A/N: the previous chapter was updated on 12 December, so it's possible you haven't read it yet.
21 August (day 65), late afternoon and evening
"Jeffrey," Neria asked, "do you think this is a good idea?"
I nodded towards the ragged elf leading the horse and cart we were riding in. "Ask him; it's half his idea."
"I was asking if you think this is a good idea."
"Unless you want walk all the way around the mountain I think it's the best plan we've got."
Neria was quiet for a moment. "You still didn't say if this was a good idea."
Zevran looked back and quietly spoke. "It is a good plan, mio capo bella. We'll need a little luck, but only a little. Now be quiet. We are almost there."
Neria opened her mouth but snapped it shut again at my head shake. I don't blame her for being nervous, I was too. We'd split the team in two again. Zevran and Morrigan were with us; the rest of the group was a ways back. Morrigan had flown ahead and stationed herself in the little town known as Upper Orzammar; she was supposed to take an advantageous position against the ambush. Zevran was dressed in the same older clothes he'd had in Denerim, but took the time to make them look even shabbier. Neria had swapped out her bloodstained green robes in favor of a tunic and trousers. I was back in the beat-to-shit chainmail I thought I'd never wear again. Zevran looked like a poor elven servant and with a week's worth of stubble I easily passed for a down-on-his-luck mercenary. In contrast Neria looked fairly sharp; the plan was to pass her off as a merchant and us as her hired help. All we needed to do was get past Loghain's men at the top of the road; we were going to hit them from behind when Alistair's group came up to trigger the ambush. I was the only one with visible weapons, but Neria's staff was hidden at her feet and Zevran had his usual assortment of concealed knives. And if things went bad Leliana was following at the extreme end of her range; she could help immediately. The others would need a minute or so to get close, but they wouldn't be walking into archers and a mage.
It was good plan. Probably the best we could come up with, but like most plans, it didn't survive contact with the enemy.
The first part wasn't a problem. There were a half-dozen men-at-arms just hanging about; they'd grown alert when they saw us coming up the road but quickly got that relaxed look that meant they didn't consider us a threat. And I was able to tell that without my glasses.
Zevran turned around and bowed to Neria. "You see? Nothing to fear." He bowed again and turned around.
Neria mumbled something and kept staring straight ahead. The talk we'd given her about breaking cover had taken root, but that made it harder to convince her of the necessity of changing tactics to fit the situation.
I locked down my poker face as we got closer. The swordsmen were still watching us, but their attention was focused on Neria.
"Aye, she'd be a sweet treat all right."
I played my role and shot the speaker a glance that I hoped wasn't too challenging. I guess it was, or at least they had orders, because the speaker stepped into the road.
"Hold up there, knife-ear."
Zevran didn't even twitch. He did hunch as he responded with, "Ser."
The swordsman ignored Zevran and walked around the cart. He kept one eye on me and the other Neria, but kept going until he could reach over and look under the tarp we had covering our gear. I doubt he saw more than the folded tents.
"Hey!" I said quietly but firmly.
"King's business. You troubled with that?"
I kept playing the role and looked at the small crowd. I shook my head. "No. No problem." I tried to put a bit of a Ferelden accent in place but it was pretty bad.
The potential bad guys stayed relaxed but alert. The inspector came back to Neria. "So, missy, seen anything strange on the road?"
Neria played her part. "Strange, ser?" She sounded a little nervous, but that was perfect as far as I was concerned.
And I guess it was perfect for the swordsman. He sounded bored rather than curious. "You know: mercenaries, people-"
"No, ser. Not even any darkspawn. And I'd heard there was a Blight."
"Don't believe all you hear. Seen anybody calling themselves Grey Wardens?"
"Grey Wardens, ser? I'd heard they were all killed at the Battle of Ostagar." Good girl. We'd coached her on that answer.
"Said don't believe all you hear." He jerked his head. "Off with you."
Neria didn't say anything so I called sharply to Zevran. "Come on! Move!"
"Ser." I could hear the I'll get you for that in Zevran's voice.
