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[Gilgamesh1138]

Oh I am so in love with the twins! I finally got to catch up. Great job LadyD! *does the happy dance* And I love the name Elwyn, like Eleanore and Wynne, how perfect.

[LadyAly]

LadyD. believe it or not - I am looking all day in here - so I can't miss the next chapter. Your Characters are so well written and I can them imagine in my head
for me the clear Nr.1 of all FF I have read so far.

Modifié par LadyAly, 26 avril 2010 - 09:22 .

[bob-san]

A mysterious letter?



And so it begins. An excellent chapter as always Lady D

[LadyDamodred]

Thank you very much, everyone, for all the feedback.  And that is high praise indeed, LadyAly.  Truly an honor to be considered such.

And yes.  So it begins.  Longer chapter here.
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Chapter 24

"So, do we invite Anora?"

Lya looked up from tickling Duncan's tummy at her husband. He was sitting across from her on the bed playing peek-a-boo with Elwyn. "What?" she asked him blankly.

"Do we invite Anora?"

"To what?"

"To the…unveiling," he said, gesturing at their children. Understanding dawned in Lya's eyes as she realized what he was talking about. Much like there had been a celebration to announce her pregnancy, there was one being planned to officially present to children to the assembled nobility. Unbelievably, there were still nobles not content with knowing the children had been born and were making demands that others outside of Alistair's and Lya's inner circle be allowed to see them. They had put off the demands for several months until the twins were old enough to handle an event like this without too much of a fuss.

Lya thought carefully. "She is the teyrna of Gwaren, Alistair. We can't not invite her. To do that would be a grievous insult, and we don't need her as an enemy."

Alistair grimaced. "I see your point, really I do, but I wish we didn't have to. It's not like she likes either of us." He sighed. "I wish you had let me execute her. It would make this easier."

She frowned at him. "That's unworthy of you, Alistair, and you know it. After the Archdemon, she wasn't really a threat to us, and I think we had slaughtered enough nobles at that point. Executing her wouldn't have done any good. And, honestly, could you have killed her in cold blood simply for being who she is?"

He sighed. "No, I couldn't have. Doesn't stop me from daydreaming, though. I just don't want her causing any trouble. This is going to seem like we're rubbing her nose in her failures."

Lya pursed her lips and nodded. "Maybe," she said slowly, "we should write a personal letter. We could let her know that we understand her reluctance if she doesn't want to come, but that we would appreciate it if she did. If we emphasized that it's only out of concern for the painful memories she must have, it would give her an out of she really doesn't wish to come."

"Hm, that could work. I guess the question now is who gets to write the letter? I'm not exactly her favorite person, you know."

"Like I am? You only killed her father, Alistair. I took her throne from her, and between the two of us, I know that wound cuts deeper. She loathes me, Alistair, and everyone knows it. It's apparent to anyone who's ever attended a Landsmeet." Her lips twisted. "I doesn't help that I lied to her about supporting her, but I trusted her about-"

"About as far as you could throw a chevalier and his horse." Alistair finished for her. He grinned at her and dodged the small pillow she tossed at his head, while she mock glowered at him from under lowered eyebrows.

The amusement vanished from her face and she sighed wearily. "Let's just have Eamon write the damn thing. She probably wouldn't believe anything from us was sincere anyway. At least from Eamon, she'll accept that it's not pity, and just his way of trying to be tactful."

"Then it's settled. We can mention it to him later today." Alistair took a deep breath in relief and then frowned. Picking up Elwyn, he held her out at arms' length suspiciously. He threw a hopeful look in Lya's direction.

She shook her in amusement. "Not a chance. It's your turn." She bit her lip to keep from laughing as he eased himself off the bed and towards the changing table against a wall. Faint grumbles of "Not very princess-like" and "How can something so small make such a mess?" drifted back to her as she turned attention back to Duncan's tummy.

* * *

The debut, as everyone had taken to calling it, was going smoothly. The atmosphere was more subdued than it had been when they announced Lya's pregnancy. The Landsmeet had provided the perfect opportunity since all the nobles were already gathered, and the decision to hold the gathering after the politics had been an easy one. Everyone was taking the opportunity to wind down from the sometimes contentious proceedings, and there was a definite sense that everyone would go home from this Landsmeet more relaxed than they normally did.

Alistair was circulating through the crowd at the moment while Lya escorted nobles who wanted to see the children into a small receiving room one and two at a time. He checked on her periodically to see if she wanted a break, but she had declined. She was very protective of the twins and Alistair didn't think she wanted anyone in with their children without her presence.

Nobles who had already been in to see the children offered compliments on the children. Alistair wasn't sure how he was supposed to take that. Obviously, he could claim some of the credit for how they looked, but it wasn't like he had any control over it. He accepted the well wishes graciously though. His children did seem well-behaved and attractive, not that he had any great experience with babies, and he thought people seemed genuine in their praise and not simply trying to flatter him.

One thing did bother him, though, and it had been something he had overhead coming from Eamon and a few of the older nobles. "The boy looks just like Cailan did as a baby," Eamon had said to a small group. "Except the eyes, of course. Has his mother's eyes. That seems to always be the case, though. Theirin blood breeds true, but they always have their mothers' eyes." The nobles with Eamon had chuckled and agreed.

Alistair had slipped away from the group; fairly certain none of them had realized that he overheard them. He was uncomfortable having his son compared to Cailan. His half-brother had seemed like a good man, even with all his faults, but if Duncan turned out like Cailan did, Alistair was not going to be very happy.

The other thing that bothered Alistair, the real issue if he were honest with himself, was that they were comparing Duncan to Cailan and not to him. Eamon surely had seen him as a baby, but none of the other nobles had, and Alistair couldn't repress the stab of bitterness at the reason why. The others had seen Cailan because Maric had been an actual father to his brother; he had raised and acknowledged him. Meanwhile, Alistair had been pushed off to the side, an embarrassing reminder of an indiscretion best left forgotten.

