Dragon Age: Departure
"Warden Commander?" Michael Cousland heard from the door of his guest room in the Denerim Royal Palace. Putting down the letter he had been rereading, Michael walked to the door.
When Michael opened the door, he saw a young elven man, one of the palace's servants, standing at the doorway. "Yes?" said Michael in a curious tone.
"Pardon me, Warden Commander, but King Alistair has returned from Kirkwall and asks you to join him in his study." said the servant.
"Of course, thank you. Please inform the King that I will be there presently." said Michael. Closing the door after the elf departed, Michael returned to his desk, scooped up the letter, refolded it, and then placed it in an envelope with a broken gryphon seal on it.
Placing the envelop in his pocket, Michael buckled his long sword to his belt and gave himself on last look in the mirror. His short brown hair was in good order, but the stubble on his lean face was thicker than what many would consider appropriate for someone about to have a private audience with the King of Ferelden. Not that Michael would have particularly cared if anyone did take issue with his grooming, he did kill an Archedemon after all.
Michael smirked at his reflection and then departed his room.
It didn't take long for Michael to find the study where Alistair was waiting for him in. It was where they usually met when the King had business with the Warden Commander.
When Michael entered the study, he saw Alistair and Teagan waiting for him, the King seated in an overstuffed chair while his sort-of uncle stood by him.
"Ah, Hero of Ferelden! It is good to see you." said Teagan.
"I have a name you know, Teagan." said Michael with a half smile as he entered the room.
"That's what I told him, but he never listens." said Alistair, King of Ferelden.
"Your Majesty." Michael said as he bowed to the King.
"Oh Michael, it's just Alistair with you! You don't have remind me that I'm a king, you know."
"Someone has to, your Majesty." said Michael said with mock formality.
"There is someone, his name is Teagan, he's standing right here!" said Alistair, pointing at the man in question.
"Always willing to do my duty to the Crown." Teagan said dryly.
"I'll bet." said Alistair with his customary sarcasm before switching to a more serious tone. "Well, take a seat Michael, I bring news from Kirkwall."
"Yes, I heard that things got messy shortly after you departed. I heard that a mage somehow destroyed the Chantry, killing a lot of innocent people, including the Grand Cleric." Said Michael as he sat down in a chair opposite to Alistair.
"Then you don't know?" said Alistair
"Know what?" said Michael.
"The Mage responsible was one of us, one of yours to be more specific. It was Anders."
"Anders? Damn him!" said Michael in a sudden burst of anger, smashing his fist into the armrest. "After all I did for him! Saving him from the Templars and then keeping the Wardens off his back! That ungrateful bastard goes and destroys a chantry? Does he even realize what he's done?"
"I doubt it Michael, he's dead. Killed by that Hawke fellow I went to see while I was in Kirkwall." said Alistair, clearly surprised. "Are you alright Michael? I haven't seen you this angry since the Blight ended."
Michael leaned back into his chair, attempting to calm himself. "I can't help but think that Anders was my fault, Alistair, if not for me, he would have never been in Kirkwall to begin with."
"There was no way for you to know what he would do after all these years. And I am as responsible as you are, in case you don't recall. I was the one who allowed you to recruit him in the first place." said Alistair.
Michael let out a cleansing breath. "So Hawke killed him? Any word on what happened to him after he dealt with Anders?"
"Well Knight-Commander Meredith declared the Right of Annulment right after the Chantry was destroyed. Hawke sided with the Circle during the resulting massacre. His sister was a member of the Circle, so it's clear why he did so. Ended up killing Meredith in the process as well. Which is too bad, really, she was such a charming woman." said Alistair.
"Did he survive?"
"I believe so, though there have been a lot of contradictory details, there's equal parts myth as fact about the man floating around. Reminds me of you."
"I'll take that as a compliment." said Michael dryly. "But seriously, this is going to be a huge mess when all the other circles get wind of this."
"I know, I think I liked it better when there was a blight going on. At least then we knew who our enemies were." said Alistair nostalgically.
"You do? I seem to remember that time a bit differently. What with the civil war we had to stop before we could even think about dealing with the blight." said Michael incredulously.
"As do I" said Teagan irritably, crossing his arms across his chest.
"Both of you are such spoil sports, you know that? You two should form a club." said Alistair, who then sighed. "With the trouble brewing with the Orlesians, I can only guess what all this is going to mean for Ferelden, nothing good I'll bet."
"No, probably not." said Michael soberly.
"Well between you and the King, Warden-Commander. I'm sure we can keep the Orlesians from swooping down on us." said Teagan
"Yes, because swooping-" said Alistair.
"Is bad, I know." said Michael said tersely, cutting off Alistair. "Unfortunately I'm afraid Ferelden will not have my help for the immediate future."
"Is it because the Grey Wardens?" said Teagan.
