Of All the Things That Could Have Happened

by DragonsWillFly

What really happened during the time period between the Warden's capture, in Arl Howe's estate, and meeting with Anora and Eamon? No one knows, but this is my take on the situation.

Of all the things you could have done…

Summary: My thoughts on what should have happened between the Warden's capture in Fort Drakon and the meeting of Queen Anora and Arl Eamon. Female Elfin mage warden and Leliana relationship established.

Disclaimer: Do not own Dragon Age … Thank Bioware for their hard work and determination to bringing us one of the best (in my opinion) RPGs on the market today.

Leliana's POV

After the death of Arl Rendon Howe, we ran back towards the warded room that housed Queen Anora. Neria nears the door praying that with the defeat of Howe's mage bodyguards the wards on the door had broken. She glances back at me with a slight smile when she senses the power that kept the door barred from our entry were gone.

Her smile turns to a frown when she tries the knob and realises that they had also locked the door as well. I walk towards her and place my hand on her shoulder, "Allow me, my love. I don't want you to try and burn the lock off like you did in the circle tower." I laugh softly so as not to arise the guards attention to our location and allow her to move away from the door so I can set to work with my lock picks. Making short work of the tumblers in less than a minute, I stand smiling back at my magical lover and turn the doorknob.

"Thank the Maker you were able to free me." replies a woman in a suit of armour when the door eases open. "I feared that Howe and his men would stop at nothing to keep you from rescuing me."

"Queen Anora, I presume?" Neria questions with her head cocked to the left, something I have noticed her do many a time when she is trying to gauge the situation at hand.

"Yes, I know I may seem a bit strange wearing armour and all but I do not want Howe's guards nor the guards of my father, for that matter, to recognise me. It will make things easier for when we escape out of here." Anora looks at everyone in our group trying to ascertain our thoughts about her train of mentation.

Neria laughs at how ridiculous the queen looks in the overly large helmet, that she is constantly shifting so she can peek through the slits of the face plate that she had unceremoniously slammed down so as not to be recognised. "I believe, my queen, that the soldiers who are after us will notice something is amiss when they see one of my companions in an ill-fitted suit of armour that they can barely keep on their body. But luckily for you, I know a few spells that can keep them from taking notice of your lame attempt of camouflage. It is a glamour that will….."

Anora lifts the face plate up, revealing her humility of having an elf talk to her in such a manner, and interjects. "How dare you speak to the Queen of Fereldan in such a mocking tone! I would have you thrown in the dungeon if it was not of the utmost importance that I be free from this place!"

I eye Neria cautiously, for I know all to well how hard it is for her to keep her cool when others talk down to her as if she were nothing, especially a person who she is saving from certain dangers. Letting my hand land on her shoulders and carefully squeeze, I whisper so low that only she can hear. "My love, please don't do anything that you will regret. She is nothing more than a silly woman who is upset about the whole situation that she has been thrown into… by her father of all people. Just… please consider what I have said, mon amour." I allow my hand to fall back to its place beside the hilt of my dagger just in case the complaints of the queen had alerted the already terse guards of our location. I relax slightly when I see Neria shake her head slowly in agreement with what I had said.

The elfin mage clears her throat and speaks softly to calm down the distraught ruler. "My queen, I apologise for being so forward with you before… it is just that these people will stop at nothing once they realise the full extent of what has occurred within these walls. So I am just being overly cautious for your sake only." The queen relaxes her pose upon hearing the words of the lithe mage. Neria continues, "As I was saying before, I know a few glamours that will hide your identity even to the ones who are the closest to you… even your father would not recognise you when I am finished weaving the spell. And it will take no time at all for me to cast it… but I will not, unless you agree to allow me to do it." She lifts her right eyebrow questioningly, as she waits for the queen's reply.

"I guess I have no choice but to agree to your spell… if it allows me to escape undetected from the Arl's estate."

I hear a sigh of frustration escape from behind me, I turn and realise that I had forgotten that Wynne and Morrigan were still with us. "Finally, we can get out of here and back to the mundane tasks of rescuing every living, wretched soul in Thedas now. Oh how the poor kittens must have suffered while we toiled in here to save yet another thankless person." Morrigan quips. "So let us get on with it shall we? I do not enjoy being in here a moments longer than I have to be."

'I should have known who sighed like that… I still do not understand how Neria can still keep her around. I guess it is a mage thing or something, because it seems as if Neria is the only one who can really control and be friends with that Witch of the Wilds.' I muse as I watch Neria casts a few spells that change the total appearance of the Queen of Fereldan.

Neria places her hand underneath her chin and eyes her work on Anora with care. Finally, happy with the outcome of her labour she finally speaks, "Well, I do believe that we all can leave now… unless anyone wants to tarry here longer?" Watching everyone shake their head 'no', Neria lets a sly smirk stray across her lips. "Okay then, let's head out." She turns on her heels and walks towards the way we had broke into, with the rest of us trailing behind.

