Day 1
"Vilkas, I don't care how guilty you feel, you're being as dumb as Farkas" Aela followed the Nord man throughout Jorrvaskr as he searched around for a clean mug.
"That hurts, Aela" Farkas looked up from the table to the Nord woman and crossed his arms, a simple action that made Aela frown.
"I'm sorry, Farkas. But, doesn't anybody agree with me?"
"About what?" Vilkas picked up a mug off the table and halted his movements.
"On the fact your transformation was so short, that it could be fogging your mind on what is right. Vilkas, a transformation can last a day, yours lasted a few hours. And, you immediately went to the Temple in order to see Addilyn, despite this being your first transformation in years" Aela threw her hands in the air, "There are so many things you're not caring about"
"And there are so many things I need to make up for, those issues can wait until these issues are cleaned up! Now, can you act like a Shield-Sister..."
"I am acting like a Shield-Sister!"
"Then let me go back to the living quarters to speak to Addilyn!"
Aela, completely fed up with this conversation, groaned and mumbled a string of words that shouldn't be uttered in polite company, and threw open the doors of Jorrvaskr.
"She has a point, brother" Farkas stood up from his chair, watching Aela leave the mead hall, "Maybe you should take a breather, you haven't slept much in the past two days"
"I've been preoccupied, besides, I feel fine" Vilkas shook his head and poured a small healing potion into the mug, along with a little bit of Black-Brier mead.
"But you haven't been the wolf for a long time, and I know how you feel about the wolf. I'm just saying, maybe you should let Aela or I help out with…"
"Farkas," Vilkas looked at his brother, bringing his hand up slightly to signal him to stop, "Addilyn almost died, I did what I had too to make sure she came back to Whiterun safely and get help. I may not be proud of my actions; the fact I went to Driftshade for revenge, the fact I guilt Addilyn into coming with me, the fact that because of me she spent hours in pain with poison coursing through her body. I have showed myself to be a selfish, and wrongful, companion and I need to make it up to her before I focus on the fact I could be pushing myself too far so recently after shifting in the beast" Vilkas sighed, and swiveled the mug in his hand, making sure the potion and the mead were more flavored together. "Please, brother, trust me in what I am doing. I believe, for the first time since she joined the Companions, I am doing the right thing"
Farkas crossed his arms across his chest, and slowly began to nod, "Okay, I understand. I'll trust you, Vilkas"
"Thank you, brother" Vilkas nodded and placed his hand on Farkas' shoulder.
The conversation coming to a close, Farkas said he had to do something and quickly left out the back doors of Jorrvaskr. Vilkas couldn't be bothered by his brothers behavior and returned his attention back to getting downstairs, and apologizing to Addilyn as profusely as he could.
Addilyn laid in bed, staring at the stone on the ceiling, counting each groove or crack in her gaze. If she could, she would've been walking around and back into her normal routine. But, with Vilkas constantly reminding her of Danica's words, Addilyn felt she had no choice but to stay in bed and count the wooden panels, iron nails, stones and Nordic carvings.
This bed does feel more relaxing than mine at Breezehome... Her pale fingers twirled around the furs on his bed, relaxing into the softness of the bed. Maybe it's the fact I am surrounded by people I can trust to protect me despite me being down for the count. Lydia is a good fighter and all, but I always feel on edge at home.
Her gaze drifted down to the training dummy in front of the bed, and she smiled
The fact he has a dummy in here speaks a lot to who he is. But, why does he have so many ingredients?
While adjusting the way she was laying, she heard the door creak open, and the waft of rainwater and moss revealed to her it was Vilkas, and the smell of juniper berries and honey made her realize he had a potion with him.
"Vilkas, I'm fine" She flung one of the smaller furs towards the door, and turned onto her right side.
"Come on, woman, I mixed it with some black brier mead. It shouldn't be that bitter"
"Can you just give me the bottle of mead and throw out the potion?" Vilkas chuckled lightly and sat at the edge of the bed.
"I would, except Danica said you should drink a small healing potion each day to bring your body back from the grave"
With a small groan of annoyance, Addilyn slowly sat up in bed and winced in pain. Despite having the poison removed from her body, it was still sore, and her left leg didn't like to listen. She took the tankard from his hands. She mouthed a silent thank you and brought the tankard to her mouth, but when the smell got so close to her nose, she grimaced and pulled back.
"Gods, you're like a child" Vilkas groaned and pushed the tankard towards her again. She shot him an icy glare and with a breath, downed the tankard. When the slimy liquid rolled down her throat, she coughed and groaned.
