Chapter Summary

After Brynjolf's revelations at the Embassy, Cicero finally gets the courage to say something to Delphine. But in trying to get past Delphine's defences, has he perhaps got more than he bargained for? Yes, but that's the way he likes it. :)

Chapter Notes

Actual Pr0n in this one! Finally! Warnings for Cicero liking it rough and having a thing for being ordered around by domineering women. Also I ended up writing Delphine a backstory and fleshing out Cicero's a little. I've basically taken his already sad history and made it EVEN SADDER. Delphine's is also ALL THE SAD FOREVER. Still, brief as life in Skyrim can be, at least they'll have each other.

Chapter 8: Sanctuary

Delphine couldn't help herself. Tears of laughter were rolling down her face as Cicero and Eola between them acted out events at the Thalmor party. She'd been doing just fine, right up until Eola started doing an impression of Maven Black-Briar, and then as she and Cicero had re-enacted the Erikur/Maven fight (with Cicero as Maven and Eola as Erikur), she'd lost it completely. Finally, she pulled herself together.

"Oh Sithis, that's hysterical," she finally gasped. "You two have just acquired two very powerful enemies, I hope you realise that."

"Whereas infiltrating the Thalmor Embassy, killing Elves and stealing secrets, that won't have won them any enemies at all!" Calixto laughed.

"Better hope neither of them decide to perform the Black Sacrament," Aranea grinned. "Because that would be really rather awkward." Both Dunmer and Imperial dissolved into further giggles.

"Stop it, both of you, you'll set me off again," said Delphine, finally regaining control of herself. "So, you managed to completely kill the mood at Elenwen's party and got away, what next?"

"Well, we killed a few Thalmor and got out into the courtyard like you told us," said Cicero. "And then a fight broke out, and a couple of thieves turned up and started helping us."

Delphine sat up at this, now intrigued. "Thieves? What, Guild Thieves from Riften? Why are they breaking into the Thalmor Embassy? There have got to be easier places for them to rob than that."

"The Thalmor had captured one of their people," said Eola. "Guy named Brynjolf. Delphine, are you alright? You've gone very pale."

"Delphine," said Cicero softly, coming to kneel by her side. They were gathered in Delphine's secret cellar, with a bench and two chairs borrowed from upstairs to seat the rapidly expanding group. Delphine was sitting behind her table, surveying them all – or at least she had been. Now she was staring into space, looking as if she might burst into tears any second. Cicero really didn't think he could bear that, seeing his Listener cry, not least because he wasn't sure he'd be able to stop himself holding her and kissing the tears away. He wasn't at all sure she'd react well to that, so he restrained himself to crouching at her feet and taking one of her hands in his. "Delphine, my Listener, he was injured but in one piece. Nice Delvin and sneaky Vex took him back to Riften. He will be fine."

"That's good to know," said Delphine, her voice wooden. "But that they had him at all, why? He's not even a Talos worshipper, if he prays to anyone, it's probably Dibella. What have the Guild done to antagonise the Thalmor?"

"Well, they knew he knew you," said Eola. Delphine flinched a little but motioned for her to go on. "And they also thought he might be able to tell them about a guy called Esbern. Seems he's the Blades' expert on dragons and they thought he might be able to tell them why the dragons are coming back."

Delphine's mood abruptly changed. "Esbern's alive?" she cried, her face lighting up in unashamed delight. Cicero found himself smiling to match. She really was pretty when she was pleased.

"I thought the Thalmor must have got to him years ago," she said, beaming. "That crazy old man... So they thought Brynjolf knew where he was?"

Cicero produced the Thalmor files on Esbern and on dragons and handed them over. "They think he's hiding out in Riften, Listener."

Delphine took the files and began to read, laughing when she reached the part where the Thalmor suspected Blades involvement in the dragons' return.

"That's ironic. The old enemies blame each other for every misfortune." She tapped the file. "This changes our entire game plan. We need to go to Riften at once. The Thalmor will know their security's been breached by now, they'll be throwing everything at trying to find Esbern. We need to get there first. And damn but we need a better headquarters than this. There's barely room for the five of us, there's no room for six. Talos alone knows how I'm going to explain the Night Mother."

"If it's a bigger base you need, I may have an idea. I don't know if it will suit forever, but I believe it will work on a temporary basis," said Calixto thoughtfully.

Delphine raised an eyebrow. She still wasn't entirely sure what she thought of the latest recruit, especially given that he'd turned out to be the infamous Butcher of Windhelm (much to Cicero's delight), but undeniably he had skills and a brain, two things she wasn't going to turn down in a hurry.

"Go on."

"The house Hjerim, back in Windhelm," said Calixto. "Technically it's owned by the Shatter-Shield family, but with their daughters both dead, and now the matron of the family apparently dead by her own hand, it's unlikely Thorbjorn will want to go anywhere near it. Also as it's now known the Butcher of Windhelm was using it as a secret lair, no one else wants to go in either. Before Aranea and I left to come here, I took the precaution of spreading a few rumours the ghosts of his victims were haunting it. With the Butcher now supposedly caught, no one will be taking an interest in the house, which means we could use it. I could even acquire it myself, I suppose, I do have some money put by, and I'm a Windhelm citizen with property rights. I promise you it's spacious, if rather bare."

Delphine looked thoughtful. "It's a possibility. I'd prefer somewhere more isolated, but we don't have a lot of options right now. All right. Calixto, I had a job for you in Windhelm anyway, looks like you now have two. Get over there tomorrow and secure Hjerim, get it into a basic state of habitability."

