Chapter CXXIV – The Museum

"Are you sure that you should come with me? Won't it be suspicious if he finds out later that someone broke in?"

Aeyrin gave Bishop an uncertain look. She really wasn't good at thinking about all the details that they could have missed while planning these subtle missions and about all the ways in which they could get discovered. Bishop was so confident, but to her, it felt like so many things could go wrong at any point.

"It will be more suspicious if I don't. People see us together all over town. It would be obvious that I was planning something else. Besides, no one's gonna find out that I was there," he smiled at her encouragingly, perhaps even a little smugly.

He showed her the extremely detailed plans and information that Karliah's contact had provided, but she still wasn't convinced. Not after the last time.

But Bishop wasn't as easily swept up by recklessness as she was. Maybe he was right to be confident.

"But you won't be coming to the museum with me! Won't that be suspicious?" she protested again, trying desperately to find the flaws in the plan, just so that there wouldn't be any repeat of his somber stares if things backfired this time too.

"I'll make it convincing. Don't worry about a thing, love. Just say what we talked about and follow my lead."

She sighed in defeat, but nodded just the same. There was not much else to do, she certainly could never think of a better plan.

They continued through the Understone Keep towards the wizard's research station. The contact's notes said that he'd be there, available to the citizens who needed access to his magical trinkets, enchanting services and other things.

When they reached the large open chamber where he was supposed to be, they spotted the man as he was leaning over some books, deep in thought. He was an Altmer, dressed in bright green robes with long golden hair flowing down his back and over his face. The long locks made him frustratedly huff periodically in order to get the tresses out of his eyes while he read. He seemed unwilling to use his hands to brush it back, too preoccupied with following the text of the book with one hand and scribbling notes into it with the other. Another, much younger, High Elf was running around the work station, examining odd pieces of Dwemer metal and sorting them into three separate piles.

While Bishop waited a few steps back, Aeyrin approached the wizard tentatively, clearing her throat with trepidation to get his attention.

Calcelmo, according to the notes, raised his index finger at her instead of turning around and he returned it promptly to the book to continue his reading.

"He'll just be a minute, ma'am," the young man, likely his nephew and assistant Aicantar as the notes had mentioned, gave her a warm smile before he returned to his work as well.

It took at least several minutes of uncomfortable silence and waiting before Calcelmo finally raised his head from the book and turned to Aeyrin with an expectant look in his eyes.

"Master Calcelmo? I came to ask about your museum…" she gave him a bashful smile.

"It's closed. Any other questions?" Calcelmo finally brushed his hair back before he folded his arms across his chest morosely

"Ah… y-yes, we heard. Can I ask why? We traveled here just to see it," Aeyrin sighed dejectedly and she gave the wizard a sad look. She wondered if Bishop's mission would have been easier with the museum open, but there may have been too many people there in that case. It was better to try and cajole access from the wizard.

"Did you? You two don't look like scholars," Calcelmo narrowed his eyes, roaming them over the two of them a little suspiciously with a measured look. Did he suspect that someone wanted to steal from him? This was bad! Then again… was it really a theft if he wouldn't lose anything?

"No, we're not scholars. We're adventurers. We've explored one of the dwarven cities and later we found out that the things that we've gathered… well, they weren't as valuable as we thought. I was hoping to learn more about the culture to know better next time, to know what would be useful to bring back from those places," Aeyrin smiled at him demurely. That certainly seemed to get his attention. His brows shot up in surprise and he looked the both of them up and down again, now with much more interest.

"You explored a Dwemer city and you're planning to explore another one after that? How far down did you get?" he smirked a little mockingly. "You see, the more valuable items would hardly be kept by the entrance. You wouldn't expect a chest containing all of someone's riches right by their front door, would you?"

"No we've… explored all of it… I think. We couldn't find any other chambers in any case. And there was this… moving platform at the end. It took us back to the surface," she recounted their exploration to the man. He looked… skeptical.

