Rael's eyes snapped open. A millisecond later an ear piercing scream came from the neighboring room. She sat up slowly, rubbing her eyes. Next door, Jergen was talking soothingly and the screaming subsided into strangled sobs. The Huntress staggered to her feet, grabbed a linen shirt from a chair and shuffled out of her room, pulling the soft fabric over her head.

She knocked gently on her neighbor's before pushing it open and was assaulted by the scent of fear and tears. Jergen was rocking on the floor with one of the shuddering rescues wrapped tightly in his arms. One of his hands ran through the little boy's black hair as he murmured to him.

Jergen glanced up at Rael as she closed the door behind her quietly. His eyes were puffy with fatigue and he shot a meaningful look to the cot across the room, a phlegm-filled cough came from beneath it. In two strides, she was at the twins' cot and searching under she found the other boy huddled beneath it. Cautiously she put her hand in the musky space, palm up and waited for him; she had no intention of getting bitten again. Eventually his tiny hand found hers and she pulled him gently from under the bed. Lifting him easily she carried him to Jergen and slumped down next to the man. The boy in his arms had stopped crying and was just sniffling into his bare chest. Jergen sighed and gave her an appreciative look, "Fancy seeing you here Shield-sister."

Rael gave him a crooked smile. The boy in her arms hacked again and she stroked his head as the coughs racked his body, "So, which one have I got?"

"That one's Farkas."

"The mute?"

Jergen shook his head bemused, "He's not mute I can tell you that."

"Oh?"

"I took him to the Temple yesterday for that cough of his." He frowned, "It's been getting worse. When the priestess came to him with the healing spell..." He shook his head with a wry chuckle. "If you think this one is feisty." He gestured his head at the boy in his arms, "That one, Farkas, hollered and screamed and kicked and bit. All I could do was tell her to turn the magic off before he hurt someone."

Rael arched an eyebrow, "I don't believe you. This one has hardly made a sound since he got here."

Jergen grinned and held up a bandaged hand for her to see. "Lad got me good. I couldn't be mad at him though. I've never seen a look like that on a child before." The lines on his face tightened, "And I never want to again."

"But surely he must have known it was a restorative spell" Rael looked down at the boy in her arms. His eyelids were drooping.

The boy in Jergen's arms, Vilkas, had quieted down; perhaps he had already fallen asleep. Jergen replied, "I don't think he can tell the difference between the kinds of magic. He just saw someone coming at him with light on their hand and fought back"

Jergen had never told her the specifics of the boys' rescue; all he would say was that it involved necromancers. Judging from the frequency of night terrors the boys had, she wasn't sure if she wanted to know the details.

They sat in silence as the twins settled down again. Eventually, Jergen stood up and put the boy back on the cot. Rael followed suit and deposited Farkas next to his twin. She stretched; it had been a long time since she'd carried a child. However, these two were light for their age, which according to Vilkas was four. Aela was eight now and wouldn't hear of being picked up. Rael smiled sadly, she did miss her daughter.

Jergen's voice cut into her reverie, "Thank you Rael." He hesitated and added, "And sorry for waking you."

She shrugged, "I miss 'mothering'. So don't feel bad. Aela was worse as a babe." She sat next to him on his bed, "This will pass. They'll get… better."

He sighed heavily. "Valund wants me to take them to that orphanage in Riften tomorrow. Honorhall, I think." His voice was low and strained.

Rael's gaze snapped to him, "Why on Nirn would the Harbinger want you to do that?"

"He seems to think they're trouble. And I've not been taking any contracts in the two months they've been here." He ran a hand through his disheveled, blonde hair.

"But you don't want to give them up. Do you?"

He glanced at the cot across the room and murmured, "They remind me so much of my Mikal and Daren." When Jergen was a younger man, he and his family had been some of the few Nords living in Valenwood. He had survived, but the Altmer, in some territorial scuffle or a raid, had killed his family after the coup that had snatched the province from The Empire. Rael suspected that Jergen had rescued the twins and brought them to The Companions' hall as compensation for the loss of his wife and sons.

