Hey y'all!

This chapter was very difficult for me to write. Not only did I want to create a smooth transition back into the story after my depressing Jergen chapter, but I also wanted to convey the emotions that Kaiah was feeling as a result of well... you know what. That being said, it's kind of all over the place, and truthfully this is not my best piece. However, I hope you all enjoy the chapter anyhow and have a wonderful Valentine's Day!

"You've got be fucking kidding me…"

Kaiah and Vilkas stood at the base of the large tower, eyeing the large staircase outside which was infested with draugr and necromancers. Kaiah spotted three draugr along the top of the stone archway above the stairs, and at least five necromancers further up the stairs. "Those draugr are going to be slower than Argonians in a blizzard," Kaiah admitted slowly, "We should take out the mages first."

"There's five, Kaiah," Vilkas shot back, not taking his eyes off of the mages. Kaiah drew her scimitars and grinned at the Nord, "Whoever kills the least buys drinks tonight."

Before Vilkas could object, Kaiah took off running towards the mages. The draugr above scrambled along the archway, trying to follow the Redguard. Kaiah locked her eyes on a nearby mage, who drew a fireball spell in both their hands. The mage launched small spheres of fire at the Redguard, who easily dodged the impending flames. Kaiah didn't falter as she rushed towards the mage, turning her entire body into a swift swing of her sword, slicing the mage across his chest.

Two more mages rushed the Redguard, one holding a dagger and the other with a lightning spell. Kaiah swiftly kicked the small blade out of the mage's hand, forcing them to lose their balance. She grabbed the mage by their robes and threw them in front of her, forcing them to absorb the shock of the other mage's lightning spell. Kaiah then shoved the electrocuted mage into the other, forcing them both to the ground. She then took her sword and drove it into the live mage's chest, twisting it before pulling it out.

Kaiah looked up and saw Vilkas fighting the remaining two necromancers not far from her. She rushed over and killed one of them, slicing the back of their neck. Vilkas impaled the other with his greatsword, pulling it out in one swift motion. Kaiah looked at Vilkas and smirked, "I think we both know who's buying drinks tonight."

Vilkas rolled his eyes before quickly realizing that the three draugr that were once above the stone archway were now rushing towards them. The two warriors rushed the undead with ferocity as they slashed through them with their blades. Draugr were not particularly difficult to take down, and these were no exception.

"We summon Potema!"

The two warriors looked up towards the top of the tower and saw the purple light grow brighter by the second.

"Yes, YES! Return me to this realm!"

Kaiah let out a huff, "We're running out of time…"

Vilkas and Kaiah took off towards the entrance to the tower. It seemed that all the mages who were supposed to be guarding it were killed by the two of them, because the spiral staircase leading up to the tower was completely empty. The two kept pushing until they reached the top, where they saw three necromancers binding themselves in a ritual to summon Potema. They wasted no time killing them, which posed no difficulty since they were caught by surprise. After killing the ritual master, the purple light which had supposedly housed Potema's spirit disappeared through the large openings at the top of the cavern.

"Uh…" Kaiah gaped at the openings where she saw the spirit pass through, "That's not good."

Vilkas pursed his lips, sheathing his greatsword, "No, it's not, but there's nothing to be done now. What matters is that this cult is dead."

Kaiah sheathed her swords and stretched her arms, "I can't wait to get back to Solitude!"

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"You cleared out the cave?"

Vilkas and Kaiah stood before High King Torygg and his court. "Yes, your majesty, every necromancer inside the cave is dead. Your hold will be safe from them again."

The High King smiled, "Well then, I suppose it's time to talk about your payment. I will have my personal treasurer send one thousand gold to Jorrvaskr." Kaiah's eyes widened, 'A thousand gold?!' "And I want to personally extend my gratitude further."

The two warriors looked at each other and then at the High King. Surely the thousand gold was generous enough? "I am hosting a ball for my court tomorrow evening. It is a seasonal gathering but I would be honored to have you both as my personal guests, to thank you for everything you have done for Haafingar."

