The Wolf Queen Awakens

Chapter 25

The low profile part died as soon as they got within patrol distance of the city. Guards stopped, took one look, and began whispering.

"Is that her?"

"Looks like her!"

"What's that on her head?"

"I don't know but you can tell she's Queen!"

It got even worse when she entered the city. As one, Whiterun's citizens stopped what they were doing and started following, all whispering to each other, and when she got to the marketplace, she found half the city staring at her. It was young Ysolda who was brave enough to actually talk to her.

"Elisif! I mean... Jarl Elisif! Er... High Queen! It is you, isn't it?"

No sense denying it at this point.

"Yes," Elisif sighed. "Yes, I'm Jarl Elisif. Did you need something?"

Ysolda was not the shy type, and had a Nord's spirit. Now she'd started, she was determined to go on.

"Is it true what they're saying?" Ysolda said. "About you and... the Dark Brotherhood?"

As one, Dunmer and Companions drew closer to Elisif, reaching for weapons and casting armour. Elisif took a few deep breaths, touched the Jagged Crown for support and stood her ground.

"What about me and the Dark Brotherhood?" she said, hoping she sound calmer than she felt.

"That you and your DragonGuard warriors stormed their Sanctuary and destroyed it!" Carlotta put in. "Anoriath rode out there when he heard the news, went all the way to Falkreath and found the place wide open and the Falkreath guard all saying no one was allowed in due to all the blood."

Anoriath confirmed the truth of this and Elisif felt her knees go weak. The Dark Brotherhood... gone. Their Sanctuary destroyed. Someone saying she'd done it – well, she had a fair idea who'd started that rumour. It wasn't far from the truth, she supposed. She strongly suspected her Blades at work, and to know she was safe, finally safe from a knife in the dark... Elisif could cry. But she was Dragonborn and Queen and neither cried in public.

"Yes," she admitted. "I mean, I wasn't able to be there in person, you understand. But the Brotherhood are a menace to any civilised society, a blight on Skyrim's national character, and I refuse to be Queen of a land that harbours murderers like that. So I placed some trusted friends in charge of hunting them down, and now they're no more!"

Whiterun as one got to its feet and cheered, chanting her name, and it was all Elisif could to do take her leave, making her way through the crowds to Jorrvaskr, Farkas and Vilkas carefully urging people to step back and let her through. By the Eight, if this was queenship... Elisif had better be careful. This could easily get out of hand. It was a nice feeling though.

Kodlak was waiting for her inside Jorrvaskr, smiling broadly and opening his arms for a bear hug.

"Lass, it's good to see you. I heard the noise and guessed who it was. Aela brought us the news a few days ago."

Aela was getting up, Blades gear matching Elisif's own, and Elisif laughed as she hugged her as well.

"Did you wipe the Dark Brotherhood out for me?" Elisif asked, guessing Aela must have been one of those invited along.

"Of course!" Aela laughed. "We showed those backstabbing cowards a thing or two. Killed them all, and it turned out they had a Word Wall in their Sanctuary too. Here."

Elisif took the paper Aela was holding out and gasped to see a new Thu'um there. Krii – kill. How appropriate. Not one she exactly felt comfortable using, but she'd have to remember it. Then both Kodlak and Aela laid eyes on Ria, and Elisif found herself left alone as they both descended on their lost Shield-Sister, Aela in particular much relieved to see her safe.