I am Laeilwyn Riverpool (A Skyrim Adventure)

Chapter Thirty Seven: Sentenced to Die

-Laeilwyn's Perspective-

"He must have left some clue in this note!" I shouted, frustrated. Erandur, Brynjolf, Karliah and myself had been sitting around a table in the Flagon trying to decode Mercer's note for what seemed like a century. "Every minute we waste sitting here scratching our balls is another minute he's out there winning!"

Erandur patted me on the shoulder and calmed me down. "Elle, we're trying our hardest. I know you're upset about Sigaar, but we can't let Mercer make us emotional. We need clear heads and sharp blades if we are going to defeat him."

I nodded. "You're right Erandur. I'm just tense that's all. Who knows what he'll do next."

Karliah nodded in agreement. "Mercer is very unpredictable, as well as an agent of Nocturnal. He is very, very dangerous."

"Pass me the note lass." Brynjolf said to me. I tossed it to him. He read it out loud again. "That's odd. He addresses 'Miss Laeilwyn' in the beginning of the note, and then Karliah in the last sentence. Strange way of writing a letter, don't you think?"

"But what does it mean?" Erandur asked. Brynjolf shrugged. He rolled his eyes and got out a clean sheet of parchment and began scribbling on it.

"Maybe he just thought Karliah would be there." I proposed. 

Karliah looked unconvinced. "Mercer is no fool. Every word he put in there was intentional and meant to stump us to buy him more time."

The cogs were turning in my brain. "Something else is bothering me too. Who says 'shear point' of my dagger? That's very poetic for a note meant to challenge us."

"I think he's just trying to scare us lass." Brynjolf sighed. 

Now it was my turn to be unconvinced. "I don't think so... does anyone have a map handy?" Brynjolf pulled one out from his pocket and handed it to me. "Shear point..." I studied it intensely. "Wait a minute... has anyone heard the legend of Krosis?"

Brynjolf nodded. "Aye. A dragon priest, gifted with a mask every thief wishes he could have. They say his tomb is guarded by a dragon at Shea-" Brynjolf's eyes widened. "Shearpoint!"

"Why would he go to Shearpoint? To get the mask?" I asked. 

"Why not?" Brynjolf asked. "It's every thief's dream to have it."

"Need I remind you that Mercer is already a master thief and agent of Nocturnal? He'd be a fool to go after that mask, he has no need for it. It has to be a red herring." Karliah pointed out. 

We were back to square one. Erandur was still scribbling furiously on the piece of paper. "Have you got anything?"

He sighed. "Well, I don't think the words in the last sentence mean anything, but stand for something. I thought if I took the first letter of each word it would spell something, but the only thing I could get was I-R-K-N-G-T-H-A-N-D, complete gibberish."

Brynjolf's head snapped up. "Irkngthand? I know of that place. It's on the other side of the mountain from Shearpoint."

"What's at Irkngthand?" I asked. 

"Gallus was obsessed with that place." Brynjolf began. "He said within the deepest chamber was a statue of the once great snow elves, and the eyes of the statue were the Eyes of the Falmer, the most valuable precious stones in all of Skyrim. You can bet if Mercer gets his hands on those he'll be gone in an instant and set for life."

"We've got to stop him then." Erandur said. 

Karliah spoke up. "Brynjolf, the time has come to decide Mercer's fate. Until a new Guildmaster is chosen, that decision falls on you."

"Aye lass. And I have decided." Brynjolf cleared his throat. "Mercer Frey must be executed for his crimes against the Guild, including attempted murder on his own uniform, betraying and murdering the former Guildmaster, and treason. He must die."

I stood up from the table. "I'll ready my things, we leave tonight."

"Hold on just a moment." Karliah said. "We must meet Mercer on equal footing or we could all be dead tomorrow. Just outside the southeast gate of the city is a small path cut up the mountainside that leads to a standing stone. At the end of that path is a standing stone. Meet me there when night falls." She left without another word. 

I stood there, baffled by her request. "She wants us to wait? Even longer?"

Erandur pointed out she's probably got a good reason for it. "Mercer is dangerous Elle, you'll need all the help you can get."

"The lad is right. We have to trust her. Then we'll head to Irkngthand and cut down that traitorous rat." Brynjolf said. 

I huffed. "Fine. But I won't be happy about it."