Chapter 5
Lucien stripped off his torn cloak, and pulled his hood off. He laid down exhausted on the wide double bed, sighing as he hit the fine satin coverlet. I stood at the sink, rinsing the grime of Dagon's statue off of my face. I dried myself with a towel, and then stripped down and got into bed next to him.
Under Jauffre's orders, Lucien and I were to stay in Martin's room. It was the most isolated of the rooms, and the Nord guard outside the door would keep a constant watch of our comings and goings. For now, Lucien was to stay by my side. Jauffre's nerves needed to calm and Martin needed to work his diplomatic magic before we could have any freedom of movement inside the Temple. Martin had no objection at all to us in his room; he had said that he only wished he could make us more comfortable.
"It's cold up here," Lucien shivered. "I'm going to start a fire in the fireplace."
"That's fine," I said, stretching out. The bright light reflecting off the snow lit up the room. I groaned and stuck my head under the pillow. "It's too bright to sleep."
Lucien looked back at me from the fireplace, where he had started a bit of kindling. "It is awfully bright," he said wearily. Finishing with the fire, he slid into bed next to me. His skin was cold, and I put my arms around him as he pushed his face into my hair.
We stayed like that for a while, Lucien's body gradually growing warmer. I was drowsy from the heat of the fireplace and the softness of the bed and pillows.
"Do you think," Lucien said, rolling onto his back, "Martin will really be able to translate that book?" Over breakfast with Martin, he had announced his intention to crack the code of the Mysterium Xarxes. When we left him, he had been poring over the book, silent through most of the meal while the Blades looked on with unrestrained anxiety.
I rolled my head to the side to look at him. "He said he experimented with Daedra worship in his youth," I said. "He has a bit of background in it, at least. If not, I suppose I can always get the scholars from the Mages Guild working on it."
Lucien was silent for a moment. "You know," he started haltingly, "I sort of like the fetcher."
A grin started on my lips. "Martin?" I asked. Lucien nodded thoughtfully. "I told you he was fine," I said. "Martin doesn't have any intentions toward me, Lucien."
Lucien made no answer, but rolled on his side toward me and gathered me in his arms. "Let's have our few hours of sleep, if we can, Anoriel," he said. "They want us back in the Great Hall at seven, and we can discuss it all then."
I nodded tiredly, but it seemed to be hours before I fell asleep.
-Interlude-Lucien-
"Lucien Lachance."
That hiss woke me from my thin sleep, and I raised my head jerkily towards the door at the sound. I looked down at the Breton in my arms, lips curled in a trusting half smile as she slumbered. Gently, I slipped away from her, and cracked the door to the bedroom.
"What?" I asked the old man at the door. Jauffre, Anoriel had called him.
Jauffre looked at me intensely, lips thinning. "I want you to meet me in the armoury, tonight at three in the morning. What say you?"
"Alone?" I asked.
"Alone," he confirmed. "Do not say anything to Anoriel."
I nodded curtly and shut the door in his snivelling face. Most interesting.
I turned and moved
quietly back into the bed. The fire had died while we slept; and the
room had regained its chill. As I pulled the covers to my shoulders,
I watched Anoriel. She still slept with the same trusting look on her
face that she had the first night I had come to her: cheeks slightly
puffed out, mouth pursed, long lashes brushing her cheeks. Her long
dark hair, darker that mine, was spilled across the pillow, and her
sweet young skin looked smooth as the still waters of Lake Rumare.
She held the blankets bunched in her arms, but as she felt me reenter
the bed, one sleepy hand snaked towards my body. It rested on my rib
cage, and was still. I covered her hand with mine.
Whatever
that old man wants, I will do it. Anoriel should not be treated
harshly because of me. I
was sure there was some kind of devious task he would have me do to
prove my honor. Probably quite dangerous, as well. For if I failed,
what was the great loss? The Blades would be closer to eradicating
the Brotherhood. I was sure they would not hurt Anoriel-I did not
think Martin would let that happen. Anoriel had proven herself to
these men, over and over again. She was worthy of their trust, and I
would not taint that.
