Getting to Know the Harbinger

The Harbinger's Secret

Taking place after the wedding, I now begin the third installment of this little series...

"Why can't I train with Aela?" Ria whined lowering her sword in exhaustion.
"Because, you wanted to learn the longer blades," Vilkas explained tiredly, "Aela's never wielded anything bigger than a dagger."
"Sure she has!" Farkas laughed from under the awning a few yards away. "She's good at it too," he added, grabbing Aela's behind as she walked up to set her bow down. Aela laughed and let him pull her into his lap, draping her arms across his shoulders as she leaned in and whispered something to him.
Vilkas clapped his hand to his forehead, "Damn it brother, shut up!" He yelled irritably.
Ria looked confused for a moment, but she caught on upon seeing Vilkas's reaction.
"O-ok, sorry I asked," she mumbled, blushing a little as she picked her sword back up.
Vilkas rolled his eyes and got back into his fighting stance to continue sparring.
Vilkas smirked a few minutes later when he heard the Harbinger come outside and playfully scold the pair...
"Ok you two, stop making the whelps uncomfortable," Kaya laughed.
"Oh come on," Farkas complained. "You're just cranky 'cause yours is still busy," he teased.
"And yours isn't as affectionate as mine," Aela added with an teasing smirk of her own, and Kaya gave short laugh.
"Alright," Vilkas grumbled, motioning to Ria to stand down and turning toward the porch. "And who says I'm not?" He demanded, walking up, glaring at his brother and sister-in-law. "I've never heard my wife complain..." he added with a smirk as he put an arm around Kaya's waist.
"I don't," Kaya chuckled as Vilkas pulled her to his side.
"Now you're all making us uncomfortable," Torvar grumbled as he got up to go inside.

Before Torvar got to the door however, the back door opened suddenly and Njada and Athis rushed out.
"Harbinger, there's some masked madmen out front yelling something about the Dragonborn and 'Kaya Stormcrown'..." Athis announced nervously.
"Stormcrown?" Aela repeated in confusion... at the same time Farkas asked,
"The Dragonborn?"
...and Kaya turned and simply grumbled, "shit."
"Where are they?" Vilkas asked, drawing his sword.
Before Athis or Njada could respond, five figures in leather looking robes with white masks ran around the side of Jorrvaskr.
"You there!" One of them yelled, pointing up at Kaya, "you're the one they call Dragonborn?"
"Well fuck," Kaya grumbled under her breath. "I don't know what you're talking about," she replied loudly and confidently.
"Your lies fall on deaf ears, Deceiver!" Another of the masked men yelled, "we know you are the False Dragonborn! You shall not stand in the way of the true Dragonborn's return!"
All of the Companions outside had drawn their weapons by then, waiting for their Harbinger's signal...
"False Dragonborn?" Kaya repeated indignantly, "and just who the fuck are you supposed to be?"
"We are the devout of the true Dragonborn," still another answered, "he comes soon, and we shall offer him your heart!"
"Sorry, I'm married," Kaya retorted, getting into her fighting stance.
"When Lord Miraak appears all shall bear witness. None shall stand to oppose him!"
Seeming not to even notice the seven other Companions on the porch, five masked men charged towards Kaya. Vilkas lunged forward, his great sword cleaving one man's head clean off before he could even attempt to counter. Kaya jumped over a table and thrust her sword into one man's throat. Meanwhile, Torvar and Athis double-teamed one of them, Ria and Njada took down another, and Farkas furiously splattered the last one just after he staggered back with one of Aela's arrows in his neck. The five of them never even got a chance to cast their spells.
"Is everyone ok?" Kaya asked looking around the yard.
"Think so..." Aela nodded, looking around as well.
"Was that all of them?" Vilkas asked.
"Don't smell anymore," Farkas growled.
"What in Oblivion was that about Harbinger?" Njada asked in confusion.
Vilkas watched Kaya's face carefully as she looked around at everyone else's confused faces.
"I mean, you heard as much as I did..." Kaya shrugged as she knelt down to search the closest man's pockets. Everyone watched in tense silence as she pulled out a scrap of paper and read it. "They came from Solstheim," she said angrily several moments later. "And I'm not sure how they got my name," she added with a sigh. She looked up at the rest of the Companions again... everyone but Vilkas looked confused... "I was trying to avoid this connection, but you all deserve the truth more than anyone I suppose..."
"Kaya Stormcrown," Aela repeated again, "you're the Dragonborn..."
"And that's another secret that doesn't leave the Companions," Kaya nodded grumpily.