Totally worth it. I suppressed a smile then reached up and scratched the top of my head. That was the signal for Part 1 down. Leliana was, I hoped, watching us closely and passing the word to the rest of the group. Meanwhile we were rolling slowly forward towards a trio of archers and a mage. One archer, a stocky woman in leathers, was following the swordsmen's lead and paying no attention to us. She was also trying to not pay attention to the second archer who was taking a leak just off the road. The mage was a pretty blond woman wearing a long tunic that only came down to her thighs; black stockings and boots were the only things covering her legs. The third archer, a bone-skinny man, was quite sensibly taking the time to chat her up. I gave the mage an appreciative, but very subtle, glance as we approached.
Both the mage and the archer glanced a bit less subtly at Neria and me then went back to looking at each other. But then the mage looked up at us again with bewilderment on her face. A chill ran over me as she looked at-
"Neria?"
In my peripheral vision I saw Neria's head whip around. "Candila?"
"Who?" the archer asked.
"Hush!" Candila looked up at Neria. "Neria, is that you?"
Neria had her priorities in the right place. "Maker! What are you wearing?"
Candila looked down at herself then started turning red when she looked back up. "They're Tevinter robes. I had to find something after I lost-" Her eyes widened. "Sweet Andraste! I'd heard you were at Ostagar but I didn't know you'd survived. I'd heard all-" She snapped her mouth shut.
"Neria," I said while stretching with both arms and forgetting about my accent, "would you care to introduce us?" I peeked back at the swordsmen; they hadn't noticed the conversation yet.
Yet. "Maker!" the skinny archer shouted. "This is the Warden! Hey! Jack! I think this is thgrrrl-" He shut up because of the knife sticking out of his throat and staggered about clawing at it.
"Ah, shit!" I shouted. My shield was propped up next to my seat. I shoved my arm into the straps and yanked them tight.
"Zevran, no!" Neria shouted.
The elf had a second knife back and was ready to throw it at Candila. The other archers were looking around perplexed at what the situation had become. The one guy was still holding his dick and probably still peeing. The woman looked at me with a WTF? expression then bugged her eyes out at the dying skinny guy.
"Not her!" Neria yelled.
I leaped off the cart and felt my knees protest. I ignored the pain and lurched into Candila's personal space. "Who are you with?" I reached for my sword and drew.
Candila watched me approach her. Then she turned and shoved her staff out in front of herself. The remaining archers were thrown backwards by a wall of solid air. Good answer.
"The road!" Zevran shouted. A knife whooshed over the cart but its target caught it on a shield.
A swordsman was coming at me along the cart using my favorite tactic. He dropped his shoulder as he closed. I leaned towards him, ignored my knees and squatted as I set. The collision knocked me back but stunned us both. We stared stupidly at each other for a few seconds then a decorated staff clocked the guy. He went down as my head cleared.
"Are you well?" Candila shouted.
"Well enough!"
The archers were done. The woman was a block of ice and the pisser was holding himself and moaning.
"Jeffrey!"
I felt the warm of a heal and turned as it faded. Neria was right behind me. There were two swordsman standing with their backs to the opposite side of the cart, blades out, and shields up. Zevran was standing a safe distance from them holding bloody knives. Morrigan was a bit further back, leaning on her staff and smiling wickedly. Leliana was jogging up the road with an arrow nocked and Cullen right beside her. The rest of the group was a distance back.
"I'm okay." I jogged around the unflappable Bill and saw the carnage. One guy down well back from us with an arrow in his back. Another was a block of ice. And one just had blood running out of his mouth and nose. I whipped my attention around to the survivors. They both looked scared and determined. But they had to be dealt with.
"Put the swords down," I said. "Fight's over." I pointed my sword down the road. "And we've got more friendlies on the way." I pointed my sword at the nearest bad guy. "Last chance."
He looked around at us. Leliana had just stopped and was standing ready. The three mages were watching him carefully. He tensed and so did we.
"Bloody void." He threw his sword in the dirt. So did his companion. He looked over his shoulder. "Bloody mage."
Candila looked back at him. "Bastard."
"Shields on the ground, too," I ordered. "Now!"
