A Different Path

The door opened and I heard a voice exclaim my name, dragged inside to find myself wrapped in what could only be described as a bear hug. "It's been a long time, friend," the voice stated before I was finally let go.

"It's good to see you too, Mjoll. It has been a while," I replied, unable to hide my grin at such a welcome.

She released me, a large smile on her face before she looked to my side. "Who is your companion?"

I turned to grab Serana by the hand, escorting her inside. "Mjoll, this is Serana. My wife."

The jaw dropped. "You're married?" I nodded. "Congratulations," she stated, shaking the hand of my wife at the same time, "Delighted to meet you."

"You too," Serana replied.

She ushered us inside and we soon gathered around a small table, Mjoll grabbing another chair for Serana. Once sat down and comfortable, she fixed me with a stare. "What are you doing here, Ragnar?"

"Remember how I promised to help you in regards to the Thieves Guild?"

"I do."

"That's why I'm here. But there's more to it. Have you heard of what happened to Whiterun?"

She laughed. "Everyone has been talking about it, Ragnar. There are already murmurs about our Jarl choosing the wrong side in the civil war, though nothing will change. Are you here because of the war too?"

"Okay, here's the thing and I'll be completely honest. I'm working alongside the Legion. Ulfric attacking my home put me firmly in their camp. The reason I'm here is two-fold; one, I promised that I would help you regarding the Thieves Guild. Two, Maven Black-Briar is an Imperial asset in this city. I explained what you believe is her role in the Guild. General Tullius, the Military Governor, has given me time to obtain any information I can about linking the Guild to her."

"So what's your plan?"

"Infiltrate the Guild. Find any information I can about her association with the Guild. Then, if it all goes to plan, bring the whole thing crashing down."

"So you'll become a thief?"

She actually sounded disappointed. "In name only, Mjoll. But the only way I'll find a link is by working with them. And I don't think going down there with sword swinging will do anything except lead to my death."

"What do you think?" Mjoll asked Serana.

"I trust Ragnar to do the right thing. Don't you?"

She looked at me. A small grin and then she nodded. "I do. But… Be careful."

"I will."

"So how do you plan on doing it?"

"I'll need to look the part. I've already bought some clothes that should help me look shiftier. I'll continuously wear a hood to hide my face. I'm not sure who out of the Guild may have seen me. I'll cut my hair and beard and dye it as well, at least temporarily."

"Where will you stay, Serana?"

"I'll purchase a house in Riften while Ragnar is busy. He'll stay with me when he can."

"So what exactly is your plan, Ragnar?"

"I'll disappear for a couple of days, heading to Fort Dawnguard, as I should catch up with Isran after everything we've been through together. I'll head back into Riften in character and see if I can get the attention of the Guild. In a good way, hopefully."

"Brynjolf is your mark, then."

"Are you sure he's a Guild member?"

"Positive. You didn't see him down in the Ratway?"

"No. But many others did, which is why I need the disguise. Doubt they'd actually remember me, as they only met me once but people have a habit of remembering faces."

"What will you do if they want you to actually steal things?" Serana wondered.

I shrugged. "I'll have to play the part. I don't feel comfortable about that at all. But I'll just wait and see what they want me to do."

"I'll help however I can," Mjoll offered.

I raised eyebrows. "You seriously want to get involved in all of this?"

"If it helps bring down the Thieves Guild and Maven Black-Briar all at once, I'll help however I can. I don't want to get my hands dirty but I can certainly help in my own way."

"The only thing I can ask is to watch my back if and when you see me around the city. I have no doubt the Guild has many enemies, and while I'll try to blend in to the background, there's no doubt I'm going to draw some attention."

"Why are the Legion simply not attacking?" Mjoll asked.

"Because I said I'd help them take Riften."

She smiled. "You keep your word, don't you, Ragnar?"

"Of course."

I left for Fort Dawnguard not long later, leaving Serana in the company of Mjoll as I figured they should get to know each other, figuring Serana may not see me much while I was working with the Guild. If she could make a few friends in Riften, then all the better. I certainly didn't want her feeling lonely away from home. Speaking of home, Lydia was still in Whiterun. She wasn't happy to hear I was travelling to Riften after sharing my idea with her, but she could at least see some sense in it. I merely asked her to keep an eye on our home and report on any updates about the status of Whiterun, particularly if and when the Legion started to make their presence known.

Returning to the city three days later, I knew immediately that my disguise, which I didn't actually think much of, worked. Approaching the city gates, while I wasn't stopped by the pair of guards at the gates, I noticed their eyes follow my progress and I'm sure I heard one of them mutter 'Hands to yourself, sneak-thief.' Underneath the hood, I couldn't help the slight smirk.

