As she walked around the back pathway, she heard a man asking around for someone, a woman. She got closer and closer to the sound of the man's voice and she panicked when she realized who the voice belonged to. She pulled up her hood and the mask she wore with the hood, which was also part of her armor, and walked out onto the street. She passed by the man and tried to ignore him, but she stopped when he asked her to.

"Excuse me miss, but do you know where I can find Valinna Windrime? I need to speak with her." He asked.

"I'm sorry, good sir, but I do not know of whom you speak. I have lived in Riften long enough to know everyone here and I have never met this Valinna Windrime before, not even in passing. Perhaps you should try the next town?" she said, glad that he couldn't see her face.

"Thank you, miss, for your help. I have been searching for her for weeks. I did something horrible that I cannot take back, but I have to find her to tell her how sorry I am." The man said. "If she does pass through here and you see her, will you tell her that Ulfric Stormcloak is looking for her?"

Valinna felt her chest tighten as she nodded. "Of course, sir. I will pass along the message if I meet her. This girl must be very special to have the Jarl of Windhelm looking for her."

"Aye, she is, but I did something horrible to her and I will never forgive myself for it. I just have to tell her that I'm sorry, though I don't expect that she will listen." Ulfric said. "Forgive me, stranger. I did not mean to interrupt you in your duties, whatever they may be. Thank you for at least stopping to speak with me. Even with the Thieves' Guild running this town, not all who are here have been as kind as you."

Valinna bowed her head in respect. "The Thieves' Guild is different than the Dark Brotherhood, yet they do what they can to help people with their skills. They help keep this town running and funded. Their new Guild Master has done very well turning things around for the whole town and many of them are grateful. You can always find kindness in the world, even in a place like this, you just need to know where to look."

"You sound like Valinna. That's sounds like something she used to say when we were kids. But, forgive me, I will not take up anymore of your time."

"Good day to you, then, good sir." Valinna said, turning away.

As the strange woman, garbed in black, started to turn away, Ulfric looked down and saw the brooch she wore and his eyes widened. 'Valinna?' he wondered as the woman left, going down the stairs to the lower docks. He followed her, trying not to get too close. 'Where is she going?'

Valinna sensed that Ulfric was following her, but she knew the Ratway as well as some of the senior guild members did, though some would argue that she knew them better. She went through the twists and turns, trying to lose Ulfric in the passageways. As she went around a bend, she saw Niruin and Thyrnn come out into the Ratway.

"Boss, what're you doing out here? I thought you were still with the others." Thyrnn said.

"There is a man who followed me down here. He's relentless and I can't shake him." Valinna said, pulling them aside. "As well as I know these halls, I can't give him the slip."

"We'll take care of it." Niruin said.

"Don't hurt him too badly. He's… an old friend. If you can, I need you to capture him and bring him to the cistern. Put a hood over his head or something, just make sure that he doesn't know how to find us again. I want to know how he found me and what his plan is."

The two nodded and set off to sneak up behind Ulfric as Valinna slid into a passage that led to the Ragged Flagon.

"Valinna, there you are!" Rune called to her as she joined the others. "I was looking for you! The stew is good! There's plenty left, if you haven't eaten yet."

Valinna placed a hand on his shoulder. "Thanks, Rune. I'm glad you like it. I think I'll take some into the cistern and look over some jobs while I eat."

Rune nodded and walked with her over to Vekel. "So where did you go? Vex said you were going to go home, but you might be back later. Why's your mask up? Is something going on?"

Valinna thanked Vekel as he handed her a bowl with a good portion of bread. "It's being taken care of, Rune, I promise." Then, she looked around at the others and said, "Thyrnn and Niruin will be back shortly, with a guest. I expect you all to be on your best behavior. I need to speak with our guest and clear a few things up, so please if you all would not mind, leave me and our guest to our business alone in the cistern."

Rune and the others nodded as Valinna left the Ragged Flagon to go into the cistern. She went across the bridge and to her desk. She set the bowl of stew and the bread on the desk and looked up as Brynjolf came in.