They grumbled but complied.
"Neria. Check those guys over there and see if you can help them. Zevran. Can you tie these two up?"
"I can, but-"
"Do it. Morrigan. Turn their brains into jello if they so much as cough."
"What is jello?"
Oops. I shrugged. "Don't worry about it. Just do whatever you did to that guy."
"Gladly." Satisfaction dripped from her voice.
We got no trouble from the soldiers. Any of them. The guy who'd run into me was tied up with the rest before Neria healed him, but the last archer was so happy to be alive he was ready to tie himself up.
But they weren't Loghain's men; not directly. They're bounty hunters after the over fifty sovereigns being offered for multiple members of the group, although Alistair's worth by far the most.
"What about me?" Neria asked. "How much am I worth?"
Candila shrugged. "Five sovereigns, I think. The big reward is for the blond fellow there." She nodded to where Alistair was standing by the cart.
I rolled my shoulder for Wynne and got more clicks. "So what do we with'em?"
"Take their weapons," Neria said. "I don't think we need to kill them, do we?"
"They have submitted. These few, at least, are more interested in remaining alive than dying for a reward they will not receive. Let us move on." Sten actually sounded impatient.
"As soon as Jeff's shoulder is okay."
"He's fine," Wynne said. "Well, his shoulder is fine. I worry about his head, though."
"So do I," Neria said.
"As do I," Sten added.
We all turned to look at him.
"That was not a joke. Jeff requires a more adequate headgear than what he possesses."
Neria gave him a smile. "If you say so. Let's go!
Leliana's right: Upper Orzammar is a little town. It's set up as a trade junction between the surface world and the dwarven kingdom. Forget there just being a half-dozen stalls; the place is more like the Denerim market. Except to set up you have to have permission from the Orzammar Merchant Caste. The problem right now, though, is that Orzammar's got its gates shut; the normal foot traffic going in and out is down to almost nothing and the only thing the guards are letting in is food.
That means, except for food, we're able to get some serious bargains on some odds and ends. Unfortunately, we didn't really need anything. And we weren't able to sell the confiscated weapons for any reasonable amount. Money's not a problem; we're still pretty flush from the trip to Denerim, but expenses add up over the long run.
We did find a small stable that was willing to give us a good price to board and feed Bill as long as we needed, and they tucked the cart back into an unused corner somewhere. We loaded everything we could into our packs, loaded Sten up with an extra pack, and made our way back through the market.
Oh, and we found Farin's stall. I think we all thought Sten would tear the place apart, but he simply examined the weapons on display. "It is not here," he finally said. He looked up at Farin who quite astutely took a step back and out of reach.
"If you're looking for something in particular-"
"He's looking for a Qunari sword," Neria said in a very non-threatening manner. "We were told you might have it." She nodded at Sten. "I'd just give it to him if I were you."
Farin glanced back and forth between giant and girl. "All the two-handers I have are right here." He waved at a rack.
"No," Sten said, "this particular weapon would be uniquely marked." He grabbed a dagger off the table and scratched a design into the wood. "Perhaps this will aid your memory."
Farin didn't complain about the vandalism. Instead, at Neria's urging, he took a look at the sketch. "Aye, it does. I sold this about a month ago to a fellow named Dwyn. Mercenary from…Redcliffe, I think. Liked the design, he did."
"Sten…?"
The big guy actually snorted like a bull. "Very well. But if I determine that you are lying I will be back." He looked down to Neria. "Warden, let us proceed with our business here and be on."
"Please, Sten, be patient."
"It is…difficult at times."
That raised some eyebrows.
"I know, but please? For me?"
"Very well."
The only other real issue to deal with was Candila, but she and Wynne and Neria kept their distance from the rest of us while talking about things. Candila was indeed at Ostagar, but Loghain had taken her with his portion of the army. She'd pledged loyalty to Loghain in exchange for a decree freeing her from Chantry oversight, but from the way she talked the Chantry probably thought she was dead anyway. She was quite ready to turn Alistair over to Loghain, but that idea had lasted only until she saw Neria sitting in the cart with me.
