U.O.T.W. Chapter 317 Dreamweaver

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    A few hours after everyone was sleeping, Sotek became dimly aware of Aela’s scent as she slid on top of him. She started gently kissing his neck as she positioned herself on his groin. As he awoke, his hands reacted to her loving caress and slid slowly along her legs to her backside where he held her tightly. She started kissing his lips quietly as he responded in turn.

     

    Sotek’s eyes opened to see Aela looking straight at him. She smiled softly then kissed his neck once more but this time she sank her teeth into his scaled skin and held him in a wolfish bite. She then proceeded to roll over, giving her mate little choice but to follow her lead and roll with her so that he was now on top of her. She released his neck then whispered to him.
    “Take me”. The tone in her voice forewarned him of her desperate need. The fact that her legs were tightly wrapped around him just enforced her desires. Then he felt her heels dig into his back as she pulled him closer, which gave him little choice but to obey.

     

    Sotek tugged at a few furs which were sprawled over his backpack while at the same time trying to see to Aela’s needs. All he achieved for his efforts was a low growl, warning him to pay more attention to the creature with teeth rather than the furs themselves. He tossed the fleeces over the two of them, covering them both up, but as they made love to each other, Aela started kicking them off. She dug her fingernails into the sides of his torso, causing blood to trickle along the joins of his scales. He let out a slight hiss and stopped. His eyes bore into hers but then he smiled as he saw she was fighting her urge to howl out. After several seconds she regained control then looked up at him. Aela smiled at him then slightly chuckled before giving him a slight nod, instructing him to carry on.

     

    At one point, Farkas murmured. Both Aela and Sotek froze as they stared across the camp at his tent. After a few seconds, Aela nodded again once she was sure Farkas was still asleep. Sotek however was still watching the tent so he never saw Aela’s signal. She angrily slapped his chest, which took his immediate attention. His eyes looked down at her to see her glaring at him. Once they made eye contact, Aela’s eyes flicked down to her body, then she glared at Sotek once more. He proceeded to kiss her neck again as they carried out their passionate act.

     

    A few minutes later when they came to a stop, Aela slid next to him as Sotek held her in his arms. Sotek once again pulled a few furs over them while Aela rested her head on his chest. She then leaned over him and gave him a long loving kiss.
    “Oh Hircine… I needed that”. A second later she was away like a thief in the night, heading back to her tent. Sotek watched her creep through the camp, her naked form silhouetted against the glowing embers of the campfire.

     

    As he laid there, he became aware of the night’s chill as the icy grip of Skyrim’s climate took hold. He cast a quick glance at his tent which he had abandoned an hour before Aela’s visit, due to it feeling stuffy. He now resided in the courtyard. He quickly got dressed then fed the fire some more wood. After he gave the fire a quick blast of his flame spell, the fresh wood caught light and the fire was burning brightly once more, casting its warmth throughout the camp.

     

    While he watched the flames, his eyes found themselves drawn to the door to Forelhost. He walked over to it casually, almost like he was on an evening stroll. There was no hurry to his pace, as if he was happy to reach the door regardless on however long it took. When he finally reached the entrance, he rested his hand upon the cold iron handle.

     

    Unexpectedly, from behind him, a female voice called out.
    “Don’t even think about it!”

     

    He chuckled to himself as he turned to look at the She-wolf’s lair. Aela was laying down in her tent, smothered in furs. He could see her outline on the side of the tent as the fire illuminated the other side of it.
    “I won’t, I promise. Get some sleep”. He smiled to himself but then his attention turned to the word wall which stood on the ramparts above him. As he looked up at the wall, he realized dawn was well on its way, so he hastily settled down.

     

    As Sotek lay sleeping, he started to dream. It was a quite typical dream of his, one which he enjoyed. He was out there on the plains, following a stream. Aela was there by his side, walking alongside him hand in hand. However, unlike his other dreams, something changed. Kodlak suddenly appeared in front of him. Dread seeped inside as Sotek started to become strangely aware that the figure that stood before him wasn’t his Harbinger at all. He could still sense Kodlak, but there was something else there as well.
    “Dreh Ni Kos Fass”. Boomed the voice which resonated in his mind. It was deep and carried a strength to it which he never felt before, but at the same time a strength that felt familiar to him.

     

    “Who in all the Hunting Grounds are you?”

     

    The figure lent back against a rock and folded his arms, he stood there casually as he looked at him.
    “Un Grind Lost Ni Bo Wah Vod Nuz Nii Fod Lost”.

     

    Sotek eyed the man suspiciously then a small wicked grin spread across the Argonian’s face. He nodded as if to himself and chuckled.
    “Taht fo drow a dootsrednu reven I”.

