As Amaliea entered the fray inside Jorrvaskr the first thing she saw was Kodlak fighting a big brute of a Nord and a smaller Nord raising a sword to strike him in the back. All she could think was that she was too far away to reach him.

Then something Farkas had said what felt like so long ago came back to her "What were you doing using your swords as spears?"

She would never reach him in time but maybe? She switched her swords putting her short sword in her left hand and threw it as hard as she could at the coward. She watched as her sword somersaulted through the air and sheathed it's self in the cowards back, causing him to fall away from Kodlak. Kodlak defeated the man he had been fighting then turned to meet the next opponent. Amaliea noted Jon standing in the rafters along with Aela shooting Silverhand as she quickly fought her way over to the coward's body to retrieve her sword then leap back into the fray. It didn't take long for The Companions to have them on the run, all in all only six Silverhand left out of the more than two dozen that attacked. Jon and Jhan quickly proved their worth to the companions by tending to the wounded. Amaliea was lucky between the witches and the battle She had only acquired a few minor cuts and burns. No one among the companions died that night but they still suffered a loss, all the fragments of Wuuthrad that the companions had been collecting for hundreds of years were stolen. The worst part was that they had been only one piece short of having them all. After the battle, once all the wounds had been treated Amaliea went to retrieve her pack from where she had dropped it. Once she had grabbed it she hurried back into Jorrvaskr.

Once she was inside Farkas approached her favoring his arm and whispered "Kodlak wants us in the underforge. Bring what you were sent to retrieve"

Amaliea quickly nodded and he turned away and approached Aela and Skjor who she guessed got back before the battle as they had left on a job a week ago. Amaliea went and helped Ria down the stairs and to bed she was limping from a sword cut to her leg. Everyone was already there, she had seen Vignar and Brill retire to their room and Tilma was cleaning up the mess that remained after the bodies had been carried off to the hall of the dead.

So Amaliea told Ria "I'm going to help Tilma." Ria nodded then laid down and Amaliea hurried upstairs

As she stepped into the main hall Tilma looked up from her cleaning and whispered "The others are waiting for you, you've best hurry."

She nodded towards the back doors as Amaliea asked quietly "you know?"

"I have been tending to the warriors of Jorrvaskr for as long as I can remember there is little about them I don't know." She told her

Amaliea hurried out the door and around the side of Jorrvaskr but when she saw the entrance to the underforge she froze for a moment feeling the fear rise inside of her and had to force it down. Deciding that as long as no one was a werewolf she'd be fine she entered the underforge.

As soon as she had Kodlak spoke from where he stood with the rest of the circle "good you're here. Do you have the heads?"

"Yes sir." she said quietly

"Hand them here." He smiled

She put her pack on the ground and then unwrapped the sack and gave it to Kodlak

"Thank you Amaliea you did well." he turned to Aela and Skjor asking "Do you have the fragment?"

"Aye" Skjor said reaching into a pouch on his belt and pulled out what Amaliea instantly knew to be a fragment of Wuuthrad. Kodlak placed the sack of heads in the basin and took the fragment from Skjor.

As he did he spoke a little sadly saying "These were to be the final pieces of the puzzle to set us free from the blood, but now we'll need to retrieve the rest of the pieces."

Vilkas stepped forward "I know where the Silverhand are going. An old fort called Driftshade Refuge."

"Good take a shield sibling and go after them" Kodlak said softly

Vilkas turned to Amaliea asking "So how do you feel about a trip to Dawnstar? You're the only one of us other than me that's uninjured."

She looked him in the eye and smiled saying "I'm in!"

The pair took the coach from Whiterun stables and Amaliea would later admit she blushed a little as they passed the stables themselves. It took them most of the next day to get to Dawnstar. From there they traveled southeast to reach the fort.

Once there they stashed their packs behind some trees not far from the fort itself then readied themselves for battle. The sun was setting behind their backs as she looked over at Vilkas, he was putting his helmet on and she pulling her braid into a bun to get it out of the way. As soon as they were ready they turned to look at the fort on their left Vilkas held out his hand to her and she took it and they smiled at each other hearing their hearts beating together.

Amaliea finally asked, "You ready?"

"Aye let's go get Wuuthrad." With that, they unsheathed their blades and charged into battle.

The few guards on the walls were relatively easy for Amaliea to take out with her bow. But things got more difficult once they entered the walls. Because up close they could strike back thankfully their armor took the worst of it. The worst part for Amaliea was all the werewolves. Mostly they were dead but even so, the memories kept trying to drag her down. She nearly lost it when they came across a room with two cages, one held a dead horse, the other a live werewolf. The werewolf snarled and howled throwing itself against the bars trying to get to the couple. Amaliea heard herself release a choked sound halfway between a sob and a scream. When she did Vilkas stepped between her and the werewolf facing her.

