Here's the long awaited Chapter 37! As the Gourmet would say, enjoy :)
Brynjolf waited in Nightingale Hall for three days straight, and Karliah never showed up. He doesn't know how to contact her. He realizes he knows nothing about her.
Cursing under his breath, he kicks a large stone, sending it skittering across the dirt path as he walks back to Riften. He needs to speak to someone about all this. He just needs to know if he's overthinking it. But that dream…As hard as it is for him to believe, Iris never returned the Key. He doesn't know why; all he knows is that she didn't. That dream proved that. He passes by Iris's house once again, slowing down to see if any lights are on. As usual, Honeyside lies dark. At least, now he knows why she is avoiding him.
But then an idea hits him. What if he hides in Iris's house until she comes back? He has no idea when that will be, but he hasn't seen her in over four weeks. Surely, she'll have to stop by soon to relax. Before he can talk himself out of it, he slips to the front door, picking the lock with ease, before stepping inside.
"Here we are…Gods, I'm nervous," Gianna blabbers as the two of them stand outside of the dining room. "We'll go in just a moment. Please, I'll serve. You just stand there, and be amazing."
Iris can't reply because of the twisting in her heart. She's about to assassinate the Emperor.
The fucking Emperor.
"Are you alright?"
Iris snaps out of her panic when Gianna leans into her face.
"I, um, always get a little nervous beforehand," Iris says, straining to stop her shaking hands. She glances sideways at the ghost who looks bored if anything.
"Quite understandable," the obnoxious cook nods. "Good to know the best of us still get nervous."
"Let me wring her neck," Lucien growls.
Iris would laugh if she wasn't so terrified.
"Here we go," Gianna whispers as she opens the door.
"Yes, an unfortunate turn of events, that," the Emperor is saying as the two "chefs" walk into the opulent dining room. "But an isolated incident. And I have been assured that the fault was with the man's son alone."
Iris almost freezes when she hears the mention of Maro's son.
"Truth is, we are in no danger whatsoever. Killing an Emperor can be useful, but befriending one? Now, that's beneficial as I'm sure you'd all agree."
"Let's just slit his throat right now," Lucien purrs, leaning over the Emperor's shoulder.
"Aha!" The Emperor claps his hands, noticing Gianna and Iris. "Here we are. Honored guests, I present to you, the Gourmet!"
Iris smiles at them all, bowing her head to each noble seated at the table. She's surprised she hasn't passed out from nerves already.
Gianna goes around the table serving the aromatic stew to each diner as Iris stands by the wall, her hands folded so no one sees them shaking.
Lucien moves to float next to her, a devious smile on his transparent face.
"You should be savoring this moment, Listener. What you're about to do will be remembered forever."
She can't say anything in reply unless she wants the Emperor to think the Gourmet is crazy.
Gianna returns to her side when she finishes serving the stew. Iris gulps as the Emperor picks up his spoon.
"Ah, the Potage le Magnifique. So delicious." The Emperor takes a big inhalation of the soup. "My friends, as Emperor, I, of course, reserve the right of first taste."
The nobles guffaw in response as the Emperor dips his spoon into the soup.
Iris holds her breath as the Emperor sips the deadly stew. "Oh…oh, how marvelous," he croons. "It is everything I had hoped it would be." He takes another spoonful. "It…" Suddenly, his blissful expression turns to one of alarm. "I…I think something's…wrong…"
Iris's nails tear through the skin of her palm as the Emperor begins to choke. Her eyes widen in horror as the Emperor's eyes bug out from lack of oxygen.
"I…I…"
Everyone watches as the Emperor slumps over his bowl, splashing stew all over the table.
Time seems to stop as everyone stares at the Emperor's dead body.
Then, Oblivion breaks loose.
"By the Gods, the Gourmet and the chef have poisoned the Emperor!"
Iris snaps out of her trance to see Gianna's terrified face next to her.
"Get them!" the guard yells.
Iris doesn't waste any time. She takes a running leap and vaults over the table, knocking dishes all over the floor. She scrambles to the door and yanks it open, noticing Lucien's absence. The cool air blows the chef's hat off her head as she races across the bridge.
