Ulfric was half-asleep on the throne when the courier entered the palace. Sitting up quickly, he cleared his throat, nodding at the wind-swept Nord as he hurried to his seat.
“Good morning, King Ulfric,” he said, holding out an expensive envelope. “I have a letter for you.” The king in question immediately recognized the royal seal of Solitude’s court on the back, and his brow furrowed.
“Thank you,” he replied, reaching for the letter with one hand and sticking his other in his pocket. “Here, have a drink before you get back on the road.” The courier took the coins gratefully and smiled.
“Thank you, your Majesty.” Once he had turned his back, Ulfric opened the letter carefully, leaning back on the throne as he read.
Ulfric,
I request your presence in Solitude. There are things we must discuss. I await your prompt arrival.
-Elisif
Ulfric frowned, folding the letter back in half. Her letters were rarely so blunt, or her sentences so short. He knew that there could be any reason for the summons, but he couldn’t help but feel as though he had done something very wrong.
“Galmar,” he called, glancing over at the kitchens. The older Nord poked his head into the doorway, half of a pheasant roast hanging out of his mouth.
“Yes?”
“I’m going to Solitude. Urgent business, apparently.” Ulfric rose to his feet, gesturing at the now-vacated throne. “I need you to stand in for me until I get back. Don’t start any wars while I’m gone.” Galmar smirked.
“No promises. Tell Elisif I said hello,” he said, heading for the throne as Ulfric strode for his quarters. When his old friend said nothing, he frowned and took a seat. He had an oddly pessimistic feeling about this unexpected journey.
Sure enough, Ulfric had barely made it to the Blue Palace when Elisif appeared at the balcony. Even at his distance, he could see her bright white knuckles on the railing.
“Is everything alright?” he asked as he ascended the stairs. The queen said nothing, and instead motioned for him to follow her to the bedroom.
She had barely closed the door when she turned to him, eyes blazing.
“Since our wedding, I have only told you to avoid doing one thing. Didn’t I?” She moved closer, her fists clenched. “Do you want to explain why Rolff Stone-Fist arrived yesterday and informed me that you are having sex with Tomas?” Ulfric’s eyes widened, and he gaped at his wife, feeling immediately numb.
“…What?”
“You heard me!” Elisif stormed across the room, her face reddening with rage. “I told you that you sharing a bed with him would threaten our stability, and you did it anyway. How dare you disrespect me like that, after everything you’ve done?!”
“Elisif! Rolff is a drunk, you know this!” Ulfric argued, following her as she stormed about. “He’ll always say things on his mind if it makes him feel better. Please—” Elisif turned to face him, her eyes dangerously narrow.
“He came all the way to Solitude based on drunk paranoia?” she asked, her voice suddenly a frightening hiss. “Don’t lie to me, Ulfric. Do you sleep with him or not?” Her entire aura compelled Ulfric, and he lowered his head, barely able to look at her.
“…I sleep with him,” he confirmed, sighing. Elisif closed her eyes, trying to keep calm in the wake of this news.
“And Rolff will make sure that much is known.” She looked up, the rage in her eyes melting into desperate sadness. “What do we do?” Ulfric sighed, taking a seat on the bed and shaking his head.
“I don’t know,” he replied, unusually demure. “I don’t know.” Elisif went to sit beside him, biting her lip as she thought.
“…We’re out of options,” she sighed, placing a hand on his. “Ulfric, we need to share this bed. And it needs to be loud enough that people will understand what we’re doing in here.” The king grew tense. He had just told Tomas he loved him the night before…but she was right.
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timeasmymeasure
M!DB/Ulfric: "Unforgettable" 17/?
Date: 2015-08-08 01:58 am (UTC)“Good morning, King Ulfric,” he said, holding out an expensive envelope. “I have a letter for you.” The king in question immediately recognized the royal seal of Solitude’s court on the back, and his brow furrowed.
“Thank you,” he replied, reaching for the letter with one hand and sticking his other in his pocket. “Here, have a drink before you get back on the road.” The courier took the coins gratefully and smiled.
“Thank you, your Majesty.” Once he had turned his back, Ulfric opened the letter carefully, leaning back on the throne as he read.
Ulfric,
I request your presence in Solitude. There are things we must discuss. I await your prompt arrival.
-Elisif
Ulfric frowned, folding the letter back in half. Her letters were rarely so blunt, or her sentences so short. He knew that there could be any reason for the summons, but he couldn’t help but feel as though he had done something very wrong.
“Galmar,” he called, glancing over at the kitchens. The older Nord poked his head into the doorway, half of a pheasant roast hanging out of his mouth.
“Yes?”
“I’m going to Solitude. Urgent business, apparently.” Ulfric rose to his feet, gesturing at the now-vacated throne. “I need you to stand in for me until I get back. Don’t start any wars while I’m gone.” Galmar smirked.
“No promises. Tell Elisif I said hello,” he said, heading for the throne as Ulfric strode for his quarters. When his old friend said nothing, he frowned and took a seat. He had an oddly pessimistic feeling about this unexpected journey.
Sure enough, Ulfric had barely made it to the Blue Palace when Elisif appeared at the balcony. Even at his distance, he could see her bright white knuckles on the railing.
“Is everything alright?” he asked as he ascended the stairs. The queen said nothing, and instead motioned for him to follow her to the bedroom.
She had barely closed the door when she turned to him, eyes blazing.
“Since our wedding, I have only told you to avoid doing one thing. Didn’t I?” She moved closer, her fists clenched. “Do you want to explain why Rolff Stone-Fist arrived yesterday and informed me that you are having sex with Tomas?” Ulfric’s eyes widened, and he gaped at his wife, feeling immediately numb.
“…What?”
“You heard me!” Elisif stormed across the room, her face reddening with rage. “I told you that you sharing a bed with him would threaten our stability, and you did it anyway. How dare you disrespect me like that, after everything you’ve done?!”
“Elisif! Rolff is a drunk, you know this!” Ulfric argued, following her as she stormed about. “He’ll always say things on his mind if it makes him feel better. Please—” Elisif turned to face him, her eyes dangerously narrow.
“He came all the way to Solitude based on drunk paranoia?” she asked, her voice suddenly a frightening hiss. “Don’t lie to me, Ulfric. Do you sleep with him or not?” Her entire aura compelled Ulfric, and he lowered his head, barely able to look at her.
“…I sleep with him,” he confirmed, sighing. Elisif closed her eyes, trying to keep calm in the wake of this news.
“And Rolff will make sure that much is known.” She looked up, the rage in her eyes melting into desperate sadness. “What do we do?” Ulfric sighed, taking a seat on the bed and shaking his head.
“I don’t know,” he replied, unusually demure. “I don’t know.” Elisif went to sit beside him, biting her lip as she thought.
“…We’re out of options,” she sighed, placing a hand on his. “Ulfric, we need to share this bed. And it needs to be loud enough that people will understand what we’re doing in here.” The king grew tense. He had just told Tomas he loved him the night before…but she was right.
“…Okay.”