Author's Note:

Dear all,

I hope you all enjoyed the turbulent Cyrodiil adventure :) It's time to settle again in Skyrim now though, even though the 'vacation' wasn't really relaxing :D But hey, maybe Bishop and Aeyrin will get some down time now.

Thank you so much to those that are still reading this story :) I'm always excited to hear from you all.

I hope you'll enjoy the adventures waiting back home :)

Chapter XXXI – Catching Up

"It's freezing," Aeyrin's teeth chattered a bit as she spoke. "It's almost summer and it's freezing."

It was insane how a simple crossing below the Jerall Mountains could bring such a stark contrast in temperatures. Skyrim had always been colder than even the surroundings of Bruma and other northern parts of Cyrodiil. The Jeralls seemed to break a lot of the chilling air that came from the Sea of Ghosts. But it was easy to forget just how much colder this place was.

Although for the first time, this didn't really seem like a bad thing.

"I love it," she chuckled a little as a visible puff of air escaped her lips.

"Fuck yeah. I finally don't have to worry about bursting into flames," Bishop laughed heartily. "It's good to be home."

"It is," Aeyrin smiled while she looked over the horizon. Falkreath to the west, though that was better left alone, and Riverwood and Whiterun down below. The vantage point of Pale Pass provided an amazing view. "So… where to?"

They hadn't really discussed this yet. They just wanted to go home. But Aeyrin did have some plans.

"You wanted to go see Therien, right?" Bishop pondered. That would be for the best. He hated keeping his secret from Aeyrin and Therien promised to tell her when they saw each other again. But before that, the view did provide him with other ideas. "But before that, how about we stop by Whiterun for the night? We'd get there after nightfall anyway. We can go spend some time with those two."

That was a good idea. Aeyrin really missed Saadia and Lydia too. They hadn't even heard the news of their engagement yet. And besides, she definitely wouldn't mind finding Vilkas and checking up on their search for the cure. But it was still Whiterun.

"Are you sure?" The last time they were there, Bishop got almost caught by the Companions. That wasn't an issue now, but the rest of the Hold still was.

"Yeah. Hey, it will be dark out anyway, I could show you my access route," he winked at her. "You'd get to avoid any rumor-mongering shits that way."

Gods, that was tempting. Really tempting. Getting to Whiterun secretly would really be ideal.

"Alright. If you're sure. Let's do this," she smiled a bit. They'd still need to be careful. But it was exciting.

What better way to be welcomed home than to see their friends?

…

"Alright. This is it," Bishop whispered as they stopped by a rundown building on the outskirts. It was an old abandoned house. There were a few of these among the farms. Some of them served to keep some farming equipment, some of them were just there, empty.

Bishop was cloaked in his usual outfit – with his hood over his eyes and his black armor, blending into the night. He did ask Aeyrin to take off her armor though. She could be seen from miles away with her shiny gems. And besides, she needed to be a bit quiet when they got into the city. At least somewhat. Though people could see her in Whiterun, since she had been the subject of all those nasty rumors, the fact that no one talked of her arriving by the gates and then seeing her sneaking into the house in the middle of the night might be a bit suspect. This route needed to be kept secret.

"A house?" Aeyrin whispered as well. They were well away from the roads around the outskirts, but it was still safer not to make too much noise in the night. The house didn't make sense though.

"Yeah, let's just go in," Bishop urged her.

They entered the small house only to find it completely empty and covered in dust and cobwebs. The windows were so filthy that one could not even see through them much. There was barely any light there because of that when the twin moons didn't manage to illuminate the interior properly.

It took a while for Aeyrin to adjust to the darkness, but by the time she managed a bit, she could already hear a soft creak of hinges. Bishop was crouching by the floor, opening something. A trapdoor.

"Ladies first," Bishop smirked at her, though she probably didn't see it in the dark.

"Seriously?" Aeyrin peered down into the trapdoor nervously. She could see nothing but darkness below.

"Yeah. Come on, you wouldn't be able to see shit with me ahead of you. And you might need this route someday. You never know," he inclined his head again towards the hole in the floor.

Aeyrin peered in more carefully until she spotted an outline of some steps leading down. She started to descend them carefully, though after a while, she stepped back onto solid ground. She was in a tiny dark basement. There was nothing there but one dresser. Or a bookcase. Or something. It was really hard to see anything.

"You can light a torch now," Bishop called out to her as he descended the steps behind her. He kept the trapdoor open for now though. They needed at least the meager amount of light there so that Aeyrin could find what she needed.

She slung her pack to her front and located a torch and a flint. It was a practiced move already from their cavern ventures, though most of them had some source of light, either the mushrooms or the caved-in ceilings. But sometimes it was necessary. Just like now.

The area was finally illuminated properly and Bishop closed the trapdoor behind them. There really wasn't anything in the basement, not even much room to move, but there was that one bookcase.

"There's a button on the right side," Bishop instructed her.

She promptly stepped towards the bookcase and started to look around its side. There was a blue button in the wall there, but it was so tiny, she would have never found it had she not known it was there. She promptly pressed it and the bookcase started to move, forcing her to jump out of the way and colliding with Bishop's chest. But as they waited there a bit, soon a tunnel appeared behind the bookcase.

"It's not too long. It will take us to Whiterun directly. Go on," Bishop urged her again.

She continued forward with her torch illuminating the way and Bishop in her tow. A noise alerted her soon and she only noticed that Bishop pulled some lever inside the tunnel to make the bookcase move back into its original position.

After that brief interruption, she moved onwards. It was all very straightforward. The tunnel was small, only wide and tall enough for one person, and there was nothing in it. It led upwards, sometimes more steeply then other times, but Bishop was right. It wasn't too long.

Eventually, they reached the end. There was another trapdoor above their heads, a small rope ladder, and a barrel filled with water. A strange setup.

"That's for extinguishing torches," Bishop explained. "When you get out, you'll find yourself… in some bushes. It's pretty hidden, just be ready for it so that you don't make too much noise trying to get out of them," he chuckled.

Alright. Easy enough. Aeyrin dipped the torch in the barrel, extinguishing it, before she returned it into her pack. It was entirely dark now, but she kind of remembered where everything was. She grabbed a hold of the rope ladder and climbed up until her head hit the trapdoor softly and she let out a hiss. She heard a soft chuckle from below.

