“I never even got to see Igmund,” Elisif sighed. “Thonar has the guards in his pay, or some of them. They framed me for Eltrys' murder and Thonar had them throw me straight in here. I think he knew who I was and wanted me out of Ulfric's way. I don't know if he's either hoping you'll kill me, or if he's holding me here until Ulfric sends men to collect me, hoping you'll have treated me so awfully I'll do anything Ulfric wants if it means I get rescued.”
Laughter from Madanach as he refilled her tankard and drank more of the wine himself. “And that's Thonar all over, judging everyone else by his standards. Honestly, I have daughters, I don't go around raping and abusing innocent young women, or even the guilty ones for that matter.” His face turned sombre, shadows in his eyes. “So if Thonar knows who you are and is in contact with Ulfric still, he's probably sent word to him already. If Ulfric wants you alive, and there's a good chance he might if he thinks he can use you, he'll be sending people for you soon. We don't have a lot of time.”
No, they really didn't, and Elisif was a sitting duck here if Ulfric did decide to collect her.
“You wouldn't let them take me,” she whispered. She wasn't sure quite how far she could trust Madanach but he'd not want to let an asset like her fall into Ulfric's hands, right?
“Never,” Madanach growled and Elisif felt a little nervous. She'd hate to have that anger turned on her – Madanach was a frightening man when he was angry. But it passed as soon as it had arrived.
“Don't worry,” he said gently. “I'll make sure that doesn't happen. I just have one last question. Are you serious about learning to be a better warrior so you can kill Ulfric and avenge your husband?”
“Very,” Elisif said, remembering the blood on the Blue Palace's tiles and the screaming, gods she hadn't even sounded human. “He broke my heart, destroyed my family. He pays.”
Madanach didn't seem remotely worried by her anger, in fact he looked delighted.
“A woman after my own heart,” he laughed. “Tell me, have you given any thought to what happens after? You'll need back-up to get you in there and then out again without his guards killing you, and then that city's going to need a new Jarl. Unless you were planning to run it yourself.”
Truth be told, Elisif hadn't really thought about it – that was all General Tullius' area.
“I'm assuming I'll have the Legion at my back,” Elisif said, shrugging. “But if I don't... well, I'll go in alone if I have to. I just want him dead. I don't care about anything else, I never even wanted to be queen, that was all Falk and Tullius' idea. If I don't make it out of there, at least I get to go to Sovngarde. I get to see Torygg again.”
Madanach said nothing, lowering the wine bottle to the floor, eyes never leaving hers, face sombre and Elisif could almost swear he looked sad about this, but why would he? He'd known her only a few hours, not like it'd break his heart to lose her or anything.
“That sounds like a colossal waste,” he said eventually and Elisif closed her eyes, not even sure why the tears were coming again, but there was just something in his voice, some wistful yearning there, as if he'd actually miss her if she died.
Well, she'd probably miss him too if he died. He wasn't a monster at all, just a man like any other – well, not like any other, he was a smart, charismatic battlemage who led an entire movement after all. But he wasn't a wild animal like Thonar had claimed either and while she didn't know if she could entirely trust him, the fact remained she liked him. Felt safe around him. Comfortable. In other circumstances, she had a feeling they'd be friends.
They still could be.
“Was there anything else you wanted?” Elisif asked, desperately wanting to get off this subject before she starting sobbing again.
“Just one thing. A little favour if you will,” said Madanach, still lounging back, hands behind his head, still that odd wistful look in his eyes, accompanied by a faint smile.
“What sort of favour?” Elisif asked. Hadn't she already agreed to talk the Blades round to non-hostility against the Forsworn, get Thonar killed and look into possibly getting them their land back?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
timeasmymeasure
Re: The Wolf Queen Awakens 13.12
Date: 2013-11-11 09:02 pm (UTC)Laughter from Madanach as he refilled her tankard and drank more of the wine himself. “And that's Thonar all over, judging everyone else by his standards. Honestly, I have daughters, I don't go around raping and abusing innocent young women, or even the guilty ones for that matter.” His face turned sombre, shadows in his eyes. “So if Thonar knows who you are and is in contact with Ulfric still, he's probably sent word to him already. If Ulfric wants you alive, and there's a good chance he might if he thinks he can use you, he'll be sending people for you soon. We don't have a lot of time.”
No, they really didn't, and Elisif was a sitting duck here if Ulfric did decide to collect her.
“You wouldn't let them take me,” she whispered. She wasn't sure quite how far she could trust Madanach but he'd not want to let an asset like her fall into Ulfric's hands, right?
“Never,” Madanach growled and Elisif felt a little nervous. She'd hate to have that anger turned on her – Madanach was a frightening man when he was angry. But it passed as soon as it had arrived.
“Don't worry,” he said gently. “I'll make sure that doesn't happen. I just have one last question. Are you serious about learning to be a better warrior so you can kill Ulfric and avenge your husband?”
“Very,” Elisif said, remembering the blood on the Blue Palace's tiles and the screaming, gods she hadn't even sounded human. “He broke my heart, destroyed my family. He pays.”
Madanach didn't seem remotely worried by her anger, in fact he looked delighted.
“A woman after my own heart,” he laughed. “Tell me, have you given any thought to what happens after? You'll need back-up to get you in there and then out again without his guards killing you, and then that city's going to need a new Jarl. Unless you were planning to run it yourself.”
Truth be told, Elisif hadn't really thought about it – that was all General Tullius' area.
“I'm assuming I'll have the Legion at my back,” Elisif said, shrugging. “But if I don't... well, I'll go in alone if I have to. I just want him dead. I don't care about anything else, I never even wanted to be queen, that was all Falk and Tullius' idea. If I don't make it out of there, at least I get to go to Sovngarde. I get to see Torygg again.”
Madanach said nothing, lowering the wine bottle to the floor, eyes never leaving hers, face sombre and Elisif could almost swear he looked sad about this, but why would he? He'd known her only a few hours, not like it'd break his heart to lose her or anything.
“That sounds like a colossal waste,” he said eventually and Elisif closed her eyes, not even sure why the tears were coming again, but there was just something in his voice, some wistful yearning there, as if he'd actually miss her if she died.
Well, she'd probably miss him too if he died. He wasn't a monster at all, just a man like any other – well, not like any other, he was a smart, charismatic battlemage who led an entire movement after all. But he wasn't a wild animal like Thonar had claimed either and while she didn't know if she could entirely trust him, the fact remained she liked him. Felt safe around him. Comfortable. In other circumstances, she had a feeling they'd be friends.
They still could be.
“Was there anything else you wanted?” Elisif asked, desperately wanting to get off this subject before she starting sobbing again.
“Just one thing. A little favour if you will,” said Madanach, still lounging back, hands behind his head, still that odd wistful look in his eyes, accompanied by a faint smile.
“What sort of favour?” Elisif asked. Hadn't she already agreed to talk the Blades round to non-hostility against the Forsworn, get Thonar killed and look into possibly getting them their land back?