Thanks to everyone who has favorited this story! I love checking my email and seeing all those alerts :D The title for this one is from Two Door Cinema Club!
It took two days for Niruin to return with the information they needed. He noted the number of mercenaries guarding the estate as well as the times for their rotation. He hadn't seen Aringoth or any others on the island.
Sada's time in the Ratways was well spent, however, getting to know her fellow Guild members. She spent a good chunk of time perched on the barrels in the training room watching the archers practice their technique, Cynric even giving her a few lessons (which ended rather quickly after an unaware Vipir the Fleet almost took an arrow to the shoulder).
She loved listening to their stories and the men of the group seemed happy to regale her with their misadventures in the thieving world. Even Sapphire was warming up to her and the two spent some happy stories over drinks in the Flagon.
She ran a few extra jobs for Vex and Delvin as well, pulling in a pretty sum of coin as well as other riches in the way of weaponry and jewels. Brynjolf gave her an approving look as she set a rather ornate goblet down in front of Vex.
"Nice," Vex commented, handing her purse of coin.
Brynjolf pulled her aside after their discussion, "Niruin's returned." Was all he said before she hurried to the Cistern to meet the only member of the Guild that she hadn't done so already.
The Bosmer was rather handsome, she had to admit, her childhood and adolescent years in High Rock had made her rather partial to any of the elven races.
"Nice to finally meet you." She greeted him enthusiastically.
"You as well, Breton." He smiled at her. "You're quite cheery to be a thief." He commented.
She laughed, "Ah, well, I quite enjoy it down here." She replied honestly.
Niruin sat with her and gave all the information he had, which admittedly wasn't much. He frowned. "It's going to be a tough job to pull off." He warned. "At least you're small and unnoticeable." Were the only words of encouragement that he offered.
With that Sada went to her trunk and sorted through the things she may need. A few daggers and throwing knives and a couple of healing potions. She was dabbing charcoal around her eyes when Brynjolf approached.
"Just coming to wish you luck, Lass." He seemed nervous, shifting his weight from side to side.
She put the dark powder down and stood up to face him. "You're worried about me." She stated in a teasing tone, grinning at him.
If Brynjolf were the blushing type he would have done so at that point. He wasn't, however, and merely smiled at her. "Lass, it's a tough job, you're a good girl, I don't want to see you get hurt." He explained. "Not to mention a fair thief with vast potential."
Sada frowned, tuning out the last half of his comment and only focusing on the first bit. She wasn't a girl. She had seen and done more than half the men twice her age. The Dragonborn wasn't a mere girl. She blanched at the thought.
Shrugging her shoulders, she finally replied. "I'll be fine." She turned from Brynjolf and picked her bag up. "See you in a bit, Brynjolf."
She started walking away when he caught her arm, gently. "Please be careful, Lass."
Sada seen in his eyes that he was legitimately worried for her and instantly she felt bad for turning cold on him, "I will be." She replied softly, with a smile.
Brynjolf paced around the Cistern, Sada should have been back already. He had seen the flames go up with his own eyes.
The Cistern was mostly empty; Mercer had disappeared earlier, citing that he had some business to attend to. Delvin, Vex, and a few of the others were getting drinks in the Flagon. He was thinking about joining them, just to ease his worry.
He hated that he worried over the girl like he did. She was so good natured and bright, surely she wasn't suited to be a thief, surely she could make a better life for herself elsewhere. Even as he thought it, he knew he didn't want her to be anywhere else. The Cistern was a brighter place with her around. Everyone had been more active and happy since her first appearance that night in the Flagon. Even Vex and Sapphire were happy with her presence.
He was about to head into the tavern when he heard the secret entrance grate open. He waited but no one ever showed. He went to the ladder and looked up just as the covering slid open.
"Sadie?" He called up, her small face appeared in the dim light. "Are you alright, Lass?" She didn't reply, but nearly fell face first down the drop. "You stay there, I'll come get you." Brynjolf told her, noticing that she wasn't quite right.
"Nonsense, I'm a big girl, Brynjolf." She muttered. He could barely make her words out.
She started to climb down, but slipped on the first rung. Brynjolf caught her deftly in his arms, she let out a soft gasp at the sudden impact. "Put me down, I'm fine." She struggled against him until he set her gently on her feet.
