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Dragonheart: Rise of the Harbinger	By : Lady_Kae Category: +A through F > Elder Scrolls - Skyrim Views: 9483 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own any characters used from the game TES: Skyrim. All characters and game related material, save for original content is property of their respective owners and no money is being made from this fiction.

Chapter List
- 4
- 5
- 6
Chapter 4: Joining the Ranks
Tarrowlyn checked the edge of her blade as she sat at the grindstone and she nodded approvingly. While it wasn’t one of Eorlund’s blades; and she wanted one very badly for that matter, but it was solid, had an edge, and she could wield it. Not to mention it had been a gift from Alvor before she had left Riverwood. Maybe she would head that way for a visit soon, and possibly stop in Falkreath. Her family had lived near the shores of Lake Ilinalta for generations and she wondered if her line had origins in this era. She was very keen on finding out. “ Despite it being a gift, it’s nothing more than a pork sticker if you ask me…” she grumbled as she spotted a large nick in the iron. That had been from one of the bandits blades in Valtheim Towers. Nothing for it though, Tarrowlyn mused. It wasn’t as if she could afford the materials for a steel blade as opposed to the iron one she was wielding. The wages Eorlund had paid her; a decent eight hundred septim, were already nearly gone due to having to restock her provisions in Ivarstead. Tarrowlyn's brow furrowed a little. She still had to figure out where she was going to stay once that gold ran out. That would be in about two weeks if she were any more frugal than she was.
“ Are you going to go talk to Kodlak now?” Eorlund asked. He was hammering away at another sword, single handed if Tarrowlyn took a guess, and he had a broad grin on his face. Eorlund was sure he was going to be giving this one to her soon enough and he wanted to get a head start on it.
“ I might as well. You’ve already told me you won’t hire me on full time.” Tarrowlyn replied with a groan. She sheathed her blade and she unpinned her hair to let it fall wild and free down her back. Ever since Farkas had made mention he liked how wild her hair looked, Tarrowlyn made sure it was down whenever she wasn’t working at the forge.
“ You do realize you won’t have to worry about lodgings and when you’re not running jobs you’re more than welcome to come up here to help me with my orders.” Eorlund replied with a chuckle.
“ They have a living quarters in there?”
“ Where did you think they stayed?”
“ I don’t know, somewhere around town I was sure.” Tarrowlyn groused as she began walking down the steps. That would explain why I never see any of them at the inn either. she thought to herself.
Eorlund chuckled again as he shook his head. Tarrowlyn would join. He was sure of that.

Tarrowlyn entered Jorrvaskr and almost instantly her attention was drawn to the left where a fight was breaking out.
“ Break his nose, Njada!” came Aela’s voice.
“ Don’t let her push you around, Athis! Are you just going to stand there and take it?” came Farkas, eliciting a smirk from Tarrowlyn. He was forever relishing in the fight.
Their eyes met and Farkas nodded towards the left though he had flashed her a bright grin at the sight of her. It hadn’t taken him long to figure out why she was inside. Tarrowlyn nodded in thanks and she watched the fight play out before heading downstairs. Upon entering the living quarters, Tarrowlyn heard the low murmur of voices to her right, one of which she recognized as Vilkas. Following the sound, Tarrowlyn swallowed hard as she approached a set of double doors. Through them she could see Vilkas sitting at a table with an old man dressed in armor like his, and she paused at the door.
“ I still hear the call of the blood.” Vilkas whispered, his eyes averted to the floor.
Tarrowlyn was about to back away when the old man motioned for her to step forward. This sounded like a conversation she should not be hearing.
“ We all do. It is our burden to bear, but we can overcome.” he said consolingly.
“ You have my brother and I, obviously. But I don’t know if the others will go quite so easily.” Vilkas replied, rubbing the back of his neck. He looked up to say something else, though his attention was quickly brought to the young woman standing before them. He glowered at her visibly for having heard that conversation and the old man patted his shoulder.
“ You leave that to me.” he said. “ Now, who are you, lass?”
“ My name is Tarrowlyn Dragonheart, sir. I was wondering if I could be allowed to join the Companions.” she said, hoping she was hiding her nervousness well enough.
“ Would you now?” Kodlak boomed happily. He got to his feet and he began circling Tarrowlyn appraisingly. By the gods she hated it when people did that. “ Here now, let me have a look at you.” His kind grey eyes met hers and Tarrowlyn suddenly felt as if the old man were staring right into her soul. “ Hm….Yes, perhaps...A certain strength of spirit…” he murmured as he took his seat again.
“ Master, you’re truly not considering accepting her?!” Vilkas exclaimed, nearly jumping out of his own seat at this point. Didn’t Kodlak understand that this would crush the girl easier than a boot on an ant?
“ I am nobody’s master, Vilkas.” Kodlak admonished gently. Oh yes, he had heard of her already, the young woman who had been working at the Skyforge with Eorlund. He was also aware of how deadset Vilkas was against her joining. “ And last I checked we had some empty beds for those with fire burning in their hearts.” Kodlak was looking at the young woman again quite consideringly. A little on the willowy side, but she looked as if she could pack a punch. Maybe that’s what it would take for Vilkas to see she wasn’t as delicate as she seemed. Besides, Kodlak could tell that the last month or so that she had been working with Eorlund had helped her fill out a little. He remembered hearing from both the smith and Farkas how tiny she was. She certainly didn’t look all that defenseless now.
