Ulfric’s knuckles were stinging in the cold as he stalked towards his palace. No sooner had he entered than he made a beeline for the war room, his right-hand man’s favorite place. Sure enough, Galmar was there, going over papers with a cold mead in his hand.
“You told Tomas that Elisif and I never shared a bed,” the king snarled. Galmar looked up from his work, raising a shaggy eyebrow.
“Hello to you, too.”
“How dare you give away such private information?!” Now the older man rose to his feet, his fists on the table.
“I’d watch my tone, Ulfric. If you think your damn title will stop me from knocking the sense back into you, you’re sorely mistaken,” he said lowly. Ulfric stormed forward and slammed his own palm on the table, eyes ablaze.
“You know full well that Tomas has a history with men, and you give him information that he could use against me! Do you want people thinking I’ve taken a bedwarmer? Do you not want my marriage to be taken seriously?!” he raged. Galmar shoved him firmly, knocking him back a few steps.
“You sound like an Imperial milk-drinker, sipping up the lines your lovely wife feeds you like they’re a damned stew,” he retorted. “As it happens, Ulfric, I’ve only just now learned that Tomas has a history with men, and I really don’t care. He can bed frost trolls, for all I care. But I’m not going to stand here and listen to you treat one of our most loyal officers like a traitor when all he’s ever done is support you and stand at your back!” He pushed the younger Nord again, harder this time. “You have some nerve, turning your back on him because your damned wife is worried about her precious image. Elisif can rot in Oblivion for all I care! Will you have me beheaded for that, mighty King Ulfric?” He huffed, taking in Ulfric’s stunned face. “You’re a smart man, but I fear this new power will take control of you. And you’re already letting it happen.” Ulfric took a seat abruptly, looking down at the bruises that were forming on his knuckles.
“You’re right,” he said, amazed. “Tomas is second only to you in his loyalty to me…and in his caring. And I hit him.” Galmar sat down as well, eying the bruises with disgust.
“You hit him,” he echoed, shaking his head. “By the Nine, Ulfric, you’re better than that. You didn’t rise all the way to King of Skyrim just to start beating the people you have feelings for.” Ulfric looked up, his brow furrowed.
“I’m married, Galmar. That hasn’t changed. I don’t have feelings for Tomas,” he said firmly. Galmar leveled him with a piercing look, and smiled wryly.
“Yes, you do.”
Ulundil was locking the stable doors when Ulfric and Galmar approached him. He greeted them with a bow and a smile, as always.
“King Ulfric, Galmar. How can I help you?”
“Have you seen Tomas?” Ulfric asked, masking his anxiety over the elf’s whereabouts. The path he had abandoned him on was empty, and the sun had long since set. To his dismay, Ulundil gestured at the empty space where the carriage usually was.
“He left town. Didn’t even say where, just told Alfarinn to drive until he told him to stop. He seemed like he was in a hurry.” The Altmer eyed the two apologetically. “Sorry I couldn’t be of more use.”
“Thank you anyway,” Galmar replied, already aware that Ulfric was too upset to speak. If the time before was any indication, they knew Tomas wasn’t coming back any time soon.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
timeasmymeasure
M!DB/Ulfric: "Unforgettable" 8/?
Date: 2015-06-30 04:46 am (UTC)“You told Tomas that Elisif and I never shared a bed,” the king snarled. Galmar looked up from his work, raising a shaggy eyebrow.
“Hello to you, too.”
“How dare you give away such private information?!” Now the older man rose to his feet, his fists on the table.
“I’d watch my tone, Ulfric. If you think your damn title will stop me from knocking the sense back into you, you’re sorely mistaken,” he said lowly. Ulfric stormed forward and slammed his own palm on the table, eyes ablaze.
“You know full well that Tomas has a history with men, and you give him information that he could use against me! Do you want people thinking I’ve taken a bedwarmer? Do you not want my marriage to be taken seriously?!” he raged. Galmar shoved him firmly, knocking him back a few steps.
“You sound like an Imperial milk-drinker, sipping up the lines your lovely wife feeds you like they’re a damned stew,” he retorted. “As it happens, Ulfric, I’ve only just now learned that Tomas has a history with men, and I really don’t care. He can bed frost trolls, for all I care. But I’m not going to stand here and listen to you treat one of our most loyal officers like a traitor when all he’s ever done is support you and stand at your back!” He pushed the younger Nord again, harder this time. “You have some nerve, turning your back on him because your damned wife is worried about her precious image. Elisif can rot in Oblivion for all I care! Will you have me beheaded for that, mighty King Ulfric?” He huffed, taking in Ulfric’s stunned face. “You’re a smart man, but I fear this new power will take control of you. And you’re already letting it happen.” Ulfric took a seat abruptly, looking down at the bruises that were forming on his knuckles.
“You’re right,” he said, amazed. “Tomas is second only to you in his loyalty to me…and in his caring. And I hit him.” Galmar sat down as well, eying the bruises with disgust.
“You hit him,” he echoed, shaking his head. “By the Nine, Ulfric, you’re better than that. You didn’t rise all the way to King of Skyrim just to start beating the people you have feelings for.” Ulfric looked up, his brow furrowed.
“I’m married, Galmar. That hasn’t changed. I don’t have feelings for Tomas,” he said firmly. Galmar leveled him with a piercing look, and smiled wryly.
“Yes, you do.”
Ulundil was locking the stable doors when Ulfric and Galmar approached him. He greeted them with a bow and a smile, as always.
“King Ulfric, Galmar. How can I help you?”
“Have you seen Tomas?” Ulfric asked, masking his anxiety over the elf’s whereabouts. The path he had abandoned him on was empty, and the sun had long since set. To his dismay, Ulundil gestured at the empty space where the carriage usually was.
“He left town. Didn’t even say where, just told Alfarinn to drive until he told him to stop. He seemed like he was in a hurry.” The Altmer eyed the two apologetically. “Sorry I couldn’t be of more use.”
“Thank you anyway,” Galmar replied, already aware that Ulfric was too upset to speak. If the time before was any indication, they knew Tomas wasn’t coming back any time soon.