Chapter 36
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As we approach Riften’s Gates, we’re stopped by the guard outside, of course.
“Oi, there’s a visitor’s tax if you want to enter the city. A hundred gold.”
I glance to Svanna, but she doesn’t speak up, instead gazing upon the poor fool in front of her with a lidded look that makes it clear he’s going to die a thousand deaths before ever parting her with her money. Well now, it seems I’m still going to be the one doing the majority of the talking. That’s quite alright with me, I’ve always liked the sound of my own voice a bit too much for my own good.
Turning back to the guard, I consider briefly going the haughty route and saying something like ‘Do you know who we are?!’ or something like that. I could tell him that I’m Thane of Whiterun and Arch-Mage of Winterhold, and that the woman traveling beside me is the Dragonborn. With my skills and perks, he’d almost certainly believe me as well.
But it all sounded so… trite. Even though I’d told myself those titles would come in handy to open certain doors going forward… this door felt like a poor use of them. Especially when, less was more sometimes.
And so, rather than list our accolades and accomplishments or anything like that, I just give the guard a simple smile, piercing him with my gaze as Svanna does the same.
“Do you really want to try a shakedown on us, friend?”
The Riften Guard stiffens under the weight of my stare, even as his friend, not the recipient of my current intimidation, scoffs.
“We ain’t your friends. You-!”
“Hey, shut the fuck up. S’not worth it.”
Taken aback, the second guard looks at the first, and then shows a modicum of intelligence by looking at us and our visibly enchanted, incredibly well-crafted gear again. I just grin, displaying a level of confidence that cannot be argued with, while Svanna plays the part of the deadly quiet one at my side.
“Y-Yeah… yeah, sure…”
As they step aside to let us pass, the first guard clears his throat.
“Let’s uh, keep this between us. Don’t cause any trouble now, you here? Just… enjoy Riften.”
Smirking, I incline my head in his direction as we pass him by.
“Thank you very much.”
And then we’re into the city proper. Svanna remains quiet, even as we step into her home. This was the place where she’d grown up, the place she’d been chased out of. She had probably been more at home down in the Ratway, but still, Riften was her home. I was wondering what exactly was going through her mind, even as we were stopped again not even twenty more paces into the city proper.
“Hey, you. Get over here, I want to talk to you.”
Looking at Maul, I do consider ignoring him for a moment. The Black-Briar Enforcer has never struck me as anything more than a blowhard, truth be told. But at the same time… it would be silly to think Svanna and I wouldn’t be ‘dealing’ with Maven Black-Briar while we were in town, one way or another. So, with Svanna not seeming to have any preference one way or another, I step over to Maul, with her at my heels.
He looks us both up and down with a narrow-eyed glare and frowns.
“I don’t know either of you. You in Riften lookin’ for trouble?”
I give him my most disarming grin, even as I rest my hands on the pommels of my swords and let out a chuckle.
“Any other reason come to Riften, save to look for trouble?”
Maul half-bristles at that, but it’s clear my somewhat casual and almost friendly attitude are taking him aback. He recovers quickly enough though, and his glare redoubles as he scoffs.
“Don’t say something you’ll regret. There’s nothing to see here. Last thing the Black-Briars need is a couple of strangers stickin’ their nose where it doesn’t belong.”
I look over at Svanna to see she’s dully unimpressed with Maul, as expected. Still, even if I know most of this already, if I can get Maul to be Svanna’s exposition fairy, it becomes less that I have to explain to her at some point. So, cocking my head to the side, I play dumb.
“Oh? Who are the Black-Briars?”
Straightening up, Maul grunts.
“The Black-Briars have Riften in their pocket and the Thieves Guild watchin’ their back, so keep your nose out of their business. Me? I’m Maul and I watch the streets for ‘em. If you need dirt on anythin’, I’m your guy… but it’ll cost you.”
Will it? I can’t help myself… I think Svanna is a bad influence on me, or maybe it’s the town of Riften itself, but I step forward and let a shadow fall across my face as I use my Altmer height to tower over the man.
“Will it? Seems to me that trying to charge a couple of newcomers to the city for some basic information isn’t very friendly, is it? I won’t lie… makes me want to go and cause more trouble than I already intended to, just to make things even, you know?”
Maul rears back, and his eyes widen for a moment as his pupils shrink to pinpricks. He doesn’t quite look scared, but he certainly looks hunted. His arms, crossed over his chest, tighten up, and his hands flex and clench a few times before he swallows thickly.
“Alright… alright, let’s not be hasty now. What do you want to know?”
Smiling, I pull back and wave a hand magnanimously.
“Well, tell us more about these Black-Briars. What makes them so special?”
“S’not really them… it’s Maven Black-Briar. She’s the one in charge. She’s got friends in high places if you know what I mean, and low places besides. Has the ear of the Dark Brotherhood AND the Thieves Guild. Makes her pretty much untouchable. Just remember, if she tells you to do somethin’… you damn well better do exactly what she says.”
That’s pretty much the usual shit that he regurgitates in the game. Still, this was more for Svanna’s benefit then mine, and he had given me another thread to tug on. Two, in fact.
“And what do you know about the Thieves Guild then, hm?”
Maul scoffs, and almost looks proud of himself for a moment.
“You kiddin’? My brother Dirge works for ‘em down in their hideout. I used to run with them myself but took a job with Maven after they hit a bit of a rough patch. Still, if you’re wantin’ to get in on that action yourself, look for Brynjolf in the marketplace. I’m sure he could use someone like you.”
