Dark Brotherhood: Ancient Blood

Chapter 051: Premonition

     The pleasant aroma of seasoned meat cooking called to Cicero from his bed. He found himself sitting up and pulling the soft linen sheets aside. His bedroom was of Cyrodiilic fashion with fine Imperial furniture. Everything was clean and undamaged. He stood up slowly and brushed the wrinkles out of his white dress shirt- wait a second. It was that dream again...

     Cicero rushed to the kitchen. Sure enough, a very pregnant Jade was standing at the wood stove preparing food just like before. She glanced over and smiled that unnatural smile at him.

     "Hey, you. You're finally awake," she said in a pleasant un-Jade-like tone.

     "Jade..." Cicero exhaled softly as he reached out and pulled her into his arms around her without hesitation.

     "Oh," she jumped in surprise, "What's gotten into you?"

     "I'm sorry," he replied quietly, "I'm sorry I never said anything."

     Jade stared at him confused, "Is something wrong, love?"

     Love? That didn't sound right. Cicero had to remind himself that this wasn't real... was it? No... no. He already knew what was going to happen. He'd been here before. But he wanted to do things his way this time.

     "I'm sorry I was unable to tell you how I felt... before," he was stumbling over his words, "I've been in denial and-"

     "Oh!" she gasped, "I forgot to tell you! Mother is here."

     "..."

     "She arrived this morning. She's in the family room. Go say hello. I think she wants to speak to you," Jade kissed him on the cheek and began to pull away.

     Cicero frowned but didn't let her go this time. She stared at him a moment longer.

     "Cicero... are you sure everything is alright?" she asked sounding genuinely concerned.

     He continued to hold her tightly. She timidly wrapped her arms around him to return the embrace but with much less passion.

     "Where are you...?" he whispered and tucked his face into the side of her neck. 

     Jade lifted her hand to stroke his hair. It felt so real. Was it real? Please let this be real...

     "Breakfast is burning, love," she mumbled as if not even hearing him.

     Finally, Cicero reluctantly let her go. As if a puppet, she turned back to the stove and began tending to the food again. His arms felt heavy as he stood there watching the stranger before him. This wasn't Jade. This wasn't the woman he fell for. He wanted that feisty, traumatized, broken woman that constantly found a reason to test him... not a housewife with no thoughts or opinions of her own. She still looked beautiful though.

     Cicero rubbed his temple as he turned to the family room. He wasn't sure if he wanted to see his mother again. His heart was still reeling from seeing the very tree she had hung herself from even after all these years. Thoughts of just finally burning it down began filling his head.

     The family room was dark with just the warm glow from the fireplace as predicted. Automatically, he approached the rocking chair seeing the frail outline of a woman sunk back into it.

     "Mother," he sighed half-heartedly, "I'm... I'm happy you are still with us-"

     A sharp chill ran up Cicero's spine as his eyes landed on the shriveled corpse of the Night Mother there. The sunken eye sockets and paper-like skin were so familiar- too familiar- Her stiff contorted body locked in that eternal silent scream... and then he saw it. Around her neck, a noose. The rope trailed to the floor where the end was frayed as if cut violently.