Farkas gave Jenssen a shove as they crossed the main hall of Jorrvaskr and descended the steps to the living quarters. The maid, Tilma, eyed the bound man with suspicion but didn't comment, instead choosing to address Vilkas.
"Good, you're back. Vignar was looking for you earlier. I think he's waiting in Kodlak's office," she said.
Vilkas nodded. "Thank you, Tilma. I'll see him when Farkas and I have our guest here settled. Is the broom closet still empty?"
"Only thing I ever kept in there was my broom. Suppose I could keep it elsewhere for a time," she said. "What's this about, anyway?"
"Don't worry Tilma, no one will get hurt. We just need to secure our friend here until we sort some things out. We will get your closet back to you in the same condition we found it. Promise." Vilkas flashed her a crooked smile and her suspicious look melted away.
"Well, I can't say no to you boys, I never could. Just let me know when you're done." She took the key from her pocket and pressed it into his hand.
"Thanks, you're the best," Farkas grinned at her and shoved Jenssen again. "Move," he growled. They moved together down the hallway towards the small broom closet. Farkas held Jenssen by the strap as Vilkas unlocked and opened the door. Farkas gave Jenssen one last shove into the closet, and he landed on his backside on the cold stone floor. Vilkas closed and locked the door again, turning to Farkas.
"Will you wait here for Danica? I need to go see Kodlak and Vignar," he said.
"I'll be here," Farkas replied as Vilkas turned and walked to Kodlak's office.
Inside the office, Kodlak and Vignar sat across from each other at Kodlak's desk. They both looked at the door as Vilkas walked in.
"Oh good, you're here," Vignar said, "come, come. Sit down." He gestured toward an empty chair and Vilkas seated himself.
"Tilda said you wanted to see me? Is everything alright?" he asked, glancing between the two men with a hint of worry in his voice.
"Everything is fine," Kodlak said, "Vignar has been to see Proventus, and he's come back with news." He tilted his head toward Vignar, and the other man took that as his cue to speak.
"I spoke with Proventus earlier this afternoon about your request and he just sent word about an hour ago that the Jarl has agreed to your request for an audience regarding the girl. You will see him tomorrow at midday. I hope you're prepared for it." Vignar said.
Vilkas' eyes widened. He had not thought the Jarl would grant him an audience, much less within a day of requesting it. He nodded and said, "I will be. Thank you both."
"Don't thank me yet. It probably won't do anything to change the Jarl's mind," Vignar pointed out, "but he agreed that he should hear what you have to say."
Vilkas stood up and paced the length of the room. He worried about Lunara's safety in the dungeon. If there were truly operatives in the guard like Jenssen said, most likely they were watching her and waiting for a chance to try again. The longer she stayed in the dungeon, the more likely it was that the Jarl would not have to sentence her and her death would look like she'd taken her own life. Kodlak watched Vilkas pacing and glanced at Vignar, who just shrugged.
"What is the matter?" He asked. Vilkas snapped out of his thoughts and sat down again.
"There's more to the story now and I truly believe the girl's life is in danger if I don't do something before I speak with the Jarl," Vilkas replied.
"You can't break her out of prison! Have you gone mad, boy?" Vignar blurted, looking shocked. Vilkas stared at Vignar like he was the one who had gone mad, and Kodlak chuckled at the absurdity of Vignar's outburst.
"No, of course I will not break her out of prison! I'm not mad! If she is to live, I must do it the right way." He fought the urge to roll his eyes at the old man. "But she isn't safe with the guards, which sounds ridiculous, and I would have agreed just two hours ago. But after questioning the acolyte, I don't think it's ridiculous now."
"Tell us what's happened," Kodlak said.
Vilkas relayed the events of Jenssen's capture and subsequent questioning to the two men.
"Where is this Jenssen now?" Kodlak asked, when Vilkas had finished the story.
"Farkas and I locked him in Tilda's broom closet?" He mumbled, staring at the floor.
"You did what?!" he said, almost yelling, and it was Vignar's turn to chuckle.
"Well, Danica didn't want to keep him bound in the temple and I didn't want to risk him alerting anyone before we figured out what to do. He's not injured or anything, he's just bound and locked in the closet with Farkas standing guard until Danica gets here to use the runes to keep him contained in there," Vilkas said, feeling the color rising in his face.
Kodlak sighed and shook his head. What was he going to do with those two? They'd been getting into one mischief or another since they were lads, but locking a would-be priest in a broom closet was by far the most...he couldn't even find the words to finish his thought. Vilkas shifted in his chair like a wayward child awaiting his punishment and Kodlak suppressed a smile.
"I'll tell you what, since you will be busy preparing for your meeting with the Jarl tomorrow I will go myself to ensure the girl's safety," Kodlak said as Vilkas and Vignar both looked at him in shock. Kodlak hardly ever left Jorrvaskr anymore. What did he think he would accomplish?
"No," Vilkas and Vignar spoke in unison.
Kodlak looked surprised and Vilkas continued, "I just mean that you shouldn't have to do such a thing yourself. Farkas and I can handle it." His voice trailed off then, unsure of what else to say.
"Nonsense. Besides, this way I can meet this girl that trouble follows around," Kodlak said with a smile, "That is all, off you go now."
