skyrimkinkmeme (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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: Nightshade and Juniper 18.7
(Anonymous) 2013-07-06 03:16 pm (UTC)(link)Liriel retrieved Dawnbreaker, wiping her blades off on Ulfric's clothes before sheathing them and looking up at Madanach. She looked like she was about to say something but no words came. She'd done it. They'd done it. Eithne avenged, Markarth avenged, Ulfric Stormcloak lying dead on the floor and it was over, all over at last. Madanach tore his eyes away from Ulfric's body to look up at her. Dragonborn, assassin, mage... and going to be his queen.
Silver eyes met gold and then he was in her arms and they were kissing, hands all over each other, fingers in each other's hair, backing up until they hit the table and then Madanach was perching on it, holding Liriel to him, kissing her for all he was worth and honestly if they'd been alone, just the two of them, they'd have been hard at it on Ulfric Stormcloak's table while his body cooled behind them.
Sadly for them both, Tullius had picked himself up by this point, with a little help from Rikke, and coughed rather pointedly.
“Excuse me, Dragonborn, but we do have a city to set to rights – are you and the Reach-King quite done?”
Liriel let Madanach go, blushing and hastily patting her hair back into shape. Madanach pushed himself off the table, amused at her embarrassment. Altmer, always so unwilling for anyone to see them actually demonstrate that they had animal instincts like the rest of the world. Not that he exactly wanted to show Liriel off to the world in that way but all the same, it still amused him.
Argis was also back on his feet, helmet off and looking so proud of the pair of them, and that was a sight to warm Madanach's heart, seeing his son smile again. My boy is happy again, I have a son again. Liriel stepped back to talk to General Tullius and Legate Rikke, leaving Argis to speak with Madanach. His eyes were glistening as he wiped at the corners.
“You did it,” he gasped, smiling despite the tears rolling down his cheeks. “You did it!”
“We really did,” Madanach replied, closing his eyes and finally feeling his daughter's ghost laid to rest, a caress of his hand and a kiss on the cheek and a whispered thank you and knowing she was at peace in the Void now. His daughter avenged and his son able to be his son again – while his family could never be what it had once been, it was healed at last. Argis stepped forward and then the two men were embracing, tears rolling down both their cheeks as two warriors who rarely gave in to their more vulnerable emotions finally let them go.
“Love you, Da,” Argis whispered in his ear. “Thank you. Thank you for everything.”
“What, for treating you like you weren't mine for twenty years?” Madanach said, voice muffled as he rested his head against Argis' shoulder, and how in the name of Anu had the boy got so damn tall??
“It's alright,” Argis gasped. “It's OK. You did what you had to. You were protecting me the only way you could. But it's OK now, your first wife's dead, you're king, and you did it, you killed Ulfric, you avenged Eithne, you...” Argis had to stop there, choking on the tears as he held his father close. Madanach patted him on the back, knowing that of all of them, Argis was the only one who understood, the only other survivor of the day things had fallen apart. Now, by the grace of the old gods and his Queen of Dragons, he'd finally been able to put his family back together.
“Liriel did it,” Madanach said, letting Argis go, and turning to look at Liriel, who'd been watching them, tears in her own eyes but happy smile all over her face. “Thank her, I'd never have done any of this without her.”
Argis let his father go and the next thing Liriel knew, Argis had pulled her into a bear hug.
Re: Nightshade and Juniper 18.8
(Anonymous) 2013-07-06 03:18 pm (UTC)(link)“I will,” Argis said softly, letting Liriel go with a kiss on the cheek. “She'll be pleased to hear that. Listen, I'm heading back to the camp, never was one for victory speeches. I'll see you two back there?”
Liriel and Madanach both promised they would, and let him go. Outside the city was quiet – frost magic was being cast, but to put fires out, not kill, and Liriel could see kneeling Stormcloak soldiers being watched by unsmiling Legionnaires. They'd taken Windhelm for the Legion. Rikke was kneeling by Ulfric's corpse, saying a last goodbye, while Tullius was already ordering his soldiers in to deal with the bodies and get the place cleaned up.
“I should probably stick around for the victory speech, Tullius will want to give one. So should you,” Liriel said, squeezing Madanach's hand.
“Stick around or give a speech?” Madanach asked. “I haven't actually written anything, I hope you weren't expecting bardic oratory.”
Liriel laughed and kissed him. She'd never loved him more than she had today. Killing a man together apparently had that effect, who knew?
