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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"Ready to find out what's inside the Occulary?" Sakura opened the wooden trapdoor of Septimus' outpost, trying her best to contain her newfound excitement. A few days ago..maybe a week or so, she thought it would take forever to gather the blood and turn it in. But now that she was finally done... She let Marcurio and Chihiro slip inside Septimus Signus' outpost first, before securing the trapdoor behind her. She followed shortly, carefully not to slip on the ice and walked down the slippery slope with the aid of her chakra. She soon took her place to walk in front of them, ready to speak with the old man first, and pull out the complete blood extractor from her pouch.
"Hell yeah." Chihiro grinned as she hopped a little on the ice. She unsheathed her claws, to prevent her from slipping and falling. "I mean..meow?"
"Whose there? Child? Are you back?" Signus' voice rang from downstairs. He was still frenetically leafing through books and old dusty tomes, just like when Sakura has left him. But the place has sure gotten a little dustier. While she was learning the language, studying or reading, she'd often dust or sweep around too. Too much dust was bad for everybody's lungs, even more for an old mage.
"I'm back with the blood, Signus-san." She stepped down and bowed her head in respect, before handing him the carefully crafted device. He took it gently from her hands, careful not spill or drop it on the ground.
"Good, very good." He toyed with it, satisfied. His blue eyes narrowed under the blue fabric of his hood.
"Who's him? I hope you haven't brought in a trespasser to steal the Heart for himself. Or you." He pointed his finger accusing. Marcurio's hands immediately shot up in defense.
"No, I'm just a -"
"He's a friend, Master Signus." Sakura quickly chirped in. "He helped me find the blood. I needed some help from someone more used and accustomed to the area. He's just here to observe. If something happens, I will personally take care of it." She promised, and that seemed good enough for the old wizard.
"A friend you say...good. But he won't step inside the Occulory unless I say so."
"Of course, Master Signus."
Master Signus mixed the blood and let the glorified treasure chest drink it greedily. When Sakura has told him that the old man found a real Occulory, he half-thought she was kidding, or lying, or Arkay-knows what else. But actually seeing the Dwarven enclosure with his own eyes...Marcurio was stunned. And a little excited to know of its contents. But still, he nodded in agreement and promised to stay out unless he'd be personally called in. Or he heard commotion and someone was in trouble. And that someone was namely Sakura.
"Good." Signus watched as the lockbox twisted and formed a tunnel inside the sphere. He motioned Sakura to follow. She immediately followed the old man shortly, but not before glancing back at Marcurio and the cat perched on top of his shoulders, before running up after Signus.
Sakura looked around, taking in the appearance of the Occulory. Signus stopped in front of a pedestal.
"What is this?" He walked closer. "A book?"
"I think so..." The book was thick, with grotesque leather covers. It was sewn together with five or six types of leather, and the realization soon hit her like a jackhammer. It was skin. The skin of a High Elf, the skin of an Orc, the skin of a ... she couldn't allow the train of thought advance anymore.
"I can see now...the world beyond burns in my mind...it's truly marvelous..." Signus' words died in his throat. He stared at the book and suddenly raised his hand, equipping himself with his dagger.
"Master Signus..?"
Sakura asked, a little alarmed as she looked into the milky white eyes of the mage.
"I apologize...but it is not my will." She quickly moved to the side, to evade the iron dagger aimed for her face. Signus' arms bend in a painful angle as he aimed for her chest.
"Kill him..."
Sakura shut her eyes tight and brought her forearms up to shield herself from the cut which soon vanished in a white chakra steam.
"He has long outlived his purpose...kill him now..."
The wretched echo rang through the Dwemer lockbox. She could hear it too clearly, scratching the back of her brain with an impossible, evil purpose.
"I'll kill her, master...just let me live a little longer ...just a little longer..." the weary old wizard panted, as he struggled to lift his dagger the umpteenth time in the last few minutes. He was slow, and she did a good job at dodging and evading. He was too slow for her. But she did not want to kill him.
"Master Signus...I don't want to kill you! Snap out of it! He's using you!" She tried to gain his attention, to get his conscience back in his brain. Her cries fell on deaf ears as He lunged. Sakura was ready to take the blow, she'd heal. But Signus stopped, and Sakura opened her eyes. Feeling a wave of relief washing over her body, she initially thought that she has finally managed to talk some sense into him. But not until she felt her right arm wet and surrounded by something soft and squishy. She looked down and in a moment of pure horror...
She screamed.
"Sakura!"
She heard Marcurio call for her name outside the lockbox, but it was locked from the inside. He couldn't come to see her. He just kept banging on the closed trapdoor of the lockbox. The sound of Chihiro's chakra-enhanced claws followed soon after. Sakura's arm was halfway impaled through Septimus Signus' torso. Her arm was bloody up to her elbow. The old man coughed up a good amount of blood right onto her body before falling and scattering like ash. A dark green tendril was wrapped around her right wrist.
