A/N: OK this is the second chapter of my Companions story. This chapter is about Ram-Ku and Falin joining the Companions, and describes the experiences of their first day.
Can I just say thank you to all my reviewers and followers. The first chapter of this story has been so much better recieved than the entirety of my other story. Please continue to read, review, follow, and maybe favourite. (Too much?) Anyway I'm waffling, on with the story.
On the way back to Whiterun, Ram-Ku started talking to Farkas, asking him about Whiterun. Farkas, being Farkas, only answered with short sentences, "Yeah", "It's alright," or "A fair few." When the topic turned to Jorrvaskr and the Companions, Aela took over from Farkas, giving more detailed and more interesting answers. He seemed very interested in Kodlak Whitemane, which made sense seeing as how Kodlak would be deciding whether or not he would be allowed to join us. Falin on the other hand didn't talk to any of us, and spent most of the short walk as close to Ram-Ku as possible, whilst remaining as far as possible from Farkas and Aela.
As we approached the main gate, one of the city guards, noticing Ram-Ku and Falin, approached them and in a somewhat loud voice said, "Halt, no outsiders to enter the city, by order of the Jarl."
Aela stepped forward and in her usual tones said, "Stand down officer, these people are with us. They are hopefuls for the companions." The guard froze for a second, muttered something unintelligible, muffled by his full-face helmet, then signalled to his companion to open the gates for us. As the gates ground open, Ram-Ku cracked a smile, before turning and whispering something in Farkas' ear. Farkas stopped walking as he processed the information, then he smiled even wider than Ram-Ku and started laughing before he clapped Ram-Ku on the shoulder, prompting a slight jump from Falin, who had been standing next to said shoulder. So she was really quiet, and really jumpy, unfortunately I didn't think she was going to survive long in the Companions, but maybe Kodlak would be impressed by her healing abilites, I could definitely speak up for her about the usefulness of those.
When we entered Whiterun I noticed Idolaf Battle-Born, dressed in full Imperial light armour, in heated discussion with Adrianne Avenicci at her forge, seemingly about weapons for the Imperial legion. I took no sides in the war, neither personally, nor as a part of the companions. We intended to remain neutral throughout the civil war. Ram-Ku seemed to be happy just taking in all of the sights of the city, "Your first time in a city?" I asked him curious as to his behaviour. He smiled at me,
"No, just in one like this." He turned back to the path in front and said nothing more on the matter.
As we walked further into the plains district, the sounds of the market hot steadily louder, traders calling out their wares, children playing tag in the streets. When we reached the market, Ram-Ku became distracted by Jon Battle-Born, who he got along well with, especially after asking where he could get a drink which, according to both men, was the most important question of all. He disappeared into the Bannered Mare for about a minute, before reappearing with a couple of bottles of mead under his arm. Looking at our expressions he grinned, "I haven't had a good, strong drink in days, I'm parched."
"You should have waited until we were up at Jorrvaskr, we have plenty of mead and ale, and we drink it often." Aela told him. Ram-Ku continued grinning, opened one of bottles and drank deep from it,
"Aye, but I'm not a Companion yet, plus, I was thirsty now." I shook my head, it seemed like he would get on very well with Torvar. We walked up the steps that led to the wind district, approaching the Gildergreen and Jorrvaskr. Falin appeared very interested in old, dying tree, running her dark hands across its pale bark. "Falin, Jorrvaskr's this way." Ram-Ku nudged the elf's shoulder before pointing in the direction of Jorrvaskr. Falin smiled at him before turning towards Jorrvaskr and following us up the steps.
As Farkas opened the doors of the mead hall, the relative peace of the Wind district was shattered by the sounds of Njada Stonearm and Athis arguing with each other. As Ram-Ku entered the building, someone from inside shouted, "A fight!" Rather predictably it was Athis and Njada going at it in the empty space at the end of the hall. Ram-Ku looked at the duo before calling,
"Ten septims on the Nord."
Aela laughed, "Good choice, but you won't find anyone to bet against you, Athis always loses these fights, so no-one bothers betting on them anymore." True to her words, Athis was quickly knocked down by Njada, who put the Dark Elf in a headlock before demanding that he submit. Athis did so, to the raucous laughter of the assembled Companions and Ram-Ku.
Once Athis and Njada had gone back to their seats at the table, and their argument, Ram-Ku turned to me, and asked where Kodlak could be found. Before I could answer however, Aela cut across and told him that the Harbinger was downstairs, in his chambers. Ram-Ku disappeared down the stairs, with Falin trailing after him like some sort of extra shadow.
Seeing as I had nothing better to do, I went over and spoke to Njada and Athis about the fight that they'd just had. Njada said that it had gone exactly as she had been expecting, and that she couldn't understand why Athis kept on at it, instead of giving up. To which Athis' response was, "I live in a traditional Nordic environment, surrounded by Nords, I have to try to learn your stubborn, pig-headed ways." This then sparked another fight, with a similar result, this time Njada knocked Athis onto his backside.
As I went over to assist Athis, and possibly to laugh to at him, Vilkas stormed up the stairs leading from the sleeping quarters, followed by an equally angry looking Ram-Ku and a typically jumpy Falin. I couldn't help wondering exactly what had happened down there that caused the expressions on Vilkas' and Ram-Ku' faces. As he passed Farkas, I heard Ram-Ku say, "Your brother's an arsehole, you know that?" Farkas' typical response was,
"He's like that to everyone at first, just let him get to know you." Ram-Ku merely hissed and followed Vilkas out onto the practice grounds.
