A Listener in the Dark (with Poll)

Thanks Glad you're liking it!

A listener in the dark

Part 11


As The Night Mother had spoken his vision shifted inwardly, till he didn’t feel his body, the events transpiring out in the Throne room were shifting further away; the Night Mother was growing, supplementing all of his vision until he was but a mote floating suspended in a void in front of her magnificence.

“Now let us see what you can learn from this, Listener” As she spoke her worn weathered hand engulfed him the soft putrefying flesh covering him in white afterbirth. It froze him and then in as sudden a moment all this ceased.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

He was bent double snow surrounded him and his sister was but paces from him. She lay in the snow looking at ease and relaxed a world away from the violence that had just erupted around them. ‘Sister’ he thought ‘I have a sister? Of course I do, and we are in danger still’.

Puzzled why this knowledge of a sister seemed strange to him he stood up his hand moving for the Battleaxe attached to his back, instead all he found was soft cloth and bare skin, hair flowed down his back. Of course it would, long hair was a sign of a young girls higher status in a tribe. ‘Girl?’ he tried to reason that something was wrong, yet as he tried to it made sense, now they had to move, the time that had been bought for them would be naught if they remained here.

So approaching her sister she looked down at her closely “We must go, now Ur’tag, now is not the time for resting!”

Her sister looked up at her “Indeed Noh’leen, now is the time for us to locate the rest of our family, wherever they are, I was merely catching my breath before we go”. She got to her feet and stood at exactly the same height as her sister, Noh’leen thought briefly that maybe this was wrong but of course not they would be of equal height.

The two sisters were about four foot tall, sunken a foot deep in the snow which was still falling on them slowly increasing in strength. Behind them stood a cave entrance, the entrance was blocked now due to a sudden cave in. Just outside the rubble the sisters spotted a knife blade and an Iron helmet lying on the ground. As they approached it they spotted a tall male figure buried under the rocks, blood seeped from his body dying the snow a rich pinkish red tone. The figure dead from severe wounds wore full Iron armour.

Pulling the figure free from the landslide the girls recovered the armour, too large to wear; they stuffed it into the sack they also found on the man, and anything that could come in useful soon. A dull sword a broken bow and a quiver of arrows and some meagre food supplies were also their reward for about an hour’s work.

Noh’leen playfully slapped the oversized iron helmet of her sister’s head and passed her the knife blade and the quiver of arrows. Some instinct she couldn’t quite place anymore told her to take the sword, though a normal sized blade in her small form she needed two hands to even attempt to wield it. Yet it felt right, she swung it over her back using leather straps salvaged from the armour that wouldn’t fit either of them.

Ur’tag used some of the leather straps to secure the helmet to her head so it didn’t shake and slip when she turned her head. She affixed the knife blade to her cloth throw. Then using the last of the leather straps she attempted to repair the bow. “It may be good for one shot maybe two, and then we will need another bow”. She said to her sister as she swung the bow and quiver onto her back.

Looking at Noh’leen grinning sheepishly Ur’tag said “We look like something out of a tale ‘The attack of the miniature warriors” laughing as she brandished her knife into the air she struck a pose for her sister.

This made Noh’leen smile, something that she was loathe to do considering their family had been killed, in a chance meeting with a group of bandits, looking for a place to wait out the blizzard. Before an errant blast of magic had started a cave in, their mother had already started hurrying them outside. So when it happened they were knocked out of the cave by the blast the last memory of their mother came from watching her buried by the cave in.

The sisters stared at each other for a moment, and then Noh’leen reached for her sister “We must go now, we must seek out more family, though we have nothing to fear from this blizzard. We will be vulnerable until we can shelter with those that love us unconditionally” Ur’tag merely nodded her consent for them to leave.

“Then let us go this way sister, for that is the direction where it gets colder, the warmth of our families love will be there, where it feels like it should be coldest” Noh’leen followed her sisters pointing finger, between them they picked up the sack of provisions and set off in that direction.

Deep inside Noh’leen, a fraction now silent could only try to be her, and without choice; it listened.

Link to Part 12

A Listener in the dark

Part 12


As the sisters walked the weather calmed as it got colder, this was a blessing for it made it easier for the two young girls to move. With the colder weather the snow had become harder and not as deep, packing into an ice that the girls could walk across.

