U.O.T.W. Chapter 23 Eyes Like A Hawk

• Posted by Sotek May 16, 2015 - Filed in TSC: CB Story - 1,012 views

   

  

   

  The next day a stranger came to the hall. A young Nord woman arrived with the hopes of joining the ranks of the Companions. However over the next few days of training her attitude with Sotek grew to a point where she felt that the other whelps and herself were being treated unfairly. The whelps were being pushed hard, with a constant training program and on top of that they couldn’t go out and carryout work yet. However Sotek who wasn’t a full Companion but still a Whelp; actually he was the second newest member of them all, didn’t train at all. Also on top of that he had already helped clear out a bandit lair. That in itself was a job strictly for companions only. If that wasn’t enough, he would frequently go off hunting by himself. The whelps couldn’t even look at the plains without permission.

   

  She decided to have a word with Aela about the situation. Her answer was a short harsh reprimand, but Aela did agree to keep an eye on Sotek.

   

  Over the next few days Aela started watching Sotek far closer. One thing bothered her, the whelp was right. He never did once train. He never stood with her, Vilkas nor Farkas, neither did he train with the whelps. Every day he would sit in the chair watching everyone else. Aela looked around the yard at Farkas who was currently training two whelps while Vilkas was training by himself. Sotek however was as usual sitting in the same blasted chair.

   

  Deciding she had enough she approached Vilkas and pulled him aside.

  “Got a question for you”. She spoke quietly not wanting to gather attention from anyone else.

   

  Vilkas lowered his sword and faced Aela, he could see she was troubled.

  “What is it?”

   

  “Do you train Sotek?”

   

  He thought about it for a few seconds then lifted his sword up for emphasis.

  “Ermm no but then I use a two handed sword… I guess Farkas with his sword and shield?”

   

  Then a thought crossed his mind.

  “Don’t you train him with his bow?”

   

  Aela slightly shook her head at him.

  “That’s just it, no I don’t. He hasn’t done anything for days”.

   

  He dismissed Aela’s argument on the spot.

  “Naa he’s trained, you can see he’s improving. Yesterday he brought in three wolf skins. Aela, they were clean kills, you said so yourself”.

   

  She started turning moody feeling she wasn’t getting anywhere. Across the yard she saw Farkas so she yelled out to him. Any attempt at discretion was quickly forgotten.

  “Farkas you got a minute?” She yelled out.

   

  Farkas walked casually over to the two of them.

  “What’s up guys?”

   

  “When did you last see Sotek train?”

   

  “Oh by the nines, what is it with him. Give the guy a break”. His tone was low due to being totally fed up at trying to bear a grudge. He just didn’t feel that way anymore towards the Argonian.

   

  Feeling slightly surprised, Aela looked up at his face and reassuringly held his arm.

  “No, I’m not picking on him. I just can’t remember when he trained last”. She stated as she tried to defend herself.

   

  Farkas looked around the yard at the whelps as he cast his mind back.

  “Well he trained, ermm, he was…” That’s when he stopped and looked at Sotek sitting on the chair over the other side of the courtyard. He then turned to Vilkas. “You know she’s right, he just sits in that chair all day”.

   

  “What’s he done now Aela?”

  The Harbinger asked. He had heard Aela’s yell so decided to investigate the source of the commotion.

   

  Farkas instantly grabbed Vilkas’s arm and dragged him away leaving Aela to face the Harbinger alone.

  “Errm who? We were discussing training sessions”.

   

  “Sotek’s?”

   

  “Ermm yea, yes Sotek’s”. She then sat down by the wall, looking over towards the training dummies. “I’m worried about him, he’s improving but he still lacks skill. He’s gonna get into a fight he can’t handle. He doesn’t train with any of us, he just sits there in the chair for hours, everyday watching”.

   

  “Do you think he’s getting better?” The Harbingers voice had its usual calming effect which he often depended upon to pull in Aela’s reins.

   

  “Yes, but…”

   

  The Harbinger cut her off.

  “I don’t think I’ve ever seen him watch”.

   

  Aela was getting frustrated. She tried to remain calm but her face belied her attempts and started screwing up as she slightly snarled back at Kodlak.

  “But you have… He sits there…” As she snapped at the Harbinger she pointed over to Sotek sitting on the chair still watching the whelps.

   

  “Oh yes he sits there or the bench alright. But, does he watch or observe?” He spoke slowly allowing Aela to actually understand his point. “Aela, tomorrow your job is to watch him. Watch him closely, very closely in fact”. With that he gave her a slight smile then made his way inside.

