Elder Scroll series 1. Thief in the Night

When Brynjolf met Anja for the first time, he was twice her age. He was on his way to Goldenglow on a small boat that belonged to Mercer when she grabbed the side of the boat and tried to climb aboard. Although he had been a thief for only a little over a year, Brynjolf was used to unexpected happenings and knew how to recognise non-threatening situations. He pulled her in one quick motion and dropped her on her feet right in front of him. She was clutching her left arm, which was bleeding heavily.  
\- What in Oblivion happened to you?  
The girl lifted her eyes to look at him. They were brown, or maybe green, some colour in between, like a tree leaf in the beginning of autumn, and they shone with a determination unlike anything he had ever seen before. She seemed to be trying to judge whether he would try to drown her or help her.  
\- I'm really sorry. I thought climbing in was the only thing I could do. Sorry. I didn't mean to bother you.  
He was not angry with her. Somehow, she instilled a sense of peace in him, because she was so agitated and he had always been rather quiet. He felt as if she was restless enough for the both of them. She even looked funny, actually, because she gesticulated a lot while talking and was very expressive, even though her face was mostly angry and wary. He wondered who this cute little child was.  
\- Never mind that, lass. I'm just glad you're okay. What happened anyway?  
\- I was hunted down by a wolf. It bit me. I tried to run into the lake and hide under the water, but then I really couldn't swim back to Riften because of the wound. I saw your boat and thought I could just try to climb in.  
\- Have you never been told to avoid running around in the wild on your own? Wolves are dangerous for little girls.  
\- This time I didn't see it coming. But usually I do.  
\- What are you, a bandit or something?  
\- Nothing like that. I just like to hunt, is all, but sometimes I end up being hunted instead.  
He chuckled. The girl was very different from the other children he had met − not that he knew a lot of them. She looked around, apparently watching out for potential dangers, sat on the other side of the boat, and rubbed her wound with her ragged shirt. He searched in his chest bandoleer, found a flask which he knew contained some kind of health potion, and threw it to her. She caught it with her uninjured arm, quick as a whip, even though she had not been looking when he threw it. Impressed, he whistled, and she smiled shyly as she took a sip of the potion.

He looked at her more carefully, wondering who she was. They had not met before. She had olive skin, though not so brown as a Redguard's, and her dark hair was shorter than what was usual among Nords. She had Nordic features, though, and looked oddly familiar to him. Even though she had just been swimming in an icy cold lake in just a thin shirt and large leather pants, she did not seem to be cold, which also pointed to her being a Nord.  
\- Where are you from, child?  
Ignoring his question, she turned around and began to rummage through his stuff. She looked into his bag and pulled out a shirt before speaking out.  
\- Can I use this? I need to cover the wound, otherwise I'll bleed all I have.  
\- Sure, go ahead, here's a…  
He was just leaning to give her his dagger when she pulled her own from a pocket in her pants. It did not seem like a safe place to keep a blade. She ripped the shirt into strips and used them as bandage. He should have offered her help, but he was fascinated to see how used to the process she seemed. She was able to bind her wound on her own with only one good arm.  
\- As for where I'm from, I live here in Riften. Don't think I've met you before, though. Are you from around here?  
\- I'm from Ivarstead, but I've been in Riften for some time. I'm mostly out at night, though; maybe that's why I've never seen you. Where do you live?  
She bit her lip. It was obviously not her favourite topic, and she looked uneasy.  
\- We don't really have a place. Mama kind of tries to get money, but she often forgets things or buys Skooma instead of food. I'm a lot on my own. So I often hunt for food and steal the rest.  
\- Fancy yourself a thief, hmm?  
\- Don't look at me like that. Thieving is just about the only thing I'm good at. And you're no better. You can't tell me these were obtained by honest means.  
She dangled a few jewelled necklaces that clearly came from his bag, looking at him accusingly.  
\- Caught me. I'm a thief. Put those back in, they are not for you… or for me, for that matter.  
She obeyed, though he saw her sneak a silver necklace into her sleeve. He chuckled silently. When they reached the Goldenglow Estate, she insisted to come with him, and she put on a mask of adorable little doll the whole time he spoke with Aringoth. She never noticed when he slipped the necklace out of her back pocket and put it back into his bag. Neither did Aringoth. Brynjolf liked to think of himself as a good pickpocket, even if he was still in training.

After Brynjolf gave Aringoth a grateful handshake, the older man messed up the girl's hair and grinned at her. He had always had a good heart. Sometimes, Brynjolf felt guilty about the pressure put on him by the Guild. But threats and heists were part of the life he had chosen, and Mercer made sure to remind him of that every single day.  
\- Your new recruits are younger than ever, Brynjolf. Say hello to Maven when you see her, I hope she'll find the honey to her liking. And goodbye, er… I didn't quite catch your name, young lady…  
\- Anja, sir. I hope to see you soon!  
She smiled and the elf seemed to melt. She curtsied and gasped in surprise when Brynjolf grabbed her and dragged her to the boat.

Anja, as she was apparently called, poked his chest with a finger when they were halfway to Riften.  
\- So your name is Brynjolf, huh? I've heard of you.  
\- You have?  
\- Mama says you won't let her in the Thieves Guild.  
He frowned, trying to remember the last time he refused someone. There was this young Nord woman who had managed to approach him several times, completely drunk or drugged on Skooma, and had claimed to be the best thief in all of Tamriel. She had shouted that the Guild did not know what it was missing and that her lover, a different one every time, he forgot the names, would retaliate.  
\- Are you Dagmar's daughter?  
\- Uh huh.  
\- A bit full of illusions, your mother. But I'm not the recruiter, and we won't let Skooma into the Guild, anyway. I'm sorry.  
\- Oh, I'm not. She's a terrible thief.  
They said little more during the journey back to Riften. He left her on the docks, and she trotted away, allegedly to go find her other dagger, which she had lost when the wolf had bitten her. Her mother was probably just a few years older than him, and he wondered how young she must have been when she had Anja, who looked probably nine or ten years old. He watched the girl go away, went back to the sewers, and focused solely on his job. He remembered the advice Mercer had given him: he should stop trying to help anyone else than himself and the Guild. Thieves had no business investing their time in the lives of little girls.

The next time he saw her, probably a few months afterwards, was during one of his jobs. He had to filch some gemstone from Wujeeta. How she could have this into her possession, he did not know. He did not care either. He knew she slept in Haelga's bunkhouse at night, and that was where he ended up meeting Anja for the second time. The little girl was sneaking around when he opened the door. He was struck at how animal she looked, like a little cat lurking, looking for some mischief to do. She did not hear him until he grabbed her by the shoulders and whispered in her ear.  
\- You really shouldn't be here…  
She tensed and he could almost hear her heart beat. She turned around and seemed relieved when she finally recognised him, although she frowned at him. He did not expect her to know him, but he then remembered that she was looking up at him and thus could see his face. Putting his finger to his lips, he sneaked to the stairs. As he entered the bedroom, she tugged on his arm.  
\- What are you doing here? She whispered, a lot louder than he would have liked.  
\- Guild business. Don't talk until we are outside.  
She watched carefully as he retrieved the emerald from Wujeeta's pocket. Once the gem was safe in his purse, he walked down the stairs and left the bunkhouse slowly and without a noise. The little girl followed him and said nothing, as ordered.

Once outside, she rubbed her chin and looked at him.  
\- I wonder if I could do that, what you've done. I've never stolen from someone directly, only things that people leave around.  
He smirked, as he walked back to the wooden quay next to the canal. He walked briskly now that the risk of being caught was gone, and she almost had to run to keep up.  
\- You know what, maybe you could do that. But you shouldn't. What were you doing there anyway?  
She had the grace to at least look ashamed.  
\- Svana has a new ribbon for her hair that I'd like to have for myself. But it was more interesting to watch you steal from that poor Wujeeta.  
\- You'd better not get used to it, I have no intention of regularly taking children with me on the job.  
She looked hurt, but he thought about how much he would be laughed at if other thieves learned that he was a babysitter to her. They had arrived in front of the door to the Ratways. He patted her on the shoulder.  
\- I can't let you in, too dangerous for you, and only Guild members are supposed to be there. I'll see you around.  
\- When I'm in the Guild, I'll be allowed to come.  
He laughed, and made his way to the door.  
\- We'll see about that.  
Anja was still frowning as he closed the door behind him. Just thinking about suggesting to Mercer that such a young child join the Guild was ridiculous, and made him shake his head as he went back to the Ragged Flagon with the firm intention of drinking as much ale as possible with Delvin.


