Chapter 661: A Meeting with the Thieves Guild

A/n: 13 Early Access Chapters on P4treon and MORE! https://linktr.ee/donovel

It was close to madness how power started to s.h.i.+ft in a mere few days. With the absence of Maven Black-Briar, the Dare Agents started to crawl outside the city and start conducting business with many farms, mines, and small businesses.

It was a war that couldn't be seen from the outside since its weapons were made of money and its soldiers were the simple agents of the two sides.

Inside the best inn in the city, talks about the current situation between the Black-Briars and the Dares were at full heat. Many of Maven's loyalists insisted that they wouldn't allow the people of Jon Dare in and many of Maven's victims just had enough with them.

Jon could spot a few of his agents in the city, some who work in different departments and some who were complete mysteries to the others. One of the latter types is a certain Vampire who was waiting for him.

"You're late." She said as she saw him.

"Sorry, my dear. I had to set things straight in my house. Being a family man is a load of work." Jon said.

"Whatever." Serana replied and got her head closer, "I've got news about the target."

"Entertain me." Jon replied.

"She is not in Riften but she can't be too far." Serana said, "Her daughter is the only one remaining in the city and her eldest son has disappeared with her. Knowing his habits, I know that he contacted the Thieves Guild recently to acquire his fix."

"It must be stressful for him." Jon laughed, "What about Maven herself?"

"Well, there is no glory in killing her, that I can tell you." Serana replied, "She is as dead as an empty husk. Barely holding on to dear life by a thread."

"And the Arch-Wizard on their side? Mecinar was his name." Jon asked.

"Man is a mystery. I have no idea where he is. Maybe he has taken Maven somewhere, I don't know." Serana said, "This was all for my search."

"Hmmm you did well." Jon said, "Let's go meet some friends and then decide on what to do?"

"Where to?" Serana asked.

"The Ratway!"

***

In the underground level of Riften, Jon and Serana walked the Ratway. It is her second time being here so she realized that Jon was meeting with the Thieves Guild.

Upon entering the Ragged Flagon inn that acts as the front door of the Guild, Jon and Serana started tiptoeing and walked in very quietly.

Some voices started coming from the Flagon as some of the thieves gathered around a table.

"I say An Elephant, a Donkey, and an Ant are all locked in a room. How do they get out?" Delvin Malory asked in a merry voice.

"The Elephant rams the door down!" Brynjolf replied and hit the table, clearly not sober at all.

"You're too drunk." Dirge shook his head, "The ant crawls under the door and opens it from outside."

*DIRGE*

But Dirge's head was suddenly rammed against the table.

"That's what the Donkey said." Jon said while holding Dirge's head down.

Looking at him, many started to laugh and half of them were just drunk. Not sure whether it was about the joke or the sound that Dirge's head made.

"Alright, everyone. Back to your business, rich guy alert." Delvin said the moment he saw Jon's face.

"You're being as heartless as a son of a b.i.t.c.h, Delvin." Jon said as he pushed Dirge off his chair and sat down.

"Joooon. Jon Jon Jon Jon." Brynjolf hit Jon's shoulder as he seemed really upset.

"What got him so hammered anyway?" Jon asked as he shooed away Brynjolf.

"Things are getting worse in Riften." Delvin said, "Do you believe it? The guards caught Brynjolf and he spent two nights in jail."

"You can't be serious."

"It is crazy around here these days, young Jon. Bad luck is everywhere, even in liquor." Delvin said, "And speaking of Liquor and Bad Luck, our favorite Liquor merchant. You don't happen to know anything about that?"

"Why are you saying that?" Jon frowned before showing a cheeky smile, "The Winery of Winterhold is working nonstop for its loyal customers such as yourself."

"Quit beating around the bush or a gray fox will jump out and bite you." Delvin spoke while raising his index at Jon's face, "You know d.a.m.n well I am talking about Maven. You were using that friend of yours from the Brotherhood to track her down."

