Okay, okay, here is the usual disclaimer: I own nothing save for Adela (well and maybe her stylized halla figurine). Bioware has my eternal gratitude for creating this world and letting me play in their sandbox.
As stated before, I'm not going canon with the game or the books - just a slight twist to make things fit to my story.
And, thanks for the reviews! Biff McLauglin, mutive, patbaking, zevgirl. They help keep me going knowing that some of you find it interesting. And, also I've noticed a few others have been placing the story (and me!) on their favorites list. Thank you so much!
DragonAge: Origins: The Halla Reborn
Chapter 6
The great ruins of Ostagar came into view ahead, the ancient Tevinter fortress sprawling over several acres bordering the Korcari Wilds. Even at that distance and despite centuries of abandonment, the ancient power of the Tevinter Imperium almost radiated from the structure, chilling Adela to her core. Realizing her steps had slowed and Duncan continued his brisk pace, the young woman quickened her pace to catch up to the man.
Duncan glanced sideways at the girl, a small grin on his face. Adela huffed a bit. "Yes, very funny. You keep forgetting that I'm an elf, and a small one at that. I practically have to run to keep up with you and your overly long legs!"
The commander's grin widened into a true smile, and then he stepped off the path, pulling his pack off. Confused, Adela stepped to his side and slid her own pack from her shoulders. Her shoulder muscles practically rejoiced as the weight was removed and she stretched and flexed her shoulders, neck and arms to keep them from getting stiff. "Why are we stopping here?" she asked. She figured another hour or two of walking and they would enter the huge fortress looming ahead.
Merely raising a finger, encouraging patience, Duncan turned around in time to watch a large, bear like man emerge from the surrounding trees. Adela was impressed: the newcomer was easily the largest man she had ever seen, not just in height but breadth. A heavy full beard of red covered the lower half of his face, with shaggy red hair covering much of the upper half. From beneath heavy brows bright blue eyes glimmered with mirth. He was dressed in fur and leather armor, and carried upon his back a huge greatsword. The two men greeted each other, embracing and clapping each other soundly on the backs. Adela suppressed a giggle when she noted that the bear-man's clap staggered Duncan.
Pulling away, the newcomer's sharp eyes settled upon the diminutive form of the elven woman, skimming over her form from head to toe and then back to her face. "This yer new recruit?" he all but growled out in a deep, rumbling voice like an earthquake.
Nodding, Duncan replied, "Artan, this is Adela. Our newest recruit." The commander stepped closer to the elf, allowing his familiar presence to bolster her nerves. The other man - Artan - scoffed, lunged forward and grabbed one of the girl's hands in his huge paws, encompassing her hand and half of her forearm. "Good to know ya," he responded, his eyes still on her face, almost searching. A moment of recognition came over his face and he looked back at Duncan, still holding Adela's hand.
"You know, Duncan, the girly here looks jus' like that uppity Dalish woman," he rumbled, looking back at the girl.
"Indeed she does, Artan," Duncan replied, "This is Adela Mahariel Tabris, Adaia's daughter."
With a "humph!" he let go of her hand, placing both meaty fists on his hips, and continued to appraise the young elf before him. "Well, well, well…can she fight like her ma?" His eyes went specifically to the bow on her back.
A chuckle and Duncan replied, "I'm not certain I'd say she fights like her mother, no. But, she does have a style that is quite effective."
"She's rather scrawny, ain't she?" the bear-man continued, his eyes losing their mirth and becoming hard in their scrutiny of her. Adela continued to meet his gaze, fighting down the unease rising in her stomach. Could she actually be turned away from the Wardens before even getting to the joining? She honestly did not know how she felt about that possibility.
