The Pink Haired Pirate: An Old Norse Saying
Rated: M for language, future mature themes, violence, gore
Warnings: Spoiler alert for Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
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"I have encountered many thieves whose sole interest in locks is how to open them and thereby pilfer the protected contents of the room or chest. I have taken it upon myself to devise a system of locks that can defeat such villainous intent.
The materials used to create a lock are of utmost importance. Shoddy brass or copper will give way to a well-placed kick, thereby rendering the lock itself useless. I recommend steel over iron when choosing a material. More robust materials tend to be prohibitively expensive and necessitate the door being made of similar metals. I have been chagrined to stumble across the shattered shell of a wooden chest, it's [sic] dwarven lock intact and still locked.
Once these basics are settled, pay particular attention to the offset of the tumblers. A seven degree offset to the keyhole will allow a torque style key to work smoothly, while at the same time causing numerous headaches for the thief attempting to insert non-torque lockpicks.
In a similar fashion, the springs of the tumblers should be made by different smiths. Each smith will unknowingly create a spring with different tension than his fellow smiths. This variance will also create difficulties for anyone attempting to pick the lock."
- Proper Lock Design and Construction, Anonymous Author
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Sakura quickly looked over her shoulder as she climbed down the ladder which lead to the sewers. Without being noticed, she slipped behind the door of the Ratway. Nobody dared to approach her, the dwellers stepped out of her way as she walked down towards the Ragged Flagon. And Sakura couldn't meet their gaze either. How could she? As forced as she was to raise her hand against them, she gained no pleasure from trampling over the weak. But her heart was light and that was owed to Mara's blessing. She has stepped out of the temple clean.
'Only to get dirty again.'
The pink-haired woman creaked open the door of the tavern and slid inside with care. Her boots made little to no sound against the musky cobble floor of the sewers. Her eyes scanned for Brynjolf.
But he was having a drink next to a few of his fellow guildmates she supposed.
As she entered, she was welcomed by the sight of five darkened, dirty alcoves, filled with random supplies, wooden planks, and food. In front of her is a circular shallow pool with a wooden deck opposite and the inn behind. Following the path around to the right, beyond the fifth alcove was a wooden bridge spanning the water beneath, with an inn sign hanging from a post on the right. The inn had three small tables and chairs arranged in front of the counter, two of which were occupied by Brynjolf, and the man she supposed was the inn's bouncer, named Dirge. Behind the counter was Vekel the Man, the innkeeper, and bartender who was cleaning some mugs.
There were cupboards, barrels, sacks, and crates all over the room, as well as on the counter in front of the east wall. Up there sat a few bottles of Nord mead, an apple pie, a baked potato, and a loaf of bread. On the tables were a few loaves of bread, with one of them also had a horker loaf, a bottle of alto wine, some bread and cheese on top. The said table was occupied by, by the looks of it, a higher-ranked member of the Thieves. Behind the counter was a simple, but deep fireplace, with more shelves and cupboards against the far wall. Behind one of the cupboards was a set of shelves holding more bottles of alto wine, wine, and Nord mead, with a couple of books on top (Sakura made a mental note to ask the innkeeper about them).
Opposite the counter was a wooden ramp leading up onto the deck, where Sakura has spotted Vex on the right. On the deck, there was a table on the right with a bottle of alto wine, a portion of grilled leeks, a salmon steak, a horse haunch, a sliced eidar cheese and a loaf of bread on top. On the bench was sitting a strange, shady looking woman. On the left of the deck was a stack of crates, sacks, and barrels, where a hard-looking Redguard woman was hanging around. At the end of the deck was one final table with an eidar cheese wheel on top.
In the southeastern corner was a wooden door which leads to, she supposed, another portion of the Ratway, and a locked storage cabinet on the right.
The place didn't look that bad actually. If you compared it to Sakura's previous living spaces, yes, it was a little shabby, but all it needed was some cleaning. But if the rumors of the Thieves Guild in shambles was true, she wasn't even surprised the place looked like this.
