Chapter 2: Act of Mercy
This was not the Arika he remembered.
The reaver looked down upon the young woman with a mix of pity and disdain. What in the name of the dragons had happened to her? The Arika he remembered had been strong; she had slain the high elder for betraying their clan without one thought of the consequences. That girl…that girl had been strong, indomitable, he had respected her for that…
He…he did not know who this was?
He raised his blade, in the name of what she had been, in the love he had felt for her…
He would gladly end her life.
This would be his mercy, a final act of kindness.
She looked up at him, unafraid, accepting his judgment.
He nodded; this was a reaver's courage. He…
He was under attack!
The young man came out of nowhere, one minute the reaver had been ready to end his fallen sister's suffering, and now…
He was fighting for his life.
Clad in the blue and silver armor of the Grey Wardens the young man engaged the reaver, his blue eyes flashed with fury.
"Get away from her you bastard!" Carver growled.
The reaver glared at him, "You should learn your place, this is not your fight!"
"You won't harm her," Carver spat angrily, "You hurt her, you deal with me!"
The reaver's eyes widened beneath his hood.
Was…was this…Arika's mate?
Her mate, a man who had defeated her!
Excellent!
He may yet find the death he had sought.
"The only way to save her is to kill me," He said swinging his sword in challenge.
Carver smiled predatorily.
"If that is how it had to be," the young warden said, "So be it."
The two warriors flew viciously at each other, their great swords flashing.
A battle that would end in someone's death…
Just like the reaver had wanted.
IOI
They had been on their way back to the tavern when they had felt it.
Carver tensed, he felt a wave of pain and hopelessness sweep through him…
…Through the taint in his blood.
It was not common knowledge, but wardens could sense more than just darkspawn with their tainted blood. It was through the taint that they were all connected, it was a connection almost as strong as family.
The darkspawn used that connection to communicate with their Archdemons and the rest of the horde.
The taint was never that strong in the wardens, but sometimes, sometimes they could feel intense emotions when one of their number was injured or dying.
Carver, given his closeness to Arika, had sensed his lover's pain, and her acceptance of death.
It had drawn him like a beacon; he followed it right to the alley where the two reavers were fighting.
He attacked the man viciously.
He would pay for hurting Arika.
He would die for it!
IOI
"No. Stop."
Arika tried to be heard, but with her blood loss, her voice was barely a whisper.
She tried to rise, but her wounds had weakened her too much.
Carver had to stop. He did not understand!
"Arika!" she tried to roll over, to look at who was speaking to her.
Nigel was at her side, the former Templar had his blade ready, defending his wounded fellow warden. Next to him…
"Siobhan," Arika said smiling weakly.
"Don't speak," the Ferelden mage said, she began to pump healing magic into the injured reaver. The wound began to close, but the blood loss…
It would still be iffy if she would survive.
"Have you come for my funeral, my friend," Arika asked, "That pleases me, the ones we care about…?"
"Shut up Arika," Siobhan said crossly, "You're not going to die so just shut up," she looked at Nigel, "Love, keep that bastard back, I don't want him interrupting me."
"He will not touch either of you," Nigel promised, "though…I suspect he will not be alive much longer. Carver has death in his eyes."
At the mention of Carver, Arika tried to sit up.
Siobhan forced her back down.
"No," she cried, "Carver can't, he mustn't!"
"Arika, what are you trying to do?" the mage asked, "That bastard tried to kill you!"
Arika shook her head, they did not understand, they were lowlanders, they would not understand.
"No," she gasped, "Wanted me to kill…him."
"What?" Siobhan gasped.
"Save him my friend," she whimpered, "Please, don't…don't let Carver kill…kill my…my brother."
Arika lost consciousness.
Siobhan could not believe it, was…was Arika saying what she thought she was saying?
She looked at Nigel.
"We have to stop this," she said.
"How," Nigel asked.
Siobhan rose, magic began to crackle from her fingertips.
She would not let this madness go on a moment longer.
