A/N- Hello again! Here's chapter 7 - hope you enjoy! As always, a big thanks to you readers out there!


Chapter 7: Talkative

"You're here awful early, Miss Astrid." Delvin approached the young Nord woman, grinning broadly. He instantly noticed that Astrid seemed unusually chipper, compared to the two previous times he'd met with her.

"Let's just say I have a bit of extra energy today. My sot of an uncle was dead to Nirn this morning. I didn't get stuck with a thousand errands before I left." Astrid smiled contently, arms folded.

Delvin raised an eyebrow. "Uncle? You've never mentioned an uncle before...I assumed you lived alone..."

"Living alone would be the better option..." Astrid muttered.

Delvin began to sense that the man she spoke of wasn't the best person. "This bloke you talk about...Is he treatin' you well?"

"Hah!" Astrid scoffed. "If you consider making me his personal servant and blatantly being a son of a bitch good treatment..."

Delvin began to feel a pang of sympathy well up in his chest. Perhaps this explained why the woman was so eager to sell to his people. Much of the time, a person would have to be in quite the spot to be willing to sell to the likes of him. "I see...Miss, you must've had some unfortunate circumstances befall you to have to stay with him. He doesn't hit you, does he?" Delvin asked, somehow feeling a bit protective of the mysterious, beautiful woman before him.

"No. Not yet, anyway..." Astrid blew, running a hand through her blonde locks.

"That doesn't sound very promising, miss..." Delvin mused aloud.

"It's not. Reiner's not easy to live with in the least. I didn't have much of a choice, really. My mother requested on her deathbed that he help me up on my feet once she was gone. Needless to say, he's taken complete advantage of my situation. He works me from the time I wake till I go to sleep. I cook, clean, tend to his farm all while he drinks and indulges in prostitutes every other day of the week. He's a putrid tyrant. If I don't listen to him, he makes my life...less than pleasant... " the young woman vented.

Delvin could easily see that this man was making her life miserable. He pondered over her situation, briefly thinking of the man's name: Reiner. It sounded so familiar..."Miss Astrid, did you say his name is Reiner?" Delvin asked, as faint memories of the person attached to said name drifted throughout his mind.

"Yes, why?" Astrid narrowed her eyes.

"Does he perhaps deal in some...less than legal matters?" Delvin raised a brow, now distinctly remembering a man who smuggled illegal items by that very name.

"Funny you should mention that. The bastard just sold a stolen weapon last night along with some skooma. To boot it all, he tried to poison his clients so he could get it all back. Honestly, the more I live with the man, the more warped he seems..." Astrid explained, her voice trailing off. "How do you know him, anyway?" she asked Delvin warily.

"I don't, personally. I believe he's had a few missteps with my people in the past. This bloke is basically a well-seasoned fence. I believe he has deep ties to a far-reaching series of bandits, ruffians, and the like. Years ago, he did some work for us. Of course, the bugger decided to screw us over in our dealings, keeping far more profit than he should have. Some of my bunch retaliated, raiding his house while he was out. Our guild took quite a bit of his fortune...After that, we cut ties with him." Delvin recalled, now realizing what danger Astrid could possibly be in. Though he had no direct contact with Reiner, he'd heard enough from his peers to know that the man was a loose cannon.

"That explains a lot..." Astrid nodded, mumbling to herself in contemplation. "My mother's letter said that he once held a small fortune, but by the time I arrived at his home, it was a dump..." she trailed off again. "Wait, you said guild. So you're part of a guild?" she inquired, catching Delvin's slip-up.

Delvin sighed, knowing that attractive women often caused him to say a little more than he intended to - especially this woman. Not only was she beautiful, but she was cool and cunning, mysterious, and in trouble to boot it all. From what he'd heard, Reiner would do anything to anybody to make a profit for himself. Apparently, the man was in a very bad way, and Astrid was an easy target. "Aye, and I'll tell you more in a bit. Do you have some sort of plan to leave that bastard? He's dangerous..."

