“He has a point,” Finn grumbled aloud, lugging the box back to Windhelm irritably. Odahviing's complete lack of help had left her frustrated and pondering, and a glance down revealed that the three were indeed larger than they once had been. She was going to need a new crate sooner or later, if they kept this up. Shaking her head, she nodded amiably at the guards as she pushed her way into the city gates.
Maybe she would be in the right to find a new place to keep them. She had friends all over the province at this point, people from all sorts of backgrounds who had promised her favors if she needed one. Still, she wasn't entirely sure that they had intended for her to show up with three rapidly growing dragons, asking for a place to keep them and food to keep them satisfied. Probably not.
By the time she entered the Palace of the Kings, her brow hurt with furrowing and the hatchlings were becoming restless. She lowered the crate onto the kitchen floor and moved to the counter, quick to feed the loudly complaining babies. The noise was enough to earn the Jarl's attention from the other room, and he rose from the chair he had occupied.
“Welcome home,” he said from the doorway, watching as Finn tossed heavy slabs of meat to her hatchlings. Finn smiled, a little distracted by her own thoughts, and pushed herself off of the counter.
“I need your help, I think,” she announced, leading him out of the kitchen and closing the door. “My friend told me that dragons grow quickly.”
“You didn't know that?” Ulfric interrupted, raising an eyebrow. “I figured you of all people--”
“I'm not done.” Finn crossed her arms, trying to make herself seem at least a little larger, but deflated in a moment more. “I don't know what to do. I...I never expected anything like this to happen, of course not. But...you and I both know it's not going to be safe for them. Being a dragon around here isn't usually a good sign, hm? I-I...” She took a seat on the floor, her lips drawn tightly together. “I'm scared.” The Jarl slid down the wall to join her, eying her curiously as she continued. “Hunters won't know they're tame. They can fend for themselves, b-but...I've killed dragons before! Someone will be able to bring them down, a-and then...!” Her eyes welled up and she hid her face in her knees, embarrassed to cry yet again in front of her Jarl. “I don't know what to do this time...”
The sudden feeling of his hand on top of her head was strangely soothing, and she looked up from her hands. Ulfric promptly pulled her to his side, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and giving her a gentle squeeze.
“You're a smart woman,” her murmured thoughtfully. “We'll find a way. We can take them back to the Throat of the World, to Paarthurnax...he'll know what to do, if he's there. I've heard enough from the Greybeards over the years to know.” He looked back down at her, surprised to find that the tears had faded and she was now staring at him anxiously. “Don't worry,” he finished, pulling her to her feet again. “I'll help you, as long as you need my help.” Finn remained silent and gazing downwards, but nodded wordlessly.
“Thank you...” she mumbled hoarsely, forcing her eyes back up to the taller man's face. She settled for taking a bold step forward and pushing herself up on her toes to finally claim the kiss she had hoped for. She felt Ulfric's large hands on her hips, pulling her up further to make it easier for himself, and her fingers tightened on his shoulders. Still, she was first to pull away, the need for air too much for her, and slumped against his chest as he lowered her slowly down again.
“I-I...” she panted, her face reddening. “...Right, so. We should probably head out tomorrow, s-so...”
“Of course. I'm going to bed, in that case,” Ulfric replied, allowing himself a smile. “You're more than welcome to join me--”
“Not tonight,” Finn interrupted him brusquely, hurrying past to her own room. “But...thanks.”
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timeasmymeasure
Re: "Something Like Parents" 10/?
Date: 2012-12-15 09:55 pm (UTC)Maybe she would be in the right to find a new place to keep them. She had friends all over the province at this point, people from all sorts of backgrounds who had promised her favors if she needed one. Still, she wasn't entirely sure that they had intended for her to show up with three rapidly growing dragons, asking for a place to keep them and food to keep them satisfied. Probably not.
By the time she entered the Palace of the Kings, her brow hurt with furrowing and the hatchlings were becoming restless. She lowered the crate onto the kitchen floor and moved to the counter, quick to feed the loudly complaining babies. The noise was enough to earn the Jarl's attention from the other room, and he rose from the chair he had occupied.
“Welcome home,” he said from the doorway, watching as Finn tossed heavy slabs of meat to her hatchlings. Finn smiled, a little distracted by her own thoughts, and pushed herself off of the counter.
“I need your help, I think,” she announced, leading him out of the kitchen and closing the door. “My friend told me that dragons grow quickly.”
“You didn't know that?” Ulfric interrupted, raising an eyebrow. “I figured you of all people--”
“I'm not done.” Finn crossed her arms, trying to make herself seem at least a little larger, but deflated in a moment more. “I don't know what to do. I...I never expected anything like this to happen, of course not. But...you and I both know it's not going to be safe for them. Being a dragon around here isn't usually a good sign, hm? I-I...” She took a seat on the floor, her lips drawn tightly together. “I'm scared.” The Jarl slid down the wall to join her, eying her curiously as she continued. “Hunters won't know they're tame. They can fend for themselves, b-but...I've killed dragons before! Someone will be able to bring them down, a-and then...!” Her eyes welled up and she hid her face in her knees, embarrassed to cry yet again in front of her Jarl. “I don't know what to do this time...”
The sudden feeling of his hand on top of her head was strangely soothing, and she looked up from her hands. Ulfric promptly pulled her to his side, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and giving her a gentle squeeze.
“You're a smart woman,” her murmured thoughtfully. “We'll find a way. We can take them back to the Throat of the World, to Paarthurnax...he'll know what to do, if he's there. I've heard enough from the Greybeards over the years to know.” He looked back down at her, surprised to find that the tears had faded and she was now staring at him anxiously. “Don't worry,” he finished, pulling her to her feet again. “I'll help you, as long as you need my help.” Finn remained silent and gazing downwards, but nodded wordlessly.
“Thank you...” she mumbled hoarsely, forcing her eyes back up to the taller man's face. She settled for taking a bold step forward and pushing herself up on her toes to finally claim the kiss she had hoped for. She felt Ulfric's large hands on her hips, pulling her up further to make it easier for himself, and her fingers tightened on his shoulders. Still, she was first to pull away, the need for air too much for her, and slumped against his chest as he lowered her slowly down again.
“I-I...” she panted, her face reddening. “...Right, so. We should probably head out tomorrow, s-so...”
“Of course. I'm going to bed, in that case,” Ulfric replied, allowing himself a smile. “You're more than welcome to join me--”
“Not tonight,” Finn interrupted him brusquely, hurrying past to her own room. “But...thanks.”