A/N: This one shot is for the Dragon Age Fanfiction Writer's Group on Facebook. June's Challenge is "Choose a well-known, popular scene in DA and tell it from the perspective of a character who is present, but not the main character. Running June 1st through June 30th. 1,000 word minimum, no maximum." The scene I chose was the Redcliffe blood magic ritual where Isolde sacrifices herself to save her son, Connor, from a demon's possession. It is from Teagan's point of view and not completely canon. Some points in the game I disliked due to the lack of consequences of your actions. So I made up a slightly different canon for this.

The warnings should be quite obvious, but I'll list them anyway. This one shot contains a character death, blood magic (and slight gore), mild violence (during the sacrifice) and angst. Rated M.

"The ritual I know- it requires life energy- a lot of it. All of it, in fact..." The dark haired mage said, a frown appearing on his face. It appeared to pain him to offer this route, but that he felt he had no other choice. I didn't know much about blood magic, but I understood the implications.

My heart pounded hard, fear beginning to take hold of me. "So- someone must die? Someone must be sacrificed?"

The mage, Jowan, began talking again, but I couldn't concentrate on what he was saying. Blood magic, sacrificing a person's life, if only to save Connor's life and destroy a demon. Maker, what was the world coming to? How could these be the choices? How could the Maker let a child, a sweet and innocent child like Connor, fall to the whims of a demon? Where the only solution was either his death or the death of another?

So lost was I in my thoughts that the only thing to bring me out of them was Isolde's lilting accent. "I will be the sacrifice."

"What?" I snapped out, infuriated that she could even consider such a thing. My eyes found hers and I could see the pleading there. She was resolute in her decision. That blasted woman! "Isolde, are you mad? Eamon would never allow this!"

"I will gladly give my life if it means my son shall live." Isolde replied, her nose turning up at my rough words. "I will not let Connor suffer for my mistakes."

Incensed, I turned away from my brother's wife, the blood mage she'd hired, the two Grey Wardens and their small retinue of misfits. Rage pulsed through my veins. Anger at the situation the vexing Orlesian woman had put us in. Fury at Loghain for sending the mage to poison my brother. Fear for my young nephew, a mage as well. What would happen to him once this was over? I lifted a shaking hand to my deep auburn hair, ruffling it as I nervously raked my hand though the strands.

"There has to be another way." Alistair's voice said from somewhere behind me, sounding small despite his warrior's build.

"You do not see the situation for what it is." A cold, deep voice responded in kind. I glanced over my shoulder to see a large, bronze skinned man, taller than any human, a Qunari, glaring down at Alistair.

Alistair, his brown eyes widening, glanced at his comrade. The other Grey Warden, a Circle mage named Solona, met his gaze unflinchingly. "We don't have another choice, Alistair."

"Solona! You can't be seriously considering this!" Alistair shouted, stepping towards his fellow Grey Warden with a broken expression. I felt pain like no other accost me in that moment. Whether it was for Alistair's fear or my own, I couldn't tell. "Please..."

"Grey Wardens do what they must to protect the many." The mage Warden spoke without emotion. The icy way she addressed Alistair was barely human, but from the slight change in the large bronze man's stature, he apparently approved of her detachment.

"What about the Circle? There are many mages there... and lyrium! Surely they could do something to help!" Alistair tried, yet again, to convince Solona. I knew it was a vain effort. The Warden Commander had made up her mind. Alistair couldn't see the situation as it was, just as the Qunari had said.

"That would take too long." I said, unable to stop myself from speaking. Alistair turned his pleading puppy eyes on me and I cringed, unlike Solona had. Damn him, I thought as I stared at Eamon's former ward. He tries to appeal to my sympathies. "I am sorry, Alistair. The Grey Warden is correct in this. Crossing the lake to get to the Tower would be unwise."

Solona sighed and rubbed at the spot between her eyes. "My mind is made up. Isolde is willing and I cannot leave Redcliffe at the mercy of a demon."

Despite what this meant for my sister in law, I felt my heart swell at her words. She was willing to do anything to protect Redcliffe, my home, from demons, darkspawn... She truly was an amazing woman. If only I'd met her before... Shaking the thought from my head, I watched as the Qunari lead Alistair from the room, the rest of their group following in silence. The young man was disheartened and I felt my own insecurity at what was to come. If there had been another way... but nay, there wasn't.

