Chapter 5: Iron Hearts

Vilkas closed Gods and Worship with an irritated snap, watching Almerin saunter into Jorrvaskr. As if she owns the place already, he bristled, pointedly not noting the way that her leather armour clung to her body as she walked.

Vilkas eyebrows furrowed further, as Almerin dropped gracefully into a chair next to Vignar, watching Athis and Njada spar through their sexual frustration again. Of course, she's above the handful of septims she'd get from reporting directly to Farkas, he thought angrily, feeling his face warm again as he recalled his futile attempt to put her in her place.

"Watching her again, shield-brother?"

Vilkas hurriedly opened his book again, refusing to look up at Aela's knowing smile.

"I see no reason for her to be trusted with the search for Wuuthrad," he grumbled, eyes trained firmly on the book.

"Skjor is right to trust her," proclaimed Aela. "She is a fierce hunter, and we would do well to embrace her as one of us."

"We should not pander to her due to her strength alone," countered Vilkas, turning a page. "Discipline is earned through firm boundaries and humility."

"You mean the discipline it takes to defeat a man twice your size in unarmed combat? Or the humility it takes to acknowledge it?"

"Why do Almerin and Vignar have rocks all over the table," interrupted Farkas, ambling towards Vilkas and Aela.

"Iron Hearts," corrected Vilkas absently. Aela's laugh chimed, causing Vilkas to flinch.

"Still watching her, shield-brother?"

"Actually just enjoying the fact that Vignar's not complaining about Iron Hearts right now," Vilkas retorted.

"Actually just enjoying the fact that her hips are flattered by that leather," mimicked Aela.

"I-"

Vilkas, Aela and Farkas looked up in alarm, as a loud crash reverberated through the mead hall.

-x-

Almerin blasphemed every Aedra in the time it took Vignar to fall to the ground. Acting on Hestla's advice, Almerin had thought to coax Companion secrets from Vignar while distracting him over a game of Iron Hearts. Of course the first Companion death would have nothing to do with me, and draw everyone's attention to me at the same time, she cursed, while examining Vignar's body critically.

Vignar lay still on the ground, pale and clammy to touch. Almerin's fingers searched his throat, her own heart beating faster as she realised that she could not feel Vignar' pulse.

"Step back from him, whelp!" roared Vilkas, having stormed across the hall to demonstrate the extent of his Restoration abilities.

"Don't be a fool, Vilkas," Almerin snapped, not noticing the way Vilkas' pupils dilated at her use of his name.

Almerin closed her eyes, focusing her supernatural hearing on Vignar's ailing heart. The top section of his heart was beating normally, but the bottom section was racing, completely out of control.

Almerin ripped open Vignar's jacket, tearing off his amulet and rings.

"What is she doing?" screamed Vilkas, now requiring physical restraint by Farkas.

"Will someone shut him up? And stand back, everyone!" thundered Almerin as she gently placed her left hand under Vignar's collar bone while resting her right hand under his heart.

Calm, focus, three…two…one.

Almerin loosed two weak Lightning Bolt spells from her hands, reinvigorating Vignar's heart. She immediately began to push on his chest, trying to coax his heart into its natural rhythm, with some assistance from the electricity. After her mana replenished, she applied two further Lightning Bolts, smiling wanly as Vignar choked, and began to breathe normally, his heart now synchronised again.

Exhaling a sigh of relief, Almerin rested back on her haunches, only to be dragged to her feet by an irate Vilkas.

-x-

"What did you do to him?" Vilkas snarled, ignoring Aela's hushed growl.

Almerin looked at him coldly. "Fairly certain I saved his life. You can stomp around a bit more though, if you feel the need to contribute to his health."

"I-you destroyed his family amulet!" Vilkas sputtered.

"I'm sure he would have preferred to have the lightning redirected through that metal, burning his chest rather than strengthening his heart. Just as I enjoy having my shoulders manhandled."

