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skyrimkinkmeme) wrote2011-10-29 12:36 pm
skyrimkinkmeme) wrote2011-10-29 12:36 pm
Meme Announcements!
ANNOUNCEMENTS: UPDATED 12/16/2017
Happy Holidays, fellow Kinkmemers! I have returned and have no reasonable excuse for my absence except LIFE. I will be working on updating the archives. If anyone sees anything amiss, please let me know.
I am also hoping to find another Mod and an Archivist.
The more dedicated people we have in this Meme the less chance of it dying. I admit that being the sole keeper of the Meme is not great for the fandom. If something were to happen to me, for good, this place would go the way of the Fallout Kink Meme. Let's not let that happen! If anyone would be interested in Modding/Archiving, please drop me a line. Thanks! <3
Re: The Wolf Queen Awakens 29.2
(Anonymous) 2014-05-02 10:56 pm (UTC)(link)“Want a drink?” Madanach asked carelessly as he waved it in her general direction. Elisif politely declined, helping herself to a bottle from the stack of Honningbrew lying around. Pleasantly warm from being close to the fire but not too close and the natural warmth of the Aalto plain also helped.
Madanach took a deep swig from his flask, staring at the flames and pointedly neither looking at nor touching her.
“You came here to turn me down, didn't you?” he said quietly, voice oddly flat. “Of course you did, I'm over twice your age, you're young and beautiful and could have anyone, whereas I'm a Skooma-addicted ex-felon who needs to cast illusions on his eyes in the sunlight because otherwise he can barely see, and who still doesn't like wide open spaces.”
“With dragons around that's probably for the best,” Elisif said, then it occurred to her he might not think so. Then it occurred to her what else he'd said. “Wait, you're not a Skooma addict.”
He did look at her then, shaking his head and looking rather patronising. “I spent twenty years inside getting wasted on the stuff from lack of anything better to do. What do you think I am? Only reason I'm not tearing the camp apart trying to find some is because Keirine has me on these potions. They keep the cravings away somehow, stop the shakes. Thing is, they also make it impossible for me to have anything moon sugar based without getting sick. Told her I didn't need them, I was fine on my own, but there were these Khajiit caravaneers who travel the road every week or so, and I might have given orders to some of the younger soldiers to flag them down and get me some... I wasn't going to drink it!” he protested, looking suitably ashamed of himself and so he should, honestly.
“That's not the point,” Elisif said rather pointedly. “You don't need to use it as currency any more, you're not in prison!”
Slow shake of the head and a knowing smile. “Charama, I will always have part of me in that prison. It is never going to leave me, not until I die. Every day I wake up and it takes me a good ten minutes to remember there's a world out there. Look at me, I'm damaged and broken and time might heal me but I don't know how much time I've got even if I don't end up with my head on a spike. And that prospect isn't so very unlikely.”
“It won't happen,” Elisif said fervently. “I won't let them execute you, I'm going to give you a pardon, tell General Tullius this was all my fault.”
“Very kind of you, although I don't think he'll listen,” Madanach said, turning morosely back to the fire and taking another swig of his hip flask.
“He'll have to, I'm High Queen, I decide matters of local law enforcement, not him,” Elisif snapped. “And you're my friend and ally who's raised an entire army for me. Of course he's not allowed to hurt you.”
“And if he ignores you and has me sent to the block anyway?” Madanach asked casually.
“I Shout them all down and we flee into the hills,” Elisif said, the mead making her a bit reckless but sod it, she was about bloody tired of the Empire telling her what to do. She was almost wondering if Ulfric had the right idea, but he'd killed her husband and she didn't think she could ever forgive him that.
Madanach was staring at her, eyebrows raised, and then he turned back to the fire, chuckling to himself.
“By the old gods, you've got to stop saying things like that, you'll make me blush,” he said, but he looked pleased. “You're meant to be killing Ulfric and claiming Skyrim for the Empire, not embracing his cause for your own.”
“I know,” Elisif said, recalling what lay ahead of her tomorrow and shuddering. More mead needed, definitely. “And – and don't worry, I don't plan to stab you in the back or betray you, even if you do have Hagravens wandering openly about the place, and gods know how those portals work, or what other dark arts you have going on where I can't see them. Point is, you helped me. And you've kept your word. Falk told me how quiet the Reach has been lately. Thank you.”
Re: The Wolf Queen Awakens 29.3
(Anonymous) 2014-05-02 10:57 pm (UTC)(link)“I can imagine,” Elisif said quietly, looking out at the many smaller fires and magelights lighting up the camp, hearing laughing and splashing around in the hot springs as the Forsworn enjoyed themselves. “It wasn't quite this raucous the last few nights. Don't they know the battle's tomorrow?”
“Of course they do, that's why they're enjoying themselves,” Madanach said wearily. “Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow you might get killed. Not many won't have found themselves someone. Well, not the Hags or Briarhearts, obviously, and not Karliah either, it's understood she doesn't do that sort of thing. But everyone else.”
“Including you?” Elisif felt obliged to ask. Madanach shook his head.
“I've lived my life, Elisif. If I die tomorrow, I die knowing what love was, what sex was, what getting completely off my face was. Doesn't matter if I'm alone tonight. Besides, the only one in the camp I really wanted doesn't feel the same. It's all right. You don't have to. I'm still helping you take Windhelm. I just... you're one of the best things to happen to me in a long time and I guess I got carried away. You'll forgive an old man's foolishness, right?”
