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He stood for a moment, listening to the brook cackling its way across his path, and considered the large black bird standing sentry before the iron doors.\u00a0 It had been a long time since he\u2019d been here.\u00a0 It had been a longer time since he\u2019d slipped into this particular armor, the forged midnight of the Nightingales. He didn\u2019t know how she felt about such observances but as one of three people in the world who owned a set of this armor he felt obligated to use it to enter this place. He wasn\u2019t much for ceremony, but there were certain circumstances where a measure of respect was due and this, it seemed to him, was one of them.<\/p>\n
He and Andante had parted at Mammoth Manor the morning after speaking to Dardeh and Roggi, agreeing that they would meet in Solitude in a few days\u2019 time to gather up the other two Elder Scrolls and make the trek back to Castle Volkihar.\u00a0 He needed to check in with Delvin and Vex, he said. Andante had seemed distracted, had said he needed to report to Dawnstar, and had taken what felt a few moments longer than usual to say goodbye.<\/p>\n
Brynjolf had seen to matters in the Guild, just briefly, popping in to the Cistern to trade greetings and laughs with the members and catch up on business. Things were calm, even boring. \u00a0There was really nothing going on that had required his presence, even though Delvin and Vex had left a few decisions for him to make, just for the sake of appearances. Having Maven in charge of the entire hold opened doors that had been closed before, and Delvin was taking full advantage of that and his contacts outside Skyrim.\u00a0 Coffers were full.<\/p>\n
He\u2019d taken the short jaunt south to retrieve his armor from Nightingale Hall, where it had been locked in a chest to keep it safe from the prying eyes and nimble fingers in the Guild.\u00a0 A carriage and his own swift legs had gotten him back to Falkreath and down the path to the hold\u2019s southwestern corner in record time. Now he stood before the iron doors, hesitating in the forest.<\/p>\n
I don\u2019t know what I\u2019ll do if this works. And I don\u2019t know what I\u2019ll do if it doesn\u2019t.<\/em><\/p>\n Under the hood, he frowned as a memory came to him, unbidden.<\/p>\n \u201cThat was when I knew I had to at least try,\u201d she had told him, her arms and legs tangled around his in an embrace he could still recall with every fiber of his being. \u201cI stepped out into the sunshine and realized I wanted to be with you.\u201d He could hear her voice, as clearly as though she\u2019d been standing right there beside him, and his heart ached as it so often had, remembering the sound of her.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd then you left me, didn\u2019t you,\u201d he murmured, stepping across the stream to the door of the Sepulcher. \u201cI miss you, but this isn\u2019t about you, lass. Not this time. I\u2019m sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n It didn\u2019t look any different than it had the last time he\u2019d been there, when he\u2019d come with Karliah to choose his role as a Nightingale. The braziers in the dark, dirt-filled cavern glowed a purplish blue, as did the portal at the far end of the space.\u00a0 He blinked in surprise, realizing that while he\u2019d seen these lights before he hadn\u2019t known about the Soul Cairn then. This light was the same: swirling, deep, unfathomable light that led to another dimension.<\/p>\n He stepped through the portal, into the small stone chamber of black stone that lay on its other side. \u00a0Black stone, the black of night, with a circular structure in its center. Three stylized birds. Three Nightingales. Three points guarding the living, pulsating, impossibly blue pool in the center: the Ebonmere, portal to Nocturnal\u2019s realm of Oblivion, the Evergloam.<\/p>\n He stood, contemplating it, wondering how to proceed.<\/p>\n Why is it that so few have promised to guard this portal, and of those so many have broken their promises?\u00a0 It\u2019s a contract. You don\u2019t break your contract. But Mercer did. And because of him, Karliah\u2019s contract was broken as well; she wasn\u2019t able to get the Key back herself until the two of us helped her.<\/em><\/p>\n He\u2019d heard of others, too; previous generations of Nightingales who had somehow failed, had let the Skeleton Key be stolen or had stolen it themselves. He wondered about it, wondered why she would allow such things to happen.