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>When posting prompts, always remember to add kinks you're both looking for and wanting to avoid in a potential fill.
>When filling, please remember to add your story tags: characters, relationship types, kinks, series and universe (ie: skyrim)
>Our character limit here at LJ is 4300.
>If you have any other questions about posting, visit the HOW TO KINK MEME THREAD, under the Page Summary on your left.
Re: Thicker Than Blood 9.3
Date: 2014-02-26 10:49 pm (UTC)“Couldn't go to all that trouble to keep my High Command clean and not share it out, could I?” Madanach said gruffly. “If they're clean, they're working, if they're working, I get their tax septims, right?”
“Right,” Borkul laughed knowingly, patting him on the back. “You keep pretending you're not still the idealistic crusader against injustice who started all this.” He stopped, staring Madanach dead in the eye. “You'll get through this, boss. We'll all get you through this. Any time you need help or someone to talk to, you let me know. Don't matter what time of the day or night it is, you come get me.”
“Ah, you don't have to do that-” Madanach began, until he found himself being squeezed in a bear hug.
“Yeah I do. You did it for me enough times. Let me return the favour. Besides, I'm your bodyguard, aren't I? Meant to protect you, right? And half the time, boss, your own worst enemy is you.”
Madanach couldn't rightly argue with that last point.
“Come on,” Madanach said, sweeping the bottles into the pack along with everything else. “Let's get out of here. We've got ourselves a Queen to find.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nearly there. Come on, nearly there. Liriel swore and cursed quietly to herself as she tried to get the Razor out of its sheath. They'd tied her up good and proper, and this was nice quality rope too, she was sure she'd not had this in the house, and why her parents had had this just lying around, she didn't want to know. But they had and here she was, stuck in a trunk, tied up and helpless.
She could hear them too, in particular her sister chattering away and that was what hurt the most. She couldn't even make a noise because it might upset Cali. But she wasn't completely out of options either, and her parents hadn't bothered searching her or emptying her pockets either, which meant she still had Mehrunes Razor, about five hundred septims in her coin purse and her lockpicks. Now if she could just get these bonds off, which meant getting the Razor out...
She had her hands round the hilt – foolish to have tied them in front of her, but clearly her parents had let sentiment get the better of them. Liriel had no intention of making that mistake when she got out. The plan – get her hands free, then her feet, then pick the lock from inside, wait until they got to Dragon Bridge, then make her escape, either causing sufficient chaos to slip away and make for Hag's End, or alternately letting the Haafingar Guard intervene, insisting on being brought before the Jarl and playing the Thane card if she had to. Maybe she wasn't Reach-Queen any more, but she was still someone in this country and she knew Elisif and Argis wouldn't let her down. Unlike her husband, and where was he anyway?
She wasn't sure. Far to the south-west, probably still in Markarth. She'd not been able to feel him, not since entering Vlindrel Hall. She'd felt despair and loathing from him, a twisted desperation that frightened her a little, but then it had faded out, just all disappearing and fading away and the last thing she'd felt was this burst of pleasure-relief-surrender and then nothing. It had broken her heart to realise how much he'd hated her, how pleased he'd been to finally block her out.
Re: Thicker Than Blood 9.3
Date: 2014-02-26 10:50 pm (UTC)Now he'd sent her away and Liriel understood none of it. All she knew was she missed him.
Fingers tightened around the Razor's hilt and she slowly lifted it out, trying to get a purchase on the handle, but the angle was all wrong...
It slipped from her grasp, clattering to the bottom of the trunk. Liriel just managed to get a fist to it, silencing the noise, but it was clearly loud enough to be heard.
“Mamma, what was that?” Ancalime asked curiously.
“Nothing, darling, just something falling over in the trunk,” Sabrinda said soothingly. “Here, one of you two, sit on that one and stabilise it.”
