For What Binds Us
Chapter Ten: Breach of Protocol
"Ugh..." Nathaniel groaned softly, putting his hand to the side of his head. "So tell me, does the feeling of being horrendously hung over ever go away?"
"Apparently so, I've been feeling more myself for the last few hours," Anders replied. "Though it's hard to say if that's only because I have more experience than you recovering from nights spent in obscene excess."
"And how do you know I have not done much the same?" The dark-haired man asked, resuming his grasp of the reigns of his steed.
Anders laughed. "Just a guess. Then again, perhaps the stick up your arse is a recent development."
Nathaniel had no reply to that, choosing instead to focus on following his new, completely unwanted commander. The four traveling companions had set out on horseback, equipped lightly for what was expected to be a short trip. With Evelyn and her Second-in-Command in the lead, that left the new recruits to tag along behind them, still disoriented and confused. Indeed, the newest member of the Order was struggling to keep his head from swimming as he rode, even now as they passed into the outskirts of the city. Small households fenced off from the road lined their vision, and the sight of the city at large looming had definitely pulled the senior wardens from their private conversation enough that they no longer leaned in towards one another.
"I still do not understand why I am being dragged along on this trip. I would prefer not having to be on the road so soon after such an... experience," Nathaniel grumped as he slouched faintly in his saddle.
"It's the same reason Lynnie's taking me along; to have proof and witnesses supporting that she has been busy this morning." Anders shrugged.
"Does the queen not assume that the Warden-Commander will be busy the day after darkspawn have nearly wiped out her entire order?"
"Apparently not. Apparently the queen doesn't like when people have plans that do not involve her, and when she orders you to come see her, she expects punctuality." He snorted. "So Lynnie is expected to do both her job, and defer to some royal bit-"
"Anders, leave the grousing about this trip to me," Evelyn warned, turning her head slightly in her seat to glance to him. "I tend to be more polite about it, and when it comes to our queen, proper etiquette is generally the way to go."
"So, you're preemptively telling me to shut up?" His nose wrinkled. "Why did you bring me along, then? Just to stand there and look pretty while you chat up the queen?"
Evelyn sighed. "Yes, Anders, that's exactly why you're here. Shut up and look pretty, already. "
"So you think I'm pretty, do you?" He grinned.
"Yes, you're a pretty, pretty princess," Alistair replied, joining Evelyn in looking back at the blonde mage. "What with your hair so neatly tied up, your fabulous feathery pauldrons, and those lovely gold accents on your robes, we couldn't resist taking you along."
"You noticed!" Anders preened. "It's not as shiny as your special Grey Warden armors there, but I take pride in being irresistably handsome. Always have, haven't I, Lynnie?"
"That, and irrepressibly egotistical."
"Well, that, too. But I don't recall you complaining about that back in Kinloch Hold, either." Anders' grin expanded thricefold.
Alistair's hands clenched the reigns within them tightly, but he kept silent for now. Anders had to be goading him. There was no chance in him having spoken of a past... encounter... with Evelyn. Could he? No- no. But the goading was still inappropriate.
"So, you were familiar with the Commander before she achieved her rank and status?" Nathaniel asked casually, sensing the rising tension.
"Oh yes. Very familiar. We used to start every morning with a hug and a kiss, she would come to me all the time when she needed a snuggle-"
"I'm surprised that she would turn to you for comfort. You do not seem to hold her feelings in high regard," Nathaniel cut him off, seeing Evelyn's posture tense.
Anders pouted at Nathaniel. "And what would you know of the matter? If Lynnie has a problem with my joking around, she can certainly tell me so herself. Besides, I wasn't lying just now."
"You are misconstruing the actions of a naive young girl, and never mind that the environment in the tower is massively different from the culture outside of it," Evelyn pointed out tersely. "What was commonplace for us as mages is highly intimate behavior to most people, and you know this far better than I do. Nathaniel is right; if you have no regard for my feelings, then at least have some respect for my position as your commander before you speak."
"I... Fine, Lynnie." Anders couldn't bring himself to object. "I'll go back to shutting up and looking pretty, as per your orders, Commander."
"I'm not trying to-" Evelyn broke her own momentum with an exasperated sigh. "Very well. I am in no mood to assuage your pride."
"You could go back to calling me pretty, that would assuage my pride," he returned, now trying to mask his grin, mostly unsuccessfully. "Or I could start calling Alistair that, the way he's glaring at me now- would that make you happier? If I started detailing how you're pretty, too?"
