The Dragon Queen: Beginnings
Prologue: Death of a God
The great doors of the Hall of Light burst open and in strode the shadow. Two spirits of Valor called a challenge and drew their flaming swords to do battle with the creature. In a swift motion, the shadow drew its own sword of midnight black, whose very presence seemed to draw in the light around it.
The spirits charged their swords flashing as they struck. Waiting until the last moment the shadow lashed out with its own sword. Within seconds the spirits fell, disintegrating at the end of an ancient, arcane blade.
"Stop," a cool, musical voice rang out and the shadow was confronted by woman of incredibly, majestic beauty. The woman dressed in robes of pure light held out her hands.
"Do not do this child," Andraste the Bride of the Maker pleaded her voice sounding like the voice of a thousand angels.
The shadow never paused as it strode up to the woman. The two stared at one another for several long seconds before the shadow raised it sword,
"After everything I have done, did the Maker think his whore," the shadow said savoring on that last and word taking particular pleasure in it, "could stop me?"
Laughing a cold, cruel laugh the shadow ran her through. Andraste smiled a sad, small smile, "You poor creature," she said as she vanished into nothingness.
Striding forward the shadow moved until it stood at the foot of the Maker's golden throne which was flanked with hundreds if not thousands of spirits of valor, fortitude, justice among many others who had been summoned to defend the God.
"Leave now Mortal," the Maker's voice rang out, a voice that shook the very foundations of the Thedas, "Thou taint my hall with every step thou take!"
The shadow never flinched nor faltered, but merely pointed its sword towards the throne, "Your time is over," the shadow said in a whispered tone.
"Do think you can slay all of my children," the God roared angrily.
The shadow shook its helmeted head and in that instant it was no longer alone. To its right perched the spectral forms of Dumat, the Dragon of Silence; Zazikel, the Dragon of Chaos and Toth, the Dragon of Fire. To the Shadow's right were Andoral, the Dragon of Chains; Razikale, the Dragon of Mystery and Lusacan, the Dragon of Night. Behind the shadow the last of the old gods, Argon, the Dragon of War, stood reared up upon his hind legs with his wings fully outstretched.
"I am not alone," the shadow sneered, "and you have failed. All the mortal races… humans, elves, dwarves and qunari; even the demons… all the children you have , save one, serve me," it said with relish, "all that stand with you are the spirits and they are far from enough."
Stalking forward the shadow made its way through the army of spirits who parted before it in fear. In an act of monumental defiance it placed its right obsidian colored boot on the first step of the Maker's throne.
"Your creation has usurped your place in the world."
"In Castle Redcliffe, the home and domain of Arl Eamon, Elissa Cousland, only daughter of the late Teryn of Highever, lay in bed with her lover, Alistair – king-to-be of Ferelden. She was an extremely lovely young woman, with long white hair and an ample and lean body.
The hour was late and on the morrow the assembled armies of the dwarves of Orzammar, the Dalish Elves and the surviving armies of the men of Ferelden would march to Denerim and hope to save the capital from the darkspawn army. The human part of the army consisted largely the knights and men-at-arms of Redcliffe who were absent from the massacre at Ostagar.
But Elissa lay awake resting her head upon her sleeping lover's chest knowing that this could be their last night together. If all went well and the darkspawn were defeated and she slew the Archdemon she would die as its soul bonded with hers. It was the only way to kill an Archdemon and why a Grey Warden tainted with the darkspawn blood must be the one to kill the fell beast.
If the battle went poorly, then she, Alistair and all the comrades she had collected, the army she had gathered and certainly Ferelden, if not the entire world would succumb to the Blight and the darkness. She felt guilty that she hoped one of the other Grey Wardens would deal the finishing blow, but in her heart she knew that wouldn't happen.
It broke her heart to think of not only losing the man she loved but of what her loss would do to him. Nonetheless it was the way things must be. If Alistair killed the Archdemon himself, Ferelden would be left again without a rightful King and in the hands of Anora, daughter of the traitor Loghain. As much as she wanted to be with Alistair and be his queen… as a Grey Warden her duty was to the world first.
