Skyrim: The Nightshade Assassin

The Happy End

The chapter you all deserve. I only posted it on here bc of my lack of progress on the sequel lol

***

Perhaps change isn't all that bad.

I look to my left; I see a large, work-in-progress home that still needs a lot of work and furnishing. I look to my right; the crops are growing nicely. For once, I'm actually proud of myself as an individual for doing something ethically "right."

If I gaze into the back of my mind, my past self would scoff at me for being proud of something as measly as gardening. I'd smile back at her. If only you knew what your future holds instead of trying to stick to your bleak, close-minded soul. You encased yourself in hate and narcissism for so long that you've forgotten what it means to be a decent human being.

My unfocused attention fixates back onto the garden, momentarily leaving my erroneous past behind. I suppose farming is an admiral skill to have, rather than knowing what place in the throat to glide your dagger across to efficiently take down a target — which, if you actually try it, is a rather difficult skill. It sounds unusual for me to say, but I'd rather tend this frustrating dirt pile than make thousands upon thousands of gold taking people's lives.

My hand runs against the tree stump I'm sitting on.

This is the first feeling of peace I hadn't experienced in ages.

My torso twists behind me after a bush rustles. "Welcome back..." I mutter softly, outstretching my hand.

Kaito emerges from the leafy portal, a log at his side as he uses his other hand to grasp mine. "How does Lakeview look so far?" he asks before kissing my forehead.

My head rips away from his lips as I glance to the manor. "Kind of ugly," I admit, "but it'll look better when construction is finished, won't it?"

The Dragonborn nods and sets down the wood in a pile. "After we finish the storage room and figure out what to put in the west wing, it'll be our completed home."

I pout at the mention of the storage room. "I wanted an alchemy room, not storage."

He laughs, placing his forearms on his knees to rest. "With all the things we have? We won't have anywhere to put anything. Our armoury in the cellar is full with, well, armour, and there's a lot of things I need. No alchemy room. Sorry, Cortana."

I snicker. "You? Saying no to me? You've come a long way, Dragonborn."

"Don't call me that, Listener."

"Don't call me that, then!" I lightly cow tip him, but he pulls me along. He isn't that strong, but I don't care to lose my balance and end up sitting beside him in the grass.

He pushes himself upright and plucks the moist sticks of sod from his clothes. "Then what shall I call you, madame?"

"I don't know, something affectionate? You know... like honey or something..."

And with a brief silence... Kaito starts to laugh. I immediately heat in spite and embarrassment. "Shut up! I was just referencing what other couples do!" I huff vehemently, throwing the handful of foliage I snatched from the bush and toss it at Kaito.

He raises his arms to block the leaves, laugh lightening to a chuckle and takes a deep breath. "Of course, you cacophonous wife."

"Idiot husband!" I raise my arm to harmlessly slap him, but he swiftly interlocks his fingers with mine, our rings clashing together. We both gaze to our Bond of Matrimonies, then back to each other, and giggle.

My ring flashes in the sunlight as we both move our hands to the ground.

After the Dark Brotherhood sanctuary was devoured in a fire, it wasn't easy to get back on my feet. We buried the corpses of, in order of their deaths, Festus Krex, Veezara, Arnbjorn, Gabriella, Lis, and lastly, our beloved traitor, Astrid. And so when the burials we're finished, I broke down, in front of their graves, in front of the only family I had left. The only group of people who cared for me, who I grew up with as an individual, fed me warm meals after they recruited me and taught me how to defend myself and eventually kill. I screamed for Astrid, the woman who betrayed her own family. I cried until it came out as choked, overlapping gasps, because there wasn't anyone in the world who I still looked up to more. Astrid will always be someone special.