     

    ‘Kodlak’ paused and studied the young Argonian. His face seemed to gaze into distance as it flickered through ages past as if searching for a long forgotten memory.
    “Laan Los Daar? What language do you speak Siigonis? This is not Dovah!”

     

    Sotek almost took a step back in surprise. It wasn’t for the simple fact that the figure could speak, it was that the ‘Harbinger’ seemed far less sinister and more inquisitive, causing Sotek to lower his guard slightly. Still the cunning of the wolf remained though, and he made a point to keep his hand on his axe. The fact that he was dreaming wasn’t lost to him though. He knew from his mother, Quentarii, of waking dreams where some could talk and engage with others in a dream state.
    “It’s gibberish…”

     

    “I do not speak gibberish. Dovahkiin”. The man seemed to huff and awkwardly turn his head away towards the east. He looked upwards towards the top of the Throat of the World and sighed.

     

    “Sounds to me like you do. Why to Oblivion do you look like him? Harbinger?” Sotek’s voice gave the intruder no illusion, he wasn’t amused. The tone was more suited to an accusation than a question.

     

    “So as not to alarm you, until we have talked”. The voice was casual, calm. A fact which Sotek had noted, and one which aggravated him even more.

     

    “Well I don’t like it, so show yourself. By using him, you are doing yourself more harm than good. Show yourself or leave”. Sotek sealed the sentence with a dismissive hiss as his hand waved in front of his face as if shooing off a fly.

     

    ‘Kodlak’ stood up then moved a few paces towards him. Sotek never backed off, he just stood his ground, ready to fight.
    “Rinik Pruzah… Very well”. An engulfing, howling blizzard coiled around them for several seconds before dying down and dissipating. Where before Sotek was on the plains, he now found himself on the top of a snow-covered mountain plateau.

     

    He looked over towards the other side of the snowy domain. There, on top of a word wall was a large white dragon. One who was far bigger than that of the other dragons he had already seen. He calmly walked towards the edge of the mountain towards the west. Below him stood the stone clad monastery.
    “High Hrothgar? We’re above High Hrothgar?”

     

    “Geh Daar Los Dii Naar. Yes, this is my home. This is where I stay and commune with the Greybeards”. The dragon stated as it almost lazily cast its gaze down the mountain to the monastery.

     

    Sotek felt some surprise at that comment. He turned towards the dragon then found himself studying it rather than treating it as a threat.
    “You talk with the Greybeards?”

     

    The dragon stretched out then stepped off the word wall. He walked a few paces towards Sotek then stretched his neck out slightly. Sotek just watched as the dragon’s maw moved to within a few feet of him.
    “I don’t talk with them, I lead them. You are not afraid?”

     

    Sotek faintly smiled then stepped towards the dragon. He was barely a foot away from the dragon’s teeth which, at least to him, looked like daggers.
    “Afraid? Of what? This is a dream. Ok, we’re actually talking, but it’s still a dream”.

     

    The dragon smiled as his mouth opened slightly. He sniffed at Sotek, who still stood there apparently unalarmed or even bothered in the slightest.
    “A dream? Just a dream? People die in dreams”.

     

    Sotek leaned into him and rested both his hands on the dragon’s snout. He smiled as he whispered his response.
    “Not only people, so do dragons”.

     

    The dragon laughed then nodded.
    “Indeed. My name is Paarthurnax, I am the leader of the Greybeards.” The whole mood then turned like it does when a storm cloud breaks across the horizon and rapidly spreads across the whole sky. Somewhat angrily the dragon turned his attention back to the Argonian and Paarthurnax’s voice boomed out once more. “They gave you a task to complete and yet it remains unfulfilled. Why have you not completed their task?”

     

    “Because I don’t want it. They taught me a shout, Whirlwind sprint. When I used it, I nearly killed someone. Someone important to me”.

     

    “Someone important?” Paarthurnax asked as he cast a wary eye on the Argonian.

     

    Sotek’s eyes seemed to mist over with images of the past as he looked beyond High Hrothgar and settled his focus on Whiterun.
    “Well, yes, someone I love”.

     

    Paarthurnax’s eyes seemed to burn into Sotek’s soul. Then an image of when he struck Aela appeared in front of him. Sotek stared at the image of Aela lying there, with blood pouring from her mouth. Within moments the vision changed to Aela on top of him making love to him on the plains the first night they slept together. Then he saw them both at Jorrvaskr telling the other Companions of their love.
    “Ahh yes, Aela the Huntress, Companion, werewolf. And the one who runs with you. Yes, I know you are a werewolf. I have watched, young Sotek. Watched Red and Scarface hunt”.

     

    Sotek felt some anger rise up inside himself. He tried to fight it, but finally he snapped.
    “Why are we talking? I don’t wish to be rude, but what is the point of all this? A threat? Do you intent to kill me? What?”