It bothered him more now than it used to. Having held his own children in his arms, he couldn't imagine ever willingly sending them away to never see them again; to have them grow up alone and unwanted. But then Maric had never done that, had he? Cailan had been his real son, the product of a marriage to a beautiful queen. Alistair doubted Maric had even been aware of his existence until Eamon had told him. Was it easier to ignore a child you had never seen?

With a rush of guilt, Alistair thought about his other child, the one he would never know. He regretted that he would never hold that child or know what it looked like or learn its name. And he had his answer. While he would tear the world apart if anyone tried to take Elwyn or Duncan from him, he would let his firstborn remain unknown to him and that idea didn't bother him as much as it used to. Maric had probably felt the same way and Alistair laughed softly at the bitter irony of it. Wherever she was, Alistair hoped Morrigan would tell her child, and it was easier to think of it as hers, he hadn't just abandoned them.

"Am I not to see your children?" A cool voice from behind him interrupted his thoughts, and he turned to see the former queen of Ferelden and the current teyrna of Gwaren looking at him.

Anora was as impeccable of ever. Her pale blue gown was stunning; a perfect match to her ice blue eyes, and her long blonde hair was arranged in a slightly more elaborate braided style than she normally wore. She was looking at him now with one delicately arched eyebrow slightly raised.

"Teyrna Anora," he said, trying to put as much friendliness into as he could. Lya had told him to play nice, and as much as he disliked Anora, he was always very careful to be scrupulously polite to her in public. "How are you this evening?"

"I am well, your majesty," she replied, adding the slight emphasis that she always did when speaking to either Lya or him. He tried not to sigh. Maker, but she made this far more difficult than it had to be. "So is the teyrna of Gwaren not worthy to see the heirs to Ferelden? Or does his majesty simply wish to avoid embarrassing me by not pointing out all of my many flaws and failures as queen?"

The tightly controlled voice and expression told him she was furious more clearly than a raging fit ever would. Alistair frowned and quickly thought back over the last week or so. As far as he could tell, they hadn't done anything to offend her this much, and she had seemed completely fine before the festivities tonight. Something had happened, and recently, and he wanted to find out. He did not need her seething over something and causing trouble. Besides, all personal feelings aside, she really was a valuable asset.

Gently taking her arm, he drew her off to the side to afford them some more privacy. She stiffened at his touch, and while he kept the contact as brief as possible, she still sighed in relief as his hand fell away. "Did something happen that I'm not aware of?" he asked quietly.

Both of her eyebrows rose at his question. "Did something happen? Of course not, your majesty. Nothing except being told that everything Cailan and I did meant nothing because we had no children."

Alistair took a deep breath and bit his tongue to keep from saying something he would regret. A quick mental templar exercise calmed him some more and he looked at her steadily. "Who said that, Anora?" When she said nothing, he shook his head faintly. "Whoever said that was out of line, Anora. You can tell me now or I can have my people find out later. I will make sure that whatever loudmouthed noble said that will know that he is out of line. Regardless of any personal feelings, you are a teyrna and you will be respected, especially here."

Anora pursed her lips slightly. "You'll forgive me if I don't quite believe you."

Alistair gritted his teeth and firmly grabbed Anora's arm to guide her from the room. As they walked to the room where the twins were, he leaned down to speak quietly. "Damn it, Anora, enough. I know you don't like us, and believe me the feeling is mutual, but we do respect you. If we didn't, you never would have left that tower, and most importantly, wouldn't have gotten Gwaren." She scoffed, and he continued without giving her a chance to interrupt. They were approaching the door to the room, and he halted and turned her to face him so he could look her in the eye.

"I can't afford to waste talent. And as much as I disagree with some of the things you did, and as much as I think you're a cold-hearted b-" He shut his mouth before he inserted his foot completely. "As much as I think you can be cold and heartless, I need you. I need someone capable to keep Gwaren running and I need someone I can trust. Lya and I both believe you will always put Ferelden first, even if we feel your ideas are not what's best for Ferelden. And that's the only reason you still have your head and some measure of power. If we doubted that for even a second, you would lose one right after the other.

"Now, you can tell me who's being an ass or you can not. The choice is yours. But I'm tired of all the little jibes and snippy comments and they stop tonight. I'm not suggesting we're ever going to like each other, but can we please call a truce?" He offered a hand to her.

She looked at it for a long moment before finally giving a sharp nod and clasping it briefly in hers. Alistair let out a sigh of relief, ignoring the faintly condescending expression that crossed her face. He opened the door quietly and ushered her into the small room. Lya was sitting in a comfortable chair holding Elwyn, but when she saw who entered, she rose to her feet, nodded to Anora and placed Elwyn back next to Duncan.

Anora hesitated before going slowly over to the crib to peer in. She looked in for several long moments, her fingers curling over the edge of the crib as she looked in.

"Would you like to hold either of them?" Lya asked gently.

Shaking her head, Anora said quietly, "No, that's…quite all right." Lya merely nodded once and stepped back to wait. Anora looked for another minute or so before finally stepping away from the crib. She looked at Alistair and Lya steadily, though her blue eyes seemed darker and there was something grave in her face. "They are truly beautiful children. Congratulations to you both. Now, if you'll excuse me…?" With that, she eased past them and slipped out the door, shutting it firmly behind her.

Crossing over to him to give him a quick kiss, Lya murmured, "What was that all about?" Alistair sighed and shook his head. "Anora being Anora and the nobility acting like asses. Same old, same old." He looked around the small room. "Let's have Liadan take the twins back upstairs and go back and mingle with our guests. I, at least, need a drink."

* * *

The hallways of the royal palace were mostly deserted, which made the lone figure slipping quietly through them stand out all the more. Zevran followed at a cautious distance, taking great care to stick to the shadows. The man ahead of him had wandered away from the party and was slowly working his way deeper into the palace. Zevran was content to follow, unsure of what exactly the man was doing or where he was going, and wanted to see what his goal was before confronting him.

When the man turned towards the area where the royal apartments and guest rooms were, however, Zevran moved quickly to put an end to the stranger's curiosity. His hands settled around the hilts of the twin daggers he wore, and cursed silently that he had agreed to wear finery instead of leather for the event. He came up behind the man silently, and cleared his throat.

