Upon my return to Orzammar, I had a great deal of work to get done. My first order of business was to send a letter two Trian, requesting that he come to Orzammar to join me in a meeting with Father and Bhelen. I received word from Trian that he would be joining us soon. Once I received the response, I got to work making sure that everything I wanted to present to them was in order.

The day I received the response, I had Kalah dress me in one of my working outfits; mostly thick cloth and leather designed to resist heat and burns. I always preferred to dress myself, but when I was home Kalah insisted on helping me do everything.

"I'd do it for a thousand years and more to repay you for everything you've done for my children, My Lady," Kalah chided me as I protested. "This is the role you gave me, and I will see it done properly."

I smiled and sighed, "You know, I need to have children soon so you can focus on them instead.

Kalah chuckled and adjusted the straps to my leather apron which had been designed to be a bit thick than normal, as well as more form fitting, "You'll need to marry someone first, My Lady."

"Good news on that front, at least," I smiled wryly back at her. "I think I know just the man."

Kalah gasped and moved her head over my shoulder to stare at me, "Is that so? May I ask who the lucky man is?"

I hummed playfully, "I don't think I should say just yet. It's an unconventional choice. But I can say you've most assuredly know his name."

She popped my shoulder in a playful manner, "My Lady, you shouldn't tease me like that. Now I'll be left wondering who it is until you announce your intentions."

I shook my head and placed a small kiss on the older woman's cheek, "I promise that you'll be among the first to know, well before the announcement. After all, we can't have it said that House Orodum's matron was unaware of her Lady's intentions."

Kalah laughed as she fetched my smithing gloves, "I appreciate your concern for my reputation, My Lady. Will you be home for lunch?"

"I don't think so," I replied as I tucked the gloves into belt and made small comfort adjustments to the outfit as I looked myself over in the mirror. "Would you be so kind as to have lunch sent to Dagna's laboratory for everyone? We'll likely be there most of the day."

"Of course, My Lady," Kalah curtsied before leaving to relay the request.

I stepped outside of my chambers in time to see Kalah giving her morning greeting to Faren. I couldn't help but smile. She has no idea.

"It will blow her mind, you know," I quipped after Kalah had taken her leave.

"It will be the same for everyone," Faren chuckled as he fell in just behind me.

We made some small talk as we weaved our way through the estate and down into Dagna's laboratory. This area was made with multiple levels to allow Dagna to assign different projects to different spaces. The project we would be checking on today was one that help imprint all of us on the pages of history. As I made my way down the stairs to the lowest section of the laboratory, Dagna and Bhelen were both there to greet me.

"Sister," Bhelen bowed his head. "We're excited you've come to see how the work has been going. I trust you were able to settle things in Ostagar and the wedding went well?"

I smiled and pulled Bhelen into a hug, squeezing him tight, "I've missed you, Bhelen. Everything went wonderfully. I some amazing news to share once Trian gets here."

Bhelen gave a stressed huff as I squeezed him, but still hugged me back, "I'm excited to hear the news."

Dagna dipped into a curtsy, "It's wonderful to see you again, Princess."

I released Bhelen and turned to face Dagna. I took one of her hands between mine and smiled, "How are you, Dagna? The laboratory seems abuzz with activity."

Dagna grinned wide. There was no hiding her enthusiasm for her craft, "Wonderful as always, Princess! Thanks to the items you procured, we've been able to make massive strides in enchanting and phase augmentation."

"Excellent!" I exclaimed. "Let's see what you've come up with."

There was no mistaking the excitement in the pair as they led us into the lab. I could see multiple lyrium wells of various sizes as well as what looked like different versions of the activation units. Different parts of the lab seemed to hum into different frequencies and I could see the aura of different animals in various magical colors moving about in confined spaces.

"We started with experiments on the lyrium well," Dagna said she motioned to the original well I had brought back from Amgarakk. "It took us some time to figure out how it worked and what it did specifically. It can be used to establish a frequency area where living creatures can be shifted into different dimensions of the Fade. Once we figure out how it did that, we had to figure out how to relay dials connected to it. The relays serve as remote adjusters to the frequency of the lyrium well, allowing someone to key in which dimension the well should shift things into without direct manipulation of the well's settings."

"After that, we started working on the premise that multiple wells could be linked to the same relay, allowing anyone who interacted with one well would be in one dimension, while others would remain in the pre-established dimension," Bhelen added. "We also discovered that the relays do not need to remain in one place to keep their connection to their well, they simply need to remain in the well's area of influence; which appears to be an approximate area of ten miles."

