That's Madness (a Skyrim fanfiction)

Epilogue - 5 Years Later

There is treachery among your family of blood. You must hurry before it is too late. Ruun....

***

I wake up disoriented and my nose bleeding. I wipe the blood away furiously and untangle myself from the furs I sleep in. Treachery among your family of blood. I rub my eyes and mechanically unchange from my night clothes into my standard Dark Brotherhood armour. It isn't the most inconspicuous of outfits to wear around Skyrim, but I do not care. 

The five years have been good to the Brotherhood. We've had a steady stream of contracts, with several actually taking us out of Skyrim and into High Rock and Hammerfell. Mostly just to assassinate noble lords and ladies in order to further someone else's position. Nothing as big or as elaborate as killing off the Emperor. Although many disliked Titus's reign, Lexa is proving to be a popular and capable ruler. She has somehow been able to soothe relationships with the Thalmor and has eased their cruelty on Skyrim and Cyrodiil. She's appeased the Stormcloaks demand, but has also managed to make sure the Imperial Legion has a strong presence in Skyrim. She's attended numerous conferences throughout Tamriel, one conference being in Solitude that my mother was invited to. I would know because I assassinated Thane Erikur there. 

In the training room Andriel is shooting practice arrows and Thomas and Lavinia are sparring. In the kitchen, Nazir is sharpening his scimitar, Babette is staring at an array of fungi thoughtfully and Cicero is leisurely humming to himself. 

"I have to go," I announce abruptly. 

"What!?" Babette exclaims. "Where?"

"I heard the voice of the Night Mother in my head," I explain. "I have to do this. I won't be long. Only a day or two...if I'm gone longer than two full days send either Andriel or Lavinia to Whiterun,"

"What's waiting for you in Whiterun?" Nazir asks suspiciously. 

"What do you think?" I ask pointedly. "I have to do this,"

"Good luck..." Babette says softly.

Before leaving the Sanctuary I stop to pick up a few things. My cowl and gloves, to keep me warm and to enhance my archery skills, my daggers and my bow. My bow has remained unchanged throughout the years, glass and shimmery. My daggers are still the same daggers that I have always used. The same ones that killed Commander Maro and ended the treachery facing my Family. 

I whistle for Shadowmere and stroke his glossy black mane. I spend a few minutes fussing over him, essentially delaying the inevitable of what I have to do. I hoist myself onto my horse and we gallop to Whiterun without looking back. 

***

I get to Whiterun in the evening and in my panic and determination to reach my family, I realise that I'm standing in town undisguised. But nobody has appeared to recognise me, although some people are giving me odd looks. 

"Maryse?"

Crap. Spoke too soon. 

"Who?" I arch an eyebrow. I'm a master liar at this point. 

"Oh...sorry," Fralia Greymane smiles apologetically. "You look like a girl I used to know,"

"Sorry," I purse my lips. Fralia is close with the Companions and she would sometimes read stories to myself and my siblings when we were younger. She doesn't seem upset or rattled, nothing to give away that something tragic has happened in Jorrvaskr. I excuse myself from her and I walk up the steps to the Gildergreen, keeping my head low. I sit on a bench facing Jorrvaskr. It seems fine. It isn't on fire and there's nobody attacking. The Night Mother had better not been playing tricks on me.