Walk in the Shadows

Thirty-Two

Femke

Like a lazy cat, I stretched out under the soft bedsheets. Oh, it felt so good to sleep so late. I had not had a vacation of any sort in... ever? Bryn and I had already spent three days in Solitude, doing nothing, and we still had a day-and-a-half to go.

As I stretched some more, I realized that something was amiss. The bed was not as warm as it should have been. Bryn was not sleeping behind me. Strange. Why would he not be here next to me? Better yet, why would he not be anywhere in the room?

Where is he?

Just as I sat up to start looking for him, the door to our room opened, and a bedraggled, sopping wet Brynjolf stepped into the room. He grinned sheepishly at me and pushed a wet strand of hair from his face. "Morning, lass."

My eyes widened at the sight of the puddles he was leaving behind. "What on Nirn happened to you?"

He shucked his boots off and tossed them next to the burning fireplace on the far wall of our room. He began working at his bandolier as he plopped into a chair next to the fire. "Did a job for one of the Thanes here. It required swimming."

I crawled out of bed and took the seat next to him, helping him with the many buckles and straps across his chest and shoulders. "It's a good thing that it's warm here. You could get sick otherwise."

"You think I could get sick after living in the Ratway most of my life?" He chuckled and cupped my chin in his big, calloused hand. "You don't have to worry about me, lass." He gave me a quick peck on the lips, then dropped his hand. "I'll be fine."

I got him stripped of the upper portion of his armor, laying the heavy leather in front of the fire to dry. "How much money did you make on this job?"

"Five-hundred septims, plus an enchanted ring." He fished into one of the pockets on his abandoned bandolier, pulling out a small silver ring with a diamond set in the middle. It glowed with a soft green light. "Think this will fit you?"

I laughed under my breath and let him slip the ring onto my right pinky finger. "It's a lovely ring."

"Probably be the last gift you get for awhile, I'm afraid."

I shook my head and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Oh, Bryn. I don't need gifts. I have you. That's all I'll ever need."

His face broke into his signature, crooked grin. "Aren't you going to ask me how the job went?"

I could not stop the scoff that escaped me. "Okay, how did the job go, Bryn?"

"Without a hitch." He leaned back in his seat, arms stretched behind his head and legs crossed in front of him. He looked so pleased with himself. "I've still got it."

I rolled my eyes. Oh, he was so full of himself sometimes. "Yes, at risk of stroking your already-inflated ego, you are the best at what you do."

He laughed under his breath and sat up straight again. "Thank ya, lass."

I slapped him on the chest and helped peel the soaked cotton tunic over his head. "Oh, you... you."

He laughed even harder as I scowled at him.

I stood up and turned my back to him, heading in search of a towel he could use to dry his hair and wipe the excess moisture off his chest. I found a couple hidden away in one of the nightstands. I brought them back to him, along with a fresh change of clothes.

"Why did you take this job?" I asked, sitting down next to him. "We're on our honeymoon."

"I know, lass," he said as he took one of the towels from me, "but we were already here. If I didn't take the job, then someone else would have to travel all the way from Riften to take it. I was merely trying to save the Guild some trouble."

Well, it made sense. I was asleep at the time. We never did say we would not take jobs while we were here. I supposed I could not be angry with him.

Besides, I thought to myself as I stared down at the ring on my finger, this ring is nice.

"So," said Bryn to break the silence that had fallen between us, "what's on the agenda today? More sightseeing? Maybe a walk by the docks?" His eyes sparkled a little as he finished drying out his hair. "Heist one of the shops?"

I grinned back. "No."

He pouted. "Why not? Everyone here is teeming with septims. We could score big."

"And if we get caught, there goes our enjoyable honeymoon. I, for one, want a chance to relax and not worry about getting caught by the authorities." I crossed my arms. "Do you want to spend the first few months—or even years—of our marriage rotting in a cell beneath our feet?"

Slowly, the pout on his face disappeared. "No, not really." He sighed and pulled on the clean, dark blue tunic I had gotten for him. "Sorry, lass."

"Don't be. Thieving is in our blood. It's as natural to us as breathing." I leaned forward in my chair and placed my hand under his chin. I forced him to look at me, at the wicked smile building on my face. "I never said we couldn't heist a shop on our way out tomorrow."

That small promise made his attitude turn right back around. He returned my grin, leaned forward, and kissed me. "Gods, I love you, lass."

My grin widened as I gave him another quick kiss. "I know you do."

And I love you, Brynjolf, with everything I have.