We did manage to get spots near the front of the room, although that was more due to people stepping away in fear when they saw two mages inching closer to them than to a timely arrival on our parts. "Maybe we should just shout 'magic behind you' and watch them scatter," Anders whispered. "That would get us to the front in no time!" The coronation went off without a hitch. The Grand Cleric did look at me strangely when she saw Anders and I standing hand in hand, though, which made me worried. I wondered why but decided it must have been disapproval of our wardrobe choices. "Is there anything my queen would ask of me?" Alistair said. I squeezed Anders' fingers, nervous. Leliana slipped up near us and grinned.
"Isn't this exciting?" she said. "I've never been to a coronation!" I offered her a smile back and said something neutral, hoping I wouldn't ruin the surprise with my nerves. "I wonder what boon she'll ask for. Her only family is… second to the King himself, I believe. I've read asking for titles for relatives is common, but that wouldn't be necessary here."
Elissa looked towards our group and smiled. "I have everything I could dream of," she said. "And my family wants for nothing the Crown could provide." People around us began to murmur, confused. "But it pains me to see a childhood friend suffer, a friend who has saved the life of my own dear brother and so many others besides, because of another man's actions. Rendon Howe is dead, and he deserved nothing better, but his children are innocent. I ask that their name be restored." I glanced over and saw Nathaniel's jaw drop. He took a step back and glanced around the room as if he was expecting someone to charge at him in an attack.
"Did you know?" he whispered to me. I shushed him so he would hear Alistair.
Alistair smiled and looked out at the room. "Let it be known that the portion of the Arling of Amaranthine south of the North Road, as well as the section granted to Highever previously, will be restored to the Howe family. The remainder will continue to be ruled and administered by the Grey Wardens as the Bannorn of Griffon Coast." I grinned at that, Alistair hadn't mentioned the new name to me. It also knocked me down a peg in terms of my status as a noble, which was just fine by me. Banns didn't have nobles sworn to them, only freeholders. It was one step closer to getting out of politics completely. I suspected it would get confusing that the city of Amaranthine wasn't in the Arling of Amaranthine, though. Anders groaned hearing the new name and I elbowed him.
"Not my idea," I swore in a low voice.
"I only believe that because I've met our fine monarch."
Nathaniel gasped and put a hand to his head, seeming frozen to the floor. Sigrun looked over at him, her face a mixture of joy and fear. I suspected she worried he would accept and leave us all behind, just as I did. She had more to lose than any of us, though. Alistair glanced down at Nathaniel and gestured him forward. He didn't budge, staring forward blankly until Sigrun whispered something to him and gave him a little shove. Nathaniel looked at her for a moment and smiled slightly before walking up onto the dais. "This… this is a surprise," Nathaniel said, almost too softly for the rest of the room to hear. "The Howe line reaches back to Calenhad and the founding of Ferelden. That my father chose to disgrace our good name has caused me no end of pain. I… am shocked and grateful that Queen Elissa has chosen to use her boon to restore the honor of my family." He paused and smiled over in our direction again. "However, I am a Grey Warden. I ask that control of this new territory be granted to my nephew Elias, with my sister Delilah as his regent until he comes of age."
I saw Sirgun sag with relief. I may have done the same thing. Nathaniel looked shocked when people applauded that. I admit, I was, too. Bringing him with me to a landsmeet once had prompted complaints, but it seemed like people's opinions had changed. I suspect the stories of his saving the civilians at the Keep when we were attacked combined with rescuing Fergus Cousland from bandits had been enough to prove he wasn't like his father. I almost rolled my eyes at that. Sure, they would judge him on his own merits, but only after he had to publicly prove himself a hero twice over. Leliana glanced at Sigrun, taking in her expression. "Oh, you know he would never leave you," she said. "Just seeing how he looks at you is enough to tell me that much."
"I like her," Sigrun said with a grin.
"Yeah, me too," I agreed, giving Leliana's arm a squeeze. "You should see her take down an ogre, too. It's like watching someone dance. With knives." The bard smiled proudly at that and I glanced around the room.
