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[Maria13]

Dear Esbatty



Thanks so much for your comments. I worry sometimes because so many of my characters are male and what with me not being male, that I am not getting them right. Therefore particularly grateful for your input on this aspect (and that of hubby!).



I love your quote on "a little black book the size of the Chant of Life" can I use it in a future chapter? (I'd be happy to credit you) It sounds like something Fergus would say?

[Esbatty]

Maria13 wrote...

Dear Esbatty

Thanks so much for your comments. I worry sometimes because so many of my characters are male and what with me not being male, that I am not getting them right. Therefore particularly grateful for your input on this aspect (and that of hubby!).

I love your quote on "a little black book the size of the Chant of Life" can I use it in a future chapter? (I'd be happy to credit you) It sounds like something Fergus would say?

GAH... I said Chant of Life? *hangs head in shame* Yes, feel free to use the smears of my mindgrapes as you wish.

And you're doing a great job with writing Alistair and rest of the cast, both male and female. I have similar questions about my own writing but not of gender but like of a Parent having no children of my own, so alot of times I find myself polling people with kids on how they'd deal with Teens or infants, etc. lol

[Maria13]

Yeah, well I repeated the same error... Even worse.



Thanks for the kind words. I don't have little ones either so there you go...

[Maria13]

Chapter 54

Dragon 9:35 Nublis/Drakonis The West Road [Present]

"Following my conversation with Ser Maron I went back into the Chantry while Charbelle made her preparations to leave. As I have said, I am not an especially devout person but the Templars' improvised service and Ser Bryant's rich, deep voice moved me like no other has since… Ser Maron had to shake me pretty hard to awaken me from my reverie.

"Our farewells on the doorstep of the Chantry and in the chill night were very tearful. Especially as between Ser Maron and Charbelle. I almost felt like an intruder. However, Ser Maron as a final flourish produced a large woollen Templar's cloak and draped it around my shoulders. In the circumstances, it was one of the most useful gifts I have ever received. I keep that cloak in Highever to this day, stained, worn and moth-eaten though it may be through four years' usage. He kissed me on the cheek and told me to stay safe.

"Barlin I must say I didn't care for overmuch. He seemed self-centred and somewhat stingy but sweet-tempered Charbelle spent much of that night weeping in my arms and asking me to assure her that the Templars would be secure. An assurance I could not give.

"I woke the following day when the cart gave a particularly nasty jolt. I was not aware I had fallen asleep. On looking to the west, I saw a large column of smoke; I jumped off the cart and ran to the edge of the highway where shortly Charbelle joined me. We were both crying, too stunned to even embrace, Barlin cursed us and said that if we did not get back onto the cart he would leave us for the horde…

"There is not much else to tell on that, everybody was mostly fleeing in the same direction even the bandits, mercenaries and highwaymen it would seem.

"At one point Charbelle asked me innocently if it was true that I was really Lady Cousland because apparently Ser Maron had assured her I was. I suspected that this was another ruse on the Templar's part to convince her to travel with me. I denied it of course, but I could see she didn't quite believe me.

"Barlin scoffed at the question and said that I was just a passing wench who had dropped her knickers for a Templar, Charbelle looked mortified; that remark earned him a slap across the ears, although, in essence, it was probably the truth.

"When I dropped Charbelle off at Denerim Chantry she stood on tiptoe and put her arms around me and told me that we would be sisters forever and that one day she would help me as I had helped her and Maron. I made a good effort, I think, to suppress my scepticism.

"Barlin headed to the market district where he was going to stay with a cousin with barely a nod to me.

"Pulling up the hood of my new cape, I made haste to the poorest quarters where it was unlikely I would bump by chance into anyone I knew.

"That was my first and last experience of 'end of the world sex', Alistair. It was quite an exhilarating one."

                                                                                                 ~...~

Alistair was silent for a fair while, "Perhaps you should write that down one day, Rous," He said.

"And how would I sign it Alistair: 'As narrated by a wench who dropped her knickers for a Templar'?" For reasons she could not properly identify, Rous was suddenly furious. She tapped her heels against Hope and rode ahead.

Alistair promptly caught up with her, his horsemanship was improving by the day Rous thought, "You were mocking me, mocking me Alistair…," she complained.

"That's unwarranted, Rous… I did not intend to offend you, I was serious… Slow down and listen to me…" He reached for her bridle.

Rous slowed down. "What I meant was that no-one will otherwise recall those Templars, they gave their lives… for their fellow citizens, for those weaker than they… They deserve…" He paused for breath, "To be remembered."

                                                                                                        ~...~

"To be remembered." Echoed Rous some three hours later.

"Yes." Said Alistair "I wasn't mocking you…"

They were in a fairly comfortable, if simple, bedroom eating supper. The Innkeeper's wife had recognised Alistair and nearly fainted in her homely clogs. An offer of supper in their room had followed and been graciously accepted.

"Does that mean something to you, 'to be remembered'?

"Yes it does… I guess I will be remembered now, even if it is as the bastard wastrel king…" He smiled lopsidedly, "But not so long ago… I had no one. When Neriya saw me in the Fade… Hmm, that requires some explanation… At one point in our quest our party was mesmerised by a demon, each of us was trapped in his or her own dream that we thought was real. Each that was except for Neriya…"

Alistair looked down at his hands either side of his dish of roast rabbit with herbs. The Innkeeper's wife had excelled herself. He needed to remember to thank her tomorrow before their departure.

"Neriya who then had to rouse us and bring us back to reality. That's the sort of thing Neriya, Maker bless her, could do without even thinking about it… Well, anyway, in my dream I had a family of sorts, I was living with a woman whom I thought was my half-sister and her children… I told Neriya that I didn't want to return, I didn't want to spend all my life fighting only to end up dead in a pit full of rotting Darkspawn corpses…

"Not many Templars have families, neither do Grey Wardens, they live, they fight, they die and no-one mourns them usually. Perhaps a few of their brothers and sisters in arms might have a ******-up in their name, if they're lucky, but that's it. Gone, as if they never were in the first place… I like fighting, it's one of the things I was made for, but I always found that final fate difficult to accept."

"You want to be loved."

"That's trite, who doesn't want to be loved? We all do, don't we? No it was a little more than that, I wanted, WANT to be mourned… I want someone who loved me to miss me. There, I said it. Absolutely selfish."

Rous picked at her meal she seemed to be thinking things over.

"And Rous?"

"Yes Alistair?"

"I've come to a determination."

Rous looked at him expectantly.

"Rous, I won't make love to you until you know what you need to know about me… Then you can make up your own mind. That's only fair. And tomorrow… Oh Maker, don't hold it against me but there are things that it is much easier to show you than to explain…"

"But we can still kiss?" She said with some eagerness.

"Yes, we can kiss but… Not too much, otherwise it gets difficult…"

"And we can put our arms round each other."

"Yes, again…"

"Then we share the bed tonight."

"As you say… But…"

"In our undergarments." She added like a good girl. Alistair wasn't entirely sure he was convinced.

"Yes."

Rous seemed happy with those replies and started to eat her rabbit with some zest. "Alistair…" she said eventually.

"Yes, Rous?"

"Life is short." She said looking up.

"It is, but I may have used that excuse a little too often… I've worn it out by now. And there are still things you do not know about me."

"Tell me then…"

Alistair thought about that awhile, resting his chin on one hand while drumming the fingers of the other on the wood of the table.

Rous polished off the remainder of the sauce from the rabbit with a chunk of bread. Alistair guessed that eating everything that was put in front of her was a habit that she had acquired during the Blight. He used to do the same.

Alistair made up his mind. He rummaged inside his shirt for a moment and pulled out an amulet. "See here." He said holding it up to the light.

It seemed to be a tiny vial full of a liquid rust-coloured substance. "Hold it." He said.

She did and looking at his face curled her hand protectively around it as if she liked the feel of it.

"What is it?" She asked.

"My Grey Warden amulet."

"It looks like blood…" She said unfurling her hand.

"It is. Darkspawn blood and some other substances… Don't exactly know what, possibly some lyrium…"

Rous released the amulet immediately and wiped her hand on her clothing. Alistair laughed crossing his arms over his chest.

"Well, well…" He said, he was amused; he'd noticed Rous was not the kind of woman who was easily repelled by anything.

"I hate Darkspawn, can't abide them…" She explained.

"Remind me then never to invite you to a joining."

"A joining?"

"The initiation into the Wardens. It involves drinking Darkspawn blood; many die, about one in three."

"But that is—" For once words failed Rous.

"As it is." Alistair cut in.

"And you did that willingly?"

"I did."

"Why?"

"I wished to leave the Chantry. Wardens were needed to address a possible Blight. Neriya also underwent it." He tried to sound distanced and practical.

Rous shook her head. "I had no idea, no idea at all…"

"Not many people know. I trust you to keep this in confidence, Rous."

"I… But surely there must be consequences…" She faltered.

"There are."

Rous apparently gathered herself. "So tell me, Alistair."

He looked at her steadily, he thought she winced slightly. He said, "You get nightmares, especially when the Darkspawn are nearby or particularly active… Your appetite increases, insofar as I know all appetites increase…"

He studied her face with some care, she looked solemn. "It affects your fertility… It shortens your life. First, you may become overwhelmed by hallucinations, then, so I am told, it can actually start to affect you physically… Basically, we are tainted… a sort of slowly progressing taint… It's not contagious, by the way…"

"Alistair…" Rous's voice faltered, she seemed overcome with all the information he had given her.

"Yes, Rous?"

"How could you…" There was a tinge of reproach in her tone.

"As I said."

"I heard what you said, but, I… I really don't… You seem so full of life… So… Vibrant." Alistair smiled flattered at this description of himself and Rous paused again. "I'm a little angry with you, I think… That you did this to yourself…"

He tried to put it reasonably. "I've explained why, in the circumstances I saw it as my duty as a loyal Fereldan. Still do. But if I hadn't it's unlikely we would have ever met, isn't it? Anyway, I've told you something about me this evening. Tomorrow, well, you'll see…"

A little later when, to his relief, Rous had curled up against him and put her head on his chest, he said, "So you're still interested in me?"

Rous nodded mutely and sniffled a little she had shed some tears shortly after going to bed but he had pretended not to notice because she hadn't drawn his attention to them and he didn't really know what to say.

"Well that's good anyway…" He said enjoying feeling her face against him and running his fingers through her long tresses, praying quietly to the Maker, Andraste and even Ser Maron, that on the morrow she wouldn't grow to hate him.

