U.O.T.W. Chapter 207 No News is Bad News

• Posted by Sotek February 26, 2017 - Filed in TSC: CB Story - #Sotek  #U.O.T.W.  - 1,128 views

   

  On the same morning that Sotek prepared to attack the fort, Aela woke up early. She felt restless, uneasy and damn right moody. The Huntress snatched her bow and two quivers full of arrows then headed upstairs; only after shoving more arrows in her pack. She ignored everyone in the hall and just headed straight outside to the training area; completely blanking everyone she came across.

   

  It was a good few hours after dawn when the Harbinger was disturbed by Tilma tidying up his room. She gave him a shove as she literally kicked him out of bed.

  “Come on you, you’ll miss breakfast. The Whelps have been up for hours now. If you don’t move yourself all the food will be gone then I’ll have to sort you something else out”.

   

  The Harbinger opened his eyes then laid there giving them a few seconds to focus. Once they did so he got up out of bed.

  “Yes I must get up. Has there been any news of Sotek?”

   

  Tilma looked across at him and shook her head.

  “None, I’m afraid. I would have thought he would have sent some sort of word to her. He knows from the last time how she was. It’s not fair”.

   

  The Harbinger shrugged his shoulders and nodded back.

  “It’s protocol. I expect there’s some sort of counter measure in place to prevent Ulfric from finding out what Tullius is up to. Sotek has probably been told that he can’t send word but even so I would have thought he would do something. Its times like this that I really feel for her you know?”

   

  “Oh yes I feel for her as well, but I did mean it wasn’t fair for the rest of us”. Tilma stated as she started straightening the furs on Kodlak’s bed.

   

  Kodlak readily agreed. On several occasions he had to step in and put a stop to yelling matches between Aela and everyone else; one sided yelling matches.

  “Yes, she has been somewhat aggressive over the last few days”.

   

  “Somewhat aggressive? She used one of Sotek’s spare axes yesterday while she ate her breakfast; three times she hacked at the bloody thing”. Tilma stated angrily. She mumbled something incoherent which Kodlak chose to ignore.

   

  “I know, I know”. Kodlak said with a sigh. “Farkas told me. Apparently the plates ruined. I would have thought she only needed to hit the piece of venison once. Mine wasn’t that tough”. He stopped dead as Tilma’s gaze fell upon him. “Wasn’t tough at all”.

   

  Tilma stopped what she was doing and looked hard at the Harbinger. She wagged her finger at him as she filled in the blanks.

   “Venison? Venison? Aela didn’t have venison, she had a bread roll”.

   

  Now the Harbinger stopped then looked at Tilma in shock.

  “A roll? Oh dear, he never said that. Well I suppose I should go and see what she’s hacking into now. Where did she get the axe from?”

   

  “Sotek’s room, where else? You know she hasn’t slept in her room since she came back?” Tilma then started shoving the Harbinger out of his study so she could clean it.

   

  Having no other choice, Kodlak shuffled together various pieces of parchment which littered his table then he started heading upstairs, abandoning the study as Tilma’s broom laid claim to the dust on the floor. When he got to the hall, the first person to see him was Aela herself. She had just entered the hall from the training area and was currently walking straight to the stairwell. To his surprise she sounded a lot calmer than what he expected.

  “Morning Harbinger, there’s not a great deal of breakfast left I’m afraid. The Whelps were hungry today”.

   

  “That doesn’t matter. Have you eaten?” He asked as he watched for any signs of her temper. She seemed calm and relaxed, throwing him off guard.

   

  Aela nodded her head but she avoided eye contact.

  “I’m fine”.

   

  “Well while you’re fine, as it were... I know you’re having a hard time, but can you please try to kerb your temper a bit today? Just a little?” He hated asking lest he threw oil on the fire yet Aela’s composure held giving him hope that today would be different.

   

  Aela turned to the Harbinger and looked at him right in the eyes. She spoke almost apologetically, giving him yet more reason to hope.

  “I know I’ve been a bit moody but today I’m fine. I feel in control; today’s going to be a good day”. Then she smiled as she headed off downstairs.

   

  Vilkas called over to the Harbinger but only when he was sure that Aela had left the hall.

  “She hasn’t eaten at all. She just spent the last two hours out in the training yard. We’ve all stayed inside out of her way. That’s why there’s so little food left”.

   

  The Harbinger nodded, fully understanding their reasoning. As he sat down he sighed at all the empty plates and bowls. Instead of going outside the other Companions and Whelps had picked the table bare, leaving virtually nothing left for him.

  “Yes I guessed that, but she does seem to be in control today so maybe she will be fine”.

