I hope everyone enjoyed the last chapter. I know this story is a bit shorter than one would expect given the length of the quests, but this is from Vilkas' perspective. He doesn't experience what the Dragonborn does, so his view of the proceedings tend to be more restricted. The chapters will get longer as his part in the coming quests is expanded.
As the days turned into weeks, and weeks to months, and their newest initiate still hadn't returned from her first assignment, Vilkas was sore to admit that he was beginning to worry. He had begun keeping an ear to the door of Jorrvaskr for any news, but was always both relieved and frustrated when he received word of her travels. She had come back to Whiterun many times since trying out for the Companions, but hadn't yet returned to Jorrvaskr. Given the tales of her exploits, surely Shimmermist Cave was a blip on her radar and an easy feat to accomplish. Why wasn't she returning? Didn't she care at all about Farkas, who was tied to wait in the main hall for her to return with a positive result?
Since when do you give a troll's hide about Farkas waiting for her? He could leave if he wanted to and someone else could intercept the message of her completion.
He shut out the voice at the back of his mind, which sounded suspiciously like logic. It was easier to pass off his actions as something else. Why he was going down to the Bannered Mare more often than ever, hoping to catch a glimpse of her, to see if she was still the tiny girl who had surprised him in the training yard?
He could only imagine the adventures she was going on from the flapping gums around the city. Uthgerd had returned after only a couple of weeks out in the wilds with her, but not without donning new armor and carrying new weapons. Weapons and armor far beyond the pay grade of a mostly drunk mercenary. Their newest initiate wasn't just making a full life for herself, but for everyone who touched her.
With surprising ease, she had found that sword for Amren in the same bandit camp the Jarl had been offering a bounty for, not that Proventus was ever running short on those in recent years. The war seemed to have stirred up all the unseemly creatures who typically kept to the shadows. The Gildergreen was blooming beautifully, towering in splendor over Whiterun. The temple was seeing a resurgence of visitors.
However, there was also a darker sort of talk. Not only her connection to the growing dragon menace, but whispers about Riften's thieves guild re-gaining their foothold in Whiterun, with her at the helm. It's not an honorable path, and he wasn't confident that someone like that should be representing the Companions.
According to Lydia, her own gods damned housecarl, the Nord had never asked her to accompany her on her adventures. The only time she visited Breezehome was to visit with Lucia, whom she had opened her doors for allowing her to use her home. She never slept there herself. Word had it that she had many homes, scattered all around Skyrim, and had taken in wayward children at each.
What need could someone as successful as that have for a warrior guild like the Companions?
Why would you care? You met her one time. As long as she isn't interfering in Companion business, she won't be your problem.
He was lounging on a pile of furs on his bed, tossing snowberries into a silver bowl across the room, lost to his thoughts, when Aela barged in, "I would have thought you would have been upstairs, convincing Skjor to send you instead of your brother."
Vilkas sat up slowly, tossing a berry into his mouth instead of the bowl, "What are you on about now?"
"Eliana. She returned."
He did his best to hide his reaction, merely raising a brow, "And?"
Aela rolled her eyes. She really did have a great exasperated face, "And Skjor assigned her Farkas as a Shield-Brother."
Confused, he stood, walking to a table for a rag to polish his greatsword with, "Why would she need a Shield-Brother?"
"I swear, Vilkas, sometimes you're more dense than Farkas," she teased, plucking a sweet roll off of his bookshelf and slowly tearing it to pieces. "You know Kodlak likes the word he's been hearing about Eli from around Skyrim. Well, not all of it, but he thinks she's more than proven herself already."
"Yes, yes, I know this already. I attend the same Circle meetings you do. What I don't understand is what one has to do with the other," he replied, slowly running the rag over the shining steel, blade braced against his crossed leg.
"Kodlak and Skjor decided that the fragment of Wuuthrad in Dustman's Cairn would be the perfect last task for her, though she doesn't really need one, honestly," her words trailed off as Vilkas jumped to his feet, sword clanging nosily to the ground.
"It can't be. That was supposed to be our mission, Aela!" Vilkas practically roared. "I don't care what she's done around Skyrim. We haven't seen the proof ourselves, and sending those two off on their own with no one else is a death sentence! You know what that damned ruin is filled with!"
She grinned widely showing too many teeth, pastry in her hands forgotten, "Now that's the reaction we were lacking above ground. Though it's too little, too late, I'm afraid. They're already well on their way to the ruin."
Vilkas couldn't tell if his face would be red with fury or white with fear, but whatever emotion it was, it struck him silent, filling his chest so full he could scarcely breathe. He wished he could say the fear was entirely for his twin. Aela walked out with a chuckle, having the grace to shut the door on her way out, a knowing glint in her eyes, "I'll give Skjor your opinions on the matter."
He sat back down in the chair, leaving his sword on the ground, further from his mind than the sun from the land. His mind was swimming with all possibilities of what could happen to them in the Cairn. He had no doubt of Farkas's ability to defend himself, had seen it himself, but he hadn't seen Eliana in action. Word of mouth didn't do much to solidify his confidence. He hadn't felt this out of sorts since he was a boy watching the initiated train in the yard, feeling as if he'd never get to their level.
