Hi everyone!
Just a quick chapter this time because I'm currently on a very tight schedule. I'd also just like to add I've started a new fic. Thanks to a review by Mirage159 and a couple other comments from good friends of mine, I've started a Teagan fic. :D He appears to have some fans so I decided to maybe give him some back story. It's called My life before. go show it some love and tell me what you think :)
Anyway, enjoy the fic.
GP
Chapter 4
The day long voyage to the island of Solstheim dragged on for a very sickly Ayah.
"I didn't know someone could hold that much puke..." Farkas grumbled as he held back his wife's hair while she vomited up the last of her stomach contents, all while trying to stay upright on the rocking ship.
"I didn't know she was seasick..." Vilkas commented to Aela. Both had seated themselves on the deck, hoping it would keep them from falling about like drunks.
"She never told me, or anyone for that matter." Aela scowled, watching the Harbinger spit the last chunks of sick over the side before wiping her pale lips with the back of her hand.
"We are n-never..." Ayah cringed, her stomach turning over as the boat crashed over a particularly brutal wave. "Doing this...Again!"
"Well we're going to have to." The huntress called to her over the wind. "Because we have to get back to Skyrim once we're done."
With a heavy sigh from Aela and a groan of disgust from Vilkas, Ayah gagged once more, her hands groping at the wooden side of the boat as she spewed up another round of vomit.
-oOo-
The sea quietened somewhat and Aela took the opportunity to seek out the Harbinger's son.
Ayah had near enough passed out on Farkas's lap, her chest aching from heaving and her head pounding. Farkas cuddled her tightly to him, trying to keep her limp body from sliding about the deck.
The sailor's whistled as she passed them, something that made her twitch with the rising anger of her inner wolf. She ignored them though and collected up an apple or two from an open crate before beginning the tedious process of opening each barrel and peering in.
She worked her way along the lines, growling in frustration whenever she opened one to find no child inside.
In normal circumstances, she'd have smelt him out. The boy was family. Part of her pack. Her nose even in human form was strong enough to pick up his unique scent. But as much as she tried, all the huntress could get a whiff of was very VERY strong, salty air.
It made her eyes water to say the least.
Eventually, the huntress stumbled upon what she was after, inside a very battered looking old barrel.
Inside, Kodlak was already stuffing himself with whatever food Teagan had packed away in his rucksack and the child looked up at Aela with podgy cheeks filled with food.
The older woman shot him a unimpressed look. "You're lucky your like your father, and not your mother. She currently can't keep anything down." She told him.
Kodlak quickly swallowed whatever he'd been chewing and smiled up at the huntress sweetly. "Can I come out yet?"
"No." Aela told him curtly, glancing about. She noticed a couple of sailors watching her, curious as to why she was talking to a barrel. A snarl was enough to cause them to jump and scurry away, leaving her in peace.
"Did Teagan make it on?" Kodlak asked again, shifting in the barrel to get comfortable. Even though he was still only small, the barrel was cramped and Kodlak had to near enough fold himself in two to fit comfortably.
"Teagan got caught. The bloody fool" Aela scoffed. "I have no doubt he'll find a way to follow us though."
"Aela!" Vilkas's voice came from not far behind her. Slamming the lid shut again, she turned, watching Vilkas make a shaky approach.
"Stay quiet and still. We won't be much longer now." She hissed to the barrel.
"What was that?" Vilkas gasped, almost losing his balance and tumbling into the huntress.
"Nothing. I was just curious as to what was in these barrels." Aela quickly said.
"Well?" Vilkas peered around her, looking at Kodlak's barrel. "What's in them?"
"Supplies." She shrugged and casually leant onto the barrel.
"Oh..."
Vilkas's attention turned to the sailors wondering the decks around them. They all seemed unfazed by the jerky movement of the vessel and Vilkas was a little envious.
"How do they do that?" He mused softly.
"They have their ship legs." Aela told him, pleased he'd lost interest in the barrels. "We barely leave land, so we're not used to it."
"Ayah's not used to it at all." Vilkas frowned at the thought of his sister-in-law.