   

  Now that the yard was clear, Farkas got up along with the Whelps and started heading out to the courtyard. As he went off he called out to the Harbinger, putting a voice to all their fears.

  “We can only hope”.

   

  Once he stepped outside he made his way to the middle of the yard and gathered the Whelps around him; or at least he tried to.

  “Form a circle then one of you draw your sword and shield. We’re going to practise blocking”. As he spoke he turned to the three Whelps who were still standing by the doorway to Jorrvaskr. Each one stared across at him. “What? What’s up with you all?”

   

  The girl lifted her arm and pointed to a target dummy, one of the ones used for sword practice. Farkas turned around and glanced at it. Then his jaw dropped. He slowly looked around the whole of the training area then headed back inside Jorrvaskr, dropping his sword and shield on the table as he went passed.

   

  Once inside he called out to the Harbinger.

  “Ermm, did Aela say she was ok just now?” He asked as casually as he could.

   

  Kodlak, who was picking at a meagre plate of food, looked up to see Farkas standing by the door.

  “Yes she did, but please don’t go winding her up”.

   

  Farkas’s face was filled with an odd stare, one which drew the Harbinger towards him.

  “Can you come outside for a minute please?”

   

  The Harbinger watched Farkas’s emotions for a few seconds then he headed over to him. Vilkas also noticed his brother’s strange behaviour and quickly got in on the act by joining them as they headed outside.

   

  Even before the Harbinger stepped out beyond the threshold his eyes were scanning the yard. He was half expecting a target dummy to be in pieces, but they were all standing. However the sight which greeted him was beyond his expectations and he had trouble believing what he was looking at. He held both of the Companions by the shoulders and pulled, forcing them both to turn on the spot so he could speak to them at the same time.

  “How long was she out here for?”

   

  Vilkas felt like laughing although he knew the situation wasn’t amusing. He felt his nerves tremble under Aela’s mark. Her presence caused a shiver down the back of his spine despite her being in the Undercroft. Fighting back a nervous titter, he murmured back his answer.

  “About two hours”.

   

  Each target, including the ones used for sword practice had around thirty arrows sticking into them; every one of them. They all looked like porcupines stuck on wooden stakes. Farkas just shook his head at the task in front of them.

  “There must be nearly four hundred arrows here; it’ll take hours to remove them all”.

   

  The Harbinger turned to the three Whelps and issued his orders.

  “Well that’s your job today. Gather up all the arrows and everyone stay well away from Aela, she isn’t handling this at all”. He rubbed his chin in thought and pitifully shook his head. He just wished there was something he could do to lessen the situation but it was out of his control.

   

  An hour later Aela returned to the hall and sat down on the step by the fire pit. She stared at the flames, watching them twist and dance as the coals slowly burned. Not wanting to draw her attention, Farkas decided to check on the Whelps lest Aela turned her focus upon him. In the yard, most of the arrows had been cleared from the targets. Farkas clapped his hands and vocally congratulated them on their efforts.

  “Hey, great job; you’re nearly done. Once you finished we’ll do a bit of shield work if you’re all up for it”.

   

  A second later Aela came outside. Her gaze was interrupted when he scurried to the back door and now the fire had lost its lustre. She was more interested in what he was up to. When she looked across the yard, she seethed in anger.

  “What the fuck are you all doing with my bloody arrows?”

   

  Farkas froze instantly then slowly he turned around to face her.

  “We are ermm collecting them”.

   

  “No, you’re actually going to leave them the hell alone!” Her face scrunched up and the corner of her lip curled while Aela’s whole body shook as she strained against the urge of lashing out at the Companion.

   

  Ignorant to Aela’s mental state, the Imperial girl timidly called out, answering her back.

  “But we were told by the Harbinger to collect them”.

   

  “Not by me you weren’t”. The Huntress growled as some dark force took over. She didn’t even realise she had stepped towards the Whelp until Farkas stepped in front of her. Snarling like a wild beast she growled at the man who was far taller and heavier built. His frame meant nothing; nor did his posture which was enough to put the fear into most opponents. “Get out of my way”.

   

  “No, Aela you need to get a grip”. As Farkas spoke, he tried to sound like the Harbinger or Sotek. Not in tone or sound but in stature, in the hope of quelling Aela’s temper.

   

  Aela smiled. Not a nice smile but one which reminded him of a wolf that had chanced upon a wounded deer or half frozen rabbit. She did as he requested, much to his own surprise. Aela lunged forwards and grabbed him by the shoulders with both hands. Before he could even stifle a yell she spun him around and pushed him into the wall of Jorrvaskr. It completely threw Farkas as to how fast and strong her attack on him was. He looked at the Huntress but all he could see was Red’s eyes hungrily glaring back at him.

