#Skyrim ulfric

[moodcrab]

Fixing Delphine

This bitch.

I actually like that they made a character that is on your side but is somewhat unlikable, Delphine is Team Dragonborn, but she's not really one of the good guys. And that's cool, conflict means drama. So what's the problem? Well unfortunately, this drama is surface level and isn't used to drive the story, so It's kind of just annoying.

People oversimplify their hatred of Delphine into "She wants you to kill Paarthurnax," because unlike Delphine, people actually like Paarthurnax. Understandable, but barely scratches the surface. We'll get to The Paarthurnax Dilemma in time, but that quest is a symptom, not the illness itself.

If I could sum up Delphine in a word it would be "inconsistent." For example, she's a fugitive waging a one woman war on the Thalmor from the shadows, who's only survived this long from sheer paranoia - but she also uses her real name and leaves a note in Ustengrav for whoever happens to pick it up with directions and a pass word to her secret hide out.

She needs to go through her super secret contact Farengar to use the Jarl's resources to go into Bleak Falls Barrow, a tutorial level dungeon she can see from her house, and she's impressed that you did it - but she also goes personally to the other side of the country to delve alone into the massive Ustengrav to steal the Horn of Jurgan Windcaller, no issues, just a quick in and out twenty minute adventure.

She takes the fact that you found her Ustengrav note as proof you're the Greybeard's new guy and not some Thalmor plant even though she herself, a non Dragonborn, had also completed Ustengrav and taken the horn proving it's totally possible. She even points this out in her own dialogue then demands we prove who we are, even though that was the whole point of the Ustengrav note. It's also a pretty big assumption that just because I'm the guy the Greybeards call Dragonborn that I can't ALSO be with the Thalmor.

We are left with this awkward sense that the writers are flailing to make us think this woman is competent and objective, without actually having her do anything that clever. Just act like the dumb thing was smart and have her act like a cocky brat if questioned about it.

Inconsistency. It's her thing. Does she hate the Thalmor? That would make sense given what we know about her. But that gets dropped half way through the main story and suddenly she hates The Greybeards, for absolutely no reason at all. She gives a reason, but it's bullshit.

In her own words, "If the greybeards had their way, the dragonborn would sit on a mountain talking to the sky." But that's not true is it. We know The Greybeards, they encouraged us to fulfill our destiny. Even if you say you want to follow their Way of the Voice, they'll be glad to hear it but warn you not to let it get in the way of what needs to be done. Delphine even uses Tiber Septim as an example, which is even stupider because The Greybeards actively encouraged Tiber to conquer Tamriel. Have I read more in game books than the dialogue writers??

But that's not the end of it, when it becomes convenient for the plot this hatred is flipped once again from The Greybeards onto dragons. Not Alduin. All dragons. Despite the fact that, as a Blade, she should know about Nafaalilargus, a dragon ally of the Empire and the Blades for thousands of years, and the Blades don't just indiscriminately kill all dragons no matter the circumstances, and that Tiber Septim himself almost certainly met Paarthurnax at some point, she suddenly seems to be acting like she has a personal grudge against dragons. Which brings us to the Paarthurnax Dilemma...

See here's the thing, you could easily write off the frustration everyone feels towards this quest as Bethesda's crappy design, where there is no conclusion other than to kill Paarthurnax, or else leave an unfinished quest languishing in the menu. Bethesda apparently didn't consider the idea that anybody would actually prefer to turn on the Blades, even though the Blades have become a bit of a running joke among the fans, or that anyone would take umbrage with Delphine giving out orders and ultimatums.

But no, it's so much worse than that. Delphine being a surly unlikable c u n t from the day we met her is one thing, but the fact that she has been wrong about almost everything she's ever said in game, and still having the AUDACITY to treat us like her work bitch and us never, not once, getting the opportunity to put her in her place... That's not poor quest design, that's the game gaslighting us.

