Near the end now! There should be one, maybe two chapters after this.

Unfortunately Enthralled – chapter twenty

A few weeks later, Uvani returns to Leyawiin a little earlier than usual, and catches Banus picking mushrooms in the wetlands. "What are you doing?" he hisses.

"Uvani?" Banus looks up, surprised, but happily so. "My alchemy supplies are running low."

Not surprising, given how many potions the younger mer has been making lately. It keeps him busy and focused while Uvani is away and so he doesn't discourage it, but... "I gave you specific instructions to stay indoors, or at least inside Leyawiin. Why didn't you just go to the shop?"

"Why pay for something I can harvest freely?"

"A small price for safety. Come with me, it's dangerous out here."

"The Oblivion gates aren't a threat anymore, someone came by and closed them all," Banus tells him and then, infuriatingly, goes back to his gathering, "There's still bloodgrass growing around the remains, but the daedra are gone."

"And what about the traitor?"

A pause, "What about him? Last I checked, you weren't too concerned."

Oh, so that's how it is. Uvani grits his teeth to keep from snapping. "I can defend myself better than you."

"But I can still fight well enough to become a Silencer."

Bloody defiance. "You're limited by your reluctance to leave marks. One moment of hesitancy could cost you your life."

"Well, there's plenty of water around here to drown him in."

Bloody defiance! Where's he's learned this stubbornness, Uvani doesn't know. "Banus," he says as patiently as he's able – which is to say, not very. "Can we please go indoors?"

The fact that he's asking and not demanding seems to alert Banus to just how tense Uvani is. "What's wrong?" he asks softly, "Did something happen? You weren't – you weren't attacked, were you?"

"I'll explain when we're in private. Anyone could listen in here."

Finally, Banus follows him back to their house in Leyawiin, clutching at the half-empty supplies bag in his hands. After all the caution he took while collecting, he carelessly tosses it aside once they're through the front door, greater concerns on his mind. "Did the traitor come after you?"

"Not me. Shaleez." At the nonplussed expression, Alval explains: "Ungolim's Silencer. She was lying low in a cave armed to the teeth. Another assassin went to check on her and found the traitor had got there first."

If the situation wasn't serious before, it has increased tenfold now. Silencers are the Brotherhood's best assassins, but being the Listener's Silencer demands an even higher standard. She was hidden, she was prepared... and unlike Banus, she had no aversion to spilling blood. It makes Uvani acutely aware of how very vulnerable his protégé is.

"Only the inner circle of the Black Hand knew where she was hiding, which narrows the list of suspects," he continues, "But whoever had this information must also know about all of us, including you. Which is why it is imperative you stay within the city walls, you you understand? Don't even leave the house unless you have to."

"But... if hiding didn't help Shaleez-"

"She was in a cave, alone. At least here you can lead the traitor into the streets, call for help – that is, if the traitor comes for you." It was too dangerous not to plan for it. The traitor was obviously picking the Black Hand off one by one, but there was no pattern to it, no way to discern who would be next. But he couldn't shake the paranoia that they would come here, that Banus would wind up like the other victims. He hadn't seen Shaleez' body, but if it had looked anything like J'Ghasta's, it had not been a merciful death.

No. He wouldn't let that happen to Banus. His entire life had revolved around looking out for himself – no-one had ever helped him, why should he help other people? – but if there was one person worth protecting, no matter the cost...

"I'll stay inside," Banus tells him quietly, "But I want you to do the same."

"I can't. The Black Hand is falling apart, someone has to hold it together."

"But why you? Everyone else is going into hiding, there's no point in trying to save face. Please, stay with me."

He looks away uncomfortably, "I don't like being stuck in one place, Banus. You know that."

"Then let me travel with you, at least."

"I can't do that." Too dangerous for Banus, out in the wilderness. It would also leave his house unguarded for others to break into, find his carefully-hidden Black Hand robes. But then, others could also break in and find Banus; at best, Banus would have to kill someone and alert the authorities. At worst, Banus could be...

"So I have to stay here and watch you leave every Morndas, knowing I might never see you again?" and before Uvani can open his mouth, Banus adds: "I know you can defend yourself. So could J'Ghasta. So could Shaleez."

"I'll think about it." At Banus' disappointed look, he amends, "I will, I'll work out a way to keep us both safe. You'll see."

That evening, Uvani works something out.

Banus is right. Not about Alval risking death and danger every day, as he seems to think, but Shaleez' death calls attention to the fact that leaving Alor in hiding won't protect him. In fact, as long as the other elf is alone and without Uvani to vigilantly watch over him, he is danger. Leyawiin would provide some safety in that it's quiet and unremarkable, a good place to lie low. But that presents it's own problem, people here are so busy lying low that they wouldn't help a lone Dunmer being pursued through the streets; in fact with the heavy rain and mist that often shrouds the place, they probably wouldn't even be able to see him. A mist that would hide the traitor as he approached Banus in the streets, drawing his knife and-

He clenches the arm of his chair so tight he thinks the wood might splinter, white-knuckled from the pressure. Banus can't stay here, especially because the traitor undoubtedly knows just where he is. But nor can he leave Banus hiding somewhere remote, alone. They both need to move elsewhere, somewhere nobody knows, not even the Black Hand. Especially not the Black Hand.

He has to leave the Brotherhood.

He's old enough – by assassin standards anyway – to call for a retirement, but you need to give plenty of notice, and he doubts Ungolim will let him off that easily. Plus, the Brotherhood is for life, if you're not an assassin you're a contact, still part of the web, still in danger. No, he needs to disappear without warning, without any indication where he might be so no-one can come looking for him. Perhaps it's cowardly; in fact, his pride fiercely protests against the idea of running away. But then, he isn't doing it for himself.

