The Blood Of The Wolf

Chapter Seven

        By coincidence, one of her contracts matched up with the job she had gotten from Brynjolf. She looked down at her nightingale armour. It was splattered in an ungodly amount of blood. That tended to happen when she fed. If she was using daggers or rapiers however, she could kill a man with minimal bloodshed. Almost like she'd never been their at all. It was completely pitch black outside as she approached the rear of the fort. The contract had been placed on a man who lived in an old shack about a mile from the fort. She looked down at the oddly shaped gen stone in her hand. It was a strange deep pink and shimmered as if it contained the night sky within it. It must have some magical properties. By killing the man she for fitted the bonus but the contract was worth much more then the job and bonus combined.

        She slid her way along the outer wall of the fort, the shadow making her invisible from all angles. A shadow danced across the snow as a soldier walked across the wall. She watched her pass by and slowly climbed up the ruff wall. Her wounded arms took the pressure much better then she had expected. She was just glad that the brickwork was so uneven. She peered across the entire compound. She was sure she could be up on the wall and in the shadows before another guard walked past. In one swift movement, she pulled herself up onto the wall and ran silently to the door. Once inside she could easily hide her armour with her cloak. As for the blood on her face... She was thankful her hood stooped low.

        Vilkas made his way to the room that he and Maris would be sharing for that night. He hadn't really drank much but the few days of constant travel had left him drained. He turned the corner to see a cloaked figure entering the room. Vilkas raised an eyebrow. Was Maris only just returning? Where had she gone to begin with? He reluctantly followed her into the room. He opened the door just as she let her black cloak fall to the floor. He looked her up and down, feeling the anger begin to bubble up inside him.

“Thieves guild...” He murdered.

Maris glanced at him and sighed. “You really do have impeccable timing don't you mutt...” She said simply. “And please try to be more cultured, this isn't thieves guild armour, it's nightingale.”

Nightingale... That word again. “... I think you had better start explaining...” Vilkas growled. Maris turned to face him and folded his arms.

“I am part of thieves guild but I assure you I'm not part of the rabble.” She hissed. “I am a Nightingale, agent of the goddess Nocturnal and guild master of the thieves guild.”

Vilkas' lip curled into a snarl. “I always knew you were a monster... but I never expected this from you.” He growled.

Maris smirked sisterly. “And no one else is going to know about this, are they?” She cooed mockingly.

“You think that I won't tell the rest of the companions? You don't think I'll kill you right here and know?” Vilkas snarled. “You're as stupid as you are cowardly.”

Maris chucked slightly. “Remember, I know things Mutt. Things that would not just incriminate you but destroy the companions. I know that you know that and I know that you can't let that happen but if you tell anyone... It'll all come out. I can make my self disappear as easy as easy as mist. But can you? Can you handle people calling you a monster? Hunting you everyday of your life?” She asked.

Vilkas' hand moved to his blade. “You're sick!” He yelled. “Is that the only reason you became a companion? To further your blackmailing capabilities?”

“Honestly, at first...” Maris shrugged. Vilkas drew his sword and stood forward, ready to attack but no sooner had he unsheathed his weapon did he have Maris' fangs at his neck. She had her hands on the side of his face and her teeth so close that he felt her breath. Cold and death-like. How did she move so quickly? Vilkas froze.

“Do you really believe you can land a hit before I sink my teeth into your neck?” She asked.

Vilkas swallowed hard. “I don't know what Kodlak ever saw in you... I've never doubted that man but how could he ever name you as a successor?” He muttered

“"Know now that just because it began that way, doesn't mean that's how it is. I would never turn my back on the companions. I cared for Kodiak just as much as you..." she hissed, her voice low and quiet.” She hissed. “I care about my shield-siblings and my actions as Harbinger come out of compassion, not underhandedness. My intentions are pure. So call me a blood sucker, a monster, what ever the hell you want, just never question my loyalty to the companions.”

Vilkas looked down to her eyes. Her purple eyes now fading back to the usual blue. Her white skin was stained with blood and her teeth bearing. How could she still seems so beautiful? She pulled her hands away from his face. Her skin was so cold but it left his skin burning. She turned away and Vilkas let his sword arm slacken.

“I don't know what Kodlak saw in me either...” She muttered. If she was cable of this? What else was she capable of? It was then he realized just how little he knew about people. Vilkas inhaled deeply and brushed his hair from his face.

“I don't care who you are outside of the companions.“ He sighed begrudgingly. “Just as long as it never effects our shield-siblings. If that life stays completely separate to us... I guess I can't really complain.”

Maris shot Vilkas an odd look, as if she though he would continue the argument somehow, but what else was there for him to say? His hands where tied.

"Understood." Maris said simply.

        Vilkas sheathed his sword and breathed a soft sigh of relief. Maris pulled off her armour and changed into her bed clothes. Maris had fallen asleep almost immediately but they could find it harder to drift off. a lot now we're done his mind. he looked over the sleeping body in the bed beside him. how could she change so much? He thought he found her again... but it wasn't her any more... This thing that she had turned into... It was just a monster now. How easy would it be for him to kill her now? That wouldn't be the honourable thing to do... It would make him just as cowardly and sick as her. To kill someone who can't fight back. Why hadn't Maris killed him? He knew she must want to. She literally had her teeth against his neck. Why not just take the shot? Given what he knew... He sighed and rolled over to look at the wall. He didn't understand how that woman's mind worked and he didn't want to know.