The Dalish Commander (The Daughters of Thedas Book 2)

26: The Strange Elf's Warning

"So you are the Commander of the Grey," a familiar velvety and husky voice said.

I looked up to see the strange Elf. I'd only heard him speak once. Now that I was face to face with him, I saw more details about his appearance. His eyes were the same color as mine and his snow-white hair fell over them. His skin was tanned and I noticed the tattoos took on a faded blue hue. I had a stray wonder on how much of his body had those strange tattoos. He was the only other Elf besides myself and Velanna that I had seen armed. The greatsword on his back was nearly as long as he was tall. And I judged him to be slightly taller than me.

"I can truthfully say I am surprised to see that the famed Hero of Ferelden is an Elf."

"I'm just chock full of surprises," I quipped.

"May I join you?"

I motioned for him to sit as I removed my leg from the table.

"I have heard that the nobles have been conspiring against you." Direct and to the point.

"It is no surprise that they are, although the surprise is that you know."

"It is amazing what humans will say in the presence of a lowly Elf."

"I believe you are hardly lowly."

The Elf chuckled. "A compliment coming from the most powerful woman in Ferelden." He leaned forward. "I bring you warning. Bann Esmerelle plots to end you soon. She will act as soon as you return to the Keep. A mutual friend asked me to give this to you." I opened the note he handed me to see a list of names written in the same hand as the Dark Wolf's letters. Four were already dead, killed when I caught them hiring the Crows to kill me. The other three would be once they attacked me, Esmerelle at the top of that list. "Esmerelle does not wish to see an Elf as Arlessa and will go as far as assassinating the Queen of Ferelden to do so."

I folded the note and slid it into my pack. "You seem to know a great deal about me, Elf."

"One such as myself must know who he can trust."

I gave him a nod. "You have my thanks."

He inclined his head as the innkeeper approached us.

"Commander, Nida has returned. She is in her room. First door to the left."

I stood and turned to bid the Elf farewell, only to see he'd already left. Completely. He wasn't anywhere in the room. And I thought I could move without being seen or heard. I didn't know who he was, but I was grateful for his warning.

~~~

I went upstairs and found the door open. An auburn-haired woman was talking to a brown-haired man. And I could tell by their body language and the way she was touching his arm that they were lovers. I knocked on the open door to let them know I was there. They both looked over at me.

"Nida, may I have a word with you?" I asked. The man scowled at me and Nida looked me over. Neither could deny I was a Grey Warden.

"Bran, I don't know this person," she said.

"Is there something you want, knife ear?" Bran snapped. "My companion is not comfortable around strangers."

I ignored him and addressed Nida. "I am Warden Commander Mahariel. I come with news about Keenan."

All emotion drained from her face. "I see..." Nida looked up at Bran. "I ... um, sweetheart, could you give us a moment alone?"

He looked back at me. "I'll be downstairs." He left and closed the door behind him.

"Is... is Keenan... dead? He's been missing since the attack on the Vigil."

"Yes. He died making the world better for us."

Nida crossed her arms and I saw tears beginning to form. "He said that, did he?"

I took his ring from my pack and pressed it into her palm.

She ran her fingers over the metal. "His wedding ring." A tear fell down her cheek. "Thank you for bringing this back to me. Keenan always said he joined the Wardens to give me a better life." She wiped away the second tear that fell. "Was it really better for me to be alone in a strange country? Wondering if we'd ever have a family?"

"Keenan knew the sacrifices Grey Wardens must make."

"He made that sacrifice willingly. He never asked if I felt the same. Love can only take you so far." Nida went to the bed and sat down.

"If you ever need anything, let me know, Nida. I will see to it."

She nodded and I took my leave. A part of me was glad that Keenan didn't live to discover his wife's infidelity. But it broke my heart that she'd been having an affair, while the last thing on her husband's mind was her.

~~~

When I returned to the common room, I found Oghren snoring with his head on a table with Anders drawing on his forehead. I only shook my head, far too used to their antics. Justice was sitting away from the others. I joined Nathaniel, who was the only other one upright and sober. I did find it amusing that Velanna was asleep on his shoulder. The archer had his arm around her to keep her from falling backward.

"At least I didn't come back to a brawl," I said. I motioned to Nathaniel and Velanna. "Although this is a picture I wasn't expecting at all."

"You did miss Velanna dancing on the table."

I raised my brow. "Really? How much?"

Nathaniel held up two fingers. "Ale. I had to get her down. She was drunk enough to flirt with me and then fall asleep like this."

I chuckled.

"I owe you an apology."

"Any specific reason?"

Nathaniel smiled. "When I returned from the Free Marshes, I was certain my family was destroyed for being on the wrong side of the war. But my father did it to himself. No conspiracies, just one stupid, selfish man. I should have known better."

"How could you have known?"

"I should have dug deeper. Before I acted. I was an idiot. Like a child, I blamed you and the Wardens. And here you've even proven to be a friend, of sorts. Or am I reading that wrong, too?"

"I'd like to be friends."

He smiled. "Good. You know, I think I did the right thing by asking to join. In a weird way, it worked out."

I laughed. "I trust you, Nathaniel. That's not something I do lightly."

"I will take that as an honor, my lady."

I laughed again. Then I turned serious. "I need your help in something." I told him of the Elf's warning and showed him the note he'd given me. Nathaniel agreed to watch my back when we returned to the Keep. He knew Esmerelle well and he didn't trust her as far as he could spit. Even as a child, he didn't like her.

"She was one of my father's most loyal subjects," he said. "No doubt she feels completely threatened by you being the Arlessa. She, or the others, will have to go through me first."