Chapter 78

Silence

Bishop didn't know what to do with himself. He went back inside the cottage and found himself peeking into Rona's room every few minutes while Danica worked some strange magic on her. She was definitely looking a lot better, less pale, and sickly. Her eyes were closed over though, just resting. Karnwyr went inside and laid down at the foot of the bed, being wise enough to stay out of the way of the people tending to her, but still wanting to be nearby.

Finally Serlas got up and came out into the living area, he stopped by Bishop, looking at him, brows knit tightly together, yellow eyes reddened from his own crying and he pat Bishop on the shoulder and said, "You did well my son."

Bishop lost it. Emotions were high for all of them and this man kept calling him son like he really was his son. He felt like he didn't deserve it though, not after this. He broke down in front of the old elf and Serlas actually hugged him like a father would to his own son.

Serlas let him go and gave him a firm look of thanks and walked by into the kitchen and mindlessly started to make some tea. It was almost like he kept forgetting what he was doing though because Bishop was sure he saw the man take out and put away the same tea cup three separate times. He just needed to do something with his hands, busy himself. Bishop knew that feeling. He needed to do the same and considered just taking a walk through the forest even with all the rain.

Then Serlas asked, "What did that creature do to her?"

Bishop's face cringed and twisted. He shook his head and breathed, "Don't do that to yourself Serlas."

"I need to know what that monster did to her."

Bishop could barely bring himself to go back there, the images of it all were flashing still fresh in his mind. Seeing her hung up on a hook like that, so pale, so sickly. Bleeding heavily out her side where a chunk of her flesh had been ripped wide open. Her weak stare and her mouth gagged while Thorn reached around and touched her...

Bishop felt his stomach turn and forced the words out, "He stabbed her. He touched her... but he didn't rape her. Didn't get that far before she burned his skin off his body."

Serlas exhaled and set the tea cup aside, pressing his hands to the top of the counter and lowering his head. Bishop saw the old man's body tremble and he knew he was crying again.

Bishop looked away and just started talking. He had to do something and he really just wanted to get it all over with as fast as possible and never revisit the worst day of their lives ever again.

"She wanted to go out. She got lost in that book again, saw something horrible and begged me to take her out," he choked back his pain and said, "And I told her no. That I was too tired, told her to go run circles in the garden so I could fucking... I fucking napped. I was sleeping on this fucking couch when they took her. She went to the lake, took Karnwyr and," Bishop sobbed, "I'm so sorry Serlas. I should have been there. I should have paid attention, gone with her," he grit his teeth and clenched his fists, "I should have killed that fucker years ago when I still had the chance."

It was quiet for a minute before Serlas said, "Don't blame yourself. You found her... thank the gods you found her..."

Both of them were trapped in their own anguish, not sure what to do with themselves in the aching silence. Fortunately quite a few distractions appeared at the door.

"Hey," Aela's voice carried over from the side of the house where the door was still wide open. Bishop and Serlas looked over at the group of people. Aela, Farkas, Freya, Bast and Risla were all there.

Serlas waved a hand, welcoming them all inside. They came in out of the rain and a few of them glanced into Rona's room. Risla held a hand to her mouth, horrified and quickly asked, "Is there anything I can do to help? I know a bit of alchemy."

Serlas shook his head, still facing the counter and staring hard out the front windows, "No my dear. We've already taken care of it. I thank you for your offer though."

"Karnwyr!" Bast said smiling. The wolf looked up and opened his maw into a wide smile and started wagging his tail. He got up and hurried over to sniff at Bast's and Freya's feet and they both knelt down and gave him plenty of loving pets.

"Wow! You hardly changed at all Karnwyr!" Freya said as she gave him a sweet kiss on the top of his happy head. He started to get excited and really got his butt wiggling with the wag of his tail. Bast giggled and hugged him right around his neck and he licked at her face.

"Yeah," Bishop smiled, "It's like he gained a few years back in the last day."

