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[Zeleen]

wow! please come check us out! http://social.biowar...index/2799604/1
It's a Leliana appreciation thread..
I like your work and loved the video..

Modifié par Zeleen, 26 juin 2010 - 06:27 .

[PickledGear]

@Zeleen Sure will! I thought there was only Alistair and Zevran appreciation threads XD But awesome I'll definitely take a look among my fellow Leliana fans .

Chapter 13 is here everyone, after long time of waiting here it is.



Dragon Age: A Bard's Love

Chapter 13

Fatigue, even after a well rested night had grown on Leliana's muscles. Such is the feeling before battle, or any moment that would inevitably bring discomfort and pain. But she knew it had to be done, All of Ferelden, no, Thedas depended on the coming battle in Denerim. 

She stretched in the bed, her toes touching the footboard; cold and rough, it only woke her even more. As she slid her feet off the side of the bed, looking back at Cogdale asleep as well. He seemed exhausted as well, sweat ran down his forehead, his face winced several times. Warden dreams... probably the worst as the archdemon announced itself so recently. Leliana knew however, not to try and wake him up from the night terrors the taint cursed him with. 
She gave out a sigh of empathy for him and got out of bed. Footsteps riddled the hallways behind the door. Everyone must be setting off  Leliana thought as she pulled her underwear up her legs. A feeling of loss clouded her thoughts when she did so.

While she pulled the last socking up her leg Alistair bursted in the room. "Cogdale?" he whispered looking over at his fellow warden still asleep. "Shhhh" Leliana said as she continued to put on her clothing. Alistair jumped at the sight of her naked "Oh! Maker's Mercy! I'am so sorry Leliana, I didn't know you were in here" he stumbled out the door and slammed it. Leliana laughed, if it was one thing Alistair aced at every time, it was walking into very very awkward moments. A sudden groan from the bed only showed how horrible Alistair was in the moments. 
The door slam had jolted Cogdale out of his dream as he rubbed his face. "Ughhh... I think that was the worst one yet." he groaned. Leliana turned to see him leaving the bed as quickly as he woke up, Slowly walking over to his armor and clothing.

"Do you want to talk about it Cog?" Leliana asked, placing the torso part of her armor on and tying her clothing under the armor through the golden rings to keep everything tight. She noticed the scratches the armor had accumulated over time, she could remember how each and every one of them got there as well. 
"The archdemon is trying to drive a blade through my thoughts is all, nothing to worry about Lily." Cogdale said gesturing him stabbing his head. "Care to be more elaborate on that for me?" Leliana asked crossing her arms. He ignored her and continued to put on his armor. She shrugged it off knowing it was probably too graphic for her to handle. Cogdale moaned again as he pulled one of his thigh guards up his leg. Leliana smirked at the moment, even at the eve of battle Cogdale was cute in the smallest of moments.

"Well, I'll meet you out there Cogdale" Leliana said waving goodbye to him. Before leaving the room she looked back at him. He seemed even more drained then when he had awaken. A bit disturbing, Cogdale was holding another secret from her. She knew, when ever he tried to hide anything from her, he would suddenly become ill or jittery. But now wouldn't be the best time to try and coax it out of him.
Leaving the room, dozens and dozens of men, dwarves and elves sped through the hall. Several bumping into her. "Hey watch it!" she yelled as they pushed by her. Alistair was waiting outside the door on the right, leaning his back against the wall. "Alistair." Leliana whispered. He took noticed and blushed still embarrassed walking in on her. "Where are we to meet? I can barely take a step in the hall way" she asked pointing at the crowd of soldiers. Alistair smiled and pointed back at the room with his thumb. "I'm waiting for him, Leliana, you go down to the main hall, there Wynne, Morrigan and the others will be waiting for you." he said, the look on his face almost appeared to be as if he had a bad taste in his mouth. 

"Is there something you and Cogdale aren't telling me?" she asked reaching for his shoulder. Alistair pulled away instantly, only to shake his head untruthfully. All the lies from the 2 of them became severely annoying, but she knew it only because of the blight about to breach Denerim in the following days and the anxiety of just that, drove the sudden fear of exposing their thoughts and feelings.
Deciding not to be on Alistair's bad side, if he had one, Leliana chose to follow his words and made her way down to the main hall. Wynne greeted her with a hug, comforting her tense shoulders that she had gained while trying to maker her way past the soldiers. Wynne, was the mother figure she never truly had. She has guided her through trialling times, time and time again. So it was natural she wanted to consult her for this last time.

"What have they been saying?" she asked. Wynne leaned and crossed her arms, long and droopy sleeves of her mage robes made a subtle sound as she took a breath to say what she had to say. "They say if we made haste soon, we could get to Denerim within 2 days, but thats not including the others." Wynne frowned, her nose wrinkling up on the bridge of her nose. 
"Others?" Leliana asked confused. "Yes the others, The Circle of Magi, The Dwarves of Orzammar and the Dalish elves also have to travel to Denerim." Wynne answered annoyed. Leliana fixed one of the many plates of her armor on her right arm, as it was starting to come unattached from the rest. 
"I'm sorry Wynne, it's just, I've only been awake for about 20 minutes, I mean not to annoy you." Leliana apologized. Wynne nodded and continued "They're also saying we may have to be ahead of the army for nearly 20 miles." Wynne said with a questioning voice.

"Be that far ahead of our force?" Leliana asked shocked. Wynne only nodded and turned her gaze to Morrigan approaching the 2 of them. "Ah, Morrigan so nice to see you're up" Wynne said smiling, the smile was greeted by a frown from Morrigan. "I suggest we get a move on ladies, or is the plan to leave Denerim to the darkspawn then take it back?" Morrigan said as she walked out the door into the courtyard. Leliana looked back at the rest of group, who were watching Morrigan leave. No one could think why she would be in such a bad mood.
Was it because the adventure was coming to a close? That she'd actually miss them? Leliana only shrugged. Finally, Cogdale and Alistair reached the main hall after the long trip down the flight of stairs. Both suited fully in their armor, Cogdale even had his helmet on, his eyes blasting blue light out of his helmet. This was a forewarning to Leliana that this.... this would be the fight to end all fights for her. Seeing this made her uneasy, nervous and some what paranoid of the situation. And so she quickly accompanied Cogdale out the main hall's entrance. 

"Lets GO!" one of the redcliffe knights ordered, the troops that flooded the courtyard shouted a chant and saluted the knight and finally in an orderly fashion left it. The marching sounds of the men's boots gave a strange beat that instantly shot hundreds of song ideas into her mind, She quietly hummed them to herself to keep her easy. 

"Wardens!" a voice shouted to the left of the group. It was Bann Teagan wearing his armor covered in Redcliffe's insignia. He was holding enough horses you would think he'd become a merchant himself. A large smile grinned across his face as he waved the group over. 
"Here my dear friends, we have fetched you all the finest steeds for the final march." he said still with that smile encompassing his face. Cogdale slid his hand across all of the equine mounts, each horse neighing from the cold touch of his armor. 

"Thanks Teagan we really appreciate this, you don't know how sore we are from Bodahn's carts" Cogdale said turning and looking back at the others. "Well don't just stand there! Choose one and lets ride off!" He said jumping up on a pure white horse and rode off to get ahead of the army. Leliana saw the horse she wanted, it almost seemed pink to her in color but had a large patch of white on its rump. The cutest horse she'd ever seen. Being the girl she was she ran over to it and put her hand on it.
"I call this one!" she announced with a big grin. She quickly mounted her horse and rode off following Cogdale's path marked by the horse's shoe prints on the ground.

The feeling of wind in her hair was comforting and some what nostalgic of her days of riding horses in Orlais' fields of flowers. But the time to reminisce was over. All the marching men in what seemed to be never ending force, following a road that was next to cliffs that fell deep into the river made it almost daunting what Cogdale had pulled off in just nearly 2 years. Gathering this enormous force of men, elves and dwarves to fight off the darkspawn. It was almost daunting because she had been there at his side, as he accomplished these achievements. She helped them, she helped him. This made her content. She wasn't like Marjolaine anymore, she may have been in her past, But now she was a completely different woman.
Leliana reached the head of the troops, Cogdale, Eamon, Riordan and Alistair all rode in a line with each other. She positioned her horse to be the 5th of the group along side Cogdale and his horse. They were quiet seeing as the marching of the men would drown out their voices. Not soon after Morrigan, Wynne, and Zevran caught up with them, all with horses of their own. Sten in the most awkward choice he has ever made was standing on Shale's shoulder and Ohgren on the other. Everyone including the men of redcliffe were looking at this strange spectacle. 

The red river bed that "Redcliffe" was known for was soon turning back into the great plains as they rode north. They would come to joining with the forces of the dwarves. Attacking on the west of the city while the mages and elves would attack the east. She didn't understand the strategy but thats what she heard when she eavesdropped the night before. The journey would be long just like the many she'd been on before. All she could do was take in the scenery, well what was left that the darkspawn hadn't tainted yet. 


They had walked for 2 days now and would reach Denerim by night fall, such a fitting time to face something that lurks within the shadows. The dwarves had joined them yesterday on the road, just as Eamon had planned with Harrowmont. Leliana took her blade out and started her ritual of cutting her hair once again. Long hair always got in the way of battle, and she wasn't one to hold her hair up into any bun or pony tail, But cutting her hair wasn't originally just for battles. She cut her hair when she fled Orlais, hoping that she wouldn't be recognized for her long flowing red hair. Although she hated it when she did it the first time. But she came to love it over time while she was a sister in the chantry in Lothering. I guess it was actually doing the opposite of what she wanted, since most females in Ferelden grew their hair out as long as they could. But to an orlesian consort it was perfect. Like Marjolaine had said during their final encounter it was ragged and messy like a boy's. Combined with being a lay sister for the chantry she might as well have disappeared off the face of the earth. But orlesian spies know how to find other spies, as Leliana found out just a couple months ago.

