Bound By Madness

79. The Morning After

Shivering, I reached down to pull the blankets up over us, the fire having burned out at some point during the night. I couldn't help the smile that crossed my lips as I felt the warmth of his skin against my cheek, turning enough to press my lips against his bare shoulder. Feeling his fingers begin running through my hair as he stretched his other arm out to grab his motley from where it sat folded nearby, I looked up to see him smiling at me.

Hmmm, I could wake up like this more often.

I winked at him after saying words similar to his own from the other morning, my fingers slowly tracing over the crow stitched into his side. His hand lowered from my hair and slowly curled around my fingers, pulling my hand up toward his lips for a gentle kiss.

"Cicero would happily grant that desire, every day he continues to live. He would do so within the Void as well if he could find a way, but he is unsure if the Void has mornings... or sleep? Hmm, perhaps he can just pretend to sleep once in a while so that he can 'wake up' in his sweet Faith's arms? Preferably with her dressed just as she is right now. That would definitely put a smile on her Cicero's lips," he said with a grin, his hand releasing my fingers as he moved to run it slowly down my side. "Cicero is fairly certain his lovely Faith enjoyed Cicero's... company last night? At least, if he bases such things on how long she has been running her other hand up and down his chest since she woke up and the fact she isn't trying to move away."

Watching as he finally sat up and began pulling his motley over his head, I smiled even as a blush spread across my face. I could almost laugh at myself for having waited so long to be with him, but at the same time, it felt like it was right that it happened here, in this place that wasn't stained so heavily with betrayal and distrust as the other Sanctuary. No, although it was not perfect here, at least it was only shadowed by what we had brought in ourselves.

How could I not have enjoyed your company, when you make it so... delightful? And I am assuming you feel the same if I go by how much you smiled in your sleep last night.

"Faith... watched Cicero sleep last night?" I gave a silent laugh at the look on his face, somewhere between curious and cautious.

Oh Cicero, don't look at me like you haven't watched me sleep! Besides, if I hadn't at least a little last night, I would have missed hearing you say the words again.

"Words? What words?" He paused, one foot still bare as he tilted his head to one side.

I love you.

"Cicero loves Faith, too," he smiled gently before continuing his search for his other boot.

--------

It felt strange to pass by the lake again, remembering how slowly we had gone when last we traveled this road together when we were in such a hurry now. We'd set the pace as quick as we could go without exhausting the horses, hoping that we could travel longer and more than make up any distance lost by going slower. It also meant we didn't have to exchange horses as we had on the way to Dawnstar, allowing the horses we had to rest properly each night as we slept. Even if we were in a hurry to return, we felt no need to push ourselves nor the horses.

Not until we saw the smoke rising into the sky ahead of us, my heart tightening painfully as I turned to meet my Cicero's horrified gaze before we both began pushing our horses to hurry, faster!

It felt like hours passed as we raced down the path before finally turning off, seeing a few soldiers still waiting beside carts that held a few barrels each, hurrying to meet us with shouts when they caught sight of us riding closer.

"Halt! By order of the Empire!" One shouted, drawing his sword as he stood in front of the handful of soldiers spread behind him.

Looking beyond them, I saw flames flickering, the light shining on a body that was pinned to the tree next to where the Black Door hung open. And everything went red, only Cicero's shout of rage filtering through to dance around the grief and anger that burned within me. And dance we did, the soldiers falling before blades they barely had time to see shine in the light of the fire before we moved to the next.

We moved through the entry, sweeping quietly down the stairs as we snuck up behind our enemies and cut them down with a blade across their throat or through their ribs whenever possible. The few who saw us coming didn't even have time to shout a warning before they too fell at our feet, eyes staring into the Void where our Dread Father waited.

When we made it into the main chamber, I saw Ellery rush past us, his wild laughter filling the air over the sounds of the flames that burned along the walls. Amicus cried out his own rage when we saw our Too Tall Nord nearly surrounded by soldiers, grabbing my spare dagger from the sheath before doing something he'd never done before.

I barely saw the deep red of his hair as he ran past me, racing to take down one of the soldiers who had been slipping behind our Brother, and the shock had me pausing for a moment before I turned to see Cicero looking with wide eyes at the dagger plunged into the soldiers back. We both gave a quick shake of our heads before running forward to take down as many soldiers as we could, knowing we didn't have time to dwell on what had happened, no matter how unexpected for each of us. We had to save as many of our family as we could!

As soon as the last soldier fell, we turned toward the stairs leading deeper within the sanctuary, seeing the fire that filled them before changing direction and making our way toward the kitchens instead. We would have to take the long path to get to Mother, praying to Sithis that he keep her safe until we got to her.

Behind us, a howl filled the chamber before the wolf carried the fallen body of our scaled Brother outside of the burning Sanctuary. It almost matched the sound that filled my mind when I saw our Sister fall, a sword plunged through her body.

A dagger clattered to the ground as a scream filled the air.