When Amaliea woke the next morning it took a minute for the events of the past day to catch up with her. As she lay there she wondered where all this would lead. She slowly rose from her bed and started pulling her armor on over her under tunic and leggings.

She was pulling on her boots when Ria stirred opening one eye to look at her, sleepily mumbling "How are you always up before me?"

Amaliea shrugged and started rebraiding her hair as Ria almost literally rolled herself out of bed and began getting ready for the day. None of the others were up yet so as soon as they both were ready, they slipped out of the quarters and went upstairs.

Once there they bid "Good morning." to Tilma who was setting the table in a pattern only she knew.

She smiled and said "Good morning dears you're the first up today."

At that Ria smiled saying "Hey that means we'll have the yard to ourselves for a bit you could show me that move you used on Vilkas, Amaliea."

"I guess but it's only really effective against weapons like greatswords and Warhammers." Amaliea responded quietly unsure if this was a good idea.

"Perfect we've got training with Farkas today and he won't let me take any real jobs until I can beat him when we spar." Ria said

They sat down at the table as Amaliea said "Don't even think about it."

"Why not you used it on Vilkas?" she asked

"I only used it on Vilkas because I knew I could control my blades. The slightest mistake with that move can end with the other person dead I practiced it for years before I mastered it. Even so, I'll never use it on a person when I'm angry or distracted, now let's eat and I'll show you what I mean."

They ate quickly before going outside where Amaliea showed Ria how to do the first part of the move. "Now the reason this move works is because during the first strike a person using a heavy two-handed weapon is at their most vulnerable. It takes a lot of strength to lift a weapon like that and once it's up they have to get the timing right so they don't overextend themselves. It's a balance this move is designed to disrupt that balance. Once they are off-balance you bring the down so that they are vulnerable. The swords force them to stay there." she explained

"Ok now can you show me the second part?" Ria asked

"Alright if you promise not to use it against anyone until you've mastered it" Amaliea answered

"Ok I promise" Ria promised

Amaliea looked her in the eye and saw she was sincere. So She moved a training dummy so that it was laying down on the ground as though it had fallen to her trip. Then she put herself in position and did the move. Then at Ria's request slowed it down, Amaliea saw Ria getting set to try it on another dummy.

Then Ria asked, "can you show me one more time?"

Amaliea nodded and started the move. Then she made a mistake she allowed her thoughts to wander. As she brought her swords into position and started them in the downwards movement the doors to Jorrvaskr opened behind her and her concentration was lost and with it the careful control of her blades. She didn't stop them in time and they thudded down into the dummy with all the force of her momentum, weight, and strength behind them slamming through the dummy's head and gut and sticking thru the support post. Ria jerked back in surprise and Amaliea turned to see who had come out it was Brill who paying them no mind grabbed a book off the table and ducked back inside. As Amaliea turned back to Ria she was looking at the dummy in surprise.

So Amaliea explained "I wasn't paying attention and lost concentration thus I lost control. That's why I told you not to use it on Farkas."

"Your swords went right thru it like it was nothing!" Ria exclaimed

"Yes, they did." Amaliea answered privately thinking at least her screwing up would show Ria how dangerous that move was. With that, She tried to retrieve her swords only to realize they were stuck.

"Oh come on!" Amaliea exclaimed tugging at the swords

"Let me help" Ria said coming over and grabbing Amaliea's long sword.

They wrestled with the dummy for half an hour, before Farkas and Vilkas came out talking quietly only to stop and stare at what they saw. The young women had put the stake back in the hole made for it and Ria was pulling on the post, while Amaliea was pulling the other way on her short sword trying to get it loose. When Farkas let loose a barking laugh they looked over quickly letting go of both dummy and sword, both blushing because Farkas was openly laughing and Vilkas was clearly trying not to. After a few minutes to calm themselves the twins decided to help unfortunately Amaliea's blades were firmly stuck even all four couldn't get them out.

At that point, Farkas laughed "What did you do use your swords as spears?"

They ended up with Farkas carrying the whole thing up to Eurlond to see if he could get them out. Amaliea was not sure how he did it but he managed to get them out without breaking the post or her blades so they spent the rest of the day practicing their sword work. Beyond Farkas' joke, the brothers never did ask how she managed to get her swords stuck in the dummy thankfully. Farkas did start to tease Amaliea and Ria about it when everyone sat down for dinner but he was interrupted by an all too familiar figure bursting through the front door. As she did almost all of the Companions came to their feet with their hands reaching for their weapons.

Upon seeing Amaliea the figure said "Get up Amaliea we're going on an adventure!" the girl may be crazy as a loon but to give credit where credit is due presence is one thing Lokira Ravenwing had in spades.