But she doesn't make it far until four guards appear on the other side of the bridge, blocking her way.
She's reaching for her sword when she hears slow clapping.
"That man was by far the most insufferable decoy the Emperor has every employed."
Iris's eyes widen in horror when she sees Maro standing atop the tower across the bridge.
"I'm glad he's dead. But I'm even happier that you killed him," Maro sneers.
It was a trap. They knew about the assassination all along. Her insides tumble, and she wishes Lucien hadn't disappeared on her.
Maro clasps his hands behind his back, glaring down at her. "You, an assassin for the Dark Brotherhood, have just made an attempt on the Emperor's life." He chuckles. "Would have succeeded had it been the real man."
Iris opens her mouth to retort, but he beats her to it.
"Surprised? So, was I when a member of your Family came to me with the plan. We worked out a deal, you see. An exchange. I get you, and the Dark Brotherhood gets to continue its existence."
Her blood runs cold at his words. "You're lying." Her Family would never do that…right?
Maro laughs again and shrugs. "You know I'm not. And you know what else? I've changed my mind. How about this? I kill you and butcher each and everyone of your miserable little friends?"
"No!"
"Your Sanctuary's being put to the sword right now. That's what I think of this deal." His expression hardens, his mouth twisting. "You killed my son! All of you! And now you'll pay the price."
Iris grips the hilt of her sword, tasting violence in the air.
Maro addresses the guards. "Kill her. And make sure there's nothing left to bury."
Shocked, Iris summons flames to her free hand and rips her sword from its sheath as the guards approach her.
"Lucien! I could use your help right about now!" she shouts, widening her stance.
She parries the first guard's blow with ease, blasting flames in his face. He cries out in pain and falls to the ground as the other three guards charge. They surround her, and she struggles not to feel overwhelmed.
"Lucien, I need you!"
She manages to block each one of the guards' attacks, but she only has one sword. While her back is turned, one of the guards' swords slashes her arm. She gasps in pain, warm blood soaking her arm.
"Lucien, where the fuck are you?!" she screams, growing tired.
Finally, a blast of light explodes right in front of her, and the damned ghost appears.
"Took you long enough!" Iris pants, parrying yet another blow.
Lucien rolls his eyes before brandishing his blade. "I thought you were the all-powerful Dovahkiin." He stabs one of the guards in the back, and he slumps to the ground, dead.
One of the remaining guards raises his sword to strike, but she blocks it. "I haven't absorbed a soul in a while," Iris explains, straining against their crossed blades. She scoffs at herself before blasting flames in the guard's face. His screech is cut off by Lucien's blade in his throat.
Lucien only hums in reply to her explanation and gestures to the last guard. "He's all yours."
Annoyed at the ghost, Iris sheathes her weapon and stalks toward the guard. The guard's eyebrows knit in confusion, but he keeps his blade up. The flames vanish from her hands as she stands a couple feet away from him. She turns slightly to look at Lucien behind her.
"I'm doing this for you." Then, she turns back to the guards, takes a deep breath, and Shouts. "Fus ro dah!"
The guard is flung backward, hitting the stone railing of the bridge before plummeting down to the unforgiving ground below.
Iris turns toward Lucien, a small smirk on her face.
"And you said you don't enjoy murder," Lucien purrs, wiping the smile off her face.
"Did you hear what Maro said?" she asks, looking toward the now empty tower where Maro was standing.
The ghost bows his head. "I did. We need to hurry to the Sanctuary."
Swiping the tears from her eyes, Iris kills the last Penitus Oculatus agent outside the burning Sanctuary. She takes a shuddering breath before approaching the burnt corpse affixed to a tree.
"Oh, Gods—" She falls to her knees. It's Festus.
"Listener, you must keep going," Lucien says from behind her.
"I can't—Why would they do this?" Iris chokes out through her sobs.
"Keep going. Other members of your Family may still be alive."
Iris gets to her feet, nodding and wiping the tears away. "Okay."
She sneaks into the Sanctuary, the fire's heat drying her tears.
"Which one was the rat?" she hears a voice ask.
She hugs the wall, staying hidden.
"Dunno. One of these corpses."
Corpses?!
"Does it matter?"
