Loved that last chapter. Excellent way of showing the GW suicides without actually showing it.
Consequences (Complete! Spoilers for DA:O and Awakenings)
Débuté par
Miri1984
, mars 20 2010 09:12
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#27
Posté 24 mars 2010 - 07:47
Miri1984
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Thanks so much. I was debating whether to actually write that scene (I may actually do it eventually as a companion piece) but to be honest I was crying too much at the thought of them dying!
#28
Posté 24 mars 2010 - 07:55
Miri1984
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ELEVEN
Duncan was back on the cliff. He was pleased he hadn't had to climb it this time. Morrigan was sitting on a rock a few feet away. She was studying her fingernails with great concentration as he approached.
"Ah," she said, looking up. "I've been waiting."
He cocked an eyebrow. "For me I presume," he said.
"Of course."
"I haven't seen or heard from your son," he said then. "Not for over a year."
She dismissed his comment with a wave of her hand. "I know that," she said. "I haunt this part of the fade, I would know if he came anywhere near here. But we have a problem."
"Another one?"
"Someone else is looking for him," she said. "I wasn't entirely honest with you last time we met. Habits - you know. It's difficult to be honest when you've spent your life being circumspect."
Duncan thought it best not to make any comments to that.
"Someone else is looking for your son?"
"Yes. And he thinks it is me, which is why he is trying so hard to hide from me. I only wish... he did not think so badly of me." She looked sad suddenly.
"So who is looking for him?"
The witch's lip curled and her melancholy disappeared. "An old enemy of mine," she said. "And she is close. Closer than I would like - to you. She must have realised that you are connected to him, although Maker knows how she found you."
"She?"
The witch looked troubled. "Flemeth," she said.
Duncan's jaw dropped. "But my mother killed her," he said. "In her dragon form. In the wilds. Leliana told me the story."
Morrigan rolled her eyes. "I told your mother that death for Flemeth is not the same as death for the rest of us," she said. "I warned her that she would find a way to come back. I just didn't think it would be this soon."
"But.. how??"
Morrigan stood and began to pace. "Once a mage has learned the art of transferring souls it becomes extremely difficult to destroy her," she said. "You can destroy the shell - the body - relatively easily..."
Duncan snorted. Morrigan frowned at him. "Relatively easily," she continued, "but the soul itself has learned to be independent from the body. It can move from place to place. It can sustain itself through other living things, or exist in the fade for a time if the mind is disciplined enough. And my mother..." she spat out the word, "had a very, very disciplined mind."
"You certainly didn't tell my mother all of this," Duncan said.
Morrigan stopped and looked at him, with a somewhat surprised look on her face. "I had no idea at the time that she would end up marrying the father of my child," Morrigan said then. "I had hoped... she would have better taste to be honest."
"You didn't," he pointed out.
"Bah!" the witch exploded. "Do you think I would ever have CHOSEN that..that babbling, dim-witted, fool to... to..." she stopped and took a deep breath. Duncan was grinning at her. He could see exactly why his father had taken so much delight in baiting the woman. "I take it back," she said then. "You have a lot of your father about you."
"I'll take that as a compliment," he replied. "But this is all secondary. You said Flemeth was close to me? As in how close? In the fade, or in reality? Should I be looking over my shoulder for disembodied spirits?"
"No, and that's the worst of it," Morrigan replied. "She'll look like an ordinary human. She'll have taken the form of someone close to you - someone in the palace."
Duncan swallowed. "Someone who has only recently arrived?" he said, his heart in his throat.
"Not necessarily," Morrigan continued. Duncan relaxed a little, "although it would be logical - considering she would have to take on the persona of anyone you already knew."
He closed his eyes for a minute, then opened them and fixed them on the woman in front of him, trying with all his might to dispel the thought of Amelie's twinkling green gaze. "Is there... any way we can tell who?"
Morrigan nodded. "'Twill be difficult," she said. "But Flemeth has powerful magic. Although she prefers to take the bodies of developed mages, her innate power is tied to her soul, and so any body she takes will have traces of magic about it. You must have all of your associates tested by a mage. Any who have... unwarranted magic will be suspect."
"There are lots of people who have latent magical talent," Duncan said. "I can't imprison random people like that!"
"Are you not the king?" Morrigan said.
"Well, yes," he said. "But I'm not a tyrant. There are quite a few people who would take exception to that sort of behaviour."
"Then you'll have to test them in private," she said. "And you'll have to be prepared to deal with Flemeth if you find her."
"Well, that makes it all perfectly easy then," he muttered.
"Sarcasm was never your father's strong point," Morrigan said, as flames surrounded her and she faded from view. Her voice floated to him after her image had disappeared. "He could never get the delivery quite right....."
That morning he managed to find Nathaniel early and have his appointments cancelled for the day. "We have a problem," he said to his bodyguard, "one that needs immediate action."
Nathaniel was puzzled by Duncan's reticence on the matter, but he could not afford to let the man know what was on his mind. It was possible, however unlikely, that Flemeth had managed to take Nathaniel - and until he could be tested Duncan could not afford to trust anyone in the palace at all.
"You'll need to put everyone off for the morning," Duncan said, pacing quickly through the palace halls, making for a very particular place. "I won't be available."
"May I ask where you are going?"
Duncan shook his head. "No, you may not." Nathaniel looked about to object, but Duncan caught his arm. "You know Nate, that I am better acquainted with the palace and the city than practically anyone. My mother and my father taught me everything they knew about their respective ways of battle. I am far from helpless. And this is too important to be put off. I must do this alone."
"I'm sorry, your majesty," Nathaniel said, placing his hand on his dagger, "but you must know that I cannot allow it."
Duncan sighed, and glanced around them. They had arrived in a dead end coridoor. "Yes, Nate," he said. "I understand that you cannot allow it."
The move was swift and sure - just as his mother had always taught him. Nate was an accomplished fighter but he was not expecting the attack and folded neatly into a heap. Duncan glanced quickly around to make doubly sure there were no witnesses, then carefully arranged Nate into a more comfortable position and slipped through the secret doorway he was reasonably certain no one else was aware of.
In plain leather armour with a helm, the king was just another mercenary on the streets of Denerim. He slipped through the back streets, careful to keep to the shadows in any case, more out of concern for his safety than for fear of being recognised, as he made his way to the docks.
Her ship was in port - Duncan always made a point of checking for it in case an occasion such as this arose - and he made his way up the gangplank onto the deck, where a single, well armed guard stood.
"What's your business?" the guard said.
"I'm here to see the Captain," Duncan said.
"She's busy," the guard grunted.
"Show her this," Duncan said, and slipped a ring from his finger. It was a gift from his father, and bore a single rose inscription around the otherwise plain, flat silver band.
The guard called out and a small boy ran to him. "Run quick," the guard said. "Show this to the captain and come back. No dallying."
Duncan fidgeted while he waited, feeling extremely exposed on the open deck and sweating under his helm. Finally the boy came back and nodded at the guard who motioned Duncan to follow the boy.
He ducked down into the captain's cabin, his eyes struggling to adjust to the gloom after the brightness of the deck.
"Well, well," a smooth voice came from behind captain's table. "An unexpected pleasure."
"Isabela," Duncan said as she leaned forward into the light. "It's good to see you."
Duncan was back on the cliff. He was pleased he hadn't had to climb it this time. Morrigan was sitting on a rock a few feet away. She was studying her fingernails with great concentration as he approached.
"Ah," she said, looking up. "I've been waiting."
He cocked an eyebrow. "For me I presume," he said.
"Of course."
"I haven't seen or heard from your son," he said then. "Not for over a year."
She dismissed his comment with a wave of her hand. "I know that," she said. "I haunt this part of the fade, I would know if he came anywhere near here. But we have a problem."
"Another one?"
"Someone else is looking for him," she said. "I wasn't entirely honest with you last time we met. Habits - you know. It's difficult to be honest when you've spent your life being circumspect."
Duncan thought it best not to make any comments to that.
"Someone else is looking for your son?"
"Yes. And he thinks it is me, which is why he is trying so hard to hide from me. I only wish... he did not think so badly of me." She looked sad suddenly.
"So who is looking for him?"
The witch's lip curled and her melancholy disappeared. "An old enemy of mine," she said. "And she is close. Closer than I would like - to you. She must have realised that you are connected to him, although Maker knows how she found you."
"She?"
The witch looked troubled. "Flemeth," she said.
Duncan's jaw dropped. "But my mother killed her," he said. "In her dragon form. In the wilds. Leliana told me the story."
Morrigan rolled her eyes. "I told your mother that death for Flemeth is not the same as death for the rest of us," she said. "I warned her that she would find a way to come back. I just didn't think it would be this soon."
"But.. how??"
Morrigan stood and began to pace. "Once a mage has learned the art of transferring souls it becomes extremely difficult to destroy her," she said. "You can destroy the shell - the body - relatively easily..."
Duncan snorted. Morrigan frowned at him. "Relatively easily," she continued, "but the soul itself has learned to be independent from the body. It can move from place to place. It can sustain itself through other living things, or exist in the fade for a time if the mind is disciplined enough. And my mother..." she spat out the word, "had a very, very disciplined mind."
"You certainly didn't tell my mother all of this," Duncan said.
Morrigan stopped and looked at him, with a somewhat surprised look on her face. "I had no idea at the time that she would end up marrying the father of my child," Morrigan said then. "I had hoped... she would have better taste to be honest."
"You didn't," he pointed out.
"Bah!" the witch exploded. "Do you think I would ever have CHOSEN that..that babbling, dim-witted, fool to... to..." she stopped and took a deep breath. Duncan was grinning at her. He could see exactly why his father had taken so much delight in baiting the woman. "I take it back," she said then. "You have a lot of your father about you."
"I'll take that as a compliment," he replied. "But this is all secondary. You said Flemeth was close to me? As in how close? In the fade, or in reality? Should I be looking over my shoulder for disembodied spirits?"
"No, and that's the worst of it," Morrigan replied. "She'll look like an ordinary human. She'll have taken the form of someone close to you - someone in the palace."
Duncan swallowed. "Someone who has only recently arrived?" he said, his heart in his throat.
"Not necessarily," Morrigan continued. Duncan relaxed a little, "although it would be logical - considering she would have to take on the persona of anyone you already knew."
He closed his eyes for a minute, then opened them and fixed them on the woman in front of him, trying with all his might to dispel the thought of Amelie's twinkling green gaze. "Is there... any way we can tell who?"
Morrigan nodded. "'Twill be difficult," she said. "But Flemeth has powerful magic. Although she prefers to take the bodies of developed mages, her innate power is tied to her soul, and so any body she takes will have traces of magic about it. You must have all of your associates tested by a mage. Any who have... unwarranted magic will be suspect."
"There are lots of people who have latent magical talent," Duncan said. "I can't imprison random people like that!"
"Are you not the king?" Morrigan said.
"Well, yes," he said. "But I'm not a tyrant. There are quite a few people who would take exception to that sort of behaviour."
"Then you'll have to test them in private," she said. "And you'll have to be prepared to deal with Flemeth if you find her."
"Well, that makes it all perfectly easy then," he muttered.
"Sarcasm was never your father's strong point," Morrigan said, as flames surrounded her and she faded from view. Her voice floated to him after her image had disappeared. "He could never get the delivery quite right....."
That morning he managed to find Nathaniel early and have his appointments cancelled for the day. "We have a problem," he said to his bodyguard, "one that needs immediate action."
Nathaniel was puzzled by Duncan's reticence on the matter, but he could not afford to let the man know what was on his mind. It was possible, however unlikely, that Flemeth had managed to take Nathaniel - and until he could be tested Duncan could not afford to trust anyone in the palace at all.
"You'll need to put everyone off for the morning," Duncan said, pacing quickly through the palace halls, making for a very particular place. "I won't be available."
"May I ask where you are going?"
Duncan shook his head. "No, you may not." Nathaniel looked about to object, but Duncan caught his arm. "You know Nate, that I am better acquainted with the palace and the city than practically anyone. My mother and my father taught me everything they knew about their respective ways of battle. I am far from helpless. And this is too important to be put off. I must do this alone."
"I'm sorry, your majesty," Nathaniel said, placing his hand on his dagger, "but you must know that I cannot allow it."
Duncan sighed, and glanced around them. They had arrived in a dead end coridoor. "Yes, Nate," he said. "I understand that you cannot allow it."
The move was swift and sure - just as his mother had always taught him. Nate was an accomplished fighter but he was not expecting the attack and folded neatly into a heap. Duncan glanced quickly around to make doubly sure there were no witnesses, then carefully arranged Nate into a more comfortable position and slipped through the secret doorway he was reasonably certain no one else was aware of.
In plain leather armour with a helm, the king was just another mercenary on the streets of Denerim. He slipped through the back streets, careful to keep to the shadows in any case, more out of concern for his safety than for fear of being recognised, as he made his way to the docks.
