Whispers In The Dark

Chapter Ten.

This chapter contains Graphic material not suitable for anyone under the age of 17. Contains Adult Language and Sexual Situations. Viewer discretion is advised. You have been warned.

I do not own Skyrim, or any of the characters except my own OC Dragonborn

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21st Sun's Height 4E 201

"What are you talking about, Astrid? You're being paranoid." I said, wincing in pain as I pushed past her.

"This is serious," she said, following me as I walked down the stairs into the inner chamber of the Sanctuary. "If he is conspiring against this Sanctuary we have to put a stop to it. I am the leader of this Family. I won't have my authority be challenged by some… some fool."

I whirled on her and she flinched away from me. I pressed my finger to her chest, glaring at her. I spoke slowly, so she would understand that I was being serious.

"Astrid. You. Are. Being. Paranoid!"

She just blinked at me, as if she didn't understand why I was upset. Exasperated, I threw up my hands.

"What do you want me to do? Go fucking spy on him to make sure he's not going to usurp your damned position? I don't have time for this. Do you not understand that I'm hurt. I need Babette to fix my shoulder."

I sighed, she was staring at me with blank eyes, like my words went in one ear and out the other. I was clearly not getting through to her. I rubbed the bridge of my nose, on the verge of getting a migraine.

"What do you suggest I do?"

This pleased her. She made a clicking sound with her tongue.

"I want you to go see who he's been talking to. He's been locking himself in the Night Mother's Chamber and speaking to someone in hushed, but frantic tones. And I suspect treachery. You need to hide in there, unseen, and eavesdrop on Cicero. Make sure he's not plotting something behind my back. I hate to accuse anyone in this Sanctuary of betrayal, but I can't help thinking that he's been trying to get them to go back to the Old Ways and destroy what I've worked so hard to achieve."

I blinked, confused as to why she was so desperate to keep a position that was now moot. We had the Night Mother, why would we need Astrid? But I couldn't say any of that outside the company of Cicero. And certainly not ever inside the sanctuary.

She wanted me to hide in the Night Mother's chamber and eavesdrop on her Keeper. If I got caught I'm certain that Cicero would be livid. Why would I risk my relationship with him for some stupid paranoid theory of Astrid's?

But she was the boss… for now. Until we found a Listener, that is.

"Alright," I said, finally. "There's nowhere to hide in that room without Cicero immediately seeing me. Where do you suggest I do?"

She smirked at me.

That sneaky bitch. She better not…

"The Night Mother's Coffin. Pick the lock and listen to him from inside. It's the only place you won't be spotted. I wouldn't suggest it if I knew of another way to do this."

I scowled at her, disgusted she would even suggest defiling the Night Mother's Coffin.

"That's so disrespectful, Astrid." I spat out at her.

She shrugged, and turned her back on me, retreating to her room. "Do as I say, dear sister."

I ground my teeth together, agitated that she was forcing me into an awkward situation. Not only did she want me to spy on Cicero and potentially put a wedge in our relationship, she wanted me to disrespect the Night Mother, which would surely send Cicero into a rage if he caught me.

I wasn't going to lie to myself. The thought of Cicero catching me actually made my blood run cold. He was dangerous and unpredictable, especially when someone messed with our Mother.

I shook my head, not liking anything about the whole situation.

I felt an overwhelming wave of guilt as I walked into the Night Mother's chamber. I had only been in here one other time, with Cicero. I won't go into detail about what we were doing, but it would have made the Night Mother blush.

As I approached her coffin, I silently begged her to forgive me for what I was about to do. Her coffin shimmered and gleamed in the candlelight, the golden surface mirroring that of a lake under a full moon.

I quickly picked the lock, knowing that Cicero wouldn't leave Mother alone for long while he was in the Sanctuary. The only time she wasn't the first thought on his mind was when we were out on a contract or being intimate.

I opened her coffin slowly, feeling ashamed of myself for letting Astrid push me into this. The Night Mother stood with her head laying against her left shoulder, her mouth permanently open. She wore a faded, tattered, gray dress that hung past her knees. A rope tied her in place, and held her together. I tried my best not to stare at her. I felt guilty and a little nauseous.

"Please don't hate me." I whispered as I climbed into her coffin and closed the doors in front of me.

There wasn't much room in there and I had to stand on my tiptoes to get the door to close. My back was pressed uncomfortably close to her, and I could feel the cold seeping into my armor and wounded shoulder. The cold felt decent on the swelling. The last time I felt it, it was as hot as coals.

I shivered, partially from being chilled and partially from being afraid of Cicero finding me.

