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"Dragon shouts"

"Normal speech"

"Thoughts/whispers/written speech/ pretty much anything that isn't the above"

•••••••••••

One year later

Nazir rubbed his head and sighed for the fifth time that hour. He had been looking over the measly three contracts that they had managed to arrange. He hated going back to relying on beggars to hear of people possibly performing the black sacrament. It was much easier with Morthos around to hear the Nightmother.

Morthos.

Nazir sighed again at the thought of their missing leader. He was supposed to return with their resident vampire child, Babette, over four months ago. So far they had yet to hear anything. Their last letter, delivered to Karita by courier, had placed them safely in Cyrodiil with almost all their business concluded. That message had arrived five months ago, one month before their estimated date of arrival back in Skyrim. Lachance had appeared once as well and told them that there has been a delay but all was well and then vanished before a word could be said in reply. There had been no contact since and everyone in the sanctuary was worried.

The twins were beside themselves, both often spending time in Babette's alchemy garden taking care of the plants and dusting Morthos' room. Nazir had even once seen Gileanna clutching Babette's pillow to her chest before setting it back on the draculina's bed. Even Ardoneth's permanently summoned death hound had been less active than normal. Cicero had become even more quiet and less animated than ever. He often muttered to himself and the Nightmother but he hadn't danced and sang in nearly a week.

Nazir kept himself busy by training the newest members of the family, Glasha Gro'Sharog and Xagug, his bride by conquest and her child. So far he had made significant progress with Glasha. She could easily hold her own against Nazir and even did well when Nazir and Cicero teamed up against her. Her skill with a mace and shield was unmatched by any one in the sanctuary. She tended to struggle when it came to using the smaller, more "delicate" weapons that assassins often employed and was not very good at sneaking around. The heavy armor she preferred didn't allow her the agility to move about quietly and though she was given a set, she refused to wear the standard dark armor of the brotherhood. She had opted instead to paint a Black Hand mark onto her breast plate.

Xagug on the other hand, had nearly no talent with a weapon at all. He had no skill with a blade and hurt himself as often as his opponent when sparing with practice blades. Nazir had nearly dropped to his knees in relief when he found that Xagug was far more talented in unarmed combat. He was able to actually hold his own with Nazir for a little while, even though Nazir had been holding back. Xagug also enjoyed spending his time sharpening the various extra weapons laying around the sanctuary and had taken to keeping himself busy in the sanctuary's small smithing corner. Nazir didn't complain, he was just happy the boy was out of the way and being useful.

"Speaker, may I have a moment of your time?"

Nazir looked up from the contracts on the table in front of him and grunted.

Gileanna stepped forward and inclined her head in thanks. "Speaker, it's been four months since the last time we heard from the Listener and Speaker Babette. With your permission, I'd like to go out and search for them."

Nazir sighed. He wanted to know where Morthos and Babette had gotten off to as well, but he didn't want to risk sending out a search party just yet. Morthos had warned them that the trip would last no less than six months but he had never said how long it might last. Technically speaking, Morthos wasn't late in returning. His trip was just taking longer than expected.

For all they knew, Morthos might have gotten sick and needed to stay in Cyrodiil a little longer to recuperate before making the trip back to Skyrim. Though, with an alchemist like Babette by his side, it was unlikely that any sickness would hold him up for more than a few days at worst.

"I'm sorry Gileanna but I don't want to risk sending you out just yet. Morthos warned us that the trip would be as long as necessary. His last message said he and Babette were fine and heading home."

"Its been a year Speaker." Gileanna tried to argue.

Nazir shook his head, already having used that argument on himself only a little while ago. "Yes, a year since they left but only a few months since their last message. Morthos and Babette probably just got held up by something. I understand that waiting for them to return to us is uncomfortable, but I won't change my mind. You'll stay here where your needed. We need to think with our heads right now, not our hearts."

Gileanna sighed.

"But I miss them." She said before walking away.

Nazir watched her go then slammed his hands down on the table. He would never say it out loud but he missed Morthos and Babette too.

He sighed as Gileanna entered the room once more, this time dragging her twin behind her.

•••••

An hour later, Nazir made his way out of the Sanctuary and towards the Windpeak Inn. He was tired and needed a drink. The twins had both argued with him for nearly an hour straight, each giving well thought out arguments on why he should allow them to go search for Morthos and Babette. Ardoneth even brought maps to show exactly where they would go to look. Nazir finally had to put his foot down and pull rank on them. The crestfallen look on their faces as they walked away made him feel ashamed.

