When Lunara finished eating, she placed the flagon and bowl beside her on the stone floor. The room had settled into a comfortable silence, punctuated by Vilkas' even breathing, and she silently thanked the Divines for the sound. He hadn't moved or opened his eyes since she used her magic on him, but he showed no signs he was in pain either. She got up off the floor and checked the wound again. She lifted the bandage and the spidering lines of silver poison were almost gone. The wound had closed, at least on the surface. She knew from Danica's training that magic only heals the outside of wounds, but wounds heal from the inside to outside. She blew out a breath, her cheeks puffing out, and shook her head slightly. He still has a long way to go, but at least he's still breathing to do it. She replaced the bandage and sat back down, closing her eyes and leaning against the table for support.
Kodlak looked at Farkas with a look that said, "go find something to do." Farkas cleared his throat and picked up the used dishes from the floor. The door closed behind him with a soft click and Lunara opened her eyes to find the old warrior studying her. He had gray eyes, almost the same color as hers, and his gaze was just as scrutinizing as Vilkas's. She did her best to fight the urge to look at the floor, or anywhere but those eyes. In the end, it was her that broke eye contact, although she could still feel the old man watching her.
"What is it?" She said, trying and failing to keep the annoyance from her voice.
"What? Oh, I'm sorry. I was lost in thought," the old man replied. "I don't know that we have been properly introduced with everything that's happened. My name is Kodlak and I am the Harbinger of the Companions."
"Harbinger?" She asked, confused. "Are you their leader then?" She studied him now, feeling a vague sense of familiarity. She had seen him before, she was sure of it. What she wasn't sure of was whether it had been a dream.
Kodlak nodded, "I am. I guide and advise. Each person here is his or her own man or woman."
Good to know, she thought sarcastically and she fought the urge to roll her eyes. She had no idea why it was necessary that she knew that, but decided to keep it to herself. Instead she said, "My name is Lunara, it's a pleasure to meet you, Harbinger. I only wish it didn't have to be like this." She looked at Vilkas then, as tears formed in the corners of her eyes. What if he didn't wake up soon, or ever? She looked back at Kodlak, who simply nodded.
"I know who you are dear, and I know at least some of what you've been through lately. I was the one who discovered you had been taken to the isolation cell. You were barely alive when I found you, and by the time I got back with Caius you had been moved. I'm so sorry," he said, his eyes apologetic.
"Fuck Caius," Lunara spat. "He arrested me and he probably allowed those animals to do that to me in the first place. If I see him, he'll get an earful from me about allowing prisoners to be abused on his watch. Assuming the Jarl hasn't beheaded me first." She stared at her hands she had folded in her lap and willed the tears not to fall. Saving Vilkas wouldn't matter if she was executed before he woke up, now would it?
Kodlak chuckled softly. He'd never heard such language from a would-be priestess before. Although, he had to admit some of the things she had uttered under her breath when she thought no one could hear would probably make a daedra blush. "What's so funny?" she demanded. Kodlak coughed and then said, "Nothing important, my dear girl. Although I can't believe Vilkas didn't tell you."
"Tell me what?" she asked, panic rising in her voice. Here it comes.
"After you survived the poisoning and Caius arrested you, Vilkas came to me and asked to have an audience with the Jarl. He said that he believed that if he told the Jarl what he saw the night the guard was killed it might sway his decision whether to execute you. It took some doing, but Vignar persuaded the Jarl to hear Vilkas out. After Vilkas told the Jarl that you killed the leader of the Syndicate before falling unconscious, the Jarl pardoned you. He said that any malicious acts you may have done had been committed in defense of your own life."
Lunara was stunned. He had done all that for her? Why? He didn't know her or anything about her. No wonder Farkas had told her she owed Vilkas, she did. She owed him her very life and she had no idea how that debt would ever be repaid. "I-I don't know what to say. I didn't know," she said in a whisper. She couldn't look at Kodlak, who was studying her again.
Kodlak tilted his head and asked, "Do you care for him?"
Lunara's head snapped up in surprise. "I'm sorry, what?" she said.
"Do you care for him?" He repeated.
She avoided the question with one of her own. "Why does it matter?"
Kodlak smiled and shook his head. She may be young, but she was a smart girl and he was glad to know it. "Vilkas is not one that gets attached easily. I can't say for certain how he feels about you, but his wolf likes you. That can get complicated sometimes."
"Aren't all feelings complicated to some degree?" She asked.
"Aye my dear, that they are," Kodlak replied. "It'll work itself out the way it's supposed to I think."
"Maybe," Lunara said, sighing.
The silence fell between them again, until Kodlak eventually stood up to leave. "It's late, I'm going to try and get some sleep. Do you want Farkas to accompany you back to the temple?" he asked.
Lunara glanced between Kodlak and Vilkas and shook her head. "If it's alright, I'd like to stay here and keep watch over him," she said.
"As you wish," he replied. "If you need anything, Farkas's room is right across the hallway and I'm sure he won't be too hard to find."
Her face broke into a tired smile. "Thank you," she said and after a slight pause she added, "and thank you for helping him to save me. I know none of you had to do it and I am grateful." She lowered her eyes then, concentrating on a loose string in the fabric of her robes.
Kodlak smiled. "You're very welcome, my dear. It seems you've already started to return the favor." With that, he turned and left the room. The door closed behind him with a soft click and she was surrounded by silence, broken up by the soft, even breathing of her patient.
