I regain consciousness slowly, realizing that I may or may not have ben assisted in sleep by some sort of drug due to my massive grogginess. I rub my eyes and yawn loudly, noting that my hands were not tied. Whoever brought me here wasn't restraining me. Huge mistake.

I open my eyes to face my captor and surroundings. An abandoned shack and a shadowy figure on the windowsill.

"Sleep well?" asks the figure in a smooth alto.

I'd be lying if I said I didn't see this coming. I knew what I was doing when I killed Grelod the Kind. That was a Brotherhood contract and now they've come to collect.

"Like a murderer, sister." I deadpan.

The assassin raises an eyebrow. "Sister? Claiming to be a member of the Dark Brotherhood, are we?"

I smirk. "200 years ago, I was a Silencer for Speaker Lucien Lachance. Name's Evasi Serano. Perhaps you've heard of me."

The woman throws her head back and laughs. "You were the Purifier of the Cheydinhal Sanctuary? Forgive me if I don't take your word for it, sister."

I shrug. "I'm sure the Night Mother remembers me. Have your Listener ask for confirmation."

"Dear sister, there hasn't been a Listener for a very, very long time."

"Then…how do you obtain your contracts?"

"If someone performs the Black Sacrament, eventually we will hear about it."

"That's…quite inconvenient."

"We adapted to survive the times. Though, there aren't many of us left. We never fully recovered from the incident 200 years ago. But, of course youalready knew that, dear sister. You were there." The woman's eyes blaze into mine intensely.

"I…yes. I was there. I was the idiot who killed half of the Black Hand under false orders. Afterwards, I was so ashamed, I resigned from my position and disappeared."

"And yet, after 200 years, you decide to rejoin the Family by taking a contract, is that it? You thought it would be that simple?"

I shrug. "It was worth a try."

The assassin shakes her head and laughs. "If you turn around, you'll notice my guests. I've "collected" them from... well, that's not really important. The here and now. That's what matters. You see, there's a contract out on one of them, and that person can't leave this room alive. But... which one? Go on, see if you can figure it out. Make your choice. Make your kill. I just want to observe... and admire."

I raise an eyebrow as I look over my shoulder.

Sure enough, there were three people tied up behind me with bags obscuring their faces.

I pull myself to my feet, stretching my limbs.

The assassin throws me a familiar looking dagger at my feet. The Blade of Woe. I left it with the Brotherhood when I resigned; there were too many haunting memories of him associated with that blade. Surprisingly the blade was in pristine condition. I pick up the blade with my left hand and stare at it solemnly before turning to my victims and cleanly slitting their throats one by one.

I toss the Blade of Woe back to the shadowy assassin, who snorts in amusement. "Well, well, aren't we the over-achiever? Three possibilities, three victims. Must have been one of them, right? So why take chances…hmm?"

I stare at her blankly, saying nothing.

"In the southwest reaches of Skyrim, in the Pine Forest, you'll find the entrance to our Sanctuary. It's just beneath the road, hidden from view. When questioned by the Black Door, answer with the correct passphrase: "Silence, my brother." Then you're in. I'll see you at home, sister."

With that, she disappears out the window, leaving me with my thoughts. I hadn't thought about the Brotherhood in a very long time. Maybe this time, things would be different.

200 years ago, Imperial City Waterfront

I was exhausted mentally and physically. After stealing the Arch Mage's staff for the Thieves Guild, getting caught on the way back and accidentally murdering a guard during my less-than-stellar escape attempt, all I wanted to do was take off all my clothes, craw into bed, and sleep for a week. Yes. That was the plan.

I wasn't planning on having visitors. If I had known he was coming, I'd at least had put on a shirt.

Hindsight is a bitch.

I wake to a very masculine chuckle coming from the edge of my bed.

"You sleep rather soundly…for a murderer." commented the voice in a deep and smooth baritone. There was a tinge of amusement in his voice. "That's good. You'll need a clear conscience for what I'm about to propose."

I screamed and attempted to cover myself with the bedsheets, wrapping them around my torso to fashion some sort of modesty.

The voice chuckled again, this time with a more seductive edge. "I wouldn't bother, for I have already seen everything."

