THE CURE FOR MADNESS

I'm lost. I walked up and down the little path in my garden for what felt like hours. The one I used to have in my home in High Rock. The roses don't change color like they used to. Instead, they all lay dead on the ground almost like a deep freeze came in months before it should have. The bushes stink of rot. Root rot.

Only later, it could have been hours or minutes, do I finally see her. Her form is as emaciated as before, her head tilted to the side. She walks towards me on the path down the way, very slowly. I move to meet her.

"Your Brother." She whispers.

He needs your help.

Instead of the normal lecture and possible beating in my own garden, I wake up. I jerk when I regain consciousness, the table is hard as a rock underneath my head. The light pierces through the curtains. Midmorning light. I was either here for hours or a full day.

The seer is nowhere to be found. Neither is the chest. Actually, if you were to enter the house and I weren't around you wouldn't know a demented jester and his mother broke in. I slip out without anyone, not even the guard next door noticing.

Voice is urgent. Go.

I break out into a full run, go to the other side of the city and arrive at the stables. There, I give extra gold for a speedy trip to Falkreath. Only when I'm settled in, and Voice is quieter can I see it. The gleaming orange gem on the ring of power sitting right on my finger. The chains aren't as heavy, but they are still there. If Voice has her way, no daedra will be able to speak to me as long as I have the ring on. And who knows what else it can do?

I try to take it off. Pry at it once or twice by using the side of the carriage. It is no use.

You are mine and bound only to me. Forget the ring. Focus on the task at hand.

I'm suddenly assaulted with images. Cicero taking Veezara back to the Sanctuary. Arguments along the way. Veezara thought I was coming back as well. So, he feared the worst. Cicero wouldn't say a word. More arguments. Cicero puts Veezara to sleep with a sharp hit on the head.

I don't see what happens when they get to the Sanctuary. I know Voice wants me to save Cicero, but it is Veezara I fear for the most. He might have been thrown off the carriage and left to rot for all I know. I keep my eyes open and scour the ground for a green and red body.

Unless I missed it, which I might have, Veezara was not dead on the ground on the way to Falkreath. He's not anywhere surrounding the Sanctuary either, I walked around three times checking the area. I finally push open the entrance to the Sanctuary.

"You're back. We've been anxiously awaiting your return. Astrid needs you, there's been…an incident. Please, follow me to the Sanctuary." Gabriella stands where Astrid used to. I don't ask questions, just follow her into the main room.

I don't realize how great my fear was, that Veezara was dead, when I hear his beating heart. Relief hits me like a wall. He's lying on the ground with a wound to the head sure enough. The others in the Brotherhood stand around him. Some take on a defensive position.

"Just try to relax, Veezara. Let the elixir do its work. You'll feel better, shortly." The vampire child, I think her name is Babby? Babbet? Puppet?

"Ah, thank you. Unfortunately, the jester's cut feels as bad as it looks." Veezara hisses.

"Damn it, this never should have happened! We knew better. We knew better, and still we let our guards down. Agh!" Astrid moans.

Might be a bad time to tell her I told her so. About five or six times.

"I'll admit, even I'm having a hard time disagreeing with you…" The older wizard says. Festus Crux. Or Krex.

Astrid tilts her head and finally sees me. She spins. "You saw the seer and are looking for a new contract. I know! But we've got bigger problems right now!"

I hold my hands up. "Wasn't going to say that. I'm guessing this has to do with Cicero?"

"The fool went absolutely berserk! He wounded Veezara, tried to kill me, and then he fled. I knew that lunatic couldn't be trusted." She shakes her head in disgust.

"It's true, I'm afraid. Cicero was a little whirlwind, slashing this way and that. It would have been funny, if he weren't trying to murder us." Festus Krex chimes in.

I knew just the movements he was performing. How he was probably trying to aim at their hearts. Sounds like he wasn't going to harm Veezara on the carriage ride, why take down one bee when you just had to wait for the whole hive?

Nazir laughs, "Don't forget the ranting and raving. About the Night Mother, how she was the true leader of the Dark Brotherhood and Astrid was just a 'pretender'."

Astrid shakes her head. "I guess we owe you an apology, Eve. You saw just how dangerous he was before we did."

I'm smart enough to keep my mouth shut.

"Look, we've got to deal with this situation. You've got to deal with this situation." Astrid directs at me.

I snap my head up. Fully listening. Cicero has run away to Dawnstar. Her voice is louder as it always has been near her coffin. Find him.

"Find the little fool and end his miserable life!" Astrid shouts at me. Her emotions are barely contained. Sounds like she always prefers to know what's happening.

Too bad she can't hear the voices like me.

"Go find him. But first…find my husband. Make sure he's alright."

Werewolf guy. Almost forgot about him.

"After the attack, Arnbjorn flew into a rage. When Cicero left…Arnbjorn went after him. They disappeared into the wild. Search Cicero's room. Maybe there's something in there that sheds some light on where he might have gone…" She trails off.

I don't have to set foot in his room. "He's in Dawnstar."

