Madanach was silent, digesting all this. Finally he closed his eyes, looking anything but comforted.
“So I was right,” he finally said. “I've failed her. I can't give her anything she wants, because what she wants is what can't be given.” He looked away and Liriel could almost feel the spark dying out of him.
“Take her away, Liriel,” said Madanach softly. “Take her back to your Sanctuary. She's still my heir, I'm not disowning her, but I can't bear to see her like this. She was happy there – so take her with you. Let her be an assassin if she wants to. Just... just keep her safe, Liriel, if anything happened to her...”
Liriel took his hand, not sure what to say but knowing what this was costing him.
“I'll take care of her,” Liriel promised. “And send her back to visit – I was thinking of setting up a Sanctuary in the Reach anyway. I could put her in charge of it, that'd keep her safer than if she was running jobs. And she'd not be far away, she could come and see you. I think she'd want to.”
“I'd like that,” said Madanach, smiling faintly. “If she can be like she was when she first got here... she was a delight to be around. I loved having her here so much. I still do, when she's happy, she just lights up the room but when she's not...”
Liriel squeezed his hand, understanding. Eola had her father's gift of being able to turn on the charm when she wanted, but it relied on her feeling strong and confident. With her connection to Namira gone, her strength would be waning fast. No, for everyone's sake, Eola needed to be back in the Brotherhood as Speaker of Reachcliff Sanctuary, only living part-time at Understone Keep and coming and going as she pleased. A priestess of Sithis and high-ranked Dark Sister would not be obliged to take orders from a king, even one who was her own father. Perhaps especially not her own father.
“Thank you,” said Madanach softly. “I'd be lost without you, you know. What did I do before I met you?”
“You sat in your cell drinking Skooma and assassinating your own people,” Liriel reminded him, and the memory of Madanach penned up like a wild beast and left to go mad reminded her that his kingdom was not as secure as he might wish. “Listen, Madanach, I didn't just come here for Eola. You're in trouble, a lot of trouble.”
That actually got a smirk. “Oh really. What did I do? Whatever it was, I'm very sorry. How can I make it up to you, hmm?”
Oh gods, Cicero's bizarre predilections were starting to infect her husband-to-be.
“Not like that!” Liriel cried. “I'm serious, Madanach! You nearly had the Legion invading! I had to talk Rikke out of it!”
Frown from Madanach. “What do you mean?” he asked, clearly puzzled. Not know – how could he not know there'd been Forsworn border raids? On the other hand, if he didn't know, that meant he'd not authorised them. He was innocent – well, innocent of that, anyway.
“The raids!” Liriel snapped. “There's been attacks on travellers all along your eastern border between Rorikstead and Falkreath, and the survivors say it was the Forsworn! Madanach, what's going on?? Don't tell me you haven't heard of them.”
“I've heard rumours,” Madanach shrugged. “But thus far, no actual proof it was anything other than beasts or bandits or dragons. When someone brings me proof or officially reports something to me, which no one's actually done yet, then I'll think about doing something, but with Eola the way she's been, I've really got no time for attacks that haven't even happened in the Reach.”
Dear sweet Lady Mara. She should definitely have come down here earlier.
“Well, consider this the official report,” Liriel said tersely. “You might not think it's your problem, Rikke thinks otherwise. Rikke thinks you're behind them – either that or you've lost control of the Forsworn. Madanach, she was planning an invasion! The only way I managed to talk her out of it was by persuading her to send me to investigate. She knows it'd be costly in both lives and coin to fight you direct, so she agreed. Madanach, you have got to act or... or you won't have a throne for Eola to inherit!”
Re: Nightshade and Juniper 22.8
“So I was right,” he finally said. “I've failed her. I can't give her anything she wants, because what she wants is what can't be given.” He looked away and Liriel could almost feel the spark dying out of him.
“Take her away, Liriel,” said Madanach softly. “Take her back to your Sanctuary. She's still my heir, I'm not disowning her, but I can't bear to see her like this. She was happy there – so take her with you. Let her be an assassin if she wants to. Just... just keep her safe, Liriel, if anything happened to her...”
Liriel took his hand, not sure what to say but knowing what this was costing him.
“I'll take care of her,” Liriel promised. “And send her back to visit – I was thinking of setting up a Sanctuary in the Reach anyway. I could put her in charge of it, that'd keep her safer than if she was running jobs. And she'd not be far away, she could come and see you. I think she'd want to.”
“I'd like that,” said Madanach, smiling faintly. “If she can be like she was when she first got here... she was a delight to be around. I loved having her here so much. I still do, when she's happy, she just lights up the room but when she's not...”
Liriel squeezed his hand, understanding. Eola had her father's gift of being able to turn on the charm when she wanted, but it relied on her feeling strong and confident. With her connection to Namira gone, her strength would be waning fast. No, for everyone's sake, Eola needed to be back in the Brotherhood as Speaker of Reachcliff Sanctuary, only living part-time at Understone Keep and coming and going as she pleased. A priestess of Sithis and high-ranked Dark Sister would not be obliged to take orders from a king, even one who was her own father. Perhaps especially not her own father.
“Thank you,” said Madanach softly. “I'd be lost without you, you know. What did I do before I met you?”
“You sat in your cell drinking Skooma and assassinating your own people,” Liriel reminded him, and the memory of Madanach penned up like a wild beast and left to go mad reminded her that his kingdom was not as secure as he might wish. “Listen, Madanach, I didn't just come here for Eola. You're in trouble, a lot of trouble.”
That actually got a smirk. “Oh really. What did I do? Whatever it was, I'm very sorry. How can I make it up to you, hmm?”
Oh gods, Cicero's bizarre predilections were starting to infect her husband-to-be.
“Not like that!” Liriel cried. “I'm serious, Madanach! You nearly had the Legion invading! I had to talk Rikke out of it!”
Frown from Madanach. “What do you mean?” he asked, clearly puzzled. Not know – how could he not know there'd been Forsworn border raids? On the other hand, if he didn't know, that meant he'd not authorised them. He was innocent – well, innocent of that, anyway.
“The raids!” Liriel snapped. “There's been attacks on travellers all along your eastern border between Rorikstead and Falkreath, and the survivors say it was the Forsworn! Madanach, what's going on?? Don't tell me you haven't heard of them.”
“I've heard rumours,” Madanach shrugged. “But thus far, no actual proof it was anything other than beasts or bandits or dragons. When someone brings me proof or officially reports something to me, which no one's actually done yet, then I'll think about doing something, but with Eola the way she's been, I've really got no time for attacks that haven't even happened in the Reach.”
Dear sweet Lady Mara. She should definitely have come down here earlier.
“Well, consider this the official report,” Liriel said tersely. “You might not think it's your problem, Rikke thinks otherwise. Rikke thinks you're behind them – either that or you've lost control of the Forsworn. Madanach, she was planning an invasion! The only way I managed to talk her out of it was by persuading her to send me to investigate. She knows it'd be costly in both lives and coin to fight you direct, so she agreed. Madanach, you have got to act or... or you won't have a throne for Eola to inherit!”