"Farkas!" Farkas laughed as Meric and Lilith ran to hug him. "Hey kids." he greeted with a smile as the children hug his legs. Maralith ran out of the house and hugged Farkas as well. "I thought you ran off without telling us!" she scolded, hugging the man tightly. Farkas mumbled out an apology and hugged Maralith back.
The hugging stopped when Fark walked up, looking torn between anger and relief. "Farkas..." he said, glaring. "When we get inside, you're telling us what happened and then you're going to help me cook dinner." Farkas smiled and nodded. Fark led the way into the house.
After telling the full story of what happened to him, Farkas waited patiently for Fark's reaction. Fark simply shook his head and smiled. "All I can say is, well for one, I'm glad you're okay. And for two... A lock pick out of a bone?" Farkas blushed and chuckled. "Yeah. It's all I had."
Maralith smiled and looked to Vilkas. "Who's this by the way?" Farkas smiled brightly. "This is my twin. Vilkas." Maralith gasped and made a happy noise. "So you're Vilkas!" Vilkas nodded and scooted closer to Farkas. Fark put a hand on his wife's shoulder and chuckled. "It's good to meet you, Vilkas." he said. "When Farkas was staying with us, it seemed that all he spoke of was you."
Vilkas smirked at his twin's embarrassment, and ruffled Farkas's long hair. Farkas playfully shoved away the offending appendage. "So what brings you back to us, Farkas?" Farkas looked to Maralith and scratched the back of his head. "Well... If Vilkas and I helped out around here, would you let us live one your land?"
Vilkas blinked. So this was his brother's plan. What if they said no? But to his surprise, the answer was yes. He looked to Fark, who was smiling a bit. "I'll even help you and your brother build a house." he said, nodding towards Vilkas. Farkas thanked him and stood up. "Vilkas and I have some business up at The Bee and Barb anyways, so we'll stay there tonight."
The couple nodded and let the twins go.
"What business do we have there?" Vilkas asked as they walked up the hill to Riften. Farkas chuckled. "We haven't really gotten time to ourselves, Vil." he explained. "I figured we give ourselves some time on our own. Without people bugging us." Vilkas smiled. He liked that idea. He'd not gotten to be alone with his brother in ages and he wanted to be able to sit in their familiar, comfortable silence.
Most people couldn't understand why they liked the silence that often fell between them, but they understood it. They just liked knowing that the other was there for them. There to be of help if needed. There to love the other. They knew hardly anyone else would get it. They were twins, they just naturally had this strong, loving bond between them. A bond nothing could break.
"Oh and, Keerava and Talen-Jei owe me a favor, anyways." Vilkas blinked and looked to his twin. The Argonian couple owed Farkas a favor?
Inside the inn, Keerava quickly noticed Farkas and smiled. "Farkas!" she called, waving the man over. Farkas smiled back at the Argonian woman and went to her. "Hey, Keerava." he greeted warmly. "Brynolf finally leaving you alone?" Keerava nodded and began washing a tankard out for Farkas."Thanks to you, Talen- Jei and I finally have some peace." she said, setting a tankard full of ale in front of Farkas as the man sat down. Vilkas sat next to his brother just as Keerava turned to him. "And who is this, Farkas?"
"My twin brother. Vilkas."
Keerava got a look of recognition and smiled a bit at Vilkas. "Same drink as Farkas, I assume." Vilkas nodded, glad she was at ease with him around. Keerava busied herself getting Vilkas's drink while Farkas told her the story about what had happened to him recently. She handed Vilkas the drink and listened intently to Farkas's story.
At the end of it, her eyes were narrowed in anger and her breathing came out in short pants. Talen-Jei happened to walk over at that moment and noticed his lover's distress. "Keerava?" he questioned. Keerava perked up and smiled at him. "Oh I'm okay." she said, cheerfully. "Farkas just told me how he'd been kidnapped and tortured and now I want to murder the ones who did that to him." Talen-Jei blinked, trying to process the information, while Farkas chuckled.
Later that night, while Farkas slept peacefully, Vilkas was up drawing the floor plan to their new house. It would have an underground cellar to store food. Three bedrooms, one for him and one for Farkas and one for a guest. There would be a kitchen and dining room set up along with an alchemy and enchanting table.
He planed on putting a smelter, grindstone, and forge behind the house so that Farkas could teach Fark and Meric to blacksmith.
He smiled to himself and chuckled. This was going to be fun.