((1st of Frostfall/October, 4E 202))

Bryn stared me down, touching his lips and staring at his fingers. "That, lass, was a dirty trick."

"Maybe," I agreed, "or maybe I'm just getting better at playing." I put both coinpurses away. The electricity in the air remained, and I found myself wanting to return my lips to his. It had been hard enough to separate as it was. There was something in his kiss, something I found enthralling.

"Fair enough, lass." His even tone brought me back to reality, and I had to mentally slap myself to quit the dirty thoughts. "Let's talk about your job, then."

"All right."

Brynjolf eyed me for a moment before speaking. "Gajul-Lei is actually a pseudonym, lass. His real name is Gulum-Ei." Despite the tension, Brynjolf had accepted that I'd won the round and started preparing me for the job. He scratched at his short beard thoughtfully. "But why's he in with this? That Argonian couldn't find his tail with both hands."

I pushed my tongue into my cheek. "If he can't think for himself, then someone's pulling at his strings like he's some sort of puppet."

"Aye, that's what I was thinking." I stared at him sideways, but his focus was on the paper I'd handed him. He was rereading it for what was probably the fourth time. "He'll probably give you loads of trouble. He's one of the most stubborn lizards I've ever met; you've got your work cut out for you."

I pressed my fingers to my temples, trying to ignore my flushed cheeks. "So... I've got two jobs in Solitude, one of which is going to be extra difficult. Sounds fun."

"Two jobs?"

"Mmhmm. Del's sending me to talk to Thane Erikur in the Blue Palace. Something about reconnecting with our old allies." Brynjolf's brow went up at my use of Delvin's nickname, but if he found it odd, he didn't make any mention of it.

"Well, he's not wrong. It would be good to regain our footing in the different holds, and thanks to you, Solitude is pretty much in our grasp. Erikur's support would make sure we don't lose it." He frowned. "The trouble with Erikur is that he's difficult to deal with. He's got arrogance, but he's also got the wealth and status to back it up."

Frustration was starting to give me a headache. "Great."

"Don't worry, lass. I'm sure you can take care of these." He placed a hand on my shoulder, and though it was in a companionable sort, I didn't miss the way my heart jumped at his touch. "Back to Gulum-Ei. You're going to have to buy him off; it's the only way to get his attention. If that fails, follow him and see what he's up to." Bryn's voice hardened. "If I know Gulum-Ei, he's in way over his head and you'll be able to use it as leverage."

"You think he's being controlled by the Goldenglow buyer and Honningbrew funder?"

"I think it's a very real possibility," replied the tall Nord, finally meeting my eyes. A quiet moment passed between us, one with an air I couldn't quite discern.

I broke the silence. "He's going to owe us for this betrayal."

Brynjolf seemed happy with my deduction. "Aye, he will indeed," he agreed, folding the paper back up and tucking it into his back pocket. "And with his fingers in the East Empire Company's pie, we'll make good use of that debt." He leaned in again, and I wondered if it was my imagination that his eyes flicked to my lips for the smallest moment. "If I'm not being clear enough, that means we don't want him killed. For now, just keep on his tail and he's bound to step into something he can't scrape off his boot." He straightened up again, brushing the dust off his cuirass before slipping it back on.

"If I get information from Gulum-Ei, what then?"

"Just head right back to the Guild and get the information to Mercer. Nothing else is more important. If you discover Gulum-Ei's holding out on us and has more loot stashed away than he claims, we'd find that information quite valuable as well." His comment was very pointed. Don't keep the loot for yourself, his enigmatic emerald gaze said. I only relaxed when he gave me a smile, however strange it was. "Gulum-Ei is a fence, and he operates primarily out of the Winking Skeever. You can find Gulum-Ei there much of the time. If not, Sorex Vinius should be able to point you in the right direction."

"Sorex Vinius is the... bartender, correct?"

"Aye."

I hesitantly placed a hand on his and asked a genuine question. "Why did you stop using him as a contact?" Bryn turned away and took a few steps, visibly deep in thought.

"He left us, not the other way around. But like I said he's in a pretty cushy position in the Solitude East Empire Company right now." I tapped my chin thoughtfully while Brynjolf continued. "We can't afford for Gulum-Ei to die. Keep him alive, lass, and..." Bryn hesitated, and he opened and closed his mouth several times as though he couldn't figure out what to say. "Be careful." He motioned for me to head out. "Go on. I'll see you when you get back."

