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A Thieves Guild official meeting. Not out of desperation but arranged by intent. Sharah found it a bit odd that she'd been invited. She still didn't feel much like she was a true member. But she'd done enough for the Guild that apparently it warranted her a place in the meeting.

Not that she was much in the mood for it. She'd been boiling mad since before she'd gotten back into the city. Damned cut-throat treasure hunters and their damned money-grubbing cronies. Damned Altmer and their damned ego-trips. Ayleid garbage and blasted elven kings and their thrice-damned seats of power!

Sharah had gone for a stone tablet of the High Fane at Umbacano's request soon after the Waterfront business, after she saw that Captain Lex was starting to recover. Sharah should have known better when that puttock Claude Maric had effectively steered her right toward it. She'd braved the dangers of the ruin, retrieved the carving only to meet Maric and his band of cronies outside waiting to ambush her. He'd demanded the carving, she'd refused and he'd ordered his men to attack her. Sharah had been so spitting mad she'd slaughtered them all as Maric fled with his tail between his legs. And all the while, the vicious song of the soul-stealing sword Umbra was ringing in her mind.

And as if that weren't enough, after Lord Umbacano had her steal an Ayleid crown, he'd asked her to escort him through the Ayleid city of Nenalata. Then shown up with a second escort: Claude Maric. She'd nearly throttled the back-stabber right then and there. Probably should have. At least when Umbacano had tried to turn his power of the Ayleids on her, she'd been able to put a blade through his chest. Betrayal after betrayal and Sharah was in a foul mood because of it. She didn't take treachery well, it seemed. But if the Thieves Guild asked her to attend their meeting, she would swallow her issues and go.

During her progression of things with Umbacano and the Ayleid artifacts, Sharah had made a point to look in on Captain Lex occasionally. Before she left for the High Fane it was clear how depressed he was. But the man had begun recovering his old zeal. It was good to see. But that also meant that before too long, he'd be back on the Waterfront making trouble for the Thieves Guild. Small wonder this meeting was being called. Sharah just hoped that she wasn't being invited because she was considered his keeper.

At the appointed time, Sharah headed for the Imperial Trading Company's east warehouse on the stone Waterfront spine. It was long after hours, so the rest of the employees had gone home. Except one. Adanrel, the Bosmer Sharah had helped her first day on the Waterfront, was there to open the door. She wasn't a member of the Guild, but afforded them use of the facility without the need to break in. And she recognized Sharah with a sincere nod as she opened the door to admit her.

Crates and boxes had been set and arranged to be sat upon by the people milling around the storage space. Sharah recognized some of the faces from the meeting at Dynari's house. Although the ones that were here seemed confined to those members of high rank. She could only assume the new faces were the higher ups from the other cities who'd somehow managed to converge on the Imperial City discreetly for the sake of this meeting. Dynari herself was here. So was Methredhel, Armand, even S'Krivva had made it up from Bravil.

The meeting hadn't officially started, so the time was spent partaking of socialization between members. A gathering of thieves like this was truly rare. Methredhel had a few people from out of town captivated with the telling of how she orchestrated the heist of the city. The Bosmer had a future as a bard. Armand and S'Krivva had several conversations going at once and were constantly scanning the room as if looking for someone that they knew was present but couldn't pick out of the crowd.

Sharah wasn't much interested in getting further involved with the Guild. And her normally good manners would be soured by the coals of her temper that were still quite hot over that Umbacano fiasco. So Sharah went over to a stack of crates and hopped up to sit and wait for the meeting to actually begin.

"Not going to socialize?"

Sharah had barely noticed the man sitting on the crate beside her. "No. I'm good as I am," she replied. Her attention just sort of glazed over him and she took stock of the other people in the room.

After a few moments, the man beside her spoke again. "You're the one who stole Hrormir's Icestaff, right?"

"Hm?" Somehow he'd caught her off guard again, as though he'd only just sat down. "Oh, yeah. That was me."

"That was very impressive. You must be quite a thief."

Sharah shrugged. "I'm not really a thief. I just help the Guild out now and again. Hell, I only joined to keep my house from being burglarized. Thievery wasn't my main interest." She turned toward him. "My name's Sharah, by the way. Well…Sharah the Wolf, if you took a poll of those who know me. And you are?"

He almost looked sad when he replied, "I am just a stranger."

She smiled. "Really? Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Stranger." He looked at her offered hand as though it were something alien, but took it gratefully in the end.

"So you're not a thief," he said.

"No. Well…I suppose technically I am. I've stolen things, obviously. But I don't do it for a living. I don't have to. When I steal it's never about money. I steal for…other reasons."

