Cearbhail:

Well, hello... everyone! Welcome to the Chronicles of Untold Tales. Now... something you all need to know about this series... yes... series. The Chronicles of the Untold Tales are in fact... a seemingly hopefully unending series of short stories, ranging anywhere between 1 chapter to maybe 10 or maybe even more if really necessary. So, these short stories are things that have happened in my Chronicles Universe, but were never told because of timelines, character interactions, and all sorts of things happening at the time.

So... while these stories are about the characters in the Chronicles Universe and all that, you will find that characters like Ruby, Maleek, and whatnot will find their way into these stories, as well as Junna, Vatu, Babette... even Claus. Because of this, every story will contain a date of when they took place. And just because I write these doesn't mean you cannot suggest other stories. In fact, and I want to stress this as much as possible... I want WANT you to give me stories you want to see, characters you want to meet, situations you want them to live through. NO LEMONS. Sorry, but I don't do lemons. You want that, go read it somewhere else. If there is a story you wish for me to tell, the reviews are a great way for me to know, as well as sending me a message. Just leave a character name, or whatever it is you want to see, and I'll see about making a story about it. So... without ruining any more time... let's begin.

So, this is the fist story, called... The Wooden Mask. I won't reveal who asked for it, but if they choose to volunteer that information, they may through the reviews. I won't tell you what the story is about you'll have to read that yourself. It's 2 chapters long, but only because it didn't need to be any longer.

Oh... and enjoy =^^=

[Karliah] 4e 199, 19th Sun's Height

Dear journal,

A lot has happened. Shall I start from the beginning? Mercer just betrayed us. He killed Gallus. I'm on my way back to Riften, to finish what Mercer started. At least… that was the plan. On the way back to Riften, I intercepted a drop point for an old friend of mine: Mjoll. She wrote me a note telling me about how my 'father' needs my helps shielding my younger sister from an evil Telvanni witch. I must admit, I was surprised Lord Neloth would ask such a thing from me. After he disowned me, he would dare ask me to do something for him? So, I returned to Riften, where the girl waited for me. I had to hide my cover, in fear that I might bring the Thieves Guild down on me. I designed a nice bracelet that hides my identity to anyone I don't want to recognize me.

So, I walk into Riften, and find Mjoll waiting for me by the gate. As she nods a welcome to me, I join her. She's watching some child play with some dolls in the backyard of her current 'boyfriend', I call him, Aerin. So… this tiny girl. She was five when I first met her. Only been living here in Riften for a few weeks at most. From what I can tell, Neloth must have wiped her memory away, because she doesn't seem to think she's ever lived anywhere else in her life. Just like Neloth, to wipe clean her memories in order for her to ignore him. So… this girl looks up at me and smiles. She called me her sister. For her to even know that, Neloth would had to have implanted the memories into her. I wonder what she knew of me… and what was faked. Surely, it all had to be fake. I'd never met Veselle in my life. And now… I'm suddenly supposed to take care of her?

I hate Neloth for asking this of me. I hate how he can trivialize our relationship to a mere… 'watch your sister until I return'. But, hiding her from a Telvanni Lord should be simple. He left a note filled with stuff Veselle would need to keep herself hidden from Telvanni Lords. If only he knew how I managed to hide from him. Had to sell my soul to Nocturnal. Anyway, I meet the girl and she's completely thrilled I came back. Back? When did I leave? I had to navigate carefully through her memories of me, learning what I can about what she's been programmed to believe. I almost felt sorry for the girl, having to know a fake history of everyone around her, and to think Neloth could ever put someone through this… even his own daughter. It sickened me. But… as much as I hated the situation, both because I hate Neloth, and because there is the issue with the Thieves Guild thinking I'm a murderer, I have decided to stay around Riften to help this girl. Mjoll and Brand-Shei can't do it alone. She'll need a sister to look out for her.

Karliah Indoril

…

It has been quite the while since I wrote that entry. Besides having to constantly renew my identity replacement bracelet to make sure I'm still different to anyone watching me, I didn't have much trouble settling into a normal routine around here. Of course, I only let myself come here whenever Mercer wasn't around. I can thank Mjoll and Brynjolf for that information. Brynjolf is perhaps the only ally I have in the Guild, and he helps keep me hidden from everyone else, keeping the Guild busy or underground. And this house is just as protected as any other Telvanni structure. I guess Neloth did something that keeps this house avoided by curious people. No one cares who lives here anymore. They avoid it like the plague. Unless they're invited over, anyway.

I was busy washing dishes in the sink after our late dinner. The man I'm casually living with keeps mostly to himself, and I'm glad he doesn't try to suggest a relationship of any kind… especially when he has to pretend to be my father. He actually took the role very seriously. I'm surprised he can actually give me fatherly advice from time to time. I respect him greatly for all he's done so far. I know Veselle is in great hands while I'm off doing my thieving stuff. "Karly!" Little Vessy called from the bathroom. "I brushed my teeth. Story time!" She raced out of the bathroom straight to her room.

So… story time again. I chose not to lie to Veselle about my past. She's been lied to enough times that I think she needs some bit of truth. Even if I lie about knowing her this whole time, it's nice to know that some things she knows about me are true. So… she knows I'm a thief… she knows I'm her sister. She knows I've seen and done things that would spook her. And every night, she'll ask either me or Mjoll for a story, because she knows we have the best. We've been everywhere, mostly in our young wandering years but still… we've seen a lot.

Come to think of it… my life up until I had to come here had been pretty hectic. Sure, thieving has its moments, those subtle seconds of recon and examination where you can catch your breath… and then hold it as your mark walks into the room… searches for you as you make your steal. But just standing here… washing dishes, watching over my baby sister… I don't know… it's calming. Relaxing. This is what life with Gallus might have ended up like… if Mercer hadn't killed him. Mercer… whenever I get the chance, I will make sure to fix that mistake. But only when Veselle is out of my hair and back with Neloth. If I make a mistake… she will be as in much danger as me. I can't risk a move yet. But rest assured… Mercer will taste my arrow soon enough.

"Karly!" Veselle cried from her room, drawing my attention back to my reality. I looked up at a mirror, surprised to see that my purple eyes were not heavily scanning the area within the mirror, searching every corner for Mercer pacing around… or another assassin from the Dark Brotherhood sneaking up behind me. It sure was nice to know that… at least for now… I can relax. Mercer would never look for me here, not within this house… not while I wear a different face. Not while I go by Karly instead of Karliah. I told Veselle never to call me Karliah… it would keep us both safe from the boogeymen living in town. She knew how to keep a secret… after all she is perhaps the biggest secret I have to keep right now. "Karly!" She cried again, this time louder.

Sighing, I looked over my shoulder towards Veselle's room. "Coming, Vessy!" So, I place the unfinished dishes back in the sink, turning to follow Veselle to her room. By the time I got there, she was already pulling the covers over her, rolling herself into a ball. A giant stuffed bear that always slept next to her was currently being squeezed to death by the very same girl. "So…" I said as I walked up to her bed. "What kind of story would you like tonight?"

"How you met Mjolly." She said enthusiastically. How I met Mjoll? Wow… that was a tale.

"Are you sure? It was quite some time ago… like three years ago." Not to mention, I don't think it was something I should tell her. A lot of stuff happened. "And there might be some action involved.

Veselle nodded vigorously. "I know you and Mjolly are best friends. I want to know how you became friends."

I started to shrug, not finding a reason why not to tell her. I could leave out certain details but… I guess it was a pretty good story. And I told myself that I wouldn't lie to her. Not to mention, it would let her know more about how the world outside these walls work. "Are you really sure? There are scary trolls, and menacing villains."

Veselle hugged her teddy closer to her. "I'm a Telvanni Lord!" She cried out loud. "I'm not scared of poopey-headed trolls! I'll burn them with my fire!"

I couldn't stop myself from snickering as I ruffled her head. "You're not a mage yet, and you don't have any magicka. But… that's why Mjoll is going to teach you how to fight. And I will teach you how to hide. By the time you're old enough to travel on your own… you will be one of the best agents we can train. Skilled in martial arts and in sneaking… surviving… everything you could want. And then… when your instructor Neloth feels you're ready to come train with him… you'll finally learn your magic craft."

She nodded very enthusiastically. "I'm ready, Karly. I'm ready right now!"

