“You're really going then, are you?” Ulfric asked from the doorway, watching as Finn bustled around with large loads of hay. On the other side of the room, three large crates sat in a line, filled with hay and food enough to last three days. The dragons' mother knew better this time; they would be going by carriage. The Breton looked up from her work, motioning for him to join them in the room.
“It seems that way,” she replied with a sad smile. She had tried her best to explain what was happening to the hatchlings, with mixed results—Gaafyahzin in particular was distraught at leaving Windhelm, but Inkahlok seemed to think that they were going on an adventure. At the moment, they were swarming around Ulfric's legs, chattering up at him.
“Are you coming too, bormah?” Sulpaazov asked over the noise. Ulfric crouched to pick her up, surprised to find that he had to strain to do so.
“I'm afraid not, brit gein,” he replied, looking at Finn as he spoke. “I have work that can't be left behind.” Finn nodded in silent understanding.
“We'll be back,” she declared, both to the Jarl and the dragons. “This isn't goodbye, so don't be sad. You'll all see bormah again soon enough.” She crossed the room now, prying Inkahlok off of his foot and scooping him into her arms. “Ah, my kril kul, you've gotten heavy.” Inkahlok clambered to his perch on her shoulder all the same, his tail looping around her neck.
“Monah, you know I do not like the crate,” he complained. “Three days?”
“Three days,” she affirmed apologetically. “You'll be fine, my dear.” She lowered him back to the ground and motioned for her other two to come closer. “But it will be a long journey, and not very comfortable. You need your rest. You'll see bormah in the morning, before we leave.”
“Geh, monah,” the hatchlings responded, returning to their small nests and chattering to each other in Dovah as they curled up for sleep. Ulfric nodded at Finn, and the two left the room.
“You've gotten worse at pretending that things don't upset you,” the Breton teased him as she locked the door. “You know we have no other choice.”
“I do know that,” Ulfric agreed, “but that doesn't mean I have to like it. I need to be there, helping you.”
“You're still the Jarl. Your place is here, watching over your people.”
“I know that as well, Finn.” The Nord's shoulders slumped, and he shook his head. “Why Darkwater Crossing? You couldn't have picked anywhere closer, anywhere I can walk to?”
“I can trust Derkeethus,” Finn replied bluntly. “And Darkwater Crossing is an open space, with plenty of room for hatchlings. Plus, it's far from the cities. It was the safest option, Ulfric.” She smiled weakly, moving to place a hand on his arm. “I don't like it any more than you do.” Ulfric sighed.
“At least you understand that I don't like it,” he muttered. The Breton moved closer now and wrapped her arms around him, resting her head against his chest.
“I wasn't lying to them. You'll see them again, before they leave. And I'll visit, if I can. I'll figure something out,” she assured him. Ulfric returned the embrace, his eyes closed.
“Of course you will,” he replied. “It's what you're best at.” He felt Finn laugh quietly, and she pushed herself up to kiss him gently.
“Ah, I'm going to miss you,” she sighed. “Derkeethus has a nice house, but the bed he's giving me isn't nearly as comfortable as yours. Not to mention, he won't be sharing it,” she added, noting the Nord's reproachful look. “Did you really need me to say that?”
“It's always nice to hear,” Ulfric grumbled, rubbing the top of her head affectionately all the same. “Shouldn't you get some sleep, too? It's your journey.” Finn grinned up at him now, reaching for his hand with both of hers.
“I don't know. Like I said, I'm going to miss that comfortable bed of yours. Shouldn't you give me a nice memory of it before I go?” Ulfric rolled his eyes, letting her pull him towards the bedroom.
“You've gotten just as bold as those dragons have.”
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timeasmymeasure
"Something Like Parents" 19/?
Date: 2013-06-10 12:39 am (UTC)“It seems that way,” she replied with a sad smile. She had tried her best to explain what was happening to the hatchlings, with mixed results—Gaafyahzin in particular was distraught at leaving Windhelm, but Inkahlok seemed to think that they were going on an adventure. At the moment, they were swarming around Ulfric's legs, chattering up at him.
“Are you coming too, bormah?” Sulpaazov asked over the noise. Ulfric crouched to pick her up, surprised to find that he had to strain to do so.
“I'm afraid not, brit gein,” he replied, looking at Finn as he spoke. “I have work that can't be left behind.” Finn nodded in silent understanding.
“We'll be back,” she declared, both to the Jarl and the dragons. “This isn't goodbye, so don't be sad. You'll all see bormah again soon enough.” She crossed the room now, prying Inkahlok off of his foot and scooping him into her arms. “Ah, my kril kul, you've gotten heavy.” Inkahlok clambered to his perch on her shoulder all the same, his tail looping around her neck.
“Monah, you know I do not like the crate,” he complained. “Three days?”
“Three days,” she affirmed apologetically. “You'll be fine, my dear.” She lowered him back to the ground and motioned for her other two to come closer. “But it will be a long journey, and not very comfortable. You need your rest. You'll see bormah in the morning, before we leave.”
“Geh, monah,” the hatchlings responded, returning to their small nests and chattering to each other in Dovah as they curled up for sleep. Ulfric nodded at Finn, and the two left the room.
“You've gotten worse at pretending that things don't upset you,” the Breton teased him as she locked the door. “You know we have no other choice.”
“I do know that,” Ulfric agreed, “but that doesn't mean I have to like it. I need to be there, helping you.”
“You're still the Jarl. Your place is here, watching over your people.”
“I know that as well, Finn.” The Nord's shoulders slumped, and he shook his head. “Why Darkwater Crossing? You couldn't have picked anywhere closer, anywhere I can walk to?”
“I can trust Derkeethus,” Finn replied bluntly. “And Darkwater Crossing is an open space, with plenty of room for hatchlings. Plus, it's far from the cities. It was the safest option, Ulfric.” She smiled weakly, moving to place a hand on his arm. “I don't like it any more than you do.” Ulfric sighed.
“At least you understand that I don't like it,” he muttered. The Breton moved closer now and wrapped her arms around him, resting her head against his chest.
“I wasn't lying to them. You'll see them again, before they leave. And I'll visit, if I can. I'll figure something out,” she assured him. Ulfric returned the embrace, his eyes closed.
“Of course you will,” he replied. “It's what you're best at.” He felt Finn laugh quietly, and she pushed herself up to kiss him gently.
“Ah, I'm going to miss you,” she sighed. “Derkeethus has a nice house, but the bed he's giving me isn't nearly as comfortable as yours. Not to mention, he won't be sharing it,” she added, noting the Nord's reproachful look. “Did you really need me to say that?”
“It's always nice to hear,” Ulfric grumbled, rubbing the top of her head affectionately all the same. “Shouldn't you get some sleep, too? It's your journey.” Finn grinned up at him now, reaching for his hand with both of hers.
“I don't know. Like I said, I'm going to miss that comfortable bed of yours. Shouldn't you give me a nice memory of it before I go?” Ulfric rolled his eyes, letting her pull him towards the bedroom.
“You've gotten just as bold as those dragons have.”