AMOSS:TES B.o.t.B. Year 14

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    Kodlak snapped back at the young huntress. Often her unruly defiance let them to openly clash within the hall of Jorrvaskr. He knew all too well of the heaviness which dwelled in the fourteen year olds heart due to the feeling of abandonment when her father, Skjor had a massive argument with Kodlak and left Skyrim for the shores of Solsthiem; abandoning his daughter; leaving the child behind. This, added with the death of her mother when she was but a child, left Aela feeling bitter and resentful. These hostile traits mixed with the blood of the beast formed a toxic brew which fueled flames of anger. Such flames needed to be trampled on and put out. Such were the flames burning now.

    “Aela! My study; now if you please”.

     

    “Arrgghh… Farkas! Now look and see what you done? You’ve dragged the old man into it! Wonderful!” She glared back at the Harbinger and stormed across the hall, screaming at one of the burly warriors who were blocking her way. “Move!”

     

    A few minutes later, downstairs in the Harbinger’s study, the young impertinent Nord stood at attention whilst under the owlish watch of Kodlak. Aela’s eyes bore with an intensity of a wolf as she glared at a wall, mentally breaking it apart rock by rock, stone by stone.

    “Aela! You know Whelps are not permitted outside the walls of Whiterun…”

     

    Aela’s eyes rolled across her skull and she defiantly gazed back at the Harbinger while she smirked wickedly.

    “By themselves. Whelps aren’t allowed to go outside by themselves… Well I was hardly alone as I was with Vilkas and that brute Farkas”.

     

    Kodlak raised a finger and wagged it at her unflinching face. He had already heard from the two Companions about Aela’s antics and knew exactly what she had done.

    “You followed them outside! That’s hardly being with them is it?”

     

    “I was in front so how the hell is that following? They followed me outside damn it… Aww crap!” She groaned as her shoulders sank. Realizing she dropped herself in a hole, she began trying to climb out of it. “Harbinger I saved them from that saber cat. They were clueless to its presence”. 


    “That doesn’t excuse you from your actions! Oh Aela… what will it take? I’ve given you kitchen duties, cleaning duties, house arrest and still you persist. Now I’ll hit you where it really hurts. Let’s see if this punishment will curb your fire. Aela, you will not partake in any archery practice for the rest of the week, sword and shield only. Hand over your bow please, and fetch the spare one from your room”.

     

    Aela’s eyes nearly popped out of her head. She fell silent and stared back at Kodlak’s outstretched hand. His fingers wiggled in eagerness to take her only valuable possession; an old tatty Hunters bow which she cherished above everything.

    “My… my bow? Harbinger? No, not my bow… I’m sorry, I really am. I won’t step outside, ever without your permission. I swear it, please Harbinger…”

     

    Kodlak shook his head, denying any clemency on the redheaded Nord despite her pleading eyes. She finally understood; this he had no doubt in but rules had to be followed and favoritism had no place in  the Harbinger’s mind for he knew all had to play by the rules else chaos would ensue.

    “Now please”.

     

    Aela’s shaking hand stroked the long curve of the bow tenderly like it was a dying faithful hound which she would never see again. Grudgingly she passed it across to the Harbinger and watched as it was placed on a weapons rack.

     

    A few minutes later, Kodlak knocked on Aela’s door to see her sitting in the middle of the floor with her spare bow resting on her lap. He knew she had intended to bring it to him but her knees failed such a task.

     

    He slowly reached down and gently pulled the bow away from the girl’s hands. She looked up despairingly at him then threw herself at the door, running outside to the corridor.

    “Tilma! He’s took my bow! Tilma, don’t let him”.

     

    The maid looked up from one end of the Undercroft corridor where she was cleaning and called back with little empathy.

    “And about time too. Maybe now you will learn to obey the rules”.

     

    Aela stopped dead in her tracks and glared hatefully back at the maid.

    “Bitch!!”

    That evening Aela sat in her usual chair situated in the middle of the long line of tables. She watched with hungry eyes as Tilma served up a large plate of whole cooked silver perch, delicately sliding a fish from her cooking tray to each plate which the maid had set out earlier. When it came to Aela’s plate though Tilma seemed to struggle with the cooked fish. As if it was still alive it fought off the spatula and resisted Tilma’s efforts to serving it up. When she managed to place it on Aela’s plate, the reason why she had such difficulties were obvious. The fish, or rather what there was of it was barely half a portion.

