Chapter Four of my original story is out now on FictionPress, enjoy. Check my profile for the link!
Chapter 84: A Royal Visit
While some of my contemporaries dispute whether the Fifth Blight was a true Blight or merely a large darkspawn resurgence, historians agree that it began in the swamps of the Korcari Wilds on the southeastern border of Ferelden in the year 9:30 Dragon. King Cailan Theirin was swift in responding to the threat, gathering the royal army, every Grey Warden in his country, and sending a call for aid to the Ferelden nobility. The assembled armies laid a trap in the ruins of Ostagar, hoping to crush the force before it reached civilization. But they failed.
Darkspawn overran the defenders of Ostagar and decimated the king and his army. They continued their advance into Ferelden unopposed. Only two Grey Wardens managed to escape the slaughter. And somehow, they came into possession of ancient treaties, which compelled the races of men to join arms against the massing horde. In desperation to find more allies, the Wardens journeyed into the Brecilian Forest, seeking the Dalish. The elves, too, joined the growing army. Into the Deep Roads the surviving Wardens went, searching for Paragon Branka in hopes she could settle the unrest in Orzammar and unite the dwarves in the battle against the Archdemon. Branka could not be located, but another Paragon was found: the legendary Caridin, who forged a crown that ended all questions of succession. Bhelen Aeducan was crowned king of Orzammar, and the dwarven armies marched for the surface.
Despite their successes, though, greater challenges were yet to come. The Wardens sought Arl Eamon, uncle of the late King Cailan, in the hopes of mustering troops from the Fereldan nobility. Upon arriving in Redcliffe they learned that the arl had fallen ill and was near death. His knights had gone in pursuit of the fabled Ashes of Andraste, Eamon's only hope for a cure, and the village surrounding the Keep was beset by a host of animated corpses. The Wardens found and stopped the demon behind the undead before joining the search for Eamon's cure. The Wardens sought Arl Eamon, uncle of the late King Cailan, in the hopes of mustering troops from the Fereldan nobility. Upon arriving in Redcliffe they learned that the arl had fallen ill and was near death. His knights had gone in pursuit of the fabled Ashes of Andraste, Eamon's only hope for a cure, and the village surrounding the Keep was beset by a host of animated corpses. The Wardens found and stopped the demon behind the undead before joining the search for Eamon's cure. No one is certain if the Wardens actually located the final resting place of Our Lady Andraste, but whatever they found saved the arl of Redcliffe. Upon his recovery, Eamon Guerrin called for a Landsmeet and he and the Wardens traveled to Denerim.
The gathered lords and ladies of Ferelden found Teyrn Loghain guilty of a number of crimes and sentenced him to execution. Furthermore, the Landsmeet granted the throne to Alistair Theirin, the lost son of Maric. The nobility then pledged their own armies in the battle against the Blight. The Archdemon clashed with the allied forces at the city of Denerim and was eventually slain, but at terrible cost. Much of the city lay in ruin. The Warden who rallied the armies was named the Hero of Ferelden and accorded the highest honor.
The Fifth Blight ended before most of Thedas knew it had begun. But it left a terrible wound on Ferelden. The losses suffered at Ostagar and Denerim greatly compromised the security of the kingdom. Southern Ferelden from the Korcari Wilds to the edge of the Bannorn are, to this day, a wasteland. It's uncertain how far the ripples from this event shall travel, or what waves it has already stirred. —From A Study of the Fifth Blight, by Sister Petrine, Chantry scholar
The Gallows
The gang made it back to Meredith's office where the Knight-Commander was waiting for some news. Ericks took a detour getting to the Gallows to come up with the best story to tell the Knight-Commander. He could explain away Evelina and Huon after all he killed them himself but Emile de Launcet was going to be a tough one and Meredith was not an easy woman to fool.
"I'm led to believe that both Huon and Evelina are dead. Unfortunate but necessary" Meredith said.
Ericks crossed his arms. "That some fast news, even for Kirkwall"
"Considering your sympathies for the mages I needed assurances that you would keep your word" she said. "Speaking of which…we still heard nothing of Emile de Launcet"
"Emile was killed by some punks in Lowtown" Ericks said. "Turns out you tell everyone you're a blood mage and people will panic…funny how that works."
"And yet we have no body? No witness to a battle? Most curious" Meredith said with narrowed eyes.
"It's Lowtown, Meredith, chances are de Launcet's body has been burned or dumped into the harbor to get rid of evidence."
"Yes, you do have a point. Regardless, your part in this is done." Meredith nodded to her assistant and Elsa walked towards Ericks to give him a big sack of coins.
"Wait. That's it? Pay us and send us on our way?" Anders asked, frowning. "Not a single thought given to the fact that you templars brought all of this upon yourselves?"
