Moon Bourne

By Jackie Almasy

I am battle scarred, I am working oh so hard

To get back to who I used to be

A Fine Frenzy, "Near To You"

Chapter 1

Tension

Vilkas had no idea how long he had been pacing. The only thing he could hear was his low growl of despondency. His heavy armor boots clinked heavily on the wooden floor of the house. With each pass back and forth in front of the fire, Farkas cast a quiet but stern look up towards his brother. He said nothing but merely watched as the tension seemed to be growing more and more palpable.

They were both trained warriors having been through hordes of enemies, uncertain times of death, and dealt with tombs of the likes that some in the land of Skyrim would never see. But this was a whole new level of agitation that Farkas has never seen before in his brother.

"Vilkas."

Stopping in mid step, Vilkas's head snapped to stare at his brother as if a bone had been snatched from a very hungry and angry dog.

"What Farkas?"

Not surprised by his brother's agitation and snap, Farkas nodded simply to the boiling over pot above the fireplace.

"Your stew brother. It's boiling over."

Vilkas had completely forgotten that he had offered his brother some dinner, let alone put the actual pot on to cook.

"Hircine's Ass!"

Rushing foreword, Vilkas grabbed the large wooden spoon leaning against the nearby chair. Trying to hook the incredibly hot metal bowl onto the seemingly flimsy wooden material, Vilkas barely managed to set the pot on the stones of the open fireplace. The food was burned beyond recognition now as the frothy bubbles reeked of burned meat and broth.

Vilkas sighed heavily and with great annoyance as he heard his brother rise from his seat and move cautiously behind him.

"Forgive me Farkas. It was not my intention to ruin your dinner. My mind is just…"

"You're distracted brother. It's not like you. In a hunt you would have already lost your prey. In a battle, your head would already be decapitated from your head."

"Are you suggesting I have forgotten how to do battle?"

"No brother. But you've lost your head. Can't think clearly without it."

Taking in a deep sigh, Vilkas lowered his body into one of the two nearby chairs in front of the fire. Leaning into one of the arms of the strong wood, he rubbed his dirty face along the cold steel of his armored glove.

"I wish to the Nine that Kodlak was here right now. He would know what to do."

"I don't know." Sitting down once again in the seat next to his brother, Farkas joined his hands together before looking cautiously around the room. His gaze flickered momentarily to the ceiling before he spoke again.

"How long has she been up there?"

A heavy sigh emitted through the room before his brother responded. "Six hours. Maybe eight."

"Is her housecarl with her? Lydia?"

"Yes. That's all the healer is letting in right now."

Walking to the nearby cupboards, Farkas rummaged nosily through the dishes before taken out two deeps tankards. Setting them down, he brought a nearby bottle of mead to his mouth and ripped out the cork with his teeth. Spitting it to the floor, he poured the frothy spicy alcohol into the waiting cups.

Handing one to his brother with a deep grunt, Vilkas took a big swig of the alcohol. Feeling the familiar burn of spice combining with the sweet lull of the drink, the warrior looked halfheartedly into the fire before him.

"Eisa…"

Lydia tossed two newly cut logs into the open fireplace, watching embers rise and crackle into the air. Sighing softly, the housecarl looked around the empty house uneasily. It had been too long since the departure of her thane. She had remembered the young Nord walking into her newly furnished home, rambling on about some cave she needed to explore, and needing to do it alone.

Lydia had been persistent in her coming along to protect her and watch her back. The young woman's black hair had been cut in the time between her last visit and then. Ending just below her shoulder line, Lydia was amazed that she hadn't gotten the long locks of hair caught on her bowstring or arrows yet. Her thane's dirt caked skin had twitched up into a smirk by her pale lips and it was then that Lydia had noticed the newly healed scar along her cheek.

It ran dangerously close to her left eye. Too close and it would have permanently blinded her emerald gaze forever. After muttering about business for the Companions, Lydia had watched in silent annoyance as the warrior quickly left the house after collecting supplies and food.

That had been three days ago and Lydia was starting to get worried.

A sudden loud knock on the door broke her train of thoughts. Rising from the large wooden chair, the woman warrior set her cup of mead down on the nearby table. Grabbing the large knob, Lydia opened the door to see Vilkas of the Companions outside on the steps.

"Good evening Vil…" Lydia was suddenly interrupted as Vilkas shoved the door open with his heavy armored arm. Pushing past the housecarl, Lydia watched in shock and anger as the man began wandering through the rooms of the home without consent.

"What in Sovngarde do you think that yer doing?" Lydia exclaimed loudly as she followed the frantic man up the stairs.

"Where is she?" Vilkas demanded as he turned to the left doorway at the top of the stairs and did not find what she was looking for.

"My thane is not here! Now please, come back down to the kitchen and do not invade her privacy any more!"

Narrowing his dark eyes dangerously, Vilkas eyed the closed double doors behind Lydia. Shoving her aside, Vilkas pushed the double doors open so hard that Lydia was sure that marks had been made on the walls.

"I said, where is she?"

"Lady Eisa is not here! She left three nights ago for a cave! She would not tell me where she was going. Only that Kodlak himself had given her an immediate task to complete!" Lydia exclaimed but then stopped curiously.

Looking up to meet the fierce warrior's gaze, she spoke softly.

"Now that you mention it, she seemed relieved. More so than I have seen her be in months…"

Vilkas stopped and felt his breath stop deep in his chest. A task from Kodlak? But why would he have sent Eisa and not himself to complete it? She had only been with the Companions for three months now.

Kodlak had not been sleeping nor eating well the past few days. Whatever was on the old man's mind was weighing him down heavily. Maybe perhaps a cure had finally been found. Vilkas found a part of him rejoicing with the primal beast inside of his raging bloodstream howling in utter detest.

"Upon her return, you will direct her to me. She has much to answer for. Do you understand?"

Narrowing her eyes angrily at the headstrong Nord before her, Lydia folded her arms across her chest.

"Perfectly."

This mini story will consist of three to five chapters. Simply putting it; I cannot stop playing Skyrim. My Nord married Vilkas and this is an idea that has been rolling around in my head for awhile now.

As for what Vilkas might be freaking out about, see if you can guess. Update will aimed at being once every three to five days.

Happy Holidays!

Jackie Almasy

The Elder Scrolls V Skyrim is copyrighted by Bethesda Softworks and Bethesda Game Studios. I own nothing.