Thanks to awesome beta Brelaina for her help.

Idle Talk

It was extremely entertaining to sit and rest, watching the Templar working hard. Most of the big company that arrived were Rylock's Templar; the King arrived with only five guards, who, he realised now, didn't wear Templar insignia. They joined him in resting, and Varel somehow managed to find a bottle of wine. Yes, life was good.

The King's guards were all good swordsmen, but he still thought it was a stupid idea to travel without a mage, skilled in both battle and healing. The kid Commander apparently shared his opinion and scolded the King like a snotty brat.

The King's guards were just smiling, as if it was something they had seen many times before.

"You're not going to stop him?" He asked the man who punished Rylock.

The guy looked at him with the scorn of veteran talking to a rookie. "You mad? Not even the Archedmon was able to stop that guy, what chance do we have? Besides, they are equal 'cause His Majesty is Captain Gereral's King, but the Captain General is the King's Commander, 'cause he's still a Warden. You get it?"

"Besides, the King wouldn't allow it. You remember what happened when that Bann who called the Captain General a 'dirty knife-ears who doesn't know his place'?" Added another one.

"Oh yeah I remember that piece of shit. He had such a funny name... Dieter? Demeter? Something like that. Yeah but that man had a nerve to slap him. Right there in front of everyone."

"Hehe, His Majesty had him arrested and he spent a month in a prison. He was quite dirty himself after that, wasn't he? Pathetic fool. I still say he got out cheap."

"Oh, I don't know. I heard Commander Arainai visited him in there as well, and that he's still pissing himself in his sleep. One of his maids told one of the kitchen maids, and she said it to her sister, and that sister's a mistress of George, you know George, right? And he told me, so I'm pretty sure it's true," said another guard wisely. "And the Commander Arainai's a great fellow but Iwouldn't want to piss him off."

The other guards nodded gloomily, no, they wouldn't want that either.

"Commander Arainai?" He asked curiously.

"You mean you don't know who it is? Where have you lived by now, on the Moon?"

No, not the Moon, though he would prefer that. Unfortunately, he spent the whole Blight in solitary confinement in the Tower. Administrative error, Greagoir said with a grin. The truth was that after Uldred's rebellion everyone except the Tranquil who was responsible for bringing him food and water forgot he even existed. Not something he wanted to brag about. He escaped three days after they let him out – and it only took him that long because he spent them in tubs filled with hot water.

"I was... elsewhere," he said. "So who is this 'Commander Arainai'?"

"He's one of the Demonslayers… You know who they are, right? You've heard about the great Battle of Denerim, right? We were also there. And after the battle, we got the Order of the Griffon, ya know, for bravery and got to be the King's guards… Anyway. Commander Arainai, he's a tough fellow. Some say he was an assassin before, and I believe it. Dangerous guy, he is," explained William.

"Yeah, but the Captain General has him wrapped 'round his little finger," snickered another one and they all chuckled.

"He does? Why is that?"

"Not very clever, are you? They're lovers, of course."

Crap. That was quite a thwart in his plans... but he was not going to give up that easily. "So where is he now?"

The guards exchanged worried looks. "You mean he's not here? That's weird, they left for Amaranthine together. Something must have happened."

Interesting information. He felt more optimistic immediately. He didn't know why this Arainai wasn't with his cute lover any more, but he didn't care. If the kid Commander had a broken heart, he would gladly offer a shoulder to cry on. What kind of a monster would he be if he didn't try to help the man who saved his life?

The guards went on talKing about their experiences from fighting darkspawn, especially the Battle of Denerim, describing their heroism at great length and in greatest details. He pretended to listen, gasping and praising them and nodding at all correct places – he had long practice from the lessons back in the Tower – but he didn't really pay attention.

He had to plan his next move. The sooner he helped the kid Commander to get over his previous lover the better for everyone, after all.