The next morning she woke up early, as usual, and began a fresh batch of sweet rolls, just for Fen. If cooking was the way she showed her affection, then a sweet roll was a definite 'I love you.' She had just glazed the first batch when she heard Argis arguing with someone in the entrance way to Vlindrel Hall.

The man who walked into the kitchen was wearing motley including fancy boots and a hat with two drooping points. He took a look at Gianna holding the sweet rolls and began to squeal with delight.

"Cicero is hungry! Cicero wants a sweet roll," said the man standing at a height with Gianna with flame red hair and cold amber eyes. The smile plastered on his face never seemed to reach his eyes. He looked dangerous. He looked calculating. He took a sweet roll and began eating it, moaning obscenely at every bite.

Fen came into the room during the middle of the scene. "Cicero, wait outside," he said sternly.

"Oh yes, Cicero will wait at the door! Whatever you say, Listener," said the jester, taking the sweet roll as he walked to the door. Fen was sliding a plain woolen shirt over his black and red armor. The same armor he had worn when he came for Gianna in the dungeon.

"Leaving so soon," Gianna asked Fen, though a cold weight settling in her stomach told her she already knew the answer.

"My business with my family is almost complete. Then I will be back Gia. Soon," said Fen, walking close to her holding a full knapsack in the other hand.

"But you just got back..."

"It's only for a few days," he said, leaning in for a kiss but meeting only her cheek. "I don't like leaving you..."

"Be careful," breathed Gianna. It was the only thing she could say. She loved him and she needed him to come back. She didn't want him to leave because she didn't want him to leave ever.

"Sorry about Cicero," said Fen, as he started to walk away.

"I was afraid of him. But if he's a friend of yours..."

"No Gia. You should be afraid of Cicero. Very afraid," he said, turning to walk away. Gianna just watched, not knowing what to say and feeling a twisting in her stomach. Fen kept frightening company. Fen was frightening.

And now she was left alone again. That was frightening.

Gianna fell back into her work on the Gourmet's notes. She questioned whether she was costing too much in ingredients but Argis only laughed and said Fen had given her an unlimited budget. Gianna wondered how Fen could claim unlimited funds, but she still tried to keep her spending down.

During one of her afternoons walking with Argis, she heard a sound like broken crying coming from under one of the stone bridges. She rushed to the sound and was shocked to see Voada. The front of her dress was covered in blood where her thighs met.

"Argis, get to Understone Keep. Go to the kitchen and tell Rondach to come to Vlindrel," ordered Gianna, wrapping an arm around her friend and helping her walk toward the stairs to Fen's house.

Gianna tended to her friend before the men arrived back at the house. Voada's wrists and ankles were bruised and bloody from restraints and she was bleeding profusely where Thonar and his goons had forced their way on her. The ordeal lasted over an entire day before she was released and told to keep quiet under threat of death. Voada hadn't even been able to walk, the pain to her insides was too intense. It was a blessing from the gods that Gianna and Argis happened upon her when they did.

Some healing potions, a nice bath, and soup had Voada in better health, though she was still very shaken. Rondach was sick about his sister being in pain but Voada put on a strong front to comfort her brother. She sent him home and decided to stay in the house with Gianna for the night. They shared the master bed.

"Gianna," whispered Voada after both women were tucked into the bed in the warm darkness. Gianna gave a noise indicating she had heard. "Can I tell you a secret?" Gianna propped herself up on her elbows and nodded at her friend. "I performed the Black Sacrament. My entire savings should cover the cost. I'd give all of it and more to see that fucker dead."

"But, that's the Dark Brotherhood. You don't want to mess with them, Voada," said Gianna, though she felt false for saying it. She was messing with the Dark Brotherhood. How could she judge Voada?

"I won't live if he lives," said Voada. "Because next time, I will fight back." Gianna felt sick long after Voada had gone to sleep.

The next morning, Gianna made some apple muffins, but she also used some of her limited alchemical knowledge to add a special ingredient. Chefs were trained to identify poisonous plants and ingredients. Mainly this is to keep them from experimenting or cooking with something that could kill those eating the food. Some ingredients were only poisonous at certain levels. Using this knowledge, Gianna could identify some poisonous ingredients and mixing them together created something ugly. Something deadly. She put a small amount of the poison in a creamy glaze for the breakfast treats. She corked the rest and stored it in the alchemy alcove, careful to label it as dangerous.