Freya looked up at him and cocked a brow curiously. He said, "I'll tell you later. Long story." When Karnwyr had enough pets though he looked back into the room Rona was lying in and gave a low whine and returned to dutifully lay at the foot of her bed.

"Wow," Freya said, "He's really worried about her."

"Always is," Bishop said.

Everyone stood there for a moment, hesitating to sit in the furniture, being soaking wet and all but Serlas started moving again, actually making tea this time and said to them, "Please sit down. I'm not concerned about ruining the fabric."

They all took seats then, Bast and Aela plopped down in two of the poufy chairs while Farkas took a seat on the couch and Freya curled up right next to him and Risla sat down at the other end of the couch.

Bishop went over and grabbed one of the wooden chairs in the kitchen and brought that over to sit on backwards which he preferred over the other squishy furniture. He said, "I really can't thank you all enough for what you did back there. You saved her life."

Aela smirked, "We'd do anything for our little dragon, you know that. Even get kicked out of Whiterun again."

Serlas came over, setting a tray of pastries, teacups and the hot kettle on the table. Risla and Bast grabbed some food and poured tea for themselves as Serlas sat unceremoniously into his own chair, still looking distraught but grateful for the new distraction. He asked, "What happened in Whiterun?"

Bishop scratched his head awkwardly, "I uh... did what you suggested, Serlas. Started fighting down every idiot standing in my way and well... probably have a huge bounty on my head again."

"We helped," Aela said laughing a little, "Made sure to get him and Danica out of there quick."

"I'm grateful," Serlas said, "Truly. I will do whatever I can to assuage this issue, though I have to admit I have very little pull with Stormcloaks."

Aela sighed, crossing her arms, "I'll write to Vignar again, see if there isn't anything he can do about it. We did kill a lot of them though."

"Could always get the Imperials to take the city," Farkas suggested. Bishop was surprised by his forethought because that didn't sound like the worst idea.

"That might be something," Bishop said, "They were kind of a bunch of pushovers, all things considered."

Aela shook her head, "That's the thing, they were a bunch of pushovers. I bet you anything Ulfric will be here in a day or two to remedy that."

"I will speak with him then," Serlas said, "I will explain what happened."

Bishop frowned, "Serlas, you don't know the man. Not only does he hate the high elves, he really hates the Imperials too and considering you're a high elf that worked for the Emperor..."

Serlas sighed and rubbed his fingers at the space between his eyes, "I would still try," he looked at Aela, "Tell me when you know of his arrival. In the meantime you are all free to stay here on the farm. I apologize, we do not have any extra beds, but we have bedrolls and anyone is free to take the couch there. There is also the inn in Falkreath if you prefer, I will gladly cover the cost of your stays there."

Danica came out then, holding a rag, wiping the blood from her hands onto it and said, "She's going to live. She needs plenty of bed rest and no running around or fighting or any of that. Her wound still needs some more time to heal on its own and I don't want her to tear it open again because if she does she'll start bleeding internally. I don't know what happened to her, but that was by far one of the worst cuts I've ever seen, like she was stabbed repeatedly."

Bishop lowered his gaze, turning his face away. Danica noticed and knit her brows together, "Is that what happened?" He nodded slowly. She took a breath and repeated, "Bed rest. Plenty of it. Now, I heard you were offering beds? I'm quite tired and would like to get some sleep before I head back tomorrow."

"Of course," Serlas stood and said, "I will gladly pay you for all the trouble as well Miss Pure-Spring."

She smiled at him. "That's very kind of your Mister Thoraminh, but I was more than happy to save her life, despite initially being dragged here against my will," she said narrowing her eyes at Bishop.

He ran a hand through his hair and said, "Yeah, sorry about that."

"I accept your apology," she said smiling, "And I understand now the urgency behind your actions."

Illia stepped in and said, "Serlas, go ahead and give her my bed for the night, I'm okay with a bedroll."

"Will that be acceptable Miss Pure-Spring?" Serlas asked.

"Yes, thank you. I'd take a bedroll myself if my back weren't in such bad shape," she said rubbing a hand over her lower back.

