"Hmmph, from common crook to the guild master of the Thieves Guild. I see you've done well with yourself Ellia" Rexx said as he sat down in front of her, looking up from the ledgers Ellia chuckled and said "you don't know the half of it, but you aren't too bad yourself old friend. Look at you, you're the arch mage of the college of Winterhold!"
Rexx chuckled and said "Exactly, but what's more curious is that I hear your voice, when did that happen?"
Ellia smiled and said "about a month ago, but that's not why I had you come down here" she dropped the bag containing five enchanted rings, Rexx opened the bag and said "magic rings? Hmm, let's see. Oh, oh wow. These rings are enchanted with some powerful magic, none of them able to help you in your line of work though." Ellia smiled and said "well, how much are they worth?" Rexx hummed and said "each ring is worth five thousand septims"
Ellia went wide eyed as she said "thats twenty-five thousand septims! Talos be damned, that's insane!"
Brynjolf came to check up on her as he heard her voice raise, "everything alright lass?" He said as he pulled her close, she nodded and smiled as she caught Rexx frowning. "What's wrong Rexx?" She said as Brynjolf let her sit back down, he shook his head and said "an elf and a nord being together, I can't think of anything more wrong than that."
Ellia sighed and said "divines.. if you were any higher off of your own ego you'd need a license to grow it, Rexx, who I fall in love with is none of your business. You saved me, and you're a great friend. But do not make comments about my love life, understood?" Rexx nodded and said "understood, it won't happen again"
Ellia smiled and said "good, now then let's drink. We got something to celebrate"
Brynjolf chuckled and said "and what is it that we're celebrating?"
Ellia looked him longingly in his eyes and said "I'm buying a house, and you're getting a key~"
Brynjolf picked her up and said "that is definitely worth a celebration!" Rexx chuckled and said "I got one more thing for you, remember the schematic you gave me? I had a smith make it for me, and once I got it I enchanted it to your specific needs" he handed her a copy of the skeleton key and Ellia said with a gasp "my unbreakable lockpick! Rexx, you figured it out!"
"An unbreakable lockpick is extremely valuable in our line of work! I can't wait to see how much gold you will bring back lass" Brynjolf said as he handed her a glass of whiskey, "Hey boss, I eh.. I picked up on a bit of news ya might wanna 'ear" Delvin said as he pulled a chair to the table. Ellia nodded and spurred him on, "there's a man by the name of Feandil, he eh.. he's been found sellin' skooma outside the gates of Riften." Delvin continued, Ellia scowled at her glass of whiskey and downed it in one go before saying "and there goes my celebratory mood" she stormed off, and Delvin said "what just happened? I know she doesn't like it when people encroach on our territory, but does it really bother her that much to lose her mood over?"
Brynjolf sighed and said "there's a reason for that, one that I can't discuss. But let me tell you this, anything illegal that isn't murder that happens in skyrim, without our knowing should be punished. Grab him from the streets, discreetly, and bring him to me. We'll show him why you want to deal with us first before selling that shite" Delvin nodded and made sure it happened. "Sorry Rexx, I'll go check on her. Have a good trip back to Winterhold"
Rexx nodded and said "thank you Brynjolf, before I go, I do have to say I'm sorry. I shouldn't have judged your love for Ellia like that, give her my regards. And the best wishes for you both" Brynjolf thanked him and went after Ellia.
Hearing her cry he knocked on the door and said "lass, I don't know if you've locked the door. But can I come in?" Ellia opened the door and clung to him in a tight hug, Brynjolf gently pulled her to the bed and onto his lap as he sat down. "I don't want to pry lass, but what's going through your mind right now?" Ellia wiped away her tears and said "I'm not going outside until this skooma thing has been resolved.." Brynjolf pressed a kiss on her forehead and said "I'll deal with it shortly, I just want to make sure you're alright." Breathing in his scent Ellia said "thank you Bryn.." he smiled and kissed her gently, as he backed away for air he said "hey lass, do you need anyone here with you while I deal with him?"
Ellia nodded and said "can you ask Sapphire to get here?" Brynjolf smiled and said "I'll ask her, I won't take long lass." He gave her one last hug and left the room, "Sapphire, stay with Ellia. She asked for you, I'm going to deal with a rat" he said as he entered a room across the Ragged Flaggon. "Ah Brynjolf, we plucked this little piggy off of the street. Care to beat em up?" Delvin said as he saw Brynjolf enter the room. He just grunted and marched past the veteran thief, "now then rat, you're going to talk. Nice and clearly." Delvin swallowed as he heard the ice cold tone Brynjolf had, "B- Brynjolf? Are you o- okay?" Delvin said as he laid a hand on his shoulder.
