A Chance Meeting
"Look if you want in, you need to pay the visitor's tax."
The guard was looking at me as if I was some idiot, grinning from ear to ear, his arms folded on his chest. I could not help but swear under my breath, the journey from Windhelm had been longer than I expected and I sure needed some rest.
"This is obviously a shakedown, I'm not paying you." I was bluffing, and I hoped the guard would not see it.
"Fine, but let's keep this between us." the guard replied as he opened the gate for me.
I nodded to him as I entered the city. Compared to Windhelm, Riften looked like a village more than a city, and certainly a lot warmer too, not to my discontent. The stream running down the streets had a certain charm to it but I was not planning on staying for too long, I had to find the orphanage.
"Greetings, my friend ! You're not from around here, are you ?" the woman standing in front of me said, towering over me. The blond woman was smiling at me kindly but the axe she had on her back startled me. "Haha don't worry, as long as you come here with good intentions I won't use it !" she laughed as I looked at her weapon. She sounded almost too nice to be true but I still managed to smile, awkwardly, but still.
"Sorry, I'm just not used to being greeted that way. People usually keep to themselves from where I come from." I cleared my throat to answer her, she creeped me out with her warm smile and nice manners.
"I'm Mjoll the Lioness, and you are ?" she asked with the kindest smile anyone could manage on her face.
I did not want to give her my real name, if I managed to finish that job at the orphanage I certainly did not want anyone to remember I ever came by the city.
"I'm Rehani, and I'm sorry to cut this short but I really need some rest, the travel from Windhelm has been quite exausting." Apparently my mouth had no wish to follow my brain's commands since I just gave her my real name and where I was coming from...
"No need to apologize, my friend, we can always speak another time ! I sure hope you're planning on staying in Riften, Divines know I could certainly use someone to help me fight crime around here !" she patted me on the shoulder and probably almost dislocated it in the process. "It was a pleasure to meet you Rehani, come now Aerin let's get going !"
Only now I noticed the man standing right behind her. He looked insignificant compared to her and the worried look he had on his face was speaking for itself.
As they passed me, I walked up the bridge to the inn, hoping no one would interrupt me this time. Thankfully enough the town square was empty, it was probably too late for sellers to shout at anyone who would came by to buy their merchandises. The inn was just a few steps away from me but of course a beggar was standing between me and the door. I could have run to the door and ignored him but that certainly would have looked suspect and it was the last thing I wanted.
I kept walking towards The Bee and Bard, hoping he wouldn't ask me for a coin.
"Could you please spare a coin ?" he said, looking at me with puppy eyes. I must have jinxed myself, of course he had to plead for money. Of course I couldn't remain unnoticed in this bloody city.
I knelt in front of him and still reached for my purse, handing him a few septims, enough to make the both of us smile. "Thank you, Divines bless your kind heart !" he replied and I thanked him while standing up. As I turned around just about to open the doors I bumped into a man and dropped my coin purse. The clattering sound of coins on stones attracted all eyes in my direction.
"You've got to be kidding me." I said while quickly bending to get my money back.
"Sorry about that." a manly voice said. I could see the person start grabbing some coins and putting them back in my purse.
"Don't even think about stealing from me." I growled at the man which for some reason made him laugh.
"I wasn't planning on it, lass." he said while looking at me, dropping some coins in my purse and getting up.
He was not leaving, instead he waited for me to put my purse back on my belt and stood up.
"I'm sorry about what I said, thanks for helping me." I told him, embarrassed about what happened.
"Honestly, if you hadn't been running so light in your pockets, I might have done something." he said with an amused tone while playing with a coin around his fingers.
I could feel myself blush, not because of him, but because I had been stupid enough to apologize to a thief.
I narrowed my eyes and looked directly in his blue eyes, I could perceive a sparkle of amusement in them. I did not want to give him any satisfaction, he was probably expecting me to throw a fit and make a scene right in front of everyone and I certainly wanted to avoid this.
"Nevermind," I said shrugging "this septim is not worth arguing over, keep it if you want or do something useful with it and give it to the beggar, I don't care." I was about to leave, a triumphant smile on my face but as I turned my back he spoke again, sounding even more amused.
"Funny you should mention him. For someone who has so little coin, you sure gave him a lot, lass !" I turned around just in time to see him gloat, I wanted to erase that cocky smile off his face but just as I reached for my dagger, the beggar put himself between the two of us and faced the Nord stranger.
