“Yeah, about that,” Eola said pointedly. “Ceremony's at noon. It's half ten now and it is going to take an hour to get to the Lover Stone. Bride's allowed to be late. Groom keeps the bride waiting and people think he's jilted her. Have you even eaten yet?”
“Da?” Now that was Argis, and the man was in his thirties, did he need to sound quite that plaintive? Then Madanach heard the sound of a baby's wail and all petulance flew out of his head.
“Is that my little granddaughter you have there?” he asked, face lighting up as Argis walked in, the future High Queen of Skyrim nestled in his arms. Said future High Queen was currently fussing in the arms of her haggard father who looked like he'd been up half the night.
“She won't sleep,” Argis said, staring wildly at his father, silently imploring him for aid. “Why won't she sleep? She's fine when Elisif and I hold her but as soon as we put her down... Da, why?”
Quite why Argis expected him to magically know what his granddaughter was thinking, Madanach had no idea, but he'd do his best. He held his arms out and Argis gratefully decanted little Lirela ap Elisif into Madanach's hands.
A whole month it had been since the courier arrived bringing the news that High Queen Elisif had been safely delivered of a healthy little girl, and Madanach had left for Solitude immediately for the naming ceremony, Liriel at his side and their girls with them in the carriage. When he'd got to the Blue Palace and Argis had brought her out, eyes shining as he babbled on about how gorgeous she was and so tiny, Madanach had held her in his arms, staring wordlessly at the tiny child that was somehow his first grandchild. Liriel had stared at her, whispering she didn't know people could be that small. Then the girls had wanted to see and oohed and aahed over her, and then Argis had said he and Elisif wanted to call her Lirela, was that all right, and then Liriel had been lost for words too, just nodding tearfully and that was two of them, a Dragonborn and a King, grinning stupidly at each other with tears in their eyes.
Now Argis and Elisif were both here, looking exhausted and worn out but at the same time constantly cooing over little Lirela, neither seemingly able to get their heads around the idea they'd made a person. It was rather strange when you thought about it. All this time and there'd been no Lirela anywhere and now here she was, alive and well and gurgling up at her grandfather.
“Hello there, little one,” he murmured at her, bright blue eyes gazing up at him as the wailing subsided and she looked solemnly at him. “You recognise me, don't you, cariad? It's your granda, isn't it? Did you miss me? Is that why you were crying, hmm?”
“By the gods,” he heard Eola mutter. “Da, you were meant to be getting dressed?”
“In a second,” said Madanach, refusing to be rushed. When it came to his beautiful granddaughter, the rest of the world could wait. “Yeah, you just wanted a cuddle, didn't you? Didn't want to be left alone, did you? And why should you be, you're too adorable to ignore.” He took a proper look at Argis and tutted. “Son, is that steel armour you're wearing?”
“Yes?” said Argis, looking a bit confused. Bless the boy, you could tell he'd not been around babies much.
“Thought as much. Your inyeen here wants body heat and warmth, she'll get none of it through that. Get changed into something softer and get a sling off the servants, I had some put by for you. Carry her next to you, take it in turns with Elisif, she'll sleep just fine.”
Re: Nightshade and Juniper 28.2
“Not hungry,” Madanach said, entirely truthfully. “Listen, Eola... oh what now?”
“Da?” Now that was Argis, and the man was in his thirties, did he need to sound quite that plaintive? Then Madanach heard the sound of a baby's wail and all petulance flew out of his head.
“Is that my little granddaughter you have there?” he asked, face lighting up as Argis walked in, the future High Queen of Skyrim nestled in his arms. Said future High Queen was currently fussing in the arms of her haggard father who looked like he'd been up half the night.
“She won't sleep,” Argis said, staring wildly at his father, silently imploring him for aid. “Why won't she sleep? She's fine when Elisif and I hold her but as soon as we put her down... Da, why?”
Quite why Argis expected him to magically know what his granddaughter was thinking, Madanach had no idea, but he'd do his best. He held his arms out and Argis gratefully decanted little Lirela ap Elisif into Madanach's hands.
A whole month it had been since the courier arrived bringing the news that High Queen Elisif had been safely delivered of a healthy little girl, and Madanach had left for Solitude immediately for the naming ceremony, Liriel at his side and their girls with them in the carriage. When he'd got to the Blue Palace and Argis had brought her out, eyes shining as he babbled on about how gorgeous she was and so tiny, Madanach had held her in his arms, staring wordlessly at the tiny child that was somehow his first grandchild. Liriel had stared at her, whispering she didn't know people could be that small. Then the girls had wanted to see and oohed and aahed over her, and then Argis had said he and Elisif wanted to call her Lirela, was that all right, and then Liriel had been lost for words too, just nodding tearfully and that was two of them, a Dragonborn and a King, grinning stupidly at each other with tears in their eyes.
Now Argis and Elisif were both here, looking exhausted and worn out but at the same time constantly cooing over little Lirela, neither seemingly able to get their heads around the idea they'd made a person. It was rather strange when you thought about it. All this time and there'd been no Lirela anywhere and now here she was, alive and well and gurgling up at her grandfather.
“Hello there, little one,” he murmured at her, bright blue eyes gazing up at him as the wailing subsided and she looked solemnly at him. “You recognise me, don't you, cariad? It's your granda, isn't it? Did you miss me? Is that why you were crying, hmm?”
“By the gods,” he heard Eola mutter. “Da, you were meant to be getting dressed?”
“In a second,” said Madanach, refusing to be rushed. When it came to his beautiful granddaughter, the rest of the world could wait. “Yeah, you just wanted a cuddle, didn't you? Didn't want to be left alone, did you? And why should you be, you're too adorable to ignore.” He took a proper look at Argis and tutted. “Son, is that steel armour you're wearing?”
“Yes?” said Argis, looking a bit confused. Bless the boy, you could tell he'd not been around babies much.
“Thought as much. Your inyeen here wants body heat and warmth, she'll get none of it through that. Get changed into something softer and get a sling off the servants, I had some put by for you. Carry her next to you, take it in turns with Elisif, she'll sleep just fine.”
“You think?” Argis asked hopefully.