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: The Wolf Queen Awakens 6.2
(Anonymous) 2013-09-28 09:20 am (UTC)(link)Elisif silently tightened her grip on her greatsword. Did the Daedra really think she was born yesterday? If Erandur did turn on her, one Shout would stagger him and her greatsword would probably make short work of him, but until he attacked her, she wasn't going to listen to otherworldly voices, thank you very much.
So she watched and waited, and Mara's power turned the Skull of Corruption into ash. Erandur lowered his hands and Elisif finally sheathed her blade. That had been an adventure and a half, and without Erandur's magic backing her up, she was sure she'd not have made it. As it was, it had been close on a number of occasions, and then there had been that terrifying Dreamstride. On the other hand, she now had a big collection of unusual alchemy ingredients to play with.
“Is that it?” she asked. “It's all over?”
Erandur nodded, but he didn't look happy considering they'd just saved Dawnstar.
“Yes, Maia my friend, it's done. Dawnstar will be safe now.”
“You don't look pleased. Are you all right?” Elisif asked, concerned. Erandur smiled sadly, glancing at Theren and Vorek's bodies.
“In time, I will be. For now, it's enough to know I did Lady Mara's will. Listen, I...” He looked a bit hesitant, and Elisif wondered what was up. There wasn't anything more he could want from her, was there?
“I was going to spend the rest of my days here, in prayer and meditation to Lady Mara,” Erandur said. “I still need to stay here and do the rites for Veren and Thorek and the others. But after that... I believe I would like to offer my services to you. If you ever decide you need me, I'll be here.”
“What, really?” Elisif whispered. “You'd leave all this behind and just travel Skyrim with me? You don't know the first thing about me!” You don't even know my real name!
“Maybe not, but I know you're a woman of character and integrity who's willing to risk her own life to help other people,” said Erandur knowingly. “That's worth something in my book.”
“I don't think I believe in Mara any more,” Elisif confessed, feeling it was probably best to air that right now. Erandur just smiled sympathetically.
“I know it can be hard to remember her teachings when love's left your life and doesn't look like it's coming back. But have faith. Mara won't have forgotten you and she can bring love when you least expect it. Right now, you're embodying her lessons anyway, so don't think I'm going to bother you with lectures. You didn't try to kill me for having made mistakes in my youth, I'm not going to hold it against you if you need to consider your spiritual path.”
Elisif had a lot more things to consider first over whether she still believed in the Aedra or not, but all the same, it was nice to know he wasn't judging her.
“Thank you,” she told him, finally feeling something close to cheerful. “I feel I should warn you my life isn't a safe one. People have already died because of me.”
“People suffered because of me too,” said Erandur, voice low. “You volunteered to do this with me knowing it was dangerous, I'll happily go with you in the same knowledge.”
Good to know. Elisif just had one last question.
“You're, er, not a Stormcloak, are you? I mean, I don't think so, what with you being Dunmer and all, but I have to ask...”
Erandur did grin at that. “Maia, as a priest of Mara, I am above politics. I bring Mara's aid to whoever needs it, regardless of their political affiliations. I'm guessing you're on the Empire's side in the war.”
“You could say that, yes,” said Elisif, wondering if and when to tell him her real identity. Not yet, she decided. Not that she didn't trust him, but at least if he got captured too he couldn't tell Ulfric who she was if he didn't know.
Re: The Wolf Queen Awakens 6.3
(Anonymous) 2013-09-28 09:21 am (UTC)(link)“I know,” said Elisif, not needing to be reminded of that. Not just people, but her people, even if they did want Ulfric rather than her. Still, Rikke had said some Nords who'd previously been inclined to Ulfric had changed sides on hearing she was Dragonborn. Maybe she'd convince more of them yet.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
She opened the door and stepped out of Nightcaller Temple to broad daylight. By the Eight, had she really been up all night? Elisif stifled a yawn. She was so tired. Back to Dawnstar, be sure to stay out of the Jarl's way, find the inn and then bed. Yes, that sounded like a plan.
“There you are. We've been looking all over the Pale for you.”
Aela. And behind her, Delphine. Elisif felt her heart sink. She'd actually enjoyed being on her own. It was something of a rarity. Queens didn't often get much privacy. Dragonborn Queens even less, she was beginning to discover.
“Well, you found me,” Elisif sighed. “Here I am. What do you want? More to the point, Delphine, who are you? What do you want? I killed that dragon, took its soul, said no to Rikke when she tried to recruit me to the war effort. What more do you need?”
