Dragon Age series and all its characters belong to Bioware.
Loads of thanks to my beta Duel Soul for her input and ideas. I'm new to this beta thing...so maybe I should buy her a froyo or something...
The first thing Marian did after getting engaged was use her fiancé's name to betray Fenris.
It wasn't necessary, but it's the fastest way to get Danarius to agree meeting her. After all, what pompous, megalomaniacal despot would turn down a possible power alliance with the future princess of Starkhaven?
As a person, Danarius didn't seem like the generic character spawned out of a random villain generator (Manic laugh? Check. Plotting world dominion while rubbing hands together evilly? Check. Inventor of cruel and unusual punishment? Double check.) If anything, he reminded her slightly of uncle Gamlen…albeit one in a tacky robe and possessing higher intellectual points.
However, the fact that he had this unnerving habit of stroking nearby inanimate objects like they were cats never escaped her. More than once during dinner she had to force herself to stop staring when he began to caress the table, the armrest of his chair and even his own hand. The man probably had serious intimacy issues, considering the glaring vacuum where a wife should be…and possibly his only means of entertainment were his slaves.
But stupid and innocent were cards Marian had played so many times before. They're practically part of her essential recipes for success. After all, anyone can buy the 'playing smart' starter kit and wind up being a sad, greasy patch on the cobblestones of Lowtown. Danarius was a sneaky bastard through and through, and it's evident when he's been surreptitiously trying to get her drunk for the past hour or so.
She couldn't say it wasn't working, for she was never a good drinker to begin with. The flush of alcohol was starting to bloom on her chest and cheeks; and already she could feel the treacherous waves of his mental probes, trying to access a way into her mind.
The best that Marian could do at the moment was to take slow, tiny sips of her wine and pray like she's never prayed before that Merrill's potion would last for at least another two hours. It won't make her immune to the mage's external attacks, but it will stop him from prying her thoughts open like an Orlesian oyster.
Only two people knew she was in Minrathous, yet even then it took a lot of convincing for them to actually help her. It cost her another round of oratory skills to prove that there's no way she could strap a mini Bianca under her dress without risking firing her own foot when she's under stress.
She's a lone girl paddling up turd creek and she knew it. It was risky, yet she had to do it…for risks was something she enjoyed getting herself into. Add in the fact that she's still very much in love with Fenris, then she'll end up with a win-win situation. Sort of. Bloody hell, maybe she should've ordered a back-up team of Antivan Crows after all.
She blinked, thinking that Danarius had said something. "What is?"
"Your engagement ring, milady. It's a priceless family heirloom…a traditional royal Vael gift to their future brides. That's a brilliant cushion cut Starkhaven sapphire, if I may say so," the mage said, casting an appreciative glance towards her hand. At least she hoped it was her hand and not somewhere else. "The stone itself is exclusive only in its native country. You can never find sapphires as superb as this anywhere else. Did you know that sapphires are considered stones of destiny? They symbolize a pure and wise reign in kings. It seems you've made a right choice for a husband after all."
She smiled. "Yes, well…all the good ones were already taken, so it was either him or the village idiot. I must say it was a close toss up too," she said jokingly. "You seem to know a lot about gemstones."
"I merely have an eye for exquisite things. One must possess incredibly good tastes to be able to appreciate such treasures, don't you think?"
Marian raised an eyebrow at this. Finally Danarius was willing to talk shop. "Treasures such as a certain runaway investment, perhaps?"
"I must say your letter had interested me greatly. But I can't help but wonder why you are doing this."
"What can I say? I'm a greedy, double-crossing mercenary willing to play with only the big teams," she said, careful enough to keep her tones light. "Think of this as an act of goodwill."
"Oh? How so?"
Leaning forward, she adopted an enticing stance. Internally, she hoped that the sales pitch she's been practicing for days would work on him. Otherwise, it's on to Plan B…and she had none to begin with.
"Let's talk about total domination, shall we?" she said. "Your…investment is nothing more than piddling pocket change, Danarius. Think of the bigger picture. Tevinter's facing its twilight years and she'll need all the help she could get to regain her former power. Your army is strong, yet they're hard-pressed as it is, fighting the Qunari in Seheron. With help from Starkhaven, you'll be able to regain your southern lands and establish a stronger base for mages throughout the whole of the Free Marches. No more Circles and most definitely no more Templars. We both know they're not exactly the most cheerful of people in the party."
"Hm, I see. And I take it the fact that your sister is a prisoner of the Circle played a major factor in this plan of yours?"
Marian's expression hardened. "We spent our entire childhood being hunted down by Templars. My father died regretting the life we had. Six years in Kirkwall gives me plenty of time to think of what I'd like to do with them."
Danarius did something which made her worry. He chuckled sinisterly.
"My dear Lady Hawke," he said, "clearly you do not understand me as well as you think."
"Meaning what?" she asked, trying not to wince at a particularly forceful push in her mind. The mage was getting desperate.