People had started to mingle and chat now that the ceremony was over. I saw Nathaniel embrace Fergus and Elissa in turn before returning to our small group and taking Sigrun's hand in his. "You knew about this," he said to me.
"I found out this morning," I confirmed. "They wanted my permission to split Amaranthine. I said as long as we kept our two fortresses your family could take the whole arling, but Eamon wanted the Wardens to keep the city so they wouldn't have to worry about paying us tithes."
"Makes sense," he said, still looking shocked. "I'll have to tell Delilah when we get home." He shook his head. "You didn't worry I'd leave?"
I shrugged. "I did," I admitted. "I even had a short list of who might possibly be able to take over as the second in command, as much as I'd hate for you to go. But… what could I do? I knew how much this would mean for you, should I prevent it just so you don't leave the Wardens? It was going to happen anyways, and being greedy about land just because I don't want to lose you would be pretty low." Nathaniel seemed to fall deep into thought after that.
"Next time could you warn me at least!" Sigrun said, still looking on edge.
"I'm sorry, I didn't have a chance to," I said. She made a face at me.
Anders tapped me on the shoulder and pointed across the room. Alistair was talking to the Grand Cleric. He glanced back from us to her repeatedly, looking more upset with every word. I watched him stalk off in disgust. This can't be good, I thought. She was still staring at us, as though she wanted to get my attention without actually approaching our group. "Wonder what this is about?" I mused.
"There was another mage riot last night," Anders said. "Maybe that."
"There was?" I hadn't heard anything. I'd learned "mage riot" was the term people had applied to families and neighborhoods who resisted allowing the templars to take children away to the tower.
He nodded. "I overheard the compound staff talking about it while you were meeting with Alistair. Two templars dead and the child they were trying to bring in to the circle has disappeared along with their entire family. The entire neighborhood is pretending they didn't even know the people who lived there, but most were involved from what I hear."
"What will we do if one of those happens in Amaranthine?" Nathaniel asked. "Er, Griffon Coast, I mean." He made a face. "I can't believe that name. Your influence?"
"No, I didn't find out until he said it just now," I said. "And I don't know what we'll do. I really… I can't support the Chantry in this, I just can't. I might excuse myself from doing anything and let you decide." I made a face. "There's no way I could be impartial."
"Is this common?" he asked. "Did you know many other mages whose parents fought to keep them?"
"Just Anders and Aidan," I said. "It was a different time then, apparently."
"What did yours do?" Sigrun asked.
I made a face. "Called me a monster and locked me in my room until the templars arrived. When they were carrying me off I managed to squirm away and ran back towards them. My father said I was an abomination and kicked me when I tried to hold onto him." I sighed.
"Ancestor's tits," Oghren muttered, looking disgusted. His daughter now was about the age I'd been when I was taken away. "Well, I say we stay out of it completely. Makes me sodding sick the way your surface church expects people to just… hand over their children like it was nothing. No better than the noblehunters leaving their girl babies to die in the Deep Roads. Any parent who wouldn't fight for their own isn't worth being spit on."
Felsi smiled at him and nodded. "If they want to keep doing this, they should have to fight for it. Let them deal with their own mess. I'd kill anyone who tried to get between me and my daughter, I figured the same went for any parent."
Oghren had always written to his daughter frequently, but he'd become even more involved since Felsi had moved to the Keep. I often saw him teaching the tiny girl with hair as red as his own how to use the practice weapons in the yards, despite her being only four years old. "And another thing," he went on. "If your folks ever figure out just what happened to their kid and come knocking, I say you leave me alone with them for a good hour or two."
"Not a chance," Anders said quickly.
"All right, me and sparklefingers, then. We'll have a nice friendly chat." I shook my head and laughed then. Something told me it wouldn't be an issue. I glanced over and saw the Grand Cleric was still staring at me. With a sigh I excused myself and walked over to her.
"Your Grace," I said, bowing as I'd seen other nobles do.
"Commander," she replied, looking guilty and nervous. Never a good combination, and I already suspected why. She wouldn't look guilty if she wanted me to speak out about the riots, so it had to be something else. This seemed a perfect time to put some of Leliana's bard training to use.