"Like helping the Guild," the Stranger specified.

"Yeah. But that's not the only reason." The Stranger waited for her to elaborate. Sharah sighed and obliged. "On my own, I've only stolen intentionally once." She giggled. Remembering that adventure still made her laugh. "My only real heist was in Skingrad. There was this man, Lazare Milvan. Some kind of knight and a flat out jerk. I met him in the street, he was utterly snobbish. This whole 'you are of low birth and beneath even my contempt' sort of thing, and finishing off with the most churlish dismissal you've ever witnessed. If it wasn't for his attitude, I would have just brushed it off. But he irked me. And I'd recently had this dealing with a daedric Prince and she'd given me…well, anyway..."

She giggled again. "So, one night, I snuck into his house and took everything. And I mean everything. Weapons, books, dinnerware, food. I emptied every container and drawer in his house, took everything off his walls, right down to his quills and brooms and baskets. I would have taken apart his crates and shelves if I'd had the time."

Sharah was laughing out loud and tearing up at this point. "He woke up the next morning in an empty house. Haha! He…haha…he went running out into the street in his nightgown, screaming he'd been robbed. It was hilarious! Mr. High and Mighty…in his nightgown…hahahaha…" She leaned back against the crate behind her, trying to get a breath between her fits of cackling laughter, all with tears streaming down her face. It had been the funniest thing she seen in her life. Lazare's family had sent funds to reimburse him, clearly wanting to maintain the family image. But it had been a death blow to his ego.

The Stranger was smiling from ear to ear. "That was you?"

She nodded, whipping her eyes. "Yeah. You heard about it?"

He nodded. "The whole underworld was talking about that one. But everyone said the Gray Fox did it."

Sharah drew a deep breath and settled herself down. "Well, he can have the recognition if he wants it. Knowing I put that jerk in his place is reward enough for me." She leaned toward him. "Although, as far as the Fox is concerned, I don't think he does half the stuff people blame him for."

The Stranger looked intrigued. "Really."

She shrugged. "Well, he's just a man, right? Then again, I've never met him, so what do I know?"

By some collective signal, the meeting began. And like the other, there was no single leader of conversation but the topic of discussion came to a single point. The same point in fact: Hieronymus Lex.

"It's only a matter of time until he comes back to the Waterfront. That man is incorrigible."

"We need to find a way to put an end to his meddling, once and for all, before he does some permanent damage."

"As long as he's got any authority on the Watch, he'll be a problem for the Guild."

"Then perhaps he shouldn't be a member of the Watch any longer. He's obsessed with capturing the Gray Fox. We can use that to get him so riled up that they relieve him of duty."

"No!" Sharah snapped. She hadn't meant to say it so forcefully. Her buried temper at work, no doubt. But that didn't keep several of those present from eyeing her. Sharah didn't even flinch under their looks. "He's a good man. He doesn't deserve to be disgraced because he's at odds with the Guild."

A Shadowfoot crossed his arms. "So, the Captain's keeper shows her true colors."

Sharah's anger flared and she fixed him with a look that, when her anger was behind it, she'd been told turned people's blood cold. "Shut it. You haven't the first idea about me." The Dunmer froze and dropped his eyes. Sharah wasn't about to let Lex take another blow just for doing his job.

Armand asked, "Well, if we can't get him dismissed, what would you suggest?"

Sharah felt every eye in the room on her. She didn't like the pressure, but she owed Lex some proper treatment for a change. She put her head back and closed her eyes, blocking out the audience and thinking carefully.

Another threat? If Lex could go chasing something else besides the Fox and the Guild, perhaps it would give them some wiggle room. But he was a one quarry kind of man.

Promotion? Maybe if he had too many other responsibilities he wouldn't have time to go chasing after the Fox. But the only thing higher than Watch Captain in this city was Legion Commander. And even so, he'd still find a way to keep an eye on the Waterfront through someone else.

Reassignment?—

Her eyes snapped open. "Reassignment! If Lex were reassigned to serve in another city, he wouldn't be in range to cause the Guild trouble." At least here on the Waterfront, but that's where most of their work happened anyway. It would keep his record intact and give him a fresh start where he could really excel, without the Gray Fox obsession hanging over his head. On the crate beside her, the Stranger looked pleased by her suggestion.

Someone asked angrily, "How are we supposed to do that?"

Sharah glared. "We've some of the cleverest minds in Cyrodiil in this room. You're telling me we can't come up with something? He may be a pain in the ass on the Waterfront, but Lex has got an unwavering loyalty to the Empire and the protection of its citizens. There has to be someone in Cyrodiil who considers those desirable attributes in an officer."

