When Brynjolf met Anja for the first time, he was twice her age. He was on his way to Goldenglow on a small boat that belonged to Mercer when she grabbed the side of the boat and tried to climb aboard. Although he had been a thief for only a little over a year, Brynjolf was used to unexpected happenings and knew how to recognise non-threatening situations. He pulled her in one quick motion and dropped her on her feet right in front of him. She was clutching her left arm, which was bleeding heavily.
- What in Oblivion happened to you?
The girl lifted her eyes to look at him. They were brown, or maybe green, some colour in between, like a tree leaf in the beginning of autumn, and they shone with a determination unlike anything he had ever seen before. She seemed to be trying to judge whether he would try to drown her or help her.
- I'm really sorry. I thought climbing in was the only thing I could do. Sorry. I didn't mean to bother you.
He was not angry with her. Somehow, she instilled a sense of peace in him, because she was so agitated and he had always been rather quiet. He felt as if she was restless enough for the both of them. She even looked funny, actually, because she gesticulated a lot while talking and was very expressive, even though her face was mostly angry and wary. He wondered who this cute little child was.
- Never mind that, lass. I'm just glad you're okay. What happened anyway?
- I was hunted down by a wolf. It bit me. I tried to run into the lake and hide under the water, but then I really couldn't swim back to Riften because of the wound. I saw your boat and thought I could just try to climb in.
- Have you never been told to avoid running around in the wild on your own? Wolves are dangerous for little girls.
- This time I didn't see it coming. But usually I do.
- What are you, a bandit or something?
- Nothing like that. I just like to hunt, is all, but sometimes I end up being hunted instead.
He chuckled. The girl was very different from the other children he had met − not that he knew a lot of them. She looked around, apparently watching out for potential dangers, sat on the other side of the boat, and rubbed her wound with her ragged shirt. He searched in his chest bandoleer, found a flask which he knew contained some kind of health potion, and threw it to her. She caught it with her uninjured arm, quick as a whip, even though she had not been looking when he threw it. Impressed, he whistled, and she smiled shyly as she took a sip of the potion.

He looked at her more carefully, wondering who she was. They had not met before. She had olive skin, though not so brown as a Redguard's, and her dark hair was shorter than what was usual among Nords. She had Nordic features, though, and looked oddly familiar to him. Even though she had just been swimming in an icy cold lake in just a thin shirt and large leather pants, she did not seem to be cold, which also pointed to her being a Nord.
- Where are you from, child?
Ignoring his question, she turned around and began to rummage through his stuff. She looked into his bag and pulled out a shirt before speaking out.
- Can I use this? I need to cover the wound, otherwise I'll bleed all I have.
- Sure, go ahead, here's a…
He was just leaning to give her his dagger when she pulled her own from a pocket in her pants. It did not seem like a safe place to keep a blade. She ripped the shirt into strips and used them as bandage. He should have offered her help, but he was fascinated to see how used to the process she seemed. She was able to bind her wound on her own with only one good arm.
- As for where I'm from, I live here in Riften. Don't think I've met you before, though. Are you from around here?
- I'm from Ivarstead, but I've been in Riften for some time. I'm mostly out at night, though; maybe that's why I've never seen you. Where do you live?
She bit her lip. It was obviously not her favourite topic, and she looked uneasy.
- We don't really have a place. Mama kind of tries to get money, but she often forgets things or buys Skooma instead of food. I'm a lot on my own. So I often hunt for food and steal the rest.
- Fancy yourself a thief, hmm?
- Don't look at me like that. Thieving is just about the only thing I'm good at. And you're no better. You can't tell me these were obtained by honest means.
She dangled a few jewelled necklaces that clearly came from his bag, looking at him accusingly.
- Caught me. I'm a thief. Put those back in, they are not for you… or for me, for that matter.
She obeyed, though he saw her sneak a silver necklace into her sleeve. He chuckled silently. When they reached the Goldenglow Estate, she insisted to come with him, and she put on a mask of adorable little doll the whole time he spoke with Aringoth. She never noticed when he slipped the necklace out of her back pocket and put it back into his bag. Neither did Aringoth. Brynjolf liked to think of himself as a good pickpocket, even if he was still in training.

