The Dragonborn's Apprentice

Fin Dovahkiin Bo

My second awakening was less of a shock than the first. The fire was now sleeping, silent embers burning lowly in the early morning air, the light they cast playfully dancing across Cicero's relaxed features. He was still asleep. Deep brown eyes fluttered carelessly under their delicate lids. His still armored chest rose and fell, sending a visible breath of air from his satin, vermilion lips. A pink tongue darted out between them and gave a soft assault to the bottom half. He shivered.

I rolled my eyes and dragged my still heavy body to his. He really was a fool, following me all this way, taking arrows for me, nursing me back to health when he was the one who truly needed it. I fed my fingers through his again. They were still icy cold.

"He seems to really care for you, my Innocence." My fingers tightened immediately around Cicero's. The rough, gravelly voice tumbled across my ear drums, sending familiar vibrations through my bones. Familiar, terrifying vibrations.

"What are you doing here?" I didn't look. I couldn't. An armored boot rested itself on my shoulder and pushed down, pulling my body away from Ciceros. A steely leg followed the boot, broad shoulders followed the steely leg, and a masculine chin, dotted with blond stubble and menacing blue eyes followed the broad shoulders. Sanguine. The Dragonborn. My greatest fear.

"It's nice to see you again, love," he snarled. His boot pushed harder on my shoulder, sending shooting pains into my fingertips. I cried out in protest. He placed a large finger to his lips and shushed me. "You don't want to wake the poor fool. He's had a long night. Come on, Innocence. Let's go home." He pulled me to my feet by my sore arm. I pulled away and was surprised to find that I could. He looked surprised too.

"No."

"Excuse me?"

"I said no. I'm not going back. I have a home now. A family."

"That's not a family, Innocence. That's a bunch of murderers. They're barley even human!"

"What do you know about family?!" A deep laugh cackled in his throat but didn't escape his lips. In an instant, the gap between our forms was closed. One hand threaded into way around me, caging my hips. The other grabbed my chin roughly in his fingers and forced my eyes to his. I never thought I'd look into such familiar irises again. I never wanted to.

"A lot more than you think, my Innocence."

"Sanguine," Cicero's voice, surprisingly stable, surprisingly sane, spoke from behind me. He was standing now, one hand balled at his side, the other clutching his wound.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Did we wake you?" Sanguine smiled devilishly.

"I think it's about time you leave before you say something you shouldn't."

"What can I say that hasn't already been said, Cic?"

"So, you do remember me," Cicero was practically growling behind his teeth.

"So," Sanguine seemed to realize. "Does this mean you haven't told her?" Cicero reached for his dagger. "Ha! What do you plan to do with that? Gut me like a fish? You know as well as I do that you can't kill me." He laughed now. Actually laughed. Like there was a joke somewhere in this psychotic situation.

"No," he spat. Cicero poured a small vile into the daggers sheath. When he pulled out the knife, it was dripping black. "But I can keep you from hurting her." Cicero charged, and the cacophony of clanging blades began. They were evenly matched: brute and brawn versus sleek and skill. Strong sword slashes were met by sly dagger folds. Light and darkness fighting for their lass, neither of which entirely good. A step back and a swing above the head left Sanguine raw and open to Cicero's quick attacks. He took the opportunity to go for the throat.

"Cicero, no!" I tried to stop him, but it was too late. Sanguine brought a hand up to the slice in his neck, pulling away a mixture of blood and black. His sword fell from his fingertips and clanged onto the rock next to him.

"Innocence, listen," he muttered, eyes rolling into the back of his skull. "A dragon- a dragon didn't kill your parents. Cicero! He-" A gloved hand reached to push him back into the dirt. Sanguine collapsed without another word.

"Cicero," I said through shallow breaths. "You- you killed him. You killed-"

"Relax," he pulled off his soiled gloves and threw them at the Dragonborn's corpse-like body. "Sanguine's not dead, just asleep. I didn't cut into any arteries and I covered the blade in the same stamina-paralysis potion I made you drink last night. He'll be awake soon and when he is, he'll be ready to fight." He looked at me with deadly seriousness. "We have to leave." He began to pick up our camp.

"Cicero," I asked, trying not to look at Sanguine's seemingly lifeless body. Trying not to wish it was lifeless. "What was he saying? About my parents? About you? Have you two met before?"

"It doesn't matter. Let's go. Now, Innocence." He didn't look me in the eye.

"How can you say it doesn't matter? This is my family! This is my past! Cicero, if you know something, you have to tell me!" Tears welled in the corners of my eyes and spilled hotly down my cheeks. This was all happening too fast. This was all too real. My past felt like a locked chest, but all my lock picks were broken and only two people had the key. Sanguine and Cicero. Both of which have very little interest in letting me have it. "Cicero, have we met before?"

"I said now!" Sanguine's body began to stir. Cicero grasped me harshly by the hips and threw me onto his horse. He climbed quickly in front of me and snapped the reigns. We sped quickly, darting through trees and rocks, Sanguine's body falling further and further into oblivion.