XxX-XxX-XxX
Official Supporters:
Obsessive Readers, Laurel
Compulsive Reader, The Impossible Muffin
Commissioner, Le Spork, Polemoduke, Lea the Rosenwulf
If you want to be on the Supporter list, PM me for details or join our private server for details. Hope you enjoy reading my stories, please leave me a comment to let me know if you did, or where I can improve. Link here, where able to be seen : /2UZncAm
Second link here, remove ( and ) and it SHOULD work : D(i) (slash)kfhkfUb
Beta(s) :
XxX-XxX-XxX
Requested by :
Spork
XxX-XxX-XxX
Through the gate, Jaune found himself in a massive entryway, descending stairs into a veritable cavern, with vaulted, carved stone ceilings and massive statues of what Jaune guessed were the Dwarven heroes he'd heard about. Some wore armor and had shields they leaned on, while other, older statues wore lighter armor or noble looking robes gilded in old gold and gemstones built into the stone, and held long polearms or staves with heavy heads. Warriors, he supposed, compared to… Explorers, maybe? And nobles, obviously, from the gemstones built into the statues. A lot of them had scaffolding set up on them, all made of thick metal rods with thin metal platforms to work on, and Jaune could see picks and hammers and huge buckets at the bases of the statues with waste stone and, beside that, other materials.
"They're working on them…"
"They were." Morrigan hummed, walking beside him while Sten lingered a bit off to the side on his other flank and Alistair helped Lelianna along. "Work seems to have stopped… And rather suddenly at that. You see the gemstones?"
"I see the gemstones…"
"Behave, Zevran." Jaune sighed, ignoring the assassin very conveniently behind all of them.
"I always behave!" The man laughed, "Now what that means…? Well, that depends on who is paying me. And please, my friends, call me Zev!"
"Follow our definition," Morrigan sighed, "or we can revisit our discussion on the road, Zevran."
"Right, right, message received." He sighed, "On another note… Those gemstones could really serve the war effort, you know."
"Your pockets you mean?"
"No." The assassin hummed, "The war effort. Mercenaries are not very cheap, and could be useful…"
"Useful enough to outweigh the entire Dwarven army?" Lelianna asked, "Because if you steal from them, then we stole from them. In which case, we lose their aid."
"Mmmm, fair enough." Zevran conceded, "It was only a suggestion."
Jaune shook his head and they collectively seemed to decide that was the end of it and continued on their way.
The passage was a surprisingly long one, and surprisingly empty. Enough that their footfalls echoed around them like they were passing through a mausoleum. One made all the more eerie by the signs of life, of work, all around them. Not just the construction, but the stalls that were sitting empty and barren. Not stocked with goods to sell, like some apocalypse had swept through, but like everything and everyone had been cleared out ahead of something more. The only people they saw were the guards at the far end of the passage, and the guards by the gate in the exact middle of it, who stepped forward to meet them as they approached.
"Identify."
"Jaune Arc, of the Grey Wardens." He grunted, offering them the treaty, "We're here to speak to the Assembly."
Like before, the dwarf was careful with the treaties. And, like the first time, he only needed a few moments of inspection before he handed them back, nodded, and let them through the huge gate that let them into Orzammar itself.
Past the gate, and a small tunnel beyond it, they found themselves on a wide, open promenade, like a huge half-circle built around the entrance. It was made of smoothed, etched stone inscribed in broken words he wouldn't have been able to read even if he knew the language. Not through the Gods knew how many years of feet marching on it the entrance had lived through. A wide road went off to either side, where it slowly crept down on one end and up on another, before Jaune lost sight of it between the buildings carved into the inside of the mountain on one side, and statues and stalls and thick cloth walls swarming the other.
"I'm going to guess that 'down' means 'poor'." Jaune hummed, "And I see more cloth down that way…"
"If I had to bet my last sovereign…" Alistair sighed, pointing down the slope and then back up the other way, "Poorer districts. And up that way will be wealthier ones. Assembly, too."
