Bound By Madness

44. Back Again

Home. It felt so good to be back home again, after spending far too long away from the Sanctuary. Even if it was just a couple of weeks, it felt like so much longer had passed. At least the horse had traveled faster than the wagon me and Cicero had used, having less weight to deal with. Of course, if we hadn't gone into the burial mound, I'm sure we would have been back that much sooner, but I had needed that time to take our mind off of the blood I had spilled while allowing myself to sink under Amicus' puppetry.

Ahh, but I shouldn't think of that! We were home now and we needed to bring the supplies inside before I could be free to check on Cicero and Mother! Climbing down from the horse, I grabbed a couple of the bags that were tied to the saddle and walked up to the Door, smiling as I sat the bags down and placed a hand on the skull. As soon as I closed my eyes and Amicus and Ellery placed their own hands next to mine, I felt a warmth bloom within my chest as the Door slowly swung open, accepting me as Family and welcoming me within.

Grabbing the bags back up again, I rushed inside with a grin, dropping the bags as soon as I was near the Pretender's desk before hurrying down the stairs to the main chamber. I barely made it halfway across the room before a streak of black and red ran out from the stairs opposite of the entry and stopped just shy of crashing into me, those sorely missed honey-brown eyes wide as they wandered my face as if trying to make sure I was still myself.

"Is sweet Faith really back again? Cicero is not imagining her return again, is he? Please, tell Cicero that this is real?" He reached out a trembling hand, stopping before he could touch me and staying there, as if afraid I would vanish if he moved any closer.

Oh, Cicero. Sweet, kind Cicero... Yes. Yes, I'm back home again and I don't plan on leaving again for at least a few weeks. I don't care what anyone says. I need some time here to rest. The contract was... harder than I thought it would be. Cicero... I don't know if I am cut out to be an assassin just yet. But maybe with a little time, it will get easier? Not better, but... easier.

Reaching out a hand to gently grasp his own, I gave a smile that only trembled a little bit before growing steady. Seeing him finally relax, his tense shoulders dropping as his free hand reached out to pull me into a hug, I couldn't stop myself from leaning my head against his shoulder and just enjoying the warmth that he provided.

"Cicero thinks Faith should take as long as she needs to become an assassin. And until she is, Cicero will be happy to help train with her again. He's missed their dances very much, yes he has. But not nearly as much as he has missed his dear friend Faith," he whispered the words to me as he hugged me tighter, placing his cheek against the top of my head.

I missed you too, Cicero. So very much.

--------

I stared at the Initiate as he stood in front of us, nervously rubbing his right hand up and down his left arm as he gave a half-shrug when he finally finished talking. I could feel the frustration building within me, wondering just how far these people thought they could push me before I pushed back. And I would push back if they didn't back off.

It wasn't like taking their contracts was the only way I could pay for my share of room and board. I'd paid my way in places before without having to lift a blade, I could do it again. Not that I wouldn't take contracts, but it would be at my choosing to do so, not at that... female's demand.

Or, that is what I wanted to say to them, but even if I wanted to deny it, I knew that she could and would throw me out of the Sanctuary if I refused to do as she commanded. That and the Tenets themselves commanded that we obey those who were our superiors and as much as I hated to admit it, she was still of higher rank than I.

The only ones currently above her in rank were Mother, obviously, and Cicero himself if one put any thought into it. After all, if I understood things correctly, the Keeper was charged with Mother's care, a position of great importance to the Brotherhood and surely they would not give that position to someone without giving them a rank befitting such an important duty.

After all, you don't put someone in charge of caring for your greatest treasure and then say they are of no importance! And yet that is how the Pretender was treating the Keeper and it bothered me even more than how she treated me.

So she wants me to accompany you on another contract, another minor contract mind you, and then come back by myself while you finish a second, bigger contract on your own? Why? Why not have me go with you for the bigger contract and let you do the smaller one on your own? Wouldn't that make more sense? This feels like a waste of assets... She's up to something and I don't like it!

"I don't get it either, but I don't really know that much besides what Cicero has told me. Which wasn't really that much, since he had to take care of the Night Mother and everything. Not that I mind! I mean, I feel lucky to learn anything about the Brotherhood! Astrid... Well, she doesn't really talk about the Tenets or the Old Ways like you two do and it would be kinda nice to know what it used to be like... What it's supposed to be like?" The Initiate stood there, plucking at his sleeve nervously as if he was expecting us to be upset with him.

Looking at him for a moment, I turned to my Jester Assassin and shrugged before giving him a nod and sitting down at our table. Gesturing to the seat across from me, I smiled as my friend sat in his usual spot next to me.

Well, you said we have a couple of days before we need to leave for the contract, right? Tell us what you would like to know and we will share what we can. But the Keeper knows far more than I do since he has been in the Family the longest. Maybe we will both learn something new from him today!

"Cicero would be happy to teach his sweet Faith more about the Old Ways! And the Initiate as well, of course. It is good to have as many of the Family knowing how things should be as possible since that brings us all closer to being a proper Family. Cicero is afraid that we have a long way to go before we get there, but we have to start somewhere, yes?"