An Unexpected Rescue

Chapter 15- Stay With Me

Scouts-Many-Marshes stared out from the balcony of Lakeview Manor and to the vast land beyond. Meeko was lying on the wooden surface, waiting for his owner. Forges hadn't come home in three weeks. He had seen the smoke billowing out from the dark woods and feared that his husband was dead.

But from what he had heard in town when he went on errands with Rayya, an assassin had tried to kill the Emporer. Perhaps he was still alive, perhaps it was someone else. How could he tell?

The sun had begun to set over the lakeside, turning the water into and swirl of orange and red. Scouts took a deep breath and let out a sigh.
'He's never coming back, not after what I saw,' he thought. The Sanctuary's location was a secret to everyone except its tenants and Scouts himself. He had been decieved by a murderer, but despite the fact that he had married a killer, his heart told him to just stay where he was. And as he thought about it, Scouts realized that it was for the best. He had nowhere else to go in Skyrim. The woods were a death trap, most of the cities were far away, and there was no way he could survive on his own anyway.

Scouts turned around to go back inside and get ready for bed.
Just then, Meeko's ears perked up and the dog rose to his feet. The dog then started to bark loudly. Scouts rolled his eyes. If it's another rabbit, I am done with this dog.
Scouts walked over to Meeko only to realize that he wasn't growling and his furry tail was wagging. But that only happened if he saw someone he knew...

Scouts peered over the edge and to his surprise, saw Forges-Many-Blades walking past the house and over to the edge of the property facing the water and took a seat at the cliffside.
Overjoyed to see his lover again, Scouts ran down to the ground and began making his way over. But then, remembering what had happened all those weeks ago, he slowed down and came to a stop, standing only a few feet away from Forges.

He didn't know if it was okay to talk to the Nightingale, especially considering that the latter didn't even make his presence aware to Scouts before Meeko started barking. If anything, he was in a bad mood. It just... Didn't seem right.
After being held for ransom, disobeying his lover's orders, and deciding it would be a great idea to break into the Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary, how would being all nice and cheerful improve the mood?

Scouts turned to run away only to hear someone behind him. "Scouts?"
He turned around to see Forges barely looking back at him, expression blank. That voice...
There was no way that a voice like THAT came from Forges. The tone lacked energy and was monotone, flat. It was quiet and reclusive whereas Forges was loud and happy. But unless someone was stalking the couple or Meeko learned to talk somehow, it was just Scouts-Many-Marshes and Forges-Many-Blades. Just to be sure it wasn't in his head, Scouts gave a response.
"Did you need something?"

"I just want to talk...," Forges replied, the almost-dead tone present in his vocals. Scouts realized that it wasn't his imagination, which terrified him slightly. Regardless, he turned back around and sat next to Forges. "This isn't a bad time, is it?"
"Wha- Oh no, it's fine."
Scouts's attention turned to what seemed to be a rather expensive looking robe, its dark fabric lined with fur.
"What happened to you exactly?", Scouts asked.
Forges held the robes closer to his chest. "It's all gone", He muttered.
"What's gone?"
"Everything", Forges answered. "The Sanctuary, my brothers and sisters, all the things that I held close to my heart. It's all gone..."
"Forges," Scouts said, placing a hand on his shoulder to comfort the Nightingale, "I need you to start from the beginning. What happened?"
"The Brotherhood was given a contract," Forges responded quietly, "One that seemed almost insane to do."
"For who?" Yes, Scouts, ask him who he murdered. That won't make him upset at all.
Much to his surprise, however, Forges gave him the name. "Titus Mede II."
"Wait," Scouts said confused. "You mean Emporer Titus Mede II? THE Emporer Titus Mede II? You're kidding."
"We all thought the same thing," Forges continued. "But we weren't mistaken, the contact wanted the Emporer dead. The only way to get to him, however, was to kill a string of people."
"Vittoria Vici, Gaius Maro, a Master chef; All of that to get to one man. I infiltrated the castle and poisoned the Emporer's meal. When I escaped however, I was stopped by Commander Maro himself."
Forges expression turned sour.

"Apparently, one of my family members gave my name to the Penitus Oculatus in an attempt to keep the sanctuary safe. Instead Maro went against his word and sent his men to destroy the place. By the time I got there, most of my family was dead and the sanctuary was on fire. I couldn't save them all. My brothers and sisters had been murdered and my leader was burned beyond repair and begged to be put out of her misery..."

"Once me and the remaining survivors found shelter, we decided to finish what we started. After... 'Tying loose ends' with Commander Maro, I broke on to the Katariah, the ship, and just took my anger out on whoever stood in my way. After a while, though, everything just grew foggy and I stopped thinking straight. Everything was an ugly gray and the lines blurred. By the time I reached the Emporer, I couldn't feel a thing."

Scouts-Many-Marshes felt his spine tingle. Just one event alone was enough to transform his into this... Empty, hollow and emotionless husk, a shadow of what was once a free and living man. He forced himself to continue listening, to learn what he could.
"Then what happened?"
"The Emporer had been waiting for me," Forges continued with ambiguous emotion," Or really anyone, to reach him. He hadn't been convinced that the Dark Brotherhood was gone for good. He was right. Before he died, however, he had a final request."

"What was it?" 'Do assassins even do requests?', Scouts thought to himself.
"He asked me to kill the man who gave us the contract..."
"He just let me kill him, right then and there." Forges held the robes in his arms tighter to his chest. "Now I have a new trophy. But I wasn't done yet. I could hear someone whispering in my ear, to do what I was told. It was an order from a superior, right? I left the ship, hunted down the contact and killed him, too. After that, I just wanted to get away from the chaos. And here I am."
"Forges..."
"I know. I'm sorry. But what that accomplish?"
"Forges-"
"I messed up. I killed so many civilians..."
"Dear, please..."
"Why haven't you left the house yet? I'm not worth your time. You don't need me any-"

Smack!
"For the love of the Hist! Snap out of it!"
Forges just stared at Scouts wide-eyed, the slap mark on his cheek turning red. "I don't care anymore! I need you, you monster! I thought you died, for Talos's sake! Never leave me alone like that ever again!"
Was that... Fog? Dew drops? No, those are tears. You made him so mad, that he cried.

"Scouts..." Stop it. You had your chance and you ruined every-
"Please...Stay with me, love."

The slight sound of grass barely rustling in the wind filled Forges' ears. The voices had gone eerily silent.
The moon glowed softly in the dark of the night, stars dotting the black sky.
The Emporer's robes had been placed aside on the table. Forges carried Scouts up to the bedroom. The latter had grown tired and eventually fell asleep.

Forges nudged the door open carefully and gently placed his husband on the bed. Do the right thing. Do it. For his sake and yours...

Forges dozed off, arms wrapped around his lover. And Tamriel fell silent.