skyrimkinkmeme | Meme Announcements!

Meme Announcements!

ANNOUNCEMENTS: UPDATED 12/16/2017

Happy Holidays, fellow Kinkmemers! I have returned and have no reasonable excuse for my absence except LIFE. I will be working on updating the archives. If anyone sees anything amiss, please let me know.

I am also hoping to find another Mod and an Archivist.

The more dedicated people we have in this Meme the less chance of it dying. I admit that being the sole keeper of the Meme is not great for the fandom. If something were to happen to me, for good, this place would go the way of the Fallout Kink Meme. Let's not let that happen! If anyone would be interested in Modding/Archiving, please drop me a line. Thanks! <3

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Nnnnngghhh

*dead*

"Wait, wait, time-out!"

"What?"

"I'm picking a lock, it's a time-out."

"Dude, he's right, we have to wait."

I hope multi-fills are okay because I need to fill this like burning. Since it's a continuation of an earlier fill I guess it's part of a series?

Series: Legacy
Kink: pregnancy, angst
Relationship: femmeslash
Characters: F!DB, Dinya Balu

-----

Elayne was tired and afraid as she entered Riften for possibly the last time. Lydia lay dead in the Blackreach and the Elder Scroll was heavy on her back, but those were not the greatest of her worries or her sorrows. Two and a half months ago, Elayne had been brutally raped by seven men and for two and a half months, Elayne's period had not come. She remembered their comments about breeding her and she shivered involuntarily. She could not be pregnant, she showed no signs of the morning sickness that plagued women with child, their were no changes to her body or her mood and yet the fear of the possibility lingered.

Her footsteps took her to the Temple of Mara, and the priestess that waited within. Dinya Balu smiled when she saw Elayne and welcomed her with a hug.

"Her Benevolence bids you welcome Elayne. What can I do for you today?" Elayne found the dunmers warm voice reassuring, so much so that she was able to speak with a barely trembling voice.

"The Temple offers healing services to those in need, correct?"

Dinya Balu raised an eyebrow. "Yes we do, but I don't see anything wrong with you."

"I think I may be pregnant." This came out as a whisper.

"I see. Let's retreat to the back of the temple." Elayne couldn't tell if Dinya's voice was any different than it was before but she feared she sensed an undercurrent of displeasure in her tone. They retreated to an alcove and Elayne soon felt the priestesses healing magic flowing through her body. It took less time than she expected for the priestess soon removed her hands and said. "You are, and with twins. Truly this is a blessed occasion--"

"I was not." Her throat tightened up and she could not look Dinya in the eye. "I was not willing. I have to go." She practically fled the temple, her heart hammering in her chest.

Can I second this with a million million stars?

Okay first of all let me ask Why did Bethesda have to make the men on this game so damn sexy!? And second let me admit to letting my Dragonborn run around in fur armor showing off his sexy abs. Then of course I had to stop and think about all the sexy times to be had!

So anyways I don't really care if you plot (maybe an NPC comments on the DB's choice in armor and asks for a feel?) or maybe just start right into the sexy times? However I do want it to be slash and I'd prefer the characters to be the same or similar race (meaning man-man or Mer-Mer or beast-beast) but otherwise have at it!

Ooh and bonus points if they do it on a fur rug xP

I bet the dragonborn doesn't mind at all this particular kind of sharing :D

I like this!

Yet another fill for you, OP, I hope this is ok with you :)

A continuation (and by continuation I mean jumping waaaaay ahead of myself plot-wise) of my Galmar Stone-Fist/F!Breton!DB story As Bad As Any Elf (http://skyrimkinkmeme.livejournal.com/3603.html?thread=4133395#t4133395)

Tags: Relationship: het genre: fluff genre: humour char: galmar stone-fist char: f!pc race: breton race: nord kink: size-difference kink: age-difference kink: cuddling

Unexpected

*-*-*

Galmar Stone-Fist was a difficult man to surprise. He'd lived a good many years, watching people, planning tactics and strategies to deal with men and mer. He understood how people's minds worked. His wife's mind, on the other hand, he suspected he'd never understand.

Once they had been antagonists, on the same side, but wary of one another - more so when he had learned of her dragon magic (as useful as it was for Ulfric's army, Galmar found it difficult to reconcile with a lifetime of prejudice against mages, necromancers and their ilk) - before finding an unexpected camaraderie, and, eventually, more again besides.

They knew each other's ways, quirks, bodies, in a kind of intimacy that had grown so naturally that neither had realised it was love until they woke up still tangled together, and happier than either had been for the longest time.

They parted only for quests or unavoidable Stormcloak business (which cropped up more than Galmer liked or wanted now that Ulfric was almost High King) and always their reunions in Hjerim sent Rozenn's Housecarl running for Candlehearth.

Until, one day, she returned from returning some Dwemer artifact to the ruin it had been stolen from (a task Galmar could not imagine - usually it was to fetch something out of ruins) and sent Calder away with a fat purse and told Galmar to sit at the table.

*-*

"What is it, Breton?" Galmar drawled, with a slow, affectionate smile warming his features.