"I'd have thought she would be. Didn't she travel Tamriel before coming to Skyrim?" Aela pondered. Inside the barrel, Kodlak shifted again, pressing his ear to the wood as he listened.
"Aye she did. She didn't say how she travelled though. Probably not by boat." He heard his uncle reply.
There was a cry from a distance and Aela and Vilkas paused to listen. One of the sailors, perched high in a crows nest was yelling down to some of the men on deck. Suddenly, everything seemed to buzz with life and men began running about, preparing.
"Looks like they're getting ready to pull into the harbour." Vilkas murmured, glancing about over his shoulder.
"Achoo!"
Vilkas started and turned to face Aela once more. The huntress was rubbing her nose sheepishly.
"Sorry." She shrugged, just about holding back the growl that rose in her throat.
"Not getting sick are you Aela?" Vilkas smirked. "I hope you haven't caught whatever Torvar had."
Aela gave a bitter laugh, cursing Kodlak inwardly.
-oOo-
Ayah awoke as the ship began to pull into the harbour. The waters had calmed and gingerly, with the help of Farkas, she stood.
"Mara... My chest is killing me." She wheezed.
She staggered to the side of the ship, watching as the small settlement of Rave rock grew closer and closer.
"This place doesn't look so bad." Farkas smiled, his arm wrapped protectively around his wife's waist.
Tearing her eyes away from the town, Ayah found herself staring off into the distance, admiring the towering volcano that loomed over the island.
The sight caused her mind to jolt and memories rushed back of all the times she'd seen the behemoth, the dark elves called Red mountain, up close and personal.
"Ayah?" Farkas shook her ever so gently, breaking her from her thoughts. She soon realised they'd come to a stop and a soft breath escaped her.
"Sorry, I was...thinking."
"You don't wanna do too much more of that." Vilkas snorted, coming up behind her. "So? Are we getting off or what?"
Ayah went to speak. She went to tell him she'd need a moment, when she was so rudely interrupted by someone on the small wooden pier beside the boat.
"I don't recognize you lot..." Came a snooty voice.
The companions looked up to see a dark elf, dressed in fine clothing with his long hair slicked back. He was accompanied by a guard wearing Bonemold armour. It was the sort of thing Ayah had been used to seeing while travelling through Morrowind as a child.
"I'll assume this is your first time in Raven Rock, outlanders." He addressed them, his arms crossing over his chest and his nose in the air slightly. "State your intentions."
Vilkas and Farkas looked to Ayah and Ayah stared blankly at the elf for a long moment.
"Er..." She mumbled dumbly. She could still taste vomit from earlier and she couldn't help the sour look that crossed her features. "We're here on business..." Was all she could manage. Feeling sick again, she buried her face against her husband's shoulder, much to the dark elf's curiosity.
"You'll have to excuse our Harbinger." Vilkas said, warily eyeing Ayah. "She's not had a good journey."The Dunmer clicked his tongue disapprovingly and Farkas visibly bristled at the man's careless attitude.
"Well either way. While you are here, I'd like to inform you that Raven Rock is Sovereign territory of House Redoran. This is Morrowind, NOT Skyrim, Nords." He sneered. "While you are here you are expected to abide by our laws."
Aela had crept up behind the other three companions while the elf talked, her eyes gleaming dangerously.
"Why are you so suspicious of visitors?" She purred.
The Dunmer seemed to recoil somewhat, seemingly unsettled by Aela's demeanour.
"I have to be." He said sharply. "As second councilor, the security of Raven Rock is my primary concern."
Vilkas and Aela shared a somewhat smug glance. "This place has security issues?"
His lips pulled back and the so called councilor cut his eyes at the pair. "This isn't exactly the city of Blacklight. We're on the frontier out here, and we've had more than our fair share of troubles. After all we've been through together, I refuse to let Councilor Morvayn down."
"What the-!"
"Hey!"
Shouting cut off the rest of the conversation and everyone turned to look further down the boat.
One of the sailors had been unloading the barrels as the companions and Dunmer councilor talked. When one of the barrels began to rattle when he touched it, the nord man had lifted the lid and been stunned at what he'd found.
He'd grasped Kodlak by the back of his armoured collar and yanked him out of the barrel he'd been stowed away in the whole trip.
