After Anders had walked off with Jowan, Leliana had waited a few moments longer until she had heard the click of the door spring into the area and fill her ears just slightly for her to begin to slip her legs out of the warmth of the covers and slowly push herself to an upright position. Her hands had played at the wrinkles of the sheets before she stood to her feet and began a short walk towards where her nightwear had been placed, putting that on so she would have been at least more presentable if more people decided to come in through the night or even morning.
Going back to their bedside Leliana gathered up the dress from the night and walked to the other side of the room where she and draped the extravagant thing over the chair near the vanity. Only a sigh pushed through her lips as she pressed her palms against the sides and top of the chair to lean against as she looked over her appearance to see if anything was out of place where it shouldn't have been.
Seeing everything was to her liking, she began to push herself back up to an upright position and turn upon her heel. But as she had taken just a few steps forward, she had stalled in her pace and glanced back to the door where the slight turning of the doorknob crept into her ears.
A quick startled squeak hummed past her lips as her eyes widened as she quickly rushed back to the side of the bed and stood near the edge. She wasn't expecting Anders return to be quick, so her first reaction was it to be someone else than him. That when her curiosity to see who was behind the creeping door was actually Anders, brought the rouges fears to dwindle down further that it had allowed a sigh of relief to pass her lips.
"That was quick." She replied back, at first Anders words about their son didn't process to Leliana at first. Instead her pace towards her two important people in her life was more important as she closed the gap between them with her arms opening up to Baelfire as she gently took the boy within her arms. "So he already has his father's charm? Or are you teaching him the ropes already?" She teased with a glance up from the boy and to Anders as she leaned up briefly to pucker her lips up against his in a quick kiss before she quickly twirled around after the break and trailed back to the bed where she had started readying Baelfire of the night.
"I would say it was a little of both but, he's been star of the room." Anders smirked and wiggled his eyebrows a little in a joking manner. He briefly paused, only to meet his lips to hers upon acknowledging his son's completed departure.
He watched as Leliana had turned from him and tended to 'motherly duties' as she always had grown accustomed to since Baelfire's birth. Anders was proud in that, just as he was proud in his son even being born. In that moment of serenity, he had never remembered quite the last time he had ever felt so lucky. Everything within this moment had been a miracle to him.
Anders rubbed the back of his neck; not certain of how to have brought up the topic of the Arch Mage's passing. Certainly Leilana had known of her, even if it was only at a passing. He didn't put it past her; in fact. So, Anders was uncertain of what reaction he would have gotten if he was to mention of her. Glancing around the room, he finally had decided that the truth would have been the best option for this time.
"Leliana, have you… ever heard of the Arch Mage Wynne?" He questioned, and then felt himself feeling a little foolish for beginning the question in such of a way.
Of course she had known of her, and the very thought passed through his mind a few moments too late. Didn't Wynne help fight against the Blight along with Leliana and Aragorn? How the closer their fates against darkspawn had seemed to intertwine more than Anders wished to even realize.
"That's right. You've must have known of her…" He began and reached up, rubbing his chest idly, feeling his hesitation still. He glanced away and started to continue. "Anyway, she's … she's being buried in Ferelden, shortly… I thought you'd might…Like to sing for her."
Leliana had rolled her eyes in an amused manner when Anders explained their son to her. One could say it was one of her few fears of their son growing and wowing women all around. Or even people in general for that matter. They both knew how cruel the world could be and the least she had wanted was him to become hurt in it. As they almost had to experience firsthand a few to, too many times before.
But such thoughts were fleeting as she was given the chance to think of other things… Such as changing diapers and clothing for a nights rest. Though as she was fastening the last tabs of Baelfire's diaper, Anders questions brought Leliana to perk a brow as she almost started to glance over her shoulder. But hadn't, instead she nodded her head to him if she had known of Wynne.
"Yup, I know of her amazing woman…" She added briefly.
Though Anders words had hardly reached her ears, as a part of her couldn't believe such. It quickly brought Leliana to turn around in a hastened manner after Baelfire was safely in one area of the bed. "What do you mean she's dead?" She began to question. Even though Wynne was becoming older, and there was such a time one had to go back to the Maker she still couldn't help but remember her words of woman of still kickin' and being able to hold her own all those years ago against the darkspawn.
Upon hearing such news for the first time, it had brought the red-headed rouge to look behind her as she side stepped and sat next to Baelfire who began crawling to his mother and pulling himself to a kneeled sitting position against his mother. "Where did you hear this?" She began to question, as she began to glance up to Anders. A part of her hoped the words were false, but with how many knew of Wynne and her helping the Warden, than most likely what was heard was true instead of lies.
Blinking a few times, Leliana began to stare at Anders a few second as she was asked if she would have enjoyed singing at such a ceremony. A brief nod of her head was all that was given as she closed her eyes and began to slowly reopen them to respond. "I would, but if it's in Ferelden… Do you think it's a good idea for you to go back their? I doubt Alistair wouldn't mind… It's just the thought of seeing his face again after I left without a word, kind of… And I bet he'll be at the ceremony as well."
"From Enchanter Mallone. Though, her passing by now is, old news…" Anders remarked and glanced down; knowing that Leliana needed to know; so he was trying to be as gentle with what he could have been. "…It seems that the King of Ferelden wished to summon everyone he's traveled with during the Blight, but—well, with the importance of your safety-things must of slipped everyone's minds."
He paused some and then moved towards Leliana slowly. He reached out and rested his right hand towards her cheek. Anders's eyes darted some, shifting in different directions and quickly over her features before speaking. "I'm sorry I, never truly got the chance to truly know her, but I doubt Alistair would keep you from something like this, …and come Blighted Roads or blood thirsty tyrants, I will get us to that ceremony. You're entitled to see her off, just as any other whoever revered her."
His hand had fell and he looked away towards the nearest window of the room. Anders reached up and started to fold his arms. Upon walking towards the sill, his heels had picked up in a small hike towards it. "Of course I also have more than one reason for wanting to go... I am a mage, after all, and I'm curious to see what the other fraternities have turned into over the years... Because Wynne was given the title as Arch Mage, and was born of the Ferelden Circle, no doubt other mages from the other fraternities will be excused to follow. I'll just simply go under Enchanter Mallone's understudy, if I have to."
Leliana had flinched upon hearing of such news being old news. Even if Anders hadn't known much of the woman or if a lot was going around it would have been nice to know promptly. She was seruiously going to give Alistair an ear full when she saw that man again and as to why he couldn't take five minutes to tell her such news. "Still the jerk-a-mo king could have told me." She whined a bit as her eyes drifted some to the side of her where Baelfire was attempting to balance himself. To avoid any mishaps, one of Leliana's arms had braced of ultimately quick tumbles back upon the bed.
