Hello, everyone!

Those of you who've read Indigo Nightingale will know that the Thieves Guild is by far my favourite questline in Skyrim. I adored every minute of it- the plot, the mysteries, and in particular the amazing characters. But there were two characters in particular who intrigued me more than any others, and whose story made me wish that I knew more about them. Those two characters were Gallus and Karliah.

Their story not only broke my heart, it made me determined to understand. I just had to know how they came to fall in love, and why exactly Gallus had to die, and a thousand other things too. And since nobody else was going to answer those questions, I made up my mind to do it myself. Though this story is an accompaniment to my other story, Indigo Nightingale, it's by no means necessary to have read that one before reading this.

I do not own Skyrim, nor do I own Gallus and Karliah. But they own each other, and I own the story.

'We were torn apart, but she fought on, for my sake, in my name. And now I am waiting for her. I will wait for as long as it takes.' Treachery and death parted them, but their love never died. This is the tale of a love that conquered all- pain, hated, rage, betrayal, and even death itself. Karliah has told her story. Now is the time for Gallus to tell his.

I hope you like it!

-Sky

A NIGHTINGALE'S SONG

Why should I be out of mind

Because I am out of sight?

I am but waiting for you.

For an interval.

Somewhere. Very near.

Just around the corner.

All is well.

From Death is Nothing At All by Henry Scott Holland

PROLOGUE

My name is Gallus Desidenius.

I am an agent of Nocturnal. A son of the shadows. A child of the night.

I am a scholar and a thief, a warrior and a Nightingale.

And I am running faster than I have ever run before.

Swiftly, silently, smoothly, invisible as a ghost in the eyes of all, I glide through the shadows like a gust of dark wind. The few that see me pass blink in confusion and look again, but all they see is a patch of deep, black shadow, darker than those around it, perhaps, but a shadow, nothing more. To them, I am nothing, nothing except a blur of darkness. But I know that I am so much more.

Onwards I go, through the endless night. Through a forest, beneath the softly whispering trees, as the twin moons cast their silver and ruby light down upon me. I follow the little whisper inside me, that feeling of belonging that always, always, calls me to her side. Ever since I passed into Evergloam, into the Dark Lady's realm, I have felt my love's silent call within me. No matter where I am, or what might happen, something deep within me is crying out for her.

For Karliah.

Because she belongs with me. And I belong with her.

The two of us were born to be by each other's sides.

And yet, there is a feeling of dread inside me. Because I know that I am not fast enough, no matter how swiftly the shadows bear me along. I should not have left her alone, and now I have, danger has struck. She is in mortal peril, and I - I, who swore to protect her, I, who never, never breaks a promise- am not there to defend her.

No matter how much I long to be with her again, to gaze into the depths of those beautiful indigo eyes, to hold her in my arms once more, I would never be able to live with myself if I allowed her do die for such a selfish reason. No matter how painful these years of separation have been for me, for her, for both of us, I would never fail to protect her life in any way I could, even if it postpones the day when we can embrace again.

Because I promised her that I would watch over her in death, just as I did in life.

I made her a promise once that I could not keep. I promised to return to her.

I never did.

And I will never break a promise to her again.

A cliff towers up ahead of me, and I see a door hidden at its foot. I pass effortlessly through it. And I stop dead, my heart hammering within my chest.

Because I can hear the shouts. The roars, the battle cries. The cries of pain, the screeches of agony, the promises of vengeance and threats of death. I can hear the clash of metal against metal as blades meet, and I can hear the hiss and twang I remember so well from the thousands of time I fought at her side. The song of her bow, calling out its message of oncoming peril.

And their war cries, echoing through the hall.

'This is what happens when you cross the Guild!'

'Zu'u Dovahkiin! Hear my voice and despair!'

'I bring death from the shadows!'

It is the sound of this final cry that makes me draw my sword, makes me move forwards again, makes me narrow my eyes as I feel the battle-blood beginning to course through me. Because it is her voice. The voice I hear in my dreams, the voice whose sound keeps me fighting. The voice of the woman who stole my heart. And dead though I am, I swore an oath to protect her with my life, long ago. And it is an oath I intend to keep.

And so I race through the shadows of the Hall, to where the battle rages. To where the thieves, the invaders, meet the Trinity. To where the three Nightingales fight as one.

