“I don't need to -!” Elisif stopped, reining in her temper before she gave him even more arrows to shoot with. “Look, it needs dealing with, we can't spare the guards, I've dealt with dangerous Nord ruins and wild animals before, so I'll go. It's fine, Falk, you can stop worrying.”
“When have you been down dangerous Nord ruins?” Erikur called over to her, laughter in his voice. “You've been stuck up in a monastery all this time!”
Elisif fingered her axe, once again reminding herself that mere rudeness was not deserving of an axe in the skull. Unfortunately.
“I have been down three Nord barrows, killed two dragons and a frost troll, four Stormcloak soldiers on my own, and survived an entire temple full of Daedra-worshippers!” Elisif growled, taking savage delight from Falk's little cry of horror. “I think I can cope with one cave!”
“Elisif, don't you think you're overreacting just a little?” Sybille purred. Oh good, now the court mage was getting in on the act. “There's almost certainly nothing there but a few wild animals.”
“Then I'm sure I'm more than up to the job,” said Elisif, getting really quite tired of this.
“But what if there is something there?” Falk cried. “You could be killed!”
“If it's really dangerous, it's my duty to investigate, isn't it?” said Elisif, feeling her anger abate as she saw the genuine fear in his eyes. “Don't worry, I'll be careful.”
“Take someone with you at least,” Falk urged. “For back-up. And if there is something worse than bears or bandits in there, come back and get help. Please.”
“Well, I never said I was going in alone, did I?” said Elisif, finally smiling a little. “Falk, get me a quill and paper. I've got a letter to write.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Erandur stared at the courier who'd knocked on the door of Nightcaller Temple, holding a sealed envelope and a large bag of gold. Two hundred septims? For him?
“Are you sure you've got the right person, young man?”
“Older Dunmer priest, living alone in the Tower of the Dawn above Dawnstar,” the courier replied. “Going by the name of Erandur. That's you, isn't it?”
“Yes, that's me, but how...” No one outside Dawnstar even knows I'm here. No one but Maia...
“Lady called Maia said to give you this letter and the gold. Seemed very keen it get to you right away. Looks like that's it, got to go!” The courier ran off down the hill, leaving Erandur with the gold and Maia's letter. Well. This was unexpected. Time to see what the girl wanted.
“Dear Erandur,
Sorry to trouble you, but something has come up here in Haafingar Hold, and the Jarl is very keen to have it dealt with. I've taken on the job, but I'm going to need your help.
I've sent some gold to cover your travel expenses, I hope it's enough. Get the boat to Solitude as soon as you can and make yourself known to Rorlund at the Temple of Divines. Then wait there and I'll find you. Take a room in the Winking Skeever if you need somewhere to stay before you find me, but I do have a house you can sleep in after that.
I can't tell you any more, it's dangerous to write too much down, but I will tell you everything once you get to Solitude.
I hope to see you soon,
Your friend, Maia”
Well now. This was something to think about. Two hundred septims, of course it was enough, more than enough, he could make this last a whole fortnight even with the boat fare to Solitude deducted. Erandur's suspicions about Maia were confirmed, probably noble-born and with no real idea of how much things actually cost so she'd erred on the side of caution. Certainly owning a house in Solitude of all places cost a serious amount of coin. Why the woman was taking on mercenary jobs was beyond him, but she wouldn't have asked for his help if she'd not needed it.
It only took a few minutes to pack his things, and then he was running down the mountainside, heading for the ferry to Solitude.
~~~~~~~~~~~
A/N: I have had to amend Diplomatic Immunity a little - obviously Elisif is known to the Thalmor, which is going to make it difficult for her to do the infiltrating. So I have reworked it a little. I think you will like the result. :)
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
timeasmymeasure
Re: The Wolf Queen Awakens 6.6
Date: 2013-09-28 09:29 am (UTC)“When have you been down dangerous Nord ruins?” Erikur called over to her, laughter in his voice. “You've been stuck up in a monastery all this time!”
Elisif fingered her axe, once again reminding herself that mere rudeness was not deserving of an axe in the skull. Unfortunately.
“I have been down three Nord barrows, killed two dragons and a frost troll, four Stormcloak soldiers on my own, and survived an entire temple full of Daedra-worshippers!” Elisif growled, taking savage delight from Falk's little cry of horror. “I think I can cope with one cave!”
“Elisif, don't you think you're overreacting just a little?” Sybille purred. Oh good, now the court mage was getting in on the act. “There's almost certainly nothing there but a few wild animals.”
“Then I'm sure I'm more than up to the job,” said Elisif, getting really quite tired of this.
“But what if there is something there?” Falk cried. “You could be killed!”
“If it's really dangerous, it's my duty to investigate, isn't it?” said Elisif, feeling her anger abate as she saw the genuine fear in his eyes. “Don't worry, I'll be careful.”
“Take someone with you at least,” Falk urged. “For back-up. And if there is something worse than bears or bandits in there, come back and get help. Please.”
“Well, I never said I was going in alone, did I?” said Elisif, finally smiling a little. “Falk, get me a quill and paper. I've got a letter to write.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Erandur stared at the courier who'd knocked on the door of Nightcaller Temple, holding a sealed envelope and a large bag of gold. Two hundred septims? For him?
“Are you sure you've got the right person, young man?”
“Older Dunmer priest, living alone in the Tower of the Dawn above Dawnstar,” the courier replied. “Going by the name of Erandur. That's you, isn't it?”
“Yes, that's me, but how...” No one outside Dawnstar even knows I'm here. No one but Maia...
“Lady called Maia said to give you this letter and the gold. Seemed very keen it get to you right away. Looks like that's it, got to go!” The courier ran off down the hill, leaving Erandur with the gold and Maia's letter. Well. This was unexpected. Time to see what the girl wanted.
“Dear Erandur,
Sorry to trouble you, but something has come up here in Haafingar Hold, and the Jarl is very keen to have it dealt with. I've taken on the job, but I'm going to need your help.
I've sent some gold to cover your travel expenses, I hope it's enough. Get the boat to Solitude as soon as you can and make yourself known to Rorlund at the Temple of Divines. Then wait there and I'll find you. Take a room in the Winking Skeever if you need somewhere to stay before you find me, but I do have a house you can sleep in after that.
I can't tell you any more, it's dangerous to write too much down, but I will tell you everything once you get to Solitude.
I hope to see you soon,
Your friend,
Maia”
Well now. This was something to think about. Two hundred septims, of course it was enough, more than enough, he could make this last a whole fortnight even with the boat fare to Solitude deducted. Erandur's suspicions about Maia were confirmed, probably noble-born and with no real idea of how much things actually cost so she'd erred on the side of caution. Certainly owning a house in Solitude of all places cost a serious amount of coin. Why the woman was taking on mercenary jobs was beyond him, but she wouldn't have asked for his help if she'd not needed it.
It only took a few minutes to pack his things, and then he was running down the mountainside, heading for the ferry to Solitude.
~~~~~~~~~~~
A/N: I have had to amend Diplomatic Immunity a little - obviously Elisif is known to the Thalmor, which is going to make it difficult for her to do the infiltrating. So I have reworked it a little. I think you will like the result. :)