“ Apologies.” Vilkas growled out as his eyes leveled on Tarrowlyn. It was clear that he had not been sincere in his apology either. “ But perhaps this isn’t the time. I’ve have never even heard of this outsider.”
Tarrowlyn bristled visibly at this. She knew Vilkas knew damn well who she was, and she was sure Kodlak had heard a few things at this point. What did it matter if she had or had not made a name for herself?
“ Sometimes the famous come to us. Sometimes men and women come to us to seek their fame. It makes no difference. What matters is their heart, Vilkas.” Kodlak said sagely.
“ And their arm.” Vilkas remarked, his tone disparaging as he continued to glare at Tarrowlyn.
Kodlak chuckled and he looked back to Tarrowlyn. She looked as if she was about to tackle Vilkas where he sat if he kept course. “ Of course. How are you in battle, girl?” he asked her, though the twinkle in his eyes told Tarrowlyn he already knew the answer to that question.
“ Admittedly, I have much to learn.” Tarrowlyn replied honestly.
“ That’s the spirit.” Kodlak said jovially, clapping Tarrowlyn on the shoulder. “ And Vilkas here will get you started on that. Vilkas, take her out to the yard and see what she can do.”
" Aye." Vilkas groaned as he got to his feet. “ Come along, whelp.” he barked out, striding from the room with a strong gate.
Tarrowlyn’s eyes were narrowed on Vilkas’ back as well. To oblivion with testing a swing or two. She wasn’t going to allow the man to condescend her in such a manner. No, Tarrowlyn would not stand for it at all.
The rest of the Companions knew something was up when Vilkas and Tarrowlyn strode strongly through the mead hall towards the yard. Both had grim scowls on their faces and Tarrowlyn looked as if she were fuming. The two exited through the door and the rest of the Companions looked at one another excitedly.
The room was empty in moments.

Vilkas walked over to the wall and he pulled a shield off of it.
" Leave the shield, Vilkas. The only thing we need are our blades." Tarrowlyn said. Her voice was dark and full of promise, and her green eyes were narrowed into fine slits.
Vilkas smirked as he put the shield back down and he pulled his blade from his back " You do realize what you're asking of me, yes?" He asked her, his voice curious. He was a master with a two handed blade. Vilkas was certain if she tried to heft it that she’d tip to the side almost instantly. He couldn’t keep his eyes from glittering however. Vilkas was going to put this little upstart in her place.
" Yes I know. Two out of three falls?" Tarrowlyn replied. She dropped her knapsack near the practice dummies and she unsheathed her blade in preparation.
" Very well then." Vilkas agreed.
Both were silent and tensed as they waited for the other to make the first move and Tarrowlyn smirked. She then rushed in faster than Vilkas thought possible and their blades glanced as Vilkas deflected the blow. Tarrowlyn swung her blade in the other direction and Vilkas blocked it once more, though just barely. The two began going back and forth and Vilkas managed to feint and his blade stopped at Tarrowlyn's throat.
" That's one." He said, smirking all the while.
Tarrowlyn took the distraction to trip Vilkas and her blade tipped his chin up. " That's one for me as well." She replied.
Farkas couldn't hold back the chuckle that bubbled forth at the sight. His brother was getting knocked around pretty soundly by Tarrowlyn.
" She's gonna kick his ass, isn't she?" Aela whispered to him. Tarrowlyn was smaller in stature than Aela was, but she definitely showed promise as well as determination. Her swordwork wasn’t all too bad either, the huntress of Jorrvaskr noted as her eyes followed every movement the two combatants made. No one was making a noise, they were all enjoying the show to be honest.
" More than likely." Farkas replied simply as he leaned against the wall. By the look of things, neither Vilkas or Tarrowlyn were easing up any time soon.
Vilkas snarled a bit as his blade locked with Tarrowlyn's once more. He had to admit, the girl was good. Damn good if he were honest. Their swords clanged and clashed as they each blocked and parried, neither willing to back down or give in. Tarrowlyn spun neatly to avoid a horizontal slash that would have gutted a man with lesser skill, her sword dancing and sparking with Vilkas'.
Both warriors separated for a moment, both breathing heavily from their duel and Vilkas darted back in at the same time Tarrowlyn did. She barely deflected his blade off to the side and she bit back a shout as it glanced her arm at an exposed section of the steel. Her blade came to a rest against Vilkas' neck and she realized all too late his was in the same position.
" I think I'll call that a draw!" Kodlak shouted from the sidelines.
" No draws!" Both Tarrowlyn and Vilkas chorused vehemently. Their eyes were locked onto one another, icey blue boring intensely into emerald green. Both sets were narrowed and Vilkas' grip tightened on the hilt of his two handed greatsword.
Tarrowlyn drew her blade back as she closed the distance between them, her fist flying hard and true across his jaw. The steel of his blade nicked her neck in the process, but she seemed unfazed by it. By the gods, was she not afraid to die?
Vilkas brought a booted foot up to kick Tarrowlyn away from him and he sent her reeling backwards a bit clumsily. She quickly regained her footing, and she sent her own boot on a crash course with his chest. Vilkas countered as he went to sweep Tarrowlyn's feet out from under her and she jumped to avoid the trip, landing lightly as she swung her blade to him again. Their blades clanged once more, and Vilkas realized that Tarrowlyn was very close to having him beat. His blade rose as she moved to close the space between them with a hair raising bellow and Tarrowlyn once again let the blade glance her as she brought her sword to his throat only to find a dagger at her own before she could get it there.
