Jester's ring on a Dark Hand
I don't own any thing of Skyrim only my OC
Hey sorry this chapter is a little late we had a bad storm well here it is ^w^
Caroline Rose was traveling along the scattered stone roads that lead to Whiterun, her mind being plagued by what the leader of the Dark-brotherhood had offered her.
It brought up memories of reading her ancestors journals: 'When Lucius, who had been one of the Speakers for the Dark hand, came into her room at the dock side Inn, after hearing or witnessing her killing the owner of ship/Inn that she had been sleeping just before his presence woke her up.
She had killed the owner of the ship, and his first mate for two reasons it said in the book: 1. the man laid his hands on her just after ridding the ship of raiders. 2. Well frankly she just didn't like the guy he made her stomach turn in the wrong way, Lucius offered her a place in the Brotherhood if she would go to a little Inn just off the road from the now ruined city that the Emperor's last surviving son had been raised in, and kill the old beggar man that lived in the rooms below the tavern floor. Caroline's ancestor had accepted this request; the building she had described in her journal was that of a homey looking place.
The building was built from white oak with the weathered wash now making it look the color of honey-cream; the hay covered roof was an old rustic gold color that reminded her of the top of a tower that she had seen in Cyrodiil. A man standing a good ten feet away was pulling his arm back, bow and arrow in hand steading his hand as he took aim, and let the arrow find its new home in the ring outside the bull's eye.
She led her white and cream colored horse up to the turf to take a much needed drink of water; she slipped in dressed in a plain white and maroon dress under her midnight blue cloak. The inside of the Inn was in a slightly sadder state then the outside, tables scattered around the dining area where a few patrons sat hunched either over their own food, or to talk in hushed tones to their table mates.
A fire was burning happily in its stone hearth, giving the room a warm feel and glow, pushing back the dark to the farthest corners, like it was protecting them from what might lurk within them. Her eyes spotted the bartender who looked like he was in his late thirties or early forties, she slowly made her way to the bartender giving her hips a slight more sway to them, she sat down at one of the bar tops stools and began a light conversation, flirting a little to get his guard down, which wasn't hard with her looks and charm she quickly gained his trust enough to make him believe that all she wanted to do was go see if the poor old beggar was alright.
She descended the step to the basement bunk rooms, her foot step were muffled by the soft clay dirt covering the hall along the walls were three torches casting dark shadows along the walls, her shadow danced behind her in dark joy of its flesh body was about to spill innocent blood, knowing in its body's mind, innocents was nothing more than an illusion. The wooden door to the room slowly creaked open just enough to peer in, the only things that were in the room, were eight shabby wooden beds lined up in a row, three equally wood rotten chest and side tables, and only one person laying on the farthest bed, with his back to the door.
Slipping into the room as silent as death itself, her shadow seemed to be impatient, forcing itself ahead crawling along the floor with each step it began to grown longer and bigger, closer and closer to the sleeping man. Her shadow loomed over them watching with invisible eyes, as the man rolled onto his back, head tilted back, as if his body knew what the mind and soul did not, the virgin dagger Lucius had giving her slowly being pulled free of its sheath, ready to taste the blood of an innocent for the first time. It drank deeply as it ripped through the flesh of the neck and jugular of the sleeping beggar.'
Was what she had done to that man the same as she had done? Was her fate, only falling in different faults, fallowing in her dark and bloody footsteps? Astrid the Dark Hand agent had offered her, to be an assassin, just as her ancestor was 200 years ago.
She had become the Listener for Dark Hand, only after the son of one of their victims, who had sworn revenge on his dead mother, by destroying them from the inside out. She been walking deep in thoughts, she almost didn't notice that she was coming upon a downed wagon.
Having had changed in the Nightingale outfit, keeping the mask down so not to flitter her breathing too much, but eyes concealed, the curses from the driver of the wagon were what broke her out of her train of thought. Looking up she saw a man in Jester's clothing stomping the ground, after kicking the wagon clearly looking upset.
Walking over to the wagon, it looked as if one of the front wheels had broken off, which laid in the dirt nearby, just as he was talking to an enormous wooden create that he was transporting.
"Oh sweet mother its ok I will find a way to fix this and get you home yes yes yes I will get you home safe and sound no harm will come to sweet sweet mother"
He cooed away to the wooden box, Caroline cleared her throat to try and catch his attention, which worked. His head turned so quickly, she thought it would snap, his hat swayed a little and his blood red hair, flitter before settling back down with a piece catching on the very edge of this supple pouty lips, but never moved an inch on top of his head. His face brighten as he rushed over to her bouncing on the balls of his feet. Caroline watched as his topaz eyes searched for her face trying to see it from under the shadow of the hood, she tilted her head to the side a little as she gave him a soft smile, he was very handsome, not only that also looking so innocent, but even she knew, never to let your guard down around something cute, and innocent.
