DISCLAIMER: I base my stories on Intellectual Property (IP) owned by BioWare™ and EA™. I pretend to live in their world.
SPOILERS: I refer to information from the games, the novels and the comics. If you have not played or read, please beware.
A SONG IN THE STILLNESS
Chapter 4: Despite the Pain
9:31 Dragon, Harvestmere === Denerim
Eleanor hesitated in the doorway of Fergus' study, frowning as she watched her son work his way through his account ledger. Under Philippa's oversight recovery continued in Highever, allowing Fergus and Eleanor to spend time at Highever House. With the teyrnir safe, she knew his hunched shoulders and clenched jaw came from anger and grief, not financial worries. Without something to fight, Fergus had retreated into himself, unable to recover from losing his father, wife, son and, finally, his sister. Nothing she or his friends said or did seemed to relieve his anguish. Unsure how to converse with the grim, solitary man he had become, she knocked on the door jamb and, when he looked up, annoyed, quickly relayed the request that he join Anora and Leonas that afternoon at the Palace. She did not mention that Tilda had prepared a meal. He often took his meals alone in the study, while she joined friends or ate alone in her solar. Six months since the Final Battle and Fergus remained remote, despite their victory. Walking back to her own rooms, memories rushed through her mind.
Since the end of the Blight, Fergus had divided his time between Highever and Denerim, seeing to the rebuilding of the teyrnir, with Philippa's help, and the ruling of the country with Anora and Teyrn Leonas Bryland. Revitalizing mining and forestry and Highever's trade with the Marches and Nevarra had taken much of his time. The wardens had assisted, sealing darkspawn tunnels and clearing any infested mines. Eleanor had done what she could, traveling with him to work on revitalizing trade and the textile industry, visiting farmholds and seeing to the distribution of not just food, but seeds, livestock, and raw materials to ensure farmers, shepherds and artisans could rebuild. In Denerim, she visited Anora with Dame Reginalda, and tried to enjoy the little queen, despite mourning her own husband, grandson, good-daughter and daughter.
She often wondered how others had missed Rendon Howe's perfidy, until she recalled her own unspoken questions and silence about so many things. She had suppressed her own misgivings about Howe, Melysande's Orlesian marriage, Bryce's too trusting nature…so many regrets and might-have-beens. Fergus, she realized, must feel the same, but, unlike her, he refused to bend and reach out to those who cared about him. Mother and son continued to live together, in silence, working towards the same goals and doing their duty, but not sharing their pain.
Forgiving Loghain, once her good friend, proved Eleanor's greatest challenge. While she understood the influence of Rendon's Howe's blood mages, she also understood they magnified and played upon Loghain's own beliefs and biases. She could not abandon the conviction that Loghain might have stopped Howe; Loghain, carrying his own burden of guilt, would agree with Eleanor's assessment, had they discussed it, but he avoided Denerim, much as he had after Maric and Rowan wed.
Dame Reginalda, who had taken to visiting with the Arl of Gwaren on his rare trips to the capital, finally, in August, persuaded Eleanor to join them, saying the Arl could use Eleanor's advice and contacts with House Haris as he tried to build Gwaren economy and provide help to the rest of Ferelden. Despite the awkwardness, and with Reginalda as a buffer, the former Teyrn and dowager Teyrna had managed, to revive a ghost of their old friendship, by sticking to business and avoiding painful, personal topics – a new skill Eleanor sometimes regretted acquiring.
Fergus, for reasons she did not understand, had less trouble resuming his friendship with Loghain. The General had to work with the Regents, but Fergus often joined the former Teyrn, now Arl of Gwaren, for meals at Gwaren House. Teyrn Bryland had his own Denerim estate and had generously allowed the former teyrn to keep the Gwaren Denerim estate.
Leonas and Loghain had never been close, but now, as Teyrn and Arl, they got along well enough. Loghain had spent most of the summer in Gwaren re-establishing himself as Arl and assessing the state of the Arling since the end of the Blight. At Teyrn Bryland's request, he had ridden over the lands north and east of the city with Wardens Eryhn and Pery, looking for darkspawn activity and checking on the mines and logging sites at the edge of the Brecilian Forest. Finding little evidence of darkspawn, in Solace he left the two wardens in Gwaren to traverse the Brecilian Passage, meeting Leonas and Fergus in South Reach. There he reported his findings to his liege-lord, Teyrn Bryland, and then continued west with Fergus, in his role as General of Ferelden, to survey the lands most affected by the Blight.
Loghain and Fergus, riding west with a company of Fereldan troops and several wardens, had traveled through what had been Lothering, to Ostagar. On route, they found a huge swath of land surrounding the Imperial Highway, from north of Lothering to the Wilds, lying barren and abandoned, with not a blade of green grass or trickle of untainted water. Moving beyond Ostagar, they entered the Wilds and set up camp beside a pond unaffected by the Blight.
"Our scouts find no one within miles, Fergus. How long before these Chasind friends of yours join us?"
