The Blood Of The Wolf

Chapter Twenty One

Maris pulled her hood down lower as she stepped out into the training yard behind jorvaskr... and of course Alaris was there. Maris growled slightly and stood in the shadow of the overhang. Her and Vilkas where training. They had only just come back and he was already all chummy with that nosy dragonborn. What was worse, he was being nice to her. He was NEVER kind to anyone during training and there he was, smiling away.
"Are you alright Harbinger?" Aela asked. Maris gave her a reassuring smile.
"Of course I am shield sister." She chirped. " Why do you ask."
"You seem to have been... growling." Aela said. Had she? Maris hadn't even noticed this herself.
"Oh,  no in was clearing my throat, i think i may be coming down with something." She smiled.
"Understandable, you were in the road quite some time, it's easy to pick things up if you arn't careful." Aela shrugged. Maris breathed a sigh of relief. Both twins had always been able to talk their way out of things. Maris had a silver tongue and knew exactly what to say and when to say it, though with Alaris, there was just something in those crystal blue eyes that no one could say no to. It was something to do with her magic. She was a power full alteration mage along with a master of trickery magic.
"I was gong to go hunting later on if you wished to join?" Aela asked.
"no thank you, I think i might stay..." She muttered, peering over to Vilkas and Alaris.
" What to try and make sure that they don't fall in love while your away?" Aela said with a smirk.
Maris' attention snapped to her. "As if I would worry about such a trivial thing!"She snapped.
"Then why are you blushing?" Aela asked. Maris' eyes widened and she turned her head so that the shadow of her hood hid her cheeks.
"I have some business I must attend..." She muttered, walking out from the overhang. She walked past Vilkas and Alaris. Vilkas looked up from where the two's swords had clashed.
"Where are you going?" He asked.
"Why do you care!" She snapped. With that, she disappeared round jorvaskr.

Alaris raised an eyebrow at Vilkas.
"She really doesn't like you does she? Though she's never really liked anyone." She shrugged.
" We have a... complicated relationship..." Vilkas muttered.
"Yes he's In  love with her and too stubborn to admit it and the Harbinger is so emotionally placid that she doesn't even realize." Aela piped up from the overhang.
Vilkas shot her a cold glare. "like I would ever fall for a whelp like her!" He growled.
" What ever you say." Aela chirped. Aela was always getting involved in his and Maris' relationship,  constantly trying to push it towards being something more.  She was like an elder sister in the way she always tried to manipulate things. He did love Maris... but she would never feel the same, so what was the point in confessing it? It would make her hate him more. He just wanted to leave well enough alone.

Maris returned back to jorvaskr, after finding something to feed on. It was still bright outside and not many people where in the mead hall, though those that were, were not people she would have chosen to be around. Alaris had begun working her charms on all if the companions and was now with Vilkas and Ria, comparing battle scars.
"Have you not left already?" Maris hissed.
"Why would I when I have such good company!" Alaris cooed, putting her arm around Vilkas' shoulder.
Maris hissed slightly and turned to leave. Vilkas wriggled away from Alaris and followed. He caught up with her as she was walking down the stairs to the lower halls.

"Odd, I thought you'd rather be with your new best friend rather then a blood sucker like me." She hissed.
"What? You're acting like it's some sort of a conspiracy!" Vilkas growled.
"Leave me alone mutt, you're annoying me!" Maris yelled.
"But Maris..." Vilkas exclaimed. 
"Enough! Just go back to your stupid harlot dog, before I rip your throat out!" She hissed.
"Alright then, she's much better company then a nightwalker like you any how!" Vilkas growled.
"She always has been!" Maris said coldly, it was a shock to the senses that it was such a quiet and emotionless statement. She walked into her study and closed the door behind her. Vilkas was slightly taken back by that final remark. He went to follow her but hesitated... In the temper she was in... she might actually rip his throat out. He sighed and turned away to go back upstairs.

When he appeared Alaris' eyes shot to him and Ria had disappeared.
"Lovers spat?" Alaris asked.
"Not lovers." Vilkas said bluntly.
He was still uneasy with the feeling himself, the last thing he needed was people assuming that they knew what their relationship was. He didn't even know.
"I'm surprised, a handsome man like yourself should have all the women after him." She said smoothly. Sitting on the table and crossing one leg over the other.
"I really don't think that's the case..." Vilkas spluttered. from the moment he has met her she had seemed like a flirtatious character.
"Of course it is and even if you weren't, that charm would certainly turn a few heads." She smirked a strange light glittering behind her eyes.
"I think i had better be going..." Vilkas muttered. Slightly repulsed by the thought of any other person but Maris.
"Wow... you really are in love with her." Alaris exclaimed.
"What do you mean?" Vilkas snarled.
"I was using a charm, a charm that let's me influence people's emotions and thoughts and you brushed it off as if it was nothing. That can only happen when emotions can not be swayed." Alaris said.
"How does hat automatically mean that I am in love with Maris, it could be any number of people." Vilkas growled.
"I'm sure Maris has already told you about us being light and dark. She wasn't speaking figuratively we truly are. Love is something that falls beneath light and i can always feel it." She shrugged.
"... and you could tell if Maris felt something..." He asked.
"No." Alaris said plainly. "Darkness tends to hide things and It has defiantly hid her emotions from me. Since we were children i haven't been able to."
"Well you must be wrong! I couldn't love a bloodsucker like her and I never would." He growled. 
Alaris looked over to the stairs that lead down into the lower halls and a mischievous smirk played across her red lips.
"Yes... I know exactly what you mean... The same as our parents." She grinned. Vilkas looked over to the stairs but nothing was there. He looked back to Alaris and scowled. What was she up too...
"What do you mean?" Vilkas snarled.
"Oh nothing, I had better get going  i promised Njada and Athis that we would slay a dragon." She smiled. With that, she hopped down from the table and lent the mead hall. That was defiantly a conversation that had not been directed at him... but who?