Chapter Twenty-Five
Vex blinked in the dim light of an early morning, shadows still being cast by torches in the streets, the moon just faintly visible on the horizon as the sun rose in the east. She pressed close to the remaining dark shadows, not a single guard patrolling the back street but still she followed the same routine she always did when she was out on the surface for a reason beyond a job or getting some fresh air. It was a wonder she ever managed to get the stench of the ratways out of her leathers considering just how long she was down there at a time.
The woman made her way to the fancy iron gate, black and intertwining in a fashion far too sophisticated for the man she knew owned it. Suddenly a bare chested nord man came running forward, sword in hand. "Who's there?" He growled into the pre-dawn light, dark eyes narrowed into slits.
"You really are an animal huh?" Sneered Vex as she stepped forward, the low light catching her hair just right to make her look almost like a ghost as she lowered her hood. "Where's Mercer?" She demanded, chin raised as she looked at the man that now disgusted her. It was a wonder why she'd ever felt something for him, then again he'd been quite the smooth operator all that time ago. Of course, that had just been to get enough coin to pay Maven back. The imperial could still easily recall giving Vald a nice shiner when he'd informed her at last of why he really was after her heart.
"Vex." He grunted, sliding the sword back into its sheath on his hip, fur armor covering at least his waist and leaving him not the slightest bit warm.
"I said, where's Mercer." She repeated, amber eyes narrowed slits of her own.
A sly grin crossed his face and he leaned against the stone on the other side of the cobble wall, the gate between them. "You know well enough I don't keep track of where he goes, just when he's home or not."
Vex rolled her eyes. "Whatever Vald, you know something, now talk." Venom filled her words. "Or I'll give you a fresh black and blue."
"Now why would you go and do that Vex?" He snorted. "I'll talk, when you give me enough septims, you know me after all."
An eyebrow arched before she could even bother trying to do so herself. "Do I really?" Snarled the imperial, one hand slipped across her waist towards where her coinpurse hung. Vald smirked expectantly, holding out a hand through the gaps between the bars. It was a mistake he wouldn't realize until it was too late, Vex drawing a dagger and sending it down into the extended palm, making the nord man scream out in agony and wrench his hand back.
"Fuck!" He screamed, blood gushing from the wound as the ebony blade fell down onto soft green grass and wild flowers. By the time he'd looked up from the flowing red liquid, Vex had climbed the person high stone wall and was walking towards him with murderous intent. "You're a crazy bitch!" Vald hurled, clutching the wound as he stumbled on his feet, trying to flee.
"I also happen to be the woman you scorned." She said with a sadistic smile, taking another step towards him.
Vald's eyes were as wide as the moon, and he reached for his sword to try to defend himself from the upcoming attack he no doubt was in to receive. "Look, I honestly don't know where he is!" Vald said.
"Uh huh." Another menacing step was taken.
"He's not home, he hasn't been for three days!" Panic filled the 'brave' man's eyes. "I swear!"
Vex blinked, and then looked at him with only the slightest of reigned in anger. "Unlock the door, now." Her orders came, the man was quick to comply.
She glared at him until he'd moved all the way over to the gate, and she then entered into the man's home, letting out a breath of air. Now she just had to find out if he'd left her a note or the sort, after all he'd said there was a few things he'd need to talk with her about after he'd sent her on a Guild task around the city. To be honest, she hadn't minded one bit when Mercer handed her an unlit torch in front of the entire Guild that happened to be in the cistern and said 'have fun'.
Driving out the Lioness would be hard, that much was certain, but she and the Guild both had had enough of the self-acclaimed protector of Riften. From ruining jobs, getting in the way of bribes with the guards and just so easily chasing away their new recruits, it was hard enough to get by without the woman sticking her nose in anything that even sounded remotely Guild related. Vex certainly didn't appreciate the do-gooder's attitude.
It would be a lie to say that she hadn't felt a bit of herself burning in that fire, perhaps her anger and rage at last stayed as she set that wood into life, watching the world of someone crumple right before her. A part of her enjoyed the show, the sounds of the wood breaking and Aerin screaming, another part of her was beyond terrified by what she was the cause of. Mercer wanted Mjoll out, and if out meant burning down her home so the woman didn't have a den to claim as her own at night, then it was at least a step in removing the thorn from the Guild's side.
In Vex opinion, it was one that was allowed to fester for far too long.