"Lass, what's going on?" he asked, stopping in front of her desk.

"I've got it under control, Brynjolf." Valinna said, looking at him.

"Do you need me to be here with you?" Brynjolf asked.

"If you feel that you must, then you may stay. I promise I have this under control, though."

"If you're certain, lass." Brynjolf said.

"Aye, I am."

"Who's this guest, then you spoke of?"

Just as he asked, Thyrnn and Niruin came into the cistern with the guest and the others were close behind them.

"Brynjolf, help our guest into a seat." Valinna asked.

Brynjolf did as he was asked as Thyrnn and Niruin brought the guest up to the desk. He secured the guest in the chair, his hands tied behind his back. As he stepped back, he pulled the hood off the guest's head and saw who it was.

"Lass, what is he doing here?" Brynjolf asked.

"Boss, is this who I think it is?" Vex asked, coming into the cistern to check on things. "Is he the one you told me about earlier?"

"This is Ulfric Stormcloak, jarl of Windhelm. He has come to Riften, seeking an old friend." Valinna said, nodding.

Ulfric looked up at her. "You're the woman from the market."

Thyrnn punched him. "You will address the Guild Master with respect, stranger."

Ulfric grunted and spat out a bit of blood as he glanced up at the one referred to as Guild Master. "I have heard of your deeds, Guild Master, though you spoke highly of them yourself."

Thyrnn punched him again and Valinna crossed her arms.

"Why did you follow me?" she demanded.

"Where did you get that brooch?" he asked in return.

Valinna sighed. "It was given to me by my mother, a long time ago before she died."

Ulfric watched as she pulled down the mask and lowered her hood. "Valinna!"

Valinna sat on her desk and crossed her legs at the ankles. She picked up her bowl and spooned some of the stew into her mouth. "Who told you where I was, Ulfric?"

"After you left, Ralof came to me. He told me you had gone and would never come back. I had to find you, to tell you how unforgivable what I had done to you was, to beg for your forgiveness, so I hired a few interesting characters and they told me you had come to Riften. That's all I needed to hear, so I came here to find you."

"Why couldn't you have stayed home, in Windhelm? Why couldn't you have just stayed seated in that throne of yours, like you always do?" Valinna asked.

"I had to find you! What I did was wrong, and I can never forgive myself. I drank too much and what you said that night infuriated me…" Ulfric started.

"And that justifies what you did?" Valinna demanded, setting her bowl aside.

"Lass, are you sure you want to do this now?" Brynjolf asked.

Valinna nodded. "He is here now and there will never be another time. I may not be ready to confront him, but as you have said before, are we really ever ready for anything?"

Brynjolf smiled a bit at that and stood back.

"Ulfric Stormcloak. Jarl of Windhelm. Leader of the Rebellion. Once my closest friend, my dearest companion, someone I have known since childhood. Now, the father of my child."

Ulfric gaped at her. "Valinna, what are you saying?"

Valinna glared at him. "Did you not think your actions would not have consequences?"
"You're pregnant?" he asked. "Why did you not tell me?"

Valinna felt a pain in her chest and she closed her eyes, taking a deep breath before she opened them and answered him. "I only found out this morning, and I wasn't going to tell you because I am ashamed of you, ashamed to have known you. You may be a great man in the eyes of many, revered for your cause, but they do not see you as I do now." She leaned down and looked him in the eyes. "You took something special from me, something that I was not ready to give to anyone yet. You called me a little whore when I have been with no man before. You took the purity and sanctity of my virginity and tore it from me that night. Do not try to justify it with drinking too much. You destroyed whatever chance that I had at giving myself freely to a man of my choosing and now you are to be the father of my child."

"Valinna, I'm sorry." Ulfric said as she started to walk back to her desk.

