Okay so…finally got this chapter done. I hadn't been in the mood for typing the last few weeks, life being life and throwing stuff at me. Anyway, no Alistair or Olyvia this chapter so sorry, but it took longer than I thought for certain things to occur. There is Anders though! And it is likely I'll have one more chapter up before I hold off updates to finish Dianna's Story. I just have to have the time and motivation to write it…
csorciere: When playing Origins, Anora admitted she came to love Cailan so I used that for the story. She still hasn't entirely forgiven Loghain either, don't know if it came off that way… I hope this chapter doesn't seem too farfetched and end up ruining the whole story for you, I just was very upset how I ended up warping Aedan's character from how I wanted him to be, he was more stupid evil than just evil.
Pollyanna24: I wasn't sure how to write the smut so I skipped it. Nor do I want to overdo it (like I felt I did with the first story even with the M rating). As for Loghain and Anora, his quick guilt, as you put it, will be explained, briefly, but still explained. And I purposely wrote Aedan as I did because that really was the character he was becoming (which I was super disappointed), so this is my attempt to fix that and add some drama/plot to the story. Hope it doesn't ruin the whole story for you.
SummerAngelz: Just to answer your question, yes I did think about it way too much. (Well, I think I thought about it just enough, but that's my opinion.)
CHAPTER FOUR
As Loghain paced in his quarters, in irritation more than anxiety for his daughter's safety, there was a knock at the door. Deviating from his course across the rug in front of the bed, he went to the door and opened it, to find two of his fellow Grey Wardens standing there; the mage Anders, and the one who followed him around everywhere, all the time, Kristoff. Loghain found it odd that it took a few repetitions of his name before he realized you were talking to him. Not to mention he looked terrible, like the walking dead, but no one seemed to really care, as long as he was still able to fight, which he was. The two were only here because the new Warden Commander from Orlais, Eliza Caron was her name, had a few items of business to discuss with his Majesty, who had done a fairly good job of avoiding her.
"Yes?" he asked.
"Sir…there is something we wish to speak to you about," Anders said, "About his majesty."
"Shouldn't you tell your Warden Commander instead?"
"Since the Queen is your daughter and married to his majesty…we thought it more pertinent to inform you," Anders replied.
Loghain didn't need more convincing than that and motioned for them to enter. Once the door was shut behind them, Anders began.
"The King is possessed by a demon."
Loghain sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, "I know he has a temper, and being a mage you would know of demons, but mages are the only ones capable of being possessed by demons."
"That is not entirely true," Kristoff said.
Loghain raised an eyebrow, "Oh?"
"A demon can take possession over any willing host, as long as magic aide is involved," Kristoff explained, "Of course, blood magic is the only means to do so."
"And just how do you know this?"
A look of panic crossed Anders face, and Loghain could see the wheels spinning in his head to come up with something to say, which he knew would be a lie.
"We've…done it before?" Anders said uncertainly.
Loghain's eyes grew wide, "You are a blood mage?"
Anders sighed, "No, I'm not, but…since you are a fellow Warden, I guess you can know."
Anders then went on to explain that Kristoff really wasn't Kristoff, but a spirit of Justice trapped in his corpse because when they were trapped in the fade, Justice was accidentally sent with them from a blood mage called the Baroness.
"So…Justice is very knowledgeable in all things related to the Fade," Anders finished.
Loghain wasn't sure to be horrified, disgusted, or just accept it. It made sense, explaining Kristoff's appearance, but it was just…weird.
"If his majesty is really possessed by a demon, wouldn't it have taken over him and turned him into an abomination?"
"Perhaps the taint is keeping it at bay," Anders suggested, "The taint is a really nasty thing, as I'm sure you're aware of. I mean, have you ever heard of a darkspawn emissary turning into an abomination."
"As if we keep up with what certain darkspawn are doing in their extra time," Loghain said.
"But I doubt it's possible," Anders went on, "They're demon enough as it is."
Loghain rolled his eyes, "Even so, how do you know for certain, his majesty is possessed?"
Anders pointed at Kristoff…or Justice…what were they calling him now?
