Chapter Twelve - A Dovah's Birthday

"Happy birthday to you," I wake up to the sound of Farkas singing incredibly off-key. I try not to wince.


"Happy birthday to you," Marco joins in with his perfect choirboy voice.


"Happy birthday dear Skylar," grandfather joins in, not sounding too shabby.


"Happy birthday to youuu!" there's quite a crowd in my room. Farkas and Vilkas stand in the doorway, both nudging each other for space. Aela and Marco are sitting on the end of my bed with gifts in their hand and Grandfather stands next to my bed with Athis.


"You didn't have to," I smile at them wearily.


"Of course we did, it's your birthday," Aela rolls her eyes. "Now get dressed and go upstairs. You'll get your presents then,"


They leave my room and instead of putting on my usual training gear (which is either leather armour or some plain steel stuff. I use my Dwemer armour when I'm out on quests) I put on a nicer dress and some fur boots. I comb my hair and I let it flow past my shoulders. I wash my face in the wash basin, hoping I look at least a little bit presentable. 


There's nobody in the living quarters and I head up to the dining area eagerly. Everyone is seated around the long table and there's one space in the middle for me. I sit down there nervously and Tilma serves up a delicious breakfast of toasted bread with honey and sugar-coated nuts and warm jugs of milk sweetened with some spices and a touch of mead.


Then everyone hands out their gifts. From Farkas I got three books, all about one-handed weapons and techniques. Brill and Vignar both got me special thermal socks and gloves to put inside my boots and gauntlets so I can stay warm whenever I'm in the colder parts of Skyrim. Eorland had a whole new set of armour made for me and it looks like crafted midnight and gleams beautifully. Eorland told me it was ebony and a few looked on enviously. Athis had gotten me a new sheathe, specially made for waraxes. Torvar gives me a special selection of spiced meads and some special Argonian ale.


Aela's gift is a new sword, a special Orcish make, Ria got me a volume of books that has information all about dragonslaying, dragon history and lore, word walls and famous dragons. Ria insisted that it was also from Njada. Vilkas said his present was more of an activity to do later on. Finally Tilma promised me a delicious cake for the evening, then Kodlak murmured to me that when Wuuthrad had been completed that it would be mine to protect. Marco handed me a necklace that had a glimmering pendant in the middle. I gasped when I saw what the pendant was: stalhrim!


"This is necklace is courtesy of our friends on Solstheim, as well as myself," Marco explains. "Do you like it, sister?"


"I love it," I tell him earnestly and I fasten the necklace around my neck. Something about it makes me feel more powerful and brave, like I'm ready to take on the world. "Thank you so much, all of you!"


***


Most of Whiterun seemed to know it was my birthday. The Jarl himself summoned me to say happy birthday and his housecarl, Irileth, actually gave me a nod of approval which makes a nice change from her sarcastic comments. I spent an hour or so with Lydia and the Jarl promised to make her my housecarl when I accept the offer of thaneship after my adventuring days.


Later in the day I slip into my new armour and I hang up my Dwemer armour in my wardrobe and I place the Dwemer sword in a case that's also in my room. It feels strange and almost wrong to let it go. The sword and armour is what was left of Iona and what I wore to escape Blackreach as my light leather armour wasn't going to get me anywhere.


"Goodbye, Iona," I whisper and then I close the door to the wardrobe. It's time to let go of the past and move on, I tell myself firmly.


"Skylar?" I hear Vilkas's voice.


"Oh, hey," I smile at him.


"Ready for your birthday surprise?" Vilkas asks. "Farkas helped me organise it,"


"What are we doing?" I arch an eyebrow suspiciously.


"I figured you'd want a break from all this nasty silver-hand business and the usual stresses of being you," Vilkas replies. "That's all I'm telling you,"


"Well as long as you don't try to murder me," I say jokingly.


"Dammit, you saw right through my plan," Vilkas rolls his eyes. "I think we should get going now actually,"


"Well lead on," I reply.


I follow Vilkas through Jorrvaskr and I shrug at Aela when she looks at me questioningly. Farkas gives Vilkas a knowing look and Vilkas deliberately avoids his gaze. As we walk through Whiterun several people come up and wish my a happy birthday and I smile at them all and thank them for it. Some people told me that they travelled here specifically to hopefully catch a glimpse of me and I feel a little creeped out but try not to show it.


Vilkas and I head across Whiterun's plains and I feel more and more confused as there doesn't seem to be a clear destination. Then I hear the unmistakable roar of a dragon and I instinctively get my new sword out.


"You won't need that," Vilkas shakes his head. "Trust me,"


Still feeling uncertain I sheathe my new sword and I hear the dragon road again. Then the dragon comes into sight and a grin spreads across my face. It's my old friend Odahviing.


