Edna sat on her bed in the Sleeping Giant Inn, staring passively at the wall as she allowed the priestess to examine her once again. She obediently lifted her arms and twisted her middle and lifted her shirt when she was told.
It had been four days since the priestess' first visit to tend to Edna, time in which the Nord had almost completely healed. All her wounds had closed, her ribs were only a little sore, and even most of the bruises had disappeared. The perks of being Dragonborn were finally worth something.
"Your recovery is extraordinary…" The priestess remarked, brows furrowed in thought. "I've not seen anything like it."
"Does this mean she's fit to travel?" Delphine's voice interjected. The Breton was stood in a corner of the room and had been silently watching the examinations up to that point.
The priestess nodded, still watching Edna's half-dressed figure with a baffled expression.
"I cannot see why not. She's in good health." The woman answered Delphine, straightening away from Edna. "I would suggest taking it easy for a couple more days and eating well. But there's no more need for my magic."
Delphine made a satisfied sound. "Good." She declared. "You will still be paid well for your help, Ahlam. You know how I value your skills and… discretion."
The priestess, Ahlam, offered an ironic smile. "You are lucky my husband is not a very perceptive sort, with the way you call for me at all hours of the night. Don't make a habit out of it, yes?"
Delphine smiled back. "I will do my best. Now, if you just step up to the counter, Orgnar will sort out your payment. I am sure you will find it adequate compensation for your trouble."
Ahlam did as she was told, bidding her farewell, and stepping out the door.
"This is great news." Delphine said, once they were alone in the room. "You must make your way to Riften immediately."
Edna, in the process of putting her clothes back on, froze. Dread settled in her stomach like a bad meal.
If Delphine noticed, she didn't show it, and she continued with her briefing. "According to the information in the dossiers you were able to collect from the Thalmor, there's an old member of the Blades hiding out there. He goes by the name Esbern and finding him is of utmost urgency."
"Excuse me? Did you say Riften?" Edna asked, launching back into action and shoving her arms into the sleeves of her shirt.
"Is there a problem?" Delphine challenged, watching her with a slight frown.
'Yes, there is a big problem', was the first answer that came to mind. Edna bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself from saying the words aloud, but that didn't stop the sentence from being true. Riften was top on the list of places the assassin wanted to avoid.
Not only did it bring up too many memories of the unfortunate series of events at Honorhall Orphanage — her original mistake that resulted in Edna's entanglement with the Dark Brotherhood— , but it was also home to the Snow-Shod family. She had just promised herself she'd keep her distance from Asgeir and knocking on the gates of his city hardly seemed productive to keeping her word.
Edna inhaled, squeezed her eyes shut, and opened them on the exhale. "Call back the priestess, I don't think I'm feeling well." She said, not entirely lying. The prospect of being sent to Riften was making her feel nauseous.
Delphine scoffed, unamused by Edna's display of theatrics.
"This is no time to jest, Dragonborn." She punctuated her statement with a hard look. "Every moment we stall, we increase the risk of the Thalmor finding Esbern before us. And trust me, that is the worst thing that could happen if you want to figure out how to stop Alduin before we're all dead."
Edna tugged at the fabric of her top, unsettled. The reminder of what was at stake here — of the looming threat of the World Eater closing in on them— made her swallow down any pleas she might have made about delaying her departure.
"Why is Esbern so important? What do the Thalmor want with him?" Edna deflected.
Delphine's frown faded into a strained sort of smile. "Esbern was one of the Blades archivists, back before the Great War. He knew everything about the ancient dragonlore of the Blades. Obsessed with it, really. Nobody paid much attention back then, but I guess he wasn't as crazy as we all thought. And now, the Thalmor probably want him because they are terrified of the dragons returning."
Edna's brows furrowed. "So, the Thalmor think the Blades know about the dragons…"
"Ironic, right? The old enemies assume that every calamity must be a plot by the other side… I thought the Thalmor must have gotten him years ago. It looks like that old man was more resourceful than I thought." There was a hint of hope in Delphine's voice that let Edna know that, no matter how important Esbern was to the Blades, there was more at stake here. He was also her long-lost friend, and this was her chance to bring him to safety.
"In any case, we've got to find Esbern before they do. If anyone knows how to stop the dragons, it will be him." Delphine concluded, leaving no room for argument.
With a quiet, resigned sigh, Edna finally let go of the hem of her shirt and lifted her head to face Delphine fully. "Where could I find him?"
"Probably down in the Ratway. It's where I'd go."
Jordis chose that moment to make an appearance, pushing the door open with her shoulder as she came in carrying Edna's evening meal.
"Get to Riften and look for Brynjolf. He's… well-connected. Talking to him will be a good starting point at least." Delphine suggested.
Jordis sent an inquisitive look Edna's way at the mention of Riften. Edna chose to ignore it, as well as the glint of excitement in the other woman's eyes.
