The serrated tower loomed in the distance. The wind rustled against Leliana's face as the group glided over the lake in a small skiff. It hadn't taken much persuading for the templar guarding the dock to agree to take them across. A bag of Sten's beloved cookies and they were off!
The Templar had denied the wardens passage at first. Scarlet had argued of course but alas he would not believe they were Grey Wardens.
"Come on then, Let's see some righteous grey wardening."
The wardens normally calm and pleasant demeanor slowly changed and her face contorted in an all - consuming anger; her nostrils flaring, her eyes flashing and closing into slits, her mouth quivering, slurring words that were unintelligible came spewing into space like a volcano releasing its pent up emotions into the darkness.
Taking a step back, eyes darting frantically, they landed on her and he smiled a little.
"That redhead," He said, nodding in Leliana's direction, " she doesn't need to go to the tower, does she? Because it gets a little lonely out here sometimes and you could just leave her with me." He finished his cheeks blushing slightly, looking down.
"What!" Leliana's eyes widened, looking between the templar and Scarlet who turned to her, a small smile pulling at her lips, she would be getting no help there.
Think. "No. I'm sorry... I'm a... Poetess, I'm not interested," Leliana glared at the templar then glancing around, Alistair's face had done bright red, looking anywhere but The Orlesian, Scarlets mouth was slightly ajar, her eyes wide with a slight glint that made a rush of warmth flow through her. The pull of the warden was getting stronger the longer they were in each others company, the dawns light giving her red hair a blondish tint, a wisp out of place, Leliana longed to reach up and place it behind her ear.
"Parshaara, here, munch on these if you like," Sten growled, pushing his way to the front of the group. Leliana jumped slightly. She had forgotten the templar, the circle, the blight. For just a moment.
"Ohh, cookies," Said the templar, snatching them from the qunari's hand, stuffing one in his mouth, the templar led them to the skiff.
The lake glimmered all around her in the callow light of dawn. A broad span of the deep blue sky was painted above the shimmering surface. The hollowness of the valley magnified all sounds, from burbling streams to the bumble of bees. The visage of the lake was veneer-clear and tranquil, flanked by an avenue of trees. There was strange perfection to the scene while the water was gilded with moonlight-pale lilies. Plip-plopping fish caused concentric rings to puff out and disappear as the air hummed all around her. A phalanx of flies was patrolling the water's edge, called into service by the heaven-filtering light.
So beautiful.
She was truly a spectator in nature's amphitheatre.
Leliana froze, blinking rapidly. Her peaceful reverie gone.
The heaven-touching apex of the tower was drenched in brilliant light. Spikes of thin rays of sun impaled it in a bristling, moving line. As they grew closer, all across her line of sight, the tips of the column stuck up like a row of thorns. Swaddled around it were necklaces of dark windows. The air became cold as they came closer to the island. The unmistakable whiff of chargrilled flesh wafted to Leliana's nose, a slight sense of nausea following. The group had ceased all susurration, the silence that followed was spine chilling. It froze her marrow to think that they would be entering such a place.
"Let's go," Scarlet said, her voice wavering slightly. She turned to the group and looked about as good as Leliana felt at this moment. The warden and the rest of her companions had paled in the shadow of this foreboding prison. Even Sten, normally so stoic seemed apprehensive, glanced around, eyes twitching briefly. Leliana's heart hammered in her chest so hard she feared it would break out of its cage.
As they approached the entrance to the circle, her palms began to sweat, the hair on her arms and the back of her neck bristled as the doors were pulled open and they stepped into rancid wretchedness. The stench of blood and infection wafted through the air and her stomach lurched. A cold tremor shot down her back and her body twitched. This place was wrong. All wrong.
Templars were everywhere, their commander barking orders, they had all stopped and looked in the direction of the assortment of people who had just walked through their doors. Every one of their eyes had dilated pupils, their hands shaking.
Scarlet walked up to the commander, her mouth firmly closed with a slight frown.
"What's going on here?" The warden asked Leliana moved a little closer to her, nudging the warden and indicating to where templars where barricading the doors.
"Are they keeping people out or in?" Alistair offered, the older wardens lips had compressed and his hand was fidgeting at the hilt of his sword.
"I am Greagoir, knight-commander of Fereldans tower of Magi, We are dealing with a ... delicate situation, you must leave. It's for your own safety." He replied.