                                                                                                     ~...~

They were now heading southwards down the West Road directly through the Brecilian Forest. The Nublis trees were still awaiting spring, their almost bare branches striving towards the grey skies offering their buds tightly furled like candles in a Chantry.

It must be hereabouts, thought Alistair, that those travellers were attacked the previous year. He reminded himself that he needed to talk to Lanaya about that.

They had been riding for just over two hours when they were intercepted.

A lithe young Dalish female with short blond hair carrying a bow and quiver ran into the road. Bowing she said, "Andaran atish'an1, Lord Alistair". On the centre of her forehead directly above her long, elegant nose she bore a graceful, elaborately filigreed black diamond tattoo.

"Ma sarennas2," Alistair replied, suddenly aware that his poor Dalish, such as it was, had grown rusty over the last few months due to his neglecting his regular classes.

An older male with thick black shoulder length hair, blue wave-like markings and a more serious demeanour who said courteously enough, "Our Keeper says you should follow", quickly joined her.

By then the female was cooing and tickling an entranced Dusk behind the ear. Alistair dismounted and said to her, "Well you've certainly found his weak spot." Of the male he asked, "Da'len3?"

"She does well," he replied. Out of the corner of his eye, Alistair could see Rous cocking her head.

Rous got off Hope too and putting his hand over her shoulder Alistair said. "Dar Rous: emma falon4," the male and the female both nodded and Rous smiled, perhaps a little uncertainly.

"Horses?" The male asked, Alistair nodded. "I have never seen any before. These look to be most beautiful and gentle animals, almost as beautiful as halla. I am Eirseras and this is Glirwen. We shall escort you to our encampment."

They walked for about forty minutes, Alistair wasn't sure but he felt that they backtracked a few times, perhaps to disorientate them? Although since he was no scout, he could not say so for certain. He couldn't blame the Dalish for that, as King in Denerim there was only so much he could actually do to protect them from human predation; put laws in place and so forth, which he had. But actually, on the ground they had to fend for themselves. Should they be attacked again it would take at least a few days for the news to reach him in the capital and even longer for him to scupper help or retaliation.

Eventually they came to a clearing by a stream where the familiar aravals were sited. He also noticed that there were stone representations of their different deities throughout the camp. He wondered whether they transported the statues when they moved. He guessed they did. He looked at Rous. She seemed positively enthralled her jade eyes darting everywhere intrigued and charmed.

Several figures male and female squatted by the stream washing clothing and linen. One of them nudged another who got quickly to her feet. It was Lanaya. She was wearing what appeared to be an apron and she wiped her hands on it, just like Rous had wiped her hands the previous evening. She had the pendant he had given to her over a year ago around her neck.

"Sylaise's duties excuse no-one, aneth ara5, Alistair." She murmured and, as was customary they greeted each other with a quick kiss on the cheek. Alistair introduced Rous, Lanaya looked her over with her large azure eyes and they too exchanged kisses.

"Niamh is by the halla enclosure" Said Lanaya waving a delicate hand to the north, "I will be happy to meet with you later, Alistair."

Alistair nodded. "Let's go, Rous." And taking her by the arm he led her in the direction the Keeper had indicated.

"Who—" said Rous.

"You'll see." Replied Alistair hastily.

They passed Varathorn the crafter's outside workshop, Varathorn raised a hand to Alistair who returned his salutation. They went down a little hillock.

An undersized enclosure containing some eight white deer came into view. Outside the enclosure, two Elven females were shepherding five toddlers.

Alistair and Rous's presence caused a modest stir and both the females and most of the children turned. A dark-eyed blond child with a face as bright as a button broke away from the rest with cries of "Da-da… Da" and ran as quickly as her little legs could take her towards Alistair.

Alistair let go of Rous and squatted down opening his arms. The child ran into them and he lifted her up into the air and spun them, turning in circles, with his hands around her waist laughing delightedly.

"How is my pretty one, my little princess?" He said.

The girl chuckled with glee unselfconsciously reaching for his hair.

Alistair clasped her to his chest and then turned to Rous. "This is Niamh Eleniel, my daughter by Neriya…" He said.



1 "Enter this place in peace," formal Elven salutation

2 "Thank you"

3 "My child?"

4 "This is Rous, my friend."

5 "Good day."

Author's note: My thanks to B for her generous help with the Elven language. B's work and contact details can be found on bellaknoti.dreamwidth.org/  Please note that most of her fics are rated at least "M", just like the game, and are generally NSFW. expect sex, blood, violence, and strong language. If there's anything that might be a trauma trigger, warnings are inserted where applicable.

[ElvaliaRavenHart]

I've been following your story over at fan fiction. I love what direction you've headed with the story. I'm lovin' it.

[Maria13]

Thanks Elvalia!

[Esbatty]

Alistair's explanation of the Grey Warden powers and weakenesses (so to speak) to Rous was eye opening. I never did see it as the fertility and short lifespan as effecting anyone other than the Warden in any fashion. I mean the first damn words she spoke to Alistair was "I want you to give me a child" just kind of derailed those plans slightly, and now that she is honestly interested in Alistair romantically the short life span kind of further dampers any kind of long term relationship.



As a fan here I have much trepedation about Rous and Alistair's burgeoning relationship due ALL THE OTHER IMPORTANT WOMEN IN HIS LIFE. Neirya, Niamh, hell... Anora. They all got a deep claim to him. But he very much does need an heir so that gives me some hope. Oddly twisted hope, that Cousland and Theirin can have something truly meaningful. But - Theirins don't have a great track record in the "happily ever after" department. This is why I made my Cousland King, lol.

[Addai]

Yes I did like the explanation of the Warden life, and Rous' reaction which is quite appropriate I think. Sometimes you get so used to the ideas that it's hard to step back and see how horrible it really is. Nicely done.

I'm with Esbatty in being concerned about CousCous sticking around.    Shoo! Go find some noble!  LOL

Modifié par Addai67, 24 février 2011 - 07:19 .

[Maria13]

@Esbat, but all of us have multiple important people in our lives and somehow me manage to juggle them all...



@Addai, shall I have her kidnapped? (joking!)

[Addai]

Just have Anora arrange a politcal marriage for her. It worked for my Cousland. 

Modifié par Addai67, 25 février 2011 - 07:39 .

[Esbatty]

@M: Fine you got me. But still this is Alistair! Cheese and lightning, dammit! He isn't normal. He's Theirin lol (I'm sorry, I'm sorry. It just I'm so used to him being my Cousland's wingman that he took the crown from him and left unhardened to wander Thedas free of the shackles of decision making. *sigh*)



@AddaI: You're like the Ferelden-heir Matchmaker. Evil!

[Maria13]

Chapter 55

Dragon 9:35   Nublis/Drakonis   The Brecilian Forest   [Present]

Rous stood as if she were frozen by one of Neriya's ice spells.

"Rous," said Alistair, "Please say something… Rous…" He asked rather pathetically.

Rous shook herself. "Alistair, I really… She's beautiful."

Alistair beamed, "Thank you, I think she is, but then I'm her father and I would think that, wouldn't I?"

"Of course you would."

"I am really sorry I didn't tell you immediately… I hope you understand. I'm trying to keep her existence secret, because I want her to grow up normally and not be used as a weapon against me."

"Did you and—"

"No. We didn't even plan this. Or take precautions. Because we were both Grey Wardens we imagined that this would never come about. I still can't explain how Niamh did turn up. She's my little miracle… Look, I think we need to go somewhere a little more discreet. Let's go over there, and pretend to be looking at the halla while I tell you what happened…" He pointed to the opposite side of the enclosure away from the toddlers and their custodians.

                                                                                                     ~...~

"So…" Rous summed up, "Neriya may be dead and Niamh was handed over to you by…"

"Zevran Airaini. One of the companions."

"Alistair, I don't want to be… But how do you know this child is whom the note claimed she is?"

"Believe it or not Rous, I am not entirely naïve. I did ask this myself… One: look at Niamh…"

Niamh was happily playing with one of the halla, pulling up grass and feeding it from her hand. The halla seemed more than happy to take what the toddler offered in preference to the grass underfoot.

"Her skin tone, her hair colour…"

"But her eyes are dark, very dark."

"Those are Neriya's eyes, Rous, once seen, never forgotten… By this man at least."

"Two?" She queried.

"She came with a Grey Warden amulet. The pattern of the bubbles in each amulet is somewhat different. The one in her shawl was almost certainly Neriya's."

"Three: Zevran delivered her. No, I'm not saying I would trust Zev with my life, I wouldn't, he is an assassin after all. But… How can I explain? He was… There were certain things Zev would never do, he had a code of honour, I guess, all of his own. He would never deceive a former comrade in arms over a child… Never.

"Plus, Zev didn't owe me anything, but he owed Neriya. Oh, her certainly owed her. And he respected her as the person that allowed him to live, our leader, a fellow elf, and even perhaps as a female. He would never, ever, pass off a child as hers that wasn't… He is the one person, apart from myself to whom Neriya would entrust her child's safety …"

"Any more reasons?"

"The dates work out. The dates on which Neriya returned to Denerim for the second time. She only stayed a few months but, well, we were together several times, at least. I guess I was desperate to rekindle our old relationship. I failed. Given the estimate that Niamh is just over one year's old now. They work out."

They both looked at Niamh now who from feeding had started patting the halla a bit too hard. "Don't do that baby," Said Alistair catching her hand. "Now show the cute halla you're sorry by stroking it… That's a good girl… So what are you thinking, Rous?"

"That it's a bit much to take on board at the moment?"

"That's very understandable, if it had been the other way around, I guess I'd be a bit stunned, too. I just hope you can see why I kept it a secret. By the way, she's here because just before Bann Ceorlic was executed he told me her life was in danger… And not in a friendly manner, either.

"I sent Lawler to the house in Denerim where I had her and her Dalish wet nurse, Bregeth, with orders to get them out of there. We found a corpse dumped in the house after they'd left. A would-be assassin, I think. Someone did me a favour, apparently. He seemed to be Fereldan and poor but we couldn't determine anything else from his body or clothing."

"But how…?"

"Precisely, Rous," said Alistair leaning on the enclosure fence and clasping his hands together, "I would pay a not inconsiderable amount of sovereigns to establish how my little secret got out."

He reached down and tousled Niamh's hair, "Then, I'd hunt down the people who knew, of course, and… Better I not say. But imagine you or Fergus had been tipped off about what Howe had in store for your family…"

"A Cousland always does her duty." Recited Rous stony faced.

