Jester's ring on a Dark Hand
I don't own anything from Skyrim on my OC
Hey everyone so sorry that it's been a while, meager writers block.
The storm hadn't let up for almost two days, when it finally let up enough for people to travel out of their homes for a few hours at a time with in the walls of the city, Caroline had sent the courier who had brought her Cicero's gift of flowers to her to the inn closest to the Comapion compound. She pulled on a heavey wolf fur cloak on before heading out; Caroline made her way through snow tranches that were already up to just below her knees, not even her knee high leather boots couldn't keep snow from finding its way inside. Making her way to the Dragon-Reach castle she passed by a dark cloaked figure who seemed to having trouble keeping himself upright on the ice hidden under the snow, as she made her way over to the cloaked figure she almost failed to notice his faded black and red striped sleeve, Caroline shrugged it off as a figment of her imagionshion and her loneliness without her Jester to talk too.
"Here let me help you up. It's a little slippery here this early in the morning, the snow doesn't help any does it?"
Caroline asked as she grabbed the stranger by their elbow when he grabbed her hand and before she knew it she was being dragged down one side street after the other till the two of them were in a dead end. Caroline came to her sences glaring at this stranger head her eyes flashed a beastly yellow, her hand gripped his and using his momentum she spun them till his back hit the stone wall that surrouned the city.
Pulling her hand free from his, held him to the wall while her other quickly pulled out her glass dagger, pressing it agents the cloaked figures exsposed neck.
"Who the hell are you?!"
Her tone was low and animalistic that would make any mans blood freeze in their vains, she searched for his eyes under the hood of the cloak when the man's shoulders began to shack. At first she thought it was out of fear, but a moment later laughter started to spill from the man's mouth, what make her stubble back a step or two, was she knew that laughter.
In the next moment almost just as fast and she had spun them around to pin him to the wall, she found herself agents it as he pulled back the hood reviling Cicero without his jester hat, smiling that same madding smile that stole her heart.
"Sweet sister I have missed you so much yes yes, Cicero did he did very badly, Cicero hates this Skyrim weather dreadful nasty stuff it is yes yes! If it was a person Cicero would have gutted it like a pig yes yes stinky stupid pig! Would kill it, for keeping lovely Caroline from coming come sooner to her Cicero."
Cicero didn't even seem to remember how to take a breath, amazing her, but at the same time causing, the sence of danger leaveing her body she shook her head "It's not the weather Cicero, I haven't been here long I still have a lot of work to do. And even though I find your mad rambleing sexy I want to know the truth of why you are here?" she said pressing a finger agents his lips to keep him from entrupting her "And I want a straight answer, if you care about me at all…..but if not…then do it as your Listener."
Cicero looked down into her eyes he knew that him coming here would endanger her, the Night Mother, and himself….but he had his reasons, very good ones too! "Cicero had to come sweet Caroline…it's about the pretaneder" when Cicero said that her eyes narrowed, there was only one person he ever referred to as that and that was Astrid. "What about the 'pretender' Cicero? What has happened?" But before he could answer Caroline covered his mouth and pulled him into the shadows of the walls when the sound of Vilkas and his brother returning early echo down the alley "I swear Farkas she blushed and so nervous around me….I think she might feel the same." Caroline pressed more into Cicero as a deep low growl ripped from her throat, Cicero looked down at her face as she glared off in the direction of the brother's voice faded in, and the look was pure annoyance only eased the tension that had started to build in his body.
"Feel the same I hardly think so" Caroline sneered under her breath, pulling away from the warmth of Cicero's body, she turned her head back to look him in the face. "Now tell me what has happened between you and Astrid this time?" Lately those two were stepping on each other's toes that would call for her to intervene before Astrid's mute of a husband jumped in and….well….once it came close to Cicero almost getting ripped to shards. Cicero pouted and crossed his arms like a small child that was told no, "Cicero was not at fault! It was all the pretender's fault!" stomping on the ground to only further the image of a spoiled child that was not getting its way, rolling her eyes Caroline crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow at him silently telling him she didn't completely believe him. "Cicero what happened?" she asked this time a little more sternly "The pretender started spouting that we didn't need to fallow the five tendents of old and that she was the leader of the family not you Listener….sweet sweet sister Cicero wants your permission to move the Mother and us some where better…."
