Sapphire Night Eye ver2

by Risemonger

She is the shadow on the wall, but a beacon of hope. A mistress of the night and a hero of the day. Join Ty'ani as she is transformed from Riften's most feared thief to Skyrim's greatest hero. Khajiit protagonist. Rated M.

9. Taking Up Arms

4E 201
18th of Evening Star

It took days before they finally made it back to Whiterun and by that time, the sun had begun its descent toward the horizon. Currently, while the month was wearing on, more and more snow had begun to fall and as such, the once green plains of Whiterun were blanketed with a layer of the white crystallised water. And by Gods, was it cold.

Regardless, the five women rode their horses to the stables. After collecting their equipment from the saddle bags and handing the animals off to the stable boys, they marched toward the archway leading to the inner wall. On the way there, Ty'ani happened to look over and to her delight, spotted Ri'saad's caravan. Turning back to her companions, she beckoned their attention. "Wait a moment," their gazes now on her, she continued. "I have a few thing I want to sell off first. I'll be but a moment."

Seeing what she was referring to, Altwen jogged up to her side. "Hey wait up, I'll come too." she exclaimed.

Giving the two a strange look, Lydia shook her head and went to follow after them. That was until Haema gripped her shoulder. "We will meet inside the city." she told her. At the Housecarl's acknowledgement, both Haema and Alasse continued on to the main gate while Lydia caught up with Ty'ani and Altwen.

Meanwhile, Ty'ani had stepped up to the camp of Khajiit, smiling brightly when Ri'saad himself spotted her. He too gave her a friendly smile, the older grey furred man standing from the tent. "Ty'ani!" he exclaimed warmly in their native language, offering a hand to her. "It is good to see you again."

"You as well Ri'saad." the girl answered, gripping his offered hand in a friendly handshake. She looked over, seeing the others of the caravan pacing over toward her, all of them giving her a warm welcome. Having been surrounded by Nords and elves for so long, it was very refreshing to be in the company of her own people again. Now if only Skyrim was a warm desert and all would be complete.

As Ty'ani was occupied with saying hello to the other Khajiit, Altwen locked gazes with Ri'saad. She grinned at him, speaking in his people's tongue to him. "How's it goin' Tiger, good to see you again."

"Dear Altwen." he greeted, spreading his arms to her in offering. Taking the hint, Altwen leant in for a quick hug with the old Khajiit. "It has been some time." he finished with a pat on her back, leaning away to look her in the eye.

"Aye, that it has." she nodded. Before long, she became serious as she glanced over to Ty'ani, seeing that she was nearly done with the greetings. Biting her lip, she looked back at Ri'saad. "Listen, I'm gonna cut to the chase. Is she okay?"

Understanding instantly what she meant, the old Khajiit merchant nodded his head, his long grey hair bobbing with the movement. "Yes, last I heard she is well. Currently, she and the caravan are travelling for Solitude. I'd guess they will be there within a few days." his amber eyes regarded the half-elf with a certain look. "Will you be visiting her? She misses you greatly, as much as she won't admit it."

"I wish I could." Altwen shrugged, a melancholic look on her face. "But I'm afraid I've got no time for that." before she could elaborate, that was when Ty'ani turned back around and walked toward them. Immediately changing her personage, she gave the male Khajiit a bright smile. "Well, I will say it has been quite a while Ri'saad, I missed you terribly."

Frowning between the two, Ty'ani spoke up. "You two have met before?"

Taking the hint, Risaad nodded. "Indeed. Altwen here has been a good friend to us for a long time."

Completely oblivious to what they were talking about before she came over, Ty'ani nodded in understanding, gazing at the huntress. "Oh yes, I remember you telling me about that Altwen." looking around the two, Ty'ani spotted her Housecarl standing not too far from them, her hands folded behind her back. Seeing no one else, Ty'ani called out to the brunette in the Common tongue. "Lydia, where's Haema and Alasse?"

Stepping closer to the Khajiit, the Nord tersely replied. "They are waiting for us in the city."

"Oh I see. We'd better hurry then." she exclaimed to Altwen before turning to Ri'saad. "We'll have to catch up some other time Ri'saad. Right now, I've got some things I wish to sell."

"Ah, of course." he acknowledged, reverting to Common as well, gesturing to the large tent pitched up in front of their horse and carriage. "Come, let us see what you have. Perhaps we could make a little deal, yes?"

It took a few minutes of perusal of the caravan's products, appraising the two women's loose equipment they no longer need and identifying of certain objects, but soon Ty'ani, Altwen and Lydia traded farewells with the Khajiit and turned toward the city. Upon approaching the main gates, the trio were stopped by the guards. Expecting a refusal, Ty'ani was surprised when they pressed their fists against their breast in greetings. "Hail Dragonborn and Thane of Whiterun." the one on the left said.

Blinking in surprise, the Khajiit exchanged looks with her two companions before staring at the guards. "You know who I am?" she asked.

"But of course," the same guard replied. "It is not hard to forget your status, Dragonborn. I in particular, as you saved my hide on the day you were revealed."

Instantly understanding, Ty'ani nodded. "Oh, you were the one at the tower?"

"Indeed." he confirmed. "But I digress. Would you like to enter the city, Dragonborn?"

Ty'ani inclined her head in positive. "I would, yes."

Giving her a quick bow of the head, the two guards opened the massive gates of the city, allowing the three to enter. As they did so, Altwen gave Ty'ani a smirk. "Well, I guess there are some perks to bein' the most well known person in Whiterun."

Ty'ani shrugged. "I suppose. But frankly, I still prefer not being known."