\u00a0 He thought he knew.\u00a0 Who would the patron of thieves admire more than the perfect thief, the thief who could steal an item right out from under the nose of a Daedric Prince?<\/p>\n I\u2019d be impressed by fingers that light, for certain.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cAhh, quit your stalling, Brynjolf, you old fool,\u201d he muttered under his breath.<\/p>\n He spoke aloud.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, here I am, come to talk to you,\u201d he began. \u201cThere\u2019s a thing I need your help with. It\u2019s not terrible, nobody has stolen anything important, but I need bigger hands than the ones I\u2019ve got to work with.\u201d His voice filled the small chamber and echoed about in it.\u00a0 Nothing happened, though, and there was no reply.\u00a0 The only sound was the light humming of the Ebonmere.<\/p>\n \u201cDamn,\u201d he said, and shook his head.<\/p>\n He took a step back from the edge, planted his feet shoulder-width apart, and started to raise his arms.<\/p>\n \u201cYou realize I have no idea what I\u2019m doing here, I hope,\u201d he mumbled.<\/p>\n He raised his arms, palms up, in as near a pose as he could manage to the gesture of supplication he vaguely remembered Karliah doing the first time he\u2019d worn the Nightingale armor.\u00a0 He cleared his throat and called out.<\/p>\n \u201cLady Nocturnal, Mistress of\u2026 Shadow? And queen of something. Murk.\u201d<\/p>\n Gods. That was just awful.<\/em><\/p>\n He dropped his hands and made a disgusted noise.<\/p>\n \u201cShor\u2019s bones. You know I don\u2019t do this kind of thing.\u00a0 If there\u2019s some kind of ritual about this Karliah\u2019s the one who knows the fancy words to it, not me. I\u2019m not the religious one. You know I\u2019m one of yours, and I need to talk to you.\u201d<\/p>\n He stepped back to the edge of the pool and stared into it.\u00a0 \u201cRidiculous,\u201d he muttered. \u201cThat was probably the most ridiculous thing I\u2019ve ever tried to do.\u00a0 If you meant to make me feel foolish, well done. You succeeded.\u201d<\/p>\n A musical, burbling laugh filled the room, along with the deep humming of magic.\u00a0 A figure rose from the pool, the figure of a beautiful woman bearing crows on her raised arms, mystical energies trailing from her legs until finally her full form took shape, floating above the pool, gently undulating up and down. She looked down at him with an expression that wasn\u2019t quite a smile, wasn\u2019t quite a smirk, but was definitely one of amusement.<\/p>\n \u201cAhh, Brynjolf.\u00a0 To what do I owe this singular honor?\u00a0 The Key has not gone missing again, I see. What might have brought you to debase yourself in such a humiliating and highly amusing fashion, my Nightingale?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShor\u2019s beard,\u201d he grumbled.\u00a0 I feel like an utter idiot.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cNow, now.\u00a0 No need for such language, Brynjolf. What is it that you need from me?\u201d<\/p>\n He looked up at her, and in spite of himself he once again felt the overpowering sense of awe that he\u2019d never expected to feel in his lifetime.\u00a0 This was a Daedric Prince, after all.\u00a0 He remembered being utterly subdued the first time he\u2019d met her face to face, practically dumbstruck by her presence.\u00a0 This was only slightly less awe-inspiring.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s about a friend.\u00a0 A\u2026 spirit,\u201d he began, awkwardly, not knowing what to say.<\/p>\n \u201cHmmm,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd what does this have to do with me?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHis name is Dynjyl, my lady,\u201d he said quietly. \u201cHe was very important to me. He died while he was with me but he was soul trapped and, well, that part of him that was left is\u2026\u201d He trailed off, knowing how improbable it all sounded and how desperate he must seem to be sharing it with Nocturnal.<\/p>\n \u201cIn the Soul Cairn, perhaps?\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cYes! How did you\u2026 Never mind. Of course you knew.\u201d<\/p>\n The scintillating laugh filled the room again. \u201cI know everything about you, Brynjolf,\u201d she said. \u201cYou gave yourself to me when you transacted the oath. Yes, young Dynjyl. What a happy soul he is. Odd, given his circumstances. And now you wish to free his spirit from that miserable place, is that it?