The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion – Lucien Lachance & Anarine Valarus – "A Single Nightshade"
Finding the Falkreath Dark Brotherhood sanctuary was easy enough. Entering it, well… that sacred me. The door had scared me… greatly.
And that takes me to where I am right now: travelling deep into the sanctuary to find Astrid, the woman who recruited me back into the Dark Brotherhood. During the whole journey to the sanctuary, I had been replaying all those memories; from my first encounter with Lucien to the present: rejoining the organization. Some good memories, some bad…
Astrid was in the first room of the sanctuary when I entered it. She greeted me with a warm smile and welcomed me back to my position. She even handed me the shrouded armor, but I highly doubted that I was going to where those. When questioned why by her, I said "This attire holds great importance to me". She never questioned what it was.
"Go and introduce yourself to the rest of the family, dearest sister. Everyone's so eager to meet you."
"Oh. Alright." I nodded and headed further down the sanctuary. There, in the middle of the large hall, I got my first look at the family members: a male Argonian, a male Imperial wizard, a… female child, a male Redguard, a female Dark Elf and a male Nord. They were all discussing about their contracts.
"What about you, Festus? How did that last contract turn out?" That was the male Redguard.
"Oh yes please, old man. Regale us with your tales of wizardry!" That was the male Nord.
"Ah, the young and stupid. Always mocking the experienced and brilliant. My contract went very well, I'll have you know! Tried a new spell. Little something I've been working on in my spare time. Came "this" close to turning that priest inside out. Damned messy…" That was the male Imperial wizard.
"And what your latest, Arnbjorn? Something about a Khajiit? Merchant, was it?" That was the female Dark Elf.
"Oh, a big doggy chasing a little kitty! How adorable!" That was the female child, who was, in fact, a vampire.
Upon that, everyone laughed. My guess was that Arnbjorn here was a Werewolf. I giggled quietly.
"I am not adorable. It was not funny. And he wasn't a merchant. He was a Khajiit monk, a master of the Whispering Fang style." Arnbjorn told everyone. "But now, he's dead, and I have a new loincloth!" He said this time, a little happier and rather innocently.
Everyone really burst into laughter this time. I tried to contain myself but I still giggled.
"Ah. So you're the one from Cheydinhal Sanctuary. We've heard quite a bit about you," The male Redguard stepped up towards me.
"I'm not sure how much you all would have heard." I walked towards them, Lucilla's urn in my hands, which of course, drew attention. "May I know all of your names?"
The male Argonian's name was Veezara. The male Imperial wizard's name was Festus Krex. The child's name was Babette. The female Dark Elf's name was Gabriella. There was a range of races in this family. I, however, still felt a little out-of-place with my mix blood. I was usually taken for an Imperial, but few could catch my Dark Elf features.
"Well…" I kept a small sweet smile. "It's nice to meet all of you. As you know, my name is Anarine."
"So you were there in Cheydinhal all during the Oblivion Crisis? During Mathieu Bellamont's treachery?" Gabriella asked.
"Indeed," I tried to keep a firm mask, trying not to let the awful memories burn through my mind. "In fact, I was the one who stabbed Mathieu in the chest, in the face, in the neck, in the face again… I'm pretty sure I kept on stabbing him even after he died." I said, as a matter-of-factually, and very coolly.
"What is with the robes, tidbit?" Arnbjorn asked, arms folded across his massive chest. "Don't like the leather armor?"
I raised my eyebrow at him. "Is that how you talk to an elder, little boy?" Receiving a confused look from him, I continued on. "I'm 232 years old. I think I'm much older than you. Festus here was right: the young and stupid always mock the experienced and brilliant."
"I think I can learn to like you!" Festus said, chuckling.
"I'll give you about a week before you end up dead in a ditch." He said to me.
"I'll take that bet," I smiled at him. "But to answer your question, I'll let you decide which makes it easier to appear harmless when you need to kill someone in broad daylight: a set of black robes, or unusually-seen red and black leather armor."
"I think that's the best answer anyone can receive." Babette applauded.
I simply smiled.
After that introduction, I spoke to the Redguard, Nazir, about some contracts to carry out.
"I do have a few lingering contracts we haven't had the chance to complete just yet. And more, dribbling in from time to time."