It didn't take the three long to find Haema, as the Nord woman was being bombarded by two little girls in front of her home. Due to how much the girls were pushing against her while hugging, Haema was very nearly toppled over by the two of them. As they got closer, they picked up what the girls were saying over the market rabble.

"We missed you so much mama!" yelled the girl with dark hair.

"Did you slay a troll out there mama?" the blonde one asked. Both of their comments caused Haema to smile brightly.

"We did indeed slay some trolls." she told them as she untangled herself from their embraces, looking them both in the eyes with a bright smile. "We also slew a dragon!"

Upon hearing that, the girls exploded into a cacophony of questions. "Wow! What was it like mama?"

"Did it have big teeth?"

"Was it really big and scary?"

"How big were it's wings?"

"Girls, girls!" Haema commanded, immediately silencing the both of them. "Calm yourselves down. I'll answer your questions later but right now, could you tell me where your brother is?"

"He's helping ser Grey-Mane at the forge." the older one- with the black hair- told her, pointing toward the Wind District.

Haema nodded. "Good. Now, you two get yourselves inside and I'll be back later, wouldn't want to get sick would you?" After the girls shook their heads in negative, Haema continued. "It shouldn't take too long, and I'll be sure to bring your papa back as well."

The girls squealed in excitement at that before rushing inside the house, their chatter still being heard after the door closed. Smiling while shaking her head, the blonde Nord turned about, seeing the three of them approaching. Altwen placed her hands on her hips once they were before her, a big grin on her face. "Nice kids you have there." she commented.

Haema groaned half-heartedly at that. "Those two shall be the death of me one of these days."

"Oh, I bet they're just absolute angels really." the half-elf commented as she glanced briefly around. "By the way, where's Ice-Queen?"

"Alasse?" Haema questioned before continuing. "She went on ahead, said she had other business to attend to. In any case, shall we head to Jorrvaskr?"

Ty'ani nodded. "Yes, lead the way."

The four followed close behind the blonde woman, walking past the bustling marketplace, noticing on their way through that decorations were being put up. Judging from the style, it was in preparation of Baranth Do, the Redguard holiday that celebrated their new year. No doubt there was going to be a small party in honour of the tradition tonight, as the market will fill with Redguards that lived in the city and came to visit. With Whiterun being the neutral point of Skyrim, most foreign celebrations were often held here, encouraging more travellers and such to pass through.

Weaving their way through bartering customers and craftsmen finishing up the décor, they climbed the steps leading to the Wind District. After that, they bypassed the Gildergreen and climbed some more steps up to Jorrvaskr.

The meadhall was quite a unique sight to look at, the roof looking much like the underside of a ship's hull, decorated with intricately carved pillars with banners hanging from them. Round wooden shields were placed upon the 'roof', which was slightly worn, with obvious signs of constant repairs. This told the group that this building was very old, perhaps older than the city itself.

They finished climbing the stairs, entering the hall one by one. Upon entering though, there was a whole flurry of noise and movement. Quite bewildered, the women instantly spotted why, as there was a Nord woman clad in scaled armour fist-fighting with a Dunmer in hide armour. Others inside ran around the horseshoe shaped table in the centre- with a blazing fire pit between that- to gather around the commotion and watch the outcome.

The Nord and Dunmer shouted taunts at one another as they threw and avoided punches. The others around them hollerred in great amusement as they took bets on the fight, shouting out encouragement to the fighter they were supporting.

Slightly put out with all the noise, Ty'ani folded her ears down to blot out most of it, grimacing when the elf took a right hook to the cheek. From her side, she heard Haema sigh in irritation. "Gods sake." she groaned, stomping down toward the crowd. As for the others, Lydia merely watched the fight in interest and Altwen was grinning madly, mentally figuring out which fighter would win.

"I'm likin' this idea already." she commented.

Haema paced up to the crowd, stepping up behind a woman dressed in hunter's leathers. She had shoulder length copper hair, and green war paint across her face. On her back was a quiver of steel arrows and a finely crafted hunting bow with intricate patterns engraved into the wood, as well as a steel short sword on her hip. The blonde tapped her on the shoulder, beckoning her attention. Upon turning to see who it was, the woman's eyes widened before a genuine smile emerged. "Ah!" she exclaimed loudly, gripping hands with Haema and roughly shaking. "Harbinger. I'd begun to wonder if you would return."

"My apologies, Aela." Haema replied. "I had some important business to take care of. Now, would you mind explaining why these two are at it again?"

Aela just shrugged. "Who knows. But you know what they're like; always looking for an excuse to fistfight."

"Of course." the blonde groaned, rolling her eyes. "Just be sure that they don't break each other's arms again, like last time."

"I make no promises."

Haema huffed at that. "Well in any case, have you seen Vilkas? I want to speak with him."

Aela smiled. "You don't have to look far. He's just over there, enjoying the show." she pointed to the opposite side of the crowd. Haema nodded in acknowledgement, patting the woman on the shoulder before walking back toward the three still by the door.

Once near to them, she inclined her head. "All right, Ty'ani you come with me. You two go ahead and make yourselves comfortable." she left no room for argument, so they all obeyed her. Immediately, Altwen went straight over to the throng of people, intermingling with the yelling warriors and eagerly watching the fight.

Haema and Ty'ani meanwhile, with Lydia in tow, paced around the circle of people, locating a particular Nord man. He had rough features, with short black hair and was clad in heavy armour similar to Haema's, but not quite as elaborate. He stood beside another Nord male who had very similar features to him, though his hair was long and shaggy. Crossing her arms, Haema cleared her throat. "Vilkas."

