This is Our Home: A Collection of Skyrim Short Stories

Found: Part Two (Vilkas)

21st of Second Seed, 4E 202

Head pounding, I came to with the sound of sobbing ringing in my ears.

With a groan, I pulled myself into an upright position. I rubbed the aching side of my head, trying to recall what had happened. The Silver Hand had attacked. They came after Ylva and Wuuthrad. They pushed me down the stairs to get past me. Someone had screamed just before I lost consciousness.

Ylva. I had to make sure it wasn't her. Headache forgotten, I shot to my feet and rushed up the stairs. There, I was greeted by a sight I wished I could forget.

Bodies lay everywhere. Silver swords littered the floor, blood soaked into the furniture and rugs, and the stench... it was too much to bear. And that was not even the worst part.

Oh, no. The worst part was seeing my Harbinger lying dead, armor stripped from his body and warhammer abandoned at his side.

"By the Divines, no," I gasped, stumbling to his side. I fell to my knees next to his body, beside Farkas. "No, this cannot be."

"They took Wuuthrad, too," said Farkas, head bowed. I could still tell he had been weeping. His voice was thick, and face was shining.

I looked around the room. Torvar and Aela were missing, but I assumed they were still outside. Athis and Njada were on the far side of the room, speaking in pained whispers. Ria knelt across from Farkas, tears running down her youthful face.

And there was no sign of Ylva.

I turned to Farkas. "Have you seen Ylva? Where is she?"

"I... I don't know. I was so caught up in the fight, I didn't—"

I shot to my feet and began to head towards the stairs. I hoped that they hadn't taken her.

Please be all right.

But before I could reach the stairs, I heard it. Her voice, filled with disbelief. "K... Kodlak?"

I turned, seeing her kneeling at the old man's side. She had her hand pressed to his forehead, her own head bowed.

I gaped at her. If she were here, then where had she been? I couldn't stand not knowing where she had gone, why she hadn't been here for the battle. I strode right up to her and touched her shoulder. I scowled down at her. "Where have you been?"

Letting out a little gasp, her head shot up. "I... I..." She opened and closed her mouth, unable to form words. "What happened here?"

Something caught in my throat, and my scowl started to melt. "One of the fiercest battles I've ever seen. The Silver Hand. They finally found enough courage to attack Jorrvaskr. We fought them off, but..." Again, my throat tightened, and I had to look away. "The old man... Kodlak... is dead."

"I can see that."

I turned my gaze back to her kneeling form. I needed to talk to her alone. Without the anger and adrenaline from battle coursing through me, I was beginning to feel something entirely different. I was beginning to feel relief. "Come with me."

"What?"

"You heard me. Come. Now."

"But, Vilkas—"

"Now!"

She gaped at me in stunned silence, stood up, then grabbed a bloodied sack that was laying on the floor behind her. I motioned for her to follow me downstairs, and she jogged to keep up with my long strides. When we passed it, she darted into her room for a moment, coming back out empty-handed.