A/N: Ei guys, sorry for the late update XD

Chapter 6: Befriending the Enemy

Darkness, darkness was all that she could see before her, yet in this pitch black void she did not feel the menacing sensation of the shadows from her childhood. No, instead she felt a feeling of belongingness as its vast emptiness beckoned her to step forward. She could feel the cool breeze of death pull her in gently as it caressed her slender form. She tried to resist yet it was a force too strong to fight and as soon as she tumbled forward she could do little to stop the gust that carried her further within. She sighed in defeat and the sweet taste of nightshade berries filled her tongue. She relished this sweet flavor yet the taste was short-lived when it was replaced by the all too familiar scent of blood and decay. The stench cleared her mind in an instant and Lythiana Valora asked herself 'Where am I?'

"My daughter, you are in the Void" A voice answered coolly and she fell to the abyss, with laughter echoing all around her.

ooOoo

Lythiana woke with a startled cry as her eyes frantically surveyed her surroundings. As she gazed across the furnished room of wherever, she began to reach for her weapons. Her breathing was shallow as her hand made its way to her side, but upon feeling the distinct hilt of her dagger, she calmed herself. Somehow, this place was familiar to her yet she did not have the vaguest idea of where it was. Seeing as how there was no one else in the room except her, she cautiously got out of bed. To her relief, she was fully clothed and nothing was missing from her person.

With a determined sigh, she walked out of the door and into a silent hallway. She moved stealthily with the use of the shadows; her hands not once leaving the hilt of her silver daggers. She came by a set of stairs that led downward and from where she stood, she heard voices.

"How is she?" asked a woman's voice; a voice Lythiana knew well.

"I'm not sure Maelona, I haven't checked on her yet" answered a male voice.

"Hmm… alright then, I'll go check on her myself"

"No need" the red-haired Bosmer said as she made her way down. The female Redguard merely gawked at the girl before her, this was the first time that she has seen her friend with her hair down and fully rested; she may not be perfect but she certainly had looks beyond average.

The black-eyed huntress made her way to the innkeeper's counter and there, she produced a pouch. Swiftly, she handed the worn linen pouch to the innkeeper and whispered her thanks and a 'keep the change'. Afterwards, she walked to Maelona and smiled meekly.

"Maelona, may I speak to you?"

"Certainly" answered the other as both made their way to the door.

Outside, Lythiana breathed in the sea breeze of Anvil as it played with her hair. The morning sun cast upon her and gave her warmth and a sense of reassurance. She heard the chattering of people, the footsteps of the guards, the bartering of merchants and the waves from the shores. She couldn't possibly care less for the townsfolk of Anvil but she was very fond of the waters. She walked by idly as she took everything in; she had also come to admire architecture and nature, although she did not know where this sudden appreciation came from.

It was only when Maelona called her did she recall that she had company and some things to discuss. She stopped abruptly and almost caused the older woman to bump into her.

"I… wanted to thank you" Lythiana said feeling awkward and annoyed. She didn't like thanking others but she long promised herself that she wouldn't become what she hated the most. A monster. She would be civilized and humane to those who were not her enemies.

Maelona smiled at the young girl before her; she had indeed grown. She remembered the first time she laid eyes on the Lythiana, it was when the Bosmer was about fifteen years old. The girl came to Anvil with nothing but the clothes on her back and a bow. It was her beauty that propelled the Redguard to ask for her help regarding a group of women who stole from men when they were stripped of their clothes and weapons. The young girl instantly agreed to help, for a price that is. With her looks, she got recruited in the group in an instant. However, when the group found out that she was working with Maelona, a fight ensued. Surprisingly, the young Bosmer bested all of them.

"Umm… not only for saving me but also for healing the lot of my wounds" Lythiana continued which, in turn, stopped Maelona's recollection.

"As much as I would like to take credit for saving your life, I must say that I was not the one who did so. The innkeeper only told me of your predicament as requested by him" the other interjected. Out of surprise, Lythiana turned around immediately.

"Him?" she questioned; confusion apparent in her features. Who would bother to help her?

"Yes, him. The person who saved you, who carried you on his back to Anvil and bandaged your injuries is none other than Mathieu Bellamont" The older said. The huntress pursed her lips as she thought in silence.

"Mathieu Bellamont?" she questioned with unease.

"Oh! You don't know him. He's a Breton who lives at the Anvil lighthouse. He keeps to himself most times and doesn't like talking to others. The strange thing is, is that a man like him, tends to leave dying people on the road" Maelona said, a thoughtful expression on her face. On the other hand, the Bosmer girl couldn't shake the feeling of anxiety. Why was it that the mere thought of this, Mathieu Bellamont, agitated her? However, as much as she felt troubled by the mere name, she felt it her obligation to thank this man.

"You wouldn't happen to know where he is, would you?" She asked with uncertainty in her voice. Yet the female Redguard was none the wiser in detecting her nervousness.

"I'm afraid not dear. As I said, he keeps to himself"

"I see… Thank you anyways" And with that, Lythiana walked away from the female Redguard. It seemed that she would spend an entire day looking for Mathieu Bellamont.

ooOoo

The day wore on and night time came by slowly. She had searched the entirety of Anvil and still she could not find Bellamont. She had questioned every one of his whereabouts and still nothing. She considered breaking into his home in the cellar but thought better of it; surely that would not be a way to thank someone. And so, Lythiana settled for waiting for him by the lighthouse. She had waited for hours and she had yet to complain. She would not whine when the lighthouse overlooked the vast seas before her, when it made her watch in awe as the sun set and when it relieved her of the tension on her muscles.

