Chapter 4
Mead and Manhandling Merriment

"No no! Just... leeeeave it in there."

Bishop was pretty much trying to wrestle Aeriette into a seated position upon the bed. They had managed to acquire a room at the Vilemyr Inn, despite Aeriette protesting she didn't nee all the fuss and concern. At first, the Innkeeper was concerned about Aeriette's wounds, but Bishop was quick to inform them that they were not as serious as they looked.

That and Aeriette would be happy to pay for any damages caused by her bleeding everywhere.

The cheek of it.

"Will you stop wiggling about, woman? I have to get this arrow out." Bishop was stern with Aeriette. But it seemed she wasn't having any of it.

"Noo look, it's fine. It'll come out when it's good and ready. Ooof!" Bishop had finally managed to wrangle her down, keeping a firm grip upon her leg to keep it still. Despite her size; the young woman was surprisingly strong. Even when injured.

"It's not a bloody splinter. Quicker I get this out, quicker we can get drunk and forget all about this. Now be a good girl, and stay still."

"What am I, a dog? Don't call me a good girl, that's not-GAH." She yelped as Bishop snapped the arrow; which would allow him to pull it out easier. Though just that simple action sent waves of pain up her leg. Making it awfully tempting to kick Bishop right upside the head. "Fucking warn me next time!"

Bishop glared at her as he flung half of the snapped arrow over his shoulder. "I haven't even pulled it yet. Damn, woman. What happened to your hard attitude you had a moment ago?"

She glared right back at him. "I didn't have some sadist tugging it about back then!"

He tutted softly with a shake of his head. "If it makes you feel better, count to three, Princess. Then I'll tug it out, ok?"

Aeriette really didn't look pleased to do this. Couldn't even drink to take her mind off it, or numb the pain. Bishop had insisted on getting this done before allowing her to get drunk. "Boooy, you better make this up to me later."

"Gladly. Now, ready?"

"Ok ok.." Aeriette huffed with furrowed eyebrows. "One, two-"

YANK

Bishop didn't even let her get to three as he pulled the rest of the arrow out in one swift movement; nearly receiving a whack to the side of the head from the distressed woman before him. "There? That wasn't so bad, right?"

"YOU FUCKING BASTARD WHY DID YOU GO BEFORE THREE YOU FUCK!"

Someone wasn't happy.

"You're welcome." Bishop replied, holding out a small health potion he had managed to buy from the Inn Keeper. Unfortunately for Aeriette, they didn't have a vast selection of medical supplies. "This was all they had. Wont fully heal you, but it'll take the edge off and stop the bleeding."

She swiped the potion from him; quickly gulping down the strong tasting liquid. "Ooooh, Bishop. I reeeally hate you." Aeriette muttered darkly as she placed the empty bottle down onto the bedside table. Flashing daggers in her eyes towards the Ranger. "Reeeally really hate you. I think you should be the one buying the rounds tonight.."

Standing up, Bishop flashed her a smile. "Now now. Considering I'm the one who pretty much saved you; it's only fair you buy the drinks." He replied as he moved over to their packs; happily helping himself to the generously sized coin purse Aeriette owned. "You know... I used the coins from that bandit to rent this room. Call this compensation."

Aeriette's eyebrows furrowed as she glared at the other man. Before quickly waving her hand in a dismissive manner. "Fine, fine. If you need a woman to buy you nice things, so be it. I'll let you spend my money this time. I guess I'll just have to find ways for you to repay me."

"Looking forward to it, my lady." Bouncing the purse in one hand, he then motioned to the door with the other. "Feel free to take your time. More drink for me."

Massaging her injured leg, she scoffed softly to him. "Oh don't worry, I'll be out shortly. So don't get drunk until I get there."

"Can't make any promises, princess." Was his response as he left Aeriette nursing her wounds - both physically and mentally - by herself.

"No way! You've been tah Morrowind?"

Several empty mead bottles were cluttering up their small table; a long with a few empty plates. Seemed the pair were really taking advantage of the Inn while they were here. Aeriette - with most of her leather amour off - was slouched in her chair. A half empty bottle of mead held loosely in her hand. With the fire roaring just inches away, there was no way she would be able to sit around under all that armor. Bishop didn't seem to be complaining either.

A few of the women had remarked about her sitting around in just her leather pants and the simple shirt she wore under her armor. But Aeriette ignored them. She's rather be comfortable then look 'respectable'.

"The Cliff Racers made excellent sport. Though you could hear them coming from a mile off; the racket they made." Bishop replied as he gulped down the last of his own mead. There was a slight reddening in his cheeks, but Bishop was easily holding his booze.

Aeriette a little less so.

"I bet! I haven't really ventured out of Skyrim... I mean, went to this small town on the borders. Which was where those damn Imperials picked me up. But that's as far as I've gone."

"Always been a Skyrim girl, huh?"

