Cicero woke up in a dark room only lit by the moon. He wiped his eyes and glanced over through the window into the sky above. It was night, he must have slept for ages! He looked over and could just make out a lump next to him moving ever so slightly, heaving up and down peacefully. Cicero couldn't believe what he had done. Courting Mother's Listener, what would she think of that? Surely she wouldn't blame him for just pleasing her Listener; humble Cicero lives to serve after all. But just the idea of disobedience was enough to get him worried. He was torn between being dedicated towards the Night Mother and his indulgement of cravings as a human. He turned over peaked through the cocoon of linens to reveal Virieti, sleeping peacefully. Cicero scooted closer and basked in her body heat that was radiating from her side of the bed. He pressed his hand gently against her face, his hand flinching back as he felt her soft warm skin against his icy fingers. It had been so long since Cicero had touched someone like this, he was starting to forget what warm relaxed flesh felt like.
He remembered when he first met Virieti. Her dark hair was bouncing across her shoulders as she cautiously walked towards Cicero, who at the time was oiling the Night Mother's body. Her coffin was grand, it was made of stone and had two double doors with carves on each side. Red candles bordered the coffin on the stone floor, looking as if it was some sort of demonic shrine. This was the first time Virieti had ever seen the Night Mother and even before she knew she was the Listener. "Hello, w-who are you?" Virieti asked shyly. She had never seen a man like him before. Cicero was dressed in a full jester outfit, crimson fabric with black and gold trimming completed with a jester's hat resting on his head. He was definitely the strangest yet most intriguing out of the other members of the Brotherhood. Cicero looked up at her and grinned, his orange eyes twinkling with happiness. "Ahh, another member of the family, hello, hello! So very good to meet you!" he sang at her. It had been ages since he saw a new face enter the Brotherhood. She was taken back by his voice; It was so high pitched and unnatural. "My name is Cicero, and you are?" Cicero asked, extending his hand. Virieti cleared her throat in preparation for her response. "My name is Virieti, I am an Imperial thief who was invited to join the Dark Brotherhood after I fulfilled an orphan child's wish from the Black Sacrement." She answered. She looked over Cicero's shoulder and peered into the Night Mother's coffin curiously. What in Oblivion was he doing? "So, what do you do here?" She questioned. Cicero looked back at the coffin then looked back at her. "Me? Oh, Cicero is just the Keeper. I keep. I look after our matron, you see. The Night Mother? I keep her clean, and protected and happy."
"Happy, but isn't she dead?" she asked, slightly unnerved by the situation. Cicero giggled "Of course our lady is dead, so she doesn't talk with words, since her lips are... rotted. But inside the Listener's head. I hear it's... intimate." The way Cicero said that sent shivers down Virieti's spine. "This dude is completely delusional and insane!" she supposed, cringing again at Cicero's use of the word intimate.
Despite how everything seemed, Virieti was very wrong. The Night Mother, although her body laid in the coffin mummified, her spirit was very much alive. She would come to learn that in the following weeks When she was instructed to hide inside The Night Mother's casket in secret while Cicero talked to the corpse to make sure he wasn't planning anything treacherous. "Are we alone? Yes... yes... alone. Sweet solitude. No one will hear us, disturb us. Everything is going according to plan. The others... I've spoken to them. And they're coming around, I know it. What about you? Have you... spoken to anyone? N-No, of course not. I do the talking, the stalking, the seeing and saying! And what do you do? Nothing! Not... not that I'm angry! No, never! Cicero understands. Heh. Cicero always understands! And obeys! You will talk when you're ready, won't you?" Cicero lowed his tone, sounding worried "Won't you... ...sweet Night Mother?"
Virieti sighed. It was miserable to see someone so dedicated to a deity become delusional and wait for something that never is going to happen. The Night Mother wasn't going to speak, she was dead.. or so she thought.
"Poor Cicero. Dear Cicero. Such a humble servant. But he will never hear my voice. For he is not the Listener." A raspy female voice called. Virieti tightened her muscles in fear, this wasn't a normal voice nor was it outside the coffin. It was coming from the inside.. inside her head. "Oh, but I will speak. I will speak to you. For you are the one. Yes, you. You, who shares my iron tomb, who warms my ancient bones. Tell Cicero the time has come. Tell him the words he has been waiting for, all these years: "Darkness rises when silence dies."" Virieti began to panic, who was this voice? Had she gone crazy? "I have to get out of here, I have to get ou-"she pushed the door open to find Cicero in front of her, his face spiraling in to terror and disgust. "What? What treachery! Defiler! Debaser and defiler! You have violated the sanctity of the Night Mother's coffin! Explain yourself!" Cicero screamed drawing out his dagger. Virieti's face turned pink, what was she going to do? Cicero was on to her now. "Speak, worm!" He prodded. "the Night Mother spoke to me! She said, "I am the one.""
Cicero's eyes widened in excitement before furrowing his brow again. "She... spoke to you? More treachery! More trickery and deceit! You lie! the Night Mother speaks only to the Listener!" Cicero grabbed his head and shook himself in confusion.
"And there is.."
"no…"
"Listener!"
Virieti pushed out her hands and stepped closer, trying to get Cicero to calm down. "Wait! She said to tell you, "Darkness rises when silence dies."" She huffed anxiously. Cicero gasped "She... she said that? She said those words... to you? "Darkness rises when silence dies"? But those are the words, The Binding Words, written in the Keeping Tomes. The signal so I should know. Mother's only way of talking to sweet Cicero... Then... it is true! She is back! Our Lady is back! She has chosen a Listener! She has chosen you!" Cicero threw up his hands and laughed "All hail the Listener!"
That day changed both of their lives forever. Cicero spent many years of his life searching for a proper Listener for The Night Mother, only to find it in Virieti. No longer were they simple acquaintances, no. There lifelines twisted and turned only to cross upon The Night Mother's own grave. They now were equals, forever connected by fate. They are Star-crossed Fools of Destiny, dedicated to The Night Mother.
That next day, Cicero and Virieti were sitting next to each other near a table by The Night Mother's Corpse. Virieti watched Cicero has he chewed on a carrot, observing his mannerisms with her head resting on her hand. She found him captivating. "Cicero" she called, glancing her gaze away onto the table. "D-did you want to be Listener?" Cicero stopped and put his hand on his neck in embarrassment. "Oh... Well... yes. I did. I did indeed. I tried to listen. Tried so very hard. But The Night Mother never spoke to poor Cicero. The silence became almost... maddening. Oh, but that was then, this is now! You're the Listener, and The Night Mother chose you for a reason, I'm sure! Cicero will remain the happy Keeper, not to worry!" He went back to eating quickly, not wanting to discuss the subject.
"Cicero.." Virieti cooed, looking back up at him. "I'm sorry.. I'm sorry you didn't get chosen as Listener. In my opinion you deserved it. I've seen you slave over Mother and tending to her, you are an exceptional Keeper. I remember what you said to her when I was in her coffin spying, sorry about that, but I know it's something you really wanted." A ruby mist began to appear upon Cicero's cheeks. She didn't know it then, but that meant a lot to him. "T-thank you Listener, that's kind of you to say. Dear Cicero works hard to keep Mother happy." He said, his tone now tender while shooting a small smile.
To Cicero, these memories felt as if they were just yesterday. They made him happy and comforted him. "I'll be a good Keeper to you Virieti." He muttered, pulling his covers up to his chest and clenching them in his hand. He sighed and closed his eyes in preparation for sleep.
"I promise."