He sighed, "But perhaps they can have a better life outside of Jorrvaskr? Without all the rowdiness and sharp things." He looked at her hopefully. "Grow up normally"

"No one gets adopted from that orphanage you know. Times are too hard."

"You don't know that."

They said nothing for some time, then Rael stood and before she left, she said, "In the morning before you leave, find me. I wish to join you. Aela and Hakar are in the Rift now and I would like to see them." He nodded without a word.

From Jorrvaskr, Riften was two day's travel as a werewolf and three days if you follow the roads on horseback. Considering their task, transforming into werewolves was not an option, nor was straying from the roads. Jergen knocked on Rael's door a few hours after Vilkas had woken from the nightmare. It was well before dawn and the adults gathered the twins and their supplies before making their way out to city's stables. The Companions had two sturdy mares boarding there, Gilde and Baruk. Apart from being of Skyrim stock, they were the only two horses the Harbinger could find that would willingly carry werewolves without complaint so the Circle doted them on. The stable master, who smelled always of hay, brought the mares out to the travelers and bid them a safe journey. Rael and Jergen saddled the horses and strapped on their gear as the boys leaned against each other in their cloaks. Despite the brisk spring air, they were nearly falling asleep on their feet. The adults set the boys up on the horses, mounted behind them and were off into the rising sun.

Jergen, who was usually talkative and animated, was withdrawn. Vilkas sat with Rael on the chestnut horse and once he'd woken up sufficiently, he asked questions constantly. He spoke with the same heavy accent as Jergen and they had to have come from the same region of Eastmarch.

"Do you hunt those?" he said pointing to a distant elk and her fawn grazing on tundra grass.

The Huntress inhaled deeply and her beastblood stirred at the scent of the youngling. She calmed herself and replied, "Yes. On occasion."

"Do you use a bow?"

She hesitated, "Yes."

"Is it hard?"

"What?"

"Using a bow? Is it hard?"

"Not anymore. I've been doing it for years."

"Will you teach me?"

Rael faltered and her gaze swung to Jergen on the dappled horse next to her. He wouldn't meet her eye. She bit her lip behind the boy and said, "Maybe when you're older."

Other than the thought of their destination, the ride was enjoyable. They didn't run into any bandits, which Rael was grateful for. Usually she enjoyed the combat, but she wasn't sure how the lads would handle seeing people killed. For the most part, they ran into bears that the horses were able to outrun. The Huntress had shot a sabre-cat that was waiting on a rocky outcrop, to the boys' excitement. Rael was jubilant to be outside with the sun on her face. She loved the smells of spring, even the smell of rot that accompanied the exposure of leaf litter after a long winter.

They set up camp before dark. The twins seemed in better spirits after being out of Jorrvaskr for the day. Farkas watched silently as they cared for the horses and Vilkas asked more questions. Soon, the campsite smelled of burning wood as they got the fire going and Rael doled out travel food from her pack. The boys ate ravenously before crawling into the same bedroll in the hide tent. In all of his questioning, Vilkas never asked where they were going.

Jergen hadn't said a word since they left Whiterun. He was hunched over, staring absently into the fire. Eventually, Rael stood and stretching hugely she said to him, "You know," he looked up at her despondently, "Valund is the Harbinger. Not your master. He advises, but his word isn't law. Every man is his own, every woman her own. Remember that shield-brother." She turned and went into the tent to rearrange the boys and get some sleep.

The other two days passed the same way. The climate of The Rift was always much better than anywhere else in the province and that alone seemed to be improving the boys' dispositions. Birds sang in the early morning and insects buzzed and clicked in the underbrush as the afternoon wore on. Vilkas continued asking questions about everything he heard and saw, but never about their destination. Finally, early on the third day, they reached Riften.

After taking the beastblood, few scents offended Rael. It was all just information. Riften was another matter entirely. Even from the stables, the city smelled of refuse and stagnant water and, if it were possible, the city stank of corruption. The Thieves' Guild held a lot of power in this city and she was always careful not to step on any toes.

