A.N. Ok so I noticed something, mainly of which Everlee never introduced herself by name to the Companions. I am actually going to fix this problem by sticking it in Chapter 15. It's not worth the re-reading but just so you're all aware :)

Not So Companionable

I learned one thing very quickly. When Farkas offers you his help, he's very polite, but he doesn't take no for an answer.

"Really, you don't need to carry me the whole way – we could make a crutch or find a wheelbarrow or –" I continued helplessly as he continued to carry me up toward the gate.

"It's no problem," he said.

Somehow he made it look like it too, carrying me effortlessly in his arms as Jared had to almost run to keep up with him alongside.

"I just, I can't really let you do this. I mean, I appreciate it but really this is so –"

"You can't walk and I can carry you without a problem. So why are you arguing so much?" Farkas asked good-naturedly and flashed me a smile.

I blushed not wanting to have to explain exactly how embarrassing it was going to be for me to be carried around the city by the bulky Nord. I was Dragonborn, an almost-member of the Thieves Guild, I had taken out dragons, bandits, ogres, and now a giant, and I was being toted about as if I were a small child. Surely he had to see this from my point of view.

"I…it's just…" I started but couldn't bring myself to admit my fear of how this would look to everyone.

Farkas raised an eyebrow I came the conclusion that perhaps he really didn't see why it should bother me, why anyone's opinions besides my own would make a difference. At any rate, I decided to let it go. I might look silly this way, but refusing his aid or making extra effort for the trip to the chapel would look weak to him, and I decided that was the worse fate.

"Ok, thanks…again," I said.

"Any time," Farkas agreed.

"I hope this doesn't have to happen again," I said and laughed.

"I doubt it but in this line of business, you never know," Farkas said and shrugged, causing my body to dip and me to clutch hard to his chest armor (as if he would actually drop me). I let go and blushed again as he gave me an innocent smile and said, "Don't worry, I got you."

"I'm not in this line of business," I said once I was sure I wasn't crashing to the ground any time today.

"You aren't?" Farkas asked, sounding surprised. "You fight like it, talk like it, act like it. If you're looking for work you know, you might ask Kodlak about joining us when you visit Jorrvaskr with Jared."

"I'm not really looking right now, but thank you," I replied.

He shrugged again and I fought my instinct to cling to him again. "Your choice. It's too bad though. Probably would have been nice having you as a sister. Um, shield-sister I mean."

Just then we met with the city guards, one of whom I recognized as surviving the fight with the first dragon I had battled. He raised an eyebrow at my position and I really wished I wore a hood to cover my face. Luckily he didn't say anything as he let us pass.

"Can I join the Companions?" Jared asked as we made our way to the chapel and I was glad to have something else to focus my attention on then the villagers around us.

"No. But maybe you could Apprentice," Farkas answered. "Kodlak doesn't usually take in anyone young directly into the Companions, but is possible to live and train with us, run some basic errands until you are old enough to prove your worth. It doesn't happen very often though."

"Huh," Jared replied, sounding interested.

With Farkas's long legs and brisk pace it wasn't long before we were at the Temple. I felt guilty about having the healer come immediately to me with all the sick currently suffering in there but my broken bones had to be fixed before they began to set and I was a fairly non-complicated case (for them) to work with. Farkas refused to leave until I had been healed which I told him wasn't necessary but again was warmed by the gesture.

"I will see you soon," Farkas said and bowed his head before taking off.

I went to the Inn and booked a room for the week before heading to Jorvaskr with Jared. Upon entering Aela waved me over from where she was sitting at the table around the fire.

"Hello again, Everlee!" Aela said. "Have you come to join us?"

I smiled. "Not tonight. I was wondering if I could have a word with you and your leader…did you say his name was Kodlak?" proud of myself for recalling that bit of information.

"Yes," Aela said. "He is downstairs, Farkas can take you to him. I will meet you down there when I'm finished."

"Farkas?" I asked. I hadn't seen him on entering.

"Yes?" the deep voice came from right behind me.

I turned quickly and almost had to look straight up. Less than two feet behind me the Nord stood, smiling broadly at me. I was unnerved by how easily the man had snuck up on me (somehow "stealth" and Farkas hadn't seemed to go together). It looked like he was completely unaware of this though, so I doubted that his intention had been to surprise me. Currently he wasn't in his armor as the day was coming to an end so that probably helped him. Remaining quiet in heavy armor wasn't very easy.

