Harbinger

For the rest of the night she slipped in and out of consciousness. Her dreams were filled with her and Farkas having surreal and disjointed conversations where her worst fears were realised when he admitted he did not really love her.

She awoke feeling awful. She was tired and irritable, and very conscious that she had to get ready to join Delphine and Esbern tomorrow. She washed her face in a bowl of rose-scented water Tilma had brought her, and forced herself to go upstairs for some food.

She wearily climbed the stairs from the living area up into the mead hall. Suddenly, her heart thumped in her chest when she heard a familiar deep voice. As her head rose above the stairs, and the hall came in to view, she saw Farkas talking to Ria. A flash of jealousy surged through for a brief second, but it soon passed. She was not really the jealous type, and in a tight group like the Companions, one could not afford to be.

When Farkas spotted her, his face broke into a huge smile. It was like the sun coming up, and its warmth burnt away her doubts and fears. He nodded a thank you and good bye to Ria, then walked towards her, his face still beaming.

"Hello love," he said with a kiss on her cheek." It's nice to see you dear."

He looked around him as he stepped closer, looking a little bashful, but the room was empty other than the two of them as Ria was already heading out of the back door. He bent his head down and kissed her softly on the lips. When their kiss broke, he put his arms around her waist and crushed her too him, lifting her feet off the ground and smothering her mouth with his once again. This kiss was not gentle. It was firm, hot and passionate and spoke of great longing. The last of her doubts were washed away by that kiss, and the softness of his eyes as he gazed at her.

"I've missed you," she said.

"Good," he laughed. "I've missed you too."

"Put me down, I have something to show you." She grabbed his hand and led him out of the front door of Jorrvaskr. They wove through the Gildergreen, past the market and the Bannered Mare, until she stopped outside a small house, opposite the Drunken Huntsman, near the city gate.

Farkas was unsure at first why they had stopped, then realised she had faced him towards the house.

"Is that yours?"

"No, ours," she answered.

She pulled a key out of her pocket, and unlocked the front door. Fortunately, the place had been cleaned and the furniture delivered as promised. The main room had a small fire pit, over which a pot hung on a cast iron hook. There was a weapons rack, and a few bookshelves. Further back in the room was a dining table, laid out with a few plates, bowls and goblets.

Under the stairs that led up to the bedrooms, was the door to another smaller room which contained a large copper bath tub. They headed up the stairs, Farkas first, and he was delighted to see a large comfortable bed. It had furs already on, and there was storage in the room for their clothes and armour.

He immediately started to strip off. In a flash he was down to his breechcloth, and he started pulling at Lyara's clothes while nuzzling into her neck.

"Stop!" She giggled. "Wait a moment, you big oaf."

"What is it?" he said, confused, but his ardour was not dampened going by the protrusion at the front of his breechcloth.

"Why don't we take a bath first?"

"What is it with you and baths?" he asked, rolling his eyes. He himself was not much of a fan of baths, preferring to dunk himself occasionally in any convenient river or lake.

"It is one of the few times I ever feel warm in this bloody province."

"Together?" he suggested, hopefully.

Lyara laughed softly, realising it was probably the only way she would get him in the water.

"Yes. Together."

They headed back down stairs to heat some water over the fire. While the water warmed, Lyara sat on her husband's lap, and they exchanged soft kisses and quiet words of affection.

Once the water was ready, Farkas removed his underwear and got into the tub. He sat upright against one end, and had just enough room to stretch out his long legs. Lyara fetched her soap and then shimmied out of her dress.

Farkas was mesmerised once more, as his eyes travelled up and down her naked form. It had only been one night they were apart, but it was as if he was seeing her for the first time. She stepped into the water, then sat on his lap facing him, a knee either side of his legs. She wet a small piece of cloth and rubbed it onto the soap. Farkas grabbed her hand, and sniffed it.

"Snowberries!" he exclaimed, the biggest grin on his face, as if some deep mystery had just been solved.

Lyara just smiled, and proceeded to wash the dirt and grime from his face and neck. She then rinsed the cloth in the water, and squeezed it over his face to rinse off the suds. She reapplied some soap, and repeated the process on his arms and chest. As she washed his firm belly, she could see the tip of his erection bobbing under the surface of the water. She ran her hands along its length, and watched Farkas's face as he sighed with pleasure. Raising herself up slightly, she guided his cock into her. She then sat back down, his length completely buried deep inside her, as she continued to wash him.

