Dare I ask
The last time we saw our trio of Wardens, they were colouring their underwear, especially Loghain.
Yes, we are in deep doodoo. Damn you Maker.
Loghain had never seen his first daughter glaring so coldly. Eamon came to Anora's side after closing the door. The Arl seemed to be keeping a close eye on him.
"Father I was never aware that I had a sister, or is she a half-sister?" Came the question.
"I-I. Anora. I actually had no idea about Julaan until a few days ago." His words didn't come out very confidant as he hoped. He glanced at the other wardens. Alistair had suddenly become very interested in the table while Julaan sat there very pale and frozen.
"Oh really. I have to admit, only now did I realise how much you two look similar. But Julaan's only a year older than Alistair. Mother was already dead by then. So… who is her mother?" Demanded Anora. She had a cold, indifferent mask on, but Loghain knew that mask. It was the one she used when she was upset. Of course she'd be upset. Loghain tried to tell her but the words stuck in his throat.
"Anora. Don't take it out on him. Okay. He's telling the truth. My mother never told him about me. Why do you think I was given to the Chantry?" Julaan seemed to have recovered from initial shock and went over to Anora.
"Then tell me who is your mother?" Asked Anora, slowly turning a deep shade of red. Julaan looked at Loghain and he nodded his consent. Julaan threw up a spell around the five of them.
"So nobody can overhear us. The last thing I want is the maids spreading it around like wildfire." She explained at Eamon's worried expression. Anora cleared her throat and Julaan mumbled an apology. He and Alistair rose from their seats and came over too, though Loghain made sure to put Alistair between himself and Eamon.
"Anora, my mother was Rowan Theirin." Julaan had barely finished the sentence and already Alistair was restraining Eamon who was attempting to strangle Loghain. Anora seemed to do a double take but kept her face blank.
"MY SISTER! Let go of me Alistair! We need to kill him." Yelled Eamon, pathetically trying to squirm out of Alistair's grip. The royal bastard rolled his eyes.
"Eamon. Calm down please. Or do I have to order you as your Queen?" Said Anora, pinching the bridge of her nose.
"My sister though…"
"Eamon! If I can restrain from killing him so can you!" Yelled Alistair as he got his former carer into a headlock. Eventually Eamon stopped struggling and yelling at Loghain, though he was still shooting daggers at Loghain. Alistair, wisely, didn't let go.
"So father, you were seeing the Queen behind Maric's back? When did this start?" Anora, once more folded her arms and began pacing.
"It started and finished in the deep roads. While Maric in smitten with that Orlaisian bard, Katriel. Your father had a thing for elves, Alistair." Alistair just shrugged.
"And a thing for star-struck maids apparently. Loghain understand this. I don't really give a damn about Maric." He said, shrugging. Loghain had to admit, he was beginning to like him a bit. They both seemed to bear an slight hatred of Maric.
"Rowan broke it off, since she knew she had to marry Maric. She was worried about bearing a bastard."
"Then how the hell was this bastard born?" Scoffed Eamon, then he whimpered in pain as Alistair twisted his arm.
"Watch what you say about Julaan!" Hissed Alistair. Loghain rubbed his temples in frustration at Eamon's interruptions and foul language concerning his daughter.
"Strange you didn't act the same over Alistair as he's a result of Maric cheating on Rowan. No doubt when Rowan was sick." Eamon began stuttering, trying to come up with an excuse.
"I-I j-just never expected the same off you or my sister! And to think Maric trusted you." Anora cleared her throat in annoyance.
"Can we please discuss the charges of infidelity later please? We have a Blight to deal with!" Came an authoritive voice. Though all the men gaped when they realised it was Julaan who'd spoke. For a minute she'd sounded so much like Anora. Anora had noticed this and was a little dumbstruck.
"To answer Arl I'll-throw-Maric's-bastard-into-the-chantry's question. I was born two months before my mother died. The pregnancy was kept secret because she didn't want to get the nation's hopes up." Only now was Loghain realising how much alike his two daughters were.
Two Anoras? Good thing they're working together and I'm on their side.
