A Fool's Blade

Chapter 25 - The Silence Has Been Broken

        "If I spy a singing bird~ I'll snap its neck before it's heard~!" Cicero sang out gleefully. "Ho ho ho and he he he I'll break that lute across my knee~...and if that bard should choose to fight, while then I'll set his clothes alight~."

        Veezara groaned. "Murder me Jay."

        "No way. Astrid said you had to come with me so I would remain sane. Or as sane as a person who hears voices in their head can be."

        "Cicero is hungry...need a sweetroll or a carrot. Does Veezara have one he can share with poor Cicero?"

        "No, I don't."

        "Oh..." Cicero said dishearten. "What about the great Listener? Do you have a sweetroll or a carrot that Cicero can have Ja-?"

        "-de. Only her family can call her Jay." He hissed.

        "Cicero is confused. Doesn't everyone in the Sanctuary have the same Mother? The same Dread Father? Doesn't that make us family?" 

        Jade turned on her heels towards the two, "Yes, it does. Even though we can all get on each other's nerves," she cast a glance to Veezara, "we are still a family." She tossed Cicero a carrot and continued walking.

        Veezara just rolled his eyes, running up to Jade's side. "Please tell me there are going to be draugr in the crypt so we can stage an unfortunate accident for the fool." 

        "He's not that bad Veezara. Once you get past the psychotic murderer part, Cicero's just like a little kid."

        "A Child Psychotic Murderer that just loves singing songs and wearing jester clothing. Wonderful." 

        She sighed, looking down at her map, "According to Astrid's directions, Volunruud should be close by. You go first."

        "Why? Are you afraid of a crypt?"

        "Let's just say that my last experience in one of these places wasn't very pleasant.  Also you don't want to be the one to keep Cicero quite do you?"

                Veezara cast her irritated glance as she fell behind to watch over Cicero. A path of dead draugr lead the three to a small room closed off from the rest of the ruin. A brown haired Breton approached her, speaking with an adenoidal voice.

                "By the almighty Divines. You've actually come. This dreadful Black Sacrament thing...it worked."

                Veezara answered, "You have opened the door to darkness, little man."  

                "Oh, I know. I know. But I'm so glad you're here. Please, allow me to state my business. Surely your time is as valuable as my own. I would like to arrange a contract. Several, actually. I daresay, the most important work your organization has had in, well... centuries."

        "Go on." He muttered.

                "As I said, I want you to kill several people. You'll find the targets, as well as their manners of elimination, quite varied. I'm sure someone of your disposition will probably even find it enjoyable. But you should know that these killings are but a means to an end. For they pave the way to the most important target. The real reason I'm speaking with a cutthroat in the bowels of this detestable crypt. For I seek the assassination of...the Emperor."

                "You want us to kill... the Emperor? Of Tamriel?" Jade spoke with disbelief, while Cicero giggled madly, obviously excited about the contract.

                "Cicero could do it! Cicero could be just like the Bucher in Windhelm. The one with interesting knife work. Just stab, stab, stab! Then...stab, stab, stab!

                Motierre shifted, unnerved, before continuing. "That is correct. What I ask is no small thing, of course. But you represent the Dark Brotherhood. This is... what you do? No? You must understand. So much has led to this day. So much planning, and maneuvering. Now, it's as if the very stars have finally aligned. But I digress... Rexus! The items."

                 He spoke clapping his hands, and a bodyguard walked forward with a letter and a necklace, handing them to Veezara "Here, take these. They need to be delivered to your, um... superior. The sealed letter will explain everything that needs to be done. The amulet is quite valuable - you can use it to pay for any and all expenses."