“I knew Kaie ap Madanach,” Cicero began hesitantly. “She was... she was kind to me. When poor, lonely Cicero had to run away from the Dark Brotherhood after the Sanctuary turned on him for following the old ways, and the sweet Listener Liriel saved him and sent him to safety at King Madanach's camp, Cicero knew no one, had no one, and was lonely and afraid. And then sweet Kaie saw me and liked me and looked after me and found me a bed, and then a day later took me into hers. She understood poor Cicero's needs and... and took care of them and me. Even when Liriel said it was safe to return to the Night Mother, Cicero never forgot, and when he saw her again at Markarth and she wanted someone to celebrate with, Cicero said yes, of course he did, she's – was – lovely. Cicero was with her on the balcony the day after, protecting her, making sure no assassins got to her. Cicero was with her the night before Windhelm too, and she was happy to see me, so very happy. Then there was the battle and... and we got separated in the fight... Cicero was looking for her and he turned a corner just in time to see her against four Stormcloaks, fighting but losing, and then she killed one and the others turned on her and...” Cicero stopped, not wanting to remember this and from the look on his face, Madanach didn't want to hear it either but he said nothing, just watched ashen-faced as Cicero spoke.
“They hit her with their battle-axes and she fell to the ground and... and Cicero went for them. Cicero stabbed them, all of them, he doesn't really remember it but there was blood, lots of it! And then they were dead and Cicero ran to Kaie but she'd lost too much blood and she just gasped my name. I told her to hang on, I'd find a healer, but she just gasped “Tell Da... sorry...” and closed her eyes. So Cicero picked her up and carried her out of the city back to camp but by the time he got here she'd... she'd gone.”
Everyone had gone silent on hearing this, tears on most cheeks, and Liriel guessed this was the first time he'd told this to anyone. Madanach was bent over, head in his hands, not even moving. Cicero leaned closer to her, lips brushing her cheek, tears rolling from his eyes.
“Cicero is sorry, sweetling!” he wept. “Cicero failed you! Cicero should have been tending to you, watching you and... Cicero should have saved you and he didn't! And now you're in the Void and Cicero misses you! You were kind to me! Nice to me! And now you're gone.” He dried his eyes and kissed her lips once. “Goodbye, sweetling,” he whispered. “You are in the Void now, with your sisters, and Cicero shall pray to the Night Mother to look after you. You killed lots and lots of people in your time, I'm sure she'll like you. And when Cicero dies, maybe he'll see you again. That would be nice. Cicero... Cicero would like that...” Unable to say any more, Cicero scattered some red mountain flowers over her and fled to where Liriel was sitting, curling up at her feet in tears.
“I'm sorry!” he sobbed. “Cicero is sorry!”
Liriel reached down and cuddled him. Of course he blamed himself. The last one to see her alive, and if he'd got her to a healer in time, who knew. Probably not terribly likely it would have made a difference – Kaie's wounds had looked deep.
“Cicero,” Liriel whispered, trying to comfort him. “It wasn't your fault.”
Cicero just howled harder and then to Liriel's surprise, Madanach reached out and patted his shoulder.
“It's not your fault, boy,” Madanach said gruffly, not looking at Cicero. “Thank you... thank you for bringing her back.”
Cicero detached himself from Liriel, flinging himself at Madanach who to Liriel's absolute amazement, actually cuddled him back while Cicero wailed all over him.
Finally Cicero subsided and Madanach lifted his head up to look at him.
“You avenged my daughter and brought her home. You ever need anything, be it a favour or just company, you can come see me at Understone Keep any time, understand?”
Cicero nodded, still sniffling. Madanach gave the faintest smile as he brushed Cicero's tears away.
“I name you blood-brother,” he said casually, as if it was no big deal, people just earned this honour every day. “Blood of my blood, whoever harms you harms me.”
Re: Nightshade and Juniper 19.5
“They hit her with their battle-axes and she fell to the ground and... and Cicero went for them. Cicero stabbed them, all of them, he doesn't really remember it but there was blood, lots of it! And then they were dead and Cicero ran to Kaie but she'd lost too much blood and she just gasped my name. I told her to hang on, I'd find a healer, but she just gasped “Tell Da... sorry...” and closed her eyes. So Cicero picked her up and carried her out of the city back to camp but by the time he got here she'd... she'd gone.”
Everyone had gone silent on hearing this, tears on most cheeks, and Liriel guessed this was the first time he'd told this to anyone. Madanach was bent over, head in his hands, not even moving. Cicero leaned closer to her, lips brushing her cheek, tears rolling from his eyes.
“Cicero is sorry, sweetling!” he wept. “Cicero failed you! Cicero should have been tending to you, watching you and... Cicero should have saved you and he didn't! And now you're in the Void and Cicero misses you! You were kind to me! Nice to me! And now you're gone.” He dried his eyes and kissed her lips once. “Goodbye, sweetling,” he whispered. “You are in the Void now, with your sisters, and Cicero shall pray to the Night Mother to look after you. You killed lots and lots of people in your time, I'm sure she'll like you. And when Cicero dies, maybe he'll see you again. That would be nice. Cicero... Cicero would like that...” Unable to say any more, Cicero scattered some red mountain flowers over her and fled to where Liriel was sitting, curling up at her feet in tears.
“I'm sorry!” he sobbed. “Cicero is sorry!”
Liriel reached down and cuddled him. Of course he blamed himself. The last one to see her alive, and if he'd got her to a healer in time, who knew. Probably not terribly likely it would have made a difference – Kaie's wounds had looked deep.
“Cicero,” Liriel whispered, trying to comfort him. “It wasn't your fault.”
Cicero just howled harder and then to Liriel's surprise, Madanach reached out and patted his shoulder.
“It's not your fault, boy,” Madanach said gruffly, not looking at Cicero. “Thank you... thank you for bringing her back.”
Cicero detached himself from Liriel, flinging himself at Madanach who to Liriel's absolute amazement, actually cuddled him back while Cicero wailed all over him.
Finally Cicero subsided and Madanach lifted his head up to look at him.
“You avenged my daughter and brought her home. You ever need anything, be it a favour or just company, you can come see me at Understone Keep any time, understand?”
Cicero nodded, still sniffling. Madanach gave the faintest smile as he brushed Cicero's tears away.
“I name you blood-brother,” he said casually, as if it was no big deal, people just earned this honour every day. “Blood of my blood, whoever harms you harms me.”