Author's Note: Turns out that letter was more important than Lyssi gave Ocheeva credit for.

And from about here on, we move out of the "I'm editing!" phase and in to the "fffffffffff now I get to write from scratch again" phase. Isn't it lovely. The next few have proven to be really hard to write, as well. Yay!

Nobody Important

Chapter Ten: Orders

In which locks are pretty much worthless.

By: N3k0

Lyssi began her journey back to Cheydinhal at an easy pace. She hadn't accepted any new contracts, and, with the Amulet out of her possession, she no longer had to worry about the red-robed assassins, probably. Sometime near dawn, she was fortunate enough to find a small, quiet town, with a small, comfortable inn.

The innkeeper was a woman named Jessica, and she had a friendly smile as she wiped down the counter. She told Lyssi that most of her few customers chose the very strangest hours to arrive, much as Lyssi herself had.

All Lyssi could say was, "Bed." That was really all that needed to be said, and a handful of coins later, she had the key to a locked room. Inside, she found a comfortable bed, with comfortable pillows, and a warm, comfortable blanket.

She hoped, of course, that for just one night, she could rest peacefully. Knowing otherwise, she dropped off into sleep.

She was correct.

She woke before she could begin to dream, rolling out of bed much as she had a mere two nights ago. Her eyes hadn't adjusted yet - the room was perfectly dark - so she let them relax for a moment as she performed the peculiar mental twist that let her see heat, life, rather than light.

What had awakened her had been the touch of a hand. A man's hand, to be exact, and she peered up at the robed, hooded, figure. Of course. She recognized Lucien Lachance. He was the one who had extended the invitation for her to join the Family. He was also rather livid. She wondered why, but didn't have to wait long guessing.

"You didn't even read the letter, did you?" His voice was accusatory. She almost felt herself shrink in size, except that such was impossible. Every muscle was tensed, though. Prepared to run if necessary. He held something in his hand - a paper. The letter? Probably. "Ocheeva did tell you it was urgent? Imperative, even?" Lyssi nodded, figuring that he could see just as well, if not better, than she could.

"You remember the Tenets?" Another nod. "You must never disobey. To do so is to invoke the Wrath of Sithis. Is any of this familiar to you, girl?" She nodded again. It almost seemed to enrage him further. "Then why? Why did you disobey? What is so important that you dare to disobey me - disobey Sithis himself?" He advanced; she took a step back, still crouched. "Prove to me that you weren't. Tell me what it is that was so important that you traveled to the other side of Cyrodiil with work left to be done."

She bit her lip. She'd already given the Amulet to Jauffre. "The Emperor is dead."

"That is not the Brotherhood's affair, Alyssia." His eyes narrowed. "Unless you had something to do with his murder, perhaps?"

She shook her head, hastily.

"Then what possible bearing could the Emperor's death have on your presence here, on the other side of the Empire?"

"I was there. He sent me to Chorrol." She was now reporting everything directly to her toes.

"Then you did have something to do with the Emperor's death!"

She shook her head emphatically, looking up at Lachance as she did so. "But you did. Your presence there, to defend or to attack, is still interference. We do not entangle ourselves lightly in such matters, Alyssia – and never for free. The Mythic Dawn even contacted us to perform the assassination! We declined, of course, because their payment was insufficient for such a target. What possessed you to try and play the hero?"

She returned her gaze to the floorboards.

"I thought I could trust you to accomplish the task I summoned you for, but as I could not even trust you to answer the summons, I am unsure that I can."

She should speak, reassure him that she would carry out whatever mission she was asked. Instead, she remained silent, her head bowed submissively. She felt more than saw his approach. He put two fingers under her chin, dragged her gaze up to meet his.

"No. You won't disobey again." He smiled, and for once she thought it might have been authentic, before his expression became serious again. "Listen to me. You must return to the Cheydinhal Sanctuary. You must perform a ritual that has only rarely occurred in the history of the Brotherhood. It is essential that this be done."

Lyssi nodded. She felt like she'd failed her Family. She wouldn't again.

"There is a traitor among us. You've heard the rumors? An assassin among assassins, a murderer of the Family?" She hadn't. She shook her head. "That traitor has infiltrated the Cheydinhal Sanctuary. They've tainted it beyond all hope of repair. We know you are not the traitor - this Brother has been in operation since well before you joined us."

She shook her head. She couldn't believe this.

"The Sanctuary must undergo a Purification. You will not be bound by the Tenets in this matter, but you must obey. Ocheeva, Teinaava, Talaendril, Gogron gro-Bolmog, M'raaj-Dar, Antoinetta Marie, and Vicente Valtieri all must die."