“You could come up with a speech off the cuff and it would still be an inspiration to us all,” Liriel teased. “I saw you in Markarth after the battle, you were amazing!”
“Yes and it took me weeks to write,” Madanach growled, pulling her closer. “I was still obsessing over it that morning.” He stopped, smile softening his features. “So you were there in the audience, were you? Was it you who shouted 'we love you, Reach-King'?”
“Afraid not,” said Liriel, not sure how to tell him the one responsible was a deserter from his army who apparently still carried a torch for the cause. “Hoping it was me?”
Madanach hesitated then lowered his head. “Part of me hoped you were there,” he admitted. “I missed you, Dragon-Queen. I wished you'd been with me. I will never forget it as long as I live, but I would have loved having you there to share it.”
Liriel placed her forehead against his, holding him tight. “I wish I'd been there too. I wish I'd been with you on that balcony. I was just watching you and... and I fell in love all over again. I was just so proud of you. Still am.”
Madanach didn't answer, just looked up and kissed her again.
“Come on,” he said gruffly, taking her hand and leading her out. “Back to the camp. If you're going to insist on showering me with compliments, we're going to do it in private.”
Liriel smiled, squeezing his hand. That was her Madanach all right – capable of dealing with anger, fear and fury but pay him a compliment and he had no idea how to react. That was all right though. There'd be plenty of time to celebrate. They'd won a great victory tonight. Nothing could touch them now.
~~~~~~~~~~~
The camp was quiet when they finally reached it, just as the sun was coming up. Outside, the dead of the Reach were being laid out on pelts, weapons and possessions arrayed around them while their friends and kin gathered around to say goodbye. In the distance, a slow, heavy drumbeat was thudding out across the plain and aside from the sobbing from those mourning loved ones, all was quiet. No singing, dancing, celebrating, nothing. It all seemed a bit unlike what Liriel had come to know about the Reachmen, whose usual way, according to Madanach, was to celebrate that they weren't dead yet.
“Is everything alright?” Liriel whispered. “Only... we won, right? Shouldn't there be a party in progress right now?”
“Yes, and there isn't,” Madanach said, frowning. “Respect for the dead is all very well but they're outside the camp, and the camp's quiet... I don't like this, Liriel.”
Re: Nightshade and Juniper 18.9
(Anonymous) 2013-07-06 03:19 pm (UTC)(link)“What in the Void is going on?” he whispered, hand reaching to his axe. Everyone in range looked away, slinking off or trying to look busy, no one wanting to meet his eyes.
“Madanach...” Liriel began, and she reached for his shoulder, but Madanach had broken away, striding, almost running forward to where he'd seen a little trinity of Uraccen, Duach and Odvan all waiting for him.
“Uraccen, what happened, what's going on?” Madanach's eyes fell on the black armband around his arm. “Oh no, not Uaile, I'm so sorry...”
“She's fine,” said Uraccen, and there it was again, that pity in his eyes when he looked at Madanach. “It's... you'd better come with us.” He held out a hand and started to lead Madanach out into where the dead were laid out. Madanach didn't follow, eyes looking at all three of his blood-brothers.
“You're all wearing them,” he whispered, looking frantically around the camp. “Every single one of you, you can't all have lost people, you can't...” Madanach's voice broke as he realised the significance of an entire people in mourning. Mourning a leader – or a member of the leader's family.
“No,” he breathed, and Liriel felt her heart stop as she realised it too. But Argis was fine, he was with us, the battle was over when he left... oh. Oh no.
“No, she isn't, she can't be,” Madanach gasped, voice harsh and ragged, hands to his temples. “Not again, not again, where is she?? Where is my daughter??”
Uraccen looked out over the morgue, and sure enough, out on the edge, on a raised escarpment overlooking the rest, four ReachGuard warriors were standing guard over one body separated out from everyone else, a body with an ebony-clad warrior kneeling next to it, clinging on to a red-haired Forsworn in a jester hat.
“Kaie,” Madanach breathed, face crumpling as it sank in. “KAIE!” Without even looking at Liriel or anyone else, he was racing towards them, everyone in his path moving without even needing to be told why. Liriel followed after, heart in her mouth, her own heart breaking as her mind started to process just what this all might mean for her... but mostly her heart was breaking for Madanach.
