Disclaimer: I do not The Elder Scrolls games Bethesda does! :) Brilliant RPG-game where the concept of The Dark Brotherhood was taken from. (If anyone is interested, I am playing TES IV: Oblivion then the idea sparked!)

A/N (Nov. 19, 2012): Slightly edited but I suggest that it would be reread again! Formerly titled as Pirates and Assassin.

The Assassin, Conquistador and Privateer

The rainy weather has been plummeting Rome for the past days. The roadways that were not yet graced with stone paths have been reduced to mud and the citizens of the countryside were in no mood to go to the city to sell their goods in this kind of weather.

At the same time, the pubs were filled with many customers, warming themselves up with the different sprites it has to offer. During these moments, gossips and rumors filled the atmosphere of Fiore di Bianco, a small pub at the outskirts of Roman capital that was frequented by different travelers as well as the locals. The pub had two floors and a cellar. The first floor the tavern area: people mingle while drowning themselves with food and/or wine and the second floor was the quarters of the travellers.

In a particular evening, the unceasing rain had caused a young Roman lad to take shelter in the particular pub. With an unsatisfied grunt, the lad dried himself by the fireplace across the bar counter.

The proprietor the place didn't notice the arrival of a new prospect costumer, focusing her attention on one of the customers; both of them were engaged in some serious discussion. In hushed tones, they spoke about the Dark Brotherhood. The newly arrived lad could only catch a few words from their conversation.

"Yes, I heard the death of the… was because of them…"

"May…the soul find eternal repose…"

Lately, the citizens were talking about The Dark Brotherhood: it is said to be an organized paid assassination group. Romano, the name of the newly arrived lad could care less about rumors as long as it didn't bother him in his daily life.

Romano. No other identification for the slightly wet lad except the name. Since he was abandoned at birth by his parents, he has no last name. The bland name, in the perspective of the boy, came from the fact that he was born in Rome. He was adopted by an elderly lady until her recent death and the boy had been doing a living for himself, usually odd jobs and if there was none, he resorts to theft.

When the landlady was free, Romano approached him and asked if there was a room available.

"There is." The proprietor said. "For 20 gold pieces I can rent it to you for one night."

Judging from her looks, she looks like she was from the northern parts: light skin complexion and hair color, as well as very unique eyes, from time to time, it's either brownish or greenish in color.

"I'll take it. Thank you." Romano said and the lady smiled.

"The room is the first door on your right once you reach the second floor." She added and then busied herself into cleaning up the small mess on the counter.

Romano climbed the short flight of stairs and the second floor was quieter compared to the buzz of the voices going around the first floor. He then proceeded to his rented room and he was satisfied.

'The rental is an understatement. This could cost as much as 50 gold pieces!'

As much as he wanted to adore the furnishings in the room, his body was getting tired from the job he was currently contracted to: he was working as a laborer at a church that was going to be built. Although he was carrying heavy loads, Romano's muscles were not very defined but he was not lanky. The consistent hard labor was wearing him down and he was thankful for the weather because the construction momentarily halts and hates it at the same time because he has no salary.

Romano hung his shirt and pantaloons on the chair and proceeded into wrapping himself with the blanket and fall on a dreamless sleep.

.

.

.

Smoke filled the air and the distinct smell of material burning filled the nose of everyone around the area. Screams echoed through the air as people getting engulfed by flames. There were those that were lucky enough to escape their burning houses but they have inhaled too much smoke that they collapsed later on.

In all of the chaos and the fast pace of events, Romano found himself sprawled at a safe distance from the burning settlement. The Italian was only half-conscious when he tried to sit-up and watch the entire settlement razed to the ground.

Romano's head was pounding, refusing to intake what he was seeing; moments or hours ago, the community was in perfect shape, local and foreign ethnics interacted with each other but what was happening in front of the Italian seemed like a bad joke. He barely got out of the inn; he was thankful that he awoke mere seconds before the fire spread to the second floor of the inn

"Bastardo!" Romano cursed with all his might.

A few moments later, a Turkish man sat beside the wounded Romano.

"Be grateful that I have bothered saving you." Sadiq Adnan, the Turkish man spoke. "I have a proposition for you and you will earn better. Live a life of luxury that you have ever imagined."

Pausing for a short while, Sadiq then continued. "Here's your contract and as well as instructions." Offhandedly, the man placed a sealed envelope on the stomach of Romano and walked away. "Make sure you start that contract by next month…"

Romano sighed and from the shock, confusion. Romano as of now became a member of the Dark Brotherhood, working directly under Sadiq Adnan, his superior in the faction.

.

.

.

There were five rules in the Brotherhood. Rule number one, never dishonor the Matron. Although a bit ambiguous, the Matron according to my senior Brothers and Sisters, is the ''head'' of the Dark Brotherhood. Rule number two, never betray the Dark Brotherhood or reveal its secrets. Rule number three, never disobey or refuse to carry out an order (contract) from a Dark Brotherhood superior. Rule number four, never steal the possessions of a Dark Brother or Sister. Lastly, rule number five, never kill a Dark Brother or Sister.