"Grumbling already, Loghain? They'll be here within a day."
The General snorted.
The next day, as the sun rose towards its zenith, Einarr, Shaman Æsa, and group of Aesole warriors joined them. Bowing his head to the Shaman, Loghain thanked her for saving Fergus' life. "He is important to Ferelden and to me, as a friend. I also bring you greetings from Peryndel and Eryhn. They now keep watch in my home of Gwaren," Loghain added.
"It pleases me that they live, lord Loghain," Æsa replied. "I met Asha'bellannar on my way here," she added, watching a frown crease Loghain's features. "She sends her greetings and congratulates you on surviving. You have betrayed your friend three times, as she prophesied, but your friend did not fulfill his promise to her. Should you meet him again, you should remind him he has a debt to pay."
Loghain's frown remained, but his mouth opened and close, confusion overcoming what had been anger. "Dead men can't pay debts," Loghain muttered. He saw the Shaman's slight shrug. "I know, you only carry her message," he added more clearly. "I'll let him know, should I ever join him at the Maker's side.
The Shaman bowed and moved on to speak with Fergus, as Einarr approached Loghain.
Loghain chuckled as greeted Einarr and the warriors he recognized from the battles in the Alienage. "I wish my scouts could spend more time with you. They need training," Loghain grumbled companionably.
"But then they would find us," Einarr countered. "We watched them yesterday. They did not search quite far enough. We waited until they left to move on and set up our evening camp."
Loghain shook his head, as the war band leader and his soldiers joined the Fereldans around the fire. The two groups remained together for two days, before parting. Shaman Æsa and Einarr provided information on darkspawn activity in their tribe's land, as well as effects of the Blight. Fortunately for the Chasind tribes, the Blight had not spread to the lands southeast of Ostagar, nor had the darkspawn invaded in any numbers. Like the Brecilian and Gwaren, the lands to the far south remained healthy and safe. Agreeing to send word of darkspawn or other dangers, the two groups departed.
As the Fereldans moved southwest, along the edges of the Wilds and west into the Hinterlands, the Blight-affected territories became islands in the midst of healthy, green fields and forests. In some spots, a Blighted expanse already showed green sprouts along its edges, allaying their fears that the Blighted land might spread. Seeing new life, however meager, gave the two noblemen hope that the land might one day recover. From West Hills, where Gallagher Wulff hoped to revive his battered Arling, through the Hinterlands to Redcliffe, where Teagan Guerrin welcomed them, they saw folk returning to farmholds and villages. More importantly, they encountered few darkspawn bands. Here, where it had all begun, the darkspawn had disappeared.
Fergus had related very little of his experiences to his mother. She had to rely on second hand stories from Anora and, when he visited his daughter and granddaughter, Loghain. She learned that at Redcliffe, they found Teagan on his own. The new Arl of Redcliffe brought them up to date over whiskey in his late brother's study, where each of them tried not to recall past meetings, often concerning Alistair, with Eamon, Maric or Bryce Cousland. All three men had too many ghosts and Redcliffe brought them to mind. Despite the fine whiskey, Fergus and Loghain looked forward to moving on, but first, they needed to hear how Teagan fared. After all, he had to live in this haunted castle.
Settling back, they listened as Teagan spoke. In Solace, Teagan recounted, First Enchanter Irving had sent for Conner. Teagan had accompanied the boy and his mother to the Circle Tower. From the Tower, Teagan arranged for two Chantry priests and a templar, all traveling back to Jader, to accompany Isolde on her trip home to her family in Val Chevin. Ever dramatic, Isolde wailed and pleaded for permission for Conner to accompany her, but both Irving and Greagoir denied her requests. Teagan, with a shake of his head, described Conner's relief at entering the Tower and escaping his mother's tears and lamentations.
"Of course, the wailing stopped as soon as Conner had disappeared and she began berating me for sending her away. I suspect the Chantry folk did not look forward to her company, although they said nothing and did approve of her apparent devotion to Andraste." Teagan's grimace made it clear he had enjoyed his return to Redcliffe without his demanding former good-sister's company. The next day he had taken them on a tour of Redcliffe and the surrounding lands, where villagers had begun to rebuild and farmers worked to harvest what crops they could.
Teagan's old bann, west of Lake Calenhad, had suffered almost no darkspawn incursions. Many refugees remained in the camp around Rainesfere which Lys and Alistair had helped Teagan set up. Some readied themselves for another winter away from their farms and villages. Most hoped to return to their old farm holds, or new lands, in the spring. Teagan had already told Alistair's friends from Dragon's Peak, who remained in Rainesfere, ministering to the camp and guarding its residents, of his death, sparing Fergus and Loghain that task. Teagan expressed his belief that the camp would clear out by spring, as he and Wulff had begun to work with the local banns toward ensuring any who wanted a farm hold could have one.