“There's nothing to forgive,” Elisif said softly, feeling sorry for him... and even a little regretful. Nice wasn't the word to use for him, but she had a feeling he might be quite a sensitive and caring lover... in private anyway.
She just wasn't ready for anyone but Torygg.
“If it's any consolation, it's flattering to be asked,” Elisif added, trying to comfort him a little. “But I'm not really looking for another lover. I suppose I'll need a husband eventually, but I was hoping to just marry for politics, have the children and then not see much of him. Easier that way. Someone who doesn't love me won't get upset when I can't love them back.”
“Because of Torygg.” Madanach's voice was low and husky as he stared into the fire, silver eyes narrowing and Elisif felt a little afraid of him then. Easy to forget he was quite at ease with killing people, and in that moment, Elisif was reminded.
“Because of Torygg,” Elisif said, reminding herself she was a Dragonborn and not scared of ordinary humans. “He was my husband, Madanach! And I loved him and he loved me. I'll always love him. I miss him so much...” And she did miss him, she really did, but the thought of him wasn't bringing tears to her eyes like it used to. It occurred to her she missed Torygg very much... but not Solitude, or being married to the High King and always having to sit quietly and take a back seat. She wondered how he'd have dealt with her being Dragonborn, and whether he'd have given her his blessing and some guards and let her get on with it, or been superprotective and refused to let her out of his sight. Then it occurred to her if he'd still been alive, there might not have been a war... and maybe no dragons. She certainly wouldn't be sitting out on the Aalto under the stars in a Forsworn camp having a quiet conversation with the King in Rags.
Torygg would be appalled to see what she'd inadvertently brought about.
“Your life didn't stop just because his did,” Madanach said quietly. “The dance goes on, with or without you, might as well join it.”
Easy for him to say. Not so easy for her, trying to make her way in a Torygg-less life, hoping she'd see him again one day... and fearing he'd no longer love who she was now. She was already feeling a bit nervous about how he'd take the whole alliance-with-the-Forsworn thing.
She didn't feel like answering him and they fell silent, both staring into the fire and drinking their drinks, neither feeling like moving although Elisif wondered if it was doing either any good to stay. Then she recalled what else she'd wanted to talk about.
“I know about Argis,” she said, and that did get a reaction.
“You know what exactly?” Madanach snapped, glaring at her.
“He's yours, isn't he?” Elisif asked, seeing it in his eyes as they widened and his face went pale. “You're his fath-”
Re: The Wolf Queen Awakens 29.4
(Anonymous) 2014-05-02 11:00 pm (UTC)(link)“Neither, I worked it out,” Elisif said, feeling rather pleased at being right and at the same time feeling rather sorry for Argis. It sounded like he'd had a rough life. No wonder he'd not seen much of his father, and it seemed his sisters didn't know he was even kin. “I can't believe you sent your own son to be my bodyguard, don't you know how dangerous it's been? We faced Alduin the World-Eater!”
“I know but who else could I trust?” Madanach shrugged. “And please, don't remind me about the Alduin thing, Argis has already told me, as have your two Dunmer friends, it sounds terrifying. But he seems to be in one piece, even if he is picking up unsuitable partners.”
“Farkas isn't unsuitable, he's an absolute sweetheart!” Elisif protested. “I think they're cute together.”
“And you call me crazy,” Madanach muttered, but he was smiling a little. “Still, nice to see the boy happy. He deserves it, life hasn't been kind. If I end up with my head on a spike, at least he'll have someone to look after him.”
“You're not going to get executed,” Elisif told him. “And when this is all done and you're Reach-King, you can finally tell Kaie and Eola and everyone else he's yours and then he'll have a family again.”
“I will, will I?” Madanach asked, eyebrow raised. Then he shrugged and nodded. “I'll think about it. Got a battle to fight first. But you're right, once I'm pardoned and safe, I can tell the girls, I suppose. Mireen's dead, I don't have to worry about her any more. Might tell Eola when she gets back from Dawnstar. She never got on with her mother anyway, she won't care I cheated on her once.”
Ah yes, Eola's mysterious venture in Dawnstar. No one was willing to talk about it, or why Cicero and Eola had gone there, only that Madanach wanted the place watching and it turned out Cicero knew a little hideaway up there. So off they'd gone and most of the camp seemed of the opinion that they didn't much care about anything other than how peaceful it was without Cicero there.
Elisif had a feeling she didn't want to know and wouldn't approve when she found out, but she had other priorities. Such as fighting Ulfric the next day. Victory or Sovngarde, and the thought of either terrified her. She just hoped it was quick if she did die.
More mead, was the answer to that one. So she drank more mead, and Madanach drank more of whatever potent moonshine he was on, and above them the aurora blazed and the moons rose and set as the fire burned down.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Argis collapsed back on the straw pile while Farkas cleaned them both up, stars in his eyes and feeling dazed.
I'm not into men. Not really. I prefer women. This isn't going anywhere, it's just a bit of fun.
