Finders Aren't Always Keepers Chapter One
My entry for a challenge ApolloWings gave me. A (developing) romance between Jowan and any character, (in my case, Kallian Tabris, my city elf Warden. Jowan being in her party made possible by Karma's Origin Companions Mod, on which some content of this story is loosely based.) Will later feature a jealous Alistair!Enjoy!
Alistair struggled to keep up with Kallian as she strode down stairs to the main hall of Redcliffe Castle.
"Kallie, wait up!" he called after her, as he tripped and would have fallen down the flight of stairs were it not for his quick grab for the railing. The arl had asked to see her, after he gathered his thoughts, and a servant had finally come up to the guest quarters to fetch the elven Grey Warden and her companions. Morrigan snickered cruelly as the former templar regained his footing, and he shot her an icy glare. Leliana brought up the rear as the four reached the main floor. Kallian fussed with her long brown locks and brushed the dust off her armor before she opened the door to the main hall. Standing near a large throne, was the arl. He had been a fairly hospitable host, as had Bann Teagan, and the arl's wife, Isolde, despite her constant reminders that Alistair was no good. It got annoying after a while. Kallian wanted to do something to spite her, but what?
"Ah, Warden. How good of you to come in such a timely fashion. Before we get down to business, there is the matter of the mage, my son's tutor. He still lives, I understand?"
Isolde, who presently was glaring at Alistair, nodded. "I think he has wasted space for long enough, husband." The arl raised an eyebrow, but said nothing to his wife.
"Have him brought here, Teagan, I wish to see him." Arl Eamon requested of his brother. "Warden, you took interest in the mage's fate, I have been told?"
"I did, but I will say nothing until he is present." Kallian wanted the arl to see Jowan, who was right now nothing to her but living proof of what a monster Isolde was, and one more life that was potentially in Kallie's hands. The mage had been beaten and probably had injuries beyond the skill of most healers she knew, except for maybe Wynne.
A few minutes passed and Leliana asked Kallian in a whisper, "What do you think they will do to him, Kallie?"
"I'm honestly not sure," Kallian mumbled. She shuddered at the thought of enduring what the former blood mage had. She truly didn't want to see him put down like a rabid dog, but that didn't mean she had no ulterior motive. She wanted to see Isolde squirm, and she also wanted to prove to Alistair the arl's wife could be reduced to the sniveling fool she was on the inside. Then finally, a side door opened, and two guards walked in, the tall, thin, raven-haired mage between them, wearing torn robes. He had a hopeless, dull look in his grey-blue eyes, and Kallian couldn't help but pity him. The elf forced her eyes from the mage to the man who was about to decide his fate.
"Jowan. What you have done is not in question. You tried to assassinate me and set into motion a series of events that nearly destroyed all I hold dear." Kallian gulped as the arl spoke. Getting him to pardon the mage was going to be harder than she thought. I'll conscript the poor fool if I must, but I refuse to give Isolde the satisfaction of his death! She thought to herself.
"What have you to say in your own defense?" the arl asked. The mage hesitated, as if waiting for the arl's permission to speak. The arl tilted his head, as if straining to hear.
"Nothing, my lord. Only to say that I am sorry." the mage said softly, shifting his weight nervously. His eyes were on the ground now. "I expect no mercy for what I have done." Kallian frowned slightly. Come on, you fool, give me a reason to fight for you! She urged him in her mind.
"I see. You show remorse for your actions. That is commendable, but I have a hard time overlooking your…actions." the arl replied. Then he turned to face Kallie. "Grey Warden, do you have anything to say on Jowan's behalf?"
Then, all of a sudden, all eyes were on Kallian. "…Yes, yes, I do." She stuttered. Don't blow it, Kallie, the humiliation of this 'noble shem' depends on what happens to this mage! she said to herself, sighing.
"I don't think he intended for things to go the way they did, my lord. He seems earnest in his desire to repent. How many criminals can one say the same for?"Kallian flashed a small, sad smile Jowan's direction, and he nodded. There was pain and sorrow in his face.
Everyone in the room gasped. This got Isolde unsettled enough to stop glaring at Alistair and look the Warden in the eyes. "That does not change what he did!" she hissed. Kallie enjoyed watching the pious Orlesian lady squirm.
"That is…quite unexpected, but well said. You certainly do look for the good in people, even if there's little to be found. But what would you have me do? As the injured party, my ability to see a merciful path is…strained." the arl said, a bit taken aback by both the elf's speech and his wife's reaction.
Alistair whispered in her pointed ear, "Send him to the Circle."
Kallian frowned at the former Templar, who had been quiet until this point. She remembered the Tranquil storeroom keeper looking even more empty and broken than Jowan did now!"And let them turn him into a mindless zombie?!" She hissed angrily back at him. "I don't think so!"
"Well?" the arl said. Jowan looked at her with such a soft, gentle, yet broken and defeated look and Kallian blurted out her answer.
"Release him into my custody." she said quickly. Jowan gasped, and one of his guards put a hand on his arm as he staggered a little. To say he was unwell was an understatement, but hearing this did not calm him down one bit.
"What? Why?" he asked, sounding short of breath. He could scarcely believe his ears.
Kallian ignored the mage for now and kept her eyes on the arl's face, studying his grey beard, and cold, blue eyes.
"That I cannot do." the arl finally shook his head. "It is with a troubled mind that I hereby sentence the maleificar, Jowan, to death by the axemen's blade. I'm sorry."