She blew a raspberry at this. "Skyrim woman I'll have you know. And yes. Born and raised. My family is still here, so I've never seen the need to venture away too far. Gotta keep an eye on my younger siblings... all six of them..." Her eyes then moved to the knife strapped to Bishop's waist. "So... what's with that anyway? I mean, you're pretty good with a bow-"

"Pretty good?"

"Ok, reeeeally good." She corrected with a roll of her eyes. "So why have that little dagger? Is it even sharp?"

Slowly he pulled the dagger out. "This little dear? Call it a token I got from a bandit back when I was seven." He twirled the blade with ease. "Barely knew how to use a bow, back then. We fought off some bandits that tried to attack our village. Got this off a corpse, before killing a bandit with it. Idiot thought I couldn't fight back. Sure showed him." Slowly the dagger is pointed towards Aeriette. "Oh and trust me, darling, this dear cuts deeper then my words."

Aeriette leans forwards; hands on her chin as she looks towards the dagger. "Oh? Does it have any enchantments?" It didn't look that sharp to her anyway.

"No..." Bishop hums with that grin of his tugging at his lips. "It just cuts... want to feel?"

Aeriette flashes a grin of her own. "Mmhm tempting. You sure know how to show a woman a good time." She moves a hand closer; trailing a finger along the underside of Bishop's dagger. In a rather seductive manner. "I'm surprised you're not taken, little ranger."

Bishop scoffs at this. "What? Didn't you mention seeing the trail of admirers I have earlier?"

"Sure. Though you didn't take any of them, did you. A hot blooded young man would have been all over that opportunity."

He shrugs his shoulders. "What can I say? I have my eyes set on a more interesting prize."

"Ohh hoho." Aeriette laughs softly at this; seeming to be rather interested in this 'so called prize'. "Anyone I know?"

"You'll find out soon enough." Was his response as Bishop poured himself another mug of mead. "Gotta say... someone is being strangely forward. Not that I'm complaining."

"Pfft. I just thought to myself 'well once we got his companion, we won't be seeing each other again'." A hand snaps to the side to pluck a snowberry up from her plate. Quickly plopping it into her mouth. "So what's the harm in being a little reckless?"

An eyebrow is raised at this. "Reckless? That's how you look at this?"

"Flirting with a man such as yourself? Who I barely know? Who I met only a few days ago? Yup. Reckless to me." Aeriette pointed out as she plucked another snowberry up. "Oh... just in case you didn't notice... that lady over there has been giving you the eye for like... the past age."

Bishop turned to look in the direction Aeriette mentioned. To be greeted by the sight of a young lady - most likely a traveler judging by her outfit - giving him a small wave. A long with a rather cheeky wink. The woman was quite the pretty little thing, she could easily have any man she wanted in this tavern if she battered her eyelashes enough. "Urg... I really do attract them, don't I?" He murmured, looking back towards Aeriette. Who was giving him the cheekiest grin ever.

Aeriette laughs at this. "Most men would be delighted by this! You really are an odd one. Having women wanting to be all over you, yet you just give them the cold shoulder."

"You can talk. How many men have tried to throw themselves at you? Only to be turned down." He commented. "Such a heart breaker."

"I'm not gonna sleep with any man that just whistles in my direction." The young lady huffed as she leaned back in her chair. "I would have children everywhere if I spread my legs on a whim. Noooo thank you. I do not see children in my future." There was a pause. "Growing up with so many brothers and sisters has really put me off them. I swear; mother and father loved each other a little too much. Before I left the farmstead, they were in the middle of building an extension. Apparently my sister was pregnant with her second kid..."

An eyebrow was raised at this. "Second? How old is she?"

"She's twenty six."

"Wait.. and you're the oldest? How old are you then?"

Aeriette tsked softly as she moved her elbows to rest upon the edge of the table. Eyeing Bishop up with a rather cold look. "Little Ranger... weren't you taught that's it's rude to ask a woman's age?" Her hand snapped forward; plucking the mug Bishop had been drinking from and pulled it to her lips. Ignoring the little growl of annoyance from her companion. "I'm twenty eight, if you must know."

Bishop actually looked genuinely shocked. A look Aeriette was rather delighted by, the young woman allowing a smirk to tug at her lips as she began to take a healthy swig of Bishop's drink. "You're older then me?"

It was Aeriette's turn to be shocked this time; even going so far as to choke and splutter on the mouthful of mead she was in the middle of drinking. All over Bishop's front. "W-what?! No way... no way are you younger then me! You look..." She paused, peering at the young man as if inspecting him. "I want to say... thirty?"

"Twenty seven." He corrected while wiping his face with the back of his hand. Not looking too pleased Aeriette pretty much spat his own drink on him. "Are you that drunk that you can't see me properly? Sweetie, maybe you should slow down on the drink if you can't handle it."

