Do I really have to say I don't own TES series? Really? You'd think people would already know that.
Anyway. I do own this story and its original characters, though.
Isrel slipped around the corner of the house, and silently motioned for Shadow-Tail to follow. The Argonian snuck over to his side, and Isrel looked around. No one was moving about the Waterfront, and all was dark, except for a soft flickering glow of firelight a ways away he figured was a beggar's fire. Shadow-Tail had insisted it was a torch, but Isrel was set in the belief that no one would be so obvious without innocence.
The Thieves Guild was cunning and sly, Isrel always said, and would always be a challenge to find; nothing in the task of uncovering them would be easy. Even after Shadow-Tail told him of a meeting place he had heard of, Isrel was unconvinced that thieves would gather out in an open garden, with their only shroud, the black of night, being broken by a carried torch, easily visible from that side of the waterfront.
Nobody was stupid enough to do that. Right?
So Isrel had decided that they search the houses of the poor for any incriminating clues or stolen goods. Shadow-Tail had worries of having to sneak past sleeping people, so Isrel had mocked him and decided to watch the shacks for a few days, and two had been singled out with none coming or going from or to.
Shadow-Tail had wanted to check the southernmost one, but Isrel had decided the light coming from the garden behind it made it much too obvious.
So they went with the northernmost one, neighboring Armande Christophe's house.
They weren't sure who exactly owned it, but their sources told them that the owner rarely went there, and when they did show up, it was usually at night. Perfect schedule for a thief.
Isrel looked around again, just to make sure, then tested the doorknob of the house. It was unlocked. Convenient, Isrel thought. Too convenient for the ever-elusive Thieves Guild! But he decided to at least peer in anyways.
It was a very average shack, with a burnt-out fireplace, a grubby bed, and a ragged table to the left.
Isrel ducked inside to take a closer look, expecting a clue to be a well-hidden item or a secret trapdoor, and he scoured the floors and walls and fireplace. Shadow-Tail reluctantly followed, closing the door behind them and lighting a torch.
The Redguard finished his search quickly, and motioned to Shadow-Tail that nothing was there. He opened the door a crack and slid out.
"Wait…" Shadow-Tail looked back at the table, reaching out and grabbing the bottle of wine there. "This is Tamika Vintage."
"This isn't the time for you to start focusing on alcohol, Shadow-Tail."
The Argonian ignored him and looked closer at the label. "399, too. Now, Isrel. Why would a person living in the Waterfront have Tamika Vintage 399 just sitting out on their table?"
Isrel paused, and slid back inside, shutting the door softly. He grabbed the bottle from Shadow-Tail, peering at the label, and then took a small sip. "You're right." He set it down and examined the crudely-made round dining table. His eyes passed over the tomatoes and blackberries in a stone bowl, the crusty loaf of bread, the small sweetroll, and the hunk of salted meat sitting on a stone plate.
Isrel leaned closer to the meat. "This is boar!"
"How odd," Shadow-Tail murmured. "It's not exactly a feast, but it's too expensive for someone here to just have out on their table without a special occasion…"
"Yes, very odd…" Isrel narrowed his eyes and looked closer at the table, scanning every inch of it. "I have a suspicion, Shadow-Tail-"
"Isrel…" The Argonian stood at the chest across from the table. It stood open, its contents looking much too big for the crude little thing. Amulets, gleaming swords, fancy silks, magical scrolls, advanced potions and poisons, a large collection of books, and random ingredients and beverages.
Isrel walked over and peered in. "How is all that fitting in there?"
"I don't know!" Shadow-tail exclaimed. "But I was kind of hoping that you knew what this meant!"
"Huh?"
"Isrel, look at these!" Shadow-Tail brought out a few enchanted weapons and shining stunning dresses. "Don't you know where we are? We need to leave, now!" He started stuffing them back in, his eyes wide with fear.
"Have you gone insane? This is obviously the work of a thief! We've finally succeeded in tracking one down! This is great! Now we just need to-"
"Get out of here!" The Argonian growled, yanking open the door.
