Disclaimer: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim © Bethesda. Original content © Me.

Quest-line AU: Penitus Oculatus

"2: A Precarious Proposition"

5:50 A.M., Fredas, Dragon Bridge...

When Kharjo awoke, he immediately realized something was wrong. Alyssa's scent was faint, and when he looked around the room of the Outpost, he didn't see her anywhere. Around him, Penitus Oculatus Agents were searching the room and going in and out of the Outpost. Kharjo made the decision to ask Commander Maro about it, "What happened?"

"They got her. I don't know how, but the damn Brotherhood kidnapped her." Maro seemed furious, before rubbing his forehead and grunting in apparent frustration. One of the agents approached Maro, holding a green bottle.

"Sir, I think I might know how they slipped past us. This is a lingering numbness poison. One of the other agents found that someone had lined the rims of numerous Mead bottles with the poison."

Maro put the pieces together, "The men had no stamina. They fell asleep on the job because of it. That must've been how whoever got her slipped past." Maro raised a fist and slammed it on the table, "Son of a bitch!" He turned to the agent, "We have to find her before they do anything to her. Send as many men as we can spare on search parties, search everywhere. Search the Stormcloak encampments or the Thalmor Embassy if you have to!"

A thought occurred to Kharjo, "I thought you wanted to get their attention?"

Maro leveled a glare at him, "Our plan was to lure the Dark Brotherhood out into the open! We got their attention through the most direct method I could think of and they still slipped out from under us, not to mention they might have Whiterun's Thane hostage!"

"...Khayla?" Alyssa mumbled sleepily, before the events of the previous night caught up to her. "Kharjo? Where are we?" When she received no answer, her eyes snapped open and she jolted upright.

The first thing she was greeted with was a Dunmer garbed in the unfortunately familiar garb of a Dark Brotherhood assassin, with a cowl masking his face, sitting atop an empty shelf in the corner of a room. He greeted her as soon as he saw she was awake, "You're finally awake."

"What? Who are you? Where am I?"

"Relax. You're warm and dry and still breathing. Wish the same could be said for ol' Grelod the Kind, though."

"You know about that?"

"I'd wager everyone from Windhelm to Falkreath or even Markarth knows. Old hag gets butchered in her own Orphanage? Those news tend to spread like a wildfire. Mind you though, I'm not criticizing. I would've done the same. Of course, that Constance person must've been utterly traumatized, but you saved the orphans. However, your actions have caused a bit of a problem for my boss and associates."

"A problem?"

"The one who put the contract on Grelod, an orphan named Aventus Aretino, he was looking for the Dark Brotherhood, which means me and the organization I work for. Grelod was a Dark Brotherhood contract, which you stole, and now you must repay."

"You want me to murder someone else? Who?"

"Well now, if you were to turn around, you'll notice that we have guests. Where they come from isn't important. What matters is that one of them has a contract on their head, and if you figure out who, you can leave this place in exchange for their life being forfeit. What say you?"

Alyssa glanced behind her and saw three captives on their knees with hoods over their faces and hands tied behind their backs. She turned and growled at the Dark Brotherhood assassin, "I'll have no part of this insanity!"

"Too bad, you became involved in this 'insanity' the instant you took Grelod's life. Fate has a way of coming back around with consequences for one's actions. Now, no-one is leaving until someone dies. So make your decision and see me when you're done."

Alyssa got up from the bed, a plan forming in her mind, and went to get an idea of who the hostages were. The three in question were a Nord woman by the name of Alea Quintus, a Khajiit by the name of Vasha, and a Nord mercenary by the name of Fultheim the Fearless. She tried to give off the impression of going along with the assassin's plan by asking each hostage about whether someone would pay to have them assassinated, with mixed results. Once she figured she had played the part long enough, she walked up to the assassin, "I've made my decision."

"And you're gonna delay it by telling me? If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were stalling. So kill someone already."

Alyssa responded with a glare as she felt the power within her build up. The shack seemed to shake as she told him, "You said no-one was leaving until someone died." She inhaled, then Shouted, "Fus... Ro Dah!" The wave of kinetic energy struck the assassin hard enough that he hit his head on the wall behind him with an audible crack. He recoiled as Alyssa drew her blade and readied her shield. The assassin hopped off the shelf and drew an Orcish dagger as Alyssa swung her shield, catching him off-guard and stumbling him momentarily. That moment was all she needed as she charged and ran him through. The blade briefly protruded from his back, black metal stained red, before she pulled the sword out.

In his last moments, the assassin muttered, "Well done..." This confused Alyssa a bit, prompting her to ignore it and instead, she began searching his pockets until she found the key to leave the place. She looked over the suit he wore and began thinking of an idea for something to do with it. She stripped the Shrouded Armor off the Dunmer's body, planning to get it cleaned and refitted for herself.

"Come now my friend. Haven't we played played this game long enough? Cut me loose and we can all go our separate ways." Vasha's voice reminded Alyssa that she wasn't alone in the shack. She turned her attention to the three captives and walked up to Vasha. She pulled the execution hood off his head and tossed it aside. The Khajiit took a deep breath, "Ah, you see? That wasn't so hard, now was it? Let's the two of us forget we ever met, hmm?"

