Chapter Two

Bryce had been traveling along The Imperial Highway for three days without incident. He passed merchants and other travelers along the road and always gave them a courteous nod of his head as he rode by. The only indication of royalty about him was the herald on his shield. It was the Theirin crest, but all of the King's soldiers carried such a shield. There was no obvious indication that he was Ferelden's Prince. As he rode, he would occasionally get the sensation that he was being followed, the hairs on the back of his neck bristling. But every time he glanced behind him, he saw no one. He chided himself for being paranoid and continued along the highway.

When he arrived at the village of Lothering, he paused and gazed upon the scene. In spite of early indications, Lothering never grew bigger than the small outpost it had been before The Blight over twenty years ago. At first, it had seemed the village would be able to recover, but there was blackness on parts of the land that forever defiled it. The thought that the land was still tainted stopped the village's growth and Lothering remained the small village it had always been. However, it remained "Pretty as a painting," as his father once described it, as long as one didn't look too closely.

Bryce turned his horse south towards Ostagar. He was eager to settle the discord between the elves and the humans. It was nightfall when he finally saw the Dalish village in sight. When the Dalish saw him approach, the archers lowered their bows and called for The Keeper to meet him. Bryce dismounted at the village entrance and walked into the village, the reins of his horse in his gloved hand. Keeper Lanaya came forward to greet the young Prince.

"Welcome to our village, Your Majesty," Lanaya stated and bowed.

"It is an honor to be here, Keeper," Bryce replied, returning the slight bow. "The King and Queen of Ferelden send their warmest regards." Keeper Lanaya smiled.

"Come, you must be hungry after your journey," The Keeper said. She motioned for a young elven lad to take Bryce's horse then began to escort Bryce to the communal dining table when she paused, staring intently at the path behind them.

"Did you come alone, Your Majesty?" she asked.

"I did. Why?"

"I thought I saw an older gentleman behind you, but he has disappeared."

"Older gentleman?" Bryce asked with some concern. "What did he look like?"

"Long, gray hair, tall, muscular, face scarred near his right eye."

"Cade," Bryce muttered under his breath. No wonder his mother didn't protest too much about him traveling alone. He thought she had let the matter go rather easily. He should have known she would send Cade to shadow him.

"Ah, yes. He is…my security detail. I had asked for none but apparently The Queen thought otherwise."

The Keeper heard the annoyance in the young Prince's voice and tried to hide her smile. "Please join us in our evening meal, Your Majesty," she said and motioned for the Prince to walk with her.

"I would be honored, Keeper," he said, bowing slightly allowing her to pass in front of him then falling in step beside her.

She led him to a large clearing in the middle of the tiny village. Here stood a long wooden table with benches on both sides. Torches six feet tall surrounded the area bathing it in a warm glow. The table was filled with delectable meats, fruits and vegetables. Loaves of bread were placed at each end of the table. The plates and dinnerware were made of bronze; plain in comparison to the settings in the palace but the metal was polished to a bright shine making it seem they glowed from a light within. Matching goblets waited next to the plates to be filled with honey mead or wine. It was a mouth-watering feast laid before him.

Chimes were rung which called the clan to the feast. The Dalish came from now immobile aravels and work places, ready to celebrate the bounty of the land. The Keeper motioned towards the place where Bryce was to sit. He took his place at the table with Keeper Lanaya on his right. He was introduced to a young Dalish woman around his own age named Ariel who was the clan's First. Bryce nodded in greeting and smiled. The young woman blushed and took the seat next to Bryce. Once all of the Dalish were seated, they held hands and said a blessing to their gods and goddesses thanking them for this bounty. The Dalish included Bryce in this ritual, taking his hands to complete the blessing circle. Bryce bowed his head as his guests had. Once the blessing was finished, the clan began to pass the food around the table, talking and laughing. It was a very informal affair but one that Bryce enjoyed. The communal dining felt warm and inviting.

The Keeper passed food to Bryce who passed it in turn to Ariel. As they filled their plates, Lanaya conversed with Bryce.

"Your journey was uneventful?" she began.

"Incredibly so," Bryce replied. "There were few travelers on the road."

"I am not surprised. The lands around Ostagar are sparsely populated, except by the Dalish. It is why the construction of this human village nearby has given us some concern."

"Rest assured, Keeper, I am here to make sure that your clans retain your lands around Ostagar and remain safe, as per the King's orders."