"I can sense the demon within him," Kristoff/Justice replied.
"Okay…then who put this demon within him?"
"That I am unable to determine," Kristoff/Justice replied.
"Well…," Anders muttered, "Wasn't one of the Grey Wardens recruited from the circle?"
"Yes," Loghain replied, "Why?"
"What was their name? Do you know?"
Loghain pinched the bridge of his nose again as he shook his head. Like he could remember, he only met the mage Warden once before, and she wasn't with the others when they came to the Landsmeet, so she had obviously died.
"All I remember was it was a woman," Loghain replied, "Supposedly very talented. I heard the First Enchanter spoke highly of her."
"Human? Elf? Blond hair, pink hair?" Anders asked, "Details Loghain."
"Long black hair, dark skinned," Loghain replied, "And rather tall, for a woman."
"Shit," Anders hissed.
"What?" Loghain asked worriedly.
"Solona Amell! They let her out! Irving had no idea she was a blood mage?" Anders exclaimed shrilly, "She was one of the worst!"
"She's dead," Loghain said bluntly.
"Oh, well, that's good then," Anders said with a sigh of relief.
"At least that is what I'm led to believe," Loghain added.
Anders sighed, "You know, you ruin everything."
"Are you thinking that she managed to do it?"
"If there's anyone I know that could, it would be Solona," Anders replied, "But if she's dead… then I don't know how it was done."
"I'm sure she had traveled with them for some time before she passed," Loghain said, "I know just who to ask though, if you are certain it was her."
"I'd bet money on it," Anders said, and then shoved a hand into a pocket, turning it inside out and pulled off a piece of lint, "If, you know…I had any. Don't earn much money as a Grey Warden."
Loghain sighed and turned around, heading towards the door, "Here, come with me."
"Oghren? Really? He's your source?" Anders asked incredulously as he, Justice and Loghain watched the dwarf guzzle down ale by the pints.
"He was part of Aedan's party, he should know something," Loghain said.
"If he's sober enough to remember," Justice said.
"No, dwarves remember better when their drunk off their asses," Anders said, "At least they seem to when you did something to piss them off."
Oghren finished off two more pints and tossed them onto his pile of flagons before turning to the group, belching loudly and making all three crinkle their noses as the scent of ale and dwarf breath assaulted their senses.
"What do you want now?" the dwarf asked.
"Loghain wants to ask you a few questions Oghren," Anders replied, reeling back a bit from the smell, "About his Majesty."
"Eh? What about?"
"Not here," Loghain said, "We need to speak somewhere more private."
With a grunt, Oghren turned himself around on the table bench, and hopped down onto his feet. Seeing he was able to stand upright after all those drinks, Loghain headed out of the dining hall and into a separate room down the corridor that was empty. Once everyone was inside and the door closed Loghain asked, "When Aedan included you in his party during the Blight, was he accompanied by a mage Warden?"
Oghren scratched his mustache, "Mage…mage…oh! Yes there was. She died about two weeks into the Deep Roads though so I remember little about her. Easy on the eyes, tall…unnaturally tall. Did I mention easy on the eyes?"
"And how long ago was this?" Loghain asked.
"Six…no seven…maybe nearly eight months," Oghren replied, "Why do you ask?"
Loghain's brow furrowed as the thought for a few moments, before turning to Anders, "I'd estimate she had been travelling with Aedan for nine months then."
"That'd give her plenty of time," Anders said, "Are we sure it's only Aedan she did this to then? If she had that much time to infiltrate all their minds?"
"Guess we'll never know now," Loghain said.
"So what is this about?" Oghren asked.
"Oh just our king having an extra passenger," Anders said.
Oghren looked at his mage friend in confusion, "What?"
"There's no need to explain any further," Loghain said, "It's better you stay out of this."
Oghren shrugged, "Okay, whatever. Does that mean I can go?"
Loghain nodded and the dwarf left the room, heading back to the dining hall for more ale. Loghain then looked over to Anders.
"So how do you suggest we handle this situation?"
"Carefully."
