U.O.T.W. Chapter 26 Ermm... Guys!!!

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    When Aela awoke, the sun was already climbing in the sky. Her body ached, but not an ache that caused her any pain or discomfort though. She felt a warmth glow deep within her body, warmth she never felt before. Almost like that she had been living a half existence, until now. Over the next few seconds she fully remembered what happened the previous night. Her body tingled as she replayed the night before in her mind. Semiconsciously her hand slowly went down past her waist. Within a minute her eyes shot wide open as her head slammed backwards to thump into the furs.

     

    ‘God I feel alive’ she thought as her breathing slowed down to its natural rhythm. Realism hit in like a war-hammer as massive doubt slammed into her mind straight afterwards. How could they ever work? An Argonian and a Nord? Although mixed races do join up every so often generally as a rule, sentient species didn’t intermix. What about her? How will she react? Aela’s heart pulled her savagely one way, while her mind which assaulted her heart pulled her the other.

     

    Suddenly the flap was pulled open, flooding the tent with light.

    “Hey, you awake yet?” A gruff voice sounded out like it was roll call.

     

    She jumped with surprise for just outside the tent, standing there looking straight at her, was Farkas.

    “Errm yup, just getting up” She tried to compose herself but with every passing second she could feel her face redden. Then she got the biggest shock of all: she was naked. As she looked across the tent, she saw all her armor and cloths were scattered around the furs, which thankfully still covered her. Desperately she scrambled to get her cloths on at the same time staying under the furs. All the while she prayed to the nines that Farkas hadn’t seen her clothing spread out. After what seemed a lifetime she was dressed, she then headed out to where the others were waiting for her.

     

    Sotek was a good few feet away gazing out towards a watchtower. Angrily but fuelled with embarrassment more than anything else, Aela snapped at Farkas.

    “What in oblivion are you doing here?” She demanded.

     

    “Harbinger sent me out to keep an eye on you both... In case you ran into trouble. Tried to find ya but couldn’t. Didn’t even find that blasted wolf”. He said muttering, feeling he lost a good hunt.

     

    “Wolf? What wolf?” Aela looked alarmed; she knew the noises she had made the night before. The furs had the teeth marks to prove it.

     

    “You’re joking… Bloody thing was making one hell of a racket. Howling its head off for over an hour last night”. She turned away from Farkas as her face changed to a bright red.

     

    Sotek was still standing there gazing across the horizon oblivious to their conversation.

    She slowly went up to him, all the while feeling conscious of Farkas behind her watching them both.

    Are you ok?”

     

    Sotek responded with the minimal effort possible. He didn’t even turn towards her let alone look at her face.

    “Huh?” He sounded distant, like he was somewhere else.

     

    “Ermm I said, are you ok?” She felt a bit surprised at his lack of response and interest in her. At this point Aela’s mind was battling with her heart. She wasn’t used to such powerful emotions and sensations. She started to wonder if Sotek was in the same dilemma due to the previous night’s events.

     

    His response was singular and lifeless. It filled Aela with a feeling of dread and loneliness rather than with a sense of comfort.

    “Huh, huh”.

     

    All the while he blanked her as he gazed out along the plains to the horizon. She then walked in front of him, facing him, giving him no other choice than to look at her.

    “I was hoping for more than huh, huh”… She was getting worried that he wasn't handling the situation. At the same time she couldn’t help but feel a little used.

     

    He didn’t even look at her but instead he leaned to the side slightly as if she was in his way.

    “Huh?” He said once more blankly.

     

    Aela’s foot started tapping which was a sure sign of her losing her patience. Her eyes narrowed as she started inadvertently to glare at him.

    “We need to talk”.

     

    He very briefly glanced at her for the fraction of a second.

    “Not now”. Then as if she wasn’t there, he carried on looking across the plains.

     

    She stood there stunned. Initially she wasn’t sure what to do however the feeling of being used tore at her causing her to snap at him.

    “I beg your pardon? What!”

     

    Sotek just repeated himself, not even bothering to give her a proper response.

    “Not now”. His voice still had the calm, low tone which made him seem just as distant as he had moments before.

     

    She couldn’t believe his actions towards her, which left her feeling angry. Aela had given him her essence, her very soul, and he didn’t care. He just blanked her like she was just a whore and dismissed her just as quickly. She felt dirty and ashamed. She went up to him and grabbed him by the arms.

