Chapter 15 – Meet again

Aventus leaned against a tree, his legs trembling, no longer able to support his weight. He could hear his heart pounding in his chest, so loudly it felt like it might explode. His hands shook violently, still gripping his blood-stained dagger. His wide eyes couldn't leave the figure lying a few meters in front of him; every time he closed them, he saw that indescribable expression on his assailant's face again.

The images swirled, returning in waves, mercilessly imposing themselves on his mind. First, the sound of his hurried steps through the woods, the bandit's shout ordering him to stop. He had tried to ignore that raspy voice, but the man had caught up to him. "Hey there! There's a toll for passing through these woods," he had said, grabbing him by the arm, forcing him to turn around, before murmuring, "If you don't have money, that's okay, but you'll have to give me something else," with a strange smile on his lips. Aventus had felt a chilling shiver run down his spine. He had wanted to back away, but the bandit had grabbed him and lifted him off the ground.

Panicking, Aventus had tried to struggle, to escape the face that was far too close, the bandit's breath far too present, his rough hands rummaging brutally under his clothes, clearly seeking more than just a simple loot. But it was impossible, in that position. In a flash of lucidity, he had felt the dagger hidden in his sleeve, reminding him of Babette's lessons on vital points. Heart? Throat? Head? Unreachable. In the thigh, near the bone! He had struck blindly, aiming as best he could for the spot she had taught him. The bandit had suddenly let go, crying out in pain. On his face had passed surprise, cruel anger, and finally terror as the hand he had clutched to his wound was smeared with red. He had collapsed shortly after, his gaze emptying of all life.

Aventus forced himself to look away from the bandit's form, barely visible in the falling night. With a furious gesture, he wiped away a tear he hadn't felt running down his cheek. He had to keep going; his mission awaited him, his target wasn't far. "He will find a lost boy too tempting," Astrid had told him. Those words now sounded much more sinister. If this isolated man was as vile as the bandit, then he had to eliminate him. He clenched his fists, slowly regaining his composure. The Dark Brotherhood had trained him for this; he had vowed to eliminate those who did harm, he couldn't fail.

oOo

Night had fully fallen when Aventus finally arrived at the place where his target was supposed to live. It was a ruined hovel, bordered by a small garden now overrun by vegetation. The place was on the edge of a village, sufficiently isolated that any noise from inside wouldn't be heard by the nearest neighbor. Aventus approached, his heart pounding, and tried to apply Astrid and Babette's advice: slumping slightly and letting all his fatigue show on his face, he concentrated on his role as a defenseless child desperately seeking a roof for the night.

He knocked timidly on the door. The sound of hurried footsteps could be heard inside, followed by the creak of rusty hinges as a head appeared in the doorway: a thin man, with tousled brown hair and a vague look, stood there. He seemed surprised, but a smile soon lit up his face.

"What is a child doing here so late at night?" the man asked in a soft, sing-song voice.

"I... I'm lost," Aventus replied in a small voice, playing his role as best he could. "Do you know where I can rest?"

The target nodded enthusiastically. "The child can spend the night here! Narfi can give him bread if he's hungry! Narfi is happy; Narfi doesn't get visitors often!"

Aventus entered cautiously, his senses on high alert. As Astrid had predicted, this Narfi had welcomed him readily. The interior was dark and silent, only the fireplace crackling softly provided light, casting eerie shadows. The man, indifferent to this menacing atmosphere, took a half-eaten loaf of bread from a small table in the corner and broke it in two, offering one half to Aventus. Torn by hunger, he had no trouble accepting it with a grateful expression.

"Narfi is happy to share. Narfi is alone here now," he said, sitting by the fire. "The child can sleep here, on the pallet."

Aventus ate in silence, watching Narfi warily. He was looking for any sign of malice, any clue that might betray the man's true intentions. But at that moment, Narfi just seemed like a poor soul happy to have company.

"The child must be tired," the man said simply. "Narfi will prepare the bedding."

Aventus nodded silently, continuing to observe his host. Narfi arranged an old fur blanket on a pallet near the fire and gestured for him to lie down. The young boy hesitated for a moment, then lay down, staying vigilant, ready for anything.

As he closed his eyes, Narfi's murmur resonated in the cabin. "Goodnight. Narfi will watch over the child."