He and Banus can start a new life elsewhere, doing something small and mundane that earns them enough to get by without attracting any attention. It wouldn't be a particularly exciting life, but frankly he's had enough excitement to last him two lifetimes, and the innumerable frown lines on his face seem to agree. Besides, Banus would be safe, that's the important thing.

The mer in question headed upstairs earlier to rest, after Uvani asked to be alone. He suspects Alor tried to stay awake for him, but it's well past midnight now, and he'll be asleep. Now that Uvani has come to his conclusions, he can slip into bed next to him and then, in the morning, tell him of the plan. They can be gone by the afternoon, off to somewhere they won't be recognised by the Brotherhood or persecuted for being Dunmer; Morrowind fits both of those quota, but Uvani left there years ago and he doesn't intend to go back. Maybe Valenwood or Hammerfell, they'll discuss it tomorrow. But before turning in for the night, there's one more thing he needs to think over...

He reaches into his pocket, withdraws the small object, smooth underneath his fingers. He bought it on impulse after hearing about Shaleez' death, but now he isn't so sure. Of course, he would just pass it off as a simple gift, but the implications are obvious. He doesn't know how Banus will react to it – favourably, he presumes, but in its own way that's even more daunting. He always strives to speak his mind, but he's never had to say anything like this before. Then again, there's never been anyone like Banus before. And there probably never will be again, if he doesn't seize the opportunity now.

He sighs tiredly, closing his fingers over the object, hiding it away in the palm of his hand. A last drink, and then to bed. He gropes blindly for the bottle on the table next to him, raises it to his lips, drinks deeply.

And tastes honey.

His eyes snap open, but it's too late, he can already feel allergic paralysis spread through his body. His limbs tighten and petrify, welding him uselessly to his chain. And then, from behind him, an invisibility spell breaks as someone reaches over, plucking the bottle of mead from his unresisting hand.

"Good evening," a voice by his ear says pleasantly.

She moves in front of him with the leisurely, arrogant pace of someone who knows she has all the time in the world. He knew it already, but her Brotherhood attire confirms it – the traitor. Her hood obscures most of her face, but he can still make out the upwards curve of her lips.

"Filthy guttersnipe," he spits out while he still has use of his mouth, since he can feel the paralysis creeping up there too, "You won't get away with this! By Sithis, if I could only move my arms I'd rip that smile right off your face!"

"Quiet, please," she hushes him, not at all fazed by his threat, "You will wake the man upstairs..."

Banus. Banus will come running to save him if alerted. He opens his mouth to do just that-

"...And then I will have to kill him."

-Then snaps it shut again. She can kill Banus, there's no doubt about that. She's taken out J'Ghasta and Shaleez and countless others. She would kill Banus too, there's no hint of hesitation in her tone. She enjoys killing and maiming; he recalls the bloodied state the others were found in, barely recognisable. The thought of Banus ending up the same way makes his stomach turn... no, he must stay silent. To wake the boy would be a death sentence.

"Playing the self sacrifice, are we? How interesting," the woman comments, "The wife wasn't quite right then, he eloped with a man instead of another woman. Not that it makes any difference, I suppose."

He frowns, confused. Wife? Who's wife? Before he can suss out whether she is deliberately trying to confuse him, she goes on:

"Right about the honey thing, though... a quick knife to the ribs would have been simpler, but I wanted to savour the moment," there sounded the slow, metallic scrape of a knife being drawn, the blade glinting wickedly in the firelight. It looks oddly familiar, though he can't think why. "And I will savour it. Usually I have to knock them unconscious before I start cutting, and that's just no fun at all."

He'd snap and snarl back, but his allergies catch up with him, locking his jaw in place. He could still make a wordless scream that would carry upstairs, but he can already picture the disastrous outcome: Banus split-second hesitance to draw blood, more than enough time for the woman to gut him. It is his greatest weaknesses, just as honey – and being stupid enough to drink without sniffing it first – is Uvani's. Now he cannot struggle, cannot cast spells, cannot even speak to stall her until the paralysis wears off. He cannot even shudder as he drags the very tip of the dagger over his skin, blood welling up in its wake. He's definitely seen the design somewhere before, the intricate black handle inlaid with gold. If he can just remember, he'll have some clue as to who the traitor is.

Wait.

Lachance.

He can't remember when it was precisely, but he's seen the Imperial idly playing with an identical dagger before. What had he called it...? Blade of Woe or something equally melodramatic. He must have gifted this to her then, which means... this is Lachance's Silencer, the only surviving member of the Cheydinhal Purification. Laughable, that it should kill everyone except the traitor herself, or at least it might be laughable were he not about to die. As it stands he's terrified, which he focuses into raw anger because he will not die cowering and whimpering. He focuses what little magic he can access into a spell – not to hurt her, he knows it wouldn't succeed, but to leave a message for the rest of the Black Hand when they... when they find him. At least then his death won't be completely meaningless.

There is triumph in his eyes as he meets her gaze, unflinching in the face of death; he will not give her the satisfaction of fear. Not even as she trails her knife up his arm and shoulder, a continuous, seam-like scar that will be the first of many to come. She finishes the trail at his lips so he can taste his own blood.

"What a proud creature you are. I wonder how long that will last?" she murmurs silkily. "Remember not to scream. I'd rather not kill the man upstairs, but witnesses are witnesses."

He will protect Banus, no matter the cost, even if that cost is his own life. For the rest of the night, he is silent.