A/N: Wowzah! So many reviews in so little time! Well, according to my Story Stats, this is currently my most popular story, followed not so closely by my longest one : Moons of Red. I want to thank all of you awesome people for reviewing and making me happy about my work being appreciated and what not. So, here we are, getting ready to write and upload chapter three, which will be just as fun as the previous chapters. And, of course, Faendal will be in it. Enjoy!

Update: My silly lap top is a bit old and has power cable problems. Aside from that, I couldn't access my writing files for weeks but I think that you'd like this chapter, folks.

Chapter Three

The Run to Whiterun

"Hold the handle j-just so." Hinata adjusted Frodnar's hand yet again. He was catching on quickly though, and while daggers and Kunai had completely different way of wielding, that fact didn't pose a problem for a Chuunin like Hinata.

Dorthe was sitting not too far away on a tree stump, playing with, eh, Stump. Hod and Gerdur were working, as usual, but they also stole glances in their direction whenever possible. Frodnar was making the cutest concentrated face Hinata had seen in a while and it was hard at times to stiffle her giggles. Despite being somewhat too enthusiastic and excited in his approach, he was a diligent student. So far. The Hyuuga had been working with him since late morning and he was finally starting to show some fatigue.

"Interesting technique. Focuses on throw strenght rather than accuracy." Faendal suddenly spoke behind her. His steps and movements had been their usual quiet selves, but a trained Chuunin like the Hyuuga heiress had no problem discerning them from the wind, the rustling of leaves, the happy gurgling noises of the nearby river, and , last but not least, from Frodnar's frustrated yells.

"Hello, Faendal-san."She greeted softly. "T-that's how I was trained at first. He needs to get u-used to the throw before concentrating on a-accuracy."

"I see. Yet you haven't explained that to the boy. Interesting approach." Hinata was certain there was a small smirk playing on the elf's lips as he watched the child struggle with hitting the tree not too far away from him. "He hasn't just thrown knives all day. He looks quite worn out."

"I-I've been showing him some e-exercises to build up his stamina."

Faendal made a non-commital noise in his throat, his cunning eyes keeping a close watch on the boy's movements. He stood completely still, which Hinata noted was typical for predators, and the only movement he exhibited was the slight movement of his chest while breathing and his eyes following Frodnar's throws. Hinata also noted he was dressed in his leather armor and also had prepared his bow and his enchanted sword.

"A-are you going somewhere, Faendal-san?" she asked curiously.

The elf sharply turned to her and nodded.

"Alvor the Blacksmith has asked me to deliver a message to the Jarl of Whiterun. I thought you'd like to accompany me on the way." Faendal explained with his typical quick way of speaking.

"Uhm, let me a-ask Gerdur. She did m-mention something about a message to the Ja-Jarl as well."Hinata said and then turned to Frodnar and told him that was enough for the day and that he could take a break now. The boy was too happy to go and play with his friend Dorthe and his faithful dog Stump.

With an internal sigh, the pale girl went over to Gerdur. She didn't need to ask for permission, but she felt it more appropriate and polite to do so, since she'd be leaving some of her things at her house for the time being.

"Message to the Jarl you say? Hm. I was going to ask you to warn him about the dragon attack upon Helgen., so I don't see why not have you go as well. We don't know if that wretched beast would decide and swoop down upon us defenseless people of Riverwood. And we don't have any hidden passages to hide in or escape through." The Nord woman sighed. "It's strange though. Alvor recieved a letter via a courier this morning while I had been there, delivering hardwood for some shields he had to work on. He looked alarmed for a moment and then he just... hm. It's best you go with Faendal. He probably knows what to do and Alvor's family are known Empire supporters."

Hinata's eyes widened.

"Uhm, will-will you be safe while I-I'm gone?"she asked worriedly.

"Don't worry about us, Hinata. Riverwood's a small community and we look out for each other. You should be worrying about yourself. Come on. I will help you pack for your journey to Whiterun. The road there is rough at first, as it is quite steep. But once you reach the farmlands, it is a straight trek to the Hold."

Several hours later found Hinata and Faendal going down a steep, stone paved road. On one side there was the thickly forested slope of the mountain, going up into jagged peaks and snowy tops. On the other side, facing downwards, was the view of farmland and near naked hills with hints of shrubbery, flowers and short grass, spreading as far as the eyes could see. The road took another sharp 180 degree turn and it was not too soon that the two of them were finally off the mountainous area.