Weeks passed before all the nobles had arrived and the Landsmeet could take place. Aedan was getting more irritated by the day, and he made sure everyone knew it. One of the things that irritated him the most was the way the Grey Wardens looked at him, especially the mage and his disgusting looking friend. That wary, knowing look they had when they watched him, it drove him insane! He wanted to throttle them, kill them, anything to get rid of them, but he knew he couldn't. They were, supposedly, a neutral party and were only here because their Warden Commander brought them on her trip to speak to him. Which he had encountered her only a few times. She tried to ask for his aide for the Wardens at Vigil's Keep, Arl Howe's previous home, but he wouldn't give it. He wouldn't help anyone who would stay at that murderer's home. And then there was the matter of him slaying the Archdemon and not dying subject she attempted to broach. He wouldn't speak of it, and would just leave. She would just have to deal with not getting any answer.
The day of the Landsmeet, he was particularly irritated. Anora expressed her desire that he wear his royal attire, and not his armor.
"But if a fight breaks out like the last Landsmeet, I want to be prepared," he argued.
"There will be no fighting," Anora said, "Not with me around. We are going to settle this diplomatically, and like adults."
Aedan huffed in anger and pulled his attire out from the closet, tossing it onto the bed so he had his hands free to remove the clothes he was currently wearing. Once they were off, he began to dress in the clothes he had to wear, and as he was buttoning up the shirt, felt Anora's hand on his shoulder.
"See, this is much better," she said.
He glanced over into the mirror on the wall to his left, analyzing the dark blue shirt, white trousers and black boots. He didn't think it looked better. It wouldn't protect him from a blade, or arrow, or any other sort of weapon.
"You look very handsome," she added quietly.
"You hate me, don't try to make me think otherwise," Aedan said, roughly pulling himself away from her with a twist at his waist and elbowing her in the arm.
"I don't…I don't hate you Aedan," Anora said, "I hate what you've become. This isn't like you."
"You don't even know me so how could you know?"
"I learned enough about you before the previous Landsmeet to know that you've changed," Anora said, "You lose your temper so easily now and you're…there is no other way to explain it other than to say you act childish, you act on impulse. You need to control it. Especially today."
"I can't," Aedan said lowly that Anora barely caught.
She sighed exasperatedly, "Then at least try."
The Landsmeet didn't go the way Aedan wanted it at all. In the end, his brother was allowed to just walk away. The anger rose inside him and he found himself shouting at Anora, at everyone, and then nearly threw himself off the balcony before the Wardens grabbed him. He fought against them of course, but when the mage rested a hand on his head, he instantly lost consciousness.
"That should keep him quiet…for a while," Anders said as he let go of his grip on the king.
"I don't understand," Anora said, close to tears, "Why can't he behave as an adult? Why is he so quick to lose his temper? This is a nightmare!"
"Anora," her father said, resting a hand on her shoulder, "There is something you should know… but I warn you, you won't like it."
"What is it?" she asked.
Loghain looked over to Anders and Justice, before turning back to his daughter, "These two Wardens unknowingly discovered his majesty is the host for a demon. Despite you thinking it is impossible, we know it is."
"What?" Oghren asked in disbelief.
Anora gasped, her hands slapping over her mouth. It took her a few moments before she could calm down enough to ask, "But…how?"
"Blood magic," Anders replied, "We believe it was Solona Amell, a Grey Warden recruited from the circle who traveled with him for some time before she perished."
"I knew I didn't like her," Oghren muttered, "And not just for being freakishly tall."
"But he wasn't like this months ago," Anora said, "He was able to keep his temper…better."
"The Landsmeet may have been the turning point for that," Loghain said, "At any rate…Anora, I'm sorry, but I don't think there is much we can do to reverse this other than…the obvious."
"W-we can't just kill him!" Anora said shrilly, "And you definitely can't, you're supposed to remain neutral."
"He is also a Warden," a female's voice cut through the air, the Orlesian accent giving away who it was before the others turned to find it was Eliza, "So he is my responsibility. We shall take care of this."
"You know about this?" Loghain asked, before looking over to Anders.