The little boy struggled in the grown man's grip, kicking out and flailing about. "Lemme go! Lemme GO!" He yelled, trying to bite at the man's arm as he was held out at full stretch.
"Oops..." The huntress smirked coyly, her eyes turning to watch Ayah's face drop.
Eye's widening, jaw dropping, Ayah pushed off an also shocked looking Farkas and immediately made her way over to her son. Kodlak gave a howl, his little hands clawing and hitting at the man's arm.
"Kodlak!"
Tensing, the little boy snapped his head round to come face to face with his red faced, fury eyed mother.
"...momma..." Kodlak bit his lip shyly and chewed the finger of his glove.
Taking her child from the sailor, the feeling of sickness leaving her and being swiftly replaced by the feelings of distress and anger, Ayah marched off the boat. She pushed past the dark elf, nearly knocking him off the pier and into the drink.
He was just about saved by his guard escort.
-oOo-
"I cannot BELIEVE you've done this Kodlak!" Ayah hissed through her clenched teeth as she walked into the heart of the settlement. She had no idea where she was or where she was going, but she needed to calm down. And with a shamefaced little boy in her arms, the Harbinger began to walk laps around the tiny market place, much to the interest of the locals.
"I'm sorry momma" Kodlak whined, chewing his glove.
"I told you to stay with Teagan. I asked him to look after you.." She sighed heavily, her anger subsiding into disappointment. She felt Teagan had let her down so horribly this time...she didn't want to see his face again.
"All I asked was for you to be kept safe." She murmured to her son, kissing his head.
"He can't be wrapped in cotton wool forever Ayah." The huntress's voice came from beside her.
Spinning on her heel, Ayah was confronted by the flame haired woman, her arms crossed over her chest and a vexed expression on her face.
Ayah scowled back, hugging her boy closer.
"This trip'll be good for him. He can grow and learn, but you have to let him." Aela ground out firmly.
"I wouldn't be surprised if you knew he was in one of those barrels." Ayah grumbled bitterly.
Without warning, Kodlak was plucked from his mother's arms, Ayah spinning and making a grab for the boy. She was relieved when she found it was only Farkas and relaxed a little more as the boy's father held Kodlak out at arms's length to look him in the eye.
"That was very naughty." He scolded weakly.
"But papa!" Kodlak wriggled in his father's strong grip. "I wanted to come too!"
Farkas eyed the boy closely for a second or two before shrugging and bringing the boy close. "Ah well. You're here now." He smiled against his son's hair, much to Ayah's annoyance.
"I'm hungry..." Kodlak muffled against his father's armoured shoulder.
"You were eating when I checked on you..." Aela snorted.
"So you did know he was in the barrel!" Ayah spat angrily at the huntress. Aela merely shrugged.
Grinning, Farkas tossed the boy in the air. Kodlak squealed and laughed, his little armour clunking loudly as he was caught again.
"How about we go get some elf food?" Farkas laughed and his son nodded eagerly.
"I don't think Dunmer food is much different to ours..." Ayah murmured, her voice trailing off. Farkas ruffled Kodlak's hair lovingly and grinned when the little boy tried to return the favour.
Ayah's thoughts got lost in watching her husband and son, her mind swirling with scary outcomes to the situation they were now in.
"Stop thinking..." Aela whispered into her right ear, sending chills up her spine. She'd done the same thing back Ayah had first come to the mead hall...And she still hadn't listened.
"I-I need to sell some things." She stuttered, trying to force herself to move. "Farkas, you go feed Kodlak...find somewhere we can stay for a while, please?"
Farkas's grin never left him as he nodded and leant in to kiss her, Kodlak following his father's lead and kissing his mother's cheek.
"Stay safe love." He murmured against her lips before pulling away. He turned, tossing her a wink before heading to a nearby guard to see what they could find out.
Stay safe! It drove her mad, but Ayah knew Farkas was only concerned. He'd begun telling her to stay safe after a certain incident years back, just after Kodlak's first summer.
Have the child took a lot out of Ayah and she still blamed her weakened state, even after a year, on her pregnancy.
