Had Ulfric not been paying attention in his meanderings, this cave would never have come to his attention. Crystaldrift was not large by any means and it was set fairly out of the way just South of Riften, which could not have been a better place for Ulfric's intended meeting. Apprehension had bubbled in his throat while he was searching for the mouth of the cave, but wound up from his journey here and anticipating what would be found within. Forsworn were not typically found in this part of the region, but that did not mean it was impossible. And while Ulfric had the Voice and carried upon his person several blades, one man was not a match for a small encampment. He'd left the company of his companions back around Whiterun where they could blend into the crowds. That way, they were safe and Ulfric could travel the rest of the distance alone, attracting little -- if any -- attention. The robes he wore concealed his figure and his face as he made his way to the mouth of the cave, stepping inside quietly.

Though he had been raised not to disturb the dead, the urge to dismember the dead Bosmer on the slab before him rose like bile in his throat. But to disturb the dead was disrespectful beyond Ulfric's capacity. He contemplated for a moment tossing his robe over the offending corpse, but would be unable to touch his robes again and would need to veil his identity in order to leave safely and meet his next escort on the outskirts of Goldenglow Estate. With no other alternative, he wrinkled his nose at the image one last time before turning his back to it, focusing instead on the Shrine of Kynareth -- a beacon with which he was comfortable, thankfully. Quietly, he invoked the blessings of Kynareth before laying his eyes back on the mouth of the cave.

Darkness would be falling soon. She should be there shortly. At least, that is what was promised. The arrangements had been made many weeks ago and been carried by Ulfric's most trustworthy couriers. With the place of the war at this moment, he needed all of the help he could get. And he needed Sapphire's help. It was not an overly taxing job, per se, but one that would take a lot of finesse and light feet. A pretty face certainly wouldn't hurt her cause. Not to mention that Ulfric had trusted her before and though she fairly frequently caused him to want to rip his hair out of his scalp, she always presented with a flawless job. Something the Jarl of Windhelm had to admire. And now that he knew her capacity, her usefulness to him could not possibly carry a price.

But only if she was alive to work for him. And right now, he was starting to fidget. Impatience washed over him like a surge and his blood heated as his heart pounded. So help him if something happened to one of the most effective members of the Guild... Shaking his head, he removed his cloak to reveal the Nordic armor before finding a seat to fall upon. There was no way that Sapphire would allow herself to be caught. She was far too good. Likely, she was held up back at the Guild.

While Ulfric was her employer, the Guild was Sapphire's home. How she'd come to be there he didn't know. But the Thieves Guild was just that: A home for those members. A family. And from the way Sapphire spoke of them, he knew she was no exception to the rule. Because of that, he knew that the Guild often came first. He was simply a private contract, though he paid well enough for Sapphire to make a sizable sum as well as offer the Guild a large cut. Because despite their reputation, the Thieves Guild was a loyal group -- if you found yourself on the right side of their organization, as Ulfric did. Periodically, just to make sure, he would send packages to Brynjolf containing small things for the Guild, like weapons, armor, sustenance and the like.

Ah, Brynjolf.

Best thief there was, if Ulfric had to say so. Man had tenured experience and had helped train many of the current Guild members. The man that Ulfric called when he had touchy tasks that he felt uncomfortable trusting any other with. Professionally, there was no better ally in the Guild than Brynjolf. Personally... He and Ulfric had their history. Through the Guild, of course. And though he liked the man and respected his business, he also enjoyed being the alpha over him as he did with most other men. And the fact that Brynjolf was occasionally irritated with Sapphire's extracurricular activities with Ulfric (which admittedly sounded much worse than things actually were), was a small source of glee for the Jarl of Windhelm. He didn't take too much enjoyment in personal matters anymore. Not for several years. So it was the small things like Brynjolf that kept him amused.

Unless it was Brynjolf that was holding her up...

Not likely. Ulfric did not typically make propositions of Sapphire in person. Not unless they were important. And he was paying well. Which meant the Guild (and by extension, Brynjolf) was going to come into a hefty sum upon her success. She would show.

And not a second after Ulfric thought so much, he heard it. A faint noise. Not a rustle of grass. Not the pressure of a footstep. Just a movement. He couldn't describe it. It would have sent a bristle up his spine if he hadn't caught the scent on the wind. Though he was no animal, he could identify smells. It was a skill that came in useful when a man was tortured to the brink of blindness. The smell was familiar. It was sweet. It was ever so faint but unmistakable. It was Sapphire. Ulfric waited a few seconds, focusing back on the Shrine of Kynareth, speaking in a hushed, low voice.

"I was beginning to think you weren't coming."

