Doubt

I stood from the bed, still dizzy. I wobbled for a moment and rested my hand on the door frame for balance. Vilkas rose and hesitantly reached for me but then pulled back.

"Are you able to walk or do you...need assistance?" he finally asked, sounding reluctant to offer the help.

"I thought you said my injuries weren't that bad."

"Some of them aren't."

"I'll be fine."

I straightened, slowly testing out my first few steps as best I could. The food had helped with a great deal but I was sore. Still, it was nothing I couldn't handle and I really didn't want to have to make my way out to face the Circle's decision one arm over Vilkas and limping, or worse, cradled in his arms like a child.

As I made it to the base of the stairs I felt I was doing pretty well, a little slower than normal, but not enough to irritate Vilkas into forging ahead of me, who kept pace. Then again, with the looks he kept shooting me, he probably wasn't all too pleased about my progress.

Before I could begin the climb upwards, Jared slapped his arm across my back in friendly greeting. I cried out in surprise and pain, and doubled over, grabbing the railing just in time to keep me on my feet while Vilkas quickly reached over and physically moved him several steps away from me.

"Sorry I didn't mean - are you hurt?" Jared asked, shooting furtive looks at Vilkas who slowly eased posture and took a step back from him.

I took a few deep breaths and straightened up. "I'm fine, just some minor injuries."

"Doesn't sound minor," Jared said though he was looking at Vilkas who was staring at nothing in particular.

"I'll be fine, don't worry," I repeated

"I heard you came back with the Shard, Ria just told me. She didn't say you were injured though. So, you're a Companion now?" he asked.

"No, not yet."

"But you will be?"

Vilkas finally focused a long stare at me. I ignored him. "I don't know that yet...there's been...complications."

"Complications?"

I nodded, not knowing what else I should tell him. I didn't want him to worry about what Vilkas had told me, but at the same time I wanted to let Jared know I had done everything I could to become a Companion, that I really had wanted to join. I swallowed hard, thinking about it. Despite all my reservations I had upon arriving, for the first time since I had entered Skyrim my life had some sense of normalcy to it, a sense of purpose, of family.

"I -"

"It is not for you to worry about," Vilkas said.

I watched Jared fight his own facial expressions, trying to calm his anger toward his soon-to-be-mentor (if I was allowed in the Companions at all).

"Don't worry so much, Jared," I said.

He frowned at that but nodded and ran up the stairs, past Ria who had just turned the corner, and out the door. I slowly followed, taking deep breaths at the top, my aching abdomen protesting. Ria put a hand on my shoulder but I shrugged her off, smiling weakly. I was fine. If they didn't accept me, it was their loss.

Or you weren't meant to be a Warrior. You were meant to be a Thief. A murderer. An assassin...

A. N. A very short chapter, I know, but that's why it's up so soon. Thanks to all my new and old readers, glad you like it and hope you continue to.