Nightingale Whispers
By Jackie Almasy
I am nearly world renowned as a restless soul
Who always skips town
But I look for you to come around
And anchor me back down
-Mindy Gledhill, "Anchor"
Chapter 1
Deprivation
The loud constant dripping of the ice cold water hitting the top of her head awoke her from her fitful sleep. If you could even call it sleep.
Aia lifted her throbbing head slowly, unable to suppress her groan of pain from emitting from her body. Her light brown gaze looked around her surroundings slowly. Light was emitting from down the long stone hallway in front of her. The corner where the adjoining hallways met echoed with the howls of a strong winter wind.
It was then that she noticed a mist being blown into her small dungeon. Lifting her head a little too fast to study her surroundings, Aia gasped at a sudden pain shooting its way through her head. Locks of her flaming red hair fell over her face. After closing her eyes a few minutes to try and subdue the throbbing pain, it was then that she noticed the blood caked over her hair strands.
"Nocturnal help me."
The clinking of the strong iron chains holding her arms up above her head caught her attention. Testing her strength against the iron chains, Aia gritted her teeth and held her breath as she began counting down to using her full strength. Pulling against the restraints with all her might, Aia braced her feet against the back wall and pushed.
Crying out loud again at a sharp pain shooting up through the left side of her rib cage, the skilled thief and warrior collapsed back onto her knees. The Nord whimpered in sheer pain from her ribs and head as she shook her head. How could this have happened?
Narrowing her eyes in thought, Aia quietly searched her memory for the reason as to why this did happen. Looking down at the ground, Aia noticed most of her Nightingale armor was still in tact minus her missing hood and face mask. Holes and cuts were apparent in the tough enchanted leather.
It was then that Aia noticed a large cut along her left ribcage. The cut was deep and long. Though her gaze could not follow along the entire cut, the herbal scent of a poison sedative reeked from the open wound. This would have been the striking blow that led to her capture.
"How long have I been unconscious?" Aia asked herself as she continued looking around her surroundings. There was nothing substantially striking about her surroundings. A single wooden stool was placed near the entrance with a bucket by it.
The lantern that had been placed upon the large stool had burned out long ago as the candle wax inside the glass seemed to be pooled and cold.
She shivered as another bitter cold wind blew through the hallway, bringing bits of snow and a heavy mist. The water droplets continued to drip down onto her head, soaking her cold head. Shaking her head slightly to try and get the water off, Aia groaned and coughed heavily a few times.
"Oh no..."
Leaning back into the chains, Aia pushed her back up against the cold hard stone. Bending her knees up towards her chest, Aia winced at the aching pain within her ribs. Despite the pain, Aia was thankful to be freed of the water's constant dripping down onto her.
"Ok. Think Aia, think." Closing her eyes, the small Nord woman began racing through the images of the last known memories she could remember.
The rugged coastline north of Solitude was cold to a degree that seemed unforgiving that morning. Rolling up her single bedroll and bear skin blanket, Aia breathed out heavily. Her breath was quick to turn into hot steam rising from her mouth, lifting above her head and joining the miles of mist surrounding her.
The distant calls of horkers carried through the air. Standing up to listen to the calls, Aia listened to the returned calls of the giant water creatures closer to her location. Behind her, Aia turned her head in time to see her loaned horse stomp its front right hoof on the ground.
Smirking in the direction of the animal, Aia quickly came up to the mighty beast and pat its thick fur.
"Are you ready to go my friend?" She chuckled and quickly strapped the bedroll and blanket to her saddle. "Me too."
Running her hands along her armor to make sure everything was strapped and tight, Aia pulled her leather hood over her head followed by her facial mask. Releasing her Nightingale Bow and quiver of Orc Arrows from the saddle, Aia secured her armor before pulling her slender form onto the saddle.
Signaling the horse into a slow trot, Aia quickly scanned the seaside environment. Multiple dead logs and trees decorated the cold environment. Despite the heavy clopping of her horse's hooves, the sound of the tides of the ocean brought in ice chunks onto the sand bars was still audible.
"This cave had better be worth the loot." Aia quietly murmured out loud. Shaking her head, she looked around for the landmarks that had been made on the map. During a heist on a mansion within Solitude weeks ago, Rune had made a discovery that could potentially bring the Guild months worth of loot.
