Apologies for the (ridiculously) late update again... unfortunately real life has bitten me hard on the ass recently. As a result, I'm not sure how regularly I will be able to update this, but I will try – I have up to chapter 24 planned after all :D
...and then of course, Fable 3 came out and all thoughts of DA were pushed aside for roguish and bloody unromanceable soldiers...
...then I arrived late to the Assassin's Creed party and was suitably distracted by that too XD but I've just cracked out DA:A again and now eager to get Elissa to bloody Amaranthine already XD
Reviews, faves and adds are all greatly appreciated.
Chapter Ten: Denerim II
When Elissa arrived at the palace, Cauthrien herself escorted Elissa to Anora's study. "Your fellow Warden is with the Queen," she said, straight to the point as ever. "And wouldn't leave, despite my requests for him to do otherwise."
"Ah," Elissa said sheepishly. "Yes, that would be my fault – I told him to stay."
"The Queen has warmed to him," Cauthrien admitted. "He is... quite charming."
Elissa laughed. "That's Darrian. Is my brother still with them?"
"Yes, I believe he is." Cauthrien hesitated as they rounded the corner before speaking again. "I must thank you, Warden, for your bravery today. I'm ashamed to admit that my failure put the Queen's life at risk."
Elissa shook her head. "Cauthrien, you cannot be expected to know everything. The only blame here lies with whichever traitor in the guard let those five inside."
"But -,"
"There was no harm done," Elissa interjected. "Only the enemy sustained casualties, and some of my friends are out looking for information."
"Erlina is doing the same," Cauthrien said. "You should get a healer to look at that," she added as Elissa lifted her makeshift bandage to check on the wound.
"No need," Elissa said. "It's clean – the tip wasn't poisoned which was mildly surprising. It looks worse than it feels, and no doubt Darrian will corner me with a needle and thread for some stitches shortly."
They arrived at the Queen's study and Cauthrien knocked on the door. The door opened a crack and Darrian peered out. "Oh," he said, disappointed and letting the door swing open. "It's you."
"Maker's breath, Darrian, I don't know about you but I've had enough of assassins today," Elissa said as Cauthrien shut and bolted the door behind them.
"Well, you were unarmed and in unarmoured so I doubt you appreciated the excitement." He frowned as he spotted her holding the blood-spattered wad of fabric and pointed to one of the sofas. "Sit," he ordered, "and let me see that."
Elissa ignored him and instead turned to Anora, sat behind her desk, and her brother who was sat on a chair in front of it. She bowed to the Queen and then to her brother, Anora looking serious and her brother looking worried.
"Warden," Anora said. "Please sit down and let your second tend to that wound, at least until a healer arrives."
"No need for a healer," Elissa said, looking at the tear in her shoulder. "It's just a flesh wound. Some stitches and it'll be as right as rain in no time."
"But the queen said sit," Darrian said, pushing Elissa down onto the sofa. "So sit." He set about tending the wound in her shoulder with poultices and salves while Elissa delivered a report to the Queen.
"The assassin was a rogue Warden," Elissa explained. "That's how I knew he was there – Wardens can sense darkspawn and each other. I can't explain why," she added, seeing Fergus open his mouth to demand an explanation, "for the usual reasons. Just accept that it is how it is."
"What do you mean by "rogue" Warden?" the Queen asked.
"Not all Wardens are enlisted via means of tournaments and demonstrations of skill – some are conscripted from prisons, saved from death sentences and the like. We will do anything to defeat the darkspawn and if someone has skill, no matter how ill-used, we will make effort to exploit it."
"You did not have this attitude when dealing with my father," Anora remarked quietly.
Elissa closed her eyes. "No. I did not. I allowed personal preference mar my judgement and I will forever regret it. Regardless, we still defeated the Blight and suffice to say I have learned much while travelling."
"You are not the only one to have made mistakes, Elissa," Anora said. "And do not misunderstand – I do not blame you for my father's death. You did what you thought was best for Ferelden and still managed to save us from the Blight." Anora cleared her throat and continued. "We digress, however – you were explaining about this rogue Warden?"