I rolled fitfully, crushing Anoriel's hand. She jerked in her sleep, and let out a muffled squeak. I pulled her into my arms, and tucked her head against me. She sighed, and I watched the snow falling on the darkening day through the window for a long time.
--
I awoke tired and tangled in blankets and hair, glued to Lucien. My sleep had not been restful; I felt more worn out now than when I had laid down. I blew out an exasperated breath, and Lucien kissed my forehead.
"What is the time?" I asked him.
"We have about fifteen minutes to get down to dinner," he said. "We should get moving, sweet girl."
"Sweet girl?" I queried, smiling. "For being locked in a room in a temple full of people who are not happy about you, you are certainly being sweet yourself!"
Lucien gave me a resigned smile. "I have been hated for almost as long as I can remember, except for the Family, Anoriel. It is nothing new."
I sat up, putting my arms around him. I kissed his ear, and whispered, "Well, I do not find you fearsome, or loathsome, or any of that!"
"And that," he said, pulling me onto his lap, "is why I keep you around."
"You keep me around!"
He started kissing me.
A knock at the door startled us, and we looked up in time to see Martin peeking through the door he had cracked open. The Blades, about ten of them, were all bunched up behind him. I imagine that seeing us, our frightening and sinister Black Hand selves, clad in only our underwear and kissing furiously while I sat on Lucien's lap did a bit to dispel their worries.
I pulled up the blanket. "Erm, hello, Martin!"
Martin groaned. "Let me guess. The novelty of the Emperor's bed proved too much for your resistance."
Lucien chuckled. "Oh, that's good!"
"We were just getting dressed," I said, drawing myself up and trying to look regal and respectable.
One Emperor, ten Blades, and one Speaker burst out laughing.
"Oh, you bunch of fetchers." I smacked Lucien on the arm. "Why are you laughing!"
"All right, Anoriel. I just wanted to wake you for dinner. Come down when you are ready...I hope it shall not be too long." Martin rolled his eyes and shut the door.
Lucien released me, laughing. "I do like that man. And I don't think he needs a coach, Anoriel!"
I slid off the bed. "Oh, shut up." I started pulling on my robes, and leaned over to buckle my boots.
--
Dinner in the Great Hall was a surprisingly low key affair. At the table were only Martin, Jauffre, Steffan, and Lucien and myself. The other Blades were hidden in the shadows against the wall; no doubt watching Lucien and me like hawks.
Martin and Steffan made small talk with Lucien and me, sharing and trading the news of the world they so desperately wanted. Isolation at Cloud Ruler Temple was hard for them, and Lucien and I told them of what we had seen lately. Steffan seemed as relaxed as Martin-he was more willing to trust his Emperor, I suppose-but Jauffre eyed Lucien suspiciously throughout the meal.
As we finished the main course, Martin leaned back in his chair. "Anoriel," he said, "I have translated part of the Mysterium Xarxes this afternoon. I'm afraid I have to send you on more scavenger hunts."
"For what, exactly?" I questioned.
"I know I need a Daedric artifact-perhaps Azura's Star-and I also need a Great Welkynd Stone," he said. "I will need four things, but that is all I have translated at this point."
"Azura's Star," I mused. "Will it be destroyed?"
"It will," he responded.
"Will any artifact do? I would hate to lose that to the world."
"I believe so," he said, leaning back in his chair. "I have some books you can look over, and see if any of the artifacts suits you better." He looked at Lucien. "It is not easy working with that book," he told him. "My eyes burn if I work on it too long, but time is of the essence. Regardless," he continued, "I expect you both to make a bit of a stay here, as I translate. I wish to know the entire story before I send you out, in case I am wrong about parts of it."
I nodded. Lucien remained still. "How long?" I asked.
"A few days, perhaps," answered Martin. "But I believe Jauffre has a task for you to do while you wait." He gestured to Jauffre.