"Give it up, Brynjolf, those days are over."
The innkeeper popped open the bottle of mead and poured a little more, refilling his mug.
"I'm telling you, this one is different..."
"We've all heard that one before, Bryn! Quit kidding yourself." Dirge commented
"It's time to face the truth, old friend. You, Vex, Mercer... you're all part of a dying breed. Things are changing!"
"The lass' talented. The job went flawlessly, and we got the message across, and nothing bad happened."
Brynjolf raised an eyebrow as Vekel's gaze lifted up.
Sakura put a hand lightly on his shoulder. If Brynjolf was startled or not, he didn't show it to anyone there. He was a professional for a reason.
"And just right when I thought I'd never see you again. And you're here in one piece, I assume whatever happened with Vex's 'friend' went smoothly."
"I promised I'll try to help, didn't I? So here I am." She shrugged. "But 'smooth' isn't the word I'm looking for. I came too late for Isabella, but the necromancer will never bother anyone again. So, what do you need me to do?" Sakura smiled slightly and crossed her arms.
Brynjolf got up and put a hand over the small of her back to lead her away a little farther from the counter.
"I believe you'll be the most suited for this job. I'm sure. All you need to do is to take care of some business for us. Just handle these deadbeats. They owe our organization some serious coin and they've decided not to pay. I want you to explain to them the error of their ways."
Sakura nodded. "Nothing I can't handle. And by 'showing them the light' you mean not go overly physical with the punishment."
"You learn fast, flower. As I said before, we're not the Dark Brotherhood. It takes a lot of coins to silence the guards and get rid of inconveniences." He shrugged. "Any other questions?"
Sakura just skipped over his choice of a nickname. She was used to it already. Flower was better than 'Pinky' or 'Cherry' anyways.
"Yes. Who do I have to shake up?"
"Just the three owners of these businesses in Riften: Keevara, Bersi Honey-Hand, and Haelga. Keevara has a soft spot for her family. Bersi has an ugly Dwemer vase he values and Haelga is devoted to Dibella." Brynjolf supplied her with the information she needed. Bribery was out of the question, killing them would result in a failed mission and legions of guards...intimidation might be best. But if needed, she'll smash that vase.
But then a thought crossed her mind. She disliked Haelga's guts from a few of her dialogues at the marketplace, but Mr. Honey-Hand and Keevara has been nice enough already.
"Mr. Brynjolf? Is there a way I could...hide my face? I'm not afraid to do the task, but their trust might be useful later on."
He looked down at her. "That's a good idea. A spy could be useful to scout for us. Good thinking. Come with me, I think it's alright for you to get your guild armor earlier. Nobody will mind. Let's speak to Tonilia."
And Sakura followed him on the ramp, towards the Redguard woman she has spotted earlier.
"You know you have to promise me to tell me about the Dark Brotherhood. You have promised already you will, but I will let that pass."
"What?" Brynjolf looked down at her incredulously. "When did I promise that?"
"Before you sent me to plant Mr. Madesi's ring."
"I don't remember saying that. Flower, you might have hit your head." He pointed it out.
"Nu-uh. You promised. It was part of the payment." Her eyes lingered a little longer on his face before humphing.
"Fine. Maybe you didn't even know as much as I needed about them anyways."
She picked up her pace a little. Brynjolf did the same, to catch up with her.
"Fine! Fine, I promise. I will tell you everything I know. You're stubborn, you know that?"
"I know that very well." Sakura grinned like a Chesire cat.
They stepped in front of the Redguard woman clad in Thieves' armor, armed with daggers and standing on a crate filled with goods.
"Sakura, this is Tonilia. Our resident pawnbroker and the best fence around here."
"Fence?" Sakura raised an eyebrow. The only definition of 'fence' she knew was that assembling of wire or wooden half-walls meant to protect a garden or a property.
