It was the middle of the night and Brie was up to no good. After Lex had left in a hurry she'd taken her armor off and soaked in a long hot bath. Her body was on fire and she had wanted nothing more than to let Lex take her right there against the door but she knew he had a meeting to attend and she needed to keep her head clear.
After securing a new confidant the week before, Brie had finally started to gain some information. Currently, she was on her way to interrupt a heist in the Elven Gardens District. She had been told by her informant that the series of small break-ins were just a distraction to what was really going on, and Brie wanted to see for herself who was behind all the petty attacks on the noble men and women of the Imperial City. Even if it got her nowhere, Brie wanted to confirm her suspicions about the woman that had fought her all those months ago. She thankfully hadn't had another run-in with the violent woman but something told Brie the more she kept digging it would only be a matter of time.
Brie hugged against a tall stone wall and shuffled forward. She peeked around the corner and when she was sure the coast was clear she jetted forward and within moments she reached the front door of one house in particular. It belonged Herminia Cinna who was a middle-aged Imperial sorceress. Brie knew very little about the woman but from what information she had gleaned from her informant she liked to collect Ayleid artifacts, which were of great interest to someone like Brie. But she knew she wasn't there for herself; she needed to get to the crown before anybody else did, and she tried to remember the task at hand as she listened intently for any hint of a guard.
As the door finally unlocked after picking it for several moments, Brie glanced around, her eyes peeking out from beneath a dark black cloak and then she rushed into the home. Her breath was bated as she glanced around and was relieved to see that she was the first to arrive. Brie wasted no time and she quickly made her way towards where she had been informed there was a locked study which contained most of Herminia's prized possessions. She spent a few minutes picking the difficult lock but her skills paid off as she heard it click and pushed open the door.
However, before Brie could even begin to take a look inside something hard smashed into her back, knocking the wind right out of her. Brie gasped in surprise and stumbled forward. She whipped around just in time to see the same women who had attacked her before. Despite the fact she also wore a dark cloak with the hood pulled up it was obvious that it was the member of the Thieves Guild that had been causing so many problems.
"You again," Brie hissed, and she reached into her pocket for a dagger. "What the fuck is your problem?"
"You are my problem," the woman sneered angrily.
There was movement from the second floor and both women froze. They heard the creaking of footsteps across the floorboards and Brie panicked as she realized they'd woken someone up. She glanced around the study, searching desperately for the crown but it was locked within a glass cabinet. She cursed under her breath as the other Thief rushed forward and began feverishly picking the lock. There would be no time to both fight her and get the crown and so Brie abandoned her task and took off from the home. She wanted to question the woman further but it would have to wait another day and so she fled from the Elven District and streaked back to her apartment; feeling grateful she had made it back in one piece this time. She collapsed onto her bed and did not stir until late the next morning.
When Brie entered the south watchtower she was not surprised to find Lex sitting in their usual spot. She jogged forward with an apologetic smile on her lips and plopped down on the chair across from him. His frown didn't go unnoticed but she tried to play it off.
"Sorry, I'm late. I overslept."
"Up late last night, were we?" Lex replied quietly, and he watched as Brie nervously rubbed her neck.
"Uh, I guess so…"
"The usual?" Lex continued briskly as he stood up.
"Please," Brie whispered, and her heart dropped a little as she watched Lex walk away.
Perhaps I should have been honest with him, she chastised herself. It's not like I could have kept it a secret from him anyways. He's always going to find out what's happened one way or another…
Brie nervously chewed on her fingernails while she waited for Lex to return. When he did, he held a tray with two bowls of porridge topped with fresh blueberries and brown sugar. He silently placed one bowl in front of Brie who thanked him and took a small bite before letting out a small sigh.
"Listen, Lex-"
"There was a break in last night," Lex cut in, and he wiped at his mouth with a cloth napkin. "Do you know anything about it?"
"Perhaps," Brie stammered, and she chewed on her bottom lip for a moment while Lex silently regarded her.
Lex glanced around the room but it was empty since most people had finished eating and gone off on their own patrols. He had waited patiently for Brie, as he knew she had something to do with the break-in. She stiffened when he suddenly leaned closer and her eyes widened with a hint of fear in them as she clenched her spoon.
"Did you take anything?"
Brie quickly shook her head. Lex let out a sigh of relief and leaned back in his chair.
"Brie, you should have told me."
"I know," Brie whispered, and she stared down at her breakfast with a sullen expression. "I thought I could be really sneaky. But I should have known better."
"Did you run into that woman again?"
"Yes."
"Brie," Lex hissed, and he pinched the bridge of his nose for a moment with a small noise of frustration. "I told you it was too dangerous to keep snooping around."
"It was fine, honest… I took protection with me this time and she didn't try to fight me."
"You don't understand. I haven't quite figured it out yet but that thief is up to no good, Brie. If anything were to happen to you-"
Lex abruptly stopped talking as his throat constricted tightly. Brie blinked, feeling a bit taken aback by Lex's emotional response. She hadn't been expecting it, and guilt washed over her as she realized how foolish she had been. She hadn't taken Lex's feelings into account when it came to her safety. Of course, he would be worried. She didn't like the pained look in his eyes and she couldn't bring herself to meet his gaze.