...

My chest was warm, regardless of the icy nip in the autumn air. As I walked through the cistern, I felt like every eye was on me. In reality, everyone was minding their own business, but I couldn't help myself. I began to wonder what in Oblivion I'd done, half-regretting my actions. It had been a snap decision, and though it had worked in that I got both my gold back and his coin along with it, it had opened up a pile of questions in my mind I'd been ignoring for some time.

Well, mostly.

The ladder out of the cistern was cold and slippery, and I had to rub my fingers together once I made it out. A frozen puddle caught my eye as I closed the secret passageway. My reflection was dull, but I could see certain things well enough. My hide shield hardly looked fit for kindling, and my sword didn't look like it could cut through butter. The only thing that looked battle-ready was the armor from Tonilia.

I dropped the sword off at the blacksmith's to be sharpened, then inspected his wares for a new shield. The only thing that would prove a suitable replacement was an elven shield, and I refused to take anything worn by those wicked bastards. It's not like I'll be in battle too much anyhow. All I'm doing is going to speak to Gulum-Ei and Erikur, I suppose. I passed up on Grelka's offer, retrieving my blade from Balimund before catching the next carriage to Solitude. Without a shield on my arm while carrying my sword, I felt oddly open, unprotected.

"It's more than chilly out, and it'll be a long ride to Solitude. Take the blanket from the seat if you need it." I was startled by the carriage driver.

"R-right. Thanks." As he'd said, it'd be a long ride, and who knew when I'd next get the chance to rest my eyes? The carriage was bumpy, but I'd found worse places to sleep in the past. As I settled down, I stared up at the sky. I sent a silent prayer to Talos, begging him to keep dreams about the Companions from my head.

As I drifted off to sleep, the last few words from Brynjolf echoed inside my mind.

"Be careful. I'll see you when you get back."

...

((3rd of Frostfall/October, 4E 202))

The Winking Skeever was right across from Radiant Raiment and one of the first establishments to be encountered in Solitude. I shivered as I remembered one of my most recent visits to Solitude, earning me a nice view of a beheading. Shrugging off the memory, I entered and looked up at the Blue Palace in my decision-making. I figured I'd take care of Erikur's job first, it likely being easier than whatever I'd have to deal with in dealing with Gulum-Ei.

I passed a man in full steel armor and a half-shaved haircut in a puffed-up position, and I hid a scowl. I had no doubt he was some ridiculous do-gooder too obsessed with his position as some sort of holy knight and gave him a wide berth.

The Blue Palace was a pretty sight, the top shimmering like sapphires. In the courtyard was a stream of construction workers coming in and out of the ballroom built into the side wall. I assumed they were preparing for some sort of party, but I had more important things than to worry about some noble uppity ball.

I wasn't used to the grandeur inside the Blue Palace, with even the maids dressed in fine fabrics- though not as much as the other men and women strutting about like peacocks showing off their feathers. Thane Erikur. I knew what he looked like, though I hadn't had the displeasure of working with him before. He was generally known to be difficult to deal with, even Brynjolf admitting his old ally was frustrating.

"Excuse me." I stepped up to Erikur, not caring about the difference between our states of dress. The Thane eyed me up and down distastefully, clearly wondering why someone as mundane as I was approaching someone as utterly divine as him. Note the sarcasm. "Delvin Mallory said you have work for me."

He gave an annoyed harrumph and crossed his arms. "It's about time you got here," he sneered with his nose in the air. I instantly lost what little respect I had for him and wondered what the late High King was thinking when he appointed this idiot Thane. "I'm not accustomed to dealing with people who are unreliable. That's why I asked Delvin to send me his best."

I took a moment to be proud of myself for being the one Delvin had asked to take care of the job. "That's why he sent me."

Erikur lifted a brow. "Hmph. That remains to be seen."

"Let's just get to work." I cracked my knuckles, prepared for whatever assignment he decided to give.

"That's more like it. You see, thief, nothing raises my ire more than having an agreement broken. It's bad for business and wastes time." His face twisted into an expression of hate. "Captain Volf of the Dainty Sload has decided to test my patience on this matter by neglecting to honor a trade agreement we had established."