There’s the lead that Svanna and I need. Still, there’s one last thread so I tug on that as well.
“And the Dark Brotherhood?”
Here, Maul actually DOES look scared for a moment. The Dark Brotherhood’s reputation is not for the faint of heart, I suppose. If only he knew they were an organization reduced to a handful of people living in a dreary cave on the other side of the Province and had to resort to word of mouth to get their jobs these days, because they weren’t even properly practicing their own weird assassinating religion properly anymore.
“… Only thing I heard is a rumor about a boy named Aventus Aretino trying to contact them up in Windhelm. He used to live here in Riften at the Orphanage, but I guess he ran away. Can’t say I blame the kid, to be honest.”
I nod, pretending to process all of this as I give Svanna a chance to actually process the information, before stepping back and gracing Maul with a casual smile.
“Thank you kindly for your time.”
Still bristling a little bit, but seemingly recognizing when he’s outmatched, the man just grunts.
“Yeah… well, just don’t interfere with Black-Briar business. You don’t wanna see what sort of levers a woman like Maven can pull to deal with any sort of threat that comes her way.”
How nice of him to warn us. Of course, we were definitely going to be interfering with Black-Briar business one way or another. But I’d at least try to leave Maul alive, if it came down to it. Man seemed to have some survival instinct, after all.
Svanna and I walk away without another word in his direction. His warning isn’t worth the breath it took to speak it. This entire city is so ill-prepared for our arrival that it’s not even funny. As we move further in, I glance at Svanna and see her looking somewhat lost in her own little world at the moment. But for now, at least, she’s staying close to my side, and so we continue on.
“I had another run-in with the Thieves Guild.”
“Be careful, Mjoll. The Thieves Guild has Maven Black-Briar at her back. One snap of her fingers, and you could end up in Riften Jail… or worse.”
Ah, and like clockwork, we run smack dab into Mjoll the Lioness and her savior Aerin. Heh, I can’t help but be a little aroused just by the sight of Mjoll… and as we come to a stop, listening in on the tail end of a conversation it’s clear from the tone of their voices had been hashed and rehashed a dozen times at least, Svanna puts a hand on my arm, and I can tell she sees it too.
“They represent the reason I’m here. I can’t just ignore them, Aerin.”
“I know, I know. I just… I don’t want anything bad to happen to you. You’re the only good thing that’s happened to this city in a long time.”
A glance over at Svanna shows that she sees what I see… another bitch to tame and put in her place. Another Aela, another Lydia… another Nord Warrior Woman just asking to be taken down a notch. Oh yeah, I recognized that look in Svanna’s eyes quite well by this point. Before we were done here in Riften, Mjoll the Lioness would kneel before us in submission.
For now, it seemed like as good a time as any for an introduction.
“Ho there!”
Mjoll and Aerin turn towards us, with Mjoll’s eyes lighting up as she takes in our armor and weapons. Svanna looks more like a huntress than a thief, what with her bow and quiver slung over her back and the lack of a hood. She didn’t need one, considering her enchants allowed her to vanish completely whenever she liked. Meanwhile, my swords and my armor definitely didn’t mark ME as a member of the Thieves Guild, and my Altmer heritage made it even less likely I suppose.
“Oh! You two must be new to town, aye?”
I nod, gesturing first to myself and then to Svanna.
“I’m Vayral, that’s Svanna. We just walked in the gates, as a matter of fact. Couldn’t help overhearing you talking about Riften’s Thieves Guild.”
Mjoll’s face scrunches up at that, her nose wrinkling in disgust as she scoffs and crosses her arms over her chest.
“Ugh, to call it a guild is ridiculous. How can people who would betray one another over a gold coin be considered part of an association? They’re the worst kind. Even the Dark Brotherhood abides by a strict set of rules and tradition. Those thieves on the other hand… they’re just rabble. Ah, but I’m rambling. What do you think?”
Giving Svanna an amused glance, I go with the answer that will give us an in with the Lioness later on.
“Oh, I agree completely. Its important for society to have laws and rules that are followed by those who partake in it, isn’t it?”
I think only Svanna really detects the humor in my voice, though Aerin is definitely peering at my suspiciously. What, is he feeling threatened by my sheer charisma? It wouldn’t surprise me. In the game, he always felt like such a huge simp. Sure, he saved Mjoll from certain death according to her, but sheesh… he was like her sidekick, or something. Pining after her, only to have her stolen away by many a Dragonborn who went and got her sword back before marrying her.
Poor guy was literally made to be cucked, it felt like. I couldn’t see what else the developers were thinking, when they put him in the game as Mjoll’s companion, and then made Mjoll marriable as well.
Regardless, Mjoll perks up at my words, taking them completely at face value. She shouldn’t have of course, I was spouting nonsense that I knew she wanted to hear, while secretly laughing at her. Privately, I fully believed that laws were made to be followed by those too weak to buck the system, so to speak. And neither I nor Svanna were that weak.
“Oh! That’s good to hear. Finally, someone else in this town that’s worthy of my respect. Other than Aerin, I’d say you are the only person I’ve met here in Riften who I might be able to trust. Since we share a similar opinion on that bunch, allow me to be the one to warn you… they’re currently recruiting newcomers to join their ‘guild’ and you should be cautious, lest you get caught up in one of their damn schemes.”
