Chapter 14

*I do not own Skyrim, but I do own Juheena and Juheena owns Farkas*

Finally, I am home, Astrid sighed to herself. Time to see my husband and have quite a reunion… She smirked, harboring dirty thoughts about the activities she had planned for him. Pushing open the door, she shed her boots in favor of some soft wool footwraps. She didn't plan on doing anything at all for a few days, work-wise. She would relax, spend the day in bed, and enjoy herself. Something she never did often.

Stopping in her bedroom on her way to the dining hall, she brushed her hair and changed into a soft linen dress covered in blood stains, a trophy from a good kill. She thought it gave the dress character, personality.

When she made it into the waterfall room, she saw that Arnbjorn's forge was abandoned. No matter, she thought. He must be in the dining hall with a pint of ale in his hand.

"Hello Veezara. Working on that new hack-and-slash move I showed you last week?" She called out to the Argonian.

He froze. As he turned towards her, she could see that his eyes had widened considerably. She must have startled him. "I apologize, my friend. I didn't mean to startle you."

"A-A-Astrid…. Welcome home, m'ilady." He bowed his head in respect, and swallowed hard. There was another unpleasant scene approaching, he knew it. He wondered how Astrid would react to Juheena's friends. And he was about to find out, for Irileth had marched down the stairs with a book in her hands.

When she saw the stern-looking blonde Nord, she too froze.

"Oh, my." Was all she said.

Astrid appraised the young Dunmer. She was not exactly the assassin type… she was thin, but her taught muscles made her seem more of a warrior; which meant she wouldn't be sneaking around much, Astrid guessed.

"I see we have a new recruit."

"Yes. I am Irileth." The dark elf presented herself.

"Veezara, get Irileth here some new armor. I wish to speak with her later." Irileth and Veezara shared a wary glance, which Astrid caught.

"What?" She demanded. She didn't like to be left out of things, especially things she ought to know.

"Nothing, mistress. Come Irileth… lets go...get you some new armor." And hide, he added silently. Irileth seemed to hear it anyway.

As they left the room, Astrid suddenly got a very bad feeling. She didn't know why, but she would find out soon, damn it. She marched angrily towards the dining hall, where she might get some answers. Babette wasn't watching over her spider, so she must have been out. Festus, however, stood in the corner over a desk, mumbling to himself some gibberish about cabbages.

"Festus!" She barked, causing the old man to jump.

"Hello Astrid." He said, after making a desperate attempt to slow his heart. He was getting too old for this.

"Is that Dunmer your old friend?" She inquired.

"Why, yes. She is in fact." He confirmed, gazing in the direction of the dining hall.

"Why is everyone so jumpy? I don't like it, not one bit." She gazed at him pointedly, making herself look as demeaning as possible.

"Don't look at me. All I did was make it rain cabbages." And with that, he turned back around and started scribbling something on an old piece of parchment.

Frowning, Astrid turned on her heel and crossed through the stone archway that led to the stairs. Squaring her shoulders, she stepped into the light of the room. What she saw there explained why everyone was so nervous.

"Ah. You're back." She said, venom drowning the words. She narrowed her eyes at her husband, no longer thinking of their passionate reunion. She would do the opposite, in fact.

"Hello, Astrid. Your dress is… quite charming. It suits you." Juheena quipped. Farkas tensed instantly. Juheena was in immediate danger, and he would make sure the vicious woman never got near her. Juheena kicked her bare feet up on the table, looking perfectly at ease. The woman was no match for his Juheena, he knew. There was no use in taking chances, however.

"Astrid." Arnbjorn greeted his wife, rather curtly. She frowned. She would punish him, alright. She would avoid him until he could take it no longer, until he begged her to pay him some attention. He would see how much he needed her.

"I was wondering why it smelled so musty here. It must be the cat's fur. It can't be sanitary." Juheena rolled her eyes at the remark.

"Hey!" Farkas barked. The whole room paused. You could hear a quill drop. Farkas continued, "Don't insult her. That dress looks like it ain't been washed in months, I'm sure it can't be 'sanitary'. So I believe I'd shut up before I get really angry." His grey eyes looked as stormy as the color they came from. Juheena took one of his hands, which was balled into a fist so tight he must have drawn blood with his fingernails.

Arnbjorn whistled. The boy really was willing to do anything for Juheena. He was courageous, yet quite stupid to stand up to Astrid.

Astrid's voice came out slow and harrowing. "Listen here dog. I do not answer to you. I answer to nobody. I. Am. The. Law." She put daunting emphasis on the last sentence. "If you wish to keep your empty head attached to your shoulders, I would leave. Now."

Farkas growled, visibly shaking from head to toe. As if he were about to transform. Juheena jumped up quickly, and pulled him up the stairs, headed towards her own bedroom. She would calm him down there.

Arnbjorn sat there, staring into his mug. He sighed, and prepared himself for the worst. But the worst never came. Astrid came and sat at the opposite end of the table, and set her chin on her folded hands, staring at him. He stared back.

Astrid sighed, "Okay Arnbjorn. You win."

He laughed humorlessly. "What do you want me to do, Astrid? Stop loving my daughter? My own daughter, who I raised from a little kitten? I think not. If anything, I've stopped loving you."

His words hit home. "Fine, Arnbjorn. Its over between us. We are now strictly colleagues. You mean nothing. Nothing at all."