"It means that whatever goods you come across while breaking and entering, or pickpocketing, you come to me to take care of them for you, for a small slice for the Guild, of course," Tonilia answered for him. "This is the new recruit? She looks a little scrawny and skinny." The woman commented and motioned her to stand straight and raise her arms a little.
Tonilia had a few armors ready for potential recruits, but she doubted she had a set on Sakura's size.
"There's more than meets the eye. She has talent." Brynjolf turned to Sakura. "I have to get back to my business. Good luck with your job, if you succeed we can talk about a permanent place in our organization."
Sakura complied and let Tonilia measure her.
"I'll do my best." And with that, she left.
"Well, it looks like we'll have to get along. As soon as you execute your jobs as best as you can, you don't have to worry. If you want to get additional tasks, you'll have to speak to Vex or Delvin. The other members can offer to help you hone your skills as well." She pocketed back the measurement tape.
"That sounds interesting. Do you think I could own a masked hood? It'd be easier for me to go unnoticed." Tonilia nodded and motioned her to follow.
"Yes, I do. Luckily, you're not as skinnier as you look. You have muscle. I just have to adjust the seamings so they won't be too loose. Come with me."
And with that, Sakura followed the Redguard woman inside an empty room of the inn. Tonilia left the brown armor on the bed for her and leaned against the wall, crossing her arms. Sakura shrugged off the tunic dress and tightened the bandages wrapped around her chest, visibly constricting them and hiding their shape and size, before slipping on a light shirt and a pair of pants, before locking the armor tightly. The brown leather armor was surprisingly comfortable, being held tightly around the body by leather straps, with multiple pockets and pouches for stolen goods and their own equipment. She fixed the set of shoulder plates and the gauntlets, mixed with the fingerless gloves made for easy swiping. She fixed the hood on the armor, along with the mask which would cover until right above her nose.
"I suppose the boots aren't the right size," Sakura commented, and Tonilia nodded and walked over.
She tightened the straps around the boots, to make them fit well enough.
"This is all I can do for now."
Sakura nodded and tucked her hair in the hood and pulled over her mask. She made sure no traces of pink locks were visible. And with a small wave, she disappeared, leaving a puzzled Tonilia behind. The woman walked outside the room and resumed her post.
"She vanished?" Brynjolf asked, interested. She had seen her disappear into thin air before.
"Yes, she did."
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"I am not a writer. I am a thief. I am a good thief. I am not such a good writer. Anyway, I want to write about picking locks. I read a book about designing locks once. It was good. It gave me lots of ideas.
Some guys make locks with angled keyholes. Always carry a bent lockpick. They will work good in these locks. I do, and I open lots of locks. Sometimes I carry copper lockpicks. Copper bends easy. That way I can bend it right there. Copper lockpicks break easy too. Be careful.
Sometimes the locks have weird springs. They all spring differently, which makes picking it hard. I hold my torch close to the lock. This makes it hot. When it's hot, the springs are all the same. They don't bounce so differently any more. Be careful not to burn yourself.
Some thieves can't read. If you can't read, get someone to read this book to you. It will make more sense then."
- Advances in Lockpicking, Anonymous Author
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Upon entering, Sakura was faced with the L-shaped counter with a door behind. On the counter was a copy of 'Horker Attacks', a piece of paper scribbled with ink, four loose septims and an iron dagger underneath. To the right above the counter on the west wall was a bottle of Nord mead, a bottle of wine and a couple of sacks.
To the east of the counter was a large open area with chairs and barrels in the northwestern corner, under the stairs that lead up to the bedrooms above. Against the east wall was a square wooden table and two chairs with a bottle of wine on the table, a wooden bench and a cupboard holding a potion of minor healing, a potion of minor stamina, a bunch of lavender and a ruined book. At the southern end of the room was a door that leads to the staircase down to the cellar with a dresser to the right of it against the wall, on this was a statue of Dibella, a bunch of lavender and two wooden bowl containing two of each red, blue and purple mountain flowers.
