Chapter 5:

I Won't Give Up

And here is the next chapter I hope everyone has been waiting for! As of right now I am in the middle of school and am trying my best to find time to write when I'm not so dead tired…so please bear with my slowness with updates :)

Disclaimer: Yeah I do not own Skyrim, those rights belong to Bethesda. But a girl can dream…right?

~ oOo ~

5 years later, age 15

"Aela! What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"What do you think I'm doing, ice-brain? I'm winning!"

"Not like that you're not!"

"Oh Farkas, just let Aela be, she's going to lose regardless!" Serah tilted her head back and laughed.

Growling, Aela only gripped her hand harder. "Oh, we shall see about that, little Serah," she said, mocking her nickname. Serah growled while Farkas tightened the grip he had on her shoulder; she wasn't appreciating Aela using Farkas' nickname he had given her; he was the only one allowed to call her such.

"Just face it, Aela," Vilkas said, his eyes intensely focused on the spectacle before him. "It's about time; you're bound to lose."

The fiery red-head growled even more. "Oh you twins, always against my side."

"No," Serah said, a giggle still escaping from her lips, allowing the slip of her nickname to be forgotten. "They're just on my side because this is the time that I'll win!"

Down within the living quarters, Serah and Aela sat facing each other at a table in one of the corners, with Farkas and Vilkas standing on either side of them. The girls' arms were locked in a battle and had been for the last twenty minutes; they grunted and squirmed but neither relented. A bead of sweat dripped down Serah's cheek, her face focused on Aela in concentration. I have to win this, I just have to. It's time I finally beat Aela at something and put her in her place – she is not the only female Companion who is strong enough to win everything!

Serah grinned, knowing she had nothing to lose, whereas her opponent was beginning to lose her edge. She could tell that Aela was struggling; her grip was weakening and her arm was beginning to slip from its position on the table. Farkas stood directly behind Serah, his hand leaving her shoulder and traced his fingers down her back until it nestled again and reclaimed its original spot. She smiled at his tenderness then looked up into the eyes of her competitor. "Are you ready to end this?" she asked confidently.

Scoffing her statement aside, Aela snarled at Serah, wanting her to know that she was going to win this battle of arm-wrestling. "You think you're so tough, huh?"

"Well, I did have the best mentors to teach me everything I know." Farkas and Vilkas grinned from ear to ear ay her comment.

"Oh, so you think that makes you the strongest one here?"

"Not at all, quite the opposite. In fact, I know I have a lot to learn. For starters, if I beat you here, then I can prove that you're not the only strong female Companion, Aela."

She laughed. "That's what you're worried about? Then you have a lot to learn, shield-sister."

"Of course, shield-sister." And with all her might, Serah grasped Aela's hand harder and forced her arms towards the table. Serah forced her hand onto the table with such force, their tankards of mead nearly fell over before Vilkas caught them in his hands.

Behind her, Farkas roared with laughter as her clasped Serah on the shoulder while she stood from the table. "Well, what do ya know, Aela? It seems we do have another strong female Companion in our group."

"Oh shut up, Farkas. So she beat me at a stupid arm wrestling match. What's the big deal?" Standing from the table, she left the other three members and made her way upstairs. As she walked away, Aela called over her shoulder, "What matters the most is if she can prove herself out there!" And then she was gone.

"Ah, don't listen to her, Serah, she's just sour that someone actually beat her." Vilkas nudged her with his shoulder and she smiled. She didn't really care what Aela had to say; in the end, it was all in good faith.

Farkas appeared on her other side and smiled down at her. Over the last few years, both the twins had gone through their final growth spurt, their height extended taller than any of the other Companions with Farkas, of course, still being the taller of the two. As for Serah, she too had transformed during her own growth spurt. Finally, at the age of fifteen summers, Serah looked like the woman she had always dreamed of being. Although she still had a few years to go, she was still content with the way she looked. Her midnight hair cascaded down her back in long strands, softly curling at the end; her waist curved, her breasts small. Her arms and legs were toned after years of training and running. And when it came to her height, well, compared to the twins, the top of her head barely reached Farkas' chin – and he was the taller one. She didn't mind, it was all the same to her, Serah was simply happy to finally be on the same page as everyone else.

Especially now that she could leave the city and go on missions – though she still had to have somebody with her. Part of her was upset and infuriated that she had to have a chaperone whenever she went on a task, but at the same time, she was thankful. There was a part of her that knew she wasn't ready to do a task on her without anyone, and until that time would come, she'd always have somebody by her side.

"So," Farkas pulled Serah out of her thoughts. "How about we go celebrate with some mead for your victory, eh?"

Serah laughed, now that she was old enough to feel comfortable drinking mead, the twins were always looking for an excuse to drink with her. She couldn't tell is it was because they were waiting for her to grow up or if they seriously loved her company that much. But she shrugged it off and smiled. "No thanks, I think I'll go train a little."

"Why go train when it's so early, Serah?" Vilkas slightly pouted. He, too, wanted to go celebrate with the drink.

"You know," she said as she walked towards her room wanting to grab her great sword. "You could always drink and watch me train." Both brothers turned towards each other and smiled; the thought never even crossed their mind, but now they had a reason to drink without her.

Once upstairs in the training area, Serah stretched the tight muscles in her back before slipping her fitted tunic off over her head. While training, Serah wasn't too fond of having her tunic on, so she always took it off; the black chest cloth that tightly bound her small chest kept her in place every time. She could tell that several Whiterun male citizens and Companions members sometimes stared at her as she swung her sword around, but she didn't care. Glancing in the corner of her eye, she focused her attention on one certain individual. A certain somebody whose taut, bulging muscles were too tight for his tunic. His hair grew longer every day, the plastered war paint surrounding his eyes. His steel armor danced in the morning sunlight as he toasted his twin brother with a full tankard of mean in celebration for Serah winning against Aela. The men of Whiterun could glance all they wanted – but there was only one man Serah had her eyes on.