     

    “Do not be so impertinent, her attitude is rubbing off on you. I suggest you use some of that control. I have watched for nigh on a millennia. For too long I have watched the races grow and spread across the world. In all that time I have fought against the urge to fight and dominate, just as I have seen you too struggle with the desire for Rel… Dominance”. He stepped back then resumed his place on the word wall. He looked down at the ground in front of himself as he spoke slowly. “It took me centuries to control the will that burns inside like Yol… Fire. That very will which you have gained control of so easily”.

     

    At that basic comment Sotek snapped. He found himself responding harsher than that he had intended.
    “Easily? I haven’t found it easy at all”.

     

    “But you have, Dovakiin. You control that will, which I alone have only conquered after years of passing. I have seen men born, grow old and die before I had mastered that which you control after less than a single one of your years”

     

    Sotek shuffled his feet slightly then cast his gaze once more across the mountain towards the plains.
    “I don’t control it though”.

     

    “But you do, and now you seek to gather armor to help with that control. Armor you don’t need, I might add. But you’ll gather it anyway. When you are ready, seek me out. There are things to discuss, things which will not remain still and hidden, Dragonborn. There is another, he is not as you are… he is…. No! He is here”.

     

    A large shadow cast over the pair of them, a shadow of a dragon. As Sotek looked up at the cause of the shadow, a large dragon, similar in size to Paarthurnax swooped over them.

     

    Paarthurnax looked up at it then shouted.
    “Alduin, devourer of worlds”.

     

    Alduin hovered above Sotek, then stared down at him like someone studying an ant before crushing it under their finger. Sotek on instinct cast his bow spell, but then a searing blast of flame erupted from Alduin’s mouth. Sotek felt the fire engulf him as he became smothered in the flames.

     

    Sotek awoke with a start. He scrambled backwards, shuffling on the ground, only stopping when his back slammed into a rock. As he looked up, he found himself under the bemused, watching eyes of Aela and the other two Companions. Aela walked up to him and knelt beside him. “Hey, are you ok? What was it? A bad dream?”

     

    “Huh? What? A dream? Sorry, I need a minute”. He forced himself up to his feet then took in his surroundings. The camp was as it should have been, as was the fort. His hands and arms looked fine, but something inside told him that it wasn’t just a dream. He ignored the three of them as he walked across the courtyard and looked towards the Throat of the World. As he studied the peak, he realized for the first time that High Hrothgar never actually sat at the pinnacle of the mountain. Instead, it was positioned about three hundred feet below the top.

     

    While he was pondering upon the dream, Aela came alongside him and whispered.
    “We’re not having sex like that again if you keep going funny afterwards. Are you ok?”

     

    Sotek cast a quick glance at her then started laughing. He held her in his arm and gave her a slight squeeze.
    “It’s nothing that we did, I assure you of that. Have I told you how much I like it when you’re desperate?”

     

    She ignored his attempt at humor and pressed home her question, trying to force a suitable answer from her Shield Brother.
    “So? What is it?”

     

    Sotek broke away from Aela then stared at the mountain once more. He made her jump by suddenly shouting. In fact, he caught the three of them completely off guard.
    “Yol”. His fire breath shot up like a massive flare as his shout echoed along the landscape.

     

    “You stupid moron, you made me bloody jump. What’s wrong with you?” The Huntress shouted, drowning out the other pack members complaints and yells.

     

    Sotek took Aela’s hand and pulled her towards him.
    “Shush! Watch with me, just for a few moments”.

     

    They stood there for a good minute or so, until Aela broke away from him and stepped towards the edge slightly.
    “What are we looking for? There’s nothing there”.

     

    Sotek shook his head.
    “Oh, for howling out lou…” Aela easily detected the tone of disappointment. Let alone Sotek’s tail which slid between his feet and seemed to roll over and die.

     

    The next moment a flame shot up from the top of the Throat of the World mountain. Aela saw it immediately.
    “There! Did you see that?”

     

    Sotek nodded as his eyes fixed on the mountain peak once more.
    “Yes, yes I did”.

     

    A good several seconds later they heard a feint shout echo back to them.
    “Yol Toor Shul”.

     

    Aela felt perplexed as the other two came over to them.
    “What in oblivion! Who is that?”

     

    Sotek felt some fear enter his soul, but it soon became overwhelmed with curiosity.
    “A friend, I hope”. He cast a quick glance at the others then snapped out his orders. “Right, breakfast then we’ll see about making Aela here a proper Companion”.

     

    “Why, you cheeky bastard!” She gave him a playful shove then hugged him tightly. “I’ve prepared the venison. It won’t cook itself so shift your worthless tail and get on with it”.

