U.O.T.W. Chapter 27 So You Think You Can Take Me On

• Posted by Sotek May 24, 2015 - Filed in TSC: CB Story - 993 views

  

  

   

  Several days later during an afternoons training session, Farkas’s face turned sour as he glanced over to Aela and Vilkas who were both grinning at him. The piece of straw which he clasped in his hand fell to the ground as he sighed before heading inside Jorrvaskr. Knowing that Kodlak spent most of the afternoons in his study, Farkas trod wearily across the hall to head towards the Under Croft.

   

  The Harbinger lifted his head up from the book he was reading as if he was forewarned by some mystical sense. Either that or he heard the giant bulky form of Farkas plodding along the corridor. He gazed along the passageway towards Farkas as the book slowly closed in his hands to then find itself resting upon a small table. The Harbingers fingers tapped on the cover a few times as he watched Farkas approach. Several minutes later Kodlak and Farkas were both engaged in a heavy discussion.

   

  “Are you sure about this?” The Harbinger asked while he studied Farkas’s features  as a way of reading his emotions.

   

  Farkas shrugged his shoulders as if to emphasize his indecision.

  “Yes, we think she’s right. We all talked about it yesterday”.

   

  “Who? Vilkas? Aela?” The Harbinger knew the answer already. There was no way Farkas would approach him about something like this off his own back. Farkas slightly nodded his head but Kodlak wanted more from him than that. His eyes narrowed and seemed to bore into Farkas as he spoke a single name which would confirm everything. “Aela?”

   

  “Yes. She mentioned it first”.

   

  The Harbingers eyes opened much wider giving him an owlish stare.

  “Then how come she isn’t here but you are?”

   

  “I... I picked the shortest straw”. Farkas stated as he shuffled about. He didn’t know what else to say. It was true though, none of them wanted to bring this up with the Harbinger.

   

  The Harbinger laughed to himself, that’s the one thing he could never see Sotek do. If Sotek wanted a word with someone then he would just walk straight up to them. Not pick straws hoping someone else would have to do it.

  “This might not go well”.

   

  “That’s why we picked straws…” He looked at the Harbinger and just shrugged.

   

  “After you sent them out, they have been different. Things have been different. A lot better… Hell even Aela’s calmed down. Yesterday a whelp screwed up while Aela was training him. She didn’t shout at him, just laughed a bit then corrected him… It was almost scary”.

   

  “Yes, I noticed the change in her. I was beginning to think she was ill”.

   

  He then sat back in his chair and weighed things up in his mind.

  “What of Sotek?”. His eyes once again fixed on Farkas.

   

  “He doesn’t know”.

   

  “Ok, keep this to yourself. He’s been having nightmares, bad ones about that day.”

   

  Farkas shook his head slightly. His eyes changed from a shallow nervous man to a stocky dependable fighter. Kodlak could see the sudden confidence in him straight away.

  “Had… Aela’s talked to the maid. Sotek hasn’t had any since that day we killed the dragon. I don’t know what they talked about the night before but he hasn’t had any since. Whatever it was, it did the trick. That’s sorted”.

   

  “Obviously you three have looked at this closely. Ok, gather them up outside”. As he watched Farkas head towards the stairway, he smiled to himself. He was pleased they went through all this trouble to rectify what weeks ago was a disaster. He just hoped it wouldn’t go wrong.

   

  Soon afterwards Aela and Sotek were sent to the Warmaiden’s on a simple errand. They had to collect a complete set of old iron armor for Eorlund. When they got back to the hall they found it surprisingly empty. At least Sotek was surprised, Aela knew what was happening so she wasn’t the least bit concerned.

   

  “There’s a chest on the far side of the hall. We’ll dump this gear… Trash in there. Only the nine divines knows why Eorlund wants this old tat”. Once Aela dropped the chest piece which she was carrying in the chest she scoured as she examined her hands. Bit’s of flaky rust and stains smothered her palms marking her skin. “Urgh”. Her face screwed up as she glanced at Sotek before she wiped her hands on his shirt to remove the worst of the debris from the old armor. Sotek’s shoulders dropped as he gawped at her for her audacity however he never moved away or even stopped her. He simply stood there patiently waiting for her to finish cleaning her hands.

