Oblivion's Shadow

XII. Infiltrated

Brynjolf headed toward Windhelm's Stone Quarter to see what rumors he could pick up in the busy marketplace. He knew it wouldn't be hard to eavesdrop, but keeping his mind on track instead of drifting to the past night would. Just the realization that he had made love to a Daedric Lord through Macayla was hard to comprehend.

He meant what he said to Macayla, that he was intimate with her, not Nocturnal, but after they had calmed down last night, what they had done hit him. It was just hard to believe that he had done such a thing. Secretly, he hoped Nocturnal had enjoyed it.

He meandered through the stalls, pretending to be interested in the wares, but he purposely drifted close to groups of people. Nearly all of them were worried, talking about packing up their home and leaving Skyrim. Their fear concerned Brynjolf—it seemed like the dremora had become bolder and more aggressive, probably attacking a town or travelers.

He needed more information, so he approached one of the groups. "Excuse me," the group of four women and two men turned toward him. "I overheard you talking about moving your family; what's happened?"

A female Nord's eyes widened. "You haven't heard? Dremora attacked Riften."

"Rumor has it that everyone was slaughtered, and the city burned to the ground," a man added.

"Even cities with guards can't protect it. Who can say the guards can protect us here? I have to protect my family, so we're leaving," a blonde woman said.

"Why would they attack there? There's nothing there but thieves," a Dark Elf mused.

Brynjolf didn't hear what was said about his reaction as he sprinted for Windhelm's gate. Absolute fear had taken over his body. Aadalyn and his thieving family stayed in the forefront of his mind. The guards stationed on the bridge leading to the city shouted at him for running, but he never slowed.

When he reached their camp set in the entrance to a cave, Macayla and Karliah were seated on rocks and talking with laughter pulling at their lips. They looked up at the sound of his approach, then jumped up in alarm at him running.

"What's happened?" Macayla demanded.

"Dremora... have attacked... Riften," Brynjolf said through gasps of air; their eyes widened in shock. "They said there's... nothing left."

Horror and fear passed over the women's faces before Macayla grabbed his hand and they took off running toward Riften.

***

Even before they reached Riften after their four-day run, smoke confirmed the rumors. They pushed their exhausted bodies harder through the Autumnal Forest. They emerged on the south gate but skidded to a halt and could only gape.

There wasn't a south gate anymore; in fact, there wasn't a wall encircling the city anymore—it lay in ashes. Bodies of soldiers, humans, and livestock lay dead near where the stables used to stand. Macayla recognized the Redguard she had helped on her first visit to Riften, Shadr, and the stable owner, Hofgrir Horse-Crusher, among the dead.

With the wall mostly gone, Riften had nothing to hide its equal destruction. Homes and businesses had burned, some as gray ashes and others scorched with still burning timbers. The Bee and Barb still stood, but its roof had collapsed from fire. Even from where they stood, they could see lumps of more bodies littering the streets.

They gawked at the destruction for a second before they rushed toward Riften's graveyard. Macayla worried about the fate of all the thieves, but her concern for her daughter nearly overwhelmed her—even Nocturnal was frantic.