But Duncan was confident in his newest recruit, and let Artan know as much. "She may be small, my friend, but she's a good head on her shoulders, and has the skill necessary to either avoid a fight or get herself out of trouble with words or blade. She's exactly the kind of Warden we need. You know," He grinned, nudging his friend, "she thinks. Not all brute strength." Artan looked up and met Duncan's eyes, clearly seeing the hidden meaning behind the gaze. Artan knew what Duncan was about and trusted in his instincts. Shrugging his massive shoulders, Duncan's second met the girl's eyes, gave her a wink, and then turned his full attention to his commander.
Adela stood aside as Duncan gave his second instructions and then handed him a rolled parchment with instructions to give it to Alistair. The giant of a man chuckled at the mention of the junior Warden, and Duncan gave the man a hard look. "Sure, sure, Duncan, no worries," he grumbled at his commander. Then, with a deep bow to Adela, the huge man stepped back into the forest, blending effortlessly into the shadows, and left without a sound.
Adela simply could not hide her appreciation of the man's talents, gave a low whistle and turned back to Duncan. "For such a huge, seemingly ungainly human, he certainly moves like an elf," she complimented. Duncan nodded. "He was raised amongst the Chasind folk," he told her as he picked up his pack, indicating for her to do likewise. "They know these wilds like the backs of their hands, and Artan is no different. He's an excellent scout, and a good man. Perhaps a bit rough around the edges, but there are few better to have clearing the way through a mass of darkspawn." After they adjusted their packs, the pair stepped back onto the King's Highway and continued their trek to the ruins.
DA:O
A couple of hours later, and the travelers were standing before the entryway into the ruins. Adela had stopped, her gaze moving upwards, and upwards still, taking in the sheer enormity of the fortress itself. Duncan stopped, and watched as the elf took in her surroundings, smiling at the bemused expression upon her face. High stone walls reached up toward the sky, their jagged edges creating a false horizon. Where once ceilings had protected the stone floor, now only open sky could be seen. High arches indicated where doorways once stood, and in the distance towers could be seen, piercing into the sky. Taking in a deep breath and letting it slowly out, Adela stepped under the first arch and into Ostagar. As they walked along the uneven stones of the pathway, Duncan pointed toward a ramp to their right. "That is the Tower of Ishal," he explained. "It is named for its architect and was considered quite a marvel of architecture in its day." Adela merely nodded and smiled, her eyes still roaming the ruins, taking in each detail, memorizing it for future work. If I even ever have a chance to sculpt again, she thought, a sense of loss sweeping over her.
As that thought hit her, they stepped out into an open courtyard. She looked up as a familiar voice penetrated the brief moment of self-pity that came over her. She could see a familiar form, clad in golden armor, rush over to them. Cailan headed directly to Duncan, not yet seeing the small elven woman standing slightly behind the Warden.
"Duncan!" Cailan clapped the older man on the shoulder, his face an open expression of awe, relief and gratitude for the Warden's presence. "I was just thinking we would need to send out a search party for you!" His voice as jovial as ever, a wide smile on his face, Cailan looked almost like a boy meeting a childhood hero. Perhaps he is, Adela thought, grinning over at her friend.
Duncan chuckled at the king's joviality, "No need for anything of the sort, Your Majesty," the Warden replied with a slight bow. "This is one battle we could not afford to miss."
Shaking his head, with an answering chuckle on his lips, Cailan smiled as he started to turn towards the woman standing behind Duncan, "No, no need for that. I have heard that you have found a promising recruit?" His eyes then fully on Adela, the smile vanished, and the friendly look in his blue eyes faded. "Adela?" he questioned, stepping around the Warden to stand before his young friend. "What?" Then, anger clouded his face as he shook his head, rounding on the Commander of the Grey. "Duncan! What is the meaning of this?" he demanded, one hand reaching over to grasp Adela firmly by the arm in a protective, brotherly fashion as he turned his anger upon the elder Warden.
"Your majesty, Adela has been recruited into the Wardens," Duncan calmly advised the young king, a little taken aback by the strong negative reaction the king met him with. But Cailan would hear nothing of it. "No." he said firmly, pulling a grimacing Adela forward, "No, I won't allow it. You cannot recruit Adela into the Wardens." Adela's brows rose at the sheer intensity of the king's voice.