Let's do a quick list of every one of Delphine's theories, and how many were actually correct shall we:

You are not the Dragonborn ❌

The Greybeards shouldn't be trusted to identify a Dragonborn ❌

The dragons aren't just coming back, they're coming back to life ✅

The Thalmor have something to do with the dragons returning ❌

Esbern is dead ❌

The Greybeards just want the Dragonborn to sit on a mountain and meditate ❌

The Greybeards wanted Tiber Septim to just sit on a mountain and meditate ❌

Paarthurnax, having lived in exile for thousands of years, deserves corporal punishment ❌

As ACTING Grand Master of the Blades, she gets to boss around the Dragonborn ❌

She deserves a seat at the peace negotiations ❌

And these are just the things that are factually wrong, leaving aside opinions on her morality and shitty attitude. This is the woman the game presents to us as a shrewd strategist.

BUT I CAN FIX HER!

Like I said I like the idea of a character who is on your side but is somewhat unlikable. It actually won't take much to make Delphine endearing to the fans. We have to do a Boromir on her. A Lot of people dislike Boromir throughout the Fellowship of the Ring but weep at his death. We have to tweak three things to have the same thing happen to Delphine:

1. Make her actually competent and useful so that while we don't agree with her we can see why she does the things she does, and desire to keep her around.

2. Have her mistakes called out and have consequences.

3. Have her redeem her mistakes with a badass honourable death.

[rosiesmcposies]

Do you still do X Reader requests? If so, could I please get headcanons of Miraak, Serana, and Ulfric Stormcloak (separate) having feelings for the Dragonborn, only to realize the DB already has a significant other?

yup! I still do x reader stuff and I’m now open for fallout 4 characters now to! :D I’m using tumblr on mobile browser so sorry if the formats off but thank you for the request!

Miraak

honestly accepting he had feelings for the Dragonborn was hard enough and then finding out they have a s/o? He is going through it. He’s mainly filled with anger in some sense mixed with jealousy. He’s constantly going back and forth in his mind from being mad at himself for even having these feelings to being mad at their s/o, in his eyes they will never be good enough for the Dragon born. Miraak is definitely not one to tell the Dragon born EVER though. He tries to contain his emotions so it’s not obvious but if you look hard enough it’s pretty easy to tell. He’s praying for the downfall of the relationship, but also he’s like “as long as their happy I guess but don’t settle for less.” He’s the biggest hater out there.

Serana

Serana also had a hard time accepting her feelings but for much different reasons, she didn’t want to be vulnerable in that way. She had planned on telling the dragon born but she kept on pushing it off mentally going back and forth on wether she should tell them or not. After finding out they had a s/o Serana was sad but relieved she found out before she told them. She was happy they had someone but it was still a lot to deal with. Serana will tell them eventually, but she isn’t asking them out, she just wants to communicate how she feels about them, which is still really hard but she’s less stressed than before. She has an open and honest talk and hopes the feelings go away, she does isolate herself for a bit, just so she can be alone with herself and her thoughts.

Ulfric

honestly I don’t know much abt ulfric but I think he’d just like accept it. He’d be upset for sure but idk I think his confidence would like prevent him from being…distraught? He’s just a little sad by it and like gives himself a pep talk like “you are strong and could have anyone you want. Do not stress.” Idk I don’t know ulfric well bc I don’t rlly talk w him in game so that’s just what I imagined.

[the-daily-male]

SIDE 6D

Jschlatt

Ulfric Stormcloak

[whitegoldtower]

How hugging my least favourite NPCs would go:

Harkon: he wraps you up in his arms and sways you from side to side, and it would be nice if only you didn’t know that you were being lulled into a false sense of security. He tells you sweet things, he tells you he’s so proud of you, but you know that he is only saying such things because he views you as his prized possession. You’re not a person, you’re an object. You’re his object. He might tell you that he loves you, but you can see it in those hollow, unfeeling eyes that whilst he appears to be looking in yours, he’s admiring his own reflection. Because mirrors do not work.