   

  The next morning Aela was up early training in the yard.  A whelp approached her and asked about some finer points on archery. Knowing she had to watch Sotek, she arranged to train with the whelp that afternoon. A little while later, the others started coming outside into the courtyard, and soon enough Sotek was there sitting in his usual spot.

   

  Aela spent the morning sitting behind him watching him just like the Harbinger had instructed.

  Nearing midday the Harbinger approached Aela and discretely talked to her. 

  “Well, have you seen it?”

   

  “What? Seen what? You told me to watch him so I have. He just sits there”.  Her voice was quiet but it was laced with frustration.

   

  The Harbinger just shook his head as his eyes rolled across their sockets. He discretely pointed towards Sotek for emphasis.

  “Look closer, at his feet”.

   

  At that point Aela could have screamed at him. In her mind the words screamed out at the Harbinger. ‘Feet? What about his bloody feet’. But as she thought it she couldn’t help but look at Sotek’s feet. Ever so slightly they shifted position causing Aela’s eyes to open wide.

   

  The Harbinger smiled, he knew she had seen it. He then asked her a question.

  “Where’s Sotek?”

   

  “In the chair”, she stated.

   

  “Yes, but where does he think he is? In his mind?”

   

  She confusingly glanced at the Harbinger for clarification to his meaning.

  “What the hell in Oblivion are you on about… Harbinger…” She was trying to, but she really didn’t get any of this at all.

   

  Kodlak chuckled slightly.

  “Oh dear, very well. Watch him and Farkas. Farkas is training yes?”

   

  She looked across to where Farkas was.

  “Yep, with a whelp”.

   

  “In Sotek’s mind he’s there, alongside him. He’s copying every move which Farkas makes, hands feet, even swings”. Then the Harbinger laughed out loud drawing everyone’s attention.

   

  He whispered quietly to Aela

  “He trains with all of you, and he never even gets out of the chair. You should count yourselves lucky if a whelp even gives you half the attention he gives you”.

   

  Throughout the course of that day she sat there and watched him. They were subtle, his movements. Slight hand motions, feet shifting just an inch, timed to whoever was out there training. Even when she trained the whelp from earlier, she could feel him standing next to her. Obeying her instructions, as he mentally lined up his next shot.

   

  That evening the whelp who had spoke to Aela a few days before about Sotek’s training was overcome with frustration. She had a bad day’s training herself and simply had enough. Seeing Sotek sitting alone on the step near the fire pit she decided to sort things out herself.

   

  She went over to him and stood right in front of him, towering over him.

  “Why don’t you train with anyone?” Her whole tone and body language was screaming out for a fight.

   

  Sotek just glanced up at her.

  “I’m sorry what?”

   

  “Why don’t you train with us, you sit there watching everyone, but you never bloody train. Why not?” She stood there tapping her foot as she demanded an explanation.

   

  He just lent back, gave a deep sigh and held something in his pocket. He gripped it so tight his entire arm tensed up, Aela noticed it straight away.

   

  The whole hall fell silent, as all eyes fell on Sotek and the whelp.

   

  Vilkas spoke loudly but slowly.

  “He did… Once, but one day me Farkas and A…”

   

  Sotek instantly cut him off. 

  “Another… An archer…” Then he sat there silent letting Vilkas carry on. Instantly the whole atmosphere in the room changed, like a gigantic thunder cloud formed amongst the rafters.

   

  Vilkas initially was thrown off track but he managed to continue.

  “Errmm, another… We faced him in the yard. We thought we would beat him. We faced him and we tried to cut him down”. Then his voice went quiet and dark. “He beat us, all of us. He used fireballs on me, arrows on Farkas, and his axe on ermm  the archer...”

   

  Aela sat in silence as she watched Sotek while he sat there on the step holding that thing he held when he was emotionally upset; holding on to it with an iron grip. Sotek stood up completely unable to hear, or even cope with it anymore.

  “I don’t like this story”. He stated then immediately he started to head out to the courtyard. 

   

  The whelp that started it all stood there watching him walk towards the doors. It was then that she asked one more question.

  “What happened to the archer?”

   

  Sotek stopped, he didn’t turn to anyone. His eyes blazed with a fiery anger and burned into the door, the silence was shattered by a loud hiss as he answered.

  “Sshe died”. Then he went outside without saying another word.