A/N: I would like to start this chapter with an apology, and a rant.

First, the apology: I am very sorry for how long it is taken me to publish this chapter. I blame an outdated virus-checker. Which is still my fault because I forgot to update it... anyway, I should update more regularly now.

Now the rant: I have recieved my first 'flame' on a fanfic. If you are going to blast my story, please make sure that you are right. The review in question said:

'Emeric:"so I prepared myself to go to Aetherius, I would never get to go to
Sovngarde". Hate to burst your bubble but Sovngarde exists within Aetherius,
it is a division of Aetherius itself. Also Ria had proven her mettle in
battle, she would be more than welcome in Sovngarde. Please research before
writing.'

My problem with this is the part about research. Admittedly I hadn't done any, but when I did I found that Sovngarde is a NORD paradise(The only in-game non-Nord to visit Sovngarde is the Dragonborn), and that Ria says that she will never get to Sovngarde In-game. So even if Imperials could get to Sovngarde, Ria does not believe that she will.

Also, if you are going to criticise like this, don't do it on guest, login so I can have an arguement with you, I enjoy doing that. Anyway, on with the story. It's the morning after.

The next morning when I awoke, Jorrvaskr was exhibiting the usual signs of a big party the night before. Torvar was passed out by the firepit, rather than at a table, Njada and Athis were cuddling in the corner, Farkas was snoring loudly, Vilkas had his face in a plate of food, Falin I knew was asleep downstairs, and Skjor and Aela were nowhere to be seen.

What wasn't normal however, was the Whiterun guard standing in the middle of it all, talking to Kodlak. As I drew nearer I heard the guard say, "You'll need to send someone up to Dragonsreach to get all of this sorted out." Before turning and walking out of Jorrvaskr.

Kodlak sighed, and turned to look at me. "Ria," he said, "You seem to be the only sober companion here at the moment, I need you to go up to Dragonsreach for me."

"Yes, Harbinger," I replied, thinking quickly as to why a Companion would be needed at Dragonsreach. "Why will I be going there sir?"

Kodlak sighed again, "It would appear that Ram-Ku has somehow managed to get himself arrested, and is currently sitting in the Dragonsreach dungeon."

I gasped. So that was where Ram-Ku had spent the night? "Master, did the guard say why Ram-Ku had been arrested?"

Kodlak chuckled, "I am no-one's master Ria, but no, this guard has apparently only just come on duty. Apparently Ram-Ku was arrested by the night shift."

I sighed, "Very well Harbinger, I will go and get Ram-Ku from Dragonsreach." As I turned to go, Kodlak threw something at me. I turned and caught it, a money purse, to pay the fines. I should have realised that I would need that.

I headed down the steps outside Jorrvaskr, towards the dying Gildergreen, where Danica Pure-Spring was praying to try and revive the tree. I turned right towards the palace of Dragonsreach, passing the ornamental pools and waterfalls on my way. According to Ysolda, Ram-Ku had been found passed out in these pools after drinking while I had been in the Temple of Kynareth. A guard passed me on the stairs leading to Dragonsreach. I received the usual, "Hail Companion", followed by "Must be here about that crazy lizard." I wondered exactly what Ram-Ku had done to get himself locked up.

When I reached the main door to Dragonsreach, I realised that I had never been here before, and that I had no idea where the dungeon was. I entered the main hall and decided to ask one of the cleaners if they knew where the dungeon was. I was told to go up the stairs then head off to the left and look for the stairs leading downwards. I followed the woman's instructions and found myself in an underground room with multiple cell blocks in.

As I began to search for the Argonian, I was accosted by a guard who demanded to know what I thought I was doing. "I'm here to pay the fine for Ram-Ku," I told him, flashing the coin purse that Kodlak had given me, "How high is the bounty on his head?"

The guard looked puzzled for a moment, then realisation lit up his face, "You mean the big Argonian? 250 septims." I counted out the required amount from the purse. Once the guard was satisfied that I had paid the correct amount, he put the coins in a safe before walking down the room towards the cell at the end. Stopping in front of it, he selected a key from the ring at his belt, and unlocked the door. "Wakey-wakey big guy, some nice Imperial woman's paid your fines."

I heard groaning from inside the cell, "Urgh. Who is it? Carlotta? No she wouldn't have the coin to spare. Ria?"

