“Of course, of course!” he cooed, clapping his hands and dancing on the spot. “You saved me from the horrible werewolf! And you helped me before, on the road! Oh, but not just me, hmm? You helped Mother too, and Mother is surely grateful. Mother wouldn't want any harm to come to you, no. Mother likes you, and so does Cicero! Never mind that harlot Astrid and whatever corrupt and false contracts she's made. Cicero likes pretty Maia, and Maia helped Mother, so Mother would want Maia to live and be happy! So Cicero shall help Maia, yes? Cicero and Maia, best friends forever!” He'd clasped his hands together, capering gleefully about. No doubt about it, he was the strangest man Elisif had ever met... but a friendly one and the fact Cicero genuinely didn't seem to find her attractive was oddly reassuring.
“Friends,” Elisif confirmed. “Does that mean you're coming with us?”
“Cicero would love to!” Cicero cooed. His face fell as he glanced back down the road, scowling. “Si- Stendarr knows Cicero doesn't have anywhere else to go,” he muttered. Elisif felt her heart go out to him. Poor man. He'd not been well-treated just lately, she could tell. The poor thing just seemed so lonely. Well, maybe he'd be happier with some company.
“I hope you're all right with that,” Elisif said firmly, turning to Delphine. “But I'm not just leaving him on his own for the Dark Brotherhood to kill.”
To her surprise, Delphine just shrugged. “It's preferable to having to kill him as well,” Delphine sighed. “He's seen too much to just let wander around. Fine, bring him. Just keep an eye on him, make sure he behaves himself. And you, Cicero or whatever your name is. Don't cause any trouble, and do what you're told, and there won't be any problems. We're on an important mission, I don't need amateurs getting in the way and messing it up.”
Cicero turned back to Delphine, that crafty smirk back on his face again as he giggled.
“Cicero doesn't mind you giving him orders, oh no,” Cicero purred at her. “You can boss poor Cicero around any day.”
“Talos help me,” Delphine growled, and the glare she was giving Cicero was positively glacial by this point. “Look, jester, just keep your hands to yourself and your thoughts private, am I clear?”
“Perfectly clear!” Cicero chirped, although the grin never left his face. “Cicero is a good boy!”
“Delphine, are you sure-?” Esbern murmured, looking a little concerned himself by this point.
“No, but what choice do I have?” Delphine sighed. By this point, Brynjolf and Aela had returned, Brynjolf scowling to see Cicero was still there and his mood didn't improve on learning Cicero was coming with them.
“Fuck's sake, Del, are you sure I can't bury him in Lake Ilinalta as well?” Brynjolf sighed.
“Bryn,” Delphine sighed. “He's harmless – mostly harmless. And our Dragonborn likes him. We'll keep him unless he becomes a complete liability.”
Brynjolf's expression clearly said he thought Cicero was well past that point already but he said nothing further, just drawing protectively closer to Delphine and glaring at Cicero every time he got near. Elisif watched Cicero scampering about, singing to himself with not a care in the world, and edged closer to Aela.
“Did I do the right thing, bringing him with us?” she whispered. Aela didn't seem at all certain, but at length she nodded.
“I think you did the honourable thing in saving him, and I don't think he's got anywhere else to go,” Aela sighed. “I just hope he doesn't cause trouble for us.”
Elisif hoped not either, but looking at Cicero, she couldn't be terribly sure of that. She'd just have to keep an eye on him and hope for the best.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Despite the unexpected having to hide a body and acquisition of a demented jester, they made good time and nothing else went wrong. Until that is they rounded the corner after Half-Moon Mill, made their way down the hill... and ran straight into the dragon.
“DRAGON!” Cicero shrieked, diving behind Elisif. Well of course he was scared, he'd got barely any weapons or anything.
“Stay with me,” Elisif whispered to him, her own heart pounding. “I'll look after you.”
Re: The Wolf Queen Awakens 10.8
“Friends,” Elisif confirmed. “Does that mean you're coming with us?”
“Cicero would love to!” Cicero cooed. His face fell as he glanced back down the road, scowling. “Si- Stendarr knows Cicero doesn't have anywhere else to go,” he muttered. Elisif felt her heart go out to him. Poor man. He'd not been well-treated just lately, she could tell. The poor thing just seemed so lonely. Well, maybe he'd be happier with some company.
“I hope you're all right with that,” Elisif said firmly, turning to Delphine. “But I'm not just leaving him on his own for the Dark Brotherhood to kill.”
To her surprise, Delphine just shrugged. “It's preferable to having to kill him as well,” Delphine sighed. “He's seen too much to just let wander around. Fine, bring him. Just keep an eye on him, make sure he behaves himself. And you, Cicero or whatever your name is. Don't cause any trouble, and do what you're told, and there won't be any problems. We're on an important mission, I don't need amateurs getting in the way and messing it up.”
Cicero turned back to Delphine, that crafty smirk back on his face again as he giggled.
“Cicero doesn't mind you giving him orders, oh no,” Cicero purred at her. “You can boss poor Cicero around any day.”
“Talos help me,” Delphine growled, and the glare she was giving Cicero was positively glacial by this point. “Look, jester, just keep your hands to yourself and your thoughts private, am I clear?”
“Perfectly clear!” Cicero chirped, although the grin never left his face. “Cicero is a good boy!”
“Delphine, are you sure-?” Esbern murmured, looking a little concerned himself by this point.
“No, but what choice do I have?” Delphine sighed. By this point, Brynjolf and Aela had returned, Brynjolf scowling to see Cicero was still there and his mood didn't improve on learning Cicero was coming with them.
“Fuck's sake, Del, are you sure I can't bury him in Lake Ilinalta as well?” Brynjolf sighed.
“Bryn,” Delphine sighed. “He's harmless – mostly harmless. And our Dragonborn likes him. We'll keep him unless he becomes a complete liability.”
Brynjolf's expression clearly said he thought Cicero was well past that point already but he said nothing further, just drawing protectively closer to Delphine and glaring at Cicero every time he got near. Elisif watched Cicero scampering about, singing to himself with not a care in the world, and edged closer to Aela.
“Did I do the right thing, bringing him with us?” she whispered. Aela didn't seem at all certain, but at length she nodded.
“I think you did the honourable thing in saving him, and I don't think he's got anywhere else to go,” Aela sighed. “I just hope he doesn't cause trouble for us.”
Elisif hoped not either, but looking at Cicero, she couldn't be terribly sure of that. She'd just have to keep an eye on him and hope for the best.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Despite the unexpected having to hide a body and acquisition of a demented jester, they made good time and nothing else went wrong. Until that is they rounded the corner after Half-Moon Mill, made their way down the hill... and ran straight into the dragon.
“DRAGON!” Cicero shrieked, diving behind Elisif. Well of course he was scared, he'd got barely any weapons or anything.
“Stay with me,” Elisif whispered to him, her own heart pounding. “I'll look after you.”