Authors note: sorry it took so long to upload the last chapter school has been hectic and the coursework just keeps piling up. Tell me what you think in the comments. Unfortunately the story may wander slightly because my plan is vague. As ever thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Battle Mage

Chapter 4- an old friend and the letters

Kodlack's confident smile, that had been a mask for the feisty mage who seemed to not see through it, faded as he shut the door to Jorrvaskr behind him and turned to the other companions in the hall. Their eyes burned as they stared up at him and he was glad that Skjor had taken his niece to the inn instead of back into the hall. The glares from some of the members where cold enough to freeze the heart of a flame atronach. The brute of a nord woman looked particularly annoyed her sneer made more menacing by the developing black eye, by the divines that girl had her father's punch.

"before you argue, the lass has had a place in this hall before she could lift a sword and her ability two defeat another seasoned companion only enforces that right. You may grumble and you may complain but this will not change. Yes, she is of magical talents but she will not practice them in the hall!" Kodlack's voice was drowned out by silence as the other companions simply shared worried or disgusted glances.

The silence continued, even the cackling of the fire had tuned to a whisper, but the fire still danced creating shadow puppets across every wall that danced in time with the flame. Kodlack wished someone would say something he wished the ear splitting silence would end, and it did. Alea stood scraping her chair across the wooden floor, drawing the attention of everyone in the room. With the eyes of all on her the fearless companion didn't even speak, instead she looked up and spoke; "she is one of us, always has been always will be. She has my word."

The others in the hall sat shocked at what they had witnesses, Alea didn't speak out for anyone, ever. Even Kodlack looked pleasantly surprised but he knew deep down that Alea knew what she was doing. "What do the rest of the circle say?" a dark elf with red hair spoke up his accent cutting through the silence like a knife through mammoth cheese. In response a muscular man replied "well it beats the gal taking her test and messing up your face hey brother?" he chuckled and elbowed the young man to his right who just smirked in reply and added "aye!"

Brute nord's fists clenched but she did not protest to the verdict of the circle, she did not dare. "Then it is settled" Kodlack smiled slightly, relieved, "she will become our newest member." as he stood to walk away the hall slowly got louder with the talk of this new arrival. Lots of "a mage in the companions?" and "the milk drinker won't last a week" echoed throughout Jorrvaskr. Everyone else was so caught up in their mutterings that they didn't notice the huntress move to her room.

She shut her doors behind her as she wrapped her arms around herself and walked slowly towards her bed. Her hands fumbled around over her dresser as she pulled out a pile of letters and sighed. Each piece of parchment was folded exactly and there was not a single mark on any of them. She trawled through the letters and spread them out across her bed, sitting in her knees as to make room for them all. Each one of these letters held a special place in her heart; that is all but one the one that was still in her drawer hidden under a copy of the wolf queen.

The hunters trained eyes locked onto a letter that she received 10 years ago and her hands shook as she carefully opened it and let her softened eyes wander across the page.

Alea,

Your last letter was all that kept me going through this week, I swear the other students think I'm not fit to learn magic. I can't exactly unlearn it can I? I can't cut off my magic with a sword can I? Anyway enough of the negative things! I saw one of the older mages create an ice giant today, he was so fun, I made a snow castle with it. We were having such fun until it disappeared and the older mage told me off for stealing his giant. I was only playing with him! How was your hunt last week? Did you see Marko? Is he as big as we thought? Oh I wish I was still at home but we both know uncle Skjor would not let me. I'm running out of ink so my letter will have to end here, sorry.

I'll be waiting for your next letter,

Zofie

Alea smiled at the letter from 11 year old Zofie she had certainly changed a lot and not in a way that Alea found to be pleasant. A single salty tear rolled down her cheek as she recalled the painful events of their slowly derailing friendship that she still held all of the guilt for. Sat amongst tears and letters she wondered if Zofie would ever forgive her, maybe her support today would start their friendship up again.