I do not own Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.

I liked this chapter before I rewrote the beginning after separating it from the previous chapter.

And now I hate this chapter.

That's just how it goes, I suppose.

Reviewer Responses:

Manu: You were the only reviewer this week! That makes me kind of sad, but it's okay, because I least I had one. I'm glad you're curious, because let me tell ya, it's gonna get weird.

Chapter 7: Under New Management

Ziris watched as Rune stuck his dagger into the training dummy, and she frowned a bit. "No," she said, moving forward to help him. "Don't do it like that. If you were fighting a real person, your dagger would get stuck, and you wouldn't be able to get it back."

She pulled the weapon from the dummy, and handed it back to him, then stepped backwards. She gestured to her chest, just below her breast. "You need to strike here."

Rune had gone from concentrating to uncomfortable in about two seconds. "Maybe I should ask Brynjolf about this," he said, rubbing at his neck.

Ziris rolled her eyes. "Rune, I'm trying to help you," she said. "How are you supposed to learn if the only thing you can think about is how I'm a woman?"

She'd decided to waste away the day for as long as she could by training Rune. Mercer had told everyone that, later on in the afternoon, he'd finally, finally be picking a new second-in-command.

Six months ago, Molgrom had been arrested, again, and he'd never come back to the cistern. Ever since then, Mercer had been busy trying to run the Guild on his own. Ziris knew that he was struggling. Thankfully, she'd been around to assist him with menial tasks that he'd normally pass on to a second-in-command.

She took them on with pride, and not without the slightest bit of satisfaction, knowing the Mercer recognized how good she was at what they did, and how committed.

"It's not about that," Rune said with a sigh. He took the dagger from her, and faced the dummy. "It's just that… you're a lot better than me, and sometimes you… you act like it."

Ziris frowned at him. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that… you get upset, like I should already know some of the things you're teaching me," Rune explained, flinching as though he thought she was going to hit him.

"Did I do that just now?" she asked, stepping away.

"Well, no," Rune replied, "but… your voice started to change, like you were about to."

Ziris exhaled. "I'm sorry, Rune," she said. "Maybe it's just… something I learned from Mercer." She offered him a smile. "If you don't want me to teach you anymore, then I won't."

"I mean, I'd like you to," he said, "and you have been for a while, it's just…" He shrugged, and she nodded in understanding.

"I get it," she replied. "It's all right, really. Maybe I should try to change my methods, anyhow."

Rune glanced down at the dagger, and then he turned around to face her again. "Show me one more time?" he suggested, and Ziris grinned before gesturing to the same spot she had before, this time on his chest instead.

"Right here," she said, softly. "It's a quick kill, and the blade comes out really easily afterwards."

Rune nodded, and then he frowned. "I've never had to kill anyone on a job before," he said.

Ziris lifted her shoulders. "It's always good to know a few tricks, just in case someone ever comes after you," she told him. "It's helpful to have a few things in mind."

"I guess so," Rune agreed after a moment, and then he turned to the dummy once more. Without hesitating, he stuck his dagger into the same spot on the dummy's chest as Ziris had showed him, and she nodded when he looked at her for approval.

"Good," she said. She then glanced towards the door of the training room.

Rune saw her do this, and he grinned, pulling his dagger back out of the dummy. "You're really excited for the announcement, aren't you?" he asked, and she nodded.

"I think he's going to pick me," she said, "but…"

"Why wouldn't he pick you?" Rune questioned. "I mean, you're the best thief in the Guild, better than him, even."

"No I'm not," Ziris told him. "You only think so because I go on jobs, and bring in money." She looked at Rune. "If Mercer still did jobs, I don't think I'd be even close to surpassing him."

"But he doesn't do jobs," Rune said.

Ziris considered that for a moment, and then she laughed. "I guess you have a point," she agreed. "I'll see you later, all right?"

"Sure," Rune said, and then he started to slash at the training dummy.

Ziris left him to do so, and she walked out into the cistern. Mercer glanced up from whatever he was doing at his desk as she did so, and he gestured her over.

Ziris eagerly walked to the desk, and paused in front of it. Mercer frowned at her. "Why do you look so happy?"

"No reason," she said quickly. "What do you need?"

"I wanted to hear about the Markarth job," Mercer responded, "the one you went on for Delvin."

"Oh!" Ziris grinned, and shrugged. "It wasn't anything, really. Some important fellow needed me to steal back something that was stolen from him. It was over and done with quickly."

"No trouble?" Mercer queried, and Ziris shook her head. "Delvin tells me that, because you did the job well, we now have a friend in Markarth."

Ziris nodded. "That was the point," she said. "Delvin's been trying to get me jobs in the same holds so that someone will notice, and want to see what we can do for themselves, to know if the Guild is worth their support."

"He hasn't said anything of the sort to me," Mercer commented dryly.

"Maybe he wanted to surprise you." Mercer frowned at her, and she smiled back. "I'm only kidding. This is the first time it's worked, so maybe he was waiting for a good one to tell you about."

