Ranereth

Getting in Tune

Drennas Ranereth was only fourteen he had killed a hunter that he hated since birth. He had planned the murder to the most minute detail. Although he didn't plan that another person would murder a different man near his escape route. That was why he was imprisoned.

Drennas awoke and tried to remember all he could about the night before. Then it finally hit him that the Dark Brotherhood wanted him. That beautiful woman was a Speaker for the Brotherhood and he had to kill a gambler in the Imperial City to gain membership. He checked his pockets and found an ebony dagger.

The forest was quite far away from the great cities' Aylied architecture. He had longed to see the city after his last visit a few years ago. With no time left to spare Drennas walked out onto the Blue Road and headed east. The walk would take a few hours but he enjoyed the scenery of thick bushes and clear ponds. Bandits didn't even want to bother with a kid who looked as poor as Drennas (as he was still in his prison tatters).

He pondered over the Dark Brotherhood. The great, mysterious, enigma cult that kills for money. Evil is what they were; there was no denying it. All were afraid to even speak of the Brotherhood and out of nowhere they want a teen who killed one hunter. And this Night Mother he had never heard of a deity, Daedric or Divine, called by that name.

As he approached the intersection onto the Red Road, that went around the entire Imperial City, the sun was setting. He watched the great reflection of the colorful sky in the water making a spectacular sight to behold.

Drennas reached the bridge leading to the east gate into the great Imperial City. He passed the Chestnut Handy Stables and walked in through the gate. He passed two guards on each side of the gate and entered the Talos Plaza District of the Imperial City.

After he took in the sight Drennas had to focus on business. His target was an old Breton woman named Monella Bouret who frequented the Arena district and lived alone in the Elven Gardens. Being that it was quite dark by now Drennas inferred that the woman would be at the latter of the two locations.

Drennas headed north to the Elven Gardens District. When he passed through the gates Drennas was able to haggle the information he needed out of a patrolling guard. It was quite late by now and the only people on the street were guards. Drennas came upon his desired destination, a fancy looking place that belonged to a Ms. Bouret.

Now Drennas faced his first major problem: the lock. Being that he hadn't a lock pick on him and he wasn't familiar with the type of lock he was facing Drennas decided to use a more conventional method to gain entrance.

After taking his dagger to the slit of the door the lock gave and the door opened without a creek. The hag may have looked wealthy but she seemed not have anything to her name except debt. Drennas made his way up the stairs to a bedroom.

There slept the woman not stirring; not breathing it seemed. "She had this coming," Drennas whispered timidly to himself. He took a step forward and another. Soon he was beside the woman. Needing only a little shove to join the deceased. Shakingly he withdrew his dagger. He hesitated for a moment as he held his dagger in his hands.

Inhale

Exhale

Inhale

Exhale.

Then deciding his fate Drennas Ranereth, a boy of fourteen, plunged the dagger into the frail woman's chest. The scarlet blood complementing the ebony on the dagger. Then in spite Drennas plunged again and again until he couldn't anymore. Tears streamed his face mixing themselves with the blood.

Flusters of emotions ran through him and he was in great distress. Then everything fell into place and Ranereth seemed to realize that he had just murdered a defenseless old woman in her sleep.

Now he could either accept or denounce it. He chose the former.

Making sure there was no blood left on his clothes Drennas fled the scene. He decided to leave the city figuring he had better chances outside than inside.

Taking the same route out as he did in. Drennas stopped at the end of the bridge at a small settlement called Weye. He decided to spend the night at the inn there. He haggled his way with the innkeeper to get one night free in a room.

As he lied down he thought that he must embrace his new life. Accept death for what it is and accept life for what it is. Life is a clock waiting to get hit by a hammer. Drennas just shortened the time it took the clock to get hit. He just made the future into the present. He was a timekeeper of life and a bringer of death.

He quickly awoke with unpleasant dreams. Then he became even more startled when a voice came out of nowhere. "Unpleasant dreams?" said the beautiful Dark Brotherhood Speaker. "Kind of," replied Drennas.

"No matter, you have completed your task; quite well compared to many other new recruits. Anyway, I digress. You have shown your faith to the Night Mother and are now ready to become a full fledged member of the Dark Brotherhood. Do you accept?"

"Yes," Drennas eerily replied.

"Then...Welcome to the Family."