Pairing: F!DB Altmer/Madanach Relationship: het Summary: Madanach unveils the first part of his plans to take back the Reach to Liriel, and while she does believe him, it's always wise to get outside verification of these things. That's if she can actually trust the outside verification, of course. A/N: Part continuation of the last chapter... and part lead in to the action. :)
Druadach Redoubt turned out to be a huge cavern built into the mountain, holes in the roof letting the light in, moonlight pouring in and pooling on to the ground. The ground itself rose up towards the back of the cavern, with three levels, each one with Forsworn tents pitched and stockades at the base of each tier, even trees growing there, and a small pool of water at the foot of the cave. There was even a small crop farm and grain mill, and a goat running up to her, butting against her and bleating.
“She likes you,” Madanach laughed as Liriel scritched it behind the ears.
“She's lovely!” Liriel smiled. “I never had you lot down as the pet owner types.”
“We're not, she's a working goat and valuable member of the camp,” said Madanach, rubbing the goat's back briefly before moving on. “Blame my daughter for the ridiculously sentimental name.”
Liriel rubbed the animal's back, idly wondering which daughter. Kaie? Or Eithne while she'd lived here? She didn't think the same goat would have survived two decades, but she was beginning to realise the King in Rags had a very long memory.
She followed him up towards the back of the cave, nodding in acknowledgement to the Forsworn she knew, those that were still up, and exchanging nervous glances with the ones she didn't. Still, no one reached for a weapon – it seemed Madanach's approval was sufficient to get her a free pass.
Madanach's tent was of course on the top tier, also home to a forge, a huge cage and the campfire and kitchen. Two tents, one big one with what looked like an elk's skull and ribcage mounted on top, presumably Madanach's, and a smaller one, but one still bigger than the others she'd seen around the place. Kaie was sitting inside it, presumably preparing for bed. She glanced knowingly up at Liriel and grinned.
“Sleeping up here tonight, are we? Thought you might. Just keep the noise down, OK? Some of us are trying to sleep over here.”
“I'll... try,” said Liriel, feeling a little uncertain as to just what Kaie meant by that, but if she wanted to sleep, Liriel could certainly make sure she wasn't disturbed.
Madanach growled in his daughter's direction. “Don't you have any work to be getting on with?”
“It's midnight, nearly,” Kaie shot back. “You know, the time normal people are meant to go to bed?”
“I don't care, something important's come up,” said Madanach, casting a magelight over a nearby table with a map on it and indicating for Liriel to take the sole chair. “And no it can't wait until morning,” he added, retrieving another from his tent and bringing it up to the table.
Kaie just rolled her eyes and reached for the flaps on her tent. “And he complains about his sleep cycles,” she muttered, tersely closing the entrance and retreating to bed.
“I hadn't realised it was that late,” said Liriel guiltily. “Are you sure this can't wait until morning? I don't want to keep you up.”
“Sithis, don't you start, I have enough to put up with what with Kaie nagging me. I swear she's turning into her mother more and more every day.” Madanach indicated the map in front of her, a map of what was clearly the Reach, and several locations dotted around it.
“Rather you didn't share this with anyone else,” said Madanach gruffly. “This is all our camps in the Reach. They operate mostly independently under their camp commander's control, and aside from this one and a few of the smaller ones nearby, they're all under the command of a Matriarch or a Briar Heart controlled by one.”
Nightshade and Juniper 3.1
Relationship: het
Summary: Madanach unveils the first part of his plans to take back the Reach to Liriel, and while she does believe him, it's always wise to get outside verification of these things. That's if she can actually trust the outside verification, of course.
A/N: Part continuation of the last chapter... and part lead in to the action. :)
Druadach Redoubt turned out to be a huge cavern built into the mountain, holes in the roof letting the light in, moonlight pouring in and pooling on to the ground. The ground itself rose up towards the back of the cavern, with three levels, each one with Forsworn tents pitched and stockades at the base of each tier, even trees growing there, and a small pool of water at the foot of the cave. There was even a small crop farm and grain mill, and a goat running up to her, butting against her and bleating.
“She likes you,” Madanach laughed as Liriel scritched it behind the ears.
“She's lovely!” Liriel smiled. “I never had you lot down as the pet owner types.”
“We're not, she's a working goat and valuable member of the camp,” said Madanach, rubbing the goat's back briefly before moving on. “Blame my daughter for the ridiculously sentimental name.”
Liriel rubbed the animal's back, idly wondering which daughter. Kaie? Or Eithne while she'd lived here? She didn't think the same goat would have survived two decades, but she was beginning to realise the King in Rags had a very long memory.
She followed him up towards the back of the cave, nodding in acknowledgement to the Forsworn she knew, those that were still up, and exchanging nervous glances with the ones she didn't. Still, no one reached for a weapon – it seemed Madanach's approval was sufficient to get her a free pass.
Madanach's tent was of course on the top tier, also home to a forge, a huge cage and the campfire and kitchen. Two tents, one big one with what looked like an elk's skull and ribcage mounted on top, presumably Madanach's, and a smaller one, but one still bigger than the others she'd seen around the place. Kaie was sitting inside it, presumably preparing for bed. She glanced knowingly up at Liriel and grinned.
“Sleeping up here tonight, are we? Thought you might. Just keep the noise down, OK? Some of us are trying to sleep over here.”
“I'll... try,” said Liriel, feeling a little uncertain as to just what Kaie meant by that, but if she wanted to sleep, Liriel could certainly make sure she wasn't disturbed.
Madanach growled in his daughter's direction. “Don't you have any work to be getting on with?”
“It's midnight, nearly,” Kaie shot back. “You know, the time normal people are meant to go to bed?”
“I don't care, something important's come up,” said Madanach, casting a magelight over a nearby table with a map on it and indicating for Liriel to take the sole chair. “And no it can't wait until morning,” he added, retrieving another from his tent and bringing it up to the table.
Kaie just rolled her eyes and reached for the flaps on her tent. “And he complains about his sleep cycles,” she muttered, tersely closing the entrance and retreating to bed.
“I hadn't realised it was that late,” said Liriel guiltily. “Are you sure this can't wait until morning? I don't want to keep you up.”
“Sithis, don't you start, I have enough to put up with what with Kaie nagging me. I swear she's turning into her mother more and more every day.” Madanach indicated the map in front of her, a map of what was clearly the Reach, and several locations dotted around it.
“Rather you didn't share this with anyone else,” said Madanach gruffly. “This is all our camps in the Reach. They operate mostly independently under their camp commander's control, and aside from this one and a few of the smaller ones nearby, they're all under the command of a Matriarch or a Briar Heart controlled by one.”