Walking closely beside my Warden, I allow my thoughts to stray to earlier that day when we had kissed in our room in Arl Eamon's estate here in Denerim. A smile plays across my lips when I think of what might have happened if the queen's elfin servant hadn't burst through the door and interrupted us. Suddenly, I am snapped out of my reverie when I feel Neria's protective arm shoot out in front of me, holding me back; in her left palm I hear the crackling of a lightening spell in the making.

"Where do you think you all are going?" A feminine yet authoritative voice commands.

The sound of the spell vanishes as I hear Neria's voice answer with just as much force as a hurricane hitting the coast. "We are leaving the estate. You have a problem with that?"

"Yes, I do in fact… Seeing as Rendon Howe is lying in a pool of his own blood in his own mansion. You are charged with murder Warden. Come with us now quietly or your little friends will suffer the consequences as well." Ser Cauthrien seethes as she walks in front of her squad of Fereldan soldiers, staring vehemently at the mage warden.

I watch silently as Neria's head slumps to her chest in defeat, "Alright, Ser Cauthrien. I will come with you… just let my friends go peacefully." She walks out towards Cauthrien allowing for our own get away while they chained her.

I stand there frozen with fear and anger. "No, Neria. Please don't do this we can beat them, we have felled hundreds of foes before. Don't do this… they will kill you!" Tears are streaming down my face as I utter the last phrase.

Neria looks over her shoulder at me and smiles weakly, "Leliana, I know what I am doing. Please, leave before they change their mind about letting you all walk free." She winks and I see the old determination gleaming in her eyes as she mouths. 'I know you will rescue me.'

Sensing the beginnings of an idea forming in my mind, my body slowly becomes limber with movement again, so I quickly make my escape; casting one last hurtful gaze upon Neria's chained form.

Catching up with the rest of the group in Arl Eamon's manor, I meet Anora as she regaled the arl with the past hour's escapades. "We have to save her!" I cry as I interrupt them, the pain my side stitching a path towards my lungs. "They are taking her to Fort Drakon!" Tears are forming in my eyes as I announce the last statement.

Eamon and Alistair stare at me in horror at the mere mention of Fort Drakon. They both knew that once the warden was there, it would almost take the will of the Maker to get her out. Alistair is the first to snap out of his shock, "You are right Leliana, we have to get her out of there… they will surely kill her. Why did they take only her and not the rest of you though." He stares thoughtfully at the rest of us as he ponders his own question.

"They took her because she was the only Grey Warden within our group… they want to make it seem as if she is a terrorist of Fereldan! And you know how they feel about mages outside the Circle! It is like adding oil to an already burning house instead of water. They will… they…" My voice gives way as the thoughts of what they would to her take over.

I feel a soft hand land on my shoulder and give it a slight squeeze of reassurance. "It is okay my dear, let it all out." Wynne murmurs. The wise old sage allowed me to cry on her shoulder until I felt as though my eyes had gone as dry as a desert. Hiccuping to a stop, I finally look up at everyone. When I spoke though no one understood me at all. The older Circle mage gives me a small smile, "I think you slipped back into your Orlesian tongue my dear… Do you mind repeating what you had said previously but where we all can understand you?"

I blush slightly as I realise that I had indeed spoken Orlesian. "I am sorry everyone. I just got so upset that I didn't realise what I did. What I was trying to tell you all is that I have a plan… and in order for it to work I will need one other person with me so as not to draw any attention to our methods."

Alistair was the first to step forward, "I will help you Leliana. She is like a sister to me. I can not bear the thought of them keeping her there in those dungeons a second longer."

Before I could even voice my concern on bringing him along, Wynne spoke up. "Now Alistair, you know as soon as you try and enter the fort they will automatically know who you are. Considering how much you look like Callian, I think I should go along with Leliana. I am more than sure my healing abilities will be needed after all and as much as I hate to say this… I feel that also my council may also be needed to keep Leliana from doing something that she may regret."

As much as I hated Wynne's logic right then, I couldn't help but comprehend the truth of it. "She's right… I am barely holding it together as is. I promise you all that we will not fail and we will bring Neria back alive." The last part was needing to be said, not for their comfort but for my own. For I was more terrified now than I had ever been in my whole life as a bard.

Neria's POV

I watch as my beautiful bard sneaks out of the vestibule of Rendon Howe's estate as Cauthrien's men bound and fettered me. I put up no struggle even though I felt the magic swell in me as I was manhandled into the back of a cart. I can only assume one of the soldiers were smart enough to sense the magic swelling within me, for I heard him say, "Oh no you don't, you knifed-eared bitch!" The last thing I remember was seeing a gauntleted hand and then blackness.

