A/N - sorry, another really long chapter. My bad.

Chapter 8

Later that day, Aria walked through the gates of the Imperial City. She looked warily at the guards, but they just lazily waved her through. Once she was in the city, she looked around, tense with nerves. Barely a week had passed since she last stood in this city, when she murdered the Redguard shopkeeper. She made a conscious decision to avoid the Market District.

She looked down at her outfit. A flowing robe stolen from a traveling wizard hid her armor, but Aria still felt like she stood out. She wasn't sure if she could do this.

She froze when a hand touched her arm. She gripped her blade and turned. A young beggar girl stood looking at her with hunger in her eyes. "Please, beautiful lady, I gots nothin' ta eat," she said.

Aria smiled, relieved, and let go of her dagger. "Of course," she said gently, "and perhaps you can help me."

The girl nodded eagerly. "What do ya need, milady?"

Aria reached into the bag on her shoulder and removed a few gold coins. "What can you tell me about the Marie Elena?"

The girl eyed the coins. "Just that it's been docked in the Waterfront for a long time."

"Is it still there?"

The girl nodded. Aria thought for a moment, then said, "What about the captain? Can you tell me anything about him?"

"His name is Gaston Tussaud. He's a mean one, milady. Sailed everywhere there is ta sail in Tamriel and spilled blood in every port he's been at. He keeps a crew of mostly men, along with a Dark Elf and an Argonian."

Aria handed the girl the coins. "Thank you for your help. And please, don't tell anyone that we spoke." The girl nodded and ran off as Aria considered her options. A mixed crew would allow her to blend in with them, maybe even get hired as a crew member. But that would take far too long. If Vicente was right and the ship was almost ready to sail, then she was running out of time. They wouldn't be looking for more crew members. She couldn't fight her way on. She would have to sneak aboard.

She made her way through the crowded streets toward the Waterfront District. Her years on the streets served her well as she slipped unnoticed through the crowds until she found herself standing next to the Waterfront lighthouse. To her left, the tavern-ship, the Bloated Float sat quietly, waiting for its usual evening crowd of soldiers and sailors on leave. To her right, another ship was docked. White letters on the bow identified it as the Marie Elena. Somewhere on board, her target was waiting, unaware that his time was running out.

Aria causally walked closer to the ship, looking intently for a way on board. A mound of crates and barrels sat on the dock, waiting to be carried on board. Toward the end, one large crate that hadn't been properly nailed shut spilled hay onto the boards of the dock. Aria's eye gleamed as she formed a plan.

Late that night, Aria crept out of the shadows toward the pile of cargo. She had left her robe and bag next to her old hovel, which already had a new owner, keeping only her money pouch and her dagger. She'd tucked the pouch of gold inside her armor and strapped her Blade of Woe to her right leg.

Torches lit the deck of the Marie Elena, leaving the street in darkness. Aria crouched behind one of the crafts and peeked over the top. A single guard leaned against one of the masts, asleep. No one else was in sight. A patrol would be coming soon, so she crept over to the crate she'd seen earlier and inspected it with her fingers. She found a crack big enough to fit her entire arm through, running down one side of the crate. Whatever had been inside had already been stolen, so all she felt was hay. Perfect. Glancing over her shoulder, she gripped the edge with both hands and pulled hard.

The side came off the crate with what sounded to her like an ear-splitting screech. She froze, listening for the yelling and footsteps that she was sure were about to come. The only sounds she heard were a couple of snorts from the sailor on the deck and the blood pounding in her ears. She took a deep breath to calm her nerves and crept inside the crate, kneeling on the hay as she pulled the side back onto the crate.

As she got comfortable on the hay, she heard footsteps. They weren't running, as she'd expected, but rather walking. Judging by the number of footsteps and the clink of armor, it was probably the Watch members making their routine patrol. As they got closer, she began to make out their conversation.

"...could have sworn I heard something," one of them said. It sounded like a younger man.

"I'm telling you, it was nothing. This is the Waterfront. You hear things all the time," an older man's voice replied. He sounded bored.

"But Captain Phillida said-"

The older man sighed. "Look, kid. You're new here, so let me fill you in on something. Captain Phillida is paranoid. He's obsessed, just like Captain Lex is obsessed with the Grey Fox. We've all learned to ignore them both and get our job done. Now, let's finish our rounds and get back to the post. I have a card game waiting."

