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Harbinger	By : madnad Category: +A through F > Elder Scrolls - Skyrim Views: 4497 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: The Elder Scrolls universe & Skyrim belongs wholly to Bethesda. Original character Lyara belongs to me. I make no money from writing of this story and it is for entertainment purposes only.

Chapter List
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When Lyara arrived in Riverwood, she was befriended by Delphine who ran the Sleeping Giant Inn with her husband, Orgnar. She showed kindness to Lyara when the wood elf first arrived in the village covered in Imperial blood and talking of dragons. Anyone else would have probably called the city guards, and had her incarcerated as a mad woman. Lyara stayed at the Inn while she sorted her affairs, and reclaimed her belongings. The two women had spent a few long evenings talking about the state of Skyrim, the Thalmor, and the dragons.
When word got around Riverwood that she had been in Helgen during the dragon attack, the villagers implored her to warn the Jarl at Whiterun of the danger. Hesitant at first because she knew that she would have trouble explaining her presence in the town, she eventually relented as she felt that she owed the villagers this service in return for the kindness they had shown her.
When she arrived at Whiterun, Jarl Balgruff decided that as she was the only person with any experience of dragons, she should accompany his bodyguard, Irileth, to follow up rumours of a sighting of such a beast at the Watch Tower.

Lyara's storytelling was interrupted by Farkas snorting at the mention of Irileth. He was all too familiar with that sour-faced bitch. She did not like the Companions, fearing that they would side with the rebel leader Ulfric and the Stormcloaks against her Jarl if the civil war that was brewing in Skyrim ever came to a head. If he thought about it, Farkas had to admit, it was probably true.
Wanting to hear the rest of her tale, Farkas apologised for the interruption and remained quiet. He watched Lyara's brows knit together in concentration and she took a deep breath as she gathered her thoughts before continuing with her story.

The rumours had appeared to be true, as a dragon attacked the party when they approached the Tower. The creature swooped and dived, and several of the guards were roasted by its jets of flame. This dragon was much smaller than the giant beast that had attacked her in Helgen, but was no less dangerous.
Between Lyara, Irileth, and the remaining guards, they managed to do enough damage to finally bring the beast down. It had not been an easy fight and there were many injuries sustained among the survivors. They had lost a few guards to the fiery breath of the dragon. Lyara herself had suffered some nasty burns, but she had managed to heal herself.
When the curious survivors approached the dragon’s corpse, it started to spontaneously incinerate in front of their eyes. Patches of reptilian flesh glowed like embers before crumbling into white-grey ash. The guards scattered, fearing some further injuries, but Lyara had found herself rooted to the spot, entranced by the small pieces of ash floating skywards off the gigantic carcass. With a sound like rushing winds, a swirling essence rose from the bones. Spirals of ethereal colours danced in the air above before swooping down and rushing into her from all directions.
Lyara paused her story, unsure what to say next. This was the first time she had talked to anyone about what she had experienced. She wasn’t sure why she was talking about it now, but she found Farkas easy to talk to.
She described the feeling to be like that of static running through her body. It had not been painful, yet was not entirely pleasant either. A rush of power had flown through every fibre of her being, and tingled right to the tips of her fingers. When the phenomenon had finished, before she had even had a chance to contemplate what had just happened, she had felt a tremendous pressure build in her chest and instinctively released it as a shout.
A blast of sound had emanated from her, causing the few guards nearby to be pushed along the ground by some invisible force. In awe and fear, they had immediately started calling her Dragonborn in hushed reverential voices, as the power of the Thu’um, the Voice, was theirs by right.
Lyara looked at Farkas, curious to know how he was taking all this. He stared back at her, wide-eyed and curious, but very much captivated by the story.
"So what happened then?" he asked.
"I was summoned once again by the Jarl, and he thanked me for my assistance in dispatching the dragon. He then made me a Thane of Whiterun, of all things." She shrugged her shoulders and laughed drily. "I imagine he was trying to buy my loyalty and bind me to him. I think, in light of the coming uprising, he feels I may be of some use."
