The Dalish Commander (The Daughters of Thedas Book 2)

Epilogue

Soundtrack:

Heart of Courage ~ Two Steps From Hell (Epilogue)

The Chosen Ones ~ Dream Evil (The Daughters of Thedas Theme)

After the deaths of both the Architect and the Mother, nearly all the remaining Darkspawn fled back into the Deep Roads. The raids on Amaranthine came to an abrupt end. Although some of the Architect's Disciples likely escaped into the Deep Roads with the rest of their brethren, they have — so far— shown no inclination towards vengeance against the Grey Wardens who killed their savor. Yet the Deep Roads remain plagued by the Darkspawn and it seems certain that in time, another Blight will begin. The danger may have passed for now but the cycle of the Old Gods continues.

Word of Realin's heroic salvation of Amaranthine spread like wildfire and earned her the name of Lionheart. When the magnitude of the losses at Vigil's Keep came to light, sympathy drove generous donations from all over Ferelden into the region's coffers. Amaranthine was restored to her former glory within a year, Vigil's Keep within five. The Messenger, set free after joining Realin and her Wardens in the Battle of Amaranthine, struck out on his own. The city soon buzzed with stories of a cloaked but lisping figure who aided travelers in danger. At the same time, reports of isolated cases of the taint emerged. No one connected the two. The war devastated the farmlands of the Arling but the land survived. In time, opportunity would attract settlers from other regions, as always.

Vigil's Keep stood alone against a horde of Darkspawn. The Mother's army outnumbered the Vigil's defenders many times over. But the sturdy Dwarven walls proved to be impervious to any boulder an ogre could throw. The Vigil's soldiers, clad in silverite, each felled a dozen Darkspawn before they died. The Vigil held one night, then two, then a week and eventually the horde broke upon their walls. Their retreat coincided with Realin's defeat of the Mother. The Keep developed an almost mythic reputation, the few survivors immortalized in song and legend. Peace allowed the Wardens to replenish their numbers. Soon Vigil's Keep bore a capable army with Wardens at its core. From their ranks emerged new heroes to challenge threats to Amaranthine and all of Ferelden. Through taxes and levies, the Vigil was rebuilt. Years later, Voldrik stood on the battlements and pronounced that the defenses were acceptable. He would never speak more highly of any human engineering.

Realin had no more assassination attempts against her and all whispers of conspiracy were silenced with the death of Bann Esmerelle. While she didn't see the strange white-haired elf again in Amaranthine before or during the battle, they did meet again in the last place she expected to see him.

Among the many legends that the Vigil spawned was one of the great heroes of the next age, a sheepherder-turned-solder by the name of Ser Alec the Valiant, who eventually founded an order of knights that lasted a thousand years. The Vigil's soldiers, wearing the distinctive silverite armor crafted by Master Wade, came to be known as the Silver Order. Under the tutelage of the Wardens, the Silver Order developed into one of Ferelden's most revered military forces, a lasting memory of the Vigil's famous Commander.

With Velanna and the Architect gone from the region, the Pilgrim's Path began to see traffic once again. The massacre of the merchants and militiamen, however, led to hostilities between the neighboring human settlements and any Dalish clans that passed by, much to Realin's dismay. One human village soon kidnapped and murdered a Dalish child. The Clans reacted by giving the Wending Wood a wide berth but both sides know that at some point the Elves will return for revenge.

A few years after Kal'Hirol was emptied of Darksawn, Orzammar began sending expeditions to rediscover the knowledge of smithing that had been left within the thaig. Eventually, House Helmi decided that Kal'Hirol was too important to be abandoned. At a tremendous loss of Dwarven lives, they cleared the tunnels leading to Kal'Hirol of Darkspawn, making the road between Orzammar and the fortress safe again. Kal'Hirol was reclaimed for Orzammar, once and for all. As promised, Voldrik and Dworkin presented Orzammar's Shaperate with the tracings gathered by Realin and Anders that told of how Kal'Hirol's casteless had taken up arms against the Darkspawn. Warden Commander Mahariel was invited as a guest of honor at a feast commemorating the defenders of Kal'Hirol. The Shaper read the names of the casteless off the marker, which had been retrieved during an expedition to Kal'Hirol, then presided over a ceremony to return them to the Stone, as befitted warriors of their stature.

In time, the Arling began to forget the tales of apparitions in the Blackmarsh and, ever so slowly, settlers drifted into the region. Scholars said the Veil was still thin and the area still dangerous but the people only cared that there were no longer frightened whispers in the shadows. The village was slowly rebuilt. Twice the Baroness' mansion was rebuilt and occupied, once by a wealthy merchant and another time by an Orlesian Mage. Both died mysteriously. Afterward, the mansion was torn down completely and the site left untouched.

Anders remained for a time with the Wardens, training Mage Warden recruits until the day he was betrayed by one of his own brothers, a former Templar, and disappeared. He has been sighted several times in Kirkwall in the Free Marshes.

Velanna was killed during the Battle of Vigil's Keep protecting a group of soldiers from a Darkspawn Emissary. She was blindsided by a Shriek and a Genlock, but was able to kill both before succumbing to her wounds. Realin continued to attempt to keep her promise to her fellow Dalish, but she never did find any clues or traces of Seranni after her last sighting in Drake's Fall.

Over the next years, Nathaniel dedicated himself to the Order and to clearing the blemishes on his family's name, eventually being appointed as Realin's second in command. After saving Teyrn Fergus Cousland from a bandit attack, a portion of Amarantine was returned to the Howes. Nathaniel passed the holding to Delilah's son and when a new castle was eventually built there, a statue of Nathaniel was erected in its courtyard.

Justice fought valiantly at the Battle of Vigil's Keep, but just as the victory horn was sounding, a Darkspawn sword removed Kristoff's head. It was unclear whether the Spirit of Justice perished or simply departed. At the least, Kristoff's widow, Aura, was finally able to claim her husband's ashes.

It was Sigrun who lead the charge against the Darkspawn when Vigil's Keep was attacked. Once again, she had an army behind her and once again they fought Darkspawn with no hope of survival. This time Sigrun did not flee. She was the only Warden to survive the battle, though, and took her Calling shortly afterward. As she promised, Realin accompanied her to the ceremony the Wardens did in Orzammar for those who went on their Calling. Mischa insisted on coming along.

Oghren continued to regale young Warden recruits with tales of his prowess in both battle and bed, much to Realin's annoyment. His drinking games prompted at least one recruit to declare she'd rather reattempt the Joining than lift another mug. Felsi returned to Vigil's Keep several times, bringing their toddler as well. Oghren's inability to act seriously wore on her, however, and her visits eventually dwindled and then stopped altogether. If Oghren missed her or his child, he never showed it.

Roland Gilmore's bravery during the Battle of Vigil's Keep saved Maverlies and several other soldiers' lives. That bravery greatly impressed Realin, as did his sword skill when she brought him along to track down the straggling Darkspawn. He passed his Joining and rose through the Grey Warden ranks quickly.

As for Realin the Lionheart, she split her time between being Queen and Commander of the Grey. Events would soon come to pass that would send the world into an upheaval. Nearly ten years after the end of the Blight, Realin vanished completely. But that is a tale yet to be told...