Chapter 3 – Jorrvaskr

I approached the building of Jorrvaskr. It had its own secluded area in Whiterun and seemed to be the second largest building and property in the Hold, next to Dragonsreach. I opened one of the front doors and entered.

The first thing I saw was a large dining table stretched across the entrance hall and bordering a set bed of embers. There was one person seated at the table, picking at a sweetroll. I approached him slowly, and I know he noticed me. He was bald, but he did not appear that old. Maybe around mid-30s of season-cycles.

When he continued picking at the sweetroll and not acknowledging me, I spoke up. "Excuse me," I said, "but can you direct me to Kodlak Whitemane?"

He looked at me slowly. "Kodlak?" he repeated. "What business do you have with the harbinger?"

"I… A Nord – a Companion – had approached me after the dragon outside Whiterun was killed several days ago. He suggested for me to speak with your… harbinger."

"Aye, so you're the Dragonborn everyone has been mentioning?" He stood up from his seat.

"Yes," I confirmed. An awkward silence settled.

"Farkas!" he called out. The man who spoke to me outside of Whiterun came from the left side of the room.

"Skjor?" He glanced at the man I'd been talking with, then looked at me, and in recognition, smiled.

"Khajiit," he addressed lightly. "You've remembered my words. Come. Kodlak is sitting with my brother." He beckoned me to follow him. He brought me to a staircase on the left side of the room. At the bottom was a door, apparently to the sleeping quarters.

"So you're the Dovahkiin. A Khajiit, not a trader, randomly appearing in Skyrim." His voice growled. The growl seemed natural, and his tone was far from negative. "I wonder how that happened." We were walking down a long, carpeted hallway.

"I haven't a clue," I replied.

"Some say the birth of the Dovahkiin is randomized. I think I may believe that. Nonetheless, you haven't graced me with your name yet."

"J'vairi," I answered, skimming over the "j" and making it sound rougher with a Khajiit accent. The "ai" sounded like a long "aye," and the "i" at the end carried the long sound of the vowel.

We approached two men sitting together at a side table. One was past his prime years, his long hair gray and white, though muscles rippled beneath his armor. The second looked strikingly like Farkas. I assumed he was the brother Farkas mentioned. Both had warpaint shadowing their pale, silvery eyes, along with long dark hair. Both were of strong build too and had dark beard scruff.

"Who is this?" Farkas' brother looked at me with narrowed eyes, analyzing. I lied my ears back, feeling naked under his cold gaze.

"My harbinger," he said, ignoring his brother, "This is J'vairi the Khajiit and Dovahkiin." He nudged me forward and I greeted Kodlak. "I think she may have a Companion's heart," he said more quietly to the harbinger.

Kodlak nodded. "Aye, J'vairi. Farkas here believes you would like to join our ranks. Is this true?"

"Indeed," I replied quietly. I hadn't realized how much I wanted to join until now. I felt a sense of determination flutter through me.

"A Khajiit? Really, Farkas?" The brother stood up and stepped to Farkas' side, the one opposite of me.

Farkas crossed his arms. "Vilkas, don't be close-minded. You-"

"Hush," Kodlak interjected. "Vilkas, take J'vairi outside and test her strength. Then we shall see if she is of Companion material.

Vilkas opened his mouth as if to protest, then closed it.

"Good call, brother," Farkas murmured, smirking. Vilkas cuffed him on the temple and began walking away. "Come on already," he called at me.

I followed him back upstairs, and we exited through the doors opposite of the ones I had entered through previously. The area immediately outside the doors seemed to be a place for resting, with chairs and tables and food. Below this area was a clearing with practice dummies propped up along the wall of Whiterun. Vilkas stepped into this training area. He cracked his knuckles and pulled out a shield.

"Okay, now let's see what you're made of," he said, his voice rolling with a Nordish accent and pronouncing his "r"s thickly. Something about his voice sent shivers down my spine. "Come at me with anything but magicka – that's for weakling elves."

I was hesitant to attack him out of nowhere. I unsheathed my sword and held my left hand out. I swiped at him once with the blade, and he easily deflected it.

"Come on!" he growled. "Come at me with what you've got! Don't worry – I can defend myself," he added with a jeer. I bared my fangs slightly, then launched myself at him.

I kept my left hand held in a clawing position as I struck with my blade. At each deflection of metal on armor, I'd slashed with my claws. Soon I was using both attacks simultaneously, and Vilkas was animated, baring his teeth. His shoulder-length hair snagged in my claws, and I yanked some strands out. Suddenly he crouched, gave a huge heave of his shield, and knocked me to the ground.

