The Dragonborn and The Fool
Chapter Three: Destiny Bound
A single day and night passed since Melanie and her companions left Whiterun for Solitude. In that time, and to everyone's surprise, Melanie and Cicero kept their distance from each other. Lydia had asked Melanie why that was, and Melanie only replied by saying "we're just friends". Nazir had in turn asked Cicero the very same question and received the same response. They instead worked together to bring merriment to their companions than to give in to their mutual lust. Which was quite the feat that was for sure!
"We're nearly there!" Nazir called out to the group as they neared Solitude as night fell around them. The laughter behind him died away instantly as Melanie dipped her head in sadness as she continued to ride Shadowmere.
Cicero rode up beside her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "He is not worth your sadness Melanie. He is the one at fault, not you," he said consolingly.
"I know, thank you," Melanie said looking at him and smiling. "I love you Cicero."
"Cicero loves you too Melanie," he said smiling back at her lovingly. He wanted so badly to hold her and kiss her, but he also really wanted to kill Onmund for hurting the only living woman he loved. But Melanie won't let him kill Onmund, and Cicero feared that she might still harbour feelings for him. "Melanie, do you still love Onmund?" he asked causing Melanie to stop Shadowmere dead in its tracks. Everyone else stopped moving too and wondered why they had to halt abruptly; the gate to Solitude was a mere two feet away.
Melanie stared off for a moment lost in thought then stared at Cicero before saying, "No I don't love him anymore. After he berated me for being a thief after we had married, I was surprised that we stayed together this long. When I met you on the side of that dirt road I really thought that I had found the one I loved instead of him. And as fate would have it, I was right." She then reached across and pulled Cicero into a loving kiss for the first time since Whiterun.
Cicero pulled away first, leaving Melanie to look him in the eye. "Please tell Cicero the truth then. Why are you crying right now?" he asked, rubbing a tear from her face with his thumb.
"After being told twice by two different men that they loved me but weren't IN love with me, its just hard. I want so badly to kill Onmund, I had sacrificed my first husband to Boethiah. He was a womanizer too, I had caught him with two other women at the Bee and Barb in Riften," Melanie replied, tears still streaming down her face.
"Then why spare Onmund? What is so special about him?" Babette asked leaning forward in her seat in the cart, moonlight streaming on her pale face.
"For once I just don't want to resort to killing my problems away. I was young and naïve when I killed Marcurio and that was why I rushed into marrying Onmund; for closure. But now, I know for certain that these feelings I've been having ever since I met you Cicero are true. I just never believed that I would EVER find anyone whom I could perhaps one day share my life with as I've already tried doing that twice now," Melanie replied, gripping hold of Cicero's hand which had never left her face the entire time she spoke.
"He shall be spared then. But please Melanie, may Cicero kill the harlot who conspired with that wretched man?" Cicero asked, jumping down from his horse. She did the same as he grabbed hold of her arm, pulled her towards him, and placed his forehead against hers, pouting playfully.
Melanie giggled at his pouty face, then said, "No I'm sorry but she must be spared too. If he is a true cheater and breaks her poor, pathetic heart in the future, then she can suffer at that time as I believe she probably will."
"Cicero loves hearing your giggles Melanie. Cicero had nearly forgotten how you laugh, how you dance even!" Cicero said as he began to dance. He tried to get Melanie to join him, to lighten her mood, as she giggled again at his dancing.
"Please Cicero! Stop! I can't take it anymore! Hahahahaha!" she said as her giggling erupted into out right laughter.
"No, not until you dance with me Listener!" he said holding out his hand to her.
"Can we take a rain cheque on the dancing for now?" Nazir said as he stood in between them, ending their merriment altogether. "I don't mean any disrespect Listener but we should finish our job then head back to the sanctuary. You both can dance there I'm sure of it," he said as Cicero made a motion for his dagger in anger at being interrupted.
"He's right Cicero. I promise to dance with you another time," she said as she grabbed his arm for him to stop what he was planning to do to Nazir. She looked up at him with a pouty face this time as he put his dagger back into its sheath and grinned wickedly at her.
"Well alright, if you insist Listener, MY Listener," he said kissing her forehead then turning to face the others.
"Alright then, I need you all to put wait here while I deal with my husband," Melanie said simply.
