User:Ninja Hinder/My story

Alternative to the Summitmist Manor Massacre

I knew it was him all along. He made the fatal mistakes of... One, telling Matilde right when he walked in the door he was an assassin, as a joke. Everybody took it that way, except me. Two, attacking Nels when he thought I wasn't looking. When I knew he was the killer, he was dead by the time Nels was.

If you didn't know, I'm Neville, or at least that's my code name. I didn't get much respect. I was used to that. The legion sent in their most trusted undercover captain to intercept what would have happened that night in Skingrad. See, we picked up the information from Antoinetta Marie, our undercover Brotherhood Agent. We had been foiling every contract but his contracts until now. Let me tell you the story.

I had arrived first, I made sure of that. The place was a classy Skingrad manor, with excellent paintings and food to last weeks. I hoped this would only take a few hours. My partner stepped in. His disguise name, 'Primo Antonius'. I knew his father, recently changed shifts from the Imperial City to Anvil. My partner was Luther Lex. The one and only's son.

Up and coming next was a Dunmer lady, very young, named Dovesi Dran. I could tell that Primo was transfixed on her. I couldn't tell if it was disguise, or not. Dovesi was not with us. We waited awhile and suddenly a very old Breton clambered in. I could tell she looked lower class. Dovesi seemed to be middle-class, could be skipping some sort of school to be in here. Primo himself was dressed in Nobility wear, which I told my legion apprentice was a no-no, because we were invited to a treasure hunting party, he would look like he had no place here.

I myself was dressed in rather nice clothes, but I got a mace and battered them to maybe show people I was homeless. I remembered to make my eyes look distant, as if harboring an old, bad memory. We waited for perhaps two hours, and in came the assassin.

With feet that, to the trained eye, looked like they were made for sneaking, strode confidently in. He had the most torn, worn, and battered clothes available. This Imperial fit the description exactly. He introduced himself, he actually used his real name, Jackben Knolus. He was trampled by a wet Nord who rushed in, making a big show of being late. All six were here, Neville, Primo, Dovesi, Matilde, Jackben, and Nels.

Matilde greeted the Imperial after the Nord. "Hello, you must be Knolus." "Yes." "What business do you have here?" She asked jokingly. "I'm an assassin, hired to kill you all." She took it as a joke, and we all had a laugh. "Now, what really are you here for?" "My children, starving, my wife is sick. I need the money." He said this so convincingly that it made me hate him more. How many else had been tricked this way?

"I will feel bad beating you, you are so funny." The Imperial smiled, and suggested we look in the basement. The whole reason we were here was to look for a treasure chest, which I suspected was nonexistent. I supposed the owner of this estate wanted all three of us dead. He didn't know 'Primo' and hired the assassin. I could only imagine who it was, and what I did wrong.

'Primo' and I slipped out of the basement, undetected. I got my knife and cut a hole in the second floor, over the basement. Nothing bad was happening there, yet. I put my armor I threw in the shadows of the foyer in a chest, and locked it hard. Luther didn't even bring armor. We cut another hole in the third story, one overlooking the first story, was in the room Luther and I would share. A second hole was hidden under some drawers, overlooking the second story.

We could spy anywhere in the house now. We hid a dozen daggers around, just in case. Out of a hidden pocket Luther pulled two potions. "These little pink things can make your skin hard as wood, and also make you as strong as an angry, drunk Nord." I grabbed one. "Thanks, and remember to keep casting that detect life spell I taught you yesterday, we need to know where this sucker is at all times."

We used the second story hole to listen for basement conversation. It was all nothing important, until, Nels says, "I'm going to find this manors store of mead. Search on without me." I peeped through the opening to see Nels, followed by Dovesi, leave the basement. I scrambled to my feet and began to pretend to search a bookcase. My apprentice wasn't so lucky.

Nels was up here, and was confused to see the noble on the floor. "A ring slipped off my finger, and I felt like searching for it." Spoken like a true rich snob. I was proud of that kid. Dovesi and 'Primo' made eye-contact for a second, and 'Primo' gave me a signal, probably meaning it was a disguise.

I remembered that Jackben was alone with Matilde. I said I would help 'Primo' find his ring, and settled down by the peephole. "Now that that drunk, and Dunmer are gone, I need to ask you something." It was Matilde. "Okay, fire away." She giggled, than proposed an alliance. "I would never ally with prey!" I realized the assassin was upon her. I jammed my elbow into the portal, muffling the scream.

