BREACHING SECURITY

"The news is everywhere! The news spreads across Skyrim like a plague! Vittoria Vici is no more…" Cicero sang. He was singing and dancing next to Astrid when we entered the Sanctuary. She didn't seem too pleased.

"As the jester says, the Emperor's cousin was butchered at her own wedding." Her beautiful lips curl into a slow smile. "Or, shall I say, hit by a gargoyle statue at her own wedding. An unfortunate accident. Well done! Let's see his eminence try to ignore this."

I stay silent, my own fear paralyzes me. Cicero is watching us with glee. Veezara elbows me. "Oh, um, that wasn't intended but got the job done."

"It surely did and that's all that matters plus no jail time for you." She takes a jab at my last outing. "With Vici's murder, you've started us down a path the Dark Brotherhood hasn't traveled in centuries. The assassination of an Emperor." Her tone turns wistful.

She pauses, "Ah, yes, now for your reward. A unique spell to summon a legend of the Dark Brotherhood. His soul serves us now in death, as his body once did in life."

Great. Another spell that can be turned against me. Another possible enemy. She hands me a tome of a book. I check the title and surely enough it's written by Magic Monk Inn.

"Unfortunately, in your zeal, you failed to eliminate Vici while she addressed her guests, as directed. I'm sorry but your bonus is forfeit."

Doesn't affect me, "Sorry, didn't know there were more gargoyle statues lying around."

Cicero giggles.

Astrid gives him a side glance, "Now then. Time to proceed to the next stage of the plan. Go and speak with Gabriella. She's been helping me arrange your next contract." She then turns to watch Cicero.

"Listener! Oh, what marvelous work you've done! Good job! Mother talked to me. She said you need help, and I am to be your helper! We have so much to do! Let's talk to Gabriella then we can go to Whiterun!"

"Why?" I pull away from the hand he was trying to grab me with. Veezara moves to be between us, slightly.

Cicero slowly looks up the Argonian to his face, "For business. We don't need any more help so the Argonian can excuse himself."

"I think I'm just fine right here." Veezara crosses his arms. The tension in the room is suffocating.

"Gabriella needs you. How about we all go talk with her?" Astrid, perfectly deflecting it all, leads the way.

The Dunmer is down in the dining room. "Oh, come now, what everyone's saying can't possibly be true."

"Ah, you must mean my little adventure on the ship…" Festus Krex chimes in. They're both sitting on the bench at the far wall. Nazir is minding his own business at the table with his little journal. I think. He glances over at me and then to Cicero.

The jester is feet from me, but I feel the Argonian's presence like a shadow behind me.

"Dear sister. I've been waiting for you. Your next contract awaits, as I'm sure Astrid indicated." Gabriella looks up from her loaf of bread. Her face is startling, but most Dark Elves freak me out sometimes. They remind me of the Daedric Princes.

"She did. What are the details?"

"Ah, Astrid, long time since you've been in this neck of the woods." Nazir greets our mistress. She saunters over to sit next to him.

Gabriella ignores them. "With the Emperor's arrival in Skyrim now a certainty, his security service, the Penitus Oculatus, will need to begin its preparations immediately. Security is being handled by a Commander Maro. Astrid and I have devised a plan to break the man, and in doing so, cripple the Emperor's protection. You are to slay the commander's son, Gaius Maro, and once his is dead, plant false evidence on his body implicating him in a plot to kill the Emperor."

"Ohh! How wonderfully wicked! This will be so much fun!" Cicero leaps and bounces next to me.

Gabriella looks away uncomfortably, "He is set to leave the Penitus Oculatus outpost at Dragon Bridge and inspect the security of each city in Skyrim. Go there now. Observe Gaius Maro's departure and follow him. Waylay him in one of the cities and send his soul to Sithis."

"Sent to Sithis he will be…" Whispers Cicero.