"As a matter of fact I do," Astrid remarked, somehow defensively, as if she felt she could take care of herself. "You are my plan. I'm keeping most of my profits. Reiner doesn't do the labor, so he doesn't get what I get. The bastard doesn't deserve it anyway. He doesn't know the difference, considering sells aren't exactly soaring in Riften." she smirked. "Now, tell me about this guild..."

"Alright, luv. Have you ever heard of the Thieves' Guild?" Delvin spoke in a hushed tone.

"Yes, the people around here seem to mention them a bit. So you're one of them? I'd suspected as much..." Astrid smiled arrogantly, causing Delvin to chuckle. "It's a bit obvious, actually, now that I think about it..."

"Haha...Guess I need to brush up on my subtlety." Delvin laughed nervously, realizing it wasn't too hard to figure out in the first place. "You know, we could use the likes of you. You're calm, cool, collected, and all that. You know anything about life in the shadows, Miss Astrid? You know - sneaking, silence, quick hands and an even quicker wit? I bet a lady like you would fit right in with us." Delvin beamed, feeling compelled by the idea. Of course, she'd have to develop skill in those areas to be successful enough to be accepted by his people. If things worked out, she could get away from Reiner and be close to Delvin, which was, of course, his ulterior motive. He just couldn't shake it. She was fascinating to him.

"The only sneaking I've done is behind Reiner's back." Astrid stated bluntly. "I doubt I'm skilled enough to join your people."

Delvin grinned, rubbing his chin. "I could teach you, if you'd like. I'll buy your wares, then you can accompany me on some of my jobs until you're ready to approach the guild. You join us, and you'll never have to worry about that bastard uncle of yours. Whaddya say, luv?" he asked, feeling full of hope.

"Just how am I supposed to accomplish all this, Delvin?" Astrid huffed skeptically. "I'm allowed one day a week to sell Reiner's things. I hardly think that's enough time to turn myself into a full-blown thief, do you?" she asked, eyebrow raised.

"Ah, you have good points there, Astrid. Might I make a suggestion to you? It's a bit of a this for that, but knowing Reiner...it may work in your favor." Delvin replied, hoping to persuade her.

"I'm listening..." Astrid seemed compliant so far.

"I hate to be the one to break it to you, but you have to give him more of the profits if you want to be in Riften more." Delvin said, bracing himself for her inevitable disappointment.

"Give Reiner more coin?! That's ridiculous! He does nothing but wallow in his own filth day after day, while I have the pleasure of being his personal slave!" Astrid hissed, obviously upset by his idea.

Delvin sighed, "I know, I know...Look, I'm not telling you to give him everything. Just give him some actual profit. Maybe a quarter, or perhaps half if that doesn't work."

"Half? Are you kidding?" Astrid rolled her eyes.

"Only if he doesn't respond to your first offer. Just...listen to me, miss..." Delvin worriedly tried to convince her. "Say you come home today with fifty gold coins, instead of...?" Delvin gave her a questioning look.

"Ten." Astrid spat, not amused.

"Really, luv? Only ten? No wonder the bastard doesn't let you out..." Delvin mumbled. "Look, if he sees an increase in his coin, I'm sure it will change his mind. You bring the increase in coin, and he'll let you come out here. I'll use those days to train you."

"Yes, but what about coin? I'm not going to make any if you're training me, am I?" Astrid asked cynically. "Then what?"

"Oh, yes you will, luv. I'll be training you to steal, and that includes coin. You'll be rolling in it by the time I'm through with you. Once you're experienced enough, you can join us. I, for one, would be glad to have you..." Delvin smiled warmly, prompting a faint smile from Astrid in return. Maybe there was hope for him after all.

"Fine." Astrid finally chuckled, giving in. "But if this doesn't work, I expect to be reimbursed."

"I promise. Cross my heart, Miss Astrid." Delvin grinned, gesturing an "x" over his chest. "Now, I believe I owe you two-hundred gold coins for those fine vegetables..."


