Disclaimer: I do not own The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim nor its characters and places. I do own my OC Emelia and my plot of this oneshot.
Just fyi: It's "Em-elia" not "Ah- melia"
Hope you guys enjoy my first attempt at a Skyrim fic. ^_^
"Listener!" Sang a voice as Emelia entered the Dawnstar Sanctuary. She brushed some snow off her arms and small smile found its way to her face, hidden beneath her cowl, as Cicero ran up to her. "Oh Listener you've returned!" Cicero sang clapping his hands together.
"Evening, Keeper." Emelia greeted. As she started to walk down the wooden steps Cicero followed.
"How was the contract?" Nazir asked looking over from his seat at the dining table.
"A success." Emelia said as Cicero went over to the table to pick up a sweet roll.
"As always." Nazir nodded with a smirk. The light from one of the nearby lanterns caused something to shine, catching his eye. "What's that?" He asked as his eyebrows came together in curiosity. Emelia tilted her head to the side and Nazir pointed to something that was around her's neck. "That." He said. "Is that an Amulet of Mara?" Cicero's eyebrows shot up under his jester's hat and he turned around to look at the jewelry. Looking down, Emelia's eyes widened; she'd meant to hide it under her clothing. She quickly grabbed it and hid it. "I knew you weren't married but I figured you didn't have time for that sort of thing." Nazir mused. "Plus considering what you do for a living…"
"Well it doesn't hurt to have one just in case." Emelia muttered. "Besides I only got a few weeks ago. The contract was in Riften so I thought what the heck I might as well." She said with a shrug. Nazir chuckled.
"I never said it was a bad thing." He said shaking his head.
"What's a bad thing?" Babette asked as she walked down the stairs. Emelia sighed; she hated having things being about her when it wasn't about work.
"Oh nothing, Emelia's just bought an Amulet of Mara." Nazir said with a smirk as he looked at Emelia. She glared at him playfully.
"Oh, anyone ask about it yet?" Babette asked with an excited smile.
"Only Nazir." Babette made a face.
"What's that face for?" Nazir asked with a frown.
"Oh nothing." Babette said shaking her head. She turned to Emelia. "I finished that poison you requested, it's in your room."
"Thank you Babette." Emelia said with a nod.
"Of course. Good luck." She said with a wink before returning upstairs to her alchemy lab. Emelia sighed again.
"Well I'm going to bed." She said. "It's been a long month."
"You deserve to rest." Nazir said. "We'll send out one of the initiates on the next contract."
"Thanks." Emelia said before turning to leave. Cicero was by her side following her in an instant.
"Cicero could rub the Listener's back for her." He suggested with a grin. "Help you relax."
"I'm just going to go straight to bed, Cicero, but thank you for the offer." She said. Cicero smiled at her and let himself fall a bit behind her. The smiled vanished and was replaced with a deep frown. He knew the purpose of an Amulet of Mara and he hated that his Listener now wore one. She already had a family she didn't need anyone else. He wouldn't let anyone else have her.
The two entered Emelia's chambers and she went over to her dresser to take off her gloves and cowl. Her long jet black hair fell down her back in a braid. She took off her boots before going behind a room divider to change into a night gown. Once she came back out she grabbed her hair brush and sat on her bed. She pulled her braid over her shoulder to undo it when Cicero pulled it back as he sat down behind her. He began to undo her braid before he took the brush and began to brush her hair. He noticed her looking down at the amulet she was still wearing. He grit his teeth together and gave a sharp tug of her hair. She let out a yelp.
"Cicero's sorry; he didn't mean to pull so hard." He said as he stroked her head three times.
"It's okay Cicero." She said. "You know you don't have to brush my hair all the time." She didn't mind when he did it but she didn't know why he always insisted on doing it for her. She'd never once asked him to it just started one day. He giggled but didn't give any other response. After a few moments, without a word from the Fool of Hearts, Emelia frowned. Normally he'd be humming or reciting one of his morbid little rhymes. "Are you alright, Cicero?"
"Hmmm?" He hummed. "Cicero is fine." He said before giggling. "The Listener is home." He said as he finished up. He handed her the brush and stood up.
"Thank you Cicero." Emelia said as he stood in front of her.
"Humble Cicero lives to serve." He said before doing a sweeping bow. Emelia chuckled and Cicero grinned. His eyes landed on the amulet and he had to resist the urge to rip it from her pretty little neck.
"Well, goodnight Cicero."
"Goodnight Listener." He said with a grin before twirling around and heading out of the room. "Need to oil mother soon." She heard him muttering as he walked away. "Get all the hard-to-reach places."
The next day after breakfast Cicero was mumbling to his sweet mother when he noticed someone heading for the door. He quickly stood from where he kneeled and ran to see who it was.
"Listener!" He called. She looked back at him. That infernal amulet still hung from her neck.
"Yes, Keeper?" She asked.
"Where are you going?" He asked with a smile. "Has mother spoken? Have we been given a contract?" Emelia shook her head and Cicero frowned slightly.
"I'm uh…" Emelia hesitated and Cicero tilted his head. "I'm taking Shadowmere to Whiterun to…" She looked down at the Amulet. "I'm just going to Whiterun to get a blade." She said before looking at him to see if he bought her lie. He blinked and grinned.