A drunk sailor had been bragging one night at The Winking Skeever at Rune. Piqued by his story, Rune had been sly enough to wait until the captain had passed out cold on the bar. Volunteering to bring his "poor shipmate" back to his room, Rune had managed to convince the bar keep to give him a copy of the room key.
Sneaking another sedative into the man's drink had been easy enough. Or so that was what Rune boasted to the Guild as he had retold this story. While going through his things, Rune had discovered an ancient looking map and from the markings he had been able to read, the payload looked big.
As soon as he had returned, the newly appointed Guildmaster and her second in command Brynjolf had nearly been side tackled by the ecstatic man. After an hour of breaking down his mission, Aia had looked over the map herself. The Cistern seemed darker that day but as she brought the candle sticks closer to the map, Aia's eyes had widened with surprise.
Hidden under the old skin of the parchment, old symbols she recognized as Dwemer flared to life. Brynjolf's reaction was just as surprised but soon, the boyish charm she had come to love flared to life. Grabbing the map from her hands, Brynjolf looked to Rune with a wide smile.
"Well done Rune!" Folding the map back up to its original folding, he placed it on Aia's desk before clasping his hand firmly over the young Nord's shoulder. Shaking his other hand firmly, both Nords laughed wholly.
"This will surely help the Guild lad!"
"You think Brynjolf?" Rune asked questionably, worried that he may have over stepped his boundaries once he realized the show he must have out on with his excitement over finding the map.
"I know so! Your drinks in the Flagon are on me tonight lad! Now go rest up. You've earned it."
Watching him go, Brynjolf's smile quickly turned to a confused look as he looked at Aia. Leaning against her desk with her arms folded across her chest, the Nord warrior grinned when he saw her amused smirk.
"Something wrong Guildmaster?"
"No. Not a thing Mr. Brynjolf. It's just been a very long time since I have seen you this excited about a possible lead."
"Well, the Guild still needs all the help we can get." He stopped suddenly, looking around to make sure no one was in ear shot as he took a few steps foreword.
"Even with you returning the Skeleton Key to its rightful place in the Twilight Sepulcher. Everything you have done for this Guild had been a big help but one in awhile, it is nice to see our other members bringing us the good news."
Smiling in response, Aia did not hide her looking over Brynjolf's firm and toned body before her. Biting her lower lip in playful gesture, Aia giggled a little bit before teasing.
"Pity Brynjolf. I was so hoping to see you in that skin tight Nightingale armor again." Walking up right next to him, Aia brought her lips inches from his ear.
"It would give me something to fantasize about on my lonely trips too."
Watching his body shiver at her sudden sexy tone and demeanor around him, Brynjolf let out an appreciative groan as he looked over her head at the empty Cistern around them. Bringing his hand to her hips, his slowly palmed his way up along her Thieves Guild master armor.
"Is that a challenge Aia?" His unshaven face rubbed against her warm cheeks as he spoke. Catching her off guard, Brynjolf placed a quick kiss and nip on the skin just beneath her earlobe. The scent of hay and earth overwhelmed her as she shuddered at the feel of his lips traveling across her jawbone and slowly making their way to her lips.
Just as they were about to meet, Aia and Brynjolf heard approaching laughter and talking. Pulling apart, Aia was left a little flustered as she stared at him longingly before that playful grin he had fallen for showed back up.
They didn't see each other for the rest of the night. Early the next morning before the rest of the Guild stirred, Aia had packed a bag for a week's worth of a ride to Solitude. Rolling up her Nightingale armor and placing it securely into her pack, Aia climbed the creaking wooden ladder into the secret entrance to the Thieves Guild.
Pushing the wooden lid up slowly, Aia looked around the darkness as a force of habit first. No unusual sounds besides the chirping of bugs and birds outside the large mausoleum resounded through the stone architecture. Lifting herself out of the hole quietly, Aia shut the lid down only to suddenly draw her glass dagger in response to the sound of a lighted lantern coming to life.
In the shadows stood Brynjolf, poised and ready as well but not with any weapons that Aia could see.
Letting out a breath of relief, Aia put the dagger back into her boot.
"Damn it Brynjolf! Don't do that to me! Are you trying to be killed?"
"I knew you wouldn't do it lass. Not when you saw who it was."
Placing her hands on her hips, Aia lifted an eyebrow in slight disgust towards her second in command.
"And what if I had?"
