The Ferelden Regency
Aedan sighed. He rubbed at his eyes with more than a little irritation.
The Prince-Consort was sat on the throne in the throne room. That is the central throne, not the side throne that he normally inhabited. As the Regent of the realm while the Queen was taking her maternity leave, Aedan was afforded the honour of taking the throne itself while he dealt with the day to day business of court. He had allowed himself only a short moment of childish glee when he had first sat upon the grandiose chair. That moment seemed far and away now.
Before him and the throne, a pair of obstinate nobles were bickering among themselves, more to each other than they were addressing the Prince-Consort himself. For what had already been an excruciatingly ling fifteen minutes, they'd been remonstrating back and forth about which of them held the right to open a new mine in the Bannorn, on a hill that conveniently lay on the border between their jurisdictions. Naturally, that same hill had stood for generations between the two families without a single issue, but it was only now, just when it had recently been discovered to have been housing a wealth of natural minerals and ore no less, that the hill had become a life or death matter.
He idly wondered how Anora put up with this sort of thing every day.
Aedan had of course been present – and involved even – in many of Anora's sessions at court in the past, but it seemed that all of the most annoying, persistently niggling little issues had saved themselves until the Prince-Consort had been called upon to act as Regent to rear their heads in full. Such was the current matter that had been brought before the crown.
"I taught my children to ride on that hill!" Bann Eadford, a portly man getting on in years with a thick and heavy moustache was saying. "My children and my grandchildren too! If anyone has a rightful claim to that land, it's me!"
"Nonsense!" Bann Mormond, with his slicked back hair and immaculate attire retorted with a scoff. "That hill was long been used by my forefathers to train our men on! The Mormond family have rightful claim to the hill!"
Aedan idly wondered how miraculous it was that there had never been a reported altercation between a doting grandfather, teaching his family to ride a horse, and a company of trainee soldiers. Funny that.
"My Lords, have you considered sharing the hill and it's bounty between your two families?" Aedan interjected before either could launch into another tirade.
"What?" Eadford squawked. "Share my land, with that blighter?"
"Watch your tongue, you cad!" Mormond spat indignantly.
I'll take that as a no then, Aedan thought with a sigh. "Gentlemen, if you cannot come to an amicable agreement on your own, then the crown will have to make a decision for you both and grant the land to whosever has the strongest claim."
"Right, which is exactly as it should be." Mormond perked up. "Which my family has of course."
"Poppycock!" Eadford guffawed.
"Do you have any supporting evidence, my Lord?" Aedan asked with a wryly raised eyebrow towards Mormond.
Mormond bristled at the question. "Are you doubting my word? That of a Lord of the realm?"
"Bann Eadford here is also a Lord of the realm." Aedan pointed out, somehow resisting the urge to put a heavy dollop of sarcasm into his voice. "What makes your word superior to his?"
"Yes, thank you my Lord, a good question indeed!" Eadford bowed low in adherence to Aedan. Perhaps he thought he could win the Prince-Consort over by grovelling. A pity for him that Aedan had always hated sycophants.
Mormond merely scoffed. "My family uses the hill for military exercises. That has far more importance and strategic value to the realm than a simple riding ground. There are plenty of fields in Eadford's lands. He can easily use any of them as he pleases!"
"I could surely say the same for you and your 'military exercises', my Lord." Aedan said the term with only a hint of disbelief. "Are you now interested in the hill more for its worth as a staging ground than for its material wealth, Bann Mormond?" Aedan asked with a shrewdly raised eyebrow.
Mormond chewed his lip uncomfortably for a long moment, obviously trying to gauge whether he'd just scuppered his chances of success or not. "My plans for my own lands are immaterial to this matter!" He finally exclaimed. "Besides, Eadford here would carve it out just the same. Even that old fart wouldn't waste such a resource teaching some silly girls how to ride a pony!"
"How dare you!" Bann Eadford's cheeks exploded into an angry red. He almost looked ready to launch into the other Lord with balled fists.
"Bann Mormond, please remember where you are." Aedan murmured with a dangerous scowl. "I may have only been Regent for a few days, but know that I will not tolerate such language in court. I'm sure we are all aware how little patience my wife the Queen has for such behaviour."
Mormond held the Regent's glare for a moment, perhaps considering how far he could push the Hero of Ferelden. Evidently he resolved it wasn't worth the trouble. "You are right, my Lord, I apologise." He bowed slightly to Aedan. Though perhaps more accurately he bowed and apologised to the crown rather that Aedan himself, and certainly he had not apologised to Lord Eadford. It was an acceptable technicality, if not strictly civil behaviour, to apologise directly to the crown for any insult dealt to any member of the court.
Aedan glanced over to Bann Eadford. The moustachioed Lord still looked chagrined at the insult but no longer on the brink of fisticuffs.
"Very well." Aedan murmured, opting to let that particular matter rest, for the time being at least. He turned to the other Lord. "Bann Eadford, do you have any evidence supporting your claim?"
