A/N: Hello everyone! Here's chapter 15, hope you like it! Thanks to my readers out there and those who have followed/fav/reviewed! Hope you guys enjoy, and I'll see you again next week!
Chapter 15: Troubled
Delvin eyed Astrid's form as she hastily stood up from her place beside him in the bed. The room at the Bee and Barb was dark, save for the faint candlelight on a nearby end table. He felt uneasy inside, noting the frantic flame painting Astrid in ominous waves of light. He slightly winced, as the light illuminated the faded bruising on her pale flesh. "You sure you wanna do this tonight, luv? Perhaps you should rest up a bit...You know...It'll help you to heal quicker." he spoke softly, feeling unnerved by how little Astrid had spoken since their meeting with the guild. "Brynjolf already said to finish the job at your convenience. There really is no rush, luv." Delvin coaxed, hoping Astrid would take heed and not try such a task while in her current condition. It wasn't that he wanted to hold up her progress. He simply feared that she'd likely be caught, or perhaps further injured while in such a weak state. He'd given her a couple of small healing potions, which had helped to an extent, but what Astrid really needed was to rest. Besides, healing potions only helped one's physical form, and Astrid needed to mentally recover from such a horrific attack. Delvin not only worried for her physical being, but her state of mind, as well.
He watched as Astrid calmly dressed herself in the old guild armor he'd given her, seeming to pay no heed to his words. She then turned to him, her battered face seeming emotionless as the light twisted across her features. "I'm certain that taking our sweet time is what landed me in this spot in the first place." she stated plainly, her voice seeming cold and distant, even for her.
Delvin raised up, sliding to seat himself on the edge of the bed. "Look, I know I failed you. I ain't gonna deny it. But you're here with me now. I ain't lettin' you go back into harms way again. I want you in the guild as bad as you do, Astrid. I just don't want ya gettin' hurt any further, luv. You ain't in no shape to be goin' out on a job." Delvin insisted, hoping to persuade her to stay with him for the remainder of the night.
Blatantly ignoring his words, Astrid changed the subject as she pulled her boots on. "Delvin...Who was that man in the Flagon?"
"I dunno his name, luv." Delvin replied, not wanting to further the conversation about the previous events of the day.
Much to his dislike, however, Astrid pressed on. "Why did he kill one of your own?"
Delvin sighed, feeling defeated while wiping a hand over his face. "I'm sure you noticed the armor, didn't ya?"
"It was certainly different, if that's what you mean. He didn't look like one of the guild members." Astrid remarked casually, now sifting through a satchel.
"That bloke's a member of the Dark Brotherhood - an assassin. He was sent by someone to off one of our members." Delvin spoke apprehensively, staring at the floor and hoping she wouldn't question things further. He simply wanted those events to be as far away from his conscious mind as possible.
"Didn't he collect a debt from your leader, Delvin?" Astrid shot him a sharp, telling look from across the room. She knew.
Delvin averted his eyes from her intense gaze. "Look, what Mercer does is none o' my business. I can't go meddlin' in his affairs. I can't prove he did a damned thing, Astrid." his voice raised slightly in his exasperation. He just didn't want to face it yet. Sure the guild was a cut-throat place, but that usually wasn't the case. Besides, murder was almost always bad for business and bad for the guild. This was a rare occasion, and the guild was all Delvin had. He couldn't go around bad-mouthing his home - his family.
"Hm." Astrid shrugged, now pulling the hood over her head, shrouding her eyes from his view. "I'll be back later, Delvin. It's the dead of night and the tavern downstairs is usually empty at this hour. I need to take this opportunity while I can. It's an easy mission. I'll be back by morning."
"Alright, luv. If you say so..." Delvin sighed. "Just be careful out there, alright?"
"I'm always careful, aren't I?" Astrid smirked, leaving through the door and out of his sight. Delvin shuddered slightly, watching her disappear from view. Something was very wrong. She hadn't been acting right lately.
Astrid gazed at the twin moons, watching as thick, ominous clouds moved into the night sky, holding the promise of a storm in the near future. Throwing a small piece of tinder in the fire, she held up a valuable necklace, watching its jewel glimmer in the firelight.
Obtaining the precious item had been simple, really. Brynjolf had given her a beginner's location - another solitary house outside of Riften. The modest home was occupied by a small, feeble old lady and was located deep in the woodland area. A quick slip in and out and she'd obtained her goal, completely undetected, and with plenty of time to just...think.
Placing the valuable back into her knapsack for safe keeping, Astrid promptly opened a bottle of Ale. She began to indulge herself, savoring the spicy flavor, while resting in the peaceful environment of the small campsite she'd created. She wiped her mouth, welcoming the burn of the alcohol on her insides and the numbing effect it had on her tattered emotions.
She leaned back on her elbows, feeling the cold earth beneath her, while staring up at the night sky and allowing her thoughts to drift. That man - that assassin - he had blue eyes. They weren't a warm, vibrant blue like Delvin's, but an icy, silver shade of blue. His eyes were cold and brutal when they locked with Astrid's back in the Flagon.
The man was large and fearsome, and obviously capable of atrocious things, given the way he'd killed an unknowing guild member in a matter of moments. She'd become fearful that he would murder Delvin as well, and when she asked the mysterious man where he was going, he paused. He didn't attack her, or turn violent in any way. He simply paused.