NO LIGHT IN YOUR BRIGHT BLUE EYES

Contrary to popular belief, Sapphire could feel more emotions than just hatred. At the present moment she was feeling quite pleased with herself. A smug expression on her normally composed face gave it away. Not that you could see her face at all. It, along with her body, were shrouded in a thick black cloak. She used the cloak not only to keep her warm, but also to draw attention away from the fact that she was a small woman traveling alone at night. Sapphire had left Riften in a hurry. She had slipped out unnoticed, using the flow of people leaving the city and heading home for the evening as her cover. She couldn't afford to be followed. Her day had been quiet. She hadn't made any commitments prior since she had a schedule to keep. She didn't want to be working another job when it came time to head to their meeting place. The cave wasn't too far from Riften, but she was traveling by foot. It was harder to trail a human than a horse. It was also harder to track a human than a horse. She had left in plenty of time to reach the cave in time. Cutting through the wilderness would have drawn less attention, but taking the road was faster It was quite dangerous on the roads at night, especially for women. Of course most women were not this one. Men frequently made the mistake of assuming she was harmless. She couldn't say that she blamed them. She was quite petite in frame. Perhaps she was even frail looking? Men were always willing to believe that a woman couldn't defend herself. She was more than happy to let them think that all they wanted. It promised her a good time when they tried to put her in her place. That was what had happened tonight. She had, in fact, been held up. A group of bandits had decided to ambush the travelers that made the mistake of taking the road that led south from Riften. It was a fairly routine ambush. "Give us your valuables and we'll spare your life." Intimidation with verbal threats and waving big, not-so-shiny swords in the faces of their victims. Sapphire had laughed to herself a little when they cornered her. She had known they were waiting. They were not nearly as quiet as they seemed to think.

"Well lookie 'ere." A rusted blade raised to her chest, and a man stepped to her left, tugging her hood away from her face. "Evening. If you don't mind; I've got a schedule to keep." Two more came to stand by her, a small group compared that what usually lingered on the roads after dark. "Stay with us, Sweetness. It's mighty cold out tonight." No, she had done her time as a hostage. They had the wrong girl tonight. "I'm a busy girl." These men were amateurs. She wasn't at all threatened. "What's so important then, hm?" Sapphire reached into the pouch on her left hip, and pulled out a small vial. "I have tonics to deliver." She raised her hand, revealing the vial. The man at her left quickly snatched it away. The color of the content in the vial were hidden by the darkness. "Billy 'ere 'as a cold." Oh did he now. "Well you're in luck. Billy won't have a cold for long if he hakes a swig of that." The man passed the vial to a taller man to his right. Billy uncorked it, and slurped all of the contents down greedily. "Nasty thing better work." She smiled stiffly, her hand traveling to the hilt of her dagger. Suddenly the man's expression changed, and a hand went to his stomach. Before he could cry out, he fell. "It wasn't made for consumption. It was meant to coat blades and arrows. Straight to the blood stream that way. It's a good thing he drank so much. It wouldn't have been so fast otherwise." The two men left had turned to stare at their friend in disbelief, and the one to her left yelled out when her dagger blade found a gap in his armour, piercing the muscle on his arm. He tried to swing at her, but she quickly yanked back her blade, and ducked out of his reach. The man cried out, his arm going numb. "You little wench!" Sapphire reached down quickly, her free hand wrapping around loose pebbles and dirt. The tried to rush her, and she flung the contents of her hand into their eyes. Her right arm stretched out, and she shoved the dagger through the third man's neck. A few moments later and she had made a horizontal incision across the talkative man's torso. Another gap in his armour. Shame on him. The wound was deep, and the man fell to the ground. Sapphire kicked away his blade, and grabbed the near empty vial of her poison. Shoving the man onto his back, she took a niche out of his stomach, and placed the mouth of the bottle down into the wound. Standing up she took a step back, and smashed the bottle against his wound with her boot. Satisfied that he would no longer be a problem, she left him there to die. He shouldn't have gotten in her way.

She cleaned her dagger, sheathed it, and raised her hood. Now she was behind rather than on time. Oh well, it was only a slight hold up. She was sure that Ulfric could understand. He was not an irrational man. Quite the contrary actually. She had came to like Ulfric during their dealings together. He was the only man, or person for that matter, outside of the guild that she was fond of. Honestly she liked him better than most of the others in the guild. After you had been in the Thieves Guild for as long as Sapphire, the other members turned into your family. For better or worse, you were stuck with them. That didn't mean that she had to like them though, or care about them outside of keeping them alive. It was hard to say which guild members she was actually attached to. She was certain that they didn't even know themselves. Unless you counted Delvin's certainty that she was secretly longing for him. Sapphire didn't like to become attached to anyone. It was too risky, and it never ended well. How could it? She had never had anyone important in her life. She had learned at a very early age that she had to watch out for herself to survive. She had carried her independence into adulthood, and was very removed from everything, including the guild.