It was a sunny, near cloudless day but the chill in the air was more than what Hinata was used to. Even with her thick robes she still shivered uncomfortably. She could make out the Whiterun Hold in the distance and she resolved herself to move faster towards their destination. The kunoichi looked at Faendal and noticed how the elf paid little to no attention to the cold. He was used to it, it seemed, but she liked to believe that Camilla was also partly to blame for his current jovial and invigorated state. There was a very light smirk marring his face and his vivid dark eyes were clear and happy. He held himself high, with a straight back and a she could swear there he had spring in his steps. She smiled to herself softly, happy for his predicament.

"Hinata, do you see that house over there?" Faendal suddenly pointed to the west. She followed his gaze and gesture and her pale eyes landed on what seemed to be a rather large house near the road. "That over there is the Honningdew Meadery. We can rest there and grab a bottle of Mead for the road ahead."

Hinata agreed but only because Faendal was enthusiastic about it. He did not seem the type to get easily tired on the road and neither was she, seeing as she had shinobi training. But maybe some of that Nord eagerness for alcohol had rubbed off on him. She liked that idea. Hinata imagined herself becoming accustomed to this constant drinking and then returning home. Her father would have this look on his face and...

"Try not to think so much about it, Hinata. We will find a way to send you home." Faendal spoke again, placing a hand on her shoulder.

The Hyuuga blinked once in his direction, for a second wondering if Faendal could read minds. But then she realised that she herself was very open with her emotions, something that was not looked well upon by other ninja. She acknowledged his comment with a nod and not too soon followed him inside the Brewery.

The first thing that came to her mind was how warm it was inside the building. She could hear the faint humm of the various activities going on around her and while Faendal made their order, she chose a table and placed her bag on one of the chairs.

"Here. Taste this. It's one of Honningdew's finest." The wood elf grinned at her as he handed her a tankard and poured some of the bottle's contents. "Cheers."

Hinata stiffled a giggle as he downed the contents in one go. There was something incredibly funny and endearing in the pragmatic and no-nonsence elf as he happily downed his mead. She believed he was celebrating his blooming relationship with Camilla.

"Once we get to Whiterun we will first go to the inn and secure some rooms for the night. We could try and make the trek to Dragonsreach and then back to Riverwood in one go, but I doubt you'd want to hurry like that. It's going to be cold tonight and the winds down here to the north can be even harsher than the weather at the mountain slopes."

The rest at the Honningdew's turned out to be quite the welcome stop. The mead kept her warm and she could feel herself slightly giddy with the effects of the spirits. It was a pleasant feeling, especially when faced with more of Skyrim's cold air and occasional chilly gushes of wind. The land itself was surprisingly enough rich on low growing flowers and bushes. Every now and then she'd stop and pick up some Lavender or Tundra Cotton.

"Lavender makes you happy." Faendal commented, after observng her antics for a while.

Hinata smiled shily at him and carefully put away the picked flowers. It was true. Lavender was one of her favourite flowers. Her mother always used to compare her to it and anytime she'd take a whiff of its scent she'd remember her mother's soft and loving smile.

"L-lavender r-reminds me of Kaa-san, o-of my m-mother."

Suddenly, Faendal's attention was turned forward, quite a way ahead of them. Hinata followed his gaze and activated her Byakugan.

"W-what is that?"

"Giant, Hinata. Quickly! We must help."

The Wood Elf rushed forward, his intense gaze never leaving the huge creature as he pulled out his bow and prepared an arrow. There were several people there already, Hinata noted.

"Look out!"Yelled a tall woman wielding a bow and with loose red hair.

The giant swung with his massive club. Men and women scurried away from the weapon's range and, as the giant slowly prepared for another strike, they moved into their attacking formation again.

A tall, dark-haired man wielding a large two-handed sword swung away at the giant's legs earning an enraged roar from the creature. It brandished its humongous club and brought it down upon where the man had been a mere moment ago. The woman bearing a one-handed sword and a shield used the distraction to stab at its knees but only to be swatted away with one hand by the giant.

"Ria!" the dark-haired man yelled as he danced around the giant's swings.

The woman landed not too far away and Hinata immediately turned her Byakugan to her. She was badly wounded but alive and unconscious.

"She's alive, s-seven broken ribs and b-sroken left arm. Right ankle is t-twisted. Possible heavy concuss- ah!" Hinata gingerly dodged the hit aimed for her.