"Well exactly. Then I decided it would be safer to send them away for a time. So here we are," Alistair opened his arms, "In the middle of the Brecilian Forest." He hesitated a moment. "Rous, I made everyone else who is aware of Niamh's existence swear that they would keep it a secret. I won't be asking you, I trust you, but… Not even Fergus, I'm afraid."

"I swear by the Maker and his chosen bride, Holy Andraste, to keep this child's existence a secret…"

"Thank you so much, Rous."

"She's a child, your child… Little Oren, my nephew…" Suddenly there were tears in her eyes and she blinked looking towards the bare trees surrounding the glade, "Was never given a chance, not a bloody chance…" Alistair reached for her hand.

"I am so sorry. The death of a child… It is beyond words, I think. I understand that now."

They held hands in silence for a few minutes watching Niamh prattling to the patient halla.

"Is it alright if I leave you now with Niamh, Rous? I need to meet with the Keeper."

                                                                                                          ~...~

"She'll be all right with me." Said Rous.

"Good," said Alistair, "I don't think I'll be more than an hour."

After he had gone Rous and Niamh stayed a little while more by the Halla enclosure. Then picking the little girl up in her arms Rous went back to the centre of the encampment.

They wandered aimlessly for a while. The Dalish politely ignored them. Rous felt a little lost but then she noticed that the crafter was waving at her. She went over, "good day," said the elderly Elf. "Is there anything I can help you and little Niamh with?"

"I... " hesitated Rous.

"I am Varathorn." He said. "Perhaps Niamh would like to play with the reeds, she and the other children were learning how to plait the other day." He prompted amiably.

"You are very kind," said Rous, "by the way my name is Rous and I am a friend of Alistair's."

"Any friend of Alistair's is our friend." Said Varathorn. "Have you ever been in a Dalish encampment before?" He asked.

"No." said Rous.

"Then this must be very strange for you," said the Elf. He rummaged behind his workbench and eventually pulled out some half plaited green reeds that he handed to Niamh. "Here you are child, do you remember what you were doing the other day?"

"And what do you make, Varathorn?"

"All sorts of things," replied the Elf, "fishing nets, weapons, armour, footwear, baskets. Whatever is needed. My patron is June, god of craft. I have to supply my whole clan with my assistants, of course. But my speciality is working in Ironbark."

"Ironbark?" Asked Rous.

"Yes, it is a particular kind of rare wood. Only Elven craftsman can work with it, it requires special techniques and patience, much patience."

"I think I have heard of it," said Rous. "It is light but as strong as steel."

"Indeed." Said Varathorn, "See here," from under a pile of materials on his workbench the Elf produced a dagger some six inches long and handed it to Rous.

Rous tried holding it in various different ways and then ran her finger along the blade.

"No!" Exclaimed Varathorn, "be careful lady, it is very…"

Rous laughed, and sucked her finger. "Too late I'm afraid, call me a stupid human."

"I shall call you a Shemlen, Rous." He said gravely.

"And what does that mean?" Asked Rous.

"'A fast child'," replied Varathorn. "It is what we call humans, because to us it seems that sometimes they move faster, in every possible sense, than is good for them."

"The name seems appropriate." Admitted Rous.

"Indeed. Since my dagger has hurt you, perhaps you should keep it as compensation."

"What? No, no…" Said Rous, "it was entirely my fault—"

"If I were you, Shem, I would keep it." Said a voice from behind them, "you can use it to clean these."

Varathorn suddenly looked slightly taken aback. A very tall Elf with silvery eyes, hair a mess of dreadlocks and a scarlet tattoo on her face, handed Rous a brace of three dead rabbits. "There you go, this will be our supper." She said brusquely.

"Bregeth do not be so abrupt to Alistair's friend," said Varathorn, "she is our guest."

"There are no guests here, Varathorn." Said Bregeth, "everyone has to work for the common good, is that not what you were telling the lady?"

"No it was not, Bregeth, and although we may have missed you, at least we are used to your bossy ways."

"Alistair is used to my bossy ways, too" replied Bregeth, "and if this lady—"

"Rous." prompted Rous.

"Rous, is Alistair's friend, then she needs to get used to my ways as well. I have hunted for supper and now I'm going to look after Niamh; the least Rous can do is prepare supper."

"She is as she is, but we love her." Mumbled Varathorn apologetically to Rous.

"That's all right," said Rous, "I'll be happy to help…"

"There you are." said Bregeth. "And don't forget to give the skins to Varathorn here, so he can make something useful out of them. Waste not, want not, that's the Dalish way."

                                                                                                      ~...~

"Once again, Keeper-"

"Lanaya please, Alistair."

"Lanaya, I am in your debt." Said Alistair. "Thank you so much for looking after Niamh."

"It was my pleasure, she is almost one of us. And how are you Alistair? How are things in Denerim?"

"Fraught as ever, but I seem to be getting used to it."

"That is good," said Lanaya.

"There are several things we need to discuss…" Alistair who was standing looked at his feet.

Lanaya shrugged, "Discuss then."

"Those two merchants that were killed on the West Road…"

"Could have been bandits, Alistair."

Alistair who had been pacing somewhat nervously suddenly stopped and turned to face her, "Come on, Lanaya!" For a moment his impatience got the better of him, I expect better of you than that…" He added quietly.

"Alistair, you must understand, we defend our interests, and always will, as best we can. Six of my clan lost their lives, it is only fair we should seek redress for that." Said the Keeper in an even tone.

"But at the very least you should have alerted me, Lanaya, not let me hear it from someone else." He said trying not to sound too severe.

"And what would you have done?"

"Arrested them? Put them on trial? I exiled Habren and Bann Ceorlic paid with his life, you know."

Lanaya nodded. "I heard, I was grateful for that… We were all grateful." She hesitated, "I know you're a good man Alistair, but do you really think justice would have been done?"

"No one can ever be sure of that, Lanaya. But justice was not well served by killing them, anyway. And one of them had a child with them at the time."

"But I understand the child was unharmed, Alistair." Said Lanaya blinking guilelessly.

Alistair sighed. "Believe me, I understand your position, and if I were you I might well have done the same, but I have responsibilities, and the lives of my citizens are among those responsibilities.

"One day it is my hope to be able to recognise you openly before my human subjects as the useful and faithful ally that you are, but things like this do not bring that day any nearer."

He paused, "Anyway, let's set this aside for now, but in future, I would meekly request that you consult me before taking action." There was a momentary silence while he let that sink in.

"Another thing… South Reach. There's a Landsmeet the week after next. One of the first held since the Blight… I believe a distant branch of the family has been found, the descendents of Bryland's estranged sister, who apparently eloped to marry a commoner… and was subsequently disinherited. The Landsmeet will review the claim and then vote on whether the title should transfer.

"I've yet to go over the documents on which the claim is based and interview the people concerned, but if the claim is as good as it sounds, I will be asking the Landsmeet to endorse it… Yet another commoner unexpectedly elevated to nobility… The more of us, the merrier." Alistair grinned.

"And?"

"There is an opportunity here for you, I think. An opportunity, with a little diplomacy, to establish a good relationship from the beginning with a local landowner… A fresh start. I would encourage you to take it…"

"Hmmm…" Said the Keeper thoughtfully, her eyes for a moment lost in the distance.

"Another thing. This is personal… I found out who my mother was…"

"Ah."

"That was… A surprise…" He paused, clasping his hands behind his back, "She wrote me a letter, you know, before she died. I think she loved me… In her own way… Not saying it was easy to come to terms with, though…" He shook his head still looking slightly concerned.

"Your father's amorous predilections were well known… Among the Elvhenan."

"You did well, just hinting, rather than telling… If you had told me outright I wouldn't have believed you, I don't think. As it was, it turned out that Neriya somehow got an inkling of it and she didn't break it to me either…"

"And this young lady, Rous…"

"A friend… Perhaps one day soon, something more. It's complicated. I brought her here so she could meet Niamh."

Lanaya nodded and for a while they were both comfortably silent lost in their own musings.

Finally Lanaya said, "I came by some information which may be useful to us both, Alistair." She began unnecessarily straightening her gown over her knees.

"So tell me Kee— Lanaya."

"The Chantry, Alistair, the Chantry as well as the Bann is involved in all this… They may have paid the merchants the money that was passed to Habren and that Orleisian of hers."

"How did you obtain this information?"

"Let us say that a little Orlesian bird in the wood told us… But I assure you it is reliable."

Alistair sighed.

"It must be difficult as an Andrastian…" Said Lanaya sympathetically.

"It is. But it is not hard to believe. I have seen somewhat of how the Chantry works from the inside and on the ground as it were. There are good people who are Chantrians and bad… As with everything else. I am due to meet with the Grand Cleric in a few weeks time. That will be interesting, I have never met her in person."

"Tread carefully, Alistair, never make more enemies than you need to or can take on at one time."

Alistair smiled at her, "I will, Lanaya, I will."

                                                                                                   ~...~

When Alistair left the meeting with Lanaya one of the first things he saw was Bregeth overseeing Niamh who seemed to be very busy unravelling some green reeds. Bregeth looked up and smiled when she saw him, she wasn't wearing the smock he was used to see her wear in Denerim but rather breeches and the loose top which would dappled in different shades of green.

He put his arms around her and asked her how she been; "very well" said Bregeth, "It was nice to be back. I think Niamh really likes it here, too."

"Yes said Alistair, "we saw her earlier with some other Elven children and they seem to be enjoying themselves. Bregeth, where is Rous?"

"Somewhere over there besides the stream I believe, she's cleaning some rabbits I hunted for supper."

Alistair walked over quickly in the direction Bregeth had indicated. He soon saw Rous with her back to him sitting cross-legged in front of a tree stump. When he went over to her the first thing he noticed was that her hands were covered in blood and other things, on a cloth draped over the tree trunk in front of her were the remains of what had been three rabbits not so long ago.

"Supper." Said Rous waving at the skinned disembowelled little bodies.

"Ha." Said Alistair, "I didn't know you… Well…"

"Oh, I've been hunting since I was a child" said Rous, "and if there was ever anything that Fergus decided was a girl's job it was field dressing what we had caught. Frankly, I think he was a little squeamish, myself. Anyway, how do you think I survived in the countryside during the Blight?"

"Good job." Said Bregeth striding up behind them. "I think you've earned that knife…"

"Rous." Prompted Rous.

