U.O.T.W. Chapter 257 A Cry on the Wind

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    Author’s note: The chapter has not been edited except for odd mistakes and errors therefore the content may change at a later date although the plot will remain the same. The content you read now is as I written it in 2014-2015. I hope this fact doesn’t lessen your enjoyment.

    As always, should you see an error or something you feel is off then by all means let me know.

    Sotek Loyal Hound of Hircine

     

    The moment Sotek walked into Jorrvaskr, Aela was there waiting for him. He had barely time to draw breath when she laid into the Argonian with her verbal assault.

    “You fucking bastard! I told you to stay away from me, to stay away from Red! How dare you!”

     

    Sotek shamefacedly looked away and mumbled an apology, although he knew it meant little.

    “I’m sorry, I had no control over him”.

     

    “Bullshit! You didn’t give a damn, you just let him take Re…” She stopped midsentence then looked around at the Whelps. “Get out!” All the Whelps literally ran for the stairway pushing past each other as they tried to get to the Undercroft. Aela fixed her glare back to Sotek. “You bloody used me you bastard, I never felt so disgusted”.

     

    At that point Farkas had enough. He gave her a shove, pushing her back.

    “Hey, you’re forgetting something. Where the hell was your control? I was there Aela, out there on the plains as well. When you both went off hunting, I was there watching. He didn’t go to you, you went to him… Red did… went to Scarface, yea. She gave herself to him and you know it. So, before you get all high and mighty, where the hell was your control?”

     

    Aela stared at the pair of them. Her whole argument was null and worthless. Sotek just stood there, quiet glaring back at her. Her mind ran, trying to gain the upper hand but she couldn’t work it out. She knew Farkas was right, she had no control either.

    “Fuck off”. With that she turned around and headed straight to her room, where she stayed for the rest of the day.

     

    Kodlak came upstairs leaving the Whelps in the Undercroft.

    “Aela’s gone in her room and slammed the door. What happened this time?”

     

    Sotek sighed and sat on his step.

    “I fucked up”.

     

    “Yes, I gathered that but how?”

     

    Farkas’s nerves were starting to fray. He snapped due to the whole situation.

    “Harbinger, they both fucked up”.

     

    “How? what did they do?”

     

    “They both fucked!” With that he yelled in frustration and headed outside. Moments later the sounds of a sword hitting a target dummy could be heard inside the hall.

     

    Kodlak looked at Sotek with some surprise.

    “Sotek?”

     

    Sotek buried his face in the palms of his hands then lowered his arms to his side. After a long drawn out disheartened sigh, he went on to explain the events which drew to him being in this predicament.

    “Scarface, he cried out… he cried out, not him, he did. From out of nowhere, Red came running up to him... him, him not him; him. We both... they both. Aww for crying out… They, them! They killed a deer between them then she came onto him, and afterwards… Red and Scarface fell asleep. The next thing he knows is, it’s an hour or two later and Aela’s screaming her head off as she’s heading to Whiterun! He messed up”.

     

    Kodlak started scratching his head as he tried to make sense of it all. A few things escaped him but he managed to muddle though it to get the overall picture.

    “He sees… I see… and Aela blames you for it yes?”

     

    “Yes, but I knew Aela didn’t want me near her, near Red”.

     

    “Yes, you did. But then so did she. You can’t bear the blame for Scarface’s and Reds feelings. We’ll let her be for now, when she feels ready, I’ll talk to her. You just keep Scarface in check, or at least try to”.

     

    All evening Aela stayed in her room, Kodlak tried to talk to her but she just blanked him, she never even took a tray of food which Tilma set out for her. Later that night when Sotek was asleep, his door opened, he awoke to a presence in the room.

    “Aela?”

     

    “Sotek?”

     

    “Yes?”

     

    “Shut the fuck up”. The next moment he felt her naked body slide up next to him, she kissed him a few times as she lifted her body onto him. Ten minutes later she wrapped her arms and legs around him then rolled over, pulling him on top of her. Over the next half hour everyone was woken up by the loud howling that echoed across the corridor.

     

    When Sotek awoke next morning, Aela was gone. He felt disappointed, and a bit hurt. He was desperately hoping she would still be there, and everything forgotten, but alas it was not to be. When he got to the hall everyone else was up except Aela. Farkas called over to him.

    “How’s you two now?”

     

    “To be honest, I’m not sure. I’m not entirely sure what happened. I’m hoping we’re ok but she was gone when I woke up”.

     

    Farkas laughed.

    “Well we aren’t gonna draw you pictures, that’s for sure”.

     

    At that moment Aela walked upstairs. Kul-et called over to her.