Meredith gave a contemptuous glare at the mage. "Be very careful, mage. Your friendship with the Champion protects you only so much."
"Always so quick with the threats when someone looks too closely at your methods" the mage said. "Just what I would expect from the Chantry's thugs."
"Blondie…" Varric said nervously. "Remember where we are" Ericks came up and placed a hand on Anders' shoulder and reeled him back in before Justice decided to make an unwanted appearance.
"Anders could have put that more elegantly, but he has a point," Ericks said. "We spoke with the people that knew your apostates and they all said the same thing, you put them in chains like animals and march them down to the Gallows for all of Kirkwall to see."
"And that's not even getting into once they're inside. Is it any wonder they're so desperate to get away from you?"
Meredith sighed as she rubbed the bridge of her nose. "I've heard this argument often."
Ericks crossed his arms. "And it's not worth considering?"
"Maybe if you never took Huon from his wife, she wouldn't be dead!" Anders said. "Evelina could be alive and with the children she risked everything to save."
"There are enough maybes to fill half the graves in Kirkwall. I will not add more to the pile." Meredith said. "Enough. I have not the patience to argue with you further" With the bitter exchanges done, the gang left the Gallows and headed back home, it had been a long day. Later that night, Ericks was down in the cellar testing out some new explosives he made when Bodhan came down with a letter. It was from King Alistair, the new king of Ferelden and he wanted to meet him in the Keep.
The Theirins are the royal family of Ferelden. The first notable Theirin was undoubtedly Calenhad. He became teyrn of Denerim (when Denerim was still a teyrnir) in 5:33 Exalted. By some feat of skill or luck, he convinced the Circle of Magi to craft him an enchanted suit of silver-white armour (Calenhad to this day is referred to as "The Silver Knight"), which seemed to deflect both arrow and blade. He then became the third - and to date, last - person to successfully lay siege to Redcliffe and conquer it. Following this feat, he presented himself to the Landsmeet flanked by Ash Warriors and Circle mages and declared himself king. Every lord and lady present bowed before him. He blazed through Ferelden, uniting the entire land behind him as king.
Following Calenhad's conquest, the Theirins ruled Ferelden for over three hundred years, until in 8:44 Blessed, the Orlesian Empire conquered Ferelden and deposed the ruling Theirin king, Brandel son of King Vanedrin Theirin. An Orlesian puppet king was installed on the Fereldan throne, answering to the emperor in Val Royeaux. Brandel fled the capital but carried on the rebellion against the Orlesians, though he had little success in doing so. This was due to a combination of a belief amongst the nobles of Ferelden that their homeland was inescapably lost, and thus it was meaningless to resist, and a lack of charisma on Brandel's part. In the end he could do little more than run and hide, which earned him the epithet "the Defeated". It was not until his daughter Moira took over the cause that things started to look better for the rebellion earning the nickname, the Rebel Queen.
The Rebel Queen was assassinated in 8:96 Blessed by Bann Ceorlic and other Fereldan nobles collaborating with Orlais who initially pretended to defect to her cause. King Meghren had her head mounted on a pike and displayed as both trophy and warning before the gates of the Royal Palace. Maric avenged his mother's murder three years later, luring her killers into an ambush by promising them amnesty in exchange for their support. Around the beginning of the Dragon Age, he freed Ferelden from the rule of the Orlesian Empire and restored the Theirin family as the ruling family of Ferelden with the help of his queen, Rowan, and close friend Loghain. Maric was lost at sea on a voyage to Wycome in 9:25 Dragon, and was declared dead. Loghain Mac Tir searched for him for two years, to no avail. Rumors persisted however, that Maric was alive, being held in an Orlesian prison.
His son Cailan Theirin, became king, he was the first Fereldan king born into a land free from foreign rule in two generations. Since his father's death, he's held the throne alongside his queen, Anora. Alas it would be a short five-year reign, as he was killed in battle alongside the Grey Warden Duncan at Ostagar at the beginning of the Fifth Blight. With no immediate successor, Ferelden soon fell into civil war between the Fereldan Royalists and forces loyal to Regent Loghain Mac Tir until Alistair Theirin, the illegitimate son of King Maric made himself known. King Alistair Theirin was crowned the ruler of Ferelden after the end of the Fifth Blight and is considered a hero among his people for having fought against the darkspawn as a Grey Warden.
He is one of the few known to have ever left the secretive order, never mind one who went on to rule a nation afterwards. Some in Ferelden claim that the Theirin line ended with the death of King Cailan and that the existence of an unknown bastard was a lie imposed upon the people to overthrow Queen Anora. As such, Alistair's rule has been plagued with trouble... both within his own lands as well as with neighboring Orlais. The Blight greatly weakened Ferelden, and many believe that a renewal of the long-standing rivalry between the two nations is inevitable. —From Ferelden: Folklore and History, by Sister Petrine, Chantry scholar
Viscount's Keep
Ericks came headed to the Keep for his meeting with King Alister where he spotted Aveline. The guard captain received word of the King of Ferelden's arrival at the last minute and scrambled a security detail in haste. As they walked, they noticed a large templar presence in the Keep and found Meredith talking with King Alistair and from the looks of it, it was not a happy conversation.
