Chapter 7: Welcome to the Family.

A/N: So I decided to do 2 quest lines, one of them of course the Dark Brotherhood, in this story. If any of you guys have any ideas on miscellaneous quests, feel free to tell me. Let's go! ;)

Ralof gives me a concerned look. "What's wrong? What does the note say?" He wants to reach for it, but I quickly pull it away. "I-It's nothing really.." I quickly fold it and put it in my bag. "Nothing to w-worry about.. I-I'm fine."

He doesn't seem to believe me. "Honestly Sarafina.. Is there something you're not telling me?"

"Nothing! I'm fine."

Ralof raises an eyebrow. "You sure?"

"Y-Yeah!" He stares at me for a few seconds, and then he shrugs. "Okay. If you say so."

I nervously fidget with my sleeves and look around me. After a few minutes I stand up. "I err.. I'm going to explore the city a bit. S-See you later!" I quickly grab my things and walk out of the inn, leaving Ralof dumbfounded. I pull my hood over my head and feel my teeth clatter, not knowing if that's from the cold or the nerves.

We know.

We know.

We know.

I give a quiet whimper, and shoot into an alley hearing the words repeat in my head.

We know.

We know.

We know.

We know.

We know.

We know.

We know.

We know.

Another alley. But whatever direction I go into, the words keep taunting me. Suddenly I stop, seeing a little boy and a female Dark Elf standing in front of a house.

"Then it's true, what everyone is saying? That Aventus Aretino is doing the Black Sacrament? Trying to summon the Dark Brotherhood?"

My interest is peeked at the words Dark Brotherhood. Mom once told me her mother, my grandma, was something called a "Speaker" for the Dark Brotherhood. I never asked her what that meant, but she always had that little knowing smile when I managed to scare her by being very silent and stealthy. Like she recognized her mother in me, and was proud of it. I decide to listen in to their conversation.

"Oh, Grimvar... always with the nonsense. No, no, of course not. Those are just tales..."

The boy suddenly walks towards the front door of the house. "Fine. Then I'll invite him out to play. He lives right there. I'm going to knock on his door..." He raises a fist to knock, but the woman quickly pulls him away by his wrist.

"No, child! Wait! That boy, that house.. they're cursed." The boy begins laughing in triumph. "Ha! Then I'm right. I knew it. He's trying to have somebody killed!"

The woman sighs and nods her head. "All right. I won't deny it, child. What you heard is true. But Aventus Aretino walks a dark path. His actions can lead only to ruin. Now. Enough. We will speak no more of this. I am the only friend you need." The boy lets his shoulders fall. "Fiiine…"

They both walk away. I tilt my head in curiosity and stare at the door. "Aventus Aretino huh? Contacting the Dark Brotherhood? Let's check this out.." I put a hand on the door, surprised it opens with a soft push. Looking around me if nobody is looking, I slip inside.

The whole space is dimly lit, but I can see I'm in front of a staircase. I quietly and slowly walk up the stairs.

"Sweet Mother, Sweet mother.. Send your child into me.. for the sins of the unworthy must be baptized in blood and fear.."

I have to stifle a gasp as I hear the voice of a young boy chanting. Getting upstairs, I find a room with a bed and a few bookcases. Nobody is there, so I continue my search.

I don't have to search long. Turning to my right, I see another room. Where a little boy sits, stabbing a skeleton with a dagger. He keeps muttering the chant, and keeps stabbing the skeleton. He must've been doing this for quite a while, because there are dark circles under his eyes, and it looks like he could fall asleep any second now.

"So.. tired.." he mutters. I walk towards him and put a hand on his shoulder. "Are you okay?" He looks up at me, and suddenly his eyes widen in joy.

"It worked! I knew you'd come, I just knew it! I did the Black Sacrament, over and over. With the body and the... the things. And then you came! An assassin from the Dark Brotherhood."

I stare at him, wide-eyed. Does he think I'm an assassin? Must be the hood..

He smiles slightly at my shocked face. "You don't have to say anything. There's no need. You're here, so I know you'll accept my contract." I raise an eyebrow. "Contract?"

The boy bites his lip and looks at the floor. "My mother, she... she died. I... I'm all alone now. So they sent me to that terrible orphanage in Riften. Honorhall!"

I freeze. I have a feeling where this is going…

"The headmistress is an evil, cruel woman. They call her Grelod the Kind. But she's not kind. She's terrible. To all of us! So I ran away, and came home. And performed the Black Sacrament. Now you're here! And you can kill Grelod the Kind!"

Oh crap. I swallow loudly. "Gerlod the kind huh?" He nods quickly and I scratch the back of my neck. "I might have.. well.. already killed her.."

He stares at me, eyes wide. "You.. You did?" I nod, and he almost begins crying in happiness. "That's the best news I've ever gotten! I mean, I knew the Dark Brotherhood was good... just not that good! You killed the old hag before I even asked!"

I chuckle nervously and the boy suddenly pushes some sort of plate in my hands. "Here. Have this as payment. It's supposed to be valuable.." I stare at it for a while. It is kinda pretty. Maybe I'll keep it. I give the boy a nod and walk out the door.

