29 Joining the Thieves Guild III

"Honestly, the debt is secondary here. What's more important is that you get the message across that we aren't to be ignored. A word of warning though... I don't want any of them killed. Bodies are bad for business after all." Brynjolf explains.

"No problem. See you old man, I've got to get acquainted with my new abode." I smirk, getting up to approach a new, Argonian face I haven't seen before.

"Sure thing lad, now if you need any details on your marks, I'll be here. Get going, ya little shit." Brynjolf says with a laugh before nudging me along.

I strut over to the Argonian and ask, "You must be Salthasar? I need to ask you a few questions."

"That I am, how can I be of ssservice, new blood?" Salthasar hisses back.

"Glad you asked, I need you to take a look at this ring." I say, pulling M'rissi's hand forward causing her to blush for some reason.

"A ring you sssay? I haven't found a trinket yet that I couldn't appraissse." Salthasar slithers eying M'rissi's hand.

"It's not for sale, so don't get any ideas." I say, holding her hand a little firmer.

"Then I'm curiousss. Why did you ssseek me out? What isss it that you wisssh to learn?" Salthasar asks with a fascinated tilt.

"Simple, I need to know its providence and if it has any inscriptions or enchantments on it." I tell him.

Salthasar runs his talons through his head feathers before continuing, "You should know that my knowledge of magic isss rudimentary. I can tell if there isss an enchantment, but if you want ssspecificsss, you'll have to ssseek out a mage. Let me sssee the ring... Curiousss little trinket. I might have the information you ssseek."

"What do you know?" I ask starting to get impatient.

"Not ssso fassst. I have done you a ssservice, and you mussst pay me for it." Salthasar says with as much of a smirk as an Argonian can make.

"I need to know. This ring is the only link my friend has to her past." I ask a bit more forcefully as M'rissi pulls back her hand as her blush grows even more noticeable.

"Jussst your friend? Ssshe isss quite beautiful, yesss? I would not mind to ssspend sssome time with her. I'll make you a deal. I'll give you the information you ssseek. In return… For one night alone with her." Salthasar says, with a lecherous glint entering his gaze.

"How dare you! She is not some toy for your entertainment! I aught to-" M'rissi explodes at Salthasar before I calmly take her shoulder and pull her behind me before placing an iron grip on Salthasar's shoulder, whispering into his ear hole.

"Want to run that by me again, featherhead? If you take so much as a single step towards my little kitten. I'll pluck every one of your feathers and shove them down your throat." I whisper with a malicious grin, causing him to visible shiver.

"A-alright, no need for violence! But you certainly cannot blame me for trying. In good conssscience, 300 gold and I will reveal all to you." Salthasar says trying to con me out of some coin.

"Oh really now? I think I'd prefer to allow my friend here to sharpen her claws on your leathery hide for a bit. Cats like lizards, right?" I say with a smirk before patting M'rissi on her shoulder.

"Yes! She would love to do her nails! Come here to M'rissi you lecherous lizard!" M'rissi exclaims joyously about to pounce on Salathsar and not in the way he hoped.

"No need for all that! Get her away! Here, take the damned notesss!" Salthasar says in a panic before throwing a loose binding of papers at me and rushing out of the Ragged Flagon and into the Rat Way.

"Thank you." I say, while taking the papers and moving to an empty table to study them.

M'rissi wanders nearby, constantly peering over my shoulders as I arrange the notes and try to make sense of them.

[It's a clan ring that once belonged to the chieftain of Mirrsha clan, Ri'virr. When the Thalmor "brought back the moons," many Khajiits were quick to take the Thalmor's side and give up their own pride, bowing their heads before their new masters. But not all of them. One of the Khajiit clans did not bend the knee. Ri'virr, their chieftain, considered the situation too beneficial for the Thalmor and suspected the clans had been deceived. The chieftain decided not to take the new masters' side.]

[The Thalmor declared it an act of rebellion. In order to prevent such attitude from spreading amongst the other clans, troops were committed and anti-riot actions were ordered. Ri'virr managed to defeat the forward units sent against them in open combat. Then the main army arrived, too numerous to fight against head on. However, Mirrsha clan's land was well fortified and suitable for defense, so the Khajiit forces withdrew. Thalmor laid siege, which brought the campaign's momentum to standstill.]

[But then a sudden split shattered all their dreams of freedom. Ra'sadir, Ri'virr's younger brother, refused to obey his elder's commands and suddenly sided with the Thalmor, taking a part of the clan with him. The ones that left the fortress with Ra'sadir have disappeared and have Neve been heard from again. There was a bloody assault and, although many lives of the "Long-eared ones" were taken by brave Khajiit warriors, the defenders had been sabotaged by the younger brother's betrayal.]

[Ri'virr and a handful of his companions were taken alive. The Thalmor ordered Ra'sadir to personally take his brother's life, to prove his loyalty. And Ra'sadir did so willingly.]

[The Mirrsha clan ring eventually became a symbol of the rebellion. The gem in the ring is special, a rare stone called The Beacon, and when the moons were not seen in the sky, it is said to illuminate the future of clan. Alas, one day it suddenly disappeared without a trace.]

"So…? Tell her what it says right meow!" M'rissi demands.

"Sure thing." I say explaining the notes to her.