Chapter Twenty

The city of Riften was awash in fresh snow, a blanket so thick that it choked any life out of the streets and the canal was freezing over steadily, ice creeping up further in with each passing day. Syldus narrowed his eyes as he entered, unnerved at all the looming buildings and the sounds of citizens dwelling inside their homes. The bosmer couldn't remember the last time he'd actually been inside a walled city, though he'd frequented towns and villages enough times to understand how it all worked, he'd never had stayed in those places for longer than a singular night. There must have been a tavern somewhere, and he stood at the side of the canal where it curved with a bridge to the south, glancing about for some particularly tavern looking building. After a minute or two, Syldus spotted the "Bee and Barb" sign hanging outside the wooden structure across the bridge from him. With a few quick strides, the bosmer made his way to it, his footsteps the only ones echoing in the city.

As a gloved hand pushed open the nearest door, a wave of heat and a hearty chorus of laughter sailed outwards, bashing against the chilled mer's face with such a force he stumbled for a moment. Fort Dawnguard certainly never got this warm, and he tried to recover his poise before slipping inside. The late hour, coupled with such levels of cold for the usually temperate region, had brought a swarm of business to the inn. Tables were filled with boisterous drunken citizens, or others peacefully eating a meal with friends, the bar was filled and a man in robes stood to the side by another door shouting out how all had sinned. Syldus scowled ever so faintly with distaste at the people before him, finding their behavior quite disgusting as he spotted a trio of nord men that had spilled their drinks all across the floor and were hollering at a young woman across the way.

Making his way towards the bar, a single seat open as one woman drunkenly swaggered away and he claimed it with great haste. Syldus sighed faintly, pressing his elbows into the wood counter as he settled into the stool, and removed the hood that had obscured his face and kept some heat in during his voyage from the canyon. Before he'd even had a moment to gather himself, an argonian the color of pale mountain flowers was across him, a rag in hand and an apron adorning her lithe form.

"Well you're a new face," Keerava rasped, scaly lips pulled into a friendly smile though it came off as little more than formal to the bosmer. "What brings you to Riften stranger, roads are mighty hard to travel these days."

"Some food," he replied, straightening himself and staring up simply at her, a freckled nose reddened from the cold that still clung to his body.

A more genuine smile dawned the innkeeper's face, "How about a warm bowl of soup and something to drink?" He nodded mutely, and she slipped away to tend to the order. Sitting there, the bosmer slowly began to get more comfortable with the setting about him. He glanced around with hardened brown eyes, taking in the crowd of people who were from rather different walks of life, and seemingly had no idea how much danger they were in. It puzzled him how they could ignore the vampire threat so much, when they'd all just witnessed ancient dragons rise from the ground and set their homes aflame. By the time he'd taken in everyone that filled the large singular room floor with a raucous of noise, the argonian woman had returned with a bowl that rose with steam and a tankard of some drink.

"Thank you," Syldus said, placing a handful of septims down on the counter as she put the meal before him. She nodded her head and then leaned against the wooden wall behind her, watching him with serpentine eyes, expecting something from him perhaps though he wasn't certain. Quietly, the Dawnguard began to scoop the warm lamb stew to his lips, letting his mess of curly brown hide his sharp features as surely as the hood had.

The sounds of the tavern grew stronger as the night began to drag on, and Syldus was simple and still as slowly the tankard was emptied, while the stew quickly had been disposed of. He wasn't entirely certain where to begin, his bit of a briefing before his departure swirled in his mind with the pour quality swill, hardly a bit of an effect from it and instead only a foul taste at the back of his mouth. Syldus sighed, brushing his hair back from his face, and turned in his seat so he could look at the other patrons in the inn. Since his arrival they'd seemed to have multiplied like rabbits, the priest having stopped his ravings at last and instead a rather well dressed woman that everyone glared at strolled along through with a guard at her heels. Syldus narrowed his eyes as he found no sign of his quarry mingling among the crowd though he'd hardly expected it to be so easy.

"Looking for something in particular?" Keerava rasped, pressing against the counter with curiosity in her amber eyes.

Syldus turned to her, and gave a small nod. Sipping slightly at the mead, he replied, "I've heard tale of redguard woman called Yosa'Min and that she dwells here," he said with a simple charm, "I was hoping to meet her but it would seem she's nowhere to be found."