Alistair crossed his arms. "Let me guess: that's your final answer?"
"Three mages have fled to Ferelden, and you have intervened to protect them as id it is your right to do so" the Knight-Commander said. "What other answer did you expect, your Majesty?"
"A 'maybe' might have been nice," the king said dryly.
"I do not deal in 'maybes' I deal in cold, hard facts…as should you" she said. "Perhaps when Ferelden next chooses a king, it will be one that takes his duty to the Maker seriously" She walked away with her templars.
"Well. That was awkward."
"Don't mind her, just Meredith's idea of Kirkwall hospitality" Ericks said.
Alistair snorted. "Really? Kirkwall brutality must rip the skin off your face, then."
"This is the Champion of Kirkwall," Teagan said.
Alistair shook Ericks' hand. "Right! I'm Alistair, uh…king of Ferelden. And this is Teagan, my uncle. Sort of"
"It is good to see you again, Champion and I am only sort of his uncle" Aveline knelt to one knee.
"Your Majesty. May I say what an honor it is to meet you?"
Alistair sighed. "You could, but you'd be the first today."
"Ericks and I, we fought at Ostagar. What happened there was…a great tragedy." A great tragedy was an understatement, Ostagar was the catalyst that almost destroyed Ferelden from within and from the darkspawn. So many and so much was lost thanks to that hell, to point that its effects were still being felt seven years later.
"Ah. Yes. Yes, it was. Thankfully the man responsible has paid for that" Alistair said. "I was hoping we could talk. Would've been better timing before being emasculated by Meredith, but I'm not picky."
"Things are looking up! Not everyday I get called on to meet with foreign leaders."
"I know you came here from Lothering. One of our refugees that did well for himself, against all odds" he said. "I have to admit, I was hoping your influence in Kirkwall might be of use."
"Things...haven't been going well with Orlais. Without a viscount here, however there's only the knight-commander to deal with."
"Yes, I saw a part of that little scrap." Ericks said. "What was that about?"
Alistair sighed. "Yes, well, apparently I don't feel the same way about mages as the Chantry does" the king said. "So, we're in disagreement. That means they get nasty." Ferelden has traditionally been one of the more liberal countries when it came to mages and their rights. Mages are free to travel outside the circle for a limited number of times as long as they have permission from both the Knight-Commander and the First Enchanter. Even with a somewhat lax attitude on mages, there are still problems…problems the king cannot deal with unless they are outside the Circle.
"Aren't they in your kingdom? Just kick them out"
"Ha! Easier said than done!" the king said. "We'll see what comes of it. Ferelden did just have a blight recently, remember? We're not exactly at our strongest."
"Your Majesty, what of our people? A lot of them fled to Kirkwall, you know" Aveline said.
"I know. I wish I could have helped them." Alistair said solemnly. "The Blight devastated the kingdom and afterwards…well, it hasn't exactly been peaceful."
"They're welcome back, of course. As are you, but after so many years away, would you still consider it home?"
"Not really, Lothering might be rebuilt but it wouldn't exactly be home" Ericks said. "Too many memories…"
Alistair nodded. "I quite understand." He said. "A shame, we could use someone like you, Champion especially with Orlais."
"You speak as if there could be a war in the future."
"I hope not."
"You're more optimistic than I am," Teagan said. There has been talk among the Orlesian nobles about reconquering Ferelden with the country in a weakened state due to the Blight. However, the Empress Celene was not too sure retaking Ferelden would be as easy as the nobles believed due to the country being able push back the Blight in less than a year. Plus, things were not exactly stable in Orlais with talk of possibly overthrowing the empress. "Well, whatever happens, we won't let them swoop down on us, will we?"
Alistair smirked. "That's right. Swooping is bad"
Ericks crossed his arms. "Hypothetically speaking, you could fix this no-viscount situation."
Teagan shook his head. "That's asking a lot."
"Tempting but my support won't mean much with the Templars' support" Alistair said. "Though it is all moot at this point, I was hoping to have your help before Meredith got wind but what's done is done."
"What you can do is protect Kirkwall. It will take someone of your caliber to keep it from falling apart."
"Just little old me standing between the city and disaster, huh?" Ericks said dryly.
"I've been there. Trust me, it isn't pretty" the king said. "Well, I suppose we should be getting back."
Teagan nodded. "We should. The Hero of Ferelden should be back in Denerim by now."
"Always so formal, he has a name you know."
Next Time…a Crow! As Always Review and Comment!