The Dragonborn of Kirkwall

Ch. 18 Infiltration and Trust

(Told by Melody)

Everything hurts.  My head, my eyes, my skin, and my heart.  I wake up, wanting to cry even more, but I don't think I have any water left from last night.  

Bishop stayed with me almost the whole time.  We both changed clothes and a good rinse to get the blood off, but afterwards, Bishop held me close.  He knew that I was hurting more than I was showing.  I really can't hide anything from him.

I really want to just stay in bed and forget about the world bit by bit, but I need to get up and get ready for the mission.  

"Hey," Bishop whispers softly in my ear from behind, "Are you going to be alright for infiltrating the embassy?"

I turn over to see him.  He looks worried, of course, I don't blame him.  I nod, and he gets up from the bed.

"Alright, if you're sure." He heads for the door.  "There are some noble clothes in the chest.  I'll grab us breakfast while you change."

Both Bishop and Karnwyr leave the room.  I slowly get up, feeling the ache in my bones.  I'm not going to die from my markings, but my mother is gone.  I never even had the chance to-!  No!  I can't be thinking about that now.  I'm about to sneak into a well-guarded embassy during a party ran by a race of elves that could very well want me dead because of the fact that I'm the Dragonborn.

The clothes are somewhat comfortable, but with my markings from my neck to my jaw being visible and my hair, I'm a dead give away.  I guess it can't be helped.  I might as well do something with my hair so that I look somewhat presentable.

"You know," Bishop sneaks into the room with a platter of food as I pull my hair back, "you look better with your hair down.  Then again, showing off your neck definitely makes you look bold and sexy."

"Bishop!"

"Ah, she speaks!" He laughs, and I can't help but smile at his remark. "Hey, about what happened at the ball..."

My smile disappears as he puts the food down.  He probably has questions about Varania or my family, and he deserves to know everything and anything I can tell him.  

"What about the ball?" I ask, not meeting his amber eyes.

"That's just it.  It's been driving me insane thinking about how you put up with all that crap... Not saying that you didn't look..." he clears his throat nervously earning a confused look from me.  "It isn't something I'd imagined you in, but no one could keep their eyes off you.  Especially mine."

Is he actually talking about "the ball" the ball?  Not the family drama at the ball?  Is he trying to get my mind off of my mother to make me feel better?  Might as well humor him.

"Thank you, you didn't look so bad yourself!" I smirk at him, hoping to make him uncomfortable again.

"Don't expect to see me like that again, Ladyship," Bishop chuckles, "but for the look on your face, it was worth it.  The way you danced, with your body close to mine... I'd have gone crazy if I had to watch one of those perfumed 'nobles' get their hands on you even once."

I'm all of a sudden feeling self conscious; I blush and try to brush it off. "You worry too much, I'd have been fine!"  Plus, he's forgotten that I could not dance until he saved me last night.

"Trust me, dancing is far from innocent with any man." He says that and now it feels like my ears are burning, not from lyruim or fire, but by... flattery maybe? "I didn't like how they were looking at you.  You can do better than them.  Like me, for instance."  I didn't even realize how close he is to me.  What is going through that head of his? "You need a real man, Ladyship, someone who doesn't pretend to be something he's not."