I pretend to give this the due consideration it deserves, while at the same time imagining Mjoll armorless, with Svanna’s thighs wrapped around her head as I grip tightly at her buttocks and fuck her hard and fast from behind. Ah, someday soon, to be sure… someday soon.
For now, I give Mjoll a nod of my head.
“I appreciate the advice. Svanna and I will keep an eye out for any such schemes and report them to the guards as necessary.”
Mjoll just beams at me some more, seemingly buying it hook, line, and sinker. As Svanna and I pull apart from her and Aerin, the two continue talking as they head away from us, and I in turn lead Svanna deeper in, towards the marketplace in the center of the city. Of course, well before we get too close, I catch sight of the man who starts the whole Thieves Guild Questline. He hasn’t noticed us yet, so I touch Svanna on the arm and gesture for her to hang back with me for a second. Keeping my tone quiet, I clear my throat.
“So… how are you doing?”
“… Fine.”
I look over at Svanna, and she flushes a little bit before shrugging her shoulders.
“… The Thieves Guild has powerful allies, doesn’t it?”
I blink and then let out a quiet chuckle, shaking my head.
“Are you worried? Don’t be. They might have powerful allies, but only in the context of the city of Riften. When it comes to us, no one in this city can possibly harm us… they all might as well be ants beneath our boots.”
Svanna slowly nods. I can see that she’s a little off her game here. Which… fair. Even if I’m right, which I am, and there’s not a single person in this city who can physically harm either of us, this is still Svanna’s past we’re talking about. Much like I knew going to Winterhold would force me to confront my past with the Thalmor, Svanna had the same problem with Riften. Physical damage… nah. But emotional damage, and mental difficulties? Oh yeah, big time.
“… Have you seen anyone you recognize yet, Svanna?”
Svanna hesitates for a moment, before shaking her head.
“No one.”
That was… good, I supposed? Or at least, not bad. If she’d said yes, we probably would have had to take a quick detour to kill whoever she’d recognized. Because that was what I was asking. We were here to get revenge for my little Dragonborn, after all. But it would seem the men and women who exiled her, who took her ruby… were either all away from the city, or down in the Ratway, with the rest of the thieves. Hm.
Moment of truth time, I supposed. Nudging Svanna, I point out Brynjolf, over in the marketplace.
“See that man? The Nord with red hair?”
She finds him fast enough, and nods hesitantly.
“Recognize him at all?”
Peering at him more closely, she hesitates again for a moment, before finally shaking her head.
“Might have seen him before… but he wasn’t part of that.”
‘That’ being her detainment and exile. Okay, good. Still, even if that left the usual Thieves Guild path open to us, I wanted to be sure.
“If we go talk to him, we’ll almost certainly manage to get an invitation to join the Thieves Guild. From there, we can take it over or destroy it… from the inside. However, is that what YOU want to do, Svanna? Do you want to go in sneakily, and get them from within?”
I had to ask. Even if my Dragonborn was the stereotypical, consummate Stealth Archer, this was her past we were talking about. It was entirely possible she wanted to go full lethal and burn it all to the ground right off the bat, and if that was what she wanted, I would support her on that endeavor, while at the same time working to save a few of the hotter female members of the Thieves Guild for fun after the fact. But if not… then we could play along with the narrative for a fair bit longer than we did up in Winterhold. It was all up to her though, of course.
“… Yeah, lets try to do this sneakily. They shouldn’t… they shouldn’t recognize me. It was years ago.”
That was my thinking as well. She was a kid, when they exiled her. Now, she was a grown woman. Still, it was good for me and Svanna to be on the same page. It felt right. Now, all that was left to do was to approach Brynjolf and get this show on the road.
-x-X-x-
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As we approach Riften’s Gates, we’re stopped by the guard outside, of course.
“Oi, there’s a visitor’s tax if you want to enter the city. A hundred gold.”
I glance to Svanna, but she doesn’t speak up, instead gazing upon the poor fool in front of her with a lidded look that makes it clear he’s going to die a thousand deaths before ever parting her with her money. Well now, it seems I’m still going to be the one doing the majority of the talking. That’s quite alright with me, I’ve always liked the sound of my own voice a bit too much for my own good.
Turning back to the guard, I consider briefly going the haughty route and saying something like ‘Do you know who we are?!’ or something like that. I could tell him that I’m Thane of Whiterun and Arch-Mage of Winterhold, and that the woman traveling beside me is the Dragonborn. With my skills and perks, he’d almost certainly believe me as well.
But it all sounded so… trite. Even though I’d told myself those titles would come in handy to open certain doors going forward… this door felt like a poor use of them. Especially when, less was more sometimes.
And so, rather than list our accolades and accomplishments or anything like that, I just give the guard a simple smile, piercing him with my gaze as Svanna does the same.
“Do you really want to try a shakedown on us, friend?”
The Riften Guard stiffens under the weight of my stare, even as his friend, not the recipient of my current intimidation, scoffs.
“We ain’t your friends. You-!”
“Hey, shut the fuck up. S’not worth it.”
Taken aback, the second guard looks at the first, and then shows a modicum of intelligence by looking at us and our visibly enchanted, incredibly well-crafted gear again. I just grin, displaying a level of confidence that cannot be argued with, while Svanna plays the part of the deadly quiet one at my side.
“Y-Yeah… yeah, sure…”
As they step aside to let us pass, the first guard clears his throat.
