So….. Hope you enjoy this chapter. I know it has been awhile, but I got to it in the end. I would love to hear your thoughts, R&R please.
Soon after we had taken off, we came across a cave. "This should be it here," Aela explained. "Now I must warn you, who knows what they did to that elf, and if we have to defend ourselves, we will have to kill him. Simple as that," she continued. I looked over my shoulder towards her and gulped.
We walked into the cave, one by one. Farkas walked in first, looking around as we sloshed through the ankle deep water.
"Hmm… homey…" he muttered looking around the dark, damp cave. Vilkas nodded.
"Keep your eyes peeled, this place is said to be crawling with Falmer and their pets," he said stepping forward in the cave. I looked down at the murky water, disgusted. Who knows what was in it.
"Well that's just great, you know, I can't think of-" Farkas began before Aela clamped a hand over his mouth.
"Shh, I heard something…." Aela hissed. I swallowed, grabbing my sword as I squinted through the darkness. I slowly stalked forward with Vilkas, who unsheathed his own large weapon. The only sound I could hear was dripping water, and my heartbeat. Farkas and Aela were behind us, creeping slowly. Farkas suddenly yelped loudly, making all of us turn. A large chaurus had its jaws clamped down on his left ankle. It clicked loudly.
"DAMN YOU!" Farkas roared as Aela stabbed it swiftly with a dagger. It squealed, clamping tighter to Farkas's leg but slowly died. Aela ripped it off of Farkas and looked at his wound.
"You'll be fine," she said poking it.
"Oh! WILL I?" he snapped yanking his foot away from her. Aela growled but stood.
"Come, I think I heard something up ahead," Vilkas whispered, rolling his eyes at his shield siblings. I shook my head slowly as Aela nodded walking onward, with me following closely behind.
The cave reeked of an odor that I could only be described by murky and wet. I scrunched my nose slightly as I followed Aela, the twins following behind me. I could hear Farkas limping slightly, but he didn't seem to mind too much…
We continued to walk, cautiously. Why was I the only one afraid of what we may find? I swallowed my fear and continued walking through the nasty wet cave. I glanced over to see Aela's face was completely emotionless, completely focused. Why couldn't I be like that? Was this what guilt felt like?
Vilkas halted. "Stop. Can't you smell that?" I turned to look at the twins, both of their faces were screwed up, disgusted. I sniffed the air around me, only smelling the same rotting cave.
"Errr…. What am I smelling?" I asked confused. Vilkas shook his head.
"Not you…" He looked to Aela. I grinded my teeth together, feeling stupid. 'Why the hell would he ask you about a smell…. They are freaking WEREWOLVES Lydia… you idiot…' I shook my head at myself.
I looked back at them curiously. Aela released a low growl. "Vile… Vile creatures," she snarled darkly.
"Vile creatures? What vile creatures? Falmer?" I asked.
"They are coming…" Vilkas growled, grabbing his weapon.
"Who are coming? Is the elf with them?" I said looking around at the people who continued to ignore me.
"You have that dagger… Right Aela?" Farkas asked. Aela nodded, grabbing her bow. "Good… you may need it,"
"WHYY?" I shouted. The three of them turned and hushed me, only to then return to looking at an opening in the cave wall. I gaped at them. "… Rude…" I grumbled.
The first of the Falmer sprinted through the hole in the wall as if they were kamikaze Falmers. Hell, maybe they were, only the gods knew. Aela slowly crept backward, firing arrow after arrow expertly into the sightless eyes of the snow elves. I drew my steel sword, rolling to the side and slashing at a Falmer with an axe. It screeched and collapsed, chucking its weapon in my direction. I yelped, barely having enough time to lift my shield to hide my head. I gawked at the odd weapon on the ground.
"That could have killed me, you bastard!" I snarled, running toward him and slitting its throat. Farkas chuckled loudly, bashing its comrade's skull in with his war-hammer.
