A/N: I got some bizzarre errors when I tried to upload these chapters at first, so I had to go through some weird methods to finally get them on this site. They clearly have gotten somehow...damaged by the process (some of the text in the chatpers seemed to just have disappeared), and I already had to fix several errors after skimming them all, and worse, some fixes, somehow, don't seem to be sticking. Still, I've done my best to fix these errors. Murphy's Law seemed to have replaced logic while I was preparing these chapters, so please, have mercy. I'm not sure if this part of the story will be up to par because of all the damage done by the uploads.

Sun's Height 13, 4E1

(Fights-up-close): The Black Road

However, these attacks share odd coincidences. First, both occurred during the Second Seed, in the same year. Next, both attacks seem to have been carried out to kidnap young hatchlings, while, oddly enough, seemingly more significant members of the tribe were ignored. Third, while both attacks resulted in death of one or more tribe members, both attacks were clearly carried out by a very small but coordinated effort. This is a rarity in inter-tribal warfare, in which most offensives are carried out through full-scale raids.

The exact date of

I decided it was pointless to read. Maybe I should just let my mind drift, or whatever it was really doing in its tired state. Most of the words wouldn't form coherent sentences in my mind right now, they just went in my eyes and out my ears. I'd gotten about as much out of this hour of reading as I would have gotten out of ten minutes under normal circumstances. I decided to book mark this page and save it for morning, whatever morning would bring. Reading just brought on another wave of extreme drowsiness.

Grass, hills, and trees. I knew the big decision was coming, but it was very late at night and, since I hadn't slept the night before, a hearty weariness was starting to take hold of me. My only real desire was sleep. All other passions that had rattled my brain that day had been muted. Every noise made my head feel like it was vibrating, and I couldn't find a single coherent thought in my head. It was probably about midnight by now. I hoped to arrive at Chorrol soon, but needed to make sure I could wake up a bit before the big decision.

Then, through the trees to my right, I thought I could see a stone wall. The city walls. Good. I was almost there. This day would soon be over, but not before one heck of a climax.

I was here to determine my loyalties once and for all. My weariness had served me well to block this uncomfortable truth from my thoughts, I realized. A natural high. But I would have to wake myself up for this. This might be the most important moment of my life.

I tried to drill my brain to get it back into attention. I needed my mind to be sharp for this decision. I needed to be awake again.

I warmed up my mind for decision making, recalling the events that lead up to this moment and thinking about the kinds of things that might factor into this decision:

I remembered Goes-in-heavy's last moments:

"There's a lot they haven't told you, because they knew this would happen. That's why they teach you not to ask questions, its not about trust." "The Dark brotherhood serves anyone who pays, and the Argonian Royal Court? The Argonian Royal Court serves no one but themselves."

I remembered Primo and Dovesi's attempts to save my life from that Legion pig at Summitmist manor.

I remembered the kind demeanor of Perenia Draconis.

The adrenaline was coming back with the memories. The weight of my weariness was fading.

Now I could see the town gates and stables. Instead of waking the stable owners up, I decided to leave my horse there for the night and pay in the morning. I would sleep in Chorrol. Having to walk to another city to get some sleep would probably cause my brain to liquify before the journey ended. I'd lost one nights' sleep already.

I dismounted. My legs were stiff and the ground felt as hard as metal from all the riding.

I opened the stable gates and got my horse inside.Already my thoughts were on the contract under the Great Oak.

Good, thoughts were coming back. The thoughts weren't comforting, though. I was painfully nervous as to what the contents of the dead drop might bid me to do.

I began heading towards the town gates. At this hour, it was nearly pitch black. Except for my footsteps, the subtle crackling of the fire my torch cast, and the crickets, the night was silent.

As I got closer to the gates I could see another orange glow. There was a lone Chorrol guard man at the gates.While entering this city meant the world to me, he probably saw it as nothing but a mundane occurrence.

The town gates opened.

I stepped into the city. I didn't want anyone to see me around the Great Oak, so I was aware I might have to employ stealth eventually. For now, however, things were different.

Guards were scarce on the streets, and they were the only people out this late. Street lights were dotting the city streets, but there was still plenty of shadow.

As I walked in the direction of the Great Oak I began anticipating what awaited me in the next dead drop. I felt a quick spurt of euphoria as I imagined the dead drop being something I could feel secure about: a contract to kill another pirate, or a target presented with a thorough explanation of why I was given the contract. Then I felt discouraged: it was probably just wishful thinking. Why should I expect the pattern to be broken? No, that was undue cynicism. I'd served these people all my life in one way or another: how could they be so bad?