"We're family; remember?" Neria said to me later. "Candila said she'd never hurt another mage. At least not one of us from the Tower." Then she leaned in to whisper. "But she always did like to show off her legs."
"Well, they're worth showing off ow!"
Zevran laughed quietly from across the room.
Neria sat back with a satisfied smile that quickly melted away. "She hasn't been in the Tower since before I left. She'd heard some talk about...what happened with Uldred, but just didn't know…."
"So where's she going? Not back to the Tower?"
"She said she wants to, just to see who's…alright, but she doesn't want to be there anymore, either." She gave a little frown. "I guess I understand. I can't see myself being…being…being…."
"Being shut away?"
"Locked in." She went into her Templar voice. "'To protect us and others from us.' Hmmph! I can't go back, and not just because I'm a Grey Warden."
Zevran looked up from the book he was reading. "It isn't easy walking away from all that you know. But sometimes it is necessary." He put his nose back in the book.
Neria (and I) considered his words. "Well, Candila made that choice. I didn't."
There was another moment of quiet before I spoke again. "Tell you what: when all this is over we'll figure out a way to make you a new home."
"If this is ever over." Neria stood up suddenly. "I'd like that. Having a home again." She leaned down and kissed me on the cheek. "Good night."
"Good night."
"Good night, Zevran. And no, I do not need you to see me to my room."
Zevran bowed and plopped back down into his chair. "Buona sera, mio capo bella." Zevran waited until Neria left then lowered his book to speak to me. "I worry for her."
"I do, too."
"She is forte one moment and fragile the next."
I just nodded.
"But we're all here for her. As she said, we must all take care of each other."
"That's what it always comes down to: looking out for the people who're looking out for you."
Zevran gave me a seated bow. "That is wisdom that comes from being veterano."
"Thanks, but right now I just feel old, not wise."
"We are all tired right now. Rest, and tomorrow, whenever that is, you will have your vita again."
Shrug. "We'll see."
"You will. Do not diminish yourself, mio amico."
So back to the main sequence:
The steps up to the great doors were clear and clean. We could hear some voices arguing as we climbed.
"I demand you grant me an audience with your king's regent." The voice was Ferelden accented.
A dwarven accent came back in reply. "No audiences."
"You realize you insult all of Ferelden by your actions."
"Ferelden's not my concern."
"King Loghain's messenger will not be delayed!"
"'King' Loghain?" Alistair muttered.
"And your human king's not my concern either."
"King Loghain demands the allegiance of your…whatever you call your lords. And I am here to deliver that demand." The speaker was wearing plain but well-made armor and had the look of someone used to getting his way. I remember the game made him out to be kind of pompous, but this guy was clearly a jerk on top of that.
The dwarf guard captain wasn't taking any crap though. "I don't care if you're the king's wiper. No one gains entry to Orzammar except our own until the succession is decided." He said that last part as he watched us approach.
The jerk's companion mage suppressed a laugh at the dwarf's comment. The plate-armored knight standing next to him gave him gentle elbow to shut him up, but I heard something from the other knight that sounded suspiciously mirthful. Then he saw Neria and opened his mouth, but Candila had made her way over to him and shook her head and started whispering.
We stood there silently, though, and waited for Loghain's envoy to stop turning purple and start talking again. He didn't, though; he seemed to regard our presence as beneath him.
The dwarf captain shrugged. "Very well." He looked us over. "I assume one of you's in charge. What do you want? Oh, and by the way, Orzammar is closed to outsiders."
Neria looked over at the other mage. "Hello, Tobias."
He inclined his head. "Neria. Senior Enchanter. I, uh, assume Candila will tell me what's happening."
"We'll talk later. If we can." Neria turned to the dwarf. "I'm the leader, ser."
Loghain's envoy coughed.
The guard captain stood there with resigned impatience. "Then get on with it."
"We…have important business in Orzammar."
The envoy coughed again. "None more important than mine."
The captain just shook his head. "Your business will have to wait. No outsiders are allowed into Orzammar." His expression softened just a hair. "We have to limit the influence of outsiders on the succession."
