She felt anticipation. She was focussed and collected, held firmly from all sides, cradled in a perfectly comfortable position. They were moving, smoothly but swiftly. A leap – she felt flying through the air. A soft landing. Another leap. A jump down, with a long fall broken by something soft. More swift and smooth movement. Rising anticipation.

She heard muffled voices ahead – men, laughing and talking, walking away. They continued moving, her heart beating faster.

They stopped, she felt warmth – the heat was coming from one side. A voice – quite close, male, talking quietly. Then gasping in surprise as she felt a jerk. Her heart skipped a beat, then a wave of calm engulfed her. Satisfaction.

She felt strain, movement, muscles tensing. A shuffling noise, then a thump. A deep breath, heartbeat slowing.

They were not moving. She felt warm, the heat was coming from one side again – she was leaning against something warm. It was pleasant, she started to relax, but anticipation wouldn’t let her sleep. Time was passing – many heartbeats.

Suddenly there was a clanking noise, quite sharp yet muffled, and hard footsteps – someone was coming towards her, making a clanking noise as he walked. His voice sounded rough and disgruntled.

They moved smoothly and quietly again to intercept the heavy footsteps, the noise still muffled. A jerk, and the muffle fell away, the clanking footsteps now very close. Her heart raced, a hoarse grunt sounded right into her ear. Then a thud, and something heavy brushed against her side.

Muscles tensed, they moved with difficulty and strain, with a shuffling sound. Then a thump and release. A deep breath brought relief and satisfaction.

They moved again, anticipation rising, and something else – excitement and joy. She heard a man’s voice, felt someone’s touch – soft, caressing. She felt love and a heavy weight on top of her – a man, she could feel his heartbeat, hear his voice. Love engulfed her, love and joy.

…

“I have a rather special contract for you” – a Speaker addressed Lillian Delacour. “You are to eliminate a Legion Commander.” He passed her a scroll. “Here are the details.”

Lillian unrolled the scroll. Pale Pass Fortress.

“I see” – she said slowly, lifting her eyes to the Speaker. “Tell me, who issued this contract?”

The Speaker met Lillian’s gaze, looking into her eyes for a long moment before replying.

“His lieutenants.”

“Both of them?”

“Together.”

“Very well.”

She turned around and left. The Speaker thought he knew what she was about to do. Once performed, the Black Sacrament could not be refused, but conditions were always negotiable. The Speaker took a leap of faith with this contract, but Sithis would be pleased either way – two lives would be taken. Lillian was one of his best assassins, and he was not about to accept a contract on her life.

…

Lillian had no doubt that the Speaker understood her intentions. The scroll he gave her contained the details of the Pale Pass Fortress, the details that she knew already quite well. The men knew her – she was the Commander’s woman, although no one knew she was a Dark Brotherhood assassin. No one except those two, it appeared.

“They’ve got the nerve, I’ll give them that” – she thought, choosing her poisons. “But a quick death? I don’t think so.” She picked two vials of a lingering paralysing poison. “They should enjoy the fruits of their plot.”

She strapped herself into her armour, taking particular care to secure and protect her growing belly – she was four months pregnant.

She moved smoothly and swiftly, dropping into the fortress through a hatch just behind the store room. Some soldiers were still in the mess hall, talking and laughing, but they would soon retire to the barracks – it was getting quite late. She peeked out of the store room door and saw them walk away. She silently crossed the mess hall into the kitchen – the first lieutenant was there. He could never resist an extra slice of roast and more mead than his wages would afford.

But he was not drunk, not tonight, he was muttering to himself. He heard her – he turned around, taking in her armour. She never wore it to the fortress before, of course.

“The assassin” – he thought with satisfaction. Lillian removed her hood. “No!” – he realised the foolishness of their plot, but it was too late. Lillian’s dagger had nicked his neck, and he fell to the floor with a thud, paralysed.

He was heavy, but she was still strong, she pulled him up and moved his limp body behind some crates. He would take several hours to die – long enough to witness everything else that was to come. She closed the door, sat next to the stove and prepared to wait.

…

The second lieutenant returned from duty late, the soldiers were already asleep in the barracks. There would be some food in the kitchen though, and his mate would likely still be there, getting drunk. He walked heavily, his armour clanking around him. His mate must have heard him – the kitchen door opened…

“What?!” – he startled, seeing a slender figure of an assassin dashing from the kitchen, a dagger in the palm of her hand. He fell with a thud before he could pull out his sword – she shot a paralysing spell at him first, then nicked the skin on his neck.

He was heavy, with all his armour on, but she pulled his body into the kitchen too, setting him behind the crates. It was quite an effort, but also he had to witness her triumph.

Lillian straightened up and left the kitchen, leaving the door open. She opened another door – to the Commander’s office, and from there to his quarters.

“Lily?” – he heard her footsteps. “What..?” – he saw her armour.

“Your lieutenants” – she smirked. “They are in the kitchen. They’ll be dead by the morning. It seems they’ve finally had too much mead.”

“Those bastards” – he swore. “Come, let me help you out of that armour. The men must not see you like this.”

With her armour removed and stashed, Lillian didn’t bother with clothes as yet. Wolf kissed her, caressing her belly, pulling her into the bed.

“This child we keep” – he said firmly. Love engulfed them, love and joy.