"Well done, young one. Well done. I knew if I helped you a little you would have humored me with the death of the old man..."
She hesitantly looked behind. Her mouth opened, but no sound came out. Her lips were parted like a gaping fish. In a moment of strength, she ripped her arm free from the tentacle's grasp. She twirled and fell on her butt, hitting her back hard against the wall. She hissed in pain.
"W-What...who are you?" Her eyes stared horrified at the grotesque mass of green tentacles, glue, and eyeballs with double pupils. The thing let out a horrific, spine-chilling laugh, from a mouth hole that she was not sure it even existed.
"I am Hermaeus Mora. I am the guardian of the unseen and the knower of the unknown. I have been watching you, little mortal. Your efforts...your strength...your power...your progress is most impressive."
The wretched piece of the abyss seemed to enjoy itself in her horror and misery.
"What do...what do you want from me..?"
"What do I want...? The old wizard has exhausted his usefulness when he opened this infernal lockbox. Now, I want someone to take his place. An emissary. A champion. A champion I have already chosen."
"I..." Sakura swallowed her words. She took a long gulp of air. The presence of the Oblivion was crushing her lungs, depleting the oxygen from her body. She stood up on shaky legs and looked straight at the mass of abyssal matter.
"Y-you will have to find another fool to carry out your will, Hermaeus M-Mora. I will never sell what's left of my soul to the devil. Never."
The Daedric Prince snorted.
"What a sweet display of courage and righteousness, little mortal. Never bite a piece larger than what can you chow. I have crushed men much stronger than you. Much faster than you. And much willed than you. You're not the first, and you won't. Be. The. Last. Mark my words."
Sakura fell on her knees as the air was knocked out of her body. The mass of tendrils disappeared, and the air wasn't as cold as it was in its presence. The door of the lockbox flung open. A hissing Chihiro hopped through the tunnel. Her ears were flattened on her head, her eyes were wide and the spine and tail were curbed. She swung her frizzy tail angrily.
"You vile demon! Nya! You will regret ever hurting Sakura-chan!- huh? Where's the thing?"
Marcurio followed short, his hands charged with his usual fire projectile spells. He immediately relaxed as he found no threat in the lockbox. His gaze softened and crouched next to a sobbing Sakura.
"Hey, what's wrong? Where's the demon? Where's the old man?" He froze immediately when her arms wrapped around his neck in an instant. Her head was buried in his chest, as the wails grew louder and louder.
The Imperial mage sighed. This was not Sakura, that's what he told himself. This was his little sister, Alessia. She just scraped her knees from playing in the garden and falling and she started to cry.
"Shh...don't cry..."
He wrapped his arms around her back, rubbing it gently.
"Saku..." Chihiro's curled tail dropped as she padded closer. "I've never seen her cry...not like this...not since the massacre...but she was so young..."
"We'll camp outside, then head for Riften in the morning, alright?" Marcurio asked her gently. "When you feel better, you'll tell us what happened. Come on now, let's get you cleaned up."
When he got hired, Marcurio thought that all he had to do was charge up a few spells, blaze around whoever attacked his charge and get paid. That's how it usually worked. But the two of them spent quite some time together. Could he call the strange woman a close friend? Not yet. But a friend nonetheless. But he still kept rubbing her back, even when he felt her head bob in an affirmative nod.
Sakura pulled away, eventually, sucking in a sharp breath and calmed herself down. She wiped her face with her clean arm, while the other was soaked in dried blood and who knew what else.
"It was Mora. He...he lured the old man here to unlock his relic. He lied from the start, there was no Heart of Lorkhan." She took the wet tissue from Chihiro and started cleaning her arm. "It was a game. When the door opened, Mora turned him against me. He started to attack me. I tried my best to avoid him. Not to hurt him. To talk some sense into him..." She threw away the dirty tissue and took a few more. "Mora grabbed my arm. Filled it with chakra. Rushed it through his body, in a killing blow. Afterward, his body turned to ash. He said he needed a champion. He needed me as a champion. Tell me...tell me how do you evade such an offer? How can I get rid of him?!"
The last question came out a little louder than she wished. It was filled with all of her frustration and anger she could muster. All her hate was focused and packed into words that could almost be palpable.
"How!?"
A strand of blue smoke left her mouth.
"Tell me how..."
Nobody could answer her either. Not Chihiro, and certainly not Marcurio. He merely lifted her up on her feet.
"I don't know, okay? I don't know. But everything will be fine. I will personally look into this myself and see what can you do. If a Daedric Prince was to choose a mortal champion, then the world would be screwed."
"Thanks for the reassurance." Sakura rubbed her eyes, a little sore and a little grumpy, and looked at him. "But for real now...thanks. Let's get the hell out of here. I think we delayed the sword delivery enough."
He shook his head.
"Wait a second. What are we going to do with the book?"
The Oghma Infinium was still unopened. It was thick, heavy, bound in human leather, and overall disgusting to touch.