As she began to straighten her hair out for her knife a hand grabbed it. It was Cogdale, his helmet off balancing on his horse's neck. At first Leliana raised her brow not understanding why he had stopped her from cutting her hair. Until he held out his hand to her. She looked around to see if there was a way to keep her horse tied to the others. "Here" Cogdale said throwing rope to her. She caught it with just her index finger and hastefully pulled it to the rest of her fingers. She tied her pink like horse to Cogdale's. Now knowing her horse wasn't to meander off. 
She tested the rope another time just to make sure. Once she knew it was tight and secure she leaped onto Cogdale's horse. Sitting backwards in front of Cogdale face to face. He took the dagger out of her hand and smiled. 

"Oh! You want to cut my hair!" Leliana said surprised but was happy that he offered so she gladly accepted. He tried to mimic her movements with her hair that she'd done to cut it. "No, no like this, glide my hair between your ring finger, middle finger and index and slowly at an angle slide the dagger across your fingers, carefully though we don't want a missing finger now do we?" she tutored him through the process until he finally got the hang of cutting it.
His fingers flying through her hair felt amazing and watching him enjoy cutting her hair brought a true smile to her lips. Although it wasn't a romantic gesture, this could possibly be their last intimate moment together and she'd take anything. Being swept up by his hands she realized he'd been done with her hair for nearly a half an hour and was just playing with her hair. Both of them laughed and continued to as she climbed back over to her horse and untied it.

Not knowing what Cogdale had actually done to her hair she tried her best to look at it through a poor reflection on one of her blades. From what she could see past all the grime on the dagger he did a fairly good job, there were a few straggling strands but it wasn't anything crucial. They were nearing Denerim and would be there within an hour or less from the landmarks she had took note of over the trips on this road. The men were becoming agitated, some even passed out over being so scared.
"Leliana?" a voice behind her called out, it sounded familiar only distorted by the marching feet. She turned around to see Wynne on her horse. 

"Yes?" she smiled. Wynne shifted herself on her horse as she leaned forward to speak to Leliana. "Are you ready for this my friend?" Wynne asked unsure of what to think herself it seems. Leliana nodded her head and smiled. "Of course, I still believe we are doing what the Maker wants us to, he works through mysterious ways  but I know we're one of them."
Wynne smiled and leaned back on her horse. "So you truly still believe in the vision you had?" Leliana turned her head back to look at their path, such a rude question to ask. 

"I SEE DENERIM!" Eamon said as he sped up to see the city. "By Andraste!" he gasped. The city was up in flames. Leliana couldn't believe the state the city was in, walls were torn down, towers ablaze and smoke and smog covered the city. Blood ran through the streets and painted the walls that were left. Such a beautiful hallmark of Ferelden's perseverance and now it was no more. 
"Come on.... CHAAAARGE!" Cogdale shouted shoving his helmet back on his horse sprinting full speed toward the darkspawn that were slaughtering innocents outside the city. 

"FOR FERELDEN AND THE GREY WARDENS!" Alistair shouted as he to pushed his horse to the edge of lighting speed. The troops screamed at the top of their lungs as Leliana swiftly followed suit for the wardens, she didn't want to be trampled by the soldiers. Cogdale, Alistair, Riordan and Eamon were at full gallop as Leliana caught up with them. Up ahead darkspawn readied themselves for the clash, luckily no ogres were around to knock them off their horses. 

Everything fell silent as they slammed into the line of hurlocks and genlocks that tried to take on the horses' bulk. Leliana noticed a slab of a wall that would be perfect for archery. But it was to tall for her to full jump up to. She kicked her horse a few more times making it speed up towards the wall. She didn't like what had to be done to get up there but if it helped the battle she would do it. The horse finally reached the wall at full speed, Leliana yanked the reigns on her horse so it would intentionally start running up the wall the best it could. As the horse made up the wall she quickly jumped off her horse and stepped on its head so she may leap off it.
Her strategy worked as she gripped the edge of the wall and pulled herself up. Her horse wasn't so lucky, it had fallen onto its back and was quickly overwhelmed by shrieks. To avenge her, she quickly took out all of the shrieks that mauled her horse. Leliana then took her attention to the battle at the gates, the troops had finally reached the battle as well giving Cogdale and the others some what relief of the battle. But she still could see them clashing with the blight. She fired off arrows into the crowd of darkspawn, each arrow was accurate and took out their target. She did this for several more minutes, it seemed the darkspawn were about to lose the west gate to them. 

As Leliana reached for another arrow she heard a strange chatter to her left and took a moment to see what it was. A shriek lunged at her catching her off guard, cutting her shoulder in the process. She held back the pain on her arm but it disabled her left arm. But she wouldn't go down without a fight. Taking a dagger off her back and readied herself for the ugly monster. It screamed again and lunged for another attack. Leliana dodged again and jumped off of its back. The angered beast charged once again, saliva and blood spilling from its agape mouth.
Maneuvering on the wall was next to impossible as the path on it wasn't but only 4 feet wide so jumping left or right would not be an option, The shriek probably learned that she would have to jump over it again to successfully survive his attack. So jumping wasn't an option. Leliana sprinted toward the shriek and when she got within range of him slid on her knees and shoved her dagger through the giant darkspawn. It went limp letting out one last  blood curdling howl before dieing.

Unfortunately her blade broke inside the shriek so she'd have to leave it behind. The battle at the entrance was already won so she jumped off the wall and used her deceased horse as a cushion for her fall. She followed more redcliffe knights through the gates as the darkspawn seemed to have retreated but not without doing damage. Nearly 1/3 of the men were dead or too badly injured to fight. But before she even spotted another darkspawn a gust of wind shot through her. She had been hit by a healing spell by Wynne would rushed up to Leliana. 
"Wish I had the time to heal your arm Leliana but this spell will have to suffice for now." She said running off into the crowd of soldiers who were in need of healing. Leliana could move her arm again but it was extremely sore and felt like it was flattened and bruised. A loud whistle shot through the area so Leliana went to see what it was. Cogdale and the others were gathered. Riordan was talking to Cogdale on what seemed to be the plan they were to dish out. As she approached she finally could hear them. 

"You can only take a team of 4 with you, nothing more we need to be as silent as possible." Riordan informed the group. "Alright" sighed Cogdale as he took his helmet off. "I'm only taking Shale with me." Leliana and the rest of them were shocked. Shale was a bit perturbed but a few punches into her other hand readied herself. "What?" Alistair was absolutely taken back by this announcement. "But you need me to help." Cogdale only shook his head. "I was born for this Alistair, let me finish what I was meant to finish." Leliana eyes were wide she couldn't believe that he would go up there with only Shale to face the Archdemon. But it wasn't just her he was leaving behind it was everyone. 

"I think it is best for everyone to say their final goodbyes to me just in case I fail" Cogdale said with his arms wipe open. One by one, Alistair, Morrigan, Ohgren, Sten, Shale, Zevran, Wynne all said their goodbyes to him. Finally Leliana got the chance to say her farewell to her love. She grabbed his hands taking his full attention. 

"So this is it?... It's strange knowing all of our fates will be decided in a matter of hours..." Leliana took another deep breath. "I wish I could go with you...." she sighed, He stared deep into her eyes thousands of apologies riddled in his. "It's for the best.." she finally understood why he had chosen to go only with Shale. So that in the end they could all live happy lives, but what he didn't understand with Leliana was she couldn't live a happy life without him.

"I know, I respect your decision to keep me safe and I thank you, I just wish I could be there to watch over you, if nothing else." she continued "But whatever happens I....I" she struggled to hold back her tears. "I will always treasure the time we shared. No Darkspawn, No Archdemon, will ever take that away from me" 

"You are my Grey warden, and our savior, win this war for us my love and.... come home." her fight with her emotions failed as she began to cry. Her tears began to bring Cogdale his own. Violently gripping Cogdale, Leliana finally leaned in, his scent was so powerful everything swirled into one moment for her, from the looks of it the same for Cogdale as his eyes widened looking deep into her eyes. 
"If this is to be our last moment, In each other's eyes, give me a final goodbye." Leliana gritted. Cogdale pulled her in and kissed her as much as he could. Leaning her down and sweeping her off her feet, he was literally holding her off the ground. Their tears intertwined with one another finally ending up on both their lips and chins. Every second he held her closer, kissed her closer. She didn't care suffocating his kiss was breathing life into her.
She wrapped her arms around him and held him tight, nearly making him fall to the ground with her. The kiss brought her back to their first they had before. It made her want to forget everything from before and place this moment at the top of her life. 

High on the mountain tops, air breezing through my hair and Cogdale at my side we are a true love story, we are the constellation to be compared with Alindra and her love. Leliana thought. He quickly put her back on Earth as he released their lock and walked away only to wave goodbye. Leliana fell to her knees and cried. Her eyes creating pools of tears in the palms of her hands. Wynne and Morrigan came and lifted her back up and hugged her. Even though the thought of Morrigan hugging her was completely impossible, but the witch was. 
"There there child" Wynne said, "This will not be the last you will see him I promise bard." Morrigan followed. Leliana tried her best to wipe away the tears, tears of love, pain, sadness, bliss. For she would need none of them for what she would be doing soon.

Modifié par SPARTAN 089-Gary, 24 mars 2012 - 12:40 .

[Zeleen]

Hi... well written and brought tears to my eyes... can't wait to see what happens next... but I need to get to the first 12 chapters first!

[PickledGear]

Well well I'm still shooting it

Modifié par SPARTAN 089-Gary, 10 juillet 2010 - 01:41 .

[PickledGear]

Just a short chapter set the day after Leliana is recruited by the gang.





Dragon Age: A Bard's Love



The First Day





A flurry of pigeons rushed Cogdale from his sleep. The soreness from his wounds that he had received at Ostagar began to throb again. Taking the flask that he had on his trousers he doused the wounds in cold water. It helped but only for a short time. Not having the time to dress down to sleep, Cogdale had gone to sleep in his armor the night before. Which only aggravated his soreness.

As he finally lifted himself off his blankets his back popped.