The stranger turned quickly, startled by the sound. Zevran smiled an easy, reassuring smile that did not touch his eyes. "Can I help you?" he asked smoothly. "You appear to be…lost."

"Ah, yes, thank you," the man replied, also smiling. His eyes flickered down the Zevran's hands which rested on the pommels of his daggers. "This place is so big, I got turned around when I went looking for some fresh air."

"I see. Quite understandable. Here, let me guide you back." Zevran extended a hand back down the hall in the direction they had come from. The man eye's flicked around in one last look before starting back towards the hall. When they arrived, Zevran watched as the man went over to join Anora. He frowned. A stranger wandering the palace was bad. A stranger wandering around private areas of the palace was worse. A stranger under the employ of a deposed monarch doing such things was more than troubling.

They would have to set a closer watch on Anora. Zevran pondered for a moment and decided not to tell Lya and Alistair, at least not yet. Once he had more information, then he would see.

[Gilgamesh1138]

Thank goodness for the Antivan troublemaker! I love Zev. And I love how Ali tried to deal with Anora, calmly. This is very sinister, I can't wait to see what happens next! : D Great chapter Lady D!

[LadyDamodred]

Struggled a bit with this.  not sure how happy I am with the results.  Comments appreciated as I may go back and rework the chapter.
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Chapter 25

Lya settled back into the couch and leaned against Alistair, tired, but happy. The room was full of people and rather noisy, but they were all friends and family so she didn't mind. The Landsmeet and gathering had ended two days ago, and most of the nobility had returned home, but Fergus and Teagan had stayed behind for a few more days to catch up and relax. Delano, despite being the de facto Arl of Amaranthine, had opted not to come to the Landsmeet, sending Nathaniel in his place. Nathaniel had brought Oghren, Anders and Justice along with him, as well as a handful of other Wardens. It gave the entire gathering a sense of familiarity.

Right now, conversation was free-flowing, but her attention was on the small group on the floor. Anders and Justice were both sitting on the floor, each of them holding one of the twins. Anders was making little flames dance on the end of his fingers to amuse Duncan, who squealed with delight every time the flames flickered on and off. Alistair kept tensing next to her when Anders did that and she squeezed his hand in reassurance each time. Anders would never hurt them, and she knew Alistair knew that, but a decade of Chantry doctrine was not soon forgotten.

It was Justice, though, that she focused on. Introducing him to Fergus and Teagan had been…interesting. It had taken a little while to explain what he was to them, and that he really wasn't evil or posed any threat. Teagan had been especially dubious, and for good cause, but he seemed to be coming around. It helped that Justice's body was holding up fairly well and didn't seem to rot quite like normal corpses did. Her mind shuddered away from that thought.

Right now, he was holding Elwyn out and was looking at her critically. Elwyn, for her part, regarded him placidly. "It is strange. I have never seen one of these so close up before," he was saying.

"She's called a baby, Justice." She looked thoughtful. "You've really never seen one before?"
"Oh, I have seen them around in Amaranthine. But to actually hold one? No, this is the first time. I find it most interesting."

"But, surely you've seen Oghren's Lya…." She looked over to her dwarven friend. Oghren shook his head.

"Fels doesn't bring her to the Vigil," he said. "And when I go to visit I don't exactly bring company."

She looked over to Nathaniel sitting across from her. "What about Christopher?" He shook his head as well at the mention of his nephew.

"Delilah doesn't come to the keep at all, and, no offense, Justice, I don't think she'd be very comfortable with you in her home."

"Oh. I didn't realize that."

"It is of no moment," Justice replied. "I simply find it intriguing that humans start out so small and helpless." He brought Elwyn closer to his face, looking back and forth between her and Lya and Alistair. "She looks like you, Lya, but not completely. There is a little bit of Alistair in her, I think."

"I should hope so," Alistair said, and then got a slightly uncomfortable look on his face. "Ah…you do know where babies come from, right?"

Justice looked up at him. "Of course. I have this body's memories. Many of them are of Kristoff and Aura attempting to conceive one. Why?"

"I do not know, Alistair!" Zevran called from across the room. "Please, enlighten us!"

Alistair groaned and rubbed his face. "Forget I said anything. Me and my big mouth. Besides, Wynne's the expert here." The room exploded into laughter before he realized what he said, and he turned an interesting shade of scarlet. "Oh, Maker's breath! What is wrong with you people? I only meant that there was that one time with she and I-" He cut himself off as laughs began anew and threw up his hands. "I give up!"

Lya wiped her eyes and leaned over to give him a kiss. "We tease because we care, love." He grumbled a little bit, but accepted the kiss more than willingly and allowed the subject to drop. Lya snuggled a little closer into his side and looked over at Nathaniel.

"How is the Vigil these days?" she asked quietly. "And how many Wardens do we have now?"

"Tense," he replied. "We have fifty-six Wardens, of which thirty-two are Fereldan, including us." He gestured towards the others. Lya frowned.

"We've only added twenty-eight Wardens in two years?"

Nathaniel shook his head. "Yes, and we've been very aggressive in recruiting, too. There's no shortage of volunteers, but it's difficult to find the right combination in people we think will survive. We would have had more, but the Joining…" He trailed off, glancing towards Teagan and Fergus. They were on the other side of the room, not close enough to hear and not listening, but Nathaniel leaned closer anyway. "The Wardens Weisshaupt sent say the survival rate is about the same as it always is. We lose about half the recruits at each Joining."

Lya sighed heavily and Alistair shook his head; the memory of the Joining never really faded. "There are twenty-four Wardens from outside Ferelden now?" Alistair asked. Nathaniel nodded his head. "So Osric keeps sending more."

"Yes. A couple at a time every few months or so. It's another reason I'd like to increase recruitment. Since the foreign Wardens are older and more experienced, we're beginning to feel outnumbered."

