Chapter Fifty-Four: Ballots and Bouts

Election Day.

The first free and fair elections in Thedosian history, in truth. The ones held for the Assembly of Free Orlais weren't conducted by secret ballot, but rather by public proclamation or indirectly. Julie and Ciara had first been elected by people getting up on a stage in the Chantry and speaking their vote, not by people making a mark next to their names on a piece of paper. Not this time.

Every person was to be issued with a single ballot paper according to regiment, with the names of the parties on them and boxes to check. It used almost all the remaining paper in the city, all of which we had requisitioned, more or less eliminating the possibility of fraudulent ballots by default. They would go with that paper to a polling station. We didn't have styluses or pencils to use, or not enough of them. Charcoal was too messy and could lead to disputes. We had plenty of ink though.

So, we took a security measure I had seen in Afghanistan and used that method for voting too: a voter would dip their thumb in permanent ink, and use their thumbprint to indicate who they were voting for. It's a method we've used right up to the present day, although it'll probably soon have to be abandoned due to advances in identifying people by their fingerprints. Back then there wasn't a hope at all of identifying who had voted for who, and it made sure that no one could vote twice if by some chance they had found or stolen another ballot.

The ballots were collected in glass jars; we had requisitioned many of those in the city too. A count centre was set up in the ballroom of the Keep, the wounded like Beauvilliers again moved to accommodate proceedings. Well, most of them, the sergeant himself was actually one of the count supervisors, a job I gave him as proof that he wouldn't be tossed aside due to his injuries.

I was the first person to vote, followed by Fisher and the rest of the High Command. Supposedly as a mark of respect and to free us all to look after the counting. But both Fisher and I had organised everything in advance, leaving us entirely free for the day as our lieutenants did the heavy lifting. The Generals and Ship-Captains were similarly without work for the day. Julie, Leha and Velarana were the exceptions, visiting the polling places in rotation. Shaking hands and kissing babies, and there was an increasing number of the latter.

As the votes began to pour in, escorted by details from the Guard and the naval regiments, the counting began. It was a still, sunny day. A perfect day to sit down and relax, while we waited for the inevitable to happen. So that's what I did.


It was a perfect day for drilling, according to Mike's thinking.

She had her pike and crossbow troops out running through their formations in the late morning, after they voted. By mid-afternoon, as the jars of ballots kept arriving, Soprano's Rangers and McNulty's Grenadiers were in on the act too, marching up and down the outer avenues by the castle in close order, practising their by-the-ranks drill with dry firing and fire-and-movement. In the courtyard of the castle itself, they did bayonet drills against stuffed grain sacks with old armour hanging from them, seeking out the weak points as they charged.

I took to watching them, as did my other available companions, dragging chairs out from the entrance hall to watch. It wasn't like we could influence the election at this point. The silver-headed eagle looked on from the top of a crenellation, cleaning its feathers occasionally. The golden eagle didn't seem to be anywhere, but knowing it followed Julie around in particular, it was probably watching her. The silver headed one did the same for Tam.

Soon, everyone of rank without any real responsibilities had the same idea we did. Andras appeared first, pointedly pushing her chair to sit beside me.

"Marquis," she said, as she sat down between Armen and I, "Warden-Commander."

"Warden-Commander," Tam repeated, seemingly pleased that she was there, "Any word from Weisshaupt yet?"

"None," Andras said, "But birds can get turned around in winter."

"Or they're still considering how to respond," said Armen, leaning back and looking up at the sky, "It's been a month, hasn't it?"

"It has," Andras conceded, "But if they were going to roundly condemn all of us, they would have sent word without delay. The lack of reply says that they are not sure what they think yet. That's better than an outright declaration of restraint."

"And it's worse than them being friendly," Ciara said, turning a small purple wildflower around in her fingers.

"The Fifth Blight was not even ten years ago," Tam shrugged, "They're used to attention being paid to them when it comes to these decisions."

"Orlais did increase its tithes during and after," Andras agreed, "At least, until the civil war."

I gave a single laugh, the Grey Wardens' own troubles eclipsed by our own exile as a result of the brewing civil war. "I'm confident First Warden will want our weapons in trade," I said, "Rather than his enforcers being shot to death with them."

"The First Warden isn't exactly known for being so gracious," Andras warned, "But he is not a king, and he knows it. He will likely defer to the representatives from each of the national orders."

"Does Ferelden have such a representative?" Armen asked, "Who is it?"

"In theory, it's Daylen Amell," Andras replied, "But he's missing. In practice, I have an old friend there, I sent him a message too."

How the Grey Wardens functioned as a military organisation, I did not understand. For a group with the legal right to take almost anything or anyone into service at the drop of the hat in almost every country on Thedas, they sure had an unnecessarily nebulous organisation structure. And Weisshaupt, a castle in the middle of a Blight-created desert? How the hell was that any place for a headquarters of such an important organisation? You'd think Orzammar would have been the place for it, given the central location and the ready access to the Deep Roads there.

I was pondering these matters for a while, when both de Villars cousins arrived. Both in armour and armed as they preferred, both masked. For Louise, her skull mask, plumed helmet, brightly shining steel cuirass longsword and sabre. For Mariette, her blue and grey harlequin mask and light leather armour with cloth coverings in the same colours. Both spotted the line of chairs and our fine selves sitting in them, and wandered over.

"Ah, Marquis," Louise said, "I was wondering where you were. I thought you would be watching the count in the ballroom?"

"Nothing for me to do there," I replied, "I trust our people and the Grand-Cleric is in there keeping watch anyway."

"Getting away from her?" Mariette asked in jest, "I'm not sure I blame you."

"After the scare she gave me the night before last, absolutely," I said.

Tam leaned across, putting her head on my shoulder, poking me slightly with her horn. "It was worth the scare," she said, "I think."

"Hmm, I'm not sure," I joked, gathering my arms around her, "We'll see."

Tam broke through my arms, pretending to not be amused by it but largely failing. Mariette audibly sighed at our visible affection for one another, turning her eyes to the drills that the troops were undergoing.

"Well, you should know that we are comfortably ahead for the moment," Louise said, ignoring her cousin's fit of pique, "The first ten regiments are reporting heavily in our favour."

"Of course they are," I yawned, stretching in my seat, "The first ten regiments are all Hearthlanders, the original part of the Free Army. They're all far too loyal to vote against Julie. They represent less than 30% of the votes. Let's not get too excited."

"Yet it is a reason to hope for victory," Louise countered politely, "I have nothing but disdain for Madame Velarana's political cowardice. I would never have thought someone so gallant on the battlefield could be so meek in the Game."

"She's feigning weakness, because she knows her position is a lot stronger than most people openly admit," I replied, "She read Sun Tzu and now thinks herself a master of strategy. Who knows, maybe she is. But she isn't actually meek at all, it's a political move on her part."

"Whereas Julie is projecting nothing but strength," Armen added, "Does that mean we are weak in reality?"

"We're going to find out," I said.

The clank-clank of armour sounded from the side, announcing the entrance of Ser Barris into the courtyard. He made a bead straight for me, stopping and saluting before deeming it respectful to speak.

"Marquis, some of the Tevinters are asking to come out into the courtyard," he said, "They wish to view the Army drills for themselves."

We all exchanged glances, wondering about the motives behind that. Cabin fever, I thought. They weren't allowed out of the castle except to go to their ships, although their crews were allowed to move freely.

"Is it wise to let them?" Andras asked aloud, "Are your techniques not a secret?"