Apart from the way Farkas looked at him, and kept performing little acts of kindness such as getting him mead and cooking for him, and massaging tired muscles at the end of the day, and then Argis had had to reciprocate out of guilt, and one thing had led to another and...
Re: The Wolf Queen Awakens 29.5
(Anonymous) 2014-05-02 11:01 pm (UTC)(link)Farkas finished clearing up, left the leather cloth he'd used to one side and snuggled in to Argis, resting his head on his chest and wrapping an arm around him.
“You OK?” Farkas said quietly. “I didn't hurt you, did I?”
“No,” Argis murmured, stroking Farkas's hair and pulling him closer. “No, you never do. Thanks. I'm glad you're here.”
“Me too,” Farkas said, giving him a squeeze. “I missed you. Was worried you'd get eaten by a dragon or something. Or that you'd fall in love with Elisif and forget all about me.”
“Not likely,” Argis laughed, kissing the top of Farkas's head, post-sex comedown relaxing him and lowering his inhibitions like nothing else. Truth be told, Elisif was stunningly pretty, there was no denying that, and Argis did fancy her, had done from the start. But his father was interested and even if Elisif didn't feel the same, there was no way Argis could go for her. That, and he'd travelled with her on the road now. Carrying her things. Listening to her go on about all her many insecurities, and about Torygg, and if she was doing the right thing by siding with the Empire, and what Torygg would think about her siding with the Forsworn (not a lot, apparently). Dealing with Elisif's menstrual cycle, which had mostly involved passing leather cloths to her and discreetly turning a blind eye while the change-over happened, and then passing the pain relief potions over and putting up with the renewed moping over not having a husband any more and not being pregnant.
All told, while Argis still thought Elisif was very pretty, he was no longer sure he actually wanted her in his bed. Farkas was a lot less complicated. Farkas's needs were very simple – feed him, provide a regular supply of mead and then fuck the living daylights out of him. Argis liked that. He could cope with that. And he could definitely cope with Farkas's gentle caretaking. It was very nice indeed to be looked after.
“Is he really all right with it?” Farkas whispered. “You know... us?”
No need to ask who he was talking about there.
“I think so,” Argis sighed. “I mean, I don't think he exactly approves, but he's just being protective. At least he's stopped growling at you now.”
“Yeah,” Farkas said, relieved. “Yeah, that was a bit scary. Don't expect to be kissing someone and then have the King of the Forsworn bearing down on you with lightning in his hands.”
Precisely, and what with being thirty-five and male, Argis had thought he'd escaped that particular experience. Apparently not – Madanach was as overprotective of his son as he was of his daughters, when men were involved anyway.
“Still can't believe he's your father,” Farkas said, shaking his head. After the whole lightning and growling incident, Argis had had to take Farkas aside and quietly explain precisely why Madanach had gone crazier than usual, and admit that the boy who'd attained manhood by throwing an elk carcass at his clan chief's feet and announcing he'd be in his tent awaiting any woman who fancied finishing the initiation off had gone on to be King. Farkas had taken the news rather well considering.
“He is,” Argis said apologetically. “But you can't tell anyone, right? Not even Vilkas. No one can know. It isn't... it isn't safe.”
“I'd look after you, you know,” Farkas said quietly. “You'll always be safe at Jorrvaskr.”
“Not me,” Argis whispered, holding Farkas closer. “Him. Both of us. I – Farkas, just trust me on this.”
“All right,” Farkas said. Then he hesitated, before speaking again. “That's gotta be tough though. Having your pa still alive but not being able to call him that.”
“I'm used to it,” Argis said, but it had been a lot easier when his father was in prison and Argis only got to see him every so often on delivery runs, with no one else around to see them. Here on a Forsworn camp, with eyes everywhere and Kaie oblivious but Keirine seeming to know all too well, it was harder than ever to act like his father was just his king, not his kin. And Madanach wasn't doing all that well at hiding it either.
Re: The Wolf Queen Awakens 29.6
(Anonymous) 2014-05-02 11:04 pm (UTC)(link)Maybe that was for the best. It certainly made it less likely anyone would come after him. But damned if the thought didn't terrify him.
Argis held on to Farkas tighter, glad someone at least knew, someone who wasn't part of the whole Forsworn clusterfuck, someone he could just go to and forget about it all, someone who understood. It wasn't the same as having his father back, as having sisters who knew they were his sisters... but tonight, it would help.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Erandur swore he'd not walked this way deliberately. He'd just gone for a walk in the evening, taking a tour of the camp, having been assured his elven blood would protect him from any possible incidents, and so it had proved. The worst he'd had to deal with was a few drunken Forsworn women cheerfully offering a few lessons in love but they'd accepted his polite refusals with good grace. Mostly it was just squealing and exclamations of 'real elf! He's a real elf!' and 'can we see the ears??' from both men and women, and lots of giggling and whispering. Reachfolk apparently saw elven features as signs of great beauty when they cropped up among their number, so when a real elf turned up... Karliah had a similar reaction, but they were all a bit more used to her. Erandur could only wonder what sort of reception Aranea was getting.
He didn't have to wonder long. She was sitting up on one of the ridges, dressed in Forsworn gear, head bare and surrounded by a gaggle of young Forsworn, all listening eagerly to the teachings of Azura. At least some of them were. Some of them were clearly just there to stare at Aranea's chest, and not just the men either.