Motherfetching Daedra balls. Liriel grimaced as the trunk creaked as one of her mother's guards sat on the lid. No bursting out of this in a blaze of glory in Dragon Bridge then. But there was always Solitude Docks. They had to get off it at some point.
Liriel was reaching for the dagger when she felt it. The bond flared back into life, Madanach's presence back in her head, and not passive either. Seeking her out, looking for her, desperation and worry, and only a little of the guilt and loathing she'd felt off him earlier. Clearer... cleaner.
Liriel called back to him, not quite able to believe it but willing to hope regardless. Yes, I'm here, I'm in trouble, I need help, Madanach, you're an utter bastard but if you can help me... Well, that remained to be seen, but she'd take any offer of help she could get.
The response was immediate, a whole torrent of emotion that sent Liriel reeling, eyes fluttering closed as she gasped softly. She'd not felt a rush of affection like this in a long time, not since she'd got back from Irkngthand, having nearly drowned and been terrified she was going to die, reaching back to Madanach along the bond and telling him she was sorry, she loved him, she'd never forget him. But she survived and restored the Guild to something approximating its former glory with Karliah, Brynjolf and Sapphire as the new Nightingale Trinity (Liriel had been very firm she was having no part of any afterlife Madanach couldn't follow her to, and did not need Nocturnal's help to kill someone) and she and Cicero had, after making sure Sapphire definitely had returned the Skeleton Key and not run off with it herself, returned home. Where their terrified spouses had immediately pounced, hauled them off to their bedrooms for the full story and in Liriel's case, pinning her to the bed and reclaiming her, all fire and passion and hissing “you're mine!” and only afterwards clinging on to her and whispering he thought he'd lost her.
This felt a lot like that, with added notes of guilt and pleading and underneath it all, grim determination.
I will find you, ceilhinama. And then...
Liriel shivered a little in anticipation. Her husband was coming for her, the Hawk of Karthspire stretching his wings and preparing to fly. Not quite an angry dragon... but not far off either. Maybe her mother had survived the hordes of Oblivion... but she'd yet to face an angry Reach-King battlemage in his full fury.
Liriel still didn't entirely understand what was going on with her clearly quite deranged husband, but he clearly didn't hate her. She wasn't sure whether to entirely forgive him or not... but if he came good on this one, she'd definitely be willing to talk. Reaching for the Razor, she began to carve away at the bindings on her wrists, Daedric blade slicing easily through the ropes.
Re: Thicker Than Blood 9.5
Date: 2014-02-26 10:51 pm (UTC)Gentle reassurance from him and a large dose of amusement, and Liriel was torn between wanting to slap him and wanting to kiss him. But he hadn't abandoned her.
Madanach had an awful lot of grovelling and making up to do before Liriel actually took him back. But if he could give her a few satisfactory answers as to just what was wrong with him, she just might do it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The first sign that anyone in Solitude had that something was wrong was the unexpected sight of an ageing Breton in purple and black armour and a silver circlet, and a huge Orc in traditional Orcish armour tearing out of the cellar of the Temple of Divines. This was followed by the Breton making the Orc pray at the Shrine to Arkay, all the while tersely telling him “it's fine, it passes eventually, lots of people get portal sickness, it's OK” and the Orc moaning “you're not telling me anything about that was natural, boss!”
But the Orc seemed to rally and the Breton was persistent, only stopping to pay his own respects to the Julianos shrine, grin smugly at the empty alcove that had once hosted a Talos shrine, and then bundle his guard out the door.
Jordis the Sword-Maiden was next to notice something odd when she heard a key in the door and Liriel not expected for weeks.
“Hope you're not here to cause trouble, what can I do for you, friend?” she asked, getting up and reaching for her sword... at least until she saw her Thane's husband walk in with his Orc bodyguard at his side.
“Sir! It's you, I didn't realise... are Liriel and the girls here?”