Serlas showed her to the room and she went to lay down right away.

Bishop was drifting in and out of his thoughts, trying to stay in the present with everyone else while his mind wanted to keep revisiting the horrors he saw that night. Then he got to looking around at everyone and realized, "Hey Serlas," the old elf took his spot back in one of the chairs and looked over, "How was everyone able to pass through the blood seal?"

Serlas said, "I brought it down after you left so Danica could come in safely. You said you killed that man, so I felt it wasn't necessary anymore."

Bishop looked worried and he said, "There were still plenty of bandits in that hideout. I wouldn't put it past any of them to come here and try to take revenge."

Serlas stood right up again and demanded, "Take me there."

"I'll help," Aela said getting up too, "You've got the Companions at your back."

"I wouldn't mind taking out some of those sick bastards myself," Freya snarled. She and Farkas got up and then Bast stood and Freya pointed a finger at her and said, "I don't think so. You're staying right here."

Bast made to protest when Serlas said, "I agree with your sister Bastet. If you could stay here and look after Rona and protect the farm, I'd appreciate it. You're a good marksman I take it?" He eyed her bow.

She nodded and clutched at the bow strung over her chest then sighed and said, "Yeeaah. Alright. I'll keep an eye out."

"I'd very much appreciate it," he said.

"I know I knocked out a few of those guards back in Whiterun," Risla said, "but I'm really not much of a fighter. I'll stay here too."

The rest of them left for the hideout. They walked through the rain, but Serlas cast a spell over them which kept them all dry during the downpour. It was about an hour's walk there. The two bandits Bishop had killed earlier were still outside the door. It seemed that no one had come and gone or noticed or cared.

Bishop wondered if any of them had fled until they crept down into that place and found it still full of bandits skulking about. They did not hesitate to start picking them off and Serlas rushed on ahead of them all. Bishop tried to keep up with the man but was surprisingly left behind more than once. He did come across each and every body that Serlas unleashed his rage into though and it was not a pretty sight. He left a trail of mangled and mutilated corpses, plenty of them with their chest cavities blown open like something had burst from inside of them.

The man was angry and rightfully so. Bishop understood his feelings completely and let the old elf go on his rampage. Farkas and Aela moved on a ways ahead as well and Freya caught up with Bishop who'd fallen behind. He'd had his fill of killing that day already.

She paced beside him and asked, "Did he hurt her?"

"Yeah. He stabbed her repeatedly. You heard the priestess..."

"You know what I mean Bishop," Freya said looking right at him, brows knit together.

He met her gaze and firmly said, "No. He didn't get that far. He... he groped her. But she lit him on fire before he got a chance to do... that."

"Good," Freya practically snarled, "Wouldn't have minded seeing that for myself."

Bishop shook his head looking morose. He would have rather none of it happened at all. He tried to take his mind away from it again as they passed by another mangled and charred corpse, "So you and Farkas, huh?"

Freya blushed a little smiling, "Yeah..."

"He's a good man," Bishop said, "Please don't... hurt him."

She scowled at him, "Why does everyone think I'm like that?" Bishop looked at her with half-lidded eyes and she said, "Okay. Yeah. Fine. So I did attack him with my sword when he started flirting with me. But he wasn't like the other men. He just... took it. Didn't run away or anything."

Bishop looked at her incredulous, "You attacked him with your sword!?"

"Well yeah... I have," she pursed her lips, "issues."

"No shit," Bishop muttered.

"But I felt really bad afterwards. I cut his arms up pretty good. Sooo... I got one of Qetesh's potions and found him and cleaned him up and apologized. After that we got to talking and he was really sweet."

"He is," Bishop agreed, "he's the nicest guy you'll ever meet. Quietest too."

"Actually," she smiled, "Farkas is quite the talker when you get him going. And," she laughed a little, "he's not as slow as everyone thinks he is. He's actually really attentive to his surroundings and pretty smart."

"Huh," Bishop said with genuine surprise. Although Farkas had occasionally expressed his foresight a few times since he'd known him.

"He's just really shy," she mused.