Farkas instinctively put his arms around her to rest on her rump. Lyara removed his hands, and firmly placed them on the edge of the tub. Okay, he thought, I get the message. No touching. He closed his eyes again, and let the sweet smell of snowberries waft up his nose as Lyara continued to wash him. He was so relaxed in the warm water, with her fingers running through his hair, that if it hadn't been for his raging hard-on buried deep in her core, he would have probably fallen asleep. He found instead, he was able to concentrate on enjoying the tiniest of pleasurable sensations caused by her fingers on his body, and the small contractions of her inner walls as she moved in front of him. It was exquisite and sensual, and he never wanted it to end.

Lyara wondered if Farkas knew how beautiful he was under all that dirt. She looked at the serene expression on his face. His eyes were closed, and his long black lashes rested on his cheeks. He had a large masculine nose, and wide cheekbones. His strong square jaw was covered in its usual stubble that surrounded his soft full lips. She dropped the cloth into the water and placed her hands on his shoulders to steady herself, then slowly started to move up and down his shaft.

Eyes the colour of a cloudless winter sky opened to look back at her. They were pale and icy, yet held a promise of warmth. She moved only slightly as her arousal had been building for some time, and needed very little stimulus. Going by the expression on her lover's face, the same applied.

Farkas could feel his balls starting to ache, desperate for release. He looked down into the water to see the piece of soap floating by her leg, and snatched at it. He rubbed his hands together, until they were slick with the soap. He dropped it back into the water, before cupping his hands over her breasts. His hands glided over her erect nipples, and then back around for another pass. Her skin was smooth and slick as his soap-covered hands slipped under her breasts, pushing them and squeezing them. Eventually, enough of the soap rubbed off for the palms to gain purchase, and pushing the mounds together, he rubbed the sensitive nubs of her nipples with his thumbs.

Lyara let out a moan, and threw her head back. Her eyes rolled back slightly and she shuddered over him. He tried to hold back but couldn't, and released his load deep in her belly. He felt as if he was going to pass out, as the orgasm that had been a long time coming ripped through him, and was so intense it was almost painful.

Once they had recovered enough from their climax to stand, Lyara climbed off Farkas, then stepped out of the tub before turning and helping him up. They headed upstairs to their bedroom, leaving wet foot prints behind them.

Still damp, they snuggled under the soft furs, and Lyara was content as Farkas wrapped his strong arms about her. He lay on his back, and she pressed her body as close as she could, and rested her head on her chest, as one of his hands traced slow lazy circles at the small of her back. She was amazed that this felt so right, so perfect. There were no doubts at all left in her mind about whether Farkas truly loved her.

She hoped that in time Vilkas would accept her as his brother's wife, as she knew their estrangement would cause Farkas a great amount of pain. She hoped that his hostility towards her was nothing more than some misguided over-protectiveness. Vilkas as the elder twin had obviously assumed the mantel of guardian for the two orphans. She was not sure what she had to do to show Vilkas that she would not hurt his brother, but she would be happy to spend the rest of her life proving it.

"Since leaving Valenwood as a young elf, I've spent years wandering the lands of Tamriel working as a mercenary. I took any job – some I am not proud of – as long as there was coin in it. It made me quite rich, but all the time I was wandering, I think I was searching for a home, a family; somewhere I felt I belonged. I have that now, and it's right here."

She pointed her finger into the centre of her husband's chest.

"I don't mean the Companions, or Jorrvaskr, or even this house. It is here, in your arms. For the first time, I really feel like I have come home."

Farkas was so full of emotion at the words of his love that he couldn't speak, lest his voice betray him. He tightened his grip around her. He wanted to tell her he would love her for the rest of his life, but decided to show her instead.

Much later, tired, happy and thoroughly satisfied, she gently drifted to sleep, the trace of a smile still on her lips. As she did, one of her last thoughts before unconsciousness claimed her was that Farkas always called her love, or dear, but in public he referred to as Harbinger, or Sister. The words may have been different, but the sentiment and the way he said them were not.

The following day, they rose early, and made their way to Jorrvaskr to gather supplies. They headed west out of Whiterun, and made it to the bridge near Karthspire where they had agreed to meet with Delphine and Esbern.

