The Dalish Commander (The Daughters of Thedas Book 2)

19: Sisters and Brawls

~~~

The rest of us continued on and I saw the Dark Wolf. He was standing in the same place as before. He saw me and gave me the Hunter salute as before.

"You three head on to the Crown and Lion. I'll be there in a minute," I said.

Anders saw the Dark Wolf and nodded. "Justice, let me show you something I know you've never seen before."

I gave an exasperated breath. That sounded like trouble just waiting to happen. After they left, I approached the Dark Wolf.

"Doors busted down, skulls thumped and vices preyed upon," he said. "But I have answers." I nodded. "I could not unearth the conspirators' identities. They are paranoid."

"As one would imagine when someone is trying to assassinate another."

"Indeed. But I know they meet at Old Stark's Farm on the Feravel Plains."

"You have indeed lived up to your reputation. And you have my thanks."

He gave me the Grey Warden salute. "Maker be with you, friend."

We parted ways and I went to meet the others.

~~~

"Holy Creators!" I breathed.

The room was chaos. Anders and Justice were at the side of the room. Anders looked amused. Justice looked completely confused. Oghren was in the middle of the room shouting drunken slurs and in a brawl with two soldiers. I was just glad he didn't have his axe out swinging it around. The innkeeper was shouting at them to take it outside. I rubbed the bridge of my nose before I strode over to the three men. I grabbed the back of Oghren's neck and pulled him away from the brawl. The two soldiers started to come at me.

The strange white-haired Elf seemed to suddenly appear, grabbing their shoulders. "Gentlemen, that is a fight you do not want." He had a velvety husk to his voice. Justice joined us a moment later, taking my lead. The Elf released the soldiers and backed away.

"Get them out of here," I said. Justice nodded escorted them to the door. "Sit your arse down." I pushed Oghren down into a chair.

"They started it."

"I finished it! What the hell were you thinking? I can't leave you alone for five minutes without you making a fool of yourself and the Wardens! This isn't a Proving! People see you as a Warden when you wear this uniform, you nug-brained dolt!" I turned to Anders and Justice, who had returned, then. "And you two just let him brawl? Justice, I realize you don't understand our world, but there is no excuse for you, Anders." At least the Mage had the grace to look ashamed. I sighed. "Let me go fix this mess so we're still allowed in here."

~~~

After convincing the innkeeper that there would be no more brawling from my Wardens, I returned to the others and saw that Nathaniel had joined them. "How was your visit with your sister?" I asked.

"She said she wants me to come back, once all of this is done," he said. He looked genuinely happy for the first time since I'd met him. "Met her husband. And I'm going to be an uncle. She's due by the spring."

I smiled.

"She seems happy. She said she was proud that I joined the Wardens, even though it was a surprise that I chose to. She said Father deserved to die! I still can't believe it." I was glad his reunion with Delilah went far better than Alistair's meeting with Goldanna.