"Will do. And the second task?"

"I've had another contract," said Delphine. "Someone in Windhelm called Aventus Aretino wants someone killing. Meet him, find out what he wants. Take care of it yourself if you can, but if it's going to be difficult or dangerous, meet us back here, we'll plan what to do then."

"Aventus Aretino?" Calixto stared at her. "Him? But he's insane, everyone knows that. Boy lost his mother a few months back, got sent to Riften orphanage, ran away, came back and started squatting in his old house. They all say he's performing the Black Sacrament, trying to summon..." He stopped, realising what he was saying. "Ah. Well, I guess he's succeeded, hasn't he?"

"He has," said Delphine, a little taken aback herself. "How old did you say he was?"

"Oh, about nine or ten. The boy has no money, Delphine, how on Nirn do you think he intends to pay us? Do you think he knows what he is doing?"

"Boy or not, he has performed the Sacrament," said Cicero sharply. "Someone must die and he must pay us for the death. Such is the law of Sithis."

"He's a child," Delphine whispered, troubled at the idea of involving a child in the Brotherhood's affairs but not seeing much choice. "All right. Visit him, take the contract. But Calixto, don't expect much in the way of payment for this. Take whatever he offers you, even if it's virtually worthless. Don't take anything off him until the job's done. This contract's going to be less about the gold than about telling the world the Brotherhood are back and to be feared. So unless he's got some very specific wishes to the contrary, kill the target secretly and silently, but ensure the body's found and displayed in such a way that leaves little doubt it was a Brotherhood killing. Piece of parchment with a black handprint on it, make it the victim's handprint not your own, nightshade scattered over the body, that sort of thing. This one's going to be more about the publicity than about the prize, I'm afraid."

"It shall be done, Listener," Calixto promised. He left the room to get ready and find a bed for the night, probably wisely since there was going to be a bit of a shortage at the Sleeping Giant that night.

"And what would you have us do, Listener?" Aranea asked. "Have you had any other contracts from the Night Mother, or are we all going to Riften?"

"We are," Delphine confirmed. "Get some sleep while you can, my brothers and sisters, because we leave at first light for Riften. Aranea, take the room across the inn that Calixto doesn't. Eola, there's some spare bedding under my bed, make up a bedroll for yourself and crash out in my room. Cicero, you'll be down here next to the Night Mother as usual. Any questions?"

There were none. Aranea and Eola slipped out of the room, taking care to close the door behind them, leaving Cicero and Delphine alone.

"Are you not going to bed, my Listener?" Cicero asked.

"In a second," said Delphine. "I'm just a little overwhelmed by it all. Esbern being alive still, and Brynjolf getting himself caught. I can hardly believe it. Especially Bryn, he was always so careful..."

"Even the most careful can be caught, if they are distracted. Say by a recent emotional upset..." Cicero hesitated, then decided to just go for it. "Delphine, my Listener, Brynjolf knew you, yes, and he spoke to humble Cicero of you. He... oh my Listener, tell me it is not true what he said! That you were so sad and lonely, you asked him to find you a stranger to lie with. That the sweet Listener agreed to lie with Brynjolf because she felt no one else would want her?"

Delphine had gone still, absolutely still, and for a moment Cicero began to wonder if this had been a good idea. Then she spoke, her voice cold as the grave.

"He had absolutely no right to tell you that. None! Because it is no one else's business who I sleep with, or why! I have physical needs like anyone else, if I wish to go and satisfy them with a willing participant, that's up to me and them, and no one else gets to sit and pass judgement. Not you, not Brynjolf, not anyone!" Her voice sharpened on that last sentence, and Cicero prostrated himself in front of her, not even daring to meet her eyes.

"Forgive your humble fool, Listener, he is but a witless idiot who had no wish to offend his dear Listener. But Listener, oh my Listener, my Delphine, Cicero is your humble servant as always, and if you have needs, even such needs as that... you have but to ask your Cicero. He is willing, more than willing, to tend to his beloved Listener. Cicero begs you, do not lie with strangers who will not appreciate you, not care for you. If you are plagued by baser urges, Cicero is here for you, Delphine. Take them out on him."

Delphine did not respond, and Cicero couldn't even bring himself to look up. He hadn't exactly meant to say that much, but the words were out now, and at least she knew. And thanks to Brynjolf's utter lack of discretion, he had a fair idea she wouldn't reject him outright. Still, that didn't mean he wasn't worried.

"Oh Cicero," he heard her say, her voice now gentle. "Do you honestly think I hadn't realised?"

"Listener?" he whispered, finally risking looking up. She no longer looked angry, if anything she looked... sad.

"I know, Cicero," she said. "I've known for ages how you felt. I just didn't know what to do about it, and I didn't want to hurt you. Guess it's too late for that now, huh."

Cicero sat up, feeling his pulse quicken. Delphine knew... and if Brynjolf hadn't been lying when he'd said Delphine liked him... so why hadn't Delphine done anything about it?

"Cicero is not hurt, but he is very confused," he said, frowning. "Brynjolf said that you turned him down, because he wasn't me. Now Brynjolf may have been lying or mistaken, of course, but if he wasn't... Sweet Delphine, if you do not want your Cicero in that way, tell me now, and we shall never speak of this again. But if you do... Listener, please, Cicero may be a simple fool, but he is still a man, with a man's heart and a man's desires, and he is yours if you want him."

