As the group approached the mill they could see two giants stomping and shaking their clubs at the mill workers. Farkas urged the clearly nervous horse closer as Amaliea jumped off readying her bow. Once her feet were firmly on the ground, she swiftly started firing arrows into both giants' sides and heads causing their attention to shift from the workers to the source of their pain. By this point, the others had dismounted and were racing into the fray with blades drawn, but they were hard-pressed. Amaliea tossed aside her bow and drew her swords while running to join them.

They fought those giants for nearly half an hour before Amaliea saw her chance to take one out. The problem with fighting giants is that as tall as they are you had to bring them down before you can land a critical blow and they had clubs. One had already nailed Farkas in the ribs sending him flying into a stack of barrels, and Amaliea had just barely dodged the backswing from the same blow when she saw a barrel that had a board fallen across it. It was in the perfect spot, she quickly scooped up a rock and stood on the end of the board closest to the giant then threw the rock hitting the giant square on the jaw. He raised his club to bring it down on her head and she waited until the time was right. Then jumping backward she landed on the other end of the board just as the giants club hit where she had been standing moments before. The result was that Amaliea was catapulted into the air, there was only one problem she had meant to land on the giant that she had been fighting. Instead, she landed on top of the giant that Ria and Njada were focused on and neither giant was too happy.

The one Amaliea had landed on bellowed in anger while the one she had tried to trick spun around trying to find her. Then he spotted her and swung his club hitting her square across the back but it also hit his compatriot. Amaliea was sent flying once more this time landing with a painful belly flop in the half-frozen river. When she finally got her head above water and her feet under her Ria and Njada were staring openmouthed at the stunned giant. Seeing them Farkas bellowed

"Don't just stand there kill it!"

Njada swiftly stabbed it through the eye then looked at Amaliea and started to scoff "Wow some fierce warrior you are Amaliea you just got dunked by a-"

Whatever she was going to say next was cut off by the still-standing Giant's club colliding with her ribs and sending her flying to land, not three feet from Amaliea.

Who raised an eyebrow and asked sweetly "You were saying?"

If looks could kill Amaliea would be six feet under from the glare Njada gave her as Amaliea went back to making her way out of the water.

Then Ria screamed, "If you two are done with your bath we could use some help."

Once the two were back on dry land it didn't take long to take down the second giant, though none of them had come out unscathed. Judging from the blooming pain in her back and side Amaliea probably had cracked if not broken ribs from the giants club. Farkas and Njada looked little better. Meanwhile, Ria seemed to be swaying slightly. So now the problem became getting back to Windhelm because the horses had run off and all of their healing potions were tucked into the saddlebags. After getting thanked by the millworkers several of whom nearly choked on their own tongues when they realized Amaliea was an elf and Ria an imperial, they started walking back to Windhelm.

They were about halfway back when Ria stumbled and Njada caught her grunting in pain

Amaliea finally spoke, "I know some healing spells if anyone would care for some help."

Farkas inclined his head towards Ria who said "I'm fine really let's just keep going."

Amaliea had noticed in the past Ria's habit of pushing herself trying not to look weak next to the others, heck Amaliea had done the same thing a couple of times. So she gave Farkas a pointed look but it still took him a moment to catch it. Then he said

"I wouldn't mind a spell, Njada what about you?"

Amaliea had to give Njada credit she caught what they were up to quick and said "Sure I am kind of sore after the fight."

With that, they stopped and Amaliea called her healing spells to her hands and swiftly did a patch job on the others. She had been worried that Ria had hit her head and gotten a concussion thankfully that wasn't the case, though she did have a lump on her head and a scratch down the back of her leg. Farkas' ribs weren't broken just cracked, his armor seemed to have taken the brunt of it. But a couple of Njada's were broke.

So Amaliea told her "When we get to Windhelm you're going to need to see a healer."

Once that was over they started walking again, but Farkas kept giving Amaliea sidewise looks and she finally stopped in the middle of the road and asked

"'What?"

"I was wondering when you were going to heal yourself."

She blushed and mumbled "idonknowhow."

"Didn't catch that." He smirked

Her face turned even redder as she said "I don't know any self-healing spells."

The smirk fell from his face as behind Amaliea Njada started laughing her head off. Amaliea stiffened her shoulders and hurried ahead with what felt like every bone in her chest protesting the rapid movement.