" Not bad...." Vilkas panted as his eyes locked to Tarrowlyn's again. He had hidden that dagger in his boot and had pulled it the last time he brought his foot up. It was a trick he hadn’t needed to resort to in a long, long time. " ...For a whelp." The smirk on his face spoke volumes. While he still didn’t care much for her, Vilkas had to admit the girl showed a lot of promise. There were not many who could come that close to beating him. The only ones who could were all part of the circle.
Tarrowlyn smiled as she sheathed her blade and she held her hand out to him to help the other man to his feet. Vilkas took it as he nodded, sheathing his own blade and his hand came up to rub his jaw.
" That was a good punch." He conceded, a bit breathless from the duel.
" I'm the youngest of four and the only daughter. You have my brothers to thank for that." Tarrowlyn replied. " If it had been first blood, you would have won regardless. You got me three different times." She added with a wince. There was a steady trickle of blood from where his sword had sliced into her flesh through the fur and leather on the side of her armor.
" You took a risk I wasn't counting on. You did better than most we get through here, Tarrowlyn. I’ll give you that." Vilkas said, his voice not as harsh as it normally was. " You do still have much to learn in the way of combat, but you're well on your way."
Farkas watched with a smile as Vilkas and Tarrowlyn spoke to one another and he looked over to Kodlak who was nodding approvingly. While Tarrowlyn hadn’t bested Vilkas, she had shown him that she was capable enough to be counted among their ranks. That still had yet to be seen of course with her still needing to go through her trial. He ambled inside, lost in thought and Farkas smirked a bit as his brother followed.
“ Not a word, brother.” Vilkas said, though he was smirking a bit again.
“ I told you she wasn’t such a delicate little thing.” Farkas retorted with a chuckle. He began making his way down to his room and Vilkas followed.

Tarrowlyn walked up the stone steps towards the Skyforge and she smiled over to Eorlund when he saw her.
" Not a bad showing out there, lass. I haven't seen anyone put Vilkas in his place in a long while." Eorlund said to her.
" I won't let him think that I can't handle myself. My brothers made sure that wasn't the case. Vilkas asked me to bring his sword up for sharpening. Did you want me to handle that?"
Eorlund shook his head in the negative as he crossed over to her. " I'll handle it lass. You need to get yourself patched up. And don't allow them to walk all over you either. They were all whelps once, though they don't like to talk about it." Eorlund said with a chuckle. " Although I do have favor to ask if you would be so kind. I finished Aela's shield earlier. Would you mind taking it to her?"
" What was that about not letting them walk all over me?" Tarrowlyn shot back with a teasing grin and Eorlund waved her off. " I'll get it to her, no worries."

Tarrowlyn found Aela talking with Skjor in her room in the living quarters of Jorrvaskr and Tarrowlyn knocked on the door to let them know she was standing there. " Eorlund asked me to bring your shield down to you."
Aela nodded as she crossed over to the other woman and she took the shield in hand. " Thank you, Tarrowlyn."
" So that's the whelp that gave Vilkas such a thrashing?" asked Skjor. He was looking at her consideringly and Tarrowlyn smirked in return. She knew damn well she had put it to him good. Skjor nodded approvingly. While she was proud of her accomplishemnt, she wasn't about to boast about it.
" Don't let him catch you saying that. But tell me honestly. Do you truly believe you could take Vilkas?" Aela asked Tarrowlyn. Her brown eyes were locked onto the verdant ones of the woman before her.
" I don't care much for boasting. I either can or I cannot. Simple as that." Tarrowlyn said after a moment.
Aela nodded. " A woman who allows her actions to speak for her. I like that." Aela replied with a chuckle as she looked over to her friend. " You look beat. I'll have Farkas show you where you can get some rest."
" FARKAS!" Skjor bellowed. Tarrowlyn flinched at the sound. By the gods, it felt as if he had shaken the room with that shout.
As if summoned by his very name, Farkas was standing at the door. " You called?" Farkas' tone was a little terse. He hated when Skjor did that. They should be lucky he was only in his room down the hall.
" Yes, ice for brains. Show her where the rest of the whelps sleep." Aela told him imperiously. Then again, it was mostly for show that she was doing that.
Farkas motioned for Tarrowlyn to follow and she did so wordlessly. " Aela and Skjor tend to pick on me a bit, but they're good people. For now, just come to Aela and I if you're looking for any jobs to do. Vilkas and Skjor won't give you any work for now until you've proven yourself a bit. Here we go. Just pick a bed and crash for now. Get some rest, you earned it."
Tarrowlyn smiled up at him and he returned it. " Thanks Farkas. I'm probably going to sleep like the dead tonight. I haven't been feeling too comfortable at the inn for the last few times I slept there." She said softly. The way some of the travelers that had passed through town had been eyeing her had bugged Tarrowlyn to no end. It was as if they were undressing her with their eyes.
Farkas glowered at this comment and he made a mental note to ask Hulda if any one had been bothering any of her female patrons. While he wouldn’t admit it to her, Farkas was troubled by the thought of someone trying catch her attentions. He couldn’t deny that he wanted her himself either. “ Well, you won’t have to worry about that anymore…” Farkas said, his voice on the edge of a growl. “ Get some rest and tend to your wounds. You’re one of us now, new blood. Welcome to the family.”