"Here's the thing," she said, sitting on a stool in the middle of the floor. Agitated, she stood and began pacing the carpeted area. "The thing is..."

Galmar waited, pretending to be patient. If he rushed her she'd give him the Silent Treatment out of spite. He waited until her pacing brought her within arm's reach and caught her, pulling her onto his lap - her back to his front - folding his arms around her waist.

"What is the thing?" Galmar asked quietly, talking like a man trying to coax a spooked horse.

"You recall when I spoke of my life in Bruma?" Rozenn asked him.

"Remind me, feeble old man that I am, I appear to have forgotten," he replied.

She turned sideways on his lap and gave him a half-hearted punch on the shoulder in retaliation for his teasing. Then she sighed and rested her head against the same shoulder.

"The local physician told me I would never have a child of my own," she prefaced.

"And I told you, all we need to do is pay a visit to Riften," Galmar interrupted.

Rozenn elbowed him.

"Please, continue, my love," he grunted.

"I ... we never tried to prevent ... I didn't think it necessary ... I -I -"

"Are you telling me you're with child?" Galmar asked shrewdly.

Rozenn nodded.

"This is wonderful! You always manage to surprise me, little Breton. What did I tell you? Those Imperial quacks, they know nothing!" Galmar crowed happily.

"Is it?" Rozenn's voice was the barest whisper.

"Of course it is. A man wants a child of his own blood to carry the family name. Talos knows Rolff's never going to get around to it," Galmar nuzzled the crown of her head, smiling broadly as he spoke.

"What if-" Rozen broke off, shaking her head.

"What if what? I can fight the dragons so you don't have to," Galmar said matter-of-factly.

Rozenn shook her head. "Not what I was thinking, but thank you, my love."

"Well, what?" Galmar asked impatiently.

"Well, you're big by Nord standards - Ysmir's beard, you're big by Giant standards! And me, well, I'm just little, runty even by Breton standards," Rozen spoke quietly, trying to hide in the soft fur of Galmar's bearskin cloak.

"Will you stop dancing around your what-if and say it?" Galmar grumbled.

"Will it fit inside me?"

*-*

Ulfric grew up in High Hrothgar. He could have gone down to Ivarstead for some company, buuuuuuuut...

In the Great War, Rikke and Galmar discover that their BFF is a virgin and decide that this needs to be rectified. Roughly. By both of them at the same time.

Exactly how much Ulfric wants this to be rectified is up to you, but straight up non-con is a no. Squicks are the usual bathroom and gore sorts of things, but make it rough!

loveeee!!!
I'm a now a Fenrir fangirl<3
Can't wait for the next update! :D

Melina woke slowly to the sounds of Whiterun. She could hear the bustle outside, people talking, merchants yelling out their wares. Her mind was clearer now that she had rest. Last night she had been a mess, the first time in a long while since she lost control of her emotions like that.

She knew what she was going to do. It may not be the best decision, but it was the smartest one. If she would have become pregnant in a year or so, then she wouldn’t have cared. But now, with Alduin still flying around and her having to confront the over grown lizard in the near future, it wasn't a smart idea to bring a child in the world.

Lydia had suggested Arcadia, but the woman was a romantic and she wasn’t sure if she would keep silent. Danica, she wasn’t sure about. The woman was a healer, and being asked to take a life might be going against her beliefs. Melina wasn’t going to find out, just to be safe. Her last option was Farengar.

She knew the wizard wouldn’t tell anyone, but she knew he would definitely give his opinion. “Lydia I’m heading up the castle,” Melina announced as she bounded down the stairs, feeling a lot lighter than yesterday.

“Are you telling…”

“Yes, I’m going to talk to Farengar,” Melina cut her off before she could ask the one question she wasn’t ready to answer.

~ooooooooooo~

Farengar glanced up from his work with a scowl. There had been nothing but interruptions and it looked as if there was to be another. His mouth snapped closed on a snarky comment when he saw it was Melina.

“Farengar I need your help,” Melina told him without their usual pleasantries.

“Oh, and what kind of help do you need?” Farengar asked suspiciously.

“I need to know if there is a way to get rid of unwanted problems,” Melina blurted out and blushed slightly for being so forward. She glanced down at her stomach and gave the wizard a pointed look.

Farengar, for the first time found himself at a loss for words. He glanced outside his room and found the main hall empty. He was thankful for that. “Melina, there is no safe way to do what you asking for. Any potions could have severe consequences, and I have never heard of a spell that would fix your problem,” Farengar told her quietly.

Melina sighed, “Then it looks like my life just turned a lot more complicated. Where is he?” She asked.

“Probably in his room,” Farengar answered with a smirk just before turning back to his work.

Without another word Melina walked towards the upper floor. The guards nodded to her cordially as she passed them. The guards on Balgruuf’s door opened it for her without a word. She shook her head, and wondered how many people here knew that she had slept with Balgruuf. It seemed like everyone if she was to go by the smirks.

She found Balgruuf sitting by the fire reading a book. “Anything interesting?” she asked as a way to announce herself.