"No, we are coming with you Listener. If there are any snags that inhibits you from returning to us, none of us will ever hear the end of it," Nazir said, nodding to Cicero gravely.
Melanie giggled again then said, "You're right, ok lets leave our horses and the cart here then. I will ask the guards to watch over the cart until we are in need of it again." She then walked over to the nearby guard tower and asked the guard for assistance.
'She giggled again but this time to the Redguard man instead of Cicero! And she also took HIS side than Cicero's on dancing with Cicero! All Cicero wanted to do was make her happy again, but he makes her act cold towards Cicero! She wouldn't even let Cicero wound the man for his insolence!' he thought mostly to himself, as jealousy bubbled up inside him once more.
"Alright, I was able to bribe the guards to watch our horses and cart while we deal with our business inside the city," Melanie said, bounding up to her companions happily.
"You seem to be in a good mood for some one who is about to head off and terminate her marriage," Babette said thoughtfully.
"Yes she is right, you seem…odd these past couple days. Are you feeling alright my thane?" Lydia asked just as thoughtfully as Babette.
"I'm fine really I am! Can't a girl be excited about getting a divorce from a man she thought had loved her but in turn doesn't and actually loathes her for what she is?" Melanie asked shrugging her shoulders as she skipped away from her companions heading towards the main gate.
"She has gone mad you know that right?" Lydia asked Cicero, concern laced in every word.
"If you are insinuating that Cicero had anything to do with this, you are gravely mistaken, maid," Cicero replied loathsomely. 'Cicero does not like this woman. At least the Redguard man likes her. Cicero is surprised that anyone would like that woman,' Cicero thought malevolently.
"CICERO! MY LOVE!" Melanie called out from the inside of the partially opened gate, beckoning him to her happily. "EVERYONE! LETS GO AND GET THIS OVER WITH, YEAH?"
"I'll stay with the cart if you guys don't mind," Babette said as she sat back in her seat, motioning to the Solitude guards walking towards them.
"You're not staying here to…" Lydia began, lowering her voice as she continued, "…feed?"
"Oh ho! You are a clever little house maid! Sorry, housecarl. My apologies miss Lydia," Babette replied as Lydia scowled at Babette.
"If you want to Babette, just don't be messy with your food," Nazir said nodding to the solders. Cicero on the other hand tried really hard to contain his laughter at what Babette and Nazir said.
"WOULD YOU GUYS HURRY UP ALREADY!" Melanie exclaimed, still standing inside the gate.
"Yes yes my thane we are coming," Lydia said exasperatedly as she, Cicero and Nazir hurriedly walked up to the gate.
"About time! Where is Babette?" Melanie asked impatiently, tapping her foot in the process.
"Babette has 'elected' to stay behind with the cart," Nazir replied matter-of-factly.
"OH! Ok that's fine then. Alright! Off we go!" Melanie exclaimed happily as she began to skip down the main road towards her house Proudspire Manor.
As they neared Proudspire Manor, Melanie turned to her companions and motioned for them to quiet down. Off on the winds she could hear two voices talking in hushed tones and one of them she recognized; Onmund. Melanie got down into a crouched position and snuck up towards the underside of the patio section of the house. She used her "Aura Whisper" shout just in case of being wrong, but much to her annoyance, she knew that the male voice was in fact Onmund's voice. The other, belonged to the mage woman with the blonde hair.
"Onmund stop it! What if your wife the Dragonborn comes home?" the mage woman asked, giggling all the while.
"Oh please! She won't be back at all! She's a petty thief without morals! I wouldn't be surprised if she was apart of the Dark Brotherhood either!" Onmund replied derisively. "Now come away with me milady! Let us…retire…to the bedroom for the eve!" he said as she yelped excitedly.
There was a sound of the patio door closing above Melanie and her companions, as everyone looked in shock at Melanie's back. Melanie stayed in her crouched position, not moving from her spot until Cicero grabbed her shoulder and turned her to face them. Everyone had expected to see Melanie crying again but instead were greeted with a fiery glare.
"Lets put a stop to this once and for all," she said as she stood up straight and headed for the basement door.