Astrid carefully opened the front door of the farmhouse, sliding in unnoticed. She was about to make her way to her room, when Reiner wobbled into her view.

"You already been to Riften this morning?" Reiner spoke lazily, mid-yawn. Astrid looked him over, instantly seeing that he was suffering from his usual hangover. She mentally shrugged - now was as good a time as any, she reasoned.

"I wanted to get an early start. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised, however." Astrid planted a false smile on her lips, holding up a sack of fifty gold coins in front of Reiner.

His eyebrows raised along with his interest in what was before him. "How much, girl?"

"Fifty today. Five times what I've been making." she replied confidently, handing him the pouch.

He held it up, a smirk forming on his features. Opening it, he verified that it was, indeed, very full. "Hmm...Seems morning hours are better for business. How much crop do you have left?" he asked, with Astrid seeing the wheels turning in his mind.

"I only brought a portion of it to town earlier. We certainly have enough left to bring to the market, if that's what you're asking..." Astrid answered, feeling happy with where the conversation was headed.

"This is what I want to see. Go again tomorrow morning and see if you can do the same." Reiner instructed, pulling a coin out and rubbing it greedily between his thumb and forefinger.

"Very well, then." Astrid smiled, heading up the stairs.


The frantic bellowing of cattle startled Astid from her slumber. The sound of the frightened herd seemed to be mixed with a melody of ominous growls and fierce roaring. She shot up in the bed, feeling her body tense from the disturbing sound of it all.

Slowly, she crept to the window, hearing the increasing volume of the chaos outside. Most of the cattle had huddled toward the back of Reiner's property, so she couldn't see anything. She could only hear the painful bellows of an unfortunate animal as it suffered.

"DAMN IT!" Reiner exploded from the hallway, apparently awakened by the situation as well. Astrid heard him clammer down the stairs, flinging open the front door.

What was this mysterious being that viciously attacked Reiner's livestock? He claimed it to be a pack of wolves, but Astrid had seen something else once, however breifly it was. It was alone, and it was very large in stature. It seemed to bring death and destruction wherever it went. Feeling her curiosity get the better of her, she quietly slipped out of the farmhouse and into the night.

She rounded the back of the property, seeing Reiner fuming amidst his herd in the dead of night. Intrigued, she crept across the field, approaching him.

"Not again! That blasted demon keeps coming back! I'd kill it myself, but it's too damned quick..." Reiner growled, balling his fists as he stood over the viciously torn body of one of his cattle.

Astrid traced her eyes over the animal's corpse, its blood dark and sparkling in the pale moonlight. Out of some strange impulse, she laid her hand on the bloodied animal, feeling the warm crimson collect between her fingers. This creature, whatever it may be, was very powerful. She could feel it. "What did this?" she asked, somehow mystified by the gory scene in front of her.

Reiner sighed, in a rare moment of vulnerability. "I'd like to say it's a pack of wolves. I mean, that's what I tell people. It feels better to think a bunch of stupid animals are doing this rather than a feral beast of a man. It hurts my pride a bit less. I'm being outsmarted by a man, young Astrid. He's feeding for free - at my expense - and I don't like it! Bastard..." Reiner growled, kicking the dead form with misplaced rage.

"That lady you were with once..." Astrid began, interrupting Reiner's bout of anger. "She mentioned some sort of beast...It sounded as if she was speaking of a Werewolf...Is that true, then?"

"I'm afraid so. There's your bloody proof!" he spat, gesturing wildly toward the dead cow.

"How often does this happen?" Astrid asked, feeling curious as ever. She'd love to witness such a powerful being in action. Especially if it was destroying Reiner's property.

"Once or twice with each passing month. I plan to murder its arse if I can get to it quick enough..." he hissed, walking away from the scene. He turned to Astrid, who was staring a hole through the bloodied corpse. "You comin' in or not?" he snapped.

Astrid calmly walked behind Reiner, glancing over her shoulder to the glittering, bloodied animal carcass in the moonlight. For some deeply-hidden, mysterious reason, her heart began to beat wildy with exhilaration.