“Can't say I ever have, no,” Madanach sighed wearily. “But even Mireen never messed about with Elder Scrolls. Do you know what you're doing, Dragon-Queen?”
The answer to this one was no, without a shadow of a doubt, but Liriel wasn't going to admit that.
“I've got it all under control,” Liriel reassured him. “Don't worry, what's the worst that could happen?”
Madanach promptly rolled over, pushing her back and climbed on top of her, glaring down at her as he pulled her legs around him.
“You get yourself killed, Argis killed, that Scroll rends a hole into the fabric of time, all Oblivion pours through it and the dragons eat us all?” he snarled.
“You promise,” Madanach said, not remotely mollified. “You can guarantee that won't happen, can you?”
Well, no. “But if I don't do it, Alduin will kill us all eventually!” Liriel sighed. “You know what the dragons are doing, you know that no matter how often you kill them, they come back unless I'm there, because Alduin keeps raising them! I can't be everywhere, Madanach. I need to stop this at source, and killing Alduin is all that will do it. I'm sorry, cariad.”
Madanach closed his eyes, the anger fading as he nuzzled her cheek.
“Don't die,” he murmured. “I've already lost three children, a wife, countless friends and former comrades. I can't lose any more, I just can't.”
“You won't,” Liriel whispered, pulling him to her and running her fingers through his hair. “You won't lose any more children, I promise. I won't let your son die.”
Madanach went very still, before rolling off her, lying back on the bed.
“How did you find out about that,” he whispered, voice low and dangerous. “No one is supposed to know about that, for the boy's own safety!”
“I guessed,” said Liriel, deciding not to mention Argis had inadvertently given it away. “And he's thirty five, hardly a boy any more. Madanach, why did you never tell me?”
Madanach sighed, seeming to give in – in fact, part of him just looked relieved to be able to admit it to someone.
“I'm sorry, Liriel. I didn't know how you'd react, and admitting to an illegitimate son running around isn't something a man's usually proud of.”
“But you did before,” Liriel whispered. “He was your acknowledged son when they brought him here, you called him Argis ap Madanach and swore an entire camp to secrecy.”
“Of course I did, what would you do when faced with your crying ten year old son who's just seen his mother killed and thinks he's an orphan?” Madanach sighed. “I'm not a complete monster. And Liriel, do not think for a moment it was easy keeping that knowledge from Mireen – I had to have at least three people staked out with salt in their wounds and honey on their skin because they gossiped where they shouldn't. An overreaction perhaps, but no one endangers my children.”
“Nor mine,” Liriel said quietly. “Listen, if you want, I can send him back to Markarth, take someone else? I've got another friend who'd happily give me a hand if I asked her.”
“No, no,” Madanach said, closing his eyes. “Despite the fact you're completely mad, I think he's safer with you than anywhere. And he's not a child, he's a grown man, and I know he can fight. He may not be any good at magic, but he's strong, resilient, can handle virtually any weapon put in his hands – Liriel, he's faster in heavy armour than a lot of my Forsworn are in light. He's a fine warrior, and I'm very proud of him, and he knows that even if I can't be open about it.”
“No,” Liriel heard herself say, her tone sharper than she'd meant it to be. “He thinks he's a disappointment because he's not a true Reachman, and that he'll never mean as much to you as Kaie does. He adores you, worships the ground you walk on, and he thinks he'll never be good enough for you. Damn it, Madanach, your wife is dead, he's not working for the Jarl any more, he's sworn to me, what does it matter if the Forsworn find out he's your son? They already know he's an agent of yours. Wouldn't it make it better for them to know why you trust him so much?”
“Kaie would be heartbroken,” said Madanach softly, still not meeting her eyes. “She'd never trust me again.”
Re: Nightshade and Juniper 11.2
The answer to this one was no, without a shadow of a doubt, but Liriel wasn't going to admit that.
“I've got it all under control,” Liriel reassured him. “Don't worry, what's the worst that could happen?”
Madanach promptly rolled over, pushing her back and climbed on top of her, glaring down at her as he pulled her legs around him.
“You get yourself killed, Argis killed, that Scroll rends a hole into the fabric of time, all Oblivion pours through it and the dragons eat us all?” he snarled.
“It won't happen,” Liriel soothed him, stroking his face. “I promise.”
“You promise,” Madanach said, not remotely mollified. “You can guarantee that won't happen, can you?”
Well, no. “But if I don't do it, Alduin will kill us all eventually!” Liriel sighed. “You know what the dragons are doing, you know that no matter how often you kill them, they come back unless I'm there, because Alduin keeps raising them! I can't be everywhere, Madanach. I need to stop this at source, and killing Alduin is all that will do it. I'm sorry, cariad.”
Madanach closed his eyes, the anger fading as he nuzzled her cheek.
“Don't die,” he murmured. “I've already lost three children, a wife, countless friends and former comrades. I can't lose any more, I just can't.”
“You won't,” Liriel whispered, pulling him to her and running her fingers through his hair. “You won't lose any more children, I promise. I won't let your son die.”
Madanach went very still, before rolling off her, lying back on the bed.
“How did you find out about that,” he whispered, voice low and dangerous. “No one is supposed to know about that, for the boy's own safety!”
“I guessed,” said Liriel, deciding not to mention Argis had inadvertently given it away. “And he's thirty five, hardly a boy any more. Madanach, why did you never tell me?”
Madanach sighed, seeming to give in – in fact, part of him just looked relieved to be able to admit it to someone.
“I'm sorry, Liriel. I didn't know how you'd react, and admitting to an illegitimate son running around isn't something a man's usually proud of.”
“But you did before,” Liriel whispered. “He was your acknowledged son when they brought him here, you called him Argis ap Madanach and swore an entire camp to secrecy.”
“Of course I did, what would you do when faced with your crying ten year old son who's just seen his mother killed and thinks he's an orphan?” Madanach sighed. “I'm not a complete monster. And Liriel, do not think for a moment it was easy keeping that knowledge from Mireen – I had to have at least three people staked out with salt in their wounds and honey on their skin because they gossiped where they shouldn't. An overreaction perhaps, but no one endangers my children.”
“Nor mine,” Liriel said quietly. “Listen, if you want, I can send him back to Markarth, take someone else? I've got another friend who'd happily give me a hand if I asked her.”
“No, no,” Madanach said, closing his eyes. “Despite the fact you're completely mad, I think he's safer with you than anywhere. And he's not a child, he's a grown man, and I know he can fight. He may not be any good at magic, but he's strong, resilient, can handle virtually any weapon put in his hands – Liriel, he's faster in heavy armour than a lot of my Forsworn are in light. He's a fine warrior, and I'm very proud of him, and he knows that even if I can't be open about it.”
“No,” Liriel heard herself say, her tone sharper than she'd meant it to be. “He thinks he's a disappointment because he's not a true Reachman, and that he'll never mean as much to you as Kaie does. He adores you, worships the ground you walk on, and he thinks he'll never be good enough for you. Damn it, Madanach, your wife is dead, he's not working for the Jarl any more, he's sworn to me, what does it matter if the Forsworn find out he's your son? They already know he's an agent of yours. Wouldn't it make it better for them to know why you trust him so much?”
“Kaie would be heartbroken,” said Madanach softly, still not meeting her eyes. “She'd never trust me again.”