“And I think that's enough for today,” Aranea concluded, smiling as she saw him approach. “Now if you'll excuse me, my good friend Erandur's here. About time we caught up.”
The group dispersed, wishing her a good evening, and Erandur had to shiver a little at the way they all seemed to call her Matriarch.
“They know you're not a Hagraven, don't they?” Erandur said, shuddering at the thought of Aranea becoming one of those things. Why any sane woman would do that was a mystery to him.
“Of course, but they don't really have any other titles for a female priestess,” Aranea said, smiling as she indicated for him to sit down next to her. “Well, there's Shaman and Healer, but those are a bit specific. But they are all very interested in Lady Azura's wisdom, and absolutely no one's said anything uncomplimentary or called me a grey-skin, so I'm inclined to let them give me any title they like. I think I need to visit more camps, Keirine's already invited me to hers.”
Keirine gave Erandur the creeps and practically reeked of Daedra worship, but as she was Madanach's sister and in charge of all the Forsworn's magical capability, there wasn't a lot he could do about it. All the same, he'd pointedly refused to discuss any of Vaermina's rites with her. Mara only knew what she might do with the Dreamstride ritual. Those portals were dangerous enough.
“You'd never become... one of them, would you?” he had to ask. The thought of Aranea's face narrowing and the skin tightening, and teeth turning to fangs, and feathers sprouting and claws on her feet and toes horrified him.
“Me?” Aranea laughed. “No, it's not for me, I don't think. But all the same, they're not as bad as you think.”
That really wasn't saying a lot.
“They don't actually eat children then,” Erandur said. Aranea shook her head.
“No. Only the stillborn ones, I think. Or possibly the unwanted ones.” She noticed the horrified look on Erandur's face and changed the subject. “So how's Elisif doing? I heard that she finally found out Madanach's after her. Didn't go so well, I heard.”
Re: The Wolf Queen Awakens 29.7
(Anonymous) 2014-05-02 11:06 pm (UTC)(link)“He is,” Aranea said calmly, faint smile on her face. “But that doesn't mean he's wrong. I saw them together in one of Azura's visions. On their wedding day. Lying in an expensive bed somewhere, her nestled asleep in his arms while he just holds her and smiles at her. Him with tears in his eyes as he holds their first child. I don't know if it'll ever happen, the visions are sometimes just what might be, not what will be. But they were happy together. Has Elisif actually said she's not interested? Because Madanach's not an idiot, in fact he's usually extremely perceptive.”
“She said it would never work, that she'd like to be able to go to Torygg in the afterlife not having been unfaithful. That she's after a loveless marriage just to get heirs,” Erandur sighed. “And there's no way Madanach would ever let her have that if she married him, he'd be constantly trying to seduce her. She's right about that at least. But as for the rest – I know she's still grieving, but marrying while intending for there to be no love... It's an affront to Mara. I can't tell her that to her face, I know she's still hurting. But it is, Aranea. Mara has her own ways and her own wisdom, it's not for us to fight it. She knows what's best for us. I wish Elisif could just see that and open her heart to the possibility of loving again. As it is, all I can do is pray she'll be healed enough one day to see it.”
“She will,” Aranea said, smiling at some secret knowledge, some vision she'd seen most like. “You really believe it, don't you? That Mara knows better than we do what's good for us. That we shouldn't fight love.”
“Ye-es,” Erandur said, not liking that look in her eyes. “Aranea, where is this going – mmph!”
She'd leaned forward, taken his head in her hands and kissed him. Erandur reached out blindly, trying to push her away, only for his hand to wind up on her breast. He leapt back like she'd shocked him.
“Don't,” Erandur rasped, wiping his mouth. “I didn't mean-!”
“No?” Aranea said, frowning. “You think Mara knows best for everyone except you? That people shouldn't fight love, apart from you?”
“Aranea...” Erandur said, starting to panic. “Aranea, stop it, we can't...”
“Why not?” Aranea demanded, red eyes flashing with anger. “I love you, Erandur, and I'm tired of hiding it. I missed you. I saw visions of you and wished I could go after you, but my faith in Azura held me back. Except now she's let me go and I don't have to hold back any more. I just don't understand why you still are!”
“I'm old enough to be your father!” Erandur cried. Aranea just shrugged.
“Madanach is old enough to be Elisif's father, that's not stopped him,” she pointed out.
“That's because he's a heathen old reprobate,” Erandur sighed. “I'm meant to be better than that. I'm meant to be atoning!”
“You've spent years, decades, atoning,” Aranea cried. “Haven't you done enough? Isn't Mara the forgiving type? The benevolent and loving type? Hasn't she forgiven you yet?”
“Of course she has, but it's not enough!” Erandur said, wondering why Aranea couldn't see it. Mara loved everyone, even the unworthy, but that didn't mean he wasn't still unworthy.
“Why not,” Aranea said quietly. “Are you saying Mara's wrong?”
Re: The Wolf Queen Awakens 29.8
(Anonymous) 2014-05-02 11:08 pm (UTC)(link)“Then why are you still fighting your feelings?” Aranea whispered, stroking his cheek, and Erandur could feel his cock hardening and his heart pounding, and he felt himself blushing. They needed to stop this, he needed to stop this, but it had been so long and he'd been so lonely and...
