Elder Scroll series 1. Chapter 1

_Every city of every hold in Skyrim had something that made it differ from the rest. Whiteram had Dragonsreach, Winnterhold had the college, Windhelm had the Palace of Kings and so on. However there was something about Riften that set it apart even more. At least that was how Seth felt. There was something that would made his skin crawl every time he walked through the gates._

_Apart from the temple dedicated to the goddess of love there were no other memorable buildings, no monuments, no palaces inside the walls of the city. Most of the houses and shops were made of wood, which seemed to suck in its core all the humidity that came from the river below them. It only made the life of the residents more difficult that it already was .The only thing that could cause some kind of admiral was the ratways, the labyrinth that lay under the city. Only few dared to set foot at any of the tunnels that consisted them. He didn't even know it existed when he had first come._

_So back then it had made no sense, that uneasiness he had felt. It had made him wonder what more was hidden in that place. He knew better now._

_What made Riften so infamous was its dark secrets. And that wasn't a reference to the thieves guild. Everyone was aware of the band of thieves whose headquarters were located in the heart of the city of crime. What stopped the Jarl from destroying it was that no one apart from its members knew where exactly that was._

_No, it was something much bigger. It run deep into the city, only few could feel it and even fewer comprehend it. Seth was one of those and only because of the things he had been told and had seen with his own eyes only months ago. Since then every time he moved through the streets he was on the lookout. During the dawn and the dusk he would always search for that familiar figure of that man, that shadow._

_Because the shadows were alive in Riften. _

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_He hadn't expected to find anyone in the Cistern that early in the morning, at least not anyone conscious. All of his friends who called the guild their home were fast asleep at their bunks and they and they had every right to. He was the one who had decided to drop by before the sunrise, since the job Vex had given him had really lasted more than he had expected._

_But that wasn't the only reason why he was so surprised to see her there. The day they revealed together the betrayal of Mercer Frey to the guild was also the first time she had walked through the cistern after twenty five years of exile and honestly he had thought that it would also be the last. There was simply nothing left to keep her there only the memory of a dead lover and a lost brother._

_He made sure to call her name before he approached her or more precisely to call her with a whisper in favor of his sleeping guildmates._

_"Karliah"_

_When she turned to face him he had already reached her side. She looked better than the first time they had met, but still not well enough. She was less tired, more content, but not at peace with herself. The grief was there more obvious than before, probably because there was no more thirst for revenge nor burning hatred that could cover it._

_"Guildmaster" she said with a tone that made it the title sound more formal than it actually was, so he hurriedly commented that such etiquette was not appropriate for their kind. Then he voiced his concerns that were caused by her appearance._

_"Has something happened to the nightingale hall?" The last two words were said even more quietly, he almost didn't hear them himself. _

_She saw the worry in his eyes and almost smiled. It reminded her of the time when she was first inducted to the nightingales. She remembered it very well indeed, the whole new burden on her shoulders, the pride and the rapture. She understood._

_"No, nothing has happened. I came here just so as to pass to Delvin the loot fron the job he gave me."_

_"That early in the morning?"_

_He noticed that, his question made her finger fidget with nervousness. _

_"Yeah, I see now that it was a bad idea. He probably won't be awake till noon."_

_"Taking into consideration all the mead he drunk yesterday I think that I will second that."_

_Karliah joined him when he laughed with his joke but the smile left her face when her eyes fall again on his desk._

_The giuldmaster's desk._

_And then it hit him._

_"It's today, isn't it?"_

_She only nodded. "It has been exactly twenty five years since his death and the beginning of my exile."_

_"You didn't come all the way here just for the job, did you?"_

_She moved closer the desk and touched the hard wood with her hand as softly as a mother would stoke her child's forehead._

_"No, I came here searching for some good memories of my old life. Instead i ended up looking at everything I've lost."_

_Seth didn't dare to utter a word for some full minutes. He had no idea of what he could possible say anyway. _

_His mind wondered back to the day that plan had been formed into his mind. He believed that it had been a week ago. He had quickly dismissed it thinking that it would never work. But now that she was standing in front of him lost into her own thoughts he reconsidered and made his choice._

_"Karliah, walk with me."_


	2. Chapter 2

She finally asked her boss where exactly they were going when they had reached the cemetery. Her curiosity had won over her habit to be as discreet as possible.Α habit she had obtained during her long career. No one notices your hand on his pocket when he doesn't notice you at all.

"Our first destination is my residence here in Riften." he answered with such easiness as if they were talking about the weather "I want to pack some things before we head for the monastery."

She froze the moment the moment the words left his mouth trying to process the last information and also hoping that she had misheard him.

"What monastery? The one the greybeards live in? The one on the mountain!"

Seth had expected that kind of a reaction from her. However he had to stop himself from laughing at her shocked expression. That kind of behavior would turn her surprise into annoyance and he didn't want that. He decided to stick at being his charming self instead.

"Why is there another monastery on the lake? I really can't imagine any of the greybeards living there. The humidity would do no good to their old bones." he said and flashed her his best smile.

"But that's on High Hrothgar, the tallest mountain of Tamriel" Karliah crossed her hands and it was obvious that she wouldn't start walking again if she didn't get some answers first. "What could possibly be there that we can steal?"

"We aren't going to steal anything. It's as simple as that." Tired of waiting for her he started walking again towards his place. He heard her faint footsteps right behind and quickened his pace.

"What are we going to do up there then?"

The smile disappeared from his face and his shoulders tensed . She noticed.

"I can't tell you here. There are too mane ears in the open."

The moment he finished the last sentence he stopped and then she realized that they had reached their first destination. He pulled a key out of his pocket and opened the front door. He stepped inside and held it open for her.

"Come in and I will explain everything."

She suddenly started feeling nauseous by the sight. A quarter of a century ago she stood on the exact same spot while Gallus had been on the same position her guild master was. The memory lasted only seconds as she succeeded at pushing it to the furthest corner of her mind. Nevertheless the ugly feeling remained long after she stepped inside and the door was firmly shut behind her.

