Dark Brotherhood: Ancient Blood

Chapter 027: The Safest City in the Reach- part 4

     "Excellent plan, Mother," Cicero cheered as he skipped to catch up with her, "Smear some blood, fake a scene, distract the guards, our record's clean! Hehehehe!"

     Mother wiped the blood from her face with her sleeve as she followed the path away from the city. Off to the far left of the gates, there was a small village made up of a few little Dwarven structures repurposed into budget housing. It was likely that the miners stayed in these dwellings while on the job, but noticing the small children and impoverished-looking mothers tending to chores, it was obvious that the less fortunate had taken up residence as well; possibly to be close to the city for safety.

     "Should we ask around again?" Cicero asked mid-caper, also noting the families going about their work.

     Mother shook her head knowing exactly where they needed to go. She grabbed a rag from a clothesline as they passed through a yard and handed it to Cicero. "Wipe the blood, dear. We don't need any more attention."

     He graciously accepted the rag and began wiping himself down as they walked. He then wrapped the cloth around his wounded hand to quell the bleeding, and carefully replaced his glove.

     The families working outside the mines watched them pass through with a weary gaze but did not try to interfere. The path through the small village came to a dead end at the entrance to a mine. Judging by the sounds terminating from within, it was currently active.

     "Be on guard," Mother said looking over at Cicero, "Our target may be trouble."

     "Cicero has been meaning to ask Mother-... how did Sithis come up with this list?" he inquired timidly.

     "The vessels selected for my children were chosen based on merit and status," she explained as she made her way into the mine, "The souls will be exchanged, but the memories and skill will remain."

     "Oooh!" Cicero gasped, "So, like moving into someone's house after killing them and just taking their identity?"

     "Ah-ha... I suppose that's what it feels like. Though, their vessels will not be killed as mine was. They need complete identities whereas I already have my own. We should refrain from speaking now... We are near," Mother's voice lowered. She wanted to avoid the grizzly details of the topic of sacrifice to keep Cicero from lamenting about Zukira. An emotional distraction could derail their mission and after the chaotic scene at the tavern the night before, they were lucky to still be on track at all.

     As they moved quietly through the mine, they could hear the clanking of pickaxes all around them. The miners all seemed destitute and depressed. They didn't even look up from their work as the two oddly dressed strangers passed.

     Mother paused at a fork and lifted her nose and gestured for Cicero to wait.

     "Smell that?" she asked quietly.

     Cicero shook his head and pointed to his damaged nose, "I haven't smelled anything in weeks. A big Nord punched me-"

     "Meat," she wrinkled her nose, "Freshly butchered."

     Mother followed the darker path of the fork but became more cautious the further they got from the noise of the mining. The ground was noticeably damp with a dark substance and the foul smell grew the deeper they ventured. She retrieved a torch from the wall and lowered it to see what they were walking in. 

     Blood.

     Cicero's seemingly perpetual grin faded upon seeing this. He needed to protect Mother at all costs. He would not fail her again. In reaction, he reached for his sword but paused before unsheathing his dagger instead.