"We could send him to Leyawiin," someone offered. "The right hints to that Countess could easily convince her to take him. Especially since he's an Imperial."

Sharah frowned. She'd rather not drop Lex down in the swamp with that crazy bat of a Countess. "I might be able to convince one of the City Guard Captains to take him as a lieutenant. Bruma, or Chorrol or Cheydinhal," she said, almost to herself. They all owed her favors of one sort or another. Or at least liked her enough to do her one. She'd argue his sterling reputation and the threatening tarnish of the likely imaginary master thief.

But Lex could easily figure out she'd gotten him reassigned. It would probably convince him she was at least in league with the Thieves Guild. He'd be suspicious of her ever after. She disliked the idea of being at odds with the good Captain, but she was willing to do it if it meant he would come out of this alright. Although, there would be the added bonus of her blown cover in the Guild. Maybe she'd be too much of a liability to involve in any more Guild business.

A Redguard man from Anvil said, "What about Anvil? I came here bearing a message from Countess Millona Umbranox to Commander Adamus Phillida. She's actually looking to replace her Captain of the Guard."

Sharah tried not to be disappointed she'd been robbed of her Guild 'out'. "Perfect. So she hasn't picked yet?" It really would be perfect. He'd be entrusted with the security of the entire city, a responsibility he was worthy of and ready for. The pirates by sea and bandits by land would keep him busy. And, besides Leyawiin, Anvil was as far from the Imperial City and the Thieves Guild as you could get.

"No. I delivered the letter from her this afternoon. The Commander's supposed to send his list of recommendations back by courier as soon as possible. But the Countess won't receive the letter, no matter what it is. I heard her steward, Dairihill, talking about getting her cousin the position. She'll stall any letter received until the Countess agrees."

Sharah snorted, her mind beginning to turn. "We'll see about that. But even if we get the recommendation to the Countess, the Legion Commander probably won't rank Lex very high on it. Not after that fiasco on the Waterfront." Methredhel sat a bit taller in her seat. Sharah continued, "Anyone here capable of forging that kind of letter? To put Lex at the top of the list?"

"I'll do it," said the Stranger beside her. Several members jumped. Apparently the Stranger could vanish from people's attention as easily as she could. "Provided there is appropriate compensation."

Sharah assured him. "There'll be gold enough to go around for everyone who has a part in this." Even if she had to take it out of her own pocket.

"A forged letter won't be enough," said the local fence. "It will have to be sealed by the Legion Commander's seal. And stealing it will alert the Legion that something is going on."

"So, someone will have to sneak into the Commander's office, seal the forgery, and get out while leaving the seal itself behind," Sharah figured.

"Stealing from the Compound is one thing, but stealing from the Commander's office?"

Sharah shut down the opposition before it took root. "Let's worry about how to do this and then we'll decide who's doing it." She'd do every task if the only other option was Lex getting canned. She reviewed, "So the letter has to be stolen, forged, the forgery sealed with the commander's stamp, and the letter put into the Countess's hands."

The first and the third would be tricky, the fourth a simple matter, but ultimately the forgery itself would have to convince the Countess Umbranox to hire him. She looked at the Stranger. "Can you be sure Lex is chosen from that letter?"

He puffed himself up. "I can convince her of anything, I just need the original list."

Sharah nodded. "That's next. How long will it take you to forge it?"

He shrugged. "I'll need a full day, with the right materials."

She looked toward Armand, "Can you get him what he needs?" Armand nodded. "Good, he can use my house to do his work. If you would just wait there, I'll be back as soon as possible."

Sharah hopped off the crate as someone asked, "Hang on. Where are you going?"

"And what about the seal?"

Sharah straightened her cuirass. "I'm going to check if the Commander has sent out the letter yet. If he has, I have to catch the courier. If he hasn't, I'm going to wait in Weye. Couriers regularly stop there before travel. And I'll take care of the seal…unless someone else would like to volunteer."

There were no such volunteers. And once again everyone was looking at her either with respect or because they thought her mad. Truthfully, it was probably a bit of both.

She adjusted the sword on her belt. "Then if I require any further input from the Guild, I'll contact Armand. Until then, leave this matter to me."

XXX

Thank the Divines for beggars and wine. The first informed Sharah exactly when the courier had left who bore the Commander's list of recommendations. The second had the courier himself so drunk off his ass that picking through his bag for the right envelope was an easy thing. There were so many other letters to deliver in Skingrad, Kvatch and Anvil, this one would not be missed even give its importance.

