Leliana

Salem's body went rigid as a group of people approached us. A man in silver armor, obviously their leader, was surrounded by armed guards. He had his onyx hair tied back and his eyes shone out, as filled with madness as Salem's were with death. His carriage was proud, a stance of command and nobility, a stature that my lover herself possessed, though never did she use it to cower another. Not like this man.

Arl Eamon scrambled down from his wagon and walked to meet them. Salem squeezed my hand, a silent command for me to stay behind. I complied, insomuch as I did not join her, but I edged close enough to hear the conversation, determined to know what had made Salem look like a woman on the edge of sanity. Anger did not easily come to my warden, nor often present itself in her body, but I could see her shivering with suppressed rage.

I admired Salem as she strode forward, her soot-black armor gleaming. After hearing the story of what had transpired in the Frostbacks, Levi Dryden had gifted Salem with his ancestor's armor. My warden had refused out of honor, but the young man persisted, saying it was the least he could offer for the favors she had done him.

It suits her. I mused. Though it gives her a rank she does not possess...as of yet. Warden Commander Cousland, I smiled at the thought of it.

"Eamon." the man in silver armor spoke, his voice deep and resonant. "I see you have decided to persist in your madness."

Arl Eamon frowned behind his beard. "No more than you, Teyrn Loghain."

Loghain!

My mind fired with alarm. This was the man who had placed a bounty on the wardens. This was the man...I glanced back at Zevran. The elf had tied a scarf around his hair, concealing his ears. He shrank back behind the wagon. He knew Loghain, the man who had hired him. He also knew that the man would stop at nothing to gain retribution, should he find out that his hired assassin had joined my warden's cause.

"Let us not mince with pleasantries or titles, Eamon." Loghain spoke, and I noticed the snake of a man behind him staring daggers into Salem. "I have come to attempt a peaceful resolution before you bring yourself to public shame before the bannorn."

"There can be no peace with what you have done, Loghain." Eamon rebutted, still collected and calm. "The bannorn will assemble. The Landsmeet will be called."

"And what?" Loghain smirked. "You will set before them baseless accusations? It will descend into a flurry of name-calling and ancient grievances, sending this country home more severed than it is now."

Why hasn't she spoken? I looked at Salem, her eyes cast down, her shoulders bunched. This was not the woman I had come to know and love. I know she holds no fear of Loghain. Why then, is she remaining silent?

"This country would not be in its fractured state if King Cailan were alive to tend to its needs." Eamon claimed.

Loghain's eyes lit with fury. "Our king, and your nephew, would still be alive if it weren't for that." he pointed to Salem with an imperious hand.

My warden flinched and I curled my hands into fists, restraining myself from rushing to her defense. Instead, I examined the guards standing around Loghain, biting my tongue and imagining horrible, torturous deaths for all of them.

"Do you wish me to remove my clothes, Teyrn Loghain?" Salem asked, breaking her silence at last.

What in hell?

"Whatever for?" Loghain sneered. "I can do far better than a baseborn Cousland whore."

The snake behind Loghain snickered.

That manner of insult I will not countenance! I strode forward and felt a hand of steel land on my shoulder. Furious, I looked into the stern face of the qunari.

"Do not make this worse." he rumbled.

My face fell and my shoulders slumped. He is right, I realized. Thus far this has been a civil argument. If any of us step in, Loghain will have full right to attack. We cannot risk that, not now. Not if we are attempting to gain favor.

Salem laughed, though it was obviously forced.

"And I could do better than a self-aggrandizing Mac Tir." Salem countered, heat in her voice, but a calm fire. "I merely meant to inquire if you should like to see the scars from the wounds I received at the Tower of Ishal. After I lit the beacon."

"And who would believe you?" Loghain queried, voice oily with false kindness. "Any scars you would show me are like as not remnants of failed attempts to take your own life after your father was found guilty of treason and had to be put down like the dog he is...oh, do forgive me. Was."

Salem's lips went white with fury. "Call me a liar, if that is your wish. Call me a baseborn whore." her voice was tight, controlled, straining at civility. "But do not decry the Cousland name in my presence."

"The Cousland name." the man behind Loghain spoke at last. Even his voice reminded me of a serpent. It was...evil...venemous. "It is worth less than the dirt in Highever."