"We are Grey Wardens, we have come seeking the circles aid in the fight against the blight, we need the mages help to defeat the darkspawn," Scarlet said, her voice quivering. The colour had not fully returned to her cheeks.
"I am weary of the Grey Wardens ceaseless need for men to fight the darkspawn" -Greagoir shook his head- "But it is their right." He added reluctantly.
The Knight-Commander turned away and walked to the barricade "You'll find no allies here, the templars can spare no men and the mages are... indisposed."
Scarlet stormed after him, her jaw clenched.
Greagoir's shoulders slumped before turning to face the warden. His arms hung at his sides, his body slack. The torchlight cast a palish hue over his features, and dark shadows clung to his eyes. How long had it been since he slept? "I shall speak plainly," he said, his voice barely above a whisper."The tower is no longer under our control, abominations and demons stalk the halls, the circle is lost, the tower has fallen."
Abominations. Demons. Leliana bit her lip and watched as Scarlets eyes widened, her eyebrows raised.
"How the fuck did that happen?" The warden asked eyeing the Knight-Commander with distaste.
"We don't know," He bristled, "We saw only demons, hunting mages and templars alike, I realised we could not defeat them and told my men to flee."
The warden narrowed her eyes as deep blue eyes bored into the Knight-Commander's. "Are you telling me, you have locked all the mages in that tower to fight off demons on their own?" The warden said, her voice hard.
Leliana gazed darted from Scarlet to Knight Commander. Did they really leave the mage's alone to fend from themselves? From abominations? Her eyes grew wide as the reality of the situation sank in. Oh, Maker. The children. There had to be children in there. Alone. Leliana's face paled.
"We had no choice," Greagoir spat, pacing the small entrance his men huddled in. "We have to contain them as much as we can. Better a small amount perishes than those monstrosities escape. The damage they would cause..." Greagoir shivered, his eyes taking a far away cast as if remembering a different time. A different place. He blinked, and shook his head as if clearing the clouds from his mind. "I have sent word to Denerim, calling for reinforcements and the Right of Annulment."
"What does that mean?" The young warden said still glaring at the Knight-Commander but it was Alistair who answered "The mages are probably already dead. Any abominations left in the tower must be dealt with no matter what." Alistair's face was hard, was he really suggesting what leliana thought he was?
Greagoir cut in "The situation is dire, there is no alternative, everything in the tower must be destroyed so it can be made safe again," He said solemnly, he began pacing and Leliana realised he was trying to convince himself.
"The mages are not defenceless, some might still live, you can't just kill them all." The warden narrowed her eyes but her palms were up almost pleading with the Knight-Commander.
Leliana watched the exchange, her muscles tight, rapid breaths escaped her lips. A chill creeping over her skin, she wanted to be anywhere else but here. This place was wrong. All wrong.
"If any are alive then the Maker Himself has shielded them, no one could have survived those monstrous creatures and survived. It.. It is too painful to hope for survivors and find ... nothing," Greagoir said, wrinkling his forehead, glancing away before looking back, his eyes were haunted.
Leliana glanced at the warden, her expression had softened considerably. "I'll look for survivors," She said her jaw was set. They were going in. A shiver traced its way down her spine, the chill intensifying. Her heart resumed its excessive pace.
"I assure you, an abomination is a force to be reckoned with and you will face more than one," Greagoir said doubting. Looking at every one of the companions in turn as if they were all insane.
"I... I must try, it is the right thing to do." The warden straightened her back and crossed her arms over her chest, giving the Knight-Commander a look that meant she would not be argued with.
They had gathered what supplies they could from the templars quartermaster, getting a greatsword for Sten, "Acceptable." The qunari had deemed it and now they were walking through the circle, the door fortified behind them.
"It's ... it's you, no come no further, Grey Warden or not I will strike you down where you stand." A mage with long white hair, tied neatly in a bun said as they had turned a corner. There were children in the corner of the room, all huddled together, a few older mages too, the hope drained from their eyes. The smell was even worse here, Leliana coughed into her hand, trying to keep her breakfast from escaping her stomach. Maker.
"Wynne? What are you doing here?" Scarlet said raising her eyebrows as she stepped closer to her. Leliana frowned, wrinkles appearing on her forehead, looking between the warden and the mage.
The mage raised her staff, holding it across her chest, "I am a mage of the circle, more importantly, why are you here? the templar would not let just anyone by."
