Dinner
Redcliffe castle had grown dark, the town quiet and sleepy. There was still an edge to them both, as if the townspeople were still ready to be attacked. Epona didn't blame them for the thought. What had been interesting though was that Bann Teagan named their companions 'Champions' of Redcliffe. Torph, Narascha, Ciara, Alistair, Sten and Shale now all shared the title for defending Redcliffe and saving them from the undead.
The villagers had cheered so loudly that Epona swore that her ears were still ringing.
Ciara had been the only one who hadn't attended the little 'ceremony', and Sten had marched off fairly quickly, unimpressed. He demanded to know when Lawrien would wake up so that they could move on, but none of them knew, the only two who had an idea were Jowan and Morrigan. Jowan said that with Lawrien it was always hard to tell. Morrigan merely shrugged too.
Now they were all sharing dinner together in the castle at some large table. None of the villagers had been invited up, so why such a large table? Was it for whenever guests visited? Did they always use it? It was baffling to Epona.
The only one who wasn't here was Lawrien. The rest of them were around the table (minus Jowan), and her fellow Grey Wardens were demolishing food. She had noticed that her appetite had gotten bigger, that she was far more hungrier than before. Another affect of becoming a Grey Warden she supposed.
"We heard some news on the road," Leliana said. "Bann Teagan, I was hoping that you might be able to verify some of it for us."
Bann Teagan nodded. "What did you hear?"
"Along with the Blight there is now a civil war," Leliana said grimly. "Teyrn Loghain has declared himself regent and taken over for the Queen but not all the banorn agree with this."
Teagan nodded grimly.
Cobian's face darkened. "And Howe is now the Teyrn of Highever."
"Son of a bitch!" Torph scowled.
"And Bann Vaughan is allied with them," Faren said coldly.
They all froze at that, and Epona couldn't help but clutch her fork tightly. They would gut that filth for Faren. They would murder Howe for the noble. They would all die for their transgressions against their companions.
"I thought you cut his throat?" Cobian frowned.
"You're the one who caused that scar on his neck?" Teagan gasped.
Faren went pale, and so did the others, Epona readied herself. If they tried to arrest Faren then they would have a fight on their hands.
"Yes," Cobian said. "He had kidnapped several elven women from the Alienage to rape and murder so Faren, Ciara, Lawrien and Epona saved them."
Bann Teagan flinched. "Vaughan did what?"
"He's been doing it for years and it's always been covered up," Cobian said. "Faren took justice into his hands and tried to execute him, but sadly he must have been saved."
"I would be careful about telling people that," Teagan sighed. "It was a justified act, but some people will still take offence to it."
"Faren became a Grey Warden for it," Cobian argued. "He's a true hero!"
"Yeah!" Narascha cheered, Torph raising a tankard Faren's way.
Faren blushed. "I-I don't know about that-"
Zevran chuckled. "How dashing."
"Can we talk about the assassin in the room?" Alistair jerked his knife at Zevran. "He's the one I'm more worried about."
"Yes, hello," Zevran purred.
Alistair groaned.
"So I assume Teyrn Loghain hired the Antivan Crow?" Ciara asked.
"Finally someone here knows about them." Zevran grinned.
"To be fair Ferelden is quite a quiet country," Ciara offered. "So why is he here exactly?"
"He tried to assassinate us and we stopped him and his team. Noble and Lawrien, both being insane, decided to accept a deal Zevran made and so, he swore his questionable loyalty to Faren," Epona grumbled.
"I suppose Lawrien likes him well enough then," Ciara said.
"She's insane," Epona huffed.
"Zevran's also already lied to us before," Cobian admitted, much to their surprise. "He said he could pick locks."
Zevran laughed sheepishly. "It's not my best talent."
"Or a talent at all," Faren teased.
"I always trust Lawrien's judgement, even when it is questionable-" Ciara said.
Alistair snorted. "Of course you do."
Ciara smiled. "Jealous?"
Alistair flushed. "Of course not!"
Ciara chuckled fondly.
"Can you question it now?" Epona pleaded.
"Does it matter?" Narascha grinned. "He tries to kill one of us and then he's dead. I mean Shale could easily crush his head."
Zevran threw them all a nervous smile.
"Yes!" Shale cheered. "I would crush the painted elf's face if it tried to kill any of you. It couldn't kill me, but the rest of you are rather soft and squishy." Shale seemed to soften. "Minus the Qunari. He's very strong."
