The Ballad of Surapa
(pronounced Seropa)
Disclaimer: Please note this story has nothing to do with the physical defination a ballad which is a musical poem. This is certainly not a poem or very musical so viewer descretion is adviced. In addition, I own only the OC's and some other details in the story which will be revealed later. The main towns, NPC's and creatures and places belong to the Bethesda Corporation (GO BETHESDA!)
Chapter 1: A Shadowy Past
A scream penetrates the darkness of Summitmist Manor. Primo Antonius lay dead in a pool of blood, an arrow sharply protruding from the rich nobleman's back. Surapa quickly guzzled a Potion of Invisibility. The first one to enter the room was the Redguard Neville. He stood tall in his red outfit, he stood the way all Legionnaires and many guardsmen stood. Confidence and Pride clearly showing in his tall stature his head slighty raised in a way that showed he was not afraid of whatever may face him.
"Talos help me," the Redguard mumbled. He looked to the sky as if expecting a 9 foot bow to plunge from the heavens. Surapa barely could keep himself from laughing. A little chuckle escaped his shut, toothy mouth. Neville quickly turned around looking at all corners of the room in the direction of the sound. Luckily, he saw nothing. Satisfied it was just the old creaking house he continued to stare at the body. He pulled out the arrow.
"Elven?" Neville muttered. He felt the feathers of the arrow and the gold, classical elven tip and shivered. "No one can afford these fancy arrows here...No one except...Primo."
"What in Arkay's name was that?" Matilde yelled. Matilde was an old Breton woman who clearly appeared to be in her 60's. Her gray thinning hair was in a bun behind her head with a few strands running down the side of her head. She now had a sick expression on her face as she now stared at the lifeless body of once handsome Primo. "Who," she shivered, "Who could have done such a thing?"
"I do not know for sure, it seemed as if Primo was the only one who could afford such an arrow. My guess is the Nord killed him, surely while Primo slept Nels came in here and stole the arrows, and the moment he turned around, BAM! He had no idea what hit him," Neville explained. His clearly biased hatred of Nords clearly showing. It wasn't without reason however, he lost a lot of good men up in Skyrim or something, Surapa only half listened.
"What about the Argonian couldn't it be him? After all, he has the most mysterious background of all of us!" Matilde exclaimed.
"I don't think so, I served for some time in Fort Smoothwater in Argonia. Few Argonians chose to be Archers and the ones who did were terrible at it. Look at this shot," he pointed at the hole in the back of Primo's head just above the neck. This is Dead-eye precision, no Argonian could do that. Besides didn't he say he was from a poor family and needed money because they just had a baby or something?" Neville asked.
"Yes he did, I believe it was Dovesi those Dunmer are always good Marksmen," Matilde stated.
Surapa took another swig of the Invisibility Potion. He had a good supply of those and wished to remain concealed for the moment.
"Where is the Argonian anyway?" Neville questioned.
"Who Dumber-Then-Some?"
Neville laughed, "Yeah the very one."
"I believe he is in the basement."
"I'll go check."
Surapa quickly scuttled down the two flights of stairs while remaining unseen until he was in the basement. He deactivated his potion and hid his arrows within his Deciever's Finery, it had many hidden pockets for just such an occasion.
"Argonian!" Neville exclaimed.
"I told you my name is Surapa!" Surapa, irritated stated in the classic coarse Argonian tone.
"Whatever, come quickly there's been a murder!" Neville stated with all due urgency.
"What?" Surapa asked, "Whom?"
"It's Primo!" The Redguard yelled running off. Surapa followed after him a small smile forming on his scaly mouth over his handiwork taking effect. Everyone was now gathered upstairs in the bedroom closest to the door, the question now was clear on everyone's faces, whodunit? The group nervously glanced back and forth at one another looking for any sign of who the killer might be. All except Neville who's steel hard determination and discipline kept his gaze looking straight ahead and Surapa could tell just by looking at him that the little Rat on the wheel was running.
"Well I suppose we all just get back to what we were doing," said Nels the Naughty, flask in hand. The rest of the group just sort of shrugged and sheepishly nodded, scared of what the future had in store for them.
Surapa walked up to Dovesi.
"Mara preserve us!" Dovesi cried to him.
"There, there it will be alright, the gods always have a plan, perhaps Primo's death will lead to a large assassin being caught, or perhaps he had a secret greedy past full of evil and hatred," Surapa reassured. He didn't find the Dark Elf ethnicity to be enticing, their strange soft, blue skin was strange to him as they aged their skin continued to remain the same shade and color of blue unlike Argonians. Argonians had a hint of blue on their faces when they were young just above marital age at around 18 and got green then extremely green faced around 40 then grew a dark red and grew darker as they got older until resembling the red of a disintegration spell.
"Thanks Surapa, your heart is noble, even for an Argonian," She seemed to seem less fearful and maybe a miniscule less sad.
