Walking into the Bee and Barb, Libby pulls her hood back, and intentionally wipes her nose with her hands so that everyone can see. She pretends not to see their looks, and as she heads up the stairs, she smiles.
From Whiterun to Riften, the day took another whole day. By the time Libby fluttered her eyes open, she finds the dawn of a new day brewing over the horizon. The healing potion is wearing off as she walks over to Maven, and can only hope things will go quick so that she can collapse in the Guild.
It appears Maven hasn't left her spot, and when Libby approaches, she keeps her face blank. Maven swallows before she speaks in her monotone voice, but Libby knows she's disturbed by Libby's appearance.
"I trust you have good news for me?" she asks.
"Job's finished. Here's the information you requested." Libby hands Maven the note, despite her urge to throw it in her face. Libby had already read through it and the only important thing she register is the symbol from the Goldenglow bill.
"This doesn't tell me much." Maven says as she reads the note. "The only thing that could identify Sabjorn's partner is this odd little symbol."
"Yes, I've seen that symbol before." says Libby.
"Well, whoever this mysterious marking represents, they'll regret starting a war with me." Maven seethes with controlled hatred. "You should bring this information to the thieves Guild immediately. There's also the matter of your payment."
Libby stands straight preparing herself for when Maven says she's not getting any pay, but instead, Maven reaches behind the table and pulls out in Elven sword. The weapon emanates a green glow that trail back and forth across the blade.
"I believe you'll find this more than adequate for your services." says Maven. "I believe we're done."
Libby immediately turns and heads back down the stairs, and out to the marketplace. With the pains in her muscles reduced to a throb – even with the potion wearing off, her muscles have mostly healed with her sleep on the wagon wide – so she forces herself to jog along the bridges of the Square and cuts through the archways of the Temple of Mara, bringing her directly to the mausoleum. She presses the button and steps down into the Cistern.
Diamond is training with Vipir on pickpocketing, and she was entering the Adept level when she looks to the ladder near the food cabinets of the Cistern. She finds a pair of feet step down and instantly launches to her feet. Libby steps down, and Diamond is nearly floored by how she looks. Shock punches a little fission of panic through Diamond.
Libby's pale skin is smudged with what looks like dirt. Her armor is torn and battered. And her hands. Her hands are covered in dirt and dried blood, and she clutches an Elven sword like it's going to disappear if she lets go.
Thrynn is near the cabinets when he turns to Libby. He doesn't hide his shock. "By the gods, Libby!"
He rushes to her side and catches her as her grip on the sword falters and clangs to the stone. She quickly manages to sling her arm around his neck and grip, preventing her knees from hitting the ground.
"Hey, someone get Brynjolf!" Thrynn shouts.
Diamond hurls herself against Niruin as he sprints into the training room where Diamond last saw Brynjolf with Cynric. She pushes past Sapphire and Rune to help carry Libby's other side. She drapes Libby's arm across her shoulder and help Thrynn guide her to a nearby bed.
"Missed you." Libby smiles to Diamond.
"You too! What the hell happened?!" Dia asks in worry.
"The job."
Thrynn sets Libby down on a vacant bed and Diamond sits next to her. Thrynn stands to the side and looks at Libby's forehead. Diamond look to Libby and finds her eyes foggy and are beginning to dilate. A weight settles on Diamond's shoulders her heart sinks. A pool of ice cool fear hardening in the pit of her stomach. Panic erases all rational thought from her head.
"Oh my god, what's wrong with her?!" Diamond squeal in distress.
"Diamond, I'm fine. I'm just sore." Libby says.
She turns her head and finds Brynjolf speed walking with Niruin behind him. Diamond watches him mumble, "By the gods," and kneels in front of Libby. He cups one side of her face and says her name. Libby blinks a couple times before she lifts her head to face him.
"Yeah, she's dehydrated." He says. "Thrynn, get a couple tankards and get Vex as well."
"On it."
Brynjolf turns to Niruin, "Get me a bucket and a couple rags so we can clean her up."
"Of course."
"Cynric, you still remember show to stitch?"
"Sure let me get my stuff." He says.
"All right people give her some space!" Brynjolf says and the other members disperse one by one. Libby had almost forgotten about the cut in all the chaos, but it still hasn't stopped bleeding.
"Anything I can do?" Diamond asks.
"I need you to get her out of her uniform. We need to cool her down." Brynjolf instructs.
"Guys, I'm fine." Libby repeats.
"No you're not, lass." Brynjolf feels her forehead. "You feel warm."