Cogdale left his tent to find himself the first to awaken a bit of a surprise, he had always been a night owl and would stay up past midnight several times. The camp was damp and cold with a radiating warmth from the fire in the center. Fog surrounded them hiding them from anyone or anything and visa versa. The smell of dew on the grass that surrounded them eased the moment into some what of a splendor. A rustling from the tent parallel from his, gained his attention. It was Leliana the red head chantry girl that had joined them the day before. Still enchanting as ever to him.

"Hello" she said as she wiped off the dirt from her thighs. The same spell of silence blew through Cogdale once again. He was to afraid to talk to her so he continued to stretch in his armor. The sight made Leliana laugh.

"I'm sorry I have to ask this again" she giggled "But what is your name warden?" looking at him with interest. Cogdale gulped and took a deep breath. "My name is Cogdale" he whispered. He grabbed his sword that he had put outside his tent and reattached it to the back of his armor. He tried his best not to look at her, fearing if he did look at her, she could see right through him with her winter eyes. But she walked right up to him, cornering him to his tent.

"Cogdale? What is that? Fereldan? Orlesian? Or is it from the Anderfels?" she asked, her somewhat weak orlesian accent coating each word. She quirked her head to the left pressuring her question. "It doesn't sound orlesian, but names never cease to amaze me" she smiled. "No, my family was from Nevarra. But we've lived in Ferelden for four generations" Cogdale finally answered.



"Nevarra! Ooh I've been there several times myself, beautiful countryside and wonderful food!" Leliana sprouted with a smile. "Oops, I'm sorry Cogdale, thats just me going off on another wild tangent of mine." she apologized as she brushed her hair. Cogdale knelt by the fire to warm his hands and feet, the freezing cold wasn't welcoming to armor that was magically enchanted to always be cold itself.

"Also Cogdale, I would like to apologize for taking your words when we were in the tavern in Lothering." rubbing her neck embarrassed. "What?" Cogdale couldn't remember that moment, mostly because she had him smitten when she entered the heated conversation between him and the Loghain lackeys.

"Heh, I guess I'm left to explain myself then?" she cleared her throat, copying Cogdale's stance by the fire. "When you three entered the tavern I knew you were a grey warden, I guess it was apart of my vision." she continued "But when I came to approach your situation I forgot what I had to say when I looked at you... n..not that I'm saying I'm attracted to you!" she fixed herself. The correction brought a smirk to Cogdale.



"So when I did approach, I remembered what you had just said to the man and I guess I stole your words to get myself into the situation. And for that I'm sorry" she said shivering from the weather.

"Wait right here!" Cogdale suddenly said as he quickly ran back into tent. The moment was a force of habit, his father burned his ideologies into Cogdale's mind at an early age. "Women are gems, whether they be emeralds, rubies, jets, amethysts or just diamonds. You always treat them as such, no matter what." that was his father's definition of chivalry. He finally came back with a furcoat that Flemeth had given him.

"Here" Cogdale said as he wrapped the coat around her. "This will keep you warm, you need it, I don't." Leliana settled herself near the fire with a smile "Thank you Cogdale." she snuggled it closer to her face with a small squeak of comfort escaping her lips. Morrigan found her way to the fire from her tent as she held her hood on her head. "Well warden I see you're awake.. but where is the dimwit? Alistair?" she asked totally ignoring Leliana in the process.

"Alistair is still asleep Morrigan and I sugges...." Cogdale slowly stopped talking when Morrigan approached him slowly and her eyes low and mesmerizing. "Morrigan what?" Cogdale was disturbed that the witch was approaching him.

"You're in front of the dolt's tent" she said pushing Cogdale out of the way. "You've got a funny way of showing what you want Morrigan." Cogdale said as he walked back over to the fire. Morrigan batted Alistair's tent several times to try and rile him out of his slumber. A low grumble came from the tent as Alistair stood up, leaving a shape of a head on the tarp. Morrigan wacked it again "OW!" Alistair shouted as he fell to the ground with a thud. Cogdale and Leliana laughed at the moment. "Awaken you buffoon so we may continue on to Redcliffe thank you very much." Morrigan spat as she turned around and sat down by the fire next to Cogdale.



"Morrigan why are you always so....moooody?" Leliana questioned. Cogdale flinched from the questioned if only he had warned Leliana not to ask such a question to Morrigan. "Let me ask you this chantry bug." Morrigan sneered as she crossed her arms. "Why do you have these absurd visions of the maker when he doesn't exist? Are you insane or tis just how you were born?" Leliana frowned but didn't answer Morrigan's rhetorical question.

"Yeah, it's best not to question Morrigan at all, it seems she is always at that time of the month" Cogdale whispered to Leliana receiving a giggle for the advice. The fog was beginning to dissipate which was sign to start packing things up. With Bodahn Feddic's caravan it was easy to set things up for travel. Although it was highly uncomfortable sitting on the edges of the wagons. "Alright you rambunctious fighters, off we go now!" the dwarf shouted as the wagons pulled along side the camp site.



Already on the caravan was Sten, the qunari criminal that they had rescued from certain death in Lothering. The man was very quiet and foreboding to the entire party. Morrigan seemed to be extremely interested in the qunari however. Well.... that what Cogdale had seen from the woman anyways. Cogdale quickly grabbed everything in his tent and crushed into 1 big pile and threw it in the back of the 2nd wagon.

"Cogdale I think you dropped something..." Leliana notified the warden as she picked up a journal. A shiver of fear jammed Cogdale's spine, if she read the latest journal entry he had put, she would find him out. Cogdale quickly snatched the journal from her hands before she could open it up to read. "Yoink, something private... thank you" Cogdale said as he slid the journal in the back of his armor's cuirass waistline belt. That was one thing he would never let her read, Leliana was way out of his league. Being only the son of a vassal doesn't give him noble blood. This woman, this Leliana seemed as such to him. "Something with such beauty in a land like this has to be of noble blood.... doesn't it?" Cogdale whispered under his breath.



"Hurry up boy!" Bodahn shouted at Alistair, trying to eat a piece of bread and get the final piece of his armor on and running along side the caravan at the same time. "Horld urp!" he muffled tripping over a rock but keeping his balance. Morrigan chuckled at the sight of Alistair's embarrassment.

"Here Al, I'll help you" Cogdale said as he held his hand out for his fellow warden. Alistair gripped on and leaped onto the wagon to sit next to Cogdale. Leliana sat by herself on top of all the merchandise Bodahn had for trading in the 1st wagon. Her chantry robes still dirty from the fierce fight in the tavern and traveling on foot with them.



"So, what do you think we'll find at Redcliffe Alistair? I've never been" Cogdale asked.

[PickledGear]

Group photo- Will be growing as the story progresses, you see 9 characters now but it will grow into around 20.

Modifié par SPARTAN 089-Gary, 15 juillet 2010 - 12:05 .

[PickledGear]

Dragon Age: A Bard's Love

Chapter 14

Cogdale and Shale soon disappeared behind the gates leading towards Drakon. Leliana finally pulled herself off her knees. Both mages, Morrigan and Wynne still worried for her. It was still a shock that Morrigan showed signs of sympathy for her. It helped her though, to know her friends were at her side doing what they could to ease her anxiety and for that she thanked them. Dusting her knees off she approached Alistair who was issuing orders to several lieutenants. 
"Alistair!" she shouted, he flinched from being spooked. "Wha? What is it Leliana? I'm going to need you to help escort some of these troops to the market district." he said pointing at her. Shaking her head in response Leliana didn't want any part of fighting the darkspawn down on the streets, she didn't want to come off as narcissistic, but she was more important then leading a small regiment of city guard to kill a few ogres. She wanted to be with Cogdale, because that was what she was meant to do, Her vision had easily shown that to her, she was apart of the final battle not some pawn.

"Alistair! Don't you want to help Cogdale? What were you and him suppose to do? Why only you two?" she shot out questions so rapidly Alistair fell over from Leliana's advancing steps.  "Hold your horses girl!" he said as she helped him back up, shackling noises bounced off of his armor. Wearing over 70lbs of armor is pretty hard to lift back up as Leliana grunted from pulling him up.
"Tell me what you two had originally planned! I know you want to help him Alistair hes both our closest friend, but he is also my love" she took a deep breath "Tell me what Riordan told you the last night in Castle Redcliffe." Alistair only gave her a frightened stare. She had seen the same look on the men she interrogated when she was still a bard. 

"Fine" Alistair sighed finally loosening up his shoulders. "The reason why we grey wardens exist is to defeat the darkspawn yes?, To put it simply, if a normal man kills the archdemon the old god's soul will move to another darkspawn. But if a grey warden kills the archdemon, the archdemon enters the grey warden and both....die" Alistair hesitated saying the final word. Leliana shook her head in disbelief, if Cogdale was going alone, even if he succeeded in killing Urthemiel he would die. "No! No no no!" she repeated in disbelief. 
"Leliana..." Alistair reached out to calm her but she dodged his attempt. "Fine..." she said clenching her bow on her back. "I'll stop him from being the hero, the savior." Alistair gasped from what she was planning. "No! Leliana there is more!" but she wouldn't have any of it. "Fine... I'm coming with you" Alistair insisted as he signalled Sten to take over in his stead. 

"Thank you Alistair" Leliana smiled. "Alright lets follow them" he said taking his sword out. They went through the gate doors that Cogdale and Shale had exited from. They slipped by the rest of the group who were now setting off to separate parts of the city to take on darkspawn lieutenants who were causing havoc across the area. Leliana finally realized that the sky had changed, from the constant burning fires and the archdemon's presence. It wasn't just black clouds, the evening sky had stained red but at the same time she could see the night stars through the dark clouds. Something that couldn't even be conceived in the fade itself. The roar of war hummed constantly in the air, darkspawn screams, man's screams and the archdemon's roar of corruption flowed with it. The sound could put you in a daze if you weren't careful.
They reached a door to one of the 3 towers that would get to the top of Drakon. Even this secluded area of Denerim was covered in blood and littered with corpses. The staircase that would lead them to the top was spiraling up and up. Blood dripped down by streams making a very large puddle at the base of the stairs. Leliana completely ignored it, the blood ran through her hair as she ran up the stairs leaving Alistair in the dust. The staircase felt never ending as she reached what seemed to be the 1st floor of the fort.