"Ser, please. We need to see your king. It's urgent."
"If I don't get in you-"
The envoy shut up as Sten took a step towards him.
The guard captain actually broke into a smile at that but spoke seriously. "You don't understand, do you?"
Neria shook her head. "Your king – King Aeducan - he died recently."
A nod. "Yes. He returned to the stone but three weeks ago, sick over the loss of his children."
"I'm sorry about that."
The envoy opened his mouth but Sten growled deeply.
Another nod. "I can see that you are. But again, no outsiders until the Assembly's decided the succession."
"How long will that be?"
"Soon I hope. We've had a dozen votes but none have been close."
Neria turned around. She looked a little frustrated, a little apprehensive, and a lot out of her depth. Her eyes bounced among us for a few seconds; when they met mine I gave her a nod and smile. She took a few more seconds then turned back to the dwarf and took a deep breath. "Ser," she said in that no-nonsense, confident voice of hers, "the Grey Wardens formally request the aid of their ancient allies: the dwarves. Alistair?"
Alistair stepped forward and handed the dwarf the treaty. He stepped back as the dwarf unrolled the scroll.
"Grey Wardens?" Even Sten's looming presence couldn't shut the envoy up. "The Grey Wardens betrayed King Cailan and are sworn enemies of King Loghain."
"Loghain usur-"
I threw an elbow that landed with a clank. "Alistair! Not now!"
He gave me a bitter look but subsided. "Right."
"Ser?" Neria asked.
The guard captain only needed a moment to examine the scroll. "This document appears to be genuine, and this is definitely the royal seal, and I have no authority to question it. This matter will have to be taken up by the assembly." His mouth twitched in a little smile. "Grey Warden?"
"Ser?"
"You – and your cohort – may enter Orza-"
The envoy went apoplectic. "What! No! I- In the- You- In the name of King Loghain I- I- Demand you execute this…stain…on the honor of Ferelden." He actually put his hand on his sword. The two knights on his flanks were a bit more prudent, though; they stood still. And neither Candila nor Tobias made a move.
The dwarven guards reacted by simply readying their axes, but the captain remained calm. And unsympathetic. "Any disagreements you have with the Wardens will be resolved off these stairs!" He looked to Neria. "Warden," he said a bit more softly, "you and your cohort may enter Orzammar when you are ready. If you're ready."
Neria turned to stare at the envoy. Her voice was ice cold and rock steady when she spoke. "Look carefully at the people with me."
The envoy did. He looked scared but he held his ground.
"Do you think you'd even inconvenience us?" Neria continued. "I suggest you go back to Loghain and tell him the Grey Wardens are being heard by the dwarves, not him."
Although he made up mind immediately the envoy did manage to summon one last bit of bravado. "Loghain'll see you quartered for this!"
I felt Sten's rumble.
One of the envoy's knights leaned forward and spoke quietly.
"Pah!" The envoy turned and stalked away.
"Mage!" a knight snapped.
Tobias bowed. "Neria. I would speak with you, but…." He turned to follow the envoy.
"Neria!" Candila called as she followed him. "Maker watch over you."
We watched the envoy and his troupe head down the stairs. Neria let out a shaking breath.
"My thanks, Warden. "The captain actually sounded friendly. "I'd been arguing with that humper for half an hour. That was shinily done." He handed Neria the scroll then saw me looking at him. "What?"
I'd given the captain a startled look at the adjective he'd used. "Nothing."
"Hmmph. Open the door!"
I don't know why I expected them to open the gates of Orzammar when there was a perfectly good little walk-thru available. We stepped through one at a time, and a guard stepped in behind us to speak quietly to the captain. He only needed a minute to get his instructions then he closed the small but sturdy door with an expected but sadly underwhelming thunk.
But then I looked ahead and said the only thing I could when I saw what's there. "Cool!" I retrieved my glasses and shoved them on my face. I was looking at the statues of the Paragons. They're tinted red by the gentle glow from the very deep lava pits, which is in turn reflected into the hall by polished metal plates. The statues easily stand twenty feet tall. They're carved in amazing detail; some of the warrior-looking types have distinct scars. Skin is one type of stone, clothing a second, armor and weapons a third. A close look reveals an amazing amount of detailed attention paid to the hair and the beards. Even their tattoos are represented by polishing the stone to different textures. They'd be impressive even if they hadn't been carved by folks two-thirds human height.