Alyssa thought about it for a moment, "No. How about instead, I let you go on the condition that from now on, you have a debt to me. I'll have a favor, one favor, for you that I can call upon at any time, and in exchange, you go free."

Vasha's tail swished across the floor as he stared in thought. "Deal." She cut loose his bonds, prompting him to stretch his arms, stand up, and stretch a second time. "Ah, sweet freedom. You have my thanks, stranger."

She unlocked the door out of the shack, then returned to cut the other two loose. Alea left the shack in a hurry, pausing only to hurl an insult that passed over Alyssa's head. Fultheim the Fearless opted instead to thank her constantly, then tell her that if she ever needed his help with anything, she could find him in Rorikstead. After they left, she prepared to leave as well, pausing to spare a glance at the dead assassin. He had mentioned someone by the name of 'Aventus Aretino,' and that he had put the contract on Grelod the Kind. Alyssa made a note to learn more about the name and left the shack.

Once she left the shack, she looked around the area and recognized the large, natural bridge that the Blue Palace of Solitude sat atop of in the distance. The area she was in was a large, swamp-like area that she soon recognized. One of the leads she had to the Gauldur Amulet brought her to a Nordic Ruin not too far from her current location. The Amulet in question now hung around her neck under her Ebony Cuirass. She looked around a bit, trying to find a more specific way across before a familiar voice spoke behind her, "Alyssa?"

She turned around to find a female Khajiit with brown fur, green eyes, and a trio of scars on her nose. Alyssa could barely contain her joy and wrapper her arms around Khayla, "You have no idea how happy I am to see you!" Khayla returned the gesture with a short, quick kiss.

Khayla released Alyssa from the hug, rested her hands on the latter's shoulders and grinned at her, "Actually, I do. As it happened, when we were passing by Dragon Bridge when Kharjo approached Ri'saad. He told us you had disappeared and I asked to help search for you while the caravan set up there." Khayla turned to look at the shack before returning her gaze to Alyssa, "When I heard the Shouting, I just knew it had to be you and came as quickly as I could."

Alyssa let out a small laugh and wiped the joyful tears from her eyes, "I'm glad you did." She hugged Khayla again, unable to stop the tears from falling. She wanted to say something, but just couldn't find the words in her sore throat.

Khayla decided to break up the hug and told her, "Ri'saad also wanted me to thank you for the horse. It makes getting our supplies around much easier."

Alyssa chuckled a bit, "Come on, let's head back to Dragon Bridge. We need to make sure Kharjo's alright and I have to report this to Maro." Khayla nodded and took Alyssa's hand in hers as the duo began the walk to Dragon Bridge.

Commander Maro leaned against the table, looking at the drawn up Map of Skyrim. Kharjo sat in one corner of the room while Gaius Maro, Commander Maro's son, sat in the opposite corner and next to a Warrior who was standing with his arms crossed. "Have any of the searches reported back yet?" Maro decided to ask the Warrior.

The Warrior shook his head, "It's only been a few hours, sir."

Maro growled, "The Reach party should have been back by now. Or at the very least, the Hjaalmarch party."

Gaius decided to speak, "If I may, you seem a bit overly concerned about this person. May I ask why?"

Maro looked up from the map and at his son, "Besides being a Thane in Whiterun, she's agreed to help us with taking down the Dark Brotherhood. Not to mention she's the Dragonborn, and if she dies..." Maro trailed off, letting the silence that followed finish his sentence.

Kharjo stood up from his seat, "She has done right by me, I do not intend to let her die alone or at the hands of the Dark Brotherhood. I'm going to find her if I have to go to Oblivion and back."

"It's fine, Kharjo. No need to go to Oblivion and back, though I'm flattered that you would." The voice in the doorway surprised everyone as Alyssa walked into the Outpost and set a pile of black and red (and slightly bloody) cloth on the table. "You were right. Killing Grelod got their attention. One of the assassins tried to induct me into the group. This was my answer." She gestured to the stained attire for emphasis.

A hand on her shoulder startled her and she turned to see Kharjo. The Khajiit was grinning, "Khajiit feels a warmness at seeing you return alive." Alyssa grinned back.

She turned back to Maro when he began speaking, "This might actually work to our advantage. We've spent so long trying to replicate the fabric and the enchantments that they use in their outfits, and you've not only come back alive, but dropped exactly what we needed right onto our laps." Maro looked up to her, "Since you've proven already that you aren't to be trifled with, how would you feel about bringing the fight to the Dark Brotherhood?"

Alyssa was intrigued, "What did you have in mind?"

Maro gestured to the Shrouded Armor on the table, "If you visit Beirand in Solitude, he might be able to not only clean this armor off, but he might be able to refit it to your proportions. We could pass you off as a member of the Dark Brotherhood and fool them into thinking that you took up on the offer." At the mention of it, Alyssa's chest began hurting and she realized that she still had yet to get her Ebony Cuirass refitted as it was. She agreed to get the armor refitted and took it with her, gesturing for Kharjo to follow her.