"Ten miles?" I repeated with surprise. "That's an enormous range…"

Dagna and Bhelen grinned at each other. Bhelen moved over to a nearby table and picked up a pair of gauntlets. He brought them over and handed them to me, "These are the smaller, portable versions of the relays. Each dial is linked to one of the five different wells we've created so far. Once a dial is activated, the wearer is synced to the proper relay. To sync to a new relay, you reset the first dial, and activate another of your choice."

"So you could slip into the different dimensions on a whim, or alter each well's specified dimensional sync on the fly," I speculated.

"Precisely," Dagna nodded proudly. "The process for making the gauntlets is extremely time consuming, and protecting the dials is paramount. But we made that pair especially for you, Princess. The dials attached to that gauntlet are stone and lyrium, instead of metal and lyrium. It should allow you to use your Titan abilities to manipulate the dials with your will instead of manually turning them."

"Is that so?" I asked as I slipped each gauntlet on. One thing had to be said, the craftsmen of House Orodum knew my measurements perfectly. The gauntlets felt like a second skin as I flexed my fingers to gauge their dexterity. Once satisfied with the fit, I reached out with my Titan sense and felt out the intricacies of the dials. Though made of stone they were masterfully crafted and woven with the finest thread of lyrium to help conduct the magic. My senses also seemed to be able to detect which dial was aligned with each well.

I willed one dial to move, then reset, then moved another. I shifted from one dimension of the Fade to another until I'd gone through all of the options. Faren seemed smugly excited, likely due to the fact that he had hoped for something just like this and had been training a number of House Orodum's soldiers in mock exercises.

As I shifted into the last option, I was shocked to see Purpose standing beside me alongside the Dalish spirit who had been trapped inside the crystal phylactery. Faren, Bhelen, and Danga had disappeared, and now only the two spirits were with me.

"What…? What's going on?" I asked.

"Princess," Purpose bowed. "It is unlike you to join us for training so early."

"Purpose? Are you saying I'm currently in the Fade?" I posited as I looked around. This wasn't the Fade as I knew it. It looked like the laboratory in every way, only the people around me had changed.

The Dalish spirit put a finger to his chin, "Curious. You do seem to be able to see us. But we see you as in the Fade. What do you see, Princess?"

"I'm in Dagna's lab as far as I can tell," I replied, looking around in surprise.

"Curious," Purpose replied. "Could you be in the veil? Directly between the physical world and the Fade? Able to see what is here, but unable to be seen by those in the physical world?"

"If so… the Dagna and my brother have outdone themselves," I chuckled. "If you'll both excuse me, I will explain later when I return for my training."

"Of course, Princess," they both bowed. "We await your return."

I willed the dial to reset. Purpose and the spirit snapped out of view while Faren and the rest snapped back into sight. I was back in the physical realm.

Dagna was almost dancing with excitement, "I think it worked! I think it really worked!"

"Are you alright, Princess?" Faren asked as he looked me over with concern. "You completely disappeared. No aura or anything remained to show us which dimension you were attuned to."

"Was it the Fade? Were you in the Fade?" Dagna chirped with barely contained excitement.

"No…" I said with genuine amazement. "I was in the veil. I was in between the physical world and the Fade. Everything remained the same as it was, but I could see the spirits in the Fade and speak with them."

"Oh my gosh!" Dagna explained. "That was a totally unexpected result!"

Bhelen sighed as Dagna was too excited to explain, "We believed that since you were a mage, we could set a lyrium well to send you to the Fade in case you needed to be there. If, instead, we sent you to the Veil, it means that the wells do have some limit."

"And that she can turn invisible!" Dagna shouted.

"Within the confines of the that particular well," Bhelen agreed. "Still, it's an impressive side effect. We'll see what we can do to make it more reliable."

"I trust you to do what is best," I smiled at Bhelen. "And you said that the gauntlets can be used by anyone, right?"

"So long as they're trained in the use of the proper dial settings and protocols, yes," he smiled and nodded. "What did you have in mind?"

I turned to Faren and motioned for him to make his proposal. He'd been planning it for some time. We spent the rest of the day going over the finer points of the lyrium wells and how they operated, what they were capable of influencing, and how we could best utilize them for our people. It was nearly midnight by the time Faren and I returned home. The day had been busy, and now we had the means to help elevate Faren in the eyes of my family as well as the Assembly. In the next few weeks, House Orodum's craftsmen would be extremely busy.