“Melina; I am surprised to see you here. When did you get back into Whiterun?” Balgruuf asked, keeping any stray emotions hidden. The last time he showed any emotions, she had bolted the next morning long before he woke. It had pained him, but he should have expected it. Melina was the dragonborn and probably had many more admirers. Being Jarl wasn’t easy and was stressful, especially with the war going on. He knew Melina had a lot more stress and didn’t need more.

“I got in yesterday. I had to cut the mission short,” she muttered.

Balgruuf could see something was really bothering her as she stood there fidgeting. He tried to catch her eyes, but they were focused on the ground now.

“What brings you here?” he asked, hoping against hope that she was here for him. That she missed him as much as he missed her.

He sat there calmly waiting for her to reply, watching her pace his room. He could see it was something big bothering her, but didn’t have a clue what. He wondered if she was about to tell him that this was the last time he was going to see her and leave. He hoped not.

He flashed back to the night they had a few months ago. He had wanted more nights, but she had avoided him. That night he had asked her to marry him in the heat of passion. It had been his worst mistake. For a bit he thought she would come around, but as the weeks passed he knew that wasn’t true.

Melina felt her stomach roll once more. Her hands were shaking and her mouth was dry. She couldn’t get the words out that she wanted. She hated that she couldn’t be as forthright as she wanted to be. Why couldn’t she just blurt out that she was pregnant with his child? Every time she opened her mouth to do just that, nothing came out. It irked her to no end.

She glanced at Balgruuf, there was nothing there to help her. His eyes showed curiosity, but his body language was closed off. She wondered if she was doing the right thing. Her mother had always told her that the father should always know. It should never be hidden, now she wasn’t sure.

Her stomach turned once more and she swallowed quickly, but not quick enough. She grimaced when her mouth filled. She didn’t know what to do…

She jumped in surprised as her hair was moved off to the side and an empty chamber pot placed in her hands. Her breakfast, and the sweetroll she had on the way up here left her. Her stomach didn’t feel as queasy, but she was still a nervous wreck.

“How far along are you?” Balgruuf asked, trying to hide his hope.

“How long ago were we together?” Melina asked softly. She waited for the anger, the disbelief, but what she hadn’t expected was strong secure arms to wrap around her and hold her tightly. It wasn’t a warning, or threat, it was comfort. Her eyes burned as she sank into those comforting arms.
She would not cry. There was no way in hell she was going to cry… Too late, the first tear trickled down her cheek. The bearer of those arms held her more firmly, his scent surrounding her, comforting her. No words were said, she didn’t want words right now.

“Now are you going to marry me?” Balgruuf asked quietly.

Melina scowled, she was enjoying herself and then he had to ask that. “No. I am not marrying because of a child. If I do marry it will because of love, not because I have to,” Melina bit out sharply.

Balgruuf stayed quiet, but silently he started planning. He knew Melina cared for him, and he didn’t delude himself into thinking that she loved him. But that wasn’t going to stop his plan, he would win her over.
Instead, he held her tight to him and gave her the comfort her shaking body needed.
~ooooooooooooo~

This story will be split up in parts. I hope dear readers are enjoying this, let me know what you think. Very nervous writer.

Tags: Race Bosmer, F!DB.

Sorry for the long wait. The next chapter should be up later today or tomorrow.

Amie groaned as the musky scent of men came to her. Slowly her eyes fluttered open, bright light blinding her for a moment. A slow smile curled her lips as she glanced around. Beside her sat a large man, something she rarely seen from where she came from. It was like a dream come true, all those muscles hidden beneath his rich fur cloak. The only unfortunate part, he was gagged and bound. The possibilities that mouth could have… Her smile grew lustily as she turned her attention to the Nord across from her.

He was large, well built, thick thighs that could thrust into a person all night long. Damn! Skyrim was turning out to be a wet dream, one she didn’t want to wake from. She was sitting near two burly, large, hardened warriors… Did she mention well-muscled?

The down fall, they were all bounded and she wasn’t straddling any of them… The divines were frowning upon her. She turned to the last man in their wagon…

He was scrawny, dressed in rags… she knew then
this wasn’t a wet dream. Damn, what she wouldn’t have given to have both of these men all to herself in this wagon. Both, at the same time, or individually, it didn’t matter to her. But she knew one thing, by the time they were done with her; she definitely wouldn’t be walking right for the night. She couldn’t wait to test out that theory.

She turned her attention back to the tasty large treat sitting in front of her. Her mouth curved in a smirk as she wondered if his cock matched the rest of the package. She hoped to the eights it was so.

“Got caught crossing the border didn’t ya? I gotta wonder why a bosmer would come to Skyrim?” the nord across from her ask. She shivered as she heard his voice, deep, rumbly, with a thick accent. ‘Yep, she was going to definitely have him talk while he drove himself into her!’ She was already starting to become wet with just that thought.

“I came to see if a rumor my friend told me was true,” Amie murmured with a secretive grin. “And it looks like it’s very true.”