"How many people were on this expedition?" Aicantar suddenly piped up as he approached them curiously.

"Just… the two of us," Aeyrin decided that mentioning Karnwyr probably wasn't that important to the wizards.

"Master, they could…" Aicantar leaned towards Calcelmo and whispered to him with an eager look in his eyes, but the older man only waved him off with a curt nod of his head and a barely audible 'I know, I know'.

"I would be interested in hearing more about this. Very interested, in fact. But we still have pressing work to do," Calcelmo nodded. "I do have a proposition for you. There was an expedition sent a week ago into Nchuand-Zel – the ruins beneath Markarth. They were supposed to gather some findings for me, only from the entrance area. None of them have returned. I am not sure if they even reached the ruins. There was an… infestation on the excavation site, which they were supposed to take care of," Calcelmo sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Never mind the details now, we have no time to get into that. If you're as capable as you claim, go down to the ruins and see if you can find a sign of them. Preferably, I would like to see any journals or notes. They are invaluable to me. But do not attempt to explore the ruins. It would take you days at best, according to my calculations. I need the notes as soon as possible and not one of the incompetent guards and mercenaries are willing to fetch them for me!" His fists suddenly clenched in anger and his expression was beyond frustrated.

"What Master Calcelmo wanted to say is, if you do us this favor, we can certainly discuss the museum further," Aicantar smiled demurely while he threw them an apologetic look.

"Yes, yes. That. I'll give you exclusive access to the museum then. Just for today, mind you. I'm still obligated to keep it closed," Calcelmo shook his head, mumbling angrily. Aeyrin could make out some words – mostly something about 'ignorant imbeciles'. "We can discuss things further after that. After I finish sorting through… this," he gestured towards the book on his desk and the piles of Dwemer metal nearby with an annoyed expression.

"We can do that," Aeyrin smiled at him amicably. That sounded perfect, especially since she'd be able to stall Calcelmo further after returning from the museum with stories about their explorations.

"Good. Across the bridge and down the tunnels. Tell the guards that I sent you down there. And for the love of Auri-El, don't explore further than two chambers in. If the remains of the expedition aren't there, just leave. I cannot have unauthorized tourists disappear in the ruins which I'm supposed to be restricting access to," Calcelmo grumbled again before he turned back to his book promptly. Aicantar gave them another apologetic look, but he soon ignored them as well, returning to the piles of metal.

Bishop and Aeyrin stepped away from the research station and they walked a little distance away through the large cavernous chamber, stopping in front of the ancient stone bridge. They slung their packs down and started to dress into their armors promptly.

"This is good, right? I'll keep him talking for as long as I can. And I'm gonna ask him for the enchantment then too," Aeyrin gave Bishop an uncertain hopeful look.

"It's great. Better than I originally thought. Just stay in the museum long enough. It's gotta be convincing," Bishop smiled at her.

"Don't worry about that! I kind of meant it. It would be useful to learn what stuff is valuable in case we ever go through that again. Maybe through some smaller one though," she chuckled a bit. It's been a good memory now, of their triumph, of the sense of accomplishment, but if someone had even suggested that she go anywhere near a Dwemer site when they first got out, she would have been beside herself.

Bishop looked himself over somewhat proudly when they were done with their equipment. The armor fit him perfectly. If anything, she felt like it fit him better than his old one, since it accentuated his form so well. He stretched from one side to another, testing if the armor didn't make any sounds and if it allowed him free movement. He checked the fastenings on the new pouches and belt, then he quickly unfastened the small string hidden below the thin metal stripe to open the chest piece and check the accessibility of the small emergency inside pocket. He gave her a satisfied smirk before he closed the armor up again and fastened it deftly. She had thought of everything. It was very impressive.

