AN: I'm sorry if any of you are looking to read an in-depth passage about Roseleigha and Mercer traveling together through Snow Veil Sanctum. Honestly, I don't want to write that much about it. It wouldn't venture far from the actual quest. I hate writing action scenes. I hate reading them, too. I apologize if you enjoy them, but I do not. Anyway, if you're a Brynjolf/Dragonborn fanfiction reader, you know what happens in Snow Veil Sanctum. I'm including the last part of this quest, which actually has some of my original spin on it, so don't worry.

I'm also including a small bit of Karliah's backstory, which is non-cannon. It's just about Karliah's relationship with Roseleigha.

I personally love Karliah. Her voice is extremely seductive and sexy, her eyes are very unique, and she made me fall in love with being a dark elf.

Anyway, on with it.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is property of Bethesda Softworks. I own nothing but Roseleigha. Thank you for allowing my words to have the privilege of your time.

The Seer and Her Thief, Chapter 14

The winters in Skyrim were even colder out in the wild than they were when she was still with her family. The Nord laid down on her bed roll and small tent she managed to steal from a bandit camp somewhere in Whiterun Hold, covering herself in two sabre cat pelts she skinned a few days ago. She rested her eyes as she listened to the snowstorm outside and her stomach crying out for food. She had not had food in a while, being that she either burned it or accidentally made herself sick from undercooking it.

Adjusting to how things were in the wild was extremely difficult. With the nobles, if she messed something up, the wife would be there to scold her in a heartbeat. She didn't have to think of everything in life or death terms. Now, her life depended mostly on her sight: how to hunt, how to fight, and how to cook. She would be dead if another dragon came for her.

She thought back to her family. She hadn't thought about them for years, trying to block out the memory of them and that damn dragon. It killed all of her family, and it took away her childhood. It sent her to those uptight asshole nobles. It made her go blind.

Warm water started to pool in her eyes. She would give anything to see her family again, feel the warmth of her mother and father's arms around her. She wrapped her arms around herself, desperate for a hug. She wanted to be hugged. She wanted to feel the warmth of someone she loves close to her.

She allowed her silent sobs to carry her into an unsatisfying sleep.

Awakening the next day, she decided to go find a house to rob. Maybe get some food, warm up, gather up some coin to enjoy a night at an inn. Finally, to sleep under a roof not made out of worn down leather, she thought.

She carefully hid close to the wall of a house and waited under she heard the owner leave. They locked the door, but she had been practicing lock picking since the nobles took her in. She felt around the door until she found the lock and carefully slid her pick into it, moving it around until she heard the relieving click from it.

Opening and closing the door as quickly as possible, she stuck low to the floor and close to the wall. She wasn't good at navigating around new places. Years of being nearly trapped inside a house of nobility dulled the senses, and without her most important sense, she was at a severe disadvantage.

Find some gold and get out, she told herself over and over again. Beginning to get an uncomfortable feeling inside of a stranger's house shouldn't be something a thief should be capable of. She continued to stay close to the wall, but in her panic, tripped over a small table.

Get out now! her brain screamed. She quickly scurried to her feet, only to be met by a cold and sharp feeling to her neck and an intense pressure to her back.

"Don't. Move," the voice whispered to her. It was that of a woman's voice, and had a slightly foreign accent.

Roseleigha's mind raced, but not in fear of being jailed or killed. It raced to make assumptions about the person who was holding her. It had to be a woman who was not from Skyrim, but here long enough to dull her accent. She definitely wasn't a Nord by her soft voice and delicate arms and fingers.

"What are you doing in my house, kid?" the voice broke her from her thoughts.

She stayed silent. This person wouldn't buy any excuse. "You know why I'm here," Roseleigha replied.

The woman behind her sighed and put her blade away. Roseleigha felt relief over her body, but didn't dare turn to face the person she was just trying to rob. She knew they would take pity in her lack of sight and treat her like a baby, but she was far from a child now.

"You can look at me," the voice said, getting further away. "I know you can't see."

Roseleigha whipped around, unable to pin where the woman was now. "How did you know?" she asked.

A giggle came from the woman. "What person with sight would walk into a table that had been in front of them for the last twenty paces? I have to admit, you're a good sneak, but you haven't been using your other senses to their potential. When did you go blind?"

"About five years ago," she responded instinctively. She didn't know why, but she felt that she could trust this person.

"You do not need to be afraid of me. I know that you are scared; you are tired; you are hungry. I can teach you how to be a thief." Roseleigha gasped when she felt soft and slender arms embrace her. "I can only assume that your parents have been gone for a long time. You have been struggling to find ways and reasons to keep breathing. I can get you back on your feet and living again. I can make you walk among the shadows."

"Teach me," she whispered into the chest of the woman. "I want to be alive again."

An approving sigh came above her. The same hands that threatened her not two minutes ago now sat gently on her shoulders as the woman now looked into her white eyes. "Good. My name is Karliah. Welcome to the world of thieves and shadows."