The younger voice fell silent as the footsteps faded away. Aria let out a breath she suddenly realized she'd been holding. As she settled down again, she tried to remember why the name Phillida was familiar. She wracked her brain, but couldn't think of anything.

So she waited.

For the next two hours, she sat in the hay, getting cold and stiff. The hay somehow worked its way into her armor, where it scratched and poked her. The dust made her nose itch. As large as the crate was, she grew cramped after a while. She was bored. Still, she waited.

Finally, her patience paid off. A man's loud voice boomed out of the silence. "Carus! Blast it! Carus, where are you?"

Aria heard a snort, then someone mumbling. There was silence for a moment, then she heard a splash, followed by a gasp and some sputtering. Evidently, the man who'd come on deck had poured a bucket of water on the sleeping sailor. The two men argued for a moment, then Aria heard the loud man say, "Captain wants us to get the rest of that cargo on board before someone steals it."

Aria braced herself as their footsteps approached. As they came closer, she heard the drenched sailor whining. "Why do we have to get all this stuff on board now? Why can't we do it in the morning?"

"Captain wants to weigh anchor at first light. That doesn't give us much time?"

"What's the hurry?"

"Don't know, don't care. Captain's orders, so it's gettin' done."

The first man continued to grumble as he helped his shipmate carry crates and barrels onto the ship. A few more men joined them, and Aria heard them work their way closer to her crate. Finally, two men approached her crate.

"Let's get this big one."

"Remember, this one has a bad side. Let's tip it so that part's on top."

Aria looked in the direction of the voice, but before she could brace herself, the crate tipped to one side. Aria stifled a yelp as she was thrown to the bottom of the crate and covered in hay. She didn't dare move and tried desperately not to cough as she choked on the hay and dust filling her mouth and nose as the crate was lifted and carried aboard. The men carried it down to the cargo hold, while, inside, Aria was jolted and bumped until they finally dropped it onto a pile of other cargo. Aria waited in agonized silence until the men finished bringing things in.

Finally, everything was silent. Aria cautiously raised the lid of her crate. The cargo hold was dark and quiet, so she climbed out. She didn't have much time, but she took a moment to brush the hay from her armor. There wasn't much she could do about the pieces inside, but there was no point in leaving a trail from here to the captain's quarters. She almost sneezed from the hay dust, but managed to stop herself and found the ladder leading to the main part of the ship. The boards all around her creaked at the movements of the crew above as they made the ship ready to launch, covering the sounds of her footsteps.

She almost walked into two men apparently arguing over having a woman on board. Aria approached just in time to hear one man shout, "Mark my words, laddie! The captain'll end up dead with her around!" Aria started to grin at the irony, but footsteps stomping her way forced her to look for a hiding place.

She spotted a set of low shelves and wriggled onto the bottom one, pressing as far back as possible. No sooner had she gotten out of sight than one of the sailors stormed by. I'd be willing to bet that he's the one who shouted, she thought.

Once the coast was clear, she slithered off the shelf, then crept forward and found the ladder to the next deck. At the top were two doors. She peeked through the one to the right and saw the deck on the other side. Sailors scurried back and forth, following the orders of an Argonian. Dawn was just starting to lighten the sky. She had to hurry. She turned around to try the other door.

The second door led to the captain's cabin. Gaston Tussaud sat at a table at the far end, eating his breakfast. He looked up when Aria entered and closed and locked the door behind her.

"Who the blazes are you?" he demanded, standing. Aria noticed that he weaved on his feet. "You're not one of my crew!"

Aria drew her blade as the pirate charged her with his sword drawn. Thankfully, the man was drunk, causing him to miss her completely. Aria sidestepped his attack, grabbed his arm, and shoved her dagger into his gut. Tussaud stiffened, then fell to the floor, coughing up blood. Aria stepped over him and knelt. On a whim, she leaned close and whispered in his ear, "The Night Mother has sent her judgement." Tussaud's eyes widened, but before he could say anything, Aria finished him off with a quick slice across the throat.

Sudden pounding at the door made her stand up straight. "Captain? Captain?" someone shouted from the other side. "You alright? We heard shouting."

Aria looked around wildly, trying to find a way out. A door at the far end of the room looked promising. She hurried over and tried to open it, but it was locked. She ran back to Tussaud's body and found a key in one of his pockets. The pounding at the door was getting more urgent. She flew back to the door, jammed the key into the lock, and opened the door just as the crew broke in the cabin door. She caught a quick glimpse of a Dunmer woman and a couple of other sailors before slamming the door behind her.

