Chapter 71: Loyalties

"Dairren," Delia whispered, her eyes wide with surprise and quickly filling with unbidden tears.

He smiled and opened his arms to her. She ran to him and forced herself to be gentle as she embraced the brother she thought was lost to her forever. He was so unbelievably thin, and yet remembering how horrendous he looked when they rescued him showed how remarkably he had recovered in the past few days.

"Delia… Maker, I never thought I would see you again." He ran his fingers through his sister's hair as he held her close.

"But how? The only thing we found of you in Highever was your blood on the floor of your room. What happened to you?" she blurted between soft sobs.

"Howe's men hit me over the head. When I woke, I was in the dungeon. He meant to hold the two of us as leverage against Father. Howe was furious that his men hadn't caught you as well. He seemed to want you for other reasons. I feared what those reasons were, especially after witnessing his depravity in the dungeons. I prayed that you successfully escaped, but I had no idea if you lived, or not…" He visibly shook at the visions his memories brought to mind.

Delia led her brother by the hand to a chair and the four sat together. "Howe learned about my gift. We believe it was because one of Father's men told him in retaliation for the loss of his job. He wanted to… use me for his own enrichment."

Dairren nodded. "Howe… tortured me… to try to learn where you would have gone. I had no idea, knowing you wouldn't want to return to Father, but not having anyone else." He looked at her with a look that betrayed his fright. "Where did you go? How did you escape?"

Delia told him about her escape with Duncan and Aeden. She then told him briefly about their travels since then, promising him every detail at a later date.

"And you, brother? All he did was torture you all that time? How did you survive?" She felt ill thinking about her brother rotting in that cell, only to be brutalized over and over simply for Howe's deviant amusements.

Dairren nodded tiredly. "I would be tormented, then given a respite to regain some strength, then afflicted again. It was an unending cycle. Howe would tell me they had found you, and later would tell me you were dead; I didn't know what to believe and I thought I was losing my mind." He looked at her and grinned. "And now, here you are in front of me. They told me I have you to thank for my rescue as well." A shadow crossed his face. "So, where do we go from here? I no more wish to go back to Father than you have."

Alistair placed his hand on Dairren's arm. "You have a home with us. Don't worry about that."

"Have you met our father? He won't hesitate to make our lives difficult at best." Dairren frowned at the warrior as if he couldn't possibly understand the issues involved.

Alistair and Delia both grinned as the warden continued to speak. "Well, there are a few things you don't know yet. First, I'm not only your brother in law, but hopefully at today's Landsmeet it will be decided that I will be your king."

Dairren's eyes opened wide in surprise as he learned his sister was married and even wider as he realized who Alistair truly was. "And that's only the first thing for me to learn?"

Delia took her brother's hands into hers. "Dairren, Father isn't… well he isn't our father." Dairren looked at her in surprise. She explained their mother's experience to him. As she spoke, Trent's eyes filled with tears. He watched Dairren's expression as it flitted from surprise to anger and finally to understanding, and all he wanted to do was hug the son that had been denied to him for so many years.

Dairren finally looked at Trent in the eye. "So… I suppose you weren't just the friendly house guard who liked to keep the children of the manor occupied then." He stood in front of Trent causing Trent to stand as well. "I have to say Ser… um, Father, I can't quite put into words what I'm feeling right now. Strangely, I feel relief mostly, but I am happy to have a man as honorable as you as my true father." He pulled Trent into a hug, the two men finally able to be the family that nature had intended.

Dairren's mind was reeling. Here he was, finally released from his captivity and regaining his health, and yet his life was nothing of what it once had been. He looked at the man who had married his sister and a knot formed in his stomach. Did this man even love her? Would he treat her well? Dairren had always been his sister's protector and best friend – what was he to her now? He tried to keep his emotions controlled as he released Ser Trent… his father… and looked at Delia and the warden.

"I… think I need some rest, if you don't mind. This is all quite a bit for me to grasp." He looked at his sister apologetically.

"Before we leave you, there is one thing Alistair and I need to tell you both." Her eyes darted between her two blood relatives as a huge smile brightened her face. "Our family is growing. Alistair and I are having a baby!"

Trent was thrilled and hugged his daughter and then his son in law, smiling from ear to ear. Dairren's face showed a tired smile as he tried to hide his own fears. Not only was his sister married, but now pregnant! He wasn't sure how he felt, if he were honest with himself, but he needed to try to be supportive. "Congratulations. I am very happy for you both." He gently reached forward and hugged his sister. Alistair grabbed his arm in a warrior's handshake with such gusto that Dairren flinched in pain. He tried to ignore the bruise on his arm as he continued to apologize for his weariness.

"Dairren, we understand. I can't believe you are as well as you are. We'll have lunch sent up to you soon. In the meantime, rest." She held her brother's shoulders and kissed him on his cheek. "We'll be back later."

When the three finally left the room, Dairren walked slowly to his bed and lay down in exhaustion. The events of the last few days completely shocked his already weak system, and he needed sleep. Maybe his mind could process all this information better while he slept. He didn't even take off his boots or pull the covers over himself as he immediately drifted off.

