Victory or Sovngarde

Chapter Twenty-Six

Vilkas

Sweat dripping. Heart racing. Mind spinning. Sword shining in the sunlight. Straw flying as the steel blade cut through the dusty burlap. Wood splintering and shattering.

Panting, I lowered my greatsword and stared at the damage I had done. That was the sixth training dummy I had destroyed this week. These last two had been loaned to us by the small army now stationed outside Whiterun—ever since Ylva's capture, we had been on high-alert. No one was allowed in the city without proper documentation and anyone related to Ylva in any way was not allowed out.

It had been a long and hard two weeks.

I could not go looking for my own wife, and that made me so frustrated. Hence why I was taking it out on the training dummies.

I raised my sword and rested it against my shoulder, leaving the debris to be taken care of later. I walked into Jorrvaskr, ignoring everyone inside, and went straight to my quarters. No one tried to talk to me, thank the gods; they all knew I was not in the mood for small talk.

All except one person, that is.

When I reached my room, I found Farkas standing in the center, arms folded and face hard with a scowl. I knew that look. He was not going to let me leave without speaking his mind.

I skirted past him to place my sword in its rightful place on the weapons rack. "Farkas, please. I don't want to talk."

"Then just listen to me."

I huffed but knew that resisting him was pointless. "What?"

"You're not helping anyone by sulking around Jorrvaskr. Your kids need you. So stop sulking and be a man!"

"And if this had happened to Tyra, what would you do?"

"Not sit on my ass feeling sorry for myself. I'd do something."

"And what do you suggest I do? Hmm? Go looking for her? In case you forgot, there's a bloody army outside the city!"

"If you're desperate enough, you'll find a way. I know you, Vilkas. It's not like you to just give up."

"I haven't given up! There's nothing I can do from here!"

Farkas opened him mouth to counter me, but the door creaked open behind him and Tyra came inside.

"I heard the yelling and knew you two were going at it," she said, shutting the door behind her. "What is it?"

Farkas took a step closer to his wife and put an arm around her shoulders. "I'm trying to get Vilkas to see sense."

"Anything I can do to help?"

I shook my head. "Stay out of this, Tyra. Farkas shouldn't have ever opened his mouth."

Her face hardened into a scowl, and for the first time in my life, I was actually a little afraid of my sister-in-law. "Vilkas, I am a heavily pregnant woman. Do not cross me." After staring at me for a moment longer, she turned and looked up at Farkas. "Did you tell him?"

"I couldn't. He kept interrupting me."

I crossed my arms. "I'm still right here. What is it?"