    “You bloody talk now you bastard!”

     

    He slowly lowered his head to meet hers and for the first time since she got up they actually made eye contact. His eyes opened wide as he stared at hers. The next thing Aela heard was just two words which changed everything.

     

    “Aww crap!!!” Within an instant he pushed her to the ground and threw himself onto her. Before she could even stop him he yanked her hair as he pulled her face into his chest. A giant blast of searing heat swept the area where they were previously standing, just catching Sotek’s back. His armor was left smoldering. Even though he used himself as a shield to protect her, Aela could still feel the heat from the fire breath.

     

    As a gigantic shadow swooped over them, Sotek looked down at Aela. Her eyes were wide, full of shock due to the whole situation which she now found herself in. He kissed her quickly on the forehead as his words flowed out of his mouth barely giving her enough time to hear them.

    “Sorry. Dragon first, talk after”. Then he jumped to his feet shouting out as he did so. “Farkass, Dragon!”

     

    As he ran towards the tent to get his and Aela’s bows. He heard Farkas call back to him angrily.

    “I know you twat; I’m not bloody blind!”

     

    Aela retaliated by shouting back at Farkas.

    “Who the hell are you calling a twat, you moronic ape!”

     

    Sotek paused before handing Aela her bow.

    “What the hell is it with you bloody Nords… Dragon? Remember?” He screamed as he pointed at the flying reptilian beast.

     

    The dragon flew around in a large circle watching the three companions below. Aela’s leadership came to the fore as she took stock of the situation. She bellowed out her commands to the others.

    “Hold your fire”. The dragon turned and came towards them swooping across the ground at low level.

    “Fire!!!” Aela yelled out as she released her first arrow against the titanic beast. Arrows darted across the plains towards it as it swept at them with alarming speed. Multiple hits tore into it, but it didn’t even seem to notice.

     

    As it slowed to a hover, Sotek shouted to Farkas who was just standing there watching it.

    “Move!!!…Fus Ro!” The invisible blast slammed into the dragons head just as it tried to use its fire breath attack. A singular eye which was like a kid’s kickball fixed on Sotek then the dragon started to climb. All the while arrows pored up into the sky hitting its side.

     

    It half turned then landed between the members of the group, scattering the three Companions like disturbed ants. Farkas's instincts took over, causing him to charge. The first blow he struck against the dragon was to simply thrust his sword into the beast’s side. Sotek’s experience from the first dragons encounter sent alarm bells ringing in his head. He saw the danger way before even the dragon thought about it. A warning hissed out across the battlefield.

    “Farkass, watch the tail!”

     

    Farkas turned around moments before the tail lifted up and tried to swipe him. He dropped to the ground causing the tail attack to swoop past. For a few seconds he paused as the image of the overly large tail swept past his face in slow motion. Moments later the clash of the ongoing battle snapped him out of his trance and he rejoined the fight. With his sword and shield held tightly he charged against the beast once more.

     

    Meanwhile both Sotek and Aela fired arrow after arrow as rapidly as they could. Aela silently cursed as Sotek’s aiming seemed more erratic than what she expected. She quickly realized that in actual fact the arrows Sotek were shooting at the dragon were bouncing off its hide due to his poor positioning.

    “Sotek! Shoot at it head on. Your bloody arrows are glancing off it. Move around more”.

     

    Before Sotek could even change tactics, the dragon turned towards him and started to charge. As his eyes fixed on the dragon’s head, he noticed it was building up a fire breath attack. Sotek smiled wearily as he mentally counted down. Just as the dragons flame blasted out, Sotek shouted out again.

    “Fus Ro”.

     

    The invisible force hit the dragon, completely disrupting its flame. Giving up on the ongoing fight due to the severity of its injuries the dragon flapped its mighty wings and started to climb. Aela and Sotek continued firing off arrows which tore into its sides, making its wings near useless. Unable to maintain its flight the Dragon fell to the ground in a long sweeping but fatally doomed dive. With a horrendous crash it came down towards them out of any and all control. Farkas ran one way, while Aela ran the other to move out of the creature’s path.

