Chapter 3: Friends and Family
The warden fortress in Ansburg was a busy place, once it had been neglected no more than twenty wardens serving at any one time within. Like the order itself, in had begun to be seen as past its time, slowly sliding into history and to being forgotten.
That changed with the arrival of the new commander.
It is time for the wardens to stretch out their hands, Cesare had said, and show the world our true power. We shall not be forgotten!
Cesare D'Alviano had his own plans for the order. The Free Marches would sit up and take notice of the wardens once again. He dissolved the old patrol schedules and increased the warden presence within the fortress. He had also ended the policy of sending wardens out of the Free Marches to aid their brothers on scouting missions or dealing with raids.
It was time for the Free Marches to see to themselves, let the other garrisons do the same.
He had also stepped up recruitment; his agents were in every city in the Marches, looking for new recruits. Joining rituals took place every two nights. Many bodies were disposed of without ceremony, most wardens considered that sacrilege, the people they recruited had to be brave enough to stand up and drink from the chalice, they at least deserved some respect.
Pay no mind my friends; there will always be more recruits.
The recruits that survived were assigned to their new scouting groups by the Commander himself. This was another breach of old protocols. Typically, a senior warden picked his soldiers, wardens needed to trust one another in the darkest of places. Also all training was handled in the keep now; few of the older wardens knew what these new recruits could do. It allowed no time for the groups to get to know these new wardens. To bond as a fighting force, and as brothers and sisters, these new wardens looked to the commander above all as their superior, not their senior warden in the field.
Trust your commander; I have your best interests at heart.
Few wardens were happy with these changes, but Cesare would not be discouraged, his way would put the wardens back on the right track again. He was sure of it.
Power and prestige would restore the order to glory; they would be as feared and respected as the Templars were within the city of Kirkwall.
The wardens would regain their true place within society.
This was the place that Stroud and his people returned to, like many of the senior wardens, he did not agree with these changes, but obeyed none the less.
At least…for now, until the commander did something that violated his oath, he was untouchable.
So he was watched closely.
IOI
The wardens scattered when they returned to Ansburg. Many had friends here, family, and lovers.
They wished to spend time with them, to remind themselves what they were fighting for.
Nug, the twins, and Grey headed for the tavern. The four men intended to relax after their small, yet bloody campaign. Alistair, after getting cleaned up headed out into the city; he had received a letter he was expecting.
He did not intend to make his old…acquaintance wait.
Lin returned to visit her family, she was eager to see Mother and Father again. She also hoped to have words with her brother Solen.
Solen worked in Ansburg as a stable boy, but he was far more than that. He was also a young mage starting to come into his power. He had managed to hide it from the humans and everyone else so far, but it was getting harder and harder.
Lin liked to stay close to him when she was here, to remind him that he was not alone.
Stroud was summoned to the Commander's office; it was time to assign their scouting group a new mage. Magic was necessary out in the field. Darkspawn raiders were typically led by emissaries, darkspawn mages; a scouting group without magic of their own was vulnerable to many ruthless attacks.
Cesare said he had a mage ready for them. Stroud was eager to meet this new recruit.
They might need his aid soon.
Carver and Arika returned to their rooms, this Carver's promotion after the business on Sundermount, they had moved into the officers' quarters. They both cleaned up and changed quickly.
They kissed gently before they went back out into the fortress again.
"Are you going to see her?" he asked the reaver.
She nodded.
He frowned slightly.
"Be careful, love," he reminded her, "She is not the same person we knew anymore."
"I know," Arika sighed, "Are you going to visit your sister?"
He nodded.
"Give her my best wishes, but keep your eyes open as well. We still don't know if she is completely...well…her."
He felt an angry retort coming, but did not let it leave his lips.
Arika loved him; she was only trying to keep him safe.
The two parted, Carver made for the guest rooms in the west tower, and Arika made for the dungeons.
They both had people to see.
Those they cared for.
IOI
"I just don't see the point."
Siobhan looked up from her reading, Arika paced back and forth outside of the mage's cell. She put down her book and rose from her cot.
"What point would that be?" the mage asked.
