((20th of Last Seed/August, 4E 202))

"Here we are. Up and at 'em." The heavy Nordic voice of the carriage driver stirred me from my dream of a ten-foot sweetroll. "Whiterun." I blinked my eyes open, bleary-eyed as I looked around and tried to get my bearings.

"Wha- oh, right. Whiterun." Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I climbed out of the cart and stared up the gates of Whiterun, the barely visible eagle figure of the Skyforge forcing a sharp pang of guilt through my chest. Jorrvaskr waited within the walls, and just as I'd pondered beforehand, running into one of the Companions would turn out poorly. If Farkas saw me, let alone the guards...

Shaking my head, I banished my forebear from my mind. Still somewhat drowsy, I glared at the rising sun. I'd arrived at the stables early morning, meaning that my target would most likely be awake and running his shop. People were going to be out and about, making going about unseen much more complicated than last week's visit. Even so, I couldn't wait until sundown. I only had until tomorrow night to complete the contract and return to the Guild. My nose wrinkled up at the time limit imposed by none other than Mercer himself. I was given three days for my current job. At this point, if it wasn't for his threat toward Brynjolf, I just might have hightailed it out of the Ragged Flagon for good. I might not have been a good Companion, but I had just barely enough shame and honor not to screw over someone who'd stuck his neck out for me.

He wanted to protect the Guild, help it reach its former splendor. Did I have whatever fire he claimed would bring back the glory? I suppose I'd have to find out. For now, I needed to focus on making it into Whiterun unseen.

After a moment of contemplation, I headed toward the Plains District's outer wall. I figured the guards still hadn't fixed the loose bricks on the sewer grate. My mouth quirked up in a smile as I recalled just why those bricks were loose.

Approximately one year ago, a too-curious giant had decided to check out the nearby farms, and Jarl Balgruuf had contracted the Circle to dispose of it. Aela had gotten a broken arm, Vilkas a sprained shoulder, and I'd gotten a good scar across my torso when the giant had caved in my armor. The steel had scraped hard across my skin. Farkas had dealt the final blow, smashing its left leg with a warhammer and crushing its skull immediately afterward. The giant had fallen into Whiterun's southeastern wall next to the sewer drain and displaced several bricks. They'd been returned to the wall, but the guards had neglected to use any sealant. Thus, they were loose and a danger to Whiterun's security.

For now, they were going to be my ticket into the Guild.

I picked away loose bricks from over the drain, and although the hole made was small, I was able to squeeze myself in without much difficulty but a light scrape on my back. Just up ahead was the marketplace, and I could see a bit of activity through the greenery. A chilly breeze kicked up orange leaves, swirling them around the stone streets. Two children- Lars and Mila- ran through a crowd of adults while giggling happily. A bout of laughter came from the Bannered Mare when Belethor's assistant Sigurd opened the door, releasing the scent of freshly cooked stew. Wishing I'd had the foresight to pack a snack, I suppressed the growl coming from my stomach. I disregarded the painful nostalgia and homesickness to refocus on my mission.

Bent to the ground, I approached the back door of Belethor's shop, pulling my lockpicks from my right thigh pocket. I never had to pick the lock; the pins were already set. Smiling at my luck, I returned the picks to my pocket and carefully opened the door. I doubted Belethor would be in his storage room, but it never hurt to be cautious. The door hinges creaked slightly, freezing my limbs for a moment. Once I'd confirmed that the shop owner hadn't heard, I closed the door with extra care and took a moment to survey my surroundings. Sniffling at the front confirmed Belethor's position at the counter while the ladder upstairs wasn't too far from my current position. I'd been told the ledger was upstairs, an easy mark so long as I stayed quiet. On my way, I realized how much of a shame it would be to leave those gold necklaces just laying about so carelessly.

I ensured my footfalls were slow and steady on the ladder rungs, so it would be too low for Belethor to catch even if they creaked. Within a minute, I'd made it to the second floor without incident. Now, where's that... there it is. I crept over to the closed journal, flipping the pages open to the most recent entry. I took the parchment given by Delvin from my front pocket, inspecting the information to be transcribed. I took the quill from its place in the inkwell and tapped it a few times against the side. Copying Belethor's handwriting was easy; I'd always had some skill in the arts which showed in my writing.

Double-checking my work, I returned the quill to the inkwell and blew on the still-wet ink for a few seconds to ensure it dried. With that, I closed the book. I'd have made for the exit, but the cupboard near the ledger was screaming at me to open it. I didn't feel much shame in pocketing the amethyst and pouch of coins. I was pleased with the completed job and began my hasty escape from the shop.

"Everything's for sale, my friend! Everything!" The merchant's booming voice startled me toward the bottom of the ladder, causing me to miss the last rung. My rump on the ground, I winced at both my aching tailbone and the noise I'd made. Please tell me he's too busy dealing with a client. My heart sank at the ensuing conversation from the front.

"What was that? Do you not run a respectable business?" I curled my lip at Nazeem's voice.

"Of course I run a respectable business!" Belethor responded haughtily, and I imagined him pacing about. "Some crates must have tipped, that's all."

"From a rat, no doubt. That would never have happened at my farm," Nazeem sneered. "We don't have vermin in the stock." They'd heard the din from the back, meaning escaping out the door was temporarily off the table. If Belethor didn't find a reason for the noise, he'd likely grow suspicious. That could lead to him catching either me or the false transaction in his ledger- or both.