Her face paled when he did so. "You're hurt, Sadie." He commented, grabbing her arms to hold her up.
"I'm fine!" she insisted, trying to shake him off. He gave her a pointed look before glancing at the jagged shaft of an arrow sticking from her shoulder, it looked as if she had already tried to pull the arrow out, the skin around it was inflamed and swollen. There was a fair amount of blood dripping from it.
"Let's get you bandaged up." Brynjolf scooped her up in his arms, minding the wound.
Sada buried her head against his chest. "I almost made it. I was so close." She mumbled, her voice muffled by his shirt. She breathed in sharply as he sat her down on a bed.
"We're going to have to take you armor off, you're wearing something underneath it, aren't you?" he asked as he started undoing the buckles, she nodded, her face pulled in pain.
He went to find Thrynn, who was best at the surgical things in the Guild. He always said it was because bandits couldn't afford Healers and potions and had to make due on their own.
"This is going to hurt, Sadie." Thrynn told her gently as he assessed the damage.
Brynjolf sat on the bed in front of her and pulled her to him. Thrynn held the gash open as gently as he could. Pain coursed through her whole body and she gripped Brynjolf's hand tightly.
She buried her head in his shirt as Thrynn eased the bit of arrow from her skin. Brynjolf held her tightly, stroking her hair.
Finally Thrynn finished up, he cleaned around the wound and gently placed a bandage over it before giving her a potion to drink. "Thanks so much, Thrynn." She told him, gratefully as the pain subsided. "Wouldn't have been so bad if that tip hadn't gotten stuck." She mused.
Thrynn laughed, "Well, you're good as new now…despite a bit of stiffness, that is. Glad to see you made it back, Sadie."
Sada leaned back against the headboard of the bed, letting the excitement of the night die off. She realized that she was still holding Brynjolf's hand and quickly snatched it away. The sudden movement caught him off guard.
"What's wrong, Lass?" He asked, his eyes worried.
"Nothing, Brynjolf." She muttered. "Here's what I found at Goldenglow." She pulled some papers out of her discarded armor and sat them on the bed next to her.
He didn't press her, she would talk when she was ready, he was sure, she always did. Instead, he went about gathering up rags and fresh water to help her clean off the rest of the blood.
"Let's get you cleaned up." He suggested, he could tell she was about to protest, but sighed as she tested out her arm, it would still be a couple of hours before the potion would take full effect and it was still rather difficult to move, so she nodded and let him ease her shirt over her head.
He made a point of being professional and distant, trying not to make her feel uncomfortable. To his surprise however, she couldn't seem any more unconcerned, she was completely nonplussed about her state of undress.
"I've gotten a lot of injuries." She told him once he asked about it. She motioned to the scars that ghosted over her skin. Brynjolf noted a few that looked like previous arrow wounds, there were some other slashes and some that looked like claw marks. Most looked like they had been healed very well, leaving only pale trails where there had once been deep wounds.
There was one, in particular, that started at her right shoulder and ran diagonally down the length of her back. It wasn't as neatly healed as her other ones, the skin was still tinged pink around the edges. He traced his fingers across it.
"What of this one?" he asked softly, noticing her tense under his touch.
It took her a moment to reply, "Oh, unfortunate run in with a dragon, not a big deal." There was a touch of smile on her face and he couldn't tell if she was telling the truth or not.
Brynjolf shifted so that he was facing her better, he took her hand in his, "I'm glad you made it back, Sadie." He told her, his voice soft and eyes earnest.
She looked away from him, but a small smile played around her lips. "Don't make me blush, Bryn." She said, her normally playful tone finally falling back into place.
"It's true!" He defended himself.
He cupped her cheek in his hand, gently rubbing his thumb over her cheek. A tinge of pink spread across her face as she turned her gaze to him.
The moment grew intense and Brynjolf noticed her lip tremble just slightly before she pulled it in between her teeth, shifting her eyes away from him.
"Let's go get some drinks with the others." Byrnjolf suggested, softy, lowering his hand.
She nodded and went to pull a more presentable tunic from her trunk. She used her fingers to brush the messy braid out of her hair, letting it fall freely around her shoulders as she followed Brynjolf into the tavern.
Part two coming soon! (it may or may not get a little racy /devious smile, just so you know)