"As they come in, you can just let me know. I'll get to them, I assure you."
He smiled sweetly at me. "A legend such as yourself, I know you will do us proud. I should warn you though, Anarine: these aren't particularly glamorous assassinations, unlike what you would use to get back in Cyrodiil. They don't pay much, but you can complete them at your own leisure. These contracts aren't going anywhere."
"It's quite alright. As long as I get to kill things, it's good enough for me." I said. "Let me get settled in. I'll come find you when I'm ready?"
"Take your time. I know it's been a while." He said.
I smirked. "Not really."
Yes, for 170 years I murdered, but at my own will. Not under the command someone. Now, everything's gonna change from this point on.
In my room, I removed my black gloves and placed Lucilla's urn on a small altar, where a few candles used to be. I then surrounded it with a few Nightshades I had collected on my way here to the sanctuary. On the last Nightshade I was going to place, I kissed it before placing it.
"I'm sorry…" I mumbled. "I'm so sorry, Lula." Tears formed in my eyes unexpectedly. "I'm so sorry I broke my promise… Please… please forgive me… please…"
I hated myself then and there.
A few hours later, I visited Nazir and received my three contracts. Narfi, a beggar in Ivarstead, Ennodius Papius, an ex-miller located west of Windhelm, and Beitild, a mine boss in Dawnstar.
I decided to keep it to one contract per day. Today, Narfi was going to die. It was easy; he lived a small distance away from Ivarstead so I was able to kill him without attracting much attention.
"Congratulations! You slaughtered an emaciated beggar in cold blood. You are truly and opponent to be feared," Nazir said, happy with my first murder as a Dark Brotherhood assassin.
"Thank you, but I never stopped working, actually." I said, accepting my payment.
"Oh?" He left an invitation to explain myself.
"Well…" I sat next to him at the dining table. "I won't bore you with long and painful details, but after Cheydinhal, for 30 years, I didn't kill. For a reason I will not speak off. But after that, for the next 170 years, I killed. Whenever and whoever I felt like. I never stopped, Nazir. I just joined the rightful organization to continue,"
"And we're very lucky to have you with us, Anarine." I could learn to like him. He was kind to me.
The next day, I decided to take on Beitild. She, however, was a tough one. She fought back when I attempted to slit her throat from behind her. We engaged in a heated battle deep within the mine she worked at, and I lost possession of my Blade of Woe. In due course, I managed to kill her with a pickaxe. My Blade of Woe sustained a broken hilt, though the blade was still intact. Damn it.
So I returned to the sanctuary and received my pay from Nazir, but I also had to get my dagger fixed. Ugh, great. I had to talk to-
"So I take it you work the forge here,"
"Oh yeah? What gave it away?"
I raised another eyebrow. "You're working on a dagger right now…"
Arnbjorn glanced back at the dagger he had been repairing on the forge table, before looking back at me. "Aw, right…"
I couldn't help but giggle. "Listen, I think we got off on the wrong foot. But I need your help." I presented him my broken dagger. "Think you can fix it?"
"Aw. So the legend needs my help now?" He chuckled.
I chuckled as well, but not humorously. "Come on. You want me to apologize for my attitude or something?"
"Nah. It's alright, lambshack." He held out his hand to me. "Let me see what I can do,"
"Lambshack?"
"It's a little hard for me not to think of you as a snack, you know,"
I laughed. "Ha, I understand. Don't worry about it. But if you start getting thoughts about eating me, then we're going to have a problem,"
"Nah. I don't even think you taste good." He inspected my dagger.
I shook my head, smiling to myself. I took a seat at the grindstone. "So… what can you tell me about yourself?"
He grimaced. "Look… if you're tryin' to get to know me, don't. Although… my wife trusts you and I trust her judgment, so you can't be all that bad."
"I'm not." I said. "Just don't give me a reason to have to kill you," I simply said, with a smile on my lips.
He growled softly, returning his attention to my dagger. "Here's all you need to know: I'm a werewolf. I like killing things. I love Astrid. I hate annoying people. And the color blue gives me a headache."
"I can't imagine why…"
Later, as I was returning to my room, I spotted Veezara, the Argonian sitting on the cold floor of the sanctuary. I walked up to him and sat next to him on the ground. "Don't' like chairs?"