Without knowing it they were heading north, deeper into the mountains. They spotted a silhouette in the distance a protruding cylinder shape amongst the various peaks and snow drifts. It loomed out of the horizon, which turned out to be the top of a steep hill down.

They peered over the top at the stone structure in front of them, it was wrapped in tall stone walls many times their own height and inside of that there was what was a tower of stone rising up at least three times the height of the outside wall.

In one word Ur’tag voiced both sisters thoughts “Family?”

“I don’t know, possible” Noh’leen feeling concerned looked at her sister “There is only one way to find out”.

Together they started to approach the stone building, when they got to the wall they rested the sack beside it and kicked snow over the sack hiding it. Then they slowly and cautiously started to make their way around the outer stone wall of the building.

Shortly they reached an entrance into which there was an open space covered in dirt and snow, wooden buildings dotted around leaning against the massive stone walls. Across the empty space dead bodies of large men littered the ground, all ripped open by some sort of beast.

The sisters examined a few of the figures; they noticed they weren’t like the figures that had invaded their home a day ago. They also weren’t family, though they shared the same sort of ears and eyes but they were green with massive teeth spouting from their lower jaw.

The sisters crossed the open space towards a doorway, pushing it open from inside all they could smell was death emanating from the stone building. Still morbid curiosity and a fascination with the outside world; that they had previously only heard about pushed them through the door.

They heard a scream come from another room, and the sound of a body falling, frantically they grasped for their purloined weapons. Suddenly a figure burst through the door at least double their height, carrying two swords it screamed as it swung the swords in defiance, roaring a guttural indecipherable curse at an unseen assailant.

Noh’leen steadied her own sword in both hands and Ur’tag threaded an arrow onto the bow as her father had shown her only a month ago. She felt the bow strain against the damage as she pulled it her arms shaking. The figure swung round and then noticed the two girls in front of it, their white skin shining in the candle light of this murky room. Roaring he swung his sword straight at Noh’leen missing in delirious rage, she lashed out inexpertly and caught him with her blade on the calf. She wrenched the blade free using all her strength and had managed to tear it out in time to block a blow from the other sword the figure held, the blow threw her across the room she landed on a pile of wood her sword inches from grasp.

Lurching forward blood oozing out of the wound she had inflicted on him, he raised his sword to finish her off. As he went to swing the blade down onto her she heard a scream from her sister as she loosed the arrow, it leapt from the bow and pierced the figures neck. Dropping its sword the figure dropped to his knees grasping at his neck. The arrow had missed his throat, and the figure was trying to pull it out.

Noh’leen started to scrabble away grabbing her sword as she did, the figure yanked the arrow out of his neck blood spurting out from the wound, grabbing a sword he went to get from to his feet, shouting he went to approach the girls.

Then he screamed once, his eyes rolled back in his head and he fell forward to the ground. No more sound emanated from him, an arrow protruding from the back of his head explained how this was. Looking past it the girls saw another figure holding a bow and looking at them it pulled another arrow from its quiver.

The girls readied their weapons again, as Ur’tag threaded another arrow into the bow and drew back the bow snapped in her grasp. Panicked she looked at Noh’leen who was dumbfounded, suddenly the fight had drained out of her and she collapsed onto her knees, Ur’tag followed suit.

The figure in front of them replaced the arrow back in its quiver and swung the bow up behind its back attaching it there for safe keeping. Approaching the two girls it raised its hands so that the palms were open and facing them. The girls shied away from it, as the figure got closer they realised that it was the same size as them, it was a human girl with a short brown bob haircut and in a black robe. The girl pulled out a piece of food from her robe one to each and held it out to the girls. The girls starved from a day’s walking snatched at the food, never taking their eyes off of the figure, they bit into it.

As the girls ate the figure looked at them more studiously than, a young child should, dark eyes flitting over their skin and features, till she spoke “Well it appears I have found something that shouldn’t exist anymore, two of them at that. Oh dear and it looks like you have helped me out here, well as they say one good deed deserves another. Pleased to meet you, my name is Babette”. She didn’t know that the two girls couldn’t understand her.

The child figure smiled then returning to the large felled figure she retrieved her arrow and leaning down to the man, she bit into him and started to consume his blood.

The two girls transfixed in horror watching what was happening, they couldn’t move, they did not know what would happen, yet they knew they were at the strangers’ mercy.

