He dared to bring it up. After every time I answered no, that I would not offer her hand to him, under any circumstance, as one of the terms for peace without her consent. He dared to come here under the guise of smoothing over the tense relations between our two Holds, and instead he spends his time paying more attention to her than to the important matters at hand... Here the man scowls darkly, the mere memory of the High King's actions more than raising his ire. And the fact Torygg waited until after he was protected by guest right, when he knew there would be no retaliation for his actions. The creak of a heavy door breaks him from his thoughts, but he doesn't bother to look, for the voice explains who it is.
"There you are. You left so soon after dinner without a word, I was worried that something was wrong, or Torygg said something you were unable to properly defend against."
You certainly know me all too well and how I bristle under the rules of protocol. Ulfric Stormcloak doesn't turn his gaze from the colorfully lit ceiling to watch the person entering the room as he hears the door shut followed by soft steps on cold stone. He doesn't even look when he hears them move past the foot of the bed to the table in the corner, settling down in one of the chairs. Had it been anyone else, the Jarl of Windhelm would have sent them on their way as he was in no mood for company tonight. But this person... In my perfect world, you wouldn't be sitting there. You'd be here, with me on the bed, where you belong, not in a chair like a guest.
It took everything he had to not to ask her to sit or lay with him- declare his intentions towards her in an indirect way. The only thing that kept him from doing so was the nightmares of his time in the "care" of the Thalmor- who knew what those cruel bastards would do if they got their hands on her?
"I did not think you had noticed, what with the High King holding your attentions for most of the night. Did you realize that when you weren't with him, he stared at you like a thief stalks a possible mark? Should I be expecting him to demand a private audience with me soon?" As if he hasn't done so already- not that I'll ever tell you, and anyone here in Windhelm that knows has been sworn to secrecy.
"You're the one who sent me as your envoy to the Blue Palace when Torygg inherited his father's position, Ulfric. It also doesn't help that, since you're single, the role of Hostess is delegated to me- it becomes my task to make nice with the visitors. You had plenty of opportunities to save me from the torture, so do not blame me for the attention he paid me while your mind was clearly elsewhere."
From the corner of the room, Ulfric hears the woman rise from the chair and walk over to the side of his bed. A pair of sapphire eyes glance down at him as she kneels beside it, pale face framed by unbound black waves of hair. "At the bottom of your tankard, no doubt. Get a little drunk tonight, did we? You never speak of this nonsense unless you're deep in your cups."
"I'm not drunk, far from it and you know that Keira... But it is a thing I regret, believe me."
"Which? Sending me into the literal wolves den? Or drowning your ill founded woes in mead?" Here the Nord woman chuckles softly and, as she pats his right knee, goes "He's just a friend, Ulfric, and even then calling him that is a bit of a stretch considering just who he's allied himself with. I don't know what you're worried about- you know where I stand on this particular issue."
"I do not think friendship is what he has in mind for you in the end, so yes, I'm rather worried." Instead of continuing with that thought process, he asks instead "And where did you leave Torygg?"
"I made my excuses to both him and his Housecarl in the Hall, then tried to figure out where you might have disappeared to. I originally thought that you might have walked to the Temple in order to calm yourself from having to deal with Torygg's nonsense, but Galmar just smiled and told me you came up here instead." Keira snorts softly, tugging at Ulfric's leg to get him to sit up while they talk. "Had the Jarl of Solitude wanted my hand in marriage, he knows well enough that he would have to speak with you first."
Of course he would tell her where I was. Meddling Housecarl... The fond thought of Galmar's subtle nudges and the bolstering it did to his courage was nearly obliterated when a bitter taste crept up into the Nord's mouth. The mention of that word in regards to her and who he's learning is possible competition was enough to turn his stomach. "Has he spoken with you about marriage then?" Ulfric all but growls out as he sits up, the woman backing up as he does so.
"The High King and I had discussed many things during my time in Haafingar. We spoke of love and loss, of war and peace. He had wondered if I could see myself calling anywhere else in Skyrim home. I told him I would go anywhere my Jarl sent me, for my loyalty belongs to him and him alone..."
"You still let him kiss you." Inwardly he winces at the words that come from his mouth. I sound like a petulant child.
"My hand, Ulfric. Just as you had done this morning when you sat down for breakfast and have done at every meal for as long as we have known each other..." As she settles in between his legs, a confused expression flickers across Keira's pale face as a rather unwelcome thought suddenly popped into her head. "Do you doubt my loyalties? Do you no longer trust me after how many years? Do my oaths sworn to you as a child mean nothing anymore?"
As much as Ulfric didn't want to look at her, he forces himself to do so, his heart clenching at the expression of hurt plastered across her face. "You know that isn't the case- I trust you more than I trust anyone else here. It is the wolf I do not trust- he knows the Old Holds look to me for guidance. Who knows what he might stoop to in order to keep us in line?"
