A light in the dark
One-shot: LucienLucien's P.O.V
The ride from Bravil was slow on the stolen paint horse from the Bravil stables. I would have made it to the farmhouse 'Applewatch' much faster on Shadowmere. She was the best steed I ever had, of course I had to go and give her away in the spur of the moment to my silencer. My silencer, humph. My silencer, who has been systematically killing off the members of the Black Hand. Ha, so skilled. I knew as soon as I was sent by that fool Ungolim to recruit her that she would be destined to be part of the Hand. Her first murder, in Skingrad if I remember correctly, a pompous breton by the name of 'Sir Lazare Milvan' HA. The man was almost more of an imbecile than Ungolim, almost… I found her not wallowing in self-loathing at what she had done, of course not seeing as she had set out to kill him. No she was sound asleep in her own manor 'Rosethorn Hall'. I watched her sleep for at least an hour before I woke her, she slept soundly not even a mumble from her delightfully full lips.
So now here I sit in the farmhouse Applewatch waiting for MY silencer to arrive with evidence of my innocence. Although I know that it is much more probable that the remaining members of the Hand will arrive first. Hmm I wish I had a bottle of Tamika's wine or even Surilie brother's wine rather than the cheap bottle I found on the self. A final taste of my favourite wine would have been nice. It seems that my time for thinking is over. I hear them, their footsteps as they crunch in the snow. Now the decision, do I fight or do I plead? Fighting them would only lead them to suspect me further, that and it is likely, seeing as they outnumber me, they will win a fight with little trouble. Not that I doubt my own abilities, just that there are more of them and they are 'fuelled up' for a fight. Alor having lost his 'lover' Uvani, Belisarius what with not having killed in ages and Arquen being the psycho bitch that she is. Yes, I'm sure they would love for me to fight them. For them to sneer and laugh when I fall. Or I could plead, though I doubt that would get me very far either.
My dwelling on what to do is brought to a halt having heard the door, the only door, creak open. And there they are. They all file in, the remainder of the Black Hand. One after the other with Arquen in the lead. She has her trademark sadistic smile on her face. We lock eyes, and the maliciousness within them is practically screaming I've won. Arquen, always the one to want to take charge, the one to hold control when chaos takes over. She's wanted me dead ever since I was given the Cheydinhal sanctuary. They circle around me ready to strike or to hear my pleas. Fools the lot of them. Belisarius and Alor on my right, Bellamont to my left and Arquen in front. Alor is quite, much the same as always. I think, perhaps, he is asking himself how Uvani failed to defend himself or maybe just promising his love that revenge will be dealt soon. Belisarius wears a gleeful expression, not surprising seeing as Ungolim refused to let him fulfil any contracts and had him doing all of his paper work. Bellamont, his expression is a copy akin to Belisarius' but his eyes are alight with hidden emotion. What emotion though? Oh joy, Arquen has started her speech. A speech that she has most likely been practising and refining for years.
So here I am about to be brutally murdered and my mind now drifts to my silencer. Her full lips, dark wavy locks that shimmer in the moonlight, the way her armour clings to her body in all the right places and her eyes. Her eyes, the darkest brown but alight with something I just can't describe. I wonder how she will react when she arrives. I think, that, given her shrewd and mechanical mind she will play along as to discover the true traitor. And then maybe, no hopefully, mourn over me in her own time.
By Sithis the insufferable woman will just not shut up. How she ever manages to bed so many men is beyond me. Maybe she gets them drunk beforehand? Ha! A brilliant idea, I think I'll ruin this moment of imposed superiority for her. And so here it goes, 'Arquen I am truly sorry but I must stop you in the midst of your… delightful speech. You see I've been thinking whilst you've been prattling along like a lonely old hag. And I must wonder, how you ever accomplish to bed any man. Surely, after hearing your voice, they decide they must go and wash their tapestries or leave because it's getting late. So this begs the question, how it is that you have, supposedly, seduced many men into sleeping with you. Your voice is bad enough but that combined with your looks or shall I say lack there of, it seems any man in his right mind would have the sense to leave before you have a chance to poison them with your adapted aphrodisiac'. HA HA HA, oh by Sithis the look on her face right now is priceless. I've always wanted to put her in her place for once aha ha ha. From the corner of my eye I see Belisarius trying to stifle a giggle. The atmosphere has changed now, it is heavier. Arquen and Bellamont are edging closer and soon enough Belisarius and Alor join them. I busy myself with thoughts of my silencer, of our first night together. She or at least my memories of her are my guiding light into the darkness that is the void, that is the Dread Father. So now it starts and so now it begins.