"You look like you are in need of help sir Jester, may I offer my assistance"
She asked him, she felt bad for him here he was taking his dead mother to be buried probably in their home village and this happened to him, and she could swear to you his face was glowing like a candlelight spell as he did a little dance making a silent giggle slip from her lips.
"Ooooohhhh yes, yes, yes I do I do I do need help from a kind kind person like you would you go speak to the farmer there and ask him to help poor oh little me I do not wish to leave sweet mother unguarded"
He said hurrying back over to the crate and hugged it.
"Alright I will be right back"
Caroline replied before trotting up the step to the farmhouse. She could still hear his voice, "You see mother, Cicero got help you will be home in no time now thanks to the nice passer-by"
Caroline smiled to herself 'So his name is Cicero, hmm I like it wonder if I will see him again.' She thought to herself unknown to her that when she would become part of their little Dark Hand group, Caroline would see much more of that strange little jester. Caroline came back about fifteen minutes later, Cicero was waiting looking at the ground humming some offbeat tune.
"Hello jester the farmer said he will be down soon to help you with a new wheel I hope the rest of your travel is fairer"
She simply said, as she began to walk off again, but was tugged back by his hand catching her elbow, turning her around at the same time he was standing close to her. Caroline now could see he was a head taller than her since, Caroline was even short for an Impearl woman. His eyes seemed to find hers, under the hood, her breath seeming to get caught in her throat, simply by his smiles. Only to let go only to take her hand and places a good weighted bag of gold. The bag must have weighed enough to hold 500 gold!
"Sir I can't take your gold"
She looked up at him as she tried to pushing it back to him, but he held up his hands and shook his head smiling.
"Oh nonononono it is for helping poor Cicero there is plenty more"
He said before she could say another word he turned and started to dance back to the wagon.
"I will see you again but not a passer-by no no no, but dark friend"
Caroline looked after him confused what did he mean by that was he? She shook her head no not someone like him, he could not be with the Dark Brotherhood. She sighed adding the gold to her own making her feel like a bigger target for bandits that waited on the road for innocent victims. That was what Caroline liked; it was seeing the look of surprise and dread on their faces as she killed them.
Pushing their cold dead bodies off her blade, catching herself in that thought she relished, liked it. If Caroline joined the Dark Hand, she would be putting her skills to use in a way that she seemed to be born to do. She still needed to think about it, but knew in her heart what the answer was. Caroline finally made it to Whiterun after killing a few bandits, necromancers and a black bear along the way.
She always seems to attract bears! Caroline sighed, pulling off her hood as she entered her home, Caroline's dog Votic came to greet her by jumping up and licking her face causing her to laugh, as her housekeeper, Lydia, got up from where she was reading a book.
"Welcome home my lady how was your trip?" She asked, taking Caroline's bag and cloak from her. Also probably also seeing the dark circles under her eyes, and how dirty she was.
She simply smiled before turning around heading to the fire pit to put a pot of water over, warming it for a bath to clean the dirt from the road off her. A sigh of calm passed from between Caroline's lips, but her mind was still troubled, from both the handsome jester she had met a while ago, and of joining the Dark Hand.
Caroline had a feeling that if she wanted to meet him again that she had best join, though she had already decided to join, yes she knew she had her duties as Harbinger to the Companions, as well leader to the Thief's guild and Nightingales, the war was still being waged even after many strong holds had already fallen to her blade.
She wanted this, maybe it would give her the edge to be strong enough to finish this blasted war and defeat the black dragon, that a woman posing as a harmless tavern woman was one of the last Blades said the Black dragon named Alduin was bring dragons back from the dead and Caroline was the only one who could stop them.
Last month Ulfric had told her he would be putting off his plans for the next few months as many Nord celebrations would be taking place almost everywhere. He knew that even his men would like to be home with their families during these important holiday's which meant for her, no thieving to be done, no one to hunt down, or rescue, and no men to lead for to an attack, or even breaking fellow Stormcloaks to break free. Caroline lean back in her seat licking the last crumbs of the bread from around her mouth she could hear Lydia coming up the stairs with the warm water probably already mixed with the oils of roses and mint, Ah, yes she did, Caroline could already smell it.
She finish her mead and pull off her armor leaving just her tunic on, Lydia placed the bowl on the table before pouring in the water mix with the oils she leave the wash cloth by the bowl before leaving closing the door behind her. Caroline relax once again as shetook off her tunic, and started to clean her hair first then her body. She quickly dried herself off as a chill ran up her spine. It was the same feeling she got when she felt Ulfic's eyes running over her body in a way only a man would look after a woman he was lusting for.
Though she never gave him any looks or said a single word that would lead him to continue, and yet he still did. Caroline pulled on a clean nightgown before crawling under the pelts of fur. Her eyes started to close but the last thing on her mind before sleep claimed her was those beautiful topaz eyes of that jester.
Sorry I want to make this a little longer but its late and need sleep will write 3 chapter soon and please forgive the run on sentences please just ignore the run ones.