Chapter LII – Commendations

"Stop fussing! I can do it!"

She swatted Farkas's hand away from her mace.

They've been spending two more days at Jorrvaskr while Aeyrin was recovering from her illness.

She was gradually regaining her strength and energy back, mostly spending the days fiddling with equipment and lazing around Whiterun with Bishop.

He never told her where he got the ingredients in the end – only mentioned that he had to run around all Whiterun and even to Riverwood before he tracked them down.

She noticed that, ever since then, he got in this strangely pensive mood from time to time, as if he wasn't really there. But it has been happening less and less – perhaps he was just tired before too.

In the meantime, she actually convinced him to have his armor fixed up and reinforced by a professional smith and she got some tips on her mace from Eorlund – he showed her a technique to sharpen the edges of the head making it all the more deadly.

Farkas and Vilkas have not stopped attempting to help her with every little task, seemingly ignorant of the fact that she needed to work on exercising and stretching her muscles even more after the days of sleeping and resting.

They probably just enjoyed treating her like 'the feeble elf' too much to stop.

She wondered if she should challenge one of them to another sparring match just to make it stop.

"One more time! You're going down this time!" Aela shouted at him in frustration as he was twirling the arrow with a tiny bird carcass at its tip in his hand smugly.

"Just give up already. Go back to hunting bunnies," Bishop laughed at her and put away his bow.

She's been trying to win an archery contest with him all morning – unsuccessfully, of course.

"Seriously… We could really use-" Aela shook her head at him with a smirk before he interrupted her.

"Fuck off, already! I am not joining your weird little cult," he scoffed at her with a level glare while she put away her own weapon.

"Cult? What makes the Companions a cult?" she shook her head admonishingly.

"Well for one, you all dress the same," he laughed before continuing. "And you're all obsessed with the honor and Ysgramor shit. Honor this, honor that… I'd rather spend my time getting 'on her'," with a smirk he inclined his head towards Aeyrin sitting at the other side of the back yard, fiddling with her mace and a whetstone.

"And he makes bad jokes… perfect Companion material – it's the place you realize that snarkiness and humor won't cut it," she laughed at him again as they went back towards Jorrvaskr.

He was surprised himself just how much he did not mind her company.

Although the constant attempts to talk him into joining the Companions were getting so tiresome.

Why was she so adamant about it? He was hanging around when Aeyrin was there anyways.

Their entire stay with the Companions after Aeyrin's recovery was surprisingly peaceful and comfortable.

Much to Aeyrin's surprise, even Bishop seemed to start liking the place to some degree – maybe because of his competitive friendship with Aela.

As if he needed any more ego boosts…

Still, they were both preparing to leave after only a few more days.

Aeyrin was quite cross with Bishop that he never included the temple of Talos when he took her on a tour around Windhelm. He, of course, objected that he never cared about any temples, but she still wanted to visit and discuss the worship of Talos when she actually had the energy to.

Despite his dislike for Windhelm, Bishop didn't really mind the prospect of getting back on the road – being alone with Aeyrin again for a change – ever since their adventure with the White Phial, they haven't actually had more than a few conscious minutes together just the two of them.

Aela promptly kicked them from her room once Aeyrin got the cure and they were forced to share the common room with the junior members of the Companions since.

And since there was no influx of money coming their way, the inn was not an option.

A loud slam of the door interrupted the merry afternoon feast.

All eyes turned to the guard in the door, the panic in his eyes making the whole hall furrow their brows.

"Companions, Dragonborn! There's a dragon attacking the farmsteads! We need your help!"

The bulk of the room got up on their feet, aside from some of the junior members who looked around nervously.

"Finally! I've been waiting for a chance to hunt down one of these beasts," Aela's smile got disturbingly predatory. "Whoever gets more shots in wins, ranger!" she winked at Bishop with a smirk.

"You just love losing, woman…" he chuckled a bit, looking over at Aeyrin, searching her face with a bit of concern. It was understandable – she wasn't back to her full strength just yet, but getting better by the day.

Bishop was blessedly un-patronizing the whole time, unlike the brothers, not constantly hovering over her if she needed help with the simplest things. That way, if she actually did need help, she wasn't loath to ask him.

She gave him a confident smile.

She wouldn't have to do all that much with the Companion's help – the worst part was surviving the dragon's soul, but just remembering the ordeal she went through near Windhelm and still managed to crawl away from it alive put her more at ease.

Maybe she actually was getting better at handling it.

