The Assassin's Dark Tales-Chapter III: The Covenant
#4 of Elder Scrolls
As he slept lightly for hours on end, Swift-Knife was not comfortable sleeping in the open, no telling what lurks to strike one. His robes wrapped around him tightly against the chilling night, the reptilian felt another kind of chill. One that crept to his very soul...
The Speaker, he comes again as promised.
Opening his eyes, he found the magnificent black robes of Lucien standing before him, and despite the shadow of the hood before him, Swift-Knife felt the pleased look on the assassin's face as he spoke, "So, the deed is gone. How do I know this? You will find that the Dark Brotherhood knows a great many things. For you are now part of the family."
With a deep rumble that could only be the Argonian's form of a blissful purr, Swift-Knife lifted his bulk from against the tree that he rested on to kneel before the Speaker and presented Rufio's head to him before pledging, "My life for Dark Brotherhood."
Underneath the hood, the mysterious Speaker smiled greatly, "Indeed. For the slaying of Rufio was the signing of a covenant. The manner of execution," He paused to look at the horrified face before continuing with meaning, "Your signature. Rufio's blood, the ink."
Looking to Lucien, Swift-Knife listened, "As a Speaker of the Black Hand, I directly oversee a particular group of family members. You will join that group, and fulfill any contracts given. You must now go to the city of Cheydinhal, to the abandoned house near the eastern wall. Enter the basement, and attempt to open the Black Door. You will be asked a question. Answer thusly, "Sanguine, my brother." You will gain entrance to the Sanctuary. Once inside, speak with Ocheeva. We must now take our leave of each other, you and I, for there is much work to be done. I'll be following...your progress."
Then he places a cold but comforting hand on the Argonian's broad shoulder, "Welcome to the family." Those words echoed in Swift-Knife's mind, memorizing every word to great detail. He felt disappointment of possibly not seeing Lucien again but great warmth and alien love came to Swift-Knife's heart when the Speaker welcomed him to the Dark Brotherhood.
"Thank you, Speaker. I will not fail you or the Brotherhood." Swift-Knife said. Lucien chuckled darkly, "I know you won't. You and every Dark Brother and Sister is a child of Sithis. He whom we call Sithis has many other names. Chaos. Doom. Discord. Sithis is the Void. We of the Dark Brotherhood serve the Night Mother, who is the bride of Sithis. The Night Mother rules her children with a terrible Black Hand. The Black Hand is the ruling body of the Dark Brotherhood. It is made up of one Listener and Four Speakers. Four fingers and a thumb, if you will. As a member of the Dark Brotherhood, you must abide by the Five Tenets. They are the laws that guide and protect us."
"The Tenets, Speaker?" Swift-Knife questioned, lifting his head in curiosity. Lucien focused his eyes on him like a stern father giving a lecture, lifting his free hand with his index finger.
"The Five Tenets are as follows_:_
Tenet 1: Never dishonor the Night Mother. To do so is to invoke the Wrath of Sithis.
Tenet 2: Never betray the Dark Brotherhood or its secrets. To do so is to invoke the Wrath of Sithis.
Tenet 3: Never disobey or refuse to carry out an order from a Dark Brotherhood superior. To do so is to invoke the Wrath of Sithis.
Tenet 4: Never steal the possessions of a Dark Brother or Dark Sister. To do so is to invoke the Wrath of Sithis.
Tenet 5: Never kill a Dark Brother or Dark Sister. To do so is to invoke the Wrath of Sithis."
Listening cautiously, Swift-Knife could hear the severity of the tenets and will remind himself to memorize them till they were as natural as his heartbeats. "I will follow Tenets, Speaker." He said. Lucien patted the Argonian's shoulder before vanished from sight like a phantom, his voice echoing likewise,
"You are now one with the Dark Brotherhood. Visit Ocheeva at the Cheydinhal Sanctuary and your new life will begin."
Keeping his bow for a moment before believing himself truly alone and stood. Looking in Rufio's dead eyes, the corners of Swift-Fang's tooth lined maw lifted. He has finally gained something he never had. Family.
No longer a slave. No longer an outcast. No longer alone.
He sensed a greater future for him and he will eviscerate anyone who dared to take that away from him.
Till the end of his life and beyond, he will serve Sithis and his Dark Brotherhood, to this he swears.