After it was over, I heard crates crash. I decided to rush downstairs. Nels, and 'Primo' followed. "What happened here!?" Jackben looked shaken up, which I knew was a ruse. "I told Matilde not to step near those crates, as she could fall, or worse." He breathed in, and out. It looked like he was trying to rid his mind of stress, or anxiety, but he was really clearing his mind to make up a lie. "She wanted the treasure, and concluded that it was in there because of the dangerousness. She mistepped, and they fell upon her. I searched the body, up and down. No dagger marks, just some unrecognizable parts from crate-crushage. Perhaps he used some sort of drain health spell?

Mostly, the guests stayed together from that point. I told them, that as a retired legionnaire, it was my duty to lookout for trouble. I stepped pridefully up the third floor steps. I hoped my disguise was in good shape. I knew that the Nord would be suspecting me for the murderer, as I learned the legion didn't help him when his village was attacked. If only that Nord knew he was from Hackdirt, and Hackdirt's secret.

Jackben walked up to Luther. "What do you think of Dovesi, my Imperial brethren." "My heart aches for her, since the moment I laid eyes on her." I chuckled inwardly, since he first laid eyes on her 40 minutes ago. "Maybe I could throw a good word for you in, next time I speak with her?" Dovesi Dran of course, overheard. "You can speak to me now, whatever you have to say." Jackben shoved them next to each other, and said that 'Primo' liked her, and he was wondering if she like him.

"Yes." She said it. I couldn't believe it. She would of course, probably die, and Jackben Knolus just matchmade. Luther said he was going to talk to Neville. He stepped up behind me, a bewildered look on his face. "Why did the assassin just do that?" I turned around. "I don't know, but lets listen closely. "Why don't you find 'Primo' and ask him to dinner in this lovely manor?" Dovesi nodded, and began a trek up the stairs. I put my bad memories face on, and Luther began to explain his theories of who the assassin was to me.

Dovesi, followed by Jackben, stumbled in. "Hi, Primo, I was wondering, if, um." Jackben butted in. "She wants to eat dinner with you." Luther nodded. "Okay, it seems Primo here is ready, so why don't you freshen up in your room, Dovesi?" Dovesi nodded, red-faced. She ran into the woman's room, now hers alone. Jackben turned to us. "Why don't you check on that drunk Nord, to see if he has stumbled down the stairs, and bring him up here into his room for bedtime?" 'Primo' did just that.

Jackben and I were alone, except a lady putting on some make-up in the next room. He said innocently, "I think I saw some sort of secret passage in the basement, while I was down there, could you check in out, legionnaire?" He said legionnaire like he respected the term. I knew that he just wanted Dovesi and him alone on this floor. I exited, and pretended to walk down the stairs. I met 'Primo' on the stairs, practically carrying a babbling Nels up there. I mouthed to him. "He will blame you for Dovesi."

By the time Luther got up there, the deed was done. I ran upstairs. "I helped Nels into bed, and when I got to Dovesi's room, the door was open, and Primo was lying over her lifeless body!" "I was the one that helped Nels into bed, and the door is closed!" It was 'Primo's' word against Jackben's. In a court, Luther would win, but here he was just a rich kid with no reason to be here.

Dinner was silent, Luther and Jackben staring at each other. I told them I would get my old armor out, just to be safe. I realized that Luther and the assassin were alone, and I hoped he would pass this test, and become an official undercover legionnaire. I didn't know this Imperial's abilities, but my apprentice had the potion of life. I really did grab my armor. I looked through the peephole.

And then there were three. The bad news? One was the assassin. Primo was gone. I suspected his food to be poisoned, but I would find out with the assassin's coverstory. He dragged himself up here, crying. "Primo attacked me, and I had no choice put to throw him over the balcony, looking over the foyer." This was a lie. I saw his body, in his chair. But now I knew Jackben planned to finish up tonight. "Well, at least with the assassin gone, we can sleep. We can sort this out in the morning." a sensible thought from a crying Imperial. I had seen it all.

I found some tar, and a paintbrush in the basement. If Jackben would kill Nels tonight, so be it. I would catch him in the act. I painted my armor black, to blend in better. I acted like I was going to bed, and Jackben did the same. I never slept, neither did he. I heard him walk out, apparently thinking I was knocked out. I was standing in my room, with my armor already on. I crept out behind him.

For a Dark Brotherhood star kid, he wasn't very alert. I suppose he thought he had won already. I followed him to the room where Nels was sleeping. I heard a sickening stab noise, from inside. I quickly gulped down my potion. When the door opened, I swatted with my silver longsword.

I never relished the kill. The assassin was down, though. I couldn't find a key on him, maybe he had other means of escape. I grabbed his dagger, and threw it through the glass window the window. I jumped down to Skingrad's streets, where the doorman attacked me. I beheaded him, and then walked away, my armor already off. The legion had won.