At that, Lanaya seemed to relax. "We are indebted to the King and Queen of Ferelden. They have been our most staunch supporters."

"They may see it the other way around," Bryce remarked. "Your support during the last Blight was crucial. It was the least that could be done for our allies."

"We honored our treaty with the Grey Wardens and shall continue to do so, as well as our treaty with Ferelden."

"With the exception of this new human settlement, your life has been peaceful?"

Lanaya smiled, "Very much so. In spite of what has occurred around here, the lands surrounding Ostagar are beautiful, as well as fertile and full of game, as you can see. We live a very communal life with nature."

"It is beautiful. I must admit that most of my life has been spent in the environs around Denerim and Highever. I don't recall traveling south much."

"That is understandable. The Queen is from Highever I believe."

"Yes. My uncle, the Teyrn and his family still reside in Highever at Castle Cousland. It has beautiful rolling hills and farmland. When I was a boy, there were times when I was jealous of my cousins as they were able to play in such splendid lands full of places to explore and trees to climb. I was never allowed to stray too far outside the walls of Denerim and definitely never alone."

"You shall be King of Ferelden one day. It makes sense that you were protected."

"It makes sense now. Try telling that to a boy of nine," Bryce replied with a chuckle. "But I did have my sister as a companion. She could at least empathize with my plight."

"I remember being at yours and your sister's blessing ceremony. I had never seen your parents so happy and now they have invited us to their upcoming wedding ball."

"You shall be coming, I hope. It would not be complete without the Dalish."

Lanaya smiled, "We shall send a delegation."

"Speaking of delegation, I need to send an invite of my own to the human leader, Deegan. Is there someone that can deliver it in safety?"

"Yes. We have been able to communicate between our villages; that is how we have been able to keep the peace. But lately relations have felt strained. Some of our clan has seen the humans encroaching upon our hunting grounds."

"I see. I will need parchment and ink once we are finished," Bryce began.

"You may use the writing desk in my aravel, Your Majesty. There is parchment, ink, quill and wax at your disposal."

"Thank you, Keeper."

The Keeper was distracted by another conversation and this gave Bryce the opportunity to observe the rest of the clan. He was intrigued by their conversations and cheerful demeanor. If he had been treated as the elves had been by humans, he wasn't sure if he would be able to have such a positive outlook.

Some of the Dalish sitting around Bryce engaged him in a little conversation but he mostly ate and watched his hosts. Once everyone's belly was full, the clan began to clear the table. Bryce was at a loss as to what to do. The Keeper came to his rescue.

"If you will follow me, Your Majesty, I shall show you where you may write your correspondence," Lanaya said. Bryce rose from his seat and followed her towards her aravel. She showed him inside and gestured towards the writing desk.

"Come to the campfire when you are finished."

"I shall. Thank you, Keeper. One question before you depart; how close are we to the ruins of Ostagar?"

"We are but five miles away. It is an easy journey from here."

"And from the human village as well?"

"I believe so, yes."

"Thank you."

The Keeper gave a slight bow then left Bryce to his task.

The implements Bryce needed were sitting on the Keeper's desk. He sat and began to

draft an invite to Deegan for a meeting at the Tower of Ishal in the ruins of Ostagar at noon tomorrow. He was to meet himself and the Keeper of the Dalish for a discussion of land rights. The invitation was for him and him alone. Bringing any other persons would be considered a lack of good faith. He included assurances that all parties involved were looking for a peaceful resolution to the issue. He signed it Bryce Theirin, Prince of Ferelden. Bryce folded the letter then dripped wax to seal it, pressing his signet ring into the melted wax. The Theirin coat of arms was easily seen in the wax. He stared at the letter. He was hoping that meeting at the ruins of one of Ferelden's deadliest battles would work in his favor. He had an idea about appealing to Deegan's humanity and patriotism. He would learn tomorrow if that was a good tactic. Bryce tapped the letter against his palm, then tided the Keeper's desk and left to find her.

The Keeper was sitting by the fire. She saw Bryce leave the aravel and went to him.

"This needs to be delivered to Deegan at the human village," he said.

The Keeper nodded and motioned for a young male elf to come forward. He was their messenger and was known as such at the village. He took the invitation from Bryce then dashed into the woods to complete its delivery.

"Your Majesty, would you join us by the fire?" the Keeper asked.

