Scent
The Abyss of Tolerance
If there is one thing that is almost enquiringly strange about Solitude is the fact that it doesn't have one faction of guards but two, the only difference being by whom these guards are actually run by; one faction by General Tullius himself and the other by Sybille Stentor herself.
Another thing that is curiously strange is that Sybille's faction of 'guards' contains a bare minimum of five people at most, a very large variance in number when compared to Tullius's faction and yet Elisif allowed her court wizard to run this faction with not even a blink of hesitation; which – considering the people you talk to anyhow – is a blessing and – again, depending on who you talk to – a curse.
The group consisted of Sybille herself, a noble woman turned warrior who had travelled from Morthal to Solitude named Alva, two lumberjacks named Hert and Herrn (most suspected them as twins) and a young Nord woman rumoured to be the Dragonborn; a group that had been formed so ridiculously and short-sightedly that most of Skyrim was surprised to find out soon enough that they were just as determined and resilient as the Companions were.
It also was no surprise that after Sybille's faction of 'The Asamites' was founded that an inexplicable tension had erupted between Whiterun's the Companions and Solitude's the Asamites, most thought it as though the two factions despised each other because of how much attention they were both receiving whilst others thought that it had to the issue of who was getting the most coin…
Whilst true on both counts, that was not even close to being the first part of the issue.
"I don't trust this Kodlak," Vilkas voiced his opinion with a grunt, sitting down at the main table of Jorrvaskr with a frown on his face. "The Asamites at this table? It is a disgrace to Ysgramor!"
Aela didn't say anything but nodded in agreement from beside her shield-brother, eyes narrowed dangerously at the front doors of Jorrvaskr that the Asamites would soon be entering through once a courier informed the Companions of their arrival; a distasteful arrival it may be but Aela knew that if the Companions planned to talk with the Asamites then she herself would have to be there.
Kodlak placed a hand on both of hers and Vilkas's shoulders, stunning them both into silence as their Harbinger always did when it became perfectly clear that him and he alone was allowed to speak.
It was a restriction Aela still hadn't got used to when it came to the old man, so to say that she found it hard to still her tongue was an understatement even in these dire times.
"The leader of the Asamites is a respectable woman," Kodlak told them in that deep, sombre voice of his that echoed through the halls of Jorrvaskr with a power that made Aela's teeth clamp together and for her golden hues to flicker upwards to examine the chiselled old face of her Harbinger as he continued to speak. "This meeting is being held for a reason, so we can come to an agreement with one another and learn to live side-by-side without getting in each other's way."
"They're vampires." Farkas inputted with a snort, making his way up from the staircase along with Skjor with a frown on his face. "Ain't that enough reason not to having this meeting with them?"
Kodlak's face twisted into something that almost looked sad at Farkas's reaction and with a heavy sigh he pulled up a chair to sit in between both Aela and Vilkas.
"How can we be one to judge them? We are beasts Farkas…" Kodlak whispered bitterly, eyes laced with regret so deep and interwoven into his very soul that for a second Aela forgot he was her Harbinger and instead she was looking at a very old, acrimonious man.
Aela met Skjor's eyes over the table with a familiar understanding that made her settle more comfortingly into her seat and helped her withhold her tongue on the matter of Hircine's gift (a gift, not a curse), because while it was a matter she and Kodlak had discussed time and time again it was not the time or place to bring it up now.
So she cleared her throat, loud and clear, to gather the rest of the Circle's attention with a small smirk creeping onto her lips; if this meeting was to take place then she would damn well be sure to put her opinion in and Hircine smite whoever dared speak over her.
"The Asamites have endangered our food supply, stolen our contracts and have the rumoured Dragonborn on their side who is also a vampire," Aela started off with her fingers coming upwards to cup the curve of her jaw, shifting on her seat to rest her elbow on the arm of the chair until it felt as though everyone's attention in the room was finally focused on her and her alone. "How do you expect us to get along with one another when they do that? The idea of stalemate between the two factions is ridiculous."
"I agree with Aela, we should just wipe them out and save us the hassle!" Farkas said with an eager nod at her statement, rising up slightly from his seat with his fingers curled tightly around the tin of his mug at the tension that had managed to seep into the mead hall.
Vilkas held up a hand to silence his brother, slowly bringing said hand down to shake Farkas's shoulder gently.
"Brother trust in me when I say that war against the Asamites are not the thing we need," Vilkas told his brother with a fond shake of his head, pleased that Farkas was becoming more and more approachable and talkative in the Circle's meetings but not wishing to hear these sort of ideas off his brother all the same.
Kodlak actually looked relieved at Vilkas's interruption, scraping a hand across his face to soften his flabbergasted sigh before he looked round again at the Circle with his lower lip trapped underneath his teeth.
"We do not need to come to blows with the Asamites," he explained slowly with warm, hazelnut eyes scanning each and every face. "When they arrive here we are requesting a treaty that will grant us peace between our two factions, for those who do not wish this peace then you are free to leave this hall and everything it stands for."
