UOTW Chapter 234 Ownership

  • Author’s note: The chapter has not been edited except for mistakes and errors therefore the content may change at a later date although the plot will remain the same. The content you read now is as I written it in 2014-2015. I hope this fact doesn’t lessen your enjoyment.
    As always, should you see an error or something you feel is off then by all means let me know.
    Sotek Loyal Hound of Hircine

    Ownership

    Once Sotek stepped inside the hall, Farkas called out to him angrily while he sorted out his armor and started to get dressed.

    “We got to get her for this; and Ebony. They started this; but we’re going to end it”.

     

    Sotek gave a loud sigh.

    “Are you sure that’s wise? She got us, walk away”.

     

    “Walk away my arse”. Vilkas shouted. “The whole town was there; everyone damn it all. Now, are you in or out?”

     

    “I’ll have to be in; she wouldn’t believe I had nothing to do with it even if I wasn’t involved. We got to do it right though. Why Ebony?”

     

    “Why? Because she gave her helmet to Vilkas and not me, that’s why.

    She was supposed to be my friend”.

     

    Aela popped her head in the doorway.

    “Are you all decent? Oh rats”. Then she called outside. “It’s all clear”.

     

    Ebony entered first. She had a massive grin on her face as she watched Farkas put on his boots.

    “Hey Farkas, where’s your clothes?”

     

    Aela and Ebony laughed as he grumbled, muttering to himself. Within a few minutes the hall was full again as all the Whelps and everyone else entered the hall. Kodlak sat next to Aela and he looked around the hall with some concern.

    “No doubt you’re thinking of a payback but I would ask to let it go. She won, leave it as that”.

     

    Vilkas glared at her as she sat there smiling.

    “Is that an order?”

     

    The Harbinger weighed his words carefully.

    “It’s a request”.

     

    Sotek sat on the other side of Aela. He leant back in his chair in deep thought then he sat up and faced Farkas.

    “You’re not going to like it, but we need to walk away. She beat us fair and square. You had a night of drinks, and a night with a maid, and we all got a meal out of it. She won! Besides, we still got the town waiting for us to show our faces again”.

     

    “Exactly! So how the hell do we let it go? Sorry Aela, no. Like you said Sotek, this is now war”.

     

    Sotek gave a laugh.

    “Ok, what do you want to do? Tie her up in the square naked? Sorry I’m not going to let you. Tar and feather her perhaps? No way! Lock her up in a cage all day? Nope, it’s not going to happen; not since that Silverhand episode. She still has the odd nightmare about that. So what would you do Farkas, what?”

     

    “What the hell is stopping us tie her up outside naked? Or even half naked?” Vilkas shouted out threateningly.

     

    Aela had a look of concern.

    “You wouldn’t? No, that’s too far”.

     

    “No it isn’t!” Farkas cried out. “That’s what you did to us”.

     

    Sotek discretely placed his hand on her lap then held her leg.

    “Nope, I’m not allowing it. We’re men; we can take that sort of embarrassment. Not the girls”.

     

    Farkas grumbled bitterly.

    “So basically you’re going to protect her? Well isn’t that cute”.

     

    Sotek nodded.

    “Afraid so, yes. Look, just face the fact she outsmarted us. Vilkas, where was the cave you said about the other day?”

     

    Vilkas gave a sigh of defeat.

    “Humph. It rests on the west side of the mountain towards High Hrothgar. It’s only a few hours away”.

     

    Sotek sat there quietly while he planned the day out in his mind.

    “We’ll head there straight away, say three hours there, two exploring the cave and three back. That will bring us back here around six? Yess, let’s get going. Grab your gear”.

     

    “I’m coming as well!” Farkas called out. “You’re not leaving me here to face everyone alone”.

     

    Ebony burst out laughing.

    “There’s been enough gear grabbing thank you”.

     

    Aela roared out hysterically. She was totally unable to stop. Her eyes watered profusely as she repeated what Sotek had said.

    “Grab your gear”.

     

    Sotek gave her a look as he shook his head at her then he headed off outside, picking up his pack as he went. Farkas and Vilkas followed him, but they both muttered under their breaths.

     

    Kodlak couldn’t help but smile as he turned his attention to Aela.

    “You need to make some peace with them. Sotek’s going to get it big time from those two”.

     

    Aela snapped at him.

    “I didn’t ask for his protection, did I?”

