Fate's Games
(A/N: Fourth up today. I was torn with this one. I love Karliah/Gallus yet the relationship between her and Mercer Frey was tempting. So I went with the best of both worlds and I'm quite pleased with the result. There are a lot of flashbacks, though. Again, the conversation between the Dragonborn and Karliah is taken verbatim, as is the one between Mercer and Karliah when they confront one another.)
The Nightingales
It was done. The key to the Twilight Sepulcher had been returned. It was done… She took in a deep breath, closing her eyes. Finally she could let go. Finally she had closure; or something akin to it… But the pain was still there… The pain would always be there…
"So what now?" the Dragonborn questioned.
"Now, your life as a Nightingale begins. Should the need arise, you'll be summoned to the Sepulcher in order to defend it," Karliah answered.
"And you?" the Dragonborn concernedly asked.
"The Guild has welcomed me back with open arms. I feel like a void in my life has finally been filled. I only hope that this isn't an ending to things, but actually the beginning," she replied.
"The beginning of what?" the Dragonborn wondered.
Karliah smirked. The woman was so young, and as jaded as she was naïve. It was no wonder she had so endeared Brynjolf to her. "Why, perhaps the greatest crime spree Skyrim's ever known. There are pockets brimming with coin and coffers overflowing with riches ripe for the picking. We may be Nightingales, but in our hearts we're still thieves, and we're damn good at what we do," she said. Perhaps that was part of what had led them to this…
ES
She had been the most skilled of the Thieves in the Guild back then, say for two; Mercer Frey and Gallus himself… Why, why, why, had Mercer had to be so skilled at what he did? It was because of their skill that Gallus called them to his side to serve as a trinity, the Nightingales. She smiled softly to herself. "My Little Nightingale…" he breathed against the back of her neck. She could still feel him there, could still feel his fingers trailing along her body, could still feel his lips caressing her skin so, so tenderly… Tears burned in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. His embrace, so firm, so sure, so loving… She felt as if the world itself could die around them yet somehow she would still be safe in his arms…
"I love you…" she whispered softly to him after a night spent in each other's embrace.
"Then be my wife," he replied in a smooth whisper, his breath tickling her body.
She remembered what had happened shortly after. She was watching Gallus and Mercer speaking to one another, discussing a plan. They believed she was sleeping, but she had slipped out to playfully spy on them, perhaps even surprise the two should opportunity arise. The three of them had once been so close…
"I asked her to marry me," Gallus enthusiastically said to Mercer.
Mercer sharply looked up, straight ahead at nothing. "When?" he demanded, quicker than he had intended to.
"Last night," Gallus replied, grinning. "She said yes. Mercer, she said yes."
Quickly Mercer looked over at Gallus, eyes narrowed. "Did she now? Sure you didn't get her drunk first?" he questioned. He said it as if he was just teasing his friend. Gallus, blinded by love, saw it as just that, but Karliah heard the bitter twinge in Mercer's tone, the biting insult. She frowned. Why had Mercer reacted like that, she wondered? Gallus laughed good-naturedly, oblivious to the fact Mercer had just insulted him. Mercer chuckled along with him, but it was forced, that much was plain to see.
ES
"Karliah?" a voice suddenly exclaimed, pulling her from her thoughts, and her heart leapt into her throat. She knew that voice. She knew that voice… She gasped, spinning quickly, eyes filling with such hope and such longing and such love… It was him!
"Gallus!" she cried out. Immediately she ran into the arms of the spirit, bursting into shameless and unstoppable tears and she collapsed into his ice cold arms, her own wrapped tightly and mournfully around his neck. For a long time he held her close until she took hold of her emotions furiously and shook them for allowing her to display such pain. "I feared I would never see you again. I was afraid you'd become like the others," she breathed.
He held her, and though his arms were frigid around her, it was his embrace. No man had ever embraced her like he had. "If it were not for the actions of this Nightingale, your fears would have come true. She honors us all," Gallus replied in a whisper, voice choked with emotion as he clung to her tightly and as ghostly tears slipped down his cheeks.
Flashback
"Mercer, why have you been avoiding me?" Gallus questioned, worried for his friend. Mercer hadn't been acting quite himself as of late.
"I haven't," Mercer replied in a clipped tone.
Gallus was a scholar, not a fool, and he saw through the guise all too plainly. "Speak to me, my friend. What is on your mind?" he asked.
