Heartless

Chapter 32 - Part 45

Quinsea Septim IV

Sister Sharinzah,
On the 19th of Frostfall, you are required to return to Skyrim and collect any and all friends of yours before proceeding to the Imperial City in Cyrrodil. There is no way out of this, you have to come.

Love,
Sister Quinsea IV

I grinned maliciously as I sealed the letter turning back to the rest of my poorly siblings. We all knew that Sharinzah was extremely wealthy, I didn't know how she did it, but she was rich and I wasn't. I wanted her gold, because the last ten marriages haven't sufficed. Lucky for me, I remembered I had a traitor sister who still wasn't married yet.

Oh yes, Sharinzah Septim was getting married, she just didn't know it. Hell, she doesn't know her future husband either!

Brynjolf

Meeting Karliah was not on my agenda today, but hey, here I was.

'Brynjolf, you've been lied to.' She whispered, tears running down her face. 'Mercer was the one who killed Gallus.'

'Explain, lass.'

'Shadow and Gallus were in a beautiful forbidden relationship before Shadow joined the guild, he'd often leave on trips to gods know where, but he was really seeing Shadow in Whiterun. Once a week he'd go there, and climb the Ivy hanging from her balcony. He fell for her because she sang so beautifully when she was lonely, and one night he decided to see how wealthy she was.

Shadow was asleep one hot summer's night, when Gallus chose to steal into her private chambers and loot the place. He found nothing in plain sight, except for the silver ring on Shadow's finger. As he pried it off, a beam of moonlight shone through her window and illuminated her form, finally showing Gallus the appearance of the woman he fell for because she sang.'

Karliah took a deep breath and continued.

'Gallus took the silver ring, and left, disappearing into the night.' I looked at her expectantly. 'A week later, Gallus returned to the manor outside of Whiterun, to hear the most heartbreaking sobbing. That was the 22nd of Frostfall, twenty six years ago. Unable to bear such a sad sound, Gallus scaled the ivy and leaned on Shadow's balcony edge. There she stood with her head in her hands, and tears running down her cheeks. Her little sister had just died, and her silver ring, a gift from Hircine himself, was gone.' I blinked. 'Gallus made his presence known, and comforted Shadow, telling tales of crazy heists he had done, and ones he wished to do. She knew all of his plans, inside out. She told him to bring them to her, and she'd perfect them for him. Gallus did, and they'd often spend all night together, planning heists.

Gallus didn't know he was talking to the next greatest thief in history, but he soon confessed his feelings of love towards Shadow, and she readily returned them with an equal flame. They courted for a whole year before Shadow joined the guild, and was to be wed to Gallus towards the end of the second year of their relationship. That was when tragedy struck.'

'What... what happened?'

'Shadow found out that Mercer was plotting to kill Gallus because he was jealous. Mercer wanted Shadow, and he wanted power. So he attacked her in the dark of night, put her in a coma and then stole her memories. He then brought her back to the guild, acting as if he were in a blind panic about her state. When Tonilia, who was a new recruit at that stage, confirmed her dead, Gallus was distraught. Mercer became his rock in hard times, and before we knew it... Gallus was dead and I was blamed.'

'Where is Shadow now?' I demanded.

'That's the thing.' Said Karliah. 'She's gone.'

'Gone?'

'She received a letter from her eldest sister about a week ago. She was urgently needed back in Cyrrodil by the 19th of Frostfall, but set out immediately. She told me I was the only one who knew before she left, and that's the last I saw of her.'

'Did she say why she was needed back in Cyrrodil?'

'Yes... she said she was "honour bound to do it" and that the "fate of my family lies on my shoulders now."'

That was when realisation slapped me in the face, hard.