Volunruud wasn't nearly as terrifying as I was expecting, it wasn't even comparable to most of the crypt's Sanguine and I had ventured. Most of the hallways were crumbled and blocked so I knew which ways not to go. The stony floor was littered with dead draugers and other cave dwelling enemies. Amaund must already be here. I stopped once I heard hushed voices behind a wooden door. I turned to Cicero who was clutching his daggers eagerly. He looked utterly disappointed when I signaled for him to stay out of sight, but he didn't complain. He sheathed his daggers and slunk into the shadows. I took a deep breath and pressed on the wood of the door. It creaked open cautiously.

"By the Almighty Divines, you've come. You've actually come. This dreadful Black Sacrament thing... it worked," Amaund, a well-dressed Breton, sighed with surprise and relief. "Right, then, I'll cut right to the chase. I would like to arrange a contract. Several, actually. I daresay, the work I'm offering has more significance than anything your organization has experience in, well, centuries."

"Go on," I choked out. I couldn't say too much, I was far too nervous. This wasn't a contract heard through the grapevine, this was a contract given to me by the Night Mother. I couldn't mess this up. Amaund's giant Imperial meat wall of a friend didn't exactly put me at ease either.

"As I said, I want you to kill several people. You'll find the targets, as well as their manners of elimination, quite varied. I'm sure someone of your disposition will probably find it enjoyable. But you should know that these killings are but a means to an end. For they pave the way to the most important target. The real reason I'm speaking with a cutthroat in the bowels of this detestable crypt. For I seek the assassination of," Amaund looked up at me through lidded eyes and smiled," the Emperor." My heart caught in my throat.

"You want us to kill the Emporer... the Emperor of Tamriel?"

"That is correct. What I ask is no small thing, of course, but you represent the Dark Brotherhood. This is what you do, no? You must understand. So much has led to this day. So much planning and maneuvering. It's as if the very stars have finally aligned. But, I digress." Amaund extended his hand out towards the man next to him. "Rexus, the items." Rexus grunted and handed some wadded-up scrolls to the Breton, who flattened them out and promptly tossed them to me. I unfolded the papers to find a shiny necklace wrapped inside. "These two items must be passed along to your superior. The letter will explain everything that needs to be done. The amulet is quite valuable, you can use it to pay for any and all expenses. Now, I must leave. Goodbye, child of the night, I do hope that you will do me this... payed favor. And if not for me, for your guild." Amaund and Rexus pushed past me without another word.

I stood in disbelief for a few moments, attempting to comprehend what I was just asked to do. Kill the Emperor. The Dark Brotherhood was possibly going to kill the Emperor. For the first time since joining the Brotherhood, I actually felt like an assassin. I turned to go and find Cicero, but he was already behind me, grinning from ear to ear.

"How much did you hear?"

"Oh, nothing really, only the part about the several contracts, all of which lead up to the assassination of Emperor Titus Mede the Second. So nothing. Nothing really." He was still grinning. Bouncing and grinning.

...

"You're joking." Astrid spat. I handed her the letter and the amulet. Her eyes grew wide as they scanned left to right down the page. "By Sithis, you're not joking." Cicero let out a boyish giggle. "To kill the Emperor of Tamriel... the Dark Brotherhood hasn't done such a thing since the assassination of Pelagius. As a matter of fact, no one has dared assassinate an Emperor of Tamriel since the murder of Uriel Septim, and that was two hundred years ago..."

"Surely the Night Mother wouldn't misdirect us..."

"No, she certainly wouldn't. And for whatever reason, she chose to relay Motierre's information to you. I don't know exactly what's going on here, if you're the Listener, or this is some kind of fluke, or what. But what we now have before us..."

"So, we'll accept the contract?"

"You're damn right we'll accept it. If we pull this off, the Dark Brotherhood will know fear and respect we haven't seen in centuries. You think I'd abandon an opportunity to lead my Family to glory? But this is all so much to take in. I need time to read the letter and figure out where we go from here. And this amulet. Hmmm..." Astrid twisted it around in her fingers before handing it to me.

