As Karliah had said, no one had really questioned two opposite-sex Stormcloak guards slipping off for a little fun, and the two of them were able to leave the Palace of the Kings without suspicion. Ria didn't relax until they got out of Windhelm itself, over the bridge and away towards the Shrine of Talos that overlooked the city, where Brynjolf kept watch while she got changed into her old armour, and then it was her turn to keep watch while he pulled on a set of the same grey armour Karliah had worn. Then away, down the road, through Anga's Mill and not stopping until the Nightgate Inn loomed up in the darkness.
Brynjolf motioned for her to go in first, and Ria did so, looking hesitantly around. She wasn't used to having people around yet... but on the far side was a young Nord girl in the same armour Brynjolf and Karliah had been wearing, and sharing a table with her...
“Vilkas!” Ria cried, tears in her eyes as her Shield-Brother got to her feet. Farkas was there too of course, but it was Vilkas getting up, striding towards her, with a rare smile on his face and tears in his eyes.
“Ria,” he gasped. “Ria!” Next thing she knew she was being swept into a bear hug as Vilkas clung on to her, holding her tight.
“Vilkas,” she whispered, about ready to cry as it hit her she was free, safe, finally out of that horrible prison and if not quite home, back with her Shield-Brothers. “Vilkas, thank the Eight.”
“Are you all right?” Vilkas said, his voice muffled as he clung on to her. “I've been so worried, Farkas and I came out here looking for you, but we couldn't even get near the prison.”
“I'm fine,” Ria said, brushing a tear away. “I mean, I'm really hungry and really tired, but I'm OK. No one hurt me and now I'm out of there, thanks to Brynjolf and Karliah.”
She indicated Brynjolf, just about recovering from being bear-hugged by Farkas, and Vilkas let go of her, holding out a hand to the thief.
“I owe you a debt, Brynjolf,” Vilkas said, shaking Brynjolf's hand. “I wasn't sure you'd ever manage it, and I'm not sure I want to know how, but thank you. From the bottom of my heart.”
“Ah, let's not think on debts owed,” Brynjolf said, sounding a little bit intimidated for once. “Sapphire, were our friends here able to help with our little problem?”
“They sure did!” Sapphire said cheerfully, getting to her feet. “I told them there was a den of thieves needed clearing out, and they were quite happy to help.” She reached into her pack and produced a stolen banner that had clearly once been the property of the Summerset Shadows, but evidently not any more. “Linwe and friends are no more.”
That brought a cheer all round and drinks were poured while Ria ordered half the menu and started tucking in. About half an hour later, Karliah showed up, having successfully eluded the guards and got away, and the celebrating started up anew as a drunken Sapphire pounced on her, hugged her and shoved a Honningbrew into her hands. It was nearly dawn by the time any of them got to bed, and it was early the next evening before they all went their separate ways.
“Where will you go now?” Karliah asked Ria as the three Companions gathered their things.
“Back to Azura's Shrine to start with – Farkas and Vilkas have a Star to return,” Ria said. “After that, who knows? I've got a price on my head in Eastmarch still, but there's still eight other Holds to roam. The Dragonborn can't be everywhere, and the east of Skyrim's suffered horribly from dragon attacks. So I guess we might sort a few of those out.”
“Not back to the safety of Jorrvaskr then,” Karliah said knowingly. “You Companions, you never do the safe thing, do you?”
“Where's the fun in that?” Ria asked and Karliah just laughed.
“What about you?” Ria said finally. “Where are you three going, or should I not ask?”
“Best not to,” Karliah agreed. “Sapphire's got to meet someone for us in Windhelm, and then we've got to return a stolen object to its rightful owner.”
“Now that's got to be a first for you,” Ria said before she could stop herself but Karliah didn't seem to mind.
Re: The Wolf Queen Awakens 19.8
Brynjolf motioned for her to go in first, and Ria did so, looking hesitantly around. She wasn't used to having people around yet... but on the far side was a young Nord girl in the same armour Brynjolf and Karliah had been wearing, and sharing a table with her...
“Vilkas!” Ria cried, tears in her eyes as her Shield-Brother got to her feet. Farkas was there too of course, but it was Vilkas getting up, striding towards her, with a rare smile on his face and tears in his eyes.
“Ria,” he gasped. “Ria!” Next thing she knew she was being swept into a bear hug as Vilkas clung on to her, holding her tight.
“Vilkas,” she whispered, about ready to cry as it hit her she was free, safe, finally out of that horrible prison and if not quite home, back with her Shield-Brothers. “Vilkas, thank the Eight.”
“Are you all right?” Vilkas said, his voice muffled as he clung on to her. “I've been so worried, Farkas and I came out here looking for you, but we couldn't even get near the prison.”
“I'm fine,” Ria said, brushing a tear away. “I mean, I'm really hungry and really tired, but I'm OK. No one hurt me and now I'm out of there, thanks to Brynjolf and Karliah.”
She indicated Brynjolf, just about recovering from being bear-hugged by Farkas, and Vilkas let go of her, holding out a hand to the thief.
“I owe you a debt, Brynjolf,” Vilkas said, shaking Brynjolf's hand. “I wasn't sure you'd ever manage it, and I'm not sure I want to know how, but thank you. From the bottom of my heart.”
“Ah, let's not think on debts owed,” Brynjolf said, sounding a little bit intimidated for once. “Sapphire, were our friends here able to help with our little problem?”
“They sure did!” Sapphire said cheerfully, getting to her feet. “I told them there was a den of thieves needed clearing out, and they were quite happy to help.” She reached into her pack and produced a stolen banner that had clearly once been the property of the Summerset Shadows, but evidently not any more. “Linwe and friends are no more.”
That brought a cheer all round and drinks were poured while Ria ordered half the menu and started tucking in. About half an hour later, Karliah showed up, having successfully eluded the guards and got away, and the celebrating started up anew as a drunken Sapphire pounced on her, hugged her and shoved a Honningbrew into her hands. It was nearly dawn by the time any of them got to bed, and it was early the next evening before they all went their separate ways.
“Where will you go now?” Karliah asked Ria as the three Companions gathered their things.
“Back to Azura's Shrine to start with – Farkas and Vilkas have a Star to return,” Ria said. “After that, who knows? I've got a price on my head in Eastmarch still, but there's still eight other Holds to roam. The Dragonborn can't be everywhere, and the east of Skyrim's suffered horribly from dragon attacks. So I guess we might sort a few of those out.”
“Not back to the safety of Jorrvaskr then,” Karliah said knowingly. “You Companions, you never do the safe thing, do you?”
“Where's the fun in that?” Ria asked and Karliah just laughed.
“What about you?” Ria said finally. “Where are you three going, or should I not ask?”
“Best not to,” Karliah agreed. “Sapphire's got to meet someone for us in Windhelm, and then we've got to return a stolen object to its rightful owner.”
“Now that's got to be a first for you,” Ria said before she could stop herself but Karliah didn't seem to mind.