He gave her a grateful kiss and a pleased hum formed at the back of his throat. He stepped back after that and looked over her own new equipment. The underchain was almost white – it was definitely not fit for someone who would want to keep in the shadows. All the creatures would be on her instantly, but he suspected that it was intentional. The bronze-gold plates glinted in the light of the braziers by the bridge. She tied her hair into a high ponytail to keep it out of the way and she gave him a gentle smile while he still looked her up and down.

Fuck, she looked so good, even in those layers of tin on her. He wasn't sure if the armor would be more distracting to their enemies or to him.

"So handsome," she giggled, blushing lightly, as she pressed her lips to his before she turned on her heel to look across the bridge.

Whatever awaited them in the ruins, they should take care of it quickly.

Bishop needed to use this window of opportunity for the heist.

…

They descended through the cavern, passing through the rubble of ruined wooden platforms, as they occasionally almost tripped over a half-buried pickaxe or shovel.

It looked like this place had been excavated for years until the entrance to the ruins was uncovered. At that point, people likely abandoned the cavern and all its mining potential, leaving it cluttered and unkept. Calcelmo said that he restricted access to the ruins now. No wonder that the vermin moved in.

The cavern was full of spiders, small ones crawling everywhere, as well as big frostbite spiders that were occasionally crawling out of some larger crevices. Either these spiders repopulated after only a week, which was a… horrifying thought, or the expedition somehow got past them in the first place.

Didn't Calcelmo say that those people were supposed to take care of the infestation? How would they even manage to walk through the cavern without luring the spiders out of their hiding?

The two of them quickly disposed of the aggressive spiders that crossed their path on the spiraling ledge leading down towards the visible remnants of Dwemer pillars, half-buried in the soil.

"There's no hint of anyone here," Bishop scowled while his eyes searched through the cobwebs for any cocoons that could have hidden the scholars.

They finally made their way down and they stopped by a large gold-bronze door leading into the ruins proper.

They only shrugged at each other. They were at a loss of why there was no trace of the lost men, before a rather loud chirp and 'thud' forced them to jerk their heads back to the excavation site.

An enormous spider was now standing on the ground menacingly while a thick white web was still leading from it upwards towards the ceiling. Several smaller spiders started to scurry around it, readying to attack.

Bishop aimed his bow instantly while Aeyrin charged forward, brandishing her new mace.

The large spider was stopped cold immediately, paralyzed by Bishop's arrow. Finally! He wasn't able to enjoy the new perks of his archery for some time now, with just the dragons to fight. Also, it really wasn't satisfying anymore if he killed something in one shot. He needed more challenging enemies to actually enjoy the effects of the paralysis.

Aeyrin noticed his successful attack instantly and she turned her attention to the smaller spiders instead. She swung in a wide circle, sending several of them flying against the cavernous wall and slumping to the ground right after that. With all the quality equipment and with how synchronized they got over the course of their travels, battles like these weren't even a little daunting anymore.

It was encouraging. There weren't many creatures and animals that would give them pause anymore. Maybe, after the heist was done, they'd even be ready enough to explore another Dwemer site. This one seemed… convenient.

Bishop shot another two arrows into the large spider, felling the beast before it even managed to attack, while Aeyrin disposed of the rest of the smaller ones readily.

After the battle was done, Bishop walked into the center of the cavern and he peered upwards to the place where the spider came from.

"There's one!" he pointed to something a long way up by the ceiling. Aeyrin could vaguely see the cluster of white – likely one of the members of the expedition, fallen prey to the giant spider.

"Let's hope that this one didn't have the notes we need," she sighed. She had no idea how they would even get up there, but then again, if that person was killed before even entering the ruins, they'd likely have nothing important to report back anyway.

…

They explored the first two chambers of the ruins, just like Calcelmo had asked them to.

There were several Falmer there, much to Aeyrin's dismay, but the battle didn't turn too unmanageable.

They found what they could only assume was the rest of the expedition, slaughtered by the Falmer. Some of them were even… half-eaten. Others still may have gotten further in, but… judging by the slaughter, it was unlikely.

