A/N: Thank you to all my reviewers! And also to those who've added me to story alert, author alert, and favourite story! I love you all =)

Chapter 9

I couldn't see; there was no light for me to make out any shapes. I couldn't breathe; there was no air in this place. I fell to a cold ground, heaving, begging for air. My final gasping breath was the only sound I heard before the even darker depths of death closed in on me.

Suddenly, a bright flashed, leaving me blinded for a moment. Air filled my starved body. As quickly as it came, the light disappeared, leaving me in darkness again, only this time I was aware of shapes moving. The silence was loud in my ears as I moved forward to investigate. A shadow moved up to an unwary figure. The sound that followed was deafening in the complete quiet of the place. Battle cries, clashing of blades, knives hitting targets, gushing blood, all these noises followed. I couldn't help; I couldn't save them, though I wanted to.

I suddenly found myself standing over a pool of blood, its sanguine depths glistening in a strange red light. Shrouded figures lay beside it, their blood pouring onto the floor. Features hidden, the still figures, broken and bloodied, were as dark as the surroundings, and as I watched, their eyes started to appear from the black depths, showing sadness, anger, and compassion. Before I could mourn them, I saw a figure in the corner of my eye.

As I turned to see what it was, a black horse materialized in front of me. On an impulse, I mounted the steed and rode. I was conscious of someone behind me in the saddle, their arms around me, gripping the bridle and guiding the horse to a secure location. We were running from something, some injustice. Death and destruction followed.

~{::}~

I awoke from my nightmare with a cry. For a moment, the room seemed strange to me. Then I realized where I was – Fort Farragut.

I felt a hand slide into mine. I sat up to see who it was. A little too quickly, though, for as soon as I was upright, the room started spinning and I fell to the pillow with a soft 'thump.'

"Hush, child, you are safe now. Rest easy; you must not strain yourself after what you endured," his low voice washed over me, soothing my aching head.

A few moments later, the smell of cooking food reached my senses. I felt Lucien reluctantly stand and watched him move over to the fire where a pot of stew bubbled.

I sat up again, but this time the room stayed where it was, and so I was able to stand and walk over to one of the open cupboards. Inside there were bowls, plates and cups as well as cutlery. I proceeded to grab a couple bowls and place them on the table.

We ate our meal, talking little. Afterwards, we cleared the table and I moved over to sit on the bed, eyes closed, with the cold of the wall seeping through the clothes I had found in one of my packs.

~{::}~

Lucien watched her in silence, pondering his next move. He knew he had to speak to her about the contract, but he wasn't sure he wanted to hear the details.

She was sitting on the bed with her eyes closed. He had produced a pack of hers so that she might have something more comfortable than the prison rags she was previously wearing. She had donned a lace-up shirt of blue and beige and a light brown, knee-length skirt.

She would have looked peaceful, but he could still see the injuries.

There were clear scars on her face, arms, and legs as results of the failed assignment. He had also seen cuts on her back when she had worn the torn prison shirt. One of her large, violet eyes was swollen slightly, and there was a long scar that started next to her eyebrow and ended at the tip of her mouth. A slightly healed wound showed on her bottom lip as well and one of her ears had a nick near the pointed top. Her long, sanguine hair was pushed behind both ears, probably hiding more scars.

Her slender arms showed bruises of purple and yellow. There was a long cut down the length of her right arm, where it disappeared into the cloth of her shirt, and her left-hand ring finger was swollen. She had many small gashes on them and dried blood showed on her wrists, where the restraints had rubbed. Her legs were in no better shape.

He decided that he must know who or what could have done this to her.

~{::}~

I felt the mattress dip as Lucien sat next to me. Trying to ignore the closeness, I almost missed his words.

"Eveandril, would you mind if I enquire about the contract?" his voice softened as he spoke.

"Of course, Speaker," I opened my eyes and looked at him. I paused for a moment to gather my thoughts.

"It all began at the city. When I discovered my target had decided to leave earlier than expected, I had to act fast. I followed Umbacano to the camp and stole into the tent with both him and the bandit captain in it, but when I entered, I was surrounded by guards and hit over the head with something heavy," I unconsciously rubbed the back of my head, where I could feel a small gash.