The others followed her inside but as soon as she entered the house, they lost sight of her. They crouched down and quietly called for her but their calls didn't last long as they heard a loud scream come from the upper area of the house. As quick as a flash, Cicero, Lydia, and Nazir pulled out their weapons and rushed off in the direction of the screaming.
"Well well well! What do we have here?" Melanie said holding her Nightingale Bow out, an arrow at the ready pointing directly at the bed.
"Melanie! My love! What a…surprise!" Onmund said, forcing a smile on his face.
"Oh yeah, 'My love' MY FOOT! Who is this harlot?" Melanie asked, tightening her grip on her primed arrow. The others finally made their way upstairs to witness the drama in the room unfold.
"I…uhh…I don't know who this is! Who are you? And how did you get into my bed?" Onmund asked the young woman in the bed next to him, nearly naked and scared beyond belief at what she was seeing.
"Don't play dumb with me Onmund! I know she was your friend back at the College of Winterhold! Now why is she here in MY BED?" Melanie asked as bolts of electricity began to flare up around her arm and infuse into her arrows threateningly.
"Now, now. There is no reason to become hostile my love," Onmund said holding up his hands cautiously as he began to look around the room for his clothes. He motioned to the woman to do the same, but very slowly.
"Drop the whole 'my love' bit! I know that you never loved me and that you had been with this woman the entire time I had been away! I saw you two fondling over each other two weeks ago and again just now!" Melanie said, the electricity in the room almost palpable.
"Well what do you expect me to do? After we marry you dropped the news of being a thief and here let me guess, you're also a part of the Dark Brotherhood too hmm?" he asked angrily, having just finished putting on his clothes and looking over at the woman across the room.
The mage woman, completely clothed, attempted to make a run for it out of the room, but was caught by Cicero who held the woman back, his dagger at her throat. "Listener! Shall I kill this one for you?" he asked as the woman began to yelp and cry uncontrollably.
"Listener? So you ARE with the Dark Brotherhood too! Why does that NOT surprise me in the least?" Onmund said angrily.
"I shouldn't complain if I were you mage! Cicero will kill your harlot if you do not apologise to our Listener for your actions!" Cicero said, pressing the dagger closer to the mage woman's skin.
"NO! Cicero I told you she will be spared!" Melanie said angrily over her shoulder.
"You're sparing Elyse? And I?" Onmund asked uncertainly.
"Get out of MY house and take that harlot witch with you! NOW!" Melanie said, gritting her teeth angrily. "Cicero let her go!" she exclaimed over her shoulder, glaring at Cicero.
"Yes, Listener," Cicero said sadly, letting the woman known as Elyse go. As she ran out of the room, she passed by Lydia and Nazir then ran outside of the door way to the patio. Then all of a sudden her scream echoed throughout the room again followed by the sound of large wings flapping on the winds. Everyone in the room took a slow breath in as they realized that the real drama was just outside in the city; a dragon had begun its attack on Solitude.
Onmund frantically ran out of the house, hoping to pull Elyse back inside. But to his horror, he came out in time to see the dragon flying off with Elyse in one of its monstrous talons. "ELYSE!" he yelled out in anger. Elyse looked down at Onmund and as she was about to say his name, the dragon tightened its grip on her so tight, it crushed her to death. "NOOOOO!" Onmund yelled as he began to launch firebolts and lighting spells at the dragon angrily.
Meanwhile, in the house, Melanie stood stock still in her spot, still holding her bow, arrow still cocked at the ready. Cicero, Lydia and Nazir closed the gap between them and Melanie, slowly walking over to her side. Throughout Melanie's head, the voices of the Greybeards repeated in warning. 'Alduin must be stopped at all costs. No matter what it takes, he must be stopped! And only you can stop him, Dragonborn.'
"Melanie? My love? Are you-" Cicero began but was cut short as Melanie rushed out of the room, bow in hand, arrow at the ready and electricity sparking off of her arm once more. Cicero, Lydia and Nazir followed Melanie out of the house just in time to see her shoot an electrified arrow at the dragon, directly hitting the talon that held Elyse's limp body. The dragon roared in searing pain at the electricity flowing through its body, causing it to drop Elyse down into the city, ironically in front of the Hall of the Dead. At the dragon flew off, preparing to turn around for another attack, Melanie met up with Onmund and a handful of Imperial soldiers by the Hall of the Dead.
