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

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Bishop stormed through the city, feeling the overwhelming urge to punch something. Or someone. He hated that every time he cornered Casavir, the paladin only had self-righteous lectures for him. He wanted Casavir to get angry. Bishop had been trying his damnedest to goad the paladin into a fight. He'd come close at the temple. He knew he'd promised Aruna he would try not to start anything in the city, but if she knew all Casavir had done, surely she'd understand.

"It would be better if you left her company before you hurt her."

What the hell did that paladin know about anything? He didn't know Bishop like he thought he did, and he certainly didn't know Aruna very well, either. If she didn't want Bishop around, she'd tell him. She had been very honest with him this far. Bishop's thoughts turned to the night before and Aruna's rejection of his advances and he grimaced. While it hadn't been what he wanted to hear, he respected her directness. Casavir was wrong. Bishop was not the type of man to take advantage of a woman, and he certainly had no intention of hurting Aruna or to cause her any trouble. He liked her company, and he was fairly sure she enjoyed his company, as well. If that's all there ever was between them, he could live with that.

An hour later, Bishop found Aruna just outside the city gates. She was sitting by the side of the road, where a caravan of Khajiit had made their camp, and was talking animatedly with a merchant just outside his tent. The merchant seemed to enjoy whatever story she was telling him, and at one point, he doubled over in laughter. Aruna looked less troubled than Bishop ever remembered seeing her, a smile bright on her face. He stood by and watched for a while until Aruna noticed him and said her goodbyes to the merchant. She approached Bishop with a smile, though he noticed she looked a little uncertain.

"There you are," she said. "Ready to go?"

"Yeah." He fell into step beside her as they headed down the path away from Solitude's gates and nodded toward the caravan camp. "Made some friends?"

"Oh," she said with a laugh. "More of a friend of some friends." Her smile looked a little sad. Bishop decided not to ask for details.

"Looking a little tired, there, ladyship," he said. "How did you sleep last night?"

"Fine," she said.

"You're a terrible liar, princess." He let out a sharp whistle through his teeth, and a moment later, Karnwyr loped out of the wood.

"Bishop, please stop calling me—"

"Come here," Bishop said, walking ahead, toward a watchtower that stood at the top of a hill overlooking the docks.

"What are you doing?" Aruna jogged to catch up with him.

They rounded the side of the tower to see a carriage waiting. The driver, a cheerful-looking bearded blond man, grinned at her.

"Good morning, Dragonborn," the driver said. "Ready to depart?"

Aruna cast a perplexed look at Bishop. Bishop went around the back of the carriage and reached for a wooden crate stowed away inside.

"How long ago did they deliver it?" he asked the driver.

"Maybe ten minutes ago," the driver answered.

"Thanks." Bishop handed the driver a pouch of gold and turned to Aruna. "Ready to go?"

She frowned. "You hired a carriage to take us all the way to Riverwood?"

"Yep."

"Why?"

"Because it's been a long few days and I thought you could use the rest." He climbed nimbly into the back of the carriage and reached out a hand to her. "Coming?"