I tried my best not to lean against her, not wanting to defile her body in any way.

Gods, I felt like a piece of shit. This was our Unholy Matron. Our Mother, and here I was leaning my butt against her in her coffin, spying on her Keeper. How in the world would I ever explain myself to Sithis when I finally went to the Void?

I heard the door open, and Cicero humming merrily to himself as the door clicked shut. I was on the verge of tears. This was betrayal. There was no other way to describe it. I was betraying Cicero's trust, and I was also breaking the first Tenet. I bit my lip to prevent myself from crying as I continued to listen to Cicero talk to himself.

I was used to it. Maybe the rest of the Family felt uncomfortable listening to him mutter to himself, but for me it was like second nature. Listening to him ramble on about the Night Mother comforted me. His murderous tendencies and jokes about death made me feel at home. Cicero and I were two sides of the same coin. When I was with him, I felt complete. He made me feel safe and protected, and in return I pulled him from his insanity. Together, we could be ourselves.

Until just recently I hadn't given myself to him, fully. But that changed the night of our last contract. Now I was his, and he was mine. And I wanted more than anything in Nirn to keep it that way. I basically left my husband for him. I broke my sacred vows to the Gods and Vorstag to be with Cicero, and I'd be damned to Oblivion before I gave that up without a fight.

"Are we alone?" Cicero's voice startled me, and i bit my lip harder.

Please, Sithis, I beg you, grant me the power of shadows. Please don't let him find me.

"Yes, yes!" He giggled and I could picture him dancing around in his usual way. He laughed manically "Alone! Sweet solitude! No one will hear us… Disturb us… Everything's going according to plan!" He giggled again and the sucked in a breath. "The others… I've spoken to them, and they're coming around, I know it!"

Who was he talking to? And why? Was he really planning a revolt against Astrid?

I smirked to myself.

Well, that was something I could get behind.

"The wizard, Festus Krex, perhaps even the Argonian… and the un-child." Cicero continued. "What about you? Have you… spoken to anyone?"

He was clearly talking to the Night Mother. I didn't understand why Astrid would think that he was talking to someone in the Sanctuary.

Who in the world would he bring in here, to the Night Mother's Chamber?

You. The darker part of my mind hissed at me.

Surely Astrid didn't think I was in here plotting against her... Did she?

"No. No… of course not!" Cicero shouted. I could hear him pacing.

Any time he started to dwell on not hearing the Night Mother's voice, or finding a Listener, it sent him into a craze.

It drove him insane, loving our Mother so much, but not ever being able to speak to her. It weighed heavily on his mind, being so faithful and patient and receiving nothing in return.

"I do the talking, the stalking, the seeing and the saying! And what do you do? Hmm!? Nothing!" His voice faltered and I heard him gasp. "Not… not that I'm angry. Oh, no! Never! Cicero understands. Cicero always understands… and obeys. You will talk when you're ready, won't you? Won't you? Sweet Night Mother…"

The hair on the back of my neck prickled and it felt like a warm cloud had enveloped me.

And then there it was… that voice. The voice I heard the night I met Cicero. It was her! Finally!

"Poor Cicero. Dear Cicero. Such a humble servant. But he will never hear my voice. For he is not the Listener."

As sudden as it started, it was gone again, and I was left with a feeling of emptiness. It was like the tails of dreams you chase when you wake up. Longing to have it just a second longer, but never reaching your goal. I furrowed my brows, trying to comprehend what I just heard.

The Listener? Did that mean that the voice I heard was the… the Night Mother?

"Oh, how can I defend you? How can I exert your will if you won't speak… to anyone?!" Cicero's voice was shrill and full of anxiety. He was working himself up and it would take me hours to coax him back down again.

I'd have to find a more creative way...

Again, the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end and I heard her voice. The Night Mother.

"Oh, but I will speak. I will speak to you. For you are the one. Yes, you. You, who shares my iron tomb and warms my ancient bones. I give you this task- Journey to Volunruud. Speak to Amaund Motierre."

And she was gone again. If the Night Mother was speaking to me… then that could only mean one thing: I was the Listener.

Cicero would be so happy.

I heard a thump, and then Cicero whine in despair.

"Poor Cicero has failed you…" he sobbed. "Poor Cicero is sorry… sweet Mother. I tried… I tried so very hard. But I just can't find the Listener!"

"Tell Cicero the time has come. Tell him the words he's been waiting for, all these years: 'Darkness rises when silence dies'."

