A/N: So, I finally found enough content to have for the first chapter This is set roughly ten years after 'The Commander's Tale' And I hope you enjoy :D
What Begins with Orlais.
We always have been, we are, and I hope that we always shall be detested in France. – Duke of Wellington.
Celina smiled to herself as she slowly made her way through the magnificent gardens, it was late spring and the flowers were blooming beautifully, cherry blossom adorned the pathways and tiny children played together, chasing an even smaller dog around the courtyard in the middle. A fountain in the shape of a young warrior woman sat in the centre of the courtyard, surrounded by small stone benches. Birds chirped peacefully and for that one moment...Everything seemed perfect.
Four months earlier.
"Bryyyyy-yyyyce." A beautiful voice sang out, ringing through stone walls. "Duuuuuncaaaaaaan?"
The pitter-patter of small feet and laughing echoed out from further down the long corridor.
"Come on Bryce!" A young strawberry blonde colour haired boy shouted as he turned a corner.
"Where we gonna hide?" A younger jet black haired boy retorted, panting quickly as he had to leap to keep up with the older boy.
"You're the one who lives here!"
Bryce stopped and glanced around as they rounded another corner and reached a cross section. "This way!" He shouted and set off down another of the corridors.
A young elven maiden giggled as they almost bumped into her in their haste. "Where are you two going in such a hurry?" She shouted after them, but they were already around the next corner.
"Which way Duncan?" The younger boy shouted toward the older.
"Um..." The blonde looked around and quickly burst through a door. "Come on!"
He immediately ran into something hard, but soft and found himself lying on the floor, Bryce quickly tripped over him, joining him in quite a funny fashion. "Now now boys where do you think you're going?" The voice from earlier asked.
Bryce looked up and smiled sheepishly. "Aunty Leliana."
Long red hair flowed down the woman's back; she folded her arms across the chest and stared down at the boys. "Well?" Her beautiful steely blue eyes bored down into him.
"I...We were hiding!" He said, a huge smile spreading across his face.
"Yes, I see that...Why? Don't you want to see your mummy and daddy?"
Bryce's face dropped. "'Course I do."
Leliana bent down and squeezed his cheek. "Come on then, they'll be here soon."
Bryce giggled and pushed her hand away. "Ok Aunt Leli." He said with a smile. He stood and helped Duncan up.
Leliana looked at Duncan. "Your father will be here soon too. I'm sure he'll want to see you."
Duncan nodded. "Yes yes, I'm sure he will..."
Leliana scowled at him. He was only a child, but she just didn't like him. Too much of his mother in him she thought. "Anyway boys, they'll be here any time now so we should go await them don't you think?"
Bryce smiled and nodded swiftly, hopping along after Leliana, Duncan followed.
They walked out into the courtyard of Vigils Keep; the keep had grown substantially since her and Celina's return, huge barracks had been built to house the Wardens, and many of them were sparring in the new training areas all over the keep grounds. Many of the Wardens shouted greetings to Leliana and Bryce happily ran around them as they made their way to the front gate. A wizened old man stood at the gates, his long white hair and beard shining magnificently in the morning light, he was a Warden of immense power and age, he was at least nearing his eightieth year but still full of vigour and the calling still hadn't claimed him. The First Warden of the Anderfels, Niklas Schultz had sent him to Celina as an advisor, he was the best mind in the Wardens apparently, and Niklas had sent him out of his admiration for Celina.
He smiled as Leliana approached. "Should they be here soon?" He asked.
"Yes, they should be here within a few minutes."
"Capital!" The man clapped his hands and went back to smoking a long wooden pipe and stroking his beard.
A short fanfare from atop the keeps ramparts announced the arrival of a group from further down the road. Leliana straightened herself up and signalled for the boys to do the same.
A man slowly trotting on a horse appeared first, he had the air of somebody rather powerful, he was ahead of the rest of the column by a minute or so, he dismounted his horse and waved toward the group at the gates. He was a tall man, taller than most. His hair; jet black augmented his iron grey eyes quite well. A long sword hung from a belt and a large round shield sat upon his back. He wore a chainmail hauberk with a fine red and golden shirt and finally an ornate sleeveless leather coat over it all.
"Daddy!" Bryce shouted. The man dropped to a knee and lifted Bryce up into the air when he reached him, the boy wriggled and laughed as his father tickled him. "Missed you daddy."
"Missed you too Brycey." He said with a laugh. His voice was deep and held authority, but was fair at the same time.
A horse drawn carriage arrived next; when the door opened none other than King Alistair Theirin emerged followed by a duo of young Mabari hounds they bounded out of the door and began licking Bryce as he cuddled them, these were Celina's old dog 'Max's' great grandchildren. Celina had decided to breed the Mabari's, creating a strong line, Alistair had volunteered to have them trained as war hounds, as Max had been, by the best dog trainer in the country. Alistair approached Duncan and gave him a small hug. "Hi dad." Was all he got back. Duncan was just in the stage where he thought it was good to not speak to his parents much...or any adult for that matter.