Bishop and Aeyrin found a journal on one of the corpses, describing how the expedition had disposed of some spiders in the cavern, but got caught off guard by the large one and, when it killed one of their mercenaries, they decided to run into the ruins. The scholars seemed to have studied the first chambers, as the journal contained numerous notes on certain carvings, positions of pillars or ponderings of the purpose of certain mechanisms, but that was where the writing ended.

The Falmer must have found them then.

In any case, their job was done and they could go back to Calcelmo and continue with the plan.

"Why do you think that he was so adamant about the two chambers?" Bishop smirked before they turned back and he inclined his head towards the door leading further into the ruins.

Aeyrin peered at the door curiously. She was especially looking around it for any mechanisms that could have killed them instantly, like those giant spinning blades back at the last Dwemer city.

"Just a peek?" she gave him a sly wink before she walked towards the door and nudged it a little to see what was further inside.

After a while, she opened the door fully with her eyes wide as she stared in front of her. Bishop rushed towards the door immediately to see what had gotten her so surprised.

There was an enormous cavern spreading before them, filled with separate buildings and walkways as far as the eye could see. They could see the Falmer scurrying around in the distance, walking the walkways and clustering around the entrances to the buildings.

"Yeah… I think that he had a point with the whole 'two chambers' thing," Bishop murmured quietly. This almost looked like the beginning of a repeat of their last attempt at Dwemer site exploration. He was not eager to go through that again.

Aeyrin just nodded and she slowly and silently closed the door in front of her.

Maybe this particular ruin wasn't the best for exploration.

…

"All of them?" Calcelmo creased his brows while he shook his head in displeasure.

"We're not sure… We found at least six of them," Aeyrin handed him the journal with a somber nod.

"Well, that's all of them. At least they've managed to make some observations… but it will likely be the last group that I'm allowed to send there for a long time again," Calcelmo grumbled morosely. "In any case, you can go take a look in the museum. I'll finish up here in the meantime with this pointless, monotonous…" his voice trailed off in another angry murmur as his eyes fastened on the piles of metal again. "We'll talk after that. Don't touch anything in the museum! And don't take anything, obviously! Hold on, I'll get you a note with a written permission."

Calcelmo turned back to his desk and he started scribbling something on a small parchment promptly.

"Alright, sweetness, I'm gonna leave you to it," Bishop approached Aeyrin and he gently wrapped his arm around her waist before he planted a kiss on her temple. "Better get out of here before I get roped into dying of boredom while you stare at chunks of metal," he chuckled and then he squeezed her around the waist briefly before he let go and turned on his heel.

"Ugh… unappreciative simpletons…" Calcelmo grumbled under his breath while he scribbled his signature down on the parchment.

If only he knew…

The wizard handed the note to Aeyrin, after a second, while Bishop had already disappeared into the Keep's halls.

…

Bishop was waiting for Aeyrin in a shadowy corner near the hallway towards the museum.

The guards were out of earshot in that spot and they could both safely proceed from there.

When she arrived, she quickly took off her armor while he prepared for his mission. He had already finished filling the pouches with small potions and now he was tugging at everything to make sure that all his equipment was secured properly. After he was done, he handed his almost empty pack to Aeyrin who stuffed it into her own as quickly as possible. Walking out of there with two packs on her back would be way too conspicuous. Luckily she had left her old equipment back at the inn so Bishop's pack would fit into hers.

She still thought it would have been much simpler if she just went to Calcelmo on her own, but Bishop insisted on this performance. It was needless, but she still felt bad about Fort Fellhammer and she was too insecure to let anything up to her own judgment, regarding this mission.

If something was going to go wrong, it would not be on her conscience again.

She slung the heavy pack onto her shoulder before she stepped closer to Bishop and began running her hands over his torso, straightening the new armor against his body.