Link to Part 13

A listener in the dark

Part 13


The Listeners body lay in the Dwarven pipe, while his mind resided elsewhere. From the distance in the pipe a light was approaching his form, carried by a scurrying form.

Outside in the chamber the ceremony continued, the Snow Elf Princesses joined hands, turning to face each other the pregnant one spoke. “Sister, Noh’leen, I ask for your hands, in this time of rebirth I ask that together we bring another life to this world that had forsaken us. Bring this life into the world with me, so that the next life that is brought forth comes from your womb!”

Guiding her pregnant sister towards the stone tablet Noh’leen laid her down “Ur’tag, I give you my hands to help bring back our races glory, so that the next birth comes from my womb!”

Smiling at her sister Ur’tag felt the contractions come pain braced her form as her waters broke. As a slow tide the Falmer approached surrounding the sisters, they brought water and other provisions, touching and soothing the pair as a new Snow Elf was brought into the world. The process of giving birth lasted but minutes, and then the baby was held aloft for all the Falmer to see.

Noh’leen’s body froze then started to tense in pain, grasping her stomach she slipped to the ground. Ur’tag holding her newborn in her arms proclaimed “Look my family! Look the miracle continues, the Snow Prince delivers another offspring to us from beyond, the dread lord permits it, we are resurgent we are strong! All hail Sithis!”

At this the entire, cavern reverberates to the chant “All hail Sithis!”

A life time ago someone is still listening.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Lifting her head from the feast Babette studies the two girls by now they have crawled to the corner. Blood dripping from her mouth, her predatory eyes scan the two snow elves till she comes to a conclusion, she wipes her mouth clean and standing she straightens her robes.

Bowing and facing the two young Snow Elvin girls, Babette tried her best and least threatening smile; she motioned to herself “Babette”.

The girls appeared puzzled by this so Babette repeated the motion and spoke her name again. A spark of understanding passed through the girl’s eyes, pointing at her they spoke her name. Babette smiled again, the girls started to come out of their huddle, one motioned to herself and spoke her name as did the other follow her suit. Pulling out more food the two Snow Elves gathered by Babette they started to eat, slowly the process of building up a form of communication began between Vampire Assassin and Snow Elvin girls.

A week passed within the fort, Babette found that the girls though appearing young were about 20 years old. Still timid around her they had built up a form of basic communication. Babette was amused by the situation and enjoying the sensation of learning something new, absorbed the history of the Falmer, their language based on an Elvin script was easily decipherable. In return she taught them the Nordic tongue used by the majority here in Skyrim.

The Snow Elvin girls turned out to be quick studies, over the following month they learned all Babette could teach about the history of Skyrim. Forging new armour, weapons as well as the use of them, finally she taught them basic magic skills. After a month and half they had absorbed almost all of her knowledge, though in return she had gained all the accumulated knowledge of the Falmer.

Apparently locked up within the twisted race that the Falmer had become there was a prophecy, linked to the very flesh of their race magic had been entwined. This magic had worked the flesh of the Falmer till after numerous generations eventually they were born. True born, Snow Elves, born in a small cave system far away from any of the entrances to Blackreach. The girls were raised by their immediate kin and loved without restraint, after they watching their family slaughtered by the Nord Bandits and crushed in the cave in they had by chance found Babette, were they had learnt more in months than in their whole lives so far.

“All hail Sithis” said Babette upon hearing their story “He provides a route for all to the void”.

“Sithis, who is this Sithis that you speak of?” enquired Noh’leen.

So Babette told them all about Sithis, the Night Mother and her part in the Dark Brotherhood, the way of the void and how she serves the Dread Lord.

“The Night Mother is like the Falmer who are dead except walking, they give to us our purpose, and from the void they have brought forth our race again. Now it is up to us, to go to the place you call Blackreach and continue this work. It appears Babette we serve the same master” Ur’tag talked while nodding Noh’leen stated “All hail Sithis!”

Babette smiled, if she had knew over a month ago that, her latest commission would bring her to a turning point of history she may have considered carrying along a bard to write it. In retrospect it amused her more to keep this story to herself, she would enjoy one day watching another shift in history occur and know she had played a small part in it happening.

A week later, she escorted the two young girls the remaining distance to Irkngthand, bidding them a fond farewell she embraced them both and as she touched their bare flesh black hand marks burned themselves into her their white skin.

Amazed Babette looked at the two girls who simply smiled back and entered the Dwarven ruin.

