"Never again!"
"Commander,"
"NEVER BLOODY AGAIN!"
"Well I did advise against it."
"Continue that sentence and you'll feel why mages' magic is feared." Surana growls. A little too late as he had already finished.
Varel ever the formal man replies with a, "Yes Arl."
"Stop calling me that!" Neira couldn't stand hearing those words. She wasn't an Arl. She was a mage who missed her circle. Well maybe not the circle as much as her friends. She missed Irving and Wynne. She missed her Alistair and her hark.
Varel coughs uncomfortably. "Um, I think I will go fetch the dwarf."
"Yes! Fetch him so I can have his head on the end of Ander's staff!" Neria shouts throwing a book at Varel. It misses him completely and hits the door instead. He walks out of the room, shaking his head.
That left poor Neira alone with a throbbing headache and a wish for a league of darkspawn to attack again to take her anger out on. She thanked the gods that Zevran wasn't there to see her or Alistair. She missed them true but she didn't want to think what jokes the two would make at her expense or what Zevran would try to do, before being stopped by Alistair who would lecture her in the morning about etiquette if he himself didn't have enough drinks to be hung over. Always with a grin on his face and whimsy in his voice.
The splinting pain in her head made even the the smallest thought hurt her. "He did something to my drink. I know it." She grumbles angrily.
"The commander has asked for you." Varel tells Oghren who was currently hanging upside down on the wall from two pegs that held his feet up, by the pant cuffs. He continues snoring and Varel prays that the others recruits the Commander will find to become Grey Wardens were of a better lot than the ones she had recruited so far.
"I see they actually held his weight. I'm surprised. Delighted but surprised." Anders says and begins snickering as the upside down dwarf begins to come too.
"Wha-what?!" Oghren says with alarm as he tries to move and could only sway. He realizes he was pinned to the wall and begins fighting it. There was a ripping noise and with a great "Ooof." Oghren lands on the ground. Head first of course. He rubs the back of his head and stretches his back,(much to the dismay of the men standing before him) right before he starts stumbling away.
Varel gives Anders a cross look. "I will be telling the warden that you are to blame if she asks why the dwarf is walking around without pants."
"Oh come on Seneschal. Do you have any proof that it was me?"
"Anders, who else is here who would want to hang that dwarf."
"Everyone."
"By the cuffs of his pants?"
Anders snickers. "Maybe the blood rushing to his head will clear it a bit."
Varel shakes his head. "Please refrain yourself in the future."
"No promises." Anders says joyfully and walks away from him.
After having changed into the battledress Leliana had given her, Neira was now sitting at her desk. Reading the letters.
'Dear warden, Neira Surana, I have been in Orlais for the three months since the blight has ended so I have not heard much from Ferelden or how it's people fair during the rebuilding. How is it going? I hope you and Alistair are well and that Zevran has not caused you two too much trouble. How is the mabari, Hark? I miss him. I saw a chew toy I thought would fit him from a small trinket shop. It was a stuff darkspawn.
Orlais is the same as ever though the game has changed little since I had left the players have changed greatly. I miss my friends, Tug and Sketch. Did I ever tell you of them? Also I have been keeping eyes out like you asked, but no sign of Morrigan. Should we really be looking for her? You did promise to not follow.
Sincerely your friend,
Leliana.'
Neira smiles before putting the letter away. She would write Leliana back later. She picks up the knife beside her and opens Zevran's letter. Careful not to ruin the picture on it.
The letter was shoddy to say the least and seemed to be written within minutes. The writing was also very childlike and not neat at all.
'Dear Neira, I am writing to you from a small tavern room in dim light. I will be quick since my job lies nearby. Working with the wardens has proven profitable. You're comrades have so many old debts to settle. Soon though, I will be leaving Alistair and the others. Once we reach the Free Marches and I am assured that I have a few new means of work. I had only stayed here so long to make sure no one was following your trail to come after you later. Don't worry my dear, I will keep a lookout for any jobs on you and handle them accordingly. As well as ensure your sweet does not meet an undesirable fate while in the free marches as I promised you. An assassin is his word. or something such as that.
Sincerely,
your assassin and freed crow.'
Neira stops herself from laughing. Even breathing was tiring at the moment and the noise sent searing pain through her mind. Laughing would kill her and cause her to fall on her face. Note to self for the future, drinking did nothing to stop the taint's music. If anything it made it louder. How could Oghren handle this?
