One-Shots // Skyrim

Brynjolf x Fem!Reader

TITLE: Mercer's Battle
WORDS: 2,766
COMPLETED: 1/13/21

Rugged breaths were going in and out of my lungs as I quickly glanced around the large room that we were trapped within. As my heart hammered in my chest, I felt my grip tightening on my weapon. My eyes were narrowed down, searching around quickly in an attempt to spot Mercer Frey.

When Karliah explained that we were going to a Dwarven ruin, I figured that it wouldn't be that bad. However, the fact that the Falmer were the least of our concern seemed like a red flag. Sure enough, this was absolutely awful.

"Lass!" Brynjolf screamed from up on the ledge behind me, where the staircase had broken. Karliah and Brynjolf had both been bewitched by Mercer, and were currently fighting one another. They were aware, too, which made it worse. The two of them kept apologizing to one another when their bodies would forcibly strike and hit each other.

I didn't turn to look back at him. Taking my focus off of Mercer would end in my impending doom.

"Sweet little (Y/N). Who knew that deciding to join the Guild would end with you here?" Mercer's voice chimed as I quickly glared in the direction that his voice was emanating from.

Killing Mercer Frey wouldn't be too difficult. That is, if I was capable of seeing him. Due to his invisibility, I had to be extremely cautious. If I lose him, it could be detrimental.

"Brynjolf always taught you to never kill. That it wasn't your job. But I know you've met with Astrid. I know you have another job which is to do nothing except kill. Only a heinous monster would—"

"Would kill? How ironic. Killing people unknown to them for pay is the job of an assassin. Killing people who care for them just for the sake of doing so is the works of a psychopath... And what was is that Gallus had done to you, again?" I hissed at Mercer, gritting my teeth angrily.

His words were true, however. And I knew he only spoke them for no other reason than to provoke Brynjolf. Rupturing our close relationship would, hypothetically, get Mercer an escape. But I wasn't a fool. He wasn't escaping. One of the two of us was going to die in this room. No one was running.

"(Y/N), what is he talking about?" Brynjolf asked in a demanding tone. I ignored him.

"C'mon, Frey... Don't attempt to justify your actions by bringing up mine," I seethed at the invisible man, glaring at where I believed he was standing.

An arrow whirled past my ear from my left, causing me to jump and whip my head to that direction. He'd managed to get out of my gaze. But I wasn't going to let him get away with it again. And, thankfully, he had terrible aim.

I didn't hesitate to draw my bow, nocking one of the steel arrows that I'd grabbed off one of the deceased bandit corpses from the main room within the ruins. Dried blood was still caked to the feathered fletching, splatters covering the shaft, and the arrowhead was coated.

"If you didn't have anything to hide, then I wouldn't have anything to bring up," Mercer's voice echoed off the walls, causing me to point the aim of my arrow towards the direction of his voice. I caught a glimpse of distortion, releasing the string and sending the arrow flying. I heard him grunt, watching him reappear for a short moment, grasping his shoulder with a pained expression on his face. The arrow jutted out of his skin, thick blood leaking from the hole in his shoulder.

  I dashed up the staircase on the opposite side of the room, standing near the large statue located within the room. This is what Mercer had been here for. For the Eyes of the Falmer. But that wasn't what concerned me at the moment. I was worried about getting a vantage point so I'd be capable of seeing the whole room.