AN: Most of this is based off of my own experiences while playing Skyrim.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own the Elder Scroll Series.

He had to hide.

Maybe it was his fault and maybe he should have thought through his brilliant idea, but all that was in the past. Brynjolf only knew that right now and then, his life was in danger.

He darted around Tonilia and almost ran right into her. There she was in all her glory, Ania. Thieves Guild armor equipped and the legendary Dawnbreaker hanging from her hip. Her stunning blue eyes glared daggers into him and he tried to smile charmingly.

He was going to die.

Flashback~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Mama! You're home!"

She sank into the chair gratefully and looked at her son with tired eyes.

"Yes, Blaise. I'm home. Is there anything I missed?"

The young boy smiled widely and jumped into his adopted mother's lap. Ania withheld a grunt and smiled thinly back at him.

"Well, Sofie got lost but Iona found her wandering the Ratway. The Jarl called for you but Iona told her that you were busy. I finally got Dirge to say more than just threats at me and Brynjolf taught me how to pick pocket. Sofie and I went swimming-"

"Wait, what did Brynjolf teach you?"

Quiet fury had sneak into the Nords voice and Blaise realized the mistake he had made.

"Mr. Brynjolf showed me how to pick pocket..."

End Flashback~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

One calloused hand rested on her hip and the other reached dangerously for the bright sword she carried. Brynjolf thought he saw his life flash before his eyes.

"How dare you teach my son to be a thief. You better get Delvin to prepare a place for you in the Hall of the Dead."

Brynjolf gulped and tried to pacify the angry mother. But when a mother bear is protecting her cubs, well lets just say the threat doesn't get a chance to be a threat anymore.

That night Brynjolf had to get a new set of armor from Tonilia, while exchanging his burnt old one. To this day you have to threaten Vekel just to hear a piece of the tale of how Brynjolf was forced to let a little girl braid and put flowers in his hair.