A loud noise rose me from my sleep.

I looked around the barracks, no one else was awake, and only a few candles were still going. It sounded like it was raining again tonight.

What sounded like a loud roar came from above and shook any grogginess I still had. I threw on my boots and fastened my sword belt. Is it a dragon?

I looked around at the Companions, who were still fast asleep. I should check before waking them. I thought to myself.

WAIT. My consciousness fired back. If it is a dragon, why the hell would I go check…alone? That's asking to die. Horror movie 101.

I sighed. My brain was right, for once. All I had for dealing with a dragon was a slightly decent bow aim…on a stationary target.

"Not my problem," I muttered to myself, removing my gear again and diving back into my bed.


I awoke to small hands shaking me like the morning before.

"Morning, Ria," I stretched and yawned.

"More archery this morning?" Ria whispered," I forgot to ask yesterday."

"Of course, that would be great." I put on my boots and caught the bottle of ale.

I followed her up the stairs. God, I hope Aela isn't there. I sipped on my ale as we approached the door.

Ria opened the door, and we walked outside. We looked around and found Aela wasn't anywhere to be seen.

"Huh, she's usually out here way before me," Ria muttered.

I shrugged and picked up a bow and quiver, walking down to the yard.

"You don't think she took your comment to be about her, do you?" Ria asked with a worried tone.

I stopped in my tracks. She definitely did.

"No, no, that can't be it. She probably is sleeping in or is out and about or something." I replied as I readied an arrow.

"She never sleeps in, the Circle are almost always the first ones awake." Ria muttered, bow in hand. She started to descend the steps as I readied an arrow but stopped in thought. After I fired, she asked, "You don't think she went out do you?"

"I mean, maybe. She and Skjor left the hall early yesterday." I started to nock another arrow.

Ria stood on the steps. "I'll be right back." She dropped the bow and quiver and ran into the mead hall.

I looked at the bow she dropped. What was she up to? Was she going to go wake her up?

Dammit. I tossed my bow and quiver and followed after her.

Ria descended the stairs to the quarters of Jorrvaskr and rushed down the hall. I hurried after her as she turned left - the direction of Skjor's and Alea's quarters. Dammit, dammit, dammit.

I caught up to her, and as she started to open Aela's door, I grabbed her arm. "What the hell are you doing?" I hissed under my breath.

Ria gave me a blank look, looked down at my hand, and angrily back at my eyes. She shrugged off my hand, "What in Oblivion are YOU doing?" she hissed back.

"Why are you going to wake her up? Let her sleep." I said.

"I'm just going to check if she is here!" she creaked the door open.

She and I peeked inside. Aela wasn't there. Neither was the shield I brought her, the dagger she was playing with, or her gear and potions.

"Gods! She did go!" Ria entered and looked around the room with her hands on her hips.

"What?" I asked Ria.

"To look for Thelen and Iddra! Probably. Why didn't they invite me! Or tell anyone?" Ria started pacing.

"Maybe they only wanted a small party?" I sat on Aela's bed. They left? I thought Ria said no one was supposed to.

"Did Skjor go too?" Ria shot out of her pacing through the still-open door. I got up and followed, finding her already pacing in his room too.

Skjor's room was much more affluent, with bars of silver and other items decorating. For such a gruff man, he had a surprisingly lovely collection.

"So Skjor went too!" Ria stopped. "Do you think that was where Njada was going last night?"

I paused. "I...I have no idea." What the hell is going on?

"I guess that means we can do jobs now?" Ria leaned against what appeared to be a changing barrier.

"Speaking of that, I was thinking of leaving today after lunch or something to Riverwood." I sat in one of Skjor's chairs. Damn, this is comfy.

Ria wasn't paying attention and rushed back to the hall. I begrudgingly stood from my chair and followed her on her path to Vilkas' room.

When we entered, we saw Vilkas look up from another volume of the Songs of the Return. We all paused for a moment, Vilkas studying Ria and me. "...Yes?" he finally asked.