	2. A Chance Arrangement

They did not see each other until around two years later, and that time, Brynjolf almost did not recognise her. He was leaving the cistern by the cemetery exit and did not notice her in the grass, sitting behind a tombstone. He was wearing his merchant outfit and carrying a bag full of potions, ready to go play his little scenario. It took her snapping her fingers in annoyance for him to see her. She looked very different, and yet completely the same. Her hair was a bit longer than before, reaching just above her shoulders, and was braided awkwardly, probably by herself. She wore a brown tunic which looked tailored for boys, a fur cloak and hard leather pants, possibly the same as the last time, because they seemed to be too short and would have shown her ankles if she did not wear boots. Even though she remained short, she had grown a lot, probably half a foot since the last time, and had grown hints of hips and tits as well. He supposed that was what happened to girls at that age.  
\- Where did you come from? I didn't see you.  
\- Look with your eyes, lass, and you'll see everything. You'd have seen me if you had.  
\- Where are you going?  
\- To the market, selling these potions here. What are you doing here?  
\- Things and stuff. I just went to the temple, and I wanted to go outside of Riften for a while, maybe hunting, but I thought I'd lie in the grass for a while when I saw how sunny it was.  
\- Well, you do that. Have a nice day.  
He was walking toward the market square when he heard her follow him. He turned around, and smiled to himself when he saw her surprised expression. She still had a lot to learn if she expected not to be noticed when she walked behind someone making that much noise.  
\- How old are you, lass?  
\- Twelve and a half.  
\- Twelve-and-a-half-year-old children should know that thieves are bad company. Why did you follow me?  
She bit her lip, apparently nervous.  
\- I was wondering if you'd let me take a job for the Guild. Mama says that if she won't be in the Guild, neither will I, but I know I'm a better thief than she is. I was hoping to see you again to ask you. I don't know any other thief.  
He was not surprised in the least. After all, both times he had met her, she had expressed interest in joining the Guild. He supposed he had nothing to lose letting her help him just that once.  
\- Well, well. As it happens, I could use a little help today. I suppose I can trust you with that.  
Her whole face lit up as he spoke. He explained her what she would be doing: wait until he began his little speech and people gathered around him, then steal a silver ring from Malesi's strongbox, and put in Brand-Shei's pocket without being noticed. Her boasting had been true: she did everything perfectly. She even feigned interest in his potions after having placed the ring in the elf's pocket, her face perfectly still and smiling slightly. When all his potions had been sold, she went to meet him, and he messed up her hair to congratulate her. The gesture seemed to displease her, but her frown turned into a grin when he gave her a cut of the benefits: a hundred golden septims.

She was the one who suggested that they meet again, and he came up with a plan. They would see each other regularly, he would give her a job, and she would give him what she had stolen for him. Nobody in the Guild would need to know, of course, not yet. The first time he gave her a parchment with the details of the job, she knitted her brows, her lips mouthing the words almost out loud.  
\- Can't read, lass?  
If looks could kill, he would have been dead right away.  
\- Not very well.  
\- Want some help with that? I can read it out for you.  
\- No, thank you. I'll just ask… Never mind. I haven't had a lot of opportunity to practice. Seems like I will now. Are all the jobs written down like that?  
\- Most of them, yes. I got that one right from Vex. She is the one dealing with our break-in jobs.  
\- Well, see you next time, as we said.  
She stood up, apparently very nervous, and walked directly to the temple. Brynjolf was left wondering what was wrong. Not knowing how to read was not something to be ashamed of. Most orphans never learned to read, and Riften was full of orphans. But he remembered that Anja was in fact not an orphan, she had a mother. Somehow, he did not think that Dagmar had ever thought it her motherly duty to teach her daughter her letters.

For a couple of years, they met every other week. Sometimes he trained her, gave her practical advice on how to better sneak or steal. She became better every time, even better than him, but he was a better comedian, a sweet talker. Her main advantage in that area had been her pretty adorable face as a child, and as time passed, her features became less girly and more womanly, and it seemed that her expressions were more see-through than she would have liked. He found her cute when she tried to lie to him or to the guards and failed miserably.

They became closer over time, almost friends. She seemed to be wary of most people, and he worked hard on trying to earn her trust. She seemed to like him, at least, and was clearly interested in getting to know him more. They mostly talked about jobs, or about himself, though he had very little to say. She often insisted on joining the Guild, but he was still uneasy about letting such a young person in. She was much more insecure than she let show, and he was always careful to compliment and reassure her when he refused to let her in. He was observing firsthand the kind of existence she lived through, and as much as he wanted to help her, he still had his doubts. It seemed that the Divines had other plans, and some things made him think twice about it.


	3. Taking Care of Business

Sapphire arrived in the Guild in Frostfall. She was caught red-handed taking something from Rune's bag, but instead of calling the guards, he talked to her the whole night. Brynjolf had to look for him around the city the next day because Rune was needed for a certain job, and found them still chatting at the Bee and Barb. Her cheeks were flushed and she was laughing at a funny story the thief had told her. The next day, the Nord girl entered the Guild, introduced by Brynjolf. She was only eighteen, but after all he had barely been older than that when he was recruited. Her natural talent proved very useful to the Guild, and she got better and better over time. Her arrival proved to him that younger members were indeed welcome if they had the skills, even if Mercer had been very unpleasant toward her − but wasn't he grumpy with everybody?

One evening, as Brynjolf and Anja were supposed to meet next to the Shrine of Talos as usual, she arrived late. Her cheeks were flushed, her braided hair dishevelled, and her eyes wet. She looked like she had just stopped crying. She sat next to him, or rather let herself fall next to him, said nothing and handed him the ornate horn that she had stolen in Whiterun according to plan.  
\- What happened to you, lass?  
More tears gathered in her eyes, she shook her head and said nothing. He put his arm around her shoulders, and as if she had only been waiting for that, she snuggled against him and put her arms around his chest. He was disconcerted because he was not used to such physical contact from her, and felt even more helpless when he heard that she was sobbing. He circled her with his arms, pulled her on his lap, and waited. She cried for what seemed like hours, and it pained him to see her suffer like that. He had grown to like the lass and wanted her to be happy.  
\- I don't want to be alone, she finally whimpered against his chest.  
\- Why would you be alone?  
\- Mama's dead. Caught stealing. Killed by the guards.  
He had no idea how to comfort her in her grief. He had always thought that she did not care for her mother, but after all, even with all her faults, Dagmar had been Anja's only family. He hugged her even closer to him, rubbing her back, stroking her hair, and after a while, her crying stopped.

As she remained in his arms, Brynjolf reflected on what the best thing to do would be. He knew she had no real home, and with her mother gone, she had even less chance of finding a good place to sleep that night. From what he had learned, Dagmar was the one who searched for a bed, or most of the time, some corner of a warm room to lie on with her lovers, and as often as not, Anja slept outside, in the open air. He came to the conclusion that the lass had grown up more than enough today. She had been through so much, and deserved a soft bed, mead and sweetrolls to fill her belly, and a group of supporting people around her. She deserved a new family. He had failed to provide that to her for so long because he thought she could get by, but he did not want her to merely get by anymore. He wanted her to be truly happy and safe.

He did not notice that she had fallen asleep in his arms until he tried to get up and she did not move. It was not very late, but she had probably had a very long day. He supposed he would ask her for her opinion on the matter later. Very cautiously, he stood up with the lass in his arms and went back to the cistern. The cemetery entrance was much closer, but he was afraid of waking her if he carried her down the ladder, so he went through the Ratways. They had been cleaned off bandits the week before and were perfectly safe. Vekel frowned when he saw them, but Brynjolf shook his head and said nothing, and carried the lass to an empty bed. He covered her with furs and, after looking at her one last time, went to explain the situation to Mercer, who had been glaring at him, watching him from afar.

The Guildmaster was less than accommodating to Brynjolf's request. He stood firm and impassive behind his desk, and it took all of the younger thief's persuasion talents to convince him that Anja would bring wealth and glory to the Guild. He reminded him of Sapphire's successful jobs during the last few weeks and underlined the fact that, although Anja was a bit younger than the new recruit, she had been stealing for a longer time already. Mercer reluctantly agreed to give her a trial period, all the while glaring at Brynjolf. Brynjolf went to sleep proud of himself. Even though Mercer trained him as much as he could to not care about anyone, he had grown so fond of the lass that he was happy to help her.

He was shaken awake by a very anxious Anja the next morning, much too early for his taste.  
\- Brynjolf! She whispered very loudly.  
\- Mmh, what is it, lass?  
\- Where are we?  
He had forgotten that she had been asleep when he brought her to the headquarters. The poor lass was probably too frightened to look around her and assimilate her surroundings. She was usually very good at it. He supposed the stress and the grief were wearing on her.  
\- This is your new family. I talked with the Guildmaster, you're in. Now go find your way around on your own, the thieves won't bite you, and let me sleep.  
She smiled shyly, a sort of smile she did not often display, and nodded. She gave him a kiss on the cheek and left his side. He fell back asleep in a matter of seconds.