As soon as the Night Mother's voice left my head, the doors to her coffin opened, sending me flailing face first into Cicero's lap. He was knelt down on his knees in front of the Night Mother's coffin.

I lifted my head gingerly to look at Cicero, only to see his face contorted into that of rage and disgust. He struck me across the face and screamed at me.

"What treachery! Defiler! Debaser and defiler!" He struck me again, sending me sprawling onto my left shoulder. I cried out in agony, my hands defensively coming up to shield my face.

He stood above me, a scowl twisting his perfectly sculpted lips.

"You have violated the sanctity of the Night Mother's coffin! How could you?!"

His words were like knives, slicing me to the core.

"Explain yourself!" He sucked in a sharp breath. "Speak!"

My lower lip trembled. I knew Cicero would be livid, but I never once thought he would actually strike me.

I peeked up at him, trying to plead with his golden eyes. But they were dark and blind with fury. He kicked me in the stomach and shouted again.

"I said speak!" he shrieked.

I clutched my gut, the wind knocked out of my lungs. I gasped, tears spilling over my eyes. I rolled to my right side, to take the pressure off of my swollen shoulder.

Please… Cicero.

He leaned down and placed his hand on my throat.

"Maybe you need convincing." He hissed at me, his jaw clenched shut.

He started to squeeze my windpipe closed as I managed to choke out a few words:

"I'm... the-one… C-Cicero…. P-please…" he yanked his hand back away from me like my skin had burned him. "What?!" He hissed at me.

"M-mother… she spoke to me." I gasped, flinching in case he decided to hit me again.

"What? She spoke… to you?" He glanced between me and the coffin, and then shook his head angrily.

"Treachery! More trickery and deceit! You lie!" He bellowed, striking me across the face again.

I whimpered and covered my face with my arms. Why wasn't he listening to me? I could feel something warm and wet trickle down my jaw and onto my throat.

"The Night Mother speaks only to the Listener! And there is no Listener!" He shouted, lifting his hand up getting ready to thrash me once more.

"Darkness rises when silence dies." I whispered, bracing myself for the next blow. I could only see the bottom half of Cicero, given the fact that I only had one eye, but he didn't move.

A moment passed, and it seemed like a lifetime. The silence was almost deafening. When I got the courage to remove my arms from my face, Cicero was on his knees again, his head hung down, hands behind his head buried in his hair. His Jester's hat was missing, and he wasn't moving at all. It scarcely looked like he was breathing.

"She said that?" He paused. "She said those words… to you?" He murmured, his voice barely audible.

"Yes," I whispered, worried that if I raised my voice any higher it would set him off again.

He lifted his head, his chiseled face streaked with tears, amber eyes glistening.

"But those are the words," he said, his voice containing a hint of hope. "Those are the binding words, written in the Keeping Tomes! A signal so I would know," his eyes shifted back and forth. "Mother's only way of talking to sweet Cicero."

He was slipping away from reality again. Falling back down into the Void. I wondered how long it would take to coax him back out.

"Then it's true!" He exclaimed, suddenly, reaching for me and pulling me into his arms. "Our Lady is back! She has chosen a Listener! She has chosen you!" He laughed manically, tears streaming down his face as he rocked me in his lap, back and forth. "All hail the Listener!"

He stopped in mid laugh and pressed his lips to mine. I winced, my left cheek burning. Cicero buried his fingers in my hair and kissed me with small wet sounds.

I couldn't help but to return his advances. I knew he would be pissed, having found me inside of the Night Mother's coffin, but I was Listener, and nobody had the higher honor in the Brotherhood.

The Keeper was sworn to protect both the Night Mother and the Listener. And here we all were.

I snaked my arms around his neck, and straddled his lap. This elicited a moan from him which I happily returned. His fingers deftly started to untie my armor, and I helped him shrug it off of me. I hissed in pain as he brushed my wound. Cicero grimaced and kissed the left side of my collar bone in apology.

Keeper and Listener bound as one, to serve the Night Mother. And what better way to serve her than to show her how much her Keeper and Listener cared about each other?

He tossed my armor to the side, carefully laying me down on the rug in front of the Night Mother's shrine. He yanked on the front of his motley, ripping the leather laces into pieces. He let it hang open, and I admired his hairy chest, and toned stomach. Cicero pulled down his pants, and his cock sprung free, already hard as steel.

I glanced up at Cicero, suddenly shy, and was greeted with a smug smile. Gods damn him for being so handsome. He waggled his eyebrows at me, making me giggle.

He nuzzled into the curve of my neck and inhaled, sending gooseflesh down my arms and spine. I lifted my hips up, and groaned as I felt the hot flesh of his cock nudge my wetness.

