Hey everyone, here's a new chapter for you. I initially wanted to have this chapter cover the expedition to Saarthal as well, but after seeing how long this one ended up being, i decided to split it into two. So, without further ado, onto chapter 6.

As always, feel free to leave any and all feedback.

Winterhold's Finest

Chapter 6: A Lesson in Archery

Revan woke the next morning with a pounding headache. Six bottles, eh? Certainly feels like it. He sat up slowly, hissing at the pain in his head. Wiping the last bit of sleep from his eyes, he looked around, wincing at the light. It was well after sunrise, and his room was lit by the bright sunlight outside. It's too early for this he thought as he got out of his bed and stretched. Rubbing his temples in an attempt to alleviate the pain, he wandered over the washbasin in the corner and splashed some water on his face. As he grabbed a towel to dry himself, he heard a knock on the door. "It's open." He called out.

The door opened and Tom walked in. "Morning sleepyhead. Sleep well?" he said with a grin.

Revan threw the towel at his friend, who snatched it out of the air. "Better than I have in a long time, but it doesn't help the hangover any." Revan crossed the room and fell into the chair next to his bed. "Last time I down six bottles of mead by myself."

Tom laughed at this. "Six? That's all? You've lost your touch Rev. Don't worry; we'll fix that soon enough." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small blue potion. "Here, you might want to drink this. It tastes absolutely vile, but it'll clear your headache in no time." He handed the potion to Revan, who accepted it gratefully.

"Cheers then." Revan said as he pulled out the stopper and tipped the bottle back. His face twisted into a grimace almost immediately. "Oh gods, that's foul. What in Oblivion is in this?" He thought for a moment before continuing. "Actually, on second thought, I'd rather not know." Finishing the rest of the terrible concoction, Revan set the bottle down and waited. Despite the taste, the potion went to work in seconds, and soon enough Revan felt like himself again. "Well, that was certainly effective. I feel like I could take on the world now, or at least our next lesson. We'd better get over there; let me just get dressed and we can go."

Tom nodded and walked out of the room. "I'll meet you there Rev." He called back through the closed door.

Revan walked over to his wardrobe and pulled on his apprentice robes. The College was a safe place, but Revan had traveled by himself for so long that it was now habit that he carried some kind of weapon with him at all times. He grabbed the shoulder sling that held his dagger and put it on. Better than nothing he thought as he pulled on his boots. Ready at last, Revan walked out of the dorms and into the College courtyard. The sun was shining bright, but the air was still chilly. Pulling his hood up, he crossed the courtyard as quickly as he could, grateful that the Hall of Elements was warm. Shivering slightly at the temperature change, Revan removed his hood and walked over to stand with the rest of his fellow mages. As usual, they were gathered around one of the mage lights practicing various spells. As he approached, Revan could see that Brelyna was in the center of the group, showing Tom her summoned Atronach.

"You make it look so easy Brelyna, I don't know how you do it." Tom was saying.

"It took me months of constant practice to even learn how to summon it, and months more to learn how to control it. Atronachs are highly unpredictable, even when they're in a good mood."

Tom looked back at the Atronach in slight awe. "You definitely have to show me how to do it someday. That's awesome."

Brelyna blushed slightly at the praise, but nodded. "I'll show you someday, I promise."

The Hall door opened at this point, and in walked Tolfdir and a courier. The courier looked like he'd been traveling for days on end, which was entirely possible given how big Skyrim was. Tolfdir accepted the letter the courier gave to him and handed him a small bag. With a bow, the courier walked back out of the Hall. Tolfdir opened the letter and skimmed it briefly, a smile forming on his face, before placing the letter in one of his pockets. Noticing the gathered apprentices, he walked over to them. "Ah good, you're all here now. Shall we begin?"

With a nod from all five apprentices, he continued, "Excellent! Now, I'm going to keep this lesson short because I have some exciting news, but we'll get to that later. Last time we met, I asked you all to find a way to break through a ward spell. Were you successful in finding a way?"

