Sten

For nearly two years, I have resisted them, but their patience has worn thin.

Chota warned me once if I could not be reformed, then I would be made an example of. If not to be brought back into the fold of the Qun, then as a cautionary tale about the polluting effects of the bas.

I often wished they had decided to be done with me. I do not have the strength to hold out forever. I would submit or I would die. I am too weak to fight now. My muscles have grown small, my bones nearing the surface of my skin. My skin has grown paler. When I see myself by the reflection of the puddles in my cell, I would not recognize myself if not for the scars.

I know I cannot live without her. If that means I die, I die. If I submit…to renounce her, it seems…to be more wishful. It would be easier. If I could, I would have done so long ago. If I could give up this foolish obsession, I would.

But I see her still. I feel her hands on my face. I smell her skin.

Her presence has corrupted me so.

If I am to die, I wish I would see her, one last time.

But that too, is perhaps wishful.

Tabris

I didn't want to sleep alone that night. Nathaniel lay by my side, our bodies barely touching each other under the blankets. We had shared a bed, for things other than sleeping, a few times over the past two years. We cared for each other, but our hearts both lay elsewhere. But we could be there for the other, to delude the other for a short time that we were not alone.

I had only recently returned from my search for Morrigan. Nathaniel had met me at the gates of Vigil's Keep earlier that day. He handled the joining of the two new recruits, who luckily had both survived. He had left me to be with my thoughts in my study, finding me trembling over the documents that Morrigan had left me.

Something of interest, she had stated. Something I might like.

I wondered how she had known. Perhaps I shouldn't have been surprised.

But I could not think about that tonight and I knew that is why I had pulled Nathaniel into my bed. I looked over at him, his long dark hair spilled out over the sheets, gently snoring.

Perhaps I should have talked about it with him instead. He had been such a good friend over these years…but this was something I couldn't talk to him about. Maybe Anders…but he had left us both long ago now. When I saw Nathaniel smile in his sleep, I always knew he was thinking of the blonde mage.

I stood from the bed, silhouetted in the moonlight. It was growing into Winter again. The seasons had come and gone in Vigil's Keep. I knew my castle in all its colours and moods. Perhaps this was the closest to home I would have again.

I looked again at the archer in my bed. Perhaps that was the closest I would have to love again. Two people struggling in the dark to forget another. We had a good life together. Perhaps if I only told him of the documents…

But no. That I could not do.

The bells of the Watch Tower sounded in the autumn night air. I frowned, wrapping a coat over my nightgown. Nathaniel sleepily looked up from the bed, reaching for his pants strewn over the ground.

I went out of my room, looking down into the great hall. I saw the night's guard assembling, marching out into the courtyard.

"What is it?" Nathaniel asked, reaching my side.

"Get your bow," I ordered, "I think this is no ordinary darkspawn raid."

I grabbed my gear and ran down the stairs, my second in command following me quickly. The other Wardens saluted as I went past them, meeting with Sigrun, who was captain of the night's watch in that time.

"We're getting reports of strangers on the battlements," she reported, saluting, "We will do a perimeter sweep and investigate."

"Good," I said, "I'm going up there now. Howe, follow me."

We raced up the stairs to the battlements, barely dressed in leather breastplates, which we attempted to tie together as we ran. We reached the battlements, the first snow coming down around us as we stepped outside.

"Keep your guard up," I warned and Nathaniel took out an arrow in preparation.

I could see little in the dark, but I trained my eyes back and forth. As we turned around the corner of the castle, I ran straight into an elf with a broadsword. I ducked as he swung, rolling over beside a bastila and hitting my knee on it. Cursing, I stood back up, throwing Fang to pin them against the wall. The elf struggled with the blade in his shoulder.

I heard another coming and I pulled out my sword and gestured Nathaniel to move forward.

I held my breath as three hornless kossith marched towards me, their long blades before me in threat. Nathaniel shot a few arrows in quick succession, slowing down one as the kossith took out the arrows in his leg.

I grabbed the horn around my neck and blew three deep notes. I could hear the footsteps of the night's guard marching back towards the castle. The others would be awake soon as the bells continued so strongly.

I backed up, my heart pounding as Nathaniel continued to fire.

"Get back in the castle, Kaillian," he shouted, "Now."

