Mhairi felt relief, victory, at the sight before her.
The darkspawn lay dead, the rain having turned into a slightly more comfortable drizzle making Mhairi able to discern the many dead creatures sprawled over the outer courtyard of the castle. The inner courtyard, behind the second ring-wall, had more dead, a testament to where the creatures had come from, but that only served to give a desperate impression, of a final struggle...meanwhile the outer courtyard instead gave the impression of hope. A few dead darkspawn strewn over the field...and orderly ranks of Ferelden troops forming up into neat squares in front of her.
To her right Oghren, stood, the dwarf disrespectfully spitting on the ground, earning him a glare from Mhairi. To her left Anders stood, the mage cringing at whatever he saw as the ranks of Ferelden steel and discipline lined up in front of him, perhaps fear? The knowledge his stay was at an end? Mhairi almost felt a sting of regret at that, almost.
The rain had washed away nearly all the blood from Lynn as their Commander stood at the head of the small group, her injury now wholly healed, though the great rent in her armour remained as she stood there, impassively watching the final squad of soldiers come to a halt a mere ten feet away. A hundred men, the thin line of Ferelden. Mhairi felt no worry over the small number though, only pride. It'll hold, it will always hold.
They came to a stop, a hundred steel boots slamming into stamped earth.
Then silence.
Silence save the gentle clopping of a single horse slowly moving through the gate.
Mhairi took a shuddering breath of nervousness as she saw the ranks of the squad nearest the gate open up, shields overlapping in making two small walls in between which she came riding up to them...regal and proud....Mhairi swallowed.
Anora was all Mhairi had expected and more. Large grey eyes, regal and intelligent, blond hair pulled taut behind her head, sharp features, skin flawless and untouchable...a queen. She was also riding in full armour, silverite plate armour that leant the droplets of rain covering them a silvery shine, the sword strapped to her hip looking as if it was moulded to her. A warrior queen, the one the nobles had all turned to when the equally noble king Alistair Theirin had died to save them, taking up where the end of a now dead noble line of kings as a queen matching any of them in bravery and ability, another hero of the battle of Denerim as the tales said.
Nervous, proud, awed...Mhairi slid onto one knee, head bowed.
"Rise, rise." Even Anora's voice was that of a queen, kind yet authoritative...Mhairi struggled not to smile at the kindness as she got to her feet, forcing herself to ignore the fact that not only Anders had followed her example in kneeling in proper reverence. There was a slight smile on Anora's lips as she easily dropped out of her saddle and crossed the final distance, Mhairi couldn't help but note that the woman too wasn't looking directly at Lynn...not even the queen being able to look at...whatever there was to see in the Commander's eyes. "Commander Tabris, seems you once again have done the kingdom a great service."
"The castle has suffered many losses." The Commander dryly noted, the compliment apparently falling to dead ears. "All the Orlesian wardens are either dead or unaccounted for, of the soldiers in the keep we have only thirty left, there are fifty more out on patrol that will return though." Mhairi grimaced, despite her discipline. Yes, bad numbers...but right now I don't think it's what you're supposed to speak of. She's the queen dammit!
"I...yes." Anora frowned slightly, but then smiled, gesturing for the great damage in the side of Lynn's ancient elven armour. "At least it seems you have a great healer...that is well."
"Yes." Lynn shrugged, shooting Anders a short nod, making it look like a great stretch of generosity. Oh great...
"That man!" The growl cut through the at least ambivalent atmosphere, instantly turning it hostile as a man in the distinct armour of the templars marched forth, his hair cropped short, his face worn with decades of scowling and hard grey eyes levelled on someone behind Lynn...on Anders. "Is not a healer!"
Mhairi looked over at Anders, finding the mage paling ever so slightly under the scrutiny of the mage. It wasn't really fear in his eyes though, rather...resignation, as if a sudden weight had dropped onto his shoulders. There was no teasing smirk...only a surrender, as if he couldn't be bothered to to be defiant. Heard he's escaped the tower seven times...no wonder he knows when to give up. To her annoyance Mhairi felt her heart sink.
"He knows healing." Was Lynn's only reply, obvious or uncaring of what the templar really meant.
"That's not what I mean!" The man blustered, scowl deepening. "That man is an apostate! Why is he not in chains? Or in his cell!"
Anora said nothing, the woman smirking a little as she looked over at the templar, giving Mhairi the distinct impression that the queen didn't much care for the man. As for Lynn...she merely shrugged. "I let him out, that's why he's in neither cell nor chains."
"That's..." An exasperated sigh escaped the man as he moved to pinch the bridge of his nose. "...look, he's under chantry supervision and I demand you hand him over this instance."