Kaiah cocked a brow at Vilkas, who chuckled rather nervously. The Nord cleared his throat, "While we are flattered by your invitation I'm afraid we-"

"Please," High King Torygg interrupted, "I will pay for your rooms at the inn and any attire you may need for the occasion. Allow me to extend this gift to you."

Kaiah gave him a look of uncertainty. Certainly it would be inappropriate? They were warriors, not nobles who found pleasure in grand gatherings. Vilkas was unsure of whether or not to accept, however, he was in no position to deny an invitation from the High King of Skyrim himself. "Well, I'm not sure how we could refuse, your Majesty. We would be honored to accept your invitation."

King Torygg smiled wholeheartedly, "Splendid!" Kaiah hyper fixated on the whispers from the court. She looked from the corner of her eye and saw a Nord man and woman whispering to each other, never taking their eyes off of the Redguard. 'Gods, am I a commodity to these people?' King Torygg leaned forward in his throne, "I won't keep you both here any longer, you must be exhausted from your journey."

'Exhausted is an understatement.' Kaiah thought to herself frivolously. Vilkas bowed his head, "My shield-sister and I are grateful for your hospitality, your Majesty." The Nord turned his heel to exit the throne room and Kaiah followed suit, but not without hearing the whispers that kept plaguing her mind. She wondered what they were saying.

The two Companions walked back to the Winking Skeever in silence, taking in the quiet of the usually bustling capital. The streets were nearly empty with an occasional guard making their nightly rounds, or the homeless who slept against the now closed shops in the plaza. Solitude had a lot of homeless, as opposed to Whiterun which had very few. Being the capital it was the most populated of the nine cities, as well as the most wealthy. Though homelessness was still endemic in the city.

The two warriors opened the door to the tavern and were greeted with a full house. It seemed like all of Solitude were drinking and dining in the tavern tonight, the music playing loudly and patrons singing. While Kaiah reveled in a good time at the tavern, she was far too exhausted to be able to enjoy herself. Vilkas, while never one for parties or jamborees, thought like the Redguard and decided to go straight to their room. The two dropped their bags and unloaded their weapons and armor, leaving them in only the tunics they wore underneath them. Kaiah let her locks loose and she ran her fingers through them, bringing them to her nose and cringing at the smell. She reeked of death.

"I'm going to take a bath," Kaiah announced to her companion before pulling out a bottle of her personal bathing oil that she brought with her, "You should do the same."

Vilkas sat down in a nearby chair and started to unclasp the shin guards on his boots, "After you." It was so concise it nearly sounded like a command. Kaiah shrugged it off and left the Nord alone in their room, making her way to the barkeep downstairs. She held in her arms a change of clothes and her bathing oil as she approached the innkeeper, Corpulus. "I'd like to use the bath." The innkeeper, cleaning a dirty mug, smiled at the Redguard, "You're in luck, we just changed the water out, may still be a little chilly but it's fresh. It'll be downstairs in the basement."

Kaiah couldn't contain her sigh of relief. 'Thank the Divines, fresh bathwater!' She made her way almost too cheerfully to the bathing room, looking forward to getting the stench of draugr off of her. Kaiah knocked on the door to ensure no one was already inside. With no response she opened the door and was pleased with the vacancy. She closed the door behind her and placed her change of clothes on one of the chairs in the room. She looked over at the large wooden tub and dipped her fingers in, feeling the cool water touch her skin. It wasn't warm, but it would be bearable.

She proceeded to strip herself of her clothing and breaches, placing them neatly on the floor beside the chair. She grabbed the bottle of oil she brought and stepped inside the wooden tub, slowly descending into the cool water. She let out a satisfied sigh as she felt the cool and clean water touch her skin, washing away the impurities on her skin.

She stayed inside the tub for a while, rubbing the oil into her skin and hair. While she had a specific way she washed her hair, it was in desperate need of a wash and she had to make due with what she had. Finally satisfied, she started to make her way carefully out of the tub, trying her best not to slip and fall. She stood up and turned around and came face to face with herself in the mirror next to the tub.

It was the first time she had looked at herself in the mirror since Kematu.

And she looked hideous.

