A/N: I owe many thanks to Adalae_Amell who edited this chapter.
New A/N : Following the review from bush_viper which I appreciate, I will review this chapter as soon as I'll get the time. I will cut down on the original dialogue from the game, but not entirely, because I think it has its purpose. And that is to keep the story close to the events from the game and to make it recognizable . The point of this story is to present my version of Elissa Cousland, and how she reacted to the people she met, to what they said and did. But I'll try to find a better balance, because I think bush_viper is right, the original dialogue predominates in this particular chapter, which it's not so interesting.
Intro and background: While in Lothering, Elissa and Alistair find out that Arl Eamon is gravely ill, and Alistair insists they travel to Redcliffe Castle. Upon their arrival to Redcliffe village, they meet Arl Eamon's brother, Bann Teagan, who tells them that there has been no contact with the castle; no one knows what happened there, but every night the village gets attacked by undead creatures coming from the keep. After defending the village from the attack the following night, they decide to storm the castle. Just as they were preparing to do so, Arlessa Isolde, Arl Eamon's wife comes into the village, insisting that Bann Teagan accompany her, alone, back to the castle where she left her child. She refuses to tell them anything else. Bann Teagan agrees to do so despite Elissa and Alistair's reservations. When Elissa and Alistair (and their companions) make it to the Castle through a secret passage, which Bann Teagan told them about, they find the place overrun by the undead. They fight their way through and search for survivors.
Elissa was still rubbing her neck as they entered the Main Hall of Redcliffe castle. It hurt to swallow; she could still feel the Revenant's tight magical grip around her neck, which not long before had pulled her up in the air, slamming her hard on the ground. It was a miracle she had gotten away with only a sore neck and an assortment of bruises, which would probably cover her skin for days.
The Main Hall of Redcliffe Castle was quite impressive, and it reminded her a bit of home. In many ways it was not very different from the one at Highever, where she spent her entire life before she had been made homeless. She didn't have much time to admire the remarkable weapons and armor collection, nor the rich tapestry that decorated the walls and furniture. Her attention was immediately drawn to the end of the Hall where Arlessa Isolde, Bann Teagan and a little boy which she guessed must be Connor, the Arlessa's son, were standing.
As they cautiously approached, Elissa felt a chill in the air prickle her skin even though the raging fire place behind them emanated a ravenous heat. She wasn't sure if her mind was playing tricks on her, but she thought she could hear strange faint whispers in the air. The scene taking place in front of them was even more perplexing. Isolde stood hunched, with a drained look on her face, while Connor was clapping his hands at his uncle, who was crawling on the floor and dancing around without any music. Elissa exchanged quick glances with Alistair, and they halted a short distance from the three.
When the dance ended, Bann Teagan remained seated on the floor at Connor's feet. The boy looked up at them and spoke in a deep ethereal voice.
"So, these are our visitors? The ones you've told me about mother."
"Yes, Connor." Isolde answered in a shaky voice. She seemed terrified and barely even glanced at her son.
The boy's face looked hideously contorted. His veins clearly visible through his translucent skin, and it looked as if they had burst and blood had pooled, forming dark blotches in certain areas. He had dark violet, almost black, circles around his eyes.
"And this is the one who defeated my forces? The ones to reclaim my village," the boy asked his mother demandingly.
"Yes," answered Isolde, looking down at her feet.
"And now it's staring at me. What is it mother? I can't see it well enough."
"This… this is a woman, Connor. Just as I am," Isolde replied, her voice trembling with fear.
"You lie!" Connor interjected, causing the Arlessa to wince. "This woman is nothing like you. Why, just look at her! Half your age and pretty too. I'm surprised you don't order her executed in a fit of jealousy."
"Connor, I beg you," Isolde cried, "Don't hurt anyone."
Connor shook his head. "Mo… mother? Wha… what's happening? Where am I?" His voice reverted to one of a confused child.
"Oh, thank the Maker," Isolde turned to her son, "Connor… Connor, can you hear me?" she asked pleadingly.
One more shake of his head and the monstrous voice was back. "Get away from me, foul woman!" he growled, pushing the Arlessa away. "You are beginning to bore me."
"Maker's breath!" exclaimed Ser Perth. "What has happened to her?"
"Grey Warden," Isolde pleaded with Elissa, "please, don't hurt my son. He is not responsible for what he does."
Elissa felt extremely angry at Isolde. She had disliked her from the moment Isolde had greeted them in the village. She would have overlooked Isolde's rude greeting given the circumstances, but her condescending reaction towards Alistair had been so hurtful and angered Elissa beyond her understanding. If Alistair was affected by it in any way, he didn't show it. It made Elissa think he was expecting no better, which made her shudder at the thought of how poorly he might have been treated as a child by this woman.