"Yes, we found a way to break through a ward." Tom said. "After looking through some books, we found that lightning is the easiest way to break through a ward spell, as it drains a mage's magicka, reducing the energy they have to hold the ward."

Tolfdir beamed at his answer. "Correct, well done. Yes, lightning is the best way to break through a ward spell, for the exact reason you said. Now, I think a small demonstration is in order. Brelyna, would you mind helping me?"

"Not at all, sir." Brelyna said.

"Wonderful. Now, if you could take this amulet, we can begin." Tolfdir said, pulling a small amulet out of his pocket. Brelyna accepted it and put it on. "Good. I would like you to cast your ward and hold it while I send some lightning at you. I just want you to hold the ward until it collapses, alright?" Brelyna nodded, looking slightly nervous. "Don't worry," Tolfdir continued, "That amulet has been enchanted to resist lightning. It will protect you long enough for our demonstration. Now, please stand on the seal over there and cast your ward."

Brelyna moved over to the seal they had used in previous lessons and held up her hand. The now familiar shimmer of a ward spell appeared before her. "Now, hold your ward steady, and I'll try to break through it." Tolfdir said, his hands glowing with electricity. Brelyna indicated she was ready, and Tolfdir sent streams of sparks into her ward. The shield held for a couple of seconds, but then collapsed completely. The sparks briefly covered Brelyna before Tolfdir put his hands down. "Excellent work, my dear. Are you alright?"

Brelyna nodded. "Yes, I'm alright. That amulet worked well; I didn't even feel the sparks."

Tolfdir's smile widened. "Good to hear. We don't need anyone getting hurt, after all. Thank you for your help." Turning back to the rest of the apprentices, he continued. "You saw how quickly the sparks collapsed the ward? That is the best way to consistently break through a ward. There are of course other ways to do it, but that is the most reliable. Now, normally I would have you split up and practice on your own, but I have better idea; one you will probably find more interesting." He pulled out the letter he had received earlier. "Recently, a couple of miners came across an ancient ruined city. They came here and informed the Arch-Mage, who sent out a small expedition, led by one of our senior members, to see what they could find. The letter I just received is from the head of the excavation, letting me know that they have broken into a main chamber. After some research here, we believe that the ruins are all that remains of the city Saarthal, the first city of the ancient Nords.

Upon hearing this, Onmund straightened slightly and a scowl appeared on his face. If Tolfdir noticed, he didn't say anything. Revan noticed however, and looked over at his friend. He must not be happy that the College is disturbing his ancestor's rest he thought; I suppose it makes sense that he's upset. Onmund saw Revan looking at him now, so Revan gave him a reassuring smile. Onmund returned it and nodded before turned back to Tolfdir, who was still speaking.

"So, the Arch-Mage and I agree that this could be a once in a lifetime opportunity for us to study this ancient culture up close, so we will be going over to Saarthal to explore. According to the letter, the areas they have already excavated are being braced against collapse, so we can't go quite yet. However, we should be able to begin exploring tomorrow, so I would ask you all to be at Saarthal tomorrow afternoon. Until then, I will allow you to do as you wish, so enjoy yourselves. If you want to know where Saarthal is, the map in the Arcanaeum now has the location on it. That's all for today. See you tomorrow." And with that, Tolfdir turned and left the Hall.

Tom turned to the rest of the apprentices. "Well, I think now's a good time for a trip to the Frozen Hearth, whaddya say Onmund?"

Revan shook his head in amusement. "Don't you think it's a little early to start drinking Tom? It's not even midday yet."

Tom laughed. "Who said I wanted a drink? Maybe I'm just hungry. And anyway, what's wrong with an early start? We've got the rest of the day to ourselves, so why not?"

"I think I'll pass Tom; you can have my drink. I think I'm just going to take a walk around the area today." Revan said.