"What happened out there?" Diamond asks.
"It's all part of the job. Nothing I can't handle." Libby says.
Thrynn returns with a tankard and Vex behind him with another. Brynjolf gets up so Thrynn can take his place.
He hands her the drink and says, "Drink this. Slowly."
Libby accepts it and tips the rim to her lips. She restrains herself from gulping the entire thing down. Only when the first drop of water his her tongue did her throat clench and grow wet with saliva for more.
"Slowly," Thrynn repeats. "Easy now."
He gets up and allows Vex to crouch. "Hey babe, how you feel?" Diamond watches as she mixes in a healing potion with the water.
"I feel, better. But my stomach's tight. Like I feel full, but I'm hungry." Libby explains.
"So, she's just dehydrated?" Diamond asks.
"No, it's not just that." Vex says. She takes Libby's chin and tilts her head up so Libby's looking straight ahead instead of downcast. "You're pretty pale. Looks like Ataxia. You get bitten by a skeever?"
"More like ten."
"Damn, what kind of a job was it?" Thrynn asks.
"Nothing I can't handle." Libby repeats.
"Judging from your hands, I'd say so." Brynjolf says.
Niruin returns with the bucket of water with two rags dangling over the edges. Brynjolf thanks him and sets the bucket down next to Vex. Diamond watches as she gets up and adds a potion to cure diseases and stirs them all together in the tankard. Thrynn leaves to get another tankard.
Libby blinks slowly and Vex pats her cheeks. "Hey, hey, honey. Come on stay with me. Look at me, here, look at me. Can you hear me?"
Libby nods slowly and licks her lips.
Etienne comes over with a blue robe and sets is on the end table. Diamond positions herself behind Libby and begins to unbutton her cuirass while simultaneously fanning Libby as she drinks Vex's concoction of water and potions. Cynric and Etienne pull over a board wall as Diamond shifts the armor off of Libby's shoulders; quickly slipping the robe over the bare skin. She winces at the ugly purple and black bruises spreading like decaying blossoms across Libby's back. Etienne hands Libby another wet rag and tell sher to keep it pressed to her forehead.
Brynjolf dips the rag into the bucket and wrenches it out before he takes Libby's left hand. Carefully he scrubs away the blood, the dirt, and the evidence of all that's been. Diamond finds a brush in the drawer and combs through Libby's hair, and puts it in a simple braid down her back. Thrynn returns with another drink and Libby finishes half of it before she takes a breath. Brynjolf uses the second rag to clean Libby's other hand. As Diamond watches him, he takes notice of the cuts on Libby's knuckles.
"Hope you didn't do that on Maven." He teases.
"No, but I killed a man." Libby says.
Diamond stiffens and Brynjolf pause his scrubbing. He looks to Libby whose eyes are glassy with tears. Libby looks to him, then has her gaze downcast.
"What happened, lass?" Brynjolf asks. He gets up and Diamond shifts off the bed so he can take her place. Diamond resorts to leaning against the end table.
"I was supposed to do an extermination job for Maven and her partner Mallus. I was supposed to poison the mead, and I was led down to a tunnel. And there was this man." Libby's words choke her, and she swallows before continuing. "He hit me with these wards of fire and lighting; one after the other. Then he did get in a few good hits, but I managed."
"That fucking son-of-a-bitch!" Diamond snaps. "What the hell?! I knew we should've gone together!"
"I said I managed, Diamond." Libby says.
"Barely."
Libby doesn't even care when Diamond slips the robe off her shoulders. She stands still as Brynjolf rounds the bed to see, and Libby closes her eyes when she hears him sigh.
"Maybe you should head to Honeyside one we're done here." He suggests.
"But I still need to give you the news on Honning -"
"Brynjolf!" Mercer's voice calls. "What's going on here?"
"Libby's back Mercer. She's hurt pretty badly. We're just making sure she's okay." Brynjolf explains.
"Well did you get the job done? What's the result?" he asks, folding his arms. Diamond snarls.
"Mercer give her a moment. Can't you see she's not in the greatest shape?" Brynjolf says.
"As long as she's not dying I'm sure she can spare time to tell me what happened." Mercer counters.
"Mercer, let her rest." Brynjolf's tone hardens, and he pronounces every syllable.
"She got the job done. All I want is to know that Maven satisfied. We need to talk when she's free." He begins to walk away when Diamond springs to her feet.
"Hey jackass!" she screams.
"Diamond," Brynjolf starts.