Approaching Snow Veil Sanctum's main chamber, Roseleigha felt her heart racing. It was time for everything to come together. Time to face the person who was setting up the Guild to fall flat on its ass. She was tired of seeing the Guild struggle, they both were.

As the big door that should've been unable to open slid down, since the claw was long gone, Roseleigha stepped ahead of Mercer into the large open area. She braced herself briefly for the pain to come, and sure enough, a sharp burning sensation hit her in the abdomen. She collapsed to the floor, desperate to keep herself conscious in order to witness the scene before her.


Mercer stepped further into the chamber, and Karliah followed suit. She now was face-to-face with the person her killed her former Guild Master, her former boss, and her love.

"Do you honestly think your arrow will reach me before my blade finds your heart?" he asked.

"Give me a reason to try," she spat back with hate.

"You're a clever girl, Karliah. Buying Goldenglow Estate and funding Honningbrew Meadery was inspired."

"'To ensure an enemy's defeat, you must first undermine his allies.'" she recalled fondly. "It was the first lesson Gallus taught us."

"You always were a quick study."

"Not quick enough, otherwise Gallus would still be alive."

"Gallus had his wealth and he had you. All he had to do was look the other way."

Karliah began to feel her heart hurt and her blood boil. "Did you forget the Oath we took as Nightingales? Did you expect him to simply ignore your methods?"

Mercer looked right back at her with hatred and disgust. "Enough of this mindless banter!" He quickly unsheathed both of his blades and faced her, ready to kill once more. "Come, Karliah. It's time for you and Gallus to become reunited!"

Quickly downing an invisibility potion, she left the man promptly. "I'm no fool, Mercer. Crossing blades with you would be a death sentence. But I can promise the next time we meet, it will be your undoing."

She retreated to the back of the main chamber to witness exactly what she expected. Mercer approached her downed friend, thankfully still conscious, and decided to leave her with words as well.

"Karliah has provided me with the means to be rid of you, and this ancient tomb becomes your final resting place. But do you know what intrigues me the most? The fact that this was all possible because of you. Farewell. I'll be certain to give Brynjolf your regards."

Mercer's blade was swiftly impaled into Roseleigha's chest, right near her heart. It pained Karliah to see her student so brutally attacked while she was forced to watch from afar, but her poison will keep her Nord friend alive.

The Breton retreated out of the tomb, presumably to joyfully return to the Guild with news that Roseleigha was dead and Karliah was subdued, for now.

Her thoughts turned to Rune and Brynjolf. The poor men both cared for Roseleigha so deeply, and she cared for both of them just as much. She may not admit it, but every time she talked about Brynjolf, her white eyes lit up a little bit and she smiled a little more. Of course, she loved Rune too, and was happy to finally meet him once more. But she was beginning to see herself and Gallus repeated in Roseleigha and Brynjolf.

Karliah stopped herself at that thought and rushed to the side of her injured friend, now unconscious. There was minimal blood loss and she still had a strong pulse. All she needed was a few days of rest, and then they could plan their next move.


As Roseleigha felt her body become warmer, she rushed to get up and get moving again. Her memories of Mercer and his confession slowly came back to her.

"Easy, easy!" A comforting voice filled her ears as she stood up. She felt the slender body of her teacher by her side, supporting her. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm alright," Roseleigha replied. "That hurt a lot."

Karliah chuckled. "Which part? My arrow or Mercer's sword?"

"Both!" she exclaimed, in a joking and serious manner. Karliah smiled.

Just as quickly as she smiled, though, she turned serious. "We must act quickly, now," she started. Roseleigha nodded. "Gallus' body was indeed in there. I found his final journal."

"What does it say?"

"I wish I knew," the Dunmer woman said sadly to her Nord companion. "It's all written in a different language."

"Perhaps someone could translate it?" Roseleigha suggested.

Karliah's eyes shot wide open as she looked at her student. "Enthir… Gallus' friend at the College. Of course…"

"What?" Roseleigha tilted her head, curious.

"It's the only outsider Gallus trusted with the knowledge of his Nightingale identity."

Roseleigha nodded. "Right, I'm off to Winterhold then."

"Wait a moment," she rushed and grabbed her student's arm. "You still need some rest. That wound may open again and my poison is out of your system, it won't be there to stop the bleeding."

The Nord chuckled. "Karliah, have you forgotten? I'm Dragonborn, as well as an excellent healer. I have Shadowmere, too. Winterhold is not far; I will be there by morning."

Karliah sighed. "Fine. Be quick, my friend. I'll make preparations to lay Gallus' remains to rest."

Roseleigha wrapped her arms around Karliah tenderly. "I'm glad we were finally able to find him, Karliah. Please take all the time you need."

The Dunmer nodded. "I will join you as soon as I can."

With some assistance, Roseleigha mounted Shadowmere and began riding off toward Winterhold.