    “Are you two ok now?”

     

    She sharply turned to her fixing her with a dagger like stare.

    “Pardon?”

     

    Kul-et wished she had shut up but she knew it was too late.

    “Ermm… I was asking if you two were ok now?”

     

    “I'm sorry Kul-et, what two?”

     

    Kul-et whispered, hoping someone would intervene or at least the ground would open and swallow her.

    You and Sotek?”

     

    “There is no me and fucking Sotek. What the hell made you think any different?”

     

    “I ermm, we thought because of last night?”

     

    “I needed a screw, ok? That’s it, nothing else, I just needed a screw. Is that ok with you?”  At that point Sotek got up and started heading out to the yard. Aela instantly glared at him. “Oh, I get it! Just because I needed a shag, you thought we were good? Well we’re not! For the last fucking time, there is no ‘we’, do you get that now?”

     

    Sotek glared at her and slightly shook his head. Upon seeing this, Aela went up to him and gave him a shove.

    “Don’t you pull bloody faces at me you bastard, just cause your too thick to understand”.

     

    Sotek snapped, the trouble was that Scarface snapped as well. He instantly changed then shoved Aela back. Before anyone could move Scarface pinned her down on the floor. His forepaw covered her chest as he held her there on the ground, defenceless. Aela’s face turned white as the colour drained from her cheeks.  Scarface leaned into her, his fangs were just inches away from her face. Even if she had the mind set to change to Red she wouldn’t stand a chance. But she couldn’t, her breathing rapidly turned shallow as the last drop of defiance disappeared. She stayed there paralyzed with fear, frozen to the spot, she couldn’t even scream.

     

    Scarface snarled at her loudly then stood up. Sotek changed back then looked at the Whelps and the Harbinger. His eyes were full of hurt and pain as he talked.

    “Aela, I get it, I really do get it, ok? Scarface however don’t, he just doesn’t understand. All he’s done is helped you and stand by you. For what? For you to take away his mate, Red? What the hell have I done? What the hell did he do? You need to tell him because he doesn’t understand. All he knows is he’s lonely, he’s hurting and it’s tearing him apart. Yes, Red and Scarface are mates; that’s them. You don’t want this? That’s fine, but they do. And if your honest, if you’re really honest, that’s exactly how Red’s feeling, isn’t it?” He then turned to the others. “Everyone out in the yard. Harbinger, you as well”.

     

     

    Sotek stayed exactly where he was. His eyes were fixed on Aela while the others left the hall. Kodlak was the last to leave, as he walked past Aela who still hadn’t moved, he kept his eyes on Sotek. Aela just laid there where Scarface put her, on her back. Her face was still white as she stared straight up at the rafters. As the Harbinger walked past, Sotek turned to him.

    “I’ll be out in a second”.

     

    Sotek looked over to Aela, her breathing grew louder and became fractured and she found herself on the brink of bursting out in tears. A second later the door quietly shut as Sotek left the hall and entered the courtyard.

     

    “Harbinger, everyone…... Before you all say anything, I have two things to say”. He picked up a chair and placed it in the middle of the training area so all eyes were on him. “First off, I lost my temper, for that I’m sorry. I’ve sworn that I never would, and yet here we are. I can only apologise”. He closed his eyes for a few seconds gathering his thoughts. “The second thing I need to say is, I’m bloody sorry but I just don’t get it. I’ve tried to, but I don’t. Anyone, can anyone explain what the hell is going on with her?”

     

    The Harbinger got up then headed along the path around Jorrvaskr. “Sotek, walk with me”.

     

    Sotek followed him as he headed off through Whiterun. They followed whichever path they happened to come upon, talking as they walked. “Aela said that she was the Alpha. That is until you received your werewolf form, Scarface. She’s feeling belittled. She’s gone from the Alpha, being revered by everyone, to a runt”.

     

    Sotek looked back at Jorrvaskr.

    “I can understand that from someone else but surely she knows how important she is to me. Harbinger, isn’t she aware how much Scarface needs her?”

     

    Kodlak tugged on Sotek’s arm making him turn back around so they could talk face to face.

    “That’s a question for you to answer. Just how bad does Scarface need her? Need Red?”

     

    Sotek slumped down on a wall as he tried to explain how he and Scarface really felt.

    “I can’t eat! Scarface killed a deer, he took one look at it then just howled out for ages. I don’t want to hunt by myself, Scarface doesn’t want to. I need Aela, he needs Red. Damn it all, he needs Aela as well, she comforts him. Calms him down”.

