A/N Hey guys, so this is the next chapter, I hope you enjoy it :D and I was wondering if someone would be able to help me figure out what are the ranks of people(for example… what's the rank of Mathieu Bellamont in the Dark Brotherhood? And other people XD) because whenever I research it, my sources say other stuff …Anwho, enough shennanigans... one with the story!

Chapter 4: Advantage

"A sound sleep indeed…" Lucien muttered as he stared at the figure before him. Her breathing was steady yet the troubled look on her face belied her composure. The speaker smirked. He did not know nor did he care enough to try and comprehend why he felt himself obligated to do so. Time was of the essence at the moment and such trivial matter could wait. At present, he had a job to do. For the first time in a long time, the Cheydinhal speaker reached out to wake her. Normally, he would have waited for a person to wake up on their own, yet considering how exhausted she was and the lack of time he had on his part, he had to make an exemption.

At the moment of contact, she darted upwards into a sitting position. A gasp escaped her lips, as she saw him and on instinct, she tried to reach for the dagger beside her. It was gone. Her armor, her weapons it was put nicely away on the desk in far corner of the room. It was then that she remembered that she was half naked, yet that did not stop her from lunging at Lucien. As she was in midair, she managed to wrap the blanket around her self and close a hand into a fist. The speaker on the other hand merely sidestepped when she got too close and her fist collided with the desk behind him. As her weapons fell with a clang, a hiss escaped her lips yet she attempted to charge at the Speaker once again. However, this time he caught her hand and spun her around easily. In one fluid motion, he unsheathed the Blade of Woe and placed it by her neck.

"You sleep rather soundly for a murderer" he whispered his sarcastic comment by her ear.

"Dark Brotherhood, what do you want?" she asked not once losing the edge in her tone. She looked back to see his features and their eyes held one another's. For a moment, Lucien forgot the reason why he was even here as he stared into her black irises. They were like swirling pools of dark energy and despite how ridiculous it sounded, they were filled with… emptiness. She was the one to break eye contact and as she turned away from him, time seemed to speed up.

Lucien disregarded his previous thoughts and pressed his blade deeper into her throat.

"I am Lucien Lachance, one of the five Speakers of the Dark Brotherhood" He said ignoring her question. He waited for a reply for a snide remark perhaps, yet she remained quiet and shivering in his embrace. Shivering? Perhaps it was the cold…

"The Dark Brotherhood has been watching you as you spill the blood of the innocent and we come to you now with an offer" He said. She made no answer once again yet surprisingly she seemed to lean closer to him. Lucien regarded this sudden change with suspicion yet looked it over when she seemed to relax once again. Perhaps, it truly is the cold. He thought briefly

"I have come to extend to you our rather unique family. All you must do is go to the Inn of Ill Omen and there you will find a man named Rufio--"

"I want no part in your family" she interrupted suddenly, disdain apparent in her voice. Lucien smirked at her reaction and for a second he remembered all their brothers and sisters who had died by her hand. How easy it would be to slit her throat right now yet no, he had to practice restraint.

"You want to kill me, don't you?" she asked yet his only reply was silence. She sighed in amusement and it seemed that she was now totally oblivious to the knife by her throat.

"I can see it in your eyes and by your actions. You want to slit my throat, right here, right now. So what's stopping you?" she provoked him as she looked back. A smirk grazed her lips and that was almost enough to snap the Speaker's patience. With a derogative sigh, Lucien loosened his hold on her. He pushed her gently back onto the bed and she fell without much of a complaint. On the other hand, she had felt a cold energy surge throughout her body, leaving her numb and immobile. The bastard paralyzed me. She thought to herself as she landed on the plush mattress. Her hands still kept a tight hold on the blanket yet, unfortunately, she knew she had bigger problems than covering herself.

She half-expected him to plunge a sword through her back yet it seemed that Lucien had no such plans. By the corner of her eye, she saw him walk over to the side of the bed. He placed the knife that he held by her throat beside her. It seemed to mock her with its eerie gleam and with its perfectly crafted blade. She would have awed at the beauty of its black metal sheen yet she was currently unable to for obvious reasons

"A gift" He said to her softly and he was gone.

ooOoo

Dawn was breaking as Lucien walked out of Skingrad feeling rather accomplished yet troubled. He felt accomplished because he had now achieved the Night Mother's request. Yes, their Unholy Matron had asked this of him. She asked him to wait for the crimson haired girl by the West Weald Inn until she came. She had asked him to recruit her and now her request unsettled him even more. For one, the girl had been hunting down Dark Brotherhood members, what good will it bring to have her in the organization itself? The event that she would turn traitor had greater odds than the event that she would offer unwavering loyalty. Secondly, why had the Night Mother taken such an interest in such a probable liability? And finally, what was it about this girl, this red haired black eyed beauty; that seemed to make her so alien yet familiar; welcoming yet adverse all at the same time?