A man she'd been watching since the day she arrived at Jorrvaskr all those years ago.

As the hours passed, the sun beat down on Serah's bare back as she switched between her Skyforge great-sword and the small iron swords she kept handy on her hips, just in case she lost her main weapon. Whenever she began her training, she always stretched; a first mistake will always turn into experience. One day she had skipped stretching and strained her muscles too hard that she laid in bed for nearly a week before she had the strength and ability to move again. After that, stretches became a routine. Once that was done, she would then practice her techniques on the straw dummies standing along the stone wall or she would ask any other Companions if they wanted to spar her.

But for some reason, her training today didn't feel like she was working up a good ol' sweat. Instead, she walked downstairs, ignoring the questioning looks of the twins as she headed towards her room. Before bracing her steel armor onto her body, Serah brushed her fair a few times then took half of the long tresses and braided the section all the way down, leaving a small section of hair along the left side of her face and braided that portion as well, not forgetting to include the blue feather she had found years ago within the leather strap that bound the small section of hair together. Once finished, she stepped back outside, ready to go hunting. She knew that Tilma was in need of more meat to last them for a while and she wanted a real training session – kill two birds with one stone. As she made her way back upstairs, she walked outside and she braced her great sword along her back, wanting to ask the twins if either one wanted to join her on her quest. As she reached them and sat down at the table, she grabbed the half full bottle of mead from Farkas' hand and dipped her head back, the burning liquid seeped into her blood and made her smile.

"Thought you said it was too early for drinking?"

"Eh, that was before I somewhat worked up a sweat."

The twins raised their eyebrows. "So why the sudden change of attire, Serah?" Vilkas asked, his voice deep and husky from his honeyed mead.

Taking another swig, she laughed. "Tilma needs more meat for food and I need to go work up an actual sweat. Who wants to go with me?" The twins exchanged another look and shrugged, both standing while reaching for their weapons. Vilkas was about to reply when a curling scream echoed from the Wind District and was gradually growing louder towards their positions. They all reached for their swords, Serah standing from the table and slightly crouched, ready to pounce on whatever it was that was headed their way.

But neither of the Companions were ready for what was in store next. Another scream sounded across the clear sky as a young boy, probably around nine or ten summers old, burst around the corner at full speed, straight towards the twins and Serah. He screamed at the top of his lungs, "Companions!" Once he was close enough, the boy tripped on the stairs fell to his knees and Serah was instantly by his side, the twins not too far behind her.

"What is the matter?" she asked in her softest voice, wanting to ensure the young lad that they would help with whatever the issue was.

"M-my…f-family…"

Farkas also knelt by his side and placed a hand against his back. "What's wrong with your family, lad?"

With all his running, the boy could not breath. He took several moments to gulp fresh air before finally speaking. "Our farm, my family we…we were outside tending to the crops when suddenly…out of nowhere, a giant came up and attacked us! My mother…my mother…" His voice grew weak as tears suddenly sprang to his eyes. "My father…told me to go fetch the Companions for help so please…he's out there fighting by himself…" He looked straight into Serah's eyes, pleading that she help him. "Please save the rest of my family!"

"Don't worry, I promise we'll take care of the giant and save your family. Now, which farm are we talking about?"

"Next to…P-Pelagia Farm The one c-closest to the Western Watchtower."

Serah immediately nodded and looked towards Jorrvaskr, but Vilkas had already read her mind; he then called for Tilma to watch the boy until they returned. Weapons in hand, they raced towards the gates of Whiterun where they left the city and trailed down the path towards the stables. Serah's heart beat frantically; she had never before battled a giant and had no idea how to kill it. What're its weak points? Does it have any? What's the best weapon to use? Are they even easy to kill?

All these question coursed through her mind as their legs pounded against the ground. When they neared the stables, Serah stood on the large boulder and craned her neck, trying to see if the giant was anywhere in sight before they made their next move.

"Is he still there?"

Serah groaned. "Not that I can tell – there's nothing. You think we…wait…no, there it is! I see it!"

"What do you see?" Vilkas questioned.

"The giant, he…looks like it's walking back towards the closest giant's camp, Blackwind Basin."

"It's just walking?" Farkas groaned.

"That's what I said."

"Hmm," Vilkas turned towards his brother. "Doesn't seem right."

"No, a giant wouldn't just attack something and then leave, not unless it – "

"Was after something…" Serah finished Farkas' statement in a ghostly whisper. They turned towards her. Her eyes widened as her arms fell to her sides. "The giant just turned around and is heading the opposite direction…He's…he's after the little girl…" The twins immediately strained their necks to see what Serah was looking at, but to no prevail, so they continued asking her questions. "There's a little girl and he's going after it. We have to stop it!" Before she could allow the twins to formulate a plan to take the giant down, Serah jumped from the boulder and was on her feet, running closer towards the stables. She whistled a commanding tune as loud as possible, calling for a close friend she had helped raised since birth, needing its assistance.

A lustrous, black mare perked its head towards Serah and jumped from the stables, galloping at full speed towards her side. The mare bounded its way towards the Companion who immediately jumped onto its bare back and raced towards the giant who, as each second passed, raised its club higher into the air, ready to strike at the young girl who cowered in fear. Grabbing hold of the horse's hair, Serah leaned down as they flew against the wind that crossed their paths. She flew past the workers of the stables and the small crows of individuals who could see all that was happening.

Time froze while Serah's heart raced as Star pushed forward, her main focus was rescuing the small child from the clutches of the giant. Grabbing the mare's mane even tighter than the grip she already had, Serah leaned forward and whispered in Star's ear. She had raised the beautiful horse from birth so it grew to listen to Serah and only Serah; if anyone else tried to mount or ride the creature, she would immediately buck them off. Star pushed on forward and as they grew closer, Serah leaned back, a smile growing on her face because she knew her plan was going to work – at least, that's what she continued to tell herself.

