Hello guys,

this is a penultimate chapter. Tomorrow, I will post a short epilogue and finish this fanfiction.

I am not entirely satisfied with this chapter but I promised to post it on Monday, so here it is.

Enjoy and leave your opinion in review or PM. Thank you.

-ooo-

The movement of the Inquisition to Skyhold was slightly delayed due to a difficulty of installation of water ducts there. So it was decided that that time would be utilized to strengthen the Inquisition in Haven.

Everybody was working hard to complete their tasks. Stewards, clerks, herbalists, smiths, merchants, peasants, workers and many more doubled their efforts to fortify a background of the Inquisition. Mages were working intensely to restock storerooms with supplies of poultices, potions, injury kits and many herbs needed for their production. Spies were gathering intel in and outside of Ferelden to better anticipate any new movements of the enemy. Off duty soldiers were training in simulated military operations and militia was trained by Corporal Rosslin himself and a few of his seasoned soldiers.

In fact Corporal Rosslin was a source of an idea that soon seized an entire base. He suggested to the Inquisitor organizing a training tournament which would compare skills of warriors there.

Interest of warriors and soldiers in Haven was so great that the Inquisitor and Corporal Rosslin had to create a schedule which determined when and who would fight. Despite it, the tournament had to be split in two days thanks to a number of competitors. Rules were simple. Fighting with dummy weapons and the winner of duel was the one who grounded his opponent.

The Commander and Sister Nightingale decided to not participate in the tournament. The Inquisitor joined them as well. While her skills with sword and shield had already reached at least rank of expert thanks to private lectures from the Warden Commander, she still preferred to hone her abilities in privacy. Commander Pentaghast would not arrive from Orlais until a second day of the contest, so she was off as well. Other than that, pretty much everybody who could hold a weapon signed in.

During the first day of the tournament everything went according to assumptions. The Inquisitor was especially pleased that members of her team moved on easily to the second day. At the end of the first day only 32 best remained. Amongst them were members of the Immortals, chevaliers from Orlais, entire Inquisitor's team, Commander Cullen, Corporal Rosslin, agent Harding and especially Warden Oghren and Iron Bull.

Two of them couldn't be more different. The dwarf versus the huge giant, but the way they fought, like the hurricane in a city, tearing everything around them down. The Inquisitor could only stare in awe. She knew the Qunari was an impressive warrior but she had also learned from Leliana that Oghren had been one of the best warriors in Orzammar. After she had seen him in action, she didn't doubt it. The Inquisitor stated her opinion to the Commander, that this duo would be in final. He said nothing, then looked at the roster, smirked and predicted that Oghren would be eliminated in the first round tomorrow morning. The Inquisitor couldn't hide her confusion when she looked and saw a name of his next opponent.

In the morning of the second day of the tournament, the small group of beholders was seated in a temporary auditorium of combat arena. The Inquisitor and Commander Pentaghast were observing duels in front of them, while the Warden and Sister Nightingale were paying only a mild attention to competitors, lost in a silent conversation. Leliana had her right hand intertwined with the left one of the Commander of the Grey, while the other one was softly stroking a strange creature, some rabbit-pig mix of animal sleeping in her lap.

Though when Oghren entered a wrestling ring, the Commander turned to the head of the Inquisition and slightly smirked.

Oghren's smile widened when he spotted his next foe. Agent Harding gracefully walked into the arena dressed only in a light armor. The Inquisitor noticed that the spy had extremely body-fitting armor that flattered her body marvelously.

Oghren evidently agreed, he leered at her shamelessly and shouted something Aria didn't catch. To her surprise, Harding sensually smiled and seductively made her way to a stunned dwarf who couldn't stop ogling her curves. When the spy was at arm's length from her adversary she enticingly leaned forward to almost drooling Warden and put her arm gently on his shoulder. Then in a blink of eye she rotated herself behind Oghren and tripped him hard. Before he knew what happened, he was on the ground.

The Inquisitor heard behind her the giggles from Leliana at Oghren's crashing defeat. It immediately stopped when a dwarven beauty stepped to the auditorium from the ring and softly kissed the Warden on his cheek. She whispered to him with slightly reddened cheeks. "Thank you Commander." And left the stage.