IOI
"You fight well," the reaver growled, he was grinning from ear to ear.
Carver intended to wipe that smirk right off his face.
He would pay!
He would pay!
"Carver stop!"
"Not now Siobhan," he called back, the two warriors blades came together again. Carver recognized that he had to end this fast. He could not try to simply injure this reaver. Pain meant nothing to him, and if he was wounded, he might frenzy.
Carver did not want to be caught up in that.
"Arika demands you both stop!" Nigel called out.
"She has no say in this," the male reaver spat.
Carver parried his blows, but he was no longer on the attack, he was defending himself.
Arika…she wanted him to stop?
Why?
"Stop now Reaver," Siobhan shouted, her magic cracked in the alleyway, "Put down your blade, or I will do it for you!"
The reaver laughed.
"You cannot stop this Lowlander," he said, "I have come to find my death. If Arika could not give it to me, than one of you will!"
Carver was shocked.
The man…wanted to die?
He certainly did not fight like he wanted to.
The young warden was starting to feel like he was being manipulated.
He did not like that.
"Who are you?" he growled, blocking another blow.
"Does it matter," the reaver purred, "I have harmed your woman, you must kill me now!"
Carver snorted, so…this was all some type of game.
He was not in the mood to play.
He pushed the reaver back against the wall.
The reaver's hood fell back.
Carver gasped.
The man's face was familiar; he had a short goatee, with dirty blonde hair. His chin was tattooed in similar fashion to Arika's. He also had the same foxlike features, and icy blue eyes.
He…he could have been related to Arika.
Why would she want me to stop?
Carver realized the answer now.
The young man looked like Arika for a reason.
He was related to her!
The young reaver glared at Carver.
"I am Arin, son of Arik and Elosia," the reaver said, "And I demand the right of blood!"
Son of Arik and…
Shit!
Carver grimaced.
This man…this was one of Arika's brothers!
He…he would not kill one her siblings!
Arin pushed him back, he had blood in his eyes, it was clear that he would not stop until one of them was dead.
The reaver charged.
Fortunately, Carver did not have to give him what he wanted.
"Siobhan," he said, "Now!"
The mage gestured.
IOI
Arin tried to charge his sister's mate. The boy would kill him; he would give him no choice!
The reaver slammed into nothing, he gasped in surprise.
He struggled, he…he could not move! A wall of nothing had surrounded him!
He was trapped!
"Noooo!"
Arin fought mightily, this…this could not be happening!
He was trapped! This wasn't right! He had come to this lowland city to find his death, a warrior's death!
They had no right to trap him like an animal!
There was no honor in this!
"Coward," he spat, "You would turn to a lowland mage to save you! You are unworthy of my sister! It amazes me you can even please her in bed! May the dragons spit on your bones! You are not…"
Carver endured his insults, but that did not mean he had to like it.
He stood eye to eye with the reaver.
Arin could not move; the field prevented him from harming anyone.
Carver was not so bound.
He punched him in the face.
Arin blinked, his eyes rolled back into his head. He sank into unconsciousness.
IOI
"Shut up," Carver spat
The young warden shook his head, he…he was still not sure what this was all about.
He would need to find out.
He flexed his fingers, even with his gauntlet on that had hurt.
Reaver's had very strong jaws.
He went to Arika, the battle now over; he needed to be at her side.
Siobhan released the field holding her brother.
Nigel went quickly to the young man's side; he bound him with his own cloak.
They did not want to risk the fearsome young warrior attacking again.
The scuffle had drawn the attention of the city guard; they came to see if anyone needed any aid.
Siobhan dismissed them, no one was seriously hurt, or at least beyond her aid. This was Grey Warden business.
The order preferred to keep it as such.
The guards obeyed, the mark of the white griffon still had great respect here in Cumberland.
IOI
Carver kneeled down next to Arika, she looked so pale, her lips had turned a little blue.
He gave the mage a worried look.
"She is weak," the mage informed him, "But with food and bed rest, I think she will recover."
