"Isn't this place charming," Mordelia said to herself through chattering teeth. She wrapped her cloak tighter around her, trying to keep out the biting wind. Northern Skyrim was not known for its charming weather.
Mordelia could see the mound of stone and earth indicating a Nordic burial in the distance. Hopefully the inside of the barrow was a bit nicer than outside.
Mordelia pushed the heavy stone door of the barrow open, letting in a blast of cold, snowy air that made the torches on the walls flicker. As she stepped inside she felt something crunch under her boots. Mordelia looked down to see what she had stepped on.
"Great…" She muttered. "This is just fantastic." Mordelia had stepped through the ribcage of a skeleton lying on the floor. The skeleton was obviously dead, with a dagger still stuck in its eye socket.
Mordelia carefully lifted her boot free and continued down the corridor until it opened on to a large, circular room. She was about to step in to the room when she heard a creaking sound coming from behind her. Is someone following me?
Instinctively, Mordelia crouched down as she spun around and drew her dagger. She was thankful the torches were widely placed, leaving large shadows she could hide in. When she saw what was making the noise however, she stood and sheathed her dagger. It was the skeleton, thankfully not the one she had stepped through. Mordelia had a feeling he would've been pretty mad.
When the skeleton noticed Mordelia it made a hissing noise and lurched towards her, sword in hand. Before it could take two steps, Mordelia blasted it with a fireball, sending bones scattering everywhere. She barely avoided a femur to the face.
"I hate skeletons." This contract had better be worth it. First a long walk in the cold, then an attack by a skeleton. And where there's skeletons, there's bound to be draugr.
When Mordelia was finally in the circular room, she was faced with another problem; which door to choose. There were four doorways to choose from; a large one in the middle, two to the left of the large doorway, and one to the right of the large doorway. Mordelia decided on the doorway farthest to the left because it was the only one lit with torches.
She passed through another short corridor and a small room with ferns and dead draugr littering the floor. Mordelia was careful not to step on any of the dead this time, and methodically stabbed each draugr she found; just in case. She passed in to the next room and found two men, Amaund Motierre and his bodyguard.
Motierre was obviously the man with long black hair wearing a set of fine clothes. He was sitting at a stone table while his body guard paced around the room. His bodyguard noticed me first and signaled to Motierre that someone was here. Motierre stood to meet Mordelia.
"The Night Mother has heard you pleas, Amaund Motierre." Mordelia said. It seemed the proper thing to say.
Motierre looked her up and down disapprovingly. "So I would say." He said sarcastically. "I'm surprised this dreadful Black Sacrament business even worked." He looked at Mordelia, expecting her to say something.
Mordelia choose to remain silent. He seems like he enjoys hearing his own voice, better not spoil it.
"Yes, well," Motierre continued, "I need you to kill several people. These people aren't the actual target, more of a means to an end." He paused.
Mordelia still said nothing. She was interested in what he had to say, however. Multiple contracts that were even the intended target sounded quite interesting.
"Ultimately, I seek the assassination of the Emperor."
Mordelia took a few steps back in shock. "The Emperor? Of Tamriel?" She couldn't hide the surprise in her voice.
Motierre looked at her with a mixture of amusement and shock. The annoyance won over. "That's what I said. You can do it, right? After all, you are the Dark Brotherhood. This is what you do."
Mordelia managed to resume her emotionless demeanor, though her mind was still scrambling to realize the enormity of Motierre's proposal. "Yes, of course we can."
"Good. So much planning has gone into this, it would be a shame to have it all spoiled now." Motierre clapped his hands twice. "Remus!" He called to his bodyguard, "Bring her the letter and amulet."
Remus went to a small burial urn on the stone desk and retrieved a sealed envelope and jeweled amulet.
"Deliver these to your superior. The letter explains the contracts and the amulet can be used to cover any expenses." Motierre explained to me as Remus handed over the items.
Seeing that he had no more to say, Mordelia left the musty warmth of Volunruud and back out into the blistering cold. She wasn't sure how Astrid would react to the news she was about to deliver.