A/N: Finally wrote some more for this!

Upon handing Maven the promissory note identifying Sabjorn's silent partner, the old hag had told her to report to Brynjolf. Eletta's heart skipped a beat uncomfortably at that, and she chose instead to report straight to Mercer. Brynjolf would have told her to take it to the Guildmaster anyway; she was just cutting out the middle man.

She jogged down the stairs of the Bee and Barb, nearly knocking down a man dressed in mage robes. She steadied herself and smiled at him. "Marcurio, I'm sorry, didn't see you."

Marcurio, the arrogant mage, smirked at her. "You'll just have to owe me one." At her pointed look, he chuckled. "It's fine. Your friend was looking for you, arrived just yesterday with a courier from Whiterun."

"Lydia?" Eletta stood on tiptoes to see over Marcurio's shoulder, causing him to chuckle again.

"She's speaking with Mjoll now." He gave her shoulder a fond squeeze, the most physical contact he ever gave her despite the months of traveling they'd done together in the length of their friendship. She let her fingertips brush over the back of his hand and gave him a warm smile.

She spied Lydia in the corner by the bar, having just finished a conversation with Mjoll, and Eletta nodded her head towards the doors. Lydia stood, understanding immediately, and paid Keerava. She followed just a few steps behind her Thane as Eletta led her to the cemetery, directly to the crypt in which sat the secret entrance to the Cistern. This was their routine, Eletta's attempt to keep Lydia from dirtying her reputation as much as possible. Once safely in the Cistern, she waited for the telltale signs of her friend approaching and then said, "What did the courier want?"

"Marcurio told you. Good," said Lydia, smiling in the dark. "Let's go farther in. This is claustrophobic, my Thane."

They did as Lydia requested, passing Rune and Cynric—both men nodded their acknowledgement, but Eletta knew they were both surprised at her speedy return, especially after she'd taken "so long" to complete the previous job. She smiled, at Rune specifically, and as she walked away she heard Cynric mutter something along the lines of, "Can't understand her."

Rune's very easily-understood reply was a cheerful, "She's the most confusing woman I've ever met."

Cynric gave his companion a strange look but shrugged it off. Eletta fought to hide her smile. Rune was always such a kind soul to her. A sweetheart, really. She turned to Lydia. "What news did the courier bring, friend?" she asked.

Smiling wryly, Lydia handed her a small wrapped parcel. "First things first. From Jarl Balgruuf, with his regards." Eletta took the package, looking at it curiously. What could Balgruuf have sent her? It was too small to be a weapon. "He sends his warmest regards and laments that your duty has pulled you from his company prematurely."

Eletta grinned at her language. Lydia returned the grin, continuing, "I promised I would relay the message verbatim, my Thane. He also requests that you find the time to assist the guards he sent to Riverwood—apparently they've been having some trouble with bandits and the guards are overwhelmed. He also fears it could be a target of the Stormcloak rebellion."

"Was this news brought via the courier?" Her fingers unwrapped the parcel from Balgruuf deftly. It was a sensitive matter, the rebellion, and she couldn't imagine Balgruuf being so naïve as to entrust information regarding it to a mere courier.

"No, he informed me of this directly as he knew I would be setting out to meet you here in Riften." Lydia sat down on Eletta's cot at her friend's urging. "He said the package was for your mission at the Thalmor Embassy."

Eletta groaned loudly. "I had forgotten about that."

"It's in a little over a week, my Thane," said Lydia with a smile, as if she knew the woman would forget. "He also suggested it would make you less suspicious if you brought an escort of the male persuasion. He volunteered himself, but I told him it would be very unwise should something go astray. He already knows too much about the plan to infiltrate the Embassy." Lydia sighed, settling back against the wall as Eletta finally revealed the Jarl's present. "I'm surprised you were stupid enough to inform him of it."

Eletta shrugged. "I trust him, Lydia. He has done nothing to warrant any less."

Her friend raised an eyebrow. "Don't you have to inform Mercer of your completed job?"

She waved the other woman off. "Later, Lydia, later." The package contained a dress, beautiful and embroidered with gold thread. Her breath caught in her throat, fingers ghosting over it. She was afraid to touch it lest she ruin the soft, silk fabric. Lydia glanced down at it and whistled approvingly.

"It will look beautiful on you, my Thane," she said. "You will have no problem obtaining a male escort wearing such a fine dress."

"I can't wear this," Eletta whispered. "I'll dirty it." The dress itself was a heavenly shade of royal purple, and she knew it would perfectly match the circlet shoved in the back of her wardrobe. How had Balgruuf known? The bodice was white, small jewels sewn into it, and the level of delicate detail was extraordinary. There was a note, handwritten from the Jarl: I remember your woes concerning the clothes you would need for the party; I hope this garment is suitable to your purposes. If you should ever require anything, Eletta, please inquire. I am not just the Jarl of Whiterun; I am, and will always be, your friend.