Finally the cave was in her sight. She had left the main road quite some time ago. She knew the location well, mostly because Ulfric wasn't the only one who thought to tend to shady dealings outside of prying eyes. She moved silently toward the cave, and stepped into the entrance. Perceptive as always, he already knew of her presence. Leaning against the mouth of the cave she reached up to pull back her hood. Her left brow was arched, and the slightest curve appeared at the left corner of her lips. "You didn't think I would abandon you, did you?" Her voice was not nearly as sharp as when she had spoke to the bandits. "I would have been here sooner, but I ran into some trouble on the road." For a moment her smirk widened, and the smug expression from earlier was back. "Tell me, what is so important that it would draw you away from your part of the world?" She entered the cave, and took a seat across from him. Her pale eyes were focused on the man who had single-handedly plunged Skyrim into a civil war. Sapphire couldn't complain; the work was good, and the pay was better.

WORDS 1,352 TAGGED ULFRIC/ANKH NOTES I'M SO SORRY I'LL DO BETTER

TEMPLATE BY WE WERE INFINITE ! OF CAUTIO 2.0

”You didn't think I would abandon you, did you?”

The very word 'abandon' caused the hair on the back of Ulfric's neck to stand up, though he made no motions from it. Simply brushed the slightest bit of dust off of the Shrine of Kynareth with a gentle touch. It was obvious the small shrine had been neglected for some time. Sad. Ulfric liked the idea of Kynareth, though her teachings were a bit too strict for his taste. He was much more attracted to the teachings of Dibella. There was a tenderness as he took care to brush the dust out of the grooves in the shrine and brush off the table on whence it sat. it was almost a carefully tended to chore and Ulfric did not yet look up as he worked. “I worried,” he said simply, not bothering to elaborate on the subject. A moment passed before he realized that the comment was not made as he intended. Clearing his throat, he finally looked up to meet the thief's eyes. “Forgive me, I did not intend to be interpreted as I worried over abandonment. What I meant was that I worried about your whereabouts.” It was the simplest and most impersonal way to express it. Ulfric was quite fond of Sapphire. She was a good thief and he had some surprisingly pleasant conversations with her. And the thought of something happening to her on the way was not one that Ulfric wanted to think about. Yet he was not the type to out himself and say 'I was worried about you'. Even his own mother never would have heard that cross his lips. Ulfric was a man of simplicity and business. Personal relationships rarely made it past a bed for Ulfric which left his interpersonal speech style rather lacking.

But it worked for him.

It kept most people at arm's length and Ulfric liked it that way. It was easier not to have to worry about others and easier to keep others from worrying about him. And for him to even dream of mentioning her lateness to her was... Almost out of character. At least, it was not the Ulfric that stood before the people to speak to them. It was not the Ulfric that played with little colored flags in the war room with Galmar. It was a friendlier, more personable Ulfric. One capable of having personal relationships that didn't involve a mutual need to kill anyone. Of course, he and Sapphire both disliked a lot of the same people, but she wasn't at war alongside him, per se.

The moment she mentioned trouble on the road, his eyes hardened from the thought. His tongue pressed against the back of his teeth, so desiring to tell her that she should not have come alone. But that would be a fruitless venture. For one, it was not truly his business what she did. Two, she was more than capable on her own, evidenced by the fact that she was still here to tell this tale. And three, she wouldn't listen to him. She would do what she wanted and that was that. For years she had survived on her own. Her skills had to only have sharpened since the beginning. Discomforted as he was by the thought of this 'trouble', Ulfric made a solid attempt to push it from his conscious mind. It wasn't easy. Shifting his weight between the soles of his feet, he finally removed himself from behind the Shrine of Kynareth and into the center of the cave. “I am surprised that you took the road. You've always seemed one to stray from the beaten path.” It was a compliment. If an askew one. But a compliment coming from Ulfric. He was not exaggerating, however, when he regarded his surprise at her willingness to follow the road. The Jarl had anticipated that she would move soundlessly through the foliage cover to get there. Though in some instances, that was putting as much a target on a person as did a road.

Noticing the smirk on her face, Ulfric offered one of his own. “In any case, I am glad you made it.” Understatement. The next words that fell from her lips, however, brought a chuckle to the Jarl. “My part of the world? If only it was truly my part of the world. More like my dusty, windy, forgotten little corner of hell.” If it were up to Ulfric, all of Tamriel would be his. Not just simply Windhelm. He sought Torygg's throne and that was not a fact he went to any lengths to hide. “And besides, soon this will be simply another part of my world,” he said, holding his arms out with an almost mischievous glint in his eye, “If all goes as planned, that is.” And with the allies that Ulfric had on his side, it was difficult to imagine any other alternative. With some effort, Ulfric pasted a mock hurt and offended expression onto his face as he took slow steps toward Sapphire, careful not to invade her personal space. “What is so important to bring me here? As if your company isn't important enough? You would offend a sensitive Jarl easily, milady.”