"It's not that simple," Delphine sighed. "Cicero, you have to understand I'm wanted by the Thalmor, I've been on the run for years. At least part of the reason I've survived is because I've worked alone up until now. Working closely with others, it's not an easy thing for me to do. Allying with me, being with me, it's dangerous, Cicero. Do you know, every single man I've ever been with, every single one of them, has ended up in a Thalmor dungeon, or dead by their hand. Every single one, and all but one of them died. It's only down to luck and his Guild proving loyal that Brynjolf made it out of that Embassy. I'm not sure I could bear anyone else suffering at their hands on my account."

Cicero could barely suppress a laugh at that point. "Beloved Delphine, Cicero has already ruined one of their leader's parties, killed many of her people, stolen important documents and released one of her valuable prisoners. If Cicero was not an enemy of the Thalmor before, he certainly is now." He reached into his pocket and produced the other dossier he'd taken, the one on Delphine herself. "Cicero also found this. He thinks Delphine should have it. I read it, Listener, I know they want you eliminated. If your safety lay in solitude, then best be we all leave you now. But Cicero will not go, no. Cicero will defend his Listener to the last, even if she does not want him. Indeed, it seems to Cicero that neither he nor she will be in less danger if she does not claim him as hers than if she were to take him to her bed this very night."

Delphine scanned the dossier then tossed it aside, apparently caring little for its contents. "It would make a difference to me, Cicero," she said, her voice sounding heavy and weary.

"Difference? But why..." Cicero tilted his head and the answer came to him. But how to deal with it and get through his beautiful, fierce, stubborn Listener's defences? In the back of his mind, the soul of a trapped dragon howled in fury, and a little of that strength found its way to Cicero. In that moment, he knew what to do. "My Listener. Do not tell me you are afraid. You are! You are afraid. You are afraid of humble Cicero."

"I'm not afraid of you!" said Delphine, outraged at the very thought. "I'm not afraid of the Thalmor either, so don't start with that. In fact, Cicero, you're beginning to try my patience."

"Listener is scared of something though," said Cicero, cackling madly and starting to dance around the room. "Cicero does not know what, but he will find out. It must be terrifying indeed to frighten his Listener. Creatures of nightmare, creatures of night; darker than those for the Listener to take fright!"

"Cicero, I'm warning you, shut up and come here," Delphine snapped, losing her patience and getting to her feet. Cicero ignored her.

"Some fear spiders, some fear bears. But the Listener fears only her own love affairs!" Cicero chanted, certain that would get under her skin like nothing else. He was right. Before he could utter anything more, Delphine pounced.

"Not. Another. Word," Delphine seethed, grabbing Cicero and shoving him bodily against the wall, pinning his arms to the stone. Cicero responded by giggling and squirming.

"Ooh, Listener, yes, this is much more like it," he purred.

"Bite your tongue, fool, or I will cut it out," Delphine hissed, her face inches from his own, eyes blazing with fury. Still Cicero seemed unafraid.

"That would be a pity," he replied. "Cicero has many uses he could put his tongue to, including pleasuring his sweet Listener. Such a shame if she were to miss out on that..."

"You have no idea what gives me pleasure," Delphine whispered, leaning in closer. Cicero closed his eyes and tilted his head back, gasping with delight.

"Then show me, sweet Delphine," Cicero whispered. Delphine blinked, the fury seeming to clear, and then, to Cicero's delight, it was replaced with a cold, calculating grin.

"All right then. Your safe word is Sanctuary. Say that, I'll stop and leave you alone. But for as long as you don't say it... you're mine to use and abuse as I see fit. That what you wanted, jester?" She glanced down and noticed the bulge at his groin, the tell-tale sign of an erection just waiting to be released. "Clearly."

Cicero smiled, a dark and twisted smile to match her own. "As my Listener pleases," he growled, his voice dropping a whole octave lower than its usual high pitched tone. Delphine's eyes widened, and she visibly shivered. Reaching forward, she grabbed his jester shirt and tore it open, heedless of the buttons flying everywhere. Underneath, Cicero's skin was pale but flushed, and despite his small frame, he was well-muscled enough, with a small amount of chest hair and a trail of hair leading from his navel downwards. Unable to resist any longer, and tired of trying, Delphine grabbed him by the hair and pressed her body up against his, teeth sinking into his shoulder. Cicero spasmed as she did so, crying out but whether in pain or pleasure or both, it was impossible to tell. She thrust a knee in between his legs, feeling that impressive erection against her thigh, and began to nibble his shoulder, moving closer to his neck and alternating with licks and kisses and sharp little nibbles as she began to work her way up his neck. Cicero, his arms now free, responded by wrapping his arms around her and pulling her closer, hands roaming over her back, one reaching down to grab her arse and pull her in to him, the other reaching up and loosening her leather hair tie, eager fingers running through her hair as it fell loose around them. Delphine gently teased his earlobe between her teeth, nibbling at the soft flesh, listening to him whimper. It was a beautiful sound, hearing him respond to her every touch. She could see bruises starting to form on his neck and shoulder, and she knew that she must have hurt him, but he didn't seem to mind.

"I'm very much afraid I've marked you, dear Cicero," said Delphine casually. "You'll have bruises and bites for all to see tomorrow."

"Cicero shall wear them with pride," he replied, still using that same low voice from earlier. He opened his eyes and turned his head to look at her, all foolish artifice gone, eyes heavy with lust and deadly serious. Delphine could feel her loins firing up just looking at him. Grabbing the hat and flinging it into a corner, she pulled him to her and kissed him with all the ferocity and lust she could muster. Cicero moaned beneath her and opened his mouth, tongue sliding between her lips. Delphine gently raked her teeth along it, causing him to quiver yet further, and she felt him go weak at the knees as she slid her hands under his shirt and began raking her nails not-at-all gently down his back. Staggering back to her desk, she swept the contents off the table and sat down on the desk itself, bringing Cicero with her. She wrapped her legs around him, moaning softly as she felt his cock rub against her. Cicero broke off the kiss, resting his head on her shoulder, gasping for breath. Delphine held him and stroked his hair.

