Simplicity

Three months later and not much had happened other than Vilkas going back to his confrontational attitude. Despite whatever malfunction was up with that twin, the other, Farkas, was as friendly as ever. Friendlier even, now that he knew I was bound to stick around for awhile.

I shifted the bow on my back and made sure my grip on the bag beside it would last me through Jorrvaskr's main doors. I hadn't been able to use my swords in some time because, despite my attempts to avoid taking Vilkas's assignments, the jerk always seemed to know exactly when I would return and what to say to force my hand into accepting. And it just so happened that his assignments always involved giants. Farkas said it was because he had faith in me. I was under the belief it was because he liked picturing me getting thrown about if I wasn't careful and wouldn't mind in the least if his newest shield-sister-to-be didn't come back.

Well, this time I had a present for him.

I briefly took my hand off the bag to force open the door. Naturally, as if he had some psychic ability to predict my arrival time, he was standing no more than six feet in front of me.

"You're back, finally," Vilkas said in his best impatient tone. "I see you're not dead yet either. If it weren't for the reports –"

"You would doubt I had taken care of the problem at all," I ended his traditional phrase back to him. "Well, you see, I know how you've been wanting to see that I did the job myself so this time I brought you back a token of my affection."

I heaved the bag over my shoulder and allowed its contents to roll onto the floor and land at Vilkas's feet. He looked down at the giant's head which now looked up at him, sightless, a small puddle of blood trailing up to it. I saw his fists tighten and smirked, determined to wait out his temper tantrum.

"You – " he said but was unable to get any more words out through his anger over the gory mess.

"A speechless Vilkas is a happy Vilkas, or so they say," I said, smiling sweetly at him as his head slowly turned up to meet my gaze.

"You will clean this up," Vilkas said.

"Your gift," I said and didn't stick around long enough to suffer the consequences of refusing to heed my 'superior's' orders. I threw the bag over the head and walked past Vilkas with enough berth so that he couldn't reach out with one bulky arm and stop me.

Those at the dining tables were drinking as it were and boasting about whose adventures had been grander. Skjor was eyeballing me again as I walked by and though I was used to it at this point, it somehow did not ease the feeling in the pit of my stomach.

I was barely out the back doors when Farkas strolled up with Ria (who had quickly warmed up to me) in tow. It was like the two had some supernatural gift to sense when I came back to Jorrvaskr and would then plant themselves in my path. At least his grinning face wasn't an unwelcome sight.

"You're back," he said. "Good, Skjor's going to meet with us after dinner and he was getting impatient."

"Is anyone ever not impatient around here?" I asked.

"Kodlak," Farkas said. "But he's been very busy lately. Too bad. It would be nice for you to hear more of his stories."

"They are amazing," Ria said looking up at Farkas.

Farkas gave her a brief smile and asked me, "Care to hunt a bit before dinner? It is about time we hunted together."

"I would but still a bit tired from troll wrangling and bringing back the trophy for your brother," I replied. He gave me a curious look but I waved him off. "Never mind."

"My brother thinks highly of you, as do I," Farkas said.

I snorted. "Alright then, I'll remember that when I avoid being mangled by inches and then am sent out to do it all over again without so much as a poultice the next day."

"You'll see," Farkas said.

Dinner came and went quicker than I wished it to. I did end up cleaning up the troll's blood off the floor (the head already having been removed) but not because of any order Vilkas had given, rather out of respect to Tilma. I also carefully avoided Vilkas as far as I could.

I watched the sun set behind the wall as Farkas and I waited for Skjor to come back from the Markets. When he finally came he stopped closer than I'd have liked, he had a tendency to ignore personal space. I took a couple small steps back.

"You wanted us?" Farkas asked, un-phased.

Skjor eyed me and I forced my gaze not to waver. Finally he turned to Farkas, "Yes. It is time she proved herself. We are sending you two after a fragment of Wuuthrad. If she proves to be brave and useful, and comes back alive, she will be a full Shield Sister." He looked at me. "Do you understand and accept this quest?"

"I do," I said, nodding.

"And do you, Farkas, agree to be her Shield Brother on this quest, in charge of judging whether she behaves bravely and with honor?"