I stood beside the Warden and glanced at her. Her hazel eyes were closed to her surroundings, her light chestnut hair pulled over her shoulder in a braid. She was small in height, shorter than most human women yet I could feel the power radiating throughout that tiny form. She was a force to be reckoned with, that much was clear. Even the Qunari respected her and they usually found humans weak and unassuming.

"Are you prepared for this, So?" Jowan asked her, his eyes creasing in concern. "I do not wish you to go into the Fade if-"

Solona's eyes opened so that she could glare at her old friend. "I wouldn't have offered if I didn't intend to see it through."

Jowan nodded and audibly swallowed any other words he might have said. He turned to prepare the ritual while I allowed my gaze to find Isolde. She was sitting quietly in a wing-backed chair, her hands gripping her dress tightly between white fingers, her lips pursed and her blue eyes closed. The Arlessa was trying to keep her composure yet I could tell she was terrified. We all were.

The Qunari rejoined our small group a few moments later. Solona glanced at him with a question in her eyes and the tall creature nodded solemnly in answer. Seeming to find something comforting in that, the mage turned back to Jowan and waited for his command. I watched the Qunari with suspicion. I'd never met a creature with such pure devotion to a human, especially a mage human. It was odd to say the least.

"We are ready." Jowan said, stopping my study of the Kossith. Nervous fear pulsed through my body, increasing the rate of my heart at what those words meant. It was now or never. Blessed Andraste, I hoped Eamon understood when he awoke.

"Meravas." The Qunari grunted, pulling a large two handed blade from its spot on his back. The steel glinted in the light of the torches lining the room and I had to take a step back from the sudden movement. The creature ignored me and instead, met the stoic gaze of his leader. "I will keep you from becoming an abomination, Kadan. You have my word."

Solona accepted this with a stiff nod before turning to face Jowan. "I am ready."

I watched with a perverse fascination as Solona lead Isolde to a designated spot on the floor before taking up the space beside her. The Arlessa knelt and with bowed head, began to utter a soft prayer. Solona didn't spare a glance for Isolde and instead, kept her gaze on Jowan as the mage began to chant his spell. He raised a hand above the form of Isolde focusing his magic to her. With bated breath, I watched all of this, fear and wonder both fighting for domination. I was a mess, that much was clear, but it was too exhausting to try to wade through my emotions.

Jowan pulled a small knife from the folds of his robe (Where is the Maker's name did he get a knife?) and stepped towards Isolde's bent form. He met my gaze with a grim expression before sliding the blade across her throat. The cut was clean, the blade having been sharp, and blood poured from the fresh wound. Isolde's lifeblood streamed down her chest, staining her silk gown and dripping to the floor in front of her. She slumped forward and I rushed forward to catch her. Her body was already growing cold and with a sob, I placed her on her back, taking care not to cover myself in her blood. It was difficult to turn away from the grisly sight, but a pulse of magic rent the air and Solona's form was encased in the red of blood magic. Her eyes faced the ceiling as the blood pulsed around her before it disappeared as abruptly as it had arrived.

The Warden released a shuddering breath before her knees gave out. The Qunari caught her easily before laying her on the ground as well, as far from the Arlessa's thick blood as possible. My heart nearly stopped beating at Solona's prone form.

Turning to glance at the blood mage, I growled, "What did you do to her?"

Jowan, his face pale and full of perspiration, shaking from what was undoubtedly a difficult spell, tried to appear comforting. "Solona's in the Fade. It may take a while for her to locate the demon, however. We'd better prepare to wait."

I nodded my understanding before glancing at the Qunari. He was hovering over Solona's unconscious form, his blade in his hand and a concentrated look on his face. He was cold and calculating in the way he stood over her, protection and death all at once. I heaved myself to my feet, numb and unable to halt the shaking that began to consume my body once more.

Why did everything have to be so hard? These decisions shouldn't have to exist. We shouldn't have to do this.

Ignoring the glare the Qunari leveled my way, I knelt beside the unmoving Warden. With a gentleness I couldn't imagine having at my current state, I brushed the hair from Solona's pretty face.

Closing my eyes and with a silent prayer to the Maker, I hoped that Solona came out of this alive. That we all would.