He woke up on his own much later. He usually slept very late, because he went to bed after his jobs, late at night. He found Anja chatting with Sapphire at a table on the wooden surface of the Ragged Flagon. He paused a moment to look at them. The scene seemed so unreal in a dark and gloomy place as the tavern, two young women apparently sharing secrets and advice. He even thought he saw Sapphire giggle at one time. It was not unlike Anja to be open to others, even though most of the time it was in anger and frustration rather than in friendliness, but it was very surprising to see Sapphire talk to anyone openly, except himself and Rune, who for some reason managed to really understand her. Anja seemed to do most of the talking and Sapphire most of the listening. It warmed his heart and he joined them.  
\- My two favourite lasses met each other! Did you find the others yet?  
Anja turned to him and gave him the most radiant smile.  
\- I have met this fine lady here, who introduced me to Rune. And I think I saw a Breton hitting on a tall woman with fair hair, but they left together a while ago.  
\- Delvin and Vex. You are going to get to know them very well, they are the job givers. But today, you are doing a job for me. Ready?  
\- What am I going to do?  
\- How about handling a few deadbeats for me? I think you might need to let some anger out.  
\- Deadbeats?  
\- They owe our organization some serious coin and they've decided not to pay. These people have obviously been troublesome.  
\- What am I supposed to do?  
\- I want you to explain to them the error of their ways.  
\- Get them to pay the debt?  
\- Honestly, the debt is secondary here. What's more important is that you get the message across that we aren't to be ignored.  
\- I have to threaten them?  
\- Yes. Find a way to make them understand that we are ready to go lengths to get what is due to us. A word of warning though... I don't want any of them killed. Bad for business.  
\- Consider it done.  
\- I know you will run the job perfectly, lass. As you have always done.  
He winked at her and patted her on the shoulder. She had never really done anything like that for him before − he mostly gave her burglary jobs − but he knew she would be able to do it. She was rather strong for such a small girl and she knew that she could put threats into actions if that was what was needed. He had seen her brawl with bigger men and come victorious. He had little time to wonder how well she would do, because she came back to the Flagon before noon, brandishing three coin purses. He congratulated her and told her he had never doubted she would succeed. She blushed. He knew she had issues with self-esteem, her mother having never seemed to find the time to compliment her, so he showered her with praises as often as he could.

Anja met almost all Guild members that day, and even Mercer welcomed her to the little family − curtly and as quick as he could, but still. Vex smirked when the lass accepted without question that she really was the best infiltrator, Delvin told her a dirty jokes, and Tonilia offered her the Guild armour. She put it on and declared that her life was complete now that she was wearing it. Vekel offered her a mug of mead to welcome her, which she sipped all night, observing the atmosphere in the tavern and whispering with Sapphire from time to time.

When she began to nod off, Brynjolf led her to the free bed behind the wooden panel. It had belonged to the last recruit, but the man had been found on the market place the week before in a pool of his own blood. Brynjolf thought he had better not tell Anja that story. He had tried his best to give her a new start in life and did not want to frighten her. Before laying down, she turned around to face him and wrapped her arms around his waist.  
\- Thank you, she simply said, and he kissed the top of her head.  
\- Tell you what. You keep making us coin and I'll worry about everything else. Fair enough?  
\- Fair enough. Thank you. It's so… Thank you.  
She kissed him on the cheek, for the second time that day, whispered what sounded like a prayer, and went to sleep.


	4. Getting Closer

Anja never gave any sign of grief over her mother after that night she had cried in Brynjolf's arms, but she still found every occasion to hug him. It seemed that a hunger for physical contact had been awaken in her, and he was more than happy to give in to her. After all, he was ever so proud of her achievements. In the months that followed, she learned faster than he had when he was still a thief apprentice. Unfortunately, she still had a rather hard time to get close to the other thieves − she was not used to social contacts except for him, whom she had got used to over time. Several times, she almost fought with members of the Guild because she thought they insulted her. He knew they would get to know her for who she was and like her in time. Sapphire seemed to be her only other close friend. Somehow Anja had managed to crack her stern and angry face and discover the real Sapphire, a treasure of a lass. They would often giggle together in a corner specifically watching him, or spend time sitting cross legged talking on one of their bed, looking like two typical teenagers sharing secrets. Mercer always grunted and mumbled that the Guild was not an orphanage for lost children, but the other thieves seemed to get used to their presence in the Cistern.

He never expected things to go that way, but once they started to happen, he did nothing to stop them. That night, the Guild was celebrating Delvin's birthday. They all had a lot of fun, everybody laughed when the old man asked Vex to give him a kiss as a present and received a slap instead. Brynjolf went to bed earlier, because he would be leaving Riften for an important bedlam job the next day and did not want to be tired, lest he would be inattentive and get caught. He was staring at the damp ceiling, waiting for sleep to overcome him, when his bed covers were lifted and a warm body pressed up against him. He was taken by surprise and felt reassured when he recognised the familiar little braids of his Nord lass. She was really becoming very good at sneaking: he had not heard her at all. Granted, he was half sleeping already, but still, she had improved so much since she had joined the Guild. He was proud of her.  
\- Why aren't you at the party, lass?  
\- I was thinking about something.  
\- Is now really the time, though? And is my bed the best place for reflection?  
She completely ignored what he said and put her hand on his bare chest, gently tracing patterns with her thumb. She had a way to always put him at ease whenever she touched him.  
\- You know, when we met, I was ten years old, and you were twenty. Ten years apart.  
\- Great scholar you are, lass.  
\- It was a pretty big difference.  
\- Uh huh…  
\- But next month I'll turn sixteen, and you're twenty-five. It doesn't seem like a huge difference now. In ten years I'll be twenty-five, you'll be thirty-five, and nobody will even notice that we have that many years apart.  
\- They probably won't.  
She was sliding her leg between his and playing with his hair. He knew she had grown into a young woman, of course, he had noticed she was not a child anymore, neither her body nor her mind, but he had no idea he would be confronted to those changes in such a direct way. He tried not to think about her breasts he could feel against his chest through her shirt, and her sweet smell of nature. In vain. It seemed that she had further plans. Her fingers caressed his cheek, light as feathers, and she bit her lip nervously. She was looking right into his eyes, and he noted once again that look of determination that she so often displayed when she braced herself to a challenge. Her body was tense, he could feel all her muscles against him. She took a big breath, closed her eyes, and pressed her lips on his own.

He felt that this could very well be her first kiss. She did not seem to really know what she was doing, but he liked it that way. Who was he to complain when a pretty lass climbed into his bed to give him sweet kisses? And even though she was a bit clumsy, she seemed pretty confident. All her tension seemed to have gone away, and she closed any distance between them. He felt much better when he noted that she had probably not drunk any mead − he would have tasted the honey. Relieved mostly because he did not want her to do things she might not have agreed to in a sober state, but also pleased that he did not have to stop her.

The kiss had come almost out of nowhere, and he did not know how far she wanted to take things. No one that much younger had ever kissed him, and he had no idea how ready she was, and for what. He decided to not say anything in any direction and let her express what she wanted. Maybe she wanted nothing more than kisses. Maybe she wanted to take it further, but not tonight. She was after all still young, and it was not unusual for lasses to be innocent for a very long time in Skyrim. His discussions with Sapphire had let him truly know how important it was to be gentle to young women in that context, made him understand the impact of the opposite. He felt somehow privileged that the lass would choose him over the other men she knew, choose to come kiss him instead of partying with her new found family. He would make good use of her choice and be worthy of her trust.

They kissed for what seemed a long time, not that it was boring him. At one point he put his hands on her backside, and she let out a small moan. It made him hard, and he hoped that she did not feel it against her, or if she did, that either she did not know what it meant or did not mind. It had been too long since he had been kissed. Truth be told, he had been a late bloomer, and had not had much time for relationships or even flings with all the pressure Mercer put on him. He was always very flirty, always hitting on every lass he came across, but the truth was that this behaviour did not make him a pants dropper any more than his merchant outfit made him a respectable shopkeeper.

She was the one who broke away, though she remained in his embrace. Her cheeks were pinker than he had ever seen them, and she could not meet his eyes, looking at the ceiling instead. He liked the fact that as wild as she was, she still had graceful and shy reactions sometimes.  
\- Did you like that? She asked with a tiny voice that seemed to belong to someone else.  
\- I loved it. How about you?  
\- Same.  
\- Have you kissed a man before?  
\- You are the first.  
\- I thank you for the honour, lass.  
He chuckled and stroked her hair quietly. She finally seemed to relax enough to look at him, and her smile was the prettiest thing he had ever seen.  
\- Can I come to you again then? If you liked it?  
\- Whenever you want.  
And come she did. Several times a week, she slipped into his bed, flush against him, and covered his mouth with kisses. It made him laugh that the other thieves seemed to never notice anything. Granted, they all had very different schedules, and Anja seemed to have studied the perfect time to come to his bed. Over time, things changed between them, and to the better. He would flirt with her shamelessly, and she would blush prettily, or reply in the same tone if she was feeling bold − or rather if nobody was there to hear her. He would often find her and Sapphire talking behind their hands and once he thought he saw Sapphire become as red as a ruby when Anja whispered something in her ear. The older Nord girl could barely maintain eye contact with him later and he suspected that Anja had told her what happened between them.


