When I felt stressed or frustrated, sex was very often the last thought on my mind; however, in my experience, other people often felt the opposite. Stress relief, relaxation, the taking out of frustrations and all. That was why, I believe, Mercer pulled me aside in the middle of the day, which caught me off guard considering it was rather unusual to meet him until rather late at night. I was looking at him in confusion as he pulled me into his office alcove while I was on my way by, carrying my bow and on my way to practice. It was around supper time, I could feel the hunger clutching at my stomach, and most of the guild members in Riften at the moment were in the Cistern. Enough to see it when Mercer grabbed my by the arm and dragged me into the bookshelf. My mouth dropped open in surprise as he pushed against me. His grip was tight, and he kissed me (something which also only happened once or twice) roughly, biting on my lip. My bow clattered to the ground, which I imagined drew some attention, causing me to tense up. The Guildmaster's research on Karliah's symbol was abandoned on his desk. He pulled back, his grip finding my hip, and he loomed over me, backing me into the door to the back tunnel to his house. I backed up against it, by thinly clothed back hitting the harsh wood. I felt the blood pumping through my body. He reached past me to unlatch the door and I tumbled backwards. He followed, slamming the door shut behind him loud enough to make me cringe.
I felt a bit nervous and a bit embarrassed, as the Guild had probably seen that display, but at the same time, I was being held against the stone wall of the unlit tunnel while the Guildmaster bit and sucked on my neck, so I was damn well past caring. I was soaking through my underwear and rubbed my thighs together in discomfort. He noticed and pulled back from my neck abruptly. He reached down, pulled up the skirt of my dress, and wrenched my legs apart. Tamriel underwear weren't the durable, stretchy things that modern day ones were, so it was apparently easy for him to shred mine down the middle. I gasped loudly, then in a moment of clarity, I looked over to the wooden door. It led right to the Cistern, and quite a few people I knew. My hand flew up to my mouth reflexively as I tried to keep quiet. He lifted me at the knees and I wrapped my legs around him to keep myself steady. One of my hands gripped his shoulder tightly, and I was grateful he wasn't wearing his armor at the moment. He held me up with one arm and used his other to guide his cock as he rubbed it in the wetness leaking out of me. I nearly cried out and pressed my face into his shoulder, breathing heavy.
I was a bit unprepared when he pushed into me, and I bit down on his shoulder to keep from crying out in pleasure at the sensation of tightness. I settled for breathing heavily and mumbling profanities under my breath. The rough, uneven wall behind me dug into my clothed back, which only added to the sensation. I spared a thought for the people who might hear if we were too loud, and bit down on his shoulder again at a particularly hard thrust, though I mostly got the cloth of his shirt.
"Having a hard time with something?" he taunted. I growled, still hunched over into his shoulder, fingers digging into his back. I felt that coil tightening inside me as he began to tease me. "Mm?" He readjusted his grip on me in order to free one of his hands, which flew up to cover my mouth. He pushed it back against the wall gently, thankfully aware enough not to slam my head into the stone wall, but once it was there, he pushed and tightened his hand over my mouth. I moaned into it. "Well, it looks like you need some help." He leaned in closer. "Can't have you screaming, can we?" He quickened his pace suddenly, enough to push me over the edge, my eyes rolling back as I muffled myself as much as possible.
When he was finished a few second later, he released my legs but still leaned into me. I rested my head on his shoulder again, breathing heavily. Mercer's breaths were also ragged, but once he caught his breath, he stepped back from me. When he noticed my legs were a bit shaky, he let me sit down gently. I rested my head on the wall behind me, thinking I was nearly able to fall asleep. My discarded underwear were long gone. He had put himself back together quickly, but I was a bit of a mess. As per usual, really. If I wanted to though, I could, I supposed. It didn't matter. Why bother? Relax. I looked up at him. He seemed like was about to say something, but didn't.
"Eh?" I asked. He raised an eyebrow.
"Where are you from?" he asked. I knew I had a faint accent, but it was a bit different than the usual Imperial's, yes. I knew sometimes I held myself back from using slang nobody would understand. Who the hell knows what a dooryard is, right? A Canadian from a city would sound like an American, but living out in the shit you do get a bit of an accent when you're relaxing, like I do. Not if you're being professional, though. Just slang and a bit of a twang. I wondered what I looked and sounded most like in Tamriel a long while ago, considering it would probably come up, and I was not about to tell anyone, ever, where I came from. Why bother?
"You haven't heard of it," I said. "Canada." He shook his head.
"Is that in Cyrodiil?"
"Yep," I answered. He offered me his hand, which I gladly took, and I was pulled to my feet. He turned to walk away from me to the Cistern door, but stopped after a step or so.
"Oh. I have work to do," he said in afterthought. "You can go clean yourself up."
I did, gladly, in his damn fine bathroom. It was silly, considering what I once would've thought of as a nice bathroom, and this wasn't it. Though, it was by what I was used to lately. Lake baths weren't new to me by any means; I was a seasoned camper. Though, living like that permanently made you miss a hot bath. I didn't want to just help myself to the bathtub, though, so I restrained myself.