"That's disgusting, where's the mead?" She tossed the tankard to the floor and looked at Vilkas, hands folded into her lap.
"Upstairs, I didn't bring it down" Vilkas shook his head, to which Addilyn groaned and laid back on the bed, throwing her arm over her eyes.
"Bring the bottle next time, please" She may have included a 'please' in her sentence, but Vilkas felt that it was more of an order than a request.
"I'll make sure to do that" Vilkas then stood from the bed and walked over to a chair across from the bed.
The two didn't speak for several minutes after that, but it didn't really feel awkward or unnecessary. To Vilkas, the silence was needed in order to swallow his pride and finally apologize to her. His mouth began to open, but she cut him off before he even started.
"You know, you don't need to stay here and watch me all the time"
"I know"
"Then why do you stay here?" She let her arm flop off the bed and returned her gaze to the ceiling. Vilkas continued to stare at her and exhaled slowly.
"Because I need to talk to you about something"
Addilyn raised herself onto her elbow and looked at Vilkas, slowly, she raised herself. The ache in her side dissipating as the potion worked its magic.
"Is everything okay?" Her voice was filled with concern, which only made him feel worse. Through all the unbelievable shit he put her through during her time with the Companions; she still was nice to him and was supportive, and wanted to make sure he was okay.
"Yes, everything is fine" His voice was still firm, and he crossed his arms in a way to defend himself.
"Then, what is it?"
The air became tense, and he could barely look at her in the eye. Eyes that were filled with compassion, despite the fact he had showed no compassion towards her. But, at the same time, he couldn't force himself to pull away from her intense gaze.
"I…I wanted to apologize" All of the sudden, the firmness was gone, and he felt small.
"What for?" Her voice was still soft, but this time held the tone of confusion and inquiry.
"For, being such an unbelievable ass. You weren't the reason Kodlak died, or Skjor. No, you were just doing what was asked of you to bring honor and glory to the Companions. And the fact I was so prideful and couldn't see that shows that I am not as smart as I believed. It was wrong of me, and it was because of this pride that you almost died. And, I am truly, truly sorry"
The moment the words left his lips, he felt unbelievably small and weak. Never before had he ever let on that he was prideful and blinded, it wasn't a Nord's way. A Nord was strong and held true to his beliefs, even if the beliefs were wrong. The Nords were and always will be a headstrong race. Yet, here he was, looking at a fellow Nord whom he almost killed with his foolish actions, and couldn't help but bring himself to apologize for all the foolish and idiotic things he did since they met. He figured she would yell at him, curse him for being so stubborn and rude, and curse him for making her believe that she caused all the pain in Jorrvaskr. Yet, he believed it was what he deserved, he even wished for it.
"Oh, Vilkas, it's okay" Her words brought him to reality, completely stunned. Never would he have believed she would forgive him for the pain he caused her. He searched for her eyes again and she smiled, "Besides, it wasn't your fault for my getting hurt. It was the Silverhand, and you did everything you could to bring me back to Whiterun despite the fact I kept telling you not too. Vilkas," She threw her hands in the hair and grinned, "You saved my life".
She was too forgiving for her own good; yet, her words filled his body with so much joy. He couldn't forgive himself, but the fact she forgave him made him feel all the pride that was once wounded, but in a different way. This was more the pride of having a Nord, who was a fantastic warrior and a champion over fate, forgive him for all the misgivings. He felt as if Lady Mara personally came down to Nirn and told him he was the best man on Nirn.
"Just like that, you, forgive me?"
"Of course, I can tell you feel bad. Why would I drag it out even further?" She smile slyly and placed a finger on her lips, acting as if she was thinking, "But, you could make it up to me by getting me a bottle of Black Brier Mead to wash the bitter taste from my mouth"
Her motions distracted him and the wolf began to stir within him. He didn't respond, only nodded silently and stood from the chair. He would have ran out the door, if she didn't stop him with her final words.
"Thank you, Vilkas. I mean it" Her eyes, her smile, her forgiveness, it all awoke something inside him.
"You're welcome" He didn't know where he found his voice, but he thanked the Gods he did and left the room, shutting the door behind him.
Outside the door, Vilkas sat on the on the cold stone. The beast was howling inside his body and began to fill his brain with thoughts stemming all over the place. All carnivorous, primal thoughts that resembled the way a wolf thought in a mans body.
Gods, what is happening?