Haelga, the blonde-haired Nord narrowed her blue eyes as she watched a masked member of the Thieves Guild enter the Bunkhouse.
"What the hell do you guys want? I have told you I'm not paying a single septim."
The thief grunted. "We have been running out of patience. We won't last much longer until we'll take action."
"So have I." Haelga counter-argued. "Your outfit is barely able to fend for themselves, I'm not afraid of you. Nobody in this town is."
'But they will. Soon.' Because Sakura was set on bringing back a Guild torn apart by years and maybe decades of bad luck and failed robberies.
"But you should. Especially when you're leaving out in the open the object you treasure the most."
With that, she started walking around the Bunkhouse. Haelga's blue orbs narrowed as she followed the thief with her gaze. A gloved hand grabbed the neck of a beautifully ornated golden statue of a woman with flowing locks.
"This is..."
"Lady Dibella! Hand her over!" Haelga sat up out of a sudden and wanted to rush to snatch it from Sakura's hands. The hands were dainty and soft looking. They belonged to a woman.
"Lady Dibella you say?" Sakura smirked behind her mask. "I wonder if she will still stay a Goddess of Beauty all in shambles. Or down the bottom of a well."
Haelga was unable to move closer to the thief. She was obviously armed, and while killing was out of the question, 'transmitting a message' often included broken bones and heads cracked open. The thieves were not afraid to hurt.
"Please, don't hurt her! L-Look, here's the gold. Just hand her over."
Sakura pocketed the coin purse containing about 100 septims before roughly tossing the statue in her shaky hands, who almost dropped it.
"I hope you choke on it!" All Haelga heard was an infuriating, taunting chuckle before the thief disappeared.
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"Need to know your way around, eh? Don't want to stumble into a necromancer's house or fall into another trap set up by the city guard? Then you need to read this book from cover to cover. Learning to identify the shadowmark can mean the difference between making a fortune and ending up with a blade in your gut.
The clever little marks are carved all over Skyrim... mostly on the doorframes or fronts of buildings, but you can find them pretty much anywhere a thief's been. It's the way we talk to each other without talking. Keeps the newer thieves from becoming dead thieves and all that nonsense. There aren't that many of the bloody things, so I don't want to hear any excuses about not having the time to learn them.
Anyway, enough of my gabbing. Time to put your wizard's cap on and do a little research.
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Bersi's head rose up from the book he was reading when the door opened. He rolled his eyes.
"It's one of you, people. So Brynjolf doesn't even bother to show up himself anymore? So what's this 'message' he wants to transmit again?"
Sakura snorted.
"It's very simple. You either pay, you either wait for bad things to happen. Take your pick."
"Petty threats and fist-waving are not going to sway me. You people are all talk, and everyone knows it! Pay to protect me? You can't even protect yourselves!" He snarled.
"Oh, we can protect ourselves just fine." She seethed. "And you should really learn how to shut your mouth." Her fists clenched, cracking with anger.
The angry Nord slammed his hands on the counter and stepped out, aiming to grab the collar of the armor. The woman was considerably shorter than him. Sakura, however, sidestepped out of his way and grabbed an arm, pulling him down with a knee in the gut. She let Bersi slump on the floor. The man gasped for air in pain and crawled behind the counter.
"D-Damn you thieves...!" His shaky hand grabbed a coin purse and tossed it to her. "I got the message, get out of here!"
Sakura pocketed the second sack of septims and walked outside.
"Pleasure to do business with you."
The next destination was Bee and Barb. It was run by Keevara and Talen-Jei, two Argonians. And they weren't half-bad. She'd feel bad if she actually had to screw their faces. All three business owners had some kind of problems with the lack of coin. But Sakura swore to make it better, as much as she hated to temporary work for Maven Black-Briar.