I glanced left and right as I walked, but couldn't make out a single lit window or a single person walking the streets at this hour. I had these streets pretty much to myself. An assassin's playground under normal circumstances. A bit of convenience here.

It took a bit of willpower to continue towards the Great Oak. The tension of the situation was almost painful. Spurts of intense sensation at the thoughts of the significance of what awaited me wracked my body.

A squirmy kind of sensation started to take hold of me. I imagined both potential outcomes. A tension gripped my. My insides seemed to tighten.

Because I was getting close, I decided to extinguish my torch, just so no one would see me at the tree.

Each breath was a conscious effort as the tension grew and the proximity to the Great Oak lessened. My stomach was even beginning to ache somewhat. I knew it would take quite a bit of courage to read that dead drop.

I decided, however, that I should prepare myself to feel pain. I shouldn't raise my spirits if they could be dropped. I tried to imagine how it would feel to read another contract like my previous one. I tried to dampen my spirits for now. I knew that sinking feel all too well, and I knew the brutal temptation to be willfully blind I would feel if this contract did incriminate the Dark Brotherhood further, so I needed to prepare as best I could. I needed to condition myself for the less favorable outcome.

The Great Oak came into view. I clenched my fists. I would have just loved to put it off one more day or, preferably, forever. But I needed to be courageous. Oh how I hated the inherit injustice of it, though! The courageous always had to suffer, by basic logic.

I clenched my teeth as I was only a few paces away from the tree. Its branches looked like demonic claws ominously hanging over me. There was an impending battle between fortune and mis-fortune in the air. It hid the piece of paper that I'd been anticipating for days. The moment that had been on my mind and in my dreams was coming. All my weariness was now gone. I was as lucid as ever.

I looked over my shoulder instinctually. No observers.

I bent down towards the bushes and then began chaotically moving my hand through them to feel some kind of abnormality.

Then, I felt something. It was a sack, and under it, a piece of paper. I lifted the bag: it was heavy for its size. No doubt the reward.

I brought the parchment to my face, but the tension gripped me fiercer than ever. It was so intense I immediately looked away. I starred into the starry night sky, waiting for a moment of relative calmness, then looked down in a moment of courage.

I strained my eyes briefly, but decided it was just too dark to read it. A welcome delay. I pushed magicka into my eyes. The text became clear:

If you are reading this, the Draconis family is dead, and you are not. That is quite an accomplishment. But your work as a Silencer has just begun.

For this contract, you will be given four targets simultaneously who you may eliminate in any order you chose.

Your first target is a traveling, middle-aged, Dark Elf merchant by the name of Alval Uvani. Uvani is a well-respected tradesman back in his native Morrowind, but his business often takes him very far from home. Therein lies the problem. Alval Uvani's wife, a resident of House Redoran territory, has become disillusioned with her husband's repeated, extended absences and wishes to dissolve their marriage, and has sought the Dark Brotherhood's assistance.

Alval Uvani spends a significant amount of his time in the city Balmora in Morrowind, taking advantage of the thriving Hlaaluu economy there. However, we have reason to believe he may be here in Cyrodiil as you read this, in the city of Bruma. You may wish to hurry there at once. Be aware, however, that because he is forced to travel alone on foot to the farthest reaches of the Empire, Uvani has learned to defend himself. He is a master of the Destruction school of Magicka, and is no stranger to killing.

Your next target is a savage Nord barbarian, living alone and exposed at a small campsite on the summit of Gnoll Mountain. This barbarian, Havilstein Hoar-Blood by name, savagely butchered the chieftain of a mead hall on the island of Solstheim. The chieftain's sister has forgone the Nord custom of extracting the monetary retribution of wergild, and instead wants Hoar-Blood to pay with his life. You, dear Silencer, will help put her family at peace.

You are to go to Gnoll Mountain, locate Havilstein Hoar-Blood, and send his soul to Sithis. Havilstein Hoar-Blood is more swine than man and deserves to die quivering like an animal.

I turned over the page.

For your third target, you must journey to the Flooded Mine, North of the city of Bravil. There you will find Shaleez, an Argonian hunter who was banished from her village near the Black Marsh/Morrowind border for the brutal murder of a Dark Elven family. Relatives of the murdered family members have located Shaleez, and demand retribution. And, since the assignment is a bit far for Morrowind's Morag Tong to handle, the Dark Brotherhood has been commissioned to perform the elimination.