After everybody had taken their seats Lokira went on to explain that as it turned out she was something called Dragonborn. Which with the way her talking seemed to go in circles Amaliea was not sure whether that means she was born with a dragon soul, dragon blood, or both. To be honest, Lokira lost her somewhere along the way. In the end it came out Lokira wanted Amaliea to go to High Hrothgar with her to go see the Graybeards whoever they are.

A few hours later Amaliea was once more sitting in the yard next to Jorrvaskr. Only this time she was trying to think how best to tell Lokira that there was no way she was going to climb the Throat of the World, to go to High Hrothgar just so they can walk back down. Amaliea had come out here for some peace and quiet to think the quarters were way too noisy. Just then Farkas came out and looked around until he saw her.

Then he came and sat down next to her saying "I think you should go with that Lokira woman and I've got an intimidation job you could do in Riverwood while you're out."

"Ok two questions." Amaliea said looking at him

"What are they?" he asked leaning against the wall

"First why do you want me to go with Lokira?"

Farkas sighed "Vilkas said you 'de ask that. Why do you want to know?"

"The two of you nearly jumped out of your skins and had your hands on your swords when she burst in. Plus you both called her a nutter under your breath. Now don't try to change the subject." She said giving him a pointed look

"Ok you see Vilkas and I have been talking and while he and I believe you won't tell and we're sure Kodlak will. We're not so sure how Aela and Skjor will react to your knowing. Vilkas thinks it might be better if you're away when they're told." Farkas said with a why me look on his face.

"And what do you think?" Amaliea asked

"I think that you're ready for your first real job and it will give us some time to calm them down."

"Ok I see your point and to be honest something about them makes me uneasy. So what's the job?"

"The innkeeper at the Sleeping Giant Inn has asked for our help apparently she's having a hard time getting a patron to pay his tab and stay out. Man by the name of Rikir now she wants him scared not dead. So I don't want to hear of a killing understood"

"Got it no killing the guy."

"Good now go get ready to go, and don't forget to sleep." She got up smiling and headed inside to get some sleep. Once she got downstairs she was slightly surprised to see Vilkas sitting by to the door to the quarters.

As Amaliea came into the hall he waved her over and asked "Did you take the jobs?"

"Yes."

"Good be careful, come back in one piece."

"always" She said smiling and continued on her way.

It's the next evening and Amaliea was once more in Riverwood. Looking at the sign for the inn she couldn't help but think 'this is going to be great my first job I'm so excited. I just hope I'm scary enough I don't want to fail Farkas.' She took a deep breath to calm her nerves then squared her shoulders and opened the door.

Once the door closed behind her she paused to scan the room trying to pick out her target. No such luck most of the men in here are drunk and reeking of ale or well on their way. She decides to ask the innkeeper which one Rikir is.

As She walks across the room to the bar she hear someone call out "Hey ginger, want me to buy you a drink."

The call came from a large man in a stained jerkin sitting in a chair at a table near a side door. Amaliea seriously hoped there was someone here named ginger otherwise Ewww!

Once she reached the bar the man behind it asks "what can I get you"

"Oh I'm not here to get anything, I was sent by the companions" she answered

"You're who the companions sent?" he asked sounding skeptical.

"Yes could you point out Rikir to me please?" she cheerfully responded

"Hold on." he said then turned to a blond woman standing near the bar saying "Delphin there's someone here to see you"

"Who?" the blond woman Delphin asked.

The barkeeper jerked his head towards Amaliea. She then turned and looked her over saying "Sorry I'm not looking for serving girls right now."

'Seriously! I know I'm not as tough looking as the rest of the Companions but really a serving girl!' Amaliea thought as she answered "I'm not here looking to be a serving girl. I was sent by the Companions to deal with Rikir."

Delphin looked at her startled before saying "you're joking right?"

"No." this woman was seriously testing her patience

"You're not joking the Companions sent some slip of a girl I told them Rikir was tough. Maybe you should get some help girl." Delphin said looking at Amaliea like she must be crazy.

"That won't be necessary. Can you just point him out please?" Amaliea stated bluntly wondering if screaming at the client would get her in trouble

"Yeah sure he's the brown-haired one over there." as Delphin said this she gestured to none over than the man who had called for ginger

"Thank you." Amaliea said smiling then walked over to Rikir.

He looked up as she approached and said "Hey ginger did Delphin finally hire a serving girl I'll take another mead put it on my tab."

Amaliea let her face go cold and the flat out irritation she felt at their reactions show as she said "I'm going to tell you three things you are going to listen, then you're going to do them. First, you are going to stop calling me ginger. Second, your tab is closed you're going to go pay it. Third, after you pay your tab you are going to get out and never show your face here again or you will regret it"

"Oh yea and who's going to make me ginger." he asked standing up and sneering

"Me." She growled her face grim.