“Let’s uh, keep this between us. Don’t cause any trouble now, you here? Just… enjoy Riften.”
Smirking, I incline my head in his direction as we pass him by.
“Thank you very much.”
And then we’re into the city proper. Svanna remains quiet, even as we step into her home. This was the place where she’d grown up, the place she’d been chased out of. She had probably been more at home down in the Ratway, but still, Riften was her home. I was wondering what exactly was going through her mind, even as we were stopped again not even twenty more paces into the city proper.
“Hey, you. Get over here, I want to talk to you.”
Looking at Maul, I do consider ignoring him for a moment. The Black-Briar Enforcer has never struck me as anything more than a blowhard, truth be told. But at the same time… it would be silly to think Svanna and I wouldn’t be ‘dealing’ with Maven Black-Briar while we were in town, one way or another. So, with Svanna not seeming to have any preference one way or another, I step over to Maul, with her at my heels.
He looks us both up and down with a narrow-eyed glare and frowns.
“I don’t know either of you. You in Riften lookin’ for trouble?”
I give him my most disarming grin, even as I rest my hands on the pommels of my swords and let out a chuckle.
“Any other reason come to Riften, save to look for trouble?”
Maul half-bristles at that, but it’s clear my somewhat casual and almost friendly attitude are taking him aback. He recovers quickly enough though, and his glare redoubles as he scoffs.
“Don’t say something you’ll regret. There’s nothing to see here. Last thing the Black-Briars need is a couple of strangers stickin’ their nose where it doesn’t belong.”
I look over at Svanna to see she’s dully unimpressed with Maul, as expected. Still, even if I know most of this already, if I can get Maul to be Svanna’s exposition fairy, it becomes less that I have to explain to her at some point. So, cocking my head to the side, I play dumb.
“Oh? Who are the Black-Briars?”
Straightening up, Maul grunts.
“The Black-Briars have Riften in their pocket and the Thieves Guild watchin’ their back, so keep your nose out of their business. Me? I’m Maul and I watch the streets for ‘em. If you need dirt on anythin’, I’m your guy… but it’ll cost you.”
Will it? I can’t help myself… I think Svanna is a bad influence on me, or maybe it’s the town of Riften itself, but I step forward and let a shadow fall across my face as I use my Altmer height to tower over the man.
“Will it? Seems to me that trying to charge a couple of newcomers to the city for some basic information isn’t very friendly, is it? I won’t lie… makes me want to go and cause more trouble than I already intended to, just to make things even, you know?”
Maul rears back, and his eyes widen for a moment as his pupils shrink to pinpricks. He doesn’t quite look scared, but he certainly looks hunted. His arms, crossed over his chest, tighten up, and his hands flex and clench a few times before he swallows thickly.
“Alright… alright, let’s not be hasty now. What do you want to know?”
Smiling, I pull back and wave a hand magnanimously.
“Well, tell us more about these Black-Briars. What makes them so special?”
“S’not really them… it’s Maven Black-Briar. She’s the one in charge. She’s got friends in high places if you know what I mean, and low places besides. Has the ear of the Dark Brotherhood AND the Thieves Guild. Makes her pretty much untouchable. Just remember, if she tells you to do somethin’… you damn well better do exactly what she says.”
That’s pretty much the usual shit that he regurgitates in the game. Still, this was more for Svanna’s benefit then mine, and he had given me another thread to tug on. Two, in fact.
“And what do you know about the Thieves Guild then, hm?”
Maul scoffs, and almost looks proud of himself for a moment.
“You kiddin’? My brother Dirge works for ‘em down in their hideout. I used to run with them myself but took a job with Maven after they hit a bit of a rough patch. Still, if you’re wantin’ to get in on that action yourself, look for Brynjolf in the marketplace. I’m sure he could use someone like you.”
There’s the lead that Svanna and I need. Still, there’s one last thread so I tug on that as well.
“And the Dark Brotherhood?”
Here, Maul actually DOES look scared for a moment. The Dark Brotherhood’s reputation is not for the faint of heart, I suppose. If only he knew they were an organization reduced to a handful of people living in a dreary cave on the other side of the Province and had to resort to word of mouth to get their jobs these days, because they weren’t even properly practicing their own weird assassinating religion properly anymore.
“… Only thing I heard is a rumor about a boy named Aventus Aretino trying to contact them up in Windhelm. He used to live here in Riften at the Orphanage, but I guess he ran away. Can’t say I blame the kid, to be honest.”
I nod, pretending to process all of this as I give Svanna a chance to actually process the information, before stepping back and gracing Maul with a casual smile.
“Thank you kindly for your time.”
Still bristling a little bit, but seemingly recognizing when he’s outmatched, the man just grunts.
“Yeah… well, just don’t interfere with Black-Briar business. You don’t wanna see what sort of levers a woman like Maven can pull to deal with any sort of threat that comes her way.”
How nice of him to warn us. Of course, we were definitely going to be interfering with Black-Briar business one way or another. But I’d at least try to leave Maul alive, if it came down to it. Man seemed to have some survival instinct, after all.
Svanna and I walk away without another word in his direction. His warning isn’t worth the breath it took to speak it. This entire city is so ill-prepared for our arrival that it’s not even funny. As we move further in, I glance at Svanna and see her looking somewhat lost in her own little world at the moment. But for now, at least, she’s staying close to my side, and so we continue on.
