Athene paused at the top of the stairs, cloaked in the shadows of the entryway. There seemed to be a lot of people down there in the sanctuary and she wasn't ready to meet them yet.
Cicero claimed he had business in Falkreath, so Athene had gone on alone to whisper Silence, my brother, at the black door and have it welcome her home. She'd felt a shiver as she slipped in and saw Astrid waiting for her, but nothing more. It could call itself home, tell her she belonged, but she knew well enough that time would tell.
Astrid had welcomed her further and handed her a perfectly awful set of armor that Athene could never wear unless she wanted to advertise Assassin! to everyone near her. Though she had to admit, the gloves were pretty slick. She pocketed them and left the rest of the armor on the shelf.
"Oh, but you are so beautiful. Such a lovely smile. Your teeth… your teeth! No!"
The group further into the sanctuary were laughing. A child was telling a story, but… Athene peered through the gloom and saw the pale of the girl's face and her dark eyes. That was no child.
And the big guy by the forge, grumbling as the rest teased him. Was that fur coming out of her ears?
She felt a little better. This was a rag-tag group she might enjoy.
The little vampire approached. "Hello, new one! I heard Astrid pulled the old 'Choose your victim' gag with you. I love the classics."
"I imagine you've seen a fair few of the classics in your time. Or are you recently turned?"
"Good eyes," the girl said. "I'm Babette. I'm just a little girl. The Dark Brotherhood killed my mama and papa, and…" She began to laugh. "Rather convincing, don't you think?"
Athene smiled. "Very convincing." Though she couldn't help but remember that sometime, perhaps long ago, Babette really had been a little girl ravaged by a vampire. The thought was sobering.
"I'm looking for Nazir."
"Right there. The one with the curved… sword."
Something was off about the little girl's smile, but she turned away before Athene could inquire. She looked where she'd been directed, and there by the pool was a Redguard in full Hammerfell gear, and yes, a curved sword.
"That wall is calling to you," he said as she approached.
Athene briefly closed her eyes. The chanting she'd heard at the back of her mind since arriving in the sanctuary was louder now, but she could still ignore it.
"I don't really care."
"You don't? That's interesting. I've been here years and never seen it do any more than sit there like a wall. Now you walk in and it starts to glow. You don't really care?"
"Astrid said you had work for me," Athene said.
He raised an eyebrow. "Sure I do. And good luck with it. Though you'll excuse me if I don't count on your return." He outlined three targets for assassination. Athene committed the details to memory.
"You can pick them off one by one, or come back when you've killed them all. Excuse me. I mean, if you can kill them all."
He grinned at her and strode off.
The Argonian who sat cross-legged nearby bared his teeth.
"Don't mind him," he said. "Welcome home. You did the right thing by coming here."
"How do you know?" Athene said.
He shrugged.
"Are you a Shadowscale?" she asked.
His face lit up with joy. "I am the last. Veezara, and pleased to meet you."
Athene's mother had told her about Shadowscales back when they still lived in Valenwood. There were tales of hatchlings taken from their families, raised wholly by the Dark Brotherhood. As a child Athene had found it all incredibly romantic. Now she sat across from Veezara and poured out her curiosity.
"Were you really taken from your family? Were there more of you when you started? Did you always want to be an assassin? Did you miss the Black Marsh? The Hist?"
He laughed. "You've been thinking about this a long time."
"You're the last," Athene said. "Obviously I haven't been able to ask before."
"Don't be offended. I'm happy to answer your questions. And maybe you'll answer some of my own." His green eyes glittered.
"I…" Athene fought the urge to get up and stride away. She'd asked first, after all. "Maybe," she conceded.
Veezara's nodded, his reptilian face showing a kindness Athene wanted to trust.
"Maybe is better than no," he said.