Chapter 1
Lena was busy cleaning her bloodied armour, cursing under her breath while she worked. It had been a week since the archdemon had been slain and she still couldn't wash away the now dried blood off the metal plates. If she have known the archdemon's blood would be this hard to clean, she wouldn't have worn her best silverite armour into battle. She gave up after another hour, and decided to let the servants try and clean it instead.
She gets up and sits down on the large bed, stroking the back of her mabari, Xiron. Looking at the large metal sword that was laid on the side cabinet she felt a wave of sadness wash over her. Alistair had been a good friend, and had sacrificed himself to save her. Anora hadn't seemed to be saddened by his death, then again she hadn't been all too over joyous by the idea of marrying Alistair. But Lena missed him dearly; she missed his wit and awkward ways.
Arl Eamon's estate was basked in sunlight, although it had a cold feel to it, one only Lena seemed able to feel. The archdemon was dead; Anora was to be queen and thanks to Loghain surviving the joining she wasn't the only Grey Warden left in Ferelden. She ought to be happy, but there was something, missing. She picks up a book on Ferelden history from the wooden bedside table, but her eyes only gloss over the yellowed pages, mind wondering to her former companions that had all left in the previous week. Leliana was on her way to investigate the darkspawn; Oghren was going on a search to find Felsi; Wynne and Shale were travelling to the Tevinter Imperium to try and turn Shale back into a dwarf; Sten was returning to his home land, and Zevran was Maker knows where. Loghain was the only one who was still here. They weren't close; Lena still didn't truly trust him for betraying not only the Wardens, but the whole of Ferelden, and Loghain still wasn't over the fact that she tried to kill him in their duel at the landsmeet, nor was he happy that this brash, inexperienced young woman was suddenly the big hero and one all the banns and arls went to for advice.
An elven servant knocks on the heavy wooden door and at Lena's call comes in, holding a small pile of freshly washed robes.
"Your robes are cleaned, mistress. Also Anora wishes to see you in her quarters, she said it's urgent."
"Of course, thank you. Oh, and this armour still has blood stains on it from the battle. I've been scrubbing it all week and the stains still won't come out. If you could try and clean it that would be amazing."
"We'll get on it right away."
She bows and walks out, while Lena sighs and drags herself to Anora's quarters. Can the hero of Ferelden ever get some peace around here?
Anora was dressed in her normal regal robes, and to Lena's surprise Loghain was also stood there not in his usual battle worn armour, but a lavish tunic of silk and velvet. This was the first time she had seen Loghain in something other than his armour, and she was amazed at how….small and unimposing he looked.
"Lena, it's good to see you. It's been a week since the archdemon was slain, how are you doing?"
"Tired, but my wounds are healing. The Cousland's have their revenge on Howe, the blight is over and I can finally concentrate on being a Warden."
"Good I'm glad you're settling in well. But as you know Ferelden is still in tatters after the blight. The arls and banns are still wary of me remaining queen, and even more so when my soon to be husband dies during the final onslaught. Your brother is the new teyrn of Highever, and Amaranthine belongs to the Wardens, but there are still parts of Ferelden that are not controlled by wilful law. You are from a powerful family, and my father is one of two Teyrnirs in Ferelden. I suggest a mergence between our two families. It will cement the leadership of Ferelden, and promote peace between the ruling families."
"Wha….you mean me marry Loghain, your father?"
Loghain looks equally shocked and seemingly appalled by the idea of a marriage.
"Anora, you really think a marriage will fix all our problems?"
He manages to stutter out after a long pause, his face still twisted in repulsion at the thought of marrying the blond haired woman stood before him.
"The Cousland's have a lot of influence in Ferelden, and if you were to marry they would see that you can be trusted, father. That you are still a hero with Ferelden's best interests at heart."
Lena shakes her head in disgust and backs away from the two people standing before her. Loghain merely stands there with a stunned look on his face.
"He betrayed us. I cannot marry someone who effectively wiped out the Wardens."
"Yet you let me live. You let me become a Warden and managed to convince your friend Alistair to marry Anora."
"I had hoped you would die in the battle."
She gives Loghain a withering glare that would make any lesser man flinch. But Loghain merely stands his guard, almost seeming to try and outstare Lena.
"At least tell me you'll consider it, Lena."
She gives Anora a dirty look and folds her arms over her chest.
"I guess I don't really have a choice, do I?"
She walks out without another word and just about runs to her room, a thousand different thoughts running through her head. The idea of marrying that….man disgusted her. She was glad however to see her armour had gone, and hoped that at least that problem would be sorted.
Grabbing the wine bottle from the side table she opens it and takes a large gulp of the red liquid, and looks up to see Loghain waiting patiently at the door.
"What do you want?"
"I'm not exactly enamoured by this idea either, you know. But you saved me for a reason. You can't hate me as much as you say you do."
He walks into the large room, closing the heavy wooden door behind him. Lena puts the bottle on the bedside table, wanting her wits to be about her. Loghain was a sharp man, and could outfox most people, and she didn't want to be one of them.
"I saved you because I didn't want to be the last Grey Warden. That's all."
"If we do get married, I promise it will be for show. I would try and be a good husband to you; you are an, admirable woman after all."
"But I'll still be locked in a loveless marriage with a man who betrayed Ferelden."
"Listen as much as I do not like this idea, Anora isn't giving us much choice in the matter. She is queen after all, and holds power over us."
She nods her head, begrudgingly acknowledging that he was right on that matter.
"Why would she even want her father marrying someone else?"
"Politics, Lena. Our marriage will look good. Make the arls and banns look like everything's alright."
She sighs, finally accepting her fate.
"I guess I don't have a choice. You're going to be my husband, even though I won't like it."
"I will be good to you Lena. I hope that in the coming months that we can at least form some sort of alliance, it will make things a lot easier between us. We can spend this marriage hating each other, or we can make the best of this situation and at least be comfortable in each other's presence."
She breathes deeply, considering what he had just said for a few moments before getting up and looking in to his eyes. They were an icy grey, and she had only just noticed what colour they were. They were cold, but there was a certain warmth within them; a certain compassion she had not seen for a long time. Not since her father. Funny her future husband would have the same eyes as her father.
"Fine, I'll do this. And I guess we may as well be able to stand each other, but only if I know I can trust you."
"You can trust me, Lena. I will be nothing but kind to you in this marriage, for you have more than proved yourself a strong warrior."
"Thank you. I guess there are worse men I could be forced to marry."
He nods and walks out, presumably to tell Anora the news of their impending marriage. As Lena gets back onto her bed and takes another large gulp of her wine she wonders whether Anora got some sick satisfaction from seeing her father marry a young pretty young girl like herself.
Maker I am twenty one years old, and I'm about to marry this…she didn't even know how old he was. Emptying half of the bottle in one large gulp, she slumps back on the bed, face in her hands. If her father were alive today, well none of this would have happened. She probably would have been married to Thomas Howe or Dairren Loren by now. But, she considered, at least he has promised to be good to her. He was right; they could spend their lives hating each other, or try to be friends or something like that. She just hoped he kept his promise. And if he didn't, well she had just faced an archdemon, beating him would be easy.