I snorted, amused that she was concerned about that. "You're here, aren't you?" I said, "Until you start delivering silverite and everything else you promised to our new city, technically I shouldn't be letting you see any of this either."

"Ah, but you trust me," the elven Warden smiled, "Admit it."

"Never," I said flatly, "It would compromise my position of 'give me the damn silverite', wouldn't it?" Andras didn't believe it for a second.

Barris coughed gently, to get our attention once more. "What do I tell the Tevinters, Marquis?" he asked, "Shall I remove them to the north wing?"

Ahh Barris, always over eager to put the Vints in their place. Not the only one by any means.

"No, let them come," I said, "We're supposed to be allies, we need to start acting like it. I'll inform them of the consequences of abusing magic myself. And you don't need to worry, those consequences as dire as can be." The implication being I'd be perfectly happy to let his boys and girls loose should bad things begin to inexplicably happen.

"Yes, Marquis," Barris smiled, "Thank you."

"No need for that," I waved, "Bring them on out."

The Templar saluted again in acknowledgement, and paced away until he disappeared through the main gate. I saw Armen watch him go out of the corner of my eye.

"Should have told him to bring us wine while he was up," Armen smirked, "Warm us up."

I shrugged. It wasn't that cold. A forty degree day in December, a rare thing.

"He's Knight-Commander," I said, "Not our serving girl."

"I can get it if you like," Ciara offered, "I was a serving girl, remember?"

"I remember," Armen said, "But your serving girl days are over."

"So you don't want the wine?" Ciara asked, bemused at his position.

"Not if you're the one getting it," the mage explained, "But the idea of a Templar fetching it for me..."

"I can see the appeal of that," Andras said, laying her staff across her lap, "And I think Knight-Commander Barris is earnest enough not to take it as the insult it is."

"Exactly why I forbid it," I said, "Exploiting his good nature for your kicks, very naughty."

"Perhaps some wine would be good," Tam threw out, "Not being in the counting room, I'd like to know what the results are as they come in."

"Watching the results never does any good," I insisted, "You get riled up for nothing, like the outcome could change simply by watching it unfold. All I can say is thank God the Maker we do not have television."

"I want to know if I've been elected," Ciara pouted.

Both Louise and I laughed. We had made extensive arrangements about that very topic.

"Oh, my little she-elf, you have been," Louise said kindly, "Both you and I will be elected on the Libertarian ticket for the Guards Regiment, and at least one other seat will be won by the Lucrosian candidates. Hopefully two."

"How do you know?" Ciara asked, curious.

"Simple," Louise replied, "I ordered my retainers and my allies to vote as such. They could disobey me, of course, they vote in secret. But they know my purpose, and they agree with it. A broad Libertarian-Lucrosian coalition to rule over our new city is best. I fear Lady Velarana will make a mockery of nobility, where the Marquise will keep it in its purest form; military nobility."

Three cheers for feudalism.

"It was part of our dastardly plan, Ciara," I added, "To make sure you were elected without trouble. You tend to bring a refreshing honesty to any conversation that I think the Assembly will need. Everyone appreciated you in the last one."

"That's because I'll be the youngest member," Ciara said flatly, "Again."

"Actually, I think Fisher's granddaughter is running," Armen said, his nose twitching as he thought, "And she's maybe a year younger than you."

Sixteen was the voting age, after all, and apparently no one thought to put a limit on the age of candidates, so everyone simply assumed they were the same.

"Look on the bright side," Mariette said, "You'll be able to get those gardens you're always talking about."

Ciara, Tam, Armen and I all turned to look at the harlequin in surprise. It was no secret that Ciara was an avid gardener, something she hadn't been able to indulge in since our departure, but the idea of publicly owned gardens for both enjoyment and the growing of important medicinal herbs wasn't one she had gone around shouting about yet. We had bigger fish to fry, and her concept was very cheap compared to the proposals for the Army that Julie had or the proposals for social programmes which Velarana was pushing for.

Mariette demonstrating her information gathering ability was definitely worthy of comment, but the Tevinters arrived, preventing me from giving any. Louise let out a gasp as she saw it.

It wasn't all of them either, I thanked my lucky stars. Tiberius, Aurelia, Marcus, Quintus and Gaius. I suppose technically they were all Tiberius except for Aurelia, but I can't think of the patriarch of the dynasty as 'Titus' simply because it pushes me towards thinking of something else entirely.

They all had their staves and swords, and were dressed in the jungle-pattern armour from before, their helmets tucked under their arms. Aurelia's shock of curly black hair was unrestrained by any braids or ties, and it fell across one side of her face. The Tevinters' eyes watched the drilling, or what little of it continued as the majority of the troops began to notice the newcomers.

To the usual increase in my levels of mental fatigue, Tiberius made straight for me. "Ah, Sam, just who I was..." he began, with a smile on his face.

A loud clearing of the throat interrupted him. It had been Aurelia, of all people. The magister stopped dead, and closed his mouth shut with a snap. Wow, I thought. She had Tiberius on a leash. How?

She stepped ahead of him, like an owner taking her dog for a walk and insisting on the dominant position by walking in front. "Marquis," she said, "Apologies for the intrusion, but we saw that there was training going on. This interests us, as soldiers of the Imperium. Would you be so kind as to allow us to observe? Or better yet, participate?"

Her overly polite, not overly familiar tone was entirely appropriate. Aurelia was definitely a true noble-born lady, and not one who had been one so long that she had become whimsical, like her grandfather was.

I stood up, and gestured for them all to approach. They did so, Aurelia leading the pack. They stood alongside the chairs, while everyone else rose from their seats. Including Andras, who entered my line of sight, reminding me of something relatively important.

"You two haven't met, have you?" I said to Aurelia, "This is Sidona Andras, Warden-Commander of Ferelden and Arlessa of Amaranthine Province."

Andras pulled her hood down, revealing her short fuzzy hair and long pointed ears. Looking to provoke some sort of response, no doubt. The Tevinter Grey Wardens are regarded as strange even among Grey Wardens, as they products of their nation as much as any particular group of Tevene people are.

Aurelia didn't give a single twitch of disapproval, another point in her favour, and inclined her head in greeting. "Lady Aurelia of Treverorum, Centurion of the Western Legions," she said, "Betrothed to the Marquis."

"Oh my, how well bred," Andras remarked, looking between Aurelia and I, "Come to spy out the new Orlesian way of war, have you?"

"Something like that," said Quintus from behind, balancing his staff across his shoulders and gripping it with both hands, "Though I've yet to see anything I have never seen before."

"Although their discipline is impressive," Marcus added in conciliation.

"That's because they're not doing firelance practice," Tam said, "And they could still defeat any similar number from your armies. Perhaps far more than a similar number. Of that I am certain."

Aurelia pursed her lips. Her golden eyes surveying the troops, whom the sergeants had returned to their drills, before they turned up to Tam's own violet ones. The eyes of someone who wished to make a challenge."And you know this due to your vast combat experience?" she said, "Our information says that you were a tamassran, not a part of the antaam."

"I have watched these men and women triumph against the greatest military power of the South," Tam replied, "I have fought beside them. I've experienced enough."

"Yet they were defeated," Marcus said.

"By numbers," Aurelia said, coming to our defence all of a sudden, "I think we can sympathise with being outnumbered. Have any of us ever been on a campaign where we weren't facing at least two times our number?"

