“Liriel's in trouble?” Argis let him go, his full attention on Madanach now. “What happened? Where is she? When do we leave?”
“Sir, you can't just go haring out of the door just because your father says so,” Falk interrupted, glaring at Madanach. “You have responsibilities here, and it's for the Jarl to decide if we give any kind of official response...”
Argis gritted his teeth and turned to a passing servant. “Hey. Erdi. Can you get Elisif for me? It's important. Tell her Liriel's in trouble.”
“Of course, milord,” the servant girl nodded, dropping a little curtsey and running off to find her mistress. Madanach glanced at Falk and then back to Argis, raising an eyebrow.
“I can't honestly imagine Nepos telling Liriel she wasn't allowed to leave without my permission,” Madanach said, honestly wondering what sort of court they were running here.
“She'd have his balls,” Borkul grinned. “Not to mention yours, boss.”
“It's different here,” Argis said quietly. “More civilised. We're trying to set an example, you know?”
Of what, Madanach didn't ask, but he did wonder if perhaps he should invite Elisif to the Reach more often, give her a bit of a master class in how to run a country. Well, perhaps not, given that he was now no longer running one himself. However, if things didn't go so well in the Reach, there was always paying Cicero a few septims and getting him to deal with Falk on the quiet, then applying for his job. That'd be nice, retirement in Solitude, getting to see Lirela every day, helping Elisif deal with her Hold, spending time with Argis. Probably easier to get Skooma out here too – no. He'd promised Lucia.
“Argis, what is it – oh! Oh my goodness, Madanach, what are you doing here? And Jordis? Oh my. She really is in trouble, isn't she?” Elisif looked a little ruffled, probably something to do with her baby girl deciding her circlet was shiny and she wanted it, but otherwise every bit a queen.
“Her parents came to visit her,” Madanach said, repressing the anger that rose every time the thought of his in-laws came to mind. “They don't exactly approve of me.”
“Can't imagine why that might be,” Falk muttered under his breath. Madanach shot him a glare but decided to ignore him. He could wait.
“Madanach, I can't order your in-laws to like you,” Elisif said sympathetically. “I'm High Queen, not Mara.”
“They took her prisoner!” Madanach cried, not greatly caring what his in-laws thought of him at that moment. “Knocked her out, got her out of the city before anyone knew what was happening, they're bringing her this way, I think they're taking her back to Alinor. Elisif please, she's my wife, please help her...”
Elisif had grown increasingly more appalled as he'd gone on and before he could say anything else, she'd stepped forward and hugged him, squeezing him tight and patting his back much as one might do with a crying child.
“There, there,” Elisif whispered. “You poor man. Don't you worry, Madanach, we'll get her back for you. People can't go around abducting my Thanes and thinking they're going to get away with it! Falk! I want the port sealed. No one leaves without my explicit permission. Anything going on board any ship out of here to be searched before leaving. And I want guards at Dragon Bridge too, searching everyone who comes through the town but especially any Altmer travellers. I don't care who they are.”
“Jarl, don't you think this is a bit excessive?” Falk began but he took a step back on seeing Elisif actually growl and step forward.
“I gave you an order, Falk!” Elisif snapped.
“Yes my Jarl,” said Falk hastily. “But what if the Legion or Thalmor need to send ships out?”
“Then Elenwen and Rikke can take it up with me personally,” Elisif said tersely, clearly quite sick of having her authority questioned. Two years since Torygg died and she'd acquired a new husband and a little girl since. Clearly the 'too heartbroken to rule' days were behind her. Madanach couldn't help but feel rather proud of her. “We are sure she's coming this way but not here yet?”
Re: Thicker Than Blood 9.6
“Sir, you can't just go haring out of the door just because your father says so,” Falk interrupted, glaring at Madanach. “You have responsibilities here, and it's for the Jarl to decide if we give any kind of official response...”
Argis gritted his teeth and turned to a passing servant. “Hey. Erdi. Can you get Elisif for me? It's important. Tell her Liriel's in trouble.”
“Of course, milord,” the servant girl nodded, dropping a little curtsey and running off to find her mistress. Madanach glanced at Falk and then back to Argis, raising an eyebrow.
“I can't honestly imagine Nepos telling Liriel she wasn't allowed to leave without my permission,” Madanach said, honestly wondering what sort of court they were running here.
“She'd have his balls,” Borkul grinned. “Not to mention yours, boss.”
“It's different here,” Argis said quietly. “More civilised. We're trying to set an example, you know?”
Of what, Madanach didn't ask, but he did wonder if perhaps he should invite Elisif to the Reach more often, give her a bit of a master class in how to run a country. Well, perhaps not, given that he was now no longer running one himself. However, if things didn't go so well in the Reach, there was always paying Cicero a few septims and getting him to deal with Falk on the quiet, then applying for his job. That'd be nice, retirement in Solitude, getting to see Lirela every day, helping Elisif deal with her Hold, spending time with Argis. Probably easier to get Skooma out here too – no. He'd promised Lucia.
“Argis, what is it – oh! Oh my goodness, Madanach, what are you doing here? And Jordis? Oh my. She really is in trouble, isn't she?” Elisif looked a little ruffled, probably something to do with her baby girl deciding her circlet was shiny and she wanted it, but otherwise every bit a queen.
“Her parents came to visit her,” Madanach said, repressing the anger that rose every time the thought of his in-laws came to mind. “They don't exactly approve of me.”
“Can't imagine why that might be,” Falk muttered under his breath. Madanach shot him a glare but decided to ignore him. He could wait.
“Madanach, I can't order your in-laws to like you,” Elisif said sympathetically. “I'm High Queen, not Mara.”
“They took her prisoner!” Madanach cried, not greatly caring what his in-laws thought of him at that moment. “Knocked her out, got her out of the city before anyone knew what was happening, they're bringing her this way, I think they're taking her back to Alinor. Elisif please, she's my wife, please help her...”
Elisif had grown increasingly more appalled as he'd gone on and before he could say anything else, she'd stepped forward and hugged him, squeezing him tight and patting his back much as one might do with a crying child.
“There, there,” Elisif whispered. “You poor man. Don't you worry, Madanach, we'll get her back for you. People can't go around abducting my Thanes and thinking they're going to get away with it! Falk! I want the port sealed. No one leaves without my explicit permission. Anything going on board any ship out of here to be searched before leaving. And I want guards at Dragon Bridge too, searching everyone who comes through the town but especially any Altmer travellers. I don't care who they are.”
“Jarl, don't you think this is a bit excessive?” Falk began but he took a step back on seeing Elisif actually growl and step forward.
“I gave you an order, Falk!” Elisif snapped.
“Yes my Jarl,” said Falk hastily. “But what if the Legion or Thalmor need to send ships out?”
“Then Elenwen and Rikke can take it up with me personally,” Elisif said tersely, clearly quite sick of having her authority questioned. Two years since Torygg died and she'd acquired a new husband and a little girl since. Clearly the 'too heartbroken to rule' days were behind her. Madanach couldn't help but feel rather proud of her. “We are sure she's coming this way but not here yet?”