   

  Once Aela was ready she asked Sotek to follow her as she headed outside to the courtyard.

   

  As they entered the training area, everyone was there waiting for them both. The whelps, Farkas, Vilkas, even Eorlund, and the Harbinger. Sotek knew something was going on but he didn’t know what. As he turned to Aela for answers, she whispered to him.

  “It’s your trial, your proper one”. She stated as she discreetly squeezed his hand before walking off to join the others.

   

  Tilma tutted as she walked towards him carrying a clean shirt.

  “When are you going to dress smarter? Look at you, you’re like a baby. Get this on. And hurry it up their waiting”.

   

  Sotek sighed as he pulled the shirt off all the while he could hear Aela chuckling to herself knowing full well that she was responsible for the previous shirts state. As she watched Sotek throw the shirt on a stool she found herself staring at his naked chest. She snapped out of her trance like stare when she became aware that she was biting her bottom lip.

   

  Sotek stood by the doors for a few seconds as his eyes fell upon the training yard. His hand found its way to his pocket and gently started playing with whatever he kept there. Aela had asked him about it before but he just couldn’t tell her, not yet.

   

  The Harbinger walked to the middle of the yard and spoke loudly so everyone could hear him.

  “Sotek, this is your trial. Everyone is aware of the… Complications that has surrounded your previous trial. However that now seems to have faded in the past. It has been requested that you have the opportunity of a new one. A new trial. However due to your unique abilities, the three companions have some requests to make before the trial starts”. Sotek drew a deep breath then walked to the middle of the yard to where the Harbinger beckoned him. His eyes however were fixed on Aela.

   

  Vilkas was the first to call out at him with his request.  

  “No fireballs or stuff like that”. As he spoke he semi consciously rubbed his chin where the previous fireball had struck him.

   

  Farkas followed suit by adding his statement.

  “No shooting arrows at us. I still don’t know if that day, you would have shot me”. What he kept to himself was the simple fact that it was true. He’ll never shake that image of Sotek’s intensive glare as he lined up the arrow.

   

  As if Sotek knew what was going on in Farkas’s head, he looked down to the ground and smiled to himself.

   

  Aela looked hard at Sotek as she studied him. Over the course of the last week since that night they slept together on the plains they became close. She felt the line blur as to who he was. Shield brother, lover, friend, Sotek was all of these. She closed her eyes tightly as she fought with her feelings. A low growl slipped out from her lips as she fortified her will. Not today, here and now Sotek was an enemy. Today she wouldn’t let up. Her request was simple and straight to the point.

  “No dragon shouts”.

   

  Sotek looked at the three of them, then turned and starred for a few seconds at the area where Aela fell weeks before. With slow and deliberate movements he headed to the same spot then kneeled down and rested his hand on the dusty earth. After carefully scooping a small handful of dirt Sotek sniffed the earth before dusting off his hands. He lifted himself up and walked back to where the Harbinger had directed him to. Subconsciously his hand went in his pocket to once again hold the item he kept so dearly. He then turned to the Harbinger bringing his empty hand out into the open again.

  “I got two requests to make of my own. First, no weapons!!! I’ll not draw another weapon against any of you… Not again”.

   

  Farkas interrupted him.

  “We need to, else we can’t…”

   

  Sotek lifted his hand up cutting Farkas off.

  “I mean, I won’t use them against you, any of you. I just can’t”. He shook his head as just the thought of it made him feel sick. Once again his hand found its way into his pocket. “You all can, but I won’t”.

   

  Aela spoke up.

  “Sotek, you got to try to beat us. I’m not going to just let you beat me, none of us are”. Her face was heavy, full of concern of Sotek’s well being.

   

  He glanced over towards her, then just smiled as if he understood her fears.

  “My second is four days time. We’ll have this ‘Trial’ in four days time”.