Even Ulfric couldn't keep a straight face.

With a somewhat more serious look, he pulled from his robes an ornate Amulet of Talos. “This was very expensive. It looks like a very precious gift, yes? And it will be for one of our Imperial friends.” Taking Sapphire's wrist, Ulfric laid the Amulet in her palm and gently closed her fingers around it. “Do not lose it,” he pleaded softly, “It took lives to get it.” Moving back to straighten his greaves, he looked her over carefully. “The Thalmor trust the Imperials to enforce their banned worship of Talos. They trust them blindly. I intend to shatter that trust. To plant the seeds of doubt. And the Imperials themselves will be the ones to sow it for me. The Thalmor are hosting a few members of the Imperial party in a few days time at the Embassy to continue ties with the Aldmeri Dominion. An indirect way of saying they want to meet to remind everyone that they are still in power. That their word is still law. The Imperials attending this little function are on the road from Solitude. There should be four of them. Not important enough on the outside for their faces or names to be known. But important strategists on the Imperial inside.” Keeping the names and faces of these men shrouded was an attempt at keeping the Imperials' best strategists safe. It was not going to work. “One of them has a name that is also engraved on the back of the Amulet to make it look like a cherished gift. I want you to ensure that when these strategists arrive at the Thalmor Embassy and submit to search and seizure, that the Thalmor find this amulet on him. It will look important. It will look loved. Treasured. It will look as though this man – this high-ranking Imperial – is still worshiping Talos. It will threaten the Thalmor.” It would not cause the affiliation between the Thalmor and the Imperials to dissolve, but it would momentarily enrage the Thalmor and it would begin to form shadows of doubt in their mind. They would second guess the Imperials and their trustworthiness.

“I know it's small,” he said, apologetically. “It looks like a small job for you compared to many you have done for me. But this is important to me. An all-out declaration endorsing Talos from the Imperials would look too staged. Something on a large scale would look like an obvious plant. The doubt needs to start small. Start within. Something that looks like such an innocent mistake – an Imperial forgetting to hide his Amulets from the Thalmor. They won't believe him when he insists it isn't his – his name was engraved on the inside. The Thalmor will at least detain him – the Imperials would be down one of their Master strategists. It has the opportunity to begin dissolving what small modicum of trust there is between the Thalmor and the Imperials. And it is just as useful to me at this point to turn them against each other as it is to wipe one out. Perhaps they can wipe each other out,” he joked softly.

“If it's not the caliber of job you're looking for, I understand. But as always, I'll pay whatever you ask of me. And I would trust nobody else with this job.”

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NO LIGHT IN YOUR BRIGHT BLUE EYES

"Oh" Her response lacked tact or wit. It was a simple word, but the tone gave everything away. She was surprised. For a second her expression reflected it before she became composed. He had been worried about her well-being. There were very few people who ever expressed concern or care in regard to Sapphire. Not that she particularly minded. She had just been caught off guard. She would have expected it from Brynjolf, but perhaps in a more scolding manner. It seemed like all he did anymore was scold her, but that wasn't to say that she didn't deserve it. Her expression softened, and she began to relax. She was in good company. Company that she quite enjoyed. Ulfric had been good to her over the years. She wasn't sure why it surprised her so to hear that he had been worried about her well being. They could call each other friends, right? Some would say that one could never have too many friends, and most would say that Sapphire had too few. Her eyes briefly gazed at the shrine, then settled on his weary face. "I will do my best to not give you a reason to worry next time."

"I was on a schedule. The road was much quicker than wandering through the forest in the dark. I was trying to be on time. Had I known I would have been delayed regardless, I would have kept off the road." Her eyes shone in the light. She had only been here a short time, but she was clearly enjoying herself. "And I made the road a bit safer for the less capable. I've done my good deed for the day." Others could have very easily lost their lives had they met the bandits that had tried to stop Sapphire. At the very least they would have gotten through it poorer and possibly injured. Sapphire did everyone a favor by doing away with the slime that had been patrolling the road tonight. Truthfully she did prefer to travel off the road. She was too easy to spot on the road. You could never know who was watching you from the foliage beyond. She had been doing her best to seem unsuspicious when she had left Riften, and running off into the forest was not a good way to avoid drawing attention. "I am glad to be here."