"No! Don't Diamond me! She just barely escaped with her life and all he care about is if the Brier-bitch is happy?! What bullshit is this?!" she hollers.
"Watch your tone, Diamond." Mercer speaks quietly, and this scars Libby more than if he decided to yell back. "You're in my factions now. And you will treat me as the Guild Master I am."
"No Guild Master deserves respect if all he cares about is information, regardless of his fellow members. You don't deserve it." Diamond seethes through grit teeth.
"Diamond," Libby speaks up. "That's enough."
Diamond and Brynjolf look to Libby who keeps her gaze to Mercer. She still holds the rag to her forehead, though by now it's seeped through, spreading like a fast blooming red rose.
"Mercer, the job got done. And Maven was satisfied. She'll send ahead her regards. In the meantime, I ask that you let me rest. I feel I've done more than at least earn a day's rest." Libby says.
Mercer folds his arms and glares at her. Libby looks back not flinching. "You are to report to me the moment you can walk straight."
He then turns and leaves. Diamond gives him her finger as he walks away and while Libby giggles, Brynjolf glares at her, but a small smile tugs at the corners of his mouth.
"If you'll girls excuse me." He says and heads in the same direction as Mercer.
Diamond plops on the bed next to Libby and crosses her legs. "Are you mad?" she asks.
"It might be the potion, but, no." Libby answers. "Because this time, you're right. And you can tell Brynjolf was mad."
"Yeah, I wonder if he'll confront Mercer."
"Not that it'll matter if he does. Mercer's as stubborn a bull." Libby checks the rags and refolds it so that a clean side is pressed to her forehead. She takes a deep breath and finishes her drink. "So, what did you do while I was gone?" she smiles.
Diamond quickly catches on and her cheeks flush red. "Shut up!"
"Come on! Tell me, what did you do?" Libby pries.
"Not what you're thinking." Diamond says.
"Why not?!"
"I couldn't do it!' Diamond weeps. "I tried but I chickened out. I couldn't do it! I couldn't do it!"
"Did you even try to talk to him?!" Libby pesters.
"No, no." Diamond shakes her head, her ponytail flopping from side to side. "I just couldn't do it."
"I finally give you the perfect opportunity, and you blow it." Libby says.
"It wasn't the right time." Diamond defends.
"Bullshit it wasn't." Libby says unconvinced.
"Seriously it was! I . . . needed more pickpocket training, but I did talk to Niruin!"
"Everyone can talk to Niruin." The girls giggle together, and Libby pats her head with the rag. "Well now, you get another chance."
"What?!"
Diamond and Libby look up and find Cynric walking up to them with a medical kit in one hand, a clean rag in the other. Diamond goes off.
"Oh my god! Oh my god! Why is he coming over here?! Libby, why is he coming over here?!" she frantically asks.
"He needs to tend to my wounds." Libby casually answers.
"Libby! I'm like flipping my shit right now!" Diamond whispers. Her face is turning red, her cheeks flushing. "What the fuck?!" she looks to find him approaching. "Oh my god."
"Hello ladies, hope you're feeling better." Cynric says. He dumps the bucket into the sewer water of the Cistern. He drags over a chair and Diamond keeps her face shielded as he sits and leans into Libby. "Jeez, this dude seems like the kind that doesn't take prisoners." He says.
"No kidding." Libby says. She looks to Diamond and hides her smile. Diamond can't even look to him as he sets the kit in front of Diamond's folded legs.
Cynric dabs Libby's arm with antiseptic. He says it's only a minor graze, nothing to worry about. Libby can't help but take a deep breath, inhaling Cynric's scent. An even combination of something sharp and masculine. Libby looks to Diamond and smiles. Diamond glares back. If Libby could smell him, she could too.
"So Cynric, how did you become so good at picking locks?" Libby asks and Diamond's head jerks up.
"Libby, I've told you this story before." He smiles.
"Yeah, but Diamond keeps asking me, and I can never give the story straight." Libby lies.
"Really?" he looks to Diamond, who keeps her gaze down. "You want to hear that story?"
Diamond keeps her gaze down. "No, no! You don't have to tell it if you don't want to!" she squeaks.
"Diamond," Libby chimes. "Look someone in the eye when you're speaking to them."
Diamond glares at Libby. Diamond turns her head and looks at Cynric. He quirks an eyebrow at her and Diamond fans herself, rubbing her face with her hands.
"Look, you don't have to tell it if you don't want to." She says.
"But you should just tell it so she gets the gist." Libby interjects.
