"Well…if it isn't the new addition to this rabble of a Guild,"

Raene turned in the direction of the voice. A tall Imperial leaned against a wooden post, arms crossed below her breasts. Her dark eyes seemed to rove the entire form of the Redguard as if weighing and assessing. Setting her jaw determinedly, Raene walked up to the woman.

"You're Vex?"

"In all her splendor, Redguard. What do you want?"

"Delvin sent me to-" Raene begin but Vex cut her off midsentence.

"That old man should learn not to push every new squirt in my direction," the pale-skinned woman pushed off the post and strode away. "Go get your lockpicking lessons elsewhere."

Raene quelled her rising temper, her dignity saving her from running after the Imperial woman and persuading her to take her as a pupil.

"I'll just find someone else then," she called after the woman. Vex did not spare her another look.

Fuming, Raene stormed back to Delvin who was watching the exchange between the two hot-blooded women over the rim of his tankard. He gave an unpleasant smile as the woman approached, revealing a shining gold tooth.

"Didn't go well, did it?"

"No," Raene flopped down into a chair and glared at the burly man. "Find me another teacher. I'm not going back to her again."

Delvin slapped his thigh as he let out a sharp bark of laughter making Raene jump in surprise.

"You could ask Rune. Though I doubt he can measure up to Vex."

"Anyone but Vex," Raene said grimly as she reached for a flagon of ale.

The Redguard moaned softly as she slipped into the warm water. She had emerged from the Ratway and returned back to her lodgings in the Bee and the Barb. The Guild was strapped for cash as it was and couldn't spare her a bed. Not that she minded really, she preferred breathing clean air instead of the murky, stale smell of the Cistern.

Her steel armor lay discarded by the side of the bronze tub. Raene slowly drew a washcloth against her arms, humming contentedly to herself. None of the Guild members knew her as the Dragonborn or a member of the famed Companions and she preferred to keep it that way. She was sure that Kodlak Whitemane will not approve of her joining the Thieves Guild but she needed the money. She was alone in Skyrim and quickly running broke.

A barmaid slipped into the room, carrying a bucket of hot water. She stopped hesitantly at the sight of the naked Redguard lounging in the tub.

"Oh, my apologies, maam!" she stammered, hurriedly backing to the door. "I did not know that you had already returned."

She's a pretty thing, Raene smiled predatorily.

"It's fine," she waved the young woman to approach. "Just leave the bucket over here."

The Nord ducked her head to avoid looking at the Redguard as she hurried to obey the request. As she made to leave, Raene grabbed her wrist gently.

"I have troubled reaching a spot on my back, could you?" she held out the washcloth.

The red-haired woman blushed, opening her mouth soundlessly before gingerly taking the cloth and pulled up a stool that placed her behind the Redguard.

Raene leaned forward to expose her back to the woman, feeling water trickling down her back. She felt the cloth gently rubbing against her skin and she sighed as she started relaxing. The woman worked her back in silence before speaking in a shy tone;

"You have nice skin,"

"I do?" Raene grinned at the compliment.

"Yes." She felt fingers trailing against her back. "So smooth…too smooth for a warrior."

"What makes you think I'm a warrior?"

"Your armor...forgive me if I was mistaken, maam."

"Please," Raene swiveled her head to look into the Nord's green eyes. "Call me Raene."

"Raene…" the barmaid smiled shyly. "My name is Joldi"

"You have a lover, Joldi?" Raene laughed at the surprised gasp from the Nord.

"I…I don't…" the woman stuttered, her gentle rubs increasing in pressure. "I'm new here, ma…Raene."

"So am I," the Redguard grasped Joldi's hand and placed a chaste kiss against the inside of the woman's wet wrist. "I hope to see you more in the coming days."

Joldi flushed at the gesture but did not pull her hand back. That must be a good sign then, Raene told herself. Slowly, she pulled the woman toward her, searching for the slightest sign of rejection. There was none. Their faces were not inches apart.

"Tell me you don't want this and I'll let you go," she whispered, feeling Joldi's breath against her lips.

The Nord closed the distance between their lips, her kiss inexperienced and clumsy. Raising a wet hand to cup the woman's cheek, Raene deepened the kiss, taking control. Their mouths worked against one another in a slower pace as Raene took the Nord's lower lip between her teeth, biting gently. Joldi let out a small moan as she dropped the washcloth and brought her hands up to grasp the Redguard's shoulders, fingernails digging into Raene's skin.

It was Raene who broke the kiss finally. The young Nord still had her eyes closed, lips slightly parted to regain her breath. Slowly, her eyes fluttered open, green eyes meeting hazel ones.

"That was…incredible." She whispered.

"Yes," a voice drawled from the doorway. "…incredible indeed."

The two women sprang apart, Raene sloshing water out of the tub. She glared indignantly at the entrance of her room to see Vex leaning against the frame of the door. A lazy smile trailed the woman's thin lips.

"I heard Keerave calling for you, wench," she said. "Best make haste."

Muttering a hurried apology to Raene and Vex, Joldi excused herself, wiping her hands dry on her apron.

"What are you doing here?" Raene glared daggers at the Imperial.

Vex had shed her Guild armor for a blue dress; her attire of the Ratway, Raene presumed. The woman unhurriedly approached the tub, her eyes fixed on the Redguard and Raene had to control herself from crossing her arms around her breasts. She'll be damned if she let Vex intimidate her in her own room. Vex was the intruder here.

"Bryn sent me," she finally spoke. "…to make my peace with you, squirt."

"Don't call me that!" Raene growled. "And I don't need you to train me. I've already found another teacher."