I wandered past Mjoll, who did the right thing and completed ignored my presence, as I strolled towards the temple and around the marketplace, doing what I thought was a good interpretation of someone who may have had an idea of thievery. I noticed one or two guards on patrol continue to track my progress and wondered if I ought to dial it back slightly. I didn't want to have a pair of guards on my case before I'd even managed to attract the attention of Brynjolf.

Finally stopping and perching myself against a low wall, I simply watched the marketplace. Like Riften itself, there wasn't much to it. A few stalls where the citizens sold all manner of merchandise. Surprisingly, for a city under the Stormcloak banner, there were plenty of non-Nords living and working in the city. 'Maybe it's only Windhelm that suffers that problem?'

Keeping an eye on the market, I soon felt the presence of someone alongside me. I didn't turn to look at whoever it was and wondered if whoever it was would introduce themselves.

"Never done an honest day's work in your life for all that coin you're carrying, eh, lad?"

I shrugged. "I don't know what you're talking about. And how do you know how much coin I'm carrying?"

"I know a coin purse full to bursting when I see one, lad. And I can tell that you haven't earned a single one of them honestly. Tell me I'm wrong." I shrugged but stayed silent. "I've been sizing you up since you walked through those gates. The way you walk. What you're wearing. Your presence… or lack of one. That's not a criticism, it's a sign of experience. How you moved through the crowd. Avoided the attention of the guards. You know what you're doing."

"I'm merely interested in this marketplace."

"Are you interested in coin?"

"Of course. Like anyone, I wouldn't mind a few more."

"How about a lot more?"

I turned slightly, not allowing him to see my face behind the hood but enough so I could see his. "I'm listening."

"I need someone to help me with a job and I think you'd be perfect for it. Consider it… a test."

"A test for what?"

"Complete this job without getting caught and I'll ensure you're well paid. In my line of work, a completed contract is always well paid."

This was my way in. Did I feel uncomfortable about basically agreeing to become a thief? Definitely. But this was the only way I could think of to get information about Maven and bring down the Thieves Guild as I'd promised Mjoll. I had thought about simply taking a group of people into the Ratway and start swinging, but the people of Riften deserved proper justice. And that meant ensuring all of them were arrested to stand trial for their crimes. But, in the end, I needed evidence about Maven. That was the major reason why.

"Okay, consider me intrigued at least. But what do you need me to do?"

He explained the contract. I immediately felt out of my depth once he'd issued the instructions but I couldn't let that on, of course! So I muttered that I understood what he wanted me to do and that I'd wait for his signal.

I prayed to the Gods for their help and their understanding for the task I was about to undertake, and for any future tasks that may result in me committing a crime. Once the man who'd spoken to me, who was definitely Brynjolf, Mjoll having pointed him out before, gave me a signal, I got to work. It sounded like a relatively simple task – steal a ring from a strongbox then plant the evidence on someone else – but considering I wasn't a thief, I was being thrown in the deep end. It was a case of sink or swim. If I screwed this up, I wasn't even going to get in through the front door.

Serana had been nice enough to provide me with some lockpicks. I'd never seen them before but my wife provided me with a crash course in how to pick locks. I asked how she had learned such a talent, Serana replying that she'd spent a lot of time in the castle bored, so she'd taken to doing certain things that would have raised the ire of others. She was certainly adept at picking locks and was a good teacher.

So, I bet you're wondering how it went? Well, let's just say that I managed to obtain the ring, after breaking a couple of picks, and somehow, I still don't know how, managed to plant the ring on the person required. I have relatively large hands and was sure anyone would have felt just my presence near them, considering my size, but Brynjolf proved the perfect distraction. Once the ring was planted, I met his eyes, hopeful that my face was still darkened by the hood, and nodded. He returned the slightest of nods and I made myself scarce.

Brynjolf tracked me down on the other side of town sometime later, again leaning against a wall, keeping an eye on the citizens.

"Well, that appeared to go off without a hitch," he stated. I stayed silent as he handed me a small coin purse. Part of me really didn't want to take it but I had to stay in character. "You deserve that for the simple fact that you were the right person for the job." I took the purse and attached it to my belt. "The question is, would you like more of that?"

"Perhaps. What are you offering?"

"I don't want to say too much here. But if you are interested, I can only suggest you head down to the Ratway and find a tavern called The Ragged Flagon. You'll learn more there."

"More coin, you say?"

"Aye. Plenty more to people with the talents which you appear to have. So can I assume that you're interested?"

"Sure. I'll see you there."

Brynjolf nodded and walked away as I thought about what to do next. Serana was currently staying at the inn as she waited for the paperwork to her new home. I would say our home, but I was unsure how often I'd be there. I didn't want to involve Mjoll too much in whatever I was up to while I'd promised to send Lydia a letter every so often, particularly information that could then be passed on to the General.

