nicknames.who drools on the other when they’re asleep - Kham probably.who says ‘I love you’ first - Kham 8D

Mierrik let her gaze slip to her fellow Jedi, cooly inspecting each face. They all looked so weary and troubled. The renewed war against the Empire was taking its toll and the struggle to remain true to the Light and do what is right was becoming increasingly difficult. It seemed strange to sit in one of the seats of the Council, advising Jedi far more experienced than her on matters of war but her knowledge of the Empire was proving to be of use. She was more familiar with their tactics than most Jedi, so she was a valuable source of information. Still, sitting at a table debating about what to do didn’t sit well with her. She preferred to be actually out in the warzones doing her part… working beside her partner in covert missions. She longed for many things, but the company of her partner was one of the hardest things to live without. Harder still when she couldn’t even risk thinking of his name or face for fear that one of her fellow Jedi might pick up on something and grow suspicious. The arrival of a Master and her ‘prisoner’ pulled Mierrik out of her thoughts and back into reality… only to feel a sense of surprise at who she saw. Veldessian, alive and well. Her gaze flicked between his and the Jedi Master with him. This was… Master Delasaer. Mierrik had had few dealings with this particular Jedi and had never considered Delasaer to be worthy of note enough to keep track of. How had Veldessian come across her?  Why her? Much to her frustration, Mierrik was in no position to ask these questions. Worse still, she couldn’t even acknowledge Veldessian. They were now complete strangers to one another, she must act accordingly or risk a great deal. As the discussion dragged on, opposition to  Delasaer’s suggestions grew. Many had seen the handiwork of agents such as Veldessian and recognized the danger they posed. They were concerned for the safety of Delasaer and anyone else who came into contact with Veldessian. The notion amused Mierrik to no end but she remained quiet and neutral in the discussion, only speaking up once: “I understand the concerns, but the benefits of working with one such as this agent far outweigh the dangers. An agent willing to aid us is a valuable tool. We must consider this an opportunity and take it.” Eventually a decision was reached, the opposing Jedi seeking Mierrik out to continue their debate. Mierrik did her best to remain good natured and understanding, however as Veldessian passed to leave the room, Mierrik made sure to make a gesture to Veldessian that only he would understand. They had spent many years together and had come up with a system of body language to convey messages to one another. This one was rarely used for obvious reasons but now seemed curiously appropriate: “You can trust me.”

Veldessian had given up long ago on getting Mierrik to keep the sheets on. He remembered with resignation all those times that he would wait until Mierrik was fast asleep and wrap the sheets around them, only for her to kick them off within moments. That she hadn’t kicked them off at all in the last week or so was a cause for concern. Mierrik wasn’t exhibiting any other signs of illness or fatigue, which further added to the mystery. A tiny part of him wondered if she had finally been freed of that irritating habit, but he had known Mierrik for too long to really believe it. To top it all off, he found it simply impossible to lie back and enjoy this.Still, it was pleasant to have Mierrik cuddle up and not have to worry about whether or not the sheets would go flying off tonight. Perhaps, with time, he could get used to this.