U.O.T.W. Chapter 22 Argonian Slave

• Posted by Sotek May 15, 2015 - Filed in TSC: CB Story - 1,180 views

  

  

   

  That night Sotek’s nightmare returned once again causing him to awake covered in sweat. Despite his best attempts at regaining control of his body he couldn’t stop shaking while his heart hammered like a drum. He dreamt once again that he could see Aela standing there in the yard. It was always the same; he shot towards her slamming in to her. He could hear the bones breaking. He just couldn’t get that sickening sound out of his head. He looked down at her body lying in a pool of blood. He tried not to, he tried so hard to turn away but he just had to. As if an unknown entity was forcing him to comply. Once again she was dead. Blood was everywhere even he himself was covered head to foot in the red life giving liquid.

   

  Nearly every night he had the same nightmare, he just couldn’t shake it off. The maid, Tilma knew as well, he was no fool and neither was she. The beds would get turned over every few days with fresh furs. But every night his was remade clean skins, furs, mattress turned over. She never spoke about it, never even hinted to him, but she knew and she kept silent. For that he was thankful.

   

  Just as dawn was breaking, Sotek headed upstairs to find that most of the Companions were already at the main table eating a few rolls filled with various slices of meat. When he entered the hall, he could feel everyone’s eyes watching him. The whelps were staring enviously as they had to remain behind while he could go out with the Companions to hunt down bandits. Farkas and Vilkas silently studied the Argonian as they tried to categories his skill levels while Aela, the Harbinger and Tilma looked on with equal concern over his demeanour.

   

  All three of them could see he wasn’t himself, not due to the expression on his face, but more so because of the way he walked. He seemed sluggish and dazed. The dark green shiny scales which covered his body lost their tint and looked mottled in the light from the fire pit. Instead of sitting at the large table, he slumped down on a chair in the corner and rested his head in his hands as he tried to shake off the images which burned through his mind.

   

  He was unaware that Aela had started heading towards him until she placed a bowl of three apples in front of him. He looked up with a start to see her standing over him.

   

  “You need to eat. We’ve a busy day today and you can’t go in this state. Eat…”

   

  His eyes opened wide as he tried to compare her image to the mental one which tormented his mind. His eyes switched to an apple so he picked it up to take a bite from it but the moment it neared his mouth even before his teeth sank into it, his stomach turned. A second later he slowly placed the apple on the table top before sinking back in his chair.

   

  Tilma nodded slightly to herself then left the table and headed towards the double doors. As she walked up the steps by the fire pit she called out to Sotek.

  “I have a small task for you before you all go off on one of your bloody adventures”.

   

  Aela spun her head around and half snapped back at Tilma.

  “He’s not going”. Before the Harbinger could even look at her, she turned towards him and backed up her statement. “He can’t go like this. I don’t care what you say, he’s not going. Sotek I’m sorry but you’re in no state for it”.

   

  Tilma blanked her completely and beckoned Sotek towards her with her finger.

  “Sotek… I’m waiting”.

   

  He got up and headed towards her circumnavigating around Aela as he did so. Tilma opened the double doors then led him outside before going down the steps to the wind District. She started walking up the large steps towards Dragonsreach but then she suddenly stopped as they neared the large ornamental pond which was situated underneath the steps.

   

  She peered into the pond until a small fish caught  her eye.

  “There, that one. Can you catch it for me? I need it alive”.

   

  Sotek gazed at her for a few seconds before turning towards the fish. He shrugged his shoulders then walked down the steps to the water before he pursued the trout through the icy cold water.

   

  In less than ten seconds Sotek was walking briskly up the steps with the fish in his hand and offered it to Tilma. She screwed her nose up at it as she shook her head.

   

  “Oh my, it’s so tiny… Nope it’s no good. Get a bigger one. Hurry up dear it’s struggling to breathe”.

  Sotek rolled his eyes at her before re-entering the water. Instantly the fish swam off away from him and promptly hid under the shadow of a large boulder.