Sakura walked inside the tavern of Bee and Barb and walked over to the counter. Sapphire was leaning against the wall, smirking lightly as she sipped from her mug of mead. Maybe she expected a show.
Keevara eyed her and reached from behind the counter, to grab a tiny sack of gold.
"Look, everything has just been a misunderstanding, okay? I didn't mean to tell Brynjolf to jump off the pier."
Sakura almost chuckled amused. Almost.
"You'll tell him I said sorry, will you? And here's the gold, I was owing all of you. Every single coin I'm in debt is here, I promise." Sakura nodded and pocketed the third and last coin purse.
"Hn. Very well." She inclined her head lightly in a nod before walking away, and nobody dared to stop her. Not even the guards. Brynjolf's message was sent and received loud and clear, and when Sakura descended down the sewers and off to the Ragged Flagon, she pulled down the hood and shrugged the mask off, taking a breath of fresh - relatively fresh - air. She had no idea how Kakashi-sensei lived with his nose covered entirely like that.
Sakura ran her hand through her disheveled hair and tapped Brynjolf's shoulder. His shoulders stiffened only slightly.
"You should wear bells around here, you might give someone a heart attack, Sakura." He commented and turned to look at her.
Sakura huffed.
"Isn't stealth at point here? How did you even know it was me?"
"I don't know anybody else with cat pads on their feet. And Khajit have no business here. So?"
Sakura smirked triumphantly.
"Here you go. All three payments. They got the message loud and clear, Mr. Brynjolf." She sat down three coin purses on the table nearby.
Brynjolf then took his time to look into the coin purses. He might have trusted her, but not quite the shopkeepers. The corners of his mouth twitched lightly in a pleased smile...or smirk, it was hard to notice it.
"Well done. It seems I owe you your payment."
The Nord thief picked up exactly three bottles from a shelf and laid down in front of her.
"Here you go." Sakura eyed them. "A poison, a health fortifying potion and something to help you with your sneaking."
Sakura picked up the round yellow bottle.
"Help me with sneaking? How could drinking this make me move lighter?"
"Save me from the potion lessons lass. It's time to officially introduce you to the guild. Our Guildmaster, Mercer Frey wants to meet you personally."
Sakura nodded in agreement and stored the potions. She followed Brynjolf in front of the door of the storage room and unlocked it. He opened the door and let her through, and that's when Sakura has realized that it wasn't a simple storage room. It was the main Guild Headquarters.
The cistern consisted of a large circular chamber with two storm drains emptying from the ceiling high overhead, to fall as water fells into a pool under a cross-shaped stone walkway. There were wooden suspension bridges linking each quadrant around the outside. The main chamber was also full of locked chests, where she has seen a few initiates continuously picking the locks and locking them again.
Several other guild members she has never seen before were hanging out around the place, and needless to say Mercer Frey stood straight from the Guildmaster's desk and walked over.
"Mercer? This is the one I was talking about... our new recruit."
"So I've heard."
The Guildmaster, a male Breton thief eyed her from head to toe. There has always been a saying that the eyes were the windows to one's soul, and his were too dirty to see through them. That's the first thing Sakura has noticed in both his posture and attitude. The creases of his forehead weren't just typical for Bretons, but he was also beyond irritated just by having her presence around. And that only unsettled her, as she has never done something to displease him. Not yet, at least.
"Before we continue, I want to make one thing perfectly clear. If you play by the rules, you walk away rich. You break the rules and you lose your share. No debates, no discussions... you do what we say when we say. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, I understand."
Mercer opened his mouth to hand out the task he had in stock before Brynjolf cut him open.
"Wait a moment, you're not talking about Goldenglow, are you? Even our little Vex couldn't get in."
Sakura eyed him and raised an eyebrow. There was some sort of hidden undertone in his words. But what was it? Worry?