Despite her thin and muscular frame and the scars that riddled it, Kaiah couldn't help but see a picture of her suffering. She felt disgusting, defiled, and it brought tears to her eyes. She rubbed the back of her neck where he pinned her to the ground, reliving the horrible memory all over again.

She quickly threw on her clean clothing and grabbed her belongings before rushing upstairs back to their room. She opened the door quickly and was met with an alarmed Vilkas, who seemed surprised by her sudden entrance. "T-The bath is open."

Vilkas cocked a brow and tilted his head, "Okay…? Is everything good?"

"Yeah," she lied, sounding a little too eager, "just tired."

The Nord stood up from his chair and grabbed his change of clothing hesitantly, not taking his eyes off of Kaiah's. He walked over towards the door and stepped through it slowly, almost as if waiting for her to say something to him. He was met with silence, and he proceeded to hold his tongue as he stepped out of the room, making his way to the bathing room downstairs.

Vilkas opened the door to the bathing room and was instantly hit with the scent of his shield-sister. Dragon's Tongue. He shut the door behind him and placed his clean clothes on the chair before stripping. The water was warm and smelled of whatever oil Kaiah had used during her bath. He didn't mind, stepping into the tub and completely submerging himself into the water, allowing his hair to be entirely drenched. He scrubbed the warpaint and dirt that he accumulated off of his face, cleansing it of impurities.

Vilkas stayed in the tub for a while, resting his head on the edge and breathing through his nose and out of his mouth. The day was long. What started as a seemingly cut-clean extermination of necromancers turned into a psychological trip that has left his mind tainted with uncertainty.

Though what bothered him more than the unprovoked invasion of his deepest fears and insecurities, was just how close he had come to shifting. The Nord hadn't shifted since the incident with Kaiah almost four months ago, and while he had been tempted by the beast many times since then, he hadn't come nearly as close to shifting as he did today.

"Breathe…"

Of course, it was truly so simple.

"Just be patient, and breathe."

Kodlak's words rang in his head like a temple bell.

He tried so hard that night to breathe, to try and suppress the beast. But tried as he did, he still caved to the beast's urges. He almost did tonight, in front of her. Gods, what a catastrophe it would have been. But he didn't. The breathing had worked, much to his surprise, and they were able to finish what they had started.

She had touched his hand so gingerly, without so much as a second thought. His skin was on fire, he knew that she felt it. She had stood before a man in the midst of a shift, a man who could have turned into a beast and ripped her apart. Though she possessed no fear, only concern for him, as she placed her delicate hand on his cheek. He wanted to feel that again, her soft and gentle touch against his skin.

It was selfish of him to want that. He didn't deserve that. How could she ever see him that way, after what he had done to her? And after what she had been through? His longing for his shield-sister felt like a sin that would condemn his soul to Oblivion. Though he knew deep down that if given the chance he would forsake all of Sovngarde if it meant spending just one night with her.

"Arkay take me, I'm such a fool."

Vilkas stepped out of the tub and changed into his clean clothes, making sure to grab his dirty ones before heading back upstairs to the room. He opened the door to the room slowly, trying to be quiet in case Kaiah had already fallen asleep. He looked over towards the double bed and saw her sleeping beneath the covers, her breathing low and quiet. He shut the door softly and placed his clothes inside his knapsack before laying down on his bedroll. He tucked himself beneath the furs and rested his head above his arms as he laid on his back, staring into the dark ceiling.

"Vilkas?"

The Nord cocked his head and saw Kaiah still laying in the bed. "Are you still awake?"

He let out a brief sigh, "Yeah."

There was a long moment of silence between the two and Vilkas was sure that maybe she had fallen back asleep. Though to his surprise it was broken when she spoke again, "I can't sleep." Vilkas couldn't hold back his grin, "Welcome to my world."

Another long moment of silence. "I saw him." Vilkas looked over towards the Redguard, who still laid in the bed on her side. "In the cave. The… illusions. The man who attacked me. His name is Kematu."

The Nord was surprised that she had finally spoken his name. The name of the man who had attacked her. But all that was going through his head was how he would find him now that he knew his name. How he would make him suffer for what he did to her. His thoughts of premeditated murder were interrupted when she spoke again, "When I left Hammerfell, I left a whole life behind me. I wanted to start fresh… to start over. To put the life that I had once lived behind me."

