TO A STRANGE LAND

The Keeper

The jester is crying. He is exhausted, spent. Tired of trying to get onto the ship in the docks of Dawnstar. His command is to get the Night Mother out of this Province at whatever way possible and now that the borders were being patrolled, a mountain excursion was out of the question. He had to get on this ship.

Oh, why didn't Mother choose him? Him of all people! The one who followed her reign. Watched her, bathed her, clothed her. He was right. Ripe to be her Listener but that was not so. Even when he drove the carriage through the little town of Dawnstar he nearly stopped with every passing face. Those who looked over in curiosity could be potential Listeners. Those who gawked could be potential Listeners. He even asked the man at the docks, the homeless man fishing nearby, if he heard Mother's call.

He didn't, he heard other voices. Not Mother's. The Dark Elves loading the ship were suspicious. They didn't like the way he paced about nor the way he watched each approaching face with excitement. Cicero was sure they didn't want him on the ship because of Mother. They hated her. They all did. No one truly knew what it was like to be her Keeper. What it was like to talk to her.

She was misguided before Sithis intervened. But she was lovely. As smart and funny as Cicero dreamed she would be. Some nights he woke up thinking he heard her voice. Others, he woke up thinking he had heard Sithis. No one was talking to him. There were strange voices. Not from them. From someone else. He chose to ignore them.

He chose to get on the damn ship. He tried his best, even tried to sneak on, any way to get Mother off this Province. But after another harsh reprimanding of him, he was left out in the cold and the rain to cry.

He lays a hand against the ship. Knowing they will leave tomorrow and there won't be another one for weeks. "She is precious, but she won't hurt you! Let us in!" He bangs his palms against the door, willing anyone to open them. Just please, open them.

"Oh, Mother." He whines as the rain continues its assault. He races to where her coffin rests, pretty and new but he doesn't want it to rust so he lays a tarp over it. Surely that will keep out the rain.

No one comes for them. The seconds tick by into minutes, so long that even his strong legs tire. He falls into a heap by the carriage. Watching the ship bob up and down in the roiling waves. Not unlike bodies he's seen fall into the water. It was funny sometimes. They would bob up and down in death. So stiffened, but so buoyant.

He thinks about their Mistress again. If she were in her right mind, she would have put Mother in her new house. Cicero followed he awhile after he took off with the Night Mother, just to watch how the former Listener acted. What she did. He had no idea what one would do after such excitement. After such a soul searing bond to someone. What he found…was boring. Disappointing.

He thought about hiding Mother there in Lakeview. It would be easy. She can't hear her so he's sure the former Listener and the Lover wouldn't mind. The Butler was a different story, but not to one that would be hard to dispose of…maybe he will try that again. The third time is the charm, as they say.

His thoughts are interrupted when the door of the ship creaks open. Cicero gasps in relief when the light comes out to spill on his form, the shadowy cloaked figure moves forwards, a portly man holding a staff. A staff of roses.

"Lad. You still out here?" Angel speaks.

Angel was alive, he was here, and he was performing miracles. "Oh, Angel." Cicero barrels into the man, trying to wrap him around him as much as he could. "Angel, Cicero missed you. You don't know what miracles you work."

"Yes, lad…er, you're bringing that on?"

He's no doubt talking about Mother. Maybe he will follow Cicero and help clean her. It's harder than ever before with their constant moving. Cicero looks up to Gabriel with excited eyes. The man looks anywhere but…but he will come around.

Maybe he is Listener. Surely, he has some sort of connection to the Night Mother if he was the only person to heed their calls. Surely…

"I'll help you get it in." Angel sighs, "But after that we part ways. They're just tired of you banging around." The man is sober like Cicero has never seen it. Another miracle!

The man helps him. It's awkward to get the large coffin up the ramp and into the crowded room. More so when maneuvering around the doors. But they soon find the perfect spot, near the back, where the cresting and falling waves won't shake her as much. "Wherever are we going?" Cicero asks excitedly. Only then does Gabriel look up, sweat dripping down his forehead. "By the gods that's heavy. No idea. Could be somewhere close. Could be somewhere far." He freezes when he locks eyes with Cicero. "Are you?"

"Yes! Cicero is a new vampire and can give you a bite if you wish! It won't take long. Won't hurt much. In three days, you'll be just like me," He puts his black gloved fingers on the coffin and walks his hand, like two little feet over to Gabriel. All to poke him on the nose. "Mad and loving it."

Gabriel stutters, "No lad. Might want to keep our distance from each other from now on. I bid you good luck and farewell." He scoots off through the underbelly to another room with his staff clutched tightly. Soon, tomorrow, they will set off on a new adventure! A new land with so many possibilities.

Cicero strokes the coffin. He is a good one. An Angel in every right. It sounds like the voice is coming from the coffin, but it very well could be his own mind. Cicero watches the man disappear in the throng of people with hungry eyes. He's immortal now. He has an eternity of patience. Surely, Angel will come around. Surely, they will all heed Mother's call and know what they've been missing all their lives. Surely.