Please let me know what you think. Very nervous A!A

Driveby!Anon here, I just wanted to say you have no need to be nervous, A!A, this is sweet and lovely, and fun. Balgruuf is such a romantic. *snuggles him*

Is this a sequel or is Melina's night with Balgruuf going to be touched on in flashbacks? If there's another fic you've written I'd love to read it :D

No, there is no other story with Melina. I'll be doing flashbacks. More to come either later today or early tomorrow morning. Still writing the chapter.

Thank you so much for the kind words.

Yay, glad you like it! Liriel is indeed a tough, proud bitch, but she's very caring to her loved ones, as we will see next chapter.

I'm kind of excited about this fill too. :)

Glad you like it! Madanach is proving more fun to write than I ever thought possible - he's a cantankerous old bastard with a violent streak a mile wide, but paradoxically very protective and caring to his loved ones, I find. Next chapter is coming soon.

I'm very glad you like it so far! When writing him, I've always found him to be an impatient SOB with violent tendencies, but very protective and caring to his loved ones. So that's what the meme is getting.

I have a lot of respect for Ulfric too, but alas I always feel guilty whenever a Dovahkiin of mine goes Stormcloak...

Chapter 3

Melina walked into her house, she avoided Lydia’s curious eyes and ignored the smile growing on her housecarl’s face. “The messenger stopped by while you were telling the Jarl he was going to be father. You have three requests waiting for you.” Lydia told her with a sly grin.

Melina narrowed her eyes at the other woman, who was grinning unrepentantly. “Any near here?” she asked, swallowing her irrational anger.

“All of them. Two are to clear out caves and obtain missing articles they lost and the other is to clear out a ruin,” Lydia told her as she handed over the missives. Her eyes narrowed as she noticed that her Thane’s cheeks were redder than usual. It look almost like a whisker burn. If she was to guess that was exactly it.

“I take it the Jarl took the news well?” Lydia asked with a smirk.

“Better than I thought,” Melina answered absently as she read over the missives.

“So what happens now?” Lydia persisted.

“I carry the kid and pop it out in about six months or so,” Melina shrugged as she grabbed some potions from the cupboard.

“What about the Jarl?” Lydia asked, rolling her eyes as she plopped herself down on one of the chairs.

“What about him?” Melina asked, turning a curious look to Lydia.

“Well is he going to claim the babe?”

“Lydia it’s not property to be claimed. He’ll do what he wants and what that is, I don’t have a clue right now,” Melina answered tiredly, she squirmed slightly as she remembered the marriage proposal. She was right to say no, she didn’t have those emotions for the Jarl. It would have made things too awkward, but now wasn’t the time to dwell on it. She needed to focus on the upcoming missions, then she had to go after that damn elder scroll.

“Should I let the Jarl know you won’t be around?” Lydia asked with a sly grin.

“Lydia you’re pushing it,” Melina answered with a shake of her head. Without another word she headed out the door. Lydia watched her go with worry that she hadn’t taken anyone with her. She was surprised she didn’t send a missive to Argis, so he could meet her.
~oooooooooooooo~

Lydia sat down, trying to relax, but she knew that would be futile. So far she had dispatched two assassins, three thieves and answered many knocks on the door. She knew as soon as her rear touched the seat there would be another knock on the door.
She glared balefully at the door when the knocking started. She knew it, she should have never sat down. With a scowl she threw open the door about to give the person a piece of her mind. Her words stopped dead as her Jarl stood there with a package in his hands.

“Is Melina here?” Balgruuf asked with amusement when he saw the look on Lydia’s face.

“No, she’s gone out to do a few missions and then she had to obtain an Elder scroll,” Lydia told him. She took a step back as his face darken to a scowl, anger glow bright in his light blue eyes.

She was very nervous.

“She went out while she’s…” Balgruuf trailed off not sure if the housecarl knew of her Thane’s predicament.

“She left a few days ago, and probably won’t be back for a few more weeks,” Lydia answered hastily, hoping her Jarl’s anger doesn’t turn to her.

Balgruuf didn’t say a word as he passed the package to Lydia and stormed away. He was worried, very worried. Melina was with child and still doing dangerous things. He knew she was the dragonborn and she needed to do these things, but just the thought of her in danger fear spread through him.

It does feel a bit like that writing it in some ways... I think you will like how it turns out. It appears there will at some point be Cicero in a supporting role as sidekick to Liriel.

He didn’t bother answer questions as he walked up to his room. He ignored the curious and worried looks of his steward and housecarl, he could just imagine what they were thinking. Both knew he was to become a father once more, they knew Melina was the mother.

Proventus had suggested he marry her and soon, before it became common knowledge that he got the dragonborn with child. If he was anyone else, other than a Jarl, not many would complain, but since he was the Jarl, most would frown down upon him that he did nothing. So now he wasn’t sure what to do. She had turned him down, but that didn’t stop him from wishing they would marry, not because they had to, but it was what he wanted.