   

  The Harbinger nodded in agreement as he stood up. He understood why Sotek couldn’t use weapons against the Companions, but he still felt sure they were in for a hard time.

  “Agreed”.

   

  Without another word to the three Companions, Sotek turned around and headed straight to Dragonsreach. Half a hour later he returned and asked to speak to the Harbinger privately. They retired to his chamber for a few hours. Shortly afterwards Sotek left Jorrvaskr and headed to the Main gate.

   

  An hour after he left, the Harbinger called the Companions together in his study.

   

  “Soteks left for another city, he’ll be gone for a few days. Aela, he’s asked me to tell you not to worry, he’s safe. I know you both have grown close. Don’t concern yourself, ok?” She simply nodded as she buried her feelings from the others.

   

  “Oh, one more thing…” The Harbinger added. “He told me to stress one point to you all. He said to warn you all that he has no intention on ‘trying’ to beat you three”

   

  Vilkas tilted his head to the side as his voice boomed out in the small chamber.

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” 

   

  The Harbinger shrugged as he wasn’t overly sure himself.

  “Either he won’t fight, or he has a plan. Personally, knowing what he’s like, I would say that he has a plan…”

   

  The three of them left the Harbingers study to come to a stop several feet away from the camber so they could discuss the latest update on the previous day’s events. Aela watched the other two for a few seconds before voicing her thoughts.

  “Well? What do you make of that?”

   

  Vilkas blatantly replied.

  “I think we had better train, hard”

   

  Aela rolled her eyes at him and huffed at his lack of input before turning towards Farkas.

  “And what do you think?”

   

  “Me, hell I think we’re screwed”. Then he drew a deep breath and headed to the training area.

   

  The four days went quick for Sotek, the nights however dragged, he never realized how many hours there actually were between sundown, and sunrise. He knew his problem, he was missing Aela.

   

  For Aela the whole time was agony, and not just for herself. She was snappy, irritable, and few times near downright hostile. At one point a whelp approached her holding a bow. She glared at him with as much hostility as she could muster. He turned around on the spot, picked up a sword and approached Vilkas instead. 

   

  Soon enough, the day arrived for Soteks return to Jorrvaskr. Aela waited for hours by a small stone bridge so that she could watch the road that he would travel on by Carriage. When she saw the cart approach from around the mountainside, she started running towards it. Sotek was watching the scenic picturesque view of Whiterun when he saw her. After signaling to the driver, he climbed off the cart once it came to a stop.

   

  Both Aela and Sotek came to a stop just a few feet away from each other.  Aela smiled at the driver while she waited for the cart to pass by. All the while she was struggling with building anticipation at being in Sotek’s arms once again. As the cart crossed the bridge to continue along the route towards Whiterun, Aela glanced over her shoulder to see if it had deviated from its intended path.

   

  The moment she saw the cart disappear from sight, she couldn’t help herself. She jumped up at Sotek, wrapping her arms and legs around him. He threw his arms around her, holding her tight, while at the same time he gave her a passionate kiss. Her scent overwhelmed his senses to the point where he couldn’t let her go.

  “I missed you so much”. He beamed as he held her tightly. 

   

  Still with her legs wrapped around him, and his arms securely holding her, she held his face between her hands and gave him another long loving kiss.

  “I missed you like crazy”.

   

  A few hours later they arrived at Whiterun to find Vilkas was waiting impatiently by the main gate.

  “What the hell kept you two? The carriage driver said you were half hours walk away. That was hours ago”.

   

  Aela turned red from embarrassment and just run inside laughing while Sotek shrugged his shoulders as he smirked at Vilkas.

  “We took a umm... Short cut”.

   

  It was early the next morning when Sotek prised himself out of bed. He washed his face in the basin which stood in the far corner of his room before fully submerging his head under the water for several seconds so he could enjoy the cooling sensation which significantly helped him to relax.

   

  Instead of using a hand towel, he shook off the excess water before silently dressing himself in his armor. His mind turned towards the trail as he weighed in his hands his two axes before attaching them to his sides. As he left his room, he took one last peek inside then quietly closed the door. 