"Leave that poor girl alone Brynjolf, she's obviously new around here and you're already pestering her."
The man looked at me with a serious face and looked back to the beggar. "I just wanted to see what she was made of." he said and threw the coin in my direction. "Here's your coin, lass. I've got something to talk to you about, come find me at the Inn if you're interested."
Brynjolf turned around and opened the Inn's doors just to shut them to my face.
Did he really think I was going to just talk to him after what just happened ? Was he mad ? Or stupid ? Probably both I thought to myself.
"You know, he's not a bad man, just a bit..."
"Idiotic ? Cocky ? Lucky I didn't punch him in the face ?" I said out loud much to my dismay.
The beggar laughed at my words "Intense is what I wanted to say."
"I think I'll stay with my idea, thanks." I smiled at the poor man.
The man sat back down on what looked like his bed and I sighed. I wanted to avoid going in the tavern now but this is where I had to go if I wanted to prepare for tonight, but this also was where that Brynjolf man was.
I hesitated for a second but opened the doors, the smell of cheap ale and stew immediately overwhelmed me. I stepped in, looking for the owner. I looked around and of course made eye contact with the person I did not want to have anything to do with. I locked eyes with the Nord's blue eyes for a second, and as it seemed like he was to get up from his seat I quickly walked to the counter, breaking the eye contact. I just wanted to see what she was made of... His words rang in my head but thankfully enough, the bartender turned her attention to me, just in time to make me focus again.
"Welcome to The Bee and Bard traveler, I'm Keerava, what can I get you ?" the Argonian asked me while serving me a drink.
"A room please and I don't remember ordering anything." I said, embarrassed. I knew I had enough coins for a room but probably not for a drink.
"It's on the house since you're a newcomer. My associate Talen-Jei made the mixture." she said with a certain smooth tone in her voice as she said his name. I turned to look at the man she mentioned, another Argonian who seemed to smile at her, it was hard to tell with those teeth. He obviously shared her affection.
I quickly drank my beverage, avoiding looking at anyone but Keerava with whom I exchanged some banalities. She told me about the Thieves Guild located under the city and I wondered who could live in sewers in the first place. I bet this Brynjolf would fit in just nicely, and couldn't help the devilish grin that formed on my mouth at the thought.
"It's getting dark outside, would you like to go to your room now ?" Keerava asked me, already about to lead me to it.
"Yes, here's the money I owe you for the room and a little something for the drink as well." I said while putting my coin purse in her hands. I was officially broke now but the Argonian had been of such a pleasant company I could not help but hand what little I had left.
I saw the Nord thief from the corner of my eye looking at me again, this time raising an eyebrow.
Yes, this is how true Nords should act I gloated to myself.
"That's very kind of you, I wish everyone around here was like you." Keerava said while we were passing by her Argonian friend who nodded at me and smiled at her. I nodded back and followed Keerava up the stairs and to my room.
"Here, I hope you'll like it." she said while unlocking it. It only contained a few furniture but looked comfortable enough. She handed me the key and went down the stairs, wishing me a good night.
I locked the door as soon as she left and threw my cloak and bag on the bed.
I removed my belt and put it on the ground, carefully enough not to break the small vials I had taken with me. I placed my dagger next to them, and sat down, wondering what I would chose between the vials and the dagger for tonight's plan.
The boy had been clear enough, he wanted the woman who owned the orphanage dead, he did not say how, though. The Nightshade poison I made would make short work of her but after hearing all the awful things she had done to the children, I was not sure I wanted her to have a quick death. Then again the dagger would make the city guards wonder who was the person behind it and since I just arrived in town, it would be suspect. Nightshade it was then, clean, efficient and deadly - everything I needed to kill that shrew.
I opened my bag and quickly changed into something more appropriate for the "occasion". The black leather armor would make me more discreet and light on my feet. I grabbed one of the vials and put the black cowl over my head. Thankfully enough the room had a window which would not force me to sneak my way out of the inn by the corridor.
Tonight's the night I told myself as I opened the window and disappeared in the obscurity of the night sky.
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*Author's notes :
I've had the idea of writing a Skyrim fanfic for a while but it's only after I replayed the game I decided myself to do so ! I don't really want to describe what the story is going to be about (but maybe you already guessed ? ;) )because I think it's more interesting if readers discover things by themselves ! And I wanted to thank my friend CouslandSpitfire who helped me in the writing process and gave me her opinion when I asked her for directions :3