"What are you thinking?" I asked, taking it and examining it myself, as if I hadn't already done that a thousand times on the way back to the sanctuary.

"I'm thinking we need that amulet appraised. I want to know where it came from, how much it's worth, and if we can actually get away with selling it. And, there's only one man who can give us what we need, Delvin Mallory. He's a fence, a private operator. Works out of the Ratway, in Riften. Give me the letter. Bring Mallory the amulet. Find out everything you can and sell it if he's willing. He'll offer a letter of credit, that's fine. Delvin Mallory and the Dark Brotherhood have history. He can be trusted."

"Is that what you wish for me to do?"

"Oh," Astrid chuckled deep in her throat. "That's not all I will be wishing for you to do. Now go. Take the next step in the Brotherhood's journey to the top. You're really making your mark around here, Innocence, soon, we will have to stop referring to you as the Dragonborn's Apprentice."

...

"I wish you'd quit following me on these things," I said to Cicero who was happily tagging along behind me through the musky sewer. Cicero took a moment to playful aim his bow at an unprepared skeever and shoot him dead in the eye. He swiped his ebony arrow back as we passed the rat.

"Well, if you didn't let Cicero come with you by choice, he would just follow you in the shadows. After all, it is Cicero's job as Keeper to keep you safe." I turned to face him.

"I thought it was your job as Keeper to keep the Night Mother safe." He smiled and took a step towards me, putting a hand on my cheek.

"Oh, but of course! But that was before the Night Mother gave me someone else to take care of, someone more... tangible." He growled the last word. Cicero leaned towards me, eyes lidded. My hand planted itself harshly over his lips. I could feel his mouth fold into a smile and teeth lightly nip my middle finger, he had anticipated it.

"Did you hear that?" I pulled away from Cicero and crouched into a squat. He followed suit. I peeked around the corner, but the two bandits there had already noticed us. I grabbed Cicero's bow and quickly shot two arrows into the chests of the men. They crumpled to the ground with a harmonious groan.

"When did you get so good with a bow?" Cicero said in awe.

"Well, it's like you said," I handed his weapon back to him, "I'm a natural."

"Cicero said that about the dagger."

"Oh, well than it must be the few hours of solitary practice that I'm allowed when you're tending to the Night Mother."

"You can practice when I'm not tending to the Night Mother."

"Mhm, sure. If I tried to train with you in the room, you'd most likely take the weapon from me and spend the next few hours practicing for me." Which wasn't a lie, Cicero had become most attentive since I was deemed the Listener. He was almost servant-like.

"Would not!" he pouted.

"You would, and you know it," I spat back playfully. "Sometimes, Cicero, I believe that you forget that I am an independent woman."

"Oh, Cicero knows, Innocence." He smirked. "Cicero knows this all too well."

...

"Well ain't this a sight for sore eyes," the man, whom I assumed was Delvin Mallory said, eyeing me up and down.

"Excuse me?"

"Yes, excuse her," Cicero added. He suddenly had a fiery look in his eye.

"The Ratway hasn't pulled in something this lovely since I don't know when. What can I do for you, Innocence?"

"How do you know my name?"

"Well, you are the infamous Dragonborn's apprentice, aren't you? We here in the Thieve's Guild make a point of learning important names from important residencies. Sanguine's and yours were easier to come by. Remember that key claw collection you two used to be in possession of?"

"Is that where those went? The Thieve's Guild took them?" I asked in surprise.

"Not just the Thieve's Guild, me. I took that job. But that was before I was a 'behind the desk' worker. You're quite a lovely sleeper, by the way." A throaty growl whispered next to me. Cicero. Delvin payed him no attention. "How's the old Dragonborn treating you nowadays? He was never an easy fellow to be around."

"Actually, he's not. I was offered better opportunities... elsewhere."

