Omg I own nothing! That's right u can't sue me! XD wow im bord now. Also glad 2 b back hope yall like.

Martin looked at Iris as what the count said rung in his ears. He did not want to lose her, but was she ready for the truth. He may never know, but he had to try, "Iris-"

"Please don't speak Martin I have much to think about" Iris said. She still could not believe that he was alive. Why had he not come for her, why did she still love him, why? She felt the pain in her chest grow. She wanted answers, but could she handle them.

Martin paused she needed to know. He had to tell her. He opened his mouth, "Never mind" was his whisper.

*So many things to tell her, but how to make her see? The truth about my past impossible, she'd turn away from me.*

Iris saw the broken look on his face. She needed the truth now, he needed to tell her. She stopped and looked at him hurt in her eyes. "Why did you not come for me, write, something?"

*He's holding back, he's hiding, but what I can't decide: Why won't he be the man I know he is the man I see inside?*

Martin looked at her with the most woeful eyes. He looked at her, "I messed up Iris. I messed up so bad; it is my fault that Ami, Jared, and Mamir'z are dead." He looked at her seeing confusion in her eyes. He started to walk again by her side as he took a deep breath.

"Jared and Ami worshiped Sanguine and after we had all left the university we started to explore. It was fun and I must have started a dozen letters, but I was nowhere near a town at first. The after setting up camp one night Ami and Jared disappeared for a few days. When they came back they told me and Mamir'z to follow them. Sanguine had ordered them to bring us to him. At first it was just for fun then I really started to believe what I was being told. I did his bidding. I wanted to tell you, but a part of me was ashamed of what I was doing. Then about two years ago I had a nightmare that everyone was killed at the shrine. The nightmare unnerved me so much that I left for a walk in the dead of night. I was a good distance away when I heard screams. I ran back to the shrine, but they were all dead. Legion soldiers stood over their bodies. I hid in the bushes until they left. I buried them all. Ami, Jared, and Mamir'z I buried them far off close to Skingrad. I could have saved them had I been there, I failed them, Iris" Martin wanted to vomit he could never forgive himself, "As I buried our friends I wanted to find you and tell you what happened, I was just so ashamed. I wanted to be a man you could be proud of, but instead I failed you. I wandered the wilderness close to Kvatch. That's when a Priest found me. As he let me rest in the chapel I swore I would become a man you could be proud of then ask for your forgiveness. I know I am not yet a man you can be proud of, but I do love you and I am sorry for everything"

Iris looked at him she saw he spoke the truth. She stopped once more tears in her eyes; she could see that he had yet to forgive himself. He stopped and looked at her expecting her to be angry and sick. Instead she threw herself him his arms and started to cry, "I don't care what happened. All that matters is that you are all right."

He looked at her before he wrapped his arms around her "You forgive me?" he asked with disbelief. "There is nothing that needs forgiveness." Martin held her tight in the middle of the forest. "Martin?" Iris asked looking at him. He looked at her she was not that much shorter than he. "Yes" he answered. Iris blushed, "You know I love you too, right?"

Martin's smile was so radiant that words could not describe it. Iris blushed then paused as Martin's stomach growled making him blush. "I know a pond nearby. We can rest and eat there for the night."

Martin sat watching Iris climb a tree to make sure that no enemies where close. Martin pet the horse she had tied to the tree. He started to wonder what they would do from here on. He wondered if asking her if she would marry him would be too bold. He did give it to her with the promise of marriage when she came of age. It probably was after all he had not seen her for some time. He sighed then nearly jumped out of his skin as she landed beside him so silently she made no nose at all.

"How'd you do that?" Martin asked making Iris smile and giggled "Lots of practice".

They set up the camp and sat down. Martin was once again lost in thought as the shock of what happened to his home finally caught up with him. Iris noticed and watched him as everything registered. His mouth went to a frown. His eyes hardened and he paled ever so slightly. Iris knew he needed to think so she decided to build a fire and cook a few mushrooms she had picked from the area. As Iris put the mushrooms on sticks she watched as Martin started to look sick with grief. Once the mushrooms where warm she handed a stick to Martin, but he did not eat it. Iris ate her's slowly and watched as the man she loved relived those hellish days. Once she was finished she spoke "Martin please eat." She could tell that he did not want too, but ate to make her happy. Once he was done he looked at her. "Iris distract me; tell me things about you I do not know. I-I just don't want to think about it right now" his voice was barely above a whisper as he leaned back against the tree. Iris snuggled into his side and he held her close like he was afraid she'd disappear.