Be warned, Silencer! Shaleez is a skilled and deadly hunter, and will fight like the desperate fugitive she is.

Your final, and possibly most important target is a Wood Elf named Ungolim, who resides in the city of Bravil. Bravil is also home to an ancient statue known as the Lucky Old Lady. It is seen as a symbol of good luck and prosperity, and the fools of Bravil often speak to the statue and wish for good tidings. Every night, poor lovestruck Ungolim visits the Lady and pleads desperately for the heart of a young maiden. This maiden is married, and her husband has learned of Ungolim's affection for his bride. He fears the competition, it would seem, and has commissioned the Dark Brotherhood to help in the matter.

You must go to Bravil, locate Ungolim, and kill him. The Wood Elf owns a house in the city, but he spends his days securely locked inside. I recommend you lie in wait at the Lucky Old Lady statue, and then eliminate Ungolim when he arrives for his nightly visit. He's generally there between the hours of 6:00 PM and 1:00 AM.

By all accounts, Ungolim is a deadly archer and a fearless opponent. Be vigilant, and bring the Wood Elf down! You must not fail!

When all four targets are rotting, journey to the city of Anvil. Your dead drop is in a barrel located behind the statue in the pond. As is standard, your reward and next contract will be waiting.

I lowered the letter and stood still, taking it all in. Every target's crime had been explained to me. Mr. Lachance believed in his work. Things had turned out for the better. It seemed optimism had won truth over. This was still a crucial moment in my life: maybe the most important one ever: Now it was time for my final decision regarding the Dark Brotherhood.

The handwriting. It looked a bit...different as well. I couldn't put my finger on exactly what it was, but there was something. Was this some sort of fabrication?

Did someone like Alval Uvani really deserve to die for extended absences from his wife? What about Ungolim? Was that really fair compensation?

Should I really take this assignment or commit the disloyalty that had been brewing in my mind? My thoughts were slow, frustrating, and abstract. I didn't know where to start as I tried to decided.

My heart was soon racing as I poured over the decision with excruciating precision. I was stressing my mind to a point where I ached emotionally.

What was all this doubt rushing at me? When I came to the Great Oak I was worried about a vague contract targeting seemingly innocent people. Now, when I saw neither of those were true, I still tried to assess it further? Where was this going to end?

had crushed my instincts, I realized. He made decision that should be obvious so grueling. I had gotten just what I'd hoped for to justify this contract. I'd proved him wrong, yet the second my thoughts had started heading towards loyalty and optimism, they had violently bounced back. The Dark Brotherhood did trust us with information about their plans, and truly was devoted to justice, not money, and that realization gave me some comfort.

I had made my decision. I couldn't bring these questions back anymore. I needed to push aside the cynical thoughts.

I will not betray my employers. I will not betray my employers. I thought, trying to press the idea into my brain.

"I will not betray my employers." I finally said to myself to burn the words into my memory. I had to say them outloud, or I felt like my decision would never end. I didn't have instinctual passion to keep me on track any more. My mind alone seemed too fragile.

Through reason, I had determined further questioning was unreasonable. That had to be enough to stop me.

I looked over my shoulder again. I could see an orange glow moving down the street. A guard patrolling along the side-walk by the mansion. His dark blue uniform blended in well with the night. As I saw how close he was, I felt like my head was about to burst.

My alert level went up as I realized just how long I might have been visible to him. Finding myself slightly dumbfounded, I subtly put the letter back in the bushes. Hopefully it would just look like I'd dropped my purse of coins and had gone to pick it up.

The implications of what he might think after seeing me there still ran through my head as I walked away from the Great Oak. I gave him one last glance. If he was suspicious of me, he didn't show it. Really, that was all that mattered to me.

I could feel a bit of sweat building up under my arms from the slightly frightening incident, but the thoughts themselves were slowing dissipating. Now I was starting to feel hot, but I just kept walked. I was too afraid of damning myself further.

But as I walked I realized the incident had done well to clear my mind of the nagging uncertainties of the dead drop. Now the world felt solid, and I felt confident and purposeful. It all blended into euphoria. I had reason to stay with the Dark Brotherhood. I had reason to trust my employers. They turned out to be alright after all.