The Skyrim Pirates (A Skyrim Fanfiction)

Chapter 11

11.

Jolgar went without a fuss, with only a lingering, trusting look at me before he was lead away, but Ralof wasn't happy about it.

"Why didn't you choose me?" He fumed, looking from Mercer to me angrily.

"Will you let him go?" I asked Mercer, and he laughed softly.

"I always keep my word Viv," He said, and then turned to Ralof.

"The reason I didn't choose you is simple; clearly you are no more than a friend to her, but the Imperial? I'm not so sure," Mercer said thoughtfully, and Ralof looked at me inquiringly while my cheeks reddened involuntarily.

"That's not true!" I told them frostily.

"Aye, of course it's not," Mercer said patronisingly, and I scowled.

"Come on, Stormcloak, let's set you free," He winked, and shoved him toward the door.

Ralof turned slowly, and Mercer pushed him through the door. Not trusting him, I followed them back through the corridors to make sure he kept his word. We entered the first room, and I saw why it was so noisy.

It was a huge room filled with tables and stools, all arranged haphazardly. Hundreds of people, all similarly dressed in fur, sat around, drinking something out of tankards and acting boisterously.

"These are your infamous Pirates?" I asked doubtfully as I watched a man brawl with an Argonian.

"They're better at killing then they are stealing," He admitted as the Argonian drew a dagger and began slashing at the man in whirlwind of scales and steel.

"Be quiet!" Mercer yelled, and immediately the room fell silent.

All faces turned to us, apart from a drunken Khajiit, who laughed and stumbled forward.

"You can't tell me what to do," He jeered at Mercer, who looked at him coldly. The bandits looked at one another nervously. Clearly they were all frightened of him.

"Who are you?" Mercer asked in a coldly polite voice. Evidently not all new recruits got the same special treatment as I did.

"Tesh," He replied, gasping for air as he choked down some more alcohol.

"Do you know who I am, Tesh?"

"No, and I don't care!" He shot back, giggling.

Big mistake.

Immediately, the tension in the room shot through the roof as Mercer grinned coldly.

"You will soon," He promised, drawing out his dwarven sword, and grabbing the Khajiit with his free hand.

I closed my eyes and recoiled as the sounds of tortured feline screams filled the air along with the slashes of a quick blade flying through the air. I felt something hot and wet splash onto my face and my armour. In a few seconds, there was silence once more.

"Don't open your eyes," Ralof advised weakly, and I obeyed.

"Anyone need a new rug?" Mercer asked casually, and someone laughed.

"Come," Mercer said, and I felt him gently hold my hand and pulled me forward blindly. Ralof walked in front of us, and soon we were out into the crisp outside.

I opened my eyes, and saw that the floor was indeed littered with bones and blood. I wrinkled my nose.

"You really need to employ a cleaner," I murmured dryly.

"Are you offering?" He grinned, and I shook my head.

"I'd take fighting to the death over cleaning any day," I replied mildly.

Ralof's bounds were cut, and Mercer pushed him away.

"Off you go."

Ralof turned to me, looking unsure.

"Go, Ralof. I'll see you soon," I said, and my smile wobbled as he nodded slowly and ran off.

"Don't shoot him," I warned Mercer, who frowned.

"How did you know?" He asked.

"Because I know you," I said seriously, and Mercer sighed and held up a hand.

"Don't shoot," He said sadly, and I heard the disappointed groans of the archers above us.

We were stood outside of an old fort, and the archers stood on the highest level, just above the entrance. The sun was beginning to set, and I worried about Ralof.

"Ready to meet your new partners in crime?" He asked, and I frowned.

"I guess I'll have too," I said dejectedly.

"Don't worry, they'll have to treat you with respect. I'm going to make you my second in command," Mercer told me casually.

"Don't I get an official title?" I asked, smiling slightly.

"Of course! Hmm ... what can I call you?" He pondered, studying me.

"How about ... Shadowstep? That can be your official name - hardly any of the men here use their real names. And as for your title ... you can be my Chief Thief," He grinned, and I laughed.

"Shadowstep, the Chief Thief? Do you really trust me that much?"

"We'll soon find out," He said ominously, and then led me back into the once-again rowdy hall.

Thankfully, there wasn't a body in sight when we walked through the room again, though there was a blood patch on the floor. As I gazed at the faces of the bandits, something suddenly occurred to me.

"Mercer-" I started to ask cautiously, when suddenly someone gripped my arms and I was yanked backward by a male Nord.

"Chief, you brought a girl in!" He exclaimed happily, and I tugged my arm out of his grasp.

"I wouldn't do that if I was you," I advised coldly, and all the bandits turned excitedly to Mercer and me.

"This is our newest recruit, Shadowstep. She'll be my Chief Thief, so you better pay her some respect," Mercer warned, smiling, and the bandits watched me with apprehension.

"For the record, if any of you attempt to touch me, you'll end with one less limb then you started with," I warned, and the bandits laughed, but instead of laughing at me, they were laughing with me ... I hoped.

"What makes her any better than us?" One Argonian hissed, who I recognised as the brawler.

"Because she's the last Guildmaster of the Thieves Guild, an organisation too prestigious for any of you to be allowed in," Mercer replied easily, and the insult seemingly rolled off the bandits as water rolls off a duck, as they continued their merry making.

"Prove that your better than us," A deep, familiar voice said from behind me, and I spun around to see an orc. It was the same one that had punched me, and I though it only right that I show him the same courtesy.

"Fine," I said simply, and punched him with all my might.

As he was taller than me, I had to jump slightly to reach my target, but nevertheless my fist connected with his jaw with enough force to floor him. I heard a satisfying crunch before he fell to the floor, looking astonished. The Pirates cheered, and we left the room to laughter. Mercer was chuckling softly, and I couldn't help but grin.

"I don't think he'll be bothering you again," He remarked, and I shrugged.

"He deserved it."

He led me a different way until we came up to a lone room, not too far away from Mercer's room.

"This is your room. The dungeon is just down the hall if you want to visit your 'friend'. I'm sure you can find your own way around for everything else," Mercer said, gesturing to a well furnished room with a double sized bed in the centre. There was another door on the far wall, which on closer inspection lead to a modest bathroom.

"I'll come and fetch you tomorrow - we have work to do," He said, smiling eagerly, and he shut the door behind him.

I sat on my bed patiently until I couldn't hear his footsteps anymore, and then I jumped up and opened the door silently.