"Less talking more fighting, girlie."

Hinata blinked. That voice was familiar.

"Sven!? What are you doing here?" Faendal yelled at the bard as he pelted the giant with arrows.

"When we are done here I'll show you what I'm doing here!" The nord replied angrily and once again aimed a strike at the creature's legs.

"Ugh! It's no use!" Faendal moved next to Hinata again."It's skin is too thick and we're only doing surface wounds. Someone needs to go in close and strike the giant. Perhaps the throat or the head."

The Hyuuga girl nodded and pulled slightly away. She returned the two steel daggers to their places for the moment and brought her hands together to form the necessary seals.

"Bunshin no Jutsu." she intoned and beside her appeared a non-corporeal clone of hers, shrouded for several moments in puffs of smoke.

Just as the smoke cleared from her clone, Hinata crouched and silently and stealthily pulled herself aside from the battle. She prepared her Steel Daggers and waited for the opportune moment to strike.

"Ha!" her clone yelled and charged forward, illusionary blades posed to strike. The clone dashed past the the man with the two-hander and the woman with the bow, aiming straight for the abdomen of the giant.

"Hinata!" Faendal yelled out in horror as the club descended upon her Bunshin. The dreaded impact, however, never happened, as the giant's weapon passed through the non-corporeal construct's form and it dissolved into whispy tendrils of smoke. In the brought upon confusion, the real Hinata almost literally shimmered into existence on top of the giant, stabbing with both steel daggers into its neck, opening both carotids and slashing forward. A huge fountain of blood sprung from the deep laceration and the giant helplessly gurgled as it fell backwards, dropping the heavy club with a well resounding thud to the ground.

With a bit of chakra, Hinata jumped off the giant's shoulders and landed gingerly on the ground in a crouching position with daggers held in an attacking stance, just as she was taught. Her face, in that sole moment, displayed nothing more but steely determination. The veins around her eyes receded and she stood up with a sigh. With swift and practiced movements, she wiped the blood from her daggers onto a scrap of cloth and put them away.

It was just then that she noticed all the stares upon her. A blush crept up on her face and neck and she looked down, hands fidgeting with each other. She felt uncomfortable for being singled out in such a way. In this world, so different from her own, her abilities and skills as a ninja were something exceptional. People here were powerful warriors or mages and yet rarely would anyone see a person capable of combining both those potentials to perform something exceptional. Back in her world it was almost the same in some aspects. Only those showing the potential graduated the academy. Only those ready to realise it became ninja. For most the profession of the Shinobi caste was shrouded in mystery. It was no surprise, really. Newly minted Genin took out seasoned fighters and bandits with ease just because they were conditioned into using chakra. Such showings of strenght were often cause for fear or mistrust.

And now, just as she had performed a rather standard assassination technique, she felt and saw all those incredulous gazes and stares. How could she, the timid little girl, kill this incredibly powerful and dangerous giant? Hinata took a deep breath and exhaled slowly and silently. She was a ninja. A ninja's greatest weapon was their mind. She was a Chuunin, and no mere greenhorn. And most of all, she was a Hyuuga, one of the greatest clans in all of the Elemental countries, both feared and respected. For a moment, she squeezed her eyes shut and clenched her jaw. And here in this strange world she was all alone. Neither Kiba or Shino were there to comfort her or shield her in some way, nor was her Sensei, Kurenai, there to offer a reassuring smile.

Her heart was thumping in her ears as she looked ahead, chin held high and her eyes challenging those before her to say something, anything. This was her ninja way. To never give up and to never give in. She felt it very important to show herself confident in front of all these people, to show her pride in her hard earned skills. True, she was a ninja and ninja dealed with death among all other things.

Faendal smirked and nodded lightly in her direction. Sven was looking at her, with obvious apprehension. Perhaps he had thought to fight her and now was having second thoughts on the matter? She did not know but she assumed she'd know soon enough. It was a surprise for her, however, as she held the gazes of the two warriors that were fighting the giant as they had approached. They were not just approving or awed. They seemed to have appreciation for her skill and that thought brought another blush to her already warm face.

"Farkas, go check on Ria." The red-haired woman said, not taking her strangely yellow eyes from Hinata.

"Already on it." the man, now known as Farkas murmured as he moved swiftly towards their falled comrade, taking out a large red colored potion in the process. It was some sort of healing potion, Hinata wagered. She'd have to look into it.