"Yes Ram-Ku, it's Ria," I said, disrupting his stream of consciousness, whilst wondering myself why he had come to Carlotta Valentia before me, "Kodlak sent me to get you out."

"Gahh, thanks for that. I am not sleeping in a jail cell again." He said. I looked at him; he was clad in a typical roughspun tunic that was given to prisoners, with a hole cut in the back for his tail. "Where's all my stuff?" he asked the guard.

"In the chest through here." Was the reply.

Once Ram-Ku had retrieved his belongings, we left Dragonsreach. As we reached the bottom of the stairs, I asked Ram-Ku why he'd been arrested. He blinked, grinned sheepishly, and told me what had happened after he had stormed out last night.

"After I left, I decided that I needed a drink, I couldn't go back into Jorrvaskr, so I headed to the Bannered Mare." I nodded, of the two inns in Whiterun, the Bannered Mare was the closest. "I sat down, had a few drinks, and a stew, I think," he continued, "I think it was venison, or it might have been beef… anyway. I was in the Bannered Mare, and I noticed that the bard was harassing that Imperial woman from the market," I nodded again, Mikhail's obsession with Carlotta Valentia was well known, as was intention to bed her. "So I went over and told him that he was obviously disturbing the lady, and could he please stop. He told me that I had no business sticking my nose where it wasn't wanted, and that 'Carlotta is mine, she just doesn't know it yet."

"Okay, none of this explains how you got arrested." I interrupted.

He glared at me, "I'm just getting to that. I said that she obviously wasn't his, or why was she doing her best to ignore him. He then told me to 'Fuck off you stupid lizard.' So I punched him in the face."

"And that's what you got arrested for?"

"Not quite," he admitted, "I got arrested for headbutting him in the face."

"How is that worse than punching him?" I asked.

"I broke his nose with my forehead." Ram-Ku replied, grinning, "I don't think he'll be singing about conquering women any time soon."

As we approached the stairs leading to Jorrvaskr, Ram-Ku carried on down towards the plains district, "Where are you going?"

"Going to see how Carlotta is, and also to see if I owe Hulda any money for any damages I may have caused to the inn."

I nodded, "I'll come with you then." Ram-Ku grinned again, before heading towards the market.

As we drew nearer to the market, I could hear all the merchants calling out their wares; Fralia Gray-Mane and her Jewellery, Anoriath and his freshly-caught game, and Carlotta Valentia and her fruits and vegetables. Ysolda was also there, doing her best to learn about the merchant's trade.

We approached Carlotta's stall where she was doing her best to sell her produce. I knew that she worked very hard in order to support her daughter Mila. Putting up with the amorous advances of a bard couldn't make it any easier.

"Morning Carlotta," Ram-Ku called, "How's business going?"

She turned to face us, "Oh, it's you. The drunken Argonian from last night." I grinned at Ram-Ku's expression.

"Seriously? Is that all anyone knows me as in this town? 'The Drunken Argonian'?"

Carlotta smiled slightly, "That's what you looked like last night. But thanks anyway for dealing with Mikhail for me, Ram-Ku, isn't it?"

"That's right," the grin had returned, "And how is our bardic friend? Given you any trouble today?"

"No, not yet. His nose is completely busted, and Danica won't heal him because someone showed her what he'd written in that dreadful book of his."

I grinned the look of confusion on Ram-Ku's face. "That idiot wrote a book? He can write?"

"Not so much a book, as a guide to women of Whiterun. Most of us have seen it, and none of us liked it." She replied.

"Fortunately he stayed away from Jorrvaskr, so none of us are in us book." I interjected. Ram-Ku started chuckling. "What is it?" I inquired.

"I just had a vision of Mikhail trying it on with Aela." He said, breaking into laughter. I stared at him for a moment before laughing myself.

"She'd probably of chased him out of Whiterun."

Once Ram-Ku had stopped laughing, he told Carlotta that if Mikhail bothered her again, to tell him, and he would deal with it. As we headed towards the Bannered Mare, we were stopped by Jon Battle-Born, "I heard you beat up that milk-drinker, Mikhail, friend."

"Aye, that I did. Do you not like the man?"

"Can't stand him. The man gives all bards a bad name. We have a proud history of warrior-poets, I count myself lucky to be one of them, but all Mikhail sings for is the affection of wenches. Hopefully you have beaten that out of him."

The two men shared a laugh, "If not, I'll just have to punch him a bit harder next time."

