Bound By Madness

80. Our World Burns

I could hear whispers around me, muffled by the darkness I felt like I was floating within.

"What happened? How did she-"

The darkness shivered for a moment, shifting around me.

"-found her with Mother. They were-"

A faint light appeared in the distance, barely visible as I tried to move toward it.

"-and just who is-"

As the light grew faintly brighter, a figure slowly appeared as another voice joined the whispers, but closer. More easy to make out what he said.

"Things have changed, Juni. He's not part of you anymore. Only the one left, what will you do now?"

I squinted, trying to make out who it was in the distance as they began walking closer. I could just make out faint laughter in the background, somehow both close and far away from me.

I don't understand. What do you mean?

"Don't bother asking her. She won't be able to tell you what happened. She won't remember. She never does when He visits her like that."

"And how would you know? I've never even seen you before."

"You'll understand. You just need to-"

"Of course you never saw me, but that doesn't mean I wasn't there."

"Wake up, Faith. Come back to your Cicero."

The darkness that had been surrounding me grew steadily brighter, the figure cackling as a hint of purple shimmered before they vanished entirely, my eyes opening as my view was filled with honey and gold.

Cicero? What happened?

I brought a trembling hand up to trail through his hair, wincing at the pain in my shoulder from the movement.

"Cicero thinks that pretty Faith should see for herself. Maybe she will remember enough to tell Cicero how that one found his way here?" He wrapped his arms carefully around me before leaning back, gently settling me against his side before pointing ahead of us.

Looking up, blinking a few times to help focus on what he was pointing at, all I saw was Ellery leaning against a scorched wall. Looking to the side, I saw the Kitchen Master and the Listener watching me closely.

I don't understand, my Cicero. I don't see anything unusual. Just Ellery, the Kitchen Master, and my Bastian here with us.

"That is just it, sweetling. We all see Ellery. All of us," he spoke quietly, his gaze drifting to my Jester before returning to my face. "Cicero is unsure how it happened and hoped that his Faith could help explain."

Someone... someone said he's not a part of me anymore... but what does that mean?

"It means I am my own person again, Faith. Although... different than before, but that is to be expected I think. After all, I held a part of you within me for so long, how could it not change me?" Ellery spoke softly, his eyes cast down as he pushed away from the wall to take a step forward before halting when the Kitchen Master moved his hand to rest against his sword. "I'm sorry, Faith... Juniper, you didn't deserve the way I treated you after... after everything that happened. I-"

"Juniper, who the hell is this guy!" Bastian shouted, walking over to stand between me and Ellery as I stared at my Jester in shock.

Blinking, I looked up into Bastian's eyes as I reached up to grasp my Cicero's hand, still leaning against him for support. I wasn't sure if my brother would like the answer, but I could see Ellery give a slight nod to me, telling me he would accept whatever I decided to say. In the peripherals of my vision, I could make out two more figures enter the chamber.

Ellery was my... my lover back in the Imperial City. He... I...

I took a deep breath, holding up my hand to stop anyone from speaking. I was sure that everyone could see the tremble that ran through my fingers.

Things happened and I made... a choice that ended with... Ellery, my Ellery... he died. At the hands of an assassin. I... hired the Dark Brotherhood to kill my unfaithful lover. I-

"I cheated on her and then, instead of apologizing, I tried to lay the blame at her feet. I was an ass and although assassination was a bit much... I know now that if I had simply come back to her, if I had told her I was sorry like I should have... it was my own foolish pride that led to my death and I was stupid enough and she hated herself enough that when I returned to her... I'll never be able to undo the years of wrong that followed my return," he started out sounding so confident, yet bitter, but by the end of his words, he was barely whispering as he sank to the ground just beyond Bastian. "All I can do is try to earn your forgiveness, Juniper. No matter how long that takes."

Ellery... I... I'm almost done with your newest cap. If it's still not right, then maybe this time you can tell me what kind of cap you want me to make you.

I smiled up at him even as the tears ran down my cheeks. My Ellery was finally able to bring his Laughter back to the rest of the world. Oh, but what about...

"I'm still with you, dear Faith. I'll always be with you, for that is my place in this world," Amicus whispered softly, dark red hair appearing for a moment as I felt warm lips brush against my cheek before vanishing again. "No matter what the future holds, I'll never leave you."

"Does anyone know how the Penitus Oculatus found the Sanctuary? How did they get through the Door? And how did Ellery return to life, when his soul should have been in the Void?" Babette's voice echoed through the remains of the burned chamber.

When I turned to look at her, I saw Mother's coffin standing near the pool, the doors open and her body revealed to me at last. And she was... terrifyingly lovely to behold.

"I think the more important question all of you should be asking is... are you going to do as Mother requested and complete the contract? And also, who is going to go with Mother to the other Sanctuary and who shall have the pleasure of killing the Emperor? I doubt you want to leave Mother behind, after all. You'll need her to guide what remains of the Brotherhood. We don't want to just vanish, do we?" Ellery stood, a smirk appearing on his face as he brushed off his black and gold motley.

"Oh, is the poncy runt one of us now?" The Tall Nord growled the words, taking a step toward the Jester.

"He has been one of us since sweet Faith joined. And the mutt can't tell Cicero that he doesn't think kind Faith is one of us. Cicero saw how the mutt reacted when he saw her fall with Mother's coffin. After all, Cicero reacted the same way."