Heart of Arson

by LtoADreamer

In the many years since the Great War, there is a face that has hung in silence in Ulfric's mind. Years later, finding that face again would draw new memories to be made in the wake of Skyrim's Civil War. The coming of the dragons also brings a mysterious stranger. The path of the future was not certain but the return of that face brought questions. Ones that needed answers. M M

13. Chapter Twelve

Just FYI, this is also posted on my ArchiveOfOurOwn account too. Same name, same story. Enjoy. And don't forget to comment please.

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She had to be lying but honestly, it made sense.

It all made sense now.

All of it.

Laronen being Elenwen's aid.

Loriel settling himself in Windhelm.

Loriel's anxiety when he passed on the message from Arson.

It all added up.

And it made Ulfric feel sick to his stomach.

He had been head over heels for the elf and he was Elenwen's son.

Her son!

Of all the people, of all the Mer he could have felt an attraction to, why did it have to be him?!

Why?!

If it was true, why had he been hiding it the whole time?

His grip on his horse's reigns was so tight that his gloves audibly creaked.

Ulfric was almost at the edge of Eastmarch when he heard a voice and he stopped his horse, Galmar looking back with him. And he saw that familiar traveling cloak.

That golden face.

"Ulfric!" Loriel cried out, and Ulfric's heart heaved in his chest.

The elf had come to find him again.

Had come to talk, to do whatever it was he wanted to do to deceive the Stormcloak leader and Jarl of Windhelm.

He was panting as he came to a stop not far from Ulfric's steed and he looked up, his expression pained from however long the Mer had tried catching up to them.

"What do you want?" Galmar asked.

"I need to talk to Ulfric-"

The Jarl felt numb as the words slipped out of his mouth.

"Your mother said to tell you hello."

At first, his expression only stilled.

And then dwindled into muteness.

And then faded into an expression of horror.

That was all it took.

It only took an expression to tell Ulfric that Elenwen hadn't been lying.

To expose the truth of the situation.

And Ulfric hated himself.

He had come to care so much for Loriel.

And now it just hurt to look at him.

"Don't come back to Windhelm."

That was the last thing he said to Loriel before he nudged his horse and returned his focus on getting back home.

Ignoring every face that he passed.

Ignoring all words that were directed for his attention.

He fell onto the bed fully clothed despite it being so early in the afternoon.

But Ulfric couldn't find it in himself to move until the next morning.

Loriel was Elenwen's son.

And Ulfric had longed for him.