AN: Wow, I've been gone for ages! SO sorry! Real life dealing with work and kids stuff has just been killer. On the plus side the last two chapters are both finished so I am uploading them tonight. I've started in on the next in the series (the prologue to the prologue?) which involves the Dark Brotherhood. Hopefully it won't take me nearly as long to get finished!
As always, nothing is mine (except Elise and Eshne) all the rest belongs to the mighty Bethesda.
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Brynjolf was startled out of his perusal of the Guild books by the sound of the back entrance sliding shut. He glanced up as Vipir slipped down the ladder and practically strutted through the Cistern. "And just where have you been?" the Guild Second called out.
Vipir glanced over at him, a sly grin crossing his lips as he changed course towards the desk. "Nowhere important," Vipir responded. "Why?"
Brynjolf narrowed his eyes at him. "Sapphire returned hours ago. Why were you not with her?"
Vipir smirked. "I had some pickpocketing to attend to," he responded with a wink before heading off towards his bed.
Brynjolf growled and almost started after him when he sensed a presence behind him. He turned to find Elise leaning against the wall, a satisfied smile on her face. "Divines save me," he sighed, "You two have been, what, practicing your pickpocket skills on each other?" His face twisted in disgust at the metaphor.
Elise laughed lightly and nodded once. "I suppose you could say that," she said.
"Do you have any idea how many women that man chases after?" he hissed at her.
"That is the reason I went for him," Elise retorted. "I am not looking for something long term, just a quick tumble to relieve the stress. With Vipir I know there will be no hard feelings when one of us calls it off."
Brynjolf frowned but did not respond, instead took a minute to really look over his Guildmaster. She was leaning against the wall, a slight smile on her face, but he could tell she was fatigued and the smile was a pathetic one at best. Her Guildmaster armor was loose as if she has lost weight and there was a slump to her shoulders that told of near constant stress. "How are you, Lass?" he asked. She sighed and it sounded bone weary. "Come on," he said, reaching out to pull her from the wall and wrapping an arm around her waist. "We should get you back to Honeyside."
He led her out of the Cistern, flagging down Eshne with a look and a tug of his head. She fell in step on Elise's other side, a concerned look on her face.
Once they reached Honeyside Elise settled into a chair and they both dropped down across from her. "I think you should tell us what you have been up to, Lass," Brynjolf suggested.
Elise sighed and leaned back. "I went to see the Greybeards," she started. "They taught me how to harness my voice, the Thu'um it's called. I also learned meditation techniques to help control the souls that enter me. Every once in a while a dragon memory will rear up in my mind, but I can tell now what is mine and what is not and I know how to sort the dragon memories so that they do not affect me as they once did."
"That is a good thing, right?" Eshne questioned, leaning forward to pick up one of Elise's hands and rubbing it between hers.
"It is," she said. "Very much. Unfortunately along the way I met this woman, Delphine." Elise spit the name out like a curse. "She is, or was, a Blade."
Brynjolf sucked in a gust of air. "The guard who used to see to the Emperor?" he asked. At her nod he continued, "I thought they were all murdered by the Thalmor."
Elise pulled a sour face and sighed. "Apparently they missed two. Delphine and Esbern."
"What do they have to do with anything?" Eshne asked.
"Delphine seems to be determined to take up where the Blades left off, guarding the last Dragonborn. She was also convinced that the Thalmor were somehow behind the dragons returning to Skyrim. I was stupid enough to let her convince me to infiltrate the Thalmor Embassy to find some evidence of it," Elise explained.
"Did you?" Brynjolf leaned forward, eyes intent on Elise.
She sighed. "Not what Delphine wanted. The Thalmor have no idea why the dragons are back. What I did find was information that led us to the old man, Esbern. He is apparently an expert on dragon lore. Delphine is convinced that he will be able to figure out what is going on."
Eshne squeezed Elise's hand and frowned. "Then why did you stay here?" she asked. "Why not go with them?"
"Because the Thalmor had more than just information on the Blades. They also had information on me," Elise answered. "I need to know if it is accurate or not, that is why I need my mother's journal."
"What kind of information, Lass?" Elise looked at Brynjolf and sighed again.
"I cannot tell you," she responded. "To do so would put you both in great danger." She glanced across the room at her bed. "If you do not mind, I know this is being terribly rude of me, but would you mind heading out? I think a nap is in order."
"Only if you promise to eat after," Eshne said, tugging Elise's hand to draw her attention back to her. "You have lost far too much weight."
"I promise," Elise answered with a small grin.
Eshne and Brynjolf rose, both casting worried looks at their leader before they slipped out of the house.
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"I do not like it," Eshne griped as she and Brynjolf slowly wound through the streets of Riften.
"Nor do I, Little Fire, but she is our leader, we have to do what she says," Brynjolf responded. Eshne stuck her tongue out at him and turned to lean against the wall of the orphanage, watching the marketplace from afar.
"I cannot shake the feeling that something terrible is going on. That Elise is in grave danger and we should be doing something to help her." Eshne grinned as she watched one of the children from the orphanage slip through the market, fingers sliding into several pockets unnoticed.
"I agree, what can we do? Follow her? She would murder us," Brynjolf answered, his eyes also following the young boy through the crowd. Eshne sighed and looked down at the ground, kicking absently at a rock there. She knew Brynjolf was right but could not shake the feeling that they should be doing something to help Elise.
"Maybe we will find out more when Karliah and Niriun return," she muttered. "Of course, with how secretive she is being, there is a good chance she will not tell us then either."
Brynjolf hummed in response and then took off through the crowd after the boy, grabbing him by the collar before his hand went into the wrong pocket, namely Maul's. He led the boy back over to where Eshne stood, giving him a lecture as he did. "Now, run along and keep your hands clean, for a few more years at least," Brynjolf said, pushing the kid towards the orphanage door. The lad gave Brynjolf an odd look but did as he was told.
"Ever think about having kids Bryn?" Eshne asked, staring after the boy.
He shrugged and leaned against the wall next to her. "Not really, why? Have you?"
"No," she responded, "but I never really thought much about my future before. It was mostly just surviving until the next day. It is different now though. I have a family, I have a future."
"And we are glad to have you as part of the family Little Fire, me especially," Brynjolf murmured.
She glanced up at him, a small smile tugging at her lips. "You ever think of getting married?" she asked. His eyes widened and a look of fear flashed across his face, drawing a laugh from her. "Is that a 'no' then?" she asked. "Do not worry Bryn, I am not going to run off and get an Amulet of Mara, I was just curious."
He sighed in relief and smiled down at her. "I will be honest Little Fire; I cannot say that I have, not really. The thought of a wife and children," he trailed off and shrugged. "It sounds rather domestic. I mean can you see me playing house?" he asked.
"No. Course I cannot really see any of us settling down like that," she responded.
He chuckled and glanced across the market towards Honeyside. "Can you imagine Elise married?" he murmured, eyes darting around for eavesdroppers.
Eshne shrugged. "Not sure who would be able to handle her. Listener of the Dark Brotherhood, Master of the Thieves' Guild, Archmage of Winterhold, and Dragonborn? Poor Elise will probably be doomed to spend the rest of her life alone." She frowned and looked down at the ground. "Which is a shame because out of everybody I know, she deserves some happiness in this world."
He nodded in agreement and then smirked. "Tell you what," he murmured, leaning down to nuzzle her neck. "The day Elise gets married, I will think about settling down and playing house. How does that sound?"
Eshne chuckled lightly. "Like you want to be single forever," she muttered. "I will hold you to that."
"I would not expect any less of you," he responded.