And now, this scene proved that Isolde had lied to them in the village, putting everyone's life at risk. She could have at least warned Bann Teagan, Elissa thought, in stead of leading him blindly into danger. Elissa had no idea what had happened to him, but Bann Teagan was certainly not himself. Nor was Connor, for that matter. She believed that the mage they found locked in the dungeon was right when he suspected the boy might be possessed. But she knew close to nothing of demon possession, and therefore she wouldn't make any hasty decisions.
"I don't intend to hurt the child." Elissa told Isolde.
"I wish I could say the same," the demon inside Connor yelled angrily. "Wait, no, I don't." he added, a predatory look on his face.
"Connor didn't mean to do this," Isolde cried, "It was that mage, the one who poisoned Eamon. He started all this. He summoned this demon. Connor was just trying to help his father."
"And made a deal with a demon to do so? Foolish child," Morrigan spat indignantly.
"It was a fair deal," the demon responded. "Father is alive, just as I wanted. Now it's my turn to sit on the throne and send out armies to conquer the world," he continued in a grand voice. "Nobody tells me what to do anymore!"
"Nooobody tells him what to do!" shouted Bann Teagan, laughing hysterically. "Noooobody!"
"Quiet uncle!" Connor threatened. "I warned you what would happen if you keep shouting, didn't I? Yes, I did." He pointed towards his uncle, and then spoke again, "But let's keep things civil. This woman will have the audience she seeks."
He addressed Elissa in an arrogant tone. "Tell us, woman, what did you come here for?"
"I came to stop you." Elissa answered calmly.
"I'm not finished playing! You can't make me stop!" the demon yelled stubbornly. "I think it's trying to spoil my fun, mother." Connor whined to his mother as if expecting her to do something about it to please him.
"I… I…don't think…" Isolde stammered, sobbing.
The boy started shaking, and when he spoke his voice was full of rage. "Of course you don't. Ever since you sent the knights away, you do nothing but deprive me of my fun. Frankly, it's getting dull! I crave excitement! And action! This woman spoiled my sport by saving that stupid village. And now she will repay me!"
By the time Connor started running, a terrible noise filled the room. The suits of armor decorating the Hall came alive and started to attack them indiscriminately. Chaos broke out in the Main Hall in a matter of seconds. Ser Perth, and the few knights who were accompanying them, took on one suit of armor. Morrigan tried to cast a stunning spell with no effect, so she ran trying to put some distance between herself and the heavily armored suits, which were stumbling around throwing violent blows aimlessly, hitting everything in their path. Elissa and Leliana engaged one suit and Alistair another. After bashing one into oblivion, Alistair turned and knocked Bann Teagan to the ground, causing him to lose consciousness. Soon all of the suits were reduced to twitching pieces of armor on the ground.
Isolde, who had been hiding in a corner, ran up to Bann Teagan and helped him up.
"Teagan, are you all right?" Isolde asked, shaking.
"Better now, I think," he said rubbing his jaw. "My mind is my own again."
"Blessed Andraste," Isolde praised, "I would have never forgiven myself had you died. Not after I brought you here. The fool I am. Please," she pleaded in a pained voice looking around at them, "Connor is not responsible for this. There must be some way we can save him."
"You knew this all along, didn't you?" Elissa couldn't help asking, though she already knew the answer.
"Yes…" Isolde hesitated, "I didn't tell you because I believed we could help him. I still do."
"Clearly the child is an abomination." Morrigan said, convinced. "There is…only one way to stop it."
"He's not always the demon you saw," Isolde said with desperation. "Connor is still inside him, and sometimes he breaks through. Please, I just want to protect him."
"Isn't that what started this?" Bann Teagan asked harshly. "You hired the mage to teach Connor in secret, to protect him."
"If they discovered Connor had magic, they'd take him away," Isolde sniveled. "I thought if he learned just enough to hide it, then…" She stopped speaking as began choking on her own sobs.
"Where is Connor now?" Elissa asked, looking towards the door she thought the boy had gone through.
"I think he ran upstairs, to the family quarters," answered Bann Teagan.
"Violence scares him. I know that might seem strange," Isolde intervened weakly. "He might have run up to his room."
"And Arl Eamon, where is he?" Elissa inquired.
"Upstairs in his chambers," Isolde answered in a quiet voice, clearly upset. "I think the demon has been keeping him alive."
"So, if we destroy the demon, then…" Bann Teagan spoke out loud what Elissa was wondering herself.
"Then my husband may perish." Isolde answered, her voice laden with grief.
"Then what are our options?" Elissa asked pragmatically.
For the first time since they entered the room she heard Alistair speak, his voice deep and thoughtful.
"I wouldn't normally suggest slaying a child, but… he is an abomination. I'm not sure there's any choice," he said warily, looking towards Isolde and Bann Teagan.