My eyes fluttered open momentarily as I was shoved unceremoniously into a cell, glancing back and seeing nothing but blood on the cobblestone floor I graciously welcome the blackness that invaded my vision again.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

I slowly open my eyes as the dripping sound continues to invade my ears. Trying to stand, I realise that I am somehow bolted in a kneeling position to the floor. I gather all my strength to try burn the shackles off of my body to free myself, but nothing comes. 'What's wrong with me? Why can't I cast a simple fire spell?' I glance down at my hands and realise that there were thick woollen mittens glowing with a dull blue light around them. I look at the rest of my body that I can see and notice I am caked in blood and feel as though I had been ran over by a giant bronto. Unable to fight the pain of my wounds nor the pain of my body's current position, I succumb yet again to the blackness that has been a constant companion to me in this dungeon.

Leliana's POV

"Now Wynne, this is the plan… we go in there pretending to be priestesses, giving the prisoners their last rights. If we are questioned which I am more than sure that we will be… let me do all the talking. We should not have to resort to any violence whatsoever, I assure you." I laugh halfheartedly to myself. "Maker, I never thought I would have to resort to 'the Game' again. It's been years since I have done this."

Wynne eyes my questioningly before voicing her concerns, "Leliana, are you sure you will be alright doing this? I know your feelings for Neria… but is it worth it to sink back into your old way of life before you had came to live in the Chantry?"

I look at her stoically, "Never in my life have I felt this way for someone and I will be damned, Wynne, if I allow her to be subjugated by them any longer. This isn't just for the thrill of 'the Game' that I have went back to my old ways… it is to save the only person I have ever truly loved. Now, can we go and get Neria out of there or do you have anymore words of advice to slam down my throat?" Wynne recoils from my fierce words and gaze and shakes her head 'no'. I cringe inwardly as I notice the fear in her eyes. ' I will certainly have to apologise to her after this whole débâcle is over' I think to myself as I survey the guards standing in the main hall of the fort.

"Halt! Who goes there?" The guard on the left points his sword in our direction as we near the door to the interior of the compound.

I answer him, making the first step of our plan a reality. "We are but two sisters from the Chantry in Denerim, come to give the final rights to the prisoners in the dungeons." I smile at him with my hands clasped in front of me, trying to maintain my composure.

He eyes me warily, as his counterpart on the right-hand side of the door retorts. "Really? Because we already have the Revered Mother of the Chantry here. I think one priestess is too much for these bleeding sods anyway, the Maker doesn't care for any of these wretches here in the first place… Otherwise, He wouldn't have let them get caught."

I had to fight back a wave of nausea and the sudden urge to kill everyone in my path, when the guard said that disgusting thing. But to kill them all would take too much time… time I knew we did not have if my fears of what they did to Neria were true. So I kneeled down hoping that Wynne would follow suite and started to pray. "Blessed Maker, please do not look unkindly upon these poor men… for they do not know the ways of Your love. For if they did, they would know that even in the depths of men's despair and depravity that You can guide even the most reluctant of souls back to Your side…"

I glance to my side and realise that Wynne had indeed understood what my scheme had turned to and she started up where I had paused. "And if these poor souls' lives are cut short before we, Your servants, can come to give them their last rites then please do not look unkindly upon these two guards who have impeded Your will… for we know that they are merely doing their jobs. We also ask upon You, our Maker, to…"

The first guard, broke through Wynne's prayer. "Alright! Alright! I will talk to the captain!" He walks towards a large reinforced door muttering to himself. I stand and look over to the older mage with a hint of a smile gleaming from my eyes, as we wait for the captain's word. We didn't have to wait long, for within a few moments the guard came back, looking taken aback. "The captain has allowed you to enter. Head towards the Chantry inside and speak with the Revered Mother, she will tell you what to do from there. Also, I am sorry for having you wait for so long."

I smile at him, "It is alright my good sir, you were merely doing your job as a guard. The Maker smiles upon the good works of men." I have to keep from laughing when I see the guard cringe openly at my last statement. We walk past them and into the next corridor which was void of soldiers.

Feeling Wynne's hand on my shoulder I turn to look back at her, "You really enjoyed yourself back there, didn't you Leliana?"

"I did actually. It was so much fun. The thrill of almost getting caught… of having to play everything by ear. I had to keep myself from laughing so we wouldn't get found out."

Wynne's features drew into a frown the more I spoke. "You thought of it as a game didn't you? I can't believe that is how you lived your life in Orlais." Her face softens and she smiles. "But you were able to get us out of a mess. And I understand why you are pulling the stunts that you used to… I may be old and not able to understand some things that happen in this world but I do understand love and what it makes a person do, so I will not chatise you any longer for what you did back there."

I smile as we walk in silence down the corridor, glancing to my right as we pass the doorway to the Chantry. Walking a few hundred feet, we come across another door, but to our relief it is unguarded. I turn the handle and push the door further, slowing entering a large expansive hall, with a vaulted ceiling, ballistae and no more than twenty soldiers milling about. I curse under my breath, then turn to Wynne. "We need to find a distraction."

She looks at me confused, "Can't you just talk your way out of this like last time?"