"Once he's dead, plant the incriminating letter on his body, and let fate take care of the rest." Finishes Gabriella. "One final thing, if you wish to earn your bonus, do not kill Gaius Maro in Dragon Bridge, or on the road. Kill him in one of the other major cities he will be visiting. There the body will be discovered quickly, as will the letter implicating Gaius Maro in the plot to assassinate the Emperor. Do that, and Astrid has authorized me to grant you a rather unique bonus. It is a special token, to be given to Olava the Feeble, in Whiterun."

"No, no, we don't need that! We are headed to see her right now!" Cicero shouts. The Dunmer recoils and I notice Festus Krex's hands begin to glow with a spell.

"You are not to go to Whiterun right now, Cicero. To Dragon Bridge first to kill and give the letter of incrimination." Astrid commands. Her and Nazir are paying their full attention to us now.

"Mother wants us to go to see the Fortune Teller!" The jester actually stamps his foot in frustration.

"If you complete the task correctly, then you will get the token. And Olava the Feeble will not grant you an appointment until you get the token." Astrid waves her hand to us, lazily, like she couldn't be bothered to care. I know better.

"Well, maybe we should take the token then go to Dragon Bridge!" Cicero looks around the room and his eyes land on Gabriella. Festus Krex gets between her and the jester. Veezara moves closer to him. I just watch.

"Let us go now, we'll complete the mission then we can get the token for the seer." Veezara lands a hand on Cicero's shoulder. The jester stiffens, I feel a brawl coming on.

The silence is deafening. Tense. He stops shaking, relief pours over him like I've never seen before. He was wound up tighter than a top. "Mother said that will be okay."

I did. Go to Dragon Bridge and deal with Gaius Maro. When you're done you will get the token and go to Whiterun.

It doesn't take a fool to know where this is going. "I don't want to get my fortune told." I whisper.

You have no choice. Unless your lover shall be impaled in the neck with a dagger by sunrise?

Cicero turns, slowly, and quietly. His glowing eyes look up to mine, his grin is spinechilling.

"Mother, is that what you wish? The Lover dead by sunrise?"

Ice fills my core. I could tackle him now and be done with it. But that endeavor would be fruitless.

"We go to Dragon Bridge. Together. Then we go to Whiterun. After that, the Emperor is a dead man walking." I make the decision. If I keep my enemy closest to me then I'll know he's not on a carriage to Riften.

"He already is a dead man." Astrid murmurs. She's glowing with pride.

"I will come with you two, just in case you need a quick getaway." Veezara steps up.

Wasn't expecting that. Maybe I should've. "Are you sure?" I raise my eyebrows to get the meaning across. About just what he would be dealing with.

Veezara bows at the waist. "It would be my honor to help the Listener in her endeavor the slay the Emperor."

We all turn to see Cicero's reaction. He just smiles, jumps up and down like a bunny, and squeals, "So exciting! A team sent on a mission to kill the security service for the Emperor!"

"Just Maro. No one else, Cicero." Astrid reminds him.

He's a bundle of energy, just waiting to be let loose. "Oh, do not worry, Cicero will take much pleasure in whatever happens."

Veezara gives me a look. Yeah, not the best idea to let this guy out of this hole in the ground, after being pent up and pissed off for so long. But what choice do we have? All we can try to do is keep him focused on the task and not getting wrapped up in what Mother has to say.

"Off across Skyrim we shall go! Off across Skyrim we shall see! Up the mountain, across peak to peak, down the valley and through the trees! Onto Dragon Bridge we will arrive! To kill an Officer left to rot for quite some time! He may try to bury us like a shrine, but he shall find our teeth are knives! Off across Skyrim we shall go! Off to find the Officer we shall see! Brotherhood and Motherhood will become one! Once silence reigns shall we be done!" Cicero sings, at the beat of his own drum.

I rub the impending headache away. Veezara keeps his eyes closed, maybe he found a good way to meditate himself out of life and away from this nonsense. Wish I could do that.

"Oh, what joy and folly!" Cicero booms, the carriage driver jerks at the outburst, nearly running the horse into a tree. He recovers quickly. "You know, before becoming an assassin Cicero went to a college for the bards." His eyebrows waggle.

