Aela didn't speak and kept looking at me, shocked and angry as she processed what I had said.

"What…what did you…WHAT?", Aela stammered out.

I swallowed and turned my head to Ria. She was looking from me to Aela, confused.

I turned back to Aela. I looked at the ground, thinking.

"I said…something smells like a…wet…log," I lied, hoping it stuck.

Aela's sighed and looked at the ground. She ran a hand through her hair and straightened her stance, seemingly hiding her embarrassment.

"My apologies, I'll uh…leave you two to it." She turned and went up steps rubbing her neck before entering Jorvaskr.

I turned back to Ria, who was now leaning on her bow. She turned her eyes back to me as the door closed with a "wtf" expression.

"What the hell was that about?" Ria chortled.

"I…uh…I just said something smelled like old rotting logs" I stretched my arms.

"Well, yeah! The whole mead hall is made out of "old rotting logs'" Ria smirked then looked back to the door. "Why did she get so upset? That's so unlike her."

I looked at Ria and then back to the door. She wouldn't understand.

"Who knows?" I smiled at Ria. I gave a gesture with Aela's practice bow toward the targets, "Shall we?"

Ria nodded and moved back into position. We began peppering our targets with arrows. We hadn't really noticed much of the outside world until I felt a drop of liquid hit my arm.

I looked up to a grey sky and the sound of thunder. The thunder made Ria lift her head as well.

"Damned rain!," Ria smacked an end of her bow into the dirt. "Well at least we got in some practice today." RIa gave me a toothy smirk. "Lets see who won."

"Wait, we were competing?" I said.

"Everything here is a competition, Guy! It's how you improve." Ria raced over to the targets.

I returned the practice arrow to the sheathe and walked over to Ria, who was already counting her arrows. My target had a significantly wider grouping than Ria's, but at least I had hit it. Over time I had also started closing in on the bullseye, and one had actually hit it, although honestly probably more due to luck than anything.

"Hey! Not bad!" Ria said, looking at my target. "But I still win."

"Yeah yeah, next time I'll beat you." I matched her grin.

"Suuure you will. You can't even beat me to the door." Ria said as she took off running.

"HEY!" I chased after her. "That's not fair!" I called out, only gaining her laughter as a response.

We entered the mead hall and shook ourselves off as best we could from the rain. Many other Companions were already enjoying a fresh breakfast. The pure aroma of the fresh, warmed loaves made me start to salivate. Ria and I made our way over to the table where Athis and Torvar were eating.

"There you two are, I thought Guy might have shot his eye out." Athis said as we sat down. "Did he even hit the target?"

"Very funny Athis." I grabbed a loaf and some cheese. "In fact, I hit it quite a few times."

"Yeah, he was actually pretty good!" Ria cut into some potatoes. "Might even be a better shot than you Athis!" she continued, making Athis chuckle as he drank.

I sat back in my chair and took a bite of my sandwich while I looked into the flames of the firepit. With the sound of the rain on the roof of the hall, this place felt so peaceful. Like I was finally…home.

I gave a sigh. The thought of home brought a tinge of sadness and regret. This wasn't my home or my world. This place didn't really exist, but it felt too real. I rested my head in my hand after another bite and stared at the flames dancing on the wood.

Vilkas' voice rose me from my depressed gaze," Why don't we sing a Song of the Return?" I turned and saw him picking a book from a nearly empty bookshelf. Other Companions behind me cheered at the notion. As he passed by me with it, I saw the book cover was dark green with two red runic-style eagles making a circle with a three circles making a triangle in the center.

As Vilkas approached the steps, Aela and Skjor entered the hall from the front door. As they passed by Vilkas to sit at a corner table, Aela gave me a side glare, clearly still upset.

Vilkas opened the book. "56," he began. "The Final Tale of the Chiron." He gave a sigh as he turned the page.

The room began more of a chant than a song.

"The Songs of the Return are eternal and numerous, for those first Five Hundred, those Companions of Ysgramor who cleared the way for mankind's rightful habitation, burned with a fire not seen since those days long passed. Each ship carried a crew that performed legendary feats that could feed the pride of any nation for a thousand years. And during this time of broadening, scores of Companions wandered the land, bringing the light of the proper gods to the heathen land of elves and beasts.

