Well, I finally posted a new chapter. Unfortunately, things don't get much better. But though there really isn't too much new info in this chapter, revelations will be coming soon. Since you guys probably want to get on with reading and I want a short author's note, please just review, PM, or anything else (constructive criticism is nice, but no rude or hateful comments please).
No. No, no, no, no, no, no! I couldn't help but stare in horror at Festus. It can't be true! I couldn't have killed him! But the evidence was there. The dagger was mine; I knew it like the back of my hand. And I always start out with fire magic. But why? He was Family! He was my teacher! What reason would I have for killing him?! The problem was that I couldn't answer that. I tried to remember what had happened but after… whatever or whoever attacked me, my memories were blank.
I need to get back to the Sanctuary. I at least need to warn them about the Morag Tong. Funny, I had nearly forgotten what lead me off the road in the first place. I pulled my Elven dagger out; if the assassin was still nearby, I was going to need it. I then tried to stand up, but I still felt weak from before. Chills ran throughout my body, but this time it wasn't from autumn air. Pain still shot through me as I moved. But despite that, I finally made it to a sitting position, and then to a standing position, even if I was half bent over. I stumbled over to the nearest tree and leaned against it, relieved for the support.
I looked around, but besides me and Festus's body, the clearing was empty. Shade! I thought desperately, but there was no sign of her. A panic started in my chest. I was weakened and wounded. There was no way I could go looking for her. Please be OK, girl. I'm sorry. I thought and some little pathetic hope told me that Shade could have made it back to the Sanctuary. I doubted it. I took another look at the clearing, at the body. Gods, what happened here? Because, unfortunately, I didn't know.
Getting back to the Sanctuary mainly consisted of running from tree to tree. I couldn't stand up for long and somewhere along the way I lost what was left of my breakfast. I stayed on the side of the road until I was directly across from the Sanctuary. The small width of the road was a short distance that could normally be crossed in a few strides. But now that same distance felt like walking all across Skyrim. Which I had personally done. Many times.
I fell to my knees after a few steps out onto the road. My breath was coming in short gasps and exhaustion weighed me down. I need to get to the Sanctuary. I have to. I worried about what they would say when they found out about Festus. Maybe I wouldn't have to say I killed him. A bit of guilt knotted in me at the prospect of keeping such a secret. What if I hadn't had a good reason to kill him? But then why would I do it?
I pushed myself to my feet and tried again and managed to make it a little farther. After another short break, I tried for a third time. I was almost to the edge of the road now. I pushed myself up one more time and was able to walk through the thick brush to reach the small dirt path that led to the Sanctuary. I tripped on the slope and fell forward and rolled down the path, unable to do anything for a few moments. Finally the ground evened out, and I looked up at the Black Door.
My pulse seemed to quicken as I slowly stood up again and headed to it. Perhaps I wasn't thinking straight with my mind weakened and still in shock from Festus, but the Door that welcomed me back after so many contracts now seemed even more cold and disturbing then when I first saw it. It hadn't changed in appearance at all but the Door always seemed to emanate a sort of aura. And for some reason that aura was saying that it really did not like me being here.
Either I was processing things slowly or the Door took its time to speak when I touched it. Even then its cold raspy voice seemed reluctant to ask its question. I answered it, but my voice sounded like a whisper. But it still heard me as it replied "Welcome home", though the words sounded very sarcastic. I pushed it open and started down the steps, but before I got halfway, I heard voices. Focusing, I could hear Gabriella speaking.
"… doesn't make sense. Rowena's visions may take their toll, but never like this. Do you think she'll be alright?" she was saying. My breath caught. First Festus and now Rowena… What's going on?
"Who knows?" Nazir responded. "Babette's with her. Still, I don't know how much help the vampire will be."
"True, but does any of us know much about visions? I just hope that if Rowena manages to wake up, she can explain it. What she screamed…" She trailed off.
"I'd be more focused on what we're going to do to that damn girl. How could we not see it?" Nazir said angrily. Oh god, are they talking about…
"You believe it? But what reason-" The Dunmer protested but Nazir cut her off.
"Then why would he lie? You heard him! He was lucky to make it back alive. You were the one who treated his wounds." Nazir agrued.
"Yes, but… I still can't believe it." I could barely hear her voice as she spoke now.
"Believe it. K'bari will be back soon after he finds Festus's body. And you heard Astrid's orders. Mivryna is a traitor and must be killed immediately. Shade too, for that matter." I didn't catch the rest of the conversation. Nazir's words were cold, unemotional. And I stood a few steps from the corner, shaking and trying very hard not to make a sound. They know. Astrid ordered me killed. The Dark Brotherhood wants me dead. Back when I lived in Cyrodiil and even during my time at the College, I'd heard stories about people targeted by the Brotherhood. But I never truly realized the fear those people felt.
