The Blood Of The Wolf

Chapter Eighteen

Maris always wore a mask. Her steely expressions and her sneers hid so much pain. She just carried on through crippling sorrows, pretending that she was fine. It had been the same when Kodlak had died. She had to be strong for everyone else. Even now, when she had no one to be strong for, she still acted that way.
"We can put it off for a while, until you've had a chance to rest." Vilkas said.
"I have rested. I'm ready to go." She said bluntly.
Vilkas groaned. "Even a blood sucker like you is allowed to show emotion."
"And mutts like you obviously don't understand who I am. I AM the darkness. I am shadows personified. I don't have emotion, only a purpose. That's what I am so that's what I'll be." She hissed. "in not a person, i'm a bump in the night and the dagger in your back. Respect and power is what people see of you. Any kind of weakness shown and you've already lost."
"Sadness isn't a weakness. It is a part of being human. Emotions are what makes animals into people." Vilkas said.
"Can we please get this over and done with so I can just go home." She hissed sharply.
Vilkas had managed to start breaking down the wall Maris had built to separate herself from people and he thought he had gotten somewhere while her guard was down... but now the wall was even higher then before... but maybe there was a door.
"Vilkas?..." Maris muttered, turning to him. "I'm sorry... I know that I seem like monster... but that's just what I have to be..."
"Not to me..." Vilkas said.
Without a word Maris reached up and wrapped her arms around Vilkas' shoulders.
"Thank you..." She whispered. Vilkas put his hand on her back.
"What is a shield brother for?" He smiled. Maris pulled away and smiled in return. It was one of those rare genuine smiles that made vilkas' heart beat against his chest.
"So, shall we get going?" She asked.

The tomb of ysgramor was only only a short walk from winterhold. It was down by the shore, half furrows in the dirt and rock of the mountain behind. The entrance was a simple tomb mound. None of of the companions had been back there since Kodlak had died and Maris had to cleanse his spirit if the beast blood.

"Are you ready? I'd be pretty annoyed but you can still change your mind." Maris said.
"No... I'm ready." He mumbled.
"if there's one thing I've leaned... its okay to be scared." Maris smiled, slipping her hand into Vilkas'.
"Yea and I'm terrified." Vilkas sighed. "But I'll just have to endure."
"There's a good puppy." Maris smirked.

As they walked into the tomb the were confronted by the statue of ysgramor, still holding wuuthrad, the battle axe Maris had worked tirelessly to find all the pieces to. This is as far as Vilkas had allowed himself to go after Kodlak had died. He lat his anger fuel him and so felt he was unworthy of entering the actual catacombs, so he didn't know what to expect.

"Me and Aela pretty much cleared the skeevers and frost spiders but there may still be spirits lingering so be care full." Maris said, walking past the statue and turning right. "we also found this stair case so it should be easier."

Vilkas followed close behind. They came into a small circular room that was not well lit. Maris put her had out before her and it started to glow. The white light made her eyes sparkle. The light began to form a ball above her hand. With a flick of the wrist, she cast the orb off her hand and it came to float gently above the spiral staircase that lead downwards into the lower parts of the tomb.

"I keep forgetting that you can do magic..." Vilkas said.

Maris shrugged. "I only know 3 spells, and not very well to be perfectly honest."

Ancient swords, candles and embalming tools were scattered across the shelves. "Have you ever thought about where you might go... well... after..." Vilkas said, picking up one of the gems.

"Who hasn't?" she shrugged. "but honestly, i don't know where i will actually go."

Vilkas glanced up at her. "Why is that?"