"Done in yet?" Delphine asked. Cicero shook his head.

"No," he said gruffly. "Cicero is still ready and willing to serve his Delphine."

"Is that so?" Delphine murmured. "In that case, my fool, you mentioned earlier the many uses to which that tongue of yours could be put. Get on your knees and demonstrate."

Cicero obligingly dropped to his knees and began to push back the skirt of Delphine's leather armour, gloved fingers trailing across the skin of her thighs. Reaching for his dagger, he gently sliced her underwear off, before placing the blade to one side and leaning in to gently kiss her thighs, brush hair aside and run the tip of his tongue over her.

He couldn't see her face from where he was kneeling, but the moan of "oh Talos, yes!" and the fingers grabbing his hair and pushing him further in told him all he needed to know. Wrapping one arm around her leg and reaching behind her with the other, he closed his eyes and tasted her, relishing the feel of his Listener's most intimate parts against his face, the feel of her, the taste of her, the sounds she made in response... heavenly. Pulling off his gloves and sliding first one finger inside her, then another, he licked at her clitoris, listening with satisfaction as she bucked and moaned at his touch, letting go of his hair as she leant back to rest fully stretched out on the desk, one leg around his shoulders making sure he didn't go anywhere. Cicero sped up what he was doing as she breathed faster, writhing and crying out her pleasure. Finally she threw her head back, crying out as she hit orgasm, clinging on to the desk and calling to Talos, Sithis, any other passing deities before descending into wordless sounds of pleasure and finally collapsing in silence. Cicero stopped what he was doing and got up, perching on the desk and watching her, waiting for her to come back to herself. Sithis but she was beautiful like this, hair unbound and surrounding her lovely face like the sun, skin flushed with excitement and body utterly limp, all tension gone from her. There was just enough room for him to stretch out beside her, one hand resting on her stomach.

"Listener?" he said softly. "Are you... was that... is Delphine satisfied with her Cicero?"

Delphine nodded, a smile on her face, eyes flickering open but still heavy-lidded.

"Oh yes," Delphine murmured. "Should have done this sooner. Can't think why not. What about you, are you..." Her eyes opened properly as she looked him over and promptly blushed.

"Sithis, Cicero, what did I do to you? You're covered in bruises and scratches, look at you." She looked vaguely guilty as she surveyed the extent of the damage, from the purple-black marks on his neck and shoulder, to the vivid red scratches on his sides that clearly curved behind on to his back.

"Do not apologise," said Cicero firmly. "Never apologise. Cicero will bear these and more for his dear Listener. And if Delphine is concerned for her dear Keeper's wellbeing, why, she need only get skilful Aranea to teach her the Healing Hands spell so that she may heal her sweet Cicero after she has finished taking her pleasure."

Delphine looked thoughtful at this. "That's an idea. And who says I need to use it only when I've finished, hmm?"

Cicero shivered at the prospect. "Oh, my Listener is a cruel, cruel woman!" A sly grin spread over his face. "Cicero could not be more pleased."

"I'm sure you could," said Delphine, eyeing the still-present bulge in his trousers. "You didn't even come."

"Oh. Well, no. That is not important," said Cicero dismissively. "Cicero can always take care of that later if he needs to. Delphine is satisfied, that is the important thing."

"You're all heart," said Delphine, feeling the need for sleep starting to catch up with her. "Here, do something for me. Get some of those leather cloths you use to wipe down the Night Mother with, then come join me."

"Humble Cicero lives to serve," said Cicero cheerfully. As he skipped off to obey her commands, slipping the remains of his shirt off to reveal yet more scratches decorating his back, Delphine slowly got to her feet and sank into her chair, aching all over but pleasantly relaxed. Cicero was not long in returning, and she beckoned him towards her, grabbing him as he approached and hauling him playfully into her lap.

"Ooh, Listener!" he squealed, handing her the cloths. "Are you going to put poor Cicero over your knee? Punishment for ruining your underwear perhaps? Please say yes."

"I've got other pairs," said Delphine, taking a cloth and spreading it over Cicero's lap. "And I did ruin your shirt, to be fair." She unlaced his trousers and reached inside. "No, I was going to reward you for being a good boy." She took hold of his cock and began to move her hand, slowly at first but speeding up as Cicero held on to her, moaning into her shoulder. She tightened her grip and watched as he closed his eyes, whimpering.

"Yes, oh yes, my Delphine, yes," he gasped, holding on to her. "Sithis, yes, like that!" He clung on to her and it wasn't long before he let go, howling his release into her shoulder as he came. Delphine wrapped his cock with the leather cloth, holding him until he was finished. Finally, he collapsed in her arms, spent. Delphine wiped him down, wrapped the cloth up and placed it to one side, before tucking him back into his trousers and holding him tight.

"Thank you," he whispered. "Cicero does not deserve such kindness, no."

"Don't apologise," Delphine soothed him. "I enjoyed watching you." Cicero's eyes lit up.

"Did you? Sweet Delphine enjoyed watching Cicero? Really?" He looked surprised. "That is a surprise. Sweetest Andronica always seemed to prefer it when Cicero was howling for mercy. You are... less cruel than she was. Cicero thinks that may be a good thing, on the whole, but Listener must not hold back on sweet, sweet tortures because she fears harming Cicero, no! Cicero can take much punishment before he gives in."

