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The marketplace was running it usual slow speed that morning, the same boring people running in and out of the shops, the inns, the meadery and for the first time and what seemed like years everyone seemed to be ignoring him. It had come to the point of being such slow in pace that Delvin Mallory had come up from the rat way to gossip with him about what was currently going on down below. “Then I said, I wasn’t spying on ya Vex, I was making sure someone wasn’t.” Delvin said his laughter echoing through the trees, Brynjolf rolled his eyes before placing a tip of a gloved finger against the old man’s lips, and reached down his pocket quickly counting his septims and gasped. “What is it Bryn?” Delvin asked through muffled lips.
“I don’t believe it, someone just picked my pocket and managed to get away with it.” Brynjolf hissed through closed teeth looked through the crowd, he could feel laughter and a wry gaze and turned to look Delvin straight in the eye who quickly shook his head. “I didn’t do it, I know better than to steal from you, you think I want a dagger in my back or worst.” Delvin said pushing Brynjolf’s hand away and peering around the market. “I think that’s our thief over there, do you see her, the one with the black armor.” Delvin said pointing to the northern end of the market next to one of the fruit stalls.
At his mention a pair of bright blue eyes peered their way with a playful smirk on the face, jiggling a bag of coins in their faces, almost as if she was tempting the two of them, she ducked her fingers into one of the apple baskets pulling out a shiny red apple and tucking it away in her pocket before making it towards one of the docks.
“Alright, I know thieve talk when I see it, I think she wants us to follow her, stay close and keep to the shadows.” Brynjolf said and walked off, stuffing his hands in his pocket and followed her down to the docks, the smell of fresh sea water filled his nose as he looked around before he noticed her leaning against the wall and twirling a dark black dagger. “Nice to see my little stunt in the marketplace didn’t affect you, I was going to wait till you had a crowd for your falmer blood elixir but as you probably noticed it was taking all day. Business must be slow on your end or do you always chat like two young nobles.” The voice was charming that was sure and she seemed to be eating the apple, since each word she said, he could hear crunching.
“Stealing from someone in my line of work, is crossing a very thin line so I wanted to make sure I wasn’t losing my head, so what brings a lovely lass like yourself to Riften?” Brynjolf asked he wandered if Maul knew about her, afterall Maul was supposed to know everything about everyone who came into Riften. “Me, I’m looking for work, and priceless treasures to steal. I heard the thieves’ guild was around but it seems I must be in the wrong area, because from what the guards are saying, the thieves’ guild doesn’t exist.” She said and Brynjolf flinched quickly regaining his composure and laughing slightly pretending to be attracted by the salmon which were swimming around in the river beside him .
“Well you can’t always believe everything you hear lass, I mean the predictable measure of the situation is.” Brynjolf muttered and could almost hear Vex laughing at him. “We’re kind of cursed you see, you and Bryn seem to be part of a dying breed and we want to change that.” Delvin added appearing out of the shadows at last. “The writer of the shadowmarks, your books are quiet helpful if the marks weren’t such an eyesore.” The woman muttered shaking her head. “Mind introducing yourself or are you going to keep us in the dark for the rest of our chat?” Brynjolf said clearly feeling that the woman was either going to rob them blind or kill them.
“Call me Cheshire, if you wish.” She said simply and stepped into the light, she wore dark black armor that seemed to have stripers in a tallish color in shape of a cat’s stripes, every inch of the outfit was made of a thick black leather that Brynjolf couldn’t recognize. Her hair was long and the color of an eboy ingot and her eyes seemed to glow in the pale light. “Well color me impressed lass who knew a thief could be beautiful and cunning.” Brynjolf found himself saying offhand before shaking his head.
“I don’t believe it, someone just picked my pocket and managed to get away with it.” Brynjolf hissed through closed teeth looked through the crowd, he could feel laughter and a wry gaze and turned to look Delvin straight in the eye who quickly shook his head. “I didn’t do it, I know better than to steal from you, you think I want a dagger in my back or worst.” Delvin said pushing Brynjolf’s hand away and peering around the market. “I think that’s our thief over there, do you see her, the one with the black armor.” Delvin said pointing to the northern end of the market next to one of the fruit stalls.
At his mention a pair of bright blue eyes peered their way with a playful smirk on the face, jiggling a bag of coins in their faces, almost as if she was tempting the two of them, she ducked her fingers into one of the apple baskets pulling out a shiny red apple and tucking it away in her pocket before making it towards one of the docks.
“Alright, I know thieve talk when I see it, I think she wants us to follow her, stay close and keep to the shadows.” Brynjolf said and walked off, stuffing his hands in his pocket and followed her down to the docks, the smell of fresh sea water filled his nose as he looked around before he noticed her leaning against the wall and twirling a dark black dagger. “Nice to see my little stunt in the marketplace didn’t affect you, I was going to wait till you had a crowd for your falmer blood elixir but as you probably noticed it was taking all day. Business must be slow on your end or do you always chat like two young nobles.” The voice was charming that was sure and she seemed to be eating the apple, since each word she said, he could hear crunching.
“Stealing from someone in my line of work, is crossing a very thin line so I wanted to make sure I wasn’t losing my head, so what brings a lovely lass like yourself to Riften?” Brynjolf asked he wandered if Maul knew about her, afterall Maul was supposed to know everything about everyone who came into Riften. “Me, I’m looking for work, and priceless treasures to steal. I heard the thieves’ guild was around but it seems I must be in the wrong area, because from what the guards are saying, the thieves’ guild doesn’t exist.” She said and Brynjolf flinched quickly regaining his composure and laughing slightly pretending to be attracted by the salmon which were swimming around in the river beside him .
“Well you can’t always believe everything you hear lass, I mean the predictable measure of the situation is.” Brynjolf muttered and could almost hear Vex laughing at him. “We’re kind of cursed you see, you and Bryn seem to be part of a dying breed and we want to change that.” Delvin added appearing out of the shadows at last. “The writer of the shadowmarks, your books are quiet helpful if the marks weren’t such an eyesore.” The woman muttered shaking her head. “Mind introducing yourself or are you going to keep us in the dark for the rest of our chat?” Brynjolf said clearly feeling that the woman was either going to rob them blind or kill them.
“Call me Cheshire, if you wish.” She said simply and stepped into the light, she wore dark black armor that seemed to have stripers in a tallish color in shape of a cat’s stripes, every inch of the outfit was made of a thick black leather that Brynjolf couldn’t recognize. Her hair was long and the color of an eboy ingot and her eyes seemed to glow in the pale light. “Well color me impressed lass who knew a thief could be beautiful and cunning.” Brynjolf found himself saying offhand before shaking his head.