A/N: Ah, it's a short one. Sorry about that, especially since you had to wait so long for me because of exams:3 I apologize for that. I do hope you enjoy it, and the next one should be done quite soon. I actually wrote that before this oneX3 May the Dread Father Sithis keep you, brothers and sisters.

Chapter 26: Breaching Security? What Security?

I had wanted to move all my things to Cicero's chambers that night, but something had stopped me and I had simply left it all there, and made my way into his bed again. It was probably the best night's rest I had ever gotten, and the feel of Cicero's arms around me in the morning…. How could I ever have started a fight with him? I wondered sleepily, thinking back to his second day at the Sanctuary. He had it coming…. I insisted, smiling impulsively when Cicero kissed my hair, his hands running along my back. I held him closer to me, and his arms tightened around me. "Cicero wishes you'd stay here forever, sweet Alysa," he breathed softly.
I smirked happily into his chest. "That makes two of us…." I couldn't help but think of my next contract.
"Cicero supposes you're thinking of how you're going to chase and gut and stab and kill Maro's son?"
I giggled. "Yes. I should go…."
"But you won't?"
"Not yet."

Gabriella stopped me and Cicero at the Door. "I've only just managed to clear this with Astrid, and she's agreed that if you kill Maro in one of the cities as specified, your bonus will be a token for a reading by Olava. She's a close friend of mine, and the reading is an opportunity not to be missed. Good luck, Sister Listener, and may you hunt well."
"Thank you, Gabriella. I will. Night Mother and Sithis keep you," I replied, Cicero standing close behind me. The Dunmer woman only smiled at us, drifting back to the main Sanctuary. Cicero followed me to the horses, helping me tack up my steed and tie my pack to the saddle. "Cicero wishes you could wear your Dark Brotherhood armor, and not that horrid, commoner's leather," he sulked, glaring at the brown armor. I sniggered at him, vaulting into the saddle. "Soon, Cicero, I'll be back in my usual armor, and before you know it I'll be back with another tale of blood and glory for our Family!"
Cicero giggled, jumping up and down briefly. "Oh, sweet Listener, dear Alysa, you shall! You shall! And I will wait for you, here – well, not here because here is outside, but well…" he trailed, looking up at me. "May the Night Mother watch over you, Alysa."
"And you, Cicero." I replied, touching his face. He took my hand and briefly pressed his lips to it, then backed away so I could ride.

My horse grunted with effort as I forced my palomino stallion to a gallop.

Pray for mercy from your gods, Gaius Maro.

Cicero watched her race off with a dark grin-smirk-snarl on her face. Oh, how I wish I could go with her… hunt with Cicero's beloved Listener, his very own Alysa, forever and ever and ever and ever…. Cicero giggled, turning and leaving only when he didn't hear the hooves thundering and pounding on the forest floor anymore. He went back inside the Sanctuary with a heavy sigh finally settling on cleaning the Night Mother once he got back to his chambers.

"– Bloody Imperial thinks that the two of them will run the place! Over my dead body!"

Cicero stopped to listen, sneaking-creeping closer to Astrid's door.

"Astrid, love, aren't you over-reacting? Yes, the fool is obsessed with her and this… Night Mother, but can't we play them against each other? Plant a few ideas here, and some there, and force them apart and you closer to Alysa?"

Treacherous, conniving harlot and her dog! Cicero will not stand for such evil and heresy! I will show them, prove the Might of the Listener, and the Grace of our lady the Night Mother! Cicero will, this he vows, and oh, sweet Mother, none will be able to stop him when he does…. Cicero slips his ebony dagger back into its sheath, and stalked back to his chambers. It was going to be a long wait full of plots and threats and horrid, horrid other things, until Alysa came back….

Dragon Bridge wasn't my favorite place, but it seemed to be the one I ended up spending the most time in while on these Emperor contracts. I settled into a dark corner of the inn, watching warily as a decorated, Imperial Penitus Oculatus agent walked in to talk to the owner of the inn – Faida, I believe her name was. They greeted fondly, and he explained about his tour of Skyrim, verifying the security of each of the cities before the Emperor set out for Skyrim. He had memorized his tour, he said softly, and claimed to have left the missive. Faida expressed her concern, and he assured her he would be fine – he was leaving immediately. I smirked, slipping out of the inn into the late summer afternoon and picked my way into the main barracks of the Oculatus agents. There usually weren't more than three stationed in the area at a time, and I seemed to have struck it lucky with an empty building. I snatched the missive and left, slipped back into the inn and packed my things. I'd leave in the morning, and ride straight across the country for the next city.

I spent the rest of the day quiet in my room, reading the missive and plotting my route on my map. Little Maro was headed for Windhelm first, then Riften, Whiterun, Markarth, finally ending in Solitude. Interesting, I narrowed my eyes at the missive and my map. The Emperor isn't going everywhere, then. I'll stick with my plan to get Little Maro in Riften, and leave my mark in the city. If I need to, and have no other choice, I can run for the Ratway and pray to Sithis that Delvin will help me escape the city. Otherwise I can walk out that same day and none will be the wiser until they find his body…. I grinned darkly, folding everything away and turning in for the night. What a happy hunt this would be….