"Ah, yes – well it would appear that this particular conscript was a rather skilled assassin from Nevarra," Elissa said. "But his conscription the night before he was due to hang did not go down well. Senior Warden Emiren informed me that the assassin had friends standing by to rescue him – a rescue attempt which was thwarted when he was put through the Joining."
"Where is the assassin now?" Anora asked.
"Dead," Elissa said bluntly. "Not by my hand, I may add. The Warden contingent from the Free Marches sent to hunt him saw fit to dispatch him before I could question him."
"Why?"
"The security of the Order," Elissa grumbled. "Fools. As if I had any intention of letting anyone but myself or Darrian question him."
"So what happens now?" Fergus asked. "The assassin was merely a tool in some grander scheme. What should we do?"
There was another knock at the door and Cauthrien went to answer it. "Your Majesty," she said to Anora, "the Warden's companions are here – the elf and the bard."
"They've been tracing some information," Elissa said. "May they come in?"
"Of course," Anora answered. "Let them in, Cauthrien."
Zevran and Leliana swept inside, both in their armour. Leliana sat Elissa's side and immediately began fussing over her wound while Zevran gave her an appraising look.
"Poisoned?" he asked. Elissa shook her head.
"It was clean. Strange I know."
"Not all assassins deal in poisons," Leliana remarked. "He clearly thought it was going to be the one shot and then sneak out amidst the resulting commotion."
"Then why the large team?" Zevran said.
"To distract any guards during the escape?" Darrian guessed. "Who knows – and it's not like we can ask any now that they're all stains on the Landsmeet floor."
"Darrian," Elissa said with a sigh.
"What?"
"Some tact, please."
"Sorry."
"Well, I found the leak," Leliana said with a sigh. "But I don't think it will be as simple as hanging him I'm afraid."
"Why not?"
"He was forced to do it," she said with a sigh. "The assassins took his family and held them hostage – his wife and three little girls. They're safe now, the city guard found them and rescued them, but still..."
"Duress is no defence for treason," Cauthrien said stubbornly. "Just as it is no defence for murder."
"Unfortunately, Cauthrien is right," Fergus admitted with a sigh.
Elissa pressed her fingertips of each hand together and rested them against her lips. "There is, perhaps, a way around that."
"A way around what, Warden?" Cauthrien said coolly. "A traitor is a traitor and should be punished accordingly. We cannot be seen to be lenient or forgiving."
"Leniency? No," Elissa continued, "you are quite right, that isn't allowable. But mercy? Mercy will gain the popularity and respect of many."
"Mercy will be interpreted as weakness," Cauthrien insisted.
"No," Anora said. "Mercy for a man protecting his family is not a weakness. Mercy for a man acting of free will, for his own life or for coin, that is weakness and a waste. This... may be workable. However the guard in question shall be placed under surveillance and not allowed to leave Denerim until this matter is resolved."
"A fine compromise, Your Majesty," Leliana said with a relieved smile.
"We still need to find the source of this attack," Fergus said. "Which will be tricky since all the attackers are dead."
"We know he was from Nevarra," Elissa said. "And recruited in the Free Marches. I will attempt to prise some more information out of the visiting Wardens, but I wouldn't expect any more from that quarter."
"I have an old friend who wrote to me from Nevarra last," Leliana said, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "He is still very much part of the game... he will no doubt have some contacts. I could write to him, if you like?"
"Such information shouldn't be committed to paper," Cauthrien said.
"No, but we have an old code," Leliana said with a smile. "There is only the two of us alive now who know it," she added a little sadly.
"The more information, the better," Elissa said with a warm smile, putting a comforting hand on Leliana's arm.
"As for the Free Marches, I do have some favours I could call in," Zevran said. "It would need to be done in person, however – I don't suppose you fancy a trip to Kirkwall, Elissa?"
"Alas, I cannot," Elissa said. She rubbed her temple with her free hand and sighed. "I have agreed to be the Warden-Commander of Ferelden. I leave for Amaranthine next week."