"Hm? And how do you know this?" She looks at me sharply.

"The Night Mother told me."

She watches me like I've lost my mind as much as Cicero has. It takes every ounce of my being not to grab her by the shoulders and shake some sense into her. "Don't question it, you did once before and look at where that's gotten you."

Astrid winces at my words. "Nazir?" She nods to him and he disappears up the steps. Astrid turns back to me, "Never mind. It doesn't matter why he is there or how you know, just go now. Every moment counts, so take my horse. His name is Shadowmere. You'll find him outside by the pool. Let's just say he's…one of us."

She pauses, "Find my husband, make sure he's alright. Then send that jester's twisted little soul to the Void, in as many pieces as possible."

She didn't have to say that twice. I could read the room and practically feel all the members seething to put their blade into Cicero. Looks like I might be the lucky one. I nod, keep my mouth shut, and head for the door.

Even though it's not the life I pictured, one where my diet mainly consists of blood, there are perks to this vampire thing. I hear every move they make in the Sanctuary even when I'm right at the door to the outside world.

"Astrid look." Nazir says. Silence.

"She was right. His journal confirms it. Cicero is in Dawnstar." She whispers, amazed.

I seethe, fists clenched and all. Nearly punch the door open. Emotions of hurt, betrayal, and more so than normal, hatred, emerge. I'm going to end Cicero. Once he is stuck like a pig, I will come back and prove to them I'm as insane as they thought. The Night Mother is real and she is far deadlier than anyone predicted.

Shadowmere was incredible. I'm not one for horses, don't really like the smell and not too fond of riding them. I used to have a fear of being tossed off them. That might have come from seeing a guard getting thrown from one when I was a kid. He only had a dislocated shoulder, but the doctor said one inch the wrong way and he'd have a broken neck.

I banish those thoughts while we race. Shadowmere is faster than the wind and faster than any horse tied to a carriage. He gets me to Dawnstar in no time. Voice is silent after giving me directions to the Dawnstar Sanctuary. I'm not sure what's truly going on, but my guard is up.

Astrid's husband is right at the entrance. I dismount from Shadowmere on shaky legs. He stomps the ground and moves his head around. As if I'll have any clue what that means.

"Knew Astrid would send you." Growls the werewolf.

"Yeah, well looks like you're hurt and can't even walk right now."

He laughs, "What gave it away? Got to admit that little jester is good with that butter knife. But don't worry, I gave as good as I got."

I look around at the blood puddle then the dirt. No footprints. "Where is he now?"

"In there." Werewolf man nods to the cave entrance, "Some old Sanctuary, by the looks of it. I would have followed him, but I don't know the phrase."

I glance over at the door. That, in fact, is covered in blood. Gory little jester.

"I know what to say. I'll go deal with him." Voice kept repeating the phrase on the ride here. Another reason to go as fast as possible.

The man before me grunts. "All right, you convinced me. Doubt I'd be much good to you, anyway. The little fop cut me pretty deep. But I slashed him good. Pretty sure I severed an artery. Don't know what you're going to find in there…but you can probably just follow the blood."

I toss the man some bandages, direct him to the horse, then stalk over to the door. It's thrumming with power. "What is the illusion of life?" It whispers.

"Innocence." I respond.

The door creaks open and once it does, I can smell the distinct scent of Cicero's blood. I follow it the whole way through to his body.

Ebony Blade pulses with red light. Hungry for his blood. The person who's wronged me for so long. The silver ring burns like a brace.

"Listener! Is that you? Oh, I knew you'd come. Send the best to defeat the best. Astrid knew her stupid wolf couldn't slay sly Cicero!" His words echo through the halls. I stalk through them. His scent permeates the air. And dare I say I smell fear.

I grin. If I can just get close enough, I can stab him straight through the heart. All the suffering he's caused me and my friends, it would all be gone in that second. Maybe not gone completely, bit it would feel oh, so good.

When I turn the corner, a blue man jumps out. A spectral, some sort of spirit here. I pull the Blade up and impale him in the stomach. Good thing these spirits are somewhat tangible. I jerk the sword to the side and the spirit crashes into the wall before disappearing.

"Oh, but this isn't at all what Mother would want. You kill the Keeper, or I kill the Listener? Now that's madness."

I wait for Voice, our Mother, to say something. I'm met with silence.

More traps and guards. I get over the bridge before the spikes can impale me then kill the guard at the end with one swing of my Blade. Some security system.

"Ouch! Pointy pointy! My home is well defended. I always have been a stickler for details. Get it? 'Stick-ler' HAHA! Oh, I slay me!"

"Hear that Cicero?" I yell back. "Mother wants you butchered alive! She's says that is so because she's silent for once!" I cut into another guard then swing around and impale one with an ice spike. Right through the head.

"Oh! You're…still alive. Cicero respects the Listener's abilities, of course, but could you at least slow down a bit? I'm not what I used to be. Ha!"

Seems he didn't hear me the first time. "Nope! Not slowing down! Mother wants your blood!"