Vilkas sat up in his bedroll, clasping his hands in his lap as he stared intently at the Redguard. She seemed unaware of this. "He was my lover." Lover. The word made his beast snarl. The thought that she had once loved another man made him ill with jealousy. "When I was younger and stupid, I was in love with a man whom I thought loved and cherished me. But I was nothing to him; nothing but a fuck."

"It took me too long to recognize that. I wanted to believe that… I was worthy of being loved." Kaiah choked on her words, "It's hard to feel worthy of that if you're damaged goods."

"Hey!" Vilkas snapped, causing the Redguard to sit up quickly in her bed, "Don't you ever say that about yourself. You are not damaged goods, Kaiah."

The Redguard wiped away a silent tear that she realized had fallen down her cheek. She was taken back by his sudden outburst, she honestly didn't think he was even listening. But there he was, listening intently as she unloaded a very painful piece of her past that she would soon rather forget. But Kematu wasn't going to let her forget. He made sure of that.

After a long and tortuous moment of silence, Vilkas let out a defeated sigh as he stood from his bedroll. He sat down at the foot of the bed, creating a little more than an arm's length distance between them. "Kaiah…" What was he going to say? What could he say? What would be the appropriate thing to say to her? That everything would be okay? That she wasn't who she was claiming herself to be? What weight does his opinion of her hold to her? "When you first came to Jorrvaskr that day, and Kodlak let you join so quickly without so much a thought, I… Well, I thought he was mad."

Kaiah frowned. Vilkas noticed her ministrations and continued, "I didn't see what he saw. The strength and spirit… It eluded me. Everyone at Jorrvaskr seemed to have noticed, except for me. I didn't… perhaps I am getting off track."

For a second he could have swore he saw a tiny smile trickle on her face, or perhaps he was seeing things. He chuckled weakly at himself, "I suppose the point I am trying to make is… you're strong, Kaiah. Fierce. Loyal. Your combat prowess is something that would make even Ysgramor himself jealous… you're…" Headstrong? Stubborn? Brave? Resilient? So many words he could use to describe her. "Incredible."

Kaiah seemed to be at a loss for words. Vilkas, the man whom she had been at odds with since she arrived at Jorrvaskr, the man who was her teacher, and the man who had her back through it all… called her incredible. She felt a warmth in her chest, the same warmth she felt that day on the road in Whiterun Hold. It felt the same, a warm comfort in her heart that she brushed off as merely a reaction to a sudden outburst of uncharacteristic kindness. But here she was, blushing like a young girl who was talking to a boy she had feelings for.

Of course, adult feelings were so much more complicated.

Though what was so complicated about this?

In truth, Kaiah couldn't quite place it. He was easy on the eyes, of course, that she never denied. However, it seemed like her infatuation went deeper than the surface. Infatuation? Is that what this is called? She wasn't sure. Though he seemed to be clouding every inch of her mind, like a stubborn fog that wouldn't let up, she managed to get out the words that were stuck in her throat.

"I think you're incredible too…"

Was that a declaration of love? 'Why did I say that?' She bit her tongue and pursed her lips, trying not to appear regretful of her words. Was she regretful? Certainly it was the truth? Who was she trying to fool? Herself?

Vilkas felt his own face grow hot, and he found himself grateful for the dim lighting in the room. He could tell just from her face that she had a million thoughts racing through her head, as if she wasn't quite sure what to say next. Vilkas cleared his throat and stood up from the bed, "You should get some rest." He wouldn't dare try anything while in the current state she was in, even if deep down he really wanted to.

Kaiah watched Vilkas silently as he laid back down in his bedroll, blowing out the last candle that was still lit in the room. She retreated back into her covers and stared into the dark room, trying to process all of the emotions she was currently feeling. 'I just need some rest.' She tried to assure herself, closing her eyes and taking deliberate breaths in an effort to drift off into a blissful slumber.

As Kaiah soon fell asleep, Vilkas laid in his bedroll, staring into the darkness, unable to find even a brief moment of peaceful sleep that he so desperately wanted.