[Book 1] Skyrim: There's Something About You, Lass (EDITING)

7 - Hard Answers

Your gasped for breath and panted as you came to again, holding the area where Mercer had stabbed you. Your vision was clouded in black and red as you regained your sight, the effects of Mercer's blade fading. You don't know how you hadn't died, you were certain your end was there. It was taunting you, guilding you into the black abyss that was mockingly comforting. You were ashamed of yourself, being fooled by Mercer so easily was an insult. You knew there was a reason to dislike him. At first you thought it was his attitude, but the betrayal won out on that.

You stumbled as you tried to get up, and a figure rushed over toward you. "Easy, easy. Don't get up so quickly."

Karliah.

"How are you feeling?" she asked, observing you closely as you steadied yourself.

"Hold on. . . you shot me?" you asked, hand cupped over the now-patched wound. Karliah must've handled it while you were unconscious.

"No, I saved your life. My arrow was dipped with a unique paralytic poison. It slowed your heart and kept you from bleeding out. Had I intended to kill you, we wouldn't be having this conversation."

"Why save me?"

"My original intention was 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 prevented your death."

"Then I am in your debt."

"More than you'll ever realize. The poison on that arrow took me a year to perfect; I only had enough for one shot. All I had hoped was to capture Mercer alive."

"Why capture Mercer alive?"

"Mercer must be brought before the Guild to answer for what he has done. He needs to pay for Gallus's murder."

Mercer murdered the man you had tried to avenge. . . Why didn't you turn around and kill Mercer sooner? The itch was there for an obvious reason, you just didn't want to listen to it.

"How will you prove it now?" you asked.

"My purpose in using Snow Veil Sanctum to ambush Mercer wasn't simply for irony's sake. Before both of you arrived, I recovered a journal from Gallus's remains. I suspect the information needed is written inside."

"What does it say?"

"I wish I knew. The journal is written in some sort of language I've never seen before."

"Perhaps it could be translated."

"Enthir. . . Gallus's friend from the College of Winterhold. Of course. . . It's the only outsider Gallus has trusted with the knowledge of his Nightingale identity."

"There's that word again. . . 'Nightingale'."

"There were three of us: Myself, Gallus, and Mercer. We were an anonymous splinter of the Thieves Guild in Riften. Perhaps I'll tell you more later. Right now, you need to head for Winterhold with the journal and get the translation. Here, take these as well. They may prove useful for your journey." Karliah handed you a couple of potions and the journal.

You turned around, looking back at the dark elf over your shoulder. "I will return in a few days."

"I will be waiting," she said, disappearing into thin air like she did in the ruins.

You thought your adventure in the Thieves Guild began when you first arrived. Turns out, this was the real start of something big.

Days had passed, and within that you had spoken to Enthir. He had told you to visit the court wizard in Markarth, Calcemo. When you had finally done so, Calcemo was as stubborn as Gulum-Ei had been. You had to bribe him with the safety of his workers, killing a Frostbite spider that had been hiding in his excavation site. After you had done so, you had received a key to his Dwemer museum.