Recognising her voice, the two men turned as one and looked to Haema. The shaggy haired one soon smiled, stepping up to her. "Ah, here you are. I was beginning to think you'd never show up."

Haema smiled at him, gripping his hand and squeezing it. "Hello Farkas." she said lovingly.

The other man, Vilkas, nodded to her. "Harbinger." he greeted.

Looking at these two men, Ty'ani instantly recognised them. They were both there fighting that Giant when she first met Haema. If she recalled, the long haired man, Farkas, was injured by it. Looking at him though showed that he was no worse for wear, even though that was at least a month ago now.

In response to Vilkas' greeting, Hamea patted him on the shoulder. Before she had the chance to speak however, that was when a loud resounding crack echoed out, followed by the crowd cheering and hissing in sympathy. The Dunmer had thrown a solid punch against the Nord's face, a trickle of blood dripping out of her now broken nose.

"Hah!" he laughed. "Bet you felt that one, didn't you Njada?"

The woman growled, rushing forward and tackling the dark-elf to the ground, delivering a flurry of punches. Seeing that this fight was going too far now, Haema thought it was high time to step in. Wrestling through the crowd, though they parted once they realised who she was, she marched over to the two. Gripping Njada's shoulder, she wrenched her off the dark-elf, thoroughly separating them. "That's enough you two!" she growled. "Blood had already been spilled. You both are going too far, so break it up!"

Wiping her nose, Njada nodded. "Sorry Haema, won't happen again."

"Promise this time." the Dunmer added.

Huffing, as though she didn't believe him, she scowled before turning away. Seeing that the show was now over, the other Companions dispersed. Sighing upon returning, Haema pinched the bridge of her nose before lowering her hand. "Now, where were we."

"I believe you were about to introduce us to your... associates here." Vilkas told her, gesturing to Ty'ani and Lydia.

"Of course." she nodded, placing a hand on the white Khajiit's shoulder. "This here is Ty'ani, Thane of Whiterun and the Dragonborn."

Both men rose their brows at that, staring at Ty'ani incredulously. "Dragonborn, eh?" Vilkas murmured, crossing his arms over his chest with a cocked brow. "I heard that you were a Khajiit, but I expected you to be taller."

Slightly put out by their scrutiny, Ty'ani lowered her gaze and just shrugged one shoulder bashfully. Vilkas then looked over the girl's shoulder to gaze at Lydia, studying her too. "And you are?" he asked.

Straightening, Lydia answered immediately. "I am Lydia, Housecarl to the Thane."

On his part, Vilkas placed his hands on his hips as he pursed his lips, staring at Ty'ani once again. "And I'll admit that I'm surprised the Jarl appointed you as Thane as well."

"Don't be so surprised Vilkas." Haema said, crossing her arms. "But that is not the reason we came here. Ty'ani here wishes to join our ranks to learn the way of the sword."

Instantly, Ty'ani saw the two look to the woman in surprise. Vilkas in particular seemed to have a look about him that Ty'ani recognised as contentment. That was reinforced by his words. "Haema, surely you're not considering this?"

Haema's expression turned cold then. "I already have Vilkas." she told him with a tone of finality. "Last I checked, we had some empty beds here in Jorrvaskr that needed to be filled. Ty'ani has the aptitude and the fire within her heart that we seek, so I will hear no more on the matter. Now, take her out into the yard and see for yourself what she can do."

For a second, it looked as though Vilkas was going to put up an argument, but Haema's tone left no room for objections. Therefore, he obediently nodded his head. "Aye." turning back to the small Khajiit, he inclined his head. "Come with me."

As the Nord male marched away with Ty'ani close behind, Farkas glanced at his wife with a look of uncertainty. "Are you sure about this Haema?" he questioned. "She don't really look like much to me, and you know full well that Vilkas won't go easy on her."

"I know." she replied. "But you haven't seen her the way I have. She will find a way, I promise you that." with that, the two followed. Unknown to them however, a number of the Companions in the hall had overheard them and followed as well, clearly interested to see this event play out. Once they were outside though, it was hard not to notice the number increase as the awning that sheltered the back of the hall was soon crammed with people. Sighing, Haema crossed her arms and locked her attention on the two in the centre of the courtyard.

Feeling a hint of unease, Ty'ani kept her eyes on the Nord before her as he spoke, his eyes boring into hers. "All right, as the Harbinger said to have a look at you, we best get started. And no thinking that just because you're the Dragonborn and Thane that I'm going to go easy on you."

Ty'ani nodded, sizing up the large man as he spoke. He towered over her like most Nords did, but his heavy armour did nothing to hide his bulky physic. A well used but finely crafted long sword hung at his hip with a large round shield on his back. It was clear that he was well trained and a seasoned warrior. She couldn't help but shiver at this. 'Gods, how am I ever going to get passed him?'

"Now," he continued. "This spar will be melee weapons only, none of that magic or using that bow of yours. So draw that butter-knife and show me what you can do."

The Khajiit nodded, removing her bow, quiver and backpack so they won't hinder her, though kept her cloak on but folded it over her shoulders. Gripping the hilt of the ebony dagger strapped to her thigh, she watched as Vilkas unsheathed his broadsword and unhooked his shield before leaning it against a nearby wall. She took a steadying breath as she adopted a combat stance, turning her side to face the Nord, weapon hand first, to make herself a smaller target. Vilkas lowered into a defensive stance, his form strong and weapon poised as he slowly approached her.

Ty'ani retreated to keep distance between them, during which her mind raced. Vilkas may be large of stature and strong of muscle, but that- added with his heavy armour- made him slower. She will never be able to break through his defence with her dagger, but she can use her smaller and more athletic form to her advantage. If she could get behind him, then maybe that might win her the fight.