Aventus tried to stay awake despite the overwhelming fatigue, his heavy eyelids seeming to close on their own. The softly crackling fire raised the room's temperature to a comfortable level, making the task even harder. Every creak of the fireplace, every gust of wind outside kept him in a state of nervous alertness. He was listening for any malicious move from Narfi, ready to draw his dagger hidden under the blanket.

Minutes passed, growing longer, and Aventus eventually succumbed to sleep. Briefly, strange images came to him in dreams, absurd situations. One moment, he was at the orphanage, watching for Grelod with a dagger in hand. The next, he was fleeing from some assassin through the forest, accompanied by another boy his age. Then, he was at the Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary, desperately late to complete his mission. Suddenly, a noise pulled him from his troubled slumber. Light footsteps approached. Aventus opened his eyes, senses alert, ready to leap. His hand gripped the dagger's hilt tightly, his heart pounding wildly in his chest.

Narfi's indistinct silhouette, barely discernible in the dying firelight, approached softly, barely making the floorboards creak. Aventus tensed, waiting for the moment when the man would try to seize him. He had to take advantage of the element of surprise and strike before his target realized it. He tried to discern the man's exact position, guessing he was now practically above him, ready to pounce.

A gentle pressure on his shoulders surprised him. An unexpected warmth enveloped him. Aventus felt something heavy and warm being pulled up to his chin. A blanket. A wave of confusion washed over him. He... he was being tucked in, carefully. A murmur was heard, almost inaudible: "The child shouldn't be cold." The words resonated strangely in the night's silence, penetrating his still-alert mind.

Instantly, a memory surfaced from the depths of his mind. A winter in Windhelm, a cold and windy night causing all sorts of unsettling noises in the house, and his mother, Naalia, tucking him in, humming softly to soothe him by the warmth of the fireplace. It felt like it belonged to another era, a bygone time, erased by the illness that had taken his mother, leaving only the cruel Grelod and then the Dark Brotherhood. Overcome by an intense wave of nostalgia, he closed his eyes, struggling to regulate his now erratic breathing. Tears came unbidden, streaming down his cheeks, as his hands released the dagger, which fell silently onto the pallet.

The realization struck him: Narfi was not the vile and dangerous individual Astrid had described. Was it a mistake? Had she lied to him? It didn't matter; he couldn't kill this man. This revelation plunged him into deep anxiety. His mind raced, desperately seeking a solution to save Narfi without the Dark Brotherhood discovering the truth. Take Narfi away? Where could he live? And how to explain it all to him? The thoughts jumbled in his head, making sleep impossible. Each plan seemed more complicated than the last, each solution led to new questions. He imagined scenarios where he took Narfi by the hand and led him far from this village, to a safe place where no one could find him. But how to convince him? And the Brotherhood would at least have to believe in his death; otherwise, they would eventually find him. What to do? Perhaps using the bandit's body? But how to proceed?

The hours passed in this inner turmoil. Fatigue and anxiety battled for control of his body and mind. Finally, exhausted, he sank into a restless sleep, where troubled dreams and nightmares mingled with happy memories of his childhood.

oOo

Aventus was awakened by a ray of sunlight hitting his eyes. When he opened them, he saw that the morning was already well advanced. The light filled the room, streaming through the open window. A wave of panic immediately overwhelmed him. He still had no plan, and time was running out. When would the Dark Brotherhood send someone else to finish the mission?

Aventus hurriedly got up, rushing to Narfi, who was preparing a meager meal. The man looked up and smiled at him.

"Good morning, little one. Narfi made stew for the child. Good to start the day!"

"Narfi, listen to me," he said hastily. "We have to leave here right now! There are dangerous people coming! They want to hurt you!"

"Why would they want to hurt Narfi?" the man replied, tilting his head to the side, confused. "Narfi doesn't harm anyone."

Aventus stammered, desperately searching for the words to explain the situation as quickly as possible. "They... I don't know. They say you do bad things. But you haven't done anything. But they're coming anyway! You have to leave, hide!"

Suddenly, knocks were heard at the door. Someone was knocking. Aventus froze, fear gripping his throat. He watched in shock as Narfi calmly got up to open the door. "No!" he cried, unable to stop Narfi: fear made him retreat until he felt the wall against his back. When the door opened, the man exclaimed joyfully:

"Oh! Hello, Narfi's friends!"

He stepped aside, letting the visitors in. The anxiety gripping Aventus vanished as soon as he saw Lydia and Hunfen standing in the doorway. The latter rushed toward him.

