Chapter CXXXIV – Little Rabbit
"Wow… we have nowhere to go."
Aeyrin sighed over the map. Surprisingly enough, Bishop wanted to go to a city next, in case Karliah called them to action after the successful heist. They could also use more supplies – they did not manage to buy a lot before they were forced out of Whiterun.
But that proved to be a bit of a task, given their current situation.
"We can't go to Whiterun. That includes Riverwood. We can't go to Windhelm. We should avoid Riften and Mercer now, and Solitude. And Markarth…" she huffed exasperatedly. "Dawnstar's not great to stay in either if we want to wait for a courier for a while. And you don't want to go to Falkreath. We have… Morthal and Winterhold left, I guess."
Bishop groaned in annoyance. Hearing it all spelled out like that, how many enemies they actually had, how many places were barred to them, it was a bit much. He wanted to stay in the city, where no bandits would dare attack, preferably somewhere where he could monitor the people around, make sure that there were no 'suspicious travelers'. Since Aeyrin's current location was usually a popular topic among the gossip-mongers of Skyrim, it might have been better to stay on the move and just explore the wilderness, but he needed to see an update from Karliah as soon as possible and he wasn't sure how the courier could ever find them in some ancient barrow.
He considered whether Karliah was still at her hideout in Winterhold, but honestly, he really hoped that she wasn't. She better take his urging seriously! That damn journal was secondary right now. He really hoped that she moved somewhere south to gauge the situation in Falkreath.
"So… Morthal? There's places to get resupplied there. We can explore the marshes around the city, stay at the inn at nights," Bishop shrugged at her.
"Oh, good. I thought you'd want to go see if Karliah was still in Winterhold. I didn't really want to be constantly freezing again. Yesterday was enough," Aeyrin chuckled at him lightly.
"I doubt that she's there. She's probably leaving the deciphering to the mage, with how many 'phases' she still got," Bishop snorted lightly. "Besides, a lot of the places around Winterhold are already plundered by the mages' excavations. If nothing else, there's gonna be more to do in Morthal. No one wants to slog through that bleak hole," he laughed.
"That's true," Aeyrin smirked. "Alright then. We'll head out to Morthal. And let's maybe try not to get banished while we're there," she gave him an uncertain demure smile. Hopefully it wasn't too much of a touchy subject anymore.
"Ah well… I'll try to behave. Can't promise anything," Bishop chuckled at her.
Hopefully Morthal would provide some sanctuary and a good hideout. At least for a while.
…
They have spent almost two weeks in the city.
When they reached Morthal, they were instantly approached by a guard who invited them to speak to Jarl Idgrod. She inquired about their progress with the dragons, but Aeyrin decided not to share their findings with her just yet. The people of Skyrim were already terrified by the dragons' reappearance; mentioning Alduin and the possible end of the world would not help anything at that point. Especially since they still had no way of dealing with either.
While Jarl Idgrod was disappointed with the lack of progress on that front, she didn't hesitate to point them in the direction of a nearby structure filled with bandits who had been plaguing the passing caravans. Bishop got a little nervous at that, even though it was ridiculous. It wasn't as if all the bandits in Skyrim were under Thorn's thumb. But he couldn't help himself. At least the Jarl had told them that it was a small group of no more than six men. And since they would have the advantage of the element of surprise, it was as good a place as any to start getting some funds for their stay.
Their days were filled with exploration and battle as they scoured the area. They got rid of the small bandit encampment with ease and continued to do more favors for the people of Hjaalmarch, ridding them of anything dangerous nearby, which eventually included a dragon. Luckily, the Jarl sent some of her men to assist them and the battle was over very soon. When they had no other leads from the people of Morthal, after their actions were already the talk of the town, they started to inquire about other places of interest in the area.
They have explored two ancient Nordic barrows. In one, they met a young mage, Anska, who was searching the place for a rare scroll. They agreed to join forces, especially since the woman had no interest in anything but the scroll, and in contrast to the last time they helped a random adventurer – Golldir, she was not needlessly abrasive and knew how to behave properly in battle. They found another Wall there, bearing the engraving 'STRUN', as well as plenty of ancient loot. In the second ruin, they were caught in a fierce battle with an incredibly powerful draugr – even more so than some of the dragon priests. They persevered in the end, rewarded with a strange amulet that looked broken, but felt very powerful, as well as another Word of Power – 'FO'.