Bishop smirked at her and cocked a brow, "You fooled around with the big galoot yet?"

She giggled, blushing a little and said, "Well, things did move kind of fast."

"Yeah, it's only been a little over a week Freya," Bishop laughed at her, "But you always did move pretty fast."

"Bish... it was great. Being with him," she trailed off. She actually looked really happy and he felt happy for her.

But he couldn't help but joke, "Bet he breaks every bed he does it on."

She pushed him in the arm and said, "You have no idea! And you thought you were a wild man, tsk!" He laughed at her and then she said looking a little sad, "You know the last time I slept with a man after," she hesitated, "after what Thorn did to me. It was over a year after the fact. When he saw my scars he thought I was disgusting."

Bishop looked over at her despondently and she continued smiling a little, "But with Farkas... he saw them and all he said was," she laughed a little putting on a deeper voice, "'You must be a strong warrior to survive scars like these'," she started blushing again and smiling more.

Bishop chuckled, "That definitely sounds like him."

"Thing is, I didn't disgust him Bishop," her face fell then and she looked at him tearfully and said, "She's gonna scar, real bad, and not just like physical scars either. She's going to be hurting. She might not want you to touch her either."

His heart dropped. They were talking about Rona now and Freya was giving him advice, preparing him for dealing with whatever trauma she might have.

"Just be there for her and be patient. You'll wait for her, right? However long it takes? She's a nice woman and... she's so good for you Bish, I see that now," she looked right at him and said, "I'm sorry for how I treated you and her before. For everything I did and said. I want to change, I want us to be friends again."

Bishop nodded and said, "Yeah. Me too."

They continued on throughout the hideout, passing by every corpse Serlas destroyed and a few ash piles which Bishop assumed was the old elf's handiwork as well. They stepped into a chamber and found Farkas and Aela with two bloodied and beaten nude women who only had a thin blanket each and were trying to cover themselves with.

Aela looked over and said, "We found them inside that room," she pointed to a dirty closet of a room, "We're going to get them down to Falkreath and get them some help."

"I'll go with you," Freya said as she pulled her tunic off, leaving just a white undershirt on beneath. She passed it to one of the women and Farkas took his armor off and yanked his furs off and passed them to the other woman. They were huge on her but would cover her at least.

Aela looked at Bishop and said, "You might want to check on the old elf. He was pretty worked up."

Bishop assured them he would and they left, heading back with the two women. He moved forward through a few more rooms and found Serlas standing in the doorway of Thorn's torture chamber. Bishop stood beside him and without taking his eyes off the room, Serlas said firmly, "You'll want to leave Bishop. I'm going to cave the place in entirely. Just waiting for the others to make their way out."

Bishop pat the man on his back and said, "I'm going to head back to the farm, so just... take all the time you need and if you need to talk, I'm your man."

Serlas nodded stiffly and Bishop left out the door he kicked in earlier. Everyone was in pain and they all had to find their own ways to work through it. For Serlas, it was unleashing and obliterating every bandit who might have had a hand in the harm of his daughter and then utterly destroying the place where they'd held her against her will. For Freya it was spending years being angry over what happened to her and then finding someone who loved her just as she was, scars and all. And for Bishop it was to be near Rona right then, watching over her until he couldn't keep his eyes open anymore.

A soft morning light crept through the room. The ranger slept deeply, in a chair, with his face laying on top of his arms on the side of the bed. The Dragonborn opened her eyes and took in a quiet breath as she watched dust particles float through the sunbeams and just enjoyed the stillness and peacefulness in that moment. She looked on lovingly at her ranger, but couldn't bring herself to wake him. If she did he would want to hold her, to touch her.

And she didn't want to be touched. She wanted to crawl into herself and hide and try to forget everything. Things were looking up before, but now she felt broken and she felt like it was her own damn fault. She never listened. People all around her were screaming in pain because of her and she just kept right on hurting them with her willfulness and obstinate behavior. She wanted to go back to a time and place where she wasn't the Dragonborn. Where she didn't have dragons, bandits, and the Thalmor all trying to kill her and everyone close to her. She wanted to go home.