He'd reached them by now, taking in Argis kneeling there with tears rolling down his face and Cicero nestled in his arms, sobbing helplessly on Argis' shoulder... and before them Kaie, laid out on a bearskin, eyes closed and arms folded, peaceful in death aside from the gaping wounds in her chest and abdomen that had killed her and the gashes on her arms and legs.
Madanach dropped to his knees, wordless.
“Kaie,” he whispered, fingers trailing over her face, feeling the skin cold and unmoving, forever unmoving now. “Kaie, daughter, no...” Then his voice broke completely, and the feared King of the Reach, commander of the Forsworn, was bent low over his daughter's remains, cradling her body in his arms, sobbing his heart out and not caring who saw him.
Liriel knelt alongside him, rubbing his back, tears on her own cheeks because she'd liked Kaie too, cared for her a great deal, she missed her too. But mostly it was because the man she loved, strong, all-powerful, buzzing with magicka Madanach, was currently howling his grief out for the world to hear, utterly broken. Slowly, gently, she prised him away from Kaie and held him, soothing him as best she could.
“Madanach,” Liriel whispered, kissing the top of his head. “Madanach, I'm here, I've got you, it's...” Not all right, it'll never be all right again, but I love you, I'm not leaving you again, never...
Re: Nightshade and Juniper 18.10
(Anonymous) 2013-07-06 03:22 pm (UTC)(link)“What now?” Liriel finally asked as Madanach's tears subsided. “We'll... we'll have to have a funeral, won't we?”
“Tonight,” Madanach whispered. “All these things... best done at night. Someone... her kin need to keep vigil until then, I'll need to stay out here...”
“Like the Void you will,” Argis cut in, and Liriel had never heard him talk like that before, never heard him sound anything like that authoritative. “I'll do it. You get to bed. Liriel, take him to his tent.”
“I'm her king and her father, I will do it!” Madanach snapped, looking up and now that was more like it, a glimmer of his old self coming back.
“You're nearly sixty, you've not slept, you're exhausted, go to bed,” Argis shot back. “I am her brother and Crown-Prince until you can produce a legitimate heir, I will do the damn vigil with Cicero here.”
Cicero squeaked quietly but didn't make a single ribald remark. Argis was still staring down Madanach, neither really willing to give in over this but someone had to and in the end it was Madanach.
“Fine, mabion. Watch over her. Do what I couldn't.” He choked on the last words as his eyes fell on Kaie and then he was getting up, looking away, face screwed up in pain.
“Madanach, wait, I'm coming with you,” Liriel gasped, and Madanach did at least stop and wait while she got to her feet, leaning in to her as she held him.
“Liriel. Don't leave me,” he gasped.
“I won't,” Liriel whispered. “Not ever.” Madanach let out a sob as he clung on to her, holding her for a moment, before loosening his grip, arms round her waist and head resting on her shoulder, usual aura of command utterly gone, just a man craving comfort. Comfort best provided in private without an entire camp watching from the corner of their eyes, feeling their king's pain but at the same time glad it was not them.
“Come on,” she told him. “Let's get you to bed. Argis was right, you need sleep.”
“No sleep will ever mend this,” Madanach whispered, but he acquiesced as Liriel led him away.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A/N: I'm so sorry. I really am. Poor Kaie. Poor Madanach. Poor Cicero and Argis and everyone. See, this is why I didn't want to write it. But it is done and Kaie rests safely in the Void.
Next chapter, a Forsworn funeral and everyone deals with the aftermath.
Re: Nightshade and Juniper 18.10
(Anonymous) 2013-07-06 04:00 pm (UTC)(link)I loved Odahviing. I've always loved him - he's such a snarky, unapologetically self-serving bastard, and you wrote him PERFECTLY. I especially enjoyed his exchange with Argis. You did justice to Ulfric's death scene too, and too the complicated tangle of the civil war - Ulfric may not be a nice man, but he's got a point about oaths made to oathbreakers. Liriel is such a badass ("My ancestors are gods!"). And then the HEARTBREAK. Seeing a strong man cry is about the saddest thing in the world, and reading about it's not much better. Snuggle him better, Liriel. :(
Re: Nightshade and Juniper 18.10
(Anonymous) 2013-07-06 04:48 pm (UTC)(link)While I don't think I'll ever be a Stormcloak, I do have a lot of respect for Ulfric as a worthy foe. Good to know the death scene worked!
I liked the 'my ancestors are gods!' line too - another reason she had to be Altmer, they firmly believe they're descended from the Aedra.
Thank you for the comment!