* I decided to continue writing this story after nearly 3 years of it's start, and I'd say it was a pretty good idea. I don't know at all what to do about all the fluffy giggly stuff in chapter six and seven, though, looking back and cringing to death, basically. . . I'm gonna update some of the chapters and edit them for everything to make more sense, but while I do that, I want to treat you to a brand new chapter in the now renamed and continued 'Song of the Nightingale'. Cheers! *
The Bannered Mare. A fine house, sure. Nicely built in perfect Nord fashion. Carved corners with Nordic symbols and dragons. Stone chimneys puffing out homely grey smoke with a scent of fir wood. Liss hated it. It was a place filled with people who were filled with shit, in her honest and unforgiving opinion.
The evening was chilly, and when Liss breathed, small clouds of steam rose to the air. Fires were burning in braziers here and there, but Liss was already warm, despite the late winter night. She felt the adrenaline warm her body, like when you slowly lower yourself into a warm bath. That was the kind of sensation that spread through her, standing there, outside the big house. Then she steered her steps to the front door and gave the thick iron handles a pull. The door went up with a creaking sound and she was met instantly by the heat of fires in the hearth, the sound of laughing men and women and the aromatic smell of pies and dinner meals. She threw a glance around the room. Ten, maybe fifteen people were sitting here and there, most of them in small groups playing dice or drinking.
Deciding that she wanted to spend as little time as possible in the Bannered Mare, Liss immediately began looking for the man who'd give her the contract. Spying the room idly while pacing slowly between the tables, she decided that he wasn't in the main room. She'd have to make her way upstairs. Not a big deal. Except...
"Girl! Don't I know your face?"
She stopped dead on the lowest step of the wide stairs leading to the second floor.
"Probably not, and best that way, stranger." She answered stiffly. Shooting a glance over her shoulders, she saw a serving girl standing mere metres away from her. She was about one or two years younger that Liss, by the look of her. A rosy-cheeked blonde little thing, looking at her intently with two blue eyes that seemed to pierce right through Liss'.
"Yes I do. I know you," the girl said, "I know you!"
She had raised her voice now and by the table closest to them, the conversation dulled politely, so that the guests there could overhear the two girls talking.
"Quiet, child." Liss' snapped. "You'd best not step wrong here."
"I saw you once. I was with my father on a trip to Morthal. We were travelling by horse and cart, and you came to kill Lorick, the blacksmith we had with us." The girl was trembling now, fear and disgust clouding her eyes.
"It did not concern you, girl. I did what I had to do under the protection of the law." A sweet lie, but necessary. Liss would not have a child jeopardizing her position in society as an assassin operating under divine forces.
"You slit his throat, there and then and I could see those eyes of your under the cowl. I recognize them now, I had never seen such eyes before and now they're right afore me again! I've seen them twice now and I'll call the guards for what you've done!"
"That was months ago, girl." Liss stepped down from the stairs, walked over to the girl and leaned in to her ear. She produced a dagger from inside her cloak and pressed it lightly against the girls' gut under the concealment of her cloak.
"If you keep making a scene, I'll puncture you. Make a fine hole in your gut, have you reunite with that blacksmith in Sovngarde. What's his name, now..?" She whispered sharply.
"L-Lorick," the girl stammered. She was shaking now and Liss could feel it.
"Lorick, that's right. Would you like to see Lorick again?"
"Y-yes. . . I mean, no. . . "
"Exactly. Then you'd best shut your foul little mouth and stay out of official business, you hear me? You don't know who I work for and what they would do to you and everyone you know if. . . things were unearthed. . . "
The girl swallowed intently. "I'm sorry. I see. I-I'll be quiet."
"Good. If you let anything slip between your lips, I'll know. My eyes are everywhere. And then I'll silence you once and for all."
The girl did not answer. Her eyes were closed, head turned down. A thought struck Liss and she couldn't keep herself from smirking.
"And don't you touch him again, you hear me, brat?!" she raised her voice so that everyone could hear. "If I find you in bed with my husband again I'll string you up by your tits for everyone to see!"
"Wha- but I didn't. . ." the girl stammered, looking bewildered.
"Don't try anything, stupid child! Joras is MINE, I and no one else is to bear his baby!"
Laughter mingled with excited and befuddled sounds as people turned their heads to the stairs. If they hadn't heard them before, they definitely had now. The girl turned red as the ass of a troll and looked around, lost for actions and words. Liss gave her a smirk and then continued up the stairs. She walked surefooted, proud of her humiliation of the girl, but with a tinge of guilt. Maybe she had destroyed this girls life for several years in the future. . .
But it was nothing to what would have happened to Liss if 'things' had gotten out. But then again, Liss had actually killed people. Cold washed over her back like morning frost on a tundra flower as she came to the realization that she had dozens, maybe hundreds of lives on her conscience.
Calm yourself, she thought. You acted on behalf of the Night Mother and Sithis himself. Your position in this world is governed by the divine forces. Yours is the mission of murder and you will carry it out.
"Uh. . . my lady?" someone said. Liss blinked and realized she had been walking up the stairs and into a room while lost in her thoughts. She was looking at a man who had stood up from his resting chair. He was about forty with brown hair streaked by grey in it's places. Intelligent greyish eyes that looked calculatingly upon her. A fine-trimmed beard and fancy clothes told Liss everything she needed to know about him. This man had money, and he knew how to spend it.