"No I'm not okay! This entire gods forsaken situation has Ellia completely wrecked! All because some shit bag decided to sell his shit, and I'm having none of it! I'm making an example of this cockroach" Brynjolf said as he punched the tied up high elf, Feandil cried out and spat out a tooth. Brynjolf growled and pulled him out of the chair by his collar, "TALK DIRTBAG, WHO IS IT YOU WORK FOR!?" Feandil swallowed and said "m- Mallus.. his name is Mallus.. please don't hurt me"
"You should have thought about that when you started selling your shit" was all Brynjolf said before he beat the poor high elf into a bloody mess. Pulling out his dagger he growled and said "you're going to send Mallus a message, tell him that if it's found out that his shit is being sold ANYWHERE, that I'll come for him. Nod if you understand" Feandil nodded then screamed as Brynjolf cut off his fingers.
"Delvin, bring me a torch. And be quick about it"
Delvin hurried, giving him the torch he watched as Brynjolf started to heat the blade of his dagger, only to then press it on the stumps of the high elves fingers. Feandil fainted, the pain clearly too much for him.
He picked his unconscious body up and slung him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, "Delvin, I'm dumping this pile of shit outside of Riften. Once I'm back I will be comforting Ellia, I don't want anyone to bother us. Am I understood?" Brynjolf said as he turned to Delvin, he nodded, too intimidated by the nightingale to answer him.
An hour later.
Ellia nuzzled into Brynjolfs chest, he smiled and said "welcome back lass, you were vast asleep when I got here" she smiled and said "you can thank Sapphire for that, she gave me a potion to fall asleep" Brynjolf scratched at the base of her antlers and said "I'll give her a bigger cut on her next job as a thank you, but how are you now?" Ellia hid her face in the crook of his neck and said "I'm fine, Bryn.."
He lifted her chin and said "you're hiding lass, you only hide your face from me when you're embarrassed, or when you're scared. Which one is it now?"
His warm and gentle tone sent a wave of emotions through her, and as she teared up she said "both, I'm embarrassed and scared Bryn, embarrassed that I'm hiding from it all, and scared that I'll cave in to the urge! I- I.." Ellia broke down, hugging Brynjolf tighter as she cried into his shoulder. Brynjolf pressed a kiss on her forehead and said "I know lass, I know. If the basterd know what's good for them they'll stop selling it" Ellia looked up at him and said "did you take care of it?" Brynjolf wiped away her tears and said "yes lass, I took care of it. We even know the fuckers name that's producing it, so if he's smart he'll stop. Otherwise I'll be paying him a visit"
Delvin knocked on the door and poked his head into the room saying "Brynjolf, Ellia. There's a message by raven, you might want to read it" he handed her the letter and made his way to the door, "Delvin wait, stay with Ellia. I need to do something" Brynjolf said as he stood up, Ellia and Delvin watched as he put on his nightingale armour. Turning around he said "I'm going to pay that whoreson a visit, I'll be back soon lass. I love you" Ellia stood up and hugged him tightly saying "I love you too, please be safe, and shadows guide you.."
Brynjolf nodded and said "Aye, I'll be safe lass. It's time I sent these bastards souls to the void"
He put up his hood and mask, and as he strapped on his daggers and throwing knives he left, the moon high in the sky.
An hour later.
Green Briar manor was guarded well, but none of these goons could ever hope to defeat a nightingale empowered by Nocturnal.
He dropped from the roof, startling the two guards, but before they could react the had their throats slit open, Brynjolf growled and entered the manor. Killing his way through the guards in brutal fashion he eventually got to their leader, Mallus, who was now running through a long hallway away from him.
"You can't run from me Mallus, the shadows thether you to me. There's no way to go" Brynjolf said with a calm malice as the shadows prevented Mallus from moving, "wait! Please don't! I- AAAAAAGGGHHHHH" Mallus tried to beg but got cut off as Brynjolf sliced his tendons, "I've about had it with you scumbags, first you try to strike a deal with us and get aggressive, then you go against us by selling your shit anyway. And when we send you a CLEAR message you spit in our faces and send us a message stating how you're above the thieves guild. That's not how this works dipshit"
Mallus pissed himself as he said "Please, I didn't mean it!" Brynjolf stabbed him in his liver and said "it would be a mercy to leave you here to bleed out, but I have a better idea." He dragged Mallus to the outside and said "I'm going to hang you with the barbed wire" he dropped him and tore off a good length of it, turning to a tree he made a quick noose and secured it in place.
Mallus screamed as Brynjolf hung him with the barbed wire noose, the barbs digging deep into the flesh of his neck. Brynjolf watched him struggle for a little bit and left with his cloak swaying in the moonlit wind.