"So…you didn't go with Aela and Skjor?" Ria offered.

"...What are you talking about?" Vilkas set down the book on his table and slowly stood.

"They're gone," I replied. "They aren't in the yard, upstairs, or in their rooms or the barracks." I looked at Ria. Is this as big of a deal as she is making it to be?

"Out of the way, new-blood," Vilkas marched past me as I barely got out of the doorway in time. He walked to Skjor and Aela's rooms and looked inside the doors Ria and I had left open. He furrowed his brow.

"Did Njada go with them?" he looked directly at Ria, eyes unwavering.

"We...think so," Ria turned to me and back to Vilkas.

Vilkas scowled in thought. After a while, he looked at Ria and me, "Thank you for bringing this to my attention. You can get back to your training. I…I will inform Kodlak." He gave a courtesy knock and opened the door to Kodlak's room, shutting it behind him.

Ria and I looked at each other. She was the first move to start our trek back to the yard.

"I don't get it, why would they go?" I asked Ria. This doesn't add up. Nothing like this happened in the game.

Ria was silent as we went up the steps. I didn't push any further.

After we exited Jorvaskr, Ria finally spoke, "They didn't tell Vilkas."

I paused. "I mean… it's not like they have to tell him everything?"

Ria picked up her bow and looked into my eyes, "When the Circle has a job or goes out, they decide who will go together." Ria turned away and marched down to the yard.

I picked up my discarded bow and quiver. "So they never just go and do something?"

Ria shook her head as she descended the steps to the yard, "Not for a job."

I paused, looking at the ground before stepping down to the yard. Aela and Skjor take Njada on a secret mission to retrieve some Circle members I have never heard of. This better not break the goddam quest.

The sound of a practice arrow piercing the target cleared my head. I stepped down next to Ria and joined her in practice.

My grouping was getting a lot better. All of my arrows so far were within the middle ring.

"I know it might be a bad time," I said to Ria, "But, in case you didn't hear me earlier, I am planning to head to Riverwood after lunch."

"No, that's great!" Ria said after letting an arrow fly. "It hasn't been long but you're looking a lot better. I'm sure you can take some simple bandits. Most of the time they just surrender or run away once the first few start dropping."

"Really?" I let an arrow of my own fly. "I mean, sure, I can hit a stationary target but I feel my swordsmanship could use some work." I thought of the training yesterday with the shield. "And I uh...I don't exactly own my own shield."

"You can borrow one of the used ones in the pile," Ria pointed with her bow. "They've seen better days but it's better than nothing." Ria nocked another arrow. "How about after breakfast I show you a few tricks for footwork and blocking? I'm not nearly as good as Njada but I'm sure it'll help."

"Yeah, that sounds great." I fired another arrow.

We continued practicing until we noticed Companions flowing out of doors, small groups at a time. Ria hurried to the targets, "Hurry we need to get to breakfast before Tilma cleans it all up!"

NOT MY SANDWICH! I hurried forward and collected my arrows, placed everything back, and then ran inside with Ria.

"There you two are," Athis stood next to the entrance with Torvar behind him. "How are the rocks?"

"They're fine Athis, we hit everything." Ria rolled her eyes and sat at the table. I grabbed a bit of bread and cheese as I sat as well.

Athis laughed as he and Torvar headed out to the yard.

"Still no sign of them, and I didn't see Njada in the crowd," Ria said after a while. "They really did go."

I nodded as I chewed on my delicious sandwich. "I'm sure they'll be fine Ria. If you think I can handle a bandit gang I'm sure you can see that they will be fine."

I watched Ria pause and then nod as she took another bite. Vilkas was right; she cares a lot.

We finished our breakfast, and I followed Ria back out to the yard. All of the dummies were in use. I turned to Ria.

"Well," Ria began, looking around. "I guess we don't need a dummy for this. Go and grab a shield."