"You are as well, Shale." Sten nodded.
Epona eyed Ciara who shrugged.
"There's other news we should probably discuss too," Ciara said, eyeing Alistair and Narascha. "Do you two wish to tell our companions anything?"
"Not really," Alistair laughed uneasily.
"Nope." Narascha shook her head.
Epona raised a brow, as did Faren. Alistair threw up his hands and groaned.
"Okay, don't give me that look!" Alistair cried. "And Cobian, please, please, don't freak out."
Cobian blinked and pointed to himself as if to say 'who me?'. Epona glowered at him. Yes, him, he would always freak out at some big news that was interesting enough to him. He already had the notebook out!
"That notebook is already on my page!" Alistair yelled.
Cobian beamed. Teagan chuckled.
"Okay, so my mother was a maid here in Redcliffe castle, and after she died Arl Eamon took me in-"
"Is Arl Eamon your father?" Faren gasped.
"No!" Alistair cried. "What does everyone think that?"
"It's a rather logical assumption," Cobian said.
Alistair groaned. "Still, no he's not my father. I... King Maric is..."
Cobian dropped his quil. It tumbled to the floor. Epona stared wide eyed at him, because she had never seen Cobian drop it before. Faren's jaw was hanging open and the room was in complete and utter silence. Epona didn't particularly care about the information, but perhaps it would be important later? She supposed Alistair was the last of his line...
Oh no. Did that make him King? Epona winced at the thought.
"I think you melted their brains, Your Highness," Torph said with a wicked grin.
"Don't you dare!" Alistair yelled.
"As you command-"
"Shut up!"
"Why the deception over your heritage?" Morrigan asked.
Alistair raised a brow. "I figured you'd be the sort who'd know all about that."
"I do." Morrigan nodded. "And whatever use your deception had died the moment King Cailan did, did it not?"
"Maybe...?" Alistair winced. "I was just sort out hoping it would go away..."
Morrigan scowled, and Epona couldn't help but join her.
Alistair threw up his hands. "I didn't say it was a good plan!"
"This is fantastic!" Leliana gasped, smiling widely.
"It is?" Alistair asked wearily.
"There are many tales of lost kings reclaiming their birthright and reigning over in glory-"
"No!" Alistair screeched. "I'm not even lost!"
"You are King Maric's son," Leliana said firmly. "You are the rightful king of Ferelden."
Cobian was still staring blankly, as was Faren, but at least he had his mouth shut instead of letting flies swarm into it. Epona's brow furrowed. That was the saying, right?
"No, no, no, no, no!" Alistair shook his head. "I'm the son of a star-struck maid and an indiscreet man who happened to be the King of Ferelden."
Narascha coughed.
"Don't you start!" Alistair scowled. "And don't you have something to reveal too?"
Zevran chuckled. "This is quite the dramatic group of travellers I have joined, now isn't it?"
Faren blinked at him, then back and Alistair, then let out some kind of strangled noise.
"Just breathe, Faren!" Alistair ordered, and threw a desperate look at Cobian. "Cobian, please say something."
"Something," Cobian repeated blankly.
"T-That's not helpful..."
"Holy shit, I think you actually broke him," Torph said, whistling.
"Why is this such a big deal?" Sten scowled.
"He is the rightful king!" Leliana beamed. "The true heir to the throne!"
"I'm not an heir to anything!" Alistair protested.
Ciara sighed. "We both know that isn't true, Alistair."
Alistair winced. "Ciara..."
Ciara's eyes softened, but her words didn't. "King Cailan is dead and you are the last one of Calenhad's bloodline-" They all ignored Calenhad barking happily. "Even if you are a bastard. Ferelden would have no other on the throne."
"So you expect me to become the king?" Alistair laughed, but it wasn't full of humour, it was full of horror and disgust. "We both know I can't do that, Ciara. I just broke Cobian! And I don't think Faren's even breathing!"
Zevran shook Faren's shoulder. "I think he's right. Faren? My dear Grey Warden? Breathing is always a good thing." Zevran grinned. "Or do you need me to breathe the air back into your lungs with a kiss? I'm good at kissing."
"What the fuck, Alistair...?" Faren whispered hoarsely, cheeks now red, but at least he was breathing.
Alistair sighed. "I've been asking my self the same question all this time."