Returning through Redcliffe, where Teagan left them, Fergus and Loghain rode north, this time skirting the Blighted lands around Lothering and heading into the Bannorn. Here they found roving darkspawn bands, which their troop of soldiers and wardens fought and defeated or sent underground. Sealing caves where they could, they moved through the Fereldan heartland, again finding islands of desolation amidst this fertile territory. In the Bannorn, the banns and farm holders had organized themselves, taking refugees into homes in safe areas, distributing food, and patrolling to find and dispatch remaining 'spawn. The aid of the Fereldan troops and wardens furthered their efforts. Fergus turned north to visit his own lands and see Arlessa Philippa before returning to Denerim for the autumn Landsmeet. With her baby due in Kingsway, Pippa would not be coming to Denerim in August. Loghain continued through the Bannorn to Denerim, riding the last miles along the South Road.
The autumn or 'Little' Landsmeet convened toward the end of the month of August, after Fereldans had harvested any crops that survived the civil war and Blight. Since she attended, along with Fergus, Eleanor witnessed the events there firsthand. Much to Anora's relief and, to her surprise and Eleanor's, the Landsmeet accepted Loghain in his role as Arl and General. Loghain reported to the nobles first as Arl of Gwaren. He said that both his city and Teyrn Bryland's lands around the Brecilian Forest suffered little Blight damage. The people would do what they could to support the rest of Ferelden with food, mostly potatoes, dried berries, sweet syrup, and smoked and salted mutton and fish. They would also send wood and charcoal for fuel and, come spring, raw wool for spinning and weaving.
Switching to his role as General, he described his observations and confirmed that rogue darkspawn bands still roamed the land in the period that the old chronicles called the Thaw. Amaranthine, which suffered very little from the Blight, suffered the worst depredation, which many muttered was only right and a just punishment to those who had supported the old Arl. Loghain noted that Arl Nathaniel and the Grey Wardens, together, patrolled the Arling and City to defeat the remaining darkspawn bands or drive them back underground, before this large incursion spread to the Bannorn, Highever or Denerim.
Throughout the rest of Ferelden, he noted that the army, noble militias, and the wardens continued to work together to eradicate remaining darkspawn and seal portals to the Deep Roads or other darkspawn lairs. The wardens, he had added, continued to expand their ranks, training new recruits and venturing forth to seal caves and mines in their bannorn of Warden's Hill. Loghain, along with the Regents, commended the efforts of the nobility in patrolling their own lands and dealing with their own displaced folk. Warden-Commander Liam, he added, would send wardens wherever needed to provide aid in the fight. With darkspawn activity diminishing everywhere but Amaranthine, the Landsmeet accepted the General's report, feeling hopeful that the worst was indeed over and, once Ferelden survived the winter, they could hope for better times in the spring. Nathaniel felt less optimistic, but kept his own counsel, not wanting to bring more attention to himself or Amaranthine in the wake of his father's downfall.
The only significant action by the Little Landsmeet involved Denerim, left without an Arl for over a year since Arl Kendalls died at Ostagar, and his son and heir Vaughn disappeared around the same time, en route to South Reach to join his wife, Habren. Declaring Vaughn dead, with no heir, they elevated Cauthrien to the nobility and named her Arl of Denerim. Ser Cauthrien retained her position as Captain of Maric's Shield, which guarded the Palace, the queen, her family, and the regents; the Landsmeet also reconfirmed Captain Kylon as head of Denerim's guard, which guarded the city and the Arl's estate. Based on the skills, integrity and talent Cauthrien had shown during the Blight, the Landsmeet believed the new Arl would serve Denerim well as it rebuilt.
At Cauthrien's suggestion, and with the support of the regents, General Loghain, and Captain Kylon, the Landsmeet appointed Hahren Valendrian as Bann of the Alienage, with a seat in the Landsmeet. The Landsmeet agreed, by a narrow margin, that the elves, who had defended themselves well during the battle, could continue to arm themselves, and patrol and defend the Alienage, as well as apply for positions in the Denerim guard. No one expected an immediate change in attitudes, but this provided a start. Cauthrien and Valendrian agreed to Teyrn Cousland's suggestion that they meet with Arlessa Broughten-Howe and Hahren Cordelian to understand how Higheverport overcame challenges and governed its humans, elves and dwarves.
Cauthrien and Kylon had, with the regents, been overseeing Denerim's recovery since Cloudreach. By Justinian, all the rubble had been cleared in each neighborhood and piled for removal. Any untainted, repairable items had been left for residents to reclaim or adopt. There had been a few fights over ownership within families and between neighbors, but the guard and the other neighbors, who could bear witness to the item's ownership, soon restored calm. Cabinetmakers, operating under canvas in the open air, scavenged lumber and made repairs or built new pieces. Carpenters, thatchers, and stone masons had more work than they could handle, repairing and rebuilding the city's housing. Dwarftown masons welcomed the chance to go below ground and map and repair the tunnels snaking under the city. Some would revert to their original use as sewers, while others would remain as escape routes from attack. With maps and more secure gates on the paths under the walls, the restored underground would no longer be in the hands of smugglers, the Carta, or human and elven criminals. The Mage Collective would regret losing the old secret paths, but Loghain and Fergus had some ideas for letting them operate in secret, from Gwaren and Highever, with only a small group in Denerim, provided they avoided blood magic.
