Thanks everyone for reading my story.

Sorry the updates take their time, but I'm rather busy with college, work and family at the moment.

I hope this chapter explains a few things :)

Special thanks to:

HatefulHeart: I'm glad you like the story. I hope this chapter won't disappoint you.

Crazililwabbit: Thank you for your review. This chapter should explain almost everything about the girl, and everything about the assassin in the next chapter I hope.

Enjoy!

P.S.: I edited the chapter, corrected a few typos etc. Also edited the description of the story.

Farkas found no sleep that night. He had been out hunting with Aela, hoping to rid his mind of thoughts of the girl and exhaust himself enough to get some rest, but his plan had failed. His thoughts were with her all the time. When he came home only to hear that Mahri had been attacked, he knew sleep would not find him. Instead he went out to the yard and slashed the training dummies to pieces.

The girl had been attacked, and he was not there to protect her. No, his brother had saved her instead. But what were they doing up at the Skyforge in the middle of the night anyway? Only the two of them, just after Vilkas had sent him away. Farkas' head hurt. He did not like the direction his thoughts were taking. Instead he tried to focus on his exercise and used his greatsword to carve big chunks of wood out of the dummy.

The girl confused him. Sure, she was pretty, but there was something else about her that intrigued him. He wanted to protect her, to be around her at all times, and to have her for himself. He wondered if that was what love felt like. Farkas had never really been in love. Sure, he had a few crushes when he was a young lad, but never anything serious. Still, he always thought love would feel different. More selfless, more beautiful. Less greedy.

Another hit with his greatsword brought another dummy down. Only now Farkas realized that it was past dawn. He had been out here for hours, lost in thought.

He put his weapon down and brushed the sweat off his forehead. Maybe he should talk to his brother, just to find out what had been going on between them? Or maybe he should check on Mahri first. Just to see if she was alright.

He took a few steps towards Jorrvaskr, but then changed his mind and turned around. He'd take a bath first. Just in case. After all, you never knew.

He left Whiterun through the underforge and made his way towards the White River.

The way was not far at all and he prefered the river to the bathtubs in Jorrvaskr. The water there was always too hot for him. He preferred the cold, fresh and clean stream. He had just reached the river and unclasped his armour when a familiar scent hit him. A scent he had not smelt in many many years, yet none that he particularily missed.

He looked around for the man he knew was somewhere nearby.

„Well, what a surprise. It's been a while, shield-brother" came a familiar voice from behind a large rock at the river bench

Farkas tensed. „Don't call me that, Arnbjorn. You are not one of us any longer."

The older man just laughed as he came closer to the Companion. Farkas could barely make out his face under the hood. He wore the leather clothes of the brotherhood.

„So the rumours are true? You're a disgrace!"

Arnbjorn removed the hood and showed Farkas a cocky smile. „And here I was, hoping you'd be glad to see an old friend"

„Friend?" Farkas spat out the word. „You're a murderer. And probably involved with whoever is after Mahri."

Arnbjorn raised an eyebrow. „Mahri? Is that the little redhead you shelter in Jorrvaskr these days?"

Farkas looked shocked at this revelation. „So it is true. You are here to kill her."

„I am doing no such thing. There is no contract on your precious friend's head. Just a personal vendetta. I am merely here to pick up one of my associates that has gone missing, if you know what I mean."

Farkas just growled. He believed Arnbjorn's words, but they made no sense to him.

„Who wants to kill her, and why?"

The older man just shrugged. „None of my business. However, I need to get going. Was good seing you, brother."

Farkas flinched as the older man gave him a friendly punch to the shoulder. He turned around and walked towards Whiterun, whistling cheerfully on the way.

Vilkas was tossing and turning in his bed. Ever since that girl had entered Whiterun, his entire world was standing upside down.

An assassin attacking someone just behind Jorrvaskr... that was unheard of! Especially if that someone was in company of a member of the Circle.

He had no doubt whatsoever that Mahri had been the target. Who was after her? What was she hiding from them? And why was he feeling the way he did around her?

Maybe he was attracted to her. Nothing a quick roll in the hay couldn't fix. But there was always the matter of his brother.

Was he in love with their mysterious guest?

Before the assassin attacked, she had tried to seduce Vilkas. And under normal circumstances she would have succeeded. Was he really that easy?

Vilkas tossed in his bed again. He usually did not fall that easily for a pretty face, yet somehow she had managed to wrap him around her little finger.

The previous night Vilkas wanted to talk to her. To find out what exactly she was hiding, and also what was going on between her and his brother. But instead of demanding answers as he had planned, he melted like wax in her hands.

At least he got some information. She said she was not after his brother... Vilkas swallowed. The implication she made instead made his head spin. But what worried him most was the nightly attacker. If it was indeed a member of the brotherhood, they would not give up so easily. They never did.

The girl was as good as dead, she just didn't know it yet.

Finally Vilkas decided to get up. He would not fall asleep anyway, so he got out of bed and washed his face in a washing bowl. For a minute he stood there, watching his own reflection in the water as small droplets fell from his face and his ruffled hair. He could not just let her die. No, he had to protect the girl at all costs.

That moment, Vilkas made a decision. He'd protect her. He'd giver her whatever it was she wanted. She had been through so much, that was the least he could do.