Eadford fidgeted anxiously for a moment. "My Lord, I- I regret to say that I do not."
Of course, why would it be that easy? Aedan thought snidely. He rubbed at his eyes wearily again and the two Banns took it upon themselves to see about bickering their way to some sort of resolution once more. Aedan could feel a headache coming on.
"My Lord." A sudden hushed voice to the side of Aedan spoke up.
Aedan turned to find a thin, smartly dressed man, carrying variously sized scrolls under arm. He retrieved one such scroll and offered it to the Prince-Consort.
"The documentation you requested."
Thank the Maker, Aedan sighed inwardly in relief as he took the parchment from the aide. When the matter had been first presented he'd sent the aide off immediately to investigate if there were any legal claims to the land in question. When two lords were clashing such as this, it was often the only definitive way to settle the matter. He just hoped that it would provide a clear resolution. He'd already had more than enough of both bickering Banns.
The lords hushed from their argument as Aedan read, most likely they realised that their squabbling had now all become moot, and that the ink scratched into simple parchment would decide it all now. Aedan read thoroughly, keen not to skim over any details, both as a measure of respect for the legal process he was now integral to, but also simply to enjoy the silence for a bit.
Intriguingly, he learned that Eadford and Mormond happened to be distant cousins, their families having drifted apart from one whole many generations ago.
Once he was sure that he had a definitive resolution, Aedan looked up and rolled up the scroll.
"In light of your inability to come to an amicable compromise, I have no choice but to decide the matter for you. Here in my hand is the crown's record of the disputed land's investiture over the years. The last person to be granted stewardship over the land, which unless I'm much mistaken covers much of both of your current territories, was one Bann Josana Eadford, back in the Storm Age."
"What?" Mormond barked. "Preposterous!"
"Aha! An Eadford, I knew it all along!" Bann Eadford was naturally pleased.
"Indeed, and as such, the crown hereby grants the hill separating your lands to house Eadford." Aedan finished, simply glad to be done with the matter.
Eadford let out an audible sigh of relief and bowed deeply before the dais. "Thank you, my most esteemed Lord."
"This is outrageous!" Mormond protested. He scowled hard up the dais at the Prince-Consort. "I'll return when the Queen is back on her throne, we'll see what she has to say about this!"
A dark look crossed Aedan's features for a moment. He considered, but that barely took a moment more. He stood.
"Bann Mormond, you forget yourself." Aedan began, quietly but loud enough to be heard by the whole room. He started walking down the dais towards the obstinate lord. "I may be Regent, but have you forgotten who granted me that right?"
Mormond swallowed thickly as the Prince-Consort approached him but to his credit he held his ground. "Her Grace, of course."
"Very good." Aedan muttered almost sarcastically. "And what, may I ask, do you think a Regent is?"
An uncertain look passed over Mormond's features. He glanced at Bann Eadford but the other Lord was clearly not interested in getting involved at this point. "Well, I- A- A Regent is a temporary replacement for the rightful ruler, of course." There was the slightest hint of emphasis on the word 'temporary' but Aedan let that slide.
"Precisely. So in that capacity, a Regent has the authority to use any power available to the King or Queen. Do you not agree?"
"I- Yes, my Lord."
"That's right." Aedan nodded slowly, almost as if he were speaking to a simple child. "So do you truly think that the Queen – my wife – would overturn a decision that she has asked me to make in her stead, as her Regent?" Aedan had reached the Bann by the time he'd finished his question. Still, he wasn't shouting, but there was an innate forcefulness to his voice that made Bann Mormond wilt before him.
"I-" Mormond swallowed nervously again. "No, my Lord."
"That's right. So be thankful I'm not taking all of your lands away from you and granting to them to Bann Eadford here as his ancestor's inheritance. You have that mercy from the crown, don't make me rescind it." Aedan took a long moment more to savour Mormond's discomfort. "Good day to you, my Lord."
With that he turned and strode back up to the throne. Seated again, Aedan could see that Mormond so very dearly wanted to argue further, but couldn't find the will or the words to do so. Eventually he huffed angrily then turned on his heel to march out of the throne room.
"Don't worry about him, my Lord." Eadford was saying conversationally to the Prince-Consort. "Mormond has always been quick to anger. He'll soon find something else to grate about I'm sure."
Aedan merely murmured non-committedly. In truth, he couldn't possibly have cared less what Bann Mormond thought of him, or Eadford for that matter. He was much more concerned with the fact that a lord of the court would be so open in questioning his word as Regent.
That was the problem with being a Regent he supposed, everyone knew that it was only a temporary measure. His time making decisions for the realm would not last long enough to have a meaningful impact. While some Lords and Ladies like Mormond might think Anora could be swayed to reverse any of her Regent's decisions once she returned to court, Aedan himself was sure that his wife would support any decision he made in her stead. Unless it was completely ridiculous of course, like declaring war on Orlais … Although, as he considered that very possibility, he realised that Anora would surely support anything that proved detrimental to the Empire. Just as well he didn't plan on starting any wars then.