Trade had resumed quickly, with ships bringing lumber from Gwaren, stone and tiles from Highever and the Marches, reeds and straw from the Bannorn, and food from wherever there was a surplus. Following the goods, many artisans had come into Denerim from Highever, which suffered little damage, unlike the South and West. Others came from the Free Marches, seeing more work in Denerim than they had at home. The regents had no objection to newcomers immigrating to replace the skills of those who had died.
With those major issues resolved, the Landsmeet had adjourned, leaving the regents to deal with individual pleadings from nobles and commoners. Given their experience, the Queen Dowager and the two Teyrns quickly settled the disputes. By the second week in Kingsway, the nobles had returned to their lands or, like Fergus and Eleanor, settled into their estates and townhouses for the winter.
x==========x
Sighing, Fergus leaned back in his chair, as Eleanor relayed the message from the palace. He had postponed meeting with Leonas and Anora twice this week; he would have to join them today. He sent a message to the stables to have his horse saddled and proceeded to change from his casual robe into more elegant attire that included breeches, a tunic under a light leather breastplate, and a sleeveless gown, belted, on which he sheathed a sword and knife. He rode to the palace, attended by four guards, through streets full of activity as rebuilding continued. Only a light snow had fallen since the beginning of Harvestmere, but everyone rushed to complete their shelters before the worst of the winter began.
Arriving at the palace without incident, Fergus joined Leonas and Anora, hoping for a short meeting. He snorted softly, ignoring Anora's frown, when she announced the topic. With Satinalia approaching, Anora wanted to discuss what celebrations the Crown should provide, beyond distributing food. Fergus fidgeted, earning another annoyed glance from Anora, and offered few comments, thinking that others could decide these things, but Leonas and Anora seemed to think it important that the regents make the plan. Leonas noted that they expected to receive a good supply of mutton, chicken and pork, while Anora wondered whether butchering and distributing it equitably would prove difficult. Something in Anora's query caused him to look up and smile, recalling better times in Higheverport. He surprised himself as much as his two companions by speaking out.
"We made roasting pits in each section of Higheverport and around the castle," Fergus said, his eyes staring off into the distance, as if seeing the scene before him. "We set up tables around the spit, and the local inns sold ale and wine. The butchers and their helpers saw to the roasting. Every householder could come, bring beans or potatoes, and any other savory dish they chose to share with their family, and take meat from the common pit. If the weather turned nasty," he smiled, "as it too often did, everyone retreated to their homes or the inns and sent a family member with a basket or pot for the meat. Roasting in public sends a marvelous aroma through the town," he added, his eyes still unfocused, staring over Teyrn Bryland's head. "Good times," he murmured before settling back and resuming his solemn focus on the table.
"That's a brilliant idea, Fergus," Anora said. "Each pit can have a selection of what meat, fish and fowl we have. Maybe even a fish chowder on the fire."
Fergus gave Anora a quick sidelong glance. "You're not saving the chowder for yourself?" he teased.
"Well, we'll distribute only the extra, after I have my share, of course," she replied, surprised, but pleased that he had responded. "Will you and Eleanor stay for Satinalia or-"
"-we're staying here. Arlessa Philippa will see to the celebrations at ho-…in Higheverport. It's all arranged. She shouldn't travel so soon after the birth."
"The baby must be a month old by now and healthy? It's good the succession to the two Arlings is secure," Leonas said.
"Healthy so far as I know. If they have another, they will divide the Arlings," Fergus added, relieved the subject had moved to a political topic. "One for Higheverport and one for Amaranthine and if they're lucky there'll be a spare or a girl to marry off." He had feared Anora might ask for descriptions and personal details, since he had seen the child, a dark-haired boy they had decided to name Thomas, of all things. Second time's the charm? I would have picked Byron, for Nate's dead uncle, or some random name, but they seemed happy with the choice. At least they didn't pick Rendon.
Fergus knew Nate had just discovered that the baby's uncle had died at some Maker-forsaken fort east of the Vigil and assumed this had influenced his choice of name. Nate never gave up hope for Thomas' redemption. Nate had seen to his brother pyre, and held a memorial service, adding Thomas' name to the family memorial stone below their mother, their uncle, and Nate's traitorous grandfather. Let's hope this child follows in his uncle and father's footsteps. He realized the conversation had moved beyond Nate and Pippa's baby when Anora touched his arm.