     

    Aela was gob smacked and she looked up at Tilma with wide eyes. The maid brushed off any possible objections and pointed to a large steaming pot of boiled potatoes.

    “No good being like that young lady! You broke the rules and you screamed at both me and the Harbinger. Why should I cook and clean behind you when you give me that treatment, hmm? If you are hungry then have extra vegetables. You barely eat enough of them as it is”.

     

    Aela dejectedly sniffed and she sadly looked across the table at the other member’s plates. Each Companion, Whelp and all had large thick fish waiting for them to devour while her own fish was no bigger than frog spawn in comparison. Meekly, she accepted her fate and slowly picked up her knife and fork then began picking at the meager meal, ignoring the pot of potatoes all together. 

     

    Kodlak looked up at the depressed child and smiled to himself while Tilma sat on his left. He lightly kicked a chair, pushing it away from the table as he called out to all the members of the hall, both Companions and Whelps.

    “Aela; that pathetic specimen of a Whelp, has broken the golden rule of the hall. She strayed beyond the walls of Whiterun which is both foolish and dangerous. I hope you all learn by her mistake as it is a seldom opportunity when we can learn from others. Aela, I do not think it is appropriate that you sit with the other Whelps and Companions tonight. Your actions earlier aren’t fitting for this table. Come here; tonight you sit by me. At least then I know where you are!”

     

    The Huntress dejectedly moved out of her seat and made her way to the chair next to Kodlak while she bore the scrutiny of everyone in the hall. Her fire still burned brightly and her spirit was far from diminished. She rolled her shoulders and straightened her back then strutted across the hall, ignoring everyone’s gaze and sat down at the table once more with her plate in her hands.

     

    Aela’s eyes burned back at each member of the Companions like an ever hungry wolf, daring them all to speak about her.

     

    Kodlak shattered the tension by tapping her nose, breaking her stare. She looked up at him in a daze of confusion only to see him discretely slide his plate near hers. Moments later, without Tilma knowing, Kodlak slipped half of his fish from his plate onto the young Huntress’s own plate, doubling the amount of fish she had for supper.  She smiled broadly but quickly hid the feeling of warmth from the Harbinger who she had for a few years now looked up to as her ‘father’.

     

    She ravenously consumed the fish, lest Tilma moved and noticed her plate was far fuller than what the maid had previously intended while the other Companions wisely ignored the Harbingers offering.

     

    After the meal, Aela shoved the remaining pieces of fish onto Kodlak’s plate to hide their skullduggery so Tilma would be none the wiser when she cleared the table. The Huntress gave Kodlak a hug and peered up at his thick grey beard.

    “Harbinger, tomorrow, could I have my….”

     

    “No! Don’t ask me again!” Kodlak replied as he tutted under his breath. 

     

Comments

6 Comments   |   NoOneIsHear and 4 others like this.
  • Sotek
    Sotek   ·  July 17, 2018
    Added a screenshot and a title.

    Hope everyone feels the title font is fitting for Aela.
  • Aela The Huntress
    Aela The Huntress   ·  January 31, 2017
    I thoroughly enjoyed this. Kodlak's a sneaky one; Hope Tilma never finds out what he did.
  • The Long-Chapper
    The Long-Chapper   ·  January 21, 2017
    Orc smacks Aela for calling Tilma a bitch! Orc smacks her hard! And Kodlak is an enabler. LOL
  • The Sunflower Manual
    The Sunflower Manual   ·  January 21, 2017
    I like how Aela can't help but dig herself a bigger and bigger hole with her temper.
  • NoOneIsHear
    NoOneIsHear   ·  January 21, 2017
    These stories are going to fun, little Aela running around causing trouble.
  • Sotek
    Sotek   ·  January 21, 2017
    I wanted to break away somewhat from my usual and yet still add to U.O.T.W. Aela has always held my attention as a character yet there is so much missing from her past. These, B.o.t.B. Short Stories (Blessing of the Beast) are based upon my own story and ...  more