[A/N] One merry day playing Skyrim, I was checking up on my miscellaneous quests when I discovered that I had not yet talked to a certain kid in Windhelm named Aventus Aretino. One thing led to another, and before I could so much as say "Hail Sithis," I had joined the Dark Brotherhood. And honestly, I'm glad I did.

Now, I like pretty much all of the members of the Dark Brotherhood. However, one of my favorites IS Babette, because I have a shameless soft spot for any kind of vampire. So, in between asking her for advice on my contracts and brewing a million and one useless poisons at the alchemy lab, the gears of my mind were turning. I began to ask myself: what kind of relationship would my Dovahkiin and Babette have?

Add in the fact that I love to write things with a subjective third-person POV, and I've got myself a oneshot.

[DISCLAIMER] I do not own The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim or anything related to it; that's Bethesda's deal, not mine (sadly). However, Kajsa Red-Blade is my original character and she belongs to me.

A TWISTED SORT OF SISTER

Eyes gleaming and jointed legs feeling about the ground, the frostbite spider scuttled around in the pit below the alchemy lab's overlook. Babette sat in a rickety wooden chair by the log ramp down, legs crossed under her skirts and leaning over her knees in thoughtful contemplation of Lis, and wondered when she could harvest some more venom.

While not strictly an alchemical ingredient, frostbite venom was incredibly useful. It wasn't the best of poisons, but it was reliable and easy enough to collect. Lately, Babette had been taking to experimentally adding it to some of her more dangerous mixtures – like the skeever tail, eye of sabre cat, and giant lichen concoction cooling on the alchemy lab right now – just to see what it would do.

Truth was, she was bored out of her mind. Stuck inside the Sanctuary for most of the time, the vampire couldn't even remember the last time she'd gotten a contract. Sure, the other members of the Family bought her poisons and lavished her with praise when they worked, but killing people indirectly just wasn't the same.

Sometimes, I think they forget that I'm the oldest of all of them, she pouted. They should know I'm not completely innocent by now.

"Do you mind if I use this?"

Babette swiveled around in her seat, gripping the back with her hands to keep her position. The voice belonged to a young Nord woman wearing the traditional black-and-maroon Dark Brotherhood armor with an ornate dagger hanging by her hip and the hilt of a sword visible over one shoulder. Her cowl hung loosely around her neck, revealing her face.

"The alchemy lab?" The vampire scrambled out of the chair and carefully removed her latest poison, placing it on a nearby table. "Go ahead."

Nodding in thanks, the young woman fished out an apothecary's satchel from a worn knapsack on her back and set it down on the rounded table by a half-completed fear poison. Now that she was closer, Babette could make out some more details of her face. It had sharp, high cheekbones and flat planes, all surrounded by short hair with scattered braids the color of raw umber. Narrow dark-brown eyes, red lips, and three pale scars on her left cheek dominated it.

She vaguely remembered seeing her earlier. While regaling the other members of the Family with a story of one of her favorite contracts, the vampire had noticed Astrid talking to someone – this woman using the alchemy lab – and handing her a tightly folded stack of clothing that could only have been Dark Brotherhood armor.

"I know you!" Babette cried triumphantly, nearly causing the other to drop her mortar in surprise. "You're the new recruit, right?"

The Nord woman turned around, smiling slightly; it did wonders for her sharp, cold face. "Yes. I suppose I am. Babette, is it?"

"That's me," the vampire said proudly. "Astrid's told me all about you." In truth, the leader of the Sanctuary had mentioned a new recruit in passing, but when Babette tracked her down for a little extra information, Astrid was more than happy to oblige.

"Oh, really?" The young woman leaned back against the alchemy lab, one of her eyebrows arched. "What did she say?"

"She told me your name is Kajsa Red-Blade, and that you stole the contract on that mean Grelod the Kind from us, so she pulled the ole' 'choose your victim' gag with you and then offered you an invitation into the Dark Brotherhood. Ah, I love that one." Babette sighed happily, but wracked her brain for more information and came up with nothing. "In any case, it's great to finally meet you!"

