My Random Skyrim Stories

Sword Thief (13) Assurance

Farkas volunteered to go visit Ysabyth's manner again and ask if Lydia had heard from her yet. Vilkas tried not to be annoyed at Farkas's eagerness to be the one to go see Lydia... it was at least probably a useful thing to do.
Ysabyth had told Vilkas about the manner, the one night he'd gotten to spend talking to her... it was in the very south of Dawnstar's territory, and actually closer to Whiterun than it was to Dawnstar. She could actually see Dragonsreach from her balcony, or at least so she'd said.
Vilkas was curious to see the manner himself, but he didn't expect Ysabyth to be there now.
He was certain he'd smelled her scent on the wind when he'd first arrived in town... and he didnt think he would confuse her scent with another woman using snowberry soap... which meant she was still in town... or at least had been recently.

He wandered aimlessly through town, trying to catch every scent on the wind in the late afternoon light. He didn't expect darkness to make things easier. He meandered behind buildings, and along the walls, frequently stopping to just breath...
Then, finally, as the sun was just beginning to approach the horizon, the wind shifted and Vilkas smelled it... just a whiff of snowberries, fire, and leather... his heart jumped as he turned to see which direction it had come from...
Hurriedly, he followed the scent off to the other side of Dragonsreach, opposite of Jorrvaskr... for several minutes he looked around the small area behind the temple of Kynareth... he was confused...
He could smell her clearly, but distantly... but there was nowhere else for her to be... there was no further within the walls of Whiterun he could go... so she had to be either outside the walls or...
Vilkas stopped in his tracks and looked up.
Up... to the roof of Dragonsreach... where finally, he laid eyes on her as she stepped seemingly intentionally into view, standing on the peak of the roof of the palace...
She was wearing her dragon-scale armor with the exception of the helmet, and her hair was hanging loose, and blowing slightly in the wind. In the light of the setting sun her hair looked like fire and her dragon scales glittered like gems... like some description of the divines in one of his books. All Vilkas could do was stare.
Had she been watching him? Waiting for him maybe?
How in Oblivion had she gotten up there?
He watched in baffled amazement as she walked with perfect balance along the peak of the roof, and then nimbly began to make her way down... sliding down the roof, gracefully catching and swinging herself down once she reached the edge. Then finally, she dropped to the ground in front of him, looking up at him with a sad, sheepish smile.
"Ysabyth," he breathed in a mix of awe and relief.
"Vilkas, I'm sorry, I—"
"Are you alright?" He interrupted. He quickly closed the distance between them and reached to take her hands.
"I... yes..." she nodded in confused surprise.
Vilkas took both of her hands in one of his and reached up with the other to sweep a few strands of hair out of her face.
Her breath caught in her throat and she looked thoroughly startled, but she didn't seem to be hurt at all.
"Thank the divines," he sighed, "you had me worried."
She swallowed and looked down, pulling gently away from him, looking ashamed of something. Vilkas let his hand drop from the side of her face, but held a little tighter to one of her hands.
"Vilkas, I'm sorry," she repeated quietly, looking at her feet.
"What for?" Vilkas asked, raising his eyebrows.
"I... I messed up... I'm sure Kodak means to throw me out of the Companions now," she whispered sadly.
"Why would you think that?" Vilkas asked in a gentle tone.
"Well I... I mean..." she trailed off, looking back up at him regretfully, "Skjor wanted me to take the beast blood... he said I had to accept the blood to be one of you... and I..." she looked back to her feet looking ashamed again, "I don't take being pressured very well... I... I shouted him into a stone wall..." she admitted quietly.
"Aye," Vilkas nodded, "and from what I heard, I'd wager he deserved it."
She quirked her eyebrows in confusion and looked up at him. "Y-you heard?"
"Aye," Vilkas nodded again.
"And you... you're not mad?" She asked in confused surprise.
"Not at you," Vilkas shook his head, "and neither is Kodlak."
"But I... I attacked a shield-brother... and a Circle member at that..."
"You did," Vilkas agreed, "a shield-brother who put you in a position to make you feel that was necessary... and a Circle member who should have known better," Vilkas pointed out firmly. "No one rules anyone in the Companions," he reminded her. "No one's going to fault you for defending yourself. He never should have pressured you."
She just blinked at him for a moment, looking stunned. "But... Skjor said..." she trailed off uncertainly.
"Skjor's not the Harbinger," Vilkas said gently, "and even if he were, he'd need the whole Circle's approval to throw you out... which you know Farkas and I would not give."
She just looked him in disbelief for several moments before she swallowed and took a deep breath. "I... I was expecting you would be mad at me like you were about your sword and not want me around anymore..." she explained quietly... "I've been hiding out around town, waiting for you to get back so I could apologize before I left... just trying to decide where to go..."
Vilkas shook his head and smiled. By Ysmir, he was so relieved she'd waited for him. "The only place you need to go, is on your next job with me."
He heard her pulse jump at that, but she was still looking at him in disbelief. Vilkas sighed. He supposed he did owe her some more explanation for his previous behavior...
"I'm sorry I held a grudge for so long after you came back to us," he added earnestly, "I have a temper, and I don't trust easily, but I'm also a man of my word. I've realized I was wrong about you, and I meant it when I said I want to be your shield-brother."
She looked down at his hand, still holding on to hers, and Vilkas heard a soft chuckle escape her lips. He raised an eyebrow and smirked hopefully at her.
"So Farkas really was right about you," she smirked almost teasingly back up at him as her fingers gently curled around his.
Vilkas rolled his eyes but couldn't help the grin that spread across his face. His heart jumped happily as she held his hand.
"I'll tell you a secret," he chuckled, "just between you and me, he usually is."
She laughed at that. "I'm glad," she smiled, "I like this side of you much better than first impressions."
"Me too," Vilkas smirked. "Let's get back to Jorrvaskr. I bet Tilma's cooked too much food, I need a wash, and I think I need to braid your hair again."
She smiled warmly at that, and let him lead her back around the temple. Vilkas's heart felt light and happy as they walked passed the Gildergreen.