They have spent one day in the empty bogs of Hjaalmarch too, as Aeyrin tested her new Shouts. The first one was terrifyingly impressive. When she Shouted, the skies above her darkened and the ground was struck by numerous lightnings. It didn't last long and none of the lightnings hit her, but if Bishop and Karnwyr weren't a safe distance away, it would have definitely not ended well for them. The second Shout seemed identical to the frost breath that many dragons wielded. At least it was familiar. And strangely enough, it made it easier for her to control it, as if she's seen it used so many times, she knew exactly what to expect. She was not very successful with the storm Shout.
The rest of their stay was spent in various caverns or idling around the marshes while Aeyrin practiced her Shouts, the new and the old. It was about time she got serious about controlling her powers. It only made her more confident in being the Dragonborn and that was exactly what she needed for the challenges ahead.
One day, they had a message waiting for them at the Moorside Inn. Well… Bishop did, oddly enough. But as it was from Karliah, it was not that surprising that she decided to contact him directly, just to be safe. He was the one suited to do most of her work anyway. Bishop seemed extremely eager to receive the letter, but it wasn't very informative. When Aeyrin asked to see it, it only consisted of the following words:
.
Ready.
2nd of Rain's Hand. The place of our first meeting.
K.
.
Aeyrin inquired whether Bishop knew what exactly was 'ready', but he only speculated that it was about the journal. He knew all too well what Karliah was referring to, though. But he still needed to hold out. It would soon be over. He was sure that her plan would work. It had to. He would allow no alternatives. Thorn would die and his loyal bandits would be decimated. He would do anything to ensure that.
The meeting was still a fortnight away. Not to mention, it was very near Whiterun – Bishop would have to sneak in there carefully. The wait would be excruciating, but every time he started to think about what could go wrong, he comforted himself by imagining Thorn's mangled corpse lying in the pool of his own blood.
In general, their stay in Morthal seemed to be largely cathartic, giving them a respite from talking about the world ending and getting away from the possible reach of any of Mercer's associates. At least Bishop hoped so. Karliah didn't provide him with the list that he had asked for in his last letter, but that was hopefully to be rectified later. After all, even with Thorn and the bandits gone, the bounty on Aeyrin would still be in effect. But at least then they would have some chance to repel any attempts at claiming it. He was sure that Mercer didn't have many who could best them in combat on his payroll. None but the bandits undergoing brutal, but extremely efficient training. He remembered that very well. One of Thorn's rules. You either passed his training or died trying. Jules barely made it through. He was bedridden for weeks after that.
Other than the unpleasant anticipation, which would certainly not leave him for quite a while yet, the only thing dampening their respite was that horrible Orc.
His unbearable squawking was constant and so they usually spent most of their days outside or in the wilderness, only returning for quick meals or when they were certain that the mad was already asleep.
Aeyrin had offered to take his place a few times to entertain the patrons, which yet again brought many more visitors to the inn.
During the third night of her performances, however, the Orc insisted on joining in, regardless of the fact that he knew none of the songs she played. And as he adamantly tried to turn her songs into duets, all the patrons realized quickly that the pleasant evenings were over.
…
"Finally! Some quiet!"
Bishop exclaimed in exasperation as they left the tavern after their midday meal.
"I actually feel like he's getting better," Aeyrin pondered while they walked through the town, passing the Highmoon Hall with Karnwyr circling their legs excitedly. He's been enjoying their eventful days to the fullest. Spared from the constant confinement of the walled cities, he could finally run around the wilderness anytime he wanted.
"What?! Are you losing your mind from his squawking already? If anything, he's getting worse! I am pretty fucking sure that he's doing it on purpose. He's gotta know, right?" Bishop shook his head with a scowl. It was impossible for anyone to be this bad and not know it. If not by himself, people must have been telling him all the time.
"Maybe everyone's afraid to say something. He's a big guy," Aeyrin chuckled as they stopped for a while at the edge of the town, looking over the horizon. They had no destination planned for today. They would just walk around Hjaalmarch, exploring caverns in the swamps, looking for any excitement that they could find. If they found nothing else of interest, they agreed to head out of Morthal the next day, towards their only other available option – Winterhold. They had plenty of time before they needed to get back to the meeting with Karliah anyway.