Delphine had the grace to look a bit sheepish. “I admit, you convinced me,” she said with a smile. “Not just Dragonborn, you're more than the Imperial puppet I thought you were too. All right, I'm sure this isn't a Thalmor plot. So, you wanted to know who I am. Well, I'm one of the last of the Blades. Maybe even the last.”
The Blades... the old bodyguards of the Septims themselves? Surely not.
“But weren't they disbanded years ago?” she gasped. Delphine nodded, smile fading.
“Yes. We've not been Imperial bodyguards since the Oblivion Crisis, but we've been out there, watching out for another Dragonborn to guide and guard, as we are sworn to do.”
“Oh,” Elisif whispered, trying to think of a coherent response and failing. The Blades were actually protectors of Dragonborns. Well, that made sense of a lot of things. Why they were Talos-worshippers and had protected his bloodline. Why they'd disbanded after the war, been disbanded rather. Elisif had never really thought about it before. “No wonder the Thalmor hate you.”
“They do,” Delphine confirmed. “And it's quite mutual. But they haven't found me yet. Which is good because now the dragons have come back, we're needed. You're needed, Dragonborn.”
“To kill them,” Elisif whispered. Delphine nodded.
“Just so.”
This was too much to take in. The Blades still existed – well, one of them anyway. And they were sworn to guard Dragonborns. Her own little troop of bodyguards – sort of. If she could find a secure base for them all and a few recruits – after all, they were technically a banned organisation.
“So what now?” Elisif asked. “What do you know about the dragons coming back?”
“Nothing,” Delphine admitted. “I was just as surprised as you to find that black dragon here. I honestly thought it'd be the Thalmor. Dragons raising dragons... it's bad.”
“Beyond bad,” said Aela softly. “No wonder they keep coming back after we kill them. Anyone other than a Dragonborn kills them, that black dragon or another with similar powers can just raise them from the dead.”
“I know, which is why we need to find out how to stop them,” said Delphine, racking her brains. “I still think our best lead is the Thalmor. They have the best information-gathering network in Tamriel, they must know something. We'll need to infiltrate their Embassy.”
“What??” Elisif cried. “Hold on a second! That's suicide! We'll be killed! And if I'm implicated, it's more than just my life on the line. They'll think it's an act of war!”
“I hope you're not expecting me to do it either,” said Aela, arms folded. “I'm not exactly high society material, they'll know I don't belong there.”
Re: The Wolf Queen Awakens 6.4
(Anonymous) 2013-09-28 09:22 am (UTC)(link)“Yes, but – oh no,” Elisif protested. “Oh no, I am not going to one and infiltrating the Embassy that way, no way!”
“No, no,” Delphine reassured her. “You'll be there all right, as yourself, but you won't have to do anything terribly dangerous or illegal. You'll just be there to cause a distraction while someone else does the sneaking around.”
“And who's that going to be? You?” Elisif asked. Delphine seemed to find that hilarious.
“No, that would be worse than you doing it. I'd attract the wrong kind of attention. No, you leave that to me. I have an old contact who can probably find me someone. You just get that Horn back to the Greybeards then get yourself back to Solitude. Have a break from dragonslaying, just be a Jarl for a bit. Then go to that Thalmor party and be prepared to cause a distraction for whoever I'm able to get. Don't know who that'll be exactly, but anyone who comes up to you and mentions the 30th of Frostfall, that's your guy. Or girl.”
“30th of Frostfall, right,” Elisif repeated to herself. “All right. I'll let you organise it all. Just know that I can't be implicated in this in any way. A distraction, fine. But other than that, your agent is on their own.”
Delphine nodded, understanding. “Don't worry, I know the score,” Delphine promised. “Your reputation shall remain above reproach. I'll see you again after all this goes down with whatever I learned. Aela, make sure she gets home all right, hmm?”
With that, Delphine was gone, sprinting south, presumably headed for Riverwood to plot out her next move. Elisif sidled up to Aela, finally free to discuss Delphine rather more frankly.
“Aela,” Elisif began. “What did we just sign up to?”
“We?” Aela queried as they made for Dawnstar. “You're going to be taking this one on, not me. After I've got you to High Hrothgar and back, and packed you off to Solitude, I'm going back to Whiterun for a bit. I need to make sure Kodlak's managing – with the twins away and Skjor gone, I can't leave Jorrvaskr for long.”
