I thought this would be the last chapter, I was wrong. 1 more. Let me know what you think and encourage me to work on the last chapter. No beta, so pretty raw.

Shaking blood from her dagger, Lana stepped onto the porch of the Applewatch farm and took a bite out of a sweet roll. The old woman she'd killed had baked a fresh batch and with the rest of her family being murdered, she saw no need to waste good food. Four out of the six rolls were gone and Lana looked out onto the farm, feeling no hurry to flee, as the remote location would give her plenty of time before the body would be discovered.

As she surveyed the growing crops she thought of her wish to have a home with Lucien. From here it was half a day walk to the city, they could live comfortably while hiding who they really were. In her heart she imagined children and crossed her arms over herself to push back the joy that rose up. Killers didn't settle in farmsteads and make time to tend crops and walk to town but the dream felt nice. Stepping inside the snatched the last two rolls and began walking towards the place she'd tied up her horse.

A short ride and she'd be with Lucien again, a tangled mess of arms and kisses. They relished the short time between contracts, before she had to go into town and give a day between them until she went to pick up her dead drop. The arrangement seemed cold and cruel in its own way but when she'd joined the Brotherhood she'd given up ordinary things. Serving Sithis and becoming part of The Void would be her reward.

When they met he sat at his desk for an hour tending to the tedium of his position. She tried to distract herself with a book, stealing glances at her handsome lover over the top of the pages. In these moments she lived in anticipation, every cell in her body in tune with the electricity of him. Shifting in his seat, running his fingers through his hair, licking his lips, dipping his pen in the inkwell, she felt all of these things as if she were doing them. Every action made by Lucien a prelude to his touch.

When at last his soft hands fell on her back she rolled into him. Like waves they churned up each other's sediment, mixing sand and fluids together as they fell together in a soft union of kisses. His lips were dry, her lips were moist, balancing each other as he heaved into her. No words. Nothing needed to be expressed except for air. That she had ever doubted him made her ill and she sometimes considered punishing her body for such a wicked thought.

Days later she emerged in the morning light, riding the horse into town and falling collapsed on the bed in the little house she'd been able to afford. One night she'd woken up with Lucien standing over her bed. He'd swopped down on her taken her swiftly before leaving to make the drop. Every time she lay down she looked at the ceiling and relived the hasty passion of it. The strong muscles in his shoulders played across her fingers, her mind recalling how they shifted as he moved against her, already knowing the rhythm that would send her over the edge and adhering to it until she lay spent and worn out.

Tonight she doubted she could do it, sheets alone feeling heavy on her body. Why riding a horse had exhausted her so much felt confusing and she rubbed her face to try to overcome it. Sleep soon caught up to her and she left her house later than she would have liked. The exhaustion followed, leaving her ready for a nap by the time she'd reached the drop.

Pulling the paper from the urn she sighed as she read the name, letting the clay vessel fall and smash to the floor. "Fucking Khajiit's."

The idea of killing a cat-kin both incited and annoyed her. Without thinking she rubbed the scars on her shoulder from her ex-lover's bite and pushed aside the resentment she'd developed for his gesture. Lifting herself back up on the horse, she straightened up and then felt a strange nausea move over her body. As if he could sense it, Shadowmere shifted underneath her, his skin jerking as if he were stuffed full of rats. Her revulsion at the creepy horse had been long overcome, so she patted him and tried to calm the animal.

"Easy, boy. Easy. It's going to be a long ride to Bruma and I'm going to need you to go easy on me, okay?"

A raspy neighing came from the beast as he began to trot forward at an easy pace. Lana's eyes rolled in her head and she wondered if she were growing sick. Perhaps she'd banish the horse and take a carrage part of the way so she could rest. As if he could read her mind the horse stumbled a little and jostled her back into reality. Annoyed, she pulled on his reigns, slowing him even more. If she went this slow there would be no seeing Lucien between this and the next contract. It wouldn't be the first time but she always tried to lessen the time apart.

Rumor had it that J'Ghasta boxed in underground competitions. The lowly act of black market fighting made Lana feel emboldened to finish her contract. She served Sithis and The Night Mother, her acts of murder a holy tribute, prize fighters were thugs drawing blood with no appreciation for life. In her heart she knew life to be scared and took it with a zest that did the Dark God justice. The added excuse brought confidence and made her work easier despite the increasing need for sleep and food.

