Notes: Cynn is pronounced as "Sin". Just so you know. x'D
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When she didn't receive a response, she asked again; "How do you know what I am?" Her voice was but a snarl on the wind. After she had defeated Alduin, she had promised herself a life of power, a life of neither the Blades or the Graybeards. A life of the Dark Brotherhood, a life of serving Sithis and the Night Mother.
And that was what she had done. She had vowed she would no longer be a savior; rather, she would be the bringer of death. Both of her names were known across Skyrim; the name of the Dragonslayer, "Amaranth"; and the name of the Assassin, "Cynn".
"It was just a wild guess. I thought your face looked familiar…Back in Helgen, you remember? I never meant to startle you so…"
"Never meant to?" She growled, her eyes glaring at him with hatred. "Think next time before you call me that. If there is a next time. I may have to kill you now."
"You don't have to kill me. I swear that I haven't told anybody who you are, and never will. I have a rebellion to run, you know."
"Yes, yes, mighty Ulfric, I have heard of your achievements." She said spitefully. "You are a fool to come here alone. You must really want Tullius dead. I suppose…I suppose I will let you go, for now."
"Thank you, Cynn. I will now take my leave." He said, stepping around her after she didn't move out of the way. Cynn didn't look at him as he left. She was too busy trying to calm herself. Perhaps…perhaps she just needed to kill somebody.
And Tullius was the perfect candidate.
With small, quick breaths, she hurried down the hidden tunnel to the Sanctuary, emerging in her room. After closing the rock wall behind her, she left her room, and searched for Nazir.
She very nearly told Nazir where she was going, but stopped herself just in time. "Nazir, I'll be away for a few days. Look after everyone for me, will you?"
"Of course, Listener. Just be back before the end of the week, we need you to receive contracts. Might I ask where you are going?"
"Just taking a bit of a break. You heard me screaming in my sleep earlier, didn't you?"
"Er…"He looked a little uncomfortable. "Yes, yes I did. I suppose a break would be helpful to you, wouldn't it?"
"Yes, it would. Thank you, Nazir, my brother. Hopefully I won't be gone for too long." She murmured, half to herself. She prayed to the Night Mother that she wouldn't somehow meet her end on this contract. She wasn't yet ready to meet Sithis.
And without another word to another soul, she left the Sanctuary through the regular exit, hoping that nobody would see her and start spreading rumours that "Somebody had emerged from the dreaded black door!"
She crept around the back of a large rock wall on the side of the beach, and found Shadowmere there. With a small grunt she mounted the horse, and the moment her heels brushed Shadowmere's sides, the horse took off at a steady trot.
She was off to Solitude.
xXxXxXxXx
She was only half way to Marthol when she felt the sting of loneliness. She was only a few hours into her travels, but it was starting to feel like forever. With a small smile, she realized that she wasn't alone. At least, not for long.
At once, she stopped Shadowmere and held out her hand, open palmed, to the west. She whispered a few silent words and summoned Lucien LaChance, Speaker for the Black Hand long ago.
He appeared in a sphere of blue and purple lightning, his transparent blue body standing out against the cold setting behind him.
"Shadowmere, my old and dear friend." He greeted Shadowmere, walking up to the horse and placing a spectral hand on his muzzle.
"Oh, and the Listener of the Brotherhood, too. My, isn't this a treat?"
"Lucien." Cynn greeted her spectral assassin. "How are things in the Void?" She asked politely.
"They are well. Sithis is pleased with what you have made of the Brotherhood. You are a good Listener."
"And…what does he think of my current contract?" She asked uncertainly, slightly afraid of the answer.
"Sithis does not appreciate you keeping this, 'contract' from the Brotherhood, but a kill is a kill, and he respects that." Lucien said without emotion.
"You mean he's not angry with me?"
"Our Dread Father's feelings about you are his own. I cannot delve that far into the Void." Lucien said. "Now, why did you summon me? I don't see any threats about…"
"Oh, I was just feeling lonely." She replied honestly. "And you're the only one I can really talk to right now."
Lucien didn't respond, he simply smiled.
xXxXxXxXx
They did not rest in Marthol; rather, they just went around it. Cynn often found it was easier to just avoid contact with common people altogether.
It was nearly morning, Cynn observed. And they were only halfway to Solitude.
"This is too slow." She said aloud. "Hey, Lucien, why don't you hop up behind me on Shadowmere? Then we can go as fast as we please."
"Of course, Listener." Lucien said, and instantly he was behind her, his cold, dead hands gripping her waist, thought she hardly felt it, as he was but a ghost.
They took off, galloping down the road, Marthol behind them. As they drew closer and closer to Solitude, the climate got steadily colder, but Cynn didn't mind. She was used to it, exceptionally used to it for a Wood Elf.
Even Shadowmere neglected to show signs of either fatigue or coldness. Cynn pondered how old this horse was…After all, it had come out of a frothing black pool of bubbles, which wasn't normal horse birth at all. And then Lucien, an ancient Speaker for the black hand, seemed to know the horse.
Perhaps the horse isn't really alive at all…
They made it to Solitude in record time, but by the time they got there, it was dusk.
"So, how do you plan on slaughtering this pig, Tullius?" Lucien asked curiously, once they were alone in a room of an Inn just inside Solitude.
"Without much effort. I'm going to simply kill him in his sleep. Ulfric didn't mention how I'm supposed to kill him…I'm going to be lazy about it."
"How original. How ingenious." Lucien commented with a smirk.
"Are you suggesting I should do something more complicated?" Cynn asked.
"What's a kill if it's not challenging?" Lucien asked innocently.
"I expect it should be difficult to sneak into the Barracks…"
"Not difficult enough." Lucien scoffed in reply.
"What, do you want me to just kill him in front of all his people?"
"That's exactly what I want you to do." Lucien said. Cynn could hear the pleasure in his voice.
"Really? What good would that do? I'm a professional assassin, not some petty killer."
"What's the difference? I say you should make an example of him. Nobody will want to oppose the Stormcloaks if you kill their leader in full view of everyone…"
"The Brotherhood already has a reputation. A good one. For killing the Emperor. I'm not going to mess that up."
"Fine, do what you want. I just don't think you should kill him so effortlessly."
"Alright, alright, I'll do it your way."
"Wonderful. I'll be watching. I expect you won't need me on this contract, so I'll be taking my leave now." He said, his transparent frame fading in the air. Cynn scowled at where he had been. She was beginning to prefer loneliness to having Lucien around.
"Alright, Cynn, let's get this over with." She told herself, pulling on some normal clothes over her light armour.
And then, leaving no sign that she had ever been at the inn, she left, her skirt billowing behind her as she exited the front door of the inn.