Opposites Road

One week later...

The entrance to Orzammar was set far back into the mountains with a tiny village of tents set up by surface dwarves and and their traders to keep the stores inside the mountain in stock and open. In the middle sat a huge stone dais with a sundial and beyond that stood the massive metal doors to the path to the city. Ealisay was freezing under her cloak and armor so she bypassed the traders and headed up the ramp where a group of armed men were to listening to a man shout at the guards.

Veata!” the guard barked. “This land is held in trust for the sovereign dwarven kings. I cannot allow entry at this time.”

“Oh great,” Ealisay hissed. “How are we going to get in there?”

“King Loghain demands the allegiance of the deshyr or lords or whatever you call them in your Assembly! I am his appointed messenger.”

“I don't care if you're the king's wiper, Orzammar will have none but it own until our throne is settled.”

Ealisay came over to the group and cleared her throat to get their attention. “Why has your people retreated like this?” she asked politely.

“They hide because they are dwarves.” Loghain's messenger spat.

“I would challenge any race to fare as well. Our king is dead. Endrin Aeducan returned to the Stone not three weeks ago. The Assembly has gone through a dozen votes without agreeing on a successor. If it is not settled soon, we risk a civil war.”

The news made Ealisay flinch but she squared her shoulders and pressed on with her plan. “The Grey Wardens need their traditional dwarven allies.” she handed the guard the treaty.

The messenger glared at her. “The Wardens killed good King Cailan and nearly doomed Ferelden! They're sworn enemies of King Loghain!”

She could see the gears spinning in the guard's head. “Well this is the royal seal. That means only the Assembly is authorized to Address it. Grey Warden, you may pass.”

Ealisay bowed to hide a smile. “Thank you, ser.”

The man next to her looked ready to breath fire. “You're letting in a foreigner and a traitor? In the name of King-”

Shale stepped between the man and Ealisay. “I am getting very annoyed with you little, meatbag.”

“Go back to your false king,” growled Ealisay. “You will not be heard by the dwarves.”

The man glared at her, he spun around and left the trio to the guards.

“You are free to enter Orzammar, Warden.” replied the guard. “Though I do not know what help you may find.”

Behind him the doors swung open to reveal the road that led down to Orzammar. Ealisay nodded to the guard and with a wave her companions followed her inside. It was a well lit road the slowly spiraled down into the mountain. When they were far enough away from the guard Shale stopped.

“The dwarf called it a Warden.”

Ealisay nodded. “Yes, it seems that they will think that I'm a Grey Warden because I have the treaty. Whether that is for good or ill remains to be seen. Come on lets get going. I'm starting to warm up and it feels great.”

The stone path widened to a set of large doors. The guards at their posts straightened and with a pull of a lever the double door leading to the Hall of the Ancestors. This Hall was made to stress the greatness of the Dwarves' past and the Paragons that shaped their noble houses. The room was a warm red stone with troughs of lava lighting the room along with torches on the columns. Ealisay wanted to stare up at the statues of the Paragons but she needed to get to the Assembly.

They crossed the hall and climbed the short stack of steps to the door that led directly into Orzammar. The first sight Ealisay's eyes met was the giant center tower in the middle of the main Cavern. It was the home of the Proving Grounds. She could see above them the Diamond District where the Noble Houses, Royal Palace and the Assembly made their home.

A group of dwarves were in the center of the walkway, most of them in armor but a couple of them wore fine clothing. She watched them as they confronted each other and strained to try and hear what they were saying. Whatever it was must have been shocking or insulting because one of the dwarves pulled out his battleaxe and charged. One of the guards got in the way and was hit by a swing that would sever a human in half.

The sudden violence made Ealisay step back into Shale and the two confronting groups scurry in opposite directions.

“Stone-blind idiots! I will not have fighting in the commons especially in front of outsiders!” cried a dwarven guard. He watched as the other guards took away their fellow guard and studied Ealisay as she eyed the scene of the attack but did not approach.

The book she had in her pack read that dwarven politics was deadly but that was a little extreme. By the stairs on the right was a dwarven woman shaking her head in disbelief.

“Did you see that?” she gasped as the trio came over. “I cannot believe what this city has come to. This would ever have happened when Endrin was alive.”

“Were those the two candidates for the throne?” Ealisay asked .

“Aye, Lord Harrowmont and the monster, Bhelen.” the dwarf looked embarrassed.

Ealisay frowned.“But Bhelen is King Endrin's son.”

“Aye, what a terrible burden for father to have only Bhelen left of three fine sons. In the end, Endrin himself recognized that Bhelen cared for noting but power. It was Endrin who ordered his son away from his deathbed and embraced Lord Harrowmont as his heir.”