Ass.

She opened the trapdoor slowly and climbed out at last. She did end up behind some thick bushes and some of the branches scratched her a bit. But she could see the lights and she recognized where she was. It was near the southern wall – the one that had no battlements. A convenient hiding place.

She got out of the way promptly to make room for Bishop. He was up there in no time and he closed the door behind him.

So this was his access route. It was pretty well hidden on both ends. No wonder he was confident whenever he was coming here. But the hardest part was surely going to come now.

"Best you go alone, probably," he nodded at her as he whispered again. It was the safest option. If someone caught her, it would very likely not be a big deal. And he could be more subtle on his own. Besides, since Lydia and Saadia had no idea they were coming, someone needed to let him inside the house. "See if a window is unlocked. If not, you'll have to go through the front door. And unlock one for me."

Aeyrin nodded with determination before she headed forth. She shouldn't hide too much, right? The most inconspicuous thing she could do was act like everything was normal. Especially if she really did need to use the front door.

But first, she headed towards Breezehome and to the window she knew that Bishop used for his entries. It was possible that Saadia and Lydia kept it unlocked for him every night. Though it might be dangerous when it comes to thieves.

No harm in trying though.

She didn't see anyone on her way there, fortunately. The back alleys were rarely frequented after all, especially at night. And when she got to the house, surprisingly enough, just pulling on the widow opened it. They did leave it unlocked. She even checked the window next to it but that one was locked. It really was for Bishop. How sweet.

She promptly hoisted herself over the sill and stepped inside the familiar house. But she did not step onto the floor. She actually stepped into something metallic which made a loud noise, startling her.

Was there a pot beneath the window? Why?

She stumbled a bit, but she didn't fall. Though her entry was a bit less graceful than intended. The pot traveled with her for a few steps, making even more noise. And right after that, she heard a door open above her head.

There were footsteps, and soon Saadia appeared downstairs in a short nightshirt with a fierce expression and a… thick tome in her hand. Likely to hit people with.

"Aeyrin? Why… did you get in through the window?" She cocked her head in confusion, but before Aeyrin could answer, she felt a presence behind her and heard the window closing right after that. Bishop was here too.

"Subtle, princess," he chuckled. Gods, he must have heard that pot too. All the way outside.

"It wasn't my fault," she grumbled.

"We… didn't know when you'd be back. We didn't know what happened the last time you left," Saadia scowled as she lowered the hand that was menacing them with the book. "I know you wrote that you're both fine but… still, shit was weird," she sighed. "So we decided to leave the window unlocked if you came in unannounced. But we put a pot under it so that it wakes us. Well… wakes me, apparently. Lydia is snoring away like nothing's happening," she chuckled affectionately.

"Smart," Bishop smirked. "As long as it wakes one of you."

"It's good to see you two," Saadia smiled at them. "Are you leaving right away? Should I go wake her? You better not be leaving right away."

"We'll stay until tomorrow night," Aeyrin reassured her. They needed at least a day with their friends. Even though she was eager to see if Master Therien made it back to the chapel without any issues, she still wanted to spend time with these two as well.

"It is still kinda early…" Saadia pondered. It was only shortly after midnight.

"It's fine, don't wake her," Bishop shook his head. They would all go to sleep after a few hours anyway. "We'll get to talk in the morning."

"Good, because I'm fucking beat. I got back from the Mare like an hour ago," she chuckled. "You two go get some rest too. We'll talk later. So you better get your stories ready. We haven't heard from you in four months."

Has it really been that long? Bishop and Aeyrin had been through so much shit throughout that, it was hard to realize how much time had passed. With the lycanthropy and the Brotherhood, Blackreach and Falkreath. And now Cyrodiil, of course. It's really been a while.

"Yes, ma'am," Aeyrin grinned at her stern order. They certainly had some stories to tell.

It would be a much needed friendly respite tomorrow.

…

Morning came soon enough and Bishop and Aeyrin got woken up by a sweet smell.

It was like honey and berries and sweet dough. Lydia must have been baking something. It was the perfect 'welcome back' from her. And while the two of them didn't think they could be chased out of bed that quickly, the smell really did it. It seemed to seep through every crevice in the wooden floor.

They got up from the large bed promptly, though it was still so strange that it had been empty and waiting for them. Why did Lydia and Saadia never take the large room for themselves? They'd been offered this a hundred times over. But maybe they liked the coziness of the tiny bed. Which suited Bishop and Aeyrin just fine. They did enjoy large comfortable beds to splay themselves on when they could. Right now though, the sweet smells were too tempting to stay. They put on their clothes quickly and headed downstairs without any delay.

"Ha! I knew this would wake them up," Lydia chuckled when they descended the stairs. "Hey. I'm glad you're back. We missed you."

"We missed you too," Aeyrin beamed at her. "What are you baking?" Alright, it may have sounded like she missed Lydia's baking more than her, but that was just a tiny part of it, really.

"Dumplings. Some with honey and nuts inside them and some with snowberries and jazbay grapes," Lydia smirked. She clearly made ones that Bishop and Aeyrin would prefer respectively. "Come on, sit, it's gonna be a while before they're done. And we have so much to catch up on."

"Yeah. What happened the last time you were here?" Saadia asked curiously while all of them, except for Lydia, sat down by the large table.

Bishop and Aeyrin shared a brief look. They had discussed this before – they knew it would be questioned. The last time they were here, Aeyrin just disappeared, people were mauled, and there were beasts running around the city. And then Bishop left to search for her. That was the extent of what Lydia and Saadia knew. The letter they sent to the two of them afterwards only said that they were fine and that they would visit some other time again.

"Werewolves," Aeyrin sighed. She didn't want them to know what happened to her. She didn't want them to look at her differently. She didn't want to discuss the lycanthropy. This was the story she and Bishop agreed on. "There were some werewolves in the city and me and the other Companions chased after them when we heard. We didn't catch them. Or… I didn't. They continued to search after a while, but I was waiting for Bishop to track me down."

"Werewolves? That's awful," Lydia shook her head. "No wonder the people were found… in that state."

'That' state. What did that mean? What exactly had she done to those poor people? Aeyrin had an instant urge to ask for details, but Bishop quickly interrupted that intention.