When they approached the gate, Rael just paid their damn 'entrance tax'. She really wanted to get out of the rat-hole as quickly as possible. On top of the smell, she didn't do crowds and cities. Whiterun was as large as she could comfortably tolerate. She preferred the wilderness and open plains to bustling cities. It was early afternoon when they strode through the Riften's market on their way to Honorhall Orphanage. It was a low building made of stone and logs. The entrance looked as inviting as an orphanage could.

Jergen was carrying Farkas in one arm and was holding Vilkas' hand. Rael gave a sharp rap on the door and waited. Vilkas said suddenly "What does that sign say?"

The door opened and a young woman glared at the travelers, "What do you want?" she glanced at the boys, "Come to bring some strays to our doorstep?"

Rael arched an eyebrow at the woman and was about to respond, but Jergen cut in, "We rescued these lads from necromancers so they may find a home that's better than living with a pack of mercenaries." He smiled warmly at the woman.

She eyed The Huntress' bow and quiver and the war-axe strapped to Jergen's hip and said, "Fine. Come in. I haven't got all day." She moved aside and let the group into the orphanage. "I'm the Headmistress, Grelod". The air was grey and musty inside. Beds lined the walls in an adjoining room and children in rags were moving around in groups, sweeping and cleaning. One was stirring a pot of food, which did not smell even the least bit appetizing. Rael wasn't expecting the children to be singing and skipping, but she had never seen anyone look more depressed. Even in the dim light, her keen eyes picked up on the fresh and faded bruises on the children's legs and arms.

Rael eyed Jergen and she could tell from his stony expression that he had observed the bruising as well. Farkas buried his face in the man's shoulder. She looked down at Vilkas who was silently taking in his surroundings with wide eyes; his grip on Jergen was fierce. The woman led them to an office where two little girls were scrubbing the floor. Grelod said sharply to them, "Scuttle off, guttersnipes. Grown-ups are talking." The girls scurried off, the heavy bucket sloshing between them. The woman sat at a small desk. A thin branch, whittled down to smoothness was leaned against the wall, within arm's reach. They sat across from her and she took out a book and dipped a quill. "Alright, do the brats have names?"

Jergen stared at the woman for a full minute. Rael wondered whether he would transform and eat her and whether the orphans would mind. She could almost feel his wolf straining to be let lose. He cleared his throat and said politely, "What is your adoption rate?"

The woman looked up at him, her mouth agape, "The what?"

Jergen spoke very calmly, though his jaw muscles were tensed, "How many of the orphans get adopted out to families?"

Grelod let out a blast of laughter, "Why would you care about that?"

"Because I do."

She gave him a long mutinous look before replying darkly, "None. Not since I took over." She found sudden strength and said, "Who would want any of this worthless riff-raff? They'll just grow up to be whores and murderers, the lot of them"

"Right." Jergen stood up. "I'm sorry to have troubled you, but I think there has been a misunderstanding."

Rael followed Jergen's lead, fighting back a smirk. Grelod sneered, "You what? You come here and waste my time and now you're going to keep the useless bastards? I should call the guards in here and have you arrested for… for… trespassing you filth."

Jergen turned sharply letting out a feral growl and bared his teeth. The woman was immediately cowed. He glared at her and said in a low rumble, "You will not speak to members of the Companions like that, Headmistress Grelod." She paled, then he turned on his heel and left the orphanage quickly.

Rael caught up with Jergen, who was sitting on a bench near the Temple of Mara with the boys next to him. He was clutching his head and panting. She pulled the nearest boy onto her lap and scooted closer to her shield-brother. "Are you alright?" He seemed to be having some difficulty controlling his transformation and a friendly voice tended to help.

He shook his head and ground out, "That horrible hagraven. I could have killed her. Did you see the children… she… she..."

"Yes. I saw them."