Mercer was silent. After a moment he turned and replied, "There's something going on at Snowveil Sanctum. Care to join me in a little exploration?"
Gallus knew he was changing the subject, but he wouldn't pursue the matter. Not right now. Perhaps when they returned, or on the journey back, Mercer would be in a more amiable mood. "I'll find Karliah and we'll…" he began.
"No!" Mercer quickly said. "Let's… just make this a guy's only thing. It's been a while since we bonded."
"All right," Gallus suspiciously replied. Since when did Mercer feel the desire to bond? Something didn't feel right, but he couldn't pin it down. He would settle for simply being on his guard.
End Flashback
He had never trusted Mercer fully. He cursed himself every day for not seeing it coming, but how was he to know that Mercer would go as far as cold-blooded murder…? But love did strange things to people, and he painfully recalled that conversation…
Flashback
"I see nothing wrong here," Gallus said as the two of them scoured the area for signs of trouble.
"I guess I was wrong," Mercer replied from behind, startling Gallus.
"Must you always do that?" Gallus demanded, recovering from the scare.
Mercer smirked. "I'm sneaky," he simply defended, shrugging. "About the bad luck the Guild's been having. What could cause that?"
"I'm not sure. Something has happened that Nocturnal isn't pleased with," Gallus answered.
"Maybe the Skeleton Key?" Mercer suggested. If Gallus had been meeting his eyes he would have seen the taunting gaze there. As it was he was gazing up at the sky.
"What sorts of flowers should be at the wedding?" Gallus mused. "Roses? Deathbell? Nightshade?"
"Lilacs! She loves lilacs you idiot! How do you not even know her favorite flower?!" Mercer suddenly snapped viciously, seizing Gallus's clothing and roughly shaking him, scowling.
ES
Gallus gaped in shock at Mercer. "Mercer, what are you doing?" he immediately demanded, fighting back and pushing Mercer off of him. Guardedly he backed away, dropping into a fighting pose with eyes narrowed.
"You claim you love her! What do you even know about her?" Mercer demanded.
It was then that Gallus caught on. It was then he realized what it was Mercer was hinting at. You see, Mercer had known Karliah far longer than he had. His eyes slowly widened. "You love her…" he realized in shock.
Mercer scowled darkly. "Why should she choose you?! She knew me long before you ever came into our realms. Why should she choose you?!" he screamed furiously. "What does she not see in me?"
He had an answer all right, a bitter one. "You really ask me that? Why ask a question you know the answer to," he replied.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Mercer growled.
"You love her perhaps, but your love means nothing! It's as clear as night follows day! You're greedy, you always have been, and above all else you lust for power and for control! That is where your love lies! That is why she chooses me! Who did you think it was you were fooling, some bar wench? She has always known where your heart lies. She has always known she would never be more than second place to your get-rich, power-hungry, ideologies!" Gallus retorted.
"Fine, fine. You know what, I don't even care anymore. You're right, riches and power is what I yearn! And this…" Mercer began. He pulled out the Skeleton Key and Gallus caught his breath, paling. "This will help me get it."
"You're the reason the Thieves Guild is failing," Gallus realized in horror, hurt coming to his eyes. Never had he believed Mercer could sink this low.
"Take your bride, take your wealth, and look the other way, Gallus. Just look the other way… Then I won't have to do something we both regret," Mercer threatened.
"I can't let you have the key! Hand it over or so help me I will strike you dead!" Gallus shot.
"No," Mercer replied.
"Mercer, please, it doesn't have to be this way," Gallus pled, cautiously moving towards Mercer… That was the greatest mistake he'd ever made, and this time… this time it cost him his life. The next thing he'd known, Mercer's blade was buried up to the hilt into his body.
"All you had to do was look the other way," Mercer whispered into his ear. Gallus hardly had time to gasp before darkness veiled his eyes. The last thing he was aware of, as his life seeped away from him, was Mercer tossing his body into Snowveil Sanctum and saying, "You've cost her your life… and hers… Karliah will go down for your murder."
End Flashback
"What will you do now, my love?" she breathed, bringing him back to himself. She had stayed loyal to him… She had stayed loyal…
"Nocturnal calls me to the Evergloam. My contract has been fulfilled," he answered.
"Will I ever see you again?" she questioned in a breath.
"When your debt to Nocturnal has been paid, we'll embrace once again," he promised.
