"I Would Stand At Her Back, That The World Might Never Overtake Us..."

Before Riften

They made it back to Jorrvaskr and to Farkas's disappointment, there were a few things they had to do before going to Riften. Vilkas was excited and happy for them, but as Farkas had expected, he wanted his beast blood cured before they ran off to fight dragons. So Farkas had waited for them back at Jorrvaskr. He spent an entire day reading up on the history of the Graybeards, their founder, and the Dragonborn... Vilkas had almost as extensive a book collection as Farkas had alcohol, and he wanted to help Aylin any way he could... he found a lot of useful and interesting things, but by the afternoon of the next day he was bored and went back upstairs to train. He found Torvar and Athis and remembered what Aylin had told him about Torvar.
"Time to train," he ordered with a grin. "Gotta make sure you whelps are in shape before I leave."
"Where're you goin'?" Torvar asked suspiciously.
"The Harbinger and I are going to Riften, if you catch my meaning," Farkas said still grinning. Both whelps just stared at him in shock for a moment.
"Well, congratulations," Athis said, with an uncertain glance at Torvar.
"Huh," Torvar grunted, "I didn't think you had it in you to bed such a fine woman," he grumbled. Farkas resisted an urge to punch him in the face and glared smugly back at the whelp instead.
"I didn't think you had it in you to recognize a fine woman," he shot back, "and," Farkas continued with a growl, "at least I never tried to climb into her bed uninvited."
"That was an accident!" Torvar protested wide eyed.
"An accident you made more than once?" Farkas asked disbelievingly.
"It was a matter of a right turn or left turn, it's an easy mistake to make in the dark when you're drunk!" Torvar defended.
"I better not ever hear about it happening again," Farkas growled.
"Well obviously," Torvar grumbled, "I've never been drunk enough to confuse the Harbinger's bed for mine."
"And she's not your drinking buddy," Farkas added menacingly.
"Fine, fine, I get it," Torvar said with a scowl.

Farkas didn't go as rough on Torvar in training as he'd originally planned, the whelp seemed upset enough by the announcement of their wedding plans. As they trained Ria came out to watch, and Njada joined her a little later. Farkas thought Ria would make a better match for Torvar anyway, they were closer in age.
Later that evening, Lydia came to sit outside as well. Lydia had taken to staying at Jorrvaskr in Aylin's old room after Aylin moved to the Harbinger's room.
About a half hour later, Farkas was just about to call the end to training when the back doors to Jorrvaskr opened and Aylin and Vilkas came out to the yard. Farkas called a hasty halt and Torvar 'accidentally' didn't stop his momentum with his hammer in time and it smacked into Farkas's shoulder plate with a staggering clang.
"Watch it whelp," Farkas growled angrily, but instead of retaliating, he turned and walked up to the awning. Aylin rushed to him and threw her arms around his neck. Not caring who saw, Farkas wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her. She'd only been gone about a day, but that had been too long.
"Is... is that an amulet of Mara?" Farkas heard Lydia ask in shock. He turned to see Vilkas standing in front of Aylin's housecarl with the amulet around his neck and a confident smirk on his face.
"Aye," Vilkas nodded, "I'd be glad to stand by your side until the Divines take us, i..if you'll have me."
"I... I will," Lydia stuttered with a smile, "why wouldn't I?"
Vilkas put an arm around her waist, pulled her to him, and kissed her passionately. Several of the onlooking Companions cheered.
"I might have given Vilkas a present," Aylin whispered. Farkas chuckled approvingly, then he leaned back so he could look into her eyes, but kept his arms firmly around her.
"Everything went well then?" Farkas asked quietly.
"Mostly," Aylin nodded. Then in a whisper she added, "I don't like camping in the cold with no one to warm my bedroll, but otherwise everything went well." That made Farkas chuckle again. Then still quiet but in less of a whisper she asked, "how were things here?"
"Boring," Farkas grunted, "I mostly just dug through Vilkas's library," he explained, then with a glance over his shoulder at the whelp that was watching them and still fuming in the yard he smirked and added, "Torvar won't be bothering you anymore though."
