(AN: That last chapter turned out longer than I expected [imagine how long it would have been had it been combined with this one, as i had originally intended]: let's hope that the hunt for a job and World of Warcraft don't take me away again [not so much me playing it, but my brother playing it].)

(I've also realized that i'm starting to fall into a rut as far as dialogue goes. In the last chapter, all that arguing actually got somewhere as far as showing why Crixus does what he does. But if i keep up the arguing, it feels like i'm veering towards Doctor Who Season 31 through 34 territory, where arguing is just for the sake of playful banter and it has no further meaning. Do NOT want that!)


The Pursuit

Crixus stayed awake the rest of that night and was the first one to rouse them from their sleep. While they were eating a meager breakfast, Crixus suddenly became rather frantic and started searching for something on their horses and in all of their baggage.

"What are you searching for, my thane?" Jordis asked.

"My bow!" Crixus returned. "My Colovian recurve bow. One of you b*tches stole it last night while I was on watch!"

"Stolen your bow?" Eisa groaned. "I'm an axe-woman myself."

"And I use the great-sword," Helga replied. "Are you sure you haven't miss-placed it somewhere?"

"I'm certain of it!" Crixus roared.

"Wait a minute," Jordis pointed out. "Weren't we just with the Khajiit caravans before we met them?"

"So?" Crixus asked.

"So maybe one of them took it?" Jordis suggested.

"Oh yes, very Nordic of you!" Crixus mocked. "Blame anyone who's different than you!"

"She has a point, though," Helga noted. "The cat-folk are notorious for being light-fingered. They might have nicked it from you when you were not looking."

"All of you shut up!" Crixus roared. "Just because they're not Nords, that doesn't mean they're to blame for everything bad that happens. Now I'm sure one of you took it."

"Why?" Eisa asked.

"Because you're filthy fucking Nords, that's why!" Crixus retorted. "You take what doesn't belong to you and kill those who try to protest..." But his words were cut off immediately by loud, raucous laughter from Helga, who had almost fallen backwards.

"Shut up, just shut up!" Crixus roared, pointing at her. "Shut the fuck up!"

After gasping and wiping away a few tears, Helga finally spoke. "Are all Cyrodilians as two-faced as this, or is this only you?"

"I told you to shut up!" Crixus retorted.

"One moment," Helga continued, laughter rising up with each word. "You're saying that non-Nords shouldn't be blamed for bad things, then the next you're doing the exact same thing to us!"

"Shut up, you over-grown white cunt!" Crixus roared, drawing Gallus' Nightingale Blade.

"Or what?" Helga asked, pushing herself up onto her feet, where she towered over Crixus.

"You fucking Nordic bully!" Crixus retorted.

Once again, Helga's face split with laughter as she rose one hand to cover her face, grinning broadly from one side of her mouth to the other.

"So much for a boring morning," Eisa added.

"Shut up!" Crixus retorted.

"Is that all you can say?" Eisa returned.

"Do you want me to turn this sword against you?" Crixus threatened, turning towards Eisa with his sword. Suddenly he was picked up off his feet and thrown against the stone wall on the northern side of their little cove.

"Well done, Helga," Eisa grinned. "I've been wanting to see him grovel for a long time."

"Agh, you fucking b*tch!" Crixus groaned as he pushed himself back onto his feet.

"What do you think, Eisa?" Helga asked. "Shall we take him with us?"

"What?" Crixus asked. "Wait a minute, you're not going with me."

"Oh yes, we are!" Helga noted.

"Wait, what?" Eisa returned. "You're letting him come with us? You've just condemned us all to death by putting us in his company!"

"Oh, I don't think so," Helga retorted. "Besides, it's not for his sake we're taking him, but for hers." She pointed to Jordis.

"Me? Why?" Jordis asked.

"I like you," Helga returned. "You keep our traditions despite the best this little man does to offend you. I should feel obliged to go with you, to make sure he doesn't try to hurt you in any way."

"Oh, I can take care of myself, thank you very much," Jordis returned.

"Still," Helga replied. "I don't trust him with you. I should like to stay with you, just to be safe."

