CHAPTER ONE

It wasn't often the people of Whiterun, let alone Skyrim, gave Jorrvaskr a visit. From time to time, the occasional drunkard or beggar would find their way inside looking for a septim and a drink. Vilkas preferred it to be that way. It was quiet for the most part, and he found himself taking pride in the humble yet respectable community he was in the midst of.

The Companions had each other, and never had to rely on anybody else, really. He didn't see the need for somebody new to abruptly join their little family. The day that damned Bosmer set foot inside had changed almost everything.

"I wish to join the Companions."

Her voice was soft, but had a certain strength underlying it. She seemed confident enough, although was a bit wary of her surroundings. Kodlak deemed her worthy of training, much to Vilkas' dismay. He'd even scolded Vilkas for questioning her whatsoever.

She was a stranger who didn't belong there. "Tell me, what brings you here?" His harbinger had asked, and the response she gave made Vilkas want to roll his eyes.

He remembered taking in her overall appearance.

She stood much shorter than the two Nord men, her pale blonde hair set free around her shoulders. The Bosmer's distinctive pointed ears peaked out from strands of hair. She had numerous jagged scars on her left cheek, starting from beneath her dark violet eyes to her full lips. Her golden skin was painted with white elven war paint, which stood out quite a bit. She was clad in black armor he's never seen before. It was tight fitted, which made the bow and arrows on her back a bit more obvious.

She was pretty. For an elf.

He later found out Anura was her name. She attempted to speak with him after he tested her arm, but he would have none of that. "I need you to deliver my sword to Eorlund, whelp." Vilkas somewhat sneered, handing over said weapon to her. This earned a glare from her, and he almost wanted to smirk. So, it got to her, eh?

His brother, Farkas, was delighted to have somebody new around. Apparently he felt that this was a good thing, and that Anura would be a great addition to their home. The rest of Jorrvaskr didn't seem to mind as much, although Aela and Ria did agree that it would bring some fun to "mess with the new whelp". That didn't last very long, after Anura proved herself time and time again, earning the two women's respect. Eventually, they began teasing Vilkas for being the only one who disliked her.

What was so great about this elf woman anyways? She was cocky, arrogant, and often put herself in danger. And for gods' sake, she was the leader of the Thieves Guild over in Riften. That wasn't something that should be condoned as honorable. Vilkas was honestly shocked at the fact she slept under the same roof as him. He, who held honor and loyalty and truth above all.

Anura would often leave Jorrvaskr and Whiterun. She'd never say where she was going, either. Kodlak would accept this, making it obvious that he knew about her whereabouts. The old man seemed to know everything. It wasn't until Anura stumbled back inside Jorrvaskr, that Vilkas decided to question her. Before he could ask anything, she collapsed. Kodlak helped Vilkas lay her down comfortably, before finally explaining that she was the Dragonborn. This was something so difficult for Vilkas to process, not only because she was an elf, but because it didn't seem real.

It couldn't be real, he wouldn't allow some elf to be the dragonborn! A being who held the most sacred and honored title in this world! This was something he begrudgingly began to accept as time passed on. After all, how could he go against Kodlak's wishes? Besides, it wasn't very nordic of him to be so disdainful towards somebody who was next to the gods above.. Now and then she'd often impress him with her archery skill. Though he preferred a double handed weapon, he could respect her obvious training with her weaponry.

It wasn't until Kodlak passed away, did he begin lashing out at her once again. He dealt with the death with heavy drinking, hoping that it would make time pass by quicker. It succeeded in that, as well as isolating himself further and further away from his family. He couldn't help it. He had turned away their harbinger - the dragonborn, and now he was being turned away from everyone else.

Anura was unfortunately kind enough to convince them to help sober Vilkas up. Farkas was just happy to have his brother back. Ale and mead no longer seduced the older twin the way they used to, but every once in a while they would call to him. His selfish desires wanted him to succumb into the guilty pleasures of drinking. It wasn't an easy journey, but he managed to make it through without horribly ruining his own life. Not that he felt he had much to live for, anyway.

Days went by, and little by little, things returned to normal. If he was being correct though, he would deem it as the new normal. Nothing would be the same without Kodlak. But the love still remained. Anura had freed Kodlak's spirit, and warmth spread throughout Jorrvaskr. It felt a little less empty.

Anura was originally supposed to take Kodlak's place as harbinger, but for some reason turned it down immediately. She suggested Aela for this role, who (not so) graciously accepted. Aela and Anura had different ways of thinking, and though Vilkas had known his fellow nord for much longer, he found himself agreeing more and more with the little wood elf. He felt Anura would have much better suited being harbinger. Two winters had passed since she joined the Companions, and suddenly Vilkas realized how big of an impact she had made on him. Especially the size of the impact she had made on his brother.

Farkas was smitten with her, it was obvious to any onlookers. The taller and less smarter nord made it clear he didn't mind others seeing him stare at her with those big dopey eyes. The idea was funny, and he would often poke fun at his brother, along with a few other members of their family. What was even funnier, was the fact that Anura herself didn't even seem to realize the werewolf's infatuation with her. Vilkas had to stifle his laughter when she commented that none of the men in Whiterun would look her way any longer.

"I hope for your own sake, you're not laughing at me." She had a small smile on her face, so he didn't take her threat seriously. Vilkas took a deep breath, glancing over at her before looking back up at the passing clouds. The two were sitting on the outside benches, surprisingly side by side. Vilkas hadn't noticed how close their relationship had become until now. Here he was, sitting in simple clothing, completely rid of his usual wear of wolf armor. She mirrored his casualness, a look of content on her face.

Vilkas usually wasn't someone who was so outspoken. He never blurted things out. "Why didn't you accept Kodlak's wish of you becoming harbinger?" Except until now. The question clearly took her off guard, and she cleared her throat, tucking a long strand of hair behind her pointed ear. "I did not think it would be a big deal. Besides, you made it very clear you didn't want me to." Her voice was a little quieter than normal, and she tried playing it off with a smile. "But that's okay, I've got other responsibilities as the dragonborn. Don't fret too much about it, Vilkas." For some reason, this wasn't something he wanted to hear. In fact, it didn't sit right with him. His stomach stirred lightly with guilt, and he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "Aye, but I wouldn't think my opinion would affect you so greatly." Vilkas was indeed known as the smarter one, but that didn't mean he knew what to do in these sorts of situations. If he was being honest with himself, he was feeling a lot like Farkas at this moment.

Anura looked like she was also struggling in dealing with what was going on. "Er, well, I'm not entirely sure what you'd like me to say to that. It did." She said her words slowly, as if planning them out as she went along. "But the past is in the past. We cannot change what has been done." Anura's voice wavered slightly near the end of her sentence, and Vilkas raised a brow at her. "I must get going. Lydia is going to be irate with me - I told her to prepare me horker stew and it's been a few hours since my curfew." She patted his arm quickly, standing up with a stretch. Vilkas watched as she threw her bow over her back, bouncing slightly off of her arrow holder. "I'll see you at dawn." Was the last thing he'd heard from her.