Chapter 10

All the usual disclaimers apply for both Elder Scrolls Online and Dragon Age: Inquisition.

As someone who is more of a reader of fanfiction rather than a writer, I'm very flattered by the good comments.

Aedan leaned back on the couch in the large room, which he assumed was the lounge. He had expected the house in which Lenora, Kyrtos and Trynhild lived to be small, cosy even. Lenora did mention that she and Kyrtos had worked as mercenaries, but until a few hours ago when he saw her fight, he couldn't quite reconcile the cook and a fighter with an impressive lightening spell in one person. So somewhere in his mind, he relegated her to living in a small country cottage with Kyrtos, not unlike the many houses on the Outskirts of Hinterlands. Instead, the house was a few rooms away from being called a manor. From what he had seen so far, the house had more rooms than the number of occupants suggested. He looked at the several doors in the small corridor to his right, most likely they belonged to Kyrtos as both Lenora and Trynhild headed upstairs to get more things to bring to the Inquisition with them. He considered going back outside when Blackwall came in to the lounge, sipping from a large mug in his right hand and extending the other hand that contained a similar mug towards Aedan.

Aedan accepted the mug, looking suspiciously at the amber coloured liquid.

"Mead." Blackwall clarified and then took a long sip from his own mug before talking again.

"It's a project for all of them. There is a family from the same place as Trynhild that is still brewing mead after many generations. Supposedly the best in that region. Lenora managed to get a few recipes out of them some years back. When they built the house three years ago, they started a small brewery. Usually, they sell all of it to a couple of dwarven merchants that come past Redcliffe, but this year the war muddled all commerce around these parts.

Aedan took a sip. Pleasantly cold, very sweet and incredibly potent as the alcohol content made itself known when it burned down his throat. He closed his eyes from pleasure as the warmth spread down his body.

He remarked:

"We should take a few barrels to the Inquisition once we know what Lenora wants to charge for them. There are some Fereldan nobles that would prefer it to Orlesian wine. Come to think of it, some Free Marchers wouldn't say no to this as well."

"We have some metheglin and a few barrels of that blend that can be sold. The rest can hold for a few more years."

Trynhild Earth-turner, newly recruited to the Inquisition, was taller than quite a few men, nearly equalling Blackwall in height and whilst significantly slimmer than him, walked in heavy chainmail like it was nothing more than a summer dress.

"You're drinking Lenora's blend. She'll probably give you the first barrel free. The rest the Inquisition can buy at a reasonable price. Once the war is over, we'll need the money to get started on a bigger batch of that."

"To quote Varric, I sense a story behind Lenora's blend."

Trynhild smiled:

"There is always a story when Lenora is involved. Usually, these stories have a good ending. The Snowpeak brothers were so grateful to Lenora that they created this blend just for her."

Aedan tried to channel Varric.

"If there is mead than there are giants, who probably tried to steal the mead. So how tall was their leader who led the raid?"

"You and Varric should compare notes on exaggerated story telling."

Lenora's amused voice came from the stairs where she was standing with a large backpack.

"Both Varric and I find that exaggeration brings out your inner biographer dear lady. You will then tell us the actual story to get the facts right. I'll simply enjoy the story and Varric will get inspiration for another series for his adoring fans."

Trynhild gave a short laugh. "He has you there Len. You don't like it when someone embellishes the facts. You can't help yourself in correcting them."

Lenora didn't look offended, but gave a slightly sheepish smile acknowledging the truth.

"One of my many character flaws, I admit. It started when I was hired to scare away a couple of wild dogs from a farm for a small payment. I ended up having to kill several large bears attracted by the food that the farmer's wife kept on forgetting to clear away from the porch. A few months after that, I was paid to defeat a band of goblins trying to get into an isolated farmstead, only to find a couple from the nearby village using the abandoned basement as a place for their amorous meetings. After a while, true facts become important."

"So who was the giant leader really?"

That came from a clearly intrigued Blackwall.

Lenora sighed, but she 'corrected' the story.

"The brewery belonged to the Snowpeak family in a place called Voljar. The king's rule in their region was being threatened by his brother and his followers, who looted and attacked civilians. In their minds, if you weren't against the "False King", you were for him. The Snowpeak brothers are well known for their mead. The King's brother's followers, who decided to name themselves Stormfists, had decided that some free mead for their so-called efforts was in order.