"But what about me?" Eisa asked. "You're just going to leave me out in the cold?"

"Of course not," Helga returned. "You're coming with me."

"Not with him, I'm not!" she retorted, pointing to Crixus.

"Fine by me," Crixus groaned. "You all can be a trio of b*tch-lovers all to yourselves. I'll go to Riften on my own, if I have to."

"Riften?" Helga asked. "Gods, we're going the same direction."

"Not with me," Crixus stated.

"Perfect," Eisa retorted.

"No, no," Jordis interjected. "My thane, please, don't be so stubborn."

"I'll not be in any party with them!" he pointed towards Eisa and Helga. "Especially that mountain b*tch!"

"Oh, come now!" Jordis returned. "They can't be all that bad."

"She fucking threw me!" Crixus roared.

"You threatened Eisa," Helga replied. "You don't threaten my friends."

"Or what?"

"Or the next time I won't throw you," she returned. "I'll break your neck."

"I'm not going anywhere with these two!" Crixus repeated to his huscarl.

"What about you?"

"Oh, give me a fucking break!" Crixus rolled his eyes.

"We have to put up with this from you every single day!" Jordis returned. "And yet we're expected to do so in silence and obedience."

"Well, that's different!"

"Why?"

"Because you're Nords!" Crixus shouted. "Your place is to obey the Empire; me! I represent the Empire, so you obey me! If I want to say the truth about you, then so help me, I'll fucking do it! Nords aren't meant to rule or lead over the Empire or over anything! Give you barbarians an inch, and soon you'll be invading Morrowind or-or trying to set up another fucking Talos Empire!" For a moment they were all stunned silent, the only sound the occasional snorting of the horses or Crixus' slow gasps. At last Helga spoke.

"I think he should come with us," she said.

"Helga!" Eisa exclaimed.

"For his own good," Helga replied. "If we let him wander off by himself, he's bound to be picking fights with everyone he comes in contact with. He won't last a day in Skyrim on his own."

"Fuck you, you white Nordic cow!" Crixus retorted. "I've survived in this shite-hole of a country on my own just fine for four months!"

"Astounding!" Helga exclaimed.

"I'm not going with you," he stated.

"Why not?" Jordis asked.

"I respect myself too much," Crixus retorted. "To suffer being in company with these types."

"What if I promised that Helga wouldn't throw you again?" Jordis asked.

"How can I know she'll keep that promise?" Crixus asked. "Nords break their sworn word every fucking day."

"Alright, that I'll not tolerate!" Helga retorted, stepping up towards Jordis and Crixus.

"Why not?" Crixus asked. "You people are known to be oath-breakers as much as you're known to be violent brutes."

"I'm willing to excuse all you've said and done," Helga replied. "So that I may make an oath with you here and now, and I will prove to you whether I am faithful or not. If I fail in my word, you're welcome to drive that sword of yours through my heart. I'll even steady your hands for you."

"My hands don't need steadying," Crixus sneered.

"I'll make the oath just the same," Helga returned.

"And what will you swear?" Crixus asked.

"That neither I, nor any who travel with me, nor any foe we may encounter, will lay a hand on you and yours," she began, gesturing with her head to Jordis. "And that, to uphold this oath, I am willing to give all that I have, including my life. For if I fail at this charge, then I swear that my life will be forfeit."

"Watch, you'll run at the first sign of trouble," Crixus added.

"Shut up, Crixus!" Eisa snapped.

"No, you shut up!" Crixus retorted.

"Can you please not, my thane?" Jordis asked.

"I don't have to take this from you Nords," Crixus sneered. "I'm better than all of you."

"Yet you resort to shouting us down if we disagree?" asked Helga.

"Just shut the fuck up!" Crixus retorted.

"No," Helga returned. "I've given you the conditions of my oath: now it's your turn. Will you hear my oath and accept it?"

Crixus scoffed. "If it will shut you pissy Nordic b*tches up, then fine, I'll hear it." He then added under his breath. "For whatever it's worth."

Helga took out a seax from her belt, the knife which most Nord warriors carried on their person, and pierced her little finger with it. Taking from their fire-pit one blackened stone, she let the blood drip down onto the stone.

