His Harbinger

Alduin (Chapter 7)

The wedding was simple, and lovely. They rented the nicest room at the Bee and Barb for their first night together. Aside from a little clumsy, it was everything Vilkas could have dreamed of. She was his, really his.
They spent the next week making the most of married life and ignoring the rest of the world. When they got back to Jorrvaskr the Companions threw them another party. Vilkas couldn't remember being happier.
Then Krinna had decided to set off across Skyrim in search of word walls and dragons to take down. Vilkas went with her of course.
A few weeks into their dragon hunting trip, Krinna had stumbled across Meridia's Beacon... at first Vilkas had been resistant to help a daedra, but then they learned it was a necromancer they were going after. Vilkas hated necromancers. The sword Meridia had given Krinna as reward for destroying Malkrin was a very nice one as well.

Then, in what felt like not nearly long enough to Vilkas, Krinna decided she couldn't put it off any longer; she must face her destiny, and Alduin. Vilkas was the only one who'd known how long she'd had the Elder Scroll, and he knew she was beginning to feel selfish for putting off her fight with Alduin.
She tried to talk him out of it, but Vilkas insisted he was going with her.
"Who's going to lead the Companions when I'm gone?" She'd argued.
"Not your grieving husband," he shrugged, "I'll be just as useless to them whether I stay there or go with you, so I may as well go. Aela and Farkas will figure it out."
"We should warn them where we're going and what we're doing then," she sighed in resignation.

That night, back at Jorrvaskr, Krinna invited her housecarl to join them, and Tilma prepared a feast. The Companions celebrated and prepared to send their Harbinger and their Master-At-Arms off to victory or Sovengarde. It was a bitter sweet event for Vilkas and Krinna, they were the only ones who knew how likely the Sovengarde possibility was.
After the feast while everyone was retiring to their living quarters, Vilkas took a few minutes to talk to his brother. Farkas had seemed to pick up on Vilkas's mood and he seemed sad as well. Vilkas told him to go find that housecarl and make her a happy woman. Then he told him where to find Krinna's old amulet of Mara if he needed it. At that Farkas had thanked him and told him, "stop talkin' like you're never gonna see me again. I expect both of you to come back!"
Vilkas didn't have the heart to tell him about the prophecy. They hadn't told any of the Companions in fact, just that they were going to fight Alduin.
They spent what they both feared could be their last night of marital bliss, and left for High Hrothgar late in the morning.

"Before we get up there," Krinna spoke up as they left the High Hrothgar courtyard, "I meant to mention this a lot sooner, but I got distracted looking for the Elder Scroll..."
Vilkas looked at her attentively and she continued, "Paarthunax, the leader of the Graybeards, is a dragon."
"We're being helped by a dragon?" Vilkas asked skeptically. "How sure are you that he's on our side?"
"He was the one to first teach shouts to mortals, and he's waited at the Throat of the World for thousands of years so he could face Alduin when he returned," Krinna shrugged.
"That's good enough for me," Vilkas shrugged as well.

They reached the summit of the mountain and Krinna opened and read the Elder Scroll in the spot Paarthunax had indicated. Vilkas stood, bow ready, and waited. He saw the big black dragon beginning to approach in the distance, but Krinna was still transfixed to the Scroll. He stepped closer to his wife and prepared to cover for her. He fired a few arrows as the big black dragon got closer, but whether he'd missed or Alduin hadn't cared, Vilkas couldn't tell. Krinna came to as Alduin was upon them, and with a shout from Alduin, fire began to rain from the sky. Krinna stumbled, looking disoriented for only a moment before she got her bearings. Vilkas continued shooting arrows, and Paarthunax took the the air and began shouting back at Alduin.
"Dovahkiin," Paarthunax called, "use Dragonrend if you know it!"
Krinna pulled Dawnbreaker from its sheath and lit her left hand with a spark of electricity, then looking to the sky for Alduin,
"Joor Zah Frul!" Vilkas heard the shout like a crack of thunder and with a surprised roar, Alduin came crashing to the summit of the mountain. Vilkas switched to Wuuthrad and charged the downed dragon while Krinna rushed in with her sword and destruction spells.
The fight was long and exhausting, but worst of all, just when Vilkas was sure they had him, Alduin had taken to the air and escaped.
Paarthunax had called it a victory. Vilkas and Krinna still felt exhausted and discouraged, but at least they were alive... for now.
Vilkas listened as Krinna and Paarthunax discussed what to do next... he'd heard the legends about Dragonsreach, but had never believed them. Vilkas was starting to think he should just start assuming all the old legends were true.

