Bound By Madness

59. Poisonous Performance

I could feel my arm slowly grow numb, swiftly moving the dagger to my other hand as I spun to the side to avoid another slash aimed at my side. When the blade shifted suddenly to try and catch me as I retreated, Amicus reached out to grab my deadened arm and use it to block to move, sacrificing only an otherwise useless limb over losing yet another area of feeling.

Darting in close, I barely managed to scrape the edge of my dagger against his leg as he danced away, grinning when I saw blood slowly seeping from the wound. Hearing him begin to laugh madly, I narrowed my eyes, watching closely as I waited to see what move he would make next. He always moved a little differently when he laughed like that, the dance suddenly changing pace.

Seeing the grin begin stretching his lips wide as soon as the laughter died off, I felt my stomach drop. When he suddenly lowered his body and changed his stance, feet shifting outward slightly, I lost my breath. The next moment, he wasn't standing there any longer, a mild burn letting me know I wouldn't feel the pain in my leg for long. A blur of red and black from the corner of my vision had me leaping away, barely missing the hit as I felt cool air against my skin where leather was no longer in one piece.

It only got harder from there, the numbness slowly spreading with each new hit, until finally I was laid out on the ground, my arms pinned under his thighs as he held his blade lightly against my throat with a laugh.

"And that is why the poison doesn't have to be deadly just to kill someone. In fact, a simple numbing poison injected into the right area could stop someone's breathing or even their heart," he said as he shifted his blade to tap different areas. "Of course, that works best when using a long needle rather than a dagger. Might as well simply plunge the blade between their ribs if you want to go that route. No, Cicero speaks of more subtle contracts, where one doesn't wish to leave obvious signs of the murder."

I felt my heart fluttering in my chest like a bird trying to escape, my eyes wide as I stared up at him, taking in the wild look in his eyes as he looked down at me in turn. Slowly, he shifted to set his dagger down, moving his hands to keep my arms pinned as he slid down.

"Faith shouldn't look at Cicero like that. It makes her look like she's waiting for something to happen," he whispered as he lowered his head down. "Cicero is trying hard to behave."

Pressing a lingering kiss to my lips, he grabbed his dagger again and jumped to his feet before dancing away to skip up the stairs with a wave.

"Cicero will keep his promise and go slowly, even if Faith seems unsure what she wants! Besides, Cicero should tend to Mother now! She's been waiting very patiently for her Keeper to do his job today!"

Of course, this left me laying on the ground, my limbs numb and with little patience to wait out the several minutes left before I would regain feeling in them. I could only pray that nobody-

"Well, well. This has got to be the funniest thing I've seen all week, niblet," the too tall Nord said with a grin as he leaned over me from where he'd just entered the area. "Need a hand?"

He looked far too pleased with himself and he stood there, laughing as he leaned forward and threw me over his shoulder like a sack of flour. Still, I couldn't help grin as I saw the small trinket wrapped around his ankle, runes of protection etched into the ebony beads.

--------

"'Off to Solitude with you' she says. 'Time to give the Emperor some real motivation to visit Skyrim,' she says. As if it's that simple! We are talking a public assassination during the reception of the Emperor's cousin! This is not going to be anything like taking out someone in a dark alley or inside their home. The risk here is so high, Faith. What are we going to do if things go wrong?" The Listener was close to ripping his sleeve with how much he was pulling at it, flinching when I reached out and grabbed his hand to stop him.

Hush, my Listener. Everything will be fine. We have time to scout the area, to plan for as many eventualities as we can. If things go wrong, they go wrong. All we can do is try to prepare for what we can do to fix things so we are able to make it out alive. And worst-case scenario, we plan how you can get out while I distract the guards.

"I won't leave you behind, Faith. We'll figure out some way to get both of us out, no matter how bad things get. I'm not coming back to Cicero without you. I'm not going to do that to him," he scowled at me as he spoke, his lips pressed thin as he stalked toward down the road.

Shaking my head, I smiled at him and patted his arm.

I'm glad you don't want to see him in pain, my Listener, but if it was between you and me, even he would choose for you to live. You are the Listener and he spent years waiting for you. He gave up a lot to keep Mother safe until he found you. I can't make him go through that again.

"And how long do you think he waited for you to find him?" Amicus whispered softly behind me, barely louder than a breath of wind.

What do you mean? He wasn't waiting for me. He didn't even know I existed, Amicus. No, he waited only for the Listener.

"Ask him, when you see him again. Ask him how long he wished for someone to love him as you do. Even assassins have hearts, sweet Faith. And even the darkest heart wish to be loved," Amicus sighed, running fingers through my hair before pulling away.

I stood still for a moment before turning to look behind us, wondering if perhaps I had not been the only one seeking treasure for myself all these years, no matter how much the Jester Assassin denied he'd sought treasure for anyone but Mother. Looking forward again, I saw Destin watching me quietly.

Let's go. We have a wagon ride to Solitude to catch. I'll talk to Cicero when we return. Both of us...