Her ship was in port - Duncan always made a point of checking for it in case an occasion such as this arose - and he made his way up the gangplank onto the deck, where a single, well armed guard stood.
"What's your business?" the guard said.
"I'm here to see the Captain," Duncan said.
"She's busy," the guard grunted.
"Show her this," Duncan said, and slipped a ring from his finger. It was a gift from his father, and bore a single rose inscription around the otherwise plain, flat silver band.
The guard called out and a small boy ran to him. "Run quick," the guard said. "Show this to the captain and come back. No dallying."
Duncan fidgeted while he waited, feeling extremely exposed on the open deck and sweating under his helm. Finally the boy came back and nodded at the guard who motioned Duncan to follow the boy.
He ducked down into the captain's cabin, his eyes struggling to adjust to the gloom after the brightness of the deck.
"Well, well," a smooth voice came from behind captain's table. "An unexpected pleasure."
"Isabela," Duncan said as she leaned forward into the light. "It's good to see you."
#29
Posté 25 mars 2010 - 02:15
TanithAeyrs
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Just read your story, very good. You have a strong story line and I really like how you have handled Fion. I will be putting it on my story alerts on FF.net.
#30
Posté 25 mars 2010 - 03:00
Miri1984
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Goody! I was a bit nervous about FFnet, but now I'm addicted to the stats page. My husband thinks I'm hilarious - I keep running to the laptop and squealing when I get another visitor 
.
.
#31
Posté 25 mars 2010 - 03:12
Miri1984
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TWELVE
"So," Anders said as they walked through the foothills of the Frostback mountains. "Which one are you?"
Fion looked puzzled. "Which one?"
"Which god? There are only three left you know. Are you Night? Or Beauty? Or are you Mystery?"
"Anders.." Leliana said.
Fion stopped and looked at the blond mage. They were of a height, the two of them, although Fion was more slender. Anders relied on magic only during combat, but he followed a strict physical exercise regime every morning that made him bulkier. Leliana had asked Oghren if it was a grey warden thing. Oghren had snorted into his tankard.
"Nah, the skirt wearing fancy man just wants to look good for the ladies."
"I am Fion," the younger man said then, as though he didn't understand the question.
"Well, obviously you're Fion," Anders said. "But you're also the incarnation of one of the old gods. Which one is it?"
"Anders I don't think..."
"It's all right, Leliana," Fion said. "It's a valid question. One I'd be quite happy to answer, if I happened to know what the answer was."
"You don't know?" Anders said.
"I don't even know that those stories are true," Fion replied. "The only person I truly remember being is... Fion. I have extra abilities, extra senses, but as far as I know I'm just... me."
"Well, how terribly disappointing for you."
Fion laughed. It was the first time Leliana had heard him laugh and she found the sound unsettling - it was deep and throaty and almost exactly like his fathers. "Yes I suppose it is," he said after he controlled himself. "Although I don't know that remembering being a dragon would be an advantage in every day life."
"No, I suppose not," Anders said. "Why, you'd have trouble sorting out which legs to use for a start. And not being able to fly any more - that would be a bit of a killjoy."
"Indeed," Fion said.
Yuri had been walking next to Anders when they had stopped to have their conversation, and his deep voice broke in. "Do you want to know?" he asked.
Morrigan's son looked at the Templar long and hard. "At the moment? No. I have no desire to know who I was. No desire at all."
"Sometimes knowing who you were helps you discover who you are," the Templar said then, looking away from them and down towards the lowlands.
Fion shuddered. "I'm not sure that's right in my case," he said.
"Perhaps not," Yuri conceded, and he turned back to the road and continued walking ahead of the rest of them. His voice floated back towards the party. "But it's part of you, nonetheless."
They continued on.
Yuri had spent an hour or so with Alistair before they'd left the cave discussing what needed to be done to shield Fion from his mother's eye and the Templar needed to renew his wards every evening before they slept. Fion and Yuri seemed to get on well, Leliana noticed. They were both taciturn and unwilling to enter into casual conversation, and neither wasted words when they did speak. Yet they sat together in the evenings in companiable silence until it was time for the Templar to sleep.
Fion didn't sleep. He had no bedroll and would keep company with whomever was on watch the entire night - or disappear altogether until daylight. Leliana asked him about it one night when he was standing with her on watch.
"I can't do it forever," he said. "It depletes me. But if I enter the fade I am vulnerable - she can find me there. So I need to stay awake."
"Surely it cannot be healthy," Leliana said. "How do you manage it?"
"I need some periods of rest," he said, "where I clear my mind of thoughts. And eventually I will have to sleep, yes."
"When?"
"Long before we reach Denerim," Fion said. "I'm hoping that Anders and Rowan will be able to offer me some protection when I do. From the fade."
"Is it that important that she not find you?" Leliana asked then, gently.
Fion's young face clouded. "Yes," he said.
"So," Anders said as they walked through the foothills of the Frostback mountains. "Which one are you?"
Fion looked puzzled. "Which one?"
"Which god? There are only three left you know. Are you Night? Or Beauty? Or are you Mystery?"
"Anders.." Leliana said.
Fion stopped and looked at the blond mage. They were of a height, the two of them, although Fion was more slender. Anders relied on magic only during combat, but he followed a strict physical exercise regime every morning that made him bulkier. Leliana had asked Oghren if it was a grey warden thing. Oghren had snorted into his tankard.
"Nah, the skirt wearing fancy man just wants to look good for the ladies."
"I am Fion," the younger man said then, as though he didn't understand the question.
"Well, obviously you're Fion," Anders said. "But you're also the incarnation of one of the old gods. Which one is it?"
"Anders I don't think..."
"It's all right, Leliana," Fion said. "It's a valid question. One I'd be quite happy to answer, if I happened to know what the answer was."
"You don't know?" Anders said.
"I don't even know that those stories are true," Fion replied. "The only person I truly remember being is... Fion. I have extra abilities, extra senses, but as far as I know I'm just... me."
"Well, how terribly disappointing for you."
Fion laughed. It was the first time Leliana had heard him laugh and she found the sound unsettling - it was deep and throaty and almost exactly like his fathers. "Yes I suppose it is," he said after he controlled himself. "Although I don't know that remembering being a dragon would be an advantage in every day life."
"No, I suppose not," Anders said. "Why, you'd have trouble sorting out which legs to use for a start. And not being able to fly any more - that would be a bit of a killjoy."
"Indeed," Fion said.
Yuri had been walking next to Anders when they had stopped to have their conversation, and his deep voice broke in. "Do you want to know?" he asked.
Morrigan's son looked at the Templar long and hard. "At the moment? No. I have no desire to know who I was. No desire at all."
"Sometimes knowing who you were helps you discover who you are," the Templar said then, looking away from them and down towards the lowlands.
Fion shuddered. "I'm not sure that's right in my case," he said.
"Perhaps not," Yuri conceded, and he turned back to the road and continued walking ahead of the rest of them. His voice floated back towards the party. "But it's part of you, nonetheless."
They continued on.
Yuri had spent an hour or so with Alistair before they'd left the cave discussing what needed to be done to shield Fion from his mother's eye and the Templar needed to renew his wards every evening before they slept. Fion and Yuri seemed to get on well, Leliana noticed. They were both taciturn and unwilling to enter into casual conversation, and neither wasted words when they did speak. Yet they sat together in the evenings in companiable silence until it was time for the Templar to sleep.
Fion didn't sleep. He had no bedroll and would keep company with whomever was on watch the entire night - or disappear altogether until daylight. Leliana asked him about it one night when he was standing with her on watch.
"I can't do it forever," he said. "It depletes me. But if I enter the fade I am vulnerable - she can find me there. So I need to stay awake."
"Surely it cannot be healthy," Leliana said. "How do you manage it?"
"I need some periods of rest," he said, "where I clear my mind of thoughts. And eventually I will have to sleep, yes."
"When?"
"Long before we reach Denerim," Fion said. "I'm hoping that Anders and Rowan will be able to offer me some protection when I do. From the fade."
"Is it that important that she not find you?" Leliana asked then, gently.
Fion's young face clouded. "Yes," he said.
#32
Posté 25 mars 2010 - 09:06
Miri1984
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THIRTEEN
"A visit from the king is always a novelty," Isabela said, motioning him to sit. "And on your own? Quite difficult to arrange I would imagine."
Duncan thought of Nathaniel, crumpling under his blow, and winced. "It wasn't easy, no," he said. "But sometimes these things are necessary."
"Your father used to visit me sometimes," she continued. "He never seemed to have any difficulty slipping out unawares."
Duncan smiled. "Oh, that's what he told you," he said. "But mother always knew where he went, and sent appropriate guards at a discrete distance. Father was... less observant than she was."
Isabela smiled. "Always," she said. "So. I'm presuming this isn't a pleasure visit. What is it you need?"
He reached into his armour and brought out the sealed packet he had prepared on waking. "I need a message delivered to the mage's tower," he said. "It's urgent, and very, very private."
Isabela's delicate eyebrows rose in surprise. "Too private to trust to the palace messengers?" she said. "Yet you trust me, a onetime smuggler captain? I'm flattered, your majesty."
"My parents trusted you," he said. "Although they never told me why."
"Oh, we knew each other," she said. "Very well indeed. They were right to trust me. As I trusted them." She reached for the packet. "I can have this delivered easily enough. One of my boys is heading that way with some... supplies we picked up in Amaranthine. He can take this with him."
"Is he trustworthy?"
"All of my men are trustworthy," Isabela said. "And to be honest, your highness, it seems you don't have very much choice in this matter."
He nodded ruefully. "I don't," he said. "Captain, I'm afraid I don't have enough time to stay. They've almost certainly missed me at the palace by now and it'll be hard enough to get back in without attracting attention as it is."
She nodded. "Don't let me detain you, your majesty."
"I'll see to it that you're rewarded for this," he said as he rose to go. Isabela smiled.
"The continuation of our little arrangement is all the reward I need, your majesty," she said. "It's so nice to have friends."
She held out his ring, which he took and replaced before bowing swiftly and turning to go.
It was pandemonium in the streets as he neared the palace. The guard were out in full force, and although none of the populace knew what the problem was, he was well aware it was his absence that had caused it.
He studied the approach to the palace for over an hour before he realised there was absolutely no way he was going to be able to slip back inside unnoticed. He sighed. Time to face the execution squad. He removed his helm, shook out his hair and strode towards the palace.
"The king!" Someone shouted. "It's the king!"
Teagan and Nathaniel were waiting for him in the throne room. He'd never seen his bodyguard so angry. Duncan suddenly felt three years old again.
"Would you mind," Teagan said through clenched teeth, "explaining this little escapade, your majesty?"
"I needed to go out," Duncan replied, and cursed himself for stupidity.
"Your royal father may have thought it was funny to go out and mingle with the populace," Teagan continued. "But may I remind you that he was a grey warden - and a templar - and had a wife who was sensible enough to have him followed!"
Duncan gritted his teeth. "My royal father had his reasons," he said. "And so do I."
"And what are those reasons?" Nathaniel's quiet voice broke in. His calmness if anything made Duncan more mortified.
"Nate, I meant what I said this morning. I can't tell you." The warden nodded as though he'd been expecting that answer.
"Well, your majesty," he continued. "You'll be pleased to know that your little exit point has been discovered..."
Duncan nodded, he thought he would lose that little escape route. Having to leave Nate so close to it had been unfortunate, but he still had...
"...along with four others that I'm certain you also knew about..."
...two left.
"and I've posted guards there should you decide to take any more little excursions."
"So I'm to be a prisoner here?" he asked then - a little petty he knew but part of him felt resentful at the coddling.
"Of course not," Teagan said. "You only have to tell us where you are going so a suitable escort can be provided for you."
Duncan failed to see the distinction. "Teagan, I'm not planning on any more excursions," he said then. "I'm sorry I had to go this morning, but it was important. It's done now, and I'm still alive and Ferelden hasn't been swallowed by a blight, so can we move on?"
Teagan opened his mouth to say something else but Nate put his hand on the Arl's arm. "I think his majesty is suitably chastised, my lord," he said. Teagan glared, but nodded.
Duncan sighed. "I suppose there are things I need to be doing," he said. Teagan nodded and motioned him towards his office.
Nathaniel interrupted them. "If you don't mind," he said. "I'd like a quick word with his majesty in private."
Teagan nodded sharply and turned to leave. Duncan turned to face his friend - he'd come to think of Nate that way in the last few weeks. Although he still missed Leliana where were they now? he had come to rely on the rogue's calm confidence.
"Your majesty, I wanted you to know something about me," he said. "You know that my father betrayed and murdered your mother's family..."