"You claim this recruit possesses an aptitude for our line of work. If so, let her prove it. Goldenglow Estate is critically important to one of our largest clients. However, the owner has suddenly decided to take matters into his own hands and shut us out. He needs to be taught a lesson. Brynjolf will provide you with the details."
"I see."
"Mercer, aren't you forgetting anything?"
"Oh, yes. Welcome to the Guild of Thieves."
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The rhombus with a single circle: "The Guild" - This is the symbol for the Guild. This means the place is as safe as the Flagon's cistern. If you see this shadowmark, someone from the Guild is nearby for certain.
The triangle with a single circle: "Safe" - We usually leave this shadowmark when we've scouted and found a safe way around something, a hallway without traps or maybe a house that's already cleared out. If you see one of these, head the way it's pointing and you'll be fine.
The down-facing split in two triangle with a single circle: "Danger" - If you see this shadowmark, head the other way or take your life in your own hands. It means there's something ahead or beyond that door that wants to turn you inside-out.
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Both Sakura and Brynjolf have discarded their armors and replaced them with their usual casual clothes, before getting out of the sewers.
"If you don't want to go again all through the sewers, the easiest get-out of the cistern is here. Climb the ladder and pull the lever."
Sakura nodded as she followed him out. A secret door opened as the coffin revealed the daylight once again. And the first thing Sakura has noticed was the Guild's shadowmark button.
"And press here whenever you want to get it."
"Aye aye. It's pretty convenient. So now, will you tell me about the Dark Brotherhood?" She quickened her pace to walk next to him. He shot her an exasperated look.
"You won't drop it until I tell you, right?"
Sakura grinned. "You know very well I'll bug you till you do."
Brynjolf sighed.
"Fine. Let's take a walk and I'll tell you everything you know."
The sun was painting the sky orange, and soon everybody was getting ready to go inside. The atmosphere was pretty eerie, and Sakura was listening and drinking his words carefully, not wanting to miss out on a single detail.
"I'm going to spare you the lesson of history, as you could read those by yourself. The Dark Brotherhood is an organization of highly trained assassins who carry out assassination contracts. The Dark Brotherhood is called upon by those who wish to utilize their deadly services through a ritual called "The Black Sacrament". They worship Sithis, the avatar of entropy and chaos, as well as the Night Mother, who is their spiritual leader."
"So let me get this straight. Does the Black Sacrament actually work? How do the assassins know who 'prayed'?"
"Their spiritual leader is supposed to tell the Listener, the only person they talk to, about the possible contract. Delvin is very good friends with Astrid, their leader. If anything, he knows more than I do. They have a Sanctuary in Falkreath."
"I understand. It's an interesting topic to study..really. It's relaxing, I've never got the chance to sit back and read as much as I liked." She commented. She was fully aware some people she had come across would rather do anything else than have a lesson of history. Maybe except Calcelmo, but that old mage was worse than Sakura could have been. And as strange as it looked to others her fascination with Skyrim and ways, she was enjoying every minute of it.
"I'm curious. You've never told me what brought you to Skyrim. Or where are you from."
Sakura hummed gently and sat down with him on a bench. The merchants had long ago cleaned up their stalls. "I was born on a warm island in the Eastern Sea. Both of my parents were pirates. We have returned to the mainland, a country as equally warm when I was young...and at the age of 16, I set sailed with my captain. For about four years I have made a name for myself, encountered the usual trouble as a pirate, but I have met a lot of great people along the way. I wasn't intending to get to Tamriel, to Skyrim, it wasn't even marked on the map. All I know is that I woke up in the Sea of Ghosts, freezing and battling horkers which would not leave me alone." She chuckled. "The animals here are a little more hostile than back home, I must admit."
'At least depending on what kind of animals you picked on..'
Brynjolf looked down at her.
"You have lived quite the life, I must say, lass. And now be honest. Why are you so keen in joining the Guild? And be honest. No bullshitting."
