“You can just call me Elisif,” she told him. “But only when it's just us, right? When people other than us are around, you need to call me Maia still. I don't want people knowing who I am!”
“No, no, Cicero understands,” Cicero purred. “Cicero can quite see pretty Elisif not wanting anyone to know who she is. Cicero knows she has... enemies.” His face grew serious, brooding look in his eyes as he stepped back, staring solemnly at her as he scratched his cheek.
“Pretty Elisif has enemies,” he repeated. “The Dark Brotherhood are seeking your death, you know.”
“I know, I told you earlier,” Elisif sighed. “They tried in Solitude, which is why I'm not there now. And why we can't linger – look, let's see if this dragon's got anything worth having and go.”
Cicero nodded, faint smile on his face, and then he reached out, taking her arm. “Sweet Dragonborn, pretty Dragonborn, do not be afraid,” he said gently. “Cicero shall look after you. The pretender Astrid wants to kill you, but she wants to kill poor Cicero too so do not fear. Cicero will take her down first. She has already lost her sheepdog and her lizard. We'll kill her other pets too, fear not, pretty Jarl.”
Elisif nodded, relieved to have the support, and then she realised Brynjolf had his dagger out again, Delphine was raising her bow and suddenly it dawned on her she'd never told Cicero her assailant in Solitude had been an Argonian...
“Oh gods,” she gasped, ripping her arm back out of Cicero's grasp. “You – you're one of them. That's where you learnt to fight, you were in the Dark Brotherhood too!”
Cicero had gone very still, eyes widening just a fraction, and then he bolted, fleeing down the road towards the Reach... or at least he did until Brynjolf sprang after him, long stride easily outpacing Cicero and he'd tackled the shorter man to the ground, pinning him down in a hold that stopped Cicero from getting at his dagger.
“LET GO OF ME!!!” Cicero howled, writhing in Brynjolf's grip, teeth bared in fury. “CICERO SHALL STAB YOU, YOU THIEVING WRETCH!”
“Del, we can bury him in a shallow grave now, right?” Brynjolf called cheerfully. “Right – argh! Son of a...” Cicero had bitten his hand and was trying to get free. He almost made it too, but by this time Aela had caught up and planted a boot on his hand before he could get his dagger.
“Elisif, I've changed my mind,” Aela announced, also sounding pleased at the prospect of bloodshed. “Saving him was a terrible idea, in fact the honourable thing is actually to put the little murderer down for the good of everybody. Never thought I'd end up agreeing with a thief, but dumping him in a shallow grave would solve an awful lot of problems.”
A wail that was part fury and part terror emanated from Cicero's mouth and Elisif felt it tear at her heart. This was horrible to watch – she'd got to like Cicero. Even if he was quite mad, he was sweet and charming and friendly and he'd promised to protect her even if he was Dark Brotherhood – or had been at any rate. It sounded like they'd kicked him out, which was a little worrying if someone was considered too mad or dangerous even for the feared assassins' guild.
“Please,” Elisif gasped. “Please don't kill him!”
Brynjolf and Aela just looked at each other, sighed wearily and turned their attention back to Cicero. He'd stopped struggling, but the pained whimpering from where Aela was stepping on his hand wasn't much better.
Delphine had arrived by this point, standing over Cicero with her arms folded, and Elisif knew this was it, he was dead, Delphine wouldn't hesitate to order his death, she wasn't a woman who messed about. So it was Elisif could barely believe her eyes as Delphine motioned for Aela to step back before kneeling at Cicero's side. Elisif moved closer, surprised to see Delphine actually looking thoughtfully at him. Cicero blinked and looked up, wary but no longer fighting.
“Changed your mind?” Cicero gasped. “You want Cicero for a pet after all?” He yelped as Brynjolf's knee, already wedged between his legs, jerked up into his groin.
“Bryn!” Delphine scolded. “Stop that.” She turned back to Cicero, heedless of Brynjolf groaning.
Re: The Wolf Queen Awakens 10.11
“No, no, Cicero understands,” Cicero purred. “Cicero can quite see pretty Elisif not wanting anyone to know who she is. Cicero knows she has... enemies.” His face grew serious, brooding look in his eyes as he stepped back, staring solemnly at her as he scratched his cheek.
“Pretty Elisif has enemies,” he repeated. “The Dark Brotherhood are seeking your death, you know.”
“I know, I told you earlier,” Elisif sighed. “They tried in Solitude, which is why I'm not there now. And why we can't linger – look, let's see if this dragon's got anything worth having and go.”
Cicero nodded, faint smile on his face, and then he reached out, taking her arm. “Sweet Dragonborn, pretty Dragonborn, do not be afraid,” he said gently. “Cicero shall look after you. The pretender Astrid wants to kill you, but she wants to kill poor Cicero too so do not fear. Cicero will take her down first. She has already lost her sheepdog and her lizard. We'll kill her other pets too, fear not, pretty Jarl.”
Elisif nodded, relieved to have the support, and then she realised Brynjolf had his dagger out again, Delphine was raising her bow and suddenly it dawned on her she'd never told Cicero her assailant in Solitude had been an Argonian...
“Oh gods,” she gasped, ripping her arm back out of Cicero's grasp. “You – you're one of them. That's where you learnt to fight, you were in the Dark Brotherhood too!”
Cicero had gone very still, eyes widening just a fraction, and then he bolted, fleeing down the road towards the Reach... or at least he did until Brynjolf sprang after him, long stride easily outpacing Cicero and he'd tackled the shorter man to the ground, pinning him down in a hold that stopped Cicero from getting at his dagger.
“LET GO OF ME!!!” Cicero howled, writhing in Brynjolf's grip, teeth bared in fury. “CICERO SHALL STAB YOU, YOU THIEVING WRETCH!”
“Del, we can bury him in a shallow grave now, right?” Brynjolf called cheerfully. “Right – argh! Son of a...” Cicero had bitten his hand and was trying to get free. He almost made it too, but by this time Aela had caught up and planted a boot on his hand before he could get his dagger.
“Elisif, I've changed my mind,” Aela announced, also sounding pleased at the prospect of bloodshed. “Saving him was a terrible idea, in fact the honourable thing is actually to put the little murderer down for the good of everybody. Never thought I'd end up agreeing with a thief, but dumping him in a shallow grave would solve an awful lot of problems.”
A wail that was part fury and part terror emanated from Cicero's mouth and Elisif felt it tear at her heart. This was horrible to watch – she'd got to like Cicero. Even if he was quite mad, he was sweet and charming and friendly and he'd promised to protect her even if he was Dark Brotherhood – or had been at any rate. It sounded like they'd kicked him out, which was a little worrying if someone was considered too mad or dangerous even for the feared assassins' guild.
“Please,” Elisif gasped. “Please don't kill him!”
Brynjolf and Aela just looked at each other, sighed wearily and turned their attention back to Cicero. He'd stopped struggling, but the pained whimpering from where Aela was stepping on his hand wasn't much better.
Delphine had arrived by this point, standing over Cicero with her arms folded, and Elisif knew this was it, he was dead, Delphine wouldn't hesitate to order his death, she wasn't a woman who messed about. So it was Elisif could barely believe her eyes as Delphine motioned for Aela to step back before kneeling at Cicero's side. Elisif moved closer, surprised to see Delphine actually looking thoughtfully at him. Cicero blinked and looked up, wary but no longer fighting.
“Changed your mind?” Cicero gasped. “You want Cicero for a pet after all?” He yelped as Brynjolf's knee, already wedged between his legs, jerked up into his groin.
“Bryn!” Delphine scolded. “Stop that.” She turned back to Cicero, heedless of Brynjolf groaning.