     

    Sotek drew out his axe and simply ran towards the dragon as it ripped a small gully in the ground. It slid across the plains towards him at speed throwing up great clouds of dust and shards of rock.

     

    Sotek ran straight and true. He jumped over its head then somehow he managed to land on its giant neck. Aela and Farkas watched, unable to believe what they were seeing. Sotek wrapped his legs around it, riding the dragon like a horse. His axe smashed into its skull but it simply bounced off after having little effect. He then swung wildly at its neck cutting a gaping wound as the axe smashed its way through the scales. The axe head struck again and again in the wound, causing dragon blood to spill all around as it cut out chunks of flesh which fell on the blood soaked ground. By the time the dragon had come to a rest it was already dead. Exhausted from the battle, Sotek slid off and just sat on the ground where he landed.

     

    Farkas and Aela walked up to it, although Aela seemed to be in a slight daze due to the fact that she was still struggling with what just happened. They all heard the stories about the dragons, but here, now, was the first time they ever saw one, let alone kill it. As it started to glow Aela turned to run.

    “No-no, it’s dead” Sotek assured her. It then slowly started to glow a bright reddish orange as flames quickly devoured it. The blazing carcass gave off virtually no heat as it then started to glow brightly. Light blue vapor trails shot out from it, each one left a trail of a sky blue mist as they darted their way towards Sotek. They completely smothered him, surrounding him in the thick mist that formed. Then over a few seconds they disappeared as they were absorbed by his body.

     

    Aela just froze staring at him. Farkas was the first to speak.

    “His soul: you took his soul, like a soul gem! How is that possible?”

     

    Sotek got up off the ground and went over to a rock to lean against it.

    “Ermm I need to tell you something… Tell you both”. He was trying to find an easy way to explain, but it was hard enough without last night’s complications. He gave out a loud sigh, then just went for it and tried to explain as best as he could. “I’m apparently a ermm Dragonborn? I ermm… When a… Yeeeea”.

     

    He then tried to compose himself a little. Aela was at that time lying on her back, her arms and legs spread out. She was staring at the clouds trying to make animal shapes while she struggled to take it all in.

     

    Farkas was sitting on the ground looking at Sotek still trying to work out what happened. Sotek took a deep breath and tried to explain again.

    “I’m Dragonborn. Apparently when a dragon dies…” He pointed over to the pile of bones for emphasis. “I ermm devour its soul?  At least that’s how it was explained…. I think”.

     

    Farkas looked at the pile of dragon bones then back to Sotek.

    “How did you know?”

     

    “Know what?”

     

    “Everything… You threw her out of the way and shielded her from the flames…”

     

    Sotek interrupted him by correcting him on the dragon’s attacks.

    “Fire breath”. His eyes fixed on Aela who was still lying on the ground, gazing upwards.

     

    “Yea! Shielded her from the fire breath. And its tail: I didn’t even see it until you warned me. And how did you know you’re Dragonborn if that was…..Damn… It wasn’t was it?”

     

    Aela, who was still lying there amongst the grass, turned her head towards Farkas.

    “Wasn’t what?”

     

    “Wasn’t his first”

     

    Aela quickly looked at Farkas as she sat bolt upright 

    “What! Who wasn’t his first?”

     

    Farkas’s face was full of confusion as he glanced back at Aela.

    “Who? No, that… That dragon wasn’t the first one Sotek had killed!”

     

    Aela now grasped the full extent of that entire morning. She looked at Sotek with mixed emotions to see him staring straight back at her. He replied to the pair of them sheepishly as his nerves under Aela’s stare had started to crack.

    “No, that was my second actually”. Then he just sat on the ground leaning on the rock he was previously sitting on.

     

    After a few moments of silence he turned to Aela.

    “Aela?”

     

    “Yes?” Her mind was now calm but she was still trying to make animal shapes in the clouds.

     

    “You wanna talk?” He said smiling.

     

    She looked over to him with a sly smile on her face and promptly burst out laughing.

    “Not now”.

     

    Sotek laughed with her leaving Farkas trying to work out what the joke was.

     

    When Sotek pulled himself up from the base of the rock and started going through the pile of dragon bones, Aela moved towards him inquisitively.

    “What ya looking for?”

     

    “Bones and scales” He stated as he rummaged through the pile of bones.

