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<\/p>\nDagnell headed home to Honeyside, then downstairs to kick off her boots and peel herself out of her Nightingale armor. \u00a0It was nice, but she intended to slide back into her Guild armor. She had a couple of plain robes in her wardrobe; grabbing one of them, she scooted into the tub, hoping that the warm water would help her relax.\u00a0 Her hair needed to be washed.\u00a0 The rest of her needed to be washed.\u00a0 She did those things, then sat at the bottom of the tub, water up to her ears. She felt warm and clean. But she wasn\u2019t relaxed.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
I am insane, she thought. It\u2019s not the first time I\u2019ve thought that, but this time I\u2019m certain of it. These are not the acts of a sane human being, especially one who was dead-set on getting to Cyrodill just a few months ago.\u00a0 I should have been packing to leave but I just asked the head of the Thieves Guild to marry me.\u00a0 And he agreed. What is going through my head?<\/p>\n
She got out and dried off, then dressed in the robe and padded barefoot around the house fussing with little things.\u00a0 She arranged books in the bookcase, made sure her few jewels were still safely stowed in the strongbox, checked to see that the forge was still glowing.\u00a0 She looked around, hoping Brynjolf wouldn\u2019t object to living here with her, because she surely wasn\u2019t going to live in the Cistern and have the entire Guild aware of their married life. There was everything they could need here, it was comfortable, and it was just a few steps from the Guild.<\/p>\n
Back upstairs, she ground some ingredients that she\u2019d been neglecting into potions and checked on the food stores, pausing occasionally to shake her head at the absurdity of what had just transpired.\u00a0 She fixed a light meal and sat by the fire to eat it, staring at the flames. She had no idea what Brynjolf had meant by \u201csoon.\u201d It was warm and cozy by the fire, though, and slowly her thoughts stopped racing and her tension started to fade.<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n
A click brought her out of her reverie; the door opened quietly. Brynjolf filled it, blocking the light, but there was no mistaking him.<\/p>\n
\u201cI see I need better locks,\u201d she said, pretending to look cross.<\/p>\n
He chuckled. \u201cI thought I should come to see what it\u2019s like here if we\u2019re going to\u2026\u00a0 Do you know, I\u2019m having a hard time even saying it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re having second thoughts?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u00a0 I just never thought I\u2019d be in this situation. I\u2019m actually amazed that you aren\u2019t the one having second thoughts. Sorry I just let myself in.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAs though I could keep you out, thief. I like this house, and I like having you in it. I never thought I\u2019d be saying I want to live in Riften but I do, and I want to keep you here with me.\u00a0 What have you to say about that?\u201d<\/p>\n
He looked around in appreciation, taking in everything. \u201cI can\u2019t believe that I\u2019ve never actually been in this house before. Delvin has, and some of the others, but not me. I think it will do. It\u2019s not full of cobwebs and grunge,\u201d he said, grinning.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re never going to let me live that down, are you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNot ever,\u201d he agreed.<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n
Dag led him down to the lower level, where he toured the smithy room, the enchanting room, and the small extra bedroom, nodding as he took them all in.<\/p>\n
\u201cI like this,\u201d he said. \u201cMaybe I\u2019ll be able to work out some frustrations on a bit of steel now and then, give old Balimund a run for his money.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCould you, indeed?\u201d Dag asked him mischievously, leaving just enough ambiguity in her tone to let him wonder what she meant.<\/p>\n
He swatted at her. \u201cI made a fairly decent apprentice-level smith once upon a time.\u00a0 I\u2019m sure it would come back to me if I ever had the time to practice.\u201d\u00a0 Dag found that mental picture intensely appealing, Brynjolf in something other than black leather and sweating over a bit of white-hot steel.\u00a0 She was very warm, and it wasn\u2019t simply because of the forge.<\/p>\n