Once that thought crossed her mind, that was when Vilkas went on the offensive. His sword cleaved straight down as she hopped back to avoid it. He didn't stop there though, as he followed through with a slash which forced her back even further. Ty'ani then darted to the side, both to put more distance between them and to avoid being cornered.

Vilkas frowned as he lazily spun his sword. "Come on girl, I can't evaluate you if you don't attack."

Knowing that he was just baiting her, she made no response. Instead, she quickly approached him before feinting an attack. As he went to block, she sharply backed away before pouncing to the side, rolling athletically behind him and striking once she was upright. Unfortunately, all she was rewarded with was Vilkas quickly pivoting around and blocking her attack, knocking it aside with a ring of metal. Surprised, the Khajiit followed through with the movement to gain some distance between them. This was going to be harder then she thought.

Turning to face her, Vilkas smirked. "Not bad, but you'll have to do better than that." he taunted.

Taking a deep breath, Ty'ani went in again with another feinted attack. This time though, Vilkas was expecting it, knocking away her weapon and bull rushed her, knocking her away with a solid blow of his shoulder. Caught off guard, the blow caused the Khajiit to be thrown off her feet, winded. When her back hit the ground, she let out a pained grunt, hearing the crowd oohing at her misfortune. She scrambled up as Vilkas approached, though she didn't have time to make it to her feet as he attacked her again. There was a reverberating clang when the Nord's sword clashed against the ground as she threw herself to the side, performing a roll as she did so.

Back on her feet, the Khajiit barely had time to dodge another attack. It surprised her how quick Vilkas actually was, but she was much quicker. She backed up a few steps, goading the Nord to follow her and darted under his arm when he swung at her again. As they had manoeuvred close to the wall, Ty'ani immediately used the environment to her advantage, swiftly hopping up on some stacked crates. She pounced off them which propelled her toward a nearby flagpole, gripping the metal and allowing herself to spin around it. Letting out a loud yell, Ty'ani used the momentum to spin back round, letting go of the pole and toward Vilkas, legs first. Using her weight, she kicked her feet into the Nord's chest, bending her knees at impact and pushing, throwing the man back as she performed a backflip. She landed smoothly on her feet, immediately lowering into a combat stance as the watching Companions roared in approval. Paying no mind to them, she glanced up to take in Vilkas' surprised look.

Wasting no time, Ty'ani dashed forward to take advantage of the warrior's shock. She struck, but Vilkas quickly recovered, stepping back to avoid the blow, causing her dagger to swing at open air and almost caused her to overbalance. But before she could recover, Vilkas rush forward, his stance lowered, as he pushed his forearm of his unarmed hand into her abdomen, immediately throwing her to the side with no effort. She let out a cry of surprise, but recovered quickly, rolling on her shoulder to cushion the fall as she rose to her knees in a single movement.

She rose her gaze to lock onto Vilkas' form again, holding her abdomen with a wince. No doubt she will have an abundance of bruises after this. Vilkas spoke up. "Have to say I'm impressed." he praised, though their was no sense of pride in his voice. "But, you lack discipline and form. Your fancy moves won't save you in a real fight forever."

Wiping sweat from her forehead, Ty'ani scowled at the man as she panted. "I thought you were only testing me, not throwing me around like a doll."

"I am testing you." he retorted. "But you have yet to prove anything to me other than the fact that your fast. Speed alone won't keep you alive, so prove that you can break through my defence before I deem you worthy."

Growling, Ty'ani rose to her feet, her dagger poised. She was becoming frustrated, and it was clear that Vilkas could see that, but she couldn't lose herself to it. Doing that would only get her knocked around some more. Taking a deep breath, she prepared herself as Vilkas charged again.

The Nord man delivered an overhead swing, the steel whistling as it cut through the air. In response, Ty'ani ducked and allowed herself to fall on her side, viciously kicking the Nord in his belly. The mithril toe-cap connected, but his armour protected him from the worst of the blow. Still, it stopped him in his tracks for a second, allowing Ty'ani to use that time to roll away and dart behind him. She had only a small window of opportunity to finish this, and that time was now. Bending her knees and lowering her centre of gravity, she pounced on the Nord's back.

Heart pounding out of her chest, the white Khajiit grabbed his left pouldron and held on tight, locking her knees around his waist before bringing her weapon around and resting it at the juncture of his throat. Vilkas froze at this instantly, stopping any retaliation he could have made to throw her off him. In this position, his bulky armour made it hard for him to reach over his shoulder and grab her and with her weapon at his neck, it wasn't a wise move to do anyway. In any other circumstance, she could easily slit his throat.

All was silent for the moment, even the hooting and hollerring of the other Companions were absent, time standing still. The Khajiit felt the Nord breathing heavily, pressing the flat of the blade the tiniest bit harder against his neck. "Do you yield?" she hissed into his ear.

"Yes." he growled at last, letting his hands lower to his sides in defeat.

She removed the dagger and jumped off his back, satisfied that this was finally over. She panted as she sheathed her weapon, watching Vilkas turning to face her. She spied a tiny hint of red beading across his neck, realising that she may have pressed a little too hard with her dagger. She bit her lip bashfully, but he didn't seem to be bothered by it, just nodding at her. "Looks like you've proven yourself." he told her. "You've earned to right to join to Companions. But know this; I don't care if your Dragonborn or a Thane, you're still a whelp and will receive no special treatment. Understood?"

"Yes." she answered with a nod.

