I'd joined the Thieves Guild just three weeks earlier. And now here we were, together, kissing. It was still surprising to me. I'd wondered what he'd meant when he'd said she had a 'soft spot' for me. Now I knew. To help you better understand this I'll have to go back to when I first joined and tell the story from there.

It all started in the market in Riften, when I got caught trying to steal some armor from that bitch Grelka. She and I had a mutual hatred going on. I'd been in the shitty place for just a week when I'd tried to get her to go down on a price on some bracers. She then decided to raise the price up ten fucking septims! After that it was an unspoken understanding that we were enemies.

Now, in my time in Riften, I'd heard about the Thieves Guild and that, if you had the skills, they would seek you out and recruit you. I wasn't very good at being sneaky, but going unnoticed by many was a marvelous skill I'd seemed to almost be born with. It seemed that nobody at all would notice me until I tried to be sneaky. Then every stand-owner and guard in the filthy rat-hole just couldn't take their eyes off of me.

So, believing strongly in my abilities to remain invisible in plain sight, I went for those same bracers Grelka had refused to be reasonable about. I thought for sure she wouldn't notice, especially while she was busy trying to convince Mjoll to buy a new blade following her unfortunate loss of Grimsever. It actually wasn't the bitch or Mjoll who caught me, but Mjoll's do-good little brother Aerin. He shouted thief to the skies, and it took no longer than ten seconds before three Riften guards were dragging me off to jail.

I spent a good ten days in that shit-hole just for failing to lift some bracers, but when I got out my luck had changed for the better. I was sulking around the marketplace, shooting dirty looks at Grelka who returned them with pleasure. And then he approached me. He introduced himself as Brynjolf and said he was fairly certain that a rather popular guild in the city walls could make good use of my talents. He could tell I had the drive and would be willing to put forth the effort. I assured him that he was one hundred percent correct.

So he asked me to meet him at The Ragged Flagon, the pub for thieves hidden away in the sewers. If I could make it there in one piece, he said, I was in. I wasted no time. Once he'd gone I watched the guards warily, waiting for my chance to slip away to the docks below without appearing suspicious. Finally Brand-Shei found himself in an argument with Grelka over something or other, and it actually got so heated that it gave me the perfect distraction to slip by unnoticed.

The sewers were easy to infiltrate, but tough to get through. However, the few low-life thugs hiding below proved no match for my mace. Ebony, custom spiked and, you guessed it, stolen. Well, sort of. In my travels to Riften I'd come across a fallen warrior with the beauty attached to his hip. I sort of assumed he'd probably never need it again, given his current state and all, so I took it for myself. It had proved to be the best decision I'd made yet.

So once I made it inside the Flagon Brynjolf welcomed me with open arms. I received my gear, which I still wear to this day, and met everyone else in the guild. I met Delvin, who I found I sincerely liked. He might have seemed a bit strange to the others, but he was an endearing guy to me. Tonilia took a bit longer to grow on me. I understood her attitude about the whole thing well enough, I just didn't like it. I was also introduced to Dirge, who I found to be sort of a jackass.

And then Brynjolf introduced me to her. I felt my heart skip a beat when we first met, despite her first words to me being, "Yeah, nice to meet ya. It'll be too bad when your corpse is found in the gutter tomorrow."

Brynjolf scolded her like a father and told her to be nice, but she just made a snarky reply and walked away. Her name was Vex. I knew I was in love instantly, but a lot of factors kept me from talking to anyone about it. The first being the fact that I myself am female and I wasn't sure if she'd ever, 'play for the same team', per say. The second being that she seemed to be completely impartial to my presence in the guild. She gave me jobs when I asked for them (always a very nerve-wracking task) and paid me when I completed them, but our relationship never seemed to go further than that.

It wasn't until I'd been in the guild for a week and a half that she approached me one day, out of the blue, and told me she was surprised I'd made it this long. The following conversation that struck up was perhaps the worst and best conversation of my life. It went like this:

"Well thanks. Good to knew people around here have some faith in me." It was meant jokingly, but she instantly became offended.

"Hey! You've gotta prove yourself around here before you gain anyone's respect, got it? You should be glad I even said that to you! And don't take it as faith in anything. I still think you'll end up in the gutter dead before next week is up." She waved her hand as she spoke the last part, a scowl forming on her face.

I held up my hands in defense, unable to resist taking in her beauty as she exploded at me. "Whoa, I was kidding. I'm sorry. I didn't mean it in any offensive sort of way."

She scoffed. "Yeah, whatever."

