Thieves are gamblers – it’s sort of ingrained in our very being. I think that’s a good portion of the allure of the job – luck is everything to a thief, and we get superstitious about whether it’s on our side or not. Any thief who says luck doesn’t play a part in his line of work is a liar. Having a good streak – and knowing the odds, and when to push and when to fold – is an integral part of the whole game. So, believe me when I say this; the next part will surprise you, but it’s because I took a risk and made a bet – possibly the most foolhardy gamble I’ve ever made against the most stacked deck I’ve ever played, but I had an ace no one knew about.
When I returned to the Ragged Flagon, Karliah and Brynjolf were waiting, and Brynjolf was looking rather grim. I was exhausted, but was just going on adrenaline at that point I think – sleep would wait. ”Right, what is it?”
“We know where he’s going now,” Brynjolf murmured quietly, his eyes gleaming. ”He’s going for a big hit, one of the biggest jobs I’ve ever seen. No one has been able to pull it off – he wants the Eyes of the Falmer; gems from a statue of the Falmer race deep in Irkngthand.”
My eyes widened. I’d heard the stories but didn’t believe any such place existed – it sounded like a big job, through an area long forgotten. Perfect pickings for a thief though if it was an old dwemer ruin, it’d be crammed with traps and who knew what. Yet Mercer had the guts to try perhaps one of the biggest scores in Skyrim history. I shook my head and snorted.
“He’ll get himself killed in there – that will be our job done then!” I said dismissively, but Karliah shook her head.
“You’re forgetting he’s a Nightingale – he’s specially trained, one of the best. I was one Nightingale and even I couldn’t take him out. I don’t doubt your skill, either of you – but believe me, you can’t manage this.”
I almost opened my mouth and challenged this, but then closed it again. She was probably right; and there was more at stake here than just Mercer – if I got my fool self killed, who was going to deal with the dragons? But even so, that wasn’t entirely what bothered me, and while Brynjolf muttered under his breath, I turned to face Karliah squarely.
“Are you going to explain to us why it’s so important we get the man? He’s long gone, but we’re still supposed to go after him, why is that?”
Karliah hesitated for a few moments, but the combined looks from myself and Brynjolf pinned her down. ”Because…it’s not just about Mercer, every single member of the Guild has lost the favour of the Lady as a result of his actions. The Thieves Guild has died out in Skyrim entirely. And it will fade completely and never rise again because he broke his oath. Unless we can take care of him, the Guild is doomed.”
“The whole guild?” Brynjolf’s brow furrowed. ”For one man? You’ve got to be joking!”
“Is luck always fair?” Karliah said calmly. Well then…yes, she had a point, and both Brynjolf and I fell silent as Karliah stepped forward. ”We need to stop him. And I know a way to do that, but I need you to meet me outside of Riften, both of you, if you’re willing to do what it takes to take care of Mercer and to bring the Guild back to its former glory. It’s entirely up to you both.”
I frowned at Karliah – I had a lot more responsibility than the Guild. But Brynjolf was a thief through and through, and he shrugged his shoulders. ”Anything at this point, lass, shall we meet you there?”
“Yes, I’ll just have to go forward and make sure everything is prepared. I’ll see you in time,” Karliah said quietly, then slipped away leaving me standing with Brynjolf.
“That didn’t sound ominous at all,” Brynjolf said dryly, giving me a wan smile.
I sighed and shook my head. ”I have a feeling I’m going to dig myself deeper into commitments I’m not sure I can keep.” I wasn’t really sure what else to say – for the first time, I found I wanted to tell someone other than Vilkas about everything on my shoulders – maybe it was the loyalty to the Circle, maybe it was just trying to sound out if I was doing the right thing, but Brynjolf merely waved a hand at me.
“I’ve never doubted your loyalty. I’ll admit, I’m a thief and a sharper and it’s all I know. It’s all I want to do, so I’m the last person to ask advice from. Whatever you decide to do, I understand. But I’ll tell you, lass; I’ve never seen anyone work so hard, so fast and put everything on the line like you have. You’ve done your share, and there’s no one here who would begrudge you if you backed out.”
I thought about it…I do admit I did. However the Circle was the first family I had ever known, and I felt I owed a debt. Besides, it was Mercer and I may as well admit I just wanted to get my hands round his throat and squeeze. So I squared my shoulders and gave Brynjolf my best smile. ”We best head on and see what Karliah has planned, don’t you think? I’m in if you are.”
“Agreed, and done,” Brynjolf said, spitting into the palm of his hand and offering to shake – and I did the same without a qualm.
So off we went into the Riften night, following carefully (with me keeping an eye out for dragons). We came to an old black obelisk just at the foot of the mountains, and Brynjolf eyed it dubiously. ”I remember this old thing from my days as a scamp. Don’t know what this is supposed to be for.”
“It was placed here long ago, and hasn’t been used in some time,” Karliah replied, coming out from behind the stone so smoothly it made us both jump and reach for our blades.
“You’ve got to show me how you do that,” I muttered, and Karliah smiled.
“I’m about to; and it’s about time I did. I’ll explain on the way but I’m about to help you strike a deal – a bargain with the Lady. And maybe a chance for me to get back into her good graces.”
Into the mountainside we went – the stone hid a cave, and beyond that, a few cleverly concealed controls to enter a large expanse beyond. The place was derelict but there were tattered banners on the walls, and sconces lit with a stylised emblem of a black bird upon it. Brynjolf and I stared – it must have been impressive once.
