Alone in the Crowd Chapter 4

[arcturas]

Bioware owns all

There were a few things that Galla knew right at this moment. Ferelden is a cold, wet country, Her mistress is a cold woman, and there is nothing like another Antivan to warm her up. Galla looked at the blonde head between her legs, and rejoiced in her femininity.

*"Mi cuerpo le da las gracias." Galla said.

"My bird approves" Zevran whispered.

Zevran inched his way up her side with his hands, as he kissed her lightly on stomach and on up to the valley between her breasts, pausing to embrace Galla , then kiss her slowly. Galla could taste herself on his lips.

"Why would such a lovely bird remove herself from the flowers of Antiva to live among the dogshit of this country?" Zevran whispered in her ear.

"I was gifted to the Queen. Not that I am a slave, I get a fair wage, and the Queen does not beat me. My family is indentured to the Chalan family, and I will work off my debt for the next two years. But why do we speak of this now" Galla rolled Zevran over and began nipping at the soft skin his throat, working her way to his ear. "My mouth has many more talents"

"So I am to understand that Queen Elissa stayed with this Chalan family during the blight?" Zevran whispered.

"Yes, they are the family of her brothers wife, ironic no? She runs from assassins to the country of assassins." Galla straddled Zevran and let out long sigh as she took his length.

"Did she take any lovers while she was in Antiva?" Zevran drawled.

"Why, were you her lover?" Galla laughed. "I don't know, but she has her King now, and I have you now. Enough of this gossip."

---

Looking around at the piles of the dead burning and rotting, Solana started to feel a bit lightheaded. She had not been sure of what to expect when she walked through the narrow gate into the alienage, but the nightmare that she encountered was not it. Certainly there had been plenty of death and misery during the blight, but the closed-in quality of the alienage made Solana feel as if she were choking, like there was no way to escape the misery.

Solana noticed some children playing near rotting darkspawn.

"What are you doing? Get away from there! That's poison. Where are your parents?"

"We don't know where our parents are, miss." one of the older children replied.

"Who is in charge here" Solana demanded of and elven adult. "Does Velendrian still live? Is Shianni here?"

The Elf pointed at one building that seemed to be barely standing. A knot of elves all seemed to be talking at once. Heading in the direction of the group, Solana became more furious with each step.

"Who is charge here? I want to know who is looking out for those children...Why aren't these darkspawn cleared out of here?"

"Shem, you're on fire"

Solana had indeed caught her sleeves on fire. She tried very hard to look casual as she batted the flames out. It wasn't working.

Solana took a deep breath. "Does Shianni still live?"

"Solana! Everyone! This is the Hero of Ferelden!" Shianni said as she walked out of the building.

"Oh Shianni. Thank the maker...I'm so glad...Thank the maker." Solana embraced Shianni. Solana felt tears form and wiped them away before anyone could see them.

"I'm glad to see you too, I heard you yelling, like always." Shianni laughed. "What is this all about?"

"I'm just so relieved to see that someone I know is alive, and healthy. So many are gone." Solana said.

Shianni looked around."We have lost so much, but so has everyone, I can't imagine that the Shems even care about what has become of us"

"When they want something done, they'll care." Solana said. "Look Shianni, Ferelden is on it's knees, and everyone with energy is going to be needed to help. This is the perfect time to show your worth, and how needed the elves are. But before we can prove anything to anyone, we have to get the alienage cleaned up and organised."

"I don't know where to start, there's so much..." Shianni looked around at a loss.

"We need to start with the orphans, they need a safe place. They need to go to the chantry with the other orphans." Solana said. "Along with the sick and infirm, the elderly, all that cannot lend a hand to the cleanup. We need to get them away from the filth and the disease. Once we have then all evacuated, then the darkspawn must be removed and burned, quickly. They ruin the ground as we stand here. Then the dead would be next, if we don't burn the dead, disease will fill the alienage. These things must be done right away. We will start with evacuating the children. I can't tell the elves what to do, they won't trust me, but they will trust you."

"The chantry won't take the children, let alone our elderly," Shianni told Solana.

"They will take who I tell them to take. I have the backing of the King of Ferelden." Solana replied tartly. The only people in all of Denerim that know anything about the darkspawn are myself and and the king. They have no choice to but to listen. And Shianni, the only people are really immune to the darkspawn filth are the King and myself. We will both be here to help in the cleanup effort. You're people must be very careful to not touch the darkspawn blood. Otherwise the only cure is to be made a Grey Warden. And it doesn't always work."

"Why are you doing this, Solana, why are you helping us?" Shianni asked.

"We need you, and you can really improve the lot of the elves. The elves are so valuable, and once they see it, well there will be no choice but to let the elves be a part of society here in Ferelden. And from there who knows. What do you think, will you do it, will you work with me to make this a better place for the elves?"