"Once the war is over Windhelm can be restored to its former glory." That was one of the many costs of war. Funding, time, and resources were all poured into the war effort. Sapphire hadn't been to Windhelm in months, but even then it was apparent that the mighty city had taken a hit due to the war. Sapphire did not doubt Ulfric. He would do what was best for his people. He was a good man. She knew better than to agree with the terrible rumors swirling around his name these days. People would talk, especially when they were frightened. Sapphire knew that those who did not oppose Ulfric and his cause had no reason to be frightened. "I am certain that you will make a mighty king." Perhaps she should learn to address him more formally. It wasn't proper for a common thief to speak for casually to a nobleman. It was easy to forget out here that they weren't equals. At least not in the eyes of everyone else. Sapphire would mind her manners if ever they weren't alone, but for now he didn't seem to mind the camaraderie.

Sapphire mirrored his smile. This was turning out to be quite a pleasant evening. "I am nothing special, and you could have the company of anyone you desired." She was feeling more cheerful than she had in a while, mostly due to the bickering back at the guild. "After all, you will soon be a king." She winked and took a breath. Her jovial attitude became more serious when she spoke again. "I would happily travel to you if it would be safer." It was very risky for him to be out traveling, especially alone. She knew that he was a very capable man, but he was only one man. There was an entire legion seeking his death. She also couldn't imagine that Windhelm could hold for very long without him there to oversee. If it hadn't been for Brynjolf and the guild Sapphire would have been willing to stay in Windhelm until he no longer needed her. She could even travel with him. Still, she had a duty to the guild. She could not abandon them for long. A week or so was nothing, but any longer and Brynjolf would skin her.

The glint of metal caught her eye, and she honed in on the amulet. Sapphire recognized is immediately, and was very interested to hear about this plan of his.She did not pull away from him when he touched her. She took the amulet, and pulled it back to inspect. She nearly giggled like a young girl. After she had turned the amulet over a few times, looking it over closely, she gave him back her full attention. "I will keep it safe; you have my word." She kept it inside of her palm for the time being, her thumb tracing over the amulet's details. As he spoke his plan began to form more and more clearly in her mind. She smiled at his brilliant mind; pleased to be working with someone who could scheme as well as she could. Multiple plans were already forming in her head as he spoke. She had options, alternatives. If one plan failed, which it wouldn't, she could move on to something else. This would not be a problem for her. She was going to enjoy herself. As soon as he was finished talking she took a moment to think through different plans and ideas, forming her strategies from the ground up.

"Ulfric, please." She spoke up again. Her voice was soft. "Of course I'll take the job." She knew that he would not ask this of her if it hadn't mattered to him. He had gone out of his way to come here and ask this of her. She would not tell him no, especially when it was a task that was so well suited to her. "I require no more pay than usual. I'll need to provide the guild with a cut, perhaps more than usual since this will require my absence from Riften for a few days at least." She would need to move swiftly in order to reach them in time, but she could manage. She would move faster on her own, and Brynjolf was in Solitude now. She could meet up with him once she arrived. Of course he would probably fuss at her for being so far from Riften, but he would hush when she handed him his cut. "I am honored that you would trust me with something so important. I will not let you down." Sapphire was very confident that she could pull this off. It was just another job really. It was much more important than most of her jobs, but if she worried too much about that she might choke. No one wanted that.

WORDS 1,250 ISH TAGGED ULFRIC/ANKH NOTES I CAN ADD ON IF YOU WANT!

TEMPLATE BY WE WERE INFINITE ! OF CAUTIO 2.0

“I would appreciate that,” the Jarl chuckled easily. “I have enough reasons to worry already. Not least of which are some incompetent Stormcloaks and an uncertain future. One less thing to be concerned about would be a blessing. Not to mention, it would put less lines in my face.” Jarl Ulfric had only just entered his fifties, though it was not obvious when looking at him. The Nord had aged well over the years and lines were only just faintly beginning to appear on his face upon close inspection. It was his charisma that kept him looking younger than his fifty one years. His energy that kept the youthful look about him. But if Sapphire continued to worry him, those lines might embed themselves into his face quicker than he liked. And speaking of, a few had appeared across his forehead at her surprise. Was she taken aback that Ulfric was concerned for her? She should not have been. They had become friends over the years and Ulfric had always attempted to keep her safe and well cared for when she was working for him. He was surprised that it took her off-guard.

But it was not something to dwell upon.

A smile wound itself across Ulfric's lips as Sapphire admitted indirectly to having a run-in with an unspecified 'someone'. It did not surprise him that Sapphire attracted attention on the road. Not at all. “You would do well to hide your face and figure next time. The pretty ones are always targeted first.” Ulfric wished that his statement had been in jest, though it was not. The prettier and more slender a woman on the road was, the easier a target she appeared to her predators. And Sapphire was both attractive and built to be envied by women and wanted by men. It would help take the target from her back if she shrouded her face and blanketed her figure. But still, it would take a fairly large group of men to best Sapphire as it was. And obviously, the ones that had approached her on the road were not enough. He was thankful for this. “Still, I am happy to hear you have done Skyrim a service. Perhaps I will remember that when I wear the Jagged Crown and sit upon Torygg's vacant throne – enough to recognize your dutiful service to Skyrim,” he teased gently. “Still, I am also very glad for your safe arrival.”