"Stay here, Nazeem. I'll prove it to you," Belethor grumbled. I silently tipped a barrel of leathers to the ground and hid inside an empty one with swift movements. As I placed the lid over myself, I prayed to Talos that it would work and held my breath as they approached. My heart pounded in my chest. "What did I tell you? A barrel fell over." The sound of shuffling next to me denoted Belethor picking the leathers back up, and I stifled a squeak of alarm when he bumped the barrel I'd buried myself in. "My assistant must not have put it back correctly." Nazeem gave a derisive snort.

"I still think it was vermin." When their business at last resumed, I slipped out the back with a mental cry of relief.

...

((21st of Last Seed/August, 4E 202))

"Well, didn't you just make it back in the nick of time? Nice going out there," Delvin complimented, behaving in a much lighter manner than anyone but Brynjolf had displayed so far. "Sorry 'bout this, but Mercer told me not to hand over your share until you've gotten us a couple thousand."

"Yeah. So I've heard," I grumbled, slumping into the chair as the Breton popped the cork off a bottle of mead. I could hear the amused smile in his voice when I slammed my head against the table.

"Heard Mercer's chargin' you for goin' after some of the Guild."

"Not my fault," I mumbled, voice slightly muffled in my hair. "They started it." Even I noticed how childish my excuse sounded, but Delvin didn't mention it. Lifting my head back up, I pulled the strands of hair from my mouth and pursed my lips. "Question. Brynjolf told me this sort of thing happens pretty frequently with the newer members."

"With Vex, it does."

I crumpled up my nose. "Then why'd everyone get their panties in a twist over it?" Delvin tossed his head back and laughed before downing another mouthful of mead. After a satisfied exhale, he wiped at his mouth with his sleeve and replied to me with an amused tone.

"Oh, you're a bit funny, ain't you? Yeah, most potential recruits don't give Vex a good beatin'. In fact, neither do us more experienced members."

I frowned. "That's what Brynjolf said."

"Well, Bryn was right." He drank again. "What was your name, again?"

"Russet."

Delvin's left brow went up for a moment. "Ou' of curiosity, do you know why Brynjolf wanted you down 'ere? 'E usually tells us, but this time all we got outta him was that you're 'different,' whatever that means."

"I think your fire could help us get back on our feet, lass."

"Um... not really."

The balding Breton leaned back in his chair and shrugged. "Figures." I had no idea what he meant by that, but at that point, I was way too tired to ask.

I let out a loud breath and stretched over the chair, cracking my back. "Ugh... where's the fence again, Delvin?"

He pointed to the half-dock. "You'll be wantin' to talk to Tonilia. She'll buy the goods you got... less than legally. She's the Redguard next to the Altmer." I didn't recall a High Elf being in the Flagon the last time I'd been in, and adrenaline instantly started rushing through my veins.

"Who's the Elf?" I hissed, now alert. "A Thalmor?"

Delvin shook his head. "Not every High Elf is a Thalmor, you know." I refused to apologize. "Nah, she says she can change a face. I wouldn't bother with 'er, that kind of magic's got to 'ave some kind of bad mojo."

I took a few deep breaths, allowing the sleepiness back into my head. "Thanks, Delvin."

"Sleep well." His snicker, while not malicious, still made fun of me a bit. I didn't bother with a response, only wanting to sell my stolen goods and tuck myself into a bed.

"Tonilia?" I said, waiting for her to notice me. The Redguard didn't look up from the book she was reading, and I cleared my throat to get her attention.

"Yeah, I heard you." In a rather annoyed fashion, Tonilia set her novel down beside her. "What do you want?" Her tone tempted me to squeeze a little respect out of her with my bare hands, and with my lack of sleep, I only barely managed to keep my temper in check.

"I have some goods for you." Tonilia opened her mouth to speak, but I cut in first. "I know, I don't get my proceeds because I'm working off my debt." I muttered a curse under my breath. "Dammit."

Tonilia was visibly displeased at my attitude but let it go. "At least you know how it works." She held out her hand. "What have you got?" I pulled out the jewelry and gems I'd acquired from Belethor's shop but refrained from giving up the gold I'd found. If I wanted to finish work in time, I'd need coin for the carriage rides at least. Fighting the urge to tap my foot impatiently, I waited for Tonilia to tell me their worth. "It's a nice haul. With the initial Guild cut, your profit would have been about two hundred septims. However, with your Guild debt, you'll get nothing."

"Yes, so I gathered." My lids were heavy with exhaustion. "So, how much left do I owe?"

"Well, how many jobs have you done?"

"Two," I answered grudgingly, patience waning. I had to get this over and done with before I lost it. "Why?"

It seemed to me that Tonilia was hiding a grin. "As a new recruit, you make fifty septims per job. The Guild's cut doesn't count toward your debt, so those amount to one hundred. Your debt was two thousand septims, one for each assault. The jobs' hundred added to the fenced two... You've still got seventeen hundred septims left to go, newbie." Curling my lip, I whirled away from Tonilia and had to physically bite my finger to prevent myself from screaming. A growl rose in my throat, and I felt the familiar pain accompanying a forced lycan shift.

Get! Down! You! Bastard! I tasted blood as I bit even harder, managing to remain human through the anger. I should have waited before asking about the goddamn debt, I thought to myself, trying to steady my breathing. Should have held off until I wasn't exhausted and half in control. With a shaky sigh, I stood up straight and flipped my red hair up to take out the leather strap keeping it in a ponytail. "Thanks, Tonilia," I forced out with clenched teeth, storming off the dock with a vengeance, intent on getting to a bed before I exploded.

I never made it to the cistern. Vex blocked my way, a wicked smirk on her face. "Heard you've got a ways to go. Feel like a job, rookie?"