Ellia sighed as she read a letter, "why are people this dumb?" She thought out loud as she set the letter down and rubbed at her temples. "Everything alright lass?" Brynjolf asked as he sat down in front of her, she looked up at him and said "some asshole has been stealing cuts from us, no one big, just a petty crook that's been ambushing our thieves.. but it's been happening for two weeks now, and it needs to stop" Brynjolf smiled and said "I'll ask Dagger to deal with it, now you can use some rest. Come on lass, get your sexy arse to bed, I'll join you shortly"
Ellia nodded and said quietly "alright Bryn, see you soon" before disappearing into her room, Brynjolf sighed as he stood up and walked to the flaggon. "Dagger, come here lad, I've got a job for you" the brawlic thief looked at him curiously as he said "what's the job?"
Brynjolf smiled and said "some crook has been stealing cuts from us, I want you to make him see the error of his ways" Dagger nodded and said "alright boss, anywhere I need to go to catch him?"
Brynjolf shook his head, "no lad, he'll come to you, be safe though. The fucker likes to draw knives, also.. boss? Last time I checked I was no one's boss here" Dagger chuckled and said "Brynjolf, you and the boss are conjoined at the hip, you are as much my boss as she is"
Brynjolf chuckled and said "Aye, can't argue with that, right then. I'm off to bed, go do your job lad" Dagger nodded and silently left to do his job.
Brynjolf smiled as he laid down next to Ellia, "Bryn... hugs.." she mumbled sleepily as she rolled over to face him, he chuckled softly and hugged her. "Sleep well lass" he said before dozing off himself.
In a shady bar in Riften.
Dagger sat down in the corner overlooking the entrance, sipping from his beer he watched as various shady characters came and went. He knew who he was hunting, all he needed was some time. Eventually, about two hours later, the crook entered the smoke filled bar, frantically looking around. Feigning being drunk Dagger stumbled out of the bar and into a dark alley, "this is almost too easy, he's falling for such easy to spot bait. It's almost a crime with this going on for this long" Dagger thought as the crook drew a knife behind him.
Dagger spun around in an instant, knocking aside the knife he kicked the crook inside his knee, dropping him on his arse. "Alright then, let's see what we got here" Dagger said as he drew his dagger, the crook was pale from shock, normally his targets were drunk, unable to fight back. But not this time, he had been tricked. Dagger pulled off the crooks mask... "what the hell? A young boy?" He sighed as he said "I don't know why you thought it would be smart to rob the thieves guild, but you better explain. fast."
His tone left no room for excuses, and so the boy in dark leather sighed and said softly "I.. I'm forced to steal.. by my father, if I don't he hits me, or worse.." Dagger suddenly felt guilty, but he had to confirm his story first, so he suppressed it and said "I need to confirm that, in the mean time you can spend some time at the guild while I confirm your story to be true or not, get up. And don't try anything funny" the boy nodded and walked in front of Dagger at his command.
Ellia sat at her desk when Dagger came into the cistern, a child in tow. "Dagger, who's that, and why did you bring him here?" Dagger made a hand motion signaling he'd be there soon, eventually, after tying up the boy, did he march to her desk. "We got a problem" he said as he sat down in front of her, Ellia motioned him to continue. "This kid is the petty thief of the last two weeks. He was targeting drunk guild members, not out of his own volition might I add, from what he's telling me, well, his father is a dirt bag." Ellia sighed and silently sunk into thoughts.
"I think... and it might be a big guess, but I think I'll take it over from you. Me being part dragon has its perks" she said eventually, breaking the short silence. Dagger nodded and said "alright boss, I'll go check on Karliah then"
Ellia chuckled and said "you love her, how sweet. Go ahead Dagger, I'll send someone if I have need of you" Dagger blushed slightly and left quickly for the hall of the Nightingale's.
Ellia took a glance at the tied up boy and sighed, "what am I to do with you?" She asked herself. Brynjolf came up from behind her and said "I'd wait a little before asking him anything, make him squirm a little" however Ellia shook her head, she didn't like putting the poor kid through it all. Standing up with a sigh she said "I've got a plan, I just need a bag of coins." Brynjolf arched an eyebrow saying "what're you planning lass?" Ellia smiled faintly and said softly "you'll see, don't you worry Bryn."
The boy watched with wide eyes as Ellia seemed to appear out of the shadows, "w- what's gonna happen to m- me?" He said weakly, as if already accepting a harsh fate.
Ellia chuckled and pulled down her hood and mask, "nothing is going to happen to you, don't you worry" she pulled her knife and cut the rope around his wrists. And just as she appeared she seemed to meld with the shadows again, to his wonder the boy found a big bag of coins in his pockets. He smiled and silently thanked Ellia as he made his way out of the cistern unseen.
Ellia followed him from the roof tops right to where the boy lived, at the edge of town. Crawling into the house through an open window she heard the boys father reprimanding him that he was late, hearing a hatch lock in place she realized the father had locked his son in the basement. Drawing an arrow she made her way downstairs, her bow half drawn, ready to fire an an instant. Ellia took aim and nailed the man's collar to the wall.
"What in oblivion?! Who goes there!?" The man said as he tried in vain to remove the arrow that kept him pinned in place.
"You kicked the wrong hornets nest, now then. Where do you keep the coins you stole from the thieves guild?" Ellia said softly, but the man heard the unmistakable venom in every word. He swallowed nervously and said "in the basement" Ellia was silently listening, smiling she said "you snake, I can hear your heart pounding all the way from across the room. Now tell me the truth, before I loose an arrow into your ankle. And trust me, that'll hurt, a lot."
The man shouted "in a safe in the attic! The attic! I swear!" Ellia nodded and quietly walked upstairs. Seeing the safe she quickly opened it, finding all the coin stolen from the guild. Taking it back before going downstairs.
"So then, now that I've got my coins back... let's talk about the boy" Ellia said as she pulled a chair backwards, she smiled. The father of the boy was desperately trying to get a better look at her, but unable to because of the arrow pinning him to the wall. He let out a frustrated sigh and said "what of the boy?" Ellia let the question hang in the air for a while before saying "I'm taking him in, he shows promise in our line of work. And at the same time it'll keep him from you."
The father growled "you bitch, once I'm free I'll find you and make you my sex slave!" Ellia chuckled but left him to boil in his own anger.
Opening the hatch lock Ellia said "hey kid, you can come out" the boy climbed out of the basement and said "miss thief, what're you doing here?!" Ellia squated in front of him and said softly "I'm here to save you, come on sweetie" the boy nodded and grabbed her hand, following her back to the Guilds hideout.
Ellia assigned the kid a bed and sat down at her desk, placing her head in her hands she let out a long sigh. "What's wrong with me? I'm not a mother, Bryn is definitely no father... how in oblivion did I think taking that kid with me was a good idea!" She said out loud, Brynjolf chuckled and said "lass,what makes you think I wouldn't make a good father?"
Ellia turned around and said dryly "we're thieves, our line of work doesn't exactly breed good parents. And especially not with my past"
Brynjolf smiled and picked her up and placed her on her desk, "lass, I want you to stop worrying so much. For once just go with the flow, I promise you it'll be fine" Brynjolf said before he gently lifted her chin and kissed her.
After they broke away for air Ellia smiled and whispered "you really think it'll be fine? Keep in mind I fully intend on training him to be a thief.." Brynjolf smiled widely at that, "Aye lass, I think you and I will do more than fine raising the boy. But now to bed with you, I'm tired and I don't sleep well without you" Ellia looked at him sternly but eventually caved and together they went to bed.