Eris was unsure what to do with herself. She felt nervous, almost expecting the imperials to storm into the Bannered Mare tavern at any second and recollect their escaped prisoner. At the same time, she was pardoned by the Jarl of Whiterun, so she shouldn't have any problems. Shouldn't, being a key word. A tankard of weak ale was placed before her, and she took it gratefully.

"You know, if you're looking for work, you could always be a mercenary," Hulda said.

"What guild would accept me being a woman, though?" Eris replied, perhaps a little too spitefully.

"Aye, sure enough the Companions guild will take ya, providing you can fight for yourself." The woman walked away, leaving Eris to her thoughts. She didn't really have any family, and should the time ever come, she would welcome a hero's death.

"But I don't know where the Companions reside," she called out. A few men in the far corner guffawed at her statement, and another beside her leaned towards her, smelling of rotten fish.

"Lass, the Companions are in the oldest building here in Whiterun. Believed to be the first establishment, even. They're in Jorrvaskr. Ask anyone around town, they can point you in the right direction." He then turned back to his tankard and downed the last of it, belching when he slammed the cup down on the table. He eyed her in a slimy way that set her on edge, enough to cause her to grip the dagger in her belt. She stood, leaving the last of the few gold coins she had in the hands of Hulda, who in turn pushed them back to her.

"On the house, dear, you look to be needing it more than we do," she said, grabbing some wooden plates piled with steaming meal and taking them to occupied tables. Eris pocketed the coins and left, grateful for the generous woman.

Eventually she found herself at the base of the steps leading to Jorrvaskr, thanks to the help of a nice guardsman who escorted her here. His claim was that a woman like her shouldn't be wandering alone, but she could see the lust in his eyes.

Sure, she was blessed with the figure of a goddess, but that didn't mean she was a dumb damsel. She was actually a self-trained warrior, forging her own path rather than running the farm that her father left her, the farm that was burned to the ground when the imperial scum came.

Taking a deep breath, she marched up the stairs and clambered into Jorrvaskr rather ungracefully, knocking over a rack containing an axe and two swords. The noise drew the attention of everyone in the place, and she stood awkward until they all turned back to what they were doing.A man approached her, in a not-too-friendly manner, wearing servant's clothing.

"My name is Brill, is there anything I can help you with?" His tone was gruff as he looked her up and down.

"I'm looking for the Companions' leader," Eris said, straightening herself and jutting out her chin like a proud Nordic woman.

"They don't have one," he said, throwing her off-kilter. She floundered for a response, and when she came up with none, he smiled. "The Harbinger is the closest they have to a leader, you can find him downstairs and at the end of the hallway." He left abruptly, leaving Eris to find her way on her own. She followed his direction and found the Harbinger rather easily. He was an older man with greying hair, and when she looked at both of their eyes, she was startled to find that they were a strange gold color, almost the same hue as the coins in her pocket. She stared at them for a second before fumbling for an introduction.

"I am Eris, and I wish to join the Companions," she said. The man with the darker hair looked at her as if she were an imbecile while the greying man was all smiles.

"My dear, what makes you want to join our dying guild?"

"I need to do something with my life, even if it means dying for a good cause," she said. The man seemed to like her reply, but the other's expression turned dark and brooding.

"You're not actually thinking about letting this...whelp...join, are you? I mean, look at her, she's hardly got any muscle on her."

"I'm stronger than I appear," Eris said, her tone turning angry. He stared at her without saying anything more, considering her for a moment.

"Fine. Meet me in the courtyard out back. We can test your strength and skill there. But be warned, I will not go easy on you just because you are a female," he said, standing abruptly and leaving. Eris turned back to the old man, who seemed to be amused by the whole ordeal. When he didn't say anything, she hurried to the courtyard.