Duncan nodded. Although his mother hadn't been the one to tell the story. She never spoke of her mother and father, although his uncle Fergus was one of his favourite relatives. "Well, when she found me in Amaranthine, I thought she was going to have me killed. The look on her face when I told her my name... it was.. truly frightening. But she didn't kill me. She made me into a grey warden. She trusted me - and I swore an oath to her that I would never do anything to fail that trust."
Duncan's cheeks flamed in embarrassment. "Nathaniel..."
The older man held up his hand. "Let me finish. You have a responsibility to your people, your majesty. And I understand that you had your reasons for what you did this morning - I even hope that soon you'll be able to tell me what those reasons are. But in the meantime.." his expression turned pained "....please if you're going to sneak out of the palace, do it when you're in the company of someone other than me?"
The laughter burst out of Duncan involuntarily and he clapped his hand on Nate's shoulder. "You have my word," he said, "my friend."
The mage's tower was a ten day journey away. Even if they received the message and acted on it immediately - which it was their obligation to do, he had reminded them in the packet, he couldn't expect a reply for twenty days. He had impressed upon them the urgency but he was frantic with worry. Twenty days was a long time. He had no idea where Leliana was, although he had thought he would have heard from her if they had needed to leave Ferelden. In the meantime he couldn't afford to trust anyone in the palace.
He was dealing with correspondence in his office - or pretending to - when Amelie's lady in waiting appeared. Duncan had to repress a groan. It was especially dangerous for him to have contact with Amelie - he knew. He needed to think of some way to put her off without offending her.
The note asked him to meet her in the usual place. He toyed with it for a few moments before coming to a decision.
He didn't bother with their usual game of stealth, he was too distracted. Amelie turned to him and stepped into his embrace and he couldn't stop himself from returning the gesture, pressing her body close to his own and inhaling her scent. It took all his willpower to break away from her.
"My lady," he began, and led her to their bench. He held her hand firmly in his, preventing her from enclosing him in her arms.
"Why so formal, Duncan?" she said then. He cursed. This wasn't going to be easy.
"I'm afraid we're going to have to stop meeting like this," he said. Her sudden hurt expression cut him to the heart and he took her other hand. "I'm so sorry," he said. "But the palace servants have begun to talk and your royal mother..."
Amelie pursed her lips "would have you assassinated if she thought you had compromised my virtue before the wedding night," she completed for him.
He allowed himself the shadow of a smile. "Well, she would try," he said. She hadn't even protested. She could see his valid reasons and come to her own conclusions. A treasure indeed, he thought. Or a powerful witch who has lived for centuries. He felt suddenly cold.
"Well, then. I suppose our morning's fun is going to have to be put off," the Orlesian princess said, getting to her feet.
"Amelie.." he began, suddenly afraid that he had hurt her too much. "You know... that if it was up to me..."
She smiled down at him. "Dear Duncan," she said. "I am more fortunate than I could possibly have hoped that you are to be my husband."
He let out a breath of relief. "I.." he began, but she leant down and covered his lips with hers. He hadn't meant to, but his arms came around her almost automatically and he pulled her down onto his lap, continuing the kiss well past the point of propriety. Finally she broke contact, both of them breathing hard, and laughed. "Your majesty," she said. "I really should be leaving." He laughed with her for a moment, then released her.
"I shall see you at dinner," he said, as she turned to go.
She smiled at him and disappeared.
Duncan sat on the bench for a long time after she left. "Maker's breath," he said to himself. "What if I'm in love with Flemeth?"
"A visit from the king is always a novelty," Isabela said, motioning him to sit. "And on your own? Quite difficult to arrange I would imagine."
Duncan thought of Nathaniel, crumpling under his blow, and winced. "It wasn't easy, no," he said. "But sometimes these things are necessary."
"Your father used to visit me sometimes," she continued. "He never seemed to have any difficulty slipping out unawares."
Duncan smiled. "Oh, that's what he told you," he said. "But mother always knew where he went, and sent appropriate guards at a discrete distance. Father was... less observant than she was."
Isabela smiled. "Always," she said. "So. I'm presuming this isn't a pleasure visit. What is it you need?"
He reached into his armour and brought out the sealed packet he had prepared on waking. "I need a message delivered to the mage's tower," he said. "It's urgent, and very, very private."
Isabela's delicate eyebrows rose in surprise. "Too private to trust to the palace messengers?" she said. "Yet you trust me, a onetime smuggler captain? I'm flattered, your majesty."
"My parents trusted you," he said. "Although they never told me why."
"Oh, we knew each other," she said. "Very well indeed. They were right to trust me. As I trusted them." She reached for the packet. "I can have this delivered easily enough. One of my boys is heading that way with some... supplies we picked up in Amaranthine. He can take this with him."
"Is he trustworthy?"
"All of my men are trustworthy," Isabela said. "And to be honest, your highness, it seems you don't have very much choice in this matter."
He nodded ruefully. "I don't," he said. "Captain, I'm afraid I don't have enough time to stay. They've almost certainly missed me at the palace by now and it'll be hard enough to get back in without attracting attention as it is."
She nodded. "Don't let me detain you, your majesty."
"I'll see to it that you're rewarded for this," he said as he rose to go. Isabela smiled.
"The continuation of our little arrangement is all the reward I need, your majesty," she said. "It's so nice to have friends."
She held out his ring, which he took and replaced before bowing swiftly and turning to go.
It was pandemonium in the streets as he neared the palace. The guard were out in full force, and although none of the populace knew what the problem was, he was well aware it was his absence that had caused it.
He studied the approach to the palace for over an hour before he realised there was absolutely no way he was going to be able to slip back inside unnoticed. He sighed. Time to face the execution squad. He removed his helm, shook out his hair and strode towards the palace.
"The king!" Someone shouted. "It's the king!"
Teagan and Nathaniel were waiting for him in the throne room. He'd never seen his bodyguard so angry. Duncan suddenly felt three years old again.
"Would you mind," Teagan said through clenched teeth, "explaining this little escapade, your majesty?"
"I needed to go out," Duncan replied, and cursed himself for stupidity.
"Your royal father may have thought it was funny to go out and mingle with the populace," Teagan continued. "But may I remind you that he was a grey warden - and a templar - and had a wife who was sensible enough to have him followed!"
Duncan gritted his teeth. "My royal father had his reasons," he said. "And so do I."
"And what are those reasons?" Nathaniel's quiet voice broke in. His calmness if anything made Duncan more mortified.
"Nate, I meant what I said this morning. I can't tell you." The warden nodded as though he'd been expecting that answer.
"Well, your majesty," he continued. "You'll be pleased to know that your little exit point has been discovered..."
Duncan nodded, he thought he would lose that little escape route. Having to leave Nate so close to it had been unfortunate, but he still had...
"...along with four others that I'm certain you also knew about..."
...two left.
"and I've posted guards there should you decide to take any more little excursions."
"So I'm to be a prisoner here?" he asked then - a little petty he knew but part of him felt resentful at the coddling.
"Of course not," Teagan said. "You only have to tell us where you are going so a suitable escort can be provided for you."
Duncan failed to see the distinction. "Teagan, I'm not planning on any more excursions," he said then. "I'm sorry I had to go this morning, but it was important. It's done now, and I'm still alive and Ferelden hasn't been swallowed by a blight, so can we move on?"
Teagan opened his mouth to say something else but Nate put his hand on the Arl's arm. "I think his majesty is suitably chastised, my lord," he said. Teagan glared, but nodded.
Duncan sighed. "I suppose there are things I need to be doing," he said. Teagan nodded and motioned him towards his office.
Nathaniel interrupted them. "If you don't mind," he said. "I'd like a quick word with his majesty in private."
Teagan nodded sharply and turned to leave. Duncan turned to face his friend - he'd come to think of Nate that way in the last few weeks. Although he still missed Leliana where were they now? he had come to rely on the rogue's calm confidence.
"Your majesty, I wanted you to know something about me," he said. "You know that my father betrayed and murdered your mother's family..."
Duncan nodded. Although his mother hadn't been the one to tell the story. She never spoke of her mother and father, although his uncle Fergus was one of his favourite relatives. "Well, when she found me in Amaranthine, I thought she was going to have me killed. The look on her face when I told her my name... it was.. truly frightening. But she didn't kill me. She made me into a grey warden. She trusted me - and I swore an oath to her that I would never do anything to fail that trust."
Duncan's cheeks flamed in embarrassment. "Nathaniel..."
The older man held up his hand. "Let me finish. You have a responsibility to your people, your majesty. And I understand that you had your reasons for what you did this morning - I even hope that soon you'll be able to tell me what those reasons are. But in the meantime.." his expression turned pained "....please if you're going to sneak out of the palace, do it when you're in the company of someone other than me?"
The laughter burst out of Duncan involuntarily and he clapped his hand on Nate's shoulder. "You have my word," he said, "my friend."
The mage's tower was a ten day journey away. Even if they received the message and acted on it immediately - which it was their obligation to do, he had reminded them in the packet, he couldn't expect a reply for twenty days. He had impressed upon them the urgency but he was frantic with worry. Twenty days was a long time. He had no idea where Leliana was, although he had thought he would have heard from her if they had needed to leave Ferelden. In the meantime he couldn't afford to trust anyone in the palace.
He was dealing with correspondence in his office - or pretending to - when Amelie's lady in waiting appeared. Duncan had to repress a groan. It was especially dangerous for him to have contact with Amelie - he knew. He needed to think of some way to put her off without offending her.
The note asked him to meet her in the usual place. He toyed with it for a few moments before coming to a decision.
He didn't bother with their usual game of stealth, he was too distracted. Amelie turned to him and stepped into his embrace and he couldn't stop himself from returning the gesture, pressing her body close to his own and inhaling her scent. It took all his willpower to break away from her.
"My lady," he began, and led her to their bench. He held her hand firmly in his, preventing her from enclosing him in her arms.
"Why so formal, Duncan?" she said then. He cursed. This wasn't going to be easy.
"I'm afraid we're going to have to stop meeting like this," he said. Her sudden hurt expression cut him to the heart and he took her other hand. "I'm so sorry," he said. "But the palace servants have begun to talk and your royal mother..."
Amelie pursed her lips "would have you assassinated if she thought you had compromised my virtue before the wedding night," she completed for him.
He allowed himself the shadow of a smile. "Well, she would try," he said. She hadn't even protested. She could see his valid reasons and come to her own conclusions. A treasure indeed, he thought. Or a powerful witch who has lived for centuries. He felt suddenly cold.
"Well, then. I suppose our morning's fun is going to have to be put off," the Orlesian princess said, getting to her feet.
"Amelie.." he began, suddenly afraid that he had hurt her too much. "You know... that if it was up to me..."
She smiled down at him. "Dear Duncan," she said. "I am more fortunate than I could possibly have hoped that you are to be my husband."
He let out a breath of relief. "I.." he began, but she leant down and covered his lips with hers. He hadn't meant to, but his arms came around her almost automatically and he pulled her down onto his lap, continuing the kiss well past the point of propriety. Finally she broke contact, both of them breathing hard, and laughed. "Your majesty," she said. "I really should be leaving." He laughed with her for a moment, then released her.
"I shall see you at dinner," he said, as she turned to go.
She smiled at him and disappeared.
Duncan sat on the bench for a long time after she left. "Maker's breath," he said to himself. "What if I'm in love with Flemeth?"
#33
Posté 25 mars 2010 - 09:15
MireliA
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I like your Nathaniel . As for Amelie being Flemeth, well its possible but very obvious.
. As for Amelie being Flemeth, well its possible but very obvious.
#34
Posté 25 mars 2010 - 09:28
Miri1984
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Yup, very obvious. But I figure, if WE all think it's obvious, Duncan has to think it's obvious as well! I get annoyed when I read books and as the reader have to shout at the main character "That person is sooooo going to betray you, why are you so BLIND??" I figure Duncan's smarter than that .
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#35
Posté 26 mars 2010 - 09:11
Miri1984
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FOURTEEN
Anders had never liked the fade. His harrowing had been longer than most - partially because he'd spent a long time trying to work out a way to avoid the confrontation with the demon altogether. Still, it was part of being a mage and he was resigned to the role Fion had given him.
It was a strange part of the fade, though. A flat plain surrounded them, stretching as far as the eye could see in all directions. There were no structures, no other people, no traces of fade spirits or demons.
"Quite boring really," he commented to Rowan. Rowan cocked an eyebrow at him and continued his watch. Anders sighed.
Fion had explained quite carefully what they were looking for. "I've cornered off an area of the fade," he'd said. "It's protected, but she'll be looking. You'll see... manifestations of her search, if it gets close."
"What will they look like?" Rowan had asked.
"There won't be anything else in the fade at all," Fion said. "If you see anything different you'll need to wake me. Anything at all."
