It is strange how much a simple conversation at a bar can change your life. I was sitting in Candlehearth Hall in Windhelm trying to figure out what to do. Alduin was defeated and the world was safe, ironically very few were aware of the fact that I was the dragonborn of legend, as anonymity had always been something I aspired to. When you say dragonborn most people will imagine a strong Nord warrior in shining armor and a greataxe by his side. They will not see a tired Argonian sitting at the bar, hood pulled over his face with a bow of black and red metal and two daggers of the same material strapped to his person trying desperately to get the chill out of is scales by downing warm mead. Coming to Windhelm was risky for anyone who was not Nord. The city was the home of the stormcloack rebels whose battle cry was "Skyrim belongs to the Nords". This fact was evident all over the city, the Dunmer and Argonian population being treated little better than slaves. I would have avoided the place all together and camped out in the wild if a snowstorm had not forced me to seek shelter or freeze to death.
So here I was bearly tolerated and trying not to fall asleep as that would most likely end with someone beating me to an inch of my life and taking my coin purse judging by the glares I got from the patrons in the room. With that, I turned to Elda the innkeeper,
So is there anything interesting going on here these days?
Elda looked up a kind expression on her face, she was a decent sort having decided long ago that things like racism should not get in the way of business. I swear that woman would smile at a Falmer if it could pay her.
They have found the body of a young woman along with a note that said " beware the butcher!".
She shook her head tiredly, poor girl no one deserves that fate.
I stayed quiet, both Daedra and divine know that I'd stopped caring about murder long ago.
Right now there are no leads though, so we just have to wait and hope that this was an isolated incident, Elda continued.
Then there is the matter of the Arentino boy, unpleasant business that one.
I looked up from my tankard suddenly curious, why is that? I asked while taking another mouthful of mead.
Well, rumor has it that Aventus Arentino the orphaned boy that lives alone in his mother's old house
is trying to contact the Dark Brotherhood.
I very narrowly avoided spitting my drink in Elda's face, my mind reeling from the implication of her words, but the brotherhood was destroyed! Could a group have survived here in Skyrim? I must find them! I finished my drink, stood up and placed a few septims on the counter. Well, thank you for the evening Elda, but now I have a few things to take care of, I said with a smile and glanced out the window, and it looks like the storm has died out. I continued as I turned around to leave.
The pleasure was mine, by the way what's your name?
Zal, I answered without stopping.
As I got to the door a large and obviously drunk Nord got up and barred my way. Lizard scum he growled, you're not welcome here!
Easy now Valdir I don't want any trouble here, came Elda's voice from behind us.
I fixed the man with a cold hard stare, my orange eyes almost the only thing visible beneath the hood and my black scales. Listen, I said with a hiss I was just leaving, so move aside and you don't get hurt.
I'll show you what happens to lizards who don't respect the true sons of Skyrim he snarled.
With that, he pulled a dagger and tried to stab me, I easily sidestepped the drunken blow, and caught his knife hand with my right and twisted until he dropped the dagger which I snapped up in mid air with my other hand, I then kneed him in the stomach, making him fall to the floor, and as a finishing touch I used the dagger to nail Valdir's hand to one of the wooden floorboards. The whole thing had taken about five seconds, Valdir lay there screaming and thrashing for a moment before I kicked him in the head, knocking him out, then without looking back or saying a word I left the inn.
The freezing wind hit me with full force as I stepped outside making me shiver, The storm was gone true but it was still very cold. I pushed the cold to the back of my mind, shrunk into the shadows and started looking for the Arentino house. It took me a while, but eventually I found the house, the street was not empty though, I hid and listened in on an argument between what looked like a human boy and a Dunmer woman:
Then it's true, what everyone is saying? That Aventus Aretino is doing the Black Sacrament? Trying to summon the Dark Brotherhood? The boy asked.
Oh, Grimvar... Always with the nonsense. No, no, of course not. Those are just tales, the dark elf responded with a not so convincing tone.
Fine. Then I'll invite him out to play. He lives right there. I'm going to knock on his door, Grimvar said as he moved towards the door.
No, child! Wait! The woman raised her voice suddenly seeming very afraid, That boy, that house, they're cursed.
Ha! Then I'm right. I knew it. He's trying to have somebody killed! Grimvar shouted triumphantly.