I don't even remember backing up, but before I knew it I was staring at the Black Door again. The Door always shuts itself in case of idiot members, and I watched blankly as it swung back on its hinges. The moment the Door closed with a thud, I fled. What they say about adrenaline is true; I tore through the forest, mindless of where I was going. It seemed that I stepped on every twig, hit every branch, and tripped on every log as I ran. I was loud and careless but I didn't care. I ran.
Eventually my muscles tired and I was sent face first into the ground by an upraised tree root. I landed next a large hollowed out tree trunk. With my energy fading, I crawled to the bottom of the trunk, which was large enough to fit me on my hands and knees. I hid as deep as I could and curled up into a ball. And alone, I broke down and cried.
It wasn't elegant, like in the stories. I bawled like a two-year-old, and I honestly didn't care. Everything was ruined. Once again I was on my own with no one to turn to and nowhere to go. Even worse now, Shade wasn't even here to nuzzle me and beg me to pull myself together. And unlike the College, which just prevented me from entering Winterhold, the Brotherhood would chase me all across Skyrim, and possibly beyond the borders. Somehow, I had gotten into the biggest mess of my life and to top it all off, I didn't even know how it happened.
My sobs finally quieted, and just laid my face into my knees, letting the world go on around me. It was sometime after this that I heard the rustling of grass. I froze, and looked toward the entrance as the figure – no, figures – came closer. My breath hitched as I realized that they were being to deliberate, that they were trying to hide their movements. These weren't deer, these were people.
The footsteps stopped. The area was quiet until, "Do you think she went this way? I don't see anything." The voice was muffled and was strongly Dunmeri. Morag Tong. Not now.
"How could you miss her? She was tearing through like wolves were after her." Said another voice and part of a leg came into view of the log, enough for me to identify the chitin armor. Panic started to claw at my insides. I was trapped and the darkness of the inside of the tree only mostly enshrouded me. If either one of them got the brilliant idea to look inside, I was done for.
"That reminds me, what are we going to do about that damn wolf? You've heard what it can do. I know the girl's important, but I don't want to lose my arm over it." He said.
"You'll lose your head if you don't stop talking. Besides, if you'll lose your arm, I'm sure one of them will kindly put you out of your misery." The other said and I silently agreed. Both were quiet for a long time. I put my hand over my mouth to stop my breathing from echoing out of the tree. Suddenly, both the assassins jerked at a noise I didn't catch.
"You hear that?" asked one of them.
"Of course I did, you s'wit. Now be quiet for once." The other said. One of the figures moved down the length of the log. After a moment, the one who had spoken last mumbled something hateful about new recruits and followed the other.
The forest was completely still for several long minutes. I waited until I was sure the assassins had left for good and then slowly unwound myself to crawl out of the log. I knew I couldn't stay here any longer. I had to run, get out of the Falkreath Hold, and then farther than that. I didn't know where I was going to go, but I could figure that out as I ran.
As my head slowly peeped out from the tree, I turned my head to the left to check for any signs of any ambush. I was leaning out and peering around the side when a hand grabbed my hair and painfully yanked me back. I was caught by surprise and was quickly thrown off balance and a hand clapped over my mouth. I struggled but my burst of energy had long since gone.
I heard the one who had muttered about new recruits laugh. "Ha! I don't see what the trouble was. This was too easy." His words were followed by something hitting me hard in the back of the head.
My vision swam and sounds seemed far off when I opened my eyes. It took a minute to realize my surroundings. First, I was obviously inside, and in a prison in a fort. Second, this place had to have been abandoned as chunks of stone littered the floor and mold filled the room. My cell was large and in the corner. I was also shackled to the wall as far away from the door as I could get.
There were two other prison cells straight ahead of me, the farthest one having a huge hole in it. Both featured rotten bed rolls, a chair, a bucket, and debris. Mine did too, minus the old bed roll. The chair was set closer to me, angled in my direction. The bucket was set against the stone wall at the opposite end of the cell.
Outside the cell to my left was a raised landing that stretched all the way across the room. The landing and the lower area in front of the cells were divided by stone railings with three plain stone pillars at regular intervals. The only light came from two small braziers at each end of the landing and one torch mounted on a pillar, facing away from me. The only other thing of notice about the place was that the stone looked and the air felt very damp. I could also distantly hear drops of water hitting the stone in other rooms.