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She found herself sitting on his bed while he was looking inside one of his chests. She had decided earlier that it would have been better to wait for him to say the things he wanted to. The suspense didn't last long. A few minutes later he found what he had been looking for and after a moment he was standing right in front of her with a small bag and a coat made of black fur and leather on his hands.

"Tomorrow the leaders of the civil war will gather at the monastery."

"I am aware." Karliah answered without breaking eye contact "Everyone is talking about the conference, the hope for a temporary peace."

"You don't sound as excited as the rest." Seth commented and the cold smile she gave him only proved him right.

"I know those men very well. The fact that I've never met them makes no difference. I can sense their desire for gold and power from where I stand. They are willing to drown this country into the blood of her people in order to fulfill their ambitions." They reminded her a lot of her "brother" and that only amplified her disgust.

Seth had to agree with her to an extent. His opinion wasn't that far away from hers, but still he had chosen a side and he had an oath to keep.

"I need your help in order to stop them from getting that far." He handed her the things that he had been holding all this time and she took them willingly.

"I am all ears."

"I have to make sure that the negotiation will lead to an agreement, but I am afraid that both sides will try to put on my way as many obstacles as they can. Especially general Tullius..."

"Since you have already pledged your alliance to the Stormcloaks." she interrupted and completed the sentence for him. Seth gave a look that betrayed a feeling close to regret. Noticing this she hurried to ease his concerns.

"Seth, you are the dragonborn and you had every right to choose a side on this war that plagues your motherland. I am not going to hold it against you no matter of how much I dislike you new commander."

"Thank you." he said obviously relieved. All things considered, he would be damned If he lat something as meaningless as politics to get between him and one of his most trusted companions. "And you will see that he is not that bad when you meet him."

This time she really looked amused by his comment. "That, my dear guild master is never going to happen."

"Don't bet on that. As I was saying the imperial general won't make this easy for me. He will demand a compensation for what happened at Karthwasten." Recognition flashed into her eyes the moment the name of the city was heard.

"And that's why you need me there, right?"

"Yes, I know you were there and that you saw what really happened. I want you to testify as a witness and tell everyone your story."

"And say that your friends had nothing to do with this?"

"Nocturnal's mercy no!" His outburst made her regret the accusing tone that she had used "I don't care who your story will benefit as long as it doesn't give the general the right to use the fact that I am fighting for the Stormcloaks as an excuse to end the negotiation before we come to an agreement."

Karliah thought about it for a moment. She could always say no. Seth would never make her do something she didn't want. However, he had implied that without her there may never be an agreement at the negotiation and he was right.

"So what do you say?"

"We better get going If we want to be at High Hrothgar by tomorrow." She declared, put on the cloak and strapped the bag on her shoulder.


	3. Chapter 3

The road from the city of thieves to the top of Tamriel's highest mountain wasn't easy by far. The steps that separated the village right below from the monastery above were of course less than seven thousand no matter what storytellers would claim but they were still more than Karliah would have liked. The weather hadn't helped either. When they reached the base of the mountain half a day after they had started this trip the grass on the road was green and the slight breeze would just cool the heated skin of the two companions without even making them shiver. However, the higher they went on the road the colder and harsher the wind became. When the snowstorm started halfway and the snow covered most of their path Karliah lost count of how many times she cursed her guilmaster's nord heritage and his body's resistance against the freezing temperatures.

Nevertheless, the ache of her feet and the numbness of her fingers were easily forgotten the moment they reached their destination and she laid her eyes on the monastery for the first time. If she had to describe it with one word that would be imposing. It was a structure bigger than the twilight sepulcher, but also brighter and definitely more imposing. The tall thick walls were made of hard stone and it was obvious that they had been standing there unmoving for hundreds of years. The ceiling was so high above that she had trouble seeing it clearly. Inside the temple the cold wind of the storm that was raging outside couldn't reach her skin, but that didn't stop the shiver that run through her spine while she was taking in the sights around her.

A moment later she looked back at Seth. He was the hero of this land and that... those stone walls were his world, life and destiny. The reason why someone like him once chose the path of a thief was still beyond her. That same path that was chosen for her the moment she opened her eyes for the first time. She had walked on it more than willingly of course and she never regretted any of the decisions she made in order to reach its end. Still she will probably always wonder why the Dragonborn made some of those choices that were so similar with hers.

Anyway, it barely mattered in the end, the fact that she was a child of the shadows while he was a man born to live with pride in the light. They had both found themselves standing there ready to face the leaders of the war that either would be ended by them or would bring the end of all.

The sound of the iron door opening and then closing again pulled Karliah out of her thoughts only to suddenly realize that her friend was no longer standing next to her. She quickly scanned the big room and found him in front of the furthest wall while he was talking quietly with one of the monks. He was after all the one who had to deal with the last arrangements of the negotiation. Believing that it wouldn't be wise to interrupt she decided to move to one of the darkest corners where she would feel more at ease (able to see everybody else, but difficult to be seen by anyone) and wait.

However, she had failed only a moment earlier to connect the sound of the door with the conclusion that someone else had entered the monastery. As a result, when she turned around ready to make her escape she found herself standing right in front of another man.

Well... man was a relative word. He looked more like a bear to her and probably that was also his intention. He was tall for a nord and his uniform was made of actual bear hide. The head of the poor animal was adorning his head as a helmet and its teeth still shone under the candlelight even though it was obvious that the animal had been dead for years. More unsettling than anything else though was his face, aged and writhed, cold and stoic. His eyes however were alight, they betrayed the fire in him, the fire of a warrior. Under his gaze she had to fight the sudden desire to run.

She tried to move right and walk past him, but he stepped on her way. She took a step back, he took a step forward.

"Can I help you?" she asked slightly annoyed. Yes, the man unsettled her but he had to try harder in order to scare her.

He looked down at her and snarled.

"Who are you supposed to be? Another follower of the Thalmor bitch?"