The Dragonborn stands at their head, her amber eyes blazing with rage, her silver-grey fur bristling and her tail lashing from side to side. Her teeth are bared in a savage snarl as she faces her foes, and her bow- the bow that she was given by my lover- is singing out again and again, as she sends arrow after arrow into the hearts of her bows. At her side, a blade gleams, and it is a strange sight, for it is identical in every way to the sword that I hold in my hand. It is the same blade. And it could not be wielded by a worthier hand.

It was J'shana, the Dragonborn, a child of both Elsweyr and Skyrim, Nocturnal's Agent of Strife, the warrior Nightingale, who fought beside my Karliah, helped her in her hour of need, who gave her friendship when no one else would. She gave her hope. And I will owe her forever for that.

By her side is the Agent of Subterfuge. I never met J'shana when I lived, but this man I know well. I worked and fought alongside him many a time. I was there the day that Karliah brought him into the Guild- a scruffy, ragged, homeless wanderer, who was already a thief of great skill, already at home in the shadows. Brynjolf has not lost any of his talent, and that is shown clearly now as his dagger slices through the air, and into the neck of his foe. The invader crumples to the ground like a broken toy, where he dies under the snapping jaws of J'shana's canine companion.

And beside them is the third. She has known so many names, lived so many lives. She is the descendent of Indoril Nerevar, the granddaughter of Queen Barenziah and Drayven Indoril, the daughter of Dralsi Indoril. She is a sister of the Thieves Guild. She is the Agent of Stealth. She is Nocturnal's Nightingale. She is the returned exile, the lost warrior. She is the one who avenged my death.

But she is so much more than that to me.

She is Karliah. My Karliah.

And I love her more than anything.

And that is why, for as long as I am able, I will fight.

For her.

And so, as I see one of the invaders draw his blade and rush towards her, I shoot forwards, like a lightning bolt of darkness-

And the battle begins for me.

I surround him in shadow as I reach him, blinding him. Even if we exist in different realms, different worlds, even if my blade cannot touch him, there are more ways to fight than with weapons. As he struggles, his hands reaching out to try and find some hold on the world, seeking some way out of the darkness, an arrow flashes through the air, taking him through the neck, snatching away his life. Snuffing it out as if it were a candle.

I do not need to turn around to see who has fired the shot. A smile flickers over my face. Only one person on Nirn can strike with such deadly accuracy.

That's my girl, Karliah, I think, and I turn to face the next foe.

A Wood Elf bandit is closing in on Brynjolf, her flashing blade driving him backwards, until his back is to the wall. His eyes narrow and his blows become more furious, more desperate, as the fight becomes one for his life. I hurdle a fallen body and surround her in the darkness that is a part of me- or the darkness that I am part of, whichever way you would prefer to look at it.

In Evergloam, I am one with the shadows. And the shadows are one with me.

The Bosmer, too, is blinded now, blinded for the crucial few moments that it takes Brynjolf to dodge her wild blow and lunge upwards. She does not see his strike come. But she feels it, as his dagger pierces her heart. She cries out, choking, gasping for air, and then suddenly her life has left her, and she, too, falls.

I can feel no pity. These fiends would desecrate my Lady's Sepulchre, steal her sacred Key. And worse, they would try to kill Karliah.

They deserve no pity. No mercy. No remorse.

All they deserve is death.

I hear a sudden roar tear the air apart before it, and three bandits are swept of their feet and into the air at the sound of J'shana's Shout. I laugh with ferocious joy as I see them smash into the wall and lie still. One of them begins to stir, but Meeko, the war-dog who never leaves J'shana's side, crosses the Hall in four bounds and buries his teeth in the invader's throat. He screams, a terrified, screeching wail that is suddenly cut off.

There are only a handful of them left now. Still invisible to them, I turn, ready to face the next to come-

And I turn-

Turn and see-

Turn and see her-

Turn and see what she has not seen-

Turn and see the flash of a blade behind her-

Turn and see the Orc who lifts his greatsword high into the air-

Turn and see his face twist with rage and loathing-

Turn and see that Karliah has her back to him-

And then the time seems to slow down and speed forwards at once.

I scream her name, in a voice she cannot hear.

J'shana turns her head. Her fire-coloured eyes widen with horror. A warning rips from her throat.

Karliah half-turns around, and sees the blade as it catches the torchlight.

Meeko barks, a short, sharp sound that smashes through the cold air.