Momentarily, Ulfric was distracted by her mention of restoring Windhelm. It was an understatement to say 'restoring'. The city was so broken it would practically need to be rebuilt to be anything more than a shadow of its former self. But it would be done. “The moment the Crown is mine... When the moot comes to their senses... Windhelm will be rebuilt entirely. My Nords will live in luxury, not windy, drafty squalor. The gray-skins will be separated by higher walls. The Palace will once again look regal enough to be home to a High King. Windhelm will be a vision to behold when I become King.” It was not 'if' with Ulfric. It was 'when'. Still, he was touched when Sapphire asserted her belief in him as a king. It shone on his face for a moment before he nodded gruffly. “Thank you. I will try. The people deserve a good king who will allow them their freedoms that were wrongfully stripped of them. They deserve a king that would die for them. Not a king willing to lay down to Titus. Nor one willing to submit to the Imperials just because a bunch of elves think they're better than everyone else.” Nobody bested the Nords. At least not in Ulfric's mind.

A smirk appeared on the Jarl's face as she rightfully stated he could have the company of anyone he desired. “My initial instinct was to tell you I desire you, but I fear that could appear offensive. So I will gloss over that comment and press forward.” Focusing on her and mimicking her seriousness, he shook his head. “I know you would. And I would find eternal joy in your presence during my travels and in my palace, however you have made commitments to others before myself. And good people like yourself should always strive to keep commitments. I would not be a machination to pull you from the Guild.” Sapphire was an important member of the Guild and Ulfric knew it. As much as he would have enjoyed having her around, it was not right. She 'belonged', for lack of a better term, to the Guild. Not to Ulfric, regrettably. “I do, however, appreciate the offer in every way possible. Perhaps sometime when the Guild is quiet and if I've somewhere lucrative to go to. But in the meantime, stay with those you call your family and stake your allegiance.”

His eyes watched her closely as she touched the amulet gently and continued to speak. “I know you will keep it safe. Of that I have no doubt.” He was intending to say more, but her voice stopped him, insisting that she would take the job he was offering. He knew she would, but he would not blame her if she was being offered more through the Guild for something else. He would hate to take up her time if a greater profit could be made elsewhere – not that Ulfric's pay wasn't negotiable. It was. But still... “If the Guild requires a larger cut than normal, allow me the honor of the numbers and I will raise the reward proportionately to what they ask. I won't have you take a cut on something this important to me.” That would feel close to stealing her services from her. While he understood that sponsoring agencies such as the Thieves Guild did deserve a cut of the bounty, Ulfric did not feel that a larger cut should come from the profits of the one that did the footwork. He would happily pay a higher sum to keep both the Guild and Sapphire paid what he considered properly. A man who was able to appreciate those who offered him services was a man who kept allegiances and loyalty.

“There is one more thing,” he sighed. “Once the amulet is found and the offender incarcerated, I am unsure whether or not the Thalmor will incarcerate the entire party. I considered nullifying this concern by planting all of them but that would be far too obvious. So we are running a risk that if the Thalmor do not incarcerate all, some may begin searching the proximity and the roads – they will know it was a shill. They will be trying to find you to hunt you – and they will be close enough to Solitude to be combing the entire area by morning. You know that I respect your skill in both shill and stealth. Your abilities are not underestimated in my eyes. But your importance to me isn't either. I have arranged for two men to meet you at the Shrine to Meridia. When you shill the amulet, run. Go directly to the shrine. They will have clothes for you that will shield your face and give the impression that you are a Priestess. These men will be two of my most trusted Stormcloak soldiers, though they will appear simply as swords for hire, escorting a priestess back home. They will be trained to answer questions appropriately, as though you have taken a vow of silence. If you are willing, they will escort you back to Windhelm.” Here, he paused, gauging her reaction. “I would rather not have you going back to Riften right away. If you return to Windhelm, you will be a guest at the Palace of the Kings for a few days so you can be protected and shielded from whatever backlash might occur from this job. If you come to Windhelm, I offer you the protection of everyone within the city walls. And I will be more than happy to send Brynjolf a vary vague letter explaining a need for your absence for your own safety concerns. I cannot imagine he would disagree if your life is in the balance.”

Yet again, Ulfric paused before continuing.

“But staying with me in Windhelm is purely optional. If you wish, the guards have been instructed to take you elsewhere at your command. I would simply like to see you safe in the city walls until the Imperials have tired looking for their offender. It is by no means a demand – I do not make demands of those I respect.