He had never met a woman like Melina, fierce, protective, loyal, and forthright. When he had first seen her, she had caught his attention. She had walked into his throne room wearing an unfitted mages robe that hung off of her. Her long black hair was caked in filth and blood. She sported a few bruises and cuts, she had a slight limp, but even with all this she had fire in her crystal green eyes. When she stood before him, not once did she bow or show the respect his title warranted. Instead she looked him in the eye with a penetrating gaze that he was sure could see through his guise as a Jarl, to the man beneath.

Then she spoke and he had been entranced, her voice had been clear, bold, but soft as velvet. Her words had been firm and ringing with truth; whereas most would have been quivering from what she experienced.

She had surprised him when he found out that she had retrieved the dragon stone before coming to give him the message. Most would have sold it, and there were many out there that would pay good money. Instead she passed over the stone without quam and took her leave.

Everyday after that he saw her as she spoke with Farengar. He smiled when he found out she had talked his court wizard into training her. His court wizard never taught anyone.

Then came that fateful day when she found out she was dragonborn. It had shocked him and her, but he had nothing but pride for her. She deserved the title more than anyone. At first he had not understood what it actually meant to be dragonborn. Not until that day when he found her on the balcony of Dragonsreach staring up at the sky.

He smiled softly as he thought of that night. She hadn’t even noticed him as she watched the skies. That was what he thought she was doing, but later found out she was hiding. Her words were, 'no one would be stupid enough to search me out for a mission there.' He had laughed, for the first time in a long while and it had felt good.

For a few hours they had talked, not as Jarl to his Thane, but as two people without titles or responsibilities. Then one thing led to another, he found her in his arms, his mouth plundered hers, tasting her sweetness. Then there on that balcony they made love, with only the stars to see them.

And now he had something new to smile about. Maybe this time he could have family, have a wife to be there for him. To have someone to love ‘him’ for him, and not for his title. She had already brought his son and him closer since she found that hidden sword. Him and his kids were closer now, instead of the distance that had once been there.

With all these contented memories, there was one large worry that overshadowed them. Melina was out there somewhere making Skyrim safe, but he hoped it wasn’t at a too high of a price.
~ooooooooooooo~

Lydia opened the door alert to danger when she heard the knock early morning. She was surprise anyone would be knocking at this time in the morning, the sky had barely lightened, it was still dark out mostly. She was doubly surprise to see the Jarl standing there looking awkward. “Give this to Melina when she returns, for her eyes only,” the Jarl ordered before walking away.

Lydia was so tempted to open the package but decided not to. She would have to wait till Melina returned and she planned to be right there when she opened it.

Hope everyone is enjoying this so far. Let me know what you think, still nervous about this story.

Pairing: F!Altmer DB/Madanach
Relationship: het
Kinks/warnings: none this chapter
Summary: Liriel gets home and rests before setting out on her next adventure, but her path inevitably leads back to the Reach. When a visit to a Forsworn camp goes wrong, it's north to Druadach Redoubt for answers. However, Madanach has questions of his own, and it turns out the Forsworn and the Dark Brotherhood are more closely linked than Liriel ever imagined...
A/N: This chapter's a bit of a talky one with a bit of an info-dump, but on the other hand if you wanted invented Forsworn lore, there is a lot here. A lot of Dark Brotherhood stuff starts coming in as well - Liriel's membership there is more than just backstory, it's an integral part of the plot. Spoilers for Hearthfire and the Pieces of the Past quest in this chapter.

Markarth had been awash with blood and death that night – Thonar Silver-Blood had only been the first of many to die. Mostly guards but even so, the screams would stay with Liriel for a while.

She'd done as Madanach had suggested, kept her head down and ran for the gates, darting past the guards and out, grabbing her horse from the stables and riding for home as fast she could. She'd not stopped until the Druadachs fell away and the tundra rose to meet her, Whiterun silhouetted on the horizon. Whiterun. Beautiful, peaceful Whiterun, where everyone knew her and trusted her, where no one was murdering anyone on the streets and certainly no one was framing her for it. Whiterun. Home, and the place where she kept the most precious and valuable of all her treasures.

She finally got in to Whiterun in the early evening, having been on the road for nearly twelve hours, saddle-sore and weary but finally home. She let herself in to Breezehome, hoping news of her arrest hadn't made it as far as Whiterun.

“MAMA!”

And there they were, the two lights of her life, more precious than any Daedric artefact. Her two baby girls, adopted of course, but she'd seen them and been unable to resist taking them home. Lucia, who she'd run into on her very first visit to Whiterun, learnt was a homeless orphan and made a point of giving money and food to whenever she saw her, right up until she had enough coin saved to finally buy Breezehome and get it furnished. Then she'd gone to Lucia on one of the coldest, wettest days she'd seen yet and shyly asked the girl if she'd be willing to let her adopt her. Lucia had hugged her in disbelief and nodded, and Liriel had taken her home.

Sissel was a different story – she'd had a father and sister out in Rorikstead; a father and sister who'd bullied and ill-treated her constantly. Liriel had been furious to see it happening, and after remonstrating with Lemkil had done no good, a return visit and a stealthy arrow from the hills had solved the problem. She'd stopped by again a day later and when she'd left, Sissel had come with her. Now both little girls lived at Breezehome, and Lydia, her housecarl, took care of them both when Liriel was away.