"Fuck, I'll say something! If he wants to fight, even better. I'll be aiming at his throat to make sure he never sings again," Bishop smirked meanly. She knew he wasn't serious, but he looked disturbingly excited at the prospect nonetheless.
"I bet he wouldn't be risking…" Aeyrin smiled back at him, but before she could finish the remark, a distant voice riled her up, erasing her every other thought.
That… that couldn't be…
"Little rabbit!"
Bishop watched her with raised brows as she stopped suddenly in the middle of a sentence and her eyes widened in pure shock. Weird. Was that voice calling out to her? She didn't even look in the direction of its source, as if she was frozen in place. So when she didn't seem to react beyond the shocked stare, he turned his head himself to curiously look at the man who was shouting at her.
"Little rabbit!" the man called out again when he noticed that he got their attention and started jogging a little to catch up with them.
A Bosmer. A very short one at that, draped in thick fur clothes for warmth. He looked about the same height as Aeyrin. He had short ashen hair, messy and sticking out every which way and pitch-black eyes. His face was gaunt and haggard, as if he was wasting away from some disease, but he ran towards them surprisingly energetically.
Aeyrin finally turned to look at him after the second call and a very audible nervous gulp passed through her throat before she answered the man with a hoarse voice.
"Father."
'Father'?
Bishop's eyes went wide and he looked at the man again. Wasn't he supposed to be somewhere in the gutter back in Chorrol? What the fuck was going on?
The man approached Aeyrin with no hesitation and wrapped his arms around her to envelop her into a tight embrace. Her face still remained shocked, and she flinched visibly when he touched her. Her arms stayed hanging limply at her sides, but she didn't push him away.
Bishop still stood a short distance away, watching the odd exchange with uneasiness, unable to discern what he should do. He was never actually able to figure out how she felt about her father. She didn't mention him that often. She had always talked about his addiction with palpable disdain and bitterness, but Bishop remembered how weirdly sympathetic she got about those delirious addicts when they had attacked Tilmuril's Rift operation together months ago.
Her father finally released her from his embrace after what felt to her like a very long time, but he kept his hands on the chainmail on her upper arms. It was… strange to say the least. It felt oddly surreal to be seeing him in front of her after such a long time. She felt like she wasn't able to process anything that was happening anymore – her mind felt so… blank.
He looked her up and down with a somewhat astonished look in his eyes, before he shook his head incredulously. "Rabbit, I've been looking everywhere for you! I… I heard the rumors… about you. The second I got the opportunity to travel north, I knew I had to find you!" he exclaimed with excitement.
'Travel'? The man she had left behind in Chorrol barely ever left that small filthy hovel he was squatting in. What was he doing here? How would he even get the money to travel? He still looked the same. The red rims around his eyes, the gaunt tired face… how would someone like him even have the strength for a journey? From what she remembered, he was barely able to move around the city.
"When I crossed the border, it didn't take long to hear more rumors. They led me to this town. Well… if you can't call it a town, right, rabbit?" he chuckled at her briefly with an odd mirth in his eyes.
You lived in a hovel!
But the way he talked. So… lucid. She has never heard him talk like this. He was either lost in delirium, sputtering nonsense, or he was angry and erratic in his withdrawal. Something was different. And why was he even looking for her in the first place? What in Gods' names would he want from her after the way they've left things?
She had always wondered whether he was even alive. She would have felt so guilty if he died there, abandoned by her. But now that she saw him in front of her… she felt… disappointed. What was wrong with her? She knew that she didn't want him to die! Why would she ever feel disappointed at seeing him alive and… surprisingly well.
"F-father… what… what are you doing here?" she stammered, uncertain what to ask first. None of this made any sense to her. It was like she wasn't even talking to the same person that she remembered. She had to keep reminding herself in her head who this was.
"I had a… business opportunity in Skyrim, rabbit. And I couldn't pass up the chance to see you. I hoped that we could talk," he gave her a rather wry and even somewhat apologetic smile.