“You can't love me,” he whispered.
“Can't I,” Aranea said gently. “Why not.”
“Why would you?” Erandur whispered, decades of pain and shame and guilt threatening to overwhelm him. He didn't deserve Aranea – he didn't deserve to be happy. Not after all he'd done.
“You should perhaps be asking Mara that question,” Aranea said, tracing her fingers over his lips. “She's the goddess of love after all.”
Perhaps he should, but he wasn't sure he'd get any kind of answer. He mostly just wanted to know why. Why Lady Mara would allow him to have feelings for someone when he manifestly didn't deserve them.
“Please,” Erandur pleaded. “Stop pushing me. I can't give you what you want. What you need. What you deserve.”
“What do I deserve?” Aranea asked quietly. “You tell me if you know me so well.”
“To be happy,” Erandur said, unable to meet her eyes, staring at out at the tents and the torchlight and the sight of the Forsworn dancing in between them, singing and laughing with happy couples chasing each other. A happiness he didn't deserve and would likely never have again. “With someone who can love you like you should be.”
“Can't that be you?” Aranea asked, despairing.
“I can't,” Erandur whispered, feeling his throat tighten as it all threatened to overwhelm him – her, the sounds of the camp, all of it. He could sense that something was wrong somehow, but damned if he knew what or how to fix it.
“Erandur,” Aranea whispered, reaching out to him, and he could take no more. Not daring to look back, Erandur fled for the safety of his tent, where he could be alone and meditate on Lady Mara's Divine Benevolence in peace.
Leaving Aranea Ienith behind him, cursing quietly and wishing Lady Azura was still sending visions. Erandur who had been Casimir was a very frustrating man. How ironic – he'd not wanted to go when she sent him away all those years ago. But Azura had sent visions of him serving Mara, sent visions to them both, and in the end, Aranea had feared Vaermina's nightmares and Azura's visions were going to drive him mad. So she'd sent him away for his own sake.
Now here he was, back in her life but still damaged, healed from the nightmares and the visions long gone, but still haunted. A devotee of the goddess of love afraid to experience his own goddess's blessings. How deeply ironic.
Silence from Azura, and praying to Mara hadn't helped either. All Aranea could do was let him go and hope he'd realise for himself what he needed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“I should go back to my tent. It's getting late.”
“Don't let me stop you.”
“Right. I'll be going then.”
Madanach took another sip of his jenever and counted quietly to five, having seen the pile of mead bottles that had been building up next to the Dragon-Queen and wondered if dragon blood actually gave you resistance to alcohol.
Apparently not, because Elisif got to her feet, swayed rather unsteadily, staggered a few steps off to her left, got about three feet then sank to her knees.
“Madanach?”
He was fairly certain Dragonborns weren't supposed to sound that plaintive.
“What?” he called back, repressing a smirk.
“Which tent's mine? I – I don't remember... they all look the same.”
Re: The Wolf Queen Awakens 29.9
(Anonymous) 2014-05-02 11:09 pm (UTC)(link)“It's that way,” he said, pointing in the vague direction of the one he'd assigned Elisif. Easy enough to find, none of the others had a dragon skull mounted on the roof.
Silence. Then...
“It's too dark! They keep moving... Madanach, please help me!”
He could see he wasn't getting out of this one.
“Fine, I shall escort you back to your bed, and then I am leaving you there and returning to my maudlin self-pitying.”
“... OK.” Confusion in her voice and clearly she was at that stage of drunkenness where complicated phrases were a bit beyond her. Madanach got to his feet, and then he belatedly recalled how jenever worked. It got you drunk from the feet up. You could drink lots of it and feel fine... until you tried to get up.
He got up, staggered round the log, felt the world spin and then he was face down in the grass, just about managing to break his fall with his hands.
Ah. Perhaps this wasn't such a good idea after all. Yes, moving was a terrible idea, he should just stay here on the ground until the world stopped moving and it all went away.
“Mad'nach? Mad'nach, why are you on the ground?” Elisif had crawled over, poking at him, looking concerned and a bit annoyed. “You were going to help me find my tent!”
“Well, I changed my mind,” Madanach growled. “Gonna stay here instead. Can't you find your own way home?”
“It's your camp!” Elisif snapped. “An' I'm a girl, you can't let pretty girls go home drunk on their own. It's no' right.”
Madanach glared, seeing her point but also feeling there was something rather unfair about this situation.
“Wha', so jus' because I'mma man, I gotta take care o' you when yer drunk?”
“Yes!” Elisif said firmly, folding her arms, seeming pleased. “Is the shiv-walrus thing to do.”
“That'sh notta word.”
“It so ish! Means yourra good person who helpsh people, anna brave an' noble warrior.”
Madanach was fairly certain he wasn't one of those any more. In fact...
“Ishn't that supposed to be your job?”
That got her, and while Elisif clearly wasn't entirely convinced of his reasoning, her drunken brain was having trouble working out why she shouldn't be. Time to push his point.
“In fact, I'm an old man, you're a young and strong warrior, you should be helping me home.” Madanach held out an arm expectantly. “Maybe I need a big, strong Nord warrior to look after me, hmm?”
“You hate Nords,” Elisif said, utterly bewildered by now.
