Eight Of Heroes *Skyrim*

Chapter 1: The Bee and Barb

Leonde skimmed the rim of his mug delicately with a finger, "Is that all Maven?" He asked cooly, his voice low, eyes shadowed beneath his hood.

The Riften inn was packed full of drunken parties, crammed together under the cosy roof. The atmosphere warm and cheerful with the fire crackling and drinks that kept coming and coming. Leonde Dilius and Maven Black-Briar were seated away from the drunken clatter towards the end of the room. Maven sat back in her chair with a rather agitated expression on her face as she resisted the urge of a sudden outburst against the annoyingly loud ruckus in the room.

"That is all," she replied, her tone clipped. "Will you be needing any more information or can I finally go and get some peace away from these imbeciles?"

Leonde shook his head in amusement, his attention seeming to be more focused on the strange coin being skilfully spun through his fingers. He was participating in an average Thieves Guild errand, and Maven Black-Briar was a common customer of the Thieves Guild. One of the most powerful women in Riften - maybe even Skyrim - didn't gain such respect without making a few enemies beforehand. So naturally, Leonde had been given the mission to frame an enemy of Maven's; landing the idiot safely in jail where he could do no more harm.

"I won't be needing anything else," he told her smoothly. "I can work on the information you've given me fine. And I suppose we can just discuss the coin reward once the job is complete as always. Are you leaving now or can I get you another drink?"

Maven narrowed her eyes, pursing her lips as Leonde revealed an alluring grin underneath his hood, "I think I'll pass on that one Leonde, I have other errands to attend to."

Leonde just gave her a nod, the grin not wavering from his face, "I shall see you again soon then." And he stood up, walking over to the bar for another drink.

***

"Open your mouth again and you're going to be floating face down in Lake Honrich before you know it!" Eliza snapped at an intoxicated Imperial whom had been stumbling about the inn, slurring some bard song for the past hour or two.

A few of the inn's more mature commoners grunted in agreement while the Imperial was steered off from the bar by a friend. ​ It was another night after a demanding job and all Eliza wanted was some quiet drinking time to herself - this was difficult whilst there was fools such as this who felt the need to ruin everyone's night with their drunken ranting and raving.

"Come on Ertius, you've had enough for tonight," the friend of the drunken Imperial's murmured.

"I ain't 'ad enough until I say I've 'ad enough!" The Imperial, Ertius, continued to drawl, staggering back to the bar with a bitter snarl and slammed his palm flat down onto the scratched wooden surface. "Keerava, I wanna 'nother mead," he demanded drunkenly towards the Argonian Inkeeper behind the bar, who only shook her head without saying anything. She went on to polish another mug, yet not attempting to make Ertius another mead.

"Keerava-" Ertius warned, almost stumbling into a stool as he made his way round the bar.

Eliza's grip tightened on her mug as she sensed the beginnings of a fight. But just before the tension rose as another man came up behind Ertius and put a hand on his shoulder, "maybe you should sit down Ertius, I'll get you another drink."

The man behind Ertius could be identified as another Imperial distinguishable by the smoothness of his voice which had amazingly settled down the room, and also the tanned skin of the hand at the drunk's shoulder. Ertius mumbled something quickly under his breath as the hooded Imperial guided him to a seat before walking to the bar himself. Eliza glanced at Ertius, he had passed out, now slumped in the chair with his head lulled backwards against the wall. The drama was over and Eliza turned back to her drink.