For a time, the place was silent except for some echoed voices, but I couldn't make out the words. I took the liberty of wasting my time and strength on struggling against my shackles, but only succeeding in making my wrists raw. I also took notice of myself. The pain and most of the weakness I had had before was now gone, but my body now felt heavy and numb. I tried to light a small flame, but my magicka was dead. No doubt they healed whatever injuries I had, but also drugged me to prevent me from using my magic and, in the case I did get free, make it hard to move.
Obviously, my knapsack was now gone. No doubt they'd taken anything valuable and discarded everything else. My dagger and its sheath were most likely in a river, or taken as a prize by my captors. And, of course, my Summerset Shadows armor had been removed and replaced with a ragged robe and boots. I let my head hang and stared down at my feet, feeling utterly hopeless.
In all my time of running, I'd only been imprisoned twice. Cidhna Mine had been brief, and the guards had been foolish enough to allow me use of my magic (though, Thonar probably wanted me to kill everyone inside) and I had a pickaxe in emergencies. My time in the abandoned shack seemed different than this. Somehow, there seemed to be some sort of way to escape, even if there really wasn't one. But here, I truly felt helpless. The shackles had been put in place recently and I couldn't move at all.
No one knows where I am. I thought. And it was true. Very few in Skyrim knew of my existence and fewer knew about my plight or would lose sleep over it. The only people who would stand a chance at finding me were the Dark Brotherhood, and they'd slit my throat the moment they did. Gods, how could this have happened? I had a Family, people who cared about me and now it's all gone. My friends are now my enemies and I still can't understand how.
I heard a cell door swing open, followed by footsteps on stone. Three men in Morag Tong armor came through the opening in the far cell. A shadow flickered and I noticed that there had been a guard leaning against a pillar, hidden from me. He carried an Elven sword and a matching bow with a quiver full of arrows. I watched as the men opened the far cell door and walked down the row of cells towards mine.
"When did the child wake up?" Asked one of the men, and I noticed by his accent that he wasn't a Dunmer. From his build, I could tell he was human.
"Not too long ago, sir. Still been pretty quiet, though." He responded, glancing in my direction.
"Isn't she always?" The man asked as he stared at me. He headed in my direction, taking smooth, measured strides as he did so. His movements seemed too familiar, I thought, as he took out a key and unlocked my cell door. He took his time as he pocketed the key and opened the door, which squeaked loudly on its hinges. He strode into the cell and stopped a few feet from me, the other two men taking positions on each side of the doorway. The two who had been silent so far just carried Elven swords. The man in front of me, however, carried no weapons on him at all.
The assumed leader of the three men crossed his arms. Underneath his helmet, I thought he was smiling rather cruelly. "Well, well. It took us some time but we finally caught you. I'm honestly impressed. Typically we don't have this much trouble." He paused as he tilted his head slightly. "Do you remember me?" he asked.
I thought about it, but I couldn't really get it to come to mind. Where have I seen him? When he realized that I wasn't going to answer him immediately, he grabbed the chair and dragged it next to me and sat down. My heart sped up as he grabbed my chin and tilted it up toward him. His fingers were like ice drilling into me. He gave a low laugh as I started to remember. "You're still rather young, aren't you?"
I gasped as it hit me. I remembered the fear I had felt the last time I had met him but this time it was replaced with a horrifying anger. I've never wanted to stab, to burn, to hurt someone so much. Right now I just wanted him to drop dead in front of me. Because I knew who he was. "You. You were the one who led your group to Cheydinhal. You ordered them to burn my hometown to the ground! You personally killed my parents!" I was yelling at the end. I swear I could see a bit of red when he laughed.
"Well, someone certainly has it out for me. Unfortunately, certain duties of mine prevent us from speaking for long. But I'm certain once the time comes, you'll be seeing much more of me." He said as he rose from his seat and turned to leave.
"Wait, what do you even want from me?" I called to him. He stopped at that question and seemed to think it over.
"Like I said, child, when the time comes. But by then I believe you'll know for yourself already." He said and then walked out of the cell and locked it behind him.
"That isn't an answer! And who in Oblivion are you?" I yelled at him but he didn't answer. I struggled against my shackles, truly wanting to strangle that man. He killed my parents! "Hey!" I continued to yell. The man ignored me as him left the way he came. My jailor, however, decided he wanted me quiet and sedated me soon after.
I dreamed, but they weren't pleasant dreams. I often woke up scared, only to be dragged back into sleep by the drug. There was one in particular that was horrible, but I couldn't remember it. A part of me wanted to die instead of finding out what they wanted. But in the end I was forced to face the truth that there was only thing I could do. Wait.
Hoped you liked it. A few of you may already be guessing who the mystery man is. Don't be afraid to tell me what you think. See you next chapter.