   

  Meanwhile Sotek had started chasing a second fish. He deftly caught it and returned to the steps where he literally bound up them to offer Tilma the second trout. Tilma tutted as she saw the state of the fish. She waved her hands at Sotek dismissing the very idea of returning with the trout.

   

  “Oh no. That will never do. Look at the poor thing. Is there a bigger one?”

  Sotek glanced down at the fish flapping in his hand. To him it looked fine but he humored the maid and gently let the fish escape back in the water.

   

  “There’s one big trout. It stays away from the others. I could get that I suppose”.

   

  Tilma clapped her hands excitedly.” Oh yes, splendid. Go on get that one”

   

  Sotek sighed slightly before chuckling to himself.

  “Very well”.

   

  This time however instead of walking down the steps he simply dived in the water. Tilma looked on as Sotek effortlessly whooshed through the water leaving a quake on the surface as he quickly homed in on the unfortunate trout. After a frantic albeit brief moment Sotek leaped out of the water clearing the wall to land on his feet triumphantly holding the fish in his hands.

  “Got it. He’s a biggie”.

   

  Tilma readily agreed.

  “Yes, that’s the one. He’s perfect. Now be a dear and put him back”. Then she simply turned around and headed back inside Jorrvaskr leaving Sotek wondering what it was all about.

   

  Upon entering the hall, everyone noticed that Sotek now had a bit of a swagger in his step along with the fact that his scales now had their usual dark green shine. As Tilma sat down, she looked up at him.

  “It’s strange, most Argonians don’t like the cold water but you do don’t you”.

   

  Sotek nodded while at the same time he smiled although no one could tell if it was a smile or a snarl. “Yes. It helps me to focus. How did you know?”

   

  Tilma tapped the side of her nose then sat down next to the Harbinger. She leaned over to Kodlak who had a confused look on his face. “I used to run him hot baths then watch him fill them with cold water. He has his baths colder than even you do”. Kodlak’s eyebrows lifted in surprise as he glanced back over to Sotek.

   

  “Here, catch”.

  Sotek whipped his head around to see an apple fly towards him which Aela had thrown to him. He deftly caught it then tossed it straight up in the air. He lightly caught it in the tips of his teeth then winked at Aela who smiled in return. She expected him to bite into it but instead he whipped his head backwards launching the apple high in the air. As it fell towards him, his head shot out snatching the apple perfectly in the side of his mouth.

   

  Seconds later a loud solitary ‘crunch’ sounded out as Sotek effortlessly bit the apple in half with a single bite of his razor sharp spiky teeth. The other half of the apple fell away just to be aptly caught in Sotek’s hand. Within a few seconds it shared its fate with the rest of the apple as it was greedily consumed.

   

  Aela chuckled as she threw him a second apple.

  “It’s like feeding time at the zoo”. Sotek caught the apple just as easily as he did with the first one then happily started munching on it.

   

  After they all ate, the two Companions, Aela and Farkas along with Sotek headed off past the main gate of Whiterun to make their way towards the bandit camp to the south which was based near Falkreath. As they approached Embershard mine, Aela and Farkas stopped.

  “There’s someone there!!!” Aela whispered.

   

  “How do you know?” Sotek asked. He tried to see who she was referring to but he couldn’t see anything.

   

  Farkas responded in a hushed whisper.

  “We can smell him. Can’t you?”

   

  Slowly they moved closer, until they stopped again whereby Farkas pointed out a solitary figure by the mine entrance. Aela glanced across to Sotek. He couldn’t mistake her voice which was in an earnest whisper.

  “Ready your bow”. Both Sotek and Aela aimed for the Bandit, “Wait for it”. She paused, holding her breath. Farkas looked at Sotek, he was doing the same. “Fire!!!”. The two arrows flew as one both hitting the bandit in the chest. 

   

  Farkas looked around once more scanning the area for any other bandits until he was satisfied that the area was safe to proceed.

  “Clear, let’s go”. 

   

  As they passed the dead bandit, Sotek looked down at the corpse. His arrow hit the bandit in the chest on the right side. Aela’s arrow had however struck straight in the bandit’s heart. Her shot killed him out right. He was dead before he hit the floor, Aela didn’t need Sotek to fire at all.