Sakura narrowed her eyes, eyeing the book. "I'm not going to make use of anything that Mora might and has offered me. I don't want him to appear again saying that I have to trade something for the knowledge he has 'kindly' offered to me. I don't want to owe him. After we exit, the lock-box will close again and I will make sure that nobody will find it again. Unless Mora finds another seeker, like Master Signus."
Chihiro was picked up by Marcurio, who merely nodded, and walked out, her furry body going limp in his arms. Sakura stayed behind for a few moments, however. She looked at the ash scattered all along the box and closed her eyes, muttering a small prayer, before walking out on her own. Sakura was not a religious person. But after seeing the hands of a Goddess work so quick, so miraculous and so ...kind...she couldn't help but put aside her own strength and accept that the man wasn't the strongest creature to walk on Earth. Or Nirn. She has finally accepted that she wasn't invincible, as she wanted to be.
"So what now?" The three of them stepped outside Septimus' Outpost. Marcurio took a step behind, as Sakura crouched in the snow.
"Nobody has to find this. Ever again. Not in plain sight, anyways." She placed her freezing hands in the snow, right on the ground, and started pumping controlled chakra. The ground started to shake and crack. Her eyes closed, and the purple diamond of her forehead called in the strength of a hundred to give her enough chakra. Four black pointed marks spread on her forehead, almost like a butterfly.
The Dwemer Lockbox shook, and the whole assemblage fell into the Sea of Ghosts and its frozen waters. The ice cracked wide and swallowed what was left of the Occulory whole until the whole terrain was leveled and the metal box sunk to the bottom of the sea.
"That was...impressive."
Sakura smiled slightly, weakly.
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Chihiro was curled inside Marcurio's scroll bag, by the time they have finally arrived back to Riften. It was the break of dawn, and the cat was snoring softly between the papers. The people were starting to wake up, run around and open their stores or stalls. Priestess Dinya was looking to buy fresh products from Marise, Brand-Shei and Madesi were chatting about trivial matters before they would finally get some costumers and the latter would start working on the necklace made out of garnets, in his own word.
A man, most likely a Nord, dressed in modest clothing and carrying a bag a little larger than his back was frenetically moving through Riften like a busy bumblebee hopping from a flower to another. He was handing out papers and parcels, before making a beeline towards the next person who crossed their path. His eyes lit up when he spotted a pink head among the waking crowd, on the main path from the gates.
"Hey, you there! I've been looking for you!" He called, running and stopping right in front of her.
"Me?"
"Well, both of you. This is yours, from Cyrodiil." The courier handed Marcurio a letter and a small parcel."
"Oh, I see. Thank you." He pocketed the letter carefully, almost forgetting the cat was sleeping in his bag.
"Oh, who's it from?" Sakura asked curiously, grinning gently, while the Nord was looking for Sakura's letters.
Marcurio looked at the address and down at her pink head. "It's from my family, don't poke your nose where it doesn't belong." He flicked her forehead.
"And this..." The courier was rummaging through his bag. "Actually these...are for you. One of them is ...from the Jarl of Falkreath? You sure are starting to get friends in those high places, don't you?"
"The...Jarl of Falkreath?" Sakura looked over the envelopes and spotted the typical, famous stag shaped symbol of the Falkreath Hold on top of the wax seal.
"I've been asking to hand that out to you personally. Now if you excuse me, I've got to move and deliver more letters."
"Alright, thank you!" Sakura called out as the courier broke into a sprint, past the gates. "Tell me he's not the only courier in Skyrim."
"He's not. But there aren't many civilian couriers in Skyrim. They travel alone mostly and it's pretty dangerous. You know, getting risked to be jumped by wild animals, bandits, thieves or get in the crossfire of the civil war."
Oh. Right. The civil war.
"Speaking of couriers, I will head out to see if someone will be able to take me to Bruma at the very least, so I can have the core delivered."
Sakura nodded, as she held the letters close to her chest.
"Alright, take care. I will check these out and get some rest." She smiled.
"You do that. It wasn't an easy journey. I'll see you when I find a crazy, willing person to cross the border during the Civil War."
She merely chuckled in response.
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Sakura headed back to Bee and Barb, with Chihiro tailing behind her, right after she was nudged by the Imperial mage to wake up and follow her master. She made a beeline towards the counter.
"Sakura, good to see you! It's been a few days, I assume that everything went alright? I don't see the Imperial with you." Sakura supposed that Keevara was assuming the worst.
"Good morning, Keevara. Everything was fine...we managed to kill two birds with one stone. Marcurio just left a few minutes ago to run some errands. We found something in a Dwemer ruin he wants to get checked out." She merely replied, shrugging. The Argonian barkeep seemed a little relieved.
"Oh, good. Good." She hummed, cleaning a cup. Ever since Sakura has taken a temporary residence at their modest inn, Keevara has made an effort to add a few of her own favorites on the menu. So she would not feel too far away from home. And for the coin. She poured in the now clean cup some fresh tea brewed with dry wild mint leaves and snowberries. Sakura sipped it carefully.