Alistair scowled. "I don't think you should keep-"
"I mean, you complimented my hair before, but I like how you keep yours. Real neat and trimmed, very soldier-esque, but still stylish."
Blinking, Alistair felt his scowl melt away into a somewhat sheepish grin. "...Well, I do take some pride in..."He paused, then resumed his frowning. "Empty flattery only works so well."
"Just because it's flattery doesn't mean that it's empty!" Anders grinned. "I could keep going, if you like."
"Something about you looking for things to compliment about my fiancé is unsettling, Anders," Evelyn interrupted, though she was smiling now.
"Fiancé?" Nathaniel asked in shock. "Is it truly appropriate for a commander to be romantically involved with a subordinate?"
"As far as we've observed, it's not terribly common, but it's not against regulations, either," Evelyn shrugged. "Besides, I sincerely doubt even the First could dissuade us."
"There is no power short of the Maker that could dissuade us," Alistair added, beaming at his beloved. "And somehow, I suspect that if the First truly objected, he would shy in the face of contending with Evelyn's wrath."
"I pity anyone that would have to oppose her," Nathaniel agreed. "Perhaps not ten feet tall and firing lightning bolts, but even I must admit there is power in her dwarfish frame."
"Dwarfish!?" At that, Evelyn swerved her horse to block the entire entourage, scowling darkly at Nathaniel. "And what have I done or said to engender such insulting language from you, Nathaniel?"
"Outside of the business with my father?" He retorted, but recoiled a hair at her apparent anger. "I do not see the fault in comparing your shortness to that of a dwarf. You are barely taller than that crude oaf I've seen hanging about the keep-"
Nathaniel was cut off by a fierce slap across his cheek, startling him. In a moment's time, Evelyn had closed the distance between them on her horse, and now her sharp glare was barely a foot from him.
"Speak ill of me, and I will reprimand you. But do not dare presume to speak ill of my dear friend."
"The dwarf is- I see." Nathaniel rubbed his reddening cheek idly. "I apologize, then. I spoke out of turn."
"Yes, you did." Evelyn gave no leeway in her response. "I was feigning insult before. Do not give me reason to be genuinely insulted."
At that, she steered her horse back to the head and continued, the others following wordlessly. The mood had shifted considerably; while they each still carried the exhaustion and residual grumpiness of a night spent in poor rest, the two new recruits followed their new commander with their eyes as much as their rides.
-xxx-
"I see you have arrived safely, Warden-Commander. Did you meet any trouble on your way into the city?" Standing with full regality and every pretense of hospitality, the queen greeted Evelyn and her companions coolly but kindly. While lodging at the inn was fine and well enough for her escort, Anora found the clean and elegant Chantry much more appealing to her tastes. After setting up in the guest quarters, she'd settled in well enough to unpack a few of her belongings, and changed into a silken gown of soft gold and lavender. She left her hair out of her braids for now, letting the cascade of gold down over her shoulders and to her waist.
"No, Your Majesty. Thankfully, all was calm on the road between Vigil's Keep and Amaranthine, despite rumors to the contrary." Evelyn bowed deeply, the others following suit to various degree.
"Then I do not understand why you were so delayed in coming to Amaranthine." Anora's posture stiffened, as did Evelyn's in response to the sudden coldness.
"I apologize, Your Majesty. I was detained by my duties as Warden-Commander back at the keep," Evelyn replied, folding her fingers in a gesture of deferment. "I would have come sooner, if not for the business of replenishing some of my numbers."
"Yes, I recall that you had already set your eyes on many of those in your company last night. I take it that the apostate you recruited now stands before me a full Grey Warden, then?" Anora glanced to Anders, who grinned awkwardly in response.
"Yup! I'm all Grey-Wardenized now. Member of the club, invited to all the parties, and all that," he joked lightly.
To no avail, it seemed, when her eyes darkened in response. "And you bring another interesting guest along with you as well. Hello, Nathaniel. It has been many years since last we spoke. Your stay in the Free Marches ended recently, did it not?"
"It did," he confirmed, bowing faintly to her acknowledgement of his presence. "I see a great many things have changed in my absence. I was not expecting much of what I learned upon my return to Ferelden. Please forgive me if I seem out of sorts."
"I am surprised you are keeping company with a Howe, of all people, Commander, especially given how things resolved between you and his father." She kept her tone even, but not even the skillfully well-possessed Anora could keep the contempt she had for the weasely man out of her voice.
"That is among the reasons for my being out of sorts, indeed," Nathaniel added before Evelyn could reply. He was not pleased to hear even the queen herself showing disdain for his father. Clearly, the heroes had great influence over history, to be sure.