If it was his brother she wanted, he would stay out of their way and watch their backs. If it was him she wanted, she could gladly have him. He'd just have to figure out how to tell Farkas, but he'd cross that bridge when he came to it.

He felt lightheaded. As if his better judgement had just lost a battle against some unknown force. However, he had made up his mind.

Vilkas quickly got dressed and left for his brother's room.

He stayed in front of the door for a minute to collect his thoughts. She would not catch him off guard again.

Finally he knocked at the door, but was greeted with silence. He knocked again and called out to her. „Mahri, are you alright?". No reply.

He opened the door to find the room empty. The bedsheets were cold, so the girl must have been up for a while, but there was no trace of where she had gone. He was still looking around when he heard her footsteps behind her. How she managed to leave the room without him noticing in the first place was a mistery to him, he had been awake all night after all. However, she was standing behind him now, a surprised look on her face. „Good morning Vilkas. Were you looking for me?" He could not help but sigh in relief. „You should not wander off on your own. Not after last night."

She looked down at the floor and nodded. „I'm sorry. I just needed to get some fresh air." Vilkas crossed his arms and looked down at the petite figure. „I need to talk to you if you don't mind." He tried to sound as friendly as possible, but the girl flinched anyway and would not make eye contact. „Can we talk outside? It is such a beautiful day."

Vilkas was taken aback by her request but gave his consent nevertheless. She would be safe in his company after all.

Together tey left Jorrvaskr, neither of them saying a word. He was constantly watching her every movement. The way she walked, the way she moved her hips, the way her dress hugged her curves.

He was not normally attracted to this kind of woman. What was it that made her so different, so intriguing?

Most people in Whiterun were still asleep. Even Heimskr was not around yet to scream his lungs out. They once again walked up the steps towards the Skyforge, last night's memories still fresh in their heads, but also knowing that Eorlund would not be around for at least another two hours, so their privacy was guaranteed.

Vilkas was confident nobody would attack them in bright daylight anyway.

As soon as they arrived, Mahri ran towards the rim of the Skyforge to look down at the farms and plains. The sight was overwhelming both for her as she looked down and for Vilkas as he watched her backside. He could not help but smile.

After a few moments she turned around and smiled brightly at Vilkas. „It is beautiful up here!" He nodded in reply. „It sure is."

She hopped back down to Vilkas and came a little closer than absolutely necessarry. „So, what is it you wanted to talk about?" He swallowed. For some reason, this was not at all going the way he had hoped it would.

„I need to know what it is you want, Mahri. What shall become of you. My brother apparently has some sort of feelings for you, and I'd hate to see him get hurt." His mouth was dry. This was not at all what he wanted to say, yet he could not stop the words from coming. She looked a little embarassed and lowered her eyes. „I thought you knew that already... I like Farkas, but not like that."

She looked up and her eyes met Vilkas'. He felt a lot warmer all of a sudden and was able to hear his own heartbeat. Her scent intoxicated him as he seemed to drown in her beautiful eyes. Before he even knew what was happening, her lips had met his in a greedy kiss. He warpped one arm around her tiny waist and buried the other in her long, red curls, holding her close and ravishing her mouth with his tongue.

He felt dizzy and completely forgot the world around him. All that mattered right now was the woman in his arms. Her soft lips pressed onto his, her beautiful hair in his fist, her slender curves under his grasp. It felt so right and so wrong at the same time. A little voice in the back of his head tried to remind him that this was wrong, that his brother had claimed her first, but all it took for him to forget all of his doubts was the sound of her silent moans.

He wanted to touch her, to make her his. To feel her curves and smell her skin. Vilkas moved his hand slighly up her back, where something seemed to be tucked under her belt. Before he even realized what it was, that something had already dropped to the ground.

The sound of a small book hitting the ground violently pulled him back into reality. Vilkas withdrew from her embrace and bent down to pick up the small leatherbound journal but Mahri tried to stop him. „No, don't!" She bent down in an attempt to reach the book before Vilkas, but he was faster.

Mahri quickly tried to rip it out of his hands, but Vilkas's reactions were too quick for her. „Wait, I know this book. That is..." His eyes went wide in shock. „Kodlak's journal!"

He looked into her eyes that were full of hate and spite. „A shame really. I was hoping for a little more fun."

Vilkas was confused. What was going on? What was Mahri doing with the harbinger's journal, and where in Oblivion did she get the small dagger from that she was all of a sudden holding in her hands? This isn't good.

„Mahri, what...?"

Before he was even able to say anything, she had buried the blade in his stomach. Silver. A silver blade was all he thought before he was able to react. He pushed her as far away from him as possible, but the damage had been done. Silver and poison.

He felt an all too familiar burn deep in his gut. She had got him good, that was not a lucky strike. That bitch knew exactly what she was doing.

Vilkas went down to his knees, which offered Mahri the opportunity to attack him time she buried her dagger in his shoulder and left it there as he once again pushed her away.

The poison was quickly spreading in his body and he felt weaker than he ever remembered being.

All of a sudden Mahri ran past him and down the Skyforge. He heard her scream „Farkas, thank goodness you are here!"

Vilkas knew he was as good as dead. He could hardly breathe and his heart hurt with every beat. He had to warn his brother. He had to warn Farkas. With these thoughts, he passed out.