The newly-crowned High-King of Skyrim, sat on his throne in an empty court room, thinking about the past. He fondly remembered his time with the Companions, those noble and honourable warriors, before he ended the Civil War and became High King, and how quick they were to turn on their own.
Flashback
"Can you honestly say you never suspected?" the Harbinger says, lazing in his chair.
Famous throughout Skyrim, nay, Tamriel, for his actions. Saving the continent from a second Dragon Crisis, from the vampires who wished to destroy the sun. And then, in what must have captured bards' imaginations the world over, the last Dragonborn defeated the first, and Hermaeus Mora's puppet was defeated.
Harbinger of the companions, though he doesn't look the type. A Nord, but lithe and enduring rather than big and strong. A Nord, but without the hatred and fear of magic so common to his race, become Arch-Mage of the college of Winterhold.
No, he was not what Nords had imagined their greatest hero would look like.
And now, draped across his chair in Jorrvaskr, his 'love' and Companion Aela confronts him.
"Did you truly believe that whenever I headed out on my own I was hunting down Dragons? Lass, were that true Skyrim would have been overrun by Dragons long ago, Alduin or no Alduin." he says, as he rises.
"I know they say love blinds people, but to this extent..." he marvels, "Are you that gullible by nature? Or was it truly love?" he mocks.
"Who else did you kill?" she asks, in a heartbroken voice that would strike at anyone's conscience.
Well, almost anyone's conscience.
"Me? Kill?" he says, all insulted innocence, "I would never kill someone! I prefer the term... Liberate. I freed them from their mortal binds. Anoriath need never worry about money again, Carlotta needn't worry about her poor daughter anymore either. Adalvald was so scared of the Thalmor in the end, and now he never has to fear them again!"
"You killed them in cold blood! How could you be so cruel?" she asks next.
"Cruel? I think not. I have seen Sovngarde, girl, I know what comes after this life. It is not so tortuous as you seem to believe. Anoriath will be welcomed by Hircine, hunter that he was, Adalvald feasts with his ancestors in Shor's hall. What cruelty is that, I ask? They are free. And soon, you will be too." he grins menacingly then, and draws his sword.
"I love you!" she cries desperately, a last attempt to save her life. She was no fool, Alduin's bane would not be bested by just any mortal, even a werewolf.
"I know." he says. And faster than the eye can follow his sword has pierced her throat. Her body falls, even as Hircine welcomes her spirit, leading her to the Hunting Grounds.
With no time to spare, the Listener stalks towards what used to be the Huntress' room. Grabbing the black and red clothes Nazir had given him for this purpose, he hides them in her cupboard, along with a note from the Redguard.
'A child has prayed to his mother. So begins a contract, bound in blood. Calahar Dovahkriid, Harbinger of the Companions and Arch-Mage of the College of Winterhold is to die. I know this will be no issue with you, after your job with Adalvald and Anoriath, but I shall tell you anyway. The fee has been payed, failure is not an option, Huntress.
Night's blessing to you and shadows hide you.' it read.
Damning evidence indeed.
He headed back to his room, where the cooling body of his ex-lover still lay. He ruffled his clothes and bed, just in time for Vilkas and Farkas to rush in, weapons drawn.
"What happened?" demands Vilkas, pointing his weapon at the harbinger.
"I don't know!" he shouts, faking panic, "I was asleep and when I woke she was standing over me with a knife! Do you think she was cursed?"
"I don't know, but I do know it looks suspicious." Vilkas glares at the harbinger.
Farkas tries to pacify his brother, "Let's check her room, maybe the wizard left something!
The Dragonborn holds back a smirk as they walk through the living quarters, arriving at Aela's.
Aela, who was famous for not letting anyone in her room, whatever the reason.
It took only a few minutes of rummaging around. "By the Nine... She was in the Brotherhood!" Farkas shouts out, holding the clothes. He grabs the note as it falls from the shrouded garb.
"She was to kill you... Kynareth, she's the one who killed Adalvald and Anoriath! How could she do this? When did she join them?"
Playing up his knowledge of the Brotherhood, the Listener speaks. "The Dark Brotherhood has people everywhere. She may have joined the companions as one of them, they may have convinced her to switch prey after she became one of the Companions."
"And you would know this how?" ever suspicious, ever hostile, Vilkas' tone is anything but kind.
"I know how they work because they killed my family. I had thought that when I burned out the Falkreath hideout they'd keep a low profile. They chose revenge instead it seems." He says, choking up as he mentions his parents. He didn't feel the need to mention he was the Brotherhood assassin that killed his cruel parents.
"I... I'm sorry... I didn't know..." Vilkas says hesitantly. Suspicious he may be, but he isn't without humanity.
"No, no, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have snapped. You couldn't have known." the masterful actor says.
Vilkas, who now holds the note, remarks upon it's contents. "I don't think this was a matter of revenge. It says the fee has been payed, and I doubt they payed themselves to kill someone."
"Then someone still wants to kill me." the harbinger spoke gravely, "And the Brotherhood does not give up after one try."
'Good,' thought the assassin, 'now they'll be suspicious of everyone else.'
And the three climbed the stairs to the mead hall to inform the others. They were surprised at first, disbelieving even. But the letter and the clothes shook their certainty.
All Aela's actions over the years were scrutinised. Her demand for privacy. Her long absences alone.
And they believed.
And the Listener smiled.
He would have to try that again.
Author's note: I'm not entirely sure what to do next in Calahar's conquest of Tamriel, does he go to Cyrodiil to claim the throne? Does he take Hammerfell, Morrowind or Orsinium? Suggestions are welcome! I thought I'd put this interlude out there while people avidly await my next chapter (yes, both of you), and to see if anyone had suggestions.