"What will we rebuild with? All of the choice materials will go the the humans." Shianni pointed out.

Solana looked up at the wall. "There seems to be a lot of material in that wall that could be used to rebuild the alienage"

Shianni smiled. "Where do we start?"

"Let's get the children and the sick together, and get them to healers and the chantry. I will lead them myself. I will speak with the King about giving you all a hand at getting the darkspawn out of the alienage this evening. He understands the urgency."

Shianni smiled brightly. "Alright, give me about 30 minutes to get the children together, the sick are in the building that I came out of. I will grab a few of the able bodied to get them moved with the children."

Solana watched Shianni go. Solana knew that Alistair would do the only decent thing he could do, get out there and remove the darkspawn himself, and Solana would help. And the people would love them both for it. Perhaps they would remember that the Hero of Fereldan is a Mage...and still love her.

---

Solana entered the conference room. There were a small group of nobles deep in discussion with the King and Queen. Fergus was there, as well Eamon, Arl Wulff and Arl Bryland, and a few of the Banns.

"Ah Solana is here just back from the alienage, how is the clean up there?" Alistair asked brightly.

"They need our help, the place if covered with dead darkspawn, and there are children playing near them, there are so many sick. You and I are the only ones that can safely move the darkspawn."

"Wait, what are you talking about..." Alistair began.

"I have taken the children and the sick to the chantry, once we move the darkspawn out we should be able to move some of the less sick.

"You had the elven children and sick moved to the chantry?" Elissa asked.

"I had to get them out of there, there is limited shelter in the alienage. The sick need healing, and the orphans and lost need a place to be until family can come and claim them." Solana told the group.

"What did the Revered Mother think of you invading her chantry with a orphans and sick?" smiled Fergus.

"She wasn't happy..."

"Oh I bet," chuckled Alistair.

"It took a little convincing, and anyway they were already there, and even she wasn't going to be able to move them all out." Solana said.

Alistair let out a deep laugh. "Solana you have a way with people. Alright, lets get a group of able bodied men and go there now and get their home cleaned up.

"But your Majesty," Elissa laid her hand on Alistair's arm. "This is not something you should be doing, it could be dangerous"

"This is precisely what I should be doing, I'm a servant of the city and the country, and I'm a Grey Warden, the blood won't hurt me." Alistair turned to his manservant." Get me some simple work clothes." Alistair turned to the group. "You are all welcome to help of course. Those that are, meet me at the entrance to the castle, it will be a nice little procession to the alienage."

"I don't think you made any friends in there." Fergus said as he walked alongside of Solana.

"I'm not here to make friends, I am here to help the King until I am needed elsewhere," Solana replied primly.

"I might have need of you." Fergus winked.

"Then perhaps I will assist you...in whatever you need assistance with." Solana said uncertainly.

"Good, I warn you, I might need a lot of assistance. And it will start out with a stroll tomorrow." Fergus smiled.

"How will I assist you by taking a stroll outside the gates?" Solana asked.

"We will...check the outer defenses. Ahh and here we are." Fergus looked around at the entrance the alienage. "Maker what a mess. Alright lets get to work" Fergus brushed his lips on Solana's knuckles. "Until tomorrow afternoon."

Lady Morag walked alongside Elissa with the procession. As glanced around at the carnage at the entrance to the alienage. "Your Majesty, do you think it wise to be traveling on foot to the Alienage. You could get the blood disease, or some water born disease"

"It's good for the people to see us among them, even the elves. And they most certainly need the help" She glanced over at Lady Morag. "Try not to touch anything and you probably won't get sick." Elissa paused and greeted some of the elven inhabitants. "These people are the ones that serve us our food, often take care of our children, build and work in our homes. It just wouldn't do if they all died off because we did not burn a few darkspawn"

"I rarely encountered the alienage in our apartments in Amaranthine. And certainly at at our estate in Feravel it was rare to interact with the elves." Lady Morag said.

"Oh, I like to know who the people are that around me, who their family is, what they do with themselves when not engaged in work. At the very least I want them to know that I am paying attention. People usually do their jobs better if they think their employer is watching." Elissa smiled engagingly at the Lady as they walked toward Alistair.

"Ahh. Then Your Majesty must have noticed Fergus has been noticing The Hero. And I assume that it has not escaped your noticethat she is a mage." Lady Morag stated.

"Many have noticed The Hero of Ferelden." Elissa stated in a brittle voice as she looked directly at Alistair. "Ahh my king, it is wonderful that you deign to help all of the people of Ferelden."

"And how can I not. But really you should not be here, it's too dangerous. Take some of the guard and escort these worried people to the Chantry to help them locate their relatives." Alistair told her brightly.

"Of course Your Majesty, The Hero and yourself have things well in hand"

*My body thanks you.

Special thanks to Kira Tamarion and Jinx1983 my awesome betas and support.

NSFW