The Wolf Queen Awakens

Chapter 40

The Dragonborn was sitting at the table in the Palace of the Kings in stunned silence.

"So, the mages at Winterhold found this... thing... in the ruins of Saarthal – what were they doing in Saarthal, did anyone actually authorise that??"

"Jarl Korir says he never knew a thing about it," Madanach said, rolling his eyes. "Honestly, I don't agree with the man on anything, but we did see eye to eye on that one. Still, maybe it's for the best. The Eye's out of all our reaches and the Psijics can deal with it. Meanwhile, we've got a friendly Archmage in Winterhold and the town's behaving itself. Although it does now mean someone is going to have to break the news to Bothela her little grandson is dead, I've got valuable people off in Labyrinthian on corpse retrieval duty, and I've lost Uraccen. Don't worry, he's fine but it seems he's keen to stay in Winterhold. Trying to chat up Archmage Ervine apparently. Honestly, turning his back on the entire cause because of a pretty face. Aren't you glad I'm not like that?"

This was said with a knowing grin and a rather flirtatious wink that set all Elisif's nerves afire and filled her head with visions of shoving the annoying jun-se-reach against a wall and her knee between his legs and shutting him up with a kiss before... and she needed to stop right there. Kynareth help me, I don't want to hurt him!

Except she couldn't help but think of nails running down his back, wrapping her legs around him with her fingers in his hair, making him fuck her harder and... yes, he wants you, go and claim him, make him yours!

This had got to stop. She poured herself more mead and took a long drink, knowing it was going to her head a little but not caring.

"I'm just glad Winterhold's safe," Elisif said firmly. "Thank you for saving the place."

"You're welcome," Madanach smirked, much to Eola's displeasure as she cried in outrage he hadn't even been there.

"I was talking to Eola," Elisif said sternly, turning to face her. "Thank you Eola. Finding that staff wasn't at all easy, but you helped save a city and removed a dangerous magical artefact in the process. Thank you."

"You're welcome, Elisif," Eola said, relaxing and raising a glass with one hand while her other arm snuggled a proud Cicero. Elisif smiled and turned her attention back to Madanach.

"So now we just have to deal with the negotiations in the morning," Elisif said thoughtfully. "Tullius has given us until noon, so at noon tomorrow, we'll need to head out there and meet him. Now that you've told me all this, it should be easy to persuade him you'll be an asset. After all, it looks like there was plenty of chronic mismanagement by Ulfric for a long time – if that killer really had been operating since Torygg died, and you found him in two days, that's something to be proud of. So is your forces saving Winterhold – who knows what might have happened if you hadn't been there. And Kodlak is saying you've done a good job too – that has to count for something. Balgruuf and Rikke are out there, they respect Kodlak's opinion. You might even get the Reach if Jarl Nepos is willing to step down."

"Don't worry about Nepos, he and I go way back," Madanach smirked. "It's just Tullius and that Thalmor bitch to worry about."

"Elenwen has no jurisdiction over this, all she has a say in is preventing Talos-worship," Elisif said tersely, and then it occurred to her Madanach had been presiding over just that. "Oh Kynareth, the Temple of Talos, you'll have to close it!"

Again that smirk. "Don't worry," Madanach said, grinning. "I've taken care of the Temple of Talos. I'll explain more in the morning, but the Thalmor have nothing on us. They can interview as many of my people as they like, they'll find nothing other than lots of true children of the Reach who despise Tiber Septim with a passion."