"Your Majesty, with all due respect, you know as well as I that we are not all merely the product of our parentage- we are defined by our own choices. I believe that Nathaniel has great potential within the Grey Wardens, and I will not hang his father's deeds around his shoulders." Evelyn smiled as charmingly as she could while mildly miffed at the queen turning her nose up at her new recruit.
"Indeed," Anora agreed, though clearly more out of obligation than any other factor. "So, I see you bring your newest recruits, but my father is rather conspicuously absent from your company."
"Yes, Your Majesty," Evelyn nodded. "While you were gracious enough to grant me an audience, my duty as Warden-Commander had to be tended to in my absence. I could think of no better than Loghain to fill that role while I reported to you, my queen."
"I happen to agree that my father is best equipped to handle the affairs of your office, Commander." Anora's faint smile as she spoke indicated she was well aware of her slight towards Evelyn.
Alistair scowled. "Oh yes, his leadership skills were aptly demonstrated when he was Regent! Allied with Arl Howe, letting his daughter be held prisoner- only to be rescued by the very people he detested most, splitting the Bannorn into outright civil war-"
"Enough, Alistair!" Evelyn scolded, her eyes narrowing on him. "You speak of the man I have almost as much confidence in as I do you, and the queen's own father! "
If Anora had been rattled by Alistair's outburst, it only showed in the faint lines deepening at the corners of her mouth. "I would advise you to listen to your Commander, Alistair. Your obvious distaste for my father, most evidently established when you called for his head, is not welcome in my presence."
"I- Yes, Your Majesty." His lips pursed as his ultimate weapon- his Kicked Puppy face- manifested. He clearly wanted to say more, especially in defense of his beloved, but knew better than to contend with these two powerful women now glaring at him.
"At any rate, I do apologize for my tardiness in my audience with you, Your Majesty. I have had my hands kept full, between restoring Vigil's Keep to livable condition and adding to my extremely thinned-out ranks- both directly a result of the disaster that occurred last night- and was able to break away as of an hour ago, when I immediately set out for Amaranthine." Evelyn bowed deeply. "For all of my diligence, I have offended my queen. Forgive me, Your Majesty."
"Burden yourself not with worry over such a minor offense, Commander. You are present now, and that is all that matters," Anora dismissed, though she was clearly pleased with Evelyn's deference. "I am most eager to hear your report regarding your efforts at Soldier's Peak and in Highever, as well as your plans for dealing with the remaining Darkspawn still plaguing my kingdom."
"Ah yes, all of the boring details of the last several months," Alistair muttered quietly, though not quite inaudibly. Evelyn's mouth twitched in amusement, but Anora was considerably less amused.
"If you don't mind, Commander, I would prefer your account alone. The words of your Second-in-Command are likely to be riddled with disrespect, and I sincerely doubt he will take the task seriously enough." Her eyes sharpened on Alistair. "He and your new recruits are dismissed for the time being."
"Alistair, take the others into town," Evelyn ordered, keeping her eyes on Anora.
"But-"
"We will speak later."
"...Yes, Commander." He saluted her stiffly, then stalked back out into the Chantry.
"I guess that's... our cue to leave, too?" Anders ventured warily, even as Nathaniel silently followed Alistair's example. "Okay then; best of luck, Lynnie!"
Anders didn't even bother waiting for Evelyn to turn her increasingly icy stare on him before scurrying after the others, his robes fluttering behind him as he moved. Evelyn sighed, putting her hand over her temple; her exhaustion was getting to her. She suspected that when her business with the queen concluded, she would be finding the nearest bed and passing out for a week.
Anora settled onto a seat by her vanity, her hands folded primly on her knees, her hair draping over her shoulders. She tilted her head faintly as she watched Evelyn seat herself in a nearby chair, considerably less elegant than the queen's.
"...'Lynnie'?" She inquired with a smirk.
"That is a long story, Your Majesty, and not one included in my report, I'm afraid," Evelyn grinned uneasily. Without Alistair there to give her support, the old anxiety that always sprouted in socially delicate situations began churning in Evelyn's stomach again. She could handle a thousand darkspawn charging at her any day of the week, but the cold stare of a woman whose influence could ruin her in an instant gave her pause.
As she began her report in earnest, she felt her heart clench to recall the hurt look in Alistair's eyes as she dismissed him as his Commander, not his Beloved.
-xxx-
"That frigid bitch!" The door into The Crown and Lion inn slammed against the wall it was embedded in as a particularly furious Alistair stormed in from the street.
