[OPEN]

[servessithis]

Characters: Vicente and YOU!
Setting: Floor 2 and the medical ward.
Format: Prose, but will follow you.
Summary: Vicente makes his way to the medical ward so he can get his supply of blood.
Warnings: Blood. Philosophical debate about religion.


It had been at least four days since Vicente had last had any blood. Even as ancient as he was and could no longer pass for a mortal, he still could only go so long without feeding. The collar with its green light didn't make it easy to be his usual sneaky self, which didn't help matters.

It was a good thing that the medical ward had supplies of blood for the taking. The creatures here he could kill easily enough, but he wasn't sure that it was safe to feed off them. Unlike Morrowind vampires, he couldn't subside on non-sapient creatures' blood anyway.



In a dark corner of the room, Vicente sat in the shadows, hunched over. In his hands was a blood packet, which he greedily sank his teeth into and sucked, drinking in the essence.

Comments

[servessithis]

Vicente had been sucking the last few drops of blood up when Lucien finished his statement. He froze as the words sank in. The vampire set the bag aside, wiping his chin and lips clean with a handkerchief he kept in his pocket. "My death?" He asked. "And what, pray tell, were the circumstances of my death?"

[silentdeath]

Another sigh, and this time Lucien stood and paced a bit, rubbing his jaw, a sure sign he was troubled.

"I ordered Purification. A traitor or, I'm more willing to believe, a spy had infiltrated the Brotherhood. I tracked it down to the Cheydinhal Sanctuary. They were clever, devious, and was a master of secrets, almost admirably so." He stopped in front of one of the cabinets, as if examining the contents, then turned back to face Vicente. "By the time it was carried out, the traitor had already moved on. I thought all was well then. And then, more treachery! My Silencer's dead drops were being intercepted. I chose too well in that one."

"He picked the Black hand off, one by one, even the Listener! That was when the others turned on me and labeled me as the traitor." Slamming one gloved fist into his palm, Lucien glowered and then as if realizing what he was doing, shook his head and placed his hands on his hips. Remembering this was upsetting, to sat the least.

"The last thing I remember was ordering him to investigate where the dead drops were getting intercepted, and hid out. I believe they were close on my trail when I was brought here. One thing keeps going through my mind. Who could have known where my dead drops were supposed to be in the first place?"

[servessithis]

Vicente watched and listened to Lucien, eyes occassionally widening. A traitor? Within the Dark Brotherhood. It had happened in the past, but to have one slip by his notice was almost unthinkable. No wonder a Purification had been ordered.

"The Listener?" The vampire gasped, shocked. How could the Black Hand had gotten so careless? How could he have gotten so careless?

When Lucien finished, Vicente took a moment to let it all sink in, closing his eyes for a moment. "I suppose the fact that the traitor did not die during the Purification clears my own name. Nonetheless, I do not blame you for making the descision. Had I been in your place, I would have ordered it as well."

[silentdeath]

It was relaxing to know Vicente had spoken pretty much what he had expected. A loyal brother to the last.

"It is no easy thing to order the death of your own Family. I knew you would understand. It has been very... trying, weighing these things in my mind."

Folding his arms, he was finally at rest, and leaned against a counter.

[servessithis]

"I am glad you told me, Brother," Even though he would have prefered to live, and keep using his immortality to the Brotherhood's advantage.

"The traitor not only knew of your Silencer, but the rest of the Black Hand as well," Vicente mused. "They must have been highly ranked, to have such knowledge." This troubled him greatly.

[silentdeath]

Lucien looked up then, a grim expression on his face. "Precisely. Someone who knew the movements of the Black Hand, our schedules. It could have only been another. It had been no coincidence that it had been directed at framing me."

Theories were well and good. Much of his time spent on Tamriel, wandering the dead wastes, had been in travel to the dead drops. There was little he could learn without being able to question the dead bodies, but journals and mementos had left a lasting impression.

"I was able to piece a fraction of it together while I was home. I believe it was Mathieu. Arquen was a fool to believe his words, when they labeled me traitor."

[servessithis]

"Mathieu? Yes, I remember him," Lucien had brought him into the Sanctuary when the boy was very young. "He was quite the assassin, good enough to ascend to the ranks of Silencer for one of your peers." The vampire never would have guessed that he was the traitor, but it did make some sense. The traitor had been traced to Cheydinhal, but the Purification had been ordered too late, and the traitor had already become a Silencer.

[silentdeath]

A slow smile formed. "Indeed. He was quite. But my brother, let us cease talking of the past. We should look to the future, especially one without a Listener or Mother. Or Death."

That was a whole new barrel of fish to open and clean. Their survival in a place that death had no hold. It would be interesting, to say the least. "It brings to mind interesting opportunities."

[servessithis]

A world without Mother. It was almost unthinkable. Just as unthinkable as a world where he couldn't please Father with spilled blood.

"There is no Mother for a Listener to take orders from," Vicente said. "Without the Brotherhood, I am but a wandering vampire, looking to get by."

[silentdeath]

The Speaker just smiled, and held out his hand. "As long as we have Family, we are the Brotherhood. This place presents a unique opportunity, and it would behoove us to take every advantage. We can still serve Sithis yet."

[servessithis]

Vicente smiled and took Lucien's hand. "That we can, Brother. The Brotherhood, Father and Mother's will, lives on in us."