By the time they got to the stables, the others had caught up to her as had her swim in the river. She was shivering so bad it was ridiculous and her teeth were chattering so much she couldn't talk though on the bright side it looked like when the horses had taken off they had gone back home. They were munching on hay in the stable yard Farkas and Ria marched over to them and grabbed everyone's things before walking back over to where Amaliea and Njada were waiting. Then in one swift move, Farkas shoved a healing potion into Amaliea's hands and dropped his cloak around her shoulders grunting

"Drink that before you pass out."

He sounded angry and Amaliea tried to pinpoint what she had done to irritate him so, but she couldn't seem too put her finger on it. So she kept silent and drank the potion being grateful that at least it eased the fire in her ribs. Once they entered the city Farkas started leading them off to the left and after walking through the bustling market they entered a shop whose sign read The White Phial.

The shop turned out to be an apothecary who knew a little healing magic. His final opinion was Amaliea had managed to break two ribs and crack another three. He healed them as best as he could and ended up binding both her's and Njada's ribs and giving Ria orders to rest for a few hours after that they left the shop.

Farkas turned to Ria and Njada and ordered "Ria take Njada and go to the inn make sure we've still got the rooms for tonight, Amaliea you're with me we've got to report the job done."

As pissed as he sounded Amaliea decided that telling him that it might be better if she went with Ria would be a bad idea.

As they entered The Palace of the Kings the guards openly glared at Amaliea. She nervously stepped closer to Farkas trying to disappear into his shadow and not be noticed. As they approached the Jarl's throne, a nord man in fine clothes with greying blond hair stepped out from a side room followed by a man who seemed to be wearing a bear for a hat. Then it hit her, she recognized the blond he was at Helgen. she could remember Ralof speaking to him as they were making their way to the keep, but she couldn't remember who he was then again most of Helgen was a blur. Both men glanced over the companions as the blond sat on the throne identifying himself as Jarl Ulfric.

Then Farkas spoke up "Jarl Ulfric we've taken care of the giant problem."

The Jarl nodded then cast Amaliea a confused look before asking

"Have we met elf?"

She was startled at first and Farkas cast her a glance as she hurried to answer

"Yes Jarl Ulfric Sir, I was in Helgen the day it was destroyed."

Ulfric nodded "I remember you now Ralof rescued you did he not."

"Yes sir." Amaliea answered quietly embarrassed by her poor showing that day.

He seemed to be dismissing them now that his curiosity was satisfied, and she headed for the door as fast as she could without seeming to be running with Farkas following her.

As they reached the pathway that ran next to Candle Hearth Hall Farkas grabbed her shoulder and spun her around to face him. Then demanded

"Why do you let people do that to you?"

"Do what?" She asked honestly not understanding what he was asking.

He ran his hands through his hair in clear frustration "You let people walk all over you!"

"I do not." Amaliea said indignantly thinking 'where did Farkas get that idea it's ridiculous.,'

"Yes, you do if I or any of the other Companions had gotten half the insults you have today someone would have gotten punched." He insisted and she had to admit he had a point.

"If I punched everybody who has ever had something insulting to say about me I would be punching people till the day I die. Besides I care little for the opinions of strangers I'll probably never see again."

He stared at her for a moment and she turned and continued to the inn.

"What about Njada?" he called after her

"What about her?"

"She scoffed at you not knowing how to ride, then she made fun of you for landing in the river even though your actions downed the giant. She even laughed at your being unable to heal yourself even though you had healed her." he insisted

"Farkas I long ago accepted that Njada has no respect for me, so why should I care what she thinks."

By this point, they had reached the door to the inn and Farkas stopped her again saying

"You may not care what she says but it is still wrong of her to say it because it's not true. And she's gonna continue to say stuff like that until you make her stop."

"I ignore it for the same reason you ignore our shield siblings calling you stupid. Because there's no point in stirring the shit."

"When people call you weak it's a lie Amaliea" he didn't say it but she could tell he was thinking that he was stupid.

"Farkas I've seen the look you get when people insult your intelligence it hurts you, but no matter what they say you are smart. Your just quieter then Vilkas about it. How 'bout this I'll start calling people on it when they insult me if you stop letting people call you dumb. Deal?"

"Deal." he smiled grimly then smirked saying "You know you look like a shrimp in my cloak."

She smirked back teasing "That's only cause you're as big as a bear."

He chuckled and Amaliea opened the door feeling her muscles instantly relax as the warmth of the building enveloped them.

The next day they once more rose with the dawn, this time to catch a coach home. Amaliea had to admit she was glad to see Windhelm fading into the distance behind them and even gladder when the walls of Whiterun began to rise in front of them.