She looked at her friends talking and laughing throughout the room. "This is so stupid!" she whispered harshly. "There's no reason for us to be squabbling like this." She looked at Alistair and Nathaniel helplessly. "But if we do nothing, Osric wins in Amaranthine and I can't see that ending in anything good."

"Oh, I don't think there's no reason." Alistair raised an eyebrow. "I did almost kill him, if you recall."

"Yes, I recall. But it shouldn't involve the rest of the Wardens like it is."

Nathaniel spoke slowly. "I don't think they see it separate, though. I mean, it makes sense. Wardens are supposed to give up all of their past when they Join, but we're pretty poor examples of that." He gestured to the others as he said that. "I think that might be Osric's goal more than anything else; to make sure Fereldan Wardens see themselves as Wardens above all else." He grinned at his friends. "The two of you are seen as a 'distracting influence' on the junior Wardens. As long as we toe the party line, none of the older Wardens seem to have any problems with us." He grimaced. "It's a hard line to toe sometimes. For some more than others."

Looking carefully towards Oghren and Anders, she lowered her voice even more. "Do we need to make plans?" Nathaniel followed her gaze and frowned thoughtfully.

"No, not yet. Let's wait and see. Moving them too soon would be suspicious. As tense as things are, it might be getting better. I don't know yet."

Alistair nodded, and then rubbed the back of his neck. "I never thought I would be in this position. When Duncan recruited me, I could never have foreseen this. Sometimes, I wish…."

Lya squeezed his knee gently. "We are what we are, Alistair. We're still Wardens; they can't take that from us."

He looked at her. "Can't they? I haven't been looked at as a Warden since I took the throne. It might sound odd, but that bothers me. We're only here because we are Wardens. To not have that matter anymore…."

Lya didn't know what to tell him. For Alistair, becoming a Grey Warden had been something incredible; an escape from a life he hated and chance to truly prove himself. It wasn't the same for her. Yes, she had wanted to be a Warden, but she had become one during the most terrible period in her life. She didn't regret it, not for a moment, and she was proud of what she was and what they had done, but it was bittersweet. And unlike Alistair, she had never fully embraced it, could probably never have fully embraced it.

"We know what we are," she said finally. "It doesn't matter what they say. They can't take what we are and what we did from us. I wish it hadn't come to this, but Osric forced the issue first."

He shrugged. "I suppose you're right." He turned back to Nathaniel. "If you need anything, let us know. Whatever help we can offer is yours."

"Thank you, Alistair. I'm hoping it won't come to that." He thought for a moment. "Actually, if I could impose on your hospitality for a few days, there are a few things I'd like to check on while I'm Denerim. The others are heading back tomorrow; I don't want them gone from the Vigil for too long."

"Of course." Lya looked at her friends. "Well, if they're leaving tomorrow, I want to spend some more time with them." She rose from the couch and dropped down the floor next to Anders where she helped him remove Duncan's hand from his earring, and began catching up with them.

Alistair watched his wife settle in with their friends and turned back to Nathaniel. "So," he said quietly, "how much are you not telling us?" Nathaniel looked startled for a moment before grinning.

"You're more perceptive than you look, Alistair."

"Yes, well, it sort of comes with the job." He inclined his head towards Lya. "And I've had a good teacher." He looked at Nathaniel expectantly, and the other man sighed.

"I'm not keeping that much from you; just some personal suspicions and they have more to do with Delano himself than the order as a whole. I get the feeling he's playing his own game. I'm not trying to keep secrets, Alistair, but it's probably safer for you in case I mess up. You'll be able to deny everything." He held up a hand to forestall any interruption. "I live there. Trust me. I know what I'm doing."

Alistair thought it over and finally nodded. "Just be careful, all right?" He gestured to his wife. "She doesn't like losing people."

Nathaniel grinned. "And I don't really want to be lost. I'll be careful."

***

The next day, after some long goodbyes, much hugging and a challenge to a drinking contest, Oghren, Anders and Justice left with the rest of the Wardens. Teagan and Kaitlyn returned to Eamon's estate to spend time with him and Isolde before packing and going back to Redcliffe. Fergus decided to stay for a few more days until Nathaniel's business was done, and then they would head back to Highever together by way of Amaranthine. No one was comfortable letting Nathaniel go back by himself, and a royal guard wouldn't send the right message. Fergus also expressed a desire to spend more time with his family, which Lya was ecstatic about.

The night before he was heading back to Highever, Fergus helped Lya put the twins to bed. He stood looking down at them, his expression troubled. Lya guessed where his thoughts were and rubbed his back gently.

"Dara's expecting," he said quietly. She gasped and he turned to face her. "That's why she didn't come. I don't want her traveling, not now."

Lya's expression softened. "I think that's wonderful news, Fergus." She paused and bit her lip. "Are you all right?" she asked tentatively.

He started to speak and then shook his head. "Yes. No. Both, I guess? I'm happy, I really am, but I can't forget Oren and Oriana. I feel like I'm replacing them and…." He scrubbed a hand across his eyes. "Dara is being incredibly understanding about it. I'm not sure what I did to deserve her."

Lya hugged him, hard, offering all the support she could. Her big brother had always been there to protect her, and she wished she could do more for him now than just be there. "We won't forget them, Fergus," she said softly. "But you need to live. Believe me, if there's any lesson I've learned, it's that one. We can never forget those we lost, but we have to live for them." He returned her hug fiercely, and they stood for awhile, remembering what had been. Lya said nothing when she felt Fergus's chest hitch a few times, or felt the wetness against her cheek.

Fergus finally stepped back and drew a deep breath. "Mother and Father would really be proud of you, you know." He grinned crookedly. "I guess you weren't an accident after all." She smiled at the old joke; the tease about why she was nearly a decade younger than him.

"Apology accepted, big brother. I have just one favor to ask."

"Oh?"

She grinned at him. "Whatever you have, please don't name the baby after me or Alistair. I don't think the kingdom can take anymore. Half the time I'm in public, I nearly twist my head off trying to see who's calling us." He reached out and ruffled her hair.

"I think I can handle that, little sister."