She'd been atop a small mountain in Falkreath hold when she'd been attacked by a dragon. It wasn't what she was on top of a mountain for, but she figured she'd try and battle it out. Needless to say, the dragon had almost won, knocking her off the thin mountain path with it's wing. She'd tumbled all the way down and was sure she'd broken her back. She lay silently in the brush for what seemed like an age, the dragon roaring as it circled over her, looking for its fallen opponent.
Eventually, and much to Ayah's luck, it had lost interest and flown away. But it had left her laying, crippled, in a brush.
She'd lay there for two days before finally a hunter and his pack of dogs had come near, what she was sure would be her final resting place. That had killed her. She lay, silently crying in the darkness at the thought of what would become of her. What she'd left behind. The humiliation of how it had all come to pass.
The hunter had taken her to Falkreath village where she'd been handed over to a couple of guard who took her to the inn. Zaria had been called from her store, Grave concoctions. (The name did nothing to inspire confidence in the injured Harbinger.) And word had been sent to Farkas and the other companions.
On the positive side, Zaria had examined her and reassured her her back wasn't broken...as such. She'd slipped a disc of two, leaving her legs numb. She'd treated her the best she could, trying to make her more comfortable before a day or so later, Farkas came sprinting into Falkreath, dragging a very tired looking Danica, with Vilkas, Aela and Ria in toe.
Shaking her head at the memory, Ayah started for the blacksmith she could see working at his shop not far from where she stood.
Farkas had been in such a mess when he'd arrived in Falkreath. He was somehow under the impression it was his fault and it took a week to convince him he'd not even known, therefore making it none of his fault.
It took another 4 weeks for Ayah to begin walking again and 10 weeks for her to be able to bend enough to put on armour.
It had been very scary. Gods help that dragon if she ever saw it again.
"Can I help you?" The breton smith looked up from his grind wheel as Ayah came to a stop in front of him. He was heavily built, not unsurprising for a smith, but something about his bald head and facial features gave Ayah a sense of familiarity she couldn't help but smile at.
"I have a couple items I want to sell." She said softly, pulling off her pack. The smith smiled back slightly and watched her rummage through her things.
"New to Solstheim?" He asked with a gravely tone as Ayah handed him a couple of Daedric daggers and a pair of Skyforge steel gloves with a gentle nod.
She'd found them while revisiting the burned out old sanctuary in Falkreath a week or so before with Babette. The vampire child often became a little forlorn as she reminisced about the old family back in the forest of Falkreath hold and Ayah would sometimes accompany her back there.
She'd found the gloves under a pile of ash and burned wood in the room that used to be the bedroom of Astrid, the mistress of the sanctuary.
She frowned when she realised. They were Arnbjorn's.
She'd never gotten on with the Falkreath wolf man. She wasn't a companion back then, or a wolf, though she was well aware of his past history with them.
If anything, she'd found him a little frightening and often chose to spend her time at the sanctuary with Babette and Gabriella in the potions room of the dark brotherhood's home.
If she had to speak to him and only if she really needed to, she'd stand right back away from the forge he worked at, shouting across to him. The others found it hilarious and teased her about being shy or not liking the smell of wet dog, something Nazir sometimes quipped. In truth, she found the man truly terrifying.
It turned out, the evasive action only worked to piss Arnbjorn off more and he'd snarl at her, causing her to quickly retreat with tears of fear in her eyes.
She wanted to snort at how naive she used to be. He wasn't really that bad... Or perhaps her mindset had changed after living with wolves...
She made a mental note to ask the other's about him when she found them again and they had a moment to talk.
"You here on business, or pleasure? No..no. Let me guess. Business." The breton smirked while running his hands over the Skyforge gloves in fascination.
"How'd you guess?" Ayah smirked in return, chewing her lip slightly as she leant against the wooden beam that held the roof up over the smithery.
"Ah, I'm just good like that." He said with a raspy chuckle and placed the gloves down to look over the daggers. "We don't get many from Skyrim here. Not any more. Just some elves from Morrowind now and again." He continued, his eyes narrowing almost accusingly as he cradled one of the daggers in his hands. "Are these really yours?" He asked lowly, nodding to the Skyforge gloves.
Ayah was offended to say the least. She scoffed and pushed off the beam, glaring down at the man slightly.
