Quarter of an hour later Aela re-entered the hall to find it empty except for Sotek who was sitting on the step looking at her. She calmly walked up to him and sat down alongside the Argonian before asking him about Kodlak’s whereabouts. She was half hoping the old Nord would join her side in the argument; if she applied enough pressure.
“Where’s the Harbinger?”
Sotek turned his head towards her without making eye contact. He seemed sullen and withdrawn. As he spoke he kept his focus on Aela’s knee, avoiding her face altogether.
“I asked him to go downstairs so we could talk”.
“And the others?”Aela asked as she glanced around the hall.
“Farkas and Vilkas are at the main gate... sorting out horses”. Sotek’s hand, under its own will, slowly slid along the step towards Aela. It stopped a few inches away from her lest she rejected his touch.
“Are all the Whelps going?” She asked as she watched his hand. A part of her wanted him to hold her. She wanted to say sorry for hitting him. The guilt was plaguing her yet she couldn’t bring herself to do it.
Sotek just nodded and pulled back his hand, moving it away from her.
Aela reached out for it and picked it up. She intertwined their fingers and set their hands in her lap and tried one last time to bring everything to a close.
“Sotek... stop it; tell them there’s a change of plan. Look, I’ll tell them, I’ll say I’ve talked you out of it. You can’t do this, you know it’s wrong. They won’t stand a chance and you know it”.
Sotek felt a wave of misery wash over him. He had hoped when she took his hand that she would understand what he was trying to do but now he knew it wasn’t to be. Snapping back at her angrily, he tore his hand away from her.
“Yes they will. What’s worse is them being unprepared for a dragon attack”.
All of Aela’s control dissolved instantly. In the heat of the moment she shouted back at him.
“Bullshit and you know it. This is simply about power and control. You’re using them you bastard. You’re using them and you don’t give a bloody damn if they die. Those guards at the tower, they got killed! This isn’t a game! Those Whelps out there aren’t yours to throw away!”
Sotek gave up arguing and rose to his feet. As he made his way to the doors he tried to counter Aela’s argument about the guards during the attack where he met Irileth.
“They often go to the plains and they have all seen the tower. What happens if they get attacked and we aren’t there to guide them?”
In complete desperation Aela started pleading with him, begging him to reconsider his actions.
“Please, Sotek, please listen to me... you can’t do this”.
“Aela, I’m sorry you feel this way but I must”. Without another word Sotek turned around, putting his back to her.
Her face screwed up and her hands formed two fists. Shaking with rage she scrambled to her feet and transformed into her werewolf form. Fuelled with Aela’s rage coursing through her veins, Red charged at him swiping his side.
Sotek reacted by side stepping away from Red’s unprovoked attack but he was too slow to move out of her way in time. Burning pain caused him to cry out as razor sharp claws cut into scales and flesh causing droplets of blood to fall on the wooden flooring.
Sotek dropped to his knees and clutched his side. With a trembling hand he looked down to see the wound for what it was. Thanking his luck for the injury was only superficial, Sotek growled in anger and rose in front of Red. With a crying howl Sotek followed suit and transformed.
Blinded by Aela’s rage, Red slashed her claws across Scarface’s chest. He had only just fully formed so he was in no state to defend himself. Claws cut through fur, tearing open gashes across his torso. Scarface howled out in agony as Red attacked him a second time. She caught him with the tips of her claws, causing blood to splash outwards as her claws dug into him, cutting into his chest.
The second blow sent a flurry of pain across Scarface’s senses, blinding him from all emotions. Acting on instinct, Scarface threw himself at the enemy in front of him. All too easily he snatched her up and slammed her back down on the ground with a horrendous bang. Downstairs, the Harbinger couldn’t help but feel the impact. He came running up the stairway to see Scarface pinning Red to the floor with a single paw that seemed to cover half her chest. His other forearm supported his weight so he wouldn’t crush her while small droplets of blood fell from his wounds and landed on Red’s matted, bloodied fur.
Sensing someone’s presence at the far end of the hall, Scarface slowly turned his head to see Kodlak at the top of the stairs. The black werewolf growled a warning however the Harbinger was at a loss as to who the threat was directed at.