I ran back, grabbing my dagger from the elf as I ran back into the castle with Nathaniel behind me. He bolted the door, but a sword quickly cut through it. I stood my ground on the stairs, meeting the first one who managed the narrow passage. I met his blade three times before I managed to kick out his injured leg, leading him to fall down the stairs as Nathaniel jumped over him. The second came forth and I was forced further down the stairs as he attempted to strike me down. His blade cut through my skin on my abdomen, making me cry out as I jumped back. Nathaniel shot a well-timed arrow through his chest, causing him to fall to his knees. I jumped on that kossith's back, using the leverage to jump and slice downwards on the third, cutting through his head until he fell to the ground.

The surviving kossith looked up at me in loathing, spitting at my foot. I kicked him down onto his hands.

I saw Sigrun run up the stairs to reach us, staring at the creature underneath my foot.

"Is that?" she asked.

"Qunari," I replied, pointing out the tattoo on his shoulder while I pushed down again with my foot, "It seems we have been greeted by the Ben-Hassrath."

"Why?" Nathaniel asked, eyebrow raised.

"I intend to find out," I replied.

oOoOo

Oghren was guarding the two prisoners, drink in hand, offering some of his infamous brew to the two Qunari who seemed appalled by the alcohol.

"Commander!" He greeted cheerfully as I made it to his side, "Good to have some actual company. These two are a couple of stiffs."

"The Qunari tend to be a sour bunch," I smiled, "Can you go get Nathaniel? I might need his help in…dealing with these two."

"Sure," he nodded, taking a swig and putting the tankard back down, "But don't you forget, I can swing an axe better than that pretty boy. You need them taken down, I'm here for the job."

He burped slightly and saluted, "Commander."

I stifled a smile as he went back up the stairs and I faced the two in the bars. Seeing the kossith man reach up to touch the bars, leaning his face towards mine, I thought of the first time I had ever seen Sten. He too had been caged, waiting for judgment.

"If you are to kill me, bas," he growled, "You should do it. I will not betray the Qun."

"I do not ask you to betray the Ariqun," I replied softly, "But I do want to know why you are here. There is always a purpose, isn't there? What is yours?"

The elf looked at the kossith, but the bigger man sneered slightly and the other looked away.

"I don't mean either of you harm," I continued, "But I will need to know why you threatened my castle and my men. Why were you sent?"

The kossith hissed at me, "Empty words, bas. You will seduce us and leave our bodies to rot in the sun. You are the Corrupter."

"Corrupter?" I asked in surprise, "It seems I have done something specific to offend you so."

I could hear Nathaniel come down the stairs, the sounds of jars jingling in his satchel.

"Commander?" He called out, "Will you be needing my services?"

"Qunari," I said, looking back and forth between the two of them, "I will have my answer. I would release you both. I'd even give your weapons back. You have my word. But if you will not tell me, then I have other methods of extracting that information."

The elf looked panicked and turned to the kossith who slightly paled.

"We would rather die, Corrupter, then be another Qunari loss at your hands. We will not become Vashoth at your whim," the kossith answered.

Nathaniel glanced at me and I was not sure what to say.

"You were sent for me, weren't you?" I asked suddenly, "You weren't attacking the Grey Wardens. You were attacking me. Were you to take me or kill me?"

The elf spoke, "You were to be made example."

"Hush," the kossith replied to his colleague.

"She will torture us and find out anyway," the elf conceded, "This way, she only knows what she wants and no more secrets of the Qun."

They spoke for a short while in their own tongue and finally, the kossith man came forth and looked at me directly.

"The Ariqun has called for your head," he said, "We were to bring you to Seheron, where you were to be executed publically."

"Seheron?" I asked in confusion, "Why not Par Vollen? Why not anywhere else in the Qunari realm? Why that island?"

"That is where the Traitor lies," the elf said in confusion, "All know of his betrayal. The corrupted one."

It slowly dawned on me. My legs started to quiver slightly.

"He is a Sten, isn't he? Of the party sent here to Ferelden to investigate the Blight?" I asked, trying to keep my voice from shaking, "He…he is a Traitor?"

The kossith laughed harshly, "You do not even know of your crime, bas? You seduced a man from the Qun. You took a hero and made him a weak fool. He is with the Ben-Hassrath, he is being reeducated. Because of you."

I gave myself ten seconds to panic. I closed my eyes and tried to comprehend the information, thinking of the man I loved in prison, being tortured and beaten. What had happened? How did he end up there?

And part of my heart fluttered. He loved me. He still loved me.

"Where is he?" I asked.

The kossith smiled, "Does it matter? He will die soon. Either way. He has been with us for nearly two years. If he does not submit, they will continue. He will die, whether he is executed or because he grows weak."

I tried to reach his neck through the bars, but Nathaniel held me back.