"Well um how do you feel about the Dark Brotherhood?" Iris asked and he looked at her.

"I am not fond of them, but I cannot say I hate them" he answered, was she part of the brotherhood?

"I don't know the whole story, but my mom was a whore for some noble. She had Lucien first and he was fine with that because he was not married and needed a son if he died. Then around the time mom got pregnant with Aleron, my dad married some woman. He told the midwife that when my mother gave birth to take the child and drown it. Lucien knew this and told the midwife that he would help her. That she should not have the death of a child on her hands. So when Aleron was born and Lucien and the midwife went to the pond near where they lived, Lucien drowned the midwife. He was thirteen. That's when the brotherhood first noticed him. From that day on they kept a close eye on him to see if he had potential. My step mother was a jealous woman. She was upset that she could not give birth and that my mom could. She beat my mom daily. Then when Aleron was five and Lucien was eighteen, I was born. My mom died, because she went into labor three months early thanks to being beaten by that woman and my dad. Lucien hid Aleron and me some where then killed everyone in my dad's house." Iris looked to see how Martin was taking this only to see the love that he had for her.

She started again, "Lucien ran as far away with us as he could. I was small and sickly so we did not get far. A woman appeared before him and made him an offer he just could not refuse. A safe place to raise Aleron and me. He had to take another life to be accepted into the brotherhood, and he did so. I learned that the woman was taking her son to bed. He was around ten I think. Lucien killed her and we were told to go to one of the sanctuaries. I was raised there. Then when I turned eight the Listener came to my party and spoke with my brother. I was then taken across Cyrodiil to complete recommendations for the Mages guild. Then I met you."

Martin smiled running his hand through her hair. He noticed how her eyes darkened, "Aleron was murdered. It was a Watch Captain. Lucien sent his Silencer to avenge our brother. Llathasa Indarys killed Phillida's family, but she was wounded. She made it back to Cheydinhal only to pass. She had tricked Lucien and her son to sign a marriage agreement not long before she died. The contract came into effect the moment she died. The two of them are happy and have a baby girl named Adriana. I have yet to see my niece, but I was planning on going to Cheydinhal to see her soon. Well anyway um after you left I threw myself into my studies and graduated early. They even let me carve my staff. The night of my graduation I went to that place you showed me where the wild horses liked to graze. Prince Ebel was there. He was amazed to see me. He asked how his "favorite little sister" was doing. He asked how you where, I think he knew that you where his brother I think they all knew. Later that week the Arch Mage found out something that he had been searching for since he was a young man. His wife was a Breton and had a little sister that disappeared when she was very young. That little sister was my mother. I finally had her name, not even Lucien knew it: Celia Lachance"

Martin looked at her as she told him the story; she paused to let what she had said sink in. He just waited for her to continue. "Uncle Hannibal gave me something my aunt left my mother in her will. A home near Bruma. It is honestly the perfect place for a mage. I can do my research in peace. While I traveled, looking for clues about you I ran across a castle called Battle Horn. It was under attack. I couldn't just leave them so I helped the people there. The Lord of the castle had died and in his will he said that whoever freed the castle from the siege would become its new owner. I mainly stay there. Fredrick would often visit me and tried to court me. I told him no. He wanted to prove himself to me in hopes of changing my mind. He started to investigate Aleron's death. He learned that the one he suspected of killing Aleron was already under investigation by him for other reasons. Phillida killed him or had him killed to silence him. I attended his funeral where his sister gave me a letter explaining this and how he somehow sent evidence to the Elder Counsel in a way that Phillida could not tamper with."

