A Fool's Blade

Chapter 34 - Cure for Madness

Gabriella ran up to her at the door, "I'm glad you're back. We have somewhat of a pressing matter to deal with at the moment. It's...Cicero. There's been... an incident. You should go into the main chamber."

"Did something happen to him?"

She cringed, "You might want to let Astrid explain."

Jade walked into the main chamber, hearing Babette.

"Just try to relax, Veezara. Let the elixir do it's work. You'll feel better shortly."

"Ahh...Thank you. You are most kind." Veezara was sitting, on the ground clutching his side as the red liquid oozed out of it. "The jester's cut feels as bad as it looks, I'm afraid."

"This never should happened! We knew better. We knew better, and we still let our guards down. Agh!" Astrid shouted, disgusted with herself.

Festus crossed his arms. "I'll admit even I'm having a hard time disagreeing with you."

Astrid snapped her attention from the Argonian to Jade. "Maro's dead, I know. But we've got bigger problems right now!"

"Gabriella mentioned something about Cicero..."

"The fool went absolutely berserk! He wounded Veezara, tried to kill me, and then he fled. I knew that lunatic couldn't be trusted."

The old man spoke up confirming Astrid's words. "It's true, I'm afraid. Cicero was a little whirlwind, slashing this way and that. It would have been funny, if he wasn't trying to murder us all."

"Don't forget about the ranting and raving. About how the Night Mother, and how she was the true leader of the Dark Brotherhood, and Astrid was just a pretender," Said Nazir, making a rare appearance out of the dining hall.

"Look, we've got to deal with this situation. You've got to deal with this situation."

"What should I do?"

"I want you to find that miserable little fool and end his life! But first...find my husband. Make sure he's alright. After the attack, Arnbjorn flew into a rage. When Cicero left, Arnbjorn went after him. They disappeared into the wild. Search Cicero's room. Maybe there's something in there that sheads some light on where he might have gone. Let me know the minute you find something."

Jade nodded, turning to Veezara, "Are you alright, brother?"

"It only hurts when I laugh." He chuckled a bit, "Owww...Dear sister, when you get to Cicero do not underestimate him. A man like that, small and foolish, is easy to mock, to underrate. Don't make the same mistake I did."

"I'll keep that in mind," Jade said, running through the winding passages to his quarters. Summoning Lucien to help her search. Looking around she saw five leather-bound notebooks scattered about.

Lucien grabbed and flipped through the pages reading entry's aloud.

30th of Sun's Dusk, 4E 200

I have written the letters. So polite. So official! To Astrid, in Skyrim. Her Sanctuary still stands. Still operates. But how? No Listener means no Black Sacrament, no Black Sacrament means no contracts. Her family can abandon the Old Ways, and still survive, still kill, but is that family still Brotherhood? Or something else? Something new. Something different. Something wrong?

Something wrong.

Still, we must go! Tomorrow, we set sail. Float on a boat through the moat called the sea her and me!

22nd of Evening Star, 4E 200

Sick, sick, sick of the rocking tossing rolling throwing upon the gray, gray waves!