Bregeth smiled, "I will get it in the end, human."

"Make sure you do, Bregeth." Said Rous rising to her feet and smiling back at her. "I am going to wash my hands in the stream."

"Not bad." Said Bregeth tracking her with her eyes.

"You approve?" Asked Alistair somewhat nervously.

Bregeth shrugged. "She is human…"

"Ah, well, that… I probably should have noticed before now."

"Are you happy?"

A strange question coming from Bregeth, he thought. "She… I don't know. I like her of course, lots. We're sort of in between times, I think."

"She came here with you."

"Oh that's because she was teaching me to ride and she has a bit of an adventurous spirit, I think…"

Bregeth looked at him somewhat curiously. "I see."

"We're not… Why am I telling you this?" He said.

Bregeth suddenly stretched, "Are you alright to look after Niamh this evening?"

"Yep… but."

"It's full moon." She said. As if that were an explanation.

                                                                                              ~...~

About three hours later they had supper. A series of folding tables were set out under the trees and near a fire. The eldest were allocated seats closest to the fire.

The supper began with a prayer to Andruil thanking her for providing the food that they were about to dine on. All the food was shared communally so as well as a few mouthfuls of rabbit, they dined on fish and boar. In fact, the three Elves who had slain the boar, were declared the hunters of the day and toasted by Lanaya. To drink there was a choice of halla milk, beer and herbal tea.

Alistair was offered a seat next to Lanaya, but he preferred to sit next to Niamh, Rous and Bregeth. He noticed the elves also tended to sit in family groups.

Since Niamh was being weaned Bregeth and Alistair offered her the occasional spoonful of solid fare, mashed up, of course. Occasionally, Niamh would slip away from or under the table and start playing with some of the Elven toddlers whom she obviously regarded as friends and companions.

Alistair noticed that Rous ate very enthusiastically and was generous in her thanks to their hosts. She especially seemed to have established a relationship with Varathorn who happened to be sitting opposite and they were exchanging comments and conversation throughout the supper.

For dessert there were fruit, dried berries and nuts. At the very end a jug of water of life was passed to and it seemed in Alistair's honour. Most of the elves Bregeth and Alistair drunk more than a few little cups but Rous politely declined.

Raising her eyebrows at Alistair she said, "so this is where you developed a taste for malted liquor?"

Alistair who by then was a bit far gone, merely smiled dopily in response.

                                                                                                       ~...~

They were due to sleep in an araval that night.

When they went in Alistair and rooms discovered that it was very compact and cosy, although he had a bit of trouble with his height because it was built for someone lower than he. The sleeping arrangements were basically a padded mat with coverings for Alistair and Rous and a crib for Niamh. Niamh seemed quite tired after what for her had obviously been an exciting day so she soon up and fell asleep quite quickly. Alistair in his smallclothes also had to curl up because if he didn't his feet would have been poking out over the side of the mat. Rous snuggled in behind him, also in her smalls.

Some hours later there were a few piercing cries. Alistair struggled up and careful not to hit his head on the low ceiling went over to Niamh's crib. It was obvious that her nappy needed changing and after setting a lamp he went about it. Meanwhile Rous after momentarily waking up and muttering a few inarticulate words, fell groggily back to sleep again. Alistair had to squeeze in next to her because she seemed to have forgotten that they were sharing the mat.

Half an hour later Niamh cried again Rous woke up completely. Alistair went over to his weeping child who was standing up in her crib. He picked her up and put her over the shoulder patting her gently in case she had trapped wind.

"Would you mind very much…" He asked Rous. "I really think she's missed me."

And so they spent the rest of the night with Alistair curled up in the middle, Niamh sleeping in one corner of the mat and Rous snuggled up in the space behind Alistair. Although a bit short of space, cuddled up between the two girls, Alistair decided he had never felt happier in his life.

[Addai]

Awww. 

[Esbatty]

Bregeth and CousCous, now that is a meeting I didn't imagine happening nor would think would turn out so well. Great chapter, M. And now I got Babies on the brain.

[Maria13]

@Addai & Esbat, glad you both enjoyed

[Maria13]

Chapter 56

Dragon 9:35 Nublis/Drakonis The Brecilian Forest/Lothering [Present]

Nimion, Arnor and Móriel were hoping to repeat their success of the previous day when they had been toasted by the Keeper in front of her Shemlen visitors for providing the most food for their clan's table in the form of a boar.

Therefore, despite Móriel's objections that boars were intelligent creatures and it was highly unlikely they would return to the place where, just the day before, one of their number had been captured they found themselves once again in the area where the thermal pools lay. Móriel's protestation that it was unfair that in such a short space of time the same family of boars should lose another of its members to contribute to the well-being of the Azraili, was also ignored.

It irked Móriel considerably that although as the hunter/scout she was often the one responsible for selecting and tracking down the appropriate prey, the two pure hunters, who were her seniors in age, often omitted to give her enough credit for this or to respect her views.

And although Nimion and Arnor professed to despise the Shems, Arnor especially because his mother had been a fugitive City Elf embraced some two decades ago by the clan, they seemed particularly eager to show off in front of the Shem king. Móriel as the youngest did not quite have the courage to point out this inconsistency to the males; however, she did make a mental note of it for future use, if necessary.

They were skirting one of the shallower pools when Móriel made the gesture for silence. Sure enough, the party became aware of some noises coming from nearby. They crawled into some undergrowth, and since it was not at all strange for some of the wildlife of the area to use the pools, they peered through them in that direction.

Arnor whistled under his breath. "Look what we have here," he said. Nimion suppressed a chuckle, which Móriel thought this was entirely inappropriate for the eldest among them. However, she too found her eyes drawn to the figure in the pool. The young blonde Shem king was standing in the midst of it with the water up to his waist apparently calling to his female, who was out of view, to join him.

Arnor shook his head and said quietly, "It is most disgusting how these Shems have to pollute everything. No doubt they will soon shamelessly be engaging in the sexual act in our sacred pool…"

"And what would you know, Arnor?" Hissed Móriel, "The last time I checked you were unmated, my understanding is that we use these pools for similar purposes". Suddenly both Arnor and Móriel were looking at Nimion.

"I'll not deny it." Said the elder of the three, "But we carry out the necessary ceremonies to appease the gods, unlike these feckless Shems… And as I understand it, you too, Móriel are unmated…" He added almost as an afterthought.

All three of them for a moment looked back at the pool. The Shem king had taken a few strides towards the edge and as he entered shallow water, it became apparent that he was clad in linen breeches.

"See," exclaimed Móriel, "He is intent on bathing rather than fornication as you suggest, Arnor."

Arnor shrugged, "All the same their presence is polluting as they do not respect the spirits of nature and are closer to animals than to the Elvhenan, look at his body hair… Disgusting!"

Móriel had to squint, "Well he does have some hair on his chest but it is hardly objectionable…" To tell the truth, she was beginning to find his muscular form rather attractive… even the fine golden hair on his chest. "Are you sure you are not jealous Arnor? I have heard that humans, and especially the males, surpass Elven males in size… In all parts of their anatomy."

Arnor turned so red she almost felt sorry for him… His mouth opened several times speechlessly like that of a landed trout. To think not so long ago she had found him attractive… Nimion was about to intervene when the human female came into view.

She was not wearing breeches like the Shem king but her shirt and smallclothes. Responding to his call, she tentatively dipped one foot in the water.

"You see, Rous?" He said to her, "It's nice and warm… Come over here…"

Móriel noticed that both the males suddenly seemed to be paying as much attention to the human female whose long red hair fell almost to her waist as the Shem king himself. The female took one careful step into the pool, then another and then… she slipped.

Móriel was amused to see that Arnor and Nimion lurched forward as if to assist her, which suddenly made her think somewhat better of them both. Nevertheless, the Shem king who was obviously much nearer, got to her first and caught her before she could go under.

"Did I mention that it was a bit slippery?" He said once he had helped her regain her footing and she had recovered from her surprise.

"No, Alistair, you didn't," said the human female, and then swatted him lightly over the ear.

The big man said, "Ow!" but was clearly unhurt. Móriel had to put her hand over her mouth to stifle a giggle.

"Right that's it then…" Said the Shem king and putting his arms around her waist pulled her to him and kissed her. The redhead moved her hands as if to protest or resist and then, clearly thinking the better of it, wrapped her arms around his neck and returned his embrace.

Móriel sighed.

Arnor looked at her raising his eyebrows. "You see," he muttered, "fornication…"

Well if that's fornication, thought Móriel, I could do with some…

Nimion suddenly broke his silence and at last said something sensible, "Amusing though it is, looking at these humans frolicking is not going to put food on our table. Da'lenen, get moving, back to our business and duty."

The two males headed off, Móriel trailed them somewhat reluctantly, glancing frequently behind her.

                                                                                                ~...~

It was who Rous broke the kiss, "Alistair, did you get the feeling that somebody was watching us?"

"No…. Not really." He said, his eyes suddenly checking the bushes surrounding them. "What does it matter anyway? We're not doing anything wrong."

"Would you like to wash my hair?"

Alistair went over to the edge of the pool and retrieved a bar of soap that they had left with the rest of their belongings. Meanwhile Rous dipped her hair in the water wetting it. When Alistair returned he set about lathering the soap and then rubbing it gently into Rous's hair.

He really enjoyed doing this; it was an un-intrusive but very sensual way of touching her. Therefore, he lathered far more than was strictly necessary enjoying the silky feel of her wet tresses between his fingers and running in his hands over her scalp. Meanwhile Rous had closed her eyes and was leaning against him. There was a smile of contentment playing on her lips.

When he could no longer find justification for continuing and the tips of his fingers were getting wrinkly due to prolonged exposure to the water, he said, "that's it."

Rous still smiling dipped her head quickly under the water to rinse it and he watched it swirl around her in scarlet tendrils as if it were some exotic form of seaweed and she some mythical aquatic creature.

                                                                                                   ~...~

A little later, they were both sitting in a sunny spot at the edge of the pool in their damp smallclothes drying out. Alistair moved his feet idly in the water while Rous was on her knees at his side, looking even more like a mermaid attempting to run a comb through her now unruly locks after wringing them out.

At one point she started swearing at a tangle that was a little too tight for her to easily unravel. Alistair gestured for her to give him the comb; she did, and turned her back to him so he could comb out the knot with greater ease. Rous's shirt was still wet and stuck to her skin.