As the neared the raging giant, who continued to swing its club from side to side, insisting to hit the little girl it was following, Serah released the tight grip she had on Star's mane. As the giant grew closer to its fragile victim, Star still pushed on. As the wind brushed past her face, she swallowed a fresh mouthful of air; she didn't know what was going to happen, but she had to trust that her crazy plan would work. In the end, she would do anything to save the little girl. Pushing aside the sudden dear that settled within her throat, Serah pulled both legs to the same side, as if she had been riding Star side-saddle the entire time. Gaining speed and distance, Serah closed her eyes…

…and jumped.

Landing directly against her target, Serah jammed her shoulder into the giant and they both fell to the ground, the weapon of the beast's choice falling from its massive hand and away from where they landed. Rolling away from the massive beast, Serah instantly rose to her feet and ran straight towards the girl, who was cowering on her knees. Kneeling down, she gently grabbed the smaller hands and quickly spoke before the girl could protest. "Shhh, little one…" The girl still began to whimper in fear. "Hey, it's ok, I'm here to help you."

Slowly turning her gaze upwards, the child had tears streaming down her face as she looked up at the person who was saving her. "W-who are you…?"

"My name is Serah and I am here to help you. I need to move you to a safer location for the next few minutes, ok? Do you trust me?" The child immediately nodded its head and, when Serah placed her arms out to carry the child, she wrapped her skinny arms around Serah's neck as the Companion quickly bolted towards the stone walling and placed the girl behind it, out of the giant's view. "Stay here and don't move. I'll come back for you once its's safe, alright?" The little girl could only nod her head in understanding as the Companion jumped over the stone wall.

Keeping her front towards the giant, who was barely attempting to stand, Serah moved away from the child's location, wanting to direct the giant to pay attention to her instead. Within a few moments, the creature stood at full height and had reclaimed its weapon of choice within its hand. While keeping her gaze on the giant, out of the corner of her vision she could see both Farkas and Vilkas running towards her direction; she waved them off as she reached for the great sword from its position among her back. The twins froze on spot, unsure of what to do. The giant raised its club, ready to strike and kill. Sidestepping in a circle, Serah yelled to her fellow Companions, "I'm fine! Go and make sure the children's parents are safe!" With the sword grasped firmly in her hand, Serah twisted her wrist, the weapon striking through the air as she continued to circle around the massive beast.

Farkas watched in amazement; he couldn't believe that the girl in front of him was Serah. True, he and Vilkas both taught her how to fight and she was excelling every day, creating her own, unique way of fighting. They all had battled with her against numerous enemies – bandits, undead creatures and even some Silver Hand when they really wanted to test their strength, but to see her stand up against a giant all on her own when she had never battled one before sent…chills all the way down his spine. He shivered when he realized a stimulating sensation sneaked its way down into his ever tightening trousers. Grinning, Farkas wasn't able to withstand the excessive beating of his heart. Knowing he held an attraction for Serah for some time now only increased as he witnessed her courage and bravery take over her senses, all because she was desperate to save a family she didn't even know. I love that about her…

His lips turned into a full on smirk as he watched Serah twirl her weapon around in one hand, impressive that she could manage such a feat with a heavy weapon such as a great sword. Watching in fascination, he muttered under his breath, "Heh, I taught her that."

Grabbing his upper arm, Vilkas pulled his brother towards the house belonging to the family farm to find the young lads parents as instructed. "We don't have the time for this, brother. Come! We need to find the parents." They turned in the opposite direction and took off, leaving Serah to deal with the giant all on her own.

Taking a deep breath, Serah carefully placed one foot over the other as she gradually circled the beast, who never took his eyes off her. Snarling, the giant raised its massive club and moved to swipe her with his ferocious strength. She dodged the attack with ease, and when he swung towards the left where she stood, she rolled onto the ground, the weapon barely scraping the top of her head. She exhaled and quickly stood to her feet, immediately swinging her sword against the giant's arm, slicing through the flesh and quickly drawing blood. The monster howled in pain and anger. Summoning all its strength, he bounded in Serah's direction, swinging its massive club in all directions.

At first, Serah could dodge all swings, but the closer the giant was, the harder it became. Swinging its fist directly towards her face, Serah slashed her blade and cleanly sliced the fist off the giant's arm. Screaming in rage, without Serah noticing, he hurled his club in her direction straight against her chest. Thrown completely off her feet, Serah soared several feet away and tumbled to the grade in a heap of dust and a scream of her own passed through her lips, her hands going straight towards her chest. With her fingers, she could tell her breastplate was bent to the point of no return and quickly unclipped the braces holding it against her body. As she tore the armor from her body, one of the sharp edges from the busted side caught on her tunic and ripped the material, narrowly missing her skin. She groaned and decided to pull the cloth over her head, welcoming the coolness of the late afternoon air to soothe her perspiring skin. Now clad in all her armor except the chestplate, she threw the broken piece away from her and allowed herself to breath more efficiently since the bent metal had cut off her circulation. She reached for her weapon before standing only to find that it had been flown in in the opposite direction. She cursed and reached for one of the smaller blades at her side.

As the giant raced towards her, Serah stood as quickly as she could, ignoring the deep, settled pain within the left side of her body. But she breathed deeply and held her empty hand up, ready to strike at any moment.

"Serah! No!" She could hear Farkas in the background screaming her name, but in that moment, she wasn't concerned. Yes, she had been hurt, but in the end, she would be victorious. Taking a few steps forwards as the monster bound its way towards her, she yelled at the top of her lungs, "Frostbite!"

The freezing sensations of snow and ice coursed through the flesh and muscles of her arm, racing through her bones until it unleashed from the palm of her hand straight towards the center of her enemy. Although the spell was of the novice level, the giant staggered back as the freezing damage penetrated its thick skin and seeped into its core. As he took several steps back, Serah walked forward, her magic encased hand held high in empowerment, knowing she was close to victory. Her could feel the deep magic within her deplete; she didn't have much energy left but she willed herself to continue, knowing this was the only reason she hadn't been attacked yet.