"She's not been around for a few days now," she said, moving her left arm in a circle as she wiped the counter down with repetitive motions.

"Any idea where she might be?"

"Well..." Keerava paused, frowning, "I'm not much of a gossip pal, profession aside."

Syldus frowned in response, and leaned forward on the counter towards her. Eyes bore upon the argonian, a swirl of burning light in brown orbs. When he spoke, his tone was deep and melodious. "You don't understand, I desperately need to find this woman and I cannot let anything get in my way." The argonian stiffened, the slit pupils of her eyes widening, a singular short breath taken. Keerava swayed where she stood for a few moments, and then nodded her head shakily.

"Oh uh I suppose I could help," she replied, eyes still wide.

A wry smile slipped across his face, dimples revealed with the motion, and he nodded in almost mock gratitude. "Perfect." His melodious tone continued as he spoke once more, flitting in the air to wrap around her mind like a gentle nudging hand. "Where is she?"

"Don't know, the Dragonborn doesn't show her face around too much, especially in these last few months."

"Why? Doesn't she live here? Where else would she go?"

Keerava was whispering as she spoke, pupils the size of shimmering black pools. "Some say she's a thief." Syldus cocked a brow, and gestured for her to continue, and so she did. "She creeps around and always has confusing cover stories for where she has been. Also, she and Mjoll the Lioness were once quite close, but have since fallen apart. There is very little that would make Mjoll swear someone off so greatly."

"Except thievery," guessed Syldus.

"Especially thievery," the innkeeper said, "Lady Mjoll is Riften's sworn protector from all evils, including the Thieves Guild."

"And is it known that Yosa'Min is a member?"

"No, but people say things."

"What do they say?"

Keerava remained in a hushed tone, as if she expected some knife to suddenly be pressed to her back should she continue and yet seemingly she had no choice. Each thought she had in rebellion were gently silenced by the sound of the bosmer's words. "Well, Yosa'Min arrives in town and a merchant is thrown is jail for being found with a stolen ring, and then the very next day half the merchants have been ruffled up for protection money by a redguard thief. Likely coincidence? Next that honey place out on the lake gets torched, and Maven Black-Briar doesn't even so much as bat an eye when it was one of her own sweet deals! I don't like to jump to conclusions, but a lot of it makes her look suspect, Dragonborn or not." She'd never so openly admitted her dark thoughts of the redguard, and she stared at Syldus with horror at the way he'd somehow gotten her to spill.

Syldus ignored the expression, thinking to himself. It would seem she hadn't lied after all about being a thief. "So then what of her friends? Lydia, Iona and Mjoll?"

"How do you know those names?" Keerava frowned, further unnerved. "Her housecarls aren't really well known besides Iona."

He ignored her question, and instead said, "The housecarls and Mjoll all know her, perhaps they know where she is. How could I find one of them?"

"Lydia and Iona left in the middle of the night with Mjoll about a week back now. There was a lot of shouting in the Bunkhouse across the way that night too, guards nearly had to intervene from what I've heard."

Syldus frowned with a hint of thought, those events lined up with when they'd been betrayed by Yosa'Min and Vex. It had been eating its way up him how those nords had even found out, seeing as Yosa'Min at that point had been away from them. It couldn't have been that another member of the Dawnguard had told them, that was impossible, so it meant Vex had told them when she'd escaped them on that stallion of hers. Whatever connections the imperial liar had to the nords aside from Yosa'Min, he had no idea. From the sounds of it, Vex and Mjoll didn't seem much like they'd be up-in-arms to go find their mutual friend, but rather would be at each other's throats near constantly.

"Who else heard this fight?" He asked.

"Probably the entire Bunkhouse," Keerava shrugged, "if you want to know more about Mjoll the Lioness however, I'd suggest talking to Aerin. Those two are among the closest of friends anyone can get without sleeping with each other." Syldus crinkled his nose at the mental image. "He's probably there now."

With a smile, he waved his hand in front of the argonian's face, and she stiffened once more as the bosmer slowly got to his feet. "Thank you for all your help," he said, stepping away now. As he left out the doors, Keerava stared at the open air he'd just occupied before shuddering and returning to her duties. The roar of the tavern followed Syldus outside as he strode through the dark cold city, only muffled as the doors swung heavily shot behind him. He squinted for a moment as his eyes adjusted to the change of lighting, the only real radiance coming from the starry sky of white gold and blue dots, twinkling so brightly he found himself smiling for a moment in admiration before pressing on.

