Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary Falkreath

Veezara and Festus stood on the hill over looking the Black Door. Neither could believe what they had witnessed or how they survived. Smoke still rose from places under the rocks that lay above what was once their home. They heard hoof beats coming down the cobblestone road and they readied themselves for more soldiers. Relief and sorrow shown on their faces seeing Arnbjorn and Shadowmere come out of the smoke. The werewolf jumped out of the saddle and ran to his brothers.

"What happened?" Neither could find the words to tell him. A small voice sounded from behind them and they all turned to find Babette and her pet spider.

"The Penitus Oculatus...I went out to find food for Lis and I saw them...they broke in the door and began taking barrels into the Sanctuary. They saw me and I had to run..." Veezara knelt and hugged the vampire child.

"It wasn't your fault Babette." Arnbjorn turned back to the door and started down the hill. "Brother, we don't know what is down there. It's suicide to go in. I barely made it out...if Cora hadn't shown up when she did..."

"How did she get here faster than I did? I left her in Dawnstar to take care of the fool. There is no way she beat me here unless she grew wings!" Festus placed his hand on the Nord's arm.

"It was her Arnbjorn. She saved me too, then ran into the Sanctuary. I don't know if the others...the smoke and heat alone would make it hard to get out of there."

"Astrid..." The werewolf tore his arm away from his sibling and ran to the broken door. The smoke was still thick, but many of the fires had burned themselves out. The two rooms toward the entrance were still burning heavily. The other followed him not wanting him to face whatever was left of their home alone. They found burnt bodies in Imperial leathers in the main part of the sanctuary. Other than crackling flames their home was deathly quiet.

"Nazir! Astrid! Cora!" Babette waited, but heard nothing. Tears stung her eyes and Veezara knelt next to her again. She turned and buried her head in his shoulder. The sound of coughing made them all turn to see Nazir standing in what once was the stained glass window.

"Aww, Babette I didn't know you cared." He jumped down into the water and almost got knocked over by his siblings rushing to meet him.

"Have you seen Astrid or Cora?" He shook his head sadly.

"Cora and I got separated when I went looking for you. How did you get out?"

"I went to take Lis out to find food...when I returned I saw the soldiers. I didn't know what else to do so I hid." Nazir could see the guilt ridden look on the girl's face. Even for being an immortal, her size was a disadvantage. She would have been killed if she had tried to help them.

"You have nothing to be ashamed of Babette. They came for blood and I'm sure they would have killed you on sight regardless. We need to try to find our missing and salvage what we can. We have no way of knowing if they are coming back to make sure we are all dead." Babette nodded and the group split up. Festus, Nazir and Babette went to try and find Cora and any supplies they could use. Veezara and Arnbjorn went the other way in search of Astrid. The fires were still burning in the front rooms, though they had started to die down.

"The smell of the fire and oil is throwing my sense of smell off. I can't pick up Astrid's scent..."

"We will find her brother. Astrid is sly and I know she is here somewhere." They were close enough to the entrance to hear the door creak open and foot falls coming down the stairs. Both men hid and readied themselves to attack. Two cloaked figures came running down the stairs. Veezara jumped out and held a dagger blade to the first's throat and Arnbjorn jumped and pinned the other to the wall.

"Veezara!" The Argonian's grip lessened and he moved his blade. He motioned for Arnbjorn to let go of his prey.

"Gabriella..."

"Are you two all that's left?" Her voice shook. All the anger at Astrid's betrayal had run out and left behind only sadness.

"Festus, Nazir and Babette are further in looking for Cora and Astrid. We were up here trying to see if Astrid might have been in one of the rooms or maybe got out somehow. We would all be dead if it wasn't for Cora. She saved us." Serana took her hood off and took a step out of the shadows. "Who is she?"

"A friend of Cora's. She sent her to help me...we were betrayed, the man I was sent to kill was not the Emperor. They knew I was coming and set a trap for me." Arnbjorn crossed his arms over his chest and glared.

"What do you mean we were betrayed? Who?" Gabriella sighed and shook her head. She was not ready for this conversation and he was not ready to hear his wife was the one who handed them all over to Maro and his men.

"Let's go find the others, I will explain." They moved back into the main room and saw Nazir struggling to pull the Night Mother's sarcophagus out of the water. They all rushed forward and pulled the heavy metal coffin to drier land. Babette ran to embrace Gabriella. "Any sign of the others?" The unchild shook her head.