Elissa's most troubling thoughts were not of the upcoming battle or of dying but if she had made the right decision dealing with Morrigan. The witch had come to Elissa with a proposal to deal with the Archdemon that involved her convincing Alistair to lay with Morrigan thereby conceiving a child with the darkspawn taint. When the Archdemon died its soul would enter the unborn child instead of the Grey Warden that killed it.
As attractive as being able to spend the rest of her life with Alistair as his queen and ruling by his side sounded Elissa couldn't bring herself to do what the witch wanted. Allowing the love of her live to lay with Morrigan was repulsive enough, but binding the soul of an Old God to a child was monstrous. Morrigan enraged had left Redcliffe leaving behind all the others.
"Are you all right love," Alistair asked groggily looking up at her.
Without picking up her head she said softly, "Just hold me my love… just hold me," and so he did wrapping his arms around her as the drifted to sleep.
XXX
After a six day forced march only stopping and resting when absolutely necessary the army arrived on the hills of Hurin which overlooked the city of Denerim. Even from the hill they could tell they had arrived too late for the city was in flames and a large darkspawn host lied outside, waiting ostensibly for this army.
After arriving back from their tour with the scouts, Elissa and Alistair called the leaders of the army together to plan strategy for the upcoming battle. Each commander, human, elf, dwarf and Grey Warden had different ideas on what to do and Alistair and each other commanders were sure each one wouldn't work.
"I have an idea," Elissa suddenly announced after suddenly after giving the map close study.
"Let's hear it," Alistair said stepping back and giving Elissa access to the map.
Elissa stepped up all and the assembled commanders gave her the room out of the respect she had earned during her quest. Pointing to the darkspawn positions on the map Elissa stated, "The plan we'll use is the same on that should have worked at Ostagar."
"The elves and our own archers will soften up the darkspawn army and draw them away from the city to engage the main bulk of the army. At the same time I'll take the knights and the cavalry around the left flank where they'll be kept out of sight by the slope of the hill."
She took her fist and made a punching gesture; slamming her fist into the open palm of her other hand, "then once the mages let us know the darkspawn have engaged the main army the I'll pivot around and take them from the rear."
Riordan the senior Grey Warden commander of Orlesian city of Jador said thoughtfully, "A daring plan, but what of the Arch-demon."
"If it chooses to fight then… we'll have to deal with it then, but my guess is that it won't want to expose itself to danger so early in the battle," Elissa responded using everything she had learned about these creatures, "Once the darkspawn army is dealt with we can surround the city and, contain the rest of the darkspawn while I and the other Grey Wardens move in to neutralize the Archdemon."
Alistair gave Elissa a hard glare, "I'm going with you. There's no way I'm letting you battle the Archdemon alone."
"I won't be alone," Elissa tried to reason. "Plus the Kingdom, needs you more. Ferelden needs you a lot more than it needs me. Please see that," she pleaded placing her hands on his arms.
"Promise you'll come back to me," Alistair demanded softy pushing back a stray hair that had fallen across her face.
Elissa hesitated but only for a second, "I promise," she lied, knowing full well she might have to die.
"Now," she continued reluctantly removing herself from his arms, "back to the plan.'
After smoothing out some of the rough edges the assembled commanders one by one all agreed this was the best course of action and made ready their men.
Elissa sat upon her horse along with Alistair before her assembled nearly seven thousand strong, but they were still outnumbered nearly three to one. It was going to be a hard pressed fight.
"You should say something," Alistair said softly nudging her.
"Me?," she said bewildered, "You're the king."
"You're the one who assembled this army," he argued logically, "You're the one who brought them together; you put me on the throne for Maker's sake."