   

  Farkas hit Aela’s hands; knocking them away from him but a split second later Aela formed two tight fists. She was just about to hit out when the Harbinger came outside. He summed up the situation instantly and quickly intervened.

  “Aela!! Get over here”. He shouted out at her with more for concern for Farkas than herself.

   

  She hit Farkas in the chest with the palm of her hand; battering it against his armor then went over to the Harbinger. She stood in front of him and clenched her fist, shaking off the pain in her hand before throwing out her arms by her sides; switching her attitude from Farkas to Kodlak.

  “Why are you yelling at me? He started it”.

   

  Farkas wisely kept quiet although he did pull a face to Aela from behind her, causing a discrete rebuke from Kodlak. The Harbinger held Aela by the shoulder and manhandled her away from the training area, literally forcing her to walk around Jorrvaskr where they could be alone.

   

  Now they were out of sight of the other Companions, he spoke somewhat quieter to her, hoping to relieve some of the tension.

  “Has Red been out on the plains over the last few days?”

   

  Aela rolled her eyes and came to an abrupt stop. She yanked her shoulder away, freeing herself from his hold.

  “No I bloody haven’t! Now what have I supposed to have done?”

   

  “Nothing...” He shook his head at the helplessness which he felt with the entire situation. He hated being so useless when he could so clearly see a member of his pack suffer as the she-wolf was. He knew the others were looking at Aela with a singular thought; that she was acting like a spoiled child yet he and Tilma knew there was a much more serious nature at the heart of the matter, something Aela kept to herself. Even Eorlund knew the difference. He made his thoughts clear when he disciplined a Whelp while he left Aela free to yell.

   

  Kodlak looked out beyond Whiterun’s walls and pointed to a clump of trees in the distance.

  “We’ve discussed this before. You need to get out there; Red needs to. You’re bottling too much up”. As he spoke he gently led her away from Jorrvaskr.

   

  They slowly started heading towards the Gildergreen tree where Aela sat down on one of the benches to continue their conversation.

  “I’ve been out there but it’s just not the same. I know I’m being a bitch, but damn it Harbinger! I feel so alive when we’re out there. Without him being there it’s just so dead”.

   

  “Ahh, yet before he came along you often used to go out there by yourself; quite often”. Kodlak smirked at his answer. He unwisely thought he had cornered Aela with his wit and cunning. Wit and cunning however were mere illusions of the mind; an illusion easily broken.

   

  Aela turned to the gate as she thought about all the years where she went off alone to hunt where she and Red would run free.

  “Yes, but then what I had was enough! It’s... ohh fuck it”.

   

  “Aela, please”. The Harbinger tried to hush her but he was too late. All he could do was murmur an apology and groan as his gaze was caught in the priestess’s field of vision. Danica, who was sitting nearby, shot Aela a glance and shook her head objectionably at the Harbinger before she shuffled off away from the swearing Companion.

   

  The Huntress was unaware that she made Danica feel uncomfortable due to her choice of language. She was too tied up in her own emotions to notice the robed figure walk past.

  “Sorry, it’s just so frustrating. I know you all think its love and all that crap but it’s more than that! It’s like we’re the same spirit when we’re out there. I have someone who’s my equal, you know? Red has someone too; she doesn’t have to hunt alone anymore”.

   

  She kicked a flower head in frustration, knocking the petals across the pathway. The light breeze caught them in its tendrils and cast them across the walkway like tiny boats floating upon a grey sea of rock. Aela watched them disperse and thought upon her situation.

  “I’m not making any sense. How would Sotek put it? Yes... it’s like this; you have bread for breakfast. You enjoy it and have it every day but then suddenly at breakfast the breads buttered and it’s got honey on it. You eat it for weeks like that then ‘bang’ there’s no butter or honey! That’s how it feels. Being out there by myself, it’s not enough anymore”.

   

  Kodlak raised his eye brows and looked down at the Huntress in pleasant surprise. He gave her a comforting hug as he filled up with a sense of pleasure and pride at the young she-wolf’s words.

  “Yes, I can imagine Sotek saying that but I would never have thought of you saying it. He is rubbing off on you, isn’t he? What are we going to do hmm?”

   

  Aela slumped her head into Kodlak’s chest and whined in despair as she felt his arms close in around her.

  “I don’t know; lock me up in a cage?”

   

  The Harbinger chuckled at her answer and replied with a shake of his head.

  “We haven’t got a cage that would hold you but even if we did; I don’t think that would help”.

   

  “It’s been well over a week. I haven’t had or heard a single word from him”. For a brief moment she sounded frail and delicate like the flower of a rose. She snapped out angrily, pouring all her venom in a single sentence, profusely reminding Kodlak that roses have thorns. “Why is that bastard doing this to me?”      

   

  “He’s not doing it and he isn’t to blame. I’m sure he would send word if he could. I’ll have a word with Irileth and find out if she has heard anything. She is well connected with the Legion”. He had presumed his idea would lay Aela’s mind to rest but it had the opposite effect.

   

  Aela instantly sat up and poked him in the belly, drawing his gaze upon her.

  “She has contacts in the Imperial Legion? Can we see her now?”

   

  The Harbinger’s shoulders dropped as he glanced down at her incredulously. He wished he could take back what he had only just said but it was too late. Aela had taken the bait and she wouldn’t let go.

  “Only if you try to calm down somewhat”.

   

  “Yes I’ll try”. Aela stated as she began yanking him by the arm in an attempt to get him up to his feet. “I’ll even go off to the plains for a while and try to de stress myself a bit”.

   

  Having no other choice and only having himself to blame, Kodlak got up and followed Aela up the stairway to Dragonsreach.

  “Ok then, come on”.

   

  Once inside Dragonsreach, the Harbinger approached the Jarl while he told Aela to hang back a bit, removing the temptation away from her so she wouldn’t take over the conversation. Upon seeing the Harbinger walk through the doorway, the Jarl left his wooden chair of office and made his way over to Kodlak.

  “Ah Harbinger! Any news from Sotek? When is he coming back?”

   

  Upon hearing this, Aela cried out in despair.

  “Oh for the love of the bloody nines! We were hoping you could tell us”.

   

  Irileth approached her from the side and gave her all the information she had; which was minuscule at best.

  “I’m sorry; we don’t know anything other than he’s at an Imperial camp west of Dawnstar”.

   

  The Jarl offered them both a chair at one of the large tables and promptly joined them, sitting alongside Kodlak. He gave them his septims worth of information, telling them little other than what they already knew.

  “The Imperials are keeping him to themselves. I’ve tried to get word to him but there is a clamp down on information. Nothing is getting through. I just hope it’s is the legion blockading information and not that rebel Ulfric”.

   

  This proved to be the final straw which broke Aela’s control. She thrust herself backwards, raising herself up to her feet, violently tipping the chair back as she left Kodlak and Jarl Balgruuf behind.

   

  The Harbinger shut his eyes to the bang as the chair hit the floor. He watched Aela as she charged her way through the hall then he turned to the Jarl and apologized.

  “I’m sorry about that. She’s... oh Aela!”

   

  The Jarl smiled back at him, waving off any discomfort the Harbinger felt over the Huntress’s actions.

  “Her temper hasn’t improved at all. I remember her throwing chairs when she was barely in her teens. I was going to ask you how she was coping but obviously she isn’t”.

   

  “No, she isn’t one little bit. At least she isn’t throwing the chairs at anyone. She’s a bit worried about Sotek”.

   

  The Jarl disagreed and openly voiced his objections at the Harbingers assessment.

  “No, she’s very worried and if the truth be told then so am I. They’ll use him and not give a damn if he survives. I feel she knows it. She’s hoping Sotek will return but she’s expecting a letter and a corpse”.

   

  As Aela stomped down the steps to the wind’s district, Lydia, the only female guard in Whiterun came up the stairs and slightly knocked into her as they both passed each other on the corner of the stairwell.

   

  Aela took it as a slight on Lydia’s part and reacted with all her temper.

  “Watch what you’re doing you stupid bitch”.

   

  Before Lydia could even look at her accuser, she fell backwards as she was shoved in the chest, sending her plunging into the water besides the steps as she screamed out.

   

  Aela started tapping her foot angrily as she watched the hapless girl flail about in the water as she tried to strip off her armor before it dragged her down beneath the surface. When she finally resurfaced, amidst her gasps of breath, she looked up, half stunned to see Aela glaring down at her.

  “There’s no swimming there so get your bloody arse out”.

   

  Another guard stepped forwards to block her path but his resolve crumbled when Aela turned to him and yelled in his face.

  “What the hell are you looking at?”

   

  Leaving Lydia in the water and a second guard petrified to even move, the Huntress made her way to the steps outside Jorrvaskr where she sat alone and stewed.

   

  Such was the noise of the commotion that both the Jarl and the Harbinger were drawn outside to witness the spectacle of Lydia swimming across the ornamental pond while her armor lay at the bottom of the water. She managed to reach the steps and clamber outside while Aela openly watched her; almost daring the guard to open her mouth.

   

  The Jarl tutted at the Huntress; safe in the knowledge that she was too far away to hear him whisper.