Kajsa shook the vampire's proffered hand. "It's nice to meet you too, Babette."

"You're going to love it here," the girl enthused. "We have a lot of fun, and we look out for each other. Just like any family – what's wrong?" she asked worriedly as a grim shadow passed over the other's face.

"Nothing." Leaving the alchemy lab, the Nord woman sat on the overlook and dangled her legs over the edge. "Just something I seem to hear a lot."

"What?" The vampire joined her. "'You're going to love it here'? 'We have a lot of fun'? 'We look out for each other'?"

"'Family,'" Kajsa said flatly.

"Oh." Even though the other members of the Sanctuary considered themselves brothers and sisters, most were reluctant to talk about their real families. "Are they dead?"

The new recruit shrugged. "Some of them are."

"I'm sorry. You know," Babette confided in a very little voice, scooting closer to Kajsa, "my family's dead, too." Time for my little act.

She took a deep breath. "The Dark Brotherhood killed my mama and papa, and then they took me captive!" The vampire clutched at the young woman's arm. "Please, please help me!"

Kajsa glanced down at her, a flicker of alarm in her eyes.

"Rather convincing, don't you think?" Babette grinned devilishly. "In truth, I'm no more a little girl than you are. I was once, of course. Three hundred years ago. Vampirism tends to keep one remarkably... fresh."

The Nord woman's face tightened and her body tensed.

"What?" the girl giggled. "Don't tell me you're scared of vampires."

"I'm not." Kajsa averted her gaze. "It's just not a path that I'd like to follow."

"Why not?"

"My mother died because of Sanguinare Vampiris."

"How?" Babette asked before she could stop herself. "Was she a vampire herself?"

"Briefly. She contracted the disease and wasn't able to cure it in time. So she had her partner build a bonfire and she threw herself on it." The young woman's face was like stone. "She left a note. She said that she didn't want to harm us, but I think her death hurt my father more than any disease could."

Shocked, the vampire wasn't quite sure how to respond at first. "So... that's what you meant when you said... that some of your family is dead?"

"Unfortunately, my mother wasn't the only one." Propping her elbows on her knees, Kajsa rested her chin on her fists. "My father's dead, too. Been that way for seven years now. I'm fairly sure that I have no relatives left alive."

"Welcome to the club, then," Babette said. "We're all orphans in the Dark Brotherhood."

There was silence for a moment after that statement. Inexplicably, the vampire's gaze drifted to the dagger at the other's hip. It appeared to be made of silver or highly polished steel, with a round black stone set in the pommel and a pointed crossguard. The black leather sheath was embossed with the symbol of an Oblivion gate.

"This is a really pretty dagger." Babette reached out and stroked the handle with one finger. "Where'd you get this? I've never seen anything like it."

The new recruit smiled craftily, her melancholy mood gone. "Would you believe me if I said I got it from a Daedric Prince?"

"Maybe," the vampire said cautiously. "Did you?"

"Of course. This is Mehrunes' Razor, the Daedric artifact of Mehrunes Dagon himself." Kajsa drew the blade, caressing it almost lovingly. "Of course, I had to go find all of the pieces first for one Silus Vesuius, formerly located in Dawnstar. He wanted to open a museum dedicated to the Mythic Dawn cult; unfortunately, he didn't have the whole dagger, so he charged me to locate the pieces."

"'Formerly'?"

The Nord woman shrugged, sheathing the dangerous weapon. "Vesuius tried to summon Mehrunes Dagon to repair the blade, and the Prince refused. I had to kill him and some summoned Dremora in order to retrieve this, but I think it was worth it."

"You met... a Daedric Prince?" Babette's eyes widened. "Are you crazy?"

"No crazier than a three-hundred-year-old girl who keeps a giant frostbite spider as a pet," Kajsa snapped. "Yes, I commune with the Daedra. So?"

