Macayla slept in some to give the merchants time to get to their stalls and open up for the day so she wouldn't appear out-of-the-ordinary; she arrived with other visitors and locals. She also bought an apple to break her fast as she browsed the stalls and also for further appearances' sake of innocence.

She quickly spotted Madesi's stall; he specialized in jewelry. His scales ranged from dark green to light green and darker shades of blue. He constantly wore a genuine smile on his face as he showcased his merchandise. The gray-skinned Dark Elf, Brand-Shei, was positioned ten feet across from him, with a well splitting them evenly; he sold a variety of things, including jewelry. He didn't appear as friendly as the Argonian, trying to close a deal as soon as possible—probably why Madesi had a steadier flow of customers. She could see how one wanted to eliminate the other out of competition, if that was even the reason.

Macayla studied the layout of the marketplace—the waist-high stone wall encircling the entire marketplace would provide extra cover for her—laying out the best route to take from Madesi's stall to Brand-Shei. She memorized the pattern of the Riften guards patrolling the marketplace. Beside Brand-Shei's stall were stacked crates that Brynjolf said he sits on when listening to exuberant merchants—like the one he was to portray—hawking their merchandise. Positive she was prepared, she stopped at Madesi's stall like she was interested in the necklaces and rings displayed in a small display case.

"Greetings, landstrider. May I interest you in some of my work?"

She looked up at him. "You make these?"

He nodded. "Of course. I am one of the last Saxheel Jewelers in all of Skyrim."

"That's quite impressive."

"Everyone! Everyone! Gather 'round! I have something amazing to show you that demands your attention!" That was Brynjolf's voice, projecting loudly to be heard throughout the noisy marketplace.

She turned like everyone else. Brynjolf—dressed as finely as last night—stood in a stall at the front of the marketplace. He looked across all the faces, turning to him with a gleaming eye. Beside him were red phials of varying sizes holding his 'miraculous'—and fake—Falmerblood Elixir.

"You need to hear this!"

People started herding toward him like oblivious sheep to the butcher's house. Macayla noticed Madesi moving around his stall to go listen too.

She thought to further portray her cluelessness. "What's going on?"

"Brynjolf's back with some potion. The last one didn't work too well, though; I wonder what this one is supposed to do..."

Macayla joined the crowd gathering near Brynjolf; she stayed by Madesi but slightly behind him so he wouldn't accuse her of not being there. She also saw Brand-Shei sitting on the crates facing Brynjolf as predicted, leaving his back vulnerable to her slipping Madesi's ring into his pocket.

"What is it this time, Brynjolf?" Brand-Shei asked.

"Patience, Brand-Shei. This is a rare opportunity, and I wouldn't want you to be left out.

"Lads and lasses, I give you, Falmerblood Elixir!" He hoisted up the largest phial for emphasis. "One sip of the elixir and your wishes will be granted. Great wealth, everlasting life, or perhaps limitless power could be yours!"

She remained with the mass, innocently eating her apple, until she saw the guard walk by in predictability of his routine patrol. She now had seven minutes before he completed his rotation.

Macayla casually stepped back out of the crowd; once behind everyone's back, she crouched down as she turned for Madesi's stall. She slipped around to where he stands, bit her apple to hold it—freeing her hands—and set to unlocking the gate protecting his strongbox. It came open in no time; she slid it open to reveal the black strongbox.

The strongbox was a different story; she broke two picks trying to open it. When she finally succeeded, she swiped everything inside: a coin purse, an emerald, a sapphire, and a silver ring. She put the collectibles in a hidden compartment in her leather belt in case she got searched, but kept the ring in her hand. She closed the gate but left a space so Madesi would know immediately that he had been robbed.

Now with almost four minutes left, Macayla headed over to Brand-Shei's stall calmly, not hurrying that would proclaim guilt if someone turned and saw her. She dropped down to a crouch again once she reached his stall, so the stone wall surrounding the marketplace would hide her.

"How much does it cost?" the Dark Elf asked.

"Only twenty gold septim. Hurry, before my supply is gone!"

Brand-Shei was perched on the edge of a crate, oblivious to the thief behind him fixing to plant incriminating evidence on him. Macayla carefully slid the stolen ring into a side pocket slowly so he wouldn't feel the sliding sensation. Done, Macayla backed away; she walked back to her spot near Madesi, finishing her apple like she had never left. Throughout the entire job, Macayla had sometimes been in Brynjolf's sight, but he never once glanced at her.

"That's all for today, so if you're interested in trying it out, step up!" Brynjolf concluded.

Madesi shook his head as he turned back to his stall, mumbling about how it didn't sound true. A few customers—mostly women—stepped up to bargain with Brynjolf. She did too, like she had listened to the entire sell and was interested in buying.

"Guards! Guards! I've been robbed!" Madesi yelled.

Everyone turned to see the Argonian in a panic as guards hurried up to him and asked what was missing.

"Check her!" a woman said as she pointed at Macayla. "She was the last one at his stall."

Eyes turned on her and those near her shied away in fear of being paired with a criminal. Macayla kept her face blank and eyes wide as she raised her hands innocently. A guard approached her.

"It couldn't have been her!" Madesi said. "She was by me the whole time!"

"That's right; I saw her listening," Brynjolf added in for good measure.

The guard patted her down, anyway.

"You, Brand-Shei, turn out your pockets!" a guard ordered.

Now all eyes turned to a guard confronting the Dark Elf. He complied, but his face turned to shock then confusion as his hand touched Madesi's ring and pulled it out.

"Wha— How?"

"Thief!" Madesi snarled.

"No, I didn't! I don't know how..."

"Easy; you stole it from him," the guard said.

"I didn't do this! You have to believe me!"

The guard unsheathed his sword. "You're coming with me to jail. Move!"

Brand-Shei put the ring on his stall as he walked around his stall and headed toward Mistveil Keep with the armed guard behind him. A guard grabbed the ring and returned it to Madesi.

The guard that had been searching her turned back. "Sorry, ma'am."

"It's alright," Macayla said as he walked back to the victimized Argonian.

The business of thievery put off the mood of buying the Falmerblood Elixir. Pretty soon, it was just Macayla remaining by Brynjolf.

"That was well done, lass," Brynjolf said, voice low so no one could overhear. He held a phial and referred to it like he was still selling it to her.

She smirked. "Give me something more challenging next time."

He chuckled. "I'll remember that. I knew you could do it, but from the way things have been going around here, I'm relieved it went off without a hitch. Here's your pay." He handed her a coin purse of 100 septim.

"What's been going on?"

"My organization's had a run of bad luck, but I guess that's just how it goes.

"But never mind that; you did the job, and you did it well. Now, step two of your initiation: reaching us. Go down to the Ratway—just southwest of us—and make your way to The Ragged Flagon. On your way, you'll run into lowlifes living in the tunnels; don't kill them—they act as more security for us. But you are free to kill the occasional skeever you come across."

"That doesn't sound like much."

He grinned wickedly. "It's more than you think, lass."

She turned to follow his directions down to the Ratway. Part Two would soon be complete.