The Seeker and the Inquisitor were looking at him incredulously, while Leliana narrowed her eyes and was extricating her hand from his. He didn't let her. The Warden probably found an entire situation hilarious because he burst into laugh.

"What was that?" Leliana hissed at him, although much less seriously, when he was softly stroking her hand in his and gave her a small kiss on knuckles.

The Seeker understood the situation and mischievously inquired. "That kiss wouldn't be related to your assistance regarding her duel with Oghren, would it?"

The Commander nodded and smiled at the Nevarran beauty. "I may have mentioned some hints that would help her."

Leliana couldn't stop herself and chuckled slightly and the Inquisitor joined right after her.

Cassandra decided to tease a little a couple in front of her. "Careful, Commander. It seems Leliana has a meanstreak."

Leliana's cheeks reddened slightly at that comment.

Her beloved answered. "No she doesn…" He paused for a moment before stated naughtily. "Well that depends… Sometimes she does and then I don't complain. I don't complain at all." The Warden smiled at his favourite chantry sister who was now resembling an overgrown tomato.

-ooo-

The tournament ended. Iron Bull bested Commander Cullen in final. Cullen was an exceptional warrior but in the end a tremendous strength of Qunari prevailed.

Both warriors were rewarded for their performance with thunderous applause from a stacked auditorium. Then, the Inquisitor noticed that Sera whispered something to Qunari mercenary who scowled at her yet nodded slightly.

Aria realized Sera was about to pull one of her legendary stunts and that it would bring only trouble. Before she could interjected, an elven rogue already started.

"It is a custom that the champion of the tournament can challenge any opponent by his choice to a friendly match." Sera announced loudly to the audience that cheered in agreement.

Iron Bull stepped forward. "I challenge the leading commander of the Inquisition."

The Inquisitor tensed and noticed that Leliana as well. Aria would certainly not challenge the Warden Commander after what she had seen from him. The truth was however, that she was the only person who had seen him in fight. During the liberation of Redcliffe, the Warden mostly concentrated on supporting his elite troops and wasn't seen in hand to hand combat.

I wouldn't be so eager to challenge him.

The Seeker cocked her head as she was observing a situation in front of her. On one hand, she was eager to see the legendary Warden Commander in combat, on the other, she realized that what Sera with unspoken approval of Bull had done, could had been considered as a dire insult. To challenge the leading officer of any organization even in a friendly match could had been explained as mistrust in his skills. Besides, it would draw more attention to him and somebody could recognize him as the legendary commander. Only their small group knew who he truly was.

We are in Ferelden after all.

The Warden rose and responded. "I am sorry, but I don't fight in arena."

Iron Bull stepped forward and remarked something that was probably meant as a teasing, but instead it turned into a jab. "Commander, I am sure your lady friend can do without you for a moment." The mercenary pointed at Leliana and that action elicited snickers from the audience.

The Seeker got angry. These two idiots down there would ruin everything. Without the Warden Commander, the Inquisition would had already crumbled into dust and these two didn't come up with anything better than petty insults for him.

Even Aria Trevelyan turned to a formidable leader and a warrior thanks to his lectures.

Cassandra rose to end this farce but was beaten to it by Leliana. The Orlesian beauty silently whispered to the Warden. "Dearest one, kick his ass…Quickly."

He smiled softly at her and gently squeezed her hand, before he turned, and made his way to the ring.

Not even bothering to change into his armor, he entered the arena dressed in a loose-fitting red sweater and black pants. The crowd was roaring in anticipation of an epic fight, cheering two foes inside the arena.

The Warden slowly stalked to the corner where Iron Bull had put away his massive waraxe. Qunari slightly smirked when he realized his intent. That smirk dropped from his face when his opponent, to the amazement of all in the arena, lift the waraxe up in his left hand, hurled it lightly in his direction and announced. "If you want your ass kicked, I will make sure that you can't use excuses that you didn't have your weapon."