I pull my legs up to wrap my arms around my knees. For comfort and so he won't try to grab my arms for some stupid dance again. "Really? What was that like?"

"Marvelous! Well, for a year. Then the professors became old and boring…lets just say they needed new management and Cicero gave them the opportunity for it." His voice darkens.

I don't want to know. "Whyever do you ask Listener? Curious about sweet Cicero?"

"Knew a guy who wanted in there. Didn't make the acceptance. It was the one in Skyrim?" I try to keep him talking so he doesn't start whispering and getting ideas.

"Hm? Oh, so long ago, Cicero doesn't even remember where it was. Just the way the people talked and patronized poor Cicero. Mother would never talk to him in such a manner." He puffs out his chest. "Barding was a long time ago and not the path for Cicero…but sometimes Cicero indulges!"

"How about the Dragonborn Comes?" The driver suggests.

"That one? That song is absurd and overplayed! Dragons? Warriors? No! Cicero wants to sing of Mothers and death! Sithis and the Void! Ask for another song!"

The driver is in his right mind to shut up, and he does so. This leaves Cicero to sing nonsense the whole way there…the whole four hours and fifty-five minutes.

Dragon Bridge was a sight for sore eyes. I saw Solitude in the distance and that was too soon. The little village looked like any other village, but the bridge? That was impressive. Tall and towering over the river below. The statue of the dragon head rested on one of the arches and looked very much like a skull.

"Impressive." Veezara breathes. Driver is watching the bridge too. So is Cicero. He gapes at the sight. We went around the outskirts of the village, so we didn't actually go over the bridge. But it was almost prettier to see it from afar.

"We're here." Cicero peers over the edge when we arrive at the village, huge smile on his face. I follow his gaze and see, within the little town, our target. He's dressed as all the guards are and is barking orders from the top of his lungs.

Veezara grabs Cicero's ankle and pulls him down. "Careful." He warns.

"Mother will keep us from being seen." Cicero looks to Veezara then to me, "Right?"

"Let's play it safe." I say, "We need to find the schedule. You think he has it on him?"

Veezara rubs his chin, "Very good question, it could be with him, could be with someone else, or it could be sitting in a chest somewhere."

"So…split up?" I don't want to, too risky letting the crazy one off the leash. But this would go faster then.

Split up. Have Cicero go into the barracks, you check Maro's pockets…and the Argonian can do as he pleases.

"Why not just tell me where it is?" I direct at her.

"Oh! Mother! Listener is speaking with her!" Cicero leaps across the carriage and holds a hand to Veezara's face. No doubt to close his mouth and keep him from talking. He pushes the jester off.

Doesn't faze him. "What is she saying?" Cicero crouches in front of me and clasps my hands. I want to pull away but the look on his face lets me keep it. This might come in handy.

What fun he is…tell Cicero he is doing good.

"She says good job."

He jumps for joy, spins in the air and I'm prepared for him to pull the driver into his dance.

"Answer the question." I growl.

I don't know where it is. Go searching for it. This is part of being an assassin.

I huff. "Fine. Veezara, keep an eye out for anyone watching. Cicero, go look in the barracks for the letter. I'll go look through Mara's pockets."

"Maro." Corrects Veezara.

"Yeah, him. I'll be back." I hop out and pull on an invisibility spell. To be safe, I stick to the shadows as I creep down the path. One glance back and I see Cicero sneaking towards the barracks, hopefully the note is in this guy's pocket. At least I know I'll be able to get it without any problems.

The soldiers crowd around him and at this final order they disperse. Thank the gods. I hold out my hand, just ready to check his pockets when a man yells, "Gaius! Over here!"

The man in question begins to walk down the bridge. I try to keep up, my thighs burning from crouching for so long. I'll need blood soon. Maybe Maro wouldn't mind sparing some.

Maro stops to talk to an older man. I creep up just in time to hear some of the conversation, "Father, you worry too much. I'll be fine." Maro says.

I reach out for that damned pocket, then he moves out of my reach. I grit my teeth. The pocket is smaller than I thought.

