Elisa Cousland, known by the people as the Hero of Ferelden, now stood impatiently just outside the throne room of the royal palace in Denerim. She glanced down at her mabari, Caena, who lay on the floor, almost bored to death. The dog glanced up to its master as it rolled over to its back, its muscled legs stuck up in the air as its eyes begged her for a light tummy rub. And the lady could not resist such a plea. With a leather boot, she affectionately nudged her hound along its ribs while her mind pondered why she was urgently called here.
It was a surprise to her actually when a courier was waiting for her just as she crossed the borders from the west; more so, when it was His Majesty, King Alistair, who sent the urgent summon.
Though, if it was so urgent, he wouldn't be making me wait now, would he? She scowled as her sapphire eyes glanced towards the large oak door, wondering what's keeping the king so long. Petty grievance from the nobles perhaps? She mused nonchalantly, somewhat accustomed to the scene. It was similar back at the castle in Highever before...
She grimaced as the thought of her entire family's death crossed her mind. Not wanting to dwell on it, she shook her head. It was better to use the time instead thinking on how to avoid the awkwardness while conversing with his Majesty..
The two of them had drifted apart after that... disagreement, to put it lightly, during the Landsmeet. She still cringed every time she was reminded of the words he spoke so vehemently.
"Fine! You want Loghain in the Grey Wardens so badly? Then I'll be leaving the Wardens to marry Anora!"
The anger in his eyes that time made her heart ache. It was the worst way to end what they had. Nonetheless, she forced herself to endure it - for the sake of Ferelden. Whatever her feelings were, they should be set aside.
Necessity, she supposed, was subjective, and Alistair that time found his revenge more necessary than gaining a general in their ranks – not that she didn't understand his feelings. She did, more than he thinks. Yet, on her part, Arl Howe's death was necessary. Either he released the Queen or she forces him to. He never really gave me much choice, she told herself. In the dark corners of her consciousness, however, she reveled sinking her blade down that traitorous bastard's gut.
Her train of thoughts was halted when the chamberlain approached her and stated, "His Majesty is ready to see you." She took a deep breath and moved her foot away from Caena who made a noise of protest but rolled back over before it stood. Steeling herself, she followed the man inside the throne room.
At the far end of the large room was a chair where Alistair sat with his eyes meeting hers. His gaze at first look surprised, as though he did not recognized her immediately. Either that was due to her cutting her once waist-length wavy auburn hair up above her shoulders, or just because the last time he saw her was during the celebration after ending the Blight which was, more or less, six months ago.
"Your Majesty," she greeted formally as she gave a respectful bow fit for a king. She waited for some sardonic remark about what she thought that he might find a form of mockery, but when nothing came out, she straightened herself up with the assumption that he took no offense to it.
"Warden-Commander," Alistair greeted her in a similar formal manner with his expression remaining blank and holding back his bitterness and hatred.
At least he's putting some effort into being civil. "I expected Anora to meet me instead when it comes to, well, any matters that involved me," she stated in a curious tone as her eyes glanced around the room as though the Queen would pop out of nowhere.
"Yes, well, unfortunately for the both of us, she is needed in the Bannorn," he drawled as he rested his chin with his palm, "so I was told to wait for your arrival from Weisshaupt to inform you that the Orlesian Wardens had arrived three weeks ago."
She only gave a silent nod, deciding to avoid arguments by saying something offensive. Her bluntness at times gets her into trouble. And trouble with Alistair takes hours.
"Also, there had been reports of large groups of darkspawn terrorizing the countryside," he added and she merely nodded again, though she could not contain her slight frown as she pondered why the darkspawn hadn't returned to the Deep Roads.
"Is there anything else Your Highness?" she asked.
"Elisa." His expression was scorned as he spoke her name. He opened his mouth to add something else, but paused and just watched her intently. Whatever he was about to say, however, he decided to keep it to himself. Shaking his head, he leaned back to his chair and ended it with, "that is all. You may leave."
Elisa gazed at him silently for a moment as though she was hoping for him to add something... She mentally shook her head and reminded herself that they had ended their relationship months ago, and not to mention that he was already married to Anora. Whatever fairy-tale fantasies she might have should be thrown out of the window. Giving a low bow, she left the throne room with Caena, and briskly made her way to the Warden Compound.
When she arrived just outside the compound, she was greeted by the form of a man wearing a familiar Chevalier armor and was just about to exit the gate. He paused from his footsteps as his icy blue eyes stared at her face intently. Maker! What is it with the staring!? Do I have something on my face!? "Loghain," she greeted, snapping him out from his thoughts, "I thought you were looking for new recruits in Redcliffe."
"I was," he replied before he bent down when the mabari hurried over to him. He patted the top of its head as he added, "I just arrived a while ago. I even saw you enter the palace on my way here." After sating the dog's need for a bit of attention, he stood up then asked, "so, what did Maric's bastard want from you?"
Her brows furrowed as she placed her hands on her hips. "What makes you think that Alistair was the one who summoned me?"
He crossed his arms and replied, "because I saw my daughter and her guards heading to the Bannorn while I was on my way to Denerim." His eyes narrowed as he glared at her sharply. "So are you going to continue evading my question, or are you going to tell me what His Majesty had said that seemed to bother you greatly?"
