Chapter Three
Uthgerd spent the long trek home from Morthal in a daze. She succeeded in returning to Whiterun unscathed but she felt exhausted from the mental trial she had undergone. Whiterun seemed to have survived its trial against the invading Stormcloaks but such attacks were growing more and more frequent and Uthgerd worried that one day the city would not be able to prevent itself from being taken. She hoped that, during the next, inevitable attack, she would be there to defend Whiterun. Her thoughts turned back to the events of the day. She didn't regret the death of Vasha anymore than she had grieved for Vasha. They, like Astrid's uncle, had gotten what they deserved. But she was plagued by her thoughts of her mysterious kidnapper. How had Astrid managed to drag Uthgerd and three other individuals to Morthal on her own? How had such a lovely, graceful creature become the leader of Tamriel's most feared criminal organization? Was she as haunted by personal demons as Uthgerd thought she might be? As Uthgerd reached her modest home in Whiterun, entered it, and shakily lit the fire, she wondered if Astrid had reached her home as well, wherever it was. She hoped that the blonde wasn't still out in the frigid air. Uthgerd shook her head. This woman had kidnapped her and tried to encourage her to join the Dark Brotherhood! She was the leader of the Dark Brotherhood for goodness sakes! And yet, something about her resonated with Uthgerd because she couldn't deny all that Astrid had said. There were indeed people who deserved to die. Certainly not all of the people who died because of the Dark Brotherhood did but there were those-like Vasha or Grelod-who did. Even children had been able to see the necessity of Grelod's death.
Trying to clear her mind, Uthgerd considered a trip to the Bannered Mare but it just didn't feel right that evening, not after all that had happened in the last twenty-four hours. She would go back in tomorrow and hear stories of how Whiterun had succeeding in putting down another group of Stormcloaks. But tonight, she would try to sleep. As she stripped down to nakedness, she released the day's stresses and allowed herself to enjoy the warmth of fur blankets against her skin. For a few moments, she drifted toward sleep.
Just as she had almost achieved it, an all too familiar voice echoed through the shadows, permeating the darkness and leaving Uthgerd suddenly wide awake and filled with an unusual mixture of shock, dread, and something like twisted delight. "It's a shame that you've decided to hide such a delightful figure beneath those blankets so quickly. It would have been pleasant to further examine its… attributes."
Uthgerd was immediately on the defensive. "What do you want? How the hell did you get in here?" She did, she had to admit, feel quite uncomfortable. After all, she was unclothed and unarmed. She had no idea how long Astrid had been in her home. Had she followed her here and then picked the lock? Uthgerd shivered.
Astrid kept her cool. "Temper, temper. Relax, Uthgerd. I didn't mean to startle you but I had to announce my presence somehow. After all, it would be such a boring time if I just let you fall asleep. I didn't come such a way to be bored."
"You shouldn't have come such a way at all, Astrid." Uthgerd insisted, loving the way Astrid's name felt in her mouth in spite of everything. "If I alert the Whiterun guards-"
"which you won't do." Astrid cut in abruptly. "You won't do it because you don't want to. Come now, Uthgerd, I could tell you were intrigued by my offer and I do sincerely think you're such a good fit for the Brotherhood. Did you really expect I'd just let you go?"
Uthgerd hesitated. There it was again. The offer, the sense of being wanted, included. Not to mention the person doing the wanting was the loveliest woman Uthgerd had seen in years. As she looked at Astrid's beautiful face, all of her anger started to fade, just as it had when she had seen the Dark Brotherhood leader in the abandoned shack. This woman, it seemed, could do no wrong as far as Uthgerd's heart was concerned. She was beginning to fear for her own sanity. Maybe the gods had sent Astrid as a test of her morals, a test she clearly wasn't passing.
But did she want to pass? How many times in her life had she been wanted in this way? And perhaps this woman had had as difficult a past as Uthgerd had. Perhaps she too was looking for acceptance and had found it with the Dark Brotherhood. Could Uthgerd really blame her then? Were the companions and the Brotherhood really that different? Her head was spinning as she looked at the tall, lusciously shaped blonde lounging in the chair opposite her bed. Uthgerd wondered if she lounged in these provocative poses just to drive people crazy. "Do you ever sit like a normal person?" Uthgerd demanded.
Astrid looked almost convincingly hurt but, after a moment, her lips curved into a wicked smirk. "Whatever do you mean? I can sit upright and be serious if you'd prefer but I believe we're already more comfortable with each other than you'd like to admit. Please tell me you'll change your mind about joining my family."
Uthgerd listened with disbelief. "I don't see how I can." She said shortly, "You're what you are and I'm what I am."
Astrid furrowed her brow. "Is that a puzzle I'm supposed to solve? You're a killer with a past she'd like to leave behind and no family left. On paper, you and I are identical, Uthgerd."
Uthgerd recoiled. "I am not a killer." She insisted, though she felt false as she did so. She knew, fundamentally, that Astrid was right. "Well, maybe I am. But I don't enjoy it."
Astrid shook her head. "Don't you? You seem to enjoy killing people who you feel deserve it. And so many people do. I'd make sure that all of your contracts appealed to you, Uthgerd. I'm nothing if not a fair leader. The deaths you would bring about would leave Skyrim a better place. Isn't that what your companions are all about?"