2:16 P.M., Fredas, Solitude...

Beirand was at his forge, working by himself and wholly absorbed in his work that he didn't notice a familiar face coming up the walkway to his forge. It wasn't until he heard an admiring whistle following a compliment, "I don't think I've seen you work so hard at your forge before. Busy day?"

Beirand smiled, "Well, if it isn't the Legion's latest recruit. Tell me, how goes the war?"

Alyssa set the Shrouded Cuirass and her Ebony Cuirass down on the table, having donned a set of blacksmith robes a little while beforehand. She paused for a moment, deep in thought before quietly answering, "Ulfric's dead. The only remnants of his rebellion are the radical soldiers still in the camps." She gestured to the cuirasses, "However, something more important has come up at the moment."

Beirand paused his work to take a look at the cuirasses. His eyes were drawn to the hand-print on the leathery one, "The Dark Brotherhood? What's going on?"

She gestured to a duo of soldiers as they walked through the arch into the Legion's training grounds, "The Penitus Oculatus wants my help in fighting the Dark Brotherhood." She gestured to her Ebony Cuirass, "I'm also looking to get this refitted as well."

Beirand took note of the demands, "Fighting a war on two fronts I've heard of. Fighting two wars at once? And with the Dark Brotherhood! I think you're crazy, but you're my favorite customer, so I'll go along. How did you want that armor refitted?"

Alyssa held up the Ebony Cuirass, "I'd like you to refit this so that it feels less like I have a knife in my chest all the time." She then held up the Shrouded Cuirass and Greaves, "And I need you to refit these more to suit my form." Beirand nodded and took the assorted clothings in one hand.

He gestured to the inside of his shop, "I'll need to get your measurements though." Alyssa nodded and followed him into the shop, asking Kharjo to stick around right outside the shop.

6:49 P.M., Fredas, Dragon Bridge...

Commander Maro looked up from the map when he heard the door open. In walked Alyssa and Kharjo. "Well? Did you get it refitted?"

Alyssa nodded, "There was a slight problem." She held up the Shrouded Cuirass. It took only one glimpse for Maro to realize what was wrong. The 'Hand of Mephala' that the original Cuirass had on its midriff, that the group used as their symbol for nearly everything, wasn't present.

Maro sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose, "By the Eight, I hope they don't notice." He looked down at the map, then back up to Alyssa, "Well, are you ready for your next assignment?" Alyssa nodded, prompting him to point toward a small red flag near the shield for Falkreath, "This is where we've determined the location of their Sanctuary to be. You are to sneak into the Brotherhood and try to determine who their next target is. If we can get our hands on that information, we can try to catch them off-guard again and this time put a stop to their terror."

Alyssa nodded. Her ears twitched and she realized something important, "I'm going to be wearing the Shrouded Armor. I'm going to look exactly like a Dark Brotherhood Assassin. How am I going to convince any Penitus Oculatus agents I encounter while wearing it that I'm on their side?"

Maro looked down at the map, "I've thought about that and I've shared a code-phrase with them. I'm going to give it to you as well. The agents should know what you look like, but if they aren't certain, they are required to ask, 'Who is the secret Mad dancer?' The answer to the question is 'Ascending Firebird.' Every agent should know about your status as a spy in the Brotherhood within the next two days." Maro looked up at her, a serious look in his eyes, "Anyone who wears our armor and attacks you without asking that exact question is to be considered either turncoat or a counterspy. If you're not certain, ask them 'When is cabbage cheesy?' and if they answer, '3:25,' they are trustworthy. The safety of Skyrim rests in our hands, so watch yourself in there."

Alyssa saluted Commander Maro, then left for the Falkreath Sanctuary.

A/N

→ Part 2 of the Penitus Oculatus quest-line AU. I decided to switch out Astrid for a generic assassin (hence the differing dialogue) in part to stay true to the Dark Brotherhood quest-line. My idea for the former quest-line is that it runs alongside the latter quest-line, killing Astrid so early in the Penitus Oculatus quest-line felt somewhat cheap, like getting cheated out of the main conflict of the story. However, I still wanted a scenario where the Dragonborn still rejects the offer to join. As a bonus, I gave the captives a bit more importance which will be capitalized on eventually (as in Fultheim the Fearless as a possible follower and Vasha returning because of that favor).

→ A personal opinion that I've seen expressed by some players is the disappointment at not having Khajiits be eligible for marriage. This is most likely my jade-colored glasses, but it seems like a portion of these opinions exist solely to focus on Kharjo and J'zargo. I have no problem with either character, I like having them as followers (the rare times I do have a follower in-game), but I wanted to focus more on a relationship between a Khajiit Dovahkiin and one of the other named Khajiits. This does have plot significance, so don't worry.

→ Kudos to RisingPhoenix56 for pointing out a dialogue error in previous chapters.