We continued towards the Bannered Mare. As we arrived, the door swung open, revealing Mikhail, sporting a broken nose, two black eyes, and a couple of red stripes leading away from his nose, which looked suspiciously like Ram-Ku's horns.

"You again?" He hissed.

"Yes, me again."

"You should be in jail, scaleback."

"I was, but unlike you, I have friends to pay my fines."

I could sense that a fight was brewing. "Calm down Ram-Ku, he's not worth it."

"Yes that's right, listen to your little Imperial bitch friend." Mikhail sneered.

The next thing I knew, he was on the floor, clutching at his nose, squealing in pain. Ram-Ku hadn't moved. I had been the one to punch Mikhail in the face.

"What's going on here?" a guard had appeared, "Is that assault?"

I panicked at the thought that I would end up in the Dragonsreach dungeons. "Nay man, he threw the first punch." Jon Battle-Born's voice cut in, "The woman was just defending herself. As you can see Mikhail has a habit of getting into fights that he can't finish."

Mikhail glared at him, "That's not true, she just swung at me."

The guard looked at me, "Did he start or did you?"

"He started it," I said, "He called me a bitch, and then he swung for me."

The guard looked at Ram-Ku and Jon, "Is that true?"

Ram-Ku nodded, "Aye, he called Ria a bitch, then swung for her."

Jon backed him up, "I didn't hear anything, but he definitely took the first swing."

The guard hauled a protesting Mikhail off towards Dragonsreach, whilst I realised that not only had I just assaulted Mikhail, I had lied to a guard as well. It took me a moment to realise that both Ram-Ku and Jon were grinning at me. "What?" I demanded.

Jon laughed, "Ha, you Companions certainly have a fire in you, and you seem to have declared war on Mikhail. Tell me, when can I expect the Harbinger to get involved?"

Ram-Ku laughed as well, "Kodlak won't be getting involved, but he might send Vilkas and Farkas to do it for him," then to me, "Seriously Ria, I though you were the nice, sensible Companion, but first you punch Njada, now you beat up Mikhail. Looks like I'll need to watch myself around you."

Both of them laughed again. "Shut up the pair of you. Ram-Ku, don't you need to see Hulda about any damage you might have caused?"

"Well, I suppose I do. Well, see you again Jon."

"Aye, maybe we can have a drink together and laugh at Mikhail, that is, if you're allowed back in the Bannered Mare."

Ram-Ku and I walked into the Inn and walked over to the bar to speak to Hulda. "Errm, excuse me. I just wanted to ask if I damaged anything during my fight last night."

Hulda smiled at him, "No, you didn't, so you don't have to worry about paying for anything either. Also, I'm not banning you from coming here again. Most of the patrons said you provided better entertainment than Mikhail ever did. You didn't break anything…"

"Apart from Mikhail's nose." I cut in.

"Aye,"Hulda laughed, "That, and his pride. You didn't offend anyone, apart from Mikhail, so you can still drink here."

"Thank you very much Hulda," Ram-Ku said, "I may, or may not drink here again soon, depends on whether I have any cause to celebrate anything." So saying, we left the Inn, and began the trip to Jorrvaskr. On our way up to the wind district, we were accosted by Skjor and Aela who had returned from wherever they had been the night before, and had heard the gossip about us and Mikhail.

"So which one of you broke his nose?" Aela asked.

"That would be me, but I think that Ria messed it up even more." Ram-Ku replied.

"Jon Battle-Born seems to think that Jorrvaskr's declared war on Mikhail." Skjor said gruffly.

"I'm fairly sure that he's just joking." I said.

"Aye, he probably is. Ram-Ku, I need to speak to you later, meet by the Skyforge tonight." Skjor said, before he hurried of Aela.

When we returned to Jorrvaskr, Ram-Ku was bowled over by Falin. "She's been worried about you all day," Athis grinned, showing off a black eye that he had most likely received when Njada realised that he was cuddling her that morning, "Especially when Kodlak told us you'd been thrown in prison."

"Well he's out now!" Torvar announced, "I think we should have a drink to celebrate!"

"Torvar, you're just using this as an excuse to get drunk." Aela said.

"I never need an excuse to get drunk. You prudes on the other hand…"

"Are you calling me a prude Torvar? 200 septims says I can beat you in a drinking contest"

"You're on." He laughed.

Once again, Jorrvaskr rang with the sound of tankards clanging and the typical noises of a Jorrvaskr drinking session.