I made my way to Riften via Morthal, then across the country, passing by Lake Jorgrim, then racing south along the Black River to Shor's Stone, and finally I was in Riften. A beggar informed me that Jarl Laila had been stepping up on the amount of guards in the streets, trying especially hard to lessen the crime around the city for some 'important visitors'… I smirked under my cloak's hood and handed the old man a coinpurse of twenty gold, renting a room in the ever-faithful Bee and Barb.

It was another four days before Little Maro and his entourage appeared at dusk, and it seemed all of Jarl Laila's court was gathered to greet the agent. I snarled from my position on a bridge, most of my face covered by my cloak's hood. The seven agents were given lodging in Mistveil Keep, and they quickly followed the Jarl inside, presumably to drop their possessions.

"Uthgerd! It's good to see you again!"

I spun round to see a young woman smiling brightly and waving as Uthgerd the Unbroken walked over, a gentle smile on her face as she embraced the woman. It seemed that Tawarthion wasn't with her… did that mean they had parted ways? I tuned into their conversation while I browsed the stalls listlessly, gathering that Tar was spending some time in Solitude with Lisette while he was waiting for word from a close friend and Ulfric. I abandoned by aimless shopping when Little Maro walked out with his guards, dividing them and sending them out into the city. Thankfully, each man patrolled alone – including Little Maro. I sniggered, wondering what his reaction would be if I called him that. It seemed he had been the one to take the Ratway passages; if he was going down to talk to the Guild, he'd be in for a surprise. I would wait for him to come up again. No-one had seen my face yet….

I tugged at the revealing dress I wore, irritated with the cut and the material's texture. I scowled at every second man and woman who glanced my way, and finally I saw Little Maro make his way back to Mistveil Keep. I smoothed my features, tugged my dress a little further down, and strode over to the Imperial. He stopped to do a double take when he saw me, and I let a coy grin slip out, swinging my hips a little more. "Good evening, Sir," I purred, looking him over, and leaned a little closer to him.
He swallowed hard, struggling to stay focused. I fluttered my eyes at him. "I… you… I have a fiancé, and… and I can't take you in… into…" he stuttered lamely.
"She doesn't have to know anything…" I replied. It was getting difficult to stop myself from cackling. "Besides, I have a room at the Bee and Barb…."

He completely lost it there and then, and followed me to my room. It was easy to get him undressed, to lie on the narrow bed, make him agree to being tied to the posts, gagged and blindfolded, even. I let a dark smirk escape when I straddled him, still dressed, and a twitchy grin made its way past his gag. I pulled out my daedric dagger, running a finger along the edge. "This is a night you will never forget," I whispered, and he managed a slightly nervous chuckle. I giggled, touching his face, then pressed my hand down on his nose and mouth, plunging my dagger into his chest at the same time, dragging it down his abdomen with some difficulty. He was struggling, growing weaker and weaker, and I giggled uncontrollably. "To the Void with you, Agent," I sniggered, pulling out my dagger and wiping it on the sheets. I changed out of the dress and into my Dark Brotherhood armor, throwing on my cloak and taking my pack, taking the gag and blindfold with me. I stuffed the forged letter into one Little Maro's belt pouches, and made to leave.

I stopped in the door, wondering if I should leave my handprint. I decided this time, I would have to abstain. But I'd leave a mark – I quickly carved the word 'Listener' onto the foot of the wooden bed, and glanced back at my handiwork, feeling very proud of myself, but sorry for the old sod who would have to clean it up – it was a little messy, after all.

Blood on the bed, the sheets, the wall, the floor, his armor, the side table…. The blood would begin seeping through the gaps in the boards soon. I turned and hurried down the stairs, just making the night curfew before the gates were locked. I found my steed, quickly tacking him up and riding out into the wilderness as hard and fast as he could carry me.

I dreamed that night, when I finally stopped to sleep. I dreamed that something was wrong at the Sanctuary, something had happened that I couldn't quite grasp. I woke with a start at dawn, shaking off the memory of the dream as concern for such an easy kill. I rode through the country with relative ease, feeling light when I passed by a courier who said an upstanding Imperial soldier had been killed, and found with a note saying he was a Stormcloak spy. Ulfric would be furious – but that wasn't my problem in the slightest.

"Sithis damn you, fool! You think you can control everyone with your pet corpse?!" Astrid shrieked, the veins in her neck standing out in her fury. Cicero hissed back with equal venom, his hand flitting to his dagger. "You have no right to march in here with your outdated, worthless culture and expect all of us to fall to our knees and obey!"

"Astrid, Cicero, please, calm down! Take a few breaths –"

"Shut up Veezara!"

"Cicero will not stand for this heresy! You blaspheme! Take it back and beg for mercy from our Unholy Matron the Night Mother!" Cicero shouted, ignoring the quickly-gathering crowd. Cicero would teach this pretender.

"Beg for mercy? From a corpse who can't speak, can't act, can't lead and her idiot 'Keeper'? I think not!"

"Then you will pay for this with your life! Now you will die, whore!"

Cicero pulled out his long, shiny-sharp-deadly ebony dagger.