He wasn't usually one to drown his troubles at the bottom of a tankard of ale but the family was becoming unbearable. Gileanna and Ardoneth both were becoming more and more persistent to go on a search and rescue as each day went by.

Karita gave him a small smile as he took a seat at the far corner table and gave her a subtle wave.

She casually made her way to him after throwing a few words over the counter to her father.

"Hello Nazir. The usual?"

Nazir shook his head. He was glad he had came here. The cold air had soothed his headache on the way and the girl Morthos has picked to be the family's ear was pleasant company. She knew how to keep a secret and how to crack a good joke. Her voice wasn't bad either. "Actually I'd appreciate some mead this time instead. My little sisters are being a huge pain in my rear. I could use the alcohol."

Karita nodded. "I'm sorry to hear that. It's the twins right? Poor things must be going through that special time when a girl becomes a woman. You have my sympathy. I'll bring you a tankard right away."

The next hour was spent nursing an oversized tankard of ale and making light conversation with Karita. Halfway through a young couple dressed in heavy traveling cloaks passed the window near his seat. Nazir couldn't see their faces from where he was sitting but something about the taller ones posture seemed familiar. He watched as they took cover from the snow underneath the porch of the inn. The smaller one, female he assumed, shook snow from her hair and traveling cloak, giggling the entire time.

Nazir took another sip of his mead, wondering why the taller traveler seemed familiar, then the male turned to help the female and he nearly spat his drink out.

•••••

I instantly recognized Nazir as I watched him walk into the tavern. Half of me wanted to follow him in, but the other half wanted to surprise him when he came back out.

My attention shifted to the giggling young lady on my arm. She was shivering and trying to get the snow off of her robes and enjoying it far too much. I pulled her across the street where we could see Nazir through the window and be out of the snow. I turned and started helping her brush off the excess snow and nearly began laughing myself.

My female companion noticed my happy expression and decided to comment.

"What are you smiling at? Happy to be home? Or is it the pretty lady on your arm?" She asked as she took hold of my arm and pressed herself into my side.

I shrugged then leaned down and whispered . "I suppose that's part of it. Don't you think it's a little inappropriate for you to be acting the way you have? I know we agreed to play the part of young lovers but your still technically on the young side you know. And keep it down why don't you, we don't need the entire town of Dawnstar noticing us."

She rolled her eyes. "Oh please, don't get all noble on me now. If either of us cared about the morality neither of us would be here today and if we're getting technical then I'm only about six years younger than you. A perfectly acceptable age gap. We're only acting anyway."

I shrugged but didn't say anything more as I led her towards the shadowed side of the tavern.

A moment later, I heard Nazir exit the building. I glanced around the corner and saw him looking around. After a minute he rubbed his eyes and muttered something to himself. He turned towards where we were hiding and began walking towards the path leading to the Black Door. As he passed I gave Nazir a quick slap to the back of the head, stunning him just long enough for Babette to clamp her hand over his mouth and me to pull him into the shadows. He put up a decent struggle until I lowered my hood and he saw my face. His eyes lit up with recognition until his gaze shifted to the girl who's hand covered his mouth. He raised an eye brow and flicked his eyes in her direction.

She giggled before answering his unspoken question.

"You don't remember me Nazir?" she teased before pulling out her visage of Sithis. Nazir's eyes went wide. She slowly pulled her hand away from his mouth.

"Babette?" Nazir asked hesitantly. "Is that you?"

She nodded, her smile still in place. "It is indeed."

Nazir couldn't believe his eyes. Babette, the undead vampire child he had worked with since his own induction to the Family now stood before him smiling, most shocking of all, with rosy cheeks. He looked her over again and his mind still couldn't process what he was seeing. Babette was older, more developed, and ALIVE!

"I don't understand. How?" he asked, his voice low.

Babette wagged her finger in his face. "We'll tell you when we all get back to the sanctuary. It's been a long trip and I'm tired. That's a feeling I haven't truly felt in far too long."

I nodded in agreement. "Fatigue weighs down on me as well. Come Nazir my dear friend, the sooner we return home, the sooner our story is shared and then I can go to bed."

Babette took hold of my arm and began pulling me towards the secret entrance of the sanctuary. A second after, Nazir fell in step beside us and slung his arm around my should and ruffled Babette's hair.

He laughed heartily then said, "By Sithis I knew I saw you! It's good to have you two home. It feels like a massive weight has been taken off my shoulders to see you both in good health."

We all walked back to the sanctuary together, happy to once more be among family.