     

    “No, but you accepted it fast enough though. Make peace with them. Have an evening at the inn; no pranks, no leg pulls, just a basic few hours at the inn. I’ll arrange it on your behalf”.

     

    Aela nodded.

    “Ok, and thanks for sticking up for me”.

     

    “Well it was worth it. You planned that well”.

     

    Aela just beamed at him then she whispered.

    “Grab your gear”. Both she and Ebony started laughing again.

     

    As Farkas walked through the market, he was complaining bitterly to Sotek.

    You’re a pathetic idiot. Why are you protecting her, damn it? Look; everyone’s staring at us”

     

    Sotek shook his head.

    “No they’re not, your imagining it”. Then he turned around and saw everyone looking at them. All the people in the market had big smiles as they watched the three Companions head towards the gate.

     

    Adrianne called out to them.

    “Hey, I’ve got some leathers if you three need them”.

     

    Sotek smiled at her.

    “Oh very funny. Look, your forge is out”.

     

    She laughed at the three of them.

    “I have to admit you three are taking it all in your stride. There’s even a swing in your step, unless it’s something else”.

     

    Sotek gave out a sigh.

    “Let’s get the hell out of here”. As they passed a guard they couldn’t help but hear as he sniggered from underneath his helmet.

     

    Within an hour Vilkas was trailing around the mountain looking for an old path.

    “It’s here somewhere. It can’t have just vanished”.

     

    Farkas snorted at him.

    “What? You think someone has nicked it? Oh the rotten path stealing scoundrels”.

     

    “No you knucklehead, I mean its close. Then again it has been a while”. Then he cried out with joy. “Here it is, come on you two”. Then he led the way as he headed up the trail. About half hour later he stopped then looked down the mountain. “The trails washed away”.

     

    Sotek peered over the edge to where Vilkas was pointing.

    “Where?”

     

    As Vilkas explained he kicked a small pebble over the edge of the mountain. Sotek watched it bounce down. As it did so, memories of his fall flashed through his mind.

    “See that ledge down there? About fifty feet down? That’s the entrance. There used to be a trail from here leading down. Now what do we do?”

     

    Farkas saw Sotek stagger slightly, but Sotek quickly regained his composure.

    “Hey, are you ok?”

     

    Sotek shook his head then he sat on a large rock.

    “I got to tell you two something but I ask that you keep it to yourselves. Last week, when I was with Aela, helping the Imperials with the rebellion, I fell on the mountain side. It was bad; it was a very bad fall”.

     

    Farkas walked over to him and rested his hand on Sotek’s shoulder, “How bad?”

     

    Sotek could feel his heart hammering. He breathed slowly, controlling his breaths as he said what had happened.

    “He dropped the ring, Hircine’s ring, when we were fighting a dragon. So, in order to retrieve it, he scrambled down the mountain to get it. Somehow he slipped. He tried, but he just couldn’t stop sliding down. Next thing he knew, he slammed into a rock, then hit a ledge! His arm and leg were both broken, then he passed out”.

     

    Vilkas shook his head in disbelief

    “Aela said it was bad, but by the nines! You broke an arm and leg? Wow”. He shuddered as he thought about the injuries but he didn’t notice Sotek turn to face him.

     

    Sotek got up to his feet, then walked straight up to Vilkas.

    “Aela told you? She told you both?”

     

    Farkas held his arm, trying to pull him back a bit.

    “Yes; she told the Harbinger as well. She was worried about you! She always worries about you, you know that”.

     

    Sotek scrutinized the mountain and the missing trail. One thing puzzled him; he couldn’t smell anything which resembled a nearby cave.

    “Why are we here? There is no trail, so why are we here?”

     

    Vilkas took a deep breath then tried to explain.

    “Aela was concerned that you were shaken up so the Harbinger suggested I bring you here and see how you go on the mountain. He didn’t want you facing the fear of the fall if a dragon showed up the next time you were up on one so he wanted me to bring you here to see how you go”.

     

    Sotek gave out a sigh.

    “Did she also tell you I lost the ring? Hircine’s ring? It’s gone. I shouldn’t have taken it back off of her; it was her ring and I lost it”. He got up the looked down the mountain side, carefully scrutinizing the ledges below. “There’s no cave there is there?” As he spoke his voice was barely a whisper; his guilt from the loss weighing his words heavily.

     

    Vilkas looked down the slope once more.

    “No, the whole exercise was to see how you are with heights; mountain heights to be honest. Aela hasn’t said anything about the ring; she’s more bothered with you”.