I shrugged. "Well… let's start with the story for tonight, and then… we'll get you started no your training in the morning. How's that?" She snuggled herself back into her bed, hugging her bear close to her. So… where to start? "Well… It was a chilly summer day of Mid-Year of the 196th year of the fourth era…"

…

[13th Mid Year, 4e 196,]

"So… I hear you're a thief. A Nightingale." A voice barely whispered above my spinning head. The lights were dulled down to a quiet slumber, the wood creaking as fresh snow fell from the rooftops at the New Gnisis Cornerclub, a small pub favored by the local Dunmer that lived in Windhelm. This is of course the kind of town where no one ever visited… no one that wasn't Dunmer anyway. Too many people afraid of being mugged or stabbed by my people. It's for this reason I come here when I need to unwind. These were my folks, my family. My protection. And this was right after the love of my life was taken from me. Just a week after Gallus was murdered. I was doing my thing and forgetting about my past, hoping that I'd find an answer to what I wanted out of life at the bottom of a sujamma bottle. Little did I know… the answer was ahead of me, but doesn't really matter, not at the time anyway. All I knew… someone was bothering me, when I specifically asked to be left alone while I treated my wound.

So, you can understand my negative reaction when someone not only asked me a question, but accurately identified me as a Nightingale. It was a moment where I was frozen with fear. Was it someone Mercer sent to find and eliminate me? Was it someone seeking my thieving expertise? How did they find me? Many questions rolled around my slugging brain, but the constant question kept coming up. Well, not so much a question as… just… Really? I came all the way to the New Gnisis Cornerclub in the middle of the often avoided Gray Quarter of Windhelm because I didn't want to be bothered. It's not like anyone who's not a Dunmer will ever come into the town… and everyone who comes here knows to keep their mouth shut when it comes to other Dunmer's whereabouts. We stick together, and no one would ever betray me here. So… how did this person find me?

It was that question that kept popping up in my head. I don't know how long I sat there, staring at my bottle, but I eventually had to look up. Looking up from my bottle of sujamma, I could see a blue-robed Breton with long red hair looking at me. He looked… fairly young, perhaps mid-twenties. He looked like he was dressed for heavy snow-trudging, a few staves thrown over his shoulder in full view for anyone to see. He looked competent as a mage, but that's not what intrigued me. Standing by the door leading outside was a young Nordic girl. She looked like a teenager… which she was. She was dressed in some well-built iron armor, a glass sword hanging off her belt. I knew the blade, I'd heard of it in my travels with Gallus. The blade that conquered the heart of the grim monsters… Grimsever. And the holder… the one that single-handedly destroyed a pastry shop. We just called her… the Lioness.

Really? The Lioness destroyed a pastry shop?

Well… more like went in and ate everything. You know how Mjoll is with sweets, right?

Hehe… yeah.

Well… the Lioness was far worse. She had the stomach of a mammoth and it would not be sated with the mere passing of a Riften Crème. Every time she walked by a pastry shop, the owners knew it was time to pray to Zenithar. And as she walked into the shop… everyone else would run out. A minute later… the shop would be closed. Everything consumed. That's just how the Lioness was. And for her to be here… well…

Back to the story. So, there I was… head spinning, the sujamma making everything blurry. Just looking at the Breton was reminding me of Gallus, and how I wouldn't be spending my life with him… As I studied the Breton in front of me, I noticed he had a side-satchel containing a book. One that read, The Wooden Mask. Wooden Mask, huh? That sounded awfully familiar.

Wooden mask? I thought you were telling me how you met Mjolly and became her best friend! I am, sweetie… just be patient. Lesson one… patience. Listen and see what you can learn. You'll learn a lot listening to my stories. I thought lesson one was always drink my garlic shake. That is a different lesson one. And did you drink it? Yes, Karly. Good.

I looked up at the Breton, trying my best to look bored. "What do you want? Can't you see I'm busy?" I asked as I tried to grab my sujamma. My hand missed its target, knocking the sujamma over. Luckily, the bottle was empty so I avoided having to clean off my leather armor for the sixth time this week.

"Are you the Nightingale I was told of? You have her eyes…" The Breton asked as he pulled up a seat and sat across from me.

I looked him in the eye, trying my best to ignore the fact that I wanted to vomit in his face. "Look, buddy…" I spoke every so eloquently… "I don't know who you are but leave me alone."

The Breton didn't seem fazed as he reached into his satchel, pulling out his book. "I'm interested in finding this mask…" He flipped through a few pages before resting on a drawing of what looked like a festival mask. It was all wooden, not even painted. Looked pretty pointless.

"And?"

The Breton looked pretty stunned. "Well… I'm offering you 500 gold to help me procure it."

"500?" I shook my head. "Whoa… wait." I grabbed my throbbing head. In my fit, I knocked over my other empty sujamma bottles, making them shatter on the floor underneath me. Almost everyone in the cornerclub glanced over at me for a second before going back to their conversations. Once my head settled down, I looked at the Breton again. "You are talking to someone you think is a Nightingale… and you think you can hire her… with 500 gold?"