She kicked down the door that waited for them on that floor. Inside was only the leftovers of a massacre. Darkspawn, servants and templars all lay dead inside this room which seemed to be a guard post's library. Books ruined by blood and fire scattered the floor as well. This wasn't the way up to the top, Cogdale and Shale didn't enter this way.
Alistair finally caught up, trying to catch his breath but Leliana quickly made her way up the stairs once again leaving him behind. Sections of the tower were agape where a boulder had skimmed by revealing Denerim to her eyes. Below the war continued, dwarves and men teaming up on darkspawn. Darkspawn outnumbering a group of Dalish elves. Establishments such as The Pearl collapsing from the raging fires that consumed them.

The tower wreaked of the smell of copper and burnt meat. Nothing Leliana wasn't used to by now. The past 2 years fighting the darkspawn and Loghain had in some ways conditioned her to it. But to others, such as Alistair, they couldn't take the smell. This set of stairs lasted twice as long as the first floor's. Alistair would be dead before reaching the top. The 2nd floor's door was shattered, inside this room appeared to have captured an ogre, the monster was stuck in a small door way and struggling with all its might to break free. Several men had tried to take the opportunity to put the beast out of its misery but the ogre's legs and arms were still free to crush and mash them to a bloody pulp. 
She knew better then to just approach the ogre and somehow slit its throat. Opening up one of the bags that was attached to her belt, She pulled out a flask of the deadliest poisons she took during their adventure. Trying to savor the moment before the ogre's inevitable death, Leliana slowly unquivered an arrow and dipped it into the flask. The arrow, plucked back with all of her might soared into the ogre's neck. The poison of the arrow making its mark on the ogre as a dark green bleed grew and grew through out the ogre's skin.

It thrashed and seized in its resting point, breaking wood frames collapsing brick and stone around it. Once the dust settled from the ogre's seizure Leliana found it buried by the stones. It had killed itself by causing the collapse. Some what disappointing that her poison didn't get to do its job. Again this floor wasn't the right path up to the top. Alistair still hadn't caught up with her, some help he was. She returned to the stairwell, she decided not to repeat stopping at every door this time. Spiraling and spiraling, up and up she continued. How could Cogdale and Shale manage taking this path?
Minutes went by as she climbed the stairs, the trip became arduous. Sweat dripped down her body as each step strained every muscle in her legs. How fereldens could design such monumental forts she could never understand. The bloody trail stopped however as the stairwell became plain and dull instead of being painted by blood and decorated by corpses.

A sign that the top must be close by. Suddenly Leliana was thrown from her feet as the Fort quaked beneath her feet. Something had happened, she wasn't to sure but it was definitely something to do with the archdemon. Worrying thoughts trickled out of her mind. "Could that have been Cogdale?" she asked herself getting back up. The stairs had did a number on her lower back. If it was one thing chainmail didn't protect against, it was stairs. The paranoia from worrying about what had caused the quake re-energized her as she began to sprint the stairs.

She rushed past 6 more full circles finally reaching what seemed to be the last door. It certainly looked the part, larger then the previous doors and decorated in silverite and steel designs. Behind the door sounds of combat and something enormous were present. She waited for a few more minutes to see if Alistair would catch up but he didn't show up. Taking one last deep breath she might as well enter the battle fighting. Leliana kicked the door several times, finally it busted down with a large thud. 
She finally had reached the top of Fort Drakon, the sight was out of her imaginations of the battle. Hundreds of soldiers whether they be dwarven, dalish or just humans rushed the dark silhouette of what seemed to be a corrupted looking high dragon. But bodies flew in the sky every second. The archdemon was killing men like it was crushing a bug.

But the moment of just watching the horror do its work was over with. Several hurlock grunts rushed Leliana as she stood in the doorway. Her last blade slashed out of the sheath it rested in. The first darkspawn to reach her was greeted by a roundhouse kick to the flimsy cuirass covering his chest. The hurlock grunted and crashed to the ground. The following assailant was jabbed through the neck, the blade, being blessed with a strange liquid before the march didn't become stained by the taint. The crimson blood only ran off the tip of the blade. With a yank, Leliana retrieved her blade from the hurlock's throat. She spun to chop yet another darkspawn right in the collarbone. The hurlock gasped for air, his voice drenched in blood. 
A genlock stealthfully tried to hide under her field of view and stab her in her knee. But she already knew the parasite was there and kneed it right in the jaw breaking a few of its teeth off. In a fluid motion she twisted around and skewered the genlock through the forehead. A final screech exited the genlock before the body went limp. Leliana raised the body with her blade and pulled down hard on the body splitting the skull in 2. She noticed there wasn't any darkspawn attacking her so she made her way towards the main fight. Switching her dagger for her bow she began to take out darkspawn who were attacking the men from behind, like she did at the western gate. 

There she saw Cogdale, he and Shale had the archdemon pinned down on the ground, Shale's weight kept the dragon's head on the ground as Cogdale mortally wounded the old god by slashing his throat and side. Shale was still doing her part, colliding her fists into the demon's rock hard skull as well. The archdemon's fire didn't bother Shale either, only brightened up the golem as if she were made out of crystal. 
Cogdale did some how notice her on top of the ballista, his sword fell to the ground as his eyes widened as an explosion of blue mist expelled from his helmet. As did she with her bow, she hadn't seen so much emotion in his eyes when she saw him. It was if that instant he knew, that she had discovered the grey warden secret. 
"LELIANA!" He shouted over the battle, a sudden silence befell the battlefield for her. Cogdale continued to stare at her, his eyes dangerously glowing out of control.
"COGDALE!!" she screamed as a crude blade made itself known through his chest. His body jerked from the sudden impact of the vanguard's blade. Blood spewed from the wound as if it were wine bottle was uncorked. Cogdale was stinted to the ground a pool of blood appearing under him. The vanguard chuckled as he planted his foot on Cogdale's back and twisted the blade to cause more pain. At that moment Shale was tossed off Fort Drakon by the archdemon. The blade was extracted out of Cogdale and raised to slam into him again. The vanguard roared as he took his sweet time for the moment. Leliana rushed through the fighting, ripping an acid flask from her belt in utter adrenaline she was there in seconds. Slapping the flask into the vanguard's face. The worst shriek reverberated from the vanguard clasping his face. The acid ate away at his helmet and skin, blood and acid mixed  dripped from his hands and melted through the stones of Drakon. 

The vanguard continued to howl in pain as it stumbled backwards. Leliana knelt down by Cogdale who was choking on his blood. She grabbed his helmet and tossed it off. Fear and pain emanated from his eyes.
"C...Cogdale! No!.. no!" she choked on her tears as she gently held his head up. An emotion of bliss, appeared on his face. A smile grew as blood ran from his mouth, his teeth stained red. "Don't you leave me again! Cogdale! Are you listening! Don't you leave me! I never left you, so promise me that you won't leave me!" she balled her tears raining on his face. The smile turned stern and angry look, he gently felt her face, the cold steel of the gauntlets caused her to twitch but she recovered.
"Don't *cough* cry Leliana" he whispered. "Let me.... be your hero.... for one... last....time" Suddenly he got up blood falling from his open chest wound. He gripped the vanguard's sword that was left behind, tightening his grip of the blade. 
"Cogdale please! No!" she pleaded to him but he limped his way after the archdemon. Urthemiel knew his time was up and let go of trying to survive and rested his head. Leliana stood up and began to weep uncontrollably. Whispering "no" as Cogdale plunged the massive blade into Urthemiel. A massive ray of light shot out of the archdemon and engulfed Cogdale. Everyone and everything stopped fighting, even the darkspawn. As they watched the blight end before their very own eyes.
A familiar figure appeared to the left of Leliana, it was Alistair. Right as he looked at Leliana, Urthemiel and Cogdale exploded as a massive shock wave knocked everyone over. When everyone came to the darkspawn had fled and the Denerim victory bell chimed victory. Everything fell silent as an eerie sense of relief and calm came over everyone. Something no one had felt in a very very long time. But not for Leliana, she felt broken.. destroyed along with Cogdale. Alistair helped her to her feet as a look of sympathy now appeared on him. 
"What do you know!" she shouted as she rushed over to Cogdale's body. It lay resting on Urthemiel's head more blood flowed from his chest. She slowly moved him over on to his back. To see his face. "Leliana" Alistair whispered behind her. She looked away and hugged him. Wynne and Zevran appeared and rushed to Alistair and Leliana. 

"Is he gone?" Wynne asked out of breath. Leliana nodded while still being held by Alistair. Wynne walked over and hugged Leliana as well. "It will be alright child" she hummed. Zevran only crossed his arms and looked unsure as he never truly knew Cogdale. "Come on, lets take his body." Alistair said. Alistair and Zevran walked over to the body. Alistair took the legs and Zevran his arms and then lifted him onto his back. 
"Don't look Leliana" Wynne said covering her eyes. Leliana quivered in sorrow falling to her knees once again. "Why has the Maker forsaken me?" she cried. Wynne didn't answer back and only rubbed her back. Leliana's love, what she had made her life.. was dead. What was the point of living, the point of following the Maker since he took her love? Cogdale made her, her. Now he was dead. The only person who made her feel wanted, loved, that she had a home. Was dead. What was the point of trying any more?

More men came running up and now carried Cogdale together, his blood dripping on them but it didn't bother them. "Come on, lets go we need to prepare Alistair's coronation and Cogdale's funeral." Wynne said getting up. Nothing could recover her from this, nothing at all. The feelings were just to painful and surreal for her to handle but there was no way for her to release the pain, yelling wouldn't fix it. Breaking something didn't work at all. This was true hell, when she could feel immense pain and do nothing at all about it, feeling helpless like those nights in the dungeons of Orlais. But worse since she was free but the person she wanted to share that freedom with had passed on. She didn't want the freedom anymore. Maker damn her.