"What is it with you and dragons Melanie?" Onmund said half joking, half annoyed.
Melanie said nothing to him, but glared maliciously at him instead. General Tullius rushed over to Melanie and said, "What ever it is that you do to these damn things you better get to it Dragonborn! I don't want to loose any more men than I have to. I've already lost the ones at the gate!" "And your archers aren't available?" Melanie asked the General dismissively. "Aye I do! Just say the word," General Tullius replied.
Babette rushed over to everyone's side as Melanie shot her a glare. "Don't worry, your cart and belongings are safe. The Solitude guards have moved it closer to the city walls," Babette said reassuringly.
"Good," Melanie stated simply as she cocked more arrows and laced her lighting spells within them, shooting the arrows at the dragon as it landed nearby.
Once the dragon landed, Onmund ran straight at it his magical energy flying every which way. He turned his attention from the dragon for a minute to look over at the crumpled form of his secret lover, when the dragon attacked him. It launched itself forward and chomped down on his body, crushing him instantly then threw him aside like a rag doll.
Melanie stood for but a moment in complete horror, silently mourning Onmund before something inside her seemed to snap. The dragon reared its head at Melanie, gathering air as it prepared to launch its freezing breath at her. "MELANIE!" her companions all said at once trying to get her attention, as she too took in a fair bit of air, ready to use a shout at the dragon in turn.
"FO-KRAH-DIIN!" Melanie shouted out her own freezing breath just as the dragon launched its own frost breath at her. The combining powers of both freezing shouts hitting each other at the same time exploded, causing Melanie to fly off backwards. The dragon shook its head from the recoil of the shouts before flapping its wings and preparing to fly off. "Oh no you don't!" Melanie exclaimed, picking herself up off the ground and nodded to the General. "DO IT NOW!" Melanie exclaimed to the General as the General ordered his men on the city walls to fire their arrows at the dragon. Most the arrows hit their mark, crippling the dragon enough to let Melanie jump onto the back of its neck. "DIE YOU WRETCHED CREATURE!" Melanie exclaimed, grabbing hold of her Blade of Woe and brought it down into the dragon's skull killing it instantly.
The dragon's soul swirled around Melanie after its death as everyone around her watched in awe as she absorbed the soul inside her body, eyes closed as she drank in its essence. Once the process was finished she opened her eyes and jumped off the remains of the dragon. She began to walk away with her head bowed low but was stopped by Cicero who had placed a concerned hand on her shoulder. "Melanie? Please look as Cicero and tell Cicero what is the matter?" he said, worry laced in his voice.
Melanie said nothing to the fool of hearts even after he turned her to face him and tried to kiss her passionately. She didn't return the sentiment of the kiss and without looking him in the face, quietly said, "Please let go of me. I have a job to do."
"My thane? What is wrong with you? Why are you so cold all of a sudden?" Lydia asked as Cicero let go of Melanie.
"I have a job to do. And only I can protect you from the evil that plagues this land," Melanie said, slowly raising a hand to point at the remains of the dragon.
"You're not talking about…" Lydia said realising the inevitable.
"Yes, I am going back to the Throat of the World and the Greybeards," Melanie said matter-of-factly, still refusing to look at her companions.
"What about your things?" Nazir asked, pointing her house.
"Stick with the plan. I don't care where in my room in the sanctuary my things are placed. But they must get there and in one piece," Melanie replied. "And you are to train Lydia and give her any contracts that come up Nazir. Babette, you are to train her in Alchemy," Melanie ordered in hushed tones.
"What about Cicero?" he asked, hoping she would give him something of importance to do.
"You will continue to be Keeper of the Night Mother. Protect her with your life," Melanie stated simply as she began to walk away.
"What about these people? Dragonborn?" General Tullius yelled angrily at Melanie's back as she stopped in her tracks for but a moment. She pulled off her ring of Matrimony and dropped it on the ground behind her. "Send them back to the College of Winterhold. Tell Mirabelle Ervine to give them a proper burial," Melanie said then continued on her way.
Two months passed by quietly as the remaining members of the Dark Brotherhood tried to continue to function without their Listener. Nazir and Babette had fulfilled their orders which Melanie had given them on the last day they saw her. Lydia had been made a full member of the Dark Brotherhood, fulfilling contracts and gaining some friends with the other new recruits along the way. She even began to have a passionate and loving relationship with Nazir, much to Cicero's annoyance.
