“So then,” he whispered, once they had returned to their quarters. “You never did give me the end of the story; what’s the plan?”
“Tullius has it on good authority that Elenwen won’t risk putting sensitive information about the political situation — or you — into writing. She intends to run back to Summerset, and soon.”
“Alright, then how do we stop her?”
“Well,” and Ulfric felt like a cynical old man, truly, “Tullius believes that he can take her on the ocean.”
“Tell me you’re joking.” Ulfric gestured for him to bring his voice back down and he murmured an apology. “But he can’t! They won’t stand a chance! There’s no way the Thalmor will allow an Emissary to travel on a foreign vessel, and they certainly won’t be sending a lonesome cargo ship for her!”
“No, indeed.”
“Well if either of you have a better idea,” Tullius rose from his bed, looking irritated, “speak, why don’t you.”
Startled at having been found out, the two men stood in silence for a moment. Then, unsurprisingly, Audric found words.
“You can’t pull this off,” he said gravely. “Not with the entirety of your navy.” Stepping into some sleep clothes, he added, “To take on a Thalmor fleet, with all their battlemages and ancient tacticians and frankly, better sense…this is folly.”
“And? Do you suppose any of us stand a chance against Herself in single combat? Or even in a field skirmish, us against her little henchmen?”
“No, not exactly.”
Ulfric watched this debate with interest from the sidelines. He had to admit, he admired Tullius’ resolve, even if it was complete lunacy. Resilience in the face of certain defeat, that was something he could respect.
“I’ll tell you what,” Audric clapped a hand on the general’s shoulder. “You take your men, and Ulfric takes his, and I take a few of mine, and we ransack the place.”
“Ransack the Embassy?” Ulfric and Tullius demanded in unison, pausing to frown at one another after.
“There’s more than enough of us to take them, all together. And besides,” he added conversationally, “you have me.”
Ulfric looked skeptical, but Tullius appeared receptive. “And what kind of maneuver would you propose?”
By this time, Yrsarald and Galmar had woken from the commotion and had come to investigate. Their eyes shifted warily between Imperial General and Thief.
“Let Ulfric lead the Thalmor out; let him take a handful of soldiers in Stormcloak colors — not enough to be overwhelming, but enough to intimidate — and draw out the ranks in the front. Thinking they have the upper hand, they will rush the brigade, and then, from some hidden spot behind, the rest of the battalion can come screaming out.”
“Oh, I’m sure you think that’s very clever,” Tullius mocked, tired and not at all happy at being challenged. “But the Thalmor still have the advantage of numbers, and of the hill.”
“Ah, I’ve thought of that. See, you and your men will take formations of three: two pockets of archers and footmen, to close the enemy in from behind, and then a third sect to fence off the entrance to the Embassy, and to catch any reinforcements.”
Tullius was nodding, now. “But what of Elenwen? We can’t expend all of our resources dispersing her guard only to allow her to escape in the chaos.”
Audric smiled grimly. “That’s where I come in.”
“What?”
Audric turned, alarmed by Ulfric’s outburst. Joining him in his bewilderment were Ulfric’s right-hand men.
“It’s a dangerous mission, but he broke into Castle Dour, didn’t he?” Tullius jumped to Audric’s defense.
“Have you no concern for your pawns, general?”
“I’m a knight, at least,” Audric interjected sourly.
“About as much as you do for yours,” Tullius answered. “You’re willing to sacrifice your men and women to the Thalmor — out of a grudge or honor, I can’t tell — but you’d spare this single Breton? Why?”
“It isn’t a question of numbers, it’s about proximity!” he insisted. “My soldiers are well trained, and those Thalmor lapdogs don’t stand a chance. But Bellamy would be strolling right into the lion’s den!”
“I won’t go alone,” Audric said, laying a reassuring hand on Ulfric’s arm, but Ulfric pulled it back.
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timeasmymeasure
"Divide and Conquer" Ulfric Stormcloak/M!DB, 14b/??
Date: 2014-08-09 04:04 am (UTC)“Tullius has it on good authority that Elenwen won’t risk putting sensitive information about the political situation — or you — into writing. She intends to run back to Summerset, and soon.”
“Alright, then how do we stop her?”
“Well,” and Ulfric felt like a cynical old man, truly, “Tullius believes that he can take her on the ocean.”
“Tell me you’re joking.” Ulfric gestured for him to bring his voice back down and he murmured an apology. “But he can’t! They won’t stand a chance! There’s no way the Thalmor will allow an Emissary to travel on a foreign vessel, and they certainly won’t be sending a lonesome cargo ship for her!”
“No, indeed.”
“Well if either of you have a better idea,” Tullius rose from his bed, looking irritated, “speak, why don’t you.”
Startled at having been found out, the two men stood in silence for a moment. Then, unsurprisingly, Audric found words.
“You can’t pull this off,” he said gravely. “Not with the entirety of your navy.” Stepping into some sleep clothes, he added, “To take on a Thalmor fleet, with all their battlemages and ancient tacticians and frankly, better sense…this is folly.”
“And? Do you suppose any of us stand a chance against Herself in single combat? Or even in a field skirmish, us against her little henchmen?”
“No, not exactly.”
Ulfric watched this debate with interest from the sidelines. He had to admit, he admired Tullius’ resolve, even if it was complete lunacy. Resilience in the face of certain defeat, that was something he could respect.
“I’ll tell you what,” Audric clapped a hand on the general’s shoulder. “You take your men, and Ulfric takes his, and I take a few of mine, and we ransack the place.”
“Ransack the Embassy?” Ulfric and Tullius demanded in unison, pausing to frown at one another after.
“There’s more than enough of us to take them, all together. And besides,” he added conversationally, “you have me.”
Ulfric looked skeptical, but Tullius appeared receptive. “And what kind of maneuver would you propose?”
By this time, Yrsarald and Galmar had woken from the commotion and had come to investigate. Their eyes shifted warily between Imperial General and Thief.
“Let Ulfric lead the Thalmor out; let him take a handful of soldiers in Stormcloak colors — not enough to be overwhelming, but enough to intimidate — and draw out the ranks in the front. Thinking they have the upper hand, they will rush the brigade, and then, from some hidden spot behind, the rest of the battalion can come screaming out.”
“Oh, I’m sure you think that’s very clever,” Tullius mocked, tired and not at all happy at being challenged. “But the Thalmor still have the advantage of numbers, and of the hill.”
“Ah, I’ve thought of that. See, you and your men will take formations of three: two pockets of archers and footmen, to close the enemy in from behind, and then a third sect to fence off the entrance to the Embassy, and to catch any reinforcements.”
Tullius was nodding, now. “But what of Elenwen? We can’t expend all of our resources dispersing her guard only to allow her to escape in the chaos.”
Audric smiled grimly. “That’s where I come in.”
“What?”
Audric turned, alarmed by Ulfric’s outburst. Joining him in his bewilderment were Ulfric’s right-hand men.
“It’s a dangerous mission, but he broke into Castle Dour, didn’t he?” Tullius jumped to Audric’s defense.
“Have you no concern for your pawns, general?”
“I’m a knight, at least,” Audric interjected sourly.
“About as much as you do for yours,” Tullius answered. “You’re willing to sacrifice your men and women to the Thalmor — out of a grudge or honor, I can’t tell — but you’d spare this single Breton? Why?”
“It isn’t a question of numbers, it’s about proximity!” he insisted. “My soldiers are well trained, and those Thalmor lapdogs don’t stand a chance. But Bellamy would be strolling right into the lion’s den!”
“I won’t go alone,” Audric said, laying a reassuring hand on Ulfric’s arm, but Ulfric pulled it back.