Leliana waited expectantly, glancing behind the carriage. Alistair caught her eye and smiled. "They should be here soon." And true to his word, not a minute later a group on foot appeared around the corner. "See, nothing to worry about." He grinned. "They're a rather...strange bunch to say the least."
"I see she's managed to find a few recruits though...what is there? A half dozen?"
"A bakers half dozen I guess." Alistair laughed.
"...What?"
"Seven."
"Okay?"
Alistair chuckled. "Never mind Leliana."
By now the new recruits that the Commander had found were approaching the gate. The first three looked...normal? Two of the men were of slightly above average height and build, the other was squat but built like a fort, they were wearing thick leathers or light chain and all bowed slightly at the waist as they passed Alistair. The fourth recruit was rather...unique? He wore a red bandana, a sleeveless navy blue jacket that was unbuttoned, baggy white and blue striped pants that were tied off with a red sash. The most intriguing thing about him was his weapon it was a huge scimitar that hung from his back by a strap, its bladed edge had small holes an inch in, in which jewelled rings ran from that point to the outside and back, the pommel seemed to be pure gold encrusted with rubies and jade, obvious plunder. Long dark dreadlocks fell around his shoulders, he looked like a stereotypical pirate. And sounded worse Leliana thought. The fifth and sixth recruits seemed to be Dalish twins...female, both wore thin, rather revealing leathers and sported longbows. Leliana waited patiently for a while longer but no one else came, she turned to the strange pirate. "Where is the Commander?"
"She be further back wi' another, they be carryin' the gear."
"Couldn't you have volunteered to carry some? It might have put you in her good books..."
"Y'arr, why din' I think o' that?"
Leliana shrugged her shoulders as the pirate set off back down the road at a jog. Three figures emerged in the distance moments later, two horses trailing behind them. One of the trio slowed down as they approached the gate, the armour they wore made it clear that they were the Warden Commander, they looked at Leliana and flicked their head to the side before walking in that direction. Leliana smiled and walked past the final recruit, a blonde Elven male and out of the gates and along the wall, running her hands over the long grass and huge dandelions, she smiled as she turned to face the commander. The commander yanked their helmet off from beneath the chin and discarded it on the floor. Beautiful locks of golden blonde hair fell around the Commander's shoulders and ran down their armour. Leliana smiled into the face of her stunning wife and pushed her against the wall, one hand behind her head, the other around the waist. They kissed passionately for what seemed like just not long enough, Leliana was hungry for the taste of her love, it had been months since she had seen her and she had been very, very lonely. A small look of sadness spread across her face when they pulled away. The Commander smiled and brushed a stray strand of hair behind Leliana's ear. "I've missed you." She purred.
"Oh I've missed you too Celina, don't leave me next time please." Leliana said, poking her tongue out.
Celina gave a short laugh. "If Hafter can look after Bryce for a few months then by all means, I'd like for nothing more." Celina's face glistened in the winter sunlight as small beads of sweat trickled down her forehead.
Leliana's mouth curved slightly and she gave Celina another short kiss on her lips. "Come on, I'm sure you'll want to see Bryce and get out of that armour."
As if by some strange coincidence at the mention of his name the young boy came bounding out of the gates and toward the women. "MUMMYYYYYYY!!!!" He jumped at the Warden, almost taking her off her feet.
"Hello my sweet pea, my you've shot up haven't you!"
Bryce nodded his head enthusiastically. He's inherited a lot of his father's looks Celina thought. After Celina and Leliana had returned from their 'holiday' Celina had decided she did want a child, Leliana had offered to carry it but Celina wanted to do it herself, after searching for a suitable candidate to be father she found out about the new Arl of West Hill, he was a Bann who owned a lot of land in the centre of Ferelden, and after impressing the King with his administration and combat skills he decided that Hafter would be a good replacement for Arl Wulff, who had lost all of his children in the Blight. West Hill, along with all of Ferelden had enjoyed an economic boon, and the country had gone from what had been stated as 'One bad day away from reverting to barbarism' to a cultured, rich and powerful one. Hafter's own wife seemed to be incapable of carrying children, and after coming to an agreement they settled that the child would take the Cousland name and would live with Celina in Amaranthine for three seasons and with Hafter in West Hill for the fourth. The child would become the Arl of Amaranthine or West Hill, depending on which of the parents died first. Hafter would visit for a week every month to try for the child. After more than a year of trying Celina had fallen pregnant. They were both ecstatic but complications in labour led to the child being stillborn, it had broken their hearts, Leliana's too, but after more trying she finally fell pregnant for the third time in her life, this time giving birth to a beautiful baby boy. Hafter had been more than happy to name him after Celina's father, Bryce Cousland.