Mercer didn't exactly look convinced, but he didn't say anything more about it. "When it's time to make the announcement, will you bring everyone in here for me?" he asked.

"Sure," Ziris replied. "Too lazy to do it yourself?"

"I have other things to worry about," he told her, looking back down at his work. "Go start gathering everyone now."

She nodded, and turned away from the desk to do so. She decided to start in the Flagon, first, since everyone in the cistern would notice if Mercer stood and walked to the center of the room.

She pushed her way through the door and down the passage to the Flagon, where she found Delvin, Vex, and Tonila. Brynjolf was there, too, but she ignored him.

"Mercer's making the announcement soon," she said to everyone in general.

Delvin groaned. "Doesn't he know I just ordered a mug?" he asked, and Ziris shook her head.

"I don't think so, and even if he did, he probably wouldn't care."

"Take it with you," Vekel sighed when Delvin looked at him.

Gleefully, Devin took another swallow and picked up the mug, lifting it in Vekel's direction as a toast. "Thank you, good man," Delvin said, and then he looked around at everyone. "The only reason this is happening is because of the curse."

"Oh, knock that off," Vex ordered, slamming shut the book she'd been reading.

"What curse?" Dirge asked, coming into the bar from where he'd been positioned outside of it.

"You know, Nocturnal's mad at us for whatever reason," Delvin said, "and so she keeps getting Molgrom arrested so that Mercer has to either pick a new second, or do everything by hisself." He took another drink. "At least Mercer's makin' the right choice."

Vex shook her head at him. "There's no Nocturnal," she said, "and there's no curse."

"Sure there is," Delvin said. "Why else have we had such wretched luck? Why is the Guild going broke?" He gave Vex a look. "Not even you can explain that, Vex."

"I don't have to explain it," Vex said sourly. "Everyone has bad luck because no one knows what they're doing. The Guild is going broke because no one knows what they're doing."

Ziris sighed to herself, and turned to head back into the cistern, leaving them to argue and waste time.

She crossed over towards the hall leading to the training room, but she didn't have to go very far. Rune was already coming out of the room, a towel in hand.

"I know," he said before Ziris could speak. "Thrynn came in and told me. Overheard you at the desk." He grinned. "Good luck."

"Thanks," Ziris replied.

Rune continued on past her, and Ziris turned to Thrynn, who'd just emerged from the training room himself. He noticed the grin on her face, and shook his head.

"Stop thinking you've already gotten it," he said to her.

"Why should I?" she questioned, following him down the hall as he went by. "Who else is he going to pick, Thrynn?"

"Uh, Delvin? Vex? Maybe even Brynjolf, if he really wants to piss you off," Thrynn replied without looking back.

"He knows I'm the right one for the job," Ziris decided as they walked out of the hall back into the cistern. "He can't pretend that I haven't worked for it, tried to prove myself. If he doesn't pick me, I'll never forgive him, and he knows it."

"Does he?" Thrynn asked her.

Ziris decided not to respond.

They walked to the center of the cistern, where Mercer was already waiting. Like Ziris had assumed, the other thieves had gathered around when they saw him stand, and they were all milling about, pretending not to be interested.

Ziris stood next to Thrynn and looked around at everyone. The only one who she didn't see was Tonilia, and she rolled her eyes to herself. Tonilia could get away with anything, because she was so good at her job. No doubt she knew that, and was using it to her advantage, probably because she didn't really care who was in charge.

The most recent addition to the Guild, who called herself 'Sapphire', stood off to the edge of the crowd, looking rather bored. She'd joined up three months prior, after she'd been found poking around the Black-Briar estate. Pretty risky, Ziris had thought when she'd first heard, but Sapphire's only real skill, that she'd noticed, was her sharp tongue.

Vex and Delvin stood near Mercer, eyeing the surrounding thieves and exchanging glances with one another. Delvin offered Vex his tankard, and she frowned at him in response.

The rest of the thieves stood about in front of them, speaking quietly to one another as they waited for Tonilia to show up. They numbered only seven, now, after Etienne Rarnis had gone off on a job and never returned. No one talked about him, and Ziris decided that they'd all marked him as a deserter and decided they were better off without him.

Tonila finally made an appearance, coming through the door leading to the Flagon. Mercer's sharp gaze settled on her as she joined Brynjolf where he was standing a good distance away from Ziris.

She and Brynjolf had had a bit of a falling out, the month prior. It was a stupid one, to be sure, and Ziris missed him, despite herself. She'd decided earlier on in the day that, after the ceremony, she would try to speak with him, and amend what had happened between the two of them. Knowing Brynjolf, it wouldn't take much work, and they would at least be on speaking terms again, if not completely 'on', as they had been prior to the fight.

She managed to catch his eye without meaning to, and, because of her excitement for what was about to occur, she smiled at him. Brynjolf's eyebrows drew together, and he turned his gaze away without returning it.

Ziris lost her grin, and scowled.