"We need to meet with Arl Cauthrien, Captain Kylon, and Bann Valendrian," Anora was saying as Fergus attention returned to the matters at hand. After sending messengers to the Alienage and Arl's estate, Anora leaned back in her chair and sipped the spiced wine in her goblet. She watched Fergus, wondering if he would ever adjust to his losses. A wife, a father, a sister, a son…only Eleanor had suffered similar losses. I lost Cailan, but I have my daughter and my father. Even Nate has his wife, a child and his sister. Certainly, other Fereldans had lost as much as Fergus, but she did not know them. Fergus and Eleanor were friends. While Eleanor hid it better, both Couslands merely functioned, doing their duty despite the pain.
Teyrn Bryland began to report on his tour of the city, relating that no more Denerim citizens lived in tents or make-shift shelters unsuitable for a southern winter. The food stores, supplemented by hunting in the forests outside the city, would provide a steady, if not varied, diet until spring. The Satinalia celebrations would mark a turning point: the city and its citizens would survive the winter.
9:31 Dragon, Harvestmere === Higheverport
"We arrived at an opportune time," Kai said, looking at the festivities in the streets of Higheverport. "No one's paying us any attention."
"Pippa's made sure the traditional celebrations resumed," Lys agreed. "It's as if nothing's changed."
"That's not true," Kai said. "I've heard several folks remarking that they miss your family, but understand that your Mum and Fergus stayed in Denerim because he's a Regent."
Covered by wimples and veils, the two women spent the morning anonymously shopping for sorely needed cloth, food, and other supplies for themselves, Reina, Maric, Estrid and the crew of the Wyvern. No one took notice of strangers, given that family and friends had flocked to Higheverport from farm holds and outlying towns to celebrate a Satinalia free of Blight and Rendon Howe's troops. The people of Higheverport showed no interest in a human woman and her elven handmaiden.
While Lys and Kai shopped, Reina took two elves from the Orphanage to visit the Alienage and Hahren Cordelian. Captured by Rendon Howe just before his downfall, the two elven men from Denerim understood the world outside Howe's fortress, unlike many of their fellow prisoners, and could represent the freed elves who hoped to gain asylum in the Highever Alienage. The elves only knew Lys as Lady Howe and much as she hated that title, it kept her identity secret; her pregnancy allowed her to remain isolated from the other passengers on the Wyvern, leaving the elves' rescue to Kai and Reina, whom they knew.
As Lys and Kai walked back to the docks, a wheeled litter trundled past, curtains partially open, heading to the Alienage. Lys stopped, recognizing the occupant, wrapped in furs and holding a bundle.
"Pippa," Kai said softly. "She's just had the baby."
"Let's hope she'll agree to rescue our elves," Lys said, avoiding any personal comment. "Hahren Cordelian will have a plan already, I'm sure. The women all spin and weave. They can join her workshop."
"The men have talents too. They've all been kidnapped from some other life as young men. Some may even want to return home."
"Pippa won't turn them away. She's taking her son with her to meet with them. That's a serious signal of goodwill."
Others had stopped to look at the Arlessa, who leaned forward, smiled and waved. Lys swallowed, blinking back tears of joy and sadness. "She wouldn't turn them away, even if she wasn't Nate's wife. Higheverport is her city. She doesn't need Fergus' permission to accept the elves as refugees." Lys watched the cart disappear around a corner towards the Alienage before she turned to Kai. "You should go to the Alienage; avoid Myfa, but see what you can find out…what the elves there think. Pippa may accept the refugees, but the elves must too. Hahren Cordelian will have conferred with her council before she asked Pippa to visit."
"So, they must have agreed?"
"Or they're asking Pippa to provide other options."
"Ah, but she'll need Fergus…right, that would be a problem if he's not here."
"If they won't take them, we'll have to just leave them on the coast west of here and hope they can find shelter or take them to Cumberland."
"I'll go get news," Kai said. "What will you do?"
"We're almost to the docks. I'll go back to the ship. You can join Reina and the two men when they leave the Alienage."
"You're not going to walk out to the castle, are you? Or something equally foolish."
Lys smiled. "No. I have no need to stir up memories, Kai, they come unbidden and I work to bury them. I'll go back and take a nap."
Kai looked towards the docks where a boat waited to row Lys back to the Wyvern. "Fine. I'll see what I can learn."
They parted and Lys, instead of going to the docks, made her way towards the Haris warehouse. Slipping inside, she made her way down a flight of steps into a storeroom. As the wooden panel, which matched all the other panels in the storage room, popped open under pressure, a dust cloud puffed up and she sneezed. Going through the almost hidden door into the tunnel she sighed, recalling the sound of Howe's troops in this tunnel eighteen months before. This entry needs to be secured better. She began the long, uphill trek to the portal entrance halfway between the Arl's Keep and Castle Cousland. Arriving, she pressed her palm against the wall and the door to the portal chamber slid open.