"A lot of the potion and enchantment room is caved in from the fire. The Keeper's room was more of less untouched. Festus is dragging a travel chest out of it. The Night Mother's chapel is completely destroyed. I don't know how the coffin ended up through the window and into the water." Serana's nose wrinkled and she moved closer to the large metal tomb. She could smell blood, blood she knew. She tried to open the casket, but it wouldn't budge.

"Is there a way to open this? I can smell blood and I'm pretty sure it's Dracen's." Gabriella took the key Cicero had given her and unlocked the sarcophagus. She gasped and tried to lift the body that was laying next to the Night Mother out.

"Help me get her out!" Arnbjorn pushed her aside and lifted the little body out of the casket. He lay Dracen down on the ground and Babette pulled out what potions she was able to salvage. "How bad?"

"She's lost a lot of blood..." Serana knelt next to her friend and began using healing spells. "I need to sit her up and see if the arrow went all the way through." Nazir and Veezara gently lifted her up and Babette found the arrow head sticking all the way out above the back side of her hip. "At least I won't have to go digging for the arrow head. Arnbjorn can you break the shaft. I need to pull this out and let these potions do their job." He snapped the arrow right below the fletching and helped Babette pull the rest of the arrow from Dracen. A gush of blood came once the arrow was gone. The vampires began working quickly. Serana handed Arnbjorn cloth and pointed.

"Hold that there. We need to stop any further blood loss." Gabriella sank next to the Night Mother's coffin and let her tears fall. She had kept it together for her siblings, but the gravity of what happened here and in Solitude crashed down on her. She could have lost her family again. All because Astrid feared she wouldn't be in charge anymore. She balled her fists and let her nails bite into her palms. She was angry, but more saddened than anything. She knew how much Astrid loves this family and she thought that love extended to her too.

"My daughter, our family lives." The Night Mother's voice calmed her tears a little, she rose up and looked inside the coffin. Even after all it went through the Unholy Matron's body didn't look worse for wear.

"We almost didn't. If It wasn't for Cora...Gods she needs to live."

"She will, she is strong and destiny isn't done with her yet." Gabriella nodded , but did not trust saying anything. She feared she would scream if she tried. "Astrid yet lives, but her life is fading. Take Arnbjorn and Nazir, you will find her in her room." Quickly the Listener jumped to her feet. She tapped Nazir on the shoulder and gripped Arnbjorn's arm.

"The Night Mother told me where Astrid is. Come with me." The trio rushed to their leader's bedroom, the sight that greeted them was grisly. Astrid was almost unrecognizable. Her body was severely burned, her once golden hair was charred and melted to her skull. Arnbjorn pushed passed Gabriella and fell to his knees next to his wife. A mournful sob came from the once stoic werewolf. Astrid gave him a weak smile. She turned her eyes to Gabriella and her breath caught.

"You're...alive, I'm so...sorry. I just...wanted things to go...back to how they were. Before...the Night Mother...before Cicero...I doomed us. I thought...I thought Maro would leave us be if I gave him you...he wanted revenge for his son." Gabriella knelt next to the dying woman. She had a sad smile on her face and used a little of her healing magic to ease what pain she could.

"I never wanted to take your place Astrid. Our family was all that ever mattered to me and to the Night Mother."

"You are the...best of us. I was so...wrong, the old ways...I was such a fool." A spasm of pain hit Astrid. All three felt helpless. Arnbjorn's silver eyes met Gabriella's, they silently pleaded with her to do something. "I don't have...long. I want our family...to finish what...you started...I made...myself the Black Sacrement..." Gabriella looked around and saw the candles circling Astrid's body. The amount a strength it took to do this with how badly burned she was shocked Gabriella. "You need...to lead now...you need to kill me..."

"Astrid, I can't, please don't..." Astrid gripped Gabriella's hand. It felt like charred bark, but instead of hot it was ice cold.

"Please..." Another coughing fit hit Astrid and her breathing got weaker. "Take care of...our family...lead us to glory..." Gabriella let her tears flow as she took Astrid's blade and placed it over the dying woman's heart. She felt hands over hers. Arnbjorn gave a sad nod and they both brought the blade down into Astrid's heart. "Thank...you..." Nazir left the room, he wanted to give them privacy. His stomach turned thinking about Astrid's betrayal, but her death brought no peace. She was their leader, their friend and they all would mourn her no matter what she had done.

"I'm so sorry Arnbjorn." Her words felt hollow, but she knew his pain. She had lost Luicen and Martin. Two men who held pieces of her heart. Her love for them was different, but no less strong.

"You gave her peace, after all she did to you..." He took his cloak and draped it over his wife's body. He rose to his feet shakily. He offered his hand to Gabriella and she let him lift her up.