"I, Helga Alfarsdottir," she began. "I swear that I will keep you and all under your charge safe from any harm. That neither I, nor any who travel with me, nor any foe we may encounter, will lay a hand on you and yours. To uphold this oath, let this blood prove that I am willing to give all that I have, including my life. If I fail at this charge, then my life will be forfeit. This I swear in the presence of these two witnesses..." She gestured to Eisa and Jordis. "Do you hear my oath and accept it?"

"Yes, I hear it," Crixus groaned, nodding his head. "And, for what it's worth, I'll accept it. But let me tell you something..." He rose up, pointing his finger at Helga. "My people have always believed in honor, duty, in fealty and devotion to their sworn lieges and those to whom they were charged. Just because there are no knightly orders in Cyrodiil, I will hold you to your oath the way the knights of old were held totheir oaths. If you break your oath, whether by failing to carry it out or by abandoning your charge, as I am certain you will, then I promise you this: I will hunt you down, I will find you and I will kill you. Do you understand this?"

"Aye, I understand," Helga nodded.

Eisa rolled her eyes at hearing this, but Jordis merely held her hand up to keep her from speaking. They had already wasted quite a bit of their morning with arguing and now was the time for words to cease and actions to take place.

Crixus, upon hearing Helga's response, grinned. "Then there should be no problem. Now step to it, you three! You're taking up all of my precious time with your whining and b*tching, it's no wonder nothing gets done around you!"

They finished packing in silence, while Crixus made one last sweep of their outcrop for his bow. While Eisa and Helga were already a-horse and ready to go, Jordis, who held the reins of both Crixus' horse and her own, looked after her thane. For a moment she merely looked at him with her blue-grey eyes, pondering what drove him to do and say the things he did.

"Don't feel for him, Jordis," Eisa spoke up. "He's scum."

"Maybe," Jordis returned. "But I've seen better in him."

"I wonder why he acts like an ass all the time," Helga added.

"Maybe it's because he lost his bow," Jordis stated, turning back to them. "It was his prized possession, his main weapon. Without it, he must feel vulnerable, helpless. You shouldn't have thrown him, Helga."

"He threatened Eisa," Helga replied. "I take friendship and honor very seriously."

"Now, you see, there I can't agree with you," Eisa noted. "All of this honor nonsense will only get you killed in the end. People don't care about honor; he's living proof of that." She pointed to Crixus.

But Jordis was not so easily convinced as Eisa. Looking back at Crixus, she wondered why he always fell to such childish arguing around Nords. Was it something he had against them in particular? Or perhaps he was this way with everyone? Granted, she hadn't seen him in much company besides other Nords and how he reacted when a relative met him was no consolation either. But still, she wondered what could drive someone to such depths so that they could find no peace among others?


Crixus was determined to reach Riften as soon as possible. His present company was not what he wanted and the sooner he arrived in Riften, the better. As it was, they would go on to Nimalten, leaving him to go it alone to Riften: at least alone with his shield-thane. Even being around Helga brought up bad memories of when he was only a young man, almost thirty years ago, in the Legion after the Siege of Bravil. He had vowed to forget that moment, as it was one of his weakest points. Not like the Battle of the Red Dog Pass, where, wearied, foot-sore, cold and outnumbered against Dominion forces, he plucked out victory from the jaws of defeat. No, that night thirty years ago was only darkness, from which the dawn had yet to come.

They rode on the rest of that day in silence, saying nothing to each other and making no instigating comments. All the while, however, Crixus was feeling exposed without his bow. He did not find it in their camp and unless one of the three Nord women were hiding it, he had to concede that it might have been stolen from him. He did not want to believe that the Khajiit would do it, despite the little row he had with their leader Ri'saad: he wanted to believe that the Khajiit were, by nature, better people than the Nords. In that light, anything they might do would be justified in his eyes and, if there was no room for justification, then their actions would be ignored. It was not just, but then nothing that Crixus did would be considered 'just' by anyone. He did not care, though: his idea of justice was not for everyone to have an equal treatment, but that every man should be treated according to their deeds, and that Nords, by reason of being Nords, had done the worst deeds and should be treated worse because of it.