Isran: as your arms close around him, you feel cowardice and rage emanating from him. You are merely a means to an end, a dog to do his dirty work. He only holds you to be polite, and you regret thinking that you could squeeze any sort of affection out of him, for his embrace is colder than that of any vampire. He is stiff and unforgiving. You can feel that he doesn’t care, and that your sentiment irritates him.

Astrid: She leans into you out of cordiality, yet something tells you that she feels threatened by your very presence. She squeezes you, holding you in such an uncomfortably tight embrace that you feel as if any tighter, and your ribs would crack. You get the impression she is trying to assert some sort of dominance over you, and when you lean back, she simply says “Brother/Sister.” And plasters on a very rehearsed smile. It would be a lovely smile, if it reached her eyes. If her eyes weren’t black as the night. If she didn’t look at you like a blood-sniffing shark. You’re sure that if you were truly alone, you would have pulled back to find a blade running you through.

Ulfric: He pulls you in and roughly slaps your back with all the grandiose machismo of very worst of men. His embrace exudes a false sense of equality and brotherhood, but he doesn’t believe that for a second. He believes that you are thick as thieves, that you’re his friend. He reeks of ale and mead, and somewhere underneath all of it, you feel a peculiar sort of emptiness. He might be a broken man, masking it all with a need for control and a drive for power. He thinks your love for him is unconditional.

Orthjolf: Of all the vampires in Harkon’s court, he is the worst, next to Harkon himself. The way he grips your arms is a threat, and if you weren’t already dead, you’re sure he’d leave bruises. He doesn’t ask you if you’re loyal to him. He tells you. You feel insecurity radiating from him somewhere underneath it all. Insecurity and disgust. Whether his disgust is aimed at you, or himself, you will never know. Over your shoulder, he is looking at Harkon, and you feel his envy, his idolisation of the Vampire Lord. He wants to be him. He wants to be Harkon, he wants that power over everyone, including you, and he wants you to be his favourite pet. You’re nothing more than a blood-bank to him, and someone to validate his heinous personality. You’re a fool if you think he loves you.

Mercer Frey: He lets out an uncomfortable parody of a friendly laugh. He reeks. He stinks of ale, of body odour, of damp corridors and muggy rooms. There’s something slimy and underhand about his body language, and you realise that - as you painstakingly hold him - he has never felt the touch of a man or woman. His hands are tempted to wander, to claim. His breath would make you recoil in disgust if you weren’t so polite, remnants of vomit from the morning’s hangover clinging to his lips. He smiles at you, and his teeth are caked with filth. He almost refuses to let go of you, and for a moment, you feel like you are in danger. He tells you not to be a stranger, and your guts roil with repulsion. You are left feeling somewhat violated.

[matri4rch]

"The Amulet"

🤍🐻‍❄️AO3 LINK🐻‍❄️🤍

Snippet:

"Ulfric's voice echoed in his mind as the image of her face gradually dissipated into a clouded abyss of shadows and darkness. A chill ran down his spine as her godly form slowly slipped away from his grasp.

"Tell me who you are, spirit..." he pleaded, his voice barely above a whisper. "What do you want from me?" The silence that followed once again was deafening as she continued to retreat from his touch, her hands transforming into shimmering snow that engulfed him in its icy embrace before finally letting him go.

For what felt like an eternity, Ulfric's body drifted into the freezing abyss of unconsciousness. Then, as slowly as he fell under the spell, the Jarl of Windhelm slowly returned to Nirn as he opened his eyes once again. Squinting as a deep orange and red glow blinded him, warmth caressed his frozen skin. And the overwhelming silence was drowned by the faint sound of a cracking fire."

