"... and the last one who has whispered in my ear is Nevartius Kellandriel, in Magnolia."

"Thank you, sweet mother. We shall complete these contracts as Sithis intends, bound in blood."

I exit the room, carefully closing the coffin and the door behind me. Outside of the room, I yawn and stretch, my hand sore, neck and back stiff.

After a refreshing stretching while walking session, I walk calmly towards where I know Bickslow is, but hear Babette's voice before I'm down the hallway. That doesn't bode well.

I hurry my pace, nearly tripping, and get to the door. Opening it, I'm faced with Bickslow about five inches from my face, and Babette trying to hold him back.

"Would you stop!" shouts Babette, and then looks up. "Oh, hello Listener. Bickslow was just about to try and find you."

Instead of saying anything, he backs away by a few feet, or ten.

"I see." I say, looking between Babette's panting figure and Bickslow. "I hope that nothing bad happened while I was away?"

"You can't really blame me, I was being watched over by a girl I've never met or even seen before." I hear Bickslow say. I grin.

"True, but you could have looked around. The banners should have been a clue." Said banners are stationary, but bear the insignia that I love and have almost everywhere in my house, or on an article of clothing. The Black Hand.

"... Right." he says, looking away.

My eyes soften. "We can go soon, though. I've just got to give this to you, Babette. And here you are."

She accepts the scroll, heavier than normal, and looks at me, nodding clearly. "Thank you, Listener. I'll take care of it."

"Excellent, thank you, Babette." I say, wanting to say Sister, but knowing I probably shouldn't in front of Bickslow.

"Come on, Bickslow, we're going. We've only been here for an hour and a half, your guild members are probably still unconscious."

"You knocked them unconscious?" he asks, coming over to where I'm standing.

I walk out of the room, him trailing behind me. "Yes, most of them, I think. It was the best option."

"The best option…." I hear Babette say, faintly.

"I didn't think they'd do that. I'm sorry, Listener." he says, looking away from me.

I pause, him bumping into me. "Don't be sorry for something someone else did for or to you. It was their decision and their choice. Don't let it control you."

Bickslow is stunned into silence, and I resume walking, not having turned around at all for this.

"Just because a person makes a choice that ends up being a mistake, it is not your fault. Never is it your fault."

He slowly continues walking, following.

I wait for him at the exit of the Sanctuary, which leads to a long-forgotten path that looks treacherous and can be. Opening the door for him, I usher him out of it, and he waits for me in turn to lead the way.

Of course, he slips, and almost falls off, but I grab his hand at the last minute and pull him towards me. Sadly, I underestimate my own strength, and pull him onto me instead of back to the ledge. His hands go out, and slam into the stone on either side of my head. We're about two inches or so apart, and he realizes this, as do I.

"Thanks. For catching me." he says, looking away.

"No problem. Can't have you dying on me now, can I?" I say, trying to force my desire to run ahead and away from this awkward tension here and now, like I would normally do.

But I can't run away from him, can I?

Curse this. I'm telling him soon.

But, however, I do not want to be wrong, so I'll look through the chest on my own first.

Well, if I can sate his curiosity first. Bickslow will definitely want to know what I'm being so secretive about.

Putting the thought to the back of my mind, I trudge forward, leading the way again and looking back occasionally to make sure he hasn't fallen. The rest of the walk back to the outskirts of civilization is uneventful, and the blush on my face fades with time.

I curse my feelings once again.

They're getting in my way.

"What exactly do you do there?" Bickslow asks, as we're once again on the train, in our disguises first used. I don't care for more confusion.

I'm looking out the window, and turn to study my apprentice. Yes, keep it professional. Nothing unusual.

"I Listen to the Night Mother and write down the names of the people who wish to have contracts with us. The contracts are bound in blood, and will be carried out as only professionals can."

"Professional assassins?" he states, his gaze level with mine.

"Yes." I say, feeling like being honest with him for this. He deserves it, for being so patient.

"Is that what you want me to do with this knowledge?" he asks, not turning away his eyes, which I can see glowing under the mask.

"You may do whatever you wish with the knowledge I give you. However, I shall strike a deal. If you are unsatisfied with being my apprentice for one year, and wish to continue, I shall have to take a price from you, in the form of you joining our organization until I see fit you have completed at least, say, fifty contracts. If you don't wish to continue your education, then you shall be free to go, with no obligations or anything tying you permanently to me."

I feel a tiny crack in my armor forming. Not my actual armor, of course, I'm not wearing any, but the armor around my heart. My heart does not want to offer him the choice, but I know it is important.

"How long do I have to make the choice?" he asks, looking out the window like I was before, after scooting over to opposite me.

"As long as you wish, but before the year is over." I reply, turning to look out the window. Spying a landmark, I remember the last time I took this path of such painful truth. Not for me, but painful for someone.

~Flashback~

"Vingalmo, I cannot. Now, please, stop asking before I have to silence you permanently. You are not my mate, so stop asking like I am." I said, spitting venomously at the rugged yet refined handsome mer in front of me. The former Thalmor glared at me, but it soon melted into something less hateful, and more sad.