•••••

We decided to take the long way and enter through the secret entrance. I took a deep breath and grinned at the familiar scents of earth, alchemy ingredients and blood stained floors. As strange as it was too say, it smelt like home.

I grinned when I saw Babette taking it all in just as I was.

I looked her over again. I couldn't really help it after everything that had happened. Her body, thanks to the after effects of the purgeblood salts and Font of Renewal, had gone through an accelerated growth spurt. She no longer had the chubby cheeks and boyish figure of a ten year old Breton girl. Now she had the body of a sixteen years old Breton maiden, curvy waist, growing bosom and raging hormones included. Even her voice, once high pitched and just a little nasally was now a melodious alto. She still stood a head shorter than me though.

Her most prominent feature was her now chocolate brown eyes and hair that even when braided still hung down to just bellow her rear. I had to stop when we arrived back in Skyrim to purchase her a new set of Black Hand robes since she grew out of her old ones. She changed a few details from my original design.

She now wore a pair of tight black hide trousers that she tucked into black padded boots. Around her waist she now wore a black belt that held her ebony dagger and the large poison kit I had given her in Riften. Above she wore a simple black silk blouse beneath her actual robes and black leather gloves covered her hands. Her robes hung down to mid-calf and we're modified with a larger than normal hood and to button diagonally from the left shoulder to her right hip. The robes, boots and gloves were enchanted to boost her stealth skills and to clean and repair themselves just like her old ones. Another change she made was rather than wear a sash with the Visage of Sithis that came with her original set of robes that she would have a smaller pendent made and attached to a silver chain. She wore it around her neck.

Her chest, hips, shoulders and shins were protected by thin fitted ebony plates, each engraved on the inside with runes for protection against all destruction magic and to cushion blows from any weapon.

"Seems as though you two were really missing us. It warms my black heart to see." Nazir teased. "Get yourselves some food and drink. I'll go gather everyone."

My stomach growled at the mention of food. Nazir laughed at me as he walked out.

Babette's own stomach growled as well once I began pulling cheese and dry salted meats onto a plate.

"It still feels strange to crave normal food after all these years." She said happily as she pulled two chairs over to the fireplace. I set the plate in her lap and popped a square of horker meat into my mouth.

"I know the feeling." I replied in between bites. "I remember my first few months after using the purgeblood salts, though my change was under much less extreme circumstances. I had cravings for random foods from nearly every street vendor I passed. I spent nearly a thousand septims at a small festival in Bravil. I tried every food I passed." I said while pouring us both a cup of wine. I used a frost spell on the cups to chill the drink inside. Red wine tasted better cold in my opinion.

Babette took her cup and offered me a smile and quiet thank you.

I could hear Nazir calling for everyone. Babette grinned at me as everyone began trickling into the room. The twins were first, followed by the young orc boy Xagug. They froze when they saw us sitting by the fire. Not a moment later Cicero literally fell into the room followed by Nazir and his female orc Glasha. Cicero muttered about impatient and violent ugly orc women to which she responded by stomping on to his back.

"I'm glad that everyone is still so lively even after all this time." I said.

My voice broke the spell the twins seemed to be under. Gileanna and Ardoneth both had tears in their eyes as they nearly tackled me. Their arms held me tight as though I might vanish if they didn't anchor me in place.

Cicero quickly pushed Glasha off and jumped to his feet, cheering. "Oh happy day! The Listener has returned to us and he has brought someone new! Oh Mother will be most pleased."

Everyone began asking questions about the journey and why it took me so long to return. The questions then quickly drifted to who my companion was and where was Babette.

"Give me a moment and I'll actually answer your questions. Babette is fine she's –"

"You know it's rude to talk about someone when they're sitting right in front of you. I'm perfectly capable of answering for myself." Babette teased.

Everyone except myself and Nazir looked at her. Babette smiled at everyone.

"You aren't- you can't be…" Ardoneth muttered and took Babette's face in her hands. Ardoneth examined her, slowly turning Babette's face from one side to the other. Babette allowed the elf to move her around, smiling the entire time. Finally Ardoneth looked her in the eyes.

"Babette? Is that really you?"

Babette's smile got all the brighter and her eyes filled with tears. "Hello Ardoneth."

Those words broke the little composure everyone had left. Ardoneth cheered and pulled Babette into her arms. Gileanna joined her sister and hugged Babette, both twins shedding tears of elation. Cicero clapped and danced and sang. I sat back and watched my family express how happy they were to have us home.