Thalmor bitch... the justiciar, she was here.

"No... I am not." she answered with calmness that surprised her.

"This negotiation concerns only the true sons and daughters of Skyrim," he almost roared "What business does a greyskin like you have here?"

Yes, he was definitely a Stormcloack and a high ranking one judging from his attire.

"My business is none of your business." Karliah was a thief. Most times she would choose flight over fight. She knew it wasn't wise to answer back, she should have looked down and walk away, but damm she wouldn't be the one to back down on this. Gallus had taught her better than that.

"But I will give you a clue. I am the greyskin that by the end of the day will have probably saved yours and your commander's hides."

"Do I want to know how you are planning to do that?" Another man called the next moment from behind the one that stood in front of her. His voice wasn't as deep and harsh as the latter's, but equally commanding. When he stepped into the torchlight she knew exactly who he was: Ulfrick Stormcloack, Jahrl of Windhelm and leader of the rebellion.

Had Seth not butted into the conversation the last minute she would have been in real trouble.

"That's a surprise my Jahrl." he said and stood right in front of her as if hiding her from their view would make them forget her existence.

"Dragonborn" the rebel acknowledged him, his first question forgotten "Is she with you?"

"Yes, she came with me, she will stay with me during the negotiation and she will leave with me only when this is over," He walked a little further inside the room so that he was face to face with his commander. "You know I don't do anything without good thought or reason."

"And I also know better than delve into business of yours." he turned to his follower "Come on Galmar, I think it's time to take our sits. We don't want to be late."

The man who wore the bear hide obviously wanted to protest, but in the end he just spared the Dunmer a cold look and followed his commander to the next room.

"Looks like I saved your hide this time Indoril. I guess that makes our score about 9-12, but you are still far ahead of me." Seth joked. It was an attempt to relieve some of the tension left from the encounter.

However, his smile fall the moment he turned around and saw the frown on her face and the tension on her shoulders. In a heartbeat he had crossed all the distance between them.

"What's wrong?"

Karliah, who had been staring at the place where the two men stood only moments ago, didn't answer immediately.

"Just something your friend said." She almost whispered finally.

"If Galmar insulted you, which is exactly what I think he did, them be sure that I am not..."

"No..." she said softly stopping him before he could finish his sentence "I mean..." she continued "yes, he did insult me, I hadn't been expecting anything else anyway. Although, he also said something else."

"What?"

"Elenwen is here."


	4. Chapter 4

They had all already taken their sits. At one side sat the general, his follower Rikke, the Jahrl of Whiterum, Elenwen and Elisif the Jahrl of Solitude, the woman that the empire considered queen of this land. At the other side sat the Stormcloack leader, his general Galmar and two others, a man and a woman, who Karliah didn't recognize. On the one head of the table stood the monk with whom Seth had talked when he had first come here.

The moment she walked inside the bigger room more than a few couple of eyes turned and stayed on her figure. She could only be glad that the black, fur and leather coat Seth had given her the previous day covered most of her clothes. Only the appearance of an unknown dark elf next to the Dragonborn who also happened to support the rebellion at the negotiation of a temporary peace would definitely become the excuse for many rumors in the future. Imagine what would happen if her guild armor was visible. Then they would all ask questions that neither Seth nor her really wanted to answer.

Her guildmaster also sat at the stone chair that was reserved for him at the other head of the oval table and she moved to stand right behind him. She wouldn't leave that spot before the call of her name and she was just fine with it. There was no need to draw more attention when it wasn't necessary.

After Galmar's revelation about Elenwen's presence inside the monastery Karliah could have sworn that she felt a ball of lead settle inside her stomach. It was still there spinning inside her guts making her feel sick.

She knew that she was probably thinking too much and overreacting because of it. There was no way Elenwen knew that she was one of the few that had stood against her so many years ago. There was no way the Thalmor knew her name or how she looked like. Her fears were irrational, but she still kept her head down not letting her violet eyes to be seen while she was on the same room with her. Paranoia had been after all one of the things that had kept her alive at many occasions.

However, she didn't have to stare at the dull floor for long. The moment he laid his eyes in the justiciar, Ulfric denied to sit at the same table with the woman that had tortured him in the past. Karliah couldn't blame him and neither did Seth. He didn't hesitate to make it clear that the Dominion had no right to get involved in this negotiation and that Elenwen's presence was no longer required. Had Karliah been in his place she wouldn't have been that kind, but Seth's words were enough. The Thalmor was forced to leave and the Dunmer felt as if she could breath with ease again.

No one could claim however that the negotiation continued smoothly after that. The hostility between the general and the Jahrl of Windhelm was obvious and also strengthened due to the latest battles. Galmar being the Ulfric's most loyal servant and companion only added fuel to the fire by defending his Jahrl with passion and with every chance he got. It was admirable how Seth kept his composure during the whole exchange and most importantly how he made sure that the two sides stood in equal ground.

When Ulfric got straight to the point and demanded the city of Markarth as his price of a temporary truce Seth made it clear that Tullius wasn't expected to hand over the city with the richest silver mine without expecting something in return. So it was agreed that the Rift would come under the control of the empire. Karliah and Seth weren't fond of the fact that Maven Black-Briar supporter of the empire and the cruelest woman that had ever set foot on Riften would become the new Jahrl of their city, but both sides agreed to the terms.

The talk continued like this for quite some time. Each side took its own piece of Skyrim and soon there was only one matter left that hadn't been settled yet.

"We want a compensation for Karthwasten." general Tullius said eventually. Karliah could never possible support or stand against one of these men around her with Seth being the only exception. However, she couldn't help but feel nothing but satisfaction knowing that Tullius would fall in the trap he had built for his enemies, he would get for once what he deserved and she would play her part in it.

Seth simply raised his hand in order to stop the new upcoming argument between the two sides.

"I was aware of the possibility that this would be part of your demands general." he said and motioned for Karliah to come forward. "I also knew that we wouldn't be able to reach to the right decision without being aware of what exactly happened, under what circumstances so many innocent lives were lost."

