"Listen to me, sweetheart. It's simple. You play by our rules, you'll walk away rich. You break the rules, you lose your share. Simple as that. You do what we say, when I say. Got it?"
Veria tolerated Mercer Frey's words through gritted teeth. There were few things she hated more than being berated by rules and demands like a child. It was only when she nodded in agreement that he finally gave her something interesting to do.
Her first task as a member of the Thieves Guild of Riften was to lift a precious crystal dagger from a convoy heading west towards Solitude. It seemed a little advanced for a first mark, and Brynjolf said as much. "Mercer, you don't mean that elf prince's dagger, do you? I mean, even Cynric-"
Mercer turned on him and said spitefully, "You said this new recruit of yours possesses an aptitude for our line of work. If so, let her prove it."
Brynjolf didn't protest further, and simply nodded in understanding. Mercer turned back to Veria. "Brynjolf will give you the details. I have work that needs tending to. Don't speak to me again until the job is finished."
He turned and went on his way. When he had gone, Brynjolf sighed.
"You shouldn't worry so much, Brynjolf. I can handle it." Her tone was resolute, and he nodded.
"What you're after," he began, "is a crystal dagger of impeccable craftsmanship. Completely useless as a weapon, of course, but it's been known to fetch high prices with collectors."
Veria adjusted her new set of leather armor. She was itching for a chance to break it in. "Where will I find it?"
"Well, we sent someone after it once before. It was being displayed in a noble's castle, and the security was just too tight. It's being moved, though. Tomorrow."
"Tomorrow? That's rather short notice."
"Have to learn to think on your feet in this line of work, lass." He crossed his arms and continued, "It's being moved to Solitude to be presented as a gift. The man who owns it seems to fancy one of the noble women there."
"That's quite a courting gift."
Brynjolf shrugged. "The only thing that's more important to the man than money is women, it seems..." He jabbed a thumb behind him, saying "Vex knows the details. I'm sending her with you for this job."
Veria's brows knit together with frustration. "You don't think I can handle it alone?"
"Just a bit of insurance," he said with a wave of his hand. Veria didn't buy it. He continued, "You're going to need a bit of help on this one, trust me. I can tell when a job needs a team."
Veria shook her head. "Fine."
He began to step away as he said, "I've got business to attend to. Don't disappoint me, Wisp."
"...Wraith."
"Sure."
And with that, he was gone. Veria rolled her eyes and sternly reminded herself that her name was Wraith.
So, when she approached Vex she was pleased when the woman addressed her as such.
"You're Wraith, right? Brynjolf's new protege? " Brynjolf's description of the woman was spot on; she was pale in the pigment of her skin and hair, and even her eyes seemed almost white. Her dark, worn leather armor was a beautiful contrast to her ghostly complexion.
In response to the question, Veria nodded and said, "That's right. You and I are supposed to work together."
"Huh," Vex huffed and pulled away from the crates on which she was leaning casually. "Let's get one thing straight," she said, crossing her arms. "I'm the best damn infiltrator they got in this rathole of a guild, got that? So if you think you're here to replace me, you're dead wrong."
Veria stifled a smile. This woman really had no idea who she was talking to. Without waiting for a response, Vex continued, "I know a lot more about this business than you do, rookie. So when we head out, you do as I say. No questions or excuses, got it?"
Veria crossed her arms and said, "Understood."
The hint of sarcasm was obvious in her response, but Vex detected enough genuine respect that she ignored it. It was true; Veria liked Vex. She was beautiful, tough, and was obviously a very capable thief. Her no-nonsense attitude reminded Veria little of herself. The only difference between them, really, was their rank in the Guild.
"Let's get going, then," Vex said. "That convoy isn't going to wait for us. We can go over details on the way."
According to Vex, the convoy consisted of a single caravan and a line of guards walking on either side of it. Not quite an army, but nothing to sneeze at either. By the time they were on the road it had already left a well-fortified estate somewhere near Helgen and was heading West, bound for Solitude. Vex guessed they could catch up to them before they cleared the Falkreath hold, and that they should set up their ambush just inside the Reach.
"How about Rorikstead?" Veria suggested. "If they just left Helgen, it's likely that they won't be tired enough to stop in Falkreath. They'll reach Rorikstead in the dead of night. We could use the darkness to our advantage."
"That's what I was thinking, too. If we screw up, we can retreat to the Reach and wait for them to enter the mountain roads. We'd be eye-deep in fog and Oblivion knows it's easier seeing through murky water."