Elissa slowly nodded signaling her approval. Turning to take in the men before her she cleared her throat and began to speak as loud and as clear as she was capable of managing,
"Knights and men-at-arms of Ferelden, warriors of Orzammar, archers of Dale and my fellow Grey Wardens, I could stand up here and give you a speech on duty and heroism, but I'm not going to do that."
Several murmurs ran through the army as some soldiers looked to one another in confusion.
In an attempt to hide her nervousness she began to ride the horse up and down the ranks.
"I am not going to tell you to fight for me, for Alistair, for flag, King, Queen or Emperor. I'm going to ask you to fight for your land, for yourself, for your friends and family… for your children and your children's children. Fight for all you love," she said with a significant glance in Alistair's direction.
Halting her mount and standing up in the saddle, she looked directly at the army; her eyes as her eyes swept up and down the ranks, catching the faces of many a man. "Fight so that one day when you're old and grey and you have your grandchild on your knee and they ask you, 'what did you do in the battle of Denerim?,', you won't have to hang your head in shame and say, 'I ran and hid while others fought.'"
"You can say with pride that, 'I fought with the great alliance at Denerim that I helped drive the darkspawn back into the bowels of the earth. That I was there when the Arch-demon was slain'." she shouted and gave a quick tug on the reigns of her horse to cause it to rear up back as she drew her gleaming sword, "What say you?"
Their reaction was all Elissa could hope for as they let out a load roar beating their weapons on their shields or stomping on their feet. As Alistair rode up next to her Elissa noticed he had a great big smile on his face. Reaching out he gave her a kiss, "I didn't know you had it in you."
She too smiled against his kiss, "I didn't either," she said breaking away. Then more solemnly, "Come on we have a battle to win and a demon to slay."
Turning her horse she rode to her column, took her position and waited for the battle to begin.
XXX
The battle began just as Elissa had planned. The army moved taking defensive position on the top of the hill in the full view of Denerim and the darkspawn army. From their positions the Dalish began to rain a storm of deadly arrows upon the foul creatures and as hoped the darkspawn charged across the field and up the hill into the ranks of infantry.
Like a great wave the darkspawn crashed against the shield wall of the dwarves and Fereldens and were repulsed by hard steel and strong arms but the relentless creatures would come again and again until they or their enemy were dead.
Waiting, Elissa decided as she ran her gauntleted hand through her snow white hair, is what she hated the most. She could easily hear the screams of the dying and the ringing of swords and it took every ounce of will; power she had not to charge in now.
She quickly buried that impulse, as to charge at the incorrect time could not only get herself killed but her knights and the entire army including Alistair. They had to wait until the darkspawn army was fully engaged before attacking from the rear.
The horsemen had been in position for several minutes now and were waiting for the signal from the magi to begin their attack. Elissa looked around at her men numbering less than a thousand strong though all were well trained knights.
Wynne who sat upon a horse next to Elissa closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Wynne was here to serve as the messenger between the horsemen and the main body of the army.
Reaching out Wynne placed a hand on Elissa armored shoulder, "The darkspawn have engaged the army, Alistair and the commanders say to spring the trap."
"Bout time," Elissa grinned as she donned her helm, hoisted her lance and signaled the others to do the same, "Advance," she ordered as she spurred her horse into action.
She and the other knights advanced from behind the lowlands and onto the field. Elissa from her position in the center of the formation looked to both her flanks to make sure that knights were forming ranks. It was a calming gesture more for her than the knights as veteran warriors knew how to fight.
The knights formed a battle line five hundred men long and two men deep as they moved across the battle field. When they were within a hundred yards of the darkspawn army Elissa raised her lanced and filled her lungs yelling, "Charge!"
Responding to her cry one of the knights lifted a horn and bellowed a single echoing note signaling the charge. Elissa and all the other knights spurred their chargers into full gallop towards the darkspawn and when they reached within forty meters they lowered their lances bracing for impact. By this time the darkspawn rearguard had realized they had been outflanked and attempted to form a line, but it was too late.