"You did well with the giant. In fact, I find your performance impressive. The Companions could use someone as talented as you." The red-haired woman spoke to her, her piercing gaze never leaving Hinata's pale eyes. For some reason, she reminded her of Kiba's mom, Tsume. "I am Aela, my fellow Companions call me the Huntress." The woman, now known as Aela, extended a hand to Hinata.

The timid girl blinked once and shook hands with her, overcoming her immediate instinct to bow politely.

"My name is H-hinata Hyuuga." the heiress stated softly, only a light blush marring her cheeks.

"Such shyness does not become a warrior." Aela frowned and was about to continue to speak when Sven finally decided it was time to duke it out with Faendal and charged at the wood elf, who quickly dodged, only to be hit in the face by the bard's left elbow.

"Ugh!" Faendal cried out and blood rushed down his face. He staggered backwards, as Sven rushed at him again. Despite his broken nose, the elf managed to sidestep yet again this time avoiding any of Sven's flaying limbs.

Finally, seeing as he won't be able to tackle the elf with the usual charging tactics of the jelaous male type, the bard decided to stand his ground and taunt Faendal into attacking.

"Come on, elf! I don't know what Camilla sees in you but it definately isn't your fighting prowess."

Faendal's eyes narrowed even further and there was a growling sound deep within his throat. He did not say anything at first, but his hands twitched. Hinata knew what that meant. Faendal was quite the marksman. In the matter of a second he could take out and draw his bow and it would be all over for Sven. As an Elf, however, he was agile and light on his feet. Nords were built tall and strong and in the end it would be more of a battle of wits than anything truly physical.

Faendal's attack was swift and Sven couldn't react in time. The Elf's foot collided with the Nord's stomach. The bard grabbed him by the armor and pulled him down on the ground where they proceded to beat each other up.

Hinata stiffled up a groan and attempted to pull them apart without hurting them. It was a lost cause, especially when both men were stubbornly trying to prove each other worthy of Camilla's affections.

"F-faendal-s-san! S-sven-s-san!"

"Let me do this, girl." came the gruff voice of the tall, dark-haired Nord.

"Oof!"

"Ungh."

"There. That'll teach them to behave. For now." Farkas cracked knuckles, satisfied with his work. Both previously fighting men stood up and shot murderous looks at each other and then at the broad-shouldered and heavily armored Companion.

Faendal wiped the blood from his face and then sighed, trying to get himself to calm down.

"Stay away from Camilla."

Sven sneered.

"Ah, Camilla. As fair as the morning sun. But I ask you, elf, how could she prefer your brooding to my romantic tunes?"

"Just stay away from her, Sven, or...or else."

"Or else what, Faendal? Do you honestly think that bringing back a little souvenir that got stolen would miraculously make her fall in love with you?"

"Camilla-"

"Is already mine, elf. She is a woman with refined tastes and she deserves the best! And I am the best man in Riverwood. What can you offer her? Skins and hides? Some game and the occasional herbs?"

"I can offer her my love and loyalty and my life, Sven. Can you say the same about yourself? The fruit does not fall far from the tree, as they say."

Sven turned pale with rage and tried to charge at the elf, only to be caught by Farkas' strong grip.

"Oh no you won't. Both of you behave or I will have to set you straight. Am I clear? Good."

Seeing the fight trully over for now, Hinata rushed over to Faendal and activated her Byakugan. Thankfuly his nose wasn't broken, but she gave him a Minor Potion of Healing just in case of any other, hidden injuries, such as bruises and minor muscle rips, which were not something she specialized in spotting.

The walk to Whiterun was eerily silent and somewhat uncomfortable. Hinata had the utter unpleasure to be stationed in between Sven and Faendal and she had to endure their hateful gazes for several hours. Ahead of them were Farkas and Ria who were talking quietly with each other and at the head of their travelling group was Aela the Huntress.

"Hail Companions." one of the guards at the gate greeted and then turned towards the other three. "They may go through but the city is closed for visitors."

"Uhm." Hinata mumbled and took a deep breath to explain why they were here.

Faendal, however, beat her to it.

"We are here to speak to Jarl Balgruuf the Greater. Riverwood requires aid. Also, this woman here is a survivor from Helgen. I am certain the Jarl would like to hear us out."

The Guard eyed the three of them suspiciously and seemed to try and take in all of Faendal's fast speech .

"I suppose I can let you in, but no funny business." The guard took out a large key and opened the big front gates of the city.