But the giant was growing tired of this farce. In one last attempt to kill what had attacked him, he raised his club with the last hand he had and swung. Serah was ready and crouched as low as she possibly could. Using the strength in her thighs she had perfected over the years of training, Serah stood swiftly and thrusted her sharpened blade forward – directly into the heart of the beast. Swaying for several seconds, the giant sprayed blood from its mouth in agony and fell backwards, Serah puling her bloodied sword out of the wound before he fell. The ground slightly shook as the massive weight of the beast crumbled. Smiling at her defeat, Serah's legs suddenly grew weak and the pain within her side escalated and finally caught her attention. She fell to one knee and breathed in deeply, not knowing whether she had any broken bones or if she was just severely bruised. But as soon as she fell, the Companion remembered a little girl she promised to protect and her determination brought her back up to her feet.

As fast as she could, Serah jogged towards the section of the stone wall she placed the little girl for protection. As she jogged, she threw her weapons to the ground in abandonment and whistled for Star to join her side as she rounded the corner and found the girl slumped against the stone, her knees curled against her chest. Kneeling down, she gently placed her hand on the girls shoulder who looked at her with wide, fearful eyes. In a soft voice she said, "I promised I'd come back for you, didn't I?"

"The g-giant…is he d-dead…?" Serah nodded and the little girl jumped at her, wrapping her tiny arms around the Companions neck. "T-thank you!"

Wrapping an arm to steady the little girl, Serah stood and walked towards Star, who was making his way towards its master. "No need to thank me little one. Now, how about we go find your parents. I bet their worried about you. How does that sound?"

The girl sniffled, a few tears running down her face. "My parents are…daddy was fighting the monster and w-was h-hurt…and my m-m-mommy…" She began to cry harder and Serah rubbed her back, moving her hand in small circles.

"I sent my friends to help your parents. Don't worry everything will be ok. Would you like to meet my friend?" The little girl nodded and turned her head as Star neared its master. Serah rubbed the side of the horses' neck before stating, "This is Star. Star is one of my best friends. Would you like to ride her?" Again, the girl nodded, her tears forgotten as Serah helped place the girl on Stars back, who stood still, patient as ever. Serah was glad to see the girl smiling, but turned to see Vilkas and Farkas standing a few feet from where she stood; grave looks were plastered against their faces. She didn't like what she was seeing.

"Did you find the parents?!"

Farkas nodded, not looking Serah in the eye but Vilkas was the one to finally speak after a few moments of silence. "We did but…the father isn't in the best shape. We sent someone to find the priestess and the mother…" Vilkas turned away, not wanting to see the expression on Serah's face. She frowned as a tear slid down her cheek. No, no, no! They have to be okay – I will NOT allow these children to live without their parents!

"That's not good enough!" Leaving her shield-siblings behind, she ran past them towards the farm house, ignoring the protests from the twins as they were screaming her name as she past them. Her brain telling her it was too late but her gut stated she had the chance to save them. As she neared the house, she grimaced; the ground was covered in blood. Near the house, the father was leaning against the door, one arm holding the other is blood leaked down his skin. But next to him was the mother; she lay peacefully on the ground; not moving, not breathing, not…anything. Choking back a sob, Serah ran towards the parents and immediately crouched next to the mother. Before she could move her hands, the motionless father spoke out.

"There's no point, Companion. She no longer exists in our world." Ignoring his statement, Serah placed her fingers against the mother's neck, wanting to ensure she had no pulse before letting go. The skin under her fingers was cold and for a fleeting moment, all hope exhaled from Serah as she let go of the breath she was holding. But as she was about to pull her fingers back, something thumped against her skin. Pressing her fingers tighter into her neck, she felt it again.

The woman still had a pulse.

Knowing what she had to do, Serah gathered all her strength and hovered her hands over the woman's midsection. Magic once again coursed through both her fingers as her palms softly glowed a golden light, a resemblance to the hope people held within their hearts.

"Didn't you hear what I just said? She is no longer of this world – her soul has already traveled to Sovngarde! Let my wife rest in peace!"

Serah turned towards him and a growl accidently escaped her lips but she didn't care. "And you listen to me! Your wife may still be alive and if you want to see her by your side again, let me work in peace so I can save her!"

Turning her attention back towards the woman, Serah breathed in deeply and exhaled slowly. This was going to take some time, she knew, and needed all the concentration she could muster. With her hands glowing with the power of a Restoration spell, Serah, for the first time, set herself to heal another individual. She wasn't aware how long she had been crouched, but she ignored the stabbing pain she felt in her sides. Her hands slightly burned as she increased the use of her magic, but she didn't give up. In that moment, her only goal was to save the mother of the two children she had met. They were so young and still needed the love of their mother. She didn't want them to grow up not remembering her face, her smell, her loving touch. She wanted the children to grow up happy knowing their mother was still by their side whenever they might need her.

I want them to have what I never experienced. I don't know what it's like to have a mother kiss my head, tuck me in at night, or pass on the teachings her own mother once taught her. I don't want these precious children to grow up in a life like that.

Clenching her teeth, Serah's determination grew stronger and her magic increased tenfold. Sweat dripped down from her brow, as did several tears from her eyes. The minutes flew by and gradually, Serah could see the woman's skin color darken as her cheeks blush with life. Serah only stopped when she could visibly see her chest rising and falling on her own before releasing the magic and letting her numb arms fall towards her side. Leaning down, she could feel the breath from the mother's mouth; it was hot against her cheek and Serah suppressed a smile from forming on her lips. Looking towards the husband, whose eyes had filled with tears, she said, "Your wife is going to live." And as the last word left her lips, the woman groaned and turned her head towards her husband, whose tears were falling from his face onto the ground. He reached out with his good arm and stroked her cheek. "Elya…?"

