Author’s Note: Adult Content.
Aela slowly awoke from her peaceful slumber and lazily turned around to face her mate, Sotek. Her arm flumped down to hold him but there was no one there to hold and her hand landed on the straw matters, causing her eyes to snap wide open. She was greeted by an empty bed, yet the creases where Sotek had been sleeping were clearly evident along with the feint traces of warmth from his body. Feeling somewhat mystified, she sat up, calling out his name.
“Sotek?”
From the other side of her room, a quiet Argonian voice answered back.
"Morning".
Aela peered across the room in the darkness due to the lack of light as her lantern was unlit. Sotek was sitting in a chair, staying as motionless as possible while the green glint of his eyes reflected every speck of light.
“What are you doing over there?” She asked as she watched his seemingly bizarre behaviour.
“I’m trying to listen!”
“Oh sorry”. She laid back down and kept quiet, wondering what caused him to be in such a mood. She thought back to the night before and clearly remembered him wrapping her up in his arms just before they slept; so why the sudden change in his attitude?
While she pondered upon it, Sotek started laughing as he watched the difference in Aela’s own demeanour. He left the table behind and laid next to her and explained what he had actually meant.
“I was just trying to listen out at different sounds. You know, trying to place who and what made them? Like you do when you lay there awake with your eyes open, just listening out”.
Her face’s harshness lessened along with the tone in her voice at the realization of what Sotek was actually doing. She tutted at herself for her stupidity then lightly tapped his thigh.
“Lay on your back”.
Sotek did as she requested but Aela wasn’t content with just that, she slid on top of him and folded her arms across his chest so she could rest her chin on them.
“Right! First off, relax. Let your breathing settle down. Don’t slow it down, it needs to find its own rhythm. Once it has, you can then ignore it, it will fade to silence. This helps your heart to beat steadily then you can start to hear properly; the way of the Huntress”.
The two of them laid in each other’s arms as they listened to the various movements and sounds from the Undercroft. When she heard a set of footsteps, Aela told Sotek who made them so he would know their ‘tell’s’.
“That’s a whelp moving about. The Imperial girl, she’s got light boots on see? Here! That’s Farkas going down the corridor. He takes quicker steps than Vilkas. They both have Wolf boots, so you get that steady ‘clomp, clomp’ sound”.
After about twenty minutes or so, Aela sat bolt upright and focused upon her door. She listened out far harder than what they had done previously so her senses could home in on the slightest of sounds.
“That’s strange! They usually come down by now”. Everyone is still up there; even Tilma, she’s usually down here by now making the beds”.
Sotek’s clawed fingertip snaked down Aela’s back, causing her to shudder from his delicate touch.
“So what you’re telling me is, we’re the only ones down here?”
“Yep, just us”. As soon as she said it, Aela screamed.
Sotek had pushed her down on her back and forced her hands above her head, crossing her wrists so he could restrain her with the one hand while his other hand started fondling her body.
“Scream all you want. There’s no one to save you”. He said evilly as he ignored her pleas.
“Help me! Help me; someone save me from this beast!” Aela whispered between chuckles. “Damn no one’s coming”. As she spoke, she had a big smile on her face.
“Oh don’t worry, you’ll come soon enough; as soon as I get these off”. With that, Sotek grabbed Aela’s loin cloth, and started pulling it down her legs.
Aela laughed boisterously while she relaxed her arms, giving no sign of resistance what so ever; until she brought her knee up into Sotek’s groin. His eyes shot wide open and his hold broke away, freeing Aela to continue with her attack. She rolled him on his side, and playfully thumped him in the side.
“You weren’t listening... I told you, no one’s coming. And that means you as well. Victory is mine!”
He shifted over on his back while the Huntress had by now moved off the bed and started to straighten out her loincloth.
“You fight dirty”. He stated nervously lest she chose to retaliate on his comment.
Aela leant over to his ear and whispered in her husky voice.
“And you love me for it”. She kissed him on the lips and gently rubbed his groin with one hand, while watching the pleasure in Sotek’s eyes. “Mr Wolf is better now”. She murmured in a soft sexy tone.
“Getting there”. Sotek stated as he smiled back at her.
“Oh I can tell. Now, get up”. Then she lightly slapped him in the groin a second time.
Sotek closed his eyes and groaned due to his desperation for some much needed attention. His hand darted out like a coiled snake in an attempt to grab her but she screeched out as she ran to the other side of her room, out of his reach.
“You missed! Come on… up”.
Sotek sighed then slid off the bed onto his feet and brazenly walked towards her knowing full well he was naked. He flashed his eyes at her, raising his spiky eyebrows and replied coyly.
“I am up”.
Her eyes fixed on his groin; she had a hard time averting her eyes because she was feeling the same as he was. However this occasion she had better control and resisted her animal urges.
“Ermm, yea!” She then looked at him in the eyes and pointed at him. “Do you want me to put ‘Mr Wolf’ down?”