Understandable, although Elisif had to wonder just how long this mysterious job of theirs in Eastmarch was going on for. She'd miss Aela though. She'd miss the whole travelling experience. Going back to Solitude and waiting for something to happen felt an awful lot like prison bars descending around her again.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bored. Bored. Bored. Three days back in Solitude and already Elisif was ready to stab her eyes out for something to do. There'd been the settling in, a long hot bath, decent meal, an excellent night's sleep in her own bed – then back to Jarling. Or at least, trying to. That was if Falk would let her actually make a decision ever.
After getting her cleaned and mended armour and her sharpened weapons back off Beirand (and heading down there in person had been a battle in itself), she'd taken to wearing her armour while presiding at court, circlet on her head and ebony war axe at her waist. Much to Falk's displeasure.
“My Jarl, is it strictly necessary to wear that in your courtroom? No one's going to assassinate you here.”
“Torygg thought the same and look at him,” Elisif snapped, hoping that would shut him up. Not this time, it appeared.
“Ulfric isn't coming here to challenge you, Jarl,” said Falk gently, as if he was talking to a frightened child, and Elisif felt that dragon rage building up again, the urge to send a Shout his way and teach him the error of his ways. “There's no need to be afraid.”
“I'm not afraid!” Elisif shouted. “Ulfric's the one who should be afraid!”
She could swear Falk actually flinched away, and out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Erikur smirking and whispering something to that Altmer bodyguard of his, Melaran. She took a deep breath to calm down and reminded herself she was not actually allowed to kill her thanes or her steward without good cause and evidence of serious wrongdoing. More was the pity.
“Of course he should be,” Falk said, regaining his composure. “I'm sure General Tullius will bring him to justice soon.”
Re: The Wolf Queen Awakens 6.5
(Anonymous) 2013-09-28 09:25 am (UTC)(link)“Who approaches the true High Queen?” Elisif sat up as her housecarl interrupted a petitioner. Elisif recognised him as Varnius of Dragon Bridge, just a simple farmer but for him to come here, it must be important.
“Let him come,” Elisif called, glad of the distraction. “I'll hear him. Varnius Junius, isn't it? How is Dragon Bridge?”
“The town – the town is well, my Jarl,” Varnius began, wringing his hands. “But – but there's a cave nearby, Wolfskull Cave.”
Elisif had heard of it. It was said to have been used by Potema the Wolf Queen herself for her necromantic rituals. Ever since there'd been rumours it was haunted, but nothing had ever been found there. Probably this was nothing terribly serious... but the poor man looked terrified.
“What about the cave?” Elisif asked. “Have beasts or bandits taken residence?”
“I don't know, my Jarl,” Varnius cried. “I've not been inside to find out. But there's lights at night and strange noises. My Jarl, I think there are unnatural magics at work!”
Dark magic. Less than ten miles from Solitude. Elisif didn't like the sound of this, not at all. Something about this whole situation was off.
“Don't worry, Varnius,” she reassured him. “I'll arrange for troops to head out there immediately and scour the cave. Haafingar's people will always be safe under my rule.”
Of course, her court couldn't let that one go for a second.
“Eminence, my scrying has suggested nothing in the area,” Sybille interrupted. “This is likely just pure superstition.”
“Perhaps a more tempered approach might be called for?” Falk added, and Elisif would be tempering him in a minute if he didn't shut up. The poor man was terrified! Whether it was nerves from coming to see the Jarl herself, or terror of what was in that cave, Elisif wasn't sure, but for one to outweigh the other... no, this needed seeing to.
“Falk, tell Captain Aldis to assign more men to Dragon Bridge,” said Elisif, considering her options. Not many with the war on – the Haafingar Guard was stretched as it was.
“And – and the cave, my lady?” Varnius asked, staring up at her, beseeching her for help. Help that might never come if her steward had his way.
“I will send someone to take care of the cave as well, you can rest easy, Varnius,” Falk was saying, and Elisif finally decided she'd had enough.
“I'll go,” said Elisif, getting to her feet. “If there's a threat to my people in my own Hold, I should investigate, surely?”
“Jarl, you cannot be serious!” Falk cried. Oh good, the inevitable protests. Did Balgruuf and Igmund have these problems? She was willing to bet Ulfric never did.
“I'm perfectly serious!” she snapped. She turned back to Varnius, really rather liking the awe that had filled his eyes. “Don't worry, Varnius, I'll deal with it. I promise you I won't let whatever's in there harm my people.”
