Epilogue part 2

Ayah spoke once more with Odahviing, who offered his help at any time, wherever she needed it before he joined his kin in the skies over Skyrim.

She trudged down the mountain, slipping through the Greybeard's home without seeing or speaking to anyone. She made her way all the way down, through the heavy, fresh snow, right to the bottom to Ivarstead. Despite everything that had gone on, and all the dragons that seemed to have appeared from nowhere at the peak of the mountain, no one in the small village knew about the great battle Ayah had just won.

She was greeted in the normal fashion in the Inn. Given a mead and some food and paid for a bed for the night.

Late that same night, Ayah sat in the small inn bed, staring at the bundle Tsun had given her and absently rubbing her right forearm.

She was sure Alduin had snapped it. She felt the pain. She heard the bones break... When she'd woken however, she was fine. Not a mark on her...ok, well maybe that was a lie. Where the mighty dragon had bitten her, there were large fang marks, denting the pale skin with their scars. That was the only reminder of the fierce battle that raged to save Nirn.

Reaching for the cloth bundle, Ayah untied the knot and spread the cloth out on the bed. She was shocked to see all the food still steaming hot and fresh, as if just cut from the spit or picked from a tree.

She picked up a grape and popped it into her mouth, almost yelping as it exploded with a rich, sweet taste.

"Food of Heroes." She muttered and picked up a bit of meat. She found it succulent and tender. "I can see why every man and his dog wants in now." she snorted and ate another piece of meat.

As she chewed, she examined one of the two bottles of mead she'd been given in the bundle. even through the dark bottle, she could see the thick golden liquid bubbling and fizzing, begging to be opened.

She'd promised herself she'd save one for Torvar. She doubted anyone would appreciate it more. She popped out the cork of the first bottle and could straight away smell the honey. Ayah brought the bottle to her lips and took a few good sips.

Just like the grapes, the taste was heavenly. so full bodied it made her tongue tingle. With a snort and another mouthful, she thought to herself how this put Blackbriar to shame and Maven would go out of business if Ayah could replicate this...She might ask Torvar to help her.

Corking it back up again, she wrapped the food and mead away in the bundle and put it on the small night stand beside the bed. She was heading back to Whiterun early the next morning and it was a long walk.

Ayah wondered if Odahviing would come and give her a ride home?

-oOo-

A day and a half it took to get even within sight range of the city known as the jewel of Skyrim. She stayed in Riverwood overnight, once again, the people there were totally oblivious to the danger they had been in.

Ayah left the village before the sun had appeared over the horizon and was on the road leading up to the city by the early morning. She greeted the coach driver warmly with a good morning, which he returned and even stopped the pet the horse stabled outside the city that she'd had her eye on for a long time.

As she began to walk again, she passed a city guard.

"Good morning." she smiled.

"Good morning Harbinger..." He replied before almost falling over. "Harbinger?! You're..." He stuttered. "You're alive!" and before Ayah could answer him, he'd turned back and run toward the city, yelling at everyone he passed about her return.

Ayah had to admit, this was the most emotion she'd ever seen from a city guard. Ever.

By the time she reached the gates, they were wide open and crowd had gathered to greet her. It was growing still as people ran from across the city to see her return.

When she came into sight, the people roared and cheered, all clapping and congratulating her. She murmured her thanks and longed to be back at Jorrvaskr already. She was tired and wanted to be home. To be in bed. To be with her husband.

By the time she'd broke free of the crowd, she felt exhausted. Adrianne leant against a beam outside her shop, watching with a smirk as she lazily wiped her hands on her apron.

"I take it you won?" She said to Ayah as the other woman went to walk past her.

"I did aye. But you're the only one that's asked me if I did. I could have failed and we'd all be about to die and these lot would still be cheering." Ayah grunted, motioning back to the crowd.

Adrianne laughed and shook her head. "Maybe their just glad to have you home?"

"I'm glad to be home. Or I will be once I can get back to Jorrvaskr. I'm so tired." Ayah sighed, and slumped a little.

"Go on then." The lady smith nodded her head toward the mead hall peeping over the wall. "Farkas'll probably be on the steps waiting for you, like he has been since you left...Oh!" Adrianne poked the other woman's stomach lightly and smiled as she leant in. "Congratulations. Aela told me discreetly yesterday in the Bannered mare."

"Thank you." Ayah smiled weakly and bid the woman goodbye to began, once more, for you Jorrvaskr. She was followed by a stream of people, all anxious to see the Victorious Harbinger.

She headed up the steps from the plains district and just as Adrianne had said, Ayah could see Farkas sitting on the top step with their dog, Rex, petting him on the head with a solemn face. She couldn't be irritated with him. It wasn't normal for a wife to run off to fight a legendary dragon...Even in the Companions.

Climbing the steps, it was Rex that saw her first. The war hound barked and sat up, his tail wagging in excitement at his returned mistress.

"What's the-..." Farkas tailed off as he turned to look up at Ayah, who was standing in front of him. "...Ayah..." He got to his feet quickly and pulled her to him, kissing her possessively.

"I missed you." She panted as she broke the kiss and pressed her face to his neck.

"I missed you too." He clung to her tightly, as if letting her go would mean losing her again. There was a collective coo from the crowd stood watching them from the bottom of the steps and Ayah cringed against her husband.

"Can we go inside please..." she muttered against his neck "They've been following me from the gate and I'd like some privacy."

"Oh!" Farkas spun them quickly to shield Ayah from the crowd. "Ayah'll be out later...er...when she's done with...stuff." He said hastily and lead his wife inside, followed by Rex.

Farkas opened the doors for Ayah and shuffled her inside. He hadn't even closed them when Jorrvaskr filled with shouting.

