This section is taken from an RP on Enigma of Oblivion. I decided to put this here because I love the overall scene.
I only own Runa. Any OCs mentioned belong to their rightful owners. Lucien was written by Vinessa S., Veezara written by Walk as Lions.
Summary: Runa attempts to find advise on how to attract Lucien's interest. Listener and Speaker deal with insubordination in their ranks.
A rush of wind flooding the Sanctuary indicated the door opened, and then closed. Runa slowly walked down the stone steps, Nox upon her shoulder.
"...The Five Tenets are the rules every Sibling must abide by - lest they face the Wrath of Sithis. Remember them well, child; the last to disobey these rules nearly destroyed this Family, and payed the price when her face was charred off in burning coals." A smile then spread across Lucien's ethereal features as he recited the verses he knew by heart, "The tenets are as follows,
"Tenet 1: Never dishonor the Night Mother. Tenet 2: Never betray the Dark Brotherhood or its secrets. Tenet 3: Never disobey or refuse to carry out an order from a Dark Brotherhood superior. Tenet 4: Never steal the possessions of a Dark Brother or Dark Sister. Tenet 5: Never kill a Dark Brother or Dark Sister."
"Those seem pretty easy to remember." Roxy commented. "Who was the last one to break them? And why did she do it?"
"Her name was Astrid. She believed that forgoing the supposed 'Old Ways' of the Dark Brotherhood was the only way to survive. But what is the Brotherhood without the Tenets, or our devotion to our Unholy Matron? Without them we devolve into mere bandits." Lucien explained, scowling at the thought.
"So who's the Night Mother?" Roxy followed up, not having been told much about the Unholy Matron yet.
"The Night Mother is Sithis' bride, and our matriarch. She speaks her will through the Listener, answering all who call upon her for blood to be spilt, and heeding the call of a killer being born. That is just a simplification, of course."
"Must be a long story. Do she and Sithis have any artifacts for us to use, or are they not Daedric Princes like I'm assuming?"
"If you chose to believe some stories uttered in hushed whispers, Sithis is the father of all Daedric Princes, and is not only responsible in the creation of this realm, but Oblivion and Aetherius as well." Runa spoke, stepping forth. The woman nodded towards Lucien, "Speaker Lachance. I trust all is in order?"
"Greetings, Listener." The Speaker turned to face Runa. He was a tad surprised to see her home so early, but not displeased. "There is a matter I was not informed of that I must address with Veezara - but otherwise all is stable. I was merely explaining some of our working with the new Dark Sister here."
"Is this matter something you and I need to settle together, Speaker?" Runa trusted Lucien, but this was also her home. If it was a matter that affected the Sanctuary and their Family, she deemed it important to be kept into the loop, "If not, I would like to steal our new Sister from you for a moment. Once you finish speaking to her, of course."
"Veezara appeared to be sending Jakko on a mission on his own accord. I overheard something mentioned about a Mane of Elsweyr, primarily." Lachance reported. He left it at that, finding the problem with it was quite obvious to discern. They couldn't take any risks at their state. "I believe it is a matter I can settle myself, however."
The Speaker then turned his head back to Roxy. "Do you understand everything well enough, Murderer? If so, you may go with Runa."
"I did have a question about gear, but I guess it can wait until later." Roxy answered before turning to Runa.
"I trust you will bring our Brother to a mutual understanding of our customs, Dearest Speaker. However brutal the punishment." Runa remarked. She wasn't pleased Veezara was acting on his own accord without consent, either from Runa herself or from the Night Mother's blessing. Preferably the Night Mother.
The Listener was even less pleased that a fucking leader of another country was involved. They didn't need attention. Not at this time.
However, Runa turned her head to face Roxy, "Come, Sister. I have spare armors in my quarters. I fear I have a private matter to discuss with you." And with that, the tall woman walked off to her private chambers.
Roxy followed Runa to her private quarters, closing the door behind the two of them. "What do you need, Listener?"
Runa turned upon her heels, opening a dresser drawer. She pulled out two sets of attire, and placed them upon her bed. One was cloth, the other was light armor. As black as the Void, "Choose a set. I care not what you pick."
The Listener then refocused her attention upon Roxy, Nox preening his feathers, "It is to my understanding that you are quite acquitted in the bequiling of men? For more polite wording. How do you get a man's attention?"
"Well if these..." Roxy pointed at her tits. "...don't help, I usually fall back on charming them with illusion magic. Why do you ask?"
