Trace
Chapter Six: Discontent
Previous Chapter: http://www.loverslab.com/blog/521/entry-3060-trace-chapter-five-devastation/
Next Chapter: http://www.loverslab.com/blog/521/entry-3089-trace-chapter-seven-rejection/
Story
Part 1
It’d been a week since the spat between Trace and Vex and things had calmed down and gone back to normal… well as normal as things could get. After finishing a run around the city, for a while Trace came back to the Flagon and greeted her comrades with a cheerful smile.
Trace: Phew, who knew trying to be a do-gooder was going to be so tiring. It’s like those idiots are incapable of doing anything themselves! I mean really, ‘Can you go get my sword that’s across the bridge,’ are you serious?
Vex: Well it’s not like anyone asked you to butt into other people’s business. Now stop your complaining! You’re only worsening the mood.
Trace sighed. She knew the real reason Vex was being sharp to her. Brynjolf had asked Trace what her plans were in Riften, and she said that she wanted to make amends with Mjoll or at least earn her respect. When she had finished explaining her plan of doing good deeds without messing without messing with the Guild’s business, she and Brynjolf saw Vex run off angrily.
Trace: I’m sorry… you’re right. I’m just a killjoy…
Brynjolf: Leave the poor girl alone, lass. It takes a different kind to know how good she is at what we do and not partake. Especially with how much we’re bringing in now.
Vex: Heh, right… Like a 2% increase in total Guild income is supposed to make anyone want to hop aboard.
Brynjolf: Look, Vex. I know you two still need to talk things out, but can you at least keep a cool head when you’re around others?
Vex: Hmph, whatever…
Brynjolf: Now then lass, I know I said I wouldn’t pry, but what exactly have you been doing? Apparently although people have started to fear the Guild more by the day, they’ve also began to have hope that things might change.
Trace brightened up and went over in front of Brynjolf. She’d wanted to tell of her feats, because there was literally nothing to do down here except shoot arrows from a bow she’d never use and pick locks… She knew how to pick locks, it was her specialty!
Trace: Ehehehee, well, if you must know…
Part 2
Trace: You know how I began ‘helping out those in need?’ Well I can clearly state that I’ve done just that!
Brynjolf: How so, lass?
Trace: Well, first off I helped out ol’ Balimund. He told me the flames of his forge were dying out and in order to rekindle its fires he needed some fire salts.
Trace: They were a pain in the ass to get, but after doing so, he gave me a lifetime twenty percent discount off weapons, armor, and repairs. So if you need any gear or whatever, I’m you girl.
Brynjolf: Nice. What else did you get into?
Trace: Well… Marise Aravel, my personal lookout and one of the finest butchers in the city, she needed some more ice wraith teeth.
Brynjolf: Ah, those buggers are an annoyance to get… Unless—
Brynjolf looked at Trace and she nodded.
Trace: Yeah… after the fire salt incident I decided to just hit up Ingun for a favor. She’s kinda into me—not in that way!! She says that I’ve got a body that’s perfect for experimentations!
Brynjolf: Make sure you don’t get caught up in Black-Briar affairs more than necessary.
Trace: I know, I know… I’ll probably just do something big for her later to avoid experimentation. Hmm… what else did I do?
Trace: I guess I gave the beggars some gold.
Brynjolf looked at her like she had just eaten a live skeever in front of him.
Brynjolf: You didn’t…
Trace: Well they kept asking for change, and it’s not like I didn’t have any to spare. Besides, when I was giving old grumpy Snilf some gold, Mjoll looked my way. She didn’t look displeased, so I think I may be gaining ground in that area.
Trace: Then there was Wujeeta—
Brynjolf: The lizard skooma junkie?
Trace: Yeah.
Brynjolf: I wouldn’t advise messing with junkies. They’re sure to be the death of you.
Trace: All she needed was a health potion, and since I had one on me I gave it to her. Ha! She was so overcome with joy that she ended up hugging me in the streets! Can you believe it?
Brynjolf: Those are all fine and good, lass. But Jalena, what is it that you’re really so giddy about?
Trace diverted her eyes from Brynjolf and started fidgeting around.
Trace: Well… you see… don’t be mad, but I was kind of called into Mistveil Keep to do something big…
Delvin who had been listening the entire time decided to finally join the conversation.
Delvin: Big? We talking taking us out big?
Trace: Nonononono!!
Brynjolf: Then what is it, lass? Just spit it out.
Trace: Well… it was Laila Law-Giver.
Brynjolf/Vex/Delvin: The Jarl!?
Trace: Yeah, she’d heard about my deeds and wanted me to uncover and stop the illegal skooma trade in Riften. Seeing as it was a direct favor from the Jarl, it’s not like I could refuse, but at the same time I didn’t know if Maven was involved…
Part 3
Delvin: Then you should have asked, girl. What if Maven was involved? Then what? Were you going to sabotage things with her? Effectively straining the relationship between ourselves and the Black-Briars? Are you out of your mind?
Trace: Oh no… I never even thought of what might happen to the Guild. You mean, by taking this job you all may be ruined?
Trace: Come on, dad. I’m no slouch. Maven was there at the time and when I looked at her she gave me the go ahead. So looks like I’m in for a raid.