Cicero on the other hand mostly kept to himself and tidying the Night Mother as per the usual. He had his moments of madness without Melanie around. But without his love around, he stopped being who he always had been; the merry fool of hearts. He even stopped drinking and dancing! First as protest to go looking for Melanie, then he stopped altogether when Lydia told him about their first encounter with the Greybeards and the prophesy Melanie must fulfill as being the last Dragonborn.
"Cicero only wants to be with the Listener. To protect her. To comfort her. To love her, dear Mother. Cicero does not understand why she didn't bring Cicero with her! Oh Mother! Whatever should Cicero do?" Cicero said as he laid out his tribute to the Night Mother; a few candles and stems of Nightshade around her coffin.
Then just as he slumped sadly in front of the Night Mother's coffin, he heard a loud 'BANG' of the main door closing at the head of the sanctuary. He perked up a bit as he heard foot steps coming from the main hallway and into the very same chamber where he sat; all of the recruits were already back from their contracts. He stood up and looked over to see a black blur walk right by him, walking towards the alchemy table.
"Listener?" Babette asked as she was on her way to sit at her table, a stack of books in hand. Lydia and Nazir perked up at Babette's question from the room below and raced up the steps incredulously.
"Damn, you saw right through me," Melanie said, a small smile creeping on her face as she lowered her Shrouded Cowl, but kept her eyes focused on potion-making.
"LISTENER!" Cicero exclaimed happily as he began to skip over to Melanie, wanting to hug and kiss her again. But Babette stopped him in his tracks and shook her head at him. He looked down at the un-child, glaring at her then looked back at Melanie worriedly.
"My thane! What happened to your neck?" Lydia asked with wild concern in her voice as she noticed a large scar on the back of Melanie's neck that starts behind her right ear and traveled across to the base of her skull.
"What else? A dragon of course!" Melanie said, facing Lydia for the first time in months.
"By Sithis! What happened to your face?" Nazir asked with a shocked expression laced in his voice.
"Again, what else could it have been?" Melanie asked, a wicked grin crossing her face. The same wicked grin that would cross Cicero's face when he was still crazy.
"Why are you here then? Melanie?" Cicero asked trying to get her attention.
A single tear streaked down her face as she finished off her last healing potion, and turned away from everyone again. As she passed by Cicero, she felt his pleading stare turn as cold as ice. She knew she deserved that cold feeling from him more than anyone else in the room. Maybe if the Night Mother were alive then Melanie would expect the cold shoulder from her as well.
"I'm sorry everyone, especially you Cicero. I will return again in two months time and be with you all again. I must do what is right, I don't want to lose any of you in the future," Melanie said, stopping in her tracks, turning her head to look at them over her shoulder sadly.
"Don't get yourself killed…" the Night Mother said inside Melanie's head. "Cicero loves you very much…" she said simply.
Melanie looked over at the Night Mother's coffin, smiled sweetly, and said, "I promise Mother."
"What did the Night Mother say?" Nazir asked, mild excitement in his voice.
"She doesn't want me to get myself killed," Melanie replied, keeping her back to everyone as she walked out of the sanctuary once more.
"THAT DOES IT! IT HAS BEEN WELL OVER TWO MONTHS SINCE THE LISTENER SAID SHE'D BE BACK AND SHE HAS YET TO SHOW HERSELF! WE MUST GO OUT THERE AND FIND HER! WHAT IF SHE IS IN DANGER?" Cicero said angrily, two months later as everyone had begun to eat their meal together in initial silence.
"I have told you before you fool! We cannot go looking for her now! We just don't have the man power nor do we know where she could possibly be!" Nazir exclaimed, slamming his fist down on the table angrily.
"Cicero is right…she is in danger…and you, Lydia, will be my temporary Listener until you all have saved the rightful Listener from the peril she is currently facing…" the Night Mother said to Lydia, who had suddenly taken to sitting straight up in her seat, surprise etched on her face.
"Miss Lydia? Are you alright?" Babette asked with concern.
"Yeah I'm fine. I think…I heard the Night Mother speak to me just now," Lydia replied, still in shock.
