All Roads Lead To You (A Skyrim Romance Mod fanfic)

Chapter Twenty-Eight

A/N: I just want to say a huge, heartfelt thank you to everyone who has read, voted, commented, followed, or added this story to your reading lists. Thank you so very much!!! While I love to write stories and would do it whether or not anyone ever read them, it's so special to be able to share a story with people who enjoy it. You guys are so awesome and I'm really glad you're here!

Bishop stormed away from the Winking Skeever and out onto the cobblestone streets of Solitude. There were crowds of people milling about, even more than usual for the capital city, and that wasn't doing much for Bishop's temper. He elbowed his way through the throngs in search of a quiet corner where he could be alone. The guard's hangover cure had helped to ease his headache and his nausea some, but he still didn't feel much better. The news of that damned Paladin skulking around the city somewhere set him on edge; eventually, he'd run into Casavir, and then it would take all Bishop's willpower not to pick up exactly where they'd left off all those years ago. He felt certain the Paladin was still the same self-righteous, overtly pious, pretentious piece of shit he'd been when Bishop had known him. It only irked him further that he'd already made an impression on Aruna.

He wasn't sure why he felt protective of her. It wasn't as though she'd needed anyone to defend her up to this point, and he'd seen for himself how capable she was. Yet the very idea of Casavir lurking around her turned Bishop's already nauseated stomach. Casavir was nothing but a foul reminder of some very bad times in Bishop's life, and their last meeting, years before, had only solidified Bishop's loathing for the paladin. He'd be damned if he was going to allow the same thing to happen again. Aruna may not have been his woman, but he'd make sure she wouldn't end up Casavir's, either.

Bishop found an area devoid of people, behind the Bard's college. It wasn't ideal; his dislike of bards usually kept him at a respectable distance, with the rare exception or two, but it was better than being stuck in the bustling crowds. He leaned against the stone barrier, in which were square paneless windows that looked out onto the sea. From where he stood, he could just see the mast of a ship moored to the docks far below. It reminded him of the night before. Something was nagging at him in the back of his mind, a memory entrenched in the fog of his hangover. Something had happened between him and Aruna that night. He was sure of it. She had lied to him so easily that he'd doubted himself, but only for a moment. There was much he couldn't recall, but one thing seemed to be important. As he concentrated on coaxing the memory from his aching head, he began to piece it together. He couldn't remember why, but he did know that he'd kissed her...or, been about to. He remembered moving close to her, touching her face. In his memory, he could see Aruna tilting her head up toward him, her eyes closed, her lips parted, waiting for his kiss.

And then, nothing.

Bishop growled in frustration. What happened after that? And why did she lie to him about it? That bothered him most of all; that Aruna had completely disregarded it. He was sure it happened, so why hadn't she mentioned it? Was she embarrassed? Angry? She hadn't seemed upset with him that morning. In fact, she hadn't seemed upset at all. He frowned, his eyes fixed absently on the ship's mast, bobbing against the gray waves in the distance. Maybe it didn't matter to her. Bishop had not made his attraction to her a secret, but Aruna had been difficult to read, even for him. There were times when he'd catch her looking at him and he would wonder what she was thinking, only for her to make a quick joke or say something sarcastic. She'd told him a few times that she found him attractive, but he never quite knew when to take her seriously. She didn't seem like the type of woman to play games, but in his experience, they never seemed the type.

He breathed in deep, exhaled slowly, and wished for the space and peace of the forests to help him clear his head. Dragons or not, he preferred the dangers he knew to complications involving women. How in Oblivion had he allowed himself to be put in this position once again?