(A/N: I do not own Dragon Age or the characters. However, I do kinda sorta own Rowan and Elle! Enjoy this one shot! ^^)
She gazed into the campfire, trembling slightly. The Landsmeet…was over. It had been very rough indeed, just as Eamon had warned them all at the beginning. She honestly thought fighting the Broodmother was much better than what they as a whole had gone through in the Landsmeet. Something that surprised Rowan considering she had been trained for such things since she and her sister were little girls.
They had arrived fashionably late, the five of them being the two sisters, Alistair, Zevran, and Wynne. Eamon had just finished his speech when Loghain broke in, immediately catching sight of the group just then entering. "A fine performance, Eamon." He had proclaimed before attacking the three wardens. Elle and Alistair had both been ready to protest and yell when Rowan quickly interrupted, saying the Blight was the true threat and not Orlais. Rowan and Loghain soon began a battle of wills, both challenging each other through snappy remarks and pointed facts. Several Arls and Banns spoke out against Loghain, only encouraging the man to grow bolder as he dared to accuse the wardens of kidnapping his daughter. Anora has spoken out against them, not to anyone's surprise. What surprised…no shocked everyone was that only one of the nobles stood by Loghain's side. It was confirmed. The wardens had one.
"Traitors" spat out Loghain. He was livid. Rowan once again stepped in, offering to settle it honorably with a duel in hopes of Loghain saving face. He surprisingly agreed, leaving her to decide whether she'd fight herself or if one of the others would step in for her. Of course, Alistair and Elle volunteered to fight. They wanted nothing more to kill the bastard for what he had done. Wynne agreed with them, though more so with Alistair than Elle due to their own personal differences. Rowan refused. She told the Landsmeet that she would fight. After one of the Banns, Alfstanna, had declared the duel and its rules, Loghain and Rowan went for each other. No one was more surprised than Rowan when Loghain ended up on one knee, offering his surrender. Torn, she hesitated much to Alistair's, Elle's, Wynne's, and the rest of the Landsmeet's displeasure.
"Sister?" Elle had questioned, waiting with bated breath. Everyone was practically silently demanding for her to kill him, well except for that one sour noble and Anora. Loghain himself raised his head as if to silently dare her to kill him and get it over with. When Alistair opened his mouth to yell at her for her inaction, Riordan spoke up with an offer: to recruit Loghain into the wardens. Automatically everyone but Rowan began to debate about this, Alistair the loudest. He declared that joining the wardens was an honor and not a punishment. He then threatened to kill Loghain himself if that was needed. Anora protested, saying that the Joining itself was lethal and he could very well die which would satisfy everyone. Rowan raised her hand, everyone falling silent. She exhaled. "I hereby invoke him into the Grey Wardens by Right of Conscription."
Alistair and Elle had turned to stare at her. Riordan gave Rowan a smile of approval before leading Loghain into another room to partake in the ritual. Rowan then declared that Alistair and Elle would be king and queen of Ferelden when the Blight was officially over. She then gave the reins to Alistair, quickly leaving the chamber from her sister's venomous glares.
"You keep staring into the fire as if it had any answers. I'm sorry to say that it doesn't. I doubt you'll ever find whatever answers you seek." His low voice quickly brought her out of her thoughts. Rowan grimaced at Loghain and shrugged. "No, no answers. I'm just…" She trailed off, laughing humorlessly. He studied her, rather curious to hear as to what she had to say. He questioned, "Just what, Warden? If it's about your decision to recruit me into your order, I'm afraid that it's too late on regrets." A pause. "I passed your test, it seems. Something the rest of your party, namely Maric's bastard and your sister, hate." Rowan couldn't help but laugh at his tone of voice. "That bastard has a name, you know. Pretty soon he'll be my brother in law." She reminded him, scolding only slightly. Loghain simply rolled his eyes at her. "Yes but I don't rather care to say his name at all. As for him being your future brother in law, it was your idea to marry him off to your sister, henceforth replacing my daughter."
She winced at the slight jab. He had made a point. Before she could speak however, Loghain heaved a sigh and shook his head. "No matter. At least they were decent enough to offer her to stay as an advisor, something I'm pleased to see Eamon fuming over." Another pause. He met her gaze. "What I want to know, Warden, is what do we do now? I'm a monster, I know it, and I've done many a terrible thing over the past year with Ostagar being at the top of the list. If we are to defeat this Blight, we will have to put our differences aside. Afterwards, well, I assume you'll give me a suicide mission." Rowan stared at him incredulously. She asked "Why would you think I'd give you a suicide mission after recruiting you?" You're already a warden. What else could I do?" He snorted, seeing her point. "It's as simple as that?" She shook her head, looking back into the fire. "No, not really. I don't care what the others say or what you even think but…you'r not a monster, Loghain. The only monsters I've seen is the Archdemon and the darkspawn." Then she scowled. "Forgot one. Howe." He quirked a brow at the way her eyes darkened.
Yet he said nothing, waiting for her to continue. And continue she did. "I can't say I understand anything you've done over the past year. Sending Jowan to poison Eamon, who I wished you had just killed, selling those poor elves into slavery, least of all turning your back on the men at Ostagar along with Cailan and the Grey Wardens. I certainly can't say I agree. I don't." She took a breath, once again meeting his eyes. "However…after all you've done for this country and more…I don't see how death will be of use to you. You're more useful alive and doing something in some way or another." A snort of amusement from Loghain. He gestured at the king-to-be and Elle's tent, saying "What about them? They were more eager to be rid of me than I daresay Eamon was." Rowan replied "I would rather have them mad at me with you as you are now than watch Ferelden die because of vengeance."
The two remained quiet after that, both studying each other with a new form of respect. When it seemed that Loghain had finished speaking, Rowan began to rise from the fire and head back to her tent. She felt his hand grasp hers and stopped, giving him a curious look. His eyes were filled with a fire she had never seen before. "Warden, if you can find a way to defeat this Blight and save Ferelden, I would follow you into the black City itself. I want this to be over just as much as you do if not more so. I want to return to Denerim and find no empty seats at the War Table. I want to live and be blessed with grandchildren, if Anora ever remarries in this age. What I want…is to see Ferelden safe. If you can do that…then I will forever be in your debt." He released her hands but continued to stare at her. Rowan licked her lips before chuckling. "It's Rowan." He blinked, slightly confused. "What?"
"My name. My name is Rowan, not Warden."
"Rowan. How fitting. Alright then. Rowan, if you can find a way to pull Ferelden through, I vow to follow you anywhere you desire."
"I accept your vow then, Loghain Mac Tir, because we will defeat this Blight. Ferelden will be safe, with Alistair and Elle on the throne, this I swear."