   

  Inside Farkas and Sotek hung back while Aela scouted ahead. Soon she came back, but it was obvious from the tone and the look on her face that she was far from happy.

  “Damn it to Oblivion… They’re all together on a ledge”.

   

  “Can’t you pick them off?” Farkas asked.

   

  “No chance. Maybe get two but they got bows, its dark and there’s about five of them”.

   

  “Ok, how close can we get?”

   

  Aela shook her head.

  “Not close enough there’s a single rope bridge spanning across”.

   

  Sotek who up to now was silent, asked a question.

  “Spanning what?”

   

  “A lake; looks deep”

   

  “Is there a way down to it?” He enquired.

   

  Aela snapped back at him.

  “Yes but what’s that got to do with it?” She was getting annoyed with his interruptions.

   

  It turns out it had a lot to do with it because Sotek hatched a plan. He immediately stripped off all his armor and weapons, picked up some ragged cloth and loosely bound his own hands together. The other two just looked at him thinking he had gone mad. He stood there practically naked except for a loin cloth and bound hands only then did he speak to the pair of them.

  “Argonian slave, shove me across”.

   

  Aela gave him a bit of a shove pushing him a few steps forwards. Knowing full well how a slave would be treated, Sotek shook his head at her.

  “Harder”. She shoved him again, but he still wasn’t satisfied he walked up to her face and hissed quietly. “No…No… Itss got to be harder”.

   

  Farkas grabbed him and gave him an almighty shove sending him sprawling into view of the bandits. He crashed into the rock face then dropped onto the ground. Aela started to call out.

  “Hey stop...” But she just managed to stop herself as she realized what they were actually doing. 

   

  Farkas forced Sotek up again while Aela took her position to take out any problematic bandits. Farkas called out to the group forming on the other side of the rope bridge, his voice echoed, roaring out amongst the caverns.

  “Oi, guys!!! I got that slave ya requested”.

   

  One of the bandits came towards him eyeing him suspiciously.

  “What slave?”

   

  Farkas yelled back at him.

  “Argonian scum, from the mountains!” Then he promptly threw Sotek onto the bridge. He fell, landing in a heap at the bandit’s feet.

   

  Two bandits went up to Sotek and forced him up, both of them holding an arm each. Once he was held secure the bandit leader came up to him and punched him in the stomach, sending him down onto the bridge a second time. He curled up as he lay on his side groaning softly. The leader walked over to Farkas as he realized he didn’t recognize the hulking Nord.

  “Hang on, who the hell are you?”

   

  The trouble was that he didn’t get the answer he was expecting. Sotek who was feigning the injury got up and faced the large group of bandits. He shouted out one of his dragon shouts catching everyone completely off guard.

  “Fus ro”.

   

  The force hit the group of packed bandits, knocking three of them straight off the bridge into the water below. Without stopping, Sotek charged into the bandit leader slamming into the back of him. The momentum took them both over the edge into the water where the other bandits had just found themselves. Aela fired a flurry of arrows striking the one remaining bandit who was just standing there at the back of the cave unable to comprehend what had just happened.

   

  Now this was a terrain Sotek excelled at. No one but no one, can out swim an Argonian. Especially if the Argonian has no armor and the competition is in heavy iron. Sotek was out the water before some of the bandits even knew which way to swim. One bandit tried to scramble out of the water’s edge but he was cut down before he even took a step by Farkas.

   

  All three companions were on the side waiting for the bandits to climb out. Sotek called out to them, laying out the facts as he saw them.

  “It’s simple, you surrender or drown. I don’t care which”. Then he sat on the side and patiently waited while Aela had her bow fixed on the closest bandit.

   

  Having no other choice, they surrendered, all of them. One by one they climbed out, just to be tied and bound. While Aela kept a close watch on the others who were still in the water.

   

  Once the last bandit was tied and bound, Aela temporarily forgot herself. She flung her arms around Sotek as she praised him.