Still, the issue had him concerned though. He was only a few weeks into the regency and already nobles like Mormond were questioning his authority. It was something he needed to keep a lid on early if he was to maintain stability during his service as Regent. Perhaps these troublemakers assumed that Aedan would be a softer touch than his wife the Queen? After all, he was well aware of rumours circulating the land that Anora had 'cowed' the Hero of Ferelden into submission. How could such a powerful figure be convinced to take the lowly title of Prince-Consort otherwise? Such nonsense had never troubled Aedan one bit, but perhaps he should have taken more care to put those whispers to death before now. If it emboldened Lords like Mormond to question his authority, what else might it encourage?
As the doors at the far end of the hall opened to let Mormond leave, another figure strode on through, nearly crashing into him.
"Out of my way!" Bann Mormond growled before registering who he was growling at. "Filthy knife ear!"
Hahren Shianni glared daggers his way as Mormond marched out of the palace without another word. The elf shook her head in disdain before striding into the throne room proper.
"Miss, you mustn't enter until the Lord Regent grants it!" A steward called after Shianni to no avail.
"Shut it! I've been waiting all day, Miss." Shianni spat to the steward, who was very clearly a man.
Exasperated, the steward made to hurriedly follow in the elf's footsteps. A couple of guards nearest the dais looked to the Regent for permission to intercept. Aedan waved them down with a vague motion of his hand. He sincerely doubted Shianni of all people would be here just to attack him, although the elf was striding forward with a definite sense of purpose.
"My Lord!" The steward piped up before Shianni could speak. "Please accept my most humble apologies. The young lady here would not see reason."
"That's quite alright." Aedan murmured with a smile before turning to the elf. "Hahren Shianni, my apologies for Bann Mormond's behaviour just now. A lord of his standing should know better."
"I don't give a rat's arse about that!" Shianni waved Aedan's words off flippantly. "What are you going to do about your people destroying our Vhenadahl?"
Aedan blinked. "I'm sorry, what?"
"The Vhenadahl!" Shianni repeated urgently. "You know, the big tree at the centre of the alienage. Ring any bells?"
Bann Eadford huffed a little under his breath. "Elves and their trees." He murmured dismissively.
Shianni turned an angry glare his way. "That tree is at the heart of our community! Sure, it doesn't matter to you humans, but the Vhenadahl is a key part of our elven culture!"
Aedan raised a hand for her to stop a moment. "Hang on, slow down Shianni. Who's trying to destroy it?"
The elf folded her arms, scowling with a shake of her head. "Some nobleman, I don't know his name. He wants to cut down the Vhenadahl and knock down some houses to make a warehouse or something, right in the middle of our homes!"
"Ah, Lord Balwood's doing no doubt." Bann Eadford tugged at his bushy moustache in thought.
"Do you have something to add to this matter, Bann Eadford?" Aedan asked, eyebrow raised pointedly.
The Bann stiffened a little at the attention suddenly being thrown his way, no doubt cursing his own mouth for getting him into this problem. Shianni in particular glared dangerously at the Lord.
"Ahem, well, I've only heard rumours of course, nothing of any real substance you understand. Of course, had I known of Balwood's true intentions, I would not have even hesitated to-"
"Today if you would, my Lord." Aedan half snapped, half sighed.
"Of- Of course, your Grace." Eadford cleared his throat. "Well, I had heard the rumour that Lord Balwood intended to expand his business interests at sea. For that, he – apparently – needs to build a storehouse for his goods before they set sail. Well, as I'm sure you're aware my Lord, the docks are already so very busy and crowded, so he, erm, appears to have looked for a suitable site for his venture elsewhere, as it were."
"I see, I think I've heard enough." Aedan sighed with a shake of his head. It wasn't difficult to see the logic now. The alienage was but a stone's throw from the docks, on the southern bank of the river Drakon that bisected the city. It was also the one district in the entire city that was unlikely to generate much of a fuss from disgruntled nobles and merchants if their properties were threatened: In other words, anyone who mattered to a greedy nobleman.
Aedan turned back to Shianni. "Hahren, I'll see to this plan myself and put a stop to it. I give you my word."
"When?" Shianni demanded with fire in her eyes. "Your word's not good enough if you won't do something about this now!"
"Madam! You cannot question the Lord Regent so!" The steward Shianni had stormed past earlier was incensed.
Shianni ignored him, addressing Aedan with a scowl still. "We've already had men march through with axes just this morning! We only just managed to chase them off, but they'll be back at some point. I'm not waiting anymore. What are you going to do now?"
Aedan met Shianni's glare evenly for a long moment. He leaned back in his throne slightly as he considered.
The first thought that came to mind was to send troops to the alienage to keep the peace, but that could just as easily prove to be counterproductive. An armed platoon marching through most streets was enough to cause concern in local residents at the best of times, sending them to the alienage when its people were wary of assault was surely enough to trigger a full scale panic. No, a less aggressive approach was needed.