Veria nodded. "We should pick up the pace a little, then. If we can get a hold of some horses, we can take the road through Helgen and cut through Whiterun to reach Rorikstead a few hours before they do."
Vex nodded. "Already handled. I've got a pair of stallions tucked away just for us." As they mounted the horses and prepared to head down the road, Vex said, "Maybe you're not as much a rookie as I made you out to be, Wraith. Brynjolf might be right about you after all."
Without giving Veria time to rub it in, Vex whipped the reins and took off down the road on a steed almost as pale as she was. Veria followed suit, and they rode as fast as they could without wearing down their mounts. Their pace finally slowed as they turned at a fork near Lake Geir and picked their way through a sloping mountain road. They didn't speak much, but Veria appreciated the quiet as she listened to the dead mountain air slide by her ears. She was even more thankful that they weren't riding through Falkreath.
"Thank Gods we aren't riding through Falkreath," Vex said suddenly. Veria raised an eyebrow and asked, "You dislike the place?"
"Gives me the creeps is what it does," Her horse tossed its head and Vex pulled on the reins to make it cooperate. "Every time I'm there I see something weird. Not to mention tales of werewolves and vampires and hagravens stalking the place. I wouldn't be surprised if the Dark Brotherhood made base there, too."
Veria's fingers tightening around the reins. "Oh? What do you know of the Dark Brotherhood?"
"I know we aren't the only ones in Maven Black-Briar's pocket." At Veria's questioning glance, she explained, "We watch Maven's back, and she watches ours, simple as that. It's a productive business arrangement. Nothing goes on in Riften without her say so, and when someone needs discipline she calls on us. And if someone makes her angry, I hear she'll contact her friends in the Brotherhood."
"That must be a bluff," This is the first I've heard of her.
"Bluff or not, she always follows through on her threats. No one crosses her."
Veria nodded, and thought Maven must have made her friends in recent years, after Veria had left. Either that, or it really was a bluff to scare her enemies. Veria made a note to meet this Black-Briar woman whenever the Mercer would allow her a free moment.
The day stretched on as they traveled across the rocky, sloping road. The stallions were wearing thin, and twice they had to stop to rest for a few moments. By sundown, Rorikstead was in sight. They tied up their mounts at a small stable and stood a moment to catch their breath. As Veria fed and watered the horses, Vex ducked inside the inn. When she returned, she carried with her two loaves of bread, two apples, and a small coin purse.
Veria raised her eyebrow and Vex said casually, "There was an old drunk not paying attention to his pockets. Figured it wouldn't hurt." She tossed Veria some food and continued, "They haven't arrived yet. We made it just in time for some food and a short rest."
As they ate, Veria turned over the plan in her mind. They had worked it out on the journey, and she couldn't help but get excited. She had never been a proper player in a heist before, and she was eager to test her skills as a thief.
When they finished, they saddled their horses and rode off as if they were continuing North to the Reach, but turned off the main road as the hill blocked their view of Rorikstead. They secured the horses near a small stand of trees and crept their way back to the town.
Wordlessly they carried out the plans laid out beforehand, and as far as anyone in Rorikstead knew, it was just an average night. Vex and Veria split and went to move into position. Vex disappeared behind the inn, and Veria ducked into the cover of some thick bushes near the road. It wasn't long until a trail of torches appeared on the road not far from town.
The convoy consisted of a single hooded caravan and two handfuls of guards, just as Vex said. They rolled to a stop in the middle of town not far from Veria's hiding place. The men stretched their arms and yawned, exhausted from the day's walk. Veria waited patiently.
The caravan driver, an average-looking man that clearly had no experience fighting, was about to climb from his perch when a flash of light and loud popping noise blinded the group.
"What was that?" One of them cried as they drew their weapons. "Lightning? Magic"
"A flash bomb," said the leader. He was slightly older and more brawny than the rest, and had an ostentatious-looking cape to mark his rank among the guards. He fell back behind his ring of underlings, slinking closer to the caravan. "Don't let your guard down; trouble is afoot."
After a short moment of silence, he said, "We can't stay here. Move. Move!"
The driver whipped the reins and the horses tore off out of the town, the guards running close beside. What they didn't realize was that Veria was already among them. She was inside the caravan, quickly and quietly sifting through the contents in search of the fabled crystal dagger.
She opened the hinged lid of a small case and found it glimmering inside. With a mischievous smile, she shut the lid and tucked the case into her belt.