"I'd like to see you try" with that he swung he never even landed the first blow as he swung she sidestepped and grabbed his arm as it came by. Then twisting it behind his back forced it up between his shoulder blades while holding it at the wrist and elbow making him stand on tiptoe and yowl in pain.

At this point, most of the people in the inn were looking at them as she said "Now you listen and listen well you are going to do as we discussed and pay your tab or you are going to find yourself with a matching set of broken arms which I'm sure will make drinking very difficult. And if you can't manage to keep a civil tongue in your head I'll just have to take yours out. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes please let me go I won't do it again. I promise!" he half yelled squirming trying to escape her grasp.

"And don't forget if I get word that you've repeated this behavior at this or any other establishment then my promise stands got it." She hissed.

At this point Amaliea detected an unpleasant aroma coming from him and some of the patrons were pointing at the man's pants as he whimpered "I got it I'll be good."

With that she released him and he grabbed a coin bag off his belt and dumped it on the counter. The barkeeper counted out what was owed. As soon as he finished Rikir scooped up what was left and practically ran for the door as he did Amaliea saw what the other patrons had been pointing at Rikir had wet his pants. As he reached the door it opened from the outside and he ran right into it. As he did Lokira entered and stared at him as now with blood running from his nose he ran out into the night.

Lokira meandered over to Amaliea and asked "Did I miss something?"

"Nothing much I was just completing that job I told you about." She said

"Oh, how'd it go as exciting as a job for the Companions is meant to be?"

"No if anything it was disappointing I was hoping for a challenge." Amaliea answered shrugging

Their conversation seemed to break the silence that hung over the inn since the confrontation had started. Lokira went up to the bar and started talking to the barkeeper. Before Amaliea realized it she pulled out a lute and walked to the center of the room. Lokira smirked and Amaliea got a sense of dread she's planning something. Amaliea slipped towards the exit as the room's occupants turned their attention to Lokira.

Then she started playing and singing "Oh there once was a hero named Rikir the red"

'she wouldn't.' Amaliea thought

"Who came riding to Riverwood from old Roikstead"

'who am I kidding she would.'

As she continued singing the patrons started chuckling and Amaliea made her exit while she still had some dignity left. She retrieved her pack from where she had left it outside the inn, then sat on the porch to eat some food from her pack she chould still hear the strains of Ragnar the red thru the cracks around the door. As Lokira finishes Amaliea can't help

'but think thank the gods it's over' then Lokira does the worst yet.

Amaliea heard her thru the door yelling "Lets here it for my friend Amaliea the newest Companion." As she says it Amaliea heard a chorus of drunken cries

"if we live through this trip up the mountain I might just kill her." Amaliea muttered to herself glaring at the door

'Finally, I never thought I would be so glad to get to the top of a stupid mountain that was the longest journey of my life.' Amaliea thought as the monastery came into sight Lokira had spent the entire trip up the mountain jabbering in some language Amaliea couldn't understand and they had been attacked by 20 wolves. Amaliea chouln't wait to get back to Jorrvaskr She was planning to give Farkas and Vilkas a piece of her mind. If they ever advised her to go on such a hair-brained trip with Lokira again she was seriously considerding locking them in a room with lokira and seeing how they liked it , Lokira was driving her crazy.

Just then Lokira poked her saying "Psst wood fahliil vahdin, wundun zeymahzin, dii fahdon, mu los het, were here."

As she finished speaking Amaliea looked at her

"What's folaas dreh zu'u loost kip nau dii luft?" Lokira asked.

"What are you even saying! believe me it's pretty hard to miss the whopping big temple smack in front of us and for the tenth time in the last hour please do not call me wood fahliil vahdin call me Amaliea," Amaliea said exasperated and Lokira just turned and walked away into the temple.

She came out about an hour later to find Amaliea using using a flame spell to keep warm. When she walked over Amaliea extinguished it.

Looking up Amaliea said "That didn't take too long."

"It would have been quicker but old man number three wouldn't stop talking." she answered and Amaliea seriously hoped she didn't call him that to his face.

"So are you Dragonborn then? Can we go now?" Amaliea asked.

Lokira just started walking back down the mountain Amaliea quickly walked after. As Amaliea caught up her Lokira grabbed Amaliea's arm.

Then Lokira turned to look out over the plains around Whiterun saying "Wuld Nah Kest!"

Amaliea felt a rush of wind, a sensation of speed, then they were falling only to land neck deep in a river less than a foot from a waterfall!

"Oh dragur!" Amaliea yelled as they went over the edge!