"He's one of our best clients, it'd be a shame if we lost him."
Sakura nodded. Like always, Chihiro ate her grilled salmon beside her, from the wooden plate sat out especially for the little feline scout.
"I'll be taking this to my room, alright? I'm very tired...I wish not to be disturbed if it's not much of a bother."
Keevara took in the young lady's apologetic smiled and returned it.
"Of course. Get some rest, don't worry. I will save you two bowls of our specialty soup for dinner if you're up by then. Go ahead."
"Thank you." Sakura bowed her head gratefully, leaving a few septims on the counter, and took both her cup and Chihiro's plate inside her room, which she locked and sealed carefully. It was exactly as she left it a few days ago.
As much as Sakura wanted to go to sleep, she looked through the small stack and opened them one by one. The first one was written by Calcelmo. How did the word get so fast that she has gotten into the possession of a few Dwemer cogs and relics was beyond her. She supposed she had to mail them somehow later.
The second letter was personally handwritten by Jarl Siddgeir of Falkreath in neat calligraphy.
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Sakura,
Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Siddgeir, and I have the honor to be the Jarl of the proud and ancient city of Falkreath.
The fame of your exploits across Skyrim has brought you to my attention. If you are interested in becoming a Thane of Falkreath hold, I invite you to speak to me the next time you are in Falkreath. Aside from the honor that accrues to the title, my thanes are entitled to a personal housecarl. I also can tell you privately that a choice parcel of land in Falkreath would be available for your purchase should your services prove useful to me.
I look forward to meeting you in person.
I remain,
Jarl Siddgeir of Falkreath
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People must have been talking about what she has done thorough The Rift? How else could the word have gotten so soon to the Jarl? It was a silly rhetorical question, sure. Sakura blushed a little. Did the people really appreciate her effort? It wasn't exactly free. Sakura has not been demanding payment though...maybe that earned the people's approval?
Sakura placed the letter on the end table and opened the third. It was the doodle of the map. In the middle of what she could assume it was water, there was a small island. On top of that was the doodle of a house, and three Xs marked somewhere behind. In the corner of the paper was drawn a rhombus that encased a circle.
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Mercer's waiting, lass. Three hives, empty the safe. This is the last place I would ever want to send you. Take care. - B
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"It's time to go?" Chihiro lounged on her bed.
"Yes, it's time to go. Take care of the place, alright? And take care of yourself."
Sakura rummaged through a drawer and pulled out a brown scroll. She unsealed her set of Thieves Guild armor and started undressing. She put aside the tunic shirt which she had to hand it back to Marcurio later - it was a wonder how the enchanted clothes never ripped even when stabbed - and replaced it with a long-sleeved black shirt. The sleeves ended with fingerless gloves, and the turtle neck was made to pull it over her nose. She slipped on the boots, pants and the cuirass secured the belts around her body and hid her tightly-tied hair in the hood. Sakura opened the window and silently saluted Chihiro before jumping out and vanishing into thin air when the way was clear.
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Now, the job could be executed in several ways. For a first, she could sneak through the sewers as marked on the map sent by Brynjolf most likely. Exit through the cellar of the estate, then slowly make her upstairs. Empty the safe, maybe loot something of value and proceed to burn the hives
Or, she could just jump in head-first. Her leash was longer this time. She could kill the mercenaries if needed, but Aringoth had to be spared. It was a tough decision. Sakura's eyes scanned the map before folding and pocketing it in one of the inner, brown pockets and sighed, venturing back in the sewers. She was a ninja, an assassin and now a thief. She had to act accordingly.
Sakura dove in the lake and swum towards the sewer entrance on the main island. As shown on the map, the Goldenglow estate was a large bee farm seated on multiple islands risen on Lake Honrich. According to Brynjolf, in his own words, they 'raised the wretched little things for honey'. And if she recalled the conversation before she started her little adventure, Aringoth stopped sending the Guild their cut, and their client, the Black-Briar, was furious to be left out of a deal.
Sakura pursued her lips in a thin line. Would it be too bad if she burnt the whole place to the ground just to annoy Maven? It would be a very sweet idea for her, but bad for the guild. And she didn't want to stretch Brynjolf's neck harder from his comfort zone. He was risking quite enough to keep her safe from Mercer's wrath. That Breton man has set his eyes on her from the moment she stepped foot in the Cistern. He was scrutinizing her every move, ready to remove her head from her shoulders. Or at the very least, exile her from Riften altogether, even if the grace of the Jarl herself and the citizens' would be more than enough to keep her safe from a dying guild. But would they trust her if they found out who has she been conspiring with? Even if in the end, it would have been all for their own good? Could she look at Keevara in the eyes if she found out she harassed the coin out of her purse?
She sighed, navigating through the sewers. It was easy enough, with her doujitsu scanning for faints hints of chakra. The place was crawling with trained, barbaric civilians, patrolling. With a spark of her fingers, she set on fire the oil slick on the wet bricks of the sewers, roasting alive the skeevers. They fell down with a screech, carbonized.
