Dragon Age: Origins/Awakening, Part 5: Permanently Frozen

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Re: Negotiations (4)

[anonymous]

Mahariel scowled, hardly able to believe that the queen asked this of her, in court and in front of others. Perhaps she thought it would make her more likely to agree?

Her mistake.

She shrugged and shook her head. “No. Won’t do it.”

The courtiers all murmured in surprise; Anora didn’t seem to have anticipated that, either. “Warden... that is, Warden-Commander, it is my intention to give Amaranthine to your Order. Someone must administer it. As the ranking officer...”

“We can bring in someone from Orlais,” she said.

Another murmur, a little darker. “May I ask why you refuse the position? Is it... something cultural? Perhaps we can arrange for adequate accommodations.”

“It would put me under your authority. You blame me for Loghain’s death.” Mahariel shrugged again. “Seems like that would be really stupid.

No murmur. You could have heard a pin drop.

“I see. Seneschal, please clear the hall so I may converse with the Warden-Commander.” Nobles and guards began to file out around her; she kept her eyes on the throne. Anora held her gaze, more bravely than in the past. When the crowd had gone, she dismissed the seneschal himself with a glance and a nod. “Warden-Commander...”

Mahariel crossed her arms over her chest. “You think you can remain fair and unbiased and so on and so forth, I am sure. Forgive me for being slow to test it.”

Anora stared at her, mouth pursed. “You are really very rude,” she said severely. “You interrupt constantly.” The queen rose from her throne and stepped down to the floor of the hall. “You... you did me a kindness.”

“What?”

Anora turned to look out the high windows of the hall. “You were correct. He was guilty of selling citizens of Denerim to the Tevinter Imperium. Even if he thought he was somehow sending them to a better place than the Alienage... what he thought does not matter. He accepted coin for their bodies and their lives, and that is not something we countenance in Ferelden.” She set her shoulders back. “It would have fallen on me to preside over his trial at the Landsmeet. And to pronounce his punishment. Either spare him and flaunt the laws of my own kingdom, or adhere to the law and destroy him.”

Mahariel shook her head. “He destroyed himself.”

“A small comfort. At any rate, your... hasty action at the Landsmeet spared me from that decision. I loved my father, Warden, and his loss is painful to me. But I see that it could have been a greater wound.” She turned back, away from the window. “I hold no grudge.”

Mahariel studied her fair face for a moment. The queen was a skilled liar, which the shemlen called ‘politician,’ and Mahariel might not know if this was just a ploy to get her to take responsibility for Amaranthine. She wished to believe it, which was dangerous...

But what was the risk, truly? If the situation in Amaranthine grew unbearable, she would leave for the Hinterlands. Very easy solution. “Then,” she nodded, “I will hold your land for you.”

Anora looked relieved. “Thank you.”

They each waited for the other to say something more, until the seneschal knocked on the door to inquire if he should send the courtiers home for the day.