Alistair started to tackle the tangle with far greater gentleness than Rous had. Once he had worked it loose, he drew the comb down in a smooth stroke to the tips of her hair. As he did so he noticed something on her upper back, at first he thought it was a kink in the still wet shirt that was somewhat thinner than those she tended to wear usually. He touched it cautiously with his fingertips and found it to be an angled ridge on her skin. Similarly, to what had happened the previous day, Rous froze still as soon as he touched her.

Guided purely by instinct, Alistair ran both his hands gently down her back and found numerous other ridges all angled downwards in the same direction from right to left. His hands eventually fell to his side and his mouth went very dry.

Rous breathed in and then said almost inaudibly, "I was going to tell you… I was, but it got more difficult for some reason as things became… More complicated between us…"

"Rous turn around, please." He asked. She did so very stiffly, still on her knees.

Alistair put his index finger under her chin and angled her face so they were looking each other directly in the eyes, barely a few inches separating their features. "Rous…" He said again and then stopped. She flinched; he cleared his throat, "Rous, what happened to you my love? What happened?"

Rous removed his finger from her chin and drew up her legs in front of her crossing them and wrapping her arms around them replied, "I'm not quite ready to discuss it yet."

                                                                                              ~...~

He'd had to accept that. "I hope you'll tell me when you are." He'd responded.

As they were walking back to the Dalish camp, now fully dressed, he said, "I was thinking, even before our discussion this morning… Lothering is not far from here, we could go there tomorrow if you wish. I don't think it will take us more than a day there and back on the horses. We could stay a few hours. Then we need to return to Denerim before the end of the week; idyllic as it is here, duty calls and I can't dally any longer..."

For the first time since their earlier conversation, Rous looked at him directly tilting her head.

"It might help you come to term with some of the things that happened to you during the Blight, Rous. It is only a suggestion…" He added cautiously.

"I think I might welcome that." She replied.

                                                                                                ~...~

They had been riding at a brisk canter towards Lothering for about two hours.

Rous had not recovered from the revelation of the previous day. She had become more introspective and far less chatty. Following a restless night when all she could do was fidget due to the limited sleeping space rather than toss and turn, to the extent that he had tried embracing her for several hours to calm her down and reassure her, she had been out of sorts and rather taciturn for most of their journey. Her eyes were fixed forward and there was a serious cast to her features. It seemed clear she was mulling things over. The day itself was glum and grey, imminent with the threat of rain.

Suddenly, out of the blue, turning to Alistair she said, "Of everything that happened in that wretched year, do you know what bothers me the most now?"

"I really can't guess…" Said Alistair mildly, well aware that different things affected people differently.

"It's not what happened to me but what was done to our chaplain, Mother Mololl, and to Ser Gilmore …"

She paused, "They survived the assault on Highever and Howe took them prisoner.

"He tortured them…

"On his return to Denerim, Fergus found their bodies in the basement of Fort Drakon, dumped in a pile with several other stripped corpses."

Alistair shuddered, recalling his and Neriya's brief confinement in the sinister fortress. That fate could well have been theirs.

"They were innocent, Alistair, not like you and I or most others." Rous continued.

"They always thought the best of people; they were good, kind and forgiving. I carried a torch for Gilmore for years, but he always turned me down in the gentlest most humorous way possible. I am sure he entered Fort Drakon a virgin, as did she. I am equally certain that they did not die in that state. And do you know why Howe did that?" Rous was extremely agitated and her voice was getting very loud.

His eyes lowered, Alistair shook his head.

"He was looking for me, Alistair; looking for me… Neither of them could possibly have any idea where I was, but he tortured them to death anyway. Yes, little Oren and Oriana were innocent, too, but at least they died quickly. Not so Mother Mololl and Gilmore…

"I am an Andrastian, but when I pass away, should I meet the Maker, I am going to ask him why he allowed that to happen; and his answer better be a good one because if I am not happy with it…" she was shouting now, "If it does not satisfy me, I am going to spit in his face!"

Alistair opened his mouth to say something, he wasn't sure exactly what, but in any event, before he had time to articulate so much as a word, Rous had squatted down over Hope's neck pressed her knees into his side and disappeared down the road at a gallop.

Thinking that at least one of them had to keep his head, Alistair continued at a steady trot, when he rounded the next bend, to his relief, he saw her about a quarter of a mile ahead of him. When he caught up with her, he could see that her face was covered in tears. Suddenly she bowed her head and started to sob uncontrollably.

"Let's dismount and walk the horses for a while, shall we?" He suggested, afraid her volatility might spook Hope; he was becoming ever more aware of the way the animals reacted to their riders' emotions.

Even though he was not sure she had heard him, Rous tearfully complied and slipped from the saddle.

When they had both dismounted, she virtually collapsed against him, shaking and crying. "I have nightmares about what happened to them sometimes… I see everything that is done to them… And there is a voice telling me it was all my fault…" She whimpered.

"Have you spoken to anyone else about this?" He asked after they had walked about half a mile leading their horses through the soft drizzle. They had both pulled up the hoods on their capes.

It had occurred to him that a spiritual adviser of some kind might be of assistance in the circumstances. Although he could attempt to argue that it was not her fault, someone with a greater awareness of theology as well as morality might be more convincing. "What about… Charbelle, is she still around?"

"Charbelle…" Rous heaved a sigh, "I owe her so much already…"

                                                                                                   ~...~
       
"Tell me something…" He said a little later.

"What?"

"Did that galloping help you a bit?"

"It's good for getting rid of some tension, feeling the air rushing against your face and the horse under you doing what he's always been yearning to do… Yes, it did help. I'll teach you to gallop very soon now." She said answering his second question before he had asked it. "Let's get back on the horses, Alistair, I've calmed down now, …"

                                                                                           ~...~

As Lawler had told him a few months, back the Chantry Chapel at Lothering was pretty much in ruins. A considerable part of the building showed scorch marks, two thirds of the roof had fallen in and the stout oak and door now gaped ajar. Alistair went in himself first instructing Rous to wait outside. Surprisingly most of the pews seemed to be intact but the library, ornaments and any items of value had all but disappeared.

He took a few paces into the place looking at the roof beams and the building's supporting pillars before he went outside and informed Rous that he considered it safe for her to enter.

When she did, as he had anticipated, the dozen Templar Shields that had been arranged around the rectangular stone altar immediately caught her attention. There was additional shield, a round plain metal one with no device, the sort of thing a squire or a warrior-in-training might wield, Alistair assumed that this had or been used by the Chantry brother who had obviously stayed to fight along side his lover Ser Seoras.

"You know," said Rous pensively, "there is nothing more tempting than a good death. Seeing this I am jealous of them all, especially that novice, he was probably no better a trained fighter than I am. And yet he gave his life and I am standing here today."

Alistair quietly murmured his agreement and then asked, "Imagine if you were memorialised here, what would your shield look like, and would you use the Cousland device?"

"Well yes," said Rous, "or a heart-shaped shield…" Her lips quirked slightly, "Or perhaps I wouldn't be represented by a shield at all, but by a pair of chain mail knickers…"

Alistair laughed, relieved to hear Rous make a joke, "chain mail knickers… That sounds so… Uncomfortable… But hot." He added, he could just picture it in his mind's eye.

Rous smiled at him. "Well somebody remembered them anyway, and that is good, look there are even garlands on the altar. Not fresh, withered now, but at least someone put them there."

"Sometimes it helps the pain to remember, you know," said Alistair "I erected that memorial to Duncan in Highever shortly after becoming King. It felt good to do that, right somehow."

"Yes, I remember that," replied Rous, "Fergus and I went to look at it a few days after you left. Do you know what Fergus said then?"

Alistair shook his head.

"'Our new young King, obviously he's a sentimental one. He won't last.' Yet here you are. Standing besides me, 'the next to last of the Couslands' as Fergus likes to call me."

"You could do something similar here you know, Rous. Place a stone in front of the altar with their names on it or outside, at the entrance. Of course, you'd have to talk to the Chantry and also to Bann Agus but I can't see that they would object. You could even go a bit further, perhaps, erect a monument or something to all the victims of the Blight. So many people died and were damaged by it there can never be enough monuments, I say."

Rous nodded. "That is a good idea. I'll think about that, Alistair, can you do me a favour?"

"Of course."

"Would you mind awfully leaving me here sometime alone?"

"Of course not. I'll have a ramble around Lothering see who's here, remember it for myself… Half an hour?"

"Yes, that will be plenty… And, Alistair? Thanks. I'm glad I came."

Modifié par Maria13, 05 mars 2011 - 11:09 .

[Esbatty]

I think Bregeth is one of the few women whos not interested in Alistair. Oddly enough I'd been missing Bregeth, I know this is Alistair's story but she is so blunt and awesome. She is like that cool Sister-In-Law or Aunt that just doesn't give a sh*t what others think, but still so very vulnerable and compassionate, yet you best not point that out or she'll snap you in twain.

I'm liking this slower pace, it actually is like a break not only for Alistair but for the reader too, because alot can happen in a single DR chapter. Good times, M!

[Maria13]

I missed Bregeth too. And I'm sure Alistair did, when you're King it's a relief to have someone around who is so not impressed...

Glad you liked the change of pace but it's back to Denerim soon!

Modifié par Maria13, 07 mars 2011 - 03:38 .

[Maria13]

Chapter 57

Dragon 9:35  Nublis/Drakonis    Lothering     [Present]

When Alistair returned about half an hour later having just checked on Dusk and Hope, he found Rous sitting quietly on one of the pews. He went in and sat just behind her.

After a little while she said, "This is the exact place where I sat that night, I think, waiting for Charbelle."

Alistair nodded.

"The rest I have to tell you, does not reflect altogether too well on me, I am afraid." She paused, "But it's only fair you should know."

"There are still several things I have to tell you, Rous. And I don't think they reflect particularly well on me, either. The Blight was a testing time for most everyone, I believe, it was very difficult to maintain your integrity…"

"Well then… A few days after getting to Denerim, I went to The Pearl…"

The corners of Alistair's mouth drooped.

"No, no, no…" Rous reassured him, "It wasn't quite as bad as that… I asked to speak to Sanga. Hadn't met the woman but I'd heard Fergus talk about her… I'm not even sure Fergus used The Pearl himself, he may have done before he got married, but he used to hang out a lot in the pre-Blight days with Cailan… Yes, I'm blaming your half-brother. Cailan liked threesomes, apparently, him and two girls…"

Alistair muttered something and then shrugged. "He's more than paid for any indulgences…"

"So she came out to see me. She was just as Fergus described her, 'I'm convinced she's a commoner,' he'd said, 'because she dresses like a lady and puts on such ladylike airs… Quite unlike you, Rosy.'

