It was quite a while before poor Cicero heard from Astrid about her sanctuary... The base, from what Cicero has heard, has no listener. How can they get contracts with no listener, he thinks. He wonders. They couldn't be faking, could they? Oh, no no no! Never! Sacrilege! That would be ridiculous, now wouldn't it... hahahaha...haha...

"Thump rattle crash" the wheel jerks and snaps.

"Oh, curse this damnable wheel!" Cicero dismounts and kicks the blasted thing. "Oh mother, what should we do...?" he listens closely. Nothing, always nothing... So much silence... So much... maddening... silence... "Ahahaha! Oh yes! Ohhh there's a farm just over there! I'll ask them, I'll ask them! Ooooh hoho!" he jumps up and down excitedly, rushing to the farm.

Needless to say, the farmer wasn't so... friendly to poor Cicero... He sent him away with many an unkind word... Many respond this way to Cicero. Not many see he is a sweet jester, a kind jester... He only wants to get mother some place safe...

As he kicked pebbles on the road, and tried to fix the wheel and cursed and rambled, he didn't see a traveler coming down the road.

"Problem?" A feminine voice says behind from behind poor Cicero. Husky, sounds almost condescending. How rude!

Best not to look a gift horse in the mouth though. "Poor Cicero is stuck. Can't you see? I was transporting my dear, sweet mother. Well, not her. Her corpse! She's quite dead. I'm taking mother to a new home. A new crypt. But... aggh! Wagon wheel! Damnedest wagon wheel! It broke! Don't you see?" He gestures wildly, the woman smiles and crosses her arms. She is a wood elf, with stern features, a straight nose, thin lips, scrutinizing eyes. One of which is badly scarred and white with decay. Cicero imagines she cannot see from it very well.

"... How can I help?" she says. An. opportunity, dear Cicero. Follow it. Take it! She could be nicer than she seems!

"Oh. Oh yes! Yes, the kindly stranger can certainly help! Go to the farm - the Loreius Farm. Just over there, off the road. Talk to Loreius. He has tools! He can help me! But he won't! He refuses! Convince Loreius to fix my wheel! Do that, and poor Cicero will reward you. With coin! Gleamy, shiny coin!" her eyebrow raises, and she cocks a grin, and walks leisurely to the farm down the way. There's a bit of arguing, and a silence. Eventually she comes back out. She looks incredibly frustrated. She mumbles something about getting paid sufficiently for dealing with the "insolent sow".

"Done."

Cicero is overjoyed! I knew she would be nice! I knew it, I knew it! "Oh stranger! You have made Cicero so happy! So jubilant and ecstatic! But more! Even more! My mother thanks you! Here, here. For your troubles! Shiny, clinky gold! A few coins for a kind deed! And thank you! Thank you again." she shrugs, and recrosses her arms after accepting the gold. "I will wait for Loreius! Oh yes, mother and I will wait right here, right here until he fixes our wheel."

She turns and walks her way, counting the gold as she walks. "I'm certain we will be seeing each other again soon, Cicero..." For some reason, this leaves a shudder down Cicero's spine. The way she said Cicero's name... It was like she wanted... something...

"But the Night Mother is mother to all! It is her voice we follow! Her will! Would you dare risk disobedience? And surely... punishment?" a familiar voice echoed through the halls of the Sanctuary... Could it be that delicious little Jester I ran into on the road a while back? It sounded like him... Sounded much like him...

"Keep talking, little man, and we'll see who gets 'punished'." says another voice. Husky, bothersome. I know that voice well, Arnbjorn... How delightful it would be to neuter that over-grown pup.

Another voice reaches it's fingers through the sanctuary walls; "Oh, be quiet you great lumbering lap-dog. The man has had a long journey. You can at least be civil. Mister Cicero, I for one am delighted you and the Night Mother have arrived. Your presence here signals a welcome return to tradition." Festus states. I can't tell if he's sucking up, or honestly 'delighted'. My guess is he's sucking up.

"Oh, what a kind and wise wizard you are. Sure to earn our Lady's favor." I roll my eyes. Yup, it was the wagon jester. His way of speaking is very... specific. Chatty. So chatty and so... cheerful. I grimace. Loud. Obnoxious. How delightful it would be to shut him up...

"You and the Night Mother are of course welcome here, Cicero. And you will be afforded the respect deserving of your position as Keeper. Understood... husband?" Astrid says. Judging from her tone and what she said to me as I walked in, I doubt that was actually the case. The mutt grunts all the same. Cicero is exuberant to hear this. His voice makes me cringe. Loud. Pitched. Obnoxious.

"But make no mistake. I am the leader of this Sanctuary. My word is law. Are we clear on that point?" Astrid says, ever-present on her high horse. Arrogant, is she... Arrogant and foolish. She maybe leader... Not for long, though...

"Oh yes, mistress. Perfectly! You're the boss." I stifle a laugh. He sounded insincere. I'm certain she noted that...

As the group dispatches, and heads in different directions, I walk over to Cicero. I can't help but notice Veezara staring at me as I walk up to the jester. He and I had formed a slight... relationship. I would take him out and... make her polish my equipment, you could say. He enjoyed it, regardless of his whimpering. I was certain he enjoyed it. I could tell by his hurt expression every time I wouldn't take him out... Sometimes it's best to leave them hanging... Make them want more of what you're not giving them. I can feel the waves of desire and jealousy roll from him as I approached the jester. His name was Cicero... I wonder how much it takes to carve that obnoxious smile from his obnoxious Imperial face. I grin and approach him.

"Another member of the Family! Hello, hello. So very good to meet you." he turns and looks me in the face, shocked for a moment. "Wait. Oh, wait, I remember you! Oh yes! And you helped me! You helped poor Cicero! You talked to Loreius, got him to fix my wheel! Oh, you may have pleased me, but you have surely pleased the Night Mother. And our mother, she will never forget." he jumps up and down excitedly. Clapping his hands, and laughing. It takes a lot of restraint not to knock him out right then...

After he goes on about who he is, his laughter, various other things, I get on my way, and walk to the dining area. I pull a jug of mead and start drinking. Veezara wastes no time in confronting me.

"Sister, may I speak with you a moment?" he says, his eyes are on me. Burning.

"What." I say. Crossing my arms, I recline into the uncomfortable chair; "Spit it out."

"The Jester... As you approached. Do you harbor an interest in him?" He sounded cold, and light. Like a casual conversation was taking place between two members of an inconspicuous guild.
"Maybe... He's quite lively, don't you think?" I smile, and his pupils dilate a bit. They dart from me to the source of that obnoxious laughter and mad rambling.

"Yes. He seems quite interesting... For a human, any way." He closes his eyes for a moment, I notice his jaw clench.

"I think I'll pursue him... It would be interesting to get under his skin, don't you think? It's always the broken ones... So much fun to break further..."

"Ah, yes... It's always the crazy ones..." he trails off. His eyes are darting frantically. He's pretty good at hiding things, usually. Seems he's getting a little on edge.

"I suppose I should tie up any loose ends..." I say, a meaningful gaze meets between us. He knows what I mean. He swallows dryly.

"Perhaps... One more time...? For... Old times sake..." his grip tightens. He's hurt.
Excellent.

"No, Veezara. I don't have time to play with you any more."

"... I... Understand." He gets up. His claws are digging into his armor. His pupils are dilated, and his breathing pace, quickened. As he leaves the sanctuary, he mutters something about "going out for a swim."

I finish off the mead, and head to finish some of these contracts. I have much to do, and a lot of plans to make, if I intend to make this hunt any fun...