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NO LIGHT IN YOUR BRIGHT BLUE EYES

Part of her was still wrapping her head around the fact that their relationship was more than business to him. Most of her clients were only interested in her services. If something were to happen to her they would just hire another thief. Ulfric was genuinely interested in her well-being. Maybe it was because no one could do the jobs he gave her quite as well as she could. Maybe she did have a friend. She was beginning to doubt everyone at the guild. She was well aware that Mercer didn't trust her. Of course she wasn't supposed to know that. It was pretty common knowledge that there was a mole in the guild. Fingers were being pointed at Sapphire since she took contracts outside of the guild. Sapphire wasn't too worried. She was certain that eventually they would figure out who the mole was, and it wouldn't be her. She had been with the guild for a very long time now. She had nothing to gain by betraying them. They were all she had. Sucked back from her thoughts she took a soft breath and readjusted. She was used to sitting against hard surfaces, but her backside was beginning to feeling numb.

"I had meant to bring my cloak." She scowled. "I am usually not so careless." It was true. Usually she was well equipped for anything. She had probably just forgotten it in her haste. It wasn't a good idea for her to travel without a cloak. Those who recognized her would know that she was up to something. Luckily most people didn't know enough to really know who she was, and outside of Riften not many people knew who she was. "Not that it matters. I made sure that I was not followed, and took care to not be noticed. Well, if you don't count that teensy little issue on the road." She shrugged with a very unconcerned expression on her face. He probably didn't appreciate her being so nonchalant about it. She didn't mean to seem like she didn't care, or like she didn't appreciate his thoughts. She honestly, truly did. "While we're on the topic; do I need to fuss at you to be more careful?" She was well aware that it was easiest to travel alone, but she didn't think being totally unprotected was a grand idea for a man in Ulfric's position.

She was about to comment on his future as king when he distracted her. He desired her, did he? She didn't try to hide the smirk on her face, but she left him get away with the comment. At least for now. "Yes, I will stay with the guild for as long as they will have me, unless something arises me to pull me away." What that could be she wasn't sure, but things were a bit tense for her in the guild at the time. "But if you're ever in need of my services I can come to you for the orders." She did not want Ulfric in harm's way. When he spoke of the guild being her family and her allies a troubled look passed over her face, but she quickly got rid of it. Her problems were not of Ulfric's concern. Perhaps if things ever were to get too bad she could go to Windhelm until things were sorted out. She didn't want to think about what could force her to leave the guild against her will, but it would be better than the guild trying to kill her for treason. She could always return after things were sorted out.

"The guild isn't pleased that I am working for other interested parties, even when they receive a cut of the pay." She glared at the wall between them, then shrugged. "They won't like that I will be out of reach for a while on a job that wasn't handed down from Mercer. Still, they should be pacified once they receive their portion of the pay off." She was not going to refuse Ulfric's job because of the guild being foolish. She wasn't intimidated by any of them, and they knew it. That was probably why they were so wary of her. "The guild should be pleased to have your business. You pay well, and usually you only need one of us." Usually that one was her, but still. If they didn't trust her so much then perhaps they should be glad to had her off doing other jobs, away from guild business. She could do worse things than work for Ulfric, and if he was able to trust her so easily then perhaps the guild needed to take some pointers from him.

Sapphire was well aware that she would be hunted after this job. It wasn't the first time that she had been hunted. Yet again he surprised her by caring about her well being. She listened closely to his plan, pleased that she was working with such an intelligent man. Usually Sapphire had to do all of the planning herself. The people she would work with would give her ideas, or try to tell her a plan, and it would be all she could do to keep from laughing at them. Sapphire had to stop and think about his proposition. She would be away from the guild for even longer than if she just took the job and headed back to Riften. Staying in Windhelm was an excellent plan, but she would certainly hear it once she returned to the guild. Sapphire thought on his offer for a while. She remained quiet, only fiddling her fingers. She was sure that he was wondering what she was thinking, but Sapphire was merely weighing her options. After a long moment she raised her eyes to his and nodded. "I will come to Windhelm. I will stay long enough for things to quiet down outside of your walls, and then I will return to the guild." It would be nice to have some time away, and not be working. Things were hard to stomach right now inside of the guild. She was sure that she wouldn't be missed. "Of course, for all I know this could just be a plan to get me alone." She batted her eyelashes at him innocently. He had said he desired her, after all.

WORDS 1,078 ISH TAGGED ULFRIC/ANKH NOTES I CAN ADD ON IF YOU WANT!

