A Thief's Temptation

4- Going as Planned

I took a turn to Falkreath on the way to Solitude, hoping to lose Brynjolf on my trail. I didn't know what to do if he found out. What if he didn't take the information lightly? What if I told him, and he told Mercer. We can't afford for this to go badly. I had to, but this last week has proven to be... interesting.

I've noticed the way he looks at me, and I know that my familiarity to him was upsetting him. I knew that at some point I had to tell him, but I couldn't. Mercer had to go down, and I couldn't afford the target finding out.

I went inside the inn and up to the bar. "Like a room?" The innkeeper asked. "Yeah, how much?" I asked. "Ten a night," She answered. "Here," I said giving her ten gold. "Follow me," She said walking me to the room on the right, "Let me know if there's anything else you need." "I will," I smiled.

I sat down on the bed and laid my pack next to it. I blew out the candle and laid back. Letting the darkness help me sleep. Suddenly, I was shaken awake by some random person I barely knew. I opened my eyes and looked at her, "Can I help you?"

"I'm here on behalf of you're mum," She whispered. "What's the code?" I asked. "Amethyst," She replied. "Okay," I smiled. "She says you're being followed or she would've met up with you. You need to lose his trail before meeting with Gulum-Ei... unless you believe that you can trust him to tell him the truth," She said.

"I don't know what to do with him," I frowned. "She knows that he cares some about you," "He didn't want to follow me. He was forced to, His place in the guild threatened," I answered. "Then you have no choice. You must tell him," She said, "I'll let her know." She stood up and walked out of the room.

I stood up and grabbed my things. The morning sun just about to rise as I was getting ready for a long walk ahead of me. I felt eyes on my back as I crossed the main entrance to Falkreath. I stopped after a while of walking and looked around, then disappeared into the shadowy forest. The reason that mum had given me the name Shadow-Walker, was for this reason.

I managed to hide completely from whoever was watching me, and I saw him walking into the road peering into the forest looking for me. "Fool," I chuckled too myself. I have to find a way to take him down, but then I saw a bandit sneaking up on him.

"Shit," I groaned, and readied my bow, pulling back an arrow ready to release. I let it go, and it took out the bandit. He fell to the ground. Brynjolf looked around for his killer, but he still couldn't see me.

"I know you're following me, Brynjolf," I said loud enough for him to hear me. "I'm sorry, Lass. I didn't want to," He frowned. "Then why are you?" "Mercer has contacts everywhere, and he asked me to," He replied. "Why are you telling me this?" "Because I don't want to upset you," He replied.

"Why not?" "Because I- I like you," He frowned looking around the area my voice came from. Too bad for him, I kept moving around. "I can't have you following me," I said. "Why not?" He asked. "Because, it's- it's too dangerous for you," I answered vaguely. "I need to know," He replied. "I- I can't. Well I can, I just don't want to," I said.

"Why not?" "Because you'll be upset," I replied. When he got too close, I climbed a tree so he couldn't see me... Then hopped between them. "Why would I be upset, Lass?" He asked. "Because I lied to you," I frowned. I knew I had to tell him... at least part of the truth, "I'm not from another guild... I'm from this guild." "What?" He asked looking around. I jumped down in front of him, and he looked at me confused.

"You find me familiar, because we were both kids when we first joined the guild. I was Gallus and Karliah's adopted daughter," I replied. "Riseki? Is it really you? You disappeared after Gallus died, I thought- I thought I'd never see you again!" He said getting surprisingly happy. "I missed you too, but-,"