"I expect you're right," Farkas said thoughtfully.
"He went on to say he had received word from the Greybeards, the monks who study the power of the Voice. They want the Dragonborn, or Dovakiin as they called it, to visit them to complete some instruction at their temple at High Hrothgar, on top of the Throat of the World Mountain."
She sighed heavily.
"Are you going to go?" he asked gently.
"I am not sure yet. I … I don’t know if I am altogether happy that fate, or the Divine Nine, have decided a future for me. I like being in control of my own destiny."
She looked at him. "I want to join the Companions," she said earnestly. "I want the life you lead. I want the Companions to become the family I have long searched for," she finished quietly. She looked down at her hands then, not able to hold his gaze any longer. "I was a great disappointment to my own family, but I think I can make Kodlak proud."
Farkas smiled at the wood elf and nodded. "I am sure you will, sister. I am sure you will."
She placed her hand on his forearm, and stopped her horse. "I would appreciate you not mentioning word of my situation amongst the Companions. I want my standing to be based on my ability as a warrior alone."
"Your secret is safe with me, sister," he answered sincerely. "Everyone is allowed a secret," he added with a smile and a wink.
Lyara was a little shocked to notice her loins tighten when he smiled at her like that. Her cheeks coloured slightly, and so to disguise her embarrassment, she quickly engaged him in conversation as they moved on, and asked him to tell her something about his life in the Companions.
He and Vilkas had spent the last couple of months collecting the various pieces of Wuuthrad. Kodlak had been doing an immense amount of research, determined to find all the pieces and reform the great axe of Ysgramor, the long-dead founder of the Companions.
"How did you end up in the Companions?" she asked.
Farkas explained that he and his brother were orphans and raised in an orphanage. They had joined the Companions when they were just 16. Skjor had been their trainer when they first arrived, and he taught them everything they knew.
"Skjor says that I have the strength of Ysgramor, and my brother has his smarts," he joked.

They arrived at the outskirts of Whiterun, and left the horses at the stable. A stone-paved road wound up towards the large fortified gatehouse. The city of Whiterun, capital of Whiterun Hold, was perched high above them and was surrounded by steep cliff walls. The only way in was up the steep road, and over the drawbridge.
The city was in a great position tactically, and Lyara believed it would be key to the impending civil war within Skyrim between the Imperials and the Stormcloaks.
Inside the walls, it was split into three distinct areas. The first was the Plain District, which is where the Bannered Mare Inn was located, and a food market. Next was the Wind District, within which the residents of Whiterun lived. The final area, the Cloud District, contained Dragonsreach, the Jarl’s Hall, and the seat of government for his hold. It was the highest point of Whiterun, and was rumoured to have once held a dragon prisoner in its dungeons.
As they walked through the town, Lyara was a little disappointed their journey together was over. She hoped there would be other opportunities to go on jobs with Farkas, as she felt their fighting styles complemented each other.
She followed Farkas into the Cloud District and up the steps to Jorrvaskr, the home and headquarters of the Companions. When she walked through the large oak doors, she was grateful for the warmth of the fires. The weather outside always seemed to be either raining or snowing. Lyara hated that it was always so damned cold in Skyrim.
The mead hall was warmed by a large fire pit in the centre that had benched seating around it. Aela the Huntress was sat talking with Skjor, and Farkas asked her where Kodlak was.
"He's in his quarters," came her reply.
With a quick nod of farewell towards Lyara, Farkas walked off and descended the stairs at the end of the hall that led down to the living area on the level beneath. The wood elf watched him leave then turned back towards Aela, who beckoned her to a seat at the table and passed her a tankard of mead.
Aela smiled softly at her, her blue eyes sparkling. Her red hair hung to her shoulders, framing a pretty face. The war paint she was in the habit of wearing made her look wild, but Lyara knew her to be a kind and loyal friend. She was a formidable archer, and ferocious warrior, and she was highly respected among the Companions.