She started to walk away, but I grabbed her arm. "Hey! If I was woman enough to apologize you should damned well be woman enough to accept it!"

She whirled around, yanking her arm from my grasp. "I don't have to accept anything from you! You're just another thief wannabe with death waiting right around the corner! Don't pretend that you've earned even an ounce of respect around here, from anyone! Got it?"

At this point she was looming over me, her face mere inches from mine. The urge to kiss her was overwhelming me, but I shoved it away. I definitely hadn't expected such an explosive response. She was passionate about this place and these people. I understood that now. In order to earn any of that passion, I'd have to earn my place. I hoped that she hadn't noticed my lingering gaze on her and instead backed away. "I understand." I answered quietly. "And I won't assume such things again. Until I earn your respect, I'll expect nothing at all."

She seemed to hesitate for a second before yelling, "Good! That's the way it is around here tiny, and don't expect it to change!"

She stormed away and I internally beat myself up for making such a stupid mistake. I wandered into the Cistern, content to sit on the edge of the bridge and stare at the water. I knew doing jobs would earn me respect, but that was just it. I didn't care about earning respect. I just wanted Vex's approval. I wanted her to like me. Which, according to everyone in the guild, was much easier said than done.

Brynjolf was perhaps the only person she might have even liked even a little, they said. But I got the feeling that wasn't the truth at all. I was certain that she cared for the guild and all it's members, even if she'd spend a lifetime without admitting it. She hid her true self somewhere past that angry and withdrawn exterior. And I couldn't help but want to be the person who would be able to draw out the real her; the Vex no one had known in a very long time.

So I kept working, kept trying, and listened for a job that I could accept that would really show her what I was worth. And so just a week and a few days later I found what I was looking for. Brynjolf was handing out jobs and when he came to one, gave everyone a warning that it was probably one of the toughest jobs he'd ever give. I didn't care what it was or how dangerous it might be. I asked for it, immediately after he'd announced it.

Everyone gave me looks like I was insane. Usually senior members accepted jobs like that, but I really wanted to prove my worth to the one person I'd ever felt anything for in my life. So, I kept a straight face and waited. Brynjolf recovered from his initital shock and studied me. "Normally I'd laugh in anyone's face who was this green and asked for a job like this, but you seem very eager." I nodded. I was. "Well...alright then. It's yours."

I accepted the envelope from him and left the crowd, opting for my bed in the corner of the Cistern instead. Eyes followed me, including those hazel eyes that belonged to the one person I'd actually been trying to impress. I chanced a glance at her, disappointed that her expression betrayed nothing of what she might be thinking. If I had impressed her or if she'd thought me a damned fool I was sure I'd never truly know. But it didn't matter anymore. I'd accepted a job and I had to get it done.

I sat on my bed and opened the envelope, somewhat dreading what I'd read inside. And I had every reason to dread it. Apparently a group of bandits, a well known group, had already stolen something the guild had its eyes on. A golden bow, made one hundred percent from gold ingot. It was one of a kind, VERY rare, and worth a fortune. The problem wasn't what needed to be stolen, but who I needed to steal it from and where they were hiding.

The Battle-Axes; not a very clever name of course, but with a reputation like theirs it didn't exactly have to be clever. Their leader was Roran Battle-Blood, a famous ex-stormcloak if ever there was one. He was known for being fierce and merciless. Quite a few Holds had a bounty out on him actually, but it wasn't the measly price on his head we were interested in. Just the bow.

So I grabbed my equipment and some food and set out towards Broken Skull Haven. It was a cave they'd taken control of when they'd first formed, and not one person yet had been able to steal it out from under them. Even the Falmer had tried, but still their bodies were found stacked outside and burned the next day. A message to any who might try to enter. A message to me.

The walk was the easiest part of the job. I went alone and quietly. My time in the guild had taught me how to properly sneak, so I was able to take out a few deer along the way for a meal. It took half a day to make it to the cave, and when I arrived I found myself invigorated instead of tired. I had to do this right. If I fucked the whole thing up I'd never have a chance to impress Vex again.

I kept my mace to my side, just in case, and pulled out a dagger I'd bought from Tonilia. It was apparently supposed to bring you luck or something. I hoped that was the truth, because at this point I needed all the luck I could get. I slipped into the opening of the cave past a sleeping guard outside and took a deep breath. Now was the hard part. The initial cave entrance was deserted. I wasn't sure if this was a good or bad sign, but knew that either way I had to press on.