"And more guards to stare at me." Morrigan murmured and, when Jaune turned to follow her gaze, he saw what she meant. The promenade was mostly empty, strangely enough, but a few guards near the railing were watching them - and Morrigan specifically, he guessed - and talking to each other.
"To be fair…" Alistair muttered, "You have a very fetching…. Blouse? I'm going to call it a blouse."
"It is rather nice." Lelianna hummed, "At least according to Jaune, from what I hear."
"I hate both of you." He growled, turning to Morrigan and asking, "Do you want to wait outside?"
"In the cold and the snow?" She hmphed, "My rather fetching blouse is not well-suited to the snow."
"Ugh…" And they'd left their heavier clothes with Bodahn, too. Not that Jaune was willing to suggest she wear a fur cloak with… "Is that lava down there? Like, actual lava? No wonder it's so hot…"
"At least it keeps everything well-lit." Morrigan grumbled, "Or, well enough, at least. Though it does imply the oaf is likely correct. Higher up would be cooler, further from the magma pools below."
"The Assembly is near the top of the mountain, up about an hour of walking and on the other side of the pool. The path wraps around, through the Middling District where we are now, where the guards and soldier caste are housed between the lower Castes and the Upper. Past the training yards and taverns will be the markets, and then the noble houses and the Shaperate and, finally, just under the palace, the Assembly hall and arena." Zevran explained quickly, pacing up to their side and smiling when Jaune only stared back at him, confused. "What? You all were talking, so I slipped one of the door-guards behind us a few coins and asked for the lay of the land, as it were."
"I see…"
"I hope so!" He smiled, "I only wish to be useful, you know?"
"Uh huh…" He hummed, "Fine. Let's get going and-"
"Warden." Sten growled suddenly, stepping past Alistair and pushing both the Wardens back a step, a hand resting on the great sword on his back. "Soldiers."
"Oh, joy…" Zevran murmured, backing away while Lelianna and Morrigan did the same, spreading out behind the three of them warily. No one reached for their weapons, though. Not yet, at least, and Jaune stepped past Sten while the Qunari and Alistair stepped back a step to let him take the front and the brunt of any danger, which he didn't fault them for.
He was a bit harder to kill than them, after all.
The soldiers were a four rank formation of black-clad dwarves carrying square shields large enough they could hide their entire bodies behind, with heavy helmets and armor. He couldn't see most of their weapons, but he caught the head of an axe on one and a hammer on another, and guessed that would be the norm. A dwarf in the middle held a long spear instead, though, with a billowing black banner of a circle with a bronze sort of face on it.
"House Aeducan." Alistair muttered, "But if the King is dead, like we were told…"
"His house guard, I'd guess." Zevran offered, just loud enough for Jaune to hear. "Could be trouble, or…"
"Grey Wardens!" One of the soldiers bellowed, "Prince Bhelen of House Aeducan, rightful heir to the throne, welcomes you to Orzammar and invites you all to dinner!"
"I'm going to assume this isn't one of those invitations where 'no' is an actual option." Alistair half-asked, half-sighed. The soldiers didn't respond which Alistair, and Jaune, to be fair, seemed to take as an answer. Shrugging, he waved for them to follow and offered in a chipper, too-friendly tone, "Lead the way, gentlemen, and watch out for the mage. She's in a mood."
"I am not." Morrigan sighed, "I'm a bit warm, but I am as I ever am."
"Exactly." Alistair nodded, "In a mood."
The soldiers formed around them like a wall of metal, and Jaune wasn't so ignorant he didn't know how it looked. They marched up through Orzammar under the Prince's banner, which made them look like allies already. And he could tell that was exactly what the dwarves they passed thought as they went, slowly marching through the city on a path that couldn't have been the direct one.
"They're showing us off…"
"You're more attentive than I expected." Morrigan nodded, talking as quietly as Jaune had, so lowly the heavy boots around them made it hard to hear. "This 'Bhelen' wants the throne… And I would wager he's using us to legitimize himself."
"He's using people an entire country hate…?"
"Orzammar is locked up tight." Alistair offered, turning to talk to them, "They probably don't know what's going on in Ferelden. I mean, beyond the Blight, at least."