Why was he having those same reactions whenever he thought of her?
Shaking his shock from his bones, he stalked out of his room, down the lower halls up to the main hall. He ignored the calls from various members to join them at the table and looked around until he found the one he was looking for. His protégé, for all intents and purposes, Ria. He sat on the bench next to her, "How goes the training?"
She shook her head, dark hair flying wildly, "I'm still struggling with the footwork of the blade. It seems so bulky, not as smooth as you make it look."
"Give it time and practice, Ria. You know this," he urged softly.
"Of course."
Silence fell between them for a time, awkward because neither of them knew what to say, even though they'd been friends for a good long while. She picked up a potato from a nearby sack to toss back and forth in her hands, discontent to sit still for long, "Was there something you needed?"
"Actually, I have a favor to ask of you," he admitted.
She flinched, surprised, "What could I do for you?"
He paused for another moment, second guessing himself before plunging forward, "Farkas and Eliana were given a mission of the utmost importance. We need to know when they are finished as soon as possible. I would like you to keep an eye on the ruin and when you see the slightest hint of them being finished, run ahead and tell me."
Her brown eyes were wide with excitement, "Alright. Where will I be heading?"
He ran a hand through his hair, buying some time as Torvar passed by on his way to get another drink so he wouldn't overhear, "They are exploring Dustman's Cairn, that ugly ruin to the northeast of Greenspring Hollow. Just find somewhere in the grasses to settle, waiting to see if either or both of them make it out. If you see anything, you run back here immediately and let us know."
Clearly eager to start her new assignment, she jumped up and began walked past him. He grabbed her arm, "Ria."
"Yes?" she looked back at him.
"This mission isn't without its dangers. There have been reports of dragons flying overhead as well as bears, sabre cats, and the occasional giant. Be cautious."
"Don't worry, Vilkas. I've been a Companion for nearly a year now."
He nodded as she left the hall, confident in her abilities. He wondered why he was more worried about a woman he'd only met once before rather than the one he'd been training for a year or his only living family in Tamriel.
It was past dark the next day when Ria burst through the doors to the hall. Her hair stuck to her face in wild spikes, beads of sweat soaking down her neck into her armor. Vilkas looked up from the book he was reading and waved her over to his bench to the left of the back doors, setting the book on a barrel of apples. Still panting, Ria said hoarsely, "They're coming, both of them. I was hidden quite far away, so I don't think they could see me as I ran ahead. They also seemed to be following the road."
Vilkas nodded, heart thumping wildly, "Thank you, Ria. Go get some rest."
She smiled widely and headed for the stairs. Skjor came to stand just below the back stairs with Aela just below them at the table, "I'll inform Kodlak of their return. It's time to cast judgment on the girl. You should meet Farkas and her outside the hall, bring them to the yard."
"Too good to do it yourself, eh, Skjor?" Vilkas sneered without any real heat.
Skjor snorted, "Nah. I need to talk to Kodlak and Aela is going to spread word to the others to keep out of the yard until the ceremony is over. Besides, you can make sure yourself that the girl didn't get your brother killed since you bothered to send Ria to make sure."
Not bothering to correct him, as it would spark more questions he wasn't confident he had the answers for, Vilkas stood himself and headed out front. Night had fallen in a choking darkness, the rain soaked clouds blocking any moonlight from poking through. Only because of the torches carried by guards and scattered around the base of the tree could he make out the branches lofting overhead, casting sharp shadows over the cobblestones.
The city was quiet, a night requiring stealth. No townspeople were out that late, even Amren's cow not making a sound. There were no distant rumbles off the mountain peaks around Whiterun, a distinct change from the normal. A shivered chased its way up his spine like a mouse on a fence, the eeriness of the night starting to get to him. This was a night for thieves and assassins, not warriors.
He tapped his boot on the path just to give some noise to the silence, but as it echoed around the Wind District, it only made him feel more alone. Alone. A feeling that had only been growing stronger in recent years. A feeling that had nothing to do with the war or the Companions or even his gods damned curse. He was growing tired of the stares without consideration, the berth given more out of suspicion and worry than reverence and esteem, and a life filled with honor from adventures but yet still...hollow. He could feel something missing, as essential as a lung, and as festering as a splinter under a nail.
Before he could get too deep into his psych, something he found fundamentally disturbing to focus on for too long, the metallic stomping of armored feet running on stone jarred him back to Whiterun. Indeed, coming up the stairs from the market leading the charge was Eliana Fire-Sword. Or, he assumed it was Eliana, since Farkas was a few paces behind. He couldn't really tell given that she was hidden beneath a set of steel plate armor, reinforced from the looks of it. It was filthy from the ruin and in desperate need of a cleaning, but she still managed to look commanding.
She began to slow as she reached the steps to Jorrvaskr and he puffed his chest out a bit, trying to look bigger than he felt, "We've been awaiting your return."