She stays silent. Cicero laughs, "Mother would never kill her Keeper, Listener! Maybe you were the mad one this whole time! Talking to Daedra! How naughty! I'm sure they corrupted you!"

"Corrupt this!" I scream and impale three guards at once. Cicero cries out in pain.

Blood trails behind me, but it does not tempt me. All I see is Cicero's form finally dead and decaying. Just like his Mother.

"Brr! Chilly! You'll enjoy this. Not an original part of the Sanctuary, per se. Let's call it a 'forced addition'. Forced by what? Oh, come and see!" He sings when I enter the frozen section of the sanctuary. A troll tries to attack me, but little does it know I have murder on my mind. I tear out it's throat in seconds.

He's starting to get nervous. "So, Cicero attacked that harlot, Astrid! It's what Mother wanted! What's a fool to do when Mother is slandered and mocked? Surely the Listener would understand!"

I finally get out of the iceberg. Five guards are there to meet me. One cuts me in the leg, but I soon decapitate him, his buddy is impaled in a blink of an eye and ice spikes take out the rest.

"Cicero admits, Listener was weak, so, so weak. But she has gotten stronger! Sithis is proud! Maybe we could forget all of this? Hmm? Let bygones be bygones? What do you say?"

I grit my teeth as more guards enter the fray. "I won't rest till I can carry your head all the way back to Astrid."

"Ohh prickly one, are you? Was it the ring? Your burial? Whatever did I do to deserve this?!"

His voice is a distraction, and maybe that's what it's meant to be. So, I keep quiet and fight the rest of my battles in silence. When they are all piled on the ground, I race up the steps to open the door to the next section.

"If it's any comfort, I do feel slightly bad about Veezara. Stupid lizard got in my way! Breathing down my neck! But please tell me that hulking sheepdog has bled to death!"

Astrid's husband. "Negative on that. Pray you don't see him again." I mutter.

When I finally break through to the main room, Cicero is lying curled up in a puddle on the ground. He laughs when I walk up the steps.

"I surrender, you caught me." He coughs out then shudders in laugher.

I jam the Ebony Blade right at his throat. He stops talking. I could slice him up right now. Watch him bleed out.

"You know," I purr, "I didn't know how much you had in this little…endeavor you and Mother have going on. No one will tell me what she wants…"

"But I can." His eyes fill with hope. He looks so pathetic at his end like this, but also admirable in a way. He stuck with what he wanted to have done; take the Night Mother to Skyrim. Come Oblivion or high water she would end up here.

"I can cure your madness, just one swipe." I whisper.

He likes that. "Do it! Send me to Sithis! Ah, at last!" He spreads his arms out like a sea star. I see the fear still locked in his eyes. Dare I say tears. "Or. You could lie. A tiny, white, little lie. Tell Astrid you butchered me…and she would be none the wiser!"

I pull the Ebony Blade away from his neck then raise it.

"Now we come to the end of our little play. The Grand Finale!" He whispers, his eyes solely on the Blade, then they return to me. "Ah, Sister, what fun we would have had."

Voice intervenes, as I should have expected. Good, finish it. When Cicero is dead, it will only be you and me. Or kill him and your help is gone.

That's it. This guy never meant anything to her, like I never meant anything to her. No real "Mother" and "Child" relationship. Just pawn and deity. In truth, if he wasn't evil, Cicero might be fun to hang around.

Now, I am left to consider my options. I either run on pure emotion, kill him, and feel good for a little while before something horrible happens. Or I keep him alive and use him as a buffer of sorts. But would he? Only one way to find out.

I lay the sword at his neck again. "I'm thinking about saving you Cicero."

His eyes fill with hope. "You are?"

"On one condition."

He nods vigorously, ignoring the Blade in his neck, "What is it? Cicero would do anything for sweet Listener!"

"Good. Listen only to me. And not Mother. I don't want more shit like this, to happen." I hold up my hand with the ring all but imbedded in my finger.

"Yes, I won't harm a hair on your head." His eyes return to me.

"You break that promise and I'll kill you on the spot." I continue, "The Night Mothers speaks to me and only me. Everything you hear in the silence is wrong."

I expect her to flay me out for saying that. Her henchman was about to jump ship after all. Instead, she stays silent.

"I promise." He whispers.

"That's what I want to hear. Astrid will think you're dead. Don't show up at the Falkreath Sanctuary." I pull the Ebony Blade away once again. I hope it's not the wrong decision, but I know I can kill him anytime I want to.

He continues to laugh. Laugh like I just pulled the funniest prank in all of history. I walk down the hall and try to tune him out. Even in her silence, whether it is protest or satisfaction, I know I made the right decision. If I were to kill Cicero, I would be left with no one in my fight against her. Yet, after today I have a feeling I might soon change Cicero's mind.

Cicero's Journal Entry

25th of Morning Star, 4E 202

I was spared. I am grateful. Mother, you told her, didn't you? Brought Listener out of her rage infested mind and back to reason? Cicero is so grateful for you…