"They took me to the prison where I was chained up and questioned. When I refused to answer, they tried to torture me. It was nothing out of the ordinary at first; they starved me, got some mages and so on. One day, though, they brought me food and water, and I didn't know until too late that they poured a paralysis potion into the water," Lucien was watching me, skilfully hiding stray expression. "The captain came in and..." I paused for a second, remembering that moment and all the horror it brought, "and he enforced his... will upon me in an attempt to get me to talk. I still didn't tell them anything, though, but I don't know how long I could have survived," I stared at the far wall, though not really seeing. My mind was drawn to those days when I could think of nothing more than death.

"Eveandril," his deep voice brought me back to the present, making my heart beat more rapidly; the sound of his voice always did that to me, "I'm sorry you had to endure that," I felt a hand under my chin as he turned my head and our eyes met. He looked as if he was pondering something briefly in the pause that followed, until he leaned forward and his lips pressed against mine.

I was so startled that for a moment I forgot to respond. But soon I was drawn into the kiss, conscious of nothing else.

I felt his arms slide around my waist as I threw mine around his neck, ignoring the pain that rose in my head.

In the background, I heard the trapdoor open with a groan. Lucien pulled away, to my disappointment, and stood to welcome a hooded, robed, plump figure who was slowly climbing down the ladder, back turned to us. I was right behind my Speaker when he spoke.

"Welcome, honoured Listener," Lucien bowed his head in respect, and I followed suit. So this is what the Listener looks like. I had asked Vicente who the Black Hand was, and he had told me of the Speakers and the Listener.

"I see you were successful in your mission, Lucien," the Listener pushed back his cowl, revealing a fellow Bosmer with short brown hair and amber eyes. Standing next to us, he reached only to my chin in height, as I was taller than most Wood Elves.

"Lucien, there is a matter I would like to discuss with you," the Listener glanced in my direction briefly.
"I will leave you, then," I bowed slightly and left the room into one of the small antechambers that Lucien had shown me earlier.

Inside was a small library with an Alchemy table set against the wall. I sat in one of the small, but comfortable, chairs and attempted to read, but my thoughts kept returning to Lucien. He had always interested me more than other Imperials, but when did I stop seeing him as my Brother and start thinking of him in a more... intimate? How does one describe this? I knew I had admired him from the beginning, but when did we get so close? The kiss was prominent in my mind; I could almost still feel his lips on mine, his arms around me. I was eager, yet cautious, to repeat the moment. I hadn't felt this way about someone for a very long time, and I was wondering where it would take us. You stupid girl! What are you doing to yourself? You are an assassin, and a thief too, for the Nine's sake! You shouldn't get too close to anyone, for death is common, remember? I thought of M'raaj-Dar and Gogron, when they had been poisoned. I had almost lost two Brothers that day. And what of your dream? Do you think it's just a nightmare? What if it's about the future again? What if one of the hooded figures is him? The dream had become more vivid each night, as if the moment was approaching. When I was at the pool of blood, I had started to recognize items in the room, and had begun to move closer to the bodies. Perhaps time will reveal the answer.

Snippets of the conversation between the Listener and the Speaker in the next room echoed, barely reaching my especially sensitive ears, pulling me from my thoughts.

"A contract... importance... Phillida... rose... finger... reward..." the Listener's voice almost a whisper when it reached me.

I should not listen in on things that do not concern me. I tried to concentrate on the pages of my book.

"Do you think she's up to the task?" I heard Lucien's voice clearly, for his voice carried better than the timid Bosmer's.

I just about forced myself to not listen, instead returning to my book. It was difficult, but I managed to keep my mind and ears from wondering. I grinned when I realized that the book I was reading was about the Daedra princes and their worship. Still smiling, I glanced over the pages until I came across a name familiar to me.

Suddenly, I heard my name being called. I laid the book to rest on one of the tables and exited the room.

"Eliminator, I know it has been mere days since your previous contract," the Listener spoke, "but another assignment has come to our attention, and the Night Mother asked for you."

I gazed at him in amazement. The Night Mother? Asking for me? An honour I surely do not deserve, especially after I failed her last task. Wait a moment; days? It's been days since I was rescued? How long was I sleeping?

"Thank you, Listener, I hope I will be able to fulfil this contract to your expectations," I was slightly overwhelmed that our Mother had asked for me. I just hope I will please them.

"The Speaker will fill you in on the details. I must now take my leave, for there is still much to do," the Listener abruptly turned and left via the trapdoor.

