Chapter 16: Epilogue

A/N: A helpful reviewer pointed out (thanks!) that perhaps I should mention that Shadowmere's flaming Nightmare look was from a version of AlienSlof's Better Horses mod. Oops.

The Spirit of Sithis is a fearsome thing to face alone. It is much less fearsome when faced in the company of deadly assassins. And if the Spirit had anything to say about being summarily destroyed six times in a row, it never shared its remarks on the subject.

The next evening found six assassins traveling in company back to Cheydinhal.

The evening after that brought them a visitor.

Dree heard the sound of an elven heartbeat as someone climbed down the ladder from the well. It wasn't Telaendril. Telaendril didn't wear fabric shoes and a black robe. Dree stood back in a corner and watched as Ocheeva stepped forward to meet the hooded woman. All around her, others stood in the shadows as well, waiting. There was no show of weapons. Assassins are not overly fond of show.

"Good evening, Sister," the woman said. Her voice was very soft, almost inaudible.

"The Night Mother smile upon you," Ocheeva said politely, with no apparent wariness. Dree was not fooled.

"As she smiles upon you," the woman said. "You must be Sister Ocheeva. My name is Arquen, and I am your new Speaker."

"Then welcome, Speaker," Ocheeva said, as if this were exactly what she had expected to hear. The level of tension in the room sank dramatically without a sound being made. "The Sanctuary awaits your orders."

"It is well," Arquen said gently. "It seems Lucien LaChance was sadly remiss in recruiting during his last few months. He was remiss in other things as well, but that is not for us to discuss here. I could bring you new members. But given your experience, I suspect I will be more pleased with the result if I place that task in your hands. Are you willing?"

"More than willing, Speaker," Ocheeva said. "With your approval of each candidate, of course."

"An excellent and a diplomatic response," Arquen said, and Dree saw the slim lips smile in the shadow of her hood. "I think we will do very well. Seek out those you know to be worthy. I will return in one week's time."

"We will look forward to it," Ocheeva said, and bowed her head. Arquen nodded in return, and turned to ascend the well again. She did not make herself invisible. Dree went over to where Gogron stood, idly tapping a gauntlet on his thigh.

"I think I like her," Dree said.

"Too early to tell yet," Gogron said.

"About those candidates," Vicente Valtieri said to Ocheeva. "There is something I've been meaning to discuss with you..."

The two of them wandered into Ocheeva's room, talking. M'raaj-Dar had already vanished back into the practice room. Teinaava went back to sorting Lucien LaChance's books onto the already-crowded Sanctuary shelves.

"Want to go practice?" Dree said.

"Sure," said Gogron gro-Bolmog.

They turned and went into the low room together, the vampire going joyfully in the shadow of the Orc.

THE END