The Forsworn leader was staring down at me, hunched and snivelling on the dusty floor. "Is everything alright, girl?" His voice was rough and lilting with the native Reach accent that brought back memories. Caught off guard, I wiped away the treacherous tears, "I'm fine. I-" I went to speak again but instead a large, racking sob emerged. "Here, come with me." The man handed me a dirty rag and took hold of my elbow, gently guiding me to my feet down the dirt-strewn passage into a small chamber. A cot and a desk covered in papers were the only features to the cold stone cave. Tears were flowing down my face as I took a seat on the cot and it took me some time to recover my composure.
"Better now?" The King in Rags was gazing at me, an expression akin to concern on his face. I nodded, trying to stifle my hiccups and wiping my tears away with the rag he had given me. When I was done, I took a deep breath and met his piercing gaze, as he spoke "So, what do you want? Answers about the Forsworn? Revenge for trying to have you killed?" "That was you? I thought it was Nepos." I shook my head. Not like it really matters now. "What I want is my freedom."
He smiled at me, a little sadly, "Yes, I can understand that. But even if you escaped, your name would still be stained with all that blood." "Not my conscience. Nepos instigated it on your orders." I locked my eyes with his. "Does it make a difference? You're one of us now. A slave. The boot of your kin stepping on your throat. Maybe if you understood that I could help you. Keep you safe, in here and outside."
My mind was turning, running through plans, scenarios. The thief in me was loving this dance and I bit back the urge to smile. This, this I can do. "They're no kin of mine. I came from Markarth, grew up in the Warrens." I paused to let that sink in and then dangled my bait, pouring all my scorn into my words. "And I lost my family to Ulfric Stormcloak and his soldiers." "So you know how widespread the injustice of Markarth is." "The fact that I'm innocent and in jail doesn't count?" I smiled bitterly at him, failing to keep the simmering anger from rising to my face. He gave a small laugh,"You know, it was actually your meddling above ground was what reminded me how removed from the struggle I've become. My men and I should be out there, fighting." I fought the urge to roll my eyes, "Let's get this straight; I don't particularly like you but I hate Ulfric more. And Markarth was a better place when the Reachmen governed it." His lips twitched in another smile, "You know, you may not like me but I'm almost beginning to like you." "I'm very likeable, when people aren't trying to kill me. Or frame me. So what are your plans?" I raised an eyebrow, settling myself onto his cot and slouching back to lean against the wall. "Why should I tell you my plans?" He leaned forward in his chair, resting his elbows on his knees and linking his hands together. "Why not?" I kept looking in his eyes, "It's not like I'm going anywhere and I'm sure the talents of the Dragonborn could be useful to your cause." His eyebrows quirked up in surprise, "You're the Dragonborn?" "I get that a lot," I responded dryly, "Would you like me to Shout?" He stared at me for a long moment before shaking his head, "No, I believe you. Alright, I'll tell you. What I want is my kingdom back and this time I'm not going to make the mistake of letting any treacherous Nords remain. Markarth will be for the Reachmen. Any other will be put to death. As we were twenty years ago."
I kept my gaze on his eyes as he spoke. I'd seen the zeal in his eyes before, too many times in this damned war; it burned in Ulfric's eyes, in Tullius's, in Delphine's and in Arngeir's. That utter conviction that the ends justified the means, that they were right and their cause was just no matter what price others had to pay.
The greater good.
I sat there, dazed. I couldn't…Not again... There was only one choice. My Shout left me in a whisper, "TIID KLO." As time slowed I slipped out of my seat, moving behind Madanach. My hands came up to cup his head, gently pulling it into my chest and then twisting it quickly. Instant death.
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timeasmymeasure
Call of the Blood 7.1/?
Date: 2013-07-06 10:40 pm (UTC)The Forsworn leader was staring down at me, hunched and snivelling on the dusty floor.
"Is everything alright, girl?"
His voice was rough and lilting with the native Reach accent that brought back memories. Caught off guard, I wiped away the treacherous tears, "I'm fine. I-" I went to speak again but instead a large, racking sob emerged.
"Here, come with me." The man handed me a dirty rag and took hold of my elbow, gently guiding me to my feet down the dirt-strewn passage into a small chamber. A cot and a desk covered in papers were the only features to the cold stone cave. Tears were flowing down my face as I took a seat on the cot and it took me some time to recover my composure.
"Better now?" The King in Rags was gazing at me, an expression akin to concern on his face. I nodded, trying to stifle my hiccups and wiping my tears away with the rag he had given me. When I was done, I took a deep breath and met his piercing gaze, as he spoke "So, what do you want? Answers about the Forsworn? Revenge for trying to have you killed?"
"That was you? I thought it was Nepos." I shook my head. Not like it really matters now. "What I want is my freedom."
He smiled at me, a little sadly, "Yes, I can understand that. But even if you escaped, your name would still be stained with all that blood."
"Not my conscience. Nepos instigated it on your orders." I locked my eyes with his.
"Does it make a difference? You're one of us now. A slave. The boot of your kin stepping on your throat. Maybe if you understood that I could help you. Keep you safe, in here and outside."
My mind was turning, running through plans, scenarios. The thief in me was loving this dance and I bit back the urge to smile.
This, this I can do.
"They're no kin of mine. I came from Markarth, grew up in the Warrens." I paused to let that sink in and then dangled my bait, pouring all my scorn into my words. "And I lost my family to Ulfric Stormcloak and his soldiers."
"So you know how widespread the injustice of Markarth is."
"The fact that I'm innocent and in jail doesn't count?" I smiled bitterly at him, failing to keep the simmering anger from rising to my face.
He gave a small laugh,"You know, it was actually your meddling above ground was what reminded me how removed from the struggle I've become. My men and I should be out there, fighting."
I fought the urge to roll my eyes, "Let's get this straight; I don't particularly like you but I hate Ulfric more. And Markarth was a better place when the Reachmen governed it."
His lips twitched in another smile, "You know, you may not like me but I'm almost beginning to like you."
"I'm very likeable, when people aren't trying to kill me. Or frame me. So what are your plans?" I raised an eyebrow, settling myself onto his cot and slouching back to lean against the wall.
"Why should I tell you my plans?" He leaned forward in his chair, resting his elbows on his knees and linking his hands together.
"Why not?" I kept looking in his eyes, "It's not like I'm going anywhere and I'm sure the talents of the Dragonborn could be useful to your cause."
His eyebrows quirked up in surprise, "You're the Dragonborn?"
"I get that a lot," I responded dryly, "Would you like me to Shout?"
He stared at me for a long moment before shaking his head, "No, I believe you. Alright, I'll tell you. What I want is my kingdom back and this time I'm not going to make the mistake of letting any treacherous Nords remain. Markarth will be for the Reachmen. Any other will be put to death. As we were twenty years ago."
I kept my gaze on his eyes as he spoke. I'd seen the zeal in his eyes before, too many times in this damned war; it burned in Ulfric's eyes, in Tullius's, in Delphine's and in Arngeir's. That utter conviction that the ends justified the means, that they were right and their cause was just no matter what price others had to pay.
The greater good.
I sat there, dazed. I couldn't…Not again... There was only one choice. My Shout left me in a whisper, "TIID KLO." As time slowed I slipped out of my seat, moving behind Madanach. My hands came up to cup his head, gently pulling it into my chest and then twisting it quickly. Instant death.