Thankful? But this was Whiterun, their own city, their home! “How can they just sit back and let Ulfric attack?” Elisif whispered. “How is that honourable?”
Neither Balgruuf nor Rikke answered and Elisif's heart sank as she realised that perhaps Jorrvaskr was staying out of it because most of Jorrvaskr agreed with Ulfric.
“I have to speak to Kodlak,” she gasped, running for the stairs. Balgruuf watched her go, shaking his head.
“It's a hopeless task,” he sighed. “I must have had this argument with Kodlak every week since war broke out. He's insistent that the war will bring honour to no one and that his people are staying out of it. I spoke to him only this morning, he's still not changing his mind. Seems to think this is my fault somehow.”
Rikke was still looking at the stairway Elisif had fled down, pondering.
“Don't count them out just yet,” she said thoughtfully. “Our young Dragonborn might just be able to talk him round.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jorrvaskr was quiet when Elisif ran in. No sign of the twins, but Athis was there, trying a few moves with a sword. Njada was on the other side of Jorrvaskr, shining up a shield and pointedly ignoring the Dunmer. Torvar was drinking quietly in the middle, glancing uncomfortably between them. Elisif had already seen Vignar and Brill leaving, heading for the Grey-Mane house with Eorlund, presumably to all wait out the battle there together. Stormcloaks the lot of them, and the sad thing was, Elisif might once have gone along with the cause herself – if Ulfric hadn't killed her Torygg.
She shoved away the thought of Torygg lying dead on the floor in a pool of his own blood and went in search of Kodlak. He had to be here somewhere.
She found Aela downstairs, pacing along the central corridor, a seething bundle of nervous energy.
“Aela,” Elisif gasped. “Aela, the Stormcloaks, they're...”
“Going to attack, I know,” said Aela grimly. “Whole city knows it, everyone's either taking shelter in their homes or getting ready to join the defence, and what are the best warriors in Skyrim doing? Nothing!” Aela kicked fiercely at a nearby tankard, sending it flying into the wall and bouncing off. Elisif flinched back, never having been at ease with people being angry around her. Aela saw it and sighed, relenting a little.
“I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap, it's just very frustrating,” Aela sighed. “Stormcloak sons of bitches right on our doorstep and here we are confined to Jorrvaskr. We should be out there, Elisif! Taking the fight to them! Sons of Skyrim? If my son murdered a lawful ruler, I'd be disowning him on the spot!”
Elisif closed her eyes, remembering Torygg lying on the floor in a pool of blood, going cold as she held him, eyes that had once gazed lovingly at her empty and unmoving forever.
“I know,” Elisif whispered, feeling tears prickling at her eyes. Silence, and then Aela had an arm round her, holding her and looking a little regretful.
“Of course you do, sister,” Aela said quietly. “I guess that's why you're here.”
“I wanted to talk to Kodlak,” Elisif whispered. “Talk him out of it. But if you've tried and Balgruuf tried...”
“You haven't yet.” Aela patted Elisif on the shoulder, suddenly looking a bit more optimistic. “Come on, he's down the end here. Maybe you'll succeed where the rest of us failed.”
Kodlak was sitting outside his room, a simple meal of bread, cheese and mead in front of him, but he'd barely touched it from the look of it. Like everyone in Jorrvaskr, he was clearly brooding. He looked up as they approached, not looking surprised to see Elisif there.
“I thought you might be here, lass,” he said, sounding surprisingly calm considering there was an invading army on the way.
“I'm not meant to be,” Elisif admitted. “But I had to leave Solitude in a hurry and came here... and now I find out Ulfric's on his way? Or his army anyway.”
“I know,” said Kodlak, still not looking at her. “So, Elisif, what can I do for you? Did Balgruuf send you? I already told him we don't get involved in politics.”
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timeasmymeasure
Re: The Wolf Queen Awakens 9.6 CORRECT VERSION
Date: 2013-10-26 02:32 pm (UTC)Neither Balgruuf nor Rikke answered and Elisif's heart sank as she realised that perhaps Jorrvaskr was staying out of it because most of Jorrvaskr agreed with Ulfric.
“I have to speak to Kodlak,” she gasped, running for the stairs. Balgruuf watched her go, shaking his head.
“It's a hopeless task,” he sighed. “I must have had this argument with Kodlak every week since war broke out. He's insistent that the war will bring honour to no one and that his people are staying out of it. I spoke to him only this morning, he's still not changing his mind. Seems to think this is my fault somehow.”
Rikke was still looking at the stairway Elisif had fled down, pondering.
“Don't count them out just yet,” she said thoughtfully. “Our young Dragonborn might just be able to talk him round.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jorrvaskr was quiet when Elisif ran in. No sign of the twins, but Athis was there, trying a few moves with a sword. Njada was on the other side of Jorrvaskr, shining up a shield and pointedly ignoring the Dunmer. Torvar was drinking quietly in the middle, glancing uncomfortably between them. Elisif had already seen Vignar and Brill leaving, heading for the Grey-Mane house with Eorlund, presumably to all wait out the battle there together. Stormcloaks the lot of them, and the sad thing was, Elisif might once have gone along with the cause herself – if Ulfric hadn't killed her Torygg.
She shoved away the thought of Torygg lying dead on the floor in a pool of his own blood and went in search of Kodlak. He had to be here somewhere.
She found Aela downstairs, pacing along the central corridor, a seething bundle of nervous energy.
“Aela,” Elisif gasped. “Aela, the Stormcloaks, they're...”
“Going to attack, I know,” said Aela grimly. “Whole city knows it, everyone's either taking shelter in their homes or getting ready to join the defence, and what are the best warriors in Skyrim doing? Nothing!” Aela kicked fiercely at a nearby tankard, sending it flying into the wall and bouncing off. Elisif flinched back, never having been at ease with people being angry around her. Aela saw it and sighed, relenting a little.
“I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap, it's just very frustrating,” Aela sighed. “Stormcloak sons of bitches right on our doorstep and here we are confined to Jorrvaskr. We should be out there, Elisif! Taking the fight to them! Sons of Skyrim? If my son murdered a lawful ruler, I'd be disowning him on the spot!”
Elisif closed her eyes, remembering Torygg lying on the floor in a pool of blood, going cold as she held him, eyes that had once gazed lovingly at her empty and unmoving forever.
“I know,” Elisif whispered, feeling tears prickling at her eyes. Silence, and then Aela had an arm round her, holding her and looking a little regretful.
“Of course you do, sister,” Aela said quietly. “I guess that's why you're here.”
“I wanted to talk to Kodlak,” Elisif whispered. “Talk him out of it. But if you've tried and Balgruuf tried...”
“You haven't yet.” Aela patted Elisif on the shoulder, suddenly looking a bit more optimistic. “Come on, he's down the end here. Maybe you'll succeed where the rest of us failed.”
Kodlak was sitting outside his room, a simple meal of bread, cheese and mead in front of him, but he'd barely touched it from the look of it. Like everyone in Jorrvaskr, he was clearly brooding. He looked up as they approached, not looking surprised to see Elisif there.
“I thought you might be here, lass,” he said, sounding surprisingly calm considering there was an invading army on the way.
“I'm not meant to be,” Elisif admitted. “But I had to leave Solitude in a hurry and came here... and now I find out Ulfric's on his way? Or his army anyway.”
“I know,” said Kodlak, still not looking at her. “So, Elisif, what can I do for you? Did Balgruuf send you? I already told him we don't get involved in politics.”