Carver nodded.
Thank the Maker for that!
Nigel secured their prisoner the best he could. It would have been better if they had turned this madman over to the city guard.
Both Carver and Siobhan disagreed.
There was more going on here than they knew.
Only Arin and Arika could explain it to them.
The three decided to leave Cumberland tonight. Carver would carry Arika. Nigel would secure her brother.
They would return to the rest of their scouting group. Stroud and the others would likely be interested in what happened here as well.
Nigel gave Siobhan a sad look; she was supposed to have come for a simple visit, a chance for them to spend some time together.
Now…it seemed that they had been caught up in Arika's problems.
It just wasn't fair.
Siobhan brushed her lover's cheek, she smiled warmly at him.
"We are together again my lord," she purred, "That is all I need to enrich my heart and soul. Arika needs us, she is my friend, both our friend. We must aid her."
Nigel nodded; duty came first for them…again.
It seemed that it was the story of their lives.
A warden's duty never ended, not while they still drew breath.
They rode out of the city that very night, Carver held the sleeping Arika in his arms, keeping her from falling from the saddle.
He was still very worried, what had happened?
Why had her brother come down from the mountains?
Why had he wanted to die so badly?
So many questions hopefully there would be time to find some answers.
IOI
Meanwhile, back in the Grey Wardens camp life continued for the rest of Carver's companions.
Stroud, their senior warden and leader read from an old threadbare novel. He had carried everywhere; he intended to finish the book even if it took him the next year.
If only they were not always finding trouble.
Veryan and Arthian, also known as the twins were playing cards. The two elven rogues complained constantly that the other was cheating, and usually had to be separated after a pint or two.
They had been identical twins once, but Arthian had been badly injured fighting a brood mother, lost his left eye, and part of one arm. Despite his loss, the man was still a clever rogue. He claimed that his injuries had not hampered his abilities in the least…
Plus, the ladies loved the scars.
Lindariel, otherwise known as Lin, was the group's archer, a dark hair elven woman with copper colored eyes and dark hair. She had fought at Carver's side during the Corypheus mess as well. She did not thing the others truly believed what they faced that day, but that did not matter. She knew.
She worked quietly, making new arrows for her quiver. Her thoughts occupied with honeyed daydreams of Fenris, Carver's elven friend in Kirkwall. The elven warrior had won her heart in the short time they had been together.
She found herself hoping for a chance to slip away and go see him.
Alistair was currently tending to his tent; it had been damaged in a storm the other night. He was a broad shouldered young man with spikey reddish blonde hair, and a sarcastic tongue.
He was also something of a celebrity; he was one of the heroes of the last Blight! Together with his wife the Grey Warden Lyna, the two had killed the Archdemon Urthemiel and saved all of Thedas.
Alistair had been banished from his homeland, it was rumored that he was the bastard son of King Maric, and their fore the rightful king of Ferelden. Queen Anora, his late brother Cailan's widow had banished Alistair, she would suffer no rivals to her throne.
Not that Alistair minded of course, he hated being separated from his Dalish wife, but duty endured, she was Warden Commander of Ferelden, and he was here.
That was what mattered now.
The final member of their group was the most troublesome. Locien, or Loki as he preferred to be called, was a Dalish mage and served as the group's healer. He had an acidic nature that kept even the elves in their group away.
Of course…he was not here to make friends; he was on a mission of destiny…
…A mission of prophecy.
After years of work, at last the time was approaching, soon the stars would be in proper alignment, and all the items that he required would be his.
He would finally be able to summon the Avatar of Fen'Harel into this world. The trickster of the Dalish gods, also known as the dread wolf, Fen'Harel's followers had been planning this night for centuries.
The dawn of a new day for the elves, the rise of their empire!
The humans and dwarves would be subjugated, those who survived anyway. The rest would be…dealt with.
Loki smiled; he could not wait to see that day, to bask in the glory of the Avatar.
It was almost time.
Soon, they would be ready.
Soon…the world would change forever!