[volno]

Learning how to use blender was a slippery slope leading up to the moment that I modded an Ulfric body pillow into skyrim. The hard part of this mod is done, I just need to fix up a few things with the nif and add some more appropriate art to it. And because I'm committing to this shitpost I'm also taking suggestions for other characters to add, right now I'm planning on adding at least adding Tullius and Elenwen, but as I said, I'm open to suggestions. When I do eventually upload this somewhere I'll also include a PSD template and instructions on how to use it to make your own textures. Now, why you would want to do that, I have no fucking idea, I'm not a cop I'm just giving you the option. Bonus:

[your-fave-is-being-blended]

can you blend ulfric stormcloak from skyrim?

Ulfric Stormcloak from The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is being blended!!

You cannot save him.

[kyotamination]

ulfric sketch

[crysdrawsthings]

Not so long ago, basically yesterday a good friend @blossom-adventures had a birthday and so I drew a lil Birthday Ulfric for her :D

[deadlygoldfish22]

Palace of the Kings became a circus show very quickly

That shout was not me

[your-talos-is-problematic]

Duh du duh du

du du du du du

Duh du duh du

du du du du du

[moodcrab]

The Skyrim Opening Makes No Sense!

YouTube has recently been recommending a lot of people playing Skyrim for the first time, mostly from channels by young people exploring very old games... BETHESDA! This means for the first time in a decade I've watched the Skyrim vanilla opening over and over and... Well I guess I never really thought about it in detail. Before I started modding it was just something tedious to get past... But watching it retrospectively along with commentary from a fresh point of view I've noticed that the Skyrim Intro Makes No Sense!

So we wake up on the cart next to Ulfric, a man who is gagged because he can literally murder people with his voice... But all our hands are bound in front of us... Just like, take the gag off dude. Like it sucks that apparently that bit of cloth is more powerful than the Thu'um, but you could just reach up and take it out of your mouth, fuck we'll help you if it's at an awkward angle or whatever, this is literally all our lives and your whole rebellion at stake, that's all.

General Tulius is here, meeting up with the Thalmor that he totally trusts, that's totally not sus that they knew to be here at all... Makes you wonder why he didn't just execute Ulfric on the spot as soon as he was caught doesn't it? It's not like he's giving Ulfric a trial or anything, as far as the Empire is concerned Ulfric is guilty. Tulius for some reason just decided to bring Ulfric to a town to execute him, not even the nearest town to where he was caught either. Did he want witnesses? Ok just leave a handful of Stormcloaks alive, they aren't going to lie about seeing Ulfric beheaded.

Nevermind we're here now, quickly, kill Ulfric and bring a swift end to this mess... After I make a little speech. And after this priestess makes a little speech. And after we execute this nobody Stormcloak. And after we execute the random in the rags who we aren't even sure is guilty of anything. Why are we here again?

Oh yeah, we were "caught crossing the border" right? Take a deep breath before we delve into this hole that Bethesda dug for itself for literally no reason; baring in mind that in all previous games where you begin as a prisoner they never explicitly say why you are a prisoner. What crime are you accused of, are you guilty or innocent, that was all your headcannon and Skyrim needn't have been any different. So... Exactly what border were we caught illegally crossing?

Well, there are numerous examples of the game implying or outright stating that the player character is not from Skyrim, even if you choose to play a Nord. Every race specific response from Hadvar, for example, or when Galmar asks why an outsider would want to join the Stormcloaks. So you definitely crossed a national border... The only problem is, as Ralof confirms, the Imperial ambush happened at Darkwater Crossing, a location that is nowhere near a national border. Helgan is in fact closer to the border than Darkwater Crossing, but that doesn't matter because, as Tulius and the Fort Nugart Note confirmes, the border to Cyrodiil is snowed in, hence his recruiting locally and not relying on Imperial reinforcements.

The only border that Ralof could possibly be talking about is the Eastmarch-Rift border, both Holds that are Stormcloak territory, so why the Imperial Legion would care about someone random crossing it I don't know. And even if they weren't Stormcloak Holds, as we all know from actually playing the rest of the game, crossing Hold borders isn't illegal. In fact it actually erases your wanted level.

