Just a Skyrim fanfic: Extended cut

The listener

Astrid: Now, I need your help with a matter of more personal nature

Leonidas: Is something wrong?

Astrid: It's Cicero. Ever since he's arrived, his behavior's been... well... erratic would be an understatement. I do believe he's truly gone mad. But it's worse than that. He's taken to locking himself inside the night mother's chamber and talking to someone. In hushed, but frantic tones. Who is he speaking with? What are they planning? I fear treachery

Leonidas: Whatever it is, we need to put a stop to it. The others have been less than enthusiastic about Cicero being here

Astrid: My gut's telling me that the demented little fool is up to something

Leonidas: Well, what do you want me to do?

Astrid: Dear brother. I need you to steal into that chamber, and eavesdrop on their little meeting. It will be no use to cling to the shadows. They'll see you for sure. You need a hiding place. Somewhere they'd never even think to look

Leonidas: I don't like where this is going

Astrid: I'm afraid you'll have to hide inside the night mother's coffin

Leonidas: (Sarcastically) Because who wouldn't want to sleep with a shriveled corpse?

Astrid: Mind your tone, Leonidas

Leonidas: It just seems so... disrespectful

Astrid: Be that as it may, we have no other choice. You need to remain unseen. Now go, before they meet again. And report back to me with whatever you learn

Leonidas: (Sigh) I can't believe I'm about to do this

(Leonidas transforms into his smoke form and seeps inside night mother's coffin)

(He waits for an unknown amount of time before he hears a voice outside of the coffin)

Cicero: Are we alone? Yes... yes... alone. Sweet solitude. No one will hear us, or disturb us. Everything is going according to plan?

Leonidas: (Thinks) What plan?

Cicero: The others. I've spoken to them. And they're coming around, I know it. Festus Krex, Astrid, Leonidas, Gabriella, Nazir, and Arnbjorn. Perhaps even Veezara and Babette. What abut you? Have you spoken to anyone? No, of course not. I do all of the talking, the stalking, the seeing, and the saying!

(Cicero stomps his feet in frustration)

Cicero: And what do you do? Nothing! Not that I'm angry. No, never! Cicero understands. Cicero always understands. And obeys! You will talk when you're ready, won't you, sweet night mother?

(Leonidas feels like his heart is going to pop out of his chest from fear when he hears a dark and distorted voice in his head)

Night Mother: Poor Cicero. Such a humble servant. But he will never hear my voice. For he is not the listener

Cicero: How can I defend you? How can I exert your will? If you will not speak? To anyone!

Night Mother: Oh, but I will speak. To you, Leonidas. For you are the one. The one who shares my iron tomb and warms my ancient bones. I give you this task. Journey to Volunruud and speak with Amaund Motierre

Cicero: Poor Cicero has failed you. Poor Cicero is sorry, sweet mother. I've tried so very hard, but I just can't find the listener

Night Mother: Tell Cicero the time has come. Tell him the words he has been waiting for all these years. "Darkness rises when silence dies"

(Leonidas feels the coffin unlock)

Leonidas: Oh shit...

(Cicero opens the coffin to see Leonidas in his smoke form, but he transforms back into a human)

Cicero: What?! What treachery! Defiler! Debaser and defiler! You have violated the sanctity of the night mother's coffin! EXPLAIN YOURSELF!

Leonidas: The night mother spoke to me, Cicero. She said I was the one

Cicero: She spoke to you? More treachery! More trickery and deceit! You lie! The night mother speak only to the listener! And there IS. NO. LISTENER!

Leonidas: Wait! She said to tell you "darkness rises when the silence dies"

Cicero: She said that? She said those words to you? Darkness rises when the silence dies? But those are the words. The binding words. Written in the keeping tomes. The signal so I would know. Mother's only way of talking to sweet Cicero. Then... it is true!

(Cicero starts dancing around and laughing)

Cicero: She is back! Our lady is back! She has chosen a listener! She has chosen you! HAHAHAHHAHA! All hail the listener!

(Astrid kicks the door open)

Astrid: By Sithis, this ends now! Back away, fool! Whatever you have been planning is over!

(Astrid draws her blade, making Cicero take a step back)

Astrid: Are you alright? I heard commotion. When I heard Cicero screaming, I knew you had been discovered. I feared the worst. Who was Cicero talking to? Where is the accomplice?

Cicero: Oh, no no! I spoke only to the night mother! But she didn't speak to me! Oh, no! She only spoke to Leonidas! The listener!

(Astrid's eyes shoot wide open)

Astrid: What? The listener? What are you going on about? What is this lunacy?

Cicero: It is true! The night mother has spoken! The silence has been broken! The listener has been chosen!

Astrid: What in Sithis's name is going on here? Cicero spoke to the night mother, but she spoke to you? Is this just more of the fool's rambling?

Leonidas: Actually, it's true. The night mother spoke to me and told me. She told me I was the listener

Astrid: What? So Cicero wasn't even talking to anyone else? Just the night mothers' dead body?

Leonidas: Yes

Astrid: And the night mother, who according to everything we know, will only speak to the person she has chosen as the listener just spoke right now, to you?

Leonidas: That sounds about right

Astrid: By Sithis. And what did she say?

Leonidas: She said I had to speak to someone named Amaund Motierre in Volunruud

Astrid: Amaund Motierre? I have no idea who that is. But Volunruud I have heard of. And I know where it is

Leonidas: So I should go to Volunruud? I should talk to this man?

Astrid: NO! Listen, I don't know what's going on here, but you take your orders from me. Are we clear on that? The night mother may have spoken to you, but I am still the leader of this family. And I will not have my authority so easily dismissed

Leonidas: I never said you weren't in charge. But think. This could be our golden opportunity to earn the dark brotherhood some major coin

Astrid: I need time to think about all of this. Go see Nazir and do some work for him. I'll find you when I'm ready to discuss things further

Leonidas: Fine

(Leonidas heads over to Nazir and basically says "bring on the contracts")