Getting to Know the Harbinger

Questions

When they returned to Jorrvaskr Kaya reluctantly went about moving her meager belongings into the Harbinger's chambers. Vilkas volunteered to help her reorganize, mostly just as an excuse to try and figure her out. She was reluctant to move anything from where Kodlak had had it.
Finally she sat down at the desk with a heavy sigh.
"I don't know if I can do this," she grumbled, "it just feels wrong to be in here... this is Kodlak's room, and I'm only the new Circle member... I have no right to be in here."
"That's not true," Vilkas shook his head, "you were the one who granted him his final wish. He appointed you to succeed him. You're the only one with the right to be in here."
Kaya looked up at him in surprise at that.
"Alright," she nodded at last, "if you think that, then I think I can do this."
Vilkas smiled as he watched her get back up and open the single small chest of her belongings and begin trying to figure out where to put things.
"Although," Vilkas spoke up slowly, "now that you're Harbinger, there are a few things I'm curious about..."
"Like what?" Her voice sounded calm and genuinely curious, but Vilkas could hear in her pulse that he'd made her nervous.
'That confirms it,' he thought, 'she's hiding something.'
"Well," he began, "by now you know all about the Companions and our history... you even pretty much know Farkas's and my whole life story... but we hardly know a thing about you."
"Oh," she said quietly, clearly trying to sound nonchalant. "Well, I can't promise answers, but, ask whatever you like." Kaya looked up at him, looking a little nervous, but genuine now. It caught Vilkas a little off guard.
"How old are you?" Vilkas started with something simple, hoping she wouldn't think it a rude question.
"I'll be thirty this Frostfall," she replied, appearing and sounding unfazed. "About two years younger than you and Farkas if I'm not mistaken?"
"Aye," Vilkas nodded. He was a little impressed she'd remembered how old he and Farkas were.
"What else?" She smiled up at him. Vilkas was a little caught off guard again. She had a beautiful smile, and he suddenly found himself thinking it was a shame he didn't see her smile more often. He quickly pulled his mind back to his next question though.
"Where are you from?"
"Helgen originally," she replied. Vilkas raised his eyebrows in surprise; she sounded honest.
"Then what have you been doing for the last five years?" Vilkas didn't mean for his question to sound as suspicious as it had, but Kaya didn't seem to mind.
"Well, you know the last year and a half," she shrugged, "before that I mostly just traveled and tried to stay out of trouble. Did a lot of mercenary work."
"Alone?"
"Mostly."
"Any family?"
"No. Father died in the Great War when I was a baby, and mother succumbed to an illness when I was ten. Got by begging and doing odd jobs after that, I only set off adventuring after Helgen was destroyed."
Vilkas just nodded... that did mostly fill in the gaps...
"Were you there when the dragon attacked?" He asked in a more gentle tone.
"I was," she nodded simply. "It was the first time I swung a sword in my life."
"You fought the dragon at Helgen?" Vilkas asked in shock and disbelief.
"The imperials," she corrected, "I ended up hiding in a tower where a lot of the escaping Stormcloaks also hid, so I got labeled one of them by the imperials and had to fight my way out."
"I see," Vilkas nodded in surprise... her first time swinging a sword she'd had to fight trained soldiers... he wasn't sure if that said something for how amazing she was or for how pitiful the soldiers were... possibly both... but his wolf spirit still thought she was hiding something.
"What made you decide to join the Companions?" Vilkas continued curiously.
"Honestly, I was just tired of being alone," Kaya replied. "The impression I had of the Companions back then was basically honorable, well payed, glorified mercenaries. I thought it was something I could do to make a living, that wouldn't be much different from what I'd been doing, but with more honor and purpose... and it would mean I wouldn't have to be alone anymore."
"I see," Vilkas nodded. It was as good a reason as any... he'd simply joined because the Companions were the only life he'd ever known. But there was still something bothering him...
"So, when you first came to us," he continued, "why did you try to learn two-handed weapons and heavy armor when you were already so good with short swords and light armor?"
"Because I wanted to learn something new," she laughed. "What would have been the point of being taught what I already know?"
Vilkas just raised an eyebrow at her in surprise... most warriors find something that works and specialize...
"And," Kaya added with a coy smirk, "some of the barmaids at the Bannered Mare told me there was a handsome pair of twins at Jorrvaskr... and I heard they did the training on two-handed weapons and heavy armor."
Vilkas felt like his heart did a flip, the sudden flirtatious tone of her voice caught him completely off guard, but he wasn't about to let it go unanswered.
"Really?" He chuckled. His heart began to race as a curious smirk formed on his face. "And what have you made of that assessment now?"
"Not sure I've decided yet," she teased, "why don't you buy me a drink tonight so I can think it over?"
"It would be my pleasure Harbinger," Vilkas grinned.