Diamond gawks at Libby who only shrugs her shoulders.
"Admiringly he's not as good as Vex but still."
"Ha, ha." Cynric sarcastically laughs. He purses his lips, then says. "You need stitches."
Diamond twitches her head up, eyes wide.
"It's just a graze!" Libby argues.
"Not your arm, your head." Cynric says, pointing to the spot where she presses her rag.
"Fine." Libby sighs.
"I'm going to have to give you a shot of this numbing agent." He says, holding up an ampoule and syringe.
Libby doesn't even react. Cynric dabs Libby's forehead with antiseptic and Libby feels the sting and prickle of the needle, diminishing by the second as the numbing agent does its work. Diamond looks to her in surprise, and Libby shrugs her shoulders.
"So, about that lockpicking thing?" Libby says and Diamond covers her face.
"Well my friends this is quite the tale." Cynric says. "When I started out in this business, I wasn't really interested in the Guild or being a thief."
Libby looks to Diamond, and urges her on. Diamond takes a deep breath, but can't seem to steady her voice "With skills like yours? Why not?"
"I didn't mean to imply I was earning an honest living either. With my lockpicking aptitude I was a natural at jailbreaking . . . made a great deal of gold dong it too." He says. Cynric cleans the skin around Libby's wound with something cold. "Okay, stitching time." He says.
Libby takes a deep breath and Dia keeps her gaze on Cynric, since she can't seem to look at anything else. She can't watch him stitch Libby's wound, and she can't keep looking around the guild without looking, weird. And since Libby sucked her into this conversation, she can't just get up and leave.
"So, what is jailbreaking?" Dia asks.
"It's where a client pays you to get arrested, and you get thrown into a prison for the express purpose of breaking out. Usually it's to free someone the client cares about . . . and sometimes to . . . well, to kill someone on their behalf."
Libby clutches her jaw and stays quiet this time. Of all the pain she has suffered today – the pain of getting shot at with fire and lighting, and the endless pains of her wounds, and her dehydration, this is the easiest to bear.
"Either way," Cynric continues. "the trick was in the escape, and that's where my strengths came in handy."
"Why did you stop doing it?" Dia asks.
"Well, as a jailbreaker, you work alone. No Guild to back you up. I'd do jobs for the thieves Guild and the Dark Brotherhood, but if things didn't go as planned, I was on my own. See what I'm getting at?"
Diamond snaps her head at attention at the mention of the Brotherhood. "You . . . you worked for the Brotherhood?"
"Yeah, I used to." Cynric answers. "The last jailbreak I attempted failed. I was imprisoned in High Rock for three years before they let me go. After that I promised myself I'd never do it again."
Cynric finishes stitching Libby's wound, ties off the thread. He places a bandage over the stitches to protect the wound, and gathers all the wrappers and soaked cotton balls into his fists to throw away.
He tosses them into the bucket and cleans his hand with the water that flows through the Cistern. "So wait!" Diamond says. "Why did you join the Guild and not the Brotherhood?"
Cynric shrugs. "I don't know. I think I realized that out in the world, my skills would bring more wealth as a thief, rather than an assassin. Alright babe, that should do it."
Diamond snaps her head to Libby. "Babe? Babe?!"
"Yeah so?" Libby shrugs her shoulders. "He calls everyone that."
Diamond raises an eyebrow, her lips pressed into a flat line.
"Anyway, killing someone in a jail is much easier than what the Dark Brotherhood deals with." Cynric continues. "I guess I just wanted to play it safe. I already knew Delvin, I asked if I could join up, and that was that."
"To think you two could've been kill buddies." Libby teases.
"Think we would've been as close as you two?" Cynric smiles. He drapes an arm around Diamond's shoulder.
"Oh my god!" She squeals. "No! No! No!"
"Aww, come on Diamond. You don't think we would've made a good team?" Cynric pesters.
"No, no, no, no." she tries to say something else, but she needs to stop to fan her face.
"Well, remind me not to split any money with you." Cynric's arm slides off and Diamond wheezes in relief and flops on the bed.
"Thanks Cynric." Libby says.
"Sure, and before you ask, yes you can sleep on it, and come to see me at least a week later." He instructs.
"Okay." Libby smiles. "Thanks."
As he walks back into the training room, Libby breaks into giggles and laughter as she looks to Diamond. Her face is red and before Libby can ask, Diamond speaks. "Oh my god. I am going to kill you!" Diamond says through a laugh.
The two girls giggle and laugh as Diamond tries to fan herself with her hands.