He wished he'd thought to ask Fion how long he needed to sleep for. Would it be for eight hours? Ten? A couple of days? Rowan wasn't very good company. Anders enjoyed conversation. If only Velanna had stayed with the wardens - she was always fun to flirt with.
"So, Rowan," Anders said. "Separated from your mother at birth then reunited six months before her death?"
Rowan rolled his eyes. "Yes. Although I actually knew her before then. We were both in the tower. Should we really be discussing this? We need to keep watch."
"I'm bored man," Anders said. "Fion couldn't really have picked a less interesting corner of the fade to sleep in." They both looked at the sleeping form of Fion. It was different from most forms they saw in the fade. Fion's outline seemed more blurred - as though his humanity was uncertain. It was strange, too, that he did not seem to be dreaming at all. Most mages when they entered the fade in their sleep had their own dreamscapes, stories they acted out. Unless they were specially primed to remain conscious they didn't, but nor did they appear asleep, the way Alistair's son did.
"I think he's made it this way on purpose," Rowan said.
"Not your average mage," Anders replied. "If he is a mage at all."
"It's reasonable to assume much of his magic is normal human magic," Rowan said. "His mother is a mage after all."
"I suppose so. It does tend to run in families. Makes you wonder why we ever have them, to be honest."
"Sometimes it happens by accident."
"I've never made that sort of mistake," Anders said.
Rowan cocked an eyebrow. "Are you certain?" he asked.
The warden shifted uncomfortably. "I.. no! I mean, yes, I'm certain. We're taught how to prevent that very young."
"Not always young enough."
"Is that what happened with your mother? I met her a few times - can't say she's the type I would have pictured galavanting around as a teenager."
"She didn't galavant," Rowan said angrily.
"Sorry," Anders said. "My big mouth. Gets me into trouble a lot."
"We really should be watching."
There was a pause.
"How long have we been here?" Anders asked.
Rowan heaved a sigh. "The warden commander conscripted you?"
Anders grinned and opened his arms. "What can I say? I am irresistible to ladies."
Yuri sat by the fire, watching the mages and Fion., singing a song under his breath. It was unfamiliar to Leliana - exotic sounding. She was intrigued by the tune and said so. "Where is it from?" she asked him.
Yuri was silent for such a long time she began to wonder if he'd heard her question. Finally she heard him take a breath. "My mother," he said.
Leliana was puzzled. "The revered mother said you arrived at the chantry when you were five," she said.
Yuri nodded. "I did," he said. "But I didn't stay there my whole life. After Alistair left to be a grey warden I also...left for a time."
She was intrigued. "To find your family?" she asked.
He nodded. "They found me in the Kocari Wilds," he said. "I didn't remember where I came from. I have no memories at all from before the chantry. But they knew I was chasind." He gave a bitter laugh. "They didn't think to try to find my tribe. They just took me. A couple of templars searching for apostates in the wilds - took me and dumped me in the chantry. Figured I'd have a better life there than as some savage."
Leliana felt a surge of sympathy for the big man. "But you became a templar," she said. "There must have been something about the chant that attracted you."
He nodded. "It was Alistair that made me want to become a Templar," he said. "I had a.. coloured view of them, through him."
"Alistair hated the templars," Leliana said.
"Oh, I know that now," Yuri threw some sticks into the fire. "But when I was six years old I saw them as avenging spirits - I thought they were all the same as Alistair - brave, noble and just. I wanted to be like them."
"And meeting your mother and your tribe didn't change that?"
He shook his head. "No," he said. "I believed what they were doing was just. I... hated my tribe when I met them. I thought they were everything that the chantry said about Chasind - savage barbarians without morality or worth."
"Yet you don't think that now?"
He shook his head. "Part of me still does," he answered. "It's difficult to reconcile the two. I spent years trying to, after my mother was killed."
"She died?"
"She was butchered. By a mob, from Lothering," he said. "I was on my way back to the Redcliffe monastery when it happened. They thought she was an apostate mage." He hung his head, old grief weighing it down. "You see, she'd come to Lothering looking for me. I'd walked out on them - cursed them for their savagery and left, and my mother wanted me to come back or.. I don't know really. Maybe she wanted me to try to understand her people. She'd lost me for so long - we never really connected when I went back. She thought I'd been killed, and I didn't remember her. There were so many things we could have said that might have helped - but all I did was rage at her."
"You were young."
He smiled ruefully and nodded. "I've come to terms with it now," he said. "You can't let mistakes you make in the past stop you from living."
"Sometimes knowing who you were can help you discover who you are?" she said lightly.
He looked at her and his dark gaze held hers. She found herself blushing. "Exactly," he said.
They were in camp for another day before there was a commotion by the fireside. Anders and Rowan flopped to one side and Fion sat up abruptly, eyes wide open. "We have to move now," he said. Anders and Rowan were stirring, although they seemed sluggish. "There's a possibility she got a location."
Zevran, who had been sparring with Yuri, nodded and the two of them briskly started to strike camp. Anders and Rowan were slowly getting to their feet. Leliana rushed to their side. "Are you all right?" she asked.
The two mages both nodded. "What happened?"
"A dragon," Rowan said. "There was a dragon."
Anders nodded. "It was... very big."
Fion was wild eyed as he gathered his things. "That's not the worst of it," he said. "That dragon, it wasn't my mother."
"Other people are looking for you?" Leliana said.
"I should have realised," Fion cursed. "I should have known it wasn't her!" He was badly panicked, as uncertain as she'd ever seen him. For the first time since they'd met he seemed as young as Duncan, younger even.
Leliana put her hand on his arm. "Fion," she said softly. He stopped and looked at her, his eyes wide, his breath panting. "Fion!" He blinked. "Slow down. You need to tell us what happened."
"I... I'm sorry," he said, and took a deep breath. "I'm very sorry. The dragon wasn't my mother - if I'd been paying attention before I fled to the dark roads I would have realised it wasn't her from the start."
"If it's not your mother, who is it?" she asked.
"It's Flemeth," Fion said. "My grandmother."
Leliana had a vivid memory, then of Miranda on the head of an enormous dragon, plunging her sword into the back of its neck. Not the only dragon they'd killed. Not the most difficult to kill either. But still, she'd been pretty certain it was dead.
They were on the move again as Fion explained to Leliana about Flemeth's ability to change bodies and keep her soul alive.
"So it was never your mother searching for you?" Zevran said. "Such a pity. I was hoping to see her again."
Fion shook his head. "She was searching for me," he said then. "But not for the reason I thought." He looked pained then. "She was probably trying to protect me."
"So Flemeth wants you now," Yuri said. "Or more particularly, wants what you were."
Fion nodded. "She wants to wake the old god," he said. "She probably thinks she can somehow use it."
"For what?"
"I wish I knew."
Anders had never liked the fade. His harrowing had been longer than most - partially because he'd spent a long time trying to work out a way to avoid the confrontation with the demon altogether. Still, it was part of being a mage and he was resigned to the role Fion had given him.
It was a strange part of the fade, though. A flat plain surrounded them, stretching as far as the eye could see in all directions. There were no structures, no other people, no traces of fade spirits or demons.
"Quite boring really," he commented to Rowan. Rowan cocked an eyebrow at him and continued his watch. Anders sighed.
Fion had explained quite carefully what they were looking for. "I've cornered off an area of the fade," he'd said. "It's protected, but she'll be looking. You'll see... manifestations of her search, if it gets close."
"What will they look like?" Rowan had asked.
"There won't be anything else in the fade at all," Fion said. "If you see anything different you'll need to wake me. Anything at all."
He wished he'd thought to ask Fion how long he needed to sleep for. Would it be for eight hours? Ten? A couple of days? Rowan wasn't very good company. Anders enjoyed conversation. If only Velanna had stayed with the wardens - she was always fun to flirt with.
"So, Rowan," Anders said. "Separated from your mother at birth then reunited six months before her death?"
Rowan rolled his eyes. "Yes. Although I actually knew her before then. We were both in the tower. Should we really be discussing this? We need to keep watch."
"I'm bored man," Anders said. "Fion couldn't really have picked a less interesting corner of the fade to sleep in." They both looked at the sleeping form of Fion. It was different from most forms they saw in the fade. Fion's outline seemed more blurred - as though his humanity was uncertain. It was strange, too, that he did not seem to be dreaming at all. Most mages when they entered the fade in their sleep had their own dreamscapes, stories they acted out. Unless they were specially primed to remain conscious they didn't, but nor did they appear asleep, the way Alistair's son did.
"I think he's made it this way on purpose," Rowan said.
"Not your average mage," Anders replied. "If he is a mage at all."
"It's reasonable to assume much of his magic is normal human magic," Rowan said. "His mother is a mage after all."
"I suppose so. It does tend to run in families. Makes you wonder why we ever have them, to be honest."
"Sometimes it happens by accident."
"I've never made that sort of mistake," Anders said.
Rowan cocked an eyebrow. "Are you certain?" he asked.
The warden shifted uncomfortably. "I.. no! I mean, yes, I'm certain. We're taught how to prevent that very young."
"Not always young enough."
"Is that what happened with your mother? I met her a few times - can't say she's the type I would have pictured galavanting around as a teenager."
"She didn't galavant," Rowan said angrily.
"Sorry," Anders said. "My big mouth. Gets me into trouble a lot."
"We really should be watching."
There was a pause.
"How long have we been here?" Anders asked.
Rowan heaved a sigh. "The warden commander conscripted you?"
Anders grinned and opened his arms. "What can I say? I am irresistible to ladies."
Yuri sat by the fire, watching the mages and Fion., singing a song under his breath. It was unfamiliar to Leliana - exotic sounding. She was intrigued by the tune and said so. "Where is it from?" she asked him.
Yuri was silent for such a long time she began to wonder if he'd heard her question. Finally she heard him take a breath. "My mother," he said.
Leliana was puzzled. "The revered mother said you arrived at the chantry when you were five," she said.
Yuri nodded. "I did," he said. "But I didn't stay there my whole life. After Alistair left to be a grey warden I also...left for a time."
She was intrigued. "To find your family?" she asked.
He nodded. "They found me in the Kocari Wilds," he said. "I didn't remember where I came from. I have no memories at all from before the chantry. But they knew I was chasind." He gave a bitter laugh. "They didn't think to try to find my tribe. They just took me. A couple of templars searching for apostates in the wilds - took me and dumped me in the chantry. Figured I'd have a better life there than as some savage."
Leliana felt a surge of sympathy for the big man. "But you became a templar," she said. "There must have been something about the chant that attracted you."
He nodded. "It was Alistair that made me want to become a Templar," he said. "I had a.. coloured view of them, through him."
"Alistair hated the templars," Leliana said.
"Oh, I know that now," Yuri threw some sticks into the fire. "But when I was six years old I saw them as avenging spirits - I thought they were all the same as Alistair - brave, noble and just. I wanted to be like them."
"And meeting your mother and your tribe didn't change that?"
He shook his head. "No," he said. "I believed what they were doing was just. I... hated my tribe when I met them. I thought they were everything that the chantry said about Chasind - savage barbarians without morality or worth."
"Yet you don't think that now?"
He shook his head. "Part of me still does," he answered. "It's difficult to reconcile the two. I spent years trying to, after my mother was killed."
"She died?"
"She was butchered. By a mob, from Lothering," he said. "I was on my way back to the Redcliffe monastery when it happened. They thought she was an apostate mage." He hung his head, old grief weighing it down. "You see, she'd come to Lothering looking for me. I'd walked out on them - cursed them for their savagery and left, and my mother wanted me to come back or.. I don't know really. Maybe she wanted me to try to understand her people. She'd lost me for so long - we never really connected when I went back. She thought I'd been killed, and I didn't remember her. There were so many things we could have said that might have helped - but all I did was rage at her."
"You were young."
He smiled ruefully and nodded. "I've come to terms with it now," he said. "You can't let mistakes you make in the past stop you from living."
"Sometimes knowing who you were can help you discover who you are?" she said lightly.
He looked at her and his dark gaze held hers. She found herself blushing. "Exactly," he said.
They were in camp for another day before there was a commotion by the fireside. Anders and Rowan flopped to one side and Fion sat up abruptly, eyes wide open. "We have to move now," he said. Anders and Rowan were stirring, although they seemed sluggish. "There's a possibility she got a location."
Zevran, who had been sparring with Yuri, nodded and the two of them briskly started to strike camp. Anders and Rowan were slowly getting to their feet. Leliana rushed to their side. "Are you all right?" she asked.
The two mages both nodded. "What happened?"
"A dragon," Rowan said. "There was a dragon."
Anders nodded. "It was... very big."
Fion was wild eyed as he gathered his things. "That's not the worst of it," he said. "That dragon, it wasn't my mother."
"Other people are looking for you?" Leliana said.
"I should have realised," Fion cursed. "I should have known it wasn't her!" He was badly panicked, as uncertain as she'd ever seen him. For the first time since they'd met he seemed as young as Duncan, younger even.