"I do not need your apologies, Ulfric Stormcloak, nor do I want them. You raped me and you will never see your child, ever, not while I still draw breath." She said to him, venom in her words. "How could you have betrayed me like that? After everything that we have been through? I grew up with you, we played together in Windhelm, causing mischief everywhere we went, and when I came back from Cyrodiil after my father died, I found you again when the Imperials caught us and tried to execute us. I could have gone with the others, but I followed Ralof and met with you. I stood by you all the way, through every battle. I helped you liberate much of Skyrim. You named me Bonebreaker. By the Nine, Ulfric, you named me your Thane! And this is how you repay me for everything I have done for you?"

Ulfric remained silent as Valinna turned away and looked at the woman with blonde hair who had joined them earlier.

"Vex, take Thyrnn and Niruin with you and get that man out of here. Take him to the nearest Stormcloak camp and leave him there. Keep him bound and hooded the whole way. I don't want him knowing how to get back to the tavern or the cistern." Valinna said.

Vex nodded and waited while Thyrnn and Niruin stood Ulfric up.

"Valinna, wait! Please, forgive me!" he begged.

Valinna looked at him, tears spilling down her cheeks and glistening in the torch light. "I will never forgive you for what you have done, my old friend. If I ever see you near Riften or if you come anywhere near my guild or my child, I will not hesitate to kill you myself. May Talos guide and protect you through this war and may Stendarr have mercy on your soul for your crimes."

And with that, Vex knocked Ulfric unconscious and pulled the hood over his head. She motioned for Thyrnn and Niruin to go on ahead. "Boss, are you going to be alright?"

Valinna nodded. "Aye, just get him out of here."

Vex nodded. "What if he tries to follow?"

"Don't let him set foot in Riften again."

Vex nodded she quickly disappeared with the others, leaving Valinna alone in the cistern.

Valinna was grateful for the silence, though she wished what had just transpired had never occurred.

"Lass, are you alright? This came far too soon." Brynjolf asked, coming up behind her.

Valinna wiped the tears from her eyes and nodded. "Aye, but only time will tell for sure. I just can't believe he was stupid enough to come here."

"You did well, considering, lass. You could have hurt him very badly, but you held back and struck with your words instead." Brynjolf said, wrapping his arms around her.

Valinna placed a hand on his forearm and sighed. "Thank you, Brynjolf. You were there for me again, as you always are."

Brynjolf smiled and hugged her. He could smell the sweet peachy fragrance coming off of her. It always comforted him and helped him keep his head on straight. "I promised I would be, until Arkay take me to Sovngarde, and I meant it."

Valinna turned to face him and put a hand on his chest. "Truly, what would I do without you?"

Brynjolf smiled and reached up to tuck a loose strand of her silver hair behind her ear. "I don't ever want to be given the chance to find out." He said, then kissed her forehead.

Valinna closed her eyes and breathed in the musky oak scent coming off of Brynjolf. She nestled in closer to him.

"Lass, there's something that has been on my mind for a long time, but perhaps now isn't the best time for me to address it with you."

Valinna looked up and just as Brynjolf was going to tell her what was bothering him, Rune came in.

"Is everything alright now, Valinna?" he asked.

Valinna pushed herself out of Brynjolf's arms and nodded. "Aye, Rune, everything is fine now. How is everyone doing out there?"

"We're just a little worried, that's all. Everyone loves the stew and your bread is fantastic!"

Valinna laughed at that. "Alright, well then let's get back to it then." She replied then began to follow Rune out into the Ragged Flagon. She stopped and looked at Brynjolf. "Do you wish to continue this conversation at a later date?"

Brynjolf nodded. "Aye, that would be for the best."

"Let me know when you feel ready, then." Valinna replied and followed Rune into the cistern.

Brynjolf sighed, wanting so badly to tell her that he loved her, but after Ulfric showed up in Riften and a baby on the way, he thought it best not to say anything. Not yet. He sighed one last time and followed after Valinna and Rune, rejoining the others. The time would come for him to tell her and to find out if she felt the same way about him, but until that day came, he would wait patiently.