Whiterun

"Do you smell that?" Kathryn asked.

Aila sniffed the air. "Smell what?"

"That... smell."

Aila rolled her eyes. "Oh, that. Yes, I can totally smell that."

Kathryn ignored her sarcasm. "It smells familiar. I can't quite place it though." She shook her head. "Ah, no matter."

The walked past buildings and shops. There were people at stalls selling all sorts of items, from food to jewelery. "Wow," Kathryn said. "It's so big. Riverwood is so small in comparison."

"It's not that big," Aila said. "The Imperial City must be three times as big."

"You've been to the Imperial City?" Kathryn asked.

"A long time ago." Memories of loneliness and solitude came rushing back to Aila. She remembered sitting in the streets as a young girl, alone and afraid. She had no idea who she was, or where she came from. People walked by, but no one paid any attention to her. "I'd rather not talk about it." she said. Kathryn nodded, and they continued to walk through the city.

Kathryn was fascinated by almost everything they saw. She had lived in Riverwood her entire life, and anything new was exciting. They found an apothecary shop, and a shrine, dedicated to Talos. They came across a rather depressing sight of large dead tree. A priestess of Kynareth told them that it was called the Gildergreen. When they saw a large building that looked like it was made of an overturned boat, Kathryn stopped.

"Excuse me," she called to a passing guard. "What is that place?"

The guard laughed. "You're joking right?" he said. "That's Jorrvaskr. Mead hall of the Companions."

"Oh, right." Kathryn said. The guard resumed his patrol. Kathryn continued looking at the building.

"Come on Kat, I think we've seen all there is to see. Let's get a room at the tavern." Aila said. Kathryn didn't seem to hear. "Kat?" Aila said again.

"Hmm?"

"Come on, let's go."

"Yeah... okay."

They walked to the tavern they saw while exploring Whiterun. The Bannered Mare it was called. They opened the doors to reveal a cozy little scene. There was a fire pit in the middle of the room. Benches surrounding it to warm any weary travelers, such as themselves. A bard was strumming on his lute. When they approached the bar, the innkeeper asked them, "Can I help you?"

"I'd like to rent a room for two," Kathryn said.

The innkeeper looked between Kathryn and Aila. "The only room I have available has just one bed."

"Do you know if another will be available soon?" Kathryn asked.

"Afraid not," the innkeeper said.

Kathryn let out a sigh. "Guess I'm sleeping on the floor. We'll take it."

"Upstairs in the back, second door on the left. How long are you staying?"

"Two nights."

"That'll be fifty gold."

Kathryn paid her and headed to their room, Aila following close behind.

"Kathryn," Aila said. "You don't have to sleep on the floor."

"It doesn't matter." Kathryn said.

"I don't want you to be uncomfortable."

"No, I mean it doesn't matter because I won't sleep."

"Oh, right." Aila was still trying to understand how Kathryn could go so long with no sleep. They entered their room and laid out all their stuff. There was a chest at the foot of the bed for storage. "Are you sure you won't sleep?" Aila asked. "I mean, you haven't for five days."

Kathryn shook her head. "I probably could, but I'd rather not even try. The longest I've gone without sleep is a month." Aila's jaw dropped. "Trying to sleep now," Kathryn continued, "would be like you trying to sleep after a nap. What?"

"A month?!" Aila exclaimed.

Kathryn shrugged. "I don't know why, I just don't feel tired."

"Kathryn, you are the strangest girl I have ever met."

"I'm flattered."

"You should be. It was a compliment."

Kathryn laughed. "I think your compliments need a little work."

Aila settled in a chair by the wall. "So," she said "two days?"

Kathryn nodded "That should give us enough time to rest and find a carriage driver to take us to Winterhold."

"What will we do until then? We still have plenty on daylight left," Aila said.

"Well..." Kathryn said, thinking. "I want to check out that mead hall."

"You mean Jorrvaskr? Who are the companions anyway?"

"Oh, just a bunch of warriors. I never really cared for them."

"If you don't care for them why do you want to go see their mead hall?" Aila asked.

Kathryn hesitated a moment before saying "You know that smell I told you about earlier?"

"You mean that smell that smells?" Aila teased. "I remember."

"Well, it seems like it's coming from there."

"What does it smell like, exactly?"

"I don't know how to explain it," Kathryn said. "I don't think I've ever smelled it before and yet it smells incredibly familiar."

"Is it a good smell or a bad smell?"

"Neither. It's just... there."

"How odd," Aila said.

"Yeah," Kathryn agreed. "Wanna go check it out?"

"Absolutely."

He watched from afar, hiding in plain sight. People passed him by like he wasn't even there. The only one who knew was the woman next to him.

"What are you looking at?" she asked quietly. "We must go, Damon will soon be at High Hrothgar, and the sun is starting to get to me."

