“You remember me,” Eola said softly. “Did we ever meet? I know I never went to Markarth as a kid.”
“Not that you'd remember, you were just a baby. You were born in this city, you know,” said Nepos, his voice barely above a whisper but in the silence, it couldn't help but carry. “But your father used to mention you – and when you ran away, he cancelled all Forsworn military activity in the entire Reach, had everyone out looking. Had undercover agents scouting the borders, visiting the cities – Whiterun, Solitude, even Falkreath.”
She'd suspected as much. It was why she'd gone off-road, not stopped until she'd reached Pale Pass then sneaked over into Cyrodiil and freedom. Nine years ago, and times had been more innocent – she'd never have managed it these days.
“I'm sorry,” said Eola, the unfamiliar feeling of guilt stabbing at her. Her mother she'd not cared about at all by the end, and she'd been just glad to get away from Kaie's nagging. But her father... he'd been away so long he'd barely seemed real any more. But he was real, alive and he must have been so afraid he'd lost her.
“So you should be, he was worried sick,” Nepos said, a touch of reproval appearing. “And who has to deal with it when the king is worried? Me, of course. Honestly, it's like having a particularly demanding spouse sometimes. I'm beginning to see why Mireen left him.”
“Oh, I rather think it was a mutual thing,” said Eola, realising she'd missed this. Missed having someone to talk to, someone who understood. Someone who knew traditional Reach culture, knew the war that had twisted all their lives... knew her own shattered family and its secrets. She'd always told the faithful that true fellowship was found only with those who accepted you for what you are. But to do that, they first had to know what you were, and Eola's story was known to very few.
“True enough,” Nepos laughed. “So, Brenyeenma, why now? We've had a lot of interesting developments over the last week. I refuse to believe your return is coincidence, although I'm sure your father will welcome the news.”
Eola was sure he would, but the thought of possibly seeing him again – what if prison had changed him, as the years had changed her? What if he wasn't the fierce warrior she remembered any more, but a tired and weak old man? What if he disapproved of the witch she'd become? What if she reminded him of her mother? What if... oh but she couldn't think of all this. She had a job to do.
“I need help, Nepos,” Eola sighed. “I've found some new friends lately, including one very dear to my heart. Only they came here and one of them got involved in the little assassination ring you and Da have got going on. Lady called Maia. Ended up in Cidhna Mine. I imagine you've heard of her.”
Nepos' eyes had narrowed, and now he was watching her very carefully.
“I know of her. Eola... you know she's a Nord. Why are you befriending Nords?”
“That's none of your concern,” said Eola, bristling. Here it came, the judgement. The questions. Wanting to know why she wasn't a true Forsworn. The reason she'd run away in the first place. “But she's my friend and I want her out of that mine. Her and another man who was arrested this morning. He's called Cicero.”
Nepos' eyebrows did raise at that. “Now that's a name I know from more than one source. There's rumours he laid waste to Karthspire, you know. Eola, your mother... I'm afraid she's...”
“I know,” said Eola, not wanting to have to fake a grief she surely didn't feel. “And Kaie, did she die too?”
“No,” Nepos said, and Eola hadn't expected to feel the level of relief she did on learning her bossy, self-satisfied older sister wasn't dead yet. “No, in fact she's -”
Re: The Wolf Queen Awakens 14.10
“Not that you'd remember, you were just a baby. You were born in this city, you know,” said Nepos, his voice barely above a whisper but in the silence, it couldn't help but carry. “But your father used to mention you – and when you ran away, he cancelled all Forsworn military activity in the entire Reach, had everyone out looking. Had undercover agents scouting the borders, visiting the cities – Whiterun, Solitude, even Falkreath.”
She'd suspected as much. It was why she'd gone off-road, not stopped until she'd reached Pale Pass then sneaked over into Cyrodiil and freedom. Nine years ago, and times had been more innocent – she'd never have managed it these days.
“I'm sorry,” said Eola, the unfamiliar feeling of guilt stabbing at her. Her mother she'd not cared about at all by the end, and she'd been just glad to get away from Kaie's nagging. But her father... he'd been away so long he'd barely seemed real any more. But he was real, alive and he must have been so afraid he'd lost her.
“So you should be, he was worried sick,” Nepos said, a touch of reproval appearing. “And who has to deal with it when the king is worried? Me, of course. Honestly, it's like having a particularly demanding spouse sometimes. I'm beginning to see why Mireen left him.”
“Oh, I rather think it was a mutual thing,” said Eola, realising she'd missed this. Missed having someone to talk to, someone who understood. Someone who knew traditional Reach culture, knew the war that had twisted all their lives... knew her own shattered family and its secrets. She'd always told the faithful that true fellowship was found only with those who accepted you for what you are. But to do that, they first had to know what you were, and Eola's story was known to very few.
“True enough,” Nepos laughed. “So, Brenyeenma, why now? We've had a lot of interesting developments over the last week. I refuse to believe your return is coincidence, although I'm sure your father will welcome the news.”
Eola was sure he would, but the thought of possibly seeing him again – what if prison had changed him, as the years had changed her? What if he wasn't the fierce warrior she remembered any more, but a tired and weak old man? What if he disapproved of the witch she'd become? What if she reminded him of her mother? What if... oh but she couldn't think of all this. She had a job to do.
“I need help, Nepos,” Eola sighed. “I've found some new friends lately, including one very dear to my heart. Only they came here and one of them got involved in the little assassination ring you and Da have got going on. Lady called Maia. Ended up in Cidhna Mine. I imagine you've heard of her.”
Nepos' eyes had narrowed, and now he was watching her very carefully.
“I know of her. Eola... you know she's a Nord. Why are you befriending Nords?”
“That's none of your concern,” said Eola, bristling. Here it came, the judgement. The questions. Wanting to know why she wasn't a true Forsworn. The reason she'd run away in the first place. “But she's my friend and I want her out of that mine. Her and another man who was arrested this morning. He's called Cicero.”
Nepos' eyebrows did raise at that. “Now that's a name I know from more than one source. There's rumours he laid waste to Karthspire, you know. Eola, your mother... I'm afraid she's...”
“I know,” said Eola, not wanting to have to fake a grief she surely didn't feel. “And Kaie, did she die too?”
“No,” Nepos said, and Eola hadn't expected to feel the level of relief she did on learning her bossy, self-satisfied older sister wasn't dead yet. “No, in fact she's -”
“Eola??”