A/N: Ok, so it's not quite the double update I had planned (next should follow in a few days), but London and surrounds kept me pretty busy!:D It was amazing, I'd go again. But anyway, I don't think I did too badly – I'm about 3/4 of the way through Tar's lineart, and chapter 19 of this is bugging my brain in the most horrible of waysX3 But I love it. So, I couldn't sit on this one anymore which is why it's here. So, do enjoy it, my lovelies; and may you walk always in the shadow of our Dread Father Sithis. And he has a new Tenant – if you do not review, you shall experience (cue Lucien Lachance's voice (Oblivion fans know exactly what I'm talking about hereXD) the Wrath, of Sithis.
Lolz, jk. Enjoy!
Chapter 18: The First Cut is the Deepest
Cicero sighed happily, breathing in the finally warmer spring air of Falkreath Hold. See, Cicero and Alysa were out here, on our way to the city. It had been two weeks since that horrid, nasty wolf had become the wolf, and he was still acting funny from Festus's spell. It was actually a little funny, really. Well, more than a little funny. Cicero giggled. "You're still getting a kick out of Arnbjorn's 'condition', aren't you?" Alysa asked, smiling. Oh, I love it when she smiles…. He just wished he could watch her walk in front of him, once in a while, to see her hips sway gently…. Cicero giggled again. "Of course! The Fool of Hearts thinks it's terribly funny! Tee-hee-hee!"
Alysa laughed, and we walked on, on, on!
"Cicero, do you sleep with that thing on?" Cicero blinked at her, stopping. Her eyes twinkled. "Your jester's cap. Do you sleep with it on?"
"I… w-well, Cicero… he, no– hey!"
Alysa ran, giggling. She stole Cicero's cap! Right off his head! Gone! "Give it back to Cicero!" he shouted, running after the dear Listener. She was fast, agile. And little. Cicero had trouble finding her, now and again. So he just listened for the Listener. Cicero giggled. She was giggling and laughing. Cicero had heard from his brothers and sisters this was the happiest they'd seen her when she wasn't killing. Could it be, it was because of… me? Because of Cicero? He hoped so! Oh, that would be a wonderful thing, if it was because of Cicero! Because he feels the same way with her…. The Listener had stopped running, and Cicero slowed to stand and listen. "Liiiiisssteneeeeeerrrrrrrrr…" Cicero sang softly, turning and listening. Leaves, wind. "Cicero will find you…."
Twigs snapped to Cicero's left.
He jumped.
Alysa squealed, and Cicero pulled her down with him; on his back, and her back on Cicero's front. We giggled and laughed, just lying there for a few moments. She still had Cicero's cap in her hands.
Cicero had found me the second I moved, because I had miscalculating the still-wintry twigs and smaller branches in the forest, caught up in my game of Steal-the-Jester's-Cap. His arms and circled around my waist from behind and I had squealed as he pulled me down on top of him, laughing. I was still clutching his cap, and our laughter died slowly, picking up now and again before fading into a comfortable, amiable silence as we tried to catch our breath.
I suddenly realized I wasn't uncomfortable with him holding me, having him so close to me. I was just positioned to my head could rest on his chest, and the steady rise and fall of his chest as he breathed had me entranced. His arms tightened around my waist, and I found my fingers lacing in between his. He gently squeezed my fingers, and I couldn't help but smile.
I didn't know how long we lay there – didn't actually care, really – when Cicero shifted. I could feel his lips press against my hair briefly. My breath hitched in my throat – there was no way he could miss that. I wondered if he could hear just how wildly my heart was thundering, too. "Cicero would love to stay here forever, dear Alysa," he murmured softly, "but we do need to go to Falkreath, and Cicero is sure Festus and Nazir might join forces against us if we return without food for them to argue about"
I giggled softly. "Them? Join forces? It'll be a miracle."
I scooted to the ground and stood up, Cicero only seconds behind. I dusted the seat of my leather pants, and held Cicero's cap out to him while he smoothed his motley over. He took his cap, and with a dramatic flourish and very straight and serious face, put it back on his head. I just stared at him, and we both tried very hard not to laugh and twitch as we stared, but eventually we both started laughing.
Falkreath wasn't much further, and we made our way to the small market, still giggling now and again. It was best to start there before heading to the general trader and other stores, simply because it was cheaper. I kept trying to be discrete about the sideways glances I shot Cicero.
Was he acting differently? Did he feel the same way I did? I'd have to wait until we were home before I started asking more questions. Cicero skipped and twirled, swishing his cap off and bowing with a lot of grand flourishes when we came into view of the town. Several children were running up to us, squealing and giggling while the adults looked on, bemused. Cicero turned to look at me, singing slowly, softly in a deadly voice as he walked backwards: "Madness is merry; and merriment's might: when the jester comes calling with his knife in the night…." His eyes gleamed, and he turned back to the crowd. "The Fool of Hearts is here!" he cried, pulling his cap on again.