"I wanted to thank you, when I heard of your conversation with the king I was… overwhelmed." I smiled, noticing how her eyes flicked away from my gaze. So that's how it is? Fine, then. I went on, resisting the urge to snap at her right away. "It means the world to us that we can get married like anyone else in Thedas." She visibly winced, still not saying anything. "I can't thank you enough. Our lives as Wardens… they're so difficult. Both of us have come so close to dying from injuries so many times over. Just knowing we would at least have the respect given to a surviving spouse when that does finally happen…" I managed to whip up a few tears I quickly blinked away. Think of Dane, think of Dane, I chanted, summoning my memories of my dead mabari to make my eyes cloud over. "It's a great relief to me," I finally said, sounding like I was fighting back tears.
She sighed, still refusing to meet my eyes. "When His Majesty said the Hero of Ferelden wished to be married he should have mentioned the gentleman in question was another mage. I didn't realize until today."
I played dumb. "That's… that's not a problem, is it? Anders and I have been together for years, we've never hidden our relationship. I'm sure Alistair thought you already know who my intended was. After all, your predecessors had targeted the two of us specifically, more than once."
The Grand Cleric sighed. "I've never read those papers," she admitted. "It was a dark time for the Chantry in Ferelden. We are weak here, when compared to Orlais or the Free Marches. It made us weaker. I wanted nothing to do with whatever those women had been involved with. But this… this could set a dangerous precedent. I'm not entirely sure if I'm comfortable with it."
"A dangerous precedent?" I said, eyebrows raised and dropping all pretense of gratitude. "You can't be serious. Two of my wardens eloped last night, they were so drunk neither can even remember what happened, and someone who saw them told me they could barely walk. The Chantry is fine with marrying people who are unable to even understand their own actions, but two consenting adults who happen to be mages is a danger?" I sighed and dropped my voice. "If you're concerned about our magic being passed on, let me be honest. A simple ceremony will have nothing to do with that. I'm sure you're aware of how little stock mages place in formality. If I had any intention of having a child, if I was even physically capable of such a thing, it would have happened already." That was just vague enough to assuage any of her fears without revealing Warden secrets. Let her think I'd somehow injured myself leaving me barren, it was the same end result after all.
"Let me think on this," she said finally.
"Please do," I said flatly. "I'm sure it would be very embarrassing for word to get out that the Hero of Ferelden had to go to the Tevinter Imperium, the Dalish or the Orzammar shaperite for her wedding since the Chantry refused." I hated that title, I hated throwing my own importance around, but Maker's breath, I dreaded telling Anders about this conversation even more.
"Pardon?" she said, looking shocked.
I shrugged. "Anders wants to get married, but he didn't even ask me until after Alistair told him the Chantry wouldn't turn us away. I never seriously considered it since this is exactly what I expected, but I find myself warming to the idea more and more. It will happen, one way or another. If you refuse to help us, well, we'll just go elsewhere, and I have no problem letting anyone who asks know exactly why."
"You're putting me in a very difficult position," she said. "Although you may not be at risk for passing on the curse of magic, what about other mages who ask the same of us and cite you as an example?" The Grand Cleric shook her head. "You must know of the problems we have been facing as of late. Sympathy for those born… like you is higher than it has ever been." She made a face at this and I bit my tongue. "Our holy templars are assaulted in the course of their duties and people have been demanding for the Circle of Magi to be freed. If you do this it would only add to the problems here."
"You'll have to excuse me if I have trouble feeling much sympathy for your plight," I said dryly. "And I'll remind you the curse of magic, as you put it, saved this nation from a blight."
