A/N: Thanks for the reviews.

Nightdragon0, about Ocheeva and Tienaava not really feeling for his death; I basically did this because that's the way they seemed in the game. Just tell me if you think I should make them have a bit more feeling about it, though, because if you do feel this way, I'm glad you brought this up. (Any other reviewers, feel free to comment on the issue). Anyway, that won't matter in these next chapters, as they are just about the assassination of everyone's favorite drug addicted noble. Oh, and apparently I was spelling his name wrong in the previous chapter.

Mid Year 25, 4E1

(Fights-up-close): Market District, Imperial City

"Faenlian, you say?" Thorinir asked. I nodded, and his tone became less upbeat "Yes, I know who he is. A rather distasteful fellow actually. I believe he lives in the Tiber Septim Hotel. That's in the Talos Plaza district. I'd ask around there if I were you."

"Thanks." I responded. It was genuine too, as he didn't seem to like to talk about him. I had become all to familiar with doing things I didn't want to.

The phrase "a rather distasteful fellow" stuck in my head. I was reaching for anything that could make me feel one way or another about this assignment.

I exited Thorinir's shop, once again onto the side walks of the bustling, sun soaked Imperial Market place. There really was no place like the Imperial City, but that "first time magic", its original distinct ambience, had warn off for me. I could only feel it in flashes from time, when certain objects triggered the right memories. For the most part, right now, its grand scale only made it seem overbearingly vast and lonely.

Staying on the sidewalk, I began walking West, where I would cut through the Elven Gardens to get to the Talos Plaza. I did my best to notice what made the city interesting, trying to bring back my previous fascination. The whole city had a very solid feel. Even the armor of the Legionaries looked bulkier, more protective, and more constraining than that of a the typical town guard.

As I approached the door to the Elven Gardens district, I noticed a guard at the entrance. At first I had my typical reaction, and that was a reawakening of angry memories. All the targets I'd assassinated, when the Legion claimed they handled justice for the Empire, was infuriating. Normally any anger threw me into a world of plotting how to make someone's life a bit worse, but it didn't this time; if what Goes-in-heavy said was true, I wouldn't see the same pompousness in them I used to.

There were steep steps, for some reason, at the portal between the market and the Elven Gardens. I felt pain in my legs as I pushed myself on each one, still wearing my heavy back-pack. Thankfully, if Faenlian really was staying at the Tiber Septim hotel, that might settle the issue of where I should get a room, so I could finally drop my back-pack off.

On my way down the next set of steps I was careful not to let the downward momentum cause me to fall onto the sidewalks of the Elven Garden district.

The Elven Garden's district was a lot less busy than the Market district. The streets were nearly empty, and I could only see a few people on the side walk. Being more or less alone, I couldn't help but start to think again, on a huge scale, of what my career had become, hating everything that had transpired. First there was M'raaj-Dar, but I'd almost forgotten about him by now, being so wrapped up in everything else. Then there was Goes-in-heavy's long absence, which filled me with worry for him. Then I found out about his treachery, which filled me with something even worse.

The mere fact that I was even considering treachery breeched the security I had once taken for granted in my life and had a brutal emotional effect on me.

My deep train of thought was broken when I began to notice someone walking towards me, heading to the market place, on my part of the sidewalk. I wondered where I should look. I wanted a better place to look than stare directly at her, but I'm sure she couldn't think of any reason for me to stare at the sky, ground, or walls. I looked directly at her, wondering if it would be appropriate to smile as I passed by, and if so, who should be the first, and what distance would be right. She gave me a quick smile as I passed, which I instantly returned. The tension left me once I passed her, but not long after my head began rushing with questions about whether I had done the right thing. Had I always felt that uncomfortable in the presence of others, or was it something I acquired ever since my trust for other people had been more or less crushed?

I went back into my world of thought about the issues at hand. I was away from the watchful eye of Argonia and the Dark brotherhood right now. I could easily change directions to "Scar-tail"'s choice of life; I could divert my life completely by simply not returning to Cheydinhal, but then I could never go back. I would throw away everything I'd built myself for right now because of such an unexpected occurrence. Of course, it was hard to imagine such a crushing choice. Why couldn't I stop thinking about this? So far, logic was against Goes-in-heavy, but that idea just couldn't seem to stick in my mind. But did I have anything better to concentrate? No, I couldn't think of anything more important. But what about taking it off my mind for my own relaxation? Would that be selfish, or would I deserve that time more than they deserved my thoughts?

"They knew we wouldn't go a long. Why else do you think they've been keeping us in the dark? It took me a few days out of the sanctuary to realize it, but I did." His lines would ring in my head again and again.

The more I walked, the more I wondered. When I saw others walking on the other side of the street, I wondered if they ever felt this kind of uncertainty and pain. If they didn't, was it because they lived the lives of cowards? If so, that was a horror so vast and inescapable it well-outdid Goes-in-heavy'streachery. But what if there was something I'd forgotten during all this. Some key to put my mind at peace.

I was soon in the Talos Plaza district. Another wave of Legion soldiers marched down the other side of the street in an orderly fashion. It was part of me to analyze their weaknesses. I could imagine how difficult fighting one of the would be, with so much metal covering their bodies. The city surely did a good job of symbolizing the empire: Prosperity through force. Yet even such a well-defended city was nearly powerless against the covert operations of an assassin. Though, for the first time, I wasn't sure if I'd get another chance to demonstrate that fact.

Once I got the center of Talos Plaza, I saw the sign for the Tiber Septim Hotel.

I opened the door to the hotel, and noticed immediately what a high class establishment it was. Everything, from the stone on the ceiling to the clothing of the lady at the desk, was fancy and intricate. I was a bit worried I might seem out of place here, because the only two others there were in equally fancy dress, while mine was pretty much middle-class level. I walked towards the hostess.

"Uh, excuse me," I asked her, trying to sound humble enough for her to realize I felt as out of place as I looked "do you know someone by the name of Faenlian to be staying here?"

"Faenlian? Oh I know him alright! A waste of life that one." Harsh words. They made me feel slightly uncomfortable, but I took mental note of them "He lives here with his sweetheart Atrena. What that poor girl sees in him I'll never know. She pays for their room, their bed, their food, everything! She's quite wealthy I believe." She sighed before continuing. I had to wonder the same thing too, it was slightly irritating to imagine such a 'distasteful' fellow getting so well treated "Faenlian used to have money, used to be quite the gentlemen, but that was before he took a fancy to the...you know. The skooma." She said the word hesitantly as if it were a curse. I couldn't blame her, I did sound rather odd to hear about one of her customers using an illegal drug in such a high-class hotel. That solved a huge portion of the mystery. Once again, I was dealing with pretty serious business. "Now Faenlian's hardly ever here! He's off using skooma or out looking for some I imagine." Then she looked down, as if there was a sudden wave of pity in her "Every night he comes back to be with Atrena, but only for a few hours. I swear, that High Elf is going to end up dead if he keeps living like this." The last sentence sent a mild jolt through my body. For a second I thought she might have some idea of what I was there to do, but it quickly occurred to me this wasn't the case.

So far, logic was on my side, but this Faenlian character was still quite a mystery.

"Thanks." I responded, then realized I'd need an excuse to come back here in order to check for Faenlian periodically "I'd like a room, too."