"No, they would never expect two priestesses here with out a Revered Mother and armed guards present. And there are too many of them to attack without one leaving the fray and getting help. We need to do this a subtly as possible…" Looking at the large crossbows, that should have been mounted ontop of the garrison instead of the inside, I smile. "And I think I have found the perfect distraction." Glancing around at the guards, noticing that none of them were watching us, I walk casually up the wooden steps towards the the loaded ballista. Once I made it over to the ballista, I smirked when I realised it was pointed towards a statue on the other side of the great hall. 'This is going to be easier than I thought.' I glance once more behind me to see if anyone had yet to notice me, seeing that no one had even noticed our presence I pull the trigger and watch as the bolt flies out smashing into the poor, defenceless statue.

"What the devil was that?" One of the guards yells as all of them rush to the now broken statue. Now was our chance to slip through the door in the back of the hall.

I quietly slip off the scaffold towards where Wynne had been hiding. "Now's our chance. Come on." I whisper excitedly to Wynne. She nods her head resolutely, following steadily behind me as I run stealthily to the door. 'Please let this be unlocked… I fear that if it's not, the guards will be onto us for sure.' I hold my breath as I reach for the latch and open it easily. 'Thank the Maker.'

We slip undetected through the door into the next passageway, taking in the scenery around us I realise that "the Game" will be of little use to us for now on. "Wynne, I think we can ditch the Chantry robes… because we will not be able to fool anyone from here on out. If you want we could use stealth to slip past most of the guards, but I do not know this place that well so it may be harder for us to get out once we have Neria. I just hope she will be able to help us, if not… I'm not sure we will…" I feel the tears starting to well up in my eyes as the what-ifs barrage my mind. 'No Leliana! Don't think like this… she will be fine. You'll see… she might be waiting around the corner meeting us half-way. Just don't cry… everything will go to shit if I start to cry.'

I feel Wynne pull me into a tight, motherly hug when she sees the conflict of emotions race across my face. "It's okay. Neria has always been a very strong girl. I know it is hard for you to think that way considering that she is so small and is one mage against who knows how many guards… but I will tell you what First Enchanter Irving had told me about her once. She grew up in the Denerim Alienage until the age of twelve… for a mage that is actually a long time to keep hidden from the templars, especially in a city such as Denerim."

I wipe the tear that had escaped from my eye and thought on Wynne's story. "That is a long time. From what I had heard most magic starts showing in mage children at the age of six."

"You are right Leliana. And that is no different in Neria. But she had her mother looking out for her. Her mother used to be the First for a clan of Dalish that lived in the forests not far from Denerim… but her mother fell in love with the Hahren of the Alienage and left her clan when she found out she was pregnant. They lived quietly for a time in the Alienage, until Neria turned six and her mother found her hiding out behind the houses, underneath the steps, with vines and leaves growing from the tips of her fingers. Neria's mother scooped her up into her arms and used her own magic of the earth to transport them back into their own home. Once she calmed her daughter down, Meethra, set little Neria down at their table and talked to her daughter about what happened. From that day on Meethra taught Neria how to be as subtle as possible with her magic because she was actually hoping to bring her back to her clan, Meethra's marriage was in shambles before Neria was even born. She had realise that she was wrong to leave her clan for the Hahren…"

"Is that the Hahren we met while we were in the Alienage, Wynne." I interrupt being swept away by the story.

"No. It was another man… I know you are waiting to hear more but time is of the essence. So I will give you a shortened version of what happened next. Everything was normal for the next six years, Meethra taught Neria well in the art of subtly so much that you would have thought she was a rogue instead of a mage. But to get to the point of the story, the summer she turned twelve her father came back to the Alienage, having heard that Meethra had planned to take Neria back to her clan. In front of the whole Alienage, he pulls out a dagger and kill Meethra; Neria of course saw the whole thing unfold and was furious. All her pent up rage and emotion showed forth in such a magical force that is rarely seen. It wasn't anything like you see most mages do… primal magic or what have you, her eyes had turned pitch black and all she did was touch her father and he fell to the ground dead. A Chantry sister was in the Alienage at the time and witnessed the whole scene and alerted the Templars. They came within minutes and whisked Neria away to the Circle Tower." Wynne looks at me, for the first time since she started telling the story, trying to gauge my reaction.

"That's why she had such a hard time becoming friends with Alistair when she found out he was a templar in training." I state simply, wondering why Neria never told me what had happened in her childhood.

"Do not ponder on things that have been left unsaid between you two, Leliana, because I was told about it when she was younger by the First Enchanter. So don't take it to heart that she has not told you everything in her life yet. Give her time and she will open up more. Now let us go from here before anyone stumbles upon us."

I nod in agreement and continue leading us silently down the passageway. Straining my hearing every now and again, in case someone was further along our path. We make it seventy-five percent of the way through the corridor without a hitch, until I hear a door open a few feet in front of us. "Shit. Just our luck there is no escape, we have to confront whoever this is." I slow my pace to a crawl, unsheathe my daggers and wait for the person to reveal themselves.