She sighed again, sounding more annoyed than sad. "I don't want to continue the hostility between the Chantry and Grey Wardens, but don't confuse that for a change in Chantry dogma. I consider myself a pragmatic woman. I think your abilities are an affront to the Maker, and I think the Grey Wardens committed a grave sin by naming you Commander, one that this nation compounded by making you a noble in all but name." I narrowed my eyes at her and waited for her to go on. "After the occupation ended many were crying for the Chantry of Ferelden to break from Val Royeaux because of their role in assisting Orlais. Few realize how close we came to that happening. It was only the threat of an Exalted March against Ferelden that kept us connected to the Divine." I didn't see what this had to do with me. "You must realize few in Ferelden are as openly beloved as you. If the Chantry continues to fight with the Wardens, with you, we only hurt ourselves. I've already heard those same demands for a Chantry of Ferelden repeated openly in the streets, as boldly as I did in those first days of independence." She narrowed her own eyes back at me. "You insist on flaunting your magic and your separation from the Circle openly. It risks throwing our nation into war with the Divine."
I stared at her, shocked. I couldn't say I was surprised by her attitude towards me, but that she considered me a threat to the Chantry itself? It seemed preposterous. The last few words really stuck in my ears, though. "Flaunting my magic?" I asked. "I wear light armor. I fight with blades. Would you ask me to confine myself to Vigil's Keep so no one has to be reminded that I exist and am, in fact, a mage?"
"Ideally, yes," she said, almost too quickly. And here I was being sarcastic. "I'm sure the duties of the Warden Commander are largely administrative."
"Actually, they're not," I said. "The First Warden sent me people for that. I'm Commander because I'm the best at killing darkspawn in Ferelden. Maybe in Thedas." I grinned at her, enjoying watching her squirm. "Sorry, but I take the safety of this nation too seriously to even consider your suggestion. Unfortunate that you don't feel the same." I spun on my heel and returned to the other Wardens, her expression of shock the last thing I saw.
"Problem?" Anders asked.
I shrugged. "Alistair neglected to tell her you were also a mage. She's… not pleased. She also made a point of telling me even though the Chantry no longer actively wants me dead I'm still an affront to the Maker. Oh, and that the Wardens and Ferelden in general committed a grave sin by appointing me Commander and making me an Arlessa. Well, a Bann now."
He sighed. "So much for that idea."
"Screw her," I muttered. "We'll just go to Orzammar or the Dalish."
"Really?" he said, surprised. "I didn't think it mattered that much to you."
I took his hand, linking our fingers together. "It does because it matters to you," I said. "We'll figure something out." He put an arm around me and kissed my forehead. I heard a sigh from behind us and turned to look.
"Now that is properly romantic," Leliana said with approval, her hands over her heart. "But you are making it too complex."
I raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"
"Orzammar? Dalish?" she waved a hand. "It seems to me that most mages would look just like normal people when they do not wear the robes."
"I don't know," Anders said thoughtfully, tapping his chin with a fingertip. "The nudity may attract a whole different sort of attention."
"What?" Leliana said, "no! I mean dress as normal people. Wear peasant rags if you must. Not… naked! Maker's breath." She looked at him like he was insane for a moment before Anders and I both burst into laughter. "Oh… I…" She blushed, realizing it had been a joke. "I see what you did there! You're as bad as she is, do you know that?"
"I'll take that as a compliment" Anders said. He looked thoughtful then, apparently considering her suggestion. "We would need to go somewhere that they don't know us by face," he finally said. "Not at home, not here."
"That little village on the old Highever border?" I suggested.
He shook his head. "Not if the same templars are there." I groaned, realizing even if Cullen was moved odds are his partner wouldn't have been.
"Dragon's Peak?" he said.
"Maybe," I agreed. "And that's only if the templars can't tell we're mages the second we walk through the door."
Anders thought for a moment, but Nathaniel spoke up first. "Just wear normal armor and bring a group of people. Don't pretend to be peasants, just everyday Wardens. If there are other mages in the group it could throw them off. Have Jowan and Aidan there."
"Very devious," Anders said approvingly. "I'm impressed." Nathaniel gave him a nod and smirked at being the one who came up with the most workable solution.
Alistair and Elissa approached us not long after, Eamon accompanying them. "You spoke with the Grand Cleric?" Alistair said, looking upset. I nodded. "I feel like a complete jerk. I didn't expect her to do this. I'm sorry."
I shrugged. "Not your fault," I said. "We may have a solution."
