"Fucking elves," Dominic muttered. He repeated the obscenity several times in his head while the drink in front of him made halfhearted pfut pfut noises. He usually avoided ale because the brews did not contain enough alcohol to set it alight properly. His repeated attempts caused a charred ring to adhere to the inside of the glass which fouled the drink. With his mood already dampened, the burnt taste went unnoticed.
Amaranthine had been Eldric's idea.
The Tower held few amusements for those who passed their Harrowings and the trio – Alim, Dominic and Eldric – succeeded the test months ago. The room they were in contained only one chair and Eldric lounged in it now, one leg thrown over its arm. The furniture – shelves, rugs and the singular chair – were castoffs, leftover pieces in disrepair forgotten about in a room that was only slightly bigger than a storage closet. "We should join the Grey Wardens," he announced. Eldric's demeanor was little different from a king on his throne, delivering a mandate to his subjects. "It would get us out of the Tower. Imagine… not having the templars breathing down our necks, watching over our shoulders constantly…" With a stretch, the blond elf managed to convey his disdain of those he labeled captors as well as the restrictions they imposed.
An exaggeration; the other elf in the room, the dark-haired Alim, was the Circle of Magi's resident smuggler. It was his skill as a purveyor of illicit delights for the residents in Kinloch Hold which ensured the three enjoyed relative autonomy – and why they had privacy for their trysts few other mages could boast. How Alim managed it was a mystery because the elf remained – even to his companions – tight-lipped about his suppliers.
Dominic poured another shot of Sambuca and placed in on the saucer in front of him. After dripping a few drops of Cointreau into a larger glass and coating its interior, he touched a finger to it and a flame jumped from his fingertip. He held it for a few moments then dribbled what remained from the larger glass into the smaller, igniting it as well. The human mage could number his passions on a single hand: working with Primal magic (namely, setting things on fire), drinking, fucking and elves - preferably combining the last two. Dominic encased the shot with the bigger glass, which extinguished the flames, then lifted the larger glass and covered it with his palm. The tumbler frosted over and he offered it to Alim, who shook his head. With a shrug, Dominic sipped the fumes himself then picked up the shot and downed it.
He should have remembered what happened the last time he became so drunk he could barely see straight; he only needed to look in the mirror at the tattoo on his face. Instead, he scooted over to the chair and put a hand on its cushion, using it to lever himself upwards and into the seat with Eldric.
"That…" he said and paused to lean in, pressing his lips to Eldric's; the embrace deepened when the elf opened his mouth to tease the human with his tongue. Several minutes passed before Dominic was able to finish his thought, "might be the best idea I've ever heard in my life." Truthfully, Dominic would have considered any notion brilliant, as he was more concerned with stripping the two elves out of their robes. Eldric could have suggested he present himself to Knight-Commander Greagoir, nude, while singing the chantry hymn 'Enjoy the Silence' and he would have said it sounded like a amazing plan – if it ensured one or preferably both elves undressed within the next five minutes.
Alim still sat on the floor but stared at the other two intently. "I don't know…" Whereas strong spirits fueled Dominic's passion, alcohol made Alim into more of a voyeur. He was never reluctant to join in, but - unlike the other two – contented himself with watching once he passed a certain point of inebriation. This rendered him the de-facto voice of reason whenever Eldric (it was always Eldric) made ludicrous suggestions. "I don't think we've got it so bad here, do we?"
"Could be better, though," Eldric countered, as he ran a hand down Dominic's chest to rest it in his lap. "Think about what it would be like to do it in a bed, Alim – and to sleep in it afterwards. Grey Wardens don't care who, when or how many."
Alim gave a squeaky sound in protest, although the idea obviously captured his imagination. "They'd care! The Grey Wardens don't go around…" and he blushed. Considering what the threesome got up to on a regular basis, the fact he could still act the innocent convincingly was a wonder. "Their one job is to fight the darkspawn. I think I'd prefer to stay in the Tower, where it's safe."
"What darkspawn? They've all gone to ground now that the Blight's over." Dominic laid a hand over Eldric's and pressed down, as he thrust up slightly with his hips to indicate what sort of activity he expected if the elf was going to keep his hand there. "Now's the best time to join - we won't have to do anything."