I stared up at the sky, gasping for air. Soon he stood over me, smirking, icy eyes glinting but now with a hint of respect. He extended a hand towards me. I grabbed it, and he helped me up.

"Good job on passing your first test," he told me. I nodded thanks. "Now," he continued, "bring my sword to Eorlund for him to sharpen it. He's up at the Skyforge." He indicated a cliff to the side of the training ground. After unlatching a large blade from its sheath at his back and handing it to me, he walked off.

I sheathed my own one-handed blade and awkwardly held Vilkas' greatsword. It felt large and heavy in my hands; I never held a two-handed weapon before. Faint bloodstains left discolored spots on the gleaming metal. I held it forward, being careful not to drop it and slice myself.

I carried it up the slope to the Skyforge. Tending a wide bed of molten rock and flame was a gray-haired Nord. He noticed me and stood up from his work.

"Ah, you must be new here," he said. "And Vilkas already put you to carrying around his belongings." The last sentence was said good-naturedly.

"I am J'vairi," I told him. "I just finished proving to Vilkas that I can join the ranks among you all."

"You mean among the Companions. I am not a member but their blacksmith, Eorlund." He took Vilkas' sword from me and gave it a scrutinizing gaze.

"Yes, the Companions…"

Eorlund grunted and set Vilkas' weapon aside. He then picked up a shield and passed it to me. "Deliver this for Aela for me, please. Aela the Huntress. I've been meaning to deliver it, but I really need to spend time with my mourning wife."

I quickly agreed. Eorlund seemed fairly friendly, and in my opinion, his personality was a very likable one.

"Aela should be somewhere inside Jorrvaskr, probably in the living quarters," he advised me. I thanked him and left.

It took me some wrong turns into private rooms, but soon I found the tall female Nord talking with another Companion. She turned towards me with a questioning expression.

"I have your shield from Eorlund," I told her and gave it to her.

"Oh, thank you." She pressed a couple fingers to her lips. Her face was framed with reddish hair, and she wore streaks of warpaint on her face. "You're the new blood Kodlak and Farkas have mentioned, aren't you? Vilkas just told them that you passed." She paused and looked me over. "I wouldn't think you'd have it in you, but we'll see how long you can put up."

I thought about what to say in return, but she quickly streaked by me. "Come," she said. "I will show you were you can sleep." I followed her slim frame down the main hallway of the living quarters. She took the left into a room opposite of the door I took to enter the quarters. Further inside were eight beds.

"You can take any that's not owned," she told me. "And when you're ready, speak with Farkas about a task to complete before you're fully within our lower ranks. But for now, come join us for dinner."

I smiled lightly, and we both departed towards the dining table in the main hall. Farkas and Vilkas were already seated, along with a few others. Two were Nords and one was a Dunmer, a dark elf.

"Ah! The newbie!" the blonde-haired male Nord exclaimed as I sat down between Aela and Farkas.

"Torvar! That was my ear you were hollering in," complained a female Imperial beside him. Her appearance and posture was strong and Nord-like; I didn't think she would cause trouble like the previous Imperials in my life.

"Ria!" exclaimed Torvar. "Lighten up and have more Nord ale!" He laughed loudly.

The dark elf seated further away rubbed his temple with his fingertips, looking exhausted. Torvar noticed him and called out, "Athis, come on, buddy! I think you all need more ale!"

Farkas almost choked on a bite of salmon steak with a laugh. Vilkas looked amused but stayed silent. Beside me, Aela calmly told Torvar, "I think you need to cut back, shield-brother." Torvar looked like he wanted to say something, but at that moment, Kodlak walked in.

"Ah, my shield-brothers and –sisters, I see J'vairi has already began to settle in!" I shuffled slightly in my seat and gave Kodlak a grateful look. Torvar shouted phrases of welcoming to me and began singing boisterously. Suddenly I felt a cool gaze bearing into me. I turned to my left to see Vilkas staring at me.

"She hasn't completed a first task yet, though," he muttered.

Farkas glanced at me, then at his twin. "I will give one to her tomorrow morning. Lighten up, brother. So far she's shown great promise."

Kodlak listened to this exchange but didn't intervene. Instead he took a seat beside Athis and Ria. Three more Nords entered the room to eat with us. One I already met – Skjor. The other two I was introduced to – Vignar and Njada.

Dinner passed enjoyably. Though I haven't spoken much, I felt comfort at seeing the Companions. Their manner with each other reminded me of a large family. I smiled to myself.

That night I followed Ria and Njada to the side of the bedroom that we shared. I fell to sleep quickly, and my dreams reflected my excitement for tomorrow – for my first task and to hopefully become a Companion.