Areth, Revona City
Lys stood in the Travelers Council Building, gathering all the items she had ordered when she arrived. This time she had not visited her Aunt Olivia, although she had been tempted. While she believed her Aunt Liv would honor her wishes to remain hidden from her family and Pippa, she hesitated to ask her to do so, at least until she had more definite plans. Bringing Maric to Areth would not prove difficult, since his blood would prove his relationship to her child. Kai had no such claim, but Lys hoped she could persuade the Council to allow it. If not, she would need Liv's help. As an elf, Kai could provide cultural information and Liv, as a professor, historian and anthropologist might help persuade the Travelers Council of Kai's value. Observing is one thing, actually talking with an elf - one who knew both Dalish and city elf culture - would prove invaluable or at least she hoped the Council would see it that way. Until she knew if she needed Liv's help, she would not contact her aunt. Plenty of time to do that once we reach Cumberland.
Packing a new supply of Blight pills, antibiotics, vitamins and a few other supplies, along with the sense of well-being a full pre-natal and physical exam provided, she headed back to the portal to return to Higheverport and make her way back to the ship. Reina had kept her healthy and for that she would be forever grateful to the mage. Whatever path Reina chose, Lys would do her best to ensure she succeeded. Her other challenge would be explaining Areth to Maric, Kai…and to the baby's grandmother. Fiona deserved to know Alistair had left a baby behind – and she could help Reina. She pushed away thoughts of her own mother and Fergus. Those choices would have to wait.
9:31 Dragon, Harvestmere === Higheverport
Kai found Lys asleep in their cabin when she returned to the Wyvern. Retreating to the deck, she sat down with Maric to bring him up to date on the day's accomplishments. She had schooled herself not to call him Your Majesty or even my lord at his, and Lys', insistence. What surprised her was how easy she found it to talk with him. The man had been a king, but he treated her like an equal, just as Lys did. Ferelden had lost more than she realized when Rendon Howe kidnapped him.
Sitting on a rower's bench next to the one-time king, Kai told him that Arlessa Philippa Broughten-Howe had agreed to accept the elves from the Orphanage once Hahren Cordelian explained her plan. The women would join the weaving workshop and the men would find jobs based on their prior experience. Highever had not been devastated by the Blight, but lives had been lost during Howe's occupation. The city and teyrnir continued to rebuild and needed workers and children.
Both the Hahren and Pippa had asked Reina if she planned to stay, promising to help her get a free mage certificate, but the mage had declined with thanks, saying she would rather return to Nevarra when the Wyvern left Higheverport the following day. She had not explained that the Fereldan Circle would claim her as a blood mage and no amount of help from the Arlessa would change the First Enchanter or the Knight-Commander's view. She doubted even Jowan's testimony would convince the two men that she had not escaped willingly.
When Kai finished, Maric remained silent for a long time before saying, "I'm the reason Lys won't reveal herself, aren't I?"
"No," Kai replied. "Not just you. She's worried about the baby, too. She can admit the baby is Alistair's, but that puts the babe in danger from Orlais and Tevinter. If she says it's Thomas' to conceal his parentage…well, that's a whole different kind of risk. Her Mum may think she should tell Nate and Delilah the truth if the baby is their nephew. Neither of them supported their father, so they're given the benefit of the doubt, but some people aren't sure about them, either. That's not true of Thomas, and Lys fears Thomas' evil would reflect on his child. Besides, she doesn't want it to be Thomas'. It's Alistair's and she won't deny that."
"Right, but surely Eleanor would keep her secret."
"Lady Eleanor has two children and, as we've learned, Fergus is a Regent for Queen Elin. Lady Eleanor might feel she must tell him." Kai reached out to lay a hand on Maric's arm. "Give Lys some time. She'll make the right choice. She can always tell her family, but once she does, she can't take it back. She needs to feel sure her baby is safe, not just you."
Waking from her nap, Lys joined Maric, Kai, Reina and Estrid for dinner in the Captain's cabin. As they ate, each retold the events of the day to bring the whole company up to date. Only Lys had little to say. Estrid, they learned, had also gone ashore to seek more sailors. Two elves who had helped the crew as they traveled from the Orphanage to Higheverport had asked to join permanently and been accepted, but Estrid needed a few more sailors to make up a full complement. She had also, she added, found cargo for Cumberland, which would be loaded in the morning as the elves left.
In the morning the elves all debarked, each with a pouch of coins, to begin their new lives, a little bewildered and overwhelmed, but thankful for the reception the Higheverport Alienage offered. The next afternoon, with cargo loaded and with a full complement of sailors, the Wyvern left for Cumberland.
x==========x
Lys stood at the rail of the steering platform, gazing at the starry sky above. Better get this over with now, while the sky's clear. Kai and Maric stood beside her, watching the wake churn behind them as the wind pushed the caravel west. Lys touched Kai's arm and motioned for her to companions to follower her to the port side of the platform.
"Glorious sky full of stars, isn't it?"
Maric grinned. "After all those years in the dark, even a night like this with no moons seemed brilliant."
"Satina will rise later," Lys said, "but I want to show you something before it does. You both have seen falling stars, right?"
"Of course," Kai said.
