"What do you want, urchin?" the gruff prison guard growled at an approaching dunmer. She'd spent enough nights in the prisons for him to recognize her.
"I'm just here to collect Thiessen this time," she replied with a smile. The guard grunted, and opened the door.
"Be quick about it, you rats are littering up my jail."
"Yes sir." She stepped out onto the familiar wooden landing, hurrying through the nearest doorway and into the first bank of cells. She didn't like it in the Riften jail, it smelled like mouldy hay and sadness. It was early in the morning, and most of the poor wretches were asleep on their straw beds. For some, it was better than what they were used to, sleeping on mats in the sewers. She tried not to think too much about it, continuing on to the very last cell, which was open with two guards standing at the door.
"Morning, Ransom," said the nearest one, a woman that usually patrolled the market.
"Morn' Ura," Ransom replied politely, "Morn' Balgrun."
"Ransom," grunted Ura's partner. "You make sure this one stays out of trouble from now on eh? I don't want to see him back in my jail." Ransom chuckled.
"I'll do my best." Ura stepped back a little and allowed her entrance to the cell, where a thin khajiit was packing a small pack with various things. He was coloured like a tabby, with luminous green eyes. He glanced over his shoulder and smiled a greeting. She replied by holding up a small bundle wrapped in cloth.
"I brought you breakfast, straight from The Ragged Flagon. Might still be warm."
"Thanks," he replied honestly, throwing the pack over his shoulder and taking the bundle. Inside was half a fresh loaf of bread and some cheese. His tail flicked back and forth with pleasure.
"Didn't you bring me anything there sweetheart?" a voice called loudly from across the hall. Ransom felt her ire raise. Only one man could own such an irritating, whiny voice. She took Thiessen's hand, both to lead him out of the cell, and so he could stop her from doing anything drastic.
"I'm sure they feed you just fine in here, Sibbi." She hurried to leave, pointedly ignoring him as they made their way past his cell.
"Come on now girlie, no need to be so cold. My mother would hate to hear that you'd been rude to me."
Ransom sighed audibly, then looked apologetically at Thiessen. "This'll only take a minute, go on to the Flagon without me?" Thiessen shook his head no, but she squeezed his hand and released it. He glanced at the two of them uncertainly.
"I'll catch you in the Ratway," he finally whispered, then tiptoed away with his usual feline grace. Ransom watched him go.
"Man, wish you'd look at me like that once in awhile," Sibbi purred. Ransom thought she might be nauseous.
"What do you want, Sibbi?" she asked shortly, stopping a safe distance from the bars of his lavishly decorated cell. It looked more like the private chambers of a king than a room on the wrong side of the hall of justice. Being part of one of the most powerful families in Skyrim does have its benefits. He looked her up and down in an appraising way, as if she was another piece of furniture for his cell. Though she was covered from crown to toe, she felt exposed under his gaze. She was surprised he didn't lick his lips.
"Just a little company, mother says I'm not allowed to have any of my usual ladies visit me but, they just can't stay away."
"Yes, I can imagine that they're just heartbroken that a lecher like you is off the streets for awhile. Can I go? I have better things to do that stroke your ego."
Sibbi smirked. "You should watch how you talk to me, wretch. Mother pulls your strings, and one day I just might make you dance."
I'll worry about that when it happens. Good day, Lord Blackbriar." Ransom gave him a very exaggerated bow, then turned on her heel and made for the door before he had a chance to say anything else. She ignored his demands for her to return, and instead made tracks out of the prison, into the dawning city of Riften.
The sun was coming up over the water, spilling wondrous shades of gold and orange onto the sullen grey stonework of the city. She picked her way down the uneven steps leading up to the jail, and rounded the high walls that barred it off from the rest of the city. She could see Thiessen's unusual colour off in the distance, and she ran to him. He was sitting at the landing of the stairs that would take them down to the Ratway, his legs swinging freely as he gazed down at the water. He turned just in time to see her before she threw her arms around in him a great bear hug.