"How on-"


"I trust you have had a good day of celebration, sister Dovah?" Odahviing bows his head when he sees me and I return the gesture.


"Yes, I have...what's all this about?"


"The moonborn brothers sought me out. I will fly you to your destination and home again. This is my gift to you on your eighteenth year," Odahviing responds. "You are young," he says fondly. "I hope to spend many more birthdays with you, sister,"


"Likewise, Odahviing," I grin. "Did you and Farkas actually arrange this?"


"Yep," Vilkas nods, looking a little proud. "Farkas couldn't come with us though...he's, um, working on your celebration party tonight," Vilkas adds hurriedly. 


"Come. Let us fly," Odahviing says.


Still feeling slightly uncertain about what's happening, I pull myself up onto Odahviing's back and Vilkas follows behind me. Odahviing gives a small roar and then starts running and picks up speed. Finally, he takes off into the sky and the wind rushes around me and stings my eyes but I have a grin on my face the whole time as we climb higher and higher.


***


Vilkas and I land somewhere in the Rift. Late afternoon is approaching and the scenery is too beautiful for words. I bid Odahviing goodbye as he takes to the skies and there's a smile on my face as I follow Vilkas. There's a small camp set up with a cooking spit and a table. It's next to a small pond and I can see a few fish swimming in it. Everything is so idyllic.


"Dinner?" I ask Vilkas.


"Yes," Vilkas nods. "Like I said, I thought you would enjoy a small break from the stresses of everyday and life and to just relax a little,"


I can hear traces of nervousness in his voice, though it's very subtle. Strange. What has Vilkas got to be nervous about?


We sit down and Vilkas pours me some Black-Briar mead and we tuck into the meal that's waiting for us on the table. How on earth some bandits or animals hadn't stumbled upon here and smashed the place up is beyond me.


"Vilkas...is there another reason why I'm here?" I ask him suspiciously.


"Hm? No," Vilkas shakes his head. "I still owe you for saving my life-"


"You don't. Not at all," I interrupt him. "I would do it again, you know,"


"I thought you hated me," he laughs a little.


"I did," I admit. "But you've grown on me,"


"I think that's the highest compliment anyone can receive from you," Vilkas rolls his eyes.


"More or less," I respond. "Hey, what do you think of my brother?"


"He's nice but a little strange. I've never met two siblings more different from one another than you two though," Vilkas replies.


"Farkas and yourself are quite different," I point out. "He's so fun loving at and happy and you're...quite angsty," I pick my words carefully.


Vilkas laughs. "Yes. He always sees the brightside to things...and refuses to see the negative sides," Vilkas says almost bitterly.


"Do you remember your father?" I ask him.


"There was Jergen but I don't know if he was actually our father. He brought us here when we were little pups," Vilkas sighs. "Farkas likes to believe he was our father. The only true father I've ever known is Kodlak. I mostly raised Farkas, even though we were the same age. I protected him from everything...I like to think that I still do,"


"Marco raised me. I never thought about how hard it must have been for him. And you too, I guess," I add.


"It wasn't too hard. We lived in Jorrvaskr and we always had warriors around to train us and to guide us," Vilkas reminds me. "But I wouldn't let my brother out of my side. I still hate doing so. You and Marco had nobody on Solstheim yet here you both are,"


"This is getting depressing," I pull a face. "Let's do something,"


"Yes-"


"Yoink!" I yell and before Vilkas knows what's struck him I grab one of the concealed daggers strapped to his waist and run off with it.


"Hey!" he shouts and chases after me.


Laughing my ass off, I dodge my way through the trees with Vilkas hot on my tracks. I'm having a good time running circles around him because even though he's a lot bigger than me, I'm smaller and quicker.


I trip over a tree root and go sprawling to the ground. I look up and wince and then I give a little shriek when I see the Spriggan in front of me.


"Well done," Vilkas rolls his eyes.


I get to my feet hastily and draw out my axe and new sword. Vilkas joins me with his greatsword and the Spriggan leaps on us but we're more than ready for it. The fight takes minutes and we kill the beast easily enough between the two of us. Somewhere towards the end of the fight, the Spriggan knocks me off my feet and I drop my sword and axe and go sprawling. Vilkas pulls me to my feet but I notice he's out his greatsword on his back and has my axe and sword in his hands.


"Those are-"


"Looking for these?" he smirks.


"Oi!" I yell and Vilkas looks like he's about to run but I jump onto his back before he can and he doesn't expect it and stumbles forward.


I end up awkwardly laying on top of him, his face inches away from mine.


"Well this is cosy," I mutter. "Ex-"


Vilkas cuts me off with a kiss. My first reaction is to pull away...but I don't. I kiss him back, eagerly and roughly. He's surprisingly gentle and he wraps his huge arms around my waist and sits up, not breaking the kiss once.