Lucien sighed. He had asked these questions, excluding the last, to himself a number of times afore yet now they perturbed him to no end. He disregarded the bombardment of queries; certainly, there would be a fair amount of time to think about all of this in his private sanctum. With another sigh the Cheydinhal speaker raised his hand to his lips. He took a deep breath and soon, a sharp whistle echoed throughout the area. In matter of seconds, a black mare was in sight. It came over the brown eyed Imperial in a blinding speed and stopped directly before him. Lucien approached the mare silently. He ran a gloved hand through her muzzle and mounted. They were off….

ooOoo

She laid still on the bed with an annoyed expression on her face. How long would it take before the spell went on its way? How long would she have to lay here, helpless with a blanket as an only source of cover? She would have grunted in frustration if it weren't for the fact that he inconveniently silenced her as well.

Unexpectedly, she heard the door open and her heart quickened in its pace. Who would go to her room in the early hours of morning and why? Suddenly, she felt a cold shiver run down her spine as she remembered the looks given to her downstairs. In an instant, her mind raced as she thought of some way that she could defend herself if her assumptions were correct. She found none and instantly a string of curses popped into her head.

"Oh dear! Are you alright?" her intruder asked and instantaneously she felt relief surge throughout her entire being. The voice was none other than that of Erina Seranus'. The black eyed girl heard the footsteps that neared her and felt a soft hand touch her shoulder.

"I knew that the man downstairs was up to no good" She muttered and the assassin hunter's eyes widened in surprise. It didn't take her long to make that conclusion. She thought to herself in amusement. Soon, she felt the effects of the speaker's 'Silence' wear off.

"He paralyzed me" She said hurriedly and hoped that the proprietor miraculously knew how to solve the problem. She did.

"Well then, it's a good thing that Sinderion gave me a potion for that" Erina replied as she positioned the younger to a sitting position. She produced a small vial and uncorked it. Gently, she placed it by the girl's lips and the other drank it all down in one gulp. Slowly she felt the ability to move return yet disorientation soon followed. However, she did not let her nausea stop her from heading straight for her clothes and weapons. Clumsily and without a second thought, she dropped the blanket and started to dress.

Once she finished, she listlessly picked the blanket up and threw it on the bed; ignoring the proprietor's remarks about the speaker. She was about to leave, when abruptly, she caught sight of the Blade of Woe. She stared at it for a while contemplating whether on not she should take it. With a deep intake of breath, she picked the dagger up and sheathed it.

"Where are you going?" Erina asked, finally getting the hunter's attention

"After him" She replied briefly and threw a pouch of gold "That's for the potion" She disclosed and headed briskly for the door.

"Wait! You can't possible catch up with him. I think it would be best to simply alert the guards and—"

"I take care of my own problems" she brusquely interrupted and the other looked at her in alarm.

"And I assure you, he won't be able to go that far" she continued with a knowing look in her eyes. She left without another word.

ooOoo

Shadowmare traversed through the paths of Tamriel in an easy trot as Lucien remained quiet. His mind was utterly blank and his actions proved listless and mechanical. How he had reach this state of detachment was beyond him; yet as far as he was from reality, he was acutely aware of his surroundings. In fact it seemed that his senses became more stronger; yet what use would they be if he was so distant at the moment?

"I had the upper hand" Lucien suddenly mused as he deliberated the situation awhile ago. It was indeed true; not only earlier this morning but also at his previous recruitments. He always had the advantage, he made sure of that; so why was it, that he felt uneasy? Why was it, that from the moment that she leaned closer to him onto the present, he felt so nauseated and weak? Why? What would cause such an intense change on his disposition?

It was when Lucien heard the sound of galloping hooves that he was thrown back to reality. Those were obviously not of his beloved mare and the sound seemed to be nearing him. Closer and closer the sound came. He would have ordered Shadowmare to a run as well, if it weren't for the fact that the Cheydinhal Speaker started to plummet to the mud-covered ground. He was numb by the time that he reached the ground yet his other senses were still working. He saw the mud splatter on his face and clothes yet he did not feel them. He could taste the flavor of the earth and smell it too. He saw and heard Shadowmare whine in surprise and worry and soon he heard someone else approach. He saw Shadowmare charge at the direction of the intruder yet his sense of taste and scent was now leaving him. Not long after, he heard a 'thud' on the ground and on intuition; he knew that it was his loyal steed.

As if on cue, her face appeared in his line of vision. Her black eyes bore into his soul and her crimson hair was now in a tight stick twist. She shared Antoinetta's look of innocence and purity, Lucien realized and for once, it crossed his mind how his family would react to the girl before him if ever she chose to join. Lucien categorized the thought as 'insignificant at the moment' and with a sigh, he questioned why it was that he was losing he's focus so much, lately.

It was when Lucien heard a neigh that his vision began to blur and he watched the distorted image of the girl look at a different direction.

"Hush Avalon, we will not kill him" She said and returned her eyes back to him "at least not yet"

Lucien smirked discreetly yet as his senses worsened he wondered whether or not she saw.

"Well then assassin, it seems that the tables have turned" She commented; unexpectedly her tone was softer than what the Speaker anticipated.

Bitterly, Lucien smiled, this time noticeably and before losing consciousness, he spoke in manner that could only be likened to defeat and sarcasm

"Indeed"

A/N: hmm… err… I was also wondering if you guys think that Lucien is OOC in my fic… If he is (by that I mean super-OOC) then could you guys tell me? ^_^ XD

Oh! And if you guys could give me tips on making Lucien… act like… err… himself… then that would be great!!!!

RnR