After Brynjolf gave Aringoth a grateful handshake, the older man messed up the girl's hair and grinned at her. He had always had a good heart. Sometimes, Brynjolf felt guilty about the pressure put on him by the Guild. But threats and heists were part of the life he had chosen, and Mercer made sure to remind him of that every single day.
- Your new recruits are younger than ever, Brynjolf. Say hello to Maven when you see her, I hope she'll find the honey to her liking. And goodbye, er… I didn't quite catch your name, young lady…
- Anja, sir. I hope to see you soon!
She smiled and the elf seemed to melt. She curtsied and gasped in surprise when Brynjolf grabbed her and dragged her to the boat.

Anja, as she was apparently called, poked his chest with a finger when they were halfway to Riften.
- So your name is Brynjolf, huh? I've heard of you.
- You have?
- Mama says you won't let her in the Thieves Guild.
He frowned, trying to remember the last time he refused someone. There was this young Nord woman who had managed to approach him several times, completely drunk or drugged on Skooma, and had claimed to be the best thief in all of Tamriel. She had shouted that the Guild did not know what it was missing and that her lover, a different one every time, he forgot the names, would retaliate.
- Are you Dagmar's daughter?
- Uh huh.
- A bit full of illusions, your mother. But I'm not the recruiter, and we won't let Skooma into the Guild, anyway. I'm sorry.
- Oh, I'm not. She's a terrible thief.
They said little more during the journey back to Riften. He left her on the docks, and she trotted away, allegedly to go find her other dagger, which she had lost when the wolf had bitten her. Her mother was probably just a few years older than him, and he wondered how young she must have been when she had Anja, who looked probably nine or ten years old. He watched the girl go away, went back to the sewers, and focused solely on his job. He remembered the advice Mercer had given him: he should stop trying to help anyone else than himself and the Guild. Thieves had no business investing their time in the lives of little girls.

The next time he saw her, probably a few months afterwards, was during one of his jobs. He had to filch some gemstone from Wujeeta. How she could have this into her possession, he did not know. He did not care either. He knew she slept in Haelga's bunkhouse at night, and that was where he ended up meeting Anja for the second time. The little girl was sneaking around when he opened the door. He was struck at how animal she looked, like a little cat lurking, looking for some mischief to do. She did not hear him until he grabbed her by the shoulders and whispered in her ear.
- You really shouldn't be here…
She tensed and he could almost hear her heart beat. She turned around and seemed relieved when she finally recognised him, although she frowned at him. He did not expect her to know him, but he then remembered that she was looking up at him and thus could see his face. Putting his finger to his lips, he sneaked to the stairs. As he entered the bedroom, she tugged on his arm.
- What are you doing here? She whispered, a lot louder than he would have liked.
- Guild business. Don't talk until we are outside.
She watched carefully as he retrieved the emerald from Wujeeta's pocket. Once the gem was safe in his purse, he walked down the stairs and left the bunkhouse slowly and without a noise. The little girl followed him and said nothing, as ordered.

Once outside, she rubbed her chin and looked at him.
- I wonder if I could do that, what you've done. I've never stolen from someone directly, only things that people leave around.
He smirked, as he walked back to the wooden quay next to the canal. He walked briskly now that the risk of being caught was gone, and she almost had to run to keep up.
- You know what, maybe you could do that. But you shouldn't. What were you doing there anyway?
She had the grace to at least look ashamed.
- Svana has a new ribbon for her hair that I'd like to have for myself. But it was more interesting to watch you steal from that poor Wujeeta.
- You'd better not get used to it, I have no intention of regularly taking children with me on the job.
She looked hurt, but he thought about how much he would be laughed at if other thieves learned that he was a babysitter to her. They had arrived in front of the door to the Ratways. He patted her on the shoulder.
- I can't let you in, too dangerous for you, and only Guild members are supposed to be there. I'll see you around.
- When I'm in the Guild, I'll be allowed to come.
He laughed, and made his way to the door.
- We'll see about that.
Anja was still frowning as he closed the door behind him. Just thinking about suggesting to Mercer that such a young child join the Guild was ridiculous, and made him shake his head as he went back to the Ragged Flagon with the firm intention of drinking as much ale as possible with Delvin.