The Companions had left the inn a few hours ago and were now on the seldom trodden trail from the road to the secluded entrance to Wood Valley, and Amaliea still couldn't help but think this was a really bad idea. Before they left Vilkas had written a short letter to Kodlak, letting him know that the job was complete and that they were making a short side trip. He had then entrusted the letter to a courier to deliver thus ruining the only reason Amaliea could come up with for them not going to her childhood home. So now they were walking through the forest's shadows, while her stomach twisted in worried knots. her tension was outwardly expressed by her frequently adjusting of the remnants of her armor, that she was wearing like a jacket for what little protection it could grant in that state. Seeing her movement Jon and Jhan chuckled and rolled their eyes for the third time in the last ten minutes so she turned to them and asked
"What is so funny"
Jhan explained, "You always rolled your eyes when Briella would be constantly adjusting her clothes while walking now you're doing it."
"So are you finally getting that sense of style she always complained you lacked" Jon added smirking
Amaliea glared at them as she snapped "First of all I'm adjusting my armor not clothes, secondly I'm only adjusting it because that blasted Dragon ripped it. And for your information I have always have had a sense of style mine is simply less frilly then Briella's thank you very much."
With that, she speed up so that she was walking beside Vilkas, as she did she noticed the barest hint of a smile dancing on his lips and he reached out and took her hand in his while their eyes met. Walking alongside him listening to the others joke and kid, Amaliea steadily felt the tension drain out of her only to come back in full force when they stopped outside the cave that guarded the entrance to the village.
As they walked inside Athis commented "I thought we were going to your village, not some cave"
"We are" Amaliea smiled as they reached the other end reaching out to push aside the curtain of live vines that disguised the exit "this is only the entrance."
As she moved the vines the sudden burst of sunlight briefly blinded them after the darkness of the cave, once their eyes adjusted they stepped out onto the ledge outside to see the beauty of Wood Valley in early spring stretched out below them.
"By Azura" Athis murmured
"Kodlak's description did not do it justice." Vilkas said softly
"Welcome to Wood Valley or as we like to call it home!" the twins chorused
As they looked out over the valley with its flower-strewn meadows, green woods, and sparkling river a horn blew from a watch station on a cliff alerting the guards of their arrival, startling Vilkas, Farkas, and Athis. They turned to Amaliea and her brothers with questioning looks so she explained pointing to a watchpoint where a guard stood half-hidden on the cliffside,
"There are guards stationed at all times at watchpoints throughout the valley, the horn was to alert the rest of the head of the guard that strangers have entered the valley."
"We're not going to be attacked walking down the path are we?" Farkas asked
"No a single blast means that strangers have entered with part of the clan," Jon explained
"Besides no guard in his right mind would attack us," Jhan added
"Our Pa is head of the guard." Amaliea stated before anyone could ask what Jhan meant.
"Race you down!" Jon and Jhan shouted in unison taking off down the path.
The rest of them followed at a more sedate pace Amaliea's hand still entwined with Vilkas'. When they reached the base of the trail Jon and Jhan were wrestling in the dirt, and Amaliea was just about to tell them to knock it off when a familiar and stern voice in a tone any mother's child would know came from the tree line near the path
"BOYS!"
The twins froze in their tracks as the rest of the group turned slowly to view the source of the voice, a short blond bosmer woman in a honey-colored dress carrying a basket of alchemy ingredients was striding towards them with a frown gracing her features
"Hi Ma." the twins and Amaliea chorused
Without further ado, the woman started fussing at the twins "JUST WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?! I RAISED YOU BETTER THAN TO FIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PATH! GET UP OUT OF THE DIRT AND DUST YOURSELVES OFF RIGHT THIS MOMENT YOU'RE FILTHY!"
The twins jumped up dusting themselves even while complaining "Come on Ma we're grown mer not little boys anymore."
"Well when you start acting like grown mer I'll treat you that way." was Ma's only response, then she turned to Amaliea "And why didn't you tell them to stop?!"
Amaliea was frankly wondering when the twins had ever listened to her when her Ma's tone changed from anger to concern "What happened to your armor? Who are your friends? You're all singed are any of you hurt?"
"We're fine Ma nothing major." Amaliea hurried to reassure her then Jhan opened his big mouth
"Dragon barely got any us, didn't know what hit it."
"DRAGON! You three have some explaining to do, but first, let's get you and your friends to the house you must all be exhausted."
With that, she lead the way to the village with Athis, Farkas, and Vilkas starring after her stunned as Vilkas whispered "When you said your mother could make Aela look sweet I thought you were exaggerating now I'm not so sure."
Farkas and Athis silently nodded in agreement, as they followed Mareia to the house.
They caught up to Mareia just as she was reaching her husbands forge where the large man dark-haired man was working, he had a large chunk of steel red-hot and was placing it on the anvil.
"Garson we have guests Amaliea and the boys brought some friends to visit."
At Mareia's call he picked up his hammer as he turned to look at them, he seemed to be sizing up Farkas, Athis, and Vilkas then his gaze caught on Amaliea's and Vilkas' hands. His eyes briefly narrowed, then he turned and hoisted his hammer to bring it swinging down in a short arch that it smashed into the metal, crushing it to half its original thickness. As he did he gave Vilkas a look that was clearly threatening, and Amaliea felt Vilkas' grip tighten on her hand, yep Pa was not happy. Before the tension could rise anymore Amaliea released Vilkas' hand and stepped forward smiling saying
"I missed you Pa!"
He gave her one of his quiet smiles that transformed his face from almost grimly stoic to loving as he infolded her in a hug and murmured "It's good to see you safe little rose but, we are going to be talking about the man."
Before she had a chance to respond he looked up and called to the twins "What no greetings for your father you rascals?!"