Whether Helga had, without Eisa's knowledge, decided to accompany Crixus and Jordis all the way to Riften before striking out for Nimalten, or whether they had lost track of where they were, they did not know. However, mile by mile, they were now passing behind the mountain-pass which led up onto the plateau of the Rift and to Nimalten. Instead, they were going further eastward, towards the great pass leading up to the gates of Riften. Here the woods began to thicken and the tops of the bright green aspen trees could be seen glistening in the afternoon sun on their right.

As they were thus on their way, there suddenly came a loud roar directly ahead of their path. Helga and Eisa, at the vanguard, brought their horses to a halt as they saw before them the cause of the sound. There stood a large saber-cat, pawing anxiously at the ground. Helga immediately dismounted and drew out her great-sword, slowly advancing towards the saber-cat. Then, from the right, another came leaping down and knocked Helga off her feet and her sword out of her hands. Eisa was the first to respond, drawing out her axe and charging towards the newcomer, hoping to pull it off Helga. But the first saber-cat saw its opening and lunged at Eisa.

But all this while, Crixus had not been idle. Though without his bow, he had other means of attacking his foes. The attention of the saber-cats and the three Nord women was all wrapped, so he was able to quietly dismount and draw forth Gallus' Nightingale Blade, then he crouched down besides his horse, waiting for an opening. The attack of the second saber-cat caught him almost as much by surprise as it had Helga, but when he saw that the two of them were both occupied, he dared press his luck and broke cover, running for the nearest saber-cat. He thrust his sword into the mouth of the saber-cat which had taken down Eisa, pushing until he could feel resistance and hear the satisfying squish of slicing flesh. Almost immediately the cat responded, thrashing its head about and swinging at Crixus with its huge paws. After one swing almost hit him, Crixus pulled out his sword and dove straight under another swing, then thrust again into the cat's neck. Already wounded twice, and that by a weapon so enchanted that it drained its strength, the saber-cat began to weaken and slumped off to the left. Eisa, who was still struggling angrily beneath it, now reached for her axe and buried it repeatedly into the saber-cat's side, shouting and cursing angrily.

His mind afire with memories of war, Crixus turned towards the next threat. But what he saw was almost laughable to his sensibilities. Helga had the saber-cat pinned, with one arm wrapped around its neck and the other trying to tear its upper jaw off. Her hand slipped and the cat tried to swing at it with its huge paw. With a loud roar, Helga punched the saber-cat in the nose, then seized one of its long teeth, ripped it out, blood and all, and repeatedly began stabbing it the beast with it. Now they were both rolling around the dirt road, trying to best each other. Each blow Helga beat down upon the saber-cat, however, seemed to do little to end it. At last, however, Helga seized the fur underneath the lower jaw with her left hand, then the upper jaw with her right. With a loud cry she strained as hard as she could, but Crixus only laughed at the futility. In no time the jaws would clamp down on her hands and he would have to jump in to save her.

Suddenly there was a terrible loud snap and the large saber-cat fell dead before Helga, its jaw broken. There she stood, covered in blood and dirt with a rather nasty looking gash on her arm from where the saber-cat's paw struck her when it landed on her. Crixus could not look her long in the eyes, for a frenzied fire burned there which made him uncomfortable. Instead he turned back to Eisa, who was still hacking away at the saber-cat.

"I think it's dead," Crixus stated.

"Fuck you!" Eisa shouted, the heat of battle still heavy upon her. "I didn't need your help, I didn't ask for your help. I could have taken it on myself."

"That's not what I saw," Crixus noted.

"You should have left it to me!" Eisa shouted, gazing angrily at Crixus, her face drenched in more blood than Helga's.

"It's okay," Helga breathed. "He won't ask for it."

"Bullshit!" Eisa retorted. "Do you not remember what he said with you? All that shit we went through? Of course he'd ask for it; he'd do it just to spite me."

"Ask what?" Crixus asked.

"Despite what you may believe, my thane," Jordis interjected. "Nords hold honor in very high regard. What you just did put Eisa in your debt."

"What I did?" Crixus asked. "I just killed that saber-cat. How is that..."

