More, more, more! You people are ravenous! Fortunately I'm happy to oblige. This story is like a rabid darkspawn trying to claw out of my brain...it must be ousted! Again I would like to thank everyone that has giving this tale a shot. Your support thus far as meant the world to me! Special thanks to my reviewers and those that set alerts and favorites: xxHPxxGWxx, Nonesensical-Romance, rhiannaskye, Alifangirl21, kasadilla, Aya001, TheEmeraldLady and of course the wonderful Violet Theirin! May your muse return from her drunken stupor on Bourbon Street and get her arse back to work!
Bioware, why do you do this to me? WHY! P.S.- They own everything aside from my strange and fantastical meanderings.
Alandra had expected the worst for their trip into Tevinter. The ancient battlefield that they passed through was eerie enough during the day and she was glad that they had not attempted to cross the area after nightfall. Fortunately the two apostates passed through the Silent Plains without incident. They had officially made it to the Tevinter Imperium though they were still some distance from their destination.
Minrathous was the capitol city, bordered by the Nocen Sea on the east and The High Reaches and Valarian Fields to the west. The Imperial Highway would take them into the city as it was at it's northernmost tip. Once upon a time Minrathous had been the seat of the most powerful magi, it had also been the capitol of the known world. This however was no longer true, the once grand city had never been conquered, but the wear of the ages, countless wars and the excess of it's Magisters and Archons had led the city to decay over time. It was now a place of refugees fleeing from constant battles with the Qunari though some of the most powerful mages in all of Thedas still lived behind it's walls. It was there that she hoped they would find the way to free Anders.
They walked until they came to a small town just after nightfall. Deciding it was best to stay there until morning and loving the idea that they wouldn't have to sleep on the ground that night, they rented a room in a tiny inn on the outskirts. They settled in for the night lying on the bed facing each other.
As she looked at him her mind wandered, recalling all of the things he had said to her the previous night.
"Do you truly intend to make me your wife," she questioned quietly, "or was that just a random musing?"
He took her hand into his and pressed it over his heart, she expected that he would smile but the sad look he had been wearing most of the day didn't budge.
"I meant every word of it, love, but the reality of the present makes that all but impossible," he answered not bothering to hide the bitterness in his voice. "There are so many things that keep us apart even though you are right here with me. The fact that I am an abomination, that I have something else inside of me. The fact that I have the darkspawn taint coursing through my veins slowly killing me. Oh, and let's not forget the fact that I set a magical bomb off in Kirkwall's Chantry killing the corrupt and innocent alike." He absently rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb as his brows knit together in frustration.
"You gave mages everywhere a sign that could not be denied. You struck a blow at the Chantry that cannot be ignored. You started a revolution to give US the chance to be free," she replied with a smile, "and I must admit...I find the whole tainted Grey Warden revolutionary bit rather attractive. Perhaps I should swoon more in your presence."
He rewarded her with a quick chuckle and shifted so he could kiss her forehead before his face became somber again.
"The truth is, those are hopes that I have...and I've faced the fact that those hope and dreams may never be realized. We could very well succeed in finding a way to separate Justice from me and at that point I would marry you, if you would have me. Even then, if we had a life together where I didn't have to worry about Justice trying to hurt you there is still the fact that I am tainted. There is a slim chance that we would ever actually be able to have a family," he stated simply, "everything that I am, everything that I've done could stop that dream in it's tracks and I have no one to blame but myself." He sighed heavily and letting go of her hand got up from the bed and crossed over to the small fireplace on the other side of the room.
"What about the letters we recovered for the Wardens in Kirkwall. They said something about research involving the blood done by a man named Avernus and someone referred to as the Architect. Perhaps that research would help you in some way?" she asked. "What if it is a cure of some sort...or something that will stop the progression of the taint in a way?"
"The Architect," he spat the name like a dirty word, "was researching the effects of Grey Warden blood on darkspawn. He had discovered that with the application of warden blood darkspawn gain some sibilance of humanity and cease the need to search for the Old Gods, effectively ending the chance for another blight. Avernus, however, I am unfamiliar with. Perhaps that was a mum policy. At any rate, I won't hang on to something so fanciful. The fact is...in twenty years or less I will be dead."
"Anders, it is at least..." she began, but he cut her off.
"No, Alandra. I can't hope that there is a solution to every problem I have," he said in a stern voice slamming his hand down onto the mantle. He turned to look at her knowing that he had been harsh and the hurt look on her face said it all. "Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to..."
"No, it's fine," she said steeling her voice so it didn't waiver, "really. I'm just going to get some sleep."
He sighed and buried his face in his hands and she turned over and pulled the blankets up to cover her face.
You must enjoy the taste of shoe leather, he thought to himself. "I'm going to get some air." Without waiting for a reply he walked out of the room shutting the door quietly behind him.
He wandered outside of the town aimlessly for at least an hour the light from the full moon making it easy for him to see. His thoughts were so jumbled and he knew that he had gotten defensive with her because he was scared. He probably wanted this to work out more than she did, truth be known, but it was painful for him to hope for something so beautiful and come away with nothing. He couldn't bear the thought of losing her, but he also couldn't bear the thought of disappointing her.
He continued to walk. The silence was at least bringing something like peace to his mind when he heard something that sounded strangely like the swishing of wings. There was a strong smell of ozone and then all was quiet again. Though he was unsure of what it could have been the thought made him extremely uncomfortable so he turned to go back to the town. He was nearly halfway back when he heard a voice behind him and spun summoning a spell. It died before he even charged it.
"Well, well...It's curious that YOU should be here...and at THIS hour," the woman said as she walked toward him, "and don't trouble yourself with conjuring spells, Anders. After all, I'm just an old woman," she cackled.
The strange woman stood before him with one hand on her hip and the other tapping her chin thoughtfully as she watched him with her strange golden eyes. "Well do say something, lad...I didn't come here for a one-sided conversation."
She seemed strangely familiar to him but he knew he had never seen her before. "Who are you," he asked, "and how in the Maker do you know me?"
She cackled again before replying. "I have many names, but you may call me Flemeth or Asha'bellanar if it pleases you. As to how I know you, let it suffice to say that I know many things." She circled him like a prowling cat about to strike silently and when she was facing him again she continued. Goosebumps littered his flesh as she spoke. "The air of change surrounds you like a tempest, YOU have learned to fly, mage...but did your woman leap from that precipice willingly or did you push her?"
He tensed even more. "Leave her out of this. Alandra is of no concern to you," he said with challenge.
She smiled deadly as a serpent. "Ah but she is, the Champion of Kirkwall...a Fereldan who was much like you," she said, cocking her head to the side and never blinking as she observed him, "she too was surrounded by the air of change and where she went it followed." She began tapping her chin thoughtfully again. "Know this, lad...only together will you find the solution that you seek. Together that tempest will carry you, yet apart you will flounder like a ship without it's rudders. If you are the ship then she is it's sails and without those you will surely fail." With that she turned and began to walk away into the moonlit night.
Anders stood there dumbfounded as he watched her walk away. She turned and faced him once more and called out to him.
"What are you waiting for lad? Spreading your wings is the only way to reach your true destination," she said with one last cackle before she shifted into an immense dragon and flew off right before his eyes.