Lyara was quizzed about her adventure, and asked to tell of the fights in glorious detail. They saluted her successes, and Lyara smiled. She was very fond of her new friends, and amused at their blood-lust and fondness for revelling in the victories of battle. The life of a warrior was a hard one, and your shield-sibling’s survival to fight again another day was always something to celebrate.

Sometime later, their conversation was interrupted when Kodlak appeared, followed by Farkas and the surly Vilkas.
"Aela, could you gather the rest of the Companions please?" Kodlak asked. "Lyara, come follow me child."
The elder warrior gestured with a hand towards the back doors, to indicate she should go through. The two shield-maidens, Ria and Njada, were already outside stood around a brazier talking, but they stopped as soon as the group walked outside. Once through the door, Lyara stepped to one side, allowing Kodlak to lead. She followed him nervously, but Farkas appeared at her side and winked reassuringly.
Kodlak stopped in the centre of the training ground near the brazier, and turned towards the Companions that were gathered. The sky was fully dark now, and a breeze fluttered the flames as they cast deep shadows on the old man’s solemn features.
"Lyara Tyranea. You have requested to join the Companions. You have successfully completed the challenges we have set for you. Do you still wish to join our family?"
"Yes," responded the wood elf. Her heart was beating loudly in her chest, and she was feeling a little light headed from the strong mead she had shared with Aela earlier.
"Who will speak for her?" Kodlak asked loudly.
Farkas stepped forward and said clearly, "I stand witness to the courage of the soul who stands before us."
"Would you raise your shield in her defence?"
"I would stand at her back, so the world may never overtake us." Farkas replied solemnly, but his eyes were full of pride as he turned and looked directly at her.
Kodlak nodded in approval. "And would you raise your sword in her honour?"
Farkas responded. "It stands ready to meet the blood of her foes."
Lyara could feel a colour growing in her cheeks, but she was unable to hide the happiness she felt, or tear her gaze from Farkas.
Finally, Kodlak asked, "Would you raise a mug in her name?"
Farkas continued to look straight into her eyes. When he replied, his rich baritone voice was soft, and thick with emotion.
"I would lead the song of triumph as our mead hall revelled in her stories."
A cheer rose up then from around the group, and many of them made their way over to her to pat her on the back and offer their congratulations. Lyara happily returned the smiles of her shield-siblings, and thanked them for their kind words.
She then turned and found herself looking directly into the dark glare of Vilkas. His eyes, so like his brothers, looked at her with contempt. Her smile faltered, and she watched the warrior turn and head back inside without a word. She glanced towards Farkas and saw from his expression that he had seen his brother’s dismissal of her. He looked embarrassed at the behaviour, and wordlessly followed him inside with a scowl.
Torvar grabbed her arm. "Let's lift up our horns and drink deep into tomorrow ‘til the barrel runs dry."
"With the way you drink Torvar, the barrel won’t last until tomorrow," quipped Ria, and everyone laughed.
Lyara was still in her armour, so decided to go to the living quarters and change into some soft leather gear. When she was dressed, she went to visit Kodlak in his quarters.
"Come in," came the deep voice from within in response to her quiet knock. The elder warrior was sat at a small table strewn with papers, a small goblet of wine in his hand. A candle sputtered in a holder, the flame darkening the deep lines in his weathered face. He smiled at her through his full beard, his blue-grey eyes gentle.
"Ahh sister! How goes the hunt?"
"Well, my brother. I wanted to thank you for your kindness, and wondered if I could trouble you further for some council."
"Sit. Sit," he commanded, and gestured towards a chair. "What is it that troubles you, child?"
Lyara quietly told him of her experience with the dragon at the Watch Tower, and what had immediately followed the creature’s death. She told him of the Jarl’s suggestion that she should visit the Greybeards but explained that she was unsure how her destiny as the Dovakiin would impact on her duties and commitment to the Companions.
Kodlak smiled at her in a fatherly way. "You have no need to fret, child. We are your family now, and no one of us rules the other. Your destiny is your own to make, and your family here will support you in whatever path you follow."