Elissa upon her mount struck hard at the creatures driving her lance through the brain of darkspawn hurlock, one of the roughly man shaped beasts. Letting go of the embedded lance she drew her sword and began to hack at the monsters around her. Elissa was striking down a genlock when she heard an earsplitting bellow issue out from above. Looking up she saw a great winged dragon, the Archdemon, fly over head towards Denerim.
Sliding her sword into its sheath, she tugged at the reins of her horse directing it towards the city and the Archdemon. The other Grey Wardens did the same; disengaging from the battle towards Fort Drakon the tallest point in the city.
Thankfully the darkspawn presence within the city was greatly reduced and Elissa and the two Wardens with her only had to fight a handful of the devils at best. As they entered the palace district the Archdemon roared overhead Elissa looked up just in time to see a figure, Riordan, she believed leapt from one of the buildings and on to the massive dragon's back.
Elissa held her breath hoping that Riordan could finish the beast but her hope died stillborn. The dragon bucked and slammed into a building in a successful attempt to dislodge the Grey Warden Commander. The Warden fell but not before digging his blade in the thin skin membrane of the dragons wing shredding a good part of the fragile limb. The Archdemon roared in agony as it fell from the sky and crashed into the top of Fort Drakon.
Closing her eyes she sent a quick prayer to the Maker to watch over the fallen Warden as it was impossible for anyone to survive such a fall, "To the Fort," she ordered.
Fort Drakon the once the last refuge of the people of Denerim had been transformed into a horrible and cruel prison by the traitorous Arl Howe. As they entered the Fortress they saw it was littered with the corpses of its fallen defenders and the darkspawn who overran it. The fight to the keep was hard and bloody but finally Elissa reached the top of the keep where the Archdemon waited, the Grey Wardens who came with her had been slain, she was all alone.
For the first time the young Grey Warden was able to see the Archdemon in all its dark fallen glory. The old Gods took the form of powerful dragons and became Archdemons after being corrupted by the darkspawn. Now the once noble dragon was corrupted by the blight… its flesh showing the corruption of its soul. The dragon's rotten flesh seemed to hang in places and into others the dragon's sinewy muscle was revealed. The wing Riordan had torn hung limply at its side, oozing black viscous blood.
Elissa winced and raised her shield as the Dragon roared its putrid breath washing over and stinging her eyes. To her surprise the Arch-Demon spoke it a strange rumble without moving its mouth, "You are foolish to think you can slay me Grey Warden, I am Argon the Dragon God of War and no foolish mortal can end me."
Slowly circling the dragon her shield raised and her sword drawn she said praying her voice didn't sound as shaky as it did to her own ears, "I didn't know you could speak."
A harsh disgusting wheezing sound issued from the beast, "Ignorance," the wheezed again and Cecilia only then recognized this sound as the dragon's laugh, "How do you think we commanded the Tevinter Imperium. We are gods," it finished, lashing out with its wickedly clawed foreleg.
Elissa leapt to her left narrowly dodging the claw which would have easily cut through her armor She slashed down hard on the outstretched forearm cutting deeply into the beast's rotten, putrid flesh.
The dragon roared in pain as it pulled his arm back and unleashed a storm of fire from its mouth. She braced herself and held out her shield. The force of the blast pushed her back her armored boots grinding against the stone as she fought against the flames. Elissa was forced to grimace in pain as she felt her armor heat up and the skin of her shield arm began to blister.
Suddenly the dragon's fire stopped and Elissa sprang into action dodging the dragon's claws and jaws as she weaved her way closer to the fell beast. However she took a wrong step and the dragon swept out its claw and grabbed her in an armor and bone crushing grip. Bringing her up to its salivating jaws Elissa saw its eyes burning with a hellish red fire, "Die now," it growled as it began to squeeze and opened its jaws wide.
Elissa began to gasp for breath as she felt her armor begin to crumple and felt shearing pain lance up her side as one of her ribs broke. Taking her sword with all the strength she had left she plunged it upwards through the roof of the dragon's mouth.