"She's our Warden Commander, she had to know," Anders said in his defense.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Oghren asked, sounding hurt, but only slightly.
"Well you're not the Warden Commander," Anders replied, "And you tend to gossip in your drunken stupor."
Anora looked over to her unconscious husband. Though she held no fondness for him, he couldn't just…die. It would be another husband of hers she had lost, and having born no heir yet there wouldn't be anyone to succeed the throne. And no other man would marry her after this, especially if they believed her to be barren which was the rumor circulating since a year after she married Cailan.
"Surely there is something you can do other than kill him," Anora said.
"I know no other way," Eliza said with a sympathetic expression.
"Wait, there might," Anders said, pointing to Justice.
"I cannot leave this form if that is what you are implying," Justice said.
Anora's brow furrowed in confusion, "What are you talking about."
"Grey Warden business," Eliza said tersely, shooting a glare at Justice, "Once you two carry his majesty to his quarters, I'd like to see all four of you in my quarters so we can discuss the situation and a plan."
Anders and Oghren nodded curtly, and then grabbed his majesty under the arms and hefted him up off the ground and carried him out after Anora who was going to lead them to the proper chambers, Justice following since he hardly ever left Anders' side. The human and dwarf were having some difficulty carrying the king, due to their height differences, but they were able to manage. With a motion of her head to Loghain to follow, Eliza left as well, the former Teyrn begrudgingly following after. He didn't see what could possibly be done to spare Aedan's life, and honestly, he'd prefer him being dead.
Anders, Justice, and Oghren joined Eliza and Loghain in her quarters a few minutes after they arrived there themselves and instantly began formulating a plan.
"If his majesty is truly an abomination, I only know of one way to fix it," Eliza said.
"As much as I dislike his majesty, you can't exactly just kill the king," Loghain said.
"Aren't you being a bit of a hypocrite, Loghain?" Anders asked.
Loghain glared at Anders, "I may have caused the death of Cailan, but I did not kill him outright or by my own hand. That was a mistake on my part, I know that now, because then Aedan wouldn't be on the throne."
"What's in the past, is in the past, there is nothing that will change that by dwelling on it now," Eliza said, "As for his majesty, if any of you have other ideas of how to handle this, I'd gladly listen, because without a king, there is no doubt in my mind there will be another uprising among the nobles, Anora will lose the crown because no one will marry a woman twice widowed, and the fighting amongst the nobility will leave Ferelden vulnerable, with no one on the throne."
Anders raised a hand, and Eliza couldn't help but roll her eyes. He could have just spoken up instead of asking to be called on.
"Yes Anders?" she asked with a sigh.
"Well, since his majesty isn't fully an abomination, there is still the chance of severing the tie the demon has with him, via the fade," Anders replied, "There are two ways to do this. Blood magic, of course, which I don't do just for clarification, or with a group of mages and lyrium. A ritual is performed and a mage is sent into the fade to battle the demon."
"That is definitely sounding like the better option," Eliza said, "Only where are we going to get these mages and lyrium? The circle is over a week's travel away."
"They're our only option," Anders replied, "They are the closest."
Eliza sighed, "Very well, Oghren, Loghain and I will head to the circle. You and Justice will stay here to keep his majesty under control."
Anders laughed humorlessly, "And just how do you expect us to do that?"
"Keep him asleep," Eliza replied as if it were obvious.
"Right…yeah I guess that'll work," Anders muttered, "Except how is he going to eat?"
"I'm sure you'll think of something," Eliza said with a smile, patting him on the shoulder, "Come Loghain, Oghren, we need to leave straightaway."
"I am not going to leave my daughter alone!" Loghain argued.
"If his majesty will be sleeping for most of the time, I'm sure she'll be fine," Eliza said, "Now let's get moving."
With the Warden Commander and the others gone, Anders and Justice went to Anora and informed her they were to keep an eye on his majesty while the others were away. She was reluctant to allow them to stay in her bedchambers, but realized she really had little choice over the matter. She would just have to move to another room to sleep in.