"No," Quintus replied, "We haven't." The way his cheeks curled as he spoke, my brother-in-law to be was not pleased to allow the point. But his sister powered through regardless.

"But that's no reason to respect their way of war," Aurelia continued, "Until we have a taste of it ourselves." She looked to me, as if to say 'provide a taste please'. Good God, it was hot.

"You'll see our firelances soon enough," I said, maintaining my composure with some difficulty, "And the Navy's gunners will also resume practice once the election process is over."

"You'll have to tell that story," Tiberius said, "How exactly did you obtain a set of Orlesian galleons?" He was trying to change the subject, probably knowing exactly how we did it. Not to mention having seen the Free Army in action himself, albeit during its last campaign as the Army of Free Orlais.

I appreciated his intent. "Fisher is the man to ask there," I said, "I can't take any real credit. He'll be happy to tell the story, I'm sure. It's his big contribution to our enterprise."

"Marquis, I must interrupt," Andras said, "I cannot ignore what I view as an insult."

I looked about for a second in confusion. "What insult?" I asked.

"Lady Aurelia has just impugned the honour of my fellow Warden," Andras said, "Not to mention the honour of your own Army."

"Our Army's honour can survive a little doubt," I replied, "Especially when the people doubting haven't seen it in action. Gaius, you have seen it, what's your opinion?"

Gaius winced, not wanting to cross the cousin he admired. Especially when the woman herself was looking right at him, as if inviting him to try and defy her. But Tiberius looked at him with utmost imperiousness too, urging him to tell the truth. Caught between the two, he sat on the fence.

"One to one, they certainly match us," he said at last, "They do not have the same number of mages as we do, but they make up for it with more advanced blackpowder weapons than the Qunari have." Of course, the more cannons and firelances we built, the more capable we would have been at kicking their asses too.

"You see?" I said to Andras, "The Army isn't insulted."

"And Warden-Commander Hunt?" Andras asked, deliberately using Tam's surname, "What of her honour?"

I turned to Tam, who hadn't looked away from Aurelia the whole time. Uh oh, I thought. "Your fellow Warden-Commander doesn't require me to defend her honour," I said carefully, "But I will do so if she expects it."

Tam finally turned to me, pushing silver-gold hair out of her eyes as it moved over her nose in the breeze. "That is hardly fair, Sam, I was the one she called into question," she said, "And you would win every time against these saarebas." I tilted my head, not so sure that was the case if I was barred from using my own firelances.

"No, I think I can defend myself," Tam finished, "Aurelia and I, one on one, as Gaius suggested."

"I didn't..." Gaius started.

Aurelia silenced him with a raised hand, her face completely placid. "You are challenging me to single combat?" she asked.

Tam's violet stare bored straight at my Tevinter fiancée. "Without hesitation," she said, "For the honour of the Wardens." Andras gave a single nod of complete agreement, stepping up beside her.

"I accept," Aurelia said, "Rules; no magic and no firelances? We both receive barriers from a third party?"

The bulk of the Benelli propped up against the side of chair Tam had been sitting in would have made things a little too interesting and deadly. I was relieved to hear that they wouldn't be killing each other, at least.

"Agreed," said Tam, "This courtyard, in an hour."

"Very well," said Aurelia smoothly, brandishing her sword-staff, "This naginata has been aching for some action." The way she said it made it clear that it was she who had been aching.

A glance at me told all. Aurelia wanted me to know what she was, to show it. It felt unnecessary, but then again, this was a woman who wanted me invested in our mutual relationship, whatever the real extent of it was going to be. Was she trying to impress me? Or was she trying to win over Tam by being direct? Either way, thanks to Andras' dislike for Tevinters, now had the chance to do so against Tam.

"Election Day entertainment," Armen said, with a clap of his hands, "Oh, goodie."


An hour was all it took for a number of other people to arrive to watch the duel of honour.

The drilling was stopped at once, and all those present cleared the middle of the courtyard, dragging boxes and tables to form a circle in which the duel would be fought. The entire High Command appeared from the various pieces of make-work or relaxation they were undertaking, including Paulie Walnuts, back from the Bay of Dolphins.

The rest of the Tevinters showed too, reserving themselves a corner of the arena with sheer menace, sitting on the boxes. The betting began almost as soon as the Army clandestine bookies gathered the nerve to start taking money in front of me, which was far more quickly than I would have liked. The pirates soon showed too, Admiral Isabela and Marian Hawke among them, Sigrun and Bethany dragged along with them.

I sent word to Julie immediately, of course, and she showed up in a fluster as Tam was donning her kevlar vest.

"What is going on?" Julie demanded, "Why are they going to fight?" Back to Orlesian, so most of the Tevinters couldn't understand even if they could hear over the betting.

"It was more or less a challenge," I said, not quite sure how we arrived at that point myself, "If you want to blame someone, blame her." I thumbed at Andras.

"The Tevinter witch insulted a Grey Warden's ability to fight," said Andras, "It was unacceptable." That was a mischaracterisation, but there was no backing down now.

"Then why aren't you fighting?" Julie said impatiently, "If you're so insulted."

Tam turned, having finished fiddling with the straps of the kevlar. "I am the one who is insulted," she said, "I will deal with it."

"You are most deadly at range, Tam," Julie pleaded, "Your bow, that shotgun... Look at the length of her blade, she can stab you to death without so much as moving."

"No danger of death," Armen said nonchalantly, "Their bodies and their weapons are going to be coated with a magical barrier. Their armour won't be. First one to break the body barrier wins the round, best out of three to win the match."

Julie seized the shotgun, which was still propped up against a chair, and pumped a buckshot shell into the firing position with a vigorous pull of the charging handle. She took hold of the grip, and said nothing more. Her intention was fairly obvious; if Tam got hurt, Aurelia was going to catch the entirety of what that 12 gauge could throw. I wasn't too worried about it. Tiberius had demonstrated the magic almost as soon as the duel had been agreed, without prompt, probably fearing a similar response from me.

Tam smiled at the display, knowing it meant that Julie was very worried. She leaned over and gave Julie a kiss on the cheek. Julie pushed forwards to give her a much more substantial kiss, before our Qunari... wife made her way into the middle of the makeshift arena to await Aurelia.

"What are her chances?" Julie asked those standing around us, "Do we know?"

"Middling odds," said Mariette de Villars.

"Why only middling?" Julie pressed.

Mariette looked to Louise to explain, and she did. "Lady Tam has great strength and a size advantage," she said, "But Lady Aurelia has a polearm and so has longer reach, as you pointed out. She's also considerably smaller, and so, harder to hit."

"She's also as fit as I am," Mariette added, "She can probably move as fast or faster than Tam." Mariette being a gymnast/assassin, naturally she knew what she was talking about there. I recalled her dodging an automatic firelance with a shiver of cold down my spine. There were times I forgot just how we met.

"Any word on the election?" Armen asked, eager to know the answer before things could begin.

"Voting is over," Julie said quickly, "We're ahead, but the counting is by the order of precedence in the regiments." Velarana was expected to bounce back later, as the oldest and most loyal regiments were higher in the order, but to the extent of her winning? No one could know for sure.

Aurelia stepped into the arena, squaring off with Tam. She shot a look my way, and a smile spread over her face, before she slotted her helmet on. The smile was replaced by the snarl of a monster, in green and black metal. It was appropriately feline, with false whiskers and long canines. Her golden irises peering out of the unarmoured section across her eyes, she bowed low to Tam, in the Japanese fashion, before standing up and taking her position, naginata held at waist height towards her opponent.