"'Business'," she repeated after him quietly. She knew what that meant. Why would he even think that it was alright to approach her like this?!
"No… no. Nothing like that. I… don't do that anymore. It's… hard. But I do my best," he sighed, and a tormented look appeared on his face as he looked down to the ground. His cheerful expression was suddenly all gone.
He… stopped? With all of it? The skooma, the scheming and crime?
Her brows shot up in unbridled astonishment. He did seem rather… sober. Was he really trying to turn his life around? After all this time of just wallowing in his destitute and indulging in his addiction to numb any real thoughts in his mind?
Why did it make her feel strangely angry?
"Please, little rabbit, can we talk? I… I know that I have a lot to answer for… but… could we go somewhere inside?" he shivered exaggeratedly in his thick fur clothes. "I don't know how much longer I can take this cold," an exasperated chuckle escaped his lips.
She stayed silent for a while. She must have looked like she was pondering on his request, but honestly, her mind was still completely blank. She was unable to process any of what just happened. It was still hard to understand how he just appeared in front of her like that.
She nodded after what felt like a long time, eliciting an overly relieved sigh from her father.
He gave her a strangely affectionate smile, one she had never seen from him in all those years, before his eyes darted to Bishop briefly. He looked him up and down with an uncertain frown, then he looked back at her with a questioning expression.
"Oh… this is my companion Bishop," she answered quietly and inclined her head towards Bishop who stood a little distance away from her with a confused frown on his face.
"Ah. Faldaen. It's a pleasure to meet you. A companion, huh?" he chuckled a little and extended his hand towards Bishop in greeting, before he added with a mocking jovial tone: "Heh… what are your intentions with my daughter?"
Aeyrin's eyes went wide with incredulousness at his words instantly. She looked like she wanted to say something, but no words left her lips when she opened her mouth. She only stared at Faldaen in silent astonishment.
"Better than yours ever were," Bishop ignored the man's hand pointedly as he gave him a deep hateful scowl and folded his arms across his chest. The gall of this wretch! How could he even have the guts to show his face anywhere near Aeyrin? Nothing good could come from talking to him.
Faldaen cleared his throat nervously before he snatched his hand back. He looked a bit intimidated as Bishop towered above him rather imposingly with a nasty glare. It was clear that it unnerved the man.
"Ehm… there's a tavern right there," Aeyrin interrupted their exchange, when she riled herself up a little from the shock, and pointed towards the Moorside Inn.
Her father moved his eyes to her again and nodded at her with a weak smile. He turned on his heel promptly, as if he was trying to escape Bishop's glare as quickly as possible, and he began walking towards the inn in brisk steps without another word.
Bishop immediately glanced at Aeyrin to discern her reaction to the entire situation, but she still only looked caught back and surprised. She didn't turn to him even for a second, staring after the man walking towards the tavern instead with a deep pondering look in her eyes.
It didn't take long for her to follow, but her steps were far from sure. She seemed to stop every once in a while, as if she was rethinking the whole thing constantly.
Bishop caught up to her quickly and he draped his arm around her in an encouraging gesture as they walked together back towards the inn.
Whatever that wretch wanted, it was better to deal with him quickly. She wouldn't be able to stop thinking about this if she left now anyway.
The sooner he was out of her life again, the better.
People like him didn't change.
…
"So… how… how long have you been…?" Aeyrin stammered nervously while she continued studying her father's face. It looked the same as it used to – the red rims around his eyes and the dark circles under them. His hands were shaky and unstable and he would twitch and scratch nervously every now and then, as if he was constantly uneasy. But when he talked… he seemed so present. She's never seen him like that before.
They were sitting at one of the tables at the inn, much to Bishop's annoyance, since the Orc still hasn't stopped 'performing'. Faldaen even only ordered water from the innkeeper and he paid for a room for himself. Aeyrin got a little worried that he would expect her to pay for it, but judging from his clothes and the filled pack slumped down on the floor beside him, he wasn't exactly septimless, as unbelievable as it was.
"Almost a year, rabbit. I had a… moment of clarity, you might say. One day I just… knew that I had to do something to get away from that misery," Faldaen shook his head somberly while he closed his eyes, as if he was chasing bad memories away.
That… sounded so strange. He just… realized that he had to change? Just like that? Why couldn't he have realized that ten years ago?