Cicero's Journal Entry

12th of Sun's Dawn, 4E 203

My time in Skyrim is over. And what a time it was! Cicero got to see, with his once innocent eyes, the rise and swift fall of one of the greatest stories the Dark Brotherhood has ever had. What a legacy it will leave…

Leader is now fading to nothing but a dim memory. The old Brotherhood friends I made here will be nothing but a name that might pass my lips when I tell the tale. Mother is my only thought now. Cicero needs to get her somewhere safe and warm. This musty ship will have to do for now.

Where we are going…I'm not sure. It could be near, it could be far. It could be easy. It could be oh so treacherous. But Cicero is ready. For the danger, the deceit, the glory! Cicero is ready for it.

As the ship casts off and the peaked, towering mountains, fade from view, Cicero bids his temporary home farewell. What a cold and dangerous place. To new adventures and to a new day! With this departure as the last mountain disappears into the mist, Cicero gleans three things: One, Mother is proud, proud to have lived and loved more than any mortal in their little lifetime. Two, Cicero…could never be more grateful for Leader. She is still like a hot poker, every time I think of her. My blood begins to boil. But Cicero is grateful for the companionship she gave. Three, Mother is ready. She is oh so ready, this was just the tip of the ice burg as far as Cicero is concerned. He can feel her, simmering in her coffin, awaiting the day for her next rising.

And Cicero will relish every moment of it.

Quick A/N: Thank you so much for everyone who has liked, commented, and followed! It's so amazing to see and I'm glad people enjoyed this. I'm not done writing yet. I have plans for a new story I will be posting soon. More info on that in the longer note. I also have a completed one shot I will be posting on Wednesday! (Both are set in Skyrim.)

Long A/N:

I kind of can't believe we made it. We are here at the end of the story for Mjoll and Eve. When I first started writing this, I had no idea how long it would be, I originally thought two stories with little ones in between. Instead, it just became this massive thing that needed to be told, spanning most of the game and quests. Thank you all who have tagged along and enjoyed this! It's great to see how many people like this story, even if I'm just seeing it through binge reads and hits/likes/kudos, it's so cool!

In a weird way this fic, Dragonborn, was sort of inspired by Finding Nemo. For those who haven't seen it, a father clownfish must journey across the ocean to find his lost son. In the movie the points of view switch back and forth between them. I just remember watching it, getting so excited for how Nemo will escape the tank and had so many questions! Will he make it out? Will his friends go with him? What happens to them once they escape? They lived in a tank nearly their whole life, after all.

But then the scene changes, we go right back to his father and see his part of the story, then right back to Nemo. It was a frustrating and very exciting way of telling a story and I wanted to try it out. I wanted to bring in different viewpoints and see how they all dealt with the reign of The Night Mother. (I should note that method of storytelling isn't confined to that film. It was used in Lord of the Rings and many other forms of media.)

So, that's all I have to say about it. I really don't have any other words for the ending of this series. I feel like I'm going to miss these characters. Eve and Cicero, especially. They were the most fun to write. Cicero's journal entries have been popular, and I'm happy that bet paid off. I wasn't sure how people would receive it. He's such an eccentric and unpredictable character, I was just hoping he wouldn't become annoying. I know it helped me become a better writer and made me love writing an OC with a brash personality. It hasn't quite sunk in yet that it's done, but I'm sure it will. My hope was to keep this fresh and exciting, not to drag it on until I'm just beating a dead horse.

I'm sure the question now is, "What's next?". I have the answer! I am going to set my sights on working on some original content. I do hope to be a published author someday so I would like to begin worldbuilding and plotting ideas. But I've also got the fanfiction writing bug. It was very fun to play with these characters and I feel like there's more stories in here with some of the side characters. I have a few ideas that aren't fleshed out yet but I'm going to work on them on the side.

I do have a fic in the works, it's a romance between Serana and Vorstag as she tries to find her mother who is lost in the Soul Cairn. I really loved their stories in this series and wanted to continue it and see where it goes. I 'm having so much fun writing it and I would like to wait and post it when it's done or near completion. That way, I'm not writing myself into a corner or taking too long to post!

On Wednesday I will post my second oneshot fic, it follows Garnag after he fled Cheydinhal and tries to make a name for himself. I might have him appear in future stories, so I consider this sort of an origin story for him.

I'm really excited to post them! I've had a blast writing them both and I hope you guys might tune in on it to for some of the fun! Again, thank you all who have read, kudos, liked, commented, even followed! It's fun to have that interaction and see how this has maybe made a little impact on some people's lives, even if it's just a little breather from the real world. See you all Wednesday!

Also worth a mention: I might update this story, Dragonborn, as Elder Scrolls 6 draws closer. Once we get a little more information (like the location, etc.) I want to update this. I'm sure people know where this is going. I have little hope we will get that in the next year, though. Maybe after Starfield releases. I saw ES6 hasn't gone into pre-production yet, so it's still a while off. But we'll see, keep your eyes peeled!