"H-Harod…?" Her voice was weak and hoarse, but at least she was speaking and with that, Serah smiled at the display in front of her.

"E-Elya! You're…you're alive! Thank all the divines!" He leaned down and held his wife lovingly within his arms. Standing, Serah stood to walk away, giving the couple the moment of privacy but the husband called her back. "Companion! Please, wait! In the house, there is a chest under the bed that has gold in it. I want…please take it as my gift to you for saving my wife."

Turning back towards him, she gave the man her sincerest smile and nodded in gratitude. "I gratefully appreciate your offer, but I must decline. As a Companion, yes, I work for money but this…" She glanced between the husband and wife. The love they shared was visible and it was powerful. One day…I will have something resembling this. I will have a husband who will love me unconditionally and never let me go. She smiled. "Just please, enjoy the rest of your lives together and raise your children with the same love you share. If you do this, that will be payment enough."

The husband widened his eyes in shock, disbelief coursed through him but he smiled at her and nodded, agreeing to their mutual understanding. But the wife immediately shot forward, her hands grasping the arm of her husband. "The children!" She turned towards Serah and screamed, "Where are my children?!"

Kneeling down by her side, Serah smoothed the matted hair out of the woman's face. "Shhh, all is well, I promise. Your son is residing within Jorrvaskr and your daughter, well…" She turned with a smile – Vilkas and Farkas stood at the end of the farm, their eyes also in disbelief at witnessing Serah use magic. But also because Serah was able to save someone's life with said magic as well. They both were frightened, but they cast their fear aside and smiled in her direction, proud of the path she had chosen. Star stood in between them, with the little girl still straddling her back, smiling all the while. "Your daughter is also safe."

Walking back towards her shield-siblings, Serah smiled and blushed in their direction, knowing they had seen and heard everything. They opened their mouths to speak towards her, but she shook her head and whispered, "Later, okay?" They nodded and she looked towards the girl. "Hey, would you like to go see your mommy and daddy?"

Her eyes enlarged; the beautiful blue color danced in the sunlight as she held out her arms for Serah to take. She winced on the inside; the pain in her left was becoming excruciating, but she could survive several more moments to ensure the child was safe in the arms of her family again. Taking the girl into her arms, Serah positioned her on her hip and made her way back towards her parents. The wife leaned against the wall of the house as well and when Serah walked in their direction, both had tears streaming down their faces and when the little girl noticed her parents, she reached forward, arms extended out to hug them with all her might. Softly laughing at the situation, Serah gently set the child on the ground who ran towards her parents and jumped into their awaiting arms. Standing there, Serah watched the beautiful moment and turned to leave before hearing a "thank you" from both parents before she walked back towards her fellow Companions.

Just as she reached the twins, the priestess from the temple of Kynareth rushed towards them, asking of any news. Serah related what had happened and stated that both parents needed healing potions, but they both should be okay. Nodding, the priestess left the Companions to go assist the family. Sighing, Serah rubbed her temples before looking at the twins; she still had a few tears falling from her eyes but nonetheless, she smiled. "That was hard for you to watch, wasn't it?" It was Farkas who spoke and when she looked directly into his eyes, Serah could tell he knew what she was thinking. And for a moment, that scared her, but thinking that Farkas knew everything she felt uplifted her heart and her cheeks burned with an unexpected heat. Nodding, she weakly replied, "Yes…yes it was." Farkas took a few steps forward and cupped her face with his hands, his thumbs rubbing away the few tears that lingered behind. "You're stronger than you think you are, Serah." She nodded in response and closed her eyes, other tear let loose but the muscular twin swiped it away.

Looking between his twin and shield-sister, Vilkas could tell that something was going on between the two most special people in his life. Part of him didn't want to think about what was running through their heads, but at the same time, he secretly had wished for what he was seeing for quite some time. Oh Divines, please let nothing damper the relationship between these two people. Glancing down at her side, Vilkas was shocked at the black-purple bruise growing across her side and stomach, that was steadily crawling up her chest towards her throat. "Serah…how's your side?"

Looking down, she smirked, knowing that there would be a bruise, just not one this big or this quick. "I'm, well…it's slightly tender and…" She tried to move to get a better angle to look at her side but squeezed her eyes shut from the pain. "No, oh hell no, it fucking hurts like a bitch."

With his protective instincts kicking in, Farkas lifted her up bridal style, with a yelp escaping Serah's lips, as he gently placed her on the back of Star. Holding onto the ebony locks of Star, Serah knew Farkas' plan and didn't say anything against it. Looking up at her, his eyes were soft but his voice was hoarse and strained. "You'll stay on that horse and we'll take you back to Jorrvaskr." She was about to tell him that she was fine enough to walk, but he wouldn't hear it. "No you've done enough today, Serah, and with your side the way it is, you're lucky if I'll let you leave your bed in the morning." She gaped at him, but a sudden vision of Farkas holding her down on the bed made her face blush profusely, that she had to turn away in embarrassment – but not before Farkas could see and smirked.

Looking towards Vilkas, she finally noticed he was carrying something within his muscular arms. "What're you holding?"

"We grabbed everything you dropped. I have our armor and Farkas has your swords."

Looking back between the brothers, she couldn't help but smile. They guided Star towards the gates of Whiterun, and after convincing the guards to allow the Companions to take Star into the city, they made their way towards Jorrvaskr where the twins helped Serah down into her chambers where she fell against the pillow and was out within a few seconds. As she drifted off into sleep, she could vaguely hear the voice of Kodlak speaking with the twins. He mentioned something of the "circlet" or the "sparkle," but in her current state of lost consciousness, she couldn't stay awake long enough to fully hear out the conversation.