"She deserved peace." He nodded and they left the room silently. She left him in the entry way so he could have time to collect his thoughts. Babette and Serana looked exhausted. They had used their stores of magika and all the potions they had on hand. "How is she?"

"She's weak, but we got the wounds to close and we healed her enough to where she is out of danger for now. We should wait a few hours before moving her though." Gabriella nodded and wearily went back to the Night Mother's coffin.

"She is with us in the Void now my daughter. There will be time to mourn. Go north to Dawnstar. There you will find a new home. My dear Cicero is there and should not be left alone long. Once there you must go to Whiterun the contract must be finished. Speak to Mortierre again."

"Once I get our family safe I will go Mother. We will not fail."

"I know you won't my dutiful daughter. When the time comes let the girl make the kill."

"As an honor for saving us all." A low chuckle echoed in her head.

"In a way, when you get to Dawnstar look in my Keeper's chest. You will find my answer there. The door will ask what is life's greatest illusion. You must answer Innocence, my brother." She knew better than to question their Unholy Matron as much as her request confused her. She turned to her family and smiled.

"We still have much to do. We head for Dawnstar and the sanctuary there. It is not safe for us here any longer. We need wagons. Veezara and Arnbjorn will go and get them." She looked at the two vampires in their group and remembered daylight was not kind to them. "One of the wagons needs to have a cover for our vampiric friends. Pack what we can find. Festus I need you to wrap and preserve Astrid. We will bury her near our new home. Serana and Babette make sure Cora is stable enough to travel. I will go into town and get us other clothing. It is not safe to wear our shroud armor out there right now." They all began doing what was requested and Gabriella turned to find the spectral form of Lucien behind her. "I'm sorry old friend I forgot you were with us still." She motioned for him to walk with her as she went into town. She was sure there were no other Penitus Oculatus soldiers around, but the added security eased her mind.

"You have had a trying time dear Listener. I was guarding the doorway so no one would take you all by surprise. Our Mother called me back."

"Thank you for today." He smirked, oh that smirk that used to drive her crazy. "Lucien I'm..." He put his finger to her mouth to hush whatever she was going to say.

"What was done to me was not your fault. They wanted me to tell them who the Silencer was and I took it to my grave. They learned soon after when you came for them."

"I made them pay in pain and blood."

"I know, now we must protect our siblings. I am bound to Cora, but Mother has given me permission to come to your aide when summoned. She said it is a boon since our time was cut short."

"She always saw more than anyone didn't she?"

"She saw in you a greatness that many of those before you did not have. Even for an assassin you always tried to be merciful if the situation called for it. Many who preform the Black Sacrament cry out for justice. You always brought that with grace." She blushed at his words. Lucien was a hard man to get to know at first, but she had worn down his walls. Her wit, humor and determination always amazed him. It was what caused him to love her.

"Once we are on our way can you go and keep an eye on Cicero. I fear him being alone. Cora seems to be the only one who can totally calm him. Please tell him we will be there as soon as we can."

"I will watch over him Listener." He watched her from a distance as she grabbed clothing and armor for her fellow assassins. Once she was back at the black door he bowed and took his leave. The Brotherhood loaded their carts and started the trek northward.

OoO

Cicero woke to silence. Terrible, terrible silence. His head throbbed and where Arnbjorn had raked him with his claws ached. He wondered if seeing Dracen had been a dream. Brought on by his mind not wanting to be alone with nothing but quiet for company. He gingerly sat up and looked down at his wound. It was dressed and the bleeding had stopped. He did not remember doing that himself, so who had healed him? He legs felt shaky as he rose to his feet. He started searching for whoever it was that helped him.

"Hello? Please speak to poor Cicero." He readied his dagger as he moved farther into tunnels. He found the troll, it was dead. Head sliced open like a ripe melon and fur burnt to a crisp. Cicero tried to calm his racing heart. It takes a lot to kill a troll and even harder to get close enough to split one's skull. After searching the whole sanctuary he went back to the room he had awakened in. He paced and fretted, muttering to himself as he fought his panic. He would have sent himself spiraling into a full manic attack if his boot had not hooked on a strap of a pack he had not noticed. The bag spilled it's contents and he saw his journal. "Cicero did not bring this...it was left in his trunk."

"Keeper." A low baritone sounded from behind making the jester wheel around. The specter gave the Imperial pause, but his dagger was ready.

"The other ghosts never spoke to humble Cicero."

"My name is Lucien LaChance, I serve our Unholy Mother. You are her Keeper and are respected." Cicero let his stance relax a little. His dagger still ready, but not as tightly gripped in his hand. "The Listener sent me."

