Bab 70: Maven Black-Briar
After triple checking his attire, Rictus left his room to gather up his companions. He was wearing dark red formal wear instead of armor to try and make an appearance of wealth and sensibility. With his spells, armor wasn't really the highest priority anyways.
Instead of his normal guards, he planned on taking Ma'randru-jo, Stalleo, and Rev with him this time, as well as a group of their new mounted riders. Illia and Miruma had their own mission to accomplish. It wasn't long till the group were all mounted and leaving Treva's Watch. A smile tugged at Rictus's face as he looked at their unique group.
Mounted troops were already not very common in Skyrim. A group of 15 all mounted on massive goats was even more unique. Of course his was his familiar Billy, but that was just semantics at this point. He rode in the middle of the formation with his 3 Minions and cavalry commander, Garder Dwarf-Legs. Three riders were scouting ahead and watched their rear, while a couple more were out on each flank.
Instead of actually meeting in Riften, Maven had wished to meet at the Black-Briar Lodge which was just east of the city. They would follow along the road which ran south of Lake Honrich all the way there. 'I am not sure whether to feel more relieved or worried we are not meeting in the city. From what I have heard, the city is basically controlled by the thieves guild at this point, so meeting outside of it is fine by me.'
Everyone was on high alert as they traveled, but nothing of note happened. It was a rather peaceful trip everything considered, and the Rift was quite beautiful this time of year. As they neared the city, Rictus couldn't help studying the home of the thieves guild.
Riften was a massive sprawling city partially on the water. Large slightly dilapidated docks and houses could be seen sticking out over the lake while many small fishing boats were either docked or out in the lake. It was an old city and gave off a sense of history with the traditional architecture of wooden houses with stone bases. A sense of disorder pervaded the place which matched well with the fact it hosted the thieves guild. The wall around the city was covered in moss and would keep out animals, and some of the dumber bandits, but would not hold up to an actual assault. Mistveil Keep was a strong if plain castle which provided a more commanding presence in the sea of chaos that was the city.
As they were riding behind the keep, Rictus felt eyes staring at them from the city. The guards outside of the gate were giving them glances, but others, most likely thieves, were watching from the dark crevasse of the worn wall. He wasn't too worried about them seeing his passage. Besides, nothing he could do about it now anyways. It was strange there was not more guards along the southside of the city, but he was sure their passing had been reported to someone at least. After traveling a little away from the city, they finally reached their destination.
Black-Briar lodge was not nearly as gaudy as he would have thought given the owners. It was partially built into the rocks surrounding it. The large rectangular building had a base of stones with wooden beams atop it which gave it a rustic feel. Chickens roamed around the yard and a small stone stable in the back was filled with horses. A large fortified wooden watchtower overlooked the lodge and the surrounding area. Everything someone would need to survive in relative comfort was here. He sat on his mount for a few minutes while silently staring at the lodge from the hill. Eventually, he spoke up as he urged his mount forward.
"Be on your guard. No telling what kind of trouble will come from this."
Rictus had noticed a few guards in the watchtower, but they didn't stop them as they approached the lodge. His various sight related spells revealed 5 guards in the watchtower with another 10 people in the lodge. A couple people in the house appeared decently talented, but nothing worrisome. There was one unique signature, but that was it. He even made sure there were no void pockets like he had experienced from the assassin at the embassy either just in case this was an assassination attempt.
It wasn't long before the person of the hour walked out to greet them. Maven Black-Briar was a commanding woman. The way she walked exuded a mix of confidence and arrogance. She was a woman who knew her worth and wasn't afraid to use whatever means to get what she wanted. Rictus was pleasantly surprised how attractive she was as well. Despite having adult children, she could be mistaken as one of their siblings instead of their mother. Looking at Ingun standing at her side only confirmed his thoughts. She looked like a slightly younger version of her mother. Walking behind them with a disgruntled look on his face was a huge man wearing steel armor. If Rictus's information was accurate, this would most likely be Maul, Maven's right-hand man.
Maven wasted no time as she approached him.
"It is good you showed up so quickly. Such punctuality is a promising sign for our future ventures."
He gave her a little bow at her words.
"When one receives an invitation from Maven Black-Briar, it is a good idea to follow up on it as soon as possible. Rictus of the Restored at your service."