And then I felt it.

The cold presence entering me like an icy mist.

"Welcome home my child." The Nightmother said. Her raspy voice was warmer than usual. She missed us as well it would seem.

"Come see me when you've celebrated. We have much to discuss. It is good to have you and my daughter home where you belong."

I felt the Nightmother's presence leave me. I rubbed my chin in thought, wondering with a smile what she might have in store for me this time. I sighed, such things could wait until the morning. Cicero skipped up to my side smiling like the mad man he truly was.

"Welcome home sweet Listener. Cicero missed you so. He missed tiny Babette too. Oooh but now she is not so tiny anymore. You must tell Cicero how this happened."

I shrugged. "It's a long story that begins with my grandfather. Babette is already planning on sharing the story later. Has everyone already eaten tonight?"

Glasha stepped in and answered. "Yes small elf man. Elf sisters make for whole family."

I nodded.

"Excellent. Then everyone just grab something to drink and let's sit together while Babette and I share our story."

Everyone grabbed a tankard of Mead and sat round the table. I ended up seated between the twins and Nazir. Babette sat across from us beside Glasha and Xagug. Cicero stayed standing near the stairs leading to the upper level of the sanctuary.

"So what's it feel like being human again?" Gileanna asked.

Babette chewed on her finger for a moment before answering. "It feels… different. It's been so long since I've had to eat, sleep, worry about getting injured, or drink something that wasn't blood. I'm still readjusting to having living needs again. I love to exercise now though. It feels good to actually feel my body getting stronger."

I decided to pitch in. "I remember her first week back among the living. She had cravings nearly every ten minutes and couldn't stop fidgetting."

Babette blushed. "I said I was sorry. I couldn't help it. I was just so hungry all the time and had way too much energy."

I waved her off. "I'm only teasing. No need to be embarrassed."

"How come you look so much older?" Ardoneth.

"It's a bit of a long story. The circumstances of me being cured had some side-effects, the most obvious being that my body was forced to grow all at once. I am now a fully developed, fully living Breton lady. So where was I? Okay so when we arrived in Cyrodiil, Morthos and I travelled down to Deepscorn Hollow."

Gileanna raised her hand. Babette smiled. "Yes Gileanna? You have a question already?"

The elf nodded. "Yes but you can't just jump over such a big thing. What cure for vampirism makes your body grow up all at once? And what's Deepscorn Hollow?"

I knocked on the table to get everyone's attention. "We'll get to the cure in a minute. Deepscorn Hollow was my home for over two centuries. It's a small hidden place near Topal Bay." I explained.

Ardoneth looked confused. "Centuries?"

I couldn't help but laugh. I forgot that I hadn't told anyone except Babette that I was once a vampire. "I was a vampire for over two hundred years. I was born in Cyrodiil seventeen years before the Oblivion Crisis. I was turned by my grandfather shortly before his death."

Everyone except Babette took a moment to take in the new information. I almost laughed again at the incredulous looks on all their faces.

"Don't be so surprised. My life is full of little secrets." I said playfully. Before anyone could ask anything else, I gestured for Babette to continue the story.

"We spent about a week setting up at Deepscorn Hollow. We visited Bravil and Leyawiin for supplies. Unfortunately for me, the Dawn Guard had a sizeable presence around the cities so I had to be extra careful at night when I went to hunt."

"Wait I thought you were cured?" Nazir asked.

Babette rolled her eyes. "Stop interrupting you brute. Not yet I wasn't. Its part of the story and I'll get to it when I get to it. Now hush."

"After we we're situated we began exploring for the ruin that Lady Cillvalyth mentioned. We started by finding the shrine to Nocturnal. The dunmer that was preaching when we found the place was very unhappy to see us. It didn't help any when Morthos told him that we served the true Lady of night. Luckily, we only had to kill two of them before they told us of a small ruin nearby to the South. That fit the description that Lady Cillvalyth left in her letter."

I continued the story from there. "My mother was truly a genius when it came to the arcane arts. The door was sealed with an ancient blood magic. It took us three days before I finally thought to smear my blood across the door. The seals around it faded then the entrance just opened after that. Once we entered, I found my mother's work shop. It had all her notes, a large sum of gold, the deeds to a few small business flourishing throughout Cyrodiil and a few of her personal effects."

Gileanna clapped her hands. "I'm so glad that you found it. It seemed very important to you back when you received the letter. I can't see you as a business owner though."