"Good." he responded gruffly, taking a moment to inspect his sword. Ty'ani wasn't entirely sure what it was he was looking for, as the sword looked fine to her, but he obviously saw something she didn't as he pursed his lips. Before long, he shoved the hilt toward her, prompting her to grab it, grunting when he let go. By Gods, it was heavy. "My blade is becoming dull, so take it up to the Skyforge to have Eorlund sharpen it. And be careful, that blade is worth more than your life." without another word- not even telling her where the Skyforge was- Vilkas left, disappearing through the throng of retreating Companions.

As he left, that was when Ty'ani spotted Haema, Lydia and Altwen coming toward her. Once by her side, Ty'ani scowled. "I don't like him." she said immediately.

Haema smiled at that. "I can see that." she replied while patting the girl's shoulder. "Don't worry, he takes some getting used to, but he is a good man."

The Khajiit just huffed, appraising the sword the man had given her. At first glance, it seemed to be an average broadsword made from steel, but upon closer inspection that appeared not to be the case. The surface of the metal had very fine looking patterns, looking somewhat like ripples in a stream. It was quite beautiful to look at. The hilt was made from the same material, the grip wrapped with a soft and dark leather, and the pommel sporting the shape of a wolf's head. Maybe Vilkas was right about this weapon being valuable.

"Hey Kitten." came Altwen's voice, turning her gaze to the woman. The huntress had a huge grin on her face, her eyes alight with pride. "Just wanna say, those were some smooth moves you pulled off there. Really impressive."

Ty'ani smiled at the praise, grabbing her equipment and replacing them on her body. She soon turned back to Haema, deciding to do as Vilkas told her. "Haema, where exactly is the Skyforge?"

"Just up there." the blonde told her, pointing to the top of a nearby rock that had steps travelling up the side, leading to a plum of smoke that rose before a statue of a majestic eagle carved into the rock. As the Khajiit began to make her way there, Haema spoke up again. "I'll come with you."

Leaving Lydia and Altwen to return inside the warm meadhall, the two climbed the stairs. The sound of a hammer clanging on metal and a scraping noise soon reached their ears once they got to the top, the Khajiit pausing to take in the sight of the forge itself.

It was an impressive sight. The rock it sat atop had been flattened to accommodate the forge, iron braziers situated along the edges. A huge plum of smoke rose from the giant furnace, the coals burning bright and hot. The grey haired Nord, whom stood beside it, pulled on the pully-activated mechanism that hung above, the bellows it was connected to heating the forge even more. The elder Nord pulled out a strip of metal resting inside with a pair of tongs and placed it on the anvil next to him, banging it into shape with a forge hammer with strong strikes.

As for the blacksmith himself, it was clear that he was in his latter years, but he still possessed well defined muscles. Obviously from a life-time of working steel.

Haema had walked ahead of her so the Khajiit picked up her pace to catch up with her, seeing that the woman had a smile on her face. "Eorlund!" she called out over the banging and the burning coals. The blacksmith paused in his work, turning to face the woman. Upon seeing her, he too smiled as he laid his tools down to greet her. Wiping his hands on a rag, he pivoted around and spread his arms wide.

"Haema my girl!" he greeted warmly, wrapping his arms around the woman as she accepted his offering, returning the embrace. He patted her sharply on the back before pulling away. "It's good to see you again, lass. Been a while since your last visit."

"I'm sorry," she replied, looking a little sheepish. It was quite an odd thing to see on the usually confident woman. "I've just been fairly busy for a long while."

"Yes yes, many contracts and not enough time, I understand that girl." Eorlund dismissed, placing his hands on his hips. "The least you could have done was visit us at home every so often. Fralia and the children miss your company."

"I know." Haema nodded, folding her hands together. "I am here in Whiterun for a long while now, so I promise to make time to visit them."

Looking at the interactions between these two, Ty'ani would venture a guess that they were closer then they let on. This probably meant that the Grey-Mane's and Haema's family must be close friends. Before long though, Haema cleared her throat, returning to the confident woman that the girl is familiar with. "In any case, my daughters tell me that my son is up here."

Eorlund nodded. "That he is, just over there." he jerked his thumb behind him, toward the grinding wheel where a young lad was working on sharpening a three foot steel sword. He had shoulder length black hair, which was sticking to his forehead from sweat, wearing a soot smeared brown tunic, linen breeches and sturdy black boots. His exposed forearms were sporting some muscle, no doubt due to working with Eorlund. Haema nodded upon seeing him.

"Before I go, Eorlund," the woman said next, gesturing to Ty'ani. "This is Ty'ani. She's just been evaluated by Vilkas and is now a Companion. She has something for you." she left it at that, nodding to the Khajiit before stepping away, greeting her son warmly.

As the lad stopped his work to heartily greet his mother, Eorlund locked his gaze on Ty'ani. The girl fidgeted as he crossed his arms. "So, what can I do for you then lass?" he asked.

Clearing her throat, Ty'ani hefted Vilkas' sword, presenting it to the blacksmith. "I have Vilkas' sword. He told me to bring it to you to be sharpened." she told him. He simply nodded, taking the weapon off her and placing it on the stone platform beside the forge.

Turning back to her, the corner of his lips rose on one side as he spoke again. "So, that it was you I heard brawling with him down there?" at the girl's nod, he continued. "I take it you beat him then. I imagine he wasn't very happy about that, he's always been a proudful one."

"He's an ass." she commented off-handedly. Though it didn't take her long to realise that she once again outspoke her own thoughts, her eyes widening as she attempted to salvage her mistake. "I mean- no, I didn't mean to say that... I just-"

Eorlund just laughed heartily. "No harm done, girl. I wouldn't take it to heart, they were all whelps once, they just don't like to talk about it. You have no fear of offending authority here in the Companions. Nobody rules anybody here. Every man his own, every woman hers. So don't always do as your told."