She waved the half empty mug at him. "I can handle anything, Princess."

A scoff left the Ranger. "You sure? Your words are pretty slurred. Look as if you're about to pass out any moment as well. Maybe I should carry you off to bed before you make a fool of yourself."

"Oooooooh." She cooed, grinning from ear to ear. Much like a cat who had caught a bird in it's claws. "You would like that, wouldn't you."

He sighed softly, moving a hand to tug his mug from Aeriette's grasp. "If you were sober? Yes. Yes I would." He pointed out with a roll of his eyes. "But I'm not gonna take a drunk woman to my bed..."

Mockingly, Aeriette place a hand over her chest. "Oh my... Biiiishop? Are you deep down... an actual gentleman?"

"No. I just don't want you to pass out half way through... "

An unamused look crossed over the young woman's features. "I retract that statement."

Aeriette wasn't sure how much time had passed. Minutes? Hours? Everything seemed to be a massive blur and a muddled mess to her. Maybe she had drunk a little too much. She couldn't help it; who knew when the next time she could eat and drink like this would be? She was damn well going to take advantage of it. All she knew was once or twice that woman had come over. Flashed a smile and battered her eyelashes at the not interested Ranger. Aeriette swore she had made a comment about his choice of companions as well. Why would a man chose to spend his evening with a drunk mess instead of a beautiful woman like her?

That was the question, wasn't it?

Though both times, Bishop had turned her down. And Aeriette would laugh about it. Aeriette even slurred out something a long the lines of 'You're not his kind of prey, move along now you're ruining my view'. But maybe she just said that in her mind? Aeriette hadn't a clue. She couldn't even think straight. That pleasant warm buzz flowed through her, causing the young lady to hum and smile in delight as the drunken haze surrounded her. Slowly she turned to face the roaring fire beside her; the flames crackling and dancing. It was almost hypnotizing to her.

Her view was suddenly blocked out by dark leathers, causing Aeriette to sluggishly look up. "Wheee... wolfy boy why are you blockin' my view?"

"Wolfy boy..? Right. You are being cut off." Strong hands moved down to grip under Aeriette's arms. Easily lifting her up from the table. "We have an early start tomorrow. And I'm not lugging your hangover ass across Skyrim. So you need to go to bed. Now. Even if I have to throw you into it."

Apparently her legs were currently not working; as she hung limply in Bishop's grip. "Oooh... you really do know -hic- how to treat a lady, huh?"

"Remind me not to let you near the alcohol next time.." Suddenly he picked Aeriette up properly; flinging her body over his shoulder. "Can't even bloody walk... useless woman.."

She didn't seem to concerned with the man handling. Even took her a few moments to realize she was in fact upside down. "Didn't realize you cared -hic- so much, Bishy." Looking at her arms, which swayed lifelessly before her, she slowly moved them. Only to bap Bishop's backside rather suddenly. "Whoooah... you got a nice set on you..." A low whistle left the drunk. Though the whistle turned into a squeak as Bishop's own hand suddenly slapped her backside in return.

"Not bad yourself, Princess." She heard him comment as the Ranger carried her off to their room. "You should try saying stuff like that when you're actually sober."

"Pfft..." She huffed. "I don' wanna encourage you."

Bishop used his foot to close the door behind them. "But it's ok for you to do it when drunk?"

"Drunk me don't care. Ooof!" She exclaimed as Bishop dumped her down upon the bed in a less then gentle fashion. Then again, what was she expecting? Bishop wasn't exactly the most gentle of people. That and he seemed rather annoyed at her right now. Had she done something wrong? Apart from get blind drunk? All Aeriette knew; Bishop may of had his own plans for tonight. And babysitting her ass was not one of them. Slowly she twisted onto her side; watching Bishop move to their packs. Checking on their belongings. He didn't seem to be much of a trusting man. Surely he didn't think someone had come in while they were busy drinking?

Hadn't even crossed Aeriette's mind.

"Well, drunk you." Bishop as he pulled his bedroll out of his pack. "Get some sleep and sober up."

A cheeky look crept upon Aeriette's face and she patted the space on the bed next to her. "Yah know... there is room for one more."

"Geez you turn really needy when you're drunk. It's like talking to a completely different woman. Granted, you're way more fun when you-"

The sound of snoring interrupted Bishop, causing the young man to turn to face her. Aeriette had fallen straight to sleep; curled up in a ball and quietly snoring to herself. Seemed the alcohol in her system had finally taken it's toll, forcing her to pretty much shut down. Bishop watched her for a moment, before sighing softly. "At last... some peace and quiet." He commented to himself as the Ranger made himself comfortable on his bed roll. Arms curled behind his head and he stared up at the ceiling.

"Better stop snoring though... or I'm gonna smother her.."

A/N:

Sorry for the long chapter! I didn't want to break it up into two chapters.