Friends Old and New

Aldanon sat on an armchair by the hearth, his eyes lost in the dance of the fire, and his thoughts just as much, for he was still taking in the Warden Commander's words. He knew that there were small bands of darkspawn in the lands, but a whole horde in Orlais? And what was all this talk about a darkspawn that spoke? These questions and more hung on his head, unable to find answers. But it wasn't the fear of darkspawn approaching the city that worried him, but Morrigan's words that there was a greater force hidden behind these events. He felt a hard, mail-clad hand hit his pauldron, he looked up and saw Geoffrey had returned with a series of maps in his hand.
"We need to discuss strategy, Aldanon." He said stoically, Aldanon nodded and joined him.

Aldanon followed Geoffrey to one of the towers in the castle, which when shown was the war room, there were warden tacticians planning around a large, round wooden table, where a huge cloth map of Orlais was positioned, there were also an exceptional number of book cases situated around its walls, most likely history books detailing famous battles. For the next few hours there, he would be deliberating with the other wardens of the possible numbers of the impending darkspawn, the numbers of defenders in Val Royeaux, city defences, and possible aid. From what he could learn, Geoffrey was able to draw up a strategy. The darkspawn were approaching from the Heartlands in the southwest and had passed Val Foret, so the first thing to have done was form the Grey Wardens and the city soldiers along the walls of the city to hold them off, while the Empress's chevaliers would position themselves along the Imperial highway, away from the horde.

Aldanon suggested meeting them in the open at Val Foret, but was assured that they were heading straight to Val Royeaux, and given her size and defences their chances would be better. He also suggested calling the soldiers of Montfort to come, due to their being situated along the Imperial Highway, and so could come in great speed, it was soon validated. Once the darkspawn had committed themselves, a scout would alert the chevaliers to charge from the north, and another to encircle the horde and charge from the west, crushing the darkspawn between the sea and the city.

Realistically, it was well conceived, but it reminded Aldanon too much of Ostagar, and how Loghain ignored the belated signal fire from the tower. Geoffrey recognised that anything could go wrong, but assured him that treachery at critical military moments would be treason. But the reason they needed Aldanon with them, was to get to Celene and convince her to consent to sending the Orlesian army, for he was already in good company with her. Once they had settled the decisions Aldanon set forth with Geoffrey.

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He met his knights in the courtyard, who were given permission to practice their skills with the wardens, and won. His group was assembled by the portcullis, the elven mage, the dalish ranger, the dwarven soldier, and the gruff weapon specialist.
"Wardens, attention!" Geoffrey barked; they stood smartly to it, breasting a hand to their chest in the formal Grey Warden salute, bowing their heads at their new commander, but Aldanon gestured them to be at ease.
"Rest assured, my fellow wardens that I look forward to fighting alongside you against the blighted creatures," Aldanon addressed them in his usual charismatic greeting, "Just as I got to know Warden Commander Alistair, I intend to do the same here," he stepped towards the young elven mage with a casual smile, and said "Greetings, may I know your name?" the mage stood straight and answered;

"Osecar of the Ferelden Circle of Magi, Lord Aldanon." He spoke in a numinous Ferelden elf accent, Aldanon was quite taken aback and had expected an Orlesian mage, his curiosity was peaked.
"Indeed?" he asked intently, "I don't seem to recall seeing you at the Ferelden Circle tower, do you know Senior Enchanter Wynne?" the mage nodded, a familiar smile on his face, brushing a loose hair strand aside.
"I know Wynne, she was my tutor for most of my life there before I was harrowed. As for why I wasn't at the tower, Irving sent me on a mission to Orlais to find out why the Orlesian Wardens were being stopped by Loghain, at Wynne's behest. I ended up hunted by Loghain's knights around the mountains until they crossed Orlesian ground and the wardens took me in, warning me that I would be hunted if I returned, and offered to take me. My specialization in primal spells won me my place with them, and they are yours." He bowed his head in respect, and Aldanon moved to the dwarf, who was clad in dragonbone dwarven plate.

"Allow me to spare you some time," he began before Aldanon could start, in a deep, hoarse voice, "I am Durin of House Dainur, distant cousin of the royal family, and warrior caste, once of the Legion of the Dead before I ended up topside here in Orlais and found the wardens, by accident. I've fought more darkspawn than most of these wardens have. But my axe is yours." He bowed his head in respect and Aldanon moved to the next warden, who raised his hand to prevent greeting, in orer to cut to the main business.

"Argeles is my name, sir." He said in a rural orlesian accent, "I'm expert with the sword and dagger, and once of the Orlesian army. But I chose to serve a wiser course, by becoming a Warden when word of the Blight reached me, only I survived the Joining." He nodded and Aldanon turned to last but not least, the elf, who ignored his bid for greetings. Aldanon stood stunned by this, he was familiar with the Dalish distrust for humans, but she was a Grey Warden first and foremost, racial jargon was irrelevant, and so he tried again.