The general gave him one of his coldest stares but his face remained emotionless.

"Are you implying that the Stormcloacks should not be punished for the slaughter."

"Liar! My men would never follow such tactics." Galmar yelled in anger raising his fist in the air.

"If they are not with us they are against us" the genera bit back "Those are your words exactly. You never made it clear whether 'they' are soldiers, farmers or children."

The Stormcloack general was ready to retaliate with equal ferocity, but Seth spoke first.

"General, you misunderstood. What I meant was that we need to be aware of the facts and that's why I searched for and found someone who witnessed the events at Karthwasten."

Everybody froze for a moment.

"Impossible!" the general all but yelled "Neither any of the villagers nor any of my men got survived. The only ones who came out alive were the dogs that Galmar has under his command."

"Does my companion look like a Stormcloack soldier?" Seth answered coldly.

"Are you the witness?" the monk who hadn't spoken much until then asked and turned his gaze on the Dunmer and so did everybody else.

"Yes, I am." Karliah answered holding her position next to her friend "I happened to be at the village when the battle took place."

"And how did you survive?" Jahrl Ulfric asked his voice laced with suspicion.

She looked briefly at Seth who nodded his head ordering her silently to answer the question.

"I stopped there to spent the night. The soldiers had already gathered and everyone was on edge. I tried and succeeded not to be seen by anyone. The next morning I was out of the village watching the fight from afar."

"Dragonborn, with all due respect you don't really expect as to believe her words." Elisif said addressing Seth for the first time "Especially when she herself admits that there is no one to verify her presence on the battlefield."

"Her word is as good as mine." he only said in return, but at the same time his tone made it clear that he wouldn't let anyone doubt her side of the story.

"If that's so" the monk said facing Karliah once again "My lady do you swear to speak the truth?"

"Yes, I swear on my lady's honor." she paused for a moment and searched the monk's face for the permission to continue. When she saw it she spoke again "As I said I reached the village the night before. The moment I walked in I saw the soldiers of the empire. Their tents stood right next to the village and they couldn't have been more than thirty. When the night came I walked next to a tent that turned out to belong to the leader of the small group. I heard him saying that the Stormcloacks were well aware of their position and that they had been surrounding them for days. He didn't think that his men even stood a chance.

"All the men, women and children that lived in that village however were fanatic supporters of the Empire. I figured that out later when I saw soldiers hand them rusted weapons and old uniforms after they were ordered to do so. That happened in the early morning, the sun hadn't even risen yet. The battle took place only hours later."

"That's preposterous!" Tullius roared

"That was the battle I witnessed." Karliah said before he could say anything else, but it wasn't enough.

"How do we know that this isn't the story the Stormcloack Dragonborn asked you to tell us?" he spat.

"Simply because this story doesn't benefit the Stormcloacks or any other side of this war. Ulfric's soldiers indeed killed men, women and children. Men, women and children who were being manipulated by an Imperial general and the grant idea of a united Empire and were lead to their deaths by them."

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Karliah stood in front of the iron door, after spending so long with the smell of incense inside the cold air felt good as it reached her face. Her eyes followed general Tullius and Rikke as they were leaving the monastery behind. The scowls they wore were prominent enough and considering the fiasco that took place only minutes ago Karliah strongly believed that they wouldn't leave their faces anytime soon.

Elisif was walking right behind them with her followers. When Karliah's eyes landed on the young widowed queen the small smile on her lips fell.

"What's poisoning your thoughts?" She heard Seth ask and a second later he appeared on her side, their shoulders almost touching.

With a move of her head the Dunmer silently made him look at Elisif's direction.

"She is young and inexperienced, raised to be a doll without an opinion or personal thoughts. No wonder why the Empire and the Dominion want her to remain on the throne. They intentionally let her believe that she can run this brothel."

Seth gave a bitter laugh.

"We are all aware. Even most of her supporters know all of these things. I don't see why this troubles you so much." he said and tuned to look at her.

"We are so different and yet I understand her suffering so well. She made things difficult for us because of her constant attacks against Ulfric, but that man killed her husband. She had every right to be angry and bitter."

Seth didn't move from his spot, he only looked forward again.

"What would you do," he questioned finally "if during the whole negotiation Mercer sat on the chair next to mine instead of Ulfric."

"I'd kill him." she answered without much thought and looked back at her friend a little confused.

"Exactly, you wouldn't just call him a murderer and stay standing behind me. You said it yourself Elisif was raised to be a doll. One of your many differences is that she can't feel like you can, she will never love someone absolutely like you already have. She mourned her late King for a year, you mourned your lover for a quarter of a century and you are still hurting."

He turned his whole body so that his chest was facing hers and placed his both hands on her shoulders.

"It would be a blasphemy to Mara herself to compare your heart with hers Karliah."

They stayed like this for quite some time. She didn't want to move while his presence was giving her such comfort. However, he soon moved his gaze to the darkening sky.

"The weather is getting worse we'd better get inside." he declared and dragged her through the other side of the door ignoring her complaints.

"Shouldn't we head back, so as to reach the base of the mountain by nightfall?"

"Well... I was planning to stay here with the greybeards till tomorrow morning and I think you should also stay here because of the storm..." he started to say before she interrupted him

"It hasn't even started snowing yet. I still have time to follow the others." she said quickly

He gave her an almost pleading look.

"Please Karliah I don't want to risk it."

She knew there was something he wasn't telling her. Then she remembered, the temporary truce was only a mean to an end. Seth's final objective had been from the beginning to ensure peace so as to face his own enemy: Alduin the world eater. His final and most dangerous battle was near, there was always the possibility that he wouldn't make it out alive. He had probably just made the choice to spent his final hours with her. Only the thought made her hands shake, the thought that she may lose her friend.

"Fine I'll stay with you here." she turned her gaze towards Ulfric and Galmar who had also stayed behind and then looked back at him smiling slightly "But you owe me a very big favor for making me spent the night in the same building with your commander and his friend."