Again, nobody forced Bethesda to make it cannon that The Last Dragonborn was caught crossing a border they physically couldn't have crossed, illegally, despite the fact it isn't illegal. It's literally one line of dialogue, this was entirely avoidable.

What's that bone chilling roar? IT'S NOTHING! Hurry up and kill this obviously not a rebel (before Ulfric, the actual terrorist). It's fair to say they couldn't have guessed that that noise was coming from a dragon, but to assert that it's nothing!? With those oh so trustworthy Thalmor just down the street? Yeah probably nothing, keep Ulfric at the bottom of the list. Gods I fucking love damn lists!

Well it turns out that the terrifying roar didn't just come from absolutely nothing. It in fact came from absolutely something. Nobody could have foreseen this. The something it absolutely was, is a dragon, and in the chaos Ulfric somehow got away. Again, nobody could have foreseen this, in fact it's pretty much the opposite of what Tulius was going for here.

In our desperate escape we run straight past two giant city gates because Tulius ordered us to use the unnecessarily labyrinthian, giant-spider infested escape route through the keep that's literally collapsing on us instead.

We get a choice, go with Ralof, a fellow prisoner who has risked his life to save ours, or Hadvar, someone who was perfectly willing to kill us knowing full well we were innocent, but he feews weelly bawd abowd id 🥺. Fuck off Hadvar, you "just following orders, I'll pay your corpse more respect than your life, torture is a necessary evil" bitch! And fuck this opening for not letting me skip anything! I may not be a big fancy "great American novel" writer like Emil Pagliarulo, but still I think this could have used a second draft.

[sneaksandsweets]

Comic update for @thequeenofthewinter fic,

(It’s an actual comic now lol)

[the-daily-male]

SIDE 5J

Ulfric Stormcloak

Ian Dury

[princessnerdslayer]

The High Queen- a Skyrim Fanfic. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Trying

Elskling- Norwegian for ‘darling/sweetheart’

“That kind of magic hasn’t been seen in Skyrim in centuries! By Talos, not in all of Tamriel!”

Rhiannon’s head felt like it was stuffed with cotton, and her mouth felt as dry as the Alik’r desert. She didn’t recognize the man’s voice yelling, which made her desperate to open her eyes and get up.

“I am aware of that”. Breytla! If her sworn shield was here, then she was safe. Although she still couldn’t seem to open her eyes, she could picture how Breytla was looking down her nose at the shouting man simply by her cool tone. “You will not disturb the princess though, she needs her rest. I will not ask you to lower your voice again.”

“Blackshield”- that was Ulfric’s deep voice! “Wuunferth means no harm. But we are all wondering what exactly we just witnessed. I can recall no histories where there was magic strong enough to blast a dragon out of the sky.”

Oh sweet Mara, of course he had seen. She hadn’t even considered what he would think when he saw, she had been so determined to defend the people of Windhelm. She’d been told since she was a child that her power was too great and unpredictable, that it had to be contained. That people would fear it, and her.

“I am sorry Jarl Ulfric” Breytla said, her tone more gentle. “I guard the princess’s secrets as well as her person. You will need to speak to her when she is well.”

“It’s alright Breytla” Rhiannon croakily whispered, cracking her eyelids open. At each side of her bed stood Breytla and Ulfric, and Galmar was leaning against the closed bedroom door. At the foot of her bed stood an old man in wizard’s robes she had seen lurking around the palace. He had seemed to have a hatred for her, and refused to speak to her when she tried to greet him. This must be Wuunferth, the court mage- the owner of the voice she didn’t recognize.

Breytla rushed to fill a cup of water and gently lifted Rhiannon’s head to help her drink. Ulfric gripped her free hand, and she was pleased to hear him murmuring a prayer of thanks to Talos.

