Northbound Pilgrimage II

Chapter XLIV - Innocence

"Do you really think that it would be that bad if we told people?"

Aeyrin pondered out loud as they walked the road from Morthal towards Winterhold.

They had spent a long night at the Temple, trying to sleep beside seven other snoring people, cramped on one small single bed. Well... there were more beds, but it was more comfortable for them to share one rather than sleep apart. At least the Blades didn't think that it was a 'harmful distraction from focusing on the Way of the Voice", or some bullshit like that. But sleeping there was still like they would imagine sleeping in barracks was – just when one of the recruits stopped snoring or making noise, another one started.

They were getting spoiled by their lifestyle. Who knew that constant danger and sleeping in the wilderness would actually make them accustomed to delicious quality food and a good night's rest? The sounds of the forests and the howls of the winds were much more pleasant than the constant creaks of old wood and man-made noises. But then again, lately the outside was just filled with unseen and perhaps imagined dangers.

Still, the paranoia was ever-present in any place and the road was much more comfortable than this. And in the end, Bishop and Aeyrin didn't even stop by Morthal to sleep at the inn. They would get a chance in Winterhold since they couldn't really camp outside there.

But the night at the Temple wasn't the only unsettling thing that was still on Aeyrin's mind. She still couldn't stop thinking about Esbern's words. As comforting as their current plan was, she still couldn't help but ponder on what he had said about the civil war and how it played right into Alduin's cards.

"What would telling people about Alduin help? What do you think they would do besides panic?" Bishop sighed. "We've talked about this, sweetness, the cities are as secure as they will ever be already. There's nothing else that anyone could do."

"I know... but... if they knew... if they knew what the war is doing, they might..." Aeyrin couldn't help but think about other eventualities. Esbern had said that Alduin was confidently biding his time because there was no nation united and no army after him. Maybe that was what they needed.

"What? End the war? Do you really believe that, love? Do you really think that either Tullius or Ulfric would actually concede?" Bishop scoffed. This would never happen. And he didn't even start to think about how the Thalmor would take any of this.

"This is the end of the world we are talking about! Shouldn't they at least consider stopping this pointless war?" she shook her head at him.

"They might consider it, and then they will start arguing about who would be the one to concede. You know how this goes... how this ends," Bishop continued to rationalize. He was right. Aeyrin knew that he was right, but... maybe they would at least consider some temporary ceasefire or something.

"Princess... you do remember what Esbern said, right? Alduin needs to feed from those souls. I know this is shitty and that he gets more powerful but... what do you think would happen if the war stopped? You think he would just be patient and collect his souls more slowly? Or... he might just send his own fucking army to do the job."

Aeyrin scowled at him. She didn't even think of that possibility. That was... actually very plausible. Maybe Alduin would be patient – he did have the time, but... maybe he wouldn't be. He had already risked revealing himself, likely to save Ulfric. He might risk much more to get what he wanted.

"So... just let people die by hundreds so that they don't die by thousands?" Aeyrin sighed.

"We don't have a way to kill him yet," Bishop sighed. "Once we do, maybe that would be the time to smack some fucking sense into the warmongers' heads. But... until then... it would likely just be a much bigger slaughter. As crappy as it is, the war kinda works in our favor now. It gives us the time to do this."