Disclaimer: I only own a copy of Skyrim.
Yeah, I decided to start another Cicero/Listener. This came into my head, and I had to write it. The next chapter for the other story will be up before the end of the day. I just gotta finish up writing it. I kind of wanted to use Samar for this story, but I didn't want people to think it was a prequel to The Dark Brotherhood: Expanding the Family, because it isn't. That's why she may end up resembling her some.
Also, let me know if I should include the main quest in this story. I kind of just want to focus entirely on the Dark Brotherhood quest line, but if people are interested in me throwing in the main quest too, I'll add it. Almost everything in my stories are made up as I go along. It doesn't really effect me.
"Girl, get your head out of the clouds and go do what I asked! Divines show mercy on me, I cannot believe I agreed to keep you. Your mother is still quite upset with your little stunt you know, Miss Kaida. She specifically asked for me to teach you the basics of running a mill. And do you know why?" Curwe Loreius scolded.
The young Imperial rolled her eyes lightly. Her light blonde locks of hair moved gently in the breeze as she sat on the fence, looking out at the sunrise. Her blue dress, according to her aunt, really brought out the beautiful baby blue in her eyes.
"Why, Aunt Curwe?" she humored the woman.
"Because she believes that the Black-Briars will no longer become interested in you," the elder woman scowled. "Hemming has seen you, he thinks you're quite the beautiful sight but once he realizes that there is a beast that not even Talos himself can control, then you can kiss your possible life of luxury goodbye little ma'am! You'll have to come and take over our little mill!"
"Hemming bores me anyway," Kaida replied, swinging her legs. "All he wants to talk about is his family's wealth."
"You're missing the point, Kaida. Your mother doesn't want you to have to learn to run a mill, do you not understand? She wants you to live comfortably, and Hemming Black-Briar is a nice, available man that is not only set for life but is actually considering you," Curwe's voice became more gentle.
"I'd rather join the Companions," Kaida thought aloud, staring up at the tip of Dragonsreach that was in view from the little mill. "I bet there is much excitement held there.
Curwe scowled.
"Go help your uncle," she ordered. Kaida slowly slid off the fence and smoothed her skirts some. Her aunt returned inside of the kitchen as Kaida walked across the small garden to her uncle, who was milking the cow.
"What needs done?" Kaida asked.
"You can either help your aunt do laundry or you can go to Whiterun to see if Adrianne can work her magic on some of the broken tools," he said, nodding his head towards three very worn tools.
"I'll go to Whiterun," she immediately spoke, grabbing the tools. Stuck being inside all day with her aunt, listening to her advice on a happy marriage, how to ensure her beauty lasts many years and blahblahblah somebody have a bow and arrow to shoot her with?
"And don't think I didn't hear what your aunt said. No joining the Companions. In fact, you don't even really need to travel that far into Whiterun, so I expect you back here shortly. No lollygagging or else we won't finish everything before bed," he said a tad sharply.
"Yes Uncle," Kaida sighed heavily. "Uncle, do you think I would be a good Companion?"
"You don't need your head filled with false hopes."
"Humor me. Do you think I could be a Companion? Or maybe study at the Mage College in Winterhold? There's always that Bard College in Solitude as well!" Kaida chirped happily, her mind lost in what she could be doing instead of mill-work. "But Mama would never approve."
"Don't blame me when your mother gets upset with you over this, but always remember this, Kaida," her uncle began. "Your mother nor you are in control of your destiny. It's in the hands of the Gods. If you truly are meant to wield weapons of war with the Companions, cast fancy spells at the college or sing of the Dragonborn, then it will happen. Don't think too much of it, though, nor let your mind wander too much. Your mother is already upset with your actions in Riften, and your aunt isn't too pleased with your work ethic here. And if you can show to me that you're willing to work hard at the mill and this thing with Hemming doesn't work...then I'll talk to your mother about you applying to one of the colleges."
Kaida smiled huge and hugged her uncle tightly.
"I'm off to Adrianne's!" she nearly shrieked with excitement, the tools in her hands as she rushed down the hill to the path. There was a skip to her step as she quickly made her way to the city.
"Remember! No lollygagging!" he called after her.
"Right! No lollygagging!" her distance voice echoed. Her uncle sighed and stared at the cow. It mooed at him, as if to inform him of the mistake he probably just made in letting her go.
Kaida nearly sprinted to the city, leaping and dancing as she went. She would work harder than her aunt and uncle have ever seen! Hemming would definitely not work out! She was going to go to college! COLLEGE! When she got to college, she would not disappoint her mother again. She would work even harder at the college than at the mill! Kaida just HAD to graduate at the top of her class. She would study until she fell asleep, cast spells over and over until she had no energy, spend every class taking detailed notes and asking many questions.
She couldn't wait.