Tarrowlyn smiled softly as she closed the door and she sighed a little wistfully. If only...she thought with a bit of melancholy. She didn’t want to admit just how much she had wanted him to say that he wanted them to be a family. She began stripping her armor away with a slight wince, though she had to hurriedly slam the door shut when Torvar tried to enter. “ Just give me a couple of minutes, will you?!” she bellowed at the door. By the gods, that was something she hadn’t had to contend with since she had moved away from home and to the college!
Tarrowlyn took on her first job three days later, and she pulled Thunder's reins to slow the horse. " Easy boy..." she whispered. Something had the stallion on edge and she felt it as well. Farkas had tasked her with clearing some bandits out of Rannveig's Fast, a barrow on the borders of Hjaalmarch and Whiterun, in an effort to ease the danger that the merchants that traveled this way were in. However, things were much too quiet.
Thunder stomped his hooves a bit, clearly bothered by something he could sense and Tarrowlyn could not and he reared up a little on his hind legs when she tried to push him onward. Tarrowlyn slid from his back and she patted his neck consolingly in an effort to calm him a little.
" Easy now. Just stay here." She whispered to the horse. Crouching low, Tarrowlyn pulled her bow from her back as she began scouting ahead and she kept an open eye and ear out for anything that shouldn't be there. She rounded the bend, and something moved out of the corner of her eye, forcing her to pause her movements. Whatever it had been was gone just as fast.
" Please turn back! I don't want to hurt you!" Came an ethereal voice from behind her.
Tarrowlyn turned quickly and she brought her bow up to block a spectral blade that was quickly coming down to end her life, and she suppressed the urge to scream when she realized it was a ghost attacking her. By Shor, who had done this?! She pulled her blade as she threw off her attacker, and it passed through the apparition cleanly. It fell to the ground in a puddle of ectoplasmic goo and Tarrowlyn fought to control her racing heart.
" Necromancer..." she whispered, her eyes narrowing in her distaste. By the gods, of all the magics to master, she hated those who practiced necromancy. It was an abomination of magic in her eyes, forcing the dead who deserved their slumber to rise and serve without any will of their own. She made her way up the stone steps, laying the three ghosts there back into their eternal repose so that they might be freed of the spell they were under. At the top, she found the door leading into the barrow and she entered it stealthily, not making a single noise as she moved through the overgrown chambers. There was a wall and a chest toward the back of the last chamber, one she recognized from the final chamber in Bleak Falls Barrow, and she slowly made her way toward it while keeping an eye out for anymore ghosts that might attack her.
A single word lit up brighter than any star, it's meaning whispering tantalizingly in her ear as she continued her slow trek. Before she could reach the wall or the chest however, she stepped on a loose floorboard and it immediately gave under her weight. It's a trap! Tarrowlyn realized all too late. Her whole body jerked a little near the top, but an echo was heard as she screamed the entire fall down. Water soon blanketed her and Tarrowlyn sputtered as she tried to expel the liquid from her lungs. She had swallowed a bit in her surprise. Her left arm screamed its discomfort as she began treading water, and she slowly began making her way to the platform that was in the pool. Her gauntlet must have been torn off of her arm as her forearm was bare and sure enough, she could already see the swelling and bruising indicating a broken bone. She must have hit it on something during her fall after the piece of armor was torn away. Or that happened when she had been jerked around a little.
" Ah, a new test subject." Came a menacing voice to her left. A dunmer in wizards robes crossed into Tarrowlyn's line of vision and he laughed malevolently at the sight Tarrowlyn made. " I'm surprised you survived. Most don't. Oh, and don't mind my assistant there. He's more useful to me dead than he ever was alive."
Tarrowlyn kicked at the gate to see if she could get it to open, but it was locked good and tight. Worse yet, her knapsack was stuck on the trapdoor up top along with her other bracer and her lockpicks were in there. She winced as she pulled her arm closer to her, and she bit back a scream when she tried to flex the fingers a bit. She was talented in restoration magic, but broken bones were a whole other story. She needed to set the bone before she healed it or it would never be right again. Tarrowlyn looked over to the necromancer, as he was currently puttering about looking for something. She thought she heard him mutter something about a poison and she looked to the dead assistant laying near the cage. A key hung around his neck and Tarrowlyn's eyes narrowed. Yes...That would work nicely indeed.
The necromancer didn't hear the gate creek open nor did he realize Tarrowlyn was right behind him until he saw her reflection in a phial next to his hand. He turned around and blasted fire at her, forcing Tarrowlyn to back away to avoid any more serious burns. He had blasted her pretty damn good right in the middle of her chest, and Tarrowlyn had never been more thankful for her new armor. If it had been leather, she would have probably died. " I'm going to take great pleasure in killing you." He seethed.
" Not today you won't!" Tarrowlyn bellowed. Her sword sank into his gut, and Tarrowlyn wrenched the blade to the side to cut through him as if she were gutting a fish. Once her blade was free, she turned and swung the blade, neatly beheading the bastard before he could heal himself. She panted heavily as she leaned against the table a moment, her arm still belying its pain and discomfort from her efforts and she picked up a piece of broken wood. She needed to splint it for now until she could get back to Jorrvaskr.
Vilkas was out hunting when he heard a great roar echo down the mountainside and he looked in the direction it had come from. Rannveig's Fast....Isn't that where Farkas sent Tarrowlyn to take care of those bandits? He pondered. He was close enough, maybe he would go check it out and see what was going on himself.

