“That's it,” Liriel said, smiling. “The Dark Brotherhood don't need anything else. We're done.”
“Oh! I – that's such a relief, thank you!” Anton laughed nervously. “I'll be getting back to work then. You, er, go safely.”
“I will,” Liriel murmured, taking her leave. It was as she got to the passage leading to the Keep's exit that she heard mage armour being cast, Destruction magic flaring and the sound of someone, probably the young man who'd been quietly sweeping the floor in the background, shouting “Glory to the Forsworn!”
The Dark Brotherhood may have finished with Anton Virane, but the Forsworn were just getting started.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Argis was waiting for her at Vlindrel Hall, ebony armour on, practicing a few moves with Dawnbreaker. He stopped as she walked in, coughing and hastily putting the sword down.
“Er... hello, I was just...er...”
“Training, I know, it's important to practice your fighting skills,” said Liriel, unable to repress a smile. So quiet and modest, unlike his father. It made for a nice change.
“Right, yeah,” said Argis, looking relieved. “So where now? Doesn't look like you're having to leave in a hurry.”
“No, thankfully, but I do need to get moving. I've got a Scroll to read and work to do.”
“No problem,” said Argis, reaching for his own sword. “When do we leave?”
Here came the part she'd been dreading. “I'm leaving within the hour. You are staying here.”
“What??” Argis cried, and now the resemblance was showing, very definitely. “With all due respect, Liriel, you can't be serious. It's dangerous, you'll need a bodyguard!”
“Yes, it'll be dangerous, which is why you're not going,” said Liriel firmly. “I can't risk you getting hurt, your father will be heartbroken!”
“I'm meant to be guarding you!” Argis cried. “You think he'll be upset if I die, he'll lose it if anything happens to you!”
“You're his son!” Liriel shot back.
“You're his queen!”
“I am not his queen!” Liriel glared at him, wishing the stubborn idiot would just give in already. Yes, no doubt about it, just like his father.
“That's not how he sees it,” Argis growled, glaring back. “Liriel, please. I'm thirty five and a highly trained warrior, I can look after myself.”
“I'm 133 and the Dragonborn Archmage, I'm no pushover myself,” said Liriel, unwilling to back down. Let a member of the House of Madanach get their way once, they'd be impossible forever. “Look, if it helps, I don't intend to go alone, I have another friend lined up. But you're not coming. I'm not risking you any more. Not now – not now I know.”
“Gods damn it, it's not like he never has,” Argis said bitterly. But he knew when to give in to the inevitable. “Fine, Dragon-Queen. Have it your way. But if you get killed...”
“I won't,” said Liriel softly, patting Argis' arm. “Thank you. You're a good man. Madanach does love you, you know. He's proud of you, he told me.”
“Yeah,” said Argis quietly, sitting down and watching as Liriel began to pack. “I'm sure he did.”
Liriel wished she could convince him Madanach meant it, but unless Madanach actually acknowledged Argis openly, she doubted he'd ever truly believe he was good enough for his father. It was sad, especially if they'd once been close. Still, she'd done what she could. She couldn't force Madanach to sort his family out.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Reading the Scroll had been the easy part. Liriel had taken Eola with her, even got her original Shrouded Armour adjusted to fit Eola properly at Warmaiden's, and they'd gone to the Throat of the World together. Whereupon Eola had shrieked to see Paarthurnax there, then squealed with delight on learning he was friendly and promised not to say a word. Then Liriel had read the Scroll, seen Alduin's banishment, learnt Dragonrend in the process, come back to herself, and then all Oblivion had broken loose as Alduin had turned up. The fight had been a hard one, but Liriel and Eola's magic had carried the day. Alduin fled, but a partial victory was no victory at all in Liriel's eyes.
Re: Nightshade and Juniper 11.7
“Oh! I – that's such a relief, thank you!” Anton laughed nervously. “I'll be getting back to work then. You, er, go safely.”
“I will,” Liriel murmured, taking her leave. It was as she got to the passage leading to the Keep's exit that she heard mage armour being cast, Destruction magic flaring and the sound of someone, probably the young man who'd been quietly sweeping the floor in the background, shouting “Glory to the Forsworn!”
The Dark Brotherhood may have finished with Anton Virane, but the Forsworn were just getting started.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Argis was waiting for her at Vlindrel Hall, ebony armour on, practicing a few moves with Dawnbreaker. He stopped as she walked in, coughing and hastily putting the sword down.
“Er... hello, I was just...er...”
“Training, I know, it's important to practice your fighting skills,” said Liriel, unable to repress a smile. So quiet and modest, unlike his father. It made for a nice change.
“Right, yeah,” said Argis, looking relieved. “So where now? Doesn't look like you're having to leave in a hurry.”
“No, thankfully, but I do need to get moving. I've got a Scroll to read and work to do.”
“No problem,” said Argis, reaching for his own sword. “When do we leave?”
Here came the part she'd been dreading. “I'm leaving within the hour. You are staying here.”
“What??” Argis cried, and now the resemblance was showing, very definitely. “With all due respect, Liriel, you can't be serious. It's dangerous, you'll need a bodyguard!”
“Yes, it'll be dangerous, which is why you're not going,” said Liriel firmly. “I can't risk you getting hurt, your father will be heartbroken!”
“I'm meant to be guarding you!” Argis cried. “You think he'll be upset if I die, he'll lose it if anything happens to you!”
“You're his son!” Liriel shot back.
“You're his queen!”
“I am not his queen!” Liriel glared at him, wishing the stubborn idiot would just give in already. Yes, no doubt about it, just like his father.
“That's not how he sees it,” Argis growled, glaring back. “Liriel, please. I'm thirty five and a highly trained warrior, I can look after myself.”
“I'm 133 and the Dragonborn Archmage, I'm no pushover myself,” said Liriel, unwilling to back down. Let a member of the House of Madanach get their way once, they'd be impossible forever. “Look, if it helps, I don't intend to go alone, I have another friend lined up. But you're not coming. I'm not risking you any more. Not now – not now I know.”
“Gods damn it, it's not like he never has,” Argis said bitterly. But he knew when to give in to the inevitable. “Fine, Dragon-Queen. Have it your way. But if you get killed...”
“I won't,” said Liriel softly, patting Argis' arm. “Thank you. You're a good man. Madanach does love you, you know. He's proud of you, he told me.”
“Yeah,” said Argis quietly, sitting down and watching as Liriel began to pack. “I'm sure he did.”
Liriel wished she could convince him Madanach meant it, but unless Madanach actually acknowledged Argis openly, she doubted he'd ever truly believe he was good enough for his father. It was sad, especially if they'd once been close. Still, she'd done what she could. She couldn't force Madanach to sort his family out.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Reading the Scroll had been the easy part. Liriel had taken Eola with her, even got her original Shrouded Armour adjusted to fit Eola properly at Warmaiden's, and they'd gone to the Throat of the World together. Whereupon Eola had shrieked to see Paarthurnax there, then squealed with delight on learning he was friendly and promised not to say a word. Then Liriel had read the Scroll, seen Alduin's banishment, learnt Dragonrend in the process, come back to herself, and then all Oblivion had broken loose as Alduin had turned up. The fight had been a hard one, but Liriel and Eola's magic had carried the day. Alduin fled, but a partial victory was no victory at all in Liriel's eyes.