Chapter 261 Warrior woman
Legate Rikke took point, leaving Vilkas to trail behind her. They followed the path back towards Riverwood before turning southwards where their path would lead them to the mountainside, away from the pathways. Unlike the mountains north of the plains, these were a lot less barren. Trees filled the northern slope with various rocky outcrops, and an abundance of wildlife and plants of all types and descriptions which flourished.
Soon they both found themselves near the mine. Vilkas whispered across to Rikke, telling her of one of their exploits with a certain member of the Companions who was just a Whelp at the time.
"This is where Farkas and Aela bought Sotek for his field trial. There was a group of bandits hiding out in here”.
Rikke scanned the entrance with interest. She tackled forts and heavy fortifications before but this was a mundane task for basic patrols and scouts to deal with. Truth be told, she was looking forwards to flexing her sword arm.
“Oh really? How did he do?”
Vilkas smiled to himself as he remembered Aela returning back at Jorrvaskr. She tried to give Sotek all the gold but he refused and shared it amongst them. She promptly exploded in a rage.
“He exceeded all expectations. They captured three of them; one of them was the leader”.
Rikke stared at Vilkas in disbelief. Her troops would bring back one or two for execution but they were seasoned soldiers. For a semi trained Companion to capture three?
“How the hell did he manage that?”
“What makes you think Sotek did it?” Vilkas asked with a grin. He knew she was right, although Sotek always stated it was a group effort when the Whelps asked him to tell his tale.
“He always manages to pull of the unexpected”.
"He would bite your tail for that. Thinking it is one thing, having the skills to pull it off? That's something else altogether. It's the pack which pulls through, not the individual. Sotek's own words". Vilkas then started laughing. "If he could pull off the impossible then he would have taught Aela to cook venison by now. Mind you, it was a complete shock when we all found out he was screwing Aela... Sorry ermm seeing her”.
“Why? Is it because you three don’t have a personal life? Or her being a Nord and him an Argonian?”
“Ermm, a bit of all three actually”. Vilkas bemused over their lives as he spoke.
“Three?” Rikke expected a 'yes' or 'no' not further complications’. Although she was hoping to hear a 'no'.
“Yea, you forgot to mention she’s a psychopathic bitch with tendencies to bite people”. As he spoke he held a straight face but it soon degenerated into fits of laughter.
Rikke chuckled too as she remembered Red attacking her, or rather the tree she had her back to in the Reach.
“It seems a bit odd to me with those two. I can’t imagine sleeping with an Argonian. Then again, Red and Scarface? What a pair they make. Ermm what about you?”
Vilkas turned to her in surprise as he never expected to be the centre of the discussion.
“Me? Naa, Argonians aren’t my type. If I ever find someone, I want a warrior woman. Someone who can fight, disciplined with the sword, maybe the shield. None of that bow rubbish”.
Rikke gave a sultry look then hid it immediately afterwards. Taking the task at hand, she looked once more towards the mine. Near the opening, almost perfectly hidden from view, she saw the side of an arm swing out before disappearing behind the entrance supports.
"There’s a bandit there! He’s mine”
“Here”. Vilkas took his bow off and handed it over to her.
“I thought you weren’t keen on bows?" Rikke asked as she screwed her nose up at it.
“I’m not but they do come in useful”. Vilkas declared as he shrugged back in response.
“I would never know”. Rikke stated in a rather bland fashion. Leaving the bow behind, she started making her way stealthily towards the bandit. She sneaked along the far side then slowly made her way around to his position. Her moves were both silent and deadly; within seconds she wrapped her short sword around his neck and slit his throat. She dropped the corpse onto the ground then quickly searched for any sign of a second bandit before beckoning Vilkas to her location.
“All clear”.
Vilkas came over to her and applauded her.
“Nice, I’m impressed. You haven’t looted the body though. You need to check him and his pack”.
She looked down at the corpse, and then screwed her face up.
“Looting the bodies doesn’t seem right”.
“You killed him, so you lay claim to his belongings; it’s the way of it. Just how long have you been in the legion?” He mused as he watched her expressions.
“All my life” She replied as she thought back along her family line. “My ancestors were Imperial soldiers, even my mother. I was born in an Imperial camp”.
“Well you’re now an honouree member of the Companions so come on, let’s see what you got there”.
“I beg your pardon?” She stated with a cheeky grin.