Tarrowlyn ducked behind a stone pillar to dodge a stream of fire and she swore under her breath as she felt the heat against her wounded arm. It was hanging uselessly at her side, the bone protruding painfully and blood streaming down her fingers in rivulets. The dragon had sent the bone through her skin when he had bashed his tail into her. Worse yet, he had bitten straight through her armor on one particular snap that had demolished her shield. I am not going to keep replacing shields like this! she thought with a growl. She dashed out from behind her hiding spot, her blade raised high in an effort to strike the dragon in the eyes as she drew closer. Her blade sank into the muzzle, forcing its great maw closed before it could snap at her, and Tarrowlyn darted for another hiding spot as it went airborne again.
Vilkas' eyes went wide at the sight of the great beast, though his attention was quickly brought to a familiar red mane as Tarrowlyn dashed his way. Both combatants were grievously injured, but Vilkas knew Tarrowlyn was at her limit. Her arm noticeably broken, and her color was very pale. Without missing a beat, she spun neatly to block a vicious bite, her blade sparking against the dragon’s razor sharp teeth. He didn't even realize he was charging into the fray until his own sword sank into the dragon's scales at the neck.
Tarrowlyn took the distraction as providence as she jumped onto the back of its head and she plunged her blade into its neck. The dragon gave a final roar before it collapsed to the ground in a crumpled heap and Tarrowlyn swayed as her vision swam.
Vilkas dropped his sword as Tarrowlyn teetered a little on the dragon's corpse and he gingerly helped the injured woman back to the ground. There was a section of her armor that had been bitten through, and it was stained crimson with her blood, as was most of her right side. She had some nasty looking burns as well on both arms and her neck and Vilkas looked to her face. " Easy Tarrowlyn..." he said as she tried to get back to her feet. Both his hands were attempting to hold her firmly in place, but Tarrowlyn would not be stayed.
" Look out!" Tarrowlyn cried out, finally shoving Vilkas out of the way even as she grabbed his blade with her good hand. The shining steel pierced into the roof of the dragon's mouth, as it had played dead in an effort to catch them unawares, and Vilkas looked at Tarrowlyn with a respect that had not been there even after their duel three days prior. She had just saved his life after all.
The dragon fell to the side, dead as a doornail, and Tarrowlyn fell back into the dirt in her exhaustion. She had barely seen it move when Vilkas tried to lay her back down. Now she had no qualms in doing that. Between taking out the spectral bandits, falling and breaking her arm, fighting that damn necromancer, and now a dragon, Tarrrowlyn was very, very tired indeed. She just wanted to sleep now. Vilkas then watched as the dragon began fading before his eyes and a bright light shot from it to the woman near by. Tarrowlyn didn’t even seem phased that she was absorbing the dragon’s soul!
" By the gods...You really are the dragonborn." He whispered. His blue eyes went wide in alarm when Tarrowlyn didn't answer him and he rushed back over to her side. She was breathing heavily and her eyes were screwed shut with the agony she was in. " We need to get you to Danica so that she can heal you."
" I...I can heal myself...Just set my arm." Tarrowlyn panted breathlessly. The agony she was feeling was unreal. This is probably nothing compared to childbirth...she thought wryly.
Vilkas shook his head. " What are you? A priest?" He said with a slight laugh.
" Former college student." Tarrowlyn bit out in reply. She bit back an agonized scream as Vilkas gauged the break, and several tears trickled down her face despite her efforts to stem them.
" You're in no position to heal yourself, Tarrowlyn. You're wounds are severe." Vilkas said softly and sternly as he began pulling away the splint. " I can at least dress them for now, and set the break, but we need to get you to Danica at the temple." A crash of thunder overhead made him swear as a thunderhead began rolling over the plains. Tarrowlyn wouldn't last long if she were caught in this storm.
Tarrowlyn pulled her belt away and she bit into it as Vilkas prepared to put the bone back into place. Vilkas swallowed in his nervousness as she nodded and he pressed down hard, and the scraping of bone on bone was heard as he moved it back to where it was supposed to be. Tarrowlyn couldn't hold back the anguished cry that escaped her through the leather she was biting into and she forced herself still to keep from thrashing about. Sobs began racking her petite form, and she felt Vilkas bandage the tear where the bone had been protruding.
" I need to get you into some form of shelter, Tarrowlyn." Vilkas said softly, his eyes firmly set on what he was doing." We'll never beat the storm back on foot."
" What about on horseback?" Tarrowlyn chanced as she wiped her tears away with her other hand. She felt beyond nauseous at the moment.
" Not even Thunder can beat this storm, little sister." Vilkas said, his eyes gazing skyward as he tied the bandage on her arm.
" Little sister?" Tarrowlyn hissed as Vilkas reset the splint. Despite the pain and agony she was in, she had the ghost of a smile on her face.
" You're the youngest Companion in the guild, and we're all shield siblings in honor." Vilkas explained as he hauled Tarrowlyn to her feet. " Is there anything close by where we can weather this storm?"
" The barrow at the top of the....GAH! Easy on the right side, would you?" She lurched forward as Vilkas began pulling her up the stairs. It had grown very dark very quickly and Tarrowlyn looked skyward. He wasn't kidding about that storm either.
" Just bear it for a moment, Tarrowlyn. We need to get insi...DAMN!" Vilkas began, only to be cut off when they were hit with a spray of rain. " C'mon."
