To Be Heard

Sivanna squirmed, struggling to escape from Farkas's grasp. She could see Vilkas, still sitting on the bed, watching her with a masked expression. She could feel her face flush red with embarrasment. The entire situation was uncomfortable. Her sore body ached, especially in Farkas's bear of a hug.

"Farkas, please.", she pleaded, tapping his shoulder. He let her go, mumbling an apology through a silly grin. She sat on the bed once more. Her head was light and the room felt as though it were tilting, not unlike the feeling she had after the tavern.

"I thought you'd never again wake.", Farkas confessed.

"Of course I would. I wake with every morn." Sivanna said, breathing deep to prevent herself from fainting. The two brothers exchanged a look.

"You have not told her?", Farkas asked his alpha.

"I hadn't quite got to it yet.", Vilkas said unsmiling.

"Sivanna, you have been in a slumber for some time now." Farkas told her gently. She shook her head, it had to have been only a few hours since she encountered the assassin.

"That cannot be.", Sivanna said. "Just this morning I fought..." She stopped, looking from one brother to the next. Feeling her arms, Sivanna noticed that the wounds she had sustained in the fight were half healed already. It was true then, she had been absent... "How long has it been?" she asked quietly.

"Eight nights now." Vilkas replied.

Sivanna's head was spinning. Eight nights? Arnbjorn and his assassins could be inside the city by now! She stood too quickly, falling backwards for a second time. Vilkas caught her by the shoulders, sitting her down beside him. She was panting with effort, her body screaming at her.

"No worries, Sivanna." Farkas said. "I have been taking care of Agnar whilst you were away."

"Who is Agnar?", Vilkas asked with a frown.

"The horse I gave her, has she not told you?" Farkas asked.

"There is no time for this!" Sivanna panted. "We must return to Whiterun! The Dark Brotherhood could be there even now!"

Vilkas began petting her hair softly. "You are in Whiterun. These are my chambers withing Jorrvaskr. We brought you home."

"By the Gods!" Sivanna cursed as she turned to Vilkas, "Send someone out searching, send them all!"

"Sivanna, your fever barely broke." Vilkas said softly. "You are still a bit muddled."

Sivanna frowned. "You aren't listening to me!" she shook him lightly. "They are coming!"

"Easy now," Vilkas said, raising his hands. "I will send out some sentries, if you eat."

Sivanna shot him a look, what a ridiculous bargain. Now was certainly not the time to be thinking about food. Yet if it would save some lives she would accept, of course. "As you will."

Vilkas relaxed visibly, rising to fetch the steaming bowl that sat on his table. He brought it to her, it held a soup of some sort. Sivanna could smell garlic, and chicken, and some other familiar ingredient that she could not place. Her mouth watered, not realizing until now how ravenous she truly was. Sivanna began wolfing it down quickly, letting out an appreciative moan at the taste. Farkas took Vilkas's spot on the bed, beaming at her. Vilkas scoffed, but sat without a word on the bedside stool.

Seemingly too soon, the bowl was empty. She held it up sheepishly. "Is there, perhaps, any more?"

Vilkas snickered. "Certainly, I made an entire pot."

Sivanna's eyes widened. "You made this?"

"Of course I did.", he said, as though she ought to know he was a wonderful cook.

"Thank you." Sivanna said, eyes on the ground.

"Never you mind it." Vilkas replied as he took her bowl and left the room.

She and Farkas were alone now, slight unease was building within her. Sivanna peeked at him from the corner of her eye, he was still smiling at her. She sighed. "What is it, Farkas?"

"When you build up your strength, I would be honored if you would ride with me." He said, bowing his head.

"Ride?" Sivanna asked.

"Aye, on Agnar.", he nodded. Horseback riding? She thought, That is what he has on his mind at a time like this?

"Farkas, have you not heard me?" Sivanna asked in exasperation.

His smile faded slightly, "I heard, but that isn't to say we can't keep doing the things we love. Some assassins are ruffled at us, so what? We are The Companions, we can handle it. Until then, let's enjoy life."

Sivanna pinched the bridge of her nose between her forefinger and thumb. "What exactly would it mean to you? I have no doubt there is more to this."

"We could learn more about one another," Farkas replied. "It would be a good start."

Vilkas returned, handing Sivanna the bowl before seating himself once more. "A good start for what?"

Farkas turned his attention to his brother. "To get to know one another."

"He wants me to go horseback riding with him.", Sivanna said.

Vilkas watched his brother, unblinking. "I see."

"You can't expect to keep her all to yourself now, can you?" Farkas chuckled as he took Sivanna's hand.

She pulled away, placing both hands on her bowl as an excuse.

"I would think that would be up to her." Vilkas said through clenched teeth. Sivanna could tell that he was struggling with himself, she couldn't help but feel that something bad was about to happen.

Farkas bared his teeth, "Have you ever given her the option?"

Vilkas scoffed. "Indeed I have. She bears my mark."

Farkas's jaw dropped, then his face hardened. "How long?"

"Since the hunting trip." Vilkas answered.

Farkas nodded saying nothing. He turned his gaze to Sivanna, a look of betrayal on his face. She wished she could sink into the bed and disappear.

"Farkas... I tried to tell you." Sivanna said quietly.

"No, you failed to mention it. Why would you not tell me that you bore his mark?" Farkas asked.

Sivanna ruffled. "I told you I was not interested, that should have been enough. Why would it matter if I had a mark or not?" Did her word alone mean so little? Would he only stop pursuit if he knew someone else had a claim on her? She puffed at the thought.

"You let me kiss you!" he yelled.

"I did no such thing!" she cried. "I told you that as well. You just don't hear me."

"That's enough." Vilkas called. "This is not the time."

Farkas was breathing heavily, hands clenched into fists. For a while no one moved, the tension in the room was nearly palpable. Sivanna dared not even breathe, the air seemed explosive. Just when Sivanna thought Farkas would pounce on his brother, he turned on his heel and left the room. Vilkas watched him go, then directed his attention to Sivanna.

"That was in poor taste.", he sighed.

"Vilkas?" Sivanna asked cautiously.

"Aye?"

"Why did you tell him... about the mark?" she asked.

"I told him because it is true. You do, or perhaps did bear my mark." he replied.

"True, but Ria..."

"Enough about her! She matters not to me!" Vilkas said, his voice full of frustration.

"At the dance..." she started.

"She chose me to dance with, aye. I'm sure she hopes for more, and yet that still changes nothing. I do not want her." Vilkas said. Sivanna relaxed somewhat, as for why, she could not say. Ria did not, in fact, have Vilkas for her own. She opened her mouth to ask if the mark was still valid, when Farkas burst through the door.

His face was white as bone... "Vilkas, come quick! Torvar's been murdered!"