How to Pickpocket a Pickpocket

Chapter 8

Brynjolf was standing outside at the marketplace, trying to sell his potions to earn a few septims. It's been so long since the Thieves Guild had a successful job, or some good luck. They didn't have the finances anymore that they used to have. While moving the potions around to make them display more 'attractively', he thought about what Delvin said about the Guild being cursed. He was no religious man, nor did he believe in curses, but he would lie if he said it didn't make some sense. If they were curse-free, they would've had a successful heist by now. Instead, they had empty coin purses, dull evenings at the Flagon and an occasional dead thief that didn't step lightly enough.

He found his thoughts wandering back a week or two ago when that lass pickpocketed him. He didn't expect her to be a thief at all. She did catch his attention though. Riften didn't receive many visitors thanks to the Thieves Guild's reputation – former reputation at least. Even less visitors who were attractive as she was. The few first glimpses he caught of her when she passed through the marketplace, he saw the obvious Nordic features; her height, striking blue eyes, full lips and athletic limbs. However, when he caught her stealing from him the next day, he got a closer look and noticed her more petit features; such as her sharp chin, high cheekbones, brown hair and a fierceness in her eyes. She wasn't completely Nord. He guessed Nord-Imperial, since Nord-Breton would make her shorter and she'd have a button nose.

He wondered what happened to her, as he packed up his shop and headed towards the cemetery, where the secret entrance of the Cistern could be found. He pushed the shadow mark button on the fake tomb and waited for it to slide open, before entering and taking the ladder down to the Cistern. As usual all the Guild members were minding their own business. Thrynn was sitting on a chest with a bottle of mead in his hands, typical. Rune was wandering around as usual, contemplating where he came from and who his family was. Niruin was shooting arrows at the worn-out targets, hitting the center every damn time. As he pulled out the bunch of arrows he shot, grain and sand poured out of the holes.

"You're replacing those." Vipir joked.

Niruin rolled his eyes and shot an arrow at the other Guild member, who dodged it effortlessly. He wasn't called Vipir the Fleet for nothing. Brynjolf glanced over at Mercer Frey, the Guild Master, where he was leaning over his desk and checking the books and numbers with a deep scowl on his face. The red-haired Nord's thoughts went back to the girl. What had become of her? He stuck around to see if the guards would bring her in and maybe lock her up in jail. His plan backfired. They returned empty handed, muttering something about an ambush going on near the border of Morrowind and that she wouldn't last a minute. His plan? She impressed him when she pickpocketed him. Honestly, he would've never known she stole from him if that gem didn't weight as much. It was the sudden lightness in his pocket that made him realize what she did. He wanted the guards to catch her, lock her up in jail, only for him to break her out and let her join the Guild. Guess he didn't think that one through enough.

Brynjolf was so deep in thought, he didn't realize he had walked in a circle through the Cistern until he harshly bumped into Mercer's desk, knocking the inkwell over and staining everything, the desk, the paper rolls, the books and even Mercer's hands with pitch black ink.

"Watch it!" Mercer barked and stepped back just before the ink could stain his armor, "What were you thinking, Brynjolf?!"

Brynjolf's green eyes widened as he realized what he did and grabbed the nearest piece of linen wrap to wipe up the ink, "I apologize, Mercer, I am truly sorry! My mind was wandering, I wasn't looking where I was going. Sorry."

The Guild Mater eyed him suspiciously, "You been like this for a few days now. What's bothering you?"

Bryn sighed deeply, "A week ago someone pickpocketed me, which would've been successful if- anyway, she impressed me, and I thought she could be a perfect addition to the Guild and maybe bring us a bit of luck. But I'm afraid that she might be dead."