"And whatever you find along the way. It's in an old ruin… engulfed in the icy wastes north of Skyrim… where ship masters fear to travel. Protected by all sorts of nasty draugr. I want this mask… I want to study it, find out if it really works. But… in order to get it… I need a team." He pointed back at the Lioness. "She's my main defender. I hear the Nightingale Dunmer is an expert archer… and a thief. If I had her on my team… well… magic, sword and steel… and expert archery… it would be what we like to call… the Power of Three. Which is what is called for to enter this ruin. So… are you in? It's likely never been touched by man. Plenty of riches… well… plenty enough to come back here to…" He waved his hand around my table of spilt sujamma. "well… you get it."

I nodded. "Yeah… I do get it." I sighed as I leaned back. My head was still spinning, but I could think reasonably enough. I was being offered a job. I didn't know when I would get another one… and if it got me out of this cornerclub… and out into the world again… I guess it wouldn't hurt. I just wasn't ready to face the world. The wound was still fresh in my mind… Gallus' face still crying out my name as he died. No… I wasn't ready to leave my dark corner yet. But… there was something about the wooden mask, I just couldn't ignore. "Ok, fine." I leaned forward again. "I'll do it."

The Breton's face cracked a big smile, reaching over to shake my hand. "I am Neville Corpse-taker. Don't let my last name throw you off. My parents were neo-necromancers."

I nodded. "Yeah… ok. I'm Karliah Indoril." I stuck out my hand, taking his into a handshake. "So, where are going?"

Neville stood up, brushing off his mage robes. "First thing is first, we need you to sober up."

I waved my hand around, dismissing the idea. "I'll clear up on the way down."

"Ok… if you're sure about that." He pulled out a notebook. "Now… your mission with the Lioness is to watch my back while we explore the caverns of the old Nordic ruin. Once we retrieve the mask, your mission is over. You will get your 500, plus whatever you take for yourself while on mission. I have hired a few escorts to take me safely to a site where I can begin my studies on the mask itself."

"Why aren't the Lioness and I escorting you back?" I pointed over to the Nordic girl standing by the door.

Neville shook his head. "While I admire the thought, I suspected you two will be quite exhausted by the trip and would like to return to your lives. I, on the other hand, must make haste to another ruin. I have already made arrangements with a few other mercenaries for protection. They come highly recommended."

I found myself nodding. "Smart reasoning, I guess."

"Thank you." He bowed at my compliment. "Our ship doesn't leave for another few hours so… I suggest you have a sit down with the Lioness. Perhaps you two can come up with a ratio of which treasures you will share." He waved at the Lioness to come join us. She pushed off the door, walking over to me with a slow walk of a patient warrior. She was really young but… you could see it in her eyes… she was not easily pushed around. She was a true Nord, if ever one were to exist.

Just like Mjolly! Yes… exactly like Mjolly.

So, in walks this beast of a teenager, her glass sword clanking at her side, as she walked over to us. Neville took this time to head off towards the bar, to order his own drink. Meanwhile, the Lioness and I were having a sit down. Now, I thought I knew mercenaries. They love their money… their loot… and just about everything in between if it gets them through the next month. But… the Lioness was a different monster completely… and one I hated often.

"So…" I said we both sat down at the table. "How do you want to split any loot?"

She glared at me for a second, her wavy golden locks of hair barely obscuring her fiery eyes from me. "I don't need any."

That… that always caught me off guard. Here she was… a beast… one of the strongest fighters… and she didn't want any loot? And it annoyed me. "Wait…" I held up my hands, trying to stop her from saying more. My head was spinning again, so I thought maybe I misheard her. "I'm talking about sharing things like… weapons, arrows… potions… gems… gold… um… artifacts. Enchanted things."

"I don't need any." She repeated. "Unless we come across some food or drink… I'm good. Perhaps the occasional piece of armor to upgrade my own arsenal."

That… that sounded off to me. "What do you do to survive?"

She shrugged. "I eat off the land. Sleep in caves. Eat snow for water."

"But…" My head was spinning. "How do you make a living? Are you even taking payment for this?"

She shook her head. "No need to. I'm helping him out because I feel like it."

Wow… she sounds exactly like Mjolly. Your powers of observation are amazing, little one. So, when do you meet her? Never mind.