Zevran raised an eyebrow. "Yet you don't sound as enthused about that as you probably should," he said.
Elissa gave a small dry laugh. "Oh, I suppose I'll get used to the idea in time. I just don't particularly look forward to wresting command from the current officer. I doubt Weisshaupt has been very open or clear about the issue."
"While you might not be so pleased, I can assure you from my point of view this is fantastic news," Anora said. "The arling of Amaranthine was bequeathed to the Wardens in lieu of ordinary tithes – and the Orlesians haven't exactly been warmly welcomed by the freeholders. Having yourself as Arlessa will be most beneficial."
"Wait – what?" Elissa spluttered.
"Technically acting-Arlessa," Fergus supplied, "since the title isn't a hereditary noble title, it's an honourary one. Nevertheless you will be representing your freeholders at Landsmeets and so on... something which the seneschal has been doing in recent years since the Orlesian commander can't fathom our political system."
"Can't the seneschal keep doing it?" Elissa said.
"Why, Elissa," Darrian said with a grin. "Is that a whine I hear?"
"No," Elissa countered. "I just feel I will have enough on my plate without attempting to fathom politics as well."
"As much as I would like to grant you leave to abstain from Landsmeets, you know that is not my decision," Anora said, "and the lords and ladies are unlikely to grant such a license. You will be expected to show willing and put in appearances at the Landsmeet. The only reason the current acting-Arl has got away with it is because he is Orlesian and no one knows nor cares to know who he is. You, however, are a different story."
Elissa made a grumbling noise and sighed. "Fine. I need to send a missive to Amaranthine to let them know to expect me. I doubt Weisshaupt has been particularly forthcoming with information for the Wardens stationed there. An- Your Majesty," Elissa corrected herself quickly, "would I be permitted to use one of your runners?"
"Save the Crown's servants," Darrian stepped in before Anora could reply. "I'll go."
"But your family..."
"Will still be in Denerim," he said. "Besides, I'll be faster than any runner out there, and I won't feel the need to peek at what you've written."
"With all due respect, Warden," Cauthrien said icily, "the messengers of the Crown are completely trustworthy. I would ask that you not insult their professionalism with insinuating remarks."
"No, Darrian is right," Elissa said with a sigh. "While I don't doubt that your runners are more than faithful with matters of the Crown, the lure of Warden secrets may be too strong to resist. And there are always those with more than enough coin willing to buy such information. Their loyalty to the Crown is unquestionable but they owe no such loyalty to the Wardens."
"I'll leave in the morning then," Darrian said, stretching.
"Take Madoc with you," Elissa instructed.
"Why?"
"Because you're going to be stuck in a castle for a week with a bunch of Orlesians - you're going to need someone to talk to."
x.x.x
Hours later, Elissa was lounging on her bed in her underwear, scowling at her open wardrobe.
She had a dress picked out for the evening, but she didn't really want to turn her bandaged injury into an accessory. The wide sweetheart neckline of her favourite Highever green dress was very flattering, stretching from shoulder to shoulder but would showcase her bandages as much as her neck and chest.
However, the other dress she had with her, while sporting a more closed neckline which would hide her injury, was Cousland blue trimmed with silver. By some unhappy coincidence, the heraldry of the Grey Wardens was also blue and silver. No doubt the news of her appointment would be whispering through the palace (because after all this place had ears wherever you went) which meant that the blue had a potential to send a mixed political message. While she intended to be seen as a Cousland, others might draw their own conclusions.
Elissa sighed. She wasn't sure why this appointment made her uneasy. Part of her attributed it to the usual melancholy one felt when a holiday came to an end, but the other (more paranoid) side of her couldn't help but feel something bad was going to land right into her lap.
And I doubt the current Commander is going to be best pleased about his demotion... she thought with another sigh.
