Book2: Bellona of Cyrodiil.

Crossroads.

Sun's Dawn 26th, 4E 190

  The next evening after getting no sleep whatsoever Bellona gets dressed in her blue dress and wakes up Sa'ma who is sleeping in a chair without his armor.

  Last night they stayed up past dawn to fill the Count and Countess in about all that occurred. The guard force was also notified as well as the damned Black Horse Courier.

  After getting medical treatment and a new pair of clothes Bellona and Sa'ma slept at the inn.

  The Khajiit coughs and rubs his eyes. Facing up at Bellona his eyes are full of concern.
"Did you sleep any?" He asks.
"No, I didn't." Bellona flatly responds as she steps away from him. The bags under her eyes make her look like a raccoon.

"I'm going to be leaving today." She says as she grabs her belongings. She sent a letter to her family about the ordeal. She's going to be taking some time off.
"This one will travel with you, he needs to keep you safe and see his family as well." Sa'ma stands up.
"Then let's be off." Bellona throws the necklace Cicero gave her at a wall before she opens the door and limps down the staircase Sa'ma following closely behind.

  The two leave without taking Cota with them. She had returned to the inn after visiting Water's Edge last night. She is confused and can't understand why the nice lady and the tall cat aren't interacting with her.

  The poor husky has no idea what's going on and wants to find her master. She sits by the front gates waiting for someone she knows to show up but they never do.

  It is now nightfall and Cota alone trots down the empty streets of Leyawiin. She's trying to find Cicero but is having trouble getting his scent. She whines and stands still. Her ears perk up and her attention focuses on someone in the shadows of an alleyway next to the inn.

  Her tail begins to wag and she runs towards the figure. Jumping on him she receives head pats and a strip of dried meat.
"Hi, pretty girl. Where's your owner at huh?" The orc man known as Garnag questions the dog.

"I was sent to find your master. Let's go look for him alright?" The orc assassin along with Cota step out from the alleyway. The firelight from the lampposts reflects on Garnag's dark chainmail armor. They walk inside the inn and are greeted with excited ramble from the patrons.

  Listening closely Garnag hears unsettling news... an assassin for the Dark Brotherhood has been captured! A member of the Heroic bloodline was responsible for it!
"Ah, shit..." Garnag says under his breath and looks down at Cota who whines anxiously then barks and runs up the staircase.

  The orc follows and is led to the room Cicero and Bellona were at. He sees Cicero's bags and quickly retrieves them. Cota barks once more and Garnag looks at her. In the dog's mouth is Cicero's family necklace. The orc assassin picks up the necklace and stuffs it in his pocket.
"Good girl. Now let's get going." They beeline to Castle Leyawiin.

  Cicero is laying on a straw mat dressed in prison rags in the dungeons of Castle Leyawiin. The left side of his face is covered in bandages as are his ribs. He's in pain with every breath he takes.

  Sitting up he winces from the sudden movement. He slowly gets to his feet and slowly shuffles over to the barred door. He can hear two guards speaking about something. Most likely him. He's going to be executed.

  Cicero's breathing picks up and his body goes numb he begins to feel a cold pressure in his chest that slowly spreads throughout his body. He feels nauseous and feels the need to run. Run where though? He can't get out.

  Grumbling something under her breath he sits down in the middle of the cell. He hates himself. He never really had high self-esteem, to begin with. He is a tool for Sithis. When something needs to be done he does it no questions asked. Now, however, he hates everything about himself.

  He ruined his relationship with Bellona and he doubts the promise they made will still hold. If it wasn't for him fulfilling a contract he wouldn't be in this predicament right now and he'd still be in Bellona's arms laying in bed. He hates everything about his existence right now. He begins to sniffle.

  Suddenly he hears what sounds like a struggle. A loud thwack is heard and another more wet sound soon follows. Cota then appears in front of his prison cell door.

"Cota!" Cicero gets to his feet and comes over ignoring the excruciating pain in his ribs.
"And Garnag!" Garnag hollers then smiles as he appears in front of the cell door. His dreadlocks swinging with the motion.

"I am so happy to see you again." Cicero looks up at the big orc.
"Same to you twig. Now let us get you out." Garnag unlocks the cell door and hands Cicero his belongings. Garnag turns around to give his friend privacy.

  Once Cicero redresses in his armor and has his bag and weapons reattached he follows his friend out of the dungeon after they drink invisibility potions.

As the two assassins sneak through the sleeping city no longer invisible they keep close to the dark walls and alleyways of Leyawiin. The shadows conceal their forms almost perfectly.

As they near the front gate while still behind the various houses and flora Cicero turns his attention to the inn not realizing she's not there. He feels the urge to rush inside and try to take her with him but he knows that would lead to his death. On the flip side, he wants to run far away from this place and never leave Cheydinhal again.

As his two consciousnesses fight a massive headache forms causing Cicero to yelp and clutch his head with both hands.
"Gah!" His eyes flicker from his natural brown to a glowing leaf green then back to brown. The other side of him is threatening to take over. He's imprinted and his mind is telling him to seek out the one he imprinted on.

Garnag takes alarm in what he's witnessing.
"Cicero, don't tell me you imp-" He's cut off with a death glare from Cicero who is still clutching his head. His eyes continue to flash between colors and small twigs are starting to poke out from his scalp.

The orc sighs and grabs Cicero's hands and places them at his sides. Looking him in the eyes Garnag tries to bring the mostly Imperial back to his human side. He's seen Alisanne do this on more than one occasion with him.
"Cicero, brother, you need to focus on the family. You need to focus on your humanity. You can't let your wild instincts win. Don't let it win. You're a human, not a nymph." Garnag doesn't necessarily know if this will work but he hopes it does.

Cicero grumbles something and shakes his head. His normal eyes have returned and his headache is gone. He smiles softly at his friend.
"Let's go."

They leave silently in the night and return to Cheydinhal a few hours later.