"That's the spirit, Lydia!" I smirked and rolled again, coming behind an archer. I swept the blind demon's feet out from under her and stabbed down toward her heart. She shrieked, blood oozing out of her pale skin and onto my blade. The crimson liquid sprayed onto my face as she thrashed about. I clenched my teeth, twisting my sword for good measure.
Vilkas had one pinned into a corner. He twisted back, ready to slay it and end its last breath when Aela yelled.
"Wait! I want to talk to it," She said walking forward.
"Talk to it? Aela, are you insane?" Farkas questioned, very confused.
"Possibly… but let me try." Aela grabbed her dagger and kicked the Falmer's weapon away from its hand. "Now… Where is the Dark Elf you took?" She said calmly. The Falmer's blind eyes stared into her green ones. It bared its rotten teeth at her, growling. Aela clenched a hand around its throat. "Answer me. Now would be nice…" The Falmer merely gurgled in response. "NOW," she growled, holding the dagger to its throat.
"Wait!" I exclaimed, dashing forward.
"What? He is of no use to us!" hissed the huntress. I sighed loudly thinking.
"Maybe he could show us… I mean… obviously he can't talk like us… so maybe he could lead us to Duv-err, the elf." The companions stared at me for a moment.
"That's not a bad idea actually…" Vilkas admitted. Aela chewed on her bottom lip and then looked back at the twisted snow elf.
"Fine fine, we will go with that…" she muttered. "Farkas, make yourself useful, grab that rope and tie this blind bastard to it… tonight he is the dog." Farkas nodded picking up some old rope, tying the falmer's neck with one side of it. I watched the creature for a while, his red blind eyes staring right back at me. I averted my gaze.
"We should keep moving. This place stinks," I muttered, walking forward through a hole in the wall. The companions followed with their new pet, shoving him to keep him going. I could feel its sightless eyes on me, tracking my every move. It knew I had done this, made him a prisoner. I swallowed down my fear. I needed to get Duvaithor out of here; there wasn't any time for panic.
My mind wandered to Duvaithor. Was he dead? Was he being tortured? If he was… I was the world's worst housecarl. Why had I even gotten mad? He was flirting. So what Lydia, the man can do whatever the hell he wanted to. Why did you care? No… I didn't care. Not for that man. He was strictly my thane, nothing more. He was a jerk that only cared about himself. Then again… he did safe my life… no… shut up Lydia…
"Lydia, this way," Vilkas called.
"Huh?" I snapped my attention behind me. The companions stared at me, frowning. I blinked and looked back. I had nearly fallen off a cliff in the cave. My eyes widened and I slowly backed away from the edge. Aela walked forward, putting a hand on my shoulder.
"You okay, Lydia?" I swallowed looking at her.
"Yeah… I was just… spacing…" I looked down, sighing. Aela stared at me, her green eyes searching me for the longest time, until Farkas cleared his throat, making Aela turn and nod, returning onward. I sighed in relief and gave Farkas a smile. He nodded and winked a clear blue eye at me, making me smile and follow him.
The cave only seemed to stink worse the deeper we ventured. The companions gagged occasionally, shoving the Falmer along, who seemed unaffected by the stench. He grumbled occasionally, but nothing too loud or he would gain a threat from Aela. You didn't mess with Aela… you just didn't. Unless of course you had a certain death wish, then yes, yell in her war painted face and take your chances. At least everyone else would get a show out of it.
We wandered seemingly aimless in the cold secluded cave called Darkwater Pass. I irritably rubbed my nose, stifling a sniffle. Farkas limped along behind me, though again, he didn't seem too worried about it. If it were me, I would have been complaining to Oblivion and back about my damned foot. Farkas only grunted occasionally, keeping his eyes trained on my back. I could feel them. Those big blue eyes.
Vilkas paused, yanking on the rope to stop the Falmer in his tracks. Aela slowed, turning to her shield brother.
"What is it, Vilkas?" she asked. Vilkas held up a hand, listening hard. I looked at him curiously, only hearing the rushing water we had left behind back when I nearly fell to my death. Aela blinked, listening as well. She clucked her tongue. "I do not hear anything, brother…" He gave her a stern look.