Ty'ani frowned at that. "But I thought Haema was the leader."

"She governs the Companions, yes, but she's not a ruler." he explained. "There hasn't been since the days of Ysgramor and the original five-hundred Companions." It was then that he stopped, as though he had just remembered something. Turning back to the platform where he place Vilkas' sword, he grabbed an oak shield with iron bracing. "Before you leave, would you do me a favour and bring this to Aela? My wife is in mourning and have to get back to her soon."

Smiling, Ty'ani nodded as she took the shield. "I'll be happy to help."

After acknowledging his grateful smile, Ty'ani walked back down the stairs, leaving Haema behind to catch up with Eorlund and her son. Stepping back into Jorrvaskr, the Khajiit glanced around in search of the woman Haema spoke to when they first entered. Seeing her seated at a bench to her immediate right, she walked over, bringing her attention to the Khajiit once she stood beside her. Aela smiled wolfishly at her. "Well what have we here, the newest whelp coming to speak with me, eh? Have to say that was some display you put on out there, couldn't have done it better myself."

Biting her lip, Ty'ani shrugged one shoulder as she had nothing to reply back with. Instead, she just presented the shield. "Eorlund said to bring this to you."

"Ah," the woman voiced, standing from her seat and taking the offered shield. "My thanks. Care to tell me your name then?"

"Ty'ani." the Khajiit replied.

"Well, Ty'ani, I'm Aela as you probably heard." she introduced herself. "Not sure what the all hype about you being Dragonborn is all about, but I like you. Noticed you have a bow too so if you have the aptitude, then you can come and hunt with me at any time, if you have the stomach for it."

The Khajiit nodded. "Sure." wringing her hands together, she tentatively continued. "So, erm, where exactly do I sleep."

Aela smile widened. "I'll get Farkas to show you." she told her, looking away and raising her voice. "Farkas!"

Soon enough, the long haired man she saw earlier marched over. "You called?" he asked.

"Of course I did, ice-brain." Aela responded with a teasing scowl. "Show Ty'ani here where she'll be bunking with the other whelps."

"Yeah, sure." he inclined his head to the girl, a silent request for her to follow him. He took her through the hall toward the opposite end, down some stairs to the living quarters. On their way, he spoke to her. "Good to see a new face around here. I hope we keep you, the last whelps we had only lasted three days." that made Ty'ani uneasy, her chances in this guild looking slimmer by the second. Oblivious to her inner turmoil, Farkas continued. "Don't know much about you, but my wife seems to trust you and that's good enough for me."

Finally, they reached a doorway directly opposite the door to the meadhall. Stepping through, Ty'ani saw numerous cots nestled around the edges, each sporting a simple mattress, fur blankets and a pillow. Farkas turned to her with a smile. "Well, here we are. Just pick a bed and fall in it when your tired. Don't worry much about making much mess, Tilma will keep the place clean, always has."

Ty'ani nodded, a grateful smile on her face. "Thank you."

"No problem." he replied. "And by the way, those moves you pulled off out there with my brother were pretty impressive. Never saw Vilkas so shocked since Haema gave him a thrashing when we were starting out. He's been getting cocky recently, it's good to see him being knocked down a few pegs."

Ty'ani cocked a brow at that. "Vilkas is your brother?"

"Twin actually." he corrected. "I wouldn't worry too much about him though. He's not a bad person, he just doesn't like losing, especially to a whelp."

Brushing her loose hair back over her shoulder, Ty'ani nodded. "Okay, well while my mind's on the subject; when does training start? I'm not the best at using a sword and I really need to start learning."

"A bit late for that now," he answered. "But training tends to start in the mornings, so be up bright and early and out in the courtyard. Oh and before I forget; welcome to the Companions."

Ty'ani smiled. "Thank you Farkas."

oOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Once Ty'ani had settled herself and left her belongings in the living quarters of Jorrvaskr, she went in search of the others. Figuring that Haema would either be with her family or mingling with the Companions, she instead went in search of any of the others. She had found Lydia with little trouble, as she was still in the meadhall conversing with one of the warriors. After collecting her Housecarl, the two exited Jorrvaskr and headed down to the Plains District.

It had become slightly darker since they first arrived in Whiterun, the market becoming busy with multiple bodies for the upcoming celebration. Weaving their way around, they entered the Bannered Mare, finding that it was just as busy. Though it didn't take them long to find Altwen mingling with a group of men by the firepit, a tankard full of something in her hand.

The half-elf then happened to glance over, immediately seeing the two of them and smiled widely at them. "Hey Kitten! Sunshine!" she yelled, waving them over. "Come, join me! Have a drink!"

Stepping through the throng of people, Lydia frowned at the woman. "By Gods, have you been drinking this entire time?" she questioned with a hint of disdain.

"Not the whole time." Altwen argued. "I've only had... three tankards. I'm not even drunk yet."

Ty'ani just shook her head, sighing. "Altwen, I'm not going to stop you from having fun, but I'm going to pass. I don't drink." at that, she turned and walked to the bar. Though she sensed that the huntress was right behind her.

"What? Why not?" she asked once they reached the counter.

"Erm..." Ty'ani voiced, biting her lip while she waited for the barmaid to see her. "Well, let's just say I'm not very good at holding my drink. I tend to get drunk too easily. In fact, I remember this one time in Cyrodiil where I drank a whole bottle of brandy to myself, and I ended up getting caught in some farm field pushing cows over."

