Feast

[aestrix]

It is a special day, in the city of Orzammar. For one man, especially. It is a day of celebration for the second son of King Endrin Aeducan. Despite his physical... issues, he's been made Orzammar's newest commander. Tomorrow, there will be quite a lot of bloodshed. But tonight is for Stalas Aeducan. Not only is there a feast in his honor, but Provings, as well. It's his day, one of honor, but also his formal presentation to the heads of houses.

The merchants have even been allowed into the Diamond Quarter, a rare treat they only see on special occasions. They're probably regretting it, by now, after trying to talk to some of the dwarven nobles and tackle their very particular brand of pride, but it's a chance to win over the highest class, instead of hoping they deign to notice the Merchant Caste.

Regardless, today is certainly a day to remember. Possibly for the wrong reasons.

Comments

[aestrix]

"I'm not finding any- ... nevermind. You still have your signet ring, my lord?" asks Gorim.

[thisvorlunatic]

"Yep."

He goes over and prods the sarcophagus with it in the very obviously signet-ring-shaped spot. The lid slides open, and there is the shield.

"And now you have the honour of carrying the sodding thing back to Father," he says, lifting the shield out and handing it to Gorim. "Mainly because it's so heavy. We've wasted enough time here; let's go."

[aestrix]

Gorim snorts, but he carries the shield. "No excitement for finding the legendary shield of Aeducan?"

[thisvorlunatic]

"Read his book," Stalas advises. "Then you'll understand. Besides, that rigamarole with the carvings was - I want to say 'brilliant' and 'idiotic' at the same time. I'm too busy marveling at whoever thought that was a good idea to have feelings about my ancestor."

[aestrix]

"... Both brilliant and idiotic? There's a trick. By all means, regale me with the why."

[thisvorlunatic]

"Aeducan's least-quoted quote, which happens to be one of my personal favourites, is 'Reputation is what others know about you. Honour is what you know about yourself.' I'm sure you can see why it would be unfashionable in this modern age. But in order to open that sarcophagus, I had to poke those carvings in an order that referenced the quote. And all this just to stop anyone who isn't an obsessive Aeducan devotee with a signet ring from getting at his shield. Aeducan would weep with frustration at their priorities."

[aestrix]

Gorim finds this hilarious. "I see. Yes, that seems like it would be true."

[thisvorlunatic]

"Right?"

Off they go, back along the winding tunnels. Stalas is pleased to note that there are no darkspawn about.

[aestrix]

Gorim frowns, as they are about halfway back.

"My lord," he says softly, to Stalas. "This would be a perfect place for an ambush."

[thisvorlunatic]

"Yes," he murmurs back. "Stay alert."

But they can't do much more than that; they need to pass this crossroads to get where they're going. Onward.

[aestrix]

Onward!

There's a sound of fighting ahead - and then, very abruptly, there is not.

[thisvorlunatic]

...Something gives Stalas a very bad feeling here. Despite his own warnings, he hurries along the tunnel.

[aestrix]

There are corpses.

One of them is Trian's.

[thisvorlunatic]

Stalas experiences the most unpleasant epiphany of his life.

He recognizes the body from all the way across the cavern, starts towards it, and then halts in his tracks. "Gorim - I can't go near him, do you understand? Go - be careful - tell me what you can - you two, hang back with me," he says to the scouts. "Whoever did this must still be nearby, and ancestors only know what else they're planning. It can't have been darkspawn. Darkspawn would still be here."

Not to mention that at this point in time, the list of people Stalas trusts is extremely short.

[aestrix]

"Right," agrees Gorim, and he goes and investigates. The two scouts stay with Stalas.

"Dead," he pronounces. "And not for long. Not darkspawn, for sure. ... It looks like he was ambushed."

[thisvorlunatic]

"Fuck," says Stalas. "I don't - how do I - there's no way this is an accident, someone set this fucking thing up, and I only wish I didn't know who—"

[aestrix]

Predictably, that's when the king and Bhelen arrive.

"... What's happened?" murmurs his father, horrified and spotting Trian's corpse.