Cobian stood up from the table, startling them all, and Epona reluctantly admitted that she flinched. Cobian was muttering beneath his breath, snatching up his notebook, grabbing his quil, and scribbling furiously into a new page.
"C-Cobian?" Alistair asked weakly.
Cobian ignored them all.
"Cobian, are you alright?" Teagan asked, approaching his side, eyeing his book. "What are you calculating? Why so many notes-"
Cobian shoved his hand up into Teagan's face, forcing him to back off.
"Okay, I'm not allowed to read it," Teagan mumbled. "That's unusual."
Cobian did a few more scribbles then abruptly slammed his notebook shut, blinking at Alistair, then at his book, before shaking his head.
"You don't need to know," Cobian said suddenly.
"Uh... You okay, buddy?" Torph asked hesitantly.
Cobian shook his head. "No. Timeline is off. Uncle Maric was in the Deep Roads. No, never mind. Maid will do. Far more believable, but now understandable when he spoke of the woman, Fiona. Makes more sense now."
They all threw each other confused looks. None of them had any idea what that meant, but okay?
"Narascha, you had something to share," Cobian said.
Epona's head was reeling already. Was Cobian okay? This wasn't a normal reaction. Not a normal Cobian one at any rate. He looked scared, like he figured out something he shouldn't have, and it made Epona nervous. Everyone looked nervous, even Sten, who was throwing Cobian odd looks and eyeing his book.
"...I'm the exiled Princess of Orzammar?" Narascha offered hesitantly.
"Seriously? You two?!" Epona bristled.
Cobian nodded. "Yes, thought so, armour was a dead giveaway. Name and weapon too. There is only one known woman by the name of Narascha who is involved with politics in Orzammar in the books I read on it."
"I forgot he read that shit..." Torph muttered.
Narascha groaned.
"Why were you exiled exactly?" Leliana asked.
"That is the difficult part." Narascha grimaced. "I have two brothers, Trian was the first in line for the throne, then there was myself, then Bhelen, our youngest brother. Bhelen had no claim to it, so he had Trian murdered down in the Deep Roads during an expedition and framed me for it. I was arrested and thrown into the Deep Roads afterwards."
"But you didn't kill him!" Leliana gasped. "Your little brother did. How horrible!"
"Ain't this the kind of thing bards would expect?" Torph raised a brow. "All fancy political betray plots right? That's what you guys do."
"It's still a horrible thing to do!" Leliana insisted.
"Either way, I cannot return to Orzammar," Narascha sighed.
"Does anyone else have some big secret they'd like to share?!" Epona slammed her hands on the table.
.::.
"I'm apart of the Thieves Guild?" Faren offered.
Although most people might have known about that already? Faren wasn't really sure.
"Most of us already knew that, 'Dark Wolf'," Epona snapped.
"I did not!" Cobian gasped. "The Dark Wolf is the best thief in Ferelden! Perhaps even the world? But that is an old title. It doesn't suit your age. There have been people before you. It is a title passed down! That makes sense. To elves though, the Dark Wolf has always had elven features."
"What is this 'Dark Wolf'?" Morrigan frowned.
"The greatest thief in Ferelden!" Leliana gasped. "That is you, Faren?"
"It was my ma originally, I just took on her mantel," Faren admitted.
"You are full of surprises, dear Faren." Zevran smiled.
Faren laughed sheepishly.
Alistair and Ciara shared a look much to Faren's concern. Alistair looked worried, but Ciara looked resolved.
"We have a secret, but it is for Grey Warden ears only," Ciara said. "Is everyone finished with their dinner? We should retire to somewhere more private for this."
Torph stuffed a few mores things in his mouth before nodding and jumping down from his chair. Narascha shrugged and took her drink with her, grabbing the pitcher along with it.
"Grey Warden secrets?" Morrigan raised a brow.
"Yeah, Grey Wardens only," Alistair said. "No sneaky witch thieves."
Faren did not like the look on their faces, or how quiet the pair got when they all left the dinner table and moved to what looked like Arl Eamon's study. Alistair shut the door once they were all inside. Faren just hoped it wasn't as bad as they were making it out to be, but he had a horrible feeling this time it wasn't good at all.
If anyone is having trouble reading this on fanfiction then go check this out on Archive of our Own. Fanfiction seems to be iffy lately for me to use. I keep getting people commenting on my story, but every time I go and check on my story statuses I'm told no one is reading them or that chapters are missing.