Sakura ran through the chain of tunnels. It was pitch black. She has stopped to unlock a metal door before she attempted to exit and climb up the ladder. She drew in a really thin dagger and a lockpick and started to work around its mechanism. The first one broke, as she forced it a little too hard, she supposed. Her eyebrows furrowed. Sakura shoved aside the broken fragments of the lockpick and drew in another one. She moved the curved but pointy end around. The door opened with a satisfying click, but her proud smile was even more satisfying to bear.
"Let's see what do we have here..." Sakura picked up a book and flipped it to the front page. "' Guide to Better Thieving'. Useful." She has noticed long ago one of the larger pockets made to fit different sized items, along with a sack to store stolen goods. It was the perfect place for the book to be placed in, along with about 50 septims and two healing potions. A shame. She expected another book. But not that awful Book of Riddles Chihiro has been scratching her brain with.
The thief climbed up the ladder and found herself in the courtyard of Goldenglow Estate. There was a farm to the left, a ship docked to the right, but full of mercenaries hanging around and guarding the place. A few were drinking, a few were sitting at their posts and taking turns...they were having it easy. But despite their rugged, bulky appearance, they were mostly trained civilians. Maybe Skyrim's men would be stronger if they put their Nord pride aside and learn magic. Maybe.
Sakura eyed the few men standing within her own vicinity and counted them up. They were about five...or six. And at least one of them carried a bow. Just perfect. But the entrance was nearby, however. Her Sharingan activated on its own. She crouched, moving as silently as possible towards the large pair of wooden doors. They were locked, that was an understatement, so she started to work around the lock. But she cheated a little. She enhanced the lockpick with chakra because she had no time to push aside broken picks and keep trying and trying. She sighed relieved when the door opened, allowing her to slip by. She immediately jumped on the ceiling, out of reflex.
The corridor was silent, deserted. Sakura started to explore, but all while crawling on the ceiling. Just in case, and to be sure. The manor was big, almost like a labyrinth. The corridor had two openings: a door on the right, a T-shaped junction ahead, and a door appeared to be locked far ahead. She found too little trinkets to loot, but she may or may have not taken some cheese to munch on as she dropped off the ceiling, right on the head of a mercenary, and drove a kunai through his neck, before impaling another guard with it. She brushed her armor and swallowed the last piece of goat cheese.
Sakura pocketed a few septims from the knapsack she spotted on the shelves. About 20, an inkwell, some paper, and an iron dagger. She walked past the kitchen, a little further ahead, claimed an apothecary satchel and a new book named 'Life of Uriel Septim VII'. The raid seemed to have become suddenly more bountiful than she could ever hope for.
"Nirnroot? I think that's the last needed for that Black-Briar woman..." Sakura stored it carefully. If the root was too damaged, she'd need to find another one.
She added to her collection a few more books like 'An Explorer's Guide to Skyrim', 'Beggar Prince' and 'Mixed Unit Tactics', a potion of healing and a potion of pickpocketing - she still had no idea how the hell those actually worked. Healing? Sure, they healed the bleeding and torn tissue, albeit a little too miraculously. Mana or stamina? They replenished energy, just like soldier pills. Potions for fast regeneration? They stimulated the nerves and the chakra flow. Why not? But how in the world could a potion help you better with speaking, sneaking or hell - lockpicking!? That was the real mystery.
She looted another 80 septims from two chests and a refined moonstone ingot before suddenly stopping in her tracks. Her eyes locked on the Mercenary sitting with his back faced to her, downing a mug of...she supposed mead or ale but she couldn't be sure, but overall unaware of her presence. Sakura bit her lip. To kill or not to kill? To sneak and let him live? To knock out and keep walking? Too many options...too little time...
But she decided to spare him, for now, flashing past him and right upstairs. She needed quite a few keys. For a first..the key to the basement. The trapdoor was encased by metal bars and a gate. And she doubted that the safe was not locked as well. But for that, she needed to find Aringoth.
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The second floor of the Goldenglow Estate was structured pretty basic: a large, single corridor, seven rooms, and then exit back to the first floor. One of the rooms contained a pretty coin purse and about ten stray septims which were immediately shoved into Sakura's pocket.
"Have you heard anything?" Sakura's heart stopped as she retreated in a shadowy corner, waiting, listening.
"Heard? No, not really. Do you think the old man has a skeever problem?"
"He could have. The place's huge, after all. But that's not my problem."
The second mercenary merely grunted, pouring himself another mug of Honningbrew mead.
Sakura sneaked by, praying not to be seen, and slipped past the large set of double doors. Her eyes landed on Aringoth. He was having a drink himself. An old Altmer, even though she has overheard Vex talking of him saying he was a Bosmer - but did it matter anymore? clad in fine robes clashing with the color of his pale, green skin. He acknowledged her presence already. But he didn't seem alarmed in the least.
"This is what I get for hiring buffoons who can't get their job done."