Hinata noted they were made of a solid, dark wood and that they were not as grand as the front gates of Konoha, but they served their purpose well.

"A survivor from Helgen. That place was completely destroyed... Did you see her blank eyes? Poor girl must've been through a lot." Hinata heard the guard mumble to the other guard.

"Such a pretty lass too, no wonder she is so timid."

The Hyuuga heiress looked down, feeling bad that her weakness was so obvious to everyone even here. Faendal placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed lightly.

"Don't listen to them, Hinata. Come on. It is late and we need to save rooms at the inn."

After saying their farewells with the Companions, and after making Hinata visit them in the morning, the three of them headed to save rooms at the local inn, The Bannered Mare. As it was nearly dark outside, the inn happened to be filled to the brim with chatty locals. With a bit of dufficulty, Sven made his way through the crowd to reach the Inkeeper, a woman by the name of Hulda. Hinata followed closely.

"I want to rent a room for the night." the Nord bard stated to the inkeeper lady and soon enough he was off to leave his things in on the second floor.

"What can I do for you, lass? I've just stoked the fire so you can sit down and get the cold out of your bones."

Hinata gave the friendly woman a small, shy smile. Luckily, she was either too busy to notice her blank eyes or she was just that good an inkeeper.

"Uhm, I-I would like two rooms a-and some d-diner for two." she said softly, digging out her coin purse.

As Faendal and Hinata finally settled their things and prepared for dinner, Sven also appeared and sat down by Hinata.

"Why are you still here, Sven?" the Wood Elf asked, his annoyance quite obvious.

"No other tables are free, elf."

"Hn."

Faendal decided it was best to completely ignore the bard and Sven turned to Hinata, who did not seem to show any sort of aggression towards him.

"So, Hinata was it? Were you really at Helgen? Was there really a... Dragon."

"Don't pester her, Sven. It is none of your business."

"My mother claims to have seen a dragon flying over the Bleak Falls Barrow. I do believe I am entitled to know whether or not there really was a dragon."

Faendal and Sven glared for each other for a while. Hinata sighed and took a sip from the Mead she had bought. It made her feel nice and warm inside.

"Ano, F-Faendal, Sven. P-please don't fight. A-and there really w-was a dragon, Sven-san. I-it was b-big a-and pitch black... like-like a v-void. I-it was c-covered in spikes a-and i-its teeth and c-claws w-were huge."

Her eyes clouded with the memories of the complete massacre left behind by the dragon. She fingered her tankard and then she took another small sip. For once the elf and the bard were not exhuding murderous auras. Instead they were mortified by the story she told them.

"I am sorry, Miss Hinata, to have doubted you. I can tell that you are sincere enough and it had been quite the traumatizing experience. My apologies." Sven said softly and gulped down the rest of the contents of his tankard. After a moment or two of silence, the bard smiled somewhat, but it resembled a grimace more than anything else. "And to think I rushed off to fight the elf for Camilla. Don't think I am giving up on her, elf. I merely think that it is best for us all if we secure our Riverwood first. After all, it is home to Camilla as well and if we cannot keep our home safe than what is left of us to do?"

"For once I am inclined to agree with you, Sven. Never had I believed a day would come in which I'd hear something sensible come out of your mouth."

"I say a lot of sensible things, elf. But you were either recently cured of some form of deafness or you were never around to hear me speak. Always in the woods or working at the mill. No wonder Delphine calls you a hermit."

"At least I am never drunk on the job, unlike some bard I know."

"P-please, n-no more fighting."

Hinata intervened another verbal fight, to which both men glared at each other but did not finish their bickering. The rest of their dinner was rather peaceful. Both men managed to eat heaps of food, at least to Hinata's point of view and had more than a few tankards of ale. Finally, some semblance of peace, the girl thought with relief. The atmosphere at the Bannered Mare was quite pleasant, folk of various pedigree and wealth were all chatting with each other, there was laughter and the clinging of tankards. The smell of delicious food, various types of ale and burning timber filled Hinata's nostrills as she observed the people's interactions. A bard was playing his instruments and the Kunoichi noted that Sven was eyeing his performance rather critically. As the three prepared to go to their respective rooms the Riverwood bard announced that he would call a temporary truce with Faendal and would accompany them to Dragonsreach, as he was just as concerned about Riverwood as they were. Faendal looked disgruntled at that declaration but did not voice his disapproval of Sven's presence.