Caroline looked at the blood red head before her as she felt her cheeks grow warm, "What do you mean 'us' who do you speak of my fool?" Cicero smiled warmly, but the look of the fool shimmered around the rim of his eyes that bore down into her own; her legs started to feel weak and took a lot of will power just to keep standing up right. Cicero reached forward and pulled her hands into his worn gloved ones "Cicero and the lovely Listener is what Cicero meant by 'us' hehehehehe yes yyyyeeesss…..though Cicero supouses that some of the others that are loyal to the Mother and that like the Listener can come too…."
Cicero let go of her hands and pulled his hood of the cloak he wore back up "Cicero has found the password to an old scaturay in Dawnstar, Mother is in the wagon outside the city walls….Cicero wanted to take sweet Caroline with him…..but are not finished with your business here yet are you?" Caroline smiled softly at the insain fool and nodded "You are correct there my dark brother the Jarl has summaned me and I still have matter with the Comapions to deal with before I can even think of returning back….nothing else is the matter there…..is there Cicero?"
She had a nagging feeling in the back of her mind that was telling her that the fool was hiding something, or with holding some sort of news. Rocking from side to side as he shifted his weight back and forth from one foot to the other, Cicero looked off to the side before looking back at his Listener and spoke in a tone that he only ever used when defending her and the Night Mother "Cicero was out picking flowers for Mother when he saw the pretender slip out and make her way to the tavern of the village not far from the sanctuary. He followed her yes he did, and saw she was meeting with a General from the Legion army…..Cicero fears that the pretender will try and kill sweet sweet Caroline." Cicero nearly growled out through gritted teeth, furrowing her brows Caroline thinks over how she noticed Astrid had been acting of late. As the members of their unrulely family began to warm up to her, the sought her out more than they did of hers….even her own husband warmed up to her and began treating her as if she was his own cub.
Every time she looked or even spoke to her anymore there was a cold edge to her voice and a dead flat look in her eyes, and when she would leave walking past Astrid's room she could hear the two of the argueing quite loudly. Bringing her hand to her chin in a thought "I can't say that is unfounded my friend….but let us not show our hands before she lays hers on the table." Cicero smiled at her when she looked back at him a plan was starting to form in her mind, "Go do what you have to do my Keeper I'm going to keep an eye on her when I get back and start looking at the others to see who might be loyal to me and the mother before saying anything to them."
Cicero nodded before heading off towards the gate his hood covering half his face from onlookers, she waited twenty minutes before she made her way to the keep. The guards opened the doors for her as she quickly slipped in letting a sigh of relief as she was bathed in the warmth that filled the hall, ever since she helped Ulfric win over Whiterun it was only with her by his side that when the Jarl of Whiterun surrendered did he remain as the Jarl, but had to take a new adviser who was the head of the Silvermane family and loyalist to Ulfric were now having a lively conversation with smiles on their faces. It was only when she cleared her throat that both men turned to look down at her new smiles streaching across their faces, "Ah Dragonborn there you are we had begun to think that a dragon had snatched you away!" this drew laughter from the two men and a few of the guards, though as soon as the Jarl moshioned for her to stand were they silenced. She allowed a slight smile to slip on her face clasping her arms behind her back hidden by the cloak did she finally replied "I ALMOST had that one time….one time and you two are never going to let me live that down now are you?"
Having a quick laugh Caroline's face became sierious "So what is it my Jarl that you have summaned me fore" it was hours later before Caroline was able to slip back through the door of her warm home, she had no desire to return to the compound that night and headed silently to her study under the stairs. Caroline closed the door behind her and leaned agents it, closing her eyes letting a sigh slip from her lips before she pushed off the door and headed to her desk across from her alchemy table.
Hanging up her cloak on a hook on the wall and simply wedged the hand battle ax she received as a symbol of her position as Thane of Whiterun in to the wall of the room, pulling her side bag she sat it on the desk top before reached over to the small table under the small sealed window and picked up a bottle of Black-briar honey mead and pulled the cork. She was to go to Windhelm with reports and messages for Ulfric; she shivered at the thought of having stand before the hungry eyes of her future king and leader….he would most likely try and get her to spend the night there depending on when she arrived there or if he managed to drag out her audience with him as long as he could.