"Aventus! You're here?!" exclaimed the young Nord, hugging him. "We were so worried! Was it really the Dark Brotherhood that kidnapped you? What did they want from you? And what are you doing here, at Narfi's place?"

Still in shock but happy to see friends, Aventus sat down and let out a sigh of relief. Then he told them everything. The abandoned cabin, the prisoners, the debt, Grelod-or-almost, his 'adoption' by the Brotherhood, his desire for revenge, the first mission where nothing had gone as planned: first the bandit, and then his target, Narfi, who shouldn't be killed, who couldn't be killed.

He looked up at Hunfen, who stared at him open-mouthed. After a moment, the young Nord suddenly snapped out of his daze and became agitated.

"What? They were supposed to kidnap... me? They... and they're coming back? Then we have to leave! And Narfi, we have to take him with us! We could... I don't know... disguise him and take him far, far away from here!"

"Yes, but we need a plan to make it look like Narfi is dead!" replied Aventus, invigorated by the idea of having help. "Otherwise, the others will look for him and find him! And I'll be in trouble!"

"We could maybe hurt Narfi a bit," Hunfen suggested. "We pour animal blood on the ground to make it look like the wound is very serious!"

"Hurt Narfi?!" exclaimed the poor man. "But... Narfi is scared! Narfi must play dead? Narfi doesn't know how!"

"He'd have to look really dead anyway," said Aventus. "There are potions for that, but I don't have any!"

"I know!" exclaimed Hunfen, his face lighting up. "The bandit you killed, we bring him here and make it look like it's Narfi!"

"They'll see it's not him!" objected Aventus with a dark look. "Or change the appearance with magic? But I don't know how to do that!"

"Me neither, not that kind," muttered Hunfen, looking apologetic. "All I can do is a flame spell."

Aventus closed his eyes for a moment, deep in thought. "Of course... he murmured. We bring the bandit's body here, but to make sure it's not recognized, we burn it! We burn the whole cabin, even. That way, there's no evidence, and no one could tell it's not Narfi!"

Lydia, stunned by what she had just heard, stared at Aventus with an incredulous expression. Her hand had instinctively settled on the hilt of her sword, as if for reassurance. The children, sitting before her, seemed convinced of the necessity of their plan.

"Aventus, what you're proposing... it's... it's insane," she said, her voice trembling. "You're talking about burning a house, hiding a body. You are children! Not ruffians!"

"I'm an assassin now," Aventus replied in a tone that tried to be cold but betrayed his urgency. "If we do nothing, the others will kill Narfi in my place. I have no choice!"

"There is always a choice," insisted Lydia, desperately seeking a better solution. "We could go to the guards, explain what happened. They would understand and take care of everything!"

"You don't understand," Aventus replied, his voice rising. "The Dark Brotherhood doesn't forgive! They will never let someone who defied them live. If they know Narfi is alive, they will find him! And me too! They'll kill us both!"

"It's the only way, Lydia," Hunfen added convincingly. "If we want to save Narfi, we have to make it look like he's dead!"

"Narfi loves his home!" suddenly cried the poor man. "Narfi doesn't want to see it burn! Narfi doesn't want to die!"

"I know, Narfi," Aventus said softly. "But these people... they'll hurt you. You have to trust us. We'll protect you!"

Lydia sighed deeply, weighing the options before them. She remembered the stories about the Dark Brotherhood and knew the threat was real. But she had to find a way to ensure everyone's safety without sacrificing her principles.

"Alright," she finally said in a resigned voice. "We will do it, but I will lead the operations. Aventus, you come with me to get the bandit's body. Hunfen, you prepare Narfi's belongings. Then, pile everything wooden next to the fireplace. Be careful not to accidentally start the fire. We will act tonight."

Hunfen nodded, ready to do whatever it took to help his friend and protect Narfi. Aventus looked at Lydia with a mix of gratitude and sadness. He knew what they were doing wasn't truly just, but he saw no other choice.

"Thank you, Lydia," he murmured. "We'll do our best to make sure everything goes well."

Lydia nodded, trying to hide her own distress. She turned to Aventus, looking him straight in the eyes.

"Listen, stay close to me and do exactly as I say. We will get that body, and then we will return here. Hunfen, be careful, stay discreet, and don't take unnecessary risks."

Hunfen nodded vigorously. "Count on me, Lydia. We'll succeed!"

With one last look at Hunfen, Aventus followed Lydia out of the cabin, his heart heavy but determined. He knew the situation was going to become increasingly risky, but at least they had a plan.