Delvin: Gods girl! You don’t think. What if Maven weren’t there, what if--
Vex: Don’t worry about her Del. Some people like to hurt their allies for fun. It’s just her nature.
Vekel: Come on now, Vex. You know Trace better than all of us. Stop giving her a hard time.
Vex: You’re going to take her side!!
Vekel: I’m not taking sides. I’m just saying that--
Vex stomped her foot and began to storm off.
Delvin: You’re not going to do anything crazy are ya?
Vex: Who cares… everything’s going to burn either way.
And with that Vex left towards the Cistern.
Part 4
Trace: What gives? Trying to win bad Mjoll’s friendship means losing Vex’s?
Trace cursed herself and the choices she’d made. Mjoll was right, if she was just honest to everyone, if she wasn’t a coward, Trace wouldn’t be in this mess. Heck, she’d probably still be with the Guild as a member.
Brynjolf: Now’s not the time for the waterworks, lass. I need you to go after Vex, NOW!
Trace: What for? She obviously doesn’t want me around…
Brynjolf: Open your ears girl! Vex just took on Goldenglow!
Trace drew back in shock.
Trace: I heard she got injured the last time she went there…
Brynjolf: Aye, and with her being as incensed as she is, there’s no way she’ll come back alive. I need you for this, lass. No one’s as good as you two at infiltrations and break ins.
Trace: Argh!! Why did you even keep the job open for her? You know how she is! You know how stubborn she is!!
Trace she slammed her fist on the table and leaned closer to Brynjolf.
Trace: If anything happens it’s on your hands, Bryn.
Brynjolf: Just bring her back.
Trace closed her eyes and took a deep breath. If she was this enraged already, she wouldn’t have any control over herself when she encountered those Goldenglow goons and it may be her and not Vex that doesn’t make it back.
Trace: Fine… consider it done.
Trace reminded herself that this wasn’t a Guild assignment, that this was a request from a friend to find and help their mutual friend; nothing more, nothing illegal. Gathering herself she began to run as fast as her legs would take her…
Out of the Flagon…
Out of the Cistern…
And out of Riften.
Part 5
Trace knew how fast Vex was and that if she tried to follow by foot, Vex would be dead by the time she got there. Her only option was to ride. She walked over to the stables and stood in front of the stable owner, Hofgrir Horse-Crusher.
Trace: Listen Hofgrir, I need a horse!
Horgrir: Yeah, yeah. Doesn’t everyone.
Trace stepped closer and glared into the Nord’s eyes.
Trace: I said that I need a horse. Now give me one before I pull a Vex and bloody your nose and take one!
Horgrir: Ha! You actually believed that foolish thieving bitch? Unless you got the gold I’m asking for, get out of my face before I make--
Trace was a woman of her word and in one punch bloodied the Nord’s nose and made him crumple to the ground.
She then began to crush his neck with her foot, when she remembered that she wasn’t supposed to be killing people.
Trace: You’re not worth the Brotherhood’s wrath.
Relieving the pressure on his throat, Trace smiled as she realized that the horse was hers for the taking.
Trace: I always told Vex that I wanted to steal one of these… she said it’d be suicide to do it in the middle of the day.
Trace: Oh how wrong she was.
She mounted the horse and took off.
As she rode off she shouted back at the stable owner.
Trace: Thanks again for the horse, Horgrir!
That was going to buy her some time with the guards, and perhaps it was all that she needed.
It didn’t take long for Trace to arrive within view of Goldenglow Estate. Even from across the lake she knew that a frontal attack would be suicide, but it was also the only chance of diverting the attention from Vex’s actions.
Trace: Now for the hard part…
Trace tried to get her horse to go into the water, but it bucked back in return.
Trace: Come on girl. Just bear with it for a bit.
She brushed its mane and rubbed its neck. She whispered that it was going to be okay and again, but slowly, tried to enter the water again with great success.
Part 6
Trace was halfway to Goldenglow when a thought popped into her head: the horse, accidentally or otherwise, was going to give her away. So she doubled back to a small island…
Got off the horse…
And dove right into the lake.
She wasn’t the best swimmer but she was good enough so that she wouldn’t die if she got thrown in some water. It took her some time, but Trace slowly and with as little noise as possible made it to Goldenglow Estate and began to circle around it.
The fighting hadn't seemed to have started yet, which calmed her heart.
Trace: (So they haven’t sighted Vex yet. Thank the Gods! That means I’m not too late yet.
Mercenary 1: Hey what was that?
Mercenary 2: I don’t know why don’t you go and check it out!
The voices weren’t close to her so Trace’s mind came to the only logical conclusion.
Trace: (Oh no!! Vex!!)
The footsteps seemed to be getting further and further away as Trace climbed the wall. She made sure to do so quickly but as silently as possible.
When she got to the top she heard a voice again.
Mercenary 1: Shit, it was just a hare.
Mercenary 2: Then kill it and be done with it! I’m antsy as it is with the hit out on Aringoth by both the Thieves Guild and the Dark Brotherhood--
Trace: (They have the same contract!!!)
Trace closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
Trace: No… Contracts, assignments, Maven, the Guild, the Brotherhood… none of that matters now…
She opened her eyes and a tempered storm seemed to be reflecting back out of them.
Trace: Wait for me Vex… I’m coming!
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