\u201d<\/p>\n Brynjolf stood for a moment, staring at her dumbly, wondering why he\u2019d never realized his own situation before. Of course she knew everything about him.<\/p>\n \u201cAye.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou know that the gates between the Soul Cairn and the other dimensions have been disrupted for some time, do you not? Hundreds of your years.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, but we were reading in an old book, something about a Perilous Shade\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Nocturnal laughed again.\u00a0 \u201cThe Shade Perilous.\u201d<\/p>\n Brynjolf hung his head. \u201cDamn it, I don\u2019t know what else to do.\u00a0 I can\u2019t bring him out of there myself. \u00a0He\u2019s a damn spirit, a specter. A shade. And only part of one at that; he\u2019d dissipate the second he stepped outside even if I could manage it. I don\u2019t know about Oblivion or all these connections or the history of them. Some damn Emerald Gate or something. We studied what the College had about them but I can\u2019t keep it all straight and most of it is beyond us anyway. But all of it talked about you. I just hoped that maybe you could take him to the Evergloam. Like Gallus. I can\u2019t stand the thought of him being there for the rest of time when all he wanted was\u2026 I know he wasn\u2019t one of yours, officially, not when he died, but he wanted to be. He was trying to be.\u00a0 And I\u2026 just thought\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n There was a moment filled only with the humming of the magical energies from the Ebonmere.<\/p>\n \u201cBrynjolf.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLook at me.\u201d<\/p>\n Brynjolf lifted his head and stared at the beautiful form before him, his mind wandering into incongruous corners.\u00a0 I wonder what she really looks like.\u00a0 She could be anything.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cWhen you transacted the oath with me you gave yourself to me, in this life and the next, did you not?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut you have lost a part of your soul, haven\u2019t you.\u201d\u00a0 It was a flat statement.<\/p>\n Brynjolf froze, the shock of recognition running through him. \u201cBecause I\u2019m a vampire?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, fool. You gave up your mortal soul for a pair of fangs and some moments of physical pleasure.\u201d<\/p>\n He felt his face burning.<\/p>\n \u201cWell it\u2019s a little more than just that\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIs it? I wonder.\u201d\u00a0 Nocturnal no longer sounded amused. \u00a0\u201cI want three intact Nightingales, Brynjolf.\u00a0 Right now I have one. Karliah.\u201d<\/p>\n Brynjolf swallowed hard.\u00a0 \u201cDoes that mean that Dag is\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, Dagnell isn\u2019t dead, you foolish man.\u00a0 But she also has given her soul, or at least part of it, her loyalties, to another. I want her back as well.\u00a0 Regardless of what she is calling herself these days.\u201d<\/p>\n She really is alive. The letter was right; she\u2019s alive.<\/em><\/p>\n The Listener knew that somehow.\u00a0 How did she know? I need to find out.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cI can give you what you want, Brynjolf. It will be tricky, but it can be done, and not by you. You\u2019ve done what you could by destroying the Keepers and their barrier. I can take that joyful man out of the Soul Cairn and bring him into the Evergloam. I can give him his rest. But my price is steep.\u00a0 First, you must make yourself whole again.\u201d<\/p>\n Then I\u2019m lost, and Dynny is doomed. Falion is dead. <\/em><\/p>\n \u201cI sense hesitation on your part, Brynjolf.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2026 With all due respect, I do not know whether such a thing is possible any longer. For me, or for any others of my kind.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019ll have the extent of immortality to research and ponder it in that case.\u201d\u00a0 Her voice was cold.<\/p>\n He wanted to spit in anger, but instead he gritted his teeth. \u201cAnd what\u2019s the rest of the bargain?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDagnell.\u00a0 It may not be possible for her to redeem herself. I cannot see that far ahead. She may be able to make certain bargains of her own. You will need to work that out between yourselves.\u201d<\/p>\n Brynjolf felt his temper flare. His voice rose, making the rocks ring.