Delvin pointed to Serana, who was hiding in the nearby shadows.

"I told you there is no use trying to sneak around Delvin." Jon said, addressing Serana, who was hiding in a distance, "But I didn't think you would remember her face, Delvin."

"What has gotten into you, boy? You forgot how we operate already?" Delvin raised his eyebrows in mockery, "We remember most of our clients accurately, especially those of friendly organizations such as the Dark Brotherhood."

Serana walked ahead and stood beside Jon. She then took a look at Brynjolf and looked at him right in the eyes.

"Why don't you take a nap in a warm bed until you sober up?"

As she said those words, her charm powers as a Vampire made an effect on the weak-minded Brynjolf and he started to walk off his chair to the sleeping quarters in the back. She then took his seat.

"Azura's t.i.tties! A She-vampire?" Delvin said as he recognized the effect, "You're brave coming here right under the noses of the Dawnguard. Vampires can't even run in the Ratway from them, you know."

"Don't worry about her. She works for me." Jon said.

"You hired the Brotherhood after they tried to kill you once?" Delvin became all surprised, "The Jon I know would have murdered the living s.h.i.+t out of them. You've become a real rich boy now, hiring a.s.sa.s.sins like old Maven."

"Well my style right now is that instead of hunting all the wolves, why not lead them?" Jon said.

"And you think Astrid will let you run her happy little family?" Delvin asked.

"She's six feet beneath the face of Nirn." Jon replied, "I have to say, her grave view is quite remarkable. North to Falkreath, right beside the lake, with her husband by her side."

"By Dagon!" Delvin was taken aback by hearing the news.

"I hear that the view on the lake out of Riften is perfect this time of the year. I can arrange for you a good resting place now that I am in the undertaker business." Jon said, "Do you want it up-road or a little at the back?"

Delvin smiled as he backed off from Jon's intimidation.

"I'd love to have one right by the lake's beach since I get sweaty when I sleep." Delvin said, "But let's arrange that in 30 years or so."

"Deal. And if I am not around, our Vampire friend here will come to kill you in 30 years and bury you by the lake if you survive till then." Jon said.

"30 years. I can wait." Serana seemed okay with it.

"Alright, Jonny boy. Maybe I can live up to a 100 or something. My great-grandma lived till 120."

"Expected for a Breton." Jon nodded.

"Anyway, how can I serve our esteemed guests?" Delvin said and behind his teeth, he was cursing at Jon, "I was a fool to save you 20 years ago."

"Goodness! He can't take a joke, can he?" Jon said, "You know who I want, Delvin. Where is Maven?"

"Out of town." Delvin said.

"No s.h.i.+t!" Jon looked at Delvin without a hint of being amused, "You know she no longer has value to you. If it wasn't for her, the guards wouldn't arrest Brynjolf like that. Seems like someone at the top knows that Maven is no longer in power."

"So you're really getting rid of her?" Delvin seemed vexed, "If you do so, can you take responsibility for what is going to happen?"

"Responsibility?" Serana found the word strange, "It is her turn to die, that's that."

"But the order of the city will collapse." Delvin said, "We're barely keeping things together but once the Black-Briars are gone, who's going to back us up? We might as well move from Riften to Winterhold like the rest of them."

"I can do a thing or two but my influence in Riften isn't that strong yet." Jon said, "I can take care of all of you so long I see loyalty in return."

Jon's last sentence was said loud enough for the entire troupe of Thieves to hear.

"Loyalty?" From behind the counter of the Ragged Flagon, Vekel the Bartender asked, "You were raised up there in the streets and down here in the Ratway and you won't show us some"

"Don't say trust or I'll throw Dirge towards you." Jon warned him.

"I wasn't going to." Vekel shrugged his shoulders, "I was saying do you think you can show us some favor since you're a member of our merry little band." Vekel said in a sly tune and looked around, "Right?"