Arika regarded her friend sadly, Siobhan did not look well, her pale skin had grown paler, bags darkened her eyes, and it looked like she had lost weight. Her frizzy orange hair had bits of straw in it, and it looked like she had not been allowed to bathe in weeks.
How could she not feel sorry for her, still she tried to put on a brave face, there was nothing she could do for Siobhan right now, except be there, at hope she came out of this.
During the battle of Sundermount, Siobhan had watched as Nigel, her lover and fellow warden had been turned into a werewolf by the Avatar, a werewolf who then proceeded to attack her. The experience had broken something within her. Had it not been for Alistair's quick actions, Siobhan would have become a rage abomination, she would likely have killed them all trying to reach the Avatar.
The wardens had managed to subdue her.
She had been returned to Ansburg in chains.
She seemed better, Arika thought to herself, at least she was not shrieking how she would rip out their souls.
It was a step forward at least.
"Arika?" Siobhan said.
"Yes?"
What point do you not see?"
The reaver cursed, she had been distracted by her worries about her friend.
She tried to get back on track.
"I do not see the point of this…this…marriage thing," the reaver sighed.
Siobhan grinned.
"What marriage thing?"
The reaver paused, mustering her courage. She did not expect Siobhan to understand, she was a lowlander after all, but she did not feel right talking to Arin about this.
The mage would keep her counsel on this.
"I am Carver's," Arika began, "And he is mine. We share everything our bed and our bodies. Why must I go into some lowland chantry and stand before some…some priest and promise to do something I've already sworn to do? It makes no sense."
Siobhan chuckled.
"Carver knows that my friend," she said, "But…he is also not from your mountains. Down here, when a couple decides to marry, to make their love official, that is a big deal. You can't blame him for wanting to see the two of you officially recognized as a couple."
The reaver turned a little green.
"I…I'm going to have to wear a dress…aren't I?"
"Probably."
"It…it won't be too…frilly will it?"
"Most wedding dresses are white with some frills, yes." The mage said thoughtfully, "Given your muscular figure, I would suggest something in full orlesian silk, cover up those arms, but cut low in front, we would not want to hide your features."
"Ugh," the reaver spat.
Siobhan could not help but laugh, but…that laughter turned sad.
She looked over at the cell next to her, all amusement faded from her eyes.
"Would you stay for a moment," she asked her friend, "I'm testing something new, and I need a witness."
Arika nodded.
Siobhan's cell had several magic books sitting on the little table. Commander Cesare had put her to work. She could not fight with the wardens, but her spells could still be useful.
The Commander wanted a way to either reverse or control the Avatar's werewolf thralls. Siobhan was allowed to carry out this work for him.
She used Nigel as a test subject.
The dark furred werewolf was chained to the cell; he glared coldly at any human who tried to approach him.
Siobhan stood before him, only a single set of bars separating them.
Typically the cells were warded to prevent magic, but the Commander had had the wards here disabled while the mage worked.
It was time for another test.
She raised her hands and began the spell.
The werewolf growled.
The magical forces swirled around him; slowly…they penetrated the werewolf, filling his eyes with a strange light.
Arika watched curiously, she prayed to the dragons that her friend's latest attempt worked.
The magic faded, the werewolf looked into Siobhan's green eyes.
"Nigel," she whispered, "Baby…it is Siobhan, can you hear me?"
The beast lunged; it struggled against its chains. If it had been free it likely would have ripped the mage to pieces.
Fury flashed in her eyes as she backed away from it.
Another failure!
Damn it!
"I'm sorry, my friend," Arika said.
Siobhan began to pace her cell.
"Blood," she murmured.
"Blood?" Arika asked.
"Yes, the blood of that…that monster, the avatar's blood might allow me to reverse what was done to Nigel."
Arika gave her friend a sad look.
"I will speak with Carver; he will ask Bethany if she will…"
"Don't say that name around me!" Siobhan spat.
Arika fell silent.
The fury in Siobhan's eyes was bright and savage.
"You are all fools," she snarled, "The Avatar has fooled you all, that…that thing is not Carver's sister. You…you must kill it quickly, before it…before it….I don't know what it will do, but it will destroy us all if we do not act first."
The reaver did not respond.
Siobhan was not better after all.
