Outskirts of Ostagar

The next day

"Is she still alive?"

"Yes, my Lord Teyrn. The wounds were not great. With a little rest, she'll make a full recov-"

"Wake her."

"A-a-are you certain, Teyrn Loghain? It may be better-"

Two metal hands grasped her shoulders, and shook her, growing more forceful and impatient until her vision slowly drifted back in. It was like a painted canvas bleeding away to reality.

Elissa groaned, and the hands released her. The young noble woman did not recognize the men in robes, but there was no mistaking that second voice.

"Loghain…"

The towering silver figure tilted his head to the left slightly.

"Leave us."

Immediately, the mages bowed, and left the crumbling tower interior.

Elissa rubbed her eyes, and blinked until her vision finally cleared.

"Loghain… either I'm alive, or you were absolutely right, and I was a fool."

"You're alive." Loghain studied her "I would also say you're a fool, but as always, you continue to defy expectations."

"Cailan!" she nearly leapt out of her bed.

Loghain's face was solid stone, with only a hint of grief or sorrow.

A few moments passed, and she leaned back into her bed, rolling onto her side and curling into a ball.

Some time passed, and all she could muster was a whisper.

"I'm sorry."

"He wasn't yours to save. The moment he stepped into the valley, he was dead. As was Duncan and the rest of the Grey Wardens apparently."

She shook her head.

"What happened?'

"After the charge, the storm that had pushed off the rest of their main force had worn out." Loghain explained. "The few mages that were up above, thankfully, immediately started casting fire spells that nearly set the entire forest ablaze. I retrieved our King's body and pulled our forces out of the area to regroup. Possibly to withdraw all together. The fires, the ensuing smoke, the storm and the cavalry charge have wilted their numbers considerably, but we simply cannot hold them here. The bulk of their numbers still grow."

Elissa duly absorbed all of this information.

"Your contributions to the battle were not for nothing." Loghain admitted. "We may have lost our King and the Grey Wardens, but many of the defenders still survived. Our army suffered losses, but…"

Loghain could vividly picture his possible abandoning the field.

"...it could have been worse."

That was something. Elissa knew that many of her bannermen were with the King as well. With those numbers traveling back North…

Elissa sighed. She was alive, and had to be grateful for that much, at least.

"So…what happens now?"

"What I should have done since this entire bloody mess began." Loghain turned away and stepped to face the entrance of the ruined tower, observing his men outside. "I will return to Denerim, and levy those useless bastards in the Landsmeet for more men. We will then defeat this darkspawn incursion sensibly, without needless heroics."

Pushing her hair out of her face, she finally attempted to sit up in her bed.

"I'm really sorry about all of this, my Lord Teyrn Loghain. I'll head to Highever and see if my Father can raise more men."

"That won't be necessary."

A quizzical look prompted an explanation from Loghain.

"You're coming with me."

"What for?"

Any trace of mourning was gone.

"I'm afraid it's my turn to ask questions."

"What is this?" Elissa raised an eyebrow, noting the sudden shift in tone "I'm not certain I appreciate the implication behind needing to ask me questions."

Suddenly, her temper started to rise.

"Are you uncertain of my loyalties even now? Did I not bleed in the mud for our King?!"

"You've certainly proved loyal to our late King, this much is true. Perhaps…too loyal."

Loghain produced a letter, and Elissa felt a chill as she saw the seal of the Bear of Amaranthine.

"This comes directly from Arl Rendon Howe. He tells me that you went mad, and attempted to stab him while ordering the rest of your soldiers to attack Amaranthine troops within your castle."

"Don't believe his lies!" Elissa exploded, a simmering mountain of fury. "Rendon Howe was going to slit our throats in our sleep! He is what he's always been; a power hungry, treacherous snake!"

Undeterred, Loghain continues on "He also writes that your betrothal to Thomas Howe was called off in favor of a match to a more attractive suitor. A man who outranked him, and held the favor of an entire kingdom."

To this, Elissa was speechless. All she could do was shake her head.

"I…that's not…that's not possible."