I nodded. "Yes I'm glad as well. The business's I left alone. The families running them have been running them just fine and I had no need to interfere. We did however visit all of them and arrange for a small sum of their profits to be sent to me here in Skyrim every month. But the most important thing that we found was this." I pulled a small pouch from my inner robe pockets. I pulled out a large black soul gem shaped like a four pointed star.

"This gem contains the soul of my mother, the late Lady Cillvalyth of Leyawiin."

Gileanna, Xagug and Ardoneth practically trampled one another to get a closer look at the gem. I didn't blame them. The very first time I had seen the gem I had been mystified by the way it seemed to absorb the light around it.

"How do you know it's really your mother's soul inside this?" Ardoneth asked. I shrugged. "It was written in my mother's diary. I see no reason for her to have lied."

Gileanna giggled. "You can feel the power coming from the gem. Your mother must have been a very powerful women."

I scratched the back of my head. "My mother was… many things. It's a shame that a good mother was not one of them. She was about to finish the process of becoming a Lich when the Mage's guild ended her life. That's what her diary implies anyway."

Everyone was surprised to hear that. The secrets of becoming a Lich was an extreme taboo. Glasha clapped me on the shoulder. "Job of Dam is only to teach young one enough to survive. You have survived to become great hunter. Whatever else she did is irrelevant."

Nazir felt much the same. "I agree. Children expect too much of their parents these days. I remember my father once told me that I needed to pop mother's tit out of my mouth and make something of myself. I committed my first murder only a month later."

I cocked an eyebrow. "Oh? I don't believe I've heard that story before. Perhaps the next time we have story time you'll be kind enough to share it."

Nazir grunted and too a long gulp from his tankard.

"What happened next!? The suspense is murder!" Cicero called excitedly from his place at the steps.

"Once we collected my inheritance we visited what was left of the Cheydenhal sanctuary and the ruins of fort Farragut. Cheydenhal was Lucien's assigned sanctuary back when he was alive and Farragut was his base of operations. It was strange, I didn't think a ghost could be nostalgic. After Lucien was satisfied we returned to Deepscorn Hollow and began preparing to return to Skyrim."

"About how long had you been in Cyrodiil at that point?" Nazir asked.

I rubbed my chin for a second trying to remember. "Hmmm. I believe at that point we had been gone for just about seven months. I sent Lucien to deliver a message to you about a week after that."

"Then why did it take you so long to return? It sounds like you would have been back in just over eight months time just like you estimated in your last letter." He said.

My expression fell. I glanced at Babette and saw her look down, her eyes filled with fear.

"We stayed because Babette was nearly killed by the Dawnguard."

•••••

Flashback

I had been hiding inside the office of Deepscorn Hollow for the past day reading my mother's diary.

It was a small comfort to know her thoughts every day she had been gone. The most common theme was her rage towards the mage's guild. I couldn't help but wonder what might have been had she not dabbled in the blackest of magic arts.

Had she not angered the guild, would I have grown up and joined them? Become a well known master of Destruction and Alteration? Lived a normal happy life? Married and sired a small band of my own little ones to spoil and teach the ways of the arcane?

Or was my life claimed by Sithis from the moment I was birthed?

Maybe I would never really know.

I left my room to look for something to do. I walked out the small back entrance to the surface. The quarter moon was high in the starless sky. My thoughts began drifting to the many nights I had spent staring up at the night sky after gorging myself on fresh blood. The pride I felt when I managed to leave my prey alive to be fed on again. My irritation at having to find someone new to feed from when I accidentally killed my prey. The smell of the surrounding bogs mixed with the ocean. The sounds of waves crashing against the shore and crickets chirping in the grass. Being under the same sky once more brought a song I once heard back into my head.

Alone in the cool night beneath the moon, I quietly began to sing.

"In the quiet time of evening,
When the stars assume their patterns,
And the day has made his journey,
And we wondered just what happened
To the life we knew before the world changed.
When not a thing I held was true.
But you were kind to me and you reminded me,
That the world is not my playground.
There are other things that matter.
And what is simple needs protecting.
My illusions all would shatter.
But you stayed in my corner.
The only world I know was upside down
And now the world and me, I know you carry me.
You see the patterns in the big sky. Those constellations look like you and I.
Just like the patterns in the big sky,
We could be lost we could refuse to try.
But we made it through, in the dark night.

Who would those lucky guys turn out to be, but that unusual blend of my funny friend and me."

I walked back inside in a much better mood. I felt like a young man again, fresh to the adult world, with eternity literally staring him in the face. I walked back inside and through the empty stone Halls of Deepscorn Hollow calling for my vampire companion.

