I wasn't sure I would return to this but I don't think Quinn's story is finished. I won't be disappearing again. I wrote part of it in 3rd but changed it so it sounds a little wierd. Probably not the best i've written so i may go back and rewrite it. but i really wanted this posted to here it is. Song is by flyleaf In the Dark. I know Jesus or rather christanity isn't in the Elder Scrolls. But this song fits Quinn's cry for salvation which is a bit theme in the story. So if you don't like Christianity please try to put prejudice aside at least for the sake of a story. I

I've written songs in the dark In the dark, in the dark, in the dark

I've felt inspired in the dark In the dark, in the dark, in the dark

I hide myself in the dark In the dark, in the dark, in the dark

Used to be afraid of the dark Of the dark, of the dark, of the dark

Those in the light know we die in the dark In the dark, in the dark, in the dark

I haven't stopped running until Cloud Ruler Temple was far behind. I'd left Shadowmere in Bruma in favor of being completely alone. I wanted to move quickly but silently. I was terrified of running into any of the Blades, terrified of having to face them in that I was an assassin. I was evil and though the Brotherhood was not part the Emperor's assassination you could never be too careful right? So I ran and ran until i came to what I had been searching for.

In a large group of rocks was a small unassuming door to the Bruma sanctuary. I brushed off the Speaker in charge of this sect and made my way into my private room. It large and ornate befitting a Listener. Each Sanctuary had a room for the Listener. Each with various types of decor. But the Bruma one was by the far Quinn's favorite. Maybe it was the walls murals that depicted the history of the sanctuary done by an unnamed genius, or that it was the closest one to Martin.

There's only artificial light here

My flaws hide well here

I used to be afraid of cluttered noises

Now I'm afraid of silence

Fill this space idle words

I'm scared to death of light and silence

Jesus kill me inside this

Raise me up to live again Like You did, like You did

I loved the solitude of this place, it was silent and dark. A place a monster like Myself could live. And here I stayed for weeks slowly growing to hate the silence. It was funny a once Silencer afraid of silence wishing for someone to talk to. Someone to stop her from remembering all she had done. As time continued I found I could no longer take the growing panic in my chest as the silence crashed in around me.

Almost three months after Martin had forced me to leave Cloud Ruler Temple I gathered the courage to finally leave the sanctuary using a secret tunnel into Castle Bruma running into one of the Steward's Quarters. This one was an Imperial named Markus who whose family was sworn to Sithis.

i quickly changed out of my shrouded armor and into a flowery blue dress. As I readied myself in Markus' mirror I noticed my hair. Dark ebony hair, as black as my damned heart in many ways. Before I even realized what I was doing I had grounded blue mountain flowers into a fine paste with a few other flowers and then began to apply it into my hair lathering it in. Hours later when Markus came in to help with touch ups he helped me wash it out and dry my now sapphire blue hair.

"It looks beautiful Listener." Markus said as he ran a comb through her hair.

"Thank you for your help. Your are dismissed and to tell no one I've been here" I said as I braided my new hair and left as Markus swore to obey.

I walked out of the castle gaining no strange looks. Most assumed I was from the mages guild. The new guild had been experimenting with appearance changing magics. It seemed vanity was taking a bigger role in Cyrodil, not that Quinn complained. Blue hair was starting to become fashionable, and besides The Blades wouldn't be looking for someone with blue hair. After all what kind of an assassin wants bright blue hair?

When I reached the Inn on the outside my suspicions were confirmed there sat a wanted poster of the listener of the Dark Brotherhood. With a perfectly drawn picture of me. This hit me the hardest. I guess I would never be welcomed back. Sighing I walked into an alley and did the last thing I could think to do to change my appearance. A different color hair would be a great distraction. But I knew my long hair, braid, and way it fell around my face would make me look similar. So I took a knife and lined it up to the braid and cut it off. As my hair fell around my face at chins length I knew there was no way I could go back to Martin on my own as me. But I knew how to hid myself in the shadows, I knew how to lie. These types of things were needed for an assassin to be successful. How hard could it be to hide behind a new face. Makeup could be my new shadows when in front of those I knew.

Now I am mute despite myself

All of them are gone

The silence overtakes me

The idle words forsake me

And I am left to face me

I'm held accountable for every idle word

Curse the idle words

I'm scared to death of light and silence

Jesus kill me inside this

Raise me up to live again Like You did, like You did

I may no longer be seen as hero by Martin, and I may have fallen into myself for these past months. I was surprised I had not yet killed myself. Though in my head I knew death would be far too easy of an escape for someone like me.

I continued into the inn and listened to various rumors. It turned out that The Blades were planning a visit to the Countess and had an important guest with them that evening. Though no one I spoke with knew of whom. So I did the only thing natural. I broke into the guard barracks stole a uniform and made my way back into the castle. Martin may never want to see me again, but if he didn't know it was me that was another thing entirely. After all they still needed a Hero, just not the Hero of Kvatch.

Glory shows up

Exposes us, I'm naked here

Forsaken here

By the dark, by the dark, by the dark

I'm scared to death of light and silence

Jesus kill me in side this

Raise me up to live again

Like You did, like You did

Yeah so it's pretty short and a bunch of inner thoughts and foreshadowing that is not subtle in anyway shape or form. But still important R&R! And tell me what Quinn's undercover name should be! Do you think Martin should recognize her but not tell jaufree? The next chapter should be longer.