She tucks Zevran's and Leliana's letters to the bottom of a drawer in a secret compartment. Receiving letters from an assassin and an orlesian bard, and leaving them out in the open was just asking for trouble.
She picks up the last letter and looks over the plain, dull envelope. She wasn't quite sure who it was from, which was why she had saved it for last. She did, however have a hunch about who it was from and what it's contents were. Her hunch made her heart jump. It had taken a week to get to the vigil and she has been here for three days since. It was only reasonable to hope he too had written her, correct? Having received letters from Zevran and Leliana now as well. He should be with the other wardens by now.
As she starts cutting open the letter she hears gasps and shouts from the halls. As well as an all too familiar gruntal, deep set laugh. She sets the letter and knife down. Pushing her chair back, she stands up and walks out of her bedchamber. Making her way towards the main hall. A few of the kitchen staff and house maids run by her. She watches them flee, still surprised any would even work here. Only in the tower had she ever seen humans working for elves, and they were either tranquil or occasionally a templar following orders.
"Varel, what is going on?" Neira asks in a clear voice, masking her agitation. Then she spots Oghren as he darts out of the hall she had just come from, muttering about mages and shleets. That wouldn't have been so bad if he wasn't swinging his axe around and had on his pants. "For Andraste's sake, why doesn't he have on pants?" She asks Varel covering her eyes before looking away and asking Oghren, startled, "Why don't you have on pants?!"
"Warden, that blasted,"
"My mabari isn't here Oghren. So don't you dare start blaming him this time." Neira says, staring at the ceiling now, feeling it was the only place she could cast her eyes safely. She had faced that excuse a number of times during the blight. He used it so often that Hark had actually begun stealing his pants just to get back at the dwarf.
"It was the darndest thing commander. Out of nowhere he came and attacked me. Barely fended him off but he got my pants. I'm looking for him right now."
"That didn't happen." She states not buying it. Then she looks at Varel with a side glance, risking looking away from the safety of the ceiling. "That didn't happen right?" She asks starting to doubt her certainty. As far as she knew they should've still been in the tavern when they woke up. She wasn't exactly sure how they got back safely. It wasn't a very clean or large establishment but it was a lot closer to them then a day trip to Amaranthine.
"No Arl. That didn't happen."
"See? That didn't happen Oghren." Neira says, casting her gaze back at the dwarf, regretting it immediately. "Someone please fetch him his pants." She begs as Anders laughs from behind her. Varel motions over a guard and whispers to him.
Oghren snorts. "It did too Warden. I'm telling ya it did and now I can't find my blasted pants!" He shouts and swings his axe sloppily, putting a hole in the floor by his feet.
"Here you go sir. Please dress yourself." The guard Varel had talked to says as he hands Oghren a pair of pants from the dwarf's room. The lad's voice was trembling as his nerves began to get the better of him, when Oghren turned to his direction.
"Found the culprit commander. Dare to steal my pants do you. I'll take your hands." The red faced dwarf swings his axe down almost (literally) getting the lad's hands. The knight quickly drops the pants and backs away.
"No you won't. Now dress yourself Oghren! Please!" Neira begs, finding the ceiling quite interesting again.
He grumbles a complaint but puts the pants on. "They're on."
"Thank you." Neira says truly thankful that she could now look about without a deep blush setting in her cheeks or a burning sensation surge through her eyes.
"Now that, that has been dealt with there are some matters that need your attention Arl." Varel says pretending the scene that had just occurred hadn't.
"What is it?"
"There's a thief who had snuck onto the property. He is quite strong and when he was found he was trying to steal a few oddities. It took quite a few guards to apprehend him and it is up to you to decide what should be done with him."
"Because I'm the new Arl?"
"Yes ma'am and this land and its rulings are now under your charge."
"Alright. I will go to question him Varel. Is there anything else that needs my attention today before I set off for the deep roads?"
"That is good to hear Arl." He hadn't been sure how the new arl was going to do and frankly it wasn't off to a good start but that wasn't entirely her fault. Varel did think that she should have had better judgement than to go out drinking last night with Oghren, but she seemed to be taking her duties seriously now. "No Arl there is not."
"Varel, please, my name is Neira."
"I know, warden commander."
"Then please address me by it."
"I would prefer not to."