A flat, midwestern accented voice spoke up from behind us. "Cool?"
I was still gawking. "Uh huh."
"It means he is impressed," Sten answered. "As am I."
"I…see. Well, my thanks, then, and you do us honor. And you, mistress Warden: atrast vala," our escort said. "Your presence is a mixed blessing. We honor our history with the Grey Wardens, but we'd also rather not have outsiders see our infighting. Still, your presence will be tolerated." He glanced back over his shoulder. "Unofficially, I am honored by your presence, but be careful while you're here, won't you?"
I finally turned around to see a heavily armored and fair-complexioned dwarf with an intricately braided gray beard speaking to us. Well, to Neria, although he looked a little uncertain about that.
Neria gave him a clumsy bow. "Ser…?"
"Call me Agmun [sp?]. Subaltern Agmun if you need to ask for me."
"Thank you, Agmun." Neria's voice was a tired and relieved. "I think you're the first person to be glad to see us in…weeks?"
Agmun crossed his arms on his chest and bowed. "I can't exactly say that we're glad to see you, but we honor the Wardens. And if you would, Warden, your name?"
Neria bowed back again. "I'm-" She stopped and sighed. "I am Warden Enchanter Neria. And this is Warden Alistair."
Alistair crossed his arms and bowed. "Atrast vala, Subaltern Agmun. I am honored to see Orzammar again."
Agmun nodded. "I thought you looked familiar."
Alistair looked apologetically at the rest of us. "I was here several months ago with Duncan."
"I remember the visit. Good human, the commander. I was surprised and sorry to hear about Ostagar."
"He was a good man."
"And a good fighter. Ah! Enough of that! If you find me off duty sit and speak with me of him."
"I'd like that."
"So would I. Now, Warden Neria. Who are the rest of the cohort?"
Neria made introductions as we started walking through the entry hall. I found enough of my voice to answer when Agmun spoke to me, but preferred to keep looking around.
Leliana said something too quiet for me to hear.
"This is the hall of the paragons," Alistair said reverently. "They honor the best of their ancestors here."
Agmun spoke up. "The most important of our ancestors. Not always the best, but you didn't hear me say that."
"Riiight."
"But at least you know our- Miss Warden! No!"
Neria was speaking to a closely shaved dwarf curled up in the shadow of one of the statues. She gave a Agmun a sharp look. "He's just hungry, and we have food to spare."
Agmun clearly thought about arguing but didn't. "There's a lot of hungry people in Orzammar, Warden. I don't think you've got enough food to feed the rutting lot of 'em." Shrug. "Do what you want though." He turned away from Neria and started walking. "Come on then." He strode swiftly towards a guard and spoke quietly, and got a nod in return. "This way, if you will."
I watched Neria dig in her pack and hand a couple of items to the beggar. Then she dug into her purse and handed him an unknown amount of cash. I shrugged to myself and followed Agmun down the long walk through the hall and into the city proper.
"Whoooooa."
I still have no idea where to start. The first thing that hits you is the heat and the smell. Sulfur permeates the air, which itself is slightly hazy. And it glows over deep trenches so the entire place has a reddish tinge to it. But the streets are lit by glowstones, so the place has a nice, homey rather than hellish feel to it. And it's warm. Very warm; almost uncomfortable. Not hot. I have no idea how they do it, but somehow the heat's deflected or vented or something so the dwarves don't end up roasting themselves. The buildings are carved directly out of the rock and curve away into the distance, and right in the middle of the cavern, directly in front of you as you walk is a massive hunk of rock that connects to the cavern ceiling some crazy height up. And there's multiple levels going around, each one set a bit back from the one below it. And it's a city, a living city; there's hundreds of dwarves walking about taking care of their business.