Tarrowlyn was groaning pitifully as Vilkas pulled the door open, and both jumped when a flash of lightning struck nearby. Tarrowlyn shot further inside despite the pain she was in; though she paid for her hastiness in spades as her wounds screamed in protest, and Vilkas ushered her over to the the driest spot of the entrance so that he could get a fire going, on top of other things.
His ice blue eyes were worried as he looked her over. " Alright, let's take care of those wounds." Vilkas said gently as he laid Tarrowlyn against his bedroll.

Farkas was pacing in his room a bit as the storm raged outside. Tarrowlyn should have been back hours ago, the same could be said about Vilkas for that matter as well. His brother had only left town to hunt down some game and he was never out this long on a hunt. And Tarrowlyn should have been able to clear those bandits with very little trouble, if any at all. He knew her strength, knew she could do it. It was a tough job for sure, but Farkas didn't want her feeling as if he were favoring her by giving her the easy tasks. He ran his hands nervously through his hair and he groaned a little in his agitation. The wait was agonizing as he was worried for the two people he cared for most.
Farkas knew he cared deeply for Tarrowlyn. The two weeks he had spent in her company had only cemented that fact. While it wasn't love, it was much deeper than the desire she flamed inside of him. The morning she had woken up beside him in Valtheim Towers had been sweet, though he hadn't taken it any further than just holding her. Farkas knew she was untouched with as easily as she blushed at every innuendo he threw her way.
Without warning, his bedroom door swung open to reveal a panicked Aela and he looked at her in shock.
" Thunder just returned to the stables without a rider!" She exclaimed. Her own brown eyes were wide with worry and Skjor was standing behind her with a grim look on his face as well. They all knew that Farkas had let Tarrowlyn use his horse for the day to make the trip all the more faster.
Farkas' eyes went wide in understanding and he quickly set to putting his armor on. He could only pray the horse had returned to seek shelter from the storm while leaving Tarrowlyn at the old barrow.
" What do you think you're doing, Farkas?" Skjor said, striding into the room and forcing the younger man to pause in his efforts. " Going out into that storm is a fool's errand. We need to wait it out."
" Both my brother and Tarrowlyn are still out there, Skjor. I'll be damned if I don't go looking for either of them." Farkas seethed in return.
" Skjor is right, Farkas."
All three members of the circle looked over to the door, as Aela had moved to stop Farkas as well, and they saw Kodlak standing there.
" But Harbinger..." Farkas began, his voice betraying him in both his nervousness and worry. He was fully set on protesting as well.
Kodlak held a hand up to stop him before he could say another word. " Both of them are capable of seeking shelter from the storm. We'll give them a day or two. If Tarrowlyn hasn't returned in that time, you can go to Rannveig's Fast to see if she was indeed killed. I expect we'll see Vilkas by morning." He said sternly. " It won't help matters putting yourself at risk."
Farkas' face fell visibly and he took a deep breath to calm himself. " Very well then, Harbinger." Was all he said. He wouldn't sit idly by and wait to hear if either were dead. Farkas would track them later tonight once the weather permitted it.

Vilkas shifted the wood on the fire a bit as he sat in silence. Tarrowlyn had lost consciousness while he had tended to her wounds, and he shook his head ruefully. Her wounds had been very severe, and worse yet she had a fever now that had yet to break. He could only hope that she didn't garner some sort of infection from the bite she had sustained from the dragon. The punctures had all been deep and inflamed and the bruising was very deep. Her right side almost looked black from it. Thunder crashed menacingly outside, causing the man to jump in surprise and Vilkas chided himself for being so jumpy. He hated thunderstorms.
He looked over to Tarrowlyn, whom he had buried in a thick pile of furs in an effort to help break her fever, and he sighed heavily. She needed a healer, quite desperately in fact, and he had no talent for magic in the slightest or he would have done so already. Her face was set in a perpetual grimace of pain, which he understood given the extent of her injuries, and her color was much too pale for his liking. He was worried she wasn't going to make it another day as she was.
Vilkas felt helpless to do anything for her except make her comfortable. Hopefully, the storm would pass by morning and he would drag her back to town on his back if he had to. He could only pray she didn't succumb to her wounds in the night.

Movement roused Vilkas from a light slumber that he had chanced a few hours before and he saw Tarrowlyn attempting to sit up. He rushed over to her side and he held her in place before she could move any further.
" You shouldn't be moving, Tarrowlyn." He said firmly.
" Vilkas...Where?" She began, only to wince as her side throbbed in protest. She felt Vilkas gently lay her back down against her borrowed bedroll and she groaned pitifully. She still had a fever and her body hurt all over.
" We're still in the barrow, though it sounds as if the storm has finally passed us." he replied. He picked up a cold rag he had soaking in some water and he placed it on her forehead in an effort to cool her down. " Don't worry. You're safe and I'm keeping watch. Get some rest."
Tarrowlyn's eyes were already closing as he spoke and Vilkas sat near her. " Thank you." She whispered.
" You're welcome." Vilkas replied. He had a slight smile on his face as Tarrowlyn fell back asleep and he gazed into the fire. He wouldn't be able to rest until he got her to Danica, and he would be leaving with her at first light. It was easier for Vilkas to see now why Farkas was as enamored as he was with Tarrowlyn. She really was much stronger than he would have given her credit for. Vilkas could only hope her will to live was just as strong as he waited for the first rays of dawn. " This is going to be a very long night..." he whispered into the flames.

" And where do you think you're going?"