"How long will he be asleep?"Anora asked after an hour had passed since Anders first cast the spell on him. Though she would sleep in another room, she was going to stay and keep an eye on the Wardens to make sure they wouldn't try anything to harm Aedan, that would only piss him off more if he woke, and again she didn't want him dying.
"Oh I expect he'll wake up relatively soon," Anders replied, "Considering all that's inside him, I'm surprised he hasn't woken already."
"What do you mean all that's inside him?" Anora asked tersely.
Anders pursed his lips, looking over to Justice who only shook his head, before turning to Anora once more, "Well…the demon for one."
Anora sighed, "I still am not entirely inclined to believe you. It shouldn't be possible for a demon to possess anyone other than mages…how do I know you aren't an abomination and trying to keep anyone from figuring that out."
"Your highness, if I were an abomination, you'd know," Anders said, "And I take offense that you think loveable ol' me would be one."
Anora rolled her eyes, crossed her arms and turned away from him in a huff. She was planning on fuming for a while, but was jolted from her angry mood when Aedan jolted upright, and with a feral cry threw himself off the bed at Anders. Just a few feet away from the mage, Aedan dropped like a rock onto the floor, Anders looking momentarily like a frightened little girl before composing himself.
"What'd you do?" Anora asked.
"What do you think?" Anders asked shrilly, nervously running his hands over his robes, "I put him back to sleep! You saw what he was about to do, he was about to eat me!"
"I am surrounded by children," Anora muttered, pinching the bridge of her nose.
As Aedan woke a second time, he propped himself up on his elbows and took a look around the room. If that mage was still there, he was going to kill him for casting a spell on him. Twice. But he wasn't there, only Anora, who was sitting on the edge of the bed.
"Where is he?" Aedan growled, pushing himself up further into a sitting position.
"I assume you mean the mage Warden Anders," Anora said, "I sent him and his companion away. They were becoming a nuisance. I'm sure they're just outside though."
Aedan went to get off the bed, when Anora placed her hand on his shoulder, and pushed him down onto his back once more.
"You need to calm down Aedan," Anora chided, "Anders was only doing what he was told. Not to mention you scared him."
"Well good," Aedan growled, "But I still want to teach him a lesson."
"He's a Grey Warden, you need to leave him be."
"I'm a Grey Warden too, so I can do what I want with him!" Aedan said, beginning to raise his voice.
Anora crossed her arms and gave Aedan that stern disapproving look he was used to seeing, "Aedan, if you don't want to spend the next month asleep, you better keep your temper and leave him alone."
With a growl of annoyance, Aedan rolled over so he wasn't facing his wife. He'd rather fume silently than be put back to sleep.
After two weeks of waiting and treading carefully around his majesty, when Anders decided to let him stay awake for some time, Eliza and the rest of the Wardens finally returned.
"Thank the Maker you're here," Anders breathed a sigh of relief as they entered the great hall, "You have no idea how stressful it is to have his majesty at your throat every waking second."
"So you actually let him stay awake?" Eliza asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Sometimes," Anders replied, "When I could sneak up on him I'd put him back to sleep. He hasn't taken too kindly too that."
"I wouldn't either," Eliza muttered.
Anders looked past Eliza to find the rest of the Wardens accompanied by Irving, the First Enchanter of the Ferelden circle, along with a handful of other mages. Anders couldn't help but grimace seeing the look Irving was giving him.
"You look well, Anders," Irving said as he approached.
"I no longer have to live in the circle, I'm doing great," Anders replied brightly.
"So tell me, is his majesty currently awake?" Eliza asked, cutting short the magi's conversation before it went south.
"If he were the castle would be trembling from him stomping about," Anders replied, only to receive a blank stare from Eliza, so he rephrased his reply, "No. He's asleep."
Eliza gave a short sigh of relief, "Good, that'll make things easier."
After a brief dispute with Anora in her and Aedan's chambers, the Queen reluctantly left. She didn't exactly trust the Wardens and the mages alone with her husband, but the First Enchanter urged her to leave, so she will not be present, because if things didn't work out, it could turn ugly, and he didn't want her to be in danger, nor have her see it. Once she was gone, Eliza had Oghren watch the door, just in case Anora tried returning, which meant Oghren had to be outside.