"They are...But what would it matter if they weren't?" She spat back at the man.
Shrugging slightly, his accusing expression dropped, quickly being replaced with a lazy smile. "Nothing." He said, nodding back over his shoulder slightly.
Ayah's eyes followed, coming to rest on the shadowmark carved into the wooden frame of his door.
"You're a thief?" Ayah asked quietly, her heart lifting somewhat.
"Was a thief." He corrected her quickly in a hushed tone. "But I still do a decent price to anyone of that... persuasion."
Ayah couldn't help the sudden joy that flooded her. "You're a long way from Riften. How are you meant to report to Bryn from here?" She joked.
The smith chuckled again, leaning back a little in his seat on the grindstone. "I don't. I don't even get a blasted letter from my own brother." He snorted. "Can you imagine?"
"And you're brother would be...?" Ayah already had a feeling. Everything was just way too coincidental.
"Delvin." The smith confirmed Ayah's suspicions. Leaning forward, he outstretched his hand and smiled. "Glover Mallory. Pleasure to meet you."
Ayah nearly laughed. Old Delvin had a brother. Nice of him to mention that. Taking his hand, she shook it firmly and grinned.
"Ayah Red-Fury. I'm a good friend of your brother's."
"Red-Fury..." Glover mused, taking his hand back. "That's an old name from Markarth I haven't heard in a number of years."
"Aye. " Ayah shrugged. "Not many of my family left now. Just me, my cousin. Oh and now my son."
"I assume that was the boy you were carrying while wondering aimlessly around the market not long ago?" Glover commented, reaching for his coin purse.
"Aye that's him." She huffed with a roll of her eyes. "He's not meant to be here. He's meant to back in Skyrim in my cousin's care. He stowed away on the boat we took to get here in a barrel."
"Sneaky" Glove laughed and began to count out some gold. "Another thief in the making?"
"I don't think so." The Harbinger laughed idly. "The boys training to be a companion someday."
"A companion?" Glover paused in his counting. "You're a companion?"
"Aye. And the boy's father."
"And a thief to boot?" The smith smirked in disbelief more than anything.
"Was a thief." She mocked his earlier correction of her. "Then again, I was many things. Still am. I just associate with them less now I have people watching my every move. Bryn doesn't seem to mind though. He thinks its funny as anything."
"Bryn would." He replied and handed her a couple handfuls of coin.
"Thanks." She smiled and tucked them away in a pouch on her belt. "So, how'd you end up here? Its not exactly a..." Frowning, she glanced round at the very basic market place. "Hotspot of excitement and life threatening risk..."
With a heavy exhale of breath, Glover Mallory stood from his grindstone, collecting up his newly brought items in one arm and leant against a second wooden beam to continue his conversation with Ayah.
"I learnt some skills in Riften from a Dunmer named Vanryth..." Ayah recognised the name from the Ragged Flagon. Since restoring the guild to it's former glory, a dark elf with that name had set up shop there. Perhaps it was the same man?
"He taught me to repair and forge Bonemold armour. Lets be honest, it wasn't gonna help me back in Riften, was it?" He shrugged. "I decided to move out here to try and put my skills to the test. The redoran guard keep me busy now and I occasionally get trade from travellers and maybe even some of the skaal trade with me from time to time."
Lazily scratching his jaw, Glover eyed Ayah curiously.
"What kind of business brings you to this island? This isn't the usual place for companions to venture..."
a light-hearted and somewhat playful smile appeared on Ayah's lips. Behind Glover, she could see Vilkas come out of one of the Dunmer style buildings and hover in the doorway, looking over at the forge.
"Hunting." She told him, patting his shoulder. "We're here for hunting." She squeezed his shoulder as she left and bid the somewhat confused looking breton goodbye.
"I thought you said you were selling some things..." Vilkas mentioned casually as she walked toward him. "Not flirting with the blacksmith."
Ayah giggled lightly and stroked her fingers across Vilkas's rough chin as she passed him. "Oh you're just jealous I'm not flirting with you Vilkas."
"Ha!" He barked out loud, shaking his head as he turned to follow her back inside the cornerclub known as the Retching Netch.