Liriel might be a murderer, Liriel might be a thief, but Liriel still believed in Lady Mara and Liriel couldn't have walked away from them. They were her babies and though they were human, she adored them both.

“Mama, you're home!” Lucia cried, flinging her arms around her mother. “We missed you!”

“Ri'saad the Khajiit told us you'd been arrested!” Sissel cried. “He said you'd been locked up in a dungeon in Markarth and were never coming home!”

Liriel was going to wring that cat's neck next time she saw him.

“It's all right,” Liriel soothed, kneeling down and putting her arms around them both. “I did end up in prison for something I didn't do, but it was all a terrible misunderstanding and it's all sorted out now. I'm home and safe, I promise you.”

“We knew you'd come back, Mama,” Lucia murmured into Liriel's hair. “We knew you wouldn't leave us.”

“Never,” Liriel whispered, kissing them both in turn. They all hugged for a few minutes, then Liriel let them go, smiling to see them both again. Already they both looked so different from the downtrodden little things she'd taken in. They'd both put on weight, they both had nice clothes now, they both looked so much happier and more confident. Liriel held hands with them both, just glad to see them again. Of course that was when she realised the sleeves on Lucia's dress, once wrist length, were now half an inch shorter.

“Lucia, has your dress shrunk?” Liriel asked, alarmed. Were they not being washed properly?? She'd heard of that happening, but the water had to be fairly hot to do that to clothes.

“Oh! No, Mama, it's just Lydia says I've grown,” Lucia said shyly, pulling her hair in front of her face. “It's fine, I don't mind it like this.”

Liriel's heart went out to the poor thing. Both of them were still so pathetically grateful for anything she gave them, from food to toys to books to clothes. As if they were afraid she'd send them away if they complained.

“Don't be silly, sweetie, you can't walk around in clothes that are too small for you. I shall be sure to get you some more as soon as I can. Sissel, what about you, are you all right for clothes?”

It turned out Sissel's dress no longer fastened properly at the back either. New clothes needed for both then. Liriel had to wonder if this was, well, normal. Sissel said she was seven, Lucia thought she was nine, but that meant nothing to Liriel. Altmer of that age were still in the cradle. This growing so fast, was it normal?? Were human children meant to do that?? She had no idea and didn't know who to ask without sounding like an idiot. Still, her girls looked healthy and happy apart from the frightening growth rate. She wouldn't worry too much just yet. Lydia hadn't seemed to think anything was amiss so Liriel supposed there was nothing too odd in it.

Lydia arrived from downstairs, having heard the noise and guessed Liriel was back.

“Liriel, my Thane, thank Mara you're back. Ri'saad was telling me the most bizarre stories. You ended up in Cidhna Mine? Something to do with the Forsworn?” Lydia hauled her off to one side, as the two girls ran off to get ready for dinner. “My Thane, what in Nirn happened?”

“It's hard to explain,” Liriel admitted. “Yes, I got arrested, but I didn't do it, I was framed. I ended up in Cidhna Mine anyway though, but I got out. It's fine, Lydia, you don't need to worry.”

“Don't I?” Lydia asked, raising an eyebrow. “Liriel, I know you've got... affiliations. But you've also got two little girls who were heartbroken to think you might not be coming home. I'll take care of them, yes, but I'm not their mother. You are. You're the one who rescued them both, the one they adore and look up to, and if you've managed to get yourself mixed up in something you can't handle...”

“I said it's fine!” Liriel snapped. Lydia flinched back then lowered her eyes, contrite.

“Of course it is, I didn't mean to pry,” she said quickly. “But if you're in some sort of trouble...”

“I was,” said Liriel shortly. “But I got out of it. Everyone knows now it wasn't me who killed all those people and I got to escape. End of story, I'm home, can we all get on with our lives now please?”

Lydia looked up at that.

“You escaped?? How? No one escapes Cidhna Mine! It's the most secure prison in the country!”

Liriel allowed herself a little smile at this. She'd have to think of a suitable story to be able to tell people. She wasn't sure Madanach would appreciate her telling everyone he'd helped her get out.

“I had a little help,” was all she felt safe saying about that. “Come on, let's have dinner, I want to see my girls again!”

Lydia backed off and let it go, knowing when not to push her Thane for information. It wasn't always healthy to know too much about what Liriel got up to, and Liriel was just thankful her housecarl knew the value of discretion. An association with the Forsworn was something Liriel did not want getting out if she could help it.

For a fleeting moment, she wondered how Madanach was doing. Had Kaie got him out of the city, had he made it to Druadach Redoubt? How was he adjusting to being free? She remembered him telling her he'd lost track of time years ago. She hoped he was coping with a world that had day and night in it again. He wasn't in bad health exactly, not that she had noticed, but she'd seen the lines on his face while he'd slept. He was getting old for a human, and he'd already been the Forsworn leader when they'd sent him to prison twenty years ago, married with a nine year old daughter – not a green youth then. How he'd survived down there without losing his mind, Liriel wasn't sure, but she respected him for it. She just hoped he'd not managed to survive in Cidhna only to go to pieces once he got out. Not that she liked him, certainly not. He was a stubborn, cantankerous old bastard with a vicious streak a mile wide, but he'd treated her well. Let her borrow his bed, not kicked her out when he'd needed sleep, not taken advantage. He wasn't all bad, and he was entitled to a little compassion too, even if he definitely didn't deserve it.