I looked at the archer and stated, "Do what you need to. I need to know the location of this Sten and any other details about his imprisonment. If you cannot spare them…it would not be a loss."

"Are you sure?" He asked softly.

"Warden Howe," I replied sternly, "You will do as I command, is that clear?"

"Ser," he curtly bowed his head, his eyes watching me as I left the room. I walked up the stairs, each step my heart pounding louder until I reached the courtyard. I looked around at Vigil's Keep, the snow beginning to fall again around me, touching my cheeks and nose.

I thought of the mountains of Haven and Sten alone in the cold. He sat there by the fire, the snow catching in his white braided hair, his bronze skin paling as he shivered. I wanted to take him into my arms then, to keep him warm beneath me. It was a strange feeling, one that I was struggling to understand.

I thought of him then, imprisoned in the jungles of Seheron. Tears started streaming down my cheeks, cooling as the winter's air hit them.

I heard the scream of the elf, faint through the ground, echoing through the stairs from the prisons.

Sten had protected me from so much, but he had left. For duty. Duty.

Duty had brought him to slowly die at the hands of those who he had served. It had brought me here, separated from my people, alone here in the arms of a man who wanted another.

But this is not where my heart lay.

My duty was to him.

I would go to Seheron. If even just to die by his side. I had known…I had always known, even when I could not admit it to myself. From that first kiss, when I knew I could not leave him in the Fade, when I knew I could not be without him.

I would free him or I would die. They called me Corrupter, but it is was he who had borne himself into me, that ran in my blood, that was the father of the child that the taint had taken from me.

But perhaps...

I thought of Morrigan's letters, tucked away upstairs.

I smirked. That was something to think of another time.

Sten

It was a reprieve to be brought outside. The skin of my back had grown so tough from the whippings; it hurt much less each time. It was good to feel the sun on my face, to see light after so many dark nights in the cell.

The new students walked past as I knelt on the ground, their black robes brushing against the ground as they chanted.

It was her eyes that made me look upward. An elven woman, her head shaved as the rest, her eyes meeting mine with a strange intensity.

I held my breath, watching as she passed me, the words of the prophet on her lips.

She would not be here, of all places. Perhaps I was finally losing my mind.

oOoOo

It was in the dark she came to me, the cell almost silently opening. In the moonlight, I saw her face, knew her touch against my skin. I trembled as her hands touched my face.

"I should have come sooner," she whispered.

"Kadan," I murmured, "If this is a dream...then it is a good dream."

She smiled and said quietly, "I'm going to get you out of here. Can you stand?"

I stood wearily, my legs shaking as I tried to walk. She was so much smaller than me, I noticed as she held me upright. I had forgotten how small she was.

They pursued us as we ran. I remember so little, I was so close to death even then. I remember lying in the jungle, her body against mine as she tried to coax me to drink healing potions. I remember the purple flowers, the smell of my homeland and the smell of her skin. I knew we had little time. They would find us and they would kill us. She would not be able to fight all of them.

But she was here.

oOoOo

When I woke next, I was in a bed, the ground beneath me swaying. I heard the ocean as I rose, looking over at the elven woman beside me.

The years had not been kind to her. I saw the mark of the Taint in her skin, in her fingers. She slept naked beside me without shame. I did not want to wake her. I did not know what to say to her.

It had been so many years.

Yet when she stirred, opening her eyes as she moved towards me, I reached for her, I held her to my body as our mouths met hungrily. I took her there and then without thinking. She moaned underneath me as we came together and for a few moments, I did not care about anything else.

Tabris

We went the one place no one would look for us: to Gwaren and the elven compound. Shianni took us in without question and for a few months, we healed. Sten gained weight again, grew strong again. He was a strange sight among the elves, but he was welcomed.

I had made the decision before I had left for Seheron that if I made it back, I would use the final gift Morrigan had given me. Hidden among the trappings of our home, there laid recipes for something more valuable than any gold or wealth she could have given me. She gave me a cure.

My father noticed first. He said my skin was almost glowing. A few weeks and my body started changing. The nightmares faded, the scars softened, and within my body, I felt the first stirrings of new life.

I did not tell anyone until I was sure. Sten was protective as ever, his face softening whenever his hand stroked across my belly. He had not been able to save the first child, he whispered to me one night, but he would die to save this one.

There were days I could see he was lost among the memories. I did not pry. I knew that he had given everything waiting for me. I wished again and again that somehow I had known. I wished that I could have protected him.

Those nights he would come to me, not speaking before sweeping me in a kiss. He was rough with me, but I knew with every touch, the wounds were starting to heal.