She raised an eyebrow, stepping closer. "I'm here for the key of the safe." There was no point in denying anything. She might have been the worst thief he would have encountered.
"I can't. If I do, I may as well cut my own throat."
There was no mistake in the terrified tone in his voice.
Sakura snorted. "What makes you think I won't do it myself?"
Aringoth rose his gaze to meet hers.
"I don't believe you would do it. It's not how your people operate."
"You're mistaken." Sakura twirled a dagger, this time a regular one, between her fingers. She kept toying with it. "You see, I'm a rookie. And I've been given permission to kill on sight if your mercenaries were going to give me any trouble. I could...you know...just say that I missed my target. And this dagger impaled you, instead of the man who tried his best to protect you. Sure, I could receive an earful. Maybe I would get kicked out of the guild...they could try to kill me for disobedience...but would that matter to you? No, because you would be dead."
The Altmer held her gaze for a few moments before giving in.
"Fine!" He searched through his pocket. "Fine." With a slightly lowered voice, he said, handing the thief a key. "Do whatever you wish. Once the new owner finds out I gave in so quickly, I'm good as dead anyway."
"It will be for everyone's own good, eventually. You will see."
The estate was bought by someone else.
That someone else was trying to undermine the guild and its allies. The Black-Briars.
That someone else suddenly became a person Sakura couldn't help but unconsciously admire.
But the question was...who was that someone else?
Sakura merely walked outside. She kicked the hell out of an unsuspecting mercenary and looted a second key: The key belonging to the basement. From that point, the job was half-done. All she had to do was navigate through the maze of the estate and reach the cellar. But first, she looked out the window and eyed the beehives. Sakura rose a hand and shot three small-sized fireballs. Each for a single hive.
The young thief left for the cellar with two new possessions from Aringoth's room: A golden, bee-shaped statue and a jar with a single bee flying around. She sealed those insides, along with another 86 septims and three garnets found in a chest. Why did she steal a bee in a jar? The bumblebee looked pretty cute...and lonely. It kept buzzing around. Maybe it was hungry. The second priority on Sakura's list was to find something to feed the bee. She merely strolled around, unlocking the gate which protected the trapdoor leading towards the cellar - secretly glad she didn't have to pick that one too - and dropped silently on the floor of the basement.
Sakura leaned against the wall and sat the jar down. She started sketching the plans of the basement, humming. She had ink now.
There was a large, main storage room, littered with two bodies she knocked out. Then, there was a small hallway, closed with a door which she had to open to walk a little further. One could not turn left because it was a dead end. Sakura had to turn right, engage in combat with a few more mercenaries, turn left, turn right, then make a circle...
Sakura hummed and chewed the end of the quill. It took a few seconds for her to realize what she has been doing. She spitted the strands of the feather out immediately.
"Let's go, I guess, Hachi."
The pink-haired thief picked up the jar and walked around. The hives were destroyed, the flames were minimal not to produce additional destruction...all she had to do was empty the safe and exit the estate through the sewer. Easy as a piece of cake.
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Aringoth,
This document acknowledges the sale of Goldenglow Estate and all property, assets, and materials contained within. The payment of the property has been made in full by Gulum-Ei as an agent on behalf of the buyer. All dealings with the Thieves Guild in Riften is [sic] to cease immediately. To deter any possible retribution for this act, you are to take immediate steps to protect our assets in any way you see fit. I think you'll find that the Thieves Guild is far more bark than bite and will likely avoid Goldenglow Estate rather than thin their already dwindling numbers.
Good luck and may this be the start of a long and lucrative partnership.
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On top of the letter was drawn a dagger-shaped symbol. The handle was twisted, and the whole knife was circled by a round-shaped blotch of ink. That was definitely a clue, regarding the mysterious buyer. After pocketing the three garnet stones and another 86 septims she has found in the safe, Sakura finally climbed down the ladder which lead to the Cistern. She pulled back her hood, sat down the jar on a random, empty surface of a crate, and headed to look out for Brynjolf. He was nowhere to be seen, however. She dragged a chair and slumped down, to get some rest.
"You got out of Goldenglow alive?" Vex has just arrived after a seemingly successful break-in. She dragged a chair as well, to sit across the pink-haired new recruit.
Sakura merely nodded. "Yes. Brynjolf was right..the place was full. I tried to knock out as many as possible, but I may have slipped my dagger here and there. But he said I could defend myself if needed, as long as Aringoth was left alive."
"Good...good." Vex spotted the angry bee flying around a jar made of glass. "I'm not even going to ask about that. I suppose you are waiting for him or Mercer to report, right? He will be back soon."
Sakura's eyes lit up for a second. She has almost forgotten. "Hey...do you think you could help me with something?" She pulled a jewel case out of one of her inner pockets and opened it. Vex's eyes widened. "Do you think you could tell me what is this? I found it when...I was looking for..Isabella..." Her voice died down a little. "I'm not sure what is this."