And the business includes hacking at each on the street. I was still gawking at the architecture and engineering when I heard a scream of pain and angry shouting from a crossroads of sorts in front of us.
"Ah, the rutting humpers are fighting in the streets again! Stay here!"
Agmun took off towards a crowd that was equal parts curious and hostile. Fortunately, given our heights, we didn't have to press forward to see what was going on. The city guards were pushing apart two groups of dwarves, but one them had taken a hit and was down. And as Agmun pushed apart the crowd directly in front of us we could see the badly injured dwarf lying there in a puddle of blood, his arms moving weakly.
"Maker! Wynne, come on!" Neria scrambled forward, still clumsy under her pack, and pushed her way through the opening in the crowd.
"Shit!" I took off behind Neria at a fast walk, but in front of Wynne. Time for the NCO voice. "Make room! Make a hole!" Size and volume counted for a lot; a few curious dwarves filtered in behind Neria, but I kept the passage open.
Neria slipped to a stop and went down hard but seemed okay. She pulled up a ball of energy and began working on the injured dwarf. "Wynne! I need help!"
Wynne pushed past me while pulling along a protesting Morrigan; I turned around to check the tactical situation. The rest of the group had followed me and set up a rough circle around the mages. The crowd was pushing in a little bit, but the overall mood had changed and seemed inquisitive and concerned rather than hostile.
"Topsiders?"
"What are they doing?"
"That's…not a human, is it?"
"Did he call them Wardens?"
"Why are they here?"
"Is the guard gonna be all right?"
"Are those mages?"
"Ooh, he's handsome for a human!"
"That's a topsider war dog!"
"Needs a beard, though!"
"Ser! Ser! Yeah, you! Are you Grey Wardens?"
"I am," Alistair answered.
"Atrast vala, Warden!"
That's just what I caught in Ferelden; there was a lot of dwarfish flying around, too. Alistair's answer got a lot of attention on him and he was soon dealing with his own crowd of curious and generally friendly dwarves. Sten has an excellent crowd control technique: he simply stood and glowered and ignored any questions that came his way. The crowd kept their distance from him, but pushed in around the rest of us to ask questions that we mostly couldn't answer.
And then, finally, one of the guards shouted, "He'll be alright!"
The crowd, which was by then a couple hundred people trying figure out what was going on, erupted in a roar that made my ears ring. I don't think the folks in the back knew what was going on, but they cheered anyway. I checked on the mages; all three of them looked tired, and both Neria and Wynne were pretty bloody.
Agmun was speaking to Neria and waving his arm and pointing. Neria finally answered to his satisfaction and allowed herself to be pulled to her feet. Some random guard slapped me on the hip and indicated I should follow Agmun. Despite the jovial crowd I figured that was the best course of action at the moment. We pushed through the throng with dwarven guards breaking the way and the mages inside a circle made by the rest of us. The crowd followed along in our wake; I could hear occasional chants of "Wardens! Wardens!" Somebody tried to shove a tankard into my hand, but they fumbled the handoff to shouts of laughter.
We finally got herded through a tall pair of guarded doors and into a curving stairwell. The doors were closed behind us to the disappointment of the crowd.
Agmun leaned against a handy wall. "Dirt and mud! We were supposed to be discreet. Well, nothing to say for it now. Come on!"
I held out an arm. "You okay?"
Wynne was pale and moving carefully. She took my arm without hesitation. "Tired. Dwarves are resistant to direct magic, and he was very badly hurt."
She'd spoken quietly but Agmun turned around. "He's glad for your effort. And so am I. On Booth's behalf, I thank you. All of you, but especially the mages." He offered Wynne that formal dwarvish bow.
We climbed the stairs and exited on a landing that gave us an excellent view of the city. Leliana stepped to peek out over the low wall; a cheer came up from below. She smiled and waved and stepped back.
"Don't worry yourselves; they're not allowed up here." Agmun kept walking.
"It is impressive, is it not?" Leliana said as she caught up.
"It is," I answered. I kept going without thinking. "Ironforge has nothing on this."
"Ironforge?"
"Uhm, a dwarven city I've, uh, visited. It's…grand in its own way, but not like this."