Giving in with a sigh, Neira walks towards the front door and calls out, "Oghren, Anders, you two ready to get the day started?"
"Are we going to stomp some darkspawn."
"Why is it always darkspawn with you? Maybe we're going out shopping. Did that ever cross your mind dwarf?"
"Why would we go out shoppin' when there's darkspawn to be killing?"
"Is that all grey wardens do?"
"Pretty much."
Neira waits for them to stop. "We have plenty of time to do all those things later. Are you two ready to go?" She asks her voice cheerful and ready to get the day started.
"Sure but where are we going?" Asks the curious Anders.
"To judge a thief." Neira says almost with a bit too much flare. She had grown to love theatrics from all those days with Leliana and Zevran.
Oghren shakes his head as Anders laughs from her absurdly, overdramatic voice. "What did he steal? A ring of ancient power?" He asks sarcastically. Still giggling.
Neira shrugs. "Not sure what all it was, we're about to go find out why he would bother though." She says with her usual grin placed on her face.
"Let's get going you two before I decide to take my anger out on both of yer grinning faces." Oghren snorts and Neira opens the doors.
"Come now Oghren would you really hit a girl?" Anders asks coyly.
"I'd hit anything. Even someone as feminine as you, mage."
They continue to argue and Neira tunes them out with expert skill.
Neira steels her face as she enters the prison. It was in a building right off to the side of the main hall. She didn't really like prisons. After the few experiences she has had with them, she definitely prefered being anywhere but near them. She greets the guards before looking at her prisoner. He was sitting down staring at the floor. His long black hair was out of his face and fell a little past his shoulders. When he takes notice of her and the two bickering behind her he gives Neira a death glare. It was hardly frightening. In fact it reminds her of Hark when he didn't get something he wanted.
"What a cute pout." She says aloud. Anders and Oghren immediately stop arguing and the prisoner gave her a look of disbelief before it changed to one of disgust. He turns his head away before speaking.
"If you're here to kill me then do so." He orders. He was definitely raised by those with power. Maybe a family with a strong line of warriors in their tree.
"Why would I kill you?" Neira asks.
"I stole. I know what happens when you steal from an Arl."
"Not all of us order deaths over such petty acts." He said nothing. Neira continues. "Why did you try to steal from us? You do realize this is now a base for the grey wardens, do you not?"
"I know." He finally faces Neira again. "I only stole what is rightfully mine." He clearly felt he was entitled to all that he try to take.
"Rightfully yours?"
"Oh he's an entitled tyke, is he?" Oghren reaches for his axe. He waits the go ahead signal from Neira.
"I'm pretty sure it only counts as stolen if you actually manage to steal it without being caught." Anders inputs.
"Ma'am everything the prisoner tried to steal is in that chest." One of the guards say interrupting their conversation.
"Yes, rightfully mine. I am Nathaniel Howe and this was my family's home until you killed my father."
"Oh. You're Rendon Howe's boy." Neira says simply. "So I take it that you know who I am?"
Nathaniel's eyes grow brighter as if he was imagining all the ways he could exact revenge on the woman in front of him. "Yes."
Neira was unfazed. "Hmm. Alright then. Guard, give him his things and let him go."
"You're letting me go free?" Nathaniel sounds as if he had been caught off guard.
"Are you sure about this Warden? He could come back and decide theivery isn't the only thing he'll try his hand at."
"I must say the dwarf has a point."
"I am sure. If he does return to harm us then we shall destroy him. However he stole nothing that wasn't originally his. I don't see why he should not be allowed to take his things. We have no use for his things anyways when we already have our own armor and weapons."
"Ma'am are y-you sure?" The guard asks. This was highly unorthodox.
Neira gives the guard a sour look and he begins fumbling with the keys. "Of-course I will do so right away." He unlocks the door and points to the trunk. "You're things are in there. You are lucky the warden commander is letting you go unpunished."
Nathaniel says nothing as he grabs his things. He gives Neira one more questioning glance before walking out of the prison.
"Well I'm glad that's done. Now who's ready to go to the deep roads?" Neira asks cheerfully. Her face lit up and she was already walking towards the door.
"It's better than the woods." Oghren grumbles as he follows her out.
"Can't we just go to the city or something?" Ander asks. He honestly didn't want to go digging around in the deep roads.
"Welp." Oghren mutters.
"Pit stain." Anders retorts.