Alright... I've decided to release WhoDunIt in sections, because it is massively long and agitating, and I'm not done but I wanted to give you guys something : P Hope you enjoy, and reviews are really fun!
"I would have eliminated all of his subjects, and then chopped his body to pieces!"
Teinaava, Telaendril and I sighed exasperatedly, rolling our eyes in amusement. We were sitting across from Gogron at the square in the Living Quarters, and I had been telling them of my latest contract. I was sent to kill the warlord 'Roderick' from the west, who was bedridden by severe illness. I had switched his daily medicine with a poison, causing everyone to think he succumbed to his disease, with none the wiser that the Dark Brotherhood had even been involved. Gogron gro Bolmog was giving his opinion on how things should have gone.
"His people were intensely loyal to him- your obvious involvement with his death would have sent them on a revenge hunt for us, endangering the whole of the Brotherhood!" Telaendril exclaimed reasonably.
"Then I would have killed them as well! All of them!" he roared, pounding his heavy first on the table, rattling the goblets, plates and silverware, an almost sadistic glare in his eye. Once again the three of us exchanged bemused looks, each wondering how Gogron had not yet single-handedly caused the destruction of the Dark Brotherhood with his unorthodox ways.
"Now listen, Gogron-" Teinaava began, but Gogron wasn't paying attention; he was looking over Teinaava's shoulder.
"Excuse me."
Turning, we found Ocheeva standing behind Telaendril, Teinaava and I. We all greeted her, and she responded with a quick smile, but the air of business was about her. She looked at me.
"Adrienne, could you come with me for a moment? It is rather urgent," she said.
"Of course." I nodded to the others, and followed Ocheeva up the stairs towards her private quarters. In the Common Room we passed Antoinetta Marie, who smiled at Ocheeva as she passed. However, as soon as Ocheeva could not longer see her, Antoinetta narrowed her eyes at me, a slight sneer on her face. I responded with a bright smile and continued on, enjoying the startled and confused look on her face.
Antoinetta's hatred of me had become more apparent after my promotion to Eliminator- I outranked her, even though she had been at the Sanctuary many years longer than I, and she didn't like it. She had hated me before, but when before she would make a snide remark that could be interpreted as negative; she now blatantly revealed to me her wishes that I was killed in horrific ways. However, she made sure to keep her gestures of dislike towards me out of the eyes and ears of our family members, and I wasn't about to tell them, so our feud remained a secret. I was still at that point unsure of the exact reasoning behind her initial dislike of me, but I kept it out of my mind at the time, with other more important matters to deal with.
Ocheeva ushered me into her room and closed the thick wooden doors before turning round to face me. She smiled, with a rather mischievous glint in her eye that was often seen with Teinaava, but never in her. I was most certainly intrigued.
"Do you like parties?" she said, her smile widening at my inquisitive look. "Because you've been invited to one. Of course, you'll be killing all the other guests. Are you ready to hear more?"
"Oh, yes, I'm ready- tell me more," I said eagerly, nodding my head. All the other guests? If I had heard correctly, than I had just been given a multiple target contract…
"Splendid. You need to go to the city of Skingrad, to the large house known as Summitmist Manor. There you will meet up with five very unlucky guests. Each guest, at some point in the past, wronged their mysterious host. Now he's hired us to exact his revenge."
I sighed wistfully, wishing that I could have used such methods with certain people I had known in my life before the Brotherhood.
"In order to receive your bonus, you must kill each guest secretly, one by one. If anyone sees you committing murder, the bonus is forfeit. The guests believe there is a chest of gold hidden in the house, and have agreed to be locked inside until one of them finds it.
"In fact, the guests believe the key to the manor is inside the chest, and only by satisfying their greed will they be allowed to leave. The poor fools- there is, of course, no chest of gold. The guests will find no key. After you arrive, the doors will be locked behind you, as everyone expects. When all the guests lie dead, you will be free to leave."
I started to speak, but Ocheeva cut me off with a raise of her finger.
"We have kept our host waiting long enough! Now go, and speak to him at Summitmist Manor. He has been playing the part of the doorman, and will explain the rest."
I nodded, rising swiftly from the seat I had taken, and strode toward the doors. As I pulled them open, Ocheeva spoke again.
"And Adrienne?" I turned to face her. "Do have fun," she said, smiling wickedly.
"Oh, I will," I said, returning her smile and walking out of the doors.
I walked briskly back to the Living Quarters, my mind brewing over what I had just been tasked. Five targets, in one contract! And to kill each in secret, while contained to the one house… this certainly would be a challenge. At least, an enjoyable challenge…
By Sithis, Gogron was going to be jealous! I thought, smiling as I pushed open the doors to the Living Quarters. As I walked down the hallway, I heard Teinaava, Telaendril and Gogron's voices echoing down from the main room. It seemed that they were still in the same location and discussion as before I had left.
"Everyone you killed would have close relatives or friends who would then want to avenge their deaths, and the cycle would just continue! Killing all witnesses to open murder won't solve the problems; it will create more!" Telaendril exclaimed. It seemed there were started to get worked up.
"I could knock them over the head with my hammer and they wouldn't remember a thing! There, no more deaths, problem solved!" Gogron bellowed, the frustration evident in his voice. Teinaava started to speak as I turned around the corner.