His eyes lit up when he saw the tub.\u00a0 \u201cAhh!\u201d he said, with obvious appreciation. \u201cThat will be a treasure after a long day, for certain, lass.\u00a0 A nice bottle of ale and a warm soak for these old bones? I could get used to that.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTo hear you talk a person would think you were ancient.\u00a0 I don\u2019t see an old man here.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know how old I am, lass, not exactly.\u201d He turned to look at her. \u201cI never had family to tell me such things.\u00a0 But near as I can figure it I must be closer to forty than to thirty.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dag had a twinge of sadness. We\u2019re all just a bunch of orphans, aren\u2019t we.\u00a0 She stepped closer to him and poked him in the chest, three times.<\/p>\n
\u201cI.\u00a0 Don\u2019t.\u00a0 Care.\u201d<\/p>\n
He smiled again, then looked over her shoulder to the room behind her. His eyes twinkled with mischief.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd this is\u2026?\u201d he said, walking into the room with the big double bed. Dag hesitated for a moment before slowly following him in, to find him standing with his back to her, looking into the wardrobes on the far side of the room.<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n
\u201cYou know perfectly well what this is, Bryn. I\u2019ll wager you\u2019ve seen such a thing once or twice in your life.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brynjolf turned to face her, grinning because he\u2019d already undone all of the straps and buckles on his armor\u2019s jacket. He walked over to her and wrapped his arms gently around Dag, and she slid her hands under his leathers, onto his chest and down his belly, just exploring his shape. He was muscular, hard, with just a sprinkling of red hair, his skin surprisingly soft, and he was very warm. Stendarr\u2019s mercy<\/em>, she thought. I shall now die and go to Sovngarde a happy woman<\/em>.<\/p>\n His voice, that deep purr of a great beast, rumbled next to her ear. \u201cI have seen such a thing, but I haven\u2019t seen it with you, and I don\u2019t want to waste another night playing games.\u201d\u00a0 As usual with Brynjolf, it was not a question, but a statement.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t either.\u201d<\/p>\n As Dag fumbled with the front of her robe, her fingers refusing to do what she intended, he finished removing his leathers.\u00a0 Dag stopped and stared. He was, to her eye, magnificent, every inch of him from tip to toe. She had always expected that, really, but\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cNot bad for an old man,\u201d she murmured, to be greeted by a mischievous smile.\u00a0 He knows how fabulous he is, the bastard. Always figured he did. She suddenly laughed, seized by a thought that had to be said.<\/p>\n \u201cSo do you really make love like a saber cat?\u201d<\/p>\n He laughed again, the big hearty laugh.\u00a0 It is a good laugh, Dag thought. I want to hear it forever.<\/p>\n \u201cWell now. I\u2019m fresh out of Falmerblood Elixir at the moment, but let\u2019s see,\u201d he replied, and helped her shed her robe.<\/p>\n It happened that Brynjolf was anything but a gentle lover. In fact, he was a bit startlingly opposite that. \u00a0He was experienced, that much was clear, and he knew exactly what he wanted and how to give her what she wanted. Dag found herself responding in kind, the accumulated desire she hadn\u2019t recognized before finally finding an outlet as they were utterly consumed by doing what two thieves did best \u2013 taking what they wanted to have, exuberantly, joyfully. It was as though they had known each other through several lifetimes and had finally found each other again, and it felt familiar, comfortable, and right.<\/p>\n After a great while, they lay beside each other, catching their breath. Brynjolf turned to look at her and laughed.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, well,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat was<\/em> that?\u201d Dag asked, grinning back at him.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not quite sure,\u201d he snickered. \u201cI\u2019m sorry, lass, I think I haven\u2019t behaved very well in the past few hours.\u201d<\/p>\n Dag laughed. \u201cIt\u2019s all right.\u00a0 The feeling was mutual.\u00a0 I hope you could tell.\u201d<\/p>\n He grinned at her.\u00a0 \u201cIt did seem that way, but we\u2019re new at this part of things, aren\u2019t we.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI think I\u2019m glad that this room is underground,\u201d she snickered.\u00a0 They had rather made a lot of noise. \u201cAlthough I wouldn\u2019t put it past DELVIN<\/em>,\u201d she yelled, \u201cto have been listening at the door up there.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell he got his money\u2019s worth if he was,\u201d he laughed.<\/p>\n Dag smiled at him, then snuggled in close. Look at that, she thought, admiring them tangled together.\u00a0 Another pale Nord.