Cold suspicion

Winter had come to Ferelden. Snow had built up roofs, icicles hung from ceilings. Winter was also decorated the windows of buildings on icy patterns, Anora looked at them for a moment.

Then she crossed her arms under breasts, she shiver even though she was dressed warmly. It was not from the cold weather, but in recent events.

Grief hung in her like death, her husband and king has died. Anora was wearing a thick set of dark furs, to show her grief, though she was not the only one that mourned.
Darkspawn had destroyed the army and killed her husband. Only his father and his soldiers had managed to retreat and flee in time, when the gray wardens were deceived them. As a result, his father was expelled wardens again from the Fereldan, and had promise reward from they heads.

The arrival of winter had to stopped the darkspawn and forced them withdraw the underground, it was good news, but the civil war, which his father had started when he had made himself a regent and tried to force other under his rule, was not finished. It was only picked up before the winter, his father's armies had won many battles, but they had lost a lot of soldiers.

Anora had given messages to messengers, in those she had persuaded the nobles to give up this insane war, middle of the darkspawn attack.
A few had responded, some of the answers had not been politely, if her father would step down, they could be considered ending the fight. Few had not answered anyway. Some wanted to remove her too; some doubted that she was nothing more than a figurehead.

Anora had begun to suspect that also, her father, Arl Howe and they supporters had made the decisions, Anora had later find out what was decided. She had been wrecked with grief and has loose her power.

I still have some of it left. She reminded herself.

The worst part was still the rumors that her father had left his army behind him and his men to death. Anora still remember the dispute when he had asked her father directly if this was responsible for Cailan's death.
The suspicion was awful, it gnawed pillar of her life, her confidence in her father.

Anora heard how the door opened behind her, and turned to look; she saw that her handmaiden Erlina had come to the door.

"My lady." She said and curtseyed. Elf had put thick cape over her, her dark hair was tied. Her Orlesian accent was clear, that didn't make her popular in Ferleden and being elf had not improve her situation, considering that elves had killed son of Arl of Denerim and Arl Howe had purged the alienage. But Erlina was capable and loyal to her.

"Your father is holding a meeting in the eastern hall" Erlina said.
"I think that you should come, it is said that the bounty hunters have caught the wardens."

Anora looked surprised at Erlina. The last time we heard wardens had avoided pursuers and those who had manage to reach them had been killed.

They started to walk quickly toward the hall. Erlina told Anora at the same time what she had heard.

"Apparently, one group of bounty hunters captured him at the road west from Denerim."
"That is surprising, the warden has been really difficult to find and darkspawn, as well as the civil war have made it even more so."
"One of the bounty hunter had previously encountered the wardens did recognized them and they had managed to trap them."
"The Wardens sometimes leaves some of them alive to deliver a message to my father, that true."

Anora did recall one occasion, when one beaten bounty hunter had delivered message from the warden to his father. That bounty hunter had lost most of his front teethes in the fight with the warden, he said he was lucky; the warden had killed the others.

Message was sort. "We're coming."

Soon they arrived at the hall, the guards opened doors to them. Many bowed to her politely, but most were watching what we're happening middle of room.
Anora noticed that there were a large number people; word about captured warden had got attention. However, Arl Howe was not there, from that Anora was grateful.

"This man and his group managed to catch the warden." Knight said, and stepped back a large group in front.

Mixed group of armored men stepped forward; one of them stepped towards Loghain and bowed. The man had a black beard and was wearing a horned helmet.
"I don't see wardens with you." Loghain said.
"We did not get them alive, they refused to give in, and we had to kill him."
"You have their bodies?"
"Just a one of them is recognizable, the elf warden."

"What about the other warden."

"His head was smash."

Bounty Hunter raised his hand there was a severed head. Anora turned his gaze to the side.
Why I came here. She pondered.

"It's not him." His father said coldly.
"My lord ..." Bounty hunter was trying to say.
"You think I would not recognize the difference, I have met him in Ostager."
Bounty Hunter tried to say something, but did not come from the mouth of any sound.
"The hair is the wrong color and tattoos are different."
He leaned forward and narrowed his eyes.
"Are tattoos added after death?" Loghain asked menacingly.
Bounty Hunter backed off a step.

"Take this loser and his group out of my sight and the City."
"But whip them first." Loghain added coldly.
The guards quickly seized ranks and began to drag them toward the door. Some started to struggle, but they had been forced to leave their weapons when entering the hall, and as soon as they were brought under control. Bounty Hunter had dropped the severed elf head on the floor, Loghain glanced at it coldly, guess hoping that it would have been a warden's.

Loghain then turned his attention to the young lieutenant.
"Lieutenant, you didn't thought questions them further?" Loghain asked coldly.
"Regent, I ..."
"You do not seem to be handling your duties probably, Ser Cauthrien seek a better officer in his place."
"Yes, regent." Ser Cautherian said out loud and pointing lieutenant to leave.

"Regent, I have some information about the warden." Said one man from the assembled group suddenly. Anora identified this as one of Arl Howe's man.
"We find out that the warden had been in Denerim a few days ago."
"What! Why did you not tell this before." Loghain yelled.
"We found the bodies of our men who were looking for warden and their accomplices, only recently and we find out what had happened at this morning."