I snorted good-naturedly. "A fool you are," I quipped as I passed him.
He gasped dramatically, but couldn't reply as he was bombarded by questions and requests from all the children at once. I was sure he'd keep everyone quite busy for a while. He would have been quite the bard, I thought, turning to look at him once I reached a vegetable stall. An elderly Breton woman smiled in Cicero's direction. "It's good to have a merryman in these parts again. He does wonders for everyone here," she smiled gently at me. I smiled back, but not quite for the same reason. Would she still sing his praises if she knew he was an assassin for the Dark Brotherhood? That he was the Night Mother's Keeper? That his madness wasn't quite as feigned as so many believed it was? I doubted it.
"What can I help you with, dearie?" the Breton woman asked.
I handed her a list Nazir and Festus had composed for me and Cicero. "I need these items, whichever you have here, for my... uncles. Also, since I don't know much about the different vegetables, could you mark which ones I buy from you?"
The woman nodded. "Of course, dearie. Let me see here…." She rummaged through various baskets and pulled out carrots, cabbages, radishes, potatoes, onions and a few other things I wasn't paying much attention to.
I suddenly realized Cicero was carrying the satchels we took to carry our goods in. "Cicero! The bags!" I called, watching him catch several balls he had been juggling. He grinned, tossing the balls into the air as he made his way to me, still juggling and turning. I paid little over one hundred gold for all of it, packing the produce into the bags after Cicero finally caught all the balls and handed the bags to me.
He started juggling the balls again, and finally tossed them into the crowd of children, and occasionally at a teenager or adult, if they looked interested enough - most ended up blushing a little. I dipped my head briefly in greeting to the Breton woman, making my way to the next stall, listening in on Cicero's absurd arsenal of jokes. Some were plainly crude in over-exaggerated humor, while others were witty political statements – I suspected he was far more aware of what went on outside the Sanctuary than he let on.
"Hold!" a sharp Imperial voice shouted, bringing an abrupt end to things.
Cicero had even stopped mid-word at the harsh command. He turned, frowning at the person who had interrupted the generally good mood in the market. "The Fool of Hearts doesn't like being interrupted, you know," he said crossly, hands on his hips. I turned to see who he was addressing, and immediately felt my blood freeze over in anger. Those thrice-cursed Penitus Oculatus agents…. To the Void with them all! They would learn to fear our Dread Father Sithis….
My fingers itched to pull out the daedric daggers in my boots, and sink them deep into the agent's body, twisting and turning them to make his blood spray and gurgle out, hear his screams as he begged for my mercy… taste the metallic tang of the essential lifeblood…. I forced myself to focus, clenching my jaw.
The agent had glared harshly at Cicero, and strode closer. He was an older man, something of a Nord I supposed, by his tall, broad build; his dark blonde hair cropped short like that of all the other soldiers in the Imperial Legion, though he wore the considerably more expensive and distinguishing armor of the Penitus Oculatus. His armor chinked together softly as he moved, standing close to Cicero. I was reminded of when Tar had challenged the agent who had been asking for me and my siblings. I breathed deeply, feeling my senses sharpen even more in my cold rage.
"I suggest you keep your mouth shut, jester," he half-hissed, half-spat slowly and clearly, finally turning away from Cicero to the now-silent crowd. I hefted the pack higher on my shoulder, and moved closer to Cicero. He shot me a look that shared my feelings about this. He nudged one of the children that were closest to him away, and it got the lot of them scurrying to their parents. I watched the Penitus Oculatus agent warily as his paced along the crowd. "We of the Penitus Oculatus have reason to believe that several members of the Dark Brotherhood frequent this city and this Hold. We have provided your jarl with a description of the distinguishing features of these cowardly cutthroats. If anyone has any information regarding these dangerous individuals, do not hesitate to contact us or your jarl. We strongly advise everyone to avoid any contact with such individuals, and that you avoid entertaining any kind of communication with them – they will not hesitate to kill anyone who might present a threat to them or their pitiful organisation, be it a soldier, a bard, a wife or a child."
Cicero took a step forwards and opened his mouth. I reacted, grabbing him and clamped my hand around his mouth. "Hmm-mmmm-m! Mmffff! Fm, hmm!" he ranted, his words muffed and confused.
"Shut up! We actually need to get home alive," I hissed into his ear, our earlier, happier moments forgotten for the moment. He sighed angrily, frowning. But he relaxed and nodded curtly. I let him go just as the agent turned to look at us. I let my hands drop onto his shoulders, standing closer to Cicero, my temple just brushing against his neck. I kept my face smooth as the agent looked us over before disappearing to another part of the city. "Let's get the last of what we need and go," I breathed, stepping back and turning to the meat stall.
