Russell
**Maven sat in a pew, silently waiting for the contact from the Thieves Guild.**
Andrea
Amari walked in, shrouded in her normal shadows that seemed to almost follow her. She was quiet, making no sound at all, even when she opened the door to the temple and slipped in. She walked quietly, sitting at the end of the pew with a wide berth of space between the two. But not too wide. 

"Lady Maven." She spoke in her soft dialect, eyes staying ahead of her. She had talked to Maven quite a lot, the lady being the reason she had a home in Riften even.
Russell
**She did not yet make eye contact with Amari. She simply gazed at the altar as she spoke.**

"How familiar is the Thieves Guild with the guard captain here, Regulus? Is he on your payroll?"
Andrea
Amari grimaced lightly at the mention of Regulus, she has spoken to him once or maybe even twice. But she knows him well enough, she supposes. "Regulus is... More than familiar with prominent members of the guild. But he and the guild have complicated ties nonetheless. Smaller and more unimportant members will find themselves in the cells every once and a while if they get sloppy. And rumor has it he might be... Willing to execute some theives as well. The guild doesn't like that. To make all that brief, it's a complicated affair my lady."
Russell
**She rolls her eyes.**

"Of course, why would I expect anything different?"

**She looks at Amari.**

"No one is getting executed. The Steward would not allow that. And the warden I know for certain is on MY payroll. Its my coin that keeps your hides out of that miserable little cage."

**She looks back to the altar, crossing her legs, fingers laced together and resting on the knee.**

"So allow me to break this down very simply for you; he is not a friend of the Guild. And all ties he has to the Guild will be severed immediately. He's proven to have a motive that contradicts my own, which contradicts the Guild's by extension. We have worked too hard to build Riften into what it was for sentimentality to be the complicating factor."

**After her little rant, she glances back at Amari.**

"Regardless, I have a job for you."
Andrea
Amari, unlike some people who might be running with the guild, was smart. She was patient and most importantly, she knew when to obey. Talking, which would be seen as arguing in this instance, was unwise and get her nothing but Maven's ire. So she just simply nodded 

"As you command, my lady." She was obedient, because she knew that anything else was very unwise. Maven was a powerful woman, holding both her guild and the Dark Brotherhood in the palms on her hand, and with a leash tightly around both.

She listened keenly, sanguine heightened senses at full attention to the woman next to her. She knew, her intellect telling her, where this was going.
Russell
"I want you to break into Regulus' Office. Find me everything you can about him. And I mean, everything. Letters, spell books, to what he had for breakfast this morning. If you can't find satisfactory information in his office, then find out where he lives, and break in there."

**Maven calculates a few moments in silence, before continuing.**

"Any coin you find is yours to keep, along with a base hazard pay of one hundred septims. You'll get paid more based on the value of the information I deem. Report this information to me when you want payment."

"And, obviously... Wait until he's actually gone before breaking in. Given the rate the Guild has been going, I figured it'd be the safer thing to just remind you the basics of your job."
Andrea
She nodded, Amari was quite good at her job. It's how she had risen the ranks of the guild in only two years. There were many factors as to why she was good. She looked eternally young for the rest of her days, doomed to be 18 eternally. She was small, dainty, and quiet. Very quiet, never loud. She never makes any noise really, not even a heart beat or the sound of blood rushing through veins.

"As you wish." She bowed her head. If being Maven's lap dog and doing this was going to keep her safe, she'd do it a thousand times over. Because if there was one thing Amari learnt in the 19 years of her life, is that survival means everything. And to survive, you need to know the food chain. And Maven, she was the Alex predator of Riften. No one got very far when they messed with her, and Amari didn't want to test her already ill luck. "I see. Yes, the guild has been in a... Dry spell. I haven't been as much." 

She stood, not making so much of a creak as she did "You'll have your results soon, that you can be assured of." She hummed, her youthful tone and looks strange when matched with her elegant speech and serious demeanor. Not many children can simply just be children in Skyrim.
Russell
**Maven eyes up Amari.**

"There's something different about this guard captain. Back in the market... Something in his... Form... Shifted. I expect some sort of illusion. If my hunch is correct, expect magic involved. Factor this in when you try and break into his places."

**Maven stood up herself, meeting Amari at eye level.**

"One last thing..."

**Maven produces an clear vial from her vest, with a pale liquid inside, which was nearly translucent.**

"Invisibility potion. This will be your last out, if you need it."

**She offers the potion to Amari.**
Andrea
She tilted her head, eyes narrowing in confusion. Illusion magic, of this she was no stranger. But being powerful enough to cover your form for long periods of time is very beyond her meager skill level. She never picked up magic very well. 

"What an interesting development." Amari stated thoughtfully, trying to get a mental imagine of just what she was going to encounter and better yet, if it was worse then Maven. 

Her eyes refocused when Maven had offered the potion to Amari, she smiled ever so slightly in what she hoped seemed to be the genuine gratitude she felt. 

"I appreciate this, my lady." She gently took the bottle holding the clear liquid, careful not to touch Maven. "I hopefully won't need it, but having a safety net is... Always good." She was unsure, deep in her heart, if this was a sound plan for survival or if this would get her the early grave she's so scared off.

"I hope I can bring you the answers you seek, Lady Maven."
Russell
"I expect it returned if you don't use it. This is not a gift."

**She takes a seat again.**

"As always, the rest of the prep is down to the Guild. Let them know what I've told you. And, remind them; there are no more ties to the guard captain. If at any point he was benefiting from Guild relations, he will be no longer. Ensure Mercer is acutely aware of this."
Andrea
She nodded, how crudely aware she was of how anything given to her is not a gift. There is always a price, or catch . But that didn't matter now.

Her nose wrinkled, she never truly got along with Mercer, something was just off about him. But she's unsure if it's his personality or attitude, perhaps it's everything about him? "I will make all guild members very accurately aware of they are not to be in league with the Captain, madame." Her face smoothed back to it's mask of indifference.
Russell
"Good. We've built too much for some upstart captain to start causing problems. If you're caught for any reason, the warden will ensure that your stay at the cages are brief."
Andrea
"I couldn't agree more." Mari mused lightly, nodding. She's really unsure about why this captain couldn't just be like everyone else and obey. Wasn't it easier that way? For both his survival and happiness? Amari never understood people who diverge from the path of survival into the unknown for no good reason. Or maybe he has one. She doesn't know, and she doesn't think she wants to know either.

"Much appreciated, my lady." She bowed her head again before her eyes flickered to the door. Her one hand gestrured to the door as she eyes flicked back to Maven "If that is all, I should report this to the guild." The unspoken question dripped from her words as Amari very slightly tilted her head.
Russell
**Maven stares at the altar. She gives a lazy raise of her hand toward Amari.**

"You're dismissed."