1 Wintermarch, 9:31 Dragon
Loghain's troops made excellent time back to Denerim.
The city was bedecked in colorful fabrics. Drunkards, even though the day had hardly started, staggered through the streets.
He sneered at the disgusting display. Every First Day the streets became chaos. Drinking all hours of the day. Baked goods swapping hands faster than gossip. Inevitably, Urien Kendells' worthless boy would cause another riot in the alienage. Tomorrow there would be blood in the streets and more cases of stolen purses than there were people living in Denerim.
The teyrn moved briskly through the market district, not in the mood to linger. Anora needed to be informed of her husband's fate. Word had been sent ahead by messenger bird to have the nobles assemble in the Landsmeet chamber as soon as he arrived.
There was no time to wash off the grime from traveling, but he could care less. Nobility and image meant more to his daughter than him.
No, what General Loghain Mac Tir, the Hero of River Dane, was concerned about was the impending attack from Orlais.
Maker protect his soul, but Loghain could not understand what Cailan had been thinking when he invited the Orlesian branch of the Grey Wardens and their chevalier escorts into their country. Well, that wasn't true. The foolish boy believed they would honor their word and leave once the darkspawn had been dealt with, that the two nations could be joined in an alliance.
But he knew otherwise. With the metaphorical gate thrown wide open, the Orlesians would double cross them before the blood had been cleaned off swords, and once more, Ferelden would be embroiled in fighting off an Orlesian occupation.
He said as much to the nobles on the floor of the Landsmeet. There would be war with Orlais, and Cailan's bid for glory had seen to it that they lost more than half of Fereldan's army.
"I expect each of you to supply these men. We must rebuild what was lost at Ostagar and quickly. There are those that would take advantage of our weakened state, if we let them. We must defeat this darkspawn incursion, but we must do so sensibly and without hesitation."
"Your lordship," called up Bann Teagan of Rainesfere, "if I might speak? You have declared yourself Queen Anora's regent and claim we must unite under your banner for own good."
In the cordoned off second level, Loghain shifted his weight on his back foot, wondering where the man was going with this speech.
"But what of the army Ostagar? Your withdrawal," he said with disdain, "was most . . . fortuitous."
Gasps echoed at the accusation. Several voices rose to give their displeasure, but Loghain could not pick one voice from the din.
"Everything I have done has been to secure Ferelden's independence. I have not shirked my duty to the throne and neither," he emphasized with a vicious sweep of a finger, "will any of you!"
Teagan's face was flushing as red as his hair as his anger mounted. "The Bannorn will not bow to you simply because you demand it."
"Understand this," swore Loghain, "I will brook no threat to this nation from you or anyone."
Unease settled over the nobles like a blanket. Satisfied that his point had been made, Loghain retreated into the palace.
"Bann Teagan, please!" the queen called out, leaning her hands on the railing as the nobles began to disperse.
"Your Majesty," Teagan acknowledged his liege with a dip of his chin, "your father risks civil war. If Eamon were here . . ."
"Bann Teagan, my father is doing what is best."
"Did he also do what was best for your husband, Your Majesty?" The man remained long enough to witness her carefully distant expression fall, giving way to grief, before he too, exited.
There were already many present who disagreed with the teyrn's actions, both at Ostagar and that day. Teagan so no reason for the Grey Wardens to have orchestrated King Cailan's death. They gained nothing.
Loghain, on the other hand, had pulled his troops out and return home unscathed, immediately seizing his daughter's rightful power and authority under the guise that Anora was too grief stricken by her husband's death to oversee the ruling of the nation.
Aside from the darkspawn, Loghain was the only one to gain from the events of Ostagar.
Teagan left Denerim for Redcliffe the moment he was free to. Loghain would not have gotten away with declaring sovereignty for himself if his brother had been there. He would bring Eamon news of the Landsmeet, and hopefully, they could combat Loghain before he acquired too much control.