"I heard something; I swear to Hircine, I did…"
"What was it?" Farkas asked softly. I looked back at him for a moment, the large man with his long black hair.
"I…I am… unsure, but! I heard it, perhaps a whimper. I swear, it must have been the Elf," He assured. I gulped. A whimper? Was it… a pain type deal? Or-oh hell… what other kind of whimper could there be in a kidnapping!? I shook my head, feeling light headed, slamming my eyes shut. This was all my fault. I shouldn't have snapped at him. I could have saved him from all of this. He would have-Oh listen to yourself Lydia! Nothing will get done with all these should'a would'a could'as…. I turned my attention back to the companions who had continued on with the conversation and began moving again. I cursed Akatosh and followed.
"I swear to it… I do," Vilkas went on and on. Farkas rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, we got it, ya heard something, great, we'll be sure to give you a medal back in Jorrvaskr," he snorted earning a snarl from his twin.
"I DID hear something you idiot!" He snapped. Farkas held his hands up in defense.
"I never said you didn't. Man, what woman kicked you outta bed this morning? Oh wait… There wasn't one!" he said smugly. Vilkas whipped around and slammed his fist into Farkas's face. Farkas gasped and stumbled, yelping at twisting his wounded ankle. The rope was then snatched from Vilkas's hands as the Falmer sprinted away and into the darkness, causing Aela to curse them both out. I stepped back, watching the chaos with wide brown eyes.
"Stendarr's mercy…" I muttered.
"ENOUGH!" Aela screamed, kicking both men in the jewels, making them both groan and clutch their man parts. I covered my mouth, hiding a laugh. "Now look what you two idiots have done!" she snarled, grabbing them by their hair and yanking them to their feet. They grumbled apologies, glaring at each other. Aela growled. "Now that scrawny little bastard will alert his nest that we are here and searching for the Elf, they will most likely kill him now!" My smirk was slapped off my face at her words. She was right…
Farkas sighed, "Fine, let's keep moving then."
We all moved quickly, not really knowing if we were going the right way or not but hell, we were moving.
The stench got so bad that I could literally see it. The green fog created a thick blanket that caked the lining of my throat. I gagged, trying to find sweet relief, only to find more of the shit seeking passage to my lungs.
"Well if the Falmer hasn't killed the poor bastard, I'm sure this smell has…" Farkas said through a cough. I swallowed the nasty poison. I wish they would stop saying he was dead… He couldn't be dead. I could feel it. Duvaithor was alive, and still had that stupid smirk on his stupid face. I grumbled to myself as we continued walking. Aela paused, making us stop. No one asked, we just simply listened. Falmer.
"cosa, gerfin blein…" one murmured. What, in the hell… did that mean…
Aela motioned for us to be quiet and to keep moving. I admired her. She couldn't have been much older than me. Maybe, what… twenty two? I was only eighteen.
We moved quietly. I have no idea how Farkas did it, but hell, he did. Vilkas was right behind me, keeping me steady as we walked on a slick spot. I nodded my thanks as we crouched, looking down from a small cliff. A steep ramp led down to the bottom, where several Falmer were living. On a table, strapped down was none other than Duvaithor himself. He was staring at the Falmer over him.
"Listen, this has been… lovely…. But I really should get-"
"COSA, GERFIN BLEIN!" one shrieked. Duvaithor's lip rose in distaste.
"Hmm… well now, there is no need to shout, I AM right here…." He said calmly. My lips rose in a foolish smirk. That bastard. That complete and utter bastard. I nearly laughed aloud, but no I wouldn't dare. They would surely kill him. I slowly turned the gold ring on my finger, biting my lip.
Aela slowly nocked an arrow. She aimed it and held it there for a long while, observing. She finally let loose the arrow and watched as it drove into the falmer's head who had shrieked. It fell in a heap on the cold wet ground. Duvaithor blinked.
"I swear there had just been something there," he said boredly. I rolled my eyes and charged with Farkas and Vilkas, Aela showing the remaining Falmer with arrows from her perch.