"I know you will. But all the same, remember everything I said. Stay alert, and when you get to the cities, make your observations and move on." The older man replies.

"I understand. But you're being paranoid. I'm inspecting security, not charging off into battle. There's not a lot that can go wrong."

I beg to differ. I reach for the pocket again and make my mark. Nothing but a few coins inside. Gaius waves his hand around his pocket.

"Damned bugs." He mutters.

"Son, when the Emperor's safety is concerned, anything could go wrong. Off with you, now. And good travels."

A shout sounds from the barracks. My mouth goes dry. "Commander!" Yells one of the guards, "Come here. Come see." He's breathing heavily. Something bad must have went down. Quicker than I thought, I see Cicero run out the door and bolt towards the carriage. To our good fortune, no guards see this. The two men before me jog to the barracks and before I can cause more problems, I go to the carriage.

"What the hell did you do?!" I sneer when I climb in. I keep to the floor since the invisibility spell wore off.

"Nothing! Cicero was minding his own business, looking for the note, when a guard tried to grab me! I tried to stop him, but I had to stab him a few times. Serves him right." He grumbles. The paper is in his hands.

"And now you understand Maro might change his schedule due to a murder in his barracks?" Veezara murmurs. His eyes stay on the guard house to see if we get found out.

"Pah! People die everyday! The guard is with Sithis now! We'll get the target just fine. Yes, Mother we will slay him." He turns his head to the barracks, "And get the token."

An idea springs up. If I kill Maro now, then maybe I won't be forced into going to Whiterun.

And your lover and Veezara die. She whispers.

I swallow. "Fine. Where are they going?"

Cicero whips his head around. Veezara raises a brow of scales. The same as on the schedule. Tomorrow night he will be at Markarth's Inn.

Silver Blood Inn. That isn't far from here.

"Tell the driver to take us to Markarth." I command, then on second thought I look at Cicero, "One more kill without my order and you're going back to the Sanctuary."

The jester caves his shoulders in. "Cicero is sorry. Just let me stay. You might need me."

"Only if you stay out of sight. I have a feeling if he sees us then he'll tuck tail and run." I say. Silver Blood Inn certainly isn't the worst place to sit and wait for this guy, but I'm not sure if it will make the easiest murder site.

Both my companions weren't fazed when we entered Markarth a day later. Some shady stuff was going down but not the killing kind. That's what we're here for. A burglar got some poor woman's necklace, snapped it from her neck and ran. The guards followed suit. Poor beggar was probably going to get the Cidhna Mines.

I shudder at the memory of that harsh environment. Not a place I want to go back to. That's why I'll make certain we get out of here without getting caught. "Any good way of escape?" I ask Veezara.

He eyes the wall. "We could scale it. Or, if we are quiet, we can just go through the front door. If you're worried, you can certainly stay outside while we deal with it."

"Yes, yes, Cicero and the Argonian can finish the job!" Cicero bounces next to me while we cross the bridge.

It has to be you. They won't be able to finish it.

"Mother won't allow it." I say. That shuts Cicero up.

For the next five hours we sit at the bar in Silver Blood Inn. I took quite a few drinks. The place was embedded with too many memories. I kept my eyes away from the fireplace where Vorstag used to play. Instead, the owners got the good idea to get a new bard. He was alright, nothing near as good as Vorstag but not as bad as Lurbuk.

Eventually, I rest my head on the counter. I can only take so much of the bard and Cicero's duets. To my surprise the jester didn't drink, but I guess he didn't need to. He was adept at acting as drunk as anyone else while being sober.

The door opens. "Eh! There's the soldiers!" Yells one of the customers.

I turn my head to peek out at them. Five guards. Maro at the front. Veezara rubs my back. "Ready for this?" He whispers. I nod. I then sit up and watch as the guards pour in to get their own drinks. Cicero keeps on singing with the bard. I will say, I'm impressed at his self-control.

"Agh, this song! Play Age of Aggression!" Yells one of the soldiers.