	5. Camping Trip

Brynjolf was perfectly happy with their arrangement. Of course, some nights, the kisses were so intense that after she went back to her bed, he would take a quick swim in the cold waters of Lake Honrich, or pleasure himself in silence, thinking about the soft lips of his lass, or her firm breasts that he felt through her armour whenever she cuddled against his chest. But he took only what she offered to him and he did not want to taint her experience by pressuring her or guiding her into anything more before she was ready for it. A moment of pleasure for him was not worth a potential lifetime of pain for her, and he did not think he could even enjoy doing things to Anja that she did not want and initiate herself. His patience was rewarded, because she took the initiative of the next step on her own.

They both received jobs in Winterhold at the same time. It seemed pretty odd to Brynjolf, because the jobs in that hold were very rare, but he accepted nonetheless. Anja suggested that they turned this into a hunting and camping trip and, even though the idea did not appeal to him in the least, he packed a small tent and a bedroll. They decided to leave in the early morning on Frost's back, a horse that the Guild had obtain thanks to Anja and Maven having turned her blind eye on the theft. Anja did not like horseback riding, so she let the horse at anyone's disposal and never used it herself. She turned up at the stables wearing what she called her hunting outfit, made of leather and fur, which seemed much warmer than the Guild armour. Several daggers were strapped on her belt and a sword scabbard on her back. She always carried more weapons than he deemed necessary.

They rode for several hours before she insisted on hunting their lunch. He realised once again how much her stealth skills had improved when he noticed that she had no hunting bow: she was able to get so close to the preys that she could just stab them with her daggers. She later confessed that this technique was due to her being a terrible archer. She had always followed beasts like that, even when she was younger, but as a child, most of the time the deer ran away before she could even reach it. His heart stung once again when he thought about his silly reasons for not accepting her into the Guild earlier, knowing what her life had been like before. Mercer could say whatever he wanted, but Brynjolf still believed that you could be a honourable thief. He had done the right thing by the lass and would keep on making her and the Guild happy.

They had just passed Windhelm when they decided to camp for the night. Between huge pine trees, a small clearing seemed to be awaiting them spending the night on its ground. The area was free of snow, protected by the branches, and even though his skin was prickling from the cold, Brynjolf was at least happy that the wind was not too strong. The lass liked winter, she always said, the beauty of snow reminded her that the divines were blessing this world. They ate rests from the lunch silently and looked at each other awkwardly before standing up much too briskly − the look they shared was far from innocent. He set up the tent and laid his bedroll on the ground while Anja took a last big breath of true fresh air, as she called it. As he undressed to his loincloth and slid into his bedding, he noticed that Anja did not seem to have one.  
\- Where do you plan to sleep without a bedroll, lass?  
She grinned maliciously, and leaned into the tent to crawl next to him, closing the tent flaps tightly behind her.  
\- You caught me. I didn't bring anything. Can I sleep in yours?  
\- You little minx! Come here.  
He lifted the cover and she cuddled against him. He wrapped his arms around her and he could have sworn she almost purred.  
\- I asked Vex, you know.  
\- Mmh?  
\- To give us both a job in Winterhold. So we would be alone.  
\- Smart lass.  
She chuckled and kissed his mocking smirk away. He responded immediately and pushed her lips open with his tongue. They had become very comfortable around each other, and he would brag about his ever improving kissing skills if they did not keep this secret. Her flushed face and shy smile were evidence of his talent every time.

\- Brynjolf, I…  
He stroked her hair as she apparently struggled to tell him something.  
\- Out with it, lass. I'm all ears.  
\- I'd like you to touch me.  
His heart skipped a beat. Had she really said what he thought she said?  
\- Touch you?  
\- Only if you want to of course.  
\- I… Of course. I'd love to. I just didn't know you wanted things like that.  
\- I do. I've wanted for quite a long time, actually, I just didn't know how to ask you.  
Their eyes met and neither said a word. Anja gave him a light kiss on the cheek, took his hand and put it between her leg. Touching women was something Brynjolf knew how to do − at least in theory, because he had not been with a woman in quite some time. It was not that different from picking a lock: he had to apply the right amount of pressure, listen to even the smallest sounds to know if he was doing it right, and keep doing it if it seemed to work. But he would not give her that right now. Not without working her up.  
\- Not so fast, lass, he said, removing his hand from the heat between her legs.  
She grunted and glared at him. He gave her a lingering kiss on the lips and stroked her cheek.  
\- All in due time. And I want to be absolutely certain that you want this.  
\- I do want this. With you. But you're right, I guess, we have all night after all.  
\- Tell me if you want me to stop.  
She nodded. He felt himself go hard as she looked deep into his eyes, her gaze veiled with lust. Sitting up, he pulled her on his lap. Ever so slowly − although with her hasty hands helping − he untied her furs, looking into her eyes, not wanting to miss a second of that new expression that suited her so well. When finally the last knot holding her top together came undone, she pulled it off hurriedly and he grunted, half disappointed that she had not let him remove it himself − he loved undressing pretty women. She saw his expression, chuckled, and leaned down to give him a quick kiss before he looked at her revealed body.

She was beautiful. He had always thought her pretty in her own manner, and her body matched perfectly with the way he had pictured it. Her skin, covered with way too many scars, was a lot darker than his pale hands, her curves were toned and everything he had ever hoped for. He covered her small tempting breasts with his hands as his mouth attacked the soft skin of her neck. Under the smooth skin of her tits, her heart beat like a drum.  
\- You're gorgeous, lass.  
A soft moan escaped her lips as he put his thumbs on her nipples, rubbing them slowly, making them hard, and he silenced her with a kiss. She ground against him sensually and he wondered if she realized that she was actually rubbing herself right on his hard cock, if she did it on purpose. Maybe she was only acting in the spur of the moment. Soon his mouth found its way to her tits and her hands in his hair told him how much she liked it.  
\- Brynjolf…  
\- What is it, lass?  
\- More, please…  
He gave a last small bite on her nipple and looked into her eyes, where he saw nothing but desire.  
\- You sure?  
\- Dead sure. You?  
\- You bet I am.  
He unbuckled her belt, watching her the whole while, enjoying her aroused gaze. She lifted her hips to help him remove her pants completely, and just like that, she was entirely naked, sitting in front of him. She had apparently deemed smallclothes superfluous, probably a small touch added to her already perfectly planned night. That made him even harder than he already was. She took his hand again and tried to rub his fingers against her, and he could feel her wet and warm, but that was still a little too early for his taste.  
\- You said we had all night, lass. Just give me a bit more time.  
He pulled her back on his lap into their embrace. She kissed him fiercely, and he felt her right against his cock again, only separated by a thin layer of cloth. His hands went exploring her body, first on her breasts, flicking her nipples, then on her hips, her round butt, down her thighs and up on the inside, finally resting them inches from where she wanted them to go. He wanted to make sure she was genuinely turned on before touching her for good. She gave all the good signals as she wriggled against him, kissed his neck, almost bit it. He decided to give in, wrapped an arm around her waist, and let his hand wander where she wanted him.

She was hot, he could feel the heat before even touching her. This was the first time he ever touched her so intimately, and it could very well be the first time anyone touched her like that, so he wanted to be perfectly sure that he did it right. Slowly, he neared his fingers from her crotch, and simply felt around, wanting to remember every fold and every reaction it prompted when he touched them. She was wet, but more importantly she was eager and willing, she showed it very clearly as she kissed his neck, caressed his back, grabbed his hair. When he felt that she was ready for more, he rubbed his fingers against her opening, and she groaned, trying to push herself closer to him. She let out a small moan as he entered her with a finger, and he probably felt just as aroused as her. She was tight, a velvety sheath, the softest in the world. Their breaths were ragged as he began to move his fingers in and out.

Even years later, he would always remember this moment in the smallest details. The wind blowing outside and wolves howling from afar. Anja whimpering gently, a sweet sound right against his ears. The lantern flickering, their shadows on the tent. Nuzzling Anja's hair, kissing her neck, pulling her against him. She was far from inactive herself, her hands roaming all over him, trying to touch him everywhere at once. And his hand right against her most intimate place, pleasuring her, so soft, so wet, rubbing against his cock at the same time, making him all the more aroused.

All the little sounds Anja made guided Brynjolf to give her as much pleasure as he could. When he began to rub her clit with his thumb, she let out a loud moan, and he thought he would cum right then and there. The opposite happened. She tensed her muscles, bit down on his neck, thrust against his fingers, and he felt her tighten and pulse around them. He let her ride out her peak, and only when he felt her relax and give him a light kiss under the ear did he remove his hand. He had always thought that women took much longer to cum than men. Maybe tonight had been on the lass's mind for so long that her body had no time to waste.  
\- Dibella bless you, lass. That was amazing.  
She nodded and snuggled against him. Snaking his arms around her waist, he laid down and pulled her with him. Her arms wrapped around his neck, she kissed him as she stroked his hair gently, and the kiss felt like a thank you. The excitation that she had displayed turned into sweetness, and even her body felt softer against his. He still felt extremely turned on, but he was used to that, as it happened all the time when they kissed. He accepted the feeling and enjoyed the embrace.