Two weeks went by and Trian had finally arrived in Orzammar. He'd taken a week to get Aeducan Thaig's affairs in order before leaving. Bhelen and I greet Trian and Nerav when they passed through the gates from the Deep Roads. To my surprise, Trian actually eschewed his normal craggy demeanor and rushed up to use, wrapping his arms around us and hugging us close.

"I've missed you both dearly," he smiled. "We should not be so long apart."

"You're the one who decided to stay in the Thaig," I reminded him playfully as I hugged him back.

"The sacrifice I had to make as an Aeducan," Trian responded. He looked at Bhelen, "By the Stone, lad, you've grown! I see Merida hasn't skimped on the food."

Bhelen snorted and laughed, "She doesn't skimp on the work load either. I may become a bronto just to escape the burden."

Trian barked out a laugh and slapped Bhelen across the back in good humor, "I guarantee you she isn't giving you any more work than I gave her. If anything, she's probably skimped on your martial training."

"I'll have you know he trains with Faren daily," I huffed. "And he spars with me once a week."

"Won a match yet?" Train chuckled at Bhelen.

"She uses magic!" Bhelen protested.

"You're confusing skill for magic, Bhelen," I teased him. "I haven't used a single oune of magic on you yet."

"You're young yet," Trian reassured him. "You'll be physically stronger than her soon enough. A bit more skill and you might be able to take her if she doesn't use her magic."

Faren gave a doubtful huff to which Trian tossed him a wink.

"You're in an exceptionally good mood, Trian," I said with some small amount of paranoia. "What's going on with you."

"We have good news," Nerav said as she approached with an obviously pregnant belly.

I looked at her then squealed in delight. I pushed Trian out of the way and ran to Nerav, giving her a hug, "Why didn't anyone send a letter? We could have had a celebration ready! I could have started having so many gifts made! I would have visited!"

"Why answer your own question?" Trian asked.

I turned on him and gasped, "Are you saying that you didn't want me to visit?"

"Visit us, yes. The unborn child, no," he replied flatly.

"Oh, I am going to make you regret that," I said, putting my hand on my hips.

"Forgive him, Merida," Nerav laughed. "He was dying to tell you but I convinced him to let it be a surprise. We were planning on coming to Orzammar soon, anyway. Trian wanted the baby to be born in the capitol."

"Your letter was serendipitous," Trian shrugged. "It gave us an excuse to leave earlier. Now what's all this about a family meeting? What's so important you needed to summon us from Aeducan Thaig that couldn't be relayed by letter?"

"I'll tell everyone once we're all together," I insisted. "I have a few things I want to talk to everyone about before bringing them to the Assembly."

"They're so important that you feel like you need to seek our opinions first?" Trian asked suspiciously.

"Monumentally so," I assured him. "One is at least as important as the creation of the Surface Caste. The other is more personal and I hope you will support my decision on."

"The Assembly has no say in your personal matters," Trian was almost offended that I would say suggest such a thing.

"This is true, but in this decision I think they will have a loud opinion which could trickle down to the rest of the people," I sighed. I stepped up to Trian and took his hands in mine, gazing up at him pleadingly, "Please… Just try to keep an open mind when I tell you, alright?"

"Merida," Trian said firmly but reassuringly, "Ever since you were a little girl I have only ever doubted your decisions once, and that decision proved to be a good one. I have no doubt that whatever you have decided for yourself will be the right thing for you and our people. I will support your decision no matter what."

I smiled up at Trian then jumped up and hugged his neck, "Thank you!"

While I invited them to stay with me in my home, Trian and Nerav insisted on staying in the palace. Trian wanted to be able to spend more time with Father, and I honestly couldn't blame him. I had a suspicion that he missed the comforts of palace living crept into my mind but I didn't say anything. Trian was in an exceptionally good mood and I didn't want to spoil it.

A few days went by before we all agreed to meet in Father's estate in the palace. Father was obviously the first to be there and had gone to a great deal of trouble and preparation for the meeting. He had many different dishes prepared and had the palace cleaned top to bottom. He was a dear and was so excited to have all of his children together again in one place after a good many years.

Trian and Nerav arrived next. Living in the castle for the moment allowed them to simply be ready. They sat and talked for some time, with Trian catching Father up on everything that was going on in Aeducan Thaig. Nerav spoke about what they were hoping to achieve with the Thaig in the future. The pair entertained Father with talk and stories for about a half hour until Bhelen arrived.