"I assume this is where I enter the picture."

Erikur nodded. "I need you to help me show him the error of his ways by sneaking onboard the Sload and planting some contraband." It didn't surprise me that a suave businessman relied on underhanded techniques to get him where he was.

"What sort of contraband?"

"You'll need to get your hands on some Balmora Blue from Sabine Nytte down by the docks. She's the first mate on another ship, the Red Wave. Once you get your hands on it, I want you to plant it in Captain Volf's footlocker. I'll take care of the rest."

I gave a sharp nod. "Consider it done."

"Captain Volf is ashore right now and I want the authorities waiting for him by the time he gets back." He turned his nose up at me again and faced Jarl Elisif. "Now get going. I don't want to see your face until the job's done. I must return to the court. After all, they simply can't make do without me."

...

"Hello there, lass... mind... mind helping me o-" The dirty-looking Redguard pirate that had addressed me whirled around and vomited over the side of the docks.

"What in Nirn?" I muttered to myself, passing him quickly to avoid getting some sort of disease just by being near him. "Yuck."

Below was the Red Wave, tipping gently in the slow wind. I strode up to the shifty-looking Breton hovering around the ship at the docks, indubitably Sabine Nyette. If I wasn't a Nord myself, I might have mistaken her for one. Heavily armored with a shaved head, she looked almost intimidating. When I approached, she looked me up and down, likely sizing up how big of a threat I could be.

"Whatever you're about to say, don't bother," she growled. "I don't want to hear it."

I rested my weight on my left leg and placed my hand on my hip. "Is that so? Because I'm looking for some Balmora Blue and heard you're the only one who can get me some."

Instantly a bit friendlier, Sabine gave a wry smile. I noticed her eyes wandering off the docks. "Well, then, you're talking to the right person. I'm the only one left in Tamriel that can get my hands on it. It's damn near impossible to find anymore. You want to buy it off me?"

Sighing inwardly, I hoped that the price would be less than the reward I'd get for the job. "How much?"

"Fifteen hundred septims."

"Fifteen hundred septims?!" I repeated, not having expected the contraband to be anywhere near that price.

Sabine shrugged, uncaring about my surprised attitude. "Sorry, guess it's too rich for your blood. Come back when you find the coin."

My problem here was that I'd made enough coin to buy it off her. The issue was that the price was utterly absurd. "Any other way to earn it?" I queried hopefully.

The Breton shook her head. "I'm afraid not. How else can a poor, overworked sailor like myself expect to earn a living?"

I scrunched up my nose in irritation. "That price is outrageous!"

Sabine matched my attitude and spoke with a warning edge. "I'm sorry you feel my illegal contraband is overpriced. Perhaps you should bring it up at the next merchant guild meeting." Her tone was pointed. "Look, you want it, I got it. You know the price, so talk to me when you want to cough up the gold. Thinking it over, I realized there was no way I was going to get by without spending my hard-earned gold. With a heavy groan, I pulled out the money.

"Fine. Whatever." And if I don't get at least twice this for the job, I'll shake Delvin- or maybe Mercer- down for the gold. Nearly whimpering at the heavy loss, I seethed inwardly as Sabine tossed me the key.

"Here. The Balmora Blue is locked in a chest under the docks over there." She pointed in the direction she'd been looking earlier, and I wished I'd taken that cue. "Hope you like getting wet." I disliked her wicked smirk only half as much as I hated losing my money.

"Whatever," I mumbled, heading for the end of the docks. Looking into the somewhat shallow waters didn't reveal anything, and I prayed that I wasn't being swindled further. Taking a deep breath, I jumped down into the blue sea, the salt stinging my eyes. Dammit! Forcing myself to ignore the burning, I tried looking around. It was likely sheer luck that I saw the chest near the dock post, being the first place my pained eyes had wandered.

Squeezing my eyes shut, I used my hands to figure out the chest's lock and insert the key. If I'd been able to use my sense of sight, it might have taken a bit less time, but I at last got the chest open and retrieved the blue bottles inside. Surfacing above the waters, I gasped for breath, again reflecting on the icy water and how I hated the sensation of the waterbreathing enchantment on my necklace. The Balmora Blue in my hands, I paddled my way to the shore, coughing a bit as I hoisted myself up. The wind chilled my wet skin, and I shook my soaked sleeves out.