The crowd went dead silent.

Tam drew her longsword with a soft hiss from the leather scabbard using her right hand. The same one that she had looted on our original journey to Hearth, which she had kept well maintained. She reached across her front to take her forward curved dagger into her left. A weapon designed, as you'd expect, to peel Tevinters out of their armour. In fact, it was designed specifically to deal with the armour introduced by Keijiro Okuba to the Western Legions, a piece of information that Gaius would give up in a drunken brag some years later.

A cry came from up in the sky, and everyone, the competitors included, looked up. The eagles were circling overhead. Golden, silver-headed and black. Another cry, louder this time.

Before anyone realised it, the fight had begun.

While the rest of us were standing around, Aurelia and Tam had taken it as the starting signal. By the time everyone noticed, Aurelia had leaped forward to deliver a blow. The naginata's blade aimed low, below where the kevlar ended and where in theory it would be harder for a tall person to parry.

It was no cheap shot though, and Tam was ready. She deftly parried the polearm's movement with her dagger and thrust her longsword forward, hoping to catch Aurelia's forward momentum.

It failed. Aurelia changed direction on a dime, first to the left and then backwards, swiping at Tam to dissuade a counterattack. The two parted and began circling each other.

The crowd went wild, cheering and shouting. The betting intensified. I crossed my arms, thinking that this wasn't going to be an easy fight, but that Tam could handle it. Julie was not of that opinion. Her hand snaked its way through my crossed arms and gripped the first of my own it could find, tightly. As the two combatants began trading blows and parries once again, feeling each other out, every near miss sent her hand twitching. I stroked the side of her hand with my thumb, knowing full well that any soothing words would not have been heard.

"Lady Tam has improved," Louise remarked.

Tam pressed a lucky advantage and managed to catch Aurelia's shoulder. The blow glanced off the armour, sending a shimmer around Aurelia's body as the magical barrier underneath reacted to the force of the attack. My Tevinter fiancée ducked under the second blow, pulling her weapon after her, and bounced away to swipe once more. Again, I was struck by the comparison I had made with a panther.

"She's a Grey Warden now," Andras stated, "She's faster and stronger than before."

"She was plenty strong and fast," Armen grinned, before turning towards the chevalier, "Perhaps you'd care to re-evaluate the odds?"

Aurelia twirled her naginata in a double looping arc, almost catching Tam in the thigh and neck. Tam stumbled back, regaining her feet as soon as she was out of range, taking up a low guard.

"No, I don't think so," Louise replied, "Lady Tam's technique is not aggressive enough."

"She was trained in defensive methods for close up," I said, "She's an archer more than a brawler." Pretty much exactly the same as I was, in fact.

"Then she's going to lose," Mariette said, "The more I watch the Vint, the more I think she's playing not fighting. She could be much more aggressive with that big sword-stick of hers, but she's trying to close every gap in her own defence instead. That doesn't look like how Tevinter mage-soldiers are supposed to fight."

As if Tam had heard those words, impossible over the crowd's shouts, she pressed forwards to the attack.

Aurelia had just launched a tentative thrust, again towards Tam's lower quarter. Tam sidestepped it deftly, slapped it away with the flat of her longsword, and used her longer pace to rush her attacker. Aurelia hadn't expected it. Tam had used her dagger to parry until that point, and had managed to gain the element of surprise by switching the program. Tam wasn't the most aggressive hand-to-hand fighter, but she was among the most cunning. Deception is an inherent part of the way tamassrans fight, as they only do so when forced to defend themselves or their charges. Completely different to the way the Qunari soldiers fight as individuals.

There was no way Aurelia could block or dodge the attack. At least, not with her naginata. She dropped the polearm and drew her gladius as quickly as she could, to try and meet the strike to come, but I could tell by the narrowing of her eyes that even she knew it wouldn't work.

Tam just barely made it, her dagger slashing across the meeting point of Aurelia's padded neckguard, the returning parry too late by a fraction of a second. It bit into the protection like the proverbial hot knife through butter, all of us standing in exactly the right place to see every detail.

The crowd gasped, expecting to see the red splatter arterial spray. Myself among them, such was the violence of the strike Tam had thrown. Certainly, such a blow should have resulted in that. Instead, the momentum of the blow ceased and Aurelia's entire body flashed bright blue for the space of a blink. Tam stood with her dagger extended out in confusion, as if paralysed.

"Round One to Lady Tam," Tiberius announced loudly but without emotion.

Julie's hand squeezed mine again, this time not in worry but in elation. The crowd made a suitable ruckus in celebration, the majority wanting Tam to win and chanting her name as the two fighters parted.

Tam made her way back to us, pleased as punch. Aurelia rejoined her parents and brothers after picking up her naginata, without any visible reaction except the result of physical exertion.

"Well done," I said, "She didn't think that could happen."

I got a nod in reply. "She is not the first to fall for that trick," Tam explained, "But she will not fall for it again."

"No, she won't," Louise agreed, "You must be more aggressive."

The pair stepped into the circle once again, the second round greeted by the crowd rowdily. Aurelia bowed again, while Tam gave a perfunctory Free Army salute, and both began the fight again without any cue, from either referees or eagles.

Tam pressed forwards at once, knocking aside Aurelia's naginata at every stroke of her blade, inching every closer to the Tevinter mage's person. Aurelia gave as much ground as she could, but the arena wasn't that small. She couldn't move to the sides either; Tam was advancing fast enough that it would have created an opening. Soon, Aurelia would be forced to go for her gladius once again, and Tam would have the round and the match both. This is over, I thought to myself. Tam slapped aside the naginata for what had to be the final time.

It was indeed over.

Aurelia suddenly ducked and spun aside, under the swordstroke aimed at her head. That she had the speed and instinct to pull that off without so much as losing her balance astonished me. With the pole section of her weapon, she aimed at her opponent's shins. Trapped by her own forward momentum, Tam tripped over and fell flat on her face.

The naginata spun in Aurelia's hands in a vertical arc, and the blade went up into a ready position and down to strike. Tam was caught just as she tried to roll away, and the blow came down onto her neck; almost exactly where she had hit Aurelia in the first round. I still wasn't used to seeing the combatants go at each other full tilt, and fully expected Tam's head to be sliced clean off her body, but instead, the telltale blue flash of the barrier signalled the end of the match.

The crowd were struck dumb by the display. So were we. Julie nearly squeezed my hand into a pulp. Aurelia stood up once again, and bowed to Tam, who lay panting on the cobblestones, rubbing her neck and half expecting to find blood there.

"Second Round to Lady Aurelia!" Tiberius proclaimed proudly.

Unable to deny the skill and speed of the victory, the crowd clapped loudly and whistled, saluting the victor despite her status as an evil Tevinter witch. Tam picked herself up off the ground and joined in, as Aurelia paced back to her family, whom looked as proud of her as could be. Tiberius most of all. He made sure I saw it too. As if saying 'take a look at what you're gaining by our arrangement for yourself'. It was far more persuasive than his 'call me father' shtick, I'll say that much.

Tam herself didn't return to us, brushing some dust off of herself and moving to the middle of the arena. Eager to begin the next round. She paid attention to only one thing; Aurelia.

"Maker, she is fast," Mariette gasped, able to speak at last.

"Faster than you, cousin?" Louise asked.

"I don't know," Mariette replied, "I would have to fight her to be sure." To become a harlequin, a military-bard, required exceptional reflexes and speed.