The Elven woman slumped her shoulders in resignation and spoke with a sad voice: All right. I won't deny it, child. What you heard is true. But Aventus Aretino walks a dark path. His actions can lead only to ruin. Now, enough. We will speak no more of this. I am the only friend you need. They held hands and walked off into the night, leaving me in my hiding spot grinning like an idiot, The rumors were true!
I dashed over to the door and picked the worthless look in just under twenty seconds and stepped inside. As I walked up the stairs I could hear a child's voice repeating a chant I knew well:
Sweet mother, sweet mother, send your child onto me for the sins of the unworthy must be baptized in blood and fear!
The sight was truly heartwarming, a young boy kneeled on the floor and repeatedly stabbed a dagger into a skeleton surrounded by lit candles. Walking into the room, I could not help but feel nostalgic as I spoke: your prayer has been answered child. He turned around, a look of absolute joy on his face. You came! I knew you would! An assassin from the Dark Brotherhood. I simply nodded, telling him to continue. I did the Black sacrament over and over with the body and the things, and now you're here and can accept my contract! I bent down so that I was at his height, my gaze boring into his. So tell me Aventus Arentino who is it that you want dead?
I arrived in Riften a few days later, breathing in the familiar odor of corruption and desperation. I stuck to the shadows and after a few twists and turns I found Honor Hall Orphanage. According to his tale Aventus had been sent here after his mother died, and that my target was the headmistress Grelod the Kind. Who supposedly was the most evil woman in Skyrim. When I got inside I could finally see my victim.
She was standing in front of the children holding a speech: Those who shrink their duties will receive and extra beating do I make myself clear?
Yes Grelod all children answeerd in deafeated voices.
And one more thing she continued I will hear no more about adoptions, none of you riff-raff is getting adopted, nobody needs you and nobody wants you. That's why you're here, why you'll always be here until you are cast out into that cold cruel world. Now what do you all say?
We love you Grelod, thank you for your kindness they answered.
She really is an old deadra I thought, but then again, I wouldn't have cared if she was Mara herself. With that, I pulled one of the many potion bottles hanging on my belt and poured the content down my throat. There was a sudden feeling of lightness as my body responded to the invisibility potion. Then I rolled out into the room and made my way to Grelod. I got behind her just as she was about to punish a small girl for not cleaning the floor well enough, I stood up still invisible, drew my daggers and cut her head off, the outwardly metal cutting through flesh and bone without effort. There was silence as Grelod the kind's severed head hung in the air with an amusingly perplexed expression on its face. Then I released my hold on it and the head dropped to the floor with a dull thud. The spell broke, the young woman that acted as Grelod's helper screamed, and as one the children started cheering and laughing. I chuckled to myself as I made it to the door feeling better than I had in a long time.
The first thing that came to mind once I exited the orphanage was the trio of hold guards approaching. Someone must have heard the commotion and sent for them, I really should have thought of that. I quickly dashed into an empty alley between the two houses as I felt the effects of the potion wear off. Making sure that my hood was up, I considered my options. The moment the guards saw the body, the city would be looked down and a manhunt would begin. So I headed to the docks. Riften lay on the side of a lake, making it an excellent fishing town, but it also meant that if you could swim well and just so happened to be able to breath under water there was always an easy escape route. I made it to the pier just as oblivion broke loose. There were angry shouts and soldiers began to run every which way looking for the murderer.
Hey! You wait, stop! Someone behind me called out. I did neither and jumped into the cold water. Going back to the frozen pit of Oblivion known as Windhelm.
Aventus stood waiting for me as soon as I entered his house, a nervous expression on his face. So what happened is Grelod...?
Grelod the Kind lies dead I answered.
The boy let out a scream of pure joy and hugged me. I knew you could do it, I just knew. I knew the dark brotherhood would save me!
In the meantime, I was trying to get out of his grip, the whole situation making me feel rather awkward.
Easy kid, I've got a bloodthirsty murderer reputation to uphold. How is it that I can kill anyone in Tamriel without a second thought, but I can't deal with this? I asked myself as events released me. Then the answer came to me. Despite being the Dragonborn and having slain Aldiun three years ago I didn't need more than my two hands to count the people that would actually be happy to see me. My client's voice snapped me back to reality, Take this as payment it should fetch a nice price, he handed me some kind of plate with engravings on, It looked like silver. And thank you, thank you again, he said a final time as I bowed and left.