The Regent turned to the aide at his side. "Do we know where Lord Balwood is now, is he in the city?"
"Unknown, my Lord." The aide said with an apologetic bow after a moment's thought. "I can send someone to investigate his estate?"
"Do it." Aedan commanded, and a guard was swiftly sent to go in search of the Lord.
"I hear he has properties across the Waking Sea." Bann Eadford offered. "Even as far North as Antiva, he could be anywhere, my Lord."
Aedan idly wondered just how Eadford seemed to know so much about the Balwood's business and activities. It wasn't overly important to the matter at hand, but it was still potentially useful information to note.
"Well, regardless of where he is, just who gave him permission to build in the alienage?" Aedan demanded.
"I would presume no one, my Lord." The aide at Aedan's side piped up suddenly.
All eyes present turned to the man.
"No one?" Aedan asked, bemused.
The aide swallowed a little nervously. "Yes, That- That's right, my Lord. It's perfectly legal to do so."
"What?" Shianni growled dangerously.
"How is that possible?" Aedan demanded.
"W- Well, you see my Lord, the late Arl Howe signed an edict that enabled anyone to build properties in the alienage, provided they had the standing or the capital to support their ventures, of course."
Aedan couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Arl Howe is dead." He muttered darkly. "I killed him myself. How in the Maker's name are his laws still valid in this city?"
The aide blanched under the regent's glare. "I- I couldn't say my Lord. They have never been revoked since his passing."
"Why has this never come to light before now?" Aedan asked, perhaps more to the Maker than anyone else.
"Perhaps … Perhaps because that particular law has never been invoked before now, my Lord?" The aide offered apprehensively.
"It makes sense." Bann Eadford nodded. "It's a risky business to encroach upon the elves' territory, everyone knows that. Whether it's legal or not, it would surely only incite bedlam. There are still plenty who remember the riots during the Blight."
"Especially those of us who lived it." Shianni scowled at the Bann, her eyes held the chilling darkness of weary experience.
Eadford at least had the dignity to look a little abashed at the Hahren's words.
Aedan shook his head in disbelief as much as dismay. He thought he'd learned of all of Howe's crimes by this point, how much more was there to uncover? He turned back to the aide. "First of all, I want this law abolished immediately. Then, I want you to bring me every single piece of legislation Arl Howe approved with his seal that's still in effect, all of it. Even if he made a law dictating what size wheels should be on a cart or how many potatoes a man can own, I want to see it all." Aedan wasn't about to let anything else slip through the net.
"At once, my Lord." The aide bowed low before hurrying off.
Aedan rubbed at his eyes wearily with a sigh before turning back to Shianni. "Hahren, I can only apologise that this has not been dealt with before now. Rest assured I will not let this happen again."
Shianni however was still scowling, she shook her head. "How much more do you want from us?" She asked quietly, though Aedan felt that it was a question as much for the Maker as it was for the noblemen present. "You want the clothes from our backs next? The children from our cribs?"
"Shianni, I … I'm sorry." Aedan offered lamely, at a loss. "But I promise you, this will be the end of it."
The Hahren gave a harsh laugh. "It'll never be the end of it." She shook her head with a sad smile. "Not when there are humans out there who despise us and have the power to do whatever they want to us."
"No one has that power, Shianni." Aedan asserted.
The elf scoffed. "You think? Try walking a mile in my shoes, Hero." Shianni looked to the Prince-Consort with scepticism and disdain. "We're nothing to you humans, especially all you nobles. Title's give you power, power to do whatever you want to the people beneath you. You should know. You have enough of them."
Aedan sighed slightly. He knew full well he couldn't deny her words. As much as he loved his country and his compatriots, Aedan was very much aware that there were many among them who were fiercely racist towards the elves, whether out of fear or out of plain old ignorance. Aedan knew there was little he could do to change those views, even if he was a King in his own right. Then, he frowned slightly as he considered the Hahren's words: 'Titles give you power'.
Aedan considered a moment. Then, ever more certain he looked up to the steward who'd followed Shianni into the hall. "You there, fetch me a quill, parchment and the royal seal." He commanded.
The steward hesitated only a moment, confused, before bowing studiously and hurrying off.
Aedan turned back to Shianni who looked at him curiously. "I can't speak for much about the rest, but you're certainly right about one thing, titles do give you power. It's a pity yours isn't respected more as it is, Hahren."
Shianni almost rolled her eyes. "Of course not, it's an elven name. That doesn't matter to you humans."
"Well, we'll make it matter then." Aedan resolved.
Soon enough, the steward returned with the goods Aedan had called for, and a writing board to lean on. Aedan accepted them before turning back to the throne to sit on.
"Hahrens are chosen from among your people, correct?" The Prince-Consort asked Shianni as he began scribbling away at the parchment.
Shianni glanced between Aedan, Eadford and the steward in turn, expression more than a little confused. "Yes?" She answered slowly. "It's been that way for as long as anyone can remember."
"Grand, this should do …" Aedan murmured as he leant into his work.