Vilkas recoiled, his hands flying into the air in surrender. Almerin spared him a disdainful look before helping Vignar to his room. Aela yanked Vilkas back by his hair as he lunged to follow Almerin.

"Get your wolf under control, shield-brother," said Aela scornfully. Vilkas shrugged himself out of her grasp, entering Vignar's room to see Almerin set a Lightning Rune in the corner.

"If I'm not here, just step on this rune," she said to Vignar. "It's probably better than doing nothing at all, although I wish you would ask the College for some help."

Vilkas watched Vignar laugh weakly.

"Those mages are not for me, pup. Your help, however, is appreciated."

"Sleep now," Almerin murmured, attempting to walk past Vilkas. Vilkas barred her way, arms crossed.

"So I'm just supposed to believe that his fit had nothing to do with you? And it was just a miracle that you happened to be there to save him?" Vilkas sneered.

Almerin fixed her burning eyes on Vilkas.

"One man's miracle is another man's accident," she stated coolly, taking advantage of Vilkas' surprise to slip past him and speak to his brother.

Vilkas swung around, recognising her quote from Gods and Worship.

She had been watching him, too.

-x-

Almerin sank to her knees in front of the Word Wall, senses aflame with the knowledge of Toor. Behind her, Farkas stumbled over a step.

"Almerin, are you alright?" Farkas garbled, catching himself as he rushed towards her.

Almerin glanced backwards, and was overtaken for a moment by a wave of lust. Not Vilkas, her mind helpfully supplied, before she grimaced.

"Fine, Farkas," she muttered. "Just overwhelmed for a moment." Almerin grasped at the edges of the Wall, pulling herself up.

"It looked like that wall really bothered you," blundered Farkas in a concerned voice, meaty paw patting Almerin's shoulder.

"It looked like the spiders really bothered you," countered Almerin, shaking off Farkas' hand and leaning against the wall.

Farkas shuddered.

"They were disgusting," Farkas managed, attempting a grin. "By the Nine, they've never bothered me that much before."

Almerin laughed.

"Do you say that to all the women?"

Farkas paused, then let out a booming laugh.

"Only the pretty ones," he smiled. "But let's not tell Vilkas I said that, eh?"

Before Almerin had a chance to respond, Farkas lumbered towards the Cairn's entrance. Almerin strode after him, catching him just as he passed Redoran's Retreat.

"So, you won't tell the others about the Circle, right?" asked Farkas, looking sideways at Almerin.

"Who would I have to tell," snorted Almerin.

"Right," said Farkas, relieved. "Hope I didn't scare you too much back there."

"The state of your toenails were rather terrifying, I must say."

Farkas laughed again.

"I'll have to let the others know. Make the Circle more presentable."

Almerin laughed with him, stopping abruptly as she registered her actions. What are you doing? Kill him now, tell the others that it was the Silver Hand.

Almerin fingered the Dragonbone dagger she had hidden in her boot. A quick nick to the throat, where not even Danica could heal him in time.

"You know Vilkas does look a bit neater than the rest of us," Farkas said suddenly. "Probably because he's a bit of a control freak."

Almerin paused, then stowed her dagger away.

"Nothing wrong with wanting to take charge of your life," Almerin said.

"That's what Vilkas says. I always tell him that you can't control some things, so you shouldn't bother yourself with them. He usually tells me to concentrate on sword practice, and leave the thinking to him."

"Your brother is a bit of a s'wit himself," said Almerin, borrowing a phrase from Ronthil.

"Nah, my brother has Ysgrammor's smarts. And his heart is strong, once you get to know him. You should talk about this stuff with him, I'm sure you'd start to get along more."

Almerin hmmmed noncommittally, picking up her pace as they approached Whiterun.

"So do I get your recommendation?"

-x-

A/N: Would be so much easier to manage pulseless VT this way :P Thanks to the awesome reviews by SoSoLaLaLa and LucyBellamont for encouraging me to get out of my sick bed and post the next chapter :)