"Yeah, well, it was four months ago. Let's just leave it there."

"True, there must be more cheerful things to talk about," Saadia nodded. "Where's Karnwyr?"

That was in no way a more cheerful subject, but she had no way of knowing that.

"We let him run the plains while we're gone. He seemed antsy," Bishop promptly lied. That was another thing that didn't need to be discussed. When the Companions would find the cure, it would all be unimportant anyway.

"Ah, too bad. But I get it," Saadia smiled softly. "So, aside from chasing werewolves, what have you been up to?"

Where to even start? This was going to be a long talk. But it was probably the best to start at the end, actually.

"We just came back from Cyrodiil," Aeyrin beamed at them.

"Really? You went to Cyrodiil?" Lydia gasped. "That's where you've been for the last four months."

"No, not even two months," Aeyrin explained. "We just had some things to take care of there, and I wanted to visit the temple again. We brought some wine back," she grinned. They brought back several bottles to enjoy. There was no reason not to enjoy one with Saadia and Lydia in the evening. Probably not with breakfast though.

"So where did you go?" Saadia asked curiously.

"Everywhere. Every single city," Bishop smirked. "Not voluntarily, we were looking for someone, but still."

"It was nice to see everything again," Aeyrin smiled. They had a lot of stories to tell them. About the show they saw at the brothel, about the strange Thalmor raid in the jewelry store and Bishop's new hunting challenge, about their adventure in Miscarcand or about Gandrehel in Cheydinhal, with some adjustments to the story. They didn't even have to talk about Therien's imprisonment or Bishop's clan. Those topics were best left behind. There was no need to rehash painful memories.

"Alright, tell us everything," Saadia grinned.

It was a good place to start until their sweet breakfast was done.

And they could leave the best news for last.

…

Saadia and Lydia had been listening to the recounting of their adventures in Blackreach with bated breaths. They barely even touched the dumplings. That only meant that there was more for Bishop and Aeyrin as they took turns talking about the enormous Dwemer complex.

They were almost at the best part. At the end actually, since they were keeping the Elder Scroll a secret. It was not that they didn't trust Saadia and Lydia, but there was no need to worry them with the imminent end of the world and prophecies about it.

"So… we were kinda safe," Bishop continued his recounting. "Aeyrin didn't fall to her death and we were on that platform above the entire complex. I wanted to draw the map on that puzzle note we had and Aeyrin was just fiddling with my pack for something. So I asked her to hand me the note. I forgot it wasn't the only thing I hid there though."

"What did you hide there?" Lydia pried curiously. Bishop didn't answer though, he instead nodded at Aeyrin, urging her to show them. Though she obviously didn't expect it and a deep gulp of her trying to swallow the bite of a berry-filled dumpling she had been chewing echoed through the room first.

Lydia and Saadia looked at her curiously, seeing where Bishop was gesturing, and a moment later, Aeyrin presented her hand to them, displaying the glittering silver ring with onyx and amber tear-shaped adornments.

"You're engaged!" Lydia gasped.

"You proposed?" Saadia gave Bishop a subtle questioning look, as if she was trying to preserve the secrecy of them talking about this before. Bishop appreciated that, though there was only one part of that that needed to be kept secret. The cottage.

"Relax, she knows I talked to you about it the last time we visited here," Bishop emphasized the last part so that it was clear their trip to fix up the cottage was still supposed to be kept a secret. The rest though was all out in the open.

"So you finally did it," Saadia chuckled. "And not even intentionally."

"You two can blame yourselves for that with all those prodding comments," Bishop smirked. "But you know what, that's fine. I don't think there was a more perfect place or time for that to happen."

"Definitely," Aeyrin grinned. It may have been an accidental proposal, but she wouldn't have changed it for any other. "Blackreach was so beautiful. You know, if you ignore the smell of dead Falmer."

"Sounds lovely," Saadia snickered. "So I assume you said 'yes' and you did not just grab the ring and leave him hanging."

"I said 'yes'," Aeyrin giggled. She couldn't even imagine not agreeing to marry him. It was so exciting.

"Please tell me that you didn't get married yet and Cyrodiil wasn't your honeymoon," Lydia piped up promptly.

"A honey-what?" Aeyrin blinked at her in confusion. "We didn't get married yet."

"Wait, you don't know what a honeymoon is?" Lydia looked even more confused now.

"It's just a Nordic thing, sweetie," Saadia smirked. "Is it really surprising? I'm pretty sure I heard it's traditional to spend the month traveling around to try out different meads. Of course any Nord would take a month to get continuously drunk after their wedding."

"Hey! It's not what most people do," Lydia scoffed before she turned to Aeyrin. "Honeymoon is the month after your wedding. Most couples spend it alone, away from their friends and families, just together. They travel or sometimes stay somewhere. Everyone does it differently."

"Or go mead-tasting through the Province," Saadia chuckled.

"That actually sounds pretty nice," Aeyrin smiled.

"A month away from every shit hounding our steps? It sounds perfect," Bishop smirked. It wasn't a bad idea. If Skyrim wasn't safe for them by the time they were married, they could just bolt again. He wasn't that worried about the census at the borders anymore.

"So when is the wedding anyway?" Lydia pried. She looked a little hesitant to ask, as if she was fishing to be invited. How could she ever think that they wouldn't be invited? But that was still not something Bishop and Aeyrin took the time to think about. Not yet.

"We haven't really talked about it yet," Bishop shrugged.

"You two are hopeless. You never plan for anything," Saadia scoffed. "Come on then, because if we don't do it, you'll drag your feet forever. When will the wedding be? Any important days on the horizon?"

Important days? Bishop was pretty sure they mostly kept track of dates for adventuring purposes and werewolf transformations. There wasn't much importance to dates. Except birthdays maybe. They liked celebrating those together. And the whole Old Life thing was fun last year. Well… maybe they could find some good special day for it.

"Oh! How about after Helgen got destroyed?" Aeyrin beamed, but it only elicited a disturbed look from Saadia and Lydia.

Bishop let out a hearty laugh at their reaction. They clearly didn't connect the dots and it only made it funnier.

"We met for the first time the day after," Aeyrin explained with a wry smile.

"Oh, right," Lydia let out a soft chuckle. "So that was…?"