~ oOo ~

Sometime later, Serah awoke with a sudden start and regretted her decision the moment her side began to ache. The pain had dulled since she fell asleep, but it was still there and it would be there for some time in the near future. Taking her time, Serah eventually was able to sit with her back against the headboard, her breathing slightly labored, more from the anticipation of pain than what she actually felt. She sat like that for a while, her eyes looking across her room and thinking of the family who worked at the farm. She smiled knowing that she had saved their lives and also happy that the children would still have their parents to grow up with.

Looking up at the ceilings, Serah sighed. Parents…I wonder what that's like? I have no memories of my mother and I barely remember anything of my father. He abandoned me here years ago and for what? Why would he leave me here and never visit again? Did he not want me…? Did he not…love…me?

She pondered these thoughts for a few more moments, but a sudden and unexpected knock on her door drew her from the deepest sections of her mind. When she did not answer, the door opened and Kodlak walked through, his face slightly etched with concern, but when he noticed she was awake, a smile replaced all worry. "Oh Serah, I'm glad to see you're awake. I heard you took…quite a beating today." He chuckled and sat in the empty chair across from her bed.

"Nothing's broken, I assume. I'm just really sore. Did Farkas and Vilkas explain what happened?"

"Yes they did, that you were hit in the chest by the club of a giant. Sounds painful."

She smiled and laughed at the way his words sounded. "At the time, not so much. But the more I fought and ran around, yeah, the pain kept getting worse. But now," she lifted her arm and looked down at her side, which was covered from hip to chest in a blackish-purple bruise that would cause her some difficulty for the next few days. "It's really tender, but not like what it was earlier. I'm glad I took that nap." As she spoke, a yawn escaped her mouth and she muttered an apology to Kodlak.

Sitting in the chair, Kodlak starred at his goddaughter, a swell of love developed in the old man's chest and he smiled. Serah was like a true daughter to him; he had read to her at night, taught her how to hold a sword and, other than the twins, he was the one she had gone too when she missed her father. There was a piece of the Harbinger's heart that was angry with Fenrir for leaving his daughter the way he had but Kodlak still understood the old Companions reasoning. It saddened him that Serah knew nothing of her father and he questioned whether she could even remember him. She doesn't even know that I'm her godfather…I don't think it's the right time to tell her but one day I'll gain the courage to tell her. She deserves to know the truth.

Serah looked deeply at Kodlak's eyes and could tell something was bothering him. "Kodlak? Is everything alright?"

Blinking, the Harbinger looked up and nodded. "Yeah, don't worry about me, Serah, I'll be fine. However, I did come visit you for a reason, other than wanting to see how you were feeling."

"Oh? What did you need?"

"For starters, you didn't just take a nap, Serah. You've been asleep for several hours; the moons have been crossing the sky for some time now and I need you to meet me somewhere."

She wasn't all that surprised that she slept longer than she originally thought. "Sure, anything Kodlak. Where?"

"Once you're dressed, I need you to meet me outside the doors of Jorrvaskr and I'll take you there myself. Sound good?"

Tilting her head to the side, Serah questioned what was going on. This sounds a lot like a few years ago with the twins…oh on. But she placed a smile on her face and nodded. "Oh course, just give me a few moments and I'll meet you upstairs."

Nodding, Kodlak stood and gently shut the door behind him as he made his way upstairs to wait outside for Serah. With each step he took, his mind traveled back to right after the twins let Serah fall asleep; the three of them plus Aela and Skjor stood in his private quarters, all discussing Kodlak's recent decision. Aela and Skjor were perfectly fine with it but the twins were reluctant to agree, Farkas more so than his twin.

"Kodlak, this isn't right, we cannot do this to her!"

"And why shouldn't we, Farkas?" Skjor sneered.

Farkas growled, but Vilkas grabbed his arm before he could do anything stupid. "This is not what she wants! She will not accept this!"

"Oh and you think you know everything little thing about her, don't you? Just because you've been buddy-buddy with her since she was dropped off here."

"Yes, I do know everything about her. I do not support this Kodlak!"

The Harbinger rubbed his temples. "Farkas, I understand your concern, but Serah demonstrated herself out there today and she has the chance to join the Circle. Why don't you approve of this?"

"Because she fears the beast-blood! You were there the night she witnessed my transformation but she told me it frightens her, that it's not right. I'm telling you, she will not accept this."

Vilkas stepped forward and offered his own advice. "Put it on the table and offer it to her, give her the chance to accept it. It's not like Kodlak will kick her out of Jorrvaskr if she refuses, am I right?" Kodlak nodded and everyone turned in Farkas' direction.

Growling, Farkas stomped towards the door and threw it open. "Fine, but if I find out that anyone in here tries to persuade her to take the beast-blood, they will have to hear from me."

Kodlak shook his head, not knowing what was going to happen within the next hour, but in the end, he didn't care what happened or what decision Serah decided to go with. He simply just wanted her to know that all her training was wearing off; she had indefinitely proved herself out in the field today and he was tremendously proud of her. She was a fantastic shield-sibling to the other Companions, she was beloved by everyone she spoke with, and she was an amazing individual. I am blessed to call the girl my goddaughter.

~ oOo ~

Sometime later, Serah stepped out of her room and, instead of wearing her armor or tunic and trousers, she opted for something fitted but not too tight because of her massive side bruise. Her dress was a dark shade of blue and was fitted across her bust, which was cut low, and fell loosely to the floor. Normally, she refrained from wearing such items of clothing, not because she grew up mainly around men, she simply felt more comfortable being in her armor than a simple cotton dress. Making her way upstairs, Serah walked out of the mead hall and found Kodlak sitting at one of the tables, his eyes searching for something off into the distance, but what it could possibly be, Serah could not say.

"Kodlak, I am ready."