Once he had her attention he said "It's ok Amaliea, I'm with you. Now just keep your eyes on me and focus on the fight were almost done here."

Amaliea nodded and followed him. The rest of the battle passed in a blurred confusion of blades and battle cries. Once they reached the main room of the fort the leaders didn't put up much of a fight. After they were dead Amaliea found the fragments of Wuuthrad tossed carelessly on a table next to a bottle of mead. She placed them carefully in a pouch on her belt. Once done She and Vilkas walked out of the fort and back towards Dawnstar.

It was a cold gray predawn the sky full of misty rain that seemed to make it even colder as they approached the gates to Whiterun. But despite the weather and the exhaustion that seemed to try drag Amaliea down her heart still felt as light and free as a bird on the wing. Soon all of them would be free of the curse that held them! Vilkas was walking beside her his fingers intertwined with hers. Every time she looked at him a warm feeling shot thru her it felt as though the chill of the morning couldn't touch them. As they passed the stables she glanced at him remembering what happened the last time they were there at dawn, as if the same thoughts were on his mind Vilkas looks over at her and they both smiled as their eyes meet. His hand released hers and he puts his arm around her shoulders pulling her closer to him and she wrapped hers about his waist.

"We best hurry this rain is picking up" he murmured

Amaliea smiled mischievously saying "Alright race you there!"

With that, she unwrapped her arm and took off running. She heard him laugh behind her then chase after her. As they approached the gate the guards on duty stood at attention. Amaliea skidded to a stop a foot short of them with Vilkas a few heartbeats behind her.

"I win." She laughed with a smile

Vilkas smiled back and turned to the guards one of which asked "Is something wrong?"

"Nay everything's fine just a race between friends. Would you mind letting us enter." he answered

"Of course Companions" the second guard answered and unlocked the gates to let them past.

They were still smiling as they entered Jorrvaskr where they were met with a surprise. Everyone even Eurlond was sitting around the main hall.

As they entered Kodlak looked up and asked "Were you successful?"

Vilkas answered for both of them in a voice that rang across the hall "Aye!"

With that, a resounding cheer went up from every throat.

As Amaliea pulled out the fragments from the pouch Eurlond stepped forward and took the fragments stating "Now that we have all the fragments I can repair Wuuthrad."

He was cheered as he left to go to the Skyforge. Vilkas and Amaliea were herded to the table and a small revel began. It wasn't long before Amaliea had slipped away from the table and was sitting on a bench with its back to the stair rail waiting for a chance to slip away and go get some sleep. Before too long Vilkas flopped down beside her his armor clanking. The last thing she clearly remembered was the twins' arm wrestling while Torvar, Athis, Njada, and Ria drunkenly cheered them on.

Later that day Amaliea awoke still sitting on the bench with Vilkas beside her asleep with his head resting on the railing behind the bench. Tilma was across the hall in the kitchen stirring a pot of something that smelled like mutton stew. Vignar and Brill were playing some sort of card game in the corner; none of the others were in sight. As she stirred shifting stiff muscles they looked over in her direction.

Tilma asked smiling "Sleep well dear?"

Amaliea stood saying "I think I'm not going to do that again."

"Kodlak wanted to see you downstairs," Vignar stated before turning back to his game

"Just me or both of us?" She asked

"Both." Brill answered

"Should I wake him?" She asked nodding her head towards Vilkas

Tilma chuckled "Let him sleep and here if you didn't stop to sleep you probably didn't stop to eat either." she handed Amaliea a warm roll and a sausage link

"Thanks, Tilma." Amaliea said with a smile taking the food and heading downstairs.

She ate as she walked down the hall, there were snores coming from the quarters, and she could hear a conversation coming from Kodlak's quarters. The doors to the sitting room were closed which was highly unusual she quickly finished the food and knocked on the doors.

Skjor opened them and Amaliea hurried to explain "Vignar said Kodlak wanted me." Skjor still made her nervous he had a feeling of danger around him

"Ah, Amaliea I've been waiting for you come in. Is Vilkas awake yet?" Kodlak spoke from his usual chair she could see Aela sitting in the other chair.

She stepped into the room past Skjor being careful not to touch him responding "Vilkas was still asleep when I came down Tilma said not to wake him."

Now that Amaliea was in the room she could see Farkas leaning on the left wall. she stepped away from Skjor towards him.

"What did you need sir?" she asked of Kodlak

"I wanted to speak to all of you together we will wait on Vilkas" Kodlak answered writing in his book.

Skjor closed the door then leaned against it resuming his conversation with Aela.