"Aaaah! This one missed you so!" she squealed childishly. Thiessen laughed and returned her embrace.
"How could you miss me? You came to see me almost every day!" he teased. She sat down next to him to watch the sun play over the canal.
"I missed being able to lean on you. The Flagon is lonely when you're not in it." She wrapped her long, narrow fingers around his hand. "Don't leave me like that again."
"Alright, from now on, if I'm going to get in trouble, I promise we'll be in trouble together. What did Sibbi want?"
"To picture me naked, like every other woman in this town. You'd think he'd pick someone a little more interested in him than me."
"You should be nicer to him you know... what will you do if he gets tired of your game and comes looking to get what he wants?"
"Then I'll gaff him," Ransom hissed threateningly, pulling a dagger she kept at her side out of its sheath a few centimetres, "and damn Maul and the rest of the Blackbriars to Oblivion if they don't like it." Thiessen automatically glanced around as she spoke, looking for anyone in earshot. Ransom's distaste for the family was no secret to him, but uttering such harsh words about Riften royalty was surely a one way ticket to disaster. No one seemed to be near, and he didn't dare press her anger any farther, so they sat in content silence together, watching the canal change colour in the sunrise. Ransom leaned her head on Theisson's shoulder, happy to enjoy the warmth of the burgeoning day and the khajiit both.
XxX
Thiessen stretched enjoyably on the straw mattress that he shared with the dunmer. She was perched on the edge, bent over a book as she chomped on a fresh apple. Only a few feet from her a waterfall of rainwater poured into the cistern below. Thiessen watched her face, bunched up in concentration. Reclining comfortably, he stayed silent as her deep blue eyes flitted over the pages, squinted and widened as the story unfolded, the edges of her lips twitching. A pair of scars just below her lip danced in time to the story. He quietly lifted up his tufted tail and brushed it under her nose like a moustache. She jumped higher than she should have and swatted it away angrily.
"What in seven hells was that for!?" she snarled.
"I've been gone for six months, and you'd rather hear about Barenziah than spend time with me," he moaned pathetically, turning around in the bed so he could lay his head on her lap. She shoved him off with such force that he tipped off the bed and landed unceremoniously on the rough stone floor.
"Oy!" he cried in a laughing tone. Ransom glared at him angrily, but he could already see a smile playing at the edges of her mouth. He reached out a clawed hand tentatively, a sort of truce on his face.
"Hey, lovebirds!" Frey's permanently angry voice echoed through the cistern. He'd been calling them that since they were six years old. Ransom wasn't sure if he knew their real names. "On the double!" She grabbed Thiessen's hand and hefted him to his feet, and together they made their way through the secret passage and into the Ragged Flagon. Frey was sitting at a table off to the side with Delvin. Ransom looked sideways uneasily at Thiessen. A quiet table normally meant a difficult or unsavory job. Delvin motioned for them to sit. They did.
"How you feeling?" Delvin asked the khajiit. He furrowed his brow.
"Well I just got out this morning, it's a little early to tell..." he replied in a measured tone, looking back and forth between Delvin and Frey. Delvin smirked at him.
"Well, best way to get back into the swing of things is to jump in with both feet!"
"We've got a job for you."
Ransom tried not to sigh.
"It's not too bad, just a little five finger discount over in Riverwood."
"Riverwood!?" They both cried in unison. Ransom stole a worried glance at Thiessen. Ever since he'd come to the guild, he had feared leaving the walls of Riften. He'd hardly ever been out of the city, never mind days of travel away, and for only a bauble to remind the world that the guild was still around? Frey glared them down, and they obediently fell silent. As children Frey had never been shy about taking the switch to them, and their positions in the guild hadn't improved much since then. Delvin continued as if he'd never been interrupted.
"There's a little trading post with a mighty fine artifact, a golden claw. Apparently it's as old as the draugr in the nord crypts of Whiterun, and it'd be a nice jewel in our crown. No one else is looking to make the trek so it's all up to you two." Frey plopped a map down on the table and unrolled it.
