Thank you guys for your input and support - it's always appreciated! Once again, check out Anna Stormcloak by Jen12040 if you've not already - it's the counterpart of this story, and it's really what inspired me to write this one - it's well written and has a fantastic storyline.
Reviews...
PantharHadraag - Aha - but if a Mage did create an earthquake in Skyrim, how would anyone know about it? Besides, dragons returned so pretty much anything can happen... I'm not sure what you're thinking of there... but I'm scared you may have already sussed out a part of the story - Hope you enjoy this small chapter!
xXicecreamIVIlad - Crassness? Bluntness? General hostility? Thanks for your review - I hope you continue reading this story, it means a lot. There's quite a big Mercer chapter coming up soon actually, now I think about it... stay tuned!
Chapter Seven
Age: 17
Five years had passed since I had been inducted into the Thieves Guild. In that time, I had risen through the ranks of the thieves, proving my worth to them. I was no longer seen as the boy in need of a wet nurse - I had proven that I was at least as capable as the rest of the thieves - if not more so.
I approached a grinning Brynjolf with a swagger - the mission had gone as expected - without any flaws whatsoever.
"Word on the street is that poor Sabjorn has found himself in Whiterun's prison. How unfortunate for him." He said in mock innocence.
"Yet very fortunate for Maven." I grinned in response.
"Exactly." Winked Brynjolf, grabbing my forearm in greeting. "Now you're really grasping how our system works." He smiled in a full smile, making me feel proud for making him proud. "Maven sent word that you found something else while you were out there? Something important to the Guild?" He cocked an eyebrow. I nodded, and pulled out the folded yellowed note, handing it to him.
"It's that symbol in the bottom. I didn't recognize it, I figured that you might?" He took the note, eyes widening as he laid eyes on the symbol. He pulled his knotted and faded ginger hair back, examining the paper closer.
"This is the symbol from Goldenglow." He informed me. "On the bill of sale Vex retrieved - remember?" He shook his head, looking back to the paper in his hands. "This is beyond coincidence. First Aringoth, and now Sabjorn..." He looked up into my face, a horrified expression on his face. "Someone's trying to take us down by driving a wedge between Maven and the Guild."
"What can I do?" I asked immediately, ready and eager to prove myself once more.
"Mercer thinks he knows a way of identifying this new thorn in our side." Brynjolf stated. I rolled my eyes as he mentioned Mercer - as the years had progressed, I had only come to dislike the man less and less. As I had grown into a skilled thief - second only to Mercer Frey and maybe Brynjolf - I had not managed to control my magic as well as I should have - which I put down to the failure of Mercer to teach me. Don't get me wrong, I could make a sustaining flame, although I had nearly set the Guild alight a few times - it wasn't my fault - it was just hard to maintain control, not to say I hadn't marginally improved. "I wouldn't advise you roll your eyes at Mercer lad." Brynjolf warned me.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," I said, brushing him off - although I would take his advice, "I promise, I won't hurt his ego."
"Good, because that'd hurt you more than him." He said with a wink, although I could tell he was being genuine.
I made my way through the Guild, nodding towards the other resident thieves inside the cistern, which was still as run-down as ever. I moved past the intersection of the four paths and came to a large wooden desk behind a heavy chest and in front of a set of cases. In the chair was Mercer Frey, his hair as faded as Brynjolf's, and his face even more ragged.
"Ah, there you are." He acknowledged me. "I've consulted my contacts regarding the information recovered from Goldenglow five years ago, but no one can identify that symbol." I dropped the bill on his desk.
"There was the same marking at Honningbrew Meadery." Mercer thought for a moment - his face unreadable.
"It would seem our adversary is attempting to take us apart indirectly by angering Maven Black-Briar." He said lowly, more to himself than to me. "Very clever..."
"Maybe we should recruit them." I said sarcastically, earning a scowl from Mercer that made me urge to say more, but gave me the sense not to.
"Don't dismiss our adversary so easily. They're well-funded, patient and have been able to avoid detection for years." I nodded.
"You know, it sounds almost like you admire them." I chuckled nervously.
"I do." He said, leaning back and crossing his arms. "But don't mistake my admiration for complacency; our nemesis is going to pay dearly." I nodded.
"Good idea, but how? I mean, all we've got is a pair of notes."
"Because, even after all their posturing and planning, they've made a mistake." Mercer said, a smug, victorious smile crawling across his mouth. I narrowed my eyes, intrigued. "The parchment you just recovered mentioned a 'Gajul-Lei'. According to my sources, that's an old alias used by one of our contacts - his real name is Gulum-Ei." He looked back down at the large book of numbers on his desk. "Slimey bastard." He muttered.
"What do you want me to do?" I asked eagerly; Mercer Frey may have been abusive, conceited and generally tempted all those around him to slit his throat in his sleep, but he was our leader - like a captain on a ship. We needed him - I doubted anyone else could ruin the Guild - anyone except Brynjolf that is.
"Gulum-Ei is our inside man at the East Empire Company in Solitude." He began to explain. "I'm betting he acted as a go-between for the sale of Goldenglow Estate-"
"So he can finger our buyer." I nodded, returning Mercer's smirk - only mine was not as dark and malevolent as his.
"Get out there, shake him down and see what you come up with. Talk to Brynjolf before you leave as well - he wanted a word with you."
"He did?" I asked, looking back to where I had come from. "I was just talking to him, he didn't say-"
"Don't ask me about it boy, just go and talk to the man." I sighed, clenching my jaw to refrain myself from talking back - I had grown up with a lot of smacks in the face to learn my place.
"I can't believe Gulum-Ei's mixed up in all this." Brynjolf spoke quietly as he shook his head, holding the bridge of his nose with his index finger and thumb. "That Argonian couldn't find his tail with both hands." He said with a small chuckle at a reminiscence. "Don't get me wrong, he could scam a beggar out of his last septim...but he's no mastermind." I swallowed - it was obvious this man had been close with Brynjolf - and now he was with our enemy it seemed. I felt bad, as if I shouldn't do this; I would never want to hurt Brynjolf.
"Do you think he'll give me trouble?" I asked hollowly.
"Trouble? He's one of the most stubborn lizards I've ever met." He laughed: that fantastic unchanging laugh. "You've got your work cut out for you." I sighed - of course Mercer would give me the hardest assignments.
"So how do I get him to talk?" Brynjolf shrugged.
"You're going to have to buy him off. It's the only way to get his attention."
"And if it doesn't?" Brynjolf inhaled deeply as he thought.
"If that fails, follow him and see what he's up to. If I know Gulum-Ei, he's in way over his head and you'll be able to use it as leverage." I nodded, then turned to leave, but it still felt wrong to do so. I turned back to Brynjolf.
"Betrayal or not, I swear I'll let him live." I promised. Brnyjolf smiled - he was obviously pleased by this. Proud even.
"I'm glad to see you're embracing our methods." He said, although I could tell he was pleased for his old friend. "It would be a waste to lose a contact at the East Empire Company before we had the entire story." I grinned - definitely proud of me. Brynjolf wasn't one to openly express his feelings, and nor was I; growing up in the sewers under the reign of Mercer Frey hadn't encouraged one to become too sensitive or attatched to one another - but this man was my guardian. The one unchanging person who always stayed, who always looked after me when he had no reason to.