"Oh, I didn't see you," I explained.

"Well now you do," he said. "Come on, I'll introduce you to Kodlak. I think Vilkas is speaking with him right now."

Great, I thought.

We made our ways into the below-ground floor of Jorvaskr as Jared and Farkas chatted amicably. Personally I was preparing myself to face Farkas's brother (his twin by what Jared's conversation had revealed). Both men were warriors, both looked similar in their own ways, but from what I could see, they couldn't be more dissimilar. Farkas was good-natured, loyal, caring, and friendly. Vilkas was a prat who would rather die than admit an open spot. He was hostile and harsh and I had never taken such a quick dislike of anyone (with the exception of Mercer Frey I added as an after thought).

When we neared the end of the hall Vilkas was just shutting the door to the room at the end. He turned and saw us, his eyes focusing on me immediately before narrowing.

"What do you want?" Vilkas asked.

"Are you the doorman?" I asked.

"I'm asking what you want. This is private Companion quarters and you should not be down here," he replied.

"Brother, she has stuff to talk about with Kodlak," Farkas input.

"You shouldn't have brought her down here. If she needed to speak with Kodlak she could have waited until he found the time to go to the Mead hall," Vilkas responded.

"Do you treat every one this way, or just people who save your life?" I asked.

Vilkas decided to respond by folding his arms over his chest and glaring.

Just then the doors opened and an older Nord smiled at us. "Vilkas, this must be the young woman you and Aela have spoke of."

Vilkas's arms dropped to his side as if in defeat and I was glad that at least Aela seemed to like me so whatever had been said wasn't one-sided from him. Kodlak welcomed us into his chambers and Farkas took his leave though Vilkas stayed, taking a seat near his leader. He continued to give me various hostile expressions but I ignored him as I explained why I had come.

"So can I join you? Can you help us?" Jared asked when I finished, no longer able to contain himself.

Kodlak frowned and I prepared myself mentally for the let down.

"No. You are too young. The Companions haven't taken on Apprentices in decades. I might overlook this as there has been no restrictions against it put in place, but you are twelve, and you must be thirteen for us to accept you as Apprentice," Kodlak said. "There is strict rule about that."

"But…but I'm twelve. I'll be thirteen in seven months…or eight…couldn't you –" Jared began, begging.

"I'm sorry," Kodlak said and the truth in his voice as he said it softened him to me.

"In eight months?" I asked. "He could in eight months?"

Kodlak took a moment before responding. "There's two more relevant conditions. You have to be supported by no less than four members of the Companions who know you well. I'm afraid you do not know any of them, though I suppose that could be rectified if they took the time. If you are anything like your grandmother, Jared, I have no doubt you are brave of heart but you are inexperienced with a blade, a bow, or any sort of weapon. An apprentice must have at least a basic knowledge of one or more weapon-types and pass the test to see if you can wield it sufficiently for the position."

Jared's shoulders slumped and I could feel something welling up inside me that I couldn't quite name until, "I could train him," burst from my mouth.

"You?" Vilkas asked and snorted. "The boy wouldn't survive a single skeever attack."

Kodlak looked at Vilkas gravely but said nothing and for the first time I saw something of…repentance for what he'd said, even if he wasn't going to verbally apologize. His face relaxed for the first time, with no glare ready for me if I so much glanced in his direction.

"He would still need the support of four current Companions," Kodlak said, but then he paused, thoughtful here. "I could allow him to live here for a time, if a current member were willing to look after him of their own accord. The likelihood of him getting acquainted with enough people would then be raised."

"Do you think Aela would –" Jared began but Kodlak stopped him.

"Aela is often away for weeks on end, child," he said. "She would not be able to watch after you."

There was a pause, a moment of tension. From the look of expectation on Kodlak's face we knew the conversation wasn't over. Vilkas and I worked our way through what he meant us to figure out at the same time.

"No," Vilkas said at the same time as I said:

"May I join the Companions?"

"We'll see," Kodlak said.

A.N. Ok, so this seems as good a stopping point as any. Please review to let me know you're still there :)