Even though he hadn't gotten more than a few inches up Leliana attention was directed elsewhere as she felt next the warmth of Anders touch against her check. Her once frown that had been all but her only expression dissipated as she looked up to the mage and gave off the best smile she could have at such a moment. "Thank you Anders, it does mean a lot to me to go to this. I doubt Alistair will have a problem with it." She replied back as she glanced over to Baelfire whom Leliana began speaking to next. "Hear that you're gonna see Uncle Alistair again. Remember what I taught you to do to him, yank and pull on that hair, he has to be balding by now with how old he's looking now a days and you have to help him in losing the rest."
After Anders trailed towards the window Leliana had glanced towards the mage as she quickly stood to her feet as well and walked up from behind Anders. She stood there looking up at him, as she gave a quick glance towards Baelfire for reassurance that he was staying put before Leliana stepped further in and had slipped in front of him. "Well at least this time we'll be going to Ferelden as a family. But if we're to make this trip we should get rest. Clearly you must be tired after that workout we had participated in." She joked with a little poke towards his stomach with her index as she took his hand with her other and began leading him towards the bed.
Anders followed in pursuit with a smile that reflected more of love than the amount of wine he had sipped in between pauses within his back-and-forth visits.
He felt almost like an apostate again. The creaking in his neck, the restless leg syndrome causing his knee to jump, the slight twitching his eye had fallen into rhythmically doing while gazing across the number of mages who were among him. Yes. An apostate; packed in a tight carriage firmer than Enchanter Irisis's backed chicken potpies. How he loved those back in the day…
Why did he start to remember them?-Oh, right. Because of the traveling conditions he insisted on enduring.
Anders did tell Enchanter Mallone that he wanted to have went as an understudy, but he didn't believe that would have meant he'd have to squeeze in between colleagues who were either A: Too jittery to keep their own destruction spells in check; or B: That fourth class literally meant just as bad as it sounded.
It was a good thing that Anders had insisted for Leliana to have traveled in her own separate entourage. Again, this was for greater purposes than just to ensure even her comfort. Anders wanted Leliana protected at all cost, and at what costs he knew he could risk taking. Though the worst of it had been over by now, and Anders was able to stretch his neck some. Again, he was at another gathering, and again most of what he saw had seemed more like a translucent dream.
So much had seemed to have been accomplished that Anders really hadn't the time to even know about. His main focus after Alexander's passing, had been strictly over Kirkwall. Anders didn't know of the many groups of mages who were gathered to cluster freely together—and so suddenly. He didn't expect the number to be so great; even with the understanding that the Arch Mage was a well respected individual.
Something big had changed somewhere—while Anders's head seemed to have been stuck in a hole in the ground…
Of course there were plenty of other people there too. People that Anders knew he had to be wary of, even there, perhaps. There were templars, though oddly not nearly as in greater contrast of a number. There were swarms of peasants and perhaps a handful of a few nobles. The Ferelden Court; Anders noticed, still consisted of one powerful Enchanter and one decrypted-old Revered Mother of the Chantry. Anders didn't know their names, but he knew who kept who under her strict polices….How Anders could feel his detest for Andrastian Sisters and Mothers seem to writhe underneath his currently cold exterior.
There were Grey Wardens; some of which Anders knew as previous traveling companions and others that he didn't. Even Stroud was there; along with the merry band of misfits that Anders and Aragorn had known from Amaranthine. Anders had almost felt compelled to greet them from across the seating, but there was the brief memory knowing that Nathaniel and Stroud in particular probably wouldn't have been too thrilled to see him in return.
Looking to where King Alistair remained—still chatting away with the locals while the nobles had seemed to nervously rub their hands together in anticipation of 'rubbing elbows' with the royal figure, Anders couldn't seem to have taken his eyes off the giant golem and large qunari male who had seemed to remain near their company. However this particular gathering—one that proceeded so close around the Arch Mage's grave, was a private one, and Anders knew he wouldn't have been invited into it simply because of where he stood on politics and because of what he was considered to be to the public.
"I have a question of religion, Qunari." The stone Gollum had asked as it turned towards the tall Qunari.
"For you, Kadan, I will answer." The Qunari mentioned in a low tone but it was softer underneath the small crowd of people talking to Alistair within that moment.
"Would it's Qun accept a convert that was a Gollum?" The question that the stone being had phrased seemed curious and yet still kept a maintained distance.
"I do not know… It has never happened." The Qunari had answered, and looked away, as though to have continued to be lost in thought. He then looked towards the crowded seats; almost glancing a steel-curious gaze from Anders before the mage quickly ducked his head away. "We accept all beings of life, so long as they are willing to accept their place in the world."
"And what place is that?" The stone creature questioned.
"One of equality." The Qunari answered quickly. Even though he was noticing more mages that seemed to fill the crowds,-like any qunari—this giant was no different in his pride of answering to any who questioned him. "Within the Qun, an individual exists to serve."
"Hm… That is less appealing." The stone Gollum thought out loud.
Of course such words, though hushed, still burrowed in Anders's ears and it aggravated him. He never did care for the Qun, and even less for the Saarabas; and mainly that had been because he couldn't understand this form of logic. After even seeing of how the Qunari had treated their own mages, and seeing how their own mages accepted the treatment—it was no wonder why Tevinter was constantly at war against the Qun.
Way to go, Anders. You've managed to conquer one city only to have yourself killed by a stray Qunari, who -of no doubt- had been sent to keep all of these mages in line….
"Would it consider… uh… birds to be it's equal?" The stone Gollum suddenly questioned while regaining the Qunari's attention on the matter.
"Birds? Birds are… but animals." The Qunari fumbled in the answer slightly and then gave a mild shrug to the gollum. "Enlightenment does not await them."
"Excellent." The Stone Gollum nodded promptly, as if taking the entire religion back into consideration for some unknown reason. "That sounds very promising."
Leliana had hated traveling in a separate carriage from Anders for more than one reasons. She understood slightly why though. She just wished there was a way to keep him closer by. Even if she did possibly talk his ear off every now and then with her chatting nature. At least with this never ending seeming traveling she had the time and leisure to practice her vocal cords. It had been some time since she did actually sing after all… Well besides for Baelfire, but that was different. So it would be amazing if she didn't crack among the crowd of people that were most likely to be there at Wynne's ceremony.
Once they had arrived to their destination Leliana had quickly rushed out of the carriage with Baelfire wrapped in her arms. Though she had possibly made it out too quickly as she saw hordes of people before her and instead of venture to far in the muck of it all she began her search for Anders. Though this would be a task in itself. Sighing to herself she began glancing around her surroundings as she stepped forward and into the thick of the crowd to begin and hopefully find her lover.
More in the forefront of the crowd Alistair listened to the conversation between both Shale and Sten. He never understood how Aragorn could put up with these two or any of them in the party with all their many different personalities and how he had to adapt to get along with everyone and make everyone else get along with each other. At least himself and Aragorn had similarity's to where they could be on such a level where they didn't have to worry about that.
