The group walked in silence, Deedo more so than the others did, they listened as Morrigan told of the encounters she had with the Warden and events' leading to the ending of the Blight, as well as the current state the Warden was in.
They continued to walk in the night silent, the twins were nodding off in their saddles, Lili'Enyel as well, Cullen seemed to be unaffected as he held on to the small boy in his arms. Xellexes held a sleeping Morrigan; he watching ahead saw the elder Deedo hanging her head.
"Deedo, we should stop, if not for yourself then the younger ones." He warned he knew she would never purposefully deprive the young ones but in the new land, they had no real feel of the world around them.
Cullen chimed in, "Yes, it is rather late. We should be closer to the city, I would like nothing more than to continue myself and Ser Xellexes is correct, the younger ones need a stretch."
The High elf woman turned to the two men and nodded as she halted dismounting her mare. Finding a suitable spot along the tainted land was a bit difficult as soon as a spot large enough for them all was determined she woke Tenkou.
"Love, I need you to build a room." Deedo politely asked of the young Druid, while she pulled a few seeds from her pouch.
Going to the area that was best suited she tossed the seeds down, each glowed various colors of blue and white as if waiting for instruction.
Tenkou whispered her spell, before Cullen's eyes, he watched a small cabin form. Deedo walked in the entryway as the vines continued to grow drop eight seeds with each seed that fell, a cot took its place.
Buds of exotic flowers sprouted of lavender and various shades of blue blossomed illuminating dimly the interior. The vines grew in various sizes, the floor made up of thinner tendrils tightly bound together, there were four posts of thicker vines, which bent and grew to make the roof and walls. As well as an archway, this was the door and a small window that passed the light from the inside out.
Once Deedo finished within – placing the cots about the room, she exited going to tap the sleeping Ranger and Bard.
Casting levitation on the sleeping human woman Xellexes easily moved Morrigan to the cabin. Cullen amazed by what he saw but did not question it at this time. Deedo cast on the child and carried him in, the twins and Lilly followed right after - the horses vanished in a shimmer of light to their whistles after each rider dismounted entering the cabin.
Each was sleep as soon as their heads hit their pillows, minus Deedo who kissed the girls and Vy'el, tucking them in before lying down for the evening.
"My Lady, is this the sort of sorcery that exist in the world you live?" Cullen asked as he touched one of the soft velvety petals of the luminous flower.
Deedo smiled, "Yes, sleep well." Was all she needed to say before she drifted off to sleep.
As each flower softly dimmed, most darkening entirely leaving the ones near Cullen lit, "Sleep well... wondrous." The templar whispered finally laying his head down and too sound asleep.
~O~O~O~O~
Deedolett walked through the halls of Kinloch Hold, all the doors along the hall had closed as she approached, and a red ribbon was her guide. The ribbon ran the center of the floor it seemed to light up if she tried to go a different direction.
"…Olett…"
"Jowan, is that you?" her elven ears heard in the distance.
Following now the voice and ribbon she ascended the tower, climbing the stairs she looked out of one of the windows, she stopped and peered out.
She saw a forest, trees that seemed to touch the sky. As she tried to look more of the forest from the corner of her eye, the ribbon glowed once more.
"…Dee…"
Turning her attention back to the voice and her climb, each of the doors continued to close at her approach. Deedolett went to try one of the doors she knew well and saw that it would not budge, she had no choice but to continue her climb.
"Who is there Jowan, First Enchanter, Knight - Commander Greagoir?" she shook her sable hair and tarried on.
Something from one on the windows caught her eye, she peeked out, and what she saw was a wonder, a Griffin, soaring high in the clouded sky, her heart swelled. Her mind wishing she too could soar high and free. The ribbon glowed once more drawing her to follow.
"Yes, no time for such fantasies, where is it you are leading me too?" she chuckled as the ribbon seemed to glow in response.
As she made her way closer to the top, she saw a large shield – upon closer inspection her smile turned into a frown, within the shield was she, and on the outside was Cullen.
She beat on the shield and it hissed when she hit it, "I am no demon, it is me, you have to believe me I would never harm you."
He narrowed his eyes as he looked upon the face of the one who haunted him, "Damn you and damn your kind, you will not slay the magi then I shall!" He took off towards the Harrowing chamber.
Franticly beating on the shield her words having no effect on the man, "No, please no, Cullen listen to me, you have to know what I say is the truth, CULLEN!" she sank to her knees listening to the screams of the men and woman who where trapped above her.
The elf hung her head; she never knew he could harbor so much hatred towards her ability or others like her. It hurt to watch, but she slowly learned what happen and never hated him for his words. Deedolett did what she thought was right and slew Uldred saving both the innocent and possibly non-innocent magi remaining.
"It felt like that was how he wished me to do it, I know I made the right choice." She slowly walked to the stairs leading to the chamber above.
