Author's Note: What in the Void is wrong with me? I had intended this one shot to be a cute, fluffy thing with Riordan, Blackwall and my Orlesian warden, Narcisse Andras, but it ended up going into the dark and angst pile... again. Sigh. I'm not sure why I even bother to attempt fluff anymore. My endings always end up bitter no matter how hard I try to do otherwise. The purpose of this one shot was to give Riordan a background for my upcoming Fifth Blight story, "Dragon's Song". I also introduce the two other Orlesian wardens, Kader and Caron, who will be important later on in the "Heroes of Ferelden" series. The 'Orlesian' language in this is actually French since it was said that Orlais is similar to France.
While writing this one shot, I found a song that was perfect for what Narcisse felt when she had to say goodbye to her friends and Riordan to complete her Calling. "String Theory" by Les Friction is a wonderful song and I've now got a new favorite band. XD
The smell was the first thing she noticed. The overwhelming scent of death; rotting, stinking death. Then it was the heat. Without any access to the surface, the Deep Roads felt like an oven. It made the smell even worse. No fresh air meant that her surroundings were stagnant and anything that had been left behind was festering. Lastly, it was the sounds. In the distance, she could hear the screams of the darkspawn and the clicking of the enormous spiders as their legs moved against the rocky surface of the underground tunnels. The one sound that wouldn't escape her hearing, however, was the thundering of her heartbeat and the unearthly whispers of the Old God, Urthemiel, who desired to be woken from his slumber.
Narcisse Andras had been fighting against that call for the last twenty one years. Now her time was up. Her Commander had sent the elven Grey Warden into the Deep Roads to meet her fate, the death that was meant to come at the hands of the darkspawn beneath Orzammar. She was standing within the infected ruins of old thaigs and yet, the only thing that she truly cared to ponder on were her last moments with the people she considered family above all else.
"Don't tell me that's the best you can do!"
Face scrunched up in frustration, Narcisse Andras turned her golden eyes towards the speaker. It was at that moment a warm breeze blew in from the ocean, tossing her flaxen hair into her face. With a grunt, she swiped it away before glaring at the man standing across from her. "Go hump a nug, Riordan." Her Orlesian accent rang out clearly making it impossible to mistake her words.
The man tossed his head back and let out a laugh.
Glad he finds this so funny, Narcisse thought to herself as she lifted her longbow again. Bastard is going to get what's coming to him.
The next arrow she released hit the target dead center and with a girlish grin, she spun around to face him. Riordan's blue eyes met hers, a conceited smirk on his face.
"Lucky shot." Riordan said, leaning closer to her before stealing a quick kiss. When he pulled away, Narcisse had to admit she wanted him to kiss her again. The feel of his stubble rough against her cheek thrilled her and she missed it when his lips weren't pressed against hers. Maker- she was going to miss him.
"Cut it out you two!" A gruff voice spoke from behind them. Narcisse glanced over her shoulder at the large warden who had interrupted their moment.
She lifted an eyebrow coyly as she retorted. "Jealous, Blackwall?"
The man chuckled, the laughter rumbling deep within his chest. "Of him, princess? You flatter yourself."
She stuck her tongue out at him. The man stroked his thick ebony beard before shaking his head. "When are you going to come get an ale, Ciss? They'll be warm by the time you're done showing off."
Narcisse lifted her bow again and fired off a few more shots towards her target, trying to ignore Blackwall's remarks. The older man drank from his tankard as he watched her practice, not speaking, but simply enjoying her company. Riordan had wandered off to grab his own drink leaving them alone. Squinting her eyes, Narcisse attempted to drown out the sweet song that was a constant in her thoughts now.
The taint was steadily increasing in her blood. Narcisse could feel it. She knew that her Calling was upon her. Her friends, her fellow wardens, were all here to help her prepare for her long walk into the Deep Roads. She wasn't sure that she was ready, but there was an issue if she decided not to walk. She was getting weaker as the days went by. If she succumbed to the darkspawn taint within her blood, there was no turning back. Her friends would have to kill her. She couldn't put any of them through that. She wouldn't.