***

They said goodbye the next morning, promising to come and visit at Highever soon. Once Fergus and Nathaniel left with their escort and were no longer in sight, Lya and Alistair returned to the palace. It would be nice to get back into a normal routine and enjoy the mundane aspects of life. As Alistair started to go through the paperwork awaiting them, he chuckled. "I can't believe I'm actually looking forward to doing this. Who would've thought lumber contracts could be so fascinating?"

Lya laughed. "I'm willing to wager your newfound enthusiasm for trade won't last the week."

He grinned at her. "Probably not, but let's enjoy it while it lasts. I'm looking forward to a nice long stretch where the most exciting thing is the price of timber going up." Lya nodded in agreement. She was looking forward to it, too.

But they didn't get a week.

The evening two days after Fergus left, Zevran came to their rooms. Lya felt her heart sink at the expression on his face. "What's wrong? What happened?" She felt Alistair come up behind her, but the weight of his hand on her shoulder was not reassuring.

"There's been a problem, Lya. Your brother's party was attacked while on the road. They returned here for healing"

The blood drained from her face. "Fergus?" she whispered.

"He will be fine. The mages are with them now. But…"

"But what, Zevran? Who isn't fine?"

He looked at her, his golden eyes somber. "Nathaniel."

[Lintanis]

Fanfiction - Sundered Order - Updated.. saw that came straight here lol. Excellent chapter love the lines "I do not know, Alistair!" Zevran called from across the room. "Please, enlighten us!" and Wynne's the expert here." The room exploded into laughter before he realized what he said, and he turned an interesting shade of scarlet . and it dont sound good for poor nate .

[Lady Jess]

Oh my! I'll be on pins and needles waiting for the next part now.

[bob-san]

Oooo Nathanial's hurt?



Now the question remains, was it simple highwaymen? Darkspawn? Or Osric's doing?

[Sandtigress]

Uh oh, poor Nathaniel!!!! Where's Anders to the rescue when you need him??

[Miri1984]

Oh no, not Nate!



I agree with Sandtigress - Anders to the rescue!

[LadyDamodred]

Anders is back at the Vigil, sadly. No heroic rescuing for him on this one.

[KnightofPhoenix]

I still find the idea of a corpse holding a baby unsettling lol. But yea great chapter. Trust me people, the story is going to be very exciting soon.

[LadyDamodred]

KnightofPhoenix wrote...

I still find the idea of a corpse holding a baby unsettling lol. But yea great chapter. Trust me people, the story is going to be very exciting soon.

I have the feeling that "unsettling" wore off on these people a long time ago.  Besides, gotta get the kids used to it as soon as possible.  XD  And yes, things have been set into motion.  Excitement and fun times for all!

[LadyAly]

Can't wait

[Lintanis]

And yes, things have been set into motion., excellent news . Cant play the game (DA not working on PS3 at the moment, got a bad freeze bug after sony hardware update ) so its good can read about it

[LadyDamodred]

Chapter 26

Lya paced the hall outside Nathaniel's room like a caged animal. Ten paces up the hall, a hard turn and ten paces back to stand before the closed door for a moment before turning and beginning again. Wynne and Shaye were both in the room working on Nathaniel and they were refusing to let anyone in at the moment.

Those waiting in the hall with Lya watched her uneasily. Zevran was crouched on his haunches and Alistair leaned against a wall. A guard had dragged a chair into the hallway for Fergus; even with magical healing, his thigh would still take time to heal completely from the deep slash. The injury wasn't that serious, and Lya had been reassured when she had been able to actually see the wound for herself. The only reason he hadn't been more severely wounded now lay in the room beyond the door, drowning in his own blood.

"Bandits," Alistair said in disgust. "Less than a day from the capital. Unbelievable."

"Yes. Bandits." Zevran's voice was carefully neutral and Lya looked up at him.

"You think it was something else?"

He gave her a bemused look. "Since when has anything we've ever done been as simple as dealing with common bandits? They may indeed have been such, but I doubt it."

Her lips thinned and she looked at her brother. He shook his head. "I wish I could tell you, little sister. I don't have nearly as much experience with these things as you do. Nothing seemed to stand out about them."

"Nothing except the fact that they attacked a well-armed party. Did any of them get away?"

Fergus shrugged. "I don't know. Once the fighting started, I was too busy trying to stay alive to pay attention to that. And after, I was too busy trying to…." He trailed off, looking towards the closed door. "My guards might know, though. I would suggest asking them."

Zevran stood and stretched. "I will. I will also be going to look at the bodies. With your permission, Teyrn Cousland, I would like to take some of your guards to confirm a few things."

"Of course."

"Then I will see you in a few days."

"Zev…" Lya said in a low voice. He grinned at her.

"I will be fine, my dear Warden. I do, if you remember, have some experience with roadside traps."

"I remember that ending rather poorly on your part."

"Oh, I don't know. I happen to think it worked out rather well, don't you?" She laughed weakly, but her heart wasn't in it. "I will be careful. And when I return, I shall personally escort your brother home, if for no other reason than to keep from having to watch you pace."

"I-" She stopped and flushed, almost as if she were embarrassed. "Thank you, Zevran."

He swept a low, teasing bow as he left. "Anytime, my dear."

Lya turned as if to resume her pacing, but sighed and sagged against a wall instead. She buried her face in her hands. "Queen of my own sodding country and I can't even keep my friends or my brother safe."

"This is not your fault, Lya," Fergus reassured her. "You can't be responsible for everything."

She exchanged a grim look with Alistair. "I wouldn't be so quick to say that, Fergus," she said darkly. Fergus looked from her to Alistair and back and waited expectantly. Lya shook her head firmly. "No, we can't tell you. It's probably better if you don't know."

"Ah. Grey Warden business?"

"Maybe. Hopefully not. Probably not, though given how badly Nate is injured I can't help but wonder if he was the target.

"No." Fergus's denial was firm. "The blade Howe took was meant for me. The bandit that got through would have killed me had he not thrown himself in the way. In complete honesty, Lya, it didn't seem as if anyone was a particular target. They tried to kill us all equally."