"I fear I may have begun to develop...romantic fantasies, and thus...feelings towards our Speaker. I wish this private matter adjorned, though I am unsure how to go about it." Runa replied. Never mind the fact that Lachance was a fucking ghost.
But if anyone had experience with men-it was Roxy.
Clearly.
Roxy took a few seconds to answer, trying not to burst out laughing at the Listener, though a slight snicker did escape her mouth.
If there was humor to be found in the situation, Runa did not see it, "What is so funny?"
"Uh no-nothing." Roxy quickly gathered her senses before taking a deep breath to calm down. "So...how long has he been...incorporeal, and when was he alive?" she asked, starting to examine both sets of Shrouded Armor.
Runa paused to think, "Our Speaker served our Dread Father in life before I was conceived. My father killed him, but I am unsure when. A little over two hundred years ago, perhaps. Speaker Lachance and I met not too long ago. I suppose, to answer your question proper, I have only known the spectre, and not the mortal flesh." The Listener crossed her arms over her chest.
"Your dad?" Roxy asked, turning to Runa. "So...how many in your family are...like me?"
"Like you? As in, vampiric blood? My mother, and thus, myself and my older brothers. My brothers and myself are hybrids. If any others share the blood within our family, I know not." The Listener answered.
"So where's the rest of your family now? I'm guessing the Brotherhood already took your dad out." Roxy assumed.
"My father is still alive. As is my mother. Both were a part of the Brotherhood, many years ago. Sithis cast my father from the Void, though I do not know why. So, he lives yet again." Runa answered, "I have been in contact with my father. He wishes to meet in Bruma, and I am unsure if it is a trap or not. But-it has been in our interest to make my father and mother pay for what they did, all those years ago. Speaker Lachance says that my mother may be willing to come back to our fold. Dearest Lucien also states that any ill will he has towards my mother had melted away over the centuries. But still, punishment is due."
"Wait, let me get this straight." Roxy turned back towards Runa. "Your dad literally broke at least two tenets, killed Lucien, and Sithis gave the perpetrator a full resurrection while Lucien is stuck as a ghost? Talk about victim-blaming."
"I know. I think it is quite unfair. Not that I am unpleased to finally meet my father." Runa spoke, "From my understanding of speaking with the Night Mother, my father was used as a tool. To cull the weak of the Family, and to allow only the strong to survive. The Night Mother saw the current Listener at the time unfit and weak, and thus did not tell him who was killing the Family. Who is to say? Perhaps the Night Mother will see me unfit, in time, as well, and she will device a scheme to end my reign? Perhaps she already has, with my eyes."
"What about your eyes?" Roxy asked. "Does it have something to do with that mask?"
"Yes. I have no eyes. I ripped them out." Runa answered simply.
Well, so much for getting romantic advice...Oh, well. She tried.
Lucien saw her tits already. Saw her naked. And Runa wasn't too good at Illusion magic. So...She guessed that was that.
"Any...reason you ripped them out?" Roxy asked, almost not wanting to know.
"So it was...some kind of deal?" Roxy couldn't understand why Runa would go that far for the Night Mother. "What did you get out of it?"
"Nox. He has my eyes. I can see many things when he flies." Runa spoke.
"Oh, okay, that makes sense...kind of." Roxy turned her next question towards something else. "So is that what the mask is for? Wouldn't a blindfold be just as effective? Surely your um...sockets would have healed by now."
"I imagine a blindfold would be just fine, if my eye sockets did not become infected. This mask is enchented to prevent disease and illness. In my case, it just stalls the infection. I am dying. It is that simple." The Listener spoke.
"Your infection's so bad, an enchantment to completely prevent diseases can only stall it?" Roxy asked, confused as to why she didn't do something else about it sooner. "Have you looked into a magical cure?"
"I have not, no." Runa spoke, "I may not wish to die, but Lachance says death should not be feared. When Sithis comes for me, he said I will know."
"Well,...maybe you can be ghosts together then." Roxy suggested, trying to be comforting.
"If Sithis would be so kind." As much as Runa would not want to be dead and a ghost, anyway, "That is all, Sister. You may leave."
Well, that got nowhere.
"Okay then." Roxy answered, taking the light armor and leaving the room, looking around for a more 'private' chamber to try it on.
Awe, shit.
Wait.
Runa forgot something.
"Sister-," The Listener walked out after Roxy, "A word of caution. Jakko-your fellow Murderer-he is a lycan. The fox is timid. The wolf is carnal. He has a history of rape. If such an act occurs, let myself or the Speaker know."