The night came and went, leaving Hinata feeling oddly refreshed as she woke up early in the morning. As she went by to her two companions' respective rooms, she found out that Faendal had already left for the market and Sven was still sleeping. She decided not to disturb him. Early morning in the inn was a rather peaceful and quiet affair. Hulde, the inkeeper, was already up and was putting away various spirits, preparing for the day. The dark-skinned woman, Saadia, was cleaning the floor.

"G-good morning." Hinata greeted the Inkeeper, who had taken notice to her presence."M-may I have s-some tea?"

Hulda smiled pleasantly at her and called Saadia over.

"Yes, mum?"

"Bring the lass some tea. Do you want anything for breakfast as well, dear? We have freshly baked bread, cheese, fruits and vegetables from the market. Whatever your heart and stomach desire." Hulda chuckled.

Hinata ordered herself some bread, some cheese and some apples. It was a simple but filling meal and soon enough she was out on the streets, making her way through the already bustling market of Whiterun. The Hyuuga girl found herself interested in all the various things people were selling. Fruit and vegetables were mostly of local origins and Hinata noted the large amounts of game meat that was for sale. Pork was something she had yet to find and beef was sold in very small quantities. Chicken or any sort of domesticated bird meat was also absent from the stalls in the market. From what the Kunoichi had seen so far for the few days she had spent in this world, cattle, such as the incredibly hairy and ox-like cows were used mainly for the milk they produced. Same rules applied, it seemed, for the chicken, as there were eggs aplenty but nearly no one sold chicken breasts or any such sort of meat.

There were stalls selling things like jugs and bowls, cups and tankards, cutlery and so on. What Hinata discovered to be most intriguing for her was that one small stall, selling cloth. The Hyuuga heiress made note to stop by that stall if they had time on their way back.

"Hinata!"

"Oh, F-faendal. G-good morning." Hinata greeted the Wood Elf, who seemed to be holding some sort of package.

"Good morning, Hinata. I got Camilla a present from my visit in Whiterun. Is that bard up yet? I'd like to speak with the Jarl as soon as possible."

"Uhm, no. L-last I checked, S-sven-san w-was sleeping." Hinata shook her head and followed Faendal as he continued walking.

The elf sighed at the news.

"If the guards have sent word to the Jarl of our presence and we do not appear before him as soon as possible-"

"I am right here, elf, no need to cause a ruckus." Sven suddenly said, making Hinata whirl around and blink at him.

She hadn't sensed him coming so close to her. It was starting to get unnerving. She was a ninja and she'd been trained from a very young age to rely on other people's chakra signatures for identification and that had always been part of the awareness of her surroundings. Here, in Skyrim, however, she was the only person with chakra. In a way, that made her feel exposed. The Hyuuga heiress made note to keep better track of her surroundings. Inwardly, she sighed. It would take her a while to get used to this unpleasant fact.

"We need to get to the Cloud District. That's where Dragonsreach is." Faendal pointed towards the large building at the highest point of Whiterun.

The walk across the Plains District was rather informative for Hinata. She observed the various buildings and small alleyways and also noted the position of the guards, patrolling the streets. The Plains District was the host to most of the shops and the city's marketplace. There were also several small homes here and there. There was a main street that went all the way to the City's gates. The Plains District connected with the higher tier, the Wind District, via several stairways.

The most notable feature to Hinata in the Wind District was the large tree that was in the middle. It seemed to be dead or dying, though it was still quite impressive.

"That over there is the Temple of Kynareth. And this here is the Gildergreen. It is sad to see such a great and beautiful tree dying." Faendal stated, his last words colored by sadness. "And you take that way to reach Jorvaskr, the headquarters of the Companions. We will visit them when we are done in Dragonsreach."

"Jor...vas..." Hinata sighed. She couldn't pronounce it.

"Don't worry, Hinata, you'll get it soon enough. It took me a while to pronounce some of the Nord words myself."

As they walked across the Wind District, the Hyuuga Heiress saw a man wearing priest robes and preaching before the statue of a man.

"A brave man. The worship of Talos is forbidden and yet here he is, doing his calling."

"T-the guards d-don't seem to m-mind him." Hinata observed.

"Because they are Nords. And Talos was a Nord himself." Sven added his two cents.

"We're almost there. Let's talk to that guard over there, he should let us in." Faendal nodded towards one fo the guards standing at the great doors of Dragonsreach. " Excuse me, we are here to see the Jarl. It is an important matter concerning the security of Riverwood."