"Maybe you'll get the chance," Ciara replied cheerily, "I know I want to try."

"You're pretty fast too," said Mariette, cheered up by the she-elf's attitude, "This Tevinter magic certainly makes testing each other to the limits possible."

"You're on," said Ciara. The two, content with the promise, shook hands as they leaned across the front of Julie and I. Mariette a little too close to me for comfort. I half groaned, wishing she'd realise I had far too much on my plate already. But that would be asking the impossible.

There was a commotion behind us, and who else but Velarana appeared from it, with Fisher and Markham in tow no less. All in their furs. I guess the wind had picked up outside of the courtyard again. The three of them looked like the Three Bears from the story of Goldilocks, they were dressed so well for winter.

"What is this?" the Aequitarian asked.

Julie turned, finally realising the fighting wouldn't begin immediately and just who it was that had spoken. Velarana tilted her head. "Well?"

Andras began to explain. "The Tevinter witch insulted Warden-Commander Hunt, so..."

Velarana interrupted her by waving off the explanation forthwith. "I don't care how it started," she said, "But is it appropriate, considering we have far more important things to be doing? The counting hasn't been suspended for this, has it?"

"It hasn't," Julie replied, "We'll know which of us will be High Chancellor in a few hours." The counters were indeed hard at work... a situation they tolerated because they had people running between the ballroom and the courtyard, allowing the counters to bet on the fight and updating them on the developments.

"I still think this is inappropriate," Velarana said, as Aurelia donned her helmet and faceplate once more.

"Everyone is worried about the election," Julie replied, "As much as I'd prefer that it wasn't Tam in there, this is as good a distraction from the gravity of it all as we can get."

Aurelia did her bow, and Tam her salute. The fight looked just about to start again when a sharp whistle sounded from the Tevinter cluster. Marcus waved and slapped the side of his scabbard. At first, I thought it was a sign for good luck or something. Until Aurelia threw her naginata to the side, Quintus catching it by the handle before it landed, and she drew her gladius.

Tam, sure now that she couldn't be tripped up, went on the attack again. Leaving her dagger in its place, she charged straight at Aurelia, planning to use the greater length and weight of her longsword to win. My heart pounded, sure that she had it as the sword reached out.

Aurelia failed to completely dodge the attack, the blade biting into her side of her segmented armour as she parried and sidestepped. The entire top-right side was torn off, as the leather straps holding it were cut along with the top segment. But the barrier failed to flash. Her skin hadn't been touched. She swung her gladius to dissuade a second strike by Tam, catching her own longsword at the handguard but doing no harm to Tam herself.

Again and again, Tam swung and stabbed. Again and again, the gladius just barely got in the way in time to save Aurelia from the blade. To my eye, Tam appeared to have every advantage now that Aurelia's reach had been shortened. Still, the speed and reflexes required to last against such an onslaught was incredible. I whistled long and low, thoroughly impressed.

"How the hell is she still standing?" I said, loudly enough so I could be heard over the crowd. I had been talking about Aurelia, but the experts seemed to think I was talking about Tam.

"It won't be long now," Mariette said, "She'll make a mistake and the Vint will exploit it. Or Lady Tam will get lucky, but I don't think it's likely."

I turned my head to her quickly, not having expected that response.

"What?" Julie asked, "Tam is hammering her like a piece of metal."

Louise shook her head. "She is, but notice that the witch has not moved more than two paces from where she began," she said, "She is maintaining her defence. Desperately, but maintaining nonetheless."

Julie frowned, her green eyes following the action. Her frown deepened once she confirmed that Tam was more or less moving around Aurelia, who was almost stationary. Worse, it seemed that Tam's blows were becoming heavier, not from fatigue but from frustration. She was putting more force into each attack, but she was also telegraphing the shots more and more too, allowing Aurelia more time to move and parry.

"She really is a Qunari-fighter," I mused aloud, "Knows their temper is short, and that patience is the best way." It was certainly true of the two Qunari I had more than a passing acquaintance with so far. Tam and Asala both had tempers, that they worked to control with great success, but patience was definitely the way forward for both.

"If Tam had her bow, this would be a different fight," Julie insisted, "Never mind a firelance."

"This way of war is now... obsolete," Armen agreed.

"Can't exactly go shooting with a crowd around, though," Ciara said, pointing to the ring of cheering soldiers.

Aurelia proved my point. Tam finally telegraphed her next move by bringing her sword above her head, to strike with a blow that most definitely would have ended the round. It was very unlikely to miss, given the angle and likely speed it would come at. It was also the very moment Aurelia had been waiting for.

My fiancée leaped forward on the ball of her right foot, and thrusted her gladius forward, her arm extended as far as possible. It caught Tam at the waist, between the join of her Kevlar and her breeches, close to her left hip. Whether or not that would have been a crippling blow in a real fight, I'm not sure. It looked more like a glancing blow to me. But that didn't matter. Tam's magical barrier flashed, Aurelia's momentum was robbed by the magic, and the round was over.

Victory to Aurelia.

Tam stood in complete shock, clearly unable to believe that her opponent could have covered that distance in the time required. Julie broke forwards, not able to resist, the shotgun still in her hands. I followed quickly afterwards, having a similar feeling of wanting to comfort Tam, but also to congratulate Aurelia on the display. She had proven herself a fighter, if nothing else.

The crowd began a great chatter, as the winners of bets demanded their money from the losers. I even spotted Leha beside Admiral Isabela, no doubt either there to collect money or to try and talk her way out of paying.

"Are you okay?" Julie asked Tam.

"I am," Tam insisted, breathing heavily and keeping watch on her opponent. I put an arm around her and squeezed her shoulder. She had done well, but had been outclassed.

Aurelia tore off her faceplate and helmet, a tumble of curly black hair falling over her face before she controlled it. She bowed for the last time, panting all the while she did so. And smiling. Tiberius and her brothers came up, the former giving her a pat on the back while her brothers gave her a hug each. Once she was done with that,

"Thank you, Warden-Commander," she said, "I have not fought with one of your skill for some time. The antaam does not fight like that. You brought unexpected variables to the fight."

"You are fast," Tam replied, seeing no reason to say much more, "Too fast."

"I know," Aurelia laughed.

Julie narrowed her eyes. "You're lucky you didn't do any harm," she said.

"I'm lucky she did not harm me," Aurelia retorted as politely as possible, poking fingers through the giant gash in her armour, "But the magic we use on both our bodies and weapons assures complete protection. As you saw. Besides, I would never do anything to harm either of you."

Julie's gaze widened again, her head jerking back slightly in surprise. "Why not?" she said, "We are rivals for the affections of the same man, are we not?"

Aurelia shook her head. "You seem able to share," she said, gesturing to Tam, "Aside from that, Sam insisted on our children being raised together. I originally insisted otherwise, but he was quite certain about it. This means we must get along. And I find your worrying about the Warden-Commander quite endearing. A good start, I think."

Julie's face wobbled between emotions for a second, before settling on amused defiance. She put her hands on her hips and raised her chin. "Who said I want children?" she declared.

Aurelia looked up at her, laughter bubbling out of her. "I suppose no one did," she giggled, "But unless you enjoy celibacy, do you have a choice? Perhaps you'll become a Chantry sister?" Aurelia of course not being aware of Earth technologies in that area. Not that we could recreate them any time soon, I thought.

Still, the subject had me coughing and looking away. It wasn't like I was saying no to bedding them all, after all. The effect seemed to relieve Tam's feeling of defeat. She grabbed my hand and planted a kiss on the back of it, but then, she was the one who didn't have a problem with that sort of thing.

