-Prologue-
"Shadowmere, you must go faster!"
I leaned my head down next to the horse's neck, urging her on with all I could. The miles to the farm were not flowing behind us fast enough. They would not flow fast enough even had I been in a Guild teleport on Morrowind. Being Arch Mage, I had heard of these things. Something to implement, I thought fearfully.
I looked carefully at even the trees. If they were watching him, certainly they would be watching his Silencer. I thought of the dread rooms under the lighthouse in Anvil; where I had taken the diary, even the head as proof for the Black Hand. I had screamed at the Nord-"Give me the key, fool!"-while brandishing Sufferthorn, knowing my face was filled with unholy fear and rage. When I had heard the whispers in the taverns of the horrifying stench, I was afraid they had already gotten him. I had burst into Bellamont's rooms not like an assassin, but like an Orc on a skooma-bender. I crept horrified through the filth, finally laying hands on the diary. I had left, leaping onto Shadowmere and riding immediately toward the farm.
The need for sleep and food had left me. The only comfort I had was Gorgron's words. "I once saw him deal with a person who had broken the Tenets...I was cleaning the blood off of my boots for a week." I had no doubt that Lucien could fight. And no matter what he told me that night, when his rage exploded after I had killed Ungolim, it was my fault. The handwriting was different. The assassinations were harder, the targets more cunning. I had hated the drop system to begin with, for I loved to see my Teacher-but now, this was madness.
Mara, I prayed to the wind, keep him safe. Do not let me fail. Help me, Mara. Breton, born under the sign of the Ritual that I was, Mara was dear to my heart. I did not pray to Sithis. Sithis was of no help to me at this moment.
The farm finally came into view in the distance, an outpost in the snows near Bruma. "Ride for your master, Shadowmere!" I whispered into the horse's ear. I was now on full alert. If I could just get in the door, the odds of us winning would increase. It would now be two instead of one. I peered ahead, straining my eyes in the failing evening light. There were no horses in the yard. I unsheathed my blade as I rode up, and began whispering spells of shielding. With one last glance around, I dropped off Shadowmere and opened the front door.
The word "Teacher?" died on my lips. I turned around and vomited, vomited my heart, and wailed far into the night.