"Galmar," Ulfric addressed his Housecarl a few mornings later. "Have you heard about the action down near Anvil? I have requested to transfer there, to be in the thick of the fighting. My Thu'um will be of more use there against the Dominion than here against the Healers. Or in the Reach against petty rebels."
"And have you spoken to Rikke about this?" Galmar asked pointedly.
Ulfric seemed to deflate slightly at the mention of his lover. "Rikke. I - no, I have not spoken to her, Galmar. I - I would not ask her to tie herself to one as deformed as I. And - it - it is for the best if we end things now. Before - before it gets ... difficult."
"Difficult for whom? You haven't given her a chance since I brought you back to her," Galmar pointed out. "She pesters me morning, noon and night for word of you, your wounds, your recovery, your heart and your head. She will not take this well. Or did you intend for her to join us?"
Ulfric looked alarmed. "And place her at the heart of the danger? Never, Galmar!"
"Ulfric, may I be frank and honest with you?"
"As if you are ever anything else," Ulfric muttered, nodding.
"She loves you and you love her. Stop being an idiot and let her love you."
"I ... must think on what you have said to me," Ulfric murmured, and left the tent.
He didn't tell me where he'd be going, or for how long. He's getting better, Galmar thought, approvingly.
*-*-*
Galmar went about the business of preparing for travel, occasionally glancing uphill to the fallen tree where Ulfric and Rikke sat, conferring privately. He hoped Ulfric wouldsee sense and bring Rikke - or stay here with her - because it was so much easier to look after his Jarl's son if someone else helped him do it, someone else with Ulfric's best interests at heart.
Later, after he had eaten, Galmar was on his way back to the tent when Rikke stopped him. She was pale and shaking in livid rage. She drew back her arm and slapped Galmar as hard as she could, staggering the bigger man. She was drawing back to repeat the action, but Galmar was quicker, grabbing her and pinning her so she could hurt neither him nor herself.
"I let you do it once, but do not think to raise a hand in anger against me ever again, Rikke," he said through gritted teeth.
"He'll take you but not me? Are you a better fuck than I am?" Rikke spat.
Galmar tightened his grip, knowing he would leave bruises there in the morning. "Do not make the mistake of thinking you are the only person who loves Ulfric - and do not make the mistake of thinking that my loyalty was won in bed. I've known him my whole life, you've known him barely a year. He needs time. Time to heal and time to remember who he was before the thrice-damned witch-elves took him. You did not even lift a finger to help bring him back!"
Rikke fought and squirmed, and finnaly got free from Galmar's grasp. "He and I are nothing to one another, save one Quaestor to another, now."
Galmar nodded sadly. "That's a shame. You were almost as good at looking after him as me."
"You leave tomorrow, I take it?" Rikke asked, all the fight going out of her.
"At daybreak, or so he tells me," Galmar nodded.
"Take care of him, for me, will you?"
"Only every minute. Rikke, maybe when this damned war is done, you and Ulfric might find some common ground again," Galmar said hopefully.
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timeasmymeasure
Fill: It's Still Ulfric 6/6
Date: 2013-08-08 02:22 pm (UTC)"Galmar," Ulfric addressed his Housecarl a few mornings later. "Have you heard about the action down near Anvil? I have requested to transfer there, to be in the thick of the fighting. My Thu'um will be of more use there against the Dominion than here against the Healers. Or in the Reach against petty rebels."
"And have you spoken to Rikke about this?" Galmar asked pointedly.
Ulfric seemed to deflate slightly at the mention of his lover. "Rikke. I - no, I have not spoken to her, Galmar. I - I would not ask her to tie herself to one as deformed as I. And - it - it is for the best if we end things now. Before - before it gets ... difficult."
"Difficult for whom? You haven't given her a chance since I brought you back to her," Galmar pointed out. "She pesters me morning, noon and night for word of you, your wounds, your recovery, your heart and your head. She will not take this well. Or did you intend for her to join us?"
Ulfric looked alarmed. "And place her at the heart of the danger? Never, Galmar!"
"Ulfric, may I be frank and honest with you?"
"As if you are ever anything else," Ulfric muttered, nodding.
"She loves you and you love her. Stop being an idiot and let her love you."
"I ... must think on what you have said to me," Ulfric murmured, and left the tent.
He didn't tell me where he'd be going, or for how long. He's getting better, Galmar thought, approvingly.
*-*-*
Galmar went about the business of preparing for travel, occasionally glancing uphill to the fallen tree where Ulfric and Rikke sat, conferring privately. He hoped Ulfric wouldsee sense and bring Rikke - or stay here with her - because it was so much easier to look after his Jarl's son if someone else helped him do it, someone else with Ulfric's best interests at heart.
Later, after he had eaten, Galmar was on his way back to the tent when Rikke stopped him. She was pale and shaking in livid rage. She drew back her arm and slapped Galmar as hard as she could, staggering the bigger man. She was drawing back to repeat the action, but Galmar was quicker, grabbing her and pinning her so she could hurt neither him nor herself.
"I let you do it once, but do not think to raise a hand in anger against me ever again, Rikke," he said through gritted teeth.
"He'll take you but not me? Are you a better fuck than I am?" Rikke spat.
Galmar tightened his grip, knowing he would leave bruises there in the morning. "Do not make the mistake of thinking you are the only person who loves Ulfric - and do not make the mistake of thinking that my loyalty was won in bed. I've known him my whole life, you've known him barely a year. He needs time. Time to heal and time to remember who he was before the thrice-damned witch-elves took him. You did not even lift a finger to help bring him back!"
Rikke fought and squirmed, and finnaly got free from Galmar's grasp. "He and I are nothing to one another, save one Quaestor to another, now."
Galmar nodded sadly. "That's a shame. You were almost as good at looking after him as me."
"You leave tomorrow, I take it?" Rikke asked, all the fight going out of her.
"At daybreak, or so he tells me," Galmar nodded.
"Take care of him, for me, will you?"
"Only every minute. Rikke, maybe when this damned war is done, you and Ulfric might find some common ground again," Galmar said hopefully.
"I hope so, friend."
"So do I."
*-*-*