"I don't think this is the time nor place to speak of—" He began to state towards the two in hopes it would stop this crazy conversation before they had caught odd glances. Though his sentence was cut rather short as his eyes fell upon a fimalair red-head. In such a sight he rose up an arm as he gave off a wave in hopes to draw the rouge closer before calling out to the woman. "Leliana, hey over here!"
Upon hearing her name Leliana had perked up her head and sight curiously as her gaze shot from one area of the crowd to another until she saw the waving of arms of Alistair. It wasn't even seconds later that she had situated Balefire enough into one arm and gave a wave herself and walked up to the trio.
"Fancy see you here… And you too Shale, Sten… Is Oghren, Zevran or Morrigan coming too?" She started to ask curiously with a glance towards Alistair.
"That witch? I hope not… That the last person we need here… As for Zevran and Oghren… They were informed, I think. So we hope to see them." He replied back as his eyes drifted elsewhere from Leliana as if to see if she was alone or not. "I hope you didn't come alone after all that had happened… Anders didn't allow you to come alone did he?"
Leliana quickly shook her head in a response. "No, no I have Baelfire." She added with a little show of the child towards him. But from Alistair blunt look it had seemed he wasn't too thrilled by her response. "And Anders is here as well with me… I was looking for him before you waved me down."
"I believe that the Swamp Witch is gone for good." Shale answered in between the mild questioning of Morrigan; only in the vain attempt to have kept her chatter heard still.
Then the discussion of Anders was brought up, and it even took Sten a moment to have pieced together that the two were actually talking about the same dreaded Anders who—well, by now most of this was all completely old news. Still, it wasn't something the Qunari was going to remain quiet about for long.
"Anders? You're with the man who –"
"Qunari, please, think of the elder mage." Shale quickly spoke to have kept Sten from obviously being on the warpath of ignoring Alistair's wiser warning.
Sten had glanced towards Alistair and then back up at Shale before lastly towards Leliana. His eyes drifted downward; not in shame, but rather in mere recognition of where he stood. Alistair had a fair point, though not given the complete clarity as Shale had managed afterwards.
"Correct. I will reframe the question. I do not wish to know." Sten added in a more softer tone and then rolled back his shoulders.
From the crowd in the far back, Anders had felt his relief at seeing that Leliana had made it to Alistair with ease. Not that the mage was really expecting himself to rely on him or anything to protect Leliana, but it did help to make things easier for Anders. After all, the more he took notice of those who clearly –that he knew—didn't like him were hanging about, the more Anders was feeling like a scruffy apostate.
"Have you gotten the chance to meet with the son of the elder mage?" Shale asked, soon quick to change the subject towards –well any who would listen to her at that moment. The golem turned its head to view easily over the crowd in her attempts at spotting the wimpy mage.
Though from the other end of the gathering and more closer towards the Grey Warden cluster, there was a large belching noise and a particular elven laughter that only Zevran's voice could muster. Of course that was followed by the shouting and displeasured groans. Apparently one—or some—of the Grey Wardens had shared a glass of wine or ale—and a certain redheaded dwarf had already drank a little too much.
"I told you that was one too many, my intoxicated friend. You had best take it easy. Save the rest for the after-party, yes?" Zevran's voice had asked while leaning his hand more on the dwarf's shoulder.
"I'll be finished when it's gone." Oghren boasted and tilted back another shot.
"Dear Maker…!" Nathaniel remarked while tilting his head away from the group; practically at the moment that he stepped towards the dwarf and caught a whiff of the sour burp. He wished he hadn't. "What did he get into this time? Do I even want to know?"
"The man's been hauling kegs and drinking swill straight from Orzamar. He wouldn't leave the Deep Roads without it." Velanna remarked but kept her nose covered still.
Leliana partly smiled hiding her underlying feelings upon hearing the news of Morrigan. It was like hashing old memories for her since the last time that woman was brought up by her was when Aragorn had left the last time to try and find the woman. Just thinking about Aragorn and being a ceremony for another of their comrades was bring up such emotions one wouldn't want to confront. After all she had hid or tried to hide her hurt from what had happened even if it was a little over a year of his passing, it still felt like it was just yesterday with the lingering pain.
She had hardly heard the words Sten when he had spoken of Anders and her of being with him. It wasn't until she was nudged by a certain King that brought her back to reality and jump back into the conversation.
"Huh, what?" She asked a bit dazed as she blinked a few times before glancing back and fourth between Sten, Shale and Alistair.
"It's nothing Leliana, as Shale and I requested we should just be concerned with the ceremony." Alisitair piped in quickly with a broad grin pulling to his features. "Where did you go just now anyways? Don't tell me you're turning into an airhead with all that time spent with the mage?"
A frown immediately went to the rouges features as she situated Baelfire within her arms more easily as one of her previous arms wrapped around the boy thawped at the Kings gut. "Hey, no name calling. Just being in this setting brings back memories I rather forget." She added with a small whisper towards the end of her sentence.
Alistair's arm wrapped around his center where Leliana had sucker swatted him as he coaxed the area even if it hadn't hurt a laugh of uncertainty if she would hit him again escaped his lips. "It's about Aragorn isn't it?" He asked a bit too curiously.
"N-No… Of course not, that's far long ago to allow it to bother me." She attempted to lie with a nod of her head.
"Uh-huh, right… You know it's okay. Coming here brought such memories to rehash for me as well." He started to explain. "We all miss him. Have you've been to his resting place yet?"
Leliana began to shake her head in a no response. It was one of the few things she had wished to do while she was in Ferelden the last time. But being followed around gave her no privacy which she wished to have when going there.
"No I haven't—" She started to explain, but due to the of a few familiar voices Leliana had stalled in such talk and smiled at seeing such a Dwarf once his entrance was made. But who came in after him brought the smile to fade away if not rapidly as she stepped a few feet back until a gauntleted hand stopped her in such an escape. She didn't want to look away from the incoming fellow people but she had looked over her shoulder to see Alistair holding her pace still if for a moment.
"Something wrong?" He started to question a bit curiously.
"Uhh… Let's just say we didn't leave on the best of terms I suppose." She admitted a bit sheepishly before a light breathed chuckle passed her lips.
Anders turned towards the sound of others talking and he detected the voices of Velanna and Oghren. He looked to see Zevran and Nathaniel as well. Finding the dark-haired man standing closer to the elven woman only made Anders stomach churn. He knew by now that Nathanial had known of Anders's existence. Velanna wasn't the type to keep that kind of news a secret even when Anders was certain that neither Sigrun nor Oghren would have said anything to him. Then again, Stroud was around.
Stroud… He could be here too.