"What kind of blade? A dagger for slicing and stabbing?"
"Preferably a sword."
"Would you allow Cicero to join you?" He asked with a hopeful smile. Emelia bit her lip.
"Uh…sure." She said after a thought. "You can get supplies while I find a blade." Cicero clapped and jumped in place. Emelia chuckled while she put on her cowl before heading outside Cicero at her heels.
"Cicero wants Skyforge steel! Sharp, sharp for easy stabbing!" Cicero said as they approached the gates of Whiterun.
"A little quieter, Cicero." Emelia said with a chuckle. Cicero giggled as they entered.
"You can't spell slaughter without," Cicero began giggling. "Laughter." Emilia chuckled and shook her head as they walked to the market in the Plains District.
"Alright, you get some food and other supplies while I find a blade. I know Babette needs some more ingredients so make sure to get those too." Emelia said as she handed Cicero a coin purse.
"Oh! Cicero will go to Jorrvasker and dance for the Companions! Maybe they'll… um, on second thought, maybe not."
"Cicero, were you listening?"
"The Listener listens." He said before giggling. "Silly Listener." Emelia sighed. "He he he he he."
"Just meet me by the gates when you're finished." Cicero nodded and skipped off. Emelia took the Amulet of Mara from under her clothes and looked around. After a moment she headed towards the Bannered Mare.
Cicero glared at the amulet as his Listener went into the tavern. He clenched his fists and the coin purse he held jingled. Cicero turned his glare to it. The Listener had given him a task and if he didn't do it she'd be upset with poor Cicero. He'd take care of that stupid chain later then.
"…need to get Mother some flowers… pretty, pretty flowers… maybe some for the Listener too…" He muttered as he walked.
Emelia sighed as she looked down into her drink. She'd only been in the inn for less than an hour and no one had mentioned the amulet nor seemed to take any notice of her. She sighed again before finishing her drink. She had might as well get an actual blade while she was in Whiterun. It's what she'd told Cicero she was there to do, not wait for a guy to notice her. The only reason she'd bought the stupid thing in the first place was because she finally realized the man she was in love with had no concept of love, none that she could see anyway. The moment she realized that she was in love with him she knew it would only lead to heart break. Of all the months she'd known him he'd never once shown any type of interest in her, not in the way she'd wanted. She thought if she bought the amulet at least she'd have a chance of being happy, maybe someone else would be able to take her mind off of him. Maybe they'd be able to get his laughter out of her head.
Cicero had finally finished getting the un-child's ingredients and the food when he saw the Listener leaving the Bannered Mare. She hadn't spotted him so he kept out of sight and followed her as she walked down to the blacksmith's shop and purchased a blade. She then walked to the main gate and leaned against the wall to wait for Cicero. She crossed her arms over her chest and looked down. The amulet was still visible but she wasn't looking at it. Cicero walked up to her and started smiling. He didn't like the look on his Listener's face. Something was upsetting her.
"All finished." He said happily holding up the knapsack. Emelia simply nodded and took it before they left through the gates.
Cicero frowned as they walked to the stables to get Shadowmere.
"Ho ho ho, he he he, break that lute across my knee, and if the bard should choose to find, why then I'll set his clothes alight!" Cicero sang before giggling. He looked at Emelia expecting to see her smile like she always would but she looked as if she hadn't even heard Cicero. He frowned. Emelia put the knapsack into the bag on Shadowmere's saddle. "That's a silly trinket." Cicero suddenly said. Emelia looked at him in question. "It looks silly don't you think?" He asked looking from the amulet to Emelia's blue eyes. She looked down and frowned when she realized he was talking about the amulet.
"Yeah…" She said quietly. "It does look silly." She said bitterly. Cicero's chest tightened at the expression on his Listener's face as she held the amulet. Emelia gripped the amulet before yanking on it, causing the chain to break, before she threw it on the ground. Cicero's eyes widened as he looked from the discarded jewelry to his Listener. She climbed up onto Shadowmere and waited for Cicero to get on behind her. Cicero picked up the amulet and put it on, having to 'tie' the chain to keep it on. Emelia looked down at him and her eyebrows came together in confusion. "Why are you wearing that?"
"Is the Listener interested?" Cicero asked with a grin putting his hands on his hips. Emelia blinked.
"I… I thought you said it was silly?" She asked.
"Well so is Cicero." He giggled before climbing up onto the horse. "So is the Listener." He giggled more and slipped his arms around her waist. "Don't you want to be silly together?" Emelia looked back at him with big eyes and her mouth open slightly. Cicero giggled bringing up his hand to close her mouth and cup her chin. "Besides you're Cicero's Listener, no one else's." Emelia felt her cheeks heat up seeing a new look in his eyes. She'd never noticed it before but it was the look he had whenever he looked at her, whenever someone else looked at her. He smirked. "When we get home Cicero will give you that massage." He said before giggled. "No going straight to bed this time." All Emilia could do was nod as Cicero grinned.
Emelia never wanted to get home so fast in her life. Why couldn't Shadowmere go any faster?
So that was my attempt. It's not perfect I know but I tired. Cicero is really my favorite character in Skyrim.