"Go on" Martin urged all the while thinking about all the nasty things he planned to do to Phillida. "During my speech I saw Phillida in the crowd and he recognized me by my last name. That night as I wait in our old dorm I talked with my uncle. He knew that I was about to do something stupid. He handed me a dagger and wished me luck. Around midnight I was attacked I managed to kill three of them but Phillida and the other five managed to knock me unconscious. I woke in the prison. I-I soon found myself face to face with your father he recognized me and said he did not care what I had done, but that what crimes I had bounties for he would pardon. He asked me to follow them. The escape route led through my cell. Not long after we started walking were we attacked. The female Blade died. The two other Blades refused to let me follow them. I gave the earring Ebel gave me to your father. He smiled when he saw the ring you gave me. I moved the Blade's body onto a platform after they left. I found a hole in the wall and followed it. It was some kind of old cave or mine. There were a lot of goblins. I managed to find a dagger before I found my way back to the escape route. Your father and the two blades where under attack. I helped and your father made the Blades let me follow. He told me he knew he was going to die and he knew that your brothers where already dead. When we got to the room that would lead us to the swearers we found the gate barred. We spent some time trying to open it before we decided to take a side passage. It was a dead end. We heard nose behind us and knew that the assassins where close by. The two Blades ran to fight them leaving me to defend your father."

Martin watched as tears welled up in her eyes. "He handed me the Amulet of Kings and told me that he had another son that only a man named Jauffre knew about. One of the assassins managed to slip pass as one of the Blades died. As I was fighting it off a hidden passage opened in the wall and another assassin attacked your father. I managed to kill the two assassins, but the assassin struck your father in the heart and I could not heal him. As he lay dying he looked at me and said the oddest thing."

"What did he say?" Martin asked pulling her close feeling her shake. "He said he always wanted a daughter. Then he just died with a smile on his face. The Blade rushed in and helped me up. I told him what happened. He told me where to find Jauffre. I then set off to Weynon Priory. Jauffre told me where you were and even though he gave me the name Martin it did not occur to me that you where the son... Sorry I slapped you like that" Iris finished. Martin smiled, "I deserved it" Martin said. They went to sleep sitting like that, just holding onto each other.

The next morning Martin was the first to rise. He looked at Iris as she snuggled closer to him. He turned what she had told him over in his head. He could not be mad at her for the death of a father he did not know. Also it seemed as if the man knew that he and Iris would once again find each other.

Martin felt himself smile, so Uriel wanted a daughter, well he may just get a daughter-in-law. Possibly a granddaughter as well. 'Wait bad Martin. Do not start thinking on that.'

He felt Iris stir and looked down. "Good morning" he said watching her slowly wake up. "Mornin'" Iris mumbled back. Martin stood and helped her stand. They quickly picked up camp and started walking.

"We still have some time before we will reach Weynon Priory, so we will spend the night with some friends of mine at Weatherleah. Then we will pass Hackdirt. When in Hackdirt do not make eye contact and stay close."

When they reached Weatherleah a man ran up to them. Iris smiled and grabbed Martin's hand. "Martin this is my friend Guilbert Jemane, his brother Reynald should be close," Iris said. "Actually Reynald is making dinner as we speak come inside." Guilbert led them inside.

"Wow the place is spotless for once!" Iris joked noticing the lack of alcohol. "Reynald is trying to quit so that he and Dar-Ma can marry." Guilbert said.

"When did this happen!" Iris asked amazed looking at the younger twin as he cooked.

"I've been clean for two months and we have been engaged for one week" Reynald explained.

Martin watched as she talked with her friends about things that happened since she last seen them.

The next morning Iris and Martin set off. It was a little past noon when the two reached Hackdirt and took until sun set to reach the Priory. Iris pulled out her dagger as they approached. Something just was not right. That's when they saw the assassins chasing the Dunmer. Iris killed the two chasing the man as Martin tried to calm the man.

Iris and Martin raced to the chapel in hopes of helping Jauffre. As the doors flew open they saw the old man in a corner surrounded. Martin threw a shock spell as Iris did the same. The assassins lay dead and the three ran to see if the amulet was okay. It was gone.

"Let us head to Cloud Ruler" Jauffre said before Iris spoke up. "No it is not safe to travel at night. Any way we need to get you to a healer. I'd do it but I would prefer if my friend Anna looked at you. She should be in Chorrol today. Then we can spend the night in a home I have not too far from here"

Jauffre looked miffed that this child would argue with him about what was best, but she did have a point Martin looked about ready to drop.

Once in Chorrol an Argonian woman came up to Iris and asked to speak with her they spoke off to the side and Iris seemed to become worried. She nodded her head before walking back over to the two men. "Let's go find my friend, Anna she should be at the Castle with her brother.