"Alrighty then.. This was rather unexpected." I mumble, putting the plate in my backpack. Staring at the sky, it looks like it's going to be dark out soon enough. Hopefully I can find my way back to the inn. Walking through the alleys, I can't shake the feeling off that someone or something is following me.

I look around me. Seeing nothing, I shrug. Must be getting paranoid. Suddenly someone grabs me from behind and pushes a cloth over my mouth and nose, muffling my shriek of surprise. I struggle to get lose, but when I breath in, my vision begins to swim. Oh no..

But I don't give up that easily. I use my elbow to hit my attacker in the face. He or she releases me from the impact, and I make a run for it. But whatever drug was on that cloth, it already did its work. My knees buckle and everything goes black.

*Time skip brought to you by the Black Door. What is life's greatest illusion?*

My head is pounding. Holding a hand to my head, I sit up. I groan loudly. That stupid drug really made my head go all loopy. Suddenly I realise what happened, and my eyes fly open. I seem to be in a shack of some sorts. How the hell did I..?

"Sleep well?"

My head snaps towards the source of the sound. Sitting on a bookcase, sits a woman in some sort of dark-red armour. Her face is shadowed by a scarf and a hood, but I can see two eyes stare at me through the darkness.

"W-Where am I?"

The woman chuckles. "Does it matter? You're warm, dry... and still very much alive. That's more than can be said for old Grelod. Hmm?" I swallow loudly. "Y-You know about that?"

"Half of Skyrim knows. Old hag gets butchered in her own orphanage? Things like that tend to get around."

I bite my lip, but the woman laughs softly. "Oh, but don't misunderstand. I'm not criticizing. It was a good kill. Old crone had it coming. And you saved a group of urchins, to boot. Ah, but there is a slight... problem."

I feel my heart sink. "P-problem?"

"You see, that little Aretino boy was looking for the Dark Brotherhood. For me, and my associates. Grelod the Kind was, by all rights, a Dark Brotherhood contract. A kill... that you stole. A kill you must repay."

Oh Mara's mercy… What have I gotten myself into now?

"You want me to… kill someone?"

The woman chuckles again. "Well now. Funny you should ask. If you turn around, you'll notice my guests."

I turn around to see 3 people sitting on the ground, hands bound and sacks over their heads. I shiver slightly.

"I've "collected" them from... well, that's not really important. The here and now. That's what matters. You see, there's a contract out on one of them, and that person can't leave this room alive. But..."

She makes a sad *Awww* sound.

"Which one? Go on, see if you can figure it out. Make your choice. Make your kill. I just want to observe... and admire."

I take a step towards the three people. From their clothes I can guess it's a male soldier, a normal woman and a noble man. Which one could it be.. I decide to start asking every one of them a question. Starting with the male soldier.

He flinches as he hears me stand still in front of him. "I... I can hear you talking out there. Please, let me go. I've done nothing to you!" I freeze slightly. This man.. his voice.. He kinda looks and sounds like.. him. Cosnach.

I mentally slap myself. No time to be sentimental now Sarafina. Snap out of it. I straighten up.

"Who are you?" He jumps slightly hearing my voice from so close. "M-my name is Fultheim. I'm a soldier. Well, mercenary, really. You know, a... a sellsword. I've lived in Skyrim all my life. That's all! I'm a nobody, really. So can't you just let me go?"

I want to.. but I have to be sure. "Who someone pay to have you killed?"

"What? Oh gods, I don't want to die..." I bite my lip. This man is scared to death. Well.. almost death. I put a hand on his shoulder to reassure him. "Shhh... Don't be afraid. You can tell me."

He seems to calm down slightly. "Okay, well... I guess it's possible. I've been selling my sword arm for years now. Killed a lot of people. Could be someone wanted revenge. But... But you're not going to kill me. Right?"

I stay silent. There is no use in promising him things if he could die later. I move on to the next hostage, the woman. She trashes around, trying to free herself from her bounds. Hearing me coming near her, she raises her head towards the sound. "Aggghh! Re...lease me!"

Wow. This one has a temper. "And who are you?"

I can almost see her glare through the sack. "None of your damned business who I am! If you're going to kill me, just do it already! As Mara is my witness, if I didn't have this damned hood on right now I would spit right in your face..."

I snort. Wow. Remind me not to get her angry. "Would someone pay to have you killed?"

"Excuse me? What kind of question is that?!"

I sigh in frustration. "One last time: Would. Someone. Pay. To. Have. You. Killed?" She sighs in frustration as well. "I'm kneeling here with my hands bound and a sack over my head, and you have the gall to ask me that? What do you think, genius?!"

I huff. She might be the one though.. Moving on. The last one, the noble man. He raises his head hearing my footsteps. But for a bound man, he seems rather calm. "Come now. Whatever the problem, we can talk about it like civilized folk. Hmm?"

His accent tells me he's a Khajit. Maybe he's a nice guy. "And who might you be?"

