The most likely scenario here is that you have become "friends" with an NPC, allowing you to take certain items from them without it being considered theft. For example, If you've joined the Companions, items from the area by the Skyforge may no longer be marked as stolen. In the Bannered Mare, if you have done a favor for the owner or someone else who lives there, such as chopping wood for Hulda, some items within the inn may no longer be marked as stolen.
Interesting. That would probably indicate that the stuff at the Skyforge was never assigned an owner in the game data.
huh, never knew that...I usually steal stuff from there
It might be a bug as it's not supposed to be free loot until you've joined the Companions and help Eorlund by delivering the shield to Aela.
I didn't discover it until I played a character that did odd jobs, like chopping wood, to survive (at first). Now I have all my characters (or, if they're weak, their followers) chop wood for Hulda. It usually makes Brenuin's little favor easy to complete!
pfft that Argonian ale is easy to swipe, it's the coin purse on the bar that I'm interested in
I don't remember ever chopping wood to sell it, the only time I chop it is to make arrows or if I'm playing a character that wants to use the long bow.
I did this without helping them in the giant fight. In fact, I hadnt even seen any of the Companions and did this.
Yours for the taking, if you sell her a stick of wood!