How would I know that killing a mean old lady would get me in a tight spot? I was doing the boy and the kids at Honorhall orphanage a favor! But apparently some people didn't see it that way. Those 'some people' didn't see my action as a horrible sin or a crazy solution. Oh no, these people saw it as thievery. Of all things! Thievery! So here little me was standing in a room with a strange women dressed in red and black with her leg dangling over the side of a bookcase she was on. Then there was the problem of the three people with black bags over their faces as they kneeled in a line. I had no idea where in Talos I was but I knew what I needed to do and why I was doing it. The lady happily watching me from her perch made that perfectly clear. I've killed people, oh yes but the Dark brotherhood? I only killed bad people, (kind of) not people who wanted someone dead. I've done some pretty low stuff back home and here in Skyrim but this was a new low… even for me!
"Hurry up, I haven't got all day." The lady on the bookcase called out to me. I fought the urge to stick my tongue out at her. Last thing I needed right now was the Dark Brotherhood after me, though they sent an assassin once when I was traveling the roads. I killed that one in two seconds flat thanks to my Shout.
I was muttering words of hate under my breath as I looked at the three people in front of me. An old woman, a Nord man and a Khajiit kneeled out in front of me. All saying that they didn't care if I killed them. The mean lady told me to kill the one with a contract, I had no idea what she was talking about but I didn't really want to ask in case of looking like a fool. Looking from one to the other I tried to pick which one someone would people want dead. The only problem was that I could see why someone wanted every one of them dead. Damn, this sucks!
I couldn't pick so I did the only logical thing I could think of, I killed all three of them. I know, I probably could have just killed one but I didn't want to pick the wrong person. After I killed the people I turned back the bitch on the book shelf as she still looked down at me still swinging that damn leg of hers.
"I killed them… can I have the key now?" I grumbled wanting to know where this women took me in the middle of my sleep. How she got in Companions hallway without alerting Vilkas or Farkas was utterly amazing, really. Those two were always keeping a close eye on me, so was Aela but she was at some village locating a missing villager. She was pretty damn sneaky to pull that off and not end up rip to shreds in the twin's mouths.
"Indeed. For you, my friend, seem to understand what's truly important. When I give you an order to spill blood, you follow it. No questions. No remorse." The lady said proudly like she just taught a dog a new trick. The thing she didn't know about me is that I do a lot of things without question and no remorse, but I didn't want to ruin her fun. Only one I had remorse over was when I ate the Priest for the Lady of Decay. I was sick for a couple weeks after that.
"So… am I free to go?" Dear Talos lady! I have better things to do right now. I had to get back to Whiterun to let everyone know I'm okay and then head to Riften to see how everything's going down there. Then I needed to head to Winterhold to see if anyone blew themselves up yet at the college. Being the leader of many things really ends up kind of sucking.
"Of course. And you've repaid your debt, in full. Here's the key to the shack. But why stop there? I say we can take our relationship to the next level." She whispered out very happy to have the thought of me joining. I'm part of almost every organization there was in Skyrim, but again I didn't want to ruin her fun. Though, I really wanted her to shove it up her ass. Killing the people wasn't really hard but it was kind of fun. Won't let the lady see that. "I would like to officially extend to you an invention to join my family. The Dark Brotherhood. I nearly groaned.
Before I could decline, the lady gave me the directions there and how to enter through a black door. I've seen the black door up at Dawnstar. I discovered it when I was a dragon flying near there. Couldn't get the door open and didn't really have a need to either. Though this place she was giving me directions to was way south of Dawnstar, it was near Falkreath. Then she told me about how the door would speak to me and I had to answer 'Silents, my brother." Which I found really creepy.
"I'll see you at home." She laughed as she finally handed me the key I've been wanting this whole time. I snatched it quickly and hurried out. I found myself in the middle of a frozen swamp and realized I was at the abandon shack that was in the middle of the swamp. Not taking the time to think about why she took me here. I hurried back to Whiterun with the thought of joining the Dark Brotherhood running around in my head.
