“Well, Galmar, it would appear our Dragon-Queen has claws after all,” Ulfric said, impressed at Elisif's bravery despite the harm done to his own cause. “Do you still think she's a powerless figurehead we can afford to ignore?”
“She's a menace for as long as she remains free,” Galmar growled. “Recruitment's dried up as of late and morale's slipping, Ulfric. No one wants to raise a sword against a Dragonborn. We need to find her.”
Yes, they did. But abducting her from Solitude was a suicide mission, and when she left Haafingar, she'd proved extraordinarily good at going to ground. Ulfric was certain she wasn't so foolish as to wander around Stormcloak territories in any case, and on the Empire's side of the battle lines, there were always those prepared to help their Dragonborn Queen in waiting. Ulfric would wager she was long gone from Whiterun by now. But there was hope. There were also plenty of Stormcloak supporters in the Imperial Holds, and they'd be watching too. Sooner or later, she'd make a mistake, and then he'd have her. He hoped so anyway. This war was definitely not going according to plan, but really, who could have planned for a Dragonborn rallying the other side?
“Who approaches the Jarl of Windhelm?” Galmar barked out, reaching for his axe. Ulfric glanced up, surprised to see a young Nord woman walking into his war room without a care in the world.
“Only the very brave or the very foolish approach a Jarl without summons,” Ulfric said, standing up to look at her better. “I'd have your name, kinswoman.”
“Njada Stonearm, sir,” she replied, looking rather confident for a mere mercenary. “Formerly of the Companions of Ysgramor... until our Harbinger fell for the Dragonborn's charms and turned out to be an Empire-loving milk-drinker.”
“Harsh words,” Ulfric murmured, but there was something about the young warrior's attitude he liked. He'd always liked women with a backbone. “Tell me, do you treat all your former lieges like this?”
“Only the ones who turn out to not be what I thought they were,” Njada said proudly. “They tell me you're a true Nord, a true son of Skyrim who will bring the worship of Talos back to this land and send the elves fleeing back to Alinor. Is that not so?”
“Watch your tongue, girl!” Galmar snapped. “You're standing before your true High King!”
“Galmar,” Ulfric said, waving for his housecarl to be quiet. So there was at least one Companion who felt she could no longer back her Harbinger with any honour. Interesting. Very interesting indeed. “Our friend's come a long way. We should be hospitable, no? Well, Njada. I will let history judge me and the opinions of others fall where they may. Whether any of us are true Nords is not something we ourselves are ever the best judge of. But I do intend to rid Skyrim of the Thalmor and their Imperial toadies for good. Should I end up as King in the process, I'll accept the responsibility.”
Njada smiled, delighted to hear it. “Good, we need a proper ruler, not that pathetic child the Empire wants to land us with. So what if she's Dragonborn? Takes more than being some mystical dragonslayer to make a good ruler.”
“You don't think she'd make a good queen then?” Ulfric asked, eyebrow raised. Truth be told, he was actually starting to think Elisif had the makings of a fine ruler... but he kept the thought to himself. Others might mistake his respect for the young Dragonborn for agreement with her.
“She barely makes a good Jarl,” Njada sneered. “How much has she been in Solitude lately, hmm? Hardly at all, it seems she'd rather spend her time in Whiterun tagging along behind Jorrvaskr's glory. And all she's done is drag Jorrvaskr down to her level. Which is why I left and have come here. I want to fight for a true Nord, and there's none truer than you, Jarl Ulfric.”
“Well put,” Ulfric said, approving. Any new recruit was worth having and a former Companion... he could use that. “So then, Njada Stonearm. If Elisif has been associating with Jorrvaskr, what have you learnt about her? Is she staying there now? Going back to Solitude? Somewhere else? If I can find her, I can bring her to our side, or at least deprive the Empire of their Chosen One.”
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timeasmymeasure
Re: The Wolf Queen Awakens 10.15
Date: 2013-10-30 11:02 pm (UTC)“She's a menace for as long as she remains free,” Galmar growled. “Recruitment's dried up as of late and morale's slipping, Ulfric. No one wants to raise a sword against a Dragonborn. We need to find her.”
Yes, they did. But abducting her from Solitude was a suicide mission, and when she left Haafingar, she'd proved extraordinarily good at going to ground. Ulfric was certain she wasn't so foolish as to wander around Stormcloak territories in any case, and on the Empire's side of the battle lines, there were always those prepared to help their Dragonborn Queen in waiting. Ulfric would wager she was long gone from Whiterun by now. But there was hope. There were also plenty of Stormcloak supporters in the Imperial Holds, and they'd be watching too. Sooner or later, she'd make a mistake, and then he'd have her. He hoped so anyway. This war was definitely not going according to plan, but really, who could have planned for a Dragonborn rallying the other side?
“Who approaches the Jarl of Windhelm?” Galmar barked out, reaching for his axe. Ulfric glanced up, surprised to see a young Nord woman walking into his war room without a care in the world.
“Only the very brave or the very foolish approach a Jarl without summons,” Ulfric said, standing up to look at her better. “I'd have your name, kinswoman.”
“Njada Stonearm, sir,” she replied, looking rather confident for a mere mercenary. “Formerly of the Companions of Ysgramor... until our Harbinger fell for the Dragonborn's charms and turned out to be an Empire-loving milk-drinker.”
“Harsh words,” Ulfric murmured, but there was something about the young warrior's attitude he liked. He'd always liked women with a backbone. “Tell me, do you treat all your former lieges like this?”
“Only the ones who turn out to not be what I thought they were,” Njada said proudly. “They tell me you're a true Nord, a true son of Skyrim who will bring the worship of Talos back to this land and send the elves fleeing back to Alinor. Is that not so?”
“Watch your tongue, girl!” Galmar snapped. “You're standing before your true High King!”
“Galmar,” Ulfric said, waving for his housecarl to be quiet. So there was at least one Companion who felt she could no longer back her Harbinger with any honour. Interesting. Very interesting indeed. “Our friend's come a long way. We should be hospitable, no? Well, Njada. I will let history judge me and the opinions of others fall where they may. Whether any of us are true Nords is not something we ourselves are ever the best judge of. But I do intend to rid Skyrim of the Thalmor and their Imperial toadies for good. Should I end up as King in the process, I'll accept the responsibility.”
Njada smiled, delighted to hear it. “Good, we need a proper ruler, not that pathetic child the Empire wants to land us with. So what if she's Dragonborn? Takes more than being some mystical dragonslayer to make a good ruler.”
“You don't think she'd make a good queen then?” Ulfric asked, eyebrow raised. Truth be told, he was actually starting to think Elisif had the makings of a fine ruler... but he kept the thought to himself. Others might mistake his respect for the young Dragonborn for agreement with her.
“She barely makes a good Jarl,” Njada sneered. “How much has she been in Solitude lately, hmm? Hardly at all, it seems she'd rather spend her time in Whiterun tagging along behind Jorrvaskr's glory. And all she's done is drag Jorrvaskr down to her level. Which is why I left and have come here. I want to fight for a true Nord, and there's none truer than you, Jarl Ulfric.”
“Well put,” Ulfric said, approving. Any new recruit was worth having and a former Companion... he could use that. “So then, Njada Stonearm. If Elisif has been associating with Jorrvaskr, what have you learnt about her? Is she staying there now? Going back to Solitude? Somewhere else? If I can find her, I can bring her to our side, or at least deprive the Empire of their Chosen One.”