To break any of the rules is to invoke the Dread: a phenomenon wherein during in dream – state, a supernatural force attempts to kill the rule breaker.

Romano shuddered as he recalled the rules and also from the cold antiseptic sweeping through his minor burns. After the incident at the small community, he walked towards the southern border of the Papal States. His goal was to reach Sicily before the end of the month.

You are ordered to kill Capitan Fernandez y Carriedo.

He will be docking in Sicily by the end of the month.

From the information, he would be resupplying.

The ship is a Galleon-type and named El Aventador.

It's a bonus if you behead him and carry his head back to base.

When Romano finished reading his contract, he immediately burned it so that there were no traces of possible evidence. In the small town, he immediately searched for a doctor: paying her a more than adequate fund to keep her mouth shut and stay for at most three days to fully recuperate.

True to the payment, he set out of the town and made his way towards Sicily. For two days, he traveled on foot and when he saw a horse stable, for 500 gold pieces, much to Romano's chagrin, he bought a horse to speed his travel. His funds were depleting because of this contract and he mentally cursed that he better get more worth than the trouble he was going through.

Romano went past his sour graping when the Black Horse he bought was worth his cost: the horse was fast and sturdy! In two weeks, he was able to reach Sicily, with an aid with a merchant ship and although it pained him, he had to sell the horse to the merchant ship's owner since he no longer needed its services and the owner was more than happy to buy it at the amount of 1000 gold pieces, which the owner personally offered.

The Italian lad still had enough time to walk around the small city Argrigento, know more about the El Aventador that would be docking in a week's time. The best place to gather information was no other than a pub. In the port of the city, there was only one pub frequented by all those who disembark except perhaps the high-standing citizens.

The pub was in poor taste, ambiance wise, as Romano judged the place and decided to work at the place. Sailors loitered around the place, the smell of beer, sweat, rotten food, and any smell inconceivable loomed the air of the pub but it was a merry place, so it never ran out of customers.

'I have been through worse…' Romano thought as he tried his best to take-in the smell.

"Thank you so much for working here! I really need someone to help me run the place." The proprietor of the place, Feliciano Vargas, said. He was amazed to find out that the man was from Venice, all the way from the north, to come here to South Italy, managing a small business.

"I really love the sunset here, when my Nonno brought me here once." Feliciano said to Romano as the two cleaned the place after closing hours.

Feliciano was kind enough to share his room in the upper floor of the pub with him. The pub's second floor was strictly off-limits to customers; it was the home of the proprietor.

During the short span that he worked for Feliciano Vargas, he has learned so much about his "boss." Feliciano really does try his best to keep the place "sparkling" to attract as much as customers. But as much as they try clean the place up, it still morphs into, what Romano could describe, a decomposing site.

When the pub opens around mid-afternoon, sailors and some of the residents begin to pile-in. Feliciano was also an orphan just like him and recently lost his last relative: his Nonno. The last thing that he learned about Feliciano is that he was an artist. Romano was even told that Feliciano was once commissioned by the Austrian Monarchy to paint for them.

'He could've led such a luxurious life…' Romano thought as he locked the door leading to the second floor. Romano then shrugged his thoughts and proceeded downstairs, helping his boss with the setting up the place.

.

.

.

An amazing stroke of luck had stroke Romano two days before the war ship of Capitan Fernandez y Carriedo would grace (or plunder) the port. When they opened the pub, there were two sailors who entered and ordered their usual rum and Romano gave their order.

After drinking down one whole mug, the two sailors discussed in hushed tones about the docking of El Aventador off-shore but the captain of the ship will himself come ashore.

"I 'eard that captain is still young…"

"But 'e is 'eartless to enemies…"

Romano didn't bother listening to the rest of the chatter. If the crew would disembark from the ship including the captain, THE CAPTAIN, it would make things easier for him. Different plans started to form inside the mind of the mercenary.

'I can think things over after my job…'

When the dark skies were slowly brightening, the last of the customers finally left the pub and the duo closed the place.

"Ve~ it was such a tiring day…" Feliciano stretched his arms and helped Romano in cleaning up the place.

"Yeah…" Rather than physical strength draining, it was Romano's psyche that was exhausted. There were too many customers today: twice or triple than the usual.

Feliciano and Romano finished their usual routine except that they didn't chatter much and ended asleep on their respective beds. That night, the pub didn't open because both workers were exhausted and they decided that they deserved a time-off from work.

Romano awoke past midnight and today would be the day that El Aventador would be in Sicily's territorial waters. The small noises outside the pub piqued the curiosity of Romano, stealthily, he looked outside the window, without having any idea that this would become a hindrance in immediately accomplishing his task.