"It's been a while since I've seen anything like this, I'll admit." She hummed to herself. "What you've got there is a Stone of Barenziah."
"Barenziah...? I think I've seen a few books entitled with that name. "How much is it worth?"
"Not like that it isn't. The stone was pried off of Barenziah's ceremonial crown by a thief in order to cover his tracks."
"A crown? And how many stones are out there..?"
Vex tried to recall. "24. If I remember well. Over the years, the guild members tried to locate the stones, but they have been unsuccessful. Until now." For the first time, she saw Sakura in a new light. Like she held great promise in the Guild. Yes, she was young - maybe the youngest so far, naive regarding the country she was currently residing in but she was talented and strong. "I'll tell you what. Keep it now for luck, maybe, but get back to me when you have found all the stones. Brynjolf might have arrived by now in the Flagon. Go, don't keep him waiting."
Sakura smiled brightly. "I see, I will keep an eye out for the stones. Thank you, miss Vex." She made a beeline to grab her bee before she headed for the tavern.
"Brynjolf. Have you had a chance to speak to our contact in Whiterun?"
"Sorry Mercer, they no longer wish to be involved in our operation."
"I trust you've applied the appropriate pressure in order to change their mind?"
"I have. I think we may have to turn this one over to the Dark Brotherhood."
"Yes, I'm afraid you're right. Such a shame..."
Sakura was watching the conversation from afar, as she stepped inside the Flagon. Sakura wanted to open her mouth, to greet her Guildmaster who was coming her way - most likely heading for the cistern - but she was silenced with a glare. She raised an eyebrow and walked over to Brynjolf.
"Word on the street is Goldenglow's been hit. Good job, lad."
Unlike Mercer, Brynjolf seemed more than satisfied. The columns of smoke signaled that the message was taken loud and clear.
"Have I...done anything wrong?"
He merely shrugged her off. "He's pissed because of something that happened in Whiterun. That's all. You performed your job outstandingly and came back alive. That's all that matters."
Sakura sighed. "Well, thank you. Here's what I found in the safe."
"Why do you have a bee in a jar?" He blinked a few times as he watched her hold the jar under one arm while looking for a carefully folded letter which she handed out immediately.
"I found this poor little guy in Aringoth's room. I didn't want him to starve."
"As long as you keep it out of my range, we'll be fine."
Brynjolf commented grimly as he flapped the letter open. He read half-loud, his green eyes widening.
"Aringoth sold Goldenglow? What's that idiot thinking? He has no idea the extent of Maven's fury when she's been cut out of a deal, but I'm certain he'll find out. If only the parchment had the buyer's name instead of this odd symbol. Any idea what that might be?"
Sakura has gone over the symbol many times before she stepped back in the Cistern. She couldn't recall a single time if she has seen that symbol anywhere. "I'm sorry, I have no idea. But I think that whoever this person is...might have something to do with the Guild. And Black-Briar. Maybe old enemies."
"That's a good possibility lass." He eyed her. "I'll check my sources and speak to Mercer. But for now, you're off to speak to Maven Black-Briar. She asked for you by name."
Her eyes narrowed a little suspiciously. "Maven Black-Briar? You can tell her that I'm not willing to gather the tears of her enemies in gold bottles."
"Lass..." The evident tone of warning in his voice was enough for her to get the message.
She sighed. "Fine. As soon as I stretch my back I will go see what does she want."
"Good girl." He patted her head, earning a glare. "Here's your payment; spend them wisely. There's more of that if you keep bringing us coin. I'm on my way to talk to Mercer. Make yourself at home, you're officially part of the Guild, now."
Sakura watched Brynjolf head to the Cistern, then the rest of her ...now fellow guildmates. She swallowed the lump in her throat and sat down at the bar tended by Vekel the Man.
"Why the long face? Maven was down here right before you and she was all smiles. I haven't seen her like that in a long time. Whatever you did at Honningbrew, you're now on her good side. Best of all, if she's happy, Mercer's happy. Keep it up and you'll go places."
Vekel pushed a mug of mead in front of her face, for which she paid a few gold coins, and she gulped it down in one go. She suppressed a shiver.
"He's scolding me for stuff I haven't done. Like a first-sight antipathy." But it was not like she was overly joyed about his existence either.
"Give him time. Do your best and he'll learn to trust you; you'll see."
Sakura sighed and pushed aside the empty mug. "Thank you, Mr. Vekel." She bowed her head with respect, before securing the leather hood in place and ran outside. She obviously headed back for the Cistern, to climb the way up and exist through the secret entrance in the Mausoleum. She wasn't yet sure where Maven was about, but she'd find out soon. She just had to follow the smell of honey and poison.
But there was one thing Sakura has forgotten. Hachi was buzzing around, angry.