She found herself standing on a balcony at the stern of the ship. The water twenty feet below reflected the lightening sky. Aria didn't take time to enjoy the view. With the shouts of the crew behind her, she vaulted the railing and dropped into the water. She stayed submerged and swam as hard as she could. When her lungs couldn't stand it any longer, she rose to the surface and gasped in air.

She looked back. About a hundred yards away, the Marie Elena was ablaze with light. Shouting reached her ears and she could see figures running around on the deck. She grinned and kept swimming. In the pre-dawn light, no one noticed the lone girl swimming across the Rumare.

Having spent half of her life living next to water, Aria was a strong swimmer, but she was exhausted by the time she made it to the shore on the other side. She stumbled out of the water and collapsed on her hands and knees on the sand. She couldn't run all the way to Cheydinhal. Not only did she need rest, but her black armor would stand out and she'd left her robe on the other side of the river. She dragged herself over to a rock and sat down. She needed to find somewhere to hide until after sunset.

She spotted a cave a little ways up the shore. After gathering some firewood, she killed a couple of mudcrabs and set them aside while she built a fire in the cave. With the fire providing welcome warmth and light, she cleaned the crabs and toasted the meat, enjoying her first hot meal in twenty-four hours.

After eating, she stripped off her armor and picked out the wet pieces of hay. She also had to scrape off a layer of wet sand. After that, there wasn't much else to do, so time passed slowly. She slept some, but it was hard to get comfortable on the rocky cave floor. Finally, just before she went crazy from boredom, the sun went down and she could leave. She made sure there were no traces of her presence left behind and set off into the night.

It took about half the night to make it back to Cheydinhal. It was about an hour after midnight when she reached the eastern gate. A drunken Dark Elf making a scene provided sufficient distraction for her to slip into the city unnoticed. She kept to the shadows and crept into the abandoned house. She paused for a moment to let her eyes adjust, then went down to the basement and entered the Sanctuary.

Most of the family members were just going to bed when she arrived. Aria made her way down to Vicente's room and knocked on the door. Vicente was sitting on his bed, reading. He looked up with a smile as she opened the door. "Aria. Warmest welcome to you. The contract is complete?"

Aria swallowed her nervousness again and said, "The contract is complete."

Vicente put down his book and grinned broadly. "So the pirate has been eliminated. Excellent. No one will mourn his passing, and Sithis has been appeased." He stood up and moved a chair out for her. "Have a seat and tell me all about it."

Aria sat and told Vicente everything. The more she talked, the more comfortable she felt with him, and the less his vampirism bothered her. And the less his vampirism bothered her, the more she realized how good-looking he was. As she told her story, she tried not to blush as his brown eyes never left hers.

When she finished, Vicente clapped his hands, obviously pleased with how well she did. His brown eyes turned almost black in his excitement. "Well done, Aria! Well done, indeed!" He stood up and walked over to his desk, rummaging through one of the drawers for a moment before returning to his seat on the bed, muttering something about needing to organize. He handed her a small sack of gold. "For each contract you complete, you will receive a monetary reward." He held something else out to her. "Also, please accept this Black Band as part of your reward. It is a ring whose powers are quite as useful to those who value...discretion."

Aria took the ring from Vicente. It was solid black and heavier than she expected. "What does it do?"

Vicente leaned forward. "It works similar to a camouflage spell. It simply causes anyone looking at you to not notice you. It doesn't work, however, if you've already been seen by anyone. The spell only works if you put on the ring when no one is looking. And anyone else who is wearing a Black Band is immune to the spell."

Aria slipped the ring on her right hand. It fit perfectly. "Thank you, Vicente," she said. "When do I get another contract?"

Vicente leaned back on the bed. "You will probably receive another one when the Brotherhood receives one that the Black Hand feels is appropriate for your skill level. Perhaps you will get the opportunity to assist another family member in one of their contracts. Until then, rest. Feel free to speak with any other family members about contracts. The training room opposite the living quarters is open to anyone. And please, you are welcome to come to me any time you need something. My doors will always be open to you."

Aria nodded and stood up. She had her hand on the door handle when she stopped and looked back. "Vicente?"

"Yes?"

She hesitated, trying to figure out how to phrase her question. "How long has this Sanctuary been here?"

