Shadows Preserve Us

Chapter 7: Hard Answers

Almeta's POV
I don't know how long I was out. All I do know is that right now I feel warm, and am laying on something comfy. I slowly open my eyes and I don't recognize my surroundings. I jump up and feel a sharp pain run through my shoulder and stomach. "Easy, don't get up so quickly. How are you feeling?" As my head clears, I get a good look at the girl in front of me. Then I recognize the voice. Karliah! "Hold on, you shot me!" "No, I saved your life. That arrow was covered in a unique paralytic poison. It slowed your heart rate and kept you from bleeding out. If I had intended to kill you, we wouldn't be having this conversation." "But why?" "I had originally intended to use that arrow on Mercer, but I never had a clear shot. I made a split second decision to get you out of the way and it saved your life." "Ok, so what now? I'll help you as much as I can, seeing as you saved my life and brought me here. Which is where by the way?" "We are in the basement room in the inn at Winterhold. The inn keeper has agreed not to mention our presence to anyone who may ask. As for what to do next, I already have that figured out. My use of Snow Veil Sanctum wasn't simply for irony's sake. I also was looking for Gallus' journal. It had evidence of Mercer's wrong doing. I was hoping to get the journal, capture Mercer, and prove my innocence. Now, my only hope is the journal but it is written in some strange language. That is the reason I came here. My friend, Enthir is an expert on language. If anyone can decipher the journal, it is him. He is looking at it right now." At that moment a wood elf man walks into the little room. "Karliah, there is a problem. This is written in the falmer language. Leave it to Gallus to write in a long dead language." Karliah turns to him. "What do you need to translate it. Anything you need, I'll get it." Enthir starts to talk, but I cut him off. "I may be able to help. During my travels, I found myself in Markarth for a while. I worked for the court wizard Calcelmo while I was there to earn some spare gold. One of the items in his museum is a stone tablet that he said could help him read the falmer language." "Excellent, I will leave in the morning." "Sorry to burst your bubble Karliah, but Calcelmo has insanely tight security and he would never let you in. He may let me in though. After everything I did for him, there is at least a chance." Karliah reluctantly agrees to let you go in her place. Well no time like the present. I get up slowly and immediately leave the inn. I see a carriage that just dropped someone off and is about to leave. I may not like carriages, but I need to get to Markarth as quick as possible. And with my wounds, I am not particularly fast moving.I rush up and ask if he would take me to Markarth. He agrees and charges me 20 gold for the trip. Thankfully, I still have my coin purse on me. I climb in the carriage, and start towards Markarth.

(Time skip)

Finally, after 2 days in that awful carriage we have arrived at Markarth. I thank the driver and head directly to the keep. I keep my head down, just in case, but run into no trouble. I arrive to where Calcelmo worked when I was here and see he hasn't moved. If I didn't know better, I would think he hasn't left this spot since I left. "Good day Calcelmo! It has been a while." He turns to look at me, clearly annoyed and thinking I am just some other scholar. He smiles when he notices it is me. "Ah Almeta, it has been a while. Where have you been?" "Here and there. I heard you have found some very interesting discoveries since I was gone. I was wondering if you needed any help again? I am in town for a few days and would be happy to help." "I don't know, I am trying to keep things secret for the time being. Spies everywhere." "But Calcelmo, you know me. I would never give away your secrets." "I guess I could give you some work. Here is the key to my museum and laboratory. Please deliver this not to my nephew. He should be further into the lab." He hands me a package that I guess was something for the nephew's research. He also hands me a pass that will let the guards know I am supposed to be there. "Thank you Calcelmo. I'll be back soon." He nods and I turn to leave. I feel a little bad tricking him, but I need to prove that Mercer is a lier. I head into the museum, nodding to the guard on duty. I walk into the museum and look around. Calcelmo has definitely expanded his collection since I was last here, but I don't see the tablet. Calcelmo must have left it in the laboratory for now. Damn, this will be harder than I hoped. I go into the laboratory and start looking. A few guards go to attack me, but see the pass and quickly stop allowing me to pass. I find the nephew and give him the package. I also spot a dwarven cube that Delvin might like, if I ever get back to the guild. I wonder what Mercer told them? Did Karliah kill me or am I a traitor and he had to kill me in defense? Guess I'll find out when I finish this job. I turn back to the nephew and say, "Oh! Before I forget, your uncle wanted that cube and a copy of the falmer language tablet. Said something about a new theory that he wants to check?" I hope he believes that nonsense. Luck is on my side for once and the nephew just nods his head. "Well, take the cube then and the tablet is in the hall past that door." He barely looks up from his work. I walk over and grab the cube. When no one suddenly reacts, I head for the door that he had indicated. With almost no effort, I am in the hall that contains the tablet. I can see it up on the pedestal, on the second floor. With little need to sneak at this point, I just walk up the stairs. I see paper and charcoal in the room before the tablet and grab some. When I get out to the tablet, I make a rubbing of the tablet. That is about the only option I have. Just like that I have completed the job. Though I doubt that the nephew or Calcelmo would notice if I didn't reappear, I figure it would be better to be careful. So I go back the way I came, saying good day to the nephew as I pass. He just waves me off and I leave through the side door. I return to Calcelmo to tell him that his nephew has the package, while leaving out my other activities while in the lab. I then quickly leave and get back in that cursed carriage for the long journey back to Winterhold.