Alistair returned and helped her up and guided her down the main hall stairs, the path that Shale and Cogdale followed. Every step she took felt... lifeless. As she entered the main hall of Drakon she noticed Morrigan far away in a corner.... smiling? Disgusting witch. Everyone she had met made their condolences to Leliana. Wynne, Alistair, Ohgren, Sten, and even Anora. 
"Let the warden's love say one final goodbye!" Alistair ordered, they laid Cogdale out on the red carpet as everyone back off all watching Leliana's farewell to him.

"Don't you know, I already said my final goodbyes to him" she whispered. Alistair walked up "What Leliana?" he asked. "I already said my goodbyes to him!" she shouted everyone gasped and took a step back. Her lip quivered as she knelt by Cogdale's body, his eyes closed, face peaceful, and his hands rested on the wound that ended him. Yet... his face was still flush. Morrigan appeared on the other side of the hall in the open path that everyone made. 
"My my, it seems the man you all should be giving your meaningless lives to is.... dead?" she said. Leliana frowned. "How dare you! HOW DARE YOU! Morrigan!" Leliana roared as she got up and aggressively approached Morrigan. The witch only moved Leliana aside with a gentle hand continuing towards Cogdale's body slowly. "Morrigan! Don't you lay a finger on his body!" Morrigan only looked back and smiled. 

Morrigan moved Cogdale's hands away from the gash in his chest and softly cupped her hands over it. A glowing light came from he palm as the entire room lit up violet. Leliana's eyes widened, what was Morrigan doing? Re....reviving him. 
"There don't tell me I never gave you anything Bard!" Morrigan said finally disappearing into the crowd of people. Leliana was to scared to move she only watched Cogdale's body. For several agonizing seconds nothing happened. Until his fingers moved. Leliana gasped. First it was his fingers, then his hands, arms, legs he soon sat up. Everyone was in shock. 

"C...C....Cog" Leliana couldn't speak but her smile said everything. "Leliana?" Cogdale said drained. Alistair once again was there to help him up. "Leliana?" Cogdale said again looking at her from afar. "Cogdale" Leliana said again beginning to walk towards him. "Is that really you?" she asked her walk now a full sprint towards him. She leaped into his arms as he spun her around kissing her.
"I'll never leave you Leliana, I'm right here and I'll always be... right here" he said lifting her off her feet. Everyone began to clap and applaud. That feeling of being on top of mountains came back to her once again. 
"Lets get out of here" Cogdale whispered in her right ear.

"Alright, so Cogdale... wow this may come off too soon" Alistair said breathing in a huge gulf of air. "But my coronation as king of Ferelden is in a week it seems... will you be staying?" he asked. Cogdale looked at Leliana. "I'm sorry Al, but I think Lily and I will be leaving soon." Cogdale said pulling Leliana close to him.
"No, no its alright... is there anything you wish for me to do once I am king?" Alistair asked. Cogdale shook his head. "No I have all I want here" staring at Leliana with a soft smile. "Non sense the least I could do is have your armor repaired my friend." Cogdale shrugged and nodded to the offer. 

Cogdale still couldn't really walk but Leliana and him did their best to walk down the hall. The past couple years had been an emotional ride. But the past couple hours were the worst for her. Watching her loved one leave her, watching her loved one being killed and the only good moment in all of this was to watch him miraculously come back to life. It is a story worthy of having a song written for it that was sure. 
"Cogdale? Did you see anything?" Leliana asked leaning forward to see his face. "Yea I did see something Lily." He said looking at her. "I saw that dream again, but this time it was clear as day.... I saw you Leliana, in a wedding gown, standing in front of me looking absolutely deadly gorgeous and you said, Don't ever leave me."

Modifié par SPARTAN 089-Gary, 24 mars 2012 - 12:51 .

[PickledGear]

   

Dragon Age: A Bard's Love

Chapter HE1

"Are you sure?" The golden armored man asked. "I'm sure, it's what I always wanted" Cogdale said  "Then by all means let me thank you personally and for all of Ferelden. For ending the Blight" extending his hand. Cogdale shook Alistair's hand. "May we meet again some day my king" Cogdale bowed.  Alistair bowed in response and smiled. A random man appeared behind Alistair and clipped an extravagant cape, golden and crimson to his armor. 
"My king, we must now continue to your people" the man said as he clipped the cape on. "Ugh, do I really have to?" Alistair moaned testing the cape's flexibility. "Yes sir" the servant sighed taking Alistair by his armor's pauldron. The two walked off as Cogdale continued to take in the scenery of the calm fall evening, The city was a wreck but the tension of the blight had been lifted. Everyone felt at ease.

"Well well, we finally have time to ourselves, don't we?" a pair of soft arms bruised and scratched wrapped themselves around Cogdale's shoulders. Cogdale smiled, the squeeze from her arms was impressive but nothing that would be a problem to him, although his wound was still sore when she touched it with her fingers. He twisted around to face her, her face glowing like the first time he saw her. He noticed she had the signet necklace on again and lifted it to his view. A little smile appeared on his face as he went through the past 2 years. Then realizing life would become "normal" again. If he called his life ever being normal.
If he was to get back on track with his life, then the first stop was Highever. He was meant to become a vassal to the Couslands but that same day his life changed forever, not in the way he expected it.

"That we do" he grinned. It felt good to be out of the armor for once, to wear the soft noble clothing that he had worn most of his life. Leliana was wearing a dress that Alistair had the wardrobe make for her. A blend of several different reds and golds in the dress. It went well with her personality, and it was easy to move around in for her. From what Cogdale could tell she enjoyed it, with her high sense of orlesian fashion that impressed him very much.
Although the archdemon had just been killed 3 days ago, it was best him and Leliana leaved their old life behind and begin a new. But not without finishing the things they were originally doing.

"So we are heading back to Castle Cousland?" Leliana asked putting her face in his chest and breathing in deep. Very odd maneuver from her but anything with Leliana was heaven. He shook his head. "Not exactly, we're meeting the new Teyrna in Highever." He continued "It seems she never took a liking to political affairs but now with all of her family gone, she is now the rightful heir." Leliana quirked her head, her bangs slumping to the side over her eyes.
"So why aren't you meeting her up at the castle then?" she asked blowing her bangs out of her face. Cogdale shrugged "I guess she spent most of her life down in the town, having fun and causing mischief. I never really took the liberty of knowing who I was swearing vassalage to, I was just doing it to please my father." He said fixing the only pauldron of his armor he decided to keep on. 

"Well my friends are we going or are we going?" Bodahn said waving at them to jump on the caravan. "I guess somethings won't change?" Cogdale joked. Leliana shook her head with a smile. 
"I suggest you two young ones put something warm on, Highever at this time of the year is very cold" He said throwing a pair of dwarven blankets at them. Cogdale laughed Highever, being high up in the mountains was always unusually cold. But the people of Highever are just used to it.
"Good idea" Leliana said already shivering from thinking about the freezing winds. 

The trip was very eerie to both of them, without the rest of the group riding along it seemed so empty. The constant hypnotizing quakes of Shale's footsteps behind the caravan, Zevran playing his own lute every once and a while, Alistair's constant talking with Ohgren or Wynne. Cogdale missed the constant noise. Now with that gone, a strange sound of the oxen's hooves against the cobbled road was the only thing, that and Leliana's breathing as she soon fell asleep in his lap. 
"Enchantment?" Sandal looked at Cogdale. Cogdale gave Sandal a smile "Yes she is enchanting isn't she?" Sandal nodded "Enchantment!" Bodahn grabbed Sandal before the young dwarf could climb over some of his merchandise to Cogdale and Leliana. "Lets leave those two be shall we my boy?" 

The landscape, the atmosphere had healed, the once destroyed, lifeless, cracked ground and trees were back to being lush, seeing as it was fall the leaves were an array of oranges, reds and yellows making hills and mountains seem like they were joyously celebrating the end of the blight. As was everyone else, but the trees decided to not become drunk. Life was back as well, rabbits, halla, wolves, birds all returned to their homes. As was Cogdale, for the time being.

The trip to Highever was as long as he remembered it as a child, After 4 hours of riding up and up and up, the oxen needed a break and everyone needed to reawaken their legs. Cogdale shook Leliana out of her sleep. "Are we there yet?" she asked with a yawn. "No, sorry but Bodahn's oxen need some rest, and we could use the exercise." He said helping her off the wagon. "I believe my two boys here will be back to strength in a good thirty minutes, you can walk around but don't go wondering off" Bodahn said as he jumped off to fetch some branches and other plants for the two bovines to eat.
"Alright lets explore a little then" Cogdale said rubbing his hands together in eagerness. Leliana jumped up and down to recharge her legs. "Sure where should we go?" she asked. Cogdale pondered his surroundings for a while, scratching his ever growing facial hair. He noticed a certain formation of land that could lead to a river so he pointed over to it. "Lets see if theres a river some where around here." His stride was still in a limp, but much faster then what it was when he was revived by Morrigan. Leliana ran ahead of him to see if his prediction was right.
"YEP!" Leliana shouted over the bushes. Cogdale quickened his pace to find Leliana washing her face in a small creek of water. "Wow that woke me up" she said with her face refreshed. Cogdale did the same. The cold water jolted him out of his drained sleepiness. Cogdale noticed Leliana's mascara was washed off her face. He was about to say something but he liked seeing her without that mask on. 
She pulled up her dress and took off her shoes and jumped into the creek. "GAH! Cold cold cold!" she laughed splashing around. "Come join me" she said kicking water at him. Cogdale jumped in boots and all and started splashing her. Both began laughing and splashing each other until both were drenched. "Haha, haven't had this much fun since Orlais" Leliana said as she got back on the embankment and put her shoes back on. "Already forfeiting I see" Cogdale poked her "Thats not the Leliana I know" he added on to it. She gave him a very mean smile and slowly walked towards him. He began to walk backwards away from her, playing this new game. A rock in the creek caught his heel and before he knew it he was on his back in the stream. Leliana was still approaching him with that same smile on her. 
"L..Leliana don't do it!" Cogdale tried reasoning with her, but she had a goal and she was going to see it through. "N..n..no!" he shouted as she pounced on him, making a big splash, raining water everywhere around them. "Not the Leliana you know huh?" she shoved at him. The cold water constantly flowed through their clothing but they became accustomed to it now. 
"Okay, okay you win! You're still the woman I fell in love with." she quickly pounced again but this time with her lips onto his. This moment felt like it could go on forever but it was short lived with the yelling of Bodahn back at the caravan. 

