Been a while since I updated this thing, huh?
Unfortunately Enthralled – chapter seventeen
Uvani has a jealous streak, it seems.
It's never manifested before, but then it hasn't had to – Banus has always been lukewarm towards others, and they've returned the favour. He was lukewarm to the new Speaker too, but the fact that Lucien Lachance took a certain interest in him during that Black Hand meeting has struck a nerve of insecurity in Alval, which has of course manifested as him being even more short-tempered than usual.
Lachance turning up in his sanctuary isn't going to help matters, Banus thinks.
Admittedly, that isn't his first thought. When the Imperial relents his invisibility spell, appearing out of thin air, Banus doesn't really think at all, just grabs the nearest dagger and lunges at the intruder-
-And is swiftly caught by Lachance's quick hands and quicker reflexes, disarmed and restrained before he can even cry out.
"Commendable reactions, Brother. But perhaps you might save them for the real traitor, hm?" Lucien purrs in an amused tone, with a smirk to match.
Banus recognises the voice and relaxes, but only a fraction. He doesn't share Uvani's severe dislike of Lachance, but that doesn't mean he trusts him, "You'll make yourself a suspect if you go around scaring people like that."
The man laughs, the sound as thick and luxurious as honey. No wonder Uvani doesn't like him, then. "My apologies," he says, and does not at all mean it, but he lets Banus go and steps back, "I'm so used to invisibility I sometimes forget how much it startles people. Anyway, I only dropped by for a visit."
The Dunmer eyes him warily, "I'll find Uvani for you, then-"
"I didn't come to see him," Lachance cuts across him, then observes: "You don't call him Speaker Uvani, I notice. You're on informal terms, then?"
He evidently wasn't being truthful about forgetting his invisibility earlier – Banus has the impression that Lucien doesn't forget very much at all. "The Listener also calls Speaker Uvani by his first name."
"He's the Listener. He can call people whatever he likes," is the dismissive answer, "And there's no need to start throwing in 'Speaker'. I'm not admonishing you for it. You can also call Uvani whatever you like, if I understand the nature of your relationship."
Banus tenses a little. Is this what it's like to be Alval? Constantly on-edge and untrusting? "And what nature would that be?"
"You tell me, you're the one involved with him."
"You already answered your question. We're...involved."
"But how involved, precisely? As the Listener tells it, you're more than friends but not quite lovers. How would you classify it?"
"I don't see why this should interest you so much."
Lachance shrugs; "I like rumours."
His words are coolly distant, "Uvani doesn't. So I'm not telling you."
"Hm. You are loyal," the man murmurs, "The contract against Sergius' life was done out of loyalty, was it not? Certainly you derived no pleasure from it. A certain amount of horror, if I recall."
Whatever edge he had is lost as he finds himself momentarily stunned, not simply by the statement but the throwback of memories that accompanies it, "How do you know about that?"
"I was there. You don't recognise me?" he shifts his hood back a little, and then Banus does recognise the angular jaw, the shadow of stubble, the cruel mouth, "I ought to be insulted. I was at the door, plus I supplied the... equipment," that mouth quirks into a smile, every bit as vicious as Alor remembers, "And a fine use you put it to. A shame I had to leave it all for Phillida to find, Listener's orders, but then they were too blunted to be used again anyway. Worth it for the evening's entertainment, I suppose."
Finally, Banus is able to speak, "You... you were watching the whole time...?"
"Oh yes. Invisible, of course. Marcia – my predecessor – was your formal observer, but she invited me along for the show," Lachance tells him with a chilling casualness, "You carried out your orders dutifully, but your performance was a little... lacking in passion, I'm afraid."
"I take no pleasure in the suffering of others," Banus answers quietly, and disapprovingly.
Lucien just raises an eyebrow, "Truly? What an odd attitude for a Brotherhood assassin. Even your Speaker likes his violence, you know."
"I certainly do."
Uvani has a glare that could shatter ice, and the magicka humming at his fingertips suggests he would be all too happy to freeze Lachance and test the theory. Banus almost feels sorry for the man, but on the other hand he's glad Alval has come to his rescue, so to speak.
"Ah, Speaker Uvani," Lucien recovers smoothly; it would work on anyone else, but Banus sees the other mer's eyes narrow dangerously at the slick tone, and prepares himself for the onslaught of fury, "I was just on my way to see you when I ran into your charming silencer-"
"Shut up," he's interrupted at once, the words so sharp that a lesser man would've cowered away, "You can't lie to me, I heard the entire conversation. You're not the only one with an invisibility spell, Lachance."