"Who was Andronica?" Delphine asked. "Someone you knew back in Cyrodiil?" Cicero nodded.

"She was one of Cicero's Dark Sisters in Cheydinhal. When he came there after losing his Family at Bruma, all of his brothers and sisters made him welcome, but she took a special interest in poor, bereaved Cicero. She had... dark tastes, and she saw easy prey in poor Cicero. It was not long before she had him chained up in the torture chamber, delighting in hurting him and using him for her own twisted desires." Cicero sighed happily at the thought. "It was a good time in my life. I would get up in the evening, get my orders, go out, kill, come home, get flogged, cut and beaten by dear Andronica and collapse with her into a bed. Life was so much simpler back then. I miss it."

"What happened?" Delphine asked, hoping he didn't miss this Andronica too much. "I take it was something bad." Cicero nodded sadly.

"There was trouble in Bravil, and she was sent there to help protect the Night Mother and the last Listener, along with a few others. Cicero begged to go with her, but it was not to be, our Sanctuary leader said I was needed in Cheydinhal. She... she was killed when nasty Skooma barons invaded the Mother's crypt. Died defending Listener Alisanne with her life. Cicero... Cicero should have been there too, it is the great shame of his life that he could not save either sweet Andronica or his Listener." He buried his head in her hair, and Delphine knew that he was trying not to cry. She kissed his cheek and rubbed his back gently.

"It sounds hard. But you can't blame yourself. You'd been ordered to stay, what could you have done? And if you had been there, you might have been killed too. And then you wouldn't be here now, and who would have looked after the Night Mother then? What would the world do without a Dragonborn? And who'd look after me, hmm?" Delphine stroked his cheek gently, and was rewarded by Cicero looking up with a smile.

"Maybe this is how Sithis intended it then," he said softly. "That last night we spent together – she led me straight to her bed, not the torture den, and we made love like any other couple. After, she held me and kissed me on the lips, and she finally told me she loved me. I... of course I felt the same, we'd been together two years by that point. I told her that, and she burst into tears and said she was sorry for being so cruel to me. I told her the cruelty was why I loved her and she cried even more and said she didn't deserve me. I held her and told her it was tough luck on her part, she was stuck with me." Cicero laughed. "She laughed then, and told me if that was how I felt, we'd better get married. Sweet Delphine, I could have died from happiness. We spent that night unable to keep our hands off each other, and then I saw her off to Bravil in the morning, making her promise to come home and come back to me intact. I never saw her again. And then the Night Mother came, and we had no Listener and I had lost my Andronica for good. I wonder what she would think of me now, Keeper of the Night Mother and sworn servant to the new Listener."

"I think," said Delphine, stroking him tenderly, "that she would be very proud. And then she would probably kill me for touching her Cicero, and haul you off to the nearest dungeon for punishment and re-education, as the Thalmor say."

Cicero burst out laughing. "Listener must not say such terrible things!" said Cicero playfully, the serious mood passing. "Cicero will always miss her a little, yes... but it was a long time ago and he was a different man then. Cicero lost Listener and lover, yes it's true, and it nearly sent him over the edge. Maybe it did, who knows. But there is a new Listener now, and Cicero has a new lover, and this time they are one and the same person. And Cicero has no intention of sitting idly by in a Sanctuary while his Listener goes into danger, no. This time, the Listener shall have Cicero's blades by her side, and he shall fight until his last breath to save her if he has to." He trailed a finger down Delphine's cheek, noticing a shadow in her eyes as he spoke. "Because he could not bear it if he lost her as well," he said softly. "And Cicero now thinks he knows what Delphine was afraid of."

Delphine tightened her grip on him. "If all goes well, it won't come to that," she whispered. "But it's not just losing you that worries me. What I'm most afraid of isn't anything outside me, Cicero. It's in here." She tapped her head. "The Night Mother chose me because I already had the touch of Sithis on me, and she saw it truly. I'm not a good person, Cicero. Even as a girl, I always liked getting into fights – liked the roughness, liked what I could do with my fists, liked seeing someone else in pain because of me. I joined the Legion because it gave me a way to keep doing that and get praised for it. Then the Blades recruited me, and a whole new vista opened up. Except I let my desires get the better of me and went too far. That dossier says I was recalled to Cyrodiil just before the war – bad luck for the Thalmor, but not good for me either. It was on a disciplinary charge, Cicero. I'd taken my rage out on someone we were interrogating and killed him before we could get everything we wanted out of him. Someone reported me and I ended up in a cell in the Imperial City pending investigation. Of course, then the war broke out and the Blades decided that merciless sadists who hated the Thalmor more than life itself were exactly what they needed, so out I came. After the war of course, it all stopped mattering anyway. By a stroke of good luck, someone I'd busted out of a Thalmor prison happened to have influence here in Skyrim and got me a job as his father's housecarl. So off I went to Windhelm."

Cicero's eyes widened. "Ulfric Stormcloak! Delphine, there is another dossier we retrieved on him, you must read it, it says he's a Thalmor plant!"

Delphine placed a finger on his lips. "Yes. I know, although I had no idea then. Back then, all I knew was that this at least was somewhere relatively safe – that as long as I kept my head down, the Thalmor might leave me alone. And Jarl Hoag Stormcloak was a good man, a kind man, who also worshipped Talos in secret, had lost his wife some years previously and it turns out had a thing for blonde warriors who could wrestle him into submission. Yes, Cicero, you're not the only one who lost a lover."