Farkas froze in his tracks as he reached for the door leading out of Jorrvaskr. " Kodlak...I can't wait that long...I'm heading out to see if I can find either of them." He replied, turning to face the Harbinger of the Companions.
" You may as well start at Rannveig's Fast for Tarrowlyn then. If both of them were smart, they would have sought shelter there against the elements. I am hoping you'll find them both at the same time." Kodlak said. He wouldn't admit that he was worried for both of them with as bad as the thunderstorm had been. " Be safe."
Farkas nodded as he exited the mead hall and into the night.

Tarrowlyn roused, painfully aware of her injuries as she regained consciousness and she groaned miserably as she wished just the opposite. She'd much rather be unconscious right now with how badly she hurt.
" Tarrowlyn?" Came Vilkas' voice. " By Shor, your fever still hasn't broken yet." His face was bleary as Tarrowlyn opened her eyes and she didn't bother moving this time. The way her side felt was enough to keep her from doing such a thing.
" Do me a favor..." she groused as Vilkas replaced the cold cloth on her forehead.
" What?" Vilkas replied. His voice held a bit of mirth in it as he was sure he knew what she was going to say.
" Next time I try to fight a dragon injured, just kill me and save me the trouble of going through this again."
Vilkas chuckled as he gently patted her right shoulder so as to not jarr her bad arm. " I'll be sure to remember that." he laughed. “ Get some more sleep. There’s still a few hours til dawn and I’m trying to figure out how I’m going to carry you, plus all of your things along with mine, back to Jorrvaskr.”
“ Is Thunder outside?” Tarrowlyn whispered. She was already falling asleep again.
“ No. I sent him back to town shortly after I finished dressing your wounds. I only hope Farkas found my note in the saddlebag.” Vilkas replied. He smoothed her red locks away from her head and he stood up. He had been making it a point to check on everything outside every hour or so. He didn’t want them being ambushed by another troop of bandits after all.
A slight noise outside came to his attention. His sword was drawn and at the ready as he stood over her protectively, all the while thanking the gods that she was asleep again. Nothing was getting near her while he drew breath, Vilkas would make sure of that. He tensed as the door swung inward, and he began creeping towards the pillar to see if he could get a view on who it was. With the weather, his sense of smell was thrown off.
The clank clank clank of steel boots met his ears and Vilkas began creeping closer to the sound. If he could launch a surprise attack, that would be much better in the long run. Vilkas took a deep breath as he launched himself from the corner, his sword coming down in an arch to cleave who ever it was in two.
" Whoa!" The clash of steel was heard and Vilkas realized all too late who he had brought his sword down on.
" Brother?! By the gods, you have never been a more welcome sight!" Vilkas said in relief.
" Vilkas?! What in oblivion was that about?" Farkas yelled, his blue eyes narrowed on his twin irately.
" I had my reasons, Farkas. Tarrowlyn's in a bad way and we need to get her back to town as soon as we can." Vilkas replied coolly as he led Farkas to where Tarrowlyn was sitting up in her bed roll. The commotion had woken her up, though she was hissing in pain at the sudden movement now.
Farkas' eyes took in the sight she made, very pale, one arm in a makeshift sling against her body, bandages that were starting to need changing, though her eyes had not lost their fire. Despite how pitiful she looked, Tarrowlyn looked as if she could still go a round or two before her body gave up. What in the gods names had happened to her to cause such serious injuries? His gaze was unreadable, though hers had turned to relief when her eyes fell on him.
" What happened? I thought I was sending you after a troop of bandits." Farkas deadpanned as he kneeled beside her. Those dressings needed to be changed before they left or they would attract every wolf and saber cat in a five mile radius with the smell of the soaked bandages.
" A story I would like to hear as well for that matter." Vilkas piped up. He was gathering everything up at this point so that they could be ready to leave.
" A necromancer named Sild got to them before I did. He killed them, and then reanimated them as ghosts to do his bidding. I hate necromancy." Tarrowlyn seethed, though she hissed in pain as Farkas pulled up her shirt to begin changing her bandages. " I broke my arm when I fell for his trap, but it was the dragon Vilkas and I fought that caused the extent of my injuries." He had made a quick job of it, Tarrowlyn realized, as Farkas had finished by the time she had finished speaking. Her voice was soft and weary as she spoke and Farkas gently picked her up from the pile of furs she had been smothered in.
" Speaking of those, we should get you back to town so that Danica can get you fixed up." Vilkas added as he picked up Tarrowlyn's armor. It was the last thing that needed to be grabbed before they left the barrow. “ Keep her bundled in some of those furs Farkas. We don’t need her catching a chill and getting worse than she already is.”
Farkas nodded as he shifted her weight as gently as he could and Vilkas grabbed some of the furs. They could come back later for the bedroll and everything else. Tarrowlyn had already passed out once more, more than likely from the fever Farkas could feel radiating from her. She was like a hot coal to the touch. “ How long has she been like this?”
“ All night, though I have been trying to break that fever. Let’s just get her back to Jorrvaskr and then we’ll get Danica.” Vilkas grumbled.

Tarrowlyn groaned a bit pitifully, though it turned to a sigh of relief when someone dabbed a cool cloth against her forehead.
“ Aela! I think she might be coming to!” came Ria’s voice.
Tarrowlyn blinked a bit, though her vision was still blurry and she sat up a little. “ Where am I?” she demanded.