"I would be honored, thank you," Bryce replied and took a seat on one of the wooden benches.

"Many of us here remember your mother and father coming here as Grey Wardens," Sarel, the clan's storyteller, remarked. "They were both skilled warriors and compassionate humans with a talent for solving problems."

Bryce smiled, "Yes. When my sister and I were children, they would tell us stories of the Fifth Blight and how it could not have been defeated without the assistance given by the Dalish."

"When there is a cause that impacts all of the races, we put aside our differences and work together for the common good. It is sad that it is not always like that," Sarel said.

"But, until this incident, you have been able to live peacefully with other races, yes?"

"For the most part. There are the occasional skirmishes but mostly from bandits or highwaymen who have lost their way."

"I would think that you would be happy to have as little contact with humans as you could since it has a detrimental effect on your lifespan."

"I fear that we will never get back all that we have lost, including our immortality," Keeper Lanaya responded. "But sometimes the best we can do is preserve what we have and build upon it."

"A wise sentiment, Keeper," Bryce responded.

There was a lull in the conversation and as Bryce sat with the Dalish by the campfire he realized how peaceful and relaxing it was. The sounds of the woods around them, the crackling of the fire, and the rustling of others tidying the camp were soothing to his naturally spirited self. A part of him enjoyed being with The People and appreciated how they communed with nature. Humans always thought the Dalish a strange and mysterious race, but they were no different from humans in their wants and desires. All of them wanted a place to call home.

As they sat, one of the Dalish began to sing a beautiful melody with such sadness and longing. With a start, Bryce realized he was familiar with the tune. He recalled his mother singing it when he was a boy and remembered when a friend of his parents, a beautiful, red-haired Orlesian bard would visit on occasion and entertain them with stories or songs. In Uthenera, the song being sung now, was the song she usually sang. Bryce always loved it. The song had a calming effect on him. Bryce closed his eyes and remembered being a young boy in the nursery with his sister, playing while his mother would be doing some task, singing this song. Or of the times the entire family would be sitting comfortably on the rugs in their private apartments; he would be sitting between his father's outstretched legs, his feet barely to his father's knees, his father's arms casually draped around him, protecting him. Eleanor would be sitting in their mother's lap and the bard, Leliana, would be singing this same song. There was a fire in the fireplace with the same crackling noise as now. He remembered how beautiful his parents looked and how much he felt secure and loved.

The elf ended the song and Bryce opened his eyes, a smile on his face. The Keeper noticed his countenance.

"You like our song, Your Majesty?" she asked softly.

"Very much," Bryce nodded. "I have fond memories of hearing that song being sung throughout my childhood."

"Did you have elven servants at the palace?"

"We did and I do recall hearing the song from them. But my fondest memories were of my mother singing the song or a bard friend of the family entertaining us with the tune. It is hauntingly beautiful."

"It is. Do you know its history?"

Bryce smiled. "I do and that makes it even more precious to me."

The Keeper smiled warmly. "If only other humans would take the time to learn of our ways perhaps there would not be such fear and animosity about us."

"The Dalish fear and animosity towards humans is well founded, Keeper. We have not always been good neighbors. But I hope we can continue to learn about each other and show respect for each other so that it is not only through the bad times but the good times that we can interact and rely on each other."

"A very hopeful sentiment, Your Majesty," the Keeper remarked with a sad smile.

"As long as there are Dalish and humans like us willing to learn from each other and respect each other, there is always hope, Keeper. But now I fear the journey is taking its toll and my eyes grow heavy with sleep. Might I trouble you to show me my accommodations for the night?"

The Keeper rose and Bryce followed. He wished his hosts a good night and was shown to his aravel where he stripped out of his armor and settled in for a much needed night's sleep.

Just as the dawn was breaking, the Dalish were up and about to begin a new day. Bryce awoke to the sounds of cooking fires crackling and the aroma of mouthwatering food in the air. It was a comforting, homey way to start the morning, unlike mornings in the palace where you might catch the scent of cooking meat only if you walked by an open window. The royal quarters were too far away from the housekeeping areas of the castle to emit similarly pleasant sounds.

Bryce rose and dressed then met The Keeper who took him on a tour of the dwellings. He was shown where they were beginning to store the limited amount of grain they had been growing and their newly built grist mill using the nearby river to grind the grain which produced the bread they had last evening. The Dalish made good use of the things nature offered them and supplemented that with these new traditions of a people who were nomads no longer but an agrarian society. They were still feeling their way to marry the two lifestyles together.