Cicero and Nazir stopped their bickering and looked curiously at Lydia. "What are you talking about Lydia?" Nazir asked.
"She just spoke to me. She said that I am her temporary Listener until we find and save Melanie from some sort of peril she is in," Lydia replied, confusion now over powering her every sense.
"Well what are you waiting for? Ask Mother what sort of peril my Melanie…I mean the Listener is in!" Cicero said with a mixture of excitement and anger in his voice.
"She has taken to holding herself inside the ruins of the Falkreath Sanctuary. You will find her there," the Night Mother said to Lydia who in turn related this next message to those around her.
"The Falkreath Sanctuary? But why is she there? There isn't anything left, well except for a few Imperial Guards since they flushed us out," Nazir asked, stroking his beard all the while.
"She is dying…" the Night Mother reiterated impatiently.
"How do we know this really is the Night Mother who is speaking to you? And why did she choose you over us?" Babette asked, curiosity and mild confusion in her voice.
"I have chosen you because you are the closest person she has to a family…she has also performed the Black Sacrament for herself…" the Night Mother responded inside Lydia's head as Lydia looked horrified at everyone else.
"What is it? Lydia?" Nazir asked worriedly.
"The Night Mother said Melanie had performed the Black Sacrament for herself. I think she's in real danger and needs our help," Lydia said, jumping out of her seat at the table and headed off for the door.
"Now that's more like it!" Cicero said as he followed Lydia, leaving Nazir and Babette sitting at the table looking at each other in horror.
"Babette my girl we're heading out!" Nazir said as he and Babette raced out of the sanctuary after Lydia and Cicero.
It took them all but a day's journey as they raced off like bats out of Oblivion. Cicero led the charge, riding Shadowmere while everyone else still had their horses from previous contract quests. Melanie had left Shadowmere at the sanctuary after her last visit two months previous. Cicero had taken it upon himself to care for Shadowmere while Melanie was gone. He enjoyed feeding the horse carrots and having long discussions with it about how much he loves carrots just as Shadowmere did.
When they neared the ruins of the Falkreath Sanctuary, the dismounted from their horses and took notice of their surroundings. All around them were the bodies of Imperial Soldiers, all slain cleanly, but not disposed of cleanly. Strewn throughout those bodies were the corpses of Frostbite Spiders.
"This spider didn't succumb to any of its knife wounds," Babette said matter-of-factly, kneeling in front of it's gnarled pincers.
"So? What difference does it make? My Melanie…I mean…OUR Listener is in there right now and could be hurt or…or…" Cicero began but couldn't bring himself to finish.
"She could be dying or already dead. Either way, we need to understand what had happened here and why this spider didn't die straight away," Nazir said, finishing Cicero's statement and looking at the fool with utter sympathy.
"So how did this spider die then?" Lydia asked folding her arms across her chest.
"It looks like it died out of starvation instead," Babette said. "It looks like one of its pincers might have punctured something first as the tip of the pincer is missing."
"Well that settles it for me! I'm going in there to find my beloved. If any of you stand in Cicero's way, Cicero will end you all!" Cicero said as he raced inside the sanctuary ahead of everyone else.
"MELANIE! WHERE ARE YOU? PLEASE, IF YOU HEAR CICERO'S VOICE, PLEASE BY SITHIS, SHOUT BACK!" Cicero yelled out into the deserted sanctuary.
"Hahhhh hahhh…Cicero? CICERO! I AM…here…" Melanie shouted out, coughing out blood as she did.
Cicero paused in his pace as he heard her calling to him. He listened through the echoes of the halls where she was and realized she was in the grotto room. He dashed off towards the sound of her voice, and was in complete shock and horror at seeing her crippled form leaning against the ancient dragon word wall; dead bodies of Imperial soldiers lying around her in the form of a circle for the Black Sacrament ritual.
"Cicero…I…I…I'm so glad…you've come…" Melanie said as she began to cry uncontrollably.
Cicero ran down the ruined pathway, tears streaming silently down his face as he went. Nazir, Lydia and Babette joined Cicero in the grotto room; the girls joining him in silent sobs.
Cicero knelt down next to Melanie, cupped her face in his right hand and said, "Mother spoke to your housecarl and told us you were here."