Bhelen smiled as the door was closed behind him, "Father, Trian, Nerav. I Hope you haven't been waiting for me very long."

Trian arched a brow, "Where's our sister? I thought she would accompany you here."

"I am not Merida's sister, Trian," Bhelen chuckled. "She is mine. She said she had affairs to tend to and that she would meet us soon enough."

Father laughed, "I should think you would expect her to get busy by now, Trian."

"It's not outside the scope of possibility," Trian sighed, "but she is the one who called for this meeting. She set the date, the time, and location."

"And she has been here the entire time, brother," I laughed as I appeared from the Veil.

Father, Trian, and Nerav all jumped and gasped in shock.

"Where did you come from?" Trian demanded.

"The Veil," I smiled and raised up one of my gauntlets that Bhelen and Dagna had made for me. "This was the first issue I wanted to speak to all of you about. House Orodum has created a magical defense system that will keep our people safe from any kind of attack and allow our soldiers to move throughout the entire city unfettered and unable to be attacked until they choose to engage the enemy."

Everyone but Bhelen seemed confused. Father leaned forward, "Could you elaborate, Merida?"

"Oh, I'm here merely as the demonstrator," I tittered. "Our young Bhelen will be the one to explain it all. Bhelen? Please explain everything."

Bhelen, at twelve years old, wore a rather proud smile as he stood and all eyes moved to him, "Dagna and I have worked for some time recreating and modifying ancient lyrium well magic. These lyrium wells were lost knowledge until Merida found them again. What they do is allow individuals to key into certain dimensions of the Fade. If a person tunes into the well, they will be transported to that dimension. People in that dimension cannot interact with people outside of it, and vice versa. Currently the lyrium wells have four dimensions they can be attuned to, plus one additional one unique to Merida because she is a mage and can naturally pass through them."

As Bhelen spoke, I shifted between the different dimensions by using my gauntlets to tune into the different wells, my form seeming to shift into a blue, pink, red, and yellow ghostlike appearance.

"We have worked on creating pedestals which can be used in an emergency to allow Orzammar's citizens to use so that they can be safe from harm," Bhelen continued. "However, we have also created gauntlets that we can equip Orzammar's guards and warriors with so that they can traverse these dimensions and only shift back into the physical world when they're ready to attack."

"Fascinating!" Father gasped as he listened to Bhelen and watched me shift from dimension to dimension. "And it can cover everyone in the city?"

"So long as we station pedestals in enough places around the city, the citizens should all be able to use them in case of an emergency while guards responded to the incident," Bhelen nodded.

"Can they be misused?" Trian asked ever skeptical and ever practical.

"While anyone can activate a pedestal at any time, you will still be able to see them in one of the different colored auras," I responded. Bhelen expressed before the meeting that he wasn't prepared to answer questions about any logistical or lawful questions about the system yet.

I shifted into the blue spectrum then back to the physical world once again, "As you can see, anyone utilizing the pedestals are still obvious to those who aren't using them. They simply cannot interact with anyone else. It should also be noted that doors and specific items can also be attune to the different dimensions so that only someone in the dimension it's attuned to can interact with it. So for matters of security as far as the palace and Assembly chambers are concerned, there is no need to worry about anyone using the system to sneak around the city or access places they shouldn't have access to."

"How do we know no one else will be able to turn invisible like Merida can?" Father asked, the detailed mind of a king coming into play.

"Merida is a mage, and with all the testing we've done, we believe a mage is needed to access the Veil's particular setting," Bhelen was quick to clarify. "We've used House Orodum's warriors to test the settings for months now and not one of them have been able to access that particular dimension."

"And if someone gives this to a mage that isn't a dwarf?" Nerav asked. Her tone was more quizzical than demanding or skeptical. Unlike Father or Trian, she wasn't trying to put Bhelen on his heels with her inquiry.

"The technology will be treated the same way as Lyrium," I answered. "Sharing it will be punishable by death as this technology has been created for the safety and security of the dwarves and our territory."

"That's rather harsh, don't you think, daughter?" Father asked me as he considered my suggestion.

I shook my head and kept my tone respectful, "Not at all, Father. This system is intricate, requires lyrium to work, and will be critical to the safety and security of our people and our kingdom. I would not consider any punishment less than death appropriate for a dwarf that would put that system in jeopardy."