"Cow tippin' huh? Interestin'." Altwen commented as the tavern owner finally noticed them. Ty'ani just ordered some water and a bowl of vegetable stew for herself. After paying and turning to find a seat, allowing Lydia to order something herself, Altwen just shrugged as she followed behind. "Well, can't fault you for that one Sweets. I've done much worse when I'm completely piss drunk."

"I don't want to know."

"Nothin' bad." the woman reassured as they occupied a now empty table at the back. "Well, nothin' that involved a fistfight or weapons anyway."

"I still don't want to know." Ty'ani repeated, leaning back in her chair and crossing her arms. They fell silent after that, even as Lydia joined them, idly listening to the bard and the chatter around them until their meals arrived. As the Khajiit dug in, Altwen's eyes widened as though she had a bright idea.

"Hey, Kitten." after hearing the girl's hum of acknowledgement, she continued. "You remember that offer I gave you back in Ivarstead?"

Knowing instantly what she meant, Ty'ani frowned. "No, I'm not going to look for a man to lay with."

"Oh come on Kitten." Altwen practically whined. "This is a perfect opportunity for you to pop your cherry. It doesn't have to be a man y'know? It doesn't even have to be a random woman, I could help you out..." she trailed off at that with a hint of suggestiveness to her tone.

The girl's frown just deepened, even as her cheeks heated in embarrassment. "I said no, Altwen. I don't want to just lay with anyone. Plus, I'm not ready."

Sighing, Altwen swallowed some of her alcohol before speaking again. "Seriously Kitten, come on. You're eighteen years old for Gods sake, I lost mine when I was fourteen. And that was a very long time ago, I'll have you know."

"Divine's sake woman!" Lydia yelled, scowling at the huntress with fiery eyes. "If she does not wish to, then accept her choice and leave her be. Not everyone has to follow your whorish example."

"Oh don't talk to me like your innocent, Sunshine." Altwen retorted. "Being surrounded by all those guards, all those repressed young men, I bet you were openin' your legs to them at every turn."

"I beg your pardon!" Lydia growled venomously, her expression and tone taking on a dangerous edge. Ears flattening, Ty'ani knew if she didn't step in, then it was likely that her hot-headed bodyguard will soon come to blows with the huntress. Not wanting to cause more of a scene, since the tavern had gone quiet and people were staring at them, the girl immediately leant forward.

"Both of you, stop it!" she yelled, placing a hand on both their chests to keep them apart as they glared at one another. Well, Lydia glared, Altwen was just smirking victoriously. "I really don't want you two to start a fight right now, so could we just change the subject, please!"

"You may, if you wish." Lydia hissed, dropping her spoon in the bowl sharply, almost causing it to roll back out. "I have just about had it with this slattern. Should you need me Thane, then you'll find me at Dragonsreach." and without another word, the brunette Nord stormed off, her steel armour clanking with each movement. Her thundery look caused many patrons to move out of her way as she went, lest they get trampled by her.

Massaging her forehead with an irritated sighed, Ty'ani glanced at the half-elf. "I really wish you wouldn't provoke people Altwen."

"Why not?" Altwen shrugged. "You only live once after all, no use in livin' that life with a frown on your face."

Once again, Ty'ani sighed. "You're never going to change, are you?"

"Nope."

"All right, well can you at least not make anyone else angry? I'm in no mood to deal with that right now." the Khajiit requested, making the half-elf roll her eyes.

"No promises." she simply replied. After a moment of silence, as the tavern began to slowly liven back up, Altwen spoke up again. "Oh hey, you know what I've heard recently?"

Ty'ani shook her head, almost afraid of where the woman was going to take this. "No, what?"

Leaning forward to lean her elbows on the table, the half-elf began. "I heard that the Redguards had imported some new invention for this year's Baranth Do, a little somethin' for us northerners to enjoy. Somethin' that had been recreated from gunpowder and explodes in colourful patterns."

Interested, the Khajiit locked gazes with Altwen. "Really?"

"Yep," she nodded, placing a finger on her lips in thought. "I think they call it... Fire-works."

"That's not a very imaginative name, is it?" Ty'ani pointed out, frowning. Altwen merely shrugged.

"It's their invention, not mine." she dismissed. "My point is though, do you wanna come watch them with me tonight? Have a little bit of fun before startin' trainin' tomorrow?"

"Oh, I don't know." the girl shrugged, feeling uncertain. "I mean, I have to be up early-"

She was interrupted by Altwen's short bark of laughter, looking up to see her shaking her head. "Don't give me that excuse. You're always up stupidly early while on the road, no matter what time you go to sleep. So come on, live a little would ya."

Ty'ani bit her lip, thinking the offer through. If she had to be honest, she was feeling slightly apprehensive about watching explosions in the sky, even if they were mainly harmless. To her, an explosion was an explosion, which meant disaster. But still, looking at Altwen she clearly saw that the woman was really looking forward to this, and it just won't feel right if she told her to go on her own. Altwen really wanted someone she knew with her, so if she didn't go then what sort of friend was she?

Sighing, she finally relented. "All right, you convinced me. But I'm still not drinking."

Giving the girl a wide grin, Altwen patted her on the shoulder. "That's the spirit! Come on, let's go before it starts." at that, she pulled on Ty'ani's arm, lifting her out of her seat and heading swiftly for the door, ignoring the Khajiit's startled yell.

On her part, Ty'ani was a little put out at Altwen's excitement. It was like she was a little child, with the way she was dragging her around like she was a reluctant parent being lead by the hand by their overly exited offspring. Though, due to the height and weight difference between them, the half-elf was pulling her through the door and out in the market with no effort, almost causing the girl to stumble.