"I won't honor it," Eisa retorted. "I don't care if you mock me and my people for the rest of my life. I won't honor any agreement with you!"

"Typical," Crixus muttered.

"It's not a life debt, Eisa," Helga interjected. "You don't have to serve him."

"Isn't that what 'in your debt' means?" Eisa asked. "Besides..." She turned back to Crixus. "...I won't give you the satisfaction of having me do something for you like a slave!"

"So be it," Crixus returned. He then heard Eisa exclaim and turned about to see her approach Helga. "What now?"

"She's wounded!" Eisa exclaimed.

"Oh, it's nothing!" Helga dismissed. "The beast scratched me, is all. It's not that deep, really. I've had worse."

"Still, we might have to camp here until your wounds are dressed," Jordis suggested.

"No," Crixus returned. "We're within an afternoon's walk to Riften. There'll be plenty of time to rest and dress wounds once we're safely behind walls."

"At least let me cover it," Eisa offered. Helga grudgingly accepted and Eisa used her scarf to wrap the wound. Then they mounted back up again and went on their way.


It was late in the day when at last they arrived at the gates of Riften. The sun was already a shining glimmer on the edge of the western mountains and the shadows were long and cold. After tying their horses up at the stables, they made their way to the great gates of the city which, to their surprise, were closed. As the four of them approached the gate, two guards, one bearing a lantern, approached the travelers.

"Hold there," he said. "This here door is closed. Gonna have to see some money. Visitor's tax."

"What?" Crixus scoffed. "I've been here several times and I've never had to pay any visitor's tax."

"It's the new law in town," the guard returned. "People who come here have to pay a toll for the pleasure of enjoying our fine city. Say...fifty septims each."

"I'm not paying two hundred drakes just to go into your rat-infested city," Crixus retorted.

"Here!" the guard with the lantern shouted, pointing towards Eisa. "I know you! You're one of the White River bandits! You got some nerve showing your face here, scum!" With that, the guard drew his sword. But Crixus was just as fast and drew Gallus' sword.

"Stand down," he said. "She's with me. We go in unmolested...and no visitor's tax."

"You got a death-wish, stranger?" the first guard asked. "Drawin' your sword on a city guard like that! I'll have you locked up in the city jail for all your days!"

"Go ahead, do it," Crixus returned. "Then maybe you can explain to Maven Black-Briar why her trusted employee was harassed and sent to jail by a couple of thugs like you!"

"Don't listen to 'em, Karl!" the lantern-bearing guard muttered. "He's bluffin'! He's Colovian, they're good at that!"

"Do you really want to take that chance?" Crixus asked. "You know, it's not just Maven you have to worry about."

"Oh?" the first guard muttered suspiciously.

Crixus lowered his sword and gestured the soldier forward. "Come here," he beckoned. "There's something I have to say."

"Whatever you got to say, you can say it aloud," said the guard.

"Not this," Crixus shook his head. "You see..." When he saw that the guard was not obeying, he leaned in and whispered. "...I wouldn't stand in my way if I were you. Wouldn't want the Dark Brotherhood to pay your family a visit this night, would you?"

The guard's masked helmet hid his expression, but his actions spoke volumes. Immediately he told the second guard to put away his weapon: he must have been seeing things in the low light. He then ordered the other guard to open the gates and practically ushered them in with gladness. When Jordis asked about the whole visitor's tax thing, he said not to worry: they had received so much, they could 'afford' to let some in for free.

From here, they went immediately to the Ragged Flagon, where Eisa and Helga each paid for rooms for themselves. Jordis was about to pay for a room for Crixus and herself, but he told her to just pay for her own room. He had other business to attend to in the city and that he would be spending the night elsewhere. While they had thus a space to relax from their hard journey and the dangers of Skyrim, Helga and Eisa began ordering drinks for themselves and talking about this and that. Crixus watched as Jordis seemed to be very taken with Helga and they talked without stop as though they were fast friends. Crixus rolled his eyes, sipped the cup of Black-Briar mead he had bought, then gave Kee-Rava a few gold coins for the drink before taking off. They would not miss him, so engrossed as he was in their discussion.