"I hope so." She looked horrified as soon as the words left her mouth and clapped a hand over her mouth. "Maker's breath, that's not what I meant!"

"It's all right, Lya. We know what you meant," Alistair said gently. "You're tired, angry and worried. We're not about to get upset over something like that."

She muttered a quiet oath and slid down the wall further to sit on the floor with her legs stretched out in front of her. Casting a worried glance towards the door, she spat, "He survived breaking into the Vigil, the Joining, talking darkspawn, the Mother and Architect only be felled by a bandit! If he dies, I'm going to kill him."

Silence fell in the hallway as they continued to wait. In time, Lya's head sagged and her breathing evened out as she nodded off. Alistair sat next to Fergus's chair and they both watched her sleep. "Life with her is never dull, is it?" Fergus asked dryly. Alistair laughed, but softly to avoid waking her up.

"You can say that again." He yawned and rubbed his temples. "By the Maker, I'm tired." He looked up at his brother-in-law, noting the dark circles under his eyes and lines of fatigue on his face. "You should probably go to bed."

"No, I intend to wait. I owe him that." He hesitated, looking troubled, before going on. "I've wronged him. I…found it really hard to trust him. He's a Howe, and after everything that had happened…. Lya never held what his father did against him, but I haven't been so generous. He didn't have to do what he did, and I owe him my life. The least I can do it wait to see whether he lives or dies."

Alistair nodded and when conversation lapsed again, he let it lie. Fergus eventually dozed off and Alistair had to keep jerking himself awake to keep from joining them. The door to Nathaniel's room remained closed. They've been in there too long, he thought to himself.

Finally, finally, the door opened and Wynne stepped out. The front of her robes was splattered with a not insignificant amount of blood and she looked absolutely exhausted, her face grayed and haggard. She cleared her throat gently and both Lya and Fergus came instantly awake. Lya shot to her feet, staggering a little as her legs refused to support her for a moment, but her eyes never left Wynne's face.

"He's alive," Wynne assured her quietly. "But he is very weak. The dagger punctured one of his lungs. He lost a lot of blood and had a great deal of internal bleeding. It's no small miracle that he even made it here in time. He's asleep right now and we're going to keep him that way. It is imperative that he does not exert himself in any way, and he must be watched closely. With his lungs the way they are, any illness or infection will kill him.

"But if all goes well, I think he will live. He is a very, very lucky young man."

Lya pressed the heels of her hands against her eyes and took a ragged breath. "Thank you, Wynne," she whispered thickly.

"You're welcome. Now, I'm going to bed. I suggest you all do the same." Lya nodded and Alistair extended a hand to help Fergus up. He walked Lya's brother to his room while Lya went with Wynne. They met back up on the way to their rooms and Alistair pulled her close as they walked.

"We have got to stop doing this," she muttered.

"Stop doing what?" he asked lightly. "Oh, you mean attracting all the trouble in the kingdom and then throwing ourselves in harm's way to protect others. Yes, I see what you mean."

"I'm not joking, Alistair."

"I'm not either." He looked at her, faintly amused. "Who else do you know who can deal with this stuff day in and day out? We're far from helpless, Lya. You can't be responsible for everything that goes wrong, and you can't always rush in to save us." Giving her a quick grin, he added, "Though I must admit, it's pretty impressive when you do." She elbowed him lightly in the ribs.

"I guess you're right. I just can't stop thinking of him, and everyone else, as my responsibility." She rubbed her forehead and yawned. "One of these days I really am going to let you fend for yourselves, and then where will you be?"

"Probably lost and missing my pants."

"Missing your pants? Now there's a thought."

"Minx."

***

It was a week before Wynne and Shaye allowed Nathaniel to awaken from his magically-induced slumber, and allowed people in to see him. Lya went in first, and drew a shocked gasp at what she saw. He had lost weight, his cheeks sunken, and his skin was unhealthy shade of white underneath his tan. Despite being asleep for a week, his eyes were rimmed with black and he looked absolutely exhausted.

"That bad?" he asked when he saw her expression. Even his voice was weak, raw and cracked.

"Maker's blood, Nate, you look like death." She moved to take the chair next to his bed, and reached out a hand to clasp his. He returned the grip, but the familiar strength she was used to feeling was gone.

Nathaniel grimaced. "I feel like it." He cleared his throat and gestured towards a glass of water on the table by his bed. She reached for it hastily, and helped him hold and drink from it. His lips twisted as she set the glass back down.

"Don't," she said quietly. "We've all been there. It's not weakness to take help when you need it." He said nothing and she sighed. "Stubborn," she muttered under her breath.

"Like you handle it any better." She laughed and nodded, conceding the point. "I assume you're looking into what happened."

"Yes. Zevran left shortly after you were brought back, but he hasn't returned yet. When he does, I will let you know immediately." She paused and bit her lip. "I need to thank you, Nate. If it wasn't for you…."

He waved off her words. "There's nothing to thank me for. I just did what any of his guards would have done."

"But it wasn't any of his guards that saved my brother. It was you and I can't ever repay you for that. If you're up to it, he wants to see you himself." He nodded.

Lya went to the door and opened it, beckoning for her brother to enter. Fergus entered, and while his eyes widened at the sight of Nathaniel, he kept his expression carefully schooled. He held the door open a moment longer and Alistair followed him in. Nodding once to her husband, Fergus turned to address Nathaniel. Lya looked at Alistair quizzically.

"I don't know," he whispered. "He just asked me to come."

"Nathaniel Howe," Fergus said, "I owe you my life. There are no words to describe my gratitude for such a brave and selfless act."

"Oh, I don't know. You seem to be finding the words just fine," Nathaniel drawled wryly.

Fergus grinned and gave a brief laugh. "You're spoiling the moment. Let me finish."

"Sorry."

"So," Fergus continued, "in return for such an act, I am hereby requesting that a portion of Amaranthine be returned to you and your family." He turned to Alistair. "If your Majesty is willing to help, of course. Technically, the land is controlled by the Grey Wardens, so you'll probably have to write up something official, but I think such loyalty is worth a little effort to reward."