After finding Anna and everyone being checked over Iris pulled Anna off to the side. They spoke softly as well. Anna nodded and went up to the men as Iris slinked out of the castle courtyard.

"Please follow me," was all Anna said before she started to lead them away from Chorrol.

Iris paused as she over looked the small town. It was even more silent than this morning. She had found Blossom, but the shopkeep said that it was her horse and that Dar-Ma never even made it to Hackdirt. Iris knew this was a lie. She rented a room and inspected the inn.

The room next to her's was trashed. She also noticed that there seemed to be many trap doors all over the place. She watched as the inn keeper went to his room from the shadows. She silently slipped down stairs and found another trap door. She looked around before she begun to whisper "open to me that which would keep me out"

The door unlocked and she climbed down she saw her friend beaten and locked in a cell. "Dar-Ma" she whispered making the maiden look at her. "Iris? You must get me out of here; they attacked me as I rest in the inn. They wish to kill me. Please!" Dar-Ma whispered as Iris grabbed the key and unlocked her. The two climbed the latter and shut the door. Once outside Dar-Ma grabbed Blossom and they ran for it. After making sure that her friend was home Iris ran to hers. She had told Anna to put Martin in her room and Jauffre in the barracks.

She could tell that the old man did not like her, but she could care less. Once inside the walls of her home she made her way to her room. She opened the door and slipped in. Martin was sitting on the edge of her bed looking worried. "Iris!" he said as he noticed her. He pulled her to him and held her close. "How did I just know that you where awake? You need to sleep" Iris said hugging him back.

"Stay with me?" Martin asked he did not want to let her out of his sight. He had overheard the woman Anna talking to one of the men at arms about Iris.

Martin was bored and slightly worried. He inspected Iris's room, but did not dig. The walls where lined with weaponry and tapestries, as well as a few painting of Iris and what he assumed were her brothers. He saw many expensive alchemy equipment and ingredients.

Martin felt the want to dig, but he did not want to breach Iris's privacy so he thought to take a quick walk around the Castle, but as he approached the bedroom door he heard voices.

"How could you let Lady Lachance go to Hackdirt alone!" came an angry whisper. "There was nothing I could do! She gave me orders to make sure that those men got here safely and placed where she asked! Also Lady Lachance wants you at the Priory to confirm her suspicions. She also said that everyone must be ready for battle at a moment's notice: that includes you!" Martin recognized this voice as Anna's.

"Fine, but can I change first?"

Martin blushed and let her go. He watched as she grabbed a simple night dress and went to a changing screen. He felt something in him stir as she realized she was undressed behind the screen. He mentally scolded himself and went to lie on the bed after locking the door. Iris joined him soon after and they both fell asleep holding each other.

"The two of you are lucky momma sent that old monk to eat and not wake you or he would be upset" came a devious little voice from onside the bed. Martin opened his eyes and peered over Iris to see a young Nord boy smiling cleverly at them. Martin blinked a few times before his brain caught up making him blush. He was on his side both arms around Iris holding her close while she held on to his sleeping garb.

"Henry…how did you get in my room?" came Iris's muffled voice as she kept it buried in Martin's chest. "Momma gave me the key" Iris turned to look at Henry wanting the boy to explain more. "Momma came in earlier to make sure that the two of you had clean clothes and to see if she needed to wash the bedding…even though she washed it yesterday…" Henry crossed his eyes trying to guess what his mother had meant while Iris and Martin's faces turned scarlet. "Henry get back on track," Iris said sitting up covering the upper half of her face with her hand, before slipping out of bed and walking towards the clothing set out. Martin's had simple clothes to be covered by a light grey robe and Iris had her special armor laid out.*

While Martin went change first Iris made Henry finish the story "Well after leaving the room Momma looked kinda disappointed, but I don't know why… Any way she saw the old monk going to wake y'all up so she convinced him that he needed to eat and that it would be okay if I woke y'all up."

After the two were done changing they followed Henry to the dining hall. Jauffre looked up from his eggs as the trio walked in. He noticed how close Martin stayed to Iris. This made him a little worried, but he guessed it was fine for now; the boy had been through hell.

"Good morning" Jauffre said as the two sat down, he was about to talk about what rout they would take when a man rushed in and whispered into the girl's ear.