I growled angrily and threw my pillow in the direction of the voice. I heard a thump as it fell to the floor. I missed. "Who are you and why are you in my house?"

"I am Lucien Lachance, a Speaker for the Dark Brotherhood. And you, you are a killer. A taker of life. A harvester of souls. Your work, your deathcraft, pleases the Night Mother. And so, I come to you with an offering. An opportunity... to join our rather unique family."

"I…. I…what?" I mumbled lamely. I didn't believe the rumor that the Dark Brotherhood came for people in their sleep when they murder someone. I thought it was hogwash. There was no way that the Dark Brotherhood could keep track of every single person that commits a murder. It was impossible. Right? Yet here was this dramatic shadow of a man, (whose voice I admittedly found extremely attractive) offering me a place within their ranks.

"Heed my words, for I will not repeat them: "On the Green Road to the north of Bravil lies the Inn of Ill Omen. There you will find a man named Rufio. Kill him, and your initiation into the Dark Brotherhood will be complete. Do this, and the next time you sleep in a location I deem secure, I will reveal myself once more, bearing the love of your new family."

I stared at the shadowed figure blankly before collecting myself to speak. "Mr… Lachance, right?"

"Correct."

"I have so many questions right now and I'm not sure which one to ask first. If you'll allow me to ask them, that is."

Lachance sighed. "I suppose I have some time to answer your inquiries. Choose wisely, for I do not have much time."

"First of all,.…turn around for a moment so I can put on some clothes."

"If you must."

I threw on pants and a shirt in record time and gestured towards the table. My house only consisted of one room back then.

"Would you like anything to eat? Drink? I'm afraid I don't have much to offer."

Lachance smirked and shook his head. "I will pass. Remember, my time is limited. I'm a very busy man. Ask your questions quickly."

"Alright. What is the Dark Brotherhood exactly?"

"Have you not heard of the Dark Brotherhood? Of the remorseless guild of paid assassins and homicidal cutthroats? Join us, and you'll find the Dark Brotherhood to be all that, and so much more. We are, more than anything, a union of like-minded individuals. We kill for profit, for enjoyment, and for the glory of the Dread Father, Sithis. We are family, with bonds forged in blood and death."

I chewed my lip thoughtfully. At the time, I was scrounging for coin and the jobs I acquired weren't nearly enough to get by. As much fun as I was having working with the Thieves Guild, their jobs were spread out few and far in-between. I needed income. Stable income. And I was starting to get desperate.

"So, um…are you paid well?"

"Well enough."

"And…and what is your job, exactly? Stalking potential candidates prone to murderous tendencies?"

Lachance chuckled darkly. "You could say that. I am a Speaker, a representative of the Dark Brotherhood. My voice is the voice of the Black Hand, our organization's ruling body. One of my duties is to find exceptional individuals, such as yourself, and offer a place within our family."

"I…see." He was being intentionally cryptic and I got the feeling he wouldn't give me a straight answer to anything I asked. He had given me a task, and I was expected to carry it out. Then…maybe he'd explain in more detail when I finished the job. Hopefully.

"Has your curiosity been sated, Miss Serano?" asked Lachance. He looked at me from under his hood with another smirk. Most of his face was still obscured, but I could tell he was an Imperial due to his skin tone, strong jawline, and flair for the dramatic.

I sighed in frustration. "No, but I get the feeling that you're not going to tell me anything until I kill this Rufio. Do you have any other advice for me?"

"Know that Rufio is old and weak, and sleeps his days away. You could kill him before he even has a chance to wake. If you so choose. Before I take my leave, I have a gift for you."

He pulls out a dagger: simply crafted, but elegantly designed nonetheless.

Please accept this token from the Dark Brotherhood. It is a virgin blade, and thirsts for blood. May it serve you well."

Lachance hands me the dagger and I accept it with a small smile. I didn't want to tell him that I probably would never use it. I preferred archery. Daggers were too…messy in my opinion.

"Now, I bid you farewell. I do hope we'll meet again soon. Your path is clear. Send Rufio to his death, and the Dark Brotherhood will embrace you as family."

With those parting words, Lachance cast a chameleon spell on himself and disappeared out the front door.