"Your majesty…" Duncan began but Adela cut in, pulling her arm free of Cailan's grasp. "Cailan, I've been conscripted in the Wardens, and I will gladly serve…" she ended the sentence with a slight squeak as Cailan's hands landed firmly on her shoulders, giving her a shake. "You are not a warrior, Adela!" he all but shouted. "You are an artist," his hands moved from her shoulders to her hands, pulling them up. "Duncan, have you even looked at her hands? They are soft, the hands of an artist, someone who creates! Not the hands of a warrior!"
But Duncan would not hear of that. Shaking his head, he calmly replied, "Your majesty. You are wrong. Our young Adela here is more than an artist, more than a warrior. She has courage and a good sense of people. We need people just like her in the Wardens, and," this time Duncan stepped forward, pulled Adela from Cailan's grasp and moving her behind him. He met the king's eyes unflinchingly and calmly reminded the young king, "she has been conscripted, and even the King cannot deny the Grey Wardens Right of Conscription." Duncan felt regret form in his chest. Cailan was an ardent supporter of the Wardens, and he did not wish to alienate him. However, Adela was an excellent recruit, one he was willing to fight for to keep for the order.
Cailan met Duncan's eyes, so unflinching, determined to get his way in this. Concerned by the turn of events, Adela stepped forward, between the men breaking the ongoing war of wills, and placed a hand on Cailan's chest. The human king looked down upon his elven friend. "Cailan, I thought you worshiped the Wardens?" there was a teasing quality in her voice, and it helped to calm the irate man somewhat. "Now this way you can worship me."
But Cailan was not in a good humor. "Adela, do you know what this means?" he asked quietly. "You'll be spending the rest of your life fighting, killing, destroying. That's not you. You create; you preserve. This is not the life for someone like you." All Cailan could do was hope his young friend would understand, ask for sanctuary from the conscription. He would gladly go against the Wardens to keep her from that life. He was utterly dismayed when the only reply he got from her was a gentle shake of her blonde head. "Anora will kill me if anything happens to you," he pleaded, the last card he had in hopes of changing the woman's mind. A sharp little giggle, a sad smile, and Adela reached up and placed a calming hand on her friend's cheek, "How about you just send her in Duncan's direction and she can kill him instead?" she joked. Duncan raised an eyebrow at that comment, chuckled quietly, and said nothing. The king and elf's eyes remained pinned to each other, and then finally Cailan sputtered out a bitter sigh, and looked down. He clasped Adela's tiny hands in his own, and then turned to the Warden Commander.
"I apologize for my outburst, Duncan," the king apologized. "I was taken aback by this news."
Feeling the tension slip from him (he had no desire for a confrontation with the king in regards to the conscription issue), Duncan nodded. "It is understandable." He placed an affectionate hand on Adela's shoulder. "You would be surprised just how skillful with blade and bow this little lady is."
"How did you come to be conscripted?" Cailan asked of Adela. She looked down at her feet, shuffling uncomfortably. "That, Cailan, is a discussion for another time." She looked up, straight into his eyes. "I promise." Cailan studied Adela's face. Then, nodding, accepting that answer (for now), he then turned back to Duncan.
As the two men discussed the situation, with Duncan mentioning the Arl of Redcliffe, Cailan chuckling in reply, Adela looked about her. The guards that surrounded Cailan (and heard the whole discussion regarding her conscription! She groaned at that little bit of gossip she was certain would get around) stood at attention, trying to blend in to the surroundings. She didn't recognize any of them, and so let her gaze wander around. Cailan's next words caught her attention.
"But we've yet to see the Archdemon. I'm not even certain this is a real Blight," there was strong disappointment in his fine voice, and Duncan picked up and commented upon that.