“All hail Sithis” Babette at two hundred years old was for the first time since her conversion to a vampire, truly surprised, quietly proclaimed to the landscape of Skyrim.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Light glimmered in his eyelids and a sudden noise brought the world back to him, a word shot to his mouth that he didn’t know fully.

“Hold” yet he pronounced it in a tone and dialect he could just about recognise. The light echoed the features of a Falmer stopped mid slash its sword inches from his face. The word that had erupted unbidden from his lips had puzzled the Falmer as much as it had Artur. Then it went to continue its attack, Artur seized the opportunity and with a dagger slashed out and stabbed it straight through the mouth, the blade pushing out the other end. The Falmer collapsed, and with its fall the memories old, now became part of him and understanding flowed like the blood of the dead Falmer beside him.

Link to part 14

I will be taking a week long hiatus on this FANFIC thread, as i put together the rest of the story and interweave the threads.

This will entail getting caught up on the thread : A theft too far

As well as tying the stories together for the next two threads to be added. Things are going to get intense soon enough.

You bastard! Nnnnooooooo, not now! But wait. Doesn't your time zone go twice as fast as ours? And if that is so, then we just have to wait half that, or about two days by my calculations. Sorted.

Ha ha ha! It's only been a month i've been on this site and i've already managed to have someone call me bastard. Its not the record shortest time its taken for someone to swear me out after getting to know me but its close.

Our time zone goes twice as fast as yours, what is Northern Ireland, sitting on the edge of a Black Hole or something, or wait is it America that would be closer to the Event Horizon?

Answers on a post card... There will be some sort of prize for the correct and/or funniest answer.

Anyway, stories still happening just can't keep this thread going till the rest gets caught up or massive spoiler time. Sorry Dunklunk.

this... this story is epicosity

Thanks again Van Moro, its grown that way. Again all the compliments i have received from you guys as enabled the madness to spread and more ideas to come out.

You hear that you are all Enablers!

Thank you

No worries, man. And you know I only use that term as a form of endearment. I call all my friends that. Which, now that I think about it, might explain why I don't have that many friends. Enjoy your time off from the fanfics, and looking forward to when they both resume, not to mention any other new threads your devious mind is probably already concocting. Cheers, Dale!

A Listener in the Dark

Part 14


The water splashed across the wooden platform, Falmer turned to the water, weapons readied.

Standing Noh’leen moved back to the throne, still in pain she managed to sidle onto it, while Ur’tag passed her newborn to one of the Falmer guards. She stood with no pain, lifting a long thin Ebony blade from the stone tablet, wielding it in one hand the other started to lift sparks from it as she readied a spell. Scanning the cavern she waited, while the guards escorted the children towards the door. Two guards pulled bows out and flanked Noh’leen in pain on the throne.

Bursting out of the water Artur, landed on his feet onto the wooden platform, he fell to crouch and reached round and pulled his battle axe out holding it in front of him.

“Listener” More a sneer than a word Ur’tag spoke in the Falmer tongue yet Artur understood her perfectly “Is it that you simply cannot hear, or do you not want to any more, be that it?”

Artur placed the Battle axe in front of him on the ground as Falmer started to swarm down the platform towards him. He reached to the armour and released the catches holding the bow and his quiver, they clattered to the ground. Grabbing the horns he pulled the Masque of Clavicus Vile from his head, setting it down.

“Wait” Noh’leen called out “Hold the attack. I wish to see what this Nord does next”.

The Falmer stopped in their tracks, weapons still drawn. Artur hadn’t taken his eyes off of the wooden platform the entire time, reaching to his shoulders he undid the latches that held the Ebony mail up then pulled apart the leather straps that held it tight the armour fell to the ground, stripping off the gauntlets and boots he finally stood up naked in front of the surrounding swarm.

“I listened to the Night Mother now here I stand, not where I wanted to be but where I should have always been in the manner I must be”. Artur’s gaze finally lifted to Noh’leen’s on the throne in pain, both twins stared at him. “Hail Sithis, for he has brought us all to this point before we enter his final embrace. So, let me guess the magic wrought to the flesh of the Falmer after they were poisoned is an agreement with Sithis himself. Brought forth in the only language he understands, death and the journey to the void. There is just one thing I don’t understand though what have you promised him that he is letting you channel the flesh and souls of dead Snow Elves to this time through your virgin births? I said I listened to the Night Mother, she filled me in on what happened, and she let me ride your soul, to when you made your way here so long ago, with my dear friend Babette.”

