A Fool's Blade

Chapter 1 - Delayed Burial

Jade shook her head. All these jobs had become too simple, too repetitive, and, worst of all, boring. Talk to Vex or Delvin, get a job, get the item, forge the ledger, return, repeat. At first Jade thought it would be interesting, and it was at first. Whenever she and Brynjolf taken enough requests from one area they got a special job that gave them a new client.

Soon after that, there was the incident with the Nightingales, but that was about a year ago and a whole other story. Bryn had proposed to her a year ago as well, but she wasn't ready to settle down. There were plenty more things that she could do besides thievery, she just needed to find them. Although when Jade came across a little farm just north of Whiterun, she was fascinated by the strange sight. She approached the scene.

There was a man there who looked a bit older than Bryn and wore rust-colored jester clothing. He seemed to be mumbling to himself.

"Agh! Bother and befuddle! Stuck here! Stuck! My mother, my poor mother. Unmoving. At rest, but too still!"

"Excuse me, but is something wrong?"

"Poor Cicero is stuck. Can't you see? I was transporting my dear, sweet mother." The man laughed gleefully. "Well, not her. Her corpse! She's quite dead. I'm taking Mother to a new home. A new crypt. But... Aggh! Wagon wheel! Accursed wagon wheel! It broke! Don't you see?"

"Would you like some help?"

The man laughed again, clapping his hands, doing a little dance. "Oh. Oh yes! Yes, the kindly stranger can certainly help! Go to the farm - the Loreius Farm. Just over there, off the road. Talk to Loreius. He has tools! He can help me!

But he won't! He refuses! Convince Loreius to fix my wheel! Do that, and poor Cicero will reward you. With Coin! Gleamy, shiny Coin! The farmer is at his farm! Where else would he be? Loreius is his name. Talk to him. Convince him to help poor Cicero."

Jade walked up the little hill and looked around, seeing freshly plowed dirt and a couple resting in two wooden chairs by the house.

"Um... That man down there seems to need your help."

"That Cicero feller? Hmph. Tell me something I don't know. Crazy fool's already asked me about five times. Seems he's not satisfied with my answer. Why can't he just leave us alone?" Then man answered, obviously distressed.

"I'm sure he'll pay you for your help."

"Pay me? You think this is about money?" Loreius scoffed, "Have you seen the man? He's completely out of his head. A jester? Here, in Skyrim? Ain't been a merry man in these parts for a hundred years! And he's transporting some giant box. Says it's a coffin, and he's going to bury his mother. Mother my eye. He could have anything in there. War contraband. Weapons. Skooma. Ain't no way I'm getting involved in any of that."

"He's a stranger in need of assistance. Please, do the right thing."

"What?! And just who in Mara's name are you, anyway? Hmm? Come here, telling me my business. And for what? To help a- a- a fool!"

"You know you should help him." Jade said, speaking with her silver tongue.

He stumbled over his words, "Look, I... I..." and sighed, "You're right. You're right. Feller might be nutters, might not. But fact is, he needs help. I turn him away, what kind of man am I? Look, um... Thanks. And I'm sorry for my unneighborly reaction. If you talk to Cicero, you be sure and tell him I'll be down to help soon." The man went into the house and Jade went back to the peculiar man.

"Poor mother... Her new home seems so very far..." he murmured.

"I talked to Loreius. He's agreed to fix your wagon wheel."

Cicero began to dance again and laughed while thanking her, "Oh stranger! You have made Cicero so happy! So jubilant and ecstatic! But more! Even more! My mother thanks you! Here, here. For your troubles! Shiny, clinky gold! A few coins for a kind deed! And thank you! Thank you again." He handed her a coin purse and bid her farewell. "I will wait for Loreius! Oh yes, mother and I will wait right here, right here until he fixes our wheel."

Jade waved goodbye to the strange man as she started back toward Riften. Guess I've got an interesting story to tell Jackie.