"My Lord?" Bann Eadford piped up at the side curiously. "What do you plan to do?"
"If Lords like Balwood do not respect elven authority and tradition, then they will certainly respect those of Ferelden." Aedan glanced up at the Bann for a moment with a pointed look. "Or else they'll suffer the consequences."
The Bann gulped a little nervously.
Aedan returned to writing and before long had finished. He read it over to be sure he'd done it right. He'd seen Anora write such things hundreds of times before, but had never actually issued one himself. He was certain that his wife would have baulked at his attempt and would likely have found at least a dozen little issues to nit-pick over – the precise wording or the sentence structure or even just the state of his handwriting even – but it was good enough for its purpose. Aedan reached for the seal next and applied the wax confirmation, granting the already drying ink royal approval.
"Here." Aedan smiled as he stood from the throne. "This should do the trick."
"I fail to see how a piece of paper's going to do anything." Shianni raised a disdainful eyebrow.
"Don't discount the power of bureaucracy on the nobility." Aedan smirked a little as he approached the elf once more, offering the parchment. "After all, you'll be subject to that same bureaucracy yourself now, Bann Shianni."
A collective silence greeted the Prince-Consort's words.
"What?" Shianni blinked.
"I've just made you a Bann." Aedan nodded at the parchment that hung in the air between human and elf with a smile. "Bann Shianni of the Denerim alienage."
Shianni hadn't reached for the parchment. She was seemingly still processing the words the Regent had uttered.
"My- My Lord, this is … most peculiar." Bann Eadford stammered. "An elf, joining the Bannorn? Such a thing has never been done before."
"Then it's about high time we had one." Aedan responded swiftly. "Maker knows it's been long overdue, wouldn't you agree, Bann Eadford?"
The Bann chewed on his lip a moment, ruffling his moustache. Perhaps he was simply as stunned as Shianni was, or perhaps he was ruminating how far to push back against the Lord Regent who had only just granted him a valuable bit of land. It was hard to be sure which was more accurate. Aedan didn't have his wife's encyclopaedic knowledge of the Bannorn's individual traits and foibles after all. He just had his instinct, and his instinct was telling the Lord Regent that Bann Eadford was more of a decent sort, not a hard line racist. He just needed a push in the right direction here and there.
"Aye, I … suppose it has, my Lord." Eadford blinked, still bemused slightly before he turned to Shianni. "Welcome to the Bannorn, Lady Shianni." He offered courteously.
"I don't get it." Shianni shook her head vaguely. "Why are doing this, for me of all people?"
"Technically, I'm not." Aedan smiled. "I've made the Hahren of the alienage a Bann, not you explicitly. That way, when another Hahren is chosen after you, they will inherit the Bannorn, keeping the title in line with the elven tradition."
Shianni's gaze finally fell on the parchment. She took it gingerly, reading the words. "Ok …" The elf murmured slowly, eyebrows high.
"You are responsible for the Denerim alienage now, Bann Shianni. Well, you already are and have been for years now. This is just making it official in the eyes of the law." Aedan explained. "You now have full jurisdiction over the alienage, its people and its land. You have the authority to block any attempts to build warehouses over your homes for example." He smirked a little.
"You're serious, aren't you?" Shianni asked, her smile growing cautiously. "This isn't some sick joke is it?"
"I'm very serious, this is no joke. That is, if you accept it of course?" Aedan raised an eyebrow expectantly. "I won't force a title onto you that you don't want, but-"
"I'll take it!" Shianni shot her gaze back up from scrutinising the parchment, her smile wide and proud. "Thank you. You really are one of the good ones, aren't you?" She murmured thoughtfully as she peered at the Prince-Consort.
"Don't thank me just yet. You haven't attended a full day in court." Aedan smirked a little.
"How does that even work exactly?"
"A lot of this, really." Aedan smiled, holding his hands out a little to indicate the hall around them. "There's more to it of course, I'm sure we can go over the particulars at a later date, introduce you to the minutiae and traditions of holding court."
"I'd be happy to show you the ropes, Lady Shianni." Bann Eadford smiled at his newest colleague, bowing his head slightly.
Aedan had to bite his lip to avoid smiling too much. Already the elf's newly granted title had garnered something of different reaction from a fellow Bann. Eadford had first regarded the elf with near disinterest, now it was all courtesy and smiles. Though Eadford was likely among the least quarrelsome of Anora's vassals, it did indicate how the rest of the Bannorn might treat her as one of their own, even if it would probably take a while for some of the more obstinate lords and ladies of the realm to learn to do so. Aedan was interested to see just how far that good will would go.
Shianni nodded her head graciously to Bann Eadford with a smile. "Thank you, my fellow Bann." The elf definitely took great pleasure in saying that. She then turned back to Aedan. "And thank you as well, Prince Aedan."
xxx
After Banns Shianni and Eadford had left the hall, Aedan had only a handful of other matters to contend with before he could retire for the day. The chief matter of course was dealing with any legislature that happened to still be in place from Arl Howe's days in charge of the city. Thankfully, there appeared to be nothing else so egregious still in effect, though Aedan ordered a review of everything again, just to be safe. After that matter was dealt with, there was nothing else that required anything approaching such intense focus, and he left the main hall with something of a spring in his step as the Lord Regent headed back to the palace's private quarters.