They made their way down the mountain and rented a room at the inn in Ivrastead. Vilkas had been surprised she'd opted for an inn, since she usually liked to avoid them. But he couldn't argue with her reasoning when she'd told him she wanted a soft bed and a hot bath after that fight.
"One of these days, you're going to have to tell me what your aversion is to inns," Vilkas said half-joking as he helped his wife take her armor off.
"I don't have an aversion to inns," Krinna shrugged, "I just like camping."
"Ah," Vilkas chuckled as he wrapped his arms around her middle. She smiled at him and kissed him before assisting him with the removal of his own armor.
Vilkas was glad they'd payed extra for the hot bath. Krinna had healed them both fully with spells, but the hot water soothed his muscles in a way magic never seemed to. As they settled into bed, Vilkas held his wife close, trying not to think about the fact that every night could be their last. It was already another night more than he'd expected.

If the situation hadn't been so dire Vilkas would have laughed at the Jarl's reaction to Krinna's request to trap a dragon in the palace. He was amazed his wife had convinced the Jarl in the end. But with that detail sorted, they were quickly heading back out to the Throat of the World to consult Paarthunax again. Krinna hadn't wanted to waist any time, the longer they waited, the more time Alduin had to recover. She hadn't even wanted to stop at Jorrvaskr.
"I handled my goodbyes once," she'd explained, "I'll go back when it's my triumphant return." And Vilkas couldn't argue. They'd walked the whole day and reached Paarthunax by evening. He explained to Krinna how to call one of Alduin's allies once the trap in Dragonsreach was ready. Then they'd reached the bottom of the mountain by nightfall, and spent one last night in Ivrastead. There may have been more passion than sleep, but they both still felt rested enough by morning. They still set off for Dragonsreach earlier than Vilkas really wanted to.
The Jarl's men were ready when they arrived.

Once Ohdaviing was trapped Vilkas listened intently while his wife questioned him. He began cursing silently to himself; Alduin was in Sovengarde. Krinna was going to face him in Sovengarde after all... but the dragon agreed to take her to Alduin's secret entrance to Sovengarde, and Vilkas let his heart hope she would be able to return... Then Krinna had the guards release the dragon. Vilkas rushed forward and grabbed his wife's hand as the dragon turned around, preparing to leave.
"Are you ready to see the world as only a Dovah can?" The dragon asked.
"We're ready," Krinna nodded, still holding Vilkas's hand. The dragon looked then to Vilkas.
"Krosis," it said, "only a Dov may enter..."
The words hit Vilkas like a knife in the heart as his wife looked back at him with tears welling in her eyes. She let go of his hand and threw her arms around him. Vilkas embraced her tightly and kissed her, not caring who saw. Then, clutching her face gently in his hands he wiped her tears as he looked into her eyes.
"You're going to be great my love. I'll await your return, or join you at the end of my days."
"Just promise me you won't do anything stupid to speed up your end of days," she tried to laugh but it came out as a sniffle.
"Of course," Vilkas tried to smile reassuringly, but there were tears in his own eyes now, "where would be the honor in that?"
She hugged him tightly again and whispered in his ear, "I love you."
"And I love you," Vilkas replied. He kissed her again before they parted, and she turned to climb on to the dragon's back. "Bye love," he said sadly as the dragon flew away.