"Think we should check out whats going on" Leliana said as she got up, pulling him up at the same time. Cogdale ran back to the caravan to see Bodahn and Sandal keeping a young elf at the tip of their blades. "We caught this little no gooder stealing some of your stuff" Bodahn said returning his gaze back to the elf. 
The elf was definitely young, but was wearing torn and dirty noble clothing. That seemed rather odd to Cogdale. "Whats your name?" Cogdale asked still dripping all over. "My name is Garrden" he said looking at the tip of the sword with worry. "Alright Bodahn I don't think he'll be trying to steal from us any time soon." Cogdale said putting his hand on the blade lowering it.
Garrden scrambled to his feet and tried wiping off the dirt that had collected on his clothing, little good it did seeing as his clothing was already torn apart. "What are you doing out here?" Leliana asked the elf. Garrden frantically looked for a way to escape but he was backed up into a corner so he quit the facade and lowered his arms.
"I was heading to somewhere away from Denerim, I lost my supplies and.... stealing was my only option." he said twiddling his thumbs. "Aww you poor boy, why are you running away?" Leliana asked as she tried to dry off. The elf didn't talk only crossed his arms and repetitively looked at all 4 of his captors. "Well if you kept on heading southwest you would've hit nothing but cold, dark and wet mountains." Cogdale said as he grabbed Garrden by the shoulder. "So let me help you" Garrden frowned and looked at Cogdale. "Help me? Why? I just tried stealing from  you, shouldn't you.... I don't know punish me? Cut my fingers off?" 

"Makers breath! No! Seeing as you have no where to go, and we just so happened to be heading somewhere ourselves why don't we take you Highever and drop you off there?" Cogdale offered with his hand out for a shake. "What!? You've got to be fooling around!" Bodahn yelled. "Enchantment!" Sandal followed.
"No it's the least we can do for him" Leliana asserted. "Uhhh... sure I guess" Garrden shrugged.  Cogdale grabbed the elf and lifted him up onto the caravan but made sure he was stuck by tying down his feet to several heavy pieces of luggage the 2nd wagon had onboard. "Hey!" Garrden shrieked. "To make sure you don't snag anything and try jumping off." Cogdale said patting the knot he put on the rope.
"So are your oxen ready to go?" Leliana asked. Sandal nodded with that dim smile of his. Cogdale leaped onto the 1st wagon and helped Leliana up onto it next to him. "At the rate we're going, we should be in Highever in 2 days." Cogdale said taking off all of his drenched clothing. Leliana followed and quickly put on the only dry clothing she had, her armor still stained by darkspawn blood and Cogdale's. 
Cogdale just put on a pair of leather pants that he had snagged off a vendor in Denerim a year ago. "I like you topless" Leliana said twirling her finger on his chest while she hummed a song.

Modifié par SPARTAN 089-Gary, 24 mars 2012 - 12:55 .

[flexxdk]

Seeing how great and amazing this story is, I think I'm going to... discontinue... the story I was writing...

No one needs a story of which both the core and the backbone are basically the same as this one, except with some different events and happenings or slightly edited scenes...
Unless I'm convinced otherwise, but... what's the point... Sigh...

Keep up the good work. I'm looking forward to the other chapters.

Modifié par Whacka, 27 septembre 2010 - 07:48 .

[PickledGear]

No no! please continue writing yours! Leliana needs all the attention! I'd hate to know that I caused another fan fiction to end. Especially one with a better name then mine haha.

[flexxdk]

SPARTAN 089-Gary wrote...

No no! please continue writing yours! Leliana needs all the attention! I'd hate to know that I caused another fan fiction to end. Especially one with a better name then mine haha.

Well, I guess you're right...

Though many of the things in my fanfic have a lot in common with yours. Except my protagonist gets hit by a lot of arrows...

...

I'll think about it... Leliana does need all the attention.

But first, I gotta mop up my inspiration. It's all on the friggin' floor!

[PickledGear]

The only part your story will have in common with mine is the origins saga which is what I just finished, the rest of the story will be free and open, with some my own twists and characters in it. New villains, new conflicts, even includes Hawke.

[flexxdk]

SPARTAN 089-Gary wrote...
...even includes Hawke.

Seems we are on the same wavelength here... 

You probably are right. But there are still those things that the stories do have in common. For example, I had already written a part of Leliana and my protagonist Alarc after he has been hit by a arrow for the first time. We all know how persistent Leliana is and how worried she can get.
But I'm going to have to cut out the part in which Leliana goes to my protagonist's tent (AFTER bumping into Zevran) in the middle of the night. Though there are some differences in this part...

Besides, I cannot explain and describe the situations as you do.
For example, in your newest chapter you describe in a perfect manner how Cogdale experiences Leliana's hug. I only say "Leliana hugs / embraces protagonist's name." And that's it. 
No, my English isn't good enough. I cannot find the words needed to describe such situations like you do.

I haven't read the entire story yet, but from what I have seen I would guess that your protagonist Cogdale and Leliana are marrying each other.

Modifié par Whacka, 28 septembre 2010 - 11:08 .

[PickledGear]

Not now no, In the future of the story yes, could be 3 years could be 5. Its when Cogdale gets the courage to ask her. Seeing as he fears she'll never say yes even if she loves him because of her previous life as a bard.

[flexxdk]

Darned Google Chrome is doing it wrong on BioWare's Social Network! <_<

SPARTAN 089-Gary wrote...

Not now no, In the future of the story yes, could be 3 years could be 5. Its when Cogdale gets the courage to ask her. Seeing as he fears she'll never say yes even if she loves him because of her previous life as a bard.

Huh. Really? I never thought Cogdale would fear that...

Mine had little choice, considering he impregnated Leliana. Though I'm probably going to move that to a later stage. It's a little bit too soon. There's still Marjolaine. Though it would make up for a nice story... Marjolaine kidnapping their son...

...

Now there's an idea!

Besides, my Warden isn't going to be a real Warden anymore.
If mabari's that have bitten darkspawn can be cured, it would only make sense that anyone can be cured from the taint.

And perhaps... I will continue, but.... I still have my doubts. I'll have to think on it some more, considering I don't have much time.

Modifié par Whacka, 28 septembre 2010 - 12:49 .

[PickledGear]

Ah, Cogdale and Leliana are trying to find a way to cure the taint from Cogdale since they know what will happen. But that saga will villainize the grey wardens And thats giving up too much already. Marjolaine is also still alive for my story too, she is creating her own gang of new bards to engage the group in Orlais.

[flexxdk]

SPARTAN 089-Gary wrote...

Ah, Cogdale and Leliana are trying to find a way to cure the taint from Cogdale since they know what will happen. But that saga will villainize the grey wardens.

...Same wavelength here...

Marjolaine is also still alive for my story too, she is creating her own gang of new bards to engage the group in Orlais.

...Another same wavelength here...


I told you so, our stories aren't that much different from each other... <_<

Modifié par Whacka, 29 septembre 2010 - 06:48 .

[PickledGear]

Yeah not going to spoil anything from my stories, but I plan to have over 50 different sagas and stories of their life together, going from the beginning at Lothering to the end when they're 60-70 years old. But the story will continue even after they're long gone.

[flexxdk]

I don't know when and where mine will end. It is all a bit unclear, even for me. But one thing's for sure: no Calling!

I already have created a chapter of when they arrive in Lothering. Had to play a bit with the dialogue's... But then, after having finished the tavern brawl, I decided to jump forwards. To a moment where they already had helped Orzammar, helped the Circle and had found the Ashes.

So far, I only have these important moments (like their first kiss, their first night together, Urthemiel's death, etc.) and some stuff inbetween.
I don't have much inspiration at the moment, so it is all coming together very slow...

...Bah. Who am I joking? Me, myself or I? This story of mine is practically the same as yours. The only thing unique in mine is that they have a son. And I think that that's gonna change anytime soon, too.

Modifié par Whacka, 29 septembre 2010 - 07:27 .

[Viva la France]

cool story, like the drama

[PickledGear]

Dragon Age: A Bard's Love

Chapter HE2

Cogdale woke up to his neck popping, Jolting him out of his grogginess. Leliana was still asleep with her head hanging back, her hair dangling as it brushed her shoulders, it looked rather uncomfortable. Trying very carefully not to wake her, Cogdale slowly moved her to his lap. Only a groan and a nose itch was the reaction to it. 
It was dawn, the dew on the plants was freshly placed and the cold air froze his nose. He soon found himself chattering his teeth from the cold, The blanket that was kept dry from the rain was comforting Leliana, and he wouldn't want to disturb her sleep, so he settled to be cold for the time being.
"Awake I see" Garrden said toying with one of the many items that he was laying upon. Cogdale painfully turned his head, he must've pulled a muscle in his neck when he awoke, he could barely move his head. "Yeah" Cogdale said with an urk to his voice. 
"So... I don't mean to get personal but how long have you two been married?" the young elf said with a smirk to his teeth. Cogdale laughed quietly "Hehe we're not married Garrden." Garrden sat up from hearing this. "Really? Does that mean I could have a poke at her?" he said scratching the back of his head.
"WHAT?! No!" Cogdale shouted, he clasped his mouth realizing he had just shouted. Leliana awoke from the noise. She stretched her arms out, her left touching Cogdale's face. "Hello" she said smugfully. Cogdale looked down to a smiling red headed orlesian woman. "Good morning" Cogdale said returning the smile. She continued to brush her hand across Cogdale's face to see if she wasn't dreaming.
"I had a pleasant sleep.... how bout you?" She asked finally pushing herself up. Cogdale rubbed his neck and sighed. "Not so much, I believe I have a kink in my neck." Without hesitation Leliana grabbed onto Cogdale's shoulders with the best of her ability and began to rub. "There is that better?" her tense grip and soft hands eased Cogdale out of the pain. "Oh wow... now that is amazing." Cogdale said nearly falling asleep from it.

