A thirteen year old boy weaved his way though the busy streets of Riften. He moved his way stealthily through the sweaty bodies all around him, bumping in to strangers and apologizing as his hand would fly in to their pocket. He would only take coin, for coin was the only thing useful to him. Coin was the only thing that could make his life better.
It was the height of the day and Brynjolf should have been in the orphanage with the other children but he was not. Brynjolf could not stand the headmistress of the orphanage;Grelod the kind. She was mean, evil, and nasty. There was a room in the back where she would shackle the children when they were "bad" or when she was in a bad mood. To put it frankly she was a bully. Brynjolf had no doubt that if she found out he was gone he would end up in the shackles.
The boy smiled as he passed a great many of people, heading towards the Bee-and-Barb. One talent that Brynjolf had was knowing peoples' weaknesses. The innkeeper at the Bee-and-Barb had a skooma problem. Brynjolf had been blackmailing him to keep it a secret.
"Hey you!" Brynjolf turned to see Sibbi Blackbriar. Sibbi approached Brynjolf with a smile on his face. The boy was the same age as Brynjolf and had a hobby of making Brynjolf's life hell.
Brynjolf took off in a sprint, hoping to lose Sibbi. He could go without a beating today. He darted between buildings trying to lose the younger boy. He wove between costumers in the market running over several of them. Brynjolf ran down the stairs to the lower level of the city. Sibbi followed him shouting insults as he did.
Brynjolf stopped in front of the Ratway. Every child of Riften had been told to stay out of the Ratway. It was dangerous. All types of thieves where down there. But Brynjolf's fear of Sibbi Blackbriar outweighed his fear of the Thieves Guild. He darted down the Ratway, Sibbi on his tail.
Brynjolf ran through the entrance, past a great number of thieves and outlaws. Each looked up in surprise as he darted past, thinking the guards might be raiding the Ratway, but quickly realizing it was just a boy.
Brynjolf stopped quickly as he came to a dead end. He glanced around for another exit. A way out. Behind him he heard the sound of laughter. He turned to see Sibbi smiling cracking his knuckles. Brynjolf sighed, knowing what was coming next.
Sibbi threw his fist at Brynjolf. It nicked him in the cheek. He knew that it would leave a bruise. He knew that he'd be punished for it when he went back to the orphanage.
Anger boiled up inside of Brynjolf. Sibbi knew nothing of the pain that he felt. To be abandoned by your father and watch your mother fall into depression then pass away. To be by her bedside as she died begging her not to leave you. To be alone, without a family. Sibbi didn't know how much it hurt to have none of your relatives want you. To be sent to a living hell. A hell where you got beat daily by multiple bullies.
As Sibbi threw his next punch, Brynjolf ducked kicking Sibbi in the backside. The prestigious brat wasn't ready for it. He was used to Brynjolf cowering in fear. It was his turn to cower as the pickpocket threw punch after punch at Sibbi, bloodying his face in his rage.
"That's enough." A voice came from behind the boys. The boys turned to see a man dressed in brown Thieves Guild armor. The man approached them and helped Sibbi up. "What happened?" The man asked.
"He attacked me." Sibbi said trying to sound as innocent as he could. The man looked Sibbi over, seeming to believe his story. He glanced over at Brynjolf. Brynjolf didn't utter a word, he knew the power Maven had over the Guild.
"I'll take care of him." The man said. "Why don't you run home to your mother Sibbi."
Sibbi smirked, the Thieves Guild was in his mother's pocket. He was sure that this man would give Brynjolf a beating. He quickly ran out of the sewers. He was scared of the Thieves Guild, even if they worked with his mother.
Once Sibbi had left the man turned to Brynjolf. Despite himself, Brynjolf was not afraid of the man. The man turned to Brynjolf. "How much coin?" He asked surprising Brynjolf.
"What?" Asked the boy. His voice came out as a croak.
"How much coin do you have?" The man looked at him. Brynjolf dug in to his pocket pulling out several coin purses. The man smiled. "That's not yours." He said. Brynjolf nodded, there was no arguing with the Thieves Guild. The man rubbed his hands together. "What's your name?" He asked.
"Brynjolf." Brynjolf said.
The man raised an eyebrow. "An orphan?" Brynjolf nodded. "How would you like a way out?" Brynjolf looked at this man in surprise, he hadn't thought it possible. "How would you like to join the Thieves Guild?" The man asked.
Brynjolf swallowed, it was not exactly what he had in mind but if it could get him out of the orphanage... "Yes." He said.
The man smiled. "Well then Brynjolf, welcome to the Guild."
Brynjolf smiled to himself. If he was now in the Thieves Guild he would never gave to go back to Honorhall. He actually liked the idea of earning his own coin. "What's your name?" He asked the man, suddenly very bold.
"Mercer." The man said. He turned and together the boy and the thief walked deeper in to the sewers.