"Farewell, Gallus. Eyes open… walk with the shadows," she said, her voice breaking with her tears.
"Goodbye, Karliah," he whispered as his body faded away. I'm so, so sorry, he added gently to himself, but she couldn't hear… She never would until the day they met again… I love you… I always will.
Flashback
"Why him? Why not me? Don't you see that I love you?! I always will!" Mercer pled through tears as he clung to her shoulders desperately.
She sobbed, shaking her head. "I'm sorry," she choked out through her weeping.
"Then be with me; if only out of pity!" he begged.
A calm came over her then, and pityingly, remorsefully, she met his eyes. "I can't…" she said, and this time she was firm. This time her voice wasn't broken. Tears still fell, but she wasn't broken. "I love him… I know you, Mercer. Even if I wed you, your stubborn pride would never be able to handle knowing you were not the one my heart belonged to… You deserve so much better…"
"I want you," he said.
"You can't have me," she replied, shaking her head. With that she pulled away, leaving her distraught friend behind.
End Flashback
As the Dragonborn approached her from behind, Karliah said, "Gallus's Oath has been paid. His actions have satisfied the terms. Now his spirit becomes one with the Evergloam… the realm of perpetual twilight and the cradle of shadow."
"So, he's gone?" the Dragonborn sadly, pityingly, asked.
"No, not gone… he's become one with the shadows. This is the greatest honor a Nightingale can possibly achieve. In death, he's become a part of that which we use to live," she answered.
Flashback
He was a scholar, a master thief and a natural leader. Everyone respected him and followed him without question… Who could have done this thing…? And then she knew, and her eyes widened in horror and misery… She knew… "Mercer," she breathed. She realized, then, that she could never return to the Thieves Guild. To do so would be to die. He would have framed her for this death as revenge… He'd always been vengeful… What had prompted this murder? Had he planned it or was it spur of the moment? Was it because of his love for her, because of his love for wealth, or both? It didn't matter, it never would matter again. He would die… He would die… With that she fled. She would bide her time until opportunity arose… and then it did… But because of the Dragonborn, she had failed…
ES
"Do you honestly think your arrow will reach me before my blade finds your heart?" he demanded as she confronted him in that moment, right after her arrow had pierced the Dragonborn instead of him.
"Give me a reason to try," she answered, because despite it all she knew she couldn't have killed him even if she had stood a chance… Not like this… Not until he admitted to her the wrong he had done her, the Nightingales, the Thieves Guild, and Nocturnal herself… Because despite everything she could admit, without guilt, that once upon a time she had loved him as much as he had loved her… until Gallus… Then she had seen Mercer for what he really was, for where his heart truly rested, because Gallus had showed her what true love was, what it felt like… and it wasn't what she felt with Mercer… It had been more than lust, but it hadn't been love.
"You're a clever girl, Karliah. Buying Goldenglow Estate and funding Honningbrew Meadery was inspired," he praised.
"'To ensure an enemy's defeat, you must first undermine his allies.' It was the first lesson Gallus taught us," she answered, and pain came to her eyes as she remembered her slaughtered lover.
"You always were a quick study," Mercer grumbled.
"Not quick enough, otherwise Gallus would still be alive," she said.
"Gallus had his wealth and he had you! All he had to do was look the other way," Mercer immediately and vehemently defended.
"Did you forget the Oath we took as Nightingales? Did you expect him to simply ignore your methods?" she asked.
"Enough of this mindless banter! Come, Karliah. It's time for you and Gallus to become reunited!" Mercer yelled.
"I'm no fool, Mercer. Crossing blades with you would be a death sentence. But I can promise you the next time we meet, it will be your undoing," she darkly vowed. With that she drank a Potion of Invisibility and made her escape.
End Flashback
"They're part of the darkness around us?" the Dragonborn questioned, continuing their conversation regarding Gallus and his fate
"Absolutely. When we say 'walk with the shadows,' we are asking those Nightingales who have passed on to protect us. It's believed that they are literally what guides our uncanny luck… by placing their hands in ours. That's why the Ebonmere needed to be reopened. Without it, there's no way Nocturnal was able to allow them through."
"I understand," the Dragonborn said, nodding.
"Go now. There is… much I need to think about," Karliah replied, smiling kindly. The Dragonborn nodded and left without a word… and the moment Karliah was alone, she collapsed to her knees and mourned all she had lost in both Mercer and Gallus…