“I know you are all wondering what just happened”, Rhiannon said quietly. Breytla and Ulfric looked concerned, Galmar looked curious, but the wizard seemed to be almost frenzied with eagerness. He was leaned over the bed, and his eyes were fixed on Rhiannon, glowing with an unnerving intensity. She tried to ignore his oddness, and instead looked at Ulfric. She had no way to avoid telling him everything now, but she knew he respected bravery. She would try to be so as she explained what he and all of Windhelm had just witnessed.

“When I was very small, my parents began to notice that odd things happened around me when my emotions ran high. I would scream at my nurse for trying to bathe me, and her skirt would catch on fire. My parents would say no to having more sweet rolls, and somehow 20 more would appear on the table.” Ulfric’s mouth twitched up at that, making Rhiannon blush… she might need to cut back on Sifnar’s sweet rolls… “They took me to the College of Winterhold when I was 4 to see the Arch-Mage. Savos Aren told them that the amount of magic already manifesting in me was too great, too unpredictable- that it would become absolutely uncontrollable as I got older. That I would likely hurt myself, and everyone around me. He was the one who gave me my amulet…” Rhiannon suddenly looked around, panicking. She’d given Breytla her amulet, where was it now?”

“This foul thing?!” the wizened old mage burst out, fishing in his pockets. He pulled out her amulet, scowling at it. “Your friend with the dragon sword dropped it on the way in. This is why you’ve felt so repellant to me- this amulet is made of Magebane!”

“What is Magebane?” Ulfric asked Wuunferth, his eyes never leaving Rhiannon’s.

“It’s exactly what it sounds like- a stone with the power to block magic. A rare thing indeed- found only on the Stros M’Kai isle in Hammerfell, specifically in the Ogres Tooth Mountains. Even then, it only exists in tiny amounts. An amulet this size would cost several fortunes….but feeling how much power you possess girl…” again, Wuunferth leaned towards Rhiannon, and seemed to almost vibrate with glee, “you likely need every speck of this amulet to hide that kind of gift.”

“It’s not a gift, it’s a curse!” Rhiannon’s eyes filled with tears, looking down at her hands grasping the blankets. “I can’t control it, it just bursts out!”

“Because you’ve never been taught how to control it!” the old wizard shouted, earning a glare from Breytla. “Old Savos is no fool. He probably took one look at you and saw his replacement, not his successor. Of course he wouldn’t want you fully in control of your gifts- you’ll be memorialized as the greatest mage of this age! No one will remember his piddly tricks in comparison.”

“I could be trained?” Rhiannon wiped the tears from her eyes. “I could control it?”

“Of course” Wuunferth said much more softly, coming around the bed to stand by Ulfric. “But I think you have more control than you may think already. You wanted to protect the people, and so your magic made it so. A bit crudely- more like hitting something with a hammer than threading a needle, but it worked. Your magic is raw, unformed. Let me show you how to thread the needle girl.”

She met the wizard’s oddly pale eyes, and felt a jolt of something pass through her that she hadn’t felt in years. For the first time since Savos Aren had declared her magic uncontrollable and dangerous, she felt…hope.

"When do we start?"

“Wait Shahvee!”

Rhiannon ran down the last steps towards the docks, running to catch the Argonian before her ship left, Breytla right behind her. She couldn’t let her friend leave without saying goodbye first.

A week had passed since the attack of the dragon. Rhiannon later learned she had not killed the thing, for which she was secretly grateful. It had done much damage, and cost many lives; but it was such a rare thing, and one of incredible beauty. It had burst back through the ice after Rhiannon has fainted, but had made a hasty retreat from the city.

The fires had taken days to be put out. The rubble was still being cleared from the city, and the Temple of Talos was still being used as a temporary hospital. Rhiannon had gone there every day to help the priests tend to the ailing, who were all too grateful for the help once they learned she had worked with Danica Pure-Spring for years. She’d normally run straight to her magic lessons with Wuunferth from the temple, but today she needed to see her friend before she returned to Black Marsh.