“ You’re back at Jorrvaskr, Tarrowlyn. Take it easy.” Ria said soothingly. “ You’ve been out the last three days, despite Danica’s attempts at healing you. She even said she wasn’t sure if you were going to wake back up with as persistent as this fever has been.”
“ Go let the other members of the Circle know that she’s woken up.” Aela said. Her brown eyes met Tarrowlyn’s green ones after a moment and Ria left the room. “ You’ve caused quite the stir here, whelp.” she chuckled.
“ Sorry for the inconvenience.” Tarrowlyn muttered. It wasn’t as if she asked for any of this to happen to her. She looked down to her left arm and she wiggled her fingers a bit. Danica had done an admirable job in healing the break. She’d have to test a shield later to be sure she could still hold one. “ Where’s my armor and my shield?”
“ Eorlund has them and he should be about done making the repairs. You shouldn’t be getting out of bed until that fever is gone. The only thing we can figure is that the dragon you fought poisoned you somehow when it bit you.”
“ Or its saliva is just chock full of things that can cause an infection.” Tarrowlyn said as she leaned back into her pillows. Her body still ached all over and Tarrowlyn noticed that her midriff was still bandaged up. " Was Danica not able to heal everything?"
" That bite has persisted this entire time. It's as if it's a cursed wound or something." Aela said with a sad shake of her head. " Try to rest a bit. Tilma will bring some food in for you soon."
Tarrowlyn nodded silently as her eyes shut. There was something soothing and familiar about the scent surrounding her. A smell that comforted her, made Tarrowlyn feel safe beyond measure. She then bolted up in the bed when she realized she was not in the shared dorm with the rest of the whelps. She was in someone's private room. A bar was in the corner, and Tarrowlyn saw a lyre nearby leaning against it. Who's room was this? "Aela?"
Aela was just about to close the door when Tarrowlyn said her name. " Yes?"
" Who's room am I in? I know for a fact this isn't your room." Tarrowlyn said. She was still looking around attempting to get her bearings.
" Farkas' room. He's been bunking with the rest of the whelps so that you wouldn't be bothered while you were healing." Aela replied with a smile. It had been a very thoughtful gesture on Farkas' part.
Tarrowlyn blushed a little at this news and she settled back into the pillows. No wonder the smell surrounding her was as soothing as it was. Farkas' presence in of itself was comforting to her. " Thank you, Aela." She said softly.
The door closed silently and Tarrowlyn yawned a bit. She felt dog tired despite having slept so much. Just as she was about to fall asleep again, a knock at the door woke her. Kodlak poked his head in as Tarrowlyn attempted to sit back up and he gave her a kind smile.
" Good to see you're on the mend." He said as he closed the door behind him
" I'll feel better once my side has completely healed. Did Farkas and Vilkas appraise you as to what happened?"
Kodlak nodded as he took a seat at her bedside. " They did. And you did well. Vilkas told me that the dragon was nearly dead when he joined the fray."
" It wasn't the only one. I probably would have died if not for Vilkas. I owe him my life for that." Tarrowlyn said softly. She was looking down at the blankets that she was smothered in and Kodlak chuckled a bit.
" Funny. Vilkas said the same thing about you." Kodlak remarked. " He said that you pushed him out of the way when the dragon made to kill both of you after it had played dead."
Tarrowlyn thought this over. Yes she had done that, but it had been out of instinct in the heat of battle. She had only been concerned with his survival at the time. " I guess you're right about that." She whispered softly. She tried her best not to yawn as another wave of drowsiness settled over her. " Sorry, Harbinger...I must be more tired than I realized..."
" No need for apologies, Tarrowlyn. Get some rest. You earned it." Kodlak said gently. He smoothed a lock of hair from Tarrowlyn’s brow and she sighed as her eyes closed in relaxation. The poor girl was still burning up. Kodlak’s brow furrowed as he shook his head and he stood up. It was time for him to pay a small visit to that court wizard of the Jarl’s to see if there was anything he could do for this whelp. If they couldn’t get that fever down, Tarrowlyn might not make it after all.

Farkas flew down the steps and he faltered a little when Kodlak opened the door to the living quarters before he could. “ Kodlak, is she alright? What did she say?” Farkas asked him.
Kodlak shook his head silently and Farkas’ face fell. “ Get Vilkas and meet me in the Underforge.” Kodlak said softly. “ I’ll be there in a bit. I’m heading to Dragonsreach.” Kodlak said gruffly.
“ What is it that you need from the two of us, old man?” Farkas asked him with a scowl. Kodlak hadn’t said a word about how their new shield sister was doing.
“ You’ll find out soon enough. And don’t you go in there and further pester her, Farkas. I mean it.” Kodlak’s eyes were golden as he looked at the young man and his face was set in a grim scowl. “ I want you and your brother in the Underforge by the time I get back from the palace.”
“ Fine, old man. We’ll be there.” Farkas grumbled as he shouldered past the Harbinger and into the living quarters. If Kodlak wouldn’t tell him how Tarrowlyn was doing, he was going to check on her himself.
Kodlak couldn’t help but smirk as he watched Farkas stalk towards his room. It was obvious that the younger man was attracted to their newest recruit, and Kodlak could only hope he lived long enough to see where it went between them. There had never been any rules against the any Companion seeking another for a relationship or even marriage, and Kodlak made a mental note to reaffirm that to Farkas later when he saw the twins.
Right now however, Kodlak had a court wizard to harass.
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Dragonheart: Rise of the Harbinger