"S-so… you just… stopped?" Aeyrin gave him an uncertain expression. It sounded so inconceivable. Where did that resolve suddenly come from? And what about Ri'zhassa? He just… let him stop? He didn't try to get his customer back by any means necessary? That was what that Khajiit always did, wasn't it? The addicts were all too weak to resist his pressuring. Every time her father even thought of the hardships that his addiction caused him, every time he even hinted at the possibility of quitting, the Khajiit would manipulate or threaten him, forcing him to abandon those notions altogether.
"It wasn't easy, rabbit. It still isn't. I couldn't tell Ri'zhassa. He would find a way to drag me back in. So I pretended for a while, acted as if everything was like it's always been. Whenever he brought me more, I destroyed it the second he was gone," he smiled proudly.
Bishop scoffed at him, shaking his head. He clearly didn't believe a word Faldaen said. It looked like he pondered, for a while, whether to interfere and to speak up. And the urge seemed to be stronger than him in the end. "So in the midst of your withdrawal, you had enough lucidity and self-control to actually trick someone? Someone who deals with this shit constantly and likely can tell if you're faking?" he scoffed again in disbelief as he folded his arms across his chest.
He had a point. Aeyrin wondered about the same thing. Ri'zhassa was hardly one to be fooled easily. And her father was not exactly a shrewd mastermind. This was probably the longest coherent conversation she's ever had with him. It was strangely unsettling. She still felt like she was talking to a completely different person. As if she was listening to a life story of a stranger.
It was easier to think of him that way.
Faldaen's eye twitched as he picked up the tankard in front of him, with a somewhat shaky hand, and he took a deep swig from it before answering: "You think that he paid that much attention to me? I paid for what he gave me. That was all he cared about."
Was it really possible for him to stop it all, just like that?
This was what Aeyrin had wished for all her childhood. What she hoped for all her life in the temple.
Why did it make her so angry and sad?
"I managed to do this for a few months. I don't know what I thought would happen next. I never thought about the future. All that was important was surviving each day," Faldaen sighed. "I didn't even realize how pointless it was. Even if he never noticed the trick, this was not a solution. I needed to get away. I needed to stand on my own feet. It was only after… after I…" he shook his head instead of continuing and he looked down onto the table somberly.
It was so odd. Aeyrin had never seen his face so expressive, his words so coherent and purposeful. She still wasn't sure what to think about any of this. It all sounded so unbelievable, but when she listened to him, she could never deny that he had changed.
"It was only after I overheard some of the priests talking in the streets. About you, little rabbit. They… talked about how you travel through Skyrim, to help the Nords. Against dragons, no less! I wasn't even sure they were real! But… I never paid attention to that, I guess," he snorted a bit self-derisively. "Dragonborn. Unbelievable. But… it made me think. I should have been someone you would not be ashamed of, rabbit. I… I wanted to be someone you wouldn't be ashamed of," he gave her a surprisingly fond smile. She's only seen that smile a few times before, when he was deep in his delirium, and it was never really directed at her. It was always directed at the 'colors' he used to see in front of his eyes, and other figments of his skooma-ridden imagination.
"I needed to escape," he continued. "And I needed to make something of myself. Getting a job was the best bet, but I needed something that would keep me moving. Keep me away from Ri'zhassa, in case… in case he decided I should… 'get what's coming to me'," he scoffed before he gave Aeyrin a knowing look.
She cringed instantly at those words and averted her eyes from him. Thinking about the Khajiit's personal 'justice' system had always left her mouth tasting just like ash, for some reason.
"I hoped to become a traveling peddler. It was the simplest solution. You don't need much skill to do that," Faldaen chuckled.
"You do need money, though…" Aeyrin gave him a skeptical expression. If he was still paying Ri'zhassa for the skooma he was allegedly destroying, where would he get the money to start this venture? Unless he started selling it, instead of what he claimed.
"Yes. And I knew just the person who should sponsor me," he gave her a sly smile. "I followed Ri'zhassa one night when he left the shack with my money. I followed him all the way to one of his stashes. And I found my… investment," he smirked victoriously.