"I'll pretend I din't hear that last part, I better go check up on the other guests," Surapa stated as he walked off.
Nels the Naughty was in the dining area as usual when Surapa approached. Nels smiled at the sight of his Argonian friend, silver flask in hand with a liter of Mead.
"Did I tell you Surapa, why I favor so much over Dovesi?" Nels queried.
"No I do not recall you ever telling me sloshy one," Surapa joked.
"Sloshy?"
"You know! You got so much Mead and Alcohol in you that when you walk you slosh like a bucket of water."
"Ha ha ha! Man, you always know how to make me laugh!" Nels laughed, "anyway what was I talking about?"
"Something about Dovesi?"
"Ah yes. The reason I watch like a Hawk over Dovesi is she reminds me of my own daughter," the Nord then broke to tears. "So young, beautiful, full of life, sure Dovesi has a little darker skin but the face is the same." Nels quickly regained his swaggering composure.
"What do you feel about Neville?" Surapa interrogated.
The Nord's face turned to anger and hatred, "I've seen Imperial pigs like him before! Think they are so good..." his voice trailed off. It returned with a pange of sadness, "Once back in my village in Skyrim we came under attack by bandits, when we went to the Legion stationed there for help they wouldn't help us! My...my daughter was murdered by the bandits. You'll have to excuse me for a minute." Nels went back to guzzling Mead to nullify the pain. Within a minute it was if nothing had happened.
Within the next few days the house guests continued to die. Next came Dovesi, Nels was particularly saddened by it and explained it was like losing his daughter again. Next Nels met Sithis with an Arrow to his back. Now all that remained was Surapa, Neville, and Matilde.
Surapa walked up to Matilde.
"By the gods," Matilde cried, "if it wasn't you...and it wasn't me...then it was Neville! Please! You must protect me from him!" Surapa smiled a smile of evil. One of those types of grins where sinister pride takes over at reviewing his handiwork. He then walked up to Neville.
"You have done a good job of watching my back so far but since it wasn't you or me it must be Matilde! I've looked all over this place and it's sealed up tight, no way of getting in from the outside, all doors and windows are securely locked."
"But she," Surapa started.
"Don't be fooled by her Old Woman appearances I've seen many black widows with the look like that upon her. It is time to deliver due justice!" Neville donned his mace and charged Matilde. Surapa burst out laughing at the hilarious sight of a soldier in legionnaire armor shooting lighting out of his hand and chasing a feeble old woman with a steel mace. He quickly killed her. And immediately Surapa knew all blame was off him. He unsheathed Sufferthorn, his enchanted Elven dagger given to him by Vincente Valtiere for completing a contract skillfully. As Neville turned his back and walked away Surapa snuck up behind him and with quick, practiced motion, he grabbed the Redguard's head and drove his dagger into the Legionnaire's back he struggled at first but as the magic flowed through his body, the Redguard stopped struggling. Surapa dropped him to the floor and spat on him.
"Appearances can be deceiving my friend," Surapa mocked. He then exited the building and reequipped his shrouded armor and hood and returned to Ocheeva for his reward.
Surapa walked up to Teinaava another fellow Argonian in the dark sanctuary owned by the Dark Brotherhood, an infamous guild known for it's assassinations.
"What is up Tar-yun?" Surapa asked. Tar-yun is Argonian which is literally translated to Home-Dog.
"Ah, my brother! Good to see you alive and well, are you poisoned?" Teinaava laughed at the classic Argonian joke about their resistances.
"The only poisoning I have is the inept ability to kill as a hobby brother."
"Don't we all brother, don't we all. How was the last contract?"
"Fun, it's not everyday you get to see an old woman beaten to death by a mace other then Gogron's!"
"Ha ha! Wish I woulda been there to see that! It has been quiet in the sanctuary while you were gone, no one can quite speak as loud or often as yourself and that leaves a Void measurable Sithis's."
"You and your jokes brother, where is Ocheeva I need to speak to her?"
"In her quarters, and don't be getting' any ideas, remember she is your sister, whatever you do to her may be considered gross imbreding by the rest of us." Surapa flicked his tail at the thought. Ocheeva was beautiful, and young as indicated by the green shades on her face yet Surapa didn't like the idea of having a mate that liked to kill people like himself for a living.
After turning in his contract and receiving payment and a bonus from Ocheeva he then assassinated Adamus Phillida and placed his finger in the desk of his successor. Once he turned in this contract and bonus he received special orders from Lucien Lachance he carried out the instructions despite heavy conflict in his mind. He had to kill the people he had grown to love and respect. Killing M'raaj-dar was especially hard because M'raaj had finally stopped hating him and wanted to be his friend. Instead of stabbing him in the back, Surapa fed him a poisoned apple provided to him by Lucien. M'raaj coughed one time, made a gasping, struggle for breath then collapsed, the poison killing him. As Antoinette Marie slept, Surapa slammed a dagger into her head killing her instantly. When Gogron came to inspect the noise and saw Surapa, Surapa summoned Rufio's ghost and Gogron's inability to hit it with his Iron Warhammer, resulted in his cold, frost touched death. Gogron gro-Bulmog now lie cold, unmoving, and in a puddle of blood. Vincente Valtiere died next. Surapa slipped a clove of garlic into his pocket. Vincente's allergic reaction quickly killed him.