"Of course." Tonilia said as she stood beside Vekel.

"Yeah sure." Vex also said she showed herself from behind the wall of crates.

"I am inclined Brynjolf would agree as well." Vekel added, "So, why not show your older siblings some love?"

"Yo, Delvin. This is so f.u.c.king heartwarming." Jon laughed, "You've become the Beggars Guild now?"

"I told you he has no ounce of love in his cruel miserable heart." Vex snorted.

"So f.u.c.king unbelievable." Delvin said, "I've raised an ungrateful son of a b.i.t.c.h."

"You raised him?" Serana repeated after him before looking at Jon, "He is your family member?"

"Vampires no longer see in the dark or something?" Jon asked, "See his ugly face? How can that be anywhere a relative of mine? See that ugly girl." Jon pointed at Sapphire, another thief in the gang, "She is probably his relative."

Sapphire raised her middle finger in response. Delvin, however, shuddered from what Jon said since he was actually right. Sapphire is his niece and he hasn't told her yet.

"Alright, alright!" Delvin stopped the banter and insults from sullying his mood, "Some of our kids are held in the Prison, Jon. You get them out of there and I'll figure a way to keep the Guild running. Also, for payment, I'll give you everything we have on Maven, and when I say everything, I mean that I am handing you Maven's b.a.l.l.s right to the palm of your hand."

"Gross!" Jon made an irked face, "I'll go talk to the Jarl then, make a big donation to the Keep, and get some people drunk."

"See?" Delvin spoke out in glee, "I told you that d.a.m.n Catatoskr still got it."

"Meanwhile, I want to be back in the guild." Jon then dropped another bomb.

The entire Ragged Flagon went silent from that statement.

"You gave your position to Jullanar, remember?" Delvin said, "And that was to keep good relations with us."

"So you're saying you want to be doing jobs for us again, the mighty Jon Dare?" Even Vekel was finding it a very unnecessary joke.

"No. I am not doing jobs for the lot of you. I'll be giving jobs." Jon said and made a demand, "I want a seat at the high table, the inner circle. I want the black guild outfit, not the brown."

In the game, the Thieves Guild higher-ups always wore Black Leather rather than Brown leather which was given to the lower ranks. This color is only worn by Delvin, Vex, Brynjolf, and Mercer Frey the Guild Master.

"You're not joking, are you?" Vex asked, "You do realize you were absent for at least six years?"

"And you do realize that this doesn't change a thing." Jon replied, "I continued acting as Catatoskr and stealing s.h.i.+t for a good amount of time even after I left. Furthermore, I fenced all your stolen goods when you came to Riften for exquisite prices. I stole treasures around Tamriel from the Worm Cult and the Aldmeri Dominion to the point where they cried blood for tears. Ask about the things I did in Elsweyr and Summerset guilds and you'll know."

Hearing Jon, the Thieves couldn't argue as his escapades and adventures have reached them through many sources.

"I have been a member of the Guild for over 11 years since I was running for you at the age of 10. You all know where I belong and what I deserve and I know something you will be very interested in." Jon said and summoned a chest overflowing with Gold Septims in his hand.

"Mother MARA!" Tonilia couldn't breathe properly in front of the gold.

"I wouldn't get back in business without preparing a gift, right? You guys taught me better, right?"

"True! You have been taught well."

Almost the entire Ragged Flagon was standing around Jon now.

"Then, what are you waiting for?" Jon said, "Why don't we take this to the Vault and store it in there. You wouldn't want any coin going missing, right?"

"Of course not." "Surely!" "Right away!" "Somebody wake Brynjolf up." "I'll go get him."

The Thieves Guild may have accepted Jon and took the money he's giving them but a grin appeared on his face that only Serana noticed.

The Thieves were in for the shock of their lifetime.

A/n: 13 Early Access Chapters on P4treon and MORE! https://linktr.ee/donovel