I got back to Whiterun and no one even seemed to notice I was gone. Everyone thought I slept in but no one came to check on me. It was a great feeling knowing if someone tried to kill me in my sleep, no one would even know. I ate dinner with my friends and then went for a little walk at night trying to clear my head. The thought of what the lady at the shack said was still fresh in my mind and I somehow couldn't shake it off. I didn't mind killing people in the least but I always killed someone bad. I had so many responsibly that I didn't even know how I would fit the Dark Brotherhood into my busy life. Still there was something in the back of my mind that was telling me to just go with it and not care if I made a mistake. I shook my head as I head up to Dragonreach to see the Jarl. Dragonborn, master of the Thieves Guild, leader of the Companions, Arch-mage of the College and thane to all nine holds. I was one busy bee… to say in the least but my decision was clear as I pushed to doors open to Dragonsreach.
Why was I here? Oh right because I was trying to be adventurous and somehow ended up at Falkreath standing in front of a creepy black door with a skull on it. There was no denying that this was the door that the lady was talking about. I stood a couple of feet away from the door not wanting for it to start talking to me. I've had a talking dog come up to me once, which was pretty strange also. But a talking door? Well my life couldn't get anymore messed up so here goes nothing.
I walked up to the creepy door and sure enough it started to talk to me.
"What is the music of life?" The creepy door asked me from a disembodied voice. I forced myself not to step back from the door; I was going to be tough! Just in case any of the Dark Brotherhood members where outside watching me right now.
Doing what the lady said I repeated the words. "Silents, my brother." I said as this was an everyday thing. An everyday thing to me was killing dragons, wiping out bandits or forsworn, pick pocketing people and stealing from the rich. I guess I'll have to add talking to a black door part of my everyday list. There was a faint click as I knew the door had been unlocked. Great, a couple more steps and I'll be heading into the point of no return. I said the same thing to myself when I entered the rat-way to join the Thieves Guild. But that was stealing, this was killing. Way two different things.
I pushed opened the stupid creepy door as I forced the dark thoughts out of my head. I was greeted with the pleasant sights of stone and moss hanging from the ceiling. Two flags on either side of the hallway had a sign of a hand print on them, reminding me of the note I got. A small gap in the ceiling let the cold Skyrim air flow through the stone hallway I was standing in. I shivered slightly from the cold and from the slight fear that I was actually doing this. I moved forward, glad that my armor was thick to keep lot of the cold out. The stones and moss reminded me so much of the Draugr ruins that I was actually preparing for an undead Nord to jump out at me with a sword in hand. Living a life where you travel into places where even the bravest of guards won't go, you have to be on your toes.
Continuing, I walked into a room as big or if not bigger than the Flagon at the Thieves Guild. The right wall had a couple of book shelves and the left side there was a table with a map laid out on it and a small arch way leading towards a room. So far everything looked pretty okay for being a place where assassins hang out. The only thing that I really didn't like to see was a blonde lady standing in an archway on the opposite side of the room from me. She was wearing the same red and black armor I saw three days ago. The armor was the same but I could tell right now that the lady leaning against the wall was that same damn lady who sat on the book case. She was a blonde Nord with a very smug look of her face. Even without the armor I could tell it was her. The way she leaned in a very 'I'm better than you' way showed it. But I forced myself to smile as I walked up to her doing my best to walk in her 'I'm better than you' thing.
"Ah, at last! I hope you found the place alright." She said way to happy to have me here. I found a ship wreck at the bottom of the sea. I can find a creepy black door with a skull on it. But I wouldn't say that to her, yet.
"So what happens now?" Get to the point, lady. I have to be out of here before noon or I'm going to be late heading to Riften.
