When the circle returned to Whiterun Kodlak placed Wuuthrad in its proper place of honor, on the wall of Jorrvaskr where the fragments had hung for the past hundred years. Once more everyone reveled, everyone except the circle that was, they went downstairs to get some sleep. When Amaliea awoke the next morning discovered that the cold had seemingly followed them from Winterhold, there was a blanket of snow on the ground winter had come to Whiterun.

During breakfast, it was obvious that everyone was lingering over their food. Amaliea was not sure about everyone else but in her case, as beautiful as snow is she found it cold, wet, and awful to train in. Just as she was finishing her food and running out of reasons to stall, Kodlak stood and cleared his throat.

Everyone turned to look at him as he spoke "Today since no one has any jobs we will be doing a group training exercise outside I suggest you dress warmly. We will meet at the western watchtower in an hour."

Once the companions were all gathered at the watchtower Kodlak told them the plan. They were going to be split up into teams, their goal take the tower. It sounded easy enough until Kodlak assigned the teams Skjor, Aela, Farkas, Vilkas, Torvar, and him were going to be defending the tower, and the two attacking teams were going to be Ria, Jon, and Athis on one, the other Amaliea, Jhan, and Njada once teams were assigned they were sent off to plan.

Amaliea and her team wandered a little ways away from the tower before they got to planning.

Which of course Jhan started by asking "So what's our plan?" and looking from her to Njada.

"I say repeated frontal assaults we'll wear them down," Njada smirked

"I don't think that will work." Amaliea quietly pointed out

"And why not!" Njada snapped

"Because they outnumber us two to one. The only ones worn down would be us." Amaliea stated bluntly

"So what do you think we should do?" Njada snarled aggressively.

"Well since were outnumbered then maybe we should recruit some help." Amaliea spoke calmly not wanting to start an argument.

"What do you mean?" Njada said sounding slightly appeased

"I mean we should get the other team and work together,"

"Can we do that?" Jhan asked

Njada smiled "They never said we couldn't. Jhan go track down the others and meet us by those rocks over there." She nodded at a pile of rocks that looked vaguely like a horse.

It took a few minutes but Jhan came back with the others. Once they were all behind the rocks and out of sight of the tower, they got to planning.

"Alight the first thing we need to do is take stock of our resources." Athis said

Our final stock list was one angry Nord armed with sword and shield, one impulsive imperial armed with sword and shield, one surly dunmer armed with daggers, and three bosmer armed with bows and blades, plus a lot of snow. After a long discussion and a couple of arguments, They had a plan. Though the twins did have to pull a switch they needed Jon with Amaliea and Njada for it to work.

Amaliea watched from behind a snowdrift as Athis, Ria, and Jhan charged the front door of the tower to be met by all six defenders. She motioned Jon and Njada forward and the trio hurried to the side of the tower so that they were standing under a window from the second level. Once there Njada gave Jon a boost so that he was balanced on her shoulders Amaliea quickly climbed up them and through the window. There she turned and grabbed Jon he grabbed hold of her arms. Njada grabbed his legs and started climbing up him to the window. As soon as she was through the window she grabbed one of Jon's arms and helped Amaliea pull him up. Once they were all in Jon and Njada hid in the rubble under the stairs and Amaliea hurried to the front window where she climbed onto the shallow ledge outside the window and signaled Jhan who signaled the others to retreat. They fell back and the defenders reentered the tower laughing about the attack.

Amaliea distinctly heard Farkas inquire "I wonder when Amaliea, Njada, and Jhan will show their faces?"

To which Skjor answered, "Njada and Amaliea are probably at each other's throats by now with Jhan caught in the middle."

Most of them laughed at that and Amaliea hoped Njada had the sense to stay down and not get mad. Thankfully she did and the defenders went on up the next set of stairs seemingly to head for the top of the tower. Amaliea climbed back through the window after making sure no one had stayed behind it was time to set out the trap.