The dragon convulsed as the sword went through the roof of its mouth and into its brain. It fell to the ground with a loud crash as it continued to convulse, blood pouring from its mouth. Breathing shallowly as not to upset her broken ribs Elissa dragged herself over to the dragon and drove her sword through its eye. The mighty Archdemon convulsed once more and fell still.
Elissa braced herself for death as she felt black powers explode from Archdemon as it began to burn from the inside out. To Elissa it felt like her stomach exploded as she fell to her knees then to the ground in pain. Eventually she slowly opened her eyes and looked at the spot where the Archdemon had been and instead saw only the charred bones of the once mighty beast
Elissa laid there on the ground confused her body battered and bruised. She had expected to be dead by now; she was supposed to be dead by now, but she was still among the living.
"Elissa," came a familiar cry. Alistair rushed to his love and knelt down at her side and proceeded to gently divest her of her helmet, "She's alive!," he shouted overjoyed as she starred back up at him with a weak smile on her face.
"How is this possible?," Wynne asked startled and confused, "I thought that when a Grey Warden slew an Archdemon, he or she died with it?"
"Now is not the time," Alistair said shouting for joy before a frown settled over his face, "She's hurt and we need to get her out of here."
XXX
Three days later Elissa was lying in a bed in the Denerim palace as the healers tended to her wounds. Over the last few days nearly a hundred people had been through her room. The crowd had ranged from fellow Grey Wardens asking how she survived to Ferelden nobles thanking her for her heroics. Elissa was anxious to get out of this bed and do something. The Bannon had postponed Alistair's crowning until she could attend as she herself was to be crowned his Queen.
"So you don't have any idea how you survived," Riordan's second in command said questioningly, "No Grey Warden has ever survived slaying an Archdemon."
"I don't," Elissa started shaking her head then suddenly a horrible thought hit her and she paled, "leave,' she told the commander.
"Wha-what," the Senior Warden asked confused looking back between Alistair and Wynne.
"Leave," Elissa shouted in a tone that only high nobles seemed to process… a tone that could make greater men flinch and lesser run in terror.
The Warden Commander stood a step back taken back before bowing slightly, "Yes milady," he conceded hesitantly knowing that it wasn't smart to upset the woman who would be Queen in a few days.
"What's wrong?," Alistair asked worriedly, "Are you all right…? Wynne," he said calling for the healer.
The healer began to pull potions from her bag as she came to Elissa side, but the noblewoman shook her off. Wetting her lips she shakily started, "I think I know why I'm still alive."
Alistair's eyes went wide as he said excitedly, "You know how?"
Elissa hesitated choking back a sob as she started, "Morrigan came to me the night before we set out for Denerim. She said that… that she had figured a way to kill the Archdemon without a Grey Warden dying."
"And this plan was?," Alistair asked with the contempt he held for the Witch of the Wilds clear in his voice.
"She told me that she had prepared a ritual and that if a main who had the taint within him had laid with her a child would be conceived. Whe-when the Archdemon died the soul of the old god would bind with the soul of the child instead of killing a Grey Warden. She wanted you to lay with her," she said softly looking at Alistair.
"You agreed to this monstrous act," Wynne said disgustedly looking between the two Wardens.
"No," they both shouted.
"Then why bring it up?," Wynne asked now confused, sending glances from one to the other.
Laying back on her bed Cecilia closed her eyes, "As you know Alistair and I have been sharing a tent ever since our first trip to Redcliffe." Having been their second stop after Lothering, she continued. "I was told that the chances of two Grey Wardens conceiving a child was nigh impossible so I never gave it any thought. What if we did conceive…? What if," she said, her voice breaking, "the old god's soul sought out my child?"
Alistair looked horrified at the thought. He sat down and placed his hands over Elissa's bandaged stomach, "Wynne can you do anything?"
The healer silently placed her hands on Elissa's stomach and used the same magic that mends tissue and muscle to look inside the young noblewoman's body.
"You're with child."