"So let me get this straight," Alistair said after he listened to Kallian's report. "The 'good' Bann looks to have a family as captives for some reason and you think that your missing cousin might have something to do with their nonsense?"
"Pretty much, Your Majesty," she replied wearily. The ride back had been uneventful, but she'd gone as fast as she dared to push her mount. Sunny had been overjoyed to race with the horse and showed no signs of fatigue as he lolled about at her feet. Alistair gave a perfunctory scowl at the honorific, but his mind was clearly elsewhere.
He sighed and shook his head, "You don't seem convinced that this Red person is your cousin."
"Soris isn't exactly dumb, but he certainly isn't a... well, a criminal mastermind. Not to mention his wife keeps him reined in. Especially after he managed to get his sorry ass locked up in Howe's dungeon during the last riot in the Alienage." It was her turn to sigh, "He wasn't even participating in it, he was going by when the Guard broke it up and he just didn't run away fast enough."
She wasn't quite sure how to interpret the odd look he gave her, then his question clarified it for her, "Wait, was it your cousin that Lana rescued when she broke into Howe's estate?"
Too tired to say anything, she nodded. He made a thoughtful sound and drummed his fingers on the arm of the chair he was sitting in. She didn't expect his next question, "So how likely is it that Dairine Woolgar will recognize you from Esmerelle's estate?"
"Probably depends on how I'm dressed, why?"
"In that case, I want you to look as knightly as possible in a couple of days."
Kallian looked at him warily resulting in one of those charming grins that usually got the man his way, but she was wise to him now. At her look of suspicion that grin broadened, "Since I'm officially here to meet with those that haven't been able to make it to Denerim, there's been various nobles coming to see me. A certain Bann Woolgar has respectfully asked for an audience in a couple of days. I want you there for that little chat."
Trying not to let her dismay show, she said, "But, Sire, I don't know that much about sh, um, human politics."
"It's not political advice I'm looking for, you know how to read people. And if he does bring his wife, you might be able to give me some ideas on how to get them to squirm."
Now the man was talking. She gave him a feral grin, "I always aim to serve my King."
Alistair glared at her mock balefully, "And what did I say about calling me by my name?"
"We aren't exactly in private."
"Somehow I doubt Sunny would care." The wolf snorted causing the man to smile in return, "See?"
She shook her head in return, but did smile back. He gave her a long look, "Go get some well deserved rest so that you'll be ready for that meeting."
"Won't that be fun?" she asked a little sourly.
"It'll be something." He hesitated, "Before you go. What do you want to do if this Red person turns out to be your cousin?"
Kallian couldn't quite hide her miserable expression, "I don't know, Alistair. On one hand he's probably done a lot of harm. On the other..."
"He's your cousin," Alistair finished gently. Of course he would understand what it would be like to end up in a difficult situation due to family.
She nodded, then sighed again as she rubbed her forehead, "I was thinking maybe I could turn him over to you."
Alistair looked startled, "You wouldn't resent me if I had to do what needed to be done, no matter how terrible?"
"No, you're my King, it would be...easier in a way."
"Right then, now I'm really done bothering you for now. Go get some rest before I decide there's something else I want you to do."
The light tone brought a weary smile in return before she mockingly bowed and sought out her bed. She was still astonished that she rated her own room, no matter how small it was. But it seemed that the Teyrna's staff was following Alistair's lead in treating her as one of his knights. However, Kallian was too tired to really think about that. Or anything at all for that matter.
By that point she was at her room, and too tired to completely disrobe, just shucked off her boots and fell face first on the bed. As sleep claimed her, she was dimly aware of Sunny settling down at her feet.
The next morning a summons to see the King arrived just as Kallian finished her breakfast. Since the one delivering the message was one of the Teyrna's servants, she suspected that it wasn't that Alistair was being demanding as him saying, "Someone get me my knight Kallian" and the officious twit in front of her put a different spin on Alistair's words.
Smiling sweetly at the jerk, she said, "Then please let his Majesty know that I will be there in a few minutes."
