The Blood Of The Wolf

Chapter Twenty Two

The day began to melt away into night and Maris had grown tired of log books and paper work. She had decided to stretch her legs. She left the sleeping Barbas beneath her desk and decided to look in on the mead hall. As she opened the door, the hall seemed strangely quiet. All that could be herd was a low power full voice that seemed to have captured the attention of everyone else. And who that voice belonged to... The woman famed for her voice... The dragonborn... why was she still here?

Maris got to the top of the stairs and looked out at the rest of the companions. All of them where sat or stood around Alaris who was stood on one of the seats with one foot on the table. She had her arms in the air and the flames in the fire pit would swish and move and fall in on its self as she moved her arms like a rough sea.
"And then suddenly it emerged once again from the dark and icy waters!" Alaris exclaimed, bringing both of her arms into the air. The fire complied and roared upwards into the shape of a dragon. Maris was slightly taken back as the dragon blew it's breath over the heads of the companions. It circled the room twice. Alaris brought her arms down dramatically and the stray ball of fire spiraled back down into the dragons open maw. It pulled the flames down with it and it returned to an image of the sea with a boat on the ruff waters.
" We were defenceless on this ship in the middle of no where, we were down on men and many had been thrown overboard!" Alaris exclaimed but then her voice quietened. "And then... standing on the bow, right before the dragons ugly, scared face... was her..."
Maris sighed and went and sat on one of the benches at the side.  Alaris was always so good at telling story's and with her visual aid of fire and sometimes water or even rock, she always captured the attention. She always had. Maris had been left in the shadow... so that's where she got used to being... she learned to use it and if no one saw her, she might as well learn to be invisible. Alaris brought her arms out and the ship moved, zooming in on the bow where a hooded woman stood, bow drawn and poised to attack.
"The great and power full shadow of Tamriel! Maris dragonbane!" She said. Her voice booming and echoing across the hall.
Gasps came from the companions and they all watched intensively. Maris put her chin in her palm and rested her arm on the armrest of the bench. Alaris always told her stories of when they would fight together... but Maris still didn't remember. This one was a new one, though she didn't really care. She wasn't that person anymore.
"She let her arrows sail, each of them meeting the dragon with deadly accuracy, despite the tumbling waves." Alaris continued.
"That's when it happened..." Alaris muttered. Another dragon emerged from the sea of flames and a torrent of fire engulfed the figure.
"She couldn't be seen through the fire! We had no idea what had happened or if she was still alive, all we could do was watch in  horror and try desperately to draw the beast's attention! The Dragon lurched backwards and ceased it's attack. The flames died down and that's when we saw Maris, who had managed, only just, to shield herself with a magic barrier... but she was on her knees and as soon as the fire had gone, she collapsed! I ran to her, but I was not quick enough. The Dragon swooped in and grabbed her! she was pulled beneath the waves by the horrific creature. "
She brought her arms down and the fire calmed.
"The sea went silent... Too calm and placid... We peered down into the water but no sign could be seen of our hero or the dragon... those few moments felt like an eternity... but then... something changed. Blood rose to the surface... Our only thought was that Maris was dead..."
Of course the companions  knew she wasn't but still, they were so engulfed in the story that they seemed in genuine suspense.
"Suddenly, from the water, the dragons soul emerged, heading towards me. I took the soul, knowing now that the dragon was dead, our only concern was with our hero of the hour... missing beneath the waves. Just as I was about to jump in after my sister, bubbles appeared on the surface... Maris appeared, bloodied and beaten but alive. We dragged her aboard, dazed and broken... even in this state, she had defeated the dragon!"
Roars came from the companions and they cheered for their Harbinger, even Vilkas smirked slightly.
"When we got back to shore, the people of the town where all gathered to meet us and to this day a statue of our Harbinger watched over the town, bow pointed to the sea as a constant reminder of their hero and savior, Maris Dragonbane!"
Another roar of triumph went up from the warriors of jorvaskr.  Maris stood, pounding her fist against the arm rest, loud enough to draw the attention of the companions. All of them stopped to look towards Maris, all of which handn't noticed her enter. Partly because of Alaris' story but mostly because Maris hadn't wanted then too.
"The statue isn't there anymore." Maris hissed.
"Ah, Maris, so nice if you to join us." Alaris smirked, placing a hand on Vilkas' shoulder. Alaris always toyed with her sister. It was only small, minute things that she would do but it would cause maximum pain or anger. This was one of them. Just that touch made her blood boil. She didn't even notice that Vilkas shrugged it off."Why are you filling their heads with such nonsense anyhow." She sneered. 
"Aww, now now, don't be so humble Harbinger. Come and drink with us." Farkas smiled.
"No thank you... I shall pass my friend. I was going to go for a stroll to stretch my legs." She smiled, though it was a sickly and ingenue one.
Vilkas stood up. "I think i might join you." He said, wanting to be as far away from Alaris. She was a very kind and entertaining person but he was uncomfortable with her advances.
"No!" Maris said sharply, she composed herself and carried on in the sickly tone. "You enjoy yourself... I'll be back later..."
Vilkas followed anyway.

He left the mead hall only seconds after Maris, but she had already disappeared. Vilkas sighed and shook his head.
"Crafty little..." He muttered.  He was about to turn away when he saw a pair of bright purple eyes shinning from the shadows. Maris stepped out, her teeth baring.
"I knew you would follow me, you always do things like this... are you really that set on making me believe you actually care about me? What do you possibly have to gain from this?" She hissed.
"Maris, i do care about you..." Vilkas muttered.
"Liar!" Maris snapped. "You've never liked me, you've hated me from the start and i don't know why. Even when i had tried being kind to you, you hated me, so that's what I have given in return. But underneath all of that... after everything we've been through, I thought you may actually consider me a friend! But I heard what you said to Alaris. You told her you hated me! So fine, i'm done, hate me if you want! I just don't care anymore!"
That's why Alaris had looked to the staircase... Maris was there... unseen and endears of course... Alaris had directed it at her and used him to do it.
"I don't hate you! That is the farthest thing from the truth!" Vilkas yelled. "What I said to Alaris... its complicated and something I can't explain but i could never hate you, I've never hated you."
"Then why where you so hard on me when I joined the companions. You constantly told me I wasn't good enough, you pushed me and you tormented me when I had tried to be civil." She pleaded.
"Because I was angry at you!" Vilkas snapped. There was a moment of silence while he thought of what to say. He just wanted to let everything out. Everything... his voice softened and he continued.
"I was angry because you didn't remember me... It hurt... you promised me you wouldn't forget about me... and then you left... and you did forget me..." He mumbled. Maris' eyes melted away into a sad blue and they glistened as she looked up at him in wonder. She listened, baffled. "then you came back and you weren't the same person and I was angry. It made me hate the new person you were and still i ended up falling in..."
Suddenly the door swung open and Alaris stepped out into the darkness.
"Ah, there you are Vilkas!"She exclaimed. "I thought our little vampire might have killed you."
Maris growled slightly.
"We were talking!" She hissed.
"I thought you were going for a walk..." Alaris smirked. Maris knew exactly what she was doing... she looked at Vilkas, who's grey eyes where filled with concern and depth. Then to Alaris.
"I was." She said bluntly, turning on her heals and walking away.
"Maris!" Vilkas called out but she didn't look back.
"Come on, we should be getting back inside." Alaris cooed, leading him away. Why would Maris just leave... why would she just walk away from him...?