"Have you ever noticed that," and she pointed towards a bright object tracking across the western sky well above the horizon. "That bright object moving steadily south to north above the horizon."
Kai and Maric both stared at the pin-point of light slowly, but clearly, moving across the sky, and then looked at Mel.
"It's odd," Kai said, "it's constant like a star, but it moves. Falling stars only go a short distance before they wink out."
"And they fall," Maric said. "They don't travel in a straight-line parallel to the ground."
"No, they don't, but that isn't a star." Lys spoke very quietly; Estrid, at the wheel, wouldn't hear her over the noise of the sea, the wind and the creaking of the ship. "Have you ever considered that there might be other worlds out there, far away?"
"Other…you mean with people?" Kai had raised an eyebrow. Her mouth quirked as if she expected a punch line.
"I mean with people. Worlds that can send people to travel through space."
Maric had said nothing, just stared at Lys, a thoughtful crimp forming across his brow.
"You're serious," Kai said. "You believe in other worlds? Not the Fade. Or the Void, where souls go, but other worlds like Thedas?"
"I do. I've been to other worlds. That moving object is a satellite. It allows people…me…to travel from Thedas to a world called Areth. It's where I got the Blight pills, Kai. And the special gambesons, and, well, other things. My family came to Thedas, to Highever, in the Glory Age, from Areth. We're called Travelers. Over the ages Ferelden became our home, but we still return to Areth for education, some supplies, and to visit family who live there. "Look, I have some things to show you, but we should go to our cabin."
Kai and Maric exchanged glances and let Lys get ahead of them.
"She's serious?" Maric whispered.
Kai wrinkled her nose," Umm…yeah, that's not her jokey face. We've seen some unbelievable things in the past year, but…other worlds?" She looked at Mel, who had stopped at the ladder leading down to the deck.
"I could say the same about my past," Maric murmured, "unbelievable things, but not traveling the stars."
They followed Lys into her cabin.
Lys watched her friends sit on Kai's bunk, exchange a look, and take deep breaths, almost in unison. "I know it's difficult, but maybe these will convince you," she said, pulling items out of a satchel. "It's fantastical, I know. I was with Fergus when he told Oriana. If she hadn't loved him so much, I think she'd have left for Antiva on the next ship. And, no," she said to Kai, "Zevran was not part of the conversation. He does not know what I'm revealing to you." She continued explaining, saying, "Fergus and Oriana went through the portal the same day, which convinced her. We can't do that until we get to Cumberland, but I thought I'd give you both some time to absorb the information and play with some of the toys I brought back."
"Brought back?" Kai asked, eyes narrowing.
"Toys?" Maric said.
"There's a portal in Higheverport."
Kai's nose wrinkled again as she shrugged. "Let's see your treasures."
Maric only nodded. Lys held out a small camera she had brought back from her visit the day before. Fortunately, the pictures from her old camera, the one she had left with her belongings in Denerim, had been stored on Areth and she could download them. She turned it on and flipped open the viewing screen. A picture of Kai and Zev came up. She handed the camera to Kai, who took it and, gasped, eyes widening. She stared, not able to take her eyes away from the screen, as her fer finger traced Zevran's jaw.
"Who?" Maric whispered.
"Zevran, my lover," Kai said. "How?" She looked at Lys.
Lys sat beside Kai and showed her how to move through the pictures, explaining that the device captured an image in time and stored it. Alistair came up next and Maric's breath stopped for a moment. Lys bit her lip and began to reach out, but pulled her hand back.
"Alistair?" Maric asked in a whisper, although he knew the answer.
"I'll leave you to look through the pictures. Kai, you can tell Maric who's who. He's heard us talk about everyone, now he can put faces with the names." She pulled two ear cuffs out of her pack. "I brought these back, too."
Kai looked at her. Lys had come to dinner wearing what looked like her old ear cuff, but that one had disappeared after the battle. "I wondered where you got that ear cuff. You went to this place…Areth, while I went to the Alienage, didn't you?"
"Yes. The portal is in the tunnel between the Keep and the Castle. I have more pills, medicines, the camera and these." She held up the cuffs. "And I had an examination. I'm healthy and so is the baby." Lys waited for the next question. How had she had time to do all that? but it didn't come. Not yet. One of them will ask it after the shock wears off.
Maric twisted the ear cuff in his hand, while Kai fitted hers, having seen Lys do it many times. Lys took Maric's back and fitted the simple cuff on his ear. Pressing it, she murmured 'play bluegrass' and Maric's head shot up. She put a hand on his shoulder. "It's music."
"I know it's music," he grumbled, "but what kind of magic is this?"
Lys helped Kai start the music in her cuff, choosing indie/folk for her, before she replied. "None of this is magic. Areth has no magic. If you were a mage and went to Areth, your mana would…disappear is the best way I can describe it. No one understands why, it just does. Everything Areth has is based on science."