They found the two Blades waiting around a smile campfire. They offered Lyara and Farkas some food, but when it was declined, they suggested that they make their way inside.

They had to fight through a small group of Forsworn rebels, and then made their way down into the depths of the old Dwarven ruin. The inside of the mountain had been carved by the ancient Dwemers into a breathtaking spectacle. Spires jutted out of the walls, and the ceiling of the cave had been carved into a dome. Esbern led them to the edge of an abyss. A giant bridge arched across the deep expanse, and the party made their way across carefully.

It was an amazing engineering accomplishment and Farkas gawped at his surroundings. Looking above them as he crossed the bridge, and all he could say was, "That's... that's ... wow."

On the other side of the bridge was a room small anti-room. Esbern prevented anyone from entering the room that lay the other side of the doorway. He explained that there were pressure pads along the floor, and if the wrong slab of stone was stepped on, there would be dire consequences. He pointed at the small holes around the wall that probably hid poisonous darts. Delphine spotted a chain next to the door at the other end of the room, which Esbern agreed could disarm the trap. Lyara volunteered to cross the room and pull the chain.

Her stealth training paid off. Pressing her feet gently on one slab at a time, she controlled the distribution of her weight carefully. Her every sense and nerve strained for the slightest indication that she was incorrect, and she was able to feel the movement of the trigger before it had time to go off.

Farkas watched helplessly from the door way, holding his breath and praying to Talos that she made it to the other side. When she finally reached the other door, and pulled the chain, he let all his breath out in a big whoosh, and laughed slightly in relief.

The rest of them joined Lyara in front of the large door that according to Esbern led to the final chamber. The door appeared to be locked, yet there was no keyhole. Esbern rifled through some scrolls from his satchel, and with a small cry of realisation, he told Lyara that the door could only be opened by the blood of the Dragonborn. She took the dagger strapped to her leg, and drew it across her hand. Squeezing her hand around the wound, she forced a few drops of blood onto a plate in front of the door.

Nothing seemed to happen at first, and for a second, Lyara felt a glimmer of hope that perhaps she was not the Dragonborn after all. Her hopes were dashed when she heard metal gears, long unused, starting to grind back into life, and the door slowly opened.

In the middle of the room was a large table that you could easily fit twenty people on either side. Along the back of the room was a huge curved stone wall that had a series of images and symbols engraved on it that told the story of Alduin. Carved hundreds of years ago, it told how the ancient Nord heroes had defeated the dragon god and his dragon Priests.

Esbern immediately went to work translating the story. Once again, he anxiously rifled through his scrolls, looking up various symbols and muttering to himself. Lyara walked around the cavernous room with Delphine to see what else was in the room.

"This would make an excellent base for the Blades," her friend mused aloud. It had small rooms off the sides, which would be perfect for offices or sleeping quarters.

Lyara looked at her in surprise.

"You plan on reforming the Blades?"

Delphine looked at her, and nodded.

"Of course! The dragons have returned, so must we. Even with Alduin defeated, we would have the countless number of dragons he has already resurrected to defeat. We will start recruiting immediately. I will not stop until all the dragons are dead and buried."

At an exclamation from Esbern, the two women turned around, and walked back towards the scholar. They were joined by Farkas, and the three of them stood and listened to the old man as he explained.

He told a story of a human rebellion during the time of dragon rule. Some of the dragons had sided with the humans, unhappy with Alduin's rule, and they taught the humans the power of Thu'um. Words of Power, or shouts, were created by dragons, but the mortals created one that could be used to defeat the dragons. It forced the dragon to understand the meaning of mortality, a concept so incomprehensible to the immortal beings, it would tear at their very souls forcing them to land.

Once out of the air, they were vulnerable to attack from the steel of man. This shout was called Dragonrend

Esbern turned to Lyara.

"You need to learn the Dragonrend shout if she was to have any hope of defeating Alduin. You should go back and talk to the Greybeards at High Hrothgar. They have studied the Words of Power for centuries."

Lyara was weary of travel, and did not relish the thought of having to once again journey half way across Skyrim. She must have visibly deflated, as Farkas put his arm around her shoulders and rubbed her arm in a gesture of support. She looked at him, grateful once again for his solid presence.

They decided to stay at the Sky Temple for the night, and then head back to Whiterun first thing tomorrow. With luck, they could be in Ivarstead by the end of the following day.