I do not own Skyrim or any of the characters. I changed what happened when Mercer went bad. Fair warning, it's not a pleasant thought.
Truth
Gabriel sat in the chair in the darkest corner of the room, Karliah sat beside him and Brynjolf sat across from them.
"So you're the Dragonborn?" Brynjolf asked.
"Yes," Gabriel said. "I can absorb dragon souls and learn to shout through them. At the same time, Alduin will stop at nothing to kill me because I'm trying to kill him."
"Can you, Lad?" Brynjolf asked.
"I really don't know," Gabriel said. "Maybe someday. For now, I have nothing."
"Not quite," Karliah corrected. "You still have me."
"And me, Lad," Brynjolf added. "And the rest of the Thieves Guild, although, I don't know what help we'll be against dragons."
"More than you think," Gabriel said. "If you're good with a bow, at any rate."
"Sir," Rune said walking over. "The Companions are here."
"I see," Gabriel nodded. "Are the Blades here yet?"
"Yes," Delphine said walking in with three soldiers all dressed in Blades Armor with Blades Swords at their hips.
Two were women and one was a man and Gabriel knew all three. The woman was Ria, a former Companion. She had become a Blade because she and Njada had been arguing so badly that she couldn't stand to be around her anymore. Gabriel sent her to Delphine as an alternative and unwittingly also saved her from the destruction of Whiterun. The male was Athis, who had gone with Ria to look after her as a favor to both Gabriel and Njada, who felt bad about the argument. The last female was Uthgerd the Unbroken, who had wanted to fight something that she saw as a worthy opponent.
"I heard about Paarthurnax," Delphine said. "I'd say that I'm sorry but I'd rather not lie."
"He saved my life," Gabriel said.
"And I am very thankful for that," Delphine said. "But he was a dragon and deserved to be killed."
"Screw you," Gabriel growled.
"Enough!" Karliah snapped. "Can we focus on the point of this meeting?"
"You're right," Gabriel said. "Alduin needs to die, now. He has probably over a hundred dragons under his command and they will destroy everything if not stopped."
"We'll handle it," Delphine said.
"No, you won't," Gabriel said. "As Dragonborn, I am in charge of the Blades. I've let you run the show long enough. You serve me, and you will do as I command. For now, you're staying here, training in stealth and archery. All of you."
"If you would allow it, I would like to be allowed to rejoin the Companions," Ria said.
Gabriel smiled and nodded.
"Then welcome back," Gabriel smiled.
Ria smiled and nodded.
"What about you?" Gabriel asked.
"If it's alright, I'd actually like to stay a Blade," Athis said. "I've found I quite like it."
"Very well," Gabriel nodded.
"I'm short one soldier, then," Delphine said.
"You're short a lot of soldiers," Gabriel said. "Rune."
"Yes Boss?" Rune asked.
"Head up to Riften and get Mjoll the Lioness," Gabriel said. "Tell her that she's going to repay me for getting her sword by becoming a Blade and fighting the dragons with me."
Rune nodded and hurried off.
"Is everyone still okay?" Gabriel asked.
"Yes," Aela nodded. "Farkas and Vilkas are in the other room, keeping Njada from starting a fight with that Vex bitch."
Ria smiled slightly at the mention of Njada but quickly forced her smile away again. Gabriel smirked, having seen the smile, but also knowing Njada and Vex were probably almost at blows, even with Farkas and Vilkas.
"Go make sure no one fights anyone," Gabriel sighed.
Aela nodded and she and Ria both turned to leave.
"Oh, and I'm truly sorry about Lydia," Aela said over her shoulder.
"Thank you," Gabriel said.
Aela nodded and left with Ria and Gabriel leaned back, smirking slightly.
"I might be wrong, but I think there might be something between Ria and Njada," Brynjolf said.
"I think you might be right," Gabriel smirked and looked over at Karliah to see her struggling to stay awake. "How long have you been up?"
"Only a couple days," Karliah said. "We Dunmer can stay awake for weeks on end."
"Most Dunmer don't have to fight an Elder Dragon or outrun a hundred of them," Gabriel said. "Get some sleep. We're not doing anything until the Companions and Blades are rested and settled in anyway."
"Come on Lass," Brynjolf said. "Your old room's still free. I took the liberty of kicking the last tenant out when you came back."