"Yes sir, I promise I will not scratch your gauntlets again. Yes, I will go down to the armoury to get them. I promise I will not make you wait long." The male elf calls into the room he was just leaving, closing the door he mutters. "Fucking shem, let him get his own armour." He turns and almost yelps in surprise when he sees us.

I place my index finger in front of my lips to inform him that silence was needed before I whisper, "Please don't let them know we are here." He shakes his head in understanding before I continue. "We need to be as discreet as possible. Our friend, that they were supposed to bring to the dungeons today, is elfin and we are here to rescue her. Have you seen the guards take an elf through here today?." I ask, hoping that she may have escaped before they had arrived. But much to my dismay, he nods his head that he had and I smile slightly. "Can you tell us which way that went and what is the best way to escape from here without them seeing us? Because I do believe she will not be in a state to fight her way through here."

He looks down solemnly before speaking barely at a whisper. "I know how to get to the dungeons. You have to go down this passage and when you get to end of it you take a right. Then will travel down another corridor and it will be your first right, but you will have to go through the kennels before you reach the dungeon and there will definitely be a guard or two in there along with the dogs. Those guards and the jailors in the prisons should be the only trouble you should have; but I am sorry shem that I can't tell you how to escape undetected. The only way I know back out is the way you came in. They do not call it a fortress for no reason. But I have to go to the armoury before I get the beating of my life..." He turns to walk away from us but stops and adds, "I wish you both luck on finding your friend and I hope she is alright. "

"I do too." We part ways with the elfin servant and walk in the direction which he had gave us. Striding along the shadows in silence, we pass through the corridors he had mentioned with no trouble at all until we finally reached the heavy, iron door that held the kennels behind it. I glance back to Wynne and motion to her to keep her distance. She looks at me as to say, 'Neria is my friend also, and I will not stand back while you take all the guards on yourself.' but she nods her head anyhow and stands at the ready for the onslaught that I believe lay hidden behind the door. Swiftly I open the door, brandishing my daggers; threatening anyone that neared us. One of the two guards ran towards the lever, that would unleash the mabari hounds from their kennels. I threw one of my daggers at him, catching him right in the neck, stopping him dead in his steps. The other guard bumbled towards me, a giant axe held high over his head. I somersault out of the way just in time as he buried the axe into the stone floor. As he struggled to release his weapon from the unforgiving floor, I slash his arms and legs with my remaining dagger. The guard falls to his knees as I tower before him, "Now are you going to play nice and tell me where the Grey Warden is or am I going to have to be a little more mean-spirited towards you?" My dagger never wavering from his throat.

He looks up at me and spits in my face, "Fuck you... you Orlesian whore and your traitorous Grey Warden friend. I hope they have killed her by now and I hope they kill you too, just for your attempt of a rescue."

I feel the rage swell inside of me and before I realised what had happened I had slit his throat. As I gazed at the blood that dripped down the blade of my dagger I think of how many people I would kill just to make sure that Neria was alright. 'I've never felt this way about anyone before... not even Marjolaine. Oh Maker, please let Neria be alright.' I focus my mind back on the task at hand. Racing over to the first guard I killed, I take the dagger out of its temporary home, that was the dead man's neck and sheathe it in its holster. I glance back at Wynne as I storm over to the next monstrosity of door. Noticing that it was locked, I make quick work with my lock-picks and the door is no longer an obstacle; I swing the door open with as much force as the last one. Red blood against the marble white floor attacked my eyesight as I rushed in the prisons. My stomach almost lurched into my throat as the smell of it all finally caught up to my sense of sight. Calming myself down enough to focus on the task at hand I finally laid my eyes upon the two jailors who had been stunned by my forceful entry. Grabbing the blades of both my daggers, I threw the as hard as I could at both guards. Killing them both in less than a few seconds. I search the dungeon savagely for more guards. When I notice that there were no more of Howe's men around I rush back to the dead turnkeys to pick their pockets for the key to the cells.

We search several cells before Wynne calls out to me. "Leliana, I found her." I race over to the cell she was standing beside. As I near the room that Wynne was near she puts a firm hand on my shoulder, instructing me to listen before I looked behind her. "Now I want you to remain calm, my dear. For if you shall become unhinged at the sight we will never make it out alive. I need you to keep strong for all of us."

Fear creeps into my body as I mutter a quick understanding of what she said. When she moves out of my line of sight I almost fall to the ground in anguish. Here was the one person, who had brightened my life in the past year, huddled on the floor at an odd angle. Broken, bloodied, and unconscious; Neria looked almost as if she was already dead. I open the door to the cell and run into the room, stifling a sob when I see her body shudder when she feels that someone is in the room with her. I felt as though I couldn't get the shackles off of her quick enough, for my hands were shaking with relief and fear. Once Neria was unbound I noticed that her hands had been covered in strange glowing gloves, very different from the ones she normally wore. "What are these on her hands, Wynne?" I ask as I peer over my shoulder after I had place Neria in a more comfortable position.