She knelt by his bed, taking his hand in hers. She laid her head on the side of the bed and said a silent prayer to whatever Divines were listening to let him make it through the night as she fell asleep listening to the rhythm of his breathing.
She woke several hours later when Tilda came through the door to check on Vilkas. Her feet had gone numb but Lunara didn't care. She gave Tilda a half-smile as Tilda regarded her with suspicion. "How is he?" She asked, "still not awake?" Lunara shook her head. "There's no telling how long he had been like that before Farkas found him, it could be another day or so before he's conscious."
Tilda nodded. "Well you can go back to the temple now, I can look after him from here."
Lunara shook her head. "That's alright, I want to stay and keep watch over him."
Tilda narrowed her eyes at her as Lunara stood up to try and get circulation back to her tingling feet. "No, you can leave. You aren't needed here anymore and you aren't a Companion. Go back to the temple where you belong, girl."
Lunara glared at her and bit the inside of her cheek. This woman would have to drag Lunara's dead body through the gates of Oblivion before she'd leave him. "I will not leave. I may not be a Companion, but I came here and saved his life when it was beyond you to do so, so don't order me away like I'm some child who will just do your bidding. How about you go about whatever other duties you have and leave his care to me and don't you ever fucking try and tell me where I do and don't belong. You don't know me at all."
Tilda flinched, but said nothing, glaring at Lunara. Lunara glared back, fists clenched. The door opened and Farkas appeared. He blinked at the two women who looked like they were about to come to blows. "What's going on?" he asked.
Tilda turned to him and said, "I told her to go back to the temple. She isn't a Companion and has no right to be here now that Vilkas is out of immediate danger and she is refusing to leave."
Farkas sighed and ran his hands down his face. "Tilda, she is free to stay as long as she likes. Companion or no, Vilkas would want her to be here. He would be very angry if he woke up and she wasn't here because you ordered her away." His voice was soft and sweet and the woman's glare softened only slightly. "Fine," she said with a curt nod. "Kodlak will hear about this."
"Great," he said, "why don't you go tell him now?" He gently guided her toward the door and through it before she had a chance to respond. He shut the door behind her and leaned back on it, closing his eyes.
Lunara unclenched her fists first, followed by her jaw. "She always like that?" she asked.
Farkas sighed and said, "sort of. She's very protective of us from outsiders. The wolf-blood thing is a secret, you know."
"You don't say," Lunara replied with more sarcasm than she intended. She turned back to Vilkas, lifting the bandage and checking his wound. The outside was almost completely healed now, only a small puckering of scar tissue remained. She removed the bandage completely, adding it to the pile of them that she needed to take back to the temple and clean.
Farkas chose to ignore her sarcasm. "How is he doing anyway?"
"His wound is healing very well actually," she replied, "hopefully he'll wake up soon." A tinge of worry found its way into her voice, but Farkas hadn't seemed to notice. "I actually do need to get back to the temple and see if Danica is back yet as well as clean these bandages. I don't think I'll need them for Vilkas, but another patient may need them soon."
Farkas rolled his eyes. "Then why did you refuse to leave earlier?" he asked.
Lunara shrugged. "I will not be ordered around or talked down to by anyone. I am no one's slave and no one is my master," she said, and then under her breath where she thought Farkas couldn't hear, "anymore."
What did that mean? He had no idea, but the girl definitely was interesting. He was starting to see why Vilkas had been drawn to her. She was a walking contradiction. She was both delicate and strong, submissive and stubborn. She was simultaneously fearless and terrified. It was an intriguing thing to watch. Vilkas always did like studying curious subjects, he thought. His thoughts were interrupted by a loud knock on the door.
Lunara had been gathering items and stuffing them in her satchel and jumped at the sound. She stood up straight as Farkas opened the door and Kodlak stepped in, followed by Tilda, who was staring daggers at Lunara.
The old bat actually went and tattled on me! Lunara resisted the urge to stick her tongue out at the old woman, choosing instead to bite the inside of her cheek.
Kodlak smiled at her. "Good morning, Lunara. How is he this morning?" He leaned to the side to try and get a look at Vilkas behind her. She stepped out of the way and said, "His wound is healing nicely, and he should wake up soon, hopefully. It's really up to him how long that takes," she said, smiling back. She slung her satchel over her shoulder and started for the door.
"Where are you going?" Kodlak asked, stopping her. "Aren't you staying?"
Lunara swallowed and glanced between Kodlak and Tilda. "I would like to, but I have a few things I need to do at the temple as well as let Danica know what's happened, if she's come back from the farm."
Worry flashed in Kodlak's eyes. Lunara realized that Danica didn't know about Vilkas. She couldn't have known or she would have mixed the potions stronger to compensate for the lycanthropy. Which meant that Vilkas wasn't the only Companion that had the affliction. Before Kodlak could say anything, Lunara spoke again. "I meant what I said to you yesterday. I won't say anything to anyone. What I will do, however, is make sure that I start mixing the cure poison potions the Companions order from Danica. That way, they will be strong enough to work for whoever needs them, human or otherwise." She stared at Tilda then, who flinched. "If it's alright with you, Harbinger, I would like to go back to the temple for a couple of hours to tend to my duties and return later to check on him." The tension left Kodlak's body at her words. He nodded. "That will be fine. You are welcome here anytime, Lunara." He then turned to Tilda and said, "Do not bother her again, Tilda. She is not a threat to the Companions."
"But-," Tilda started, and Kodlak raised his hand. "No, you heard the girl. She will not speak of what she knows. It will be fine," he said. With that, Lunara exited the room and hurried back to the temple.