A person can get used to anything.

"Not a good idea for the pup to join. She's still recovering," Vilkas scowled immediately, eliciting an exasperated sigh from her.

"Are you planning on eating its soul instead of her, s'wit?" Athis snorted at him contemptfully.

"She'll be fine. Let's go before it burns down the only good meadery around," Bishop started to buckle his armor hurriedly as the others followed suit in equipping themselves as efficiently as they could.

As expected, the battle was over soon – with the combined skill of the Whiterun guards, the Companions and Aeyrin and Bishop, the dragon stood no chance at all.

It was both comforting and disquieting that killing a dragon started to actually feel… mundane.

The consuming of the soul was still a dreadful task, filling her with fright every time – the beasts, however, seemed to pose less risk themselves than their lingering essence.

She still reminded herself that they were yet to best one of them alone – there were always guards, Companions or Khajiit warriors helping the fight, except for the one near High Hrothgar, which eventually retreated.

She clung to Bishop as the searing heat enveloped her fully.

She felt her skin crackle dryly and it felt like chunks of charred flesh started to fall off of her. The tips of all her hairs burned and prickled into her skin like tiny daggers, deep under the skin. Her nose was filled with the strange both sweet and ashy smell of burning fingernails and her lungs seemed constricted with smoke – just like they were in Helgen.

She regained herself in his embrace.

Looking around, she spotted the dumbfounded guards, the worried faces of the Nord brothers and the fascinated looks of the other Companions – especially Aela, who seemed positively enthralled.

"How does it feel?" her mouth stood slightly ajar after she voiced the question, her eyes sparkling with intrigue.

"Like… it's killing me… on the inside," Aeyrin huffed out in labored breaths, attempting to calm her still heated body.

"Amazing… a worthy prey indeed," she smiled, looking over Aeyrin curiously for a bit longer.

"If I were you, I'd be more concerned that you lost again. You were running and hiding the entire time," Bishop smirked at her smugly as he slowly released the elf from his clutch, still leaving one of his arms around her reassuringly.

"As impressive as ever," a familiar voice rang behind them.

Aeyrin noticed the Dunmer commander on the field of battle before, but the dragon didn't really leave them time for reunions.

"It was good to fight alongside you again, Irileth," Aeyrin gave her a warm smile, finally steadying herself on her feet assuredly.

"Likewise, Dragonborn," Irileth punctuated the word, remembering how dismissive she was about her newfound identity back at the watchtower.

"The jarl was relieved when we informed him you were seen back in Whiterun when news of the dragon reached him. He was assured of our victory. He tasked me to take you before him after the battle. I believe he has a matter to discuss with you," she inclined her head and turned to her guards, instructing them on how to dispose of the dragon skeleton, mentioning something about utilizing the bones and remaining scales.

It seemed that Skyrim was adapting to the harsh times – the dragons now used a source of material.

It was a good thing too – it only meant that no other black dragon could fly by and resurrect the carcass once again. She wasn't sure if it was possible to resurrect a dragon whose soul she consumed, however supposedly, someone must have consumed those that were alive now before – otherwise they wouldn't be dead and buried.

It hit her how little she still knew about the beasts.

Perhaps the jarl's original suggestion to gather some lore at the College of Winterhold wasn't such a bad idea, even though she already learned of Thu'um from the Greybeards.

Who knew that the jarl's summons would actually involve no requests and no urgent tasks.

Aeyrin still didn't really understand what a thane was, but the reward she received… she never actually owned anything other than her equipment.

Now she had a house.

An entire house.

She never even lived in a house.

With her father they did spend time in a long abandoned hovel, but they often had to sleep outside, lest someone could get suspicious about their illegal abode. In the chapel, she merely had a small alcove to herself, which was the most privacy she ever had in her somewhat permanent living.

Bishop was going to love that.

A place they could stay even with no money, just the two of them.

He returned to the Jorrvaskr previously, preoccupied with taunting Aela about her lack of archery skills.

It wasn't as if the jarl asked for him too, but it felt a little strange that he was overlooked – the jarl, after all, gave her the title for both helping at the watchtower and now at the farmsteads, the events that Bishop was both present for.

Well, it wasn't as if he would be one for appreciating titles. Besides, he would benefit of the reward just like her.

She smiled as she passed the small sapling blooming with beautiful light-pink leaves in the upper square, petting the wolf reclining below it.

He would be free to join them soon enough, but they didn't dare take him among the Companions, even now that they got more familiar with them.