As they walked, they came across a group of hunters. Bryce asked them about their weapons and hunting techniques. They eagerly shared their knowledge and Bryce did the same, exchanging what Cade had taught him. The Keeper left Bryce with the hunters while she checked on the rest of the village. A few hours later, she gathered Bryce to join them in the morning meal. As before, it was communal and there was plenty for everyone. Bryce again participated in the blessing circle then partook with the rest of the elves. Before Bryce knew it, the time to ride to Ostagar had come. He and The Keeper rode their mounts silently to the ruins.

Bryce could recall only one time in his life that he had visited this sacred place. He and Eleanor were five years old. There was a ceremony declaring the ruins hallowed ground by his father and a monument was erected to those who had fallen in the Battle of Ostagar at the beginning of the Fifth Blight. He and Eleanor were dressed in the colors of the Grey Wardens with their symbol, a griffon, emblazoned in silver on their breast. Neither he nor Eleanor understood what was happening. But he did remember playing with a wooden toy griffon during the ceremony with lots of cannon firing, drums beating and speeches by both his mother and father, she being the former Warden Commander, he being King and both of them being Grey Wardens and veterans of the battle.

As Bryce approached the ruins, his eyes turned skyward. The Tower of Ishal still stood like a sentinel over the place. As a boy, he thought the structure stretched towards the throne of The Maker himself. Returning as an adult, the Tower was no less impressive and perhaps more so now that he fully understood how long the tower had stood and what had happened there a mere twenty or so years ago. The pride at knowing what his parents did here; what Fereldans did here; the sacrifices here made Bryce sit taller in his saddle. He hoped that what he felt here was not lost on those who would be with him.

He and The Keeper held their horses steady at the entrance to The Tower of Ishal, waiting for Deegan to arrive. They did not need to wait long as he saw the man approach. He wasn't alone, as Bryce requested but when he saw that Bryce spotted him, Deegan motioned for his companions to halt. Deegan rode towards Bryce and The Keeper alone. Bryce frowned at Deegan's direct disobedience to his order. It did not bode well for the negotiations.

Deegan rode up to Bryce and The Keeper. When he arrived, he dismounted, as did Lanaya. Both of them knelt before Bryce. Deegan looked up and saw the dark scowl on Bryce's handsome face and knew his eyes were gazing at his riding companions.

"Forgive me, Your Majesty. The townspeople did not wish for me to travel here alone, in spite of your explicit instructions. I thought it better to ride with them than have them follow me as that might have been misconstrued."

Bryce stared down at the man, the scowl leaving his face but making it unreadable. "You seem to be a man of prudence," Bryce began in a clear and commanding voice. "Let us see if you can maintain that virtue during our talk."

Bryce dismounted from his horse and as his feet touched the ground, he saw Deegan bow his head and breathe a very audible sigh of relief. It was at that moment that he noticed the man's hands shaking slightly. Although he disobeyed Bryce's instructions it didn't appear that he had dismissed them. He was truly nervous at Bryce's reaction to his companions. Bryce took note.

Bryce moved to tie his horse to a nearby column and the others rose to do the same. He then began walking into the courtyard of The Tower of Ishal. The Keeper and Deegan followed him. Bryce didn't speak for a long time as he led them to the sacred battleground, his hands clasped behind his back as he gazed around him.

"It is so peaceful here," Bryce began. "It is hard to imagine a great battle taking place on this spot."

"Indeed, Your Majesty," Deegan agreed. His voice was not as commanding as Bryce's but it did not shake and held its own against the young Prince.

Bryce had led them to where the monument stood. He paused in front of it. "So much sacrifice," he said gently, "to keep Ferelden free."

Deegan gazed at the monument. "Some of my family fell here," he said.

"So many fought…and died. Keeper, there were Dalish here as well, if I recall correctly."

"Yes, Your Majesty. Some Dalish were here at The Battle of Ostagar."

"But this was only the beginning. It took an alliance to fight and keep Ferelden free; dwarf, human, elf; mage, Templar, Dalish. We all had to come together, put aside any differences, if we wanted to save our home."

Bryce paused, then said softly, "Home. That is something we all want; something we have in common."