Turning towards her, the Harbinger smiled and asked her to follow him. They walked the short distance towards the cliff underneath the Skyforge when the Harbinger finally turned towards Serah, one of her eyebrows raised in questioning. Taking a breath, he said, "I'm assuming you know why I've brought you here…?" Serah nodded in response, but it took her several moments before she was able to say anything. She glanced between Kodlak and the invisible entrance she knew was there. Over the last several years, she and Farkas had discussed the beast-blood and all that she witnessed that night. In truth, she didn't want the beast-blood. A small part of it had to do with her fear of wolves, ever since she was attacked as a young girl; more importantly, it wasn't right to tie oneself to Hircine for the rest of their lives. Serah had expressed all her feelings to Farkas who repeatedly apologized for his rash decision.

At first she had forgiven him and although it had taken her some time to accept his reasoning, it made her blush to think that Farkas, and Vilkas for that matter, chose to tie their life to the Deadric Prince Hircine in order to gain the power to protect her. So…my shield-brother turned into a werewolf to protect me from wolves. Oh, the irony is not lost on me.

When she didn't answer, Kodlak only nodded and took her silence as her permission, so he reached out to press the hidden switch when Serah pressed it first as she smiled in his direction. He smiled in return and as the designated section of the wall cracked and lifted, Kodlak allowed Serah to enter first as he followed behind. Once inside, the wall closed behind and for a moment, Serah was blinded by the sudden darkness, but several candles were lit and her vision cleared as she noticed all the other Circle members were inside. Skjor and Aela looked proud – from either her being inducted as a Circle member or because they were spreading the beast-blood, she wasn't sure – Vilkas held a solemn look on his face, while Farkas scowled, but turned his lips upward when he finally saw her. She returned his smile and stood behind the stone basin, facing the rest of the Circle members.

Clearing his voice, Kodlak looked to the other members before speaking. "Members of the Circle, I have gathered you here tonight because we have found another individual to join our ranks." Looking straight into Serah's eyes, he already knew her decision before he spoke of what he offered. "Serah, you have lived within Jorrvaskr for many years, and we have all witnessed your growth, your tenacity to learn and fight, and the strength you possess. And, I also hear that you now know the ways of magicka?"

She nodded as a brilliant grin crossed her face. "That is correct, Kodlak."

"But why would you baffle yourself with something so…incredulous?" Skjor sneered.

But she brushed his questioning off, having heard it for several years. "Simple. I wanted to learn magic. Done."

Both Farkas and Vilkas chuckled as they turned their heads away at her answer. Kodlak followed along in their snickering before nodding his head in approval. "As long as you can control your power, I congratulate you on this feat. I've heard learning the ways of magic can be quite tiresome." She nodded. "Serah, over the years, you have accomplished many tasks and have become an excellent Companion and shield-sibling for those around you. And after your feats earlier today, I wish to welcome you into the Circle and become one of us. And you know what that implies."

"Yes Kodlak," she bowed her head in respect. Although she wasn't all that thrilled to become a member of the Circle – simply because of the werewolf transformation – it was truly an honor to be even considered for membership. "Everyone here, I really do appreciate the offer, being a Companion, it means a lot knowing that I have finally proven myself to everyone here in this room." Her eyes looked across to everyone within the hidden cave, but she focused intently on one individual.

Farkas held her gaze and although he was mad as hell that Kodlak wanted to make her a Circle member, he had to respect the decision of his Harbinger. After the meeting they had earlier, Kodlak had founded the muscular twin and told him one of the reasons why he wanted to make Serah a part of the Circle.

"Her father was once part of the Circle. And I agree with you Farkas, she will refuse the blood of the beast. But it's a way for her to be closer to the father she never knew."

Although he couldn't remember a family other than those of the Companion members, he understood that Serah felt lonely at times. She had a few more years with her father and since he had left, that's all she ever wanted was her parents to be by her side. She may not know her father was a Companion like her…but if this what Kodlak thinks is best for her, I cannot go against his wishes.

But Serah's words pulled Farkas away from his thoughts. "Unfortunately, I must decline this honorable offer." The room fell silent until…

"What? Are you fucking kidding me?!" Sjor left his position and walked around the stone basin towards Serah and stood directly in front of her, sneering in her face. "Kodlak, your Harbinger, just offered you a sacred placement within the Circle and you decline his offer…?" he stated through clenched teeth. "I never took you for being dimwitted, but you just changed my mind!"

"Skjor!" Farkas stepped forward and placed a hand on the older man's shoulder, gently pushing him away from Serah. "What did I tell you earlier?"

The older Companion brushed off Farkas' hand, his lips twitched in utter annoyance. "Don't you pull that on me, you pup. Just because you think you know Serah better than anyone doesn't give you the right to –"

"Skjor! That is enough!" Kodlak was the one to step forward and intervene before anything brutal could emerge from the two Circle members. Stepping between the two men, Kodlak ignored them and looked directly at Serah. "You've known about our secret for several years, I'm sure you've thought about this on your own time?"

Serah looked down. Though she was proud for standing up for what she believed was the right decision for her, but she still felt ashamed. "Yes," she whispered.

"What if I told you that you could still become a member of the Circle without taking on the beast-blood of Hircine?" All eyes in the room widened and Aela was about to speak behind Kodlak but he held up his hand; her mouth shut immediately. From behind the Harbinger, Serah could see Farkas staring at her, waiting to hear what she had to say. "I understand your feelings on the matter, Serah and I respect that. As I'm sure you're aware, every member of the Circle for the last several hundred years has taken the blood and turned over to the side of the wolf. But you, my darling Serah, that is not your path. That is why I am still offering you a position within our sacred membership, if you still want it, without having to take the blood."

Serah instantly nodded her head in excitement. "Of course, Kodlak. How can I refuse if you've ever so graciously given me this opportunity?"

"But…but Harbinger! Every Companion member, and I mean every Companion, has taken on the beast-blood. Are you so willing to let tradition go?" Aela was finally able to speak the words that plagued her mind. It wasn't that she didn't agree to the idea, but she couldn't fathom the idea of someone not wanting to take the sweet, sweet blood of the wolf.