"Fair enough" he said with a laugh and then led her further inside.


	5. Chapter 5

While the storm was raging outside Karliah found herself in the small room where Seth had left all their stuff. He had asked kindly (too kindly and that had really raised her suspicions) to retrieve for him a woolen grey shirt and a bottle of wine. The piece of clothing was for her. He had said that it would get even colder during the night and that she'd better change the upper part of her armor with his spare shirt.

She indeed followed his advice and changed clothes in the peace of the small room. Five minutes earlier she reentered the main front room of the monastery with the wine in hand. Whether it was allowed for Seth to bring something like that here, she didn't know. Said man was standing at the other end and came to her side the moment he laid his eyes on her.

"That was quick." he said and took the bottle from her.

"Seth?" she decided to ask "Are you sure that the Greybeards will agree with me staying here?" Ulfric she could understand being allowed here. He had spent many years within these walls while he had being studying in order he himself to become a greybeard as well. Fate just had other plans for him.

He took his eyes from the wine label that he had being examining until then and looked at her almost surprised.

"They already have. Actually I told them about bringing you here a week before the negotiation and they insisted I did so. They all wanted to meet you." He said as a matter of fact.

To say that she was shocked by his words would have been the understatement of the year. Her mouth opened and closed a couple of times without any sound coming out before her brain started working again.

"Me? Why would they want to meet me?" she questioned in the end.

"They aren't hermits you know. No matter what many others might think. They are just devoted scholars whose research demands a lot of time and sometimes isolation... " he paused for a moment wondering whether he should give her a whole answer or not and in how much trouble he would find himself if he did "...and I might have accidentally told them that you have seen an elder scroll during your time at Cirodiil."

"An elder scroll... Seth! I didn't see it, I stole it." she said harshly and at the same time quietly enough so that no one but her friend could hear her.

"They don't have to know that." Seth said in his defense, but before he could continue he saw from the corner of his eye Arngeir entering the room.

Karliah saw him too and recognized him as the monk who had been present at the negotiation.

"Dragonborn, my lady." he acknowledged them both as he came closer.

"You could just call me Karliah, sir." she found herself saying without even realizing it " 'lady' just sounds wrong."

She knew she could have given a fake name. Seth wouldn't say anything, but it didn't feel right. He and the rest of the Greybeards were Seth's friends and even though that didn't make them her friends as well it was enough to make her feel that he owned them some honesty.

"Arngeir" Seth addressed him taking the lead "Here as I promised." he said and raised the wine bottle in between them "The best Cyrodiilian wine straight from the Imperial capital. Just don't tell Ulfric or Galmar that."

"Very well" the other man said with a warm smile "You and your friend can go join the others, I will bring the mugs."

His words left Karliah speechless for the second time in the last ten minutes. She could have never guessed that the Greybeards would know how to have a very good time, but again she shouldn't have expected anything less from Seth's friends.

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The night had settled for good and Karliah had to admit that she was actually having a good time for the first time in perhaps twenty five years. She had spent of course similiar nights with the guild in the last few months, but she hadn't felt half as comfortable as she felt now. Seth had been the one who usually dragged her to the Ragged Flagon at those occasions and in the end she would always find herself among strangers who used to be her friends. She really shouldn't have expected anything more. She had been gone for way too long and during the whole time in between Mercer's betrayal and his defeat everyone in the guild had cursed her name believing her to be a traitor.

That night however she was among strangers she had never met before and that surprisingly made her feel more at ease. Those men had never heard her name before and they couldn't connect it with treason and murder.

At first it was more than a bit awkward to find herself among Arngeir, Jahrl Ulfric and his general who in her opinion hated her guts. Nevertheless, Arngeir soon gave in to the temptation and asked her if she had actually come across an elder scroll at one of her journeys. After her positive answer she was bombarded with other questions that she tried her best to answer without giving away information that could ruin the night and mainly had to do with her profession. With every question answered things would become less tense and in the end even the Jahrl seemed interested in her words.

As she got more engrossed in the conversations she found herself saying more truths than lies. Harmless truths about her journeys, the adventures she lived and the people she had met. She didn't let them know of course that in reality she hadn't been traveling, she was actually running away, away from Skyrim, from Mercer and the night at the Snow Veil Sanctum. However, at that moment when they all stood around the fire drinking Cyrodiilian wine those details appeared to be unimportant.

Seth had been making future battle plan's with Galmar when Ulfric spoke to her directly for the first time that night.

"Dunmer, when at the negotiation Arngeir asked you to swear and say only the truth you swore on your lady's honor. To whom were you referring?" his tone wasn't harsh, but it wasn't kind either. It was obvious that he was still trying to figure her out like a good Jahrl, to decide whether she was a friend or foe.

She didn't answer immediately. How could she? She had to lie and lies took some time and a lot of thinking in order to be made. Additionally, she had to be careful with her words so as not to fall for the trap he was crafting because that as definitely what he was doing. He wanted to know whether she worshiped the Aedra or the Daedra, the gods or the demons. The Dunmer were after all known for worshiping the Daedra Azura. Seth had already figured that out and now the two of them had his full attention his conversation with Galmar completely forgotten. He remained silent but he was also on his guard, ready to interfere in case any of the two stepped crossed a line.

"Kynareth or Azura, Mara or Meridia, I could serve any of them and it would make no difference. I am loyal to my Lady and I'd rather give my life than breaking that oath I gave."

"Besides..." Seth added a bit too quickly after she was done by her answer "... I don't think you can really judge her religion and believes Ulfric, not while you yourself started a war with an Empire so as to be able to worship freely your own god."

The Jahrl remained silent for a few moments, his expression betrayed that he was in deep thought.

"You words Dragonborn are right once again." he said finally and then he faced Karliah "My lady, if I insulted you with my question I apologize."

