Fate's Games

(A/N: Third up today. This quest I hated most of all in the Brotherhood quest line. I mean words cannot describe how much I loathed it, especially after witnessing the tender goodbyes he gave his loved ones. The only thing that got me to complete it was the fact you can't get Cicero as a follower unless the Brotherhood is done. I never did kill Commander Maro. I couldn't help but feel sorry for him despite his attack on the sanctuary, maybe even that he was almost justified in doing so. There is no greater sorrow or pain than that of a parent who has just lost a child.)

Last Goodbye

Goodbyes were hard enough. If they had known that it would be their last, they would have made so much more of it. They all would have. "Don't stop unless absolutely necessary. If something seems to be going wrong, if you're followed…" the man lovingly, fearfully, said.

"Father, you're being paranoid," the young man replied, cutting his father off. "I'll be fine."

"I know you will, I know. It's just…" the Commander began. He sighed deeply, looking down with tears burning his eyes. He looked up at his only child and finished. "Be careful… I love you."

"I love you too, father," the young man answered, grinning softly. Neither of them were aware of the eyes watching.

"Gaius!" a woman called quickly, racing from the inn and running up to him. She threw her arms around him, holding him tightly. "I know that this is so, so important, but… But you better come back to me, you hear?" she begged, a catch in her voice as she wept softly.

"Oh Faida, you know you mean everything to me… I'll always come back," he replied. She shook her head in denial, kissing him lovingly.

"I don't want you to leave," she begged, because she sensed, she felt, she dreamt, that this time he wouldn't return.

"I love you," he whispered softly, his hand tenderly going to her stomach and rubbing it lightly. "I will not leave you a widow. I won't leave you to raise our child alone." She sobbed, nodding and smiling at him. She kissed him once more as he pulled away from her. He blew a kiss back and started away.

ES

His thoughts weren't on his work. His thoughts were of home. This was the first big mission his father had ever given him. It was a big deal. And Faida… he grinned lovingly to himself; his bride two months pregnant, a miracle, his own child. Divines he couldn't wait to get home to be with her, with them. He could hardly supress his excitement. He was impatient for the baby to be born. He'd wanted a child of his own for some time now.

Maybe… maybe if he had been more aware, if his mind had been on his work, he would have seen this thing coming. He would have been ready to fight back. As it was, he was caught completely off guard. It was in Windhelm that it happened, that he began to suspect something wasn't right. He almost turned back until remembering his duty. He had to press on. That was the last and worst mistake of his life. It came from nowhere, the arrow that pierced his back, knocking him to the ground. He staggered up, ready to fight, but from nowhere raced a spectral form, dagger drawn and dead eyes murderous.

The ghost tore into him and he could hardly comprehend what to do. How could you kill the dead? He fell to his knees after a time, gasping for breath. He was near death, he realized. He knew, then, that there was no hope for him. He lunged, destroying the spectre, but there had been a caster, and that caster was near. He wouldn't last long. It was funny, then, that death was the last thing on his mind. He was afraid not for himself but for his father, for his wife and his unborn child. What would happen to them? What would his death do to them? He stood and ran toward the palace. Divines, pity his lover, pity his family. Protect them, defend them. Please, please, let them be provided for. That was his last prayer before the dagger was drawn nimbly across his throat and as a soft voice whispered, "I'm sorry."

ES

She didn't hear of his demise right away. It was about four days later that the news came to her. What could she do? She sat numbly, trying to understand what she'd just heard, trying to understand the weight of what had just been told to her. Dead… He'd been assassinated, evidence of a plot against the Emperor's life found on his body. Labelled a traitor he would be treated as one. There would be no hero's burial, the burial he deserved. His body would be left to burn or rot. She burst into tears, sobbing helplessly and rocking back and forth, holding her stomach tightly. Please, please, don't let it be true. Gods, let him come back to her. Immortals have mercy.

Commander Maro was silent, looking out the window numbly, blankly. His only son… his baby boy… Dead? A traitor? No… no, he wouldn't believe that. He could never believe that. Faida looked towards the man, stroking her stomach. Immortals, she couldn't even begin to imagine the pain he felt. It hurt her to realize, but whatever she was feeling now… It was nothing compared to what the father must feel. All at once the Commander, the one who had seemed so strong, burst into sobs and screamed in anguish, falling to his knees and holding his head. "I'm sorry, sir," the soldier who had brought the news apologetically said.

Sorry? He was sorry? What would sorry do? Sorry wouldn't bring their loved one back. Commander Maro looked slowly up, shaking in rage. "The Dark Brotherhood… They will pay for this. They will pay for the slaughter of my son," Maro vowed, and Faida actually shivered. To her own shock what had been hatred towards the assassins turned to pity and worry, because if there was one thing you did not want to cross, it was a parent, a powerful parent, who had just lost their only child. Gaius would be given a proper burial if the Commander had to break every law and rule that was in existence to obtain it.

Faida looked out the window longingly, wishing and praying she would see him coming home, walking up the road. If only he could return… She would be safe again, protected. Commander Maro would be stopped from doing what she knew he was about to do. The Brotherhood, so many lives, would be saved. Come home, my love, come home. My darling, come back. Come back to me and to your child. Immortals, if she lost this child her life would be over. If she lost Commander Maro… He was now her only remaining protector and provider. If he was killed, she and her baby would die anyway. The inn didn't earn her enough to live on. Not in Dragonbridge. She was lost… Gods, she was lost. Divines, pity her, protect her. Gaius, Gaius, Gaius… Come back to me, my beloved one. Come back to me…

(A/N: Like I said, I hated this part of the quest line. That's saying something because I love the Dark Brotherhood. I hated Vittoria's murder as well. Anyway, the method of assassination I used in this was how I did it. One arrow to the back, set Lucien Lachance on him, and then sneak up and finish the job if Lucien failed. On one of my files Lucien actually succeeded. I'd hoped that would be enough this time around, but it wasn't.)