As she opened the heavy door she climbed the remaining steps and a brilliant light filled the room she had to shield her eyes from the blinding light, as it dimmed she lowered her hands what she saw took her words away.
Lying curled up was an enormous silver and gold dragon, its scales glistened, and its wings iridescent pearl color, its tail was resting on its muzzle as she approached it opened its eyes. A deep marine blue, so entrancing it is you cannot help but be in awe of its magnificence.
It shifted its tail and raised its mighty head, a series of low rumbles and clicks reverberated off the walls, and the ground thumped with the beat of its massive heart.
Careful steps she took as she admired the creature before her, "Was it you who called me?" she asked in a whisper not wanting to frighten it.
It looked at her lifting its head higher to the domed ceiling expanding its wings to stretch, and into her mind it spoke,
"No, I did not call you… I am Urthemiel one of the seven ancient ones, long before your time."
As it went to shift positions once more, the red ribbon followed to a line on the underbelly of the dragon, a bright red slit running from its forelegs to its hind. In addition, with each beating of the dragon's heart the ribbon illuminated.
Reaching tentatively, inches from the great beast, to touch the creature that was so stunningly beautiful she wanted to feel such a marvelous being.
"…Deedolett?" she turned and standing near the stairs with his arms open wide was Cullen, she ran to him, glad to see a friendly face went to embrace him, the tail of Urthemiel came down before her baring her path.
The dragon spoke once more, "What brings you before me child was there something you wished of Urthemiel?"
Startled by the great tail she turned slowly to the old one, "I know not what brought me to you, I have nothing that I wish, but I would like to know how did you come to be here in the Kinloch Hold Harrowing chamber?"
The floor slowly started to fall from beneath them as the dragon pulled her closer, revealing the millions of Darkspawn that inhabited the many byways and catacombs far from Dwarven, Human and Elven eyes.
"You hear them calling do you not, child of another world, you who slew me? They amass as we speak to seek a new god to lead them to cover the lands to blot out what once was beautiful and pure as the Maker saw fit."
As Deedolett look below her feet, hovering high above the horde that gathered, in what looked like a sea of misshapen bodies, far under Thedas, her heart began to throb within her chest,
"What? Child of another world, what do you mean, I slew you, I would never bring myself to harm one as…" She was unable to finish her statement as she stood wide-eyed her hands covering her mouth to muffle the scream that threatened to erupt.
No longer looking at the once beautiful dragon of silver and gold, but something only night terrors where made.
The Beautiful Urthemiel scales became marred grey, and its wings the entrancing pearlescent gleam melted to a sickly grey-lavender and the once deep marine of the creatures eyes had coating them with death and decay.
The brilliant red that made up the ribbon and wound on its stomach changed to black, as dark as a moonless night.
With a piercing roar, the once beautiful spewed a hellish flame, the horde grew loud and restless, and the ribbon circled around her feet, wrapping 'round her like a cocoon until it covered her completely. Then the only sound was her heartbeat.
Thump, thump…. Thump, thump…
~O~O~O~O~
The sun over Ferelden crawled its way into the sky, chasing the blanket of night away. The inhabitants of the city of Denerim were awake with the continued rebuilding and cleanup from the Blight.
The castle was already alive with the hustle cooking, cleaning and reading for any such event the newly crowned king would have had done this day.
Arl Eamon made his way to the Kings dressing room passing the mage Wynne in the process. He knocked on the door awaiting his acknowledgement.
"Yes… Enter." Alistair called over his shoulder, as his servants primed him for the start of the day.
"Your Highness, to you are to meet with several farmers from the Bannorn, and cleanup of the city is running smoothly, and Mage Wynne wished to have a word with you when you have a moment. Then there is this…" The older man bowed his head slightly as he addressed his charge, also handing a official looking missive.
Alistair turned nodding he was ready to start his duties, ones that seem never ending, when all he wished to do at this point was spend time with the sleeping Elf. Eamon noticed the dark circles still under the young man eyes.
"Yes and any word on the condition of Deedolett?" he asked as he tugged the collar of his tunic, grimacing at the elven servant, the elf in question shrugged and headed out of the room. Taking the missive from Eamon he turned it over and paled a bit, it bore the emblem of the Grey Wardens from Weisshaupt.
"None, but I will assume – if I may, that is what the Mage Wynne wishes to speak with you about. How are you sleeping?" The older man placed a hand on the king's shoulder.
Alistair sighed as he undid the top button, feeling much more comfortable, "Not well I'm afraid, I constantly worry over her state. There hasn't been anything in any of the books that indicate why she is unconscious."
The older man nodded, "I am sure there is something to have her come 'round, until then take the short time you have to visit her before you address the farmers."
With a grateful lopsided smile, Alistair did just that.
