Madanach had gone quiet, that sharp mind of his ticking over, considering all this, and with Eola's wellbeing settled in part, he could finally put aside the worry and give this his full attention at last. Liriel waited for him to react and from the way his eyes were narrowing, it was clear he didn't like where this was going.
“Come with me,” was all he said, getting up abruptly and walking out of the room. Liriel ran after him, following in his wake as he led her to what turned out to be his study. It was a large Dwemer room dominated by a long table that had clearly once been used for banqueting, but was now taken up by various bits of paperwork, and Madanach's map of the Reach from Druadach Redoubt. Next to it was a map of Skyrim, all the major towns, cities and forts marked on it. Madanach indicated the big map.
“Show me where these attacks are taking place.” He handed her a few blue flag pins to mark them off with, and Liriel tried to recall what Rikke had told her. One just south of Rorikstead, one near Gjukar's Monument, another just north of Lake Ilinalta, by the dragon mound. Madanach hissed as she finished, nudging a few silver flags near the ones she'd marked.
“Not good?” she asked. Madanach shook his head.
“No. All those locations are within easy striking distance of our border camps – Bleakwind doesn't really have the troops, but Serpent's Bluff does. Then there's this one.” He tweaked the one furthest east, not far from the red flag indicating Fort Sungard. “Lost Valley Redoubt. You remember I said there were four factions in the Forsworn? Keirine headed one, Drascua another. Mireen was the third. All three of those we either had in the first place or you took care of for me. Not so the fourth.”
“Matriarch Sharreela of Lost Valley,” said Liriel, meeting his eyes and feeling a little bit satisfied to already be in the loop. “I know, Argis told me. He thought it might be her.”
“He's a smart boy,” Madanach nodded. “She'd fallen into disfavour with the other Hags after she lost Broken Tower, she'd lost a serious amount of face with them. I didn't think she really had the strength to take me on and she'd seemed keen enough to fall in with the new uprising. I didn't exactly trust her, but I'd no reason to think her disloyal either. Not until now.”
“What are you going to do?” Liriel asked. No doubt about it, this could spell trouble if not nipped in the bud fast.
“I don't know,” Madanach said, worried, and that didn't bode well, Madanach not having a plan. “I need information, I can't just attack Lost Valley without solid evidence they've turned traitor. I'd rather not attack it at all, it's built into one of those old Nord ruins – near impregnable from the ground.”
“But open to the sky,” said Liriel thoughtfully. Madanach confirmed this was so, before he reached the same conclusion she did.
“My goodness, Liriel, are you suggesting we get a dragon to set the entire place on fire for us? That would be most unfortunate for them and helpful for us, I must say. If only we knew someone who might be able to arrange something like that.”
He met her eyes, and Liriel couldn't help but giggle, and he was grinning back, and suddenly Liriel remembered just why she loved this man.
“They don't stand a chance, do they?” Liriel laughed, already looking forward to it.
“Not when I catch up with them, no, but first I do need proof she's actually turned on me.” Madanach strode for the corridor, flagging down one of the guards. “Get Nepos and Uraccen out of bed, I need to see them both. Yes, now. What do you mean Uraccen's got company tonight? I don't care if he's entertaining Queen Barenziah herself in there, get him out of bed and in here.” The guards disappeared off to find Madanach's commanders, and he turned back to Liriel.
“Cariad, this may go on a little late, but you don't need to be here for this bit. I just need to go over all recent reports and communications from Lost Valley and Serpent's Bluff, check for anomalies. I'll join you later, yes?”
Re: Nightshade and Juniper 22.9
“Come with me,” was all he said, getting up abruptly and walking out of the room. Liriel ran after him, following in his wake as he led her to what turned out to be his study. It was a large Dwemer room dominated by a long table that had clearly once been used for banqueting, but was now taken up by various bits of paperwork, and Madanach's map of the Reach from Druadach Redoubt. Next to it was a map of Skyrim, all the major towns, cities and forts marked on it. Madanach indicated the big map.
“Show me where these attacks are taking place.” He handed her a few blue flag pins to mark them off with, and Liriel tried to recall what Rikke had told her. One just south of Rorikstead, one near Gjukar's Monument, another just north of Lake Ilinalta, by the dragon mound. Madanach hissed as she finished, nudging a few silver flags near the ones she'd marked.
“Not good?” she asked. Madanach shook his head.
“No. All those locations are within easy striking distance of our border camps – Bleakwind doesn't really have the troops, but Serpent's Bluff does. Then there's this one.” He tweaked the one furthest east, not far from the red flag indicating Fort Sungard. “Lost Valley Redoubt. You remember I said there were four factions in the Forsworn? Keirine headed one, Drascua another. Mireen was the third. All three of those we either had in the first place or you took care of for me. Not so the fourth.”
“Matriarch Sharreela of Lost Valley,” said Liriel, meeting his eyes and feeling a little bit satisfied to already be in the loop. “I know, Argis told me. He thought it might be her.”
“He's a smart boy,” Madanach nodded. “She'd fallen into disfavour with the other Hags after she lost Broken Tower, she'd lost a serious amount of face with them. I didn't think she really had the strength to take me on and she'd seemed keen enough to fall in with the new uprising. I didn't exactly trust her, but I'd no reason to think her disloyal either. Not until now.”
“What are you going to do?” Liriel asked. No doubt about it, this could spell trouble if not nipped in the bud fast.
“I don't know,” Madanach said, worried, and that didn't bode well, Madanach not having a plan. “I need information, I can't just attack Lost Valley without solid evidence they've turned traitor. I'd rather not attack it at all, it's built into one of those old Nord ruins – near impregnable from the ground.”
“But open to the sky,” said Liriel thoughtfully. Madanach confirmed this was so, before he reached the same conclusion she did.
“My goodness, Liriel, are you suggesting we get a dragon to set the entire place on fire for us? That would be most unfortunate for them and helpful for us, I must say. If only we knew someone who might be able to arrange something like that.”
He met her eyes, and Liriel couldn't help but giggle, and he was grinning back, and suddenly Liriel remembered just why she loved this man.
“They don't stand a chance, do they?” Liriel laughed, already looking forward to it.
“Not when I catch up with them, no, but first I do need proof she's actually turned on me.” Madanach strode for the corridor, flagging down one of the guards. “Get Nepos and Uraccen out of bed, I need to see them both. Yes, now. What do you mean Uraccen's got company tonight? I don't care if he's entertaining Queen Barenziah herself in there, get him out of bed and in here.” The guards disappeared off to find Madanach's commanders, and he turned back to Liriel.
“Cariad, this may go on a little late, but you don't need to be here for this bit. I just need to go over all recent reports and communications from Lost Valley and Serpent's Bluff, check for anomalies. I'll join you later, yes?”