"Why do I have to watch the door? Why can't I stay in here?" Oghren asked.
"You won't be of any use in here," Eliza replied, "We all know magic and dwarves just don't work."
"You're letting Loghain stay."
"Aedan is his son-in-law," Eliza said.
"What about Justice then? He can't help either."
"He's our Fade expert," and as Oghren opened his mouth Eliza butted in, "And Anders is going to be sent into the Fade. Oghren, I don't see why you're getting upset over this."
"What if he turns into an abomination?"
"If he hasn't yet, I doubt he will," Anders said, "Though if it doesn't work and he wakes, he will have one nasty temper, which won't cool down. Ever. He'll try killing us all."
"Then I should be in here!" Oghren argued.
"If you hear screaming, then you're allowed to come in and help," Eliza debated.
Grumbling under his breath, Oghren headed out the door. Turning back to the First Enchanter, Eliza gave a small sigh.
"Are we ready?"
Irving nodded, and began the incantation to the spell. A wispy smoke enveloped Anders, and he swayed on his feet for a few seconds before his body dropped to the floor.
Anders had been travelling for a while in the fade, following trails that seemed to lead nowhere except a maze of confusion.
"Aedan's mind really is much more warped than I thought," Anders muttered.
Rounding a corner, Anders nearly jumped out of his skin seeing a personage of Aedan standing there.
"Looking for me?" a demonic voice came from the personage.
"Uh…yes, as a matter of fact," Anders said, paused for a few seconds before using his cone of frost spell at the demon, "DIE FOUL BEAST!"
The Aedan personage disappeared to reveal the rage demon beneath, who roared in, what else, anger before lunging forward to attack Anders. After another few ice spells and the demon sunk into the ground and disappeared. Anders began turning in circles, looking for it.
"I know you're not dead yet," Anders muttered, "Though you're only a rage demon you're not that easy to defeat."
Waiting a few minutes, the demon still did not show itself, and Anders let out a sigh of frustration.
"You're going to make me chase you down, aren't you?"
The Wardens and Circle mages had retreated to the walls to lean against as they waited since nothing happened after quite some time. They were certainly hoping Anders would be successful and this wouldn't be a waste of time, energy, and a Warden. They were starting to lose hope when both Aedan and Anders began to stir, groaning softly as if in pain. Anders sat upright and gave his head a good shake to clear it. When he noticed Aedan was waking as well, Anders jumped onto his feet and bolted out the door.
"Anders! Wait!" Eliza shouted after him, "Did it work?"
"Yes, but I'm getting out of here!" Anders shouted back, his voice growing distant quickly.
"What's going on? Is he killing everyone?" Oghren asked, rushing into the room.
Eliza groaned before turning her attention back to Aedan. He was sitting up now, head in a hand, rubbing his eyes. Dropping his hand, he cast his eyes around the room, before narrowing them into a glare.
"Why in the name of the Maker are you people in my room?" he asked tersely.
"Are you sure it worked?" Loghain asked quietly to Eliza.
Eliza just shrugged, "He hasn't tried killing us yet, Anders said he probably would if the demon were still inside him."
"As if that is reassuring," Loghain grumbled.
Eliza turned to Justice, "Can you sense the demon still?"
"No," Justice replied, "Anders succeeded in severing the tie. I sensed it when it happened."
"So Aedan is just naturally a grump," Eliza muttered, "How did this help then?"
Aedan swung his legs off the side of the bed, and got to his feet, "These are my chambers, and you are intruding. Get. Out."
"You heard him, let's get out of here," Eliza said, eager to be elsewhere.
The others didn't need to be told twice and hurried out of the room. Eliza was the last to go, but before she shut the door behind her, she poked her head back in, "And we still need to talk about what happened with the Archdemon."
"I'll talk to you later," Aedan said sternly.
"I'll hold you to it, your majesty," Eliza replied before shutting the door.