"You should leave tomorrow at first light. The weather will be good for travel, and most of your supplies are already packed. I will have Orgnar ready some food for your journey."
…
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…
"I've never been to Riften before." Jordis mentioned the next morning, as they made their way out of Riverwood. She sounded bright and eager for adventure, and Edna wished she possessed even a fraction of her companion's optimism. "What is it like?" The taller blonde pressed on with a tilt of her head.
"A city I would rather avoid, that's for sure." Edna finally replied once Jordis' stare became too much to ignore.
"Surely it's not that bad?" Jordis' brows furrowed in thought. "I heard it's quite a lively, industrious place."
"Sure, if the industry you mean is that of thieves and intimidation." Edna commented.
Jordis' delicate eyebrows arched even more dramatically downwards, and the woman looked at Edna with speculation written all over her face. It was a good thing that Jordis herself was not in the business of thieving or subterfuge, as she was terribly easy to read.
"My sister got married just last spring." Jordis eventually said, and Edna blinked rapidly at the unexpected turn in the conversation. "Since Riften is the only city in Skyrim where there's a Temple of Mara, she stayed there for a few days, and she had only good things to say about it. She found the city quite charming." She added, like it was a perfectly natural thing to reveal in conversation with a former Dark Brotherhood assassin.
Edna didn't quite know how to reply.
It still threw Edna off how friendly Jordis would act at times– though, the assassin suspected, being unfriendly didn't come naturally to the other Nord. No matter how much Jordis' role was to act as Edna's guard, the woman had become more of a companion the longer they travelled together. It was not a development Edna had seen coming, and therefore not a development that she knew how to deal with.
"I guess you'll see for yourself soon enough." The Dragonborn muttered, after an awkward pause.
Jordis, mercifully, didn't push the conversation further.
Riften was almost half the distance they'd travelled from Solitude to Riverwood, and the roads were a lot safer and easier down south. Even on foot, Edna expected to make it to the capital city of the Rift in a couple of days at most.
They weren't planning on going on foot, though. Or, at least, not the whole journey.
Delphine had insisted on haste, and so she'd arranged for two horses to be waiting for them at the Whiterun stables. It was a good arrangement. Whiterun was barely out of their way at all, and whatever time they would lose for the detour would be quickly made up when riding the horses.
Which was exactly what happened.
After collecting a pair of black horses from the Nord stable master, Edna and Jordis headed back towards the road facing the Throat of the World and kept heading south-east. They covered ground quickly throughout the day, and by nightfall they were almost outside Shor's Stone. The small town didn't really have an inn, but it was populated and came with its own patrol of guards, so it was still a good place to stop for the night.
After setting up camp near the mines, they took turns sleeping. The wildlife around this side of the mountains was known to be aggressive, and Edna refused to take any more unnecessary risks after what happened on the road to Solitude.
Edna volunteered to keep the first watch, and Jordis replaced her for the last few hours before morning.
They left quietly just after dawn break, watering the horses before they went.
By noon, they were already outside the city of Riften. They dropped their horses off at the local stable house and made their way to the gates.
What happened next gave Edna a sense of déjà vu, and served as a nice reminder of what she should expect from Riften.
Upon noticing Jordis, and correctly guessing that she was an outsider, the guard in front of the doors stepped forward, already posturing.
"You there. If you want to enter the city, you have to pay the visitor's tax." The man proclaimed, his voice giving away his youth. And his foolhardy. Jordis cast Edna a confused look at his demand, and Edna narrowed her eyes in annoyance.
"That didn't work the first time I visited, and it won't work now." Edna replied, her tone deadly. "Best you move out of the way before I make a complaint to the Jarl. I am sure she would love to hear all about you attempting to shakedown the Dragonborn." She added, primly. The guard startled and took a step away from Edna in alarm, much to the woman's satisfaction.
With one look from Edna, the man scrambled back to the gates, and opened the door for them. Edna braced herself — inhaled a deep breath of air that already smelled like the murky waters of Lake Honrich — and stepped through.
…
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…
The first order of business was to check in at the inn before rushing off to find a way into the Ratway.
Stepping inside The Bee and Barb, Edna felt grateful that they'd arrived in Riften early in the day, when most people were busy with work. The inn was as empty as it ever got, with the only ones around being the Argonian bartender and a young Imperial drinking quietly in a corner.
Even so, Edna was on edge as she approached the bar to pay for a couple of rooms. She tugged at the black hood of the cape she'd thrown over her simple leather armour. Edna had donned the garb as soon as they neared Riften, in an effort to keep her features hidden. But, just to be safe, she kept the conversation short and her voice low as she spoke.
The bartender handed over the keys to their room with a surprisingly friendly smile, and wished them a good stay in Riften in a pleasant tone.
After quickly inspecting the rooms, and dropping off some of their supplies, the two women headed straight for the market.
According to Delphine, the man who could direct them towards Esbern was bound to be doing some sort of 'business' at the stalls. Seeing as they were in Riften, Edna could only guess what that could mean.