"Who was it?" Gabriel asked.
"Mercer," Brynjolf said.
"I see," Karliah said smiling tiredly. "Guess I should check for traps then."
Brynjolf laughed and Karliah joined him, albeit quite a bit more reservedly. Gabriel smirked but his mind was filled with thoughts of Lydia that had finally slipped through the mental wall he had put up to keep himself from being incapable of focusing on escaping Alduin. Brynjolf led Karliah to her room where there were two beds, one a large, gold-inlaid double bed with silk and other fine materials. The other was a simple one person bed set in the corner.
"What's the second bed for?" Karliah asked.
"I figured that after what you've gone through, Gabriel could use some privacy tonight," Brynjolf said. "Unfortunately we didn't have any other rooms. I hope you don't mind."
"It's alright," Karliah said. "I agree. Is it alright with you?"
"What?" Gabriel asked coming back to his senses.
"You're going to be sharing a room with me tonight," Karliah said. "You can pick which bed you want."
Gabriel nodded then lay on the smaller bed not bothering to try to take his armor off.
"Goodnight," Brynjolf said earning no answer from Gabriel.
"Goodnight Brynjolf," Karliah said. "And thank you."
Brynjolf nodded then turned and left closing the door after him. Karliah walked over to Gabriel and sat on the edge of the bed.
"You shouldn't sleep in your armor," Karliah said. "Here, let me help."
Gabriel groaned an unintelligible protest but Karliah pulled him up anyway and pulled Morokei off followed by Gabriel's boots and gauntlets. Finally, Gabriel turned so that she could undo the straps on his back holding his armor on. Once untied, he pulled the armor over his head, along with his shirt, leaving only his pants on then turned to help Karliah. She took off her own hood, mask, gloves, and boots, then allowed Gabriel to undo the straps for her. When he was done, she stood and walked over to her bed where she had laid out her bed clothes.
Gabriel lay down on his bed pulling the covers up to his neck and facing away from Karliah to give her some privacy. When she was done changing, she slipped under her own covers and looked at the man laying in Gallus's old bed. There was so much about him that reminded her of him. Including her having to help him undress, though with Gallus it was usually because he had been awake planning for days and was too tired to stand, rather than having fought an Elder Dragon, lost the love of his life, and witnessed the death of a mentor, friends, and countless innocents. They also had the same one handed fighting style, even though Gabriel used Bound Weapons. She cast a Muffle spell on the room itself making the room completely sound proof. Then, she looked back at Gabriel.
"Goodnight," Karliah said.
"Goodnight," Gabriel said. "Don't let me do anything stupid in your dream."
Karliah smiled. Gallus used to say that too.
"I won't," Karliah promised, smiling and turning to face the ceiling.
She closed her eyes and quickly drifted off to dreams of her lost love while Gabriel silently rolled onto his back struggling to find sleep. Every time he closed his eyes, Lydia would appear behind them, broken and bleeding and begging for him to save her. When he finally did drift off, his dream was the same but this time Lydia was demanding him to explain why he left her to die. Eventually he forced himself awake and lay in the dark waiting for morning.
"No," Karliah said quietly. "Please no...Gallus...no...don't hurt him...Mercer...please...no..."
Gabriel began to get up but just before his foot hit the ground, he froze. Nocturnal was floating in the air halfway between the two beds. She held her finger to her lips and Gabriel nodded. She silently landed on the floor then turned toward Karliah.
"Poor girl," Nocturnal said. "Years after Gallus's death and still she cannot forget. Do you know what Mercer did? Did she tell you the full story?"
"He killed Gallus and tried to kill her but she escaped," Gabriel said.
"Is that what she said?" Nocturnal asked. "No, Mortal. Mercer captured Gallus, then when Karliah arrived, he used Gallus to keep Karliah from attempting to kill him. He used Gallus as leverage to force Karliah to do what he wanted. Do you know what that is?"
"No," Gabriel said. "And I don't want to. No offense but I don't think it's your place to say."
"True," Nocturnal said. "Ask Karliah about it. She needs to talk about it and she is unable to let it go while trying to keep it hidden and suppressed. I know I could simply order you, but in this case, I am asking you, get her to confide in you Mercer's ultimate crime. Help Karliah move past it. She needs to move on but she needs help. I implore you, Mortal. Lend what aid you can to Karliah."