Scarface looked back down at Red and lowered his maw. With his fangs almost touching her neck, he growled menacingly, clearly marking him to be the alpha between them. She stayed there, watching him as he changed back into Sotek. He lashed out with his fist catching Red in the jaw. Sotek stood over her then he looked at the Harbinger. Without saying a word, the Argonian turned to the doors and left Jorrvaskr heading to the main gate.
Aela changed back. Being emotionally unstable, with her face full of tears, she cried out, screaming at Sotek, begging him to come back to her. The Harbinger started walking towards her but she ran out the back into the training area, straight into Eorlund.
Feeling weak and vulnerable, the Huntress tried to compose herself and regain control but the moment they made eye contact she broke down and threw her arms around him, crying uncontrollably. Kodlak entered the courtyard to see Aela in a distraught state while Eorlund who was completely confused and bewildered, held her in his arms.
Eorlund tried to escort her to the bench so she could sit down but the moment he moved, Aela screamed out at him and shoved him away from her, breaking his hold.
“Get away from me! Leave me alone!”
Now that Aela was unsupported, she felt her knees start to give and her hands began involuntarily shaking. Fearing she would fall down, she grabbed hold of one of the pillars and used it to steady herself. Ignoring the presence of those around her, she seemed to go misty eyed as she stared blankly at the Throat of the World Mountain.
Without looking back at the Harbinger or Eorlund, Aela softly spoke in a frail weak voice. “I’ve lost him, I’ve lost him”.
Eorlund once again put his arm around her and led her to the bench while he tried to reassure her.
“Don’t talk daft lass. What makes you think that?”
“I punched him; I turned into Red and attacked him. I was so angry. Damn you Kodlak. Why didn’t you stop this at the start? Why did you let this happen? Tell me damn you”.
Kodlak was furious. Ignoring Aela’s seemingly frail state he yelled back at her.
“That’s enough! How dare you change in the hall and attack someone. Anyone!! What the hell were you thinking? There are things here you don’t understand so before you say something we’ll both regret you damn well listen”.
“Hell no, you bloody listen. All he is interested in is dragon souls and power. He doesn’t give a rats fucking arse about the Whelps. If he did then when I begged him, and I really begged him to stop this... he would have. But he wouldn’t stop it”. Aela got up then started to head inside but Kodlak for the first time that he could remember, actually grabbed her and forcefully pushed her back on the seat.
Eorlund intervened by standing between them both. He held his hands up as barriers, separating the Huntress and the Harbinger so they wouldn’t come to blows.
“Aela you need to calm down and listen. About an hour ago Sotek spoke to Farengar. You know when he sold those scrolls? He was informed about some dragons and told of their locations. These dragons, they have claimed mountain tops. Ten spots around Skyrim. Now, believe me or not, four of these are on Whiterun’s borders. They have surrounded the plains. Right now, out there, are four dragons watching Whiterun; waiting”.
Just by the look on his face told Aela he was serious. She mused over his words, repeating them in her mind. Feeling far calmer due to the shock and revelation of the new information Aela sheepishly glanced back at the Harbinger.
“Waiting for what?”
Kodlak sat down besides her and took her hand in his. As he spoke he held it tightly, hoping that Aela would accept his comfort instead of exploding like she normally would.
“We don’t know but Sotek is sure the dragons at the peaks are the dominant ones. There are more out there. Don’t you see? The threat is real, very real. Sotek couldn’t stop this because you asked him to; this can only be stopped by slaying them... that’s if they can be stopped at all. You’ve all had several days practicing combat against Sotek’s magic. Hell, even Farengar spent a few days helping everyone train against his frost and fire spells. Yes, I know it’s not the same as a dragon’s breath but it’s better than nothing”.
Feeling exhausted after burning so much energy in such a short time span, Aela, with an almost lazy posture, turned to the hall. She thought about the argument with Sotek and what she believed his reasons were at the time. Realizing that once again she had screwed up, she asked the Harbinger about why Sotek never properly explained to her about the dragon situation.
“But why didn’t he say? He could have told me about them then I would have understood”.
Eorlund shook his head at her. He knew the fire she held inside and everyone, even Sotek was aware it was no simple task of just ‘telling Aela’ of something when she wasn’t prepared to listen.
“With all the fighting and yelling going on? Tell me; did you give him the chance to explain or did you just lash out as usual?”
The Harbinger at that point interrupted and pointed out that even Sotek wasn’t sure of his actions and reasoning for the dragon hunt. Kodlak made a point of telling Aela everything that the Harbinger, Eorlund and Sotek had spoke about when they were by the Skyforge.
