Dear Reader,
What could be worse in this life than owing a debt of service to Maven Black Briar? Well, I suppose being on her bad and wrathful side may be slightly more disagreeable... On the other hand, being a potential snack to Alduin, the devourer, may just about trump being an enemy of Maven, though only just.
Stolen Heart
By: Anonymous
- Chapter 9: Debt -
"It's with a heavy heart that I relay this information on to the rest of the guild..." Mercer said, solemnly, before a congregation of the members of the Thieves Guild. He had called them all to the centre of the Cistern for an important announcement.
"Cathryne, of the guild, has died." He glanced at Brynjolf, but continued to talk "I am to understand that she was burned alive when she allowed greed to get the better of her during an attempted burglary at the Black Briar Mansion, just outside of Riften."
There was a ripple of murmurs and whispers amongst the guild members. Mercers words were repeated over and over; Cathryne dead? Stealing from the Black Briars? The only person who remained silent was Brynjolf. He stood rigidly still, his eyes were fixed on Mercer as he searched for some trace of a lie but all he saw was a wicked glint of success in Mercer's evil eyes. Several thoughts flashed through his head: a knife in Mercer's throat, or strangling him to death right here and now.
"This is obviously shocking news and I, as Guild Master, cannot help but feel like I have failed our guild by allowing such an act to go unchecked… We would all do well to remember that the Thieves Guild should never turn on its allies, and this is a clear reminder of why."
Brynjolf took a step forward forward, his temper flared and his hands were itching to act and get revenge for his lost lover. However, the vengeance he desired was interrupted by the untimely arrival of Maven Black Briar.
Everyone tensed up, and a few of the guild members backed away in to the corners of the Cistern to watch silently. Maven paid them all no mind and approached Mercer.
"Mercer." She said, in the same level voice that she used during every business transaction she had ever conducted.
"Maven… again, please accept my apologies. It seems we invested Guild resources in to a truly bad apple."
"Yes. You did." Maven eyed him, then she turned to glance at Brynjolf "I heard that she was your protégé, Brynjolf."
"Aye…" His voice cracked slightly as he replied "… Aye that she was… my protégé."
"In that case… I hold you fully responsible for her actions." Maven looked to Mercer "Brynjolf will answer to me for picking such a thoroughly useless creature. I trust that you have no qualms with this?"
"None at all. I agree that Brynjolf should accept blame for the poor choices he has made."
Two stocky mercenaries entered the Cistern from the same entrance that Maven had entered and grabbed Brynjolf by his arms. At first he moved to resist, then he stopped and replied "Alright. I'll go… but mark my words, Mercer… this isn't over." He glared at the Guild Master as the men led him away.
"Oh I think it is, Bryn." Mercer smirked as Maven and her mercenaries left.
"This isn't Riften prison, Maven." He was looking up at her mansion in Riften.
"Well aren't you observant, Brynjolf." Maven curtly replied and opened the door "Come in. We have much to discuss."
"… I'm not sorry. I mean for picking her. For recruiting her. For-"
"Loving her?" Maven asked, her eyes filled with a smug, all-knowing glint.
"How could you known about…?" Brynjolf choked.
Maven made a deep, exaggerated sigh and shook her head "You two have that same gormless look on your face when you find yourselves dumb founded. I do so hope that it's not an inheritable trait for the sake of any children that you might blight this world with… otherwise they're doomed." Maven walked up the stairs "Follow me, Brynjolf."
Brynjolf did more than follow, he swiftly ran up the stairs straight passed Maven and shouted "Cathryne?"
A familiar voice called back "Brynjolf!"
He ran across the landing as fast he could and to the source of the voice. He flung the door open and could barely contain his delight at the sight of her"Y-You're alive! By the Divines you're actually alive!"
She smiled up at him and nodded "Yes… I'm okay thanks to Maven."
In the corner Maven rolled her eyes.
Brynjolf laughed and gathered Cathryne in to his arms, he cuddled her close to his chest "I thought you were gone lass… I truly couldn't stand the thought… I had every intention of killing Mercer, but then Maven arrived. Your timing really is impeccable, Maven." He glanced over at the sneering woman.
"You two are as irksome when you praise people as you are when you're loved up together. I'm going down stairs before you do anything else to annoy me." She walked out and slammed the door behind her.
Brynjolf laughed and Cathryne smiled at him "Good." She replied "You didn't get a chance to do anything rash. I was worried when Maven told me that Mercer thought I was dead, that you in turn would do something."
"I nearly did." He rested his chin on her head and squeezed her tight. She yelped out as his hands squashed her side. He looked down "What? Did you hurt yourself?"
"Well… The Black Briar mansion caught fire because of a dragon… I fought the dragon but I broke a rib or two. I think it was a fair trade off for surviving."
Brynjolf's eyes widened "So… that stuff Mercer said about you doing a hit on Black Briar Mansion… that was the truth?"
"I think I need to explain…"
Cathryne explained everything to Brynjolf; from the rude awakening two days ago, to the infiltration of the Black Briar Mansion and on to the current situation with two broken ribs and a debt to pay back to Maven in order to clear her name.
"So that's it… I kill the dragon that is attacking her lumber caravans and she says she'll forget my involvement with Mercer's scheme."
"That bastard." Brynjolf growled deeply "He was pretty much trying to send you to your death… Still. I'm quite amazed that you were able to infiltrate the mansion and even get that statue half way to Riften. Were it not for the dragon, you probably would have made it…" he smirked to himself "You still have it Bryn, you know how to pick 'em…"
"Hey. No need to be smug." Cathryne slapped his arm "It might sound strange but I feel like that dragon has helped me to avoid giving Mercer what he wants either way. I'm not dead. Maven still has her statue and I have a chance to settle my debts too."
"Aye. That's no lie lass, as far as things go this is probably a fairly profitable outcome... Well, your ribs aside." Brynjolf sat on the bed beside her and stroked her cheek "Now, the only thing left to do is slay that wee beastie by the lake and then give Mercer what he's owed. And he's owed quite a lot…"
She closed her eyes, his touch was calming and welcomed after the past few days of madness. However, something niggled at the back of her mind "Bryn… I don't want you charging off to fight any dragons on my behalf. After a few days rest I'll be more than capable of completing the task."
He frowned at her "Am I that predictable?"
"Unfortunately? Yes."
"Damn… Well what, then?" He looked at her "I want to help somehow."
"The best thing you could do is go back to the guild."
"What?" He stared at her in disbelief "You want me to go back there?"
"Yes. Mercer should be lulled in to complete complacency. You can tell him you received several lashes from one of Maven's hired goons and that you've been told to pay back a debt by completing jobs. That way we will still have a foot in the guild. I know that Maven is furious, not just at me for failing to inform her of the plot but at Mercer for ever concocting it."
"Alright lass, I see where you're coming from." Brynjolf offered her a weary smile "But for tonight, while I'm being whipped by the hired muscle, I think I better stay here. To rest, of course."
She laughed "I don't know… maybe we need to make it look authentic? Where's some leather straps when you need them?"
He quirked an eyebrow "Wait a minute… is that a kinky streak I detect?"
"Hey! I didn't mean that I would whip you!"
"Pity. I might enjoy it from you, lass…"
"Hey now… This is Maven Black Briar's place!"
He smirked a wicked smirk at her "I know. That makes it all the more fun, don't you think?" before she could reply, he leaned forward and claimed her lips in a deep and long-awaited kiss…
~ End of Chapter 9 ~
^^ And that's the backlog of uploads cleared. There may be a bit of a delay in getting Chapter 10 uploaded as I'm in the process of writing it... Still, I'll keep working away at it and it should be here soon...ish!