"Yes, though not for the reasons you think. If it were up to me, I would fight the Orlesians if it came to that, Wardens or no. My father didn't help free our country from them just for me and sit by and watch, but I'm afraid that I don't really have any choice in the matter." Michael said as he produced the envelope from his pocket.
"What is that?" said Alistair.
"Orders from the First Warden. I got them shortly before I departed Vigil's Keep for Denerim."
"What do they say?" said Alistair
Michael didn't answer, instead eying Teagan.
"Oh, I see. Secret Grey Warden stuff, I guess I'll wait outside then." said Teagan dejectedly, leaving the room and closing the door behind him.
"That good, huh?" said Alistair after Teagan left.
"You don't know the half of it, for one, I'm no longer Commander of the Grey, the first thing I had to do before leaving Vigils Keep was appoint a replacement."
"Who?" said Alistair with curiosity.
"Oghren." said Michael with a straight face.
"Oghren? You're making Oghren the Commander of the Grey? Of my kingdom? Are you insane?" said Alistair in horror.
"Trust me, Oghren isn't that bad. Err…well…rather he was the best I had available." said Michael.
"How so?" said Alistair in disbelief.
"Well, Nathanial Howe is in the Free Marches, so he's out. If I made Sigrun Warden-Commander, she would just order herself to go on a solo expedition of the deep-roads. And Velanna, well…making an Elven apostate with a chip on her shoulder Warden-Commander would be a really bad idea given recent events, don't you think?"
"I see your point." said Alistair. "So what else?
"Well I was supposed to have already left Ferelden by now, but I delayed to talk to you before leaving. I am to report to Weishaupt fortress in any case, so a few weeks here isn't going to matter in the long run."
"You're being ordered to Weishaupt? That is a very long journey overland. Do you think this has anything to do with Flemeth?" said Alistair.
"Probably, you remember when I told you about the time I last saw Morrigan?" said Michael.
"I'm assuming you mean the part were she was being cryptic and foreboding about something, not about how she left you for a second time?" said Alistair.
"Yes, the first part, specifically the information on Flemeth she left for me. Information I later passed on to the Wardens." said Michael with only a hint of irritation; Alistair did like to poke fun at his relationship with Morrigan.
"I see." said Alistair in an understanding tone. "So I guess you will be leaving soon?"
"As soon as I'm done talking with you, yes." said Michael in a resigned tone, getting up from his seat.
Alistair sighed as he stood up as well. "Well before you go, let me just say that it has been an honor to serve with you, both during the blight and in the years since. Perhaps I should assign you an honor guard to escort you over the border? Give the Hero of Ferelden a proper goodbye?"
"I think an honor guard would be excessive. And you know I hate being called that." said Michael
"Why did you think I declared you the 'Hero of Ferelden' in the first place? I had to pay you back somehow for making me King and then forcing me to marry Anora." said Alistair
"How is the Queen by the way?" said Michael.
"Well she hasn't had me assassinated yet, so take that for what you will."
"Heh, I guess you've grown on her Alistair." said Michael sarcastically before letting out a sigh. "Well, I can't delay for much longer. I intend to stop at Highever along the way to see my dog and Fergus."
"How has you brother faired these years?
"As well as he can, he still hasn't recovered from losing his wife and son, neither have I for that matter." said Michael sadly as he remembered that awful night.
"Do you think he'll be alright?" said Alistair.
"I think so, last I checked, he was looking to remarry, and I'm going to keep my dog with him to make sure he stays out of trouble."
"Well that's good, I was worried you were going to drop your mutt in my lap like you did when you first became Warden-Commander."
"Oh no, I learned from that incident. At least he'll do what Fergus says."
"Is that supposed to mean something?" said Alistair in an accusatory tone.
"Nope, nothing at all." said Michael with a straight face.
An hour later, Michael walked toward the main doors of the Royal Palace, dressed in the blue and grey armor of a Grey Warden. His sword and shield buckled to his back; the rest of things had already been taken to his horse waiting at a nearby stable.
When Michael opened the palace doors, he was surprised to see two parallel rows of Royal Guard lining each side of the lane leading to the out into the streets. The guards were in their dress armor, shining brightly in the early afternoon light. At the end of the line stood Alistair and Teagan, both armored as well.
All Michael could do was make a lopsided grin as he walked between the two lines of guardsmen. The guards all drawing their swords in unison and holding them high, creating a roof of blades over Michael's path as he walked towards the King.
As Michael approached the King, Alistair crossed both fist over his chest and bowed in the Warden salute. Michael did the same, returning Alistair's salute.
"Maker watch over you on your journey, Hero of Ferelden." said Alistair as finished the salute.
"And may the Maker keep watch over you and Ferelden while I am away, your Majesty." Said Michael in reply.
Michael then proceeded through the royal gates, into the streets of Denerim.