Hope you guys had a good Christmas! Please review!

The thanks: to Delphine hater; I'm glad you liked the conversation between the two of them. They are both bastards; it's a common ground shared by few people. Ulster isn't evil, just as you said, misguided. You should get a private account. Silver-Blood just hates the Imperials. It's that simple really. Oh I understand. Well, I'll think about it, but I'm not sure. We'll see. The Ulfric/Alea thing in Sovngarde might be cool. I think I might add a funny dream of Jon's that I can put in my other story 'Dragonblood.' If I do, I'll tell you. To DragonXander, thanks for the review! You don't know how much I appreciate compliments to my characters. I'm really pleased you can relate to them, because that way you can feel for them. They're all good and bad in several ways, mostly. I'm pleased you like that. I'm glad you like the glimpses into Jon's past. It's something I may explore one day, in a different story with Ulfric and Alea, but until then, I guess it's a (hopefully) interesting mystery. I did want to play on the fanatical aspect of Daedra worship (and indeed any religion). I'm a Christian too, but by the very loosest terms possible. That is, I've never been to church and I don't believe a word of the Bible, but I believe in God (though I don't know why), so yeah. Just. Thanks for the reviews! Hopefully that's everyone.

Here we go. More Thorek and Idgrod.

Idgrod, the Younger

Idgrod was walking through a long stone hall. A massive throne, dark and foreboding, waited for her at the end. At least, she thought it was waiting for her. But with every step she took forward Ravencrone felt less and less confident. By the time she reached it, Idgrod was sure it wasn't meant for her. It was empty though.

As she took a step up to the dias, a figure appeared on it, shifting and swirling. Idgrod hesitated, before moving forward. She swept him aside, and he disappeared; just an illusion. A noise, a cackle, sounded behind her and Idgrod turned, curious, not scared. But it was no one; everything was just an illusion, even the stone as it shifted beneath her feet. Suddenly a roar, very real, sounded outside the hall; a cry of pain, and loss. It shivered through her body, sending cold through her mind. It was the roar of the silver dragon.

Where was he? He was supposed to be here a quarter of an hour ago! Idgrod Ravencrone II looked around wildly, staring up the corridors before returning to her room, and sitting on the bed, looking at the floor angrily. She heard footsteps on the corridor and rushed to the door, but it turned out to just be another guard.

Idgrod bit her lip and stared at her wardrobe darkly, as if it had done something to offend her. Suddenly, there was a heavy tap at the door, more a pounding, and she rushed to it, composed herself, and opened it to one Carl Thorek Silver-Blood.

'Where have you been?' she began angrily, putting her hands on her hips. 'Carl's keep their words.'

He grinned, but his gorgeous grey eyes betrayed his frustration. 'Calm down, love. The King needed me. I can't exactly;' he brushed past her into the room; 'abandon my duty.'

'No,' Idgrod frowned, 'but you should have sent me a message.'

'And how strange would that look? The Lord Housecarl sending a messenger to a lady.' He looked at her, shaking his head. 'Think again.'

Idgrod flushed, but retorted angrily. 'You still should have done something!'

Thorek sat on her bed, stretching out his legs, before looking at her, a smile playing on his lips. 'Have I ever told you that you look sexy when you're angry?'

She flushed again; this wasn't going to way it was supposed to. 'Just be quiet, alright,' she snapped. Secretly, the half-compliment made her extremely pleased.

'Look, darling, I'm just here for the ride. We get to down to this, or not at all.'

'Patience,' she said, walking to her wardrobe. She had no idea what she was doing.

'-is overrated,' Thorek finished.

'No, it's a social skill.'

'The Lord Housecarl does not need to be patience,' he said, making a gesture with his hand.'

'Then what are you doing when you stand next to the King all day?'

'Trying to get a look at his daughter,' Thorek said, smiling. Disgust rang through Idgrod, but he noticed her look and rolled his eyes. 'Patience, yes. Good enough for you, love?'

Idgrod leaned against the wardrobe, rubbing her forehead while Thorek pushed back his hair, running his fingers through its fine length. 'Do you have to do that?' she asked, annoyed. He did it almost everytime she had seen him.

'What, look good?' he grinned. 'It's a task,' he admitted, 'but worth it when pretty young ladies like yourself notice.'

'I wasn't noticing,' she said, drawing herself up haughtily.

'Then why did you mention it?' He had her and she knew it. Idgrod cursed him and quickly changed the topic.

'What am I doing now?'

'Looking sexy,' Thorek said. Idgrod stared at him, annoyed by his candour and he looked back at her, flashing an easy smile.

Her face was definitely red now. 'I'm standing up,' he told him. 'You're sitting down. I'm a lady, and you are a stupid man. What should you do?'

'How am I supposed to have a fucking clue, love?'

'Stop cursing. It ill befits you.'

He looked suddenly angry. 'I think I know what fits me,' he said, standing.

'What, being a dick,' she told him fearlessly. He stared at her, and for a moment she was afraid of the look in his eyes, but then he smiled again, forcedly, and it was gone.

'I need to offer you a seat,' he said, taking one in his hand, and pulling it over to her.

Idgrod watched him wearily before sitting. 'That was good,' she said softly, before staring at him, still a little scared.

Thorek sat again, his eyes fixed on her, his expression hard. 'What?' he said brusquely after a long pause.

'It isn't your job to scare ladies,' she answered.

Silver-Blood exploded. 'Well you know what, maybe it is? Maybe that's all I'm good for! I'm the fucking Housecarl, I'm scary alright? If you haven't grasped that yet, then it's about time you did. The world isn't fairies, and ponies; it's death, and blood, and evil. Men beat their wives.' He looked ready to stop, but then he turned to face her, stepping closer. Idgrod was ready to fight back, but he didn't do anything except squat to her eye level; 'and you will never be Jarl,' he said nastily. 'Why? Because you're a women. Get over it already.' And with that, he strode out of the room.

Idgrod stared out after him, shocked by his sudden outburst, and vulnerable. Her suppressed emotions rushed back up about the earlier dream and she started crying before she could stop herself. If Thorek heard her tears, he didn't come back.

Well, I really do enjoy writing Thorek. Idgrod's dreams are far more important than you originally think. In reality, I'm telling you the whole story through them, so hopefully you'll start trying to unpack them. Or not. Anyway, please review! The next chapter for 'Dragonblood' will be out soon, and Happy New Year!