"The warden was here, in this city, and no one else noticed him, I can't believe it." Loghain cried with a loud voice.
Anora circled her arms around her. She hated to see his father this way. Loghain was always performed calmly and peacefully. The room shared same feeling, no one dared to face his father's gaze.

"If nobody doesn't have any more information about the warden, leave now." Her father's said and sit to the throne.
One at a time, nobility, soldiers and the knights left. Anora sighed, the situation had not improved. Suddenly, she noticed that one of the knights was still standing. Loghain noticed the same thing.
"Ser Landry?"
Knight glanced behind; all the people had almost left the room. Knight waited that the room was empty and the guards closed the doors.

Ser Landry walked in front of his father; he was holding his head down.
"Did you have something to tell, Ser." Loghain said.
Knight switched feet and was hesitant-looking, finally he looked up.
"I met the warden near alienage gates." He said.
"You met warden here. When? "His father said dismayed.

"It is now five days." Knight said in a hushed voice.
"And you did not do anything?" Loghain rose from his seat and shouted, it seemed that he would be ready to strike the knight to the ground.
Laundry Ser backed off a step, lifting up his hands. Anora decided to intervene, and stepped next to her father.
"What exactly happened, Ser Laundry." Anora said firmly.
"Your Majesty." Knight said and looked at her and her father.
"Do I have to repeat what I said?" Anora asked menacingly.
"No, Your Majesty."
"I came across with warden when I was traveling through the square to the meeting; I went near gates of alienage, late in the evening." Knight began.
"I saw someone leaning at the wall; I stopped to take a look because this person was also Mabari by his side. I thought that he was hurt because he was leaning strongly at the wall."

Mabari, the warden had a war dog in his command.

"When I stepped closer, the dog did bark and the figure looked up quickly."
"I recognized the warden as soon as I saw him."
"What did you do?" Anora said quickly, before his father had time to say anything.
Ser Laundry drew himself up.
"I said that I recognized him from Ostagar and I blamed him, as well Grey wardens as traitors."
"What happened then?" Anora asked curiously.
Ser Laundry bowed his head.
"The Warden told me be silent and leave."
"And you did that." Loghain said coldly.
"Yes." Ser Laundry said quietly.
Anora looked at the knight, this was a big man, in good shape and an experienced warrior.
"Why it happened, did not you have any weapons or friends nearby?" Anora asked, confused.
Knight looked like that he wanted to earth swallow him.
"I had my sword and my shield with me, and my armor on. And a few of my friends were shouting distance."

Anora turned to look at his father, he looked with dismay and surprised.

I wonder if I have same kind of expression in my face. Anora thought.

Then they both turned to look at knight.
"I had thought of myself as a brave man, I was with you in Ostagar, regent." Knight said painfully.
"There I did see the warden at the first time."
"But this warden what I faced in the alley, it was something else." Knight said, and straightened
"I swear that warden eyes glowed like some a beast in the night. And I did feel coldness and death step in to me."
"Are you sure that wasn't a cold wind what did that." Loghain asked a tone of which contempt shone through.
Ser Laundry turned to look directly at Loghain.
"Yes, I am sure, I'm afraid of this warden, and I hope that our paths don't cross again."
Anora looked knight. This seemed to speak the truth, he did fear this warden. Before her father had time to say anything, Anora stepped between her and the knight.
"Thank you for your honesty, Ser Laundry, I am certain that admitting this was not easy to you." Anora said, as kindly as she could.
"You may leave" She said friendly and pointed to the door.
"Your Majesty." Knight said, and bowed to her.
After the knight had left Anora turned to look at her father, he was sitting the throne and looked pretty grim.
"Obviously, this warden is much more dangerous than we expected." Anora said.
"Circle tower and the Templar´s have agreed to fight at warden's command. And apparently also the new king of the dwarves is a commitment to support gray wardens. "She continued.

"It is also heard that Dalish elves have begun to gather in the south. Rumors tell that Dalish do that at warden's request." Loghain said gloomily.
Well, that was new. Anora thought, she had heard rumors that Dalish had started gathering and stories that they had clashed with darkspawn.

"Should we consider agreement with the warden?" Anora asked after a while.

"I DON'T MAKE DEAL WITH THEM!" His father yelled out and jumped up the throne.
"And have you forgotten that because of them Cailen died and we lost the army."
Anora stood there calmly and ignore his father rage.

So you say father, but you are not telling me something.
"Very well, then we have to kill the warden, raise the bounty." Anora said calmly.
Loghain looked at her daughter for a moment and then sat down again.

Killing the wardens would be hard and they have gain lot a support during winter. We need support from the circle of the mages and dwarves armies against the darkspawn. In addition, if we can get Dalish elves also our chances would improve. Anora thought.

But my father, Arl Howe and they supporters don't bend to make any agreements with grey wardens.

Anora was on way out of the room when she stopped next to severed elf head and turned to look at her father.

"And Father, if you want to avoid those hunters will bring the wrong heads. Add mention that the warden had Mabari and ask headhunters also bring it carcass with them. It could discourage some of those who try to trick you."

"Maker knows that there are not many elves that had mabari in his command in Fereldan." Anora said.

"All right" His father said and nod to her.

Then Anora turned and walked out of the courtroom. She had already begun to make her own plans.