Rather than oblige him though, Eldric nudged Dominic as he swung his leg over the chair's arm so he could stand up. They shifted positions and Eldric walked over to his elven counterpart. Alim watched his approach; the dark-haired elf didn't resist as the blond pushed him onto his back and straddled him. Eldric turned to look back at Dominic; a sly smile spread across his face. "Dominic just thinks it's a good idea because the 'Hero of Ferelden' is an elf. Word is - he's Commander at the Grey Warden garrison in Amaranthine now. And he has a thing for elves - don't you, Dom?"
Dominic gestured with a finger, giving Eldric the universal salute which caused the blond elf to laugh as he simultaneously rubbed himself against Alim's thigh. It earned him a throaty moan even as Dominic began to strip off his own clothes. "Gentlemen, please!" The amused gaze he gave the human rapidly turned into something raw and openly lustful even as the elf underneath him encouraged him to continue. "There's plenty of me to go around."
The next morning, the three made their petition to First Enchanter Irving, who granted their request. The old man seemed pleased by their sudden desire to 'undertake a noble duty that serves the greater good of Ferelden' but Dominic wondered if the elder mage's pleasure secretly stemmed from the fact that the trio was now someone else's problem.
Dominic thought their destination to be Amaranthine, but once they left Lake Calenhad, Eldric insisted they detour for magical supplies. The blond elf set them a merry chase around the countryside; some sort of bell, book and candle scavenger hunt that made the human's temper grow shorter every day they delayed travelling to the port city. One evening, several weeks later, Dominic and Alim confronted Eldric while he bathed – Alim used his knowledge of Entropy spells to slow the blond elf's movement while Dominic stuck his hand into the pool and slowly raised the water's temperature. It was almost to a boil when Eldric made his confession.
"Blood magic!" The pained expression on his face was not enough of an indication if it was the admission or the water's temperature causing him discomfort. "The Tower keeps most of the tomes under lock and key but I've read enough to know… I need that sort of power." His eyes gleamed in the light of the setting sun, its waning rays discoloring his normally pale skin. "We need to find an apostate, even someone who just knows the basics. I must learn it. I have to."
Dominic couldn't stand to hear another word and stomped off in a huff. When the human returned an hour later, Alim and Eldric were still deep in debate over the forbidden magic. He had stewed over what he wanted to say while he was gone but seeing Eldric again drove the words out of his head. "You could have told us! But what, we're good enough to share a bed with you but not good enough to know Eldric the Unfathomable's plans?" A small bush became a victim of Dominic's ire as it burst into flame. "How long did you expect to keep us traipsing around out here in the wilderness?"
"As long as it takes," Eldric answered, in a tone that dared Dominic to defy him.
It took the attentions of both elves to sway Dominic into staying. He would have preferred to go on to Amaranthine alone – or taken Alim with him, if he could have convinced him to abandon Eldric to his folly – rather than suffer another night in the cold and damp of the outdoors. The trio stayed together, however and eventually found the blond elf a willing tutor.
His name was Githander, a man easily double their respective ages. The pupil of his right eye was blown and the whites of both eyes bloodshot. It gave him a manic stare - but he was sharp enough to haggle for their coin and possessions in exchange for teaching Eldric the basics of what he wanted to know.
They spent two months in his company, until, one morning, Alim and Dominic woke to Eldric's shouts. When the pair found the other two, Eldric held a knife to his own neck, his face and hand dripping with sweat, his muscles straining. Githander stood next to him; the older man smiled as if nothing out of the ordinary occurred.
"He knows enough. You've five minutes to clear out before he cuts his own throat and then I'll set the pair of you on each other – and not in the way you normally carry on." The man leered at them and spurred on by fear for their friend's life, they obeyed his directive. Gathering what little remained to them, elf and human returned to lead Eldric away.
They walked perhaps a mile, Eldric still shaking; he gripped the knife as if it was melded to his skin. A few steps later, the blond elf collapsed. Alim kicked the knife away while Dominic supported him. Eldric shivered as if caught in the throes of a severe fever. "I know enough," Eldric confirmed to his companions, once he caught his breath although the tension in his posture remained. He shot a vindictive glare back the direction they came from, "and when I know more, I'll go back."
So finally, after months, they made their way to Amaranthine; only to find the place a shambles.
The darkspawn, as it turned out, had not returned to the Deep Roads – at least not in the area around Amaranthine. When the three mages arrived, the inhabitants were in the process of rebuilding structures the creatures razed with fire. Inquiring about the Grey Wardens earned them sad looks and murmurs and it took a passing city guardsman to explain the situation to them.
