Chapter 7
(:.:)
The day of the feast has almost arrived. It is hard to forget that, because every servant in the palace is running around from place to place. Even if the big evening will be the next night, the preparations are already made. Pillars are decorated with flowers and branches, mabari hounds are running around in the courtyard for the hunt and the kitchen is fully running for the big evening. Everyone seems happy, with the exception of Anne. From the moment she got out of bed, she got a sour expression on her face. When she came out of her room after being fully-dressed by Yvette and Freya, she only gives me a low grumble as a morning greeting.
"The paperwork is done." She says to me when we are once again alone.
I can't help but to let out a sigh of relief when I hear this. Ever since that night, she has become quiet than before. It makes it more awkward for the both of us, I suppose.
"Thank you." I say, when she stands up from her desk.
"The man who'll deliver those will be at the party that night, so I am afraid that you have to wait." Anne says. She is wearing once again another dull blue dress, as she grabs the cape that is laying over the couch.
"Are you going out?" I ask, when she puts the cape around her.
"Yes. To the alienage to speak with the hahren, Shianni." She says, briefly looking over her shoulder. "I need to inform her about the attack, since my mother still hasn't returned from her journey."
She walks to the door, but I quickly stop her by grabbing her wrist. "Where do you think you're going?"
She looks at me perplexed expression, as if I just asked a difficult question. "To the alienage? Didn't you hear me saying that?"
"And you want to go alone, after what happened?" I scoff with a sharp edge on my voice.
She indifferently shakes her shoulders. "Sooner or later do I have to get used to it, since you'll be gone soon. So, why not adjusting now?"
She jerks her wrist out of my grasp and opens the door. With a snort do I follow her. "At least use my service until I am gone!"
(:.:)
The walk towards the alienage is surprisingly busy. The streets are full of people, as the cold hard winter's wind goes through Denerim, but instead of feeling any coldness, the people are happy and feasting.
Ale and wine is being served in abundance, while there is music being played with people dancing. The jump around in circles, grab each other's arms and hand, as the laugh out loud. As Anne walks over the streets through the common people, without her hood on, she is immediately recognized by some of them.
Much to my surprise, they turn around at her and greet her respectably with 'My Lady' and some of them even bow before her. As I follow her from behind, I can see how she moves elegantly with a smile on her face. The people make way for her and let her pass to the alienage.
I don't know whether it is because she is a noble or not, but the adoration on these people faces is impossible to imagine. Among nobility it is known that Anne is the bastard of the Hero of Ferelden, an elf, and the King, which means that the commoners must know it as well. Yet, they still bow before her, as if she is the Queen herself.
When we walk upstairs, I whisper when I stand next to her: "You are very loved."
"I can only hope so that that is true." She whispers back with a smile, though she never looks me into my face.
When we reach the top of the stairs I prepare myself for the stench of fences and vomit, but it never comes. Instead, the streets of alienage are surprisingly… clean and well made. Just like all the other streets of the city. I've only seen one other alienage in my life and that is the one from Kirkwall. That place was almost despair itself, as the walls were screaming starvation, poverty and sickness. The elves there were nothing compared to this one.
As I let my eyes go over the streets, where I can only see other elves, I can feel my mouth almost fall open at disbelief. Most people look well-fed and decently clothed. The house are perhaps no mansions, but they are at least as good as any other middle class house. Most importantly, the streets smell… clean as the soft scent of flowers reach my nose.
Near the vhenadahl, the ancient sacred tree that is a symbol of Arlathan -or so I am told-, is a wedding taking place between an elven man and woman. You can hear the words of the Mother, about holy vows between a man and a woman, echo over the place while the sounds of children laughter is on the background.
Anne walks closer to the ceremony, while the man and woman kiss each other and laughter as well as clapping is sound from the guests. Anne too smiles and claps when the happy couple comes down from the scaffold. The moment they see Anne, the happy couple look for a brief moment both astonished as baffled at her appearance.
"My Lady!" The wedded woman says as she clumsily bows before, followed by her new husband. "We did not expect you to come."
"It is a bit unannounced on my part, really." Anne answers with a graceful smile. "Congratulations on your wedding, madam. Here, a small wedding gift as compensation for your hospitality."
"Thank you, My Lady!" The man happily exclaims as she gives a small pouch of gold to his wife.
Anne walks through the crowd, followed by greetings and bows from the elven people and never call her either 'flat-ear' or 'shem'. Instead, they too love her as much as the common humans.
"What did you do to them?" I half-jokingly ask.
Anne merely shrugs her shoulders. "I suppose that the fame of my mother is contiguous in Denerim."
I don't believe her when she says that. I've known people who were born from famous parents and none of them were either loved or adored as much by the people as that she is. No, she did something big for them.