Narcisse had been concentrating so intently on her thoughts that she hadn't even noticed that her hands had started to shake. It was only when Riordan pulled the bow from her grip did she realize that tremors had overtaken her body. He tried to pull her into his arms, but she backed away from him, shaking her head and lifting her hands defensively.
"Don't." She begged, turning her gaze to the ground in front of her, trying to quell the shivers that wracked her body. "I don't want you to see me like this."
She could feel him step closer, his hands outstretched to take hold of her shoulders. Narcisse, feeling the need to flee, moved as if to run. She was blocked by the large body that had stepped into her path. Glancing up through her shaggy bangs, she met the stern eyes of Blackwall. His arms were crossed over his chest, his face solemn.
"Wally- please..." She practically begged him, her golden eyes studying his face, trying to find some kind of weakness to exploit. "I do not want to fight you over this."
A wry grin tugged at his lips. "Good." She expected him to let her past. She expected him to not bring this up again. What she didn't expect was for the large man to reach down and grab her around the waist before tossing her over his shoulder.
Narcisse squealed as he moved towards the center of the party that had amassed outside of their warden stronghold. She balled her hands into fists and began to pound them against Blackwall's back but he didn't even acknowledge her efforts. "Blasted bear of a man! Let me down! Do not get involved in my affairs!"
Blackwall chuckled, but said nothing. He continued his journey to where the food and their friends waited, Riordan on his heels. Once they were safely inserted into the crowd, he placed her back onto her feet. She immediately threw a fist at his face which he easily dodged. Furious that she missed, Narcisse pulled her hand back for another try when Riordan wrapped his arms around her, a hand going to her fist.
"This is the last time you'll get to see any of us, love." He whispered in her ear so the others wouldn't hear. "Please try to enjoy yourself."
Her body deflated at his words and glancing back at him, she tried to put a smile on her face. For him, she would do anything. "You're right, Riordan. I apologize." Turning a glare towards Blackwall, she lifted a finger and waggled it at him. "You will get yours one day, old man."
Blackwall raised an eyebrow at her, mocking her earlier expression. "Will I, now?"
"Oi!" A loud voice called from behind Narcisse. She watched as a dwarf, eighteen years of age, barely five feet tall and carrying an enormous tankard of ale, pushed a path through the crowd, brown hair reflecting the midday sun. His short beard was a matching shade of chestnut. He was robust and obnoxious, but the young man had a dry sense of humor that Narcisse could appreciate. "I'll make sure this salaud gets off his arse and does some real work for once. Ye have me on me word, lass."
Narcisse couldn't help but laugh at the dwarf's promise. Blackwall, however, didn't find it as humorous as she.
"At least I don't have to make a promise to be certain I'd actually accomplish something." Blackwall growled, watching the dwarf closely, waiting for his usual reaction at being disrespected.
Tevis Kader sputtered, his tanned face turning a bright crimson in embarrassment. "Va te faire enculer! Ye... ye..."
Blackwall grinned, his eyes twinkling. "Le cerveau il etait en option chez toi, non?"
Tevis, looking miffed at being insulted, spun around and marched off the way he'd come. The gathering of wardens laughed at the sight and it made Narcisse feel a little better. Everyone here would have to go to their Calling eventually, but they refused to let their looming death hinder the happiness they found in the world.
"Let the boy be, Blackwall." A soft, feminine voice said, interrupting the laughter. "He's only a fledgling after all. He'll learn."
Narcisse's golden eyes met the dazzling ocean blue of her closest friend, Estelle Caron.
"Listen to Elle." Narcisse told the powerful warden beside her. "She's smarter than all of us put together."
A screech interrupted her happy thoughts. Narcisse adjusted the grip on the bow in her hands and nocked an arrow. Trying to hold the weapon as steady as her trembling hands would allow her, the elf waited in the dark as a group of darkspawn entered the section of tunnel she'd been occupying. Taking a quick breath before holding it, she aimed the head of her arrow towards the genlock emissary that was leading the band. Once she was sure of her shot, she released the string and watched as the arrowhead found a home in the fleshy skull of the blighted creature.