"She speaks true, Father," Trian sighed grimly. "We have already made the smuggling and illegal sale of lyrium punishable by death. This has stopped the illegal sale of lyrium and has also all but eliminated the Carta. I think this is an acceptable thing to propose considering the expense and the project and how crucial it will be for Orzammar's defense."

"I see…" Father said as he nodded and considered Trian's words. "So you would both consider it to be equal to treason, then? And what about you, Bhelen? Do you agree with your brother and sister?"

Bhelen looked from father to me. I gave him a reassuring nod. He looked back at father and seemed to stand a bit taller, "I do, Father. However, I would add that there is another reason beyond safety and expense to require such a punishment."

Father's expression probably seemed stern and cold to Bhelen, but I knew Father much better. I could see the pride and curiosity in his eyes. He was eager to see what Bhelen had to say and was proud that he was taking his own stance separate from mine or Trian's.

"And what might that be?" Father asked.

"I believe that this system represents the first of dwarven arcane engineering," Bhelen said proudly. "If I may say so, I believe that it's also ground breaking in the world of magical research and application. With House Orodum's leading research, and Merida's encouragement for dwarven scholars in the Amellian College which she sits as one of the heads of, we are going to start seeing a large boom of new dwarven innovations in this field. While most might be practical in nature, we want to ensure the scholars and craftsman of every caste that their creations and contributions to dwarven society will be respected and encouraged."

"If we want dwarves to not only push forward in new forms of study and crafting, we must show them that we take such efforts seriously and that we are willing to protect that effort fiercely, especially when it contributes so much to our dwarven way of life," Bhelen ended.

I couldn't help but look at him with pride and a raised sense of respect. He spoke wonderfully and definitively. It was bringing a tear to my eye.

Father, Trian, and Nerav all seemed to look at Bhelen with surprise and approval. They were finally seeing him as I had been seeing him; as an intelligent and well spoken young man worthy of the Aeducan name.

"You make an interesting point, Bhelen," Father smiled. "And very well spoken, as well. I admit I hadn't considered how Merida's seat at the college would affect our people, but now that you mention it along with this new system as an example of what dwarves are capable of when we dedicate ourselves to a field of study… I can see why you would be so passionate about protecting this new system."

"Thank you, Father," Bhelen bowed his head.

Father sat back and looked at Bhelen and I, "I will consider what you have said. Of course, the ultimate decision is the Assembly's, but I will give my recommendation when it is brought before the deshyrs."

"That is all we can ask," I bowed my head to Father. 'Thank you for the consideration. No matter what happens, we will still be offering this system to the entire kingdom. Orzammar and every Thaig will be able to have such a system set up. House Orodum is prepared to share this knowledge freely."

"Let it be known, then, that Aeducan Thaig will want this system as soon as possible," Trian said proudly.

"The Aeducan Thaig will also want to consider the next proposal," I grinned at Trian. "In addition to the lyrium well system, Faren has been training a special group of warriors in the tactics and use of the wells. If the system is approved, I would like to promote this group of warriors into a new fighting force for Orzammar akin to the Legion of the Dead, except that it would be dedicated to protecting Orzammar, and the other Thaigs if it's established properly, directly. The Legion of the Dead would continue protecting the Deep Roads as it always has, while this new force would act as the standing army of the dwarven kingdom utilizing the lyrium well technology to give it the advantage against foreign invaders, as well as the darkspawn should they manage to get past the Legion."

"You have enough warriors ready to establish such a force?" Father asked with surprise and concern.

"Faren has enough warrior families who are ready to dedicate some of their members to the force, and those members have been trained in the use of lyrium well tactics," I responded, rather proud of myself. "There will be no conflict of interest between these members and the Houses their families are dedicated to because the members will swear oaths to the crown and kingdom."

"Is this Faren's suggestion," Trian asked, "Or is it yours that you are crediting to Faren?"

I turned on Trian and looked at him with hurt in my expression, "I should think you know me better than to ask something like that."

"When we were discussing the possibilities of the lyrium well system, Faren was the one to propose a fighting force that utilized it in an offensive manner," Bhelen came to my defense. "In fact, he was the one who suggested we try to condense the technology to fit them into the gauntlets so that individual soldiers could shift dimensions on the fly to more quickly respond to changes in a battle."

"Ah… well, if that is the case then I apologize for my presumption," Trian looked at me. "Faren is an intelligent and capable warrior. I was wrong to assume you were crediting him with your idea."

"He's always been dedicated to our people and looked for ways to help them," I smiled.