"Do you?" Lynn asked, her head slightly cocked as she observed the templar, making his scowl fade, instead he begun to look nervous. Mhairi didn't envy him, she'd been under the gaze of Lynn's long enough to know how harsh it could be on anyone...and apparently that included even templars who guarded arguably the greatest source of power in Ferelden.
Silence, the templar nervously shifting his feet.
"No, you will not have him."
"What!" The man took a step forward, only to instantly take a step backwards as Lynn's forehead creased in irritation. "I...you can't..." His voice faltered as he looked to Anora for support.
Anora said nothing, an eyebrow arched as she looked to Lynn.
A small shrug of the elf. "Conscription."
You can't be...Mhairi looked over at Anders, trying to imagine the foolish charmer of a mage as a warden...and couldn't. Neither did Anders apparently, or rather...he didn't seem to understand, looking at the discussion with a blank look on his face.
"Ah..." The queen looked back at the templar. "I'm sorry ser but...there's nothing I can do."
"You...she can't..." The templar's eyes widened as he understood, head shaking. "But he's an apostate!"
"And useful." Lynn retorted, calm.
"Wait..." Anders frowned. "...did you just..." He blinked, opened his mouth, then blinked again. "...that's...thank you." He sounded surprised, confused, not really understanding what had happened just yet. Despite her own shock at what had happened Mhairi smirked. Heh, cute.
"It is no favour, nor kindness." Lynn droned, not even glancing at their new recruit.
Anders smirked at the templar, chuckling at the miffed expression of the man...Mhairi couldn't help but shoot him a jab with her elbow, drawing another smirk out of him, the relief clear in his eyes as he shot her a short glance. Heh, you're okay...
Anora's hand came up to push the templar in the chest, forcing him backwards, drawing a growl from him as he glared at the still smirking Anders. "Good, with that solved we should focus on more important things." Anora focused back on Lynn. "Seventy of these men are yours, that is all I can spare..."
"I need more." Lynn said nothing more, as if that was all that was needed, making Mhairi grimace. Doesn't she know Ferelden has a low number of soldiers already! One should ask politely...if at all.
"Garrisons all over the place is calling for reinforcements." Anora grimaced. "I'm sorry but I can't..."
"More." Lynn repeated, not the least tactful, making Anora pull back and nearly making Mhairi groan while Oghren, who she had almost forgotten about, chuckle, making her shoot him a glare.
"I...." Anora took a minimal breath of irritation. "...our troops are busy, surely you must..."
"Some guarding places without darkspawn incursions..." Lynn interrupted, making Mhairi gasp at the breach of protocol. "...to make sure the weakened nobles doesn't rebel due to the new laws and taxes."
"I..."
"And I need more soldiers."
"I..." Anora flinched, her fingers twitching, as if she wanted to clench her fists. "...can send you some knights from Denerim, fifty, some of the best. Every single on of them a Mabari-chosen."
Was it just Mhairi...or had Lynn flinched at the last sentence? Nothing was revealed in the voice of the woman: "When can they arrive?" Mhairi grimaced. No thank you, not even any proper civil tone...or behaviour. Great...
"As soon as I can send them...there's issues with the knights being spread out and-"
"When?"
"I don't know." Anora sighed, exasperated, and Mhairi couldn't blame her. "I will do my utmost to get them over to you as soon as possible."
"I'm sure." Lynn replied, tone dry and uncaring.
Silence, the queen waiting for more, yet nothing was said by the Commander, apparently feeling things were settled and waiting for Anora to finish things.
Maker...why is she so foolish? The hero of Ferelden is supposed to be the queen's close aid and ally, if not friend... Mhairi grimaced, apparently the songs sung by the bards were wrong on many points.
Finally Anora shrugged, a wide smile on her lips as she spoke clearly, her hand shooting out in an offer of a warrior-grip to Lynn. "It has been a pleasure, friend."
Lynn didn't move to meet the grip, her hands continuing to hang by her sides. "No, it isn't, and we're not friends."
Silence.
Oh Maker...Mhairi bit her lower lip, her heart gripped by sudden panic. This is not...Maker!
Finally, with a small sigh, Anora's hand dropped, her shoulders raised high as she moved to block out the troops ability to see the discussion. Her smile faded, her eyes narrowed. She suddenly looked...vicious. "No...I suppose not." She cocked her head to the side, her neck cracking as she turned to leave. "Commander."
Lynn merely turned, her eyes distant as she moved to walk past her staring companions. "Your majesty." The voice held no emotions, yet...Mhairi shrugged.
It feels as if I've missed something...
888
Thanks to Abydos Jackson for the ever present assistance.