Julie's cheeks puffed up, before her facade cracked and she snorted once, finding the whole situation a little funny herself. The chances of her becoming a Chantry sister were about the same as the chances of the Qunari surrendering to Tevinter and becoming obedient slaves.

"It seems your honour is satisfied, Lady Tam," said Tiberius, "And we all enjoyed the display of your martial prowess."

"A little too much," said Julie, looking around at the crowd, "We should probably get back inside. Hopefully the mood can be kept"

"To claim victory, Marquise?" said Tiberius.

"Of course," Julie smiled.

There was a commotion to the side that drew our attention. Isabela was waving her arms, her tricorne hat in hand, trying to get the attention of the crowd. She succeeded, but then, it isn't hard to get attention when you're a busty Rivaini pirate wearing gold and blue thread. She drew alongside us. Leha appeared beside her, a large purse in her hands and a big shiteating grin on her face. Of course she had bet against Tam. I rolled my eyes.

"Is that it?" Isabela asked loudly in Common, loud enough for everyone to hear, "One match? And I thought I was supposed to be the tease."

"You are!" came a shout from the crowd, the voice recognisable to me as Marian Hawke's own. Isabela waved her fingers at her lover jokingly in return. The crowd laughed, although as the conversation was in Common, it took some people a little while to catch up.

"I say we keep this action going," the pirate admiral continued, "We have many brave warriors here, we have time to burn, let's see who can best who! Assuming that the magic... thing to stop people dying can be kept up?"

We all turned to Tiberius in expectation. No one had any objection to further entertainment, although my companions and I likely couldn't be present for the rest of it.

The old magister's eyes glistened, as they always did when he smelled an opportunity for a gain of some sort.

"Only if you permit my grandsons to participate," Tiberius replied, "With weapons only, of course."

The pirate admiral gave the magister a slap on the side of the arm, and laughed.

"Great!" Isabela said, "Maybe I'll get to win my money back after all!"

"No chance," Leha replied.


The counting and combat contests continued side-by-side for hours, well after the winter sun had gone down in the sky and veilfire from the mages' staves lit up the courtyard and ballroom both. The reports of electoral and gladiatorial victories arrived together.

Hawke Senior was killing it out there, if the number of her victories was any indicator. She even beat Marcus, which must have been quite a sight. Unfortunately, we would have to wait to see Marian in action personally, as there was absolutely no way that we could tear ourselves away from the count by the time that news arrived.

Why? As the vote was a lot closer than we had thought it would be.

The Libertarians and Aequitarians were more or less equal in seats, leaving the Lucrosians to tip the balance to Julie's favour. It looked like she would just scrape through to victory. The last regiments being counted were all civilian save for two of them, and so were true enigmas as to how they'd vote. Opinion polling wasn't a thing.

The ballroom was more or less packed. Ten large tables for counting each regiments' votes. Stacks of glass jars, empty to one side, a few full of ballots beside the tables. Observers to make sure there weren't people cheating in any way, from all of the fraternities. The candidates themselves, most of them, milled about at the end. Some of them already elected, others waiting to see if they would be. Ciara and Louise had already been elected in the first count, as expected.

I watched this from the doorway, with Julie and Velarana beside me.

And, for some reason, Aurelia, whom had tagged along. Tam had remained outside at my request to provide some semblance of supervision to the fights, and the other Tevinters had too. Aurelia had come along, after stripping off her armour and retaining the underclothes. It was some time before she raised her voice to explain why.

"I have to admit," Aurelia began, pausing a moment to consider her choice of words, "When I heard that you allow every one of your citizens to choose your leaders, I was astonished. Uncle Keijiro explained the existence of such a thing on Earth to us, but did not seem complimentary about it." I guessed she hadn't quite believed that it was on the up. Maybe she thought we were putting on a show for the plebs, until she saw the meticulous attention paid to the whole process.

"Uncle Keijiro came from the Japanese Empire," I replied with a smirk, "Which my great-granddaddy's generation chased out of the Pacific and nuked. Keijiro probably wasn't aware of it, but democracy kicked his empire's ass. A lesson for all empires, I think." Then there's the question of what happens when a democracy becomes an empire... but that's a question for later. Roma Victor.

Aurelia's interest was peaked. "Nuked?" An unfamiliar word for her, to be sure. I reminded myself to show her the picture of a nuclear test from my library.

"A weapon capable of destroying a city or even a province in a single blow," Velarana explained, "And which if used by the hundreds could destroy civilisation for centuries, due to the sheer power of the explosions they cause."

She had been doing her research, I noted.

"Something like that," I agreed.

"And these weapons are not magical?" Aurelia asked, "I know of no magic that could achieve the same thing." Because it more or less doesn't exist.

"The age of magic is coming to an end," Julie thought aloud, "And the age of science is beginning."

"Indeed," Velarana added, "And the irony is that magical assistance will speed science along. I have already identified areas in which we can progress rapidly, as I'm sure you have." Julie hummed her agreement, but didn't vocalise it more coherently than that.

If Fen'Harel could have heard them, I'm sure he would have had a terse chuckle to offer in reply.

"We shall see," Aurelia said, "Once I fulfil my duty." She had said it like it was going to be lots of fun. Which I suppose it was, but still, joking about it seemed oddly inappropriate to me.

I sighed. "I forgot about that," I said, "That our kids will be walking nukes. All of them." I thought about how Tam would react to that, but then kicked myself. There was no way she would do anything other than love them to pieces, albeit tough love a lot of the time, magic or no magic.

"So will I," Aurelia smiled, "If a nuke is indeed a powerful weapon."

"Don't get too excited," Julie said flatly, "I doubt you'll be bulletproof." Magical barriers seeming to be quite vulnerable to lead bullets, for one reason or another. More so than arrows.

"I'm sure we can test it," Aurelia replied, before changing tack, "It seems that the last votes are being counted."

The last few jars full of votes had indeed been opened, their cloth covers with the regiment numbers on them removed and the paper inside spilled out onto the tables. The counters were quick at their jobs by this stage, and it wouldn't take very long for the results to be determined.

"Marquise, it looks like we have come to the moment of truth," Velarana said, holding out her hand, "May the best woman win."

Julie shook her opponent's hand. "Good luck," she said, "Hopefully, you'll need it."

Velarana allowed herself a smile, before marching off to join the throng of her supporters and Assembly members at the end of the ballroom, passing by the counting tables. She drew attention as she moved, for the obvious reason that she could have been our next leader. No one knew. I grit my teeth, annoyed that it wasn't clear cut. The tension was getting to me.

"This could never work in Tevinter," Aurelia said, out of the blue, "Even if it was just we mages who voted, it would all be subverted in minutes."

"Which is why Tevinter is a rotten wall waiting to be kicked down," Julie replied harshly, before softening, "But unfortunately for all of us, it is the Qunari doing the kicking."

Aurelia regarded Julie with an interested expression, the side of her lips curling slightly in thought. "It is not usual for a Southerner to appreciate the dangers of the Qun so acutely," she said, "How interesting..."

"Tam has enlightened me," Julie said, finally deigning to look at Aurelia, "It is a tyranny, where people cannot even have families of their own, against all natural law. I intend to destroy it. Although it will likely take decades." Especially as the Qunari were the one realm that could catch up to the level of military technology we possessed at that point within months, if they really put their mind to it and started capturing our people.