"Babette! Where are you? Let's go do something fun!"

I entered the small dining room and found a note.

"I stepped out to hunt in Leyawiin. I'll return by sunset." Was written in Babette's elegant script.

I felt my stomach drop. It was the middle of the night. She should have been back by now. I turned and quickly left the Hollow. I rushed toward Leyawiin. The bad feeling inside of me grew worse the closer I got until I finally arrived to the town. My blood turned to ice when I saw the large number of city guards and a few Dawnguard agents running about and calling for priests and healers.

I ducked into the shadows between some of the mansions and scaled up onto the rooftops.

The entire town was buzzing. Men, woman and children alike all ran around gathering in groups and cheering. I pulled up my hood and ran across the rooftops until the town square came into my sight.

I froze in shock.

There in the center of the square surrounded by Dawnguard agents, two priests, and a massive mob of Leyawiin citizens, was Babette, gagged, clearly beaten and tied to a large wooden stake.

I saw red when a priest slapped Babette for struggling against her bindings. I was clenching my hands so tight I felt the bones inside pop.

The same priest that dared strike Babette stepped forward towards the crowd.

"Citizens of Leyawiin. The blessed members of the Dawnguard stand here before you to rid us of a blight upon our fair city."

He pointed at Babette and continued. "This unholy creature was captured by the Dawnguard while attempting to feed upon one of us."

One of the citizens called out from the crowd. "It's true! She tried to seduce me with her unholy magic!"

The crowd roared in outrage.

"Burn her!"

"Destroy the creature!"

"Kill it!"

Panic began to set in as I looked around for a way to save my sister. The thought of her being put to the flame had my heart racing so fast that the beat rung in my ears drowning out the crowd below.

My eyes bugged out when they locked in on three large barrels of brandy sitting in the back of a merchant cart. Some of the strongest stuff in Cyrodiil with the highest alcohol content legally available. There was no possible way my luck could be that good. This was like a bad children's book story.

A plan filled with alcohol fueled explosions began forming in my head. I was so focused that I missed which Dawnguard agent or priest stepped forward and dowsed Babette with oil.

I dropped down and quickly made my way through the crowd until I reached the cart. I drew my dagger and punched a hole in all three barrels and quickly retreated towards the shadows of a nearby building. I began to channel my magic as I pushed through the crowd. My head was barely embraced by darkness when I heard it.

The most agonized scream I had ever heard.

My gazed darted back to Babette and went wide with horror. One of the Dawnguard had drawn his sword and stabbed her. Seems they had gotten tired of her struggling. The crowed cheered and chanted and the priests grinned wickedly, their teeth glowing yellow and orange in the torch light. I could only stare as he lifted up a blazing torch.

I was too late.

The priest dropped the torch.

The crowd's roar drowned my cry of despair. I finally broke into a flurry of movement since no one would notice me now. I sent a fireball straight at the cart.

The resulting explosion sent a large number of people and debris flying. The chaos was perfect for me. I pushed through the panicking citizens until I reached the circle of Dawnguard agents. There were five total, all except one clearly wet behind the ears. I rushed the one nearest to me and ran my Blade of Woe straight up through his chin, the tip of my weapon piercing the top of his skull. I ripped my faithful blade free, blood spraying onto the ground. The next three men all died in a chain of lightning. I held the spell until their skin was charred black and smoke billowed out from their eye sockets. They dropped to the floor in a heap.

Another agony filled screech pulled my attention back to my dying sister. I rushed forward and cut the bindings. The Dawnguard sword was still holding Babette tight to the flames. I pulled it from her body and yanked her free from the flames and wrapped her as tight as I could in my arms, trying to smother the flames eating away at her flesh. My eyes darted around taking in information faster than I could understand it.

The square that everyone had gathered to watch the murder of my Babette was nearly empty of living souls.

Corpses and various body parts littered the stone walkways. The few city guards that had managed to survive we're calling for reinforcements.

I looked down at Babette's burned face and begged her to hold on, tears beginning to run down my face. Her eyes were milky white. Her voice was quiet and wheezy from inhaling smoke. Her hair had burned almost completely away. She whispered my name then went still. I snarled in denial as I stood up. I cried out, the sound of my voice more akin to that of a wounded animal, and ran for the nearest gate.

I wouldn't lose more family.

Not now.

Not ever again.

Flashback end

•••••

I looked around at the faces of my family. Babette. Nazir. Cicero. Gileanna. Ardoneth. Glasha. Xagug.

