Shay managed to transport us to The Sleeping Giant Inn's front door. The instant I felt stable, Shay collapsed, panting like he'd run all the way from Whiterun.

"Shay, are you good?" Rapier asked, waving her tail over his head.

"Get your tail out of my face and I will be," Shay snapped.

Archer frowned at the two. "It hasn't been two hours yet."

"Actually it has," Shay said. "It just seems like it wasn't."

I looked up at the sky and saw that he was right, the sun was a fair amount further along than I guessed it had been at High Hrothgar. I brought my eyes back to earth and opened the door. "Let's go. We came here for a reason, remember."

Shay nodded and got to his feet. Archer and Rapier were the first though the door with Shay and Vigilant close at their heels. I slipped inside and let the door click shut behind me.

I was glad to see that someone had moved the chair that had been sitting in front of the door on our last visit. I inched around my companions and saw Rapier and Delphine glaring silently at each other. Shay was trying to catch their attention without luck.

Delphine was still wearing her leather armor. She didn't look as impressive standing in front of Rapier. For one, Rapier was taller and her dark red and black Dark Brotherhood armor displayed her confident, and slightly menacing, stance.

"Rapier," Shay waved a hand in front of her face. "Raaaapiiieeer?"

Rapier's lip curled into a snarl, but she turned away from Delphine to look at Shay. "What?"

"You two need to get along if we're going to defeat Alduin," Shay looked at Delphine reproachfully. "That includes you too."

Delphine looked almost as murderous as Rapier. She nodded stiffly. "Fine," she snapped. "Come with me."

Delphine started to walk away. Just as the rest of us were about to start following, an obnoxious shrill voice pierced the air. "Ooooohhhh! It's my friends! Cicero has found them at last!"

Rapier froze and her eyes flashed gold. She turned slowly, eyes shimmering dangerously. "Cicero," she snarled. "Be a good little jester and leave us alone."

Cicero grinned at the two of us. "Cicero always knew you were the touchy one. The Night Mother knew this too! She never liked you."

"You don't know that," I hissed, lashing my tail. "You aren't the Listener. Nobody is, and nobody will be. Ever."

Cicero's smile vanished. I resisted the urge to smile victoriously. It took a lot to get rid of Cicero's smile. I wasn't usually touchy, but with someone as annoying as Cicero... "What do you mean nobody will be? How do you know?"

"Because the Brotherhood is dead," Rapier said.

Archer and Shay both winced and exchanged glances.

Cicero screeched. "TRAITORS!" He leaped at us, whipping out his daggers.

I drew my sword and blocked his barrage of attacks while Rapier rolled behind him and stabbed his back with both of her silver daggers. She stood up straight and started back toward Archer, Shay, and Delphine. I glanced one last time down at Cicero's furious face as he tried to get back to his feet.

"Sorry not sorry about leaving him there," Rapier said coldly as she passed Delphine. "He deserves it."

I smirked and followed after her. She always knew how to wind people up. She was a bit brutal at times, but that's Rapier for you.

Rapier didn't wait for Delphine, instead, she shoved the back of the wardrobe open and started down the stairs. Archer and I hurried after her while Shay, and Delphine stayed at the top, talking quietly.

Archer grinned at Rapier when she sat down on the map that lay spread out on the table. "Holding a grudge on someone other than Shay?"

Rapier flicked her tail and knocked a quill onto the floor. "Nobody, and I mean nobody likes Cicero. He's the most not funny jester in the world."

Archer studied an orcish bow that hung on the wall. "I know. He's tried to kill me before. He was lucky I wasn't that great of a shot back then."

I sighed. "A shame."

Archer threw me a small smirk. "I quite agree."