     

    Farkas came over to them both with a big grin on his face.

    “Hell; there’s loads”

     

    Sotek laughed a little as he shook his head.

    “No, these are specific. I’m not sure why, just something about them”. After he found a few of the bones and some scales, he stored them carefully in his pack.

     

    Farkas backed off slightly before calling out to them both.

    “You two sorted out yet?”

     

    Aela quickly turned away from Farkas just to find herself caught in Soteks gaze. Sotek watched her for a few seconds before he replied to Farkas.

    “We need a minute. We won’t be long”.

     

    Leaving Farkas with the pile of dragon bones, Sotek and Aela walked off out of sight. When they were far enough away, Aela held her hand up to Sotek so she could speak first.

    “Last night… I… We… Oh hell…” She stopped to take a deep breath then prepared to start again while Sotek waited patiently. Her mind won the battle that raged inside her.

     

    After taking a second deep breath and with her heart beaten back, she lightly shook her head.

    “Last night: it shouldn’t have happened. I don’t do that. I haven’t been with anybody... I just don’t, I‘m sorry”.

     

    Sotek softly smiled as he gently held the side of her face with one hand. The moment Aela felt his palm on her skin; she couldn’t help but gently rub her cheek in his palm. He lent over, kissed her on the forehead then whispered in her ear.

    I understand”.  Her heart fluttered slightly as she felt his hands move across her back so he could give her a much needed hug. Unconsciously her hands gripped hold of Sotek’s shoulder blades as she pushed her head into his chest.

     

    Still in his arms, she turned her head so she could see the plains. As she gazed across the landscape, she whispered to him.

    Do you?

     

    “Do I what?” He looked down at her although all he was able to see was the top of her head.

     

    Do that? Farkas and Vilkas do. With the tavern maids all the time”. As she spoke she inadvertently held him tighter.

     

    Sotek sighed softly as he comforted her by gently rubbing her back.

    “No. I only choose one mate, and then she’s it. For life”.

     

    A feeling of insecurity swarmed around Aela, threatening to tear her apart. Her eyes shut tightly as she tried to quell the rising sickness in her stomach.

    “Who is she?” her voice was soft like a whisper.

     

    Sotek’s eyes opened wide as he stared towards some trees moments before a deep loud gulp broke the silence.

    “Umm... you wouldn’t know her”.

     

    “Please, I need to know”. Sotek felt her shaking. She dreaded the answer but she was right: she needed it all the same. Her voice was so fragile that if you breathed on it, it would shatter.

     

    “She was an archer, with red hair that blazed like the morning sun. She had three painted scars across her face”.

     

    “Sotek, I can’t...” Her voice pleaded with him as her eyes started swelling up.

     

    “I know, I know. It’s ok, it‘s ok”. He gave her a reassuring squeeze. “We are ok”.

     

    From out of the corner of his eye, Farkas came into view as he started approaching them both so Sotek backed off away from Aela by a few steps.

     

    Farkas could see Aela had been crying, which was unusual considering her inner strength. His face screwed up slightly as he scrutinized Sotek.  

    “You two ok?”

     

    Aela quickly turned her back on him which gave her the vital few seconds she needed to compose herself and wipe away a few tears from her eyes.

    “Yes, damn it. Why are you keeping on?” She shot her head around to Farkas and glared at him out of desperation more than anything else.

     

    He looked slightly startled at her open hostility but she quickly backed down.

    “Sorry, I’m… We’re good. We’re ok”. She smiled sheepishly before she turned back to Sotek and whispered. “We are, aren’t we?”

     

    Sotek nodded, and gave her a reassuring hug.

    Farkas sighed in relief while at the same time he somewhat less cautiously walked towards them. In his hand he held a broken shield.

    “Good, ‘cause we gotta go”. On the shield was a picture, a symbol… of the guards of Whiterun.

     

    Aela almost sprinted across the plains setting a fast pace which Sotek struggled to keep to. Farkas fell back almost immediately. He was simply unable to even try to keep up.

    “Hurry up you two!!!” Aela yelled as her speed increased. Sotek’s hands gripped his axes so they wouldn’t bash his legs as he vainly tried to catch her up.

     

    Farkas gave in and came to a stop.

