Soundtrack:
Tavern Brawl ~ Inon Zur (The Crown and Lion)
As we made our way to Amaranthine to inform Mervis his troubles were over and to find Nida, Velanna and Justice conversed about the Beyond and spirits in general. The others conversed amongst themselves as I thought of what we would do if the Darkspawn infighting spilled onto our doorsteps. Utha and Genevieve's betrayals of the Order were also on my mind.
"Have you ever thought of returning to Orzammar?" Nathaniel asked Oghren.
"Not sure I can. Technically, I'm a surface Dwarf now."
"Why 'technically'? You don't know for certain?"
"It's not like they send you a letter. 'Congratulations! You have been ejected from the Warrior Caste!'"
"Do you care?"
"Sometimes. Then I drink more and it goes away."
I laughed.
"Being a surface Dwarf and Warden is much better than how Realin found me anyway."
"Oh?" I didn't say anything. It wasn't my tale to tell, just like my tainting wasn't his.
"I'd been forbidden to carry a weapon in Orzammar. I'd killed a man in a Proving while I was drunk and they deemed me too dangerous to be allowed to be armed. That is worse than exile to a member of the Warrior Caste."
"Weren't you technically a noble as well?" I asked.
Oghren laughed. "I guess I was. House Branka." He sighed. "I was the laughing stock after she left. Which caused me to drink more which led to that Proving and the ban."
"Sounds like Realin arrived just in time," Nathaniel commented.
"Aye, she did. Killing Darkspawn on the surface is a better use of my time."
"Speaking of Darkspawn," Justice suddenly said. "What exactly was that creature we met?"
"I've done some digging. He is the first of the talking Darkspawn. He claims he was born like that and is feared by his fellows. My predecessor had a run-in with him years ago when he was a junior Warden. That is all I've been able to find. Everyone who was on that mission in the Deep Roads are all dead but one but I'm sure she has taken her Calling by now." I wasn't sure if I should tell them about Utha.
"Calling?"
"The taint will eventually be more than we can take. Then we begin to hear the Calling. We hear what the Darkspawn hear, the next Old God calling to them to free him. It's then that a Warden will go into the Deep Roads and kill as many Darkspawn as they can before they are overwhelmed and killed."
"Kinda like the Legion of the Dead?" Oghren asked.
"Yeah, kinda like that. We'd rather die fighting while we still can rather than just wait to die."
"What happens if a Warden doesn't go to his Calling and just waits around?" Anders asked.
I knew I was going to have to tell them about Utha. "You end up like the Dwarf we saw with the Architect."
"That was a Warden!" Velanna cried.
"She was the other Warden you were sensing?" Justice asked.
"Yes, I was completely confused by her presence. I don't know why she was there." It wasn't exactly a lie. I didn't know why she had sided with the Architect. "But your Calling will still be a long way off, I believe."
"And yours?" Nathaniel had caught that I didn't say "our".
"Mine may be long before yours. I was in a Blight after all." Not to mention my taint. I had no doubt that would shorten my life more than the others, even Alistair.
Nathaniel could see that I was done with the subject and changed it. "Will you ever need to switch bodies, Justice?" Of all the topics, it had to be Justice.
"I did not wish to possess this body. Why would I switch to another?"
"You might need to. Unless you wish to look even more obviously like a corpse."
"I... would prefer not to think of it...." Justice fell silent and Anders proceeded to pick at Velanna.
~~~
As we passed into Amaranthine, I saw the strange white-haired Elf again speaking with Amaranthine's constable. I'd seen him a couple times in the Crown and Lion. I only assumed he had a room there. He had tattoos on his chin, neck, and arms like I've never seen. Our eyes briefly met before he turned his attention to Constable Aidan again and I continued on, pushing down my curiosity.
We found Mervis again and he looked hopeful at me. "You're back!" he cried. "Have you any news?"
"I've dealt with the problem," I reported. "The killings should stop now." I didn't mention that one of my own people was behind the attacks. Relations with humans were still strained and I was sure that news would only cause resentment and backfire badly on me.
"Really? Oh, that's wonderful news!" He reached into a bag next to him. "I promised a donation, didn't I? Here... take this. With the Merchants' Guild's compliments." He held out a purse towards me but I didn't move to take it.
"Keep it. Do something for the families of the slain."
Mervis looked to be taken completely by surprise. "You are... very kind, Commander. I shall do as you ask. Maker smile on you always."
I turned away to see the approving looks on Anders and Nathaniel's faces and a grateful look on Velanna's. "Let's go find Nida."
~~~
The innkeeper at the Crown and Lion told us that Nida was out and would inform us of when she returned. Which meant we would have to wait for Creators knew how long. Drinks were ordered and I informed Oghren at the first sign of a bar brawl I was throwing him out of the tavern myself, much to Anders' amusement.
"How do the Templars always find you, Anders?" Nathaniel asked after a couple of drinks.
"Incredibly angry. That's how they find me."
"There must be some trick to it, surely?"
"They began recruiting women. The male Templars never stopped to ask for directions."
I laughed. Nathaniel didn't seem to think it was funny. "You're impossible to talk to."
"Give him a few more drinks and I'm sure he won't shut up," I teased.
Nathaniel did laugh at that. "I actually believe that."
I allowed my Wardens a well-deserved break. I watched them banter back and forth as I leaned back with my leg propped upon the table, Duncan's journal in my hands.
"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."