From Housecarl To Companion

Vilkas

At a leisurely pace, it took Farkas three days to walk home from the tomb of Ysgramor. He felt great. His mind was clearer than it had been in years, and when he stopped to camp he actually slept. There were no dreams of the hunt, no urges to sink his teeth into flesh, just sleep. It was bliss.
The thing that did keep coming back to his mind was Lydia. He hadn't seen her in months, and he still regretted that he never told her how he felt. Now that he had been cleansed he wished more than ever that he could see her again.

When he made it back to Jorrvaskr and found Krinna still wasn't back from her "Dragonborn stuff" he was worried. He wasn't interested in her like he was Lydia, but especially now that she'd helped him cleanse himself, he found he definitely felt brotherly affection for her. He couldn't hide his concern when Vilkas asked where she was. Vilkas was obviously troubled as well. Farkas knew Vilkas wanted to cure himself too, so he wasn't surprised when Vilkas came to his room later that evening. He was surprised Vilkas didn't ask about the cleansing at all.
"Listen brother," Vilkas said, and he sounded a little uneasy as he took a seat at the bar in Farkas's room.
Farkas got a couple bottles of mead out from his personal collection and handed one to his brother as he sat down as well. He watched Vilkas attentively while he appeared to consider his words carefully.
"I don't want it to come between us if we both have feeling for the new Harbinger," he said at last.
Farkas blinked at him in surprise. He'd known Vilkas was smitten since the day Krinna arrived at Jorrvaskr, but he hadn't expected him to admit it. He wondered when he'd even admitted it to himself. Farkas's surprise was slowly replaced by a smug smirk.
"'Bout time you figured it out," Farkas chuckled. Vilkas looked crestfallen.
"I... I see. I won't try to interfere," he said, not meeting his eye.
"Wait, what?" Farkas was confused for a moment, then the other half of Vilkas's meaning hit him. "Oh, no," Farkas shook his head. "I meant it was about time you figured out your feelings. I..." Farkas paused. He'd never even mentioned Lydia to Vilkas... mostly because it would mean admitting how he felt about her... Farkas realized if Vilkas was admitting his feelings for Krinna, it was well past time he admitted his feelings for Lydia, at least to his brother. Farkas sighed and Vilkas looked up at him in confusion. Farkas took a long drink.
"Krinna's a good friend," Farkas said, putting his bottle down slowly, "she's pretty and she's good company... I care for her, but not like you do." Farkas paused again. "...I've got eyes for someone else," he said at last with a sigh. Vilkas just looked back at him in surprise, his expression slowly shifted to thoughtful confusion as he no doubt tried to figure out who it could be.
"I don't think you know her," Farkas told him before he got any wild ideas. "I met her at the Bannered Mare... she was a guard, but she got promoted to housecarl." Farkas sighed again and drained the rest of his bottle. "I haven't seen her in months... probably'll never see her again," he added gloomily.
"Does she know you're interested?" Vilkas asked, still sounding surprised.
"Never told her," Farkas shrugged. "Didn't know what she'd think if she ever found out about the beast blood... and well... the wolf wanted her... figured I needed to be sure I did too." Farkas reached for a second bottle of mead and Vilkas just looked at him in surprise.
"That's... smart..." Vilkas said slowly with a slightly awed look on his face. Farkas chuckled.
"I'm a bit slow, but I'm not stupid," he shrugged. "I knew you were sweet on Krinna the first day she came to Jorrvaskr," he added with a chuckle.
"I know, I know," Vilkas groaned, "you were right."
"That's not something I get told often," Farkas laughed. He was glad he'd managed to divert the conversation away from Lydia, it was making his chest ache to talk about her. "When did you figure it out?" He asked, taking another drink.
Vilkas sighed, and for a moment he simply considered Farkas with a raised eyebrow. Farkas was reminded that Vilkas could read him just as well as he could read Vilkas... he was pretty sure Vilkas had picked up on the fact he was trying to divert the conversation. To his relief Vilkas gave a slight shrug before looking away and taking a moment looking lost in thought, no doubt considering Farkas's question now.
"I don't know," Vilkas said at last, taking another drink from his own bottle. "I never denied she's beautiful... she impressed me at Driftshade... and then she cleansed Kodlak's soul... I guess it all hit me when I finally had time to think after we got back from the tomb." Vilkas shook his head with another sigh, and downed the rest of his drink.
"She's honorable," Farkas nodded, "and she likes all that history and legend stuff you like to read about."
"Really?" Vilkas chuckled.
"Mmhmm," Farkas nodded. "You should talk to her more."
"Maybe now that she has Wuuthrad, she'll want to learn two-handed weapons," Vilkas said hopefully.
"She might," Farkas shrugged as he handed Vilkas another bottle. "I'll suggest it to her if you want."
Vilkas just chuckled at that and took a long drink. "I'd appreciate that," he sighed. "Or maybe I'll get the nerve to suggest it if she'll help me cleanse myself..."
"She will," Farkas nodded simply. "She's honorable and she cares about her shield-siblings. I'll bet she offers to drop everything and leave for the tomb the minute you ask her to," Farkas added with a chuckle. Vilkas looked back at Farkas with a slight smirk.
"That must be one amazing housecarl you're sweet on," he chuckled, "for you to be so impressed with Krinna and still sweet on her instead..."
Farkas didn't know what to say to that... it wasn't that Lydia was in many ways better than Krinna... she wasn't... she was just better for him... or at least he thought so.
Even if he'd never met Lydia, he would probably still thought that Krinna would be better for Vilkas than she was for him. Farkas knew his brother better than anyone, and every time he got the chance to talk with Krinna she said or did something that made him think Vilkas would like her.
"She is," Farkas sighed after a long pause, "but I still doubt I'll ever see her again." He took a long drink.
"I'm sorry brother," Vilkas replied gently, "I won't press you if you'd rather not speak of her."
Farkas gave a grateful nod before continuing. "Krinna's the Dragonborn," he said setting another empty bottle down. "Epic destiny, stuff of legend, prophecies... too complicated for me," he shrugged. "I've thought you two would get along for a while now."
Vilkas just nodded with a hopeful smile at that. Farkas was glad to see him looking a little more hopeful.
They finished their drinks and Farkas realized it was much easier for a man to get drunk than it was for a werewolf. Farkas vaguely remembered Vilkas laughing at him and helping him stumble to his bed. He was definitely not pleased with the hangover he had in the morning, but at least it had been a good talk with his brother. He couldn't remember if he'd actually told Vilkas Lydia's name...