"Kind Hoag died, and Ulfric did not need you?" Cicero asked gently. Delphine shook her head.

"Worse. Hoag and I would slip away often and play together. He liked being tied up and punished, not unlike you." Here she allowed herself a smile as Cicero blushed and giggled, squirming in her lap. "He was good for me, Cicero. Taught me control, responsibility. I had a willing victim who I truly cared for and didn't want to hurt, he had desires he'd not been able to explore in years. I became a little less wild, a little calmer, and he knew a happiness he'd not had in a long time. Five years I was at Windhelm, and they were a breath of sanity after the war. I even overheard him quietly discussing with his steward if it was acceptable for a Jarl to marry their housecarl, and the two of them seeming to decide that it was. I could have cried for joy, but kept quiet – I didn't want him to know I knew what he was planning. Two days later, we were at one of our usual games when it happened. The Thalmor found us, got into the palace somehow. Hoag was bound and helpless, and while I fought hard, I couldn't save him. They butchered a defenceless old man like an animal, Cicero." Now it was Delphine who had tears in her eyes at the memories. "I went mad, I must have slaughtered them all in fury. When the guards found me, there wasn't much left of the Thalmor, just me cradling Hoag's body and weeping. Ulfric was away, imprisoned in Markarth, but when he got back, I offered him my own life in recompense for getting his father killed. Imagine my surprise when he broke down in tears himself and confessed everything – that he'd been a Thalmor agent, he'd let slip to his handler that his father's lover and housecarl was a Breton called Delphine, who he'd secured a job for after she helped him during the war. I could have killed him, Cicero. Would have done if Ulfric hadn't previously studied with the Greybeards and sent me flying with a Shout. That brought Galmar Stone-Fist and about five guards running, and they disarmed me eventually, but not before I'd killed one of them. Ulfric never brought any charges, too guilty for causing it all. But he promised before I left that he'd cut ties with the Thalmor and make amends somehow for what they'd done to Skyrim. Gave me a generous compensation payment and advised me to hide out in Riften for a bit until the Thalmor lost my trail. So I did. Hid out in the Ratway, then joined the Guild, made a bit of money, eventually left six, seven years later after killing a mark. Made my way to Whiterun, thinking of joining the Companions maybe, then found there was an inn for sale in Riverwood. It was perfect. So here I am, and here I was until I saw a dragon fly down the valley and realised things were about to get interesting again. Went to warn the Jarl, ended up getting asked to go to this ruin and retrieve the Dragonstone after I'd foolishly said I thought it might be there. I brought it back, and while I'm going over it with Farengar, what happens but Irileth shows up with this insane jester, claiming to have found a Dragonborn." Delphine couldn't help but smile fondly at the memory. "That was only three weeks ago and since then my life has turned itself upside down."

"It has, it has!" Cicero cooed. "But you are part of the Dark Brotherhood now, and we look after our own. Here there will be no traitorous Ulfric to whisper your whereabouts to the Thalmor. And while you are rendering your Cicero helpless to your every whim, your loyal brothers and sisters will be guarding you, ready to give warning if trouble strikes. Enough warning to free your Cicero and put a blade in his hand, and that, sweet Listener, will be all you shall need. Cicero shall do the rest, sweet, sweet Delphine. You need have no fear. Cicero shall be here for you. Cicero shall always be here."

"Do you know, I don't doubt you," Delphine murmured, stifling a yawn and realising just how exhausted she was. "Talos, I need to hit the sack..."

"And so you shall," said Cicero, slipping out of her arms and pulling her to her feet. "Come, Delphine shall rest in my bedroll, while your humble Cicero finds some bedding for himself, even if he has to kick that slattern Eola out of it first."

Delphine allowed herself to be guided over to his bedding and sat down. She made to take her boots off, but Cicero was there first, lovingly removing them for her.

"I'm quite capable of doing this for myself, you know," said Delphine.

"Cicero knows, but what is the point of my Listener having a Keeper if he does not do any Keeping, hmm? There, now my Listener's feet may rest in comfort. Would my Listener require assistance with her armour too?" Without waiting for an answer, he laid her boots neatly to one side and scooted around to crouch behind her, carefully undoing the fastenings and lifting it off her. Delphine realised just a second too late that this now left her practically naked apart from her breast-coverings, which didn't really cover an awful lot, if she was honest. Not to mention that while she'd kept in shape, age was starting to tell on her. Fortunately, Cicero didn't seem to mind. Once he'd laid her armour reverently to one side, she felt him slip his arms around her to rest on her belly, his chest pressed against her back. Delphine leaned back into him, feeling the temporary embarrassment fade away. The only naked woman he'd seen in over a decade had been the Night Mother after all, it's not like she had competition or anything.

"Cicero is honoured to see his Listener like this," she heard him whisper.

"Hope you're not disappointed," she said, stroking his arms. "I'm not as young as I used to be."

"Nor is Cicero, and that is probably for the best or he would even now be preparing to take the most base and vile liberties with the Listener's person," he chuckled.

"Behave yourself, jester," said Delphine. "If anyone's going to take liberties with anyone's person around here, it'll be me." Cicero shivered in delight at the prospect.

"Ooh, Listener, Cicero does like it when you get all firm and commanding," Cicero giggled. "If he cannot hear Mother's sweet, sweet voice, hearing his Listener's commands is the next best thing."

Delphine wasn't entirely sure how she felt about that. She climbed into the bedroll and looked up at him, curious.

