Split Loyalties [A Skyrim Fanfic]

~Chapter Three~

Around me, the world is dark and smells of something rotting. I try to determine where I am, but it's useless. The only thing I can see is a piece of parchment lying on a table. It seems to be glowing brightly, but somehow managing to not illuminate the rest of the room.

I walk over to it, curious. The loopy and curled letters written in black ink stand out boldly against the aged, but glowing paper.

Delvin,

I am sorry to inform you that the rumors you heard are true. Maven Black-Briar is our client now, and she's requested that we destroy all members of the Thieves Guild. I know how much you care for them, and since you are an old friend of mine and the Dark Brotherhood alike, I'll will personally see to it that each member has a swift death and will not suffer. I hope this doesn't ruin our relationship, as I have come to more than enjoy your company over the years.

-Astrid

I stare down at the note, my jaw opening and closing in disbelief. The paper crinkles into a ball in my grasp, my knuckles turning white. Shedding the paper, I hope that by simply destroying it will render its message untrue.

The glowing bits don't fall to the ground, but rather float eerily through the darkness. They position themselves in a huge circle around the room. Unlike before, the pieces of parchment illuminate their surroundings.

Decomposing bodies of all the members of the Guild are piled up, staring unfocused into the sky. Their faces are hollow, and their skin pale. I see a woman lying with her back to me, closer than the rest. Her seemingly familiar blonde hair is fanned out behind her. Kneeling down to touch her shoulder, I flip her onto her back so I can see who it is.

The once beautiful girl now lies bloodied and broken, almost unidentifiable, but I still know she's Vex. My heartbeat quickens in my chest as anger rips through me. None of them deserve this except Thukir.

I... I could kill him and end this all.

Unexpectedly, the body in front of me sits up on her own. The hair had brightened, now a yellow hay color. Looking closer, I notice her entire facial structure has changed too, now clean of blood and dirt.

Vex had turned into Astrid.

"My Delvin," she coos. "Just kill Thukir and get it over with. Maven will give up her silly attempt of revenge once he's dead, and the Guild never has to know it was you. I can cover your tracks." A sly grin creeps across her face.

Shaking my head, I back away from her, unwilling to be seduced by her antics."By the Nine, Astrid. I may have been a murder at one time in my life, but not anymore. I'm not here to do your dirty work," I spit. "I will never join your side, no matter how much you press me to."

A laugh resonates behind me. I turn to see the tall Nord that began all this. "Then along with every other person associated with the Guild, Delvin, you will die."

~~~

Gasping for air, I launch myself out of my bed as if it were covered in flames. Putting a hand to my chest, I sit back down. My body shakes in fear at the memory of my nightmare. In the past three weeks, two of the Guild members had already gone missing.

Etienne Rarnis and Cynric Endell both had relatively simple jobs that shouldn't have taken more than three days to complete. However, It's been at least a week and a half since both of them left. Neither has come back yet, and there has been no news of them being put in jail for a crime of any kind.

Although the number of members keep declining, Thukir continues to send us off on new jobs. He's determined that Maven Black-Briar would never take such foolish actions against Guild and ignores the fact that two of its members have already gone missing. "A coincidence," he says. A coincidence my arse.

Garthar walks confidently by, dressed in his armor with a dagger securely attached to his hip. "And where are you going? I thought I had told the less skilled members to leave the jobs to us."

He glares at me as he turns around slowly. "Thukir told me to get a job from Vex," his voice full of hatred for me. Garthar holds a grudge against me, thinking that I'm set on Vex and Vex alone. And maybe that's half-true, but I'm here for the Guild too. They're my family now, and I would do anything to protect them- even the ones I'm less fond of.

"Dammit, Garthar. Go ahead and go on the job. You won't survive it, though."

"Oh, I'll survive it. But if it were you, I wouldn't be too sure." He stalks off, climbing up the ladder that leads into Riften's graveyard.

Gods, I have to try to talk some sense into Thukir.

The air in the Ragged Flagon is still with the lack of excitement from the past weeks. I find Thukir sitting at a table by himself, pouring over ridiculous future jobs that will never work for some unfortunate Guild member. Taking a seat by him, he speaks without looking up. "Hello, Delvin. Are you here to try to convince me that the Guild should stop doing jobs again?" When I don't say anything, Thukir lets out a lifeless laugh. "Of course you are. Out with it then."

"We've had two good men disappear already and now another is going out. What happens when he doesn't come back too?"

"You worry too much, Delvin. Garthar will come back, just like the other two." His condescending voice fills my head. All I want to do is wipe the damn I-Know-Everything-And-You-Don't smile off his face.

"But they won't be alive," I shout, trying to get the point across to Thukir's unbelievably hard head.

Launching myself from my seat, I grab Thukir by his shoulders, shaking the taller Nord.

"You have to put your damn pride behind you and save these people's lives!" My face is flushed red in anger. My hand reaches for a dagger hidden at my side, but I remember the dream from last night. No. No, I won't kill him. I won't stoop to the level of damn Maven Black-Briar.

Dirge and Tonilia come over, pulling me away from Thukir, who had already gone back to his work. "Gods, calm yourself, Delvin." Tonilia mutters.

"I wasn't going to do anything." It was partly a lie, but the two believe it.

"But that's doesn't mean he wouldn't," she says. "Leave for a bit. Have a drink or too. Just calm down. Once you come back, we can figure out what to do about these disappearances."

I nod slightly, leaving the Guild's hideout completely. I head towards the lake, hoping the peaceful scenery will clear my head. Besides, maybe I'll run into my old friends in the traveling Khajiit caravan and buy some new equipment from them. It seems like I'll need it in the next few months.

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Yay! Another chapter! I hope you all enjoyed it! :D Sadly, I probably won't be able to write for a while. I'm leaving to visit some family, and then in less than two weeks school starts (*shudders*). Even if I'm not updating as often, I hope everyone sticks with this because I have big plans coming up for poor Delvin. :3

I'll see you next time, and I hope you have a wonderful day!