As darkness was falling, Crixus returned to the graveyard near the Temple of Mara. He came to the secret entrance to the Ragged Flagon and found that it was locked. Shaking his head, he made his way back onto the waterfront, down the stairs and took the long way through the Ratway under the city. It took him a long while, for he had forgotten just how long, dark and filthy they were: more than once he tripped on some vagrant or urchin huddled in the streets. Once or twice also he stopped and turned about, then thought better of it. The Ratways were filled with people, very few of them reputable. It was not uncommon for someone to be shuffling along, or even for some pickpocket to be trailing after him, trying to rifle his wares.

If anyone tried that on him, they would, of course, lose a hand.


At last he found the Flagon. It seemed rather busy, with many customers at the tables. Crixus was surprised that there would be so many, since this seemed to be a private bar and sharing with non-members did not seem to be in the attitude of the Thieves Guild. As he approached, he looked about here and there, until he found a figure at a corner table, bowing down with hooded face. He was certain this was she and so he made his way to the table and without so much as an introduction, sat himself down.

"So, then," he greeted. "How are things?"

"I think some of them might suspect who I am," Karliah whispered. "Are you ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," Crixus replied. "You?"

"Of course I'm ready," Karliah returned. "Enthir gave me the translated journal, they'll all be able to see what kind of scum Mercer is. I've waited too long, let's get this over with."

"Wait a minute," Crixus added. "What if Mercer is here?"

"All the better," Karliah replied with a grin that shone from the bottom of her hood. "We have proof, all he has is his word. Just the same, keep your eyes open. Not sure what to expect when we reveal ourselves. To the Cistern!"

Karliah rose up, keeping her head down, and Crixus followed suit. He did not put up his hood but followed along as though nothing were different. The old way he had gone to the Cistern in the Ragged Flagon was known to him and Karliah, and they went there with restrained haste. Nothing to make their movements seem out of the ordinary. As they entered the tunnel leading to the Cistern, Crixus whispered:

"Who are all those in the Flagon?" he asked.

"New recruits, I'll wager," Karliah returned. "The Guild seems to have seen a fair bit of good fortune lately. Surprising, considering what Mercer did."

"And what's that?" Crixus asked.

"If we get out of here alive," Karliah stated. "I might just tell you."

They entered into the Cistern and there Karliah threw back her hood, revealing shoulder length, dark brown hair: it was almost odd for Crixus to see a Dunmer woman wearing her hair in the Nordic style, long and flowing rather than short-cut, mohawk or even completely shaved. He could not, for the life of him, remember what Brelyna's hair looked like: part of him, a part he did not want to admit existed, almost thought that he liked her hair better this way. But he had no time to admire her, for already he could hear voices muttering in the Cistern. Immediately he saw Brynjolf, Delvin Mallory and Vex approach, with several others of the Thieves Guild behind them: they all had their knives, daggers, short-swords and bows and arrows in their hands as if they were preparing for a battle. Crixus knew just who they were expecting to battle.

"Crixus," Brynjolf greeted. His voice held no mirth. "It's been a long time since you were last with us. I see you're keeping strange company these days. You better have a damn good reason to be here with her!"

"Murderer! Traitor!" Vex shouted.

"Please, let us speak!" Karliah spoke up. "Lower your weapons so I can tell you the truth."

"Truth?" Delvin asked. "The truth is you killed our Guild-Master. There ain't nothing more to say."

"Oh, but Delvin, there is!" Karliah returned. "You see, I have proof that you've all been deceived!"

"More tricks," Vex sneered. "Brynjolf, don't let this dark elf b*tch utter another word!"

"Patience, Vex!" Brynjolf interjected. He then turned to Karliah. "You would be a fool to try anything, Karliah. We outnumber you and there's about fifty new recruits in the Flagon. You try anything and I'll cut you down where you stand myself. Now, what is this 'proof' of yours?"

"Gallus' journal," Karliah stated. She then brought up the book and handed it to Brynjolf. Warily he looked down at it.

"And how do we know that's actually Gallus' journal?" he asked.

"Don't you see the Shadowmark on it?" Karliah returned.