"Indeed. Not without Cailan divorcing my daughter, Anora, that is." Loghain eyed her closely "Or perhaps a dagger in her ribs, or a poisoned cup of tea?"

"You're wrong! I agreed to no such thing! I've never even heard of such a plan!"

"What about your parents? Do you think me fool enough to believe that this plot appeared out of thin air?!" he yelled, throwing the letter onto the ground "I knew of Eamon's desires to align our interests closer to Orlais, but I wouldn't have suspected he'd involve the Couslands as well."

"Loghain, this is absurd!" Elissa yelled back "I did whatever I could to improve our chances of winning that battle!"

"Including saving your future husband?"

She opened her mouth to spar with him again, but no words came out. It looked bad. Perhaps not to the rest of the soldiers, but to a man as paranoid as Loghain, with Howe whispering in her ear…

"What can I possibly tell you that would convince you of my innocence?"

"Your Father must stand down." Loghain ordered. "He must present himself at Denerim and surrender, where the Landsmeet will decide his fate."

"You mean where Howe will be ready to ambush him again and claim his head?! Absolutely not! I refuse!"

"Don't test my patience…" Loghain growled "I will not allow you, or anyone else to threaten Ferelden's future!"

That sentence struck her nearly as hard as the ogre did yesterday.

"You're not doing this to prove treason…" she shook her head "You're doing this for Anora. You think I'll attempt to replace her? Loghain, Ferelden needs a member of royal blood to serve as King or Queen."

"Ferelden has a strong Queen." Loghain corrected her "And I lead her armies. You would do well to remember that."

"Don't do this, Loghain." the anger was gone. "We can't afford to kill each other. Not now!"

"If you believe that, you'll speak to the Landsmeet when we arrive at Denerim, and do your part to convince the Lords and Ladies of the bannorn to fall in line. And you'll tell your Father to turn himself in!"

He stormed away, stopping at the tower entrance.

"She does not leave. Under any circumstances. Keep guard."

This was even worse than she could possibly imagine.

Not only was the King dead, and the Grey Wardens-

No.

Alistair and the others.

Fergus! Yes, he was alive. He had to be. He wasn't in the valley or in the charge. His forces were securing the battlements.

But…

None of them knew she was here. She told Fergus that she would catch up to him back in Highever.

A lie, of course. Fergus would never have countenanced what she was planning. He would have called her mad.

And perhaps, she was.

And even if they did know she was here, what hope did they have in infiltrating this camp and bringing her out alive?

No, she was trapped here. No escape.

Elissa leapt out of bed, and kicked the bed pan violently, screaming and letting out all of her impotent, useless fury.

She then collapsed to her hands and knees, not caring if anyone saw her in this pathetic state.

How could Loghain do this to her?! Taking the side of that murdering bastard?!

Why did no one ever believe her until it was far too late?!

The Landsmeet would never agree to Anora keeping the throne forever. She didn't have a drop of royal blood in her body. The laws of succession were clear. Only those with Calenhad's blood would sit on the throne and rule as King or Queen.

It was obvious that Loghain was going to challenge Father's claim to the throne. The general believed her entire family was full of traitors. A convenient pretext for war.

Still, how did he think this would end? Who could he ally Anora with to keep the throne? Not without a royal marriage-

Her eyes went wide with the realization.

Loghain already had the perfect ally. A powerful man with two unmarried sons from a family line dating back to Calenhad.

Rendon Howe was not loved by the Bannorn, and Loghain was considered an upstart. Neither of them had the best prospects for inheriting the throne. But Anora married to the Howe Line?

To Thomas.

"No…" she choked out. The tears couldn't be held back now "Thomas…how could you?!"

All that could be heard from the derelict tower was the soft weeping of a young woman.

After some time, Elissa, utterly defeated and outmaneuvered, eventually settled down, and crumbled to the floor, bereft of her will to fight.

The only hope she held onto, was that Mother and Father were alive, and that her home wasn't lost. Fergus was alive. And Alistair had the key she had received from Cailan.

They all needed to be far away from Denerim, from Loghain, and from Howe.

"Andraste be merciful, let them live." she whispered to herself "Let them live. Please…"