She combined her disgust for the cat-kin with the annoyance that his distance would keep her from seeing her lover between contracts and used it to motivate her to get up in the middle of the night an sneak into his house. Inside J'Ghasta sat on the edge of his bed, unwrapping boxing tape from his paws. As she crept through the shadows she kept an eye on his ear, wincing when it twitched in her direction.

"I don't recall inviting anyone into my house."

Without saying a word she pulled her dagger and crept closer. Seeming to sense the danger J'Ghasta stood on his feet swiftly and turned around. A look of shock filled his features, confusing her as she dove forward and shoved the blade into his chest. The pleasure of the kill began to override her tiredness, piqued by an exhaled groan from her victim. "I'm a finger of…" his last words.

Standing over his body, she began to think his pattern familiar. Nervously she studied his face and realized she'd seen him before, months ago, speaking to Lucien after one of her kills. The word finger slapped her in the face as an uneasy realization filled her. Feeling anxiety and despair she began to search through his things, starting with a chest of drawers and then moving over to a trunk.

Inside the old chest she found a black hood and outfit like hers. The fabric gave off an oily sheen in the candle light she knew belonged to enchanted items. Brotherhood armor, no doubt. Had J'Ghasta been the name of Lucien's contact? Did he keep these clothes for needy members of the Brotherhood, serving another faction like the Thieves Guild? The possibilities made her skin crawl. In her heart she yelled out for her lover to come speak with her, let her know she'd done the right thing but she knew he'd want her to follow orders and get the next drop.

Uneasy, she stepped outside of the Khajiit's house and made her way to the inn. Her sleep came in spasm's, the look on J'Ghasta's eyes haunting her as she tried to rest. Twisting inside of her stomach brought her an uneasy pain and she cried out, wanting to rest but unable to find respite. Tired of laying down she moved to a basin and poured cool water on a rag, then pressed it to her face. Moving back to the bed she lay down and readjusted the cloth.

In this instant she remembered a song her father used to sing and began to hum it to herself. Feeling encouraged by the gesture she continued to hum, the twisting in her stomach calming. For a brief second she could remember the feeling of her mother's fingers running along her scalp, relaxing her into sleep. Before she drifted off she thought she heard insane laughter from the street and smelled Deathbells.

The Lucky Old Lady still stood in Bravil, smiling down on her as her children danced about her feet. The statue still called to Lana but she didn't feel her blessing this time. A cold wind blew from across the clearing and smelled vaguely of rot and filled her with doubt. Closing her eyes she tried to expel the cloy must from her nostrils but found it lingered in her hair as she paced the city looking for her target.

Ungolm had paid the guard to ignore a fight if she came for them. Because of this she walked boldly in the street, waiting for the Bosmer to reveal himself. As soon as she stepped away from the statue a whisking sound moved through the air towards her and an arrow landed near her ankle. A second passed before she realized what happened and rolled out of the way, another arrow flying and catching her arm just enough to slice the flesh open.

Cursing she found repast behind a rock, another arrow landing where her foot would have been. She couldn't be sure but it felt like Ungolm had been shooting to stop her, not kill. Excited by the fight, yet wanting it to be over quickly so she could rest, Lana crept around the rock and moved along the eve of a house. The streets stood barren and empty, the townsfolk having evacuated after warning her target, probably.

Moving up hill, she used the occasional ping of the bow to figure out where the archer had hidden. Finally she caught sight up him near a tree, pulling a bead on an old woman who had stepped out to gather her laundry. Good, he wasn't sure where she'd moved to. Relief swept Lana as she pulled a small knife and tried to gauge the window. Her hand lifted and the blade made contact in the Mer's eye, right as another body crashed into hers and flung her to the ground.

Struggling with her attacker she winced as he grabbed her sore arm and rolled on top of her. Looking up she caught the face of Lucien, staring back at her with a powerful rage. "What have you done? Why? Why would you betray me?"

Shock filled her entire body and tears streamed down her eyes. How could he say such a thing? Before she could ask she saw his anger melt and he scooped her up in his arms, kissing the crown of her head. "By Sithis, you didn't do it. I can tell by that look you had no idea. Oh Gods Lana. Gods. You killed the Listener and you had no idea."

