U.O.T.W. Chapter 216 Boots, furs and Tankards

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    Aela woke up feeling hot. She touched the arm which rested upon her and she expected to find Sotek cuddled up behind her but the instant she felt the arm she knew why she was so warm. Scarface was laid out on his side; half burying her beneath his arm and leg. Choosing life over slow suffocation, she crawled out from under his limb then got up. When she looked at the fire she remembered the night before. When they returned to the cave from the night’s hunt there was very little in the way of firewood so to keep her warm Sotek transformed into Scarface who wrapped himself around her. In reality werewolves can’t maintain their forms without constant feeding, but with the ring of Hircine the change can be indefinite; such as the case now.

     

    She climbed on top of the werewolf’s body and straddled his waste so she was sitting on his stomach. Aela started to gently shake him to try and stir him from his sleep. A loud grunt broke into heavy slow breaths informing Aela that she was wasting her time with her timid approach. She decided to tap him on the nose then she prized open an eyelid as she spoke.

    “Hey, Sotek? Are you in there? Hellooo”.

     

    Scarface stirred then he opened his eyes to see Aela looking back at him. She smiled as she watched him blink heavily as his wolfish eyes tried to focus on something so close to his face.

    “Oh wow, it’s awake”. She laughed.

     

    He laid there, still and silent as he watched her while his mind refocused. After a few seconds he changed form, giving Aela cause to shriek as the torso she was sitting on shrank. Aela still sat on top of Sotek who seemed confused to find her on him. Ignoring his mental state, she leant over and gave him a kiss and a hug.

    “Come on sleepy head. Today’s the day we go and see the mega bitch”.

     

    The sluggish horse, which was in effect Sotek’s mind, sped up and thundered through his brain, allowing him to catch up with events. He realised just in time who the Huntress was referring to; Legate Rikke.

    “She probably thinks the same about you”.

     

    Aela’s eyes flashed at him as she coyly smiled.

    “Really? You think so?” As she said it she couldn’t help but smile at the thought.

     

    Sotek smirked at her and he gave the Huntress a playful slap on her haunches.

    “Yes but you don’t have to be so happy about it”.

     

    “Well she pissed me off”. Aela said determinedly. She wasn’t going to back down or apologise for either her or Red’s actions.

     

    Sotek got up then started equipping his armor, or at least what he could find of it.

    “Yes well, pinning her against a tree and trying to kill her didn’t help. Where are my boots?”

     

    “Back of the cave” Aela stated as she began scurrying around in the search for her own equipment. “We should pile our gear up when we strip. Mind you, you were in a hurry. Maybe I shouldn’t have pinned her to that tree but I certainly felt better for it”.

     

    “I was in a hurry?” Sotek said as he stared incredulously at her. “You were in such a rush that you kept your boots on during the first ten minutes”.

     

    “You love it when I keep my boots on. I’m not arguing over my sexual preferences. Move! I’m hungry... we’ll get a meal at the Inn. I bet those two lazy bastards are still in bed. Roll the furs up and we can go”.

     

    Sotek smirked as he peered outside. It was early morning yet the sun was above the skyline, and its warm rays were reflected off the lake in the distance.

    “Yes and I bet the tabs used up”.

     

    As they crossed the bridge to Ivarstead, Sotek leaned over the wall and peered into the stream. He noticed several small fish pass under the bridge as they battled against the current. As for the water, it looked cool and refreshing as it rushed by.

    “Hey you want to clean up before we eat?”

     

    Aela looked at the water and screwed her face up.

    “It’s a mountain stream for howling out loud. It’ll be freezing”.

     

    “Oh look at the tough She-Nord. Yes it will be, but afterwards we can sit by the fire at the inn and warm up”. He said as he cast a wink at her. He started nudging her in the ribs, applying peer pressure in the hopes of getting her to agree.

     

    Aela scrunched her face up and poked her tongue out at him. When she looked back at the Argonian, a sly look crept across her lips.

    “Only if you let me hold on”.

     

    Sotek rolled his eyes at her then he entered the stream and offered his mate a hand. Aela followed him in but before he could submerge himself she tugged the tip of his tail.

    “I never finished... only if you let me hold on... to ‘my’ ring!” She shoved him backwards and laughed as he slashed in the water.

     

    Now that the ring of Hircine was on Aela’s finger, she lay on his back and held onto his shoulders as he propelled them both through the water.

     

    Once they were feeling far cleaner, he swam to the shallows of the stream and climbed the bank. He lifted Aela up in his arms and carried her to the inn. She leaned forwards while she was held securely in his arms and she pushed open the door, allowing him access to the building. Aela pointed to the hearth fire where two chairs were and a rug which was sprawled out on the floor.

    “Over there please, by the fire”. A beaming smile smothered her features as Sotek carried her across the inn hall then sat her on the seat.

     

    Once they had both warmed up and started drying off, Aela ordered two meals then she moved towards a table where she sat eagerly awaiting her food.

    “Innkeeper, how much of the tab is left?”

     

    “Ermm, oh 68 gold” Wilhelm said as he consulted the ledger. “They had quite a night”.

     

    Sotek looked a bit shocked at the news and almost cried out although Aela lightly tutted and grinned back at him.

    “68 gold left? What did they do; have a party?”

     

    “Yes, with the maids; all four of them”. Wilhelm said as he greedily checked the money draw.

     

    Aela shook her head at Sotek and laid the blame squarely at his feet.