“The girls are back in Markarth, and your Thane's in trouble,” Madanach said without preamble, and if he looked paler than usual with horrible bloodshot eyes, Jordis elected not to comment. “Jordis, I'm going to need the Jarl's help and my son's assistance, but you're sworn to her service too, and I could do with all the swords I can get.”
“Say no more,” Jordis said firmly. “I'm right behind you, sir. Let me get geared up – what's happened?”
So Madanach had to explain that Liriel's own parents had abducted her and were bringing her to Solitude to get her on a boat back to Alinor, all the while averting his eyes and nudging at Borkul to do the same while Jordis changed into a set of ebony armour that actually seemed to have black smoke rising from it, along with matching helm, boots and gauntlets, a nice Elven bow and arrows, and a massive warhammer.
“Is that the Hammer of Malacath?” Borkul gasped, unable to take his eyes off it.
“Yes,” Jordis said smugly. “Liriel got given it ages ago and said I could have it. Pretty, isn't it?”
It was spiky and glowing and the head was bigger and heavier than an Orc's, clearly capable of smashing the unworthy into pieces. Borkul nodded, clearly smitten by it... or possibly just Jordis, Madanach did have to admit the girl was very pretty. Just not as pretty as Liriel.
“Come on,” he said, dragging Borkul away from staring lustfully at his wife's housecarl. “We've got a Jarl to appeal to.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Elisif turned out to be busy putting Lirela to bed, but Argis was always pleased to see his father. Maybe their relationship hadn't always been easy, maybe being the illegitimate half-Nord son of the King in Rags was a tough burden to bear for anyone... but Argis was devoted to his father and always had been.
“Da, what are you doing here? We weren't expecting to see you here so soon after the wedding, what's up?”
And there he was, strapping six foot Nord warrior, now wearing the fine clothes of a King Consort and a golden circlet, holding his arms out to embrace his father.
Madanach returned the hug, feeling something of the warmth and safety Skooma had given him, if in a far more muted form, and he was also acutely aware that Argis didn't know what he really was or that he technically wasn't King any more. In fact, probably best to keep that little detail quiet for now.
“Son,” Madanach said quietly. “Son, I need help, Liriel's in trouble, I need to speak to your wife immediately.”
Re: Thicker Than Blood 9.6
Date: 2014-02-26 10:53 pm (UTC)“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 9.7
Date: 2014-02-26 10:54 pm (UTC)“Of course!” Elisif said, nodding at Argis who immediately ran off to get his armour. “But if you're ahead of her... how exactly did you get here so fast? Don't tell me, you used that heathen teleportal of yours then rode from Deepwood non-stop?”
“I used the teleportal, yes,” Madanach said, deliberately leaving out the bit about Solitude having one in its catacombs. Elisif tutted disapprovingly but mercifully didn't complain or ask questions.
“Well, I suppose even abominations have their uses,” Elisif sighed. “Anyway, don't you worry, Madanach, I'll go and organise everything. Meet the men by the stables in fifteen minutes – I'll make sure you and Borkul have fresh horses, I'm sure yours must be worn out.”
Elisif gave him one last hug and was gone to make sure her orders did actually go to the right people. As she left, Argis emerged in his ebony gear, Shield of Solitude on one arm and an ebony Sword of the Vampire at his side. Ulfric Stormcloak's old sword in fact.
“Exhausted horses. Right. And you such a horseman and all,” Argis said grinning, and Madanach schooled himself into the picture of innocence. Argis just patted him on the shoulder.
“I won't ask, Da. You got here and raised the alarm in time, that's the important thing. I just got one question. The Forsworn Bond of Matrimony's telling you where she is, right? So why'd you not notice her being taken?”
The question Madanach had least wanted to answer.
“We argued that morning,” Madanach said quietly. “I – may have been drowning my sorrows. It wasn't until much later it became apparent she'd not left of her own free will.”
“Drowning your sorrows.” Argis was staring down at him, having gone very still, apart from raising one finger to get a better look at Madanach's eyes. “You hit the jenever, right? Please tell me it was the jenever.”