It took her less time than normal to reach Whiterun. Dropping the tools off at Adrianne's, the blacksmith took one look at the excited, flushed Imperial before telling her with a chuckle that she would immediately get to work on it and to come back within the hour.
That left her time to go visit Jorrvaskr.
She knew she promised she wouldn't join the Companions, but he never specifically said she could go and admire the strong, fearless warriors. Approaching nearing the building, her heart leaped when she saw Vilkas walking and talking to Kodlak.
Her uncle never even thought to tell her to not flirt with the Companions either.
Ever since she first came to Whiterun a few months ago to live with her dreadful aunt and understanding uncle, she immediately crushed on Vilkas. Many of the other women in town admired his brother more, but he was much smarter. He seemed to always have the answers to her questions, and since her arrival to Whiterun, his answers to her questions got longer and his tone friendlier. She ran up to them and surprised Vilkas with a hug. Vilkas, at first, would reject it, but now he would give a small chuckle and wrapped an arm around her to hug back.
"So this is little Kaida?" Kodlak assumed with a chuckle himself. "Can you handle yourself in a fight?"
"I believe I can," she said confidently.
Kodlak smiled at her.
"How old are you?" he asked.
"I'm almost eighteen," she said, standing up straight to make herself appear a bit taller to the Nords.
"A pretty young maid," Kodlak said with a smile. "Perhaps one day you should come to Jorrvaskr and show us just how you handle your sword in a duel."
"Perhaps I will," she chirped cheerfully.
"She's got the spirit to be a Companion," Vilkas commented.
"Indeed she does," Kodlak said, giving a small bow. "If you'll pardon us Miss Kaida, Vilkas and I have a cave full of bandits that needs cleared out."
Vilkas awkwardly copied Kodlak's bow as Kaida did a small curtsy, giggling at Vilkas.
Kaida walked around the marketplace before she finally headed back to Adrianne and collected the tools. Making only one more stop to pet the horses in the stable, she made her walk back to the mill. As she approached the mill, she saw a wagon in the distance. She thought nothing of it. Travelers often came through this path. It was that it wasn't moving that made her suspicious. The closer she came to it, the noticed one of the wheels laying in pieces on the ground, the horse calmly flicking it's tail as it grazed on the graze in front of it and a heartbroken man in jester clothing whining aloud about his mother.
"Is there a problem?" Kaida asked, now feeling stupid for the question. One of the wheels was gone. Of course there was a problem.
"Poor Cicero is stuck, can't you see? I was transporting my dear, sweet mother. Well not her. Her corpse!" he gave a low chuckle. "She's quite dead. I'm taking mother to a new home, a new crypt...but the damn wagon wheel broke."
Kaida stood on her tip toes to glance at the wheel. It looked really bad.
"My uncle lives on the mill, just right there. I can send him to assist you," she suggested. The jester-Cicero was it?-immediately danced some with joy. A small giggle escaped her as his-dare she say-adorable reaction to her suggestion.
"Yes, yes! Please do! Cicero needs to take Mother to her new home as soon as possible!" he pleaded. Kaida nodded, flashing her bright smile before she walked up the hill, clutching the tools in her hand.
"I'm back!" she called out. Her uncle was bent over, harvesting some of the grain.
"Just in time. You returned with my tools before my back went out," he said with a smile. "And thank you for not lollygagging."
"Could you take a break?" Kaida asked.
"What for?" her uncle inquired, examining his fixed tools. "By the Eight, Adrianne made these look new."
"There's a man down there-Cicero I believe-and he needs help. His wagon wheel broke, and now he's stranded down there with his dead mother," Kaida responded. Her uncle's expression darkened.
"That crazy fool already asked me five times," he grumbled.
"And you haven't helped him yet? I don't believe any of the needed tools are the ones you gave me," she replied. It was true. All the tools she took were for gardening.
"I don't trust him," he replied. "Kaida, you must learn this one day. Not everybody in Skyrim is loving or honest. Who knows what could really be in there? Skooma for all I know. I don't want any part in this."
"Uncle," she said softly. He took one look at her large, innocent eyes. "You know you should help him. He's a tad...off...but that doesn't mean he's hiding skooma. He's just trying to take his mother down to be buried."
Her uncle sighed, and reached out to smooth her long hair before patting her shoulder.
"You're right, Kaida," he said softly. "What kind of a man would I be if I turned away a man in need, no matter his mental state of mind? Go tell Cicero that I will be down later this evening to fix it."
"May I try to fix it now?" she asked eagerly. His uncle looked a bit unsure.
"I still don't completely trust him. After all, what would I tell your mother if he were to take off with you?" he wondered.
"Look down," she ushered. "You can still see me him. And there is a guard south of the road, and the watchtower north. I could alert one if I were to be in any harm or danger."
Her uncle looked down, seeing the broken wagon and the jester dancing with no problems. He sighed.