Aedan wondered how Anora would accept the news of her latest vassal's appointment. Perhaps he'd gone a bit too far in utilising his wife's power. He was only its temporary caretaker after all. Still, it seemed to be the most reasonable choice at the time and Aedan could still see no better alternative. Besides, Anora had been keen to keep to her word on improving the lives of the elves. While she may take umbrage with Aedan using the royal seal so readily, he had no doubts that she'd be happy with its results.
The Prince-Consort pushed such thoughts from his mind as he arrived in the solar he shared with his wife. He didn't intend to keep anything about his daily work from Anora of course, but he'd spent so long and had fought so hard to get her to agree to taking time away from the decision making of the realm to recover from her pregnancy, that Aedan was loathe to provide any kind of hook to tempt the Queen back into the throne.
Perhaps most surprisingly of all, Anora was actually sticking to resting instead of trying to work every hour of the day. Though he still wasn't entirely sure how she was resisting the urge to retake her throne, he had a theory it was all to do with the new Princess.
Sure enough, Aedan eased open the door of the lounge to find the most welcome sight of Anora on her knees on the carpet as she was cooing softly to their daughter Eleanor. The Princess was in the process of figuring out which of the brightly coloured wooden blocks she wanted. Ser Cauthrien stood at the side of the room watching the royals with something of a fond smile on her usually stern face.
Aedan loved to see his wife so happy as she played with their daughter.
"And how are the most wonderful women in all of Thedas doing?" Aedan asked with a bright smile as he stepped into the room.
Anora spared her husband a roll of the eyes atop a fond smile of her own. "We're doing just fine, dear. Aren't we, Cauthrien?"
"Of course, your Grace." The Lady Knight responded a little hesitantly, probably not expecting to be included in the compliment.
"Our little Princess here is already learning the skills she'll need to be a great queen." Anora enthused with a wide smile.
The Princess lifted one of the blocks to add to the tower, concentrating intently on her task. The block came down upon the top of the tower with a quiet clack and the structure swayed for a moment before settling into place.
"See? Our daughter will be a great builder. She'll design and create great cities and monuments in her name." Anora proclaimed proudly.
Eleanor however, had seemingly lost interest in architecture. With a mumbling gurgle, she leaned forward and pushed at the same tower she'd only just built, sending the brightly coloured blocks clattering to the ground. Eleanor giggled at her handiwork, she clapped her hands together as though keen for an encore.
"Perhaps instead she'll be a great warrior queen?" Aedan suggested with a wry smile.
Anora was unperturbed by Eleanor's switch of focus. "Yes, you will won't you? You will conquer all of Orlais, won't you darling?" Anora cooed with a bright smile on her face. "Yes you will, won't you?"
Eleanor giggled joyfully.
"Anora, please don't corrupt our daughter before she can even walk." Aedan warned with an uneasy grimace.
"I'm not corrupting her." Anora countered, not breaking the silly voice she'd adopted for her baby daughter as she lifted the Princess into her arms. "I'm preparing her for her finest military achievements, aren't I dearest?"
Eleanor laughed happily.
Aedan was grateful that his daughter couldn't really understand the words being spoken to her yet, she was likely just enjoying the silly voice and over the top expressions her mother was making. At least, he hoped she couldn't understand. Though he supposed he still had years of opportunity ahead to counteract Anora's anti-Orlesian conditioning if it were to take hold. Maker knows he'd need it.
"Here." Anora carried Eleanor over towards Ser Cauthrien. She regarded her Queen most curiously for a moment. She only realised that Anora was handing the Princess into the Knight's arms as it happened. "Will you hold her for a moment?"
"Your- Your Grace!" Cauthrien stuttered a little. "I don't know if I can …"
"She's a baby, Cauthrien." Anora almost chuckled. "After everything you've been through over the years, I'm sure an infant won't get the better of you."
Cauthrien glanced at Aedan for a moment, her expression one of barely hidden panic. Then, she turned her gaze back to Eleanor in her arms. The Princess gazed up at her mother's champion with wide, curious eyes. The Knight swallowed thickly. Cauthrien eased herself over towards one of the settees, her movements decidedly awkward as she carried the Princess gingerly.
Aedan gave his wife an almost reproachful glare, though his smirk surely gave him away. "You're being cruel." He whispered.
"Oh hush." Anora swatted at his arm lightly. "This will be good for her."
Aedan merely murmured in response. He wasn't sure if she meant it would be better for Cauthrien or Eleanor, but he was sure that the chief benefactor from this display was the sole Queen in the room. Anora was very clearly struggling not to chuckle at Cauthrien as she tried her best not to hold the Princess at arm's length as Eleanor gurgled and babbled oddly. Still, he supposed Anora had a point, even if her intentions were less than pure. Cauthrien would be entrusted with protecting Eleanor's life as much as Anora's now after all. It only made sense for them to develop that relationship, so that Eleanor always knew Cauthrien as someone she could trust with her life.