"Maybe it's a tradition that needs to end…" Blinking her eyes, Serah looked into the eyes of the man who became a father-figure to see if she had heard him right. He looked straight into her face and gave Serah a look as pleading not to repeat what he just said. Instead, he replied to Aela's statement. "There isn't any ruling that states any new member of the Circle must take the blood. This is something that Serah has decided against and I respect it. So, Serah, do you accept?" One last time, she glanced around the room and felt the heat of all stares focused on her. Nodding her head, she replied "yes" and Kodlak clasped his hands together. Both twins exhaled, excited for her new status but thrilled that she wouldn't have to carry the burden of Hircine riding her back for eternity.

The Companions didn't stay within the underforge for long; with Skjor and Aela leaving first before anyone else followed by Kodlak soon afterwards, leaving Serah and the twins all alone.

"So, first you were a new member at Jorrvaskr, then you became a Companion and our shield-sister, and now you're our fellow Circle member. How does it feel?"

"Well," Serah scratched the back of her head. "Since I didn't take the blood of the werewolf, technically nothing has changed!" All three laughed, the sound reverberating off the stone walling within the cave. They stayed inside for a while talking about what happened earlier in the day and the conversation they had with Kodlak. Serah was surprised to hear the twins sticking up for her protection, but since she had known that they became werewolves to gain the power to protect her, it wasn't all that surprising anymore; but it was really sweet. Eventually, Vilkas left too, deciding he needed to get some sleep since he had a job he needed to complete in Riverwood the next day. He bid Serah and his twin a good night and left, leaving them all alone.

A sudden blush coursed across Serah's cheeks and she glanced at the ground, unexpectedly shy by being in the company of Farkas. But she gathered her courage and mustered a few words out of her mouth. "So…" At least, she tried to mutter a few words.

"You know…" Oh thank the Divines, Farkas has something to say. "I was really worried that you'd feel pressured to take the blood."

That was surprising. "Why would you think that?"

Farkas shrugged and ran a hand through his hair. "I guess I was fearful that you would change your mind if the position was on the table. But…" He looked up into her eyes. "I guess I was wrong, you stuck with what you believed in."

She giggled. "I was never going to join the Circle anyways."

Farkas raised an eyebrow. "You weren't?" She shook her head. "Then why did you accept tonight?"

"I never thought Kodlak would let me join without taking the blood. I guess since he offered an alternative, just like Skjor said, I'd be 'dimwitted' if I refused." She smiled and clasped her hands in front of her chest.

His heart began to beat faster. Oh wow, she has that beautiful smile on her face again. Damn, get it together! Farkas gulped and decided to say, "Wanna know the truth? There was also a part of me that knew you would accept."

"Oh really now."

"Yes. And because of that, I…well I, kinda…" Clearing his throat, Farkas pulled an apple wrapped in a bull ribbon from his pocket and handed it to Serah who took it with a serious question in her eyes. "I got you a little something as a congratulatory gift."

Confusion swept through her blood, but nonetheless, Serah grinned. If anything, she truly did love apples. "Farkas, you're so sweet, thank you."

"However…" Serah steered her eyes away from the ribbon she was about to pull off and focused back on Farkas. "The apple isn't for you."

"O-oh?"

"I'd like for you to give that to Star."

Another giggle left her lips. "Alright, I believe Star will love her present. But why give me something to give to Star? You know you can head down to the stables and feed her anytime."

"I know but…I thought you might like to feed her…seeing as how you now own Star…" his voice trailed off as a small grin grew on his lips. He could see the words running through Serah's brain but her eyes would not leave his.

"What did you just say…?" she whispered, her hands slightly shaking at the very unexpected news.

Closing the gap between the two of them, Farkas leaned forward to her height and said, "You heard me. You are now the proud owner of Star."

Serah had no idea what to say. She had never dreamed of buying Star and owning her all to herself. Although she did not own Star, Serah had been there for the birth of the mare and helped the stable master raise her from a foal into the horse she eventually became. Thinking about the gift she had just been given, a tear leaked from the corner of her eye and fell down her cheek, but Farkas was there to catch it with his knuckle as he grazed her cheek with his fingers. As his words processed within her head, she squealed and jumped into Farkas' chest, throwing her arms around his neck and squeezing with all her might. Smiling, Farkas lifted her off the ground and twirled her around as she continuously screamed 'thank you, thank you," in his ear. A few minutes passed before he finally set her down and placed his hands on her shoulder.

"I…I cannot believe this Farkas. You went out and…bought Star for me? Why?"

"I know how much you love her and I wanted you to finally be her owner. That horse doesn't listen to anyone other than you so there's no point in anyone else owning her."

A few more tears glossed over her eyes as they fell but she wiped them away. "Thank you Farkas. From the bottom of my heart, I am truly grateful that you have done this. On one condition…?" She looked up at him nervously.

"Anything, Serah."

"Will you go riding with me tomorrow?"

Smiling, Farkas pulled Serah in for another hug – holding her very gently as not to cause her pain from her bruises – as she snuggled against his chest. Oh, how many nights had he dreamt of this moment? How many times a day did he wish to throw everything aside and hold her within his arms? Every damn day, Farkas would see her training as hard as she could and every damn day Farkas could do nothing about it. For now, he would just have to wait. Taking a bold risk, Farkas leaned down and kissed the top of her head that barely reached his chin.

"Anything you want, Serah. Anything just to make you happy."

~ oOo ~

Tada! And there we have it folks – what does everyone think? For those of who are questioning, there is no farm between the Pelagia Farm and the Western Watchtower – I created my own, I wanted different that what's actually in the game.

22dreamer: I truly appreciate your review but I understand there might be a little confusion – I was kind of going for that. But I don't want to spoil the story by answering your question, so I hope this chapter might clarify a few things for you!

Chocobocolina :3