"I am sorry. I just do not know how I could possibly be paired with that beast of a man, and a Nord with a bigoted view at that as well!" he nearly shouts out, unhappy with his mate, Orthjolf.

I sighed, and looked to Serana for help. She responds gallantly. "I know, Vingalmo, believe me, I know. I might not understand it quite like you do, but now that you've discovered it, you have to."

"It's hard to accept, Vingalmo, but you must. Otherwise, your eternal life will be at an end faster than the sun can burn you." I said.

~End Flashback~

Vingalmo lies dead now, dead from thousands of years ago, torn apart and burned by villagers in a place he was staying at, to run from his mate. Orthjolf joined him soon after that happened.

I know it is not an option.

Bickslow is asleep now, tired from his injuries and this trip, as well as emotional turmoil from his guildmates attacking him. A moment is all I take to marvel at the cuteness before me, as I regrettably have work to do.

I pull out the folder full of potential candidates for our Family Members. Decimus, ever so clever, has pulled names out of already-notorious guilds, not so familiar ones, and ones that haven't been seen in years. Ah, he is a great Brother to have.

First up, is Jose, former master of the Guild Phantom Lord, which was dissolved after the war between Fairy Tail.

Uses dark magic, Saint-level power, in jail.

Considering he started the guild war over a petty jealousy, no. He is unsuitable for candidacy in this case. I do not need a man with enormous power behaving like a child. Especially since he might become a traitor like that one, when I first joined.

No.

Next, Erigor, a Death God of Eisenwald. Takes only assassination contracts, and has not failed yet. Similar to another, hopefully, soon to be of my organization, but far behind her in power level and potential. Well, power level as of now, is quite similar. But the potential….

Uses wind magic, with a scythe that he can use. On the run, and we know where he is.

The Lullaby fiasco would probably have hurt our business had it been successful, but someone with his level of talent would definitely be useful. His contribution to us would be astronomical.

Yes.

Third, Fukuro, of Death's Head, a member of Trinity Raven. Professional Assassin.

Uses Absorption magic, and holder magic as well. Successful contracts all around, as with the Tower of Heaven, they were only really supposed to stall them. Which they did, and he nearly took out a Dragon Slayer. Definitely useful.

I don't know if he'll accept, but I wish he will. Yes.

Fourth, Racer, of the former Oracien Seis.

Uses slowing magic, and contrary to popular belief, can use speed magic. In custody of the royal family.

I shall visit him to break out a deal, and him out as well. Yes.

Fifth, Rustyrose, former member of Grimoire Heart.

Uses imagination magic, a Lost magic. It's incredibly dangerous, as it can control people as well as objects to an exponential degree. In custody.

I do not believe he will do well with the person who beat him, Bickslow himself, even if he decides not to join the guild. No. Not yet, anyway.

Three candidates that would do well in high positions. What- or rather, who else would be best suited for that empty position? I know Babette does not like being a Speaker, but she has more experience than I. I do not believe she wants to leave her family, but it is not pleasant to find yourself repeating the same thing over and over for hundreds of years. I should know.

Of course, Nelkir would make an excellent Speaker, but I do not think it is the will of Sithis for him to be in such a position.

What to do, what to do.

I look up, away from the paper that's beginning to give me a migraine, and out the window. It is up to Bickslow to decide the fate of my Family now. On more than one front, and I do not envy his position. I understand it well, though. I had to make decisions such as this in periods of time that were instantaneous rather than have days for this. When I became a vampire, for example. Snap decision that lead to me meeting this person, sitting across from me, passed out.

My heart softens, and I nearly try to smother my feelings. I'm supposed to be as strong and steady as a God, really. I should probably be one, considering that I know so much about magic and have lived an incredibly long time.

That isn't important, though, when concerning him. He's so delicate and fragile compared to me, it's stunning to see the contrast between the two of us.

Or, perhaps, I am the delicate one. I teeter on the top of an edge, surrounded by people who outnumber the ones who wish me to stay on, and it tips every so often so that I must fight for our survival, as a Family, as a person, as a creature of the very magic that has corrupted me down to my soul.

I sigh, and wish I knew of a time when I didn't have a great, huge destiny out in front of me. When I was just…. normal. No rapid growth or advancement in organizations, no extra knowledge of special skills or subjects, not knowing anything about mastering certain things over and over again until I could force myself to build up knowledge about other skills through it.

My shoulders sag a bit, and I sigh again, my gaze returning to the fine example of a man in front of me. I blink away the memories that seem to hit me like a ton of bricks, and stare at him for what seems like a year.

He's so powerful, and yet he trusts so implicitly in others. However did that happen to someone?

My thoughts darken, and I turn to face the window outside and it's beautiful scenery so if he wakes he will not start panicking about what he did wrong.

I know why he isn't messed up, he wasn't betrayed by people and stabbed in the back at what seems like every opportunity.

My ramblings of my mind get me through the ride, and I slowly wake Bickslow up as we near our destination. There is nothing that I care to see more than my estate when I have had my fill of people, and a lot to think about.

~ C9's song is Equestria in Gray.