Rhiannon had become friends with many of the Dunmer & Argonians living in the Snow Quarter & in the Argonian Assemblage through her work improving their living conditions. While she enjoyed friendships with many, she had become especially close to Shahvee, the lone female Argonian working the docks. She had one of the sunniest dispositions Rhiannon had ever seen, and was always able to find a silver lining. It was a joy to call her friend. And now she was leaving. Many had died during the dragon’s attack, including the oldest Argonian working the docks, Stands-in-Shallows. He had been stumbling back from the New Gnisis CornerClub, and couldn’t hide beneath the waves as his fellow Argonians had done during the blaze. Shahvee had sent word to Rhiannon at the Palace that she would be leaving to return his remains to Black Marsh. His remains must be laid to rest within the Hist, so his soul could be reborn in a new hatchling.

“Shahvee, wait!” Rhiannon said, running towards the gangplank. Her friend smiled, and walked back, promising the captain she would be but a moment. Rhiannon was sure he would have been less accommodating had it not been the princess yelling for the Argonian.

“Thank goodness I caught you” Rhiannon exclaimed, pulling Shahvee into a tight hug. “I wasn’t sure I would.”

“This one works herself too hard beeko” Shahvee told Rhiannon with a smile. Rhiannon glowed at the term- Shahvee had taught her a couple of words in Jel, and she knew it meant friend.

“I try to help the best I can” Rhiannon replied. “And to that end- here”, she placed a small bag in Shahvee’s hand. “To help you see Stands-in-Shallows home.”

Shahvee opened the bag and gasped. “Princess, this is too much! Shahvee cannot accept this!”

“Yes, you can” Rhiannon insisted, closing Shahvee’s hands around the bag of septims. “It was a bit I had left over from the work in the Snow Quarter. Take it my friend- and see that Stands-in-Shallows has his soul reborn.”

Shahvee’s eyes were watering as she looked up. “This one has my deepest thanks. I am proud to name you marsh-friend.”

Rhiannon smiled, and pulled her in quickly for another hug, hiding her own tears. “You had best go now, before the captain leaves without you” Rhiannon said, stepping away from the gangplank.

Shahvee began to walk up to the ship, but then turned around. “If Shahvee ever returns to Skyrim” she vowed, “it will be because Shahvee hears that this one is queen of this land. I give you a new name- Ku-Vastei. In this one’s tongue, it means ‘cause of needed change’. For that is what this one is- the bringer of much needed change.”

And with that, Shahvee turned around and strode onto the ship, leaving Rhiannon waving goodbye, and wiping her tears away.

Ulfric had been crossing the bridge to assess damage done by the dragon to the stables, when he’d seen Rhiannon flying down the steps towards the docks, and stopped to watch her. She had run to a ship, and Ulfric had a moment’s panic about her getting onto it. He hadn’t confiscated either her or Breytla’s swords since the dragon’s attack, and he’d given orders she be allowed to walk the streets without one of his own men following her. But she didn’t get onto the ship- she pulled an Argonian who had been onboard into an embrace, and was speaking to her on the gangplank.

Galmar came over to see why Ulfric had stopped, and saw what had caught his interest. “She truly a surprise, that one” Galmar said. “An amazing one though.”

“She truly is” Ulfric agreed. Wuunferth had told him her magic lessons were slow, but promising. She was more likely to set a room on fire than be able to light a candle, so they practiced outside. Ulfric hadn’t seen the old mage this excited in years- the challenge of training Rhiannon had seemed to invigorate him.

Ulfric turned back to Galmar. “She can fight, heal, and has more magic in her little finger than the College of Winterhold combined. She’s kind and clever and fearless. And she’s more beautiful than Dibella herself. How did her family not see her for the jewel she is?”

Galmar shrugged, his agreeance with Ulfric’s judgement of the royal family written on his face.