"I cannot disagree with you in that respect," Trian nodded. "I think the idea is a good one, though it will mean more funds will need to be raised to fund a third standing force beyond the city's guards and the Legion of the Dead."

"He makes a fine point, Merida," Father motioned to Trian. "A standing army costs a considerable amount of money. Where would you propose these funds come from?"

"The lyrium shares," I smiled. "By my estimates, we only need approximately ten percent of the shares to fund the system set up and maintenance, as well as the standing force. We asked the people to agree to an annual payment that is ten percent less than what they receive now. It will sound bad at first, but if we tell them that we will prioritize setting up emergency pedestals in the sections of the city where the most agreements come from, I believe you'll see many families scrambling to get their names on the list of those who agree."

"Interesting," Father smiled and stroked his beard. "The kingdom would essentially pay nothing, and people would only stand to gain by choosing to receive slightly less at the end of each year than they normally would. A clever idea, my dear."

"What about the Thaigs? Would they also benefit from the same force?" Nerav asked. "You mentioned Faren had been speaking with and training warrior families on the tactics needed to best use these systems. Has he been working with families from the thaigs also?"

I shook my head, "We have not had the luxury of reaching out to the thaigs yet," I admitted. "However, Faren has made a list of currently trained warriors who he would trust to establish and train the forces for each thaig. They have agreed to go to the thaigs to help with that training for however long they're needed as soon as the force is established and a thaig requests assistance."

"If the deshyrs do not approve this force, they're fools," Nerav told Trian. "And if they prove themselves fools, we should at least ask for Faren to have some warriors train our warriors. House Orodum and House Aeducan will have warriors with an extreme advantage to the other houses if the Assembly votes against the measure."

"I seriously doubt the Assembly will be that stupid, especially when a standing force will be funded naturally, without the need to further tax the people," Trian replied, crossing his arms. "But if they are that stupid, I trust my sister to ensure that both our Houses have that advantage."

"Of course, Trian," I bowed my head to reassure him.

Father hummed and gave a nod, "I think this is an excellent idea, Merida. I wish I could have spoken with Faren about some of the details, but I trust you'll pass on my appreciation for his efforts."

"I will, Father," I smiled.

"Was there anything else we needed to speak about?" Father asked.

I gave a firm nod, "I have two other things I wanted to speak about."

"What's next, then?" Father asked.

"I have agreed to purchase the Teynir of Gwaren from Ferelden," I smiled wide.

"You what?" Trian barked. Everyone else in the room had similar reactions.

I placed my hands behind my back and took an educational tone, "Gwaren was originally a dwarven outpost. A human noble paid the dwarves to create a port town for him and it has been in Ferelden's hands since then. I was offered the land and its port city as a gift, but decided to buy it instead."

"Why would you not accept it as a gift?" Father asked, the news seeming to take his breath away. "That is a kingly gift!"

"The reason behind the offer were not altruistic," I replied with a sigh. "It would have been used to gain a favor from me to back one of King Maric's daughters in a political game. So I instead offered to buy it. However, I will only be paying approximately fifteen percent of the promised price."

"How?" Trian demanded, quickly growing taciturn.

"I agreed to pay ten percent of the price up front," I explained calmly. "I also agreed to build roads connecting all of the towns and cities in Ferelden. While this is happening, King Maric has agreed that I will make a single payment each year while the roads are being built. Once the roads are finished, the difference between what has been paid and what is still owed will be forgiven."

"Do you know what you have promised?" Trian stood in shock. "Do you truly understand what sort of undertaking will cost in materials and manpower?"

I smirked, "Considerably less than you think when I travel to Denerim each year and use my Titan abilities to mold the roads as I go. We already have Surface Caste members helping to start on the roads. They're using materials sourced locally from the areas they're in. Whenever I travel, I will augment their efforts with my abilities. The Surface Caste representatives I've spoken with have already volunteered their manpower because the roads will help them move their goods faster and more securely."

"That is a relief to hear, my dear, but you still have promised funds to buy this land without asking the Assembly if they will release the funds," Father said exasperated.

"I think you might be misunderstanding me," I looked at Father and Trian. "I said that I have agreed to purchase the land. Me. As an individual. I never said the funds would be coming from the kingdom."

"Merida…" Nerav gasped and cupped her hand to her mouth.

"You're using your own coin?" Trian whispered.

"That will bankrupt you," Father stared at me in shock.