"Uhm… Last Seed…" Aeyrin tried to recall. "I was here on the sixteenth, then there was the ambush and Helgen and the next day… eighteenth."

"So Eighteenth of Last Seed? Great. That's only two and a half months away," Saadia beamed. "See? We're making progress already."

Bishop and Aeyrin only shared a brief look followed by a shrug and a resigned smirk. The girls could have fun planning the day. They didn't mind. In fact, it was pretty nice to have them interested like this. And they had a point. It was very much like the two of them not to plan anything and then decide to marry one day in a spur of a moment. This way they could at least ensure that they would have their loved ones there.

"Alright, what next? Where will it be? Will you want it to be in a temple with a priest doing the ceremony?" Saadia continued. She looked quite excited to be helping them with this, even though they hadn't really asked her. But they certainly didn't mind. Though this question in particular made Bishop squirm in spot.

He knew how important religion was for Aeyrin. He understood that. Well… he didn't understand. He accepted it. He was a little like Aces in this regard. He still disliked going to temples. It was better when he was with her though. And his last experiences with Aeyrin in Chorrol were… actually pleasant. Even with all those priests there, they were actually pretty nice people for the most of it. Still, he had imagined their wedding a few times since he bought that ring. He had never imagined it in a temple.

"Maybe we could do it somewhere outside," Aeyrin suggested. Bishop wasn't sure if she said it for his sake after seeing him squirm, or out of her own interest too. But she looked excited about the prospect. "There are so many beautiful places here. The temples in Skyrim don't hold a candle to those," she smirked. It wasn't anything as grand as the cathedrals down south. "And since it will be in Last Seed, I might even survive the cold."

"Really? You'd be alright with it not being in a temple?" Bishop looked at her uncertainly. He really didn't want it to be in a temple. But he also didn't want her to do something she was uncomfortable with for whatever daft religious reasons there were.

"Of course. I think it's much more fitting for us to find a pretty place in the wilderness," Aeyrin smiled warmly. "But… I would want a priest to be there. To bless us and everything. Maybe hold the ceremony. And… I want Master Therien to be there anyway so…"

"That's perfect," Bishop nodded. He may have not been a fan of priesta in general, but if it was Therien doing the ceremony and blessings and shit, he had no problem with that. He liked that guy. And he better fucking stay alive until then. Fuck, Bishop still hated keeping this from her. That had to be dealt with before the wedding.

"An outdoor wedding sounds lovely," Lydia sighed wistfully.

"It does. And it will be even better to keep away from any gossipers in the cities. This really is perfect," Saadia nodded. That was another good point. Their wedding would have attracted a lot of attention in a city for certain. Neither of them wanted that. They would have those they wanted to share the moment with there. That was enough.

"Do you have any idea about the guests?" Lydia prodded, though her cheeks flushed a bit in embarrassment. Like she was still unsure where they stood. Granted, it's been almost four months since they got engaged and they never let them know, but this was really something better done in person. And they all just hadn't seen each other until now.

"You two, obviously," Bishop smirked. "And Therien. That's about all we got for now."

"Erik wanted to come too," Aeyrin pondered. "But I don't think that's important now, a lot can happen in the meantime. We'll deal with that when it's time to let everyone know." She knew Lydia just wanted to get reassured that they could come. As if they would be denied.

"So, are there any Cyrodiil traditions you want to do, Aeyrin?" Saadia promptly asked another question, possibly to hide Lydia's obvious unsubtle prodding.

"Uhm… I've never actually been to a wedding," She chuckled a bit. "But I know there's music. I would like some music there. Some bard. Oh! Lynly!"

"Yeah, Lynly's not too bad to listen to, if it's not gonna be you singing," Bishop snickered. He could tolerate Lynly's music. Probably mostly because he could tolerate Lynly herself.

"I might sing a bit too, we'll see," Aeyrin beamed. She wouldn't mind, of course. "And we need food and drinks. That's obvious."

"So Cyrodiil weddings have feasts?" Lydia looked at her curiously.

"As far as I know. Don't Skyrim ones have feasts?" Aeyrin cocked her head to the side curiously. That seemed strange for Nords not to have feasts. They were always feasting.

"Not the temple ones. Though some people go to inns after the ceremony and get drunk and eat something. But mostly it's just a temple thing. No music, no eating or drinking," Lydia explained.

"That's sad. I want a feast," Aeyrin shook her head. She wanted to eat and drink and have fun with her friends. What kind of celebration would it be otherwise?

"Hear, hear," Bishop smirked. As if he would say 'no' to a feast.

"I could get some helpers and take care of the food, actually," Lydia pondered.

"You would? We don't even know how many people will be there," Aeyrin gave her an uncertain look.

"It's not gonna be that bad. Not like we're inviting the whole Skyrim, right?" Bishop scoffed. It was gonna be what, like twenty people at most? "We gotta get someone to supply us with booze too. Or are we actually gonna pay for all that? Someone should volunteer."

"Someone's getting greedy," Saadia chuckled. "You shouldn't have offered to do the food, love, now they'll think everyone will bend over backwards to accommodate their ideas."

"Oh! Ambarys! He's gotta bring some booze. And the rest of the elves too," Bishop exclaimed, as if he hadn't even heard what Saadia said.

"You think the elves will have the money to travel wherever we have it?" Aeyrin gave him an uncertain look. They were struggling a lot in Windhelm.

"We can ask Free-Winter to get them there with his caravans and shit," Bishop shrugged.

"Wow. Aaand the avalanche is falling," Saadia smirked. "See? This was your fault," she nudged Lydia playfully.

"Oh come on, it's nice to get your friends involved. I'm excited," Lydia smiled. "Besides, you involved yourself in the first place with this planning."

"They needed some kick. They have been engaged for four months and they know nothing!" Saadia scoffed.

"We were busy," Bishop shrugged. Though he was grateful to Saadia for this. Now he was getting kinda excited for the fun celebrations too, not just for having Aeyrin as his wife.

"So, what other things you want? Any Skyrim traditions, apart from the honeymoon? Are you going to do the Four Edges of Skyrim?" Lydia asked.

"The what?" Aeyrin gave her a confused look before she turned to Bishop. Did he know?

"Don't look at me," Bishop smirked. "I have no idea what that is."