Watching him squirm, she knew she was right. It had been pretty obvious that he'd intended to chivvy her along into the King's presence to show how effective he was at doing his job. Fool. Alistair didn't appreciate that kind of showing off. He expected people to do their jobs. He didn't appreciate people trying to make themselves more important than they really were.
Since he didn't immediately move, she just gave him at him expectantly with the air of someone who expected her orders to be followed.
He gave her a half-hearted bow and disdainfully sniffed, "Very well, ser. I will let him know."
One the man had huffed off, one of Anora's knights grinned at her, "Nicely done. The man is a boob, but he does get things done, which is why he's still here. But most don't deal with him that well the first time they meet him."
Kallian gave him a rueful smile, "I've been dealing with sh...humans like him most of my life."
Because she'd proven herself in training with the knights when she first got there, they'd immediately accepted her even though she was an elf, and she suspected they just saw her as another knight, not a knife-ear. The man's startled look confirmed her suspicions, "You...do have a point, ser. Still I wouldn't keep the King waiting too long."
She smiled at him, a warm friendly one, completely unlike what she gave the twit, "Oh, I won't, I just wanted to give that, um, individual a little time to get ahead of me."
The other knight nodded appreciatively, "Smart woman."
Kallian stood and bowed slightly in acknowledgment before heading off to see what Alistair wanted.
What she didn't expect when she arrived was a very angry man pacing back and forth in the sitting room that was a part of his suite. The Teyrna was watching him worriedly. For some reason the woman had one hand protectively covering her throat. Rafe leaned against a wall near the Teyrna watching Alistair carefully.
Yet it was the wolves that Kallian found most interesting. Amber was curled up at the noblewoman's feet seemingly asleep. Yet one golden eye opened briefly when Kallian entered the room, then closed it again. Dubh lounged next to his mate, clearly amused at the King's pacing.
Hoping she wasn't about to set off whatever explosion was imminent, she carefully asked, "You wanted to see me, Your Majesty?"
Alistair stopped in mid-step, nodded sharply and thrust a crumpled parchment into her hand and asked, "Do you know this man?"
More than a little confused, and starting to worry, Kallian carefully opened the sheet up. Relief welled up when the face that greeted her wasn't Soris's. But the relief didn't last long. Swallowing a little she replied, "Yes, Sire, I do know him. This isn't my cousin, but my cousin's best friend Taeodor."
The man grunted, then said, "Hopefully there aren't too many elven men running around calling themselves Red."
It almost felt like she was on a slippery roof during a rainstorm, "Why do you say that, Sire?"
"Because the man in that sketch hired a group of Antivan Crows to attempt to assassinate my wife. They told her that he called himself Red."
Oh Maker, that was...so unbelievably not good she didn't have to words to describe what she was thinking. She never suspected that Taeodor was capable of such a thing. "Is...is the Queen all right?"
Apparently that was the right thing to ask because Alistair snorted in amusement as the tension went out of his body. He flopped down in a chair and waved at her to do the same. "I did say attempt. After some events during the Blight, a Crow grandmaster promised Lana that she wouldn't have to worry about them ever accepting a contract on her life. I suspect it's not because they're worried about her killing their people, but because they're afraid she's going to recruit them the way she did Zev."
His quip earned some weak chuckles. Anora's hand lowered itself back down to her lap. Alistair became serious again, but at least the anger didn't return. "According to her letter, the Crows accepted a contract on the Arlessa of Amaranthine, not realizing that title goes to the Warden-Commander of Ferelden. When they realized just who that was, they were quite accommodating with their information before leaving for Antiva for a little chat with the idiot who accepted the contract."
More than a little troubled, and sick to her stomach, Kallian looked down at the sketch again, "I never imagined he'd do anything like this. But if he's the same person that I was told that was working with the Woolgars..."
"He is," Anora said tightly, "We still have that mercenary captain that led the attack against me. He confirmed the description as being the one who hired his company."
Well now, things were definitely getting interesting. "That's probably too thin of a line of evidence to use against the Bann?"
"For the most part, if they're stupid enough to bring him along as a part of their escort, then I can act."