"Hmmmm..." Roxy seemed to be thinking. "How big would you say is a werewolf's dick compared to a human's." she asked, clearly having a different interpretation of Runa's warning.
"...Ugh." Runa produced a grunt behind her mask. She was not going to entertain such an idea.
Veezara approached the the Speaker himself, his head was low as he tried to explain what occurred.
"I thought it would be wise to have a political ally and who better than the Mane? He has enemies as long as his arm and then some. I figured it would be good for the boy to at least make contact with him. As for the rest, well... there is something to be said about what is going on in Eastmarch. It isn't good, mind you... I figured it wouldn't do any harm to investigate the matter. I didn't bring it up because it wasn't really anything to concern yourself with. Besides, I'm getting too old for this sort of thing. Murder is fine, but even Shadowscales must know when to stop. Jakko is good, I thought it would be nice to see him promoted should this go well."
He bowed his head and sat down in his usual spot.
"I just pray Deerkeethus isn't harmed..."
"Anything regarding the activity of this sanctuary's members is a matter I must be concerned with." Lucien rebuked, voice stern. "We are not in a state to be attracting the attention of outside influences, forging connections or no, nor so closely investigating outside affairs - without the express consent of the Listener or Night Mother herself. We walk a delicate path in slaying the Emperor as it is. And that is with our Matron's guidance."
Pausing to sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose, Lucien continued. "I know you are still accustomed to the laxer structure of Astrid's brotherhood, Shadowscale, but we simply cannot afford Siblings to pursue plans on their own accord, whether or not it's pursued with the interest of the Family in mind. The Family could just as easily be jeopardized by those actions."
"Even if those plans are meant to save us?" Veezara said.
"The reason I sent Jakko out is to discover if I found is true or not. There is a group in Eastmarch that will destroy everything, Lucien. Everything. I do not mean to overstep, nor do I wish to, but a threat is there and I took steps to eliminate it. Jakko is just confirming if I should continue or not. If so, it will save us, and if I have to do so alone then so be it, but I will not see us all die again!"
His eyes grew red... he was serious.
"Please..." he calmed, sighing of relief and also of great weight. "I need you to trust me..."
Unfortunately, Lucien did not appear too willing to place trust in Veezara. In fact, every new detail he was hearing only helped in displeasing him more.
"That does not diminish the fact that you should have reported to your superiors immediately should you have suspected a threat to us... I will have to inform the Listener of this situation, then, if it is as dire as you imply it to be - and I will warn you that she may not receive it as... calmly as I."
Because Runa did not take a iot of shit when it came to the Brotherhood. The Speaker liked that about her.
"Is this the end then?" Veezara said, sad to see it come to this.
"I pray you find it in your dead cold heart to see that some things are necessary for the greater good of this Family. To be honest, it's all hogwash."
That wouldn't go well. He didn't care. He wanted out anyway, he figured now would be a good time.
"I gave them false information, I had to or they would have found out more... torture doesn't really describe what happened. It was worse than death... If I am to be punished, then do so, but when they arrive, we shall see the glory of the Dark Brotherhood rise again by bathing in their blood. We have to save ourselves, we have to save this land before they burn it to ash."
"The Listener shall be the one to give a final jurisdiction on this matter." Was all Lucien said. Apparently this was a job for the two of them, after all. The Speaker though had enough respect to give Veezara a firm nod before he turned on his heel to leave the Shadowscale be.
Veezara gave a salute and sat down in his spot, he began to meditate on what had happened and what he would do should the worst come...
"Everything I have done," he said with a sigh... "I have done for this Family... bureaucracy be damned when your Family is at stake..."
The Listener began to return to Lachance, guessing he delved further into the Shadowscale matter.
Lachance was already walking towards the Listener. He had briefly watched Roxy go to another room - ah, good, she received the armor - before he halted in front of Runa.
"Listener - it appears this matter may become more dangerous than I previously thought. Veezara makes claims of a group in Eastmarch that threatens us. He confesses to already taking steps to eliminate the threat, and also providing them with false information. He states he sent Jakko to confirm whether his 'work' was effective enough to have nullified the threat."
The specter paused, watching to see how Runa digested this information.
While Runa just stood there, digesting the information, she was far from pleased, "I do not appreciate action being taken without information and consent. I trust you feel the same, Dearest Speaker, for this not only disrespects your authority, and mine, but our Matron's as well. And that. Cannot go. Unpunished."
Runa was not pleased. Not at all.