Vilkas looked at her with some surprise.
“What? The bounty, loot? Let’s see!”
Rikke blushed then she looked at the corpse.
“Oh, the loot? Sorry I was ermm yea”. She searched the bandit and found a few septims, but there was also a black crystal. “What the hell is this?”
“That’s a black soul gem, Sotek will be after that. But what the hell is a bandit doing with it?” He glanced at the mine and wondered if they would find more than just simple bandits inside.
Rikke shook her head. She didn’t even know what it was let alone why it was there.
“I got no idea, but you’re one behind”.
Vilkas smiled as he accepted the challenge.
“Not for long”. Then the two of them entered the mine.
As they made their way into the depths of the man made tunnel, Rikke broke out a torch. Vilkas shook his head at her and wagged his finger.
“That’s not very stealthy”.
Rikke sniggered back at him.
“I’m not out for stealth; I’m out to beat your kills”
Vilkas laughed at her bluntness and boldly stepped forwards.
“Oh yea? Here let me take point”. He moved in front then drew his sword before shouting out along the tunnel. “Oi, you lot! Come and get us!” He wasn’t worried about the bandits; he had complete faith in his word and his own capabilities.
Rikke drew her sword and shield as she burst out laughing.
“Oh Mr. Stealth Master. Come on you rebel scum!” She yelled, following the Companion’s lead.
Three bandits came charging along the passageway and yelled out the alarm.
“Here they are!” The leader shouted as he drew his weapon. Vilkas charged straight at him, swinging his broadsword straight at the Nord. His sword clanged on the leader’s armor, knocking him back in a stagger by three feet from the force of the impact. Rikke jumped past Vilkas and bought her sword straight down into the leader’s chest, splitting the armor wide open as her short sword cut hacked through skin and bone. She shield bashed the second target as she stabbed into the third bandit’s leg, bringing him to the ground.
The second bandit fell to the wayside and floundered on his back with his arms and legs sprawled out. Rikke stepped on his chest and lightly swiped at his neck with the tip of her sword as he lay there pinned under her foot. He tried to scream but all he could muster was a sickly gargle as he held his sliced throat. Moments later she savagely swung around and hacked into the third Nord’s back. Her sword tore at the armor where it was weakest as years of experience of warfare came to the fore.
Within seconds she was wiping the blood off her sword and the three bandits lay dead by her feet.
“That’s four to me and none to you”. She calmly stated before casting a smile at him as she headed off down the passageway.
Vilkas called her back and pointed to the leader’s corpse.
“Hey, you forgot to loot them”.
As she came back and searched the leader for anything of interest, Vilkas started clapping at her.
“That was bloody amazing”.
“Oh please, I got lucky. You do that all the time”.
“Well yes, but... no, that was something else! You’re just... wow”.
She stood up then eyed him up.
“Are you really that impressed?”
“Hell, yes. Your husband must be well chuffed with you”. He stated. He finally baited the hook, something he had been trying to do for the last three hours.
“I‘m not married, I haven’t even got a partner”. Rikke stated. She stared down at the ground and shrugged. “Just never had the time or found the right one”.
“Cool, ermm yea I mean ermm... Oh look, a chest”. He hurriedly went past her and examined an old chest by some rocks. The moment he looked at it, he saw it had been lock picked before. “Aww rats”. He threw open the lid to find it empty. “I bet Sotek and Aela have been at it”.
“By all accounts and from what I’ve seen, their always at it”. With that comment Rikke laughed.
Vilkas couldn’t help but snigger at her comment.
“No, the chest. Mind you, yea your right”.
“It must be nice to have someone. Haven’t you got anyone?” Rikke asked as casually as she could.
“Who me? Naa. Like I said, I’m after someone who can fight”.
Rikke looked at his figure. Without realizing it she had inadvertently stared at his muscles for several seconds. She snapped out of her trance and called him out.
“Yes? I’ll fight you”.
“When we get back, you’re on”. Vilkas declared gleefully. With that they both headed down the tunnel.
Soon afterwards they came to the rope bridge where Sotek was shoved across all those months before. They both examined the whole area but found nothing of interest. Soon afterwards they headed back out then made their way to the camp.
Comments
"or rather the tree she had her back to in the Rift."
"Just how long have you been in the [Legion]?”
“By all accounts and from what I’ve seen, [they're] a... more