"I guess…"
They were eventually lead up, around and into a massive building Jaune could see dozens of dwarfs in fine robes and odd little suits standing outside of. They all stopped as their group was escorted in, turning to watch them while Jaune tried very hard to keep his gaze locked ahead. Even then, he could see the ones that were confused and angry seeing them with Bhelen's soldiers. And he could see a number that were interested, even smiling thinly, too. Making their way up a steep set of stairs, Jaune could look out through windows at a wide arena, where a handful of dwarves were fighting some sort of armored rhino-thing hooked to a spike in the middle of the arena by thick metal chains.
Judging by the way it turned and rushed down a dwarf, trampling him and snorting as his allies rushed to drag him away, it wasn't to make it easier to fight…
Eventually, they were lead into a long hall like something ripped straight out of a movie, with long benches to either side of a long, wide table covered in a thick looking cloth and fine silver and gold platters, bowls and cups. Columns a few feet back from the benches on either side held up a high, arched ceiling decorated by hanging square candle holders, like candelabras but more thick and stocky looking instead of frail and delicate, forged out of heavy iron etched with what looked like silver. The candles had wide silver plates over them that reflected the light well and, combined with a few tall braziers in the alcoves between the columns and against the walls, the room was well-lit enough to be comfortable.
And much cooler than down below.
"Please." The bannerman grunted, waving a hand at the table while the soldiers fanned out, taking their places in front of the brazier-stands. "Feel free to eat. The prince has a banquet being prepared for your welcome."
"That's… Hardly necessary." Jaune chuckled awkwardly, "We just need to-"
"Speak with the assembly." The dwarf nodded, "For aid. But only the King can marshal us."
"I know…"
"And," the dwarf rumbled, "the prince wishes to discuss that to help you, once he returns from his business."
"I guess…"
"Come on, Brother." Alistair grunted, bumping into Jaune and smiling when he turned. "When was the last time you ate something you didn't have to catch or fight? Or that hadn't been tough and chewy for weeks before it even got to you, hm?"
"I thought my stews were rather good, considering…"
"T-They were, Lelianna!" Alistair rushed to say, laughing as the woman stalked by to find a seat. He followed her, rambling compliments, and Jaune shook his head.
"My, he's about as good with women as I am with the law, isn't he?" Zevran hummed, lingering for a moment to add, "Strange, isn't it? For someone with his upbringing to lack so grievously in social graces so direly."
"I wouldn't know." Jaune shrugged, "Honestly, I've never been great with women myself."
"No?" Zevran chuckled, "And here I thought…"
"Thought what?"
"No, nevermind. Far be it for me to shake the cart, eh?" He waved Jaune off, plopping down at the end of the table across from Sten, who watched Jaune out of the corner of his eye.
Shrugging, he started to take one of the closer spots before Morrigan's staff caught him between the shoulders. He hissed and turned to her and she growled, "Not down here, idiot. Sit up there, closer to the large seat at the head of the table. Like the other idiot is doing. You're the leaders, and need to sit where you can speak when this prince shows up."
"Right, yeah, that makes sense." He muttered, "Thanks, Morrigan. But did you have to hit me?"
"No, I didn't." She answered, slipping past him without another word.
Jaune just rolled his eyes and followed her to where she sat, just a couple seats down from the head of the table. And a seat away from him, after he tried to sit with her and she scowled at him. He held up a hand in surrender and settled in a bit away from her. Just in time for more dwarves to emerge from a place hidden in the corner, just around one of the support pillars, carrying all kinds of food. But mostly mushrooms. There were a lot of those, more than the meat, cheeses and bread and much more than the tiny bits of fruit on the plates set out. He'd never been a fan of mushrooms, honestly, but…
Well, Mistral has more or less solved him of that particular distaste, even if he didn't love them.
Which didn't seem an issue for Morrigan, who grabbed a bowl of steaming, sauce-laden mushrooms with wide eyes and murmured, "Arqella? Where did you find Arqella mushrooms?"