\- I liked that, she finally said, cuddling against him after breaking the kiss.  
\- Glad to hear you say it, lass.  
\- I had never done that before, you know.  
\- Well, I had never touched a woman in a tent in the middle of the nowhere, so we're almost equal there.  
She giggled and pushed herself flush against him, meaning to give him another kiss. This brought his still rock hard penis right against her thigh, and she opened her eyes wide.  
\- Oh right, that… he said.  
He felt a bit embarrassed, but he knew he ought not be, because it happened all the time when they kissed, it was nothing new, she only felt it so much this time because she was naked.  
\- Do you want me to take care of it? She asked.  
\- You don't have to do anything, Anja. I'll just go take a walk outside in the cold to calm down if it bothers you.  
\- What if I want to do something about it?  
\- You … want to?  
\- I'm not a child, Bryn, I know what a hard dick means. You think I've asked you to touch me just because it tickles? I know what it is, I know what we're doing, what I'm doing.  
\- I'm sorry, lass. I know you're not a child. Do what you want. You've already given me so much.  
Grinning about her victory, she leaned in to give him a light kiss before sitting up. He tried to follow suit, but she put her hand on his torso and shook her head.  
\- Don't move.  
He had no choice but to obey. She sat on his thighs, checking out his body with curiosity. Her eyes twinkled as she slowly brought her hands closer to his smallclothes, half hesitating. Finally, she pulled on the fabric down to his thighs, leaving him entirely naked to her eyes. Brynjolf had never considered himself to be attractive, or unattractive for that matter, but seeing her look at him as if he was her favourite treat could have made him blush.

Her hand wrapped around him and stroked him clumsily. It was the first time Brynjolf was involved with a maiden in such ways, and he discovered that he found it just as exciting as being with an experienced woman. Seeing Anja trying her best to pleasure him was as much a turn on as what she was doing in itself.  
\- You like that?  
\- Uh huh.  
\- Can you show me how to make you love it?  
Always the good student, she let him put his hand around hers and watched carefully as he showed her how to stroke him in the way he usually did it himself. When he felt she got it, he removed his hand and enjoyed the show. She used just the right amount of pressure and speed, squeezing the head, almost massaging the shaft with her other hand. He had received better handjobs, of course, but she was very enthusiastic and it made him enjoy it so much more. She seemed focused on her task, not looking at him, but she was smiling, her tongue licking her lower lip from time to time.

He did not know what excited him the most, what the lass was doing to him, her expression, or the fact that what he had been dreaming about was happening right now. After only a few minutes, he felt that he was getting dangerously close and put his hand on Anja's. She apparently took it as a message to go faster and the pleasure blurred his mind.  
\- Lass, I…  
He had no time to end his thought as he cummed on their hands and his stomach. She kept on touching him slowly, pumping him, and stopped when he removed his hand from hers.  
\- Here, let me clean that up, she said with a small giggle.  
She took a cloth lying around, probably his undershirt, and rubbed the sperm off his stomach, then took his hand and cleaned it as well, before lying back next to him and wrapping his arm around her waist. He took the hint and hugged her close against him.  
\- How are you feeling, lass?  
\- Feeling like cuddling.  
\- I mean about what we just did.  
She turned to face him and gave him one of her cutest smiles.  
\- I think it was great.  
\- You were great, lass.  
\- Thank you, Brynjolf. Dibella's blessing upon you.  
With those words, she closed her eyes, took his chest as a pillow and went to sleep. Brynjolf remained awake a few more instants. He felt strangely satisfied, not only in a sexual way, but rather he felt at peace knowing that he was now part of the lass's history in a positive way. This had most certainly been the first time she had had sexual activities, and it had been with him, and everything had gone well. He scoffed when he noticed how romantic he probably sounded. Romance was not a part of his life. He felt friendly feelings, forged very strong bonds with other people, but he was never in love with anyone. He loved the lass as a… well not as a brother, what they just did was not proper interaction between siblings. Why would he even need a label anyway? He loved the lass in his own way of caring about her well being. He fell asleep nuzzling her hair.


	6. The Shill Job

His job in Winterhold would have been done in the blink of an eye had Anja not decided to come with him. A few instants after he entered the house where he was to plant a stolen ring, she appeared out of nowhere in the bedchamber on the first floor and looked at him as if he was her prey. Around her neck was the necklace she was supposed to steal, which meant that as soon as he would have finished his job, they would be free to go. She seemed to have some other activity in mind before that, though. Her hand on his torso, she pushed him back against the wall and whispered in his ear, pressing her body against his.  
\- Do you want to have some fun?  
Not much more was needed to convince him, and he nodded, winking at her. He felt somehow silly that he was so turned on by her. He had had many women in his life, but somehow, Anja made him feel like a younger lad again, when he still spilled his seed with the lightest touch. They were lucky that the house was empty, because he let out a groan as soon as she opened his trousers and put her hand on his cock through his smallclothes.  
\- Sensitive, are we? She said with a smug smile, and he glared at her. May I?  
\- You may. Though I don't know what you could have in mind, you little minx.  
\- As if.  
She was rubbing him through the fabric, a light tease. Suddenly her smirk turned into focus as she got on her knees in front of him. She pushed on his thighs to make him sit on a chest conveniently located just next to him.  
\- Now where was I…  
Brynjolf gulped as she pulled on his trousers and smallclothes. Despite the cold air, he felt hotter than ever as her hand stroked him slowly.  
\- I like what we've been doing, Bryn.  
He looked down to see her smiling at him, her face pink, her eyes bright. He put a hand on the side of her face in a soothing manner, his thumb skimming over her cheeks, and smiled back.  
\- I'm happy to hear that, lass.  
She nodded and slid a hand into his on his thigh. Her attention went back to her other hand, which was still right on his erection, and she licked her lower lip.  
\- I want us to keep having fun.  
Her mouth ran all over his shaft, leaving a trail of kisses light as feathers, making him moan. He was now fully hard, almost painfully so. Her new behaviour was still a surprise to him, though an excellent surprise, and he felt hornier than ever when she touched him. He closed his eyes, enjoying her kisses and her tongue on his cock. He had no idea how long he would last if she kept on treating him like that.

She whispered something he did not understand, which made him look at her. As if she had been waiting for him to do just that, she gave him a grin before putting his dick into her mouth in a swift move that made him jerk. Her tongue worked miracles on him, as did the mischievous look in her eyes. He swore he heard her humming at some point, and he stroked her hair and smiled. This was joy, this relationship between them, the intimacy they were creating. Of course, it was present in many other areas, but somehow, the sexual aspect came to his mind first when she sucked on his cock. Her mouth was soft and what she was doing with it even sweeter. He moaned loudly, feeling happier than ever, but froze when he heard someone enter the house on the ground floor. The lass, who had become just as aware of her surroundings as him, stood up, keeping her hand in his, and spoke in a whisper right against his ear.  
\- Do you want me to keep doing it? Danger can be fun.  
Divines be damned, he was willing to take that risk. The worst that could happen was getting thrown in jail for a night or a week. He nodded and pulled her for a kiss before letting her go on.

As the person walked around the house beneath them, her enthusiasm rocketed. Both of them were as silent as possible as she took him in her mouth again. He had no idea how she had learned to do such things, or if she was just a natural. Maybe it just turned him on to feel desired and what she did was much more exciting in his mind than in reality, but that did not seem true enough. Everything they had done so far was after all her idea, she gave herself entirely into their activities and was very good at it.

\- Thonjolf, do you remember where I put the bracelet?  
Brynjolf did not want to think about anything but her and her mouth right now, but he could no stop his thief reactions from happening and making his skin prickle excitedly. This house was inhabited, and its owner was right there, a few yards from them, downstairs. Anja's tongue caressing his cock, her hand wrapped at the base of his shaft, her eyes looking straight into his… Everything was going to make him peak very soon.  
\- I haven't seen it, Kraldar. Have you looked upstairs?  
\- Looking right now.  
The stairs creaked. The urgency of their situation felt by both of them made her try to fasten her pace. She wanted him to finish so they could hide. Fair enough, he would grant her that. He heard the steps become dangerously closer to the door, and at the same time, her sweet mouth sent him over the edge. Divines, it had been so long since he had received such a treat. It felt so good. He closed his eyes as he spilled himself in her mouth, squeezing her hand a lot stronger than he should. In the last few months, he had spent most of his time with the two new recruits, Anja and Sapphire, whom he felt responsible for, and had had very few instants left for his personal life. And now that his favourite lass was being so intimate with him, he did not think that he would feel any need to see the other women who had shared his life and his bed.

He shook his head to come to his senses, alerted by the sound of a hand on the handle of the door. Anja swallowed and tucked him back into his pants, giving him a grin that could have made him hard again if they were not in such a hurry. They hid behind a cupboard just as the door was opening.  
\- I think I found it! Does it have a garnet on it?  
\- It does. Talos bless you, it's the one. Where was it?  
\- In the night stand. Ready to go.  
Their voices faded as they went out of the house, and Brynjolf let out a big breath he did not know he had been holding. He quickly buckled his belt and put the stolen ring in a drawer as required by his job before turning to face Anja.  
\- Now, lass, I suggest we get out before they come back for the necklace.  
She giggled, a sweet sound, and took his hand in her own on their way down the stairs.