I waited a couple of hours before heading to the Ratway. Having cleared it out when tracking down Esbern, I did wonder who I could possibly meet on the way. Apart from hearing one or two voices of the homeless and perhaps mentally disturbed, I didn't run into anyone who wanted to bring physical violence against me, which was a change. I entered the Ragged Flagon to be greeted by a brute of a man, holding up a hand, preventing my progress across a small bridge.

"Who are you?" he growled.

"Someone who's been invited here."

"Yeah?"

"Yes." I pointed at Brynjolf, standing in a small crowd. "By him there."

Dirge turned around and the urge to clock him across the jaw was almost overwhelming. Whether he would have gone down or not was an issue. The fact I wanted in was another. "Fine," the man stated as he moved to the side, "Just be warned that you'll be watched."

"Sure thing."

Crossing the bridge, my entrance was relatively unnoticed as the group was crowded around Brynjolf, appearing to argue about something. I stayed back and didn't listen in, waiting for the conversation or argument to finish. Eventually eyes starting to turn towards me, my presence finally recognised, Brynjolf the last to turn and he almost smiled, instead raising his hand and gesturing towards me. "Dying breed, eh? Well what do you call that then?"

"A stranger," answered one of them.

"A nobody as far as I'm concerned," added a rather attractive blonde female.

"Who is he?" asked another.

Brynjolf said nothing, instead striding towards me, hand outstretched. I accepted the offered hand, still having to consciously remember that I was here to make friends. "Wasn't sure you'd ever show up after giving you that coin," he stated.

"You offered more coin. So I thought I'd come and see what you have to offer."

He nodded. "Nothing like more coin. Unfortunately, my colleagues are not as convinced as I am about your talents. Therefore, they have requested that I give you one more job before you are inducted into our little group here."

I shrugged. "No problem. What do you need doing?"

Brynjolf made sure he turned and I guess made a gesture with his face before looking back at me. "Good to hear enthusiasm for once. I'll put this simply. Every shopkeeper and merchant in Riften pays fees to us to ensure they and their merchandise are kept safe. However, many have decided that they will no longer meet their obligations. We believe they need reminding of what is required for them to continue operating in Riften. Do you think you can handle that?"

"Point me in the right direction and I'll see what I can do."

"Good. Just keep this in mind. I don't know if you understand how we work, but we're not mercenaries and we don't kill people. That's bad for business. This is about sending a message."

I asked for details about what I was meant to do and figured I may as well get to work. I felt my stomach drop as I walked back through the Ratway as I'd have to swindle money out of someone I knew well. The other two people I didn't know, and still felt awful, though the fact I wouldn't have to get violent calmed me slightly. I figured I'd just have to use my physical presence and intimidate people. It was nothing but extortion.

It was getting late once I'd exited the Ratway and had to spend some time finding the location of my first victim. He was a shopkeeper and I thought would be relatively easy to intimidate, considering my size. But unarmoured and without a weapon, I wasn't as intimidating as I thought. Remembering the rule about not bringing violence against people, I instead caused damage to his store. I walked out of the store a few minutes later, coin in my pocket and the message received, and I felt awful. 'Can I really do this?'

My next target suggested that, at times, yes, I could definitely do this. Sure, she had an attitude because I was trying to extort money from her, but there's having an attitude because of that, then there's the feeling you sometimes get about people that all is not right. Still, I managed to get the money from her and, although I still felt guilty about it, part of me felt glad about bringing her down a notch or two.

My third target was the owner of Bee and Barb Inn. I knew Keerava well enough after spending a number of nights there whenever I'd been in Riften. I could only be thankful that perhaps she would not recognise me from my disguise. Thankfully word had somehow already reached her about someone going around extorting money so she was ready with a bag of coin, promising she would remember her obligations going forward. I took the money, the guilt almost overwhelming, wondering if I shouldn't have just used my own coin. But there was no doubt someone else would have eventually been sent to gather the money when these three didn't pay again in the future.

I returned to Brynjolf with the money owed and he was delighted again, primarily with the fact that I'd completed the job without violence. As far as he was now concerned, I was in, though he stated final confirmation would come from the leader of the guild itself. However, he then wanted to get to know me as I was introduced to the others, sitting around a table.

"Do you mind removing the hood? We haven't seen your face," Brynjolf requested.

I removed my hood and looked around the room, waiting for someone to recognise me. No-one did, my closely cropped hair and beard, dyed darker thanks to my wife, appearing to have worked.

"What's your name?" asked a bald-headed man who introduced himself as Delvin.

"Henrik." Like I was going to use my real name!

"And where are you from? Your accent is not local," asked the blonde I now knew as Vex.

"Bruma." Nor where I was really from either.

"What brought you to Riften?" Brynjolf wondered.

"I wanted to make my fortune. Pickings were slim in Bruma."

"You knew the guild was here?"

