Shadow and Rose

by Lady Norbert

A/N: I have so much of the story pre-written at this point that I decided to go ahead and post a second chapter tonight. Hopefully no one minds. :)

This, of course, is the infamous "Rescue the Queen" quest chapter, and I've taken a few small liberties with the plotline in order to make it run smoothly for me. There's also a rather humorous personal reason why Elissa takes only the women of the party to conduct the rescue - on my very first playthrough, I misunderstood something that was said, and I thought that you had to take the women instead of the men. I know better now, but it amuses me that I made such a peculiar mistake so I decided to include it in the fic.

Chapter Thirty-One: The Summer Sword

The hilt of this immense sword bears the mark of Vercenne of Halamshiral, believed to be the greatest smith in the history of the Orlesian Empire.

Last night felt like a dream, in some respects, but of course today it's back to work. Eamon has recommended that we try to ingratiate ourselves somewhat with the nobles who are beginning to arrive for the Landsmeet, but he doesn't want me going anywhere by myself and I don't actually know where Elissa is at the moment. We had just finished lunch (they've changed the dining room since I was here last) and we both went into the library with the dog, but one of the pages came and said the Arl was looking for Lady Cousland and off she went. That was more than an hour ago. Toby followed me back here to my room, but Sten says he hasn't seen her.

Odd, none of the women of our party seem to be in the vicinity. Perhaps they've all gone into the market district together - women like shopping, don't they? Maybe that's all it is.

Hang on, I don't recognize that voice. It sounds... Orlesian, actually.

Things have just gotten very, very bad.

It seems that Elissa and I are not, in fact, the only Grey Wardens in Ferelden just at the moment. He was in Eamon's study, and they were speaking just loud enough that I could overhear.

"Alistair," said Eamon as I walked in, "good. I was going to send someone to find you. This is Riordan, your fellow Grey Warden. Riordan, allow me to introduce Alistair, who - Maker willing - is to be our next king."

I recognized his name, although I'd never before seen his face. Duncan spoke often of his old friend Riordan, with whom he'd gone through the Joining. "It's an honor to meet you," I said, "but how did you get here?"

"We were expecting a summons from King Cailan to have our forces come and assist with the Blight," he explained, "but the call never came. It was decided that one man might slip into the country undetected and find out what was happening. Of course, since my arrival I have learned of what befell those at Ostagar, and you have my deep sympathies for your many losses. Regrettably, I was taken prisoner before I could send for any further assistance from my own countrymen; your regent Loghain, it seems, has a special loathing for Orlesians, although from what I understand it is not entirely without cause."

"But how did you get here?"

"As I was just telling the good arl," he continued, "your lady Warden - Elissa, was it? She found me in the dungeon at the Arl of Denerim's estate, and helped me to escape. She also found a cache of important documents hidden in the mansion, which I have with me; they contain many of our secrets, including the exact details of the Joining ritual. You will need the information they contain in order to rebuild the order here in Ferelden."

"I'm sorry," I interrupted, "but you said Elissa found you in the estate?" I looked at Eamon. "What in the Maker's name is Elissa doing there?"

He looked a bit guilty. "Just after the noon meal, we were visited by Erlina, Queen Anora's personal handmaiden," he explained. "It seems that Anora went to visit Arl Howe, to try to talk to him about stopping some of her father's more extreme measures to maintain his hold, and Howe responded by imprisoning her. Both Anora and Erlina were very well convinced that Howe would have no scruples about killing her to improve Loghain's position, and I'm not sure I disagree."

"And this involves Elissa... how?"

"When the situation was explained to Lady Cousland, she agreed that it was necessary to rescue the queen, and she took the other ladies with her to assist in the endeavor."

"From what I understand," Riordan added, "there was a mage in Arl Howe's employ who had cast a magical seal on the queen's door. In order to free her, the ladies had to first defeat the mage and acquire the key."

So far this didn't sound too terrible. I could see Elissa as being a match for anyone in Howe's estate, especially with two mages and a trained assassin helping her. But a few minutes later, we heard the sounds of feet running through the halls of the estate, and a familiar voice calling out to Eamon. I was not exactly prepared for Queen Anora to suddenly rush into the arl's study. "Eamon - I may have made a terrible mistake!"