The mercenary caught it in a flight and tried to regain his waning confidence. He stated cock-surely. "It is almost unfair."

The Commander cruelly laughed at that and answered. "Yes, Sten said it as well." In tone that sent a chilling sensation through a spine of Qunari.

"I don't tolerate exactly one sort of attack. At HER. So I will make it as a lesson for you to beat it into your thick skull." The Warden declared icily and slowly unsheated his heavily enchanted sword Starfang advancing forward to Iron Bull.

Qunari swung his two-handed axe in a vicious arc but the Commander ducked beneath it. Unfortunately for him, a sharp protrusion on axe got stuck in his loose-fitting sweater and tore it off him completely. The crowd fell completely silent when they took a good look on a bare-chested man before them. His upper body was completely marred with ountless numbers of scars. Cassandra and Aria stared wide-eyed at two particularly large ones on his right shoulder blade that resembled marks of enormous fangs.

The marks from Archdemon Urthemiel.

The Warden Commander didn't cease his attack though. When he ducked, he rotated around his axis with an enormous speed behind Qunari torso, turned his blade to its flat side, and with an incredible strength hit the mercenary to the back of his shins. He broke at least one of them and caused a one-eyed warrior to collapse on his back.

The Warden Commander lifted his sword above his head and all in the arena held their breath. With an unnatural strength, he thrust Starfang next to a Bull's neck through a silverite part of his neck protector to the stone ground to the hilt.

The fight was over in ten seconds.

Everybody stared in awe as one of the strongest individuals in Thedas was defeated with relative ease by their commanding officer. The man in question slowly redressed himself and silently departed a dead silent arena. Leliana followed him right away and gently took his hand in hers. They exited through the gate together.

The Inquisitor furiously walked into the ring to assess a situation. She sent for a healer when she noticed Bull's left leg and muttered. "Idiot."

Cassandra scolded Sera then came beside Aria to the lying mercenary. Oghren joined them as well. The dwarf leaned over the Qunari giant and delivered seriously. "You are lucky that it was Commander you were fighting with. In Orzammar, they would feed you to the darkspawn for such an insult to your superior officer."

"Commander is a great man. He saved your sorry asses and asked nothing in return. And this is how you repay him? I would kill you myself but it is his decision." Oghren turned to leave but stopped and claimed. "And FYI when he said Sten, he actually meant Arishok."

Oghren turned and left the stunned mercenary and the ashamed elf to ponder his words. They didn't have much time to do that before Aria and Cassandra tore into them.

When Vivienne arrived, they found out that they weren't able to lift Iron Bull up. Commander's sword pinned the huge Qunari to the ground. No one was able to pull his sword out. They had to call a smith who then slit through the neck protector of Qunari and freed him.

-ooo-

The following day, three ladies with Oghren sat at the round table in the war room. The Inquisitor and the Seeker were a little nervous about a reaction from the Commander to the incident in the arena. Leliana assured them that he didn't bear any ill will towards them. He would join them later, the Warden had some business with Commander Cullen in barracks.

Aria cleared her throat and spoke. "Leliana, I am sorry about what happened yesterday. I should have realized that those two idiots were up to something and cut it off."

The Orlesian beauty smiled at her and stated. "You don't have to apologize for the actions of others. Besides, you have come a long way since a moment we first met. He is in agreement with me in this."

The Inquisitor fidgeted awkwardly in her seat at the praise but Cassandra nodded resolutely and added. "Indeed. Your lectures with Warden Commander are paying off."

Oghren was playing with Legion but added his opinion. "Aye, he has a gift from Ancestors. I remember when we met. He took a drunkard from Orzammar and after he was done with me, I ended up as a general of the human army in Ferelden."

"So you don't hold your yesterday defeat against him?" Leliana teasingly inquired while Legion barked mockingly at dwarf.

Oghren chortled heartily. "No lass, I don't. Besides it showed me that he cares. He had promised me before I married Felsi that he would ensure I remain faithful to my wife. Well, you saw results of that promise yesterday."

Three women around him were laughing merrily with him at that for some time before they started to discuss more serious matters.