The twins stared at each other the words they had heard in perfect Falmer dialect, shocked those to the core, stunned past an ability to deceive Noh’leen answered him. “We are to return to Sithis that and those which still evade his grasp, who have tricked the very void into letting them pass untouched, or we will all be burnt off of this plane and every last one of us in this place you call Skyrim will be taken to the void by the Dread Lord himself”.

Artur smiled “Ah so the usual work then, different target than expected never mind I can improvise pretty well”.

“You’ve already failed Listener” Ur’tag admonished Artur, venom on every word “You were meant to assassinate the one that would allow the lost to return. Yet you came here too assault us, you should die, the Elvin Mage had our words he should have told you who too kill. Yet again the Nord went after Snow Elves, the old bloodlust dragged you down here to kill us all”. Spitting the final words Ur’tag looked ready to charge him.

“Enthir is it you speak of, he told me to kill you both, if not for the Night Mother that’s exactly what I would have done”. Artur started to approach the two twins, Ur’tag went to raise her blade, yet Artur merely smiled “We’ve been set up, someone has been following this all, trying to turn us against each other before we even knew of the connection. You say I have failed that it’s too late, well trust someone who has sent many a person to meet Sithis, it is only too late when your are finally in the Dread Lords embrace, till then everything is too play for”.

Noh’leen the pain of her virgin conception finally subsiding rose her head again “So then Listener what do you propose?”

Before Artur had a chance to reply, the large doors behind them opened framing three figures hooded in black armour.

“Of course” He exasperated “Just when you think everything is getting better, Nightingales arrive”.

It was at this moment that the Falmer unleashed a barrage of arrows towards the three Nightingales.

Link to Part 15

Dude, I thought you were on hiatus. Not that I'm complaining, mind.

Now excuse me whilst I go read your A Theft Too Far.

I kind of still am but i'm having to get the story up to date, while i post. Stuff will keep coming as it comes, just another part to this thread then over to another one... Possibly, still fine tuning.

A listener in the Dark

Part 15


Artur watched as the three Nightingales dived out of the way of the arrow barrage; the female one dived into the shadows and vanished. While the two males leapt into the water and resurfaced by the statue.

“I propose you get your loyal legion to cease fire till we find out what is going on!” Artur barked at Ur’tag.

“Defensive posture only” Ur’tag commanded at which point the Archers stood down to be replaced with sword bearing dual wielding heavy armoured troops.

Looking round there was now no sign of the Nightingales, Artur reached down and picked up his battle axe. “Josin, show yourself! I know it is you, listen to me, the Falmer have changed but old habits die hard. If you threaten in posture or action, they will cut you down”.

A change of pressure behind him caused Artur to turn round Josin flickered into existence standing there, in his arms he carried two objects. “We came in peace anyway, you should get dressed Artur, there are ladies present”. He nodded to the Snow Elvin Princesses “Though it appears you are all attired equally”.

Artur grinned “If those are what I think they are you should make your presentation quickly before the Princesses change their mind about sparing you three”.

Noh’leen and Ur’tag had replaced their robes, taking their seats in the thrones; Falmer archers flanked them holding a bead on Josin as he approached them. He kneeled in front of the thrones and from his pack he produced two large gems, the Princesses gasped at the sight of them.

“Our eyes” they exclaimed in unison “we feared them lost forever”. Ur-tag taking over for Noh’leen uttered a quick string of commands “Guards replace these now, take them to the statue, when they were stolen Sithis gifted us with our miracle births. Now they are returned they are a sign of the change in our fortunes, we are resurgent; the land sends its emissaries to re-establish us in the eyes of the surface world!” In unison the sisters finished with “All hail Sithis!”

“All hail Sithis!” the cavern echoed back. Josin turned and lifted a questioning eyebrow at Artur in reply to the Falmer's chant.

“I’ve always said I have friend in low places” Artur grinned as a reply.

Noh’leen spoke “Elvin kin dark of skin, you and your compatriots are welcome here, you can tell them to come from where ever they are secured” to this request Josin nodded his agreement.

Brynjolf materialized behind Artur sword drawn at his back, at Josin’s request he sheathed it. He then walked over to join Josin, Karliah materialized beside the Princess, and her bow drawn arrow pointed at Ur’tag. As she materialized she dropped the bow and sheathed the arrow then went to join Josin.