With everyone gone, Aedan sat back down onto the bed, dropping his head into his hands. He had one nasty headache.
When Anora saw the Wardens and mages leaving the chambers, she hurried over to her father to ask her what happened. He informed her that the mages' ritual worked, but advised her to wait before going in to see Aedan, since it still did nothing to calm his temper. Anora frowned hearing this news, she thought what they were doing would help that issue. Waiting nearly an hour, Anora finally had fed up with pacing outside her room, and headed inside. She expected to find the room in disarray, from another fit Aedan had for a stupid, silly reason, but instead, she found him sound asleep on the bed. Cautiously walking over, she sat down on her side of the bed and just watched over him while he slept. She was surprised to see the anger completely gone from his face, it was almost as if she were looking at an entirely different person. Did that mean…she really didn't know her husband? Instead having associated with, supposedly, a monster using Aedan as a mask? Anora let out a heavy sigh. Since the Blight, her life had just been going downhill, nothing ever seemed to go right for her anymore.
Anora nearly jumped out of her skin when she felt something grab her hand, ripping her out from her reverie, and whipped her head around to see what had her. It was Aedan's hand, and looking up the length of the arm to Aedan's face, found he was awake.
"I didn't expect you to be here," Aedan muttered.
"These are my chambers too, why wouldn't I?"
"Because you haven't made any secret of your dislike for me," Aedan replied.
"If I disliked you, why would I have married you?" Anora shot back.
"To keep the throne," Aedan said, "You needed me."
Anora scoffed, "I did not need you to keep the throne."
"Yet it was because of me you have it," Aedan retorted, "Were it not for my argument, Alistair would have wound up with it."
Anora frowned and pulled her hand away from his to cross her arms. Already they were fighting. She wasn't seeing any change in him so far; he was just as condescending as usual. Though…he was keeping his temper much better. Before she was certain he would have shouted at her by now and probably throw her out of the room.
Silence fell between the two for a few moments before Aedan let out a groan as he rolled over and pulled the pillow over his head.
"Now what?" Anora asked bitterly.
"What did they do to me?" Aedan asked, his voice muffled by the pillow.
Anora's brow furrowed, "What do you mean?"
"The Wardens and mages, why were they in here and what did they do?"
"Are you sure you want to know?" she asked.
"I just asked, so yes," he replied irritably.
"A few of your fellow Wardens said you were the host to a demon and they were attempting to remove it."
"A what!?" Aedan exclaimed, jolting up in shock, sending the pillow flying, before he let out a groan of pain and fell back down onto the bed, "Ow…Maker's breath, is that why it feels like there is a javelin through my skull?"
"Were they wrong?" Anora asked, "Have you always been an ass to make them think your anger issues stemmed from a demon."
Aedan turned his head just enough to glare at her with one eye, "No! But how would a demon take possession of me anyway? I'm not a mage! Are the Wardens sure they weren't drunk when they accused me of this?"
"I do not know when they accused you of this, they did not speak to me first, they spoke with their Commander," Anora replied, since that is what she assumed, "So I do not know what state their minds were in. They did have an explanation for the cause, however, saying it could be done by blood magic."
Aedan rolled his eyes, "Blood magic. And just who—."
He stopped abruptly, his eyes going wide, before he jolted upright again, his face contorted in fury, "THAT BITCH!"
Anora flinched from the volume of Aedan's voice, "Olyvia again?"
"No! Solona, that maleficar bitch! That was what she was doing then, wasn't it!" Aedan roared, talking more to himself than Anora, "Manipulating me, trying to use me as a test subject, oh she is so lucky she's already dead because I would rip her in two myself!"
Anora sighed. She wasn't going to even bother asking who this Solona was, or how he even knew a blood mage. Plus there was the fact that he was ranting already. Yet again, she wasn't seeing any improvement.
Aedan groaned in pain again as he slumped over and dropped his head into his hands. All his shouting was really making his head pound. After a few moments of just sitting there, he leaned over towards Anora and rested his head on her shoulder. Anora stiffened, wondering just what he was doing. He never acted this…affectionate.