"Well, what happens now is you start your new life in the Dark Brotherhood. You're part of the family after all." She was having too much fun with this. Apparently, she's never even heard of me. This in a way is kind of nice, no one's coming up to me and screaming 'it's the Dragonborn! Please eat dinner with us! Will you get my sword from a cave?' it's nice to be needed but after a while it just gets plain annoying. "This, as you can see, is our Sanctuary. You won't find a safer place in all of Skyrim. So get comfortable." I'm pretty sure the Thieves' guild is safer than here. We have tons of people guarding that place.
"I am honored to be a part of your family, Astrid." The thing I hated more than fighting vampires was sucking up to people. It made me sick but I had to do it.
"Our family, my dearest. Our family. Together, united as one, the Dark Brotherhood can accomplish anything," Everything but a place without holes in the ceiling. I like the warmth not the cold of Skyrim. I continued to force my stupid smile and nodded. "But you must be anxious to get to work. I'm arranging a job, but I need more time. For now, go see Nazir. He's got several smaller contracts." I nodded even thought she didn't tell what Nazir looked like or where to find him.
"Soon, the Night Mother will arrive. And things around here are sure to get even more interesting. Ah, but one last thing," Dear Talos, there more? I thought. "A welcome home present. The armor of the Dark Brotherhood. May it server you well in all of your… endeavors." With that she handed me red and black armor all nicely folded with boots on top of it. I'm pretty sure the armor wasn't as good as my Master Thieves Guild armor but I still wanted to try it on. It's new armor! It's almost as good as a new sharp dagger or sword.
Astrid shooed me on past her and down the stairs to meet my new 'family'. Plus, I also needed to find a man named, Nazir. I walked down the steps and came into a huge room. Almost as big as the bar area in the Thieves Guild. A small waterfall went into a small pond in the right corner of the room. A creepy stain glass window of a skull was above the waterfall, ruining the pretty things of nature. To my left were a forge area and a fire pit, nothing too special. And past a large rock pillar was a group of people wearing the red and black armor. I knew that was my 'family'.
Suddenly, I became very nervous. What if the family didn't like me and I was treated like a whelp. Or if I was too strange even for their organization. OR! If they felt like they didn't need any more people to join and the rejected me. I didn't have any of these thoughts when I joined the Companions, the Colleges or the Thieves Guild. Why was I suddenly so nervous?
"Come Babette! Tell it one more time." Someone shouted as I approached closer to the group of people standing around a little girl. My heart froze as I saw the little girl. Normally, seeing a little girl in a dangerous and dark place would make me scared but after what I've gone through since I came to Skyrim I don't think much to make me sick anymore. But when the little girl started to talk, I was proven wrong.
"Okay, okay. Wait. Here we go 'Ooh, you are such a pretty little girl. Would a sweetie like a sweetie? Oh yes, how about some chocolate." It didn't someone smart to know that the little girl was talking about her latest killing. Wow, and I thought I was demonic. I killed my first person when I was 13, she was about ten. You grow up a lot during those three years, I did. I didn't say anything but moved into a spot in the circle where I could see everyone but no one would see me unless they looked my way. The girl was making her voice rough trying to sound like the creepy old man she killed. Again demonic.
"Oh yes, please, kind sir. My mama and papa left me all alone, and I'm oh so very hungry. I know a shortcut to the candy shop. Through this alley." The girl laughed and smiled happily to her friends gathered around her. I didn't take part in the funniness of the story though the man she killed did sound like he deserved to die. I always had a logical reason for killing it was, they attacked me first, had a bounty, kill someone else or I'd die. Things like that.
The story continued as the young girl oh so happy described how she killed the man and I slowly started to realize she was a vampire. In the dim lighting of the place I could barely see her pitch black eyes but when she told the part about the man noticing her teeth I realized it. I watched in silents and soon grew bored as her and a very large male got into a play fight. I looked beyond the girl and saw a Thum' wall. I knew I grew slightly pale as I knew if I stepped any closer the magical whirlwinds would surround me in blinding light. I really didn't want anyone here to know I was the Dragonborn or shout it out that I was either. I wanted to be treated like any new member and that's how I planned it to go. It was a kind of last minute decision on my part. I knew that I had to stay away from the wall until no one was around to see me. Even from here I could see the words slightly glowing, so I took a small step back.
