An illustrated Skyrim story beyond the fall of the Dark Brotherhood~
After a surreal event, Cicero is inexplicably thrown back into a clear state of mind and his memories from his life prior to his madness return. We begin to learn who he really is...
Jade leaned over the alchemy table squinting at a piece of parchment that Babette had scribbled down a recipe for a potent paralysis potion on. It was meant to be strong enough to knock out the target for up to twenty hours; long enough to get him back to the Sanctuary alive and prepare for the soul transfer as commanded by the Avatar. She stared at the vial in her hand containing the mixture she had just produced. It wasn't very much and didn't even have an odor. Would it be enough, though? Alchemy was not Jade's forte. Neither was calculating or thinking in general. If a contract didn't involve sneaking, stealing, or stabbing, she wasn't interested. But, this time she didn't have a choice.
From the corner of her eye, Jade noticed Cicero coming in from the outside corridor. She turned to see that he had his arms full of... flowers. Nightshade, deathbells, even red and blue mountain flowers that grew further south. He stopped when he noticed her watching him.
"Flowers...?" Jade inquired.
"Yeah... I-..." he fidgeted a little.
The awkward moment of silence caused Jade to blush uncharacteristically. "A-are those for me?" she asked, trying not to smile.
Cicero's eyes widened, "N-... Well, I got- oh... these are for Mother-"
Jade quickly turned back to the alchemy table before he finished stammering. She pretended to continue mixing ingredients with the mortar and pestle even though she was long finished. Cicero bit his lips together realizing the error of his words. He hesitated before silently moving past and continuing his way to the living quarters.
Hearing his footsteps fade, Jade put down the mortar and leaned on the table hanging her head. She exhaled her humiliation through her teeth. Why did she care? She'd made it very clear to Cicero that she never liked him and barely thought of him as a man, to begin with. She loathed him even more now that she was-
"Well, if she's the Dragonborn, does that mean she'll lay an egg?" Babette's voice echoed from around the bend.
"I think that's only if she mates with an actual dragon," Sage's voice chuckled as their footsteps drew closer.
Jade frowned and stepped around the corner right into the path of the two gossiping brats. Sage released a startled yelp upon seeing her and almost collided with Babette.
"Listener!" Babette laughed, not at all ashamed that Jade had heard, "How's the potion coming along?"
"What were you saying, un-child!?" Jade barked.
"Oh, I'm sorry. That's right. You are no longer the Listener," Babette crossed her arms and beamed up at her, "What should we address you as now? Dragon-momma?"
Sage didn't join in the humor. He looked increasingly uncomfortable feeling trapped in the doorway. Two powerful females were having a spat and he didn't want to be part of it.
"So everyone knows, huh?" Jade hissed.
"Oh, Gods, yes. I'm sure word has made it all across Skyrim by now. The Dragonborn, brought down in her prime by the seed of a madman. How romantic. Are you two going to settle down and raise a circus of jester babies?"
"FUS RO- DAH!!!"
Babette suddenly found herself airborne with the unrelenting force of the Dovahkiin's shout. Her tiny body slammed into Sage who was now thinking, 'What did I do!?' as they both were thrown backward down the corridor.
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