"Jakko is not at fault. He was only obeying the Tenants. Our Shadowscale Brother, however, should know better. The Night Mother speaks for Sithis. I have not heard of this threat from our Mother. I will commune with her once we deal with our unruly Sibling. Regardless if this threat is true or not is still made to be seen, but we cannot be idle to breaks in our ranks. Do you not agree, Lucien?"
Veezara didn't waste time in getting this over with. He approached the Listener and the Speaker with conviction but also frustration. The lizard was fully prepared to fight, but he knew he was caught in a rock and a hard place.
"I wish to speak with both of you, now. Before you pronounce whatever sentence you bring, let me defend myself. Listener Runa, Speaker Lucien, the days of this leadership cannot go on. Times are changing for people like us. We must adapt to them. As for breaking ranks, I only did so because I had no choice. Steps were taken to ensure our safety. If anyone was to be found it was me. Someone is going to kill the Mane of Elsweyr before us and I wanted us to attain glory. Sure, the Emperor, but two of them dead would be catastrophic. There are certain people we need alive and we can use that cat to our advantage, but we can't do that if he's dead."
He focused mainly on Runa.
"We have never really been on good terms, but I stayed because I thought you would be better... are you?"
Lucien was about to open his mouth, until Veezara approached. Lachance faced the Shadowscale. While he did not respond to his defense, the Speaker's ethereal features were set in an expression of cold, steady judgement.
Runa briefly looked upon Lucien, before refocusing upon Veezara.
Digesting his response of self defense.
It was then the Listener spoke, "You are a fucking idiot."
"You jepordise the safety of this Sanctuary, and your Family all for pitiful glory? Do you think that is what we need? Do you think that is why we wet our blades? For glory? Do you think that is why we kill, and chose when to kill? Like sychophants at the beck and call of a minute leader for fleeting protection?"
Runa took a step forward, "Our Family does not break. We do not kneel. We do not bend. We do not cower like beaten dogs fearful of the drunken fist. We do not slay for glory, nor coin. We slay to send another soul screaming into the Void, in honor of our Dread Father and Unholy Mother. Feel the cold, loving embrace of our Mother as the light fades within a target's eyes, the last, cold relief of sweet slumber escaping the lungs in one final gasp. The whisper in the chill of silence, that only exists upon the precipice of life, fleeting into eternal darkness..."
"For our Mother and Father, we kill. Kill, and experience the euphoric rapture of their unholy love...and in the end, we too will join those that we have dragged, screaming into the Void. And then...we will be welcomed with love."
Runa stepped so close to Veezara, her mask was touching his scaled snout. Nox hissed lowly, feathers ruffling, "You...are weak. I see the same mistakes in you, as Astrid was making. For glory. For protection. Pathetic. I do not care when the Mane dies, nor do I care by whom. But if the Night Mother whispers his name to me-he will not be spared. We do not kneel. We do not bow. We do not compromise. We are not mercenaries. We are not won through coin. We are not wavered by fear. We are not dissuaded by threat of death."
"I do not take joy in this, Brother, but you cannot go unpunished." The Listener summed up, stepping away.
Veezara growled. "You are insane... a cultist if I ever saw one... my kin was right about you... you aren't worthy to be the Listener... you're a psychopath... a deranged psychopath..."
He turned his back to her.
"Do it, cut off my tail. It is the greatest shame one can give me. I'll leave as soon as I am able... I cannot blindly follow fools who wish to murder for the sake of pleasing the death... if the Shadowscales survive, I shall see if I can rejoin. You will never see me again. I can promise you that..."
"You know... I once worked closely with Argonia and the Shadowscales, in my time alive." Lachance started. "Even so closely as to raise two Shadowscales myself. And I must unfortunately say that - Ocheeva and Teinaava would be disappointed in you. Above all others, the Shadowscales should know best the importance of Sithis' will. The importance of bloodletting in his name, in his bride's name. The importance of death."
The Speaker then chuckled, of all things, and he seemed to be recalling something as he continued, "We are restoring faith, Veezara; and that faith is reveling as we send souls to our Father, as we suckle malice and pain from our Mother's breasts. But if you choose to not understand the foundations which your Family is constructed upon... so be it."
Veezara growled and fired back.
"You forget specter, I have killed more than you know... I may not be as active as I once was, and I may be at the end of my prime, but I will not be insulted like this. I am only thinking about the future. We cannot embrace the Night Mother if we can barely feed ourselves. I am only thinking logically. Stop thinking with your sword, get your head out of your arse, and LISTEN TO ME FOR ONCE IN YOUR MISERABLE PATHETIC LIFE YOU ASSHOLE!"