“No!” He said, shouting back abruptly. He covered himself with his hands for protection as Aela came up to him.
“Then may I suggest that you get up, not him? He’ll have his chance later on”. With that Aela started getting dressed, leaving Sotek to cope with his frustrations. “Oh yes, Eorlund sent down your old armor last night while you were sleeping. One set of Nordic Carved armor; here you go”.
Sotek gave up trying to get his way with the she wolf and proceeded to get dressed. The armor felt far lighter than the previous armor had and he openly admitted that the pauldron seemed to flow with his movements instead of resisting like the Wolf armor had done.
“You know this does feel better. Shame though, the Wolf armor had a sense of uniform to it”.
While Aela pulled on her boots, she gave Sotek a ‘once over’ gaze so she could evaluate his armor. She found herself scrunching her nose up at it. Regardless to how solid the armor looked, she knew it wouldn’t suffice for long.
“Well, what are you going to do about it? Stay in Nordic or do you have some grand plan?”
Sotek hissed in frustration. He had a plan of sorts but there were certain complications to it. The biggest being the source of materials.
“That’ss a bit of an awkward one. I’m going to need a few things. First, I need to find myself a Nord Huntress who will be willing to hunt with me”.
Aela chuckled and gave back a sultry smile.
“I’m sure there’s one about in Jorrvaskr… What is it we’re hunting? Bears? There’s loads around Ivarstead. The miller there is always wanting the bear population culled”.
Sotek hesitantly shook his head and corrected her.
“No, not bears. We’re after something a bit bigger than bears”.
Aela snapped back with a harsh retort.
“Don’t be stupid. We can’t go around hunting mammoths! That will anger the giants and cause them to attack the villages”.
Sotek shuffled away from her and replied.
“Bigger than mammoths! Dragons… I need a willing Huntress to help track down and hunt Dragons. Once we’ve killed a few, then I’ll ask her to help me make a set of Dragonscale armor”.
Aela was unfazed with the size and capabilities of her target. A hunt was a hunt; it didn’t matter how big it was. The larger the prey then the easier it would be to find. One thing did puzzle her though as she never heard of it before.
“What the hell is ‘Dragonscale?”
Sotek moved towards an old wooden chest which Aela had kept by the end of her bed for him. The lid creaked as he lifted it up, revealing the contents inside it. He pulled out an off white scale which was the same size as a dinner plate.
“You know what Dragon scales are! After all, you’ve picked them up for me. Here, have a proper look.” He passed her a scale, allowing her the opportunity to examine it closely while he continued with his explanation.
“Dragonscale’s tough, very tough. It’s light as well which is just what I need. I can use these scales to make a set of armor. As for the bones, I should be able to craft a pair of axes, as well as a bow to replace my old one”.
“So you need to hunt down some dragons? Well I know someone who would help you”. As she spoke she came up to him and coyly nudged him with her shoulder.
Sotek watched her carefully from the corner of his eye, scrutinizing her actions.
“Yes, provided she doesn’t hit me where it hurts”.
Aela gasped back in a false cry of shock.
“That’s not fair! Wherever I hit you it hurts”.
He was quick with the repartee and leaned into her as he snapped his spikey teeth together.
“Then don’t bloody hit me then”.
She rolled her eyes and pulled on the door handle of her room so she could open the door.
“It’s an attitude like that which gives me cause to poke you with arrows”. With that she turned and left her room, leaving Sotek gawping back at her, speechless.
He followed her footsteps although he was a bit too close for her liking. Half expecting a hand to grab her backside, she stopped and sent him in front. Mumbling to himself, Sotek entered the stairway leading upstairs.
Before he even reached the middle step, Sotek could smell the different scents wafting down the stairway from the hall. His senses forewarned him that something was wrong. Aela became aware when his tail started twitching as it swished side to side.
Sotek quietly signaled to her, telling her to go back downstairs but he reacted way too late. Before she could even question his actions, a female Argonian voice called down to them.
“Don’t bother ssending her to her room. You’ve kept us waiting long enough”.
They recognized the voice from the shadowscale who had fell upon the hall some weeks before. Aela thought back to her words, words laced with lies about Sotek. She tried to push past him but he grabbed her arm and pulled her back, preventing her from advancing.
Taking point, Sotek drew his axes then entered the hall to find the male shadowscale waiting for him. The Argonian assassin held a crossbow and was aiming a poisoned bolt towards the group of Companions and Whelps while he lazily lent against one of the wooden pillars. He looked back at Sotek with disgust and voiced his contempt.
“You waltz in here, armed to the teeth and yet you have the stance of a hatchling. Do you not fear death? Or are you just stupid?”
The words bit like a wolf’s fangs, snapping at Sotek’s tail but he refused to buckle to their goading. He glanced back at Aela and saw her from weeks ago when she was struck by the female Argonian. The stench of burning flesh filled his nostrils and his scars above his left eye seemed raw and tender.
A sharp clawed finger moved across his eyelid, feeling the three scars and with each second his temper raged inside.
Without even realizing it, Sotek’s anger burst forth like a volcano. He screamed out with all his spite as he swung his axe in an upward arc catching the shadowscale by surprise.
The shadowscale stepped back as his training took over, blocking the blow with the edge of the crossbow. He smiled back at Sotek with approval.
“Damn, you’ve got faster. Good, this will be interesting”. He passed the crossbow over to the other assassin and drew two sharp lethal looking knifes. The razor sharp edges of the black blades glinted in the light of the fire pit and he turned towards Sotek then attacked.
The two knifes swiped across Soteks chest, scraping along the armor but as Sotek deflected a second strike with an axe, he felt a pain in his side as the assassin stabbed him lightly with the second dagger.
“Oh it’s not poisoned; I don’t want this finished too quickly”.
Sotek staggered backwards and covered the wound with his hand. Silence seemed to fill the hall except for the soft drip of blood as droplets of the red liquid fell to the stone floor.
“Oww!” He looked across to where Farkas stood near the far corner with all the Whelps behind him. By his side stood Vilkas, his brother. Sotek half turned around and gave Aela an order, one he insisted on her following.
“Aela, go join the others”.
She stood forwards standing by his side, covering his wound with her own hand in an attempt to stiffen the loss of blood.
“Like hell I will, I’m staying put”.
Sotek grabbed her by the scruff of her neck and wrenched her away from his torso, breaking her grip.
“Do what your bloody told. Move your arsse”. With a loud ‘hsss’, he threw her towards Farkas who moved closer so he could pull her away.
Aela tried to fend him off but he held her by the wrists, preventing her from fighting back.
“Let me go you bastard!!” She yelled out then snapped at his arm with her teeth in an attempt to bite him.
Vilkas could see his brother struggling so he closed in upon Aela, helping Farkas restrain her. She screamed at them while she desperately tried to free herself.
“You bloody cowards! He’s fought for all of us! Let me go!”
Sotek called out to her, silencing the emotionally charged she wolf.
“Hey! Be still, be silent.” Sotek then gave out a small laugh while he lifted his hand so he could check on the wound. As he wiped his hand on his armor, he tried once more to settle Aela’s spirit. “Aela, do you remember when we were at the college? You started getting upset. Do you remember?”
Aela gave up struggling and leaned against Farkas, relying on him to support her while she clung on to his arms.
“Yes, yes I do”. She tried to fight back tears of frustration and she even felt Red’s need to be let loose yet no one else seemed bothered by the proceeding events.
The female Argonian looked at Aela and mistook the tears for ones of fear and hopelessness. She spoke with a wicked glee as she pointed to the Huntress.
“Oh look, the love sick puppy’s upset. Why torture her? Let’s get it over with then she can grieve properly”.
The male Argonian nodded back at her and stood in front of Sotek whilst he pointed to the floor.
“Get on your knees and it’ll be quick”.
Sotek sneered back at him.
“The only time I’ll get on my knees is to feast off your dead corpse”.
The female laughed once more.
“Oh, a follower of Namira? Well, you’re not the first Daedra follower we’ve killed. That’s a tale for another time though, plenty of that when you’re in the void. Ok, I’m getting bored. Put him on the floor”.
Before Sotek could do anything, the assassins hand shot out slamming Sotek in the throat. He gasped for breath as a heavy club flashed through the air and struck him on the temple. He hit the ground hard and cringed when he felt the weight of a boot pressing down on the side of his head, forcing him to look away from his attacker.
“Yes, I really want you facing away from me. We know all about your abilities Dragonborn. No shouting thank you”.
Aela screamed across at him as the two brother’s grabbed hold of her once again.
“You fucking bastards!! I’ll kill you, you sons of bitches”.
Sotek was helplessly pinned to the ground while the foot on the side of his face allowed him to do nothing but watch Aela’s cries. Despite the impact in his throat, Sotek managed to get Vilkas’s attention.
“Vilkas, the Whelps! Get them out of here, get them out”. He struggled to shift the foot but he received a massive kick to his stomach from the female.
Farkas and Vilkas escorted the whelps to the stairway while the female Argonian aimed the loaded crossbow at Tilma who was sitting in a chair by the side of the hall, thus preventing Aela from making any rash moves.
The Male Argonian laughed at Sotek mimicking his voice in a sadistic manner.
“By Sithis, you’re pathetic! ‘Get the whelps out, get the whelps out’ you remove them but leave that whore here to watch your demise?”
Sotek struggled to shift his head but he just managed to move it enough to see the near terrified look in Aela’s eyes. From behind him, Vilkas called out, telling them that the Whelps were now out of harm’s way, safely hiding in the Undercroft. Sotek’s gaze fixed upon Aela as a dagger moved down towards his throat.
The Shadowscale hissed in Sotek’s ear while an evil glint shone in his eyes.
“It’s time to bleed”.
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