    “What the hell’s got into her this morning? I know you sleeping out on the plains put life into ya but bloody hell Aela! I didn’t think it affected you this much”.

     

    Within a matter of hours they arrived at the city’s defences. The two guards were already forewarned to watch out for their approach so the moment they neared the drawbridge the guards were already opening the gate.

    “Sotek! The Jarl’s summoned you. Report to Irileth at Dragons Reach”.

     

    Aela and Sotek glanced worryingly at one another before heading through the town with Farkas panting like a dog as he followed from behind. The moment Sotek opened the giant doors his eyes fell upon the Harbinger who was standing near the Jarl.

     

    Sotek took no more than a single step when the Jarl started pacing towards them.

    “Sotek: there’s been another dragon attack!!! Another tower’s damaged. Four of my guards are injured”.

     

    Irileth joined in as she explained the situation.

    "The guards managed to fight it off. You’ve got to find it. It was seen heading towards the plains”. 

     

    Proventus the advisor added his part of the conversation.

    “There is a reward of one thousand gold for proof of its demise”

     

    The Jarl shouted out angrily at him.

    “Proof? Proof? I want it dead, not proof. My people are out there working the farms, guarding the towers… My people!”

     

    Sotek walked up to the Jarl with his palms raised as if to hush the frustrated Jarl.

    “Calm yourself Jarl Balgruuf. We need levelled heads in these times”. Sotek calmly walked up to the advisor and took the bags of gold from the table in front of him then lightly threw them at Aela, who caught them. “Divide it up. You know how”. Then without stopping he turned to Farkas and pointed to his pack. “Show him”.

     

    Farkas revealed the broken shield and passed it to the advisor. That was when Sotek turned to the Jarl and spoke quietly.

    “We saw it crossing the plains this morning… It’s dead”.

     

    He took two bags of gold from Aela, and went over to the Harbinger who was just standing there watching the event play out before him. Sotek handed him the remaining two bags of gold.

     

    “One is for the dummy. Apologize to Eorlund on my behalf. The other one is for supplies”. Before Kodlak could even think about thanking him, Sotek turned around and started to head out. Aela passed one bag to Farkas then pocketed the fourth bag.

     

    Both Aela and Farkas caught up with Sotek easily as he was walking slowly towards the doors. Farkas moved to his side but Aela pushed in between them both and wrapped an arm around each of them.

     

    Farkas glanced back at the Harbinger. He felt a strong sense of pride as he turned towards Sotek.

    “Is there always this kind of buzz?”

     

    Sotek replied softly.

    “Always”

     

    “Damn; it’s better than sex!” Farkas laughed.

     

    Aela hit him in the back.

    “You’re disgusting”. Then she leaned over towards Sotek and whispered in his ear. “Almost…” Without giving Sotek the chance to respond she shot off in front leaving the other two Companions behind.  

     

    In Jorrvaskr, the whelp that caused the trouble the night before approached the three of them. “I killed a bear today… Did you kill anything?”

     

    Aela went to answer but Sotek stopped her. Instead of mentioning anything about the dragon, Sotek gave his version of events.

    “Aela killed three wolves. I, ermm, killed a tree”.

     

    The Whelp stopped dead in her tracks as she stared at him.

    “A tree?”

     

    “Yes, a tree”. He lifted his hand right up above her head as he continued his tale. “A tall one”.

     

    Farkas couldn’t help but join in.

    “It had big branches, thick ones. Full of leaves they were”.

     

    Sotek added to it even more.

    “I’m telling you, if it fell on you, you’d be dead”. He slapped his hands together loudly making her jump.

     

    Not being prepared to be outdone, Aela finished the tale.

    “You’d be squished, like a bug”. She squeezed her thumb and finger together a few times for emphasis. The three of them then burst out laughing, and then went off in their own directions.

     

    That evening Aela was restless, she just couldn’t settle in the main hall. She had spent nearly two hours lying on her bed in the dark thinking about that day. Images of the dragon and the night flashed through her mind.

     

    Inside her the battle still raged on. Her mind played out every trick in the book, played out every scenario where she would come off worst to try to quench the fires from within her body.