[thisvorlunatic]

"I just came from the shield chamber, Father," says Stalas, pointing back down the tunnel. "We heard sounds of battle as we approached, and then we found... what you see." He sounds shaken. Genuinely distraught. He is. He didn't like Trian, but he was still kin.

[aestrix]

"Father," says Bhelen. "I'm - I'm sorry, I should have stressed that we go faster, we could have saved him -"

The king interrupts him with a wave, and looks at Stalas gravely. "My son, I see my firstborn son dead, with my secondborn hiding in the shadows. Tell me this isn't what it looks like."

[thisvorlunatic]

"Bhelen," Stalas growls. "I wished with all my soul I could believe it wasn't you. I should have fucking known better. How long have you been working on this one, brother? Would I find your signet ring if I searched those mercenaries," he waves back down the tunnel again, "or did you steal Trian's ahead of time? No, it must have been his, you may be a lying sack of shit but I will never accuse you of being stupid." He finds that his fists are clenched and no amount of pain can motivate him to unclench them. "Fuck you, Bhelen. Step out the gate and fall into the sky. The Stone doesn't want you. May your life go down in history as that time the King of Orzammar was cuckolded by a deep stalker and didn't find out until the spawn had almost oozed its way to the throne. You make me sick."

[aestrix]

Bhelen opens his mouth to answer, but the king cuts him off.

"Stalas. Please. I will not condemn you without evidence. And I do admit, it's suspicious, certainly," he says.

"My lord is innocent!" growls Gorim.

"Ser Gorim," sighs Harrowmont, "I'm sorry, but your loyalty to Stalas makes you a poor witness. Lord Aeducan, relate your side of the story, please."

[thisvorlunatic]

Stalas takes a deep breath and tries to calm down.

"Last night," he says, burning glare still focused on Bhelen, "he took me aside to 'warn' me that he thought Trian might be moving against me in some fashion. When my scouts and I arrived at the secret door a short while ago, it was open and the chamber beyond was full of dead darkspawn and live armed men. I tried to negotiate with their leader, to find out how he acquired the means to open the door, but he refused to be convinced and chose to attack us instead. The four of us," he indicates himself, Gorim, and the scouts, "fought them and won. Then we came back here. Just as we were approaching this chamber, we heard the sound of dwarves fighting and dying, then nothing. When I came close enough to see who it was—"

He shakes his head sharply and unclenches a hand to wipe tears from his eyes.

"The whole scene stank. It would have taken too incredible a coincidence for Trian to have sent mercenaries to harass me and then fallen to an ambush himself, let alone for that to happen just as I arrived. And the only reason someone would arrange for him to die just before I found him," he returns his glare to Bhelen, "would be if they meant someone else to come along moments later and find me standing over the body. Which is why I'm all the way back here."

[aestrix]

Harrowmont nods. "I see. Thank you. You there, scout, do you corroborate Lord Aeducan's story?"

The scout looks nervously at Stalas, and scoots away from him a little. "I - promise me you'll grant me sanctuary if he should be found innocent -"

"... Granted. Proceed."

"Trian and his men were here early. They'd finished their battle with the darkspawn, and they were tired and weary and wounded. Lord Aeducan - he walked up all friendly-like, but when he got close - it was him, him and his second, they fight like maniacs!"

[thisvorlunatic]

"He lies," Stalas says wearily. "Not that I expected anything different at this point."

[aestrix]

"A valid point. The man is low born and could be easily bought," agrees a lord.

"Frandlin Ivo, you are a good and noble man. Does the scout speak truth?" asks another.

"... Yes, my lord. It was terrible. Prince Trian didn't stand a chance. Afterwards, my lord stripped his Aeducan signet ring, and left it instead of his with the mercenaries. They'd betrayed him, when they heard what he was planning to do to Prince Trian. Even mercenaries have some honor."

"You treacherous bastard!" roars Gorim. "You think that snake cares anything about you?! He'll betray you in a heartbeat, like he just did with Prince Stalas!"

"Silence, Gorim," sighs the king wearily.