"The rest of that night is a bit of a blur to me. I remember lifting Babette and running and that's really it. Next thing I know, I'm holding Babette up in the Font of renewal, begging Sithis and the Night Mother both to spare her life. Not to take her.

The Font of renewal is a special pool with a shrine in its center. Deep inside Deepscorn Hollow is a large vein of crystals known as the purgeblood salts. The Font of renewal has extremely potent restorative abilities. When you mix the salts with the water within, it becomes potent enough to even cure vampirism.

Five days.

I held Babette in the water of the Font of renewal for five days just hoping I wasn't too late. I knew something was happening when she didn't turn to ash like vampires normally do after death. Babette began breathing right away once the waters touched her. Her breathing became normal on the third day. By the end of the forth, her charred black skin began to chip and break away, replaced by healthy pink skin and her hair began to grow back. On the fifth day she opened her eyes."

"That's it for our story. The whole reason we spent so long in Cyrodiil was because Babette needed the time to recover and become accustomed to being human again. We also had to wait for my bounty to go down. There were a lot of people gunning for my head. I killed a lot of people that night with the explosion and the Dawnguard was searching everywhere for me. Since we we're stuck hiding anyway, I spent the time training her until she could hold her own. Once everything started to blow over we had to resupply as fast as possible then we left for Skyrim." I said.

"Unbelievable. You really brought her back from the edge of death." Gileanna said. I shook my head.

"Don't say that, your making it sound so romantic, like an old fairy tale. The leader of the great assassin guild, unwilling to allow one of his own to die, fights through hell and high water then prevails over the malicious vampire hunters. Is that what you think? No. I did this because I'm a selfish creature who couldn't shoulder the death of yet another friend. Nothing more."

I looked away from them into the flames of the fireplace. I could feel everyone casting judgement on me. I knew that they didn't really blame me but that only made it worse.

I knew that the Dawnguard had a large following there in Cyrodiil. I knew that it was a risk allowing Babette to go out and hunt instead of just kidnapping someone and keeping them locked away at Deepscorn. I knew that Babette was more likely to be recognized as a vampire there in Cyrodiil than in any other place on Nirn.

And yet still I grew complacent. I allowed myself to actually think things would just magically go right for us. That nothing would go wrong.

I might as well have spit in old Murphy's face.

"I insist Speaker. Please?"

I looked back to everyone and found Babette scowling at Gileanna and Ardoneth trying to shut her sister up.

"Sister be silent. Babette is human now, not a cripple. I'm sure she is just as able to perform her other duties now as she was when she was a vampire. Listener Morthos trained her. I'm sure that she doesn't need to be escorted by us."

"But she's human now and a few months of training isn't much, even if it was the Listener teaching her."

Babette slammed her fist on the table. Both twins went silent and looked at her.

"If your that confident that I need a guard then fight me. If you win then I'll take you on as my personal guard. If you lose then your stuck with kitchen detail until I say otherwise."

Gileanna hesitated then stood up from the table.

Babette was going to tear Gileanna in two. I knew from experience that Babette took any and all opportunities to put her now aging body to the test and she never liked being underestimated. I sighed then turned to everyone else. Nazir looked at me. I could see everything I was feeling mirrored in his eyes.

"Taking bets!" we both shouted at the same time.

•••••

"I do not understand. Why does pale elf man allow small girl to battle with elf sister?" Glasha asked in broken basic. Seems Nazir hadn't gotten as far in basic speech lessons but at least she could communicate now.

"That small girl is one of your Speakers. Show a little decorum when you talk about her. I allow it because ever Since returning to the mortal coil, Babette has developed a taste for combat. She's become much more bloodthirsty than I ever imagined, pardon the pun. More than that she is a member of the Black Hand. She has to demonstrate just why she holds the position and letting them fight is a good way of letting Babette use up her excess energy."

We all looked down below to the two ladies readying themselves in the training area.

Babette stood ready, the hood of her Black Hand robes up and her ebony dagger drawn and glinting in the low light of the Sanctuary. Gileanna stood mirroring Babette, ready and ebony dagger drawn.

I cleared my throat then waved my hand to start the match.

Babette rushed in, her stance low to the ground, just the way I had shown her. Gileanna jumped back to avoid a low slash to her calves. Babette followed after the taller assassin, swinging and stabbing at her lower body. Gileanna avoided getting hit as best she could but quickly received multiple deep lacerations across her body and a few stab wounds.