"Just kind of odd, that's all," the vampire mumbled defensively. "I mean, you're a Nord. Last time I checked, Nords prefer their warrior gods and Sovngarde over Daedra."

"Half-Breton," the new recruit corrected, not unkindly. "And to be honest, I've never really thought about it that much. I suppose it's that the Daedra are just more... tangible than any god or goddess I've ever known." She lazily swung her legs back and forth. "Besides, the Nine have toyed with my life quite enough. I would be stupid to accept gifts from the Princes without question, but they've done much more for me than the conventional faith."

"You'll find that the Dark Brotherhood doesn't care much about whether you prefer Aedra over Daedra, or the other way around – only if you honor Sithis. And believe me when I say that he's plenty tangible around here." Babette grinned again, but her expression turned thoughtful. "Out of curiosity, though... was Mehrunes Dagon the only Daedric Prince you've met? Do you have other Daedric artifacts?"

"Why so interested?"

"I've met a lot of strange people in my lifetime, but you –" the vampire poked the other playfully "– are the only living Daedra worshipper I've ever had the occasion to speak to."

"I don't necessarily 'worship' the Daedra," Kajsa sighed. "I'm a Daedric champion."

"You're still the only one I've ever met." The little girl crossed her legs and leaned her head on the new recruit's shoulder. "How many Daedric Princes call you their champion?"

The Nord woman's eyes narrowed as she mentally counted. "Ten. Boethiah, Clavicus Vile, Hircine, Mehrunes Dagon, Mephala, Meridia, Molag Bal, Namira, Peryite, and Sheogorath. I have also seriously pissed off two: Azura and Vaermina."

"Does that mean you have the Ebony Blade?" Babette said excitedly. "Can I have it?"

Kajsa shook her head, smiling slightly. "I'd give it to you if it weren't my favorite sword. But if you'd like the Wabbajack, I'd be more than happy to give it away; I barely use it."

"Why not? I'd love to be able to turn my targets into sweet rolls."

"I prefer to trust in my blades over magic," the new recruit said stiffly. "Besides, it has an irritating tendency to transform my enemies into Dremora Lords. Perhaps you'll have better luck with it than I."

The vampire grinned ecstatically and nearly clapped her hands with glee. "Will you bring it to me the next time you come?"

"I'll try." Casually ruffling Babette's hair, the Nord woman smiled dotingly. "For a three-hundred-year-old, you're rather lively, aren't you?"

"The spirit of fun lives on in me, I guess," the girl said honestly with a glimmer of mischief in her eyes. "Honestly, I love being a kid for this long."

Kajsa laughed and stood up, stretching lithely. "We will speak again as soon as I finish some contracts of mine. I'll bring the Wabbajack and perhaps some lovely poisons for you – mark my words on that."

"So... you're not scared of me, then?" Babette asked hopefully, eagerly. "I hope not, 'cause I want you as my sister."

"Not of you, no. And I do as well." With the smile renewed on her face, the new recruit vanished down one of the shadowy hallways and out of sight.

Curling up beside the vacated chair, the vampire briefly pondered the nature of this strange woman before realizing that there were some things that couldn't be understood or explained in full. Like how Festus loved burning his meals to a crisp, or how Arnbjorn referred to everyone else as cuts of meat, or how Gabriella had a fascination with unicorns and crochet – Kajsa's mercurial nature and her getting on the bad side of some Daedra while becoming the champion of others were just like that.

Deep in her gut, Babette sensed that the half-Nord would be one to keep an eye on.

Discreetly, of course. Nothing less for a seemingly innocent child.

[A/N] Please review and tell me what you think! (Yes, I'm actually asking for reviews now, because I'm not posting fanfics that are virtually ancient). Hearing feedback that isn't just "oh, that's really good" seriously makes my day. Besides, I'm still trying to work on characterization and all that jazz, so having a few more opinions would be greatly appreciated.

BrunetteAuthorette99