“And what do you think she was to me, daughter?” Madanach said roughly, trying not to remember how Liriel felt, soft skin next to his, the sound of her voice, the way she smelt, way she tasted and failing miserably. All things he'd never have again, just long lonely years without her. He'd taken that fate from her and brought it on himself. Justice at least.
“You still love her,” Eola whispered. “Tell her you're sorry!”
He was, of course he was, it felt like a part of him had been ripped out. But if it spared her the same in the years to come... Madanach turned and walked away, ignoring Eola's protests completely.
“Get Borkul,” Madanach snapped to one of the nearest ReachGuard. “I want him guarding my bedroom door. No court today. No one comes in or out of that room once I'm in it. Not even Nepos or Eola.”
“Da, what are you doing, I'm your daught- oof!” She'd tried to run after him, but two ReachGuard soldiers had stepped in front of her to bar her way, and while she could easily have killed them, they were just following her father's orders. Because he was king, and despite her Dark Brotherhood ranking, her closeness to Liriel and being his beloved daughter and heir, Eola at the end of the day had to abide by his rule like everyone else. In public anyway.
Eola watched him disappear before turning and running. She'd sent Cicero after Liriel, but with her father being stubborn, she needed help. Time to find Nepos.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
“He's seriously throwing us out?”
Sabrinda could barely believe her ears. Only here a day and they were being asked to leave? “Can he do that?”
“It's his city, I rather think he can do whatever he likes,” Meryndor growled, fingering his neck, still a little sore after being slammed into Dwemer stonework by a man who clearly had not lost any of his physical strength despite advancing years. “He didn't specify what would happen if we weren't out of here by tonight, but I imagine it won't be pleasant. Best case scenario is if the ReachGuard haul us to the border by force and leave us there.”
Sabrinda didn't ask what the worst case scenario was. She didn't need to, she'd carried it out often enough. At least Madanach probably wouldn't kill Ancalime, and while she detested the idea of anyone of her blood living in this heathen land, Liriel would probably do as good a job as any of raising her sister.
That was if the Thalmor didn't kill her first. Sabrinda might be furious with her daughter, but that didn't mean the thought of her dying didn't hurt.
“But... he can't,” Sabrinda whispered, sinking into a chair. “We've not... I barely saw her, Meryn! Hardly had a chance... Meryn, we can't leave her here, Elenwen will...!” Sabrinda stopped, aware of Ancalime playing in her room and Uaile in the back room.
“I know,” Meryndor said quietly, sitting across the Dwemer table from his wife and squeezing her hand. Despite his intemperate words to Madanach, he didn't want to see Liriel dead either. He wanted his little Liri-bella back, his sweet innocent little princess. But the princess had become a queen, and the king involved was neither a good man nor a safe one. Meryndor hated the thought of him with his hands all over Liriel and couldn't decide what was worse, Liriel hating every minute or actually enjoying it.
“Could we leave and come back in secret – no, no, that's no good, they'd see through illusions for sure, they do actually know their magic,” Sabrinda sighed. “Gods, if they'd just let me talk to her...”
The sound of a key in the door and the door opening and closing. Both Sabrinda and Meryndor fell quiet. While both were sure Madanach had a key to this place, probably more than one, neither felt comfortable with his people just walking in whenever they felt like it.
“This is a private residence, stranger,” Sabrinda called out tersely. “State your business or leave.”
Pause. And then a voice both knew well and had hardly dared hope to hear.
Re: Thicker Than Blood 7.2
“You still love her,” Eola whispered. “Tell her you're sorry!”
He was, of course he was, it felt like a part of him had been ripped out. But if it spared her the same in the years to come... Madanach turned and walked away, ignoring Eola's protests completely.
“Get Borkul,” Madanach snapped to one of the nearest ReachGuard. “I want him guarding my bedroom door. No court today. No one comes in or out of that room once I'm in it. Not even Nepos or Eola.”
“Da, what are you doing, I'm your daught- oof!” She'd tried to run after him, but two ReachGuard soldiers had stepped in front of her to bar her way, and while she could easily have killed them, they were just following her father's orders. Because he was king, and despite her Dark Brotherhood ranking, her closeness to Liriel and being his beloved daughter and heir, Eola at the end of the day had to abide by his rule like everyone else. In public anyway.
Eola watched him disappear before turning and running. She'd sent Cicero after Liriel, but with her father being stubborn, she needed help. Time to find Nepos.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
“He's seriously throwing us out?”
Sabrinda could barely believe her ears. Only here a day and they were being asked to leave? “Can he do that?”
“It's his city, I rather think he can do whatever he likes,” Meryndor growled, fingering his neck, still a little sore after being slammed into Dwemer stonework by a man who clearly had not lost any of his physical strength despite advancing years. “He didn't specify what would happen if we weren't out of here by tonight, but I imagine it won't be pleasant. Best case scenario is if the ReachGuard haul us to the border by force and leave us there.”
Sabrinda didn't ask what the worst case scenario was. She didn't need to, she'd carried it out often enough. At least Madanach probably wouldn't kill Ancalime, and while she detested the idea of anyone of her blood living in this heathen land, Liriel would probably do as good a job as any of raising her sister.
That was if the Thalmor didn't kill her first. Sabrinda might be furious with her daughter, but that didn't mean the thought of her dying didn't hurt.
“But... he can't,” Sabrinda whispered, sinking into a chair. “We've not... I barely saw her, Meryn! Hardly had a chance... Meryn, we can't leave her here, Elenwen will...!” Sabrinda stopped, aware of Ancalime playing in her room and Uaile in the back room.
“I know,” Meryndor said quietly, sitting across the Dwemer table from his wife and squeezing her hand. Despite his intemperate words to Madanach, he didn't want to see Liriel dead either. He wanted his little Liri-bella back, his sweet innocent little princess. But the princess had become a queen, and the king involved was neither a good man nor a safe one. Meryndor hated the thought of him with his hands all over Liriel and couldn't decide what was worse, Liriel hating every minute or actually enjoying it.
“Could we leave and come back in secret – no, no, that's no good, they'd see through illusions for sure, they do actually know their magic,” Sabrinda sighed. “Gods, if they'd just let me talk to her...”
The sound of a key in the door and the door opening and closing. Both Sabrinda and Meryndor fell quiet. While both were sure Madanach had a key to this place, probably more than one, neither felt comfortable with his people just walking in whenever they felt like it.
“This is a private residence, stranger,” Sabrinda called out tersely. “State your business or leave.”
Pause. And then a voice both knew well and had hardly dared hope to hear.
“I know that, Mother, it's my bloody house.”