“I had another run-in with the Thieves Guild.”
“Be careful, Mjoll. The Thieves Guild has Maven Black-Briar at her back. One snap of her fingers, and you could end up in Riften Jail… or worse.”
Ah, and like clockwork, we run smack dab into Mjoll the Lioness and her savior Aerin. Heh, I can’t help but be a little aroused just by the sight of Mjoll… and as we come to a stop, listening in on the tail end of a conversation it’s clear from the tone of their voices had been hashed and rehashed a dozen times at least, Svanna puts a hand on my arm, and I can tell she sees it too.
“They represent the reason I’m here. I can’t just ignore them, Aerin.”
“I know, I know. I just… I don’t want anything bad to happen to you. You’re the only good thing that’s happened to this city in a long time.”
A glance over at Svanna shows that she sees what I see… another bitch to tame and put in her place. Another Aela, another Lydia… another Nord Warrior Woman just asking to be taken down a notch. Oh yeah, I recognized that look in Svanna’s eyes quite well by this point. Before we were done here in Riften, Mjoll the Lioness would kneel before us in submission.
For now, it seemed like as good a time as any for an introduction.
“Ho there!”
Mjoll and Aerin turn towards us, with Mjoll’s eyes lighting up as she takes in our armor and weapons. Svanna looks more like a huntress than a thief, what with her bow and quiver slung over her back and the lack of a hood. She didn’t need one, considering her enchants allowed her to vanish completely whenever she liked. Meanwhile, my swords and my armor definitely didn’t mark ME as a member of the Thieves Guild, and my Altmer heritage made it even less likely I suppose.
“Oh! You two must be new to town, aye?”
I nod, gesturing first to myself and then to Svanna.
“I’m Vayral, that’s Svanna. We just walked in the gates, as a matter of fact. Couldn’t help overhearing you talking about Riften’s Thieves Guild.”
Mjoll’s face scrunches up at that, her nose wrinkling in disgust as she scoffs and crosses her arms over her chest.
“Ugh, to call it a guild is ridiculous. How can people who would betray one another over a gold coin be considered part of an association? They’re the worst kind. Even the Dark Brotherhood abides by a strict set of rules and tradition. Those thieves on the other hand… they’re just rabble. Ah, but I’m rambling. What do you think?”
Giving Svanna an amused glance, I go with the answer that will give us an in with the Lioness later on.
“Oh, I agree completely. Its important for society to have laws and rules that are followed by those who partake in it, isn’t it?”
I think only Svanna really detects the humor in my voice, though Aerin is definitely peering at my suspiciously. What, is he feeling threatened by my sheer charisma? It wouldn’t surprise me. In the game, he always felt like such a huge simp. Sure, he saved Mjoll from certain death according to her, but sheesh… he was like her sidekick, or something. Pining after her, only to have her stolen away by many a Dragonborn who went and got her sword back before marrying her.
Poor guy was literally made to be cucked, it felt like. I couldn’t see what else the developers were thinking, when they put him in the game as Mjoll’s companion, and then made Mjoll marriable as well.
Regardless, Mjoll perks up at my words, taking them completely at face value. She shouldn’t have of course, I was spouting nonsense that I knew she wanted to hear, while secretly laughing at her. Privately, I fully believed that laws were made to be followed by those too weak to buck the system, so to speak. And neither I nor Svanna were that weak.
“Oh! That’s good to hear. Finally, someone else in this town that’s worthy of my respect. Other than Aerin, I’d say you are the only person I’ve met here in Riften who I might be able to trust. Since we share a similar opinion on that bunch, allow me to be the one to warn you… they’re currently recruiting newcomers to join their ‘guild’ and you should be cautious, lest you get caught up in one of their damn schemes.”
I pretend to give this the due consideration it deserves, while at the same time imagining Mjoll armorless, with Svanna’s thighs wrapped around her head as I grip tightly at her buttocks and fuck her hard and fast from behind. Ah, someday soon, to be sure… someday soon.
For now, I give Mjoll a nod of my head.
“I appreciate the advice. Svanna and I will keep an eye out for any such schemes and report them to the guards as necessary.”
Mjoll just beams at me some more, seemingly buying it hook, line, and sinker. As Svanna and I pull apart from her and Aerin, the two continue talking as they head away from us, and I in turn lead Svanna deeper in, towards the marketplace in the center of the city. Of course, well before we get too close, I catch sight of the man who starts the whole Thieves Guild Questline. He hasn’t noticed us yet, so I touch Svanna on the arm and gesture for her to hang back with me for a second. Keeping my tone quiet, I clear my throat.
“So… how are you doing?”
“… Fine.”
I look over at Svanna, and she flushes a little bit before shrugging her shoulders.
“… The Thieves Guild has powerful allies, doesn’t it?”
I blink and then let out a quiet chuckle, shaking my head.
“Are you worried? Don’t be. They might have powerful allies, but only in the context of the city of Riften. When it comes to us, no one in this city can possibly harm us… they all might as well be ants beneath our boots.”
Svanna slowly nods. I can see that she’s a little off her game here. Which… fair. Even if I’m right, which I am, and there’s not a single person in this city who can physically harm either of us, this is still Svanna’s past we’re talking about. Much like I knew going to Winterhold would force me to confront my past with the Thalmor, Svanna had the same problem with Riften. Physical damage… nah. But emotional damage, and mental difficulties? Oh yeah, big time.