   

  Surprisingly the Harbinger along with Farkas were already in the yard. Kodlak was eating a large piece of bread along with a lump of cheese while Farkas practiced a few moves with his sword and shield until he noticed Sotek sit opposite the Harbinger. He lowered his weapon and watched Sotek munch on an apple as he tried to work out what was going to happen. During the next ten minutes the others all ventured outside to the training area. All of them, except one.

   

  The door to Sotek’s room opened slowly from the inside just wide enough for a head to pop out beyond the frame. Two narrow eyes glanced along the corridor to see if there was anyone around. Once she was satisfied, Aela sneaked out of the room and snuck into her own quarters.

   

  A good twenty minutes later than everyone else, Aela appeared in the yard. She looked tired and her hair was unkempt.

  “Sorry, I had a long night… Good night… Bad night… Whatever I’m here”. Unusually for her, she was smiling.

   

  The Harbinger looked at her with a slightly confused expression on his face due to Aela’s ramblings.

  “Are you ok?”

   

  She stood right up and straightened her armor before nodding to him reassuringly.

  “Yes, sorry”. Only then did she take her place alongside Vilkas and Farkas.

   

  Tilma silently cursed as she waved to Aela to get her attention. Aela saw her frantic waving and mimed across the yard to her.

  “What?”

   

  In response to Aela who was now watching her, Tilma tapped the side of her head as she mimed back.

  “Your hair”.

   

  Aela’s face screwed up as she stared back at the maid until she realized in her haste that she never brushed it.

  “Oh right!!!”. She then spat in both her palms before smoothing down her hair with her hands as best as she could.

   

  Tilma cringed as she covered her face with her hands before shaking her head in disbelief. She muttered to herself despairingly.

  “That girl. What am I to do with her…”

   

  Ignorant to Tilma’s plight, Sotek stood in the middle of the training yard with as much confidence as he could muster.

  “Right, who’s first?”. His voice sounded out across the yard like a blustery wind however the truth was far from what it seemed. Inside he felt shaky and nervous due to the last trial he had taken.

   

  The Harbinger who wasn’t taken in with Sotek’s bravado smiled warmly as he could see the slight tremble in Sotek’s hands. Without delaying the inevitable he replied to the Argonian with a question of his own.

  “Who do you want first?” As he spoke he studied the three Companions.

   

  Sotek dismissed Aela immediately. He may have felt nervous but he had a game plan and she was the last one on his list.

  “Ok… Vilkas, Farkas, then Aela”. he paused for a few seconds to confirm his choice then nodded to himself as he was happy with his selection.

   

  The Harbinger stood up from his chair and started the proceedings.

  “Ok Vilkas, are you ready?”

   

  “Yes Harbinger”. As Vilkas calmly walked to his starting position, he drew his two handed sword. 

   

  “No, hold on!” Sotek called out stopping the proceedings before they even started. He made his way to the table and placed down his axe, bow and the quiver of arrows along with his skinning dagger before resuming his position. “Ok, Vilkas. When you’re ready”.

   

  Aela stood on a table to get a proper view, her eyes were fixed on Sotek. Every ounce of her was willing him to win.

   

  Farkas called out to him as he had expected Sotek to have at least one weapon despite what he had said when he was told about the new trial.  “Sotek, are you sure about this? You know we will be attacking... Right?” Inside he was worried for himself.

   

  Sotek just glanced over to Farkas and cast an evil smile, then he yelled out to everyone.

  “Begin!”

   

  Vilkas charged across the yard with his two handed sword raised up poised ready to strike when Sotek lifted his hands up in front of himself and cast a spell. A green orb formed within a few seconds before flying straight at Vilkas’s chest. His face rapidly changed from conviction to confusion and finally froze with fear as he found he was unable to move or even prevent himself from toppling over due to the paralysis spell which Sotek had just cast.

   

  Aela laughed as Vilkas collided with the floor like a statue toppling over. She beamed with enthusiasm as she shouted out.

  “Strike one!”