Salem curled her hands into fists, an action that did not go unnoticed. "I apologize that you inherited a territory in such disarray." the muscles in her jaw clenched. "Arl Howe."

Maker's breath, my hand flew to my open mouth. Answers to all the questions I had asked tumbled into place. She is helpless to act and she is standing before...before the man that ordered her family slaughtered. A man who had no scruples abour killing a six year old child. It is taking all of her strength to not lash out.

"It's Teyrn Howe now." he smiled, thin-lipped, slick, and greasy. "As a reward for rooting out deep treachery, and bringing its perpetrators to justice, Regent Loghain was kind enough to accord me the rank due my actions, as well as the territory of Highever. My banner flies over House Cousland as we speak."

"You miserable, misbegotten son of dogs." Salem growled, nearing the precipice of losing her composure and mind. "And you," she turned to Loghain, "Cailan was alive and still king when Highever was sacked. You had no right under Ferelden law to give those lands to him."

"The decision was made after Cailan's unfortunate demise." Loghain tried to sound sympathetic, mournful, but he failed. His black eyes danced with what looked like merriment.

Of course he is happy. Playing with lives and families and emotions...anything to weaken this country's infrastructure and set him up to take power. He tires of his glory paling in the face of a Blight. So he does what any narcissist would do, and claims the Blight does not exist. The instant he is in a position of power, he will acknowledge the Blight and attempt to end it, to earn his country's love and loyalty. It is a brilliant strategy, Loghain.

"Of course it was." Salem pinched the bridge of her nose. "Cousland's last child has no say in this matter, I suppose."

"You were overburdened already." Howe offered her a paternal smile. "Finding out your family's sordid history, being thrust into a darker fate. We did not wish to burden you yet further."

"I killed scores of your men that night, Rendon Howe. You are a far softer target." Salem stepped forward and I did not know what to do. Rush to her aid, or pull her away. She would thank me for neither.

"Get off of my land, Loghain." Eamon warned. "You and your ilk are not welcome here."

"Is that a threat?" Loghain asked. "Tell me, what am I to fear? An old man with one foot in the grave? Or a slip of a girl, who drank a magic potion, met a bastard liar, and thinks herself a hero? Treason runs in the blood, Eamon." He gestured to Salem. "You are not at all safe with this one."

"If treachery runs in bloodlines, I would rather have the young Cousland at my side than even your Anora, Loghain." Eamon retorted. "Now get off of my land."

"As you wish." Loghain smiled and Eamon stepped aside, Salem following the arl.

The self-appointed regent moved past the caravan and out through the portcullis. Rendon Howe stayed behind. He laid a hand on Salem's shoulder and her eyes flashed with murder.

"I am so sorry for your losses." Howe claimed, sounding every inch the consoling noble. "But, please, for the sake of your family, warn Eamon against the Landsmeet. It would be too cruel to dishonor Bryce and Eleanor Cousland in a public forum."

"Get. Your. Hands. Off of me." Salem spoke in the voice that many of us had learned to fear. It was the tone of a scarcely sheathed blade, a fiercely contained wrath.

"Keep care, warden." he patted her shoulder and walked away, unharmed, unscathed, and unassailable.

I walked to Salem, watching blood drip down her chin. She had bitten deep into her lip to maintain her silence.

Maker, why this, why now? I begged for understanding. She was smiling. She was laughing. We were...happy.

"Salem..." I spoke.

She raised her gaze to mine. "Not now, Leliana." her eyes swarmed with rage, anguish, and murderous intent.

I lifted my hands in surrender and backed away, into Wynne's disconcerted gaze. We watched Salem walk into the estate with Arl Eamon.

"I am familiar with Loghain's face." Wynne spoke, turning my attention from Salem's slumped, defeated figure. "But I did not hear anything. "What happened, Leliana?"

I met the senior enchanter's eyes and let her see the full depth of my concern.

"What was said is unimportant." I wiped a stray tear from my eye as I thought of Salem's inner turmoil and grief. "Loghain was accompanied by Rendon Howe."

"Maker have mercy." Wynne wrapped her arm around me and rubbed a comforting hand up and down my arm.

"She would not speak to me." I whispered. "I'm...I am afraid, Wynne."

"You fear what reckless action she will take against Howe?"

"No." Salem would not endanger the Landsmeet. "I fear what reckless action she will take against herself."