"Very well, but we will be keeping an eye on you." The guard said as he opened the doors.

Yet again, Hinata felt their stares piercing her back.

"Did you see the girl? Her eyes are blank. Einar said she was a survivor from Helgen. Poor lass."

"Come on, Hinata, let's get to the Jarl."

The girl nodded silently, trying to surpress the urge to duck her head and hide behind Sven, who was the tallest person near her at the moment.

The Grand Hall of Dragonsreach was quite impressive. For a moment or two the Kunoichi marveled at all the wood carvings on the columns and the walls. Despite being primitive in Hinata's point of view, the style held a certain type of strenght and beauty, that she determined typical for the Nord way of life.

As they moved forward, Hinata saw a tall Nord wearing expensive looking clothes. He was sitting on a throne. That must be the Jarl, she deduced.

"My lord, please. This is no time for rash actions-"

"What is the meaning of this interuption?" a dark-skinned woman with gleaming red eyes drew her sword and strode quickly to the three's direction. Hinata knew then and there that the woman was a Dark Elf. "Jarl Balgruuf is not receiving visitors."

"Madam Housecarl, we come from Riverwood. We were sent to seek aid." Faendal spoke, politely inclining his head at the intimidating woman.

"Well. That explains why the Guards let you in... and yet..." the red eyes locked gaze with Hinata. " There was a talk among the guards about a blind girl that supposedly survived Helgen. I take it this is she?"

"Irileth, who are these people?"

"My Jarl, they have come to seek aid for Riverwood."

"And the girl? Is what I heard true. Were you really a survivor at Helgen? It is a miracle that you've managed to escape."

Hinata felt more uncomfortable by the second. Why were these people constantly insisting that she was blind?

"E-excuse me, J-Jarl B-Balgruuf. I-I'm n-not b-blind." A small blush appeared on her face as she said that. "A-and I-I really d-did survive H-Helgen, s-sir."

"Then is it true what people say? That it was destroyed by a dragon?"

"Uhm." Hinata took a deep breath and tried to remove the image of the beast's gaping maw and gleamind red eyes like embers from her mind. "I-it is, s-sir."

Noting her discomfort, Faendal lay a hand on her shoulder and squeezed lightly.

"What do you say now, Proventus? Shall we continue to trust in the strenght of our walls? Against a Dragon?"

"My lord, we should send troops to Riverwood at once. It is in the most immediate danger. If that Dragon is lurking in the mountains-"

"The Jarl of Falkreath will view that as a provocation!" the advisor, Proventus, interrupted Irileth." He would assume that we're preparing to join Ulfric's side and attack him! We should not-"

"Enough!" the Jarl shouted. "I will not stand iddly by while a dragon burns my hold and slaughters my people! Irileth, send a detachment to Riverwood at once."

"Yes, my Jarl." the Dark Elf bowed and strode away.

"If you'll excuse me, I'll be returning to my duties." Proventus also walked away.

The Jarl rubbed the bridge of his nose and sighed. Soon enough he was calm again and he turned his gaze towards the three.

"Well done. You sought me out on your own initiative. You've done Whiterun a service and I will not forget it. I shall give you something as a small token of my esteem."

The Jarl sent them with one of the guards to the Armory.

"That dragon at Helgen... It must've been horrible. To survive something like that... you must've had a Divine or two looking out for you, Lass." The guard spoke to Hinata as Faendal and Sven were bickering quietly about an Imperial bow that caught both their eyes. "Can you really see? Your eyes look blind."

"Uhm. T-they've a-always been l-like that."Hinata mumbled. "I-I see p-perfectly f-fine, g-guard-san."

"Guard-san? Is that 'san' something like mister? Bjorn would do. Name's Bjorn. If someone's giving you trouble, just walk over to a guard and tell them you know Bjorn and it'd be fine."

"M-my name is Hinata Hyuuga. P-pleased to meet you, Bjorn." the Kunoichi shook hands with the guard.

"Let's see if we can find you something your size. A pretty lass like you needs protection."

The comment made her blush lightly and give the guard a small smile.

Some time later all three of them walked out of the armory and back to the Main Hall. The dispute between Faendal and Sven was settled as the Nord found a nice shield to his liking, better quality than his own.

"That is a nice Studded Armor you've got there, Hinata. It needs, however, to be fitted, else these parts here and here will chafe."

