Liriel assented and went to kiss him goodnight, a kiss which turned steamier than Liriel had expected. Apparently giving Madanach a problem to fixate on that he could actually deal with worked wonders for his sex drive. If only there was time tonight.
“Don't stay up too late,” she whispered. Madanach kissed her cheek and laughed.
“We'll see. Go on, go, Uraccen won't be pleased at me interrupting his fun if he finds you all over me when he gets here.”
He was unlikely to be pleased anyway, but Liriel could see how her presence might make it worse. Retreating to Madanach's bedroom, she left him to it, already mentally drafting a report to Rikke. It's not him. He's taking it seriously at last. My Reachman will deal with it, General, that is a promise.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Liriel was half asleep when Madanach finally did come to bed. She felt him crawl into the bed alongside her, wrapping an arm around her and kissing her on the cheek. She smiled sleepily as he followed it up with a nip to her ear (he was obsessed with the ears, forever teasing the points – it was a good thing she liked it really) then let her go and burrowed into the pillows. She drifted off to sleep soon after.
She woke up to Madanach's arms around her again, just stroking her skin and watching her.
“What time is it?” she whispered.
“About eight o'clock,” he murmured. “I didn't want to wake you. You looked so peaceful.”
“I felt it,” Liriel whispered, rolling over and putting her arms around him. “This bed is so comfortable.”
“The perks of being king,” Madanach told her, kissing the tip of her nose and making her giggle. “Now, did you want breakfast or did you perhaps want to stay in bed a little longer?”
Now that was a tempting offer. On the other hand, Cicero was loose in the Keep somewhere and Liriel wasn't sure it was wise to leave him alone for long. Not to mention she needed to see how Eola was doing.
“I should probably get up,” Liriel told him, sitting up and reaching for her Shrouded Armour. “We've both got things to do. Did you find anything last night?”
“No,” said Madanach, but he didn't look frustrated, which was odd if things really had been fruitless. “All the reports are in perfect order, all giving the impression all is well and there's no problems anywhere.”
“But?” Liriel asked, sensing there was more to this.
“Exactly, they're too perfect,” said Madanach, eyes narrowed. “No mention of these alleged attacks, no talk of bandits, which given that some sort of incident is occurring, is worrying. I don't pay them to decide what's a threat and what isn't, I pay them to send me all the information and I'll decide. That all this has been occurring within range of their scouts and not a whisper in any of the official reports – I don't like it.”
Liriel didn't like it either when he put it like that. Past time to do a little scouting of her own, it seemed.
“What are you going to do?” Liriel asked quietly.
“I don't know yet,” said Madanach, reaching for his clothes. “But give me time. I'll think of something.” His eyes darkened and his face fell as he contemplated what else lay ahead of him that day. “In the mean time, I should go see if Eola's awake. You should come. She'll be pleased to see you, she's missed you. Yes, she – she'll be pleased.” Madanach got up abruptly, making for the door and Liriel followed after, feeling a little nervous herself. She had no idea what state Eola would be in or what awaited them. Whatever happened, this conversation would be rough on all of them.
It was with some surprise then that Liriel followed Madanach to Eola's room only to find the guards absent. Madanach stopped dead in the corridor.
“What in the name of... where are they? There's meant to be guards on here at all times! Eola, oh gods, Eola!!” He ran to the door, flinging it open... and the bed was neatly made, the room immaculate, Eola nowhere in sight.
“She's not here,” Madanach breathed, going pale. “Sweet gods.” He fled the room, racing down the corridor. “Nepos! NEPOS!!!”
Nepos materialised at the end of the corridor, looking reprovingly at Madanach.
“Yes, Madanach, I'm here. Is it really necessary to shout?”
Re: Nightshade and Juniper 22.10
“Don't stay up too late,” she whispered. Madanach kissed her cheek and laughed.
“We'll see. Go on, go, Uraccen won't be pleased at me interrupting his fun if he finds you all over me when he gets here.”
He was unlikely to be pleased anyway, but Liriel could see how her presence might make it worse. Retreating to Madanach's bedroom, she left him to it, already mentally drafting a report to Rikke. It's not him. He's taking it seriously at last. My Reachman will deal with it, General, that is a promise.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Liriel was half asleep when Madanach finally did come to bed. She felt him crawl into the bed alongside her, wrapping an arm around her and kissing her on the cheek. She smiled sleepily as he followed it up with a nip to her ear (he was obsessed with the ears, forever teasing the points – it was a good thing she liked it really) then let her go and burrowed into the pillows. She drifted off to sleep soon after.
She woke up to Madanach's arms around her again, just stroking her skin and watching her.
“What time is it?” she whispered.
“About eight o'clock,” he murmured. “I didn't want to wake you. You looked so peaceful.”
“I felt it,” Liriel whispered, rolling over and putting her arms around him. “This bed is so comfortable.”
“The perks of being king,” Madanach told her, kissing the tip of her nose and making her giggle. “Now, did you want breakfast or did you perhaps want to stay in bed a little longer?”
Now that was a tempting offer. On the other hand, Cicero was loose in the Keep somewhere and Liriel wasn't sure it was wise to leave him alone for long. Not to mention she needed to see how Eola was doing.
“I should probably get up,” Liriel told him, sitting up and reaching for her Shrouded Armour. “We've both got things to do. Did you find anything last night?”
“No,” said Madanach, but he didn't look frustrated, which was odd if things really had been fruitless. “All the reports are in perfect order, all giving the impression all is well and there's no problems anywhere.”
“But?” Liriel asked, sensing there was more to this.
“Exactly, they're too perfect,” said Madanach, eyes narrowed. “No mention of these alleged attacks, no talk of bandits, which given that some sort of incident is occurring, is worrying. I don't pay them to decide what's a threat and what isn't, I pay them to send me all the information and I'll decide. That all this has been occurring within range of their scouts and not a whisper in any of the official reports – I don't like it.”
Liriel didn't like it either when he put it like that. Past time to do a little scouting of her own, it seemed.
“What are you going to do?” Liriel asked quietly.
“I don't know yet,” said Madanach, reaching for his clothes. “But give me time. I'll think of something.” His eyes darkened and his face fell as he contemplated what else lay ahead of him that day. “In the mean time, I should go see if Eola's awake. You should come. She'll be pleased to see you, she's missed you. Yes, she – she'll be pleased.” Madanach got up abruptly, making for the door and Liriel followed after, feeling a little nervous herself. She had no idea what state Eola would be in or what awaited them. Whatever happened, this conversation would be rough on all of them.
It was with some surprise then that Liriel followed Madanach to Eola's room only to find the guards absent. Madanach stopped dead in the corridor.
“What in the name of... where are they? There's meant to be guards on here at all times! Eola, oh gods, Eola!!” He ran to the door, flinging it open... and the bed was neatly made, the room immaculate, Eola nowhere in sight.
“She's not here,” Madanach breathed, going pale. “Sweet gods.” He fled the room, racing down the corridor. “Nepos! NEPOS!!!”
Nepos materialised at the end of the corridor, looking reprovingly at Madanach.
“Yes, Madanach, I'm here. Is it really necessary to shout?”