The flames shoot to her hands without her summoning them as she jumps out from her hiding place. She stabs the first agent in the heart with her dagger while blasting flames at the other one. When the first agent falls to the ground, she whirls around and slits the other agent's throat. Burnt corpses litter the ground. Burnt beyond recognition. How many of them are her Family?
She continues through the collapsing hide-out when she hears animalistic growls. She races to the bottom of the stairs and finds Arnbjorn in his werewolf form fighting the Penitus Oculatus agents. She runs to help him, gripping her sword in a vice-grip. But before she can reach her Brother, a sword finds itself embedded in his chest.
"No!" Her Voice rumbles the ground and catches the Penitus Oculatus agents' attention.
She is a flurry of blades and fire. She spins around, striking each one of them with flames and her sword, fueled by rage. They lie dead in less than a minute. She hurries to Arnbjorn, praying he's still alive. But when she reaches his werewolf form, she finds an enormous pool of blood around him and has to accept the truth. He's dead. Just like Festus and who knows who else.
She straightens up, her back stiffened with rage, and continues searching the building for survivors. She climbs the stairs past the Word Wall to the quarters, her sword at the ready.
"No—" Her heart drops into her stomach, her vision blurring with fresh tears. "Veezara, no!"
He lies on the ground in front of his bed, his eyes open but unseeing.
Iris crouches down at his side, cradling his head. "I'm so sorry, Veezara." The tears won't stop, especially not when she notices Gabriella's body laying a few feet away. Veezara was her first friend here. He was the only one who made her feel welcome when she first joined. He was always there for her no matter what. She told him almost more than she used to tell Bryn. And now…
Stifling her cries, she gently closes his eyes. "Gods bless your soul, Veezara," she whispers, setting him back on the ground. She needs to see if anyone else is alive. "I'll be back for you," she tells the Argonian. "You all deserve a proper burial." Sniffing, she gets to her feet and takes a deep breath.
Suddenly, the distinct sound of metal on metal reaches her ears. Swords clashing.
She runs toward the sound, heading into the dining room. She almost starts crying again when she sees Nazir fighting off a Penitus Oculatus agent. She races up the stairs, desperate to stop a repeat of Arnbjorn. She runs up behind the agent and stabs him in the back before he even notices she's there.
"Thank the Gods," she cries, slouching in exhaustion. "You're alive."
"So are you," Nazir says, sheathing his curved sword. "I was starting to wonder."
"The Emperor…it was all a trap, Nazir," she pants. "Someone set us up."
"Considering most of us are now dead, I assumed as much."
"Gods, did you see what they did to Festus? And Arnbjorn—"
"We can't get hung up on that now. We need to get out of here."
"Veezara—" A sob wracks her body.
"Iris." Nazir places a hand on her trembling arm. "We need to go. You can't let it all get to you now. Wait until we're out of this. Come on!"
As if on cue, a piece of the ceiling collapses behind them.
"This place is coming down! We need to get out now!" Nazir cries.
He sprints off in the other direction, Iris in tow. Explosions rumble the ground as the foundation quakes. They race into the Night Mother room only to find the exit blocked by debris.
"Damn it!" Nazir curses. "There has to be another way out of here!"
"Listener…"
With a quiet gasp, Iris turns toward the Night Mother's casket.
"I am your only salvation. Come. Embrace me."
As if in a trance, Iris moves toward the casket.
"I think I can shift some of these rocks—"
"Come."
The Listener reaches the coffin and climbs inside, the panel closing behind her. Nothing but darkness reaches her eyes as she huddles against the corpse. Another explosion rattles throughout the Sanctuary, this one sounding even closer. Trembling, Iris squeezes her eyes shut, willing for it all to be over. Suddenly, an enormous explosion shakes the ground in front of the coffin. The sound of glass shattering reaches her eyes as the casket goes airborne. Before it meets the ground in a painful collision, the Night Mother's voice echoes through her mind again.
"Sleep."
And sleep she does.
:( Poor Iris...losing all her newfound, murderous friends.
And what's up with Bryn creepily hiding in her house? I know he wants to talk to her, but that's kind of weird, right? LOL
Thanks so much for reading! As always, please favorite, follow, and review! :)