She'd heard the Priestess the night before though. She had to recover, which meant staying put and getting bed rest. They'd be stuck there for another week no doubt. She would have to have patience and she would now. She wasn't about to make the same mistakes all over again.

She laid there listening to her ranger breathe and his wolf's light snoring at the foot of the bed. She smiled a little. Karnwyr was okay and he was there as always, worried for her.

Bishop stirred then. She quickly closed her eyes. She didn't want him to know she'd woken up. She didn't want his form of comfort. Not yet. She wasn't ready.

He sat up, rubbing his eyes and looked over at her. She was still sleeping peacefully and he didn't want to disturb her rest. She was looking so much better though. Her skin was a healthy pink again and she was breathing steadily. He got up and left the room, closing her door over. He went into the living space and glanced over at the five adults sleeping in bedrolls on the floor and the one sleeping girl on the couch. It was still very early.

Bishop wondered if Serlas was back yet. He really had stayed up with her until he couldn't keep his eyes open anymore, which had been almost all night, but he hadn't seen the elf come in.

He tried to busy himself pulling together a simple breakfast, some sweet bread, milk and an apple. He started cutting it up and he heard Bast grumble from the couch, "Ow... my back hurts."

He chuckled a little and said quietly, "I could have told you that."

She sat up and looked over at him from her spot on the couch, "Did she wake up yet?"

"No, she's still resting," he said as he cut the apple into slices, then he asked her, "You hungry?"

"Yeah, watcha got?"

He grabbed a sweet roll and held it up, she put her hands out to catch it and he tossed it to her.

"You see the old man come in last night?"

"Nope," she said through a mouthful.

Damn... he was actually starting to worry for Serlas. He hoped that he didn't bring the whole bandit cave down on top of himself.

"Speak of the Daedra," he said as Serlas appeared in the garden. He came in looking absolutely exhausted and peeked in on Rona.

He turned back to them and sighed relived, "She's looking much better... Well if you'll excuse me, I'm going to get some sleep myself." He quickly left them, heading up the stairs to his room.

They looked after him. Bishop took a bite of his apple and shook his head. The elf must have found his own way to work through his grief all through the night. Bishop suspected he'd spent the entire evening drinking at Valga's tavern. He couldn't blame the man either, after seeing that disgusting and horrific place. Ale was a good way to scrub the mind of that shit.

It wasn't long before the others roused for the day. Bishop was actually glad to have the company. It took his mind off of the traumatic event that plagued his dreams all night and gave him something to do. He fixed them all their breakfast choices, insisting they make it as varied as possible so he'd be nice and busy, making snowberry crepes, horker omelets, and even Farkas' ridiculously huge breakfast of seared strips of venison and plenty of helpings of eggs. Even Karnwyr came in, stretching and yawning looking for breakfast.

Bishop was so damn happy just to have the wolf alive that he spoiled him like crazy, giving him a thick cut of horker meat and all kinds of table scraps.

As noon rolled around, with no sign of Rona stirring from her peaceful rest Risla and Danica were getting ready to take their leave. Danica stepped into Rona's room to check on the progress of her healing while Risla stood by the door and Bishop handed her a small travel pack with supplies, equipment and some gold.

Bishop asked her, "What are you going to do now that you've deserted the Stormcloaks? You probably have a bounty on your head."

"I'm going to Riften," she said, "I've been thinking of joining the priesthood there."

Bishop scoffed, "At the Temple of Mara?"

"Yes," she smiled, "I'm going to make a new life for myself. Change my name, take on a new identity and start over. For so long I've carried this hatred in my heart and I thought I could find revenge for my parents by joining the Stormcloaks. I really believed in their message... until I became one of them. Until I saw the way it changed my brother. Seeing the hatred in his heart come out like that, I knew it wasn't right. So I'm off to replace the hate inside myself with love instead."

"Will you go back to your brother?"

"No," she smiled weakly, "I can't now. I'd be putting him at risk by trying to see him."

