A few months later...

"Rayla, would you mind going to Whiterun with this delivery?"

Rayla looked up as Alvor approached her with a small bundle. "Sure, I'd be happy to help."

"Delivery is for Elrindir. You can find him at the Drunken Huntsman."

"Understood."

"Thanks, this will be a huge help."

"Of course." Rayla replied with a smile. She situated the bundle into her pack and bid him a good day as she began the trek out of the village and out onto the road to Whiterun.

As she walked along the stony path, she thought over the last few months. Since coming to Riverwood, she had done everything she could to repay Gerdur and Hod for their hospitality and generosity. She helped around the mill, took odd jobs here and there from the other villagers, and she found that she was much happier that she had ever been. She spent her time getting to know the other villagers, finding that she felt very much at home in Riverwood surrounded by such kind and welcoming people. She had never been to Whiterun, though, so she was hoping the people there would be willing to point her to where she needed to go. She had seen it from the road, however, as she neared the end of her journey to Riverwood- getting an idea of how big the city would be.

'I hope I don't get lost.'

After a few hours or so, the stone walls of Whiterun rose above her and she made her way into the city, looking for someone that could point her to the Drunken Huntsman. Thankfully, one of the guards was more than happy to help her and directed her just a few yards or so away to a building sitting up on a small hill across the way from the smithy.

"Thank you so much." Rayla said, offering the guard a smile before hurrying up the hill as rain started dribbling down from the darkening skies. Pushing open the door, she stepped into the Drunken Huntsman and looked around for anyone.

"Welcome to the Drunken Huntsman, how can I help you?"

"I have a delivery for Elrindir from Alvor in Riverwood?"

"Ah, yes! That'll be for me."

Rayla took the bundle from her pack and passed it over to the Dunmer, collecting the payment for the delivery. "Forgive me, sir, but this is too much."

"The payment is double as I was actually hoping that you could make another delivery, this time to Jorrvaskr?"

"Of course, I'd be happy to." Rayla smiled, taking the package from Elrindir. "Who is the recipient?"

"A fellow Dunmer by the name Athis. Since you're new to Whiterun, just go back down the hill and turn left at the smithy. Take the path to the market, then take the stairs to the left of the well and it's the building that looks like an overturned ship with figure heads."

"That'll be a huge help, thanks."

"No, no, thank you..."

"Oh, forgive me. You may call me Rayla."

"Thank you again, Rayla. And do be careful? It sounds like a nasty storm is brewing."

"I will, thank you."

Rayla left the Drunken Huntsman and followed Elrindir's directions, hurrying as the rain began to pick up and the wind began whipping through the city. She found her way passed the famed Gildergreen tree at the heart of the city and spotted the ancient mead hall that had played home to many generations of Companions. She scaled the steps carefully, pushing her way through the door and into the warmth inside.

Rayla could feel everyone staring at her as she scanned the room for a Dunmer, but she didn't see one anywhere.

"You look lost."

Rayla looked up at the fiery red haired woman approaching her. "I'm looking for Athis. I have a delivery for him."

"Ah, Athis will be downstairs in the living quarters."

Rayla watched as the woman called over someone- a man named Farkas. He was a Nord like her, black hair and silvery eyes. Something about him made her nervous, but not in the way that she felt around Velanus. She listened as the woman told Farkas to take her down to the living quarters and find Athis, then meekly thanked her as she was shooed off after Farkas.

'He doesn't seem to like me...' she thought, following silently behind this Farkas.

"Athis, delivery."

Rayla peeked out from behind Farkas, feeling dwarfed next to him, and saw the Dunmer she was looking for

Farkas regarded her for a moment as she interacted with Athis- a bit thrown off by her politeness, her manners, and her overall demeanour. She seemed timid but also as though she was willing to interact with people even if it made her nervous. She was small for a Nord woman, standing a bit shorter than Aela- the fiery red haired woman who had told him to take this stranger to Athis. She had black hair and deep blue eyes, a button nose with dozens of freckles dotting her cheek. She had a certain energy about her, something that gave her an air of nobility- similar to what he felt around the jarl. She also smelled rather good to him- a blend of mint and juniper from the soap she used.

As Rayla finished with her business and thanked Athis, she turned to thank Farkas for his help- only to find him gone. "Oh..."

"Don't worry about Farkas, he's always like that."

Rayla sighed and headed back the way she had been led. When she made it back up to the main room of the mead hall, she found her way to the woman who had helped her earlier and thanked her as well.

"You're not going out into that storm, are you?"

Rayla looked out the nearest window, jumping a bit at the lightning that flashed suddenly. "I need to get back, or at least find a room at the inn."

"Nonsense, you should just stay right here."

Rayla looked at her, surprised. "I wouldn't wish to impose."

The woman laughed and hung her arm around her shoulders. "I like you, girl. What's your name?"

"R-Rayla."

"I'm Aela. Come, sit with us and relax!"