"It is what I had feared would have happened... they are the reason she couldn't rescue herself. They are something that I had heard the Templars at the Circle Tower talk of, they are gloves that drain the mana from mages... but I am shocked to see that they are here in Fereldan. I had heard they only use them in Antiva and also in the Free Marches, they are to make a mage more easy to manage especially when the Templars feel their lives are threatened. This makes things a tad bit difficult now."

"Why do you say that?" I ask as I inspect Neria's body for any life-threatening inflictions.

"Well now I can't help you carry her out of here because judging by the amount of enchantments on those gloves, I will not be able to cast a spell either. So if we do run into guards on the way out I will not be able to help defend us or heal us if need be."

I glance at her and then back to my love who was laying on the floor by my knees. "That may be a chance we have to take, Wynne. Because I believe time is of the essence, for if we do not work together to get her out of here then she will surely die." A tear escapes from the corner of my eye as I breathe out the last statement.

"You are right, Leliana. But if only we had Sandal with us because he is the only one we know that can be able to take them off without hurting her physically. But before we leave from here we need to find her clothes and staff. Or else we might draw more attention than need be."

I glance down to notice they had stripped her of all her clothes, save her small clothes. Blushing slightly at the memory of the previous night in her tent, I grab a blanket from the bed that was in the cell and covered her body carefully, so as not to irritate her injuries further. "Okay. Wynne I saw a chest when we first came into the dungeons... take this key and see if her affects are in there. I will carry her the first half of the way... she is very light so I know she will not impede my steps. I just pray that we can get out of here quickly without any more bloodshed. If anyone gets in the way Wynne just try and make sure they can not get to us" I carefully pick up my unconscious charge and walk towards where the old mage was rifling through the hodgepodge of clothing and weapons that the guards had taken off all the prisoners.

"I found her things, Leliana."

"Good... I really do not want to try and attempt to put her clothes back on her because of the severity of her wounds... but she will need them when she wakes later. So just put them in your pack Wynne; and you can place her staff on my back, it should fit in between my quiver and bow." I move slightly to adjust to the chill of Neria's staff, Wintersbreath, on my back.

Once we were prepared to leave, I glance down at Neria with a worried look. One that did not go unnoticed by Wynne. "She will be alright, my dear... she is safe now with us." I nod my head in agreement and head through the open door.

We make it through the first quarter of the way back without any problems, when we come across the door that lead into the hall with the vaulted ceiling and the ballistae. Remembering that we never drew our weapons until after we had passed that particular room made me pause in my steps. 'I wish I knew the guard rotation beforehand. It would make getting her out of here safely a lot easier.' I decide to voice my concerns to Wynne, " So... how do we go about doing this now? Do you think it is safe to set her down here, kill everyone in the hall and then pick her up and go about our business?"

"I fear that someone would come behind us and recapture her if we do that. I have been working on perfecting my gylph of paralysis spell, since we hurt more people than we heal. I know it probably won't be as good as one that Neria or Morrigan can do, considering that isn't my field of magic but I think I can pull it off. And we should be able to move right through the room with no one attacking us."

"I believe that sounds like a better idea than mine, Wynne. On the count of three we open the door and you cast the spell. One... Two..." The older mage swings the door open before I can reach three and we peer into an empty antechamber. "Well at least you didn't cast the spell... it would have expended unnecessary mana." I smile at the older woman. " I think we got lucky with the change of the guard... let us hope our luck continues." I lead the way towards the other side of the room, so as to get as far away from the dungeons as possible and towards the place I know Neria would be the safest, Arl Eamon's estate. Making it to the door of the antechamber, I instruct Wynne to open it carefully so I could peek out into the corridor. As luck would have it, I peered into yet another empty space. "This is too easy." I say to the woman behind me. "It makes me worry somewhat that there is a possibility that they will be waiting in the first vestibule with a contingent, ready to strike down anyone who is not carrying the Teryn's colours."

"Don't speak like that Leliana..." Wynne scolds. "Maybe all the good we have been doing is finally paying off."

"Or maybe you just do not know how to watch your back." replies a male's voice behind Wynne.

We both jump at the sound and I almost lost my grip on Neria. I turn and face the man behind us with a scowl, noticing it is a single guard. "We are getting out of here whether you like it or not. So I suggest you leave us alone or it is to the Void with you!"

He raises his arms in defence with a smirk on his face. "No, you have it all wrong messere. I have no quarrel with you or the Warden. All the soldiers here do not believe the lies that Teryn Loghain and the late Arl Howe were spreading about the Grey Wardens... I was in Ostagar when the flame was lighted by Alistair and the woman in your arms. I heard Loghain tell Ser Cauthrien to sound the retreat... I stood in horror as I saw the battlefield before me and was mortified that he would do such a thing to poor King Callian. Our troops could have evened out the balance and we could have drove the darkspawn back but our very lives were threatened if we had moved to help the people on the battleground."

I look in his eyes see he was telling the truth. "Why would Loghain do such a thing as that?"