I was so lost by her attitude that I seemed to be even harder hit by the sujamma in my system. "Ugh.. my head." I looked down at the table, both to let my head settle and to get away from the Lioness's judgmental glares.

"You lot sicken me. You make your money stealing from others who earned theirs the hard way. Did it ever occur to you that joining a real guild would allow you some amount of satisfaction, comradery, anything?" Lioness's voice was growing sharper, louder. It made my head spin even faster. But… I couldn't let her get away with what she said. And as I looked up to combat her… my memory flashed. Gallus… Mercer… She was right… Gallus and I were together, we loved what we did, and we only really stole from those who deserved it. But Mercer… he stole from me… his own friend and ally. He stole Gallus from me. Stole the Guild too. The place I learned to love… gone… just like that. Stolen from right underneath me… in one night.

"It would be nice to have real friends." I found myself saying. Just thinking about how everyone would be accusing me of killing Gallus… a man I loved… it made it so much worse.

Lioness placed her hand on top of mine, rubbing her thumb reassuringly. When I glanced back up at her, she was smiling somewhat. "You seem like you need some. May I ask you… what happened?" She looked at my assortment of empty sujamma bottles. She must know that I was hurting pretty badly.

"Well…" I shrugged. Should I tell her? I think I needed someone to hear my side of the story. Gods know that everyone I know thinks I'm a villain… even worse than a thief… a betrayer… murderer… I have to have someone on my side. "I used to be in the Thieves Guild… a Nightingale… a partner-in-crime to Nocturnal. There were three of us… three Nightingales. One was Gallus… a man I loved and would go to the ends of the world for… the other was a man named Mercer. And… he killed Gallus, framed me for it. Tried to kill me too. I barely got away. And by the time I got home in Riften… he had already spread the word… and the thieves turned on me. I barely made it out of that alive too… and so… I ended up here…" I waved my hands around the cornerclub. "My fellow Dunmer stitched me up… gave me sujamma, and let me slump into my corner, where no one bothers me."

The Lioness seemed to understand me. She nodded at the story. "I… I lived in a village just southeast of Solitude. Just last year… my whole village was destroyed by bandits. I watched as my father died… my mother fought to the death… my brother plunged through the chest. I managed to survive, but barely so. You see this paint I wear?" She gestured to the blue streak of pain running down the left side of her face. "It hides an awful burn mark… one I'm ashamed of. I had my face tattooed to hide it from the world."

Wait… blue streak? Is the Lioness Mjoll? It's about time you got there. Good for you, little squirt! Hey… what do you want? I'm only six! Says the Telvanni Lord… Karly!

So, after hearing the Lioness's story, and after she heard mine… we found ourselves sharing our names. "I'm Karliah Indoril."

"Mjoll Lion-Heart." She took my hand in a quick shake. "I'm sorry to hear what you had to go through, but it is the life of a thief."

"Trust me… it usually isn't. Thieves tend to stick together. It's us against the world… not against each other. Mercer just isn't one of us. One day… I'll make sure justice finds its way to him."

She smirked at that. "I hope you are the one to deliver it."

"As long as the wrongs are righted… I don't care who delivers the justice." I looked over at Neville… who was finishing up his tab for a few drinks for us. "Until then… I guess I just need to move on with my life, find something new to keep me occupied."

"You could adventure with me. It would be nice to have someone watching my back." Mjoll suggested.

I shrugged. "We'll see how this mission turns out first. If we make a good team… I don't see why not."

Neville joined us at the table, passing Mjoll some sujamma, himself some flin, and a bottle of water for me. When I looked down at it, he smiled. "You need to sober up… Mjoll and I need to catch up. Our ship isn't scheduled to leave for another hour so… drink up. We'll leave after a small meal." Ok… I'm ok with this. Gallus… watch over me. I think… I think it's time I get back out there. The small wound on my side started to sting… but little did I know that it would soon blossom to something else entirely.

…

[Current day]

I looked down at the tiny Vessy, hugging her bear close to her. Drool was slowly creeping down her cheek… her snoring light. I don't know when she fell asleep, but… I guess I would just have to continue the story tomorrow night. I wasn't even halfway done.

I bent down, kissed her on the forehead, and finished placing a blanket on top of her, closing her mouth and wiping the drool off her cheek. I blew the candle on her nightstand out before slowly creeping out of her room, closing the door behind me. Oh well… I have the rest of the night to myself. Better get that mead with Mjoll. I promised we'd have a woman's night out on the town.

Cearbhail:

We'll pick this up in the next chapter.