"You'll follow the river 'til you hit the Sarethi Farm, just after that there is a bridge, and beyond that is Ivarstead. If you hurry, steal a couple horses on the way, you should make it in a day, maybe two. Just follow the river and you'll be fine."
"Frey..."
"From there it gets tricky, because it's a day's trek through the mountains."
"Frey please."
"If you make it, I trust that you two lovebirds will be able to figure out which one is the trading post." He stared over the map at both of them. They looked like they might be sick at the daunting prospect being laid out in front of them. "I honestly don't care what you two think of this mission. You've been living under this roof since you were tykes, you owe us your lives and I'll use them any way I like, but Delvin here thinks this mission should be worth something. So, I'll tell you what, you bring back this claw, and make damn sure everyone knows it was the guild that nabbed it, and we'll call it even. We'll start cutting you in on missions like everybody else."
Thiessen perked up a little at the suggestion. Rearing a child was expensive, and they'd been paying for it their entire lives. Every septum they made went back into the guild as recompense. He glanced at Ransom and shrugged. She didn't seem any more sure than she had been before. Not that it mattered, it wasn't like they could turn it down.
"When do we leave?"
"How long will it take you to pack?"
XxX
An ungodly roar echoed through the ancient halls as a finely carved sword hacked through yet another falmer, drowning out the horrible screaming of the wretched creatures. The young nord wielding the blade grinned as blood splashed across his face. His furs and studded leather armour was already drenched. The last creature fell, its detached head in his free hand.
"Impressive as always, Eyvindur," his older companion announced, shaking the guts off his own axe. "Always an honour to watch a dragonborn in action." Eyvindur smiled and nodded respectfully, but he looked around the carnage with an expression approaching boredom. This was the second dwemer ruin in as many weeks that he had been charged with clearing, the vile beasts had been growing bolder as the moon waned, attacking nearby farms and dragging innocent nords and caravans to their horrifying deaths. Deaths that had left crimson evidence from one end of the ruin to another. Yet another stain on the world that he'd cleansed. Still, it was far from the calling of his ancestors.
"I only wish you could see me face true action, Herrgund" he grumbled in frustration, kicking a body out of his way as he made for the tunnels back to the surface. Herrgund shook his head no, his braids waving gently around his face.
"We should thank mighty Talos every day that your family hasn't been needed in centuries. Keeping our skyrim clean is as noble a task as killing dragons."
"But not the one I was born to do… Let's return to the inn and collect our things. Tomorrow we can start our trek back to Windhelm."
"I'm sure Ulfric will be pleased to hear of your success…" Herrgund glanced sideways as they ascended what was once a magnificent staircase. "He asks often if you have plans to wear the stormcloak colours."
"Of course I do. Nothing would give me more pleasure than to fight for mighty Talos like a true son of Skyrim, but what will I do if I make such allegiances and a dragon appears in imperial holds?"
"Let them burn to the ground," Herrgund hissed. The cold winter chill bit at his exposed face as surface air rushed past them. He looked up in time to see the ruined roof end and the starry night begin. Eyvindur took off his horned helm and shook out his hair, thick blond locks falling over his shoulders and shutting the frigid wind out from the parts of his neck that weren't already covered by his braided beard.
"As much as I would like to, I can't, I've sworn an oath on my family's honour. You know that."
"Of course…" The rest of their trek was taken in silence. A few hours of hiking through snow drifts and thick stands of birch trees got them around and past Lake Yorgrim, and they could see the fires of Nightgate Inn blazing up ahead. There was someone waiting at the door, looking nervous, a redguard man. Herrgund eyed him suspiciously, but Eyvindur recognized him as a courier from Whiterun.
"What news have you?" he asked gruffly.
"Jarl Balgruuf the Greater commands you to come to Whiterun immediately. Something terrible has happened at Helgen."