Haelga's Bunkhouse, as the sign outside denoted itself, was hot and nearly as disgusting as the tavern had been. A woman was standing behind an L-shaped counter, blonde hair pulled back from her face with an amulet resting on her chest. Syldus approached her, figuring quite swiftly that she was Haelga, and she eyed him as he drew near. "I don't let strangers stay here," she quickly announced before he'd even spoken, "this is for working men and you lad don't look like that."

Instantly he frowned, having not expected such rudeness from the nord woman. "Lad?" He repeated, trying to wave off his bristled anger but it failed swiftly. "I'm a Dawnguard soldier, not some boy hardly old enough to wear his father's boots."

"What in Dibella's name is the Dawnguard?" It came off more with confusion than mockery, so Syldus calmed himself, remembering that he must remain at ease among the city folk to work properly. Their ways were always so confusing however, rattling his brain and making it all he could do to remain silent before them.

"A group of vampire hunters," he clarified, "which have returned to face the growing threat."

She snorted, "Sound as crazy as the rats in the sewers."

"Rats are always in the sewers, how is that crazy?" He was utterly confused, surely the woman wasn't speaking literally.

Haelga rolled her eyes. "The Thieves Guild, or whatever else they call themselves. They scurry in the dark dank filth and demand payment for not robbing us blind. What a bunch of milk-drinking lowlifes they are."

"I couldn't agree more," he said, hoping to goad her further. This Guild was a major problem for the Dawnguard, sneaking in as they did solely out of greed. If they had succeeded, then the sole chance Tamriel had against the vampires would have been gone in one night. It was revolting the depths people would sink to for coin, roiling Syldus' stomach merely at the thought.

"Now is there a reason why you've come here? It's late enough as it is, most of my actual guests have gone to bed and I would very much so like to do that as well."

He kept himself from displaying his disappointment with the woman, and simply nodded. "Is a man named Aerin here?"

"Yeah, up the stairs, sleeping," she seemed rather pointed with her words, and Syldus sighed slightly. This woman was getting on his last nerve far too swiftly.

"Are you certain he's asleep? Perhaps he may yet be awake and I could talk with him," he said.

"Even if he's awake there are others sleeping," she replied, "working men I don't want to disturb."

This woman is impossible, he mentally seethed. "Then perhaps you in all your authority go and see, and if he is then send him to me and if he isn't I will depart and try again in the morning." By the look she gave him, he could tell she didn't fancy the idea of seeing his freckled face again so soon. With a disgruntled huff, she turned and started up the stairs to where the bunks and those using them resided. These city people were all so rude, Syldus certainly hoped Aerin would be a blissful change from that. After a few minutes, an imperial man dressed rather sharply in brown clothing came down the stairs with Haelga instantly turning into her room behind the counter after she'd arrived on the floor as well.

Syldus gave a friendly smile to the man as he strolled over, brown hair disheveled as if he'd been awoken and despite the nice look of his clothing they too seemed a bit off. "Uh, hello," he said, "who might you be?"

"The name is Syldus my friend, and I need to speak to you about something of great importance," Syldus dipped his head in further greeting. "Do you know where Lady Mjoll may be?"

The imperial frowned, worry flashing up his whole body so strongly it surprised Syldus slightly. "Is she okay? Did something happen?"

Instantly Syldus pounced, pulling a grim look across his freckled face. "Perhaps it would be best for you to sit down," he suggested, gesturing to a nearby vacant chair. The imperial obeyed, wide eyed. "And, we aren't certain but she is certainly in danger."

"We?"

"I represent the Dawnguard, an organization solely meant to destroy the vampire threat, which has reemerged as of late," Syldus said.

Brow knitted at the words, Aerin looked at Syldus silently for a few moments. "So you mean to say, Mjoll is in danger of... vampires?"

With a nod, the bosmer smoothly took the seat besides Aerin. "Yes, I do. We believe that it is because she has connections to a woman by the name of Yosa'Min." The pure hate that filled the man before him was just as startling as the worry, Aerin hardly able to mask his feelings at the mention of the redguard. It intrigued Syldus.

"That wretched thief- what has she done now?" Demanded Aerin, his concern for his friend washed away in a tide of loathing. "What's she got to do with vampires?"

"Well you see," Syldus said slowly, "there's a good chance she'd been turned."