"Which one?" Nathaniel asked dryly.
"The queen, I-" Freezing in his tracks, he rounded on Nathaniel faster than even the quick rogue could see, lifted him by the collar, and pinned him to the wall. "Don't you ever insult our Commander in my presence, or so help me, I'll-"
"Hey, Templar-Boy, put Daddy's Little Mistake back on the floor and try to calm down-"
Anders didn't get to finish his sentence before both men turned their glares on him. He put up his hands in defense to try and ward their anger, to no avail. Alistair grunted and let go of Nathaniel, leaning over the mage with a hard-earned Death Glare.
"By the Maker, if you say one more word- one more word- I'm going to have you stripped down to your smallclothes and running laps around the city while chanting 'I am an apostate, free as the breeze against my nethers!'" Alistair jutted his finger in Anders' face. "Just try and test my patience one more time!"
"You threaten that like I haven't done the exact same thing after a few good stiff drinks!" Anders retorted, grinning defensively.
A flash of astonishment at being subverted so quickly crossed Alistair's features, before they darkened. "Oh! I can see that there's no low I can sink to that will challenge your basal experiences. With such an outstanding moral fiber, I can't imagine why Evelyn turned you down in favor of Cullen!"
All mirth vanished from Anders' face, Alistair's words striking a sore wound so freshly reopened. Rage enveloping him, he snarled at Alistair, "At least I'm not sloppy seconds to some brainwashed simpleton!"
That did it. Alistair drew back his fist to punch the mage into oblivion, but before he could follow through, the mage had ducked from the blow, popping up on the other side of his arm.
"Hey! I bet you she never told you about the time she asked me- no, begged me to kiss her!" Anders spat, his grin twisting cruelly. "Did she lean into you, the first time? Soften her lips? Moan with her-"
"You SHUT UP!" Alistair cried, bending his arm and cracking his elbow across Anders' face with all the force he could muster. As the mage sprawled to the floor, Alistair loomed over him, his face dark.
"Wha-What're you gonna do, kill me?" Anders stammered, trying to reorient the world after it was sent spinning from the blow. He put his hand to his face- the metal of the senior warden's armor had concussed him badly, but for now, the blood was yet to flow. "I just bet Lynnie will be thrilled with you then!"
"The both of you are fools!" Nathaniel interjected with a sneer. "Look at you! Behaving like two young bucks butting heads over a doe! Despite her wide eyes, Amell is no doe to be won! You should be ashamed of yourselves!" He gestured to the patrons of the inn, now staring in shock and terror at the Wardens. "See how you represent her to the people!"
"Like I care what those idiots think!" Anders growled.
Nathaniel's words had a very different impact on Alistair, who froze once again in realization. He looked to the patrons, then down at the man he suspected, much to his own horror, he'd been a hair short of throttling to death. His jealousy, his frustration, and his hurt at being turned out by Evelyn... he'd let that stew boil over, and what a mess it made.
"Evidently, Ser Mage, you do not think at all." At this, Nathaniel's voice lowered in fury. "You care nothing for your friend to humiliate her so, using your past with her to inflict pain on her lover. If she were present, how badly would you have hurt her with such words?"
Standing again, Anders regarded the dark-haired man with suspicion and dawning dread. He grumbled, "Templar-Boy started it. I mean, technically, you did, by inadvertently calling Lynnie a bitch."
Nathaniel shrugged. "And I stand by my insinuation. That does not change her role as our Commander nor your role as her friend."
Alistair eyed Nathaniel strangely. "You know, you're infuriating. The both of you are."
"A trait we all share, evidently."
Alistair sighed out the last vestiges of his rage, grateful for control of his senses coming back to him. No matter how frustrated Anora- and her blasted father- made him, he shouldn't have let some snarky, half-brained apostate get the better of him like that. No matter what he said, he had to set the example for the other two.
Still, one thought refused to release him, as he ventured into the main room with a sheepish grin. He remembered the very first time he and Evelyn had kissed; never in his life before then had he been so happy, and the memory was among his most treasured. She'd leaned in, let her mouth melt into his, tilted her head to meet the force when he'd pressed hungrily once he'd known it was real...
That Anders had known exactly how to describe it plunged his heart through his chest. Had he told the truth? Did he know the taste of Evelyn's lips? As he paused at the bar, he shot a glance in the mage's direction. The moment he caught the apprehensive hint to Alistair's glance, Anders grinned, and licked his upper lip thoughtfully.
The wood of the bar creaked as Alistair's grip on the edge tightened, and tightened...