Now came the last brother and sister that existed in the sanctuary. Surapa swallowed deeply at the thought of what he must do now. His two best friends. The only real people who cared a rat's ass about him. The thought of killing them made him uneasy. He had to do it, for their own good. If he didn't Sithis would do it himself and throw them into the Void instead of the grace of the gods where they belonged. Surapa crouched out of view from the table where Teinaava sat reading. It was most likely the Black Arrow v2 his favorite book. Surapa took out his Shadowhunter bow he had received and placed a glass arrow on the shaft.
"I am sorry my good friend," Surapa muttered, "May the Night Mother take you in her cold embrace." Teinaava looked up in time to see the arrow land right between his eyes. He slumped in his chair. Dead. Surapa hid his weapons. Ocheeva ran up.
"Dear brother! It seems as if someone is murdering our brothers and sisters! Telaendril just got attacked by the guards outside and Vincente is laying dead!" Ocheeva panicked. Ahh an interaction, this is really going to make things difficult for me, Surapa thought. Ocheeva searched his face for any sign of comfort. She found it and was comforted a little.
"Sister, calm down and tell me, what has happened?" Surapa asked, already knowing the answer. He had cleverly gotten Telaendril to attack him outside after he shot her with an arrow in the thigh. She was the only one to see it, however the guards only saw her shoot back and attacked her. The guards had quickly overwhelmed her and cut her down, feeling triumphant about their kill of a famous dark brotherhood assassin.
"All of our fellow dark brotherhood brothers and sisters have been eliminated. First Telaendril, then M'raaj-dar then Antoinette Marie then Gogron then Vincente and now Teinaava! Please comfort me!" Ocheeva cried.
"Sister I must confide something in you," Surapa stated. He had a bad feeling in his gut.
"Yes dearest brother what is it?" Ocheeva puzzled.
"The orders...the orders Lucien gave me...was about a betrayal..."
"I understand brother, well for Sithis sake, the purification must be completed," Ocheeva drew in breath and noisely exhaled. "I don't regret a thing." She shrugged and backed off keeping her arms at her sides. Surapa backed up and pulled out his bow. He took out his last arrow of frost, it would make sure she died instantly, humanely.
"Surapa...It's been an honor to know you," Ocheeva stated.
"Ocheeva, sister, it has been more then an honor." Ocheeva smiled and blushed a little knowing what he meant. "May the Night Mother wrap you in her loving embrace." Surapa's hands shook with the thought of killing her after this. He tightened his grip but he continued to sway. He let fly an arrow. There was a loud thud.
"You have the aim of drunken minotaur Surapa," Ocheeva joked. The tension made Surapa's first arrow miss it's target and flew clear over her head. Surapa let out a small laugh. He caught his arrow as Ocheeva threw it to him. He put it back on the shaft, he pulled the bow back. And let the arrow loose. Like a dart of light the arrow homed in on it's target. The thud of an Argonian body hit the ground. Surapa was never the same.
For the next few weeks Surapa followed the orders provided to him at Dead drops until Lucien was killed and he became a Speaker for the brotherhood. At the meeting with the Night Mother the traitor Mathieu Bellamont murdered several of the other speakers for the Dark Brotherhood. Surapa killed him and the Night Mother made him a Listener for the dark brotherhood. Surapa now had plenty of time on his hands at his home in Chorrol to consider what he had done. He constantly trained himself in hand to hand combat with a Fighter's Guild fighter. He then learned from Helvius Celcia in Bruma after he beat him in a fist fight. Surapa was now a Master in Hand-to-hand combat. He also went to the range the guardsmen used to practice with a Bow and Arrows. He was able to hit a 6 inch target at 90 yards and the Guards gave him the nicknames Quiver and Plays-with-sticks. He would often for the fun of it and boredom. Sneak into people's houses and take things from shelves and tables and hide them in barrels. He quickly became good at hiding in the shadows and had to hide for a day at the Pillaged Mine after the Guards caught him sneaking into Renoit's books. He then paid the 5 gold fine for trespassing. After going around town he met a girl named Dar-ma who eagerly greeted him with warm feelings that he was not accustomed to. It was here that his fate would forever change...
And thus ends the first chapter of the Ballad of Surapa. Exactly 2907 words long. I was highly inspired to write this story based of my accounts of being an Argonian assassin on Oblivion. About half of the events that take place in this chapter and probably in this story in the future are based off of real events. That occurred in his life. I bid you to review if you please.