A controlled smiled appeared on her face as he stroked her pride. 'She probably thinks I rushed over here immediately to hear her request. Makes a much better impression if she things that instead of knowing I just took a teleporter most of the way here and then leisurely rode along the lake.'
"Before we go inside to discuss the reason I called you, I must thank you for protecting my daughter at the embassy. I do not forget those who help me."
She then turned and started leading them inside, assuming everyone would just follow her. He was a little surprised she offered thanks so easily, but it made sense. Maven deeply cared about the idea of family. Not saying she actually cared about her family, more like she cared about the family legacy and name. Losing two potential heirs to the Black-Briar family would greatly hamper the family going forward which is something Maven wouldn't stand for.
Rictus motioned for Ma'randru-jo and a couple of the warriors to join him as he headed inside. The rest would stay outside and watch for any potential dangers. As he neared the door, Maul turned around and stopped him.
"Leave your weapons here at the door."
Rictus patted his shoulder as kept walking. Maul froze up at the touch.
"I think we will keep our weapons. Good try though."
He could see Maven nod her head as they kept going on in. Seems like it was a little test for them. They all walked in while Maul stayed completely still for a few more seconds. He took a shuddering breath as he suddenly relaxed. What Maven hadn't noticed, was that Rictus had paralyzed him which was why he hadn't said anything more. The guard mumbled to himself as he followed after them all.
"I better get a good bonus from all this. Damn mages."
The group ended up in a comfortably appointed study. Bookshelves covered the back wall, and an empty fireplace dominated another wall. Large windows let in the sun's light to brighten up the room. Ledgers could be seen on the large wooden desk Maven sat behind. Ingun and Maul flanked her with bored expressions while Rictus sat in an uncomfortable wooden chair before her. The chair was obviously a powerplay, but he didn't really mind. Being able to levitate made any chair comfortable, and he wasn't particularly intimidated by her. The Black-Briar Matriarch wasted no time before getting down to business.
"I would like to hire you and your people. As I am sure you know, I have numerous holdings which others would love to get their hands on. Your people would provide some extra security. I am willing to pay handsomely to ensure the safety of my interests."
He couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at her words.
"Security? I find it hard to believe you would invite me personally all the way out here for something as simple as that. If that was all you wanted, then all this could have been done with our subordinates."
Her face gave nothing away, but the two people behind her were not as stoic though. Indicating he was right in his suspicions.
"The agreement will be strictly for security and guard duties. You are known for your professionalism, high rate of success, and strength. Your people are also not limited by some ridiculous code of honor like the Companions. Such qualities are exactly what I need right now."
"Are you sure this has nothing to do with the change in leadership at the thieves guild? I bet changes in Dark Brotherhood also could play into this."
That got a small reaction. She stiffened up at the claim while her left eye barely twitched.
"What do you mean?"
Hearing the deflection caused him to sigh.
"Did you really expect me to blindly rush in without doing a little homework? It is commonly known you have contacts in the thieves guild and the brotherhood. Some may even say you control the thieves guild. Normally, you would be off limits from the Brotherhood, but the fact that your son and a thane you kept in your pocket were targeted is very telling. Additionally, the fact we are having this meeting here instead of at your manor in the city also indicated that you are not entirely comfortable there anymore."
They held eye contact for a few tense seconds before Maven started looking a little annoyed. The part about the thane was mostly a guess, but her look confirmed his suspicions.
"I guess it was foolish of me to hope you were a simple mercenary. There has been a lot of changes to the status quo recently. Not long ago a Khajiit woman joined up with the thieves guild. She was quite skilled which was a welcome change from the beggars Brynjolf normally recruits. It didn't take long before she was quickly rising in reputation and skill."
A break happened as she took a sip from a cup sitting before her.
"The troubles started after the disappearance of Mercer Frey. I know for a fact she is responsible, but there was no evidence. At the time, I wasn't worried since it shouldn't really affect my operations. Oh, how wrong I was. The Black-Briars have a long history with the guild, and this hussy is causing problems for me. She has proclaimed herself guild leader which has divided the guild's loyalties. She has their respect while I have their purse. Something must give, and it won't be me."