~O~O~O~O~
Well before the sun was high in the sky the group of eight rode through the main gate that led into the city, the gate itself was still in repair as was the rest of the wall. The elves looked around as they saw building in much needed repair people in tattered clothes, children filthy rummaging through debris of the partly crumbling city.
"This is where the standoff between Human, Elf, Dwarf, and Darkspawn took place." Morrigan announced as they stopped, several of the people who were cleaning stopped to admire the group as they observed, a few of the children ran up wishing to pet the horses.
Deedo smiled as she let a few children ride her mare, cloaked as not show themselves, still being strangers within this world. The Lady called over her shoulder, "I knew it, they do not get to see horses every day."
Xellexes chuckled, "Yes young lady and we have an objective least you forget the reason we are here?"
Her shoulders sagged slightly and she turned to face her friend. He sighed, "Alright, a few moments, Morrigan the way to the castle to the king?"
"The way may have been closed off, there were Ogre rampaging through these very streets." The wilds witch stated mater of factly.
They looked about for someone who may know another way to the castle, spying a templar near the Chantry Cullen gave Vy'el the reigns and went to ask for directions.
A short while later he came back with a smile, "They state that the main road to the castle had been clear for some time." Once again taking his place at Vy'el side, "Do you have family here Vy'el?" Cullen asked as he watched the other orphaned children running around the Chantry sisters.
"No ser, I have none, Mummy and Daddy told me that I am Dalish and that my people do not live in such cities, and we avoided them because of Mummy."
Deedo turned when she heard that and the others knew what she was thinking, "Deeds…" Lili'Enyel started.
"Can we help them after your reunion?" The Ranger excused herself riding up to the Chantry doors and removing her coin purse handing it to the sisters as they gratefully thanked the stranger for such a generous gift.
Trotting her steed back, she tilted her head, "Can we go now?"
Deedo nodded and walked her mare over to the sisters with the children still riding on her back; handing the reigns over to the elder woman, she bowed her head and walked away waving to the children.
"Yes we may go now." The high elf stated with a smirk.
Morrigan groaned, "I see where Olett gets it from." Shaking her raven head, she pointed towards the main street that will take them to the castle.
~O~O~O~O~
Leliana spotted Cullen after he had went back to the hooded strangers, and what surprised her more was Morrigan was with them. She finished her task with the orphans at the Chantry quickly making her way back to the castle.
Once she was within the hall of the castle Zevran and Oghren were just about to leave into the city for a few,
"You two will not believe who I just saw." The red head gushed in her Orlesian accent, when she gotten confused looks from the two men, she rolled her eyes sighing, "Morrigan and Cullen!"
"The beautiful witch has returned I knew she could not get enough of my charm." Zevran smirked making breast with his hands. Leliana swatted at his arm,
"What the second pike twirler, heh musta' came for sleeping beauty." He thumbed behind him and nudged Zevran next to him.
The Bard shrugged, "I am not sure, they had a few people with them they wore hoods, they dropped off gold and a beautiful horse at the Chantry, one of them even let some of the children ride it.
Quizzical looks went through the small group, "I am going to go inform Wynne, Arl Eamon, and Alistair he should be finished with his audience." She hurried up the hall heading to Deedolett's bedchamber.
~O~O~O~O~
Zevran turned to the Dwarf, "I am going to see these new arrivals, care to join me?" the tanned Antivan announced as he walked towards the large doors.
"Nah, I think I'll head to the tavern before I help the humans in the art of drunken bloodlust." Oghren gingerly walked by way of the kitchen.
With a shrug, the assassin went to see the witch who left shortly after the battle with the fallen Archdemon, along with the cloaked visitors.
Once out the into the street Zevran shifted into the shadows, spying the group immediately, they were indeed cloaked and had marvelous looking horses, "They must be wealthy, the tailoring of their cloaks suggest so, look at the detail on those saddles." He thought to himself as he closely watches their approach.
~O~O~O~O~
Approaching the castle the High Elf woman's stomach started to do flips, the hairs on the back of her neck tingled.
"My loves…" she paused as she could hear the cloth of her companions set their eyes on her, "I do not experience this feeling all too often, but I must say I am nothing but a bundle of mashed emotions." Deedo chuckled balling her hands into fist as she tried to contain her anxiety.
The others shared soft chuckles and soon found themselves at the stairs leading to Denerim's heart, her castle.
~O~O~O~O~
A mostly darkened chamber – save the light from a illuminating viewing portal, its soft glow opened before a set of weary eyes, "There she is mistress, your powerful vessel." a man bowed his head at her presence.
A tired smile shown on her partly shadowed face, with a tired enraptured smile
"At last, ripe for the taking." As a chuckle burbled from the woman's throat, building to a deranged cackle, as it sound echoed about the room slowly dying off from the main point.
He looked up to his mistress and then to the portal, with a bow deeper than the first as he silently agreed.