And the Orc brings down his sword-

He brings it crashing down through the air-

He brings it down-

Brings it down before I can stop him-

No-

No, no, no, no, no-

Not her-

Please-

Please, Gods have mercy, not her-

And she manages to twist aside and his sword smashes into the floor, and a cloud of dust rises from the ground, and hope shoots through me, but the Orc is throwing the blade aside, and pulling a dagger from his belt, and Karliah is still unbalanced, and she cannot move in time-

And I can see it coming-

And I am already moving-

But I know I cannot reach her in time-

I know, but still I run-

But not fast enough-

Because the Orc lunges forwards and his dagger shines and he drives it with all his strength against her armour and it buckles and bends beneath it-

It won't give way, it can't give way, it mustn't give way-

But I can see it giving way-

And now it has given way-

And the Orc lets out a snarl of triumph as his blade sinks into her flesh.

Her scream of pure, wordless agony mingles with my own, one of horror and terror and rage.

The sound of her cry makes me stop where I stand, so shaken, so terrified, it is as if the pain is mine. I am crying her name, again and again, in a voice that feels oddly separate from myself-

And the word no is echoing and re-echoing inside my mind-

But there is no denying the truth.

Karliah's eyes are wide as an ocean. She stares in disbelief at the knife.

Then she falls.

She falls.

My Karliah, my little Nightingale, falls.

And she falls to the ground and does not move again.

I stand frozen, as if the entire world has raised its fist and punched me in the face.

Karliah-

Fire rends the air, as J'shana Shouts again. The Orc is gone in a sudden burst of flame, falling to the ground in a blackened heap. Brynjolf's dagger slashes the throat of the final bandit, and then we are all running, running to her side-

Shadows cannot cry. But me? I am living shadow, and I can cry. And I feel tears of guilt and shame and fear burning my eyes as I reach her.

She is lying still, and at first I think she is already gone. But as J'shana drops to her knees by her side, she opens her eyes- those beautiful, beautiful eyes- and looks up at us, with a gaze filled with raw agony and stark fear and already clouded-

Gods, no-

Already clouded with the mists of death.

'Karliah!' The Khajiit is calling her name, clutching her hand, her eyes filled with fear. 'Karliah, breathe, just breathe, you're safe, you're going to be fine-'

But we all know that it is a lie.

My love shakes her head, and I can see the pain the tiny movement causes her. 'No.' Her voice is as weak as ice in summertime. 'This is the end for me, J'shana.'

'Don't say that. Don't you dare say that.' J'shana shakes her head, her hands scrabbling in her pockets. 'We've got potions. You're not dying on us now-'

'I already knew.' My lover swallows, her face lined with pain. 'I knew… before we came. That this would be my final battle. I could feel this day coming-'

'Stop that, lass.' Brynjolf's fists are clenched, and his face is white. 'You've got plenty more battles to fight yet.'

Karliah lets out a long, shaky, unsteady breath, and I feel as if the world is being torn to pieces in front of my eyes. It cuts me to the core, to see her in such pain, as if there were a dagger in my own heart.

'It's my time.' Her voice is so hoarse, so strained, every word a struggle. 'I have seen our Lady… in my dreams. I have heard her call. And now I will answer it.'

'No. Don't leave us.' J'shana's voice is choked with tears. 'We still need you. The Trinity…'

'You'll find someone.' It is an effort to discern the words. 'The Nightingales will survive.'

'But you can't leave us! Not now! We can't go on without you!'

The Dragonborn's voice is filled with so much desperation, so much terror and devastation and grief. And my own emotions reflect all of that- only a thousand times more strongly.

'You can. You will. You have made our Guild great, J'shana. And you will make our order great, too…' She breaks off, shuddering.

'But lass. You're the only one who understands. The Lady can't take you now.' Brynjolf's voice is thick with shock.

'You understand. You will carry on. This is… my end. I wouldn't have chosen for it to come any other way.' She is speaking barely above a whisper now. 'I've lingered on Nirn for long enough. And Gallus is waiting for me.'

The sudden burst of emotion in her voice makes me find my tongue. 'I'm waiting, Karliah.' The words, words they cannot hear, slip from me mouth before I can stop them. 'I'll wait forever if I have to. For you.'

None of them so much as glances at me. They have no idea that I am here.

But here I am. Where else could I be, when my love is dying, when she most needs my comfort?

And yet I can do nothing to ease her pain. Nothing to save her. And suddenly I know how she must have felt, as she watched this happen to me. As she watched the blade of a friend punch through my chest and tear my insides apart, as she watched me fall, my blood flowing from me like a river of red, as she heard my final cry tear through the shadows of that ancient tomb, as she watched me die, while unable to save me, unable to help, unable to stop it-

I should have stopped this. I should have been there for her.