"Why were you waiting for me?" she asked quietly.
He ignored her question, "Come. Follow me."
Turning without waiting to see if she did, he turned and ran into the hall, rushing through past the tables and out the back doors into the yard, where he took his place in the Circle. As Eliana followed, Farkas left her side and came to stand to Vilkas' left.
Eliana paused on the edge of their half circle, waiting in silence. Kodlak spread his arms wide and gesturing to the gathered members, "Brothers and sisters of the Circle, today we welcome a new soul into our mortal fold. This woman has endured, has challenged, and has shown her valor. Who will speak for her?"
Farkas looked at her with pride, speaking the ceremonial words Vilkas knew he had memorized in the hope he would one day be able to use, "I stand witness to the courage of the soul before us."
"Would you raise your shield in her defense?"
"I would stand at her back, that the world might never overtake us."
Eliana seemed to grow taller with each word even as uncomfortable as she was, picking at her gauntlets, shuffling her weight from foot to foot. Proud, but humble. A true warrior.
"And would you raise your sword in her honor?"
"It stands ready to meet the blood of her foes."
"And would you raise a mug in her name?"
"I would lead the song of triumph as our mead hall reveled in her stories."
As ceremonious as the words were, almost empty after centuries of use, it was clear from Farkas's inflection that he meant each one. Something must have happened in that ruin, something powerful.
Almost as powerful as the ugly feeling that surged through Vilkas's gut, a jealousy with the fury of a cave troll. He was ready to pound his brother into the ground because of the quest he'd shared with her, a possibility he would have never considered a season ago.
Kodlak continued, voice strong, carrying through the chilled night air, "Then the judgment of this Circle is complete. Her heart beats with fury and courage that have united the Companions since the days of the distant green summers."
As Kodlak talked, the world seemed to tilt for a moment before settling down. He let out a deep breath. He still wasn't confident in the depth of his feelings for the woman, but he wouldn't be able to deny that they existed any longer.
"Let it beat with ours, that the mountains may echo and our enemies may tremble at the call."
His voice joined with Aela's and Skjor's, strong with emotion, "It shall be so."
Eliana stayed behind after the initiation to speak with Kodlak, so he followed the rest of the Circle into the hall for a drink. Taking a seat at the table, Farkas sat on his left, once more. Vilkas swallowed and asked, "How did it go in there?"
Farkas shrugged, "We made it out alive. Barely."
"Barely?" Vilkas raised a brow. "Surely you jest?"
"Well, I barely made it out alive. She held her own long enough for me to gather enough strength to jump back into the fight after I was down."
Vilkas' heart dropped to his stomach. They'd come that close? "How is that possible?"
"It wasn't the few draugr and Silver Hand bastards we thought. The fragment was in this big chamber, surrounded with draugr that had it in for us. We started out alright but they just kept coming and coming. They got me down a time or two."
"How in Tamriel did you get out?"
"A fair amount of luck and Elie is a natural. More than us. More than even Aela. All those stories that we heard about her, Vilkas. They're all true," Farkas sounded awed, a strange notion for someone such as them, having been raised by great warriors. A loud, slightly drunken laugh from Athis came from near the stairs leading to the lower levels
"They can't all be true," Vilkas disagreed in more of a whisper to himself than actual conversation. "It's just not possible."
Farkas took a long drink of wine before continuing on as if Vilkas had spoken to him directly, "The ones I saw were, Vilk. She's silent as a thief, lethal as an assassin, smart as a mage, and strong as a warrior. I'm just glad she's on our side."
No kidding.
Vilkas stood from the table, heading toward the backstairs to get some sleep when he felt a tap on his shoulder. Turning, he saw Eliana standing in front of him, a bit too close than he was comfortable, causing him to blurt out, "I think by now I've killed one of every living thing in Skyrim. May be time for a trip to Morrowind."
What the- why the hell would you say that?
Seemingly nonplussed, she said, "I'm looking for work."
Work? Right. Kodlak told Skjor and I we were to offer her work if she asked.
"We've received a desperate missive," he started, hoping she didn't notice his brief pause. "A citizen of the Reach has been kidnapped. The Companions have been asked for assistance, and we shall answer. Particularly when the pay is as good as this. Your mark is a Breton woman named Voada. She's been kidnapped by the Forsworn and is being held in Blind Cliff Cave. Get moving. I shudder to think what might happen if you're too late."
She nodded, making note in a leather bound journal before running off without so much as a goodbye. He watched until the doors closed behind her.
"How long until you say something?"
Vilkas looked to where Farkas was still seated at the table, "What are you mumbling about?"
Farkas didn't say anything else. Just gave him the same knowing look that Aela had been giving him on and off for weeks. Ignoring all of them, he stalked down to his room and crashed on the bed.
Damn them. Damn them all.
Thank you for reading! Again, I am just getting back into writing after several years of nothing. I can use all the help I can get, so if you can, please leave a review letting me know what you think. The coming chapters are going to be where things start to diverge from the Bethesda approved script onto something more befitting of this story.