There was a familiarity in those eyes - a presence of some sort that Astrid couldn't quite put her finger on. Astrid could've sworn she'd even noticed a slight trace of surprise on the man's intimidating features. Perhaps he was shocked that someone had been bold enough to speak to him, given the horrific act he'd just committed. Maybe she should've been afraid, she mused. Of course, she didn't fear the man himself, only that he may harm the one she cared for. When he gave her his cryptic answer, he paused a moment more, studying her as he began to walk away. His voice wasn't angry or hostile in any way. He was actually quite collected.
When he walked past her, she absentmindedly took a step forward, beginning to follow him before she realized what she was doing. It was strange really - as if she'd been subconsciously drawn to him in some way. The man must've noticed her behavior, for he looked over his shoulder, watching her, and causing her to stop dead in her tracks. Astrid didn't want to antagonize him, so she simply stayed put. He merely paused, his steely blue gaze piercing her one final time before fading into the shadows.
Allowing her mind to wander to the next thought, Astrid found that she couldn't shake the feeling of doubt that began to bubble in her mind concerning Delvin and the Thieves' Guild. He spoke of them as if they were his family, and yet, what family would allow each other to be slaughtered without consequence? If she were to join among their ranks, would she be wiped out the moment she didn't please their Guild Master? And why did Delvin refuse to accept or admit that his leader was solely responsible for the member's death? Why was he being so...weak?
Astrid sat up, propping her elbows on her knees while wiping her forehead in her frustration. Delvin was helping her, she reminded and partially scolded herself. He had been nothing but kind to her since the day they'd met. But then again...How kind was too kind? Was he too kind to ever seek revenge on her uncle? He certainly didn't seem concerned with harming Reiner - the very man who had beaten her to a bloody pulp.
No, she argued with herself, he's doing this to help me! Delvin wants me safe. Of course...That's what he wanted from the start, and that didn't happen. Delvin hadn't kept her safe, and the very place he'd deemed his sanctuary was a threat as well. For gods' sakes, they were murdering each other there while he was turning a blind eye!
Astrid inhaled deeply, chugging the rest of her drink in an attempt to quiet the disturbing thoughts. No. She'd just push it away, she thought, as her eyes began to fill with tears. Against her own will, she began to weep, her face falling into her palms. Despite her feelings of desperation, Astrid just couldn't push it from thought. The pain was too deep and too severe. Astrid was hurt, and not just by Reiner's act, but by Delvin himself.
"You...lied..." Astrid whispered, feeling betrayed by the man who was supposed to save her. Hot tears scorched her cheeks as the wind began to pick up. She wiped her eyes, hearing the low rumbling of thunder in the distance. The campfire darted about furiously under the unyielding gale blowing forth.
Perhaps Delvin was kind, but he was also weak - just like her mother. He was leading her to be slaughtered, whether he realized it or not. Maybe she was better off facing Reiner herself. Delvin certainly wasn't going to do it, and as long as her miserable excuse for an uncle was cursing her existence by being alive, she would always have to look over her shoulder. She didn't want to live in fear of Reiner ever finding her. The man was demented enough as it was - she would certainly rue the day he'd stumble into her again. He would eventually figure out that she was close, and he'd get her. Even if he didn't, the Thieve's Guild themselves might decide to do away with her.
At least, she reasoned, she could be in control of her own fate. At least if she were to die living in that old farmhouse, it would be her own choice that she'd be well-aware of. It would be better than being told niceties and hopeful thoughts, only for them to be a ruse. She'd wind up dead, either way. Delvin could have stopped this long ago. He simply chose to be weak, and until he decided to pay back those who deserved it, she would go her own way.
Lightning flashed in the sky, as rain began to pour relentlessly. Astrid stood, pulling her hood over her head and walking deeper into the woods. If Delvin wouldn't make Reiner's life a living torment, then she would, no matter what consequences awaited her.
Rain plunged mercilessly from the gray sky above as Delvin walked outside the gates of Riften. He was following the trail that led to the small cottage Astrid had been sent to burglarize. Astrid said she'd be back by morning. Morning had passed long ago, and after hours of waiting for her return, Delvin grew wary. Fearing the worst for her, he began to run once he'd left sight of the city in the distance. His speed increased as he hit the edge of the thick forest. Hearing any signs of her was difficult, for the harsh rains continued to beat down, muffling out any other noises that could possibly alert him in the distance.
He mentally berated himself, feeling idiotic for ever letting her go on a mission in such a terrible state. The poor girl had been brutally beaten, for Noctunal's sake! She probably wasn't even in the right state of mind. Fearing the unknown, he stopped as he approached the small dwelling amid the forest. Brynjolf had told him that an old woman lived there, so he wasn't so worried about Astrid's chances with her. It was the outside threats that he feared most. What if bandits had abducted her? What if that bastard Reiner had found her? He called for her, time and again, only to be met with silence.
"Damn it..." he growled, balling his fists in anger. Why had he been stupid enough to let her go? He should've been a man and stood up to her, making her stay with him until she was well enough to do the job! Why did she have so much power over his ability to think straight - so much power over him?!
Overwhelmed, desperate, and not sure of what else to do, Delvin decided to head to the Ratway. Perhaps Astrid had taken matters into her own hands - as she often preferred to do - and decided to deal with Brynjolf herself after the job was completed. Delvin sighed, turning back to the city of Riften.