"Yeah, I can see what a great mood he's in," Aylin whispered sarcastically looking over Farkas's shoulder at Torvar as well. "I can heal that if we go down to my room," she offered, placing a hand on the shoulder Torvar had hit.
"It doesn't hurt," Farkas shrugged, but as soon as he moved it he realized it did hurt. He only let a slight wince show on his face but Aylin noticed it.
"So, my room?" She said, cocking her eyebrow at him.
"Your room," Farkas nodded. He let go of Aylin's waist and took her hand, making sure to move his sore shoulder gingerly. But Farkas realized they couldn't just sneak away...
Farkas gave his brother a congratulatory clap on the back with his good arm, and Aylin let go of his hand to give Lydia a hug.
"You helped him plan this, didn't you?" Lydia asked Aylin in happy mock-accusation.
"I might have," Aylin smirked. She reached back and took Farkas's hand again. "I might have suggested Vilkas hurry up so he and his brother could have a double wedding..."
Aylin glanced back at Farkas as if to see what he thought of the idea. Farkas wanted to pull her back into a passionate kiss right there on the porch... a double wedding... he was going to get to marry the love of his life along side his brother, his dearest family member... he made no attempt to hide his adoration as he stared back at Aylin, an excited grin slowly spreading across his face.
"That sounds like a wonderful idea!" Lydia gasped.
"Aye," Vilkas smiled, looking from Farkas and Aylin then back to Lydia, "we can all go to Riften tomorrow."
"Tomorrow," Farkas nodded, he was grinning from ear to ear.
"But at the moment," Aylin added looking back to Farkas with a smirk, "you had something to show me downstairs."
"Yeah," Farkas nodded.
"Yeah, I bet he does," Torvar grumbled. Farkas shot a glare back at Torvar, but he noticed Vilkas was also raising an eyebrow at him. Thinking quickly, Farkas added,
"I pulled some books from Vilkas's library, they're in your study."
"Great," Aylin nodded. With that they excused themselves and finally made it downstairs to the harbinger's quarters.
"Alright, let's see that shoulder," Aylin sighed as she shut and locked her bedroom door.
"That all you want to see?" Farkas asked with a chuckle. Aylin blushed.
"I mean, I'm not going to complain if you want to take off all your armor," she shrugged, "but, we're getting married in less than two days... I think some things can wait, for propriety's sake."
"I don't mind waiting," Farkas shrugged with his good arm, "but you know no one upstairs thinks that's what we're doing right now," he pointed out with a smirk.
"I know," she sighed. "I'd rather them think we're being inappropriate than know that I do magic."
"Why?" Farkas cocked his head at her in confusion.
"Nords aren't supposed to do magic," Aylin shrugged, "my Pa was really against it. Ma taught me in secret; she said it was always good to be able to heal, but you never want anyone to know because a proper Nord doesn't do magic."
Farkas shook his head. "You could go join that mage's college in Winterhold and I wouldn't think any less of you," he put a hand gently on her shoulder and she gave him a small smile.
"But would they?" She asked pointing toward the upstairs.
"I doubt it," Farkas shrugged, "but we can keep your secret as long as you like."
"Thanks," she sighed, then with a smirk she added, "now let's get you out of that armor."
Farkas chuckled and began unstrapping his gauntlets. Aylin helped him take off his chest plate and shoulder plates before stopping to examine the spot Torvar's hammer had hit. There was a dark purple bruise already forming across his shoulder.
"At least we know you've been training him well," Aylin said with a grimace, "that was a nasty hit."
Farkas laughed at that as a golden light appeared in Aylin's hand. She touched his injured shoulder gently and the pain was replaced by a warm soothing sensation that spread through his whole body.
"That feels good," Farkas grinned through the gold light at her. She finished casting and the light faded. Farkas flexed his shoulder and swung his arm around experimentally, the pain was all gone. He felt great.
"Better?" She asked with a smile.
"Not quite," he said smirking back at her.
"What's wrong?" Aylin raised any eyebrow in concern.