She moved about his home for but only a moment before she found a note with her name almost haphazardly written in black ink, just barely recognizable as Mercer's. Biting the inside of her cheek, Vex hoped Mercer had a good enough reason to not only not show up to their rendezvous, but rather completely blow her off for three days. It had better have been one darn good reason too if she wasn't going to slap him silly for his behavior which was increasingly getting jumpier, like he expected a ghost to pop up from around a corner to rise from the pool of sewage water in the cistern everyday.
Tearing it from where it hung with a blade to the stone, she scowled.
V,
Had to leave town, couldn't meet up, but I like the damage you've done. Next part of the operation is to go to Markarth, break into the dwemer museum and destroy the old dead language's translation tablet in the heart of it. I'll explain more when I get back, trust me this will help drive out the vermin infesting our city.
-M
Vex lowered the note, tucking it into one of the many pockets on her Guild armor, and started out the back door. She didn't so much as give the home a cursory glance before she'd gotten out the door and started running towards the gate. Just one more quest in their battle against the self-protector, just one more job to get rid of her. It wasn't as if they could just plant evidence on her, she was far too notable for her firm moral standing so no one would possibly believe she had committed a crime. That left the Guild with only one choice, to drive her out entirely by making Riften too dangerous for her to stay in.
Stepping out the city, Vex had to remind herself she was doing it for the Guild, not just herself. But of course, her intentions were always that of the Guild's.
"This place sucks." Remarked Yosa'Min, standing besides the gate to the stone city with mud on her boots, fog crawling all around them so high it was engulfing the short redguard. Mjoll's golden mess of hair just barely poked out of the thick cloud, the only thing she could truly see being the two women she traveled with besides her and street torches higher up in the air mounted into staggering tall rock formations.
"Well I suppose it does have its draw backs." Replied Lydia, trying to sound optimistic but she couldn't manage it easily at all. Mjoll was stiff as wood besides them, intertwining her fingers with Yosa'Min's without even meaning too. The face-paintless redguard smiled though at the gesture, not grasping entirely why the woman wished too at that particular moment but in no way was she going to argue it.
They'd spent around two days traveling to Markarth, they were all weary from the travel and in some ways ready to quit. But the thought of getting out of the Guild was what kept Yosa'Min going, Mjoll's desires of Yosa'Min being out just as obvious as well. Lydia was just as clear with her intentions as well. If it took them just a bit longer then they'd do it, and rest afterwards.
The golden haired nord was staring at the stones with a sense of dread, the expression not going unnoticed by the redguard. "Mjoll?" Whispered Yosa'Min.
Blinking, the taller huntress turned and looked at the Dragonborn. "It's nothing." She assured the woman, giving her hand a small squeeze.
Yosa'Min nodded her head and asked then aloud, "Does anyone know which way to the keep? I've honestly avoided this place best I could." She said, the heavy fog just lightly clearing up enough as she stepped forward to find a river cutting along from the elevated area from the south, bridges crossing over and making it feel an awful lot like Whiterun to the woman. Only this one certainly felt colder, the jeering looks on a person's face when they'd emerge from the fog for a moment or two as they went about their business enough for her to feel unwelcome among the prejudice people.
Mjoll gave a shrug of her shoulders. "Up?" She suggested.
"To the west," started Lydia, "which would be forward, so follow the river back up to the source I suppose." She took a slightly hesitant step forward, and then the lovers just shrugged and joined in, walking up along cobble stones until they'd passed the inn and a home that made all three of them stare at it with hairs raising up along the back of their neck. Not long later the road curved into a flight of stairs on the right and a sloping path up to what all three of them could easily tell was the Understone Keep.
"Always the big one right?" Snickered Yosa'Min, squinting her eyes in order to be able to see the stone building carved into the cliff side with a waterfall split in two by a carved stone outcropping, cascading down until it became the river they had followed up along. "Come on." She said, stepping up the stone stairs that were slick with moisture until they rose out of the fog that was starting to thin.
Yosa'Min wasn't one to not notice things around her, after all she'd been a skilled huntress for over a decade, so when the footfalls behind her grew heavy in a rather particular manner, she turned on her heels to see Mjoll's face paling ever so slightly. "Lydia, go on in." Ordered the redguard, shooting her housecarl a firm glance before any argument could come up. Giving them both a long look, Lydia nodded her head and turned on her heels to walk up the last few stone steps and through the heavy, golden door.
Horror was creeping up the golden haired nord, and Yosa'Min frowned as Mjoll seemed to zone out with whatever she was imagining taking hold. Gently reaching forward and taking one of Mjoll's hands in her own, Yosa'Min spoke. "Kitten? What's wrong?"
She blinked after a moment, and then Mjoll flushed red. "Nothing." She said once again, her body stiff still.