He looked to both of them, rage was now fueling him at this point.
"I hope they kill you all... expect for you Nazir... you were the only one I liked. Do me a favor and recruit someone better in my place, but don't let them fall for this religious garbage."
He then did something that he probably shouldn't have done, he walked to the stairs and said:
"I'm not good at goodbyes, but I don't expect to leave here alive. Just promise me you leave my kin alone... he's... he's too young for all this."
Runa just stared.
And stared.
And stared.
An invisible force bumped into Veezara as he attempted to leave. It was cold, and akin to a wall.
It was blocking the exit.
Slowly, the Listener neared, shoulders rolling, a more masculine gait than feminine one dominant, "And leave here, Brother, Dear, you will not. Not while you breathe."
A shame.
Runa was going to show mercy.
Was going to let him live.
But the disrespect and gall her Dark Sibling had-and displayed-was too damnable.
Too hot headed.
Too short sighted.
Too blind.
"Do you not agree, Dear Lucien? You are, afterall, a wounded party, just as much as I. What say you, Speaker? A swift death? Or a slow, torturous death?"
Either way, an example would be made.
Veezara sighed and hung his head.
"Have Nazir handle my remains, send them to... Our Dear Brother."
Our Dear Brother was only really one person to him, Deerkeethus, and to Veezara's knowledge, only Nazir knew that.
"A slow death, perhaps. And perhaps we shall make something of a... public spectacle out of his punishment?" Lucien was more than eager to offer this. Ohh yes, he was more than eager to now... "A show to the others of what awaits if they step out of line? It appears we did not make ourselves clear enough when we usurped Astrid..."
Apparently a demonstration was in line sooner than he had planned. He'd been planning for others to fill that role... but this recent disrespect demanded sooner action.
"Hmm...A public display? I would not object to that. After you, Speaker." Runa spoke. A smile formed under her mask.
Veezara stayed silent and produced his own blade.
"Everyone in my kin has died quickly... out of mercy. What's the point of breaking tradition now?"
He silt his throat, denying them satisfaction. As he slumped forward, he smiled, the sweet release of death from this cold and miserable hell. He laughed and as he choked on his own blood he said:
"Fuck you."
He died, and that was it. No spectacle, no speech, just fuck you.
- Fuck.
Fuck fuck fuck fuck!
Lucien was livid. Beyond livid. Whether it was from his failure to get the Shadowscale before this happened - whether it was his confined anger at this whole ordeal - whether it was confined anger altogether - but rage was building up, and spilling out, far too fast, far too intensely.
"- Raahhh! -"
And now he just stomped on the poor dead lizard's head.
Twice.
Thrice.
And thrice more after that.
But it gave him only the fraction of the pleasure he would have received had he stayed alive.
"Coward!" The Speaker seethed. "You could not even take responsibility for your mistake!... could not even give your Family one last service, in showing whose power reigns over us all!..."
His stomping became gradually restrained. Then ceased completely. He stopped shouting, though it was more than apparent he was still irate. Had Lucien been of mortal flesh, his knuckles would be white; his teeth were bared in a snarl, his eyes seemingly glowing with a crazed white fire. A low growl was the only sound he made now. He simply... stared down at the argonian's corpse, at the blood and brains now caking his boot.
For this, the lizard wasn't getting his dying wish, as far as Lachance was concerned.
And fuck his 'kin'.
When has Lachance ever cared about the life and safety of a Siblings' outside family?
Oh...
...That passionate rage!
Oh, Sithis...Runa was turning into a secret romantic!
Night Mother forbid!
While the woman did not react as violently, or physically, than Lachance did, she was just as displeased.
The Listener exhaled with a deep, heavy breath behind her mask, shoulders briefly slumping, before rolling, "A shame. I was quite looking forward to making an example of him."
If only because she wanted at least some form of stress relief.
"Let no Sibling go without knowing that any breaks in the Tenants, and any actions being performed without our blessing, will be rewarded with the appropriate punishment. Do what you will with the Shadowscale, Lucien. For now...I will commune with the Night Mother."
"... Excellent. Do what you must. Hail Sithis, yes, Sister?"
Lachance's calm, stoic demeanor had returned. It was almost like a switch. Sighing quietly, the imperial ran his hand up his face, hood falling to his shoulders as he combed his fingers through his once-black hair. As if annoyed. Or suddenly tired.
But rest was not an option for the Speaker. He immediately set to work on handling Veezara's body.