"Vigil's Keep is in a sad state. The Warden Commander opted to try to save as many of the common folk as he could, leaving the base for his order to persevere as best it could, relying on the defenses already in place. While it won him the hearts of the people, I think the Grey Wardens of Ferelden might have made their last stand in the battle. It's half a ruin now and maybe a fifth of what it was before."
The three exchanged looks; Dominic was the one to speak up, "The Commander…?"
The man lowered his voice, "Set things in motion for repairs but is heading back to Denerim or left already. We're all of us afraid the King is going to take him to task about his choices here – though I think even Calenhad would have been hard pressed to do better." The guard halted and glanced around, as if checking to see if he would be overheard. "Not that the Grey Wardens are the cheeriest lot you'll ever meet but the Commander was more solemn than anyone I've ever met. Not all there, if you get my meaning."
The looks the three gave him made him hasten to amend his statement. "Not mental, just… missing something. Stare at him too long and you could feel a sadness sort of… taking hold of you like it had him. Even so, he always offered a kind word. The Commander's a hero round here, even if he is a mage and an elf… begging your sers' pardon, of course." With a short bow, the man excused himself to return to his duties and the three friends were left with the decision of what to do next.
"I think we should go to Vigil's Keep," Alim offered. "Now Dominic is right, there really isn't anything dangerous involved with joining them, unless…" he looked over at Eldric, "you're afraid of some hard work."
Eldric snorted, "I always do all the hard work, you little whore. Dom?"
Dominic shrugged, "I go where you two go."
When they reached Vigil's Keep, the man in charge - Seneschal Varel - was almost pathetically glad to see them. They wished to join the Wardens? Excellent! But at the moment there was some sort of difficulty with inducting new recruits. Each was given a room in the outlying barracks and instructed to report in the morning to see what tasks their talents lent them to in aiding the Keep's resurrection.
Despite the stronghold's condition, there were amenities available, especially for a mage schooled in Primal magic. Dominic's first priority was a hot bath. He combined that with a fresh change of clothes and once he felt presentable again, went in search of Alim and Eldric.
There was no answer when he knocked at Alim's door and although Eldric responded, would not grant him entrance.
"Dominic, it's been a long day and I'm really," through the door, his statement was punctuated with an overly loud yawn, "really tired." Another time, this might be where he'd suggest seeking out Alim instead - but not, apparently, tonight. "See you in the morning, right?"
The human wondered how the elves would like a fist shaped hole burned through the door. Alim and Eldric had been partnered long before Dominic became involved with them and it was times like this where his status as a third wheel was apparent. It wasn't often he was excluded but when it happened, he resented it – as he did now and was why he ended up at the Crown and Lion Inn tonight, instead of back at the ruins of Vigil's Keep, drowning his sorrows in beer so weak it was probably criminal to even call it such.
This, Dominic reflected, as he took another sip of his soured drink, was the problem. Another string of curses uttered in his mind didn't erase the sad but true schesis of his life: he was fixated with elves, currently those two elves in particular. He stared into his cup, the amber color of the liquid now marred with flecks of black. He was feeling so put out and frustrated that when someone spoke to him, he barely managed a grunt in reply.
"May I inquire, my friend, if this seat is taken? I do not think I wish to stand whilst I await our lovely hostess' attentiveness to my order."
The questioner interpreted the noise correctly, at least insofar as Dominic's concern over who occupied the chair across from him and heard a creak as whoever the speaker was sat down.
A few minutes passed in silence before the speaker – a man – spoke again. "You stare so fixedly at your drink that I find myself growing anxious. Is there something amiss with it that I should avoid imbibing the spirits here and confine myself solely to well water?" The words were accented, not so thick as to be unintelligible but easily identifying the speaker as not being a native of Ferelden.
"No - it's fine, I just…" Dominic's voice trailed off as he looked up and made eye contact with the person across the table from him.
Eyes of a rich, golden color stared back at him inquisitively. The man – elf's (of course, elf's) – skin was tanned, darker than the pallid skin tones around him, which made him look even more striking by comparison. Arcing down from his left eyebrow to his jaw were three sinuous, dark strokes; a tattoo that – instead of covering - seemed to accentuate the lines of his face. His hair was shoulder length and blond, but instead of severely pulling it back as Eldric did, he wore it loose except for two braids tied back, away from his face. When Dominic failed to continue, the man's expression grew concerned.
"My friend, does something ail you? If so, allow me to fetch a healer," and the elf made to stand up in his willingness to do what he could to aid the human.