Anders quickly looked towards the other side of the room and then turned around in his mild fear of the name when it popped into his head. Stroud could be here too. Another enemy waiting to pounce on him… But would they have done it at a funeral; Arch Mage Wynne's funeral—one of the few mages dedicated in helping to end a Blight? Would Grey Wardens interrupt something like that? Anders didn't know, but he also didn't really want to find out.
Meanwhile, back towards the stage—or main floor—another tall man had started to approach the steps. He was greeted by more guards, those of which who were preventing the man from stepping any farther towards the King of Ferelden and current company. Despite of the Hollowed Ground law that most would surely obey, the guards still had good reason to have been on their toes. So there was no hostility when the man before them had at last removed his hood and tucked it back behind his shoulders.
"There it is." Shale announced and pointed towards the wimpy mage at the steps. "It has taken its time long enough."
The man looked up and past the guards who stood in his way, towards Shale. The slight pout that he gave her furrowed his clear blue eyes and he reached up to wipe away a warm sheen of light sweat from his brow.
"I was hungry." He excused himself almost with a childlike manner before darting past the guards once they started to step aside and allowed him to pace his way through. It wasn't the real reason, but it wasn't as if he needed to explain himself every time. "At any rate, I'm here now."
Shale scoffed some, reframing herself from making any petty remarks about humans needing to eat all the time-every time. This wasn't the time for something like that, and she knew that much.
The mage then stepped up the stairs and almost walked right into Sten before stepping back a bit. He then looked up and then up some more after seeing of how much taller that Sten actually was. He blinked some and reached up to tug lightly at the dark strands of his shaggy beard.
"Wow. You've ate the most steak-and-potatoes in the camp, didn't you? A Qunari then?" He started to ask and then pointed back at his forehead in a puzzled manner. "Where's your horns?"
"I am Sten of the Barasaad, and to embrace the Qun, horns are not a requirement." Sten spoke the statement, but from his usual down-to-business tone, he came off as a bit cold.
"Sorry I asked…" The mage said while his own Orlesian accent thickened mildly. After a small shiver, the man glanced away.
Eventually Alistair's hand dropped from Leliana's shoulder when he had more arising concerns of his guardsmen surrounding him. It brought the King to look around his surroundings to what they were so concerned with to stand around him. All he saw though was a cloaked person off in the distance. One he couldn't make out and one that didn't concern him like it had concerned the guards.
After Shale's words had reached both their ears it had peaked Leliana's curiosity more than the man beside her as she extended to her tippy toe and attempted what seemed like a peer over the taller folk than her. But it was quickly noticed this was a failed attempt as she rested the sole of her feet back onto the ground. "There what is?" Leliana questioned back towards Shale as she arched a curious brow.
"I think we're speaking about Wynne's son." Alistair added quickly so there wouldn't be any confusion when the man ever and did approach.
"W-What? Wynne had a son?" Leliana asked back a bit stunned at such news. After all in their travels together the woman never brought up the subject of having a child. And how close Leliana was with the woman with their like consisting of a few same things she would have expected a little slip, possibly. "When did that happen?"
"Obviously when she was young and like any other mage in the circle." Alistair teased back.
"Ha, ha." Leliana spoke bluntly in a sarcastic tone. "Very funny… I just can't believe there was no word of him within that year we traveled Ferelden is all."
Alistair gave a light shrug of his shoulders as he glanced towards the rouge and began to lean in. "And many wouldn't think I have a son or daughter running around either with Morrigan…" He added with a bit of a shudder before directing his eyes elsewhere which brought him to look to the incoming male whom he greeted with a warm smile. "Lets not speak of this, how about we get to know the man. I just know of what I heard of him from others."
Leliana nodded a bit, though she was purposely ignoring the fact Alistair had pointed out about a child of his running around. She couldn't believe that Morrigan brought up the propositions, yet asked for Aragorn's help in the process. Though if the men hadn't done what they had they would have possibly lost Aragorn sooner, or wouldn't have Alistair as their King.
As the conversation arose between Wynne's son and Sten, Leliana's attention shifted towards the duo and she couldn't help but let out her own chuckle. Though her laughter was shortened was the tone of his voice reached her ears. It brought the red-head to shift her head to one side as she slowly approached the male, stopping near Sten. "Don't mind this guy, he's a big softy under all that muscle and angry look." She said towards the mage as a warm smile pulled to the corner of her lips. "I'm Leliana, it's nice to meet you… "
"Likewise, if not more-so, milady. I must say, I am more than ecstatic to have finally met you—" The man returned the bright smile and gave his head a polite bow before lifting his head back up towards Alistair and then glanced around himself towards the others that were near him. "—Well, all of you, in fact... It is refreshing every day to learn more about Wynne's companions."
"Its eyes wander too much." Shale pointed out, which caused the man to lightly blush for the moment and soon redirect his attention back to the stone golem.
"And what do you know of my eyes, Golem? Are you going to whisper sonnets about them?" He practically teased back just to kept himself from being the only one momentarily embarrassed.
"Bah." Shale scoffed and rolled back her giant shoulders. "It is a strange creature among many."
The mage chuckled some and then started to clear his throat in a light symbol of the attempt to shift the subject once more. Looking towards Leliana and then to Alistair and Sten, he returned back to his more professional nature.
"I am honored to have you here. My name is Rhys of the White Spire. I've heard many things about each of you, in fact…" He announced rather proudly and then straightened his back a little, shifting his gaze to each one as he seemed to have went down the line in introductions. "Let's see… I already know Shale thanks to Wynne… The Ferelden lands have made it quite clear who their 'King Alistair' is, and I know through Ser Evangeline of the famous Leliana… So, that must mean the giant is Sten—"
Sten gave an audible grunt from behind him that caused Rhys to slightly jump in his shoes. Though the man didn't seem to appear much of a threat; rather instead Sten kept his arms at his sides and responded to him through a stiff nod. So, this had given Rhys freedom to turn slightly more towards the crowd in a curious manner; seeking out the rest of whom Wynne had once traveled with.
"But where is the ale swilling dwarf I've heard so much about?" He asked in his curiosity.
"Still swilling ale…" Sten sighed in a tiredly given answer.
"Huh… Well I guess that makes sense…" Rhys replied in contemplation.
"It is a walking brewery or so many have claimed." Shale added to the comment; though despite the coldness in the response it wasn't really intended.
"From what I gathered, he taught Wynne how to drink!" Rhys laughed and turned back towards Alistair, but only for a glance; since his words started to pick up in pace. The orlesian accent had been thick in his voice by now. "Do forgive me, Highness, for my attention has been strewn about lately and lovely women everywhere have had a habit to catch my eye—Now, Lady Leliana, if my sources have been correct, I understand that you were in the company of a certain… Icon—I presume?"
"It is hiding." Shale answered him quickly and turned to look more towards the crowd.