Rictus sat back in his chair as he thought about the things he was just told. It all kind of lined up with what he had theorized already. While it wasn't concrete, it partially confirmed his fears of the Skeleton Key being in the possession of a Skilled. Such an artifact could wreck all kinds of havoc. He didn't know the full capabilities of it, but the little he knew or had heard about was daunting. Combining its power and an original Skilled's knowledge could be disastrous. If that person had really wanted Maven gone, she would be dead by now.
"That sounds more like an assassination request. Wouldn't the dark brotherhood be the better route to go with that?"
Another frowned marred Maven's face at the mention of the brotherhood.
"They also have been going through a more…traditionalist… movement. My main point of contact in the brotherhood is no longer there."
He could roughly guess what this meant. The brotherhood had basically devolved into a fancy assassin's guild, but then Cicero brings the Night Mother which changes things. If someone picked that as their start and became the listener, things would definitely be different than what Maven had grown accustomed to. Strangely, there had been no reports of the Penitus Oculatus striking the Falkreath despite the emperor already dying which told him they did not follow the original questline.
"Saying your main point of contact is gone implies you have another point of contact. Maybe you can lean on them."
"Of course, I can but that is a card I won't play just yet. Hence why you are here. Your people are not needed for any kind of assault. I can handle that on my own. Brining enough force to bear though would leave my holdings weakened though which is something I cannot stand. You will be the guards and my insurance policy in case things do not go as planned. There is a chance doing this would also help some of your other caravans from getting hit down."
It wasn't a bad deal for the Restored. He knew there was probably more to it than simple guard work though. Maven would probably try and get some of her enemies to attack his people so that there would be less resistance to her fighters while also gauging the Restored's capabilities. If they defended successfully, Maven would weaken her enemies. If they failed in their defense, Maven would still have weakened her enemies, and the Restored would have to cover the loss in damages. A win for her no matter what.
Still, this could be a good deal. She basically admitted it was the thieves guild targeting the groups his people guarded here. Decreasing the attacks against his people in the south while also having Maven as a business partner, even if only temporarily, would be a good thing. The Black-Briars had their own information ring, and this could give him a chance to partially subvert it to his side.
"I am very tempted by the offer since it would be beneficial for us on a few different areas. I do have a question for you though."
"What is it?"
"I apologize for not being able to keep my curiosity under control any longer, but is that person hiding in the chimney one of your guards or a spy? It can't be comfortable in there."
Maven's eye widened in surprise as a curse escaped her mouth. Maul quickly ran over there as Ingun looked away from the alchemy book on the shelf. Before Maul could make it over there, a figure wearing some dark armor dropped from the chimney and entered the room with their hands held out before them and spoke in a feminine voice.
"Easy, easy. I mean you all no harm."
The figure was wearing dark bluish black armor with overlapping leather pads and fingerless gloves. A short black cape was on their back while a hood and mask completely blocked off their face. The hood somehow covered their face in an unearthly darkness which was impossible to see through and the armor made it difficult to stay focused on her even in such a well lit room. Maul had his sword pointed at the intruder as Maven stood up with her dagger drawn and a shock spell primed in her hand.
"You better give me a good reason you are here, or else you will not be leaving this place fully intact or alive."
The venom in her voice was unmistakable. Rictus just sat calmly in his seat as he watched the show before him. The woman was obviously in nightingale armor which piqued his interest greatly.
"You are all in danger. I am here warning you because I need your help in stopping her and getting back something she took."
Maven looked on with a tiny amount of curiosity as she lowered her blade.
"Are talking about who I think you are?"
Light began shining from a small totem at Rictus's wrist as he suddenly stood up drawing everyone's eyes to him. He stared outside the building as he started making his way toward the door.
"Why don't we head outside and see? Seems we have some guests outside who are waiting on us. It would be rude of us not to greet them."
Maven, Ingun, Maul, and the Nighingale looked at him in confusion before noticing a commotion happening outside the window. They soon followed after Rictus worried about what could be happening.
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
Pepey_LePew
Pepey_LePew Thanks for taking the time to read my story. I would love to hear your thoughts on it and how I can improve. Comments give me lots of ideas and inspiration on what to do in the story.
For those couple still reading and looking for something new I may have something for you. Cucumber slices can fight bad breath. If you don’t have a mint on hand, use a slice of cucumber instead. Although, the fact you have a cucumber on hand and not a mint probably indicates you are doing something by yourself.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone