Meant to have this out last weekend but last Saturday, I took a tumble down some wet stairs and was too busy recovering this week. Luckily nothing was broken but I was immensely sore and bruised with some swollen limbs.

Vilkas POV
Enjoy!


Chapter 10

He had no intention of going anywhere else but straight to Jorrvaskr once he returned but that plan was dashed as his curiosity peaked as he watched his brother's little Imperial, Cassia, standing out the Bannered Mare alone. Normally he wouldn't care but it was odd to see her out and about without his brother or Ria shadowing her every step; not to say the Imperial couldn't go anywhere without them… they just didn't seem to enjoy leaving her alone. After a moment's hesitation she makes her way into the inn.

Vilkas glances up the stairs leading towards the mead hall, he watches Njada continuing without a care over him suddenly lagging behind. Fine by him, she had been unpleasant company for the past 2 days. Already having decided, he turns back to the inn.

Upon entering, the light and warmth welcomes him. The chatter is welcoming and lighthearted, thankfully there was no singing yet, just the simple strumming of the bard's lute that added an equally welcoming tune to the atmosphere. His eyes focus on the reason for even being here, she was seated on the stool near the fire looking every bit uncomfortable as a canah* under a cat's paw. Vilkas grunts at his terrible analogy, Farkas would like it but he would never resort to mentioning that to his brother as it was just bad.

He moves to claim the last open table, further in the back but with a view towards the main area and the door. A perfect view to watch everyone coming and going, to listen in on anyone's conversation, to see her. If only he could see her face, from this angle he could only view her back and the side of her face when she turned her head. Carlotta sat down on the bench near her, doing her best to pull Cassia into a conversation. It doesn't take much as she seems to latch on to the conversation as if she was a child starved for attention.

About two meads in and listening in on the women's conversation as it makes its way to discussing the annoying resident bard, their words practically summon him. He feels a stirring of annoyance, either him or his wolf–probably both–and he barely allows rational thought to interject, telling him that 'no, he cannot just rip the bard's head off just because he was annoying and bother the women' before Mikael arm goes around Carlotta's shoulder and pulling her towards him as she attempts to resist while raising her voice at him.

All inhibitions have fled now and he stalks over and yanks the bard backwards. His actions caused Mikael to fall hard on his back and Vilkas held him in place with his boot and he glares down at the weak boy below him; he is grateful his actions didn't cause Carlotta to fall and get hurt as Cassia was quick enough to catch her flailing hands and pull her up.

Everything is silent.

He sneers, "You're asking for a beating, bard."

"No fighting inside!" Hulda calls out in a reprimanding tone.

Vilkas grunts, removing his boot and forcefully pulling Mikael to his feet like he was a ragdoll. "It seems our resident bard needs to learn to keep his hands to himself. Leave them alone."

Mikael accepts his loss as it stands glaring in his face. "Whoa. Hey there. I didn't mean to make you upset. On my honor, Carlotta won't have to worry about me again."

"Both."

Confusion passes over Mikael's face before he remembers the new, pretty Imperial in town who happens to be standing with his lady-love. "But sir, surely-"

Vilkas grinds his teeth together as he pulls the bard's face closer until they are nearly nose-to-nose, voice lowering. "Don't test my patience, bard." The remaining color saps from Mikael's face the longer Vilkas glares at him with molten silver eyes.

Mikael drily attempts to clear his throat. "Y-yes, of course. I… I will never bother these ladies again. You have my word."

"Good, because if I hear otherwise I know where to find you." With a shove, Vilkas pushes him away allowing Mikael to fall back to the floor with a thump, and turns to Cassia and Carlotta. Now that the confrontation ends without a fight, the rest of the patrons turn back to their prior conversations. Mikael quietly picks himself up and sulks to the furthest corner from them.

He glances over to Carlotta, assessing her rumpled dress but altogether she is alright; she gives him an assuring nod and thanks him for his intervention before excusing herself for the rest of the night after hushed words into the Imperial's ear which she nods in agreement. He pretends to not hear the exchange.

After she leaves, Vilkas meets the girl's eyes and gestures for her to return to her seat while he claims the spot at the bench. "Farkas will be upset to know you've become the source of some trouble."

Not the response she was expecting, Cassia sits flabbergasted as Vilkas gratefully accepts a mead from an even more grateful Saadia. He watches her over the rim as he drinks, his silver eyes having lost its hard edge but their intensity remains.

"I didn't cause any trouble!"

Vilkas hums, one corner of his lips tugging up in mild amusement. "Didn't seem that way to me."


The second time he had dinner with Cassia in the Bannered Mare, it was in the company of his brother and Ria. They sat around the fire with Farkas regaling her with stories of their past battles, Ria pitching in with her own occasionally, and it brings out a laugh he had not yet heard.

To him, her laughter was a nereid's call, an captivating melody that drew him in, leaving him utterly enchanted and making him believe that, indeed, it was the sweetest sound he had ever been graced with. Each note was a delicate, honeyed caress, leaving a trail of warmth in its wake.

