“Listen,” Karliah said, smiling sympathetically at her. “I know all these recent events must have been very difficult, all the change in personnel, and I imagine it's not done yet. I imagine it must be pretty tense for you.”
“Where is this going?” the girl whispered, eyes darting about, and now one of the guards was peeling himself off the wall.
“Are they bothering you, Rhiada?” he growled. “Do you need Tynan and me to throw them out?”
“That won't be necessary-” Rhiada began, but the other guard was moving in now and the two domestics had got up, reaching for daggers, and now Brynjolf was certain that they weren't really servants.
“Game's up, we're going,” Brynjolf muttered to Karliah, but she'd raised her hands, clenched her fists and held them to her shoulders.
“Daro!” Karliah cried. “Vi dim ta gelynai! Ainma Karliah a mi chara ap Nepos a Keirine! Mi gwybod Y Brenin! Gwelta yn danu, ond gado mi Nepos gwelych!”
Silence. Brynjolf tried to process that he'd just heard Karliah rattle off something that was neither Tamrielic or her native Dunmeri, but that the Reachmen seemed to understand – the guards and cleaners anyway. He shot a glance at Sapphire, who looked as confused as he did... and the Reachmen also looked surprised.
“Yin Rhanaic siarad,” the guard said, dazed. “Uaile, anas beth?”
The woman was getting to her feet, motioning for the others to back off as she approached, eyes never leaving Karliah. When she did speak, it was in perfect Tamrielic.
“Those are some dangerous names to drop into casual conversation, Tylwyth Mor,” Uaile said, eyes narrowed although her voice was calm. “I hope for your sake you really do know them as you say you do. You're fortunate. I did hear talk that many years ago, there was a Dunmer called Karliah who helped procure things for Matriarch Keirine and lived at Cwm Prendwemyn with her. We shall see how you're remembered. Wait here. I'll ask Nepos if he'll see you.” She made her way over to the door leading into the private apartments before glancing over her shoulder. “Oh, and if it turns out things aren't so friendly between you... Dryston, anfaid yenai an Ia-Mor.”
“Do I want to know what that last bit meant?” Brynjolf asked, fairly certain he could guess.
“Means we're dead if this doesn't work,” Karliah whispered, confirming his suspicions. Mercifully, Nocturnal hadn't abandoned them yet. Uaile was back in a few minutes, glaring at them.
“He'll see you. Get inside, all three of you, and no funny business.”
Uaile never took her eyes off them as the three of them made their way into the back room, Karliah leading the way. Brynjolf brought up the rear, protective arm round Sapphire and glancing over his shoulder, still not sure this wasn't a trap. But Karliah seemed confident.
Nepos proved to be an elderly Reachman in fine clothes, sitting at a table and quietly munching on an apple, a ploy Brynjolf suspected was just a means of demonstrating he still had all his teeth rather than an actual attempt to fill his belly. Nepos, aptly named, put the apple down and got up, actually smiling to see Karliah.
“Lleidr bach, what a pleasant surprise. You don't look a day older.” He looked her over, raising an eyebrow at the priestly robes. “Have you joined the priesthood or is this part of some cunning ruse?”
“Nepos,” Karliah breathed, racing over to him, flinging her hood aback and hugging him. “It's good to see you. What on earth's been happening over here? It sounds like half the city's been murdered! Are you planning a new rebellion or something?”
Forsworn. Brynjolf bloody knew it. He'd wondered, of course he had. Highly trained Reachman warriors didn't just come out of nowhere, and there had to be a reason Nepos had managed to hold on to lucrative employment and not be a Forsworn target himself. Brynjolf had suspected him of playing both sides, but now it appeared Nepos was far more than a mere agent.
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timeasmymeasure
Re: The Wolf Queen Awakens 21.4
Date: 2014-01-18 09:14 pm (UTC)“Where is this going?” the girl whispered, eyes darting about, and now one of the guards was peeling himself off the wall.
“Are they bothering you, Rhiada?” he growled. “Do you need Tynan and me to throw them out?”
“That won't be necessary-” Rhiada began, but the other guard was moving in now and the two domestics had got up, reaching for daggers, and now Brynjolf was certain that they weren't really servants.
“Game's up, we're going,” Brynjolf muttered to Karliah, but she'd raised her hands, clenched her fists and held them to her shoulders.
“Daro!” Karliah cried. “Vi dim ta gelynai! Ainma Karliah a mi chara ap Nepos a Keirine! Mi gwybod Y Brenin! Gwelta yn danu, ond gado mi Nepos gwelych!”
Silence. Brynjolf tried to process that he'd just heard Karliah rattle off something that was neither Tamrielic or her native Dunmeri, but that the Reachmen seemed to understand – the guards and cleaners anyway. He shot a glance at Sapphire, who looked as confused as he did... and the Reachmen also looked surprised.
“Yin Rhanaic siarad,” the guard said, dazed. “Uaile, anas beth?”
The woman was getting to her feet, motioning for the others to back off as she approached, eyes never leaving Karliah. When she did speak, it was in perfect Tamrielic.
“Those are some dangerous names to drop into casual conversation, Tylwyth Mor,” Uaile said, eyes narrowed although her voice was calm. “I hope for your sake you really do know them as you say you do. You're fortunate. I did hear talk that many years ago, there was a Dunmer called Karliah who helped procure things for Matriarch Keirine and lived at Cwm Prendwemyn with her. We shall see how you're remembered. Wait here. I'll ask Nepos if he'll see you.” She made her way over to the door leading into the private apartments before glancing over her shoulder. “Oh, and if it turns out things aren't so friendly between you... Dryston, anfaid yenai an Ia-Mor.”
“Do I want to know what that last bit meant?” Brynjolf asked, fairly certain he could guess.
“Means we're dead if this doesn't work,” Karliah whispered, confirming his suspicions. Mercifully, Nocturnal hadn't abandoned them yet. Uaile was back in a few minutes, glaring at them.
“He'll see you. Get inside, all three of you, and no funny business.”
Uaile never took her eyes off them as the three of them made their way into the back room, Karliah leading the way. Brynjolf brought up the rear, protective arm round Sapphire and glancing over his shoulder, still not sure this wasn't a trap. But Karliah seemed confident.
Nepos proved to be an elderly Reachman in fine clothes, sitting at a table and quietly munching on an apple, a ploy Brynjolf suspected was just a means of demonstrating he still had all his teeth rather than an actual attempt to fill his belly. Nepos, aptly named, put the apple down and got up, actually smiling to see Karliah.
“Lleidr bach, what a pleasant surprise. You don't look a day older.” He looked her over, raising an eyebrow at the priestly robes. “Have you joined the priesthood or is this part of some cunning ruse?”
“Nepos,” Karliah breathed, racing over to him, flinging her hood aback and hugging him. “It's good to see you. What on earth's been happening over here? It sounds like half the city's been murdered! Are you planning a new rebellion or something?”
Forsworn. Brynjolf bloody knew it. He'd wondered, of course he had. Highly trained Reachman warriors didn't just come out of nowhere, and there had to be a reason Nepos had managed to hold on to lucrative employment and not be a Forsworn target himself. Brynjolf had suspected him of playing both sides, but now it appeared Nepos was far more than a mere agent.