    “That’s your fault”.

     

    “Why me?”

     

    The Huntress chose to ignore him as she had spotted a rather sheepish looking Vilkas head downstairs with a maid in his arm.

    “Oi! Leave that alone it’s filthy and you don’t know where it’s been”.

     

    Vilkas jestingly snapped back at Aela in defence of the girl who had spent the night in his bed.

    “Hey don’t talk about her like that”.

     

    Aela looked disgusted with him; his face was wrecked from all the drinking from the evening before.

    “I was talking to the maid not you. Seriously, you need to step away from the skunk. Let him go”.

     

    The maid sat him at the table then she went off to the back of the inn where a sink full of various pans and plates awaited her.

     

    “Don’t go”. Vilkas whined as she went off. She gave him a parting smile then a slight wave, adding to his ego. “See? She likes me”.

     

    Aela turned her nose up at the stench of the Companion’s sweat and booze.

    “You smell of a drunken slob”.

     

    “Yea? And you smell of... of... actually you smell clean! You both do, how come?” He said as he leaned towards Aela, much to her disgust.

     

    “What do you expect us to smell of you moron?” She said as she shoved him away from her. Having the wolf blood was a mixed blessing. At this current time she would happily compare her keen sense of smell to one of a curse.

     

    With that Farkas entered the room and the conversation, causing Aela to groan loudly.

    “Of sweat! Each others sweat I might add and maybe the odd troll or deer. And yes Aela; we heard you both out there in the early hours. Hunting were we? Awwwoooo?”

     

    The cheeks in Aela’s face turned a bright red as she bashfully looked away but something in the way Farkas had spoke caused Sotek to glance across at the innkeeper. He thought about the tab and how noisy the two brothers could be when they were drunk. If Scarface was in the inn then maybe he would be able to hear Red’s or even Aela’s howling but the amount of gold the two Companions went through made a feat almost...

    “Impossible” Sotek murmured. He nudged Aela with his foot and pulled her in his web of deceit.

    “Well actually we stayed in the cave; I had plenty of venison so we just stayed there. Red and Scarface will get their chance tonight”.

     

    Farkas looked a bit surprised at this revelation and shrugged.

    “Oh; ok, each to his own I suppose”.

     

    With that simple comment he had given the game away. Aela glared at him and hollered in his face.

    “You never heard a goddamn thing did you?”

     

    “Nope we were partying all night”. Farkas admitted cheerfully as if it was some grand accomplishment.

     

    The huntress shook her head in disgust then she left the table and motioned at Sotek to follow in her stead.

    “Tell the Harbinger I’m staying with Sotek. We’ll be back when we can, but we might be a few days. And tell him I’m sorry for my attitude; Sotek takes full responsibility for it”. With that she smiled then headed outside.

     

    Sotek shook his head at her and her audacity then he followed her outside. Just as he was leaving, Vilkas called out to him.

    “Hey ermm... any chance of a loan? We never brought much money with us. Can I point out that we did stay out of your way last night”.

     

    Aela, who was just outside, pushed open the door and spoke somewhat loudly; enough so everyone could hear her as she threatened Sotek.

    “Don’t give them any. They’ve burned through three hundred gold. Don’t you dare; I will slap you if you do”.

     

    Sotek gulped then he returned to his seat and downed the last dregs of his drink. He shook his hands to Vilkas, denying him any sort of financial aid.

    “Sorry, I’m not allowed to. She’d kill me if I did”. Just as he was about to leave though, he stopped and called out to them. “Vilkas, if you’re trying to look at the maids then my seat has the better view”.

     

    Aela instantly walked back inside the inn and glared at the Argonian. She snarled between breaths as she prodded him in the chest.

    “What do you mean there’s a better view of the bloody maids from your seat?” When she looked at the table though, she realised his seat faced the door, putting his back to the kitchen where the maid was working. Aela cast a strange confused look as if she was missing something then she exited the inn once more.

     

    When they had both left, Vilkas got up and went to Sotek’s side of the table. He mulled over the Argonian’s words and tried to work out what he had said.

    “I don’t get it! The kitchen’s behind him”. When he went to sit down, he had to pull out Sotek’s chair; that was when he saw it. On the seat was a bag of gold waiting to be found. He picked it up then placed it on the table between him and Farkas and grinned wickedly. “Ohh Innkeeper, four flasks please and we’ll both have a bath. Are the maids available to wash our backs?”

     

     

Comments

5 Comments   |   The Wolf Of Atmora and 5 others like this.
  • The Long-Chapper
    The Long-Chapper   ·  June 26, 2018
    YAY! Baths for everyone!
  • Ebonslayer
    Ebonslayer   ·  August 15, 2017
    I was really waiting for one of them to call Sotek and Aela 'Howler and Spike'. Damn, oh well, maybe soon.
    • Sotek
      Sotek
      Ebonslayer
      Ebonslayer
      Ebonslayer
      I was really waiting for one of them to call Sotek and Aela 'Howler and Spike'. Damn, oh well, maybe soon.
        ·  August 17, 2017
      Funnily enough, I have something special lined up for that. 
  • Wulfhedinn
    Wulfhedinn   ·  May 5, 2017
    good work as always.
    • Sotek
      Sotek
      Wulfhedinn
      Wulfhedinn
      Wulfhedinn
      good work as always.
        ·  May 5, 2017
      Thanks IK.  :)