Work Text:
"Ahh that should do it" the dragonborn clapped their hands free of dust, "it's coming together quite nicely now yeah..."
"What are you doing, my thane?"
Dragonborn turned around to see their housecarl looking horrified, they made way over to them, held their shoulder and gave it a good shake. "Isn't it beautiful? Truly, who's idea was it to not update the interior of the houses? I mean YES the dwemer built this but do we HAVE to live like they did?"
The nord shook his head in confusion as he tried to understand what have happened, "the Jarl... may not like this Thane, they--"
"Shush now" they crossed their arms in a pouting way.
Argis left the room with the face of someone who's so done with this shit.
~~~~~
"Is there any work to be done, my Jarl?" Dovahkiin smiled, "there's a bounty on a giant at this location."
"It will be done~"
"One moment, thane..."
"Yes, Jarl?" Dragonborn looked around cautiously.
"I've heard some rumours--"
'Here we go again...' they thought 'Dark brotherhood? Thieves guild? College of winterhold? Which is it'
''A little bird have told me that you've upgraded your house, in a manner that my steward have not offered you." The jarl sat more upright, the steward shook their head with disappointment.
"Uh..." dragonborn mouthed confusion.
"Something about... a bed?" The jarl said carefully.
"Argis!" Dragonborn cursed under their breath, "ah yes... The bed..."
Some time passed before they continued "what of it?"
The guards looked at each other, Ondolemar just passed and stopped to observe the scene. The Jarl stood up and inhaled before he saw he was being watched, then exhaled "listen, I know you're the dragonborn... and maybe you're used to getting away with things--"
'You have no idea' they thought.
"--but this is my city. And you do not-" the jarl gestured around himself "-change! The interior-"
The steward joined in "we dont use those types of beds here! We're proud of the dwemers' designs--"
"Right, right!" The bossman of the city pointed at the confused dragonborn.
"Well, is the change irreversible? Or may the thane simply... Change it back? Or is it that horrific that they did this? May I see this monstrosity?"
The jarl sighed, though the high elf didn't have authority over Jarl business, he knew he had lost.
"Go and see for yourself... you're dismissed thane..." with a wave of the hand, the high elf and dragonborn walked away.
The odd pair walked up the stairs to Vlindrel Hall with Ondolemar's guards following close behind.
"Welcome back home th--" Argis stopped mid sentence and watched the high elf's and the dragonborn walk into their master bedroom.
"Don't mind us~" they winked.
Ondolemar stopped and watched the Dovahkiin walk over to the 'bed', "oh my..." was all he could say.
"Is it as bad as the Jarl and ARGIS-" they screamed out their housecarl's name to put emphasis.
''-seem to think?" Dovahkiin smiled innocently.
Ondolemar looked at his guards and whispered them a command and they left the room and closed the door.
He leaned on his hip and relaxed his posture, he sighed as he dragged a hand over his face. "How-- no... why... no that's not right either..."
A while went before he spoke again "...would you be able recreate... this?" He gestured to the... bed.
"Uh yeah, I've already done this update in a few of my other... houses..." they casually answered.
"Right."
"Yeah..."
Ondolemar walked around the room, Dragonborn could feel the tension build up, the guards passed the door; they could hear Argis stirr the pot.
"Can you do this, for my bed?" The high elf finally whispered. "What"
"Can you..." Ondolemar licked his lips "make my bed... to look like this."
A staring contest began.
"But a secret of course"
"Of course"
"Yeah, yeah I can do it" they agreed, the other's face lit up and smiled, a rare sigh for such a elegant race.
"Thank you, I'll give you compensation for the materials and work you've done."
"Oh, there's no need--" Dragonborn tried, "Gold? Maybe an enchanted weapon? Ah, destruction magic knowledge?"
"Ondolemar... There's no price for favours for friends." They smiled, the elf was taken back, but returned the smile nonetheless.
"Ah, thank you."
After the high elf's left the house and the dragonborn was left with their housecarl and all seemed to be right, the dragonborn sighed "all I did was add a mattress and some pillows, heck... a duvet... how on earth did it blow over like this?"
They looked to the side and took long steps "Argis, we need to talk about what to say to the jarl and what not to..."