Through the streets, where there are all kinds of small stalls with trinkets and food, a woman with obviously fire-red hair walks towards us, when she sees Anne. With a bright smile and clothed far too wealthy for an elf, she opens her arms to embrace Anne.
"My dear niece!" She exclaims happily. "It is so good to see you!"
"Shianni." Anne says as she returns the embrace full heartily. "I am glad to see you in good health as well. I hope that everything goes well here?"
"You can see it, can't you?" Shianni says with a bright grin from ear to ear. "Your mother is very proud of you. In fact, she just came here and said that!"
"What?" Anne exclaims with an unexpected excited voice. "Did she return? When?"
"She just came back. I think she is still at her your grandfather's house. Come-" The hahren suddenly stops talking when she sees me. "Oh. Who is this, Anne?"
Anne looks at me for a brief moment and then looks back at her aunt. "This is Fenris. My bodyguard… and friend."
She nods with a grin, when I grumble out a 'hello', though it is not a pleasant grin. She eyes me with a suspicious look on her face, which doesn't speak to me at all. I can only keep my face stone hard straight, fighting against the snarl I'm about to give. She looks back at Anne, who apparently has felt the tension and continues with talking.
"Your mother will be overjoyed to see you! You have only become more beautiful by the time she has been gone-"
I roll my eyes at the chattering woman, feeling slightly annoyed at the chirping voice she has. We walk towards the house, while I follow them. Sometimes, Anne looks over at me and I can only give her a half-hearted smirk once in a while. Shianni opens the door when we arrive the house and Anne is the first to step inside, while her eyes are searching.
"Anne." A voice calls out for her, that slightly sound similar to her own voice. I just stepped inside the house, when I see Anne embracing another woman, as armoured gloved arms are wrapped around her. "My… you've grown so beautiful in those months."
I immediately recognize her as the woman who had been standing next to the King on the masquerade, three years ago in Kirkwall. The Hero of Ferelden.
"Mother," Anne says, as she untangles herself from her embrace. "May I introduce you to Fenris, my friend and bodyguard."
The woman, who Anne is strongly resembles, looks at me from head to toe. Her cold green eyes, who look far more sharper and slightly more keen than Anne's, inspects me as if she is looking for the cow to send to the slaughter.
"He looks decent enough to protect you." She eventually says, as she turns her gaze back to Anne. Excuse me? Is this the 'modest' Kallian Tabris, who saved Ferelden from the Fight Blight? I stacked up elf, with an ego as big as a dragon? Well, legends remain stories after all.
"I assure you, he is far more capable than that Mother." Anne says. The Hero of Ferelden merely snorts at that statement. "Well now, where is Grandfather?"
"Father just went out to congratulate some wedded couple." Her Mother answers. "He'll be back. However, I heard a rumour on the wind when I came in Denerim."
She walks around her daughter to me, like a lioness would around her prey. "I heard that you were attacked by some Wildman in an alley and nearly were killed. I heard that you've helped that madman's family to move away from here to Highever, under the protection of the Couslands."
My eyes follow that woman just as wary as I would by any other person who would hunt me. It seems that Anne sensed my discomfort, as she quickly intervenes.
"True. I was foolish enough to go alone, but Fenris protected me and saved me from certain death." Kallian looks over her shoulder at Anne, who takes out a letter from her sleeve. "I also know who are behind this… The Bann of Amaranthine, Bann Rodolf jr. Lirys of White Rune and someone who is very familiar to you, Mother: the Arl of Denerim, Vaughan Kendells."
I can see that the hahren slightly flinches when Anne mentions the last name. As Shianni sits down on the chair, I can see the great and terrifying fury growing on the Grey Warden's face.
"That son of a bitch!" Kallian spats out when she hears the last name. "So, they can't get me and now they go after my own blood? Cowards!"
"It was already bad enough that they sold you to a Magister and now this? Where will it end?" Shianni curses with the same rage as her cousin.
Anne merely shrugs at them, as if it isn't a big deal at all, which makes me look surprised. Not long ago she looked very distressed and almost desperate. "What was there to expect? Anyhow, I came here to warn you that the elves should watch out of the Arl. He is known for his cruelties as you all know and as long as he doesn't commit any direct crimes, nobody can stop him."
"Perhaps you should talk to the King, Anne." Shianni suggests with a hopeful voice. "If he hears you, surely he would-"
"No,-" Anne immediately cuts her off with a sharp and commanding voice. "I will not allow my position to be dependent of His Majesty's power."
"Oh, stop being so stubborn!" Kallian exclaims as she turns with her eyes. "It is silly to be stubborn out of mere pride."
