A/N: Massive Dawnguard spoilers in this one, I'm so sorry, I should have possibly flagged this up a little earlier. Although I'm guessing most of you who are going to have played it by now, right?
Summary: Sabrinda starts her exile, unaware her arrival had more of an impact than she realises. Meanwhile, it's time for Liriel and Madanach to go home and for Madanach to face both the consequences of his actions and his heir to the throne. However, there's another threat awaiting them... but the Reach will always look after its own.
Sabrinda staggered through the glacial ravine, clutching the ewer to her, trying not to spill any of it, and how had her daughter managed this, how?? And fighting two dragons and the Falmer along the way, not really knowing where she was going to boot. Sabrinda's image of Liriel as a helpless and immature child who didn't know what was best for her had taken a knock the first time she'd seen her kill a dragon and had been on shaky ground ever since, but she'd seen an adult before her in the Blue Palace and having to undergo this ordeal of Auriel... Sabrinda's respect for her daughter couldn't have been higher.
At least now the Reachmen had come in and cleared out the Falmer – Snow Elf, did it mean? Sabrinda refused to think of those things that had killed her beloved Meryndor as elves – and former Falmer dwellings had been either abandoned or scoured clean and occupied by fur-clad Reachmen and women. There were even children here. Sabrinda had to hand it to them, the Vale was pretty, and they'd done well for themselves, even built a small town in the Vale's warmer southern reaches, a growing settlement called Baila Siantri – Chantryville.
But none of them would help someone clearly on the pilgrim's trail to the Inner Sanctum, other than to offer quiet words of encouragement and the occasional discreet healing spell. So through the ice and snow and glacial crevasses Sabrinda went, the ewer growing heavier at each wayshrine and honestly Sabrinda felt like she was about to collapse.
Then the last shrine and there it was up ahead, architecture like nothing Sabrinda had ever seen, and despite the scaffolding where it was clearly being rebuilt after some accident or possibly decades of neglect, it looked beautiful. Like a gift of Auriel himself.
Auriel help me, I'm coming.
Sabrinda staggered over the bridge and up the stairs and then, thank Auriel, the sacred bowl right there, waiting to receive the gift she'd been given. Auriel's wisdom, an increasing burden when hoarded, but once shared, capable of nourishing all creation. Sabrinda poured it out, feeling the relief as the ewer emptied and the doors opened. And as she staggered in, collapsing to her knees, it was as if one of Auriel's Aedra was standing over her, welcoming her home.
“Sister,” he said quietly. “Welcome.”
“Thank you,” Sabrinda whispered, feeling her grief and pain fade away as she realised it was going to be all right, Auriel would care for her husband and for her too if she let him, and she'd see Ancalime again one day. Secure in the love of Auriel, she closed her eyes and passed out.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
“This is not going to work, Liriel.”
They'd carried Sabrinda to a small side room in the Chantry and tucked her up in bed. Various Forsworn healers had been in and out, and the ex-Justiciar was now fast asleep, watched over by Knight-Paladin Gelebor, reluctant leader of the revived cult of Auriel, and Liriel Dragonborn, an important figure in the cult's developing theology even if she didn't visit all that often.
“Why not?” Liriel sighed. “You've been complaining for weeks about being the only mer here, so I brought you one. She's a daughter of Auriel who lost her way and her husband and needed spiritual guidance, so I thought of you. What's the problem?”
“The problem?? Liriel, I'm a Knight-Paladin of Auriel!” Gelebor snapped. “I'm sworn to celibacy!”
“And?” Liriel said, confused. “She's a grieving widow, she won't want anyone else. Anyway, it's not like you've not fathered half the young babies in Baila Siantri.”
Re: Thicker Than Blood 13.1
Summary: Sabrinda starts her exile, unaware her arrival had more of an impact than she realises. Meanwhile, it's time for Liriel and Madanach to go home and for Madanach to face both the consequences of his actions and his heir to the throne. However, there's another threat awaiting them... but the Reach will always look after its own.
Sabrinda staggered through the glacial ravine, clutching the ewer to her, trying not to spill any of it, and how had her daughter managed this, how?? And fighting two dragons and the Falmer along the way, not really knowing where she was going to boot. Sabrinda's image of Liriel as a helpless and immature child who didn't know what was best for her had taken a knock the first time she'd seen her kill a dragon and had been on shaky ground ever since, but she'd seen an adult before her in the Blue Palace and having to undergo this ordeal of Auriel... Sabrinda's respect for her daughter couldn't have been higher.
At least now the Reachmen had come in and cleared out the Falmer – Snow Elf, did it mean? Sabrinda refused to think of those things that had killed her beloved Meryndor as elves – and former Falmer dwellings had been either abandoned or scoured clean and occupied by fur-clad Reachmen and women. There were even children here. Sabrinda had to hand it to them, the Vale was pretty, and they'd done well for themselves, even built a small town in the Vale's warmer southern reaches, a growing settlement called Baila Siantri – Chantryville.
But none of them would help someone clearly on the pilgrim's trail to the Inner Sanctum, other than to offer quiet words of encouragement and the occasional discreet healing spell. So through the ice and snow and glacial crevasses Sabrinda went, the ewer growing heavier at each wayshrine and honestly Sabrinda felt like she was about to collapse.
Then the last shrine and there it was up ahead, architecture like nothing Sabrinda had ever seen, and despite the scaffolding where it was clearly being rebuilt after some accident or possibly decades of neglect, it looked beautiful. Like a gift of Auriel himself.
Auriel help me, I'm coming.
Sabrinda staggered over the bridge and up the stairs and then, thank Auriel, the sacred bowl right there, waiting to receive the gift she'd been given. Auriel's wisdom, an increasing burden when hoarded, but once shared, capable of nourishing all creation. Sabrinda poured it out, feeling the relief as the ewer emptied and the doors opened. And as she staggered in, collapsing to her knees, it was as if one of Auriel's Aedra was standing over her, welcoming her home.
“Sister,” he said quietly. “Welcome.”
“Thank you,” Sabrinda whispered, feeling her grief and pain fade away as she realised it was going to be all right, Auriel would care for her husband and for her too if she let him, and she'd see Ancalime again one day. Secure in the love of Auriel, she closed her eyes and passed out.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
“This is not going to work, Liriel.”
They'd carried Sabrinda to a small side room in the Chantry and tucked her up in bed. Various Forsworn healers had been in and out, and the ex-Justiciar was now fast asleep, watched over by Knight-Paladin Gelebor, reluctant leader of the revived cult of Auriel, and Liriel Dragonborn, an important figure in the cult's developing theology even if she didn't visit all that often.
“Why not?” Liriel sighed. “You've been complaining for weeks about being the only mer here, so I brought you one. She's a daughter of Auriel who lost her way and her husband and needed spiritual guidance, so I thought of you. What's the problem?”
“The problem?? Liriel, I'm a Knight-Paladin of Auriel!” Gelebor snapped. “I'm sworn to celibacy!”
“And?” Liriel said, confused. “She's a grieving widow, she won't want anyone else. Anyway, it's not like you've not fathered half the young babies in Baila Siantri.”