  “What the hell are we going to do with her?”

   

  Kodlak simply shrugged as he watched Lydia retrieve her armor, piece by piece by diving in the water.

  “Either get Sotek back here, get her to Sotek, or have her arrested and lock her up before anyone else ends up taking a swim”.

   

  “She’s a werewolf! Who the hell can arrest her without bloodshed when she’s in this mood?” The Jarl asked knowing full well it was a vexed question.

   

  “Oh that’s an easy one; Sotek could”. Kodlak said with a smirk.

   

  The Jarl gave out a loud groan which was soon to be muffled as he buried his face in the palms of his hands.

  “When you said easy I hoped somewhat foolhardy that it actually was going to be an easy one”. Then the Jarl had a bit of a chuckle as he reached into his breast pocket and produced a previously opened letter.

  “I’ve had a letter of complaint from the Jarl of Dawnstar. He wants compensation for two windows, four chairs and two tables. And; he is demanding payment on the account of four guards getting beaten up. Apparently they were put through a window”.

   

  The Harbinger turned to him in astonishment. The matter of Aela’s attitude disappeared as he quizzed the Jarl about the folded letter Jarl Balgruuf was holding.

  “Who was put through a window?”

   

  “Two guards I think”. The Jarl said as he pondered on the events laid out in writing. He continued to relate the sequence of things to Kodlak as he read the letter. “Somehow one of them was put through the same window twice”.

   

  “Two times! By who?” Kodlak knew before he even asked. The only ones who happened to be near Dawnstar were Sotek and Aela when they took the Whelp with them. Kodlak knew this as fact as he had sent a letter by courier to them just a few days before the attack on Whiterun.

   

  Jarl Balgruuf confirmed his fears by happily name dropping both Companions.

  “Aela and Sotek; who else? He put two guards through the window out in the street then he threw a guard back inside for some strange reason. Aela hit the same guard with a chair knocking the poor bastard back outside onto the street. Oh... three times. I was lucky; she only threw my chair on its back”.

   

  “What do you intend to do about it?” Kodlak asked with an air of dread which smothered his persona. He gritted his teeth as he waited for a reply which meant yet more problems.

   

  The Jarl screwed up the letter and threw it in a brazier, incinerating the ‘evidence’ of Aela’s crime.

  “Nothing!! The Jarl of Dawnstar sided with Ulfric! Stuff him and his bloody guards. What I want to know is; what do you intend to do with her?”

   

  The Harbinger looked across the district and studied the Huntress. Even from here he could see she was thoroughly miserable.

  “I’ve got no idea”.

   

  When he got to the Hall, the Whelps and both Vilkas and Farkas were gathering some potions together. They then split up and started collecting food and various bottles of mead which were hastily stuffed into sacks. Kodlak pointed at them with his head to Tilma who shrugged back at him. As she was just as clueless, he had no other option other than to ask the two brothers directly.

  “What are you lot up to?”

   

  Vilkas came over to him and quietly whispered his plan.

  “I thought it best if we got out of her way for a bit so we are taking the Whelps over to the plains for a night”.

   

  Kodlak gasped at his audacity. He stared at them all while his mouth fell wide open.

  “You’re bloody running off!!” He exclaimed in disgust.

   

  “Yes, can you blame us?” Vilkas stated; openly admitting to their ‘dastardly’ cunning plot.

   

  Kodlak had two wishes. He silently wished he had thought of it first then he openly stated his second wish; knowing that it was impossible.

  “No; I wish I could join you but I daren’t leave her here with just the Tilma and Eorlund”.

   

  Farkas joined them and tried to ease the Harbinger’s mind. He meant well but unfortunately he never thought it through.

  “Harbinger, if there’s no word tomorrow then we’ll both take Aela to the plains for a day. We’ll try to help her out, ok? Today though, yes; we’re running for the hills. We’ll see you tomorrow, good luck”.

   

  Vilkas groaned and tightly shut his eyes as he envisioned the three of them being out on the plains. He cursed at his brother’s stupidity but it was too late to take it back. Dejectedly, he led the Whelp’s and Farkas towards the door.

   

  Just then Aela burst inside. She stood there blocking the doorway for a few seconds and threw everyone a filthy look. Leaving them to their own devices, she headed downstairs to Sotek’s room and slumped down on the bed, sprawling across it on her belly.

   

  An hour later the Harbinger went to check on her. As he opened the door to Sotek’s room, he couldn’t fail to notice the axe embedded into the door from the inside. He stared at it briefly and spoke softly to himself.

  “Ermmm, no”. He then turned around, shut the door and headed back upstairs leaving the Huntress in peace.