"No, no! I'm sorry. I was just surprised." When the man raised an eyebrow questioningly, Dominic added, "to see an elf, I mean." When the elf raised both eyebrows, it dawned on him what he'd just said and he hurried to correct himself. "Not that there's anything wrong with elves! I like elves! My best friends are elves! Elves are great!" When he'd finished blurting out the last sentence, he put down his drink to cover his face with his hands, barely able to keep himself from groaning aloud. 'Why don't you just tell him that elves give you a raging hard-on and see if he'd be willing to do anything about it, while you're at it. Because, you know, things can still get worse today.'
Thankfully, whatever the stranger thought, he didn't appear to be insulted, because Dominic heard him chuckle. He spared Dominic by not drawing attention to his impropriety and instead introduced himself. "My name is Zevran – Zev to my friends."
"Dominic. I'm a Grey Warden." He had no idea what prompted him to say that, rather than call himself a mage. Unlike the rest of Ferelden, Amaranthine at least seemed to hold mages in somewhat higher regard than the rest of the nation, due in no small part to the Warden Commander - which might explain why he identified himself as a Grey Warden, instead.
"Are you? Intriguing." Zevran's scrutiny appeared to intensify. "Curious to see a Grey Warden so far afield from Vigil's Keep. Or is it just that their supplies to not extend to ale and you came to the city to seek refreshment?"
'He's interested. Be cool." If he could recover from his initial social blunders with the elf, the evening might not be a total loss after all, Dominic decided. "I came to Amaranthine to slake my thirst." Since Zevran had not yet pushed away from the table in disgust, Dominic thought to try and see how far innuendo might get him. "But…" he smirked and wet his lips. "I remain unsatisfied. Maybe it's something I hunger for, instead."
"Indeed. I believe I know the feeling well, my friend. I hail from the glorious Antiva City and I miss the viands of my homeland. Chorizo, for example – and if you ever find yourself in my country, a general rule of thumb is that long chorizos are sweeter and short chorizos offer more spice, although this is not always the case." Zevran gave him a mischievous wink. "Looks can be deceiving."
"I think, Zevran," Dominic said, enjoying the exotic sound of the elf's name as it crossed his lips, "I might have to sample some Antivan fare for myself. Is there anything here you would offer up as a suggestion?"
Zevran laughed. "There are a great many things I could recommend you try, my friend. But alas, it seems I am being hailed by the barkeep to indicate my repast is prepared. Perhaps another time will present itself." He pushed himself back from the table and stood, inclining his head to Dominic. "A pleasure to meet you, Grey Warden – I remain in Amaranthine for a few days and I do suspect our paths will cross again."
Dominic watched Zevran go. He hadn't studied the elf's clothing while he sat, being more focused on staring at his face but the leathers the Antivan wore suited him. The hides themselves looked supple and allowed an ease of movement plate armor – the garb of the Tower templars – prohibited. 'Maybe if they'd dressed the templars like him, I wouldn't have been quite so eager to leave…' He wondered at the elf's occupation and his business in Ferelden while Zevran ascended the staircase, 'So he's staying here.' His eyes unfocused and Dominic allowed his mind to wander while he entertained several fantasies involving his new acquaintance. What would it sound like to hear words of passion murmured in another language? Dominic imagined how Zevran might use his tongue to slowly stimulate before wrapping those full lips around him. How warm the Antivan's skin would be to the touch and how hot he would be by the time…
FWOOSH! Until now, his attempts at enkindling the liquor met with failure, but the thought of Zevran - hot, tight and writhing under him - sparked a surge in his Primal abilities even the low alcohol content of the watered down ale was no match for. Dominic fanned away the acrid smoke coming from the glass and a moment later he heard the telltale ting ting right before the mug shattered from the heat.
My entry for Kaeleen, Xeora and AlmightyGamer's contest over on deviantART. The rules stated so long as I included their original characters (Eldric, Alim and Dominic) a story would be an acceptable art form. I was also granted at least some leeway regarding said characters so if they step a bit out of character, I'm technically off the hook (I pray their fans don't lynch me). I also decided proofreading and punctuation are pants. Feedback is welcome and encouraged (a critique is just as valued as praise).
I'd give all my worldly goods (and my soul, if they'd take it) to Bioware and David Gaider in exchange for Zevran being mine (all mine!), but until they accept my "offer", all rights to their characters and the Dragon Age universe belong to them. Thank you, DG, for creating Zevran – in all my years of playing MUDs, MUSHs, RPGs and MMOs, he's the only character who ever inspired me to write anything (such as it is).