"Alright. You remember how to fix the wheel, right? I showed you just last month when our own wheel broke. If he does anything...don't be afraid to use any of the tools on him. I'd rather have all my tools broken and pay a hefty bill to have them fixed than my niece missing," he told her. "If you're not sure what to do, I'm sure Cicero should be able to help. After all, what man can't do basic repairs?"
"I'm sure he just didn't bring any tools with him," Kaida agreed. Her uncle gave her the tools, and he carefully observed her skip down the trail towards the wagon. Cicero noticed her approaching, and even from a distance, she could see his eager grin. "My uncle couldn't come to fix it until later, but I brought some tools now. I'm sure we can figure it out."
Cicero laughed, bouncing and clapping his hands. Kaida couldn't help but smile, the jester's enthusiasm rubbing off on her.
"Cicero and the pretty young maid can figure it out," he half-echoed her.
"My name is Kaida," she said, reaching hand out to shake his. Instead of shaking her hand, he grabbed it and pulled her towards him, forcing her to spin and dance with him before a moment before they finally stopped. She stumbled, laughing from the spontaneous dance.
Cicero helped Kaida remove the wheel, and they set work, chatting as they did.
"So why is Kaida living with her uncle? Certainly Kaida should be living with her parents," Cicero said. Kaida sighed. Cicero was blunt, although she honestly didn't mind that much.
"My mom sent me here after I tried to join the Thieves Guild. Said that my possible arranged marriage to Hemming Black-Briar wouldn't work if I joined the Guild, but honestly don't see why. The Black-Briars are very in-tune with the Thieves Guild, but she said that it wasn't a proper thing to do. Now she's convinced the deal will fall through and that I'll need to learn a profession like how to run a mill," Kaida said with a shrug of her shoulders. "Where are you traveling to?"
"Cicero is taking his mother to Rorikstead," he replied. "Is Kaida from Riften?"
"Oh no. My parents live in Windhelm, in the Gray Corner," she said. "Mom didn't want me to end up raising my own kids in Windhelm, due to the harsh treatment we get from the Nords. She thought that marrying a Black-Briar would make my life easier and better. Even though I specifically said that I don't want to marry a Black-Briar, that I already know what I want to do and that I'll find love on the way and end up much happier then I could ever be with Black-Briar."
"So what does Kaida want to do?" Cicero wondered.
"Definitely go to college," she sighed. "I would love to attend the Mage College, or the Bard's College."
"Cicero loves bards, always singing and dancing and laughing," he said with a cheerful tone added to his voice. Kaida laughed.
"I can tell!" she giggled. More jokes and laughs were exchanged as they spent the next hour perfecting the wheel. When they finally finished, Cicero pulled her into another dance, this one she was prepared for. They laughed and enjoyed the twirling, unaware that her uncle was coming down the hill.
"Finished?" he asked, his voice giving a hint of amusement. Kaida was looking at him upside down. Cicero had her dipped. He pulled her right-side up, leaving her giggling.
"Yes!" she said motioning to the wheel. Her uncle checked it and gave his nod of approval. He helped the two put the wheel back on, and then stepped back to admire the work.
"It looks nice Kaida," he praised. "Now you need to bring the tools up and put them away so that we can finish up our work for the day. Cicero probably has places to be." Kaida's wide grin faded some at the thought of Cicero leaving.
She looked behind her to see Cicero walking over to collect his horse. Kaida gave a small, depressed sigh as she picked up the tools. Following her uncle up to the farm, she glanced over her shoulder to see Cicero split a carrot with the horse as he hooked him back up to the wagon. Once at the top of the hill, she stared longingly as the jester got into the driver's seat. How lucky was he, that he got to leave this dull mill...
Suddenly, the wagon slowly started to move. In a small state of panic, she dropped the tools. He couldn't leave. Ignoring her uncle, she practically flew down the hill.
"Cicero! Cicero!" she called after him. The confused jester stopped the wagon as he noticed the young woman run towards his wagon. She ran to the driver's side and hopped up on the step to look up at him with her irresistible eyes. "Cicero, you can't go!"
"But Cicero must take Mother to her new home," he began.
"You're the most interesting thing that's happened to this farm since I came here months ago!" she whimpered, staring up sadly at him. Cicero gave a small smile and reached down to smooth her hair.
"Cicero promises that if he returns to Whiterun, he'll come and visit little Kaida," he promised. She smiled sadly.
"You have to come back soon," she insisted. "My mom will come for me to take me to Riften in three months."
"Cicero will be back and will visit the pretty Kaida before then," Cicero agreed.
Kaida smiled. She took another step up and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.
"I'll be waiting!" she called out cheerfully as she gracefully jumped down and walked up the hill, just as her uncle neared the bottom in pursuit of her. His promise of returning made her cheerful enough to work the next month through her aunt's scowls.