"No magic," Kai said, almost to herself. She looked up and focused on Lys, her eyes narrowed. "No wonder I always had to nudge you or call out when you wore your cuff!"
Lys shrugged one shoulder and smirked.
Kai smiled. "I like the music."
"As do I," Maric said.
"Only you can hear the music playing in your ear," Lys said. She had taken the camera from Kai for a moment as she talked and now handed it back. A new picture had come onto the screen, of Kai and Maric looking up at Lys, ear cuffs visible. Her friends looked at themselves in surprise.
"It's a little dark in here, so not the best image," Lys said. "Anyway, why don't you listen, look, enjoy, and think. Areth has no Orlesians, no Tevinters, no one looking for any of us. There are, by the way, no Travelers in Orlais or Tevinter - both are deemed too unfriendly and not safe. Areth is safe and I've already submitted the requests for you to go there with me." She held up both hands, palm out. "Not permanently and only if you want to," she assured them. "I come and go and so can you. As I said, think about it. There's a portal in Cumberland. You don't have to decide tonight."
"Nor do you," Kai said, "But it sounds like a safe place to think."
"It is that, and a safe place to birth a child."
Lys returned to the deck and searched for the satellite. Three circled the planet where Thedas formed part of one continent. As far as she knew, no Traveler had ventured beyond Thedas, or at least no one who had returned to tell about it. One day, perhaps…. She hoped Kai and Maric enjoyed the pictures. Kai, after all, had chosen to remain with her and not find Zev; Maric had long ago come to terms with his losses, or so she believed. She, on the other hand, was not ready to revisit good memories or see pictures of Alistair or any of the others. Seeing Pippa today had been difficult enough. She wasn't sure she would have stayed hidden, if it had been her Mum.Am I doing the right thing, hiding from them all? Kai's right, better to be in Areth, safe, and then decide who to tell. She rubbed her belly where her son lay growing. Maybe I'm paranoid, not telling Mum, but I will keep you safe. She had this baby, her son and Ali's, who she would name after the grandfather she had never known, Teyrn William Cousland, and she would, one day, show her son the pictures and talk about his father, but not alone, not on this day.
x==========x
Sometime later, Kai joined her on the steering deck. The elf slipped her arm through Lys', kept it there as Lys stiffened and then relaxed, and they watched the wake churn into the sea behind them.
"Maren was tired. He went to bed. It's rather a lot to take in."
"I know…well, I don't since I've never known anything else. There's always been two worlds for me, but I know how difficult it was for Oriana." Lys looked at Kai, smiling. "She loved it, by the way, once she got there and got over the shock."
"They let just anyone in?"
"Even elves?"
"Well…yes."
"No, but usually it's based on relationships. Any family member. I had to ask for special permission for you. I'm sure they'll agree, but they may want to talk with you."
"Talk?"
"About your life as an elf in the Alienage and with the Dalish and with me. We keep histories - hence all those diaries I'm so careful to keep."
Kai chuckled. "That explains a lot. I always wondered why you would stay up, practically falling asleep, to write." Kai cocked her head. "Your diaries are in Denerim."
"Yes, but eventually Mum or Fergus will find them and take them to Areth. I'll need to catch up on the last months, but that happens sometimes." Lys hesitated, then spoke again. "You don't have to come with me Kai. I'll be safe there. I can come back with the baby. We can-"
"-nope, I'm coming if they'll have me."
"Just think about it."
Kai nodded as a frown furrowed her brow. "Will this Areth conquer us someday?"
"No. I did say we came in the Glory Age. If we were going to be conquerors we'd have done it long ago. We study the lands we explore…my aunt, my Mum's sister, Olivia's an anthropologist, someone who studies a people and their culture over time. I insisted any interviews be done by her. She'll be the first family member I tell. She went to Areth as a child during the Rebellion and decided to stay. She comes back to study and to visit. She came back with Mum after the attack. It was Aunt Liv who took Queen Elin to the Haris Manor near Nevarra City and stayed with her."
"Your Aunt?"
"That's why Mum was so sure of Elin's safety."
"Will I stand out?"
Lys laughed. "Native Arethians are humans like me, but Areth is part of a group of worlds in its part of the galaxy - the stars and worlds surrounding it," she explained seeing the unspoken question in Kai's face. "Not all the worlds or planets are inhabited and, of those that are, not all are inhabited by humans who look like me. You will be one of many races. You'll be noticed for your beauty, not because you're an elf."
"My beauty?"
"Well, you are beautiful. And strong. And brilliant. We…the Arethians…value all those things. Areth is far from perfect, but-"
"-better than here?"
"In all ways but one," Lys said softly. She looked at Kai and tried to smile, but failed. "It's not home, but we'll have each other and we'll be safe. We'll manage."
A/N: Thank you for reading and to those of you who reviewed, favorited or gave kudos. Thanks to my wonderful betas Kira Tamarion and Elyssa Cousland whose efforts make this a better story. Any errors are mine. I hope you continue to read and enjoy.