"May have?" Morrigan repeated. She, Wynne and Leliana came hurrying in behind Anora in time to hear the remark. Morrigan looked livid, Wynne grave, Leliana on the verge of tears.

"What in Andraste's name has happened? Are you all right?" asked the arl.

"Lady Cousland has been captured," Anora confessed.

I have never in my life, except during my Joining, known how it felt to be on the verge of fainting. However, when I heard this news, I suddenly had some idea of what it must be like, and I had to grab the back of a chair. My Elissa, captured? "What?" I demanded. "And this may be your fault? Maybe? Perhaps?"

"We went to rescue Her Highness, as requested," Morrigan said, in the most poisonous tone I've heard her use yet. Our other companions, having heard the commotion, were filing into the room as she started her explanation. "Loghain's commander - what is her name?"

"Ser Cauthrien?"

"Indeed. She and a contingent of armed men confronted us as we made to escape the Arl of Denerim's estate. She recognized the queen - who promptly accused us of kidnapping her."

"I panicked!" Anora protested. "She's my father's closest supporter - I thought she would kill me! I never meant for this to happen!"

"What's this?" asked Zevran dryly. "She throws her savior to the wolves, and now she has second thoughts?"

"No honor, no gratitude," Sten grumbled, "and a slight grasp of the obvious. Fine ruler you have here."

"Ser Cauthrien's men almost attacked after the queen said what she did," said Leliana, finding her voice at last. "But Elissa called for them to hold, and they actually obeyed. Then she said, 'You don't know the whole story. I will come quietly, if you let my friends go free and unharmed.' You know how she is. Ser Cauthrien said she was the only one Loghain wants, so they left the rest of us alone and marched her off to Fort Drakon. They took the queen with them."

"I managed to escape and make my way back here," Anora explained. "I wasn't sure what Cauthrien would do once we reached the palace - if she turned me over to my father, he might have had me executed. I swear, I never meant for any harm to come to the Warden."

"Are all of your companions here?" Eamon asked me, and I nodded. He looked out into the hall and, spotting a page, sent him to collect the headwoman to escort Anora to a guest room. We could hear the headwoman fussing all the way through the corridor about someone needing to fetch the queen some clean linens. I slammed the door, my blood boiling.

"Yes, Eamon, we're all here. Let's figure this out."

"This situation is grievous indeed. Apart from anything else, Lady Cousland's testimony at the Landsmeet is vital to our defeat of Loghain."

"Which is likely the true reason for her incarceration," said Sten. "What steps do we take?"

"We have to mount a rescue," Zevran growled, "and quickly. If half the stories I have heard of this Fort Drakon contain a grain of truth, it is not a place any of us would wish to imagine our beloved Warden."

That Elissa is strong enough to withstand anything that Loghain's men might do to her, I have no doubt. But Zevran's right, I don't want to imagine it. My rose of Highever, the light in my darkness - all I could think was that I had to get her back. "I'll go," I said. "I'll tear the place apart with my bare hands if that's what it takes."

"Alistair, no." Eamon shook his head. "I think that a pair of you could infiltrate the defenses, using the right subterfuge - but not you. You're the last known descendant of Calenhad, and Loghain knows we're trying to place you on the throne. He could have you killed on sight to strengthen his own claims."

"I can't leave her there!" Loghain... that bastard has taken everything from me. Everything. Cailan and I barely spoke to one another in our whole lives, but he was still my brother and, maybe more to the point, he was my king. My fellow Grey Wardens, who were my real family - gone. Duncan, the closest thing to a father I've ever had - gone. Then he took my honor by claiming that the Grey Wardens were to blame for the defeat at Ostagar. He's tried more than once to take my life. And now this. My hope, my heart, at the mercy of the Drakon guards.

One way or another, Loghain is going to pay.

"No one said anything about leaving her there," Wynne assured me. "This arrest was unjust."

"What was the formal charge?" asked Eamon.

"She killed Arl Howe." Morrigan sounded almost proud.

"That was her right!" I exploded. "That monster ordered the murder of Elissa's entire family - she'd be dead too if Duncan hadn't been there. Blood vengeance was rightfully hers!"