"Disappointed, your majesty?" Did Adela note a tone of amusement in his voice?
"Well, yes," came the quick reply, "I was hoping for a battle like the old tales: the king riding into battle with the Grey Wardens to defeat the Blight in one fell swoop." Adela nearly cringed at the hope and awe that was heavy in his voice. "It would be glorious!"
"Your majesty," Duncan tentatively started, "I am certain that the Archdemon will show itself in time. If you could hold off until the Wardens from Orlais were to arrive…"
But Cailan wasn't hearing it. "We have won every battle thus far and this next will be no different." Conviction rang heavy in his voice, and if Adela had not spent the past three weeks traveling with Duncan, she well could believe it. As it was, base dupon the conversations she and Duncan shared during the journey, she was fairly certain that the previous battles had just been preliminary, and that the war against this Blight - and she had no reason to doubt it, despite the non-appearance of the Archdemon - was far from over.
Duncan tried to continue, but Cailan held up an impatient hand, "I'm sorry Duncan, but I must cut this short." he turned to Adela, "Adela, my friend, please come with me. I have something to discuss with you."
With a look to Duncan, Adela responded, "Just a moment, Cailan. I need to speak with Duncan first."
Nodding his assent, the king moved away with his guards in tow, to stand, waiting, at one of the ramps which, undoubtedly, lead to where his camp was. While Duncan chuckled at the thought that the King of Fereldan would wait by word of an elven artisan, Adela was frowning, and Duncan took note. "You noticed it too," the Warden stated. Nodding, she replied, "I don't think Cailan is taking this very seriously."
"No, he is not."
Her frown deepened. Taking a breath, "Well, Cailan obviously has something to speak with me about. Hopefully he's not going to try and talk me out of joining the Wardens. But, if he tries to pull the 'Anora will be so upset' tactic with me again, I will pull his braids!" That visual in mind, Duncan allowed himself another chuckle. "What do you need me to do, after my talk with the king?" Adela asked the man who would be her commander. "Take some time," the Warden instructed. "Take your armor to the quartermaster and have it resized, restock your supplies," he held up his hand to her expected protest that she had no coin. "Just set it to the Warden account." His gaze shifted to the king, and then beyond, further into the ruins. "Adjust yourself to the new surroundings, get something to eat. Once you're settled a bit, seek out Alistair. He'll be assigned to help guide you."
Grinning, Adela responded, "Ah yes, the one with the unnatural love of cheese." Duncan returned her grin, patted her softly on the shoulder, and then left. As he passed by Cailan, he offered another polite bow and then continued into the ruins. Taking a moment to collect herself, taking another calming breath, the elf turned and walked over to where Cailan waited. The young king turned concerned eyes upon his young friend, took her arm and silently led her to where his encampment was located, in the western part of the ruins.
The pair, flanked by Cailan's bodyguards, was hard not to notice as they made their way over the bridge connecting the entrance of the ruins to the main square. Many eyed the small, beautiful elven woman the king kept a firm grip upon. Some smirked, others shook their heads. But all bowed respectfully as their king passed by. Up another set of steps, and turning to their left, the pair and their escort entered the royal encampment. As Cailan was about to pull Adela into his tent, the girl stopped, shaking her head. Cailan, confused, looked down at her. With a wave, he motioned for his guards to step back and away.
"What, Adela?" Cailan asked.
Letting out a gusty sigh, Adela replied, "Is there somewhere else we can talk?" she lifted her blue eyes to Cailan's. "I've…well, I've come to know that there are certain…rumors floating around regarding you and I and I'd just as soon not feed the gossip." Adela's face flushed with embarrassment. She knew very well that those rumors - as well as others that suggested Cailan was unfaithful to Anora - were untrue and completely unfounded. However, she had no wish to fuel the fires as a target to some of those rumors.