The laughter of the group pulled me back to what was happening around me. Everyone slowly started to go their own ways completely ignoring or not seeing me standing like a lost puppy. I was still having trouble finding out who was Nazir. So far there have only been four men and one of them was already out. The lizard wouldn't be named Nazir; their named were a lot different. Nazir wasn't a typical Nord name so that took out the old man and the big man that started fight with the girl. That only left the Redguard man I stood next to. I turned to his direction to where he still stood looking at me. I blushed when I caught his eyes but he only gave me a small smile. I froze as a strange feeling took over and sure I looked as scared as a rabbit.
The Redguard was wearing the typical clothes for this country. A red turban was wrapped around his head as circle his neck also. His long red sleeves with white ends, matched his redish-brown pants, indicating he was from the Dark Brotherhood but not the armor I got. A long curved sword hung loosely at his side from a white belt. He stood a couple of inches taller than me but I liked men that were taller than me. His face was slightly hidden by his turban but I could still see him enough to get his facial features. He had a slider face with a dark black beard that was tied with a gold ring at the end of it. A small black mustache was on his face too but I found it intriguing. He had brown eyes and I know black hair even though I couldn't see the top of his head. I was interested in men but this one in front of me suddenly made me craze him. Did I just think that? I'm going crazy already.
"So you're the newest member of our dwindling, dysfunctional family. I've heard quite a bit about you." The man said before I could even ask if he was Nazir, apparently he was. He gave me a smile and I relaxed. His voice was even deeper than the twins back at Whiterun. I giggled a bit but stopped when I was sure I sounded like an idiot.
"It's a pleasure to meet you," I said very proud. I was use to this introducing myself over and over. When new apprentice or member of my organization came in, I always had to introduce myself. It was a thing of respect.
"Save the niceties for now. I have no intention of getting invested in someone who might be dead tomorrow." He replied back and I didn't feel really insulted. I've been down that road before, witnessing the death of people you only met a few moments ago. I guess in his line of work that happens more than it should. "If you're still alive in a couple of weeks, I'm sure we'll be the best of friends." And then maybe more, I thought to myself and then quickly forced it out of my head. I was being very weird today.
Clearing my throat, "Astrid said you'd have some work for me." I didn't want to hear about that I might be dead tomorrow, I've fought enough dragons and took enough arrows to almost every available body part there was. It'd take a lot more than one human to take me down.
"Did she, now? Well, as it turns out, there's a few lingering contracts we haven't had a chance to complete just yet. And more, dribbling in from time to time. I'll assign you them as they become available. To be completely at your leisure."
"Sounds simple enough," And it did. Just hope it sounded as simple as Nazir was making it.
"It is. These aren't particular glamorous assassinations, I'll be honest. Don't pay much either." Nazir sighed clearly not happy about it but he wouldn't complain too much. I was wondering what assassinations where glamorous, maybe killing an evil vampire and getting paid a lot but that's it. "But they keep you busy. Just do them as you're able. There's no real time limit- the targets aren't going anywhere." I had to laugh at the little statement for some reason; Nazir just gave me another heartwarming confused smile. Sometimes I just had to laugh; this was one of those times. "You can turn each one in as it's complete, or wait to turn the whole group in when all the targets have been eliminated. Whichever works for you." It was almost like being back at the College for the first time. Going over all the rules and how everything works, blah. After that last bit he was done talking.
I grabbed the contracts from him but I still wanted to talk to him. There was something about this strange Dark Brotherhood man that just made me want to sit and be with him all day. So I was trying to do just that, well more of get to know him kind of thing.
"What can you tell me about yourself?" I asked trying to make me seem innocent though the real reason was still unclear.
