"Let me join the Companions!" a little voice said from behind us. Lissa and I turned as we passed the big tree in the courtyard. Lars Battle-Born was following behind us.
Lissa smiled at him. "You're a little young, kid. Besides, I don't think your parents would like that very much."
"Ah, come on." Lars said. "I need someone to teach me to fight. Someone's been…picking on me. I asked Jon to help, but he won't."
We were almost at the steps to Jorrvaskr. Lissa sighed. "Get a written permission slip, and I'll let you join."
Lars groaned and stomped his foot. "They won't do that! Come on, can't you just—"
I turned to him, puffing my chest out to look scary. "No Companions."
Lars stared at me with wide eyes. "Okay. No Companions."
I nodded. "Now get out of here, you little weenie." Lars dashed off toward the shops.
I turned back to Lissa, who was staring up at me like I was crazy. After a moment, we both started cackling with laughter.
"A little weenie?" Lissa gasped, out of breath from laughing so hard. "He's just a kid, Farkas."
I shrugged. "He may be a kid, but he's still a weenie. He lets that little girl pick on him. Be a man."
Lissa shook her head, climbing the steps again. I followed behind her. As we walked through the door, I asked her, "What do you they're doing right now?"
Lissa looked over her shoulder at me. "Who? Our brothers?"
"Yeah."
She shrugged. "They're probably riding in a wagon right now. Or they're at the camp." She smiled at me, a little crooked. "I'm waiting until Middas to worry."
"Okay." I said to her. "We'll worry together on Middas." I patted her on the back. I knew she was worried about Vilkas, so I kept making it seem like I was the only one worried. It made her feel better.
We walked all the way down to the living area, then to Lissa's study. I dumped out the big bag of books we'd just bought from Belethor's store. We finished reading all of the books Lissa had, and we needed some new stories.
Lissa cleared a shelf for new books. "How do you want to organize them?"
I thought for a moment. "By color." That's what Aela liked to do, organize by color. She was out hunting with Ria today, so I had all day to spend with Lissa.
"Alright, which color—" Lissa didn't finish her question because I'd already started stacking them, brown books first. I was working my way into red. "We'll start with brown, then." Lissa said with a big smile.
We organized for a few minutes, making small talk about which book to read first. Almost ten minutes later, there was a knock at the door. Lissa and I looked at each other and just set the rest of the book on the shelf. She sat down to try to look professional.
"Come in." Lissa said, gathering some papers to look like she was busy. She did that a lot, to try to look like she had work to do. She usually did, but today she didn't want to work. I leaned against the wall near her.
The door opened, and a boy I'd never seen before came in. He was a short, sort of scrawny, Imperial with short brown hair and bright green eyes. He looked so awkward and gangly. Like a noodle. I had no idea what he could possibly want. Lissa and I both stared at him, waiting for him to speak.
He cleared his throat, folding his hands behind his back. "I'm looking for the Harbinger. Torvar said to ask for Karalissa, and that she would be here."
Lissa nodded. "I'm Karalissa. What can I help you with?"
He shifted his weight from foot to foot. "Well, I'd like to join the Companions."
I couldn't stop myself from laughing a little. He looked embarrassed, and I felt bad. Lissa shot me a look, and I got it together. She turned back to the boy. "A lot of young men want to join the Companions today, it seems." She looked him over. "You don't look like a warrior. How are you in battle?"
He looked back and forth between us. "Well, I could use some training, but I'm decent with a sword." He was excited suddenly. "I can prove my worth."
Lissa nodded, a grimace on her face. "Do you have a name? And an age for that matter?"
"Codus." the boy said. "I'm twenty." Lissa looked over at me. That was only a year younger than her. That made me think: when was Lissa's birthday? Why didn't I know? I felt like a bad friend all of a sudden.
"Alright, Codus. Why do you want to join the Companions?" Lissa asked him.
Codus was thoughtful for a moment. Then, he looked up at us. "I don't really have anywhere else to go."
I could tell Lissa wanted to ask, and she wanted to wrap her arms around him and give him a big hug. But she didn't. She only nodded. "Our Master at Arms is currently away. He'll be back by Fridas, at the latest." She gestured to me. "This is Farkas. He'll test your arm."
Codus looked scared of me. "Test…like a fight?"
Lissa nodded. "Yes. A fight. We'll go to the courtyard." Codus still looked worried because I was the size of three of him put together. "You said you could prove your worth, and that's what I need to see."
The Imperial straightened up, trying to seem tough. "Alright. I'm ready."
"Good." I said, headed toward the door. I patted his back on our way to the courtyard. Lissa followed behind us.
Out in the training yard, the whelps had gathered to watch. Torvar probably told all of them that a newcomer was here. Codus looked embarrassed as he and I stepped out into the open.
I pulled my broadsword from my back. "Just swing at me a few times. The Harbinger wants to see how you attack." He still looked scared. "I won't swing back. I'm just supposed to watch."
Codus relaxed at that, and pulled an old steel sword off of his hip. He readied to fight, waited for me to tell him I was ready, then started to swing. He sort of wobbled, but the kid had an arm. He swung hard, and I noticed that with every blow he hit the same spot.
After a moment, I put my sword away. I called over to Lissa, who was leaning against the post next to Njada. "His form is there. Accurate. Strong. Needs to work on his stance and confidence."
Lissa nodded, and we walked back to her. She looked down at us from the top step. "You might do well. But for now, you're a whelp. Talk to your fellow Companions for work." She pointed to Torvar. "Torvar will explain things to you."
Codus smiled. "Thank you, Harbinger." He walked to Torvar, who patted him on the back and showed him inside to the whelp quarters.
Njada nudged Lissa. She had a small smile on her face. "You really think he'll do well? He looks like a strong breeze would blow him over." Njada had been relatively nice since the fight, especially to Lissa. I think she felt bad, but she still hadn't apologized.
Lissa smiled. "That may be so. Sometimes the famous come to us, and sometimes men and women come to seek their fame." She put her hand on Njada's shoulder, looking up at me. "It's not our business. What matters is their heart."
I had no idea what she was talking about, but it sounded important, so I nodded. So did Njada. "I agree, Harbinger. Maybe we should get him a new sword, though. That one is looking pretty old."
Lissa smirked, then pointed to the Skyforge. "Why don't you go talk to Eorland about that?"
Njada smiled. "Okay." She left then, and Athis followed behind her.
I leaned against the table near Lissa. "He reminds me of you."
She nodded, her eyes sparkling. "He reminds me of me too." She looked back up at the sky. "We'll have Vilkas test him too. Then he can train with Torvar. We're too soft, and he needs to be pushed."
I nodded. "We are too soft." I sighed, looking up at whatever Lissa was looking at. "But that's okay, right?"
"Yes, Farkas." Lissa said. "It's okay."
"Okay." I looked at her again. "Lissa, when is your birthday?"
She looked back at me. "Why do you ask?"
"I never have."
She smirked at me. "Fourth of Second Seed."
"That's soon." I said to her. "Why didn't you say anything?"
Lissa just grinned crookedly. "I don't know. I guess I forgot."
I smiled too. "Well, I won't forget."
Lissa was confused for a second, but then she really smiled. "Okay, Farkas."