     

    Her heart also played its cards. He saved her from the fire breath using himself as a shield. The night before when he had tried to stop because he knew he was hurting her. That very moment he put her before his needs. He chose her as his mate, the only one he would ever have. When she said they couldn’t be anything, he accepted it without pressure and without causing her any hurt. He just made sure she was ok. Despite how he felt, he went along with her wishes. Then the heart played its trump card, she wanted him… She knew it, she knew he wanted her. She wanted him and needed him.

     

    Without even realizing it she was halfway down the corridor. There was no going back: Aela the huntress was doing what she did best: she hunted for her prey. Upon entering the main hall she looked across the large room. There at the main table, sitting on a chair was her target.

    She abruptly walked over to Sotek and tapped his shoulder.

    “I got another task for you: by my count you still have one to do”.

     

    Kodlak called over to her disapprovingly.

    “Aela, he’s done your three tasks”.

     

    Aela turned her head sharply towards Kodlak. Something in her voice made him back off.

    “I said ‘by my count’… Harbinger”.

     

    Sotek watched her for a few seconds before deciding it wasn’t wise to argue.

    “Yes: what’s your command?” he asked.

     

    Instantly she played the words in her mind. ‘Command… Damn I like that’ she leaned over to him and whispered so no one else could hear her.

    My room, fifteen minutes. Don’t bother with armor and don’t be late”. Just to prove that she wasn’t joking, she prodded him in the chest as she spoke.

     

    Sotek went to her room about fifteen minutes later and knocked on her door. He gawped at Aela who was just wearing a loin cloth. Her eyes glared at him due to the fact that he was just standing there. Suddenly he was yanked inside her room and the door slammed shut behind him.

     

    “Aela: you said we can’t” He tried not to look but failed completely as his eyes fixed on her curves.

     

    She shook her head at him as her eyes fed off his body.

    “Don’t even go there!”

     

    The next thing Sotek was aware of was being pushed on top of her bed.

    Aela’s mind had a harder battle with her heart than she previously thought, and this time it was losing.

     

     

Comments

22 Comments   |   Aela The Huntress likes this.
  • Sotek
    Sotek   ·  March 29, 2016
    *Relycs
    Yes I would agree... This is where everything changes.......
    I’m really pleased you are enjoying the story so far and I hope I don’t disappoint in the later chapters.
  • Relycs
    Relycs   ·  March 28, 2016
    Although the moment in the previous chapter was more important, Aela's decision in this chapter is the real gamechanger. At least in my opinion.


    I love the story, hope there will be a book one day.
  • Sotek
    Sotek   ·  January 7, 2016
    Had a look at the errors and fixed them. I need to go through all my old chapters. Damn why did I write so many...
  • Idesto
    Idesto   ·  January 7, 2016
    Ooh - you've done it now: I got my green pen out!
    Just a lot of little things, including punctuation (commas, semi-colons, colons) which is probably subjective anyway.
    I don't think I can attach a file here. I'll PM you.
    I've completely ...  more
  • Idesto
    Idesto   ·  January 7, 2016
    No actually: given her dress - or rather, lack of it - I'd assumed she was far from virginal. But there's Aela, & there's Aela, right? 
  • Sotek
    Sotek   ·  January 5, 2016
    Hahaha so glad you liked it Zombidestro.
    The word play is one of my favourite moments too. I can just picture her sitting bolt upright staring at Sotek. 
    As for the tree, there's a few moments like that.
    With regards to Aela, I presume ...  more
  • Idesto
    Idesto   ·  January 5, 2016
    *SPOILER ALERT*
    Also: Aela was a virgin?! Colour me shocked!
  • Idesto
    Idesto   ·  January 5, 2016
    @Lissette: I loved the use of British idioms, but then I am - more or less - British. I get that Farkas is voiced by a US actor, but he really should have a Scandi accent shouldn't he, as many other Nords do? I just assume the actor wasn't comfortable wit...  more
  • Idesto
    Idesto   ·  January 5, 2016
    I love this: possibly my favourite chapter so far! I love the intimate moments between Sotek & Aela, & you excel at portraying them - grammatical whoopsies notwithstanding! - for instance, the post-dragon dialogue: really touching. 
    Great to...  more
  • FlameLord
    FlameLord   ·  September 15, 2015
    No problem, I enjoy reading 4 or 5 chapters a day. Making corrections comes from my sister as she writes all the time  She is also in college for another few years, majoring in English i think.