"And what of Tevinter?" Aurelia asked playfully, "Will you destroy us too?"

"Only if I have to," Julie smiled, "I think you'll destroy yourselves first."

Aurelia's playfulness cut out, and she looked down at the floor for a split second.

"Unfortunately, you are probably correct," she said, "The corruption in the Imperium is intolerable, and has been for centuries. The Qunari are responsible, in fact. The endless war has provided every excuse to destroy dissent. Yet the Magisterium will not authorise a push to destroy the Qun, to attack Par Vollen or rally the South to our side. Or even to invade the South and use its resources and manpower to win. They want the war to continue. If it keeps up, we may lose, despite the best efforts of my family. And then Tevinter, the oldest and greatest civilisation in Thedas, will die, and the South will be next."

I think Julie was the most surprised to hear that, after a lifetime of hearing of Tevinter's power. We stood in silence for a long while after that, contemplating the necessities of what fighting the Qun and what the actual result would be if the Tevinter Imperium did fall. That's the problem with empires; no matter how bad they are, often their collapse causes even more suffering. Best not to start them at all, really. Not that either Aurelia or Julie agrees with me on that.

To wake us up, Grand-Cleric Brandon rang a bell to get everyone's attention in the centre of the ballroom. "Ladies and gentlemen, we have the results," she said.

Aequitarians – 76

Libertarians – 73

Lucrosians – 9

Jaderites – 7

I did some quick math, and my blood ran cold. It wasn't enough. I began to worry about Julie's reaction, but she seemed as calm as a pool of water. Unlike the candidates and counting personnel, who couldn't have imagined such an outcome.

"Eighty two," I said in Orlesian, "But you need eighty-three to..."

"I know," Julie replied, "But there are still the Jaderites. We can negotiate with them, but so can the Aequitarians. The contest isn't over yet." She began looking around for Fisher, as if to resume said contest with the fullest enthusiasm. What the hell Fisher would want for his support, and that of his daughter whom was the Jaderite leader, I had no clue.

"What is happening?" Aurelia asked.

"Julie's fraternity did not win enough seats to declare victory outright," I said, "She'll have to negotiate with a smaller fraternity to be declared High Chancellor, and it's not certain that fraternity will choose her over the opposition."

My fiancée cocked an eyebrow. "Perhaps your system is not so good as you think," she said, "Such a thing would not happen in..."

"In Tevinter," I said, completing her sentence, "You're not in Tevinter any more."

Aurelia scowled up at me with the same intensity she had shown to putting down her own grandfather the day before. It was indeed something to be feared, that evil eye. However, an idea entered her mind, and she peered from under her long eyelashes suggestively. "The reports were not lying about your … spine," she said, "Tell me, why don't you take power instead? You have the Army behind you, I am certain of it. You could end this farce in minutes. You even have the perfect excuse; the people are divided and require leadership."

The way she said it told me that she half-expected me to do so, and that it would raise my stock in her books to the stratosphere. I was well used to that sort of proposal by now, though. I even caught Julie grinning madly in my peripheral vision, knowing full well what my answer would be.

"I'm a soldier," I said, "And I have studied history and politics to an extent to know that I wouldn't be good at the job of being the man with the final word on absolutely everything. It would be boring, for one, and I don't know enough about how things work here. I prefer just to keep on soldiering."

"The simple soldier," Julie cut in, speaking to Aurelia, "No matter what I say or do, he continues to insist on this. I have absolute confidence in his ability to rule, and so does everyone else. Everyone except he himself."

"Perhaps I can change that," Aurelia replied, casting her evil eye on me once more, "It will not do for you to underestimate yourself, Sam Hunt. It will not do at all."

"You can try," I said, "But I have every reason to resist... In fact, I need to speak to your grandfather about those reasons." If someone knew anything about sentient Fade spirits, I was hoping it would be Tiberius.

"Oh?" Aurelia said, "Why is that?"

"Later," Julie interrupted, "It looks like Brandon is not finished."

The Grand-Cleric was indeed calling for quiet once again, and having trouble getting it. The ramifications of the split results were of great interest to all concerned, and eventually, she got Barris to slap his sword on his tower shield until it rang like a bell. That finally got everyone to shut up and listen.

"No irregularities have been reported, and the results are final," said Brandon, "We will adjourn for the night, and come back in the morning to..."

"Hold!" came Velarana's voice. The woman herself emerged from the collection of Aequitarian members of the new Assembly, and made straight for the cleric. Brandon hissed a general admonition for the act.

"I'm sorry, Grand-Cleric," Velarana continued, "But as the leader of the largest fraternity of the Assembly, I demand an immediate vote by fraternity on the position of High Chancellor!"

Mumbles of disbelief echoed through the Libertarian contingent. An immediate vote meant no negotiations. A straight vote on who was best for the job, or so we thought. It was quite a move, that left me shaking my head. It was getting late.

"Fraternity leaders, to me!" said Brandon loudly, "Marquis, you too. Now." The murmurs became a waterfall of conversations.

Julie went forward at once, her face as neutral as she could make it. Leha pushed and cajoled her way through the crowd, a big bag of coin in her hand. Stereotypes much? Fisher Junior also went over, a stocky woman with brown hair in her late thirties and very much a chip off the old block, while her father-the-admiral looked on from the side.

"I better get over there," I said to Aurelia.

My Tevinter bride pursed her lips. "Go then," she replied, "Go save them from themselves." A very Aurelia thing to say, I would discover.

I did as I was told, and arrived to the huddle of our political leadership.

"Now that you're all here..." said Brandon, "Lady Velarana, we should wait until the morning at the very earliest to vote. Everyone has had a long day, and there is no clear winner. Either the Marquise or you could win."

"With respect, your Grace, that is not your decision to make," the Aequitarian mage replied, "You were appointed to oversee the integrity of the election. The election is over."

"You're not wrong," I said, before Brandon could blow her top in anger, "But there's another problem. You don't have the authority to call a vote immediately either. So you're blowing smoke."

"The fraternity leaders are all here," Velarana said, "We can decide now."

"What, a vote on whether we should have another vote?" Leha said, "Why the rush? Afraid you'll lose if we get to outbid you?"

There was some more chatter about the subject, mostly just repeating the same points over again. I rubbed my eyes, wishing I could just lay down for an hour and let it sort itself out. Little did I know that it already had been.

Fisher Junior had stayed dead quiet throughout the argument, and when she finally spoke, it sure as shit got our attention. "The Tevinters are here, right now," she said, "My voters do not trust them. We cannot delay a leadership vote. The Jaderite Oceanic Fraternity sides with our Aequitarian friends and demands an immediate decision on the position of High Chancellor." Julie, Leha and I all took sharp breaths. We all knew what that meant.

There had been a deal between Fisher Senior and Velarana after all.

We would have new leadership. The whole thing made me feel greatly uneasy. I had heard and read Velarana's arguments over the weeks leading up to that day, and I wasn't sure I had a place in her world. Worse, how Julie would take it, I didn't know. What would happen if she asked me to overthrow Velarana for some reason or another? Could I refuse her?

That was quite an unfair worry to have about my Orlesian wife, in truth. I would regret having it.

Julie sent a withering stare at the Jaderite. "I see," she said coldly, "You want a vote without even wanting to hear what I can offer your voters specifically." That was the part she was angry about. Not that she had been outmanoeuvred, but that Fisher and his daughter didn't even conceive of trying to play both sides. It was a startling indicator of their opinion of Julie's leadership.