"Fine by me. It has been that way for a long time now, Astrid. You are different. I don't know what it is, but I will never find what I need from you. I have my daughter, the Brotherhood, and my forge. That's all I need." He got up and grabbed his tongs from a bucket of water in the corner where they had been cooling. He was headed to his forge.

When he was gone, Astrid just sat there. She didn't know what to do. She had only cried one time in her life. And that was a long time ago. Those were wasted tears, and she certainly wouldn't waste any more on that bag of fleas. But she lost her resolve. It seemed that she would waste many, many tears on him indeed.

xXOOoOOXx

It took almost an hour, but Farkas finally calmed down enough that the wolf retreated back into its den. He sat there on Juheena's bed, staring in her eyes as she washed him with warm water. He was nude, and enjoyed the warm bath that his love administered. She rubbed the washcloth over his shoulders, around his neck, and gently scrubbed the dirt and paint from his face. She smiled at him, seeing him without his war paint.

"It's odd seeing your face so bright. Usually you're such a dirty boy." She commented slyly, rubbing the soft cloth higher on his thighs. He smiled, but stilled her hand.

"Not now love. Maybe later." She drew up her eyebrows in confusion. When had her Farkas ever been one to turn away her advances?

"Are you alright, love?" She sat down in his naked lap, her soft legs tickling his skin. He kissed at her collarbone idly, remaining silent. "Farkas?" She probed.

"Yes love. I just don't like that woman. I never thought that she would be this bad when you told me about her."

"Why are you worrying about it? She can't hurt me. Not without two ferocious werewolves, two irate elves, and two angry children on her heels." She licked his nose, making him smile.

"But she's insane. What if she decided that it was worth it?" Juheena didn't know. But she knew she could fight Astrid off, and she could detect her presence with her heightened feline senses. As long as she stayed with Farkas, it would all be okay, that she knew for sure.

"She doesn't matter. And you know what…?" She trailed off. "I bet I could get your mind off of all this." She grabbed him, making him gasp.

"You know what? I think you're right, kitty cat."

xXOOoOOXx

Anja woke up about a half an hour before midnight. She put on a cloak and stole away from Babette's room, headed towards the room behind the stained glass mosaic. When she got there she met up with Irileth. There in front of them stood an ornate iron coffin.

"Isn't this exciting?" Anja bounced slightly.

Irileth smirked, "Indeed it is, child."

Anja bounced some more before she decided to ask Irileth some questions. "So do you have a boyfriend?"

The Dunmer's eyes widened in surprise, but then lowered. "I have a secret boyfriend, actually. We aren't supposed to be together." There was no harm in confiding with the child, she thought.

The girl gasped, and the surprise in her eyes was amusing. "Really? Who is it?" She asked excitedly.

"If I told you, it wouldn't be a secret any longer, my dear child, would it?"

"I won't tell anyone! I promise!" Irileth smiled at the girl's enthusiasm.

"Oh, all right. But you mustn't tell anyone. Not a single soul."

"I promise! Do Juheena and Farkas know?"

"Well yes actually. They help me meet up with him secretly sometimes." The girl was absolutely about to burst.

"Well? Who is it? Tell me!"

"His name is…" Anja readied herself, suspense threatening her to go mad.

"Bob the Bard." The girl went silent. Irileth burst out laughing, which earned her a kick in the shin.

"You liar. I thought you really had a secret boyfriend." Anja visibly pouted.

"Oh, I do."

"Yeah right."

"He is my Jarl. My sweet Balgruuf." She enjoyed the sound of his name on her tongue. Almost as much as she enjoyed something else of his on her tongue…

The girl was speechless. "Really? That's so sweet! A secret, forbidden love!" That was the truth, Irileth thought to herself.

"Nobody can know. Do you realize how important that is? I would be banished for the impropriety. His foolish wife is a maniac."

"No wonder he cheats on her so much."

"What…how do you?"

"His youngest son told me that his mom isn't the same as his brother's and sister's."

"Ah…" This she didn't know. Was there someone else? Was she just an outlet for him to have someone other than his overbearing, demeaning wife? Tears threatened the corners of her eyes. Anja took her hand, and said, "I'm sorry. I figured you would know."

"Know what?" Farkas asked, entering with Juheena. The upset look on the Dunmer's face told all, though. Juheena offered her a hug, which she took. There weren't many things that could make Irileth sad, but her love for her Jarl being threatened was one of them.

"Come on Irileth, let us speak with the Night Mother." The dark elf nodded.

Juheena got down on one knee on the stair leading to the Night Mother's coffin, and spoke "Sweet Mother, I have returned to you. What is it that you need, Unholy Matron?" The others followed suit, and soon a weak voice resonated around the room. It was the voice of a feeble old woman, yet it was terrifying, yet also awe-inspiring.

"My Listener. And friends…. It is good to see you again. I have an important task for you, young one."

"What is it, milady?"

"You shall travel to Volunruud. Speak with Amaund Motierre. You, my lovely girl, are about to carry out the most important contract in the Dark Brotherhood history."

Juheena paused before asking, "Milady? What do you mean?" The others shared a glance.

"You are going to assassinate the Emperor of Tamriel."

*Author's note:

Thank you for reading! Please leave a comment and tell me what you think :D

Seeya next time!