Sakura leaned back against the bench. "I'll be honest then. I'm not sure. I suppose it's the necessity to be apart from a group? If I will fit in...then why not? Back home I was a member of the organization. Or the member of my squad. On the seas I was the first mate of a crew," She answered sincerely. "I love freedom. But I'm just not cut out for the life of a hermit I suppose." She shrugged. "Does the answer satisfy you?"
"Maybe. Maybe."
They sat in comfortably for a while before Sakura broke the ice.
"You know, you are ready to send me off on a mission, forgetting about the details."
"Hm?" He blinked. "Oh. You're right, flower. Look. The mission is not hard at all since you're getting a much longer leash here. The Goldenglow Estate is a bee farm. The owner has turned against our important client and we want you to transmit another 'message'. You have to burn three of their hives down to the ground. But that's it. Only three hives, no more no less. You can't burn the whole place to the ground. Our client would be furious." He carefully instructed.
"And that client may be the Black-Briar family?"
"We have been pretty discreet about it."
Sakura shrugged. "I have very functional ears, Brynjolf. You see, during my time oscillating between Torture and Interrogation and Intelligence divisions, I have learned a few things: yes, my mentors were at the very least sadistic bastards, but I have also learned that people let their guard down around people they see as harmless. You don't need physical or mental torture to get someone to talk, because if someone talks too much, they'll start revealing even what they do not want to." she picked her words carefully. "Everybody reveals how the Jarl does little to nothing and is merely a political puppet in the hands of the Black-Briar. The truth always surfaces, as much as you'd like to bury it."
"You don't seem to be fond of them."
He merely commented while she shrugged.
"I don't have a choice, do I? I'm here to make sure a message is delivered, and I'll make sure it will be loud and clear."
"That's what I like to hear," Brynjolf smirked lightly.
"But that won't stop me from asking questions." Sakura held back the urge to grin right in his face. The face he made when he was overly mentally exhausted was entertaining.
"At least let them be about the job, and not the history of paper-roll fabrications."
"Well...fine. But I really wanted to know how is it made."
"Flower..."
But Sakura took in Brynjolf's warning for granted. "Tell me what the hell has this guy done then."
"Now that's something I will answer. Goldenglow Estate brought in a mountain of gold for the Guild. You could almost call it our sweetest deal. Then out of the clear blue, Aringoth stops sending us our cut. Mercer was... well, angry to put it kindly. So we send in Vex and find out he's hired a bunch of mercenaries to guard the place."
Sakura raised her eyebrows surprised. "Mercenaries? Not Riften guards?"
"Aye. Aringoth sent the city guard packing and fortified the entire island. In fact, Vex barely made it out of there alive. You should talk to her about it before you go."
She nodded. "I'll make sure I'll ask her. Where's the estate?"
"I will send you a letter when would be the most opportune moment to go. I'd say in a day or two so you have time to get ready. I will write down the directions for you too. By the way, I think you might like this." He pulled out a book for her to take.
"Thanks a lot, I shall get going then. I'm planning to go around the city tomorrow, to familiarize myself with the people. Thanks for answering my questions." she smiled lightly and got up, stretching her back a little.
"No problem lass. No problem at all." He shook his head and watch her head for Bee and Barb, holding the book to her chest.
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The split circle with downwards facing sharp point: "Escape Route" - Now, on the rare occasion (it better be a rare occasion if you want to work in the Guild) that you find yourself in jail, look for this little beauty. You see this shadowmark and escape is just a few steps away.
The rhombus with two circles: "Protected" - We put these shadowmarks on places we don't want you to go. As in stay out of there or there's going to be a boot up the backside. These people are under the Guild's protection and should never be robbed or assaulted.
The split rhombus with the chipped point: "Fence" - This should quickly become your favorite shadowmark. The person near this mark will buy your... hard-earned stolen goods for a fair price.