"Who, Rune?" Vex threw her head back, laughing cruelly. "He wasted fifteen lockpicks just to open a single master-class safe. Hardly constitute for a teacher, you think?" the Imperial pulled the stool beside the tub so that she could look directly at the Redguard.

Raene maintained her stoic demeanor, her eyes cold. She wished Joldi had not dropped the washcloth. At least, she could pretend that she still needed cleaning so that Vex could leave her in peace.

"Do you mind?" she finally said. "I need to clean myself."

"With what?" Vex made a show of looking for the washcloth. "I don't see anything that you can use to wash yourself with."

"The barmaid dropped it," Raene gritted her teeth in frustration.

"Is the water still warm?" Vew trailed her fingers along the water. "It's been a while since I had a soak in a tub."

Rising, she took the bucket and emptied it into the bathtub, steam rising around the Redguard as the lukewarm water heated up immediately. Without another word, she started removing her dress.

"Hey, w-what are you doing, woman?" Raene's face flushed as Vex exposed her naked form. "This tub can't fit both of us."

"I've fitted myself into tinier tubs, squirt." Vex stepped into the tub. "Lean against the back, will you?" Sliding down, she placed her back against Raene's front. "Now this is how you share a tub."

Raene could feel her face heating up. It was not that she was uncomfortable of being with another woman in a tub. This was not her first time. She was just uncomfortable of being with this woman. It was just this morning that Vex made her look like a fool and now here she was leaning against the Redguard in a tub. Raene will not give her the satisfaction of thinking that she had the upper hand here as well.

"My shoulders are sore," Vex said after a bit. "Massage if for me."

"What's in it for me?"

"That we part amicably," Vex answered innocently. "…as friends.

"Good enough," Raene rested her palms on the Imperial's shoulders, kneading the flesh.

"Mmmm…." the other woman leaned into the Redguard's touch. "That feels good."

"You know what else will feel good?" Raene whispered into the Imperial's ear. "This..."

She moved her hands lower, over Vex's slick chest, grazing over the woman's nipples and moving even lower. The Imperial let out a small gasp at the contact and reached down to still the Redguard's hands.

"A rash one, aren't you?" she craned her neck to frown at Raene. "Is that how you behave with a Guild leader?"

"A Guild leader," Raene bit the woman's earlobe. "…who willingly stepped into my tub. What then did you have in mind?"

Sloshing water around her as she circled to face the Redguard, Vex gripped the Redguard by her neck, nails digging into skin but not attempting to strangle to woman.

"I do have something in mind, Redguard," She hissed softly. "…but are you up to it?"

She couldn't help it that she was aroused by Vex. This time, Raene did not hold back as she pulled the woman roughly towards her, their lips crashing together. It was a battle of dominance as Vex tangled her fingers in dark locks, pulling Raene closer to her. Raene reached down to grasp the Imperial's supple bottom, kneading the flesh under her fingers. Vex bit down hard on her lip, drawing out a gasp of pain from the Redguard. Immediately, Raene pulled back, tasting blood on her lips. The Imperial merely licked her lips, her hungry eyes fixed on Raene.

"Let's take this to the bedroom." the Imperial growled, rising as water streamed down her toned body.

Stopping herself from staring at the Imperial's perfectly rounded bottom, Raene followed the fair-haired woman to the bed, ignoring the wetness of her body. Vex eased herself onto the bed, brazenly spreading her legs as she stared up at the Redguard, smiling coyly. Raene felt her chest rising and falling heavily as her breath quickened at the sight of the Imperial's arousal. Quickly, she got down on her elbows before the woman, their lips meeting once again. Vex languidly pulled the Redguard down on her, wrapping her legs around the woman's waist.

Raene felt her centre throb as Vex rubbed her soaked arousal against her skin. Groaning, she pulled away from the heated kiss to focus on grinding against the woman. Vex dragged her nails down Raene's back, drawing light gauges against the Redguard's dark skin.

"Just like that…..yessss…" Vex screwed her eyes shut as Raene quickened her motion. "Faster….go faster!"

Wet bodies moved together passionately as Vex clutched the Redguard close to her, letting out small whimpers of ecstasy. Raene felt their centers rubbing vigorously against one another with every upward and downward motion. She gritted her teeth, trying to drag out the moment as long as possible, sweat beading at her temples. Her hips were starting to burn from the exerting motion but she forced herself to keep going. Vex leaned upwards, nipping viciously at her jawline, causing the Redguard to groan at the mixture of pain and pleasure. Moans filled the air, almost muffling out the creak of the bed frame.

"Almost there…" Vex urged her, her voice breathless.

Gritting her eyes shut, Raene pressed down hard against the woman's centre, her muscles tensed and quivering as an orgasm ripped through her. Below her, Vex bit into the Redguard's shoulder to muffle her scream of release. Letting out a guttural groan, Raene rolled off the Imperial to catch her breath. For a moment, all that could be heard in the room was the heavy breathing of the two women.

"That…" Vex finally spoke. "…was one of the best sex I have had with a woman."

Rolling over, she looked down at the Redguard, eyes gleaming mischievously.

"Consider yourself a favorite student of mine….squirt,"

Raene could only manage a fierce scowl at the woman.

Lol, I know I said I just wanted to focus on Tales of the Harbinger but I wanted to do a small one-shot of Raene before my current story (she was not even a Harbinger yet), so here it is! :) Enjoyyy. And don't overthink on how this affects the current storyline for Tales of the Harbinger. It doesn't, really ;)

~Ayden