They raided the brewery, damaged some equipment, looted supplies and killed anyone in their way. One of them was a wife of one of the Snowpeak brothers. They pleaded that I avenge those killed and if possible, bring back some of the honey that was stolen.

A group of the King's soldiers and I managed to destroy the local Stormfist band. I defeated their leader and managed to salvage some of the stolen honey. Really, not that exciting a story."

Trynhild huffed in annoyance.

"You talk like an Imperial scribe! I know you could do better than that! Did you mention the giant that was guarding the honey?"

Lenora rolled her eyes.

"If you want a story, let Varric tell you one. I only recounted the facts. The giant simply found the honey that was stolen, which understandably he only wanted for himself the poor daft thing. I let him take a few barrels and chased him away from the rest."

"You chased away a giant after you felt sorry for him?"

Aedan's observations of Lenora were only for the last few months, but he was beginning to see that her view was decidedly different from the majority. The majority for example, wouldn't be calling a giant feasting on stolen honey a poor thing.

"He didn't hurt anyone. He found a lot more honey he would have been able to acquire on his own. The Stormfists were the real threat and those were dealt with. That's what really happened. Now, if you're finished with the mead, may I trouble you with helping Tryn and I in taking some of the barrels back to Haven? I think we can close up the house after that."

That was a politely framed, albeit not very subtle hint that they've taken too long to get back to the Inquisition camp where the new recruits along with the still unconscious Templar, who was kept in that state by Solas, waited to be shown the way to Haven.

Blackwall got a small cart from the nearby shed to put the barrels of mead in and Aedan gallantly offered to carry both ladies' backpacks. Lenora was waiting by the front door for Tyrnhild to get some 'last-minute things' so she could lock it.

The blonde appeared just as Lenora was showing signs of impatience. She was holding a lute case and a grin that Aedan always associated with his younger cousins when they would act first and ask for forgiveness instead of permission from his uncle.

Lenora raised both her eyebrows in surprise.

"I don't really have time to play that Tryn. It would just collect dust."

Informed by his experience with his cousins, Aedan knew that wheedling was the next stage.

"Please Len. I'll help your people so you can have some free time to play."

Lenora still seemed unsure so Aedan was prepared for the next stage: emotional blackmail. Blackwall looked like he was about to join the younger woman in asking for some future performances, but Aedan shook his head indicating that he should not speak up. If anyone could get Lenora to do what they asked, the woman whom Lenora seem to treat as a younger sibling would have the best chance.

"I just miss some songs from home sometimes. You know, the ones my Da used to play back on Bleakrock. If you would rather not, I understand."

Aedan's cousins could have applauded the artful catch in her last words. There would be no way that Lenora would say no to that. He was proven right when she sighed in resigned manner.

"Fine, but you get to carry it."

They started to walk back to the camp, Blackwall carefully manoeuvring the cart as not to jolt the casks full of mead when Aedan asked a question he meant to ask earlier.

"So what happened to the Stormfist leader you defeated?"

Lenora adjusted the sword sheath for one of her swords before replying.

"After I killed him, I chopped off his head and mounted it on the pike by the brewery as a warning."

Blackwall's eyebrows rose to his hairline briefly and Trynhild gave him a look that showed he should have known the answer to such an obvious question.

He again glanced at the woman, who made sure that everyone in the Inquisition was fed, but had no problem mounting a bandit's head on a pike. If his staying at the Inquisition wasn't mandatory, he would have joined the organisation voluntarily. Probably safer than anywhere in Thedas he reasoned.

When they arrived at the Inquisition camp, Aedan managed to convince Lenora to part with her friend's ring and allow him to return it to the newly widowed elven woman. He also promised to make sure that she got to Dennett's farm unharmed. Even though the soldiers were still busy with the watchtowers, any news of the Inquisition making life safer for the nearby residents was one step closer in convincing Dennett to lend his horses to the fledgling organisation. He took both Blackwall and Cassandra with him after promising to return in a few hours so they could all return to Haven. For the rest of those due back in Haven it meant using one of the many large boulders within the camp site to sit and wait.