“Don't hate 'em all,” Madanach shrugged. “Don't hate you. It was jusht the Shilver-Bloods really, but they're all dead. An' Ulfric an' his lot, an we're gonna kill them tomorrow. Don't care about the rest of them. Aela'sh all right and Vilkash ish tol'rable and Farkash is OK as long as he makes my Argiz happy and doesna break his heart, and Brynjolf's fine ash long as he keepsh his hands to himself, and... an' Inga was nice.” Wistful look came into his eyes as he remembered Inga, staring at him as he was lying on the ground, injured and dying, sole survivor of a skirmish. Inga had been out hunting, found him and her healing potions had saved his life. First and only Nord to ever be nice to him (until Elisif anyway), she'd nursed him back to health and apparently fallen in love with him. Hadn't done her any favours, although he'd almost thought about staying, leaving the Reachmen behind him. He'd only been a young man – talented warrior, brilliant young mage, engaged to the chief's daughter but only a minor player back then. He could easily have left it all behind... but he had a feeling Mireen would find him eventually. So he'd said goodbye and gone home, not knowing he'd left her pregnant.
That poor innocent woman had not deserved him, although he could never regret bringing Argis into the world.
“Do you miss her?” Elisif said quietly, kneeling next to him and putting his arm around her shoulders. Madanach let her pull him up, snuggling in next to her and nodding.
“She was nice. A good person. Not like me. Don't think it would have lasted. But I did care. Do care. Fuck it. El'zif, when you get to Shovn – Sovin – the afterlife, you give her a hug from me and tell her I'm shorry.”
Re: The Wolf Queen Awakens 29.10
(Anonymous) 2014-05-02 11:12 pm (UTC)(link)“You're nice too,” he murmured, breathing into her ear. “You remin' me of her a bit. Same caring nature. 'Xcept you're stronger somehow. More outgoing. She'd back down to avoid a fight. Don't think you would.”
“I can breathe fire, you know.” Note of warning there, and Madanach chuckled, taking the hint and shutting up, focusing on keeping his balance instead. A job made much easier with an Elisif to hold on to, and by Sithis, this was nice, staggering back through camp with a beautiful woman who was going to save him and his kingdom and the world at his side. Not in love with him, how could she be? But she was here and Madanach would make the most of it while he had her.
“Where are we going?” Elisif whispered, and Madanach pointed up ahead to a big tent with some dead animal bones mounted on top of it.
“That one.”
Elisif squinted at it then glared at him.
“That's your tent. Not mine!”
“I know. Yoursh is over there.” Madanach waved vaguely at the one with the dragon skull silhouetted in the aurora. “But mine has healin' potions. So we go there, we drink potionsh an' then unless you've changed your mind about me, you can go back to your own bed and leave me to my lonely mishery.”
Elisif tutted but did steer him back to his tent. Bigger than most Forsworn tents but not too big, enough room for a straw pile and furs and a chair and desk, and a storage chest. Mostly Madanach's mind was focused on the bedding and the chance to finally close his eyes and get some sleep.
Elisif let him go and he staggered to the bed, collapsing on it, about ready to sleep. But first, ensuring the hangover didn't kill him tomorrow.
“In that chest,” Madanach said, waving vaguely at it. “Couple of red potions, one pale, one dark. Anna green one – not that one, yeah, that's it. Give them to me.”
Madanach dosed himself up on the frankly vile concoctions his sister and her friends liked to knock up, but he did have to admit they worked. Done, he lay back on the straw, feeling the effects kicking in.
“Needed that,” he murmured, feeling the drunken haze start to abate. “Thanks, Elisif – Elisif?”
She was kneeling by the bed, staring into space, tears rolling down her cheeks. Madanach felt cold terror prickling down his spine. He hated it when people cried in front of him, he could cope with it in children, but in his adult loved ones it always worried him. Particularly when he didn't know what had caused it.
“Elisif?” he said nervously, propping himself up and reaching out to her. “Elisif, why are you crying? Don't cry, they'll all think I did it.”
“I'm a bad person!” Elisif sobbed. “I'm a terrible terrible person who doesn't deserve to be queen or happy or anything!”
Ah yes. The self-loathing stage of drunkenness. He held out a hand to her and she went to him, curling up in his arms and not resisting as he lay back down and held her to his chest.
“Why are you a bad person?” he asked, secretly rather liking the way she was cuddling up to him like this. A bit too trusting of her and he could wish she was smiling rather than crying, but it was still probably the closest he'd ever get.
“I killed someone!” she sobbed.
“I... see,” Madanach said, rubbing her back and hoping she could feel it through the armour. “But Elisif, cariad, you've killed lots of people since you became Dragonborn, hmm? You've fought Stormcloaks and necromancery types, you sent Cicero after the Dark Brotherhood and I don't think he was going back for tea and cake and a friendly little chat with Astrid. You certainly had no problem authorising Thonar's death.”
“They were strangers,” Elisif whispered. “Or they deserved it. Markarth's a better place without Thonar, the world's a better place without Malkoran and those other cultists and necromancers, the Dark Brotherhood were hunting me, and the Stormcloaks started it. I had no choice.”
Re: The Wolf Queen Awakens 29.11
(Anonymous) 2014-05-02 11:13 pm (UTC)(link)“Erikur,” Elisif said softly. “He was one of my Thanes. Well, it was Istlod who first Thaned him, I just inherited him. And I killed him in my own palace.”
