Disclaimer: I only own a copy of Skyrim.
The girl looked up with me with an innocent smile.
"Do you know how to fix a wagon wheel?" she asked, glancing at the Redguard. He was bent over the wheel, growling in frustration as he tried to fix it. "Nazir has no clue what he's doing."
The man scowled and threw his tools at the ground, standing slowly.
"I'm old, Babette!" he snarled, wiping sweat from his forehead. His beard was mostly grey and the hair I could see from under his Redguard hood was mostly grey as well. "I don't see you trying to help!"
"I'm not exactly built for manual labor," she muttered at him, rolling her eyes.
"Like I haven't heard that excuse a million times," he grouched.
"Either way, you can rest your old man bones now, because it seems like we have a strong warrior that'll fix it for us," the girl told him before turning to me. "Well, can you?"
"I can if you have the tools," I responded. Nazir motioned towards the tools he angrily threw to the ground as he sat on a nearby rock. I picked them up before bending over the wheel. "Where are you two headed?"
"We're headed to Riften...to bury my mother," Babette said a bit slowly. I glanced up at the coffin in the wagon. Yes, that made sense.
"I'm sorry for your loss," I told her sincerely. She nodded towards me.
"Where are you headed?" Nazir wondered.
"Whiterun," I said proudly, flashing them a grin. "Going to join the Companions."
"Honorable people," Babette commented. She looked curiously at me before switching her gaze to Nazir. She shot him a questioning look, which he looked confused at. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her jerk her head towards me and give a bright smile before giving him a Look.
"Boy, what's your name?" he asked me. I looked at him. He was staring intently at me, making me uncomfortable.
"Mathies," I said slowly, glancing between the two. Babette looked at Nazir, who was too busy still looking at me. "Why are you staring at me like that?"
"You just...you looked kind of familiar," Nazir admitted, finally breaking his gaze. I just nodded and continued working on their wheel. I heard him faintly mutter to Babette. "There's no way. This guy's a blonde. And has a correct state of mind."
"Excuse me for thinking I saw the fool's grin on him," Babette muttered back.
When I finally finished, I stood and gave Nazir his tools back.
"Going to Rorikistead for the night?" I asked them. Babette shook her head.
"We planned on it, but our horse got a good rest, so we're just going to head on to Whiterun," Nazir explained, nodding towards their horse, snoozing peacefully nearby.
I collected and hooked their horse up for them. Babette climbed into the driver's seat as Nazir crawled in the back. Within moments, I could hear the Redguard snoring away. Babette giggled at him.
"Old indeed, Nazir," she said with a smile, shaking her head. "Anyway, thanks for the help. Maybe we'll see you on our way back home in Whiterun."
"Maybe," I said with a shrug of my shoulders. Babette lightly whipped the horse, and it neighed before pulling the wagon at a steady pace. I watched them go on before I mounted my own steed and trotted down the trail to Rorikstead.
After a night in the Frostfruit Inn, I made it to Whiterun. Night had fallen again by the time I had arrived. I would have to wait until morning to talk to the Companions.
Paying the stable keeper to house my faithful traveling partner, I went to the Bannered Mare for a room. The woman behind the counter, named Ysolda, accepted my coin. I was also ordering dinner when I heard a familiar voice.
"I was right. We do meet again!"
I turned and smiled as Babette hopped into the seat next to me.
"I thought you would have left by now," I thought aloud. She smiled.
"Nazir threw out his back," Babette explained. "So we're staying another night so that he can get some more rest in a proper bed."
"Are you renting here?" I asked. She shook her head.
"We're staying in Breezehome," she told me.
"Then why are you here?"
"I could ask you the same. Thought you were joining the Companions."
"I just got here," I admitted, accepting my plate from Ysolda. "I'm going to speak with them tomorrow. I'm sure most are drunk or sleeping by now." Babette giggled. "Do you want some dinner? I have extra coin."
"I already ate," she told me. Babette looked at Ysolda fondly. "I have to say Ysolda, you run the inn as nicely as Hulda did. Lots of changes since I was here last month, and I must admit, all of them were great. I'm especially glad you got rid of Mikael."
"He was too disrespectful towards my female partons," Ysolda told her, giving a small sigh. "Sad though, he was a decent bard."
"Who took his place?" Babette wondered.
"Her name's Parwen," Ysolda replied, wiping off her counter with a smile. "Fresh from the Bard College. Beautiful voice. A true gift from the Divines."