Crying harder now she grabbed him tight, her brain unable to comprehend the situation. "Ungolm was the Listener? How? How could this be? The Night Mother wouldn't allow this?"

"Yes." The confession held a sadness in it she couldn't handle and her tears fell harder.

"I'm sorry."

"You killed J'Ghasta, a Speaker and one of my old friends. You'd met him before and I couldn't comprehend why you'd do it. Why you would say you loved me and then betray me. I know now, someone is interfering with the Dead Drops, someone is using you to hurt me and destroy the Dark Brotherhood. We have to find out why."

Movement to their right signaled that the guards were growing antsy and Ungolm's bribe wouldn't hold them off much longer. Helping Lana up, he pulled her close to him and together they moved towards the Inn. Buying a room the settled in on the bed without any of the passion they'd held previously, instead they clung to each other as if the world would fall apart if one let go.

Laying on top of the sheets, she stirred from the comforting nook of his arm and looked in his sad brown eyes. "Why?"

"I don't know."

Despair, something she hadn't imagined ever seeing in him. The Brotherhood had become their family and loss unavoidable but if she had to guess she'd say the higher-ups like her lover took comfort in their less riskier position. As she began to lean against him darkness threatened to overtake her, the image of the Lucky Old Lady holding in her mind, inviting her to enjoy the stillness of sleep.

"Tomorrow you'll go to the drop." Lucien's decision stirred her from rest. Nodding her head she listened as he worked out his plan, wanting to sleep more than she wanted to discuss this right now. "You have to act like nothing happened but get to the Dead Drop early. Catch the person delivering it and find out who is behind this."

Hoping to calm him into sleep she lifted herself up and placed a kiss on his temple. The skin there felt soft and loose and she enjoyed the feeling. "We'll go in the morning."

"No, you need to do it alone."

Trying not to feel hurt she looked up at him. His eyes met hers with determination and she knew she shouldn't argue. Rubbing her hands on his stomach she could feel him relax under her touch. "I want to go with you, but we can't startle this guy away. Plus, I have my own leads to follow up. We'll meet in two days time at the place where you finished your kill on the family. I know you'd wanted a house for us so I cleaned it up as a surprise. I'm sorry to tell you like this."

Managing a chuckle, she smiled as he laced her fingers into hers, stilling her hand. "We can still live there."

His turn to chuckle. "I know. I wanted to tell you under better circumstances. We'll always have Fort Farragut but I want to watch you sleep as the silver moonlight plays through your fiery hair."

"To bad it's a new moon tonight."

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Words of love exchanged, she'd parted from Lucien early in the morning. Leaving him hurt more than she'd like, the entire thing punctuated by the ache she felt in her body from the lack of sleep. She'd beat the traitor to the Dead Drop by several hours and lay in the warm grass near the sun. From her sheath she took the dagger Lucien had given her when she first joined the Brotherhood. The black handle had a strange inlay she'd yet to see on another dagger.

Her distraction paid off when the sound of feet filled her ears. From her hiding position she watched as a small man placed a familiar looking jar near a shrub. Turning to see if anyone had noticed him she stood and moved up behind him so when his head turned she suddenly came into view. As predicted the man jumped and she used his alarm to trip him.

With the unsheathed blade she'd been given for her first kill, she threatened the man, who rolled beneath her and simpered. "Who are you and why have you been giving me orders to kill the wrong people?"

"Mara preserve, you're with the Dark Brotherhood. I knew this guy paid to well to be on the up and up."

"You're not the one tampering with the jars?"

"No, I swear." The truth smelled of piss and fear.

"If you didn't do it, who did?"

"The man in the Anvil lighthouse. He pays me to do it. I would never knowingly interfere with the Dark Brotherhood. Oh Gods, please let me leave."

Blinking at the man beneath her Lana debated what to do next. Of course the traitor would be clever. For a moment she debated if she should kill the courier or let him go. His simpering assured her he'd be afraid to ever reveal her description to another but on the other hand her family were already in danger enough.

Using her legs to pin the struggling man, she raised her blade. "For Sithis." The steel slid in as if it wanted to kill and the body beneath her grew stiller. Blood trickled out of the corner of her mouth as she lifted up to stab again, puncturing his corpse with every driven moment of eroticism and tension she could muster. Exhausted, she slumped down on the body, letting the blood cling to her clothes.