Uthgerd fell silent. Astrid was persuasive if nothing else. But could she really join the Dark Brotherhood? For all that was true in what Astrid said, Uthgerd knew that there were parts that the other woman was not sharing. She had heard her whole life of the innocents the Brotherhood had murdered in cold blood. They had, ironically enough, destroyed more families than Uthgerd could even imagine. She then remembered the haunted look in Sven's eyes when he had told her of how they had dispatched his innocent wife for no reason at all and her resolve grew. She would join the Dark Brotherhood and, from there, she would destroy them from the inside out. Astrid had, inadvertently, given her the perfect opportunity to gain their trust and use it to defeat them once and for all. So she took a deep breath, divorced herself from the effects of the assassin's charms and said, "Your words hold a great deal of truth. If I join, will I be allowed to leave if I'm unsatisfied?"
Astrid nodded. "Absolutely. In fact, we lost someone a few years ago for that very reason. She joined the Thieves Guild as I understand it. Said she thought there would be more money in that life. Foolish girl really but I respected her wishes and I'd respect yours as well. Does that sound fair?"
Uthgerd couldn't help but marvel at how polite Astrid was for a treacherous assassin. "Fine. We have a deal then."
Astrid beamed. "Wonderful! We'll travel to the sanctuary tomorrow then so that you can meet the family. Its in Falkreath so we'll have to get up early."
"Wait, what do you mean we?"
"Well, I wouldn't expect you to find the Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary on your own. Its…hidden from view, I guess you could say. I understand that you have this pleasant home here in Whiterun but I do hope you start to spend most nights with us at the sanctuary. We prefer to keep all of our family close at all times."
Uthgerd's head was spinning. "Whiterun is my city, my home."
Astrid sighed. "I think you may find that home has more meaning when there are people to share it with, Uthgerd. Just give us a chance. I don't think you'll regret it."
Uthgerd had to admit that there was something flattering about being asked to join an organization like the Brotherhood. It had been respected and feared for centuries. If she could end their reign of terror, the companions would admit that her skill was undeniable.
As she considered Astrid carefully, Uthgerd realized that she had another, more immediate problem on her hands. Astrid's insistence that she travel with Uthgerd to Falkreath indicated that she was expecting to spend the night in Uthgerd's home. Uthgerd had but one bed and she didn't feel that it would be seemly to share it with Astrid. "There's an inn nearby. I suspect with how much the Brotherhood travels that you probably know it. I'll walk you there if you'd like. Its already late after all."
Astrid shook her head. "I know the inn but I'd be far happier staying here with you. We could get to know each other better this way."
"There is a limit to how well I want to know anyone." Uthgerd replied, more sharply than she'd meant to. "And besides, I've only got one bed."
Astrid's silver eyes gleamed. "And you think I've never shared a bed with anyone, Uthgerd? While I appreciate your attempts to save my delicate virtue, I think I'll survive a night in which we exchange a little…body heat. I'm not suggesting anything tawdry mind you," Uthgerd felt that Astrid's expression implied otherwise, "but is Skyrim, after all. You can always use a little extra warmth. Especially when you aren't wearing clothes at all."
Uthgerd nearly blushed. "I didn't expect company. I'm a Nord. I'm not afraid of the cold. I didn't suspect you would be either."
Astrid's face hardened ever so slightly. "I'm not afraid of anything, Uthgerd. But even Nords appreciate a pleasant degree of warmth." As she spoke, she started pealing her tight black and red leather armor off of her body and Uthgerd found it almost impossible not to stare. To break the tension mounting in the room, she asked, "You're not going to make me wear that hideous uniform are you?"
At this, Astrid looked truly offended. "Do you really find it hideous? I allow members to wear whatever makes them comfortable but our uniforms are far from hideous. They make a statement about the strength of our organization, about its power, its importance-"
"All right, all right," Uthgerd cut in, "I'm sorry I said anything." Astrid made a dissatisfied huffing noise as she folded her armor into a neat, respectful pile and turned her naked body toward Uthgerd's bed. Uthgerd looked down, afraid that if she took in a full glance at those long but wonderfully full legs, that lovely backside, those ample, upturned breasts, or god forbid, that extraordinary area between her thighs, she would never be able to turn her gaze away. In less than a minute, this beautiful woman would be pressing her naked body against Uthgerd's and though she had promised that "nothing tawdry," would occur, Uthgerd somehow wasn't comforted.
As Astrid sighed and started to climb under Uthgerd's covers, Uthgerd thought she had never been more aware of how small her bed was. It certainly wasn't large enough to contain two full bodied Nord women. She could feel every inch of Astrid's body pressed up against her back and she couldn't help but notice the differences between her own body and Astrid's. As a warrior, Uthgerd's was a muscular figure while Astrid's was much softer and fleshier to the touch. One area in particular Uthgerd noticed was the other woman's belly. As she felt it against her back, she couldn't help but imagine what it might look like. It was breathtakingly soft and slightly rounded, heartrendingly feminine. Uthgerd felt her loins burning at the thought of it and had to fight a rising urge to turn toward Astrid and kiss her all over that belly, kiss her breasts, and then…
Stop! She commanded herself. She could feel her body growing slick with sweat already. Astrid seemed not to notice. In fact, she made herself boldly at home, leaning against Uthgerd's shoulder and whispering, in that husky, melodic voice, "So, what made you choose Whiterun? Was it always about the companions?" Uthgerd sighed, knowing that she was in for a long night and wondering, not for the first time, what she had gotten herself into.
Author's Note: Reviews are very much appreciated. Things are about to get interesting. Also, for those who might be interested in my Dragon Age fanfiction, I will be updating it soon. Thanks for your time!
