How to Pickpocket a Pickpocket

Chapter 4

A/N* Artis' home is the Princess Cottage in Riverwood if you have the mod installed. Enjoy the chapter!

The moment Artis stepped inside her house in Riverwood, she was crushed in a hug by her mother, Arista, who was squeezing the magika right out of her. To make it even better, her father, Kahn, was there as well, giving her an even bigger, tighter and more bone crushing hug. She had to sit down after that to wait for the feeling to return to her arms and legs.

"Mother, father, why the big hugs?" she asked innocently. It was impossible for them to know that she was almost killed at the block, since no one could deliver that message to them that soon.

"You were gone for more than a week, Artis!" her mother cried out and kneeled in front of her with a horrified expression, "It doesn't take that long to travel to Riften and back. I thought the worst; that you were kidnapped or attacked by some kind of animal. Then your father was caught in an ambush and was badly injured... It was all just too much for me!"

Her father shrugged and held a hand over his side, where Artis figured he was injured. She had no idea how lucky she was to have her family whole. All those Stormcloaks who were killed – they had families, loved ones, a life to return to. Now they were gone.

Suddenly her mother's head snapped towards her, "Artis, you're not wearing the armor that you left with. You don't have your own weapons with you, nor your bag and the nirnroot I needed. Where were you really?"

Artis swallowed, glancing at Ralof for help. He quickly excused himself to go meet with his sister Gerdur and left Artis with the explaining part. The Nord-Imperial sighed. It was obvious her mother wasn't dimwitted. That's what caught her father's attention the first time they met; her mother's intelligence and wit. She just had to know that her mother would put two and two together and grow suspicious.

She decided to just go with the half-truth, "I was leaving Riften when a man, a thief, used me as cover for a crime he committed. I was framed for stealing and had to flee from the Riften guard. They chased me out of the city and I fled all the way to the border, where I stumbled across the very ambush father escaped from. I wasn't so lucky though and they took me to Helgen to be killed at the block." Her mother drew a sharp breath and her father's knuckles turned white from gripping the tankard in his hand, "I thought I was going to die, but before my head was - you know, a dragon landed on one of the towers and burned down the entire city. I was lucky that Hadvar and Ralof were there to save me."

"Artis..." her mother's eyes were red and puffy, and she knew that she would burst out in tears if she didn't have some ale that instant.

Artis quickly retrieved a bottle of ale from the shelf and handed it to her mother, watching as she downed it in one breath. The medium strong drink made her calmer and she could breathe normally again.

Artis' father placed the tankard, which he dented from his strong grip, on the tale and rose from his chair. He knelt at the chest at the foot of her mother and his bed, opened it and took out something wrapped in a thick cloth. "Your mother and I wanted to save this for you until your next birthday." He spoke and sat down next to Artis, "But what happened to you made me wonder how much birthdays we have left to celebrate with each other. You better have this before one of us isn't there to give it to you."

Artis held out her hands and her father placed the covered object in her palms. It wasn't too heavy, nor too light. Slowly she unwrapped it, her eyes widening when she found that it was a rare, powerful and sharp ebony sword. She wrapped her hand around the hilt and made a few swings with it, noticing how easy it was to control. Her eyes examined it closely, appreciating every delicate and detailed carving and pattern in the hilt and blade.

"I recovered that sword after clearing out a vampire cave years ago." Her father explained, "It made me think of you. Your mother was against the idea of you using it to kill at first, but I assured her that you would only use it to defend yourself." He smiled, and his upper lip disappeared underneath his greying moustache, "Your mother, she enchanted it. The sword absorbs your opponent's stamina, which leaves them tired and making it easier to finish off."

Artis was overwhelmed. All she could do was attack both her parents with hugs, muttering 'thank you' and 'I love you' as she did so. A knock from the door, however, broke them apart. Gerdur peeked in and entered when Artis' mother invited her in with a smile. Ralof followed on her heels.

"Is it true?" she asked with big eyes, "Did a dragon attack Helgen?"

"Burned it to the ground." Artis answered, "There's nothing left."

"Then we're in trouble." The slightly older woman feared, "Helgen was a well-guarded city with walls built around it. If a dragon could do that to a stronghold like that, what would become of Riverwood? We have no protection!"

"Aye, I bet the jarl of Whiterun would be kind enough to send us some protection." Artis' father stated, "We must send a message to him."

"I can't go." Ralof declined, "I got a message from Jarl Ulfric. He wants me to head to the Stormcloak camp west of Falkreath to aid the injured soldiers. You can't go either, sir. You're still injured."

"I could go." Artis suggested, causing her mother to stressfully reach for another bottle of ale. Her father almost crushed another tankard and Ralof only stiffened and kept staring at her with a fearful look. Artis sighed, "Look, I'm fine. See? I'm alive, I'm not injured, only a bit bruised and a bit hungry though but that's normal. I make trips to Whiterun on a weekly basis and the road's familiar to me. Nothing bad will happen."

"Very well. You may-"

"Splendid!" Gerdur interrupted Kahn and hugged Artis tight, "Thank you so much. You have no idea how much it means to me."

All Artis could do was smile and shrug. When Gerdur and Ralof left, her mother made sure she was well fed before tucking her into bed. As she watched her daughter drift to sleep, she couldn't help but to thank the Divines for bringing her home alive. After everything she saw the Imperials do when she was still a young woman, she was more than thankful that Artis was still with them. What Arista didn't know, though, was that the most treacherous journey will begin for Artis as soon as she sets foot inside of Whiterun the next day.