“So Harrowmont or Bhelen?” Ealisay tapped a finger on her chin in thought. “I'm sure that this,” she gestured to the open area. “is not the best place to speak of such things. Is there anyplace we can go to speak in private? I will have to make an informed decision if I am to ask for aid. We have not had formal introductions. I am Ealisay daughter, of Teryn Cousland of Highever. I come on behalf of the Grey Wardens.” she gave a small bow.

“I am Nerav Helmi, third daughter of the second Matron of House Helmi. A Grey Warden? It is no wonder the guards let you through the gates at such a time. What sort of aid do you need?”

“There is a Blight.”

“A Blight? Now? But...our warriors are killing each other in the streets! I fear you will find no aid here in Orzammar.”

Ealisay frowned and put her hands on her hips. “Well, I'm not giving up. So what will I need to do to get aid for the Wardens?”

“Lord Harrowmont's second, Dulin Forender is who I would talk to.” Nerav gestured to the large doors behind her. “He is at the Harrowmont estate.”

“Could you perhaps direct me to an inn? I fear I might be here longer than a day.”

“There is an inn on the other side of the district. It is over a tavern.” Nerav replied gesturing to the opposite side of the concourse.

“My thanks.” Ealisay nodded her head in good-bye and left the dwarf alone.

“So we'll be staying here then?” Shale asked.

“Yes, hopefully I can get something out of the Shaperate about where you come from and deal with the treaty and this throne nonsense in short order. Being under so much rock is disconcerting to me.”

None of the patrons in the tavern paid any attention to her but one of the barmaids came over to her. The dwarf looked up and her and then to her two companions. Ealisay felt slightly out of place but took a calming breath and smiled at the woman.

“How can I help you, surfacer?” she asked.

“A room please,” she replied politely.

“Of course,” the woman answered back with a smile. “We don't get many surfacers here. You one of them Grey Wardens?”

“I am here on Grey Warden business, yes.” she replied smoothly, not letting the woman know if she was one of the Order or not.

The barmaid seemed to catch on and nodded. “You are a secretive bunch, so I've heard. Only speaking about your duties when absolutely necessary. Come this way.”

Ealisay followed the woman out of the tavern and up a flight of stairs, Major silently following behind her. They came down a hallway and the woman stopped before a door. The woman handed Ealisay a key.

“This is the only room we have for human so I hope it fits you well enough.”

“My thanks,” Ealisay replied slipped the key in a slot of her armor. “Besides my hound there is also a golem, Shale. She shouldn't cause you any trouble.”

The maid's eyes widened at the confession. “A golem? You have a golem with you? Golems haven't been around for centuries.”

“So I've read but she's outside your tavern, I didn't want her to scare your patrons off but I will need her to accompany me to my room and she shall be staying there with me. She doesn't have the best temper.”

The woman gave her a dubious look but nodded. “You might want to go to the Shaperate in the Diamond Quarter. I bet they'll have more information about your golem.”

“Thank you, I shall. Now you can point me in the direction where I can get a bath and a meal and you shall have made me a happy woman.” Ealisay smiled brightly.

“There are also taps and soap for the bath that is inside your room and I shall have a meal brought up for you and some meat for your hound. Just pull the cord next to the door when you're ready.” the barmaid replied with a farewell nod and left Ealisay and Major alone.

Ealisay was relieved when she heard about the private bath and meal that was waiting for her and Major. She did not have the confidence to be naked around the short, curvy women of the dwarves. She was brought up to not flaunt her body in such a way in public. She unlocked the door and let Major enter first. The hound sniffed the room thoroughly searching for anything that might be a danger to his mistress. He let out a satisfied bark and jumped up on the large bed in the center of the room. The large hound circled once and flopped himself down, resting his massive head on his passive paws.

She couldn't help but snort in amusement as she closed the door behind her and dropped her pack on a table and started to explore the room on her own. The bath and toilette were in an adjacent room and there was also a wardrobe against the wall across from the bed. The decor of the room was striking and the warm glow of the lanterns made it comfortable.

With tired, aching muscles Ealisay stripped herself of her armor and pulled out the pins and braids that held her hair tight to her scalp. Her hair was dirty and slick with oil and the thought of a hot bath and soap made her smile. The water came from two decorative pipes that twirled down the wall and the tub was more than big enough for her. One pipe was for cold water and the other was for hot water and the combination of the two as they poured from the metal pipes made the small room fog with steam.

Her body relaxed in the warming stone tub but her mind was sharp enough to hear the door open and the familiar scraping of stone on stone from Shale's footsteps. The golem turned to look at her and then left the doorway leaving Ealisay to drift into the steam and away from the business she was getting into later.