When Fate Summons (a Dragon Age fanfiction)

Under Pressure

Thora awoke the next morning feeling something less than fully rested. She had spent the night talking with Alistair and Anawyn in the Fade, which had been lovely, but not relaxing. Especially since they were no closer to figuring out a way to pacify the Grand Cleric and get Dorothea out of their collective hair.

Yawning, she collected her armor and headed out of the room, searching for breakfast. Hot tea and food would have to take the place of a good night's sleep. When she entered the dining room, she found Perth and Leliana already there, sitting next to one another and looking self-consciously blissful. Oghren was sitting across from them, trying to see how many shades of red he could make Perth turn with his ribald teasing. He looked up when Thora came into the room.

"Commander, this one's no fun. We need to get the pike-twirler back—he turns lots more colors."

Thora shook her head at him, sitting down and reaching for the teapot.

Anders reached over, grabbing her chin firmly and surveying her nose. "Huh. Uh-huh, uh-huh. Looks fine," he said. "You should see the other guy, huh?" He grinned at her.

Thora shuddered, seeing Dirnley's face in that final moment. It had been necessary, she told herself. But if so, why did she still feel as if she'd done something wrong? "Where's Anawyn?" she asked, hoping to distract herself from her increasingly discordant thoughts.

"She's in the kitchen—been helping the cook," Sigrun said. "Don't worry, Jens is with her."

"Good." Thora was glad her daughter was getting a break, however brief, from all of this mess. Taking a deep swallow of the hot tea, she looked at Teagan, sitting quietly at the head of the table. "Any news from your visit to the palace yesterday, Teagan?"

He nodded. "I've been waiting for you. My suspicions were confirmed—I've discovered why Eamon allowed himself to become part of this farce." He met Thora's eyes. "Isolde."

"Of course," Thora groaned. "I should have known. What does she want?"

"What else? Power. Through Dorothea, or Eamon, or anyone else who might offer it to her."

"How does that help us?" Leliana asked.

"It helps because Eamon won't like being a cat's paw. It also helps," Teagan said, "because it appears Dorothea and Isolde have been sleeping together."
Thora cast a quick glance at Oghren. Branka's betrayal of him with her lover Hespith had simmered below the surface in him for a long time ... but he kept his eyes on the bread he was slathering with butter. No comments, bitter or lewd. Thora thought of Felsi waiting at the Vigil with their children. Her heart lifted, and she couldn't wait to return her Second to his family.

Teagan looked around the table, obviously having expected more of a reaction. "Does it occur to any of you that this means Dorothea is guilty of adultery?"

"How would you prove it, though?" Perth asked. "It would be your word against theirs. I assume they'd hardly admit that in public."

Thora studied her plate. She and Alistair could hardly throw stones over that particular issue. Just because Dorothea hadn't stayed faithful didn't mean they could use that against her, not without looking like the biggest hypocrites in Thedas. She toyed with her food listlessly.

"At the very least," Teagan said, his brow still furrowed at their lack of reaction, "I can use this with Eamon. He will not like being betrayed. Or being duped."

"You sure about that?" Anders grinned. "Some men would be thrilled to know their wife was messing around with another wo—" He caught himself, glancing at Oghren, who grunted.