The Fall of Lord Kelvyn
By Commentaholic
A/N: I don't know what's possessing me to write again so soon, this is like the third chapter in a week. Maybe it's the fact that I got put on someone's story alert list AND got two reviews. I might never know. Also: Celebrating 250 Hits and 150 Views this month :D. Who woulda thought we'd come this far.
To tell the truth, as I'm writing this author's note, I have no idea what I'm going to do for this chapter. I hope that once I pick a starting point, the muse will strike. Despite the chapters name, which might be a bit transparent, the rest should fall into place. It's getting hard to make up titles with "and" in the middle without it being taken the wrong way or being too transparent.
Enough rambling out of me...
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Chapter 6: Love and Shadows
Lucien sat in his room, tears welling in his eyes as regret and memories burned in his mind.
14 years, 7 months earlier
Lucien strode through the dead fields towards the farmhouse. It was rare that he himself had to go on the recruitment runs, but apparently the Night Mother herself had specified his presence at this particular family member's invitation.
His feet crunched on the dried-out grain, two weeks dead by the look of it. Lucien grimaced, the fact that he knew that reminded him of his humble beginnings as a son of a farmer. He stomped that memory down, just like he had done to his father's life. He had freed himself from it then, and he wouldn't let it hold him back now.
He approached the door, casting his customary chameleon spell. He opened the locked door with a wave of his hand, the alteration's magic fading as his hand touched the latch.
He opened the door cautiously, peeking around the corner invisibly. Two occupied beds, he'd have known this if he'd been any good at mysticism. He stepped inside. He'd been told that his mission was to recruit a young girl with red hair.
He looked between the two sleeping figures, the one on the left was a Breton woman that had dark brown, shoulder length hair.
Lucien gasped, one on the right was a beautiful Dunmer. Her hair was the color of rich scarlet. The elegant dark red tide cascaded down her shoulders, framing her beautiful face. Her face was thin, but beautiful, and had all the indications of high Morrowind breeding. How could this treasure be a killer? He had bent to get a closer look when her eyes snapped open.
"Helen, now!" the Dunmer yelled. The Breton leapt into action, almost flying across the room, hitting and carrying Lucien to the ground in a tumble of commoners' clothes and dark robes. Lucien snarled, throwing the Breton off of him, only to find the Dunmer holding the blade of a steel claymore to his neck. The blade was wavering, she was obviously not accustomed to wielding it, but Lucien didn't want to press his luck. She said, "Explain yourself, NOW!"
Dissipating his chameleon spell, seeing that it was useless, he raised his hands slowly, saying, " I guess it's too late to tell you that you sleep rather soundly for a murderer.". He smiled while her eyes, her beautiful emerald eyes, previously flashing with fury, now showing only shock and confusion.
Fort Farragut Basement Floor 3: Training Room, 2 months later
Lucien watched as the cloaked figure flitted in and out of the course's shadows. The figure leapt out quickly, slashing through two Dark Guardians with one swipe of the swift elven claymore it carried. Bone fragments clattered off the cold stone walls as the figure leapt back into the shadows as 3 more Dark Guardians approached at what passed for a shambling run.
They began searching the shadows with their eyeless sockets, blades at the ready.
Suddenly, the figure appeared in a flash of light behind the skeletons and cut them all down before they could move a single bone.
Lucien looked down at the hourglass on his desk, taking his eyes off the figure. It was straightening up from its crouching position in the cavern below his observation balcony.
He made a note of the time on a piece of parchment. A footstep and the thunk of a long slender blade embedding itself into his desk were his only warning as the figure appeared next to him, removing its hood and shaking out its long dark red hair, the young woman beneath those velvet curls was even more enchanting.
In only two months, she had come far from that undisciplined young girl in a broken down farmhouse. Though he did wonder, why she preferred the elven claymore for these courses, especially when the dagger was more of an assassin's weapon. Maybe it carried some sort of emotional value, maybe that's why she wielded one the night they had met. But then again, maybe she just wasn't one much for conformity.
"How'd I do, Lachance?" she said.
"The best time of the group, as usual, Velvet, did you really need to ask?" said Lucien.
"But of course, you know how I love to hear how much I trounced your record by each time I run the course," Velvet said, a smug look on her face.
"4 seconds, but did you really need to hit them that hard?" Lucien gestured towards the piles of bones slowly pulling themselves back together, "They have feelings, too, you know. Plus, it gets increasingly hard to find necromancers to keep enchanting the bones, now that Archmage Traven has banned Necromancy."
"Please, Lachance, they're as dead as Rufio, and you know it," Velvet bantered, and as far as necromancers go, I'm pretty sure you can find them as easy as ever. All you need to do is kill a man, then wait in the graveyard."
Lucien smiled, he enjoyed her company and her banter, and as loathe he was to admit it, relished his sparring lessons with her.
"Well, the flash that special spell if yours makes is bright enough to wake the dead. It kind of ruins the element of surprise. Besides, when are you going to teach someone how to do it, so they can keep up with you. It's hard to find you a partner for your harder contracts when they all know you just run off ahead anyway."
"And why would I do that? That'd give up my advantage in the challenges! Also, they should learn to keep up on their own," Velvet said, crossing her arms.
Lucien rolled his eyes. The challenges were all she ever thought of anymore. Ever since she'd discovered the training room, she had spent most of her free time in there, day in and day out.