“I see,” Madanach murmured, still stroking her hair. “What did he do? I can't see you randomly walking up to a man and stabbing him, still less them just letting you walk away after, even if you are Jarl.”
“It was him who took the contract out on me,” Elisif whispered. “His name was in the Brotherhood's ledger, Brynjolf and Karliah delivered it to Falk. They'd just arrested him when I got there. When I saw his name in the ledger, I just... I just lost it, Madanach. I shouted at him, not with the Thu'um, and just shoved Dawnbreaker through his chest. I killed him, Madanach! He was my Thane... and I killed him.”
She was crying quietly again and while Madanach did at least know why now, he still wasn't sure he understood.
“Of course you did,” he murmured into her hair. “If someone had tried to have me killed, I'd have done the same. You didn't do anything wrong!”
“Not the point!” Elisif sobbed. “Maybe he was guilty, probably we'd have executed him anyway, but it didn't need to be me! I could have signed the warrant and let the guards handle it! But I didn't...”
“No,” Madanach whispered to her, pulling her closer. “No, you didn't. You took care of it personally. Always the best way.”
“You would say that, you've killed loads of people,” Elisif whispered. Disapproving and yet here she was, nestled on top of him, apparently quite comfortable and not looking to move any time soon.
“Then why are you confessing to me,” Madanach murmured back, toying with a strand of her hair. “Talk to Erandur, he can do the absolution and forgiving thing. Me, I'm an old warlord who'd do exactly the same and barely think about it later. Why me?”
“Because I'm turning into a monster,” Elisif whispered, shivering all over and clinging to him. “I'm scared I'll go too far. If I go too far... only you can stop me.”
“What are you talking about?” Madanach sighed, baffled. “You're not turning into a monster and I'm sure others could stop you if you were.”
“Not like you,” Elisif whispered, finally looking up and she looked terrified. “You're the one with the army, you're the one who knows how to unseat corrupt Nord rulers, you're not blinded by the whole Dragonborn legend. You've got Cicero as a son-in-law. You can do it, I think you're the only one. And if even you think I've gone too far...”
“Even me?” Madanach said, feeling slightly offended but not enough to really care about. “I'm hurt.”
“You know what I mean,” Elisif whispered. “Well, will you? Stop me?”
“Stop you? Elisif, I don't think it's ever going to be necessary in my lifetime,” Madanach laughed... and then he realised she was serious. Which begged the question, could he do it? Stop her if her dragon blood took over and she started doing more harm than good.
He didn't think he could kill her. Not Elisif, soft and warm and pretty and gentle and presently clinging on to him. But he might be able to make other arrangements... if he had to.
“If I need to, I'll do it,” he promised. “You just go out there and do your thing. In the mean time, I've got your back.”
“Thank you,” Elisif whispered, leaning forward and kissing him on the cheek, and Madanach couldn't stop himself gasping and by Sithis, she had to stop doing that. Especially as she was right there, nose barely touching his, eyes fluttering closed and whispering his name... and he definitely wanted to, no doubt about that. But he could also smell the mead on her breath, and maybe she was drunk and emotional and lonely but she wasn't using him to get her fix.
“You need to leave,” Madanach growled, rolling over on to his side and neatly lowering her to the ground. Elisif sat up, looking a bit dazed but nodding.
Re: The Wolf Queen Awakens 29.12
(Anonymous) 2014-05-02 11:15 pm (UTC)(link)Elisif nodded and drank the potions he gave her, staggering unsteadily to her feet.
“I should go,” she said, sounding very uncertain.
“Yes, you should,” Madanach said, relieved to hear it because if Elisif ever did end up in his bed, he'd like for her to be sober when it happened. “Go on, go get some sleep. Your tent's the one on the left when you leave, with the dragon skull on it.”
“Right,” Elisif said, still looking a bit vacant. “Right, I'll do that. Goodnight, Mad'nach.”
“Goodnight,” Madanach said quietly, watching her go and mentally kicking himself for the conscience he seemed to be developing lately. She'd been right there for the taking, even starting to initiate things... and he'd sent her away.
Never mind. It was something. And wasn't he quite capable of playing the long game?
She wouldn't grieve forever. She'd win this coming battle and be stronger because of it, and when she finally realised that the one she'd asked to rein her in was best placed to do that from beside her... he'd be there.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Late night in Windhelm and Ulfric Stormcloak was sitting in one of the upper rooms in the Palace of the Kings, mead in hand, staring out of the window, into the night, at Windhelm's streets and beyond the walls, the darkness that was the Aalto plain. The night sky blazed with aurora light and starlight and moonlight, but the ground was all darkness. There was a metaphor in that, he was sure.
“Not going to bed yet, Ulfric?”
Galmar. Fussing over him like a mother hen. As always. As it had been since he went off to fight in the Great War. After escaping the Thalmor. During the conquest of Markarth, his attempt to prove he was a mighty warrior despite the humiliation of being captured, his attempt to prove he was better than those witch-elves. Throughout his Jarldom. Galmar had been there throughout, the older brother Ulfric had never had.
“Not yet,” Ulfric said quietly. “I'm watching the Aalto.”
