How to Pickpocket a Pickpocket

Chapter 30

Irkngthand was said to be a long journey and Artis only realized that when she saw Windhelm appearing in the distance. The three Nightingales had started their quest to find and stop Mercer as soon as they left the Nightingale Hall, not wanting to waste any time. But after almost two hours of walking, Artis wished she had a horse. First she lost Bandit in the ambush before being taken to Helgen and then she lost Septim at Snow Veil Sanctum when Mercer almost killed her. She grinned at the irony – both times she lost her horses were both times she almost got killed. Maybe horses were the reason for her bad luck when it comes to staying alive. Maybe she should start investing in mules instead.

"And what may be the reason behind that grin, lass?" Brynjolf asked as he walked beside her with Karliah at the front.

"Thinking about luck." She answered, "It hasn't been in my favor recently and I wouldn't want to risk this quest because of it."

"You think you have bad luck?" he raised an eyebrow, "Impossible, lass!"

"Is it?" she pursed her lips, "How does losing two horses and almost getting killed twice sound to you?"

"Normal, actually." Brynjolf shrugged, "I mean, losing a horse happens daily and isn't getting killed a given for a lass such as you?"

Artis eyed him in question, "A lass like me? What do you mean by that?"

He held out his hand and counted on his fingers, "Hmm, let's see... You're a thief who risks her life with every job you take, you're the Dragonborn, a title that literally attracts danger to you, you nearly lost your life to a sabre cat in the past... should I continue?"

She shook her head, "Point taken."

Artis looked over her shoulder at Windhelm growing smaller the father they traveled. She wondered how her father was doing and how Ralof was holding up. Strange enough, she also wondered how it was going with Jarl Ulfric and Galmar. Suddenly, she remembered the promise she made to her father months ago; about taking his place in the Stormcloaks when he retires. It made her heart break a little to think that she'll never be able to keep that promise now that she accepted the offer to be the new Guild Master. And with each day serving and fighting in the war, her father grew weaker and less able to swing a sword. She always noticed the limp he walked with when he returned home some weeks, as well as hearing the soft groans when he would pick up heavy objects or when he had to crouch too low. The was had worn him out and she figured he would retire in the next year or so.

Her thoughts also travelled back to Riverwood where her mother was. How was she holding up? Was she keeping busy enough to forget about the absence of her husband and daughter? Did she have enough coin? How was her sight? Artis remembered when her mother started complaining about her eyes a year ago. They have grown weak over the years and she wasn't able to read small texts anymore. She had to help her mother rewrite all her potion recipes in bigger letters, as well as having to read the letters her mother received through the couriers. Artis could only hope and pray to the Divines that both her parents were still safe and in good health and spirit.

Then there was Lydia. She hasn't seen her since she sent her back to Riverwood to take Esbern to Delphine. She figured that Lydia returned to Whiterun to stay in Breezehome, since she wasn't at her mother's house when she and Brynjolf resided there that one night. And speaking of Delphine, she has been awfully quiet these past few weeks. Artis half expected her to sent word that they needed her to go on another quest again, but she received no letters from anyone except her mother.

Karliah stopped a few feet in front of them and looked up at a steep mountain trail that led through the snow woods to where they needed to go, "It's just up this mountain. We should arrive roughly around sunset."