Tom shrugged. "Suit yourself Rev. Come on Onmund and J'Zargo, let's grab some grub. You're welcome to join us Brelyna." And with that, the three apprentices walked out of the Hall.

Revan chuckled to himself. "That guy can drink like a fish, that's for sure." Noticing Brelyna still standing near him, he smiled at her. "I think I'll get going. You're more than welcome to join me, or you can go with them. Your choice."

Brelyna smiled back. "Thanks for the offer, but I think I'll just stay here for now. I had some studying I wanted to do while I have the chance."

Revan nodded. "Understandable. Well, see you later." Revan walked out of the Hall and over to the dorms. Once he got to his room, he walked over to his wardrobe. Pulling out his quiver, he counted his stock of arrows. As I thought, getting low. I haven't had a chance to restock in awhile. Maybe I'll take a look around the general store in town, see what they have. Set in his destination, Revan grabbed his sword belt and fastened it around his waist. The quiver strap went over his shoulder and crossed his chest, and in the strap was a sheath holding his main dagger. Pulling out the dagger he had carried earlier, Revan replaced it in its proper sheath on the back on his sword belt. Adjusting the straps to make them more comfortable, Revan had to admit that it felt good to have the familiar weight of his gear back in place. Checking to make sure his boot dagger was still secure, Revan picked up his bow and walked out of his room and out into the courtyard.

The sun was shining bright and there was no wind to speak of, so the day was quite pleasant as Revan crossed the bridge into Winterhold. He shook his head sadly as he passed by a couple of destroyed homes that were still standing. The Great Collapse had cost the city greatly, and it seemed like a miracle would be needed for it to return to its former glory. Continuing down the road, Revan passed the Frozen Hearth and shook his head again, this time in amusement. Wonder how many meads Tom has had already? Passing the inn, Revan finally reached his destination, the small general store known as Birna's Oddments. It was a small shop as not many people lived in Winterhold and fewer passed through who weren't part of the College. Walking up the steps, Revan opened the door into the store.

The woman behind the counter looked up from her work and smiled at Revan. "Hello dear, welcome to Birna's Oddments; my name is Birna. What can I do for you today?" she said.

Revan approached the counter. "My arrow supply is running low. I was hoping you might have some for sale."

The woman turned to the various crates piled up behind the counter. "Yes, I have some available. I got a double shipment recently, and there aren't enough people who would buy them." Finding what she was looking for, Birna turned back to Revan and placed three quivers of steel arrows on the counter. "Yes, here we are. I have some more in the crate if you like. How many will you need?"

Revan considered the three quivers and the amount of gold in his pouch. "Three quivers should be plenty. How much do I owe you?"

Birna smiled again. "For you, dear, how about two hundred gold for the lot?"

Revan was taken aback by this. Usually, for the quality of the arrows he would expect to pay twice as much, if not more. "That's very generous of you, but it seems like you could charge much more."

Birna shook her head. "I could, but then I wouldn't sell any. Not many people around here need arrows. In fact, you're the first in several months. The way I figure, you're part of the College, am I right?" When Revan nodded, she continued, "So you'll be around Winterhold for a while. My guess is you will need more arrows in the future, so I'm sure you'll be back." Tying the three quivers together with some twine she pulled from under the counter, Birna handed the bundle to Revan as he put the gold on the counter. "Was there anything else you were looking for?"

Revan thought for a moment, but nothing came to mind. "No, that's it for now. Thank you very much, and I will be back for more arrows when I run out of these." Birna waved as Revan walked back out onto the street.

The sun had just reached its highest point, so there was still plenty of daylight left. Turning away from the College, Revan walked out of Winterhold. The road was paved, but very rough due to age. The wind had begun to blow now, and snow was blown onto the road at various points. This didn't concern Revan as the day was still clear and he didn't plan on going far. Pulling out his map, Revan traced the route to his destination: the Shrine of Azura. He had read about it when he was younger and had always wanted to visit it. Being at the College with the day off, he had the perfect opportunity.