He leaned forward, and kissed the top of her head gently. "Go. Go enjoy your party, and leave an old man to his bed."
Lyara smiled. He was older than the other Companions certainly, but he was no old man. His beard may be grey, but his arm was still strong.
She thanked him and headed back through the living area. As she past the door that led towards Farkas’s quarters, she heard his unmistakable deep voice as he spoke loudly to someone. When she heard the other voice, she recognised it as Vilkas and he sounded angry.
"What is it about her that upsets you so, brother?" she heard Farkas ask.
The elder twin growled in response. "I just don’t think she belongs here. There is something odd about her. She smells of … I am not sure, but my wolf can smell something in her blood."
"I think she smells like snowberries," she heard Farkas reply, and Lyara could almost picture him smiling. "You can trust her Vilkas. I would stake my life on it."
"You may just have to little brother."
Lyara skipped away quickly and silently, not wanting to get caught eavesdropping. Could Vilkas smell that she was Dragonborn? Or was it something else?

Back in the hall, Torvar was amusing everyone with bawdy songs, having no doubt consumed his own considerable body weight in mead already.
Lyara sat next to Aela. The Huntress smiled affectionately at Lyara. "How goes it sister? How do you feel now you are a fully-fledged Companion?" she asked.
Lyara grinned, and said that it feels wonderful. She never really had a family to speak of, so it is all quite new to her. Aela said that she would gladly lay down her life for any of them.
"Even Vilkas?" Lyara asked sarcastically.
Aela laughed. "Yes, even Vilkas. Look, don’t take his gruff demeanour personally. He is tough, but fair and will come around eventually."
"I am not so sure, but I will endeavour to make him proud."
"Now, his brother Farkas is a much friendlier soul. He too can appear all dark and brooding sometimes, which always gets the ladies attention at the tavern, but deep down you could not ask for a truer friend or shield-brother."
There was genuine fondness in Aela’s voice, and something in her smile that made Lyara wonder just how fond the Nord woman was of the gentle giant.
"Are you and Farkas … intimate?"
Aela laughed loudly. "Divines, no! They are like my kin. My blood. Do not fear Lyara, you have no reason to concern yourself about me in that matter."
She looked at the elf knowingly over her tankard, a wry smile on her face.
Lyara blushed. Aela had obviously noticed the way she looked at Farkas. She was going to have to be a bit more circumspect in future. Fortunately for her, chance of any further awkward conversation with Aela was lost when they were interrupted by Skjor.
"I have a proposal for you sister," he said quietly to Lyara. "Meet me and Aela later tonight at the Underforge."
"The Underforge?" she asked, as this location was unfamiliar to her.
"It is under the Skyforge. Look and you will find it. We have a proposal for you." With a curt nod towards Aela, he then left.
The Skyforge was a forge behind Jorrvaskr, ran by Eorlund Gray-mane.
"What was that all about?" Lyara asked Aela.
"All in good time, sister." The huntress said in such a way that Lyara was left with no doubt that the matter was closed.
Lyara was saddened that Farkas didn’t stay long at the party. Shortly after Lyara had arrived back from visiting with Kodlak, Farkas had appeared from the living area without his brother. He wore a gloomy expression, so she surmised the brothers had exchanged more words, and this obviously bothered him.
He came over to toast her, and she smiled in gratitude, even though she felt in some way responsible for his current mood. Distracted, he sat nearby, but did not join in the conversation, instead just stared into his mug. After a short while, he claimed exhaustion, and made his way back down to the living area.
At the appointed hour, Lyara broke off her dance with the drunken Torvar, and headed outside the back of Jorrvaskr. Her sharp eyes saw Aela slip through a concealed doorway just before the stairs that led up to the Skyforge. Lyara waited outside for a few minutes, not sure whether to just walk in or wait, but then Skjor arrived.
"Is this another test?" Lyara asked.
"This is no test, New Blood. This is a gift," was his enigmatic response.
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Harbinger