     

    Sotek chuckled as he kissed the top of her head.
    “Yes, I’ll sort it. Come on, it won’t take long”. Within half an hour, the four of them were all sitting by the fire, enjoying their meal. Aela passed around some bottles to the others, which Vilkas and Farkas were quick to take but their cheers soon turned to grumbles when they realized the flasks were filled with water.
    “What in all of Tamriel is this crap?” Farkas stated as he spat a mouthful out upon the ground.

     

    Aela glared at him.
    “Ermm water? You drink it, you stupid oaf”.

     

    Sotek smirked across the campfire at him.
    “Either that or you give it to Aela so she can wash her face off after Red’s eaten. Either one’s a good choice”.

     

    Vilkas handed her the bottle back then slumped down on the ground in disgust.
    “Where’s the mead? Ale?”

     

    Sotek cast a quick glance at the mountain once more then a thought entered his head.
    “I’ll tell you what, providing there’s no trouble from the pair of you. After we’ve finished here, we’ll split up. You two can head over to Ivarstead. We’ll meet you there in three days time. I’ll even set up a tab for you at Vilemyr Inn”.

     

    Farkas nodded in agreement.
    “Sounds fair. You two get some time alone together and we get drunk. I presume you’ll be in that bear cave again?”

     

    Sotek shook his head.
    “No, I’ve got to see someone. Aela, would you be my shield sister and come with me?”

     

    Vilkas sniggered as he watched the pair of them.
    “You don’t have to call her your shield sister. If you want your mate to go, then just say it”.

     

    Sotek smirked but then his face turned serious.
    “I’ll bear that in mind, it’s true Aela’s my mate, friend and companion. But I’ll be taking Aela as a shield sister nether the less. We’re going to High Hrothgar, there’s someone I feel I need to see”.

     

    Aela felt a sudden chill as she listened to him. She looked past the forts ramparts and stared at the far away mountain where the fire shout originated from.
    “Just who is up there?”

     

    Sotek shrugged his shoulders.
    “I’m not entirely sure. You up for it?”

     

    Aela gave him a slight hug then kissed him on the lips.
    “Do you want me to?”

     

    “Yes”.

     

    “Then I’m your shield sister. But, that’s later. For now, we face the horrors in Forelhost. It’s full of undead you know. Are you afraid?” Aela asked, cocking an eyebrow at her mate.

     

    Sotek stared at the door briefly then shook his head.
    “When I die my wolf spirit will go to the Hunting Grounds where he will wait for his mate. What can death do to me?”

     

    Aela laughed as she gently thudded her head in his chest.
    “Hmm… And, my mate, if death claims me then she shall wait for him in the Hunting Grounds… So, you are not afraid… Good, then you can go first”.

     

    The four of them all checked their gear then after Aela drew her bow, she nodded to Sotek. He walked up to the door and rested his hand upon it. Then after a slight pause he started pushing it. It creaked ominously as the door opened out to reveal a pitch-black chamber. Stale air wafted out chocking him as Sotek stepped towards the entrance. Aela smiled at the others then suddenly shouted out
    “GGRrrarrll!!”

     

    Sotek jumped backwards and tripped on Aela’s foot which she had deliberately stuck out to try to catch him with. The next second he fell on his back with a loud bang as his armor hit the ground and his axe fell to the wayside. He growled out at her as she and the other two all stood there laughing at him. The next second Aela looked down at him and shook her head.
    “My brave dragonborn, come on you slimy coward, let’s go”. To add insult to injury, instead of stepping over him she stepped on his chest as she walked past.

     

    Farkas burst out laughing as he and Vilkas helped Sotek up.
    “See? She does use you as a door mat. You got it bad”.

     

    Sotek climbed to his feet then stared at Aela as she walked inside. “What a bitch”.

     

    She stuck her head around the door as she called back to him.
    “And you love me for it”. She then blew him a kiss and headed deeper within.

     

    Author’s note
    Some translations…

     

    “Dreh Ni Kos Fass” --- “Do not be afraid”

     

    “Un Grind Lost Ni Bo Wah Vod Nuz Nii Fod Lost” --- “Our meeting has not come to pass but it should have”.

     

    “Taht fo drow a dootsrednu reven I”
    For those who never understood this…
    Read it backwards…

     

    “Laan Los Daar? What language do you speak Siigonis? This is not Dovah!” --- “What is this? What language do you speak Argonian? This is not Dragon!”

     

    Special thanks to Vezrabuto  for the screenshot...

    May your claws always be sharp.

     

     

Comments

2 Comments   |   Meli likes this.
  • Meli
    Meli   ·  January 8, 2020
    I love Paarthy's entrance, brilliant :-)
    • Sotek
      Sotek
      Meli
      Meli
      Meli
      I love Paarthy's entrance, brilliant :-)
        ·  January 9, 2020
      Thanks Meli. I have to admit Sotek made it awkward as he dismissed the Greybeards task out of hand, forcing Paarth to try something else. There will be more of these 'waking dreams' later on.