The fight went on for much longer than I expected. Both girls stood across from each other bleeding and gasping for air.

The last move was made by Gileanna. She charged forward and tried to tackle Babette to the ground. I broke down laughing when Babette simply lifted her foot and planted it right in the poor girl's chest. Gileanna fell to the floor gasping for breath and clutching her chest. Babette wiped the sweat from her brow and placed her dagger back in it's sheath.

"Remember, kitchen detail until I say otherwise." Babette said before she looked up to the bridge where everyone was watching. She grinned at Ardoneth then blew me a kiss. I rolled my eyes and pretended to swat it away. Ardoneth ran down to help her twin.

Once Xagug cleared the destroyed equipment and Ardoneth passed Gileanna into Glasha's care, Babette and Ardoneth decided to spar with each other.

Ardoneth's fight was much different than Gileanna's. Gileanna was the younger sister by a few minutes but she was a much more adept blade user. Where Ardoneth was quickly thrown off balance by Babette's frontal assault, Gileanna had met it head on. Where Gileanna had traded blows with Babette nearly faster than the eye could follow, Ardoneth avoided direct confrontation. She opted instead to use the entire room and everything inside of it to her advantage. She ran up the walls, jumped on top of the taller weapon shelves, and toppled over training dummies all the while firing small darts from her blowgun and chucking bottles of assorted corrosive liquids at Babette.

This fight lasted even longer than the first. Babette began to show signs of fatigue. Finally Babette managed to corner Ardoneth. Within seconds of catching up to the elf girl, Babette managed to disarm and lock Ardoneth in a choke hold.

Both stood up and hugged one another. Ardoneth left towards the barracks where Glasha had taken Gileanna, checking on her twin no doubt. Babette turned to the stairs leading to the bridge.

I thought about the fights. Babette tended to over extend herself, often having to compensate for the opening by throwing herself into the strike and rolling back onto her feet. It was working so far but against a more experienced opponent she'd be dead.

Gileanna had actually made far less mistakes than Babette but her fighting style was extremely defensive. She relied mostly on countering and throws to keep Babette away. I was curious as to where she learned that. I sure didn't teach it to her and I knew Nazir didn't really do defensive.

Ardoneth I couldn't even really comment on. Hey style was unique to the family. No one else fought the way that she did. I took comfort on the fact that even though her approach to combat was unusual, it worked for her.

I was still deep in thought over the fights when Babette made it up the stone steps to where we stood.

"Is he okay?" She asked looking at me. Nazir shrugged and shook his head.

"Well done Babette. That last boot to the chest during your fight with Gileanna was hilarious. There's still a few things here and there you need to work on but you're a very proficient combatant. I'm proud of you." Nazir said. "Morthos must have worked you like a slave while you were gone."

Glasha called from below. "Small girl is impressive. Even husband chief has trouble fighting small elf sisters when they play." Glasha teased. Nazir grumbled and began walking back to the living areas followed by the laughing Glasha.

Babette smiled at the praise.

"And you? What do you think?" she asked me.

I glanced at her and smiled. "I think that you still need a lot of work. Why didn't you poison either of them? You could have won before the fight had even started. You had plenty of time to do so at the table."

She shook her head. "I don't know. It didn't feel right. I know that as assassin's the point should have been that I still far outclass them when it comes to the killing arts, but I feel like this got the point across better."

I chewed on my tongue. "Eh I guess."

We stood there on the bridge together for a while, both of us comfortable with the quiet noises from the others echoing through the sanctuary.

"Morthos?"

I turned to Babette and noticed her shifting her weight from one foot to the other. She looked nervous. Her cheeks were flushed and her pupils were a bit wider than normal in the low light.

"Yes? What is it?"

She stepped close and wrapped her arms around me for a second then stepped away.

"Nothing. Never mind. Thanks for all your help. I'm going to go take a warm bath."

I nodded. "Okay. Enjoy it. With that performance you've certainly earned it."

She walked away towards the barracks area. I watched her go, my insides tingling.

'Odd.' I thought to myself. I wasn't ever going to get used to the emotions Babette brought out in me. It had gotten even worse since she became human. Could it be that I fancied her? The things I felt certainly felt like what people described when they talked about girls. Maybe.

She was the only female that I allowed close to me on a physical and personal level and we had known each other for years now. It made sense I suppose for her to be the one I end up feeling something for.

I shook my head and chuckled. "No, it's probably just me being a muttonhead. I can't be falling for Babette."

I walked back to my room laughing at how silly my thoughts could get sometimes.

•••••