"What?" Rhys questioned sharply and turned his head almost as tight and stretched like a crane in a mid-panic.
"It is afraid." Shale restated but she hadn't really moved from her position at all.
"Why that's just preposterous…! We are on hollowed ground and each paying our respects—" The mage started state but he was soon cut off from Sten's words behind him.
"Perhaps it would have been best if the funeral was held twice for the separate groups who respected your Arch Mage." Sten suggested and folded his arms.
"No…" Rhys paused, glancing back over his shoulder towards Sten to give him the same attention and respect that he deserved. Though his reasoning for insisting of everyone to have been attending the same funeral at once was withheld for the moment. Rhys then turned away and offered his hand back to Leliana within a greeting; cupping it and lightly raising her wavering grasp under his.
"At any rate… I hope to keep your company pleasant until he chooses to brave this crowd." He suggested and closed his eyes upon leaving a small and tender kiss along Leliana's knuckles.
From the crowd Anders had been standing in, the 'abomination' as most would have viewed him to be, was steadily staring at the stranger giving a rather warm greeting to Leliana. Of course Anders was a jealous man. He always had been when it came to his woman—even to his ex's! Put simply, Anders liked control in his relationships with others, and when he saw something he clearly didn't like that jealousy issue had a habit of showing. It seemed that Rhys had felt it necessary to reestablish a warmer greeting than before and Anders's jaw was stiff from it.
Was Rhys trying to piss Anders off? …Most male mages probably would have been since Leliana was announced to have been the Queen of Kirkwall, not too long ago. That was a difficult temptation to ignore, and besides: having a woman who didn't possesses magic for a mate was rather attractive in itself. Such things –ideally—made courtship easy…
Anders didn't want to think about it. In fact he wanted to punch the mage for even standing too close to Leliana. Honestly! Did he have to show himself so –so… pompous? Well, to Anders, the man was a pompous Orlesian; it didn't matter what nationality he truly was. The annoyance was a fuel from within that Anders was certain Justice would have used more to his own advantage; which had been the only excusable reasoning that Anders tried to focus on in order maintain civility around himself. After all, Anders still believed that if he was spotted by the wrong crowd, he would have been doomed.
After a moment, Rhys had lowered his hold away from Leliana and stepped back to give Alistair his well-deserved attention at last. Clasping his hands together, he smiled brightly to him. "Well, now, we really should be getting this underway, yes? If you please, Serah, it would do me a great honor if you would give a eulogy before me. To be honest, I don't believe my words can carry as much weight, and I can't say that I've really known Wynne nearly as long as you or anyone else who is here."
Leliana blinked a few times as she stood there before Rhy's and his short explanations of how he knew each of them. Her gaze even followed suit with his words with each person he spoke of. At least that was until he had gotten to her, it brought the rouge to stiffen on the spot. But eventually as the few seconds passed she had brought herself to turn and look over the male as she waved the man with one hand, almost signaling for him not to mention such words of her being famous. After all she was just getting use to the fact that Anders put her on the spot of being Queen of Kirkwall. That in itself was enough for anyone. Or so she believed.
"I'm not famous." She muttered back as her gazed shifted down towards Baelfire, before resituating the boy within her arms. "If anyone was famous it was others in the party, but not me." She admitted in a soft nod before looking up.
"You really shouldn't be so hard on yourself." Alistair added in as he took a few steps in which brought him to the woman's back. "If it wasn't for you I doubt Aragorn would have never gotten those grey hairs to add to his Grey Warden title." He was expecting a hit after such a comment thrown at the redhead, since they were feisty ones. That he braced himself for such a connection.
But one didn't come instead Rhy's next words of the "Icon" had brought her more attentive to the male in front of her. "You sure know a lot about us." She commented back with an arch of her brow. It wasn't as if she was suspicious since it was a bit of old news nowadays that she and Anders were lovers. But it still was odd to have Rhy's know so much of them all and her to know little of this man or of his existence.
It was as if there was little room for her to speak between the chatter of Shale and Rhy's that it gave her little room to defend Anders as Shale spoke of him being afraid. It would make sense as to why he was and he might have been since most of the people in this room still had a great hate for him but still the Golum didn't need to point such things out.
A small groan unnoticeable unless one truly paid upmost attention slipped past the rouges lips as she tried to wrap her arm back around Baelfire form. But a grasp had stopped her before she was even given the chance to move. The foreign touch brought Leliana to softly gasp as her eyes widened before looking to the one who taken her hand in hold.
It wasn't until her eyes met Rhy's that her heart slightly skipped a beat and her stomach began to turn in small knots. She was speechless, if at first she tried to part her lips but nothing had come out due to the connection of his lips against the brim of her knuckles. She no longer could hold back the warmth filling her cheeks. That when she felt such a sensation it brought her head to duck down automatically.
At last she swallowed the knot within her throat as she parted her lips and spoke "H-He's n-not afraid as Shale say's. He'll be out soon… I hope." She added almost in a whispered to her last two spoken words as her head perked up and began searching within the crowds for Anders. Leliana had always known of his jealously, which she thought was adorable in its own way and she knew if he saw such a sight his blood was probably boiling over right now. "I would suggest though that you be careful, I know you were being polite but Anders has a bit of a short fuse when it comes to his women." She warned in friendly manner, allowing her hand to slip from his grasp once she felt the release from his end.
In the back a chuckle filled the rouges ears, no doubt it was Alistair's that it brought Leliana to quickly frown. "Well hopefully he doesn't decide to blow any place nearby due to his jealously."
"That so isn't funny…" Leliana muttered back in a sigh. Though her attention was diverted from the Warden King and brought back to Rhy's who she added to the thought of this ceremony. "I was thinking if it's okay with everyone if I can sing for Wynne. I'm not too good with the whole talking in front of people."
"Isn't singing more venerable though?" Alistair questioned with a shrug after he directed his eyes towards Rhy's. "I guess I can say something… It would only be right after all with us traveling as long as we did with one another. But maybe you can sing towards the end? Sort of like a closing towards the ceremony."
Leliana had nodded to the suggestion but gave little time to the King as she had already started rushing behind the man and with her free arm she had centered her palm against his armored back, giving him a shove and a push towards the center of the platform where one was supposed to speak.
"Alright, Alright I'm going." He groaned as a short aspirated breath pushed through his lips, that he paced forward in a quicker pace than which Leliana was pushing him. If he were to get this over with it might as well been done quickly. Oh how he hated speaking in front of crowds.
Reaching the platform was the grueling part but once he had the area slowly dwindled off into a silence, one which he didn't need to ask for either, one of perks of being an attractive King of course was everyone wanted to listen to what you had to say.