Argis had guarded Cidhna Mine for over a decade, he knew half the prisoners were on Skooma. He'd turned the other way on Madanach's own orders while it got smuggled in. He'd seen men get re-arrested just because they knew the mine was a good source of Skooma. He'd seen the symptoms before now. There was no lying to his son about this.
“I'm sorry, son,” Madanach said, lowering his eyes. Well, there it was, out to his son, he'd be lucky if he ever saw Lirela again, and he could forget retiring to Solitude.
“Da, you... you didn't.”
Madanach couldn't even look Argis in the eye at this point. “I'm sorry, son. I'm not proud.”
“He's on the meds now,” Borkul said, patting Madanach on the back. “We'll take care of him, get him into the programme. He'll be all right.”
Argis didn't say anything, just pulling his father into his arms and holding him.
“I wondered,” Argis said quietly. “How you'd never got addicted when everyone else who came out of that mine was a complete mess. How you could just bust out of there and go back to normal, or normal for you anyway. Guess you didn't, huh.”
“Hey, he held out this long,” Borkul said, actually far prouder of Madanach than anyone had any right to be. “Longer than the rest of us managed, and that's without help or meds or anything. I think it was mostly Restoration magic and stubbornness.”
“Liriel,” Madanach said softly, reaching out to his wife again and feeling her at the other end of the bond, still there, still strong but he could feel her anxiety, and if he was having a bad day, hers was worse. “I had my Liriel. But not any more... Argis, please, we need to find her, I need my wife, she's in trouble, please.”
Re: Thicker Than Blood 9.8
Date: 2014-02-26 11:08 pm (UTC)“We're gonna find her,” Argis promised, patting his back. “We're gonna find her and get you two back here and then you and she can have a long talk, yeah? And Da... I still think you're the bravest man I know.”
“You possibly need to get out more,” Madanach said, but he couldn't help but smile. Eola might be disillusioned and furious, Lucia might be traumatised, he'd barely had a chance to see Sissel, but it seemed his son understood and still loved him. Madanach had never felt prouder of the man his son had become, and having been Argis's sole parent for five years, he was perhaps the child Madanach had been closest to at one point. Perhaps he'd not screwed up completely on the parenting front if Argis had turned out a good and honourable man who still loved his father even though said father was a complete mess. And if he could get one child right, maybe the rest of his life could follow, right?
One step at a time. One day at a time. That was what the treatment programme advised. That addiction could happen to anyone, and it didn't mean you were hopeless or a fool. That there was hope for even the most wretched, but it wasn't an easy path. You just had to keep walking it with people who cared about you and with your fellow sufferers, and eventually you'd all get there together and if you fell off along the way, everyone else helped you up and you all kept walking. He'd said it to others often enough, he just never thought it'd be him. But he could see in his son's eyes that Argis wasn't even shocked, never mind surprised. As if he'd guessed it'd happen eventually.
“Thank you, son. I'm proud of you, you know that, right.”
“Yeah, I know,” Argis said, one arm round his father as they made their way out, Borkul and Jordis falling into step behind them. Time to go rescue the Reach-Queen.
~~~~~~~~
A/N: Lirela would be Madanach's first grandchild via Argis and Elisif - only a baby at the moment but obviously Madanach dotes on her something chronic. Argis and Elisif may have married due to the peace deal that gave Madanach the Reach, but they're genuinely in love, very happy and Argis has been very subtly encouraging Elisif to stand up for herself more and generally taking a few tips off his father in how to be a ruler.
Liriel's Thieves Guild exploits are almost worth a fic in their own right but alas I don't think I'll ever get the chance to write them...
Re: Thicker Than Blood 9.8
Date: 2014-02-27 07:15 pm (UTC)Keep it going, it's probably the best fic (with the other you wrote on the meme) I've ever read.
I LOVE YOU SWEET A!A YOU JUST AWAKE THE CICERO IN ME