"I've got a present for you too." Celina added as a huge smile spread across Bryce's face. "I wasn't here for your birthday after all." She had missed the child's sixth birthday due to her duties as the Warden Commander. "Come on then, let's go get some food, I'm famished, then you can have your present." She smiled.
Celina moved ahead holding Bryce's small hand. Leliana picked up Celina's helmet and hugged it tight to her bosom. She got a small glance of the final recruit from behind as he spoke to Celina and they entered the keep, he was a blonde elf from the looks of it. She got a better look at him when she approached Celina to return the helmet. He had sharp recognisable features, and a large face tattoo. She thought for a moment as the elf smiled at her. "Zev?"
"Aha, so you finally noticed?"
"Wha—what are you doing here?"
"Ohh, so good to see you too my dear."
"That's not what I mean...You're becoming a Warden?"
"Zevran's not joining, we just wanted to surprise you, we bumped into him in Denerim." Celina quipped in.
"Oh...Well, It's brilliant to see you again Zev."
"And you."
They hugged shortly before splitting up to get changed for lunch.
Celina's face contorted slightly into a frown as she found herself face to face with a horde of Darkspawn, led by none other than Alistair, behind her were a legion of stout Dwarven warriors. She smiled up at Alistair and moved to engage him. Celina looked up from the board and toward Alistair. "I've got more men than you Celina! You can't win."
"Oh but if you weren't there...Then I think I'd win."
"And how do you propose you kill me?"
"With this..." Celina pulled a small card from a pile she had beside the wooden board they were playing on, a picture on it depicted a man entwined in giant roots protruding from the ground. She placed it on another pile face up and Alistair groaned loudly.
"Bah!"
Celina laughed and rolled a trio of dice, two sixes and a five. Alistair rolled them in turn, straight sixes. "If only I hadn't used the card eh?" The card meant that Alistair's roll would be halved, due to his character being rooted.
Alistair lifted his piece from the board and placed it in an ornate wooden box filled with other pieces. He sighed and pushed his Darkspawn pieces forward. After a furious battle of rolling dice and shooting nasty looks at each other Celina finally won, Alistair moaned and pushed his seat further from the table. Celina looked over to Leliana who was the final player, Leliana smiled sweetly before revealing that she had a piece of herself, Shale and a large group of Dalish archers.
"Ahh...That doesn't look...good..." Celina laughed.
Leliana cocked her head to the side and rolled the dice. Celina placed her pieces back into the box, Leliana giving her a sly victorious wink as she did so.
"So...I'm going to test the new recruits, Leliana, Marval, with me." Celina stood, flicked her long hair behind her and pulled it up into a ponytail before leaving the room, with Leliana and the Mage in tow.
"Listen up!" The recruits looked expectantly at Celina. "We're going to have a small test of your combat prowess...Me." She pointed to herself. "All of you." She stared them all down one after another.
"Arr, six on one ain't fair!"
"A pirate knows about what's fair?" One of the Elven twins piped in.
"Pirates honour!" He retorted. The elf shot him a deadeye, which he ignored.
"Oi! I'm talking here." Celina shouted. Their mouths snapped shut, hesitantly. "So, as I was saying pick your weapons and armour from the rack behind you."
"Real weapons?" Asked one of the human recruits.
"Yes yes, you need to get used to pain." She gestured to a group of mages sat on a bench next to the arena. "And we have healers here, you won't die." The man nodded and picked a large axe and climbed into a thick leather jerkin.
The seven of them entered the arena and surrounded Celina. All were using some sort of bladed weapon, she had purposely left bows out, she already knew the elven twins were proficient in the bow, and wanted to know how they were in a melee. She lowered herself to an almost crouching stance, stretching her right leg out as far as it would go, her leather pulling tightly against her thigh; the sword in her right hand ran down the length of her leg and the tip rested neatly in the dirt. Her left hand was palm down on the ground in-between her legs. She sprang to her side with the deftness of a great cat as one of the men bore down on her, she riposted as she recovered and caught him straight through his chest, purposely missing his heart. He collapsed into the dirt and was quickly dragged from the arena. The first of the Elven twins, Shana attacked next, along with the small human. The man decided to try and bowl Celina over; he connected into her with the force of a catapult and sent them both cannonballing across the arena. He was laughing as he found himself on top of her, until he realised a dagger was jarred into his kidney and a fist was sharing his face. He reeled backwards and stumbled out of the arena, collapsing at the feet of the mages. Shana and her sister Lana were upon her next, their attacks were quick but weak and Celina parried most but picked up a few nicks and cuts. The pirate shouted loudly as he joined the fray, sword held high above his head, he laughed almost manically as he saw an opening in Celina's defence, the sword came down with the force of a lightning bolt but connected with no more force than a feather. A look of genuine puzzlement spread across his face, Celina turned her head to him, he gasped as he saw her eyes glowing a bright blue, Celina was a blur of movement and the next thing he knew he was pin cushioned with large needles, he hadn't noticed before but Celina's leather contained many pockets, one of which held darts coated in a paralysing substance. A boot connected with his mid section next, sending him sprawling out of the arena. Celina contemplated her next moves; she didn't want to scar the beautiful elves so she sent them out of the arena, and consciousness with a quick magical blast. The final combatant gripped his axe steadily, he was an Avvar barbarian and used to combat, more so than the rest of them. But still he had no chance; Celina had been on the defensive and still beaten the first five, so when she finally raised her blade against him it was over.