"We want to live in safety," Fisher Junior replied, "That is the reason my father took us south to Hearth in the first place."

"Very well," said Julie, "You can have your vote by fraternity. But I insist on every individual member being offered the opportunity to object after your votes are announced. Just in case you're trying some sort of trick with this... charade of yours."

"I agree to your condition," said Velarana, "Your Grace, if you would announce the vote..."

Julie bent over and began whispering ferociously in Leha's ear. It must have been some conversation, as the dwarf's eyes grew wider until they were the size of plates, until they closed back to their normal state again when Leha's characteristic greedy sneer appeared. She rushed off to her small group of members to talk to them, and I knew from their shocked faces that something was up.

Brandon clicked her tongue, probably half-tempted to tell the Aequitarian mage to go climb a tree instead. But she was nothing if not mindful of her own position. She had good reasons to want the vote herself, not least of which was Velarana's wish to restore most Chantry privileges.

"Ladies and gentlemen," she announced, stepping outside of our circle, "The fraternity leaders will now vote on behalf of their entire groups, according to the size of their delegations, for the position of High Chancellor. Any member that wishes to contradict their leader's position may do so after each of them votes."

The ballroom went absolutely quiet.

"Lady Velarana, how does your fraternity vote?"

The Aequitarian jumped right in. "My fraternity chooses myself as High Chancellor."

"Are there any dissenters among the Aequitarians?" Brandon asked the crowd. No one came forward. "Then all seventy six votes of the fraternity accrue to Lady Velarana." There was some light clapping from the Aequitarian wing of the ballroom.

A lay sister scribbled a note at the Grand-Cleric's behest.

"Julie Hunt, Marquise de la Fayette," Brandon continued, "How do the Libertarians vote?"

Julie straightened her British Army uniform, pulling the bottom of the jacket down before speaking.

"The Libertarians nominate me, Your Grace, for the position of High Chancellor of the Trojan Republic."

A round of applause erupted from the Libertarian wing, led by Ciara and Armen's enthusiastic contribution. Aurelia even joined in, albeit not with the same effort. There were no objections by our members either. Seventy three seats to Julie.

"Lady Cadas, your vote?" Brandon asked.

Leha smiled like a demon. "The Lucrosian Fraternity votes for Lady Velarana, Your Grace."

Uproar ensued, as the Libertarian members shouted protests and blood-curdling insults. The Lucrosians were shaken by the huge reaction, going white as nearly seventy people threatened less than ten. Julie calmed things by raising her palms and walking along the line, saying things to the effect of 'it is part of the plan'. It worked, eventually.

I wondered why Julie had ordered Leha to do it. I couldn't see any advantage to it, other than showing up the Jaderites and wrecking their agenda. Perhaps that was the point, I thought.

"Are there any objections from the Lucrosian fraternity to the judgment of your leader?" Brandon asked.

"Yes!" called Adam Valle, the original mage leader of the fraternity. He stepped forward with another man, one I recognised as a regular at Julie's forge-factories in Hearth but whose name escaped me. "We object, and submit our votes in favour of Julie Hunt, Marquise de la Fayette!"

It was good to see some honest-to-God loyalty.

The Libertarians clapped and exclaimed praise for the two, although Julie herself didn't look very pleased.

"Seven votes to Lady Velarana, and two to the Marquise," Brandon declared, before checking something briefly with the lay sister keeping tabs, "As Lady Velarana has reached the threshold of eighty-three votes, she now has a majority. Further voting is unnecessary. I hereby declare her elected as High Chancellor."

Now it was the Aequitarians' turn to clap and cheer, which they did so with abandon I had not thought possible from them. They did tend to be the cooler heads, after all. But it didn't stop there. Julie herself began clapping. Which got the Libertarians and Lucrosians clapping too. Politely.

"Well played, madame!" Julie shouted over the noise, while still clapping.

For me, it was a real Twilight Zone moment. What the hell was Julie playing at? Shouldn't she be furious?

Velarana saluted four times, to each corner of the room, thanking them all for their participation. She shook Brandon's hand, and then Julie's, while the applause continued.

Tam pushed her way through to us, ignoring the cacophony, with assorted Grey Wardens trickling in too. Along with Isabela and both Hawkes. They seemed to be looking around like everyone else had gone completely mad, and I couldn't help but sympathise. Aurelia too was drinking in the sight, but with much more grace and introspection. This was a new and interesting experience for many, it seemed.

"We lost?" Tam asked, as soon as she was close enough to be heard.

"We did," Julie confirmed. Leaving out the fact that she had practically guaranteed it at the end, for reasons that were beyond my comprehension.

"And you're okay with that?" I asked.

"No," Julie replied, "But I learned something from our defeat at Hearth. We have planned for this."

I scratched my chin, hoping that didn't mean what I hoped it did. "I hope it doesn't involve firelances and cannon," I said seriously.

"It doesn't," Julie reassured me, "All I can say for now is that you can thank Leha."

I looked to the dwarf, who seemed to be positively buzzing with happiness. The sort I usually associated with her greed impulse. It only made me more confused. Was she expecting to make a buck?

"I'm sorry," Tam said, "I know what this meant to you."

"We'll rise again," Julie replied, tears in her eyes coming now, "It's not over."

"No," I said, "It isn't." I drew Julie into a hug, while Aurelia's golden eyes looked on. There was understanding in them. I gave her a nod of thanks, for at least she had the good sense of knowing when not to butt in. I got one back in return. My fears about my descendants killing each other waned a little at that moment. At least one of the parties responsible had the right attitude about the whole issue, without even knowing about it.

Regardless, that was how we gained a new leader.


AUTHOR'S NOTE: Sorry this is so late, I've started a new job which is rather exhausting!

So, this chapter, more Aurelia and the result of the election finally comes. I'm sure some of you saw the result coming, but I doubt many of you imagined what Julie's reaction would be. Either way, I hoped you enjoyed it, and rolling edits for mistakes etc will be made as usual.

5 Coloured Walker: Polygamy probably won't be seeing an upswing... more or less Sam has fallen into the same position that many powerful men have fallen into over the course of history. Except the women are all individually powerful themselves too, which has also happened I guess.

Thepkrmgc: Hawke and Isabela will come in and out of the story. They can't exactly stick around in one place for too long.

Tmroc725: Pirates are always fun.

Glad you enjoyed it nonetheless.

Halo: Actually, I was talking about the reviewer before you. It seems the anti-website thing deleted their name because there's a full stop in their nick.

Ironclads are certainly more possible than, say, tanks. Steam engines are still a ways off. Not that I haven't thought about Julie churning out some panzers, but it's just way too early for them.

Zx: You won't have to wait much longer, the next chapter is the last full one in Ferelden only. Well, that's the plan anyway.

Transcendant: Then I guess Julie is more or less a neocon, though she's less laissez-faire and more aware of the limitations of government. She wouldn't say that government should be small exactly.

And Velarana was indeed inspired more or less by the figure of Burke, as well as a few others. I'm surprised someone actually caught that. But, as I said, her movement isn't inspired by any current political movements, there aren't exactly many Burkean Tories running around these days.

Katkiller-V: First of all, thanks for your recent recommendation of my story in your own works.

Unfortunately, Fenris isn't on board the Sirens' Revenge... I'm not sure how he'd take to sea life among pirates to be honest. We will run into him, though, that I do promise.

Glad you enjoyed it.

OnkelJo: Aurelia is your type, I guess? Good!