“She can't possibly love him yet, it took me two decades to make my mind up and another to finally believe you felt the same and what we had was real,” Sabrinda told him, brushing his hair back and placing her forehead to his. “We have had four hundred years, three children, a lifetime. What is this but her passions running away with her, losing herself to one of her fancies of being queen of an entire kingdom with their powerful mage king adoring her? We will speak with her and make her see reason, make her realise she can never have what we have with someone who will be dead in two decades. Then we will take her home and in fifty years, she'll be ready to find someone who can be with her her whole life.”
Meryndor reached for her, clutching her to him as he rested his head on her shoulder, a little sob coming from him.
“It is too late, meleth, they're wed,” he whispered. “He took my baby girl's innocence, Sabby!”
If the reports Sabrinda had seen about her daughter's escape from Bruma had been even close to accurate, Liriel's innocence in at least some respects had gone well before her arrival in Skyrim, but men were always a bit sentimental about these things.
“I know, love,” Sabrinda whispered. “I know. But it does not mean her life is ruined.”
“He stole my daughter,” Meryndor repeated. “My beautiful little Liri-bella. He seduced her away and she didn't even invite me to the wedding!”
“Meryn,” Sabrinda whispered, placing a kiss on his forehead. “Meryn, you are not an old mer, you will live to see her second, I am sure of it.”
“Not the same,” Meryndor breathed. “It's never the same. If you died, I could never even think of being with anyone else. I'd mourn you forever, Sabby.”
“Meryn, you old romantic,” Sabrinda whispered, tilting his head up to kiss him on the lips this time. “Come on, meleth. I hate seeing you like this. Let's at least wait until she arrives before we give up, yes?”
Meryndor didn't answer. He just took her face in his hands and kissed her for all he was worth, and if he was the rock that kept her grounded, she was the one who made him feel safe. Losing himself in his wife's embrace, Meryndor rolled on to his back and pulled her on top of him. Sabrinda let out a muffled squeal but didn't object, reaching down to unfasten his clothes. Her husband needed her. Who was she to deny him?
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ancalime tiptoed out of the room, glancing about. All the luggage had been brought up, the guards had been escorted to the barracks by that Uaile, and her parents had disappeared into their room with the door closed. Ancalime knew what that meant – sort of. It mean husband and wife time, Mara's special gift to married couples that blessed their family with love and happiness and sometimes more children. At least, that was how Daddy had explained it to her. He'd not said anything about what actually happened, only that Mamma would tell her when she got older. Frustrating but Ancalime did know one thing – it'd be a while before anyone saw them again, which was perfect for what she had in mind.
Moving as quietly as possible, Ancalime made for the front door, cracking it open and peering out at Markarth in the sunshine. This house was really high up, with a lot of steps, and she could see half the city – the winding passageways and the stream that poured through the street, the market stalls, the tavern with its creepy sign with the old witch on the front, the gatehouse, the Temple of Dibella on the central crag and at the far end, she could just about see Understone Keep rising in the distance.
Mamma and Daddy didn't like this city very much – Mamma had been scared of the teleportal gate and Daddy had looked angry since visiting the King – but Ancalime thought it was really pretty. It looked like it was growing out of the mountain and the waterfalls were pretty and its king was clearly a nice man. So while her parents were busy, she was going exploring. She probably wouldn't get another chance.
“Oh, and if I spy a singing biiiird, I'll snap its neck before it's heard!”
Ancalime stopped as she made her way down the steps. She didn't know who was singing but he sounded... odd. Although maybe lots of humans liked to sing about hurting birds.
Re: Thicker Than Blood 3.8
Meryndor reached for her, clutching her to him as he rested his head on her shoulder, a little sob coming from him.
“It is too late, meleth, they're wed,” he whispered. “He took my baby girl's innocence, Sabby!”
If the reports Sabrinda had seen about her daughter's escape from Bruma had been even close to accurate, Liriel's innocence in at least some respects had gone well before her arrival in Skyrim, but men were always a bit sentimental about these things.
“I know, love,” Sabrinda whispered. “I know. But it does not mean her life is ruined.”
“He stole my daughter,” Meryndor repeated. “My beautiful little Liri-bella. He seduced her away and she didn't even invite me to the wedding!”
“Meryn,” Sabrinda whispered, placing a kiss on his forehead. “Meryn, you are not an old mer, you will live to see her second, I am sure of it.”
“Not the same,” Meryndor breathed. “It's never the same. If you died, I could never even think of being with anyone else. I'd mourn you forever, Sabby.”
“Meryn, you old romantic,” Sabrinda whispered, tilting his head up to kiss him on the lips this time. “Come on, meleth. I hate seeing you like this. Let's at least wait until she arrives before we give up, yes?”
Meryndor didn't answer. He just took her face in his hands and kissed her for all he was worth, and if he was the rock that kept her grounded, she was the one who made him feel safe. Losing himself in his wife's embrace, Meryndor rolled on to his back and pulled her on top of him. Sabrinda let out a muffled squeal but didn't object, reaching down to unfasten his clothes. Her husband needed her. Who was she to deny him?
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ancalime tiptoed out of the room, glancing about. All the luggage had been brought up, the guards had been escorted to the barracks by that Uaile, and her parents had disappeared into their room with the door closed. Ancalime knew what that meant – sort of. It mean husband and wife time, Mara's special gift to married couples that blessed their family with love and happiness and sometimes more children. At least, that was how Daddy had explained it to her. He'd not said anything about what actually happened, only that Mamma would tell her when she got older. Frustrating but Ancalime did know one thing – it'd be a while before anyone saw them again, which was perfect for what she had in mind.
Moving as quietly as possible, Ancalime made for the front door, cracking it open and peering out at Markarth in the sunshine. This house was really high up, with a lot of steps, and she could see half the city – the winding passageways and the stream that poured through the street, the market stalls, the tavern with its creepy sign with the old witch on the front, the gatehouse, the Temple of Dibella on the central crag and at the far end, she could just about see Understone Keep rising in the distance.
Mamma and Daddy didn't like this city very much – Mamma had been scared of the teleportal gate and Daddy had looked angry since visiting the King – but Ancalime thought it was really pretty. It looked like it was growing out of the mountain and the waterfalls were pretty and its king was clearly a nice man. So while her parents were busy, she was going exploring. She probably wouldn't get another chance.
“Oh, and if I spy a singing biiiird, I'll snap its neck before it's heard!”
Ancalime stopped as she made her way down the steps. She didn't know who was singing but he sounded... odd. Although maybe lots of humans liked to sing about hurting birds.