Chapter Four
Keera watched "Duncan" leave, making sure his companion followed. She had seen the older gentleman with him and thus did not make a confrontation as she had originally planned. She was young but she had seen enough of the world to recognize a faithful warrior when she saw one.
"Was that him?" asked her companion, a man old enough to be her father. He was dressed in the uniform of the Grey Wardens, his dark hair grown in patches on his head, his blue eyes shimmering with an eerie light, his skin mottled displaying the corruption flowing in his veins.
"Yes, Larius. Did you not see the family resemblance?" she responded sarcastically.
"Your name was not familiar to him."
"I am not surprised. Bastards are usually kept as family secrets, especially one such as myself. I doubt my father would have told the world about me."
"The world shall learn of your existence soon enough, my dear."
Keera smiled, "Yes and it shall bow before me, especially the King of Ferelden."
Keera followed the same pathway out of the battlefield with Larius, her faithful companion, in tow. They had work to do.
The journey back to Denerim was uneventful. If Cade had seen Bryce's chat with Keera he did not mention it. Bryce did not discuss the meeting either. Instead, they talked of fighting techniques and Bryce told Cade what the Dalish had shared with him. It was a pleasant, informal conversation of a pupil with his teacher.
It was early evening when they finally entered the gates of the Capitol. They made their way quickly to the palace. As they entered the courtyard, Alistair, Brianna, Eleanor and Dante were waiting for them. Brianna gave a small smile when she saw Cade riding alongside her son. Bryce dismounted and handed his reins to a waiting steward. Cade dismounted and waited by his horse.
Alistair walked down to greet his son. When he was standing in front of him, Bryce nodded then got down on one knee, bowing his head.
"Your Majesty," Bryce said.
Alistair had never become accustomed to people bowing before him, especially his own family. He touched Bryce on the shoulder. His son looked up at him, then rose. Father and son were nearly of equal height.
"Welcome home, son."
"Thank you, Father."
There was a pause before Alistair embraced Bryce. "I am glad you are home safe."
Bryce smiled and returned the hug.
Once Alistair released him, Brianna and Eleanor came to welcome him home.
"Your Majesty," Bryce said to his mother, giving her a deep bow. "Eleanor," he said with a nod of the head and a smile.
"Welcome home, Bryce," Brianna said, taking her son in her arms. "Tis good to see you safe and sound."
"How could I not be with Cade watching my back," he replied with good humor. "I wondered why you let my traveling alone go without much of a battle."
Brianna released him, then caressed his cheek. "You are my only son. Just because you have become a young man does not mean my watching over you ends. It's just now not so…obvious," she grinned.
Bryce let out a laugh. "At least I am forewarned."
Over Bryce's shoulder Brianna saw Cade waiting. She smiled and nodded to him. He bowed and then took his horse to the stable and then returned to the barracks.
It was now Eleanor's turn to greet her brother.
"I see no Witch of the Wilds got you," she teased giving him a tight hug.
Bryce embraced his sister in a bear hug. "No, but I have something to share with you later," he confided to her.
"I am intrigued, Brother. Did one of the elves capture your fancy?"
Bryce chuckled, "No."
Before brother and sister could release each other, Dante came up to them, giving a short bark. Bryce and Eleanor parted and looked down at their faithful Mabari.
"Hello, boy. I hadn't forgotten you," Bryce remarked, scratching Dante behind the ears.
"Once you have bathed and changed, come to our apartments, Bryce. Your mother and I want to hear about your mission," Alistair gently commanded.
"Yes, Majesty," Bryce replied.
Alistair escorted Brianna inside followed by their children and Dante. An hour later Bryce was knocking on the door to his parents' private chambers. Brianna opened the door to let him in. Bryce bowed and then entered the apartments. Alistair was sitting on an overstuffed sofa. Brianna joined him. His father motioned to a chair. Bryce took a seat.
"Now, tell us how the negotiations went," Alistair commanded.
Bryce told him of his meeting with Keeper Lanaya and Mayor Deegan at the ruins of Ostagar. His parents listened intently to his description, giving no hint of their reception to the news and how Bryce had handled the situation.
When Bryce finished there was a long pause. He thought he had achieved the outcome his father wanted. Everyone seemed to have been pleased with the situation when he left. Now he wasn't so sure. Had something happened during his journey home?
Finally, Alistair broke into a wide grin. "Excellent news, Bryce. I knew sending you was the right decision."
Bryce let out an audible sigh and didn't realize until that moment he had been holding his breath.
"Thank you, Father."
"Holding your meeting on the battlefield; appealing to our common desires; that was a great strategy," Alistair said with pride.