Lenora unwrapped the lute after taking it out of its case, putting the fabric it was wrapped in to the side. She skimmed her fingers lightly along the varnished rosewood body and plucked a string. It made a soft gentle sound and she plucked another string. After adjusting the ebony tuners she took her time testing each string again. The lute didn't need much adjustment anyway, but it has been a while since she played it and she could almost hear the voice of her music teacher sternly admonishing her to tune the instrument before each performance. She wasn't intending to play, but it seemed the force of habit to tune it was still present. She reached for the fabric to wrap it up again when Solas approached.

"My apologies, I didn't mean to interrupt. You have a fine instrument."

She was curious: "Do you play?"

"No.' he sounded regretful. "My friend used to and I've grown fond of lute music."

Lenora didn't need to ask. That kind of tone meant that Solas's friend was no longer able to play anything.

"I could play you something if you'd like?" she offered surprising even herself.

Solas looked like he was about to refuse when he frowned and opened his mouth framing it to say no, but closed it and smiled in acquiescence before speaking again.

"I would like that, thank you."

Putting the lute closer to her she started playing a sombre, but popular melody. Her fingers moving almost automatically as she played. The melody was about the Aldmer fleet celebrating their victory over the Akaviri. This melody however, concentrated on the grief for those lost during the battle rather than the elation of victory. Seeing the normally stoic Solas smile and relax his posture as she played meant that she chose well.

By the time she was finished, she had a small audience, including the usually serious Glenna, the Hinterlands Requisitions officer. Glenna sat cross-legged not far from Lenora, a small smile on her face. Trynhild on the other hand, stood with a cheeky grin not far from the potions table and Lenora barely managed to restrain her reaction of rolling her eyes at the Nord woman. Unsurprisingly, she was asked to play more. Remembering some of the tunes she learnt during her time in Thedas, she launched into a love ballad about King Callenhad, which was quickly followed by some of the lighter jingles she remembered hearing on her travels through the Daggerfall Covenant lands.

By the time Aedan returned bearing several mounts for the Inquisition, including a beautiful Ferelden charger that he rode himself, Trynhild was singing "Sway as we kiss" to Lenora's music.

They set out back to Haven that afternoon, both the Templar and mage recruits walking along each other. Two of the younger mages sat on Aedan's horse, whose reigns he was holding as he walked next to it. Two of the horses pulled the cart with mead, whilst another two pulled the makeshift stretcher for the still comatose Templar.

Notes:

This was probably one of the hardest chapters to write since it serves as a connecting piece between Lenora and Aedan's adventures in Hinterlands and both of them getting back to Haven.

You can play the lute in ESO, so one can assume that Vestige does have proficiency in the instrument.

In the process of planning later chapters, I managed to look up the Elder Scrolls Online timeline. Not long after the Soulburst event, Abnur Tharn's daughter became Empress Regent in Second Era, 2E 579. That same year, Lenora was sacrificed and her soul stolen by Molag-Bal. Her defeat of the Daedra prince happened in 2E 582. The events of Orsinium and most other DLCs happened in 2E 583. Lenora left the following year in 2E 584 (after having to go back in time and assisting in the other two Alliances). Lenora and both of her companions arrived in Thedas in 9:36 Dragon. I highly recommend the Unofficial Elder scrolls wiki as a source for all things Elder Scrolls, not just ESO.

In 2E 486, the King of Altmer won a battle against the invaders from another continent, Akavir. He was Queen Ayrenn's father.

The slightly modified story of the Voljar meadery takes place in the Ebonheart Pact storyline. The mead recipes are in one of the books you can read inside the Snowpeak brothers' house.

I'm aware that the Herald receives horses before the watchtowers are completed, but I think Dennett would wait until he saw some proof of the Inquisition doing good things for his neighbours and his people.

I always assumed that Lenora would bring a lot of the money she earned during her travels to Thedas, after all, gold is valued there as well. So as a former noble and often a welcome guest of Kings and Queens she wouldn't really be satisfied with a small cottage. Especially sharing it with others, no matter how good of a friend they are. Sharing several suites of rooms in the other hand is more acceptable