Skyrim | Thief Of Hearts | DISCONTINUED

9.

{Brynjolf POV}

'Where do you want to go?' I pulled my cloak tighter around my body and mumbled the name Falkreath as Sigaar looked at me questionly. 'Well Brynjolf, hop on I would say.' I handed him the gold I owed him and jumped onto the back of the carriage. I sat down on the rough wooden bench and leaned against the back. The hood I wore didn't really block out the cold weather that was ahead. The carriage started moving with a jolt and the sound of heavy hooves echoed through the forest. 'So, what is your business with Falkreath if I may ask?' Sigaar looked over his shoulder and cracked me a friendly smile. 'Well, I just have something to do there.' The Nord looked back at the road. 'Ah, forget I said anything then.' Of course I wasn't going to tell him my dangerous plan. From under my cloak I pulled out a letter, still unsealed so I could read it over. I folded the piece of paper open and scanned the text I had written on it.

Jarl Siddgeir,

With pleasure I can announce you that I have special information about the matter of the one that set your house on fire two years ago. The one you sentenced to prison isn't the one responsible for this horrible accident. The man you are looking for houses in Riften and hides out in the Thieves Guild, whose members are unaware of this unforgivable crime. It would be fair that this case would be put to justice and only the true culprit of it should be found guilty even after such a long time. If you proceed to get more information about the true criminal that caused your palace to set on fire, meet me at the graveyard at midnight.

Regards, B.

In my eyes, it seemed like the perfect plan. If it only wasn't so dangerous to snuck it into the jarls palace without anyone noticing... Of course, I could hand it to a courier and pay him a huge load of coin to let him shut his mouth, but most couriers were too slow to handle this in only one day. There was no time to lose and I had to hand this to the jarl post haste. From my pocket I took the seal ring I took from Mercers desk this morning and a small ball of wax. I warmed it between my hands until it was flexible enough to stamp in the mark of the Guild. I pushed it on the envelope and squeezed it shut with help of the ring. Quickly I slipped both the letter and the ring back in my cloak and stared in front of me, pretending like I sat like that for the entire trip. Just in time, because Sigaar turned around to smile at me and tell about some curiosities we passed on the way.

After a good three hour trip, I hopped from the carriage and thanked the blond Nord for the lift. He nodded at me and I walked into the town. It was way less maintained then Riften, with all types of foliage just sticking out of the road, varying from mountain flowers and thistles to even nightshade. It was clear the jarl couldn't care less about the looks of his hold. I pulled my hood over my head to stay anonymous, just in case someone recognized me, and I made my way to the jarl's longhouse. Looking around if anyone saw me, I crouched down and slipped the letter under the door. 'Hey, you there!' I shot up, my eyes finding a guard that pointed at me dangerously. 'What is the meaning from this?!' I stood there for a moment, completely frozen before I spun around and ran. 'Stop right there!' I turned around a corner and suddenly felt arrows race past me. I jumped over a fence and made my way to the wilds. Before I could jump behind a bush, I felt an arrow scrape across my arm and I yelped. I kept running and halted after some minutes to catch my breath. I saw my cloak at the place of my right shoulder turn crimson and I groaned. Carefully, I took off the pelt and inspected my injury. I growled in pain as I prodded the wound to check how deep it was. It needed stitches, but I just couldn't turn around to get medical treatment right now. I was lucky that the arrow didn't pierce into my shoulder but instead just sliced across it, or I would've bled to death. I took a piece of clothing from my backpack and tried to wrap it around as tight as possible to stop the bleeding. I made a mental note to check on it later. I stood up again and pulled my now damp cloak around me again before I crouched into the bushes. I would only sneak back into the graveyard, nothing more, nothing less. It was the only thing that mattered for now. So I did. I snuck back to the graveyard, slightly gawking at how big it was and how much blood here had been shed, and I just waited. I waited for hours and hours until my legs felt numb and my eyelids heavy. As I was about to fall asleep, I heard a fence open and close, and over me towered the jarl of Falkreath. 'I assume you are... B?' His gaze was cold and humiliating, and he clearly felt like he was better then anyone else. I coughed and stood up, my hood still over my head. 'I am indeed B, jarl Siddgeir.' He narrowed his eyes suspiciously. 'You're one from the Guild. You told me this "true culprit" was hiding at your place. Why come to me and betray your newly achieved recruit?' I didn't like the jarls attitude at all. 'Because we have some trouble with him as well. He betrayed one of our members who was involved in that same robbery. The fire however was all his fault and he fled with the loot, without looking back to his partner in crime.' Siddgeir frowned. 'Why, why would you tell me such things, sneak thief?' 'Because thieves of the Thieves Guild hold at least a bit of honor. But tell me, jarl Siddgeir. Aren't you at least a bit angry about the one who got away with stealing your riches and setting your house on fire? I saw that there is still damage left. I can assure you, this man has enough gold now to pay for the entire restoration, maybe even twice and he earned that coin by selling your treasure.' The jarls eyes hardened. 'Oh, I would kill him.' 'Then seek us out in Riften. Relyn Shavt is the man you are looking for. He is a Redguard who looks like he is drowning in gold.' Siddgeir gave me a quick nod. 'You extradite him to me and that'll bring back the peace to your Guild. Alright, we have a deal but under one condition. You leave me and the citizens of Falkreath alone and don't steal here anymore.' 'Yes, my jarl.' He shook my hand and put his chin in the air. 'It shall be done.'