"We grow them in shallow mushroom groves close to the surface, near rivers." The server explained with a small, pleased smile. "The soil there is rich and wet, and Arqik, or Arqella as you call them, mushrooms grow wonderfully there. Are you a fan?"
"There was a cave, near my home, where I found a growth cluster. Mother knew their name, though I could not get any of the villages nearby to recognize them when I searched for more." She explained quietly, scooping out a dozen of the little conical mushrooms and lathering sauce over them. Idly, distracted by the mushrooms, she muttered, "Perhaps they might have recognized your name for them."
"They are named for the dwarf who discovered them." The server nodded, "And we trade them with the surface. As far as we know, however, they are a Deep Mushroom variety and should not grow in sunlight at all."
"An offshoot, perhaps?"
"Perhaps." The server nodded, "A cave you said? Was it a deep one?"
"Somewhat." She nodded, suddenly eyeing the server warily. "It was… Rather deep, and ended in a lake with small fishes. An underground run, I assumed."
"Intriguing…" The server murmured, bowing and turning to leave after a moment.
"I forgot myself." Morrigan murmured once he was gone, turning to frown down at her food. "I forgot myself over mushrooms."
"It's not that big a deal…"
"They are a Prince's servants, no doubt looking for any advantage to press." Morrigan argued lowly, "I gave them one, just now."
"That you like mushrooms…?"
"That, and that my home may be near an entrance to the Deep Roads, long-lost or not." She sighed, picking up a knife and irritably cutting at her food. "It may be a small misstep, but-"
"Damn are those sweet rolls?" Jaune shouted excitedly, standing to grab half a dozen little dough-balls covered in dark but rich smelling icing. Plopping into his seat he smiled widely and took a huge bite out of one, laughing excitedly, "Man, I haven't had a good sweet roll since I left home!"
"Neither have I." Alistair smiled, leaning across the table to snatch one while Jaune pretended to choke out a threat and glare angrily at him. "Not since my dear aunt took me to Calenhad, before I was even a man! Delicious…"
"I see what you two idiots are doing." Morrigan growled, "Stop your foolishness."
"No," Jaune smiled, "I don't think I will."
"Do what you will." She sighed after a long moment, and a hard stare that had Jaune almost worried. Turning back to her food, she cut another slice and shook her head, "Dolts."
Jaune felt a chill run up his spine at that, and blinked as his eyes started to sting. He choked on air and his stomach turned violently, and he saw Morrigan and Alistair notice. Saw Sten rise at the far end of the table, wary and turning to their food suspiciously before he turned to head towards them. Lelianna stopped him with a hand and something Jaune couldn't hear, blood rushing in his ears until Morrigan grabbed his arm and hissed something.
And, suddenly, he was… Not calm, but calmer, and blinked while Morrigan explained quietly, "A spell my mother taught me. And an old one, to becalm animals. It does not work quite as well on people, but…"
"I'm fine." He grunted, taking a breath and turning back to his food. "I… I don't know what that was. I'm sorry."
"It is fine." She murmured, turning as the door opened and another group of dwarves entered, just like they had, but this time escorting a young looking dwarf dressed in more ornamental looking armor, who smiled widely as he came in.
"Wardens!" What had to be the prince cheered, "Welcome! It is a pleasure to meet you!"
Jaune just forced a smile and nodded, "Same here, your highness. We're, uh, honored to be here for whatever you need."
"Ah, business!" Bhelen nodded, making his way around the table towards the ornate seat at the head of the table. "But first, please, let us eat! Business goes down better on a full stomach, as my dear brother always said."
"Right." He nodded, picking up one of his rolls and taking a bite.
It tasted like ash, now, but he smiled anyways.
XxX-XxX-XxX
Splash :
That depends on interpretation really but I DO have an answer I will reveal in time, yeah. Aura, Remnant souls and Thedas souls, and the Fade are things I want to have fun with as the series goes on.
SD Phantom :
Zevran always struck me as very sassy, and the addition of him making himself valuable, and thus safer, is one I find sensible here.