"I believe there are spies in Bruma," said Jauffre. "I need you to investigate that, Anoriel. I think they are watching the movements here at the Temple. Captain Burd in Bruma may know more, but the people I have seen tend to hang around a stone halfway between here and the city, during the night."
I started to rise. "Then I shall go, and see what there is to be seen."
Martin shook his head. "Not tonight, Anoriel. I recommend you sleep tonight, and speak with Burd in the morning. You look too worn out to be effective, if you'll pardon my bluntness."
I nodded, and sat back down. "You speak truly, dear friend," I said, and smiled softly at him. I cast a sideways glance at Lucien, who had been extremely reserved through the meal; only speaking when spoken to and not offering an extra word. Polite to a fault, yes, but unusually thoughtful and quiet. His hood was pushed back, and his eyes looked tired. Occasionally they drifted to Jauffre for a minute, but then returned swiftly to his plate. I moved my hand under the table and laid it on his thigh; he covered his hand with mine and smiled at me briefly.
Martin rose and pushed his chair back. "I should go back to work," he said. "I need to figure out the other item. Er, other two items, I mean." He gave a strange, embarassed smile, and glanced at Jauffre. I saw a flicker of warning in Jauffre's eyes. They are up to something.
"Martin," I said quietly, "let me clear our things from your room."
He shook his head. "No, Anoriel, I wish you to stay there." He smiled gently. "It is too grand a room for me. I am going to sleep with the Blades." He raised one eyebrow. "If I do get a chance to sleep, that is."
I rose and bowed. "As you wish...dear friend."
"I will see you in the morning, Anoriel. Good night."
"Good night, Martin."
I turned and walked out the door, Lucien trailing quietly. The Nord guard opened the room door for us, and shut it behind as we went inside.
"I think I will have a bath, Anoriel," said Lucien, going toward the tub.
"But we have no cupboard," I smiled.
"That was your concern, not mine," he said teasingly.
I picked up the book on Daedric artifacts and settled in the bed to read. Lucien bathed quietly, only a slosh of water heard occasionally. I fought to maintain good composure, and not peek, but it was hard to resist. A lovely image of him burned in my brain: back to me, head resting on the tub's side, dark hair wet and slicked back. His eyes were closed as the steam rose around him, mouth open slightly and arms laid along the shelf of the tub. He is as stunning as a god, I thought. I wanted to crawl to him, whisper into his ear, and worship at his feet. My eyes rose over the book as he got out, the darkness of that corner of the room keeping his modesty intact. Yet I could see the hard thighs, the straight shoulders; the silhouette of a fighter. He dried off, and put on only his underwear. He puttered to the sink to shave, carefully scratching the razor along his jawline, feeling his face after each stroke. His profile was regal against the dark wall, his shadow tall. I hurriedly refocused my attention on the book. I had to have something intelligent to say, or else my daydreaming would be blindingly obvious! He joined me in bed rather soon.
"Wabbajack," I said, nose stuck in the book. "That sounds entirely useless. I am loath to destroy Azura's Star."
"Let me see," he said, taking the book from me.
"While you read," I said, standing up and stretching, "I will bathe."
"Oh no! Surely I cannot be present at such a sacred moment!" he said in mock horror. He put the book over his head.
I was no longer divided in mind after watching him bathe. I wanted to possess him. Kicking off my shoes, I walked softly to his side of the bed. I grasped the book and pulled it away from his face. Leaning over to kiss him, I whispered, "Watch me."
His eyes searched my face, and he sat up slowly. "What changed your mind?" he asked, voice thick. He took my arms in his hands, and sat me next to him.
I kissed him, biting his bottom lip gently. "They wanted to kill you," I whispered. "You will never be taken from me again, unless you yourself do it. Our time may be short, but you will not slip through my fingers, Lucien. I will not allow it."