The emissary fell dead to the cavern floor. The rest of the darkspawn howled at the sight. Fighting the impulse to cover her ears against the terrible sound, Narcisse dropped her bow to the ground before unsheathing the daggers she had attached to her back. Assured that the grip on her daggers wouldn't falter, the elven warden counted the seconds before the creatures noticed her. As soon as they did, they let out another screech before heading in her direction.
Riordan gripped her face between his hands and stared into her eyes. This was the moment they'd been dreading since the nightmares had gotten worse. He had accompanied her into Orzammar, drank with her at Tapster's Tavern, along with all of their fellow wardens and warden recruits, but now it was time to say goodbye.
"Don't make this harder than it has to be." She whispered, aware of Blackwall and Estelle standing at her back, both waiting their turn for farewells. "We will see one another at the Maker's side."
Riordan's mouth was upon hers without warning. His lips were firm and dry due to the warm air surrounding them, but Narcisse didn't care. She would take this kiss with her as she went to her death. It would be the last thing she thought of as she wasted away beneath the enormous city of Orzammar. His tongue warred with hers as they stood wrapped up in each other. She didn't want to let him go, but the song was a piercing call in her head. It was beginning to take control of all her senses and she wanted to be aware as she said her goodbyes. Tears flowed freely down her cheeks as she forced herself to pull away from Riordan. Blinking rapidly so she could see, Narcisse glanced up at the man she loved and let his pale blue eyes see into her soul. The tortured expression on his face was nearly her undoing.
"I love you." She whispered to him, her eyes never leaving his. "I will wait for the moment you join me at the Maker's side, my love."
Riordan was crying as well as he held her. "I vow to you, Ciss, there will never be another."
With a shake of her head, she brushed a hand softly against his cheek. "Don't fret, my darling. Live what is left of your life before it is cut short. I wouldn't like to see you miserable."
He kissed her again just as Blackwall began to speak the Grey Warden oath. The tears were flowing without end and Narcisse didn't want to release her grip on his shoulders. If only the Maker would allow her a few more years...
Blackwall's voice floated towards her as she stood with Riordan's arms wrapped around her. "And should you perish, know that your sacrifice will not be forgotten and that one day, we will join you."
The bodies were piling up around her. As Narcisse cut through another hurlock, she felt her strength begin to wane. She wasn't sure how long she'd been at this, but by her body count, it had been a while. As the last darkspawn fell, the elf sank to her knees and dropped the daggers to the ground. Trying to catch her breath, Narcisse brushed her bangs from her eyes before looking down the tunnel where the group of creatures had entered from. She could hear more heading her way, most likely drawn by the sounds of battle.
Taking a deep breath, Narcisse tried to calm her furiously beating heart, but she knew it was no use. The darkspawn would overwhelm her and she would be dead. Commander Genevieve, before she had gone to her own Calling, had warned Narcisse to not allow the creatures to take her alive. If that happened, she would become one of those dreaded broodmothers, being repeatedly raped and force-fed tainted flesh until she turned. With a shudder at the image her mind conjured, the elf lifted one of her sharp daggers and stared at it for a moment. The silverite blade was coated with the black blood of the darkspawn. The smell that wafted at her was like rotten eggs mixed with bile. The scent nearly made her vomit, but she refrained from doing so.
Wiping the offending liquid on the armour of one of the genlocks she'd killed, Narcisse then lifted the blade towards her chest. Steeling herself for the pain that she knew would surely come, she positioned the point of the blade to the spot above her breast and counted to five. With each number she said, the sound of the encroaching army of beasts echoed against the stone walls surrounding her. When she got to number four, she remember Riordan's blue eyes, his dark hair, his happy laughter and his warm embrace. The kisses they shared, the friendship they had and the all-encompassing love that they had achieved in such a short amount of time.
As the first darkspawn rounded the corner, Narcisse plunged the blade into her chest.
Translations:
*Salaud (Bastard)
*Va te faire enculer! (Bugger off!)
*Le cerveau il etait en option chez toi, non? (The brain was optional with you, no?)