***Chapter 21***

*All the assassins wake up tied to chairs around the large table in the dining hall, Lilina and Adonato are sitting at either end of the table with them*

Astrid: "What happened?"

Lilina: "You tried to attack me but failed."

Astrid: "Why would I do that?"

Lilina: "Because I brought him in here."

*She gestures to Adonato*

Astrid: "Oh right, fuck you both."

Lilina: "No thanks."

Astrid: "Now that I don't have a choice, what do you propose?"

Lilina: "Would you fight with us in a war?"

Astrid: "Against who?"

Lilina: "The Thalmor."

Astrid: "What's in it for us?"

Adonato: "I will leave you guys alone, and I won't hunt you down."

Astrid: "Like you could."

Adonato: "We are called the Hunters, it's what we do."

Astrid: "Fine, having you off our back will help us operate."

Lilina: "So it's settled then?"

Astrid: "Just tell me what you want done."

Adonato: "You'll take out key personnel, captains and generals present; your job will be to create chaos."

Astrid: "Simple enough, then you'll leave us alone?"

Adonato: "Unless you attack us first."

Astrid: "Deal."

Lilina: "Good, how shall we contact you?"

Astrid: "How long until this is going to happen?"

Adonato: "About a month now, and at the fields outside of Whiterun"

Astrid: "We will make our way there in two weeks' time."

Lilina: "Thank you all for cooperating."

`*Adonato gets up and cuts the bindings on everyone's hands, Lilina follows as he walks out*

Adonato: "That went smoother than expected."

Lilina: "I didn't think they'd be willing to help."

Adonato: "If they didn't, they wouldn't have stood a chance. So the way I see it, we have about two weeks before reinforcements arrive, we should get Ulfric and his Stormcloaks ready to attack Solitude soon after the war."

Lilina: "Alright well what should we do in the meantime?"

Adonato: "After we send a courier to Ulfric from Falkreath, we should return to Whiterun, check on preparations, and meet up with Cassius and Jensine. Then we should return to the Dawnstar safe house, clean up a bit and relax, clear our minds."

Lilina: "Ok, by the way thank you for before, Astrid almost had me back there."

Adonato: "Thank you for helping with the other assassins."

Lilina: "It's always fun to shout people across the room."

Adonato: "Seems like it would be."

*He mounts his horse and starts to ride to Falkreath*

Lilina: "Gee thanks for waiting."

Adonato: "Hurry up then."

*Lilina struggles to drag Shadowmere out of the pond before her and Lydia jump onto him, chasing after Adonato*

Adonato: "When we get there I'll send a courier myself."

*After spending the night camping in the side of the road, Lilina, Lydia and Adonato arrive at a command tent set up on a small hill where they're greeted by Cassius, Jensine and Tandver*

Adonato: "Hello, how did everything go?"

Tandver: "The tent is set up, the Jarl has given us riders to run messages between here and the battle groups, I have already organised them."

Cassius: "The message has been sent, we have about twenty days until the others arrive."

Jensine: "I wish that I had better news, the Mages will help the wounded recover but not with the battle itself."

Adonato: "Good work, all three of you. I have sent word to Ulfric to ready his troops to take Solitude after we win, when the troops will have low morale."

Jensine: "Good idea."

Cassius: "What now?"

Adonato: "We will return to the Dawnstar safe house, clean it up a bit and relax. We will return in twenty days to see our troops."

Tandver: "I'll stay here, organise when they arrive."

Lilina: "The Dark Brotherhood Assassins are willing to help out with the officers."

Adonato: "And in return we don't wipe them out."

Jensine: "Fair enough, well let's be off."

*Adonato, Jensine, Lilina, and Lydia all mount their horses and set off, two hours later they arrive at the safe house. Adonato, Jensine, and Lydia start cleaning the house, organising all furniture, while Lilina checks on Kolderiiv. After another hour and a half they meet out the front of the house*

Jensine: "I think we have this place mostly cleaned up."

Adonato: "It has come along nicely, this one and Lakeview Manor are the same layout; however I don't know what will happen with the building on the third plot of land."

Jensine: "Third?"

Adonato: "Before the Empire was conquered, three plots of land were bought for the Hunters. This one was built first. But I have Lakeview Manor made soon before I was sent up here, wanted to stay close to the southern border."

Lilina: "What were the Mages like Jensine?"

Jensine: "They were not happy when I mentioned you; they said that they didn't have any obligation to help the Arch-mage that abandoned them. They also thought that even if they helped free Skyrim that the Nords still wouldn't accept them."

Adonato: "Nords can be stubborn."

Jensine: "We are not."

Adonato: "You just proved my point."

*Lilina laughs as Jensine throws a rock at Adonato, who catches it and throws it back at her. Jensine gets hit and rubs her head, mouthing profanities at Adonato. Seeing it is late afternoon, Adonato enters the kitchen and uses their food previsions to cook a simple meal, bringing it to the group gathered around a table. A unanimous decision is made to call it an early night. All members walk to their respective beds, however Adonato walks outside to his saddle bag, opening it and pulling out two 'Amulets of Mara', after a moment of thought he replaces them, plodding off to bed*

[The universe and characters of Skyrim belong to Bethesda and associate corporations, the only things owned by my girlfriend and I are the non-lore friendly characters, equipment, and actions that are required for the story to make sense.]