"Gggggooodds why me?" she groaned rubbing her eyes she looked out the window before deciding to leave right after she finish with the Companion's business and got supplied up she would head to Windhelm…..she just hoped that she won't run into any bears…
The next morning Caroline was at her desk in the Companion's compound reading the last of the reports when a light knock came from the doorway, she turned her head to feel her stomach drop at the sight of Vilkas with a small smile on his face. She had to somewhat force a smile onto her face 'Maybe I was wrong….maybe he doesn't love me like that…..maybe like a real sister…Ya a little sister that's it!' "Morn my shield-brother what can I do for you this morn?" Caroline had to fight off another yawn, she couldn't sleep a wink because of the dreaded trip she would have to make to Windhelm later that day or the next day. A concerned look flashes over Vilkas's eyes, quickly striding over to her side he turned her head so she looked up at him, his eyes narrowed slightly "Did you even get any sleep last night Caroline?"
She pulled back and leaned back in her chair rubbing the back of her head, "Hehehe …uh huh….why you ask Vilkas…do I look tired?" "Yes you do you have dark bags under your eyes…..what is troubling you that it won't let you get any sleep?" Looking up in to his pale blue eyes Caroline let out a sigh and stood up walking past him towards her travel bag laying on a nearby table, she closed her eyes before crossing her arms loosely "I have to report to Ulfric with reports and a message from the Jarl…..the thing with Ulfric isn't that I don't respect him hell I do!
The thing is I know he is smitten with me….he gives me gifts, hold parties for me, clothes….he even made me a Thane in his city and gave me a full furnished house near his palace…..but I only see him as my leader and future King….not as a future lover and husband…I'm in love with someone else…..and they are not in this guild either….." she hoped by adding that in it might defuse any feelings he had for her. There was only silence in the room until the sound of armor rustling agents each plate and fabric signaling that Vilkas moving up behind her, when the feeling of his gantlet gloved hand touched her upper arm, did she turn slightly and looked back at him. There in his eyes was pain, love….and something else, but it disappeared and was replaced with kindness "It was that ovious huh…..I don't think I will give up, so please my shield-sister don't hold that agents me….I also understand."
She smiled and was about to say something when Vilkas continued, "But if you don't wish to go…why didn't you ask the Jarl to simple send someone else…?" Caroline sighed and turned back to her bag and started to finish packing it as she spoke, "Because Vilkas not only would that be an insulte and make me suspious to them, he also asked every….and I mean every one that is loyal to him that if I happen to be in their villages for a while or even passing through, that they are to give me reports or any messages; things like that and bring them to him myself."
Caroline turned around with a smile that was so fake that even Vilkas got the hint, with her hands on her hips "Now if you please I have to get changed and also finish the last of my work I have here to get done for the time being….so could you please get out of my room." Letting a light laugh out Vilkas wanted to make a remark, but decided against it and left closing the doors behind him.
Three hours later she walks out of her room dressed in dragon hide armor and a black hooded cloak, her bag over her shoulder and a mass of papers making her way through the building she quickly delivered missions and payments to each of the Companion's, just as she was about to leave someone called out to her. "Caroline wait a moment!" Turning around she let a smile slip on to her face as Tailem came up to her with something small and wrapped in a cloth in her gentle worn hands, "I heard that you will be leaving today and won't be back for awhile, this is for you since I know your birthday will pass in the time before we see you again my dear." Caroline blinked with her mouth open about to ask how the old caretaker found out her birthday, but simply gave a light chuckle and shook her head taking the gift from the woman who was like a mother to them all.
Caroline stepped forward and did something that hardly anyone ever saw her do….and hugged the elderly woman, she was sure she heard someone in the room had dropped their tanker as the room got quiet. Pulling back she smiled sweetly "Thank you not even going to ask how you found out…..you know you're very scary sometimes….you know that right ha ha ha ha!" She waved as she left leaving a smiling woman and a room filled with stunned companions in her wake.
Ok FINALLY got this one done…I'm so sorry guys that is chapter is so so so so late, a lot has been happening here…I'll try and get the next chapter started!