"I thought it was better to talk about our similarities rather than our differences," Bryce replied.
"And it seems you were right," Brianna said with a smile. "I am so proud of you."
"Thank you, Mother."
"How do you feel about it?" she asked him.
Bryce thought on it for a moment. "I am pleased with the outcome, obviously, and that you are pleased as well. I wasn't sure exactly how much to press Deegan on not coming alone, but he knew my displeasure and I think that was enough."
"A good king knows when to press his hand and when to show mercy," Brianna replied. "Your father is very good at that."
"I know," Bryce agreed.
"Alistair, perhaps I should step aside from my daily duties of helping you govern the nation and let Bryce take my place. There is no better way for him to learn than to be by your side."
Bryce was taken aback by his mother's suggestion. He had never thought about joining his father in affairs of state on a daily basis. It seemed his father was surprised by the idea as well.
"It is a good idea, my dear," Alistair began, "but I don't think Bryce would want to spend every day with me. He is still a young man and deserves to have some fun before being saddled with ruling this nation. However, I think spending three days a week with your old father would be beneficial."
Brianna smiled and looked at Bryce. "See? The art of compromise."
Bryce nodded. "I look forward to the lessons, Majesties, as well as spending time with you, Father."
"As do I. It's settled then. You'll start your King training the day after tomorrow," Alistair declared. "Now I believe your sister is waiting to see you. She has missed you."
"Yes, sir," Bryce grinned. He rose, then bowed. "Majesties," he stated, then left his parents to find his sister.
Once Bryce left, Alistair turned to Brianna. "Daily, huh. I thought we agreed that if this task went well Bryce would slowly be brought into the workings of the country."
Brianna smiled sweetly at him, "You were thinking of only one day a week, Alistair. I thought he needed to be involved a little more than that. I knew if I said daily, you would compromise to something we could both agree upon."
Alistair laughed, "My dear wife, you know me so well."
"Besides, Bryce is a boy no longer. He is a young man. I don't think I had quite realized it until he returned home tonight," she confessed softly.
Alistair smiled and took his wife in his arms. "I know. I saw it too."
"I think the suggestion was to help me cope with his growing-up as much as it was to prepare him for his duties. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to catch you off-guard."
"Darling," Alistair said, kissing her on top of the head. "They are both growing-up. Neither of them are children any longer."
"Don't tell me you don't have the same issue with Eleanor," Brianna stated with a smile.
"The thought of her getting married terrifies me," Alistair confessed.
Brianna laughed, "Married? She needs to be courted first."
"I want to see the man who has the courage to approach me about our Eleanor," Alistair replied. "Especially when I am in full King regalia, sword and fancy crown included."
"Quite the intimidating figure," Brianna chuckled.
"Maybe I can get Dante to growl at them," he remarked. The Mabari lifted his head from its resting position and gave a curious whine. "You would do that for me, wouldn't you?"
Dante gave a low growl, then resumed his position.
"Hmmmmm, maybe not," Alistair remarked.
Brianna laughed. "If our royal duties are over for the day, Your Majesty, I suggest we go to bed."
"Mmmmmmmmm…lamppost time," Alistair replied with a grin.
Brianna began to laugh but it was quickly smothered by the passionate kiss of her husband.
Bryce exited his parents' apartments, then stopped, the full realization of what just happened finally dawning on him. His parents were beginning the process of transferring their knowledge and power to him. The negotiations was the first test and he had passed. He smiled and quickly made his was to Eleanor's rooms. He had just arrived at her door when it opened. She knew he was standing there.
"Finally!" she exclaimed and pulled her brother inside.
Bryce chuckled, "You can't just walk out on the King and Queen of Ferelden you know."
"Yes but I have been dying to hear your news." She paused then looked into his face, her twin senses tingling. "Something has happened, hasn't it?"
"I have so much to tell you," Bryce began. He and Eleanor took a seat on the sofa, facing each other, one leg dangling over the edge, the other tucked beneath, mirror images of each other. The fire crackled in the fireplace casting a warm glow over them.
As children they had shared a room until it was no longer proper to do so, but their individual rooms were next to each other. They had worked on the masonry until a stone was able to be removed whereby they could lie in bed and talk with each other, sharing their most intimate secrets. Although they no longer used the stone, it was still there and a comfort to both of them, should the need to use that method of communication arise. Nowadays they communicated face to face and at all hours of the day or night, not needing to be put to bed as children require.
"Where to begin?" Bryce stated.
"How about with the Dalish?" Eleanor suggested.
"It's as good a place to start," Bryce agreed and told Eleanor of his time at the Dalish camp and of the negotiations.
