A/N: Promised you several chapters at once, here's the next!
Summary: Now Elisif's finally aware of the Windhelm operation, the preparations can get under way. But Eastmarch has suffered without a Dragonborn and the guilt is getting to Elisif. It's not however getting to her as much as a certain warlord, and when Elisif realises what everyone else has known for some time, things are set to get interesting.
With the Dragonborn finally there, preparations began hotting up. The actual uprising was being plotted out in meticulous detail, armour and weapons were being improved and enchanted, rigorous training was taking place all day, every day, potions were being stocked up on, and the teleportal was going off every hour bringing in more supplies and troops from the Reach. While teleporting into Windhelm wasn't going to happen due mostly to not being able to set up a safe landing point inside the city, it was coming into its own with regards to handling Madanach's supply lines.
Elisif meanwhile had been marched round to the dragon corpses near the camp to ensure they definitely didn't return. First the one up on Bonestrewn Crest, and the bonus of a Word Wall that gave her the ability to breathe frost.
Elisif stood over the dragon corpse, hoping this worked, because Madanach, Argis, Farkas, Aela, Borkul the Beast, Kaie and about ten Forsworn were all watching this and Elisif had a feeling the Forsworn contingent would find it hilarious if nothing happened – then they'd probably kill her.
Fortunately, it all worked as it always did. The dragon started to burn, light started to blaze up from it and then the familiar rushing sensation as the world faded away and she wasn't Elisif, wasn't a woman, she was Dovah and she was fire and frost and all things in between, and then she'd read the word on the Word Wall and she could breathe frost.
She turned round to see silence, even Madanach with the smile wiped off his face for once, and that pleased Elisif rather a lot.
“Want a demonstration?” she rasped, voice sounding harsher and more dangerous as it always did right after a soul-taking.
“I think we just had one,” Madanach said faintly. “Mother of Sithis, you really are part-dragon, aren't you?”
Awe on the faces of Madanach's guards, even Borkul looking nervous, and Kaie with her mouth open. Argis had reached out for Farkas, who was patting him on the back, and never mind their just -having-a-bit-of-fun relationship status, Argis was definitely clinging a bit more than he needed to.
“So they tell me,” Elisif said, feeling a little awkward at all the attention as the dragon blood calmed down a bit. “It just happens. Anyway, that one won't be coming back.”
“I hope not,” said Madanach, still looking a bit nervous but definitely impressed, no doubt about that. “Let's just say I'm glad you're on our side.”
He'd offered his arm and she'd taken it, allowing him to escort her back to the camp and to the next dragon, this one lying dead on the camp's south-east border. By this point word had got around about her having reduced one to bones just by staring at it, with the scales and bones as proof, and half the camp followed her to watch.
Again the soul-taking and this time it powered the Thu'um Karliah had given her, retrieved from some ruin in Winterhold Karliah had had to infiltrate for some reason, and Elisif realised she could Shout a weapon from someone's hand before they attacked. A dangerous skill but a useful one.
The Wolf Queen Awakens 28.1
Summary: Now Elisif's finally aware of the Windhelm operation, the preparations can get under way. But Eastmarch has suffered without a Dragonborn and the guilt is getting to Elisif. It's not however getting to her as much as a certain warlord, and when Elisif realises what everyone else has known for some time, things are set to get interesting.
With the Dragonborn finally there, preparations began hotting up. The actual uprising was being plotted out in meticulous detail, armour and weapons were being improved and enchanted, rigorous training was taking place all day, every day, potions were being stocked up on, and the teleportal was going off every hour bringing in more supplies and troops from the Reach. While teleporting into Windhelm wasn't going to happen due mostly to not being able to set up a safe landing point inside the city, it was coming into its own with regards to handling Madanach's supply lines.
Elisif meanwhile had been marched round to the dragon corpses near the camp to ensure they definitely didn't return. First the one up on Bonestrewn Crest, and the bonus of a Word Wall that gave her the ability to breathe frost.
Elisif stood over the dragon corpse, hoping this worked, because Madanach, Argis, Farkas, Aela, Borkul the Beast, Kaie and about ten Forsworn were all watching this and Elisif had a feeling the Forsworn contingent would find it hilarious if nothing happened – then they'd probably kill her.
Fortunately, it all worked as it always did. The dragon started to burn, light started to blaze up from it and then the familiar rushing sensation as the world faded away and she wasn't Elisif, wasn't a woman, she was Dovah and she was fire and frost and all things in between, and then she'd read the word on the Word Wall and she could breathe frost.
She turned round to see silence, even Madanach with the smile wiped off his face for once, and that pleased Elisif rather a lot.
“Want a demonstration?” she rasped, voice sounding harsher and more dangerous as it always did right after a soul-taking.
“I think we just had one,” Madanach said faintly. “Mother of Sithis, you really are part-dragon, aren't you?”
Awe on the faces of Madanach's guards, even Borkul looking nervous, and Kaie with her mouth open. Argis had reached out for Farkas, who was patting him on the back, and never mind their just -having-a-bit-of-fun relationship status, Argis was definitely clinging a bit more than he needed to.
“So they tell me,” Elisif said, feeling a little awkward at all the attention as the dragon blood calmed down a bit. “It just happens. Anyway, that one won't be coming back.”
“I hope not,” said Madanach, still looking a bit nervous but definitely impressed, no doubt about that. “Let's just say I'm glad you're on our side.”
He'd offered his arm and she'd taken it, allowing him to escort her back to the camp and to the next dragon, this one lying dead on the camp's south-east border. By this point word had got around about her having reduced one to bones just by staring at it, with the scales and bones as proof, and half the camp followed her to watch.
Again the soul-taking and this time it powered the Thu'um Karliah had given her, retrieved from some ruin in Winterhold Karliah had had to infiltrate for some reason, and Elisif realised she could Shout a weapon from someone's hand before they attacked. A dangerous skill but a useful one.