"Hi everyone, hopefully you all can hear me. Wynne's son thought it was fitting I say something first since I had traveled alongside Wynne when she accompanied I and the other Warden Aragorn. I guess I'll start with the first time we came across her and go off of that." From there Alistair had begun his what seemed like endless speech. Of their travels which consisted of the good and of course the bad times. But since this was such a sore spot to start a crying fest he decided to go with the better times than the worst. But even with that though he saw a few tears perking out of the corners of some eyes. "But as we all know Wynne was a wonderful person to be around, I know she was one of the few I could rely on to watch my back that year of traveling over Ferelden. It's a sad day that she had left us, but as we all know we will all be reunited with her again when we return to the Maker."
The crowd below had given their polite clap once the speech had ended. There were a few who praised to the Maker and others who gave praises to Alistair, the Wardens, and most of all to Wynne. Rhys had seemed more content in standing near the small group who remained on stage and watched with a display of mild pride until Alistair had finished. Though, it had seemed a little strange to Anders to even witness of the man. After all, Rhys clearly spoke with an Orlesian accent and the only thing keeping him tied to Ferelden bloodline would have been his mother so Rhys shouldn't have really affiliated himself nearly as friendly to Fereldens then. At least that was what Anders believed; but then again Rhys already didn't give Anders the best impression so far either.
When Alistair had at last turned away from the pedestal, there remained a small hush among the crowd. Of course they were awaiting for more people to speak, and the only one left with enough right to do so would have been either the closest of Wynne's friends or her son. However, the others didn't seem nearly as keen on wanting to say much, rather instead to have just left the closings up to Rhys to handle. It was certainly not what Rhys wanted to have done; he would have rather stayed closer to Leliana's side or to have hidden behind Shale. But all eyes were slowly shifting from a loss of one another and soon drifting towards the mage with the scraggily beard.
"Seems like I can't prolong this any further…" Rhys mumbled under his breath and begrudged his first few steps towards the pedestal. He raised his hands from the sash in his cloak and lifted them in a gradual clap in recognition of Alistair's shared words. At last, turning back towards the crowd, he started to speak.
"I thank King Alistair of Ferelden for his glorious tribute this day. I also would like to thank each and every one of you who are brought here to honor a wonderful woman… My mother." He stated and then lowered his head for a moment, almost as if he had been speaking from the top of his head. The truth was, he really didn't expect King Alistair to have given Rhys's title as Wynne's son so publically but there was no escape. So, after a moment he raised his sights and began again.
"…It seems… a bit odd for me to actually say that word... I, …truly have no real right to speak of the Arch Mage, Wynne, because I haven't really known her that well. After the Blight was ended, she came to the White Spire and searched for me. It was a brief visit and quite the surprise… I didn't really understand her purpose at that time, nor had I really wanted the patience to even try. But the Arch Mage held a special light in every one of our hearts. Gradually, even my own. In the short time that I've been privileged to know of her, I have learned that Wynne was a strong and courageous woman. She had faced challenges… that some of us could never begin to even fathom. Wynne had given so much more in life than she had ever received, and not once had she ever truly complained…"
"Well, except for me sleeping to long…" Rhys paused for a moment and smirked some, glancing back up at the sky briefly with his light joke that earned a few chuckles from the Circle Mages, and then continued. "While there were many things that I never completely agreed with her about, in the end she managed to win my respect, my pride …and my gratitude. As I am certain she has done so for each and every one of you. Thank you..."
He bowed his head some while the clapping had begun again in a soft manner. Anders remained in one place, still picking out the hiding spots that Stroud was possibly residing in, or anyone else who would consider of dragging him away. Though his attention had paused some after hearing Rhys beginning to speak again after the clapping had started to still for the moment.
"Um… L-Lady Leliana has offered to oblige our departure with song, and those of you who wish to pass by and give any final respects are free to do so at this time." He fumbled a little in his words before quickly ducking away. Turning his attention back towards the small group that awaited them, the mage took in a brief sigh and quickly gave his head a light shake. "That was… A bit more difficult than I thought…"
His attention had soon turned towards Baelfire and he wiggled his fingers lightly over the boy's hands in order to grasp his attention and to play with him. "Oh, I could watch over him for you if you'd wish, milady. Give your arm a bit of a rest for a little while.."
After Alistair had made his way casually back over to Leliana, but a bit further back she had turned her attention towards Rhy's and his speech which he had said before them. It wasn't until she noticed it coming to an end that a sudden gulp had forced its way down her throat. A part of her hated the idea that she had taken up Anders offer to sing, yet alone suggesting it to Rhy's. Though it was for Wynne and this is how she had to think about it, and if she was lucky maybe she could find Anders in audience and put her point of attention towards him so she wouldn't crack completely in front of all these people.
Upon hearing her name brought a faint smile to her features before she turned around in her search for Alistair who seemed to be further back that she previously believed he was. Groaning at this, since she did want to hand Baelfire off to someone while she was up there; but thankfully a voice nearing her was heard. Bringing the red-head to turn around and face the one who approached.
It didn't take any more than a few seconds for Leliana to nod her head to his offer, since she didn't want to have the people wait on her, so his kindness was gratefully accepted as she shifted her posture more towards Rhy's, handing over Baelfire. In which she had felt a quick relief fall across her shoulders, forearm and elbow that it had brought a sigh to come fourth.
"Thank you… Shouldn't be long. It's a short song after all." She admitted cheerfully with a nod of her head before she rushed towards the stage to stand among the people like the two before her had done.
Of course firstly Leliana had looked for Anders, but not seeing him she instead directed her gaze to what people she did know figuring if she had started with them her confidence would grow with it. "I'm going to be singing a song sung to me many years ago. We shouldn't fear death or hate it. Death is just another beginning. One day we must all shed our earthly bodies to allow our spirits to fly free. It's a beautiful sentiment. I think one that brings peace and hope to the grieving." She finished with a slight smile before stepping towards the forefront and center of the crowd. Closing her eyes at first she had begun to part her lips starting off in a soft tone as she had begun to sing a familiar song which might have been remembered by a few of her traveling companions. With each note and word spoken her voice rose with it. Which resulted the rouge to eventually open her eyes and look towards the people before her until her song had ended.
Anders eyes had widened from the sight of Leliana handing their son—his son—over to the strange mage. He was a complete stranger to Anders; but then again the abomination highly doubted that he would have given himself the time to really even introduce himself to the man. So, of course upon Leliana's departure for the left stage seemed to spring a few steps from Anders in his march towards the center. He hardly even recognized his own feet moving forward until he was within a few steps of the man.
"I'll be taking him." Anders reassured and outstretched his hands in a stiff manner towards Baelfire.
Rhys hadn't noticed Anders right away, since he was carrying a conversation with the child; or so it would have seemed, in his display of adoring children. However, it didn't take him long to acknowledge that he was being watched, and he looked up to see the annoyed blonde mage standing in front of him. He hesitated a bit in his curious nature before actually questioning him.
