Red eyes glared, and she just about fell over as Shadowmere bumped her with his nose.
"You didn't stay tied up," she said.
The look he gave her said, Of course not, you fool.
"Well, your mistress is dead. You can go in there and see for yourself or you can come with me. What do you say?"
It didn't feel strange, giving a horse a choice. So it didn't feel strange when he huffed and bumped her again, then looked expectantly northeast.
"Yes. Whiterun first. I agree." Athene pulled herself up and let Shadowmere take her lead, listening the forest around them silent as death. Either the fight at the sanctuary had scared off the wildlife, or she was scaring them, the fury radiating off her.
They bypassed both Falkreath and Riverwood, and the guards made no move to investigate. They might have been told by Maro to keep clear of anything going on that night. Or they were lazy.
It seemed whatever happened now, she was going to wonder if there was something more to it. Great: because she needed to be more paranoid.
They came to Whiterun's stables at dawn. Athene left Shadowmere grazing and dared someone to stop her at the gate and ask about the ash on her skin or her singed clothes and hair. No one did. Adrianne was already at her forge outside Warmaiden's, and gave Athene a good price for the Imperial swords she'd taken off the attackers she'd killed. Still, no questions. She bought a room at The Bannered Mare and spent an hour in the bath. Left her hide armor at the side of the tub, and put on her new choice.
Red and grey Penitus Oculatus armor. Light, strong, and representative of so much more than anyone might guess.
On her way out of the inn she saw Amaund Motierre drinking at the bar. She wondered what role he'd had in the betrayal, and figured probably none. The deal had been between Astrid and Maro. Motierre had performed the Black Sacrament for real, and likely wanted the real Emperor dead. Or perhaps he thought the job was finished.
Athene decided to find out.
"Good morning!" She put all the cheer she could fake into the greeting.
He sputtered. "I… You… I thought you were dead!"
"Disappointed?"
"No! It's just…" He looked around and then noticed her armor. "You know they say the Dark Brotherhood has been destroyed?" he whispered. "All of it?"
"It has," said Athene. "All of it."
"So that's it then?"
"What do you mean?"
"The Emperor, he's in Skyrim now. On his ship near Solitude."
She gritted her teeth. "So? I'm dead."
He frowned, and then his mouth quirked, and then he was smiling. "Ah! I get it! Oh ho ho, this is excellent."
"Is it?"
"You're dead! But here you are! They say the Brotherhood is gone, but here you are, and the Emperor is waiting! I love it. It's… genius!"
Athene scowled. "It is?"
"I had my doubts, of course I did, but not anymore. Your plan is obviously more clever than I could have anticipated. My friend…" He held out his hand, and when she didn't move he reached out and took hers, and shook it. "Good for you."
"Yeah. Good for me."