“Welcome to the Twilight Sepulchre,” Karliah said with a look filled with memories, and a twist of sadness to her lips. ”When Mercer went rogue and killed Gallus, we fell from grace. If you two permit, I’ll show you how to be Nightingales as well and enter into a pact with Nocturnal which will give you skill and abilities beyond your wildest dreams.”
I couldn’t quite believe what I was hearing – a contract with the Lady? Strike me down for a heretic but anyone and everyone knows that luck is fickle – you can’t pin it down, you can’t make it work for you. And entering into a deal with the most fickle Lady of all seemed like a good way to end up on the bad end of a joke deal where I hadn’t been able to spot the fine print. Brynjolf also looked rather wary.
“I don’t do religion,” he grunted as we made our way through the dusty, dank halls, lighting sconces as we went.
“It isn’t religion, not with Nocturnal,” Karliah responded with the calm assurance of one who knew, and wasn’t just spouting devout rhetoric. ”It’s business. We serve her, we get the power and the luck. But that only works if we get back what Mercer stole.”
“Ah, here we go then,” I said quietly. ”The whole gist now, and not just bits and pieces.”
“Yes, I’m sorry about that,” Karliah said as we made our way round a spiralling tunnel. ”But one of the biggest problems isn’t just Mercer turning and breaking his oath – he stole something from us, the Skeleton Key. It can open any lock, any door. It’s not even a key really; it’s almost like a piece of luck that you carry around, a piece of Nocturnal herself. It should never have left these halls – I failed in guarding it, and as a result Nocturnal stripped the Nightingales of most of our abilities, and the entire guild of its luck. Everything gone, and it will stay gone unless we get it back and get back into Nocturnal’s graces. That’s what we’re up against here. And why I’m going to help you strike up a deal with Nocturnal, if you want it.”
Of course, Brynjolf was willing – he was a thief, beginning and end. The one Nord I’d ever met who didn’t seem to give a damn about Sovngarde – wine, women, gold and song was his life, and always would be. So he agreed most willingly. Me however, once I heard the terms – servitude till death, and then eternally ever after – I wasn’t sure what to do. Not that I could get into Sovngarde as a Bosmer! But still…there was a little, stupid part of me that wanted to be linked to Vilkas forever, even once the Divines came for us both. It’s why we had broken the wolf-blood curse – was I really so willing to step in to another pact?
Even so, I was a thief, and I wanted Mercer’s head on a stick. And who knew, maybe the skills would be handy in future when I had a dragon to deal with? I was silent for a little while, and then my own plan formed. Crazy to go up against the Lady of Luck herself, but perhaps crazy enough that I had a chance. The ultimate gamble, and I was willing to place my bets. Maybe that was wyrd again, I don’t know.
In any event, I nodded, and was led over to the chests where gear was already waiting – amazing leather kit, I have to say; light as a feather and giving a fair few enchantments to be of benefit to a cutpurse and shadow-walker. Believe me or not as you like, but I gave it to my daughter when she made her choice to follow my footsteps, but I’m getting ahead of myself here. In any event, down we went into the bowels of the Selphuchre with Karliah in the lead, and into a huge cave with a centre plinth and three platforms beyond.
“Last chance to back out,” Karliah murmured behind her mask.
“And give up this armour?” Brynjolf said with a chuckle. ”No chance.”
We took our stations, and forgive me for glossing over this bit – but some secrets need keeping. Let’s just say I’m not devout, but when you hear a Daedra talk, you listen. And as a thief, we all have our superstitions. It wasn’t difficult to bend a knee to the Lady, and while I played my cards close to my chest, I made the oath, and sealed the deal. Nocturnal isn’t a very maternal type, and it was definitely like signing a contract. She agreed to accept the terms, and when She had done so, I felt it. Really felt it – all fatigue gone, all heaviness due from exhaustion banished. That’s all I can say, but if you want to know why there’s a statue of the Lady in the guild hall in Riften, that’s why – and the rest of the story essentially is why as well, but I’ll get to that.
“Now, we have the luck and the skill to follow after Mercer,” Karliah said, stretching and sounding relieved. “I never thought I’d get the Lady’s approval again, but so we have. Thank you, my brethren. Now, we’ve a job to do we had best get to it, too. We need that key back.”
“And then what?” I asked.
“Well, I’ll tell you one thing,” Brynjolf interjected. ”After this we need a new guild leader, and it won’t be me. I don’t like leading, it’s not for me.” He turned his head to me, his eyes glittering dimly. ”Maybe you’d like to take it on?”
“Oh now, hold on a minute!” I said rather loudly than I would like. ”I’ve got so much going on right now, you’ve no idea – “
“In name, Dreema, a leader in name if that makes you feel better,” Karliah said, chuckling. ”You can always pass it on, but you’re a leader. I’ve seen it in you, you’re better than you think. We’ll help if you need it.”
I groaned. They had to be joking – Dragonborn, Harbinger, and Guildmaster. There was only one of me! ”Can we talk about this afterwards, please? Let’s just get the job done.”
“All right, just have a think on it, lass,” Brynjolf said. I couldn’t see the smile on his face but I could hear it; I was so tempted to bash him in the gut for it, but I refrained. ”Right now, let’s do the best job I’ve ever done, and let’s do it quick.”
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