“… Have you seen anyone you recognize yet, Svanna?”
Svanna hesitates for a moment, before shaking her head.
“No one.”
That was… good, I supposed? Or at least, not bad. If she’d said yes, we probably would have had to take a quick detour to kill whoever she’d recognized. Because that was what I was asking. We were here to get revenge for my little Dragonborn, after all. But it would seem the men and women who exiled her, who took her ruby… were either all away from the city, or down in the Ratway, with the rest of the thieves. Hm.
Moment of truth time, I supposed. Nudging Svanna, I point out Brynjolf, over in the marketplace.
“See that man? The Nord with red hair?”
She finds him fast enough, and nods hesitantly.
“Recognize him at all?”
Peering at him more closely, she hesitates again for a moment, before finally shaking her head.
“Might have seen him before… but he wasn’t part of that.”
‘That’ being her detainment and exile. Okay, good. Still, even if that left the usual Thieves Guild path open to us, I wanted to be sure.
“If we go talk to him, we’ll almost certainly manage to get an invitation to join the Thieves Guild. From there, we can take it over or destroy it… from the inside. However, is that what YOU want to do, Svanna? Do you want to go in sneakily, and get them from within?”
I had to ask. Even if my Dragonborn was the stereotypical, consummate Stealth Archer, this was her past we were talking about. It was entirely possible she wanted to go full lethal and burn it all to the ground right off the bat, and if that was what she wanted, I would support her on that endeavor, while at the same time working to save a few of the hotter female members of the Thieves Guild for fun after the fact. But if not… then we could play along with the narrative for a fair bit longer than we did up in Winterhold. It was all up to her though, of course.
“… Yeah, lets try to do this sneakily. They shouldn’t… they shouldn’t recognize me. It was years ago.”
That was my thinking as well. She was a kid, when they exiled her. Now, she was a grown woman. Still, it was good for me and Svanna to be on the same page. It felt right. Now, all that was left to do was to approach Brynjolf and get this show on the road.
-x-X-x-
If you'd like to read more of my work not seen on this website, check out Hentai-Foundry.com and QuestionableQuesting.com where I have over a thousand stories! I'm known as 'Cambrian' on those websites.
If you'd like to contribute to funding my writing at all, check me out on Patreon.com/Cambrian
Thanks for reading!
As we approach Riften's Gates, we're stopped by the guard outside, of course.Oi, there's a visitor's tax if you want to enter the city. A hundred gold.I glance to Svanna, but she doesn't speak up, instead gazing upon the poor fool in front of her with a lidded look that makes it clear he's going to die a thousand deaths before ever parting her with her money. Well now, it seems I'm still going to be the one doing the majority of the talking. That's quite alright with me, I've always liked the sound of my own voice a bit too much for my own good.Turning back to the guard, I consider briefly going the haughty route and saying something like Do you know who we are?!' or something like that. I could tell him that I'm Thane of Whiterun and Arch-Mage of Winterhold, and that the woman traveling beside me is the Dragonborn. With my skills and perks, he'd almost certainly believe me as well.But it all sounded so trite. Even though I'd told myself those titles would come in handy to open certain doors going forward this door felt like a poor use of them. Especially when, less was more sometimes.And so, rather than list our accolades and accomplishments or anything like that, I just give the guard a simple smile, piercing him with my gaze as Svanna does the same.Do you really want to try a shakedown on us, friend?The Riften Guard stiffens under the weight of my stare, even as his friend, not the recipient of my current intimidation, scoffs.We ain't your friends. You-!Hey, shut the fuck up. S'not worth it.Taken aback, the second guard looks at the first, and then shows a modicum of intelligence by looking at us and our visibly enchanted, incredibly well-crafted gear again. I just grin, displaying a level of confidence that cannot be argued with, while Svanna plays the part of the deadly quiet one at my side.Y-Yeah yeah, sureAs they step aside to let us pass, the first guard clears his throat.Let's uh, keep this between us. Don't cause any trouble now, you here? Just enjoy Riften.Smirking, I incline my head in his direction as we pass him by.Thank you very much.And then we're into the city proper. Svanna remains quiet, even as we step into her home. This was the place where she'd grown up, the place she'd been chased out of. She had probably been more at home down in the Ratway, but still, Riften was her home. I was wondering what exactly was going through her mind, even as we were stopped again not even twenty more paces into the city proper.Hey, you. Get over here, I want to talk to you.Looking at Maul, I do consider ignoring him for a moment. The Black-Briar Enforcer has never struck me as anything more than a blowhard, truth be told. But at the same time it would be silly to think Svanna and I wouldn't be dealing' with Maven Black-Briar while we were in town, one way or another. So, with Svanna not seeming to have any preference one way or another, I step over to Maul, with her at my heels.He looks us both up and down with a narrow-eyed glare and frowns.I don't know either of you. You in Riften lookin' for trouble?I give him my most disarming grin, even as I rest my hands on the pommels of my swords and let out a chuckle.Any other reason come to Riften, save to look for trouble?Maul half-bristles at that, but it's clear my somewhat casual and almost friendly attitude are taking him aback. He recovers quickly enough though, and his glare redoubles as he scoffs.Don't say something you'll regret. There's nothing to see here. Last thing the Black-Briars need is a couple of strangers stickin' their nose where it doesn't belong.I look over at Svanna to see she's dully unimpressed with Maul, as expected. Still, even if I know most of this already, if I can get Maul