As in on cue, I heard somebody strum a lute. I glanced towards the fire, where a woman was performing said action. She was...breathtaking. A Bosmer, with light brown skin and dark blonde hair tucked behind pointed eager. Light brown eyes were staring out at her audience, sparkling with eagerness. Dressed in a deep green dress that was designed in traditional Nord style, her spirit seemed to light up the room.
Then she began to sing the Song of the Dragonborn. A popular song. I had always been curious about what a dragonborn was. I had asked Neesha, but she claimed to not know, and I got a headsmack and a scolding from Brelda, who told me to not ask such stupid questions. I asked the bard in Markarth, who explained that the dragonborn was a person with the soul of a dragon, that could produce a Thu'um. Further investigation led me to learn that the Thu'um was a special shout. I briefly wondered if that's what my special screaming was, a Thu'um. I shook it off though. It was such a silly idea. Me, a dragonborn.
"Looking for her Amulet of Mara?" Babette teased. I suddenly realized that I was staring at the female bard and shook my head.
"Just thinking," I told her, finally taking a bite of my food. I was a little surprised that Babette, a little girl, seemed to have my maturity level. Neesha did say that girls became mature faster than boys, but I didn't think it was this fast.
"Sure," Babette giggled. "Well, I should head back to Nazir. Make sure he didn't break a hip. You have fun staring at the bard from afar. Hopefully, Nazir and I will see you on our way back."
Babette slipped off the stood and began to walk away.
"Hey," I called after her. "Stay safe. The roads are dangerous for a little girl and a man advanced in years."
"We'll be fine, Companion," she said, flashing a grin. Something was...off...about her smile. She then turned on her heel and exited the inn. I shook my head and took a gulp of mead. She was an odd girl.
I woke up with a slight headache. I believe I drank a bit too much mead.
After getting dressed, I thanked Ysolda, grabbing a loaf of bread as breakfast before heading up to the home of the Companions. Upon opening the door, I saw a brawl between two members. Slipping off to the side, I saw an elderly woman putting some food on the table.
"May I speak to the leader of the Companions?" I asked her. She blinked at me before giving me a warm smile.
"Kodlak is in his room. Turn right, last room at the very end of the hall," she said, pointing me in the right direction. I thanked her and went down some stairs and through a door. Making my way down the end of the hallway, I noticed the door open and three men sitting inside. Two were sitting in chairs next to a small round table, a third sitting cross-legged on the floor.
"Come on in, lad," the eldest said, motioning for me to come inside. "How can I help you?"
"I would like to join the Companions," I told him confidently, standing a bit straighter to appear taller. He looked at me thoughtfully.
"You look...familiar...," he murmured, but then waved his hand as if to wave away the thought. "Nevermind me. I'm old. So you'd like to join the Companions then, lad?"
"Kodlak, don't tell me you're thinking about accepting this young, scrawny boy," the man sitting in the other chair scoffed. "He doesn't even look like he's old enough to grow a beard." I turned a bit red, scratching at my chin. So what if I couldn't really grow one? I looked good without a beard. And scrawny? I'm not scrawny.
"Now, Vilkas, he seems like a strong, willing lad," Kodlak scolded him lightly. Vilkas nodded at him. The kid on the floor looked a lot younger than I did, barely a teenager. Was he part of the Companions?
"But...I've never even heard of him," Vilkas protested.
"Sometimes the famous come to us. Others come to us to seek their fame," Kodlak reminded him.
"I come not to seek fame," I spoke up. "I came to help those in need and grow stronger."
"A noble cause," Kodlak smiled. "Vilkas, why don't you see if this lad is really as scrawny as you think he is. Go test his arm."
Vilkas nodded and stood.
"Come with me," he grumbled towards me. I followed him to the courtyard. The training dummies...
It all looked and felt so familiar.
"Let's see what you got," Vilkas called out to me. I turned to his attention as he put up his shield. "Don't worry. I can take it. Just do your best."
I pulled out my Skyforge steel. The sight of my dagger made Vilkas roll his eyes until I laid hard blow after hard blow on his shield, causing him to stumble backwards.
"That's good!" he suddenly yelled. I stopped attacked and he put down his shield. "Not bad for a scrawny little thing. But you're still just a whelp to us." I rolled my eyes. "Take my sword up to be sharpened, whelp."
He dropped his sword in my arms. I scowled slightly. I was going to end up being a little errand boy. I glanced up at the Skyforge.