Sharah got back to the Waterfront to find both Armand and the Stranger waiting in her home. The Stranger took a good long look at the recommendation list and told Armand exactly what kind of paper, ink, wax and even the sort of quill he would need to properly duplicate it. There was none of that friendly mannerism from before the meeting. When he was on a job, this Stranger got bossy. But it did motivate Armand to get the materials together quickly, likely rummaging through the Waterfront warehouses for most. And when he delivered them, the Stranger proceeded to commandeer her entire table for the task. Sharah told Armand she'd handle things from there and that she'd find him if anything more was needed.

That left her alone with the Stranger. Sharah cleared her throat. "Would you prefer to work alone, or may I remain?"

He grunted. "Just don't distract me."

So Sharah removed a book from her drawers and settled on her bed to read. For a while though, Sharah took to watching him work. He was a bit of an artist. He had to be in order to so precisely duplicate another person's writing style. But she couldn't see much from across the room, and standing over him would likely be considered a distraction, so Sharah ultimately went back to her book.

"You going to sneak into the Legion Commander's office after I'm done?" the Stranger asked.

Sharah didn't even glance up. "I thought you didn't want to be distracted."

He didn't look up either. "You talking is a distraction. When I talk, it doesn't distract me."

Sharah could have poked at his working, but decided this was not a man to be trifled with. She answered the question. "Likely. Unless the Gray Fox knocks on the door and volunteers."

He grunted. "Seems like an awful lot of trouble to go through for a guard."

"Captain Lex is a good man. The world needs more like him. I'd prefer this end well for him."

The Stranger grunted again, but didn't sound convinced.

Sharah tried to change the subject. "So you have a proper name I could call you? Stranger is…a little vague."

The motion of his quill paused. "I've been called Stranger for ten years. It is my name." Sharah wanted to question further, but by the way he spoke, she knew better than to pursue the topic. "So why go to all this trouble? Is it because you feel guilty?"

She shrugged. "That's probably part of it."

"What's the other part?"

Sharah looked blindly at the pages before her. It was odd how she felt responsible for him. He was a good man. She'd come to respect him. He was comfortably familiar to her for some reason. But there was nothing romantic about it.

"He reminds me of my brother."

The words just sort of slipped through her conscious mind and out of her mouth, and they stopped her heart for an instant. It had been so long since she'd actually thought about the family she'd lost. Sharah almost made a point to try and forget. But…he did. From the bickering episode, to the exuberance with which he pursued his tasks. If her brother had lived, she could see him growing up to be like Lex. Sharah cleared her throat, trying to keep the waves of emotions from coming up. Seconds ticked by like eons until the quill's scratching resumed. The shack suddenly felt very small.

Sharah stood up and went for the door. "I'll be back later. There's food in the cabinet if you need it."

The night air was a blessing, cleansing on the skin and in the lungs. Sharah headed for the edge of the shack-town. Once on the open beach, she stripped off her boots and walked in the edge of the water. She had to think and figure through this.

Was that what all this was? Was she trying to make up for her brother's death by preserving the life and livelihood of someone who reminded her of him? Was Lex just a proxy for her guilt and grief? Sharah hoped not. It wasn't fair to anyone to make that kind of substitution. Not her, or her lost brother, or Lex. And she would have been dragging the Thieves Guild around for it as well.

Sharah stared out over the lake, letting the expanse of water and land and sky fill her visions. Oh, she hoped that wasn't it. But there was no way to tell. She was naturally protective of people, but she had managed to single him out. Or maybe it was a coincidence. Or maybe he'd been set in her path for one reason or another. Damn! She hated the Gods. Couldn't tell what was set up for you and what was your own choice and what was just plain chance.

So what? So what if it she did it because he reminded her of her lost sibling? So what?! Did it make it any more or less right to do right by him? No! He was still a good man and he still needed to be moved out of the city. And doing it without damaging his reputation or future was still right. She'd agonize over the 'whys' later. Maybe. For now, she had a job to do.

Sharah went back to the house, entering without disturbing the Stranger at his work, and lay down to sleep. She stubbornly refused to be overcome with concern over this. There was no telling what was going to happen once she got going on this task. But whatever happened, she couldn't afford to be distracted by questions of conscience. She'd have to be at her best or the whole thing would go up in smoke and Lex would suffer for it.

That heist Sharah talked about is based on an actual thing I did in the game. I met Lazare and said, "That's it, you're gonna get it now." I stole everything from his basement to his pockets. I really wish the vanilla Oblivion game came with a way to pickpocket clothes. I'd have loved to leave him in naught but underpants. How's that for 'low-birth'? HA!