"Skyrim belongs to the Nords!" I cried.
"Oy!?" Duvaithor snapped.
"And a particular Dark Elf who should shut the fuck up!" I could feel his white eyes on me as I fought with the blind scum around us. Farkas ruthlessly slammed his hammer down on countless skulls while Vilkas skillfully danced with his greatsword and cut them off by the knees. The Huntress gracefully worked her bow from high above, hitting them in their blind eyes every time.
I refused to look at Duvaithor, because I knew what I would find. I would find his confusing gaze. The gaze that made me shiver yet makes me drawn to him. Something was…off about that man. He made you on edge yet at peace all with one glance.
I was ripped from my thought and cried out as a Falmer struck me in my back. I whipped around and slammed the butt of my sword into his face and bashed my shield into his gut, causing him to stumble. I twirled and dragged my sword across his middle, blood spraying to the cave wall.
Farkas grunted as a falmer stabbed him in the shoulder. Before I could run to his attacker, Aela took care of it swiftly.
"Hang in there brother!" Vilkas called.
"Hang? There is no hanging? What? It's a scratch!" he laughed, wielding his hammer with only his left hand. I rolled my eyes, but a small smile toyed at my lips as I stabbed a Falmer in its throat.
Soon all of the Falmer in the current chamber were dead. Aela strode down the ramp and looked to Farkas's shoulder. She prodded it with her fingers gently.
"Hmm… Vilkas, you have any potions? Herbs?"
"Oh, I'm afraid I do not, Aela…" Vilkas sheathed his greatsword and frowned, looking thoughtfully at the ground covered with Falmer blood. I watched Farkas bleed for a moment before he caught my eyes and smiled slightly.
"Ah, hey now… I'm alright, don't hurt much," he chuckled.
"That's because you drink too much… you have no feelings of hurt or touch!" I joked. He grinned, his wolf fangs poking out from behind his lips.
"Perhaps… Nothin' wrong with being a little numb on a rescue mission…"
"For you Farkas! You're a functioning drunk!"
"Functioning," snorted Vilkas.
"Speaking of a rescue mission…" Duvaithor spoke slightly annoyed. We all turned to him, blinking for a moment. "OH! I'm sorry! Please! Continue making goo-goo eyes at one another, pshhh I'm FINE!" We muttered apologies and went to him, cutting his restraints that held him to the table. Vilkas helped him sit up.
"How do you feel?" Vilkas asked curiously. Duvaithor looked at the Nord.
"…S…Seriously? Youre asking…. How i… feel?" Vilkas blinked at his words.
"No, I guess not," Vilkas slowly turned and walked away from him. I scrunched up my nose.
"You don't have to be rude…" I murmured. His wickedly beautiful eyes found me.
"Oh… I'm sorry; shall I tie you to this table for a night with blind vermin poking at your privates and see if you are a ray of sun shine?" I bit my lip, wishing I had the strength to avert my gaze, now realizing that Duvaithor…. was naked…
I swallowed. Aela spoke up, rescuing me.
"Hey, Lydia, could you help me search these Falmer?" she tugged on my arm, pulling me to the other side of the room. Once we were away I thanked her in a low whisper.
"Don't mention it," she whispered and then thought for a moment. "Say, you fought well today."
I blinked. "Oh… why… thank you Aela, that's very kind."
She shrugged, "it's not kind, it's merely the truth told correctly." I nodded slowly, still taking it as a compliment. I wouldn't dig for a better one.
Aela and I went on searching for gold and gems in the Falmer's pockets or pouches in silence. I snuck a glance to the Dunmer, who was dressed once more, healing Farkas' wounded shoulder. I chewed my bottom lip as I observed out of the corner of my eyes. He was helping, but I couldn't help but be afraid. He had darkness in his heart, a filth that I couldn't quite grasp. He was a monster among men. And he owned me.
And there you have it, hurray! Duvaithor is free! So what do you think will happen? Do think again, and please, tell me your thoughts! I'm curious to see what you all think will happen in the future.