"This should be good," Aela said, standing to go out and watch Vilkas test Ram-Ku's arm on the training grounds. Farkas followed her, Njada and a recently awoken Torvar in his wake. I looked at Athis, he nodded,
"It should be interesting to watch Vilkas go at someone new, see if the lizard's any good." I groaned inwardly at the remark as I remembered that Dark Elves like Athis had kept Argonians like Ram-Ku as slaves up until the eruption of the Red Mountain, and that there was still animosity between the two races. I stopped, if that was the case, then why were Ram-Ku and Falin such firm friends? I would have to ask him about that, for I probably would not get a response from Falin.
As I left the confines of Jorrvaskr and stepped out onto the training ground, Vilkas and Ram-Ku were already facing each other, weapons bared at each other, Ram-Ku's enormous greatsword, and Vilkas' shorter sword and his shield. The other Companions' voices were calling out bets, mostly on the side of Vilkas, but a few, such as Skjor and Torvar on the side of Ram-Ku.
The two males circled each other warily. Both bare-headed. Ram-Ku clad in his steel armour, imperial bracers and boots, Vilkas in his steel armour with the wolfs-head motif on the chest, the wolf-fur lining and kilt. Ram-Ku hissed and swung his greatsword in a powerful arc, smashing it against Vilkas' hastily raised shield, staggering the smaller Nord. Whilst he recovered from the swing, Vilkas smashed his shield against Ram-Ku's chest in an attempt to push him backwards. Ram-Ku retaliated, swinging his greatsword downwards from above his head in a strike that could easily cleave a smaller man in half. Vilkas dodged to the side, then swung his sword from left to right towards the top of the Argonian's blade, and his shield from right to left at his opponents gauntleted hands, knocking the sword from his grasp, pushing him onto his back. "It's over Argonian," Vilkas growled, "You lose."
Ram-Ku merely grinned at him, "It is not over until it's over, Land-Strider." Whilst Vilkas was distracted by Ram-Ku's words, he had completely failed to notice the Argonian's muscular, scaly tail wrapping itself around his leg, until its grip tightened and pulled him to the ground. Ram-Ku rolled to the side, grabbing up his greatsword, he smirked at Vilkas, although with his reptilian features it looked more like a grimace, "When fighting an Argonian, never forget his tail." He hissed at Vilkas, before swinging his greatsword down again. This time when Vilkas raised his shield, the blade of the greatsword kept travelling, cleaving the wood and steel in two, a testament to the strength of the person wielding it.
"That's enough!" Skjor's strong voice rang across the grounds, "Ram-Ku, you have proven yourself worthy to count yourself as one of the Companions. Vilkas, go and see Eorlund about getting your shield repaired." With that he turned and walked off into Jorrvaskr, followed by Aela, Njada and the other whelps, and finally Farkas. As I turned to leave I saw Vilkas thrusting his sword and ruined shield to Ram-Ku's chest, and I overheard him telling him to take them up to Eorlund Gray-Mane to be repaired.
Continuing on my way, I noticed that Falin seemed to have disappeared. I shrugged, she had mostly likely gone off with Ram-Ku to speak to Eorlund. As I entered Jorrvaskr, I realised that I hadn't seen Falin outside whilst Ram-Ku was fighting. I made a mental note to ask Ram-Ku a bit more about his friend, see if I could get to know her. When I entered the communal area that I shared with the rest of the Companions that weren't members of the circle, I overheard Njada complaining, "You shouldn't be here, you bring nothing to the Companions. I can't even work out why Kodlak let you join in the first place." I thought nothing of it, she was most likely arguing with Athis, it was a commonplace thing, however her next words changed my mind entirely, "I mean," she snorted, "It's not like you're even good company, you don't speak to anyone. Furthermore you're a cowardly milk-drinker, snivelling in the corner rather than defending yourself."
I rounded the corner and was confronted with the sight of Falin curled up in the corner, arms covering her head, silent tears running down her face, with Njada standing over her, arms crossed menacingly, her face twisted into a sneer. As Njada opened her mouth to continue her abusive tirade, I stepped in front of her and punched her square in the mouth. Njada reeled backwards from the blow, before glaring at me, shocked. I was unsure who was more shocked, me or Njada. I didn't consider myself to be aggressive in this manner, I had never participated in the drunken brawls that took place when the companions had been celebrating too hard, never punched someone in the face, until now that is. Before Njada could react, I drew my sword and pointed it at her, "Leave her alone Njada, she's done nothing to you, and you're almost twice her size."
Njada sneered again, "You wouldn't have the guts to stab me Imperial, to afraid of what the Circle would do, to afraid of getting kicked out of Jorrvaskr." I glared at her, she was right of course. The Companions meant too much to me to do that.
"Just leave her alone Njada, or I will make your life a living hell." I had no idea where these defiant words were coming from, no idea what had made this bold. Then I glanced behind me at Falin's tear-marked face and I realised. I had joined the Companions to be a part of their heritage yes, but also so that I could protect those weaker than me from those who wished them harm. I turned back to Njada. "Get out," I snarled, "Now!"
Once Njada had left, I dropped my sword and ran to Falin's side. She was still crying. Some unknown instincts inside me told me to comfort her, listening to said instincts, I hesitantly wrapped my arms around the elf's thin frame. Meeting no resistance, I pulled her tighter and starting making soft reassuring noises, like I had often seen the stable-hands of Whiterun make to startled horses. It seemed to work, Falin quickly calmed down and burrowed deeper into my arms before falling asleep. I lay there, shielding and sheltering the Dark Elf until sleep finally claimed me.
A/N: Just to point out, I really dislike Njada Stonearm. The final scene is based on the first thing she said to my Argonian when I entered the sleeping area of Jorrvaskr. I hated ever since. Let me know your opinions on that scene and also on my portrayal of the characters, I hope I've got them right.
Characters and settings c. 2011 Bethesda Softworks LLC