"…Are you—the Icon-?"
"Yes. Anders. The boy's father, and happily in a relationship with his mother, thank you." Anders announced in a quick retort while shifting back on the balls of his feet a bit.
Rhys gave a slight nervous laugh and looked towards the group who were approaching in a line; leaving flowers and written scrolls of prayers over Wynne's final resting place. After a while he started to clear his throat some and stretched his arms to eventually hand Baelfire over to Anders. It almost had seemed as though he didn't wish to; as if from a protective nature, but he wasn't one to argue if they were in a public setting.
"Actually, I was hoping to speak with you." Rhys stated in a bright greeting.
Anders shifted Baelfire into his arms and looked towards Leliana who was still singing at the time. How he had wished he had stepped up to the stage sooner. He hardly ever got the chance to hold his own son anymore; and it wasn't as if Anders tried to avoid it-it mostly just slipped from time and circumstance. Though none of that mattered at that moment. Anders had his son, and this particular "Rhys" was not stepping into Anders's livelihood under any circumstances again.
"You were looking for me…?" He restated the question and shifted his eyes back towards the dark haired mage.
"Looking for the one whose words of change had been made so bold and vastly public, to be more precise…" Rhys corrected and started to lead Anders past the group to a more secluded segment of the gathering. He folded his arms and casted his eyes towards the people he knew who have been considered mages and apostates mingling amongst each other. "Look… I know about Kirkwall."
"Who doesn't?" Anders scoffed at the man's obviously over-serious statement and rolled his eyes away from him.
"No. You misunderstand… I know about…," Rhys paused and quickly shifted before turning in front of him. He started to shift his eyes towards Alistair's current dwellings before whispering again. "…about what's being done…"
Having this sudden interest strike Anders's attention quickly, he followed Rhys's gesture and then looked back towards him. At first he wasn't certain if Rhys had meant anything of what King Alistair might have been planning—(for, of course, his paranoid mind would have guessed of such)—but the steady look in Rhys's eyes had seemed to have hinted something different. It almost had seemed as it his statement was made more-so towards of what Anders had been doing against the people outside of Kirkwall. Either accusation, whether to plant a seed of deceit, or to confirm something that was already within motion in the first place, clearly had his quick attention.
"And I think, it would be in Ferelden's—nay, in every Circle's—best interest, if you were to speak amongst the fraternities in our next meeting." Rhys continued after his mild pause and glanced downward.
"You want me to speak amongst First Enchanters and Fraternity members?" Anders questioned as his head tilted nearly at an odd angle from the request. "You're your mother's next-in-line, aren't you? Do it yourself."
Rhys hesitated and leaned in with a mild whisper in return. "I didn't bring an entire City to its knees, Serah—"
"And from what I hear of you, I didn't bring an entire Circle to its knees either." Anders whispered nearly as harshly back before taking a slight step away from him and recoiling a grin. "Although, I must say, good job on that one."
"I had help…" Rhys bit back his mild explanation and then returned back in his whispers, "…And to be perfectly honest, the White Spire still stands, it was only the phylactery chamber that crumbled—and I was actually never involved with any of that part. The 'fall' as you delicately put it, Serah, was never really my intention…but it is no surprise that the people have crumbled."
"Save your confessions for the Divine; I could care less." Anders rolled his eyes and turned his shoulder from him.
Rhys watched as the man had turned, and finding that Anders clearly was about to have probably ignored him for the rest of the gathering, he seemed to mildly panic in following him. "Serah, I implore you to—"
There was a solid "thud" from Anders's ears as he started to turn back and glance over his shoulder. At first he didn't see Rhys at all. He paused for a moment and slowly turned around. Looking down, he saw that the man had somehow injured himself. At first, Anders didn't know from what. His eyes shifted around until at last, it landed on a wooden podium that was about nearly as high as the men's waists. Anders could only have guessed that the "wimpy mage" walked directly into it. He winced idly at the thought; staring back down at him with a harsh look, still drawn over his features. There was little sympathy for any man who dared to swoon over his woman—out of politeness or not—but at least the punishment given wasn't from Anders's own doing.
Then again… anyone who would have been looking at the scene now, would have only guessed that Anders probably did hurt the man… A man who was having to mourn the death of his mother, right at her own funeral…. And this was only excluding of what important titles that the Arch Mage Wynne actually held! How did Anders end up in such embarrassing situations and so frequently?
"Are you in pain?" Anders forced himself to ask, though his phrase didn't nearly seem as sympathetic as he had wished it to be at that moment.
"…A little ...uh…well, a lot...actually…" Rhys winced, still holding his side and crouching low to the ground.
Anders groaned some and rolled his eyes once more. In the back of his mind, he wondered if Rhys even knew anything about healing magic. From what Anders knew of Wynne, the old woman obviously did—but her son-…well Anders didn't know… And some mages never even studied healing magic…
"Alright fine. I'll do it." Anders finally agreed and shifted Baelfire in his arms.
Rhys held his breath in between short pauses to allow the pain from his collision to pass. He looked back up towards Anders hopefully. "You will?"
"Andraste's-Flaming-Sword-Yes-I-will-stand-up!" Anders quickly cursed between tight lips. He looked around at the crowd of each passing person nervously. "You're making a scene."
Rhys chuckled some and attempted to stand back to his feet. "Yeah well… they shouldn't make podiums so low…!"
With the song coming to an end. Leliana had watched a few people approach the area, leaving their gifts of flowers and what not to Wynne before taking their leave. Leliana sighed looked to such an area as slowly all of it was becoming all too real for her. That she wished to just find Baelfire and Anders and go back home. Though when she had looked back to where Rhy's once stood with her son, a bit of fear striked through her as her eyes widened some.
Quickly her pace picked up, but as soon as it was brought to her feet she was stalled in no more than a few steps. Courteously of the loud and tremble feeling that emitted just near. It seemed as if all eyes were directed in one small area, and from that same area two voices were conversing with one another. Being as curious as she was Leliana neared the two to have relief come across her upon seeing Baelfire's face. But also fright from seeing Anders so openly out with Rhy's.
Just as it had looked to everyone else, it had seemed Anders had inflicted some minimal kind of pain on the poor mage. Leliana had believed Anders had actually saw the small polite gesture Rhy's had made towards her earlier and this was the reason why. It would make sense as to why he came out as well and was now holding Baelfire so protectively.
Instead of going to Anders like Leliana normally would have, instead she went to the second mage and began to look over Rhy's to see what had actually happened in the short time. "Are you alright?" She asked towards Rhy's before glancing towards Anders as she shook her head. "What did you do to him? You know it's not a good idea to be making scenes." It wasn't as if Leliana was trying to point fingers, but as it looked it did truly seem like Anders had done something and the least Leliana had wanted was Anders to get in trouble which he could easily avoid.