"You're an absolutely terrible liar." Remarked Yosa'Min, trying to hide the bit of hurt she felt that Mjoll didn't want to tell her.
"So?" Her words grew cold and sarcastic, the nord's golden eyes flickering back up to the huge stone carvings in the stone. Yosa'Min followed her gaze, narrowed her own blue eyes in thought, and then sighed. "Let's just go inside okay?" Mjoll had to forcibly remove her hand, instantly making the redguard's body run alight with alarm. Whatever it was, it was far more serious than she had initially imagined. "We have a mage to speak to don't we?" Shoving herself past the stunned redguard, Mjoll followed the brunet nord in. Yosa'Min stared at the stone for a moment, sighed and walked with a slower gait after the nord.
Warmth flooded over the redguard, stiff and moist air making her cough for a moment as she adjusted, peering through a whole new fog that clung to the stones. Three tunnels branched off before them, a pair of guards besides the very obvious one to the jarl. Lydia walked over to the arriving redguard, pointing to the one left of Yosa'Min. Mjoll started down it with stiff steps, both of the women that had hunted down Alduin watching her with obvious concern.
The moment the tunnel opened up into a massive chamber with spiraling towers and dwarven machines propped up on pillars, the sound of a river bouncing off the walls, Mjoll was still. "Divines..." Whispered Yosa'Min as she started to understand. "It's the ruins, the dwarves, they're reminding her of Mzinchaleft and how she nearly died, I'm certain."
"That happened several years ago, do you think she's still not over it?" Whispered back Lydia, the two having slowed down their pace for short strides.
Yosa'MIn watched the way Mjoll stood, the only thing springing to mind in comparison was a frightened deer. "She's not over it."
Lydia frowned, thinking, and then suddenly nodded her head with wide eyes. "I'll see about getting her to leave then and you do what you need to do." She suggested, Mjoll still staring at the machine posted up like a piece of art on display up in the air. They picked up the pace, and caught up to her in a few bounds. The Lioness snapped back to the real world as they brushed past her gently, trying not to make a show that they had figured out what was going on with her.
A blue robe garbed man awaited them, Yosa'Min taking the lead once again and crossing over to where he stood besides an alchemy table mixing potions. "Excuse me?" She asked. "Are you Calcelmo?"
"I'm very busy so this better be important." A gravely voice responded, the man pausing as he ground hawk feathers in a small basin, a beard poking out from beneath his robes. He didn't bother stopping his actions, adding something he'd already ground into an unrecognizable powder save for a yellowish hue to the basin.
"I heard you're the one to speak to about the Falmer." Said Yosa'Min, egging the scholar on easily.
He stopped mixing the potion ingredients and straightened up. "Why yes, actually I'm about to finish writing my book on their language, fascinating ancient beings they are. Once it's done it will revolutionize how we view them and the dwarves both." Boasted the robed man.
Yosa'Min smiled, Mjoll and Lydia both standing a bit back with drawn expressions. "Wonderful! You know, I've been reading what you've already written on the dwemer, I'm sure it's going to be something brilliant if not more so." Said Yosa'Min smoothly, playing the part of an admirer easily.
Calcelmo looked at her straight, age defined clearly on his pale skin. "I know what you're doing." He said sternly. "While I appreciate your sentiment, you cannot see my work until it is published just like everyone else." His eyes just lightly shined beneath the hood of his robes.
"I wasn't trying to ask for that at all." Yosa'Min defended herself, a hand going to her chest as if offended. "Truly I'm a fan, but I was just wondering when this piece of academic genius will come out. I understand perfectly fine why no one can see your work, after all, you're such a brilliant scholar I'm sure plenty of the lesser mages and researchers are trying to steal whatever you have from you and claim it as their own."
He snorted. "They certainly have tried before in the past. Look, it will be finished in just a few weeks if people like you would leave me alone." Calcelmo said shortly, obviously dismissing the redguard and her nord companions, turning back to the potion he had been working on.
Yosa'Min stared at the man's back for a moment before turning on her heels with a, "Of course." Thrown over her shoulder, the two nords following back into the tunnel they'd used to get to the scholar. Once there, stones tumbling all around them as if they'd had to have been placed there recently, they stopped. "So I guess I'm breaking into the museum." Said Yosa'Min.
"What?" Sputtered Mjoll. "I mean, I-" She stopped mid-sentence, spotting the slight frowns on her companions' faces. "I know, I know. Just a little more thieving to get out entirely." Her tone was deflated, golden eyes notably saddened.