     

    Kodlak sat on the wall next to him. His eyes seemed to wander off somewhere until he suddenly stood up then started heading back.

    “The Jarl has given you permission or rather Scarface permission to hunt past the west guard tower, has he not?”

     

    “Ermm yes”.

     

    “Get out of Whiterun. Go past the tower and let Scarface run; cool his heels as it were. Let him hunt. How long can you hold his form for?”

     

    “Ermm indefinitely, as long as I require it”.

     

    Kodlak smiled.

    “Good, if what you told me, and what the others have said is true, I have the answer. Go past the tower, change, then I want you to do something, something for Aela”.

     

    “Anything Harbinger, well almost anything”.

     

    Kodlak smiled a sneaky thin grin.

    “Oh, this you’ll be able to do. Don’t change back”.

     

    “Don’t change back? You want me to change but stay as Scarface?”

     

    “Yes, that’s it. Simple is it not? Get out of here”. Then the Harbinger turned around and headed back to Jorrvaskr. He gathered everyone back into the hall. Aela wasn’t there, so he headed downstairs, he could hear her crying. He opened the door to her room to find her curled up in the corner, cuddling Fang. “Aela come with me please”. She just blanked him, as she laid there stroking the wolf pup. “Aela! Gt the hell up on your bloody feet! Now!”

     

    She jumped up in fright at the sudden hostility Kodlak showed her. He immediately regretted it as he could clearly see her shaking hands but he was not prepared to back down.

    “Come with me, and that’s not a request”. With that he headed out of her room and made his way upstairs. As they walked through the hall, Aela was aware of everyone watching her. She found herself following Kodlak’s footsteps as they passed the firepit and headed outside.

     

    They made their way down the steps as they headed towards the main gate. Which made Aela question their destination.

    “Harbinger, where are we going?”

     

    Kodlak never stopped, nor did he turn around to face her, he just kept walking towards the gate.

    “We’re going out on the plains. You and me!”

     

    Aela eyed the gate nervously.

    “Why?”

     

    Kodlak turned to face her.

    “Why? No, not this time. You get no explanations, all you got to do is what your told! Come along”.

     

    They passed through the main gate then made their way across the plains. Aela just followed behind, she tried to think but she just couldn’t, her mind was jammed with too many emotions. Moments later they heard a lone desolate howl, echoing across from the west. Aela turned towards the sound with feelings of empathy for the lonesome cry.

    “What in oblivion?”

     

    Kodlak sat down on the grass, then he stretched his legs out.

    “What in oblivion? What does that mean, hmm?”

     

    “That howl was Scarface!”.

     

    “Oh, you recognise it, do you?”

     

    “Of course I recognise it!  It sounds different though. He sounds upset; Lonely…” Aela stated as she scanned the tundra.

     

    Kodlak frowned at her.

    “Aela, sit down”. She did what she was told and sat down beside him. “You want to know what I think?” She just looked at him then gave him the slightest of nods. “I think you were angry with him, but also that you feel it’s gone too far. Now the whole things snowballing and you can’t stop it. Be honest, if you could do one thing right now, what would it be?”

     

    She glanced over to the plains, just for a second, but she felt herself pulled there, unable to look away. Her voice was low like a feint whisper. “I’d hunt with him…”

     

    “He’s out there you know”.

     

    I can’t…” Aela said in a low trembling voice.

     

    “And why ever not?”

     

    Because I’m not angry; I’m jealous”. She stood up and faced the Harbinger right in the face. “I’m a pathetic silly girl who’s bloody jealous and I hate myself for it. I can’t stop it, I’ve tried. He just goes from strength to strength. Every week he becomes more and more capable while I fall behind. Months ago, when we first took him out to that bandit lair? He had nothing, nothing but a loin cloth on, and he didn’t give a damn. He makes me feel so vulnerable and useless. No one needs me anymore, I’m obsolete. You know I bet you if the Silverhands captured him and not me, when they hit the bars of the cage he’ll say something stupid like, ‘Oh is that the lunch bell?’ Not that they’ll be able to capture him anyway”.

     

    The Harbinger couldn’t help but smirk, then something caught his eye. “Look over there!” He pointed to the distance where Scarface was, he was on a rocky out crop looking across to Whiterun. She looked across to Scarface as he howled out his long desolate cry. “He’s only the Alpha because he has Red, Sotek only fights because he has you. And you, why do you fight so hard?”

     

    “Because I can’t do anything else! What else can I do? How the hell do I stop it? I can’t look at him, all the hurt I’ve caused him, caused Scarface”.

     

    “Aela, you stupid little girl! He doesn’t want you to say you’re sorry, he wants you by his side. Do you really think he’ll turn you away? Ever?”

