"Those clothes suit you, lass." Delvin said by way of greeting. Nivenor turned, trying not to look so flattered at his attentions.
"Thank you, but if you're looking for a handout, you'll want to find my husband Bolli instead."
"I prefer talking to you, so long as Bolli doesn't mind."
"I don't mind." NIvenor answered. "But my husband might...if he finds out."
"He's lucky to have a jewel like you." He looked at her flattered expression and pressed on. "If you were mine, I'd give you the finest things and take you out, show you off. What good is a diamond nobody can see, right?"
"I like diamonds." She answered, ignoring most of his comment.
Delvin paused for the briefest of moments, searching his brain for a response. Bryn's third piece of advice - Go with the flow. "Fine woman like yourself, of course you do. With that sparkle in your eyes, they'd be beautiful on you."
"If you and I were alone, you could call me that. It could be our little secret." Nivenor said, moving closer to him.
"If you can keep a secret, so can I." Delvin answered, aware that he was wading into dangerous territory, but unable to pull back. Emboldened by Brynjolf's lessons actually working, he found himself getting caught up in the conversations. Riften was a lonely place, he realized, and if he weren't quite so smitten with the lovely Corinne, he might start trying to alleviate some of that loneliness.
Nivenor was smiling up at him, standing too close to be casual when a guard strolled by. "Everything alright here?" He asked.
"Just fine." Nivenor said, and Delvin took a step back from her. Her eyes roamed over him, searching and hard. "Maybe if you bring me a token of your affection, we can continue our conversation."
"I'll keep that in mind." Delvin replied, then turned and went off, back towards the market.
He was distracted, too many thoughts and the unused advice filling his head as he wandered through the market as he picked pockets just to clear his mind. Straightening up after relieving Aerin of a few coins and a garnet, he bumped into someone, nearly knocking them over. Without looking to see who it was, he extended a hand, helping the figure to her feet.
"Sorry about that, sweetheart, it was all my fault. I should have been paying more attention."
"Delvin Mallory, do not, ever again in your life call me sweetheart as if I'm some common doxy you're trying to bed." Maven Black-Briar hissed at him. "Or I will be more than delighted to send the Dark Brotherhood after you."
"Shit. Maven, I didn't realize it was you." He said needlessly. "My apologies again."
"Obviously. You've been so busy working the crowd, everyone in Riften is going to go home with their purses empty." She said, brushing nonexistent dust from her clothes. "Be sure to get that bothersome harpy Mjoll, she needs to be put in her place, and her little friend Aerin too. All of that righteous whimpering, after she already met her match in some dwarven ruin. I guess that's why she's here bothering my city, playing it safe."
Something clicked in his mind, Maven's words mixing with Brynjolf's. Suddenly, he knew just what to do.
"Got to get back to the Flagon, Maven." He said, not bothering to apologize again. He strode away, making his way to the Cistern entrance without haste. With unseeing eyes Maven watched him retreat, not caring where he went, her mind busy with whatever thoughts had consumed her before Delvin had fallen into her.
Delvin was waiting for Corinne when she came down to the Flagon, knowing that she'd stop by every day while she stayed in Riften. He didn't have to turn around to know when she'd entered, he could sense her, the hairs on the back of his neck pricked to attention as soon as her silent footfalls came up behind him. Ignoring him, she went to see Vex, asking about jobs. She'd come by to see him next, he knew that she was making it wait on purpose, and so he did, standing near some crates, feigning a calm he didn't feel.
"Delvin Mallory, do not, ever again in your life call me sweetheart as if I'm some common doxy..."
A Lack of Wit 5/6
"Thank you, but if you're looking for a handout, you'll want to find my husband Bolli instead."
"I prefer talking to you, so long as Bolli doesn't mind."
"I don't mind." NIvenor answered. "But my husband might...if he finds out."
"He's lucky to have a jewel like you." He looked at her flattered expression and pressed on. "If you were mine, I'd give you the finest things and take you out, show you off. What good is a diamond nobody can see, right?"
"I like diamonds." She answered, ignoring most of his comment.
Delvin paused for the briefest of moments, searching his brain for a response. Bryn's third piece of advice - Go with the flow. "Fine woman like yourself, of course you do. With that sparkle in your eyes, they'd be beautiful on you."
"If you and I were alone, you could call me that. It could be our little secret." Nivenor said, moving closer to him.
"If you can keep a secret, so can I." Delvin answered, aware that he was wading into dangerous territory, but unable to pull back. Emboldened by Brynjolf's lessons actually working, he found himself getting caught up in the conversations. Riften was a lonely place, he realized, and if he weren't quite so smitten with the lovely Corinne, he might start trying to alleviate some of that loneliness.
Nivenor was smiling up at him, standing too close to be casual when a guard strolled by. "Everything alright here?" He asked.
"Just fine." Nivenor said, and Delvin took a step back from her. Her eyes roamed over him, searching and hard. "Maybe if you bring me a token of your affection, we can continue our conversation."
"I'll keep that in mind." Delvin replied, then turned and went off, back towards the market.
He was distracted, too many thoughts and the unused advice filling his head as he wandered through the market as he picked pockets just to clear his mind. Straightening up after relieving Aerin of a few coins and a garnet, he bumped into someone, nearly knocking them over. Without looking to see who it was, he extended a hand, helping the figure to her feet.
"Sorry about that, sweetheart, it was all my fault. I should have been paying more attention."
"Delvin Mallory, do not, ever again in your life call me sweetheart as if I'm some common doxy you're trying to bed." Maven Black-Briar hissed at him. "Or I will be more than delighted to send the Dark Brotherhood after you."
"Shit. Maven, I didn't realize it was you." He said needlessly. "My apologies again."
"Obviously. You've been so busy working the crowd, everyone in Riften is going to go home with their purses empty." She said, brushing nonexistent dust from her clothes. "Be sure to get that bothersome harpy Mjoll, she needs to be put in her place, and her little friend Aerin too. All of that righteous whimpering, after she already met her match in some dwarven ruin. I guess that's why she's here bothering my city, playing it safe."
Something clicked in his mind, Maven's words mixing with Brynjolf's. Suddenly, he knew just what to do.
"Got to get back to the Flagon, Maven." He said, not bothering to apologize again. He strode away, making his way to the Cistern entrance without haste. With unseeing eyes Maven watched him retreat, not caring where he went, her mind busy with whatever thoughts had consumed her before Delvin had fallen into her.
Delvin was waiting for Corinne when she came down to the Flagon, knowing that she'd stop by every day while she stayed in Riften. He didn't have to turn around to know when she'd entered, he could sense her, the hairs on the back of his neck pricked to attention as soon as her silent footfalls came up behind him. Ignoring him, she went to see Vex, asking about jobs. She'd come by to see him next, he knew that she was making it wait on purpose, and so he did, standing near some crates, feigning a calm he didn't feel.
"Delvin Mallory, do not, ever again in your life call me sweetheart as if I'm some common doxy..."
"She'll be expecting roses and confidence."