     

    Sotek closed his eyes. He slowed his breathing to a steady controlled pace as he smelt the mountain air. He could sense Farkas shuffling forwards. Further up the trail he could smell a goat. It was watching them, curious as to why they stopped. He looked one more time down the mountain, quickly working out the paths. To the base of the slope, towards Whiterun, he saw a deer slowly wander around, looking for a fresh patch of grass to graze on.

    “Bet you both fifty gold”.

     

    “Pardon?” Vilkas asked. Farkas looked at the pair of them trying to figure out if he missed some part of the conversation.

     

    “I bet you both fifty gold septims that I will get to the bottom before you two. Also, you both get say, thirty seconds head start?”

     

    Farkas laughed.

    “Easy money, you’re on”. Then he immediately started sliding down the slope to the path. Vilkas quickly followed his lead while Sotek stood there watching them.

     

    Sotek smiled to himself then looked across to Whiterun. The next second he transformed. Scarface looked out then lifted up his head as he howled out across to the city, walls where he could see the hall of Jorrvaskr. Both Farkas and Vilkas stopped short where they were.

    “Aww crap! He’s going to win, damn it”. Farkas moaned.

     

    Aela, Ebony and the Harbinger were all in the training yard looking out towards the mountain.

    “Whatever is that?” Ebony asked.

     

    Aela gave out a slight laugh.

    “That’s Scarface”. She cupped her hands around her mouth and howled out back to him. Upon hearing her call, he broke into a run charging straight down the slope, totally ignoring the path which Farkas and Vilkas were running down. He started to slip but he turned sideways as his claws dug into the rock tearing up stone and debris as he charged down the slope. The last ten feet he simply just jumped down. He landed heavily with a great thud which marked the end of the race. Scarface however was far from done. He ran as fast as he could at the deer which started to run as some sixth sense warned it of the danger, but it was far too late. He struck with all the strength he could muster, throwing it to the ground. As it fell he tore into it feeding ravenously from it then he ran once more to Jorrvaskr. 

     

    As he jumped up at the stonework, his claws embedded into the rock which built up the surrounding wall to Whiterun, allowing him to climb up it. With his supreme strength, he vaulted clean over the top and landed a few feet away from Ebony who screamed from the shock.

     

    She fell backwards landing on the floor as Scarface tilted his head at her, watching the panic in her face. He then turned to the Harbinger and Aela.

     

    “You stupid asshole!” Ebony shouted as she regained her footing. “What the hell did you do that for?”

     

    Scarface lifted himself to his full height then grunted at her. Aela walked over to him and wiped his mouth with her hand. She then turned to Ebony.

    “Quiet; calm down”. 

     

    Scarface dropped to all fours then rested his head into Aela’s chest as she held him. Fang started whining from under the table where he ran to hide. Aela looked over to him.

    “Scarface stay there, don’t move”. She reached under then managed to pull Fang out then she held him tight in her arms. As she slowly approached Scarface, Fang started growling at him then he yelped a few times. By now Aela was just a few feet away. Fang tried desperately to get away from Scarface but he slowly lifted his paw up to Fang, the pup stopped struggling for a few seconds then slowly stuck his head out towards Scarface’s paw. Within a few moments Fang started playing with one of Scarface’s claws, playfully biting at it.

     

    Aela grinned.

    “He recognizes you? That’s so bloody cool”. Scarface broke off then stepped back a few feet as he changed once more. Fang jumped down then started running for the table again yelping and whining as he did so.

     

    Aela sighed at him.

    “Fang, you’ll have to get used to that”. He just stayed under the table snarling.

     

    Sotek stood back then lent against the wall, all the while watching Kodlak and Aela.

    “Sorry Ebony”.

     

    “It was just a shock that’s all”. She stated as she sat down. She could still feel her heart pounding in her chest.

     

    Aela walked over to Sotek and stood beside him.

    “How did it go? Did you clear the cave?”

     

    He shook his head as he looked at her and Kodlak.

    “There was no cave, but you both know that. I was fine; I felt a bit off initially, but I’m ok. I just wished I never lost the ring. Sorry”.

     

    She wrapped her arms around him as she talked soothingly to him.

    “Hey, it doesn’t matter. We are ok, that’s what counts”.

     

    “Yes, but it was your ring. I gave it to you and now I lost it”. As he tried to explain his feelings, he held her tight in his arms, giving her a squeeze as he did so. 

     

    Kodlak walked over to him and lightly ‘coughed’.