For a moment she imagined sleeping like this, sucking the warmth from the corpse until it grew to cold and stiff to be comfortable. At the same moment the urgency in Lucien's words filled her brain and she pulled her body up slowly. Muscles feeling as if they were made of angry putty, she swept her hand and summoned her horse. The black steed appeared from his pool of tar and darkness, whinnying at her sight.

Quickly they rode along the edge of Anvil, to the lighthouse. Using a lock pick she'd bought off a thief she unlocked the first floor of the place, moving around a clean home, to cheery and open to hide anything dark. Frustrated she crept downwards, walking around the parameter looking for anything that would give her a clue what to do next.

In frustration she kicked a rock, which flew through the air and landed against a pair of wood doors. Curious, she moved towards the cellar entrance, noticing a worn path in the grass leading to the paved road. Leaning down she picked the lock, pulling back the cellar door, releasing a torrent of flies. Next a bad smell forced its way up from the bellowing hell below, hitting her in the face and forcing the contents of her stomach out onto the ground.

Every time she came near the hole, the vomiting resumed. The smell seemed more potent and sickening than she should be but the need to help Lucien drove her to attempt again. Standing on the edge of the doors she braced herself and tried to take a step, the odor once again reaching her nose making her ill. By now she'd attracted the attention of the lighthouse keeper and a female Mer, who both ran to her aide.

"What's wrong miss?" The old Nord asked before his nose turned up and he faced the Mer.

The night elf lifted Lana and moved her away from her sick and the cellar doors. The woman rubbed her back, helping with the convulsing and saying some kind of magic chant. Feeling relieved she looked up at the dark skinned elf with a look of thanks, bringing a smile from her purple hued lips.

"This isn't a safe place for a pregnant woman."

The words hit Lana with the same pain and precision Lucien had when he thought she'd conspired against the Listener. "I'm not pregnant."

This amused the Mer. "My magic never lies. You're nose is working better because of the baby. I suspect you've been tired and sluggish as well. You really should rest more, it will only get rougher from here."

"I'm pregnant," she repeated. In her heart she knew the truth of it. "I still have to go down there."

"No one needs to go down there," The Nord interjected. "I knew I shouldn't have rented the room to that hooded freak. It looks like he's slaughtered half the animals in Anvil and left them to rot. I'm going to go get the magistrate and sort this out."

"No you won't." Both the dark elf and the Nord stared at her curiously. "It's business."

"What business would make someone want to go down in that hell hole."

"The Dark Brotherhood's."

Neither said anything. The Mer stood slowly, letting Lana catch her footing and joining the Nord at his side. "That spell should fortify you for the next thirty minutes, if you're serious about going down there."

The couple's revulsion at her confession failed to draw anything from her but contempt. Looking down at the hole, she could hear the crawling of insects and smell the rank odor of death. Turning back to look at the Nord, he shrugged. "Don't want no trouble anyways. Get what you need and get out. I'll pay someone to keep my secret once you're good and gone."

Satisfied with his vow of silence, she stepped down into the darkness, allowing time for her eyes to adjust. In the corner she heard the growling of a dog. Certain this couldn't be a good sign, she drew her dagger and sunk it into the animal's forehead as soon as it moved towards her. The creature seemed emaciated, with pieces of its skin missing from the sides.

All around her stacked piles of rotted meat and bones. The insects she heard, moved within remains as if they were waves on a shore. Frustrated by the strangeness of it she moved to the back, stopping at a table with a mummified head on it and a plaque beneath it saying, "Mother."

Next to the head sat a journal of leather made from questionable skin. With an unsure hand Lana grabbed the book and turned through the pages, reading the ramblings of a mad man. It seemed as a boy the man's Mother had been killed by Lucien and he had joined the Dark Brotherhood on a quest for revenge. Most disturbing were the pages about how he'd turned Lucien's Silencer and lover against him. Plenty of pages were dedicated to how he'd convince her to betray her lover, claiming her as his prize in a long played revenge scenario.

Placing the journal in her bag, Lana fought back more of her sickness and ran towards the steps. In the open she gasped for the clean air, trying to expel the horrible stench from her nostrils. Waving her hand she summoned Shadowmere and rode off towards Applewatch, in hope's she'd intercept Lucien before the revenged maddened murderer did.