"Sanga smirked when she saw my leather armour, 'Please take a seat,' she said. 'How can I assist you?'

'I want a job,' I said.

"She signalled to someone behind me and suddenly a cup of wine was placed in front of me.

'Do tell…' She said.

'This can be a busy place…'

'Yes.' She replied, 'It can be…'

'Lots of people coming and going…'

'Please…

'Aude,' I said,

'Please, Aude, I am rather busy.'

'Don't your…'

'Lads and wenches,'

"lads and wenches,' I repeated,' leave your premises quite often?'

'With a certain frequency they do, yes,' replied Sanga.

'Well, I can act as an escort for them… Make sure they get there safely and get back safely… I'm a female so essentially, I'm non-threatening to both your lads and wenches and your potential clients, but I can fight… I even have a reference.'

"I passed her a letter I had asked Charbelle to write for me the day before, of course, I didn't tell Charbelle to whom I would be presenting it. She had said, 'Oh that's wonderful Rous so one of your noble acquaintances has found you employment after all!' and I had just nodded in response.

"Sanga perused it with interest and smiled.

'I have been in this business for quite a while,' she said,' but this is the very first time I have been presented with a letter of recommendation from a Chantry novice. I shall think on it.'

"My disappointment must have shown.

'Oh very well,' she said, 'come back this evening, Aude.'

"And so it was that for a few months I acted as an escort for The Pearl's lads and wenches, while a few of them took umbrage, most of them accepted my presence with good grace.

"The most common reaction was to tease me or flirt with me, every now and then while I was waiting outside an assignment place, one of the lads or wenches would pop out and say to me, 'Aude, they need another wench, why don't you get you a**e inside?' Sometimes it was a joke, sometimes it wasn't. I always said no.

"Prostitution would have been just a little too easy for me at that stage, and I felt that once I had embarked on that particularly slippery slope, it would be by no means simple for me to claw my way back. I can't claim to be particularly perceptive but it was a matter of days before I realised that most in the profession were full of self-loathing… A trait I could recognise, in abundance, within myself.

"Other times I was really needed, one of the wenches would come out with a black eye and I would go in and retrieve the money, and give the "client" a good kicking, too, before I left. Unexpectedly I began to feel pretty protective towards people and for me that became the most important and fulfilling part of the job.

"I also tried to keep my ear to the ground. I'll admit I had fantasies of revenge. So a few weeks in, I made some discreet enquiries as to whether they ever received a request for their services from Arl Howe.

'Who?' Asked one,

'I know who you mean,' replied another, 'the new Arl of Denerim.'

'Howe is the new Arl of Denerim?' I asked, 'what happened to the old one? '

'Oh he disappeared or something.'

'Rumour is that the Elves got him,' said one of the lads pulling a face that he obviously hoped looked mysterious, 'apparently, he tried to kidnap an Elven maiden on her wedding day. As well as being barbarous, that is simply bad luck.' For some reason prostitutes believed a lot in luck, 'And so he disappeared.'

'I see,' I replied, wondering whether Howe's acquisitive, tendencies would get the better of him and one day.

'Anyways,' said the wench, 'he is known for having "special" tastes.'

"I shouldn't have been surprised. A 'special' taste, which was brothel-speak, could mean one of several things, one of several perversions, but in his case, I was pretty certain that given what had happened at Highever, his particular enjoyment must be inflicting pain on others.

"Sanga was of course immoral, or perhaps amoral? However, unless coerced or bribed she did not usually get involved in anything that would cause damage to her assets, or so she considered them.

"In any event, I well imagined that given his status the new Arl of Denerim would have sufficient resources at his disposal to satisfy such tendencies discreetly and in private. Because, of course, he would not want them widely known. He may have been a staunch ally of the old man but I seriously doubted that Loghain would condone such tastes as inevitably, they would reflect badly on him. So much for my getting to him through my employment with The Pearl, I thought. In any event, I still needed to eat and keep a roof over my head.

"It was a few months after I began working for The Pearl, I don't recall exactly when, I was commissioned by the evening to this group of some six wenches and lads to one of the public houses in the poorest quarters of Denerim. I think the establishment was called 'The Upstanding Oak' or something of that kind. This was obviously going to be a party of some sort, a celebration; it was among the most popular kind of work for the denizens of The Pearl. The party I was escorting was gaudy, frolicsome and noisy as we may our way through the streets of the lower quarters.

"When we got there, I spent some time inside the tavern but it soon got a bit too rowdy for me, and since the thing seemed to be genuinely good-humoured, I decided I could take a breath of fresh air outside. Although indeed fresh air is a bit difficult to come by in that part of Denerim so near the river and it was too late and too dark to pull out my book.

"I was reading a romance. Whereas my library at Highever was virtually empty and Fergus' comprised a lot of risqué titles of the kind that used to make Gilmore blush when I merely recited them to him, in The Pearl the most popular reading matter, among those that could read, of course, was the romance and well-regarded romances roamed from hand to hand.

"I recall sitting at one of the wet benches of one of the wet rustic tables outside. At least my leathers would spare me from any splinters. The noise coming from inside was far too loud to enable me to fall asleep.

"After I'd been out there for about half an hour or so, a young man about half a head shorter than I but also clad in leathers, came out and sat opposite me.

'Ufff,' he said fanning himself, 'it's getting really hot in there, and at least I'm not out here alone.'

"He had a roundish face and rosy cheeks a medium length blond beard neatly kept.

'And you are?' He asked.

'Aude.'

'Ah yes, from the Pearl,'

'That's right.'

'A minder. A babysitter.' '

"I scowled at him. 'Someone has to do it.'

'But perhaps you could do better than escorting ****s…'

"I gave him a fierce look, I realised then that my job had gotten to me. In a good way. I had begun to care for my charges.

'They are people too…' I informed him.

'But not very profitable people… for you at least.'

'It allows me to keep body and soul together.'

'Just barely, I should imagine…'

'Well, do you have a point, if so I would ask that you get to it or leave me be.'

'Fair enough. We are… I am hoping to set up a private militia, to rival the Blackstone Irregulars, say.' He tugged slightly at his beard as he said this.

'You mean a mercenary squad.'

'Yes. The times are ripe for it, I think.'

"In that, he was certainly right. From what I could establish there was actually a civil war going on, in all but name, with Eamon and Teagan and assorted allies waging a war of attrition against the old man, Howe and his. Most of the nobility, though, unsurprisingly, seemed to be holding back on taking sides until either faction had a clear advantage.

"Everyday news reached Denerim of some minor skirmish or clash in which one group of the other had come out ahead. It was thoroughly confusing; there was no way at all of knowing what was really happening…

"The Darkspawn and what some persons were beginning to call Blight seemed almost overlooked in these circumstances. Having seen the devastating aftermath of Ostagar and the evacuation and subsequent fall of Lothering, I found this highly disturbing.

'Females are not often found for this type of organisation and all the more valuable for that.' He added, 'By the way, my name is Godfrey.' He extended a very white hand for me to shake. I took it, it was limp and damp.

'Come back here around midday tomorrow, Aude, I shall put your mettle to the test, should I approve, I will offer you a position.'

'What is the pay?' I enquired.

'A percentage of our profits.' Said Godfrey.

'Nothing comes of nothing,' I remarked putting my head to one side.

'Oh, I knew you would prove to be a difficult one. 'Godfrey said laughing.

'But if things were going so badly, do you think we would be celebrating? '

"I went back there at midday of the following day. The tavern had a small garden behind it and this had been cleared for our confrontation. I had given some thought to what my tactics in this fight should be, since I suspected we would be similarly matched, I decided that the level of foolhardiness would be appropriate.

"So therefore contrary to what would be my normal tactics, which would be wear and winnow, in other words, multiple feints, light attacks followed by speedy withdrawals. I chose to go for a full frontal blitz in the hope that I could either take him down very quickly or put him on the back foot, such as to give me a clear advantage early on.

"Godfrey was surprised and for a short time my tactic did seem to get the better of him, however, he was not to be so easily shaken, and eventually when my first wind ran out, we found ourselves engaged in an overlong tussle of attrition. However, since I had expended at all for lot of energy up front, the longer we were engaged the worse it went for me. Eventually he wore me down and I was compelled to surrender.

"He was a good-humoured victor, laughing and calling for ales for both of us.

'So you will accept my offer then, Aude?'

'But I lost,' I pointed out. I had just noticed he had wide blue eyes; they reminded me of Charbelle's.

'Oh, but you did surprise me, and I like to be surprised. 'He said accepting a tankard from the taverner's wife and drinking deeply.

'I also thought that you were fighting for a good while at a level lower than your real capability.' I said holding my tankard rather awkwardly.'

'So you spotted that did you? Well, good on you. Another reason why I should employ you.'

"Thus started my career as a mercenary. We were called the Soldiers of the Lion, because Godfrey had a thing about lions. What I liked about it, apart from the pay, was that I could opt in or out according to for whom we were fighting. So I would happily volunteer to fight for anybody on the side of Redcliffe or Rainesfere, if on the other hand we were doing something for the old man, Anora or one of their allies then I would stick to my job in Denerim. I do not want you to get the wrong idea, Alistair, mercenaries are mercenaries and not benign fade spirits, just because I only fought for one side does not mean I was virtuous or that I did not do things that were reprehensible. I can make you some assurances; I never killed those that were unarmed, not resisting or women and children, as for the rest, well…

"Godfrey seemed perplexed by my choices, until he perceived the pattern. He queried it with me one day, especially in light of the fact that fighting for those currently in power was considerably more lucrative than fighting for the rebels. I gave a nonchalant answer that he seemed to accept at the time.

"Godfrey proved himself to be a brave, charismatic and above all, astute, leader. I remember on one particular occasion we were separated from an ally by an enemy encampment. There was no way to get past it without being detected and if we were detected, we would be overwhelmed such was the difference in numbers. However, in order for our strategy to be successful we needed to coordinate our movements with those of our ally.

"Godfrey tackled this obstacle with considerable ingenuity. One of our number was made up to look as though he were suffering from the taint. We recreated what appeared to be lesions using dyes and wild berry juices to stain his skin. Acting as if he were suffering from the typical mental confusion that afflicts the taint-addled in the last stages of the disease, our man stumbled straight through the enemy encampment untouched.