Alistair was not looking forward to their confrontation with Eamon. On the one hand, he still respected the man he remembered from his childhood, but yet the Eamon he knew as an adult was anything but decent. Eamon obviously intended to try to control Alistair and therefore act as a shadow king, but what was far worse in Alistair's opinion was how he kidnapped Delia. The Arl didn't know about their marriage, as far as Alistair knew, but to kidnap and force a marriage on anyone was reprehensible.

Several things needed to be accomplished in this meeting. Alistair needed Eamon's support at the Landsmeet, but after he committed this crime against Delia the Arl needed to be held responsible and punished adequately. Eamon needed to accept and respect Alistair as Ferelden's true king above everything else. Alistair refused to be anyone's puppet king, and Eamon would pay a hefty price for his offences.

Aeden and Alistair strode purposefully into the Arl's chamber leaving their companions outside the door. Eamon was speaking to Riordan, the warden they saved from Howe's dungeon. The Arl welcomed them with a smile.

"Ah, there you are! I was about to send out a search party. I have been hearing of a great commotion in the alienage. What exactly happened there?"

"We have proof Logain was involved in slave trading." Aeden took the lead, as Alistair would have his shot in a moment.

The Arl shook his head sadly. "Maker forgive me: I should be appalled that such a thing could exist here, but I'm overjoyed you can implicate Loghain." Eamon began to pace, his hands behind his back, as if he were leading the wardens into their next battle. "We must end the civil war quickly. What the Blight does not corrupt in this land, politics surely will."

Alistair sneered at the man. "That is putting it mildly, wouldn't you say, Aeden?"

Aeden nodded. "Politics certainly seems to be able to bring out the best in people," he added coldly.

Eamon ignored them as he continued to lecture the two. "The last of our allies have arrived in the city, we can delay no longer. I will call for the Landsmeet to convene. Bring Alistair and meet me at the palace when you are ready, Warden."

As Eamon started to walk to the door, Alistair stood in his path. "Um, before you go, there are a few issues we must settle now."

The Arl frowned. "Can't it wait? Surely you understand how important it is that we convene the Landsmeet quickly?"

Alistair returned the man's frown. "I understand far better than you think, Arl Eamon."

As the words came growling out of Alistair's mouth, Eamon's eyes seemed to show a flash of fear, but he immediately regained his composure. "Fine then, but make it quick. What do you want, Alistair?"

Alistair started to pace across the room, using the exact same stance his former guardian had used only minutes earlier. "A crime has been committed, ser, and under your very nose. Here, in your estate. Aeden, would you please bring in our special guest?"

Eamon looked puzzled as Aeden walked to the door and opened it. In walked Teagan, his hands bound. "What is the meaning of this? How dare you treat my brother in this fashion?"

"He is lucky we didn't kill him on sight. You see," Alistair made a great show of removing the note Eamon proclaimed was from Delia from his pocket, "this note from Delia was forged. I have other writings of hers in this journal and the handwriting isn't even remotely similar." Alistair held up a book given to Delia from her mentor, Justine. Eamon didn't have to know that none of the writing inside was Delia's; he only needed to believe that it was.

"This is proof that Delia was kidnapped. And, since Howe was dead by our hands we knew it couldn't be him who was responsible. The only other person with a motive was your brother. I need not remind you of the seriousness of the charge of kidnapping, especially when someone commits the crime for personal gain."

Eamon was visibly shaken by what Alistair was saying. "What proof do you have?"

Aeden responded gruffly. "We have the note. It would be easy enough to match the handwriting to Teagan's. He had motive, as he wanted to remove Delia from my influence and have her for his own wife. We have witnesses who would testify to the lengths he would go to gain her attention." He turned to face Teagan as he narrowed his eyes menacingly. "We do have one witness whose testimony would be irrefutable at the Landsmeet."

Alistair had quietly walked to the door and opened it. In walked Delia. She looked radiant in new armor made from dragon scales the wardens had retrieved from Haven. Even Alistair gasped – she was more beautiful than he had ever seen her as the sunlight reflected off the armor in a rainbow of colors.

Eamon's eyes were wide in fright. "Delia, you wouldn't bring false witness against my brother, would you?"

She looked at the arl and walked to Teagan's side. "Now, why would I bring false witness against Teagan? After all, he is as much a victim in all this as I am. Were it not for your wife, Teagan and I would have been comfortably married. My life certainly would have been much different had she not interfered." She moved across the floor to stand in between Alistair and Aeden. "Instead, my life brought me to the Grey Wardens, and here is where I belong. I learned from my grandfather the meaning of honesty, responsibility, and duty. He also taught me that the right path in life is not always the easiest. We must do what is proper and appropriate in this situation, because a crime has indeed been committed and justice must be served. Exactly what that justice should be will be determined by the perpetrator's honesty."

