“The palace in Whiterun…” The old Dovah combed his boundless memory, but Audric beat him to it.
“Dragonsreach?” he said. His head was pounding, and he was sore all over but at least his arm wasn’t broken anymore. “Why would –”
“It was originally built to house a captive Dovah. A fine place to trap one of Alduin’s allies, hm?”
Audric pondered this for a few moments, rubbing his hands to keep warm. He couldn’t begin to imagine what he would say to Balgruuf, how he could ask for such a favor, particularly during a time where the only thing that was certain was turmoil. Eventually, he concluded, “The Jarl of Whiterun might not think so.”
Enthir intervened then, having finally found his words again. “Audric, you’re one of the most persuasive men I know. If anyone can convince a Jarl to abide such a request, I’m sure it’s you.”
“Flattery will get you nowhere, Enthir,” Audric spat grumpily.
“Your Thu’um is strong,” Paarthurnax argued. “I do not doubt that you can convince him of the need.”
Exhaustion washing over him, Audric collapsed backward, but Enthir caught him before he hit the snow. All the same, a part of him wished to lie in the cold until it overtook him, and then he wouldn’t have to convince anybody of anything. He pushed Enthir away when his fussing became too much, insisting that he was fine. In spite of every nerve in his body still tingling with fear, in spite of the pain that stretched into every corner of his body, he was fine.
“We can stay with the Greybeards tonight,” he said at last. “They will have food for us, and beds to rest in.”
“So long as we get off of this awful mountain and out of the gale.” Enthir pulled Audric to his feet and wrapped an arm around him, guiding him.
Audric glanced over his shoulder and watched Paarthurnax’s expression, unable to read him as he might with a person. Instead, the dragon’s old eyes bore into him until he lost his resolve and turned away.
The next morning, the pair of them descended into Ivarstead together, and Audric took Enthir so far as the road into Eastmarch. The elf dismounted and Audric sent him off with a few provisions, and they parted ways with little travail. Once Enthir disappeared around a corner, Audric took off at a gallop for Whiterun.
The planes came into view as evening set in, a rosy glow settling over the dead grass and illuminating the spaces between crumbling stone where mortar had rotted away.
Dragonsreach was warm and welcoming after riding through the hard chill that had settled over the land: the lower parts of the country had yet to see snow, but frost crept along the valleys and the wind had grown brisk. Farmers were long past harvest, and now smoke billowed up from the settlements where meat was being smoked, vegetables pickled, and grain stored.
Balgruuf received Audric warmly as always, and insisted that they sit down to dinner together.
Audric ate the delicious food and sat in the comfortable hall and enjoyed the amenities with some guilt, knowing he was really calling for business – and not good business, at that. He listened to Balgruuf fume for a while: about the Thalmor, about Ulfric, and about the dragons.
“I hear you and Tullius are planning some kind of confrontation with the Embassy soon,” he mentioned sometime during the second course.
Audric nodded. “It’s the better of two bad choices,” he confided. “Naturally it’s better: it was my idea.” He smiled and stirred his soup around.
“Probably. Though I believe I’ve heard that putting Ulfric back on the throne in Windhelm was your idea, too.”
“For one, it was Ulfric’s idea; I just agreed to help things along.”
“And I imagine the pay was good?”
The accusation stung, all the more so because it was true. “Yes, excessively. But the money was hardly the most compelling part of the deal.” He sipped some broth before adding, “Ulfric’s friendship and influence could mean everything, in a time of need.”
Balgruuf nodded sympathetically, though his gaze remained dry. “I don’t approve, but I understand.”
“What is this rivalry between the two of you?” Audric asked. “You share many opinions and attitudes.” The jarl scoffed but he went on. “I think if it weren’t for this loathsome axe between you, you might be excellent allies, if not good friends.”
"Divide and Conquer" Ulfric Stormcloak/M!DB 15d/??
“Dragonsreach?” he said. His head was pounding, and he was sore all over but at least his arm wasn’t broken anymore. “Why would –”
“It was originally built to house a captive Dovah. A fine place to trap one of Alduin’s allies, hm?”
Audric pondered this for a few moments, rubbing his hands to keep warm. He couldn’t begin to imagine what he would say to Balgruuf, how he could ask for such a favor, particularly during a time where the only thing that was certain was turmoil. Eventually, he concluded, “The Jarl of Whiterun might not think so.”
Enthir intervened then, having finally found his words again. “Audric, you’re one of the most persuasive men I know. If anyone can convince a Jarl to abide such a request, I’m sure it’s you.”
“Flattery will get you nowhere, Enthir,” Audric spat grumpily.
“Your Thu’um is strong,” Paarthurnax argued. “I do not doubt that you can convince him of the need.”
Exhaustion washing over him, Audric collapsed backward, but Enthir caught him before he hit the snow. All the same, a part of him wished to lie in the cold until it overtook him, and then he wouldn’t have to convince anybody of anything. He pushed Enthir away when his fussing became too much, insisting that he was fine. In spite of every nerve in his body still tingling with fear, in spite of the pain that stretched into every corner of his body, he was fine.
“We can stay with the Greybeards tonight,” he said at last. “They will have food for us, and beds to rest in.”
“So long as we get off of this awful mountain and out of the gale.” Enthir pulled Audric to his feet and wrapped an arm around him, guiding him.
Audric glanced over his shoulder and watched Paarthurnax’s expression, unable to read him as he might with a person. Instead, the dragon’s old eyes bore into him until he lost his resolve and turned away.
The next morning, the pair of them descended into Ivarstead together, and Audric took Enthir so far as the road into Eastmarch. The elf dismounted and Audric sent him off with a few provisions, and they parted ways with little travail. Once Enthir disappeared around a corner, Audric took off at a gallop for Whiterun.
The planes came into view as evening set in, a rosy glow settling over the dead grass and illuminating the spaces between crumbling stone where mortar had rotted away.
Dragonsreach was warm and welcoming after riding through the hard chill that had settled over the land: the lower parts of the country had yet to see snow, but frost crept along the valleys and the wind had grown brisk. Farmers were long past harvest, and now smoke billowed up from the settlements where meat was being smoked, vegetables pickled, and grain stored.
Balgruuf received Audric warmly as always, and insisted that they sit down to dinner together.
Audric ate the delicious food and sat in the comfortable hall and enjoyed the amenities with some guilt, knowing he was really calling for business – and not good business, at that. He listened to Balgruuf fume for a while: about the Thalmor, about Ulfric, and about the dragons.
“I hear you and Tullius are planning some kind of confrontation with the Embassy soon,” he mentioned sometime during the second course.
Audric nodded. “It’s the better of two bad choices,” he confided. “Naturally it’s better: it was my idea.” He smiled and stirred his soup around.
“Probably. Though I believe I’ve heard that putting Ulfric back on the throne in Windhelm was your idea, too.”
“For one, it was Ulfric’s idea; I just agreed to help things along.”
“And I imagine the pay was good?”
The accusation stung, all the more so because it was true. “Yes, excessively. But the money was hardly the most compelling part of the deal.” He sipped some broth before adding, “Ulfric’s friendship and influence could mean everything, in a time of need.”
Balgruuf nodded sympathetically, though his gaze remained dry. “I don’t approve, but I understand.”
“What is this rivalry between the two of you?” Audric asked. “You share many opinions and attitudes.” The jarl scoffed but he went on. “I think if it weren’t for this loathsome axe between you, you might be excellent allies, if not good friends.”