Nigel and San-Kai sat by Lucy’s side, she was still healing but she looked far better than she did when they’d found her. They had little to do today as Bjorn was at Jorrvaskr so Nigel sat by her side and watched as San-Kai and Danica Pure-Spring cast their healing spells upon her. She was still unconscious and appeared to be in a sort of coma, but the priestess assured them she would be fine once she was fully healed. Cuts still scarred her body and bruises could still be found, but they slowly dissipated under the healing auras of both mages.
*************
Bjorn woke from a long awaited sleep in Jorrvaskr and donned armour immediately. Afterwards he raced to Kodlak’s room, who unsurprisingly was already awake and writing in his journal. Bjorn paused for breath and then asked again, “Can I join?”
Kodlak regarded the Nord for a second and then smiled, “My boy, I wish to see your arm first – follow me”
Bjorn obediently followed the Harbinger to the courtyard and watched as he called Skjor over, “Skjor! Test his arm – I wish to see how he has improved”
“Very well, Harbinger” Skjor replied, his voice filled with spite
Bjorn needed no command to arm himself and was already selecting a good battleaxe from the weapon rack to fight Skjor with. Skjor himself drew his trusty Skyforge steel blade along with a rubbish wooden shield; he did this to brag later, if he could beat him such a bad shield then Bjorn was no companion. The two circled each other in the courtyard, Skjor presumed Bjorn would be easily beaten.
Bjorn gripped his battleaxe hard and swung it at Skjor, who in turn blocked it with his shield; however, his simple wooden shield could not take the full force of the battleaxe and so shattered under its impact. Skjor looked up in surprise; he had not expected this level of control from a man who had been away from the Companions for two years. Skjor readjusted himself and began attacking with his sword, Bjorn blocked each strike with the hilt of his battleaxe and swung again – narrowly missing Skjor and likely just short of killing him.
“Enough!” Kodlak cried from the porch. “Bjorn Wolf-Hand, you are worthy to join the Companions – welcome shield-brother”
“Thank you, Old man” Bjorn replied with a grin
Kodlak chuckled and walked back to his quarters in Jorrvaskr. Skjor came up to him and stared him in the eye, “You think just because you can fight me that makes you a Companion?”
Bjorn didn’t let Skjor get to him and simply grinned and said, “Well, Kodlak just said I am so..yeah”
Skjor was rendered speechless but managed to get a sentence out, “Well…I’m watching you”
“Have a good day, Skjor” Bjorn replied cheerfully and walked on back into Jorrvaskr, Vilkas came up to him and gave him a hearty handshake, or as they called it the ‘manshake’, just like he did when Bjorn was still a companion.
“Bjorn! I hear you’re a companion now, fancy going on a quick job with me? It’s a giant nearby attacking Battleborn farms”
“I’d love to Vilkas, let’s go”
As the pair walked through the busy markets of Whiterun Vilkas reminisced of the times they’d had together. Bjorn was by far the closest person to him barring Farkas, the two had gone on many a job together and had proven themselves capable shield-siblings.
But then that fatal day occurred, on the day Bjorn was finally inducted into the Circle he was allowed to know their secret. The blood of the wolf ran through them and his friend was to share it with them, he couldn’t have been happier.
Then it happened, Bjorn began his first transformation and the Circle left him to enjoy the hunt. He hadn’t gone out the back as they’d expected and instead gone out the front of the Underforge to cause havoc in Whiterun. Gods, he could still remember the day Commander Cauis came into Jorrvaskr inform them of what happened. Bjorn was exiled and they rarely saw him after that, but finally after two years Bjorn was allowed back!
Vilkas walked cheerily along the path to the Giant, Bjorn following suit. “So, Bjorn, what have you been doing these past two years?”
“Well, immediately afterwards I just wandered for a bit, taking the odd mercenary job here and there but eventually I was hired by San-Kai, the Argonian mage, to delve into a Nordic ruin with him. I was a little annoyed to be working with a lizard spellcaster but it turned out we worked well together and I started to realise magic was just as useful a form of combat as a battleaxe. Eventually San-Kai stopped paying me and we just travelled together, I’ve been all across Skyrim as well as venturing into Cyrodiil, Morrowind, Hammerfell and High Rock – but we were always based in Skyrim.”
Vilkas laughed, “Ah, you’ve changed Bjorn – I still reckon steel is a better way of killing a giant than throwing fireballs at it, speaking of giants…”
Vilkas had spotted their target, a large giant around twice the height of him that was stomping on crops and killing livestock at Battleborn farm. The farm itself was a small enough place, a windmill stood high as a landmark to its location and low stone walls separated the crops. Vilkas noticed the hidden exit from the Underforge nearby and wished Bjorn had gone out of it all those years ago.
Vilkas gestured to Bjorn to attack and attack they did, Vilkas rushed forwards with his greatsword while Bjorn followed on with a battleaxe. The giant spotted them and tried to crush them under his club but they dodged every strike, throwing in deep cuts to his legs until he fell on his knees. With the giant at a much more manageable height, Bjorn jumped on to the giants head and planted one firm strike to the skull.
The giant was dead,
Vilkas helped Bjorn down from the Giant’s head and they walked on back to Dragonsreach to collect their bounty, complimenting each other on their fighting tactics on the way.
Kodlak stood at the entrance to Jorrvaskr and observed the pair entering the city, he knew as well as anyone that the two were firm friends but something else bothered him. Bjorn was said to have been cured of Lycanthropy, but Kodlak could smell the curse of Hircine on him. He had lied to the Jarl, that was for sure, Kodlak was as happy to see him back as anyone and wouldn’t dream of calling him out – but he wondered if there may be repercussions from his choices.
Comments