Both Crixus and Brynjolf looked at the leather cover of the journal. On the cover was embossed a diamond, long on the top and bottom, with a circle in the center thereof. The circle also had a smaller circle within it, with a kind of bird at the bottom with wing-tips reaching up to the smaller circle. Brynjolf called Delvin forward and asked him to examine the cover.

"Aye," Delvin nodded. "That's Gallus' mark. The larger one is the Guild, but only Gallus would have mark his with the bird inside the circle. This is genuine."

"Read it," Karliah said. "I think you'll find its contents...disturbing."

"Don't let those two out of your sight," Brynjolf told Mercer as he took the book from Karliah's hands, opened it up and began to read from it quietly. Crixus and Karliah watched intently as Brynjolf's expression changed to one of disbelief. He then quietly closed the book, keeping his blue-green eyes fixed on Karliah. At last he gave the order.

"Delvin, Vex, take them with us," he said. "We're going to the Vault."

Vex called for one of the other Guild members to watch Crixus as she pushed Karliah after Delvin and Brynjolf. Crixus noted that, despite Vex's rough treatment of Karliah, the Dunmer woman kept a confident smile on her face.

"What's got you smiling?" Crixus muttered.

"Once we get to the Vault, they'll know the truth," she returned.

They came to a large door on the side of the stone wall of the Cistern. It was a strange door, wider than it was tall, with no keyhole in the center. Instead there were two holes, one on each side of the door, farther apart than one man could reach, even were he an Altmer or a giant among the Nord race. As they came here, Delvin strode up in front of Brynjolf, blocking the way to the door.

"Now just hold up a blessed moment," he interjected. "Now, Bryn, we got the traitor, right 'ere! Let's kill her and be done with it! Why are we here at the Vault? What was in that book? What did it say?"

"It says Mercer has been stealing from our vault for years," Brynjolf replied grimly. "Gallus was looking into it before he was murdered." His words took them all by surprise: Crixus could hear Vex gasp audibly to his left behind Karliah.

Or was it the scoff of laughter?

"Come on, there's no way Mercer could have gotten into the Vault by himself," she dismissed. "That door has the best lock money can buy. There's absolutely no way it be picked."

"Everything has a weakness," Crixus returned.

"Vex is right," Delvin stated. "This Vault requires two keys to open. Don't seem possible that Mercer could have broken into it, he'd need the other key."

"Maybe not," Karliah replied.

"What are you on about, b*tch?" Delvin snapped.

"If I remember correctly," Karliah replied. "The Guild rules state that no one person should have access to both keys, not even the Guild-Master. So he deigns two trusted members to possess the keys to the door. Who has the keys now?"

"I have one," Brynjolf replied.

"And I have the other," Delvin added.

"Then let's open it, Delvin," Brynjolf stated. "We'll find out the truth together. If there's nothing wrong, we'll come back and kill them both."

"I want to kill Karliah!" Vex butted in.

"We all should get to kill her," Delvin stated. "She murdered Gallus..."

"If anything's missing in here," Brynjolf added as he slowly made his way to the left-hand lock. "Then Gallus' death will be thrown into a whole new light. Mercer will have a lot to answer for. Come on, Delvin, your turn."

Delvin walked away from the others and approached the lock on the right-hand side of the door. He drew from his bosom a single black key, which he placed into the lock. From within the door there was heard all manner of clanking and grinding sounds: it reminded Crixus of the Dwemer ruins he had seen in Skyrim so far. Slowly the doors swung inward onto a large dark room. Brynjolf called for a torch and then slowly made his way into the room, torch in hand. In the light of the torch, Crixus saw a large, vaulted room. But there was one thing wrong about the room.

It was empty. Bare empty. There wasn't so much as a single gold coin or piece of silver anywhere in the whole room. By the light of the torch, the others saw it. Vex pushed Karliah aside as she followed Delvin into the room, where they looked about in all of the niches, nooks and crannies of the vault: but there was nothing, only dust and cobwebs.

"By the Eight!" Brynjolf gasped.

"The gold...the jewels..." Delvin muttered. "Hundreds of years worth of spoils...priceless artifacts...all of our plans...all gone."