"Let's just browse the stalls and see if we find anyone named Brynjolf." Edna instructed Jordis outside the square, taking in their surroundings. The market was busy, bursting with people and conversation. Edna's fingers prickled with the need to adjust her hood again, but she kept them firmly at her side.
Jordis nodded, and they were about to split up and do as agreed, when a nearby commotion caught their attention.
"Come on, Brynjolf… what is it this time?
"Trust me, Madesi, these elixirs are the real deal–"
The woman interrupted with a snort. "You and your 'miracle' deals are making all of us honest merchants look bad."
"Damn right!" Another voice, this one male, chimed in loudly.
"You don't suppose it could be that easy, right?" Jordis asked Edna, eyeing the scene in front of them with scepticism.
A small crowd had started to gather around one of the stalls, which was displaying a batch of unlabelled red elixirs. The Nord merchant tending to it – red-haired, tall, with broad shoulders straining against the padded fabric of his fine tunic– seemed to revel in the attention.
"Please, everyone, everything will be revealed in due time! Take a few steps back, but stick around, you're going to want to try what I'm selling. These vials are something special!" The Nord bellowed in a loud and accented voice, and the crowd thinned.
"Brynjolf's at it again…" One of the Argonians muttered, retreating back to his own stall, and Edna and Jordis exchanged one last look.
So this was Brynjolf, the one Delphine had asked her to look for.
The man seemed to have a knack for attracting attention. And he was definitely up to something – something sketchy, by the looks of it, and that would go down soon. If Edna wanted to talk to him, she needed to hurry.
Thinking quickly, she decided on a plan. "I'll talk to him alone. Probably best not to gang up on him if we want to get information. You stay back and keep watch, Jordis. If I need you, I'll clasp my hands behind my back and signal you to approach." She told Jordis, who nodded her agreement.
Taking a deep breath, Edna joined the crowd and crossed the market to where Brynjolf was unloading the crates with his wares.
The man turned before she reached the stall, sensing her approach far more keenly than one would expect of a merchant.
"Looking for something, lass?" He asked as a type of greeting, in a deceptively mild tone. But Edna didn't miss the way his eyes grazed over the pockets in her armour, making note of her weapons and valuables. "Or is it someone that you're after?" He followed up after a beat of silence, a dangerous smile on his face.
The Dragonborn tensed all over again.
Up close, Edna could tell that Brynjolf was handsome. Far too handsome to be trusted. His red hair was actually a sophisticated deep shade of rust, his eyes were unfairly blue, and he carried himself with a confidence that was hard to ignore.
Gods, what was it about Riften and all the best-looking men in Skyrim hailing from this city?
Even the bartender at the inn had been handsome, and Edna wasn't usually into Argonians.
Was there something in the water? Did it have something to do with the Temple of Mara? Did they all worship Dibella in secret?
Whatever it was, it was just another reason for Edna to be on her guard.
"I'm looking for an old man hiding out in Riften. I've been told you might be able to point me in the right direction." The woman said stiffly, cutting straight to the point. Clearly, he already knew something, and Edna was not in the mood for games.
Brynjolf's smile widened into a grin that did not bode well for Edna.
"Expecting free information, eh? Help me deal with business first, then we'll see how I can help you. Besides, you look like your pockets are a little light on coin, am I right?"
And that being said, whatever hope Edna had had about making this a short affair sunk to the bottom of her stomach.
Gods damned Riften.
…
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…
A few hours later, and after having almost been caught stealing as part of helping Brynjolf with his 'business', Edna and Jordis found themselves in front of the entrance to the Ratway.
Edna tried, and failed, not to feel too bitter about the fact that, as it turned out, the location to said entrance was very much an open secret in the city. They would have probably been able to find it by asking any old beggar for directions.
"Should we go in, Dragonborn?" It was Jordis' voice that pulled Edna out of her scattered thoughts, and the smaller woman sighed aloud.
"Let's get this over with." Enda grunted, unsheathing her daggers before opening the wooden door leading into Riften's underbelly.
The tunnels were dark, and the smell of damp dirt and rot immediately hit them in the face. It made Edna's skin crawl and reminded her too much of her desperate journey through the tunnels under the Thalmor Embassy. The feeling of being chased, of stone cutting into her hands as she tried to navigate through the dark. Tasting iron and bile in the back of her throat and feeling sweat sticking to the back of her neck.
The main difference was that this time she was racing the Thalmor, not trying to get away from them.
Edna wasn't sure if that made it better, or worse, nor did she want to dwell on it.
Up ahead, she could already hear suspicious voices discussing nefarious plans, and if she wanted to reach Esbern in one piece, she needed to focus on her surroundings.
Edna'd already experienced navigating tunnels in the dark while injured after a reckless fight, and there was no need to do it again. Let it not be said that Edna didn't at least try to learn from her mistakes.
She was, after all, quite proficient at making mistakes.