“Sotek asked us at the forge if we thought he was just doing it for power or to fuel his ego. He questioned his very self about it. I made him promise to ask you all if you all would help him. He agreed and let everyone form their own minds. That’s why he asked for volunteers”.
Aela felt like screaming at herself. She so wanted to tell the dumb bitch to stop and think instead of going off like a barrel of oil on a fire.
“I thought; I really thought he was doing this for himself. What sort of bitch thinks that?”
Eorlund laughed at her. He found it amusing Aela was calling herself names. It was far better she did that than call other people things.
“Don’t worry about it. After all” Eorlund said. “He thought that as well”.
With her arms dangling loosely by her sides, Aela turned to her Harbinger for support. She felt lost and alone; cursed by her own anger.
“What the hell have I done?”
Kodlak’s hand discretely slipped down his leg and stealthily sneaked inside the large barrel he was sitting next to. Without Aela knowing, he quietly fumbled about for something. A small smile formed on his face as he softly spoke to Aela, forming a false sense of security within her.
“Oh my dear Huntress. Aela, take a long hard look at Eorlund. Tell me...”
She turned around to study him while she wondered what Kodlak was hoping that she would see.
“What am I looking for? I don’t see it. Except for the fact that he’s old!”
“Old? You cheeky mare!”
Eorlund huffed back at her but he barely had a chance to say any more when Aela screamed as she stumbled forwards.
Kodlak threw down a large piece of timber which he had walloped Aela on the backside with.
The Huntress cursed as she hobbled to a seat where she laid out on her side so she could rub her injury.
“That bloody hurt!”
Kodlak calmly smiled back at her and nodded.
“Good. It was bloody supposed to. When you both went out on the plains looking for Lunabugs and Torch Moths....”
At that point Eorlund, who was smirking at Aela, interrupted the Harbinger.
“Lunabugs? Torch Moths?”
Kodlak nodded back at him and chuckled.
“Yes, if you can believe that. Sotek tried to trick me into thinking they were searching for Luna Moths and Torchbugs. This silly mare screwed it up”.
“Never mind about that! You hurt my ass!” Aela yelled. She pulled back her armor showing Kodlak her ass cheek which was already turning red from the blow.
Eorlund groaned and turned around while Kodlak smirked at her.
“All the magic in Skyrim couldn’t turn you into a lady. I fathom to think why Tilma tries to. Anyway, we followed you both, did you know that? Farkas, Vilkas and myself. Now, I know Sotek’s got a dragon soul inside him but there’s a wolf in there too. It was no bloody dragon that hunted with Red or with you; it was a bloody wolf... put there by you and you alone. I’m the Harbinger but he’s the alpha male of the pack and he chose you to be his Alpha female; it’s that simple. Men, women even dragons, they can all be damned. It’s the wolf that drives him and it’s the wolf inside him that needs you. Do you really think if even now you went to him he would turn you away? The poor fool would more likely grab you with both bloody arms”.
Eorlund got up and gently held her arms by the elbows, gently forcing her hands up and positioning them by her sides so she couldn’t prevent him from speaking.
“He needs you far more than he needs dragon souls. You know he still carries that old bloodied piece of armour around in his pocket. When he talked to us at the forge he held it in his hand; I saw it. Swallow your bloody pride and find him. He needs you; don’t make him do this alone”.
Aela moved off the bench, straightened her armor and moved towards the table where her bow and quiver was. She had thrown them down earlier after punching Sotek. While she talked with Kodlak, she saw Eorlund pick them up. Holding the Dragonbone bow in her hand, she backed down, losing all her fight.
“He’s not alone, I’ll find him; he’s not alone”.
Eorlund laughed at her. He remembered seeing Sotek wander around aimlessly when Aela was completing a task with one of the other Companions.
“Ha! He can sit in Jorrvaskr with everyone around him. If you’re not there he’s not just alone, he’s lost”.
Aela picked up her bow and quiver then headed off around Jorrvaskr. As an afterthought she called back to the Harbinger, asking where Sotek had gone.
“Where have they headed off to?”
“Eldersblood Peak. Aela, you can’t keep lashing out at him and expect him to forgive you. He loves you; don’t turn that love into hate”. Then he watched her run off towards the gate.