"But you didn't. I trust you."
Setting the lantern down on the ground, Brynjolf walked foreword closer to her. Sighing heavily in defeat, Aia dropped her hands from her hips when she saw that charming smile and mischievous glint in his eyes return.
"Damn you and your…" She drifted off in mid sentence as Brynjolf walked right up to her and gently brought a hand to her face. Running his warm and slightly calloused fingertips down along her cheeks, Aia only allowed her honed skills to lessen with him around.
"My what lass?"
He was teasing her. Probably for revenge of last night's unfinished affection.
"Your sly sexy attitude of yours that's what." She whispered with a smile she only showed her closest friends. He was the witness of them most of the time. Okay more like all the time.
"Hmm…" He let the sound roll of his tongue before smiling down at her. "That's what I wanted to hear Aia."
Bringing her lips up suddenly, Brynjolf claimed with a hungry passion he had been holding back till they were alone. No one in the Guild but Karliah knew of their relationship. Despite her warnings of what could happen, she respected both their decisions. They both knew she was only speaking out of experience and said nothing more on the matter.
Running his hands along the pack strap on one of her shoulders, he pushed it off to hear it thud to the stone floor. Her bow and quiver of arrows were soon to follow as he wrapped one arm firmly around her waist. Drawing her hips and chest suddenly into his, Brynjolf surprised her by pushing her firmly up against the cold stone wall.
Moaning into the kisses, Aia wrapped both her arms tighter around his neck. Tilting her head into the kisses, Brynjolf's talented tongue soon joined hers in a dance of battle and dominance. Her hands soon began wandering the clothed thief before her.
Pressing her full palms up against the leather, Aia could feel the tense and muscular form of the Nord man before her. As their lips separated and he moved his affections to her neck, Aia tilted her head back only just to allow him access. Her need for air was apparent in her heavy breathing but the smug smile across her face let him know she was enjoying every second of it.
"And what pray tell are you doing up so early in the morning Aia?"
"Leaving for Solitude to investigate Rune's find. To see if there are any dangerous traps needing to be disarmed before bringing in enough guild members to collect." She gasped as she felt him run his tongue along her neck followed by physical affections on one particular spot.
"Just when were you planning on tell me lass?"
She grinned from ear to ear at the sound of his playful tone.
"This morning on my way out. We both can't leave. I need you to run things with Vex and Delvin while I am gone."
Drawing his face back up to hers, Aia captured his lips again in a series of quick and passionate kisses. She needed to get this out of the way now or it was going to be a very long two weeks.
Groaning into the kisses, Brynjolf tried to form coherent thoughts in between her ravenous onslaught.
"I wish you would let me come with you."
Pulling apart after a few more minutes of kisses, Aia leaned back to look at her handiwork and smiled lovingly in his direction.
"You know it doesn't take two Nightingales to explore a dwemer ruin. Besides, I need someone I trust running the show."
Sighing softly, Brynjolf cupped her face and simply stared at her. Nodding slowly in response to her statement, he knew she was right. It would look suspicious if both the Guildmaster and her Second in Command went out on every job together.
It was something that both had to be careful about.
"Be careful lass." He whispered tenderly, leaning in and placing a kiss on her forehead. "I couldn't live with myself if I knew something bad happened to you."
"I will be." Separating herself from his grasp, Aia leaned down and picked up her pack, arrows, and weapon before pulling on the metal chain inches from their heads.
Kissing him one last time on the cheek, Aia made her way up the stairs before Brynjolf called to her one last time.
"Aia!"
She looked over her shoulder in curiosity.
"Yeah?"
"You sure you don't have time for a quickie? We can sneak into Mercer's old house again!"
Grinning, Aia smiled and kicked the eye button on the coffin to begin closing it. Laughing, Brynjolf watched her form until the coffin lid shut tight leaving him once again in the darkness besides with his lantern illuminated.
That had been two and a half weeks ago. Brynjolf wouldn't start to get worried for probably a couple more days.
Aia feared whomever was keeping her captive may kill her well before then.
Ok, so the new project begins. I honestly have no idea as to how long this will go. Probably a minimum of five but no longer than ten.
Brynjolf is my second favorite NPC in Skyrim. He can "lass" me any day!
Till next time,
Jackie Almasy
Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is copyrighted by Bethesda Softworks and Bethesda Game Studios. I own nothing.