"Eastmarch will endure, Ulfric, she always has, and with you ruling her she'll flourish..."
"...It's not the Hold I'm worried about..."
That gave the woman pause, for in all the years she's known the man sitting in front of her never had Ulfric sounded so unsure, so afraid as he did now. But did she truly want to know what plagued him so? Of course I do. "What is it that scares you then?"
A rough hand reaches up to cup the side of her face, calloused fingers tangling themselves through the inky strands of hair. "I fear..." I can go to war, be tortured by the Thalmor, argue against remaining with the Empire and yet I cannot find words for something as seemingly easy as this. He inhales slowly and tries to strengthen his resolve. If this goes poorly, I suppose I will be seeing Sovngarde sooner than later.
"Ulfric? You don't have to answer that if you don't want to." The Jarl then realized that while she wanted to know exactly what was on his mind, Keira also knew there were things he couldn't or wouldn't speak of with her- whether it be affairs of state- of which were very few, as the Stormcloak valued her insight- or private- of which there were many, considering they all revolved around her. "Maybe I should just go to my own room, I don't want you to think I'm prying-"
"I don't want you to leave," he says quietly, cutting off the rest of her sentence.
Azure orbs blink as coal brows furrow in thought, Keira trying to figure what was really being said. Finally after a few moments, she gives him a small smile, as if not bothered with what she discovered. "Then I won't."
A blonde head shakes in disbelief. "You do not understand. I do not want you to leave- ever. Not the Palace, not Windhelm, not Eastmarch. I need you here."
"Is that a command, my Jarl?"
"No." Ulfric leans towards her slowly, giving the woman before him the chance to pull away. When she doesn't even flinch, he continues moving forward. "Just the wish of a man who is tired of running from what he wants, tired of being alone.
"Keira, you were the last face I saw when I left for High Hrothgar, and the first person I sought when I returned. You supported my decision to leave and defend the Empire from the Thalmor, helped keep Eastmarch together with Galmar while I was being imprisoned by those damned elves therefore showing your loyalty not only to me but to the Hold as a whole. You were the Lady of the Hold in all but name... but you deserve better than that." He slowly drags a rough thumb over parted lips, followed by his mouth pressing onto hers.
If Ulfric had caught her by surprise, it's only for a moment- she wraps one arm around his neck, the hand of the other grasping onto his tunic. "Finally," Keira breathes out as the pair break apart for some much needed air.
"Finally? What in the name of Talos do you mean by finally?" A blonde eyebrow involuntarily arches slightly, the man not hiding his obvious confusion.
A wry smile crosses the woman's face as she whispers in his ear "Do you really think I didn't know, Ulfric? Subtlety is not your strongest suit, my Jarl- requiring anyone seeking my hand to have to speak to you, even when I am not a member of your family? Everyone in the Palace saw through that, though we all kept it amongst ourselves." White ivories sink into the fleshy lobe, tugging at it gently. "Do I want to know how many people you turned down without consulting me?"
He lets out a moan as his strong arms gently pull her onto his lap, still not believing he wasn't dreaming. "Not enough, and not everyone understood the hint considering some of them keep trying. Obviously Torygg is one of them if he has gone from sending letters to discussing things with you directly. I should kill him for his audacity."
"And I should smack you for thinking I'd even consider submitting to just anyone, especially a man like Torygg. The sigil of Solitude might be a wolf, my Jarl, but the High King is no Alpha- I'd tear him to shreds and smile while doing it. Also, I do not think I need to remind you just who holds his leash, Ulfric. Not a day doesn't go by that I don't remember how much I worried that you weren't coming home, and when you did come back how broken you were-"
The Jarl leans his forehead against hers, not needing Keira to continue with her train of thought. "But I'm here, aren't I?"
"For now, but for how long?" The dark haired woman sighs softly as her eyes shut, still feeling the warmth emanating from Ulfric's body. "You and I both know it's just a matter of time before civil war is on Skyrim's doorstep... Just make sure when it does come knocking you get us involved for the right reason." She feels his hands cup her face and Keira couldn't help but look at him. "Promise me, Ulfric."
A/N: I'm at it again. I've been so tied up with work and the stresses of everything that's been going on I hit road blocks with most of my other works. Sometimes I feel with some of them I take a step forward only to despise it and take two steps back. This I was hesitant to put up, but I think I got it to where I like it. It's a piece I started putting together during my lunch hours, and... It's different, for me anyways. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do sassing Torygg. Feel free to leave reviews with questions, comments, even complaints- I, like anyone else on this site, want to get better and the only way we can do that is through you.
Stay safe and enjoy the rest of your week!
A/N 2: So, this chapter went through an edit, thanks to some helpful constructive criticism and it also leading me to realize how there was the possibility for confusion on how things could have been interpreted, so hopefully between myself and TheOneThatSeesGNS here on FF, it's cleared up.