Noh’leen turned to him “Now what?”

“We talk and see what requires us all to be here at this time, for if I’m right something wicked this way comes” Artur grinned “and by the Dread Lords loving embrace we’re going to kill it”.


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Link to Part 16

As this thread is (definately this time Dunklunk) taking a short hiatus while i develop the next stage of the story, please follow the other characters in my version of the Land of Tamriel and their back stories. Links to connecting Threads:

For how Josin and the Companions have become involved as well as the backstory of the thieves guild: A Theft too Far

For how Artur and Kathryn first adventured together, include the Harbinger Dragonborns back story and reveals of Artur's past: Attack attack attack

mother... mother of god. This story is... awesome.

A Listener in the dark

Part 16



“So Josin, how come you’re here, thought you guys were establishing the one true great thieving trade company? Isn’t this a little bit religious for you” Artur grinned, inwardly he was pleased to see the Dark Elf. A Nightingale or three could come to be useful shortly, especially with whatever was coming next, he was also pleased as he watched the Dark Elves face drop at his comment. It appeared that the time hasn’t softened Josin’s apparent lack of humour come his guild, this would make for pleasant sport when things got too quiet on the road.

“So how did you do it, Listener?” Josin’s words to Artur dropped like poison, he was speaking at low tone so others couldn’t hear “We found Enthir as a pile of ash, you finally grow enough brain to learn necromancy, he was my friend and you murdered him, what for information? One day someone will finally figure out a way to destroy your poisoned brotherhood. You may be protected here but i will get my chance and then I will strike”. Josin went to turn away but Artur grabbed his arm, locking the elbow joint he pinned the Dark Elf standing on the spot.

“You threaten me Elf, I may like you but there are few things I tolerate and threats aren’t them. Either strike or leave this folly alone, now you said I killed Enthir, who told you that?” Brynjolf and Karliah started to advance, getting ready to aid their leader, yet Noh’leen stepped in front of them impeding their path.

“The listener means no harm; let the gentlemen have their little chat. It is time we all got onto the same page anyway. Besides you have weapons to surrender, you are among friends temporarily that will last as long as you respect our desires” as Noh’leen finished talking Falmer flanked her, she smiled coldly. Realising their options were limited Brynjolf and Karliah handed over their weapons.

“Listener, kill me or be done” Josin turned and slipped from Artur’s grasp “No one needed tell me about you killing Enthir as soon as I saw you here it was too much of a coincidence, how are you connected to this?”

“Enthir performed the Black Sacrament; it appeared that he wanted to see these ladies dead. Though I’m now having my doubts about any of that, considering what my Night Mother told me. Now could we chat like adults or should we fight for the amusement of other some more?” Artur held his hands out in front of him to show no harm.

“We can talk for now but if I get the sense that you are lying to me, I will cut you down” Josin, found it hard to control his anger, something he always had trouble with when confronted with the deaths of those he cared about. The change in Artur was noticeable, for all his bluster Josin knew he would have needed to be very lucky to defeat Artur in a fair fight or any other kind. For the barbarian Nord to talk this way when he had such an advantage, something must have affected him recently.

Artur was starting to replace his armour has Josin surrendered his weapons to the Falmer under the agreement that they would receive them upon return to the surface. For their protection they would be provided with a Falmer escort, in case they came across any remaining Dwarven Automatons, large violent killing machines left behind by their long gone masters.

“Enthir had written to me weeks ago asking me to make our way to Winterhold with the Eyes of the Falmer, after many years of decryption he had finally deciphered the whole Falmer text I had found in Markarth about a decade ago. Peace had to be made between the surface world and the resurgent Falmer; he said all he could decipher further was that the lost will return. Apparently the rest of the text had been obliterated long ago purposefully”. Josin shifted his weight slightly feeling the long this ebony dagger press against his back under his Nightingale armour. Though he wanted to trust this fragile peace with the Falmer he had advised his colleagues to take the same precaution, in case the Falmer decided to just be rid of them altogether.