Jon and Jhan came over grinning and said "Hey Pa did ya miss us?"
"Like a broken neck." he laughed letting Amaliea go to ruffle the twins' hair before giving them one-armed hugs. That's when he noticed the state of Amaliea's armor and raised an eyebrow in his care to explain look
"We were doing a job in Falkreath and it got a little shredded we're all fine though." she explained
"And just what was this job about killing a dragon?" he asked sarcastically holding his hand out for the armor.
Amaliea handed it over and he was beginning to look it over as she answered "Actually we were fighting a dragon."
Her Pa stood there stunned for a few moments before saying "I'll make it stronger, boys give me yours too I don't want any letters telling me that my children have been eaten by a giant lizard."
The twins hurried to shrug out of their armor and give it to Garson. He nodded then directed them "take your friends inside they can share the guest room."
"Though introductions would be nice first." Mareia was quick to add
"Right sorry," Amaliea said then gestured to the others as she said their names "This is Athis, Farkas, and Vilkas they are mine and the twins fellow companions. Guys these are my, Jon's, and Jhan's parent Garson and Mareia Lyaera."
The others were quick to give respectful greetings then Mareia lead the way into the house to show the others where they would be staying in the room next to Jon and Jhan's and across from the washroom while Amaliea went into her and Briella's room next to Jon and Jhan's.
Once she shut the door behind her she dropped her pack on the floor and looked around, thinking that it seemed smaller then she remembered. Everything on her side was exactly how she left it while Briella's hadn't changed much it was still very girly and fussy, the flowers still bloomed in the box outside the window. The only thing was Amaliea had grown beyond it, the last time she was in this room she had been a scared girl about to see if her dream could become a reality or not, now she was a young woman, a member of the circle of the companions with friends and a man she loved. She put her things away then took off her bow, quiver, and sword belt and laid them on the bed. As soon as she finished she went downstairs where she found her Ma preparing dinner so offered
"Want a hand Ma?"
"Yes, could you set the table and tell me more about the young man you were holding hands with earlier," her Ma answered smiling slightly.
As Amaliea went to the cupboard and started gathering dishes she had a feeling that this was going to be a long few days, as she answered "There's not much to tell His names Vilkas. He is a companion and member of the circle."
Amaliea had brought the dishes over to the table and started setting them out before Ma spoke again
"I raised you Amaliea I know there is more to it than that. Now tell me do you love him?"
"I- I think so," She answered unsurely
"You think so?" Ma answered raising an eyebrow
"I don't know what being in love feels like I think I am but what if I'm wrong and it's only a crush?" Amaliea asked what had been holding her back for months. for years she had watched Briella flitter from boy to boy in one crush after another while she just wasn't interested when she first met Vilkas he had spoken to her worst fears and made her nervous now she wanted to be with him. She wondered if she was as fickle as Briella or if what she felt the real deal.
"This is one thing you will just have to wait and decide for yourself but I think If you're asking then it's not a mere crush." Ma answered
After a few minutes of silence, Amaliea spoke "I don't want Vilkas to get hurt could you help me keep him away from Pa?"
Her Ma looked over startled and asked "Why would you think that your Pa would hurt him?"
Amaliea held up a hand and started ticking reasons off on her fingers "he threw the last guy Briella brought home in the river, he used the one before that as an example in what not to do during weapons practice, he scared the one before that so bad he wet his pants, heck he tricked one of them into helping me practice and I beat the socks off of him, need I go on."
"Ok, you have a point your father can be a little overprotective I'll talk to him." her Ma smiled softly and placed the final platter on the table then told her "Run upstairs and get everybody down I'll get your Pa."
Amaliea nodded and went upstairs to let the others know it was time to eat and give Farkas, Vilkas, and Athis the warning that Ma didn't allow weapons at the table.
By the time Mareia and Garson came in, they were all seated at the table with Vilkas between Amaliea and Farkas, Jon across from her, Jhan across from Vilkas, and Athis across from Farkas. Garson took the chair at the head of the table with Mareia to his left and Jon to hers, across from her next to Amaliea was an empty chair waiting for Briella. As they fixed their plates, Jon and Jhan started telling about all their adventures since joining the companions and continued until about halfway through dinner when Briella came waltzing through the door. Of average height and willowy build with their Ma's golden hair and their Pa's amber eyes she was pretty and as she came in she began hanging up her bow and quiver calling
"Hey, Ma, Pa sorry I'm late archers practice ran a bit long" as she finally got her stuff put up she turned around and noticed the rest there and immediately began squealing "Amaliea Your Home!"
She ran over to hug Amaliea but tripped on a rug and knocked into Amaliea with enough force behind her to knock Amaliea off her chair and into Vilkas. Which wouldn't have been so bad except he was still wearing his armor and the wolf head on his belt was poking her in the ribs she hurried to sit up glancing at his face as she did and judging by the twinkle in his eyes he was trying not to laugh
Briella didn't seem to notice as she started babbling "Oh Gods it's so good to have you back it's been so lonely without you to talk to! Who are your friends? How are things with the companions? Did you follow my advice? What happened to your gloves? Well, are any of you going to answer?"
Jon hurried to answer "our friends are Athis the dark elf, Farkas, and Vilkas the bigger one is Farkas they're twins like me and Jhan."
"As for things with the companions we've all passed our trials and were accepted as full members," Jhan added
"And no I have not followed your advice nor am I going to," Amaliea added
"As for Amaliea's gloves she hasn't worn them unless she actually needed gloves since before we got to Jorrvaskr." Jon and Jhan chorused
Briella started to open her mouth to start another string of questions when Mareia cut her off saying "I for one would like to hear an explanation about that dragon you mentioned earlier?"