"Oh. I always found it lovely," Lydia smiled. "But a lot of people stopped doing it. It's for good luck and blessings in your marriage. You get things from the four edges of Skyrim."

"What kind of things?" Aeyrin prodded. This sounded kind of interesting.

"From the north, you need a pearl from the Sea of Ghosts. People usually get it embedded in some jewelry piece," Lydia explained.

"A pearl? You mean dive into that freezing sea and go pearl hunting?" Aeyrin gaped at her. That sounded very unpleasant. She would freeze to death.

"No," Lydia chuckled heartily. "Well… maybe some people do that, but most of them just buy the pearl. Cities along the shore sell them a lot. And then from the west, you need a piece of silver from Markarth."

"Uhm…" Aeyrin shifted uncomfortably and Bishop cringed as well. Markarth wasn't really a tempting place to visit for them.

"Most people have the silver made into the jewelry piece to hold the pearl," Lydia disregarded their obvious unease as she continued. "But you can just take a chunk of silver along too, I guess."

"Please, tell me that east is a bottle of Dunmer liquor," Bishop gave her a hopeful look. He could always use some.

"No, this is a Nord tradition, remember?" Lydia scoffed. "Nothing involving elves… no offense."

"I think I expected that," Aeyrin only shrugged. It really wasn't surprising.

"The east is to get a blessing on the silver by Talos. Mostly people go to Windhelm to see the priests there. Of course, this is the reason a lot of people stopped doing this tradition," Lydia sighed somewhat somberly.

"Shame," Aeyrin nodded. "It does sound lovely. Another thing the Thalmor took without a second thought…"

"Not entirely. There were even rumors going around about King Torygg and Queen Elisif doing the tradition in secret for their ceremony," Lydia pointed out promptly.

"That does sound like Elisif," Aeyrin chuckled. She was always doing things her way, even if the public had no idea. "So… there's one more left. What about the south? Honey from the Rift?"

"A gift from Kyne from the Falkreath forests. That was… another reason a lot of people stopped. The forests became too dangerous with… you know," Lydia gave Bishop a brief look. "But some people still got it all over the place, in Falkreath proper, by the roads, at Lake Ilinalta."

"I'm not eager to go back to the forests, but getting something from the lake sounds like a good idea. What do you mean gift of Kyne? Flowers?" Aeyrin pondered. It sounded like a nice idea.

"Mostly yes. Women use them for hair adornments."

That was a really nice idea. Aeyrin wanted to do that. All of that. The pearl, the blessing, even the silver. But most of all the flowers.

"I would definitely want something from the lake," she mused. It was the best place in Falkreath Hold. "It's… a special place." An involuntary blush spread across her face at the memories of her times with Bishop at the small island by the Lady Stone.

"How come?" Saadia prodded curiously.

"Uhm…" Aeyrin wasn't sure what to say, but before she could, Bishop interrupted her with a chuckle and a prompt clarification.

"First time we fucked was on one of the islands."

"Bishop!" Aeyrin chastised him, but there was no taking that back.

"Should have seen that one coming," Saadia smirked.

"That actually sounds lovely," Lydia gave them a soft smile.

"It… was," Aeyrin returned the smile. It really was a very special place.

"Where exactly will you have the wedding then?" Saadia was back to the planning promptly. "I doubt it's gonna be here in Whiterun Hold."

"Yeah, my execution's not on the schedule," Bishop scoffed.

"Well, what about the lake?" Lydia suggested. "You did say it was special."

"It's just a small island," Aeyrin shook her head. "No more than a few people could fit there. Not to mention the food tables and the bard and everything."

"You could use boats," Saadia perked up at the idea. "Have the various islands hold things like food and drinks or the musicians and then have the guests travel between them on their own boats. I do guess it would be expensive to get the boats but… since you don't plan on paying for anything else…"

"That's actually a good idea," Bishop's eyes widened at her. He really liked that.

"Don't sound so surprised," Saadia smirked, earning a chuckle from Bishop.

"We can just sail away from anyone that bugs us," he laughed.

"And you can decorate everything with lanterns and just let nature do the rest. I doubt you two will invite scores of people, so it's doable," Saadia nodded.

"That sounds great," Aeyrin beamed. It was all starting to appear in her head. It all sounded so lovely. She couldn't wait.

Who could have guessed that two years later after she met Bishop, she would be planning a wedding with him. But she wouldn't have it any other way.

This was perfect. And their friends' help made it all the better.

She was sure that the eighteenth of Last Seed would be a day to remember.

For the rest of their lives.

…

Their catching up and planning continued long into the evening hours.

Lydia and Saadia got really invested in the wedding, which only served Bishop and Aeyrin well. They didn't really have many experiences with those ceremonies. Weddings in chapels in Cyrodiil were spent with family and friends and only one or two priests or Masters ever attended them. And Bishop just kept away from events like these. Saadia and Lydia clearly had more ideas about what should be involved. And they were so enthusiastic. It wouldn't be right to keep them out of the planning.

When the sun came down, Aeyrin decided to visit Jorrvaskr, though she was really wary to do so. She had no idea what she would do if she saw Aela or Skjor there. She would flip. She would want to kill them for what they'd done. But she needed to find out how the search for the cure was going.

She wished she could have Bishop there by her side, but it was just too risky. And when she said she would go, Bishop couldn't even talk to her about it, not properly with Lydia and Saadia there. But there was one thing that could make it easier. Well, not exactly, but it would make other things easier.

Bishop lent her his cloak and hood, just so she could hide from anyone she might meet on the way. She even wanted to go out through the window again. She did not want any one of those gossipmongers knowing she was here. She and Bishop had asked. They asked if things got at least a little better, but aside from the usual 'we're fine', Lydia and Saadia couldn't speak of any improvement on that front. Well, except for the 'BANDIT WHORE' sign slowly fading a bit.

So this was the best she could do. Just hide from any onlookers.

It was eerily the same as the last time. Aeyrin went to see those assholes while Bishop stayed at the house, waiting for her so that they could head out on the road again. Except for this time, it better fucking not end up in another tragedy.

"Alright. I'll be back soon. Really this time," she leaned over to kiss Bishop goodbye before she turned on her heel.

"Be careful," Bishop scowled, but she didn't turn back anymore. She knew. She vaulted over the window sill promptly and disappeared into the night.