"To kill me?" Lucien let out a chuckle that made the jester's blood run cold.

"No, the Night Mother would have our Dread Father unmake me if I hurt you. Gabriella sent me to watch over you. What is left of the Brotherhood is heading here."

"What's left?"

"Astrid tried to betray the Listener." A feral growl sounded from the Imperial and he started toward the entrance of the sanctuary. "She failed thanks to Dracen." Cicero froze, none of the others know her by that name. How did this specter know?

"How do you know the Dragon's name? She has told none of our siblings..." Lucien tilted his head.

"She is much like her mother. The world knew The Hero of Kvatch, but not Brie the assassin. Dracen the Dragonborn is what Skyrim sees, not Cora the killer. I knew her mother, I brought her into our family, just as you brought her daughter."

"You were her Speaker?"

"I was. She became my Silencer after betrayal ended our Listener. She has always been an amazing woman. I see that same greatness in her daughter." Cicero nodded. He knew how strong Dracen was, not just a physical strength, her soul was strong. "You should be proud of her. She saved your siblings, the Listener and our Mother."

"Was Cicero dreaming, was she here to help?"

"You were not dreaming. She was here, bound you wounds, and helped you sleep for a while." Relief washed over him. He thought he was going mad, well madder than he already was. "They should be here in two days if all goes well. Till then we are to wait."

OoO

"Why do you keep looking at that chest?" Gabriella sighed and let her gaze move to her vampiric friend.

"It was something the Night Mother said. She wanted me to look in it and a question would be answered. I don't know what question though."

"We should be stopping soon to camp for the night, look at it then."

"Part of me is afraid to."

"She wouldn't have mentioned it if she didn't mean for you to know." The Dunmer nodded and steered her cart to a clearing by the roadside.

"We can make camp here!" She heard the relieved groans of her siblings. Hours in a bumpy cart wears on the body after a while. Nazir started a fire to get some kind of stew going. They had stopped at a roadside trader and bartered for blankets and supplies. Gabriella took a deep breath and went into the back of the cart. The travel chest had been vexing her since they left Falkreath. She flipped the lid open and called a ball of mage light to illuminate under the canvas that covered the wagon. Inside she found clothes, old journals, odds and ends that belonged to the Keeper. She sifted through the trunk till her hand hit a smaller chest. She pulled it out and placed it on one of the bench seats.

"Anything interesting?" She chuckled, Babette ever the the snoop.

"Was just about to check this smaller chest when you came snooping. Well get up here busy body." Babette pulled herself up and sat next to her friend. Gabriella unlatched the chest and lifted the lid. Her eyes went wide. She saw journals that she had not seen in years. Her hands shook as she lifted them out and placed them in Babette's lap. She then lifted an old chain shirt and saw the faded wolf's head on the front. "How...?"

"Brie?"

"This was in a blood chest I left hidden in a Brotherhood cache years ago. It was too painful to bring them when I left. No one should have been able to get into it."

"How did The Keeper get his hands on them then?"

"I don't know..." She reached back in and her hand brushed against a chain. Her fingers gently pulled the necklace out and her other hand went to cover her mouth.

"What is that?" Babette took the amulet from her friend and looked it over. "It's a old, tarnished necklace."

"It's more than that..." She saw this amulet last around the neck of her beloved Martin. She thought it had been totally destroyed when he used it to defeat a daedric prince. "This was not in my blood chest. Last I saw this it was around Martin's neck. Before that it was on his father's and every ruler of Tamriel back to Tiber Septim." Babette let out a squeaky gasp. "How in Oblivion did he get these things?"

"When we get to Dawnstar he will need to give answers."

"Indeed."

OoO

Dawnstar

Cicero bounced on his feet waiting for the rest of his family to arrive. Lucien could feel them getting closer and gave him a warning. He felt his nerves getting the better of him so he went out to wait for his family. He was ready for whatever punishment was due for his attacks on Astrid and Veezara. He might have been following the tenets when he defended the Night Mother's honor, but he hurt a sibling that was innocent. He just didn't want Dracen to pay for letting him live when her orders were to end him. He could hear the creak of wagon wheels and the heavy clops of horse hooves. The first cart came into view and he saw his bay gelding Mirth along with Dracen's horse Luck pulling it. The second cart was not far behind pulled by Shadowmere and the Listener's white mare Pearl. He tried to still himself, but his hands wrung together and he began bouncing again. He could hear Arnbjorn growling at the sight of him. He didn't relish facing him again. He got lucky last time and played off the werewolf's rage, he doubted it would work a second time. Gabriella pulled her cart up and hopped off.

