Child Of Darkness
(A/N: There will likely be another up today.)
The Time To Act
"You are distracted, dear friend," Lucien remarked to Banus as the two sat together on a cliff, overlooking the view.
"Can you claim you feel no pain?" Banus asked. Lucien shut his eyes tightly and swallowed dryly. "I miss him," Banus remarked. "He was our best friend."
"We used to come up here, all three of us, just to talk, to strengthen or comfort each other. I feel pain, Banus. I feel much pain," Lucien assured.
"Vicente was innocent, Lucien. He was innocent. He would never have betrayed us," Banus said.
"I know… and I suppose that is what makes it all the more painful," Lucien replied.
"You have Athaya, still. Athaya and Mathieu. I have no one left but you, my brother," Banus said.
Lucien looked suddenly anguished, and Banus started. "Oh no…" he breathed, catching on. Mathieu… "What happened?"
Lucien looked down and said, "I… Mathieu is gone… I lost him long ago. I sense it, I feel it… And I don't know how or why. It frightens me, more than anything else."
"I'm sorry Lucien…" Banus said softly. "I'm sorry…"
"We are both suffering, my friend… And I know that before this is done, we will both suffer much, much more," Lucien said. Banus closed his eyes tightly. The two rose and embraced. Swiftly they went on their own ways.
ES
"This wasn't supposed to happen, this wasn't supposed to happen," Mathieu muttered to himself, pacing back and forth in the lighthouse. Whirling to his mother's head he screamed, "You did this! It's your fault! They weren't supposed to die. That wasn't in the plan!"
"Does the brotherhood deserve to live on?" he swore she whispered.
"With the Night Mother's demise, they would have collapsed!" Mathieu argued.
"They all must die. Everything and everyone must die," the head whispered. But was it the head, or was it his own mind? Somehow he doubted it was the head.
"No, no, no!" Mathieu shouted.
"You despise me, my child. They have corrupted you beyond repair," she whispered.
"They haven't, they haven't! No mommny, I didn't let them corrupt me, I didn't! You were right mommy, you were right. They needed to die. They all need to die! I'm sorry for doubting you mommy, I'm sorry. I love you," he declared, sobbing helplessly and falling to hands and knees. What was he sobbing for, though? Was he sobbing for the Cheydinhal sanctuary? For Lucien? For his mother? For his lost sanity? He didn't know anymore. He didn't know. But he no longer could fight it. His plan was too far along. Now… now there was no going back.
ES
Lucien could only stare, mouth agape, as she approached him clothed in a white gown, so, so transparent. He wasn't sure whether to be relieved or annoyed that what needed to be covered was covered. She turned her head curiously at his reaction, then caught on. She smirked in amusement. "There was no trouble getting to Celedaen when I approached in this. Your appearance was so sudden. I had no time to change afterwards. Do I unnerve you, my Speaker?" she asked, amused at his reaction.
For once he couldn't speak. He had made it perfectly clear that they would not speak again unless he deemed it necessary, so what possessed him to watch her as she carried out her contract? It wasn't necessary in the least. Of course, he hadn't followed her inside, only to the location. He had waited until she returned. She hadn't been dressed like this when she had gone in, though. He hadn't thought she'd seen him, but apparently that wasn't so. "My Silencer," he finally replied, but he could find no more words to say.
"Have I displeased you?" she asked, but he knew full well she knew the answer. In no way shape or form had she displeased him.
"No, lady, no," he swiftly replied.
"Why have you come, master?" she asked, gently twisting the fabric of his robe around a finger, seemingly fascinated with it. She looked curiously up, but curiosity changed to surprise when suddenly he took her lips. She flushed, found she couldn't breathe, then returned, melting into the embrace.
Soon he pulled away, his forehead still against hers as he nuzzled her adoringly. "Athaya, do you know my heart?" he asked.
"My lord, never would I depart from you if I did," she answered.
"My Silencer, do you know how long I have loved you?" he questioned in a whisper.
She was shivering in his embrace. Softly she murmured, "As long as I have loved you."
"I would have you for my wife," he stated then, sincerely and longingly, stroking her cheek, her hair, and he knew that never before had he felt anything akin to this.
"Then claim me as your bride, and I will belong to you and you alone," she replied; and the moment they came upon a temple, he had.
ES
He felt her move next to him as she slept; every breath she took full. Proof of life in a world filled with death and darkness. He rose quietly onto an arm and gazed down at her sleeping form, her black hair cascading over the pillows. Softly he caressed her cheek then bent, sealing her lips with a kiss. He nuzzled her so adoringly… He'd long forgotten he could feel such things as this. Gods, to never have to leave this embrace; to never let her out of his sight again. If only the world would fade away and die around them so nothing would ever interfere with this moment.
She sighed softly in sleep and breathed in as she began to wake up. Her eyes flickered open and met the eyes of her husband. She grinned softly, lovingly, and reached up, cupping his cheek. He took her hand and kissed her palm. Softly, lazily, he let his lips find their way to her stomach. There he dropped a kiss, then upon her chest, then upon her neck. She giggled, a sound like a goddess, and beamed, wrapping her arms around his neck and taking his lips. He rose from his new bride reluctantly and wrapped himself swiftly. They had work to do now, and she had a dead drop that had, as of yet, been unvisited. He'd never liked being behind schedule.