"Not when I left Cyrodil. But I heard whispers of a guild located here in Riften so thought I'd try my luck."

"You worked with the guild in Cyrodil?" Vex asked.

"No. As far as I knew, the guild had no presence in the city. I worked many cities across Cyrodil and was never visited by anyone from a guild chapter. Are any of you aware of their presence in Cyrodil?"

"Not for a long time, to be honest," Brynjolf stated, "And, to continue that theme, we're having some troubles ourselves. But I can explain that later. For the moment, do you have your own place to stay?"

I shrugged. "I normally sleep rough. Comes with the territory."

"No longer, my friend. I'll show you our true quarters."

I followed Byrnjolf down a dark corridor, where he appeared to pull some sort of switch or lever, revealing a false back to a bookcase and a secret door opened. I followed him down another dimly lit passageway before he opened a door to reveal an enormous cistern. Surprisingly well illuminated, I saw at least another half-dozen people here, Brynjolf introducing me to each of them as he took me on a small tour, explaining certain features available. The one thing I noticed was the lack of what I would have considered 'prizes', considering this was a guild of thieves. Unless they are kept in a hidden room somewhere. We eventually came to a stop in front of a bed.

"Every member is provided lodgings here. Rest assured that any personal items left here will be safe. The first rule of this guild is that we don't steal from each other. Doing so will bring the harshest of penalties." I didn't even bother asking what they were. "Make yourself at home for now. Tomorrow, you will meet the current leader of this guild and may be given a new task."

*****

I didn't sleep well, my mind in turmoil regarding everything I'd done the previous day. Of course I'd gone into this with my eyes open, knowing what might be required, but there's a difference in knowing what I might have to do and then actually having to do it. I had to keep reminding myself that the end justified the means. The end would be the guild falling and Maven Black-Briar being behind bars. But knowing I may have to do numerous things I disagreed with didn't sit easily. I had to keep telling myself 'It will be worth it. It will be worth it. You can forgive yourself later.'

I shared breakfast with my new colleagues the next morning. I had to think of them as colleagues. I had to think of all this positively, giving the air of someone who yearned to be a thief, a bloody good one, who simply wanted to line his pockets with gold. I had to put to the back of my mind any thoughts of my old life for the moment.

Conversation quieted down as a men entered the cistern that I hadn't seen before. I noticed eyes watched his progress warily as he walked towards a table on the other side of the cistern. I quietly asked who he was.

"That's Mercer Frey, leader of this guild, otherwise known as the guildmaster. And definitely not someone you'll want to cross. You haven't met him?" I shook my head. "No doubt Brynjolf will introduce you soon enough. Mercer runs his eye over all new recruits and generally gives a task to complete before he'll accept you as one of us. My suggestion is to do exactly what he says. You don't want to be on the receiving end of his wrath."

Brynjolf made an appearance as I was finishing breakfast, my colleagues making themselves scarce. I got to my feet as he approached. "Sleep well, Henrik?" I nodded. "Good. Follow me. I'll introduce you to the boss."

I wasn't intimidated by many people but Mercer certainly had an aura about him and it wasn't a good one. Yet, in the back of my mind, thinking if I had to take this one man down, I wouldn't be bothered in the slightest. While I was never quick to judge people, there was no missing that he was ruthless as he discussed operations with Brynjolf before I was introduced.

"And, finally, this is the man I was talking about. His name is Henrik. I'd like to recruit him."

He looked me up and down before meeting my eyes. I tried very hard not stare and give the wrong impression so instead dipped my head to avoid his gaze. 'Best to show respect. Don't want to get off on the wrong foot if I'm judging him correctly.'

"Brynjolf speaks highly of you. But I'll take time to judge if you're worthy of joining our cause."

"Understandable."

"Before we continue, I want to make one thing perfectly clear. If you play by the rules, you walk away rich. You break the rules and you lose your share. No debates, no discussions. So you do what we say, when we say. Do I make myself clear?"

"I understand."

"Good. Then I think it's time we put your so-called expertise to the test. If Brynjolf thinks you're as a good as he says you are, then I'm sure you'll manage to complete the task I have in mind."

"What task is that?" Brynjolf asked.

"Goldenglow."

I had no idea what that was but Brynjolf was alarmed by that revelation. "Goldenglow? Mercer, even our little Vex couldn't get in, and you know how good she is at break and entering."

"You claim this recruit possesses an aptitude for our line of work. If so, let him prove it. Goldenglow Estate is critically important to one of our largest clients. However, the owner has suddenly decided to take matters into his own hands, and shut us out. He needs to be taught a lesson."

"Does this mean I'm in?"

Brynjolf looked at Mercer. Mercer looked at him before looking at me. He nodded once. "Since Brynjolf assures me you'll be nothing but a benefit to us, then I guess you can say you're in. Welcome to the Thieves Guild."