    “I’ve been trying to work out what you were up to. I thought for a while that the Dragonborn in you regretted giving Aela the ring”.

     

    Sotek gave a slight laugh.

    “No I regret taking it from her. It was hers, not ours”.

     

    “No it was yours, not mine. I shouldn’t have taken it from you. Hircine gave it to you, not me. It wasn’t mine to take”.

     

    “No it wasn’t yours to take, it was mine”. Sotek stated. “It was mine by right. As such I could do with it what I wanted. I did, I gave it to you”. He gave out a loud sigh as he turned back to the mountains. “Anyway, it’s gone so this is pointless”.

     

    “Not exactly”. Kodlak stated as he held it out to Sotek. 

     

    Sotek for one of the few moments in his life was completely stunned; all he could do was look at it and Kodlak. Aela herself was flabbergasted. “What? How? Where from? I don’t understand. How did you get it?”

     

    “When you got back I took your bloodied clothes. It was in your shirt pocket; you never lost it”.  

     

    Sotek took it and held it in his hand. He gripped it tightly for a few seconds as he closed his eyes tightly, thinking about his next move. “Aela”.

     

    She shook her head. Adamantly she refused it.

    “No, it’s yours. This debates over”. She leant over to him and gave him a quick kiss then she walked off.

     

    Sotek called out to her.

    “So you refuse point blank to let me give you it?”

     

    She stopped then looked over her shoulder to him.

    “Yes, I refuse”.

     

    “Fine then; I won’t accept it if you tried to give it to me either. Agreed?”

     

    “Yes; Harbinger you heard that”. She stated prominently.

     

    “Yes, I heard it, but I’m not entirely sure I understand it”.

     

    Aela turned around but the moment she saw Sotek smiling she knew she had missed something.

    “Where’s the ring you bastard?”

     

    He just laughed.

    “It’s in your pocket. Remember; we agreed not to give it to each other”. 

     

    She walked up to him and gave him a thump in the arm.

    “Damn you, it’s yours”.

     

    He leaned over her then whispered in her ear.

    “No. I gave it to you. Now shut the hell up and put it on”.

    At that moment Farkas and Vilkas entered the yard. They both threw a bag of gold on the table. Farkas complained to the Harbinger, pointing to Sotek as he spoke.

    “He cheated! He bet he would get down the mountain first then that cheating overgrown furball he changed into, ran down the entire bloody slope like a crazed maniac”.

     

    Aela laughed.

    “And to think I was worried about you”.

     

    “Well I was annoyed about the ring! Come on, I’m hungry”.

     

    “Yes about that. I’m taking you three to the inn for a few drinks and a meal. It’s to patch things up a bit between us after this morning. No tricks, you have my word”.

     

    Farkas eyed her up cautiously.

    “Yes well, there had better not be”.

     

    The Harbinger passed Aela a bag of gold.

    “Get out of here the four of you and don’t stay up drinking all night, it’ll be dark in a few hours”.

     

    Sotek walked up to Aela and threw her over his shoulder causing her to scream. He slapped her backside as he carried her off to the inn.

    “Every time someone says something about this morning, you’re getting a slap on the haunches”.

     

    “Let me go you bloody lizard! Harbinger help!”

     

    Sotek gave her another slap.

    “He doesn’t get involved in domestics”. Then he laughed as he carried her off.

     

    As they entered the Bannered mare, Hulda, the Innkeeper, called out to them.

    “I’m surprised you three have the front to enter after earlier”. As she said it she laughed but Aela screamed out.

     

    The Huntress franticly shook her head as she tried to get off from Sotek’s shoulder but he held her firmly. She pleaded desperately.

    “No, she didn’t mean it! Don’t, please, I love you, you know that, please don’t… nooo!”

     

    The next second she screamed once more as Sotek slapped her again.

     

     

Comments

3 Comments   |   ShyGuyWolf and 5 others like this.
  • The Long-Chapper
    The Long-Chapper   ·  June 29, 2018
    So they now have the ring again, interesting. 
  • Ebonslayer
    Ebonslayer   ·  August 18, 2017
    “Aela said it was bad, but by the [Nine]! You broke an arm and leg? Wow”.



    No retaliation  from Sotek? Makes me sad but oh well. As for the ring I think he should've kept it, Scarface is much more powerful than R...  more
  • The Sunflower Manual
    The Sunflower Manual   ·  August 17, 2017
    Eugh, this was naughty >.<