The small entrance led out into a more open space and it took everything I had in me not to gasp. The entire place was absolutely swarming with bandits. They wandered about, idly talking amongst each other or drinking mead. I knew it would require every stealth skill I had to make it out of here alive. If anyone at all raised an alarm, I was as good as dead. I kept to the wall, sweat beading down my face. No one had noticed me yet. They were all much to enthralled in their own business.

I panicked when, halfway through the room, I noticed someone was heading my way. I slipped underneath the nearest table I could and waited with bated breath. He approached the table and stopped in front. I heard a mead barrel's spigot turn, and then turn again. As his legs walked away from me I wondered if I'd ever feel as much relief in my life again as I'd felt in that moment.

So I continued my quest, exiting from underneath the table only when I was sure no one else was coming over. It was tedious and felt like it'd taken hours, but within a full time span of twenty minutes I'd cleared the jam-packed room and emerged into an empty hallway of sorts. I surveyed the area and, once I was sure no guards were patrolling nearby, started down it. It seemed to go on forever, letting off into empty storage rooms and bedrooms. I silently thanked the Eight Divines that I had gotten that lucky.

Finally the hall ended and I emerged into a small training area. It too was deserted and I began to wonder when my luck would run out. As I slipped past the straw filled dummies and woven targets I soon found my answer. Roran himself exited the only other room and spotted me immediately. With literally no place to hide, I drew my mace. He charged, swinging his battle-ax with all his might. I easily dodged a blow from the heavy weapon and somehow slipped behind him. I put the lucky dagger in his back and watched him fall. I waited to see if he'd get up or even move at all. When he didn't I cautiously pulled the dagger from his back and cleaned his blood off on his shirt.

I then slipped into the room, which was occupied by two guards and another man. No one had noticed me yet, and I spotted the bow hanging nearby. I carefully crept over to it, my eyes never once leaving the three other occupants of the room. I reached up, removed the bow, and slung it over my shoulder. Nothing. They hadn't yet noticed a thing.

I turned to leave when I saw the absolute worst thing just outside the door. A guard was approaching Roran's corpse. The alarm would be raised in mere seconds, and there was absolutely no way I could fight my way out past that many men. So I slid back into the shadows, between two barrels that were standing in the corner. Sure enough, the guard cried out and the three men in the room rushed out to see what all the commotion was. I almost left my cover, but quickly pulled back when the two guards and lone man re-entered the room. "We should go out the back exit sir! Whoever killed Roran is likely still inside the cave somewhere!"

"Yes, that much is certain." The man muttered. "Alright. Grab the Golden Bow and let's go."

I heard shuffling, and then an outcry of, "The bow is gone!"

More shuffling, and then "Damn! Whoever took out Roran must have stolen it!"

"What do we do now sir?"

"What do you think? Open that exit and get us the hell out of here! Whoever the fool is they won't make it out of here alive! Their only exit is blocked by at least a hundred bandits! We'll get it back later, so go on!"

I waited quietly, hearing a few muttered swear words and shuffling, then a rough scraping noise. When the shuffling resumed I leaned from my hiding spot to see a slide away stone in the wall. The guards and their boss took off through it and I glanced around. At this rate, my best chance for an exit would be to follow them. Two guards and an older fellow would be a lot easier to handle than a hundred bandits. So, before the stone slipped back into place, I crept from my hiding place and followed.

I kept a good pace behind them just in case. The hidden tunnel continued on for quite some time before I spotted light coming from up ahead. They emerged into the light and continued running. I waited for a minute before following. When I crept out into the blinding sunlight I groaned and covered my eyes. Once they had adjusted I looked around. The two guards and the man were nowhere to be seen. Had I actually made it out alive?

I took off into the woods, hoping that I didn't bump into them by some chance. Luckily I managed to continue running without incident, finally ending up at the Windhelm Stables. I wrapped the bow carefully in a deer pelt before emerging into the open and hitching a ride on the carriage. When Riften came into view some time later, I knew I had never before been more relieved to see that dump of a place and nor would I ever be so relieved again.

I entered the guild through the secret entrance, and my return seemed to be something of a surprise. Everyone welcomed me back, exclaiming that they were sure I'd never make it out of there with my life, or even all my limbs. I went straight to Brynjolf and presented him with my prize. I could swear I'd never seen him happier. "Most of us had said our sad goodbyes by the time you'd left! In our heads, of course. We didn't want to discourage you, ya know. But somehow I knew ya had it in ya lass! Congratulations!"