“Mama, there was a man in town today giving out leaflets to travellers, but I asked him nicely and he gave me one too.” Sissel was shoving a piece of paper over to her. “It's about a museum opening in Dawnstar. Mama, can we go?”

A museum? In Dawnstar? Who on earth would open one there, it wasn't the most visited of places. Liriel took the pamphlet and read. Some sort of museum dedicated to the Mythic Dawn. Wasn't that the cult that sparked off the Oblivion Crisis? Why would anyone open a museum about them? And in Dawnstar of all places?

“I'll go and see if it's at all interesting,” Liriel promised. “Dawnstar's a long way and very cold. I wouldn't want to take you all the way there only to find out it's really boring.”

Sissel pouted, but Liriel remained firm. She certainly wasn't risking her girls on this one – last time she'd visited Dawnstar she'd got mixed up in destroying a Daedric artefact and saving the town from nightmares. Fun but not something she'd want her children involved with, thank you very much. Still, a museum trip didn't sound too dangerous. Not like the owner was planning to summon Mehrunes Dagon himself, right?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Liriel cursed as she dodged arrows and fireballs and hid behind a ward, beating a hasty retreat from Hag Rock Redoubt. Welcome to the Forsworn, Madanach had said. These are your new brothers, Madanach had said. Here, have some fancy armour to look the part, Madanach had said.

Clearly these bastards hadn't got the memo yet. Liriel abandoned all hope of retrieving the damn pommel stone and fled down the hill, letting her Atronach deal with anyone following her. It wasn't fair, it really wasn't. She'd survived the Orc stronghold and actually broken in without needing to kill Ghunzul in the end. She'd broken into Jorgen's cabin in Morthal with no problems whatsoever. Now she was back in the Reach, trying to obtain what she had naively thought would be an easy part of Mehrunes Razor to find, and here she was, up against this. They had a troll, for Sithis' sake! She'd even worn the Armour of the Old Gods Madanach had given her but it hadn't helped. Cutting her losses, she ran to where she'd left her horse. Someone had a lot of explaining to do.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Many hours riding, but she found the place in the end. A craggy outpost in the Druadach Valley, nestling under a cliff – Druadach Redoubt, where Madanach had told her she'd be welcome. She'd better be. She wasn't sure she'd survive another camp of Forsworn attacking her.

There was a small group of them, sitting around outside in the late afternoon sun, a campfire going and a small tent nearby, just inside the wooden stockade, complete with goat's heads on pikes at the actual entrance. Very tasteful.

Liriel dismounted, leaving her horse by a nearby juniper tree, and made her way over, suddenly feeling her throat dry up. A couple of Forsworn looked her way and sat up, reaching for weapons, until the woman next to them motioned for them to sit down. Liriel recognised Kaie and her nerves eased a little... then she realised the Forsworn man standing up, staring intently at the sky, was Madanach himself.

He hadn't seemed to notice her yet. Too busy watching something. Or maybe just getting reacquainted with the sky after too long inside. He had his right hand raised, clearly focused on something. Liriel approached and then stopped a few feet away, wondering what on earth he was doing. She had her answer when seconds later, a shadow flickered over the ground and Madanach launched a lightning bolt into the sky. Something crashed to the ground, and Madanach punched the air, laughing.

“Still got it!” he announced, sounding extremely cheerful. One of the Forsworn ran off to collect whatever poor creature Madanach had just shot down, presumably a hawk or something.

“Well done, Da!” Kaie called from where she was sitting cross-legged on the ground. “Knew you could do it.”

“I try,” Madanach shrugged. Only three weeks since they'd broken out of prison together, and already he was looking healthier, less haggard. Cleaner, certainly – he looked like he'd bathed only that morning – and he didn't look nearly as pale. Back in Cidhna Mine, he'd had a certain charisma about him. Here in daylight, dressed in Forsworn gear with a sword at his side, he practically resonated power. The pent-up anger and frustration had dissipated – no, found an outlet and transmuted into an aura of calm menace. Liriel swallowed nervously, remembering an afternoon she'd spent at Solitude Docks trying to shoot down hawks for the feathers and failing, and there was Madanach managing it without even breaking a sweat. Madanach of Druadach was a very dangerous man, and now said dangerous man had noticed she was here.

“I wondered when you'd come back,” he said, grinning as his eyes roamed all over her. Did the man have no shame? Of course not, she belatedly began to recall.

“And you're wearing my armour. Even better. It suits you.”

It barely covered her and she'd had to use Stoneflesh before she could feel remotely secure in it. No doubt that was part of the appeal as far as Madanach was concerned.