"Oh…good…" Melanie began as she's on the verge of fainting.
"No! You are not going to die here! Melanie!" Cicero bawled, scooping up Melanie into his arms, holding her close to his chest.
"Cicero…I…love…you…" Melanie said as she succumbed to sleep.
"NO! MELANIE! Cicero loves you…too," he said holding her closer, tears streaming down his face.
"She's not dead Cicero," Babette said as she neared the couple, pulling out bottles of healing potions and cure disease potions along the way.
"She's not? OH! She's not dead! Cicero can feel her breathing, but faintly. Oh so very faintly! Un-child! You must heal her and fast!" Cicero stated excitedly at first then seriously to finish.
"Don't worry. She will be fine, but please you need to lay her down so she can breath properly and so I can heal her," Babette said as Cicero did as she said and laid Melanie out onto her back. He sat next to her, holding her hand lovingly as Babette pulled out the missing tip to the Frostbite Spider's pincer. She showed it to Cicero and the others before tossing it aside and beginning to heal their Listener.
Six hours later, Melanie awoke screaming at the top of her lungs. Before she awoke, she healed herself with her healing spell which caused her screaming. Cicero jumped in fear, as did the others, as Melanie sat bolt upright her free hand clutching her wound and still glowing from the spell. She took a while to catch her breath then looked down at her left hand, noticing Cicero's gloved hand still holding her.
"Wow! I haven't done that in a long time! Well not since I healed you Cicero, my love," Melanie said, leaning closer to Cicero getting ready to kiss him.
He held her back by her shoulders and asked, "Cicero wishes you to tell us all the truth behind your mad little mind. Why did you go off and fight those dragons alone?"
"I had to do what was right. After that dragon attacked Solitude, and killed Onmund and his harlot, all I thought about was 'What if that had been Lydia? Or Nazir? Or Babette? Or Cicero?' I just wouldn't let that happen. That's why I just left. That's why I sustained these injuries," Melanie said, gesturing to her scars on her neck and face. "I took these wounds to keep all of you safe. And now I almost died because a Frostbite Spider bit me! Now that is madness my love!" she finished, giggling happily.
"Oh Melanie! Cicero is so glad to have you back!" Cicero said happily, laughing with her. "Un-child? Is it save for Cicero to hug Melanie now?" he asked turning his attention to Babette.
"Yes you can," Babette replied with a smile.
Cicero grabbed hold of Melanie and hugged her with all his pent-up love and affection for her. She grabbed hold of him and hugged him right back, silently vowing to never leave his side. But then she remembered something very important she has yet to accomplish on her quest to vanquish Alduin once and for all.
"Cicero, everyone please I need to tell you all something very important," she said letting go of Cicero and attempting to stand up. Cicero helped her to her feet as her companions gathered together.
"What is it my thane?" Lydia asked for everyone.
"There is one more task I must complete in order to rid Skyrim of Alduin. I need to travel with a dragon named Odaviin and he is going to take me to Alduin's gate way to Sovngarde. I need to go Sovngarde and defeat him once and for all. And there is a possible chance that I may not make it back," Melanie replied.
"No you will return to us. To Cicero. To Mother! You must do this! Where is it that you must go to find this dragon?" Cicero said immediately.
"I've already captured him at Dragonsreach. I came here to gather my thoughts before facing you all," Melanie replied sheepishly.
"Well then, Nazir my kind sir! Get your things! We're going to Whiterun again!" Babette exclaimed happily.
"You guys don't have to come with me to Whiterun!" Melanie said, blushing bashfully.
"Oh yes we do! You don't have to do this alone my thane!" Lydia said as Nazir put his hand on her shoulder. Lydia placed a hand on his hand as they both looked at Melanie thoughtfully.
"OH! You two are together now? Melanie asked incredulously.
"That's right Listener. We're together now and I wish to marry miss Lydia one day. If I have your blessing of course," Nazir said proudly.
"Yes! Oh of course Nazir you may have my blessing!" Melanie replied happily.
"Then we're off to Dragonsreach my love?" Cicero asked holding Melanie close to him again.
"Yes! Off to Dragonsreach then I shall head off to Sovngarde to defeat Alduin!" Melanie replied happily as they all left the sanctuary together and rode off to Whiterun one final time.