Now that they were alone, the blacksmith asked Kodlak about what caused Aela to run outside in tears in the first place.
“What did she do? I presume it was her”.
Knowing there was little point in pretending, Kodlak confirmed Eorlund’s suspicions.
“What didn’t she do? Aela threw Sotek into the doors and punched him in the face”.
“Oh just her usual temper then”. Eorlund added. He knew Aela had a temper; they all did.
Kodlak hadn’t finished though. He saved the worst of it for last.
“The worst part is what she caused Red to do. She attacked Scarface. Oh he’s not hurt; well, maybe his pride. His chest was covered in his own blood”.
Eorlund’s jaw dropped. He turned to the hall, fearing what might happen should the guards and Jarl Balgruuf find out what the Companions were.
“What? The stupid cow!”
Kodlak sat at the table and buried his face in his hands. His own anger rose up as he thought about Red and Scarface in the hall.
“Raagghh!! One minute they’re in love and the next they fight like... like... What manner of creature fights like them? One day they will really fight; then what am I supposed to do?”
Eorlund shrugged. He knew the Harbinger felt a mixture of disgust and sympathy with Aela. She was often a victim to her own rage.
“Well, when that fight happens we’ll take that trip to Solitude we keep talking about”.
Kodlak’s eyes went off in a far away stare as he thought about the serenity he could bask in behind Solitude's walls.
“Oh Solitude. Peace... no Aela screaming at the Whelps... no Aela tearing off chunks of Sotek; and no Sotek driving everyone mad with his rampant destruction. Eorlund... did you know last week he broke Aela’s bed?”
“How the hell did he do that?” Eorlund asked in a state of annoyance. It was only a few weeks ago that they had finally managed to replace all the furniture from Red and her rampage in the Undercroft. Eorlund honestly thought he could now relax. He cursed himself for his stupidity.
“Don’t bloody ask”. Kodlak replied. He hadn’t said much to Sotek and Aela about it but he was just as aggravated about it as Eorlund was. “Let’s just say four of them spent some time in that bed. They haven’t said it but I’m sure...”
About the same time as Aela ran out into the courtyard, Sotek left the Stables and mounted his horse. He silently turned and faced the plains. Feeling a sense of loss, he slowly moved his horse to the front of the pack.
The Whelps waited impatiently. They were excited with the prospect of the dragon fight. Each one of them knew there would be a good bounty on the dragon. Gold would run freely if only for a while.
Sotek looked across the plains once more and couldn’t help but feel the plains were more like a barrens now, just an empty, lifeless landscape. Farkas, knowing that Sotek was suffering with remorse over the fight he had with Aela, called out to him.
“So she’s definitely not coming along then?”
Sotek turned to Whiterun and moved his horse to the spare mare they had prepared for Aela. He took its reins and headed towards the main gate.
“Stand easy, we’ll be going soon”. He then sat there on his horse with the mare alongside him as he watched the gate.
Vilkas dug the heels of his boots into his stallion’s sides causing it to trot forwards. He steered it round in a large circle until he was facing Sotek’s direction. Guiding the horse under the gatehouse, he rode it onwards until he could discretely talk with the Argonian.
“You want to give her half an hour?”
Sotek gave the slightest tilt of his head. He knew the others disproved of the time he was wasting but he wasn’t prepared to give up on his mate. He hoped she would see reason and join up with them. Stubbornness was one trait he had in overwhelming quantities. It ran through his body like blood.
“Yes, I’m hoping she will change her mind”.
“Change her mind? Just how thick skinned are you bloody Argonians anyhow? She punched you in the face! Look, I don’t mind waiting to see if she does but she isn’t going to come. We’ll give her half hour, ok?”
Sotek nodded to him while his eyes stayed fixed on the large thick wooden gate.
“Thanks. She’ll be here. You’ll see”.
Vilkas rode back to the others and gave them the news.
“We will be going in about half an hour”.
Farkas groaned. He was starting to feel bored with the standing around.
“Sotek’s waiting for her huh? Well as long as he’s not too disappointed”.
Vilkas shook his head with doubt.
“He seems convinced she will come”.
Farkas gave the Argonian a quick glance and felt genuine sorrow for his sibling.
“No chance. He’s upset about her hitting him; it’s wishful thinking”.
“Well I said we can wait, so we’ll give him that”.