“What was lost will return, the Snow Elves mentioned the same thing, apparently whatever is lost never made it to the void and i think Sithis is tired of waiting for his due. For he has returned to the Falmer their lost heritage, in exchange for them giving him back what the dread lord is missing” Artur holding the Masque of Clavicus Vile smiled then clipped it to the side of the Ebony Mail armour “Someone knows what we know, someone knows more in fact. Which means only one thing, whoever killed Enthir knew you were coming for him, to seek his guidance on this new quest. They knew that, I had been summoned for the Black Sacrament and had the resources to interfere without arousing my suspicions, they’re good”

“You sound impressed” Josin noted of Artur.

“Of course I am, if it wasn’t for the specific and in depth interference that the Night Mother had run before you arrived, you would have opened those doors there to a charnel house of slaughter, which would have spilled outward, inflicting much death on Skyrim, while the true threat remained hidden”. Artur smiled “They have a plant in your group; it has to be; only I knew about anything to do with the Falmer from my end. One of those two is a double agent” Artur pointed at the two other Nightingales.

“How dare you, you Nord butcher, are you as bigoted as almost all the rest of your kind, bar Brynjolf”. Karliah snarled at Artur “You look at a Dark Elf and her companion and you suspect them of treachery!”

“Easy lass” Brynjolf tried to calm her temper. “If what he says has any weight to it, he is right to suspect us, until the truth outs itself, the Listener may be many things but he is no fool nor is he a bigot”.

“It is maths, Josin doesn’t look the type for treachery he has the heart of a believer, while i am more than capable of treachery i couldn’t against Sithis’ will it would be pointless to try. That leaves you two remaining, it won’t be the Falmer or their Princesses, I mean who would they tell”.

Karliah placated slightly spoke “You act like only we four have entered Irkngthand, recently”.

“Why is the more of you hiding behind the doorway or something?” Artur almost laughed.

“Or something” Josin spoke.

“Well that changes things a little, it could be any of you bar myself, the Falmer their Princesses, my buddy Josin here” At that Artur slapped him on the shoulder, which Josin shrugged off and then took a couple of steps away from Artur “The rest of you are all suspect, does that suit you Karliah?”

With the implicit tone and warmth of a snowdrift Karliah replied “Perfectly”.

“Wonderful” The promised Falmer escort arrived and the three Nightingales plus the Listener lined up with them, Noh’leen and Ur’tag joined the group.

Ur’tag spoke for them both “While we remain here to perform our royal duties, we would ask a favour from you Listener. Find out who you were meant to kill and send that individual to Sithis but not before you confirm a suspicion of ours with them. It will take but one word to confirm this suspicion and ask him if the lost would answer to their kin if their kin called them ‘Dwemer’. Can you do that Listener, can you help us fulfil the Dread Lords work?”

Artur looked shocked he was about to enquire further but Ur’tag held up her hand and spoke “Not till it is confirmed then feel free to ask as many questions as you need”.

“Of course ladies” Artur turned to the Nightingales “Once out of the ruins you will be on your own i have work to do, you heard the Princesses i have a quest” Artur grinned a wide open smile “Unless you feel like coming with i mean the person i find responsible for the lost returning most likely are responsible for Enthir’s death too”.

“I will be coming with you, Listener but i will be sending my colleagues away to deal with another matter and there is another to speak too as well, the Harbinger is here, waiting for us to return” At the mention of the harbinger by Josin Artur’s face lit up.

“Kathryn is here? It gets better, come on we may as well start now” as they went to leave Artur spoke “Did I ever tell you two Dark Elves how i ended up with Ebony Mail, no? Well are you in for treat of a tale”.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Hey Guys just so i let you know and that i don't get it in the neck (ahem Dunklunk looking at you here ), this ends the portion of 'Sudden revelation' that the true foes may be the Dwarves! Say what, facepalm. For current events in that story please follow the story of Artur, Kathryn & Josin's continuing misadventures into mythos and legend within 'A theft too far'.

The continuing parts of a ‘Listener in the dark’ will detail some fun past adventures and assassinations with all our favourite Sardonic and mad killers for coin and faith. Hope to see you guys in the oncoming parts in this fanfic thread.

Who is Brynjolf and Karliah you ask, what game have you been playing? Want to read more about Josin and Kathryn though go to ‘A theft too far’ and ‘Attack attack attack’.

Link to the Next story : A most bloody pilgrimage Part 1

That funny award I gave you is because of the orange text, man.

Glad you liked it man... As you can tell from the final part there things are starting to get a bit complicated... Hope i can keep it all in order.

Agreed. The DB and the TG in cahoots with the Falmer? Nice spin on things. Proceed.

Thanks man.