“I am not...!” Brynjolf protested, before realising there was no dignified outcome to any of this and that he might as well give in to the inevitable. Karliah and Sapphire were already hiding under the bed and Brynjolf shut himself inside the room.
“I hope you two are enjoying the view,” he sighed as he stripped off, doing his best to ignore Karliah's muffled giggling. Sapphire just sounded vaguely revolted but they both piped down as General Tullius's voice echoed in Nepos' living room.
“General, Legate, what a lovely surprise,” Nepos was saying. “Do come in, the pair of you. What can I do for you? It's a little late for a social call. Did you want to look at more records?”
“No, no, I've seen all I need to to prove Thonar and his brother weren't just traitors, they weren't even competent,” Tullius growled. “In fact you're about the only one so far with any brains at all. No, we came to let you know we've concluded our investigations. You'll find the results of interest.”
“Personally I suspect I'm going to find the results a foregone conclusion, but do go on,” Nepos said, pouring drinks for all three of them.
“You may find some of it a surprise,” Rikke said, sounding like she was smiling. “While we've found no evidence Igmund was aware of Maia's true identity, that doesn't excuse the fact that he was letting a private citizen administer justice, if you can call it that, and allowed an innocent woman to go to jail without even a pretence of a trial. While I doubt we'd have ever found out this was going on if the victim hadn't been so high-profile, that it happened to Jarl Elisif rather than a commoner is besides the point. A Jarl should know better. A Nord should know better.”
“I'd expect any ruler with a shred of competence to know better,” Nepos said sharply. “Nord or not.”
“Quite,” Tullius said roughly, sounding a little rattled and given the state of Reach politics at the best of times, Brynjolf didn't blame him. “But the added problem remains that as a result of Igmund's staggering incompetence, our High Queen is missing, presumed abducted by Madanach of the Forsworn. Eight know what he's done to her or where he's taken her. We've not had any kind of ransom note, not yet anyway, so it's possible he doesn't know who she is. I don't know if that's a good thing or not.”
“That poor girl,” Rikke whispered, sounding devastated. “She's already suffered so much. What she must be going through. That's assuming she's not...”
“We'll find her,” Tullius said as Rikke choked on the words. “If we have to turn over every damn Forsworn encampment in the Reach, we'll find out what happened to her.”
“I understand your concerns, of course,” Nepos said, only sounding a little panicked at the prospect of the Legion turning over every Forsworn camp in the Reach. “But Madanach was never a fool, and he's got informants everywhere. I'm sure he knows who she is. I'm also sure he's not so foolish as to risk the wrath of the Empire by harming her. Look, I know you've got a war to fight, don't waste your troops on the Forsworn. I know an awful lot of people among the natives of the Reach, I can start making enquiries. I might be able to find out something for you. Believe me, Madanach will have a plan, he'll want to make contact eventually.”
“You seem awfully well-informed about the state of the Forsworn and the King in Rags' mindset, Nepos,” Tullius said suspiciously.
“I'm just an old Reachman who's been paying attention, General,” Nepos said calmly. “I make no claim to omniscience, I merely would like to offer any help I can in ensuring that poor woman's safe return.”
“Quite,” Tullius said, still a little dubious but not wishing to push the point. “Well, your offer's well-timed. We've been left with little choice. We're sending Igmund into retirement tomorrow along with his steward and housecarl and taking over direct administration of the Reach.”
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timeasmymeasure
Re: The Wolf Queen Awakens 21.7
Date: 2014-01-18 09:19 pm (UTC)“I hope you two are enjoying the view,” he sighed as he stripped off, doing his best to ignore Karliah's muffled giggling. Sapphire just sounded vaguely revolted but they both piped down as General Tullius's voice echoed in Nepos' living room.
“General, Legate, what a lovely surprise,” Nepos was saying. “Do come in, the pair of you. What can I do for you? It's a little late for a social call. Did you want to look at more records?”
“No, no, I've seen all I need to to prove Thonar and his brother weren't just traitors, they weren't even competent,” Tullius growled. “In fact you're about the only one so far with any brains at all. No, we came to let you know we've concluded our investigations. You'll find the results of interest.”
“Personally I suspect I'm going to find the results a foregone conclusion, but do go on,” Nepos said, pouring drinks for all three of them.
“You may find some of it a surprise,” Rikke said, sounding like she was smiling. “While we've found no evidence Igmund was aware of Maia's true identity, that doesn't excuse the fact that he was letting a private citizen administer justice, if you can call it that, and allowed an innocent woman to go to jail without even a pretence of a trial. While I doubt we'd have ever found out this was going on if the victim hadn't been so high-profile, that it happened to Jarl Elisif rather than a commoner is besides the point. A Jarl should know better. A Nord should know better.”
“I'd expect any ruler with a shred of competence to know better,” Nepos said sharply. “Nord or not.”
“Quite,” Tullius said roughly, sounding a little rattled and given the state of Reach politics at the best of times, Brynjolf didn't blame him. “But the added problem remains that as a result of Igmund's staggering incompetence, our High Queen is missing, presumed abducted by Madanach of the Forsworn. Eight know what he's done to her or where he's taken her. We've not had any kind of ransom note, not yet anyway, so it's possible he doesn't know who she is. I don't know if that's a good thing or not.”
“That poor girl,” Rikke whispered, sounding devastated. “She's already suffered so much. What she must be going through. That's assuming she's not...”
“We'll find her,” Tullius said as Rikke choked on the words. “If we have to turn over every damn Forsworn encampment in the Reach, we'll find out what happened to her.”
“I understand your concerns, of course,” Nepos said, only sounding a little panicked at the prospect of the Legion turning over every Forsworn camp in the Reach. “But Madanach was never a fool, and he's got informants everywhere. I'm sure he knows who she is. I'm also sure he's not so foolish as to risk the wrath of the Empire by harming her. Look, I know you've got a war to fight, don't waste your troops on the Forsworn. I know an awful lot of people among the natives of the Reach, I can start making enquiries. I might be able to find out something for you. Believe me, Madanach will have a plan, he'll want to make contact eventually.”
“You seem awfully well-informed about the state of the Forsworn and the King in Rags' mindset, Nepos,” Tullius said suspiciously.
“I'm just an old Reachman who's been paying attention, General,” Nepos said calmly. “I make no claim to omniscience, I merely would like to offer any help I can in ensuring that poor woman's safe return.”
“Quite,” Tullius said, still a little dubious but not wishing to push the point. “Well, your offer's well-timed. We've been left with little choice. We're sending Igmund into retirement tomorrow along with his steward and housecarl and taking over direct administration of the Reach.”