As the fire crackled and its glow danced across her pale skin and golden hair, Vilkas allowed himself to get drawn into her and when she glanced his way he smirks. That set her heart racing and she quickly turned away, making an effort to focus solely on Ria so she couldn't even see him out of the corner of her eye.

Farkas, however, had a way of noticing things others might miss. He'd grown up with Vilkas and their connection ran deep. As his ale-soaked mind pieced together the unspoken changes that occurred, Farkas' curiosity was piqued. He leaned closer to Vilkas, his voice a low, rumbling whisper.

"Something's different tonight, isn't it? I can see it in your eyes," he said with a knowing grin, raising an eyebrow as he took another sip of ale.

Vilkas tried to maintain a stoic exterior but couldn't hide the playful sparkle in his eyes. He leaned in to respond in a hushed tone, his lips barely moving. "Perhaps there's something about the firelight and good company that's affecting us all."

Farkas chuckled softly, leaning back into his chair. "Of course, brother."

Vilkas hides his grin behind the rim of his mug, silver eyes dancing with mirth.


The third time he had dinner with Cassia, it was a coincidence that the only available place to sit was at the table in the back of the inn with him, alone. She had entered with a flourish and a grin and was halfway into the room before she realized there was no place for her to claim near the fire as she usually does.

As her eyes glance around, searching, she spots him and begins to step towards him before a look of recognition flashes over her face and he knows, just for a moment, she was happy to see Farkas until she realized he wasn't him. His gut churns. He can't think of anything he had done to offend her, he would have been able to tell based on the changes in her scent and the pace of her heart; her face was also an open book.

Before she can decide to excuse herself, he calls her over. "Join me, Cassia. Plenty of space for the both of us."

She hesitates still but her propriety and her polite nature wins out. She took the few steps needed to reach the table and pulled out a chair, settling herself across from him. As she sat before him, dressed in a fresh, green dress but smelling heavily of lavender and rosemary, it was doing a good job of masking her usual scent of blood and smoke. If it wasn't for the fact that he was watching for her to enter, he may have missed her entirely.

She keeps her eyes on the table, hands fidgeting in her lap. He could faintly pick up the sound of not-quite scrapping below the table, he guessed she was nervously dragging her foot against the wood.

Saadia walks over and takes their order. She was in a sour mood today – more so than usual – but she left swiftly without complaint.

He glances at his silent companion and decides he will need to be the one to break the silence between them. "You seemed quite happy upon coming in. Did something good happen?"

Her eyes darted up from the table and she took in his expression, he tried to portray his face as open and approachable. Something he was not known for but she was use to Farkas' face so hopefully-

"Uh, yes. You can say that." She thanks Saadia as the Redguard woman sets their food and drink on the table, taking a hefty sip of her mead.

She continues, "I was able to make a decent healing potion. As my first, I expected little success but Arcadia was quite proud of its quality."

He doesn't know the intricacies of making potions but he knows how beneficial they are. "That is good news. Definitely worth a celebration."

"Well… I would not go so far as to celebrate such a small achievement. I merely wish to share my success with Farkas and Ria." She stutters a little. "And… y-you, too, of course!"

"And me too?" He chuckled.

"Of course." She fiddles with something under the table, but whatever it is she puts it away just as quickly as she takes it out. "After all, Farkas is your brother and you have already helped me once."

"My standing is only reflected by my association to Farkas and threatening a bard?" Vilkas would be lying if he said that didn't sting his pride even just a little.

Cassia looks mortified by his interpretation of her words. "No!" She hushes herself with a hand over her mouth and a quick glance around but luckily no one is even paying them any mind back here.

With a sigh, she looks back at him and finally takes in his mirth at her flustered state. "You are toying with me," she said, feeling like a child.

"Only a little. I find that the image of everything my brother tells me of you and our previous meetings does not align." He pauses to sip at his ale, when he speaks again it's with an air of seriousness he had not shown since she first arrived this evening. "You were far less uncomfortable speaking with me the night I tousled the bard. Did I do something to offend you?"

Cassia looks down to stare into her cup, hoping it can give her the right words to speak. The mead says nothing.

He sat in silence, waiting for her to speak. His food goes untouched while he waits but he flags Saadia down and she approaches with an ale jug and tops his cup off. When asked if she wants more mead, Cassia downs the rest from her cup and nods eagerly. This earns a wary look from Saadia but Vilkas ignores it and Cassia doesn't even notice it, either way she leaves and returns in quick order to refill the cup.

Cassia takes another long sip before looking at him with wary eyes. Emeralds meet molten silver. He feels his heart quicken, not quite matching the pace of hers, and he resists the urge to squirm under her gaze.

"I have met many who have been kind enough to extend a warm welcome to me here. Though I have recently learned that not everyone views me -a stranger- with such welcome. I wish not to step on toes but it seems my very presence can be considered offensive to some."