Cailan's face darkened. He, too, had heard various little snippets that questioned his devotion and love for his wife. Loghain himself had even once questioned him! But, he had not known that their friend here - their honorable friend who had never asked anything of the royal pair other than their friendship - was part of those rumors, and this sudden knowledge did nothing to relieve the tension he was already feeling. He had considered granting her request, but thought better of it. Why fan the flames by avoiding a situation they normally would find themselves in? With a shake of his head, he said, "Come now, Adela. If you did not know of these rumors, would you have any trepidation coming inside?" He smiled as Adela shook her head. "Well, then, fine. Just because we know doesn't make them true, right?" Again, another shake. "Sooo? It's comfortable inside." He grinned, teasing her. "There's a nice, comfy chair that normally only I get to sit in, but I may let you." He tilted her face upwards, and was rewarded with a grin.
"Fine, fine, you big baby," she swatted his hands away. And followed Cailan into the tent.
The tent was huge - a pavilion really, with curtains sectioning off a private area from the main chamber. In that chamber stood a table covered with maps and other parchments, several wooden chairs, and - oh yes - the comfy chair Cailan promised. With a grin, the elven woman practically jumped into the chair, and then, with an imperiously graceful wave of her hand, motioned for the king to sit. Laughing, Cailan pulled one of the chairs closed and took a seat beside his friend. His face quickly took on a thoughtful expression, one the elf knew well. So, she sat patiently as he gathered his thoughts.
"Adela," Cailan began, almost tentatively, as though unsure of his own thoughts, "when was the last time you had seen Loghain?"
Surprised by this question, she paused before answering, thinking. "Well…I had seen him several times prior to your leaving. But, always in a distance and never to speak. So, I suppose, if your question is when was the last time I spoke or interacted with Loghain, it would have to be the night of dinner after the last Landsmeet."
A slow, steady nod of his head, Cailan sat silent for a moment. "So, you hadn't spoken to him since then." It was not a question, more akin to his adjusting this information into whatever he needed to discuss with Adela. The line of his mouth bent downwards slightly. With a deep breath, he continued, "I know this will sound strange, but, I have cause to be…concerned about Loghain." He looked over at his friend, gratified to have her full attention. If anyone could help him puzzle this out, he was certain it was Adela.
"Why concerned?" she asked, prompting him to continue. Her question met with a shrug, and a confused, uncertain look in his eyes.
"I can't really put my finger on it," he answered. "Anora's noticed it as well, although neither of us can say for certain what, exactly the issue is. He seems distant…" Adela snorted at this, but he continued, "No, Adela, more distant than usual. And, there have been moments of…confusion." Exasperated, the young king threw himself off the chair and onto his feet, flinging his hands upwards. "I just don't know. It's more of a feeling, really, than anything either of us can put a finger on." He turned back to Adela, noting the concern that now eclipsed her face. "Loghain is here, of course. Over in the next encampment. I want you to go over there and talk with him. See if you notice anything." His eyes were pleading. He knew that Adela wasn't particularly comfortable in Loghain's presence, although he knew that discomfort had been waning over the past few months. And, other than Cailan and Anora, she was the only person alive who knew the real Loghain, one of the few people Loghain ever let his guard down in front of. Cailan's hope was that she would be able to pinpoint what was wrong with Loghain or tell Cailan he and Anora are worrying over nothing.
Adela studied Cailan's pained expression for several moments. Then, rising from the chair, she placed her hands on his arms. "Okay, Cailan. If you and Anora think that something is wrong, I'll see if I can spot what it may be." She shrugged. "It could just well be the darkspawn uprising is causing unrest and he's just reacting to it."
Nodding his golden head, the tension seemed to ease a bit from the king. He had no idea how tense he had been about this. "Thanks, Adela. I appreciate it. Just talk with him. But, don't come back here right away. I don't want it to seem like we're working against Loghain," he noted Adela's frown at that. "If something's up, we need to be careful. Go about what you were doing before, and then come back later on. Maybe have dinner with me?" He was practically pleading.