Vicente thought for a moment, as though counting the years, then replied, "This Sanctuary has been here since before even I joined the Brotherhood, and that was two-hundred years ago."

Aria felt her eyes widen. He didn't look a day over twenty-five. "Two hundred years? Just how old are you?"

"Three-hundred and twenty-four. I was stricken with vampirism three hundred years ago, while on an expedition deep into the Ashlands of Vvardenfell. For nearly a hundred years, I hunted in secret, until the Dark Brotherhood found me. Now I have a family that accepts and even values my unique gifts." He met her gaze. "Perhaps in the future, when I feel you have earned the right, I will offer you a chance to become a hunter of the night."

Aria searched his dark brown eyes as she absorbed that, then thanked him and left the room. As soon as the door was closed behind her, she leaned against the wall and thought.

Vicente was over three-hundred years old. She tried to imagine what it was like to live in eternal night, never going out during the day, feeding on living people. She could understand unintentionally becoming a vampire by being bitten, like Vicente. But what could make someone choose a life like that?

Aria pushed away from the wall and started toward the living quarters. Consumed with her thoughts, she wasn't paying attention and walked into someone.

Mraaj-Dar had just come out of Ocheeva's quarters. In the darkness of the hallway, she hadn't seen him in time and had run into him. Quicker than she could think, the ornery Khajit turned and hit her across the face, his claws leaving bloody slashes across her left check. Aria's hand flew to her bleeding cheek and she stood staring at him, too stunned to speak. He stood there, glaring at her with open hostility in his eyes.

"So," he growled, "if it isn't the newest member of the family. Let's get one thing straight- the Tenets prevent me from killing you. But I don't have to like you. I'll sell you equipment, but only because Ocheeva is making me." He stepped closer, getting in her face. "This family doesn't need any...outsiders." He would have said more, but a voice from behind Aria stopped him.

"Is there a problem, Mraaj-Dar?" Vicente came up on Aria's right side and put his arm around her shoulders. Instead of the warm smile she'd become used to seeing, he wore an icy look to match the cold tone of his voice. He continued speaking to Mraaj-Dar. "Wait for me in my quarters. There's something I'd like to discuss with you."

Mraaj-Dar must have recognized the tone, because he obeyed without question. Aria heard him mutter "Foul-smelling ape..." as he stormed past. Vicente took his hand from Aria's shoulder and moved her hand away from her cheek so he could examine the cuts.

"You should have Antionetta look at that. Normally, I would ask Mraaj-Dar or take care of it myself, but, as you can see, he and I need to have a...conversation."

"That's okay. I'll be fine." She winced as he gently prodded the wound. "All I did was walk into him. Why does he hate me so much? I don't think I've ever even spoken to him."

Vicente pulled out his handkerchief and dabbed at the cuts. "It's not just you. It's all new family members. Come to my quarters tomorrow, and we can talk more about it." He pressed the cloth into her hand and gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze before turning toward his quarters.

Aria stared at his receding back, pleased that he had defended her. Then her stinging cheek reminded her that she had other things to take care of. She went to the living quarters. The fire had burned down in the grate, but there was still enough light to see. Antionetta was reclining comfortably on her bed with an open book propped up on her legs. She looked up when Aria walked in with Vicente's handkerchief pressed to the side of her face.

"Aria, you're back- what happened to you?" she whispered as she got up and went to light a lamp in the kitchen.

"Mraaj-Dar," was Aria's only reply as she lowered the handkerchief.

Antionetta nodded in understanding as she searched the cabinets for what she needed. As she worked, she said, "I know he doesn't like newcomers, but he's never hurt them before." She laid a needle and thread on the counter and opened another cabinet. "Sithis. We're out of healing potions. Mraaj-Dar hates making them, and if he's in a bad mood, I don't want to be the one to remind him." She closed the cabinet.

"It was an accident. It was dark in the hallway, and I wasn't paying attention, so I ran into him," Aria explained as she sat on the chair Antionetta pulled over from the dining area.

"That would explain it. Mraaj-Dar hates being caught off guard. Now don't talk so I can stitch this up properly." Aria flinched as Antionetta started stitching up the first cut. "Since I'm no good at using magic, this is the best that I can do."

Twenty minutes later, Aria ran a finger over the rows of neat stitches. She thanked Antionetta and helped her clean up while she told her about her contract, then the two girls went to bed. Aria collapsed on her bed and quickly fell into a deep sleep, Vicente's handkerchief clenched in her hand.