"Speaking of Alistair and Olyvia," Aedan began and Anora rolled her eyes, "Have we heard anything on them?"
"Shouldn't you know this already?" Anora asked, "You're the one looking for them after all and hired an assassin to find them."
Aedan looked up at Anora with a confused countenance, "I did…oh right…I did."
"You don't remember?" Anora asked.
"Everything is a bit fuzzy," Aedan replied, "But I do remember…vaguely."
"How so?"
"It's as if I was looking through someone else's eyes, it was hard to remember," Aedan replied, "I do remember a voice in my head. It was…angry, and it made me angry."
Anora pursed her lips. Well that certainly sounded ominous, perhaps he did have a demon in his head. Was he not as angry of a person as she thought then?
"Do you remember our wedding?" Anora asked.
"Again, vaguely," Aedan replied, sitting up, "But I still remember."
"When was the last time you had a clear memory then?" Anora asked, a little sharply.
"When my party was heading to the Brecilian Forest," Aedan said, "Solona…came to my tent. After that it's fuzzy…until now."
Anora couldn't help but feel a little upset over the fact that Aedan could hardly remember their wedding. Aedan glanced over to Anora and noticed the sour look on her face.
"Now what are you upset at me for?" Aedan asked, getting a confused look from Anora, "Though my memories may be fuzzy, you're upset at me constantly in what I can remember."
"The fact your memories are fuzzy," Anora said, "I can't see how you can nearly forget a wedding."
Aedan smirked, "Oh, so that's what it is. I thought you didn't like me though, why be upset over our wedding."
"It is still something one should remember," Anora replied curtly.
Aedan's hand wrapped around the crook of her arm and turned her torso towards him, and he leaned in closer to her face.
"Well, perhaps there is something you can do to help me remember," Aedan said with a wolfish grin.
Warmth spread across Anora's cheeks as they flushed red, unused to seeing that look in Aedan's eyes, or that sort of comment. He was always so focused on Alistair and Olyvia. She had no time to give a reply before Aedan wrapped his other hand around the back of her neck and pulled her into a passionate kiss. Anora found herself starting to melt into him, it had been so long since they had been intimate. She wouldn't even call their previous physical encounters intimacy since there was no affection involved. This was drastically different, confirming even more the thought of her not really knowing her husband. Pressing her small delicate hand against Aedan's chest, she pushed herself away.
"You aren't feeling well," Anora said, "You should rest."
"I'm always fine enough for this."
Again there was no chance for her to argue before Aedan's mouth was on hers again. His hands moved to the buttons at the back of her dress, his fingers expertly undoing them. Before Anora knew it, her clothes were being discarded onto the floor and she was pushed down onto her back, and Aedan thrust himself inside her. Anora's eyes flew wide at the sudden rush that washed over her body, a feeling she hadn't felt in over a year it was almost foreign. Aedan never before had ever bedded her to give her any pleasure so feeling that wonderful rush was intoxicating and she allowed herself to succumb to the motions.
The pace started out slow, but it didn't take long for both their movements to become frantic, Anora feeling desperate for the pleasure, and for once in their marriage, she was satisfied before Aedan was finished. They laid in the bed panting for a few moments after his release before Aedan's lips brushed against her ear as he said, "Was it something like that?"
"Something like that," Anora said breathlessly. It was far better than their wedding night though, but being a proper woman, she would never admit that.
Withdrawing from his wife, Aedan rolled over onto his side of the bed, found the covers and tossed them over himself, his eyes squeezed shut with a look of pain on his face. Anora slipped off the bed and quickly redressed herself, heading over to the vanity to check her hair, which was a mess. There was no hope for her to fix it except run her hands over it to smooth down the frizz and flyaways.
"I uh…I have a few items of business to attend to," Anora said as she walked back to the door, "I shall see you at supper?"
Aedan gave no reply, because he had fallen asleep already. Anora pursed her lips, but just shrugged. He needed his sleep anyway. Running her hands over her hair again, Anora left the room, hoping to not run into her father until she had Erlina fix her hair. He would know what her disheveled hair meant, and that would just be mortifying.