Leliana put her hand on his arm. "Fion," she said softly. He stopped and looked at her, his eyes wide, his breath panting. "Fion!" He blinked. "Slow down. You need to tell us what happened."
"I... I'm sorry," he said, and took a deep breath. "I'm very sorry. The dragon wasn't my mother - if I'd been paying attention before I fled to the dark roads I would have realised it wasn't her from the start."
"If it's not your mother, who is it?" she asked.
"It's Flemeth," Fion said. "My grandmother."
Leliana had a vivid memory, then of Miranda on the head of an enormous dragon, plunging her sword into the back of its neck. Not the only dragon they'd killed. Not the most difficult to kill either. But still, she'd been pretty certain it was dead.
They were on the move again as Fion explained to Leliana about Flemeth's ability to change bodies and keep her soul alive.
"So it was never your mother searching for you?" Zevran said. "Such a pity. I was hoping to see her again."
Fion shook his head. "She was searching for me," he said then. "But not for the reason I thought." He looked pained then. "She was probably trying to protect me."
"So Flemeth wants you now," Yuri said. "Or more particularly, wants what you were."
Fion nodded. "She wants to wake the old god," he said. "She probably thinks she can somehow use it."
"For what?"
"I wish I knew."
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#37
Posté 27 mars 2010 - 09:03
Miri1984
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FIFTEEN
By the time the delegation of mages was due to arrive Duncan was almost frantic. He had never had to keep something to himself for this long before - something so important any way. That's why his mother and father had surrounded him with such excellent advisors. They were firmly of the opinion that two heads were better than one - his father had often pointed out that his head on its own wasn't much use to anyone, at least when it came to leadership.
He was constantly worried that he might have given himself away - with Amelie, with Nathaniel, with Teagan. He had to watch everything he said, and although he had been trained in diplomacy and tact, many of the closest people around him had commented that his usual lightheartedness had departed him recently. There were rumours he wasn't happy with the marriage arrangements. Rumours that he was having second thoughts about the match. Rumours that he had become a grey warden without telling anyone. Rumours that he had the plague, that he was a darkspawn, that he had been possessed by a fade spirit... Maker's breath, but the number of rumours that were circulated about him in one day were enough to make his head explode.
"Have they always talked this much about me?" Duncan asked Nathaniel one evening as they sat sharing a companiable drink in his study. "Or am I just noticing it more?"
Nathaniel laughed. "They've always gossiped," he said. "You're the king. You have to expect people to talk about you."
"Not this much," he said. "Surely they have other things to talk about."
"Of course. But none of them are as interesting."
He buried his face in his hands. "Your majesty, it's harmless," Nathaniel said. "We keep track of them in case useful information comes up, but really, these are quite tame compared to some of the rumours that flew about your mother and father."
Duncan was suddenly interested. "Really? There were rumours about them too?"
"You have no idea."
He was tempted to ask Nathaniel to explain them, but his eyes were drooping and he'd already had too much ale. "I'd better go to bed," he said then. Nathaniel smiled at him and waved him away.
The next morning he awoke to Nathaniel shaking him. "Your majesty," he said. "There's a delegation of mages here. They arrived while it was still dark."
He almost whooped with joy, but remembered that Nathaniel didn't even know that he'd sent for them.
"I'll be there in moment," he said, clambering out of bed.
Connor was waiting for him in the throne room. Isolde and Eammon's son had grown into a tall man with a lot of his father about him, a fact that always wrenched at Duncan's heart. The mage broke into a smile when he saw the king and they clasped hands warmly.
"I hoped it would be you," Duncan said softly. "We'll need to retire to my chambers."
Nathaniel pursed his lips and raised an eyebrow - the only other person in earshot. "You'd better come too, Nate," Duncan said then.
An hour later the three of them sat in Duncan's chamber.
"So that's why you couldn't tell us," Nathaniel said. Connor had pronounced him free of magic almost as soon as they entered the chambers. The other mages had dispersed amongst the palace occupants. They would test as they came into contact with people and report back later in the day.
"I can't tell you how glad I am that Flemeth didn't decide to possess you, Nate," Duncan said then.
"You did a good job," Nathaniel said then. "I had no idea it was something so serious. I honestly thought you'd snuck out of the palace to visit the Pearl."
Duncan laughed. "No, not the Pearl," he said then. "You think I'd give up my escape routes for a visit there?"
"I suppose not," Nathaniel said then. "After all, most of those girls will happily travel if you're willing to pay."
Connor leaned forward and put his hands on the table. "I managed to have a long discussion with the first enchanter about this situation before we left," he said. "And she thinks it's important that you get into contact with Morrigan again. She's obviously not telling you everything."
Duncan shrugged. "I have no control over when she decides to turn up," Duncan said.
"I'm aware of that," Connor said. "But she told you she's lingering in a particular part of the fade. Probably near you. It's possible I will be able to find her there."
Duncan nodded thoughtfully. "I think I'd appreciate having someone else with me when I talk to her," he said. "She's a little formidable."
Connor grinned. "I remember," he said.
There was a knock at the door and Nathaniel got up to open it. One of the circle mages rushed inside, bowing hastily. "Your majesty," she said. "Urgent news."
"You've found her?" Duncan said, sitting forward in his chair.
"Not exactly," the young mage said, and her face was strained. "We went to the Orlesians first, as you suggested and..."
Duncan's breath caught. He wanted to shake the mage. Nathaniel stepped in. "Out with it woman!" He snapped.
"They're all showing signs of magical talent!"
By the time the delegation of mages was due to arrive Duncan was almost frantic. He had never had to keep something to himself for this long before - something so important any way. That's why his mother and father had surrounded him with such excellent advisors. They were firmly of the opinion that two heads were better than one - his father had often pointed out that his head on its own wasn't much use to anyone, at least when it came to leadership.
He was constantly worried that he might have given himself away - with Amelie, with Nathaniel, with Teagan. He had to watch everything he said, and although he had been trained in diplomacy and tact, many of the closest people around him had commented that his usual lightheartedness had departed him recently. There were rumours he wasn't happy with the marriage arrangements. Rumours that he was having second thoughts about the match. Rumours that he had become a grey warden without telling anyone. Rumours that he had the plague, that he was a darkspawn, that he had been possessed by a fade spirit... Maker's breath, but the number of rumours that were circulated about him in one day were enough to make his head explode.
"Have they always talked this much about me?" Duncan asked Nathaniel one evening as they sat sharing a companiable drink in his study. "Or am I just noticing it more?"
Nathaniel laughed. "They've always gossiped," he said. "You're the king. You have to expect people to talk about you."
"Not this much," he said. "Surely they have other things to talk about."
"Of course. But none of them are as interesting."
He buried his face in his hands. "Your majesty, it's harmless," Nathaniel said. "We keep track of them in case useful information comes up, but really, these are quite tame compared to some of the rumours that flew about your mother and father."
Duncan was suddenly interested. "Really? There were rumours about them too?"
"You have no idea."
He was tempted to ask Nathaniel to explain them, but his eyes were drooping and he'd already had too much ale. "I'd better go to bed," he said then. Nathaniel smiled at him and waved him away.
The next morning he awoke to Nathaniel shaking him. "Your majesty," he said. "There's a delegation of mages here. They arrived while it was still dark."
He almost whooped with joy, but remembered that Nathaniel didn't even know that he'd sent for them.
"I'll be there in moment," he said, clambering out of bed.
Connor was waiting for him in the throne room. Isolde and Eammon's son had grown into a tall man with a lot of his father about him, a fact that always wrenched at Duncan's heart. The mage broke into a smile when he saw the king and they clasped hands warmly.
"I hoped it would be you," Duncan said softly. "We'll need to retire to my chambers."
Nathaniel pursed his lips and raised an eyebrow - the only other person in earshot. "You'd better come too, Nate," Duncan said then.
An hour later the three of them sat in Duncan's chamber.
"So that's why you couldn't tell us," Nathaniel said. Connor had pronounced him free of magic almost as soon as they entered the chambers. The other mages had dispersed amongst the palace occupants. They would test as they came into contact with people and report back later in the day.
"I can't tell you how glad I am that Flemeth didn't decide to possess you, Nate," Duncan said then.
"You did a good job," Nathaniel said then. "I had no idea it was something so serious. I honestly thought you'd snuck out of the palace to visit the Pearl."
Duncan laughed. "No, not the Pearl," he said then. "You think I'd give up my escape routes for a visit there?"
"I suppose not," Nathaniel said then. "After all, most of those girls will happily travel if you're willing to pay."
Connor leaned forward and put his hands on the table. "I managed to have a long discussion with the first enchanter about this situation before we left," he said. "And she thinks it's important that you get into contact with Morrigan again. She's obviously not telling you everything."
Duncan shrugged. "I have no control over when she decides to turn up," Duncan said.
"I'm aware of that," Connor said. "But she told you she's lingering in a particular part of the fade. Probably near you. It's possible I will be able to find her there."
Duncan nodded thoughtfully. "I think I'd appreciate having someone else with me when I talk to her," he said. "She's a little formidable."
Connor grinned. "I remember," he said.
There was a knock at the door and Nathaniel got up to open it. One of the circle mages rushed inside, bowing hastily. "Your majesty," she said. "Urgent news."
"You've found her?" Duncan said, sitting forward in his chair.
"Not exactly," the young mage said, and her face was strained. "We went to the Orlesians first, as you suggested and..."
Duncan's breath caught. He wanted to shake the mage. Nathaniel stepped in. "Out with it woman!" He snapped.
"They're all showing signs of magical talent!"
#38
Posté 27 mars 2010 - 09:05
Miri1984
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Shameless, shameless cliffhanger for you all, I know. Sorry.
#40
Posté 28 mars 2010 - 01:28
Sandtigress
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I finally catch up and that's where you end it? 
Its a wonderful story though - and you had Alistair's lines down pat, just perfect. Really enjoying it!
Its a wonderful story though - and you had Alistair's lines down pat, just perfect. Really enjoying it!
#41
Posté 28 mars 2010 - 09:11
Miri1984
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Getting close to the business end now. Chapters are getting shorter, and unfortunately I'm getting less time to write at the moment because of demanding toddler. I'm still aiming for one chapter a day but the editing is taking longer as well. I'm anticipating three more chapters - maybe four!
SIXTEEN
"Do you really think this is a good idea?" Anders asked. Fion was sitting crosslegged on the ground near the fire. They'd forced themselves to continue traveling throughout the night before and the whole next day at a punishing pace before Fion had been satisfied that Flemeth would not be able to track them easily. They were all exhausted - all save for Fion, who's sleep seemed to have helped enormously. Anders and Rowan were especially affected - their long watch in the fade had not been restful.
"She can give us information," Fion said. "And possibly some protection. I need to contact her."
"But Flemeth is in the fade as well," Rowan pointed out. "You risk drawing her attention."
"She won't be in this part of the fade," Fion said. "My mother... gave me a ring. When I was young. She told me to use it if I ever needed to find her. If we were ever separated. I need to use it now."
"I don't like this," Rowan said to Leliana. "I think it's too big a risk."
Leliana looked at Fion's face and shook her head. "I think he knows the risks better than we do," she said. Rowan sighed.
"All right," he said. "But you didn't see that dragon..."
"Actually, I rather think I helped kill it, once," Leliana answered, grinning at Rowan, who looked suddenly sheepish.
"Do we need to come with you?" Anders asked.
"No. I won't be long."
*****
Fion had always been able to enter the fade at will - without lyrium or other mages. He'd never questioned the ability, and had rarely used it. The fade was unsettling for him - he knew that he saw it differently from his mother, who had described it to her once. For Fion, there was none of the distortion other mages experienced. His head remained clear - more clear than it was in the real world, and he felt energised, as though it was his true realm.
He hated it.
His mother's ring was still clutched in his fist and he thought of her face and called her the way she had told him.
She appeared immediately.
"Out!" she cried. "Out of the fade! I will find you in the real world. Don't come back here! She is watching!"
*********
Fion's eyes opened only moments after closing. "Well, I found her," he said. "She's going to come to us. Apparently it wasn't a good idea to enter the fade after all."
"Did you see Flemeth?" Anders asked.
Fion shook his head. "No, but she was close. We should get moving again as soon as possible."
Leliana put her hand on Fion's arm. "I'm sorry, Fion," she said. "We can't go any further tonight. Anders and Rowan must rest. So must I."
He looked about to argue with her, but he glanced in the direction of the two mages, with their haggard faces, and nodded.
"Hopefully mother will be here before long," he said. "She can travel very quickly when then need arises."
Leliana felt a shiver run through her. She'd never been able to warm to Morrigan the way Miranda had - the witch had been unimpressed by her tales and impossible to draw into conversation about normal things. But part of her wanted to see her. She wondered at that and mentioned it to Yuri the next morning.
