A bright moon lit the stairway leading to Jorrvaskr, and I stared at the shadows it was casting, contemplating how I had somehow managed to become a member of the Companions, and even more so the events that transpired in the crypt Farkas and I had returned from merely moments ago. Shrugging my shoulders, I quickly ascended the steps and entered the large wooden building, throwing my knapsack on the floor once I reached the interior. Skjor scowled at me for my lazy action, but I stuck my tongue out at him playfully and then made my way to the living quarters.
Ria was the only other body in the bedroom at the time, so I slipped off my steely armor and decided to wear a comfortable brown and white maiden's dress. I completed the outfit with a soft pair of brown boots and a beautiful sapphire ring I had discovered in my travels. My chocolate-colored hair was in knots from the horse ride back to Whiterun from Dustman's Cairn, and I ran my fingers through it for a few moments before exiting the room into the hall. Torvar and Athis were having some conversation about which holds produced the best meads, so I ignored them and continued back upstairs for dinner.
Skjor, Aela, and Vilkas were sitting at the large table in the middle of the room, and I walked to them casually then picked a seat roughly between Aela and Vilkas, closer to the latter. Loud cracks came from the fire every now and again as I gnawed the meat off of the rabbit haunch I'd selected. Every few moments, I would catch someone glancing in my direction, and I eventually decided to break the conversational silence.
"So, where did Kodlak head off to in such a hurry?" I asked, hoping someone would catch my intention and make the atmosphere a bit less tense. Aela cleared her throat, and I thought she would answer, but then Skjor turned to me with his mouth half-full.
"To the temple in Solitude; said it was something personal," he managed tell me monotonously through his meal. Silence ensued for another five minutes, and I stood up again, my dinner plate empty, and headed for the front doors. Vilkas shot up from his seat, loudly mumbling a quick "wait", and jogged up next to me, then held open the door. Surprised, I stepped out quickly, and Vilkas followed, shutting the door behind us.
"What's going on?" I asked him quietly but sharply, questioning his and the others' behavior. He grabbed my arm and led me to a bench facing the Gildergreen tree I had recently restored to its former beauty. We sat down quickly, and I gave him a "well?" look, but to no avail, as he was looking forward with a pensive expression. Lazily, Vilkas ran his hand through his dark hair and turned his icy gaze to me, brows furrowed.
"Kaelie, when you and my brother, Farkas, returned from Dustman's Cairn, both of you were silent about the entire affair. We're all curious as to what happened, so, will you tell me? Did something bad happen?" he asked, managing to somehow scoot about three inches closer to me without my notice. I sighed and looked down at the cobblestone street, remembering the incident with ease, as it was still fresh in my mind.
"Well," turning back to him, I began. "About fifteen minutes after we entered the Cairn, we were ambushed by what appeared to be a group of mercenaries. At that time, I was trapped behind a gate I had accidentally shut, and Farkas was cornered against it with nowhere to go. I was so afraid for his life that I could barely move. The group seemed to know who he was, or at least that he'd be coming, though I'm not sure how. Farkas threatened that none of them would live to tell their tale, and then something terrible happened. Farkas's body began to convulse and thrash about, and he grew larger and… hairier. It was like something out of a horror tale; then it dawned on me. Vilkas, your brother is a werewolf. I know it sounds insane, but it's the truth." Vilkas looked at me with wide eyes, and I expected him to leave me alone right then and there, but instead, he just laughed. Nearly falling off the bench, Vilkas chuckled a hearty, rumbling sound that echoed around the plaza. My cheeks flushed a deep red, making my confusion, shock, and embarrassment quite obvious.
"W-What's so funny?" I asked him shakily, absolutely in shock at his reaction.
"Oh, nothing, lass," he replied, calming down and wiping a tear from his eye. "But you should know something." He slid over right next to me on the bench and leaned over until his head was right next to mine, then whispered in my ear, "I'm one, too." He leaned back and I stared at him with wide eyes, understanding the message. This, however, just sent him over the edge again and he laughed harder this time, holding his sides out of pain.
Standing up, I began to walk away with a straight, yet still absolutely red, face. He rushed after me once he had collected himself, then pulled my hand and spun me around to face him. I avoided his gaze, and he put his hands on my shoulders, which made me look up at him. I could see the reflection of my dirt-brown eyes in his icy blue stare. My cheeks flushed again, but I held his gaze, waiting for him to speak.
"Hey, we're not the only ones, okay? Aela, Skjor, Kodlak, they're all werewolves, too. But have any of them, have any of us hurt you? No. So don't be afraid of us just because of the wolf blood, alright?" he spoke with conviction and my shoulders slumped.
"I wasn't afraid, dog-boy," I smirked at him. "I just don't like the smell." He huffed at my remark and stepped back, releasing me from his grasp. I smiled sweetly and stepped past him, then stopped, turning back. He faced me questioningly.
"Oh, um, Vilkas? One more thing," I asked him innocently.
"What is it?" there was a hint of annoyance in his reply.
"I'll make sure to have your dinner put in a bowl from now on, on the floor of course."