It was still something that baffled him, that she always seemed surprised by his praise. That apparently her family had seen naught to praise about her. True, she was no simpering courtier, but Ulfric loved that she was not. She was his little firebrand, and as Ulfric turned to walk back to the palace, he realized if he wanted to keep her, he was going to have to make some changes. It would not be easy, but for her…he would try.

“Come in” Rhiannon called to the person knocking at her door, continuing to brush her hair in front of the mirror. She assumed it was the maid she had been assigned, and was shocked the see the Jarl in the mirror’s reflection.

“Ulfric” she exclaimed, turning around, and pulling her robe closed over her shift. “I had not expected to see you until dinner.”

“I had something to ask you that could not wait” Ulfric said, gazing intently at her as he walked up to her, kneeling down to meet her gaze. He pulled a flat wooden box from a pocket in his cloak, and handed it to Rhiannon.

She opened it and gasped- inside lay an amulet of Mara, the most beautiful one that she had ever seen. Made of silver and sapphires, it was dignified yet stunning- much like the man standing before her.

“My father gave it to my mother” Ulfric looked at Rhiannon, whose eyes had filled with tears. “He loved her deeply, long past the day she went to Sovngarde- until his last breath. I would be honored if you wear it now.”

Rhiannon felt tears begin to slip down her face. “Ulfric, I-"

“Before you say no” Ulfric said “I want to offer you an additional wedding gift. I will grant equal rights to all peoples in Eastmarch, and when I win this war, to all peoples in Skyrim. Elves, Khajit, Argonians. Everyone.”

Rhiannon was shocked, her tears threatening to flow faster. She had thought he would be irresistible if he let go of his hate, and now he was? How could she refuse him?

“You- you’ve truly let go of your hate?”

Ulfric grimaced. “I want you to say yes, but I will not lie to you. No, I have not. But I have realized you will never marry me until I do this. So, for your sake, I will…try.”

Rhiannon began to cry harder, and Ulfric realized he may have made a mistake. Perhaps he should have lied, he thought. But he didn’t want to begin their life together in falsehoods, it was hardly the grounds for a happy union. But did he have to truly love everyone? Wasn’t allowing them equality in his lands enough?

“Rhiannon-“ he began.

“Yes”, she said, tears sliding down her face. “I will marry you.”

Ulfric blinked, processing her words. He then smiled hugely, before his face clouded in confusion. “This is a good thing….so why are you crying?”

“Because I am happy” Rhiannon sniffled, throwing her arms around Ulfric, and burying her face in his neck.

Ulfric truly did not understand, but he didn’t need to. She had said yes.

Rhiannon was trying to stifle her tears, but was finding it difficult. She felt so much in that moment, it was impossible to keep it in.

If he had said he had forgiven all and loved everyone, she would have said no. She was done with pretty falsehoods, had dealt with them her whole life. But she should have known better- Ulfric would never tell an easy lie, would speak the truth, no matter how harsh. He had many flaws, but so did she. And more than anything, she knew he was trying for her. It made all the difference.

Ulfric pushed Rhiannon gently away, and wiped her tears away. He smiled, then leaned in and kissed her cheeks, one then the other, before capturing her lips. It was a kiss meant to convey a wealth of emotions that he couldn’t put into words, and given the warmth and affection sparkling in Rhiannon’s azure eyes as he pulled away, he thought she understood.

“Come elskling” Ulfric murmured, drawing Rhiannon to her feet. “Let’s go give our court the happy news”.

[matri4rch]

Atmora only participates in the Snow Bear's Plunge to see Ulfric and Galmar shirtless.

Just in case someone is actually following me for my crappy fic Abt Tullius and Venus (or just reading it), just wanted to let y'all know that Chapter 2 is being written but I'm just horrible at time management, a perfectionist w zero self esteem and have the attention span of a ferret.

So it's going SLOWLY.

Also I forgot what I was even going for in chapter 1 and am currently reading the chapter trying to decipher it.