"So some time after Mother died." Muttered Anora, only Loghain heard this. "Eamon, at least my father had the decency to mourn his wife. Alistair was born almost after the Queen's death. In fact we know nothing about Alistair's mother…"
Then the door opened slowly. Immediately the silence bubble was dispelled and Eamon was released. The entire group tried to act nonchalant.
"Ah, there you all are. I have grave news concerning the hoard." Said Riordan as he came in. He was panting slightly for breath and hadn't cleaned himself up.
"The… Alistair? But weren't you exiled?"
"Warden. I have unexiled him. He and my father have agreed to tolerate one another until ,presumably, the Archdemon eats one of them. What news do you bring about the Blight?"
"Your majesty. The Darkspawn are not heading to Redcliffe. They are heading to Denerim."
"Oh, let me guess. The Hoard was that spread out, we couldn't tell. Not to mention everyone was too busy fighting each other to notice something as silly as a Darkspawn Hoard." Muttered Alistair.
"So we have to march all the way back to Denerim. But it isn't going to be that easy, is it? Our army won't get there before the Hoard, will they?" Asked Julaan, standing next to Anora.
"We can get there in two days time. Perhaps just after the Darkspawn. But the damage to Denerim. It will truly take years for us to rebuild." Said Eamon, uttering a silent prayer to the maker.
"Then we march in the morning. We have to limit the damage to the capital." Ordered Anora.
"That is not the worst of it though. The Archdemon has shown itself at the head." Said Riordan.
"So we need to focus on the Archdemon. As soon as it's dead then the darkspawn will flee for the deep roads." Stated Julaan. While on their way to Redcliffe, Loghain had found out that Julaan had been studying the previous blights, trying to pick out things neither Duncan or Riordan had told them.
"Correct. As soon as we get to Denerim, we wardens we'll need to focus on it. Julaan, before you, Loghain and Alistair retire for the night I'll want to see you in my room. Though dare I ask why there was a spell in place to prevent overhearing?" Everyone looked at each other.
"Ermm… Important… royal business, concerning…" Started Eamon.
"Unbanishing Alistair. Eamon was protesting about Loghain once more and I didn't want the castle to overhear the very loud and terrible language he was using." Interrupted Julaan, already a mask on her face just like Anora. Loghain gulped as the similarity hit him once more in the gut. Riordan looked back and forth from the two women, then shaking his head went to leave.
At least they won't fight for the throne. Queen Anora and Warden Anora is fine by me. The first warden won't even know what hit him when Julaan comes along… What have I brought upon Thedas?
Alistair seemed to have been thinking the same thing as he leaned over and said:
"Look on the bright side, they both hate Orlaisians." Riordan didn't notice this as he was already out of the door. Everyone waited for a moment then in no time at all Alistair was restraining Eamon and the spell was back up. Both Julaan and Anora did a face palm and sighed.
"EAMON!" They both said angrily at the same time causing the Arl of Redcliffe to look at his feet in embarrassment.
"Perhaps you should go and see what Riordan has to say. Eamon, we must discuss preparations for the march." Said Anora, Julaan nodded and signalled for the two wardens to follow her.
"Julaan. I'd like to have a word with Anora first." Said Loghain. Julaan nodded and left the room with Alistair, who literally dragged Eamon out of the room.
"Anora…" His daughter held up a hand.
"Father. You don't have to explain. You were there for Rowan whenever Maric abandoned her. Maybe I should have done the same. Though this doesn't have muck up the family trees." Muttered Anora, trying to keep a neutral face.
"Anora. I know you. You're angry at me." He said, folding his arms and hoping she wouldn't use that glare on him.
"A little bit. But then I think it'd be nice to have a little sister. She's someone I can plan world domination with." Loghain looked at his daughter, trying to figure out if she was joking.
He couldn't tell.
And he didn't know if that scared him more than the fact both of his daughters could most possibly take over all of Thedas.
I doubt Eamon would've have been too happy about the Loghain/Rowan thing. I can actually imagine my Julaan and Anora getting on very well.
Trishata96