Back in the Reach after a long journey hauling all the Dark Brotherhood's loot back home. There'd been coin split between all of them, various alchemical and enchanting paraphernalia, even the smithing gear uprooted and now all installed at Sky Haven Temple. Eola could only be grateful Kaie had sorted out carriages and Forsworn to help out transporting it all. But perhaps the most important thing hadn't gone to Sky Haven Temple. No, the Night Mother's coffin was presently set up in Reachcliff Cave, a makeshift shrine created in the small room at the other end of the tunnel leading to the feasting area.
Cicero was on his knees before the coffin, sniffling quietly at the foot of the mummified corpse that was the Dark Brotherhood's patron goddess.
“Cicero is sorry, sweet Mother,” he whispered. “Cicero failed you, sweet Mother! Oh but it had to be done, it had to be! They had strayed! No longer believed! Abandoned the old ways, abandoned you! They had to be purified! But now... but now Cicero will never find a Listener!”
The heartbreak in his voice tore at Eola's heart, not least because it had the potential to destroy him completely, and she wasn't having that.
“Cariad,” she whispered. “Cicero cariad, come here.” She knelt at his side, taking him in her arms, holding his hand and rubbing her fingers over Namira's Ring.
“You did what you had to do,” she whispered. “There was no other way. She understands, honey.”
“Then why won't she speak to me,” Cicero snarled. “Why, when I have been a devoted son, a good boy, taken care of her, loved her, given up everything for her, why won't she speak to me?? Namira spoke to me after one kill and what does my own Mother give me, hmm? Nothing!!!”
He gasped, shuddering in her arms as he clung on to her, breathing heavily. It was some minutes before he got himself under control.
“Cicero is sorry,” he whispered. “Cicero didn't mean... Cicero isn't angry! Cicero is just... tired. So very tired. He's tried, he has! But he just can't find the Listener!”
Eola held on to him, feeling helpless as she tried to comfort him. But what could she say? There was very little she could say to make it all right. Only the Binding Words. But she didn't know what they were. The Night Mother wasn't saying them to her. If only she could find a Listener.
Well, maybe. If she kept an ear out for likely recruits. Kaie might know of a few devoutly murderous types in the Forsworn. She could bring them here, see if the Night Mother took a liking to anyone. Maybe her father could provide a few full-time priests to help maintain the place, welcome pilgrims, see if a Listener turned up from among any of them.
“Cicero,” she whispered. “Cicero, maybe it wasn't all for nothing. I mean, maybe she kept quiet all this time because she needed to come to the Reach. Maybe one of the Forsworn is going to be your Listener, or perhaps it'll be one of Namira's faithful. After all, where else are you going to find a Listener, if there's no Sanctuaries left? Somewhere with lots of true-born murderers, that's where. If this plan of Da's goes without a hitch, he's going to end up with quite a few demobbed Forsworn tribesfolk who miss the fighting. Why wouldn't the Listener be one of them? We venerate Sithis too, don't forget. I imagine we could set up a little Shrine here, get Da to give us some priests, have the Night Mother available for Forsworn warriors to pray to. She might easily find one of them worthy.”
Cicero perked up for the first time since they'd finished with Astrid.
“Really?” he whispered, drying his eyes. “You think the Forsworn might have a Listener in their ranks?”
“Quite possibly,” Eola said, ruffling his hair, pleased to finally see a smile again. “Either way, they'll help keep her safe until she chooses someone. Don't worry, Cicero. We'll help you take care of her. It's not all down to you.”
Re: The Wolf Queen Awakens 23.8
Cicero was on his knees before the coffin, sniffling quietly at the foot of the mummified corpse that was the Dark Brotherhood's patron goddess.
“Cicero is sorry, sweet Mother,” he whispered. “Cicero failed you, sweet Mother! Oh but it had to be done, it had to be! They had strayed! No longer believed! Abandoned the old ways, abandoned you! They had to be purified! But now... but now Cicero will never find a Listener!”
The heartbreak in his voice tore at Eola's heart, not least because it had the potential to destroy him completely, and she wasn't having that.
“Cariad,” she whispered. “Cicero cariad, come here.” She knelt at his side, taking him in her arms, holding his hand and rubbing her fingers over Namira's Ring.
“You did what you had to do,” she whispered. “There was no other way. She understands, honey.”
“Then why won't she speak to me,” Cicero snarled. “Why, when I have been a devoted son, a good boy, taken care of her, loved her, given up everything for her, why won't she speak to me?? Namira spoke to me after one kill and what does my own Mother give me, hmm? Nothing!!!”
He gasped, shuddering in her arms as he clung on to her, breathing heavily. It was some minutes before he got himself under control.
“Cicero is sorry,” he whispered. “Cicero didn't mean... Cicero isn't angry! Cicero is just... tired. So very tired. He's tried, he has! But he just can't find the Listener!”
Eola held on to him, feeling helpless as she tried to comfort him. But what could she say? There was very little she could say to make it all right. Only the Binding Words. But she didn't know what they were. The Night Mother wasn't saying them to her. If only she could find a Listener.
Well, maybe. If she kept an ear out for likely recruits. Kaie might know of a few devoutly murderous types in the Forsworn. She could bring them here, see if the Night Mother took a liking to anyone. Maybe her father could provide a few full-time priests to help maintain the place, welcome pilgrims, see if a Listener turned up from among any of them.
“Cicero,” she whispered. “Cicero, maybe it wasn't all for nothing. I mean, maybe she kept quiet all this time because she needed to come to the Reach. Maybe one of the Forsworn is going to be your Listener, or perhaps it'll be one of Namira's faithful. After all, where else are you going to find a Listener, if there's no Sanctuaries left? Somewhere with lots of true-born murderers, that's where. If this plan of Da's goes without a hitch, he's going to end up with quite a few demobbed Forsworn tribesfolk who miss the fighting. Why wouldn't the Listener be one of them? We venerate Sithis too, don't forget. I imagine we could set up a little Shrine here, get Da to give us some priests, have the Night Mother available for Forsworn warriors to pray to. She might easily find one of them worthy.”
Cicero perked up for the first time since they'd finished with Astrid.
“Really?” he whispered, drying his eyes. “You think the Forsworn might have a Listener in their ranks?”
“Quite possibly,” Eola said, ruffling his hair, pleased to finally see a smile again. “Either way, they'll help keep her safe until she chooses someone. Don't worry, Cicero. We'll help you take care of her. It's not all down to you.”