Standing up suddenly, Elissa wrenched the blue dress from its hanger and threw it over her head. Sod the politics – people could think what they like. Better a mixed political message over the colour of her dress than the fools thinking she wanted to show off an injury won while defending the Queen.
x.x.x
Elissa's memory of the ball was a bit patchy. She was initially annoyed (formal functions had never been a particular favourite of hers) but then, after some coaxing by Leliana and Darrian, became resolved to enjoy the evening. It was a celebration after all, and it was somewhat heart-warming to see others toasting King Alistair and his victory over the Archdemon (even if it was a blatant display of politics in action).
The mention of his name no longer paralysed Elissa. Instead of a lance of grief there was a dull ache of loss followed by some fond and frivolous memory, usually involving cheese or some of his questionable humour. She sighed to herself and relieved one of the passing servants of a glass of wine – the first of many that night. Hence the patchy memory.
She spoke to some of the nobles but avoided most of the others. She remembered helping Fergus escape with Alfstanna (how, she couldn't quite recall, but she presumed it was successful since she remembers being jealous of her brother for the rest of the night for managing it.)
She noticed that Cauthrien was hovering closer to and more obviously around Anora than usual (as would Elissa if she had a similar position) and also that Erlina was the only servant to wait on the Queen through the whole night. Elissa had her suspicions about Erlina and her background for some time, but since she only ever seemed to act in Anora's best interests there was no point worrying about the past.
Oswyn, Bann Sighard's son, was one of the few nobles she voluntarily spoke to, sporting a rather fine cane. Apparently the damage to one knee wasn't completely repairable and while he could walk fine without the cane he couldn't stand for long periods without some support. Elissa had spoken to him for some time (he apologised for his rudeness when they met in Howe's dungeon – a rudeness she had already forgiven him for, given his circumstances) and he had given her the details of a skilled craftsman who specialised in canes for the more active gentleman (after they tactfully discussed Rory having gone through similar trials). "My cane with its hidden blade is not here, for obvious reasons," Oswyn said with a sheepish grin, "but it comes in handy on some of the roads near Dragon's Peak."
Then there was dancing and drinking... mainly drinking if she was completely honest, since she was never really a one for dancing. She danced with her cousin Leonas after he rescued her from the attention of some fawning twit of a boy whose name she couldn't recall. He congratulated her on her commission as he stepped with her across the floor, and said that her parents would have been proud. Thankfully she wasn't so drunk or she may have cried on him in front of everyone. He also invited her to South Reach once she had sorted out "those Orlesian twerps in Amaranthine" – apparently some of his newer knights were quite promising fighters.
She remembered dancing with Leliana (twice; both of them giggling at the scandalised reactions of some of the nobles), Darrian and Zevran (again provoking some shocked reactions and her being glared at by Isolde at intervals) and Teagan – several times, in fact (again provoking glares from Isolde). Which somehow had brought her to here...
They were in the Highever estate and the corridors were moonlit and empty. She was pressed against the wall and its respective tapestry, her hands around Teagan's neck while his were around her waist as he kissed her. She couldn't remember exactly how or when (though presumably it was some point near the end of the ball between their last dance and however they got home) their mutual respect and fondness for each other evolved into this but – Maker's breath, as long as he kept using his tongue like that she really didn't care.
It had been so long since someone had touched her like this, so every movement of Teagan's fingers was like lightning across her skin. Although she was drunk on the sensation (and from the alcohol) she retained enough sense to be aware of their surroundings and endeavoured to keep her noises (her embarrassingly desperate noises) to a minimum.
When Teagan stopped and took a step back away from her, however, she couldn't halt the disappointed whine that escaped her. "Why...?"
"You are rather drunk," he commented, his chest heaving with his deep breaths as he tried to reign in his desire. "And this is... most improper."
"Sod propriety."
Teagan let out a bark of laughter before quickly putting a hand over his mouth to stifle the rest – it wouldn't do for them to wake anyone after all.
"I'm serious," Elissa asserted, taking a step forward and closing the gap between them, pressing her body against his again. She leant in and spoke into his ear, her lips brushing against his skin as she spoke. "Stay with me tonight."
Teagan took a shuddering breath. "You're making it very difficult to resist..."
