Chapter 4

Aela came to her senses when she heard someone calling her name. "Aela Aela! By the divines wake up!" The huntress looked around to see in front of her Vilkas and Farkas as well as the other Companions Athis Njada Ria and Torvar. All tied up in cages. Vilkas turned to the huntress. "are you alright?" he asked. Aela looked around still dizzy from the hit. "whats going on?" she asked. Farkas spoke up. "Eorlund told us that you went after Martin. As soon as he told us we made our way following your trail then some strange mages came after us. Used the same spells that Martin used on us. The next thing we knew we were locked up in these cages. Damn wizards." Aela spat at Farkas. "watch your tongue Farkas! Martin Is the Arch mage of the college of Winter hold. Show some respect."

everyone looked at Aela with worried glance. "are you okay sister?" Ria asked. "youve never acted like this before." Aela was about to answer when a door slammed open. Down walked a few figures in mages robes. She couldnt tell what kind but oddly enough they wore nordic boots and gauntlets. One of them walked up to the cages. Aela at once noticed his robes were different than the others. His was lighter in color and on his back was strapped an orcish warhammer. "welcome Companions of Whiterun." he said walking past all the cages. "I am Paladin Malic of the Vigilants of Stendaar." he said stopping at Farkas`s cage. Farkas glared up at the man. "what do you want from us?" he asked angrily. The paladin smiled. "simple we Vigilants as you know hunt down Daedra daedra worshippers and Vampires…..as well as werewolves."

the three of the circle gulped. "we know that you leaders of the Circle are cursed with the beast blood but dont worry were going to put an end to that." Aela spoke up standing up in her cell. "curse!? How dare you. This is a gift to many of us." she replied. The paladin smiled. "so you say. But to us it is evil. You in the way of taking the blood of the beast you also subject yourselves to Hercine the daedric prince of the hunt himself." Aela glared at the Paladin. "and what gives you the right to do these kinds of things?" Aela asked. The Vigilant continued smiling. "right? Oh no no no. this is our responsibility. Our duty to stendarr is what keeps us moving."

meanwhile.

A lone vigilant wandered the walls of the new hall of the Vigilants. It had once been an abandoned fort like all the rest among skyrim before they cleared out the bandits and took it for their own. He stared at the blank starry night smiling. His thoughts were interrupted as something was moving to the right of him. "is someone there?" he asked as he drew his mace. He moved around the wall and kept his wits about himself. Soon he started to think that he was just hearing things. He put away his mace and turned around only to run into a figure and fell onto his behind. He looked up expecting one of the fellow Vigilants only to see a Dark figure. A vampire. He drew his mace once more and got up ready to fight back when he was hit by a blast of magic. At once he put his mace away and had the dumbest smile on his face. "i am at your service master."

the companions sat in their cells all waiting for the end to draw near. The circle agreed not to change into the wolf form due to the lower members might getting scared of fright. Aela sat once again in a cage again wishing Martin were there to comfort her. Ria spoke up. "were you two close?" she asked. Aela looked at the young woman with a confused look. "what do you mean?" she asked. The Imperial woman smiled. "you and Martin were you two close?" she repeated her question. Aela looked away. "that is none of your concern." she answered. Njada spoke up next. "you dont need to hide it from us Aela we all knew." Aela gave the nord woman a look that read "shut up now unless you want to die now." which the two girls were quiet. Farkas soon started chuckling. "i remember when Martin gave Vilkas a run for his coin." he laughed. Vilkas smirked looking at his brother. "yes all he had was an iron sword and he cracked my shield. I had to pay extra for it to get repaired." both brothers laughed as the girls and dark elf all cracked a smile while Torvar laughed.

"i remember dustmans cairn. He saved my life then." Farkas said smiling. "he had stolen a silver sword from one of the dead silver hand. He told me it would help us later on. I didnt believe it at first but when a draugr came from behind well...you all get the rest." this made all of them laugh. Soon they were all sharing stories how Martin had helped them or how he had impacted them. Finally they got to Aela. She was quiet for a moment until she finally spoke up. "the night we lost Skjor I was hurt and upset. I knew he shouldnt have gone in there alone but he thought he could handle the silver hand himself." she looked at the ground. "we were waiting for Martin to change back from his wolf form and Skjor was bored."

she smiled and wiped a tear from her eye. "after we found Skjors body I broke down. He held me in his arms and kept telling me it was going to be okay." she said to nobody almost forgetting that they were all in that room. "our eyes met and soon our lips did and…." she stopped and looked around knowing everyone understood. "if I ever saw Martin again I would tell him how sorry I was. I shouldve been there for him and stood up for him that night. If I had none of us would be in this predicament." she said now letting tears once again streaming down her face. "if I ever saw him again…...i would tell him how I really feel about him..." the companions all were quiet as Aela finally spilled it out. "i would admit I was in love with Martin." she said finally bawling her eyes out.

Everyone was quiet until Ria spoke up with a wise crack that made everyone burst out laughing. "i knew it." the laughter died down once a group of Vigilants came down. Malic smiled pulling out a blessed iron dagger. "now who would like to be first? He said looking at the members of the circle. One of the Vigilants stepped forward. "can I make a request sir? Malic rolled his eyes. "what might that be." he had little time to react because the lone Vigilant stabbed the paladin straight in the neck. "Master it is done. What will you have me do now?!" he bellowed at the top of his lungs. The other two Vigilants stepped back now thinking that the boy had gone entirely mad. They drew their swords only to be blasted back with ice spikes into the back of their skulls.

The companions all turned the lower members were now scared at the sight the brothers of the circle had looks of worry but Aela had a dumb smile on her face. "glad you could make it." she said as the lock was slashed open by the katana. The imperial Vampire smiled. "well when I got to the college and to riverwood I was told that a certain nord woman was looking for me. What was there to do?" Martin asked as he helped Aela up. She stared at him for a moment before finally catching her breath. "Martin I am so sorry. We all are." Martin was about to speak when seven more vigilants appeared with weapons drawn came down. Martin stood in front of Aela defending her. "well talk later. Right now Ill take care of them." he felt something tap his shoulder and as he turned he saw Aela with a skyforge steel sword in its hilt. "a gift from the greatest blacksmith in Skyrim." Aela said smiling.

Martin smiled taking it and drawing the weapon out. It glowed in a blue and yellow. "my blade Moonfang." he said smiling. He turned to Aela and with a warm smile said. "thank you." he stepped towards the Vigilants smiling. "so who wants to go to sovenguard first?" he asked as he lit a firebolt in his hand.