Lucia hated how freezing and snowy the Pale was, but Serana did the best she could to keep the her and her brother warm. She didn't know why her father had to go to Marthol so quick, but maybe it had something to do with the attack? Either way, he was going to be back soon, that she knew. Arriving at the gates of Dawnstar, they all hopped off of the carriage and Lucia jumped when snow got into her shoes. With a hand in Serana's own, the trio quickly scurried into the seaside city. Lucia never had been to Dawnstar and she could see why. There was nothing but snow and water! The city looked kind of boring, too. Serana quickly led them through the city, down the shore behind rocks where an anonymous black and red door with a skull stood in the rock side.

They carefully approached it.

"What…is life's…greatest illusion?" A whispering voice questioned.

Lucia blinked.

"Innocence, My Brother," Serana answered.

"Welcome…home." The door unlocked.

Aventus looked at the woman. "Papa told you the password, too?"

"I heard him say it the only time I came here." She pushed the door open. "Come on." She allowed them to go first.

"Snow is in my shoes," Lucia grumbled.

"Mine too," Aventus whimpered.

They followed Serana down the stoned, cold hallway, but when it opened up to the chamber inside, the children both gasped in awe. It was so much bigger than expected! It also looked ancient.

"Is that–"

Lucia turned to her brother, who trotted to the right where a large, stone coffin stood in the corner with candles lit around the base. "Whoa," she whispered, joining him. On top of the coffin was a grotesque skull. "The Night Mother's coffin."

Aventus grinned sparkling eyes. "This is so cool! I prayed to Her!" He laughed. "Even though Papa just happened to hear a rumor and She didn't hear me."

A high-pitched giggle behind them made them both jump. "Of course She didn't hear you because we didn't have the Listener!" They turned around to a short man cladded in a black and red jester outfit with red hair down to his shoulders and a grin on his face. "I am Cicero! Keeper of the Night Mother and you must be the Listener's children!" His amber eyes twinkled with a madness.

"Papa told us about you!" Aventus laughed. "I'm Aventus and this is Lucia."

"Oh, yes! Cicero knows who you are, too! Once a street urchin," he smiled at Lucia, "and the one who summoned the Brotherhood." He looked at Aventus. "Cicero remembers how happy the Listener to have accepted you into his personal home." He hopped aside, gesturing to the chamber below where Serana was speaking with three others. Was that a child? "But do come in! The others would love to meet you, children of the Listener!" He eagerly took the lead.

The siblings exchanged glances, then followed him down the stairs.

A Redguard in traditional robes smiled at them. "Welcome, Lucia and Aventus! It is good to meet you. I am Nazir. I take care of things while he is away."

"Does Papa talk about us a lot?" Lucia wondered, joining the small group.

"You two are his pride and joy, but he does keep things professional. This is Babette," he gestured to a little girl with glowing eyes, "and Killian." He gestured to a shorter man with neck-length, brunet hair; kind, brown eyes; and dressed in black and red mage robes. "They're assassins. Serana filled us in, so your father should be back tomorrow. In the meantime, make yourselves at home. You did have a long journey."

Babette approached them with a smile, revealing tiny fangs. "I can show you where you can sleep." She walked passed them. "This way."

Just as Lucia was about to follow her, she noticed the large, stained glass window on the back wall of a grotesque skull with horns with a red background. She knew without a doubt that it was Sithis. Turning away, she followed the little vampire to a training room, taking a hall on the right.

"You're a vampire?" Aventus asked.

"Yep. 200-years-old to be exact. When the Listener became a vampire, it was nice to have something in common with another."

"And you're an assassin?"

"I am."

"I want to be an assassin when I grow up."

"Oh?"

"Yeah! I knew it was something I wanted to do when Papa killed Grelod the Kind, but when he adopted me, I want to be just like him!"

Babette simply chortled. "Well," she opened the door at the end of the hall to a large bedroom, "this is where the Listener sleeps. I don't know if you'll find any spare clothing or not. Killian offered to stay at the local inn for the night for Serana since she doesn't like being in the public eye– which I understand. We have a spare bed that is for– if and when we have– another member, but until then, one of you can have the spare bed."

"I wanna sleep in here!" Aventus excitedly cried, running into the grand room. "Whoa! Is that his Dark armor?" He trotted to a mannequin on the left wearing black and red leather armor with a hood up.

"That's right."

"It's so neat! I never seen him wear it before."

"I'll show you to your room." Babette said to Lucia, turning around.

Lucia followed her to the next room on the left.

She opened the door to a room with two beds and was neatly organized with dressers and torches on the wall. "You can join us whenever you're ready." She pointed to the bed on the right. "That one's yours."

Lucia smiled politely at her. "Thanks."

Babette dipped her head with kind smile, then turned and left.

Knowing her brother was probably hopping from one assassin item to another, Lucia just sat on her assigned bed, removed the snow from her shoes, and dried her feet with the hem of her dress. She slipped her damp shoes back on and held Emerald close. She wanted to try to be friends with Babette, but she was not a normal kid. She missed Belisa.

"Lucia," Aventus poked his head in the doorway with a grin. "I'm going to talk to the others. Want to come with?"