"She was part of your life before," the templar said. "The life you led with Alistair and the Queen. You're still grieving for them - you want to share that grief with someone who understands."
"Zevran understands," she said, looking over at the elf. He had been subdued since leaving the deep roads. They had talked a few times, but he'd been unwilling to share his thoughts about Miranda and Alistair.
Yuri smiled sadly at her. "Zevran is not good at expressing emotions," he said.
She rolled her eyes. "Neither is Morrigan."
He laughed softly. "Maybe motherhood has mellowed her," he said.
She grinned at him. "Where did you learn to be so understanding?" she said then.
"The Chantry sisters are very good at looking after the boys physical wellbeing," Yuri said after a moment. "But they're not very good conversationalists. And boys have problems - especially teenage boys. I used to talk to them a lot. There are things a boy will tell a grown man that they would rather die than tell a woman."
"There are things a grown man will never tell a woman," Leliana said.
"Very true," Yuri said then. There was a pause as they walked. "Alistair used to listen to my troubles,' he said then. "He never had any advice for me. But he used to listen."
"I imagine Alistair had enough troubles of his own by that stage. I wouldn't have followed any of his advice."
"No, he was constantly in trouble. I sometimes wonder if listening to my troubles made his own seem less important."
She grinned.
That night they were eating around the fire when a large hawk landed in camp. Fion stood up immediately as Morrigan transformed - a green glow surrounding her before the form morphed and changed into the form of the witch Leliana had been imagining for the last few days.
"Well," Morrigan said, eyeing Zevran and Leliana. "You've found yourself another motley collection of companions I see."
Zevran smiled and bowed. "Morrigan, you are as lovely as ever," he said.
She cocked her eyebrow. "And you are obviously as foolish. Where is my son?"
Fion stepped forward and Leliana saw the witch's face soften. She stepped forward and traced his cheek with her hand. "I've missed you," she said then. Fion nodded. They embraced awkwardly.
"So," Morrigan said, pulling back from Fion and surveying the group. "We're two days from Denerim. Flemeth has infiltrated the castle and is waiting for us. I've warned the King but the chances are we'll have to confront her. And kill her."
"Again?" Leliana said.
Morrigan flashed a grin at her and Leliana found herself grinning in return. "Again," Morrigan said. "Although this time," she stroked her son's arm and looked at him fondly. "This time it will be for good."
SIXTEEN
"Do you really think this is a good idea?" Anders asked. Fion was sitting crosslegged on the ground near the fire. They'd forced themselves to continue traveling throughout the night before and the whole next day at a punishing pace before Fion had been satisfied that Flemeth would not be able to track them easily. They were all exhausted - all save for Fion, who's sleep seemed to have helped enormously. Anders and Rowan were especially affected - their long watch in the fade had not been restful.
"She can give us information," Fion said. "And possibly some protection. I need to contact her."
"But Flemeth is in the fade as well," Rowan pointed out. "You risk drawing her attention."
"She won't be in this part of the fade," Fion said. "My mother... gave me a ring. When I was young. She told me to use it if I ever needed to find her. If we were ever separated. I need to use it now."
"I don't like this," Rowan said to Leliana. "I think it's too big a risk."
Leliana looked at Fion's face and shook her head. "I think he knows the risks better than we do," she said. Rowan sighed.
"All right," he said. "But you didn't see that dragon..."
"Actually, I rather think I helped kill it, once," Leliana answered, grinning at Rowan, who looked suddenly sheepish.
"Do we need to come with you?" Anders asked.
"No. I won't be long."
*****
Fion had always been able to enter the fade at will - without lyrium or other mages. He'd never questioned the ability, and had rarely used it. The fade was unsettling for him - he knew that he saw it differently from his mother, who had described it to her once. For Fion, there was none of the distortion other mages experienced. His head remained clear - more clear than it was in the real world, and he felt energised, as though it was his true realm.
He hated it.
His mother's ring was still clutched in his fist and he thought of her face and called her the way she had told him.
She appeared immediately.
"Out!" she cried. "Out of the fade! I will find you in the real world. Don't come back here! She is watching!"
*********
Fion's eyes opened only moments after closing. "Well, I found her," he said. "She's going to come to us. Apparently it wasn't a good idea to enter the fade after all."
"Did you see Flemeth?" Anders asked.
Fion shook his head. "No, but she was close. We should get moving again as soon as possible."
Leliana put her hand on Fion's arm. "I'm sorry, Fion," she said. "We can't go any further tonight. Anders and Rowan must rest. So must I."
He looked about to argue with her, but he glanced in the direction of the two mages, with their haggard faces, and nodded.
"Hopefully mother will be here before long," he said. "She can travel very quickly when then need arises."
Leliana felt a shiver run through her. She'd never been able to warm to Morrigan the way Miranda had - the witch had been unimpressed by her tales and impossible to draw into conversation about normal things. But part of her wanted to see her. She wondered at that and mentioned it to Yuri the next morning.
"She was part of your life before," the templar said. "The life you led with Alistair and the Queen. You're still grieving for them - you want to share that grief with someone who understands."
"Zevran understands," she said, looking over at the elf. He had been subdued since leaving the deep roads. They had talked a few times, but he'd been unwilling to share his thoughts about Miranda and Alistair.
Yuri smiled sadly at her. "Zevran is not good at expressing emotions," he said.
She rolled her eyes. "Neither is Morrigan."
He laughed softly. "Maybe motherhood has mellowed her," he said.
She grinned at him. "Where did you learn to be so understanding?" she said then.
"The Chantry sisters are very good at looking after the boys physical wellbeing," Yuri said after a moment. "But they're not very good conversationalists. And boys have problems - especially teenage boys. I used to talk to them a lot. There are things a boy will tell a grown man that they would rather die than tell a woman."
"There are things a grown man will never tell a woman," Leliana said.
"Very true," Yuri said then. There was a pause as they walked. "Alistair used to listen to my troubles,' he said then. "He never had any advice for me. But he used to listen."
"I imagine Alistair had enough troubles of his own by that stage. I wouldn't have followed any of his advice."
"No, he was constantly in trouble. I sometimes wonder if listening to my troubles made his own seem less important."
She grinned.
That night they were eating around the fire when a large hawk landed in camp. Fion stood up immediately as Morrigan transformed - a green glow surrounding her before the form morphed and changed into the form of the witch Leliana had been imagining for the last few days.
"Well," Morrigan said, eyeing Zevran and Leliana. "You've found yourself another motley collection of companions I see."
Zevran smiled and bowed. "Morrigan, you are as lovely as ever," he said.
She cocked her eyebrow. "And you are obviously as foolish. Where is my son?"
Fion stepped forward and Leliana saw the witch's face soften. She stepped forward and traced his cheek with her hand. "I've missed you," she said then. Fion nodded. They embraced awkwardly.
"So," Morrigan said, pulling back from Fion and surveying the group. "We're two days from Denerim. Flemeth has infiltrated the castle and is waiting for us. I've warned the King but the chances are we'll have to confront her. And kill her."
"Again?" Leliana said.
Morrigan flashed a grin at her and Leliana found herself grinning in return. "Again," Morrigan said. "Although this time," she stroked her son's arm and looked at him fondly. "This time it will be for good."
#42
Posté 29 mars 2010 - 09:44
Miri1984
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SEVENTEEN
They managed to stop the news from escaping the palace but Duncan felt like he'd lost control over the entire situation. They'd failed to find Morrigan in the fade.
"If we don't sort this out," he said to Nathaniel in the audience chamber, "I may as well abdicate and run away to Antiva."
Nathaniel rolled his eyes. "I don't like the idea of you going in there," he said. "Even with Connor and the other mages."
"It looks like we'll need to confront her," he said. "It's the only way we're going to find out which of them she is."
"We can delay..."
"What good would that do?" Duncan almost shouted at Nathaniel in frustration.
"Leliana and the others may return. Flemeth may make a mistake. We may find Morrigan. There are many things that may happen in time."
"Flemeth might kill whomever she is inhabiting in that time. She might kill all of the Orlesians - or all of us!"
"She doesn't know we know she's here yet," Nathaniel said then. "Really, our situation isn't changed from what it was a day ago."
"Yes it has," a voice came to them from the doorway. Duncan looked up to see Leliana.
"Thank the Maker!" Duncan said and rushed to embrace her.
The Orlesian bard returned the embrace just as fiercely as the king. "My liege," she said. "It is good to see you unharmed."
"Did you find him?" he asked as he pulled back.
She nodded. "He's here. But we didn't bring him with us to the palace. Morrigan says Flemeth will be able to sense him if we bring him too close."
"Morrigan is with you as well?" Nathaniel said.
"With Fion. Flemeth will be able to sense her even more easily than he. She also said you were working on a way to find out which of your guests is Flemeth?"
Duncan looked at Nathaniel. "Yes," the warden said. "We've encountered a bit of a problem there."
Leliana cocked an eyebrow. "It seems we have a lot to catch up on."
"Perhaps we should move to my chambers," Duncan said then.
And hour later they sat around the small table in Duncan's chambers, deep in thought.
"This changes things somewhat," Leliana said. "I don't know how Flemeth has managed to disperse her magic amongst so many - maybe Morrigan can tell us how exactly - but we had planned to get her out of the city - alone - and confront her. Chances are she'll transform again and we don't want that happening in the throne room of the palace."
"We can arrange some sort of trip for the Orlesians," Duncan said, looking at Nathaniel. "They've been confined to the palace and Denerim for weeks. I wouldn't be surprised if they jumped at the idea."
Nate nodded. "Yes. A tour of the surrounding farms and a pavilion picnic, perhaps?"
Leliana's mouth twitched. "Sounds delightful," she said.
"How can we get Flemeth to expose herself?" Duncan asked. "I don't want her harming the Orlesians if I can help it."
"I'll talk to Morrigan about that, although she seems to think if Flemeth is confronted by both Fion and Morrigan she'll transform immediately."
"The body Flemeth is possessing..."
Leliana looked at Duncan sadly. "It will be destroyed," she said. "There's no way to save whoever it was."
He hung his head.
Nate was shaking his head. "This is going to be messy," he said. "I'd like to call for more wardens. We're going to have to get the Orlesians out of the way as soon as Flemeth transforms...."
Leliana and Nathaniel trailed off into strategical discussions. Duncan found his mind wandering. He twirled the ring on his finger, thinking first of his father, then his mother, and finally of Amelie. They had shared so much in their short time - he had felt closer to her than any other woman he'd ever met. And now, even if she wasn't Flemeth, he would have to put her in danger.
"The day after tomorrow, I'm afraid," Nathaniel said. "We won't be able to organise it any sooner."
"It's probably best that my return isn't advertised," Leliana said then. "Any changes will make Flemeth more suspicious. I'll head back to camp and meet you on the day."
For the next day they were busy with security arrangements for the trip. Duncan arranged for a contingent of Templars as well as his normal guards as he expected magical trouble.
When the day dawned Duncan accompanied Amelie and her lady in waiting in their carriage. He wasn't sure he was going to be able to deal with the tedium of driving through the Ferelden countryside, talking about crops and yields and economics, but Amelie's presence distracted him and her lively chatter made him realise how much he'd missed her company.
The day was cloudy and slightly muggy - they were heading into what passed for a Ferelden summer and Duncan was sweating in the closed carriage. When they reached their destination he was relieved.
They'd arranged the open pavilion on a raised hill between three farms. It was in a fallow field (Duncan had no desire to burn crops or destroy farms if there was a big battle) with forest cover not far away for the mages to wait until Flemeth revealed herself.
They alighted the carriage and made their way to the tables which were piled with food and drink. As they approached, however, Duncan felt Amelie tense on his arm. Her lady in waiting was scanning the area with her usual eagle eyes (what was her name?) and it was obvious to Duncan that they both thought something was amiss. His heart started to race, but they continued to walk until the three of them and the rest of the Orlesians had reached the tables.
He raised his arms in the prearranged signal.
Chaos ensued.
They managed to stop the news from escaping the palace but Duncan felt like he'd lost control over the entire situation. They'd failed to find Morrigan in the fade.
"If we don't sort this out," he said to Nathaniel in the audience chamber, "I may as well abdicate and run away to Antiva."
Nathaniel rolled his eyes. "I don't like the idea of you going in there," he said. "Even with Connor and the other mages."
"It looks like we'll need to confront her," he said. "It's the only way we're going to find out which of them she is."
"We can delay..."
"What good would that do?" Duncan almost shouted at Nathaniel in frustration.
"Leliana and the others may return. Flemeth may make a mistake. We may find Morrigan. There are many things that may happen in time."
"Flemeth might kill whomever she is inhabiting in that time. She might kill all of the Orlesians - or all of us!"
"She doesn't know we know she's here yet," Nathaniel said then. "Really, our situation isn't changed from what it was a day ago."