"How… surprisingly capable," Bishop narrowed his eyes at him while his arms still remained crossed over his chest, as if he was trying to defy Faldaen's every word with that posture.
A deep scowl appeared on Aeyrin's face. Yet again, Bishop had a point. Her father wasn't capable of something like that. Ri'zhassa was neither stupid nor inept. He probably sold the skooma instead of destroying it and now he was just wary of telling her, knowing how much she would despise that notion.
But… maybe after she was taken to the temple… maybe he needed to get better at the burglaries and pickpocketing himself. Maybe without her around, he needed to do Ri 'zhassa's dirty work to get the money to feed his addiction. How else would he earn so much? Begging was hardly that lucrative. Maybe he wasn't as incapable as she had remembered him to be anymore.
"You… decided to anger Ri'zhassa before leaving?" Aeyrin raised a brow at Faldaen. Even if he managed to steal from that Khajiit, it hardly felt like the smartest choice. The man was relentless when he wanted revenge. And he always got his revenge.
"Brilliant. Can you even fight? Can you even defend yourself if he retaliates?" Bishop scoffed at him.
"N-no…" Faldaen recoiled a bit and a disturbed expression appeared on his face.
"Even fucking better," Bishop rolled his eyes. Not that he believed any of that story anyway, but Faldaen could have at least come up with something a little more plausible.
"I… I didn't want to steal from anyone else…" her father sighed. His eyes were filled with regret as he looked down on the table again, staring into the water in his tankard.
That was… somewhat commendable, if it was true. Aeyrin tried to search his face for any hint of lies and trickery, but… she did want to believe him. Even if this whole story still strangely hurt her feelings more and more with each sentence.
"I left first, before he could find out what happened," Faldaen continued to spin the tale. "I made my way to the City. I assumed that it would be easy to get lost there and get started. Eventually, I started to buy travelling supplies. Figured I could both sell them to the people I meet on the roads and use them to travel around. Clever, isn't it?" he smirked at them, but he still shook his head with a hint of defeat on his face.
"W-well… people… usually stock up on those in the cities. You can't really count on encountering a peddler," Aeyrin gave him a doubtful look. She never even met a peddler who would sell on the actual roads. Just those that came to villages and settlements.
"Yes…" Faldaen chuckled weakly. "I found that out all too late. I guess I thought it would be easier than it really was," he shook his head again demurely. "I sold the extra supplies in another city at… a significant loss. But I still had enough to make a good start."
Strange. Just how much money was Ri'zhassa hiding in one place?
"I figured, if I was going to succeed, I needed help. So I found someone willing to go into business with me and with our money and his knowledge, we traveled to Hammerfell to sell exotic goods to other provinces. It was much more lucrative than my original idea, let me tell you that," Faldaen chuckled. "It was going well. We're not exactly rich, but… we get by. Eventually, my partner mentioned some contacts here in Skyrim, who we could sell to for… a lot more money. And… well… you know the rest."
Bishop and Aeyrin both stayed silent for a long while after that. Bishop's eyes were narrowed in constant suspicion and his arms were still folded across his chest stubbornly. In the meantime, Aeyrin was looking at Faldaen uncertainly. She couldn't make sense of things. All her thoughts felt unpleasantly jumbled. She should be happy about everything that Faldaen was saying. She wanted this for so long. But he made everything sound so… easy. And that only made things worse.
If it was that easy… why only now?
"Why did you look for me?" she finally asked as she gave him a somewhat accusing look. She couldn't help herself. The bitterness was overwhelming her quickly.
"Well… to see you, little rabbit. To show you that… that I was someone you didn't have to be ashamed of," he smiled at her proudly. "Perhaps in time… someone you could… welcome back into your life," the pained expression he gave her was heartbreaking.
It was still not what she had hoped to hear from him.
But… it was better than nothing.
She didn't answer. She couldn't answer that. Not while she still didn't know how she felt about this. She couldn't shake the anger and bitterness. She couldn't shake the suspicions about the whole story. Somehow, when she had imagined a moment like this, back at the temple when she was still conflicted about leaving him to his own devices, she had never imagined that she would feel so… numb.
"What now?" she asked uncertainly. She had to try so hard not to sound bitter. This man, the one in front of her, didn't seem like the one she knew back then. This man did nothing to earn her anger.