Vilkas took the cue to leave. He stood up and walked to the door. Before he walked out, he turned to Kodlak to say something, but the old man's eyes were already on him. "Don't worry son," Kodlak said in a low voice, "no harm will come to her once I get there." Vilkas nodded and lowered his eyes, then stepped out into the hall and closed the door behind him. He leaned back against the door and closed his eyes. He was exhausted, but he didn't have time to rest now. He sighed and pushed himself away from the door and headed back to where he'd left Farkas. He was not at his post in front of the closet door, but Vilkas could see the glowing amber runes that lined the doorway, which told him Danica had been there. He turned toward the hallway to their living quarters and headed for his room. He poked his head in Farkas' room and found him sitting in his chair with a bottle of ale in his hands. He looked up when he heard his brother's footsteps and picked up another bottle from the table and offered it to him. Vilkas accepted it, saying nothing, and put the bottle to his lips and took a long drink. He'd almost emptied the bottle when he noticed Farkas' eyes on him. He leaned against the doorway and finished the bottle.
"So, what's next?" Farkas asked, like someone a little too eager to run into battle.
"I don't know, but the Jarl agreed to see me tomorrow at midday and apparently our Harbinger has taken it upon himself to be Lunara's dungeon bodyguard," Vilkas said with a half-smile as he shook his head in disbelief that Kodlak had even suggested such a thing.
"He did what?!" Farkas asked, just as surprised as Vilkas had been earlier.
"You heard me," Vilkas replied, "I'm sure he'll be leaving to go to the dungeons any minute now." He closed his eyes and sighed, growing more tired by the second.
Kodlak entered the dungeon and announced himself. The guard on duty gave a small bow. "Good evening Harbinger," the guard said nervously, "what brings you here at this hour?"
"I am here to speak with a prisoner. I know that it is an odd request at this hour, but it is very important that I see her," Kodlak replied.
"Her?" The guard swallowed, "Which prisoner did you need to see, Harbinger?"
Kodlak eyed the guard with suspicion. "Her name is Lunara Aeresius and I would like to see her, now," his voice was low and threatening. He hadn't been in a fight in ages, but this guy was irritating him.
"I-I'm afraid that's not possible, Harbinger," the guard stammered, as beads of sweat popped out on the guard's forehead. "We've had to, uh, isolate her. No one can see or speak to her."
"Why?" Kodlak demanded, his temper rising.
"S-She attacked a guard without provocation," the guard continued to stumble over his words and was looking around desperately for anyone that could save him from the intense stare of the warrior standing before him.
"I demand that you take me to her immediately, or I will summon Commander Caius out of his bed to come down here and deal with you personally," Kodlak growled.
The guard swallowed again,, and with one last look down the hallway behind him, nodded his head. "Please, follow me." He turned on his heel and walked to the other end of the hallway. He opened a trapdoor and climbed down the ladder. Kodlak followed, and they were both standing in a large hallway lined with empty cells. Torches hung from the walls, casting light in the walkway but bathing the cells in shadows. At the end of the hallway was a door that led to a single cell.
"She's there," the guard said, heading toward the end of the hall. Kodlak followed but then stopped short at the overwhelming scent of blood in the air. What had they done to her? The guard turned to look at him, but Kodlak kept his expression neutral and motioned to the guard to lead the way.
He realized that this guard seemed to be the only one on duty. Where were the rest of them? Granted, it was after midnight now, but they always worked in shifts with multiple guards on duty at a time.
"Here we are," the guard said standing between Kodlak and the cell door, "I've allowed you to see her, now we must really get back upstairs before someone learns I've brought you down here." He ran his fingers through his tousled locks and motioned back toward the exit.
Kodlak stepped around the guard and took in the scene before him. Lunara was there, her wrists shackled in chains that hung from the ceiling. The chains were so short that she stood on the very tips of her toes and her ankles were shackled by more chains that connected to the floor. She had been stripped of her clothing and she was covered in dried blood and bruises of various shades of black and purple covered her body from her head to her feet. Her head was laying against her arm, her eyes closed. Blood dripped down her chin from a split in her lip and her left eye was swollen shut. Her dark hair was matted with blood. He would have thought her dead, but he could hear her steady, if somewhat slow, heartbeat.
His blood was boiling, and he grabbed the guard by the neck and lifted him off the floor. He put his face a mere inch from the terrified guard. "Who ordered this?" He growled.
The guard struggled to breathe. "I-I don't know, honest. She was here like this when I came on shift at ten. I was only told that she was here and that she was to have no visitors. Not that anyone thought she'd have any. Nobody will miss this girl when she's executed anyway," the guard sputtered. Kodlak gripped the young man tighter and his eyes started to roll back into his head. Kodlak roared and threw the man to the floor where he lay coughing and sputtering, trying to regain his composure.
Kodlak was beginning to grow weary. Perhaps it wasn't such a great idea for me to do this. It's too late now, I must see it through. He steadied himself and grabbed the guard by the neck of his uniform and dragged him down the hall and up the ladder to the main hall of the dungeon. Keeping his grip on the guard, he pushed him out the door of the dungeons all the way down to the guard barracks near the front gate of the city.