And so you get a third fill, OP, because your awesome prompt would not leave me alone. But there's never enough Vilkas sexings, right? Enjoy! Also, I blatantly stole a name from Dragon Age 2, cause I'm lazy...
"This is taking too long," she complained to Farkas one day.
"What is," he asked back, not even breathing hard, the bastard. Merrill took another swing at the Nord, dismayed when he easily batted her blade away.
"This," she panted, wiggling her sword and sweeping her other arm out to give him a better idea. He looked at her, puzzled; it shouldn't have surprised her. "Training. I don't have the time for it; I need to be a better warrior now."
He grunted a laugh, then took a couple steps toward her and brought his axe down against her raised shield. By the nine, that hurt, at least the parts she could feel; she was numb from her fingers up to her elbow.
Disgusted, Merrill dropped her shield, trying to shake some sensation back into her hand. Farkas chuckled again and lowered his sword, watching with amusement as she threw her own weapon next to the shield and gingerly pulled her gauntlet off. She gave him a glare for good measure, which only made him smile wider.
"Can't say I know a better way, new blood. You are learning pretty slow, though."
"Fuck you," she muttered, then, louder, "I'm an elf, we're not exactly known for our brawny physiques. It's not my fault you Nords grow muscle twice as fast as the rest of Tamriel."
"If you think I'm handsome, you can just tell me, Merrill." Farkas' smile was getting infectious, his good mood helping to ease her exasperation. She ducked her head to hide a grin at his joke. "I might have an idea, though."
This caught her attention, the rarity of Farkas using his brain notwithstanding; she would do anything to get stronger quicker, to be able to spar with one of the Companions without getting bruises that lasted for weeks on end. Merrill raised her head to find her Shield Brother looking almost contemplative, for a second she could believe it was his twin standing in front of her.
Oh wait, she thought, Vilkas hates me, and would rather pull out his teeth than help me. How could I forget?
"Alright, what's this brilliant plan of yours?"
"You ever heard of the Guardian Stones?"
"Umm… I feel like I should know what those are…."
Farkas laughed again and started toward Jorrvaskr, motioning for her to follow him. She quickly grabbed her things and scrambled to catch up, taking three steps for every one of his.
"There are several standing across Skyrim. If you find one, you can offer a prayer and it will grant you aid. Different stones give different help, depending on what constellation they represent."
They were standing in the mead hall now, and Merrill gave a quick glance around the room, relieved to find that Vilkas wasn't present. The man was more trouble than she wanted to deal with right now, and he always seemed to seek her out just to pick a fight. One she could never win. She set her stuff on a chair and reached for a sweetroll, shoving the whole thing into her mouth and swallowing.
"That all sounds very interesting, Farkas, but when do we start talking about how it will make me a better fighter?"
"I'm getting there, whelp, don't get your panties in a bunch." Merrill didn't rise to the bait, just crossed her arms and stared at him. He paused a few seconds, as if to make sure she didn't want to start a wrestling match. "The warrior stone," he said finally, "it helps you, y'know, become a better warrior. I know where it is; we could travel there together and offer a prayer."
She beamed at him, hopeful for the first time in weeks. "That's brilliant! When can we leave?"
"Uh, well – "
"Tonight would be perfect, I'll go pack some things. Thanks, Farkas!" She threw her arms around the fighter and squeezed for all she was worth, hearing him mutter something about an uppity whelp, but he hugged her back so she figured he was game. Ducking out of the embrace, Merrill scooped her sword and shield back up and rushed toward the dorms, snatching up a wedge of cheese on her way.
They set out not two hours later, Merrill chattering and animated, Farkas looking amused. Vilkas watched them leave, and was discontent.
This prompt is just too freaking awesome!
"This is taking too long," she complained to Farkas one day.
"What is," he asked back, not even breathing hard, the bastard. Merrill took another swing at the Nord, dismayed when he easily batted her blade away.
"This," she panted, wiggling her sword and sweeping her other arm out to give him a better idea. He looked at her, puzzled; it shouldn't have surprised her. "Training. I don't have the time for it; I need to be a better warrior now."
He grunted a laugh, then took a couple steps toward her and brought his axe down against her raised shield. By the nine, that hurt, at least the parts she could feel; she was numb from her fingers up to her elbow.
Disgusted, Merrill dropped her shield, trying to shake some sensation back into her hand. Farkas chuckled again and lowered his sword, watching with amusement as she threw her own weapon next to the shield and gingerly pulled her gauntlet off. She gave him a glare for good measure, which only made him smile wider.
"Can't say I know a better way, new blood. You are learning pretty slow, though."
"Fuck you," she muttered, then, louder, "I'm an elf, we're not exactly known for our brawny physiques. It's not my fault you Nords grow muscle twice as fast as the rest of Tamriel."
"If you think I'm handsome, you can just tell me, Merrill." Farkas' smile was getting infectious, his good mood helping to ease her exasperation. She ducked her head to hide a grin at his joke. "I might have an idea, though."
This caught her attention, the rarity of Farkas using his brain notwithstanding; she would do anything to get stronger quicker, to be able to spar with one of the Companions without getting bruises that lasted for weeks on end. Merrill raised her head to find her Shield Brother looking almost contemplative, for a second she could believe it was his twin standing in front of her.
Oh wait, she thought, Vilkas hates me, and would rather pull out his teeth than help me. How could I forget?
"Alright, what's this brilliant plan of yours?"
"You ever heard of the Guardian Stones?"
"Umm… I feel like I should know what those are…."
Farkas laughed again and started toward Jorrvaskr, motioning for her to follow him. She quickly grabbed her things and scrambled to catch up, taking three steps for every one of his.
"There are several standing across Skyrim. If you find one, you can offer a prayer and it will grant you aid. Different stones give different help, depending on what constellation they represent."
They were standing in the mead hall now, and Merrill gave a quick glance around the room, relieved to find that Vilkas wasn't present. The man was more trouble than she wanted to deal with right now, and he always seemed to seek her out just to pick a fight. One she could never win. She set her stuff on a chair and reached for a sweetroll, shoving the whole thing into her mouth and swallowing.
"That all sounds very interesting, Farkas, but when do we start talking about how it will make me a better fighter?"
"I'm getting there, whelp, don't get your panties in a bunch." Merrill didn't rise to the bait, just crossed her arms and stared at him. He paused a few seconds, as if to make sure she didn't want to start a wrestling match. "The warrior stone," he said finally, "it helps you, y'know, become a better warrior. I know where it is; we could travel there together and offer a prayer."
She beamed at him, hopeful for the first time in weeks. "That's brilliant! When can we leave?"
"Uh, well – "
"Tonight would be perfect, I'll go pack some things. Thanks, Farkas!" She threw her arms around the fighter and squeezed for all she was worth, hearing him mutter something about an uppity whelp, but he hugged her back so she figured he was game. Ducking out of the embrace, Merrill scooped her sword and shield back up and rushed toward the dorms, snatching up a wedge of cheese on her way.
They set out not two hours later, Merrill chattering and animated, Farkas looking amused. Vilkas watched them leave, and was discontent.