"We've got a problem" Iris started before nodding to three men in the corner that Jauffre and Martin did not notice before. The three slunk out of the castle like shadows. "What kind of problem?" Jauffre asked watching her. "Manuel spotted at least five assassins at the priory; I sent Razvan, Benji, and Riordan a head to watch the roads."

Jauffre had to admit he was impressed; he had tried to gather information about her while she was retrieving Martin, she just seemed so familiar, but sadly he could find none. Not even her arrest records. He even asked around here about how she became lady of this castle. The captain of her guard told him the story, but would tell him nothing more.

Iris was a mystery to the old man. She and Martin where talking now, well more like she was calming a few fears of his. "I vote we go the back way stay off the main roads, I have horses you can use here. What do you say brother Jauffre?" Iris said looking at the older man. She could tell he wanted to be in charge, as he was supposed to be in his opinion. Jauffre thought it over, while pride said to not use her idea logic said otherwise. He knew she was right and seemed to have a backup plan when he asked her what would happen if the encountered the assassins on the back roads.

The trip to Burma was quite dull and only took two days; the worst they ran into was a rat. Once at the temple, after Martin's speech, Iris sat down and talk to Martin about how to avoid being poisoned in great detail. Jauffre listened in and was amazed at how much she knew. Jauffre made her into a Blade.

He sent her to meet with Baraus in the Imperial City and she had been gone a few days. He watched at how Martin never took his nose out of a book. When Baraus came back without her he was a little upset with the man for letting her go alone into enemy territory, but then Baraus gave him just a small bit of back ground information on Iris. Niece to the Arch Mage!

When she finally came back she brought a man with her he was a Breton and he seemed to know Martin.

"Well I'll be a Scamp's bitch! Martin Cloud is that really you?" the Breton said Martin seemed equally surprised and happy. "Leon? It's good to see you old friend!"

"Martin, who is this?" Jauffre asked not really recognizing the man from Martin's past. "His name is Leon; Leon, Iris, and I used to have classes at the University together," Martin explained. Jauffre's eyebrows shot upward at the knowledge. It would explain why Iris and Martin where so close.

"We're sorry it took so long to get back it took Tar-Meena awhile to find the code in the books and Uncel Hannable needed me to run an errand for him." Iris said her voice soft that's when Martin took in her appearance. She looked tired like she had been crying and was wearing a set of robes that seemed oddly familiar. "Iris, what's wrong?" Martin asked softly he had not seen her this upset since Aleron...By the Nine!

Martin pulled her close ignoring Jauffre's appalled look. "Do you want to talk about it?" Martin asked slowly, many of the Blades started showing up at this point, Iris shrugged.

Martin got her message, she wanted to talk but not with everyone around. He started to lead her away to his room.

Jauffre wanted to follow, but maybe this Leon could give him answers to the questions he did not know how to bring up with Martin. "Leon was it? I am Jauffre grand master of the Blades. You must be hungry please come with me to the kitchen."

Jauffre and the Blades sat shocked at what they had just learned, before Martin had left the university he had proposed to Iris and she said yes. "We must put a stop to this at once!" Jauffre said thinking only of blood lines. Baurus shook his head, "Grand Master is what you are saying wise?"

"Yes think about it Grand Master, we have only seen them together a handful of times and we can see that they love each other" Cyrus commented.

"But the blood line cannot be any more-"

"Grand Master do you hear yourself? You sound like a stuck up bastard who sneers when they see a Nord married to a Breton." Jena said remembering Jauffre's parentage.

"If it's her credentials you want to attack next let look at what else we learned from Leon: niece to the late Arch-Mage Traven, current Arch-Mage, close friend to Count Skingrad, Sister-in-law to Farwil Indaris, owns property all over Cyrodiil, and is highly respected by many people" Caroline said.

Jauffre did pause and think about it, they were right but there was just something missing that they did not realize. Her past before Martin. "What of her past before Martin?" He voiced making them all think. Steffan was the one to speak.

"Her past does not matter. One's family can do many terrible things, but that does not mean that the child will not do right. My father and mother were thieves and I followed in their footsteps until the Blades found use of me."

"Well said, well said" came a voice from behind them; a Bosmer dressed in finery carrying silver arrows.

"Who are you?" Jauffre asked.

"Funny you should ask."

Ohh cliffie can anyone guess who the Bosmer is...

R&R plz