Karliah didn't even bother to tell him not to call her lady this time. It seemed that her testament as witness, the stories she had shared with him that night and her and Seth's answer to his question led him to change his demeanor towards her. They weren't friends or enemies, but they also weren't strangers anymore.

"You didn't insult me, my Jahrl." she said "There is nothing to apologize for."

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"I told you he wasn't such a bad guy." Seth said with an expression a bit too smug for her liking while he was lying on his temporary bed.

They were given beds in the same small room on the east side of the monastery after their request to retire for the night. Nocturnal only knew that the days that would follow would be difficult and they needed the rest, Seth needed it more than she did.

"Ulfric?"

"Yes, I admit he is arrogant, harsh and way too ignorant sometimes, but he is not a bad man." he said and turned on his side in order to look at her while she sat on the bed right from his.

"No, he is not." the Dunmer said and looked up from the small notebook that she had been reading "And above everything else he seems to respect you and your opinion."

"I have helped enough times to do so." then he noticed that her attention was back on the words written on the paper "What are you reading?"

"Just some notes." she answered evenly

"Not your notes. I've never seen you hold that notebook before. Where did you find it?"

"Inside Elenwen's pocket." she answered with the same calm voice.

In a second he had moved from his bed to hers and sat at her side trying at the same time to have a look at the text as well.

"When did you take it?"

"When she wasn't looking. I am actually a bit scared of what I might find in here." she said with a smile, but she wasn't completely joking. "It would be good however to have something we could use against her."

"Are you going to look into it while I am gone." Seth asked with more ease than she would have liked as if he wasn't talking about his most dangerous battle.

"I will." she promised and then she became more serious "Seth, I can't possibly ask something like this from you, but..."

"You can ask whatever you want from me my friend." he said immediately when he sensed the sudden change of her mood "Whatever it is you need I promise I'll do it."

"Kill the bastard and come back." she stated with a voice that betrayed more strength than she had in her.

Seth just smiled at her and hold her hand tightly.

"That's what I am planning to do and when I am done we are going to celebrate my victory together, I promise."


	6. Chapter 6

Karliah true to her word started looking for more information on all the names and locations that were written in the small yellow notebook immediately after she and Seth were separated. They had left the monastery together the morning that followed, but when they reached the base of the mountain they had to follow different paths. No words were exchanged. Neither Seth nor her dared to mouth the word 'goodbye'. It would only make them feel as if they weren't expecting to see each other again. Besides, words weren't needed, they had said everything they wanted to the night before.

The Dunmer tried to keep her mind occupied with her new research. It was a good chance for her to come in touch with her old contacts and learn once again how to move unseen and with ease through Skyrim. Karliah was of course the best at what she did and it didn't take her long to find the thing she wanted. As the days became weeks the names on the worn paper became victims, contacts and Thalmor spies and the locations turned out to be meeting points or secret prisons.

However, she didn't let herself hope for much. No matter how many of Elenwen's dirty deeds she uncovered the Empire would never force her or her men to leave the country, the Emperor's hands were bound by the White Gold Concord he signed at the end of the Great War. She had no doubt, for as long as general Tullius controlled half of Skyrim the Thalmor wouldn't be punished for their crimes.

The good thing was that the more engrossed she became in her quest the less she worried about Seth. Although, she couldn't ignore the nagging pain in her guts forever. After two weeks had passed with no news from her guildmaster Karliah found herself sitting at one of the tables of the Ragged Flagon a mug filled with wine on one hand and the notebook on the other. Her fellow thieves were scattered around her, some standing and some sitting at other tables. She was glad to notice that she had started to feel more at ease among them.

From the corner of her eye she watched a man take a sit right in front of her.

"Hey lass, long time no see." he said and she smiled slightly at the red-head Nord.

"Indeed, how are you Brynjolf?" she asked and he smiled back at her. She couldn't stop herself from noticing the wrinkles that appeared around his green eyes and the corners of his mouth. When she left broken and hunted by the guild he was just a boy with a round face and clumsy fingers. In front of her now stood a man whose eyes betrayed the same want for mischief they did a quarter of a century ago, but his face had already been hardened by a not so easy life.

"I'm good..." he had to pause for a moment and gather his thoughts "I talked to Etienne, asked him about the time the Thalmor had'im"

She could tell that this wasn't what he really wanted to talk about when he first sat down. Nevertheless the matter at hand was also important and Karliah decided not to change the subject.

"And?"

"The kid said the bastards took'im straight to the embassy and started asking questions." his eyes became darker with anger for a moment. They both knew what an interrogation by the Thalmor included. "They kept asking him about an old man that used to live here on the sewers. When the boss comes back you should ask him for the rest of the story. He found the old man first and we haven't seen him since."

"I will, thank you Bryn."

The thief didn't say anything else for several minutes. It seemed that he was trying to decide whether to get up and walk away or stay and reveal what was troubling him. The Dunmer decided to just stay silent over hers and Elenwen's notes and give him the time he needed.

"I'm sorry, lass. We all are." he said finally and the sorrow and guilt she saw in his gaze almost scared her.

"What for?" she asked and reached for his hand that rested on top of the wood table.

"For betraying you" he said as if the answer was obvious "You and Gallus literally raised me, I should have known better than believing Mercer's lies, I should have stood up for you..."

"Brynjolf!" she said stopping abruptly his rambling and tightened her grip on his hand "You have nothing to apologize for. You were just a child, there was nothing you could have done. I don't blame you for anything, I don't blame any of you." her voice didn't flatter even for a second, she meant every word.

"You have every right to." he stated defeated.

"I have every right not to, not for yours sake, but for mine. After Gallus' murder my anger had consumed me. It was eating me from the inside, suffocating me. There was a time I truly believed that it would kill me. I didn't believe it was possible someone to live with so much hatred inside his heart. I can't be angry with you, all of you, mainly because I am so tired of this. Understood?"

He gave a small nod and she gave him one of her sweetest smiles. It had been ages since he had last seen her smile like this. It had been when Gallus was still alive and she stood on his side.