“Thank you, Jarl,” Varnius whispered, bowing as he backed away. “You're – you're too kind, my lady.” Nerves getting the better of him, he turned and ran. Well that had gone well. Just Falk to deal with now.
“Elisif. This has gone far enough. Ever since you got back from High Hrothgar, you've been...”
“Been what, Falk?” Elisif snapped, turning to face him full on. “Unruly? Defiant? Acting like a spoilt child? Go on, say it, I know it's what you're thinking!”
“Angry,” said Falk quietly. “And gods know you've got every right to be, you're grieving after all. I just think you're letting the whole Dragonborn thing go to your head, that's all. You need to calm down, think these things over...”
Re: The Wolf Queen Awakens 6.6
(Anonymous) 2013-09-28 09:29 am (UTC)(link)“When have you been down dangerous Nord ruins?” Erikur called over to her, laughter in his voice. “You've been stuck up in a monastery all this time!”
Elisif fingered her axe, once again reminding herself that mere rudeness was not deserving of an axe in the skull. Unfortunately.
“I have been down three Nord barrows, killed two dragons and a frost troll, four Stormcloak soldiers on my own, and survived an entire temple full of Daedra-worshippers!” Elisif growled, taking savage delight from Falk's little cry of horror. “I think I can cope with one cave!”
“Elisif, don't you think you're overreacting just a little?” Sybille purred. Oh good, now the court mage was getting in on the act. “There's almost certainly nothing there but a few wild animals.”
“Then I'm sure I'm more than up to the job,” said Elisif, getting really quite tired of this.
“But what if there is something there?” Falk cried. “You could be killed!”
“If it's really dangerous, it's my duty to investigate, isn't it?” said Elisif, feeling her anger abate as she saw the genuine fear in his eyes. “Don't worry, I'll be careful.”
“Take someone with you at least,” Falk urged. “For back-up. And if there is something worse than bears or bandits in there, come back and get help. Please.”
“Well, I never said I was going in alone, did I?” said Elisif, finally smiling a little. “Falk, get me a quill and paper. I've got a letter to write.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Erandur stared at the courier who'd knocked on the door of Nightcaller Temple, holding a sealed envelope and a large bag of gold. Two hundred septims? For him?
“Are you sure you've got the right person, young man?”
“Older Dunmer priest, living alone in the Tower of the Dawn above Dawnstar,” the courier replied. “Going by the name of Erandur. That's you, isn't it?”
“Yes, that's me, but how...” No one outside Dawnstar even knows I'm here. No one but Maia...
“Lady called Maia said to give you this letter and the gold. Seemed very keen it get to you right away. Looks like that's it, got to go!” The courier ran off down the hill, leaving Erandur with the gold and Maia's letter. Well. This was unexpected. Time to see what the girl wanted.
“Dear Erandur,
Sorry to trouble you, but something has come up here in Haafingar Hold, and the Jarl is very keen to have it dealt with. I've taken on the job, but I'm going to need your help.
I've sent some gold to cover your travel expenses, I hope it's enough. Get the boat to Solitude as soon as you can and make yourself known to Rorlund at the Temple of Divines. Then wait there and I'll find you. Take a room in the Winking Skeever if you need somewhere to stay before you find me, but I do have a house you can sleep in after that.
I can't tell you any more, it's dangerous to write too much down, but I will tell you everything once you get to Solitude.
I hope to see you soon,
Your friend,
Maia”
Well now. This was something to think about. Two hundred septims, of course it was enough, more than enough, he could make this last a whole fortnight even with the boat fare to Solitude deducted. Erandur's suspicions about Maia were confirmed, probably noble-born and with no real idea of how much things actually cost so she'd erred on the side of caution. Certainly owning a house in Solitude of all places cost a serious amount of coin. Why the woman was taking on mercenary jobs was beyond him, but she wouldn't have asked for his help if she'd not needed it.
It only took a few minutes to pack his things, and then he was running down the mountainside, heading for the ferry to Solitude.
~~~~~~~~~~~
A/N: I have had to amend Diplomatic Immunity a little - obviously Elisif is known to the Thalmor, which is going to make it difficult for her to do the infiltrating. So I have reworked it a little. I think you will like the result. :)
Re: The Wolf Queen Awakens 6.6
(Anonymous) 2013-10-07 10:13 am (UTC)(link)