Mortal (Book 3)

Chapter 19

Although I'm glad to see Marcurio and Camilla, dinner drags on; and while I'm eager to start on my way to Markarth, I hate to leave while the wedding is in such heavy preparation and I have so much to do.
"So Nova, I hate to be so forward, but how soon after the wedding can we expect to see a new heir to the throne toddling around?" Camilla asks sweetly. I know she only means well but the question still stings. Under the table, Ulfric gently reaches over and squeeze my hand.
"Oh, I can't imagine having another child right now." I dodge her question, glancing to Sofie and Lucia playing with their toy swords across the room. They abandoned their dinner halfway through; Erdi sneaking them sweet rolls throughout the day probably had something to do with it.
"That begs the question; are your daughters heirs even though they're adopted?" Marcurio asks.
"That's entirely Nova's decision." Ulfric answers. "Normally adopted children don't inherit the throne but only by the preference of the King or Queen. It's not common, but it's been done before."
"I see." says Camilla. "So I suppose that makes Sofie the heir, if I'm not correct?" I nod.
"Yes, she's the eldest." I say, smiling as I watch them. Maybe I'll never bear a child, but Sofie and Lucia are plenty enough for me and just because I may not have carried them myself doesn't make them any less my children in my mind. However, a sad thought crosses my mind.; the Dragonborn bloodline will likely die with me.
"Well, Marcurio and I have been waiting to settle down somewhere that would be the right environment for a child. As you can imagine, the College wasn't exactly ideal for a family." She says.
"Certainly not, but here in Solitude it might be." Passing a pointed glance to Marcurio. He sighs.
"All right, all right. You don't have to bribe me anymore; I accept your offer." He says.
"Good, so Camilla and I both get what we want." I explain, raising my glass to her; she giggles.

~

After dinner I change into simple pants and a shirt, along with a wool hooded cloak and some old boots. I braid my hair back tightly so as to not reveal my trademark curls and pin it up in a tight bun. To top it all off, I scrub my face until there's not even the slightest trace I ever wore makeup in my life. Once I'm done, I'm hardly recognizable.
I pack my things in a simple rucksack and only the bare necessities go in. A few days worth of food, only about 200 gold to spend, a spare dagger and health potions. The only other weapon I bring is Kodlak's simple iron sword. I had meant to hang it back on a rack in his quarters after his death, but I could just never bring myself to do it.
"Are you sure about this?" Ulfric asks "What if you're recognized?"
"Markarth's full of Reachmen, Ulfric; I'll blend right in." I joke. He smiles.
"Just be on your guard. Could still be Thalmor lurking around." He warns me. I kiss him, letting my warmth mingle with his. There's never a feeling more perfect than this; than knowing he's equally mine as I am his.
"I can't wait to marry you." I sigh as he pulls away, giggling like a child.
"Soon enough, love." He says, kissing my forehead and hugging me close. "I love you."
"I love you too. I'll be back in a day or two." I tell him, kissing him once again before opening the door as quietly as possible and slipping out into the hallway. As a final order of business, I slip into Sofie and Lucia's room and kiss them both on the cheek as they sleep curled against each other. They've been given two beds, but they almost always squeeze into one of them together. Attached at the hip, these two.
I slip out the door of the palace and into the street. Even though it's been weeks since my coronation and the Jarls and nobles have long since left, the party still doesn't seem to have stopped for the rest of Solitude. Many of the travellers and visitors that came to town for the ball still haven't left, and they get drunk and dance outside the Winking Skeever every night, not wanting to let the excitement die. They don't bother me, but as soon as they start causing problems I can personally make sure the guards escort them out. I suppose though I can let them hang around until the wedding, no point in leaving just to come right back. After that though, they're gone. I push my way through the crowd of drunken travellers and through the gates; not a single one bats an eye at me. While I'm sure the alcohol has something to do with it, I doubt they'd recognize me sober either.
I had Fjori sent up to Solitude after my coronation; the poor thing sat in a stable in Whiterun the entire time I was in Sovngarde. When she sees me approaching the stables, she nearly trips herself in excitement.
"Did you miss me, girl?" I ask her, rubbing and kissing her nose.
"Wouldn't do that if I were you; that's the Queen's horse." A boy says behind me. He's a bit older than Sofie or Lucia, maybe eleven or twelve
"Oh is it now? And I'm the Queen." I tell him in feigned disbelief without turning to him. What fun is it being the queen in disguise if I can't terrorize the stable boy?
"I'll wake my master! I mean it!" He bluffs.
"And so do I." I respond, turning to him and pulling down my hood. For a moment he squints at me in the darkness, then his eyes grow improbably wide.
"Majesty, I—" He begins. I laugh, throwing him a small coin purse.
"Don't worry about it, kid." I tell him as I throw Fjori's saddle onto her back.
"Where are you going? Why are you dressed like that?" He asked. I thought there was no harm in revealing my identity to a stable boy, but perhaps I was wrong.
"Hush. You've got a lot of questions, don't you?"
"You've got a lot of gold, don't you?" He says, mocking my tone with a wicked grin on his face. A real charmer, this one. I sigh, leading Fjori to where he's perched on the fence.
"Keep quiet and there'll be more where that came from when I get back." I tell him, slipping him two more coins.
"Now you're talking, majesty." He says, winking at me. I roll my eyes, climb into Fjori's saddle and flick the reins.