Farkas nudged Amaliea and when she turned to look at him he commented: "It's a good thing you didn't try to wake Vilkas, the last time I tried he attacked me before he realized who I was."

"How did you wake him?" she asked thinking that attacking without knowing what was going on did not sound like Vilkas.

"I pulled his covers off and yelled Vilkas!" he said grinning

"Maybe he attacked you because he thought the two of you were under attack." She pointed out trying not to laugh picturing what their expressions must have looked like.

"Huh didn't think of that. Maybe I should try it again and ask him!" Farkas grinned mischievously

Amaliea shook her leaning against the wall next to him "I wouldn't he might hurt you before he wakes up enough to realize it's just you. Besides everyone else would probably come running too after the whole Silverhand attacking thing." As funny as it would look she really hoped he didn't try.

Farkas chuckled and lightly shoved her before she could shove him back a knock sounded on the doors and Skjor opened it to reveal Vilkas munching on a sausage looked like Tilma fed him too. He walked in and settled himself on Amaliea's other side so that she was leaning between the two brothers. Somehow it made her feel safer even as Skjor once more closed the door and leaned against it blocking the exit. Then they all looked to Kodlak expectantly.

He spoke quietly "Tonight we will leave for Ysgramore's tomb. It's near Winterhold so dress warm and pack light we will move fast. Once there I'll explain further for now we need to decide something. The tomb cannot be opened without Wuuthrad. So the question becomes who shall carry it? I can no longer bear the weight so that task must fall to another among us."

They were all quiet for several minutes until Skjor spoke "I cannot bear Wuuthrad either I don't deserve the honor. I forced Amaliea to take part in the ritual without thought to how she felt about it. Looking back I can see her fear was plain but, I was blind to it all I cared was that she could not tell our secret."

Aela spoke next "I can't carry Wuuthrad for the same reason I was just as much a part of that as Skjor."

Kodlak's eyes went over the three that had not yet spoken looking at them expectantly waiting for one to speak. Amaliea remained silent feeling as though she had no right to speak among this group.

Vilkas spoke next "I don't think myself worthy it was my idea in the first place that Aela and Skjor needed to know that she knew. When I told them I knew her reasons for keeping our secret and I knew they might do something crazy. I feel partially to blame for what happened."

As he fell silent Amaliea reached out and touched his arm whispering "It wasn't your fault."

He just looked at her his eyes thoughtful suddenly into the silence Farkas blurted out "I think Amaliea should carry Wuuthrad. She's the least touched by the curse and if we get attacked she is the least dangerous-looking of our numbers so she is the last one anybody would expect to be carrying something as important as Wuuthrad."

Everyone was looking at Amaliea "Me!" her voice squeaked "But I'm nobody among the Companions one of you should carry it. You're the circle I'm just a newbie"

Kodlak suddenly put his hand over his eyes saying "That's just it. You are a member of the circle Amaliea, I had been considering you when Aela and Skjor made their move and that cemented it. As for earning the honor, it was you who got the witches' heads, you fought to defend Jorrvaskr alongside all of us."

As Kodlak paused Skjor spoke, "You went with Vilkas to retrieve the fragments and succeeded."

Amaliea looked at all of them and pointed "for the record this is a bad idea."

"I'm still not sure about this," Amaliea muttered as Eurlond handed her Wuuthrad which he had wrapped to protect it from the weather. The weapon had been repaired beautifully and was in all honesty extraordinarily heavy. Not to mention bigger than Amaliea expected it was a good thing nobody was expecting her to actually use it.

As she attached Wuuthrad to her pack and strapped her bow in front of it Vilkas commented "You were the best person to carry it." She gave him a skeptical look and he admitted, "Ok the only one who didn't turn it down."

"You do realize that Wuuthrad is especially deadly to elves right?" She asked thinking that anyone would be better than her.

"So?" Farkas asked

"I'm an elf." She pointed out mentally questioning the intelligence of nords and herself for getting caught up in this.

"But you have the heart of a Nord" Skjor stated in a tone that made it seem like it was meant to be a huge compliment but it was still somewhat offensive.

"I'm pretty sure I have the heart of a Bosmer, Being one there's no other heart I could have." As soon as the words left her mouth she wished she could snatch them back.

Amaliea was positive Skjor was going to be angry as he stared at her stunned. Farkas and Vilkas were clearly trying to conceal grins while Eurlond turned his back to them.

Then Aela chuckled slapping her on the shoulder "I knew there was something I liked about you."

Thankfully Kodlak interceded before things could get any worse saying "Come, it's almost dusk. We need to catch a coach to Winterhold unless the lot of you want to walk there." As he finished speaking Amaliea noticed that he was smiling slightly.