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Keevara seemed a little puzzled as Sakura handed her around 100 septims, the same amount she has lost that day. But all Sakura wanted was to rent her room for at least a week, and when Sakura walked inside, Chihiro was already waiting for her, curled against the window. The pink-haired woman nodded and placed a handful of seals, especially around the windows and door.
"Walls have ears, Chihiro. How's your day been?"
The white-furred cat watched her master sit down and brush her hair gently, taking out all the knots. She knew it was her turn as well, so she sat down on her lap for her brushing session.
"That priestess knew how to massage ears, I must admit. I have seen you with that man around." Chihiro inquired, purring gently as the brush rubbed against her coat of fur.
"I joined the Thieves Guild. They are a crumbling organization, they are admitting it themselves. But the only reason they haven't been marked down the map is because of Maven Black-Briar. That bitch who, terrorizes the citizens, who has the Jarl wrapped around her little finger."
"You're crazy." It was nor a question or exclamation, but a mere statement. "And what in the name of Kami-sama and his saints do you wish to accomplish by this?"
"Just think a little, Chihiro-chan. They won't need Maven if I manage to get down to the bottom of their unlucky mystery. If they'll have enough gold to go tell Maven to go fuck herself and her mead. And they don't steal from the poor either. Brynjolf lets me cover my face when going as a thief too, so even if they'll suspect something, they won't prove anything."
"Oh, so it's Brynjolf now- hey! Be careful!"
Sakura smiled innocently.
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The rhombus with a square split in four: "Thieves' Cache" - Who says we only take and never give back? If you find this shadowmark near a chest or maybe a hollowed log, you're in for a surprise... a gift from the Guild for the thief in the field. Whoever said membership didn't have its privileges?
The circle with a square split in four: "Loot" - There's something near this shadowmark worth stealing. Saves you from breaking into a place only to find the people don't even have two septim [sic] to rub together.
The circle with an empty square: "Empty" - The opposite of the Loot Shadowmark. Pass on this place, there's nothing inside."
- Glossary of Shadowmarks, Delvin Mallory
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A/N: So...how did you like it? I worked my butt off to write this chapter. Really. I have a very set up plan I want to follow right now. I have planned whole chapters ahead lol. I will start with the next chapter soon too.
I also hope you enjoyed reading the books for immersion. It's hard to find fitted books tho. I made the mistake to write the On Apocrypha book in the first chapter. Accidents happen.
Here are the stats!
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Balance: 2250 septims.
Apparel: Clothes, Boots, Amulet of Mara, Amulet of Talos, Amulet of Zenithar, Thieves Guild Armor, Thieves Guild Boots, Thieves Guild Hood, Thieves Guild Gloves
Weapons: N/A
Potions: Draught of Light Feet, Fortify Health, Poison
Scrolls (spells): N/A
Food: N/A
Ingredients: N/A
Books: 2920, vol V - Second Seed (Speech Skill Book), Advances in Lockpicking (Skill - R), Aedra and Daedra (Lore - R), Boethiah's Proving (Lore - R), Cats of Skyrim (Lore), Enchanter's Primer (Enchanting Skill Book), Proper Lock Design (Skill - R), Shadowmarks (Lore - R), The Exodus (Restoration Skill Book), Walking the World - Volume XI: Solitude (Lore - R).
Journals: Sakura's Journal
Letters: N/A
Keys: N/A
Misc: Summoning scroll, Storage scrolls, Quill, Inkwell, Lockpicks (8), Black Soul Gem (1)
Passive Effects: Agent of Mara (15% Resist Magic.)
Spells: N/A
Shouts: N/A
Perks: N/A
Quest Log (Started): Discerning the Transmundane, Join the Stormcloaks, Loud and Clear
Quest Log (Completed): A Chance Arrangement, Book of Love, Drowned Sorrows, Taking Care of Business
Bounties Collected: N/A
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I think this should be all of it. I corrected the mistakes which I have noticed, hope it's fine. I shall get going, R&R maybe?
Bye-bye til later!