He grinned. "I'm glad. Just… don't tell me until after. I don't want to deal with the Chantry howling at me." Alistair turned his attention to Anders. "And you'd better be good to her, or I'll… go all templar on you."
"Maker's breath, you threaten me if I don't ask, and now you threaten me again because I finally did? I think you just enjoy reminding me you can still summon a proper smite." Alistair laughed at that and squeezed Anders' shoulder in a friendly gesture. His threat hadn't been serious, of course.
We chatted for a while before the royal couple had to excuse themselves to continue their rounds of the crowd. Eamon stayed behind.
"Do you have a moment to speak?" he asked me. I nodded and followed him outside, shrugging at the others. He stopped in the hall, just beyond hearing distance of the guards. "About the memorial…" he began. I nodded, waiting. "Alistair and I both thought your request to be shown in robes and with a staff was reasonable. Honestly, I was pleased by it, for purely selfish reasons." I smiled at that. "I'm very much in favor of showing people a more positive view of mages."
"I can imagine," I said, smiling. His own son being a mage would certainly impact that. I briefly reflected on how lucky Connor was to be have parents that loved him enough not to let his talent drive them away.
"Well, we did revise the designs," he went on. "But the Grand Cleric has protested. She said she wouldn't dedicate a statue of a mage." I rolled my eyes, not shocked, and told him about the conversation I'd had with her earlier. He looked thoughtful for a moment. "I think you and I had very similar ideas," Eamon finally said. "I decided we would build it, and if she refuses to bless the statue I'll issue a statement explaining her grounds for refusal. 'The Chantry has sadly decided, once again, to place politics above the wellbeing of the people of Ferelden. They refuse to acknowledge the very woman who saved us from the blight itself simply because of their hatred of mages,'" he smiled at the thought. "I think Alistair wants to say something about how saddened he is personally about the Grand Cleric refusing to perform your wedding, as well."
"She's afraid people will call for a split from Val Royeaux," I said. "That's what she said when I told her I'd go elsewhere and tell everyone who would listen why I did."
"They already are," Eamon confirmed. "More every day. We've been inundated with letters. Not just people who have lost children to the Circle, either. Plenty of them tell us how they've never even met a mage and simply find it wrong. Quite a few who wanted the same thing after the occupation ended are speaking up again, too. Val Royeaux will always care for Val Royeaux first, why should we turn to a foreign authority when Andraste was born in Ferelden, things like that." I had to admit, I could never understand how something like that happened. Andraste was born in Denerim itself, why the Chantry didn't establish their center of authority there made no sense. "I had a question for you, though… and this goes no further than us. Please don't share it with anyone beyond your closest advisers, people you would trust with your very life." Oh, now that got my attention. "Alistair and I have been preparing… should the demands become overwhelming. I don't know what we should do with mages, though. It seems obvious some training is necessary, but…"
"Right," I said. "Well… should this happen," I said carefully, keeping my voice down and making sure the guards weren't paying attention, "I would close the tower. Or turn it into a center for advanced studies, studies undertaken voluntarily. It's a horrible place. Oppressive and dark. It feels like a prison."
"Isolde has said the same thing," Eamon said. "I noticed it as well when I last visited. The air itself feels heavy." I nodded.
"I would say establish small schools, all over the country. Everyone lives close to a Chantry, maybe build a school onto each of them for young children just so they can learn the basics. That's all we learned as children. How to control our powers and resist demons, things like that, but nothing complex." He nodded, listening. "And then, perhaps, smaller circles. Highever, Gwaren, the major Arlings, and several in the banneron? Spread out throughout the country, so older children who do need intensive study can go there, but their families are still close enough to visit, and they can go home for breaks and holidays? Make it more like studying at a university or squiring for someone than sent to prison."
He looked surprised. "Is this something you've been thinking about? That's a fairly detailed plan. It does seem to be a reasonable alternative to the current system, though."
"That's basically how it works in the Imperium," I said. "If it didn't and they were plagued with abominations I'm sure the practice wouldn't have lasted hundreds of years."