"Yes, Skjor," Farkas said, a wide grin on his face.

"Then you are dismissed for your quest. Leave at daybreak tomorrow morning, no later," Skjor warned.

Farkas nodded and Skjor headed back to Jorrvaskr. The burly Nord looked down at me, smiling like an overgrown puppy. "You ready?"

Just when I thought the quest was too easy, the vampires showed up. Well, they weren't all vampires, but still, it was odd to find them, mixed with humans and all with swords that had Silver Hand etched deep into their hilts.

Farkas didn't seemed surprised in the least which made me suspect he'd encountered this Silver Hand before. We encountered one or two more before we found ourselves in the midst of an ambush. No less than a dozen Silver Hand against one giant Nord and a small Breton. Luckily, my swords were already drawn, as Farkas moved way too quickly for me to feel comfortable shooting in close quarters.

"Well, well, well," the guy drawled in a very cliche manner. He was the biggest, a Nord and nearly as tall as Farkas though not as well built. "Look what we have here, boys, one of the bastards in the flesh."

Farkas growled under his breath. "Leave, now," he said, sounding feral, not at all like the grinning man I'd come to know.

The Nord laughed and I felt a shiver go up and down my spine. I looked around, at least none of them appeared to be archers. That improved our chances of survival, at least for a few seconds. I kept turned around, to the men behind us. At least one hungry vampire, a couple of others could pass for various other stages of the disease. It was hard to tell. I put my back to Farkas and prayed to the Divines that whatever wild course they had in place for me wasn't about to all come to an end. Part of me was also wishing I'd learned more Shouts, specifically ones that would do more good in battle than the ones I had.

"Tell me pup, should I kill you first, or should I let you watch your companion die slowly, skewered on the edge of my blade?" the Nord asked. "Oh, we could have so much fun with her. What do you say? Hand her over and your life will be just a little longer. Who knows, maybe we'll even let you live without your pretty little recruit. Let you tell everyone what happens when you freaks cross the Silver Hand?"

"Never!"

"We'll see," he drawled.

Farkas was shaking in anger, but he didn't step away from me as they closed in on us. We fought as close to each other as we could, somehow managing not to bump into each other much. I kicked up dirt into a couple on the left's eyes, blinding them temporarily. It was a dirty tactic, but so was fighting twelve on two.

I let the rage over take me but it wasn't enough. I could feel the desire to slink back, to find a wall, to use stealth, but it was impossible, not here with Farkas and so many enemies. My strength began to wane. I took down two with one slice to their necks and the others backed up looking to flank me better.

I found it hard, trying to keep as many back as I could with dirt, spit, groin kicks, anything to better the odds. Slowly though, they wore us down. How many were left still? Eight? Nine? They began to successfully separate the two of us and there was nothing we could do to prevent it. Our backs were vulnerable and any minute I expected a dagger through my rib cage.

One of the Imperials, a vampire, forced the blade from my favored right hand as someone grabbed my left arm and threw me to the ground, stomping hard on my fingers so that I was forced to release that one too. I cried out involuntarily as someone grabbed me by the hair and dragged me across the floor, throwing me into a small cell and slamming the door.

The Nord, fangs extended, leered down at me. "I'll be right back, as soon as I sedate your pet."

I stood up and shook the bars which was no use. Though they looked ancient, they stood firm. I turned to look for something to pick the lock and was surprised to see I wasn't alone in the cell, a Breton man, pale as the moon smirked at me, pointing a sword at my throat.

"Thinking of leaving me, precious?" he asked.

He sheathed his sword and came at me, I dodged, barely, but fell to the ground. Quickly I kicked back and got up, but not quick enough, he grabbed my wrist and drew me into his body. He opened his mouth wide revealing a small set of fangs. I struggled to take a step back but he had his hands now firmly on my lower back and there was no retreating. He was much stronger than he looked.

"How does eternal life sound to you, jewel? I could give you forever, so much more than the children of the moon could do for you," he said, his gravely voice attempting to pur.

I pushed against him with my hands, but he simply readjusted, leaving one hand on my lower back but pressing me against him tighter with his other between my shoulder blades. My head was pressed against his chest, my left cheek felt his cold skin even through his light armor. He leaned down and bit my neck and I cried out involuntarily, the amount of pain surprising me.