Helpless against the little boy expression that came across Cailan's handsome face, Adela held up her hands in surrender. "Fine, fine. I do have other things to do in the meantime. Like, get my armor refitted, locate Alistair…"
Cailan's head lifted. "Alistair?"
The elf nodded her blonde head, "Yes. He's the junior Grey Warden and I'm to locate him. He's to be my guide in all things Grey Warden." Her eyes caught Cailan's. "Why? Do you know Alistair?"
The king shrugged, hating to lie to his friend. "A bit. Not very well, actually. I understand he's a good man…"
"With an unholy love of cheese," Adela finished with a chuckle.
"Wait. Did I hear you needed to get your armor adjusted?" Cailan smoothly changed the subject. Adela nodded again. "Why not buy new?" he asked.
"It's Mother's armor," she replied, and that answered everything. "It's a bit large, so Duncan suggested I give it over to the quartermaster for resizing. I'll most likely need it if I'm going to be seeing any battle." she purposefully ignored the wince that crossed Cailan's face. She was not going to have this argument again.
"Well, wait a moment…" Cailan went to the table, pulled out a piece of parchment and hastily scribbled something on it. Rolling it, he sealed it with wax, pressing his signet ring into it before it hardened. "Here," he handed the rolled parchment to the elf. "Give this to the quartermaster. It's instruction to make the repair of your armor priority." He raised a hand as Adela started to protest. "As you say, if you're here, and you're determined to fight, you will need armor. And, knowing how busy the quartermaster and his staff are, you may not get it in time. This way," he rapped the parchment against the side of his head, "you will."
Taking the parchment, Adela thanked her friend. Cailan placed his hands on his friend's shoulders, his blue eyes intense, friendly. "While I'm not glad you are here," he started, "I am glad that you are here." He pulled her in for a quick hug, and then released her, turning her toward the exit.
She stood outside the tent for a moment, trying to decide what, exactly, she should do first. Then, straightening her back, she decided to get her conversation with Loghain over first. With a slight nod to the guard nearest the tent entrance, she walked toward the Teryn's camp site, just across the walkway.
Adela did not recognize the guard standing outside the tent, but she was not as familiar with Loghain's guards as she was with those who served at the palace. This one watched her approach with barely concealed disdain.
"Halt!" he called out, an arrogant tone to his voice. Wonderful. "You approach the camp of Teryn Loghain. State your business or be off with you."
She stopped, frowning slightly. Okay…"My name is Adela Tabris, and I'd like to speak with…"
"Ha!" the man took a menacingly step forward, trying to intimate the slight elf with his superior size. "What makes you think that you, an elf, can request an audience with the Teryn?"
"Because she happens to be a friend of the family," can a dry, unamused voice from behind the guard. His eyes widened, the guard hastily took a step back to his post. "I apologize, my Lord. I had not known…" he started, but the Teryn cut him off. "Regardless, you should try and treat others a bit more respectfully," Loghain admonished the man as he took a step forward, taking Adela's hand in his. "This girl could have been anyone with an important message." Nodding in assent, the guard raised his head and resumed his duties. Without another word, the Teryn of Gwaren led Adela into his tent.
Adela stepped behind Loghain as he pulled the flap of the tent closed. She noted a confused expression on his face as he turned his attention toward her. He could be confused as to why I'm here, she reminded herself, trying to keep Cailan's concerned words from her head.
Moving past her, Loghain went to the room's center table. "I must admit, Adela," he turned back to her, "I am rather surprised to find you here, at Ostagar of all places."
Biting her lower lip, she shrugged her shoulders, "Well, that is a long story, Loghain. It would seem that I've been conscripted into the Grey Wardens." She watched his reaction change from confusion to almost outright fury.
"What!" Oh dear, was she going to have to argue with him, too? "Adela! How did this come about?" he demanded, stepping closer to her.