"Soon?" the man replied. "He just left. It will take him many days to get there. On Deloth it will take mere hours. Besides, I think I found another one."

"Another? Where?"

He pointed to a small elven woman leaving The Bannered Mare. "The little one, walking with the mungrohiik."

The woman crinkled her nose. "Wolves," she said. "This entire city reeks of them. Are you sure she is one? I did not think we would find more any more."

"Geh, I'm sure. Her power is dormant, though."

"So send a dragon her way."

"No, she is too weak. A dovah would kill her."

"Then why even bother with her?"

"Because if we want to defeat the World-Eater, we must find all the help we can get."

The woman sighed. "What do you want me to do?"

"Train her," the man said. "Indirectly."

"How?"

"Through the Companions."

"Why must I do it?" the woman complained.

"You are better at manipulation than me."

"If that were true I could manipulate you into doing it instead of me."

"I also need to keep an eye on Damon."

The woman stood in silence for a moment. "Fine."

The man smiled and kissed the woman. "Kogaan," he said.

"But I expect a reward when I get back."

The man laughed. "We'll see," he said before leaving the city, leaving the woman to brood all on her lonesome.

Aila walked in to a fistfight. The Dunmer and the Nord were throwing punches at each other, while the rest watched. They were so engrossed in the fight that only two people noticed Aila and Kathryn walk in. An older looking man with a blind eye, and a woman with rather revealing armour. The fight looked to be in the dark elf's favour, he seemed to be pressing the Nordic woman, until one good punch from her sent the Dunmer to the ground. The spectators started cheering, all except the man with the blind eye and the woman. They just watched Aila and Kathryn. The onlookers slowly went back to whatever they were doing as someone carried off the Dunmer, who was knocked unconscious.

"I don't suppose you've found what you're looking for," Aila said. She just entered, and she already wanted to leave.

"No," Kathryn said. "But that smell is definitely coming from here." Aila saw the woman and the one-eyed man walking toward them.
"Maybe you can ask them."

As they got closer Aila noticed something weird. "Kathryn look, their eyes... they're just like yours."

"Yeah, you're right." Kathryn said.

The woman had the same silver eyes as Kathryn, as well as the man's remaining eye.

"Who are you?" The man asked them.

"We just came into the city," Kathryn said. "We heard the Companions were here and we wanted to see for ourselves."

"Well you came to the right place," said the woman. "I'm Aela, and this is Skjor."

"I'm Kathryn."

Aila knew it was her turn to speak. "Uh... I... I'm..." she stammered.

"This is Aila," Kathryn said. "Sorry, she's a bit shy."

"Clearly."

Aila looked down at her feet.

"So what was that fighting about?" Kathryn asked.

"Oh, nothing much," Aela said. The one-eyed man walked away looking bored. "Athis said some snide comment most like."

"Athis? The dark elf?"

Aela nodded. "That's the one."

Aila tugged at Kathryn's sleeve. "Kat," she murmured.

"Hmm?"

"I'm going to head back."

"Okay. I'm going to stay here for a bit. Don't get lost."

"I won't," she said and headed out the door. Aila took a deep breath and let it out. Why did she have to be so nervous around other people? She looked around the city. Now what? She thought. She walked to the market and saw all the things for sale. She was tempted to buy a necklace made of gold with a ruby in the middle, but she decided against it. All the gold she had was Kathryn's. She shouldn't waste it on jewelery. Aila came to a shop called Belethor's General Good's and went inside. A Breton was leaning on a counter at the other end of the store. Aila assumed the man to be Belethor.

"Hello, hello," he said "Come right on in." Aila looked around. There was an abundance of items on sale. There were clothes, books, pelts, gems, and other things. "Take all the time you need to look around and see what you like," Belethor said. Aila's gaze fell upon a book. She pulled it from its shelf to get a better look at it. The cover was blank except for a depiction of a ball of flames on the front. She opened it. This is a spell tome. Aila realized. It seemed to be for a spell called Ice Spike. Aila grabbed another book like it. This one had a tree on it that was burnt on one side. She opened it and saw it contained a spell called Oakflesh.

"H-how much do these cost?" Aila asked.

"For both of them? Eighty gold."

Eighty gold wasn't so bad. Besides, Kathryn could make good use of these. Aila looked along the shelf for more books when something caught her eye. She grabbed the book and looked at it.

"What ab-bout this one?"

"That one? Why would you want that?"

"No r-reason." Aila said.

"Tell you what, you buy those spell tomes, and I'll give you that thing for free. I'd be happy to get rid of it."

Aila thought about it. Kathryn would be glad to have the tomes. "Okay" Aila paid him and left the store. She headed back to the room at the Tavern and set the books down on a table. Aila picked up the book she got for free. Why did she buy this? She'd sooner forget all about dragons. Aila turned the cover and began to read.