I tittered and smiled at them, "I think you've all underestimated how much money I've managed to make through our enchantments, contracts through the Surface Caste, Rica's income with Brankite production, and other ventures I've entered into outside of Orzammar. Being as frugal as possible with that sort of income has allowed me to collect a considerable amount of funds."

Trian blanched, "Merida… just how rich are you?"

"Rich enough to donate a brand new port city and thaig to the dwarven kingdom," I smiled sweetly.

"What?" Father asked. "What do you mean you're going to donate a new thaig?"

I laughed, "Our people are more productive and enterprising than ever. We have products and services that need more markets than are available in Ferelden and Orlais. We need to be able to reliably ship our goods to the Free Marches and other countries by boat. There is a city and a port there already, and we know the Deep Roads connect to it because it was once a dwarven outpost. It's only right that we expand it into a new thaig."

"You would need someone to rule this new thaig, along with nobles to help with its logistics, warriors for its protection, craft and tradesmen…" Trian went over the logistics.

"As it happens, I believe it can be more than a trade hub for us,"I replied with a tone that suggested I had an idea. "I see the chance to establish a city and thaig that becomes the home of the most advances in arcane technology are integrated into its daily life and its infrastructure. We can make it the envy of the world and a place for people from all over Thedas to come to in order to learn from our smiths and enchanters."

"You seem to have a specific vision for it already," Father mused. "That is, of course, your right if you are the one purchasing the land. But if you donate it to the kingdom, that vision will likely never see fruition."

"I disagree," I chuckled. "That will only be the case if the wrong person is chosen to rule the thaig and city. Which is why I propose we place Bhelen as the lord of the thaig."

"What?!" Bhelen shouted in unison with Trian.

"Me? But I have no desire to rule," Bhelen protested. "I want to study and work on the technological advances we've begun to discover."

This protest gained Trian's ire and he turned to growl at Bhelen, "You are an Aeducan. Your life is already dedicated to service to your people by fate and right of your blood."

I turned and looked at Bhelen, smiling softly, "I think this is a perfect role for you, Bhelen. You can direct, encourage, and implement advances that your people come up with without having to move through the Assembly. The thaig will be a place for you to show the world what wonders the dwarves are truly capable of."

"But… No one's going to listen to me," Bhelen argued. "Here I am a prince and your sister. There are repercussions for ignoring me in Orzammar. Out there I'll be on my own."

"You should have faith in the authority the title will give you," I reassured him. "We will find nobles who will want to support you and the vision of the thaig. And I assure you, you will not be alone."

"The gift of a port, a city, and a new thaig will be looked upon favorably," Father stroked his beard. "In that light, I doubt the Assembly will have much issue with you promoting Bhelen to rule over it. If it works how you hope it will, then you are setting Bhelen up to become the lord of a thaig that will become more influential in the kingdom and on the surface than any other place in the dwarven kingdom."

"That is my hope," I smiled at Father then looked at Bhelen. "I hope he will show us just what he's capable of by creating wonders that we can't even fathom yet and create a city and thaig unlike any other."

Bhelen looked extremely nervous but tried to show a look of confidence, "I'll do my best, sister."

"We know you will, Bhelen," I said with no small amount of pride. "You always have and you've never let us down. We all have faith in you."

"Here here," Nerav cheered.

"Aye, she's right," Trian sighed and sat back down. "You're smart and talented. You'll do well."

Father chuckled, "Your mother would be so proud of you, Bhelen. Your interest and talent with enchanting would have pleased her to no end."

"Thank you, all," Bhelen smiled.

"Now, Merida, you said there was one more thing you want to speak to us about?" Father shifted to the next subject.

"I'm not sure anything else will top the last few subjects," Trian chuckled.

"Please don't doubt her in that respect, dear," Nerav laughed and rested her hand on Trian's.

I rolled my eyes and shook my head, "I'm not trying to top anything. These were just things I needed to talk to all of you about before bringing them to the Assembly. Well, all except this last subject."

"This is the one you said would be personal, yes?" Trian asked.

I nodded and looked over them all in turn, "I have decided that I want to marry Faren."

"Faren?" Father asked. "Your bodyguard?"

"He's a commoner," Trian scoffed.

"A commoner who has saved my life multiple times," I pointed out.

"A commoner we'll be asking to train either our city's forces or our House's personal forces," Nerav reminded Trian.

"Outside of this room, Feran is considered a hero," I explained. "There is no one more dedicated to me than Faren is. And it's not out of honor or his position, it's because he genuinely believes in me and believes that I'm the best force for good for our people. I believe he harbors feelings for me, and I have come to love him. I would like your support to be able to express that love publicly."