"He had overheard that Callian wanted to ask the aid of Orlais to fight the darkspawn menace. And he was afraid that if that ever happened that Fereldan would be overran again by Orlesians. What Loghain didn't count on though was that your companions would survive and be able to tell the nation what really happened. He is terrified of the Landsmeet and since the Wardens now have the support of his daughter he knows he will be ousted."

"Thank you young man, for your courage to do the right thing by not alerting the other guardsmen. Do they know what we have done so far? And is there another way out of this place that will hide our escape out of here?" Wynne asks politely.

"No they do not know what has gone on thus far. Only I know what has happened and was aware of the situation. As for the escape... there is a passage that I know about that isn't frequented by the guards. Only the servants use it. I only go that way myself because when I was first stationed here I met a beautiful elfin maiden that works within the fort and I go and see her when I am off-duty. I will show you the way personally."

I feel a genuine smile cross my lips for the first time since they had captured Neria. "Thank you so much. You have no idea what sort of service you have gave us today. Once Neria is awake I will tell her of your deeds and she will be most grateful to you."

The man blushes slightly at my words and mumbles, "Not a problem. It's what anyone with a heart would do." He suddenly jostles himself out of his shyness and quickly moves in front of me. "Here let's get going because more guards will be coming soon and they may not be as nice to you as I am."

He walks quickly ahead of us and I have to nearly jog to catch up. 'It's a good thing that Neria is so light.' I think to myself for the second time today. 'If she were heavier I would surely not be able to have carried her the whole way.' I glance behind me to see if Wynne was keeping up. 'I don't think Wynne would have been able to carry her at all considering the spelled mittens on her hands. They would have sucked the mana right out of her and she would be too weak to even attempt to support Neria.'

As if reading my mind, Wynne asks. "Are you okay with carrying her more Leliana? You know we could stop and I can carrying her for a little."

"I'm perfectly fine Wynne. Besides you know more healing magic than Morrigan and Neria combined, if you carried her your mana would be relinquished from your body and who knows if Morrigan would be able to heal the severe wounds on Neria's body."

"That is true... I never thought of it that way. I feel a slight difference just being this close to her so I could imagine what it would be like to transport her."

I feel Neria move her head slightly against my shoulder when we took another turn in the winding corridor that the servants use. "It is alright my love, I have you now. You will never have to be in this place again, not while I'm around." I whisper lovingly in her ear, hoping she hears every word. "Je te' dore, mon amour." I feel her still in my arms after I spoke my affection to her, smiling to myself I keep at a steady pace behind the kind guard who was taking us to safety.

After several uneventful moments, we had finally made in out the final door to the outside. The afternoon sun shining brightly against the stone edifice we had just escaped. "This is where I take my leave from you ladies... it has been a pleasure being able to help the Warden when she needed it the most." He smiles and turns to walk away but stops abruptly and faces back towards us. "Oh, a word of advice take the back alleyways just in case the other guards try looking for you because they will eventually realise she is missing. May the Maker watch over you." We thank him before heading off into the dark alleyways back towards Arl Eamon's manor.

Within an hour's time we had arrived at Eamon's estate, without any alarm caused to the guard's around Denerim. Relief washes over me once the large wooden doors closed behind us securing us inside the manor. "I thought we would never make it here." I turn and face Wynne, whose face also shared the same feelings I had. "I need to get Neria to our room and into bed."

Walking away from everyone else's stares, I quickly but carefully carry Neria to our room, following behind me was Morrigan, Wynne, and Sandal. Once reaching our bed, I carefully set Neria on top of the covers with the blanket that we had taken from the dungeon on her. Stepping back from the bed I notice Sandal paying particular interest to my mage's hands. He then looks at me with his blank face and states, "No good." Swiftly, he sets to work taking the anti-magic gloves off my unconscious lover. My nerves were all a flutter as he yanked off the final glove and threw it on the floor. 'By the Maker I hope he did not harm her further with the way he went about taking those things off her hands.' As if reading my mind Sandal looks at me and smiles his trademark dopey grin saying, "Now enchantment!"

Morrigan rolls her eyes at the simple-minded dwarf and steps towards the bed, "I believe he means everything is fine now. At least I hope that is what he meant... there is but only one way to find out though." She raises her hands out in front of her and they start to glow a soft blue as she moves her hand closer to Neria's body. "Well at least my magic is not suffering when I am near her so I believe it is safe to say the dwarf did his job now Wynne and I can do ours."

"You may want to step out of the room for a few minutes dear. Once we have her body cleaned of her blood and the grim from that dungeon, it may pain you to see how bad her wounds are. There is also the possibility that she may awaken and think she is still in those prisons and she may try and use her spells against us thinking we are here to harm her. And I do not wish for her to find out she accidentally harmed you in anyway," I huff at Wynne's kind gesture and did not acquiesce to her request, setting myself on the sill of the window with the best view of what was happening to my love. "I will stay in the room if you don't mind. I let her out of my sight for a few hours and look what happened... I am not going to allow that to happen again." Tears finally escape my eyes as my emotions come tumbling forward. Suddenly I feel a sympathetic arm wrap around my shoulder as I turn to cry onto the person's shoulder, grateful that I didn't have to be strong in that moment in time. Finally when I have no more tears to cry, I look up at the person I had used as a shelter to hide my emotions from the rest of the world and see that it was Alistair. I never even noticed that he had came into the room, but was glad just the same.

