“You can't make someone happy, Madanach,” Liriel whispered. “You just give them somewhere safe to make their own happiness.”
“That's what I'm trying to do!” Madanach sighed. “She doesn't seem to want any of it. Was she like this in your Sanctuary?”
“No,” Liriel admitted, remembering Eola and Gabriella trying to outcreep each other and Eola's shocked face when she lost, and Eola making Babette blood cocktails by siphoning blood off a torture room victim, and Nazir telling her off for butchering another of said victims in his kitchen and Eola just pouting and saying she fancied a midnight snack, and Festus grudgingly admitting to Liriel that the girl was one of the few people who really got Destruction magic. She'd fitted in at Dawnstar, done well there. Because she'd been able to be herself and no one had really minded or judged her. At her father's court, she was on display all the time. No wonder she hardly left her room any more, the strain must be killing her.
Madanach lay back on the pillows, looking defeated.
“I've failed,” he said quietly. “Failed as a father. Gods, Liriel, don't bring your kids here, keep them at Vlindrel, I'll get you a nanny. I don't want any more innocent lives messed up by my terrible parenting skills.”
“Bit late for that, I told them we were getting married and they were going to live here with us,” said Liriel firmly. “They've wanted a father for ages, they were delighted to find out it's going to be you. You are stuck with them.”
Madanach said nothing, just laughing softly.
“Then I apologise unreservedly. They're going to be very disappointed.”
“Don't say that!” Liriel cried. “You're a really good father, you and Kaie had a really good relationship. You loved each other, understood each other, you took care of each other! You can do the same with Eola, I know you can.”
“Can I?” Madanach asked wearily. “I had Kaie visiting me every week without fail once she came of age. She was easy to understand, she was a Forsworn witch who loved her king and her country, she was like a sane version of her mother. She was my right-hand out there and my source of support when the rest of the world turned on me. Eola's a mystery. How am I meant to take care of her if I don't even know what she wants?”
“She doesn't need you to take care of her, she's twenty five years old and spent the last decade surviving quite well on her own!” Liriel sighed. “Just let her be an adult, let her do what she wants, go where she wants. Eola's not one of life's victims.”
“Nor was Kaie and she still died!” Madanach cried, and this was it, this in a nutshell. Madanach didn't want to lose his last remaining heir, couldn't face the prospect of life without her.
“Cariad,” Liriel whispered, drawing her into his arms. “Eola's not going to die. Not any time soon. She just needs her freedom. You're killing her keeping her locked up like this.”
“She's not a prisoner, she can go wherever she likes as long as she has guards and lets me know where she's going and when she's coming back,” Madanach protested.
“See?” Liriel sighed. “Prisoner. Eola's never had to account for her whereabouts or take guards in her entire adult life! Madanach, trust me, the last thing you really want to know is where she's gone or what she's doing.”
“But she doesn't have to be an assassin now, I can get her anything she wants...” Madanach stopped, it belatedly occurring to him that it was just possible Eola didn't join the Dark Brotherhood for the coin and comfortable home. “Don't tell me she'd rather be out murdering than being heir to the Mournful Throne.”
“Don't tell me you don't miss it too,” Liriel whispered in his ear. “Don't tell me that at twenty five years old, you would have tolerated anyone telling you what to do or keeping tabs on your every move.”
“At twenty five years old, I was murdering my way to the top of the Forsworn,” Madanach laughed, recalling the memory with a smile. “Tell me what to do? They were swearing fealty or dying. But Eola doesn't need to do all that, I got the throne for her! I've given it all to her on a plate.”
“Sweetie,” Liriel said gently. “Eola once told me the best meals were the ones you'd hunted and killed yourself. I don't think she's changed her outlook much.”
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timeasmymeasure
Re: Nightshade and Juniper 22.7
Date: 2013-07-27 12:24 pm (UTC)“That's what I'm trying to do!” Madanach sighed. “She doesn't seem to want any of it. Was she like this in your Sanctuary?”
“No,” Liriel admitted, remembering Eola and Gabriella trying to outcreep each other and Eola's shocked face when she lost, and Eola making Babette blood cocktails by siphoning blood off a torture room victim, and Nazir telling her off for butchering another of said victims in his kitchen and Eola just pouting and saying she fancied a midnight snack, and Festus grudgingly admitting to Liriel that the girl was one of the few people who really got Destruction magic. She'd fitted in at Dawnstar, done well there. Because she'd been able to be herself and no one had really minded or judged her. At her father's court, she was on display all the time. No wonder she hardly left her room any more, the strain must be killing her.
Madanach lay back on the pillows, looking defeated.
“I've failed,” he said quietly. “Failed as a father. Gods, Liriel, don't bring your kids here, keep them at Vlindrel, I'll get you a nanny. I don't want any more innocent lives messed up by my terrible parenting skills.”
“Bit late for that, I told them we were getting married and they were going to live here with us,” said Liriel firmly. “They've wanted a father for ages, they were delighted to find out it's going to be you. You are stuck with them.”
Madanach said nothing, just laughing softly.
“Then I apologise unreservedly. They're going to be very disappointed.”
“Don't say that!” Liriel cried. “You're a really good father, you and Kaie had a really good relationship. You loved each other, understood each other, you took care of each other! You can do the same with Eola, I know you can.”
“Can I?” Madanach asked wearily. “I had Kaie visiting me every week without fail once she came of age. She was easy to understand, she was a Forsworn witch who loved her king and her country, she was like a sane version of her mother. She was my right-hand out there and my source of support when the rest of the world turned on me. Eola's a mystery. How am I meant to take care of her if I don't even know what she wants?”
“She doesn't need you to take care of her, she's twenty five years old and spent the last decade surviving quite well on her own!” Liriel sighed. “Just let her be an adult, let her do what she wants, go where she wants. Eola's not one of life's victims.”
“Nor was Kaie and she still died!” Madanach cried, and this was it, this in a nutshell. Madanach didn't want to lose his last remaining heir, couldn't face the prospect of life without her.
“Cariad,” Liriel whispered, drawing her into his arms. “Eola's not going to die. Not any time soon. She just needs her freedom. You're killing her keeping her locked up like this.”
“She's not a prisoner, she can go wherever she likes as long as she has guards and lets me know where she's going and when she's coming back,” Madanach protested.
“See?” Liriel sighed. “Prisoner. Eola's never had to account for her whereabouts or take guards in her entire adult life! Madanach, trust me, the last thing you really want to know is where she's gone or what she's doing.”
“But she doesn't have to be an assassin now, I can get her anything she wants...” Madanach stopped, it belatedly occurring to him that it was just possible Eola didn't join the Dark Brotherhood for the coin and comfortable home. “Don't tell me she'd rather be out murdering than being heir to the Mournful Throne.”
“Don't tell me you don't miss it too,” Liriel whispered in his ear. “Don't tell me that at twenty five years old, you would have tolerated anyone telling you what to do or keeping tabs on your every move.”
“At twenty five years old, I was murdering my way to the top of the Forsworn,” Madanach laughed, recalling the memory with a smile. “Tell me what to do? They were swearing fealty or dying. But Eola doesn't need to do all that, I got the throne for her! I've given it all to her on a plate.”
“Sweetie,” Liriel said gently. “Eola once told me the best meals were the ones you'd hunted and killed yourself. I don't think she's changed her outlook much.”