"We can't kill a young boy, demon or no demon," Leliana interjected. "Please don't say we're considering that," she asked, grabbing Elissa's arm.
Before Elissa had time to compose a reply, Bann Teagan intervened. "Connor is my nephew, but…he is also possessed by a demon." His voice broke as he continued, "Death would be merciful."
"No! What…what about the mage?" Isolde cried desperately. "He could know something of this demon. He still lives, we could speak to him."
"Yes, he is still alive in the dungeon." Elissa said, remembering her encounter with the mage.
"Then we should bring him here immediately," Isolde suggested. "I… I do not know how much we can trust him, but we must find out what he knows." She turned towards the Bann, "Teagan, could you find him?"
"I…will try. Though, if he resists, I will not hesitate to kill him." Teagan turned and walked towards the door.
Teagan returned quickly, accompanied by the mage.
"You're lucky to be alive, Jowan." Isolde said to the mage, her voice full of hate. "After all you've done…"
"I didn't summon any demon, Lady Isolde," Jowan spoke in his defense, "But I did poison the Arl, and started all this," he admitted. "I'm willing to help if you'll let me."
The mage turned to face them all and continued, "The demon inside Connor needs to be destroyed. Killing Connor is the easiest way to do that, certainly, but there is another way. A mage could confront the demon in the Fade, without hurting Connor himself."
"What do you mean?" Bann Teagan demanded. "Is the demon not within Connor?"
"Not physically. The demon approached Connor in the Fade while he dreamt and controls him from there. We can use the connection between them to find the demon." The mage seemed confident of his knowledge.
"You can enter the Fade then, and kill the demon without hurting my boy?" Isolde asked, hopeful for the best.
"No, but I can enable another mage to do so." Jowan explained. "It normally requires lyrium and several mages, but I have… blood magic."
"How is that different?" Elissa asked, trying to understand what all of it meant.
"Lyrium provides the power for the ritual, but I can take that power from someone's life energy. This ritual requires a lot of it, however." After a slight hesitation, Jowan continued, "All of it, in fact."
"So," Bann Teagan asked incredulously, "someone must die? Someone must be sacrificed?"
"Yes, and then we send another mage into the Fade. I can't enter because I'm doing the ritual." Jowan answered.
Everybody was silent from shock, or perhaps just not daring to say anything.
The mage hurriedly spoke again. "Maybe I shouldn't have said anything; it's not much of an option."
"Is there no other way?" Elissa asked.
"Power has to come from somewhere," Jowan answered, "and that means either lyrim, or…blood."
"Then let it be my blood!" Isolde stood before Jowan, determined. "I will be the sacrifice."
"What?" Bann Teagan grabbed her arm. "Isolde, are you mad? Eamon would never allow this."
Isolde freed herself from his grasp and answered him angrily. "Either someone kills my son to destroy that thing inside him, or I give my life so my son can live. To me, the answer is clear."
"Blood magic. How can more evil be of any help here?" Alistair asked rhetorically. "Two wrongs don't make a right."
"It does seem like a sensible choice, with a willing participant." Morrigan interjected, winning a glare from Alistair.
"Connor is blameless in this. He should not have to pay the price." Isolde said, searching Elissa's face for a response.
They all seemed to look expectantly at her. Isolde's pleadings and her willingness to sacrifice herself for her child, made Elissa hesitate. Isolde loved her child more than anything. Elissa felt something break inside of her. She will never experience such a deep connection, she thought; never have the possibility to know what it is to have a child. Who was to say that she would not have done anything and everything for her own child? Maybe Isolde's actions were not so hard to understand. But no matter what, she would not decide who should live and who should die. She would not choose between a mother and a child.
"No," Elissa said determinedly. "There must be another way. Lyrium, where can we find it?" she asked looking at Jowan, but Alistair responded.
"We can find lyrium among mages at the Circle of Magi. If they would even do it." he added bitterly.
"Then we should go there and find out." Elissa turned towards him and their eyes met.
"That is an excellent point," Alistair answered, a mutual understanding passing between them. "One of the treaties is also for the Circle of Magi after all," Alistair voiced out loud, for the others to understand.
"But what will happen here?" Isolde asked, worried. "Connor will not remain passive forever."
"I will take that risk," Elissa answered. She had made her decision. "You will have to watch him," she spoke, as she looked at Isolde and Teagan, "and try not to provoke him." Turning towards the apostate mage, she added, "And you, Jowan, are going to help them if you know what's best for you."
"The Tower is about a day's journey across the lake," Bann Teagan told her. "Go quickly then. The longer you are away, the greater the chances of disaster."
"We will get ready and be on our way immediately." Elissa assured him and Isolde.