“I know this design. It's on that stone just outside Riften.” She raised questioning eyes to his and in that moment, Brynjolf realised she'd guessed. She wasn't an idiot, and she'd heard the same stories he had.
“They're real, aren't they? Nightingales. The thieves that guard the rest of them, and are said to punish the bad ones but protect the ones with honour.”
Brynjolf wondered if he should feel angry, or be afraid... but he knew her secret. Did it matter if she knew his?
Of course not.
“They're real,” Brynjolf admitted. “It's far more than the stories say. We get power in life, and in death we guard and watch over our fellow thieves. I'm sorry, Delphine, I don't think you and I will be sharing an afterlife. But I'll remember you.”
Delphine said nothing, just nodding and thinking it over.
“How long?” she finally said. “I mean, when did you join?”
“About a week ago?” Brynjolf admitted. That did get her attention.
“A week??” she gasped. “So you only just... you mean, you weren't one all along?”
“No,” Brynjolf said, amused at her shocked face. “Karliah inducted me and Sapphire so we'd be strong enough to fight Mercer. He used to be one but he broke his oath and screwed the Guild over. The whole reason the Guild went into decline was because of him. He betrayed us twice over, you know – the Guild at its peak would never have been attacked, Gulum-Ei wouldn't even have considered selling us out and our Solitude eyes would have warned us. Time enough to evacuate the Cistern, close the Flagon temporarily, cover our tracks. As it is, we had none of that.”
“Bastard,” Delphine said softly. “So you were never a Nightingale back when I was a member.”
“Didn't even think they were real,” Brynjolf said. He still had trouble believing it, even with the armour before him every day.
“Nor did I,” Delphine said. “But part of me wondered and part of me hoped. Maybe I was hoping someone out there might be looking out for me. I actually wondered if anyone in the Guild was one, and I thought it might be you. Delvin was another possibility, but it was mostly you. You were one of the best but it was more than that. You had a real code, you still do... and you really cared about your Guildmates. You checked up on them, helped them out, trained the younger ones – half the younger Guild were your protegees. Everyone really respected you. If I had to pick someone, I'd have chosen you. Karliah chose wisely.”
“Karliah's smart,” Brynjolf agreed. “But whether this was a good idea – I don't know. All I can do is my best, right?”
“It's all any of us can do,” Delphine said, closing her eyes. “Sometimes it's still not enough.”
Remembering the ghosts of Blades past? Probably. You didn't just get over this sort of thing in a day or even a year, Brynjolf realised that now. Even if the Guild was rebuilt, he'd never forget the others. Vex, Tonilia, Vekel, Niruin, Rune, many other thieves he'd known. But he still had his Nightingale sisters and some coin coming his way. He'd get the Guild back on its feet one day.
“Do the Nightingales watch over spies as well?” Delphine asked hesitantly. “Can't help thinking that Gallus died the same year the Concordat was signed, and Eola was saying how the Markarth Incident happened not long after, that the Forsworn believe their luck was severed by parties unknown, except their understanding's not very detailed. If Mercer broke his oath as a Nightingale and cursed the Guild in the process...”
“It's possible but I don't know for sure,” Brynjolf said thoughtfully. “But in theory, anyone who operates in the shadows could benefit from Nightingale patronage. So maybe, who knows. Karliah and I will get that conduit open again, don't you worry, lass. We'll get our luck back. And even if you don't have the rest of the Nightingales at your back... you'll still have me.” He gave her a hug, not wanting to push things. Sex or not, he was too fond of her to ruin things.
Re: The Wolf Queen Awakens 22.5
“They're real, aren't they? Nightingales. The thieves that guard the rest of them, and are said to punish the bad ones but protect the ones with honour.”
Brynjolf wondered if he should feel angry, or be afraid... but he knew her secret. Did it matter if she knew his?
Of course not.
“They're real,” Brynjolf admitted. “It's far more than the stories say. We get power in life, and in death we guard and watch over our fellow thieves. I'm sorry, Delphine, I don't think you and I will be sharing an afterlife. But I'll remember you.”
Delphine said nothing, just nodding and thinking it over.
“How long?” she finally said. “I mean, when did you join?”
“About a week ago?” Brynjolf admitted. That did get her attention.
“A week??” she gasped. “So you only just... you mean, you weren't one all along?”
“No,” Brynjolf said, amused at her shocked face. “Karliah inducted me and Sapphire so we'd be strong enough to fight Mercer. He used to be one but he broke his oath and screwed the Guild over. The whole reason the Guild went into decline was because of him. He betrayed us twice over, you know – the Guild at its peak would never have been attacked, Gulum-Ei wouldn't even have considered selling us out and our Solitude eyes would have warned us. Time enough to evacuate the Cistern, close the Flagon temporarily, cover our tracks. As it is, we had none of that.”
“Bastard,” Delphine said softly. “So you were never a Nightingale back when I was a member.”
“Didn't even think they were real,” Brynjolf said. He still had trouble believing it, even with the armour before him every day.
“Nor did I,” Delphine said. “But part of me wondered and part of me hoped. Maybe I was hoping someone out there might be looking out for me. I actually wondered if anyone in the Guild was one, and I thought it might be you. Delvin was another possibility, but it was mostly you. You were one of the best but it was more than that. You had a real code, you still do... and you really cared about your Guildmates. You checked up on them, helped them out, trained the younger ones – half the younger Guild were your protegees. Everyone really respected you. If I had to pick someone, I'd have chosen you. Karliah chose wisely.”
“Karliah's smart,” Brynjolf agreed. “But whether this was a good idea – I don't know. All I can do is my best, right?”
“It's all any of us can do,” Delphine said, closing her eyes. “Sometimes it's still not enough.”
Remembering the ghosts of Blades past? Probably. You didn't just get over this sort of thing in a day or even a year, Brynjolf realised that now. Even if the Guild was rebuilt, he'd never forget the others. Vex, Tonilia, Vekel, Niruin, Rune, many other thieves he'd known. But he still had his Nightingale sisters and some coin coming his way. He'd get the Guild back on its feet one day.
“Do the Nightingales watch over spies as well?” Delphine asked hesitantly. “Can't help thinking that Gallus died the same year the Concordat was signed, and Eola was saying how the Markarth Incident happened not long after, that the Forsworn believe their luck was severed by parties unknown, except their understanding's not very detailed. If Mercer broke his oath as a Nightingale and cursed the Guild in the process...”
“It's possible but I don't know for sure,” Brynjolf said thoughtfully. “But in theory, anyone who operates in the shadows could benefit from Nightingale patronage. So maybe, who knows. Karliah and I will get that conduit open again, don't you worry, lass. We'll get our luck back. And even if you don't have the rest of the Nightingales at your back... you'll still have me.” He gave her a hug, not wanting to push things. Sex or not, he was too fond of her to ruin things.