The Dragonborn's Family

Preparations and Cheese

Farkas's perspective on Krinna and Vilkas preparing to leave for Solstheim.

His son had just turned one... they were supposed to be celebrating his son's birthday that week, but instead, Farkas was spending most of his days leaned over the forge, making arrows for his brother.
It had been nearly a week since the cultists' attack, and Farkas knew his brother was still furious about it. After everything he'd watched the two of them go through so Krinna could save the world from Alduin, Farkas couldn't blame him. Actually, Farkas and the rest of the Companions were angry too.
Vilkas had wanted to take off for vengeance that very night, but Krinna had talked sense into him. A trip that long was going to take some preparation. Besides the fact they were the Harbinger and the Master-At-Arms, parents couldn't just take off for an unknown amount of time without some arrangements being made first.
Fortunately, since everyone agreed, this insult and threat to their Harbinger could not go unanswered, and said preparations only took them about a week.
Aela recruited Athis to help with day to day work and jobs at Jorrvaskr so they could run things more smoothly with almost all of the Circle away. Krinna had hinted strongly that if that went well, Athis could be the next one initiated to the Circle, which had definitely gotten the Dunmer's attention.
Farkas and Lydia relocated their family to the manor just north of Whiterun where Ria and Krinna's newest housecarl, Gregor, could help them look after all four children. Farkas had originally thought they'd wait till Jergen was a little older before moving, but he and Lydia both agreed this would be the easiest way for them to help.

Vilkas stuffed himself in his library for most of the week, hunting through his ridiculously large book collection for information on the supposed 'true Dragonborn' that the cultists has been yelling about.
"Maybe he's in that book on dwarven architecture," Farkas suggested from the hallway with a poorly concealed chuckle one afternoon.
Vilkas didn't reply, but a few moments later Farkas was met with said book being thrown with alarming accuracy at his face. He barely dodged in time and the book sailed past his ear and over the railing instead. Farkas cringed as he heard it land with a loud slam on the dining table downstairs, followed by a clattering of plates and silverware, and several startled yells. Vilkas looked up from his book and met Farkas's eye with a surprised and slightly guilty smirk as he tried to stifle a laugh.
"Vilkas," Krinna yelled a moment later, "why in Oblivion did a Dwemer book just launch cheese all over my dining hall?"
"'Eese!" They heard Jergen cheer.
"Blame Farkas," Vilkas called back in an even tone, still trying not to laugh.
"I'm not the one who threw it!" Farkas protested looking over railing at the chaos that the massive tome had created. The book had hit the rim of a large bowl that had held several slices and wheels of cheese, causing it to flip into the air.
"Well you can both come down here and help clean it up!" Lydia yelled in response.
"'Eese!" Jergen declared excitedly picking up one of the slices and toddling over to Lydia.
Farkas looked back at Vilkas who sighed and closed his book.
"I need a break anyway," he shrugged. Farkas rolled his eyes and punched his brother in the shoulder as they went downstairs.
"'Apa, 'eese!" Jergen exclaimed, toddling up to Farkas with another cheese slice.
"Yeah, cheese," Farkas chuckled, scooping the tiny boy into his arms. "Your uncle made a mess, huh?"
"Sorry love," Vilkas chuckled at Krinna's bewildered expression, "Farkas dodged."
Krinna and Lydia exchanged exasperated looks before both women rolled their eyes and shook their heads.
It didn't take too long to clean up, and Farkas volunteered to go sharpen Wuuthrad and Dawnbreaker after that. Then he'd set to work crafting Vilkas more arrows for Auriel's Bow.

As the week went on, Krinna and Lydia worked with the children a bit more on ranged their attacks. The fight with the cultists had made Krinna decide she needed to teach Blaise some more destruction spells besides fire, as well as some that had more range. Lydia had the girls work extra on archery, and had them start practicing with smaller and farther targets.
When he was tired of smithing and fletching in the evenings Farkas left the forge to help train the children with their daggers, and he started them practicing throwing them. Vilkas periodically left the library to join in the training as well. The brothers agreed that at least Blaise might be ready to start learning a real short sword soon, but that should probably wait until Vilkas and Krinna got back.
As it got closer to time for his brother and sister-in-law's departure, Farkas found himself selfishly feeling relieved that Krinna was the Dragonborn and not Lydia. He was glad he and his wife would be the ones staying home with the kids, and he was definitely worried about his brother and sister-in-law.