Alistair's face split in a wide grin. "I think I can manage that."

Nathaniel looked stunned. "My lord, that's n-not…why I did it…."

"I know," Fergus said quietly. "You did it because you're a good man, and you deserve the chance to truly redeem your family's name. This will help and I am more than happy to request it. Know that you, and your family, will always be welcome in Highever." He looked over at Lya, who looked extraordinarily pleased at the situation.

"I also owe you an apology. Lya saw you for you and not just a name long ago. I held your father's crimes against you, and that was unfair of me." He cut off Nathaniel's objection. "It was. I should have known better than that, and it was unworthy of me, especially given everything you did for Lya. I hope you can forgive me for that."

Still looking slightly dazed, Nathaniel nodded slowly. "Accepted. And…thank you. You have no idea what this means."

"I think I might. But we don't need to talk about it." He cocked his head to the side and grinned, a mannerism so reminiscent of Lya it was startling. "And my name is Fergus, none of that 'my lord' nonsense."

Nathaniel grinned back and held his hand out to Fergus, who took it warmly in his own. Lya smiled, thinking that, somewhere, her father approved.

***

Zevran returned three days later. He strode into Lya and Alistair's sitting room, still covered in road dust and with Kade following close behind him. "I'm going to Gwaren," he announced.

"I-uh…. All right." Alistair said mildly. "Can we ask why you're going to Gwaren?"

Zevran turned to Kade and took the large object the other man had been carrying. He tossed it onto the table, where is landed with a steely clatter. "That," he said tightly," is why I'm going to Gwaren."

All eyes stared at the yellow wyvern embossed on the front of the shield. A loud thunk startled them as Zevran tossed a large leather pouch on the table next to it, and then upended it, spilling what looked to be at least couple hundred sovereigns across the wood surface.

"I should have executed her," Alistair said quietly as Lya started to curse softly.

"Probably," Zevran agreed shortly. "She's either using people to try and hurt you, or someone is using her to try and hurt you. The goal is the same, either way." He tapped the shield. "If she is behind this, it's a clumsy attempt. But we cannot ignore the possibility. So I'm going to Gwaren."

"Zevran, I don't know if that's a good idea." Lya's voice was tense.

"Oh? And who would you rather send?" He looked at her defiantly, and she shifted uncomfortably.

"Listen, Zev, it's not that I don't think someone should go, but…." She looked around the room. The only other people in the room were Fergus and Nathaniel, who had finally been allowed off of bed rest. "This is not exactly the best time to discuss this."

"Ah," he said as he understood what she meant. "You do not wish anyone put in a compromising situation. Allow me to clarify. I am going to Gwaren for information, nothing more." A slight pause. "Yet."

Zevran looked at his friends and thought for a moment of how to explain. "Anora did not strike me as a stupid woman, and this attempt seems far removed from something she would try. The shield is too conspicuous, and the coin…. Let us just say these were no bandits. And true assassins would never carry it with them. There are several reasons why we found these things, and we cannot ignore the most obvious one.

"So I will go to Gwaren and find answers if they are to be found. And while it is not my preference, I will not take any…permanent actions until I have consulted with you." He looked at Fergus and Nathaniel and gave a half smile. "I trust you gentlemen care enough about them, and yourselves, that none of this conversation will leave this room."

"Zev!" Lya gasped, shocked.

"Oh, I am not threatening, my dear Grey Warden. But if there is some sort of nefarious plot, then any knowledge they have of our countermeasures puts them in danger." He grinned at her. "It is reassuring though that you think I would kill your brother and friend for being unable to keep their mouths shut. I was beginning to fear I was losing my reputation. It warms the heart to learn that is not so."

He began gathering the coins back into the pouch. "Now, I think I will keep these as my reward for crawling around in the woods for a week and half, looking for information, without a bath. Speaking of which, I am going to get one, get some sleep and I will see you when I return."

Modifié par LadyDamodred, 03 mai 2010 - 10:20 .

[Sandtigress]

Oh, I like how you brought in Fergus' rescue by Nate into this! I figured out where you were going with it when Fergus brought Alistair in - very, very nice!



And oh, Anora. You're always the cause of everyone's devious plot - either you or Eamon. Perfectly in character too, I hate her. :-P She's a bad person.

[Miri1984]

"It is reassuring though that you think I would kill your brother and friend for being unable to keep their mouths shut. I was beginning to fear I was losing my reputation. It warms to heart to learn that is not so."



classIC Zev. I need to take Zev lessons from you. Thank you Lady D, another fabulous chapter.

[LadyDamodred]

Bah, stupid typo!



Sandtigress: You mean you don't like Anora? Shocking! XD



Thank you. Like all my characters, they're not quite the way the way there were in game. Events during and after the game change them, but I try to keep the core of who they are. In Zev's case, who he really is is masked by humor. In a situation where he trusts those around him and is comfortable, he's less likely to bury everything under risque humor. Just my take, though.

[bob-san]

Makes sense. Zev always seemed like a guy who's honest about what he does and quite straight forward when he needs to tell you something. Even if it is "I'm off to kill the **** Anora"

[LadyDamodred]

Chapter 27

The bed beneath him was quite comfortable, and Zevran had to admire Anora's taste. For a rough logging town, Gwaren was still one of the largest cities in Ferelden, and Anora had outfitted her castle appropriately. Everything was beautiful, tasteful and expensive, much like the woman sleeping next to him.

Removing a dagger, he idly began trimming his nails as he waited for her to wake up. The past several days had yielded a good deal of information, one tidbit being that the teyrna always rose early, with the dawn, and did not summon her servants immediately.

Dawn slowly began to stain the horizon and, as if it were a signal, Anora stirred slightly. She stretched and yawned slightly, sitting up and rubbing her eyes.

"Good morning, my lady."

Anora's entire body jerked towards the sound of his voice. Her eyes widened in complete shock at the sight of a strange man in her bed. And then a swift flash of fear as she recognized him, swiftly locked behind a cool mask. He was impressed at her composure.

"How did you get in here?" she asked.