Eamon lowered his eyes to the ground. "Delia, you have shamed me. Your grandfather was the most decent man I ever knew, and because of my wife he suffered and was humiliated for the end of his days. You are correct that we must follow the right path, even when it is difficult. If it is any consolation to you, I did what I thought was right. I wanted to save you, my dear. The Grey Wardens led Maric into danger and were a great part of what caused the despair that ultimately killed my sister. You would be safe with Teagan, but with Aeden? Your life will bring nothing but danger and despair."

"Are you admitting your guilt, Eamon?" Aeden asked abruptly.

"Yes, Warden. I admit, I kidnapped Delia, but because I believed it was for the best."

Alistair removed Teagan's bonds and moved to Delia's side. "Your crime is far worse than you think, Eamon. If it were a simple kidnapping it would be bad enough, but you kidnapped someone's wife – my wife, your future queen."

Eamon was stunned. "What? I thought…"

"That she and Aeden were in love… yes, we know. We didn't want our relationship to cause trouble between you and me. I suppose that plan didn't work out very well, did it?"

Eamon sat heavily behind his desk. "When did you marry?"

"At Orzammar."

"So, all this time…" Eamon looked straight at Alistair. "So, what now? What justice will you look for?"

Alistair stood in front of the Arl. His hand reached for his wife, who took his hand with a smile. "Arl Eamon, I require your aid at the Landsmeet. Ferelden needs to be united against the Blight, and to achieve that I need to be put onto the throne that has belonged to my family for generations. In exchange for your oath of allegiance, your crime will not be made public. Once we have defeated the Blight, I will expect you to return to Redcliffe, where you will continue to serve as its Arl and remain loyal to our country and king."

Eamon looked surprised. "You would grant me such clemency? Why?"

Alistair moved to him and put his hand on his shoulder. "Perhaps because I now understand just how much family can mean to a man. I can imagine how horrible losing Rowan was for you, now that I have seen such loss with my own eyes. I do want to know, however, why do you hold such a hatred for the Grey Wardens? How could they have contributed to Rowan's death?"

Eamon sighed. "It started before Maric and Rowan were married. They fought with Loghain and… others to end the Orlesian occupation. Maric and Rowan were betrothed, but he fell in love with another, an elf, who betrayed them. The two were never happy after that, not even when Caillen was born. Rowan died shortly after the child's birth, and he was all we had left of our dear sister. Maric seemed restless, and disappeared at one time as he traveled with Duncan and other wardens, including and elven mage named Fiona. Maric, of course, fell in love with her. She was your mother, Alistair."

"What? My mother was a warden? Why was I left with you – did she die?"

Riordan cleared his throat. "No, Fiona lives. I know her well from Weisshaupt. She is most unusual, and very wise."

Alistair was troubled. "But why would she leave me? I don't understand."

Eamon struggled for words before he answered. "Neither Fiona nor Maric wished for your life to be forced upon you by virtue of who your parents were. Maric was king, whether he wished to be or not, and Fiona was mistreated because of her race and magical talents. They wanted you to be free to make your own path."

"Ye—es, well we see how well that went. Instead of raising me to make my own path, you forced me into the Chantry. I wonder what they would have thought of that betrayal. So, why exactly did you hate my mother so much?"

"She was another elf. Maric was a fool, falling for the first one. His indiscretion almost led to the death of their entire group. Rowan never forgave him for his betrayal of her. Your mother was simply another elf who Maric needed to conquer. It was an affront on her memory when I was asked to raise her son. Regardless, Alistair, you must keep your mother's race a secret. It must not leave this room. As far as Ferelden in concerned, your mother was a serving girl who died giving birth to you, and that is the story that must remain for your own sake. The people would never accept a half elf on the throne."

"I understand what you are saying, Eamon." Alistair ran his hand through his hair in nervous anger. He wanted to speak more about his mother and better understand Eamon's motivations from his childhood treatment, but felt time was short. "So, to get back on topic, do I have your oath of allegiance? Do you agree to my terms?"

Eamon nodded. "Yes, Alistair, I give you my oath of fealty, to you as my king and to Ferelden. I am your loyal servant."

Alistair looked at Delia. "Do you believe he is being honest? I trust your opinion more than my own."

Delia looked at the Arl, who looked overwhelmed and suddenly old. She reached out to him with her talent, and felt not only his defeat as well as his growing respect for Alistair. "He is seeing Alistair as the king, not simply as Maric's bastard!"

She turned to her husband. "Yes, Alistair, he is being honest."

"Good." He looked over at Teagan. "I am sorry for putting you through this, Teagan. I know you understand, but my apology to you still needed to be said."

Teagan grasped Alistair's arm in a warrior's handshake. "No apology needed, Alistair. Now, let's get ready for the Landsmeet. I find myself as anxious as the rest of you to have Loghain removed."

Aeden led the way to the dining room. Once the wardens and his brother were out of the room Eamon put his face into his hands. He had made a mess of everything and was filled with self-loathing. Now he would have to trust that the Maker would guide Alistair through the Blight and that the bastard of Maric would prove to be a better king than he thought. It was out of his hands now. Hopefully the Maker would not ignore the needs of his country.