They were but mortal, though, and in time, all would taste the glories of Sovngarde."

Ria must have noticed that I wasn't singing, so she gave me a nudge. I nodded and tried my best to keep up.

"It was in one of the uncounted years after the retaking of Saarthal that the crew of the Chrion was declaring their fortunes in the eastern lands near the Red Mountain. They were encamped, surrounded by bodies of murderous elves who had attempted to make believe they held peace in their hearts. The shrewd Rhorlak was the Chrion's captain, though, and would show no quarter to the liars of the southlands, as had been commanded by his lord Ysgramor, harbinger of us all.

It was in this state of carousing that they were approached by a young and breathless messenger of their sister crew from the Kaal Kaaz. The boy Asgeir, as his name is now sung, had ran unimaginable distance at breakneck speed from the blood-stained Fields of the Clouded Sun, to deliver the news to all who would hear. When he reached their camp, he bellowed a great sob before relieving his heart with the news that the mighty Ysgramor had breathed his last."

The room went silent. It appeared the Companions were giving a moment of silence for their first Harbinger.

"Asgeir continued his swift run, to inform the other crews as quickly as they could be found, for there were many now crawling the land, rendering our legacy from their deeds, and the camp of Chrion descended into a mourning of the most forlorn sort. Among these fires sat the bravest men and fiercest women who have ever graced the dirt of this land, and they were brought low by such a notion. While we in the day-shine know only Ysgramor's glory as it gleams through history, these Companions knew his might with their own eyes, and such a loss hangs so heavily on the heart that mere words cannot express the altering of their world.

For indeed the stories tell that Rhorlak, the most battle-hardened and unflinching of all captains, did collapse with grief, and never lifted again his mighty axe. And all around Tamriel, as the news spread as a dark cloud washed from horizon to horizon, did brilliant lights go out in silent honor of their fallen general and war-leader."

At the mention of Ysgramor's axe, I turned to where the shards were hung on display. It was about as empty as the bookshelf Vilkas retrieved the book from. In the corner of my eye, I noticed that Skjor was whispering something in Aela's ear. She nodded, and they both rose, descending to the barracks.

"So ended the period of the Return, and the original glories of the Five Hundred Companions of Ysgramor harbinger of us all."

Vilkas closed the book, and another moment of silence began. Vilkas gave a sigh and walked back to the bookshelf to return the book. The only sound was the crackle of the fire and the rain on the roof. Eventually, sound returned to the hall, and Vilkas sat with a tankard and ale.

I turned to Ria, "Why did he pick a sad one for a day like this? With the cheer I thought it was going to be an exciting one."

"Going to Sovngarde isn't completely sad," Ria replied, "But yes, that wasn't the volume I was expecting either." She turned to the bookshelf, "In fact, it's not on the shelf. Maybe one of the Circle took it downstairs with them."

"Hmm," I looked at the bookshelf.

We stood up and retreated to the barracks with Athis and Torvar until the rain stopped. Athis motioned to us when he heard it, and we all went up to the yard.

Upon reaching the yard, Ria drew her sword and Torvar his warhammer as they approached the dummies, leaving me with Athis.

"So I'm gonna show you a thing or two with that sword so you can actually hurt something with it," Athis sighed, drawing his dagger as he approached a dummy.

He flipped his dagger in his hand and turned to me. "So, what is the point of a small blade? What is its role in combat?"

I paused for a moment, "To hit openings?"

Athis narrowed his eyes, "Sure, but more basic than that. A small blade is a cutting and stabbing weapon. Multiple small wounds, or one with enough accuracy." He shoved his dagger into the throat of the dummy without turning to look at it. "Grab a shield. We're going to practice some stabbing."

I jogged to grab a shield. As I was returning, I noticed Aela sitting on the ground in the yard in a far corner, eyeing me. I swallowed and slowly turned back to the yard.

As I approached, Athis began,"Often times, all you need in a fight is a few quick stabs or strikes. With the correct form, you can lessen the chance of being exposed while still getting a solid, fatal blow in." He gave a shadow stabbing example, getting low and holding his arm like he had a shield while moving and delivering quick stabs. He stepped to the side and gestured with his dagger, "Go ahead."

