Drifting Fades Chapter 1: Eudaimonia, a dragon age fanfic

Disclaimer: Bioware is God.

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Drifting Fades - Chapter One

Eudaimonia

Any person who looked at Dolores Byron immediately knew three things: One: that she was exquisitely beautiful; two: that she was utterly brilliant; and three: that she was completely mad. As she watched the pike move toward her eye, someone slashed her neck open chin to chest. The doctor looked surprised as she screamed. Dolores knew she was about to die. She felt the electricity move through her. Somewhere a brunette was laughing. Her body lay still as the pointed objected entered her brain. Her light was escaping. There is piece of time gifted to you right before you die. It stretches and turns as you grasp for it. It brings you a moment, just one moment of perfect clarity. In that piece of time, in that moment she knew everything. It was so easy to see her life now. Much easier to explain it.

The waves were dead; the tides were in their grave,

The moon, their mistress, had expir'd before;

The winds were wither'd in the stagnant air,

And the clouds perish'd; Darkness had no need of aid of them.

The Darkspawn ran.

-She was the Universe. (1)

"Are you a complete dolt - why would you let her speak to you like that?"

"Why shouldn't I? I don't really have a choice."

"Alexander, you are her boss. Even if you are an idiot"

"What do you want to hear?"

"I was just hoping for some of your father in you."

"I am nothing like that man. Why don't you leave me be, Mildred?"

Words were being spoken, she could hear the lips move, even if the words were muddled. Dolores reached into her sock an pulled out her pen. It was shinier than the last one. She liked shiny. She needed to write now, one of her little ones was hurt and this would heal them. There was power in words. It was not long before the surface was filled, the ink was running a bit more than she expected. It would stain the bed again.

A nurse walked into the room, eyes widened. "Dolores Byron, you are one dumb Dora!" She moved quickly to the woman, snatching the piece of glass from the young woman's hand. Producing bandages from her apron she wiped the blood off Dolores' legs. The nurse was muttering. "You are going to get me sacked, you know. Keeping this up. What are you writing all over yourself this time - eudaimonia. What does that mean anyway? Ish! This one will be needing stitches." The nurse looked up into the woman's eyes as she continued to mumble about the wounds inflicted on the girls legs. Dolores smiled at the pale white haired nurse, and decided to tell her a secret. She liked this old woman.

"Morning will come and go, but it will bring you no day. I have extinguished the stars and eaten the sun." She whispered to the pale nurse bandaging her. She turned toward the door. The big man was standing there, hiding behind its grain. She could not help but laugh at the fury she knew he wore, he was such a little man. "When passion has usurp'd the throne of reason, have ruin'd many. Passion is unjust, and for an idle, transitory gusto of gratified revenge."(2) The nurse stared at Dolores shaking her head.

The door opened, a small tingling sound emerged from Dolores' throat, a giggle. The assistant walked into the room glaring at the nurse, followed by Mildred.

He was a tall man, a little over six feet, balding with white hair combed over his head. Mr. Howard had only been working at the institution as the assistant to the chief of medicine for a week or so. His presence was felt in every cranny of the place. It was revolting to the head nurse who stood behind him.

"Why didn't you search her better? Haven't you learned since the last time?" He stared at the old woman.

"My apologies." The words came out of Winifred slowly, showing her distaste for the man.

"It would behoove you to take your job more seriously."

"I have been doing this job much longer than you have been stationed here, Mr. Howard. I do not need your guidance."

"You should behave more like Alexander. Be more dutiful" Winifred smiled at him.

"As a good man he is he is not a nurse Mr. Howard. You should not be so quick to turn against those in your employ."

Dolores cocked her head at the small man that towered above them, leaving the room. "The man that hath no music in himself, nor is no moved with concord of sweet sounds. He is fit for treasons, stratagems and spoils,"(3) Dolores smiled at Mildred as she stood up and spun around the room arms raised into the air. "For murder, though he have no tongue, will speak with most miraculous organ."(4)

"Sit back down Dolo, you mad sheba, and let me finish my work." Winifred was frowning at the smears of blood on the floor as she realized that Ms. Byron had cut up the bottom of her feet as well.

