The 'real heart of the Thieves' Guild' wasn't much more impressive than the Ragged Flagon. It was a big, mostly empty cistern, with a shallow pool in the centre and a scattering of rooms coming off like spokes of a wheel. On the raised stonework that encircled the pool were set rickety beds, workbenches, shelves, and a few storage chests and crates. The pool's centre had a stone platform connected to the outer ring by four opposing stone bridges, and about half a dozen people milled about the room.

Issana saw it all as she jumped the last few rungs of the ladder. Brynjolf gestured around the room. "This is where the real planning gets done."

"So all your big heists, all that gets laid out here?"

"Wouldn't do for someone to overhear us in the Ragged Flagon, would it?"

"Not really, no."

Brynjolf pointed at the various people in the cistern. "I'd suggest you get to know your new colleagues. Find out who you get on with, and whose way you need to stay out of. Some of them might be willing to give you a few tips, too."

Across the cistern, a long-haired man stood behind a table, poring over a thick book. Brynjolf pointed at him. "And that's Mercer Frey, head of the Guild. Don't bother him unless you absolutely have to, lass. Trust me on that."

"Got it."

Brynjolf started walking away. "Door to the Ragged Flagon is through this passage here. I'll be there if you need anything. In the meantime, make yourself at home."

Issana glanced around the room again. Well, there was only one way to start. She strode towards the collection of beds and stopped at the nearest one. A well-muscled bosmer sat polishing a bow on the adjacent bed. "So you're the new recruit?"

Issana nodded. "This bed taken?"

"Take the third one in from the other end. Nobody's claimed it."

"Thanks."

The elf inclined his head. "You're welcome. Niruin."

"Issana."

Niruin pointed towards the bed he'd mentioned. "Go and pile your things on it, mark it out as yours. That's how it works around here."

"Thanks again."

Issana crossed the line of beds and stopped at the third one from the end. I don't exactly have stuff to pile... She shrugged and unhitched the pouches from her belt, throwing them onto the bed.

"I wouldn't take that bed, if I were you."

Issana looked over her shoulder and saw a short, stocky man about five years her elder watching her with arms folded. "Why not?"

"It's Sapphire's. If she catches you in it, she'll gut you and leave your body in the Ratway."

Issana hastily gathered up the pouches. "Niruin said it wasn't taken."

The man rolled his eyes. "I'll be right back. Oi! Niruin! What sorta game are you playing? Trying to get the kid killed?"

Niruin looked lazily over his shoulder at him. "Oh, come on, Rune. I was just having a bit of fun."

"Right, Sapphire's tons of fun."

Issana leaned around him and looked back and forth between them. "Uh, who's Sapphire?"

"Unpleasant woman," said Rune. "Damn good at cutting purses, but sometimes she's a bit too excited about cutting other things."

Issana pursed her lips thoughtfully. "I'll keep that in mind."

"The one beside Sapphire's is free," said Rune.

"Oh, good," Issana said. "So I get to sleep next to a cutthroat. Maybe Brynjolf really was foreshadowing my murder when he took me through the graveyard."

Rune laughed loudly. "I like you, kid. I'll look out for you."

Issana sat down on the free bed. "Anything else I should know?"

Rune sat down beside her. "Well, me and Niruin you've already met. Vipir's out on a job. Cynric is cityside, probably picking locks for fun. He's a bit twitchy when he doesn't have something to occupy his hands."

The sound of heavy footsteps caused Issana to look round. A well-muscled man with red paint streaking his face towered over her. Rune glanced up at him briefly. "And that's Thrynn."

"I'm the muscle here," Thrynn growled.

"I can see that," said Issana, looking him up and down. "You and Dirge would be like two mammoths butting heads."

"I-" Thrynn hesitated. "I'm going to assume that was a compliment. Better for you."

"It was, actually. Sort of." Issana let out a good, long laugh. "Didn't mean any harm by it." She flopped back on the bed. "It feels good to laugh. I haven't had any reason to in a very long time."

Rune nodded in agreement. "We're all a bit like that. Outcasts. But we've got a family here."

"Ugh," Thrynn grunted. "If you try and hug anyone again, I'm leaving the Guild permanently."

Issana sat up. "So your name's Rune, huh? Like the letters?"

"Like the letters," Rune answered.

"Want to tell me why?"

Rune shrugged. "My father told me he found me in the wreckage of a ship that sank near Solitude. All I had in my pockets was this stone." From his belt he produced a tiny, smooth rock inscribed with runes. "Guess it stuck."

Issana reached for it. "Can I see?"

Rune dropped it into her hand.

"What does it say?" said Issana, staring at the stone.

"I don't know," Rune said. "No one does. I must have spent every last coin I've made with the Guild trying to find out what it means. I've even taken the damn thing to the College of Winterhold." He swiped the stone out of her hand and tucked it back into his pouch.

"I never knew my parents either," said Issana after a long pause.

Thrynn rose from his seat. "That's it, I'm leaving." He stalked off towards the Ragged Flagon.

"Left at Honorhall?" Rune asked.

Issana nodded.

"Well, if there's one thing I've learned here, it's that it doesn't matter who you were. This place is about starting a new life, not trying to fix or find an old one."

"Starting fresh," Issana said, almost reverently. "I do like the sound of that."

"So do we all," replied Rune. "That's the reason we're all here."