Eyes Opened

The Road Never Traveled

"Hey, are you okay?" You looked up, seeing Vilkas looking at you over his shoulder, none too pleased. You gulped not sure if you should respond, as the last time you did a few hours ago he simply told you to suck it up. You licked your drying lips before nodding firmly to him, in an attempt to at least appear strong.

"Vilkas. Go easy on her. Not everyone has been training for this since they were young." You glanced to Farkas, smiling. He really was your knight. At least for right now. You were thankful for him, though Vilkas looked at him flatly.

"She's a grown woman, she can answer for herself. Unless she's stupid." He looked to you again, with a raised brow, his stride shortened.

"I'm not stupid." You merely said with a slight pout on your lips. The man's eyes edged open a little, surprised by this. He eased after a moment. "I am fine. But I could use a break. We've been walking for half a day. The Rift's roads are uphill." You looked down. "I'm sorry I'm not meeting your standards."

Vilkas gasped so quietly it was almost inaudible. He folded his arms, glaring at you. "That's not... what I mean is... Ugh, you're impossible! Farkas, I'm going to scout ahead a little, rest with her." He turned his back to you both before walking off.

"Don't pay attention to him." Farkas ushered you to a stone wall lining the road. He lifted you up by the waist, setting you upon the thin wall. You looked to the taller twin, smiling a little fondly. It was fortunate they took you to Eorlund, the blacksmith fitted you with hide armor, there was no dress for him to see up as you sat. "You both are rigid around one another. It's strange. He's usually not this annoyed around civilians."

You chuckled hopelessly. "So it's... just me then." You pulled your pack closer to you, opening the flap to look through it. "Great. Whatever his problem with me is- I am thankful you've decided to help me. Thank you Farkas."

He laughed a little. "Nothing to thank me for."

"Yes there is. If I could just not be so helpless. Do things myself, then you wouldn't have needed to leave home." You sighed. "I just feel trapped. Then- I always have."

"So.. don't feel trapped." He shrugged. "Seems to me if you want to learn something, learn it. You're out on the road free. You came up with the plan to change your face on your own. You're not helpless. I even got used to the fact that you can use that magic stuff. Came in handy when the bandit hit me with the arrow."

"Oh Farkas..." You closed your eyes, smiling. "I will never know why they tease you. I mean- I know it's out of affection but I don't see the material they use. You're not empty headed."

You watched him blush, rubbing the back of his head. "Well... I knew I liked you."

A small laugh came from your lips. "I like you too, Farkas. You're fun to be around and you just seem to understand things. You just take the simple route. Sometimes that is best. You're right, I shouldn't feel trapped and I'm starting not to. I have a friend now. Apparently a really strong one." Farkas chuckled a little. "I just wish your brother was a little more like you."

"Now... Vilkas is perfect the way he is." You raised a brow at his words. "He's hot headed, gets annoyed easily. He's got the brains of us two. The man reads, a lot. I think it makes him too stiff in his daily life. But that's his only problem."

"Man..." Farkas looked at you with a bit of wonder. "Modest and complimentary. You really love your brother. That's admirable. Makes me wish I had someone like that. I might not have grown up so lonely if I did. Had someone to be my partner on this rocky path." You sighed. "I might have been able to put my knowledge into practice if I did."

"What knowledge?"

You smirked, pushing off of the wall. "I have studied how to fight. I am the daughter of a man in the military after all. I've never picked up a real weapon, not really, but I know the physics of it."

He smiled happily, before pulling his great sword off of his back. "Well then, let's fix that." he held out the sword, you took it, nearly toppling over as he let go. He chuckled. "Easy there. Spread your feet a little." You nodded before following his instructions. "Good. Is it too heavy?"

You hummed a little before shaking your head. "Surprisingly, no." He moved the sword into a position in your hands that made it even easier to hold. "Oh... So this is why the soldiers are always falling into a stance." He nodded.

"Yea. Now I'm going to take a few steps back from you, after that pivot your hips to swing it. You will have to strafe too." You nodded before doing as he said, though your petite body was pulled by the weight of the sword. You widened your eyes before a loud metal clang sounded, your cheek hitting hard on a solid surface. Your eyes closed as you felt arms envelope you. "You didn't strafe..." The words didn't come from where you thought they should, but to your left.

"Farkas, you can't simply tell someone to strafe. You have to show them." The voice came from just in front of you. Your eyes popped open, pushing off of his chest to look up at Vilkas as his brother was picking up the sword. "You also didn't practice a grip with her, so she dropped it. It's all about the hips with these. Her form was also too fast, she could have been hurt."

"Sorry brother." Farkas shook his head.

You were blushing, so embarrassed. "Umm... Vilkas?" Your soft voice somehow got his attention, your hands on his upper arm now. "Please don't be mad at him. I asked, it's all my fault. I-"

"Hold your tongue girl. I'm not mad at him." He looked down to you. "He's brilliant with combat, teaching others however has never been his strong suit." There was a chuckle in his words you were surprised by this. "We're going to make camp soon. I will teach you the basics with a one handed sword. If you're willing to learn. They're inferior weapons but better for beginners. I'm not even sure you could handle them, anyway."

There it was. He was being too nice, so he had to get that jab in there. You took a deep breath, taking a step back. "I can't handle a two handed weapon?"

Farkas quietly commented. "uh oh."

"Huh? Well I mean... in the last ten minutes did you demonstrate that anything other than what I asserted was true?" He stretched a little, though looked down at you with a certain irritation.

"You said yourself that he was only talking me through it, not showing me." You scoffed.

"Yes, My brother's failings withstanding. You're not coordinated enough to handle this." He chuckled a little. "You're stiff, prude."

"Prude?!" Your voice raised a little, before to took in a deep breath, holding it to the count of four. You looked into his eyes, smirking a little. "I'm not stiff. I've just never held a weapon. I am not prude." He rolled his eyes. "Okay. Dance with me." You placed a hand on his shoulder, your other took his. He seemed shocked.

"Dance? I...I... uh..."

"Now who's prude?" You smiled a little, condescendingly, your courage that rushed from him calling you a name was starting to cool just a but. "If it's all in the hips, let me show you what mine can do." You pulled him rather easily into the dance, the man not wanting to risk hurting you. After a moment of stumbling you both found a groove with one another, your hips rolled into his to make a point though you didn't think it all the way through. You looked up into his eyes blushing deeply now. "S.. See?" You found your timid voice once more. "I'm not stiff." You noticed him blushing a bit as well, before he let go of you, taking a few steps away, as if hiding something.

"A... Alright..." He rubbed the back of his neck. "Farkas... help me get some wood for a fire." Farkas nodded slowly. Vilkas looked to you, clearing his throat. He pulled out a one handed sword from a sheath, holding it out to you. "Practice gripping it while we're gone. See what feels good, I will correct it when we come back." You nodded slowly, taking the sword carefully. "That's yours now... We'll be back soon."

You looked to him, smiling a little. He was being nice, or at least trying. "I still have some venison you guys took down earlier. I'd be happy to cook tonight..."

"You cook?" He sounded confused, a little chuckle slipping out of his lips.

"Well, Vilkas. When your home is basically a cell and your parents are gone most of the day you learn to cook or starve." There was an annoyed tone in your voice.

He eased a little, nodding. "That's very true. We'll be back, [y/n]. Shouldn't be more than an hour. Try not to move too much." You nodded.