She had that feeling again. It had been haunting her for a long time, and now it was coming back. Something was following her. This feeling never meant anything good. It couldn't bother her tonight though. She was turning 17 and Paul had offered to take her out. Paul was sexy too. She liked him. She checked herself once more in the mirror before her dad came home. She was wearing a pleated white and red skirt and had a red ribbon tying back her brunette curls to match. Her father would never let her leave the house with makeup on, but she had stashed some and a small compact in her purse. And there it was, the sound of her father's car pulling onto the drive.

"Dad!" she gave him a hug. "Paul and I were hoping to go out later tonight. We're going steady now. Would it be alright?"

"After I see your grades." A small scowl crossed her features as she handed him the paper. He took one quick look and her father was scowling back.

"It says that you were arguing with the teacher again."

"Well she was wrong. She was teaching us wrong. Somebody had to correct her. The Imperi-"

"Stop. Just stop. Dolo... I love you and have a fantastic mind. But you're arrogant. Just do the work, and one day when you are married and have children you can tell them what to do and bicker with your husband all you like."

"Sorry dad. But she was wrong. . . and if she . . . ." Her voice trailed off as she watched the look of disappointment crossing her father's face. "So I'm supposing that's a no about Paul and me then."

"You can go out tonight. When you get back home I have something to show you though." He handed her a ten "And try not to spend it all birthday girl."

"I understand Dad. You know he really is a great guy, since, well you know."

"I know. Your tastes have much improved since George was hauled off to jail. If this one starts to break any noses though I'm sending you to a nunnery."

"Thanks Dad."

She was exceptionally excited as she got into Paul's car. The feeling of dread was still there, growing as they drove down the street, but she would not let that ruin her night. He took her out dancing, then they ate at a small drive in. Heavens, he could make her laugh! She was glad that they had a chance to be alone together like this, away from friends. She kept wondering when he was going to kiss her, when his hands suddenly slid around her waist and their lips met. It was small. A chaste kiss. Then he kissed her again, and she felt his lips part. She moved in response ans felt his tongue enter her mouth exploring. That's when she froze. Something was wrong with his tongue... was it... was it forked? She opened her eyes to look at Paul, the find his own staring back at her, now yellow, round, slitted like a demon's. Shrieking, she jumped back. Her hands flew to her mouth and she looked again at . . . just Paul. He was smiling at her, his brows a bit furrowed with concern. "I'm sorry. That was a bit too fast wasn't it?"

"No, it's not - I just thought I saw..." Her voice trailed off "Look we better get home. My dad will be right upset with me if I don't get home soon."

Paul flashed her a grin that made Dolores' inside turn to jelly. "Sure thing, Sweetie."

The feeling was growing stronger. Someone was coming for her. Someone was watching her. She got back to the house, running up the steps and opened the door. Then she screamed. Her voice racketed out of her as she stood in the doorway and it wouldn't stop. Over and over. Even as Paul held her shoulders, trying to pull her away she would not move. She could not stop looking. Her father laid there, dead, his limbs stretched until the flesh peed from their bones. The pain on his face, his widened eyes, his mouth opened so much his jaw looked to be dislocated in some unheard scream filled with agony. The skin attached to him was slightly grey. Next to him was a cage with note and a bow. She forced her body to move to read the last words he wrote her. "For you Dolores, Love Dad." The canary inside the cage was dead, maimed. Only when the police showed up did she realize that Paul was still there trying to comfort her. All she could see of him were his yellow eyes, and the image of a spindly man moving through the woods.

Dolores watched as the new nurse came in to search her and her quarters before the end of the night. She looked at her carefully assessing her movements, move her limbs forward mechanically like a spider as she turns her head.

"You are like fire."

"Ah! The spouting of a mad woman, how my day grows better."

"You have no mercy in you." Dolores pauses and her eyes flicker "Each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor."(5)

"How very clever you are Ms. Byron, any more interesting stories to tell before I drug you and stop your idiotic rambling?"

"They will find me soon, they already have. I will come alive, and then I will fall. When I snuff you out, I will cover the heavens and darken their stars; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon will not give its light.(6) The soul clinched in blackness that only gold can remove. You will clean my soul again Mother."

"That's very nice dear." The pale dark haired nurse moved closer and stuck her with a needle sending her into sleep before binding her wrists and ankles.

1 Quote from: Darkness by George Byron

2 Quote from: Theognis Of Megara, Fragment XXXIX

3 Quote from: The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespere

4 Quote from: Hamlet by William Shakespere

5 Quote from: The Raven by Edgar Allen Poe

6 Quote from: The Holy Bible Ezekiel 32:7