As Vilkas spoke, he pondered on whether to order the Whelp’s to dismount. Riding the beasts was one thing but just sitting on them while the sun slowly moved overhead wasn’t the same thing.
A minute later Sotek sat right up. He lifted his head up and started sniffing at the gentle breeze that blew over Whiterun’s walls. To everyone’s surprise he started smiling as he egged his horse around so it was facing the plains.
A minute after that, the gate opened and Aela stepped outside to find Sotek, Farkas and Vilkas sitting there on their horses. Sotek still had the reins of the fourth horse in his hand.
Before Aela could speak, Sotek dismounted and walked towards her. Despite the way he seemed to everyone while he waited for the Huntress, inside he felt an overwhelming loathing for Aela’s own temper.
Her eyes opened wide with fear as she saw the anger he still held. Sotek grabbed her by the collar and forced her back into the gate. So the other’s couldn’t hear them, he murmured to her as quietly as possible.
“Don’t you ever try to threaten me with Red again… I swear Aela, I’ll put her down”. He then released her and mounted back up on his horse, leaving her by the gate.
Remembering the awful time they had when they rescued Aela from the Silverhands, Sotek decided there and then to stop the fight with Aela as they would have enough problems should they actually encounter the dragon as it is with the inexperienced Whelps. Once things were more settled he could talk with her over what had progressed inside the hall.
He looked down at Aela and offered her a choice between his horse and the mare.
“It’s up to you, there’s a spare horse or you can ride with me”.
Aela’s eyes fixed on to Sotek’s. She slowly walked up to him and apprehensively pointed at his mount.
“Your horse”. Sotek smiled at her and moved back a bit, he then reached down and offered his hand to her. She took hold of it in a strong wrist lock and pulled, using his strength and weight to help her into the horse’s saddle. She sat in front and took the reins. As he wrapped his arms around her, he let go of the spare horse, leaving it to return to the stables.
As they rode off, way faster than the others, Aela gave Sotek a fleeting look as she asked about the reason for him waiting.
“You knew I would come with you didn’t you?”
“I hoped you would. Aela, I know there’s a part of me that’s screaming out for power but that’s not what this is about”. A part of him didn’t blame her. Even he was still struggling with accepting the fact that he was Dragonborn.
“I know. The Harbinger told me about the dragons. I’m sorry; I should have trusted your reasons. Then again you shouldn’t have kept it to yourself. Why won’t you explain things to people? You’re so impossible at times”.
Sotek’s face scrunched up while his tail flailed about behind the horse as it ran.
“This is my fault? That’s nice isn’t it? Yes Sotek it’s your fault Aela’s a stressed out bitch. Charming that is. Where’s the ‘sorry for hitting you Sotek’ hmm? That would be nice!”
He couldn’t help but laugh as Aela dug him in the stomach with her elbow. She tried to explain but her argument seemed weak and pointless.
“I’m sorry. I was afraid for the Whelps. I didn’t understand; I still don’t, not fully. But I understand more now. How’s your jaw?”
The Argonian moved his bottom jaw side to side and whined from the pain. It was just a dull ache but he played for sympathy and exaggerated his injury.
“Hurts like hell. It’s broke in twenty places. Does this mean Red’s sorry too? She’s as much to blame as you are”.
Aela slowed the horse down to almost a standstill. She looked over her shoulder although she wouldn’t make any sort of eye contact. Her voice seemed heavy; full of remorse and sadness.
“I lost control; I had no right to do that. She had no right... It’s my fault; don’t blame her. You remember the troll cave? It’s a two way street. I have her emotions and she has mine. I’m sorry, if Scarface wants to hunt alone I understand”. Aela felt her heart stop a beat as the next few seconds seemed like minutes.
Sotek squeezed her gently before he checked the others who were rapidly closing in on them.
“What he wants is to hunt with his mate, not fight with her. We’ll talk later about it; you better speed up, their gaining”.
Aela glanced over his shoulder at the other Companions then she spun around and dug her heels into the horse’s side making it gallop off, leaving the others behind.
Like a leaderless posse, Farkas, Vilkas and all the Whelps raced each other to catch Sotek and Aela up.
Comments
*Lissette
Aela was bound to join them wasn't she. No real surprise there.
Kodlak’s eyes went off in a far away stare as he thought about the serenity he could bask in behind (Solitude's) walls.
... more