Aela was hurting all over, her entire torso ached and the bruises were still clearly evident. Looking around the temple she replayed the events leading to her being here. She knew she gone too far, all three of them had. The Harbinger was right, they didn’t give Sotek a chance. If the truth was told, Aela blamed herself far more than she did Sotek.
Her attention was pulled from her thoughts to the sudden but discrete whisperings from the other side of the temple. Sotek was quietly talking to the priestess. Aela tried to speak but she was surprised at the weakness in her voice. All she could do was make a hushed husky whisper. Sotek looked across to her and gave a faint smile before putting down some animal skins on a bench. Moments later he pushed open the two large double doors and exited the temple quietly. Throughout the day she saw him coming and going, but each time he would look across at her, see her looking back at him then disappear.
The next morning Aela awoke to a noisy disruption. All the companions and whelps came bursting into the temple in the guise of a rowdy mob. The priestess held her hands up as she tried to establish some form of control.
“No!! Only a few at a time!!” She found herself on the verge of yelling but it was of no use and she was quickly overwhelmed. All the Companions and Whelps swarmed around Aela. Almost at once they started talking over one another. Each member of the Companions trying desperately to be the one heard first as they started telling her what they’ve been up to. Farkas told a funny story about when Vilkas tripped up and spilled his flask of mead over the Harbinger which caused everyone except Vilkas to roar with laughter. Aela knew he was joking but she still sat up and chuckled slightly even though it hurt. Soon afterwards everyone started to disperse then for the rest of the day just the odd one or two came in to check on her every other hour or so. Even the Harbinger came to see her. Everyone did except for Sotek. Although Aela saw him far more than the others, he stayed away from her and just watched her at a distance.
That night there was a further disruption. However this time it was far more serious than the swarm of visitors earlier. Wolves had attacked a farm badly hurting two farmers. One farmer was laid out near her while the other was being taken to a second stone slab bed on the far side of the room. Although she was half asleep, Aela heard the priestess calling out to someone in the shadows.
“There’s no time. Do what I do”. The priestess said a spell loudly, then Aela heard Sotek nearby repeating it. There was several seconds of silence then a bright golden light like the one used on her in the training yard shone from the far side. A few seconds later another bright golden light shone nearby illuminating the area. In the brightness she could see Sotek casting the same spell on the farmer.
After a few seconds the light faded and although she felt weak Aela pulled herself up.
“What happened?”
Sotek explained quietly as if not to disturb the two injured farmers any more than he had to.
“Wolves… They attacked a farm but it’s all settled now”
Aela looked at him and started to speak but before she could say anything Sotek intervened.
“Shush… You need to rest”. With those words Sotek left.
Soon enough the third day came round and Aela returned to Jorrvaskr. Kodlak had ordered that the furniture be moved about to accommodate a bed in the main hall so Aela wouldn’t be alone downstairs. As the Companions and their fellow whelps hustled and bustled around her, she surveyed the hall for the one whelp she needed to see but he wasn’t there. The more she thought about it the sicker in the stomach she felt until she couldn’t take it anymore.
“Where’s Sotek?” The Harbinger sat next to her and asked for quiet. Immediately the crowd dispersed around the hall.
He gently held her hand as he whispered quietly to her.
“Well he’s been busy”
Aela scrutinized his face as she tried to read the Harbingers features.
“Busy where?”
Kodlak found himself staring at the floor as he tried to explain Soteks latest activities.
“At the temple, taking furs, meat, fruit and herbs. You must have seen him about. Have you not?”
“Yes I have, but why has he been doing that?”
“To pay for your keep… The temple refused to take gold for looking after you, so Sotek worked for them instead. He’s becoming quite a good hunter”
Aela’s flicked around the hall despite her knowing that Sotek wasn’t there.
“Where is he now?”
Kodlak sadly turned towards the doors leading to the training area.
“Outside… He hasn’t come in since the ermm… Accident”
Aela’s eyes became fixed on the same doors that opened out to the yard where they would train… Where she fell.
“Outside? All this time?”
Kodlak sighed slightly as he nodded.
“Yes, I’m afraid so. But your home now so with some luck he’ll return as well”
Outside, the blacksmith Eorlund was working at the Skyforge. He gazed down to Sotek who was slumped over the table top.
“Come here!!! I have a job for you”. Sotek mumbled under his breath then slowly made his way up the ramp. He stood there as silent as the grave as he stared at the glowing cinders in the forge, watching them change though different shades of oranges and reds.
Eorlund watched him for a few seconds then he thrust a shield into Sotek’s arms.
“Take this shield to the hall. It belongs to one of the Companions”.
“Which one?” Sotek enquired as he looked down towards the doors.
“Aela…”
Sotek felt genuine surprise as he examined the heavy shield in his hands.
“Aela’s shield!”
“Yup, you didn’t know she uses a dagger and shield as well did ya!!!”
Sotek slowly shook his head as he pictured Aela training in the yard.
“I’ve only seen her with her bow”
Eorlund huffed in response.
“Just like you didn’t know she’s back”. He looked at Sotek with his cold hard stare.
“You can’t stay out here forever, be off with you”. He grabbed Sotek gently but firmly by the shoulders and pushed him towards the ramp.
Sotek slowly headed down to Jorrvaskr but when he got to the door he hesitated for a few minutes before heading in. Over the right side of the hall near the fire pit was the bed Aela was resting in. She was sitting up talking to the others. Sotek froze unable to move, all he wanted to do was run. The Harbinger was the first one to see him standing there.
Kodlak walked towards him speaking loudly as he did so.
“Now that’s a sight we won’t see often. Someone that will face a giant running towards him. Face three companions totally defiant, and yet trembles in fear at Aela whose bed ridden. Really Sotek, I don’t think she is that terrifying”.
The whelps didn’t know whether to laugh or not but the companions certainly did, Aela included. Kodlak gave Sotek a reassuring smile then after easily guessing both Sotek and Aela needed to talk, he indiscriminately cleared the room.
“Right!!! Everyone out… She needs rest”. He then proceeded to usher everyone out of the hall, everyone except for the Argonian. Sotek went up to Aela and placed her shield beside the bed. He stood there like a statue unable to find any words to say. All he could do was to blabber out nothing, like a goldfish in a tank. His lips were moving but he never uttered a single sound.
Aela spoke quietly as her voice was still frail.
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry we pushed you so hard”
Sotek just shook his head in response.
“It was he that pushed you”
Aela felt some confusion in what he had said untill she realized he was talking in third person. She smiled as she replied back.
“He as in you... we drove you to it. We went too far, I’m so sorry”
Sotek frowned as his eyes traced along the bed.
“You’re sorry, he's sorry, Harbingers sorry. He don’t want you to be sorry… he wants you back on your feet. Rest now”. With that he gave her hand a light squeeze then without another word he headed downstairs.
Once Sotek had returned to his room, he laid there in the darkness for hours replaying events in his head. All the while in his hand he held something tightly. He toyed with it for over an hour then gradually he fell asleep but even then his hand held on to it in a vice like grip.
Aela spent the next hour awake, knowing that her family was hurting. It was like a wound that nobody could see, but they all knew it was there. A wound she caused by her arrogance. She also knew somehow she had to sort it out and help it heal.
Have you missed the previous chapter ?
Chapter 14 : http://goo.gl/LkJGSQ
if you have any suggestions feel free to mention them in the comments and upvotes are appreciated.
Uceph you thieving scum. this is my story I started writing in December 2012. How dare you steal my work written for my wife when she was having cancer treatment.
I demand this story is taken down and that your account is banned from here!!!
Sotek Loyal Hound of Hircine
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit