Chapter 10

There's Danger in Falkreath

Is an apology enough for making yall wait for this chapter? I am sorry! But this chapter is a present to all the readers – I graduated with my Master's this weekend! YAY! No more homework, no more studying – I am so unbelievably happy. I've been gradually working on this chapter but in the mist of my internship and working on my Thesis, I've had no time to really sit and place my focus in this story. But I will try to work on it more this summer. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Not gonna happen…

~ oOo ~

Serah was there the moment Aragon left on his travels to Bleak Fall Barrow, and she was there outside Jorrvaskr the second he returned several days later. The male Companion was weary from travel, but there was a gleam in his eye and Serah believed that he had uncovered an answer he was seeking about his destiny. Farkas had been called away on a quest the day before and Vilkas was down in the living quarters speaking with Kodlak about his personal matters regarding the beast blood. Serah sat among the wooden tables eating her lunch when she saw Aragorn's form head in her direction; she waved him over and, once he reached her side, took the seat next to her and began to unravel his tale.

When the male Companion was around, Serah and Aragon were almost inseparable. They had grown close on their trip to Riverwood and since the day be opened and stated that he was the Dragonborn. Aragon requested Serah to accompany him on missions he had taken, and she obliged only for a few of the quests. Though she loved the male as a close friend and her Shield-Sibling, she still wanted to take on adventures by herself or with her beloved twins. The female never spoke her true feelings directly to Aragorn; he had opened up about his past with Janelle, and Serah could see that he was growing close to her. Serah didn't mind in the slightest, for she knew where her own heart lay, she was worried, however, for the direction Aragon's was headed.

Looking around at the Whiterun scenery, Serah smiled to herself and thought about the events that had occurred within the last few days since she had returned from Riverwood. The wound upon her head was still healing; though the pressure and pain was gone, there was a small gash along her temple that was taking its sweet time. Chuckling about how the "WE KNOW" note had caused her to faint in such a manner, she glanced upon the training grounds in front of the Companions hold and could see Vilkas and Farkas training against each other. She knew they were mighty warriors, each with their own special talents in battle and although she loved both twins dearly, she secretly always hoped that Farkas had the upper-hand in each match. Perched from her spot near the Skyforge, Serah was able to clear her mind and think about events that had taken place. It had only been a couple of days since Aragon's return and he had already left to complete a bounty he received from Proventus to earn some extra coin. He confided to Serah that he was considering purchasing Breezehome, but still wanted extra gold to purchase new furniture and make it his own. She smiled at this because it seemed that the man was trying to settle down, and from the conversations they'd had recently, she'd uncovered that Aragon never truly had a home to call his own and this would be the first.

Sighing, Serah took in a deep breath and glanced across the Whiterun Hold to her left. She could see the sparkling waters from the raging river, and the family farms that continually fed the citizens of the city. She had a feeling deep within her that something was to occur soon, but she couldn't exactly place what it could be. The Companion had glanced back over the past few days to see if she could remember anything, but nothing came to mind. The only consideration could be how Aela had begun to speak to Aragon more than she had in the previous weeks. Her behavior alone was difficult to analyze; Aela was a very unique person in which, one moment you may be able to identify her next movement, and then she decides to do something completely unexpected.

Two weeks had nearly passed in which Serah spent most of her time honing her archery skill, considering she was a Master with both one-handed and two-handed weapons. Vilkas was at her side as he, too, wanted to increase his skill with the bow; Farkas was their instructor as well as Aela when she decided to provide them with the knowledge she held regarding the bow. Vilkas and Serah struggled together to increase their skill; it was difficult for the female. Since she was naught but a small child, she had always felt a calling for the ways of the sword and that of magic as well. In the years since she first began to practice, her strength with magic had grown tremendously and she even knew more spells then Farengar Secret-Fire; the Court Wizard was startled, and a bit jealous, to learn that she had become stronger then he, but ultimately, the mage was proud because she was so eager to learn and always had been.

Sweat dripped from her brow as Serah held the arrow firmly in her grasp; he held both her eyes open, as instructed by Aela, and knocked the arrow off until it flew straight into the heart of the practice dummy. Running to pull the arrow out, Farkas smiled as he noticed that the arrow pierced the straw dummy completely through. At that moment, the male Companion knew that Serah had definitely increased her strength with the bow, and feared of her might when she would first use her newly increased skill in battle.

"Well, well…looks like my student has some potential after all," Aela chuckled, arms crossed defiantly across her chest in disbelief and pride.

Serah huffed. "Oh Aela, you're just jealous that another female within the Companions has a close enough skill with the bow compared to yours."

"Not true, you forget Ria, dear Serah."

Grinning, Serah swiftly pulled an arrow from her quiver and strung the bow without even looking at the practice dummy; looking straight into the eyes of the female wolf, Serah let loose the arrow. Sizzling through the air, the arrow protruded its sharp end right in the middle of the dummies eyes; if Serah had hit a human in the same spot, the person would most definitely be dead. Cocking a grin on her face, Serah asked, "Can Ria do that?"

Mouth moving into a firm line, Aela said nothing as she glared at Serah, who noticed that the other Companion's eyebrow was twitching in fury. "I'm surprised you could do that, whelp."

"Tch, I'm not a whelp anymore, Aela! I can just do something that you can't – admit it!"

"I will admit nothing!"

"Oh, come on Aela, I'm still learning like Serah but I bet I can complete that move." Placing the arrow among the bowstring, Vilkas' eyes wavered as he struggled to not look at his target, but as he let go of his bow, the arrow barely flew several feet before plummeting to the ground and rolling away. Aela's mouth twitched as Farkas struggled not to laugh.

"Vilkas, you're an idiot." And then she stormed off.

Still grinning, Serah didn't mind that Aela stormed away; if anything, Serah felt pride within herself for being able to stand up to Aela. Turning towards Vilkas, she patted his back several times before stating, "Don't worry Vilkas. I honestly think my shot was lucky, I just wanted to prove a point to Aela."

"Tch, lucky shot? You've got to be kidding me." Vilkas chuckled.

Farks chimed in. "There's no way that was just a lucky shot, little one. If you could use that move in battle, you'd be deadly."

The female smirked once again. "Oh? And you're saying that I'm not deadly right now?"

It was Farkas' turn to pat Serah, this time on the cheek as he stared in her eyes. "Oh, you are, my little Serah. Trust me, you definitely are."

Vilkas, with his shoulders slightly slumped after embarrassing himself, walked past Farkas as said, "Yeah, because you know that she can kick your ass, Farkas."

Turning towards Vilkas as he walked off, Farkas raised a fist and yelled after his brother, "What did you said?!" Vilkas raised his head towards his brother as he walked and headed straight into Jorrvaskr. Farkas lightly growled, but quickly turned into laughter as he turned his attention back to Serah. She was walking back from the practice dummies with her used arrows in hand. Smiling up at Farkas, Serah stored the arrows in her quiver and asked, "So, what now?"

"That depends," Farkas replied, stroking the short beard that was currently growing on his chin. "Are you done training for the day?"

"For the time being. Why? Something on your mind?"

Farkas opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted when he heard the Harbinger's voice over his own. Both Companions turning towards the front of Jorrvaskr, they noticed Kodlak standing next to the table, one hand grabbing a small piece of bread in a spare bowl. Motioning at Serah, he made his way back into the Companion Hold and she turned to Farkas. "Well, I may be done with training, but it looks like Kodlak needs me to do something. I'll see you when I'm done?" With a nod of his head, Serah headed down into the living quarters and walked straight towards the open door in Kodlak's private chambers.

Noticing her entrance, the Harbinger asked, "Serah, do you have any plans ahead?"

"No, sir."

"Good. I just received a letter from Jarl Siddgeir of Falkreath asking for the assistance from the Companions. It seems they've been having issues with bandits in their Hold as of late, and are in need of assistance in hunting to gather food for the people in the town. Would this old man be asking too much of you in assisting the Jarl and his people?"

Smiling, Serah shook her head. "Of course not, Kodlak. Would this just be for me? Or can I ask another Companion to join…?"

"I've…thought a lot about this before I turned towards you, young Serah. I know you would accept the help of another Companion, but I think partaking in this task alone might make you feel more comfortable."

Swallowing a sudden rush a fear that grew within her throat, Serah took a deep breath before stating, "I'm not quite sure what you mean, Harbinger."

Standing from his seat, Kodlak walked up to Serah and placed a hearty hand upon her shoulder. Looking into her eyes, the elder Companion could see determination, lust for adventure, and loneliness. Kodlak couldn't separate whether the loneliness stemmed from growing up without her parents, or the fear she still held from the last mission where she had returned alone. Softly turning his lips upward, the Harbinger chuckled and said, "Deep down, I know you do, young Serah." Pulling away, he walked back towards his desk and reclaimed his abandoned seat, glancing at several letters that were sprawled across the wooden table. "I know the last task you completed with Aragorn was difficult, especially after he left and you stayed behind in Riverwood. I understand and…"

"Kodlak…?" Closing his mouth, the elder Companion's eyes gleamed with pride and sadness as he watched his goddaughter slowly walk towards the table and claim the seat that was usually occupied by Vilkas. "I…it's not that I'm still afraid. Granted I was at first, but the more I thought…I don't know. The more I kept thinking that this has never happened before."

"It is…quite difficult to experience what you witnessed."

Hearing the endearment within his words, Serah glanced up at the man she had always viewed as a father figure and questioned, "As a Companion…is it wrong of me to fear for my life…?"

Closing his eyes, Kodlak reached across the table and grasped the hand of his goddaughter. Looking into her emerald eyes, the elder Companion answered, "Yes. Serah, it is perfectly normal to be afraid, especially when it comes to your own life. This has been a struggle for you, I have witnessed this over the last several weeks." Serah cast her eyes downwards, shame and embarrassment filling her cheeks but Kodlak reached for her chin and pulled her face upwards to look at him. "Serah, you have put yourself on the line numerous time to save the lives of others, without consideration of your own. Remember several summers ago when you fought the giant all on your own and nearly broke all of your ribs to save a family you never associated with?" She nodded. "You've always risked your life to save another. But never have you been put at risk because someone has been wanting to take your own life.

"But what about Grevlin and his pack of vampires?"

"You were sent there to take care of the vampires, not the other way around."

Allowing Kodlak's words to sink in, Serah could feel the pressure she held deep within her chest over the last few weeks gradually release as she finally understood. "Kodlak? It's always the first time that hits us worse, isn't it?"

Nodding his head, he answered, "Yes, because it's a new experience to feel as if you're the target. But let me ask you this, Serah, look forward into your future as a Companion…are you wanting to leave?" She vigorously shook her head. "Then think of this as an experience that can only make you a stronger Companion."

Smiling, Serah could see the meaning behind Kodlak's words. Hurriedly, she leaped from her seat and – gently – tackled her Harbinger in a monster hug, tightening her arms around his neck and holder her close. He had always been there to listen to her worries, no matter how small or pointless. The thought of someone potentially wanting to kill her was still somewhat nerve-wracking to Serah, but the way Kodlak explained the situation to her made her realize even further the decision she made years ago to become a Companion of Whiterun.

Death would always be a part of her ability to be a Companion and she would need to put her life on the line in order to protect those around her. But, in order to do so, one must accept the fact there could be out there in Skyrim who would want your life to end.

It was a lesson Serah had yet just experienced, but would never forget.

~ oOo ~

The mission was to aid the civilians of Falkreath to hunt for food as the bandits within the Hold had been attacking hunter parties and stealing their prey. The letter Kodlak had received stated that this had been going for several weeks that any remaining storage of food was depleting rapidly. The Jarl stated that any help -whether it be hunting deer or dealing with the bandits – would be greatly appreciated. Serah decided to stay and help with either one if she could until the Jarl would be satisfied with her work and the civilians were satisfied.

Serah packed any necessary bags she would need, kissed Farkas on the cheek goodbye and left as soon as she could. She had made her way to Riverwood by the time the sun had started to set. Making her way to the familiar blacksmith's, she found her friend Alvor and asked to stay the night so she would not be traveling during the night on her own. Alvor and his family gladly took her in, provided her with dinner and their spare bed so she could sleep.

Looking back throughout the day, Serah's cheeks burned in embarrassment simply because of the fear she had been holding. Thinking about Kodlak's words made her relax every time she could feel her breathing increase; the fear was understandable, but would her fear stand in the way of protecting herself in someone sought to kill her specifically?

Farkas was upset that Kodlak said she needed to complete this on her own. Her understood as always, but Serah agreed with the twin; she wanted him by her side. She wanted to know that she could rely on his strength and desire to protect her when her strength would give out. She wanted to know that Farkas by her side because he wanted to be, and not because he needed to be. Lying on her back, Serah stared off into the wooden ceiling, her heart rate increasing for another reason. Since the night Farkas cared for her after she received her head wound, Farkas had been on her mind every second, of every day. But then again, when wasn't he? Serah could no longer deny it. Last time she was in Riverwood she could only proclaim the truth because Aragorn was by her side; by lying in the blacksmith's house, the female Companion could hardly breath at the proclamation she had secretly made with her heart. She was deeply, strongly and head over heels in love with the strongest member of the Companions. Farkas of Whiterun had captured her heart years ago and far away from the city, Serah finally admitted to herself that she needed to express that which she kept hidden.

If only he will return my love…was the last thought Serah had before drifting off into a dreamless slumber.

~ oOo ~

The female Companion was up early the next morning just as the beginnings of the sun drew upon the new day. Alvor had just risen as provided and offered more supplies, of which Serah gladly accepted. She left the blacksmith with a promise that she would visit again, if not stop by on her return to Whiterun; Alvor simply smiled and waved his friend off as she mounted Star and continued the rest of the journey to Falkreath. The mountain path was quiet the rest of the way and Serah secretly was glad that there were no disturbances between Riverwood and Falkreath Hold. She had wanted to scope the surrounding area before deciding what to do next.

Making her way along the path, the village of Falkreath soon came into play and as she reached the wooden gate, she let go of Star's reins and slid to the side, grasping the leather reins in her hands once more. Falkreath soldiers soon spotted the Companion walking towards their way and, out of precaution, stopped her before she could make her way into the town.

"Ah, Companion of Whiterun. What brings you into this area?"

"Your Jarl has requested assistance from the Companions and my Harbinger has asked me to aid the people. Please, could someone direct me to Jarl Siddgeir's quarters?"

"Yes. Norin, please escort the Companion's steed to the stable and make she the creature is taken well care of." Turning towards Serah, the soldier – Norin – guided Star across the village. "Companion, I will make sure that your belongings will be placed at the inn where they will be well protected. Allow me to show you to your destination."

Nodding, Serah followed the soldier. In all her years of being a Companion and hunting, she had only ever been inside the city once, but had seen the civilians from an outskirt view many times before. Taking a glance towards the civilians, Serah could see the hardship they were facing. The citizens of Falkreath looked…as if they had been starving for weeks. Children didn't seem to be running around as they should be, the parents seemed sullen and kept to themselves. Glancing at the soldier, Serah timidly asked, "How long has it been like this?"

Sighing, the soldier kept his pace and shook his head. "For several weeks. We were doing very well with resources, then we were suddenly attacked by a group of bandits who took most of our food reservoir. Since, we've had hunting parties leave to gather as much food as they can; some of the parties came back frightened while others…others didn't come back at all."

"They didn't even come back…? What has caused the sudden bandit attack?"

"I wish I knew that answer, Companion. The Jarl has done everything he could but…he needed some help, thus why he requested the Companions, I suppose."

"Do you know where the bandits are coming from?"

"My best guess? Those that have stolen the gravesite of Helgen, perhaps." Nodding in appreciation, the soldier returned to his duties as Serah entered the Jarl's home. Greeted by the warmth of a blaring fire, the Companion could see the Jarl lazily sitting upon his chair at the back of the room. Taking a tentative step forward, Serah was met with harsh words as she turned her head to a woman fast approaching her. "You! What business do you have in the house of the Jarl? Speak, now!"

Removing the Jarl's letter from her side satchel, Serah handed it to the woman and pronounced, "My name is Serah, I am a Companion of Whiterun and have come upon the Jarl's request to aid in this needy time."

"Ah…my apologies, Companion, we didn't expect a response so soon." Returning the letter to Serah, the female also stated, "I also apologize for my behavior. With the bandit attacks recently, I haven't been able to trust a face that does not live within Falkreath. My name is Nenya, I am the Jarl's steward. If you would please follow me…"

Nenya led Serah to the back of the fall and was greeted by the Jarl; his lack of correct posture made Serah question the soldier's previous statement that the Jarl had, indeed, done everything he could before calling for assistance. "My Jarl, a Companion of Whiterun has just arrived to aid our need of help."

"Ah, thank you Nenya." The Jarl turned his attention to Serah who simply stood with one hand against her hip. She could feel his eyes wash over her and she was suddenly filled with disgust and a desire to be held with Farkas' arms. "Companion, I greatly appreciate your answer to aid the citizens of Falkreath. Please, what is your name?"

"Serah," she said simply.

"Ah, so you're Serah. I've heard stories of you and the other Companions of Whiterun. Pray, were you the only one your Harbinger sent?"

Not wanting to bring any harm upon Kodlak, Serah simply replied, "I asked our Harbinger to partake on this quest alone." She knew it was a lie, but deep down, there was a part of her that knew she needed to complete this with her own skill.

The Jarl nodded. "Regardless, we have your help, and that is exactly what we are looking for. How about we discuss the details over food?" Standing, The Jarl resumed his specific seating at the table and gestured for Serah to take the seat next to him, of which she obliged. They spent a few minutes gathering they're preferred bits of food before Serah continued the conversation.

"Jarl, please explain everything that has occurred. Maybe I can narrow down anything that has happened."

Chewing on a chicken leg, the Jarl replied, "The bandit attacks began about a month ago, just…out of the blue. A few of the townsmen were on their way back from hunting for their families and they came back tattered and beaten and explained what happened."

"Let me guess…they were attacked at the bandits stole their kills?"

The Jarl nodded as he continued to eat. Serah understood the Jarl's decision of eating, but in that moment, Serah could only thinking of helping the villagers with their fears and the bandits. "After that, it became an occurrence every time we had villagers go out to hunt for food. We've had no killings – yet." Serah took a small bite of her meat, her conscious aware of not wanting to take all the available food away from the villagers. She saw how they looked; haunted and starved. She would do everything she could to end this monstrosity. Jarl Siddgeir ignored her inability to eat and continued to fill his gluttonous appetite; his civilians were outside starving and he was in here eating as if nothing were happening. Watching the man consume his food, Serah could feel a nerve within her tighten at the sight. She had to take a few deep breaths to calm down from doing anything drastic. He is a confusing Jarl…she thought.

"They were becoming too scared to even leave the town that I had to assign several soldiers to every hunting party. Despite the number of soldiers, the bandits were able to retrieve all the kills each party took down."

A thought sparked within Serah. "Do you have any ideas where the soldiers are coming from? The guard at the gate thought they were coming from the remains of Helgen."

"Impossible."

"And what makes you say that?"

"Well…if the rumors are true, Helgen was burnt to a crispy by a dragon. A dragon! How could there be bandits there is the city is destroyed?"

Sighing internally, Serah was becoming frustrated with this Jarl the longer she was speaking with him. "I know a survivor from Helgen. It was a dragon attack. And since the town was destroyed, what better place for bandits to take cover around here? Jarl, I mean no disrespect but…there are no other placed around Falkreath where a pack of bandits could hide so secretly. If we look at when the attacks began compared to when Helgen was destroyed, it fits, doesn't it?" Serah held her pleading eyes towards the Jarl, whose eyes were staring straight back. The man had not said anything for several moments before he dropped the piece of bread onto his plate and rubbed his temples.

"I apologize, Serah of the Companions, I do not mean to be a pain regarding this issue. I have not been the Jarl of Falkreath for that long, and I know there are rumors regarding how I obtained this position. But know this, I truly want to aid the people within this hold. If you believe that the bandits could be held within Helgen, then by the Nine, I will give you all my available soldiers…whatever it is you may need, it is granted upon you."

Blinking, Serah was not expecting the Jarl's answer., but her previous opinion regarding his attitude dropped because his eyes were telling the truth; he was acting the way he was because of his own personal fears.

"Jarl, I appreciate your kindness. I would prefer to begin this task on my own. I would like to scout the surrounding area. If I need the assistance of any soldiers, I will come to you straightaway. But first, I would like them to stay here and protect the civilians until I need them."

"Are you sure?"

Serah nodded, a small smile making her way towards her lips. "Of course. I care more of the civilian's safety right now."

The Jarl nodded in understanding, but then stated, "But what of your own safety?"

"Oh, don't worry about me, Jarl. I have been training as a Companion since I was only a few summers old. I can most definitely take care of myself." With a curt nod, Serah stood from her seat and made her way towards the front door and left the Jarl's quarters behind. Looking up at the night sky, Serah couldn't believe that she had been inside the building long enough for the sun to drop and the moon to rise. There were barely any civilians walking around, and Serah had to assume they were terrified. The bandits were attacking them townsfolk for their food, but who's to say what might urge these criminals to create more violence? Walking to the inn, the Companion was able to find her room and her belongings; relieving her of her armor, Serah stood in naught but her loose tunic and sprawled out onto the bed, falling asleep in a matter of minutes.

Serah was awake the following morning as dawn was approaching. Quickly, she changed into her armor, one-handed swords at her sides and her bow across her back. This will be a great opportunity to test my new skills in archery, she thought. Chewing on an apple she brought from home, the female checked all her equipment and made her way out of the inn and into the still chilly morning of Falkreath.

To her surprise, there stood a small group of males and a few soldiers as the Jarl was headed their way. Serah stood by the door to the inn to watch the scene. As the Jarl approached the group, she noticed that the men were carrying weapons, and the Companion had to guess that a hunting party was being formed. From her spot, she could see the Jarl was talking to one of the soldiers, but Serah could tell that the Jarl was not happy. Choosing that moment to intervene, Serah quickly made her way over to the group and cleared her voice; both the Jarl and the soldier turned their heads.

"Ah, Serah! I am so glad you are awake at this hour." Jarl Siddgeir was rubbing his temple as Serah glanced between both men.

"May I ask what is going on?" That was when the soldier turned towards her.

"The Jarl does not want the hunting party heading into the woods today."

"But we need food!" One of the huntsman stated.

"Your people are starving here, Jarl!" Several of the men voiced their opinions and Serah could tell by their faces that they weren't happy; and based on what she was told yesterday, she understood the dire situation at hand. Looking towards their leader, Serah felt the weight of the decisions he has had to made recently; his face was clearly written with confusion on what was the best choice to make.

She turned towards the men who were holding their weapons close to their bodies and stated, "Where were you planning to hunt today?"

"What's it to you?!"

The Jarl was about to say something but Serah gently held up her hand, signaling that she wanted to speak with the hunting group herself. "My name is Serah, I am a Companion of Whiterun and was requested by your Jarl to help his people at all costs. So, I ask again: where were you planning to hunt today?"

The small group of men each looked at each other as they digested her words carefully; one brave soul was able to speak. "Northwest. We've tried hunting in every direction except this one. We believe we'll have more luck there."

Nodding her head, Serah turned to the Jarl whose face stated that he felt more at peace. "I will go with them. That way, if they are attacked, I can help and follow the trail of the culprits."

"I believe that's the best decision. Norin," he turned to the soldier he was speaking with earlier. "I am asking that you join the hunting party alongside Serah and keep a close eye on the surroundings. Report back to me once you have arrived back into town."

Norin nodded as he glanced at Serah; she remembered him from the soldier who had taken Start to the stables. Smiling in his direction, she adjusted her weapons and followed the hunting party as they already knew the destination they sought.

The outskirts of the city was barely visible within their sight as the hunting party left the town. Serah glanced around the woods, her alerts set on high to ensure the safety of the men within the group. She knew the only reason they had acted the way they did towards their Jarl was because of their fear. Listening to his orders, Norin stood by her side the entire way as he glanced back and forth, looking to see if any shadows lurked within the corners of the forest. Turning towards the Companion, he asked, "Did the Jarl really send a request for help to the Companions?"

Glancing up in confusion, Serah smiled before answering, "Yes. Yes he did. Does that surprise you…?"

Norin turned his head away as his cheeks burned in shame and embarrassed me. "Excuse me for speaking freely, but yes. Lately, the people of Falkreath have been feeling…discontent with their Jarl."

"May I speak freely as well?"

"Of course," the soldier replied.

"Is it because of how Siddgeir obtained the position of Jarl? Or because of the bandit attacks?"

"A little of both, Companion. People are afraid that the Jarl took the position solely for power and not for the people."

"Serah." Norin stopped in his tracks and stared at the female; she stopped as well but gave the soldier a smile. "My name is Serah."

"Oh, my apologies, Serah of the Companions, I meant no disrespect."

She giggled. "No disrespect was taken."

This made the soldier smile. "Then I am happy." Turning his attention to the rest of the group, Norin asked, his voice echoing softly across the trees, "Are we close to your destination?"

The hunting group halted and turned towards both Norin and Serah. The man at the front, who Serah had to guess was their leader and said, "We're practically there. We might as well split and work separately." The rest of the mend slightly nodded, but Serah could see the hesitancy in their expressions.

"Wait! I don't think that's the best idea."

"And what would you know, Companion?" The leader sneered in her direction; she had no idea what she'd done to earn such disdain.

"Enough, Bjorn; Serah is here to help at the expense of the Jarl. Now, listen to her words; if not, listen to mine." Serah smiled in his direction, thankful that he understood her position and why she was here. The man, Bjorn, slowly nodded, but his eyes were still full of disgust; at the moment, Serah pushed that notion aside.

"Now. Splitting up we can do, but not splitting the whole party." Serah kept a firm grip on the hilt of one of her short swords. "I think we should split into two groups; I'll go with one, and Norin will go with the other. That way, you're both protected."

"Listen lady, I don't care if you're a Companion, but you don't have the right to come into my hunting party and make the rules. Go back home and work on your cloth-work, woman." Bjorn stepped towards Serah and was cut off by Norin, but she held out her hand to stop the soldier from intervening. Norin glanced in her direction before reclaiming his original position; Serah stepped forward until she stood before Bjorn. Her eyes looked up into his; the words that left her lips were quiet, but one could hear the venom beneath her words.

"Look, I came here on my own accord to assist the Jarl of this Hold. Your Jarl, Bjorn, desperately wants to help the people of Falkreath, whether you believe me or not. I may be female, but I am a Companion of Whiterun. I've seen the destruction of war and felt the blood of my enemies on my skin. I know death, I've seen death. Don't you dare tell me I have no right to be here. I came because your Jarl sought help and I was the one who chose to assist." Glaring her eyes at the hunter, Serah added, "If you continue to hold this unruly judgement towards me, you're putting yourself, and the rest of this hunting group in jeopardy because of your idiotic pride."

Bjorn glared his eyes as he took a step closer, though Serah never stepped down. "How dare you, you filthy disgrace of the Companions!"

"Enough!" Norin stepped forward and pushed Bjorn away from Serah. "Bjorn, you and three others will go with me, we'll head west. The rest of you will go with Serah to the east and we'll meet back here in about two hours. Does anyone disagree with that?" All men shook their heads "no" except for Bjorn, but Norin didn't expect the man to answer. Bjorn scowled, turned towards west and walked off, while three other members followed.

"Serah," Norin said, grasping the female's arm to look at him; she stared into his eyes. "Please be careful."

"You too," she replied. The remaining members gathered around her as the others left and apologized. Each stated that they didn't agree what Bjorn had said and this made Serah smiled. She told them that everything was fine, she just wanted to ensure their safety; the hunters breathed a sigh of relief and were thankful for her assistance. Nodding one last time at Norin, Serah and the other hunters headed in their specific direction in the hopes of capturing food with the success of bringing it back home to their families.

~ oOo ~

"So, Serah… are you the only Companion to come to our aid?"

Walking through the forestry, the huntsman with Serah had been asking her questions since they had separated with the other members. The questions made her smile; they were not the same men as Bjorn was, and for that, the Companion was thankful. She answered each one with a smile, but the more they wandered into the woods, the more Serah could sense an uneasiness the more they sought food. They stumbled upon several rabbits, which they were able to capture, and these several animals were enough to make the hunters smile.

Around the time were when they were to head back, the group had managed to take down several rabbits and one elk, which they dragged home with smiles on their faces. They had just entered the clearing and the group noticed that the others were already waiting, their hands were empty compared to Serah's group. Norin nodded in Serah's direction, but Bjorn's face was full of scorn. Stepping towards one of the hunters that traveled with Serah, he stated lowly, "You found some game?" The hunter nodded. "No trouble?"

"Nothing happened."

"Good, good." And Bjorn began discussing amongst all the hunters while Serah walked towards Norin. Both warriors took the time to see how the hunt went, and to Serah's relief, Norin's group didn't experience any threats, just as the Companion had hoped. Something about this entire trip made Serah feel very uneasy; her stomach had been in knots since they left Falkreath, but she couldn't pinpoint what could be causing her uneasiness. Looking back on all the facts, it seemed odd that each group that decided to hunt and today, where they her been two groups fetching for food, neither had seen a human enemy. Serah turned her head towards the darkening woods; they had been away from the city for several hours. If she had to guess, it was probably mid-day, but why did the forest looked as if night had fallen?

Norin followed her gaze and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder; her eyes looked up towards his. "Is everything alright?"

But the Companion shook her head. "Something…Norin something doesn't feel right." She took the next few moments to explain her apprehensions and how it seemed odd that nothing had happened as of yet.

"Were you expecting something to?"

"To be honest? Yes…Hmmm…" Serah brought a hand to her face and began tapping her nose. Could anyone have known that I would be here? Eyes widening, Serah hurriedly pulled the crumbled, but folded, parchment from the pouch on her hip and gazed at the stained ink; WE KNOW stared right back at her. In that moment, Serah glanced off into the direction of Falkreath ad could vaguely picture the essence of smoke escaping towards the heavens. Nudging Norin, she never looked to his face. "Norin! Do you see that?"

Looking in her direction, Norin nodded his head and made to remove the sword from his side. Placing her hand on top of his, Serah quickly stated, "No! I need you to stay here!"

"And what do you think you're going to do?"

"I'm going back to the town. The bandits must have known that I was here and used our reason to hunt for their gain to attack Falkreath. You stay here with the huntsman and make sure they made it back to the town safely. I'll see you soon!"

And before the Falkreath soldier could state his opinion, the stubborn female Companion was off, her small feet carrying her off towards the village. Serah's heart raced as she twisted and turned with the forest as she made her way back. If her thoughts were correct, Serah would have to face the uncommon fears that had plagued her mind for the last weeks. By the time she had reached the head gate of the city, Serah could feel her breath as if she were breathing fire. As she gulped down air, Serah could feel small amounts of smoke enter in her lungs as she inhaled the blackish air. Coughing, she covered her mouth and slowly walked towards the center of town, desperately trying to see what was going on, but as she continued, the smoke gradually cleared; Serah could tell that the main gate was the piece that had caught fire, and the rest of Falkreath was fine. Turning in circles as she walked, Serah's couldn't understand what was happening. What was going on in Falkreath? What did the villagers do to deserve this?

"Ah, my lovely Serah."

As the voice entered her ears, Serah turned and her eyes widened as she took a step back, one hand immediately latched onto one of the swords at her hips.

"How good of you to join us, dove."

~ oOo ~

Much appreciated to all the readers who enjoy this story. It really means a lot!

Chocobocolina :3