Gabriel nodded and Nocturnal was gone again.
"No...Mercer...no...please..." Karliah moaned beginning to toss and turn. "Please...don't...not him...please...not him..."
Gabriel stood just as Karliah screamed sitting bolt upright and looking around. Gabriel hurried over and she instantly reached for the Ebony Dagger on the end table beside her. Gabriel caught her hand and she began beating the other off his chest trying to get free but he held her against him wondering what was taking the others so long to see why she had screamed.
"Sshh, sshh," Gabriel said lightly stroking her hair comfortingly. "It's alright. It's just me. It was just a dream. You're alright."
Karliah stopped fighting and dissolved into sobs against his chest while he held her gently, sitting on the bed and pulling her into his lap. She sobbed into his shoulder almost silently for a while before finally stopping but not trying to move.
"The others didn't come because I put a Muffle spell on the room," Karliah said knowing he was curious.
"I see," Gabriel said. "Do you want to talk about it?"
"Not really," Karliah said before sighing. "I was dreaming about the day Gallus died. Mercer didn't only kill Gallus because he was the only one Mercer caught. He let me live because he knew it would be a worse torture than killing me."
"Why?" Gabriel asked.
"Because of what he did," Karliah said.
"You mean killing Gallus?" Gabriel asked debating telling what Nocturnal said.
"Not exactly," Karliah said. "I'm sorry, I can't talk about it now."
"I think you should," Gabriel said after a moment. "And I'm not the only one. Nocturnal visited me, I'm not sure if it was a dream or not but she said she was worried about you and wanted me to get you to talk about something Mercer did. She said he captured Gallus and used him to force you to do something but didn't say what."
Karliah was silent for several seconds.
"She's right," Karliah said quietly. "Mercer lured Gallus into a trap and captured him. Then when I tried to save Gallus, he captured me as well. He threatened to kill Gallus if I didn't..."
After a moment, Gabriel began stroking Karliah's hair again.
"It's alright," Gabriel said. "You don't need to talk about it if you don't want to."
"No," Karliah said. "It's alright. I need to talk to someone about it."
She took a shuddering breath closing her eyes and losing herself to the familiar feeling of someone stroking her hair. God she missed it. Like so many other things, Gallus had been the last.
"When I arrived, Mercer had Gallus at sword-point," Karliah said. "I moved to kill him but he cut Gallus on the arm with the Dwarven Sword he wielded that absorbed health. Gallus almost collapsed from that simple scratch so, I froze. Mercer easily stripped me of my weapons then chained Gallus to the wall over a spike trap with the lever beside Mercer. Then...Mercer...he told me that he would spare Gallus if I...if I let him use my body for his own pleasure."
She stopped and clamped her mouth shut struggling not to sob again and Gabriel continued to stroke her hair and then began to rock gently.
"I couldn't refuse," Karliah continued eventually. "I couldn't lose Gallus. I did the only thing I could. I let Mercer do what he wanted. And he did, for several hours. Finally he stopped and left me on the floor sobbing and broken. Then...he killed Gallus anyway and left leaving my clothes and weapons behind."
Finally she began to sob again and Gabriel held her against him.
"I'm sorry," Gabriel said. "I'm so sorry. I can't even begin to imagine what it must have been like, what it must still be like to remember. I'm so sorry that it happened."
"It's alright," Karliah said. "It wasn't your fault and Mercer's dead either way. It doesn't matter anymore."
"Yes it does," Gabriel said. "It will always matter. At the very least for as long as it's this painful for you to think about."
Karliah remained silent, tears continuing to slide silently down her face. Gabriel gently wiped them away before continuing to stroke her hair lightly.
"Thank you for telling me," Gabriel said. "If you want, I can revive Mercer's corpse so that you can kill him."
"That's okay," Karliah said smiling. "Thanks anyway. Thank you for listening. I needed to get that off my chest."
"I would assume so," Gabriel said. "I can see why you hid it though."
"Karliah, Gabriel!" Brynjolf said urgently bursting into the room. "We've got trouble."
He turned and left and Gabriel quickly pulled his armor on then left to give Karliah the privacy to change also. They met Brynjolf just outside the city with the rest of the Thieves Guild, Blades, and Companions, and instantly saw the problem. An old face had come back to haunt them.
Read and review.