Oghren looked down at the sour stew. He didn't have much of an appetite, and that was quite a bit unlike him. He swirled it with his spoon, poked at the chunks of meat that floated in it.
The others were looking at him funny.
"Am I the only one that's going to say it?" he asked, throwing down his spoon. "The Commander and Velanna are gone on some secret mission in Orlais, and no one's told us a damn thing about it!"
"What is there to do, Oghren?" asked Nathaniel. "It's not like we're overburdened with choices."
The Dwarf huffed.
"The Commander can't keep out of trouble for twenty minutes if ol' Oghren ain't around," he said. "And I ain't commandin' nothin' if he don't come back."
Sigrun jumped up, tossing aside her bowl. She was grinning from ear to ear, though that wasn't too much of a departure for her. But this time she managed to look deadly serious while she did.
"I'm with Oghren," she said. "The Commander is out there. And so is Velanna. I want to find him, I'm in."
Anders glanced around at the other Wardens, exchanging looks with Nathaniel. He laughed at the idea.
"Well you're all just nuts, aren't you?" he said. Nathaniel cleared his throat.
"Normally," he said. "I would not say anything. But I think it bears mentioning, Anders, that the Commander has taken a certain… personal interest in our lives."
Anders thought for a moment. The Commander had helped him try to destroy his phylactery, though the attempt had not been successful. He'd even saved his life, after a fashion, by recruiting him into the Grey Wardens. Even Nathaniel could say that the Commander could have – probably should have – executed him for breaking into the Keep and even admitting to wanting to kill the man.
More importantly, the Commander, for his piss and vinegar, had made Nathaniel realize how cruel and horrible his father had been. It was no surprise that Velanna had become so infatuated in the time they spent together, seeing as he had affected her life quite significantly.
"I think I put into words what we are all feeling when I say that it is not an option to leave them on their own."
Anders sighed, running a hand through his hair.
"Alright. You're right. Let's go. Let's just go."
And they stood, left the table and headed for their rooms to obtain whatever items they thought they would need. None of the Keep's other Wardens suspected a thing.