The Blood that Binds

Facing Loghain

With all of the Warden treaties fulfilled, their army was as large as they could muster from their end. It was time to return to Arl Eamon and see how he had fared in gathering support from the nobility in the Bannorn. She noticed Oghren watching her all day as they traveled the King's Road and when they stopped for lunch, she approached him. "There you are. Wanted to talk to you," he said, his words slurring.

"What about?" she asked, remembering back to some of his more interesting drunken subjects.

He grinned widely. "You and I, we've... You know how sometimes, you spend time with... people, and things... Hm..." He trailed off, seemingly distracted.

"I love you too, Oghren," she patted his head with a teasing grin and he snapped to attention.

"Ha! Well, I'll be shaved, skinned, and hung up to dry! It's too soon, though, lady. Too soon... I just wanted to ask a favor... I was thinking, I do know some people out here on the surface. A person, actually. Girl I knew in Orzammar. Before I left, obviously."

Her brow rose and she crossed her arms. "A girl you knew, or a girl you knew?" she asked with a smirk.

"What? You mean were we rutting? Oh, aye... After Branka left for the Deep Roads. Name's Felsi, and she was a fiery one. I'm sure she's forgiven me by now. Thought maybe I'd track her down. See how she's been living," he said with a fond grin and a shrug.

"Do you know how to find her?" Solona asked.

"I tried to look her up the last time we were at Lake Calenhad. She wasn't at work at the inn. At home with her sick mother, they said. I figured it was just the ancestors telling me something... but I keep thinking about her," he admitted.

"We can go back," she shrugged. They would be at Redcliffe anyway. It wasn't far.

"Well and a good friend you are, Warden. I'll think about you if we ever... No, actually, that would be gross." He shuddered and wandered away from the conversation.

The rest if the trip went smoothly, if a bit fraught with Darkspawn. The Blight was spreading more quickly, but they were running into more of their allies out working to clear the roads for refugees. Arl Eamon greeted them eagerly when they arrived at the castle. "I understand you've acquired all the allies you could? That's good... We can call the Landsmeet, if you are ready. I would prefer not giving Loghain time to consider, but it is up to you. I do not wish to go to Denerim unless you are with me."

"Then we should go now," Solona agreed, eager to have it done, so she could focus on the Blight.

"Excellent. I shall make the arrangements. Let us be off to Denerim and may the Maker watch over us."

Making the arrangements took Eamon a week and while they waited, Solona took Oghren to Felsi where the two exchanged barbs and Solona was convinced the meeting was an utter failure until on the boat back to Redcliffe, Oghren belched and grinned. "Yep, I still got it." She took his word for it.

Back at the castle, they were treated to a feast honoring them for saving the city, and while they ate, Alistair sat at his place beside Teagan and tormented her with his gaze. Neither of them could stop staring. They had been given rooms in the guest wing, and Solona was eager to find out exactly how comfortably the nobility slept in Redcliffe.

After her fifth cup of wine and she had lost count of the courses, Solona excused herself, feigning exhaustion. She slipped out of the dining hall and was halfway down the hall to the stairs when arms slipped round her waist from behind. "Where do you think you're going?" he teased in her ear, his breath easing over her neck before he gently kissed down from her lobe to her collar.