to be Svanna's exposition fairy, it becomes less that I have to explain to her at some point. So, cocking my head to the side, I play dumb.Oh? Who are the Black-Briars?Straightening up, Maul grunts.The Black-Briars have Riften in their pocket and the Thieves Guild watchin' their back, so keep your nose out of their business. Me? I'm Maul and I watch the streets for em. If you need dirt on anythin', I'm your guy but it'll cost you.Will it? I can't help myself I think Svanna is a bad influence on me, or maybe it's the town of Riften itself, but I step forward and let a shadow fall across my face as I use my Altmer height to tower over the man.Will it? Seems to me that trying to charge a couple of newcomers to the city for some basic information isn't very friendly, is it? I won't lie makes me want to go and cause more trouble than I already intended to, just to make things even, you know?Maul rears back, and his eyes widen for a moment as his pupils shrink to pinpricks. He doesn't quite look scared, but he certainly looks hunted. His arms, crossed over his chest, tighten up, and his hands flex and clench a few times before he swallows thickly.Alright alright, let's not be hasty now. What do you want to know?Smiling, I pull back and wave a hand magnanimously.Well, tell us more about these Black-Briars. What makes them so special?S'not really them it's Maven Black-Briar. She's the one in charge. She's got friends in high places if you know what I mean, and low places besides. Has the ear of the Dark Brotherhood AND the Thieves Guild. Makes her pretty much untouchable. Just remember, if she tells you to do somethin' you damn well better do exactly what she says.That's pretty much the usual shit that he regurgitates in the game. Still, this was more for Svanna's benefit then mine, and he had given me another thread to tug on. Two, in fact.And what do you know about the Thieves Guild then, hm?Maul scoffs, and almost looks proud of himself for a moment.You kiddin'? My brother Dirge works for em down in their hideout. I used to run with them myself but took a job with Maven after they hit a bit of a rough patch. Still, if you're wantin' to get in on that action yourself, look for Brynjolf in the marketplace. I'm sure he could use someone like you.There's the lead that Svanna and I need. Still, there's one last thread so I tug on that as well.And the Dark Brotherhood?Here, Maul actually DOES look scared for a moment. The Dark Brotherhood's reputation is not for the faint of heart, I suppose. If only he knew they were an organization reduced to a handful of people living in a dreary cave on the other side of the Province and had to resort to word of mouth to get their jobs these days, because they weren't even properly practicing their own weird assassinating religion properly anymore. Only thing I heard is a rumor about a boy named Aventus Aretino trying to contact them up in Windhelm. He used to live here in Riften at the Orphanage, but I guess he ran away. Can't say I blame the kid, to be honest.I nod, pretending to process all of this as I give Svanna a chance to actually process the information, before stepping back and gracing Maul with a casual smile.Thank you kindly for your time.Still bristling a little bit, but seemingly recognizing when he's outmatched, the man just grunts.Yeah well, just don't interfere with Black-Briar business. You don't wanna see what sort of levers a woman like Maven can pull to deal with any sort of threat that comes her way.How nice of him to warn us. Of course, we were definitely going to be interfering with Black-Briar business one way or another. But I'd at least try to leave Maul alive, if it came down to it. Man seemed to have some survival instinct, after all.Svanna and I walk away without another word in his direction. His warning isn't worth the breath it took to speak it. This entire city is so ill-prepared for our arrival that it's not even funny. As we move further in, I glance at Svanna and see her looking somewhat lost in her own little world at the moment. But for now, at least, she's staying close to my side, and so we continue on.I had another run-in with the Thieves Guild.Be careful, Mjoll. The Thieves Guild has Maven Black-Briar at her back. One snap of her fingers, and you could end up in Riften Jail or worse.Ah, and like clockwork, we run smack dab into Mjoll the Lioness and her savior Aerin. Heh, I can't help but be a little aroused just by the sight of Mjoll and as we come to a stop, listening in on the tail end of a conversation it's clear from the tone of their voices had been hashed and rehashed a dozen times at least, Svanna puts a hand on my arm, and I can tell she sees it too.They represent the reason I'm here. I can't just ignore them, Aerin.I know, I know. I just I don't want anything bad to happen to you. You're the only good thing that's happened to this city in a long time.A glance over at Svanna shows that she sees what I see another bitch to tame and put in her place. Another Aela, another Lydia another Nord Warrior Woman just asking to be taken down a notch. Oh yeah, I recognized that look in Svanna's eyes quite well by this point. Before we were done here in Riften, Mjoll the Lioness would kneel before us in submission.For now, it seemed like as good a time as any for an introduction.Ho there!Mjoll and Aerin turn towards us, with Mjoll's eyes lighting up as she takes in our armor and weapons. Svanna looks more like a huntress than a thief, what with her bow and quiver slung over her back and the lack of a hood. She didn't need one, considering her enchants allowed her to vanish completely whenever she liked. Meanwhile, my swords and my armor definitely didn't mark ME as a member of the Thieves Guild, and my Altmer heritage made it even less likely I suppose.Oh! You two must be new to town, aye?I nod, gesturing first to myself and then to Svanna.I'm Vayral, that's Svanna. We just walked in the gates, as a matter of fact. Couldn't help overhearing you talking about Riften's Thieves Guild.Mjoll's face scrunches up at that, her nose wrinkling in disgust as she scoffs and crosses her arms over her chest.Ugh, to call it a guild is ridiculous. How can people who would betray one another over a gold coin