"Gods I've wanted to do that for a long," he whispers, his lips still just about touching mine. "I thought you'd say no and-"


"Sh," I cut him off with another kiss, raking my hands through his dark hair.


We stay kissing for gods know how long before Vilkas pulls away and mutters something about getting home on time. I didn't really want to call Odahviing in case he thought I was abusing his use but then I heard his familiar dragon roar and he landed near us a few minutes later.


It felt strange boarding Odahviing with Vilkas's arms wrapped around my waist. He held himself close to me and his breath on my neck send shivers down my spine. What am I doing? Vilkas is my best friend's brother...gods, Vilkas is one of my friends too. What does this make us now?


We arrived just outside of Whiterun in minutes and Vilkas said he was going to run ahead and help out with my surprise cake. I don't have the heart to tell him he's just ruined the surprise bit and I turn to Odahviing.


"I'm sorry I've had to call upon you help so many times," I say sincerely to him.


"It is an honour to serve you," Odahviing replies earnestly. Then Odahviing gives me a suspicious look. "You and the moonborn?"


"We just kissed, for all I know it could have meant nothing to him," I burst out. Oh gods. I just told a dragon about kissing in the forest. The mighty Dragonborn, ladies and gentlemen. 


"I am old, thuri. I have seen love blossom from dark times," Odahviing says knowingly. "I must take to the skies, thuri, I hope we will meet again soon,"


"Goodbye old friend," I grin at him. "I'll miss you,"


I watch Odahviing take off and I don't walk back towards Whiterun until he's completely disappeared into the sky. Then I follow after Vilkas, looking forward to seeing him and everyone else again.


***


"Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday dear Skylaaar. Happy birthday to youuuu,"


Everyone sings as Tilma brings out the cake. It's gorgeous and looks like it's a giant sweetroll, which is amazing. I love sweetrolls.


There's quite a crowd in Jorrvaskr, there's the usual Companions, my brother, Scouts-Many-Marshes, Eorland with his family, Jenassa from the Drunken Huntsman, my friend Mjoll and her friend Aerin, Malborn (my Bosmer friend that I met through Delphine) and Ralof, who was captured alongside me on my second morning on Skyrim. Running away from a burning Helgen helped us bond pretty quickly. 


Scouts looks uncomfortable being the only Argonian, Mjoll looks like she wants to wring Ralof's neck for being a Stormcloak (she hates Ulfric and his rebellion) and Ralof looks like he wants to boot Malborn out for being an elf. All lovely times.


"This is certainly a...diverse crew," Aela mutters to me.


Athis and Jenassa start chanting an old song I don't know and Malborn laughs and joins in, as does Marco. I have no idea what's going on but it's a fun-sounding song and everyone claps at the end.


"It's an Elven song," Athis informs us at the end. "Every elf sings it on their birthday,"


"Aye, but the Valenwood version's better," Malborn smirks at Athis. "And we all know the Altmer's version is the worst,"


As the night progresses, everyone gets a little bit more comfortable with one another. However, there are some subtle prejudices in that Ralof and Vignar won't have anything to do with the elves and Scouts and vice versa.


Vignar, Eorland and Kodlak are talking about the 'good-old-days' while Marco, Athis, Scouts, Mjoll and Vilkas have an arm-wrestling tournament. My poor brother doesn't fare very well against his stronger competitors. Ralof tries flirting with Aela, Njada and Jenassa bond over a small drinking competition and I spend most of the night with Farkas. I want to ask him his opinion on me kissing his brother, but I don't think he'd take too lightly to the topic.


After a good four hours, the party dies down and the visitors retreat to the inn for the night and probably get ready to leave the following morning. Torvar and Athis have already collapsed from drunkenness and Eorland had to escort his brother home when he threatened to impale Malborn with a soup spoon.


I'm helping Tilma clean up the outside porch with Vilkas and Aela and Aela and Tilma talk to each other while Vilkas and I are in silence. Finally, we get the mess sorted and Tilma and Aela head off to bed.


"Did I mess up Skylar?" Vilkas asks when they two of them leave.


"No, not at all," I tell Vilkas. "We should...do it more often,"


"Yes," Vilkas smiles. "We should," 


"So...what does this make us now?" I try to sound casual as we walk back inside and towards the living quarters. "I take it we're a little more than friends now,"


"I suppose," Vilkas nods his head. He grabs my small hands and I clasp my fingers around his. There's something oddly comforting about his scarred hands. 


"Goodnight, Vilkas," I stand on my tiptoes and gently kiss him. 


"Goodnight, Skylar," he tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear before turning to go to his own bedroom. 




A/N:


Well, it happened! Skylar and Vilkas kissed! This was easily my favourite chapter to write, it's so fun putting the Skyrim characters into a casual everyday setting like a birthday party. 


Anyway, the main action will be picking up again in the next chapter. I hope you enjoy!

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