Her throat clogged with emotion and she cleared it with a cough. Lydia watched her Thane's reaction to the letter carefully before saying, "He's in love with you."

Eletta bristled. "He is not—"

"Many people are in love with you, my Thane."

The other woman grumbled, placing the gown carefully in her dresser. "Well they ought to have their heads examined," she snapped. "I'm a fucking mess."

Mere seconds after she spoke, a male voice behind her said, "Hungry, Eletta?"

She turned her head as Rune tossed an apple her way. She caught it on reflex and took a bite, sighing in relief. She hadn't had an opportunity to eat during the whole of the job. "How'd you know?"

"That apples are your favorite?" Rune laughed boisterously. "You go for them before you even go for sweetrolls."

"Thanks, Rune," she said, taking another juicy bite. He nodded and walked away, grinning, and when she faced her friend again the other woman had a strange smirk. "Oh, Lydia, you don't think—"

"Prime example," the woman sung.

Eletta snorted. "As if, Lydia. What did the courier have to say?"

"An anonymous tip regarding the location of another word wall," said Lydia, handing her Thane the details. "We can leave at your discretion." Eletta read over the letter, her mind swimming. Lydia shot her a sympathetic look. "You're a very busy woman, Eletta."

"Tell me something I don't know." She folded the letter carefully, placing it in her pocket. "Comes with the title I suppose."

"I don't know why you allow so much on your plate at once."

"You say that as if I have a choice." She bit another chunk off the apple, placing her head in her hand. The mission at the Thalmor Embassy required immediate attention; it would take days to travel to Riverwood where Delphine had arranged a meeting to retrieve the necessary invitation to the party, days more to travel from there to Solitude where she was to meet Malborn. She didn't feel like making multiple trips to Riverwood, and Balgruuf had requested her immediate assistance with their bandit problem. The word wall, according to the tip, was located not far from Riften, in an ancient Nordic tomb called Forelhost. Then, of course, wherever Mercer decided to send her next. She doubted his patience would hold out long enough for her to complete her laundry lists of tasks first. It didn't seem too bad, if she rushed through it all: knock out the word wall first on her way out of Riften, cut straight across towards Riverwood—if she pushed herself and only stopped once to rest, probably in Ivarstead, she could make it there in two days—and, if she spent no more than three days in Riverwood, she could make it up to Solitude with a day to spare. That wasn't counting, however, whatever assignment the Guildmaster was apt to give her. Maybe she could convince him to just assign her something little in Solitude.

She heard a gruff voice bark out her name and bit back a sigh. Speak of the devil. "What do you need, Mercer?"

"Cynric said you'd returned." He narrowed his eyes at her. "Why didn't you report to me immediately?"

"I had other duties to consider as well." She dismissed Lydia with a nod of her head. The Nord woman eyed the Breton with a guarded expression before standing and leaving—she had never trusted the Guildmaster, and she got sour every time her Thane dismissed her. She only grudgingly realized Eletta was doing it to keep Lydia out of the mud as much as she could while still keeping the woman in her service. The less she knew, the better.

She stood to be on even ground with Mercer. It was difficult considering the man was nearly a foot taller than her. She squared her shoulders and met his eyes.

"Is that a problem?" she asked.

She moved to brush past him, but he grabbed her arm rather harshly and her breath caught. "Your loyalty should be first and foremost to the Guild," he snarled. "So yes, girl, if it isn't we have a problem."

"I'm doing my damn best to juggle about a million things right now," she spit back. "If you'd like to trade, I'll gladly give the Guild my full undivided attention, and you can kill dragons for a while."

His lips pulled back, baring his teeth like an animal. He released her arm. "Did you finish Maven's job?"

"Yes, the conniving old bitch is satisfied with my service."

His eyes narrowed further. "Learn to control your tongue, girl."

"I can control it very well actually." She hadn't meant for her words to come out so suggestive, but it served to throw him off a bit. "Anything for me to do? I've got quite the busy schedule, you see, so if you don't mind…"

Mercer growled. "I think I've found which of our old contacts is being used against us. His name is Gulum-Ei. Track him down in Solitude and see if you can pry any information from him."

Eletta pondered it briefly. It was actually a stroke of good fortune that he was in Solitude. "I can do that. I'll be in the neighborhood anyway."

"Good." Mercer, pacified by her acceptance of the job, stepped back. "Take Brynjolf with you, I can't risk this going south. If Gulum-Ei gets the feeling we're onto him, he could flee and tell his contacts before we even get to him."

Eletta fought back the urge to groan. So much for a stroke of good fortune. "I'm taking Lydia."

"I don't care if you take your guard dog, but Brynjolf goes too. Whatever problem you have with him, work it out."

With a curt nod that was probably meant as a dismissal, he walked off and left Eletta to sulk on her cot.

A/N: Thoughts?