His jaw moved, clenching and unclenching. "Anoriel," he started, but trailed off. He took a breath, seeming to compose himself. He reached out, and opened my Black Hand cloak, pulling the cloth off of my shoulders. I slipped my arms out, and he pushed it down around my waist. I stood, letting the robe fall.
He stood, guiding me toward the tub. I knelt to pour in the water, and he knelt behind me, unhooking my bra. Sliding it off over my arms, he kissed my neck. I stood to get in, and two fingers slid my panties off, trailing down my thighs as he did so.
I stepped out of them, and he slid his own underwear down.
"I guess another bath won't hurt," he said quietly, eyes hungry.
He got in first, and I sat between his legs, leaning into his chest. I dunked under, getting my hair wet, excitedly aware of how close I was to him. As I settled back into him, he took the soap, and rubbed me with it, carefully washing my back and neck, and moved with slick hands to my breasts. He only did a token washing as I twisted my neck to kiss him; the soap soon slid out of his hands as he caressed me.
Our tongues danced in each others' mouths, and I grasped his neck from behind with one hand. One of his hands slipped down to my belly and lingered there.
"It's all right, Lucien," I whispered into his mouth.
His hand dipped beneath the surface of the water, and gently began stroking.
I threw my dripping legs over the sides of the tub.
His stroke hardened as he bit my shoulder. I heard his deep, rapid breathing, and felt it tickling my shoulder. One of his hands clasped around my throat as the other stroked; sliding up the side of my face. I turned my head and took one of his fingers in my mouth, pulling at it with my lips. He groaned, and I felt him stiffen behind me. His hand stopped its caress, and he plunged two fingers inside of me. I pushed my hips against his hand. His thumb made little circles on me, higher up.
"Oh, gods," I whispered.
"Out," he choked. "Out, out, we must get out."
We shot up and out of the tub, dripping and trailing water all along the floor. Manhandling each other, we fell onto the bed, and he mounted me, parting my legs. The tip of him touched me, pushing. I clenched with impatience.
"Hurry, Lucien!" I whispered frantically.
He hesitated. "Anoriel," he moaned, as if in great torment of mind.
I held my head up, worried, trying to push away the insistent pounding of blood rushing in my head. "What is it, Lucien? What's wrong?"
"It's..." he blew out a breath in anger. "It's just...not time. I would not start what I may not be able to finish." He pulled himself up and away, and stalked off toward the bathtub, recovering his underwear.
I moved up onto my elbows, still naked, and confused. "What in the hell are you talking about, not able to finish? Lucien!" I stood up, shaken.
He fumbled with his clothes and didn't look at me. His jaw was moving, and he blew out angry bursts of breath. "Gods-damnit," I heard him spit out under his breath.
"What did I do?" I cried out miserably.
He looked at me with alarm. "Nothing, Anoriel, nothing," he said hastily. "I just...have something I need to do. Something I need to prove. When it is done," he continued, great sadness in his eyes, "I will be a whole man. And then," he said, moving toward me and grasping my arms, "I will not deny you."
"I don't understand," I whispered wretchedly.
"At this point," he whispered back, intensity burning in his eyes, "you cannot. But you will! And there will be no more secrets, Anoriel. I swear it." He looked almost wild, like the expression seen on a fearful caged beast.
I pulled away. "Do not hurt me! You must not. I will not recover. Walking the streets of the Imperial City, after I was sure you had died, I thought that I would not. Now I know I would not. Do not break me, Lucien! I need you." I turned away, and went to fetch a shirt of Martin's to wear. I felt uncomfortable naked.
"Come to bed, Anoriel. Let me hold you for a while. That, at least, I can do." He looked at me pleadingly.
I turned, and ran into the bed, hiding my face and hurt in his arms.
-Interlude:Lucien-
I awoke in the middle of the night, bitter and murderously angry. My internal clock had been set, and it was time to prepare.
Silently, teeth clenched, I released Anoriel and carefully rolled her in her blankets. The room was black, except for the dim light of the moon, and I felt for my robes. I knew I had found mine when I felt the tear in the wrist.