Once Voada was up and dressed, Gianna pulled her aside and handed her the small basket of muffins. "Make sure no one but Thonar eats these muffins, Voada. Do you understand?"

The woman looked afraid as she met Gianna's eyes but she nodded her understanding and left carrying the parcel. Gianna felt nervous all day. It made for some furious baking. She didn't want to think about Voada, hurt and afraid. She didn't want to think about Fen, wherever he was. She didn't want to think about the consequences for murdering one of the Silver-Blood family.

The news came in days later. Thonar had taken a sudden illness and died. There was currently an investigation into how many of his employees were funding and promoting the Forsworn rebellion. There was no mention of any suspicion of foul play. Gianna had wanted to visit Voada and celebrate, but she felt that would not be appropriate behavior for an innocent woman. Instead, she worked on her recipes, cooked for Argis, and walked through the city of stone.

She returned from a walk one evening to find that Fen was back at Vlindrel. Her heart immediately jumped into her throat. She rushed to find her beloved, leaving Argis behind. Fen was sitting wearing his house clothes, a loose shirt and woolen pants. The look on his face when Gianna entered was so new and strange she froze in her steps. The warmth and desperation of their last reunion was gone, replaced with a cold, suspicious glare.

"Fen," she said, stepping tentatively closer to where he was sitting near the cook fire. He stood up and took a step toward the bedroom, away from Gianna.

She let him go, not knowing what else to do. She couldn't help wondering if she had done something to displease him, but she couldn't begin to imagine what it could have been. The house was clean, the cooking was done, and she hadn't been too exuberant on her spending in the market. Argis had said she was given an unlimited budget. The only thing she had done that may warrant him to be upset had to do with the poisoned apple muffins she had concocted. But there was no way on Nirn he could possibly know about that...

Gianna wondered as she cooked dinner and mulled some spiced wine. Maybe something else bad had happened to his family? She imagined that he had been dealing with more death or betrayal. Perhaps he had to finish a murder that hadn't gone easily. There were so many things that could be upsetting Fen that she didn't even know where to start. She felt sad about how little she actually did know about the man. He always warned her away from questions.

Dinner was a beautiful seared slaughterfish with a garlic tomato sauce she had concocted from one of the recipes in the Gourmet's journal. Gianna had made quite a few alterations, but as everyone began to eat in stunned silence she decided the changes worked. Fen's chilly mood melted slightly as he ate the meal, drinking deeply from the wine.

"This wine is my favorite thing that you make," said Argis, filling himself another large goblet.

"It's hard for me to choose a favorite, there's so many. But it's definitely not the apple tarts," said Fen, not looking at Gianna, and his tone so casual it could just be a statement. Gianna's hair stood on end. She had poisoned Thonar's apple tarts. Why did she have a horrible feeling that Fen knew? How was that even possible?

Fen retired to his room after dinner and Gianna stayed to clean up the kitchen and table. Argis went out to the inn for drinks. Everything was done for the night and Gianna poured the last of the spiced wine into a pitcher and grabbed two clean goblets. She looked at Fen sitting up in his bed, reading by candle light. He was dressed for bed, wearing his usual loose fitting pants with his chest bare. His beard had grown out slightly in the time he was gone. His auburn hair was getting longer than she had ever seen it. It got wavy when it was long, landing in fiery curls below his ears. She wanted to wrap one of those curls around her finger so badly it hurt.

She took a deep breath and forced her feet to walk into the master bedroom area. Fen looked up over a book, arching an eyebrow at Gianna as she sat down on the edge of the bed near him. "Mind if I sit in here for a while?" She was still holding the goblets and pitcher of wine.

Fen stared at her, dark eyes giving nothing away as he met hers. After several silent moments he sighed and shrugged at her, putting down the book. "Please, make yourself comfortable," he said. He politely took one of the goblets and held it out patiently as she poured for both of them before setting the pitcher aside.

"There was some wine left and it felt like a shame to waste it," she said, as though that was an excuse for coming into his room. He hadn't said much to her since he returned. She wanted to give him space. She didn't know what had happened while he was gone. But she also couldn't help her own feelings. The man she had discovered she loved was now keeping his distance.

"The wine truly is delicious," said Fen, taking a drink. "It was a nice welcome back to the house."

