White Wolf

Ch. 2

"What are you thinking about?" His brother's voice jerked him from his thoughts. "Huh?" "You have that look again." Vilkas smiled, "She put up one hell of a fight. I wouldn't have bested her if not for the beastblood." "Do you think she's human?" "She smelled like it. She's certainly no vampire. She looks and smells too healthy for that. I could hear her heartbeat. She said she killed Ulfric Stormcloak, so she's strong enough to withstand the thu'um. There are only so many people that can do that, and all of them use it."

Vilkas facepalmed, making a loud slap echo throughout the wind district. "What is it?", came Farkas's concerned voice. "Brother. I....I think we may have just made acquaintances with the Dragonborn. I need to sit down." "Oh, no. I'm not carrying you too." "Then don't. Just put Torvar in bed. He's in for a hell of a hangover." His brother nodded at him, and went into Jorrvaskr. Vilkas sat down on the front steps, thinking over their time with her in the tavern.

She met him blow for blow. She rolled with the ones that landed. She was abnormally fast, and obviously held back when hitting him. He looked down at himself, and felt the prominent bruises fading. His brow furrowed. "Everything alright?" He looked up, seeing a guard. "Aye.", he quickly responded, getting up and heading inside the hall.

"Farkas told me you two met someone down at the Bannered Mare." "Really?", he sarcastically retorted. Aela nodded, "You know what else he told me?" "What." His patience was wearing thin, even if she was just curious. "That you think she's the mythical Dragonborn." "Most of us thought Dragons were a myth until they started showing up. Who's to say this myth isn't real as well?" "So she beat you?" "No, but I have a feeling she could have if she knew I wasn't a....normal human." "She pulled punches." He grinned, "Big time."

Aela laughed, obviously taking joy in the imagined shock on a blank woman's face. "I do hope you get to meet her sometime, though. She can hold her own in both battle and conversation." "Did she share any stories of her adventures?" "Yeah, she has this...what did she call it? Nettlebane. Said she stole it from Hagravens at Orphan Rock." "Up near Helgen?" Vilkas nodded and continued, "Apparently, Dianica told her where to find it, and wanted her to get Eldergleam sap to wake the tree. But, she came back with a sappling. From what I heard, Dianica was not pleased."

"Why didn't she get the sap?" Vilkas shuddered, "She stabbed the bar with it...and the wood rotted instantly. There's a hole in the bar now." "Ah. So she didn't want to hurt the parent tree?" "That's what she said." "Anything else I should know about her?" "Ulfric's execution? She made sure he went to Sovengard. Said he died fighting." "She killed him?" "Aye. She was pretty torn up about it, too. When we found her, she was trying to get drunker than Torvar! Get this. She also said she was a Dragon slayer." "That would make sense if she was the Dragonborn." "I know. Between that and being able to withstand the thu'um, I figured as much. I would like to keep my suspicions within the Circle if at all possible, at least until she confirms or denies it."  After all, it would be bad if he was wrong and word got out before he could be sure.

"Will do. You need to get some sleep." He sighed, "You know I always try, but I never can seem to." "Maybe you need to embrace the gift-" He slammed his fist on the table, breaking it. "I will NOT give in to this curse!" "You'd be a lot less moody if you did!" He stormed away from her, trying to calm the churning in his gut and tunnel vision that signalled the start of the transformation. Once down in the living quarters, he went to his brother's room instead of his own.

Farkas took in his brother's state quickly, and enveloped him in a hug. "Aela?", he asked. Vilkas just nodded his head, burying his face and returning the hug. Slowly, the adrenaline high wore down, and he didn't feel as sick. "You ok?" "Yeah, I.....I'm fine....I think." "You should go to bed." "I know. Thank you for being here for me." "Nah, you'd do the same for me. We're brothers." Vilkas smiled at his twin, who returned it whole heartedly. Soon afterwards, he left for his own room, and tried to sleep.