I wanted him to fuck me right here, and right now, not caring who would see or hear. Cicero moaned, grinding his erection against my clit, sliding it back and forth along my soaking wet folds.

"Stop teasing." I gasped, and I lifted my hips to pin his cock between my legs and against his stomach. Cicero nipped my neck and obliged. He slid into me in one long stroke, and started to thrust.

I arched up against him and moaned his name, my nails raking his back. He gasped and grunted, his left hand slid up my ribs so he could grasp my breast.

He massaged it as he thrusted into me, his thumb rubbing my nipple. I lifted my legs up to wrap them around his waist, trying my best to match his speed. His teeth on my ear caused me to bite my lip to stop myself from screaming. He knew exactly how to turn me on.

He trailed kisses down my throat and onto my clavicle, making his way to my breasts. He massaged my right one in his hand, as his hot mouth found my left. He sucked on my nipple, and I nearly forgot my own name. He nipped it, and started to thrust harder. All the while grinding his pelvis against me, rotating his hips in circles to stimulate my clit.

Gods, where did this man learn to make love? I could have sworn Cicero was the god of pleasure.

I moaned loudly, my fingers wound their way into his hair. His hand left my breast, but he continued to suckle on my nipple, occasionally switching sides. He grabbed my hips and pulled me closer to him.

I could faintly hear a door creak open but didn't pay it any attention until I heard a deep voice bellow out: "WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING TO HER?!"

Oh. Fuck. It was Arnbjorn.

I yelped as Cicero was plucked off of me by a very angry Arnbjorn. I gasped as Cicero pulled out of me, and I immediately missed the sensation.

I sat up, trying to shake off the haze of hormones.

What the hell?

"Don't hurt him!" I managed to get out, just as Arnbjorn punched Cicero in the face, sending him flying backwards into a bench.

Astrid, Gabriella and Veezara followed, all three of them skidded to a halt as they noticed me, naked, on the floor.

Astrid stared at me in horror, and commanded Veezara to run and fetch me a blanket. I had never seen the lizard run so fast in my life. I covered myself the best I could, not appreciating the fact that almost everyone in the family had now seen my private areas.

I glanced over at Cicero who slowly got up off the ground, groaning in pain. He yanked up his pants, his teeth gritted together. I didn't like the look in his eyes.

"Don't!" I shouted, making everyone besides Cicero jerk their heads in my direction.

"Don't what?" Astrid spat at me, as if the word tasted badly in her mouth. "He was raping you and you're defending him?"

My mouth fell open.

"Rape?" I gasped.

Why in Talos' name would they think that?

"What makes you think he was raping me?" I shrieked.

Her mouth just hung open.

"What else would he be doing? Look at your face! It's all busted up and you're bleeding." Gabriella shouted, her tone accusational. "We heard him screaming and hitting you from across the Sanctuary."

I shook my head in disbelief. I pushed myself to my feet, my hands covered my chest. I couldn't tell her that Astrid asked me to eavesdrop on Cicero without causing him to go ballistic. So I settled for the partial truth.

"He was fucking me! Just like I asked him to!" I felt my neck and chest flush. I already felt anxious, and fought the lump in my throat.

Cicero glowered at Arnbjorn, his hand flexing around the blade at his hip. He wouldn't move unless I told him to, though.

"I've been fucking Cicero, okay?" I confessed, pissed off that I had to defend my right to have sex with him.

Everyone just stared at me, eyes wide and speechless.

Veezara skidded back into the room with a blanket, and he held it in the air.

"I got it!" He said happily. He looked at Astrid, and his face fell. "What happened?" He asked, suddenly confused.

I sighed, and walked over to snatch the blanket from him and wrap it around myself.

"It's not a crime. I'm allowed to have sex with whoever I want."

I turned to Cicero and he met my gaze.

"Go wait for me outside."

He smiled at me, and nodded. "Humble Cicero lives to serve." He blew me a kiss and strode past the Family with his head held high.

Smug bastard.

Astrid glared at me, staring daggers in my direction.

"What?" I asked her, irritated.

She just blinked slowly at me, still speechless.

"Alright then. I'm leaving. You and I can talk when I get back. Thanks for interrupting us."

She attempted to say something as I gathered my armor and walked past her, but I didn't stop to see what it was. I had more important things to attend to. Like Cicero. We had a lot to talk about, and I would be damned if I let Astrid ruin my night. She was in the wrong, and she'd hear all about it when I returned home. If I returned at all.

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