After some time the Nevarran Seeker seriously asked. "Leliana, that scars he has on his body, are th…?"

Oghren interrupted her. "You bet your cute ass that they are from the Archdemon. I envy him that. Dwarven wenches dug scars." Then he looked thoughtful for a moment and turned to Leliana in question. "Though from what I saw, he has many more now then during the Blight."

Leliana explained with a pained expression. "Yes, the new smaller ones are from his capture in Anderfelds when Corypheus was trying to break him." She carried on. "The longest ones on his shoulder blade are from our fight with the Old God. The Archdemon managed to catch Allistair in its maw, but my beloved suceeded in pulling him out, before the dragon could finish him off. During it, he almost lost his arm."

Oghren stated thoughtfully. "You would know something about scars, wouldn't you, lass?"

"Actually, I have scars no more. After my dearest one healed me in Redcliffe, they disappeared." Orlesian responded with a pointed look at him that indicated that this discussion was out of the question in public.

Oghren nodded in understanding and whistled loudly. "That had to be extremely powerful spell to perform such a feat."

Leliana smirked slightly. "You have no idea."

They were interrupted when inside walked the Commander of the Grey and settled down to the round table next to Leliana.

He greeted. "Ladies. Oghren." They nodded in acknowledgement.

The Warden continued. " I have just ended my discussion with Commander Cullen. He assured me that the convoy and its armed escort will be prepared in three days for relocation to Skyhold."

The Seeker remarked. "That's excellent news. We have done what we could in Ferelden. Now, it is time to take the fight further into an enemy territory."

The Inquisitor interjected. "Cullen can coordinate his efforts with agent Harding, Corporal Rosslin and Masters of individual guilds to transfer our funds, supplies and resources more smoothly."

"All right. I am out of here before they pack barrels of ale." Oghren announced and left. Trio of women slightly chuckled at that.

However the Warden Commander was pensively observing the Inquisitor in front of him. Ladies around him quickly picked up on it and silence spread around the table.

The Inquisitor couldn't contain herself any longer and asked. "What?"

Everybody focused in anticipation on the Warden. He actually smiled. "You have come a long way since the moment I met you in the castle. You are ready to lead the Inquisition against the Elder One."

The Inquisitor's cheeks coloured slightly at his praise but he kept on and dropped the bomb. "That is why I am resigning as the leading commander of the Inquisition."

Three women were staring at him in stunned silence but he wasn't done. "You were chosen by the Maker to lead this organization and restore the order in Thedas. Now you have skills, wisdom, trusted advisors and resources to do it."

Aria almost inaudibly whispered back to him. "I am not ready."

He looked thoughtfully at her as if he was remembering something and went on. "You are on the right path. You have got to believe in yourself. You have got to believe in your abilities. Unquestionably."

She still objected. "I need you and your lectures, Commander."

He answered. "And I will be here as long as she will."He pointed at Leliana and progressed. "However only as a spectre behind the throne and your mentor." He paused and added. "Key decisions from now on are yours and your advisors. You have to determine a direction of the Inquisition."

Cassandra interjected. "Warden Commander, you have a vast experience, it would be sha.."

He stopped her and shook his head. "There can be only one leader to make decisions. Aria Trevelyan was chosen to do this. You asked me for your help when the Inquisition was in a deep shit and I provided it. I will be there when you or Aria need a consultation or an advice but in the end you are doing decisions not me."

He paused to emphasize his point and added. "Besides, do you remember when we talked about my help? What my priority truly has been? Well, that hasn't changed."

The Inquisitor and the Seeker begrudgingly nodded knowing that they had already lost their argument, while Leliana was observing the situation in confusion. She realized she was missing a few pieces of puzzle to solve that problem.

The Warden softened his tone. "I wouldn't do this if I wasn't confident that you would handle it. With help from your advisors. you will lead the Inquisition, and you will lead it to the victory against the Elder One.

He chuckled. "Besides, my father once said."

"The harder the battle, the sweeter the victory.

"I can attest to that."

"Now, you are the symbol. The single spark of hope." With that the Warden ended the discussion.

-ooo-