Lost Legends

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"It can't keep going on like this!" A young woman's voice gasped as two figures dove over a snow drift to avoid detection by passing guards. "We have been fighting for so long that no one even cares anymore!" She added, running her fingers through blue black hair that had already become brittle with the cold.
"Of course they remember, Dex." The young woman's companion replied in an annoyed whisper. "We fight for freedom from the imperial invaders who seek to make us bow down to them!"
The woman who had just been referred to as Dex rolled her grey eyes. "What does it matter who sits on the throne as high emperor? Either way, we're still left down here in the dirt." She added, poking her head up to see if the coast was clear. "The rebellion is just pushing back the tide, sooner or later the imperials will find us all, and execute us as promised."

Ulfric chuckled quietly as this news about his right hand man. "Glamar has many admirers within my court, I imagine they will not take kindly to him showing an interest in someone who is half dead!" He laughed, sitting up in the ebony tub to take the mead from Poppy. She was worrying for no real reason, the king was instantly grinning. "I think Maven Black-Briar had better look out! This is delicious!"

Poppy's cheeks went a deep red and she ducked her head. "It's only because you like snow berries." She said softly, as always making excuses for things.

"Yes, I do like snow berries, but I like this even more!" Ulfric declared. "You, my love, are worth a hundred times your dowry." He teased.

Poppy laughed at this. "I'm afraid to ask how much the dowry was." She admitted, returning to rubbing his shoulders.

"I'm afraid that is something I shall not be telling you." Ulfric chuckled. "On another subject... If your pet has taken the queens chambers with my man as her watchdog... Does that mean you will be spending the night with me?"

Poppy's fingers stopped kneading at his shoulders and simply hovered over him. "Are you sure that's wise? I mean...you are rather tired. I can see it in your eyes...Are you sure there is no where else for me to stay?"

"You are my wife." Ulfric replied, reaching to his shoulder to take hold of one of Poppy's slender hands. "I want what you want." Though he did mean that in a fashion... He was also trying to keep from using the words 'consecrate' and 'marriage'.

"I don't know what I want." Poppy whispered finally, closing her eyes as she leaned forward and rested her head on his. "This whole thing is...what if I can't please you? I'm not like the women my mother told me you liked."

"And what would your hag mother know what kind of woman I liked?" Ulfric asked. "Poppy... You worry too much. I'm not pressuring you for anything, just think of tonight as... Sleeping next to me. If something happens, it happens, if it doesn't... I still love you."

"Are you sure I won't be in the way?" Poppy asked, moving so that she could look into Ulfric's eyes. She wouldn't know anything for sure unless she could read his eyes.

Ulfric smiled again and tweaked Poppy's nose playfully. "You're so small, I doubt you could get in the way of a skeever." He teased.

Poppy was so engrossed in her husband's smile that she lost her balance and tumbled into the bath water.
Her cheeks were again beet red as she sat up, not daring to look at Ulfric.

Galmar frowned at the apprentice Mage as he moved around the bed to inspect the young woman he'd brought in with him. "Where is the head Mage?" He demanded. "What good is a learner?"

Ulfric let out a hearty laugh, his powerful arms quick to circle around his wife who now sat in the tub with him, albeit fully clothed. "A man might think you were getting a little desperate, my love." He chuckled.

"The head Mage is busy with orders from the Jarl." The apprentice replied, sweat beading his brow as he concentrated on trying to heal the battered young woman on the bed.

Poppy was certain that she was about to die of embarrassment. "I'm so sorry." She breathed, placing her face in her hands. "I never seem to do anything right."

"What kind of orders?" Galmar pressed, tapping his boot hard on the stone floor.

"Don't ever be sorry. You are queen now, my love, people say sorry to you." Ulfric told his wife gently. "No harm was done, in fact..." He suddenly grinned. "I think I like this predicament even better than the mead!"

"As you pointed out, I am merely an apprentice, I am not privy to such information." The Mage relied thinly. "What do you care whether she survives any way? She could turn out to be an imperial spy."

Poppy couldn't help but laugh at this. "I'm afraid there is still no reward to it, my darling. I'm still fully clothed. I'm not sure we can accomplish anything that way."

"No one deserves what was happening to her." Galmar growled. "Not even those damned Imperials."

"There is a simple remedy to that..." Ulfric purred, rough fingers sliding slowly along Poppy's slender thigh beneath her soaking gown.

"You could have out her out of her misery." The Mage relied simply. "You really think if she pulls through, that her mental scars will be so easily fixed?"

"But what if you don't like it?" Poppy asked quickly, placing her fingers over her husband's. She wasn't as insistent as she would have liked. "What if it's not worth all this bother? The dowry..."