I headed down to the Cistern afterwards, nervous but determined to face it, in a way. It wasn't like I was embarrassed about the kissing, or the sex, which in all honesty, we were quiet about and I doubted they heard. It was more the fact that it was Mercer Frey who had done so. I knew it was a weird choice, a sort of strange taste of mine for some reason. Well, not a vague reason - I could list them, sure. I doubted some of the others would see it in a very positive light. Sleeping with the boss, right?
I entered through the tunnel entrance from Mercer's house. There was no point in pretending now. No heads shot up when I pushed the door open. I was then found behind Mercer, who was back to brooding over his desk. He looked up at me when I passed by, but didn't say anything. I stooped to pick up my abandoned bow, looking Mercer in the eye as I did, before continuing on my way. I headed for my bunk and chest of supplies. I wanted to change clothes after all that.
The bunkroom was empty. I opened my chest and started to undress while no one was around. I took the tiny handheld mirror I had out and examined my ruffled appearance. I'd already seen it in Mercer's house, but he had left marks on my neck and shoulder. I didn't really care. My back was a bit red as well. I pulled on pants and a blouse this time, as I was considering asking Delvin for a job. While I was pulling on the shirt, Sapphire entered the room. She didn't say anything to me, though she never really did anyway. It did feel like she looked at me, though. I ignored her and left for the cistern again, bow in hand, buckling my bracers on as I walked. I swung the bow over my back.
Outside the room, I bumped into Brynjolf.
"Hey, lass," he greeted. I returned the greeting and he rushed off, a bit short with me. He was probably a bit uncomfortable. They probably all were. Likely it would pass. I figure it was a bit of a shock.
"Vipir." I greeted the man with a wave as he left the Flagon for the Cistern. "Going on a job?"
"Yeah, er," he started. "In Windhelm. See you after?"
"Course," I agreed. He left, though normally he may have told me more about the job. Maybe he was just in a hurry? He was one of the only people here I would call a friend more than a coworker of sorts. I shrugged, and continued on my way to Delvin.
The fishing job for Delvin took me three days. It was rather complicated, as the target was a noble type in Markarth. Either way, I finished it successfully and returned to the Guild, all things usual. I was appreciative that through all of this Delvin treated me normally. It wasn't like anybody was rude or said anything to me. We're all adults here. But I did notice that both before I left and when I returned, I got odd looks. Friends were short with me, like they weren't sure how to talk with me anymore. Even Vipir.
I spent a couple hours in the Flagon, sitting at a table with a bottle of mead. The Dragonborn was there. I hadn't really spoken to the man yet, though I'd seen him around a little bit. He was talking about leaving for Whiterun in the morning on a job for Maven, which I could remember. Soon Karliah would be in the picture. I bit the inside of my cheek thinking about it, not sure what I was going to do in or about that situation yet. I could just wait through it, but where would that leave me? They might even turn on me, now that they knew I sleep with the man... Some of them would be pissed. I'm sure Brynjolf or Vipir would defend me. Delvin would. I stopped thinking about it, and tired of listening to the Dragonborn's - Sarkan's - stories. He wasn't bragging, but he'd had a couple drinks and was at a table with a few others sharing more comical stories about his adventures. They were a bit funny, but I wasn't in the mood. I gave up, payed Vekel, and left the Flagon.
I went into the Cistern, where Mercer wasn't. I supposed he was away or at his house. I hoped he hadn't latched the doors. I wondered if I would be able to break in, but I was afraid to try it. I didn't want the man to perceive me as a threat. If he knew it was me, or if he knew it was me and that I was just practicing, sure. Or if he trusted me for some reason. At the moment, though, I was afraid I might find myself with my head cut off before he even noticed who I was if he hadn't invited me in.
I went to open the first door, which didn't have a lock on it, and followed the tunnel down to the trap door, which was thankfully ajar. I stepped onto the ladder and pushed it upwards, letting it thud against the floor so that if he was around he would hear me coming. Really, I didn't want to startle him. The house was dimly lit, and I found the sitting room empty. I listened, wondering if he was upstairs. I didn't hear anything, so I left the trapdoor open and sat down on the sofa chair.
I wished for a drink while I sat there, eventually picking up the book next to me. It was on the Dwemer, and I had just started flipping through it when Mercer climbed up through the trap door. I froze where I was. He noticed the trap door was open, so he came into the room with a dagger out. I bit my lip.
"Sorry," I said. He turned in my direction. He frowned and put the dagger away, thankfully. "I don't mean to intrude, I just..." He didn't say anything, but he did close the trap door and latch it, so I supposed he wasn't kicking me out.
"It's fine," he said finally. I nodded, and replaced the book on the side table. I loved to read and research, but I felt nerves clutch at my stomach that maybe I shouldn't have touched it. He didn't mention it. He walked past me towards the kitchen, only to stop and turn to face me in the doorway. "Do you want a drink?"