What he didn't tell me, more like, she thought with a slight frown. While Loghain's ability to see right through a person's facade proved useful, it still irked her at times when he's able to read her feelings like an open book. However, being a stubborn woman, she was not going to spill any of it to him.
In hopes that he would abandon the previous subject, she started, "Loghain." Her hand gestured towards the compund and once he turned and began to walk back inside, she strode beside him with Caena following behind. "Can I ask you a favor?"
His brow arched up as his head turned to look at her. "What is it? I doubt you can ask anything worse than bedding the Marsh Witch."
"Could you... entertain a group of Orlesian Wardens?" She grinned slightly at the quick response of his deep frown.
And here, she proves me wrong again. "You jest," he stated dryly. He knew she was. Or at least, he hoped she was. He had tried his hardest to avoid meeting them. If he did not return to the compound here in Denerim, he would stay at Soldier's Peak. The merchants did not bother him, nor the blood mage. I'd sooner throw myself back to the Archdemon than mingle with any of those Orlesian dogs!
"Partly," she replied, eliciting a questioning though still cautious look from the older comrade, "I had hoped, since you are here now, that you could perhaps accompany me to Amaranthine? Just for a few days." She could sense his reluctance so, once they arrived outside the storage room, she added, "you've dealt with more Orlesians than I have..."
Loghain snorted as he took out his key to open the door. "If you mean running them through with my blade, then yes, i have 'dealt' with the Orlesians."
Elisa entered the room and made her way to the shelves. "Good, because that's what i need."
He blinked a few times as he stared at her while she read the labels on the vials of poisons. "So what do want me to do then," he asked with a deadpanned look, "strategize a plan on how we will assassinate them one by one while they slumber? Would you like me to come up with twenty ways to poison their meals?"
It was her turn to snort. She turned her attention from the crates of poultices to him. "Doubt any plans would work; not unless you change into a less clunky armor. Also, I doubt there's a poison that could top off darkspawn blood." She returned to setting aside the poultices she might need. "I should rephrase my statement." She paused for a moment, considering the words to use. "If these were Wardens from Ferelden, it might be easier to... lead them. But these foreigners..."
He cocked an eyebrow. "You've commanded an entire army, and now you're worried about insubordination from the Orlesian Wardens?" Though the possibility lingered on his mind. After all, they are still Orlesians who would sooner die than take orders from what they might consider as a backwater wench.
"Wary of mutiny more like," she replied, "these are Wardens, not ordinary Chevaliers after all. Four or five men of theirs could kill me easily. This could lead to another war with Orlais, and the latter could use this as an excuse to reclaim Ferelden, which they could do so easily with our nation's current condition."
"And here I thought I was the paranoid one," Loghain muttered.
She gave a lopsided grin. "I guess your paranoia had just rubbed on me." His expression told her that he wasn't convinced of the excuse she gave for the sudden change of opinion about Orlais. So, once she set aside the supplies she would bring, she had him follow her towards another room where they kept documents and such.
"Before heading to Denerim for the Landsmeet," she explained as she approached a desk and opened one of its drawers, "we returned to Ostagar to recover that blade." She pointed as his sheathed sword that he knew well once belonged to Maric. Returning her attention back to the parchments inside the drawers, she added, "we also found these." She took out two parchments and handed them over to him.
Loghain read the letters and tossed it on the desk before his urge to rip them to shreds overcome him. He clenched his fists tightly as his entire body shook, almost near to exploding from fury. "That cheating bastard!" He couldn't restrain his mouth from the series of curses he let out. His suspicions were right, though he never considered that it was Orlais' Empress he was having an affair with. If he did, not even his daughter could have stopped him from personally hanging the boy.
Elisa remained silent for a moment as she gathered the letters and placed them back inside the drawers. "What they could not claim in war, they planned through marriage. But with Cailan dead and the throne secured, they might try other means." She waited for him to calm down before she continued, "Wardens generally serve no nation, and suspicions of possible involvement are still baseless, but entering the Keep without precautions and with that possibility still looming over our heads is foolhardy." She approached him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I want you to assess whether they could be trusted."
"You already know my assessment about their lot Commander," Loghain replied, willing his rage to subside, though proving difficult with the thought of his good-for-nothing son-in-law ready to divorce Anora over Orlais' reigning bitch just so he could strut around as an Emperor.
She scowled. "Killing them without basis will just send Ferelden to war with Orlais. Plus, if they're not involved, then we just wasted some good resources."
"Now you're sounding like the Qunari," he commented.
"Something you should be thankful for," she responded, "otherwise, you'd be a dead body now, and people will remember you for your crimes rather than as a hero."
"I'm just concerned about your method of choosing your allies." Letting out a heavy sigh, he asked, "so, when do we leave?"
She strode towards the door and replied, "immediately" before she returned to the storage room to pick up the things she set aside.
End of Chapter 1
A/N: So, um, hey everyone! So, after seeing the Inquisition gameplay, Dragon Age has been bothering my thoughts. I needed to get it out of my system so I thought of writing a , this is slightly AU. For one thing, Mhairi's not here. Other events might be slightly different but I will still follow the story.
Oh, also, Bioware owns the Dragon Age series.