Disclaimer: I don't own Dragon Age or any of its related characters. This is just for my own enjoyment and the potential enjoyment of other fans like me, and no monetary gain was expected or received.

Rating: T

Spoilers: May contain spoilers for Origins, Awakening, Origins DL content, and Dragon Age II as well as the novels The Stolen Throne and The Calling.

Chapter Fifty-Five: Commander in Chief

There were no real surprises left as the Landsmeet proceeded. The banns of Dunlan and Dane's March argued over the exact placement of their abutting boundary lines - a feud that had lasted more than three generations already. Again the issue was not resolved to the satisfaction of either party. Bann Ceorlic III made a formal declaration of his intent to rebuild Lothering and submitted a request for labor assistance "when the issue of Orlais is settled," which was granted. Three banns and an Arl submitted petitions against the Guardian Statue depicting Loghain Mac Tir, and were soundly shut down with the inarguable fact that any defacement of the statue would render the harbor defense useless, and would seriously offend the King of Orzammar. A solid majority voted in favor of appointing Ser Cauthrien Landsman as Bann of Gwaren, which was also officially incorporated as a bannric for the first time. And Loghain Mac Tir stepped forward to present his bad news, which was not a surprise to two people in the room.

"Wait a moment - this man is not Teyrn-Anything of anywhere yet," Arl Vaughan protested, before Loghain had a chance to do more than request the floor. "He has no right to speak before this Landsmeet."

"Arl Vaughan, the bylaws of the Landsmeet say that any man or woman present, regardless of title or rank or ability to vote, may bring new business or raise disputes before us, and the only things about which you may not raise disputes are the bylaws," Alistair said, in quite a tired voice. "Sit down and shut up."

Loghain tried again. "Your Majesties; Lords and Ladies, I have received…intelligence…that suggests there may be a great threat approaching Ferelden from the south."

"What sort of intelligence? And from where?" Arl Eamon asked. "Are you saying you have spies, Loghain?"

Loghain sighed. "Intelligence of the informative kind, Eamon, and no, I have no spies. The information was brought to me by a…disinterested third party."

"What disinterested third party, father?" Anora asked, curious.

Loghain hesitated, and looked over at Elilia, who nodded encouragement. "The Witch of the Wilds. Flemeth."

There was a noisy outburst from the floor. King Alistair called for order. "Your Majesties, the Witch of the Wilds is a legend - a fabrication!" Bann Franderel cried.

"The hell she is," Elilia said. "I met her. So did Loghain. So did King Alistair."

Kireani Hawke, behind the throne, content until now to observe and wonder whether this system of governance was better or worse than the one she'd observed in Kirkwall whereby nobles submitted endless request-for-hearings to the Viscount and were just as endlessly denied, spoke up for the first time all Landsmeet. "So did I."

The entire gallery looked at the Champion. "I saw her, too," Merrill, standing next to her, spoke up. Fortunately, just this once she seemed to realize not to say too much, and did not mention the fact that she had been part of the party that brought the witch back to "life."

"I met her, too," Aveline said. "Same time the Champion did. We wouldn't have made it out of the Wilds alive without the witch's help."

"That's a lot of witnesses to the contrary of your statement, Bann Franderel," Anora said. "And they include the King."

That made the haughty Bann subside into the back of the gallery once more. Anora returned her attention to Loghain. "Pray continue, father: what danger did the witch bring to you, other than herself?"

Loghain snorted. "An interesting turn of phrase, my dear, and in truth I'm not entirely sure she didn't bring this danger upon us. It seems something has awakened, deep within the frozen wastes. A dragon that fathers Old God-caliber dragons. While it lives, the Blights will never come to an end."

"So we kill it," Arl Wulffe said. "Shouldn't be that hard after the Archdemon, right? Male dragons are puny, comparatively."

Loghain shook his head. "Not this one, not according to the witch. She said its larger still than a High Dragon, and told me with more than a touch of amusement that it is essentially invulnerable, though she seemed to think I'd be able to think of a way to kill it regardless. 'That's what you do,' she said. She suggested that I muster the army against it, though she said it would do no good, nor would all the magic in Thedas, evidently. I suppose its all dragon-fodder while I 'think of something.' I don't think I need say I don't like the idea one bit, but I confess I don't know another way to deal with it without seeing the damned thing for myself, which is likely to be the last thing I ever do if I don't have backup."

"I stand with Loghain on this," Elilia said. "We need to face this creature and kill it, and it may come down to him and me jabbing our swords up its sinuses but just like when we faced the Archdemon, we're going to need army support. I know it's a lot to ask in the face of what we fear from the west, but Orlais isn't going to be bothering us for awhile, if at all."

Bann Sigurd stepped forward then. "It's true; Orlais may not be a threat to us much longer. I've had word that a peasant revolution is underway, and if that creates enough havoc then I'd wager Ferelden will be the last thing on the Empress' mind for the foreseeable future."

"Even if it is true there is rebellion in Orlais, that's no guarantee of anything," Arl Eamon said. "The Chevaliers are more than capable of putting down such things, with legions left over to plough over us."

"You mean you don't know if it's true there's rebellion or not, Eamon?" Bann Alfstanna asked. "You have…connections, after all."

Arl Eamon blushed and stammered. "Isolde hasn't had word from her family in years. I have no 'connections' with Orlais, Alfstanna, and I resent the implication."

Loghain held up his hands. "Enough; we have no time to debate this for centuries on end as it seems we must needs do with all else. It is nearly First Day; the witch indicated the dragon would begin to move into Ferelden around springtide. She suggested we make our move no later than first thaw, and I'm inclined not to argue with her on this matter."

"You have no rightful command over Ferelden armies, Loghain Mac Tir, and not even your marriage to the Teyrna can change that," Vaughan said.

"No, but I can," Alistair said. "And I shall. I hereby appoint Loghain Mac Tir General-in-Chief over all Ferelden's armies."

"Your Majesty, this is outrageous."

"Ferelden's armies are my armies, Arl Vaughan," Alistair said, "and I am free to appoint whoever I feel is most worthy to the office of commander-in-chief. It has nothing to do with this dragon and everything to do with the fact that there is no one else I trust more to fulfill this duty."

Loghain could only stare at the king, stunned, both by the sudden appointment and the assurance that Alistair trusted him. So there was at least one surprise in the Landsmeet.