"This might seem like a fluke, but Godfrey had already worked out beforehand and unilaterally, a detailed attack strategy that was most likely to lead to our success was set out in a document our colleague had hidden, sewn by me, under his clothing.

"I was therefore doing very well out of joining the Soldiers of the Lion. Although I liked Godfrey well enough, there were some hints, however, from people who had worked with him a considerable amount of time, which he was not all he seemed. There were rumours that he was working for the Orlesians ultimately, in which case his mission would be to maximise any internal disruption caused by the covert civil war. As to why Orlais would pay good coin to destabilise a Ferelden that was already under the cosh of the Blight, no one could explain. All the same, it might just be possible.

"He also, apparently, had personal flaws although I did not actually see them until it was too late. On one occasion when working indirectly for Loghain and I think, it is significant that the old man, almost always used middlemen such as Howe when contracting mercenaries, our forces did not fare so well which meant payment was withheld. I was told that Godfrey was absolutely enraged, to the extent that he almost beat to death one of his closest subordinates whom he held responsible for the debacle. Significantly, none of the others thought or cared to intervene, such is the nature of mercenaries.

"This I say is what I heard, but they also say that seeing is believing and only because I did not directly see it for myself, I really could not quite bring myself believe it. More fool me.

"And so it came to pass that just over six months after beginning work with The Soldiers of the Lion, Godfrey came to me with a special mission. This was to track down a woman who had taken refuge in Denerim port and persuade her to come to his headquarters at The Upright Oak.

"It seemed straightforward enough. He gave me a brief but accurate description of the female in question, her age and appearance and told me that she would be with a babe in arms and another on the way. He stressed I was not to use violence or indeed force of any kind, not that I would with a woman with child, I assured him.

"Well, as you know, the port is always very busy but at the height of the covert war and a potential Blight it was heaving with people desperately looking to depart and traders travelling in both directions desperate to make a killing out of Ferelden's current misfortunes.

"It took me almost two days to find her. She was standing on the quayside holding a child over her swollen stomach with a sack at her feet. I tapped her on the shoulder and she nearly jumped several inches in the air. Her face was gaunt, her hair unkept.

'Godfrey would like to see you at The Upstanding Oak,' I said, 'I can take you there.'

'Sweet Andraste, I knew he would track me down…' her voice was faint and quavered.

'Why don't you come with me?' I said picking up the sack.

'Take it, if you want, take all the possessions remaining to me, but please, I beseech you, leave me and the children here… Please, kind lady.' Her grip around the child she held in her arms tightened visibly and she began to rock him.

'He said you should come…' I persisted.

'He is a monster!' She shouted and, 'You are too for doing his bidding, leave me in peace, take what you must but leave me and the children!'

'He is no such thing,' I said, 'Why he may not be the best of men, but— '

'And you know this, how?' She interrupted me, 'Are you intimate with him?' She said looking me up and down with suspicion.

'No!' I replied, 'No.' I said more quietly, 'I work with him…'

"'Work with him'" she repeated scornfully, 'What do you know then?'

'I know what I see…' I said.

'Which is exactly what he wants you to.' She replied. She thrust the child at me, I took it. Then she dropped onto her knees at my feet. I tried to pull her up but was impeded by the male child who started crying…

'I beg of you…BEG,' she said, 'Go back to him and tell him you couldn't find me… For my children's sake. I am sorry I called you a monster just now… I see you are a good person… Let that goodness speak to you and pay it heed. Don't do this. Don't, I swear on my children's lives…' As she said this she clasped her hands around her stomach, 'that you will endanger us all if you return us to him…'

'Get up.' I said quietly, people were beginning to stop and stare at us. 'Get up.' I repeated.

"But rather than do as I asked she reached out and grabbed my foot. 'Please,' she keened, 'Please!'

"I looked around, anxious and embarrassed. 'Very well,' I said, 'Very well. I shall tell him I could not find you…' Was there something to her fear? I really didn't know…

'Thank you, thank you, kind lady,' she exclaimed grovelling even lower.

'Now get up.' I said not at all kindly. She did and I handed the child back to her. 'As you said. I didn't find you, that's what I shall tell him…'

'Thank you, thank you, here, take this…' She proffered something in my direction.

"I did not turn to see what it was. 'Farewell.' I said dryly and walked away.

"Godfrey seated in the tavern appeared to take my news well enough. I told him I had spent two whole days looking and offered to go back again.

"He shook his head, 'No she's gone by now no doubt…' He said sounding resigned, 'Thank you, Aude.'

"About a week later, I received a message from him at The Pearl asking me to come by that evening. This was not at all strange; indeed, it was his usual practice when The Soldiers of the Lion had been given a new assignment.

"When I pushed open the door to The Upstanding Oak I saw Godfrey seated in the exact same place as when I last met him. I had however, a bad feeling, as if I were being watched. Godfrey tugged lightly at his beard. Someone moved behind me and I skidded to one side, a club that should have hit me on the head barely grazed my right shoulder. I drew but they were on me… Several of them, there was nothing I could do…"

"Is that when…" Alistair asked gesturing towards Rous's chest.

"Not exactly, Alistair, you see we're talking about Godfrey here, a mercenary, an astute man…"

"Then what?" Asked Alistair.

Rous clasped her hands in her lap and sat back in the pew. "He sold me, Alistair." She said, "He sold me to Howe."

[Addai]

Ooh... *winces* That can't be good. A riveting chapter, well done.

[Esbatty]

I was so giddy with the... oh, with the whole feint with the Tainted Ally. Then, damn. DAMN. Rage! Somehow, somehow I just knew he - DAMN! *sniffle*

[Maria13]

@ Addai, no it's not. Thanks for the compliment.

@ Esbatty, Sorry!

Well, I've seen the Alistair cameo in DA2 and though his appearance is somewhat... Faded? Gaunt?

He is still the awkward Ali I love and from what I can see matches very well my FF so I am...

RELIEVED!

[Esbatty]

Being King/Drunk probably isn't good for his complexion. lol

[Maria13]

NSFW

Chapter 58

Dragon 9:35            Nublis/Drakonis        Lothering              [Present]

Following this they both sat in complete silence in the ruined Chantry for several minutes. Through the hole in the roof just above them, they could hear the restless back and forth and agitated chirping of several birds in the branches of the trees overhead, obviously preparing themselves for the quickly approaching spring.

Eventually Alistair sighed and, leaning forward, kissed the nape of Rous's neck, and said, "This Godfrey… What happened to him?"

Rous tugged at a loose braid, "Fergus asked me the exact same thing… I don't know…"

Then after a while more she said, "Now that I've started I think I really have to finish, then you'll know everything that happened." Her clasped hands were twisting in her lap, "Get it out of the way once and for all, so I don't have to revisit it ever again… At least intentionally."

Alistair nodded, "If you wish, it's getting a bit late but I don't think this is something that's appropriate to do on the move. The inn is open, its name's been changed, though. I'm sure we can stay the night there and then set off early tomorrow…"

"This place somehow feels right for this." Commented Rous.

"I agree."

"Sit next to me…"

"Of course." Alistair moved next to her and caught one of her hands in his. She clung to it tightly.

"Thanks." Rous stretched, arching her body back from the waist and then began in a whisper.

                                                                                            ~...~

"I have no idea how Godfrey found out who I was. As I said, he had perceived the patterns in my assignments for the Soldiers of the Lion. Perhaps that's what spurred him to make further enquiries. Perhaps someone saw me and recognised me, it is not beyond the bounds of possibility. Perhaps I made one too many visits to Charbelle and information was extracted from her under the guise of a friendly chat.

"Neither do I know how he found out what had happened at the port. Maybe he was a spy after all with connexions everywhere after all…

"Once I had been restrained Godfrey stalked up and backhanded me across the mouth cursing me for letting his wife and babes elude him. Then he told me what was going to happen to me.

"I was dumbstruck.

"He, on the other hand, seemed delighted by his own cleverness.

'So you see,' He crowed placing a coy finger on my newly swollen lip, 'Lady Cousland, I get my revenge, make some profit and you become someone else's problem. What more could I ask for?'

'My friends… My friends will find out and avenge me…' I spluttered.

'Your friends? What friends? I am probably the best one you had… Isn't that funny? And you let me down and lied to me.' He made a gesture.

'I'm…' Someone stuffed a rag in my mouth and wrapped a cloth around my face. My leathers were stripped from me almost faster than I could blink, leaving me in linen long johns and a chemise. My hands were clamped behind my back with tight manacles.

"Godfrey kissed my forehead. 'Goodbye, my dearest Lady Cousland, it was sweet getting to know you.' And then he turned his back on me.

"Before I was thrust threw the tavern door, someone threw a dark cloak over me. I did not imagine it was for my comfort, rather it was to better camouflage me in the dusk.

                                                                                                  ~...~

"Something very rational in me told me I should preserve my strength so I did not struggle when they dragged me away or while they conveyed me through the dark streets of Denerim. There were at least four or five of them and they surrounded me so there was no hope of dumbly appealing to any bystanders for help, should there be any. We passed a few patrols but they ignored us, we just looked like any other boisterous group, I suppose… However, when we came within sight of the walls of the Arl of Denerim's estate my courage faltered.

"It was if an icy fist had suddenly clenched my heart and my legs gave way from under me. This caused my escorts not a little amusement, 'Not so uppity now, is she?' being one of the comments I recall…

"I was handed over at the front door of the manor house and before leaving one of the mercenaries was considerate enough to shake the money pouch in my face so I could hear the clink of the coins whereby my life had been purchased.

"Two burly guards hauled me through a large entry hall my feet scraping the floor. It was very well illuminated, there weren't many people around but in one corner a man in the household troop uniform though a little more ornate than those of the guards holding me, was talking quietly to two women who appeared from their modest dress to be servants.

"As we passed them I screeched under my gag and struggled a little and the man turned around. For a brief moment our gazes locked… I saw a pair of chill grey eyes. A wisp of straight blond iron-threaded hair fell over his forehead from under his silver helmet, matching his thick moustache in hue. His face was surrounded by several deep vertical lines as if it were sinking towards his skull.

"I knew him, I knew him… but for the life of me at that moment I couldn't place him… As they frogmarched me down a hallway I realised he was a former member of our guards in Highever. Some help he would be to me now, the turncoat, I thought.