"Why should she be careful? Isn't she one of the Companions now?" Saadia smirked. Right. That's what they thought.

"I just meant… on the streets," Bishop sighed. Fuck, he hoped nothing would go wrong again.

"So… now that she's gone," Lydia promptly diverted his attention from his worrying. "I assume she has no idea about the house you fixed up for the two of you?"

"No. Not yet. And since the wedding is suddenly so close, I'm thinking we might try that whole honeymoon thing there," Bishop grinned. It sounded nice. Though his concerns about the safety of it were still valid, somehow he couldn't care less right this second after all that oddly upbeat planning today.

"And did you actually talk to her? About… everything?" Saadia prodded.

"You mean all that shit you filled my head with so that I would get too fucking insecure about even trying to propose?" Bishop scoffed.

"It's not what we meant to do," Lydia gave him a regretful look. "It's just that… what if this stuff chased you down the road when it's too late to deal with it."

"I know," Bishop sighed. "We talked. After she agreed. It was kinda unplanned. But she's decided she doesn't give a shit about the whole 'only once in my centuries-long lifespan' shit. She made it sound more convincing than I do."

"She always does," Lydia chuckled. True, Aeyrin's philosophies sounded so reasonable when she said them, but kinda desperate when Bishop tried to use them as an excuse of why they should be together. But fuck, who cared if she didn't? It was the only important thing. For her to have it all figured out. And apparently she did.

"We didn't want to make things difficult for you," Saadia smiled softly. "But I speak from experience, sometimes, rushing into shit, it's not great. I know I wouldn't think of anything like that if it were me. But I'm also aware that being impulsive hasn't worked out great for me a few times."

"I get it," Bishop nodded. "And I'm glad we talked about that bit. But don't try to fucking tell me your impulsive anti-Thalmor speeches didn't work out great for you."

"I could have done without the torture," Saadia scoffed.

"Eh, fair enough," he smirked. Anyone could do with a little less torture from insane despots.

"Wait, you said you're glad you talked about 'that bit'. That's a weird way to put it," Lydia looked at him with concern. "What other bit is there?"

"Let's not do this shit. It didn't mean anything," Bishop grumbled. The other discussion was still a bit too fresh. It didn't exactly go bad, but he was still a little freaked out at his own reactions on the topic of having kids. It was so fucking weird how disappointed he got by her very reasonable rejection. He fucking hated that.

"Come on, spill it," Saadia prodded.

"No," Bishop groaned.

"Look, grumpy, you're clearly upset about something and who else are you gonna talk to? Come on," Lydia grinned at him.

Fuck, seriously? Fine. She had a fucking point. Who else was he gonna talk to? Not that he needed to talk to anyone. But… it may have been kinda helpful to talk to them in the past, even if it often pissed him off. They were right about the fact that he should talk to Aeyrin more about the marriage, make sure she realized what it meant and not leave it just a spur of the magical moment decision.

"Ugh, I fucking hate you two," he sighed.

"And we love you, you stupid grouch. Now what happened?" Saadia chuckled.

"So… a few days ago, Aeyrin ran out of contraceptives. And she kinda only remembered to tell me when we were very close to fucking. It was because of the sex. I suggested we risk it," he scoffed.

"Bishop!" Lydia gave him an incredulous look and Saadia looked a little caught off guard too.

"I know, alright? Fucking stupid. There wasn't exactly a lot of blood in my brain. That's not the point though. It was a dumb impulsive thing to say, but Aeyrin freaked out."

"I don't blame her," Lydia mumbled a bit.

"Yeah, me neither. But that's still not the problem. When she freaked out, I got actually fucking disappointed. That's what freaks me out. Why? I don't want kids. Not now anyway," he shook his head at himself. "And it would be so fucking stupid anyway. With the dragons and… other enemies we have. So fucking dangerous."

"So? It might be something you'd want down the line. Even if it's not reasonable now. Why's that bad?" Lydia cocked her head in confusion at him.

"What if she doesn't?" Bishop gritted his teeth. "I thought it wouldn't matter to me, but at that moment, it did matter to me. And I don't fucking want it to matter to me."

"Bishop, it was one moment of mild disappointment. Why are you getting so worked up over this?" Saadia shook her head. "Did you talk to her about it?"

"Yeah."

"What did she say?" Lydia pried.

"She doesn't know. She said she'd think about it. If it's something she might want down the line. She said to give her time," he shrugged. It was a reasonable request on her part. Fuck, he was being the weird one here.

"And you're worried you shouldn't get married if you want different things?" Saadia asked with some measure of confusion in her voice.

"What? No! That's not… what does it have to do with the wedding?" he shook his head. That was a separate issue. Well not an issue. There were no issues whatsoever regarding the wedding. This was something different. He knew damn well that he wanted to marry her and be with her for the rest of his life, even if there were no kids in the picture. He was fully decided on that. But if they wanted something else in this regard, it would just cause problems he was now apparently worried about.

"So, let me get this straight. You thought for a moment that you might want kids somewhere down the line in the future, but you're not even sure if you want this. And Aeyrin has no idea what she wants and needs to think about this. Much like you. And you don't think this affects the wedding. So… what's the problem exactly?" Saadia let out a brief chuckle. "Sounds like you two are pretty much in the same damn boat."

Well… when she put it like that… it did make him sound really fucking stupid.

"I… I don't know. I guess I got freaked out by it all," he shrugged.

"By a huge life-altering decision? You are so unique," Saadia laughed.

"Fuck you," he scoffed. Alright, she did make some good points, even though it made him feel so fucking dumb. It also made him feel a lot better about this shit. Why was he obsessing over it? Saadia was right. They were in the same boat. Neither of them were ready for any of this and they would both think about this more. They still wanted to be together and get married.

"You're welcome," Saadia continued to snicker at him. She had it all figured out, apparently. But he did always appreciate her being a straight shooter. It was always so hard to believe she used to be one of those fucking pompous nobles.

"Now, any other problems, life decisions? You clearly need all the help you can get," she teased him.

"Hey, I never thought I'd fucking say this, but at least I manage to talk about shit in the end. What about you two?" He scoffed.

"We talk about everything with you," Lydia gave him a hurt look.