Whatever, she decided flippantly. I'll let it go. Obviously, he's not in a great mood.

"Now that everyone is here…" She turned her attention to Mercer, who was still giving Tonilia a biting look. "... perhaps I am free to begin?"

Tonilia offered him a look of her own. Mercer disregarded the glare and looked around at everyone else.

"As we all know, the prior second-in-command has, in fact, been in the Riften jail for quite some time," he went on. "As six months have passed since Molgrom's arrest, it is safe to assume he will not be returning to his duties any time soon, and… for reasons that do not tread beyond the fact that there is quite a bit to be done, and I cannot do it all alone, I have decided it is time to name Molgrom's replacement as second-in-command of the Guild."

Ziris couldn't help herself. She leaned up onto her toes and back down again, hands fluttering excitedly by her sides. Thrynn reached up and put a hand on her shoulder in order to calm her down, and she settled beside him, inhaling and hoping no one could hear the eager thrum of her heart.

Mercer exhaled, clearly bored with the whole situation. "As Guild Master, it is my duty to appoint a second-in-command worthy of leading the Guild, and I have made my decision after much debate."

Ziris wriggled a bit beneath Thrynn's hand. It couldn't have been too difficult to choose, she thought to herself. After all, who better than the very thief he trained?

Mercer examined the gathered thieves for a moment, his gaze passing right over her, as though he barely noticed she was there. That didn't bother her very much; he didn't want to give it away before the dramatic unveiling, most like.

"Brynjolf will be the new second-in-command of the Thieves Guild," he concluded, without much drama at all.

Ziris stopped all her wiggling, and she was faintly aware of her heart thudding to a sudden halt as well. She watched as Brynjolf stepped forward to the applause of the rest of the Guild, and shook Mercer's hand. She could see the thieves clapping, but she could not hear them, for something inside of her had cracked open, and was screaming.

She saw Mercer give Brynjolf an affectionate pat on the shoulder, and Brynjolf grinned back before turning around to face everyone else. He said something to them, spreading out his hands, and she saw everyone laugh at whatever it had been. Ziris took a step backwards as Mercer stepped forward to dismiss everyone, and the thieves all walked off in different directions.

She watched as Mercer led Brynjolf towards the Guild Master's desk, speaking to him as they went.

That's… that's supposed to be me, she thought vacantly. Why isn't it me?

Someone touched her shoulder, and she jumped as the screaming in her head came to an abrupt stop, ending as quickly as it had began. She turned, and found Thrynn gazing at her in concern.

"You all right?" he asked, tilting his head, and she shook her own, surprised that she was able to hear him. She took a step backwards, staggering slightly, and then she turned on her heel and fled, darting up the ladder of the secret entrance and out into the fresh air of Riften.

She stopped, leaning against the wall of the city, and let out a furious screech, loud enough to wake the dead buried in the tombs around her.

Time and again, she'd proven herself to the Guild, and to Mercer. Time and again, her skills had been recognized by them all. She'd worked for them, trained with them, done her best to help them bring the Guild back to what it had used to be.

So why was she here, now, screaming as loudly as she could, while Brynjolf was down in the cistern, learning how to lead the Guild? Why was he learning how to do the job she'd been groomed for since her arrival? Why, in the names of all the Gods, had he accepted, when he knew that she'd wanted to lead the Guild for almost as long as she'd deemed herself capable of doing so?

Ziris let out one last yell of frustration, and then she sank to her knees in the damp grass, hanging her head between her hands.

I deserved it. The job was meant for me. I'm the one who should be down there with Mercer.

Obviously, however, luck had not favored her, as it hadn't been favoring any of the thieves in the years following Gallus's death. The one time it had hit her the hardest, however, was the one time she'd wished, just once, that it would've left her alone.

Of course it wouldn't have. It was bad luck, hitting at the most inopportune times. Why did it have to hit her, though? Why couldn't it have decided to bother Brynjolf instead? He didn't deserve the job, so why had good luck seemed to favor him?

Maybe Delvin's ridiculous nonsense about the Guild being cursed was right. Maybe this Nocturnal, whoever that was, really was angry with them all. And maybe, just maybe, Ziris had been given the worst of the lot, for reasons that had yet to reveal themselves to her.

She squeezed her eyes shut and inhaled sharply to push down the rush of angry tears she could feel welling up behind her eyes. Crying and screaming weren't going to get her anywhere. She knew that, had known that for a long time.

The only thing she could do now was prove to Mercer, and everyone else, that he had made a drastic mistake in picking Brynjolf over her.

And she would do so by being the best Gods' damned thief the Guild had ever seen, despite the bad luck that seemed to have settled over all of them.

She would prove to them all that the position she'd worked for, and had been made for, had passed over her unfairly. And maybe, just maybe, things would finally go the way she'd meant for them to.

She wiped at her eyes, and climbed to her feet, and glanced towards a group of shadows near the shrine of Talos. They seemed to waver a bit, as though they were wishing her luck, and she nodded to them, then turned and headed back down into the cistern.