Storing the map back in its belt pouch, Revan set off once more. He noticed that the further he got from Winterhold, the stronger the wind became. The snow lining the road was blowing across in clouds now. Eventually, Revan pulled his hood up to help shield his face from the sting of the snow. He was glad he did so when he spotted two wolves in the distance. Unsure if he had been spotted, Revan quickly crouched down and pulled out his bow. He surveyed the wolves for a few seconds, still unsure if they knew he was there.

When they started running towards him, barking viciously, Revan pulled out an arrow and strung his bow. Sighting along the shaft, he pulled back and fired. The first shot was true as it hit the lead wolf in the chest. Undeterred, the second wolf continued to close the distance. Unable to safely get a second shot off, Revan discarded his bow and pulled out his sword. He set his feet and waited for the wolf to reach him. With a snarl, the wolf leapt into the air. Revan anticipated the move however and sidestepped around the wolf, grazing its side with the sword edge. With a loud yelp, the wolf fell heavily into the snow, but it had no intentions of giving up. With another snarl, the wolf jumped towards Revan again. Once again anticipating his enemy's action, Revan raised his sword with both hands and slapped the wolf aside. It landed with another thud, and before it could stand again, Revan's dagger found its eye socket. With one last yelp, the wolf lay still.

Pulling his dagger out, Revan stuck the blade into the snow, cleaning the blood off. Replacing it in its sheath, Revan stood up and returned his sword to its sheath as well. Looking around, Revan walked over to the spot he had dropped his bow. That was a little too close. I need to be more careful with this Revan chided himself as he picked up the bow and wiped the snow off of it. Replacing it on his back, he looked around. "How long have you been hiding there Brelyna?"

Brelyna stepped out from behind the bushes lining the road. "How did you know I was there? I'm sorry if I startled you. I didn't want to get in your way."

Revan shook his head, a small smile forming on his face. "No need to apologize. I thought that someone was following me, but I didn't know it was you until just now. As for how I knew, let's just say spending most of seven years out in the wild on your own makes ones senses sharper."

Brelyna considered this for a moment before nodding. "Yes, I suppose it would." Looking at the various weapons Revan had strapped to his body, she realized she had never seen them before. "I've never seen you so well-armed before. Expecting trouble?"

Revan shook his head. "No, I just feel it's better to be cautious. You never know what you might find out here."

Brelyna laughed a little at this. "Like a pair of wolves blocking your way?"

Revan shrugged. "Wolves today, could be trolls tomorrow. My dad taught me to be ready for anything."

Glancing down at his various blades, a brief wave of sadness came over him. Seeing his obvious distress, Brelyna walked over to him. Gesturing to the daggers, she asked, "Were these your father's?"

Revan nodded. "Yeah, they were gifts from various occasions." He pulled out the dagger that crossed his chest. "This one was his. After he died and I decided to go my own way, I had to figure out what to take with me and what to leave behind. This is one of the last things I have to remember him." Shaking his head, he smiled at Brelyna. "But enough about that. Today's not a day to be sad. Come on, let's head back to the College. I think I've had enough excitement for now."

The two friends started back towards Winterhold. As they were walking back, Brelyna turned to Revan. "That was a good shot back there, against that first wolf. I can't believe you were able to focus on the shot with it charging at you."

Revan flushed slightly at the praise. "It really wasn't that impressive. I took too much time on the shot that I couldn't get the second one in time. I should have been quicker."

"I think you're being too hard on yourself. Not just anyone could make that shot. You're father was a good teacher. I know I would never be able to make that shot." Brelyna said, noticing Revan's cheeks turning pink.

Revan sighed. "Yeah, maybe you're right. I can be a bit modest sometimes." A sudden thought came to Revan. "Hey Brelyna, have you ever used a bow before?"

Brelyna nodded. "Yes, but it was many years ago when I was only a child. My parents were never very keen on me learning anything that didn't have to do with magic or Telvanni politics."

