The Dragonborn blinked awake and smiled as she saw Vilkas sitting at the nearby table eating a wheel of cheese.
"Oh, sweetie-pie. You'll put on weight and lose all your muscle and I'll be forced to divorce you! I'll have to bury you with a bouquet of deathbell!"
Vilkas remained seated but turned his head with no change in expression.
"You're a talkative one, aren't you."
The Dragonborn rolled her eyes and got up off the bed. She leaned in to kiss him and held his face with her hands as she broke apart. He reached under her elbow for a piece of cheese and chewed as he stared up at her. She sighed.
"Well, at least you're pretty."
The Dragonborn pulled on her Deathbrand armor and strapped her Nightingale sword in its scabbard to her back. She walked over to Vilkas and searched his backpack.
"I figure we'll go for a little ride to someplace near here. I'll tell you the tale of how I got that weapon. It's a fun trip, I promise!"
The sword strapped to Vilkas' back glowed blue. She headed for the door and he got up and followed.
"I think by now I've killed one of every living thing in Skyrim. May be time for a trip to Morrowind."
The Dragonborn rolled her eyes and smiled. She walked into the hall of Frostfruit Inn and waved at Erik who blushed. She pushed open the door and squinted.
"I almost want to move here. Almost. But I have the place in Whiterun and Solitude and Markath and you know how busy it is being a prop-er-ty owner, don't you, sweetie-pie?"
Vilkas came down the little set of steps, almost crouching to and fro and unsure where to stand. He opened his mouth.
"Come to me with questions. I know our history almost as well as Vignar by now. Except I can remember it."
The Dragonborn led the way along the stone path north. Vilkas' sword clanked as he half-walked, half-ran to keep up with her long strides. She flexed her palms which crackled with electricity; stretched her arms bulging with muscle; whispered "Raan!" and giggled as a rabbit stood stock still and sniffing. The Dragonborn glanced west.
"See up there? Vilkas, sweetie?"
"It's good to see you again, dear."
"Don't you try flirting with me. I know your tricks. No - that little shack up that is where we could live if we move to Rorikstead. Of course, my trick will be getting you to clean up the dead Skeevers and moving the furniture back to how it was… "
The Dragonborn saw Vilkas staring blandly. She rolled her eyes and led the way further north along the path and then began walking west up a hill ridge. Vilkas' armor clanked as he sprinted to catch up with her.
"Well, about time. Don't you go walking near any of the towers around here. You're always bending the knee leaving me to clean up your fights."
The Dragonborn walked up the hill cliffs with ease while Vilkas followed. The land was otherwise flat with small boulders and the stony entrance to a cave nearby. Vilkas caught up.
"There's a cave. Animals or bandits inside, no doubt."
The Dragonborn sighed and entered. She led the way through a small passage into an open chamber where torches flickered around a rocky slot in the center. She turned to Vilkas.
"We've stopped. What is it?"
"Hand me your sword."
Vilkas drew his sword and handed it over. The Dragonborn smiled as she lifted the glowing blue sword above her head with blade first into the slot. A segment of the rocky wall in front of her began to raise and she gestured to Vilkas.
"See? Just through here - down this passage - I didn't know it at the time - but there was a Draugr. He did his usual fus ro dah crap - "
The bones and loot in the chamber flew into the far reaches of the chamber and the Dragonborn clutched her stomach and threw back her head. She wiped her eyes and glanced to Vilkas.
"But really, though. I can't give you a decent sword. If you get blown off some cliff how will I get it back?"
"You're a talkative one, aren't you."
The Dragonborn smirked and stepped closer to him. She closed her eyes and laid her forehead against his and felt his warm breath. Her eyes snapped open.
"Oh! You can have this - "
The Dragonborn retrieved a dagger from her backpack which had a curved crossguard and a Daedric letter on the scabbard. She placed it into his hands and he took it.
"I suppose you can have this. I'll feel much better the next time you do your whole - say it with me - by Ysmir!"
The Dragonborn laughed. Vilkas stared blandly.
"Do you need anything, my love?"
"Oh, puh-leese. You turn those bedroom eyes away. This is far too dusty a place. If you had your way, we'd be living in Jorrvaskr sharing a room with all your comrades! Oh, no-no. I wear the pants in this marriage, sweetie-pie."
The Dragonborn turned and walked up the little passageway. She saw in the torch light a shadow and a figure at the rocky slot lifted the sword and the segment of the rocky wall slammed shut in front of her.
She clutched her stomach and squeezed her eyes shut. Her head hurt and her stomach twinged and she held onto the side of the cave wall for support.
"Look at these stones. The ancestors knew how to build, no doubt."
The Dragonborn spun and snatched Vilkas' dagger from his scabbard and advanced on him slowly.
"We've made a bit of gold. Here, love, this is your share."