“There's nothing out there, Ulfric,” Galmar sighed. “It's pitch black out there. Go to bed, you'll strain your eyes.”
“In a moment,” Ulfric said, still frowning. “Galmar. The report from those scouts. That the dragons predating on travellers have gone.”
“Aye,” Galmar said quietly. “The one at Kynesgrove stayed dead for over a week, and that other one that was roosting near the Dwemer ruins was seen lying dead near Mistwatch for the same amount of time. No sign of that one near Bonestrewn Crest either.”
A good sign, that the dragons had stopped rising from the dead. But that they'd died in the first place... his men hadn't killed them. Not that he'd heard of, and killing a dragon was the sort of thing that men (and women) bragged of in barrack rooms and taverns for days after.
“Yes, but this latest report, Galmar. That the corpses have vanished entirely, but the dragons aren't flying anywhere. What do you make of it?”
Galmar just shrugged. “What of it, Ulfric. They're gone and they're not slaughtering our people and burning our Hold. We've got Imperials to fight, who cares about a few missing dragon corpses.”
“Dragons don't just vanish,” Ulfric said, brooding. No one was moving one of those creatures in a hurry, nor could anyone carve it to pieces easily. It was a puzzle, and Ulfric had never been fond of those.
He wondered if Elisif would know the answer. A Dragonborn could take a dragon's soul. Why not move the body too? Even if it did sound perilously close to necromancy.
Re: The Wolf Queen Awakens 29.13
(Anonymous) 2014-05-02 11:16 pm (UTC)(link)And then there was the Great Soul Gem Shortage. A small thing, a seeming curiosity, of more concern to wizards and mages than true Nords, but Wuunferth had been furious at his entire supply going missing, and his Stone of Barenziah too, and enquiries had revealed everyone else who owned any had had theirs stolen too. Valuable items left largely untouched for the most part, but the soul gems? Gone. Didn't matter what size or if they were filled or not, they all vanished regardless.
Ulfric was damn near positive this was Elisif's doing somehow, but damned if he could work out why. Wuunferth had been no help whatsoever, merely saying that perhaps someone wanted to enchant an entire army's weapons, either that or set up soul gem traps to guard somewhere. Apparently mages liked to prime the things so they'd automatically cast Destruction spells at intruders, which was a possibility, but who would want so many? And guarding what?
He'd send runners to the College of Winterhold to ask their opinion, but as with the scouts to the south, they'd disappeared. He'd sent couriers on board ship, but the East Empire's ships all seemed to fall victim to the Blood Horkers whenever one of his men travelled with them, and when he'd tried one of Shatter-Shield's, the courier had sheepishly come back having had the letters stolen from him.
Someone was sabotaging his communications. Someone had stolen every soul gem in the city for magical purposes as yet unknown. Someone had dealt with the dragons.
Just as someone had got to his crown first despite Galmar swearing no one else could have known it was there, and someone had escaped from both Cidhna Mine, which Thonar had always said was an unbreakable fortress that no one got out of, and then from the Forsworn who couldn't possibly have let the beautiful young Queen of the Nords go voluntarily.
She'd even wiped out the Dark Brotherhood, and that story had had tankards raised in her name in his own city. Quietly, but they'd been raised.
Ulfric was beginning to wonder if he was going mad.
“Galmar,” he said quietly. “Do you think we're doing the right thing? By Skyrim, I mean. With the war.”
“What are you talking about?” Galmar scoffed, then he realised his Jarl was serious. “By the Nine, Ulfric, of course we're doing the right thing. Those witch-elves would have us grovelling at their feet and thanking them for the pleasure if we let them! We need to prove true Nords won't stand to be pushed around! The Empire's weak, Ulfric. We'll bring the whole rotten edifice crashing down and then we'll take the fight to the Dominion. Of course we're doing the right thing.”
Ulfric thought of the dreams, of Elenwen, of Markarth, of the wildman they called Madanach, eyes hollow and broken when they'd finally hauled the usurping, Jarl-killing bastard out of that filthy redoubt and off to prison. Of Torygg dying as Ulfric's sword skewered him, looking confused and personally betrayed as the light died out of his eyes, and Elisif screaming like some wild animal, all sanity and reason gone. Of Elisif the Dragonborn calling him a murderer and backing away like he was some sort of monster.
Re: The Wolf Queen Awakens 29.14
(Anonymous) 2014-05-02 11:17 pm (UTC)(link)And ever since then, he'd felt it himself. Doubt. Worry. Fear. That maybe, just maybe, he was wrong.
“Do you think she'd be a good queen?” Ulfric asked quietly. Now Galmar was looking at him as if he really had gone insane.
“Are you joking, she's not even twenty four years old. The girl knows nothing about leadership, nothing. So she's killed a few dragons with help. So she's got Kodlak Whitemane wrapped round her finger. So she got lucky and got away from the Forsworn. Her luck will run out, Ulfric.”
Maybe it would. Maybe it wouldn't. But as Ulfric finally left the window and retired to bed, he couldn't shake the feeling of impending doom closing in on him and the horrible sense that maybe his already had.
~~~~~~~~~~
A/N: And that's the setup. Next update will involve the Battle of Windhelm as the Dragonborn moves in for the kill. Dragons do not like rivals.