	7. New Arrangements

They took their time riding back to Riften. He took part in the hunting and had to admit that it was not as bad as he had made it out to be initially. The second and third night went just as smoothly as the first one. They rode most of the day, snuggling against each other on the saddle, and as dusk came they slid into his sleeproll and did delicious things to each other. The issue of their future came up. Both agreed that this intimacy was something they wanted to maintain at home. She came up with a way to hide it : they would mention Mercer Frey when they wanted to do things to the other. If the other replied with something positive, they would find a way to a quiet place and have as much fun as they wanted. Finally, they reached Riften and kept a respectable distance between them as the climbed off the horse. She gave him a knowing wink as they walked into the Flagon.

Surprisingly, the first thing the lass did was walk up Vex's table. Of course, the Imperial let nothing show when Anja gave her the necklace and thanked her for the opportunity, but Brynjolf had known her for long enough to know that the position she adopted, the way her arms remained uncrossed, her neutral expression instead of her usual frowning, all that pointed to the fact that she was rather happy with herself. Forging a friendship with Vex would probably be the best thing Anja could do at that time, at any time. She was influential among Guild members but most people did not dare talk to her. The thieves would be impressed by the lass. She would blossom into a respected member and a good friend to Vex, who never gave away her trust without a good reason.

Brynjolf had always respected Mercer Frey as and elder and a father, but he had to admit that it felt good to be able to use his name as a device to get and give sexual favours. Anja and him become experts at hiding, which was saying much considering they were already very talented thieves. A hand in the other's pants, even in public, always went unnoticed. They would bury themselves in hidden corners, tiny cocoons where only pleasure and desire ruled. People started to notice changes, he could tell, but nobody said anything. They were careful not to get caught.

Getting close to Anja seemed like the most natural thing in the world. Sharing intimacy led to sharing secrets, sharing stories, sharing lives. When he was a young lad, Brynjolf had had many friends. Once in the Guild, Mercer had made sure to prompt him not to get too attached to other thieves. It felt good to be someone's friend again and not simply someone's business partner and drinking buddy. As much as he enjoyed the company of Vex and Delvin, he had to admit that he had never felt as close to them. He had just grown to know them very well without mutual interest, purely out of necessity. He liked them, just as he liked Sapphire and wanted her to be happy and overcome the ghosts of her past, but the lass, she was something else.

He told himself he was probably living one of the happiest times of his life. Anja and him were still sharing tenderness when she came into his bed only for innocent kisses from time to time, and they pleasured each other often enough for them to be in a satisfied mood almost all the time. The topic of going further than their stolen touches eventually came up. She had been oddly quiet for a few days. She had not come to see him for almost a week and only smiled shyly at his attempts to cheer her up or flirt with her. Finally, he decided to take action and cornered her on the docks when she was coming back from a job at Elgrim's. They were a fitting place to find quiet and be able to talk. She was walking to the entrance of the Ratways, but turned around as soon as she heard his steps. Apparently interrupted in her thoughts, she gave him a timid smile and sat on a barrel.  
\- Following young ladies around, now?  
\- Lass, I've been wanting to talk to you.  
\- I've been wanting to talk to you too, she said, looking straight into his eyes.  
\- I… I think you've been a bit distant lately, and I was worried that something was wrong.  
Her eyelashes fluttered and she held her hands for him to come to her. He put a hand on her chin and pulled her for a kiss. She responded quicker than her attitude of the week would have suggested. She wrapped her arms around his neck and gave herself into the kiss. They had seen each other every day, but he had missed her sweetness and her warmth terribly. She pulled away, keeping her forehead right against his.  
\- There's something I want to do. I've thought about it a lot recently, and since I took my decision last week, I haven't found a way to tell you.  
\- You know you can tell me everything, lass.  
\- You know how we've been… doing… some things.  
\- Are you having second thoughts? Divines, lass, I'm sorry, I should have been more careful. What can I do to ever make it up for you?  
He pulled away from the embrace to look at her and frowned when he saw her chuckle.  
\- Not having second thoughts at all, Bryn. Don't beat yourself up about it. It's something else, quite the opposite actually.  
\- Walk me through it, lass, I don't know what you're talking about.  
Her hand fidgeted with the collar of his armour, and she looked down gracefully.  
\- I'd like us to close the deal.  
\- Anja…  
\- Look, I know you are trying to protect me. I appreciate that. I am just telling you that I've been thinking about it a lot, and I have made up my mind. If you have your doubts, you are free to decline.  
\- I care about you a lot, lass. Don't want to rush you into things. If you do think you are ready and interested, then I trust you and we can talk about it.  
\- Then trust me. We both enjoy what we've been doing. I don't think it's weird or unexpected that I want us to take the next step. We'd both like that.  
\- True…  
\- If you really think we should wait, then we'll wait, but if your only reason for waiting is that you think I'm not ready, well I am. I want this to happen. With you.  
\- Well, I… I'm flattered, then.  
They kissed again, their bodies getting dangerously closer. She slid a hand between them, squeezed his cock through the leather.  
\- How about we take care of that tonight? She said seductively.  
\- Another of your well thought out plans? I liked the one in Winterhold, he replied on the same tone.  
\- Meet me after dinner in the passage to the Cistern.  
With that, she got up, gave him a quick peck on the cheek and rushed to the Ratways.


	8. Closing the Deal

Not a single day had ever felt so long to Brynjolf so far. Between Sapphire's timid conversations and Vex's sneering at him, he felt somehow judged, as if they knew. It was unlikely. Anja would surely not brag about such things to Sapphire when she knew of her past experiences, and he had a really hard time picturing her talking to Vex about any detail of that kind. At one time, Delvin slapped him in the back with a laugh and Brynjolf immediately tried to sputter foolish things, but the Breton's face told him that he was misguided.

Finally came dinner. Anja, whom he had not seen all day since their conversation, sat in front of him and gave him that look that he had learned to know so well, the look that told him she wanted to see him naked as soon as she could.  
\- So, tell me Bryn, I've heard that today you did that special job for Guildmaster Frey we talked about.  
He coughed.  
\- As a matter of fact, I did, lass. He was extremely happy about it.  
\- I'm glad to hear that.  
Her leg rubbed against his and made his skin tingle. They ate off silently.

She was among the first to get up, giving nothing away on her stern face. He waited until one or two other people stood up to join her. He almost did not see her hidden in a corner until she grabbed his arm and kissed him roughly.  
\- Found you, she whispered and smiled against him.  
\- Are you still sure about this, lass?  
\- Oh, I am. I checked everyone's schedule and the room next to the Cistern should be free all evening.  
\- Mmh, a warm bed and time before us. This is Sovngarde…  
He kissed her grinning face and they made their way to the bedroom as fast as they could, never breaking their embrace. There were no rooms with a locking door in the headquarters, or even with a door at all. He found himself wishing that they would go to the Bee and Barb, but there would be rumours and hear-says all around the Cistern as soon as any thief learned about it, so it was not an option.

The bed was hidden from the view to people passing by in the corridor, but still close enough that they would be heard if they made the slightest noise. It was just like a burglary. They stumbled onto the bed in each other's arms, tugging at their clothes, careful not to throw them anywhere in the room. Anyone passing in the corridor could see them if they did not pay attention to this kind of details.

Her jacket still on, boots and pants gotten rid of, Anja looked hungry for him. Her hands were yanking at his armour, at his pants, dying to touch him. They felt hot on his skin in the damp coldness of the headquarters, her mouth was so sweet, her caresses feverish. She was ever so reckless, but somehow he felt her slightly nervous. He kissed his way down her body, opening her armour, unfastening all the buckles, removing it, his mouth on her neck, her shoulders, her breasts, her stomach, her thighs, and finally he reached the most intimate place of her body. Her hands tightened in his hair, urging him on.

The scent of her arousal was heady and made his cock swell against his leathers. He knew that kissing her there would relax her. Starting with what she already knew would do her good before they did anything new − if she still wanted to. He felt confident in what he was doing, and his mouth circled around her clit while his fingers neared her opening, teasing her, before she bucked her hips and he gave in. Pain during sex, even the first time, was not something he believed in, and he figured getting her to loose up a little bit would help a lot. He had not become the thief he was based on nothing. His fingers and his tongue were nimble and he touched and sucked her in the manner that she liked best. Her hands were grabbing his hair, her hips thrusting, craving his contact, but neither of them made a sound. He lost count of time as he pleasured her, always trying to give more. Sometimes, she glanced at him, and her face expressed just as much lust as her body did. Finally he brought her where he wanted to. She almost let out a moan as she tightened around his fingers, but bit her hand to silence it.

He could not have moved even if he had wanted to. Her legs were keeping him tight against her, her hands stroking his hair as his caresses kept her going, let her ride her peak to the fullest. Not being able to make the slightest noise was something she was used to, and she usually used the body to express what she would have moaned or said otherwise. Her grip finally let go of him. If he had not already been fully hard, the look she gave him would have made him go rock-hard in half a second. She took his hands from her hips and made him lie on the bed. This kind of position had not been what he was used to with other women, but this was Anja, and not anyone else. The lass could be a sabrecat when she wanted, and he would much rather let himself indulge in her lovemaking than try to impose his ways from the start.