"Really? How exactly are you loving your life as fucking pariahs," he rolled his eyes.

"Bishop, what do you expect us to do? It sucks. You know it, we know it, but there's nothing anyone can do about it," Saadia scowled. "We're not moving."

"I know. But… fuck, even if it's stupid and has no solution, just stop with the 'we're fine' bullshit. It's fucking annoying. We all know it's not true. And you're definitely not sparing mine on Aeyrin's feelings or guilt on this. It's the fucking opposite. Just complain like normal people," he growled. "You fucking earned the right to complain when none of this is your fault."

"You seriously want us to complain about how shitty the people here try to make it for us because of you?" Saadia scoffed. "I'm not saying it's your fault or…"

"It is my fault. You know what we've been doing in Cyrodiil? Chasing my insane family. Half of them ended up dead and it was all a fucking ploy to lure me there and kill me because of my 'tainted blood'. This is what these people remember of the bandit clan. Insane shit like this. And after seeing it all again, I don't fucking blame them that they don't let go of the rumors and hatred. Anyone would be fucking traumatized by the stories alone. So… yeah, it is my fault, I was one of them, even if I didn't want to be, and even though there's not a fucking thing I could do to stop this, it's still my fault. So vent. Blame me, yell at me, if you want. I don't give a fuck. Just stop saying that you're 'fine'. You're not. Nobody would be."

"You want us to yell at you?" Lydia gave him an uncertain look.

"If you want. Whatever. Just stop pretending you're fine. You're not fooling anyone," he snorted.

Lydia and Saadia exchanged an uncertain look, but then, almost simultaneously, they let out a resigned sigh.

"Last night, some fucking idiots thought it would be funny to trip me when I was carrying hot broth," Saadia grumbled.

This was probably going to be a long night of complaining. But Bishop didn't mind. At least they could vent. Anyone with half a brain could tell they needed it.

And really, after the shit in Cyrodiil, he knew that this was one family he would not regret doing favors for.

…

Aeyrin managed to walk through the streets without anyone suspecting her identity. There weren't too many people around anyway.

The same was true for Jorrvaskr though. It wasn't full of people feasting through the night. There were only a few of the junior members there and they all looked at her curiously when she entered. They probably didn't recognize her, but she pulled the hood down almost automatically for their benefit.

She regretted that instantly.

"Look, it's the bandit whore!" Njada, the meanest one of the junior members, laughed.

Great. Aeyrin just headed straight to Athis. They never really talked much, but he used to talk to Bishop a bit. She hoped he would be the easiest for her to talk to.

"What?" He scowled at her.

"She's got a lot of nerve showing up here again," Njada scoffed, but Aeyrin promptly ignored her and focused on Athis.

"Is Vilkas here?"

"No. The whole Circle is out," he shrugged curtly.

Ah. Well, it was a good thing that Aela and Skjor weren't here. But she really wanted to talk to Vilkas or Farkas. They've been looking for the cure along with the… oh! The Harbinger. Aeyrin never really spent much time with the old man, but he seemed kind. Kinder than this lot.

"Is the Harbinger here?" she asked nervously. Athis's attitude was just making this worse, but at least he talked.

"Pfft, typical," Njada interjected again, but Aeyrin didn't even look at her.

"Downstairs," Athis nodded.

Good. At least he was willing to tell her. But she wasn't going to stay in this hostile environment any longer.

"Thanks," she briefly answered before she headed out. No more dawdling. She would just talk to the Harbinger and then leave at last.

She rushed down the stairs into the living quarters, eager to hurry this process along. All the way from the back of the hall, she could see the old Harbinger sitting at the other side by a small table, sipping on something. Hopefully he would be nice. He knew how much of a curse this was, right?

The man noticed her when she got closer and he nodded at her from a distance. When she was close enough, she noticed him smile warmly, but there was an uncertainty on his face as well.

"Hello again, young pup. I did not expect to see you back here."

Of course he didn't. Because two of his Companions ruined her. But she knew he was not the one to blame for this. He was not responsible for their actions.

"Uhm… I just came to see Vilkas. I needed to ask him…"

"About the cure," Kodlak interrupted her while he gestured to an empty chair beside him. She sat down, but she felt a little antsy. She knew he was a kind man, but she still didn't know him much. And she had no idea how much she could press him for. "Vilkas told me you wish to be returned to your former self," he nodded.

"Yes. He told me you wish that too," she sighed. She hoped this actually could be resolved. The twins wanted out as well. So many people already caught by this cursed existence, waiting for their salvation.

"I am. I know it does not change anything, but I am truly sorry for what Aela and Skjor did. This is not how it should be. Our junior members should be willing, determined. Not… not like this," he lowered his head mournfully.

"And yet they regret it now too," she scowled. "You do too. Maybe nobody should be offered this at all. Let alone forced into this."

"Maybe you are right," his slow nod seemed a bit unsure, but he nodded nonetheless. "But there are those who wish for this with all they have. Sometimes for the wrong reasons. The twins thought it would make them strong enough for their…"

"Revenge?" Aeyrin scoffed, finishing the thought for him. Their revenge on a man who had been long dead. Torban.

"Their goals. They were... traumatized by their young experience. Perhaps they needed to feel beyond mere humans, beyond the conventional strength, to really feel safe and capable." Kodlak noted.

"Wasn't their father a werewolf too?" Aeyrin shook her head. If they were traumatized by the bandits killing him regardless of who he was, why assume the werewolf thing would help them feel strong?

"Indeed. It was perhaps misguided, desperate. And sometimes we only get insight with years, when it seems it's too late. It was the same for me. We are more fortunate than we deserve that there is still a way for us to take the decision back. And we're very fortunate for your sake as well. Such an unjust thing would break my heart. It did, but it helps that there is a way to make it right again," he tried to smile a bit, but it didn't really come out right.

"So you're sure?" She couldn't help but sound a little desperate. As much as she clung to the cure, there was always a tiny bit of doubt in her.

"I am. We are on the right track. We traced the curse of the Companions to an ancient witch coven from Solstheim. Now we are looking more into the ways of breaking their latent magics. There are even some rumors of the coven still existing, even moving to Skyrim after the Red Mountain's explosion when a large part of Solstheim got covered in ash," the old man explained.

Alright. That was something. Information.