"As in-"

"Oh yes."

It was silent for a good while as the imperial processed it all, and it was refreshing to the bosmer at how easily Aerin was believing what he said. True, it wasn't really much of a lie, as there was a good chance she had been turned and a vampire posed a threat to all not just immediate friends, but there was enough stretch in it and kept out that for some people they'd have already asked a billion questions to find where the truth stopped and the lies begun. However, Aerin was not one such person, and the bosmer delighted in it.

"How do I protect Mjoll? I don't know where she is anymore because she's run off again with strange women after a false ideal," Aerin said.

"What ideal is that?"

"The one in which a liar becomes a saint and a scar heals with a few uttered words," Aerin replied, hands balled into fists. "She's so stubborn, and didn't even give me a chance to try to talk her out of it. And now you say she's in danger of the very one she seeks?" Syldus had a gnawing curiosity at what had transpired between the nord and redguard, but could tell that while this man might have been willing to bash the obviously disliked woman, there would be no way he'd so easily spill about his friend. No loyal friend would, and it almost made him admire the imperial.

The Dawnguard nodded his head, pale brown curling locks bobbing with the action. "Then anything you can give me to help find this false ideal would be of great use in protecting your friend. Yosa'Min is a true danger should she have become a vampire, in addition to whatever threat she posed before."

Aerin shook his head, staring at his hands that were now open palms. "What can I do though? I'm but only a man."

A wicked almost smile grew across Syldus' freckled face, white teeth gleaming in the din of the Bunkhouse. They could hear people upstairs snoring, the occasional loud rattle or cough mixing into the ambiance of the building. A ghost of light slipped through the windows, casting an eerie glow on the ground as the cold fought to slip between cracks of windowpanes and wooden logs. "Information can be a very powerful weapon Aerin. What do you know of Yosa'Min?"

He was silent for a few more moments, stewing on what words he should hurl at the redguard first perhaps, before his eyes rose up and glared at Syldus. "She's a liar and a thief, and I know to what lengths she'll go to manipulate someone for her own personal gain. She's selfish, cowardly and without any scrap of honor. She and the rest of her lowlife family dwell under the city in the sewers. I'm not certain what tunnels bring you to their hideout, but it's down there and that's where the whole lot of them are."

"The Guild I presume?"

Aerin nodded his head. "Exactly, the Thieves Guild, which she is a member of. They're all sneaky and smart, and think they're invincible, that was of course until Mjoll showed them."

"Why doesn't anyone go to the city guard about the Guild if you all know where they live?" That had been bothering the soldier for some time.

A dry laugh escaped Aerin, and he shook his head. "Because the guard always turn the other way, like they're in someone's pocket and I'd bet good coin it isn't someone on the right side of the law." His tone softened as he lost himself in memory. "Besides, Mjoll would always say how just raiding it on our own would get us killed. It's impossible to infiltrate the Ratways and they not know about it. Thundering in with anything short of an army would be suicide."

"I'm sure Mjoll is a good woman," Syldus said.

"She is..." Aerin sighed heavily, "I only wish I could repay the favors I owe her. I'm afraid I don't know much of Yosa'Min herself, as she hasn't been around Mjoll for half a year now. But if you can find an imperial woman named Vex, then you'll be sure to have her in your grasp. Vex and she were always stirring up messes for Mjoll."

"Any idea how I'd go about that?"

He thought for a moment, before responding, "Well... There's talk that the redheaded nord in the market is a contact of theirs. Brynjolf is his name. Talk with him, and maybe he could get you near the Guild. You get there, and you'll find one of them, I can practically guarantee it."

Syldus rose to his feet, and nodded his head in deep gratitude. "Thank you Aerin, with your help I should be one step closer to putting an end to the vampire scourge, and your friend as well as everyone else in Tamriel, will be much safer."

The imperial stood up as well, and held out a hand in offering. "Thank you for what you do," he said, the pair shaking hands, "and for looking out for us little folk. It's nice to know we're not forgotten."

"Oh no," Syldus said, "never." He departed from there, leaving the worried friend behind as he reentered the freezing outdoor Riften air. It looked like he needed a room for the night, as the morning would be quite a busy one.

AN: Life loves keeping you busy huh? Sorry for the delay everybody, thanks for reading and I'd love to hear what you think of Syldus and what he's up to in a review. Thanks again!