rivain | (no subject)

WHO: Loghain Mac Tir, Rowan Guerrin
WHERE: Gwaren
WHEN: During The Stolen Throne
WARNINGS: TBD
NOTES: Set at the end of the book the Stolen Throne. AU. Because we can

Life would have somehow been much simpler if Katriel had not gone to Denerim. Loghain and Rowan would likely still suspect her of being a spy, but they would not have the proof of it. Proof that they need to bring to Maric's attention. Loghain was not intending on bringing Rowan with him. His whole idea was to rid Maric of the threat Katriel poses. She needs to go and Maric needs to grow up. The way Loghain's father had after what the Orlesians had done to his mother. The way Loghain feels he has ever since he dropped into Maric's lap. Or Maric dropped into his lap. Whichever.

But as he watches their own spy leave the room after delivering the news, he knows he can't leave Rowan out of this. Maric may be his boneheaded friend, but he knows well what this will mean for Rowan. Even if she hasn't yet put the pieces together.

He pauses halfway to the door and glances at her. "Are you coming?" he asks gruffly. "The sooner we tell Maric, the better."

He could add on that Maric deserves to know, among other things, but the words would be hollow. Rowan will eventually see through that and the last thing Loghain wants is to give her another reason to be angry with him. She will have plenty by the time this is all through.

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Rowan just looks at him, deadpan and a little bit irritated. “Of course I am.” Where else would she be going? She certainly isn’t going to let Loghain do this by himself. No, this is on the both of them. She’s with him until the end. Whatever happens. She brushes by him and starts out the door, trusting that he’ll fall into step with her soon enough.

It would have been better if Katriel hadn’t gone to Denerim. But she had, and now it’s left for them to break the news to Maric. And deal with the fallout. Whatever that is.

Maric is going to be devastated.

Much as Loghain might want to do this alone, it's likely wise that Rowan not allow him to. There are far too many ways in which this could go terribly wrong and even if he doesn't honestly care what happens to Katriel, her life is but one piece of the larger picture. This whole mess affects Rowan as much as Loghain and aside from that, she might actually keep Loghain from doing or saying something he might regret later.

Or the two of them together will make the situation worse. Maker only knows.

Huffing out a soft, but irritated, breath of air as she brushes past him, Loghain follows.

"Let's get this over with. The sooner we tell Maric, the sooner life can move on."

Loghain will no doubt screw something up somehow if she let him go alone, and she might, too, honestly. She’s certainly doesn’t have a way with words. Never has. That was always Maric’s job. But between the two of them maybe they can salvage something from the mess. There has to be a way.

She hopes.

The pace she sets is quick. Because Loghain is right. The sooner they tell Maric the sooner they can start picking up the pieces.

With luck, it will be quick and easy. Loghain doesn't expect that, though. When has anything been quick or easy since he's met Maric? Never, that's when. Still, he doesn't want anything to go terribly wrong, so he hopes that maybe Maric will listen to reason.

He almost doesn't bother knocking, and it's only because he has Rowan with him that he does, but he pushes the door open just as soon as the knock fades away, letting both of them into the room without Maric's say. "Maric, we need to talk. It's about Katriel."

Maric looks surprised to see them both here and he glances from one to the other. "What's this about?"

Thinking that Rowan will probably be better at talking things out with him, Loghain glances at her. "She's been to Denerim."