The Blood Of The Wolf

Chapter Seventeen

Vilkas and Broul followed Maris into the city of Winterhold. The entire place seemed strangely sombre and hardly any people were out in the streets. Maris raised an eyebrow.
"This place has always been quiet but something... is wrong." Maris muttered.
"How so?" Vilkas asked.
"I can't hear a thing..." She said.
Vilkas sniffed the air. "I can smell people at least." He noted.
"Odd..." Maris muttered.
As they got further into the town, a figure became visible on the bridge to the collage. They where sat on the wall, their head in their hands. They wore the blue and grey robes of the arch mage.
"Kathalina..." Maris muttered.
"Why do you know everyone?" Vilkas growled.
Maris shrugged. She stood forward. "Kathalina!" She called out. The young woman looked up. She was a young Nord with shoulder length, bright ginger hair that cascaded out from beneath the hood of her robes. She rubbed her eyes and stood up.
"Maris! My lady! What are you doing here!" She exclaimed.
"Just taking my dog for a walk." Maris smirked.  She glanced to the side to catch Vilkas' harsh look. Getting a reaction from that mutt was far too easy.
"It seems you have come to us at a bad time my lady." Kathalina sighed.
"Your lady?" Vilkas asked.
"Yes, lady Maris is our thane. " She said simply. Vilkas went to speak but Maris placed a finger over his lips.
"Later." She said bluntly. She turned back to the mage. "What happened. Why is everything so quiet here? Why are you wearing those robes."
"Oh gosh... so much has happened since you were last here..." She mumbled. "I may have found myself as the new arch mage. "
"New... What happened to Savos Aren?" Maris asked.
Kathalina sighed and looked away. "We have to talk..." She muttered.
"Oh... of course..." Maris said, her stomach beginning to feel heavy. She turned to Vilkas. "be a good puppy while I'm gone alright." She sneered.  Vilkas growled and folded his arms. He watched as the two walked towards the collage. Yet another side to Maris...  how many more could there possibly be? And how would she possibly find herself in such positions of power? He had had enough if this. He wanted to know why she always kept things from his. They would never be best friends but she trusted him right? Vilkas and Broul looked at one another.
"So, what do we do?" He asked.
The bear shrugged it's shaggy shoulders. 

It was late when Maris returned from the collage. Vilkas was waiting for her at the end of the bridge. Despite the darkness, her hood was down and shadow was cast across of her face. Vilkas scowled up at her.
"So, are you going to explain?" He asked.
"Explain what?" She asked, her voice quiet and cold.
"Why didn't you tell me about you being thane." He growled.
"You never asked." Maris whispered.
"You never tell me anything!" He exclaimed.
Maris stayed silent for a moment. She kept her head down and rubbed her eyes. Vilkas raised an eyebrow. 
"I... I'm sorry." She whimpered. Suddenly, Vilkas' expression softened and his irritation melted away to concern.
"Maris..." He muttered.
Maris put her hand to her face. "I... I'm sorry, I need to go..." She muttered. She pushed past Vilkas and went to walk away. Suddenly, she felt a hand on her wrist and she was pulled to an abrupt stop. She turned quickly to see Vilkas holding her arm. Maris looked up at him in shock, the light of the moon illuminated her face. Her face was tear stained and her eyes red.
"Maris..." Vilkas muttered. Maris' eyes welled again and she put her head against Vilkas chest. She closed her eyes tightly and wrapped her arms around him. Her body was racked with sobs. Her cries where muffled but the pain was evident. Vilkas pulled Maris closer and ran a hand through her soft white hair.  He had never seen Maris cry before... It was frightening in a way. She was the strong one. The one who showed resilience against incredible odds and here she was, reduced to an inconsolable mess.
"Maris... What is it?" Vilkas asked.
Maris managed to calm her heavy breathing before looking up at Vilkas. Her large blue eyes shone with the tears and had a unfathomable deepness and sadness to them. She just looked so... broken.
"I can't... I just can't!" She whimpered. "First Mercer, then Astrid, then Kodlak and now Savos! Why is everyone i care about being taken away. I've tried to be strong but i can't! I can't pretend that I'm okay anymore! It's only a matter of time before you leave me too!"
"Me?" Vilkas asked.
"Yes!" She hissed. "Don't you get it at all!? I care about you! I may hate you and you may make me want to kill you but I still care about you! Your my closest friend! Which means that you'll end up leaving me too!"
Vilkas wiped the tear from her face but it was soon replaced with a fresh one. He lent down to look her in the eye.
"Maris... I swear to you that I will do what ever is in my power to stay with you." He whispered.
"How can you promise something like that..." She said coldly.
"Because I..." Vilkas began but didn't quite know what he was going to say. "I...What kind of companion would i be... If I turned away from my shield sister?"
Maris let out a week chuckle. "I'm glad that I have such a loyal little puppy..." She whispered. "Thank you... for everything..."
Vilkas smiled warmly in return. There was none of the Maris that he used to know... but he found himself becoming just as attached to the person she had become.

Vilkas looked down at Maris, who was asleep beside him. She was too fragile to be on her own right now. Even in her sleep she looked pained. He brushed a hair from her face. He was shocked to know that Maris thought of him as a friend. He had always assumed that she simply put up with him... and to be the closest, though he couldn't imagine her having too many people she could depend on. The thought was quite a sad one in all honesty. How could a person that seems to know everyone, have no one? Vilkas ran a hand down her cheek. She was always ice cold. He lent down to kiss her cheek but stopped. She wouldn't know... so why not... Though, if she ever found out, she would skin him alive... It was worth it. He lent further forwards and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. She may not have been the same person he used to know. But this new person was the one he had found himself falling in love with.