I accepted my pay without concern over it's amount and waited until the hype died down to begin my search for Vex. I wasn't going to approach her, because I didn't want her to think that I thought I'd immediately earned her respect just by getting the bow. That was for her to decide, and if it wasn't enough I'd continue to accept the dangerous jobs until it was. I left the Cistern and enter the Flagon. Delvin was sitting nearby at his usual spot and waved me over. "Looking for Vex?"

I frowned, trying to play it cool. "Nah, just wanted to come in and get some mead."

He raised an eyebrow and smiled a little. "Oh really? Well, she's been eagerly awaitin' your return actually. Even if she won't admit it to no one. Poor lass has been worried half out of her bloomin' skull since you went to get that bow."

My frown deepened and my hopefulness turned to confusion. "Worried? But why?"

"Ah." He waved a hand and glanced around, then motioned me to lean closer. "Ya didn't hear it from me, but she's got something of a soft spot for ya. Hasn't said nothin' to me or anythin', I just got a way of knowin' her like that. She's at the Bee and Barb, drinking up as much Black-Briar mead as she can get her hands on. Might be good to let her know you're alright."

I thanked him and quickly left, heading straight for the Bee and Barb as fast as my legs would carry me. I stopped outside, took a deep breath, and entered the tavern casually. It didn't take long to spot her. She was at the corner table, striking up a conversation with Maven Black-Briar. Fully aware that I wasn't supposed to be looking for her I made my way to Talen-Jei and ordered some mead. I made my way to the corner of the tavern, sitting on a bench and drinking my mead quietly.

It took only a couple of minutes for her conversation with Maven to end, and then she started towards me. I pretended not to notice until she sat down beside me. "So, you managed to make it back from the place unscathed huh?"

The question was casual and was meant to sound that way, I'm sure. But there was a note of relief in her tone as she asked it. "Yeah. It was tough. There were literally over a hundred bandits there and I managed to make it past all of them, kill Roran, steal the bow and make it back without anyone ever seeing me. Luck was on my side today, let me tell you."

She was quiet, then grabbed my arm and pulled me up. "Come with me. I want to talk." I followed her without question, tossing the half-empty mead aside as we left. She led me to the Riften docks and we walked until we found a well secluded spot. Then she stopped and leaned on the railing, looking out over the lake. I stood beside her quietly, waiting for her to say something.

Minutes passed and no words were spoken, nothing to indicate at all why she'd brought me here or what she wanted to say. I leaned forward, looking at her out of the corner of my eye. She looked nervous, of all things! I almost laughed. Out of the both of us I was absolutely certain that I was the one who should be nervous! "You alright Vex?" I finally asked her, wondering if she was ever going to say anything at all.

And directly after, I got my answer. She turned, looked down at me, and kissed me. She had to lean down somewhat, and me up, but I could have cared less. As our lips met and I felt her strong arms wrap around me I knew that this was all I could ever want in this world. Nothing could ever top the feeling of her lips against mine. And this is where you joined us.

I look up at her as she pulls away, and abruptly she looks embarrassed. "I err, well I don't care what you make of that. I wanted to do it and I did."

She goes to walk away and, yet again, I reach out and grab her arm. "Wait." She stops, but doesn't turn. I know then that it's definitely my turn to speak. "That...that is all I've wanted since I laid eyes on you. It was perfect and wonderful and...amazing."

She turns then, her features suddenly soft. I love the way it looks. "I knew there was something I liked about you short stuff. Now I know." It's my turn to flush with embarrassment and I shrug. And then seconds later we're kissing again, her lifting me up off the ground a bit as our lips meet once more. She puts me down after a moment and then surprises me by punching my arm. "But what you did today, that was such a stupid thing to do! You were trying to impress me, weren't you?"

I grin sheepishly. "Well, maybe. But hey I did alright. Got out of there with the prize and all my limbs."

She laughs and gently brushes my cheek with the back of her fingers, grazing my lips lightly with them. "That you did." She whispers.

I touch her arm lightly. "So then, it wasn't all for nothing."

She smiles. "I admit, the fear of almost losing you drove me insane. I'm not sure I'd have found the courage to kiss you today without you having gone to do such an incredibly stupid and dangerous job." I rub the back of my neck, feelings of shame and pure exhilaration mixing in my stomach. She places two tender fingers under my chin and lifts my head so I look into her eyes. "But it worked. You've got my attention now, shorty."

I can't help but chuckle and we turn, watching as the sun begins to set over the hill. I wrap and arm around her waist and lean against her. She wraps a strong arm around my shoulders and together we watch as yet another day ends, but knowing in both our hearts that a new romance is just beginning.