She shook her head, "He won't be, Taeodor may not be a genius, but he's smart enough doing something that obvious. If he's there, and I seriously doubt it, he'll be much more disguised. Like now, with dying his hair and making himself look heavier than normal. Which is probably why my associates thought he was related to me."
Rafe finally spoke up, "Then in that case, if he isn't there, you and I have a little mission ahead of us."
"And that would be?"
He gave her a grin worthy of bloodthirsty wolf, "We go hunting on the Woolgar lands while they're here annoying the King and the Teyrna."
That actually sounded better than standing around in the audience while Alistair tried not to get too annoyed with the asses. "Well then, Ser Rafe, I guess that means I mingle with their servants to see if our quarry is there?"
"We. I'm scruffy enough to fit in as well since I'm told that they have a high rate of change in their servants. Since they don't do anything to ensure their loyalty to say something..."
She nodded and wondered how they avoided being killed all this time. Then realized that was the wrong question. The real question was, how long were they going to survive Alistair's wrath?
-oOo-
The day he'd been both dreading and looking forward to finally arrived.
Anora had very graciously given him the use of the Great Hall for his audiences. Well, that's what she said in public at any rate.
What she'd actually said was, "Alistair, you're the King so should have something suitably grand. More importantly though, you're keeping them away from me so I can focus on the important matters for my teyrnir. But officially, this way you'll have as much room as you need to do your job while you're down here."
They both had laughed, if a touch uneasily, and even now Alistair still couldn't get over the change in circumstances between them. Especially the fact he no longer wanted to kill her for the games she played that led Lana into Howe's trap.
In the surprisingly candid talks they'd been having since his arrival at Gwaren, Anora had admitted she just wanted Lana out of the way for the Landsmeet so that she wouldn't have the challenge that had occurred as she worried about. Despite himself, he believe Anora when she said she never intended anything more than a very temporary imprisonment since Lana was a respected rival. Not an enemy to be destroyed.
It still bothered him how his anger a few days earlier had affected the Teyrna and hoped that as they continued to work together, that fear would fade. Even though he didn't really like the woman, he didn't really enjoy her being afraid of him.
But that was for later.
Right now, there were three people coming up the carpet that led to his temporary throne that he wanted to scare the ever living snot out of. Maybe worse depending on what they said. He was also aware of the quiet murmurs from those gathered to watch the audience. All the previous audiences, he'd worn his normal court clothing.
Today was different. Today, he was in his full armor with sword and shield at his side. While that wasn't exactly subtle in how he was treating this audience, he didn't really care. Besides, he had a feeling that the Bann and family had no idea how to understand subtle.
Watching the trio advance to him, he wondered if they understood blatant as well. Not to mention that the emptiness of their expressions meant that they were trying not to show what they were thinking rather than the complete lack of thought. Considering what he knew of this family so far, Alistair wasn't holding out much hope for the former.
Though it was rather strange that the nobleman had brought wife and daughter. Until now, all of those who came before him hadn't brought their family. They might have a family member along if it pertained to the matter they wanted him to consider, but if they wanted to present someone to him, they traveled to Denerim to do so.
Curious despite himself he studied the trio as they approached him.
Bann Buck Woolgar was a man of average height who had a fringe of graying brown hair circling his head, his face had the puffy look of a man who ate too much and had the girth to match. Dairine was just stout in comparison. He didn't remember either of them from his coronation, but unfortunately he remembered their daughter.
The past year hadn't been kind to the young woman, he remembered that she was somewhat stoutly built like her mother, but now... Obviously someone didn't put any thought into her appearance since the dress she was laced into made her look like ten pounds of bread dough stuffed into a one pound sack with two little currants for eyes.
Feeling more than a little nauseated, it took all of his training as a templar to keep from looking away. Normally he wasn't one to judge someone by their weight, but Ebba's appearance was something else entirely.
The nobleman bowed as his wife and daughter curtseyed. When he straightened up, he beamed, "Thank you for seeing me today, Your Majesty."
Alistair nodded slightly, "Bann Woolgar. I believe you sent me a message indicating a matter of some urgency. Yet you waited until now to see me."
Ebba started to simper up at him, though at least she didn't say anything. Oblivious to his daughter, the Bann reddened a bit, "Well, it's is a matter of some delicacy..."