Skyforge steel...maybe the guy there can tell me a thing or two about how I got my dagger.
I went up to see a man not much older than I working the forge. I walked up to him, clutching the weapon in my hand.
"Uh, Vilkas sent me with this," I said, grabbing the man's attention. He grinned and accepted it, wiping some sweat from his forehead. He had almost white-blonde hair and a young body. He couldn't have been working the forge when I got this dagger. I had this dagger since I was at least in my seventh year.
"The whelp?" he guessed, putting it off to the side. I nodded.
"Um...I doubt you could...but could you tell me anything about this dagger? It's Skyforge steel...and I kind of remember getting it but nothing else about it," I asked, taking out my weapon. The man set his hammer down and glanced over, shaking his head.
"Nah. That's the old man's work," he responded.
"Old man?" I echoed.
"Eorlund's work," he explained. "My grandfather. He passed two summers ago. I work this beautiful forge now. My work is not as good as his was, but I'd like to say it's pretty damn close. Hopefully in a few more years, I'll be just as good, if not better."
"I'm sorry for your loss," I said quietly, sheathing the dagger.
"Sorry I can't tell you much else bout your dagger," he responded.
I nodded , still disappointed at the lack of information. The man pulled a glove off with his teeth and extended it to me. I awkwardly accepted it.
"I'm Erik," he told me, shaking my hand.
"Mathies," I responded.
"Welcome to the Companions," Erik told me. He hit me light in the best with the back of his hand. "Hey, don't become a servant to the other Companions. They were whelps once too, even if they don't like to mention it."
I smiled slightly and nodded.
"I won't," I promised as he picked up a shield.
"Will you take this to Aela for me?" he asked. "I have lots of steel to work magic on, and I do have a wife at home that requires my attention."
"Didn't you just tell me to not be a servant?" I wondered. He gave a small chuckle.
"I said don't become a servant to the other Companions," he pointed out. "I'm not a Companion. I just make and repair the equipment."
"Good point," I smirked, accepting the shield. Erik waved me away, grinning and rolling his eyes. I laughed as I walked the path back to Jorrvaskr.
I opened the doors of Jorrvaskr and strolled inside. Wait, who was Aela?
I glanced around. Obviously it was a woman, but which one? I wandered to the elderly woman who had set the table earlier. She was now sweeping the floor.
"The newest Companion?" she asked me. I nodded. "Welcome sweetheart. I'm Tilma, been taking care of Jorrvaskr for as long as I can remember." I smiled.
"Where's Aela?" I asked. Tilma nodded towards a redheaded woman talking to Vilkas. Vilkas didn't look the same as he did moments ago. Did he change? I thanked Tilma before walking up to her. "Aela?"
"Yes, whelp?" she asked, barely sparing a glance.
"I have your shield?"
Aela glanced at me before accepting it.
"Ah, thank you," she told me as she examined it. "Erik is no Eorlund, but he's still a wonderful blacksmith."
"I heard you gave my brother quite a fight outside," Vilkas told me. I gave him a weird look. He laughed. "I'm Farkas. Vilkas is my brother. We're twins."
I nodded, suddenly understanding.
"Do you think you can take Vilkas in a real fight?" Aela asked. I shrugged.
"I don't care to boast," I said honestly.
"A man who, for once, allows his actions to speak for him," she said with a smile. "I like that. Farkas, show this pup where the rest of the whelps sleep."
Farkas nodded and motioned for me to follow him, which I did.
"You look familiar," Farkas suddenly spoke up as we entered the Jorrvaskr Living Quarters.
"Can you believe how many times I've been hearing that since I left Markarth?" I replied. Farkas chuckled.
"You must have one of those faces that always reminds somebody of somebody else," Farkas suggested. "Either way, I'm probably wrong. Skjor says I've got the strength of Ysgramor, and my brother has his smarts."
"I'm an only child," I confessed. Farkas nodded as he opened another door to reveal various beds.
"This is where you'll rest your head. But it's not even noon, so I'm sure you'd like some work?" I nodded, and Farkas smiled. "Good. You can travel to Ivarstead. The man who normally brings the Greybeard's supplies is too ill to make the trip, and nobody else in the village is willing to do it. It's a long time, but the task is pretty simple, even for a whelp. I'm sure you can do it."
"I can do it with no problems," I informed him.
"That's good to hear. Now move along. Supplies don't deliver themselves."