Vilkas had finished his task and was receiving his reward from the merchant when he saw something that caught his eye. He turned to see a hooded figure disappear down the steps to the river. His heart skipped a beat. His body reacted before his head could and he found himself rushing to follow. Before he knew it he was leaning over the fence and looking down at the river. There were two wooden walkways at wither side and that's where he saw the figure again,  disappearing through the door that lead to the ratways.  He knew the possibility of it being Maris was slim but he couldn't help but follow regardless. He followed after the figure and slipped through the same door.

When he entered he found himself looking down a long, swear like hallway. The figure was gone but it couldn't have gone any other way. It was quite a long corridor and opened up into a few small rooms but was quite uncomplicated. That was, until he came to a slightly larger and brighter lit room with a table in the center. Ahead of him was another hallway, which he was about to go down but stopped when he heard a door close. It was only soft but he had heard it. He looked to the side to see a short staircase with a closed door at the end.  He walked down and slipped through. He came out in to a large circular room with water in the middle. There was a wooden platform jutting out over it and what looked like like a tavern behind it.
"Stop right there trespasser." Came a voice from his side. He glanced to see a woman step from the shadow, a man at her side. She was quite beautiful with short blonde hair and held two daggers. The man beside her was bald and held only one.
"Looks like you dragged another stray back here Rune." came a sigh from the other side. He looked to see two more people. Another man and woman.
"I suggest you stay quiet and stay still if you want to live." The bald man said. Vikas raised his hands in surrender.
"I couldn't shake him, what else was i suppose to do." Said the other man, who Vilkas presumed was this 'rune' as the woman had referred to him.
"Be better at your job maybe?" The blond woman sneered. She turned her attention to Vilkas. She put a dagger right up to his throat so that the tip was threatening close to his windpipe. Vilkas swallowed hard.  This place was defiantly not a friendly one.
"What are you doing here?" The woman hissed.
"I'm starting to ask myself the same question." Vilkas muttered.
"Answer me!" She demanded, pushing the dagger into his skin. One slight movement and it would pierce his flesh.

"Vex!" Came a sharp commanding voice from behind her. "Stand down."
"But mistress, he followed Rune here and..."
"Silence!" The voice hissed. Vex sighed and took her dagger away, sheathing them both. The two stepped aside to show who had spoken.
"Maris!" Vilkas exclaimed.
"Silence mutt, I'll deal with you momentarily." She snapped, she turned her attention back to the people surrounding him. "That goes for you as well."
They all complied without question.
"What ARE you doing here Vilkas!" Maris sighed. That was when Vilkas noticed the state that she was in. She was covered in bandages and patched and one of her arms was in a sling.
"Wha-what happened to you?"He asked.
Maris' lip curled in disgust. "That isn't the question that should be answered you disobedient dog!" She boomed. Her leaders voice...
"Who is this man?" Vex asked.
"Looks like a companion to me," Rune added.
"He is!" Maris said bluntly.
"Your associating yourself with the companions now are you mistress?" The other man smirked. "You really do get around."
"Quiet!" Maris snapped and the guild immediately fell silent. Her control and command was incredible. Maris glared round at them to make sure none of them spoke and then sighed.
"Come with me..." she muttered.
"Mistress, you can't just take him into the cistern! " the other woman exclaimed.
"Yes I can." Maris said bluntly. "He is an oafish mutt... but he can be trusted."
Vilkas lowered his arms and breathed a sigh of relief. Maris turned and walked towards the bar. Vilkas followed her past it and down a short passage with a wardrobe at the end.
"So this is the Thieves guild I'm presuming?" Vilkas asked.
"Shut your trap unless I give you permission to speak." Maris growled. There was a serious authority that hung over her and made Vilkas bite his tongue. She was being extremely harsh.  Maris opened the cupboard but instead of holding anything, the back was missing and the passage carried on in to the cistern. Standing in the center on the walkways above the water were Brynjolf an Nejir.  Brynjolf was lent close to him and Nejir had a very knowing, devious smirk on his face. Maris saw this and sighed.
"Not when there is work to be done!" She yelled. The two looked at her then back at one another and let out a simultaneous groan of disappointment.
"Love sick puppy follow you here then Maris?" Brynjolf chuckled.
"Bryn I will rip your heart out and shove it down your throat." Maris snarled.
"Good to see you're on a good mood mistress!" Nejir smirked. Maris sighed and slipped into another passage and of course Vilkas followed. For all he knew she was going to brutally murder him but still he followed. She defiantly seemed in the mood too.

Maris stepped aside and indicated for Vilkas to enter the room. He stood into a small office that was lined with shelves and weapon racks. There was a heavy wooden desk in the centre. There where books scattered all across the room as the shelves where already filled with them. He swallowed hard as he heard her close the door behind him. She was actually going to kill him... He turned to look at Maris who scowled coldly at him, crossing her arms, well as much as was possible with one in a sling.
"So?" Maris asked.
"I got a job that was in Riften and i thought i'd saw you and everyone's been really worried about you... I've... been really worried about you... So i followed." Vilkas shrugged. Maris shook her head slowly. All of the authority and anger and seemed to melt away and standing before him was the Maris he knew. She Wrapped her arm around Vilkas and closed her eyes. Vilkas hesitated before returning the embrace.
"You are such an idiot..." She mumbled into his shoulder. "Do you have any idea what they would have done to you if i wasn't there?" 
"They would have killed me?" Vilkas asked.
"No the thieves guild don't kill... but they are experts in... obtaining hard to get information..." She said coldly.
"Then it's a good thing you were there..." Vilkas smiled weakly.
Maris pulled away and placed her hand on his cheek. As always, she was ice cold. "I don't understand you at all..." She muttered.
"You don't understand me?" Vilkas spluttered. "trying to understand you is like reading a book upside down in dragon tongue!" 
Maris let out a feeble chuckle.
"What happened to you?" Vilkas asked. 
"That's a long story." Maris said.
"Will you explain it to me?" Vilkas muttered.
"I will... If you tell me about us." She shrugged.
"Wha-What?!" Vilkas asked, feeling his cheeks flush.
"You said i didn't remember you... So you must have known me before I became a vampire." She said simply.
"You are a manipulative little bloodsucker." Vilkas growled. Maris shot him a sly grin and he sighed. "Well, i'd sit down because there's allot..."