Snapping back to reality, Lucien dismissed Velvet to her chambers for the night.
Lucien sat at his desk, thinking of how quickly Velvet had risen through the ranks, she was a natural. It was amazing that they hadn't discovered her earlier.
2 months later, Fort Farragut Basement level 2: Lounge
Lucien sat waiting in his chambers in Fort Farragut. Velvet was late, probably off gallavanting with that Breton Vampire woman, Helen.
Lucien snarled, Helen was having a bad influence on Velvet's emotionless state, giving her ideas of "morals". The murderer that Lucien had ordered to follow her had reported that she'd hesitated before dealing the death blows of the last two targets. Such hesitations were unbecoming of a coldhearted assassin.
He'd decided to have a word with her when she arrived for their usual sparring session. It was normally something he looked forward to, but now he was dreading it.
A voice came from behind, "You seem tense tonight, Lucien."
It was Velvet, that was obvious, but she'd never been concerned about his well-being before. Neither had she ever called him by his first name. Lucien gritted his teeth, this was Helen's handiwork.
"You are late, and I have something to talk to you about, Velvet," said Lucien.
"What's wrong?" Velvet inquired.
Lucien rubbed his head. For all his waiting, he hadn't really thought much about what he was going to say. He had to put it in a way that still seemed professional.
"Velvet, I need to ask you something." Lucien said solemnly.
"What is it, Lucien?" replied Velvet.
"Listen, I know this will be hard for you, but I need to ask you to part ways with Helen, she isn't good for your career." Lucien said.
The look on her face nearly tore his heart out, those beautiful emerald eyes welling up with tears.
"W-What? Why?" she asked.
He had to finish this quickly, or else he couldn't stop himself from comforting her, and he couldn't let his feelings for her show. It would mean the end for both of their careers, as well as their lives.
"Velvet," he started softly, "Helen is beginning to make you doubt your missions, isn't she, making you doubt the Brotherhood's intentions."
"She's only looking out for me. She knows it's all important to me: my new family, my new home...and you!".
Her eyes met his, and there was something in them that he'd never noticed before: love.
This sudden revelation almost bowled Lucien over, he had to grab the nearby table to keep from falling. Now it was Lucien's turn to stammer, "What? What did you say?"
"I love you, I always have, ever since I joined the Dark Brotherhood. You are what made me work so hard, I wanted to be closer to you.". Her eyes were so filled with tears now that she probably couldn't see.
Lucien brought her close, wiping the tears from her eyes. He didn't know why he was doing it, he just knew he had to do it.
"I know how you feel, Velvet. I feel the same way." Lucien said softly.
Velvet looked up, her eyes wide. "Really?" she choked out.
"Yes, I loved you the moment I saw you asleep in that farmhouse, even when you held that blade to my throat, all I could really think about was how much you looked like a warrior goddess."
They embraced, standing entwined for several minutes, reveling in this new joy.
Lucien was the first to break contact, pulling away gently saying, "as you know, none of the family can know about this. The Brotherhood frowns on emotional ties, they make it harder to do what must be done."
Velvet nodded, "I understand"
Lucien stroked her hair, feeling the softness. Never in his dreams had he thought this possible, she had been the forbidden fruit, but all this time she had been the locked box with the key that had been inside all along.
They parted, her back to the sanctuary, he to his chambers.
3 months later
Lucien paced in his study, waiting for Velvet's arrival.
They had been carrying out their secret relationship without suspicion for just about 3 months, and tonight, her mission was more dangerous than ever. Taking on a lich was usually a task reserved for a Silencer, and yes, while her skills were around that level, he had argued with her against her leaving.
She had responded, "Lucien, you can't keep me hidden because of our relationship. I am a Dark Brotherhood member, I live for the Dread Father and for the kill. You can't keep protecting me like I'm made of porcelain.". She had left for Lost Boys Cavern 5 minutes later, after collecting her shrouded armor, her cloak, and her enchanted elven claymore, Darkrend.
He heard the clatter of the secret passage's cover and hurried to the ladder. "Velvet? Is that you?"
"Who else would it be, Lucien?" she said as she dropped into his arms from the secret ladder, knocking the wind out of him.
"I assume you were successful, as you still live." said Lucien.
"Of course, here's the proof!" she pulled out a rotting skull of a lich and a staff with necromancer runes upon it.
"Good, good," said Lucien, "but I'm sorry to say that there's another mission for you: a request from the Black Hand."
Velvet's eyes widened, "Really? They don't often make requests, but when they do, you usually divert them to another Sanctuary for my safety."
"Well, I can't do that this time, because they requested you personally." Lucien said grimly, handing her a scroll, "Here's the instruction sheet. From what I hear, there might be complications. Make sure to be successful, I know what they do to failures, and I can't bear the thought of having to do that to you."
They embraced, and they parted, not knowing for the last time.
A/N: And we know what happened on that mission. So, opinions on my Romance? I don't usually do romantic reveals. I admit, it seems a lot cliche, as well as too fast, but remember, they bond over about 2-4 months. They'd been meeting ever since she'd joined.
Oh, and to you people who keep bashing my writing, at least have the guts to not do it as an "Anonymous Review"
I hope that this chapter went well for those of you reading :P