After a quick healing they all sat panting heavily. "A din' know y' could use magic!" The pirate shouted.
Celina laughed. "Yes, it takes a few people by surprise...It took me by surprise..."
"How is anyone supposed to defeat you? You're invincible!" Added Lana
Celina laughed again. "I wouldn't say that...Want to see real magic?" The question was rhetorical. "Marval!" She shouted the old mage over as she rose to her feet.
"Yes Milady?"
"Arena."
The man nodded and entered the arena. He lit his pipe with a finger and began stroking his beard as Celina prepared. She found her favourite offensive stance, 'the Puma' it was really a stance for dual warriors, but she found she could use her sword in her right hand, and magic with the left. The purpose of the stance was to attack with the speed and ferocity of the fabled jungle cat. "Ready?" The wizard nodded his head slowly, and it began.
The fight started out with Celina throwing a handful of knives at the man, each deflected without a single movement, her sword passed through him like a hot knife through butter, his body reformed around the sword and threatened to keep it, Celina yanked the blade free and swung her left hand toward his lung with a fist full of magic. Marval muttered the slightest word and Celina was flung from the arena, she was held ten feet in the air by an unseen power, she writhed against it and held onto her weapon for dear life. It wrenched from her hands and embedded itself in the ground below her. She concentrated all of her willpower into curling up into a ball, before releasing a huge amount of energy, the invisible bubble that had being holding her dissipated with a small pop! And she landed back in the arena. She drew both hands above her head, drawing large amounts of magical power into them, before throwing it all at Marval. For the first time in the whole duel he moved, quicker than the eye could see. And before anybody noticed he was behind Celina, a finger poking in her back. "Yield?" He asked.
Celina nodded her head. "Yield." She replied. "Now that..." She said as she strode over to her newest recruits. "Is power."
"How'd it go?" A voice asked as Celina entered her room. Leliana was stood beside their bed, one foot on the sheets as she rubbed oil onto her gleaming thighs. Celina smiled. "Quite well actually, Marval bested me...again."
Leliana laughed. "How does he do it?"
"Maker knows. I'll tell you what though; I'm looking forward to sleeping in this bed!" She entered a room adjoining their chambers, and returned a second later naked; she threw herself onto the bed sighing loudly. "Ahh, this is nice."
"You can't go to sleep yet! You have a wife to take care of."
Celina giggled and yawned. "Come on then."
"I know you're tired, you just relax, I'll take care of you." She said with a sly grin. She smiled as she ran her hand through the tidy short blonde hairs between her loves legs. It had been a long time since she had made love to Celina, and the familiar site was comforting in its own way. She clicked her tongue in her mouth before getting to work with it. Celina's reaction was rather...immediate. Leliana revelled in the taste of her lover and smiled to herself as she began to rock. It wasn't even two minutes before the pleasure building betwixt Celina's legs began to be too much to handle, she moaned out Leliana's name and grasped at Leliana's hair, needing something to find purchase on. Just as her body began to tremble in anticipation the bedroom door flew open. A shocked Lana stood in the doorway. Celina immediately tried to cover up but one more small lick from Leliana sent her over the edge, spasms pushed through her body and she moaned loudly as Leliana lapped her up. Lana just stood, completely speechless, jaw almost touching the ground.
As Celina's orgasm began to subside she attempted to speak with authority. "Ye—" She twitched sharply. "Yes!?" She squeezed at the sides of the bed to keep herself still.
"Um..." There was a long silence as the Elf simply...stared..."The King asked for you." Lana's cheeks were crimson and she quickly fled the room. First day on the job and I've already seen my Commander coming she thought.
Alistair was in his full armour as Celina and Leliana entered the main hall, Marval and the Kings guard surrounding a small table.
"What's happening?" Celina asked.
A look of urgency was across Alistairs face as he looked up from the table. "It's the Orlesians."
A/N: I rather suck at action scenes so I hope that wasn't a total fail :P There just had to be some opening chapter lemon too. I won't be updating this everyday like I was the previous, but on the plus side the chapters will be longer. Hope y'all enjoyed it, and watch out for moar!