Suddenly, the caravan halted. There were muffled shouts from outside, and before Veria could prepare, the canvas flap of the caravan's hood was whipped open, and she was exposed in bright torchlight.
The guard could barely shout before she sent some small object she grabbed flying into his forehead. In this small moment of distraction she lunged forward, kicked and vaulted from the guard, and rolled to break her fall before darting off towards the darkness. It was an expert maneuver, but one of the men was too fast. Her wrist was caught in someone's fist, and her momentum betrayed her as she was wrenched backward.
The struggle was a blur; Their hammers and blades swung at her, and it took everything she had just to dodge them. It was impossible to stop the case from slipping out of her belt. She wasn't quick enough to keep its lid from flying open, and she was far too slow to stop the boot of a careless guard. She heard the shattering sound, and knew that was the end of that. All she could do now was try to make it out alive, but with her ever-weakening body and rising frustration, it wasn't looking good.
Another flash bomb suddenly went off behind her, and in a wave of distraction that felt heavens-sent Veria slipped through their ranks an into the shadows. She wasted no time; when she was out of view she immediately melted into the darkness and put as much distance between her and the caravan as she could. Just to be safe, she doubled back a few times in case someone was following her.
An hour later, she found Vex brushing their horses' hair where had hidden them away. She looked calm and unfazed, but Veria was furious. Fists clenched, sweat beading around her brow, Veria fought back furious tears as she said, "It broke...The damn thing broke!"
Vex cocked a brow and said, "What? You mean this thing?" She held up a small case. Smaller than Veria's was; it was barely bigger than Vex's hand.
"Wh-"
Vex tilted the lid open to reveal a small shining dagger that glimmered like starlight in her palm. It was infinitely more beautiful than Veria had realized.
"What in bleeding Oblivion is that, Vex?" Veria was practically shaking with anger, for she already had a pretty good idea what had happened.
"Isn't it obvious?" Vex said, shutting the lid carefully. As she wrapped it in thick layers of cloth she continued, "The dagger in the caravan was a decoy. That idiot in the cape was carrying the real one. Didn't you see how he was hiding behind his thugs?"
"Vex...Don't tell me that you knew this from the start."
Vex furrowed her brow and said matter-of-factly, "Of course I did Wraith. What, don't tell me you're mad."
Veria's fists were iron and she struggled to keep them from flinging into Vex's face. "I'm angry. I'm so angry."
Vex secured the cloth-wrapped dagger case in her side pocket. "Don't be childish." She untied her horse and mounted and Veria did the same, stifling grumbles of annoyance.
As they rose across the tundra, she grumbled, "You could have told me it was a decoy."
"Are you still pouting? Look, if I told you that I was sending you to steal the decoy-
"To BE a decoy!"
"Exactly, to steal a decoy and be a decoy...well more like a diversion..., then you would have gotten all hot-headed and tried to go after the real one just to prove yourself. Don't even try telling me you wouldn't have."
Veria simply turned her head away and tried to fight back angry tears. Don't you dare, she told herself. You are Wraith, dammit. And Wraiths don't cry like children.
They took the long way back to Riften, just in case they were being tracked. It wasn't until morning that they finally stopped to rest just east of Whiterun near the White River. Veria had finally cooled into begrudging silence as she sat near the riverbank and watched the horses drink.
Vex appeared beside her and took a seat.
"You're not still mad, are you? Don't get so upset over stupid things." She picked up a smooth stone and whipped it towards the water where it skipped several times on the glassy surface before sinking. "Listen, we both played our parts brilliantly. I did my job, and you did yours. As far as I'm concerned, you've proven yourself. Now stop sulking."
Veria's expression didn't change and she gave no indication that she heard a word Vex said. She simply continued to stare into the river's depths, and Vex huffed in annoyance. When she began to rise from her spot on the grass, Veria spoke and stopped her.
"I had a different life before," she said. "Once I was made to help in a heist. I was the bait; the distraction. It was easy, but I took no joy in it. I didn't choose that life for myself. It was a dark time..." Veria scowled and said, "That woman died. I killed her so I could live differently. I'm so sick of being bait for weak-willed men." Finally she turned on Vex with eyes so poisonous it sent a chill down her spine.
"I understand why you didn't tell me, Vex," she said. "But let me make this perfectly clear: Never again will I be bait. Understand?"
Vex showed no sign of intimidation, but instead seemed to find a small measure of respect for the woman sitting beside her. She simply nodded once.
"Understood."