"So, how was court today?" Anora asked, seemingly lightly as though she was asking about the weather.
Aedan eyed his wife a little warily. "It was fine."
"Nothing troubling you, I hope?"
"Not at all." Aedan smiled.
"Nothing you need assistance with?" Anora flashed her Regent and Prince-Consort a meaningful look. "Anything you need me to deal with for you?"
"Anora …" Aedan murmured with the hint of a smirk.
"Yes husband?"
"You're doing it again."
"I'm sure I've no idea what you mean." Anora's face was the perfectly crafted mask of pure innocence.
"A likely story." Aedan murmured with a slight roll of his eyes. He was certain that his wife knew perfectly well what 'it' was.
"Is it wrong for me to ask about my dear husband's day?" Anora challenged. "If that's the attitude you're going to take, then I shan't bother in future."
Aedan nearly rolled his eyes. "You know you should be taking it easy. Let me worry about the kingdom for now."
Anora scowled slightly, probably more for being seen through than anything else. "I can't just turn off being Queen, Aedan."
"And you can't give birth to our beautiful little daughter there and jump straight back into the throne, Anora." Aedan retorted with a smile.
"Who says I can't?" Anora huffed. "I feel fine, Aedan. I could jump straight back into my work right now."
"Ok, maybe you can." Aedan started, immediately putting a hand up to stall the inevitable counter attack. "But that doesn't mean you should. You can say whatever you want, but I know you're still recovering."
The fact that Anora responded only with a snort and folded arms instead of a vitriolic outburst told Aedan that he was right.
"Besides, do you really want to miss out on this?" Aedan nodded towards where Eleanor had gotten a hold of some strands of Cauthrien's hair. The Knight was doing her level best to gently coax the Princess' tiny hand away from her locks without committing some form of treason. "This is time you'll never get back again Anora. Don't wish it away."
Anora turned her gaze to watch Cauthrien's struggles with a fond smile. She sighed. "I'm sorry, I must seem so ungrateful to you. You're dealing with the kingdom's problems, manning the fort so to speak, while I get to spend all this time with our daughter."
"Don't be silly." Aedan shook his head with a smile. "I'm glad to do it. Besides, I'm hardly on the far side of Thedas am I? I still get to spend plenty of quality time with you and Eleanor both." He leaned in to press a kiss to Anora's temple.
The Queen smiled. "True." She chuckled once more. "Now, how about we save Cauthrien before Eleanor manages to overpower her?"
"I suppose we'd better." Aedan smirked as the royal couple padded over, arm in arm, to the poor suffering Knight.
xxx
"So, what did you get up to in court today?" Anora asked, eyes firmly on her book as she and Aedan lay in bed together.
Aedan turned his gaze over to his wife lazily, eyebrow raised pointedly.
Anora raised an eyebrow of her own as she turned his way. "Well?"
"Are you even capable of turning off Anora the politician?" Aedan asked with a smirk. "You're supposed to be using this time to rest and recover, not trouble yourself with the demands of the kingdom."
"Do you expect me to just sit back and ignore my realm entirely?" The Queen almost demanded. "Shall I lay here in bed, twiddling my thumbs as the kingdom descends into chaos?"
"The kingdom isn't going to descend into chaos, Anora." Aedan chuckled. "Everything's fine, really."
"Well I don't know that, do I? My Lord Regent won't tell me what's going on." Anora scowled.
Aedan sighed. He supposed he could hardly argue with that. He wasn't trying to keep anything from her. He just didn't want to tell her anything that she might latch onto, something that might end up dragging her back into the throne before she was truly ready to return. Though perhaps he was being unfair to his wife, after all she had stuck to her maternity leave without major issue so far.
"There's not an awful lot to say really, mostly just property disputes, land rights, the usual."
Anora narrowed her eyes slightly. "Is that really it? The realm seems a lot quieter for you than it often is for me."
"There was one other thing actually." Aedan began with a murmur.
"Ah, here it is." Anora shook her head with a small smirk and a sigh. "Go on then, what's happened?"
"Nothing disastrous, I assure you." Aedan smiled. "It's just that there was an issue with the alienage today …" The Prince-Consort explained how Lord Balwood's mercantile ambitions had almost led to the destruction of many elven homes. The Queen's expression slowly darkened as she heard how one of the former Arl Howe's laws had allowed such a thing to happen.
"Maker's breath." Anora swore as she shook her head ruefully. "I can't believe such a thing slipped through the net."
"Well, it's been closed off now." Aedan assured her. "That should be the last of Howe's crimes dealt with."
"Thank you. Though, we thought we'd put them to rest before." Anora bit her lip slightly. "And it was against the elves of all people. Maker, we need to make amends somehow, show the alienage that we're on their side."
"That's another matter already dealt with." Aedan smiled.