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Meanwhile, Chihiro was a very busy cat. A very busy cat. First, she had to find Mjoll the Lioness. Sakura has forgotten..or simply didn't have the time to return the Grimsever, so the cat had to do it for her. Luckily, everybody knew whom she belonged to; they just didn't know the nature of their relationship. Besides Marcurio, evidently. They weren't just owner and pet, they were partners. Chihiro was more or less Sakura's right paw, after Matatabi-sama herself. Chihiro was a master Genjutsu caster, spy and tracker, with a nose as fine to rival a ninken's. Yes, Chihiro was special.
The cat with coffee-colored ears, paws, and muzzle, was carrying the green glass sword in its sheath, looking for the blonde Nord woman. She was not hard to miss, judging by the heavy armor, facial warpaint and the overall air which screamed 'Foreigner'.
Chihiro tailed a little behind Mjoll and Aerin. Nobody could hear the footsteps, sure, but the sword was a little heavy in Chihiro's muzzle. But she was much stronger than someone could guess. She was a special cat.
"Wait there a second, Aerin.." Mjoll turned around. Her blue eyes widened. A cat, Sakura's cat more exactly, was sitting in front of her. The woman watched in amazement as the cat dropped a glass sword at her feet. But it wasn't just any glass sword. It was her beloved Grimsever.
"Meow."
Mjoll picked up the sword, looking it over.
"What's wrong, Mjoll?"
"Remember when you've found me? In those ruins that almost have taken my life?" Aerin nodded.
"How could I forget?"
"The new woman which has been wandering around Riften...she actually took her time to bring my sword. And here I thought..." Mjoll shook her head. She has seen the pink-haired woman talk to Brynjolf before. Or to Sapphire. But Brand-Shei was released from Riften's Jail, and Shadr has escaped the thief's debt. She was not yet sure what to think about the whole situation. At first, Sakura seemed good. Then she was working with the wretched Guild of rats. Then she was good again, running all sorts of errands, making sure that the citizens were happy. Maybe she was two-faced...but the pink-haired woman had dozens of occasions to sell the sword and never see it again. She wasn't expecting payment either.
"Meow."
Mjoll looked down at Chihiro. She sheathed her sword, kneed down and petted the incredibly soft fur of her head. Chihiro leaned her head against her palm, before sitting up.
"I will find your owner later, to thank her personally. Meanwhile, I think a treat for you might be in order."
The woman has just spoken the forbidden magic words. Chihiro started cackling and meowing, running right towards Marise's wagon of fresh meat and fish, leaving Mjoll and Aerin to chase her.
Chihiro was a special cat, indeed.
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A/N: I hope the chapter was satisfying enough. I love writing Chihiro, lol. I have forgotten to add that she has collected off-screen the reagents for Ingun Black-Briar. Hachi means 'bee' in Japanese. Such a creative name. I hope the chapter wasn't that boring to read.
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Balance: 6605 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: Iron Sword of Fire, Iron Dagger
Potions: Draught of Light Feet, Poison, Invisibility Potion, Healing Potion (3), Pickpocketing Potion,
Scrolls (spells): N/A
Food: N/A
Ingredients: 20 Deathbell, 20 Nightshade, 20 Nirnroot, Imp Stool, Lavender
Books: 2920, vol V - Second Seed (Speech Skill Book), Advances in Lockpicking (Skill - R), Aedra and Daedra (Lore - R), Ages of Man (Illusion Skill Book), An Explorer's Guide to Skyrim (Lore), Begger Prince (Lore), Boethiah's Proving (Lore - R), Cats of Skyrim (Lore), Enchanter's Primer (Enchanting Skill Book), Guide to Better Thieving (Pickpocketing Skill Book), Life of Uriel Septim VII (Lore), Mixed Unit Tactics (Lore), Oakflesh (Spell Tome), Proper Lock Design (Skill - R), Shadowmarks (Lore - R), The Exodus (Restoration Skill Book), The Wolf Queen Book I (Lockpicking Skill Book), Walking the World - Volume XI: Solitude (Lore - R), Yellow Book of Riddles (Lore - R).
Journals: Sakura's Journal
Letters: N/A
Keys: Riften Warehouse;
Misc: Summoning scroll, Storage scrolls, Quill, Inkwell (2), Lockpicks (8), Black Soul Gem (1), Gold Ingot, Sapphire Dragon Claw, Garnet, Amethyst, Dwarven Oil (2), Common Soul Gem, Dwemer Cog (2), Dwemer Gear (3), Dwemer Gyro, Stone of Barenziah, Queen Bee Statue, Refined Moonstone Ingot, Garnet (3), Roll of Paper (3), Bee in a Jar.
Passive Effects: Agent of Mara (15% Resist Magic.)
Spells: N/A
Shouts: Kyne's Peace ( KaaN - To be unlocked)
Perks: N/A
Quest Log (Started): Join the Stormcloaks, No Stone Unturned
Quest Log (Completed): A Chance Arrangement, Blood on the Ice, Book of Love, Discerning the Transmundane, Drowned Sorrows, Helping Hand, Loud and Clear, Supply and Demand, Taking Care of Business, The Raid
Bounties Collected: N/A
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