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The late night sky was clear and the stars shone brighter than ever before when Karliah and Brynjolf left the ratways through the secret exit inside the cemetery. After the end of the apologies they had both decided that they needed some fresh air in order to clear their heads. Brynjolf suggested a walk at the streets of Riften which were more quiet now since all, but the guards who patrolled the streets, were asleep.

Karliah didn't want to admit it, but she was exhausted. The negotiation, her research that followed and most importantly her worry over Seth's wellbeing had worn her out. She suspected that Brynjolf knew that as well. He had always been good at seeing behind her masks.

"When the boss comes back I am giving him a piece of my mind about leaving me behind with all his paperwork." he says out of the blue, but it was obviously his attempt to ease her nerves. It worked, because she could only smile in return.

"It was your idea my dear to put him in charge."

"And you agreed." he accused good-heartedly

"It seemed to be a good choice back then." she admitted and she noticed that they had reached the market in the heart of the city. It was consisted of many different wooden stools that stood together forming a circle. In the morning they would all be filled with any kind of wares for sale. She stopped walking and sat in the edge of the stone well that stood alone right in the middle.

The red-head sat right next to her and stared at the stars.

"Then the bastard comes one day and says that he has to leave for a little while because he just happened to be the damn hero of Tamriel."

"Yeah, that was quite a shock." she stated with the best mock-serious tone she could manage.

Their laughter, however, stopped way too soon. Suddenly giant shadows and loud roars filled the night. The sky became even darker and the ground shook under their feet. Karliah almost jumped from where she was seated and turned her gaze to the sky. She watched the giant creatures as they flew towards the highest mountain of their world.

"Are those..." Bryn whispered paler than before.

"Yes" she breathed and then she felt her friend grab her elbow tightly.

"Come, it's too open here."

He tried to drag her forward, but she stopped him by placing her other hand on his grip. Her eyes never moved from the sky.

"No, wait." she said loud so that he could hear her over the noise "They are not attacking."

The question was written all over his face when she turned to look at him.

"They are singing!" she said even louder while joy and relief filled her. "They are singing for Alduin's fall."

"How do you know what they are saying?" he asked in disbelief but his grip on her loosened.

"I don't, but I can feel it. Seth won and he is going to be back soon."

The Nord left her hand completely and the relief on his face was as evident as it was on hers.

"Then we better let Vekel know that he will soon have to bring the good mead from the cellar." he said when his heartbeat had finally calmed down, but then he realized that his companion had already started running back to the cemetery.


	7. Chapter 7

"Most of Tullius' men are gathered at the forts around Solitude. He resides within the city's wall, Rikke also never leaves his side." Galmar said with his usual hard voice without taking his eyes from the map they had all been staring at for the last hour.

"Nevertheless, the Imperials hold the Rift with an iron grip even though it's located on the other side of Skyrim." Seth added "Ulfric is the heart of the rebellion and Windhelm is his home. Riften isn't exactly on our doorstep, but it's close enough. As long as it stays under the control of the Empire Tullius is breathing on our necks."

"Then we send our men there. The Rift will become ours once again and then we will be able to move towards Solitude."

"Galmar my friend, allow me to disagree. We should attack Tullius where he is weaker. He has gathered all his men at those two provinces while all the other imperial forts in between have been left almost unguarded. We have to turn our attention to those first. When they start to crumble so will Tullius control over the land. He will panic and will have no choice but to sent more men to his remaining forts. The imperial force in Riften will then be weakened enough for us to make our move."

"Why loose our time and some of our soldiers only to take control of a few stone towers with much less strategic value than Riften? Those forts have been constantly changing commanders since this war started. The city should be our first priority."

"If we attack Riften now we may lose." Seth insisted "I visited the city right after Alduin's death. There were Imperial soldiers on every corner."

All heads turned towards Ulfric who had being watching silently the entire exchange between his men. He would be the one to make the final decision about their course of action, but his stoic expression betrayed none of his thoughts.

"What are your orders, my Jarl?" Galmar asked finally.

The Jarl took his hands from the table, straightened his back and looked at the rest who followed his example.

" Whiterun is already under our command as well as Markarth. Taking over the Rift at this point could mean the end of the war. Solitude can't stand alone against the rest of Skyrim. However, the Dragonborn makes a valid point. We can't risk losing a battle like this."

He moved from the centre of the room to the window on the back wall.

"In a week I want you to bring me everything you can get on the Imperial forces in Riften." he said without turning to look at them "I want to know everything about Tullius' men: how many they are, what's their ammunition and their skill, where they train, eat or sleep. Then I will decide your orders."

"Consider it done sir" Seth said without missing a beat.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"I want this delivered to Brynjolf in Riften as soon as possible." Seth said to the courier while he was waving the yellow piece of paper in front of his face. After he handed it to him he pulled from his bag a quite large pouch filled with coins and passed it also on his hands. "Try not to let any prying eyes spot you and if anyone asks, soldier or not, say that the letter is from a cousin of his who currently resides in Solitude."

"Of course sir" the smaller man said with crooked smile and placed the letter and the money with the rest of his baggage "All is part of the job and I've been doing it for decades". The next moment he was gone.

"I see you lost no time, Stormblade" Seth heard Galmar say from behind him and he turned around to face his friend who was coming his way. "Good, because I am counting on you for this one." he continued with a gruff tone when he stopped right next to the blond.

"I am sure you would have made it somehow, if I hadn't been here. I just happen to have a few more friends around the country than you."

"I, on the other hand, am not so sure boy." the Stormcloak general answered and patted the other man friendly on his right shoulder. "I am a warrior and I am very good at what I do, but at the same time the war is all I know."

"That isn't necessarily bad, especially if you considered that we are constantly at war." Seth said a bit hesitant and not completely sure about where this conversation was heading. Galmar was a dear friend, but if memory served him right that was the first time the older man used such a confessional tone.

"Yes, but times have changed. Brutal force is not enough anymore. Thankfully we have you to offer you wits to our cause. Fortunately for all of us Ulfric has started to think more and more like you. Unfortunately for me that makes me the guy who just throws down the forts gates."