<\/p>\n \u201cWell damn it, how am I supposed to give you what you want, then?\u00a0 I don\u2019t even know where the lass is, much less how I am supposed to fix her, and we won\u2019t even get into what to do about me.\u00a0 Honestly, I didn\u2019t think I was breaking some rule by becoming a vampire.\u00a0 The deal we made was that I would guard this portal and I\u2019ve been guarding it. \u00a0\u00a0Haven\u2019t I? And now I\u2019m available to guard it for a damn sight longer than I would have been otherwise.\u00a0 How is that not good enough for you?\u201d<\/p>\n There was deathly quiet in the chamber.<\/p>\n Gods. I\u2019ve done it now, haven\u2019t I. Lost my temper with a Daedric Prince. What sort of complete idiot am I, anyway?<\/em><\/p>\n The silence stretched out for an uncomfortably long time, while the aspect of Nocturnal floated above the Ebonmere.<\/p>\n \u201cYou do have a point, Nightingale,\u201d she finally said.\u00a0 \u201cI will offer you an alternative.\u201d<\/p>\n What? She listened?<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cWhat is it\u2026 my Lady?\u201d<\/p>\n Laughter echoed through the chamber again.<\/p>\n \u201cYou are an amusing man, Brynjolf. Leave the ceremony to Karliah. She enjoys it. It\u2019s not necessary, and you sound foolish trying to reproduce it.\u201d<\/p>\n He couldn\u2019t help himself; he chuckled.<\/p>\n \u201cAye.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThere is an item,\u201d she said, \u201cthat is dear to me. It is a cowl. No doubt you have heard of it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe Gray Cowl.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes. It was taken by a clever thief.\u00a0 Only a clever thief will be able to return it to me, and both you and your wife are nothing if not clever thieves.\u00a0 Return my Cowl to me and I will consider at least one part of the Trinity restored. As you mentioned, our \u2018deal\u2019 was that you guard the Ebonmere. \u00a0She took the same pledge; and she has not broken it, either.\u201d<\/p>\n Brynjolf ground his teeth. \u201cMy wife<\/em>,\u201d he spat. \u201cWell that\u2019s just fine for her. I don\u2019t know what can be done about me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou have an eternity to think about it, my dear.\u00a0 You are immortal, after all, so long as you do not allow yourself to die, and your Dynjyl is not going anywhere. At the very worst nothing will have changed.\u201d\u00a0 There was a pause, and she spoke again. \u201cI will see to it that no harm comes to his shade in the interim.\u00a0 I will do that much for you, Brynjolf. The rest is up to you.\u201d<\/p>\n Brynjolf stared at her.\u00a0 Well, I had no hope at all before I came here.\u00a0 I don\u2019t have much more hope now, but it\u2019s at least something.\u00a0 It\u2019s a very long shot but it\u2019s something. <\/em>He sighed, and shrugged.<\/p>\n \u201cThank you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTake care of yourself, Brynjolf.\u00a0 And good luck.\u201d<\/p>\n The shimmering light around Nocturnal\u2019s feet suddenly became a flock of birds.\u00a0 In a noisy, fluttering mass, they swirled around her and guided her as she sank back into the Ebonmere and disappeared.<\/p>\n Brynjolf stared at the blue pool for a moment.<\/p>\n \u201cDamn.\u201d He looked around the room and muttered. \u201cHow does she know<\/em>? Dag\u2019s alive, Nocturnal just said so. But how did the Listener know that?\u201d<\/p>\n He turned and stepped through the portal.<\/p>\n ___<\/p>\n A few minutes passed, in the stone chamber, in silence save for the quiet humming of nascent magical energies from the Ebonmere.\u00a0 Then there was a rustling sound, as a figure dressed in blue-draped armor emerged from the portal and stood staring down into the pool.<\/p>\n \u201cI know you\u2019re still there.\u201d<\/p>\n Nocturnal rose from the Ebonmere once more.<\/p>\n \u201cYou do realize that I could strike you dead at this moment, Andante<\/em>,\u201d she said flatly.\u00a0 \u201cYou have neither the right nor any business in being here.\u201d<\/p>\n Andante grinned.<\/p>\n \u201cAh well. That. I do recognize that it\u2019s quite irregular, given that I\u2019m not an official Nightingale, but as you admitted, the ranks are slightly incomplete at the moment. I did, however, knock down those barriers in the Soul Cairn. And I am one of yours, after all, am I not? A thief in good standing and of fairly considerable skills? I did manage to find my way into this chamber in spite of following in the wake of one of your very best, thoroughly unobserved, didn\u2019t I. \u00a0I\u2019m quite certain that I just heard you tell him that you admired a clever thief. I\u2019m nothing if not that. Admit it.