Northbound Pilgrimage II

Chapter LXXVIII - Fun

Author's Note:

So, full disclosure, the reason this plotline is the longest is not so much because a lot happens, but more because I made the chapters too long and needed to split them :D So I hope you didn't mind the chapters mostly spent talking and wallowing in the awkwardness that is dealing with nobility. There will be definitely some hopefully exciting adventures after the Solitude arc ;)

In any case, I hope you'll enjoy the ball <3 Thank you for reading :)

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The night had almost fallen, the sun was barely lighting the horizon anymore and the dim glow illuminated the fresh snowflakes in the air.

Of course it began to snow – it was a ball to celebrate the coming winter, wasn't it? Sun's Dusk was nearing its end already and soon the winter's cold would become harsher and more persistent. It was already apparent in the chilly air.

Aeyrin hugged herself instantly when they left Radiant Raiment. As beautiful as the dress was, it was hardly warm. And so much of her skin was exposed. No one else clearly had the same issue. Even Gisli's dress covered enough of her to keep her warm – she had long flowy sleeves keeping her warm with only her shoulders exposed. But she likely didn't mind that. She was a Nord after all.

"Just hang on, I'll get you your cloak," Bishop squeezed her around her shoulders reassuringly. He was going back to the Skeever for a spell anyway. He needed to stash back their previous clothes and any other stuff that they had with them at the shop and didn't need at the ball. Azshan was apparently paying someone to run his and Gisli's things back to the Castle and to wherever Gisli lived and he had offered to have the runner do the same for Bishop and Aeyrin, but they didn't exactly like the idea of someone going to their room at the inn. Who knew who this person was? And the Skeever was just across the street.

"No cloaks," Azshan shook his head at Bishop before he could disappear. "There's nowhere to put them and people trip over them when you toss them somewhere. Or you forget it and then come demanding it back the next day because it's a one-of-a-kind desert lynx cloak or something," he chuckled. It was clear that he wasn't referring to Aeyrin with that quip, although she would want it back if she had lost it there. She liked her cloak. "It's a whole thing. Nobody wears them to these events. Besides, it's not far. You'll be fine."

Aeyrin grumbled under her breath and rubbed her hands over her arms a bit faster. It was close and she had been through worse cold in Skyrim for sure. Still... it seemed so silly.

"You people have fucked up logic," Bishop rolled his eyes at Azshan. They went through so much unnecessary shit just to go by these stupid unsaid conventions. It was ridiculous.

"'You people'?" Gisli raised her brow at Bishop disparagingly.

What didn't she get? "Yeah, 'you people'. Nobles and... paladins playing nobles," Bishop gestured vaguely to Azshan. "All your fucking rules are stupid."

Gisli seemed even more peeved than before, but Azshan only dismissed him with a chuckle. "Just go. We'll wait here."

Bishop rolled his eyes again before he turned on his heel and headed back towards the Skeever with their clothes in his hand. He still needed to grab a few things for the ball – namely his knife and a few lockpicks, just in case. He never went anywhere without those. He would probably have to hide the stuff in his boots since these stupid fancy clothes didn't even have pockets.

Seriously, why did these idiots just make life harder for themselves for no reason? Stupid.

Aeyrin waited outside with Gisli and Azshan in the meantime, still shivering from the cold. Maybe she should have gone with Bishop, but then again, she still wasn't exactly sure-footed on her heels. It was easier to stay in place for now. She would get used to it a bit more again, surely. Probably when she would stop shivering too. That certainly didn't help.