"Rumor has it that a stable boy caught you kissing a woman last week."
Galmar had snuck up on Ulfric as he prepared to take a stroll around the city with him. For the first time in what felt like an age, Ulfric didn't feel fear or anxiousness when faced with an inquiry about his personal life.
"Far be it from me to call my townsfolk liars."
"Ha!" Galmar chuckled and watched the other.
Wordlessly, Ulfric strolled out of the main door of the Palace, his friend following close behind him. The two moved side by side in silence, occasionally nodding in response to the citizens that acknowledged them.
"I have a question."
"About?" The Jarl shot a weary glance at his companion.
"As to when you were planning on telling us that you were betrothed to Highlander's daughter." His tone teased but his words were serious.
"Explain to me how you came to this conclusion and I will give you your answer."
"Jorleif actually came to the conclusion. You admitted you were engaged, that one woman came in asking for a woman named Amy, Ingvar's daughter is named Amy… It all makes sense."
Ulfric didn't bother to hide his fascinated grin, "Impressive. It's true. I was planning on tell you soon but she and I agreed to keep things discreet."
"Ah… I haven't seen that girl since she was a newborn." Galmar muttered, shaking his head slightly. He and Ulfric slowed their pace down considerably.
The Jarl knew that no one recognized Amy as an adult and since they didn't know her by anything other than the Dragonborn or Stormblade, her true identity remained a mystery.
"Is she good looking?"
"Oh yes, she's very beautiful – strong too. She's going to be an excellent wife."
Galmar placed a firm hand on Ulfric's shoulder and squeezed, "I'm happy for you."
"Thank you, Galmar."
"When do I get to meet her?"
Ulfric, who had just sent a letter to Whiterun to check up on Amy, wondered when she would stop by next and if she would even be okay with revealing their relationship to Galmar, "Soon."
"Good to hear it!"
The two rounded onto Volunstrand. The quiet avenue provided the two with the privacy they wanted.
"So how did you get in touch with her? Last I heard anything about that family was right after her parents died."
"She was adopted after her parents fell. Her caretaker passed and she came back to Skyrim. I happened upon her by chance and we took it from there." Ulfric kept as many incriminating details out as possible, but remained honest with his friend.
Galmar nodded and moved onto a different topic, "I heard Thalmor have been seen wandering around the Whiterun Plane. Yrsarald took some of his boys to investigate."
"We will continue to see them – they will always slip through our net. Not until I have the numbers and manpower to expand will they disappear." Ulfric had partaken in this discussion many times with Galmar. The Thalmor would never truly leave until he had his men stationed at every settlement – major or minor.
"Or we could just deport all of the High Elves – make them stop smuggling them in." Galmar muttered with an attitude.
"While I understand your skepticism of the Mer, Galmar, you know better than to say something like that. The High Elves that do enter our borders are usually refugees themselves – dissidents. That would do nothing but give folks more incentive to kill us." Ulfric grimaced by the last sentence.