"I was hoping to get to welcome you properly," said Gianna, her voice a low whisper. Her heart was beating so fast she couldn't believe she had found the courage to say something so brave. Fen looked equally surprised and made no response until she moved closer on the bed to run a single finger down the middle of his chest, bare and dusted with auburn hair.

"Gia," he said, and it sounded like a prayer. That sound told her all she needed to know. There was still an energy between then, a tension they couldn't deny. Yet Fen was pulling away from her touch, frowning and not meeting her eyes.

"Is something wrong Fen?" she asked, leaning closer to him while making sure not to tip over her wine. She had already had a couple glasses and was feeling very warm. Especially considering how close she was to the object of her desires.

"We need to talk Gianna," he said. She stopped cold at the usage of her full name. Nothing was going the way she had hoped. Fen was back and something was very wrong. Gianna was inexperienced with relationships but anytime someone needed to talk it was never about something good. She knew he was an assassin, and a Thane. What else was he going to tell her?

By the gods, she did not want this right now. She didn't want this at all. And the way he was tight lipped and forcing himself not to look at her – she didn't think he wanted this either. She reached out gently with the hand that wasn't holding her wine goblet and touched the pads of her fingers to his chest, right over his heart. Fen stiffened at the touch, not looking at her, but she could feel his heart pounding. Chest rising. The heat radiating from the man. He wanted her too, but he was trying to push her away.

She stared into his face, daring him to meet her eyes. "Fen," she said, tone harsher than before. "We can talk later." The statement made him ball his hands into fists on the bed, still refusing to meet her eyes. Gianna's lips went flat in frustration. She took her goblet of wine and carefully dripped out a stream of the warm, spicy liquid onto his chest.

Fen gasped and looked at Gianna. Finally, his eyes were on hers, demanding an explanation. The only answer she gave was to lean forward and trace her tongue down the wet trail the wine had left. The drip traveled down his stomach there where a fine trail of auburn hair led down into his loose pants. She then started her way back up, licking everywhere the residue could be found, feeling his chest and stomach rise with each ragged breath. The rising lump in his pants made it clear that he didn't dislike the attention.

Gianna repeated the motion, starting higher up and then licking and kissing the trail of warm wine off of his collar bone, chest, and finally where it pooled on his stomach. "Lay back," she whispered, pushing a gentle hand against his chest. She was slightly surprised when he obeyed her command, setting his own goblet aside and laying back on the stone bed, watching her with eyes bloomed with lust.

She poured a larger amount on his stomach and grinned as he sucked in from the sudden warmth. She then lapped the liquid up like a cat, enjoying the way his skin added its own salty tang to the spicy wine. His neck was craning to look and watch her as she worked over his stomach. She moved on the bed until she was laying beside him, hand lazily tracing up and down the damp hairs on his stomach. When her face was against his she took a small sip of the wine and leaned in to press her lips against his. When Fen opened his mouth against hers he moaned as she shared her wine with him directly. Their kiss deepened into something more, Fen grabbing her face and tasting her mouth.

He gave a frustrated noise when she pulled away and began kissing down his chest once again, not stopping until she was at the waistline of his pants. She looked up into his dark eyes as she pulled the fabric down and his erection was freed. She carefully teased her tongue up his length from the base to the tip, then swirled her tongue over his slit. Fen's moan was deep and resonated deep within her core. He leaned his head back, eyes closing as she worked her mouth over every inch of him. Gianna was enjoying his breathy reactions. She reached to set the goblet safely on the ground, off of the bed, and then took his shaft in her hand as she continued to wrap her lips around him.

Gianna couldn't get enough of the way he tasted, clean and manly. He must have bathed before she and Argis had arrived back because he smelled faintly of soap, but his natural male musk was the most dominant scent. Gianna concentrated on taking him deeper into her throat, listening to his reaction and repeating anything that he seemed to like. She focused on pleasing him, loving the way he writhed and groaned under her attentions. Soon he lost what amount of control he had and grabbed the back of her head, grunting as he thrust his hips off the bed and down her throat. She gagged and pulled away, a string of saliva connecting them as he looked at her worried.

"Are you okay Gia?" he asked through gulps for air.