"Yes it has," a voice came to them from the doorway. Duncan looked up to see Leliana.
"Thank the Maker!" Duncan said and rushed to embrace her.
The Orlesian bard returned the embrace just as fiercely as the king. "My liege," she said. "It is good to see you unharmed."
"Did you find him?" he asked as he pulled back.
She nodded. "He's here. But we didn't bring him with us to the palace. Morrigan says Flemeth will be able to sense him if we bring him too close."
"Morrigan is with you as well?" Nathaniel said.
"With Fion. Flemeth will be able to sense her even more easily than he. She also said you were working on a way to find out which of your guests is Flemeth?"
Duncan looked at Nathaniel. "Yes," the warden said. "We've encountered a bit of a problem there."
Leliana cocked an eyebrow. "It seems we have a lot to catch up on."
"Perhaps we should move to my chambers," Duncan said then.
And hour later they sat around the small table in Duncan's chambers, deep in thought.
"This changes things somewhat," Leliana said. "I don't know how Flemeth has managed to disperse her magic amongst so many - maybe Morrigan can tell us how exactly - but we had planned to get her out of the city - alone - and confront her. Chances are she'll transform again and we don't want that happening in the throne room of the palace."
"We can arrange some sort of trip for the Orlesians," Duncan said, looking at Nathaniel. "They've been confined to the palace and Denerim for weeks. I wouldn't be surprised if they jumped at the idea."
Nate nodded. "Yes. A tour of the surrounding farms and a pavilion picnic, perhaps?"
Leliana's mouth twitched. "Sounds delightful," she said.
"How can we get Flemeth to expose herself?" Duncan asked. "I don't want her harming the Orlesians if I can help it."
"I'll talk to Morrigan about that, although she seems to think if Flemeth is confronted by both Fion and Morrigan she'll transform immediately."
"The body Flemeth is possessing..."
Leliana looked at Duncan sadly. "It will be destroyed," she said. "There's no way to save whoever it was."
He hung his head.
Nate was shaking his head. "This is going to be messy," he said. "I'd like to call for more wardens. We're going to have to get the Orlesians out of the way as soon as Flemeth transforms...."
Leliana and Nathaniel trailed off into strategical discussions. Duncan found his mind wandering. He twirled the ring on his finger, thinking first of his father, then his mother, and finally of Amelie. They had shared so much in their short time - he had felt closer to her than any other woman he'd ever met. And now, even if she wasn't Flemeth, he would have to put her in danger.
"The day after tomorrow, I'm afraid," Nathaniel said. "We won't be able to organise it any sooner."
"It's probably best that my return isn't advertised," Leliana said then. "Any changes will make Flemeth more suspicious. I'll head back to camp and meet you on the day."
For the next day they were busy with security arrangements for the trip. Duncan arranged for a contingent of Templars as well as his normal guards as he expected magical trouble.
When the day dawned Duncan accompanied Amelie and her lady in waiting in their carriage. He wasn't sure he was going to be able to deal with the tedium of driving through the Ferelden countryside, talking about crops and yields and economics, but Amelie's presence distracted him and her lively chatter made him realise how much he'd missed her company.
The day was cloudy and slightly muggy - they were heading into what passed for a Ferelden summer and Duncan was sweating in the closed carriage. When they reached their destination he was relieved.
They'd arranged the open pavilion on a raised hill between three farms. It was in a fallow field (Duncan had no desire to burn crops or destroy farms if there was a big battle) with forest cover not far away for the mages to wait until Flemeth revealed herself.
They alighted the carriage and made their way to the tables which were piled with food and drink. As they approached, however, Duncan felt Amelie tense on his arm. Her lady in waiting was scanning the area with her usual eagle eyes (what was her name?) and it was obvious to Duncan that they both thought something was amiss. His heart started to race, but they continued to walk until the three of them and the rest of the Orlesians had reached the tables.
He raised his arms in the prearranged signal.
Chaos ensued.
#43
Posté 29 mars 2010 - 10:27
MireliA
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Please don't let it be Amelie!
Loved Morrigan's way of arriving at the camp in the previous chapter.
Loved Morrigan's way of arriving at the camp in the previous chapter.
#44
Posté 29 mars 2010 - 10:45
Sandtigress
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Ohhhhh, I want to know what happens next!!!
#45
Posté 30 mars 2010 - 05:49
Miri1984
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EIGHTEEN
The hill was surrounded by templars almost immediately. Morrigan and Fion stood exposed in the centre of the hill, both with outstretched arms. As he watched, the Orlesians began to collapse, one by one. As each person collapsed, a bright light burst from their chests and headed towards him - towards Amelie's lady in waiting, who was increasingly surrounded by bands of light. Amelie fell against him and he staggered and fell to the ground with her in his arms.
The figure of Amelie's lady in waiting - Rilla, Duncan suddenly remembered - became blurred and started to expand. The closest templar to Duncan pulled him to his feet and then gathered Amelie. Other guards and templars were hastily pulling the bodies of unconscious Orlesians away from the centre of the hill.
The pillar of light that had been Rilla gave a cry that became a roar.
"Wait, mother!" Morrigan's authoritative voice rang out across the hill. "You must know you are outmatched here. There are twenty mages and templars surrounding you."
"Daughter," came the reply, and the voice was unlike anything he had ever heard. "You betray me once again. After all I did for you."
The witch snarled. "Did for me?" Morrigan said, contemptuously. "I was an empty shell for you to inhabit. A tool. You did nothing for me that was not only for yourself. And I will not let you have my son!"
The figure laughed. "Your son?" it cried. "That is not your son! That is Urthemiel, God of Beauty."
Duncan could just make out the face of his brother from where was standing and he saw the frown of concentration appear. "No," his voice came, softer than his mother's. "No, I am not Urthemiel."
"You would deny your nature? Contain your power?"
"I will not have my nature dictated by you!" Fion's voice rose to a shout, that carried far further than it should have. The figure that had been Rilla threw back its head and shrieked. Duncan saw its neck lengthen as it continued its transformation. Every templar surrounding him suddenly cast cleanse and he felt the cold wash of their anti-magic field flow over him, but it made no difference. She continued to stretch and lengthen until instead of a woman, a huge, black dragon stood on the hilltop. Morrigan threw up her staff and attempted to cast a warding spell, but it was too late - the dragon's head snaked down and Fion was engulfed in flame.
He screamed and Duncan saw the same light surround him that had previously encased Rilla. His outline blurred and stretched as Fion screamed. Morrigan matched her son's cry and started to batter the dragon with offensive spells - the templars charged and Duncan could see Leliana and her companions enter the fray.
There was pandemonium for a long moment - he could see the big templar, Yuri, under the neck of the dragon, hacking with his axe - Leliana leaping to higher ground and shooting arrows with lightning speed - Zevran behind the beast, planting his daggers into the tough hide over and over. Rowan and Anders and Connor stood with Morrigan and blasted the dragon with spells.
But his eyes kept coming back to Fion. His brother continued to writhe and scream, but his outline remained steady. "Duncan!" he called, his voice distorted. "Duncan I need you!"
Without thinking, Duncan rushed to his brother's side. His outline was still discernable through the light. "What's happening?" Duncan asked.
"She's trying to release the soul of Urthemiel," Fion said, through gasps for breath. "I can hold it in - but while it is so close to the surface, I can use it as well."
"Use it?"
"The taint. I can use it to expunge the taint."
"In both of us?"
His brother smiled. "Oh, yes. In both of us."
"What about Flemeth?"
"My mother can deal with her. She won't be coming back any time soon.'
Leliana focused on the dragon in front of her. It was no different from twenty-five years ago, she thought to herself - save that then it had just been her, Wynne, Alistair and Miranda - far less magical backup, no templars save Alistair.
But she'd also been twenty-five years younger, she couldn't help thinking to herself.
When the dragon snapped downwards and came up with someone in its jaws she didn't recognise who it was at first. Only when his helm dislodged and fell to the ground did she recognise Yuri. The gigantic teeth of the beast caught in the chain of his mail as it shook it's head, flinging the big man from side to side. She could hear his deep voice cry out in pain and anger.
She was suddenly overcome with rage. She dropped her bow and drew her daggers and leapt to the back of the beast, running more nimbly than she had ever run before. The dragon was too distracted by the constant attacks below and her footing was sure.
It was as though she was possessed by the spirit of Miranda - she had done exactly the same to Flemeth in their last encounter. She flung herself at the head of the beast and plunged both her daggers into the base of its head. The dragon screamed and Yuri's body was dropped to the ground. Leliana clung to the hilts of the daggers as the beast flung its head upwards, trying to dislodge her. She pulled one dagger out and plunged it down again, this time into an eye. She was splattered with gore as she did the same with the second dagger.
The beast gave one last scream before collapsing in a heap. She leapt from its head, calling for Rowan.
Anders saw Leliana kill the dragon, but before its head even hit the ground Morrigan was urgently calling to him. "We must enter the fade!" she shouted. "Otherwise she will simply find another host."
Anders nodded and downed his lyrium, along with Connor and two others. The physical battle was over, but the magical battle had only just begun.
The hill was surrounded by templars almost immediately. Morrigan and Fion stood exposed in the centre of the hill, both with outstretched arms. As he watched, the Orlesians began to collapse, one by one. As each person collapsed, a bright light burst from their chests and headed towards him - towards Amelie's lady in waiting, who was increasingly surrounded by bands of light. Amelie fell against him and he staggered and fell to the ground with her in his arms.
The figure of Amelie's lady in waiting - Rilla, Duncan suddenly remembered - became blurred and started to expand. The closest templar to Duncan pulled him to his feet and then gathered Amelie. Other guards and templars were hastily pulling the bodies of unconscious Orlesians away from the centre of the hill.
The pillar of light that had been Rilla gave a cry that became a roar.
"Wait, mother!" Morrigan's authoritative voice rang out across the hill. "You must know you are outmatched here. There are twenty mages and templars surrounding you."
"Daughter," came the reply, and the voice was unlike anything he had ever heard. "You betray me once again. After all I did for you."
The witch snarled. "Did for me?" Morrigan said, contemptuously. "I was an empty shell for you to inhabit. A tool. You did nothing for me that was not only for yourself. And I will not let you have my son!"
The figure laughed. "Your son?" it cried. "That is not your son! That is Urthemiel, God of Beauty."
Duncan could just make out the face of his brother from where was standing and he saw the frown of concentration appear. "No," his voice came, softer than his mother's. "No, I am not Urthemiel."
"You would deny your nature? Contain your power?"
"I will not have my nature dictated by you!" Fion's voice rose to a shout, that carried far further than it should have. The figure that had been Rilla threw back its head and shrieked. Duncan saw its neck lengthen as it continued its transformation. Every templar surrounding him suddenly cast cleanse and he felt the cold wash of their anti-magic field flow over him, but it made no difference. She continued to stretch and lengthen until instead of a woman, a huge, black dragon stood on the hilltop. Morrigan threw up her staff and attempted to cast a warding spell, but it was too late - the dragon's head snaked down and Fion was engulfed in flame.
He screamed and Duncan saw the same light surround him that had previously encased Rilla. His outline blurred and stretched as Fion screamed. Morrigan matched her son's cry and started to batter the dragon with offensive spells - the templars charged and Duncan could see Leliana and her companions enter the fray.
There was pandemonium for a long moment - he could see the big templar, Yuri, under the neck of the dragon, hacking with his axe - Leliana leaping to higher ground and shooting arrows with lightning speed - Zevran behind the beast, planting his daggers into the tough hide over and over. Rowan and Anders and Connor stood with Morrigan and blasted the dragon with spells.
But his eyes kept coming back to Fion. His brother continued to writhe and scream, but his outline remained steady. "Duncan!" he called, his voice distorted. "Duncan I need you!"
Without thinking, Duncan rushed to his brother's side. His outline was still discernable through the light. "What's happening?" Duncan asked.
"She's trying to release the soul of Urthemiel," Fion said, through gasps for breath. "I can hold it in - but while it is so close to the surface, I can use it as well."
"Use it?"
"The taint. I can use it to expunge the taint."
"In both of us?"
His brother smiled. "Oh, yes. In both of us."
"What about Flemeth?"
"My mother can deal with her. She won't be coming back any time soon.'
Leliana focused on the dragon in front of her. It was no different from twenty-five years ago, she thought to herself - save that then it had just been her, Wynne, Alistair and Miranda - far less magical backup, no templars save Alistair.
But she'd also been twenty-five years younger, she couldn't help thinking to herself.
When the dragon snapped downwards and came up with someone in its jaws she didn't recognise who it was at first. Only when his helm dislodged and fell to the ground did she recognise Yuri. The gigantic teeth of the beast caught in the chain of his mail as it shook it's head, flinging the big man from side to side. She could hear his deep voice cry out in pain and anger.
