The Wolf Queen Awakens

Chapter 8

Riften. City of sin. Well. Not so much that, nothing so interesting. City of crime then. City of various monetary acts of wrongdoing, with that same down to earth grubby charm it had always had. A city that was welcoming to all as all it cared about was your coin. Technically Stormcloak and that at least meant no Thalmor. But in reality, it belonged to the Black-Briars and Thieves Guild and always had done, and that was precisely why Delphine was here.

"Make love like a sabre cat! Grow back that missing limb! Learn a new language in seconds, all thanks to my genuine Falmer blood elixir!"

And there he was. Her old friend Brynjolf at his market stall, selling his usual wares. A few passers-by stopped to have a look, but most of Riften's citizens knew Brynjolf all too well.

She stopped by the stall, glancing up at him from under her hood.

"Hello there lass, can I interest you in my genuine Falmer blood elixir? Only twenty septims-" He stopped, seeing first the hood of a fellow Guildmate, then under the hood, someone he'd likely not thought he'd see again.

Delphine wasn't proud of her Thieves Guild years. But she'd been on the run after the war, was running out of hiding places and in desperation had ended up hiding out in Riften's Ratway, paying the Guild to bring her food. Most had just brought the food, taken the coin and gone on their merry way without asking questions. Not so Brynjolf. He'd brought the food, taken the coin and started chatting. First asking questions but when she'd shut the door and ignored him, he'd stopped expecting an answer and started monologuing. Despite trying to block him out, he had a way of making the mundane sound interesting – and he'd been a useful source of information. One day he'd mentioned something about Thalmor agents in town and she'd opened the door to ask more without even thinking. He'd just stopped and grinned, knowing he had her and then proceeded to start asking a price.

The sexual favours he'd initially suggested had been met with a right hook to the jaw. He'd taken the hint and the following day, he'd revised his price. Not coin, no, but her joining the Guild, helping them out. So after a bit of thought, she'd said yes and there had followed six, nearly seven years of thieving all over Skyrim, her espionage skills being put to a use her trainers had never anticipated. During that time, she and Brynjolf had become friends, partners in crime – until she'd been spotted by a Thalmor agent while on a job, killed to protect her identity and been forced to leave the Guild. She'd taken in more than enough coin to buy the Sleeping Giant by that point though, and retiring to Riverwood had proved to be a good option. Ten years she'd been there now and the Thalmor hadn't found her yet. Talos willing, they never would.

"Bryn," Delphine said, smiling. "How've you been?"

Brynjolf stared at her, not able to believe his eyes. "Del? Is that you? Now you're a sight for sore eyes, lass. You haven't changed a bit."

"Nor have you if you think I'll fall for your usual flattery," Delphine remarked, but part of her was pleased by the genuine pleasure in his eyes on seeing her. Not often she got that reaction. "It's good to see you, Bryn."

"And you," Brynjolf replied, actually grinning. "So what brings you to Riften? Business? Pleasure? Something else? Something I could help with perhaps?" His eyes lingered on her a little longer than they should and Delphine could only sigh wearily. While Brynjolf could hardly be said to be pining for her and certainly hadn't been saving himself for her or anyone else, he'd never made any secret of the fact he found her attractive either. It was a little unsettling if Delphine was honest, but Brynjolf had never pushed the matter and for that at least she was relieved.

"As a matter of fact, yes," Delphine said, hoping he actually could because if the Guild couldn't help, she was frankly stuffed. "I'm planning a job – a big one. A dangerous one, with a lot riding on it, and I'm going to need an extra pair of hands. I need a Guild thief, Bryn, a good one. Can you help?"