Alrighties guys, here is another chapter for you just because my birthday is in like 6 days. Enjoy!
Ter'im woke next with a strange feeling in his gut. His whisker's twitched a couple of times while he tried to dredge himself from dreamland. When he finally wrested his eyes open, he saw the usual courier that most everyone employed, but for some strange reason, the lad wasn't dressed in much more than a breechcloth, a pair of gloves and a cowl.
Ter'im blinked at the courier, looked over at Vilkas's sleeping form and turned back to the courier.
"Yes? Can Ter'im help you?"
"Oh, right, I have a message here for your eyes only. It's from Calcemo in Markarth, says he wants to see you about a Dwarven artifact. That's it."
Ter'im hummed in his throat and then with a snap and a few sparks sent the half naked courier scurrying out of the bedroom with a squeal. Ulfric poked his head around the doorframe moments later.
"Why was there a naked courier fleeing from this direction?"
Ter'im raised an eyebrow and unobtrusively slid his still sparking hand under the covers. "I haven't the slightest clue, I do know that I've seen more of him than I would have liked."
Ulfric squinted at Ter'im suspiciously, but let the matter drop and pushed his way into the room.
"Who has sent for you, Dragonborn? I see that shadow in your eyes."
"A court wizard of Markarth, Calcemo. He dabbles in Dwemer artifacts and sticking his nose in where it doesn't belong. I shouldn't be gone longer than a fortnight."
Ulfric dipped his head and then glanced over at Vilkas. "You plan on taking your husband with you on your journey?" Ulfric's tone was soft, but Ter'im heard the underlying question and jealousy in Ulfric's voice.
"No, I will leave him here under your care. He is capable enough of handling himself, but I do not wish for him to see the darker sides of me. Markarth has become a dark blot on my person and I'd prefer to keep him innocent to some things. Is this acceptable, Ulfric?"
"Indeed it is, Dragonborn. I believe your husband and I shall find ways to pass the days away, but you truly trust me with him?" Ulfric drawled while drawing a cold finger down Vilkas's side through the thin linen undershirt Vilkas wore to bed.
Ter'im followed the path of Ulfric's finger with heated eyes before tearing himself away from the tempting sight and answered the question lowly.
"Of course. I trust that you won't cause him unnecessary grief while I'm gone, if you ever want me in your bed again, that is."
Ulfric frowned and pouted, but agreed to Ter'im's demand and drew a fur back over Vilkas.
"Fine, if you are not back in the city after two weeks, I will send out a search party. Do not tarry."
Ter'im nodded, his eyes glowing in the candlelight.
Vilkas chose this moment to wake and cut the rising tension building in the room.
"Ter'im? Whazgoinon?" Vilkas muttered sleepily, burrowing his face farther into his pillow.
Ter'im laughed at his husband and stroked Vilkas's hair back away from his face.
"Nothing, love. Couriers apparently forget to dress while delivering messages."
"Was he naked again? We had one for Kodlak and I thought Aela would gut the poor man before he could get through the front door to Jorrvaskr." Waking up a bit now, Vilkas had the sense to blush at Ulfric's heavy gaze on him.
"Good morning, Companion. You do have problems with the couriers as well? I let my men at them for a bit, but had to stop them as our messages weren't getting through to the right people at the right time. I think it may have had something to do with me being captured. The damn messages about an ambush didn't get through to us in time."
Vilkas looked at Ulfric with shocked eyes and Ter'im snorted under his breath and twitched his whiskers in amusement. Vilkas shifted closer to Ter'im, still staring at Ulfric and as quietly as he could manage asked, "What's he doing in here?"
Ter'im answered back in a hushed tone, "It is his bedroom we're in. The man cannot live in one shirt and one pair of breeches alone, you know."
Vilkas rolled his eyes at Ter'im's sarcastic answer and poked Ter'im hard in the side. Ter'im flicked Vilkas's nose and then said quietly, "Love, I've got to report to Markarth to the court wizard Calcemo. I'm just going to be chunking a Dwarven helmet at him, getting the key to his excavation site, and coming straight back to you. The entire thing should not take me more than two weeks, especially on horseback."
"Alright, my love. I feel there's going to be a 'but' in there at some point."
"Yes, I just want you safe, my beautiful Vilkas, and I'd like for you to stay here with Ulfric and the rest of the Stormcloaks until I get back." Ter'im twitched his whiskers and pouted at Vilkas who melted under the look and mumbled out his agreement in a heartbeat.
Ulfric nodded sagely at Vilkas's agreement and was drawn back downstairs with news of another Imperial ambush.
Ter'im stroked his claws gently through Vilkas's mane of hair and leaned down to kiss his husband. Vilkas groaned and opened his mouth to Ter'im's probing tongue. They kissed languidly for several long moments, and then Ter'im pulled away with a tiny sigh and muttered against Vilkas's swollen lips.
"Whatever happens when I am gone, keep record of it and tell me when I return. Remember that no matter what happens, I love you above all else."
Vilkas nodded and kissed Ter'im one more time before rolling out of bed and yanking his armor on quickly. Vilkas redressed Ter'im in his armor carefully and pressed a kiss the Gauldur Amulet and accompanied Ter'im to the city gates.
"Be safe love. Return to me."
"Wild dragons couldn't keep me away my Vilkas."
Ter'im's last sight as he strode out into the blizzard was his burly love being wrapped up in a cloak by Ulfric Stormcloak, Skyrim's new High King.