"I came here seeking the aid of the mages, to fight the blight." Scarlet glanced at the corner where some of the children had begun sobbing, she looked at Fluffy and nodded in their direction.
Wynne tensed, her shoulders taut, her knuckles white on her staff but she relaxed as the huge dog rolled on his back, the sobbing stopped as some of the children tentatively reached out and petted him, his tongue lolling out of his mouth. Leliana let the breath she didn't realise she was holding escape.
"And you were told that the circle was in no shape to help you, I suppose. So why are you here? Do they plan to attack the tower now?" The mage sighed as her shoulders slumped, she had fight in her, but it seemed to have been rapidly dissipating since their group had turned that corner.
"I... Don't worry the Right of Annulment has not arrived." Scarlet hesitated, her fingers placing that errant lock of hair behind her ear, Leliana frowned.
The mage sighed and turned from them looking at the children, who had all surrounded Fluffy. scratching his fur, their minds momentarily taken away from the situation they were in.
"what else could he do? Greagoir thinks the circle is lost, probably thinks we're all dead. They have abandoned us to our fate but even trapped as we are we have survived but if they receive the Right of Annulment, we won't be able to stand against them." The mage said quietly, out of range of the children.
"They would kill children?" Scarlet's face had contorted, her fists balled up in her hands, no doubt the memory of her nephew had come unbidden to her. Leliana wanted to go to her, comfort her.
"What happened here?" The Orlesian asked quietly. Moving next to the warden, staying close.
"We had something of a revolt on our hands, led by a mage, Uldred, when he returned from the battle of Ostagar, he tried to take over the circle. As you can see it didn't work out as he had planned, I do not know what happened to Uldred but I am certain this was all his doing. I will not lose the circle over one man's pride and stupidity." Wynne turned to face them her eyes alight.
"I erected a barrier over the door, leading to the rest of the tower, so nothing from inside could attack the children. You won't be able to enter the tower as long as the barrier holds, I will dispel it if you'll join with me to save the circle." The mage stood straight, unwavering. Her fight was back.
"Of course, I'll help you, Wynne. I won't let innocent people die for the actions of one madman," Scarlet said, looking over her shoulder and nodded.
Leliana unslung her bow from her back looking at the rest of the group, Sten had unstrapped his new greatsword from his back, Alistair had his shield and sword at the ready, Fluffy stalked over to his mistresses side. Leliana's eyes fell on Morrigan leaning against the wall, she hadn't moved, her expression one of haughtiness.
"Once greagoir sees that the circle is safe, I trust he will tell his men to back down. He is not unreasonable." Wynne turned directing the older mages and talking to the children.
"You want us to assist this preachy school mistress?"-Morrigan rolled her eyes- "To rescue these pathetic excuses for mages?" Morrigan had left her place at the wall and stood in front of Scarlet.
"They allow themselves to be corralled like cattle, mindless. Now their masters have chosen death for them and I say let them have it." Leliana looked into her eyes, they were cold, unfeeling. She wanted to reach out and slap the mage for being so callous.
"Do you have no empathy Morrigan? No respect for anyone?" Scarlet's eyes were ablaze, her hands clenching and unclenching.
"Look at how they live, servants of the chantry, they lack respect for themselves and of their power, why should I respect them?" The witch retorted, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Everyone deserves respect Morrigan, even a bitch like you," Alistair cut in, nostrils flaring. He stepped towards the witch, his face one of absolute disgust.
Morrigan scoffed looking between both wardens "Fine have it your way." Storming away from them, she took her place at the back of the group. Leliana was pleased, she wanted to be well away from the witch.
Leliana shook her head, could the depths of her contempt really permit the deaths of innocent children.
The Orlesian turned and watched as Wynne and the other mages settled the children, her heart dropped to her stomach at the thought of the templars killing everyone in here, a hand was on her shoulder and she turned her head, looking into those deep blue eyes that never failed to make her breath hitch in her throat.
"Are you OK?" Scarlet asked her softly, Leliana placed her hand over the wardens, daring to let it linger there and, for just a moment, she wasn't scared anymore. Again she had made her forget.
She nodded and removed her hand as Scarlet turned to Wynne.
"Take down the barrier."
A.N. I really need to thank Aeowyn99 for being my beta for this chapter and helping me iron out a few things out. Actually more than a few things. All of it. You're awesome.
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