He let her pull at his pants to remove them completely, trying not to make too much noise with the heavy buckles. Both naked as on their birthday, they shared a look of complicity, and Brynjolf sat up to whisper into her ear in a voice low enough to not be heard from anyone who could be passing in the corridor.  
\- Do whatever you want, lass, and don't do anything you don't want to.  
She gave him one of her genuine shy smiles and nodded. Her shyness did not mean she was not determined, though. She pushed him back on the bed, straddling him, and asked for approval into his eyes as she stroked him lightly. He gave her one of his best smiles, the ones that usually made her melt.

The sensation of her lowering on his cock was something he would never forget. She took her time, her eyes closed, but her pace was steady and she did not flinch. She opened her eyes when he was deep into her, her eyelids heavy with lust, and he put his hands on her hips. He could not turn his eyes from her, and as she began to raise her hips to lower herself again, he saw her biting her lip. It was obvious that she was not familiar with this kind of Dibellan arts, yet with time she seemed comfortable enough. Her motions reached a sustained pace, somehow faster than he would have done himself, but it felt so good he would not dare say anything.

This was what they needed, he thought. Thief business was stressing, and Mercer kept putting more pressure on him every day and asking too much of Anja. In a grim environment as the Cistern, you could easily forget that there was sweetness and lightness to life. Seeing Anja's head tilted back in pleasure, her hips rolling on his dick, completely letting herself go, he knew it would not be a one time occurrence. He knew it would be something they would both need to let off some steam.

She suddenly grabbed his wrist and put it between her legs. Direct in that way, that was what Anja was like. He put his thumb on that pleasure nub who made her see the stars so often and rubbed it. He hoped she did not expect him to last so long as to be able to grant her a second orgasm right during their fucking. She had said they had all evening after all, and he would be happy to give her that later, but right now, it seemed unlikely that he would be lasting for still a long time under her fierce thrusts. As much as he wanted it to last for hours, he just felt that his body was not ready for such things.

But Anja seemed to start getting tired. Her arms were wobbling and her initially confident motions seemed to be getting slower and harder to keep on. His caresses seemed to keep her on the edge, but not quite there, and she looked like she would welcome a change. He put his mouth right next to her ear and spoke in a very low voice, not only because in his experience, that kind of voice worked miracles on her, but also because he did not want to get caught.  
\- Lass, you want me to get on top?  
She looked at him as if he were the Dragonborn come to save the world and nodded. He rolled them over and thrust into her deliberately slowly to be able to put his elbows down and take his time kissing her. Her arms snaked against his neck and she hummed in rhythm with the motions of his hips. It had been over a year since he had been inside a woman, and as much as he wanted to take his time, enjoy it to the fullest and make it last, he felt close already, and Anja seemed in a hurry to reach her peak under his thrusts. She wrapped her legs around his waist, allowing for him to plunge deeper into her.  
\- Harder… Please…she whispered between kisses.  
\- Your wish is my command.  
He had been with enough women to know how to adapt to their will. He picked up a quicker pace and leaned a bit higher on his elbows to look at her, her beautiful eyes with fluttering eyelashes, her pink cheeks, her hair in a total mess that only sex could make. He lost himself into her gaze as he felt he was coming very near. She put her hand on his cheek and gave him the softest kiss, and he barely had the time to pull out to spill himself on her stomach.

They shared an awkward look. Finally, Brynjolf gave her a peck on the lips and sat up to clean the mess off her belly with a rag. She stretched her arms and yawned, tugging at his arm. When they had time enough after their activities, she always liked to cuddle, and Brynjolf was more than happy to obey. She made him lie on the bed and snuggled against him, her head on his shoulder, and their heartbeat evened.

He felt as if he would be satisfied forever. The lass was pressed flush against him, completely dishevelled, more beautiful than ever, the furs covered the lower half of their bodies, so as not to feel too hot, and above all a buzzing feeling exploded in his chest and told him everything would go well. She was nuzzling against his neck, into his hair, giving him a tender kiss from time to time, and he was massaging her back lightly, his chin on her head. He closed his eyes, thinking that he had never felt so peaceful.

Anja's body tensed up and he heard a snort.  
\- HOLY CRAP, SOMEONE LOOKS LIKE SHE'S BEEN THOROUGHLY FUCKED! BRYNJOLF, HOW COULD YOU DO THAT TO LITTLE ANJA?  
A very nosy Vipir was sneering at them smugly, obviously shouting to be heard by the whole Guild. Brynjolf was sure all thieves in both the Cistern and the Ragged Flagon would know about their activities now. Anja grabbed the furs in a fraction of a second and covered herself, her face livid. Despite his nakedness, Brynjolf got up and was about to punch the thief in the face when an arm robbed him from his wrath. He heard a slap, a shout of surprise, and another slap, then Vex's voice resonated as loud as Vipir's had.  
\- All members of the Thieves Guild are required in the Ragged Flagon right now. Presence is not optional.  
Brynjolf did not know if that included them or not, but he was not willing to take any risk. He helped the lass into her armour, rubbing her tears away, then put on his pants and took her hand to the tavern. Her face was bright red and she looked more ashamed than he had ever seen her. He whispered in her ear that everything would be okay, but she turned her head away.

Vex was sitting on the bar, looking even angrier than usual. Vipir, who donned a red hand shape on each cheek, was sitting on a stool next to her, his eyes down. Brynjolf caught the Imperial's eyes, and she nodded at him. He took the lass by the waist, half hugging her. She tensed up at first but quickly let herself go, leaning against him. Vex coughed to make herself be heard, even though they were all already paying her their full attention.  
\- What our little Vipir has just said is an example of something that the Guild cannot accept. We are a business, not a gossip centre. What members may be doing together stays between them, and nobody should be shamed for their relationships within or outside the Guild.  
Anja took his hand in hers and squeezed it.  
\- This is not how business works. Fuck each other's brain out all you want, hate everyone, who cares? We are not here to talk behind everyone's back and turn against each other. We're here to make money and follow the rules. If I ever hear anyone here break the one I just gave you, I will personally make sure they end up in Lake Honrich butchered like a pig within the hour.  
The whole Guild, at least all members present, remained still and silent until she waved them away, exasperated. One by one, Vipir first of all, they left, wide-eyed and not daring utter a word to each other. Even Tonilia and Delvin went to bed, not without a reassuring smile to Anja.

Vex jumped down the bar counter. As she walked to the table where her papers still lay scattered, ready for work, Anja suddenly disentangled herself from his embrace and ran to hug her. Vex did not move at first. As far as Brynjolf could tell, this was probably the first time anyone hugged her ever since she had left her family to come to the Guild, save the few partners she found and let go just as soon. She patted Anja's back awkwardly but looked straight into Brynjolf's eyes. What he saw in hers, he could not tell for sure. A threat to treat Anja well or else? A look of understanding? Of approval? When Anja finally let go of her, he put his arm around the lass's shoulders and held up her stare.


	9. Justified

They each went to sleep in their own bed that night. He kept thinking about what had happened. Should he feel guilty about it? Should he have asked that they find more privacy? He tossed against his pillow, never finding rest. He tried looking at her bed on the other side of the Cistern but could not see her in the darkness. He woke up without remembering falling asleep and felt strangely sad. As he got up, Mercer frowned at him a little deeper than usual.

When he stepped inside the Ragged Flagon, he was met by sneering thieves staring at him. Vex was sitting at the bar, not looking at him, but they were apparently too frightened by her to dare say anything anyway. Anja was nowhere to be seen, which was only half a surprise given that she was an early bird and ate before him almost every day. Sapphire was sitting on the edge of the wooden platform and he joined her.  
\- Hey, lass. Staying on your own?  
She looked up and frowned at him. His heart tightened but he gave her his best grin anyway.  
\- Not you too, Sapphire. I would miss your pretty smile if you stopped liking me.  
\- I know what you did, Brynjolf.  
Her mouth was a thin line and did not turn up even a little. She was blushing and seemed deeply hurt.  
\- With Vipir and Vex's little show, I'd wager the whole Guild knows.  
\- Why in Oblivion did you do that to her? She said in the coldest of voices.  
He stopped and looked at the lass for real. How she had changed since she came down in the Flagon for the first time, and yet remained the same. She was twenty now, beautiful as the moonlight, sharp as a blade. But still as stubborn as the day she came in.  
\- We did it because we both wanted to. Sapphire, it's not like that… By Talos, I could punch Vipir right now.  
She snorted, batted her eyelashes and turned her head, refusing to look at him. Had Anja said anything to her? Was he wrong?  
\- I thought you loved her. You defiled her. How could you do that, Bryn? Why?  
Her voice was shaking. For once, Brynjolf was glad that the Guild generally cared little about this lass and that nobody was listening to them. He tried to put his hand on her shoulder to comfort her, but she avoided him and crossed her arms.  
\- Lass, Anja wanted it. We both wanted it, the Fleet was lying.  
\- She's barely more than a girl and you're already abusing her. I thought you were a good man. I can't believe it. I could barely sleep. Anja wouldn't tell me a thing but Delvin told me what you had done.  
\- I didn't… It's not like that. You have to believe me. Ask Anja.  
\- Everyone heard it, Bryn. Everyone knows what you did.  
He knew that all thieves had heard Vipir mocking him. They had also all listened to Vex's little speech and knew that they should not meddle with that particular affair. He had thought he would be free of any consequences beyond simple teasing. He had not thought anyone would believe Vipir over him, especially not a friend. Brynjolf sat on a chest next to Sapphire and put his head in his hands. Why would Sapphire simply not believe him?