"Dear Brother-"
"Adrienne!" Gogron boomed, spotting me.
Teinaava and Telaendril at first seemed confused, but as Gogron pointed over their shoulders they turned to face me.
"Ah, Adrienne!" Teinaava exclaimed, shifting on the bench to get a better view of me. "So, do tell us about your secret meeting…" he said, raising his eyebrows with a smile.
I smirked mysteriously and started over toward the chest in the far corner in the room, where I stored my spare belongings during prolonged stays at the Sanctuary. Inserting a key and opening the chest, I sifted through my belongings, tossing out what I needed and moving aside what I didn't, while explaining the contract.
All three faces quickly changed from looks of genuine interest and curiosity to downright awe and good-natured jealously as I explained. Gogron's face was especially comical- when I said that I had five targets, his mouth hung open and remained that way, as though he had forgotten about it.
"It's all for revenge, you see- the client was wronged by all of them in the past, that's what Ocheeva said," I finished.
There was a stunned silence, in which Gogron's mouth continued to hang open and Teinaava and Telaendril gave me wide-eyed looks.
"Five victims? More than two-person contracts are nearly unheard of for the past decade- except for rare special contracts, which are only commissioned by the Black Hand itself!" Teinaava exclaimed. He turned around to the others, looking to see if they agreed. Gogron's mouth was still open.
"Well, I must say dear sister, I am rather jealous!" Telaendril said. She turned to Gogron and snapped his still open mouth shut with a sharp tap of her fingers. "Don't look so stunned; unless I'm mistaken, it is your contract that Teinaava was speaking of!"
"Yes- well- that was-" Gogron sputtered.
"Full sentences, dear brother," I said, eyes sparkling.
"That contract was nearly seven years ago; I was told it would be the last of its kind unless under very, very special circumstances!" he exclaimed, looking indignant at this treachery.
"Oh yes, now I remember!" We all turned to Telaendril. "You were sent to Sumerset Isle to kill nearly thirty elves, but instead of the accidental deaths that the Black Hand had planned, you slaughtered them during a party, killing even those not included in the contract! It was a bloody massacre- everyone knew of the Dark Brotherhood's involvement! You are the reason that multi-target contracts became so rare!" She said accusingly.
Gogron smiled sheepishly, looking almost proud at Telaendril's revelation. Teinaava and I laughed, while Telaendril started to grin reluctantly as well.
"Yes, well, it would have taken weeks to finish it the way the Black Hand wished!" Gogron said huffily, but there was a glint of amusement in his eye.
We all laughed again, and this time Gogron joined in. They continued to banter while I turned back to my packing, now stuffing in some ingredients for potions and poisons. After a moment there was silence and Telaendril turned to me.
"On a more serious note-" she glared at Gogron accusingly "-a bit of advice. You should take your time with this one. Observe the other guests. Learn their schedules and behaviors, and strike each one when they're alone. Use your silver tongue. Try to befriend the guests, and then you may be able to lure them to their own dooms!" She smirked, and Teinaava nodded.
"Yes, remember the pretenses under which the guests are there. They will be suspicious. You must be as effective an actor as you are a killer. It would be a good idea to talk to each guest and appeal to their good disposition. Remember, if they really like you, they may open up to you…" he said.
"If you really plan on killing the guests one by one-" Gogron made a face to show his displeasure at the idea- "make sure that when you strike, you strike hard. Don't want anyone running for help, do you?" The others nodded in agreement. Teinaava was about to speak again when there came a noise from the far dark corner. It sounded like a snort of irritation and displeasure.
We all turned about in alarm, and found Antoinetta standing in the corner, her pretty features twisted into a look of anger.
"Antoinetta!" Teinaava's voice was startled. "What are you doing over there? Why didn't you make your presence known?"
She turned toward me, ignoring Teinaava, her voice venomous.
"Why do you get to go to a party? It's not fair. I hope they discover the truth and kill you in your sleep!" And with that, she stormed out of the room.
There was a stunned silence. Teinaava Telaendril and Gogron all looked at me, mouths agape, and I lowered my gaze. I guess my and Antoinetta's little feud was out in the open.
Teinaava was the first to speak.
"What in the name of Sithis was that about?!" he exclaimed.
I sighed deeply, sat for a moment, and looked up.
"Yes, well, Antoinetta doesn't like me very much," I said.
"Humph!" Gogron snorted. "I'll say she doesn't like you!" Telaendril laughed, but Teinaava was inspecting me closely.
"How long has this been going on?" he asked me, his eyes narrowed.
"Oh uhm, not long, just recently," I lied quickly.
"It must have been your promotion- she's always had a high opinion of herself, she must be jealous," said Telaendril, and Gogron nodded approvingly. However, Teinaava continued to eye me suspiciously. I still could not lie convincingly to him, and I could see he was ready to ask more questions. I decided to end this well I still could.
"I really must be going; the guests are waiting for my arrival…" I trailed off, standing up swiftly and swinging my bag over my back.
"Of course!" Said Telaendril, and they all rose as well, ushering me off, although Teinaava still looked as though he were pondering on the situation with Antoinetta. I can expect a questioning from him when I return, I thought to myself grimly.