"Do you have any interest in learning? I could teach you if you want." Revan replied.

It was Brelyna's turn to blush now. "Um, thanks for the thought, but I think it would be a wasted effort. It's been so long since I've used a bow, I don't think I can remember any of what I learned."

Revan laughed. "I think it's your turn to not give yourself enough credit. I taught Tom how to use a bow back when were younger, and let me tell you he was awful when he started. I'm surprised he knew which side the arrow came out of. After a few weeks though, he was actually getting quite good. He'll probably never be as good as me though." Brelyna laughed at this. "What, you're the one who told me I was too modest." Revan said with a grin.

Brelyna laughed again at his statement. "Yes, I suppose I did, didn't I?" Brelyna's smile faded and she sighed. "You are right though. I have been living under my parents for too long. It's time I started doing things my way." Her smile returned as she continued. "Besides, I do miss my archery lessons. It might be good to practice again."

Revan smiled and nodded. "If you're sure, then I will be glad to teach you." The two mages had now entered Winterhold again, and as they passed the general store, Revan held out a hand to stop Brelyna. "Before we go back, I need to make a quick stop." Brelyna nodded as Revan walked up the stairs into the store.

Birna was still behind the counter, but she was now organizing some potion ingredients into individual containers. "Why, hello dear. Didn't think I'd see you again so soon. What can I do for you?"

Revan walked up to the counter and pulled out a small pouch of gold. "I'd like another two quivers of those arrows please."

Birna nodded as she accepted the pouch. Turning back to the crates lining the wall, she pulled out two quivers. "There you are, two quivers. Was there anything else?"

Revan shook his head as he grabbed the quivers. "No, nothing else for right now. Thank you again."

Birna nodded with a smile. "My pleasure dear. Do be careful with your practice."

"Thanks, I will." Revan said over his shoulder as he exited the store. Brelyna was leaning against the wall, tossing a small fireball back and forth in her hands.

Seeing Revan, she extinguished the spell and stood up. "Got what you needed?"

Revan held up the arrows. "Yep, all set. Um, I hate to ask, but would you mind helping me with these?" he asked, indicating the three quivers slung across his back already.

Brelyna laughed. "Stocking up, are we? Sure, let me take those." she said as she accepted the new quivers. Together, they returned to the College.

They reached the courtyard, and Revan took the quivers off his back and laid them near the target he had set up previously. Brelyna did the same with the ones she had been carrying. "So that's what all this stuff is for. I was wondering why all of this stuff was set up in a school of magic." Turning to Revan, she continued, "So how is this going to work? We only have your bow to use, and I don't think you would trust me with your bow."

Revan smiled at her. "Nonsense, I trust you with my bow. But I have an idea. Wait here." And with that, he turned and walked off into the dorms, leaving Brelyna with her thoughts.

He really trusts me that much? I never knew. She sighed as she stood waiting. He's the first person I've ever met who didn't judge me for what I should be. I'm really glad I met him. And so handsome too….

…..

Revan walked into the dorms and sighted the person he was looking for almost immediately. "There you are, I was hoping you'd be in here." He said as he approached.

Tom looked up from the book he had been reading, a curious look on his face. "Now why in the world would you be looking for me?" he said sarcastically. "I mean, we've only known each other most of our lives."

Revan gave a short laugh. "Yes, that's certainly true. I had a question for you. Do you still have that bow you came here with? I'd like to borrow it for a while."

Tom was now genuinely confused. "My bow, you mean the one you gave me back when we were younger? Yeah, I still have it, in my room. Come on." Getting up from the chair, Tom led the way to his room. "What do you need it for Rev? You've already got one, and it's far superior to mine. You didn't break it, did you?"

Revan chuckled. "No, nothing like that. I need to borrow it so Brelyna can practice. I'm going to give her some training in archery."