I have broken a promise to her. For the second time.

J'shana's mouth opens, and it seems that she is ready to protest. And then a look of understanding crosses her face.

'Then go to him, my sister,' she murmurs. 'And take this.'

She takes her bow. Karliah's bow. Jet black metal with streaks of silver. As weapon as strong and sleek and beautiful as its owner.

Gently, J'shana presses it into Karliah's hands. A pang of mingled sorrow and pride runs through me. She is to die as she lived- as a warrior, with her weapon in her grip until the very end.

My love runs her fingers down its shining surface. 'Thank you,' she whispers.

'No, Karliah.' The Khajiit's voice is clear and filled with emotion. 'Thank you.'

And I think we all know that she is not talking about the bow.

'J'shana. Brynjolf.' Karliah raises her head, ever so slightly. 'And you too, Meeko,' she adds, with a touch of fondness. 'Listen. You gave me hope and faith and friendship, at a time when I needed it more than ever. I am forever in your debt. Nobody ever had such true and loyal friends.' Her voice is even softer than before. She is fading fast. And there is nothing I can do. 'Look after the Guild. Look after the Key. Look after yourselves…'

'Karliah-' Brynjolf begins, but she cuts across him.

'Farewell, my friends. And thank you... for all that you did for me.'

I can bear it no longer. I step forwards, out of the darkness. I hear them gasp as a shadow falls upon the wall behind me- the silhouette of a man. To them, it appears that no one is casting it- but I am here.

Joy sparks in those incredible indigo eyes. 'Gallus,' she murmurs. 'Is that you?'

'It's me, Karliah.' I know that she cannot hear the words, but I have to say them. The two other Nightingales move apart to let me through, and I am at her side in an instant, kneeling beside her and resting a hand she can neither see nor feel on her shoulder. 'It's me,' I say again. 'I'm here. I'll always be with you.'

'Have you come for me?' Sorrow and happiness shine together in her gaze. 'I'm ready.'

Her gaze flickers over her friends. 'Until we meet again… in the shadows.'

J'shana crosses her fists over her heart and bows. Brynjolf bites his lip and dips his head. Meeko pushes his muzzle into her chest, whining softly.

Karliah raises her head again and looks at me. Right into my eyes, as if she knows where I am.

'I love you, Gallus,' she breathes.

Very slowly, those eyes, those two pools of twilight, slide shut. Forever. She lets out a soft sigh. Then the sound of her breathing fades away into silence, and I know that she is gone.

'Oh, Karliah.' My voice is so thick with tears that I can hardly get the words out. 'I love you too.'

Brynjolf stares, frozen with grief and shock, Meeko's whines grow louder, and J'shana lets out a wordless wail of sorrow, her tears dripping from the ends of her whiskers. I stand, my hand still resting on her shoulder, my heart tearing itself within me.

I should be happy. After all these painful years of separation, she has finally taken the first step on the path that leads her back to me.

But how can anyone be happy, when that first step is the death of the woman that they love more than life itself?

J'shana reaches out, grasps the dagger that is still buried within Karliah's chest. She closes her eyes as she pulls it free, and hurls it aside as if it were a venomous snake. It falls into the stream with a quiet splash, sinks to the bottom, and becomes covered by shining water.

For a moment, there is silence. Deep, profound silence, broken only by the sound of our quiet weeping.

Then J'shana's voice takes me by surprise. 'Gallus. Take care of her.' The Khajiit's amber eyes sparkle with tears.

'Of course I will.' How could I not? She is the wonderful miracle sent to me by the Divines, the one who saw me for who I really am, the fierce and beautiful thief who saved my soul and stole my heart. How could I ever not take care of her?

We must both wait before we can see each other again. She must fulfil her contract in the Sepulchre; it may be many years before Nocturnal deems that the time is right for her to pass into Evergloam. But she will come. And for her, I can wait. We were torn apart, but she fought on, for my sake, in my name. And now I am waiting for her. I will wait for as long as it takes.

Gently, I lean down and kiss those soft, warm lips one final time.

'Karliah,' I murmur. 'I'm waiting for you, my little Nightingale.'

Well, that was an interesting experience. I think I can safely say that's the first time I've began a story by killing one of the main characters. It was originally going to be very different, much more like the prologue to Indigo Nightingale, but it wasn't working, so I tried it like this. I think it turned out much better than it was before.

So, I hope you enjoyed it. The next chapter will be up in a few days, probably. Thanks for reading!