"Cicero, I have to ask – would you still want me if I wasn't the Listener?"

Cicero did not even blink as he pulled the cover over her and tucked the pillow beneath her head, smoothing her hair out.

"Sweet Delphine, Cicero thought you were kind and pretty when first he laid eyes on you, and after he saw you laying waste to all those bandits, wizards and draugr in Ustengrav, and to all the beasts, thieves and troublemakers we met on the road... My Listener, Cicero desired you more with every kill you made. Of course I would still want you. But Listener," and here he grew serious, "had you not been, Cicero is not certain... that is, he does not think he would have suffered a Blade to live. He is glad he did though," he added hastily. "And Delphine... I am sorry. For threatening you and hurting you. I was angry and upset and I did not know and... I would not hurt you now, you know that. Not for all the world. Cicero l- Cicero cares for his sweet Delphine dearly, both as a woman and a Listener. He will protect you with his life if he has to."

"I know," said Delphine, taking his hand. "It's alright. You don't have to say anything else. I forgive you. Even then, I think I knew you didn't really want to kill me. If you had, you would have done it while I slept. I could tell you wanted to talk as much as you wanted to harm. More, I think. I'm sorry I lied to you."

Cicero looked away, shrugging. "Lie became truth. It doesn't matter now. You are Listener. My Listener. That is all that matters."

My Listener. The others called her that too, of course, but it sounded so different coming from him. When the others said it, it didn't have the same connotations of worship and surrender it did from him. For them, a sign of respect and loyalty. For him... something else entirely. It scared her half to death. She'd never wanted anything more.

"You don't regret you weren't called instead of me?" she asked, remembering his fury when she'd first told him she'd been chosen, and sometimes she still saw hints of regret and unhappiness when she spoke of having been given contracts. Best to know now if there was any resentment hiding in there.

Cicero fell silent, toying with the edge of the bedroll. "A little," he admitted. "And Cicero did want to be Listener and hear dear Mother's words so much, so very much! But it was not to be and she has chosen you, and Cicero is content with that now. He sees what you have to do and he does not want that sort of responsibility. He is happy merely to serve and to keep the Night Mother and her Listener." He stroked her hair tenderly and kissed the top of her head. "Sleep, sweet Listener, and have no fear. No one will harm you while Cicero is near."

Reassured, Delphine closed her eyes, a smile on her face, feeling, for the first time in a long time, something like peace.


Of course, peace was the last thing she felt when she woke from a nightmare of the Thalmor. It was the usual nightmare, with Hoag again, except this time it wasn't Hoag, it was Esbern in chains telling her off for not coming to save him sooner. Then the Thalmor burst in, led by Elenwen, and she turned to free Esbern, but it wasn't Esbern in chains now, it was Cicero singing at her to never fear while her jester was near. It was the last thing he said before one of the Thalmor ran him through. Delphine screamed as the life bled out of him... and woke to total darkness, a strange bed and the unfamiliar sensation of someone at her back with an arm wrapped around her. Delphine grabbed the arm and flipped over, pinning its owner to the ground with her other arm pinning him down by the throat.

"Who are you? What do you want?" she shouted at him. The figure gasped and flailed, wheezing a response that sounded a bit like "L'zner! 'z me! H'ble S'sro! Plz, s'nctry!"

Slowly and belatedly, memories of last night returned as Delphine realised she was not in fact in a Thalmor prison and more to the point, just who she was currently pinning down in a choke-hold.

"Oh gods. Cicero. Oh gods, I'm so sorry. Are you alright? Please talk to me." She reached out, blind, and rubbed his back as he coughed and gasped for breath.

"Is fine," he wheezed. "Will be fine. Cic'ro just needs... to catch his breath. Sithis... never sneaking up on you..." She heard him collapse and cringed, guilty.

"I am so sorry," she whispered. "I was having a nightmare... about the Thalmor, and what I told you about... last night. And then I woke up and couldn't see anything, and someone was touching me and I didn't... I thought..."

"Listener," he whispered, sounding a little healthier although still breathless. "It is alright. Cicero understands. Cicero has had a hard life, but Delphine's has been little better. Here." Light flared as Cicero reached for his little tinderbox and lit a few nearby candles before turning back to face Delphine, lying on his side, resting on one elbow and rubbing his neck with his free hand. "Is... is Delphine alright? Cicero will be well in a little while, now he can breathe again, but Cicero has seen before those who have seen horrors and cannot forget. It is hard to recover when no potion or spell can heal your wounds..."

"I'm fine," said Delphine, wishing her brain would stop cheerfully flashing up that dream-image of Cicero in chains, breathing his last with a Thalmor blade in his chest and that her hands would stop shaking, dammit. "No, I am. I just had a nightmare, and it was dark, and I didn't know where I was. It won't happen again."

"Delphine," said Cicero softly, sitting upright and turning those impossibly gentle brown eyes on her. "You do not need to hide the truth from your Cicero. Tell me the rest."

"It's always the same dream," Delphine whispered. "Someone I care about in chains and murdered while I watch. It was Esbern at first, then I looked away and then back, and it was you and they..." She couldn't finish the sentence. Cicero took her into his arms and kissed her cheek, rubbing her back.

"It was just a dream," she whispered as he held her. "Just a dream."

"Cicero knows dreams," he replied, stroking her hair. "Tricksy, twisty dreams, made of fear or desire or both, tormenting and teasing, turning poor Cicero's mind with their threats and their promises. Yes, Cicero has known often waking up not sure what is real and what not. He knows, he does! That they taunt and befuddle his poor Delphine as well, this is not so good. But Cicero will help however he can. This is real, Cicero is real and he is here. He will watch Delphine as she sleeps, tend to her as she dreams, chase nightmares away."

