We're Still Not the Dark Brotherhood

I opened my mouth but there were no words. I wanted to scream at him like a small child, throw a tantrum and refuse. Now they wanted me to join the Thieves Guild? Now? I had left that life behind, had even put aside my curiosity about my parentage, made a life and friends here in the frozen country and again it all seemed to be falling apart. Was nothing secure here? For a land that held so fast to its traditions for thousands of years, I would have thought that change would not happen so frequently.

"I can't. Brynjolf, I'm a Companion now. They don't exactly approve of...this," I said, holding up the lockpick.

I sounded desperate and I knew it.

Brynjolf's face was that infuriating blank slate before he took a deep breath and just looked tired. "Everlee, we need your help. I need your help. Our Guild has enough problems without being picked off one by one."

I forced my breathing to slow, realizing I was about a minute from hyperventilating. I though of Brynjolf's words. The Thieves Guild was underhanded, yes, but they weren't murderers. They had rules, a code. Was it not better that crime was organized in that way, to make sure the least amount of people were hurt? But still, some of the crimes they committed were against innocents surely. Was that something I could condone? I had felt terrible killing Grelod for Talos' sake.

But if I was in the Thieves Guild I wouldn't have had to kill her. And what was more, thieves were being murdered. His Guild was being targeted and it was unlikely the Dark Brotherhood would rest until every last one of them was dead if that was their contract.

I looked at Brynjolf, red hair framing his face, solemn green eyes watching me steadily. If they were working on destroying the guild, eventually they would get to him. I thought of him standing with his arms across his chest, a playful smirk on his face as he watched over Lynn when I'd been kidnapped. I remembered his voice breaking through in the dark of Honorhall cellar. I remembered the way the dart had hit him that night in Riften harbor and my heart racing with fear as I watched him go down, helpless to do anything.

"I'll do it. I won't let you die."

Brynjolf smirked again and raised an eyebrow, amused. "Fond of me are you?"

"You all. Your guild. I won't let your guild die," I said too quickly. "That's a lot of people and you don't kill anyone. Besides, if this is the Dark Brotherhood, someone paid for that contract and who knows what their greater agenda is. Someone should get to the bottom of this."

"Right," Brynjolf said, that stupid smirk still on his face.

"Look. I'll join your Guild and help you if that's what it takes to convince Mercer I'm not the one behind all this," I said, irritated. Then I paused to calm myself down.

"No need to get feisty, it was only an observation," he said, laughing.

"I thought it was a question," I said, rolling my eyes. He smiled but didn't say anything and I sighed. "You do know this makes me a target too now, right?"

Brynjolf stopped smiling and sighed. "Yeah, I know lass. That's why I didn't want it to come to this but - let's just say Mercer had a different plan in mind when it came to you and I..."

I was no less stunned by the second time Brynjolf was at a loss for words than I was by the first. "You were upset because you'd have to change your motto of 'we're not the Dark Brotherhood?'" I suggested, trying to lighten the mood.

He smiled softly. "Old habits die hard."

"Right," I said, imitating his earlier disbelief. I took a deep breath, trying to take this all in and knowing I wasn't going to be able just now. Instead I opted to be more action-oriented. "So. Where do we start?"