"Another dwarven city? Where?" Agmun's ears are sharp.
"A very long way away."
"How far?"
Second universe to the right and straight on till morning. "Farther away than my home, and I'll probably never get back there."
Agmun considered my answer for a moment. "The Shaperate'll wanna know about it. Talk to them if you get a chance."
"I'll do that."
"Come on, then."
We continued along the curving path, passing only a relative few curious dwarves. There's a handful of expensive looking dwellings with banners hanging on their front outside walls. It only took us a few more minutes until we stopped at a dwelling that didn't have a banner.
"Here we are," Alistair said. "The Orzammar Wardens' compound."
"Right." Agmun thumped on the door. "We'd ask you stay here for the night; we'll pass the word of your arrival and call you to the Assembly tomorrow."
There was a moment of silence then Zevran asked the question we all had. "And how will we know it is tomorrow?"
"When the Steward awakes, of course." Agmun pounded on the door again.
Another moment of silence. "And how will we know that?"
"Tell you what: you don't worry about it; let the housekeeper do that."
On cue the door opened. A dwarven woman with black hair shot through with grey opened it and directed her attention to Agmun. "Ser guard," she said with a firm but quiet voice. "How can-" She stopped when she saw the rest of us but focused on one person. "Warden Alistair?" She crossed her arms and bowed. "My lord, welcome back."
Alistair stepped up. "Everyone, this is Selda. She keeps the compound for us."
Selda nodded blankly. "That I do, but…. My lord, we weren't expecting…."
Agmun cleared his throat. "Good to see you've got this in hand. Rest well, all of you. And the ladies: I thank you again." A formal bow and Agmun left.
All eyes turned to Alistair. His eyes turned to Selda. She knew exactly what to do. "Lords, ladies, if you'd please…." She pulled the door entirely open and bowed to each of us as we entered. Once we were inside she reached behind the door and lifted a banner off the wall. "A moment, if you please." Selda stepped outside and hung the banner, and then came back in and closed the door. She bowed to us again. "Wanef's not here right now, but I'll show you to the rooms. If you've things that need mending or cleaning-" She gave Neria and Wynne a pointed look. "-set them outside your room and I'll see that it's done. The baths are in good order- "Everybody got a look at that. "-and there'll be a hot supper for you later. Now, if you'd follow me, please…." She turned and walked out of the room. We all stood there, just a little dazed at the events, so she stuck her head back around the corner. "Come on now. Oh, and welcome to Orzammar."
A/N: I'm taking some minor liberties with the geography of the area. Gherlen's Pass probably wouldn't be important enough to mark on a large-scale travel map unless there was something significant about it. Hence the fork in the road. My headcanon tells me the Orlais and Orzammar roads roughly parallel each other, and that the Orzammar road climbs into the mountains then drops back down to eventually meet the Orlais road again somewhere to the west.
I'm also taking some liberties with the size of the paragon statues in entrance hall. The ones in-game look to be about ten feet tall; I figured doubling that would make a pretty impressive sight.
I hope nobody minds the quick update. The last few chapters felt like filler to me, but there was stuff I felt I needed to do there. And I figured I'd done enough dithering around and needed to get the main plot moving again. With that, on to Ironforge! Er, I, uh, mean Orzammar!
Story shout out: please check out Stars Fade by totallybursar. And I'd like to give her a big thank you for letting me use the 'Ore's Hammer' transliteration for Orzammar on the road sign.
And some milestones: 100 faves and 135 alerts, and coming up on 50,000 hits! Big thanks to JayBetti, TreeWalker, Cataquack Warrior, Lady of 3ar, Random Asian Person, Kullken, paraeclipse, and Jakyerski (and anybody I've missed) for getting me there!
Snowhelm: Thank you! I was beginning to think I wouldn't get any reviews for the previous Chapter 53. And I hope you're okay with not having to wait too long for this chapter.
EmbertoInferno: Glad you liked and caught the references.
Oplindenfep: SPOILERS: I can't say anything regarding the Anvil. Shale will be showing up but maybe not in the way anyone expects.