The trio snuck downstairs where sure enough there was a trapdoor to the cellar. There they found some rope and lucky for them a bunch of old fishnets. Jon was in his element grinning like a manic as he did his thing. Once they were done they went back upstairs and Jon and Njada went back to their hiding spot. Amaliea then stepped back onto the ledge waving to where she knew Athis was meant to be watching. A quick flash of sunlight on a dagger blade confirmed that he'd seen a few moments later the three of them once more charged the door. The defenders rushed down to meet them as fast as they could right into Jon's trap. Which was met with yells of surprise and irritation as well as a few curses. The trio raced after them and was greeted by the sight of The Circle plus Torvar hanging in a bundle of nets from the middle of the ceiling, Njada hurried and opened the door to let the others in.

As Ria entered she asked, "So did we win?"

Aela looked bug-eyed and Farkas was grinning, Vilkas was wearing his customary scowl but his eyes betrayed his mirth.

Skjor scowled as he said "You were put in teams for a reason. Why are you all together?"

Kodlak smiled and Torvar frankly just looked confused as Amaliea answered "You may have put us in teams, but you didn't say we couldn't work together or that the teams had to stay together."

Vilkas chuckled and Kodlak said "Then it looks like you got the point of this exercise, to find the best way to gain control of the tower. Now let us down."

Jon walked over to a rope tied to a nail and slowly lowered the nets to the ground. Everyone then worked together to untangle the nets.

Once they were free Kodlak commented "Farkas, Vilkas since you found this situation so amusing the two of you and Amaliea are in charge of this lot of whelps, try to keep them out of trouble, some training outside the walls ought to do the lot of you some good."

With that Kodlak, Aela, and Skjor went back to Whiterun leaving the others there.

They all walked out of the tower and watched the trio until they were out of sight

Then Farkas scooped up a handful of snow and yelled "Snow fight!" shoving it down the back of Vilkas' armor before taking off running.

The result was Vilkas trying desperately to get the snow out while Farkas asked "What's wrong brother I thought nords didn't get cold?"

Within a few minutes, the training session had dissolved into an all-out snowball free for all. Amaliea had been freezing before it even started and add cold wet snow to it within five minutes her teeth where chattering but she was having too much fun to stop. she ran with the others laughing and fighting and for the first time in a long time feeling like she truly belonged. They stayed out there until the sun had begun to set before heading back to Jorrvaskr, where Tilma had the choices of hot tea or warm spiced mead waiting. Most went for the mead in fact they all did except Amaliea and surprisingly Vilkas. The pair sat down at one of the small side tables after grabbing some dinner and she gave him a questioning look directed at his tankard.

He smiled shrugging "Figured I'd try it and see what you like about it. I'm surprised for something made out of weeds it's actually pretty good."

Amaliea chuckled "It's made out of herbs not weeds and my favorite thing about it is that you don't get a hangover from drinking it. Besides, it tastes better than mead"

He smirked raising his tankard and inclining it to her before taking a drink. After a few hours of everyone laughing, talking, and Vignar telling everyone that the companions have gone downhill since his day, people started drifting off to bed. It seemed things couldn't get any more right little did she know that trouble was even then making its way towards Whiterun's gates.

The next day started off normal enough with training in the snow-covered yard. Today it was hand to hand which mainly consisted of Amaliea, Ria, Athis, and Njada sparing with each other than exchanging pointers and moves. As it was got close to noon Athis and Njada drifted inside to go get lunch.

Ria and Amaliea were about to go join them when Njada came back out and asked "Hey Amaliea you got another brother you didn't tell us about?"

"No only the twins why do you ask?" She answered confused

"Cause there's some bosmer guy asking for you at the front door. A blonde pretty boy."

Amaliea felt the blood drain from her face thinking 'not him again anyone but him' She peeked around the door just to be sure and was sadly right. Standing bold as brass by the front doors was Torano and Vignar was talking to him

"She's usually in the training yard around now I can tell her you're here."

"I was really hoping to surprise her I'm sure she'll be excited to see me. Could you just show me where she is?" Torano responded in silken tones

"Well, I guess it can't hurt." Vignar murmured

As Vignar started to turn Amaliea shut the door and grabbed Ria's arm insisting "Stall them! Tell them I'm not here, that you don't know where I am! Ok?"