"I'm going to . . . oh my gosh, Libby."
"You did it! I'm so proud of you!" Libby praises.
"I am going, to kill you!"
Libby has to stop because her head was beginning to throb with her laughs, but still she laughs as Diamond begins to tear. "I think I'm having a heart attack."
Libby keeps laughing as Brynjolf walks back over. The girls slowly fade their smiles off and Libby rubs her head until the pain subsides.
"Is Mercer mad?" Libby asks.
"No, no, lass you're fine. I just wanted to speak to him about how he treats you."
Libby looks down. "You didn't have to do that for me. Now he'll probably I'm weak for having you talk for me."
"Libby, you were barely paying attention. You're badly hurt, and you do deserve rest. We'll get the information later. It doesn't have to all happen in one day. Remember our talk." Brynjolf says.
Libby nods and fiddles with her hands. "Should we head back to Honeyside?" Diamond asks.
"Yeah, that'll be fine. Can you handle the journey, lass?" Brynjolf asks.
Libby rubs her head and stands. She wobbles and winds up falling into Brynjolf. He steadies her and Libby rubs her head. "I think I'll be fine maybe I just need to walk around the Guild. I'm fine." Libby insists.
"You don't look fine to me."
"I'm fine, Brynjolf. Libby denies.
"I'm not taking a chance lass. I'll walk you home. Tonilia said she'll give you some new armor tomorrow." Brynjolf says.
Before she could protest, Brynjolf takes Libby's hand and guides her to the entrance near the food cabinets. Libby leans heavily on Brynjolf. Diamond jogs ahead of them and opens the door leading to the Ragged Flagon. The plan was to travel through the Ratways this time. Thankfully there is a drawbridge that makes the path so much easier. The whole time, Brynjolf carried Libby since he knew she wouldn't have held herself together for the walk.
Once aboveground, Diamond leads him to Honeyside, where she unlocks the door and escorts Brynjolf inside. Libby was slightly awake, but the walk, with Brynjolf's gentle walking motions, she's rather drowsy. Brynjolf sets her on the bed and pulls the sheet over her body. Diamond takes a seat by the fire, but pretends to head down into the basement; tempting to fool Brynjolf into thinking he's alone.
Diamond peaks her head up and watches as Brynjolf pulls up a stool next to Libby's bed. She watches as Brynjolf takes Libby's hand and strokes it with his thumb. Keeping hold of it with one, his other stokes Libby's hair, tucking a few strands behind her ears.
She's never seen Brynjolf acting fatherly towards Libby, despite their bond of him raising her. Libby shifts slightly, and Brynjolf only smiles. Diamond can't help but smile. Besides that she now has a juicy secret to bribe Brynjolf with, it feels like it's been a while since she's seen something so happy. Giving him real privacy, Diamond grips the railing and swings her body over, her toes landing with a slight tip. Quietly she slips into her room.
Brynjolf strokes Libby's dark hair and smiles. The crackling of the fire is the only sound throughout the house. The flames cast an orange-gold glow along the room, gleaming in Libby's ebony hair.
"Sometimes I feel like you really are my daughter." Brynjolf whispers. "We have the same wit, same stubborn-ness, and a natural ability for larceny."
Libby's breathing is even and long. Her hair fans out around her head and pillow, her delicate eyelashes shadowing her eyes. Brynjolf strokes her cheek, the callus of his thumb seeming to contrast against her smooth skin. His eyes flick to the bandage on her temple, it nearly covers her entire forehead.
"I want to protect you in every way I can." Brynjolf sighs. "I never felt like this towards anyone, and I can vouch I'm no parent. Far from it. And yet . . . I watch you, and I worry about you."
If he had to describe Libby, it would be, fragile. But she's not fragile. She's one thing, but she's also the exact opposite of that same thing. She was independent, and yet she could depend on Brynjolf sometimes. She was strong, but weak at points. Shy, but confident.
She was something, that's for sure.
And for Brynjolf to feel so, close; so fatherly to someone. One would think with his line of work it would scare him. Make him distance himself, but he only wishes to embrace it. He likes the way he worries for Libby.
Could it be that he's never had something become this valuable to him before? Or perhaps because he feels sympathy for her because she never had time to experience true parents? The blame is not his to bear, and yet it is.
"I look to you, and I can see myself." He continues. "You're special, lass. In more ways than you think."
As Libby sighs while he strokes her cheek, Brynjolf smiles and leans down and kisses Libby's forehead.
"Goodnight Libby."