"Well, hello."
In the doorway stood a pretty young Bosmer woman, smiling sincerely, dressed in a simple gray robe with her hair up in a bun.
She gave an invisible chuckle and stood to the side of the door. "I suppose you'll want to leave now." She motioned to the doorway.
Shadow-Tail darted towards the door, but Isrel grabbed his arm, yanking him back to his side, figuring that he could show up a little elf girl any day. Especially a thieving one.
"And why would we be wanting to leave?" He glared.
"I don't know." She grinned. "Why would you?"
"…Why wouldn't we?" He lamely retorted.
"You tell me. Apparently you don't want to."
"Isrel, we need to go now-"
"Shadow-Tail, I am speaking to someone!" He barked, then turned back to the Bosmer. "Well, maybe it's because we've uncovered a rather important piece of information here. One that might include you, miss…?"
"And what would that be?" She ignored his question, tilting her head a tad, and her smile disappearing, but the soft look still on her face.
"That you're a filthy thief who will be brought to justice?" He grinned, figuring he had won.
But the girl chuckled.
"And what is your 'evidence' of this?"
Isrel glared at her, and motioned to the open chest at his side. "Obviously stolen goods."
"I can honestly assure you that not one of any of those items are stolen." She smiled again. "I could sit and tell you the story of how I obtained each and every one."
"ISREL! You don't realize where we are! Who you're speaking to!" Shadow-Tail blurted.
"What? Some little elf girl? Maybe one who works as a thief to help support her old, helpless mother?"
"Far from the truth, sir." She interrupted.
"Then how did you obtain them?" He challenged, once again motioning to the chest.
"Mostly from bandits, marauders, undead, creatures, plants, forts, ruins, and caves. A few of them were rewards or gifts. None stolen, I assure you." She gave a little bow, still smiling.
"…A lot of that still sounds like stealing, miss."
She laughed. "I guess it might. But it's not. Any citizen in the Imperial City could vouch for me. In fact, even your Argonian friend there could, I'm fairly certain. He seems much more aware than you. Could you please explain to him, mister…?"
The Argonian mimicked her little bow, and swallowed. "Shadow-Tail, honored to be in your presence, miss!" He turned to Isrel. "This here is Zoriana!" He whispered harshly.
"Am I supposed to know what that means?" Isrel asked.
"Yes, you are!" Shadow-Tail rasped. "Leader of the Mages Guild and Fighters Guild, Grand Champion of the Arena, the one who discovered Martin Septim? The one who closed ALL of the oblivion gates?"
Isrel stood there for a few seconds. "…I still believe you're thieving, miss."
The Argonian face-palmed, hissing in defeat.
"Honestly, if you're THAT famous, you must have a vast amount of riches! So why live in a shack like this unless you have something to hide in here?" Isrel crossed his arms.
Zoriana smiled. "I bought this house years ago, before I had even found Martin. It's a great place for storage. All the items I've come across in my travels, well, I don't want to let them go, but I can't carry them all around with me. So I put them in that chest. I don't need a fancy house. Plus, it helps against thieving. Though, I always figured anyone who would try to steal from me wouldn't know who I was, and once they figured out, they would run like hell."
"…Very true, miss." Shadow-Tail said. He turned to Isrel. "Can we run like hell now?"
"One more question, Zoriana…" The Redguard crossed his arms. "Have you any affiliation with the Thieves Guild or Dark Brotherhood?"
Her smile grew a tiny bit sinister. "Why, those both are myths! Surely you can't believe they actually exist."
"Of course, of course!" Shadow-tail grabbed Isrel and threw him out the door. "We're most sorry that we disturbed you, miss!" He dodged out of the house and quickly closed the door behind him. Zoriana could hear the two whispering arguments.
She smiled and walked over to the chest, dropping a few of the items in her bag in. She looked in her bag again and spotted the gray cowl and enchanted blade of woe and smiled.
When you're famous, secrets are easier to keep in plain sight.