AN: Apologies for the long wait. I won't bore you with the details, but thank you to everyone who is still reading my stories.

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 15

Brynjolf awoke like any other morning. He did his morning stretches and breathing exercises, followed by a trip to the Flagon and a chat with Delvin. Drinking a bit of mead every morning did help to settle his nerves over what his boss and protégé could be up to. Karliah was somehow involved, that could only mean hell for Roseleigha.

"Thinkin' 'bout your girl again?" Delvin asked, peering into his friend's face. "You been thinkin' about her since she left with the boss, eh?"

"Come on, Del," he replied. "Being away with Mercer for that long is enough reason to worry over anyone. And if Karliah is in the mix, it's even more troublesome."

"Do you really think she's come back for vengeance?"

"I don't know what to think at this point, friend. All we can do is wait." Brynjolf relaxed back in his chair. Divines know I hate the goddamn waiting.

"What are you boys talking about?" a female voice asked from above.

Delvin looked up, smile instantly on his face. "Ah, Ton! We were just talking 'bout the new recruit."

Tonilia giggled, sitting down with the two men. "I would hardly call her new. She's been here for seven months now. We've gotten two more recruits since she's been here, too."

Brynjolf closed his eyes and stroked his chin, remembering when Garthar joined and Etienne Rarnis returned after being gone for months, suddenly very friendly and close to Roseleigha.

"I wouldn't call Etienne a new recruit. He was here long before Rosie was," Delvin said back.

"Sure, but he didn't come back until she did… whatever she did." Tonilia said.

"Whatever," the Breton retorted. "I think we can all agree that the girl has turned our luck around."

Both Tonilia and Brynjolf broke into a small fit of laughter at that. "Come on, Del, you've got to give that bad luck and curse nonsense a rest!" Brynjolf slapped his friend on the shoulder, but that didn't keep the man from looking serious.

"Knock it off, Bryn. I'm not jokin'." Delvin drained the remaining mead from his tankard into his mouth and looked between the two. "Listen, things have been changing 'ere since Rosie came along. There's no denyin' that. Lady Luck really smiles upon the girl. Better yet, she is our Lady Luck."

Tonilia sighed at the man's theory. "The poor girl already has troubles dealing with Mercer. Now you want to tell me she's a charm for the Guild? Wouldn't want to be in her shoes."

Vipir suddenly burst through the false storage cabinet leading to the cistern. "Bryn, Del, Vex!" he yelled, out of breath. The three rose to their feet while Tonilia returned to the bar.

"What's wrong, boy?" Vekel asked. "You're bothering my customers."

Vipir shook his head. "Never mind that, Vekel! Mercer is back and he wants to talk to everyone."

Brynjolf rushed past him, not bothering to ask questions.


Mercer leaned over his desk, seeming pained. He was deep in thought when his second-in-command came rushing to him with a frantic look on his face.

"Where's Roseleigha?" he asked in an urgent voice.

"Easy, Brynjolf," Mercer said, trying to keep the agitation out of his voice. He removed Brynjolf's hands from his collar that he didn't seem to know were there. "That's what I wanted to talk to everyone about."

Brynjolf turned around to see everyone gathered around the circular pond in the middle of the cistern. He felt his heart drop into his stomach.

Mercer walked to the center while Brynjolf continued to look horrified. He cleared his throat, letting it be the only sound besides the rushing water to echo through the cistern. "I have just returned from Snow Veil Sanctum. As you all know, that is the same site where our former Guild Master, Gallus, was murdered. Roseleigha came to me with information that Karliah was the one behind Goldenglow and Honningbrew. She also said Karliah was hiding in Snow Veil Sanctum."

Mercer exhaled and continued, "When I left with Roseleigha, I was prepared to end Karliah's life. I'm sure Karliah was just as prepared to end mine. But… Roseleigha got between us. She led the way into the main chamber, and Karliah shot her. I was unable to catch up to her before she disappeared."

"Rosie…" Brynjolf whispered. He didn't believe a word that Mercer was saying. He knew it couldn't be true, no matter how many times the words kept echoing in his head.

Mercer turned to face Brynjolf, then looked at every member of the Guild, then back to Brynjolf again. "She asked me to give you her regards, Brynjolf. I know how close you two were, and I'm sorry."

The whole Ratway went quiet. It was as if the entire sewer was sent into disbelief. It didn't even seem that the water was making sound.

Why? How? It didn't make any sense to him. Simply shot by Karliah and dead? She was the Dragonborn. She was supposed to be able to survive the breath of hundreds of dragons, brave through massive legions of the undead. Hell, she was able to handle a dragon priest after being hurled against a wall ten minutes earlier. She should've been able to heal the wound.

"Brynjolf!" Mercer shouted at him. "I know she meant a lot to you, but we need to get back to work. There are still plenty of jobs that need to be done. Get to them."

Everyone ushered back to work, except Rune and Brynjolf. They both couldn't accept the death of their beloved Rosie.

"Rune?" Brynjolf walked over to him. "Can I buy you a drink?"

The Imperial did nothing but nod and follow the Nord out of the cistern.


The two found themselves in a small room of the Bee and Barb with many bottles of Black-Briar mead littering the floor. They stayed silent while the liquor ran down their throats.

"She can't be dead," Rune finally whispered after finishing his bottle. Neither of them were keeping track of the number.

Brynjolf stayed silent.

"She just can't be dead. She survived having her home being burned to the ground and watching her family members be slaughtered by a dragon. How could one arrow bring her down?"

Silence.

"Say something, damn it!" Rune threw a bottle just past Brynjolf to have it shatter on the wall behind him. By a miracle, he was unhurt, but Rune was furious.

"You think I want to believe it?" Brynjolf whispered. "I don't know what to think now, Rune. I don't want her to be gone. But if she really is, then we can't do anything about it."

"What are you talking about?" Rune questioned. "Do you even know who she is, Bryn?"

"Yes, I know!" he returned, raising his voice. "And that's why I don't want to believe it either! But why would Mercer lie to us about it, lad? Nothing is gained from one of our most successful members playing dead. She was our strongest thief. There isn't anything we gain from this."

Rune sighed in defeat, burying his head in his hands as his shoulders began to shake from the silent sobs.

Brynjolf didn't blame him for denying Rosie's death. He believed he lost her before. He could only hope for the gods to send her back to them.

"I'm sorry, lad," Brynjolf gripped the grieving man's shoulder as he continued to sob. "We'll get through this somehow."

Brynjolf left the room and made way to the exit, handing Talen-Jei a hefty purse of septims for the trouble the two men were leaving.

"Keep the change," he said and returned to the Ratway.