The Dragonborn took Mjoll's hands in her own and kissed her gently on the lips. "Just a little more thieving. Besides, maybe it will get the bug out of my system?"
"Like weening off skooma?" Offered Lydia.
"Like weening off skooma." Agreed Yosa'Min, nodding her head with enthusiasm. "Thieving does things to you Mjoll, it really is like a drug." The redguard said to the woman she loved, trying to explain it so she wouldn't be upset in the already bothered state she was in. "Once you start, it's weird and scary, every single shadow could hold someone trying to get back what belongs to them, the guard are terrifying because with them comes the bars and shackles if you're lucky. But it's exciting, energy of a new kind runs in your body, it makes you feel both vulnerable and powerful all at the same time."
Mjoll looked at her, their eyes baring into one another. It felt weird to explain why she was still a thief despite the countless chests full of valuable treasures in Breezehome from her countless adventures. "It gets addicting." She confessed. "Every new thing you steal becomes extra valuable, if you're caught with it on your person you could be severely fined or even in some places executed. It's exciting, that unknowing of it someone will see you? If you'll get away? If you'll get to a fence in time before the guard catch you?" Wistfulness slipped into her voice for a moment.
"To just stop, entirely, it's almost impossible. It's a drug of its own design, I can't just stop stealing, no matter how much I'd love to some days." Yosa'Min continued, giving Mjoll's hands a squeeze. "But for the right reasons, I can work my way to it, slowly stop stealing, slowly stop breaking the law. I wish it were just this easy bit, but honestly it isn't. But I'll get clean one day, for you and Lydia both I'll get clean."
The Lioness looked at her for a long moment, debating her words, trying to understand. "Alright." She said with a sigh. "I just hope those locks don't prove too be that much trouble for you."
Suddenly Lydia was coughing, holding up a hand and producing a key from a pocket. "Actually, I think this will help." She said with a slight blush.
Yosa'Min's blue eyes widened as she took it, fingers running along the grooves of the metal key. "Where did you get this?" She asked, looking up at Lydia who was blushing ever so slightly.
"Off a table, while you were talking with Calcelmo and it looked like he wouldn't help us out. It was just out in the open and..." Lydia said, trailing off. Suddenly she shook herself, firm in her expression. "I did it for you two, now let's go before he notices okay?" The brunet nord waved them towards the open area once more, stairs before them leading to the museum.
"Your first theft!" Laughed Yosa'Min in a hushed tone, unable to fully believe that her friend who had so often been a force for obeying the law had actually broken one. "Oh I'm so proud..." Teased the redguard, shaking her head with a foolish expression towards the reddening nord. Lydia swatted Yosa'Min's shoulder, and they started to cross over to the steps.
At the base though, they each stopped. "Mjoll, can you and Lydia distract that guard for me to slip by?" Yosa'Min asked in a whisper. They both nodded. "Good, after I get past him go ahead and go outside. I think some fresh air will do you some good, and we don't want Calcelmo to see our little fledgling thief now do we?" She suggested, indicating a still red Lydia.
"Sure." Replied Mjoll perhaps a tad too quickly if she was to not appear ill-at-ease in the ruins. "We could go and get us a room in the inn too."
"Alright." Agreed Lydia, and the trio started up the steps to where the guard stood.
"Halt, no one is allowed to enter unless you have permission from Calcelmo, and he didn't tell me anyone was coming." The guard said with a raised hand.
Lydia and Mjoll shared glances, Yosa'Min behind them enough to where she was blocked from his vision. "Well you see, we were a little bit on the lost side." Said Mjoll, forcing a blush to her face best she could. "My friend and I here had a bit too much to drink back in the inn, and somehow we ended up here."
Lydia grinned like a fool at him. "Yah, so if you'z gots sometin', somewhere, we could stay, I'z be appreciatin'." The brunet nord slurred expertly despite not having a single drop of alcohol in her system.
"See can't hold it down like I can." Laughed Mjoll.
The guard stared at them through his helmet, and then cleared his throat to address the pair, Yosa'Min creeping past him and easily fitting the key in the grand door into the museum. The pair kept the guard talking for a minute or two more before they were sent away, the guard unaware of the thief that had slipped past him, or the one that followed only a minute or two later with drawn daggers of black metal that glinted on hips.
The redguard, just as unaware of being followed either.
AN: So I was an idiot and accidentally saved over this when it was at about 2K with only 700ish words. Yeah, *facepalm* sorry about that and the delay. Anyways, we've got Vex back again for real! Don't forget to review, because I'd love to hear what you all think is going to happen and about what has happened here in this chapter, thanks for reading!