"Galmar my friend, allow me to disagree." Seth had used the same exact words earlier at the war room, but now the look he gave to the other man was even more intense. "You are ,apart from Ulfric, the man that those soldiers are willing to follow even if you lead them to their deaths. That must mean something."

"Besides..." he continued before the general could comment his words "wits alone never won wars and our final plan hasn't been decided yet. Who knows, brutal force may prove to be the only thing we need to win this war. Now come on, I am buying you a drink."

"Best thing I heard whole day."

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Five days later Seth found himself lying awake on his bed. It had been almost a year since he had purchased his house, his little haven, in Windhelm. Although, this was the first time he had stayed there for so long. He was used to moving from city to city offering his services wherever they were needed and looking for trouble, as Brynjolf loved to point out.

He untangled himself from a bundle of sheets and sat up slowly. He was still a bit drowsy from sleep and the sound that came from downstairs caught him by surprise. He realized that someone had been knocking his door. That was what had woke him up in the middle of the night.

He clumsily stood up, put on a shirt and headed down and towards the big wooden front door. To be honest the word little wasn't an appropriate one to use in order to describe his house. It was actually quite big and Seth was ready to yell to the one on the other side of the door for waking him and making walk all the way and stumble on four different corners so far.

When he opened the door however all words died in his throat. All but one.

"Karliah?"


	8. Chapter 8

Seth placed in front of his friend a bowl of the stew his steward had made that afternoon along with some bread and then moved to take a sit as well at the wooden table. The fireplace that stood right behind him gave away a pleasant wave of heat and he mentally noted to thank the man later for keeping the fire alight. He faced the woman that sat on the other side and she offered him a small smile in return.

"Aren't you hungry?" Karliah asked finally.

"Not yet."

"I apologize for waking you up." she added.

"Don't worry about it." Seth said a bit too quickly. It wasn't such a big deal anyway, but he had noticed the tension on her shoulders and perhaps he was trying too hard to make her feel more at ease.

"The matter you want us to discuss must be really important. Otherwise you wouldn't have found yourself knocking at my door in the middle if the night."

When the words left his mouth she gave him a weird look that betrayed something close to confusion.

"Seth... first of all, it's late evening." she stated albeit sounding a little hesitant.

His eyes widened as he realized that she was right and that indeed it must have been evening. The last thing he just remembered was falling onto his bed after is afternoon meal. He only managed to utter a silent 'oh' after that. She laughed outright at his embarrassment and he could only follow her cue and laugh as well. After all, he loved when he was the one to make her laugh.

"Second of all..." she said interrupting at the same time his chain of thoughts "Brynjolf sent me here in order in order to give you this."

Karliah reached for one of the hidden pockets of her leather armor and pulled out a white piece of paper, a letter.

"May I assume that the information I asked for is enclosed in here." he asked.

"You may."

Seth opened the letter while Karliah helped herself with her meal. He had barely finished reading the second of the five pages when she was done. Brynjolf had really spared him no details, every soldier, shift and weapon, they were all documented on those papers.

"I've started to believe that neither the manpower nor the weaponry of each side will determine the end of this war."

"The contacts of a Stormcloak soldier on the other hand..." she commented as she guessed the thought that had just found its way in his mind.

Seth didn't answer, he only smirked and leaned back on his chair.

"Have you brought any other clothes besides your armor with you?" he questioned after a minute of comfortable silence.

"Yes, why?"

"I promised you that we would celebrate together, didn't I?" he said and got up "Go upstairs to change, cause tonight I'm taking you out for a drink... or five."

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It was close to midnight when Karliah and her guildmaster found themselves sitting at one of the table of Candlelight hall. Half a dozen of empty mead bottles stood in front of them.

Seth said they would celebrate and Nocturnal as their witness that was exactly what they did. They had spent the last four hours drinking and laughing. They talked about everything and nothing, remembered old stories and made new plans about their adventures in the future. It was more than pleasant, the warmth of the fire on her skin, the smell of the wood and stone and the light fog that had started to cloud her mind.

However, so far Seth had been drinking at a much faster pace than she had and it had started to saw. After the third bottle he would laugh much louder and after the fifth he would slur and stammer.

As the more sober one she stood up and a moment later she grasped his hand and dragged him up with her.

"Time to call it a night boss, let's take you home." she stated as they went down the stairs and walked out of the building.

The cold air that greeted made her feel more aware as they passed the empty streets, but it wasn't enough to make her realized that they were being followed until it was too late. If someone had asked her late how things turned out this way she wouldn't have been able to give a satisfying answer. She had no idea what made her lat her guard down especially at a city like this.

The two men dressed in rags reached them within seconds, one stood in front and the other behind them leaving no room for escape on the narrow street. Seth leaned on her shoulder looking less dizzy, but still in no position to fight. He didn't seem able to say the things he wanted either, so she did it for him.

"Could you move, sir." she said with a calm voice and a smile that would probably unsettle someone who didn't know her and terrify someone who did "You are standing on our way."

"You are the one wasting space on our street, our city greyskin." they sneered together.

The man in front of her moved closer and she found it really hard not to take a step back. Not that it was an option with the other brute breathing on their necks. Karliah found herself with no plan, no escape and no help.

Or so she thought.

"What's going on here?" a man said loud for everyone to here while he walked towards them. Karliah realized after a moment that he was no other than Galmar, the Stormcloak general.

"Nothing sir." the first man said having lost some of his bravado. "We were just talking."

Galmar's frown just deepened.

"So take your friend and try to socialize somewhere else."

"Yes, sir." they said together and before she could blink they were gone.

She only came to her senses after the Stormcloak had placed Seth's other hand over his shoulders and had started leading them towards his house.

"Thank you." she whispered still trying to wrap her head around what had just happened. She wasn't sure if he had heard her.

"Just making sure that the boy wouldn't get his drunken ass handed back to him."


End file.