"Well, fancy meeting you here." I glanced up to see an Imperial woman walking toward me, loose black hair whipping around in the wind. It took a moment to place the face, but I finally recognized her.

"Alessia?"

"The one and only." Her armor was different, black leather with ebony plating.

"Did you ever find that man you were looking for?" My eyes wandered to her side when a man came trotting up. I instantly backed away when I noticed a red wolf at his side, lips lifting in a snarl.

"Calm down, Karnwyr," Alessia soothed, getting down on her knees and rubbing his scruff. "He won't bite, not unless we tell him to." She smiled widely. "Why don't you give him a few scratches? He loves it."

The man snorted and crossed his arms. "I thought we had this conversation, princess. Karnwyr is not some puppy to be fawned over. He's a fierce killing machine." His warning went unheeded as I leaned in and patted the wolf's head. Just as Alessia had said, the wolf's tail wagged swiftly as he whined and nosed my hand.

I couldn't help a laugh as I straightened up. "He's a sweetheart."

"See? Told you."

"Yeah, and if I ordered it, he'd tear your friend apart." He looked me up and down, appearing mildly approving. "Though I wouldn't mind doing it myself."

Alessia smacked his chest with the back of her hand, a fierce glare in her odd violet eyes. "Shut up, Bishop."

"Easy, sweetheart. I was kidding." He smirked at me. "Mostly."

Alessia rolled her eyes and faced me again. I wondered if he knew how much his eyeing me up affected her- or even if she knew. There'd been hurt in her eyes as she'd watched him flirt. "But no, I never found him. I thought I had a lead, but it didn't go anywhere."

"She's more focused on pissing off the Da-"

"Bishop!" Alessia snapped, hitting the Nord's arm. "Shut it."

"Sorry, ladyship." He grinned toothily. It was obvious he wasn't apologetic in the slightest.

Alessia scrunched up her nose. "Bishop, why don't you go off and hunt something?" she growled, pushing him away lightly.

The ranger snickered to himself before shaking his head. "Hell, no. It was difficult enough tracking your ass all the way out here. I'm not letting you out of my sight." The Imperial woman groaned in reply, which I knew wasn't acceptance, but she didn't argue it further.

"Well, what are you doing?"

"Uh..." Just buying contraband to frame a semi-innocent man and get him locked up, how about you? "On a mercenary job," I said, still being truthful while evading the real question. I wiped at my still-wet face.

"What kind of mercenary job has someone diving into the Ghost Sea?" Bishop snorted, earning a glare from me.

"None of your damn business, how about that?" I snapped. My hostility gave Karnwyr a reason to raise his hackles and growl.

"Karnwyr, down," ordered Alessia, rubbing at his chin again. "Sorry."

"Don't apologize, ladyship," muttered Bishop. "Your friend here-"

"Russet. Her name is Russet," Alessia interrupted, staring her friend down. The ranger crossed his arms and rolled his eyes. "Anyway... well, Captain Crabass here and I need to get going, but it was nice running into you again."

"Yeah, you too." I didn't move as Alessia and Bishop passed me by. Karnwyr loped after them, tongue lolling about as his red fur shone in the evening light. A shiver down my back reminded me that I was soaked, and with a groan, I headed down to the beach to light a fire. Hopefully, my armor would be dry by midnight.

...

"Of course it's still got to be damp," I muttered to myself irritably, tying my red hair back into a ponytail. "But after spending that much money, I'm not going to let this job go." I could spy the lighthouse in the distance as I approached the massive ship, its sails tied up at the top as it rested on the shore. I could hear the sailors on board talking, one voice closer than the others standing out.

"Hmph, wizards... now that's power." He seemed to be lost in thought as I crept along the deck, silent as a mouse. "Bet they got that 'secret' magic... can turn wood to gold... yeah... wish I could turn wood to gold..." I scrunched up my nose, slightly disgusted with his implication. He was certainly not talking about a branch, that was for certain.

I successfully made it to the door leading to the lower decks of the Dainty Sload without detection. To my relief, the iron hinges made no noise as I pulled the door open, meaning they were well-oiled. The captain must have been proud of his ship to care for it so well. I almost wish I had a ship, I thought idly as I continued to weave around the corsairs on guard. A life out on the open sea... maybe I'll be rich enough one day to make that happen.