She answered by lowering her mouth back over him as far as she was able, her fingers gripping the base and moving along with her bobbing motion. She worked him in a rhythm that was manageable for her and seemed to be driving him closer and closer to the edge. Fen's moan became a constant sound, growing louder even as the sloppy sound of her wet mouth on him became more prevalent. Soon he was talking incoherently and gripping her hair again. His thighs tensing and his fingers digging into her scalp were the warning for what followed.

Gianna continued to work him as he spilled down the back of her throat. She drank down every last drop, eyes closed as she savored the taste of her lover. She milked anything she could and licked him clean before finally pulling away and daring a look up at Fen. His face was covered with a slight sheen of sweat, lips open and eyes darker than she'd ever seen them. He sat up and pulled her close, crushing his mouth against hers. Gianna hesitated, knowing that she tasted heavily of his seed, but if Fen was determined to explore her mouth with his tongue she would not deny him. Possibly he loved the taste as much as she did.

She cleaned up the wine, slipped out of her dress and into a night gown, and crawled into bed next to a warm, satisfied Fen. He wrapped his body around hers as they lay there in silence for several minutes, Fen stroking her face and hair, softly kissing at the back of her neck and along the outside of her ear. "Why did you do it Gia?"

Gianna gave a shy smile and was glad her back was to Fen so he couldn't see her blushing. "I wanted to taste you. I wanted to please you. Show you how much I missed you while you were gone."

The broken moan that came from Fen followed by a tightening of his arms around her body made her heart leap into her throat. "You are amazing Gia. But that wasn't what I was referring to."

Gianna's head was still fuzzy from the wine and the sex. Her own desire was still coursing through her veins, humming in her ears, making it difficult to concentrate on what Fen was saying. "What do you mean then?"

"Why did you kill Thonar," he whispered the question so close to her ear, his breath causing her to inhale sharply as a wave of need washed over her body. Then the realization of what he had said sunk in and her hot skin was suddenly clammy and the shiver that followed had nothing to do with her state of arousal.

"How do you know?" she asked.

"Mother told me," Fen replied.

"But how did she..."

"It is my duty, within the Dark Brotherhood. I hear the words from our holy matron, the Night Mother. She is the leader of our family. She hears all the prayers of her children," said Fen.

"The Listener..." she whispered, the strange words Cicero had said coming back to her as she listened to Fen describe his role within the Brotherhood.

"Why Gia, I need to know," said Fen, his voice taking on a sterner tone though it was more of a gentle coaxing than anger. Gianna heard more sorrow in that tone.

"Voada. He raped Voada. She was working for him part time providing additional food staff at the Treasury House. She told me weeks ago that things were progressing beyond what she was comfortable with. She was scared for her job and her life. She didn't want her brother to know. She was afraid of what he would do, and what it would cost him. After I found her in that state, broken down and bleeding, I decided to help her."

"Yes, but she had already performed the Black Sacrament," said Fen.

"I know, she told me."

"She told you about the Sacrament and still you murdered the man?" he asked, raising his voice slightly.

"If the Dark Brotherhood was going to have to kill him, that could mean you would have to kill him. I thought I could save you the trouble," said Gianna.

Fen gave a humorless chuckle against her hair. "Save me the trouble? You have given me an entirely new problem, Gia. I rushed straight here when Mother told me. I had to get to you and rectify the situation before it went further."

"You kill people," said Gianna, brow wrinkling in confusion. "Why do you have such a problem with me killing someone? He deserved it Fen! More than some people you've killed, I'm sure."

"I am not upset that you killed someone," said Fen, pushing himself up on an elbow and moving over her so he could look down into her green eyes. "I don't care about that at all. You're right. He did deserve it."

"Then I don't understand..."

"Gia, you stole a Dark Brotherhood contract. That...doesn't make Mother very happy. And it makes it my job to make sure we are repaid in kind. A life for a life."

Gianna's eyes went wide with fear. "My life?"

Fen kissed her, soft and gentle, his hand moving to gently stroke her cheek. "Not your life Gia. I pray to all the gods it never comes to that. I am not sure I would be able to allow it." He sighed heavily, pressing his forehead against hers. "Could you kill someone again Gia? On command?"

"Whose command," she asked, feeling cold despite the closeness of her lover.

"Mine," breathed Fen.

She took a deep breath, considering what he had said. He didn't move, their faces a breath apart. "Yes," she answered, and he kissed her again. Holding her close and stroking her hair until they were both fast asleep.