Northbound Pilgrimage II

Chapter CXXII - Reprieve

"I really think we should get out of this place."

Bishop pointed out somewhat nervously as the whole big group of people kept hanging around that cave he had been held in. They were still plotting and planning. He would really think that this kind of dawdling would have been the cause of their extreme delay, but Aeyrin had already explained inside that cave.

Right now, he was being fussed over outside by Aeyrin and a Penitus Breton mage, who were both attempting to heal his shoulder. It was obviously a process and not just a simple spell. At least not one that either of them knew. Aeyrin said that there was nerve damage – it did explain why he still didn't really feel his arm. Well, maybe sparsely. It felt similarly to when that purple Shout from a dragon hit him so long ago near Whiterun. That was back when he wasn't even banished. It felt like an eternity ago, not just a year or so.

But this place was not a good one for this. Definitely not for standing around in a ripped shirt and with people trying to heal him. Not when the assassins could come back. This was just making him anxious.

Cicero had been tied up securely with chains and all. He had a gag in his mouth, on top of the silence spell and paralysis, and he was knocked out. Bishop still wasn't going to admit that he's not the Listener. Not in front of Cicero, even if he was knocked out. He could be pretending to be out of it, just like Bishop had. Not that it mattered much – the assassins would likely find out anyway. But in the small chance that they wouldn't, he could use that edge. If they thought he was this important person for them, maybe he would still not get killed. He wasn't really sure what was going to happen now.

He just wanted to get out of there.

"We're probably going to need to suspend it for a while. At least until we get him to a temple or something," the Breton mage sighed.

"It's fine. We should really go," Bishop nodded. The pain was numbed with potions and he didn't really care about much else. It would get fixed eventually.

"Maybe the Vigilants could help. They are on the way and..." Aeyrin pondered until Bishop interrupted her.

"We're not stopping. Not with a tied up assassin and his fucking corpse 'Mother'. I'm fine."

He really wanted to get to Dragon Bridge already, even if it was practically on the other end of Skyrim. And he wanted to pass this nutcase along to Maro and just... have him torture that guy or something and then find out where the Brotherhood was hiding and wipe them out like he had in Cyrodiil. That was such a nice and comforting thought.

"Right!" the man who always seemed to be in charge nodded. "We should go. Four agents stay here and wait until the assassins return. I don't have to tell you to be extremely careful when dealing with them. If you can capture them, do so, but do not take unnecessary risks and do not let them escape."

The agents looked around and at each other for a bit before a few of them stepped forward voluntarily. Surprisingly enough, it was six of them. But two stepped back after a while.

"Good," the Imperial leader continued. "Three need to go to Windhelm and get a wagon for that corpse thing. A big one. Erdiika... probably you. And two more," he nodded at the only Nord in the company. It was understandable. When it came to Windhelm, it was good to ensure that at least one person didn't attract trouble. Hopefully she would manage to find some clothes that did not scream 'Legionnaire'.

Two more people stepped up and then there was only the leader, the Breton mage and an Imperial woman left.

"Now, the rest of us will head to Dragon Bridge right away. Take our hostage in for the Commander."