Delphine had an image of Cicero forswearing his own need for sleep, loyally watching over her all night, every night and stifled a giggle.

"Thank you. But all we really need to do is make sure there's a natural light source somewhere so I know where I am when I wake up. That way if I wake up suddenly, at least I won't think... well." She looked around the room, so familiar, but so eerie in the faint light provided by the candles Cicero had been able to reach. "I hadn't realised it was so dark down here once the candles were out. How on Nirn do you cope with sleeping in the dark?"

"Oh, Cicero is used to it," Cicero replied, but he didn't sound quite as blasé as his words suggested. "Cicero used to wake up alone in the dark all the time while he was alone at Cheydinhal. He does not mind it so much." He almost managed to stop his lip quivering at the memory. Almost. Delphine felt her heart go out to him. Here was someone else who'd suffered and needed looking after.

"Well, not any more," said Delphine firmly. "Next time we're all here, Eola will be in a bedroll in Aranea's room, and you'll be in my room. I want you next to me, Dragonborn, and we've already established it's not a good idea for me to wake up in total darkness."

Cicero's grip on her tightened. "Delphine... my Listener is too kind. Too, too kind to her poor, dear Cicero."

"Apart from waking up and trying to strangle him?" Delphine asked. Cicero just shrugged.

"You stopped when you realised. That is all Cicero ever asks."

Delphine held him, feeling more glad than ever that Talos had given her this particular Dragonborn to protect. Deadly as he was, he was a lot more vulnerable than he appeared. Then she heard the door upstairs, the false back of her wardrobe being slid open, and paranoia kicked back in.

"Cicero, go see who that is," Delphine murmured. "If it's not one of us, stall them until I can get dressed and take over."

Cicero nodded and slipped away to retrieve his daggers. He was barefoot and topless but had kept his trousers on – presumably he'd felt his Listener should not have to watch him wander around naked unless she explicitly said so. Very thoughtful of him. Silently, he crept towards the stairs.

Their visitor halted mid-step, muttered something, and then a magelight flashed into being, pinning itself to the ceiling. Cicero hesitated but did not lower his blades.

"Hey," Eola called downstairs, "you up yet, Champ? And have you got our Delphine down there?"

Cicero sheathed his knives and stood up, turning from predator to annoyed in about three seconds.

"Yes, she's here. What do you want?"

"I was bringing you both breakfast," said Eola, clearly pouting even if Delphine could not see her. "It's half an hour past sunrise. You wanted to be off early?"

"We did," Delphine groaned, not feeling at all ready, but knowing she had little choice. "Come on in, Eola, we should eat and sort ourselves out, and quickly. Calixto and Aranea up?"

"Calixto just left, he wanted to get the early coach from Whiterun. Aranea's bathing out in the river before the rest of the village gets up and starts staring," said Eola, emerging into view with a tray laden down with bread, meat and honey. It smelt delicious, although Delphine hoped the meat was not from Eola's personal store. Eola surveyed the room, and Delphine became acutely aware of the scattered clothing and various books, map and other things that had ended up swept off the desk in a hurry. Eola's eyes finally came to rest on Cicero, whose various bruises and scratches had only faded a little.

"Sweet Namira, what in Oblivion did you two get up to last night?"

"It is not what it looks like," said Cicero weakly. Eola placed the tray on the table, utterly unconvinced and clearly seeing this for the shameful lie it was.

"I'm not even gonna dignify that with a response. Hey, Delphine, can I take it as read you two will be wanting shared accommodations in future?"

Delphine surveyed the chaos around her and sighed. No sense denying anything and it had to come out some time. "Yes, Eola, Cicero will be sleeping next to me in future. Cicero, I need to get out of this bedroll and get dressed, but in order to do that will require some underwear. Go and find me some. Now."

Cicero shivered, but something in his brain kicked in gear and he was no longer as flustered as he had been. "Listener," he replied calmly, racing for the stairs with only a passing glare at Eola.

Delphine regarded the younger woman carefully, trying to gauge her reaction to it all. Eola gazed back, a hand on her hip and a sly grin on her face.

"So you finally jumped him," Eola said. "It's about time, I thought I was going to have to resort to aphrodisiac laced mead."

That Delphine had not expected.

"Been watching the two of us that closely, have you?" she asked, a little wary.

"Kinda," said Eola. "That, and I've spent an extended amount of time on the road with Cicero. He talks about you non-stop, and I mean non-stop. It was getting to the stage when I was actually quite relieved when the wild animals and the thieves and the bandits showed up, it meant he'd stop talking."

"I hate to tell you this, but this new development won't necessarily stop that," Delphine warned her, reaching for her armour and fastening it on.

"Rather lovesick and cheerful than mopey and whiny," said Eola, heading for the stairs to leave Delphine to get dressed in peace. She looked over her shoulder one last time, smiling gently at Delphine. "By the way, I'm happy for you both. About time you two hooked up, you're cute together." With that, she was gone, leaving Delphine staring into space mouthing "Cute?"


Chapter End Notes

Aaand done. Hope you enjoyed that, readers, I was rewriting and editing right up until the moment of posting. Wanted to get that one right, it's important. :) Next week's update will be A Cornered Rat, involving thieves, Thalmor, a great big battle, a Daedric artefact and Esbern. If you're wondering how on earth Esbern's going to fit in with this lot, well quite, but I think I managed it.