Chapter 4: "What Dreams May Come"
The Fade was a strange place. It was where humans and elves went when they dreamed. It was a place mages could walk freely, being ever conscious during their time there. The raw lyrium veins and twisted rock formations lent eerie shadows to the ethereal world, making it appear more sinister than it was.
Marian Hawke didn't enjoy walking the Fade, she rather enjoyed the living world outside of it, but she knew why she was there. She could still see her mother. Enough time hadn't passed for her to go to the Maker's side yet… or at least she hoped that was so.
Her feet were bare as she stepped along the rough rocky path. Shadows danced in and out of her line of vision; demons, spirits and other souls lost on this eternal plane. This was where Justice, the spirit that was entwined with Anders, had come from. This was where demons resided. This was where mages had all of the power.
With a calming breath, Marian knelt and brushed her hand over one of the exposed lyrium veins. Its magic hummed in the air, the mineral sending mana through her. The rush was nothing like she'd ever experienced before. She knew touching the lyrium in its raw form was dangerous, many mages and templars had died from its effects, but she was in the Fade. It wasn't real.
"Marian…"
Her mother's voice called out to her. Marian Hawke would have known that sweet tinkling sound anywhere. Pulling her hand away from the lyrium, she stood once more and glanced at her surroundings. She didn't see Leandra anywhere, but the voice floated around her as if it were a caress. Wiping her hands on her robes, Marian began to wander the Fade's scenery.
She knew she was asleep in Anders' arms at that moment. As much as she wished to go back there, to be with the man she loved, to let him hold her and comfort her mournful heart, Marian knew that she would know no peace until she sought her mother out in the Fade. With each step she took farther into the dream world, the closer she came to where her mother's soul waited.
It didn't take much effort to find Leandra. The older woman was standing on the edge of the floating rock Marian shared with her. Her blue eyes were staring up into what would have been the sky if such a thing existed in the Fade. The Black City loomed above them, looking sinister and dark. It didn't matter when or where in the Fade you appeared, the Black City was a constant fixture.
"It's strange." Leandra's kind voice said as she continued to gaze upon the former seat of the Maker. "Even though the Maker's abandoned it, the Golden City still stands."
Marian paused in her steps at the sound of her mother's voice. "It's always been there, Mother. Every person who enters the Fade can see it."
Leandra glanced over her shoulder at her daughter, a sad expression on her face. Her grey hair hung around her shoulders, her blue eyes clear and intelligent. There were no signs of the horrible ordeal she'd been through the day before. Marian was thankful for that small miracle. If she had to see her mother undead again, she would have jumped off of the rocks and into the watery abyss below.
"My darling girl. I'm sorry for what happened." Leandra shook her head, her hair flying around her face. "I never imagined it could end so terribly."
Marian felt the desire to cry at her mother's sadness. "You didn't know, Mother. You couldn't have. I should have told you about the lilies, about the murders. I was only trying to protect you."
"I know, my dear. You've had such a weight on your shoulders since your father passed. Taking it upon yourself to provide for our family, to take the blame for Carver and Bethany's deaths. You have done nothing, but support us and I will be eternally grateful for that." Leandra gazed back towards the Black City, a place that had once been full of beauty, now corrupted by blood magic. "I must join them now, Marian."
Marian's knees gave out from under her and as she collapsed to the rocky ground, the sharp stone cut into her soft flesh. The smell of blood filled the air and she could hear the growls of demons hoping to feed upon her power. Tears fell from her eyes as she looked at her mother. Leandra wasn't afraid of what was to come. She had accepted her death. She would be reunited with her husband, her children.
Marian would be completely alone for the first time in her life. Is that why she was holding on so tightly?
Leandra crossed the short distance between them before kneeling at her daughter's side. With a steady hand, she caressed the dark tresses from Marian's face before leaning in to place a soft kiss upon her head. "Be well, my dear girl. You are stronger than you think."
Tears made it impossible for her to respond. All she could do was sit in a slowly growing pile of her own blood while she wept for her lost family.
Voices woke her. At first, Marian thought it was remnants of her dream echoing through her mind. Once the initial fogginess cleared from her brain, she realized it was two men arguing.
"You took advantage of her, mage!" A deep voice spat, furious and not bothering to hide it. "She is broken and you had no right to do such a thing to her!"
"Yes because I asked her to throw herself at me." Another voice, this one not as deep as the previous voice, but familiar enough that it pulled at her heart. "She threatened to go to your place so what was I supposed to do!"
"Not give in to the ramblings of a woman clearly unable to make her own decisions."
Marian's mind finally caught up to what, or more accurately who, they were speaking in regards to. Fenris and Anders were directly outside of her bedroom door, arguing in hushed voices that weren't as quiet as they thought. Grumbling under her breath and wiping stray tears from her cheeks, the dream of her mother gone for the moment, Marian grabbed a dressing robe from the chair beside her bed and, after pulling it on, made her way to the door. Yanking it open in her anger, she was greeted by the sight of Fenris and Anders standing in front of each other, shock on their face at her abrupt appearance.
"Marian, I-" Anders began, but she refused to hear an explanation.
"What in the Void do the two of you think you are doing?" She hissed, her eyes moving from her boyfriend to the thin yet strong elf. "Fenris- why are you here? Have you come to start more shit with Anders?"
"Not at all." He answered, tossing a shock of white hair from his eyes and levelling a glare in her direction. "I came because Varric opened the trunk we found in the tunnels."
"What trunk?" She snapped, crossing her arms over her chest and waiting for his answer.
"The one found in that… monster's living space, love." Anders whispered, trying not to look her in the eye.
Marian felt anger rush through her at the mention of her mother's murderer. "Well what was in it?"
Fenris walked to where a small table sat with a lamp atop it. Lifting a pile of velium in his hand, he walked back to her side before handing it to her. "See for yourself."
Irritated, Marian grabbed the papers, staring fixedly at Fenris as she did so. Then she sighed and took a peek at what was in her hands. There were rituals for necromancy, a list of herbs needed for a spell, presumedly the one that Leandra had been killed for, and a letter.
Pulling the letter from the pile, she dropped the rest of the pieces to the ground.
My dear friend,
I have obtained the books you requested. I'll leave them at our usual hiding spot. Please collect them as soon as possible. I would hate to see them in the wrong hands!
Your last letter was fascinating! You have proven me wrong, once again, by doing the impossible. I shouldn't have doubted your resolve, and I hope you will keep me apprised of further progress.
Your friend and colleague,
O
Marian frowned before reading the letter again. Then she glanced up at the two men watching her. "Does anyone know who 'O' is?"
Anders put his hand out. "May I see?"
She passed the letter to him without protest. He read it quickly before his eyebrows came together in concern. "What is it, Anders?"
"I… I think I know who wrote this."
Marian tapped her foot impatiently while Anders tried to form the words she so desperately needed to hear. "Well?"
"I believe Orsino might have written this letter… aiding your mother's murderer."