“Madanach,” she said, trying to keep her voice level. Damned if she was giving him the satisfaction of letting him know just how much he was getting to her. “I thought I should see how you were doing. I know after so long underground adjusting to surface life must be difficult.”

Madanach laughed once, still with that infuriating grin in place and turned to Kaie. “Did you hear that, m'inyeen? The Dragon-Queen was worried about me. She couldn't focus on her slaying of dragons and studies of the arcane and murdering the innocent because she was too busy fearing for my wellbeing. Liriel, I'm touched.”

Ah yes. This was why she'd not come back before. He might have looked gentle and vulnerable while he'd been asleep, but awake he was all snide remarks and arrogantly lording it over everyone. Why she'd ever thought to be concerned was beyond her.

“Yes, well, you're clearly fine, so I shall be on my way. Good luck with your, er, claiming back the Reach.” Liriel turned, preparing to leave. She'd get that pommel stone another way. Maybe Erandur could be persuaded to help...

Madanach's hand clamped down on her arm, and as she turned round, icy glare in place to challenge him, she saw, for the briefest of seconds, genuine fear in his eyes. Only for a second, but it was there.

“Don't... you don't have to go,” he said, sounding a little awkward. “I mean, you've come all the way out here, it's going to be dark soon, why don't you stay and have dinner with us? We've got beds to spare, it's no bother.”

“Let go of me,” said Liriel calmly, and to her surprise, he actually did. That was unexpected. She'd thought he'd tighten his grip just to annoy her. She'd not expected him to actually honour her wishes.

“You didn't come here just to see how we were doing, did you?” he asked quietly. “You had a reason.”

Liriel hesitated, then nodded. Might as well be up front about it. She wasn't even asking for help, she just wanted answers.

“I had some questions,” she admitted. Madanach inclined his head, looking thoughtful.

“Can't guarantee I'll be able to help, but you're welcome to ask. Take a seat by the fire, we'll eat and talk out here. Kaie, can you tell Odvan to send some food out for us, also send some of the good jenever and some Reach-tonic. Don't worry about sticking around yourself, Liriel's a friend and I don't think there's a lot that she and I can't deal with.”

Kaie got up, brushing grass off her legs, and bowed slightly, grin on her face.

“Don't worry, Da, I'll make sure you've got your privacy,” she laughed, beckoning for the others to leave. Two Forsworn moved to take up lookout positions a few feet away, near enough to intervene if violence broke out, far enough away to not be able to hear their conversation, while everyone else followed Kaie into the nearby cave. Leaving her alone with the King in Rags, who was now sitting down next to the fire, stirring the logs with a stick and hitting it with a Flames spell to persuade it to flare up a bit.

“Not so warm with the others gone,” said Madanach casually. “And it gets dark quickly out here – the sun's gone behind the mountains before you know it. I'm still not used to it you know, the light changing all the time like this.”

Liriel settled herself next to him. She'd wondered how he was managing. Apparently not quite as well as he'd initially made out.

“This is why you're sitting out here and not inside, isn't it? You missed the sky.”

Madanach nodded, watching the setting sun. “Not even so much missed – after a while I forgot what it was like. It just seemed like a distant dream I once had. Now I can walk in the sunlight again and it's... well, it's a little unbelievable. I keep wondering why it's so bright and why the magelight's lasted for so long, and then I remember that's the sun. Hard to believe, I know. I'm trying to spend as much time as I can out here when it's not raining, try and get used to it again, but it's a little nervewracking without company. All that sky, all that openness – it feels like the gods just peeled the roof off the world and are staring down at me.”

Liriel looked up at the sky, the first stars just starting to appear. Now that he'd said that, she was starting to feel a little anxious herself. Altmer cosmology taught that the sky was the location of Aetherius – mortals could no longer see it as it truly was, but it was there and her Aedra ancestors lived there still, watching over their children. She knew they loved her, but she wasn't at all certain they necessarily approved. Feeling a little nervous, she edged a bit closer to Madanach. He glanced up at her, mouth quirking up in a faint half-smile but didn't say anything.

“So, you had questions,” he said. “I'm limited in what I can tell you, you understand. I've got a war to fight, I can't give away all our secrets, not even to you. But ask your questions, I'll tell you what I can.”

Of course she had, lots of questions, very important questions about how the Forsworn were organised and why she could walk in here and be greeted as not just a friend but be given a private audience with the King in Rags himself without any preamble whatsoever, and yet a friendly approach to Hag Rock had resulted in fireballs. So it was that the first question out of her mouth was:

“What's with the goat's heads everywhere? I mean, they're not exactly pretty, are they now?”

She knew it was a stupid question as soon as she opened her mouth, and the pained look on Madanach's face confirmed it.

“Are you a city girl, by any chance?” he said wearily. Liriel was forced to admit that that was the case – born and raised in Alinor and not really getting out of the city much, certainly not doing anything so crass as manual labour. It wasn't until she'd decided she was bored of the stultifyingly dreary life of an upper-class Altmer lady and wanted to broaden her horizons by going to study magic abroad that she'd got to see how ordinary people actually lived. It still took some getting used to.

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