Chapter 5: Invisible Strings

The Cheydinhal speaker woke to the sight of the heavens. He woke to the sight of the slow moving clouds and the serene blue sky. The sun was now high above him and he presumed that it was about midday now; if that were so then he had been unconscious for a great amount of time. How precious those hours were to him, to a man whose time was fleeting and whose doom came closer each day.

Lowering his gaze, he saw her walking a few feet beside him. Her eyes held a distant look to them, a sight that slightly unnerved him for a reason unknown. Why was it that this girl seemed to have a hold on him? It was frustrating as it was strange for the Speaker; it was as if there were invisible strings that attached him to her. Lucien did not know why this suddenly dawned on him but he was certain that she too was aware of this unsettling connection. He saw it in her eyes, in the way that she would look at him; especially earlier today.

Today, today was quite a mess; one that the speaker had to fix quickly. Lucien could not afford a slip up; he could not afford wasting time. He knew that he had to find a way to escape yet the strain on his body and the faint paralysis that ensued made certain that it would not be an easy job. Suddenly he realized that he did not know what he was lying on and what was dragging him along. He figured that he was lying on a blanket and as he looked up to discern what it was that was pulling him along, the sight of a horse's behind greeted him. He raised an eyebrow to this and scoffed; which in turn seemed to catch the other's attention.

"You're awake" she stated, still not looking at him. Lucien noted that she walked with a cat like grace and her steps held a certain bounce to it. That was good he thought; she would be a great asset if she would ever decide to join their organization. She would not need a great deal of training and her conscience didn't seem troubled in the least bit.

"As it seems" came his hoarse reply. It wasn't long before thoughts of Shadowmare filled his mind. The chances were that she was no more and he could not help but feel hate and loss to an extent that he could not conceal his feelings with such ease as he usually could.

"If you are thinking of your mare, then I assure you that she is alive" she suddenly said apathetically and Lucien had to stop the urge of his eyes widening in surprise. The suspicion of their unlikely connection was once again brought to the front of his mind but he disregarded the thought and pondered on what she said. He looked back at the huntress and saw her looking up to the sky. She seemed so distant at that moment that he wondered whether or not she was really there and ultimately, if this was really happening.

The minutes came by slowly and neither one of them had spoken. Each moment grated on Lucien's patience as he tried to free himself of whatever spell or potion she had cast upon him. He had been succeeding albeit slowly, yet he knew that it would only be a matter of time before he would be back to his usual self. It was then that he wondered what it was exactly that she did to render him vulnerable in immobile in the first place.

"I don't know what to do with you" she suddenly confessed as she stopped in her tracks her mare following suit. Lucien eyed her suspiciously and she returned his gaze. The speaker expected the exhaustion yet not the expression on her features. She looked confused and very much fragile before him. He felt a tug on his entire body, willing him to go to her.

"I feel something, like a thread pulling me to you…" she continued the hostility in her voice apparent. She seemed to be very apprehensive with this bond that they shared for even Lucien could feel her irritation and anxiety from where he was; or perhaps he had confused his own frustrations for hers. It appeared that his suspicions had been proven correct yet that did little to ease his discomfort until finally he felt the tension of his body gradually fade.

He saw her eyes widen in shock, it seemed that she had realized her spell had worn off; and Lucien couldn't help but question how. Her alarm soon turned into vigilance and the events that transpired next, happened in such a quick spontaneity. Lucien prompted himself off the blanket while she unsheathed a sword and a dagger. She threw her dagger at the speaker at such a speed that Lucien barely managed to dodge. The Imperial then rolled off to the side to avoid her sword strike, and from where he was he kicked her by the side. She tumbled to the ground yet caught her footing while the other stood; his hand went instinctively to his sword hilt. Surprisingly, the speaker found the touch of the all so familiar sword by his side; why hadn't she taken it? She did not give him the chance to think for an answer for she attacked again. This time, the speaker parried her blow after blow and soon they were trying to overpower one another. Both of them knew that Lucien had the advantage, for he was stronger than her and she relied on her agility not her strength. The brown-eyed Imperial was about to prevail yet all of a sudden he felt something sharp plunge his shoulder.

Lucien grunted in pain as he backed away, his free hand clutching his shoulder. Blood oozed from the wound and the speaker realized that her horse… no unicorn had attacked him. He would've almost gawked at the creature if it weren't for the fact that she assaulted him once again. With an angry cry the Imperial swung his sword at the Bosmer girl. Her sword flew from her hands and landed to the side, soon she received a punch on her face and a kick to her abdomen. The huntress landed hard on the grass and, with all the strength that she could muster, she tried to raise herself off the ground. She found Lucien's sword by her throat and his foot on her stomach keeping her pinned down.

"Call your horse off" the speaker commanded with a deadly glare that she responded with her own. The pure white unicorn poised for another attack and it was then that Lucien increased the pressure on his sword. The pressure was enough to draw blood and she hissed in pain.

"Now!" He commanded once again and she sighed in defeat.

"Avalon cease" she said softly yet her words were filled with annoyance and malice. The unicorn whined in protest yet followed nonetheless, although it remained ready to strike. The speaker sighed and raised a hand to his lips. The same sharp whistle soon followed and echoed throughout the area once again. Seconds later, Lucien saw Shadowmare by the distance. She galloped towards him and neighed in fury at the other two once close by.

Swiftly, he knelt by the black-eyed girl's side; sword in hand. "You are indeed quite skillful yet difficult and impulsive… too impulsive" he said softly and sighed. Her mouth opened to voice out a retort yet with a reprimanding look from Lucien and the sword by her throat, it closed wordlessly. "Reconsider my offer girl" the speaker advised before standing up. He looked her over briefly before standing up. With a sigh, he mounted Shadowmare and they were off.

She grunted angrily as she stared at the floating clouds before her. 'Damn him! Damn him and his Brotherhood!' She thought to herself as she cradled her bleeding neck. She didn't bother to get up; too tired was she to go on a chase. Too exhausted was she to ponder on the strings that connected them. And so with a sigh, the three days of sleepless nights were repaid as she closed her eyes and fell into a deep, dark sleep.

ooOoo

He watched in awe as she tossed and tumbled in her sleep. It was an hour ago that he found her on the road curled into a ball. She looked so innocent in her sleep, so peaceful, so beautiful that he couldn't help himself from caressing her soft cheek. He could not help himself from running his hand through her dark crimson hair. Yet he did manage to control the urge to wake her so that he could see her dark irises. She was so beautiful, so very beautiful. It had been awhile since he last saw her walking through the streets of Anvil. It had been a long time since he felt her body in his grasp, twelve years to be exact. He could still remember that night so well, that night that he managed to break into their household and murder her parents so mercilessly, that night that this beautiful Bosmer girl fought him off as he took her innocence again and again and that same night that he was promoted to the rank of Silencer. How could he, Mathieu Bellamont, ever forget such a significant moment in his life?

He ran his calloused hands over her soft lips and unconsciously, she moved away from his grasp. He smirked at her reaction and gently he planted a soft kiss on her neck. He relished the scent and feel of her skin and the taste of dried blood. He had found someone who shared his hatred for the Dark Brotherhood, someone whom he had grown very fond of; and he knew from the moment that he laid eyes on her, that together, they would annihilate the Dark Brotherhood. He smiled at the thought and smoothly he whispered to her ear "You shall be mine Lythiana Valora"

A/N: eek! I have to say that when I was writing this scene it made me shiver a bit XD Oh! And I would like to thank those peeps who are reading this, it means a lot guys ^_^

RnR