They sat in relative silence. Jergen was still clutching his head but his breathing had steadied. Eventually he said, "What am I going to do? I'm not leaving them there."

Vilkas piped up from Jergen's other side, "Were we bad?"

They look at the little boy and Jergen reached out a hand to stroke the lad's head, "No. It's not that. Jorrvaskr just isn't the place for little boys."

Vilkas, who obviously realized what was going on, looked like he's about to cry, "You were going to leave us there?"

Jergen slumped and nodded "But not now. I'm not leaving you anywhere, Valund be damned. You're staying in Jorrvaskr. It's your home." He brought the boy onto his lap.

Rael grinned at him, "That's the spirit. You know you'll always have me and I'm sure Kodlak could be convinced to help if need be. He seems to like the boys" Jergen nodded. She looked at Vilkas and Farkas, "Since you boys are going to be sticking around, would you like to meet my daughter?"

Vilkas' pale blue eyes widen, the tears forgotten, "You have a daughter?"

"Yes. Her name is Aela."

His face creased in a frown, "Why isn't she with you? In Jorrvaskr?"

"She" The Huntress cleared her throat, "She wanted to be a hunter and so she lives and hunts with her Da. They're in the Rift now."

"Where's that?"

"Well, Riften is in The Rift, so here. Their cabin is close by. An hour or so on horseback"

Vilkas looked at his brother, who nodded from Rael's lap. Then he looked back at her and said eagerly, "When do we leave?"

Rael dismounted quickly from Baruk and went to kiss her lover. "Hakar." She grabbed him into a tight hug. "It's been too long. How is the girl?"

"Good, love. A challenge as always." Hakar smirked. He looked at the boys that Jergen had taken off the horses and added, "I don't think those are mine dear. In case you were planning on dropping of some more little ones for me to care for."

She laughed while running her fingers through the man's locks, "No. They're missing the red hair. These are, well, I guess they're Jergen's boys now. I wanted them to come meet Aela. Where is she?"

Hakar nodded in greeting at Jergen, they had met a handful of times. Then he called out, "Aela. Your Ma is here."

From the other side of the log cabin there was a scuffling and clamor then Aela burst from around the corner. Rael's heart leapt when she saw her little girl careening towards her. "Ma!" Aela called out as she grabbed her mother around the legs and squeezed tight. "Oh Ma, I learned so much this past winter. Da taught me how to do so much winter stuff." She spotted the twins and said, "Who are they?"

Jergen was the one to introduce the boys, "This is Vilkas and this is Farkas. They're staying at Jorrvaskr with me."

Aela stared at the twins, but said nothing.

Rael offered, "Aela, why don't you play with the boys? It'll be fun, I'm sure." The girl strode towards the boys leaving the adults alone.

Rael was so focused on her conversation with Hakar and Jergen she didn't realize that a fight had broken out amongst the children until Aela gave a scream followed by the sound crashing of foliage. They all turned to see one of the boys and Aela rolling in the leaves, scrapping. Hakar, who was more accustomed to Aela, got there first and pulled the children apart by their shirts and stood between them. "Enough Aela."

Vilkas yelled, "She pushed Farkas and he's hurt."

Aela shouted back, "Well, he won't talk."

Rael sighed and went over to look at Farkas who was sitting on the ground sniffling quietly while holding his arm. She picked him up, "Come here sweetie." She examined his arm and saw that there was a large gash on it. With the boy balanced on her hip, she pulled out a vial from one of the horse's packs. Behind her she could hear Vilkas still screaming at Aela and trying to escape Hakar's grasp to have another go at her. Rael coaxed Farkas to drink the healing potion and the cut sealed itself in moments. "Vilkas." she called out "See, he's fine." Rael offered Farkas' arm to be inspected by the small boy. He calmed down almost immediately now that his brother was unharmed. Rael put Farkas down and he went straight over to Vilkas and hovered by him meekly.

She sighed and looked sky-ward, these boys are going to be a handful. She caught Jergen's eye and mouthed with a smile, "Hircine help us." He grinned and shook his head.