Then he looked up at her and understood. He saw her eyes, the tears that were about to roll down her cheeks, her body turned away from him. Her arms were crossed as if protecting herself. It reminded him of that day she had told him about her horrible past with the bandits, and he knew right then that she did not believe him because she did not understand. He had no idea how to make her see things his way. He took a big breath.  
\- What you have to know, lass, is that a man and a woman can do that sort of things without the man forcing himself upon the woman.  
\- What are you talking about?  
He gazed into her blue eyes and did not blink.  
\- What I'm saying is that I did nothing wrong to Anja. We did nothing wrong.  
He was confident enough, but was beginning to feel that he was convincing himself as well. How could he be so self-conscious right now? He had been extremely at ease the night before when Anja was sighing in pleasure with his cock inside her.  
\- Bullocks. You can't slice a man's throat and pretend you did nothing wrong. You can't… use a woman and pretend you are innocent. He's just as dead and she's just as violated.  
\- That's not the same at all. I didn't use Anja, she and I… We made love.  
\- How dare you talk about love! Did love make the bandits force themselves upon me?  
\- The men who did that were less than nothings, and I would have their head if you hadn't already butchered them! But I'm not one of them!  
He was trying not to be wroth, but it was hard. She was confusing him. He was afraid that he would end up regretting what they had done the night before. The memory was still fresh in his mind and he grabbed onto it, trying to give himself some courage and regain his attacked honour. Sapphire was still glaring at him, looking mildly disgusted.  
\- Look, I would never hurt Anja. I don't think I even could. She wanted me to do it with her.  
He could see that she was trying to understand, trying to believe him, but could not. After all, all she had ever known was abuse in the hands of men. How could she know that such acts were sometimes done for pleasure and affection?  
\- Sapphire, look at me.  
She turned her grouching face towards him. He put his hand on her arm with caution.  
\- I would not harm Anja. And I didn't. What we did was consensual and we both enjoyed it. I love her.  
A hand landed on his shoulder, softly. He could recognize that touch between thousands.  
\- And I love him, said Anja and suddenly he was sure everyone in the tavern had heard her.  
Sapphire's eyes went wide, and though she did not seem to be understanding them yet, at least she did not seem angry anymore. Brynjolf hated seeing her sad or angry and hope that Anja, as the woman, would be able to convince her. Her touch on his shoulder lingered but soon, she took Sapphire's hand and led her in a more private place with no prying eyes or ears, one of the alcove around the pond of the Flagon. She gestured for him to follow. The thieves looked at him as if he was going to get both lasses for himself and he glared at them in response.

They sat Sapphire on a barrel and stood before her. The poor lass seemed completely lost, even more when Anja took Brynjolf by the waist. He kissed her on the head and waited. He could feel that Anja was trying to be demonstrative in their affection, which she had used to avoid in front of other people, never anything more than a friendly touch when she knew for sure that people were looking.  
\- I should have told you before.  
Neither said anything and Brynjolf felt Anja's hand tighten against him.  
\- You see, I told you before that Brynjolf and I had been kissing and spending time together.  
Sapphire nodded.  
\- There is in fact a bit more to it…  
\- Go on.  
\- In fact, when two people like each other and are attracted to each other, they might go further than kissing. They might touch each other's bodies. You know what I mean?  
Sapphire obviously did not and Anja did not seem completely comfortable talking about the topic.  
\- We just want you to know that it doesn't have to be bad, said Brynjolf.  
\- How can it not be bad?  
He had no words for that. How could Sapphire get it? She had never received the love of a man. Love tended to be a secret matter in the Guild, so she had never seen any example of it either. Her parents most certainly did not make love in front of their children either, so she could have no memory of them in that regards. And the bawdy jokes told by the members would only persuade her even more that men were disgusting pigs. Vipir never showed any respect for her boundaries, for example. Why would the others be different from the bandits if he was so similar? Anja braced herself and kept trying.  
\- It's kind of like… I don't know… a bottle of mead? If someone crushes it on your head it hurts, but if you drink it, it's good.  
\- That is a ridiculous comparison.  
Brynjolf agreed, but said nothing, keeping his smile to himself. Anja leaned against his side, closing any distance.  
\- What I mean is that it can feel very good if you do it properly. And Brynjolf does it extremely well.  
Sapphire displayed a face half frowning, half disgusted as Brynjolf grinned like a fool.  
\- I did not need to know that.  
\- But you do! Anja cried out. I told you half the truth all these months, and now you know.  
\- I thought he… I thought you were violated last night. I thought it was always abuse when men did things like that.  
\- But it isn't, not always. It can be amazing. Brynjolf and I love each other and it was definitely amazing.  
With those words, Brynjolf's heart swelled with pride and happiness. They had both admitted their feelings. Once again, they had come to a point in life where there was no turning back. He had never loved anyone quite so much as he loved Anja. Feeling her small arm around his waist, her head resting against his shoulder, he felt that he could never be more fulfilled.  
\- Does that mean you two are getting married?  
Both Brynjolf and Anja chuckled awkwardly.  
\- Divines, no, they said at the same time.  
Sapphire looked even more confused than before. It took them an equally long explanation to make her understand that not all people got married when they loved each other.

Brynjolf had to admit that marriage was not something he was interested in. Anja was the religious one. As far as he cared, he wanted her to be happy and to contribute to her well-being, and no vows before an altar were needed. Anja told him there wasn't a day in her life she hadn't prayed to Mara ever since they had started being intimate. She sometimes prayed for Nocturnal to grant them both protection in their endeavours.

He spent the day on errands for Mercer. He liked to think of himself as Mercer's right hand, but he knew he still had a lot of work ahead of him to ever reach such a position. Their Guildmaster believed in tough love, or maybe simply toughness. Brynjolf's body was completely sore by the time he got back in the Ragged Flagon that evening. Surprisingly, Vex had saved him a seat next to her. He sat down and started eating, glancing at her a bit nervously. He was not a soft fellow, at least not when it came to business, but he knew that Vex was even tougher.

She broke the silence and put the dagger she had been eating with down.  
\- Brynjolf, she said in a low voice.  
\- Vex.  
\- I like Anja. She's a good girl, she's a good thief, and we need her here.  
He held up her stare, knowing he had nothing to be ashamed of.  
\- Don't you dare hurt her. I'll know and I'll be there to make sure you regret it.  
\- I will never hurt Anja.  
\- Good. It'd be a shame to scar your handsome face.  
He smiled at her in the most sincere way and winked. Vex was not what he could call a friend but she had taught him a lot of what he knew and she had often been there for him when he needed help, at least as far as thieving went. He had no idea how old she was, but he assumed she was at least ten years older than him. Too young to be a mother figure, and he would never forget his mother enough to replace her in his heart, but old enough to be like a grumpy older sister. With a soft spot for Anja.

The lass came bashing in through the Ratways entry, looked around the tavern, and walked briskly after spotting him.  
\- Bryn, I…  
She noticed Vex, looked at her in the eyes. The older woman nodded.  
\- I've been looking for you, said Anja in a loud voice.  
\- I'm all ears, lass.  
\- I've rented a room at the Bee and Barb. You coming?  
\- Well, who am I to refuse a pretty lass? he replied, trying to keep his voice lower than hers.  
Anja took his hands, pulled him to her and gave him a lingering kiss. There were whistles all around them.  
\- Don't bother waiting for us, Vex, we're spending the night.  
The Imperial smirked. Brynjolf saw pride in her eyes, something that she seldom displayed for someone else than herself.

Anja led him through the tavern and the Ratways almost running.  
\- Come on, come on, come on!  
He followed her through the corridors, through the stairs once they were out, and they barged in the inn, breathless. Talen-Jei saw them walk through the room and nodded at her, confirming she had paid for the night. Anja went running up the stairs first, looking back at him with a suggestive wink. As soon as they went through the door, Anja slammed it shut, barred it closed and pressed herself against him, her hands all over his body.  
\- I want you, she whispered against his mouth. I love you.  
He kissed her deeper than he ever had, walking her to the bed. They loved each other all night, fell asleep in each other's arms hours later. Brynjolf heard her mutter a prayer to the ladies Mara and Dibella and hugged her closer to him. He let her pray. They had been blessed. They had something to be thankful for.


End file.
