Two

Farkas

"I don't know what you think I'll be able to do for the Dragonborn." I say, knowing he's going to chew my ear off for it.

"What— You— ? Can do— ?" He spluttered through the tankard he had been drinking when I said that, just like I knew he would. I held back a snicker, knowing it would only make my punishment worse now.

Vignar slammed his tankard down and looked me straight in the eyes. "Son, what couldn't you do for the Dragonborn if you found him?"

Vignar appeared offended I would ever suggest such a thing. I snorted and he hit me in the back of the head with his now empty tankard.

"Ouch." I growled, rubbing the bump.

"Take a walk with me boy. There are too many..." His gaze traveled around the room of the Great Hall. I followed his gaze to Ria, by the hearth, obviously listening to us, "ears listening in here."

I silently agreed as I followed Vignar outside. The Great Hall was almost stifling hot tonight, we were having roast pork for dinner in celebration of getting more recruits, and the turn out had been more than expected. I was certain there were even townspeople in the mix.

Once outside, I tightened my furs around myself. It was so cold outside that my spit would become a crystal before it hit the ground. The ice cold wind seemed to touch my bones, but my body was used to this. A bitter winter was creeping closer and closer, Frostfall was almost upon us and it was already more frigid than usual. I was glad to have my beast blood to warm me, despite the fact that I was losing a lot of the color in my vision.

My brother had warned me this may happen; we took the blood so young. Even old wolves like Kodlak and Skjor had gone completely colorblind. I was losing mine already, albeit as slow as a snail's pace but still enough to take notice. Kodlak had told me he hadn't noticed anything change until he was almost to his 40th summer. I hadn't even seen my 29th summer.

I followed Vignar to the lookout behind the Jorrvaskr. The wind was quiet, almost still. I could hear almost everything between us and the front gate. I could smell the meat and vegetables in the market and could hear the guards sharpening their swords in the guardhouse. I could hear the bass of Jarl Balgruff speaking to a group within Dragonsreach and anyone could hear Jomskir's screams in front of the statue of Talos.

"Farkas my boy," Vignar put a hand on my shoulder, pulling me from my stupor, "I'm proud of you son. Look at the warrior you have become."

Vignar's words took me aback, but I felt pride rise in my chest at the praise. Many others treated me like I really was an idiot, but Vignar never had. It really had been a joke my brother had started; I knew people had started to believe it was true. I wasn't really a useless ice brain, but at least I had some peace and quiet from people because of it.

"Thank you Vignar." I hear myself say, trying not to smile stupidly at the compliment.

"Trust me, the Dragonborn needs as much help as he can get right now. Since the embassy burned, the imperials have been hunting him. So far nothing, but he won't be this lucky forever. Eventually, they'll find him." Vignar looked at me pointedly. "That's where you come in."

Vignar was smiling, I was scowling.

"Why exactly do you want me to help the Dragonborn? He is obviously an unstable nutcase. He burned an entire building to the ground and placed a spell on it so nobody could get out."

"Something happened in that embassy before it got burned down. Do you really think somebody who took the time to destroy the Dragon King would burn down the Thalmor Embassy for no reason? No. He must have found something that set him off, or there was a fight and it was a result of defending himself." Vignar took a deep breath.

"Sounds more like a vengeance killing to me." I muttered.

"Either way, the Thalmor have no business being here, I say that's what they deserve for sticking their noses into our business."

I looked at Vignar for a long time. A lot of Nords agreed with my foster father, he probably thought that I did as well, yet I honestly didn't care enough to have an opinion.

"So, you want me to find the Dragonborn first? And be his bodyguard?" I asked. "Vignar, I have contracts—"

"It's alright boy, I will dole out your contracts for you while you are gone. Nothing to worry about. I will keep your earnings hidden in the usual spot when you go away." He smiled at me brightly, I couldn't bring myself to say no.

"Alright Vignar—" I turn away to go to bed, I was exhausted. I had been having the strangest nightmares lately, which meant not much sleep was waiting for me. Vignar grabbed my shoulder tightly.

"One more thing boy." He said, I turned back to face him.

"What?" I asked uncertainly.

"I'm not trying to tell you what to do—" I snorted at the hypocrisy. "—but I would advise you to stay away from Ria."

I felt my eyebrows furrow into a scowl.

"Why would that be?" I asked, trying not to let the irritation touch my voice.

"You know what I heard her telling Njada?" Vignar gritted out. "She was telling her that once you two are an imprinted pair, nothing will be able to stop the Guild and that you will take Kodlak's place as Harbinger. Njada didn't even know what she was talking about. How did Ria come by this information?"

At these words, I turned my full attention to him again.

"Ria said what?"It took me a moment to breathe again. "Imprint? What the fuck does that mean?" I demanded.

Vignar shook his head. "Don't you know anything?" He growled. "Your beast blood will know its mate. If you ever do find your woman, be careful not to let your beast blood control you as it may have when you were but a whelp. When our beast blood is so overwhelmed by animal instincts, it can sometimes make it difficult to control him."

I stared at Vignar, eyebrows raised. "I haven't heard from my wolf since the early days of my transformation. I doubt it's that strong."

"I wouldn't bet on it." Vignar grinned. "Your beast would've already imprinted on that whore if you were meant for each other, so relax."

Vignar's words didn't make me relax.

"So you're telling me, that some random woman I don't know might be able to hold some type of wolfy power over me because I can't control my cock?" My humor was dry, and Vignar barely held back a snort.

"In all honesty... yes."

"And why hasn't this ever been brought up before?" I demanded. "This seems like an important piece of information that even Ria knows and I don't? She isn't even a part of the Circle for gods sakes."

"That's what I'm confused about." Vignar scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. "She shouldn't know that. Perhaps I'll ask her."

I shook my head in frustration, "Well you let me know if you get the answer."

"Farkas." Vignar, stopped me once more. "The reason it was never brought up is because it is so rare. There has only been one case of it recorded in our history, and that was back during the split."

"The split?" I asked, interested again.

"I've told you enough." He said, turning away. "Long story short, one of ours and a Thief imprinted on one another."

"And?" I asked. "What happened to them?"

"It was the only time in our history we have ever had an alliance with the Thieves Guild believe it or not, they were powerful back then too."

"An alliance for what?"

"To execute them both." Vignar's face was grim as he looked at me. I felt the blood drain from my face.

"They executed them?" I asked.

"In front of both of their Guilds, as a lesson to them." Vignar confirmed.

I blinked in surprise.

"Not a very nice story I know. Before they died, they promised one another they would find each other in another life. It was a very different time back then, don't forget." Vignar was quiet as I turned to him with wide eyes.

"Their own guilds burned them at the stake for that?" A chill ran down my spine; I was unsure if it was from the cold or something else. "That's disgusting."

"The men from that time were brutal, my boy. But love and life goes on." Vignar clapped me on the back as he strode passed me back into Jorrvaskr. "Oh, by the way," He paused and turned back to me once again, "I forgot to tell you. I have a job you may be interested in."

"What is it?" I asked, anything to take my mind off our conversation. I rubbed at the headache gathering in my temples.

"A prisoner transportation job from Falkreath to Riften. The prisoner supposedly has information on the whereabouts of a certain Dragonborn." Vignar smiled and tossed me a roll of parchment with that same grin. "Good luck."

XXX

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