Aela would have if it hadn't been for the fact that not only would she the only woman of her family to be booted out of the Companions but that despite how she disliked Kodlak's methods of peace at times, she was still fond of the Harbinger in general and would follow him to the end of Tamriel if that was what was needed of her.
Farkas shifted uncomfortably beside her whilst Skjor merely stared down at his clenched fists, both of them a sickening sight in comparison to Vilkas's calm stature and demeanour and while she was not quite sure herself Aela assumed that she looked fairly at peace as well.
Before Kodlak could continue the doors of Jorrvaskr burst open, revealing an out of breath courier followed closely by the sounds of multiple footsteps that were precise and heavy from what Aela's seamless hearing could tell; the sound of the Asamites.
"They're here…" The courier whimpered weakly before he turned tail and ran, stumbling down the steps with his blonde mane of hair flowing behind him.
Instinctively the Circle stood up at the arrival of the Asamites, bowing their heads lowly in respect (though Aela had to stomp on Farkas's foot when the younger pup looked like he was going to resist) until the heavy footfalls had stopped and the warm breeze of Whiterun had been enclosed off by strong wooden doors.
Aela quickly raked her eyes over the people (vampires) before them with distaste that caused her lips to curl and for a glint of suspicion to be engraved into her bright, amber hues; this meeting was not her idea and she would not let these vampires think that Kodlak's trust meant that they would have to be friendly with one another.
The two that stood out immediately were Hert and Herrn with their smug expressions and the way Hert's smile seemed to become wider each time her crimson hues passed over the bowed heads of the Circle, taking in their docile appearances and letting it feed the ego that Aela didn't doubt Hert already possessed.
Anger grew like ivy inside of her, twisted and gnarled, but still Aela held it in because soon enough she would be on a contract and would be able to beat someone until they were a bloody pulp with claws as well as knives.
"It's you!" Came a voice from beside her, the sound causing her body to stiffen whilst her mind sharpened and her eyes gazed to the side to see that both Vilkas and Farkas were staring angrily at the nonchalant-looking Herrn. "You were the one who stole the shipments a few weeks back! It was you!"
Aela's head snapped up to stare at the shell-shocked brothers, growling fiercely at the two of them until they both backed down with their hands clenched into fists at their sides.
"This isn't the time for trivialities you ridiculous thaw-heads," she warned under her breath, staring accusingly at the rest of the Asamites. "We'll discuss this later with them, for now shut up."
Sybille Stentor seemed to have realised what she said because she did not mention anything more on the subject, instead she sat down on the nearest possible chair with her hand twisting the golden thread of her navy blue hood; a look on her face that clearly said she was going to be taking over this discussion very, very quickly.
Kodlak gestured for them all to sit down before he started speaking once more. "It's a pleasure to have you here Sybille, though I admit I didn't think you would bring all of your faction with you."
Sybille laughed humourlessly with her hand coming upwards to gesture at the newest member (Aela presumed it was the Dragonborn that the gossips of Whiterun had talked about) of the faction to step forward besides her with dark, red eyes examining them as though it was a test and not the treaty of peace Kodlak and (apparently) Sybille had hoped for.
"Please Kodlak do not think me a fool," Sybille's voice was well-spoken and didn't hold the usual clunky accent that all citizens from Solitude had, so it was a surprising if pleasant experience for Aela's ears to be able to understand what the leech was actually saying. "The only reason your pack of beasts aren't trying to claw my companions to death is because the one known as the Dragonborn is stood with me right now."
Said Dragonborn shifted uncomfortably at being addressed rather informally with a large number of eyes staring at her, namely Aela who refused to stare anywhere else but examine the pale skin of the Nord and how such snow white skin contrasted terribly with the ebony armour that rested on the blonde Nord's shoulders.
Skjor snorted loud enough that most of the attention drew onto his stiff form; however Aela continued to watch the Dragonborn with her eyes crinkled in amusement at seeing the sigh of relief coming from the young woman at the attention finally moving away from her.
Aela hid a satisfied smirk behind her hand at the preposterousness of it all, the Dragonborn was nothing more but a mere whelp - if a parasite could still be seen as one anyhow – not old enough to sink fresh fangs into tender flesh.
"The girl is a whelp," Skjor voiced Aela's thoughts as he usually did without himself even knowing he was doing so, it was one of the main reasons why Aela couldn't help but feel lighter and comfortable in his presence. "Lower us all you want but don't think we shall be insulted to be seen as lower than a girl who doesn't look like she can even hold a sword."
Vampires were known to be fast depending on their consummation of blood but Aela had only blinked once and the young girl both herself and Skjor had been ripping apart suddenly was up in Skjor's face, two swords pressed against the Adam's apple of the older warrior's neck with such strength that Aela knew very well that if Skjor even attempted to gulp then he would most likely slice his own neck open.
