None of that mattered anymore.
After having been on the road almost two hours, the damaged walls of Hawkstone began to come into view. Marius hadn’t seen Hawkstone in quite some time, so the sight of thecrushed red walls, damaged gatehouse, and general destruction was both pleasing and impressive. He knew it would take time and money to repair the place, as he intended to use the castle as a garrison, but that was what The Roden Twins were for.
They would soon belong to him.
Everythingwould soon belong to him.
To the southwest side of the castle, outside of the walls, he could see the remnants of an army encampment that he assumed was from Winterhold. He could see smoke trickling into the air from doused cooking fires, but there were no longer any men or structures. He thought it was rather strange, but he couldn’t concern himself with it now. With the de Thorington siblings preparing to surrender to him, that was all that mattered.
He charged in through the gatehouse like a conquering hero.
The bailey, cluttered and destroyed and smelling like human habitation, greeted him. It was eerily empty, but Marius was so damned happy with the outcome of this day that it didn’t occur to him to be cautious. He dismounted his horse at the gatehouse, tethering the animal before charging headlong into the bailey, looking for either of the de Thorington siblings. Only desolation greeted him, so he finally came to a halt in the middle of the bailey and started shouting.
“I have arrived!” he called. “Unless you want me to send to Winterhold for my entire army, you had better show yourselves. Well? Come out to greet me!”
His voice echoed off the old walls and even off the trees beyond, the ones on the slope of Hawk Mountain. The snow from the previous storm had mostly melted, revealing dark green, winter-frozen trees. Marius put his hands on his hips, growing increasingly perturbed at the lack of response, when he caught movement over near the hall.
A woman in white stood in the entry and it took him a moment to realize that it was Lady Emelisse. At least, he thought that was who it was. She looked ethereal and angelic standing there silently. Before he could shout at her, she turned and walked into the hall.
Grossly frustrated, he stomped after her.
“Lady?” he called. “Lady Emelisse, if that is you, come to me. Do you hear me? Come out here so that I may see you!”
He stomped and sloshed his way across the bailey, finally coming to the stone step that led up into the half-burned great hall. In fact, he smiled when he saw the damage, proud of the job his army had done with their war machines.
Hisarmy.
This was going to be the greatest moment of his life.
The interior of the hall was cold and dark but for the light coming in through the damaged roof. Marius spied the lady over near the hearth, simply sitting there in perhaps the only piece of furniture in the hall that hadn’t been stolen for firewood or damaged. She was looking at him as he entered and Marius slowed his pace, his gaze fixing on the woman.
The sunlight was streaming in on her, illuminating her where she sat. In the white woolen dress, with her blonde hair draped over one shoulder, she looked like a queen. Marius came to a halt, planting his fists on his hips as he looked at her.
“Lady Emelisse, I presume?” he asked.
She nodded, once. “It is I.”
“Where is your brother?”
“Dead.”
Marius couldn’t help the surprise that washed over him. “Dead?” he repeated. “When?”
“Two days ago in the same battle that claimed my father.”
Marius frowned. “But my father was told he was willing to negotiate the keep.”
“It was a lie.”
Marius stared at her a moment. “Lady, if you think to play games with me, I would advise against it,” he said. “Your castle is destroyed, your father dead, and you have nothing left.”
She smiled faintly, though it was without humor. “I think I do,” she said. “If I did not, you would not be here.”
Marius’ hands came off his hips and he made his way towards her. “You are all that is left of a bereft family,” he said. “You have Hawkstone, but that will soon be mine. Once I marry you, all of this will be mine, and what I do with you after our marriage depends on how you behave. I have no use for a wife I do not like or will fight me at every turn. Know your place and it is possible that you will live. Displease me and there shall be consequences.”
She didn’t say anything. She continued to stare at him, without moving, and Marius inched closer to her chair. She wasn’t responding to his threats and he didn’t like that. He wanted to see a submissive prisoner and, so far, she hadn’t displayed that.
He pushed harder.