Neither Deegan nor The Keeper said anything but watched Bryce as he gazed at them. He broke into a gentle smile. "Surely we have much more in common. The desire to raise a family; to share in a community; to live in safety and peace. Would you both agree with that observation? Or have I misspoke?"

"No, Majesty," Deegan began, "you are correct. I don't believe I ever…we ever…thought about the elves that way."

"There is so much to share; so much to learn from each other. There is a comfort in being friendly and able to rely on your neighbors in good times and bad."

"Indeed," Deegan replied. "There is safety in numbers."

"Exactly," Bryce said with a smile. "So this…misunderstanding…" he began. "There should be plenty of game and fruitful land for your village, Mayor, without encroaching upon the lands that the Dalish have been cultivating all these years for themselves."

"Your Majesty, we are simple farmers and tradesmen who felt outcasts from the rest of the towns in Ferelden. That is why we wished a settlement of our own."

"I understand that sentiment, Mayor," Keeper Lanaya replied, speaking for the first time. Her tone was sympathetic.

Deegan gazed at her, realizing how his words must have sounded to her. He smiled gently at her. "I suppose you would."

Deegan looked from Bryce to Lanaya and back again. His village wished no uprising against the Dalish and it was obvious the Crown would support the elves in their endeavor should things go awry. It was best for all to keep and maintain peace.

"You are wise beyond your years, Your Majesty," Deegan began. "Home, safety, security and community are desires which cross race. I had not thought about it in those terms before. I shall make sure that we do not encroach upon Dalish lands and will work with The Keeper to maintain friendly relations between our villages."

"Thank you, Mayor," Lanaya replied. "And I shall make sure we do the same."

"Perhaps we may be able to trade items and goods with each other," Deegan mused aloud.

"We would consider such a venture," Lanaya replied with a smile.

"This sounds like a new era in relations between humans and elves," Bryce commented. "I am very pleased to see it."

"As are we, Your Majesty," Lanaya replied. Deegan nodded in agreement.

As Bryce led them back to where their horses were tied, he saw out of the corner of his eye a figure standing in the ruins above them. He could not make out the features of the figure except the cloak billowing in the wind and what appeared to be a staff attached to its back. He did not know how long the figure had been standing there but he was positive it wasn't there when they arrived. The figure didn't move as they returned to the tower entrance.

Once there, Bryce extended his hand to Deegan. "I am happy we could come to a satisfying resolution for all."

"As am I, Your Majesty. Perhaps you would consider visiting our village soon to see the progress we are making."

"I would be honored, Mayor. Send the invite to the palace when you are ready."

Deegan smiled brightly, "We will do so. Thank you, Majesty." He then turned to the Keeper. "I look forwarded to a prosperous and beneficial relationship, Keeper."

"As do I, Mayor," Lanaya replied with a smile.

Deegan bowed to them both, then untied and mounted his horse. His two companions did the same once they saw Deegan ride towards them. The trio then headed home.

"Well, Keeper," Bryce began, "I hope that outcome was satisfactory."

Lanaya smiled, "Indeed Your Majesty. It was better than I had hoped."

"Good. I shall return with you and then I will depart for Denerim."

"Would you consider staying one more night? It is early afternoon and you should not be traveling on the road at night."

"Thank you, but the King is eager to hear this successful outcome."

"I understand."

Bryce and Lanaya mounted their horses and road back to the Dalish. Bryce gathered his belongings and saddlebags as The Keeper told the clan the wonderful news. When he returned, many of the Dalish came up to him to thank him. Bryce humbly took their gratitude. He then prepared his horse and then began walking towards the gates. Keeper Lanaya joined him.

"We are grateful for the intervention of the Crown, Majesty."

"As long as my family sits on the throne, you may consider the Crown friends and allies of the Dalish," Bryce vowed.

Lanaya smiled. "You shall always be welcome here, Majesty. We have prepared some food for you to take along. There should be enough for you and your shadow."

Bryce graciously took the bundle. "Thank you, Keeper," he smiled.

"Give our warmest regards to the King and Queen."

"I shall and I hope to see you at the upcoming ball."

Lanaya just smiled and nodded. "Safe journey, Majesty. May the Dread Wolf not find you."

Bryce nodded, then walked his horse past the entrance where he then climbed into the saddle and headed out. He was eager to be on the road but not for the reason he told the Keeper. He wished to go back to the ruins at Ostagar to pay his respects to the fallen and to see if he could find a trace of the lone figure standing atop the ruins, watching.