With a sharp and determined eyes, Anne looks at her Mother. "This has nothing to do with pride. I must prove my worth towards the nobles on my own. Not everything in this world is solved with mere violence and bloodshed. I wish no ill will on anyone." Like a true born lady from nobility, she places her hands on her lower abdomen, as she looks with her head slightly up. "If it is in the Maker's will, I will survive the Great Game."
"And one day, that game of yours will kill you." Her Mother scowls with a deep frown.
"I've played the Game quit long now. I am confident in my own abilities." Anne answers with an unexpected self-assurance, which I personally doubt.
Her Mother merely shakes her head. "Let's go back. You're father and the Queen are expecting me, and ultimately, you too."
As if she is reminded of something important, Anne immediately gets a hurried expression on her face. "Yes."
Bidding her aunt farewell and leaving another pouch of gold on the table for a Grandfather, with the promise to visit them soon again, we leave the house. I walk behind them and I can hear how her Mother is scowling her like any other Mother would.
"Really, Anne. There are days when I am worrying myself sick for you. Think of your poor Mother and Father for once!" Her Mother says with an unexpected motherly voice.
"Oh, Mother please. I've been in worse situations." Anne says light-hearted, while briefly glancing behind at me.
"That is not the point here. What will we do when something would happen to you? Your father did not eat at all when you were kidnapped and you know how much problems he has with his stomach." Kallian continues with her rant, until she notices that Anne is ignoring her, which eventually makes her chuckle. "Nonetheless, even if I disapprove your participation in these ridicules Games of yours, you did a very a good job as my replacement here as Bann. The alienage looks beautiful, just like the streets of Denerim at the harbour."
"Thank you…" Anne says, as her Mother plays with her daughter's long hair. "It… wasn't easy, but I manage somehow."
"Of course you do!" Her Mother proudly proclaims. "After all, you are my pride and joy!"
(:.:)
We return to Anne's lodging, parting with her Mother, who has been 'summoned' by the King. I had to keep the mocking snort before me, as we all know what a mistress and a King will do when they come together.
Anne seemingly looks in a sour mood when we go inside and that didn't get any better when she sees someone standing inside her room. She halts her movements when she had opened the door to look at the elven woman who had been waiting in the receiving chamber.
"Mistress Erlina," Anne greets in a somewhat surprised voice. "How unexpected of you to visit me."
"Your Ladyship," The woman greets, as her black hair slightly falls down in her face when she makes a curtsy for Anne. "Forgive me for my unannounced visit, but Her Majesty requests that you will visit her lodgings as soon as possible. It is concerning about the matters of the dress."
Again with that dress? What is wrong with it? Is it made out of poison? I can't help but to feel a bit disturbed by the drama around the clothing.
"Ah, yes." Anne eventually answers with a tiresome voice. "Well, I shall grab it and then take my leave."
"The dress is already at Madam's quarters. She wants to prepare you for tomorrow night's feast."
"Already? She already took it from my room?" Anne says with a slightly offended voice. She is briefly quiet, until she clicks impatiently with her tongue. "Can't it wait?"
"Madam expects you today as soon as possible." Erlina urges, with a sharp voice.
With a sigh, she gives herself defeated and makes an impatient hand gesture at the handmaiden. "Fine. I will go right away."
"Her Majesty will be pleased to see you, My Lady!" Erlina says with a little too excited voice. "Many of the court ladies are today present with the Queen, so you will certainly be prepared for tomorrow night."
Anne, though I can't see her face, is unpleasantly quiet. Though she says 'Thank you' in a friendly voice, I can hear the almost unheard icy tone in her words. When the maid leaves, we are left alone again. With a grumble she goes back to her chamber to grab something.
"By the Maker…" She says in a low voice as she looks at her living room. I walk next to her as she points out at the now empty table. "She really did take that damn dress from my room!"
Well, she is the Queen after all. I can't imagine that she would feel obliged to respect anyone's privacy. "Speaking of that dress," I intervene. "-what is all the overly fuss about anyway?"
"I told you. The colour isn't right." She says with an inpatient voice, while going to her desk to see if anything is missing.
"You did say that, but is it really that bad?"
"You don't understand." Anne sighs out, as she is seemingly satisfied with the messy state of her desk. She rises up completely and looks at me. "That colour is offending. It means something, along with the sleeves and the fur with it."
I shrug my shoulders as I look at her confused. "Like… what?"
"Clothing here is the language you speak at court. It may sound and look strange to you, but it is true. If you look at someone's clothing, you can easily see the status someone has. How high the rank of nobility someone is carrying." She explains as she leans against the desk. "Long sleeves mean that someone is of high social rank. Golden embroidery is for every noble above Banns. Black fur is for the rank of Teyrns. The colour however is the big problem. Purple is for, and only for the Royal family, such as the Queen, the King, parents and their children."