"I could never forgive myself, Brie. That woman is more than just a thief. She's dangerous, and I don't want you getting caught up in this mess."
"I understand," Brie replied quietly, and she rubbed her thighs with furrowed brows as she sucked in a deep breath. "I um, I won't do it again."
"I mean it, Brie. Promise me you won't do anything without my explicit permission."
"I promise," Brie replied, and her gaze flicked up to his face for a moment. "I promise, Lex."
There was a moment of slightly awkward silence. Lex let out a deep breath and picked up his spoon. He started to eat, and Brie tried to eat as well but she felt too terrible to stomach the porridge. So, she mostly poked the blueberries around in her bowl and took a few gulps of water. When Lex was finished eating he gazed across the table, noticing that Brie had barely eaten. A part of him felt bad but when he had been informed of the break-in he'd been terribly worried about her.
"You should eat, Brie."
Brie shrugged and placed her spoon down.
"I'm fine, are you ready?"
Lex nodded, and he watched Brie gather their bowls back onto the tray and walk towards the kitchen. A few moments later she returned and she still couldn't look him in the eyes as she silently followed her Captain out into the bright morning light. They silently walked towards the Arboretum and began their patrol with somber expressions.
But like the day before, as they reached the same white stone statue Lex suddenly snatched Brie's hand and whisked her behind it out of sight. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pressed a firm yet soft kiss on her lips. Brie's hands rested on his metal chest plate and she stared up at him with furrowed brows.
"I don't like you looking so sad," he mumbled as he nuzzled her cheek. "I'm sorry I was cross with you."
"You don't have to apologize, I was being stupid," Brie argued, and she trailed her hand up to grasp the back of his neck. "I probably would have been in more trouble if someone upstairs hadn't woken up."
Brie tipped Lex's chin back towards her and they eagerly embraced for several moments. When they reluctantly pulled away there was a hint of a smile on Brie's lips as she cupped Lex's face for a moment.
"Thank you for worrying. I'm not used to it."
Lex leaned in and kissed Brie's forehead. When he pulled back he was also smiling, and then he strode away. A few moments later Brie re-appeared as well after making sure she'd ensured the coast was clear. They continued their patrol of the Arboretum in better spirits, their fingers brushing up against one another every so often while they strolled around.
Brie was still in a good mood as she made her way back home later that evening. She had stolen a kiss from Lex before they parted ways and he had once again looked at her with an expression that made her ache. She wasn't sure how much longer she'd last keeping their relationship a secret. She so desperately wanted to shout it from the mountaintops but she knew it would only upset Lex. So, Brie silently suffered every moment that they worked together and she couldn't even hold his hand.
Her thoughts still lingered on last night's break-in as Brie unlocked her door and strode inside. She kicked off her boots and started stripping off her armor. She dumped each item onto the kitchen table until she was left wearing only her underclothes and then wandered upstairs to grab a fresh towel so she could bathe. She was distracted as she entered into her bedroom and went straight for the wardrobe standing to her left. Brie rifled through it for a few moments; her room was much cleaner now that Lex was always around but her clothes had been dumped inside her wardrobe and dresser without much care. She found a clean towel and pulled it out before shutting the light wooden door. Then she turned around and started to walk back towards the door when something caught her attention out of the corner of her eye. She paused and stared with her mouth hanging wide open at the scene before her.
Every single item that had been crammed onto the many bookshelves in her room had been smashed to smithereens. Books had been shredded to bits and broken glass and pottery lay strewn across the floor. Tears welled up in her eyes and she covered her mouth with her hands as she surveyed the destruction with her heart pounding in her chest. Brie's thoughts whirled, and she was utterly confused. She always made sure to double back before she went home and took extra precautions to make sure nobody followed her. The woman who had confronted her must have had a partner, and they had followed her home. Any other explanation didn't make sense as Brie struggled to wrap her mind around it.
How… I don't… my door was locked…
Brie stumbled away from her room and went back downstairs. She drew up water for a bath and set it above the hearth with numb fingers. She hastily lit a fire and when it was going she plopped down in her chair and stared out at nothing as she mulled over what had happened. It didn't make sense. Why would someone break in and just destroy her things? Brie didn't understand, and she tried to stop figuring it out as the water finally boiled and she drew herself a bath. She soaked in the tub for a long time, wishing with a sullen sigh that she had taken Lex's warning more seriously. She nervously chewed on her fingernails as she stared down at the swirling water.
What if they come back? Do I need to move? I'm terribly fond of this place… Gods, how am I going to tell Lex?
Despite knowing Brie needed to tell him the truth, she wasn't so sure she could bring herself to do so. She let out a frustrated sigh and dunked her head under the water. There was no point in dwelling on things too hard. So, Brie quickly finished washing up, got dressed into a clean tunic and loose cotton pants and then swiftly made her way upstairs armed with a broom to clean up the mess. She worked for several hours, being careful not to miss a single shard of glass and when it was all cleaned up and disposed of Brie stared at her empty shelves with a strange feeling in her chest. A part of her felt liberated. Almost every knick-knack, object, and book had been stolen. Very little had been purchased with honest money. A part of her felt liberated as she crawled into bed and laid down. Despite having been freaked out by the initial destruction, somehow sleep came quickly for Brie.