In the back Alistair had slowly begun his approach as he had already said his goodbyes to Wynne after all. His main objective now was to see what all the commotion was about. Though when he reached in the center of it a part of him wished he hadn't. His gaze of course went to the double persona mage before he drifted his gaze towards Leliana who began to shift herself more rightfully to Anders side once she saw Rhy's wasn't as hurt as it sounded. "Looks like your boyfriends picking fights. Are you sure he's not the red-head in the relationship? Since he is a bit of a firecracker."
"Uh… I didn't do it." Anders responded bluntly after having Leliana's questioning thrown at him.
Though, he couldn't help but the slight widened glance from his eyes after seeing that she had actually went to Rhys's side. On the other hand, it was something that Anders had to rationalize himself with. Leliana was a concerned woman, after all, and Rhys was an ignorant clutz apparently when he was under pressure. It was either that, or the man just happened to have bad luck. It was that—among a few things—that continued to keep Anders calm and not trying to grasp Leliana by the wrist in his more desired march of escaping the place.
"I'm fine, Milady, I just… had a nasty fall." Rhys reassured Leliana as he was still idly rubbing his sore hip-though it wasn't really his hip that harbored the worst pain—at the time. "—Walked right into something fierce and unforgiving, Maker-bless-it."
Anders was about to have explained more to Leliana once she was walking back towards himself; back to where she belonged; when Alistair's approach had quickly cut him off. He did a double take back from Alistair and then to Rhys who was back on his feet by then, and afterwards gave another mild shrug before lifting his voice—slightly more for the gathered crowd around them to hear.
"Why would I hurt at man at his own mother's funeral? That's just ghastly—" He started to say.
"We did just get finished talking about this land being on hollowed ground." Sten announced openly; though not seeming to have voiced any particular side in the discussion.
"—I didn't hurt him!" Anders argued with a mild shock that he was still being accused. His arms shifted around Baelfire and he cradled the boy more against his shoulder for comfort. "The man didn't look where he was going and the podium won him in a tackle."
"That's what I'd say too." Oghren snickered and lowered his mug after another burp.
"And you're not helping." Anders quickly stated while looking down at the dwarf who had walked up towards him. For what had seemed like a previous grand feet, Anders had seemed to look past his previous fears and so suddenly.
"It's alright. I'm fine… I did it to myself…" Rhys announced more towards those who were staring still, and then began his limp towards the nearest chair to sit down. "And we… we really need to have that podium moved…"
"We could chop it up for firewood." Zevran remarked from behind him.
Nathanial stepped from the crowd and stood with his arms folded, bracing his own existence against anyone that wished to have gotten too close or possibly caused any other 'scenes' at that moment. He may have been the only one more concerned with the direction of the crowd's peace that was being held, but Nathanial always did have that fierce look about him.
"We may would want to start focusing on finishing the memorial service a little more quickly." He mentioned, though left the reasons to why dangling in between silence and timid whispers.
"Would you like me to heal you?" Velanna asked Rhys while reaching towards his left shoulder in her moment of concern.
So many questions and suggestions was causing Rhys's head to spin. He could barely take the thought of being a leader to other mages, let alone handle this much information from so many people all at once. He quickly started to point around himself towards each person and in a particular order that tended best to his current needs.
"Yes, yes, and double yes—please." Rhys stated before soon turning his attention towards Oghren at last. "Oghren…? Presume? You wouldn't happen to have any ale left to spare would you?"
The dwarf grinned from ear to ear behind a thick and fiery red bed before searching for his second cup—one that he normally kept close to himself for just emergencies. "Yer, your mother's runt alright."
"I'm so looking forward to this kind of teasing for the rest of my life." Rhys mused sarcastically, but otherwise was smiling since Velanna was at the moment easing away his pain with a small healing spell over his ruptured hip.
Leliana had rolled her eyes upon hearing Anders words to her that he had done nothing. The thing was for her that he was so believable that if Rhy's truly wasn't hurt than there was no need to point fingers as long as everyone else had done the same. But even then she would have been on Anders side, it was just with how every happened so quick it had seemed she was more so on Rhy's side than her own lovers. "Well if you say so." She replied back softly before looking back to Rhy's momentarily before she had heard the mumbled noises of her son come from the side of her. It brought the red-heads attention to drift from the more serious matter at hand and begin to turn to her son within Anders arms as she gave the desired attention to him which he obviously was asking for while being still held by his father.
After Rhy's explanation Leliana looked over to the mage and nodded her head some in relief nod. "Well it's a good thing we have a healer on our hands then." She replied as she looked up to Anders for a moment. "Afterwards we can burn the thing you walked right into." She joked a bit.
Once each person or Golum began coming into their little circle Leliana had gently rested her hand across Anders forearm after he began getting defensive towards Shale. She couldn't help but chuckle at his explanation of what happened to Rhy's in the mix of things that it had brought Leliana to arch a teasingly brow. "I don't think podiums move." She added with a little poke to whatever area was open for her to connect with one of her rounded digits.
"Looks like the rest have finally arrived." Alistair stated as he looked towards each and everyone one of his old comrades and some which were of Aragorns but not his own in the time in Amerathine. It was quite sad that it took such a sad turn of events to come about to bring them all together again. But it was nice to have everyone back in the same spot for once. "I think we should have a few Ale's, what do you guys say. I know Ogrhen won't refuse that offer. " He suggested towards everyone.
"Does that mean you'll pay as well?" Leliana teased towards the Warden King and began her pace towards him to give him a little nudge with her elbow.
"H-Hey no touchy, you might spoil my groove of things. You know I'm still a dashing single man who needs to still find a wife." He joked back as one of his hands reached back through his golden locks and stopped to the nape of his neck where his digits had worked at the tense muscle. "But yes I shall pay, I suggested it after all. Then we can have that bonfire of the podium. But you can't have any, red-heads are far to fisty when they drink, just ask Zevran."
"Oh yes because you're so well versed with women so you should know." She replied back in a sarcastic tone "I bet that's why you haven't found one yet, tell me have you found a woman to knock boots with after the Morrigan night?"
"—Oh you are so dead." Alistair muttered under his breath. The least he wanted was the rest of the members of his past comrades to know of such a night since it was obvious that he depised the woman the whole time in their travels.
Even though it was a faint toned voice, by the look within Alistair's eyes Leliana had widened her eyes as a small squeak of fear shifted through her lips before she twirled around as quickly as she could before running over to Anders for protection. "Ha can't get me now!"
Alistair reflexes had kicked in as he rushed a few steps only to stop within the third one and see the blockade of Anders and also how childish it may have seemed to those who watched. Knowing this brought a slight roll of the Kings shoulders in the process of turning his shoulders from the rest. "We should drink." He muttered, as he knew this was going to be a long night and if he were to survive it he might of well tried to make it easier on himself.