She entered Jorrvaskr, spotting Bishop rolling his eyes as Athis complained to him about something eagerly.

Why was the elf so intent on pouring his frustrations out to Bishop? He certainly made it obvious that he didn't care. Then again, he must have at least found it entertaining; otherwise he would hardly let him.

"I have a surprise for you," she snaked her arms over his neck, squeezing him in his chair from behind as she leaned in towards his ear.

"Mmm? Do tell, sweetness," he nuzzled his face to her, gripping her entwined arms in his hands.

"Not tell. Show. Come with me," she planted a brief chaste kiss on his cheek before she released him from her embrace, giving him a wink as she headed outside of the building.

"Even better," he chuckled mischievously, following her eagerly while ignoring any further rumblings from the Dunmer altogether.

Both Bishop and Karnwyr tilted their heads simultaneously in confusion as she stopped in front of the picturesque house right next to the smithy by the gate where she made her old bronze armor. They told her it even had a name. Breezehome.

The jarl mentioned it was furnished, but it likely had only the basic necessities.

She never got to actually decorate anything.

It was a strange and very unpractical prospect, but somehow making the place feel like home filled her with so much warmth.

Preserve the peace and security of home.

The Companions already provided her with a kind of a home, but having something of her own sounded beyond anything she could have ever imagined.

She rummaged in her pack, producing an ornate key with a sly wink as Bishop's brows shot up.

"So apparently, I'm now something called… thane? And that goes with actually owning property in Whiterun," she chuckled as they entered the house.

The inside was austere, but cozy – there was a small central fireplace with a cookpot over it close by the door and a few cabinets and tables, including a large dining one in the back of the room. There was a bathing tub under the wooden stairs, set inside the stony ground.

It was all rather cramped together, but there seemed to be other rooms, not to mention the second floor.

They continued to look over the adjacent small room in the back of the entry hall.

It had a small library and a table with some enchanting and alchemy equipment. That was very convenient. Although neither of them actually knew how to enchant or do alchemy, it was a perfect place to learn.

They continued to the second floor – there were only several cupboards around and two doors.

The small one led into a cramped little room with one bed in it, but the other one…

The bedroom looked so cozy. Fur blankets were lined everywhere on the large bed, and the tilted roof above the side walls of the room created a charming sanctuary.

"Wow… this place is…" Aeyrin sighed with unbridled joy at her new home.

She already imagined using the reward money from the jarl to brighten the place with flowers and maybe find some nice way to display her old armors. For now, she only still carried the bronze one with her, but it would have been a shame to just get rid of it after the hard work she put into it and it was not like she ever found anyone of similar proportions to pass it onto.

Before she could ponder further, she was suddenly lifted up and thrown on the double bed, the fall softened by the large amount of furs as she yelped out in surprise.

"The bed needs testing," Bishop practically pounced on her, pinning her down on the bed beneath his large frame.

She giggled at his antics, but was soon silenced as he started to kiss her wildly, a low whine and dejected patting of paws on the wooden floorboards as the wolf left them alone was the only other sound in the room.

She draped his tunic over his head eagerly as his hands roamed under her own, playing with her breasts under the fabric.

She did mix the canis root tincture into her waterskin the previous day, but she didn't tell him yet. As excited and curious as she was, she really imagined a more… spectacular scene for that. Some serene place in the wilds of Skyrim just seemed so much more fitting for the two of them.

It was rather silly to dwell on such things, but she couldn't help but want it to be more special.

He was special to her after all, more than anyone has ever been.

That didn't mean there was no room for some excitement until then though.

She groaned a as he rubbed himself against her firmly, disposing of her shirt in one quick motion.

He nipped at her skin with eager little bites while she ran her hands over his torso and back, sliding down to his abdomen with light teasing brushes.

He pushed himself up away from her in order to take off their remaining clothes, standing by the bed and grabbing her wrists, slinging her across to press her against his chest in one fluid motion.

He smirked at her surprised gasp at the sudden motion as he pressed her even tighter to him, her breasts flattening against his chest, her hands hooking behind his neck and leaning up to him into a deep frantic kiss.

He gripped her backside in his hands, squeezing her firm form and forcing her on her tiptoes as she moved her mouth down his neck, planting open mouth kisses on his skin, their hungry movements pinning him against the bedside cupboard.

She moved her hand back to his abdomen, untangling his fastenings and running her hand over his length, freeing him from his leather trousers. She felt him rumble deep in his throat in pleasure at her touch while she concentrated on running her fingers over every inch of him, her thumb strumming over the tip of him teasingly, her lips running over his pleasantly scratchy jawline.