The lute hums those familiar beginning notes. "Do we try to get him into one of the rooms?" We never really came up with a plan, just wanted to wait for their appearance.

"Yes, maybe seduce him? You have that vampire power, right?" The Argonian asks.

"Yes, it's only to drink blood really, but I can get two birds with one stone. Keep Cicero from going after anyone here."

He laughs around his drink, "I will certainly try, but I can't promise anything. Just run if you hear any loud noises."

I break free from the group. Since the guards never saw me, they weren't suspicious. "Hey." I say. Maro turns to stare at me and that's when I let my vampy powers out. His eyes become transfixed.

"Follow me." I take his hand and without resistance, he lets me lead him all the way to his death.

It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. Too easy, especially to dupe someone dubbed a part of the "Security service". However, in such a public place something had been bound to go wrong.

"From the beginning again." Astrid says. Her eyebrows knit together in concentration. The whole Brotherhood was crowded around the dining room table with her near the fireplace. Veezara, Cicero, and I sat cross legged on the floor. Needed to bandage a few wounds.

I swallow some frustration. "We were at the Silver Blood Inn. Waited for awhile. When they showed up, I took Maro to a back room. Slit his throat and drank his blood. It was maybe ten minutes later when I heard it."

"So, while you were drinking the man dry, you heard the vampires entered the Inn?"

"Yep." I say.

That's when the bloodbath started. I got out of there and saved as many patrons as I could. Bard didn't make it. Neither did the soldiers. Cicero got them before I could stop him. The chaos went from bad to worse when the vampires saw me. They screamed loudly at me that their master wanted me dead. Looks like the assassins had a hit on them from some vampire master. Yet, with the three of us combined, we took all ten of them out in half an hour flat.

"But you did kill him before the vampires attacked?" Astrid questions.

This is the tricky part. If I killed him off the road and, in an Inn, or wherever he was scheduled to be, then I get the token. But, if he was killed on the road or by someone else, then the token is forfeit.

This is causing a big rift between Voice and me. I wanted to lie but she was holding me steady. I was hoping the ambiguity of the situation revoked the token. Not sure if it even mattered if we had a token. I was going to be dragged to Whiterun whether I liked it or not.

"She got the kill. She deserves the token." Gabriella moves around the table and holds it out. A blue topaz looking gem. Astrid watches her then nods in affirmation. "That she did."

The gem is held out to me. I'm not in control of my body when I take it. Cicero is shaking, for what reason I don't know. Veezara is pallid, if a lizard person could be.

"Thank you." I say. Astrid watches me. I hope she can read between the lines. But ultimately, if she were to interfere, it wouldn't end well for her.

"Let's go to Whiterun!" Yells, Cicero.

"I'm coming with you, just to make sure everything runs smoothly." Veezara pipes in. I consider telling him to sit this one out, so he doesn't get murdered based on the look Cicero is giving him. But I would feel safer to have a friend at my side.

Dusk was just falling. We arrived at Whiterun in good time. Astrid said it was a waste of time to make our way here…but Cicero was having none of it. Voice had control of most of my movements. Walk to the carriage, sit in the carriage, and walk like a cardboard cutout through the winding paths of Whiterun to the old woman's house. She was sitting on a bench right outside, almost like she was waiting for us.

"The Seer! We are here! We have the token and are in need of a fortune!" Cicero prances around her. The woman gives him a vacant look, on second thought, I'm not sure if she can see. Her eyes are glazed over in white.

"Ah, you are friends to Gabriella?" Her voice is welcoming but her posture stiffens. I know the feeling. I can't move much right now. But I feel Voice's power waning. She can only control me for so long.

"Yes, yes! Here it is!" Cicero pulls out the blue gem.

Veezara glances around then at my sweating self. "This is alright with you? I feel a certain…tension."

"I don't have a choice." I whisper.

The woman takes the gem and studies it with her hand. Her eyes close in sorrow. "Come inside. We can't have this fortune read in a public setting."

Cicero immediately grabs my arm in a death grip. I want to pull away but am locked in at the feet.