"You guard your secrets well," he said, getting up from his seat. They were both at his opulent study, a place where she could imagine he'd be as he settled down to dream up a plot to destroy his enemies. He was obviously a man who valued his trophies, for on the wall above the fireplace hung an assortment of preserved heads, arranged according to size so they looked like a rather macabre version of Darwin's descent of man. She could recognize a bronto, five deepstalkers, several Qunaris and a selection of mages identifiable only from their funny hats. She suppressed a shudder when she unwittingly imagined Fenris's head adding to his collection.
"But too many secrets won't help you make friends easily, milady," Danarius's voice floated from behind. She felt, rather than heard his hand glide over the headrest of her armchair.
"A girl's got to keep her secrets," she said. "Otherwise men will lose interest."
"Oh, I am interested, all right. My spies have told me that you and Fenris are more than casual acquaintances." Marian's eyes slid sideways, following the path of his hand as it hovered over her left arm, not touching her in a way that sent goose pimples to her skin. It was gentle, almost like a lover's touch…yet coming from him it was wrong in many ways. "As a matter of fact, the both of you have gotten rather…" His hand stopped at her fingertips. "…intimate. Tell me: how was he? Did he satisfy you in ways no other man could?"
She smiled. "I don't kiss and tell, Danarius. If I did, you'll be asking about my fiancé's performance next."
He chortled. "A Chantry brother, under a vow of chastity until after his marriage? I hardly think he merits any comparison whatsoever." When he moved away from her, she released the breath she didn't realize she was holding. He settled back in his chair, steepling his fingers as he regarded her with a look of pure amusement.
"I taught him everything he knew, that dear wolf of mine," he said. "He's very good at taking orders, isn't he? Oh, don't even bother denying it. He's every woman's dream. Every man's too, when it comes to that. I know that he never failed to satisfy me."
"And just think how easy it is now to get him back," she said with a sardonic smile.
"I treat him like my own child," he went on as if she never spoke. "He was a wild little thing when he first came to me. Yet I loved him, oh yes, in a way that made him even more beautiful. I pride myself as an artist, you see…and he's my masterpiece…" he trailed off as a faraway look descended over his face. His right hand began to slowly and rhythmically caress his left forearm.
Marian blinked as ghostly images began to swim across her vision. A sudden panic gripped her. Maker, did Danarius put something in her drink?
"I try to show how much I love him," she heard his voice cutting through the haze like a disembodied commentator on the piece of twisted montage flitting through the dark theatres of her mind. "I keep coming to him every night until the screams stop. It was early in the morning when he finally welcomed me with open arms. And he'd still accept me, even through the blood and pain. He's an eager pupil, and I was more than happy to teach him over again. We're very affectionate, he and I. Sometimes I feel as if he's the only thing in this world that understands me. Tell me: has he ever…danced for you?"
Squeezing her eyes shut from a disturbing image of writhing naked bodies, she reached out blindly, and grazed over her glass of wine.
"Oh, dear. You've spilled your drink over yourself. Better get that cleaned quickly. Silk does not take kindly to wine."
"Yes," she gasped, shooting up to her feet. "I'm sorry. I would've thought that I have enough social grace to make up for my clumsiness, but clearly I'm very much mistaken."
"I shall get someone to assist you. Varania? Could you please make sure Lady Hawke is tended to?"
Danarius was a sick bastard indeed. Marian's grateful smile towards the red headed elf who'd just stepped into the room turned into ice when she heard him say: "Oh, you haven't met Fenris's sister, have you? I'm sure you'll be the best of friends, just like you were with him."
Marian's eyes slid from the elf to the guards who'd came in after her and knew the game was up. She forced out a laugh. "Ah, so this is the part where I get caught," she said, taking a step backwards. "You'll gloat about your plans then kill me afterwards?"
"Eventually, yes," said Danarius to the sounds of the guards unsheathing their swords and slowly fanning out to block her escape. "But you're far more useful to me alive for now…at least until Fenris comes here to rescue you. You've made yourself out as a rather poor opponent, Lady Hawke. Using Starkhaven to ply on my greed? How disappointing. And terribly juvenile. At first I thought that it was merely a ruse of yours, but it appears that I may have overestimated your capabilities after all. Is this all the Champion of Kirkwall could offer me? I've killed orcs far more brilliant than you. Quickly get behind her, please. She's trying to make for that window."
"Technically, the Champion wasn't me. I've tried telling people that, but they wouldn't listen."
"Oh? Then who, pray tell, is the real Champion?"
She sucked in a breath and said the name out loud. Danarius chuckled.
"Hardly surprising, no?" he said. "You hide behind your friends and use their talents while all you do is strut around and pretend that you are great. Does it help you feel better about yourself, holding your superiority over them?"
"I don't know. Why don't you tell me, since you're an expert at that." A strange look crossed her face, and for a moment she seemed to be distracted.
"You're painfully naïve, Lady Hawke. I suspect that the only reason you've made it this far was by sheer luck. But luck has a disappointing habit of running out. What are you going to do then?"
"The same thing I always do: improvise. That classic 'Look, what's that behind you?' trick also works. Sometimes. But, Danarius?"
"What?"
"I'm always lucky because I make my own luck."
The magister's smile disappeared. "Grab her arms! She's up to something!"
Marian turned around just in time to see a sword pommel descending towards her. She never got the chance to duck.
That was when all of the Fade broke loose.