"Fine, if you must know," she submitted to him, in her calm, but unmoved voice "my name is Elanea, hunter of the Dalish tribe of Mearasthra. At least until my clan was ambushed by darkspawn, I was found by Osecar, who was wandering the Dales at the time. I answer only to him, for he's elven and a good man. Respect my solitude, and my bow will aid you." She did not bow her head, but Osecar prompted her to do it. Aldanon moved eagerly away from her, for he hadn't forgotten the guilt he felt when he first met the Dalish. The knights had gathered around him and the grey wardens around Geoffrey, and Aldanon's horse was ready to go.

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The Empress told him to meet the Royal group in the Merchant Quarter of Val Royeaux, and to ease the passing through the city on foot, he had asked the knights to take his horse back to the palace and to return there, and that he would be safe in the company of his new grey wardens. Whilst travelling, he managed to learn a lot from them, primarily their abilities in battle and their personal interests. Geoffrey's weapon art was focused in the traditional sword and the shield, in his spare time he collected figurines of some of Thedas's most magnificent creatures like dragons, griffons and phoenixes.

Osecar had recently uncovered the ancient Arcane Warrior arts from dalish ruins, combining it with his elemental spell craft had created a fearsome reputation, he also enjoyed collecting magical artefacts out of personal enjoyment, which he studied for enchantment. Elanea was as the most skilled with the bow in her tribe, and as a ranger could call wild beasts to her side, Aldanon even managed to learn that she was nonetheless curious of the human world and enjoyed books concerning their history. Durin was the finest shield arm in the Legion and mastered the war axe, and had a unique taste for special cuts of meat, similar Oghren's love of alcohol. And Argeles was the Wardens' dual weapon fighter fighter, he also collected daggers and assortments of armour which he said was cobbling together to form a composite set of armour to enable maximum use of his weapons.

By the time he arrived at the Market District, he was reminded of Denerim's market district and the Orzammar commons, and realised how they both paled in comparison. There were shops and stalls lining every street, the most common ones being clothes shops, where suits and dresses could be seen in each and every one of the shops' windows, and the people who walked the many avenues were akin to how Leliana would often describe them; the women were dressed in the most tempting dresses they could afford, and the hairstyles, which followed the many trends at the time, ranged from inanely exuberant to simple and natural. The gentlemen would clad themselves in striking suits, often with a weapon of choice, purely for show of course, and besting other men in friendly tournaments to the amusement of their ladies of choice. And judging by the growing number of interested girls, it seemed Aldanon was no worse for wear. But the company he kept, and the firm looks of their fathers kept them at bay, it seemed Fergus was mistaken.

There were so many shops to satisfy everybody's taste that it gave Aldanon an idea; to help the new wardens become more akin to friends than colleagues, he would take advantage of the market's treasures. Before he could move to any particular shop, a familiar sight caught his eye, an elderly woman with silver hair, a gently wrinkled face, with a silver staff slung across her back and familiar red robes. But this time, she seemed more frustrated than usual, for she was haggling with a merchant about a strange looking artefact. Once he had a good enough view he knew for certain; it was Wynne. Without a moment's thought, he dashed across the market road towards her.

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"I assure you, madam, six sovereigns is too low a price for a quality shop like this one!" the merchant argued to Wynne, whose brow was furrowed with annoyance, and sighed impatiently.
"Your prices are too high, merchant. In Ferelden, seven sovereigns would be bordering profiteering! Six is a decent enough price, and the same could apply to all your wares, you would still make a healthy living." She appraised the merchant, almost persuasively, but the merchant huffed angrily.
"Look, if I wanted a lecture I would have returned to my old schoolmaster. Either buy it or don't, madam, but it won't matter. Your Ferelden ideals don't mean anything here."
"Maybe not, but does seven sovereigns mean something?" Aldanon asked past Wynne, who turned with surprise and gasped in joy. Aldanon opened his arms; she flew into them, chuckling delightedly. Before long she remembered the last time they saw each other, he was named Anora's king-consort, and nearly bowed.
"Please, Wynne, no need," Aldanon said, "I am just as pleased to see you again too." Wynne's smile had almost melted his heart, and she was almost at loss for words.

"To think that you were coming to Orlais for any reason would have left me to believe otherwise," she said, "What brings you here? Is this grey warden or kingly business?" she gestured towards the new grey wardens who stood where he left them confused, except Osecar who joined them, smiling to see his old mentor.
"Wynne, welcome to Orlais," he embraced her fondly, "You're probably wondering what happened after I left the tower." He said to Wynne, whose expression became more serious and troubled.
"I do, but there's also more that you must know, and once we find somewhere indoors for me to tell you." Aldanon remembered what she meant, and of the nasty business at the Circle Tower with the mages nearly wiped out, but he was eager to delay that for another time.
"Anyway," he interjected "Empress Celene told me to meet her around here, perhaps you would like to join me Wynne?"
"Of course, and by your mention of Empress Celene, how could I refuse?" she chuckled, and joined Aldanon's side. Osecar's newfound acquaintance with Aldanon would make this most interesting, and that he had a new band of adventurers at his side, proved to be too irresistible an adventure for Wynne.