"Cicero." Warns Veezara, "She is not to be hurt."

"Cicero knows! Cicero would never hurt Listener." He lies through his teeth. "Argonian, you might want to wait outside." He mentions in a dark voice.

"I won't." Veezara steps in the way.

"I only have room for two." The woman grumbles. She unlocks the door.

Tell him to stay outside, or I electrocute him and use your body as a conduit.

"Stay here." I echo her words. "I'll be quick. I promise." I watch his face fall. I see it in his eyes. He knows something is horribly wrong, and he might be the only member of the Brotherhood to know so.

There are no arguments. I'm ushered into the little house as quickly as possible. The woman guides us to a round table. I expect to see a huge crystal ball sitting on it but instead, the table is bare.

She sighs, "Your fortune, future, I have had glimpses and it's not something I wish to tell."

I take a deep breath, "I figured. Let's just get this over with."

She nods, her lined and weathered face is pained, until it falls blank. Almost like she's under a trance. Her wrinkled hand looks to hold mine. Not under my will do I reach out to her. Cicero squeezes my other hand from the chair next to me. He's nearly bouncing with glee.

"Dark things have come to pass for your past. You have had a terrible journey in Skyrim. But, thing are hunting you, some you know and some you do not. A master wants you dead. A friend wants you dead. A deity wants you dead in the far future. Many things crave your blood. Yet, you will prevail. For some time. The future after that is…hazy. You are scared but courageous. Defeated but victorious. Chosen for a path you were never meant to walk." She starts to tremble.

"By Sithis." She whispers, "You are here."

Voice rises, her presence seems to leave me. I'm still locked into place but I'm not completely under her thumb anymore. I watch the old Seer's eyes lighten with intelligence and age. This is not good.

"The chest." She says, her voice sounding more like the Night Mother's by the second. Cicero shoots up and runs to the far side of the room to find whatever chest this is. Seer says nothing, just watches me with a certain knowledge.

I know it is Voice peering back at me from her eyes, taking up two bodies at once. I have a feeling I know what is about to happen, so I send my last message.

"My mother, my second mother, my sister. My mistress from Oblivion, in the Twilight Sepulcher, hear me now. The Night Mother is about to bind me, you must seek me out!" I nearly scream when Cicero clamps one hand around my mouth and passes the chest to the Seer.

She opens it, a tiny little iron chest, to find a ring. It doesn't look like much, it's small, silver, and has a single orange gem in the center.

"Blessed by Akatosh and Arkay, this ring has passed generations before the building of the city of Whiterun. It now lies in the hands of this seer. Now it shall be yours." Her voice rings out, "Child. You speak to ones who do not have your best interest at heart. You think I am using you but the daedra only have the worst of intentions." She keeps a strong hold on my hand, one I cannot break. The ring is lifted from the box, only then do I feel the true power of it.

Cicero laughs, his hand tighter around my mouth so I cannot speak.

She is binding me. I won't be able to escape. Help me, Nocturnal! I think. For all I know my pleas are being sent to the Void. No one comes to save me. No Daedric Princes appear right in the lick to time to smack her off. For once I even wished Molag Bal would make an appearance.

No. What happens is the ring is placed right on my ring finger. My left hand. Right where a wedding ring should go. I feel the effects immediately. Power settles like a heavy chain placed on my shoulders. The weight nearly pulls me to the ground.

The seer laughs then she too, falls to the ground unconscious. Cicero stands. "Yes, Mother." He whispers. Before I can fully turn, the chains are so heavy, he runs out the door. I lean over the table, my head too heavy to hold up. The power is invading my mind, closing any door it sees to the outside world.

My Child, we are now one. It is only you and me. As it should have been from the start.

Cicero's Journal Entry

21st of Morning Star, 4E 202

Mother, I hear you! I know what you wish, I am headed back to the Sanctuary with the pesky Argonian as I write. It will be done. It was hard to get Listener to cooperate but cooperate she did! The ring will now keep the daedra away… the roads are too bumpy to write. What to do with the Argonian?