Except right now she had more pressing concerns, such as the fact every single member of the ReachGuard, and Princess Eola and that ridiculous court fool, had just cast mage armour and raised bow, sword and spell at her, Breton faces glaring at her in rage while her daughter rubbed a reddened cheek and just stared back in shock.
“Liriel, I'm sorry, I-” Sabrinda began, and then she felt the wave of magicka she'd felt earlier, Madanach's power unbound, not even an attempt to mute it this time as the King of the Reach cast mage armour and pushed his way past everyone else, including Meryndor.
“That's enough,” Madanach growled, eyes hard and cold, face twisted in rage, and everyone was standing back a little, even his own daughter looked a bit concerned, and Sabrinda began to realise that she'd just angered a very dangerous man.
“Reach-King, this... this is a family matter, perhaps best discussed in private,” Sabrinda began but Madanach didn't even seem to hear her.
“The penalty for striking a member of the Reach royal family is death,” Madanach said softly. “No one hurts my family, Sabrinda. No one. And Liriel is my family. Her daughters are my children and she is my beloved wife and Queen. You will not hurt her.”
“Sab!” Meryndor cried, appalled. “Sabby, no – Madanach, you can't hurt her, I won't let you – argh!”
Borkul had stepped in, grabbing Meryndor in a headlock and effortlessly holding the elf still.
“What do you want me to do, boss?” Borkul asked calmly. “You want him shivving as well?”
“No!” Liriel cried out, reaching out in her father's direction, looking as if she was about to cry. “Please, Madanach, no, they're my parents, please.”
Madanach's eyes never left Sabrinda, expression never changing from murderously furious as he raised his hands and cast at his mother-in-law.
The paralysis spell hit her and she fell to the ground, Sabrinda the Thalmor Justiciar rendered helpless and bound. Madanach motioned to the nearest ReachGuard to deal with her.
“Take her to the cells,” he ordered. “In the light of her being blood-kin to my wife, I'm inclined to show clemency this time. Five hundred septim bounty, payable to my steward in the morning – court is closed for today. Borkul, you can let Meryndor go, he's done nothing wrong. Liriel... gods, Liriel, are you all right?”
He'd not spared Sabrinda a second glance once his guards were picking her up and carting her off. All his attention was on Liriel as he strode over to her, cupping her face in his hands.
“What have you done?” Liriel whispered, tears rolling down her cheeks. “Madanach, she's my mother!”
“Yes, which is why she's still breathing,” Madanach said softly, fingers caressing her cheeks. “Cariad, no one hurts you in front of me and goes unpunished. No one. You're my wife, my Davrha-Brenhina. What sort of message does it send out if I let people mistreat you, hmm?” He leaned closer, lips brushing her cheek.
“For years, Nords mistreated our women and we had no choice but to sit there and take it. It is not happening under my rule. Not to anyone, and most definitely not to you.”
Liriel closed her eyes, sobbing quietly and Madanach held her to him, not saying a word. He didn't have to, she could feel the worry and love and a twinge of guilt – good, so he should after arresting her mother. All the same, it was nice to see how everyone had reacted by immediately taking her side. She was Queen here, and her people loved her. Her husband loved her.
“My sister is going to be heartbroken,” she whispered. “My father is going to be heartbroken – Sithis, where is he??” She looked up, seeing the crowd dispersing, apart from Cicero and Eola, who were having a hushed conversation which seemed to mostly be Cicero worrying about the penalty for striking a member of the Reach royal family being death.
“Non-consensually, he meant, don't worry, we're safe,” Eola murmured as she traced his lips. Cicero snuggled in to her, seeming to relax, cooing as he did.
Re: Thicker Than Blood 4.7
“Liriel, I'm sorry, I-” Sabrinda began, and then she felt the wave of magicka she'd felt earlier, Madanach's power unbound, not even an attempt to mute it this time as the King of the Reach cast mage armour and pushed his way past everyone else, including Meryndor.
“That's enough,” Madanach growled, eyes hard and cold, face twisted in rage, and everyone was standing back a little, even his own daughter looked a bit concerned, and Sabrinda began to realise that she'd just angered a very dangerous man.
“Reach-King, this... this is a family matter, perhaps best discussed in private,” Sabrinda began but Madanach didn't even seem to hear her.
“The penalty for striking a member of the Reach royal family is death,” Madanach said softly. “No one hurts my family, Sabrinda. No one. And Liriel is my family. Her daughters are my children and she is my beloved wife and Queen. You will not hurt her.”
“Sab!” Meryndor cried, appalled. “Sabby, no – Madanach, you can't hurt her, I won't let you – argh!”
Borkul had stepped in, grabbing Meryndor in a headlock and effortlessly holding the elf still.
“What do you want me to do, boss?” Borkul asked calmly. “You want him shivving as well?”
“No!” Liriel cried out, reaching out in her father's direction, looking as if she was about to cry. “Please, Madanach, no, they're my parents, please.”
Madanach's eyes never left Sabrinda, expression never changing from murderously furious as he raised his hands and cast at his mother-in-law.
The paralysis spell hit her and she fell to the ground, Sabrinda the Thalmor Justiciar rendered helpless and bound. Madanach motioned to the nearest ReachGuard to deal with her.
“Take her to the cells,” he ordered. “In the light of her being blood-kin to my wife, I'm inclined to show clemency this time. Five hundred septim bounty, payable to my steward in the morning – court is closed for today. Borkul, you can let Meryndor go, he's done nothing wrong. Liriel... gods, Liriel, are you all right?”
He'd not spared Sabrinda a second glance once his guards were picking her up and carting her off. All his attention was on Liriel as he strode over to her, cupping her face in his hands.
“What have you done?” Liriel whispered, tears rolling down her cheeks. “Madanach, she's my mother!”
“Yes, which is why she's still breathing,” Madanach said softly, fingers caressing her cheeks. “Cariad, no one hurts you in front of me and goes unpunished. No one. You're my wife, my Davrha-Brenhina. What sort of message does it send out if I let people mistreat you, hmm?” He leaned closer, lips brushing her cheek.
“For years, Nords mistreated our women and we had no choice but to sit there and take it. It is not happening under my rule. Not to anyone, and most definitely not to you.”
Liriel closed her eyes, sobbing quietly and Madanach held her to him, not saying a word. He didn't have to, she could feel the worry and love and a twinge of guilt – good, so he should after arresting her mother. All the same, it was nice to see how everyone had reacted by immediately taking her side. She was Queen here, and her people loved her. Her husband loved her.
“My sister is going to be heartbroken,” she whispered. “My father is going to be heartbroken – Sithis, where is he??” She looked up, seeing the crowd dispersing, apart from Cicero and Eola, who were having a hushed conversation which seemed to mostly be Cicero worrying about the penalty for striking a member of the Reach royal family being death.
“Non-consensually, he meant, don't worry, we're safe,” Eola murmured as she traced his lips. Cicero snuggled in to her, seeming to relax, cooing as he did.