"...Mead, mead, mead... kill 'em to get some beer every now and then? ...Stupid bees and their stupid honey..." Startled, I almost jumped at the nearby voice, barely managing to keep my footing. The voice was coming from the other side of the wall, but I was thankfully able to balance myself quickly enough to avoid making noise. I stayed still for a small while just to make sure I hadn't alerted the man. He continued talking to himself, unaware of my presence. "Nords and their mead... bah."

The bottom level had water leaking through, and I wondered if that was standard for ships. Shrugging it off, I continued sneaking around, pocketing whatever I happened upon. I needed to make my money back, that was certain. I'd be pissed if this job ended up as a loss. The thought alone soured my mood, making me pay less attention to my surroundings. Nearly tripping on the steps up to the inside of the ship, I realized I'd made a bit too much noise.

"Hello?" The voice belonged to an Orc. "Who's there? Malacath save you, you'd better get back to your post or I'll-" Not another word came from his mouth, my sword through his neck the second he showed his face. Crimson blood stained his lips, choking gurgling the only noise he made as he slid off my blade.

I wiped my blade off on his clothing and stared at the body. I had no idea how to get rid of who was obviously the first mate, and my mind raced as I contemplated my various options. Dragging a dead body through the Dainty Sload wasn't one of them, so I could either try to shove the Orc through one of the windows... or perhaps frame one of the corsairs on board.

On the desk next to the chest I was undoubtedly to put the Balmora Blue into was a pad of paper. Altering my style of writing, I misspelled a few words and wrote in cursive just to ensure my safety.

Captian,

Maybe if we didn't get payed like dirt hed still be alive, try harder or well do it to you too

Placing the hastily scrawled note onto the first mate's corpse, I swiftly unlocked the chest and slipped the contraband inside. Now to get out and find Erikur to get my pay. Smirking to myself, I crept up the stairs and headed out the same way I'd gotten in, silent as a mouse and without detection.

...

((4th of Frostfall/October, 4E 202))

I'd gotten a night at the inn before returning to Erikur, needing the sleep to confront the arrogant man. Erikur was in his regular spot in the Blue Palace, sucking up to the nobles while sipping at a goblet of red wine. "The Imperials are good for business," he said loudly, "and business is good for Skyrim." His eyes narrowed when I approached, and his normally scratchy voice lowered when he spoke. "I expected you back yesterday," he growled. "Why did it take so long?"

"It was a delicate operation. If you wanted it to be taken care of properly, then it needed to be done with stealth. It got done, and in my opinion, I was quite punctual." My back was ramrod-straight as I spoke, refusing to allow Erikur to somehow intimidate me. "Besides that, Sabine charged me fifteen hundred septims. I expect that to be reimbursed."

"What? You filthy-"

"You wanted the job done. It got done. Fifteen hundred septims alongside the pay or I undo what I did." Erikur scowled furiously at me.

"You want the doors open in Solitude? Then you'll stop threatening me, or else-"

"The rest of Skyrim is open for business, Erikur. Don't forget that we'd be a benefit to your own operations." I could almost see the gears in his head turning. As much of an ass Erikur was, he wasn't an idiot, and his thirst for money was very real. I could tell he was considering how much the investment was worth.

Rolling his eyes, Erikur shoved his hand into his pocket and put a few pouches in my hand along with several golden necklaces. "Here," he grumbled. "These should more than cover your expenses."

I smiled dazzlingly. "Thank you, Thane Erikur." A bit of commotion drew our attention, and a man in rich sailor's clothing was being carried into the palace.

"As you can see, Captain Volf is already on his way to the prisons. Well, the holding cells at least, until he can get an audience with Queen Elisif. So with that, our contract is complete." His frown remained, but his voice became slightly less annoyed. "And convey my compliments to Delvin for me. Tell him I'll be happy to reopen whatever doors he needs in Solitude. Now, leave me be. I have to return to the court. After all, they simply can't make do without me."

"Whatever you say, Thane." I turned on my heel and headed toward the steps. "Good day."

I pushed open the Blue Palace doors and thought over my itinerary for the day, whining inwardly when I told myself I had no time for a break. I sighed aloud. To the inn to speak with Gulum-Ei... I suppose there really is no rest for the wicked.