"I understand your pain Leliana... Neria is like a sister to me and I could not just stand outside the room while they try and heal her. I think it would be best if we both stay here while they try and mend her. I know I will feel better when I know that she will be alright and I know you will too. " I nod my head slowly at his words, turning away to stare at the bed that my love was lying on, hoping against hope that she can be saved. Minutes, that felt like hours, go by and with each one my heart feels as if someone was wrenching it out of my chest as I watch them slowly cleanse her body and heal her wounds.

One candle mark later, I watch as Wynne walks over to me with a smile on her face. "Neria is doing better, Leliana, but she is sleeping and is still very weak. We will leave you to have time with her, please call us if anything happens."

I nod my head as I impatiently wait for everyone to leave the room. Once they were gone, I rush over to her bedside to see for myself how she was fairing. I was relieved to find that the grimace of pain, that she had worn during our flight from the fortress, had now receded. Kneeling down onto the marble floor, I gently take her right hand in mine and watch over her for any sign her condition changing.

Some time later, I must have dozed off because I was awoken suddenly and realised it was dark outside. 'What woke me up?' I try to move get up off the floor, only to notice my legs had fell asleep. Trying to work the feeling back into my lower body, I ascribe my jolt from slumber to the pain that is now coursing through my legs to the lack of blood flow to them; when I hear a noise to the side of me. The noise itself was not threatening, it was a soft sigh. A sigh that I have heard many times before... it was Neria, and she was awake.

Forgetting the pain in my lower half, I place all my attention to the woman who was laying on the bed in front of me. "Neria? Are you alright? Answer me please, my love."

"Leliana?" She says somewhat bewildered. "Where am I?"

I see by the faint glow of the moon light that she is trying to sit up. "Lay back down, my dear. You are back at Arl Eamon's estate. You are safe... do you not remember what happened to you?"

She smirks slightly. It was that cocky grin that she always gives when she has came out of a near-death experience and survived. "Of course I do... except the part of why I feel as though a herd of brontos has trampled me and how I ended back here in the estate."

I shake my head with relief when I hear her normal, humour-laced voice. I move to sit down on the side of the bed, the floor was no longer a welcomed friend for my body, and begin to regale her with our valiant rescue attempt. She cringes when I tell her about the way they had kept her from using her magic, saying that she had heard of those barbaric gauntlets before. She thinks for a moment, to herself, and then takes her hand out of mine. I watch, wondering what she was about to do, when I see both her hands light up with a small fire spell. A look of relief washes over her face, quickly she douses the spell in her hands and smiles. "I was worried that it might have caused permanent damage to my magic."

I stare at her incredulously, "Of all the things that could have happened to you, you were worried about that? I was worried that they had killed you or caused permanent damage to you and you were worried about that?"

She takes my hands in hers, I feel the warmth still on her hands from the spell she had performed moments before, "Leliana, my love, my magic is a part of me just like you are... if it was taken away from me I would not be who I am today."

I open my mouth to retort, when it dawns on me what she had said. I blush slightly before speaking; choosing my words very carefully, so she could not find a loophole to bypass my question. "So... you are saying that I, like your magic, makes you who you are?"

I see the smile spread across her face, when she sees that her statement did not go unheard by me. "Yes... that is true. I was a different person before I met you. I could barely trust anyone especially after what happened in my childhood. When I was twelve..."

"I am sorry to interrupt you, Neria, but Wynne told me about what your father did... I hope it wasn't a secret that you didn't want anyone to know about."

She sighs audibly before she replies, it was a sigh of relief instead of frustration. "It is okay that she told you... I was going to, but things have been a bit hectic as of late. But to the point, I suppose?" She grins before continuing. "Now as I was saying, I couldn't trust anyone with my life before I met you... but now I couldn't bear to think what my life would have been like without you there to put my trust in. I trust you with my life, Leliana, and you make me ten times stronger than I ever was before."

I smile and lower my head to capture her lips in a passionate kiss, only stopping to break apart to catch my breath. "Thank you, my love, for trusting me with your life and I promised I will never do anything to harm that trust. But alas, you need to get some more rest..." I add as I see her yawn during my admission. I lay down beside her, wrapping my arm gently around her waist when I see her trying to protest. "You will need your strength, my love, for tomorrow I believe Arl Eamon and Queen Anora will have yet another task for you to partake in." Snuggling more securely into my embrace, I feel her slowly drift back to sleep. Smiling to myself as I feel her do so, I come to terms with my own tired state and drift off soon after.