Once outside, the two were beset with a huge crowd of people, the market stands around them- which was usually filled with different sorts of products- were now filled with bottles of alcoholic drinks, both local and foreign, and an assortments of foods and sweets. Music echoed through the air from a group of bards, each playing on different instruments that Ty'ani recognised, but others were completely unfamiliar. The melodies were most definitely Redguard in origin, but it was very pleasant to listen to, the musicians incredibly skilled with their respective instruments.

Upon studying the food stands, Ty'ani immediately zoomed in on a collection of palm sized pastries layered with a sweet icing. Eyes sparkling in delight, she headed over as she recognised them as sweet rolls. Ty'ani, like the majority of her race, had a heck of a sweet tooth and as a resault she absolutely adored sweet rolls. She picked up the nearest one, acknowledging the baker's smile behind the counter, and took a large bite out of it. She moaned as the sweetness hit her tongue, savouring the taste as she turned away.

As she swallowed the pastry, she blinked in surprise upon seeing Altwen standing behind her. It took her a moment to register the two tankards she held in front of her, one of which was offered to the Khajiit. Immediately recognising the scent of mead, Ty'ani frowned. "Altwen, I said that I'm not drinking."

The half-elf sighed, rolling her eyes. "Oh come on Kitten, just one little tankard won't hurt you."

Frown deepening, the Khajiit shook her head. "I said no Altwen, and I mean it. I'm not going to compromise myself by turning up hungover for training tomorrow."

As Ty'ani stepped around the woman, her ear twitched toward her when she spoke. "Oh well, can't win them all, can I?" Altwen placed down one tankard on the counter before following behind the girl, sipping at the other. "Probably really wise of ya anyway. It was just a thinly veiled excuse for me to get you drunk so I could ravish you."

Turning back to the woman when the two reached the well, Ty'ani crossed her arms as she leant against it, her tail swishing back and forth on the cobblestone. Cocking an amused but embarrassed brow, she spoke irritably at her. "You're impossible, you know that?"

"Oh, you love me really." Altwen retaliated as she too leant on the well. Glancing around as she took another sip of her mead, the huntress crossed one arm under her bosom- which pushed them together making them look very perky- letting loose a half smile. "Quite a party, huh? If there's one thing the Redguards know what to do aside from fightin', it's throwin' interestin' parties."

Looking around herself, Ty'ani couldn't help but agree. All around them were people who were drinking, chatting happily or dancing to the music. Some were doing multiples of those activities at once. Either way, it was clear that everyone was having a good time and with the many lanterns overhead, it was easy to observe all of this. Case and point when the Khajiit spotted one man across from them stumbling on the icy ground, crashing down drunkenly and spilling his drink everywhere. Many people laughed at his misfortune, Altwen included, but Ty'ani merely let slip a tiny smile before digging back into her sweet roll.

Before long though, Altwen spoke up again, her voice filled with nostalgia. "You know somethin' Kitten? It's actually been a while since I was last at a party with someone I knew. I mean, going alone is all well and good, but there's somethin' special about going with..." it was here that she trailed off, as though she was searching for an appropriate word.

Glancing at the woman, Ty'ani let slip another smile. "A friend?" she offered.

Looking to the girl, Altwen pursed her lips for a second, but still she returned the girl's smile. "Yeah, I guess you could say that." it was clear that the woman was quite unsure what to think about what Ty'ani had said to her, attempting to hide her expression behind her tankard as she took a hearty swallow. Glancing up though, the half-elf looked across the thoroughfare of the market, spotting a couple of Redguards unpacking some unrecognisable objects. Quickly figuring out what they were, she pointed over to them. "Oh hey, looks like their about to start the Fire-works."

Looking over to where she was pointing, Ty'ani watched as the Redguards set up a tube shaped thing before alighting a hidden fuse, similar to what one would find on a ship's cannons. They immediately stepped back, shouting out to the crowd that the display was beginning. The moment everyone glanced over, that was when the tube was launched into the air.

Many people jumped in surprise by the loud whistle the Fire-work made as it climbed to the sky, a trail of white sparks and smoke following in it's wake. Once it was high enough, all went silent for only a millisecond before the tube exploded, sending a spray of colour in all directions. However, it was the loud bang that caused the vast majority of the populous below to jump in startled surprise, most of them ducking down instinctively in obvious fright. Ty'ani was among them, jerking toward Altwen with a slight scream and ducking down with her ears flattened.

Altwen on the other hand, while the bang did surprise her too, merely laughed at the Khajiit's fright. She patted her head to get her attention. "Hey Kitten, it's alright you know. It's totally harmless."

"I know." Ty'ani replied, slowly regaining her composure and stepping away. "But I'm just not used to it. That sound usually-"

"Comes from cannons, I know." Altwen interrupted. "But there's nothin' to be frightened of. Look, you can watch this one now you know what to expect."

Looking back over the market, the same Redguards were setting up more of those Fire-works before lighting them. Moments later, the tubes shot up into the sky and exploded in colourful stars. While Ty'ani was still startled by the loud bangs, the display was admittedly very captivating. The explosions lit up the sky with various colours, briefly shining down on those below and lighting the city. Before long, Ty'ani- plus many others- had become used to the audible noise, and was now just enjoying the display.

On her part, Ty'ani smiled contently. Watching the Fire-works allowed her to forget about all the hardships she had been recently put through, letting her just enjoy herself for the first time in what felt like an age. She knew that she'll be returning to her normal life style come morning, but as of right now, she just sat back and allowed time to pass her by. All with a friend right by her side.