Realization hit Tom, and a sly look crossed his face. "Ahhh, I see. Suddenly, everything is clear. It's about time you made a move. But I gotta say, it does seem like a lame first date. You really couldn't come up with anything better?"

From the flush that came to Revan's cheeks, Tom could see that his hunch was right. "No, it's nothing like that. She wanted to learn, I offered to teach her. That's all."

"Uh huh, suuure it is. Once again, a pretty shade of pink you've got there Rev." Tom said with a laugh.

Revan scowled at his friend. "This again? I told you, Brelyna and I are just friends. Nothing more."

Tom studied his friend's face. Even though Revan spoke those words, Tom could see he didn't really believe them. "Right. Come on Rev, who are you trying to fool? 'Cause I'm not buying it."

"There's nothing between us; not like that anyway. We're just friends, that's all. Now, do you have that bow or not?"

Tom sighed. Stubborn as always. "Yes, your majesty. Right here." He opened the wardrobe and pulled out the bow. It was a simple hunting bow, and it had seen quite a bit of use over the years. But the string was taut and the wood still flexible. Tom handed it to Revan. "Might as well keep it. Those days are far behind me I'm afraid. Besides, I'd much rather focus on my magic studies."

Revan accepted the bow with a nod. "If you're sure. I'll take good care of it. Thanks Tom." Bow in hand, Revan left the room.

Tom stared at the door for a few moments after Revan left. When will he wake up and see reality? It's obvious he cares about her, and I'm almost positive she feels the same way. He shrugged. Either he'll figure it out one day, or he won't. Not a whole lot I can do about it now.

…

"You're sure Tom won't mind?" Brelyna asked, still unsure.

Revan nodded. "He was more than happy to lend it to me. Besides, I'm the one who gave it to him. Now, let's see what you remember."

Brelyna nodded nervously, and stood in front of the target. "Just relax. There's no one else here but us. I know it's been several years since you've done this, but you really never forget these kind of things." Revan said, hoping to calm her nerves.

Brelyna exhaled, and readied the bow. An arrow already strung, she sighted along the shaft. She didn't believe Revan until now, but she realized that now that she was here, bow in hand, the lessons she had learned all those years ago did start to come back. Focusing on the target, she drew back the string, inhaled deeply, and released the string. The arrow whizzed through the air and hit the target with a muffled thunk.

"Not bad at all, considering you haven't done this in a long time. Well done." Revan said as he walked over to the target. "You flinched slightly as you released though, causing it to go off-center slightly. But very well done for a first attempt. Try it again." And so it went for next couple of hours, the two friends alternating at shooting the target and Revan helping Brelyna improve her skills. They only stopped once the sun began to set.

"Wow, sundown already? Where did the time go? I think that's enough for today Brelyna. We can continue another time."

Brelyna pulled the last arrow out of the target and put it back in the quiver. She then turned to Revan and smiled. "Thanks for the lesson Revan. I didn't realize how much I still remembered." She then held out the bow to him. "Here, I think this belongs to you."

Revan shook his head. "Why don't you hold onto it? You'll be the one using it; it only makes sense."

Brelyna pulled her hand back and looked down at the bow. "Well, if you're sure, alright." Looking back up, she continued, "It's getting late, and we're going to have a long day tomorrow, I think. I'm going to get some sleep. See you tomorrow Revan." Giving him one last smile, she walked off into the Hall of Attainment.

Revan gathered the rest of the archery equipment before heading into the dorms. He could hear Tom, Onmund, and J'Zargo involved in some kind of game in the common room. Poor Onmund and J'Zargo, they have no idea what their getting into, playing against Tom. Hope no money is involved. Shaking his head in amusement, he went into his room and closed the door. Storing away his bow and the quivers, he disrobed and got into bed. He stayed awake for awhile longer though, staring at the ceiling and thinking back to the archery lesson. As his eyelids grew heavy, his thoughts drifted back to Brelyna.

Once again, his dreams were quite pleasant.