"Father and Mother must be pleased," Eleanor remarked with pride in her voice at her sibling's accomplishment.
"They are. So much in fact that they suggested I begin my tutoring with Father on how to govern the country. I shall be working alongside Father three days a week."
"Bryce! That is wonderful news," Eleanor replied.
Bryce gave her a sidelong look. "What is it Elle?"
She looked wide-eyed at her brother. "Nothing," she began.
"Come now. This is me you are talking to. I can feel your uneasiness."
Eleanor smiled. "I know you can. It's just…we both knew this time would come. Eventually. And now it's here…"
He took his sister's hands in his. "Nothing is going to change, Elle. Not between us. I wouldn't be any good at anything without my partner in crime." He gave her a loving smile.
"Mother and Father want you to marry and they are grooming you for the throne. We aren't children anymore, Bryce. It can't be the same as it was."
He gazed at his sister, knowing she was right. "It's just a new chapter, Elle. You are still my twin. I will always need you, if for nothing else than to keep me humble," he smiled. "No one else knows me as well as you and no one ever will. How could they? We have a special bond, Elle. Nothing can ever break that, not even becoming reigning sovereigns."
"I suppose a part of me is…envious of you. Oh, not that you are going to be ruler of Ferelden. It's just…your destiny has already been determined for you," she replied. "Mine…"
He smiled sympathetically at her. "Yours is a blank canvas, Elle. You have the opportunity to be anything."
"As long as it's royalty," she smiled.
"You know, royalty isn't the only family business," Bryce stated with a wink.
Eleanor stared at her brother incredulously. "What? A Grey Warden? Mother and Father would never allow it. And the Warden Commander would never conscript me. No, I shall have to find another path to my destiny."
"Oh, being head of my armies isn't good enough for you anymore?" Bryce teased.
"If it still allows me to knock you on your royal bum occasionally, then it will suffice," she replied with a laugh.
Bryce laughed. "I think you shall always be able to do that," he confessed. "But there is something else I need to tell you. I met a young woman."
"Oh, here comes the comely elf part," she teased.
Bryce smiled but shook his head. "No, not an elf. But she was comely." And he began to tell her about his encounter with Keera.
"Other than her watching you, there doesn't seem to be anything strange in it," Eleanor remarked once Bryce finished. "But there is something nagging at you."
Bryce nodded. "There is something about her. I felt…drawn… to her, as if there was a connection between us."
"Do you think she waited around to see if you would return? That perhaps she wished to meet you?"
"I don't know. I confess that was part of the reason I returned to the ruins; to see if she, or rather the figure, was still there."
"Are you even certain it was her you saw watching you?"
"I couldn't swear on it, but the staff and cloak looked similar."
"Are you hoping she visits Denerim?"
"I wouldn't be opposed to seeing her again," Bryce replied with a grin.
"Well, maybe she will and you can begin to unravel the mystery of her," Eleanor teased.
"In between King lessons," he laughed.
Eleanor laughed, then made a disappointed face. "Oh, you are going to be busy. That's too bad. Bree is arriving tomorrow. She will be staying here for several weeks."
"Oh?" Bryce perked up at this news. "Is Ren coming with her?"
Rendorn and Brianna Guerrin were the children of Arl Teagan. They had been friends and companions with Bryce and Eleanor for as long as they all could remember. The four children had grown up together.
"No. I think he is working with his father in Redcliffe."
"That's too bad. I haven't seen Ren in ages. I could use a good hunting companion."
"I thought you would be more interested in Bree's arrival," Eleanor smirked.
"Elle, you have been playing matchmaker between us since we were children. I like Bree, but she always seemed so gawky and shy. She barely speaks to me."
"Well, it has been a few years since we've seen her. Perhaps she's changed."
"Perhaps," Bryce remarked although Eleanor could tell he doubted it. "Well, we both should get some sleep. We can spend the day tomorrow getting into trouble before I must start my tutoring with Father."
Eleanor laughed, "I look forward to it."
They rose off the sofa and Eleanor escorted her brother to the door. He turned and took her hands in his and squeezed them. "You're not only my sister Eleanor, you're my best friend, my confidant, my keeper. No matter what happens, that shall never change. Our bond is stronger than anything else; stronger than marriage; stronger than the throne; no matter how close or how far apart in distance we become. You are in my blood like I am in yours. Nothing and no one can ever tear us apart. I love you, Elle."
Eleanor smiled, feeling her eyes begin to water. She hugged her brother. "I love you too, Bryce."
After a few moments, brother and sister parted.
"Night, Elle," Bryce said, brushing the tip her nose with his forefinger.
Eleanor smiled, "Night."
She watched him go to his room then closed the door and headed to bed.