There was a long silence before Father spoke up, "Merida… You are a Princess of Orzammar. What's more, you are a paragon. The Assembly, and I daresay the people as a whole, expect you to marry someone who is at least your equal in station."

"Name the man who is equal to me in station," I sighed. "I will marry him. The only princes are my brothers. There is no male paragon. I have no real relationships with the other nobles, and too many of them around my age see me only as a paragon, or as a means to raise their House's prestige."

"But the world will see it as you marrying someone beneath you," Trian tried to clarify.

"They'll see that no matter who I marry," I retorted. "By all rights, I outrank Father and everyone else. There isn't anyone who wouldn't be considered beneath me. I'm also the hero who defeated the archdemon at Ostagar. I'm credited with the retaking of the lost thaigs. You also forgot that I'm the only dwarven mage. That status also would have set me above most if I were born a commoner. And are we forgetting that I'm technically a Titan now as well? I can mold the stone itself using only my will! Who would possibly be worthy of me with all that taken into consideration?"

"She has a point," Bhelen shrugged. "When you think about it, Merida is far and away above the aspirations of anyone we could think of. No matter who we chose, the people would think him unworthy. Why not let her choose who she thinks is right?"

Father rested back and crossed his arms, "I admit that the time after Frandlin's death was uncharacteristically respectful. The noble families didn't make any offers for your hand for some time, allowing you time to mourn. But as of late, we have been inundated with proposals and requests from every House in Orzammar and the thaigs. If we do not believe any of the offers are worthy of Merida, then we will need to tell them that she is betrothed to someone."

"I mean no offense, Merida," Trian sighed. His old taciturn self, mired in tradition, was showing, "Faren is intelligent. He is a capable warrior. He is dedicated and loyal. I have no doubts about any of that. Are you sure you wish to endure the blowback that might come from this decision? Because regardless of his merit, regardless of his status as a war hero, there will be nobles who will feel the harsh sting of rejection when we announce your betrothal to a commoner."

"Do you honestly believe any family would publicly voice dissent of the choice simply because Faren isn't a noble?" I asked, growing increasingly frustrated. "What more could the man do to prove himself worthy in everyone's eyes?"

"It's not everyone you have to worry about, my dear,"Father tried to console me. "It's the nobles. You know that every citizen that isn't noble will be ecstatic to see you take a commoner as a husband. With your constant effort to promote the people above their stations, they will see it as further proof of your good will and belief in the potential of our people. Some noble Houses will see it as a slight against their family's standing and history."

"What could they do, though?" Bhelen asked. If they tried to impede her in the Assembly, there would be too much political resistance for them to achieve anything. And if it was made public, they might face resistance and boycotts from their servants and warriors, as well as the other castes outside of the House. The love our people have for Merida is palpable… I shudder to think what would happen to anyone should they move against her in any meaningful way; politically or aggressively."

"They won't dare, of course," Father agreed. "But they don't have to. All they have to do is start voting against her measures. While they may still go through, the lower vote counts will begin to influence how large she can try to make her proposals, or even affect the people's opinion of her over time."

"This is supposition at most, Father," I said reluctantly. "It's just as likely that they'll approve of him as a fine choice because of his reputation."

Father stood and approached me, taking my hands in my and smiled wearily at me, "That may be so, my dear. And I truly hope that is the case if you do announce your intentions. But you must understand that the nobles are a fickle breed, and navigating their egos can be just as daunting a task as navigating the will and whim of the Assembly. I will support you if Faren is your choice, both as your father and as your King. He's a good man. Just know that you may encounter a great deal of resistance."

"I promised I would support you in this choice," Trian said. "I will defend your choice, no matter what. I just worry that you may not be prepared for the resistance you'll meet. That's what I'm worried about."

"We'll all support you, Merida," Nerav smiled. "You deserve to be with the person who makes you happy. And we'll all defend your choice to anyone who may question it. Your family is here for you."

Bhelen walked over and hugged me, "I think Faren is the best choice. I'm with you."

I hugged Bhelen and looked at everyone else, my mind working on how I could make everyone else believe that Faren was the only choice for me, "Thank you, all. Your support is all I need to be able to make the choice I need to make."

We spent the rest of the time talking about other matters like Trian and Nerav's child, and the plans everyone was making for the future. While we took the time to catch up and enjoy each other's company as a family, I was busy going through the options in my head.