"Pardon me, I was lost in thought," she said, straightening up. "Let's get right to the business, sir. . .?"
"A lord, actually, but don't worry," the man answered curtly while twirling his left whisker. "My name is Edmyn Everitus, at your service, lady. . ?"
"My name has no importance, my lord, only my business here, if you excuse."
"Oh, of course. My apologies."
"Not at all, my lord, but let us hear your call. Why have you come to the Unholy Matron seeking an agent from the Dark Brotherhood?" Liss said. She had her hood and mouthguard on, leaving only her eyes under the shadow of the cowl visible.
"I have a rather. . . interesting job for you. One that will be highly dangerous but in turn, very . . . profitable."
She'd heard that a lot.
"Let's hear it," she replied.
"I'll get straight to it, then," he reached past her and pulled the door shut, then lowered his voice. "I want you to kill an entire work troupe. The East Hill Carpenter force. Thirteen men and women."
Liss narrowed her eyes.
"Two days from now, they're to build a house out in the wild between Falkreath and Morthal. I want you to go there, kill them, and leave their bodies in two rows. The thirteenth one, Malkis Stoneborn, is to be strung up in a tree above the rows. Are you following?"
Liss certainly was. This was the biggest job she had ever considered doing. Thirteen people? With kids, families, friends. . . and enemies, apparently. Someone who would go to great lengths to have them all sentenced to an eternity in the void. The code of the Brotherhood was to never ask any questions, but this situation was such a highly dangerous one that she needed to take precautions. She would have to ask a few questions.
"I need to ask a few questions," she said calmly. "I'm not going ask the reason for this, but rather, the reward. Such a high-risk job does not come cheap, Lord Everitus."
"I'll tell you both the reason and the price, my lady," the lord answered solemnly. Liss did not object. She was far too curious to know why a man wanted thirteen people killed and almost ritually placed in the wilderness like that. "You see, this workforce was tasked with building my hall in Whiterun. They did. But their craftsmanship is. . . misleading. I lost a daughter, my only daughter, in an accident in the house. I won't go into the details, but. . ."
The man was trembling, emotions trying to burst out. He kept them at bay.
"A roof beam. Rotten wood. It. . . crushed her," he said after a moment of breathing. "They built a house that killed my only family. I want them all dead."
Liss swallowed, feeling his emotions like a wave of cold water.
"I see, my condolences, my lord. But why not go to the Jarl about this? Surely a man of your stature and place in society would have no problems dealing with this under the protection of the law?"
"I don't want to take them down fairly. I want them to die, and their families to weep."
"What about the blowback?" Liss asked.
"Minimal. Few know about the exact details of my daughters. . . accident. It cannot be traced back to me without a great deal of work. If, as they say, the Dark Brotherhood is so professional."
"Believe me, we are," Liss said defensively. "Now, I have respect for your reason and request, but I must ask how much payment you had in min-"
"Eight thousand septims." Lord Everitus cut her off. "Another five thousand if you make sure to include my special requests.
Liss hesitated for a moment, wondering if she'd heard right. The most she'd earned for a contract in one go was three thousand septims for the killing of a wealthy Lord just like Everitus. Thirteen thousand for killing thirteen workers? Everitus had not lied when he assured her the high risk would be well rewarded.
"The Night Mother respects and admires your request and intent," Liss said in a low voice. "I would be honored to serve out your request, Lord Everitus."
A single tear appeared in Lord Everitus left eye. He gave her a wry smile, eyes hiding rage and bloodlust.
"My sincerest thanks to you and your family, my lady."
"You are insane, bloodthirsty, suicidal, greedy. . . . And I love it," Valyrios exclaimed with a bewildered smile. "This is the crime of the decade, at least. Maybe even century.
"Lay it off, Valyrios, it's only thirteen workers." Liss answered with a smile, shaking her head.
"And a thousand septims for each of their heads, Liss. Do you know how much money that is and how greatly it'll help us here in the Sanctuary?"
"I know. I thought about it on the way back. We'll be able to employ services from all kinds of scum and also employ more brothers and sisters."
"Are you sure you want to do this. . . ?" Valyrios replied after a few seconds of calculating silence. "You could very possibly get hanged for this."
"IF they catch me!" Liss exclaimed, raising an eyebrow. "I've done this many many times before. Besides, the positives weigh out the negatives. This will mean the start of a golden age for the Dark Brotherhood!"
"You have got my blood running warm now! I am as excited about this as you. I will pray for you to come back safe and sound and with the heaviest sack of gold I've ever seen."
"Actually I'm glad to hear that you're excited, because I was thinking you could help me out on this one."
Valyrios hesitated, something glinting in his eye.
"You did?"
"Yep. I need to find out the identities and records of all thirteen members in this workforce. Not only does it considerably simplify my work later, it might also open up for some interesting situations."
"Oh, I see where this is going!" Valyrios exclaimed. "You want me to sneak into their office and steal the papers?"
"Exactly. I want you to steal the papers, and get them back here without getting seen even once. This is probably one of the harder parts of this operation, and a misstep could jeopardize the mission. Do you think you're up for the task?" She asked him, not breaking eye contact.
"Up for the task? Don't you remember me sneaking up on you the first night we met?`" he chuckled. "And that was when I was the Beast. In human appearance I can sneak thrice as well. Consider it done, Liss."
