Claimed: A Thieves Guild Fanfiction [Revised&Edited]

Chapter 14

Arsha woke and made her way downstairs. The innkeeper looked up at her in surprise. "I wasn't sure you'd ever wake up," she said with a slight chuckle.

"What time is it?" Arsha asked in alarm.

"It's around midnight. You've been asleep for almost 24 hours." The innkeeper replied.

'Oh well.' Arsha thought with a sigh. She worked better at night anyway. After a moment she said, "I'm looking for work. Do you have any bounties available?"

"Some of the Jarl's men came by and dropped this off while you were sleeping. It's a bounty on some bandits at Embershard Mine," the woman replied, handing Arsha a bounty letter with the details.

"I'll take it, thank you," Arsha said as she took the bounty and headed for the door.

"You're not leaving now are you?" the innkeeper asked, surprised.

"The bandits are most active at night. I can't let them claim more victims just because I can't bother to go out in the dark," Arsha responded in what she hoped was a heroic tone. In truth she just needed something to do, and if that included decapitating bandits all the better.

Arsha reached the gates and strode through them purposefully. Instead of stopping her, the guards just moved out of the way. Once she was a good distance away from the city walls she summoned her undead horse, Arvak. Before long, she was riding up the path that led to the mine. She had cleared it out many years ago when she had still borne the title of Dragonborn with pride back when criminals were the only ones who had had reason to fear her name. Now, a new batch of bandits would get to feel her wrath.

She snuck up on the bandit who stood watch and quietly slit his throat. She was inside the mine before the man had a chance to fall. Silent as a shadow she snuck through the mine ending the lives of every bandit she met. In a flash, she was in the final chamber standing over the corpse of the bandit chief. There was an arrow in the orc's skull and two stab marks in his back.

Arsha wiped the blood off of her blades and sighed with content as she surveyed the destruction she had caused. She always had been good at eliminating bandits quickly. Her pride soon dimmed as she remembered the problem that loomed over her. In two more days, she would have to leave and start making her way toward Riften. Brynjolf should arrive today, and if she went moderately fast she could arrive a day before her self-induced one-week deadline. That way she could get a good feel of the mood in the city before she returned to the Guild. Hopefully, Brynjolf would think of a better lie to tell than the one Arsha had dreamt up.

After she had returned to Whiterun, she received the bounty reward from the steward. The next two days passed in a blur. Between stocking up on potions, improving her weapons, and training at the Companions' hall she kept quite busy.

When the sun finally dawned on the day she had to leave, it was raining. 'Great.' she thought bitterly to herself. 'Just great.' It was with an air of great reluctance that Arsha stepped through the gates of Whiterun and started her journey. She hoped to make it all the way to Ivarstead before midnight, but this rain might slow her down. With a sigh, she adjusted her quiver and began to walk. Once she was out of sight of all of the local farms she summoned Arvak and hopped in the saddle. Before too long, the rain cleared up and the sun shone through the clouds.

As she neared the Ritual stone an orc dressed in Whiterun guard's armor called for her to stop. "Halt, in the name of the Jarl!" he said in a gruff, unpleasant tone. "All who pass this way are subject to a tax for the right of travel."

"I was never made aware of this tax as I left the city, guardsman. I hope you are not attempting to con me. That would be a very bad idea." Arsha replied fixing the "guard" with a piercing stare.