"Can't hold a sword eh? How about two?" The Dragonborn grinned down at him, blonde hair sullen in the darkness of Jorrvaskr and her grin stained a red colour that tinted the sharp canines of her teeth that were barely visible even when the blonde Nord exposed them threateningly at Skjor.
Normally the rest of the Circle would have already put the attacker down almost immediately at seeing said attacker put their own at risk, however Skjor's eyes told them to back down and they reluctantly did so with their hands still gripping tightly around their weapons.
Skjor chuckled and slammed the two blades down with a force that knocked the blonde girl off balance, causing her to stumble backwards and lose grip on her two blades that clattered noisily to the ground.
Neither of them moved, too enraptured with the intensity that each other's gaze held; a mesmerizing if slightly annoying sight.
"Scared girl?" Skjor asked with a tone that was surprising considerate despite the expressionless look on his face.
"Not of you old man," the Dragonborn shot back with a determined glint igniting in her cerulean orbs and a straightened back that made Aela wince slightly at the vampire's strange stature. "You going to keep talking about me like a true milk-drinker or are you going to shut up and let the meeting carry on?"
Skjor regarded the Dragonborn with a smile at her angry words, looking almost amused at the rage that made her face crease in fury and caused her words to become quicker and more savage.
He bent down to retrieve the two ebony swords that had fallen from the Dragonborn's hands, offering them to her with a nod of his head that Aela took as a sign of Skjor respecting the younger woman enough that he would no longer say anything of the matter.
"If you're quite finished with assessing my newest member Kodlak," Sybille spoke out all of a sudden, drawing Aela's attention away from the vampire of golden tresses and Skjor to watch the hooded woman tap out a rhyme against the hard table of the wood. "I want to know if you plan to keep your nose out of our business."
Kodlak rubbed at his chin at the vampire's words, moving from his chair to start to pace up and down the hall of Jorrvaskr until he came to a side table that he leaned on for support – another sign that the old man was becoming more and more weary as the years passed.
"I am perfectly aware that you wish for us to keep out of your business," Kodlak told Sybille and the rest of the Asamites from over his shoulder, his eyes a canvas of strength despite the weakening form of his body. "But I cannot do this without your own promise that you too will keep your faction out of the Companion's personal business; two weeks ago you stole a shipment that was given to us by the Forsworn near Markath. How can you possibly explain that?
"The Forsworn are enemies to Faolan," the dark-haired woman next to the blonde Nord piped up, cerise hues narrowing dangerously when Aela let her own eyes roam the scarred face of the whelp she figured to be Faolan. "You think we would go so far just to interrupt a shipping for you? Maybe your brutish natures are getting the better of you."
Aela withheld a growl that she was sure would have made the sound shake; not willing to prove or come close to proving the dark-haired leech right.
"Alva," Sybille warned the curt leech that had spoken with a wave of her hand, gesturing for her to back down. "Come to your senses girl. Kodlak has every right to be upset about his shipment going missing, in fact to make up for it…"
Herrn stepped forward to present three sacks of what sounded like gold, throwing them on the broad table in the drinking hall with a smirk that Aela didn't like or particularly trust.
Her shield-brother Farkas looked at the gold in distaste. "What? You trying to bribe us or something?"
Kodlak stepped in then, squeezing Farkas's shoulder briefly before acknowledging Sybille with a nod of his head. "The Circle thanks your patronage Sybille however there is still the matter of our treaty. Do you swear an oath not to meddle with our affairs again?"
The silence that followed is deafening but it is also a clear signal that when the leader of this vampire faction actually answered then said answer would be absolute – no hesitation about it.
Sybille nodded briefly (drawing a sigh from Aela that the huntress hadn't even known she'd been holding) before lifting up a lone finger to silence the talks that had spilled out between the two factions.
"On one condition," the Breton said with her voice as sharp as Eorlund's blades and her tapping becoming more and more rapid until Aela could feel her ears thrum in tension and curiosity. "We meet up in Whiterun every two months to celebrate our new...tolerability for one another."
Was that what they called it? Aela begged to differ and decided to voice it to herself by thinking thoughts that were particularly loud without being truly vocal.
So it went without saying that almost every member of the Circle looked up at Kodlak with different feelings overcoming themselves, mostly things such as 'by all of Talos say no' and 'if there is any decency left in the Companions…' – which pretty much meant that Kodlak only had one answer that would truly satisfy them all.
"We agree on something at last Sybille," Kodlak jested with a smile that is tight and knowing; knowing that he is a doomed man once the faction of blood-suckers leave the 'sacred' halls of Jorrvaskr. "Your wish is granted and in good favour, you shall be seeing us shortly."
Aela remained silent for the rest of the meeting, refusing to meet anyone's gaze even when the Asamites finally left and only moving from her seat to watch as the vampires left her with her bright eyes glowering at the retreating group with the suspicion of the predator watching its prey come and leave.
She knew it would not be the last she would see of them.