Cicero sulked but followed me, taking the heavy meats once we paid. We glanced at each other, immediately heading south first. We'd take the long way around, and take out anyone who tried to follow us. It was a tense and silent journey – one that should have been merry and relaxed and full of nonsensical banter. It made me furious.
A trip that should have taken only half an hour ended up taking over much of the rest of the day as we backtracked and covered our tracks and hid and circled around the area. When we finally came back late that afternoon, Aventus was pacing worriedly outside to greet us. He glanced between us uncomfortably. "Keeper, Listener…" he greeted stiffly, shifting his weight and glancing down, his gaze flitting between his boots and us.
"Inside," I ordered softly, glancing around me once more, and a few seconds later his slightly hesitant murmur of 'Silence, my brother' had us all safe inside the Sanctuary again. I brushed past him, stuffing my bag into his arms. Cicero pulled him along while I headed to Astrid's chambers.
She glanced up with a frown when I rapped the door harshly. "Penitus Oculatus agents know we're in Falkreath. Everyone has to go out in disguises because they've alerted the jarl to our signature armor. We can't head into the city from the west anymore, either. That's why we're so late: one of the agents had a short speech while we were there, explaining exactly how the people of Falkreath should deal with us," I explained shortly before she could ask.
Astrid jerked upright in her chair, frowning deeply at the news I brought. "It's gotten that bad, hey?"
I dipped my head quickly. "We all have to be more careful now. We got what we needed to, but it's going to get harder. Eventually someone from Falkreath will crack and tell what they remember; it's only a matter of when."
Astrid nodded thoughtfully, her lids heavy as she turned away from me, her head quickly dropping into her hands. "I see. Thank you, Alysa."
I turned and left. I still wasn't fond of her, and the feeling was growing stronger and more mutual with each passing day. The lingering look she gave me when I turned away was enough to make me want to scratch her eyes out and leave bloody, gory holes as masterpieces of my handiwork, her screeches would be the glorious product of my musical genius.
I grinned, heading to the dining hall for food. Cicero and I had successfully managed to skip lunch and eating any snacks in our escape from Falkreath.
Cicero was concerned about those agents closing in on his Family – his Listener, specifically. He wanted to protect her from them and yet, today, she had protected him. If Cicero hadn't been such a fool, hadn't forgotten that one man can't possibly hope to fight an entire army, dear, sweet Alysa wouldn't have had to protect Cicero….
"Here, in the cold storage," Cicero corrected Aventus quickly, leading him into a small chamber Festus kept chilled with magic to keep the food for longer – it was just to one side of the dining hall. "Pack here, like so," Cicero pointed, showing his younger brother how to place the meats. Cicero remembers when he used to do this in the Bruma Sanctuary, so long ago… it was one of the things new brothers and sisters had been expected to do while they were training and such.
Cicero started unpacking the fruits, leaving a few carrots in the bag for himself. Even the three sweetrolls Cicero and dear Alysa had bought, Cicero kept for himself. He'd share with his Listener when they were alone: just for the Listener and the Keeper. Cicero smiles. He heard the way she snatched her breath when he had kissed her hair… Cicero had loved that sound, it was one he wanted to hear again, as soon as possible and as often as possible.
"What makes you smile now, Keeper?" Aventus asked, bitter.
Cicero had heard about Alysa shooting him down. He almost sniggered. "Oh, this and that, and his sister's hat," I sing, and glance at an upset Aventus. It's was like seeing many different people who looked the same…. Cicero blinked at his thought. Or, was it one person who just looked like many different ones? Cicero thinks that's confusing, but it could very well be true! After all, Cicero was many different people, and still the same one… much like the jester who had been.
But he feels a little sorry for his younger brother: Cicero knows about solitude, and it's not a nice place – the city and the feeling. "One day; little brother, there will be one you love and who loves you. But there is not one yet: Cicero understands a thing or two about solitude, and he knows it's not a very good place to be in…" he looks back at Aventus. "But Cicero… Cicero will not be idle if you try to take whatever you feel for the Listener further – you remember all of that from the first day you came here to your new home."
Aventus just looked at Cicero, and nodded stiffly. Cicero watched him for a short while longer: he suddenly didn't trust this new blood… but he also suddenly felt very sorry for him. I'd keep a closer eye on my little brother after this.
We finished packing quickly – Cicero supposed it was a little awkward after that, too – and Cicero took his sweetrolls and carrots and drew the drawstring on the bag, heading back to the Night Mother. "Hmm… must get all those hard-to-reach places to keep Mother perfect…. Humble, dear Cicero will have a quiet night, he thinks. Cicero could be wrong about his little brother – he has been wrong a few times before, after all. Maybe Cicero is just over-protective because Cicero finally has someone else, besides you, Mother?"