"Am I understanding the second Warden correctly?" asked Shale. "It killed a man because that man had its family killed, and now it is being punished for doing so?"

"That's an accurate summation, yes."

"That seems illogical to me."

"Yeah, good catch," Oghren said dryly. "What were you all doing there anyway?"

"Rescuing the queen," Leliana explained. "Arl Howe had her locked up."

"Kind of a stupid thing to do. All you ended up doing was trading one prisoner for another."

"Well, that wasn't the plan!"

"Why didn't you tell us you were going?" asked Zevran. "You four ladies went off by yourselves? We would have helped. Maybe we could have prevented this."

"Anora sent her handmaiden Erlina to ask for Lady Cousland's assistance, and it was specifically suggested that the women be the ones to do this," Eamon explained. "They went in the guise of Howe's soldiers, but the only spare armor Erlina could find was too small for any of you gentlemen. There wasn't much time to confer about the matter; the queen's life was potentially in danger."

"That sounds even more illogical," said Shale. "I would almost be inclined to say that the squishy companions were lured into a trap."

They were all starting to quarrel - who was at fault, who should have gone. Precious minutes were being wasted, minutes in which Elissa might be getting tortured or worse. But before I could call them to order, Leliana beat me to it.

"Stop it, all of you!" She looked around the room, her expression almost defiant. "We are allies, even those of us who do not call one another friend. We are on the same side. The bonds between us are perhaps a little frail, but look at us now! Elissa is gone from our company less than an hour and already we begin to fall apart! Alistair and Morrigan, you have never been on good terms, even before I met you. Sten and Zevran and I all hail from cultures and countries which you Fereldans have good reasons not to trust. Shale is... a rock. Oghren drinks too much."

"You say that like it's a bad thing."

She ignored him and continued. "We may not always get along, but that's all right, because - well, families are like that. And whether any of you want to admit it or not, that's really what we are." She choked a little as she went on, "We are the only family Elissa has anymore, and even if we don't all like each other, we all love her. Don't we? I challenge any one of you to look me in the eye and tell me she's not dearer to you than you know how to say. She found us. She befriended us, helped us grow, forgave us when we couldn't forgive ourselves. She made us her own, and now she is lost to us, so we must work together if we are to get her back."

There was a small pause. "You're right, Leliana," Wynne said finally. "Well said."

"Sentiment." Morrigan huffed a bit, folding her arms and looking at no one.

"Our dear Chantry sister speaks the truth," said Zevran with an approving sort of nod. "And I have a suggestion. Ever since the arl said that two of us might infiltrate the fort, I have been contemplating which two should go. I would like to suggest that Oghren and myself be the ones. We can pass for performers sent to bolster the troops' morale."

"Performers?!" Oghren grunted disbelievingly. "What kind of 'performing' do you see us doing, kid?"

"Do you have a better idea?"

"Sure. Just break everyone's skull and let that Maker of yours sort 'em out."

"That might work for a backup plan," Zevran admitted. "But I think the arl is right that subterfuge is the best way to get in the door. And I do have plenty of experience in pretending to be something I am not, yes?"

I had to admit he had a point. They're preparing to leave - probably already have left - as I write this. Like Eamon said, the girls had all been disguised in armor belonging to Arl Howe's men when they infiltrated the estate, and it's quite likely that Elissa's was taken from her. Wynne had the bright idea to have Zevran take along a plain dress for her to change into, if she has nothing else to wear, since it would be too hard for him to carry her armor or anything of the sort. From what I've heard of Fort Drakon, they often strip prisoners down to their smallclothes. I don't even want to think about it.

I couldn't stay in my room and watch the minutes tick by on the clock. So I wandered down to Eamon's private chapel, since appealing to the Maker and Andraste is pretty much the only thing I can do to contribute to bringing Elissa back safely.

Leliana was already there. I waited in the doorway until she finished whatever devotions she was performing (I'm honestly not sure and I didn't feel comfortable asking), then went to sit beside her on the pew. "I have to compliment you," I said. "That speech was worthy of Elissa herself."