Vilkas sets his cup down lest his tight grip shatters it. His lips tighten into a scowl, "Who?"

"I wish not to name names. I do not tell you this to cause a fight. I merely want-" She cuts herself. "I just want to continue my training, after that I will return to Windhelm."

"Windhelm?" That was the last place he would have expected her to go, she would only face more bigotry in that Hold than any other.

"Did Farkas not tell you? Once I become a healer, I will offer my services to the Jarl of Windhelm."

"Why in Oblivion would you do that? With the tension between the Jarl and the Empire, there may be very little chance he will accept you. He'd sooner have you thrown into the dungeons with the accusation that you are a spy."

Cassia mustered a glare at him. "For what is left of my family." Her eyes glisten with emotions. "I know- I know my chances are slim but I am short on options right now. I do not expect to endear myself to him nor to his Stormcloaks but if I must get on my knees and beg him to give me a chance then that is what I will do. If I can prove my worth then perhaps I will have suffered enough to reclaim my cousin's home. I can give him back at least part of what was taken."

He stared, bemused. He had no idea what to say to that, anything he could say would be lacking and likely only anger her further but he can't leave this as the end of the conversation.

"No man deserves to have you kneeling and begging before him." Damn, that is not how he wanted to say that.

Cassia's brows unfurl in a look of utter surprise as her face brightens in a lovely red. "Oh."

He gracelessly shoves a large bite of a cold potato into his mouth, hoping that gives himself time to think; to change the conversation to something that did not have him suddenly thinking of her kneeling before him with that face. What in oblivion-

She follows suit and begins nibbling at a carrot. They continue to eat until their bowls are cleared and their cups in need of another refill.

Vilkas clears his throat, ready to try again. "I meant no disrespect. I am sorry for causing offense considering what you already mentioned early, I do not wish to add myself as another who has been unwelcoming towards you."

Cassia gives an attempt at a smile but she just looks tired now. "I understand, and thank you for apologizing. I know my reasoning may not make sense to a lot of people but I do have reasons. I need to go back."

"Can you tell me more?"

Her eyebrows curve up, surprised again. "More?"

"Yes, more." Vilkas chuckles. "What made you want to become a healer? What made you decide that you will live in Windhelm? Tell me more about your family. Last time it was just us you mentioned your brother and grandmother, this time you mentioned a cousin."

"Oh, well… That is a lot!" Her hands were fidgeting under the table again. "I suppose there is no harm in talking about them. So…" The conversation flowed with more ease throughout the rest of the evening, Vilkas learning that there is more going on that he could not see nor was she saying.


The fourth time he sat down for dinner with Cassia–the third time it was only them–as they agreed to meet often just to talk over a meal, he brought her a book. Nothing fancy or special, just something he thought she may enjoy reading to give her thoughts a break about anything too serious.

The absolute look of joy on her face had his stomach doing flips and his heart racing throughout the rest of the night and for the days that followed. The mere thought of her would cause a wild feeling to explode within him, his wolf stirred with a hunger that would not be satiated. Other members of the Circle questioned him, thinking he may be suffering from an ailment but he said nothing and Farkas only laughed all while suggesting that he has been seeing a healer for his ailment. Naturally, it didn't take the nosy bastards long to put the pieces together; his recent and frequent disappearances from the mead hall had not gone unnoticed, his improved moods, his eagerness to train harder than he already did, the scent that mingled with his own–of course it was tied to a woman.

They were being incredibly annoying. But loathe as he was to admit it, they were not wrong.

In such a short time, he had become infatuated with Cassia. At first it was mere curiosity about the woman his brother was going out of his way to spend time with without wanting to bed her. Then it was because the natural scent of her was interesting. By all accounts, smoke and blood should be less appealing as someone's natural scent than the one coming from her. It was…interesting, for the lack of a better word. Then it was the very air about her that drew him in, much like how Farkas was unable to explain it, such was the case for him too.

Except he was very much becoming interested in bedding her. His restless dreams were now only of her, some even in the form of the Wild Hunt, he hunted and chased her and when he finally caught her, devoured every part of her as she cried his name. More often than not, he awoke annoyed and very dirty.


AN: Just going to end this here.

I know it was dialogue heavy, sorry if that is not something you care for. I want to build on the relationship happening in the background between Vilkas and Lucretia, I was trying not to mix the POVs so hopefully I succeeded there, which is why Lucretia is only referred to as Cassia in this chapter since this is meant to be seen through the POV of Vilkas.

Please let me know what you think, I am open to constructive criticism! Especially as a first time writer on AO3 and this being my main story. I have no one to share these with besides those who may be reading.

Also let me know if I made any grammatical errors, I read through it a couple times and found some mistakes but would not be surprised if I missed more.

*wiki/Lore:Bestiary_C#Canah

Canah are an exotic bird species of Summerset Isle which are bred for their beauty. Shrines of Kynareth have been known to bless individuals with the ability to transform into one if an appropriate offering is given.