"True enough," he said. "Although I wouldn't necessarily tell people that is where the idea came from." I chuckled at that. "But at this point it is a purely academic discussion. I was simply wondering if you thought it was possible to abolish the Circle as it stands now without putting the nation at risk."
"Absolutely," I said. "If anything it could make Ferelden more secure. How many turn to blood magic simply to avoid the Circle? I think many mages turn on society because they've always been made to feel like they're not welcome in it. If that hostility was gone, and mages were all treated just like everyone else a lot of the anger would dissipate." I paused then. "You know, barring the occasional Exalted March."
"Yes, barring that," Eamon replied dryly. "Although I suspect the Chantry wouldn't really dare."
"Really?" I said dubiously.
"You do know why they stopped attacking the Black Divine in Tevinter, don't you?" Eamon said, eyebrows raised.
"I assumed it was… well, I really don't know, to be honest" I said finally. "Leaving them to the Quinari?"
"Not at all," he said. "It's because every time they tried the mages of the Imperium army would wipe out entire battalions of templars with those large area spells before they even came close enough to counteract their magic. Once that was done the regular troops just… swept in and cleaned everything up." That made sense. No wonder it wasn't taught in any of my history classes. "If even half the mages and older apprentices in Ferelden fought with us the Chantry wouldn't stand a chance. That is why I want this to happen. When a call for mages was sent out at Ostagar the Chantry only allowed seven. Imagine if we had fifty. Or a hundred!" He shook his head. "If we can train the next generation to believe that "magic exists to serve man" means the highest calling they can aspire to as a mage is to be a healer or soldier for their nation… Ferelden would be an unstoppable force. No one would be able to invade us again." He pounded a fist into his open palm. "The Chantry keeps the most powerful weapon in Ferelden under lock and key, even from the King himself. Today Alistair asked the Grand Cleric if he or I could speak at the circle about recruiting more mages for the army and was turned down! They don't want to 'give' us any more mages, she said! That is completely unacceptable. He is enraged, of course, and hiding it well because of the crowd. These are citizens of Ferelden, but the Chantry uses them as little more than personal slaves, lending out a handful here and there when it suits them."
"Is invasion a risk?" I asked, wondering if he was simply obsessing about the old war with Orlais again. I couldn't argue his point about slaves, I'd always thought the same thing. After all, even the highly-paid healers for noble families saw nothing for their efforts. The money all flowed back to the Circle and Chantry.
"It is always a risk," Eamon said sadly. "You don't even want to know how many plots against Alistair there have been in the last four years." I gasped at that. It did make sense, of course, that the king would be a target. Realistically I knew all kings were. But to know how frequently it happened made me nervous, both for a war and for the safety of my friend. "Orlesian, of course, but also from Nevarra, Antiva… anyone who thinks we would be a weak and easy target. We don't have wealth, but we have land, some of the most fertile land in Thedas. To an overcrowded nation like Antiva or a barren one like Nevarra that's very attractive." He shook his head. "Kill the king and sweep in to take over during the chaos," Eamon said. "I think the only reason it didn't happen when Cailin died was because of the combined fear of Loghain and his reputation and that they didn't want to fight the blight as well." Eamon glanced around. People were starting to trickle out of the landsmeet chamber. "If this is discovered before we're ready, though, it would be a disaster. The king and queen would have a price on their heads. I ask that you exercise discretion until the time comes."
I nodded in agreement and we went back inside.
I barely paid attention to my friends talking and laughing around me, running back and forth through the conversation with Eamon. He told me he was preparing should the people of Ferelden rise up and demand a split from the Chantry. However, his plan didn't sound like that. It sounded like Eamon and Alistair were planning to orchestrate a split themselves. More than that, his comments about the statue sounded like they planned to use the popular opinions about me to get the public on their side.
To think, for several hours I blissfully assumed giving up three quarters of our land would help get me out of politics.
Well, at least no one had tried to kill us today.
Not even sure why I bothered updating when this site is so terribly terribly broken right now. Hopefully this will actually post and people can read it. I'll also put a link in my profile to where I have it mirrored since it seems like the technical glitches here are getting worse, not better.