"Really now," Alistair replied coolly. He was trying to keep the answers short because he wanted to yell at the idiots to stop wasting his time and to go back to their sheep.
The man bobbed his head, "It's a matter best discussed in private, Sire..."
Keeping his scowl to himself, Alistair studied the Woolgars for a long moment in silence, hoping to make them squirm. They just stared at him blankly. Well, the two older ones were blank, Ebba was still trying to simper.
Maker help him.
Finally he spoke, trying to keep his distaste to himself, "Fine, everyone except the Teyrna and my guards will leave."
"But, Sire -"
"No," Alistair said harshly as those not named began to reluctantly leave the room, "I know that Teyrna Mac Tir and my guards are loyal. What you say will not be spread."
Alistair found it interesting the way the man started to wring his hands slightly while his wife remained stonefaced. However, it was Ebba that was the most telling. She went from simpering to becoming even more pale and looking around nervously. A sideways glance toward Anora caused her to incline her head very slightly towards the nobleman and shake her head just as slightly with a faint look of distaste.
Yeah, that was about right. From what he understood the Woolgars weren't among the nobles that Anora respected.
Once the room was cleared, he gestured at the Bann, "All right then, say your piece."
The man started to sweat, "Well, Sire, the reason why I didn't see you right away is that I wanted to make sure what I was told is accurate..."
Despite his best effort a brow lifted up as he asked incredulously, "So whatever it is could be hearsay?"
Woolgar sniffed and attempted to puff up, but now he'd gone pale in addition to sweating, "I have it on the best sources. It involves your wife... I'm sorry, Sire, but she hasn't been faithful to you. She was seen kissing a tall man with dark hair."
Of all the things...the idiot thought he could convince Alistair that Marlana was adulterous? The man was a bigger idiot than he thought. With sarcasm sharp enough to cut through flesh and bone, he asked, "Let me guess, the man is about my height, lean in face and body, short dark auburn hair, amber eyes?"
For some reason Woolgar's gaze darted to his wife and daughter before he gulpingly answered, "Yes, Sire."
He couldn't help it, he started to laugh not quite hysterically. He could feel Anora's wide eyed stare on him and the even more nervous ones from the Woolgars. What got him to calm down was the angry muttering among the guards about what they should do about the man who dared to slur their Queen in such a way. Trying not to let his fury control him, he growled, "You, serrah, are a Maker be damned moron. I'm not sure who would be more insulted by this, my wife, or her brother. You may have heard of him, Fergus Cousland, Teyrn of Highever?"
The noble began to splutter, but Alistair didn't let him say anything, "You have insulted more times than I care to think. First with you demand for me to see you, your laxity in coming to see me as soon as you could, and now this...garbage about my wife."
He stared down at them angrily, reminding himself that it was bad form to just start slaughtering people over being asses. At least Woolgar finally proved to have some sense and kept his mouth shut. "Since you kept the insults private, I don't need to act as publicly as I should. So today I'm going to be merciful, you will take your family and return to your estate. You will confine yourself there for one year. You may have visitors, but I would strongly suggest you confine them to business. And if I should find out that there are any further rumors about Marlana's supposed infidelity, I will know the source and shall deal with it appropriately. Do I make myself clear?"
Quivering, the man bowed slightly, "Yes, Your Majesty. If you'll excuse us?"
"Go," he said tightly. The three slowly backed away from him, then when protocol allowed for it, they turned and fled.
Anora murmured, "Nicely done. They know you're angry, but made them believe you don't have power to punish them."
He shrugged and quietly said, "I thought that was the plan?"
She gave him a rueful smile, "I'm sorry, I know it's been a year, but I still find it difficult that you are nothing like your father and brother. Well, except for the ridiculous sense of humor."
He grinned back, not at all offended. If anything, that was a relief. Her expression hardened, "Though I can't believe that even they were that stupid to accuse the Queen of such an act. And with her brother no less!"
Alistair tried not to scowl in return, but he could feel his mouth flattening into a tight line, "Same here. So here's hoping that our wolves are successful in their hunt."
"Agreed. And that they return home safely."