Hinata nodded as she put away the Armor in her bags.

"Ah, good. You're still here. There is another thing you can do for me, suitable for someone with your... particular talents." The Jarl said. " Come, let us find Farengar, my Court Wizard."

Hinata perked up at that. She'd finally meet someone wielding magic proper. As they walked, the Jarl explained to the three:

"Farengar has been looking into matters related to these dragons and rumours of dragons."

Sven followed the Jarl first, followed by Faendal and, finally, Hinata.

The Court Wizard's quarters were on the first floor, near the Main Hall. The quarters were a set of rooms that were separated by the Main Hall via a corridor. Hinata noted the abundance of strange and odd things and gadgets that were all over the shelves, the desk and wherever she'd look. There were tall bookshelves packed to the brim with books. On one side she saw a strange ornamented table with glowing runes upon it that made her feel a weak tingling sensation just behind her sternum. Something in that table brimmed with energy. She resisted the urge to activate her Byakugan and take a 'closer' look.

As it turned out, Farengar happened to be a tall nord about her father's age. He had a thin face and sharp, calculating gaze, similar to Faendal. Hinata immediately recognized him as a man who spent a lot of time thinking and analyzing things. Like any ninja worth their salt, Hinata immediately felt weary of the man. It was better to be safe than sorry. The wizard wore dark hooded robes of a fine material. They had found him overlooking a map, with a book in one hand.

"Farengar. I think I may have found some people to help you out with your... dragon project. Feel free to fill them in on anything they might need to know."

"Of course, my Jarl." Farengar bowed his head politely.

As the Jarl left, the Court Wizard marked his progress on the book and snapped it shut quite audibly. For another moment or so his eyes flickered between her, Faendal and Sven. He did not seem to be impressed but he also witheld his opinion of them. Hinata counted that as a good sign.

"Since you are here to help me, you might as well fetch something for me." Farengar started and walked slowly about his desk, crossing his arms over his chest. "And by fetch I mean delve into ancient dangerous ruins in search of a stone tablet that, well, may or may not actually be there."

Hinata did not need to turn around to see Faendal and Sven giving each other looks. She lightly bit her bottom lip. Neither Sven nor Faendal were fond of their task but they were going to go with her to do it. Her ninja training, however, made her want to scold them for their behavior. In a way, Farengar, and by extention – the Jarl, were their clients and they were to do a mission. Her companions were acting unprofessionally and she could practically hear Kurenai-sensei lecturing them at lenght. The Hyuuga girl tried to swallow down her nervousness and willed herself to stop fiddling with the sleeves of her robes. It was usually Shino who would speak to the clients, though Kurenai-sensei always had them practice their speaking-with-clients skills. She felt somewhat foolish to still experience this type of nervousness. The Chuunin mindset had yet to settle in completely, she mused.

"Uhm, w-what are t-the details o-of o-our mission, F-farengar-san?"

For a small moment, the Court Wizard seemed slightly surprised. A very light scowl marred his features as he regarded the girl before him yet again.

"The Stone Tablet is supposed to be located within the Bleak Falls Barrow. It is a Dragonstone – said to contain a map of Dragon Burial Sites. Go to Bleak Falls Barrow, get the Dragonstone and bring it to me. Simplicity itself."

With a bow and a small, polite smile on her face, Hinata excused herself and her companions as soon as possible.

"Why didn't you tell the Court Wizard that you already have the Dragonstone?" Faendal finally asked as they moved quickly through the Wind District.

The Kunoichi avoided meeting gazes with the elf, choosing instead to look at her nervously fiddling fingers.

"W-well "she started mumbling quietly, not really sure how to explain her reasoning without sounding completely and utterly like a greedy bad person. She was a Kunoichi, after all. Not a charity act." G-giving a-away t-that i-inform-mation w-would le-lessen t-the requirem-ments o-of t-the m-mission pa-param-meters."

"Ugh, I didn't catch that." Sven scoffed and Faendal shot the bard a warning glare.

Hinata hung her head low, her bangs somewhat covering her burning face.

"I see. You believe Farengar would reduce whatever reward he would prepare for the Dragonstone. Sly and maybe slightly underhanded, but given your circumstances..."Faendal squeezed her shoulder lightly, reassuringly. "Do not fret, Hinata. You did well."

The Hyuuga girl looked up at him with wide pale eyes and mumbled a barely audible thank you.

"Now let's head to Jorvaskr."