I drew my sword and mimicked it to the best of my ability. I was starting to see what Athis meant. My blade went deep into the training dummy with little effort, and I wasn't very exposed.

"You can also use your shield to make an opening, whether it be bashing or charging or pushing them." I turned to Athis as he spoke. He began walking to another dummy with makeshift wooden armor, "A well-placed stab is one of the only ways to deal with someone in strong armor. A firm, well-placed stab will get through the openings or weak points, like in the neck or arms." He gestured, "Go for it."

I came forward, slamming my shield into the dummy and sending my blade above the wooden chestplate. I brought my arm back, keeping my shield against the dummy, and gave another stab in the armhole.

"Good, good," Athis chuckled, "maybe this won't be a waste." I backed off from the dummy as he approached it. "Now, for cutting." Against heavy armors, cutting isn't as helpful. You can still hit the armor to give them a blow and stagger them if they are off balance. Still, mostly, if you don't have the opportunity to stab, you want to wait for the right moment and -," as he was speaking, he gave a deep slash into the neck of the dummy, "target one of those weak points."

Athis sighed and said under his breath, "I'm getting ahead of myself here." He turned to me, "What's the most important part of cutting?"

"Uh…hitting the target?" I leaned on my sword.

Athis rolled his red eyes. "Sure, yes, it is pretty important, but for the actual cut itself, your edge alignment will determine whether you actually cut or just bounce off." Athis brought up his dagger, "Practice slowly swinging your sword while being mindful of the blade, that is moving at the angle of your movement. When you swing downward, or from the side, any angle-," He demonstrated 5 cuts quickly, "you need to have your blade aligned to get a good cut." He showed me again, but slowly. "Practice it slowly until it becomes comfortable."

I stood in front of the dummy, doing my best to line up my blade with the occasional pointer and adjustment from Athis. I needed more minor tips and began to speed up as I continued.

"Not bad, let's see how the dummy can take it," Athis smiled.

I got in a stance with my shield in front and my sword on my shoulder. I gave a swift strike past my shield, giving a decent cut with slight ripping at the end. Athis inspected it, "Not bad, a little off at the end but the beginning was solid." He walked to the other target with the armor. "Now try it with targeting, and remember to use your shield. Train like you fight."

"Oh, YOU are teaching him to use a shield?" a gruff female voice came from behind us. Athis rolled his eyes as I turned to find a Nord woman in full Steel Armor smirking under her helmet.

"No, Njada, I am teaching him to use a sword, so his shield is actually useful. Athis' voice came to my side.

"Oh please, your sword would never get past my shield." Njada mused. She looked me up and down and shook her head with a scoff. "I'm still trying to figure out why Skjor let a mage like you in in the first place."

"It…wasn't up to him," I started.

"Apparently it should have been, milk-drinker." Njada scowled.

I didn't know what to say. It didn't sting because I had heard that line thrown around so much and was more surprised that it was actually being used seriously.

Before Athis could respond, Njada continued, "You aren't worth my time. I have a meeting with Skjor." She turned and walked away.

Athis scoffed and turned back to the dummy. He shoved his dagger into the dummy, left it there, and sighed. "Go ahead and keep practicing. You're gonna need it new-blood." Athis took his dagger out of the dummy and started practicing on it.

I nodded and slowly moved to the armored dummy. I practiced my stance doing cuts and stabs until the sun started to set and the group gathered.

"Wow, that's a lot better!" Ria said as I sliced my last cut for the day. "The swipe you gave me yesterday was basically the flat! Good work Athis."

Athis shrugged and led us into the hall. We ate our dinner and headed down to the barracks. As we climbed into our beds for the night, Njada walked past us, out of the barracks.

"Where is she going?" Ria whispered after she left.

"Who knows," Athis replied muffled. "Probably another late meeting to suck up to Skjor."

I turned over in my bed. Today was pretty good! A lot of good progress! I smiled to myself.

"Three days." Vilkas' words echoed in my mind.

I should probably leave tomorrow. I looked at my hands. Maybe some morning training and then make the trip to Riverwood. Yeah.

I closed my eyes, and after some time, drifted to sleep.