"Ahhh... Vasha, at your service. Obtainer of goods, taker of lives, and defiler of daughters." Nope. Defiantly not a nice guy. "Have you not heard of me? Perhaps I will have my people carve my name in your corpse, as a reminder."

I cross my arms. "And would someone pay to get you killed?"

"Me? Ha! Are you serious?"

I roll my eyes. "Oh come on, you can tell me. We're all friends here." I gag mentally. No way in Oblivion that I'm "friends" with him.

He gives a perverted chuckle. "He he he he he he he. The real question is, "Would someone pay to have me killed... again." A day goes by without someone trying to gut me in the street, I get disappointed."

Yup. This is our man. I grin and walk away. Let's do this a fun way. I take my bow, and aim at the Khajit's head. As my arrow flies in his brain, I hear the nagging voice in my head again.

Feels good… doesn't it?

Hell yeah.

The woman and Fultheim give a gasp hearing the Khajit's dying scream.

"Oh, gods, please! Let me live! I'll do anything you want!" he cries, making my heart hurt slightly. He really does sound like Cosnach.. Maybe that's why I didn't want to kill him.

"What's happening? Damn it, what are you doing?" I roll my eyes at the bitchy woman and turn to my kidnapper. I cross my arms and raise an eyebrow. My question is clear. And now?

The woman chuckles slightly. "The conniving Khajit. Cat like that was sure to have enemies. It's no wonder you chose him."

"Was it him? Did he have the contract?"

The woman begins to laugh. "Oh, no, no, no.. Don't you understand? Guilt, innocence, right, wrong.. Irrelevant. What matter is that I ordered you to kill someone, and you obeyed."

I make an O with my mouth. So I may have killed an innocent man.. "So.. I'm free to go?"

She nods. "Of course. And you've repaid you debt, in full. Here's the key to the shack." She tosses me a key and I catch it. "Thanks.. Uhm.."

"Astrid. Hey, but why stop here? I say we take our relationship to the next level."

I raise an eyebrow. "Like friends?" Astrid chuckles at my joke. "Hehehe.. No. I would like to officially extend you an invitation to join my Family. The Dark Brotherhood."

I nod understanding. "And where is this Dark Brotherhood?"

"In the southwest reaches of Skyrim, in the Pine forest, you'll find the entrance to our Sanctuary. It's just beneath the road, hidden from view. When questioned by the Black Door, answer with the correct passphrase. "Silence my Brother". Then you're in. And your new life begins."

She seems to smile. "I'll see you at home." Snapping her fingers, she disappears in a cloud of smoke. I shiver slightly, releasing the breath I forgot I was holding. By the Devines.. I have a feeling my life is taking a turn I may not like. I walk towards the door, and unlock it.

"Please! Release me! Cut my bonds!" I jump slightly hearing Fultheim cry out. I nearly forgot they were there. I walk towards them and can almost hearing the bitchy woman sneer. "You cut these bindings this minute! You hear me? You cut these bindings right now!"

I roll my eyes and walk to Fultheim, taking off the sack from his head. His brown eyes stare in fear at me. I give him a reassuring smile and cut his bindings. He gives me a grateful look and hugs me hesitantly. "Thank you! Thank you! I'll never speak of this to anyone, I promise!"

I pat his back slowly. "Yeah, yeah.. It's fine, really. Now off you go."

He lets me go, still smiling. "Thank you! Thank you! I won't tell anyone what happened here, I swear it!"

I chuckle. "Okay. I get it. Now go on. Go live a normal life." Fultheim flashes me one last smile and runs out of the shack. Now for number 2..

I pull the sack of the woman's head and she narrows her eyes. "Well?! Get on with it!"

I narrow my eyes. "I would keep my mouth shut. I'm the only one who can release you right now. Or would you like to sit like this for a few more days?" She looks away, mumbling insults under her breath. I sigh and cut her bindings. She stands up and stretches. "Well it's about damn time. Capturing a woman from her home, keeping her bound like an animal. Ridiculous..."

She looks at me and scoffs. "I don't know who you are, or what's going on here, but you ought to be ashamed of yourself."

I cross my arms. "Well, this wasn't my idea. So go blame somebody else." And without another look, I walk outside. It's light out and.. Oh whoopee. A swamp. I don't have the slightest clue where I am. Digging up my map out of my backpack, I mutter a spell under my breath. Immediately an arrow appears on the map, signalling my position.

I seem to be near Falkreath. Great. How did Astrid even manage to take me from Windhelm to here unnoticed? I mutter another spell. A light blue path appears in front of me, showing me the way to go. Well. Better get started.

*time skip brought to you by sweetrolls. Be careful! Someone might steal them!*

After an hour of walking, I get to the place Astrid described. A black door imbedded in the rock, a skull carved in. When I get close to it, a raspy voice begins speaking in my mind.

"What is the music of life?"

I jump, but straighten myself out. "S-Silence my Brother."

"Welcome.. home.."

The door swings open, and I swallow. Let's see what this "Family" is like.

A/N: Yay! Done! Ohmaigod.. 3000 words! :D Well, hopefully I can post the next chapter after my exams! See you guys later! ;D