"Good bye my friend," she said sadly, "I wish you success in trying to restore Nigel."
The mage stood up against the bars, the guards had reactivated the wards.
She glared helplessly at her friend's back.
"I'm going to kill it, Arika," the mage shouted, "Mark my words, I don't care what the Commander says, that beast cannot be controlled. Do you hear me Arika…DO YOU HEAR!?"
Arika nodded, yes she heard her friend.
She heard it all.
IOI
Carver made his way to the guest rooms in the tower. He hated the fact that his sister was confined up here, but Cesare would not hear reason on the subject.
She had to be protected, for her own good.
Only her room was occupied for the moment, the one at the far end of the hall, four of the commander's person guard to stand outside, watching for any attackers.
The young warden approached them without a word.
He was the only one who could visit Bethany without an escort.
He was grateful for that.
"She is expecting you ser," one of the guards said as he passed.
Carver's eyes narrowed.
He hated when she did that!
He knocked respectfully on the door.
"Enter," a familiar voice said softly.
He made his way into Bethany's room.
IOI
The guest rooms of Ansburg had not been designed for luxury, a small bath, a simple four-poster bed, and a writing desk.
The room was as neatly arranged as any army barracks might be. The bed neatly made the dishes from breakfast stacked and waiting to be removed.
Carver smiled, Mother had always insisted that they see to such cleaning themselves, she had been only moderately successful with him and Garrett. Bethany had always been the cleaner of the three Hawke siblings.
It was nice to see that she retained that.
She sat on the floor in the center of the room, pouring over a small pile of books. She marked pages here, or left a book open there. HE was not sure what she was reading, but it was clear that she had found some things that she thought were important.
He could not help but smile.
The young warden could not help but remember when they were children, little pig-tailed, skinned-kneed, ten year old Bethany pouring over their Father's books. Father, himself, sitting by the fire, waiting to answer any questions she might have.
The memory made him sad.
Carver missed their father; Malcolm Hawke had always seemed to have all the answers.
They could use that now.
Bethany leaned back from the book she was reading, a look of frustration on her pretty face.
"Shit," she spat.
Carver chuckled, that drew her attention, she gave him a questioning look.
"A young lady should not use such language, sister," he said doing a reasonably good impression of their mother.
Bethany gave him an impish smile.
"Ah, but I am not entirely a young lady anymore," she reminded him, "I'm an avatar now, remember, so I can swear as much as I want," she grinned playfully.
"Damn it," she added.
He pulled her into a brotherly hug, which she returned.
Carver hated to admit it, but he had missed this, having any of his family around, Arika was nice, but it was good to have a piece of his past back as well.
Bethany was back.
He was grateful for that.
"What troubles you sister?" he asked.
She snorted.
"The chantry, brother," she responded, "Or rather…their dealing with the elves after the fall of the Dales. I…I have gone through almost every book in the library here, and not one has anything useful on elven demigods or Avatars." She shook her head, "The Templars destroyed any text they considered heretical. They mention the tales of elven demigods, but nothing useful, elven legends best forgotten. The Chantry saved us from such evil stories."
Bethany cursed again, she…she had hoped to find some answers in researching the elves history. Sadly the chantry had done its best to eliminate any trace of that.
She turned to Carver.
"I need to speak with this Locien brother," she said, "He…he may be the only one now who can answer my questions."
Carver fidgeted, that would be difficult.
No one had seen Locien, or Loki as they had known him since the commander took him into custody. Personally Carver hoped that he had been executed. The elf was responsible for tainting a human village called Blainswood. The wardens had had to destroy it to prevent the taint from spreading.
Carver still had nightmares about that night.
"I'm not sure that he still lives sister," Carver informed her.
Bethany's face fell.
Carver hated this; he hated to see his sister so…downhearted. Unfortunately there was little he could do. Most of Loki's followers had died on Sundermount, there was no one left who…
Carver paused; perhaps…perhaps all was not lost after all.
"Come sister," he said taking her hand.
"Where are we going?" she asked.
"To see the one person who might have answers for you."
"Who?" she asked, "A mage? Some scholar?"
He smiled impishly.
"A stable boy," he replied.
She gave him a strange look.
"What?"