  “That was bloody brilliant!” Her face was beaming and then she suddenly realized what she did. She pushed him away, backed right up and shouted at the bandits kicking one in the process. “Move it you scum!” She then shot a glare at Farkas and Sotek before dragging a hapless bandit outside.

   

  This left Sotek standing there practically naked, absolutely soaked and wondering what the hell had just happened. Farkas glanced over to him and just shrugged his massive shoulders.

   

  A short while after they left the Mine, they rested up while they discussed their next move. Aela suggested that they headed to a guard tower to hand over the bandits. Farkas however had something else on his mind. He kept looking at Sotek to just look away from him only to glance back at him again. Aela couldn’t help but see it and it was rapidly getting on her nerves.

  “Farkas, what the hell is up?”

   

  “Huh? Sorry what?” he responded as if he had no idea what she was on about by trying to act all innocent.

   

  Sotek however had a very good idea what it was about.

  “You want to ask me something…” Sotek just glanced at him patiently waiting.

   

  Farkas slowly turned to Sotek.

  “That thing you shouted out… What was it?”

   

  “Ermm a sort of spell. A special one”. Sotek knew it was a dragon shout, but he just didn’t feel comfortable letting the others know about himself, or of his abilities.

   

  “When you shouted out at Aela that day, it was different”.

   

  Sotek turned away as his hand rested in his pocket. His fingers gripped tightly whatever it was he kept there. Without another word he got up and headed to the bandits, then he turned to the others.

  “Times getting on... Let’s move”.

   

  Aela called out to him but at the same time she and Farkas remained where they were.

  “Not yet. We’re not ready”.

   

  Sotek just blanked her and started heading off. For the rest of the day he kept himself to himself only rejoining them properly when they got to the watchtower.

   

  That night they stayed at an inn. Both Farkas and Aela spent the evening downstairs while Sotek however just stayed in his room. That night was the same as all the others. He awoke sweating and shaking from the nightmare that haunted his dreams. He lay there, for hours in the dark. His hands resting on his chest holding the small discrete item he kept in his pocket.

   

  In the morning they gathered their gear and the three of them travelled back to Whiterun, Sotek rejoined the group but no one mentioned the previous conversation.

   

  The Harbinger was there waiting for their return.

  “Aela, the Jarl is very impressed. He’s paid fifty gold for each bandit and a further one hundred gold for the capture of the leader. He’s being executed publicly, the Jarl feels that sends a stronger message to the other rogues. Well done all of you”.

   

  As the bag of gold she wrongly took from the Harbinger regarding the Saber cat still plagued Aela’s mind, she decided to speak up on the spot.

  “It wasn’t my plan, it was Sotek’s. He caught them”.

   

  “It was my plan yes, but it took the three of us to pull it off”. Sotek stated as he was not prepared to take all the credit.

   

  The Harbinger just smiled then handed the purse of four hundred gold to Aela. She immediately turned around and gave it to Sotek.

  “It’s yours. You earned it”. She stated smiling.

   

  Sotek took the purse, weighed it in his hand then he went over to the nearest table and emptied the bag out. Quickly, he divided it up into four piles while Aela, Farkas, and the Harbinger all stood there watching him rapidly count out the gold coins. He then got up and picked up two piles and gave both Aela and Farkas a pile of one hundred gold. He then picked up the third pile and handed it over to the Harbinger.

  “For supplies…”

   

   With that simple comment he then took the fourth pile and headed downstairs to store it in his room smiling as he went.

   

  Aela stared at him; she then turned to the Harbinger pointing to Sotek as she spoke out loud.

  “See what I mean… So bloody perfect”. She stormed off outside to the training area slamming the door as she went.

   

  Farkas who just stood there watching Aela, couldn’t help but ask the Harbinger about her.

  “Harbinger, do you think she will ever calm down?”

   

  “Farkas, she’s young. Very talented and experienced for her age, but young. Given time and the right nurturing…”

   

  Farkas couldn’t help but interrupt. 

  “I’ll take that as a no then shall I?”

   

  The Harbinger turned to him and slightly frowned.

  “Not a chance in hell I’m afraid”. He then sighed under his breath as he walked away.