I grabbed and strapped on a shield and turned to see Ria waiting for me. "Don't put it on yet. We need to work on footwork first."

I took off the shield and placed it on the ground. "What did you have in mind?"

"Well… I will do my best to teach you as Vilkas taught me. Try and get low and keep your weight on both your legs." She demonstrated with he legs slightly bent and a step apart. I mimicked as much as I could.

She came forward and gave me a push, to which I didn't move. "Good! When you are in the proper stance, you are much harder to move than standing straight." Try walking around like that."

I started my strange low walk around the yard with Ria at my side. She suddenly gave me a push from the side, and I fell. "HEY!"

Ria giggled, "Your feet were in front of each other. They need to be spaced in both directions for you to be completely stable."

I got up and updated my method. Ria would give me random and sudden pushes from different sides, walking around me as I moved. On some, I managed to not be moved, and others not moved enough to fall.

"That's a lot better!" Ria smiled. "Now practice with me." She entered her stance in front of me and grabbed my collar with her right arm. "Grab my collar with your right and my elbow with your left. We're going to move together to test your balance." I did as she said and tried my best to keep up.

"Now remember we aren't wrestling, as easy as it would be to win with your balance," she said as we turned. "Just follow my lead, it's like a dance."

I've never been very good at dancing, so there were quite a few times my steps were off-timing. I looked up from her legs and into her eyes as we were moving. Huh. She's actually kind of c-

Losing my train of thought, I stepped wrong, and her movement made me fall on my ass. I looked up to her offered hand. I paused for a moment and took it, jumping to my feet and rejoining our dance.

"You're keeping up pretty well!" Ria said as we made another spin. "What do you say we give that shield arm of yours a thrashing." She smiled deviously.

Oh no. "Yeah…sure." I smiled awkwardly as she moved away from me.

Ria threw me the Light Skyforge Shield I picked out and drew her sword. "Enter the stance and move with me with that shield up!" I quickly fastened my shield and entered my stance. "Keep it in front of you!" Ria began circling with me. Every now and then, she would give me a firm strike, making me move my shield to respond.

"Good!" Ria said, still circling me. "Try to angle the shield to deflect my strike to the side, making an opening!" She gave me another strike. I took it and waited for the next one.

On the next strike, Ria swung diagonally downward. I caught it with my shield but also turned my shield, causing the blade to slide against it to my side. We did a few more like this, and I felt more comfortable. I found I would have to step to the side to make it work for vertical strikes, and horizontal I would just have to take.

Ria smiled as she sheathed her sword. "You'll need to train more to be good, but for now I think this will be enough to help you take those bandits. How about we have an early lunch so you can get on your way? I'll get Athis and Torvar so we can send you off."

I nodded and unstrapped my shield from my tired arm. Ria returned with Athis and Torvar.

"You're heading out already?" Athis raised an eyebrow as he approached. "You're hardly ready."

"He can do it!" Ria elbowed him. Athis continued as we began walking inside, "I'm just saying, he better not die out there after we taught him this stuff."

We sat down at the table and ate our meal. I finished early as I only had my sandwich, so I headed to the barracks to pack my things. I picked up Hod's backpack and fastened my Imperial Bow and the arrows I had taken from the dead Imperials. As I was headed back to the door, I ran into the trio.

Ria was holding the Light Skyforge Shield from the yard. "Forgetting something?"

"Oh! Right," I strapped the shield to my arm and nodded in gratitude.

"Kick those bandits asses," Torvar gave me a smack on the shoulder. Athis nodded to me, "For fortune and glory friend." Ria gave me a hug, "Have fun!" I chuckled at that.

"See you when I get back, thanks for everything!" I stopped at the stairs and waved back to my friends. Ria waved, Athis nodded, and Torvar gave a thumbs up.

I ascended the stairs and left through the front door to Jorvaskr. I looked down the steps to the mead hall at the bustling activity around the Gildergreen and took a deep breath.

I've got this.