"Sure but why?" Ria asked obviously unnerved by her strange behavior

Njada was looking at her like she'd lost it and Farkas had paused in his slashing at a training dummy to give her a questioning look.

"Njada please tell my brothers that Torano's here." Amaliea asked thinking that maybe they could get rid of him before she had to deal with him.

"ok?" Njada sounded as puzzled as she looked.

"I'll explain later."

With that, Amaliea took off around Jorrvaskr and up to the Skyforge, where much to Eurlond's surprise she promptly dove behind the chest he kept the tools of his trade in.

He gave her a look and asked, "Something wrong?"

As he turned back to the blade he was working on Amaliea "Nothing much just a guy from my village I would rather not deal with trying to find me."

He shrugged then commented, "I take it you mean the blonde."

"Yes, how'd you know?" She asked peering over the top of the chest

"Vignar is bringing him this way. By the way, hiding behind a chest might strike some as cowardly."

She shot him a look reluctantly standing from behind the chest and turning towards the ramp just as they crested the hill.

When Vignar saw her he smiled "Ah I told you she'd be at the Skyforge. Amaliea there's someone here to see you."

On his heels came Torano with his self-satisfied smirk so sure he had her cornered saying "Hello Amala It's lovely to see you again. Did you miss me? I certainly missed seeing your lovely face every day."

His voice dripped with honey and she saw right through him.

Her face and voice were cold as she told him "First of all as I keep telling you my name is Amaliea, not Amala and no I did not miss you if anything I wish you weren't here now."

"Oh come now Amala you know you can't resist me." His entire demeanor was like that of a snake cool and calculating

He reached out to take her hand and she jerked away from him saying "As I have told you more times than I can count I'm not interested now leave me alone."

Amaliea hurried past him and down the path as She passed Vignar he looked puzzled 'I guess Torano told him we were sweethearts or something. That guy is an ass I can't stand him, the only reason he's interested in me at all is that I'm the only single girl from the village who hasn't had a crush on him. Guess it hurts his pride that were-girl is immune to his 'charms'.' she thought

Amaliea hurried over to Ria who looked over as she approached saying "I tried to distract them but it didn't work."

"Amaliea what's going on?" Farkas asked from where he leaned against a support post nearby

"Trying to avoid that guy no big deal. Did Njada go for the twins?"

"yeah," Ria said

Neither looked convinced that nothing was wrong. Just then Torano came around the building behind Amaliea and grabbed her wrist before she could avoid him.

"Torano let go of me," she growled

"Oh come on Amala why." suddenly a large fist imposed itself into Torano's face cutting off whatever he was about to say with an audible crunching crack that made it clear that something had broken.

Amaliea looked back over her shoulder along the arm to see the face of a clearly angry Farkas. As Farkas drew back his arm Torano released her wrist to put his hands over his now bleeding nose and she quickly stepped out from in-between them. Once she was out of the way Farkas took a half step forward and grabbed Torano's collar hauling him forward.

Then looking down at him, Farkas growling out through clenched teeth "Never grab a woman who doesn't want you to touch her. And if you ever so much as reach for Amaliea again I will break you got it."

Torano's eyes were as wide as saucers and he was nodding furiously as he stood trapped in Farkas' grip. Nords as a race may be rough but there are times Amaliea loved their perchance for punching people who deserved it, and this was definitely one of those times. Farkas choose that moment to release Torano, who promptly fell on his ass, and from behind her, Amaliea heard her brothers snickering.

Then Jhan asked, "Hey Farkas did you leave anything for us to tell off?"

"If you had been here when your sister needed you, you could have told him off yourself," Farkas grunted raising an eyebrow at the twins as the came towards the group.

Amaliea quickly interjected, "I didn't necessarily need anyone to help, but thanks Farkas it's good to know you've got my back."

Ria was chuckling slightly as Vilkas came out looked at Torano on the ground and asked "Do I want to know what's going on?"

Farkas answered, "Just teaching an ass some manners."