"Keeper." She looked bone tired. "It is good to see you in one piece." A dark shadow fell over Cicero and he saw the werewolf standing over the Listener's shoulder.

"Shouldn't you be dead ham hock?" A nervous giggle bubbled up from the jester. Gabriella put her hand on the Nord's arm and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"With all that's happened I think we have had our fill of losing siblings Arnbjorn." He gave a curt nod and went to help the others unload the carts. "Astrid is dead." The news should have made him happy, but he did feel a sadness at the loss of yet another sibling. "Once we get things in and settled I need to speak with you about something."

"Cicero lives to serve Listener." She bowed her head and walked away. In reality she wanted to grab the man and shake him till he told her how he ended up with her things. Even more so on how he got the Amulet of Kings regardless of it being cracked and tarnished. She turned to go help the others and her blood ran cold.

"Dragon!" The assassins scrambled as the beast passed overhead spewing it's icy breath. Gabriella ran and cut the horses from her cart free. "Free the horses! Take cover!" She dodged another bout of ice and slide under the cart. She had fought many things over the years, but a dragon was well out of her wheelhouse. Babette screamed as the thing roared and swiped it's tail at her and Festus. They were sitting ducks out here.

"YOL TOOR SHUL!" They all looked from their hiding spots. Dracen stood on top of the wagon she was in, her katana drawn and her eyes blazing red. The dragon howled in pain from her fire shout. The flames still licked at it's scales. "Get inside!" She jumped from the wagon and put herself between her family and the very pissed off dragon. The dragon hovered above her and shouted it's ice breath again. Dracen threw up a ward shield and waited it out. "FUS RO DAH!" Her shout slammed into the dragon and it fell a little before catching itself. The force had caused small rips in its wings making sure it wouldn't stay airborne very long.

The others could only watch in awe. They had heard the stories, but now they were witnessing the Dragonborn in all her glory. Only Cicero had seen her end a dragon, though at the time he had not known it was her. It never hit him that what she was, what she did was far more dangerous than going out on a contract. He drew his blade preparing to help her if on opening presented itself. His love her her far outweighed his fear of being swallowed whole by a dragon.

The dragon decided he wanted to end the annoying creature who spoke his tongue. He had heard from others of his kind that there was a mortal with a dragon soul. Alduin would reward him for ending their greatest enemy. It landed and snapped at the small woman. She easily dodged the attack and lashed out with her blade. The metal bit into the flesh near the beast's eye. It roared in anger and pain before whipping around and hitting her side with his tail. Dracen rolled and tried to get to her feet. Her injury slowed her and her movements weren't as fluid. She winced and bit back a scream. She wasn't healed enough to be fighting like this. The dragon advanced and snapped his jaws at her. She closed her eyes knowing there was no way she would survive this. The sudden feeling of heat caused her to open one eye. Serana was standing behind her and used a flames spell to get the dragon's attention. From the left she could see Festus hitting it with a lightning spell. Arnbjorn and Cicero both ran and began to hack away at the right flank of the creature. Nazir dragged Dracen to her feet as Gabriella launched herself onto the dragons neck. The Listener used her Blade of Woe to try to severe the dragon's vertebrae Dracen didn't pause and ran with blade in hand, she slide and thrust her sword under it's chin. The blade sliced through the soft pallet and into the dragon's brain. It made one last death rattle before collapsing.

All the adrenaline had left her body and she let herself fall back. Strong arms pulled her up and held her close. She leaned into the embrace when she felt velvet under her fingers. Cicero buried his face in her neck, she felt him shaking and she tried to turn to wrap her arms around him. She heard Nazir voice from near the dragon.

"What's happening?" She turned and sighed. The dragon began to burn and glow. A unearthly golden light began to creep toward her and she took a step forward . As much as the power was unnerving, she was drawn to it. The energy enveloped her and she felt the rush of knowledge and power. Once it ebbed she stumbled back and Cicero caught her.

"When they die their bodies burn. As the Dragonborn, Dracen can absorb their power so they don't respawn." Dracen was thankful for Serana. She didn't think she had it in her to explain it all.

"So she takes their souls?"

"Yes, and with each one she gets stronger." The other assassins shared looks, but Gabriella held her hand up.

"We need to get inside, I'm sure our little battle will draw some attention. We can continue this talk once I know our family is safe. Cicero get her to a bed, she needs rest. Serana you are welcome to join us." Cicero swept her up into his arms and took his beloved Dragon into the sanctuary. Within minutes they had the carts unloaded and the horses stabled. The Brotherhood would rest and regroup before finishing what they started. Divines help whoever got in their way.