Half Full

Chapter 2

By Of Quirky Excellence

"Miss, you shouldn't be down here…wait, I know you…you're the Grey Warden, yes?" the guard questioned her sleepily, sounding slightly drunk as well.

"Yes, and you will let me see the prisoner or else the Arl will hear of your carelessness." Maeve said fiercely.

"You know the mage, I take it?" he asked, straightening up his posture quickly in his chair.

"Not that it is any of your business, but yes. Let me speak to him, bring me some food to give to him and your job will be in no danger from me." Maeve instructed.

"I cannot let you in his cell-"the guard was cut off by Maeve's sharp, crisp tone.

"You will do as I have asked! He cannot escape and he will not dare attack me." she snapped.

"Right…" The guard looked tired still, and sounded defeated. He stood up and led her around the corner and Maeve rushed to the bars. It was so dark, she could only see Jowan's grey eyes glistening in the dark. He came closer, as close as the chain attached to his right ankle would allow and stepped into the light of the torch outside the cell.

"Maeve?" he said softly. "Maeve, what are you doing down here? You shouldn't have come. Don't you have a world to save?"

He staggered a little against the chain and leaned on the bars of the cell for support, and she clasped her hands over his, and the raven-haired mage's eyes widened. startled by her sudden movement.

"One person at a time," she smiled slightly, a sad look came over her bright blue eyes as she took in the battered and broken man before her.

"You cannot save me, Maeve. You're a better person, and a better mage, than I could ever hope to be…and I have been a lousy friend to you."

The guard unlocked the cell. When the door opened, Maeve stepped in. the guard left to get the food, closing and locking the door behind him.

Jowan's words caught Maeve off guard. The tables had turned and now she felt like the lousy friend. He spoke so lowly of himself. Where was his will to live? She began to panic a little. What if he didn't even want her to help him? Was he accepting the grim fate that was surely ahead of him?

She reached for his shoulder with one hand. He flinched and his face looked pained and ghostly pale. "Oh, Jowan!" she started to cry and then threw her arms around him in a tight embrace. He accepted her weakly. the former apprentice was tired and sickly from his long stay in the Arl's dungeon.

"I'm sorry." he said simply and sadly.

Her tears started to trickle down onto his shoulder, staining what was left of his blue and purple apprentice robes. Then she pulled away slightly, looking upon him with sorrow, and she shook her head.

"No, Jowan. No, I won't let them hurt you anymore." she replied.

"Nobody is hurting me now," Jowan replied. Although it was true, (nobody had laid a malicious hand on the mage since Maeve's initial arrival, by her own request,) the damage was already done. He had many blood stains on his torn robes, dirt and bruises on his face, and a very distrustful disposition. Nobody had hurt him since he'd been allowed to enter the Fade, but no attention had been given to the wounds he bore either.

"And they won't ever again!" she said. She let him go and sat down. Slowly and painfully he joined her on the cold, hard floor. There wasn't even a pile of hay for the imprisoned mage to sleep on.

"You know what they'll do…" he trailed off, dread and sorrow in his soft-spoken voice. "They will make me Tranquil, or if I'm lucky, the Arl will have some mercy and I will be executed."

Maeve shook her head. "Not of I have anything to say about it, Jowan. I'll find a way to right all the wrongs life has done on you, I promise."

He took her hand, surprising her a little this time, and squeezed it tenderly. "I screwed up, Maeve. You shouldn't be the one to suffer as I can see you are. It's something I brought on myself, with the secrecy, the blood magic! You can't blame yourself. Let it be me, let me pay for my crimes!"

"You shouldn't have to…" she answered. "You made some mistakes, Jowan. Some people are never going to forgive you, but I will," Maeve squeezed Jowan's hand tighter. "Because…I care for you, Jowan. More than you'll ever know. If they do kill you…one way or another, I can never forgive myself."

He looked rather confused now. "But why? Why, Maeve? There are so many other people in this world, and you'll get to meet them all! You'll get to be free and see the world and-"

"And it's all because of you!" she cried. "If it weren't for you, Jowan, I'd still be stuck in that dingy old Tower! You saved me from that life! As you used to tell me, the glass is half full, not half empty! Remember?"

"I…I never thought of it that way. I used to say that about social situations at the Tower, Maeve…" He looked deep in thought.

"It's a beautiful philosophy. You gave that to me, Jowan! You've given me so much!" she said, sniffling.

"And you've given me more than I could ever ask for; you've been a dear, dear friend, better than I ever deserved." he replied as he slowly reached his hand up to wipe away some of the fountain of tears on her face.

They were interrupted by a familiar voice, softly addressing Maeve.

"I thought I might find you here," said the Orlesian bard with a sad tone of voice. "The Arl wants to see you. Both of you."