"Never know when my expertise in massage may come in handy." she giggled. "So... may I ask why you two aren't married?" Garrden intruded. Leliana's eyes widen as she turned to look at him. " I don't know...." she said looking up to the grey and white sky pondering such a question. "Ummm... ummmm...." Cogdale struggled to answer the question. He couldn't say the truth. "Because I haven't got the right ring for her!" he grinned with his eyes still a worry. 

"Really!?" Leliana gasped. Cogdale looked into her eyes, excited with hope and happiness growing every second. Cogdale nodded the grin still on his face. "Oooh! I can't wait!" Leliana said squeezing Cogdale tight with a hug, nearly making both of them fall off the wagon. Cogdale stared at Garrden with angry eyes. Garrden's face transformed into a terrified elf's face. "Well.... where are we anyways?" Leliana said releasing her hug. 
"Enchantment" Sandal said with a bored look across his brow. "What the boy means is that we're on the final stretch of the path to Highever." Bodahn sighed. The dwarf was right, Cogdale recognized this path. This was the same path that he and Duncan traveled down to Ostagar. 

"We can stay awake for the remainder of the ride then" Cogdale shifted his butt on the wagon. He reached for his shirt which smelled like fish from the river the day before. He slid it back on, the feel of it was welcome, relieving some of the cold off of his body. But it didn't stop his shakes. "Cogdale are you cold?" Leliana asked concern. "A little an entire night of going shirtless in the mountains does that to you." He joked. She wrapped her blanket around him and cuddled the best she could. "mmmmm.... there thats better." The heat from her body brought feeling back to his chest.
"By the maker Leliana, you make everything better." He said returning the cuddle back to her. She shivered from his cold body. "Wow you were cold!" she shouted. "So Garrden my boy" Bodahn said trying to not become bored. "Why were you, playing around in the mountains?" the question only got a sigh from the elf. "Fine don't talk, I was only trying to converse with you." 

Several men on horse rode by the caravan wearing armor of the Couslands' guards'. Only more proof that life was beginning to turn to normal once more. Cogdale nodded to the men, who returned the gesture. Their horses all black, something that the Couslands imposed on their forces. Believing that black steeds would strike fear into the enemies. Some good that did against the darkspawn. Cogdale remembered the days of having fun in the stalls with some of the horses. Black as the night they were, even their eyes were pure black, he could never tell where the horses were looking when he stared at them.
Soon it became common to see a rider or two on the road, they were reaching Highever very soon. It was an eerie feeling returning to the scene where his family was murdered. The memory of them was pain. Getting closer to where their souls linger only worsened it. He didn't show it to any of them. They needed some relaxation for the next couple days as he finally could swear vassalage to the remaining Cousland.

"Cogdale?" Leliana looked at him with a worried look on her face all of a sudden. Could she tell what he was thinking? Did she know him that well now, that she could basically read his thoughts. Or was he thinking out loud? 
"Hmm?" he responded. She leaned her face closer to him and stared at him for a few seconds before continuing. "I just want to know.... Where... would we get married?" Cogdale sighed in his thoughts. "Well... where ever you want to dear." He said trying dodge the question she threw at him. She quirked her brow at the answer. "Thats why I'm asking you, I don't know where I would want to marry." she said with a crooked lip. 
"Oh..." Cogdale struggled to get his hand out of the blanket to scratch his facial hair. "Well... truthfully... I would love to have the ceremony in Orlais." he said scared to see her reaction his answer. She had a surprised look but it quickly turned into a smile. "I now know where I would want to get married." She quickly said as she returned her head to his chest. He swallowed the reality of the future. Leliana.... Caenolyn? Did that sound.... Right? He didn't know, He was still young in his own mind. Getting married already? The thought of the ceremony made his stomach sink. The memory of his dreams of the ceremony he had back when their relationship started came back. He remembered how ridiculous everyone looked, but how beautiful she was when she entered the hall. 
He was at war with himself, the old Cogdale would back down, and back down quickly. The old him would try to make an excuse on why he couldn't wed her. The new him, would fight every remaining darkspawn to be with her forever. He had thought the idea of marrying her would be one sided, that yes he would take her as his wife. But now that the actual subject had been brought up.... The struggle begins.
He couldn't understand why either. It ate him for the remainder of the ride into Highever. 

"We are here" Bodahn said  Highever was still the same as he and Duncan left it. Some areas of the city were still some what rocked from Howe's men. But other areas were repaired or even better then before. The caravan rode up to a tavern named "The Cold Drip" Bodahn jumped off. "The note said she will be waiting for us in this dive." Bodahn said. "Sandal my boy, will you please anchor down our supply?" he said patting Sandal on the chest.
"Enchantment!" Sandal smiled and grabbed the reigns of the caravan, riding off. "I think I'd enjoy a good pint." Bodahn said wiping his hands. Cogdale and Leliana looked at each other and laughed, such a strange get up on meeting a Teyrna. Bodahn had untied the elf Garrden while he stretched before giving the wagons to Sandal. 
"Well heres where I get off" he said trying to stretch his tattered clothing to hide his arms. He walked inside the tavern. Such a young elf entering a human tavern was a very brave move. Especially in Highever, being most people of the city were very prejudice against elves. 
"We've got a lot to do" Cogdale said shrugging. Leliana nodded with a smile to her. 

They entered the tavern, it was much much bigger then the tavern that was in Lothering. A good 200 people could be inhabit the tavern the moment they walked in. A group of women were entertaining the men with music and dancing. The tune was something Cogdale had heard before from some bands that traveled to the Caenolyn fief. It was very cheery and up beat. Leliana couldn't help but prance to it as they searched for the Teyrna. Many men were ogling Leliana, Cogdale shined his blade into the men's eyes, telling them to back off. Most were sober enough to understand, others not so much.
A loud whistle came from a table far in the center of the tavern. Cogdale spotted a slender arm waving to them. "Over there." he pointed out the table to Leliana. The trip to the table seemed longer then the maze they had just gotten through near the entrance. They reached the table, there a woman with long dark brown hair and green eyes greeted them, she was the only attendee who was wearing something that looked formal. 
"Greetings Teyrna" Cogdale bowed, Leliana taking notice curtsied. "And you must be Cogdale?" the Teyrna asked. He nodded. "Then it's a pleasure Sir Caenolyn, you may call me Elle." she said gesturing for them to sit down.
"Elle Cousland?" Leliana asked trying to see if she got the name right. Elle nodded. She continued to look at Leliana. "Are you orlesian?" the Teyrna asked her. "I am some what yes" Leliana smiled "My name is Leliana, I used to be a lay sister in the chantry of Lothering." 
"Used to be?" the Teyrna asked confused. "The Maker told me to join Cogdale in defeating the darkspawn." Leliana answered fiddling with her fingers, she never did well around people of nobility. "Right, a sign." Elle chuckled. 
Why the Teyrna would insult Leliana like that, Cogdale could only guess Elle also was a orlesian paranoid like Loghain was. For a while there was silence between them as they watched the band finish their cheery song. Once the band left the stage Elle turned her gaze to Cogdale. "Heres a good place as any, right?" Cogdale didn't understand. Elle leaped up onto the stage as some men whistled thinking the Teyrna was a dancer. 
"Fellow men and women of Highever, I thank you for living your lives even after the treachery of the Howes" she was interrupted by a bundle of boos and some mugs being thrown at the very name of Howe. "Now, now, a new sign that the times are getting better, I shall receive my first vassal" she announced, her hands up in the air trying to make her voice emanate through out the tavern.

"Cogdale of the Caenolyns, please stand up here with me and declare your vassalage to the Couslands." She boldly announced, her hand out for him to grasp. Cogdale's throat plunged.... he would do this... in a rundown pub? This Teyrna must be loony. He looked at Leliana who was shocked as well. "Well I guess I should go up then?" Leliana only nodded the same look staining her face. 
Slowly Cogdale walked onto the stage as the tavern fell silent. With the light now showing her, Cogdale could fully see Elle. She was a very beautiful woman, Her tanned skin from staying outside most of her life, dark brown hair making her green eyes jump out at you. Her hair reached half way down her back. Although attractive, Cogdale smiled consciously knowing no one would ever match Leliana's beauty.
Kneeling Cogdale began to recite the words his father made him say over and over again.
"I Cogdale of the Caenolyn line swear my fealty and vassalage to you Teyrna Elle Cousland and the entire Cousland family, I shall serve you in anyway the Couslands require me. I shall never betray you, in any act of betrayal will be punishable by death and shame to my family's name." Cogdale took a breath " My sword is your sword, My quiver is your quiver my word is your word, by my sword I swear my vassalage to you."

Modifié par SPARTAN 089-Gary, 24 mars 2012 - 01:03 .

[PickledGear]

new image of Leliana

Modifié par SPARTAN 089-Gary, 26 octobre 2010 - 10:12 .

[PickledGear]

Restarting Admitting Love for you all. In Death Sacrifice will be finished. But at a slow pace.

Modifié par SPARTAN 089-Gary, 17 novembre 2010 - 09:06 .

[PickledGear]

Page 2

Modifié par SPARTAN 089-Gary, 22 novembre 2010 - 09:24 .