   

  Farkas took his position as he gazed across the yard towards Sotek. Fearing the worst he drew his sword and shield then yelled out his battle cry as he charged forwards. Sotek grimaced for a fraction of a second before holding out one hand. Moments later he cast a different spell. This time a dark blue portal appeared in front of him. Moments later a spectral wolf leaped out into the training yard. Upon seeing Farkas charging towards it, it immediately turned and attacked him.

   

  After about six seconds Farkas managed to beat it to the ground. One thrust of his sword was enough to end its short life span and send it back to the realm it came from. As soon as he turned to Sotek, he saw a second portal open as yet another spectral wolf appear. Farkas just looked at it for a moment, then lowered his sword in defeat. He knew it was pointless, once he defeated this wolf Sotek would just summon another one. It walked around in front of Sotek patrolling the few feet in front of him then sat down and gave out a long loud  howl.

   

  Vilkas who was now sitting on a chair spoke up to the others as he voiced his thoughts.

  “See! I told you all there was howling last night”.

   

  Aela went red as a beetroot and she knew Sotek saw it in her face. He called out to the others as a means of distracting them while Aela hid in her hands. “Sorry that was... Me! I was practicing”.

   

  Aela couldn’t hold it in and just burst out laughing, Sotek instantly joined in. After a few seconds they composed themselves once more, but Aela still had an attack of the giggles despite her best attempts at regaining control.

   

  Sotek mentally prepared himself for the confrontation with Aela. He walked back another twelve feet, leaving a exceptionally large distance between himself and his adversary. He then asked her a favor which he hoped that she would comply with.

  “Due to the distance involved, would you consider starting with your bow on the ground?”

   

  The moment Aela glanced across the yard at him, she promptly burst out laughing. Trying to compose herself yet again and struggling to say ‘yes’ Aela’s bow slipped out of her fingers and fell upon the ground. She shrugged her shoulders before turning to face the Harbinger with a big silly grin on her face and tried to say ‘sorry’ but failed completely. Everyone was watching her except Sotek who turned his back on them all. His shoulders started to shake slightly as he was trying desperately not to laugh himself.

   

  Once she managed to control herself, she called out to him making him turn around to face her.

  “Ready”.

   

  Sotek closed his eyes for a few seconds as he calmed his mind. His eyes shot open and fixed on the bow.

  “Call it!”

   

  Kodlak desperately tried to work out what Soteks plan was but he couldn’t fathom out anything. He decided the best thing was to let it play out.

  “Now!”

   

  Aela quickly bent down and grabbed her bow all the while not taking her eyes off Sotek. Trouble was there was no bow to grab. She looked down in shock to see her bow being dragged across the yard as if by an invisible hand. It lifted itself up and flew straight towards Sotek who was standing there with his hand held out. As he concentrated on his spell, he snatched the bow from the air as it floated just in front of him.

  “Strike three!”

   

  All the while Aela just stood there, still bent down to the ground, dumbfounded.

   

  Sotek walked up to her and handed her the bow. There they faced each other properly since the night before when Aela had crept into Sotek’s room. As they looked into each other’s eyes, Aela raised her eyebrows a few times whilst she grinned. Sotek slightly nodded and smiled. As one they threw their heads back and howled, then instantly the pair of them burst out laughing. 

   

  As he went to the table and collected his weapons, Aela followed him across the yard.

  “Where did you go? You still haven’t told me”.

   

  “Winterhold. The Jarls mage Farengar told them about my magical capabilities, so they trained me to use more spells. However there’s still much to learn”.

   

  “Will you be going again?” She dreaded the answer, she knew he would be. He had to.

   

  “Depends”. He whispered quietly so the others wouldn’t hear them.

   

  “On what?”

   

  “If I have to go alone, or a certain someone comes with me”. He gave Aela a discrete smile as he whispered.

   

  The Harbinger called the Huntress over to him.

  “Aela!” Such was the unexpected harshness in the Harbingers voice that Aela jumped with a start.

   

  After quickly congratulating Sotek on his victory, the Harbinger lead Aela to his chamber, where Vilkas and Farkas were waiting.