Knowing he was going ask questions about assassins and the Brotherhood, she shook her head with a small smile. "It's ok. I'm tired."

"Okay." He darted away.

She got up from the bed and went back to her father's room where she approached the displayed armor. Never had she seen her father wear it either. She pictured him in the dark leather with his black warpaint on and swords at his hip. She could see glowing eyes underneath the shadow of the hood. It sent chills down her spine. In his ebony armor, he was like a dark warrior, but in the assassin armor, he was a cold-blooded killer. She was relieved she has yet to see him kill anyone. Innocent or not. She stepped away from the armor and decided to join the others. She walked to the dining hall where the group were chatting. Serana seemed to get along well with the assassins.

"…we were at the orphanage when Papa found us," Aventus explained to the group.

"I adopted my daughters from there the other month," Killian replied. "Twin girls."

"Hroar told us about them. It was you?"

Lucia couldn't help but wonder how those girls felt when they found out an assassin took them in. Did they know? She joined her brother's side.

"Hroar said they weren't there for long," her brother continued.

Killian shook his head, chuckling. "No, they were not."

"Do they know what you do?" Lucia quietly blurted, instantly regretting her outburst.

Instead of being offed, the man softly shook his head. "No. I do not have the heart to tell them." He nervously smiled. "My husband doesn't even know yet."

She blinked. "Really?"

"Yep."

"It's probably for the best," Nazir commented beside him.

Killian smirked at him. "Oh, yeah. Just living a double-life from my husband for the passed two years is the best. I love being the Arch-Mage, but this double-life thing is rather getting tiring!"

Lucia blinked. Arch-Mage? As in the Arch-Mage of Winterhold? He seemed so young! At least in his thirties? Maybe? She was never good at guessing ages. He was younger than her father, though.

"Sounds like a personal problem," Babette commented from Killian's other side.

Killian smiled at her, but had humor in his eyes. "Okay, child. I don't need to hear it from you."

She laughed. "I am 200 yea–"

"You can be 1000 and I'd still call you child, child."

"I call her 'she-devil,'" Nazir joked.

Killian smirked, crossing his arms. "Oh, I agree to that."

The three of them laughed.

Lucia was still puzzled by the mage. He was the Arch-Mage of the College of Winterhold? She heard of the college and how powerful the mages are there. How did he become an assassin? He seemed so happy and didn't seem like he'd ever hurt anyone. Her gaze drifted to Nazir, who seemed too calm and collected to kill anyone, but the curved sword at his hip told her otherwise. How did any of these people become cold-blooded killers? She glanced up at the jester on the second floor, who seemed to be talking to the coffin. What was his story?

"You're the Arch-Mage?" Aventus suddenly asked, earning Lucia's attention.

Killian proudly smiled at him. "I am! Arch-Mage Killian Mallory at your service!" He gave a slight bow, then straightened up.

"Oh, wow. I have to ask: how did you become an assassin?"

Lucia was relieved that her brother was asking the questions for her.

"Well, that's a long story, but let's just say after pleading and bargaining, I did an exchange. A life for a life."

Lucia's eyes grew. "Someone tried to kill you?"

He shook his head with a slight bow of the head. "My husband." He perked up. "Honestly, I love here, though, so I can't complain too much."

"Are you a master mage?"

He grinned. "Indeed, I am! Master in the element of fire, illusion, and restoration. However, I am still learning. I am only thirty-five, so I still have much to learn and one can never stop learning. Right now, I'm working on alteration as we speak. Are any of you interested in magic?" He looked at the two of them.

Aventus shook his head. "No."

"I like alchemy," Lucia answered.

Babette happily gasped, earning her gaze. "I can teach you somethings!"

"Really?"

"Yeah!" She grinned. "Did you see my alchemy garden upstairs?"

"No. I must've missed it."

"Come! I must show you!" She walked to the stairs with Lucia at her side. They went up the stairs to Serana gazing at a little garden of trees and shrubs growing in a little alcove with an alchemy lab beside it. "I have juniper, nightshade, jazbay, snowberries, and dragon's tongue."

"That's right," Serana commented, earning their attention with an amused smile. "I had forgotten this was yours. It's lovely."

"It really is," Lucia agreed.

"Thank you." The little vampire proudly smiled.

Serana looked back at the garden. "You should see my mother's garden. It's beautiful. There's a moon dial and everything."

Babette gasped. "That sounds so beautiful!"

Serena softly giggled.

Lucia looked at the child vampire. "You're the only girl here?"

She sighed, crossing her arms. "Yeah. It's kind of annoying."

"I bet."

"I'll leave you two be," Serana gently replied and walked away.

"Bye," they both said.

"Do you want to join the Brotherhood, too?" Babette asked.

Lucia shook her head.

"I understand. I bet it's not easy having the Listener being your father, either."

"It's just…strange. He's so loving with us, but knowing he does what he does…. I don't understand." She gazed back at the garden. Her mother would have loved to have one like it.

"I became an assassin because I killed someone who tried to hurt me, but that 100 years ago. They didn't think a little girl could do anything despite being a vampire."

Lucia looked at her. "I'm sorry."