Amaliea couldn't help but think 'yay! I'm not the only one who thinks him an ass.'

Just then Torano chose to dig his hole even deeper by looking directly at Farkas and saying in his most stuck up tone "My manners are none of your concern."

"You made them my concern when you bothered Amaliea," Farkas said without even sparing him a glance.

"What's it to you is were-girl your woman or something?" Torano scoffed showing his true colors

Amaliea felt Vilkas' hand on her arm as he stepped past saying "No she's mine and if you ever insult her again you will have me to deal with."

Torano stood there looking stunned for a few seconds before his face changed into a sneer of contempt and he hit the last straw "Wow Amala I should have known that a dumb werewolf like you would end up with a nord dog. Course I'm surprised he's even vaguely interested, I mean even your own parents didn't want you."

He stood a few feet away from the companions his face a study in sneering contempt as all four men plus Ria and Njada stepped forward, Amaliea wasn't even sure when Njada had got there.

But Amaliea stopped them by hissing "He's mine."

They all paused and Amaliea's brothers instantly grinned they knew that tone and they knew her limits. Amaliea would put up with a lot of insults aimed towards herself, but you insult her family or her friends and you're in for a world of hurt, and Torano had just crossed the line on both counts.

She stepped forward and said in a tone coated in ice "You have until the count of three to run before I beat the living daylights out of you. One…." He stood staring

"Two…" his look said he didn't think she'd do it

"Three." Amaliea always did what she said she would.

The first punch was too his stomach. the second an uppercut to his jaw she heard and felt it break under the force of impact. Normally she not big on pointless violence but punching Torano felt almost cathartic. She just kept punching him no complicated moves, the few times he tried to punch back she didn't even bother with dodging or blocking she took the blow and went on. In the end, he ran and Amaliea nearly went after him but Jon and Jhan stepped in front of her and blocked her before she could.

Jon grabbed her shoulders and looked her in the eye saying "It's over you beat him to a pulp."

Amaliea took a deep breath and reclaimed control of her anger before turning around to face the others. Farkas was grinning while Ria and Njada both looked just stunned. At some point during the fight Vignar and Eurlond had come down from the Skyforge, Vignar looked just as stunned as Ria and Njada but Eurlond just nodded smiling.

When she looked to Vilkas he had a small grin and walked to her before quietly asking "Still mad?"

She nodded.

"Wanna go take care of some bandits with me?" he asked still smiling.

She nodded again and within a few hours, her and Vilkas were sitting cleaning their blades in the remains of a freshly cleared bandit camp.

"Feel better?" he asked

"Yeah." She smiled wryly

"Ready to head back?"

"Not just yet," she admitted

They passed a few minutes in comfortable silence before Amaliea spoke up "Hey Vilkas." He glanced over at her "Thanks for sticking up for me with Torano."

"I meant what I said if he ever bothers you again he's mine." He said while examining a fresh nick on his blade's edge.

"Did you mean the other part to?" she asked finishing cleaning her short sword.

"The one about you being mine?" His hands stilled on his blade and she nodded

"Only if you don't mind?" Vilkas looked slightly nervous which to Amaliea was strange to see and somewhat endearing.

"I don't mind, so long as that means that I get to claim you too," she smiled slightly.

"Wouldn't have it any other way."

they smiled at each other and once more he leaned forward and caught her lips in a gentle kiss. Only this time she smiled against his mouth and started chuckling.

He leaned back smiling and asked, "What's funny?"

"We pick the least romantic places to kiss." It had struck her when he leaned forward and she couldn't help but laugh.

He gave her a look and she told him "First behind the stables. Now sitting in a bandit camp with our swords on our laps and the camps previous owners not ten feet away."

He started laughing and said, "I guess we need to work on that huh?"

"No I don't think so we make it work it just struck me funny," She smiled

"Come on lets head home it's getting late and neither of us ate lunch," Vilkas said as he sheathed his sword.

They laughed and joked all the way back to Whiterun Amaliea was glad for the peace, she was not looking forward to the questions she was sure would be waiting back at Jorrvaskr.