He watched her bite into his collarbone lightly and ran his hand through her hair, making a fist in her locks and turning her head up to him.

"You wanna try something new, princess?" he asked with low growl as his other hand stopped her strokes.

He pulled her hand up to his mouth and sucked on her finger suggestively, making her flush deeply at the insinuation.

She freed her hand from his grip a second later, turning her head back into his chest and kissing him there again.

This time, however, she gradually moved her lips down his body until she knelt on the wooden floorboards in front of him.

His hand never left her hair but instead of the rough grip, he brushed her locks between his fingers and stroked over the tips of her ears affectionately.

She returned her hand to stroke him and watched him before her with some hesitation, pointedly not looking up at him.

She slowly brought herself to kiss at the side of his length, somewhat uncertain what to do exactly – it's not that she had no idea whatsoever… she wasn't that cut off from the outside world, however she was still a bit concerned that her lack of real experience would somehow spoil the mood.

She continued the process a bit closer to the tip, this time flicking her tongue across him, eliciting a pleased but somewhat frustrated groan from him.

She continued the motion of her hand as she moved to close her mouth over the head of his hardness, sucking in as he did with her finger before, an unfamiliar taste overwhelming her senses.

It filled her mouth rather fully and she gradually felt more and more saliva build up around the obstruction between her lips.

He groaned louder, his hand twisting in her hair again in a firm grip.

He pushed gently, getting her to move him a bit deeper into her mouth, then back towards the tip.

She got into the motion in a second as he growled deep in his throat in approval.

"Fuck… use your tongue, princess… and look up at me…" he said through his heavy breaths.

She moved her tongue over him while still continuing her movements, making the pace a bit faster as a muffled moan rumbled through her throat at the sensation.

It took her a while before she looked at him, her cheeks bright red, her black eyes sparkling and darting back downwards bashfully.

She gagged a bit in discomfort when she went a too deep once, backing away with a start before continuing again, feeling him throb and twitch in her mouth more and more.

Karnwyr decided to interrupt them with his barking but they promptly ignored him, giving their attention only to each other a second later.

His breathing was heavy and labored and groans of pleasure escaped his mouth with each of her movements inwards.

"Fuck, that's good," he growled deep in his throat.

She could feel him get close, she could feel the signs from all the times she explored him with her hands before.

"My thane, I am… Oh, by Shor!" a sudden exclamation made her jerk away from him in shock as she turned her head back and covered her naked chest instinctively.

A Nord woman, with a dark-hair ponytail with shaved sides, a smudge of red war paint over her nose and an orcish armor stood in the open doorframe with her hands over her mouth and her eyes wide.

"I am so sorry!" she quickly yelped out and turned on her heel immediately.

They could hear as she stomped down the stairs and then a forceful slam of the entry doors.

Aeyrin's blush seemed to consume her face beyond belief, she quickly wiped her mouth with her hand, the heated atmosphere now very uncomfortable.

"Princess, fuck, she's gone… please don't stop now," Bishop groaned in pitiable frustration and she gave him a nervous look.

The mood was completely obliterated but it was rather cruel to leave him like that.

She quickly moved her hand and mouth back to her previous task rather frantically.

Who in Oblivion was that woman? And why did she just enter a private house without as much as a knock?

She pulled her head back as she felt him twitch again, redoubling the efforts of her hand and positioning her chest towards him. He let out a loud groan of relief when he came all over her naked breasts, but he did seem rather morose at their privacy being interrupted too.

She quickly moved to her pack to fish out a rag and ran down to the bath tub, cleaning herself up as he readjusted himself.

"Who the fuck was that?" he scowled angrily as he approached her with her tunic in his hand, handing it to her.

"I… have no idea," she shook her head, still baffled by the situation.

And where did that woman go?

"That was so embarrassing…" Aeyrin muttered, the blush still splayed across her face.

Bishop chuckled despite his annoyance – seeing her flustered always cheered him up.

"Relax, sweetness. It's your damned house isn't it?" he smirked, brushing her tangled hair with his fingers.

She pulled out the small silver mirror from her pack, fixing herself up. As if that mattered – the woman already saw everything full well.

"I… guess I'm gonna see if she's outside…" Aeyrin said uncertainly, somewhat hoping that the woman would just disappear into the Void all of the sudden so that she wouldn't have to face her.