The Blood that Binds

Unrest

She waited about an hour, the compress on her head, until she was convinced Alistair had left the estate. Then she threw the rag onto the table beside the bed and changed back into her own clothes, happy to be free of the heavy trappings. She sought Anora's room. She needed to have a very serious conversation with the queen that she was more than dreading. She didn't want it to be this way, but Anora was not going to back down quietly, and neither was she. With agreements and boundaries, Alistair was right. She might just save Ferelden from itself as well as the Darkspawn.

The queen greeted her a bit curtly, but Solona could see respect in her tone and stance. The respect of a queen. Solona really had moved up in the world. "Hello again, Warden. It is good that you came to speak with me. I will be blunt. I can see that your voice will be a strong one in the days to come. It is to you that Eamon listens, and with good reason. My father must be stopped, but once that is done, Ferelden will need a ruler. I would welcome your support for my throne."

Solona flushed. "I don't think I'm as important as you believe."

"No? You're a Grey Warden, and despite the fact that my father will paint himself as the only one who can protect the country from the Blight it is not so. Secondly, you saved Arl Eamon from a plot that no doubt had its origins in Howe's sick little mind... People will not forget that. You are competent and powerful, and in the right place at the right time. Used to your advantage, these things could bring you far."

"So you are proposing an alliance?" Solona asked, her heart beginning to race as she built herself up to ask the most difficult question she had even asked another human being.

"That is exactly what I am proposing. When the time comes, you support my bid in the Landsmeet to remain on the throne," Anora said with a gentle smile that Solona didn't believe was genuine for a second. "You will be seen as my father's enemy, yet you will be in support of his daughter. You will be seen as supporting the interests of Ferelden as opposed to solely those of the Grey Wardens. In return, I add my voice to yours. Do you see? Together we can do what alone we cannot."

Solona swallowed, her hands wringing as her confidence in her idea wavered. Then she glanced up at Anora and straightened her shoulders, getting control of her emotions. "Why not simply marry Alistair? The best of both worlds..."

Solona was proud to see that she threw Anora off her game. The woman balked, and her hands dropped to her sides, forgetting her poised stance. She stuttered only momentarily before regaining her composure. "Ignoring that the man looks so much like Cailan... my recently dead husband, if you'll recall... my main fear is that he might govern like Cailan as well. And are you so truly eager to pawn the lad off on me, anyway? I rather got the sense that you two might be..."

Solona narrowed her eyes and took a step forward. "You've never heard of a political marriage?"

Anora sighed. "That is how my own marriage to Cailan began. It still became more, in time. This doesn't bother you?"

"That's not your concern," Solona snapped, hugging herself and backing off her threatening stance. Of course it bothered her. She was giving away her chance at ever marrying the man she loved. But in the back of her mind it had always been so. From the moment they first kissed, she knew that his blood would make it impossible for some fairy tale ending for them. She would take what she could get. Anora would understand. The question was, would Alistair?

"I see," Anora scowled. "So be it, then. Alistair does have Theirin blood. It is the one thing I do not have, truth be told. A union might even be considered a compromise, but... is this something Alistair even desires?"

"I... think I could convince him," she said, biting her lip.

"Let me say this. If Alistair is willing to stand back and allow me to continue governing the nation, then I would be willing to have him as my king. It is my understanding that governing does not appeal to him anyhow. If that is so, this is a compromise I can live with." Anora said, boldly reaching out to place a comforting hand on Solona's fidgeting fingers.