"There's no point in not trying. In her current state if she is one of us, she will never be allowed into Slovenguard."

"Lovely, you are no bother, trust me." Ulfric breathed, taking her hint and pulling his hand away. "You please me just by being yourself."

The Mage snorted quietly at this. "I think there is more to this than you are telling even the jarl." He commented. "I am no fool, even with such horrific wounds, it is clear she is rather easy on the eyes."

Poppy dared to press her lips to her Jarl's, her fingers timidly sliding along the hard muscles of his stomach. She didn't know what to do but she knew that sooner or later she would have to.

"I care not for her looks." Galmar hissed, starting to lose his temper. "I only care that she is a living soul like the rest of us. No one deserves what happened to her. Must I say that again?!"

Ulfric returned Poppy's kiss gently, afraid that if he let go too much, he would scare her. It was also to reason his fingers hovered just above her own, resisting the temptation to push them lower.

"If that were true, why have you not left her bedside?" The Mage shot back. "What was done to her... Maybe already have damaged her beyond repair anyway! The kind thing would have been a dagger to the heart!"

"Is it going to hurt?" Poppy asked timidly, pausing before she began to remove the silk gown that clung to her body. "Are you...going to regret it?"

Galmar was on his feet and shoving the Mage against the wall before the younger man had time to react. "You should find yourself a new place to learn your craft. You are done here." He snarled.

"Not for a second." Ulfric breathed, his battle worn fingers lightly tracing the creamy mounds of his wife's pert breasts, his eyes taking in every inch of her. "Sadly, I cannot say if it hurts, it is not something I can experience myself." He added, his deep blue eyes sad at the thought that he may well have hurt many woman over the years, they just never told him.

"Fine! It's too late for her anyway!" The Mage responded bravely. "She's as good as dead anyway!"
Even as the Mage spoke those words, Dex's bruised and bloodied lips parted slightly, just enough for her to utter the words. "Draco..." however, her voice was so hoarse it could easily have been mistaken for the word 'Dragon'.

"Then...let's experience it together." Poppy said after a long moment, giving in and allowing Ulfric to do as he pleased with her. She knew he had every intention of being gentle and it was because of this that she took his hands and placed them on her breasts as she tossed her dress out of the water.

Galmar hovered over the young woman as he heard her words. He'd shoved the mage into the hall and slammed the door on him. For some reason he felt much better now. Though not enough to keep him from worrying that she might know something about the dragon.

Ulfric pulled poppy into his lap with her slender legs resting around his lean waist. He was taking his time kissing her soft lips as his rough fingers teased her untouched flesh.

Dex's eyes slowly opened, the mage having eased at least a little of her pain. It would be the first time Galmar would have gotten to see her moonlight coloured eyes, and the truth would become clear; no Nord had eyes that colour.

Poppy woke the next morning grinning widely. Pain had been the last thing on her mind as she and her king and consummated their marriage. The only thing that truly worried her was that he surely hadn't enjoyed it as much as she had.

"Oh hell." Galmar muttered, shoving his fingers through his hair. This was not good. The moment Ulfric found out that that she was of Imperial blood, they were both going to be in trouble. "Go back to sleep, girl." He whispered. "You'll never heal awake."

Ulfric had most certainly never slept as well as he did that night. By the time the sun rose again, the bed covering had long since abandoned the bed, and he was left naked to the air, though he still had a powerful arm draped around his wife.

Dex's eyes darted about, and she was quick to realise that this was not the dark brotherhood sanctuary. Despite every part of her screaming out in pain, she tried to sit up. The slender woman scooted as far away from Galmar as she was able, a fear in her eyes that had never been there before her ordeal.

"Jarl!" The shout came from the other side of the door, the man it belonged to knowing better than to walk in to his chamber. "We must speak!" The Mage was pacing in the hall, terrified.
Poppy groaned and climbed over Ulfric, straddling him as she tried to reach for his robes.

Galmar held his hands up as he took several steps backward, showing her that he had no intention of touching her. "Easy now, girl. I'm not going to hurt you."

Ulfric was awake enough to settle his large hands upon Poppy's slender hips as she straddled across him. "I could sends him away..." He breathed, sitting up just enough to kiss the edge of one of her smooth breasts.

Dex's eyes darted to the door, clearly trying to decide if she could make a run for it before she was caught. The dark haired thief didn't realise the extent of her injury, and hit the floor the moment she attempted to dart to the door.

"It might be important." Poppy breathed, though her thoughts were not anywhere near the man outside the door. At the moment she could care less what he wanted.

"Oh great. Now how are we going to get you back in that bed?" Galmar muttered, his voice gruff with his frustration. "I can't touch you, you can't do it yourself...should I call for a woman to help you then?"