He laughed gently. "You wound me, my lady. I am an assassin. How do you think I got in here?" She was not amused by his glib answer and her lips pressed together in a frown.

"So, they've finally let you off your leash," she said crisply. "I suppose you've come so that they can finally be rid of me. I can't say I'm surprised."

"What? No begging, no pleas for mercy? No throwing your lovely body at me in an attempt to sway me from my course? I swear, you Fereldans are no fun at all." A smile curled the corners of his mouth. "And now, my dear lady, why would they wish to be rid of you now, hmm? Is there perhaps something you know that would make you certain that I've come to kill you?"

She said nothing for a moment, a faint frown marring the smoothness of her brow. "Do they need a reason? In truth, I had not expected to survive my father long. I guess I should be grateful for the time I did get," she said, finishing with a trace of bitterness.

Zevran regarded her thoughtfully. He didn't trust her, that went without saying. But he had learned a long time ago how to read people. Right now, all his senses were telling him that Anora was being honest; that she really believed Lya and Alistair had finally just decided to remove her.

He tapped the flat of the blade against his palm as he thought. Anora kept looking him in the face, but couldn't keep her eyes from flicking towards the dagger. She was nervous, but it seemed more a genuine fear of death than of someone afraid all their secrets were about to be revealed.

"We can avoid all of the unpleasantness that often comes with these things if you simply tell me the truth, my lady. What do you know about the attempt on Teyrn Cousland's life?"

"What?!"

He clucked his tongue. "And that was almost convincing. Come now, there is no need to hide anything. The truth shall, as they say, set you free."

Her mouth, which had fallen open in shock, snapped shut. "Someone tried to have Fergus killed?" Her tone was even, but there was still shock and bewilderment behind it.

"Indeed. Just over three weeks ago as he was returning home from the Landsmeet. But you already knew that."

"No, I did not!" she snapped. "Believe what you want about me, but I would never harm the Cousland family, or involve myself in anything that could place them in danger."

"Oh? Somehow, I find that hard to believe. Enlighten me."

"I doubt you would understand."

"Try me." His eyes and voice hardened. "There is evidence implicating you, and their Majesties are most upset. Your life rides on how convincing I find your story."

She frowned and took a deep breath, sweeping the bedclothes back and standing. Retrieving a dressing gown laying over a chair, she slipped into it and tied the belt as she thought. Zevran remained where he was on the bed. Even if she screamed, he could kill her and be out the window before anyone came. It would sloppier than he liked, but he had no fear of letting her move around. If she went for the door, however….

"I am a teyrna," she said finally. "The daughter of a hero, and the second highest noble after the king. The only other people who were my equals were the Couslands. I did not see them frequently, that is true, but every time I did they were always the very soul of respect and courtesy. After my mother…died, I became close to Eleanor. I often visited them in Denerim, both during the Landsmeet and when they made the occasional trips to the capital.

"They were—are—a good, honorable family. Bryce and Eleanor's deaths at Howe's hands were unforgivable." He voice was low and angry. "I will never be a party to such vileness as attempting to have one of their children killed. Whatever my feelings towards the queen might be, you have my word that I would never do anything to harm her family."

Zevran slipped off the bed, a slow, sinuous movement. He crossed the floor to stand before her; close, too close, knowing it would make her uncomfortable and unsettle her. He tapped the dagger lightly on her collarbone in almost a thoughtful gesture. She stiffened slightly, but did not attempt to pull away.

"So tell me, exactly, why we should trust you."

"Have I ever broken my word?"

"No, and that is in fact one of the reasons why you actually woke up this morning. But you are nothing if not self-serving, my lady. You do what is best for you. Do not tell me that if Lya had told you outright what she was going to do at the Landsmeet you would have stood by meekly and let it happen."

She had the good grace to look slightly guilty. "We all know how I feel about what happened," she said quietly. "I did what I thought was best and so did she. I cannot fault her for being what she is, and I would hope that they feel the same way about me. That being said, killing the Teyrn of Highever, and the queen's brother, hardly seems the best way to put myself back on the throne, don't you agree?"

She sighed slightly, and then straightened. "I know of no other way to convince you. Do what you must, but I have always been loyal to the crown."

"Very well. I believe you."

"I—what?"

He laughed easily. "You sound so surprised. You are correct, however. Attempting to kill the teyrn is an incredibly stupid way to strike a blow at the Warden, though it nearly succeeded. But there is still something odd about this whole business. You will be watched, Anora, and watched closely. One false step and…." He let the threat hang there.

"I think you have a rat, my lady, and we need to find it. You are a very convenient person to pin conspiracies on, after all. It's as much for your protection as anyone else's. You know your people better than anyone I will be sending. Watch for anything suspicious, and when you find it, you will tell us."

"Of course."

Zevran nodded and studied her for a long moment. His instincts told him she was telling him the truth. His instincts also told him that something was off in Gwaren. He could be wrong, he had been in the past, but he didn't think he was wrong now. His gut told him part of the problem was here, but he hadn't uncovered anything in the handful of days he had been here. It bothered him; he couldn't protect against a threat he did not see.

His people would begin searching when they arrived, but they were also going to have to count on Anora's help. He hoped her sense of self-preservation was as strong as it seemed. He gave a brief nod and turned for the door.

"Zevran," she called quietly, and he turned back to look at her with a raised eyebrow. "Was Fergus badly hurt?"

"He suffered only a minor injury. Nathaniel Howe, however, was nearly killed defending him."

"I see," she replied gravely. "Please, when you return to Denerim, give my best wishes for a swift recovery."

He sketched a quick half-bow. "It would be my pleasure." He reached for the door again, and left quickly. He couldn't shake the feeling that they were missing something.

[KnightofPhoenix]

Wait till you see how someone is going to interpret that as Zevran being a rapist lol.

Great chapter!

[Miri1984]

Yes! Yes! I love Zev and I'm actually beginning to like Anora a bit lately. You've captured her very, very well here. Thank you!

[Sandtigress]

Hmmmmm.....Who is the rat? *snifff around*