Death and Madness: Prologue
by C. Sphire
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When one child is arrogant,
the other disobedient
and the rest have lost faith,
the Night Mother remains silent
to the woe of the Keeper
and for the Listener she patiently awaits.
~.~.~
Games Elder Scroll Series Skyrim
Location and Time: Skyrim post Helgen 201 4E
Main Pairing: Cicero / Dragonborn - Listener
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Dear Astrid,
I do hope this letter finds all of you well. I fear my others may not have reached you since there has yet been a reply.
Mother and I miss you along with our remaining brothers and sisters terribly. As you may know things have been rather difficult over the last dozen or so years. After waiting with no luck for our brother Garnag's return, we had no choice but to leave Cyrodiil behind. As mentioned in my message from last Sun's Dusk, we have booked safe passage by boat. I am happy to report we now reside in Skyrim.
You do remember the last time we saw one another, don't you? Our brief time in Bravil and the bit of trouble you made and I smoothed over? Sister, I do loath to press the favor but we are in great need of help now. All I ask is simple shelter for the two of us. I will keep my hands busy enough with tending to Mother and she as you know has never needed much. Just for us to listen to her and obey.
Please send word to the Windpeak Inn of Dawnstar. All so that Mother and I can receive further directions and may come home at long last. We eagerly await word from you.
Your most devoted brother,
Cicero
Astrid stared at the newest letter with a churning stomach. She set it aside with the three others stacked upon the corner of a map pinned down to her desk by daggers. Without fail they were delivered weekly now to the Dead Man's Drink and held by Valga Vinicia the innkeeper along with any other correspondences for the Dark Brotherhood. All oh so polite but always vaguely reminding her of the misunderstanding she had in regards to the old Listener's apprentice.
It was nearly a year when she received from him only a mention of his plans to book passage by boat from the Imperial City. How the cargo ship would make its first stop in Bravil, next in Leyawiin before hugging the coast of Black Mash then Morrowind before reaching Dawnstar's port. The convoluted route he explained was over anxiety in crossing Cyrodiil's Northern border when rumors of civil war in Skyrim were just starting up.
She found it odd he had decided to come even though she only confirmed her Sanctuary was indeed still operating. Remembering his odd manner from their time together in Bruma Sanctuary before it fell and the fact he did not request shelter, she did not even offer an invitation.
Instead she decided to wait until further word. Reasoning all manner of things could happen to the ship during the time it would take for him to reach port in Skyrim. And with few contracts and coin growing tight she was not about to hire a courier unless he offered a general location of where he had chosen to settle.
His request seemed innocent enough along with cryptic. But given their respective positions in their order a need for caution and secrecy were a necessity. The mentioning of the Night Mother however was new. Before he implied he was not alone but never gave specifics.
"What is it?" Arnbjorn asked knowing something was bothering his wife just by how she stood.
"It's the Keeper again. And from this newest letter we can reasonably assume he still has the Night Mother's body," Astrid explained, picked up the letter and handed it over.
After he skimmed it then watched her pace, he pointed out the obvious. "I don't get it. If you don't want him here then don't respond just like before."
"It's not that easy. I… owe him a favor. If it were not for his charm with the old Listener I probably would not have been sent to Skyrim. In turn I'm probably still alive today because of it." Drawing closer and embracing her husband tightly she added, "Also I would have never met and married you. He's not asking for much to collect. He just wants shelter for himself and the corpse."
Her husband's strong hands from the forge slid down her back. He said nothing at first instead he just cupped her bottom and pulled her closer. In her ear he rumbled softly, "Besides another brother dragging in some dried up meat and bones what is the problem?"
Pressed up against him, Astrid felt herself relax. After easing out the breath she had been holding, she explained, "Besides Cicero and I having some history, brief as it was? I really don't want it here. We've managed just fine without that old relic and Alisanne Dupre frankly was an idiot to protect it. Giving up one's life to save some crumbling mummified body? It's absurd! And the last thing we need to deal with is one of the others claiming to hear the Night Mother's voice and challenge my place."
"Humm… last we heard, Rasha tried that and it didn't end well for him. Pontius sent us that letter remember? All before things completely fell apart down there. And frankly we could use the extra set of hands around here since we lost Veezara's students to that last contract bonus. I told you after we lost Eime we should have let that morsel be. Little or not one doesn't escape execution as a dragon tears a town apart because they're easy to kill."
Shoving him away Astrid grumbled, "You don't need to remind me. The matter about her after she killed Mijei settles it. We leave her alone until further notice."
"No, we should drop the matter of that bonus entirely," Arnbjorn argued and watched his wife start to pace again. "Got a letter from Ulfberth last week about how some idiot outside of Warmaidens challenged her to a duel. The tidbit told him, 'I have no interest to stroke your ego.' When he didn't take that as a no, she summoned a few of those beasts from Oblivion. Then she just stood there, raising a ward when he managed to throw a few spells her way. It spooked Adrianne pretty good when all our bonus did next was watch on with an amused smirk while the flaming creatures and the wood elf friend of hers proceeded to rip into him. Then when he was dead she took everything he had and chucked his naked body in the waste canal before going back to forge as if nothing had happened. That's pretty cold. If you ask me, put her to the test and see if she wants to join us."
"I'll consider it but not without speaking with Veezara first. Till then knowing our luck the real target will get killed sometime during this damned war."
Glancing at the letter Arnbjorn asked, "So this Cicero fella. He's the same one who killed the Grand Champion and that murdering jester from the Emperor's court?"
"The very same," Astrid tightly confirmed, crossed her arms and sat on the edge of her desk.
After kissing her cheek he whispered in her ear, "We could use that kind of talent."
Meeting his eyes she pointed out firmly, "That talent was over ten years ago and it went straight to his head. Furthermore he seemed… off and was an annoying, clingy and manipulative little runt then too. I among others tried our best to avoid him in Cheydinhal but perhaps time has calmed him down. You're right husband. He could be of some use and a debut must be repaid."
As Arnbjorn went back to his forge, Astrid collected from the shelf some fresh parchment, a quill and an ink well. Sitting down to write and after dipping the stub to load it with the ink she whispered, "Still… I have a bad feeling that I'm going to deeply regret this."
Dear Cicero,
I do remember the last time we saw one another in Bravil. Of course you and Mother may stay with us. It is the least I can offer for taking care of her all of these years. More hands for the harvest the better too. We do indeed live near Falkreath now. I will have our little sister Babette meet you at the Dead Man's drink. In case you and mother get lost. It also may be wise to take the west road that leads into town given what has happened to Helgen. We'll be keeping an eye out for you.
Safe journey to you brother.
Your sister,
Astrid