"That son of a b*tch!" Vex shouted, drawing out a sword. "Where is he? I'll kill him!" She charged towards the door, but Brynjolf stepped in front of her, holding one hand up.

"Put it away, Vex!" he ordered. "We-We can't afford to lose our heads here. We need to calm down, we need to focus."

"Do as he says," Delvin added. "This isn't helpin' nothing right now, Vex."

With a scowl, Vex sheathed her sword and left the room. She passed by Crixus and Karliah without so much as one word, but looked back at the Vault in horror. Delvin continued looking around, taking the torch from Brynjolf as he approached Crixus and Karliah.

"Crixus," he said. "I need to have a talk with you. In private. Tell me everything you know."


They found a secluded place in the Flagon and Crixus shared with Brynjolf what little he knew. All the evidence indicated that it was Mercer Frey who had done the killing of Gallus, and so Brynjolf agreed that he would spread the word that Karliah was no longer a target. He seemed amused to learn that she was behind the Goldenglow incident and impressed at her strategy. Crixus was surprised that a Nord could appreciate subtly: perhaps they were not all as barbaric as he believed...

"So what happens now?" Crixus asked.

"Mercer has a safe-house in the city," Brynjolf replied. "Riftweald Manor. It was given to him by the Black-Briars after they drove the original owners out. Not really a home, since he never stays there: just pays for the upkeep and hires a guard to keep it safe. He might have left something to tell us where he's gone or so. It's our only choice since he hasn't appeared in a while. You think you could break in there?"

"Is that a problem?" Crixus asked.

"It's the last place in Skyrim I'd ask you to go," Brynjolf returned. "But...it needs to happen. By the way, if you have to shed any blood getting in there, you have my permission."

Just then Crixus heard something from the other end of the Flagon. Looking over his shoulder in that direction, he saw the Colovian bodyguard Dirge and an Argonian in mage's robes trying to keep out a young Nord woman with blond hair from entering the Flagon. He dismissed Brynjolf for a moment as he noticed that the young woman was in fact someone he knew: it was Jordis! He walked over to them, one hand on the hilt of Gallus' Nightingale Blade.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"Just evicting some local idiot trying to get in here," Dirge stated. "Told her this was a private room, but she ain't listening."

"She's with me," Crixus stated. "Let her through."

"With you?" the Argonian asked. "Don't tell me you're another snow-backed Nord like her?"

"I'm Colovian," Crixus stated. "And who my servants are is my business."

"Pardon me, sir," the Argonian replied. "I did not see. All you snow-backed humans look alike to me."

"Careful, Tarvis," Dirge interjected. "That kind of talk will get you in trouble."

"I will not be silent of the truth," the Argonian Tarvis returned.

"Just let her through," Crixus groaned. "I'll vouch for her."

"You watch your back," Dirge said to Jordis as she passed between him and the Argonian. "I have no problem breaking a few of your pretty limbs if you step out of line." The Argonian only hissed at her.

"What are you doing here?" Crixus asked. "I thought you and the others were..."

"Oh, we were," Jordis returned. "We had a wonderful time. We talked about all our adventures, from the woods of the Rift to the Blue Palace and everywhere Eisa's been. It was fun. And then..." She reached into her breast-plate, right near where she kept the key to Proudspire upon a chain on her neck, and produced a note.

"What's this?" Crixus asked.

"It's for you," she replied. "Also someone else spoke to me right after you left. Said he wants you to go to the Riften jail and speak to Sibbi Black-Briar about Frost. Whatever that means."

Crixus opened the letter which Jordis had produced. There was no name or title at the top or any mark, but the initials at the bottom gave it away.

To Servius Crixus,

You are ordered to make for Rorikstead immediately and from there to the Imperial Camp in the Reach. You will receive further instructions upon arrival. Long live the Empire.

G.F.T.


(AN: Well, that turned out longer than i had expected. The banter at the beginning did start getting out of hand, but i also finally got to put in verse my feelings about a certain subject. It felt good to get it out and i hope you enjoyed it as well as the rest of this chapter. Please don't hesitate to review, i need to know what else needs fixing or clarifying in the next chapter.)