\u201d<\/p>\n Her voice was dry and unamused. \u201cWhat is it that you want? I\u2019ll give you a moment to explain yourself before I destroy you.\u201d<\/p>\n Andante\u2019s entire demeanor changed. He gazed up at her, serious, utterly unlike the brash and cocky face he\u2019d shown her just a moment before. His voice was quiet and sincere, that of a calm man speaking from the heart in a light, confident Imperial accent.<\/p>\n \u201cTake me, Nocturnal. I\u2019ll take the place of whatever part of Brynjolf\u2019s soul you think you\u2019re missing. Let me complete the bargain so that Dynjyl can be at rest.\u201d<\/p>\n There was a long silence. He simply watched her, waiting patiently.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy would you offer me such a thing, Andante?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFor Brynjolf. So that he will stop tearing himself apart over something that wasn\u2019t his fault. To make him happy.\u201d<\/p>\n She stared at him for a long time.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, I must say that I am very surprised by this offer.\u201d<\/p>\n He grinned.<\/p>\n \u201cBut you surely recognize that it is an offer with absolutely no merit.\u201d<\/p>\n Andante\u2019s mouth fell open, every line on his face reflecting shock.\u00a0 \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n Nocturnal began to laugh. \u201cYou\u2019ve been bound to Sithis your entire life, fool, and perhaps now to Molag Bal as well.\u201d<\/p>\n He frowned. \u201cI don\u2019t remember ever promising Sithis a thing. As to Molag Bal, I think not. I joined the Dark Brotherhood because it was an expedient thing to do. If you know about my relationship with Brynjolf you know that as well.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, I do. But I won\u2019t take you.\u00a0 You\u2019ve lost yourself. You don\u2019t even know who you are, or to whom you owe allegiance. It would be a poor bargain indeed on my part to accept the terms of such an offer. It has very little meaning, if any. It\u2019s up to Sithis and Molag Bal to pick over whatever remains of your soul when the time comes.\u201d<\/p>\n Andante stared at Nocturnal, clearly dumbfounded.<\/p>\n \u201cNow I suggest that you leave, fool, before I hasten the arrival of that moment.\u00a0 Perhaps you should consider helping Brynjolf recover what he has lost rather than offering me something of such poor value in its stead.\u201d<\/p>\n Nocturnal sank once more into the Ebonmere.<\/p>\n Andante turned and fled.<\/p>\n ___<\/p>\n On the hilltop nearest the Sepulcher\u2019s entrance, a small patch, darker than its surroundings, shimmered. Fading back into the visible spectrum was a large man wearing red vampire armor.<\/p>\n He finished folding up the Nightingale outfit and slipping it into his pack, and sighed, looking up once more at the figure in blue racing down the path and out of sight.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy did you do that, Andante?\u201d he murmured.\u00a0 \u201cIt was such a wonderful gesture but still, what a foolish thing to do, lad. She might have ended you just for being here.\u201d<\/p>\n He stood and shook his head.<\/p>\n I think it\u2019s time we had a talk about trusting each other. I\u2019m going to need his help. He\u2019s going to need mine. I know he wants my company, and I surely want his. He needs to understand that. He was supposed to go to Dawnstar. Instead, he followed me all the way to Riften and back. <\/em><\/p>\n I wonder why he thought I wouldn\u2019t know he was there.<\/em><\/p>\n In spite of himself, he chuckled.<\/p>\n I guess he\u2019s not quite as good as he thinks.<\/em><\/p>\n It was time to get to Solitude.<\/p>\n He stood for a moment, listening to the brook cackling its way across his path, and considered the large black bird standing sentry before the iron doors.\u00a0 It had been a long time since he\u2019d been here.\u00a0 It had been a longer time since he\u2019d slipped into this particular armor, the forged midnight of the … <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/baakay.com\/FanFic\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/3-2-3-2.png\")
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<\/p>\nPart II: Counterpoint<\/a><\/div>\nPrevious<\/a> \/ Next<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"