How stupid as those rule seem to me, I do understand the problem. "And because you are born out of wedlock between the King and Queen, then-"
"It would mean that I would flaunt around with a status that isn't mine, yes." She fills me in and has a very concerned expression on her face. "A couple of years ago, I wore a crimson gown, embroidered with gold. You can't believe the trouble I got for that. If I wear that dress, than that would surely mean another scandal."
I do remember that she wore that sort of dress when I accidently saw her in Kirkwall, the first time I realized the true status she possess.
"It's not like that you want to wear that dress. Besides, the sort of scandal can't be that big of deal." I say with a nonchalant voice.
"To you it seems so, but it does damage my reputation and in the end my connections. Here at court and in the Great Game generally, appearances means anything. You should know that from your experience in Tevinter."
"I do know." I answer with an annoyed voice. "So… does that mean that the Queen wants to sabotage you?"
It would a reasonable logic on my part, I think. But Anne shakes her head in denial. "On the contrary, the opposite. She wants the strengthen my position among the nobility through such displays." I look at her not understanding how this is even going to help her. Especially not after she had explained me those ridicules rules around clothes. "She wants to show the nobility through this display that I too belong in the Royal family and that I too should be entitled to be an heir on the throne."
"What?" Letting out a snort of disbelief, I look at her with a faint smirk on my face. "All that through a dress? How is that even connected?"
"Easy enough. By showing that she, The Queen, allows me to dress myself that way to give a signal to Ferelden that she acknowledges me as a legitimate heir of the throne of Ferelden. Even if I am not her daughter by birth, she still wants to make me an heir, next to my younger brother."
"Really now?" If Varric would have been here, he would made this seem as a dramatic play about the life at court. "So, you may have a chance to become Queen then? It seems strange to me that she wants to play her own son out of the throne."
"Not out of it. Edward is still first in line, because he is a boy and directly a descendant of King Calenhad. She wants to make me second in line of the throne, because I am still my father's daughter and because she wants to secure the Theirin line as Royalty." She puts the cape off and places it on the table. "You see, Edward is the only child between the King and Queen, which makes it very dangerous for the security of succession. Besides that, Edward is a child with poor health with no siblings next to him who can succeed if he should pass away unexpectedly."
"Oh, I see. The line of succession is very vulnerable because of that." I say slowly. "Which makes you to only other option left."
Anne nods. "Even if I am just a bastard, so was my father. Nonetheless, the life of the King is shortened by the taint he got as a Grey Warden and soon the calling will come for him. I think you can now understand why the Queen is using such aggressive methods by showing me off before court."
Seems to me that they put quite a lot of pressure on her. No wonder that those nobles are afraid of succession by an half-elf. Eventually, we both sit down on the chairs at the table, while looking at her
"It must be a strange situation for you and your brother though. The possible succession and the affair between your parents and the Queen, I mean."
"Strange, you say?" Anne repeats, as she tilts her head up. She fumbles a little bit with her dress, as she looks thoughtful. "Hardly at all. The affair you speak of is more an accordance between them. Though in some ways it does seem strange, but it really is alright to me. The Queen respects the relationship between my parents, and my parents respect her as a person and would never mind themselves with her personal affairs. As for me and my brother, we don't know any better than this. My father has in facts 'two' wives. One is the Queen, his wife as King with whom he rules a country with. The other one is his own true love, the wife he chose as a man, with who he wants to spend the rest of his life with." .
She looks at me with a stoic face, until a smile is cracked upon her lips. "You look quite concerned, Fenris."
Unknowingly have I been glowering the whole time she had been speaking, as the muscles in my face suddenly feel a bit sour. "Nothing for you to be concerned of, My Lady." I say mockingly, though I smile lightly. She shakes her head a bit, before heading off. I myself stand up from the table and, as always these days, follow her to wherever she is going.
It is at that moment, while I walk behind her through the aisle that I realize something about Anne; she has two faces. One face, used for the public, nobility and those who depend on her. That is the Lady Anne Theirin of Ferelden, the daughter of the King. This person walks with a straight back as her hands elegantly rest upon her lower abdomen, while looking tall and keen. Always perfectly dressed, without one strand of hair hanging wrong. She speaks with proper language, is polite, and always knows what words she needs, how and when to play her Game. She seems stark mute.
Her second face however is more humane and more open. Her emotionless face starts to express more when the masks falls off and she shows a more vulnerable side of herself. She shows it with her Mother and now, she shows it to me as well; a woman called Anne. Just Anne of Denerim. She walks lesser proper as she drags her feet over floor, almost looking as if the dress she is wearing is too heavy for her to bear. Instead of standing up straight, she rather lies down on her couch without her shoes on, reading a book. And when she eats, instead of eating proper with cutlery, she sometimes likes pudding off her fingers so that nothing will be spilled. The Anne that only a few know. The Anne that prates to me.
