Jorleif had quickly retreated to Wuunferth’s office, where he knew he would be safe, and the guards of the palace silently willed themselves not to run. They could hear Ulfric trashing the war room, more enraged than he had been in months, and couldn’t help but feel fear coursing through their bodies. When the king stormed out into the main room, they both flinched despite their best efforts.
“You two!” Ulfric shouted, pointing wildly at them. “Arrest Rolff Stone-Fist immediately on charges of slander and treason! Get him in a jail cell as far into the ground as you can, and tell him I’ll deal with him soon!”
“Yes, sir!” The guards hurried from the palace, leaving Ulfric to pick up a full platter and hurl it across the room. He had woken to the news that Tomas had skipped town once again, with the sellsword from the inn in tow, and there was no suppressing the rage this time around. He had lost the love of his life again, and any grief he felt had melted into a fire that burned his blood.
If he hadn’t been such a damn fool, he could have avoided this entire mess. He stormed back to his quarters, only slightly satisfied by the sound of the door slamming behind him. If he tried to make any royal decisions today, he would almost certainly end up having someone executed. He didn’t want that.
He had cooled down by the time Galmar burst into his quarters. The older Nord, on the other hand, was furious, and stood imposingly in the doorway.
“You arrested my brother?!” he asked, storming forward as the king looked up from his book. Ulfric’s eyes narrowed, and he nodded.
“Your brother is a criminal,” he confirmed, “and deserves the cell he’s sitting in right now.”
“What he did wasn’t slander or treason!” Galmar argued, slamming his fist on the table. “He told Elisif the truth, and you had him thrown in jail! What’s the matter with you, boy?!”
“I’m no boy!” Ulfric argued, rising to his feet. “I’m your king—”
“Don’t you dare give me that, or I’ll be the one breaking noses this time,” Galmar interrupted him, his eyes flashing. “You have lost your damn mind over Tomas, and I am tired of dealing with you running around and doing wrong by him. Either you love him or you don’t, but stop making everybody suffer because you don’t know what you want. You’re being selfish, and I know that isn’t you.” He softened slightly, shaking his head bitterly. “It’s time for you to figure this out once and for all, Ulfric. You’re the best friend I’ve ever had, but you’re getting dangerously close to losing your housecarl. Keep that in mind.” With that, he stalked out of the room, leaving the king of Skyrim to sit in stunned silence.
This entire time, he had thought that the decision was impossible to make. Nothing in his life had been as easy as a yes or a no. But Galmar had never threatened to leave before, and the prospect of losing his best friend was more frightening than anything he had ever faced.
He took a seat on the bed, closing his eyes. Truly, with everything they had gone through together, it was amazing that Galmar had even stayed by his side this long. The same was true of Tomas, now that he thought about it. He wondered when he had stopped appreciating just how loyal the people in his life were.
Ulfric stood abruptly and hurried to the door. Another helmeted guard stood a few feet down the hall, and bowed politely at the sight of his king.
“Your Majesty.”
“Hello. Can you release Rolff Stone-Fist from his cell?” Ulfric asked, leaning against the doorframe. “Let him know that I apologize profusely for the inconvenience, and that I’ll compensate him when I return from Solitude.” The guard nodded his understanding and headed back to the main palace, leaving Ulfric to pack the bag that still lay on the floor from his last trip.
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timeasmymeasure
M!DB/Ulfric: "Unforgettable" 19/?
Date: 2015-08-08 08:36 pm (UTC)Jorleif had quickly retreated to Wuunferth’s office, where he knew he would be safe, and the guards of the palace silently willed themselves not to run. They could hear Ulfric trashing the war room, more enraged than he had been in months, and couldn’t help but feel fear coursing through their bodies. When the king stormed out into the main room, they both flinched despite their best efforts.
“You two!” Ulfric shouted, pointing wildly at them. “Arrest Rolff Stone-Fist immediately on charges of slander and treason! Get him in a jail cell as far into the ground as you can, and tell him I’ll deal with him soon!”
“Yes, sir!” The guards hurried from the palace, leaving Ulfric to pick up a full platter and hurl it across the room. He had woken to the news that Tomas had skipped town once again, with the sellsword from the inn in tow, and there was no suppressing the rage this time around. He had lost the love of his life again, and any grief he felt had melted into a fire that burned his blood.
If he hadn’t been such a damn fool, he could have avoided this entire mess. He stormed back to his quarters, only slightly satisfied by the sound of the door slamming behind him. If he tried to make any royal decisions today, he would almost certainly end up having someone executed. He didn’t want that.
He had cooled down by the time Galmar burst into his quarters. The older Nord, on the other hand, was furious, and stood imposingly in the doorway.
“You arrested my brother?!” he asked, storming forward as the king looked up from his book. Ulfric’s eyes narrowed, and he nodded.
“Your brother is a criminal,” he confirmed, “and deserves the cell he’s sitting in right now.”
“What he did wasn’t slander or treason!” Galmar argued, slamming his fist on the table. “He told Elisif the truth, and you had him thrown in jail! What’s the matter with you, boy?!”
“I’m no boy!” Ulfric argued, rising to his feet. “I’m your king—”
“Don’t you dare give me that, or I’ll be the one breaking noses this time,” Galmar interrupted him, his eyes flashing. “You have lost your damn mind over Tomas, and I am tired of dealing with you running around and doing wrong by him. Either you love him or you don’t, but stop making everybody suffer because you don’t know what you want. You’re being selfish, and I know that isn’t you.” He softened slightly, shaking his head bitterly. “It’s time for you to figure this out once and for all, Ulfric. You’re the best friend I’ve ever had, but you’re getting dangerously close to losing your housecarl. Keep that in mind.” With that, he stalked out of the room, leaving the king of Skyrim to sit in stunned silence.
This entire time, he had thought that the decision was impossible to make. Nothing in his life had been as easy as a yes or a no. But Galmar had never threatened to leave before, and the prospect of losing his best friend was more frightening than anything he had ever faced.
He took a seat on the bed, closing his eyes. Truly, with everything they had gone through together, it was amazing that Galmar had even stayed by his side this long. The same was true of Tomas, now that he thought about it. He wondered when he had stopped appreciating just how loyal the people in his life were.
Ulfric stood abruptly and hurried to the door. Another helmeted guard stood a few feet down the hall, and bowed politely at the sight of his king.
“Your Majesty.”
“Hello. Can you release Rolff Stone-Fist from his cell?” Ulfric asked, leaning against the doorframe. “Let him know that I apologize profusely for the inconvenience, and that I’ll compensate him when I return from Solitude.” The guard nodded his understanding and headed back to the main palace, leaving Ulfric to pack the bag that still lay on the floor from his last trip.