"Be careful," she said quietly and she stood up on her tiptoes to kiss him gently.

"Stop worrying, love. I'll be fine." He cupped her cheek when she withdrew and he planted one more comforting kiss on her forehead.

That was much easier said than done.

He gave her a reassuring smile before he pulled out one of the small bottles from the pouch at his belt to down the contents. His form disappeared from sight within an instant. Aeyrin knew that he was still there, waiting for her to go forth with the plan, but it was strange, walking by his side like this.

She approached the guards who were standing by the entrance to the museum and she quickly passed them Calcelmo's note.

Bishop's hand was firmly placed on her lower back, as if he was trying to assure her that he was still there, even though he was invisible. Or it was probably just so that there were no mistakes and so that she didn't accidentally leave him outside. But… she still liked to think that he was more concerned about reassuring her than about the mission.

The guards nodded and they opened the door for her readily. She felt Bishop cling to her closer as she stepped through the threshold and the door closed behind them promptly.

Aeyrin located the door leading towards the lab immediately. There was a guard in front of it and she needed to get rid of him. Subtly, and inconspicuously.

She started to walk around, trying to keep a normal pace in order to not raise suspicion. All the guards were looking at her, but she still needed to get the one in front of the door to leave the spot before Bishop's potion's effect dissipated.

She felt him nudge her forward occasionally as she walked around the center of the museum and looked over the pieces of Dwemer metal. She couldn't concentrate on them at all, but that was hardly important right now.

She quickened her step a little at his urging, but she still desperately tried to seem inconspicuous. She was close to the guard now and she turned her back to him in order to peer at the piece of metal bent into a spherical shape that was displayed there near the guard's post.

This was it. She needed to get the man's attention fast. She could almost feel how antsy Bishop was already.

She reached out carefully and she lightly touched the metal, nudging it with her fingers.

It didn't move.

Bishop, however, got much bolder than her. It was just a chunk of metal, right? Calcelmo seemed to imply that she shouldn't touch anything, perhaps because of dangerous objects, but Bishop was pretty sure that this was just some harmless metal.

He swatted at the object, sending it tumbling to the floor with a loud clank and making Aeyrin let out a gasp of surprise.

The guard ran towards her instantly and she called out to the man right away: "I'm so sorry! I just touched it a little!" She bit her lower lip and she gave him an apologetic look before she looked down bashfully, fiddling with her fingers.

Bishop smirked to himself at that sight. Perfect. That look would melt anyone.

Aeyrin felt a quick brush of Bishop's lips on her cheek before his invisible hand fell from her back and she felt him rush away from her silently with his movements muffled by the ring from Delphine that he had for ages now.

The guard took the metal sphere into his hand and he started looking it over with a deep frown, just as she noticed the door at the back open subtly and close instantly after that. Good. Bishop was in.

"You need to be careful, miss. Some of these things are very dangerous. You got lucky, but you can't touch this stuff," the man placed the sphere back on the pedestal with a resolute nod.

She looked up at him from behind her lowered lashes with a demure smile on her lips. The man was staring at her oddly, but the longer that she kept him away from the door, the better for Bishop. Just in case he was forced to make some noise on the other side of it – she knew that there were a lot of traps there. Some of them could be making ruckus when he disarmed them.

The guard cleared his throat while he continued looking down on her blushing nervous fidget as she apologized to him again.

"Yeah… it's alright… miss. It would just be a shame if anything happened to you here… I mean… because... researchers are very valuable… ehm…" he rubbed the back of his head. He continued to stand very stiffly in front of her, for a while, before he cleared his throat again and turned on his heels.

He hurried quickly back to the door and his face visibly flushed.

She wasn't even doing anything! Men…

But it worked out for the best.

Aeyrin quickly turned back to the exhibits to finally study them properly. She wasn't sure how she would be able to concentrate on examining them with Bishop out there, risking his life.

But hopefully, she'd find something there to keep her mind off things.