"Well… I… I was hoping that we could… spend some time together. Talk and… get a fresh start, maybe? I… I have to meet the contacts soon, but… perhaps, if you could… you could accompany me there… we could… travel together for a while… maybe," he gave her a hopeful look. It made her uncomfortably pressured. She wasn't even sure if she wanted to spend any more time with him.
But… she already knew that she wouldn't say no. Why even pretend? There was probably no harm in accompanying him for a while, they've had time and no urgent plans. She knew that she would never stop wondering and regretting, if she didn't agree.
"Uhmm… where are you going?" she asked when she remembered her and Bishop's current predicament. There weren't many places that they could accompany him too. Was it bad that she kind of hoped that he would say Whiterun? At least she could refuse him with a clear conscience then. She would never endanger Bishop like that because of him.
"We have a meeting arranged at their warehouse near the city of Riften," Faldaen nodded at her eagerly. He was likely excited that she was even considering the proposition.
But at those words, she exchanged a disturbed look with Bishop instantly.
"'Riften'?" Aeyrin gave her father a dubious look. It was… a strange coincidence to say the least. There were, without a doubt, some legitimate businesses in the Rift that had nothing to do with the Guild or the Black-Briars and their ilk, but… it still made her very uneasy. And a warehouse outside the city… it was too suspicious.
"Y-yes. That was the name, I think. What's wrong?" her father stammered uncertainly. He seemed very confused… that was kind of a good sign. He likely had no knowledge of the Guild and their associates whatsoever. At least she hoped so.
"It's too risky, princess. Even if this is legit… which I doubt it is," Bishop threw a nasty glare at Faldaen, "I'm sure they're watching all the businesses around. We can't have them knowing what we're getting mixed up in."
Faldaen looked completely lost, but it hardly mattered. She returned Bishop's scowl with one of her own instantly. There was some part of her that wanted her not to argue with him, that wanted to just accept that it was too much of a risk and to leave her father to his own devices. But the knowledge of how much she would keep wondering if she had done the right thing, was stronger. "If we keep going like this, we'll have to be living in caves soon. We're not doing anything. This has nothing to do with… her. And we'll just be accompanying him, not getting 'mixed up' in anything."
Bishop let out a disgruntled groan. Fuck… she still thought that the only danger from the Guild and their associates was that they would find out about their connections to Karliah. He had no argument for that! At least none that wouldn't divulge anything about that fucking bounty. And he could see that she wanted to go.
There would be no deterring her when she got like this.
At least he needed to make sure that they stayed away from any usual bandit haunts over there. Luckily, he knew the Rift better than anyone.
But it was still an unnecessary risk. Damn that fucking wretch! He was lying anyways. Bishop could tell. His story made no sense! It was like a fucking children's tale with a happy ending. Life didn't work like that.
"We're not going near that warehouse," he hissed through his teeth with his arms still across his chest. Who knew who these 'business associates' were working for? They could have easily been part of Mercer's operations.
She wondered how Bishop managed not to move from that tense posture the entire time. And she could have sworn that there was a pout on his lips. It was kind of adorable. And it almost put a slight smile on her face. He'd hate her for calling him that.
"Right. But… I guess we can accompany you for a little while," she turned to her father. She was still not certain about any of this, but if nothing else, she needed more time to know whether she wanted him in his life.
This was important.
If she let him leave now, she'd never stop wondering, she knew that.
"That's… that's really great, rabbit. I couldn't blame you if you refused. But… I'm really glad that you didn't," Faldaen seemed to reach out to touch her hand on the table, but he reconsidered instantly, giving her a wry smile instead. He still looked a little confused after her and Bishop's discussion, but fortunately, he didn't ask about anything.
"Could we head out in the morning? Maybe we can start… making up for some lost time before that. I'd like to know what you have been up to since… since they took you away from me…" he sighed mournfully and his hands moved to his tankard with a visible twitch.
'Took her away'? Aeyrin raised her brow at him incredulously. That was… one way of looking at it.
She decided not to comment on it for now, though. There was no need to rehash old bitterness right away. Although the vicious scowls that Bishop was throwing at her father carried a lot of hostility on their own.
"A-alright… I suppose. We can talk some more."