Galmar was glad he'd accepted Rozenn's offer of the horse Frost. Although he was amused when she told him it was conditional on his going NOWHERE near The Rift. As if he didn't know where the champion had come from! The horse's quick stride ate the miles between Windhelm and Falkreath Hold, and the tireless horse kept going long into the night, with both moons out to light their way.
It took three days nonstop riding for Galmar to find Ulfric's carriage, struggling on the poorly kept roads of Dengeir's Hold. He slowed the horse to a walk as he approached the Stormcloaks and saw the impudent Ralof wave to him from in the back of the vehicle. He hopped down and jogged forward to meet Galmar and the sweating Frost.
"General," Ralof saluted.
"Impudent pup," Galmar muttered.
Used to Galmar's ways after the long campaigns, Ralof ignored the jibe, and, walking alongside the General, back towards the carriage and outriders, made his report.
"The High King's horse threw him, a week ago - you got here much more quickly than we had hoped - and he suffered an unpleasant concussion and a nasty break in his leg. The Shield-Maiden was not permitted to use healing magic on him, but she managed to set and splint the leg, so hopefully Ulfric won't suffer from any lameness-"
"Idiot! I told him that horse was not to be trusted," Galmar interrupted.
"To be fair, General Galmar," Ralof argued, "it was not the horse's fault that the dragon flying overhead spooked it. Poor thing ran straight into the beast's hungry maw."
Galmar glared at his insubordinate subordinate. "Thank Talos it did not drag Ulfric along with it. I suppose you want to hold a feast in the silly thing's honour?"
Ralof tried to bite back a surprised laugh at the general's comment. He wasn't entirely successful. "The Jarl wished to have you join him in the back of the carriage."
Galmar nodded and dismounted, tossing Frost's reins to Ralof. "If you don't take proper care of this horse, General Stormblade will be displeased," he said gruffly.
He jogged up behind the carriage, ignoring the driver asking if he would like it to stop, gripped the edge of one of the seats and hauled himself up. Ulfric gazed up at him from his reclining position atop a pile of fur-lined bedrolls in the well of the carriage. The High King of Skyrim smiled faintly at his oldest friend and Housecarl. His oldest friend and Housecarl glared at him and sat.
"Idiot."
"Galmar. How good of you to join us."
"I warned you about the damned horse being skittish, but would you listen? Damn fool. Now look where it got you," Galmar said, not bothering to lower his voice to pretend at privacy.
"Excuse me, ah, General Galmar, but I don't think you ought to speak to the exalted High King that way," the carriage driver interrupted nervously.
"Hmmph," Galmar snorted. "It'll do the man good. Just because he's High King does not stop him from being an idiot. Now shut up and drive! Where are we going?"
"I thought we might get to Riverwood from here, General," Ralof commented from atop Frost. "It's only a little over the border. Another day on the road at most."
"And Talos knows the roads will be better. Vignar Grey-Mane at least knows to maintain decent carriageways. I must have a word with Dengeir when this is all finished," Ulfric said, wincing and grunting in pain as the carriage hit yet another rutted, potholed section of roadway.
Galmar nodded. "I disagree. Take the next turn Northwards."
The driver opened his mouth to argue, but Galmar glared at him so fiercely that he said nothing.
At Ulfric's questioning look, Galmar elaborated. "Rozenn has a sizeable property not too far from here, Lakeview Manor, and she told me we might make free with it, if needed. The steward there knows me, and she has a good head on her shoulders - unlike some Jarls I might mention."
Ulfric chuckled weakly and nodded his approval. "As long as we get off these damnable roads soon, I don't care where we go."
"Ah! Finally, the Exalted High King shows some sense!" Galmar teased.
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timeasmymeasure
The Old-Fashioned Way 2/?
Date: 2013-05-19 12:59 pm (UTC)It took three days nonstop riding for Galmar to find Ulfric's carriage, struggling on the poorly kept roads of Dengeir's Hold. He slowed the horse to a walk as he approached the Stormcloaks and saw the impudent Ralof wave to him from in the back of the vehicle. He hopped down and jogged forward to meet Galmar and the sweating Frost.
"General," Ralof saluted.
"Impudent pup," Galmar muttered.
Used to Galmar's ways after the long campaigns, Ralof ignored the jibe, and, walking alongside the General, back towards the carriage and outriders, made his report.
"The High King's horse threw him, a week ago - you got here much more quickly than we had hoped - and he suffered an unpleasant concussion and a nasty break in his leg. The Shield-Maiden was not permitted to use healing magic on him, but she managed to set and splint the leg, so hopefully Ulfric won't suffer from any lameness-"
"Idiot! I told him that horse was not to be trusted," Galmar interrupted.
"To be fair, General Galmar," Ralof argued, "it was not the horse's fault that the dragon flying overhead spooked it. Poor thing ran straight into the beast's hungry maw."
Galmar glared at his insubordinate subordinate. "Thank Talos it did not drag Ulfric along with it. I suppose you want to hold a feast in the silly thing's honour?"
Ralof tried to bite back a surprised laugh at the general's comment. He wasn't entirely successful. "The Jarl wished to have you join him in the back of the carriage."
Galmar nodded and dismounted, tossing Frost's reins to Ralof. "If you don't take proper care of this horse, General Stormblade will be displeased," he said gruffly.
He jogged up behind the carriage, ignoring the driver asking if he would like it to stop, gripped the edge of one of the seats and hauled himself up. Ulfric gazed up at him from his reclining position atop a pile of fur-lined bedrolls in the well of the carriage. The High King of Skyrim smiled faintly at his oldest friend and Housecarl. His oldest friend and Housecarl glared at him and sat.
"Idiot."
"Galmar. How good of you to join us."
"I warned you about the damned horse being skittish, but would you listen? Damn fool. Now look where it got you," Galmar said, not bothering to lower his voice to pretend at privacy.
"Excuse me, ah, General Galmar, but I don't think you ought to speak to the exalted High King that way," the carriage driver interrupted nervously.
"Hmmph," Galmar snorted. "It'll do the man good. Just because he's High King does not stop him from being an idiot. Now shut up and drive! Where are we going?"
"I thought we might get to Riverwood from here, General," Ralof commented from atop Frost. "It's only a little over the border. Another day on the road at most."
"And Talos knows the roads will be better. Vignar Grey-Mane at least knows to maintain decent carriageways. I must have a word with Dengeir when this is all finished," Ulfric said, wincing and grunting in pain as the carriage hit yet another rutted, potholed section of roadway.
Galmar nodded. "I disagree. Take the next turn Northwards."
The driver opened his mouth to argue, but Galmar glared at him so fiercely that he said nothing.
At Ulfric's questioning look, Galmar elaborated. "Rozenn has a sizeable property not too far from here, Lakeview Manor, and she told me we might make free with it, if needed. The steward there knows me, and she has a good head on her shoulders - unlike some Jarls I might mention."
Ulfric chuckled weakly and nodded his approval. "As long as we get off these damnable roads soon, I don't care where we go."
"Ah! Finally, the Exalted High King shows some sense!" Galmar teased.
*-*-*