She was suddenly overcome with rage. She dropped her bow and drew her daggers and leapt to the back of the beast, running more nimbly than she had ever run before. The dragon was too distracted by the constant attacks below and her footing was sure.
It was as though she was possessed by the spirit of Miranda - she had done exactly the same to Flemeth in their last encounter. She flung herself at the head of the beast and plunged both her daggers into the base of its head. The dragon screamed and Yuri's body was dropped to the ground. Leliana clung to the hilts of the daggers as the beast flung its head upwards, trying to dislodge her. She pulled one dagger out and plunged it down again, this time into an eye. She was splattered with gore as she did the same with the second dagger.
The beast gave one last scream before collapsing in a heap. She leapt from its head, calling for Rowan.
Anders saw Leliana kill the dragon, but before its head even hit the ground Morrigan was urgently calling to him. "We must enter the fade!" she shouted. "Otherwise she will simply find another host."
Anders nodded and downed his lyrium, along with Connor and two others. The physical battle was over, but the magical battle had only just begun.
#46
Posté 30 mars 2010 - 05:57
Miri1984
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Big thanks to Sati James of ff.net for pointing out which Old God Fion was - I had intended to look it up but not gotten around to it before writing the chapter where he was talking to Yuri. I also thought Fion would not have known, even if everyone else did, simply because Morrigan wouldn't have wanted him to.
Two more chapters to go - it'll round out at chapter 20. I'm going a bit faster now because all the action is happening.
Two more chapters to go - it'll round out at chapter 20. I'm going a bit faster now because all the action is happening
.
#47
Posté 30 mars 2010 - 05:25
MireliA
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Go Leliana! Looking forward to the next two chapters
Looking forward to the next two chapters
#48
Posté 30 mars 2010 - 09:34
Miri1984
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NINETEEN
It was a totally different area of the fade to where they had kept watch for Fion. It echoed the field they had been in, although, in the way of dreams it was subtly distorted, just enough for a feeling of wrongness.
The body of the dragon lay in the centre of the field and it was quiet and still. Morrigan came up beside Anders. "She will be close," she said to him. Rowan and the other mages had spread out, searching the body of the dragon and the surrounds for any sign of the witch.
"Closer than you think," came a voice from behind them. They spun round. Anders saw a slender, straight backed woman with grey hair and eyes.
Morrigan folded her hands across her chest. "Hello, Mother," she said.
"Child," Flemeth said. "Do you really wish to do this?" Morrigan didn't answer. "You have no idea of the power you are denying yourself," the old witch continued. "You never could master the dragon form, could you? Or see into the twists of the future, as I can. What if I told you all of this is possible, if you will only free his soul?"
"Free it?" Morrigan said. "I see nothing in my son that needs to be freed."
"Your son is a shell," Flemeth said. "A casing for a being so powerful that it can conquer a world."
"A being who was locked underground for thousands of years," Anders broke in. "Not powerful enough to break through stone then."
"Fool!" Flemeth said, snarling at Anders. "You know nothing. The old dragons choose to stay. They disdain this world."
"How do you know all this?" Anders asked her.
"Four hundred years ago," Morrigan said. "This woman performed the same ritual I performed with Alistair. She gave birth to an old god - her first daughter. And she took that body for her own, after sucking the power out of its soul and destroying the person she had birthed. But she was clumsy. She didn't managed to drain the soul completely before it was destroyed. And so she waited for another blight - four hundred years she waited, hoping. But when the time came, she was already too old to perform the ritual herself - past the age when she could bear a child. Luckily, she had a daughter of her own."
"A daughter too stupid to take advantage of one of only three more opportunities to harness this power!"
"No, mother," Morrigan said. "I will not destroy my son for the sake of power. I am not your clone, or your vessel. I am Morrigan." She raised her arm and a flash of power shone there. "And I have grown past what you made me. Did it never occur to you that sometimes you do not need to take power? Sometimes..." Morrigan's outline began to blur and Anders stepped back hastily. "...it is polite to ask."
A golden dragon stood where the witch had once been. It's head snaked down to a suddenly terrified Flemeth, and its jaws snapped. The dragon that had been Morrigan lifted the now screaming Flemeth into the air and gulped, swallowing her whole, then shaking its magnificent head and spreading its wings. It let out a satisfied roar that shook the world, before its outline blurred again, and Morrigan stood, human again.
"Well," she said. "Another battle done, I see."
Anders laughed.
Back in reality, they gathered on the hilltop. Morrigan held her son's hand. The light that surrounded him had faded and he was normal again - still Fion. Yuri was being tended by Rowan - his injuries were severe, but not fatal. Three templars lay dead, crushed by the feet of the great beast, but there were no other casualties. The Orlesians had started to regain consciousness and Duncan happily cradled the confused Amelie in his arms, refusing all other offers of help.
"You have cured the taint in him," Leliana said to Fion. "How?"
"The soul of the dragon," Fion said. "It holds great power, and it recognises the taint, and abhors it. I could use that to seek out the taint in the blood and cleanse it rather than simply contain it."
"You speak of the soul of the dragon as though it isn't your soul," Zevran said. "Is it not one and the same?"
Fion shrugged. "I'm not sure," he said. "I suppose I'll spend the rest of my life trying to find that out."
"Could you do it again? Cure the taint?" Anders asked. Fion looked at him and shook his head.
"Possibly," he said. "I could try."
The warden raised his eyebrows at Nathaniel and the other warden shrugged. "It might be worth mentioning that to Oghren when we get back to the palace," Nathaniel said. "I know he wants to return to Felsi and Miranda in Orzammar, but he's afraid of the Calling."
"I will do what I can," Fion said.
"Is Flemeth truly dead?" Leliana asked Morrigan.
The witch cocked her eyebrow. "Most definitely," she said. "And most... satisfyingly. She will not bother us again."
Duncan appeared then, with Amelie next to him. They were holding hands. "I know the Templars will have a fit, and the Revered Mother will probably try to depose me, but you and your son are welcome to stay at the palace for as long as you wish, Morrigan. We owe you an enormous debt. And there is a wedding coming up." He looked down at Amelie, who smiled up at him.
Morrigan smiled. "I think not," she said. "My son and I will return to the wilds. Although I would be grateful if you did not tell the Templars that. Fion will probably visit you from time to time, however. If you do not object?"
Duncan shook his head. "The people of Denerim might think my father is back from the dead, but I have no problems with welcoming my brother to my home."
Fion smiled. "I don't have to look like this, you know," he said.
"Please," Duncan said. "I would prefer it if you did." He turned back to Morrigan. "Is there nothing else I can do for you?" he asked her. "You have saved us from a great threat."
Morrigan's face clouded. "I did it for your mother," she said. "You owe me nothing."
Duncan nodded, his own face clouding in memory. "I miss them," he said.
Morrigan smiled sadly. "As do I. Even your father, sometimes, although I'm glad he's not here to hear me say that."
"Well," Duncan said after a pause. "We should probably be getting back. I have a wedding to prepare for."
It was a totally different area of the fade to where they had kept watch for Fion. It echoed the field they had been in, although, in the way of dreams it was subtly distorted, just enough for a feeling of wrongness.
The body of the dragon lay in the centre of the field and it was quiet and still. Morrigan came up beside Anders. "She will be close," she said to him. Rowan and the other mages had spread out, searching the body of the dragon and the surrounds for any sign of the witch.
"Closer than you think," came a voice from behind them. They spun round. Anders saw a slender, straight backed woman with grey hair and eyes.
Morrigan folded her hands across her chest. "Hello, Mother," she said.
"Child," Flemeth said. "Do you really wish to do this?" Morrigan didn't answer. "You have no idea of the power you are denying yourself," the old witch continued. "You never could master the dragon form, could you? Or see into the twists of the future, as I can. What if I told you all of this is possible, if you will only free his soul?"
"Free it?" Morrigan said. "I see nothing in my son that needs to be freed."
"Your son is a shell," Flemeth said. "A casing for a being so powerful that it can conquer a world."
"A being who was locked underground for thousands of years," Anders broke in. "Not powerful enough to break through stone then."
"Fool!" Flemeth said, snarling at Anders. "You know nothing. The old dragons choose to stay. They disdain this world."
"How do you know all this?" Anders asked her.
"Four hundred years ago," Morrigan said. "This woman performed the same ritual I performed with Alistair. She gave birth to an old god - her first daughter. And she took that body for her own, after sucking the power out of its soul and destroying the person she had birthed. But she was clumsy. She didn't managed to drain the soul completely before it was destroyed. And so she waited for another blight - four hundred years she waited, hoping. But when the time came, she was already too old to perform the ritual herself - past the age when she could bear a child. Luckily, she had a daughter of her own."
"A daughter too stupid to take advantage of one of only three more opportunities to harness this power!"
"No, mother," Morrigan said. "I will not destroy my son for the sake of power. I am not your clone, or your vessel. I am Morrigan." She raised her arm and a flash of power shone there. "And I have grown past what you made me. Did it never occur to you that sometimes you do not need to take power? Sometimes..." Morrigan's outline began to blur and Anders stepped back hastily. "...it is polite to ask."
A golden dragon stood where the witch had once been. It's head snaked down to a suddenly terrified Flemeth, and its jaws snapped. The dragon that had been Morrigan lifted the now screaming Flemeth into the air and gulped, swallowing her whole, then shaking its magnificent head and spreading its wings. It let out a satisfied roar that shook the world, before its outline blurred again, and Morrigan stood, human again.
"Well," she said. "Another battle done, I see."
Anders laughed.
Back in reality, they gathered on the hilltop. Morrigan held her son's hand. The light that surrounded him had faded and he was normal again - still Fion. Yuri was being tended by Rowan - his injuries were severe, but not fatal. Three templars lay dead, crushed by the feet of the great beast, but there were no other casualties. The Orlesians had started to regain consciousness and Duncan happily cradled the confused Amelie in his arms, refusing all other offers of help.
"You have cured the taint in him," Leliana said to Fion. "How?"
"The soul of the dragon," Fion said. "It holds great power, and it recognises the taint, and abhors it. I could use that to seek out the taint in the blood and cleanse it rather than simply contain it."
"You speak of the soul of the dragon as though it isn't your soul," Zevran said. "Is it not one and the same?"
Fion shrugged. "I'm not sure," he said. "I suppose I'll spend the rest of my life trying to find that out."
"Could you do it again? Cure the taint?" Anders asked. Fion looked at him and shook his head.
"Possibly," he said. "I could try."
The warden raised his eyebrows at Nathaniel and the other warden shrugged. "It might be worth mentioning that to Oghren when we get back to the palace," Nathaniel said. "I know he wants to return to Felsi and Miranda in Orzammar, but he's afraid of the Calling."
"I will do what I can," Fion said.
"Is Flemeth truly dead?" Leliana asked Morrigan.
The witch cocked her eyebrow. "Most definitely," she said. "And most... satisfyingly. She will not bother us again."
Duncan appeared then, with Amelie next to him. They were holding hands. "I know the Templars will have a fit, and the Revered Mother will probably try to depose me, but you and your son are welcome to stay at the palace for as long as you wish, Morrigan. We owe you an enormous debt. And there is a wedding coming up." He looked down at Amelie, who smiled up at him.
Morrigan smiled. "I think not," she said. "My son and I will return to the wilds. Although I would be grateful if you did not tell the Templars that. Fion will probably visit you from time to time, however. If you do not object?"
Duncan shook his head. "The people of Denerim might think my father is back from the dead, but I have no problems with welcoming my brother to my home."
Fion smiled. "I don't have to look like this, you know," he said.
"Please," Duncan said. "I would prefer it if you did." He turned back to Morrigan. "Is there nothing else I can do for you?" he asked her. "You have saved us from a great threat."
Morrigan's face clouded. "I did it for your mother," she said. "You owe me nothing."
Duncan nodded, his own face clouding in memory. "I miss them," he said.
Morrigan smiled sadly. "As do I. Even your father, sometimes, although I'm glad he's not here to hear me say that."
"Well," Duncan said after a pause. "We should probably be getting back. I have a wedding to prepare for."
Modifié par Miri1984, 30 mars 2010 - 09:36 .
#49
Posté 30 mars 2010 - 09:37
Miri1984
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As you can probably guess, the next chapter will be heavy on the fluff .
.
#50
Posté 30 mars 2010 - 09:47
Gilgamesh1138
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I can't believe I didn't catch this sooner. Sorry! I posted a review on FF, but I wanted to post it here too.I apologize, I have not reviewed this wonderful fic. I love this so far. I am on the edge of my seat. Love Duncan as a character. And I agree, I love fic's where Morrigan is herself not portrayed as evil. As someone else pointed out in the reviews, she just has a different view point. : ) Can't wait for more! Thanks for writing this. : )