"You're still wearing your armor," he grinned.
"Farkas!" Aylin laughed as he reached out and began trying to unstrap the buckles on her chest plate. Aylin grabbed his hands and pulled him into an embrace instead.
"We need to get back upstairs for dinner," she reminded him, "and probably soon, and in our armor if we don't want everyone assuming things."
Farkas sighed and held her tightly for a moment, her steel armor was cold against his chest. He tucked his face into the crook of her neck, took a deep breath, and appreciated her scent... he wanted to pull everything off of her.
"But I want you," he grumbled as he began kissing along her neck. Aylin giggled and squirmed.
"What if I promise we can come right back to this after dinner?" She suggested a little breathlessly.
"I guess," Farkas sighed. Reluctantly he let her go. He put his armor back on and they went upstairs.
Farkas noticed a few people looked surprised to see them, which probably meant it was best that they came back upstairs.
The Companions had an impromptu celebration, and after a few drinks even Torvar was enjoying himself.
Ria asked Farkas when he first realized he was attracted to Aylin so he told them the story of Aylin rushing in to help him with the giant. At that Aylin had laughed and told him that she'd found him impressive and attractive that day too. The same question had been posed to Vilkas and he told them about seeing her knock out a drunk guy at the Bannered Mare. Then Lydia had admitted that she'd enjoyed standing at the Dragonsreach guard post and watching Vilkas train long before he'd approached her at the Bannered Mare.
They ate and drank and talked till late in the night. Finally, most of the Companions had gone to bed, Farkas and Aylin, and Vilkas and Lydia were the only ones still up. Aylin announced she needed to go to bed, and Lydia agreed.
"Are you sober enough to make it down the stairs?" Farkas asked Aylin with a wink.
"Nope," Aylin laughed. Farkas got to his feet and helped Aylin stand. She leaned heavily on his arm, but he could tell she was steadier than she was letting on.
"You're probably not either," Vilkas chuckled getting to his feet as well and offering Lydia a hand.
Farkas didn't wait for them to follow before he began leading Aylin toward the stairs. He glanced back at them over his shoulder. Vilkas met his eye, and they shared a wordless understanding. They would both be honorable, but they were done with nights alone.
Once Farkas got Aylin down stairs and to her room she shut and locked the bedroom door, and smirked back at him, clearly not as drunk as she'd been acting. Farkas grinned back at her.
"Now, I think you promised me something," he said in a low tone as he pulled her to him. She giggled as he leaned down and began kissing along her neck.
"I might recall something of that sort," she replied wrapping her arms around him as well, "but I thought we agreed we were waiting," she whispered. Farkas sighed, picked his head up, and looked down into her eyes.
"We did," he nodded, "I'll do as much or as little as you say tonight. I just want to be with you."
"Well it is a little cold down here," she smirked at him, "you did offer to warm my bed..." she reached for the straps of his armor, "you will be a lot more effective at that without all this steel..."
Farkas chuckled and helped her remove his armor again, but this time he took off his boots and leg greaves too, leaving him in only the pair of light pants he typically slept in.
"Won't be much good with all this steel on you either," he said reaching for the straps on Aylin's armor. This time she giggled and kissed him while he began to unbuckle her chest plate. Then she helped him get the rest of the buckles undone but pulled away and turned her back to him as she took off the chest plate. Farkas grumbled quietly in disappointment.
"Patience love," she said, smirking over her shoulder at him. Farkas watched as she pulled her sleeping tunic from her drawer and pulled it on over her head before turning back to face him. She then hiked up her tunic to remove her leg plates and boots.
In only his pants Farkas knew there was no way to hide what he was thinking as he watched her, so he made no effort to. The look of pleasant surprise that crossed Aylin's face when she glanced to his waistline made Farkas grin proudly.
"Something you like shield-sister?" Farkas asked flirtatiously. Aylin blushed and very intentionally looked back to his face.
"Well, apparently you see something you like," she smirked back at him.
"That I do," Farkas nodded as he pulled her to him with a grin.