"Perhaps she inspires me more than even I realize," she replied, smiling. It faded into a look of concern. "Are you all right? As hard as this is for the rest of us, I can only imagine how difficult it must be for you."

"I'm as all right as I can be without her here," I replied honestly.

"She will be back." Her smile returned, impish. "So? Are you going to marry her?"

"Well, first we have to survive all this," I said with a sigh. "But if we do, and if she'll have me... yes."

"She will," she assured me. "She is very much in love with you, you know."

"And I with her."

How long we sat there, I don't know. The minutes stretched into hours, and the rescue party still hasn't returned. All I've been able to think about, the whole time, is her. I'm filling in the details of our conversation in this journal purely to kill time.

"Did she ever tell you about the first time we met?" I asked, abruptly.

"Well, I know you met on her first day in the Grey Warden camp at Ostagar." Leliana glanced at me. "But I don't think she's ever mentioned the details. Tell me."

"I'd been sent by the Revered Mother to give a message to one of the mages. He and I were arguing, and he was just stalking away when this... this woman in armor walked into my line of sight."

She smiled. "I imagine you weren't expecting her."

"Not really, no. I don't know why I said it, but I told her that the thing I love most about the Blight is the way it brings people together, and she replied, 'You are a strange man.' She still insists she was right, you know."

Leliana chuckled. "That's adorable. Was it love at first meeting?"

"I don't know," I admitted. "I wondered that later, once I knew for sure how I felt. I mean, you're a bard - isn't that what they say in the songs? I was hers from the moment we met?"

"Something like that," she agreed. "And of all the men I've ever known, Alistair, you might be the only one about whom I'd believe it. You're going to be a very lucky king, having a queen that you love so much."

"If they insist on making me king, so be it. Maybe I can do it, but only as long as she's with me."

So now I've come back to my rooms, to update this journal and then to prepare for dinner. It's going to be an awkward meal with three empty chairs. Andraste's grace, fill them again soon or I may go mad.

Merciful Maker.

I had just about finished dressing for dinner when there was a knock on my door. When I opened it, I saw one of Arl Eamon's pages, looking a bit breathless.

"Beg pardon, ser, but the arl wanted you to know straightaway," he said eagerly. "He said to tell you the rescue party is back and they await you in the dining hall."

I pushed past him, thanking him over my shoulder. Never realized how big this estate was until that moment, as I ran through the entire building. I could hear a very well-loved voice as I approached the door, and I checked on the threshold. There was Elissa - exhausted, and disheveled, but alive and reasonably unharmed. She was being embraced in turn by Wynne and Leliana, and everyone seemed to be trying to talk over one another to tell her how glad they were to see her, how worried they'd been, and to congratulate Oghren and Zevran on the successful mission. Morrigan alone was silent, leaning against a wall with her arms folded, but when Elissa glanced her way she did offer a small smile. Even Shale looked happy, or at least as happy as an emotionless walking boulder can look.

"I missed you all too," Elissa said, her voice weary and grateful. Eamon coughed, and glanced meaningfully at me, and she turned until our eyes met. "Alistair."

"Thank the Maker you're all right." It was like I was being pulled across the room by some irresistible force, and she was pulled toward me likewise. I couldn't stop until she was in my arms, her own arms tight around my neck, my face pressed into her shoulder and breathing her scent.

"You didn't think you'd get rid of me that easily, did you?" she murmured.

I loosened my grip enough that I could look at Zevran and Oghren. "Well done. And... thank you."

"We'll send you an invoice for services rendered," Zevran assured me. Knowing him, I'm not entirely sure he was joking.

Anora put in an appearance to express her relief at Elissa's safe return. None of us said anything, but I think we were all pretty well united in how we felt about her daring to even look at Elissa after what she did. She retreated to her room almost immediately afterward, though she asked Elissa to come and speak to her privately when she has a chance.

Well, Anora just has to wait, because I am not letting this woman out of my sight any time soon. Right now she's getting some much needed rest; Sten actually has a fairly delicate sense of propriety, all things considered, and was kind enough to occupy himself in the library so we could have some privacy. I'm sitting on my bed, and Elissa is asleep with her head in my lap. I'll need to move her eventually so I can get some sleep myself, but right now she's comfortable and I don't want to disturb her.