"Next time we're in Ivarstead, you want me to tell him about you?" Bishop offered.

Risla smiled and said, "I'd appreciate that. I just hope Hamvak doesn't turn me in to claim the bounty on my head."

Bishop raised a brow, "You think he would?"

She said, "Honestly? I don't know anymore."

Bishop gave her a feeble look and said, "Well, I wish you the best all the same. Maybe we'll stop by if we're ever out that way again."

"I'd like that," Risla said. They shook hands and she said her farewells. Danica came out too and said Rona's healing was going well but once again insisted she stay in bed for another few days before she try walking around. Bishop gave the woman a travel pack with supplies and gold and apologized to her again. She was kind and wished him all the best before taking her leave.

As the day wore on, Farkas and Freya decided to go out for a stroll by the lake and Bast wandered off the grounds and found a tree to climb up in nearby. Illia and Aela were sitting at the table chatting about old Claudia and Rona's striking resemblance to her.

Bishop went back over to her room and looked in on her. Still sound asleep. He stepped in, closing the door over and pulled a chair up, sitting by her bedside again. He wanted so much for her to wake up already and greet him with her beautiful smile. It felt like Solitude all over again. He worried she'd be trapped in her dreams for days again. At least this time she wasn't screaming through a nightmare.

He grasped her hand and she pulled away, startling him, "Rona?" She opened her eyes and looked over at him. His lip trembled and he smiled weakly at her, "You're awake? How long have you been awake, Sweetness?"

She was silent and just turned her head away. He remembered what Freya had said. She's going to be hurting. She might not want you to touch her either. He pulled his hands back and said, "Was really worried about you Ladyship. I..." he breathed, "I don't even know where to start or what to say. If you want to talk though, I'm here."

She looked sadly at him and it pained his heart to see her like that. He wanted so much to just hold her but resisted that urge. Then she pushed herself up on the bed and winced, holding her side.

"Still hurting?" He leaned back grabbing a bottle of potion on the dresser and passed it to her, "Here, for the pain."

She took it, still looking forlorn and drank it down quickly, putting it aside. She just sat there and stared at the blankets, looking miserable. He couldn't figure out what was going through her head.

"Talk to me Rona. Tell me everything on your mind, please," he hadn't realized how badly he wanted to hear her voice then, when he finally noticed she hadn't said a single word to him since she woke up.

She opened her mouth like she wanted to say something, but second guessed it and closed her mouth again. His face cringed and he said, "Please, Rona, just talk to me."

She looked right at him then and her tears came, flooding from her eyes and she clutched the base of her neck with a hand and started trembling all over.

Bishop didn't understand what was wrong. Was she hurting there too? Had they missed a wound?

"Does it hurt? Should I get Illia or your father?" He asked standing.

She looked up at him and opened her mouth to speak again, brows knit tightly together and she tapped at the base of her neck. He called out, "Illia! Illia quick!"

Illia and Aela both came rushing in and Illia said, "Is everything alright? What is it?"

"Something's wrong," Bishop said with shuddered breathing, "Something's wrong with her throat, she can't speak."

Illia took the chair by the bed and touched a hand to her shoulder. Rona pulled away quickly and started to shake. Illia pulled her hands back and asked, "Is there something wrong with your throat Rona?"

She shook her head and closed her eyes and opened her mouth like she was screaming but nothing came out. Bishop stared wide-eyed as Rona struggled and failed to vocalize her thoughts and emotions. She buried her face in her hands and silently sobbed into them.

It all crashed down on him then. She'd lost her voice. It was just, gone. She couldn't speak, she couldn't shout... she couldn't sing.

Rona's voice was everything to her. He could hardly count the number of times she'd told him, I love to sing! But now, she had no voice. No more joyous tavern songs, no more beautiful songs of love, or incredible songs of power. No more lullabies or gentle humming. No more sweet words of love.

He'd believed the worst was behind them but this. He couldn't cope with it. He stepped out of the room going outside and he just walked. He walked and walked with no idea where he was going.