Damn them, I thought. Damn them all for this treachery they have forced upon me.
I quietly pulled on my boots and buckled them. Anoriel had cried, I had felt her tears trickling down my chest. She now slept the sleep of the exhausted; one worn out in body and soul. She would not wake.
I took a long last look at her sleeping form. Even in sleep, her mouth was turned down at the corners, as if she remembered her hurt even in her dreams. It made me angry enough to cut into my lip with my teeth. My fists clenched as I turned toward the door.
I opened it, and stepped into the dim hall. Jauffre was waiting, and the Nord guard was quiet. As I closed the door softly behind me, Jauffre nodded to the guard, who locked the door from the outside.
"You," I snarled in a low voice at Jauffre, "have cost me dearly."
He nodded, emotionless. "Come with me."
I followed him down two flights of stairs, and across the Great Hall. We entered another door, and descended to a basement.
Martin was waiting, swords and armor stacked up around him in the room.
"You are in on this too," I said evenly.
He rose. "Lucien," he said. "I would prefer that this not be this way. But Jauffre will not be denied." He glanced at the captain. "He did not trust Anoriel for a while, either. And this news of the Brotherhood has unsettled him greatly. Surely you understand that, Lucien!" His face showed great torment of mind.
"I do," I said. "But leaving Anoriel out of this is treachery. I do not stand for treachery!"
Martin looked sad. "Yes, I know, and I hate it. But I agree that it is necessary."
"Well. I did not come here to mince words. What are you having me do?"
Jauffre looked surprised.
"Of course you're having me do something, you wretched ass," I roared at him. "I have to prove my damned honor or something to you. You need to know that your Emperor is safe with me stalking the halls. You cannot even believe Anoriel, who has risked her life countless times for your schemes, while you sit here in this fortress whimpering like a bastard dog!" I spat.
Martin spoke after a moment. "I cannot stop your anger, Lucien, and I will not hold it against you. I will make this short. I have identified the third item needed from the Mysterium Xarxes. You must go to the burial chamber of Tiber Septim, in a fortress called Sancre Tor. It is rumoured to be haunted and extremely dangerous, which is why the shrine is not open to pilgrims." He paused for a breath. "Retrive the armor of Tiber Septim, and bring it to me."
I nodded. "Give me directions, and I shall go. I will not waste any more time."
Martin produced a map, and pointed out the location of Sancre Tor. I marked it on my map, and then a thought occured to me.
"I will do this for you. But you will do something for me, as well."
Martin looked at me warily. "What is it?"
"I want to send a friend of Anoriel's here. In case I should not return. She will need someone to comfort her, and I trust neither of you to do it. It also occurs to me you could be plotting to eliminate the Black Hand, by sending me to an ambush and killing her here. While I doubt that," I continued, "I do not trust you." I pointed to Jauffre. "Your zealousness will not touch her, or I will rain upon you horrors unspeakable. Are we clear, Bladesmaster?"
Jauffre said quietly, "I wish no harm upon Anoriel. Do not doubt that."
Martin spoke up. "Send her friend," he said. "For even if you do return-and I believe a man of your skill will-she will need comforting while you are gone, and I do not think she will be pleased with any of us here."
"Good," I answered. "Tell her I have taken Shadowmere, to ride with more haste. Now, if you can give me my bow and blade, I will be out of your way."
"They are upstairs," said Martin. "We have repaired them."
I nodded.
Martin and Jauffre led the way out of the room, and Jauffre fell in behind me as we ascended up the stairs, through the hall, and out to the porch.
Martin handed me my blade, shining in the cold light of the night. "Go with the blessings of the Nine, and return with speed," he said.
"The Nine can rot. I serve Sithis," I answered, and mounted Shadowmere. I caught the reins of my new white horse, and led him next to me. With one last glance back, I spurred Shadowmere on, and pointed my path toward the Imperial City, thundering off through the snowdrifts of Bruma.
