The hours passed too slowly for Elisif's liking, but at least Cicero had been no trouble. She'd had no trouble from the Forsworn either, in fact Uraccen had dropped by and quietly told her if Cicero gave her any problems or bothered her, she only had to say and they'd deal with him. Which was actually rather sweet, but Elisif had assured him she wasn't worried about Cicero. She'd got some odd looks but no one had said anything. Cicero had spent a few hours poking around, even doing a bit of mining, before curling up next to Elisif and falling asleep in her lap. A little awkward, but at least it meant he was quiet and not stabbing anyone. He'd excitedly told her what he'd been up to since she'd last seen him, and while she had a feeling he was editing a lot out, apparently he'd helped a young lady clear a tomb of Draugr and she'd been more than eager to join the Blades in return. She'd been rather eager to do other things too, it turned out.
“You've got a girlfriend?” Elisif had gasped. Cicero had gone a bit pink but nodded, grinning.
“Yes!” he'd squeaked. “And she was a Forsworn once too, except she left. But she still has contacts so she is talking to them to try and free us. Except Cicero did not think pretty Maia would have made friends with the King in Rags and joined his jailbreak plan.”
Elisif wasn't at all sure there was any way out of the Forsworn except by dying. She hoped Cicero wasn't going to get out of Cidhna Mine to find his new girlfriend killed for desertion. Maybe she'd have to talk to Madanach, see if he'd be willing to commute the sentence. It was nice seeing Cicero happy. She'd hate to see him heartbroken.
Of course, then he'd confessed to stabbing Thongvor Silver-Blood and Elisif had been appalled... but somehow not feeling as appalled as she might once have done. In fact, it wasn't even a bad plan – Cicero had wanted to get arrested and get in with the Forsworn so he could look after her better and one of the Silver-Bloods made an ideal target. Certainly she couldn't bring herself to feel too sorry about it, not after what Thonar had done to her. All the same, of all the ideas to have... She sometimes wondered if it had been a good idea recruiting Cicero, but the alternative was letting him get recruited by someone else and that was an even worse idea.
Finally, the prison had gone quiet outside, the guards had changed shifts twice, and Borkul slipped into Madanach's cell. Minutes later, Madanach emerged, running fingers through his hair as he did. Elisif poked Cicero awake and got up, feeling her heart skip. Was this it? Were they leaving now?
Madanach glanced her way and grinned knowingly and Elisif knew then, knew it was time. She was getting out of here. Finally!
“Brothers,” Madanach announced, still that smile on his face. “And Maia, of course. I always told you we'd escape together one day. Well, my Forsworn, that day is today. I've had Kaie on the outside gathering supplies and stashing them ready for us, and we're looting this mine too. Borkul, Braig, get to my room, we'll take the food and wine in there, share it out. Not a lot but it'll help. Take the furs off the bed, anything small and easy to carry. Everyone else, grab all the ore you can carry and get a pickaxe each. We'll need to be prepared, our escape tunnel is a little dangerous. Not you, Maia, you let them get on with it. Just take an axe with you and be sure to stay close to me, hmm?”
Elisif made her way over, feeling a bit self-conscious about being excused manual labour like that, but not about to complain either.
“Why aren't I helping?” she whispered.
“You can help carry some of the supplies if you like,” Madanach murmured. “But you're not being seen doing any manual labour on my watch. You're...” He stopped, leaning back against the wall, faintly amused by something. “You're under my protection and I want them to see that.”
I don't need your protection, was what she wanted to snap back. But on the other hand, she probably wouldn't have got far without it, and he was helping her escape.
“Thank you,” she said softly, and he looked back at her with some surprise, that odd smile on his face again.
Re: The Wolf Queen Awakens 15.4
“You've got a girlfriend?” Elisif had gasped. Cicero had gone a bit pink but nodded, grinning.
“Yes!” he'd squeaked. “And she was a Forsworn once too, except she left. But she still has contacts so she is talking to them to try and free us. Except Cicero did not think pretty Maia would have made friends with the King in Rags and joined his jailbreak plan.”
Elisif wasn't at all sure there was any way out of the Forsworn except by dying. She hoped Cicero wasn't going to get out of Cidhna Mine to find his new girlfriend killed for desertion. Maybe she'd have to talk to Madanach, see if he'd be willing to commute the sentence. It was nice seeing Cicero happy. She'd hate to see him heartbroken.
Of course, then he'd confessed to stabbing Thongvor Silver-Blood and Elisif had been appalled... but somehow not feeling as appalled as she might once have done. In fact, it wasn't even a bad plan – Cicero had wanted to get arrested and get in with the Forsworn so he could look after her better and one of the Silver-Bloods made an ideal target. Certainly she couldn't bring herself to feel too sorry about it, not after what Thonar had done to her. All the same, of all the ideas to have... She sometimes wondered if it had been a good idea recruiting Cicero, but the alternative was letting him get recruited by someone else and that was an even worse idea.
Finally, the prison had gone quiet outside, the guards had changed shifts twice, and Borkul slipped into Madanach's cell. Minutes later, Madanach emerged, running fingers through his hair as he did. Elisif poked Cicero awake and got up, feeling her heart skip. Was this it? Were they leaving now?
Madanach glanced her way and grinned knowingly and Elisif knew then, knew it was time. She was getting out of here. Finally!
“Brothers,” Madanach announced, still that smile on his face. “And Maia, of course. I always told you we'd escape together one day. Well, my Forsworn, that day is today. I've had Kaie on the outside gathering supplies and stashing them ready for us, and we're looting this mine too. Borkul, Braig, get to my room, we'll take the food and wine in there, share it out. Not a lot but it'll help. Take the furs off the bed, anything small and easy to carry. Everyone else, grab all the ore you can carry and get a pickaxe each. We'll need to be prepared, our escape tunnel is a little dangerous. Not you, Maia, you let them get on with it. Just take an axe with you and be sure to stay close to me, hmm?”
Elisif made her way over, feeling a bit self-conscious about being excused manual labour like that, but not about to complain either.
“Why aren't I helping?” she whispered.
“You can help carry some of the supplies if you like,” Madanach murmured. “But you're not being seen doing any manual labour on my watch. You're...” He stopped, leaning back against the wall, faintly amused by something. “You're under my protection and I want them to see that.”
I don't need your protection, was what she wanted to snap back. But on the other hand, she probably wouldn't have got far without it, and he was helping her escape.
“Thank you,” she said softly, and he looked back at her with some surprise, that odd smile on his face again.