\u00a0 She sighed happily as he slid one large arm around her and pulled her onto his shoulder. \u201cI still can\u2019t believe I just walked up to you wearing an Amulet of Mara. I think I was crazy. I wasn\u2019t even sure you\u2019d notice.\u00a0 Or that you\u2019d be offended by the whole idea. Really, I\u2019m just not very important in the grand scheme of things, and you\u2026 are.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou did catch me by surprise a bit, the way you led me into noticing it,\u201d Brynjolf said. “That was a slick maneuver.\u201d\u00a0 Then his voice became soft.<\/p>\n \u201cI want to tell you some things, and I don\u2019t know how well I\u2019ll do it because, like I told you, I\u2019ve learned to keep things to myself.\u00a0 So just listen, alright?\u201d<\/p>\n Dag nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cI knew you would be a natural for the Guild the first time I laid eyes on you. It\u2019s my job to find the new recruits because I\u2019m good at spotting them. I\u2019m not just bragging about that, lass, before you give me a hard time about it.\u201d<\/p>\n Dag laughed.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not kidding. I knew something was up from the moment you walked into the city and I heard you laugh about the Falmerblood Elixir.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou heard that??!\u201d<\/p>\n He grinned. \u201cOf course I did, lass, just like you heard me. That sell works on lots of people, but I\u2019d never had someone outright laugh at it before. You knew a con when you heard it, and that just made me all the more certain I was right.\u201d<\/p>\n He stopped to brush a light kiss across her lips and push a stray strand of hair out of her face.<\/p>\n \u201cSo I watched you, before you joined the Guild and after. I knew you were important, more important than most of the others I drag into our little family.\u00a0 I just didn\u2019t know why. \u00a0Until you and Mercer were fighting\u2026\u201d He trailed off, his eyes raging.<\/p>\n \u201cI thought he was going to kill you right in front of my eyes. I couldn\u2019t stop fighting with Karliah, and I couldn\u2019t do a single thing about it. I would have torn him to pieces with my bare hands if only I could have gotten to him, and not just because of what he did to the Guild. That was when I finally figured out that you were important, not just to the Guild but to me.\u00a0 But I thought that by that point you probably hated me, after \u2026 well, after what happened before, in the Cistern. I wouldn\u2019t have blamed you.\u00a0 I wasn\u2019t ever going to say a word to you about it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI wanted to break your nose, but I didn\u2019t hate you. I tried to, but it didn\u2019t work.\u201d<\/p>\n He laughed. \u201cIt\u2019s odd, though.\u201d\u00a0 He paused, obviously considering his words. \u201cI don\u2019t know exactly how to say this and I hope you won\u2019t take it in the wrong way, but – I\u2019ve never had much trouble finding someone to warm my sheets before, lass.\u201d\u00a0 Dag smiled. Many women tended to fall for dangerous men and he was nothing if not that. She was glad of it.<\/p>\n \u201cYes. You\u2019re a wonder.\u00a0 I remember.\u201d<\/p>\n He grinned. \u201cYou\u2019ll even hear some of the rogue\u2019s gallery down in the Flagon try to tell you I bedded Vex. Not that I didn\u2019t try, mind you, but it didn\u2019t work out.\u00a0 Her eyes were elsewhere and she made sure I knew it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cVald,\u201d she said, rolling her eyes.\u00a0 She could imagine how unequivocal a rejection from Vex would be and it made her want to laugh.<\/p>\n \u201cAye. My greatest failure, you might say. Back to the point, though,\u201d Brynjolf continued. \u201cYou were different.\u201d<\/p>\n Dag heard the echo of her first steps into the Ragged Flagon.\u00a0 \u201cThis one\u2019s\u2026different.\u201d\u00a0 She smiled at him.<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t want to just bed you like some tavern wench. Well, at first you made me too annoyed to even think about it, but even after I did, I didn\u2019t know how to even speak to you about it, and that\u2019s the first time that\u2019s ever happened to me. There weren\u2019t any words for it. Trust me, if I\u2019d had them I would have tried. I was convinced you weren\u2019t interested, and then after my little outburst, well.\u201d He grimaced. \u201cSo I just put it to the back of my mind.\u201d\u00a0 Then he smiled. \u201cExcept once. You told me I have beautiful eyes. It was very hard to let go of you right then.\u201d<\/p>\n Dag groaned.\u00a0 \u201cI really said that out loud.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAye.\u201d He stopped and looked at her again, questioning. \u201cI still don\u2019t understand why you picked me, lass. I\u2019m just an old thief. I\u2019m not good looking. And you\u2019ve seen the state of my wealth after Mercer got done with it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBrynjolf,\u201d she said, running her hand down his arm. \u201cYou don\u2019t have to give me things.\u00a0 I can take<\/em> things. I always have. You and I, we\u2019re good at making coin, and we\u2019ll be even better if we\u2019re working together. The wealth will take care of itself.\u201d She paused, thinking.<\/p>\n I don\u2019t even know what words I need, myself.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t think a person can choose who to love. All I know is that I don\u2019t want to be without you, not any more. You\u2019re\u2026 my partner. You\u2019ve been that ever since you asked me to help frame Brand-Shei.\u00a0 You\u2019re my friend.\u00a0 I love you. \u00a0It doesn\u2019t have to make any sense, it just is.\u201d<\/p>\n He smiled. \u201cI can\u2019t honestly say that I ever thought I\u2019d hear someone tell me that again and mean it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell I do. I\u2019m just as surprised as you are. I certainly never expected to find anyone again. Just like you said, it never works out. When I first got to Skyrim I met someone up in Kynesgrove who I really cared for, but that didn\u2019t work out either.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh.\u201d\u00a0 He looked at the ceiling. \u201cThe \u2018friend\u2019 you took with you on the Honningbrew job,\u201d he said, stressing the word.<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d\u00a0 She cast him a sideways look.\u00a0 \u201cWhat, were you actually jealous?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTruthfully? A wee bit, I think, but I wouldn\u2019t have admitted it even to myself, even if I had realized what it was.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s a good man, far too good for the likes of me. But it doesn\u2019t matter.\u00a0 I\u2019m sure I\u2019ll never see him again.\u201d She couldn\u2019t help it; she knew she looked sad for a moment, even though she tried to hide it.\u00a0 Brynjolf just watched her, thoughtfully. She paused for a moment, gathering her thoughts.<\/p>\n \u201cIt really is<\/em> all Mercer\u2019s fault, you know. When he tried to kill me at Snow Veil Sanctum he made it clear that he was going to make you hate me. I don\u2019t remember ever feeling so frantic before.\u00a0 I don\u2019t ever want to feel something like that again.\u201d She shuddered a bit just remembering it.<\/p>\n \u201cI hardly know what to say.\u00a0 Except that if I have my way, you won\u2019t ever need to feel like that again. I want you to be mine, lass, and I\u2019m a fool for not telling you sooner.\u201d\u00a0 He held her even tighter.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve been yours for an awfully long time now, Brynjolf, in one way or another.\u201d\u00a0 She had started to say that as a joke, but it was actually the truth, and saying it made her happy. \u201cI just have one question,\u201d she asks.<\/p>\n \u201cYes lass? What is it?\u201d<\/p>\n Dag knew the answer to this question already.\u00a0 There was no reason to ask it, but she wanted to hear him say it anyway.\u00a0 \u201cWas it \u2013 this – alright?\u00a0 Will I do?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDagnell,\u201d he whispered, and kissed her, gently.<\/p>\n When the kiss was finished, Dag smiled.\u00a0 \u201cWhat did you just call me?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou told me I could call you that, you minx. What should I call you?\u00a0 Thief? Boss?\u201d He kissed her forehead. \u201cShall l call you wife?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCall me lass,\u201d she whispered.\u00a0 Brynjolf smiled, and began to show her again just what he meant in the way that said they had always known each other.<\/p>\n Much later, Dag rose with the idea of making a meal. \u00a0Brynjolf was sound asleep. \u00a0She smiled. I\u2019ll let him sleep, she thought. \u00a0I\u2019ll let him sleep as long as he needs to sleep.<\/p>\n Dagnell headed home to Honeyside, then downstairs to kick off her boots and peel herself out of her Nightingale armor. \u00a0It was nice, but she intended to slide back into her Guild armor. She had a couple of plain robes in her wardrobe; grabbing one of them, she scooted into the tub, hoping that the … <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/baakay.com\/FanFic\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/1-2-23-5.png\")
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<\/p>\nPart II: Shadows<\/a><\/div>\nPrevious<\/a> \/ Next<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"