Lucien turned to me, his tone businesslike, "do you know the name Adamus Phillida?" At the negative shake of my head, he continued, "He's been a scourge on the Dark Brotherhood for too long, and it is time he joined Sithis in the Void. He's spent his entire career investigating the Brotherhood; interrupting our contracts, killing our family members. On three separate occasions, we have failed to eliminate him." Three times? He must be powerful indeed.

"Now, Phillida's years of service have come to an end. He has retired to Leyawiin, where he still works unofficially to bring down the Brotherhood. Do you wish to help him on his journey to the Void?" he gazed at me quizzically.

"It would be an honour; I accept," I saw a look of approval briefly cross his dark eyes before it disappeared.

"There is another aspect to this mission. The Black Hand has sanctioned the Rose of Sithis," he gestured to an arrow that was lying on the table. It was longer than the arrows I normally used, and was coloured a dark red. It had an intricately carved fletching and a thick, rounded point.

"It is a magic arrow, specifically enchanted to kill its target. And in this case, the target is Phillida. As long as the arrow pierces Phillida's flesh, he will die. But it has one weakness - it cannot penetrate armour. Shoot Phillida while he is armoured, and the Rose will be wasted," I carefully held the arrow, examining it with respect.

"Travel to Leyawiin, track Phillida, learn his schedule, and when he removes his armour, let fly the Rose of Sithis," his voice dropped slightly to a more... murderous tone. "You may kill Phillida in any way, Rose or not," he continued, "and the contract is complete, but to receive a bonus, you must go beyond murder. You must send... a message to his successor. Once Phillida is dead, take the finger that bears the Imperial Legion signet ring and deposit in the desk of the successor, in his office in the Prison Barracks in the Imperial City. Do this, and the bonus is yours," he was watching me carefully.

"I will try not to disappoint," I looked him determinedly in the eye.

"Firstly, though, I think it is best you return to the Cheydinhal Sanctuary; your Brothers and Sisters are becoming worried by your absence," he said almost reluctantly. It seemed it was back to business with us. I gazed into those dark eyes one last time, noticing how he skilfully hid his emotions, but also seeing the almost hidden turmoil. He was probably thinking the same as I was.

I turned to leave, slinging my pack over my shoulder, wincing slightly at the pain.

"Eveandril," every time he said my name it sent a pleasant shiver up my spine, "I could escort you back to Cheydinhal, for I have business to attend to there," he said, but I knew he wanted to see me back safely, especially in my weakened state.

"Of course, Lucien," his name left my lips unconsciously. He seemed not to notice my little slip of the tongue and instead took my bag and followed me out the trapdoor into a warm, orange tinted evening. There was a crisp breeze, though, and I could smell the coming winter.

I followed him, limping slightly, to where Shadowmere waited, grazing on the soft grass.

We rode the mare through the forest path and to Cheydinhal. We weren't sure what to say to each other and so we remained silent. It did give me some time to think, though.

It has been so long. Why must he affect me so? We are supposed to be assassins, trained killers with hearts as cold as our steel, and yet he does something to me; something I've been avoiding successfully for almost six years. As much as I tried to heed my conscience's voice, I couldn't help the quickening of my heartbeat when his arms slipped around me to hold the bridle.

We arrived in Cheydinhal minutes later, just as the sun disappeared over the city's walls.

Lucien helped me off the mare and we made our way to the Sanctuary.

"Eva! Are you alright?" Antoinetta came running towards me, worry etched clearly on her face.

"I'm fine, Annie, just a little tired," I smiled at her. We had taken to calling each other by nicknames. Antoinetta we all called Annie, Talaendril was Tali, and Teinaava we called Tiny, after a conversation on how Argonians lay eggs. We hadn't found nicknames for the others yet, though.

"Antoinetta, is Ocheeva in her quarters?" Lucien moved to stand beside me.

"Speaker! I didn't notice you there," Antoinetta turned to face him. "Yes, she should be there. Now you," she spoke to me as he left, "are coming with me and we're going to get some food in you! You look half starved!" there was no point in arguing with her. Yes, I was hungry, as it had been some hours since Lucien's and my meal in Fort Farragut, but all I wanted to do was sleep. This day had taken its toll on me.

I would leave for Leyawiin as soon as I recovered.