ES
"You what?!" Mathieu furiously yelled. Lucien cringed but said nothing. The boy had heard perfectly fine. "I knew it. I knew it! You loved her," Mathieu growled, pacing agitatedly. He wasn't impressed, he wasn't happy. Athaya had been a mother figure to him, yes, but this was unacceptable. Once upon a time he would have been ecstatic. Now, though, this only complicated things more, namely his plan.
"Mathieu, my decisions are none of your business," Lucien said.
"Because I am no longer that important to you," he declared.
"You know that isn't true," Lucien replied. He knew he had lost this boy long ago, but that didn't mean he would stop being a father or trying to help get things back.
"Isn't it?" Mathieu sharply demanded, practically snarling.
"I will not ask you to accept it right away, but it is done and nothing will change it," Lucien said. "I have to go. I have another dead drop to visit." With that he strode out. Not this time, Lachance. Not this time. After a moment Mathieu drew his hood up and began to follow at a distance. Lucien had taught him well. Perhaps too well, because the man didn't even guess he was being followed.
ES
They were celebrating how well Athaya had been rid of the Draconis family. Of course Lucien was nowhere to be seen, and it didn't take a genius to deduce that he was lurking about in his lair finding another contract for her. "Athaya is amazing. Why, I haven't seen such an ambitious family member since Mathieu joined," Havilstein remarked.
Of course you haven't, Mathieu thought with a grimace. And that ambition would come in useful. Mathieu muttered to Banus, "I don't feel well."
"What's wrong, child?" Banus asked.
"I don't know. Just… I need to go," Mathieu replied. Quickly he rose and walked away. He had waited and stalked Lucien long enough. Now it was time to act.
ES
Entry 14: I've been switching them! Switching the dead drops! It was so easy! I tracked Lachance from his lair at Fort Farragut to the first dead drop location. After Lachance placed the orders, when I was sure he was gone, I switched them! It was so easy. Now Lachance's fool Silencer is working for us, mother! Oh, the fun we'll have. One of the Black Hand told me they haven't seen such an ambitious family member since I first joined the Dark Brotherhood. I will use that very ambition to my own advantage. The fool will never question the dead drops, and as I write this is en route to the first target—one of the very members of the Black Hand! And so it begins. Lachance's silencer will kill one high ranking Brotherhood member, then another, then another, and so on, until the entire family implodes. Eventually, as is the custom, the survivors will consult the Night Mother and seek her guidance. When that day comes, I will be there, ready to plunge a blade into that dark whore's fetid heart!
ES
They gravely gazed one last time upon Havilstein's body, not one eye dry. Finally Arquen declared. "We must discover the traitor's identity, before anyone else is killed."
"I told you Cheydinhal was innocent," Banus declared. "And all those brothers and sisters… gone for no reason."
"The only ones it could possibly be are in this room now, with exception to Lucien and Athaya," Belisarius declared. "We know Athaya is innocent, she is just following orders. She's never even met any of us except for Lucien and Mathieu."
Mathieu twitched. They could not be this daft. He knew he was clever, intelligent, his plan was brilliant, but still… they could not be this daft. "The answer is obvious, don't you think?" he finally remarked.
The others looked at him curiously. "Obvious?" Arquen asked.
Mathieu could have burst into laughter, and almost did. Even now? "Never mind," he said, looking suddenly uncertain, suddenly nervous. It was strange. He didn't know, anymore, if his hesitancy was genuine or faked.
"Speak, young one," Belisarius prompted.
Mathieu looked reluctantly up, eyes filled with pain and worry. Was if faked, was it real? It didn't matter anymore, he supposed. It didn't matter… Banus' eyes lit up in realization, as did the eyes of the others. "Lucien Lachance," Arquen said in realization. Mathieu swallowed dryly, and this one he knew was real. He looked miserably down but steeled himself. It was almost over. It was almost over. He looked slowly up and nodded.
ES
"No…" Banus breathed, pale. "No, it can't be! It can't! Not Lucien. Lucien's loyalty is unwavering. He loves the Brotherhood with his whole being! Please, please, Lucien is innocent, he's innocent! Oh Sithis!" Banus sobbed, covering his mouth. His remaining best friend was going to die, and this time innocent sounded unbelievable even to his own ears, though he just knew it must be true… But who else could it have possibly been? Athaya received her dead drops, she carried them out, and Lucien… Lucien was the one who gave them to her. Lucien gave them to her, and now he was going to lose everything.
"How long have you suspected…?" Ungolim asked Mathieu.
Mathieu answered, "Since… since that night I left dinner early, after Athaya had completed the Draconis contract. Perhaps even earlier."
There was silence. Finally Arquen said, "Then we know what must be done."
Banus shook his head in denial, closing his eyes tightly. "Lucien Lachance must die," Belisarius quietly, sadly, said. Mathieu said nothing, staring only at the ground. See mother, see, I told you I would go through with it. I told you… Why mother, why? Why did you have to make me kill him? Why did you have to take him away from me? I don't want him to die. I don't want him to die…