"Oh?" Anora's slender blonde eyebrows rose almost in surprise. "How so?"
"It was Hahren Shianni who brought this matter up in the first place."
"Ah, I should have guessed." Anora shook her head softly with a smile. "She's always been very proactive in defending the rights of the elves in Denerim."
"That's precisely what I thought. So, I gave her a title."
Anora's eyes widened.
"Made her Bann of the Denerim Alienage, in fact."
"A Bann?" Anora blinked.
"Yes." Aedan said simply with a smile. "What better way to make sure the elves have a voice of their own in the kingdom?"
Already, Aedan could see the cogs turning in Anora's mind. No doubt she was trying to gauge just how big a fallout Aedan's decision would create among the Bannorn and how best to deal with it. Of course, if she so wished she could easily overwrite his decision and revoke the title, but such a move would no doubt anger the elves, and undermine her Regent's authority. More than that though, it would simply be wrong to take away such a boon, Aedan knew that Anora knew it too. He also would have wagered that Anora was more inclined to see the potential benefits of such a move.
"An elven Bann?" Anora murmured quietly as she considered.
Aedan nodded with a slight smile. "Yes."
"It's never happened before."
"Then maybe it's about time it should." Aedan regarded his wife carefully. "Do you disapprove?"
Again, there was a slight pause as Anora considered. The cogs turned on.
"No." Anora said finally, gaze resolved. She turned her eyes Aedan's way with a faint scowl. "No, I see why and how it makes sense, though I wish you'd have told me of your plan before the fact."
"Sorry, it was a bit of a spur of the moment decision." Aedan grimaced slightly. "It seemed the right thing to do at the time."
Anora breathed deep through her nose. "I understand. Very well, I approve."
"You do?" Aedan was almost surprised. "I'll be honest: I was half expecting you to argue with me about it."
"You make it sound like I'm unreasonable." Anora scowled. She shook her head with a sigh. "I won't lie, it won't be as simple as adding a human to the Bannorn. There'll be plenty of opponents to such a bold move. I can already think of a dozen or so other Bann's who'll not like this one bit." Anora murmured as she considered. "Though, I think you're right, it's high time we brought an elven voice into the court. If we're to be serious about improving things for the elves, then this is as good a place to start as any."
"I'm glad you think so." Aedan nodded with a smile.
"And once again, you've proven you have a particular way with the elves." Anora sighed with a slight smile of her own. "I should make you an ambassador of sorts."
"They're just people, Anora, same as you or I."
"Of course, you're right." Then Anora's smile smoothly morphed into a smirk as she turned it to her husband. "Although, I don't think they're entirely like you or I."
"Oh? In what way?" Aedan was particularly intrigued by that glint in his wife's eyes. Was it mere mischief or something more?
"Well, for one I daresay that no elf is as handsome as my dear husband." Anora murmured softly as she began to trail her fingertips over his chest.
"Is that right?" Aedan bit his lip slightly. His eyes were fixed up her digits as they danced slowly upon his body.
"Mm hmm." Anora nodded slowly, her lips curling into a delicious grin. "And I doubt anyone, elf, human, dwarf or qunari, could ever be as lucky as I am right now. I'm Queen of the greatest nation in Thedas. I've a beautiful daughter. And I'm married to the most handsome man in the realm, who's also proving to be quite a fine Regent." She finished with a slight wiggle of her eyebrows.
"High praise, coming from you." Aedan breathed a chuckle.
"You should know by now, I only give praise where praise is due." Anora's smirk was devilishly divine. "Besides, I've had Cauthrien give me reports on your performance."
Aedan almost rolled his eyes. "Of course you have, and how have I measured up?"
Anora murmured under breath, she leaned her lips in closer and they wore an unmistakable smile. "Hmm, very well I'd say, though I think there's one test you've yet to take." The Queen closed the rest of the distance to kiss her husband, then one became another and another.
"Oh? Are you saying you'd like to …" Aedan began. They hadn't been intimate since Eleanor's birth. Anora's midwives had suggested a break for a few weeks, just to avoid any complications. Aedan hadn't minded at all of course. Well, that was a lie. He longed to be one with his wife again, but he wasn't about to push her for his own thirst.
"Aedan, I've spent so much of the last month just lounging about." Anora manoeuvred herself so she was straddling her husband, her hands planted on his chest, roving and searching hungrily. "I've had nothing to do but think of you." She moaned.
"You've been looking after Eleanor." Aedan murmured as his own hands began to rove up Anora's legs, her thighs, below her nightgown onto her stomach.
"Aedan." Anora snapped as she suddenly lunged forward to take her husband's jaw in hand. She glared down at him with an unmistakable fire in her eyes. "You know I love our daughter very much, but she's the last person I want to be thinking about right now. There's just me and you in this fantasy, do you understand me?"
The Prince-Consort gazed up into his wife's heated eyes with a growing smirk. "Of course, as you command, my Queen." He murmured, just before she claimed his lips in the first of many, many kisses.