There was a roaring in my ears, and a deep pulsing beat. The sound of my heart, bumping blood, blood that was seeping through this nameless vampire's teeth right now. I realized whatever the leader of this pack of Silver Hand had wanted to do with me was nothing I would ever have to fear. I was going to die.

"Do you accept my offer, child?" the vampire purred, temporarily relieving himself of my blood. "Do you wish to become one of us?"

"Never," I said.

"Very well," he said.

He bent down for my neck again. I felt weak but some part of my brain, a fuzzy distant but working part of it realized that he wasn't holding me as tightly. I thought of Bryjolf, of the swift movements of thieves, the silence of an assassin, the way everything stilled in that last silent moment before a kill or the lock clicked open. As stealthily as I could I reached into the folds of the vampire's robes and found a dagger. With a little effort, I made sure to aim perfectly behind him, shoving it deep into his heart from behind.

He shrieked and released me. I fell to my knees as he crumbled into dust around me. The pulsing sensation faded but the roaring didn't and I realized it wasn't in my head. I looked up to see a giant wolf standing on two legs rip into the Silver Hand leader, most of his men shredded around him. When it pulled back from his body it was breathing heavily, slowly it turned its head toward me, its...his large yellow eyes boring into mine. I knew those eyes.

"Farkas?" I asked weakly.

It stalked away from me as I fell face first into the floor and darkness enveloped me.

I woke lying on my back, head propped up on Farka's lap. He looked at me with big, concerned yellow eyes and I thought of the wolf he'd been. There was no doubt in my mind that had been him, and yet I felt no fear. Just...a little drowsy.

"Are you alright?" he asked worriedly.

" 'M fine," I said slowly.

I reached up, feeling as though my arm weighed thirty pounds, and touched the tender spot on my neck. I could tell it had been cleaned but it was still sore to the touch as I pressed it, hissing as the pain came. Vampire. A vampire had...bit me. Somehow in all my adventures, I had never seen that one coming. Then it hit me like a dragon barreling full speed.

A vampire bit me.

I struggled to sit up but he pressed me back down. "Farkas...I'm not...not a..."

"Not yet," he assured me.

Farkas reached down, into his pack beside him, and pulled out a poultice. "Knew this might come in handy. It will cure the disease now, if you want it to."

"Why wouldn't I want it to?" I asked, reaching for it.

"Some people like the vampires, want to join. But you can't be like us and be like them," he said simply.

"A werewolf?" I asked.

He hesitated. "Yes," he said, sounding almost nervous. "Does that bother you?"

"Should it?" I asked.

He laughed. "Probably."

"Huh," I said, taking the poultice stopper off and drinking the contents.

I struggled to sit up. "So...are all the Companions..."

"No, just the Circle."

"Oh."

There was a moment of silence. Farkas wasn't looking directly at me. "We should probably get you back to Jorrvaskr. You're injured and have suffered pretty bad blood loss..."

"We still haven't gotten the fragment," I said.

Farkas shrugged. "They will have to get you another quest."

I slowly forced myself to stand, a rush of dizziness hitting as I stood straight. I took a deep breath and it got a little better.

"No, we're finishing this one," I stated.

"Ever -"

"You're my Shield Brother, right?"

"Yes."

"Than you've got my back," I said.

"Yes, but it isn't safe. There's still the rest of the crypt, possibly Silver Hand. Your life is worth more than this," Farkas said.

I ignored him and looked for my swords, and slowly reached down and sheathed them. I pulled out my bow and fixed my gaze on him.

"You're a Companion so you know what that means. It means possibly giving your life, fighting with honor and bravery. I'm not going to quit now, not while I can still stand and shoot an arrow," I said. When he didn't look convinced I continued, "I'll try to stay out of the melee if it makes you feel better, but we're doing this."

He gave me a long, steady gaze with his wolfish eyes before he nodded.

"And Farkas?"

"Huh?"

"It doesn't bother me, to answer your question," I said. He looked at me, confused. "About you being a werewolf."

Slowly his face turned from surprised to happy. He gave me his big grin. "Good. Now, lead on Shield Sister."