She shrugged. "It's okay. I found the Brotherhood days later and they took me in. It was hard at first since I didn't trust anyone and I didn't have a family of my own for many years. I watched members come and go. Leaders rise and fall. It's all be an interesting experience. The last family was probably the best, though." She looked at her. "Did the Listener tell you about them?"

She nodded. "My mama did. She told Aventus and I what she knew about Papa and the Brotherhood because she said we had a right to know. I know about the pervious leader's betrayal and the destruction of the old Sanctuary. Papa doesn't like talking to us about the Brotherhood, though, even though Aventus wants to be like him and wants to learn somethings."

Babette nodded. "Understandable. Well," she grinned, "let's start alchemy!"

Learning alchemy with Babette was fun. Despite being a 200 year old vampire, she was still a child. If things were different, were they able to be friends or would Babette grow up to be like Killian or Ryvren? Shoving the thought from her head, Lucia focused on her task at hand: making a lesser health potion. After fifteen minutes and several attempts later, she finally filled up a small vial of the red liquid and corked it.

Babette applauded her, grinning. "You did it!"

Lucia held the vial close, giggling. "Thank you! I'm going to put this by my bed so I don't lose it or forget it." She and her acquaintance returned down the stairs where Killian, Cicero, and Aventus were laughing and joking. Such an innocent scene sent a chill down her spine. Everyone in this place had blood on their hands except for her and her brother, of course. However, Cicero was different. He was a jester! How did a jester become the Keeper? How did he join the Dark Brotherhood? She spotted an ebony dagger on his hip, making her swallow and look away. Actually, she didn't want to know anymore.

"Hey."

She stopped and turned to Serana, who was approaching her. "Hi."

"How are you doing?"

"I made a health potion." She held out the small vial.

She softly smiled. "You did. Good job." Her smile faded. "Are you okay?"

Lucia looked over her shoulders, then looked at her feet. "How did my father become an assassin? I don't mean with Aventus, but…why?"

Serana shifted her weight, crossing her arms. "I think you should ask him."

"Serana?" She looked up at her. "Is my father a bad person?"

Her arms fell at her sides and her face dropped. "You know what he does, Lucia."

"But why?"

Serana led the girl away back to the bedroom and they sat on the child's bed. "Lucia." She looked her in eye, taking the child's hands into her own. "He has done terrible things, but he loves you. He–"

"I know he loves me, but he's…." She bowed her head, not wanting to repeat the words the Dawnguard had called him.

"He's getting cured, Lucia."

Her head snapped up, looking the woman in the eye. "What?"

She exhaled. "He's in Marthol to cure himself. He can't leave the Dark Brotherhood, but he is giving vampirism up for you two. You both deserve to have a normal life. If he could, I think he would give up the Brotherhood for good for you kids as well."

"Why didn't he tell us?"

"I think he just wanted it be simpler. Don't tell Aventus because I think he wants to do it himself."

"Aventus looks up to him. He wants to be an assassin like him." She turned away. "I don't think he should."

"So does your father."

She looked back at her. "Really?"

Serana gently nodded. "Your father has a lot of regrets, but you should hear it from him."

"Did he tell you anything?"

"He's carrying more weight than we both think."

"What was your father like?"

Serana scoffed, looking ahead of herself. "My father. Cold. Distant. My parents loved each other, though, but he didn't have time for me. Then when we all became vampires, he became power-hungry and obsessed with this stupid prophecy and I was no longer his daughter, but a tool."

"Papa talked a little bit about it when he brought home the Bow. I'm sorry."

She hummed. "It's…fine."

"You killed him, didn't you?"

"Yeah," she heavily sighed, looking at her. "Your father gave up addiction and vampirism for you guys and if he knew what would happen to your mother, he would have given up vampirism a lot sooner just to save her."

Those words broke her own heart. "How is he doing?"

"I don't know. What kept him going was getting you and your brother back. I don't know he's doing other than that, but I know he misses her. I know you all do."

Lucia bowed her head and before she realized what was happening, she held her face in her hands and cried. She felt Serana pull her closer and just held her. They called her father a monster. Maybe he is. All she knew, she that he was her father and she did love him. She remembered when he would be passed out on his bed– drunk, high, or both. She was starting to wish they didn't adopt her at the point when her parents would be arguing. When he was angry, he was terrifying. Especially when he was drinking, but never did he insult nor hit his children nor his wife. The first year home almost felt like a nightmare when he was home, until their mother threatened to take them and leave him behind. Never had Lucia heard such fear in her father's voice. It even scared Aventus. Their father threw all the alcohol and skooma out of the house soon after. He apologized to the whole family and to the housecarl in the beginning of his sobriety.

She remembered how happy her mother was after. Her father never yelled again, either. He treated his wife with so much more respect, too. Her mother's anger lessened and didn't have tears in her eyes when she'd read a bedtime story to her children while remaining strong. She was the rock of the entire family and now she was gone. No more humming in the garden. No more bedtime stories. She made her husband so happy. Did that mean his happiness was gone? He gave up vampirism after the Dawnguard were killed. Was there a point to the cure now?

She just wanted to hear her mother say: Everything is going to be okay.