Yes, the assassin huntress had spent an entire day watching the waves churn in and out, and in that time, she had thought of her current predicament. The Dark Brotherhood was recruiting her and she wondered whether or not she should even bother with the offer. She wasn't sure why she was reconsidering the offer but it had been troubling her for the day.

"Are you the girl that has been looking for me?" A voice asked; a smooth, calm voice behind her. Lythiana resisted the urge to turn around at the mere feeling of familiarity. Where had she heard this voice?

"Perhaps, are you Mathieu Bellamont?" She asked, tense in her situation. If Lythiana had looked back at the man behind her, she would have seen the smirk plastered on his face, she would have felt the longing in his gaze and she would have noticed the battle between urge and control that raged within him.

"I am. Who's asking?" Bellamont asked calmly as he watched her with a soft gaze. She had matured greatly from the naïve, frightened girl twelve years ago yet there was still a certain edginess to her that had intensified throughout.

"Someone who wants to thank you" She said as she turned around. She refused to be a slave of her own fear, not again, and upon seeing him, her eyes widened in surprise. Suddenly, she felt cold and nervous. She had not seen the face of her parent's murderer but she had a feeling that this man was the man in her nightmares, the man that she had gone through hell for, the man whose blood would spill by her hands. She griped her weapons all the while feeling comforted by the cool metal by her hands. She wanted to lunge at him. She wanted to slash at him widely and stab him recklessly. She wanted blood, blood to end all this insanity.

"Is that so?" Bellamont asked and looked at her adoringly. She almost cringed as it gave chills to her and before she attacked mercilessly, she decided to observe this man better. He was a Breton with thick, chocolate colored hair. He was of average height, probably a few inches taller than her. His eyes were a deep brown; the shade that she had grown to fear. Seeing his eyes were enough to snap her yet she realized that there was something different about him. This man, this man before her was different. He was not crazed and shifty; in fact, he was the exact opposite. He was no monster yet the young huntress would not take any chances. Remembering herself, Lythiana tore her eyes away from him and stilled her shaking hands. She focused all her emotions into a glare which she directed to the stone floor. With a scoff, she gave a bitter thank you.

Silence ensued after she did so and the black-eyed beauty was certain that he would attack, yet instead, he chuckled. Flabbergasted, the assassin huntress instantly looked back to him. He looked different as he laughed. He looked… free.

"Are you talking to me girl?" Bellamont asked lightheartedly. He neared her with wide, agile steps and soon he leaned onto the railing beside her. He looked to the sky, all the while he observed her by the corner of his eye. She was looking at him, dazed yet wary "Or were you talking to the floor?"

He asked her with a smirk on his features. He felt so different around her. He felt human. He could not deny the fact that he wanted a life with her, even for the briefest of moments. He wanted a feeling of normalcy, away from the madness of his pursuit. On the other hand, she merely stared at him, wondering, questioning the reality of it all.

"I am not your enemy girl" the Breton said and turned his smirk into a genuine smile. The crimson-haired Bosmer eyed the other cautiously yet it wasn't long before she released the hilt of her weapons. As strange as it was, she wanted to believe him but she didn't. She had heard it all before, promises that were lies all the same. She didn't trust anyone; not even those closest to her.

"I never said you were" she said offhandedly as she too stared at the skies.

"True, but your actions accused me nonetheless" he said, looking at her. She said no more after that and as the minutes passed by, both questioned why both of them were still here; although only one was annoyed.

"A knife among blades" the Breton suddenly stated and the other eyed him curiously. Seeing her expression made Bellamont hopeful. Her blunt display of interest was a sign that there was a chance that she could grow to trust him. He was caught up in this idea that he did not notice when she asked him what he meant by his words.

"Hey!" She called out, somewhat irritated, yet that caused him to focus on her without delay. Satisfied with the effect she asked once again "What do you mean?"

Bellamont smiled softly at her and indicated to her weapons. "You carry with you twin silver daggers, a glass sword and a knife" The huntress' eyebrows furrowed in confusion. She didn't have a knife but as she followed where his hand indicated she realized what he was talking about. Carefully, she unsheathed the knife that the Speaker had given her. To most, it wouldn't have been anything special yet as she held in it her hand she knew that it held something extraordinary. From its leather laced hilt to the pristine silver tip, there was something elegant and deadly about it.

It was then that Lythiana found her answer to the Speaker's offer. Like this weapon she would become a knife among blades, a killer among assassins. This gift from the Dark Brotherhood itself would be the ultimate tool that would lead to the organization's downfall. She would befriend her enemies and within their ranks she would crush them. Its name, the Blade of Woe, would perfectly suit the purpose she intended for it. However, as she thought of this, she knew in the back of her head, that this sudden insight was all thanks to Mathieu Bellamont.

With a smile, the Bosmer girl headed for the trapdoor and soon descended yet before doing so, she looked up to the baffled face of Bellamont. She gave him a dark smile and said.

"Thank you… my friend"

A/N: So that's the story. I must say that I really like the title of this chapter (It matched the content perfectly XD) Anyways, I hope you guys like this chapter and I would really appreciate your thoughts on this chapter XD

RnR