Skyrim | Thief Of Hearts | DISCONTINUED

7.

{Mercer POV}

I was sitting in the cistern, a letter in one hand and a piece of charcoal in the other. A sigh left my lips and I leaned backwards onto my chair, not able to concentrate. That new member Relyn wasn't really what I thought he would be. Of course, he was a perfect lockpicker but he had been caught on at least three jobs and it gave us a bad name. His sneak skill had to improve enormously if he wanted to keep up with the thievery jobs we threw his way. I took the half full tankard that stood onto my desk and chugged it backwards. I wiped my mouth and rubbed my forehead. A headache was coming up and it was killing me terribly. I scribbled some sentences onto the paper and yawned. 'Mercer, are you still awake?' I blinked a few times and looked up to see Brynjolf walking up to me. 'Aye. Still got lots of work to do.' The ginger man nodded and looked over my shoulder. 'So... That Relyn dude isn't really what you hoped for, eh?' I closed my eyes and sighed. 'He doesn't seem as promising as first, that's clear. Anyways, I am going to bed now and you should go as well. It's past two in the morning.' Brynjolf nodded and walked towards his bed. Several Guild members were already snoring loudly while others were still awake and drinking in the Flagon. I stood up and stretched my sore limbs. The Guild hadn't been in such a good condition lately and it was taking its toll on my health as well. I slept worse and less which made me sick more often. I walked over to my bed and laid down on it, too tired to take off my boots. Turning to lay on my side, I closed my eyes. But sleep just wouldn't come over me that night. I kept thinking about how bad the Guild was doing, what it meant to our name in the future. Soon, we would get thrown out of the Ragged Flagon by the guards and get laughed at for being the worst thieves ever. I just couldn't let that happen. It would mean the end of my career, my entire life. All the members were never what I'd expected of them. Everything seemed to be bad here, Nocturnal wasn't really blessing us anymore. I folded my hands behind my head and sighed deeply. We needed a miracle from the divines to save us. 'Trouble sleeping, Mercer?' I tilted my head and saw Vipir looking with a drowsy face. I faked a small smile. 'I'll manage, don't worry. Go back to sleep, Vipir.' 'Not when the guildmaster is having trouble to get to sleep. Tell me, Mercer. What is troubling you?' I swallowed. 'Nothing I can't handle.' Vipir sent me a stern look. 'Mercer.' 'What.' 'Tell me.' I sighed again and sat up, my back resting against the wall behind me. 'It's just that the Guild is not running well.' Vipir sat up also, crossing his legs on the cow hide under him. 'It's not your fault, Mercer.' 'Yes it is. I am the one that hires new recruits.' I ran my hands through my hair and laid back down again. 'Maybe you should listen to Brynjolf and try to get that lass (Y/n) for our Guild.' I groaned and squeezed my eyes shut in annoyance. 'Why can't anyone shut up about that girlie?!' 'Because she is a fine thief!' 'You just say that because she's pretty!' Vipirs eyes widened and a wicked smile crossed his expression. 'You think she's pretty!' I narrowed my eyes at him and huffed. 'Yeah so?' 'Aren't you a man with a heart of ice?' 'This doesn't make any sense. Because someone has a pretty face doesn't mean she has to be a good thief?!' Vipir shrugged and laid back down also. 'There is more to her then just her looks, I am sure of it!' 'How can you possibly know that, Vipir?' 'Because Brynjolf speaks about her with a glimmer in his eye and a genuine smile on his face. She's special.' 'What does make her special when Brynjolf talks about her like some kind of goddess?' Vipir looked at me with a glint of annoyance in his eyes. 'Why don't you understand, Mercer... If Brynjolf comes back head over heals about some thief, that means that he or she is special! Bryn never reacted like that before, nor is he impressed by most okay thieves.' I raised my eyebrows, suddenly completely lost in thought. What if Brynjolf was right? What if she was special? 'Mercer?' I didn't hear Vipir say my name. 'Mercer? Hello...? Oh, get lost.' He turned his back to me and went to sleep. However, I still couldn't catch sleep and tossed around for the rest of the night, thinking about the conversation with Vipir. Maybe I should question Brynjolf about (Y/n) tomorrow, for the sake of the Guild.