"Not really," He answered back, with just as much humor.
I smiled. "Anarine Valarus."
"Veezara. We never got a chance to talk, milady." He said.
"No, we didn't. It's not often to see an Argonian in the Dark Brotherhood. What's your story?" I asked.
"Well, I was once a Shadowscale."
I shook my head slightly. "Forgive me, Veezara, I do not know that name."
"Ah, it was a lifetime ago, milady. You won't hear about it much now." He smiled. "I was an assassin in service to the King of Black Marsh. Trained by the Dark Brotherhood since the day of my hatching. I was born under the sign of the Shadow, you see."
"Ah. I understand now. It makes sense." I nodded. "Well, I'm sure that this family benefited from your experience?" I smiled.
He smiled back. "More than you know, milady."
Ennodius Papius, an ex-miller located west of Windhelm, was my next and final target for the next day. I easily murdered the paranoid Nord with a flick of my newly-repaired dagger. Arnbjorn had done a fantastic job.
During these three days, I had spoken to every single member of the family and grew to respect them, as much as they have grown respect me (I think…). Either, I adored every single one of them. They were my family now. I promised to protect them if anything were to ever knock on our door.
After my final contract given to me by Nazir, I returned to the sanctuary. Pulling back my hood, as I walked deeper inside, I could hear a conversation going on.
"Your presence here signals a welcome return to tradition." That was Festus speaking.
"Oh, what a kind and wise wizard you are!" No way! It couldn't be! "Sure to earn our Lady's favor!"
"I would have never guessed in a thousand years…" All heads turned to me as I walked up to the family. "Cicero?" He was standing in front of that large wooden block.
Cicero gasped in utter happiness when he saw me. "OH, the beautiful kindly stranger is a sister! This is truly and utterly wonderful!"
I smiled sweetly at him. "I never thought you turned out to be a Dark Brotherhood assassin. Looks are deceiving, after all."
"Do you know him, Anarine?" Astrid asked me.
"Helped him get his wagon fixed a few days back." I answered. "I didn't think this would ever happen. In fact, the thought never even crossed my mind…"
"Yes, well, we are all in shock…" Astrid mumbled and turned back to Cicero. "You and the Night Mother are of course welcome here, Cicero. And you will be afforded the respect deserving of your position as Keeper."
My smiled dissolved into a frown, as I could not believe my ears. Night… Night Mother?
"Understood, husband?" Astrid glared at Arnbjorn, who huffed back. "But make no mistake. I am the leader of this sanctuary. My word is law. Are we clear on that point?"
Night Mother?
"Oh, yes, mistress! Perfectly! You're the boss!" Cicero acknowledged.
Night Mother? I eyed the large wooden crate.
"You could have prevented this all! If you had done SOMETHING, Lucien would still be here! You could have prevented this all!"
"My Listener, I understand that you and Lucien Lachance were… intimate. However-"
"NO! You don't understand anything! If you had, you wouldn't have let this happen! You would have told us and Lucien would still be here! You betrayed us! You betrayed me! You betrayed Lucien!"
"Listener…"
"Enough of this! I don't want to be your Listener! I don't want to be anything! Just leave me alone!"
"I'm afraid not, dear Child. You see, you were marked by Sithis the moment you emerged from your mother's womb. You belong to the Void. You belong to Sithis. You belong to me."
"Not anymore! I'm done "Because you took my Lucien away from me! You took away the one person who cared about me! And you could've prevented this all! But you didn't! What kind of 'mother' are you, that you would let this happen to your 'children', huh? Lucien… mattered to me. He was mine, and I was his. We belonged to each other! And he's gone… They all… they tortured and killed him! A loyal child of Sithis should not have endured THAT!"
"Lucien Lachance now takes his rightful place by Sithis, Exactly where he is supposed to be. If anything, all is well now, my Listener."
"NO, YOU UNDEAD BITCH! ALL IS NOT WELL! The only thing that I was living for is now gone from this world! Lucien was taken away from me and you let that happen! All is NOT well! I'm done, Night Mother. It's over. I don't want your title of Listener. I don't even want to be in the same crypt as you! You stole my Lucien from me. ALL of you did! And I won't let you have me."
I felt the years of rage gradually building up within me.
Night Mother?
A/N: Oh snap. Please review! :D