"Ah, well that answers my next question," he scanned my Dark Brotherhood attire again. "Anyhow, what can I do you for?"

"What can you tell me about this?" I let the amulet fall from through my fingers, catching it by the golden chain. Delvin's eyes grew almost as large as the amulet, though not nearly as beautiful.

"Where oh where did you get this?" He turned the hunk of gold and jewels through his fingers and shook his head. "Don't answer, I don't want to know. This is an amulet of the Emperor's Elder Council. Specially crafted for each member. Worth a small fortune. Ain't something you'd give up lightly. Look, it ain't my business to tell the Dark Brotherhood its business, but if you killed a member of the Elder Council, you'd better believe-"

"Will you buy it?" I interrupted. I didn't need to know the gruesome details behind assassin work, nor the possible consequences. I already knew that. I was here to for the amulet appraisal only. Nothing more.

"Buy it? This? An Elder Council amulet? Oh yes. Oh yes, indeed. Wait just a moment," he took a piece of scroll paper out of one of his many leather pockets and scrawled something onto it. "Here. It's a letter of credit. Usable, by Astrid only, for any service or item I can provide. As per our standard arrangement. You bring that back to your lovely mistress. With my regards, Lass. I hope to be seeing that pretty face of yours again."

"Well, many thanks," Cicero said, quickly swiping the scroll out of the other man's hands and stuffing it into his pocket. "But I'm afraid that you will not be seeing this pretty face of hers ever again." Cicero grabbed my wrist and pulled me back through the Ratway.

...

As soon as I dismounted my horse, Cicero grabbed my forearm again and dragged me through the sanctuary.

"Cicero, wait! What are you doing?!" I scolded. For once, it was night and everyone in the Brotherhood was either asleep or gone. Where were my nocturnal siblings when I was being pulled through the sanctuary by a loon?

Cicero dragged me into the room where I had first changed into the shrouded armor. I remembered when he had looked at me with such curiosity and wonder. The thought made my stomach twist uncomfortably. To think that he called me a paradox.

"Cicero, talk to me! You haven't said anything since you snapped at Delvin."

"Sit," he growled, pushing me roughly onto the bed. He proceeded to begin removing his leather jester motley.

"Why do you wear that, anyways?" I asked, hoping to ease the tension.

"Shut up," he exhaled sharply through his teeth. I took the opportunity to look around the unidentified room. Clothing littered the floor, as well as several loose scraps of scroll paper. I picked up one of the many journals covering the nightstand. The cover had one cursive word printed on it. Cicero. This room must belong to him.

When he was finished changing, he wore only dark brown tights that stretched half way down his calf and a white tunic. I had never seen him without his jesters' armor and, if I was to speak honestly, I never wanted to see it back on.

He approached me with such a menacing ferocity that I stood and moved away from him. I backed up until I felt the cool stony wall behind me.

"What in the Void is going on with you, Cicero?"

"What in the Void is going on with me? What in the Void is going on with you?! Don't think I didn't notice that Mallory guy looking you up and down and fawning over the way you sleep! He was fattening you up with compliments like he was going to cook you and eat you!"

"Cicero, you fawn over the way I sleep! And it isn't my fault that Delvin finds me attractive!" That was the wrong thing to say. Cicero pulled my already sore wrists above my head and slammed them into the wall.

"You could have said something! You could have told him to shut his damn, dirty mouth instead of demeaning yourself like that!"

"Like what?"

"Like some object. Like some whore!"

"So, because I don't stop a man from complimenting me, I'm suddenly a whore?! What is wrong with you Cicero? Last I checked, I didn't belong to anyone." Now I was really fighting back, pushing against Cicero's forearms as hard as I could. He budged but didn't move.

"Yes, you do," his voice was suddenly soft. Cicero let his arms fall to my hips. Then, just as soon as it left, his ferocity flowed back into his body and voice. "You're mine." He attached his lips to mine and pulled me onto the bed behind him. "Mine."