THUD! Amourn woke up suddenly after hearing a loud noise from the hotel lobby. He slowly got out of bed and quickly put his clothes on. Creak, Creak, Creak. There was something coming up the stairs. Amourn’s breathing had increased and his heart was racing. He picked up his dagger and darted out through his door, hiding behind some nearby boxes. He watched as someone crept into the room he’d been staying in. “What?! Where is he?!” He heard someone say. Amourn slowly crept past the room and down the stairs. Immediately the loud thud was explained. The receptionist was laying on the floor by the main desk. He crept over to her and checked her pulse. ‘Still alive’ He muttered. He then remembered that person who’d gone into his room. He darted for the stairs, just as an arrow flew past where he had been just moments before. He ran up the stairs, ducking under another arrow. He ran towards his attacker, getting close enough to force him to fight with a dagger. ‘Good, the fight is nice and even!’ he thought, taking a swipe at his attacker. He ducked out of the way just as the attacker took a swipe at him.

There was suddenly a loud BANG against the door “What’s happening in there?” he heard someone ask “We heard a noise. If you don’t answer now we’re going to break down the door!”

Amourn remained silent. His attacker took a few swipes at him while he was distracted. Amourn threw his hand down to his lower abdomen, clutching the wounds, hoping that the blade wasn’t poisoned. Suddenly the door flew open and three guards ran into the room. ‘Great!’ Amourn thought ‘That’s all I need!’ He took a quick swipe at his attacker, missing by millimetres. He then found himself on the floor with a guard pinning his arms down. He looked forward and saw that his attacker was also pinned down. “So, you thought you’d break into the Tiber Septim Hotel, did you?” The guard said in Amourns ear. Amourn was about to answer but then realised that the guard probably didn’t even care if he was innocent or not. Maybe he could fight his way out… No, bad idea, too many guards and they’d be too strong anyway.

Amourn winced in pain as he got up from the cell floor. ‘Well this is just brilliant!’ he thought to himself ‘I got my freedom, and I end up back in jail!’ He walked up to the bars and watched the patrol routes of the guards. He could try and break out. ‘But it’ll be too risky’ he thought ‘There’s too many of them and they pass too frequently…’ He noticed a small bed roll in the corner and walked up to it, lying down. It wasn’t exactly comfy but it was better than having to sleep on cold stone. He ran his hand along the bandages over his wounds. “Looks like I’ll be spending a long time on the streets when I’m out of here” he muttered. He soon found himself dozing off to sleep.

The bright sun stung Amourn’s eyes as he walked out of the prison. He collected his things from a guard nearby and walked out to the waterfront. It wasn’t the best district but it would do for now. He walked down the waters edge and turned off into a shanty town. His eyes widened with delight when he spotted a beggar with a bag full of food “Hey, want to share that?” he asked, approaching.

“No way, get your own!” The beggar answered. Amourn asked again, but got the same response.

“How about if you don’t share then I’ll prise it from your cold, dead fingers!” he said angrily. The beggar laughed loudly.
“I’d like to see you try!” he laughed.

Amourn grinned and drew his dagger, and clasped his hands around the beggar’s throat, holding the knife to his eye. “You going to change your mind, or am I going to have to carry out my threat?” he growled coldly, loosening his grip so that the beggar could answer.

“Get your own!” the beggar said before spitting in Amourn’s face.

Amourn wiped the spit away and tightened his grip again, stabbing the beggar through the chest. He let go and watched as the body slid down the wall, leaving a trail of blood. He picked up the beggars sack and looked through, grabbing an apple and then walking away.

He found an abandoned shack to sleep him. He threw the core of the apple away and opened the door. It was empty but quite small and very dusty. That didn’t bother Amourn. He walked over to the corner and curled up, going to sleep. When he woke up the next morning there was someone standing over him. He stood up and looked the person in the eye. “You sleep rather soundly for a murderer” The person said, lowering his hood. “That’s good. For what I am about to propose will require a clear conscience. I am Lucien Lachance, and the night-mother has told me about-“

“Get on with it!” Amourn interrupted.

“Very well. I would like you to join my very – special – family” Lucien said quietly “We are known as the dark brotherhood and we all have one thing in common. Murder.”

“So why pick me?” Amourn asked “There’s plenty of other murderers out there, why pick me?”

“Why the Night-Mother has chosen you I do not know, but what I do know is this:” Lucien answered “You are a cold blooded killer, and what I am offering you is a chance to take yourself from petty murder, to deadly assassination!”

Amourn thought for a moment “Go on Mr Lachance” he said. “What’s the catch?”

Lucien grinned “Along the green road is an inn. It is called the Inn of Ill Omen. There is a resident there named Rufio.” He said quietly “I want you to kill him.”

Amourn nodded “I’ll think about it” he said.

“Please, take this. It is a virgin blade, and thirsts for blood. It’s called the Blade of Woe” Lucien said, holding out a black dagger with gold decoration on it.

Amourn took his dagger out of its sheath and threw it away, taking the Blade of Woe and putting it into the sheath.

“For now I will leave you” Lucien said “After Rufio is dead, the next time you sleep in a location I deem secure, we shall meet again. Until then, May Sithis be with you.
Amourn nodded and watched as Lucien left. He also left the shack and looked around for Lucien. He was gone! ‘It doesn’t matter. I’ll see him again if I kill Rufio.’ He thought. He approached a guard and asked for directions to the Inn of Ill Omen…