"Then don't," Elissa said cheekily, taking his statement as consent and grasping his hand, leading him down the corridor.
x.x.x
Elissa was roused from sleep by gentle lips on her shoulder blade. She was sprawled on her front, her arms hugging the pillow underneath her head, her hair loose down one side of her back. She stretched her legs and back contentedly and relaxed, not bothering to open her eyes. She didn't have anywhere to be after all.
The owner of the lips, sensing she was awake, became more insistent, moving up to her neck and ears to tease there, his hands skimming down her sides over the ridges of scars that were dotted about.
Elissa rolled onto her back and sighed. Daylight lit the room, filtered through the pale muslin curtains that covered the balcony windows.
"Morning," she said to Teagan sleepily.
"Morning," Teagan said in reply with a smile, gently kissing her lips.
Elissa hummed pleasantly as she stretched again, reaching up to rub her eyes as Teagan continued to gently drag her lips across her skin. She felt a welcome heat beginning to pool in her belly and was about to hurry the Bann along when she felt a familiar, not as welcome tingle under her skin.
"What's wrong?" Teagan asked worriedly when Elissa evaded his lips, jumped out of the bed and scrambled for a dressing gown.
"Darrian," she said by way of explanation, tugging her leather boots over her feet. "On his way here... over the roofs no less. Show boater. I'll be back in just a second." Elissa headed for the balcony window, grabbing a letter from the desk on the way.
She just shut the door behind her when Darrian hopped down from the eaves. "Awww," he said in disappointment. "I wanted to surprise yo- well, well, well," he leered, looking Elissa up and down, his eyes drawn to a suspicious mark on her neck. "We did have fun last night, didn't we?"
Elissa flushed and ignored his question, getting straight to business. "The road to Amaranthine should be relatively clear – Pilgrim's Path is the main one used by merchants and traders. There may be the odd bandit band around but there should be militia around too. The Wending Woods is still used by the Dalish, so keep your head down and remain polite if you see them. I will see you in next week," she said, handing Darrian her letter. "In short - stay on the roads and try and avoid everyone until you reach the keep."
"Elissa," Darrian said, rolling his eyes. "Vigil's Keep is barely a day away. I'll be fine."
"Don't get cocky."
"Alright, alright," Darrian said with a wave of his hand. "So..." he started, trying to look into Elissa's room. "Who is he?"
"Darrian!"
"Aw, what! Come on, you know who I'm sleeping with."
"Only because you're both shamefully obvious about it."
"And obviously unashamed about the whole thing," Darrian said with a smirk. "Fine, if you won't tell me who he is, you can at least tell me how he is."
"He's well, I'll be sure to pass on your concern."
"Elissaaaaa."
Elissa grinned and stepped forward to whisper in Darrian's ear. "He's well enough that I want you to sod off so I can get on with round two."
"Well far be it for me to ever dream of cock-blocking you, dear lady."
Elissa couldn't stop her laughter. "Darrian Tabris, you are downright awful. Now get lost. I'll see you in a week."
"Have fu~un!" he said over his shoulder in a singsong voice as he blended into shadow and hopped over the balcony edge to climb down the vine.
Elissa sighed and shook her head as she slipped back into her room, locking the balcony window behind her and making sure the curtains were closed. Teagan was reclined on the bed, waiting with a small smile on his face.
"Your second is an interesting young man," Teagan said. Elissa snorted.
"That's the tactful way to put it. Anyway," she said, shedding her boots and dressing gown as she walked towards the bed, "I've got yet more meetings with Anora this afternoon but nothing this morning. Frankly, I can think of much better things to be doing with it than talking."
x.x.x.x.x
Ahahahaha rushed end is rushed because I got sick of trying to work out how to wrap it up (no joke, that's the main reason this chapter's been unfinished forever *headdesk*)
Amaranthine next :3 a chapter which has been lying 90% finished for months waiting for Denerim to get out of my brain.
Hope you're all well (and as psyched for DA2 as I am :D)
All the best
~paa x