Still not quite ready to discuss what happened at the Arl's estate, Adela merely replied, "I…ran into a problem in Denerim, and Duncan conscripting me was the only way out."
A dark brow rose, "What kind of a problem?" Icy blue eyes, intense, caught Adela. As was usually the case, she found it difficult to break the contact. She frowned. "I…ended up killing some humans in self defense. The law is clear, though, and Duncan intervened before I could be taken to Fort Drakon."
The scowl deepened. "You killed someone?" Adela nodded. Shaking his head, turning around, he crossed his arms before his chest. Adela killed someone? He could scarce believe it. He turned back. "In self defense?" he prompted.
The girl nodded. As the Teryn digested this, she watched him carefully. She saw nothing that would make her think anything was amiss. He reacted fairly much as she expected him to. "Adela, why would the Grey Wardens conscript you?" his question snapped her attention away from her thoughts.
A self deprecating smile twitched her lips. "Duncan tells me I'm just what the Wardens need." She grinned impishly, and was rewarded with a scoffing noise. "Ha! Duncan is just pleased to get his hands on a Mahariel!" He stepped forward, his clear blue eyes still retaining that intense look. "You are no warrior, Adela."
She stepped back, feeling a slight tug of anger growing in her chest. "You know, I had this very same lecture from Cailan, and I'm really not in the mood for another." she stood defiant, glaring at the Teryn. "Mother trained me; I have continued to train. I can use a bow nearly as well as she could, and I am well versed in the use of daggers. No, I would prefer not to be a warrior to fight, but I am capable and I wish people would stop telling me what I can and cannot do!" Loghain blinked, forcing away the traitorous smile that threatened to cross his lips. He always knew Adela had spirit, but he had never seen her as impassioned as she was now. As he admired the girl before him, Adela noted a quick, almost imperceptible change: his normally clear, icy blue eyes clouded slightly, giving them an almost milky quality. His face almost blanked. But, then, in the blink of an eye, it was gone. Had she not been especially watchful, the shift would have been unperceivable. What was that?
Shaking his head, Loghain stepped forward, taking the girl's hands in his, his voice soft. "Calm, Adela. I meant no disrespect." He took a breath, his voice taking on its usual strength. "The Wardens are fortunate to have someone who is known more for her thinking than bashing things, that much is for certain." His gaze took on its usual intensity, and Adela had to wonder if she had imagined things. "I am certain Cyrion is not pleased with this turn of events?"
Adela shook her head, "Not really."
"What happened?" Loghain quietly asked, searching her face. But the girl remained resolute in not discussing it. "I am not ready to talk about it, Loghain. And, most certainly not with you," she pointed out, stepping back. Loghain frowned, realizing that the issue had to be very serious for her to say such a thing. "Perhaps with Anora?" he prompted. She merely shrugged her shoulders, indicating the matter was no longer up for discussion. He took the hint, and backed off from the subject.
Still watching Loghain, Adela had to admit to an uneasiness regarding him. He had not said or done anything to indicate anything was wrong. But that slight shift in his face was a cause for concern. What it could mean, however, was very much beyond her knowledge and experience. And, she was not going to discuss it with anyone other than Cailan at this juncture. It could be nothing. It could be tension regarding the darkspawn as she had thought. Sighing, she spoke again, "I have some errands to run, my Lord…" She offered an almost defiant grin. "Armor to adjust, Wardens to find." She moved toward the tent's exit. Loghain moved to her side, looking down at the tiny elf. "Do you think you'll be on the front lines?" The question startled her momentarily. She shrugged, "I truly do not know. I don't think that my abilities are front line worthy, but that will be Duncan's call." She looked up into the concerned gaze of the older man. She frowned slightly, said her goodbyes and left the tent. Loghain had not said a word as she departed.
Frown still in place, with a final glance back to the tent entrance, she walked away, unable to shake the feeling that perhaps Cailan and Anora were correct in their assessment that something was wrong with Teryn Loghain.