be considered part of an association? They're the worst kind. Even the Dark Brotherhood abides by a strict set of rules and tradition. Those thieves on the other hand they're just rabble. Ah, but I'm rambling. What do you think?Giving Svanna an amused glance, I go with the answer that will give us an in with the Lioness later on.Oh, I agree completely. Its important for society to have laws and rules that are followed by those who partake in it, isn't it?I think only Svanna really detects the humor in my voice, though Aerin is definitely peering at my suspiciously. What, is he feeling threatened by my sheer charisma? It wouldn't surprise me. In the game, he always felt like such a huge simp. Sure, he saved Mjoll from certain death according to her, but sheesh he was like her sidekick, or something. Pining after her, only to have her stolen away by many a Dragonborn who went and got her sword back before marrying her.Poor guy was literally made to be cucked, it felt like. I couldn't see what else the developers were thinking, when they put him in the game as Mjoll's companion, and then made Mjoll marriable as well.Regardless, Mjoll perks up at my words, taking them completely at face value. She shouldn't have of course, I was spouting nonsense that I knew she wanted to hear, while secretly laughing at her. Privately, I fully believed that laws were made to be followed by those too weak to buck the system, so to speak. And neither I nor Svanna were that weak.Oh! That's good to hear. Finally, someone else in this town that's worthy of my respect. Other than Aerin, I'd say you are the only person I've met here in Riften who I might be able to trust. Since we share a similar opinion on that bunch, allow me to be the one to warn you they're currently recruiting newcomers to join their guild' and you should be cautious, lest you get caught up in one of their damn schemes.I pretend to give this the due consideration it deserves, while at the same time imagining Mjoll armorless, with Svanna's thighs wrapped around her head as I grip tightly at her buttocks and fuck her hard and fast from behind. Ah, someday soon, to be sure someday soon.For now, I give Mjoll a nod of my head.I appreciate the advice. Svanna and I will keep an eye out for any such schemes and report them to the guards as necessary.Mjoll just beams at me some more, seemingly buying it hook, line, and sinker. As Svanna and I pull apart from her and Aerin, the two continue talking as they head away from us, and I in turn lead Svanna deeper in, towards the marketplace in the center of the city. Of course, well before we get too close, I catch sight of the man who starts the whole Thieves Guild Questline. He hasn't noticed us yet, so I touch Svanna on the arm and gesture for her to hang back with me for a second. Keeping my tone quiet, I clear my throat.So how are you doing? Fine.I look over at Svanna, and she flushes a little bit before shrugging her shoulders. The Thieves Guild has powerful allies, doesn't it?I blink and then let out a quiet chuckle, shaking my head.Are you worried? Don't be. They might have powerful allies, but only in the context of the city of Riften. When it comes to us, no one in this city can possibly harm us they all might as well be ants beneath our boots.Svanna slowly nods. I can see that she's a little off her game here. Which fair. Even if I'm right, which I am, and there's not a single person in this city who can physically harm either of us, this is still Svanna's past we're talking about. Much like I knew going to Winterhold would force me to confront my past with the Thalmor, Svanna had the same problem with Riften. Physical damage nah. But emotional damage, and mental difficulties? Oh yeah, big time. Have you seen anyone you recognize yet, Svanna?Svanna hesitates for a moment, before shaking her head.No one.That was good, I supposed? Or at least, not bad. If she'd said yes, we probably would have had to take a quick detour to kill whoever she'd recognized. Because that was what I was asking. We were here to get revenge for my little Dragonborn, after all. But it would seem the men and women who exiled her, who took her ruby were either all away from the city, or down in the Ratway, with the rest of the thieves. Hm.Moment of truth time, I supposed. Nudging Svanna, I point out Brynjolf, over in the marketplace.See that man? The Nord with red hair?She finds him fast enough, and nods hesitantly.Recognize him at all?Peering at him more closely, she hesitates again for a moment, before finally shaking her head.Might have seen him before but he wasn't part of that.That' being her detainment and exile. Okay, good. Still, even if that left the usual Thieves Guild path open to us, I wanted to be sure.If we go talk to him, we'll almost certainly manage to get an invitation to join the Thieves Guild. From there, we can take it over or destroy it from the inside. However, is that what YOU want to do, Svanna? Do you want to go in sneakily, and get them from within?I had to ask. Even if my Dragonborn was the stereotypical, consummate Stealth Archer, this was her past we were talking about. It was entirely possible she wanted to go full lethal and burn it all to the ground right off the bat, and if that was what she wanted, I would support her on that endeavor, while at the same time working to save a few of the hotter female members of the Thieves Guild for fun after the fact. But if not then we could play along with the narrative for a fair bit longer than we did up in Winterhold. It was all up to her though, of course. Yeah, lets try to do this sneakily. They shouldn't they shouldn't recognize me. It was years ago.That was my thinking as well. She was a kid, when they exiled her. Now, she was a grown woman. Still, it was good for me and Svanna to be on the same page. It felt right. Now, all that was left to do was to approach Brynjolf and get this show on the road. -x-X-x- If you'd like to read more of my work not seen on this website, check out Hentai-Foundry.com and QuestionableQuesting.com where I have over a thousand stories! I'm known as 'Cambrian' on those websites. If you'd like to contribute to funding my writing at all, check me out on Patreon.com/Cambrian Thanks for reading!