"I'd never visited inside of the Arl of Denerim's estate but from the many corridors, ornaments and bright silk carpets I saw along the way, it was almost as grandiose as Highever. Quite an acquisition for Howe.

"Eventually after a fair few minutes we came to a stop outside a strong looking double door. One of the guards knocked and there was a muffled reply from within.

"The door opened and I was shoved forward, falling on my knees onto the hard tiles, I yelped under my gag.

'Well, well,' said Howe in his familiar vinegar tones, 'Who do we have here? Bryce Cousland's little spitfire. All grown up and still playing the man.'

"With an effort I got to my feet, glowering at him. He was lying on the bed to my left. Fully clothed, some fine embroidery on his tunic; slippers, I noted. His ankles crossed. The person who had opened the door, a mage by his robes, stood warily to his right.

'Loosen the gag, let's see what the little **** has to say for herself…' He said, he was pale; the bags under his eyes seemed larger than I recalled, his hair thinner, his nose, pointier… He looked more like a sewer rat than ever.

"One of my escorts took a step behind me and brutally jerked my head back before releasing the restraint from the back of my skull. I spat the cloth in my mouth on the floor.

'So refined, Lady Cousland,' he taunted. 'Or should I call you "pup" like dadda, or "****", perhaps?' He said sitting up and throwing his legs over the side of the bed.

'YOU MOTHER****ING, ****ING MURDEROUS, ****ING BASTARD...'

"One of the guards aimed a fist at my stomach and I crumpled to the floor once again, fighting for breath and gasping with pain, my chest doubled over my knees.

'Remove that cape…' Ordered Howe and it was done, 'My darling Rosaura,' He added unctuously, 'Your ****** are hanging out…'

"They weren't; but in truth the shirt left little to the imagination…

Despite my knees still throbbing from my first fall, my anger allowed me to jump to my feet and charge him with a roar… Surprised, the mage backed away… A foot was stuck out and tripped me so I fell face first into his lap.

'Poor little pup, you're sooooooo eager,' Howe said stroking the back of my head. Up close under his oversweet perfumes he smelt sick and sour…

"I was aiming for his balls but instead my teeth sunk into the inside of his left leg. Even through his clothing it must have been painful enough judging by his scream.

"The had to pry me off him, I was growling like an animal, I didn't know I was capable of such savagery.

"They forced me to kneel in front of him and restrained me, he was wincing and rubbing his leg, a dark stain had began to spread under his breeches, I noticed.

"He leaned forward just out of my reach, and said quietly, 'Little b***, your parents died on their knees begging for their lives. Your brother's brat was burned on a scrap heap, along with his Antivan w*** of a wife. And what's left? You. A fool, an empty shell of a daughter… Daughter?' He laughed, he had a rich laugh, he was thoroughly enjoying this, 'More like a rabid animal now than a human… This is pointless... You've lost.'

'There is no such thing as losing… No such thing…' I raged.

"He sat back. 'What a strange thing to say, Lady Cousland… Dying in a considerable amount of pain having first endured considerable humiliation, which is what is about to happen to you, pretty much adds up to losing in my book… Such a pity that due to an important, but alas, inconvenient visitor I'm going to have to have you dispatched by tomorrow morning.'

'You bastard, you miserable ****ing bastard… I curse you, I…'

'Oh this is getting tedious… Take her down and get on with it…' Howe said peevishly addressing the guards and waving a hand in the air.

"I was yanked up into a standing position. 'I might pay you a visit later, Lady Cousland, but then again I might not…' Howe said, 'Women always scream and beg a bit too much for my tastes.'

"As they were dragged me towards a little side door, Howe turned to the mage and said, 'Dear Maker… And that's just the daughter… I would much prefer to get my hands on the elder Cousland… There were rumours that he had perished at Ostagar, but…'

"Just as the door slammed behind us the import of those words hit me, Fergus lived! Fergus was alive…

"And I was as good as dead…"

                                                                                           ~...~

Rous' head hung almost to her chest. Alistair put an arm around her shoulders and squeezed and then kissed her earlobe. "If you wish…"

Rous looked at him. "Oswyn told me he spoke to you, described—"

"He did."

"I see." Rous averted her eyes again.

Evening had begun to fall and the birds were silent. It was getting cold. Rous pulled her cape tighter around her.

"I don't really have much to add. Tales of mistreatment… I've heard several, they're all the same, including my own.

"I was horrified when they appeared to be hauling me towards the rack… There was something about the thought of being broken on a rack that…" Rous licked her lips.

"I was almost relieved when we went past it and they released my manacles to chain my hands above me… It didn't matter I told myself, Fergus was alive…

"They stripped off my shirt and this time my breasts did flop forward, but it didn't matter because Fergus was alive…

"I tried to concentrate on that.

"And then the whip lashed at my back for the first time and I could think of nothing else but the pain…

"The point, I guess, about flagellation is that the pain it causes is incremental… I never understood that before.

"Forgetting all pride, I wept and writhed on the chains but just as I seemed to have reached some plateau of barely tolerable anguish I was struck again… and this time the agony was worse.

"I wet myself after the fourth stroke.

"When I fainted, as I eventually did, they revived me by dunking my head in a bucket. Because your body never lets you drown or suffocate if it can possibly avoid it.

"Another thing I learned.

"The pain crests, you begin to lose consciousness… For a very brief moment, just before you go down, you feel calm and blissfully happy… The next thing you know, you're drowning and that's painful too but in a different way, your lungs are bursting… There is this horrible pressure building up inside you, it feels as though your chest is going to explode, your eyes hurt, and you panic, your body jerks… And then there's a tug upwards and you're allowed to take a breath again…

"It is excruciatingly cruel because the pain is interspersed with very brief but real moments of pain-free joy… Which make you want to live…

"And then, well, they use the whipping to soften you for the abuse…

"That's another kind of pain: humiliation. You have more time to think. To become conscious of enormity of what is being done to you. Most of the time it was very direct and very brutal. But sometimes, and this is ironically worse, it was almost gentle…

"Conscious doesn't mean fully aware, though… You hear someone shouting and begging and saying, 'NO, NO, PLEASE NO, DON'T, NO…' and you say to yourself, 'They're really having a bad time of it,' then you realise the person shouting is you…

"When at last they tired of me I was left lying on the floor with my eyes closed tight. It was sooooooo cold… Everything was sore and hurt I was covered with sticky fluids.

"I think what happened to…" Rous gestured towards her right breast, "Was meant to be a fatal blow… I don't know whether I saw the actual sword descending to gut me or whether I imagined I saw it. Be that as it may, at the last moment I jerked out of the way, it seems… So only part of me was pierced…

"As that happened my last thought wasn't 'Maker!' or 'Andraste have mercy!' but… Fergus is alive…"

"And then there was darkness for a while and that was good…

                                                                                                           ~...~                                                      

"Somewhat later I recovered a semblance of consciousness and could hear a rough male voice snarling just above me, 'I'll take care of her, Howe's orders… What you don't trust me boy? I hated those bastards… Hated them.'

I was kicked in the small of the back, I had no voice left so I just mewled like a helpless kitty refusing to open my eyes, 'See? Now get out!' Said the same voice.

                                                                                                         ~...~

Rous leaned forward folding her hands on the back of the next pew down and rested her chin on them. "Someone dumped me at the door of the Chantry in the early hours of the morning… They used to keep it open at all times but they started locking it at night after it was vandalised and profaned a few months previously… I was told that it sounded as if the door were being kicked by heavy boots… Not a strange occurrence for Denerim in those days, apparently… After a few minutes a Templar came down and opened it because one of the Mothers heard me moaning. I was a shivering naked mess quaking under a cloak… So they tell me.

"Charbelle recognised me the following afternoon, once the novices had cleaned me up. She looked after me, Alistair, nursed me day and night. Never left my side even when the Darkspawn were rampaging through Denerim; I was considered too sick to evacuate so she stayed with me. I owe her everything I am today…

"It was also her idea to take me to the… to your, coronation. She thought it might make me feel better. I could barely stand so she was holding me up throughout. They dressed me in a initiate's robe, they had nothing else, my hair had been shorn after they found me so they could determine if I had any head wounds…

"I recall being fairly bemused at the proceedings, all the bright colours and the hubbub of noise, not quite understanding what was going on…"

"Huh," said Alistair, "That day was very much the same for me, utter confusion… Weird isn't it?"

"Those were strange days…"

"Yes, they were indeed."

"And then someone walked past our little group of initiates and said 'Revered Mothers', so we all giggled… And then… I recognised him… I nearly fainted… Charbelle started saying 'What's the matter Rous? Rous…' but all I could croak was 'Fergus, Fergus…' and make a grab for his sleeve.

"For a moment he looked at me and didn't seem to recognise me… He even made a move to detach my fingers from his clothing… I felt wretched, suppose this was all a dream, suppose I'd never had a brother called Fergus, that I had gone mad…

"And then his face sort of cracked up… And I knew everything would be fine. That instant of recognition was the best moment of my life… Without a doubt…"

Rous sighed, it was a sigh or relief, and she leaned back into Alistair's arms. "So now you know… That's really all there is to it…"

He held her for a while, hugging her shoulders and then said, "You know, we need to claim our room in that inn."

"Of course we do." Rous got up. "Ow! I'm really stiff… Must be horse riding followed by sitting here for so long… and the cold."

"Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine and you don't need to help me walk or anything… Just put your arm around me again…"

Alistair kissed her briefly and they crossed the little bridge together.

"I'm not very hungry tonight." Said Rous.

"Neither am I particularly. Let's get the room sorted out, then I'll see to the horses and we can have an early night…"

When they got to the tavern door Rous asked, "It was called 'Dane's Rest' before, wasn't it?"

"That's right."

"So what's it called now, then?"

Alistair pointed upwards at the new sign with a picture of a crown on it swinging above their heads. "'The King's Rest'" she said, and smiled briefly. "How apt."

Modifié par Maria13, 12 mars 2011 - 05:52 .

[Esbatty]

I actually started to read it... stopped before the exchange occurred... then an hour or so later came back. That was a rough hour, I am thankful you glossed over much of the ... 'process'. My imagination hates me, and I hate it, right now. So I'm off to write something happy, maybe.

...

Oy, poor CousCous. Dammit. For some reason I really want to punch Nathaniel. Not hang him, just be able to smack around 50 percent of Rendon's genes for a bit. I still don't see why Loghain trusted him, Howe was the epitome of Orlesian cruelty wrapped up in Ferelden leathers. GRRRRRRRRRRRR.