23th Sun's Dusk… 1000…

"Names?"

"Erikka and Sabrine Bardulf." Sabrine answered with confidence.

"What's your business here?" The guard was obviously bored as he stared at his list.

Sabrine threw a look to her sister before answering. "Our business is with Jarl Balgruuf and Vilkas of the Companions."

"What kind business could the two of you have in Whiterun with the Jarl or the Companion?" He repeated and the girls looked at each other annoyed.

"Do they hire the dumbest people to be city guards? We're couriers..." Erikka pointed at her clothing.

The guard rolled his eyes and let them through.

They ran through the crowded streets, stopping only once to ask for directions. Neither spared a glance at their surroundings. When they hit the market, the scent of the wolves caught their noses and the pair followed it. They raced up the stairs three at a time and past the large tree. Their feet carried them to the steps of Jorrvaskr and they didn't hesitate to push open the doors. The sight that greeted them was as astounding as the smell.

Opposite of the door, was a young Imperial werewolf they almost ran over on their way down the stairs. "I trust you two aren't here to start trouble."

Erikka scowled at her for a second. "No, were here to find Vilkas of the Companions."

Sabine shoved her sister for being short tempered. "We have messages to deliver and one is from the Harbinger."

The woman jumped to her feet. "I'm Ria and he's up at Dragonsreach with the Jarl."

"Thanks!" the girls ran back out the door they had just entered.

Erikka danced from foot to foot next to her sister for forty-five minutes. Finally she broke her silence, impatient at their journey. 'Can they take any longer?'

'Patience, Sister.'

Erikka flashed her a look of annoyance.

The Jarl's Steward made his way back into the downstairs room to them and Erikka jumped her feet. "Follow me, please. I'll take you to the Jarl."

The girls followed Proventus through several rooms and up several staircases to the Jarl's private chambers.

Proventus smiled at them. "He and Vilkas will be with you shortly."

The girls didn't have long to wait before catching the scent of another werewolf and heard their hurried footsteps.

Balgruuf enter the room with Irileth and Vilkas in tow. His eyes landed on the two young girls standing next to his desk. Their swimming pools studied him and for a moment, he lingered in the doorway. Their eyes fascinated him and he shrugged off the feeling he got from them, walking to his chair behind the desk.

"Forgive me for making you wait so long, Ladies. Proventus tells me you bring several messages for both Vilkas and myself."

The girls nodded in unison and once more he was caught by the shifting color of their eyes.

"We have a message from the Harbinger of the Companions first. We left her company at Driftshade Refuge…" Both girls could feel Vilkas shiver next to them. "She knows what the vampires are looking for and says she is moving to stop them. She was heading to Winterhold when we left her and her company."

Balgruuf scratched his beard and threw a quick glance to his Housecarl and Vilkas.

"What company? Has she gathered more aid?" The Dark Elf next to them asked quickly.

The girls looked at her and Irileth took a small step back.

"Lady Aela of the Companions and Lady Serana are the only ones that travel with her that we know of."

"Aela is with her? I feel sorry for any vampire dumb enough to attack them."

Everyone in the room chuckled at Vilkas' comment.

Erikka cleared her throat after a few moments. "Jarl Elisif sends a message…"

"…as does Jarl Idgrod Ravencrone." Sabrine finished.

"Haafingar and Hjaalmarch pledge support and aid to Whiterun under united banners. General Tullius has encouraged banding together and hopes that the Dragonborn will reconsider her stance on the war. He's asking for the Jarls of the West band together to show unity. He'll try and convince her to join the Legion."

"That will be the day…" Irileth mumbled under her breath.

Balgruuf held up his hand to silence her. "The Dragonborn has pledged her support for Whiterun, Irileth. We both know of her disdain for the Empire, but… Ladies, when did you leave Solitude?"

"My Lord, we left on the same day as our arrival at the Jarl's insistence. The seventeenth of Sun's Dusk. Jarl Idgrod was in attendance of Jarl Elisif's court on our arrival."

Balgruuf nodded and thought for a moment. He glanced at Vilkas before continuing. "That explains Winterhold…"

Vilkas nodded back at him and the girls looked at each other in question.

"Is that everything?" Balgruuf watched them with interest. The pair intrigued him.

"No, my Lord." The girls turned to Vilkas. "Vilkas, we are Erikka and Sabrine Bardulf. We are the daughters of Erik Bardulf, we would like to join the Companions as our father did."

Vilkas looked them over. "Usually, the Harbinger would be the one who accepts or rejects people."

Erikka smiled. "It was the Harbinger who told us to find you, but I don't think you want to hear what she had to say."

Vilkas growled. "And what did she say?"

The girls shared a look. "Pull you head out of your back-side you ice-brained Nord and find them a bed."

Vilkas stared at them and then smirked at their brazenness.

"Lady Aela also had a message for you…"

Vilkas' eyebrows crept up.

"Don't even think of giving them my room, snowberry. Or you'll find out how quickly I redecorate yours with your stinking hide."

Balgruuf choked back his laughter. "I think we can safely say they are highly spoken for."

Heavy footsteps echoed in the open foyer outside of the Jarl's chambers.

Vilkas and the girls watched the door as it exploded open. "My Jarl…" The old Steward puffed hard, trying to catch his breath. "…forgive my intrusion."

"It's alright Proventus, what chases you?"

The older man rested his hands on his knees as a he caught his breath. "Runner from main gate… message. Orsimer hoard the entrance… Chieftain demands audience with you. And…" Proventus waved his hand in front of his face, fanning himself. "…hawks from Solitude and another Legion messenger from… South."

Balgruuf rubbed his face. "What is the message from the South?"

Proventus tried to right himself. "The Pale Pass… destroyed."

Balgruuf groaned.

"Hawk from Solitude…message… here." Proventus took deep breaths trying to breathe.

Balgruuf took the message from him and motioned him to sit. He unwound the short massage and quickly read it. "By Talos, he did it."

"He who, my Jarl?" Irileth patted Proventus' back as he tried to calm himself.

"Tullius. He somehow convinced the Dragonborn to side with the Legion."

Irileth mumbled a quick prayer of thanks to Azura. "Then there's still hope…"

Balgruuf looked between the members of the small group. His eyes landing on the girls, noting they were studying him again. "Irileth, send word the gate. Let's see what this chieftain wants."