TEMPLATE BY WE WERE INFINITE ! OF CAUTIO 2.0

Although his initial desire following her knowing smirk was to reach out to her, Ulfric knew to retain himself. Things got around. Mixtures of things different people said all melded into a muddled little story about Sapphire and it was not a story that Ulfric particularly enjoyed. It was a disgustingly woven tale of her being used and abused. Her body taken and used for the pleasure of a group of men she didn't know. Normally, that may not have bothered Ulfric, as he was the type used to taking what he wanted. But not Sapphire. No. Ulfric respected this woman and did not wish to be counted among the number that would use her. If Ulfric took her as he had the desire to, it would be mutual. And his interest in her, while not blatantly outward as of yet, had certainly not been hidden. Sapphire was the woman that kept him on a string. Kept him wanting to come back if only to chase her a little bit more. The Jarl was aroused by how headstrong she was and how no-nonsense with business, but easygoing as a friend. There was something forbidding about her and that piqued Ulfric's interest in her. It truly was a deadly combination for him.

Not only was she a woman physically tempting, but a woman Ulfric wanted mentally.

He may have trekked as far as to say emotionally... But at this point, that was difficult to say. More than any other woman Ulfric had tried bedding, he wanted Sapphire genuinely. Not as a bedmate. Not as someone to use and cast aside, forgotten. Sapphire was the type of woman built to be beside a Jarl. Built to be beside a High King. And with the personality of hers, Ulfric knew she would not be dull in bed or in conversation. The Jarl of Windhelm was indisputably genuinely attracted to her on a personal level rather than just out of lust. Reaching for her to take her would break that respect. Would break the trust that they had worked on building through the years. Ulfric wasn't willing to risk that. He knew Sapphire's type and that if her trust was broken, it would never be won back again. There were consequences for violating trust. Always. And while Ulfric was, at some points, willing to sacrifice those on his side of the cause, Sapphire was a woman he did not wish to lose, even if by the world's largest accident.

“You may fuss at me all you like,” he said. “But since when do men ever listen?” The smirk on his lips was evident of his jest, though he pressed forward regardless. “You tempt me with offers of coming to Windhelm to receive your orders when I issue them. How dare you try to tempt a Jarl. Sounds suspicious.” Of course it did. And Ulfric liked it – because he was indirectly attempting to seduce this woman in front of him. “The Guild is not happy because they are threatened, for whatever reason,” he mentioned, returning to business momentarily. “I have not threatened their existence and should they continue to cooperate with me, I shall have no reason to. Nor have I any intentions of misplacing Maven Black-Briar for my own advantage over the Guild. And unless I have missed something, I see no reason that the Guild would be threatened by your contracts from me. I pay well enough for them to have a cut. They should be happy I do that. I could simply be paying you under the table without giving enough to cut them in. But I have not yet cut them out of those profits. One would think they would respect that.”

Still, whether they did trust Ulfric or respect the arrangement or not, it wasn't truly his problem. He was not affiliated with them officially – just Sapphire. Mercer could hold whatever opinion that he liked of Ulfric and it wouldn't perturb the Stormcloak Jarl. What would rub him the wrong way would be Mercer (or the rest of the Guild) getting in the way of his business (or personal) dealings with Sapphire. If she preferred to go solely back to the Guild, Ulfric would be understanding and concede to her will. However, if it was a disagreement between Sapphire and Mercer with Mercer interloping into the details of their arrangement, Ulfric would not hesitate to step in and remove the problem: Mercer from the neck up. Trifling with the Thieves Guild may have been suicide for most inhabitants of Skyrim, Ulfric Stormcloak was stronger in both person and connections than Maven Black-Briar. He would not be threatened by her should she become frosty over her Guild.

She was frosty over everything else as it was.

Yet Ulfric's mind was pulled back to Sapphire and much more pleasant thoughts as she alluded to a plan of Ulfric's just to get her alone. He didn't miss that provoking batting of her eyelashes, either. Gently, a hand reached out to take her waist and pull her to him until he could feel her chest against his. With 'trouble' written all over the man's face, he smirked. “Now, Miss Sapphire... However did you manage to guess my ulterior motives of having you in Windhelm?” His voice was husky, speaking in low tones now that she was close enough for him to feel her breath. Smoothly, the Jarl's head dipped to her shoulder, pressing his lips against her neck and every so often nipping at the tender skin before finally finding his lips against her ear. “Don't take too long on that job,” he purred softly. “I have to leave Windhelm in a little over a month. And the later you get there, the less... Time we have to... Debrief from... All the stress.” With one last lustful nip to her neck, Ulfric straightened up and took hold of the cloak that he'd worn in order to arrive here. Pulling it safely over his shoulders and securing it tightly, he checked all of the bindings of his armor, ensuring that he would be well protected on the way back to Windhelm. It was a moment as he prepared himself for departure before his eyes raised yet again to look at the woman before him with a foreshadowing expression. “Do me a favor: Don't keep me waiting too long...”

“...My curiosity can be... Insatiable.”

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