Bond of the Grey

Fathers and Sons

"I told you we shouldn't have trusted her from the beginning. She wasn't here for the Inquisition; she was here for herself." Arms in the air, Alanna walked to the other end of the War Table across from Josephine. The Inquisitor kept the ambassador after dismissing the War Council to discuss tying loose ends before their former allies departed.

Josephine's quill tapped against her chin as she watched the Inquisitor's rant. Small sounds of agreement and understanding accented Alanna's upset. Though Josephine had a different opinion, her lips remained sealed.

The Inquisitor stopped, chest heaving, she tucked her blonde hair behind her ears, face red, nostrils flaring. Alanna released a snide huff. "At least her and her husband seem to be better."

Caoilainn had arrived at Skyhold days before the troops she provided. The Wardens and Highever soldiers arrived together, followed by the Ferelden Army the next day. With the utmost strategic manipulation and sheer tenacity, Caoilainn had orchestrated the Ferelden Army to arrive without its King. When Alistair received word, he changed his plans to follow, unable to communicate with Caoilainn for close to five years. The palpable tension between the couple had been easy to detect upon Alistair's arrival to the stronghold.

"I'd like to take the opportunity to remind you, Inquisitor." The low level and gentle cadence of Josephine's voice contrasted Alanna's. "You are referring to the King and Queen of Ferelden."

"And?" Alanna responded without taking a breath. "We are not allied with any country. We owe them nothing."

"This is true. Yet, if you do not wish to obtain another enemy, it is best to maintain diplomacy. Forgive my forwardness, Inquisitor, but having Ferelden against us may be problematic in the future."

A sigh of defeat released from Alanna. Acknowledgment of her chief diplomat's wisdom expressed through the exhale. Alanna's shoulders slouched. "What do you recommend?"

"Another meeting," Josephine's eyes lit up; wheels turning, determining the most effective strategy, she leaned a hip against the table. "You will need to apologize. The Queen of Ferelden is a difficult woman and remedying the situation will be a delicate matter. But her absence from the throne gives her less influence. Your concordance with the King is my concern."

Arms crossed, the Inquisitor shook her head. "I'm not apologizing. She was using us; I know it." She looked at the anchor on her hand, relating it to the tasks ahead. "We'll just have to get this over with before they have a chance to make things difficult. For now, I need to talk to my cousin. Could you make arrangments for tomorrow?"

"As you wish, Inquisitor. I will arrange for a meeting with the young Warden in the morning." Josephine bowed and departed from the War Room.

***

"She dismissed us!" Caoilainn turned to face Alistair as they walked into their room near the tavern. Alistair secured the door shut behind him and leaned against it, observing his wife in distress. "Can you believe that? She just," Caoilainn nodded to the door, mimicking Alanna's motion for them to leave, "and expected us to leave."

"I know." Failed attempts to refrain from grinning displayed in his amusement. His head turned side to side, showing his humored agreement with Caoilainn's offense. "How dare she."

The spectacle of Caoilainn's outrage made for a livened divergence from the last image he had of the room. The bucket and cloth he washed her with sat the center of the room, her robe amidst the sheets on their bed, but this time she was here. Mournful days spent wallowing in grief and self-pity when he thought he lost her now contradicted by her zealous presence. Ablaze with anger, Caoilainn's bright and fiery temper illuminated the energy in the room. He beheld her with charmed gratitude, tickled by her conviction.