Lucien replies with equal venom, but it's different – more subtle, more insidious, no less deadly, "And I said nothing indecent to him. There's no harm in simple conversation."
"If you meant no harm you wouldn't be prying into Banus' personal life. He has no wish to tell you. Therefore, you will drop the subject."
An order, not a request. Lachance holds eye contact, but no-one can out-glare Uvani. Eventually he breaks away from the gaze, reaching into the folds of his black robes with a cool nonchalance that doesn't quite admit to defeat.
"Here," he declares at last, holding out a small bundle of parchments, "Latest contracts, courtesy of the Listener. I did have reason to visit you."
"Much appreciated," spoken without an ounce of gratitude. He snatches the papers away, "But I'm capable of collecting my own contracts from Bravil."
"Duly noted," Lucien answers practically through gritted teeth. Banus feels satisfied at the comeuppance, but also sympathetic; he's been on the receiving end of Alval's bite a few times, back when they barely knew each other, but Uvani seems to have a whole new brand of hatred reserved just for the newest Speaker. It makes him realise how gentle Alval is with him in comparison.
"Good," the elf barks in reply, adding when Lachance doesn't immediately shift: "Well? Don't you have a sanctuary to get back to?"
Lucien leaves, but he's the type of man who always has to have the last word. So it doesn't surprise Banus when he mutters as he passes by: "How fortunate you are to have such a protective overseer, Brother."
When the Imperial is finally gone, Uvani turns to Banus, still scowling, "Did you invite him here?"
His eyes widen, "What? No, why would I?"
"There must be some reason he's taken an interest in you. Did you speak to him when you were in Fanacasecul?"
"Not a word. He said he was watching while I... during the contract on Sergius, but I was never aware of it. I didn't pay much attention to him on the way in," he shakes his head, "I don't even know why he came here."
"To stir things up, that's why. No wonder the Listener gets on so well with him," Alval spits. He sounds so angry... it takes Banus a moment to figure out the real reason behind it all.
"I'm not attracted to him, Uvani."
Alval is good at hiding his emotions – sure he looks tense, but then he always looks tense, and it can be difficult to interpret what's going on behind that frown. But Banus is better at reading him than most, and he sees the slight shift in posture that tells him he's hit the nail on the head. "Never said you were," the mer mutters lowly.
"You think I am, though," Banus reaffirms, trying not to sound too upset. He doesn't want Uvani to get defensive or they'll never work this out.
"You're entitled to ogle whoever you like. It isn't like I can stop you," Alval crosses his arms over his chest, getting defensive anyway, "I'm sure he gets ogled all the time. Tall, dark, handsome. Plenty of people go for that sort of thing."
"It's not really for me." Uvani is shorter than he is, lighter in both skin and hair than he is, and... well, Banus thinks he looks good, but he has to admit that it isn't a conventional handsomeness.
"You didn't exactly struggle when he had you pinned," Uvani accuses at last.
"He had my arms locked behind my back. If I'd pulled away they would have snapped," he points out patiently, "Maybe I'm in the minority here, but physical restraint isn't the way to my heart," he pauses when he replays the other elf's words, "You really were watching from the start? Why didn't you step in right away?"
"I wanted to, but I thought I'd see what he did first. Setting him on fire wouldn't have been much help, however satisfying." His tone turns tentative; "You're really not attracted to him at all? In any way?"
"Not in the slightest."
"I can't be like him, you know. All charming and suave, able to just... waltz into a room and wow everyone there."
"And then he'd butcher them all afterwards," Alor answers gently, "He takes pleasure in violence."
"So do I."
"It's different. You like using Destruction magic on people who deserve it, but he... he could torture someone for hours until they begged to die, and he'd love every second of it. He's not right in the head."
"Plenty of people in the Dark Brotherhood aren't right in the head, Banus, you and I included."
"But we're not like that. We know who we are," he moves closer to his Speaker now he knows it's safe to do so, trails his hands along the ashen-skinned jaw, "We're not sinners pretending to be saints."
He knows he's finally gotten through when Uvani returns his embrace, clutching him close just as he likes it – they're good at this by now. He wraps his arms securely around the man and nuzzles into his fire-vibrant hair, before murmuring into one elfin ear: "You've no reason to be jealous. I only want to belong to you."
Uvani holds him tighter.