Nazir looked a little shocked for me to actually care enough to ask such a question but he didn't deny. "Ah, well, I'm Redguard as I'm sure you've noticed. Though not like most of my kind you'll find here in Skyrim, that's for damn sure. I am a child of Hammerfell, born of the sands of Alik'r. In that dessert, blood is a shade of crimson that I can scare to descried. My past is long and storied, and altogether not proud. But the Dark Brotherhood saved me from myself. And I have never looked back."
It didn't surprise me that he had a dark history. I have a dark history myself; everyone at one point in time has done something that few or no people know. For me that his my past, just like Nazir.
"I'm guessing even for all the gold in my pocket I can't get you to tell me what your past is about." I joked to him but Nazir's face suddenly became clouded and dark, like the night Kodlak died and Farkas's face when I saw him sitting next to his dead leader. It was such a heart breaking night. I knew I shouldn't have joked about his past, that's a sensitive area.
"I don't trust you enough to know about my past or even if you could handle that. Trust like that is not freely given." He was completely serious but I couldn't help but laugh out loud. The remaining Dark Brotherhood member glanced at me in question, wondering why I was laughing when Nazir looked so mad.
"I'm sorry- I'm sorry," I said through small giggled which one made Nazir madder. "You sound just like the Orc's when you said that. I've heard that so many times." Nazir stood so silent that I had to look up to make sure that he wasn't going to strike me down for my little laughing fit. My fears vanished when he had the slightly smile on his face and his body was more relaxed. He didn't mind me laughing over that.
"So you're blood kin to the Orc's. Which strong hold?" He asked as if he was actually interested and not just humoring me.
"Pretty much all of them. I keep asking if I can become blood kin to the Orc in Winterhold but he keeps saying that same thing. It getting annoying and you totally just reminded me of it." Nazir smile grew a very small bit but it made me smile like a fool. Why did I keep smiling like this? I barely smile around people I didn't know.
We stood there for a couple of seconds just staring at each other. Normally, I would have found this even creepier than the vampire girl I just saw but this was more of a comfortable silents. I was slowly blushing more and more but I didn't look away, instead I just plastered that stupid smile of mine to my face. After a couple of more seconds, Nazir finally broke the silents and told me to go meet the rest of my family. I didn't want to leave but Nazir had better things to do than talk to a red haired Nord.
So I did what Nazir asked me to do and I met everyone in the little 'family'. There was Nazir of course. Then Babette the 'young' girl who got bitten by a vampire at the age of ten and is now 300 years old. Then there's Gabriella, a dark elf, who liked killing unicorns while walking on the beach at night with a croshay needle. That story made me laugh. Next was Festus Frex, a mage who was old but wise and didn't really care for me yet. After that was Arnbjorn the blonde Nord who fought with Babette, He was a werewolf like me and a former Companion. I could smell the beast blood in him. Lastly, there was Veeraza the lizard. He came from an assassin group back in his home town, seemed friendly enough. Of course there was Astrid, but I didn't want to talk to her right now. This family was weirder than the Thieves Guild. I wasn't complaining, so far I was actually finding this fun. But I met everyone, so now I had to do to my contracts which I happily found out that they were orders to kill someone!
I really had nothing else better to do and some of the kills were close to places I had to go anyway. So I settled off in hopes of my first assignments will go extremely well. One by one I killed my targets and it turned out that I really didn't mind killing them. It was actually kind of fun which scared me. When I killed Betitild in Dawnstar, I went to check on the College and so far no one's killed themselves yet but they had a dragon attack while I was there. After that I went to kill Narfi in Ivarstead. And checked up on the Thieves Guild and got my money from my last burglary and fishing jobs and also got new ones. I killed the last man and finally headed back to the Sanctuary to collect my money and see Nazir. My heart jumped at the thought of the man and I blushed even though no one was around to see me. I was blushing at the very thought of him, I am going insane!
I pushed the thoughts aside as I opened the Sanctuary door and this it didn't talk to me. Thank Talos. Though still eager to see Nazir and also get that Dragon word, I wasn't able to last time. Nazir was watching my every move that day.