[PickledGear]

Dragon Age: A Bard's Love

Chapter HE3

The crowds clapped after a long moment of silence once the oath was finished. But half of the witnesses were so inebriated that most probably didn't even know what happened. The tavern was soon a place of chatter. Cogdale could barely hear what Elle was trying to say to him. Only understanding her gesture of leaving the tavern. The moment was anti-climactic. The past few years his father made it seem as though when a vassal is declared, it is of the noblest honor and pride. 
Cogdale only felt filth and humid from the tavern. All that talk of becoming a great knight or vassal or hero or whatever his father shoved into his mind was false. Cogdale's stomach became upset. As they made their way through the tables back to the entrance Cogdale had an odd feeling Leliana wasn't near him. He turned his eyes behind to see Leliana was being held captive and harassed by a few of the drunken men. 
Cogdale broke his path he was following from Cousland to free his love. "Wwhere do you thiink you're goin little tramp?" the bulbous man slurred. Leliana tugged her arm from his grasp and spat in his face. 
"Touch me again and I'll have your jewelry cut from your loins!" she shouted. The grotesque man stood and grabbed her arm again. Leliana shouted in pain from the force he put on her arm. Cogdale rushed to the table and slammed his gauntlet into the man's sweaty face. The sound of teeth grinding and cracking echoed up his arm. The weight of the man slamming into the table caused the wood to splinter and crack. The tavern once again fell silent.
"Don't lay your pathetic hands on her you scum!" Cogdale spat. The drunk struggled to get back up but when he did he lunged at Cogdale, tackling him into another table. The man's friends had come to aid him as they began to wail on Cogdale. Their bare fists slamming into the impervious armor. The skinniest of the 3 had snapped his fingers trying to slap the cuirass. He began to scream in agony holding his hand looking at the mangled appendages.
Leliana threw her leg at the closest to her, only for him to duck. Her foot hitting a observer in the chest. Before they knew it the entire tavern was in a large brawl. The fat drunk was still on top of Cogdale but pathetically wasn't hurting him at all. He was shouting unintelligible words as his chunky arms bounced off The Maker's Eye symbol on the front of Cogdale's armor.

But his immense weight was impossible for Cogdale to lift. Not even an Ogre's weight compared to this. "Ya thnk that pretty thing is yours ya genlock!" the man cursed. "I saw those fine legs way bfore you did!" The slob exclaimed. Cogdale kept his arms up trying to keep his face from being hurt. The smell of his breath alone was stained with alcohol and yeast. Making Cogdale's ill stomach nauseous. Out of the corner of his eye Cogdale could see Elle standing at the entrance just watching. A smirk painting her face. It made Cogdale think that he'd pledged to a horrible person. Someone who would bring Highever into something worse then Howe had planned. The drunk took a moment to breath. Cogdale stole that moment and thrusted his fist into the drunk's jaw. Knocking the man out cold, he shoved the limp body off of him and grabbed Leliana from her fight. Elle opened the door and waved them through. The cold air of the mountains swept them off their feet as they slipped on the ice and snow that lay beneath their feet. 
"You two are quite a pair." Elle laughed as she walked around them as they struggled to stand up. "So you've done your little vassalage thing. You can leave whenever." She ended walking up to her Cousland guards waiting for her with her horse. The horse huffed as she saddled on. "Buuuut the road out has been buried by an avalanche. You'll be stuck in Highever for a while." She kept the horse warmed up by having it trot in place. "There is an inn not too far down this road." She pointed down the road to their right. "But if you wish you're invited to stay up in the renovated Castle." She said riding off with the guards.
"That woman is odd in every manner of speaking" Leliana coughed as she pulled Cogdale onto his feet. Cogdale took a few seconds to balance and brush off his armor. "No kidding." Cogdale agreed as he wiped his lip of blood. "You were hurt?" Leliana said pushing his chin up to see. "Yes, but it's only a scratch nothing life endangering I promise." 

Highever was alive with people walking the streets. Most were covered head to toe in blankets and carpets from their own little households. Taking a deep breath of fresh, cold mountain air he finally grasped the fact he was basically back home. "You want to see the city?" he asked Leliana smiling. Leliana didn't answer as she stared at Cogdale. "What? What did I do?" Cogdale stumbled over his words in fear. Did she some how read his cold feet of the fib he told Garrden of marrying her? 
"You're attracted to her." Leliana said her orlesian accent extremely prevalent. "What!? I 'am not Leliana! What gave the you that misconception?" he asked bewildered. "When you were up there looking at her, you were giving her the same look you gave me when we first met in Lothering."  She said crossing her arms. If he had been giving the Teyrna the look it was by accident. "I wasn't Leliana! I was just frightened by the moment." He took a breath "I wasn't prepared and it figuratively knocked the wind out of me." He said waving his arms around like Ohgren trying to fight Sten drunk. 
Leliana's anger turned to an awestruck look. "Oh..." she said taking a step back. "I'm sorry Cogdale, it's just that knowing you're going to marry me soon I've become.... Obsessive over you I suppose." She said twiddling her fingers like she used to back in camp during the blight. Cogdale approached and hugged her. "It is alright, I understand the stress you feel." Cogdale said rubbing her back. Viewing her torn armor. 
"How bout we go get your armor repaired?" he said holding her out in front of him. She nodded. "Up we go!" he said lifting her off her feet carrying her. "Practicing?" she asked a cute quirk to her nose. Cogdale went with it and nodded with a smile. Staring at his fingers on his left hand, which were wrapped around her thigh. The pieces of small armor protecting his knuckles and joints were covered in warm blood. He must've drawn blood from the drunk when he punched the slob.
As he strolled down the street people began to stare at the two. Leliana didn't mind. She giggled and waved at a few kids who were playing with a frozen loaf of bread with their feet.  The boys frowned and gawked at the two while the little girls laughed and waved back.
"Cogdale?" Leliana whispered to him as he continued down the cobbled street. "Hmm?" he mumbled to busy trying to find the tanning shop that he remembered in Highever. "Do you think we'll ever... Have our own children?" Cogdale instantly stopped walking and gazed in Leliana's eyes. "I don't know Leliana... with the taint in me it would be next to impossible to conceive a child." He said straying his eyes away from her gaze afraid to see a look of disappointment on her face.
"Oh... who's to say that there isn't something to remedy that?" She implied with a questioning inflection. "We could look into it yes... But really don't know where to start." He said as he started to walk again. "Well, I say we stay up in the castle and you do your bookworm thing." She giggled for a moment. "Look through the castle's library to see if there is anything mentioning a counter to the taint." She said a proud look on her face. 
"I believe the Cousland collection was all burned by Howe's men." He added. "Oh..." Leliana frowned in disappointment. "But lets hope the Maker saved them for us." He said trying to raise her spirit but to no avail. 
Feeling guilty Cogdale walked over to the nearest vendor. In the stall was preserved botany. He pointed to a familiar flower and gave the man a sovereign for good measure. As he handed the petrified flower Leliana realized what the flower was, Andraste's Grace. She sniffed it and smiled. "Another Andraste's grace!" she slipped into her cleavage and smiled as Cogdale looked flush. "You know Leliana... I've never gotten the time to smell that flower." He said trying to start a short conversation with her.
"Wellll.... If you want, tonight you can." She said with a naughty smile. "GEH!" Cogdale was once again caught off guard by Leliana's promiscuity towards him. Cogdale felt pressure on his armor from below and by instinct tried to hide it even though he need not. 

"Here it is Saren's Leathering and Tanning Shop." Cogdale read the swinging sign outside the door. "Do you think he can do Dragonskin?" Leliana asked as she knocked her black armor with her knuckles. "I guess we'll find out." Cogdale said entering the shop. The warmth of the fire inside the cottage like building warmed them up. "Hey I can feel my fingers now." Leliana shouted, twirling each individually to unthaw them.
"What can I do you for?" The storekeep asked wiping his fingers with a hide. "Are you Saren?" Cogdale asked the man. The man fell silent for a while itching his head. "Why yes, yes I am." He said regretfully. "Well her armor has been damaged badly the past month or so. Do you think you can repair her dragonskin leather?" Cogdale asked removed on of Leliana's shoulder guards and handing it to the man. Saren pondered over the armor and only grunted every few seconds when he turned the piece.
"Yep I believe I can, maybe add some improvements with a few extra sovereigns." He said with a large conniving smile. Cogdale shrugged and handed the man the extra sovereigns for the improvements. "Um.... if you don't mind me cutting into this conversation gentlemen. But what am I going to wear?" Leliana asked angrily. Cogdale took a few seconds to pull his chainmail out from under his plate armor exposing his skin and refined muscles. Leliana growled in attraction as she always did when she saw him that way. Leliana threw the chainmail over her. So big that it drug on the ground when she wore it. 
"Alright, return in 2 days and I'll have it all ready for you two." Saren said slapping her armor as it lay on the table in front of the 3 of them. "Thank you, we will return in two days then and receive her armor." Cogdale answered. A familiar voice soon gasped behind the two of them. It was Garrden with a new weapon, clothing along with armor. "Garrden!" Cogdale said in disbelief. "Where'd you get enough sovereign to afford all of that?!" Cogdale shouted. "Umm.... I borrowed some of your coin before entering that tavern." He said swallowing in fear. "You stole our money?" Leliana said in a rather expected tone. "Yes I did..." He said trying to stand up for his crime. 
"Well I think by group rules that makes you a part of the team." Leliana smiled elbowing Cogdale. Cogdale got the hoax she was playing. "Yes sir, that means you're chugging along with us my elven friend." Cogdale said as he laughed in his thoughts. "Really? I have to join you guys?" Garrden stuttered. 
"Can you three please take this outside?" Saren coughed. "Yes, lets." Cogdale said putting his hand around the young elf's neck and squeezing it. "Look I'm sorry!" the elf tried to reason. "It's join us or be reported to Highever guard." Leliana whispered in his ear. Cogdale covered his mouth to hide his laughter. "Fine I'll join you." He said fear exiting every word. 
"Go find Bodahn. If we don't see you with him when we return we'll go on a witch hunt for you." Cogdale said with a roughened voice. Garrden nodded his green eyes were as bright as the grass of Highever during the summer.

"Right... So what do you want to do now Leliana?" Cogdale asked trying to keep his exposed body from freezing. "I think we should head up to the castle. Get comfortable and warm for the time being." She said as the sound of chainmail being dragged behind her. "Well lets hurry I wouldn't want you to be frozen solid like Shale now." Cogdale joked as he rushed her to where they last left Bodahn. 
Bodahn, Sandal and Garrden were waiting with the caravan. The ride up to the castle would take a half an hour or so. Cogdale wrapped his arms around Leliana trying not to screech from the severe cold that the chainmail had stung into him. "Alright Bodahn head up to the castle." Leliana pointed. 

Cogdale shivered a bit. He realized he would soon return to the graves of his beloved family. How would he react looking at their tombstones?

Modifié par SPARTAN 089-Gary, 24 mars 2012 - 01:04 .