Skyrim Dark Brotherhood Walkthrough: Delayed Burial Quest

North of Whiterun, on the road leading to the Loreius Farm, you encounter a cart that appears stuck. A Jester, Cicero, is standing near the cart:

Cicero: Agh! Bother and befuddle! Stuck here! Stuck! My mother, my poor mother. Unmoving. At rest, but too still.

Talk to Cicero and ask what the problem is. He tells you he is stuck. He was transporting the corpse of his mother to a new home, a new crypt, but the wagon's wheel broke. Ask him if there is some way you could help. He asks that you go to the Loreius Farm off the road and talk to Loreius. He has the tools to help Cicero, but for some reason refuses to help. Cicero wants you to convince Loreius to fix the broken wheel, and you will be rewarded with coin.

This begins the quest "Delayed Burial".

Open the quest log:

Delayed Burial
I met a strange Jester named Cicero, who is transporting his mother's coffin. One of the wheels of Cicero's wagon has broken off, and he wants me to ask a farmer named Loreius for help.

Your first task is to convince Loreius to fix the wheel. Head up the road and to the small farm, and talk to Loreius. Tell him Cicero really needs help with the wagon. Vantus Loreius tells you that Cicero has already asked him five times for help. Vantus wants Cicero to leave them alone.

Ask Vantus Loreius what the problem is, for Cicero surely would pay him for the help. Loreius tells you it is not about money. Cicero is completely out of his head. He is transporting some giant box, says it's a coffin, and he's going to bury his mother. But Loreius does not believe Cicero's mother is really in the coffin. Cicero could have anything in there. War contraband. Weapons. Skooma. Loreius does not want to get involved in any of that.

Your dialog choices are now:
Hmm. You have a point. What can I do to help?
He's a stranger who needs assistance. Please, do the right thing.

Option #1: Side with Loreius
If you choose the first option, Loreius tells you tat there is a guard that patrols the road the crazy jester is on. The guard passes by pretty often. Loreius asks you to report the fool, to tell the guard that he has done something against the law so that you can help Loreius get rid of Cicero. You can still decide not to go ahead with this option by telling Loreius you would not condemn an innocent man. Or you can go ahead with the plan, and tell Loreius you will report Cicero to the guard. Loreius tells you that the guard is down by the road. You really can't miss him. You will tell the guard that the Jester is up to no good and the guard will deal with it. Then you can come back to Loreius and he will reward you.

Your objective now is to report Cicero to the guard. Go back down the road and find the guard. Lie to the guard about Cicero committing an offense. Tell the guard you would like to report a crime. Tell him it is about the off jester, Cicero. The guard asks you what about it. You can tell him:
He, Um, stole something! I saw him! (PERSUADE)
He's transporting war contraband! In the coffin (PERSUADE)
He... attacked a traveler! On the road! I saw it! (PERSUADE)

Choose the second option. The guard will thank you for bringing the issue to his attention and will go arrest Cicero. Cicero denies everything but the guard won't listen. Cicero vows that Loreius will pay for his treachery. Go back to Loreius and tell him Cicero won't be bothering him any more. Claim your reward.

When you later return to the farm, you will find Loreius and his wife dead, most likely killed by Cicero.

Option #2: Side with Cicero
If you choose the second option, Loreius at first does not like the idea of helping Cicero. You need to PERSUADE him. But he is easily persuaded. Loreius tells you he agrees to help, and sends you to talk to Cicero. Go back to the wagon and tell Cicero that you talked to  Loreius and that he had agreed to fix the wagon wheel. Claim your reward.

This concludes the quest, Delayed Burial.