"Ayah!" Aela cried, knocking the chair she'd been sitting in over as she stood abruptly.

"Ayah's back?" Ria looked up from her hands, her eyes widening as they focused on the younger woman in the doorway. Vilkas sat up from his slumped position at the table, getting up slowly and rounding the table.

"It's good to be home." Ayah mumbled against Aela's shoulder as the older woman hugged her.

"Its good to have you home. We were worried about you." She fawned over the raven haired woman. "Its been so grim in here without you."

"I haven't always been here Aela..."

"I know. But now we're attached to you and we wouldn't know what to do without you." Ayah said.

-oOo-

"I honestly thought you'd get eaten by Alduin...please don't be upset." Ria said with a blush. Ayah laughed and smiled, relaxing back against Farkas in his seat.

"Thanks Ria. Its nice to know you had faith in my abilities."

"We all had faith in your abilities." Aela murmured around her tankard. "Even Vignar was worried though."

Ayah's eyebrows rose in question. "Honestly?"

"Truly." Aela nodded.

"He even came to sit with me on the step and wait the other day." Farkas beamed. He hadn't stopped since his wife had returned and his hand clutched hers tightly as she sat on his lap, as if desperate for her affection.

"Are we all talking about the same Vignar?" Ayah chuckled.

"Aye. But don't tell him we told you any of this. He likes to let you think he doesn't like you." Vilkas smirked.

As if on cue, the man in question opened the front door and stepped in, grumbling as he made a beeline for his room. He glanced over at Ayah as he walked before slamming his door once in his room. Silence fell over the mead hall momentarily before the Companion's burst out laughing, Torvar losing his mead over the floor in the process.

"Gods be damned!" He hic-upped and threw himself onto the floor to lick up his drink, next to the dog...

"Torvar!" Ria yelped in disgust.

"I ain't wasting good mead!" He yelled, shoving Rex out of the way to lick up more mead.

Mead. Ayah sat up on Farkas's lap and reached for the bundle she'd placed down on the table as she'd greeted everyone.

"Torvar, for the love of Ysgramor, stop!" Aela growled, kicking him up the ass and causing him to face plant the wooden floor while the others roared with laughter.

"Seriously Torvar, stop." Ayah said, pulling out the Sovngarde mead as Farkas watched her curiously. "Or I wont give you the mead I got from Shor's hall..."

The Companions fell silent and stared at Ayah in surprise.

"You...You actually went to Sovngarde then?" Vilkas asked, edging forward in his seat.

"Aye." His sister-in-law answered and held up a grape to him. "I met Ysgramor too and saw Kodlak again."

"He made it then?" Farkas uttered.

"Aye. Just about. Had a close call with Alduin but he's there now, living it up as much as a dead warrior can." She smiled. Vilkas took the grape and ate it while Ayah pressed another to Farkas's lips.

"These...they taste so..." Vilkas thought as he chewed.

"otherworldly?" Ayah laughed. Her brother-in-law nodded, his brow furrowing.

"You got these from Sovngarde?" When Ayah nodded, Vilkas hummed and sat back, the sweetness from the grape still on his tongue.

"I like 'em." Farkas grinned and reached around his wife to get another.

"Well enjoy them as much as you can. you wont be getting any more any time soon. I wont let you." Ayah said, kissing him, his lips tasting of grape.

"Did you say Sovngarde mead?" Torvar popped up beside Farkas's chair, making them both jump. Out of instinct, Farkas smacked his head, making the blonde Nord yelp.

"That was silly..." Aela chuckled darkly from her chair.

"For the love of...Torvar. Get up!" Ayah demanded. He did so, rubbing his ear while doing so. "You brought that on yourself." She scowled but held out the mead. She was laughing inside.

He took it, his attention leaving his sore ear while returning to his seat quickly. Ayah watched as he pulled out the cork and inhaled deeply, his eyes rolling back in his head. "AAAAAAAAHHHHH" He exhaled and guzzled back the amber nectar.

When he was done, the others watched in amusement as he slumped right down in his seat, grinning like a fool.

"I want to die now..." He purred.

"I wanted to try some..." Farkas whined, looking longingly at Torvar's empty bottle.

"Here." Ayah grabbed the second bottle and uncorked it. "I've only had a couple of sips. You and Vilkas can share it." Farkas took it without question and drank a good amount.

"Hey!" Vilkas scowled, punching his brother's arm. "Save me some!"

Farkas finished his share or more then and smiled lazily as his head swum and he handed Vilkas the bottle. "wow..." He grinned. He felt so incredibly drunk it was unreal.

Vilkas squinted at the amount Farkas had left him growling at how greedy his brother could be. He finished the rest easily, the liquid coating his throat and warming his whole body. This wasn't for mortal men. He knew it.

"That's...the best mead I've ever tasted." he sighed and relaxed back into the same position as his twin.

"I think it's spoiled Blackbriar mead for me now..." Torvar slurred.

"If you're going to be sick, face away from me." Njada growled at him, not that he heard it.

"Well that's just great." Aela glowered over at the three men. "Now half of us are drunk. What's the point of trying to tell everyone the good news."

"What news?" Ria looked on expectantly, ignoring Torvar's sudden fit of burping.

"Aye, what news?" Ayah rested back against Farkas, gently stroking his stubbly chin. He grinned sluggishly and kissed her fingers, or at least tried to.

"You should already know Ayah. It concerns you..." The huntress said with a stern look. It came over Ayah suddenly and she looked back at the huntress in surprise.

"You haven't told everyone already?"

Aela shook her head. "Farkas said he'd do it... he's clearly forgot."

"Forgot what?" Farkas asked, poking his gums. He couldn't feel his teeth.

"That Ayah's pregnant..." Vilkas yawned without thinking.

fin.