When she arrived in Riverwood, she was befriended by Delphine who ran the Sleeping Giant Inn with her husband, Orgnar. She had shown 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 had 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.
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 story 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 he had to admit, it was probably true.
He watched Lyara's brows knit together in concentration and she took a deep breath as she took a moment to gather her thoughts, before continuing with her story.
The rumours had appeared to be true, as the dragon attacked the party when they approached the Tower. The creature had 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, she told him, 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. Then, 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 wasn't sure 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.
Lyara 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 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 gazed at her, wide-eyed and curious, but very much captivated.
"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.
"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."
"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 and quickly 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.
Farkas also told her a little of his history. He 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 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 head quarters of the Companions. When she walked through the large oak doors, she was grateful for the. 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 her to tell them of the fights in glorious detail. They saluted her successes, and Lyara smiled. She was very fond of her new friends, and was amused at their apparent blood-lust and fondness for reveling 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.
Shortly after, their reveries were 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 defense?"
"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.
