It has been a month since Dagoth Ur was put down. I spent the next few weeks hunting down and destroying the creatures that escaped from the Red Mountain region. My stronghold reported no new smuggling activities in the region, which was a bit unusual, but at least I didn't have to go there and hunt them down, too.

Laurenna and I returned home to Solstheim Castle where we pursued some of our own personal interests. Laurenna immediately set about adding a few of her own personal touches here and there.

I spent time in my own hidden library, pouring over a number of old books that had I managed to retrieve from the Red Mountain region. I also began writing a book of my own, so that others would know what had transpired here in the last year.

I had also found that there was a lot of work to do in the lab. In my many adventures, I had used up a number of potions, especially during my battle with Dagoth Ur and his minions of evil.

I traveled from town to town, picking up a number of ingredients from one store after another, adding to my collection.

Finally, after two days of travel, I returned home and made a huge number of potions to replace the ones that had been used.

It was at that time that one of the staff came to tell me that there was a problem with Laurenna, and that she requested that I come to her chambers as quickly as possible.

I asked my lab assistant to put the rest of the ingredients away, and headed the Laurenna's room.

She was excited. "Oh, Eldorf." she cried, "My Aunt Helga is having a baby! She wants me to assist her for two weeks until she gets settled."

"I see." I said. "When will we be leaving, and where are we going?"

"Oh, you don't need to go. This will be all girl-stuff." she replied. "She lives in Winterhold, in the province of Skyrim, so I won't be far. I should be back here in two weeks."

She came closer and gave me a big kiss. "Will you be ok while I'm gone?" she asked. Silly question to ask a wizard. Then again, when it comes to dealing with babies and dirty diapers, dragons are much more convenient to deal with.

"Don't worry about me." I replied. "I've got a lot of writing to finish. As long as the kitchen staff keeps a full pot of tea on hand, I'll be fine. Besides, I'm sure there's a few things around here I can do until you return - it's a big castle, after all."

Early the next morning, we got her all packed up and ready for her journey to Blacklight, at the northern tip of Morrowind province, where she would then take a boat ride to Winterhold.

"Be sure you use the wedding ring to let me know how you're doing, ok?" she instructed. "Oh, and don't let the cat in here - she likes to scratch up the bed posts."

I took her down to the boat docks, gave her a big kiss and a hug, and watched as the ship sailed off to the south.

Two days later, and nothing to do.

I decided to head outside for some fresh air. It was chilly, and a light snow was falling on the ground. I checked out the stables, inspected the guard towers, made sure everything was in perfect order.

I had a quick dinner around 5 pm, enjoying a nice trout, cheese, apple pie, and a really nice bottle of holly wine. Then I realized something: the wine cellar. I hadn't really inspected it when I first arrived, so I decided to check it out after dinner.

I found the ingredients and instructions on how to make this great-tasting wine on a table, and a few kegs behind it, waiting for some attention.

I combined the ingredients as instructed. This was more fun than alchemy. At least, the results would taste better!

I little mashing, mixing, and I poured the mixture into an un-used keg. 30 days to get it fermented. What a long wait.

I checked the other keg, and found it was full to the top of hollywine, so I decided to see how it came out.

Oh, it came out great!

I decided to give it a taste-test, just to be sure.

Of course, I needed several tests on several of the bottles, to ensure quality, of course.

Then, lashter on, losh more teshing, to make sure, uh, quality, and schuff won't shuffer.

.....and schtuff.  "hick"

"scuse me....."

I deshided to take a wee little nap around 9 PM. Wine-making is schuch hard work, don't cha know.

Later that night, I had an unannounced visitor.

The entrance door, blown by the wind, slammed shut, waking me up. I know he didn't intend for me to hear him enter the room.

"DIE, FETCHER!"

Instinct took over. Instantly, I jumped up as he ran down the stairs, his element of surprise removed by the wind, slamming the door behind him.

I fought to clear my head as the assassin made his way around to my left, a poison sword in his grasp.

I hit him with Medusa's Gaze, and he froze in mid-step.

Fighting the effects of way too much wine, I came up with the only thing I could think of - God's Frost. The blast was only a foot away from me, but it only took five seconds to finish him off.

It was very late at night, and the snow was still falling. I made my way to the front of the castle, and found one of the guards making his rounds.

"Didn't see that guy, huh?" I asked him.

"They're the Dark Brotherhood." he replied. "Their armor is designed to be dark, makes it hard for anyone to see them." he replied.

"What do you know about them." I asked.

"Scum, all of them." he replied. "I'm not sure who you've angered, but stay away from me."

Well, that sounded like a brave, imperial guard.

"Any suggestions?" I asked, somewhat sarcastically.

The guard gave me a sheepish look, understanding my tone. "I suppose this should be officially reported." he replied. "Speak to Apelles Malius in Ebonheart about this. He's usually inspecting the grounds in Ebonheart."

Within my first day or two in Vvardenfell, one of their assassins attacked me. That lead me to this same fellow in Ebonheart, which took me on a very short trip to the capitol city of Morrowind Province: Mournhold. I distinctly remember one of the guards there warning me off, that the Dark Brotherhood was way over my head. At that time, he was right - I was fresh out of the Imperial City prison, no skills, wet behind the ears, and very inexperienced.

The same was no longer true now.

I had a guard stand outside my door for the rest of the night, and another guard just down the hall to watch the other guard so he didn't fall asleep on guard duty.

The next morning, I grabbed a number of potions, enchanted items, enchanted arrows, and headed to the docks. It was about time that the Dark Brotherhood was told about the error of meddling in the affairs of wizards.

Before leaving the castle, I left a note for Laurenna with the butler, advising her of what had happened, and where I was going. I requested that she hunt me down in Mournhold, should I not return by the time she got back.

I was hoping, however, that this would be one note she'd never see, for it was my intention to resolve this issue and return before she got back home.

Besides, this would be much more interesting for me than dealing with dirty diapers.

I cast one last look at Solstheim Castle as the lines were let lose, and I sailed off to my next adventure, aware of just how dangerous this trip might actually be.

Of course, I've never let an issue like that stop me before, so why start now?