The throne room of the Vigil stood cleared of individuals by request of the Kings Guard. His unannounced visit had staff and servants scrambling alike. I watched as he circles the large roaring fire oblivious to the chaos.
I offered him the grand chair on the dais, but he deftly waived it away requesting that I follow him. I thought I heard him say something about receiving a tour of the keep but he had taken the lead and wasn't slowing.
Several feet behind us walked his honor guard, several men who'd fought at Ostagar two years ago and had to forcibly removed from the battlefield. As we stepped out on the walkway between towers and the cold wind brutally whipped us, I had no doubt they preferred to be back inside and out of the northern seashore climate in the dead of winter.
But a look at the Kings face gave me the impression he was looking for privacy. It had been his greatest joy when traveling with us during the blight and his biggest sorrow returning to Denerim.
Teyrn and I had only returned yesterday from the Amgarrak Thiag and dealing with the desecration of Caridin's anvil and the abomination's it created. Things always went wrong when people who had no magical training started tampering with things they shouldn't.
Which meant we had less than a day from the time my new Seneschal Garevel notified me of the intended visit. I am not sure why I was surprised and should have expected it. He had given me busy work not knowing exactly what to do with me. And of course, now would be the time he chose to visit.
The Vigil was a mess with construction. The city of Amaranthine was almost finished with repairs and rebuilding but the Keep was taking a bit longer.
Voldrilk while an amazing structural engineer had no patience and did not suffer fools lightly. Which meant all surface dwellers who thought about either working for him or having an opinion about his stonework, were fools.
He was also being touchy as there was a second attempt on Dworkin's life driving his bother back underground. We had killed the Qunari assassins, but the dwarf wasn't convinced that he wouldn't be attacked again. Dworkin alluded how close he was to figuring out the recipe for their exploding powder and promised I would get the first batch.
Justice, Anders, Velanna and Sigrun all vanished. Justice and Velanna right after the battle for the Vigil, Anders and Sig while I was away dealing with the Golems. Leaving me to be the Warden Commander of two. No wonder the King was coming to check on my progress.
"The repairs are coming along nicely I see. I heard she held out for four days before the horde broke through. The stories told about its siege are almost mythic close to stories about the blight itself."
I looked out over the scattered building materials, the destroyed walls, scorched lower bailey and tried to imagine what it was the king saw. Because we weren't looking at the same construction. "Voldrilk, the dwarf assures me that while it is a mess, when he is done the Vigil will stand another century. The massive outpouring of coin and donations from the rest of Thedas has really helped."
"You're not happy, here are you?"
"Your Majesty?"
"Cailan… there is no need to be formal. Especially as it is just the two of us. We are friends and we shed blood together, remember. I owe you more than my life. But I worry for you. Your unhappiness hangs about you like a thick cloak. I didn't request this command to punish you. I felt you deserved it."
I studied the man for several moments. His hair had grown back to the shoulder length it was when she first met him. He had allowed himself a mustache and cropped beard. Even his demeaner was less boyish. His time traveling had aged him, in a good way. Ferelden needed a more settled king on the throne.
"I know, Sire but you are still the King. To call you Cailan in an official capacity is offensive. But to your point, you could have sent me back to the new tower they are constructing. I heard the Knight Commander requested me. They said my knowledge would be beneficial to the Circle as First Enchanter. Not that there are any mages left in Ferelden beside me."
Cailan frowned. Her body language was screaming at him to do something. He just didn't know if it was the loss of everyone, the new command, or general apathy but she had grown even more distant since killing of the Archdemon.
Not that by the time the Landsmeet she was friendly with more than the dwarf, the elf and Alistair. When Aedan had disappeared searching for Morrigan he'd hoped she would join in some of the celebrations.
She refused to talk about the Landsmeet or the decision to allow Loghain to join the Wardens. In fact, he was surprised she didn't leave when the ex-regnant survived his joining. His little brother didn't even wait to see if he survived before Alistair disappeared.
Admittedly he was to blame for some of that debacle at the Landsmeet. But when Loghain declared his daughter worthy of the name Theirin with Alistair standing in front of him, Cailan decided not to hide his identity anymore.
"Yes, they did. And while the Grey Wardens had denied their request, I seconded that refusal. I would not see you locked in a Circle again. I am working on a way to remove the Chantry and the Templars as well. Does that please you?"