     

    “But what the hell am I supposed to do, just go up to him and say, ‘I need a hug?’”

     

    “Is that what you need?” Kodlak asked as he raised his owlish eyebrows at her.

     

    Yes”.

     

    “Well done! You just answered your own question”. With that he got up then headed back to Whiterun leaving Aela standing there staring at Scarface in the distance.

     

    Scarface gave out another agonising howl, as he did so he sniffed at the air, he could smell her scent on the wind. He turned towards her and saw Aela slowly walking towards him. Scarface stood there motionless, watching her approach.

     

    Aela walked slowly up to him and almost whispered.

    “Scarface? Hey, Scarface! I’m sorry, I’m sorr…” She burst into tears just a foot away from him. He stood up then gently held her in his arms. Sotek transformed as Aela collapsed into him and begged forgiveness. “I’m sorry I really am, I’m a stupid pathetic jealous bitch”.

     

    Sotek smirked at her.

    “And?”

     

    She shot him a glare.

    “And? I’m angry, hateful; at times, damn right nasty”.

     

    “Psycho bitch with an, ‘I’m gonna bust your balls’ attitude. Say it”.

     

    Aela starred at the ground so she could avoid eye contact.

    I’m a psycho bitch with an....”

     

    Now we’re getting somewhere. You know, the Harbinger might even call this progress. Now repeat after me, ‘I, Aela the huntress’. Say it”.

     

    I, Aela the huntress”.

     

    Sotek managed to refrain from smiling, but inside he was laughing. “Swear to be, forever, here and on the hunting grounds”.

     

    “Swear to be, forever, here and on the hunting grounds”. As Aela spoke her eyes shut tight. She was hardly daring to breath as each word escaped from her lips.

     

    “Soteks and Scarface’s…”

     

    “Sotek’s and Scarface’s”.

     

    “Sex slave!” The moment Sotek said it he closed his eyes and waited for the inevitable slap which he knew could come.

     

    Aela immediately shoved him backwards, pushing him over.

     “You bloody prick!”

     

    Sotek laughed as he watched Aela’s face while she scorned him. She tried not to but she started laughing as well. She offered her hand to help him up. Sotek took it but instead, he pulled her down on top of him. A second later he rolled over, grabbed her wrists and pinned her to the ground. Sotek leaned into her, their lips were just inches apart.

    “Swear you’ll always be my mate and my friend”.

     

    “I, Aela the huntress, swear I’ll always be your mate, and you friend. I swear, I’ll never hit you again, ever”. She started crying as her emotions came to the fore. Sotek rolled back over then just held her tight. She curled up in a defensive ball, but gradually she moved her head to his stomach while he held her in his arms.

     

    Gradually the sun started setting, Sotek lovingly stroked her head.

    “Hey, you awake?” Aela never answered, instead she turned her head up to face him. “I was wondering if Red would like to maybe go off maybe find the odd deer, or wolf?”

     

    She just laid there staring at him, for several seconds, motionless.

    “That sounds good.” the next second she was scrambling to her feet. She gave him a slight kick to get him moving. “Come on you, up ya lazy git”.

     

    He just laid there watching her.

    “I thought you weren’t going to hit me anymore?”

     

    “That was a kick! I never said I wasn’t going to kick you, I’ve gotta have some fun, haven’t I?”

     

    Sotek groaned then started getting up. In the few precious seconds he got to his feet, Aela had already changed. He looked towards the west where the sun was rapidly disappearing behind the mountain range in the distance, and saw Red running at full speed. Seconds later Scarface let out an almighty howl and started his pursuit.

     

     

Comments

4 Comments   |   ShyGuyWolf and 7 others like this.
  • The Long-Chapper
    The Long-Chapper   ·  July 7, 2018
    Yeah, I knew she was jealous too. Happens. :D I feel like this isn't quite resolved though. 
  • Ebonslayer
    Ebonslayer   ·  August 18, 2017
    “How? [What] did they do?”

    "You can’t bear the blame for Scarface’s and [Red's] feelings."

    "And if [you're] honest, if you’re really honest,"

    “Aela! [Get] the hell up on your bloody feet! Now!”
    ...  more
  • Karver the Lorc
    Karver the Lorc   ·  July 31, 2017
    When you can't punch then kick. My new motto :D Glad to see them finally resolving this tantrum. And I was right, wasn't I? She was jealous! I can see into women's minds, yay! xD
  • Aela The Huntress
    Aela The Huntress   ·  July 30, 2017
    OMG! I hate you!  Not really, but still......