"Can I help in some way?" She offered. The faster this was done, the better.

"I know you wish to, for your sake, but please, let us undo the damage. You have suffered enough for our foolish traditions and having you risk your life more for this… let's just say some of the Circle make it a matter of pride to free you from this," he smiled softly.

That was Vilkas and Farkas, alright, always with their lofty goals of protecting her from this, but never really willing to involve her or even tell her anything.

"And besides, there is nothing you could help with now. We are still searching for records. And I have already contacted the new Arch-mage of the College of Winterhold. I am currently negotiating with her to help us out by sharing some of their lore on hag covens on Skyrim's territory."

Faralda was helping with this? Well… it sounded more like she was reluctant too, but still. That was good. If anyone would have a lot of information on anything magic, it was the College.

"Alright," Aeyrin sighed, somewhat dejectedly. This was really not something she would be of more help with.

"Actually, I was wondering if I might help you with something. If you want," Kodlak gave her a somewhat concerned look. "How are you dealing with your transformations? How do you feel?"

"How do I feel?" She scoffed. "I feel awful. Like I'm not myself. It's been four months and I remember nothing from the transformations. And I can't… control myself… mostly."

"'Mostly'?" He raised his brow at her.

"W-well… I don't remember controlling myself, but Bish… uuuh…" she stopped herself promptly. She shouldn't talk about Bishop.

"Yes, I know, Vilkas asked me to talk to everyone about the bounty on your friend, to tell them to disregard it. It's alright, young pup," he smiled kindly. Alright. So he knew she was still with Bishop. Fine then.

"He's there, you know, when I transform. I have the chains and all and he watches me through the night. Mostly. Lately he's… even getting close, even sleeping next to that monster. He says I won't hurt him. And he… asked me to turn once in a side alley. To prove to me that I wouldn't hurt anyone. If I weren't drunk I would have never agreed to it," she shook her head at herself disparagingly. Gods, she was getting a little too talkative with him.

"It's alright to test your limits with someone you trust. Many of us did the same. It… rarely takes this long for anyone to continue without remembering anything, but… it's understandable in your case."

"What do you mean?" She looked at him in confusion.

"You did not choose this. You clearly have a hard time accepting it. Perhaps with your mind so adamant, it tries to protect you from remembering. But the more you do, the easier it gets," he explained. He may have had a point there. With the first bit.

"Maybe I don't want it to get easy," she mumbled.

"Why wouldn't you?" It was a fair question. She wasn't sure if she could actually answer it.

"I… I don't know. What if it gets easier and I… what if I…"

"Like it?" He smiled softly. "You might. But you should also know that the curse does not change who we are. It will not change what you believe, your personality. It may shake you, and it may be powerful, but it does not have that kind of power."

"Nothing wrong with using what tools you have?" She scoffed. Bishop often made that argument.

"Of course. That is what tools are for. And this one can be discarded eventually too," he chuckled. "Why would you not make things easier on yourself in the meantime? Why hit yourself with the tool instead of just… holding it. You need not even use it. The more you accept it, understand it, the easier it will be to just keep it in your grip and never resort to its destructive properties."

Everyone kept saying that. But there was an issue with it.

"I don't know how. I don't know how to be comfortable with this. I can't be," she shook her head almost angrily.

"I think your friend is helping with that well," Kodlak smiled. "These kinds of reassurances are important. But also… feeling the new things this brings, it can make it easier. What of your senses? Do you feel how they sharpened?"

"Nothing like that happened," she snorted. There were no upsides.

"Are you sure? Some feel it right away. For some, it's gradual. Perhaps if you focus on them, focus on what you can see, hear. Like there. Try. Tell me what you see," he pointed towards an upper corner of the hallway, all the way to the other end.

She looked. She wasn't sure what she should be seeing in a ceiling corner, but then she noticed it. Almost startlingly fast.

"A cobweb." So far. So small, but she saw it glint in the torchlight for a brief moment. She was not able to see that far usually. But when she really focused on it, she noticed the detail.

"See? It's all about noticing, perceiving," he smiled.

"What if… these things… they can be… useful. Even the… the transformations. I didn't want to do it, but… sometimes when I was in a very bad situation... just… useful. What if I don't wanna give that up?" She stammered. What if she got so used to these 'powers' she would get as brain-washed as Aela and Skjor?

"Tell me then, why do you want to get cured now?" Kodlak pried.

"Because I hate the Daedric Princes. I don't want to be one's puppet. I don't want to spend my eternity performing for Hircine's pleasure. And I have responsibilities! I need to be able to Shout again," she scowled.

"I'm sorry, what?" Kodlak's eyes went wide at her.

Oh Gods! She said that out loud! She didn't tell anyone that she couldn't Shout.

"I… I can't… control them anymore. It's… apparently it's the blood… the dragon is… thinner in it," she stammered, unsure why she was so open with him. Nobody should know. "Please don't tell anyone. People can't find out about this."

"Calm yourself, young pup," he squeezed her shoulder gently. "I will not tell. This is… unfortunate news. Aela and Skjor's misguided intentions were to help you against the dragons, not to take away your greatest power against them," he sighed. "But we will fix this. And tell me, knowing these reason, is it not enough? Do you really think that a bit of power, of 'usefulness' will erase these reasons?"

Divines, she hoped not. She hoped he was right and she wouldn't actually protest against being cured.

"I… I told Bishop that no matter what I wanted at that moment, to promise me he would make sure I'd get cured. Even if I said no," she admitted.

"I can make the same promise to you, if it will ease your mind. I will make sure that your soul will be free of Hircine's curse," he kept his hand on her shoulder in comfort and squeezed a bit again.

"Thank you. I hope it will all work out soon. For both our sakes." The man wanted the same thing – not to be trapped by the Prince for eternity. Even if he became this thing voluntarily.

"Have heart, young pup. And remember that letting this curse break you before you can be free of it is no way to survive. Try to feel it. Try to see and hear and smell what you can, test your senses. Test your transformations. Then you might be able to remember them. And you might feel more in control. It is… important if you wish to keep your mind at ease."

She knew he was right. She knew controlling it would help, even though it still went against all her instincts to let it 'tempt' her.

But he was right. Her convictions were stronger than a Prince's pull.

She would be able to get through this.

Especially when a cure was really within reach.