Author's Note: So, I settled on Ser Cauthrien for this interlude. She was easier to work with than Loghain. I'll do a Loghain interlude eventually but using Ser Cauthrien felt like the better choice right now. I really hope that I got her character right. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: I don't own Dragon Age or its characters

Teyrn Loghain and Ser Cauthrien watched as the signal fire blazed to life, just as planned. The rain soaked them to the bone and thunder clapped ominously above. She supposed that meant that this was their cue. The brown-haired woman readied herself to give the order to charge when her commander spoke.

"Sound the retreat," said he in a level, even voice. Ser Cauthrien was stunned. Wasn't the plan to charge when the signal fire was lit? Why retreat? And what about the king? They would be abandoning him to certain death, wouldn't they?

"But… what about the king?" Ser Cauthrien protested in shock. "Should we not – " Her lord grabbed her roughly by the wrist and looked her in the eye.

"Do as I command," he growled. The woman could have sworn that there was something… mad in his eyes but she ignored it.

Because Teyrn Loghain knew what he was doing. Right?

Ser Cauthrien yanked her arm from his hand and his glaring eyes pierced into her very soul. She nodded tightly and her lord turned away.

He trusted her to fulfill his commands and that she would do. No matter what her reservations.

She marched purposefully over to the fresh, unused army and gave them the order to retreat.

Because Ser Cauthrien would always obey her lord.

"Pull out!" she ordered, her voice clear and commanding even through the wind and rain. "All of you! Let's move!" She used her arm to gesture away from the battle. The men hesitated. They were likely having the same reservations as she did. But they obeyed her just as she obeyed Teyrn Loghain. Ser Cauthrien rejoined the Teyrn who gave her a satisfied nod. Her lord gave the Tower of Ishal one last glance before he joined his men with Ser Cauthrien following.

"My Lord, may I speak freely?" Ser Cauthrien asked as they began their long trek back to Denerim.

"You may."

"I thought the plan was to charge once the signal fire was lit. What changed your mind?" she asked hesitantly. The Teyrn was silent for so long that Ser Cauthrien feared that she overstepped her bounds.

"Because Cailan was a boy playing dress-up," he began. "He would have gotten us all killed and then handed Ferelden to Orlais. Everything Maric worked for…"

Ser Cauthrien frowned. She wasn't entirely sure that Orlais was the most pressing issue but what did she know? She did not fight against the Orlesians – Loghain MacTir had. He knew what he was talking about.

"How are we going to fight the darkspawn with the army gone?"

"I'll get the local banns to lend me their armies and I will lead them to victory. And I will do it without foreign "aid"," her lord spat bitterly. Ser Cauthrien was quiet for several moments. She trusted that the Teyrn could and would lead them to victory against the Blight but what about after? They would need a king to rebuild.

"Will you take over as king once the darkspawn are defeated, my lord?" she asked him. Teyrn Loghain stopped and gave her a deadpan look.

"Don't be ridiculous, Ser Cauthrien," he responded coolly. "My Anora is perfectly capable of ruling Ferelden on her own. Besides, she likes politics far more than I." Ser Cauthrien nodded. That made sense. Her lord was a brilliant man but he was also too bluntly honest to do well in politics. From what she could tell, even when King Maric was alive, Teyrn Loghain hated the political aspect of being a Teyrn and preferred being a mere soldier. And Queen Anora, Maker bless her soul, did all the real work of ruling the nation during King Cailan's very short reign.

Speaking of which…

"What are we going to tell the Queen once we return to Denerim?" she asked curiously. What were they going to tell his daughter?

"The truth," he replied vaguely. "Her husband was a glory-hungry fool who got himself and everyone else killed."

Ser Cauthrien nodded. It wasn't news that she was looking forward to giving, that was for sure. But she would obey.

Ser Cauthrien turned her head and gave Ostagar one last look as guilt twisted up her insides. Everyone thought that help was coming in the form of a fresh army that would change the tides. But it would never come. She tried not to think about everyone they were abandoning to the darkspawn. She trusted that her lord knew what he was doing. There had to be a reason why Teyrn Loghain had pulled them out of the battle. Maybe they were about to walk into a slaughter and the Teyrn had saved them.

Yes! That must be it! Teyrn Loghain must have foreseen that this was a battle that could not be won and he had saved them all from needless slaughter!

The woman ignored the little voice at the back of her mind that told her that what they had done was wrong. She ignored the madness that she thought she saw in his eyes.

Ser Cauthrien turned away from the ruins and focused on the road ahead. She would trust her lord and forget about that little voice in the back of her mind.

Because Ser Cauthrien would always obey.

Author's Note: I just wanted to thank you guys so much for reading this story and giving me such a positive response. So, thank you and have a merry Christmas everyone!🎅

~ Darth Synkka