Marissa, Alistair, and Giselle walked around the field as Paul and the other wardens started to set fire to the bodies.
They discovered the remains of a blood mage among the carcasses of several darkspawn that had appeared to be ritually drained of their blood.
"This is bad." Giselle said. "If there are maleficars harnessing the power of darkspawn blood; their power could pose a threat as great as any archdemon."
"Wynne is our liaison to the Circle." Marissa said. "This may be a random occurrence but we should let them know just in case.
"We could also give Jowan a small sample of darkspawn blood and maybe he can devise something to counteract any of the magic we encounter." Alistair suggested.
"That is an excellent idea." Marissa told him. "We best be prepared if this happens again and you should also keep up your Templar abilities."
Alistair could feel Marissa looking at him.
"Of course." He said.
While the discovery of what she discovered in the hidden floor space of her room still weighed heavily on her; Marissa smiled at Alistair remembering how much they completed each other when they were on their journey to unite Ferelden. It felt right to her that they working on this together.
'Maker's Breath! She's smiling at me.'
Alistair couldn't remember the last time she smiled at him that way. It made him want to stop time so he could hold on to the moment.
"I also propose initiating a bounty on anyone who may have any direct ties to maleficars." Giselle said. "It could be the only way we get answers."
"Good idea." Alistair and Marissa both said in unison.
"Let's head back to the compound." Giselle said; trying to hide her amusement at seeing the way Alistair and Marissa were looking at each other.
"Marissa?"
She looked up to see Wynne standing in her doorway.
"Come in and shut the door behind you."
"I thought you should know that a messenger from the Circle delivered a new copy of the Litany of Adralla to use in case of any blood magic, but Irving said it could be less powerful if darkspawn blood is being harnessed." Wynne said. "Alistair put in the vault."
Wynne realized Marissa was not paying attention.
"Wynne, you know that night we played cards? " Marissa asked. "After you went to bed…something happened."
"What happened?"
"I saw Duncan sitting in the chair I am sitting in right now." Marissa told her. And he led me to this."
Marissa showed her the two books and the box and the secret hidden space in the floor.
"Have you looked at what you found?"
"No." Marissa admitted. "A part of me is scared to and the other part of me was waiting for you to return."
"I think your time in the Fade when we were reclaiming the Circle has made you more sensitive when it comes to spirits. Have you ever been visited by Duncan when you dream?"
"No."
"Did Duncan talk to you when you saw his ghost?"
"No." Marissa shook her head. "It felt like I was watching a memory of something that happened in the past."
"What are you waiting for?" Wynne smiled.
Trembling; Marissa dropped the book and picked it up, deciding to tread carefully and read one of the last entries.
It has been two days since fleeing Highever Castle. We have not encountered any of Howe's men thus far and the further we get the more reassured I feel that we will be safe as we journey to Ostagar. Marissa has been quiet for the most part; only saying the occasional thank you or engaging in the occasional small talk. She has not grieved yet and I know that I must force it out of her if need be because she cannot face what is to come in the current state she is in. It's strange; when I look at her I get this strong sense of faith that she will survive the Joining. It has been written in Warden History, that the taint can often give one the gift of prescience. The last time I felt this way was when I had conscripted Alistair and my instincts were correct there. If what I have seen beyond the horizon is true and not some taint addled figment of my imagination, Alistair and Marissa will be the ones pivotal in ushering the Gray Wardens into a new era for Ferelden.
"Did Duncan help you grieve?" Wynne asked.
"Yes." Marissa could feel the tears streaming down her face. "We were about seven days away from Ostagar and there was this horrible storm. We took shelter in this abandoned barn and as we were sitting there he suddenly said that I must not really have loved my parents enough since I haven't grieved for them."
"And what did you do after he said that?"
"I was surprised by what he said but I denied it." Marissa said. "I told him I had to remain strong and make them proud. He didn't accept that and continued to say the most horrible things."
"What did you do?" Wynne asked.
"I was in a state of shock at first." Marissa said. "I could not believe after all we went through that he was saying all these horrible things. I protested. I begged him to stop and then I couldn't take it anymore and ran out in the rain and that's when I finally cried."
"I felt a hand on my shoulder and I turned and saw him looking at me with the most understanding eyes and at that moment I realized what he was trying to do." Marissa continued. "He helped me up and held me as I unleashed all my grief. As long as I live, I will never forget him for that as well as for seeing the strength in me that I thought I never had. He was a good man who deserved a better fate."
"Did you make a stop at Denerim before heading to Ostagar?" Wynne asked.
"Those first couple of days after fleeing the castle are still a blur." Marissa said. "He hired a wagon and I remember him paying the driver extra to watch me while he went to get supplies. That is probably when he went to the compound for one last time."
"Let me read the entry before this one."
The moment finally arrived today. Teyrn Cousland introduced me to her earlier today in the main hall. After all the years I spent monitoring her progress with the aid from my contacts as well as the occasional sojourns I made into a Highever to view the tournaments her father held while in disguise as a Highever citizen, it was a relief as well as a bit of shock to speak to her. My contact's description of her gave her no justice, for she is quite beautiful but what struck me most were her eyes. She has her aunt's eyes. For a moment, they transported me back to another time.
"She has her aunt's eyes?" Marissa dropped the book.
"Oh Maker." She gasped.
"Marissa, what's wrong?" Wynne asked.
"He knew…my aunt." Marissa whispered.
Picking up the book, Marissa continued to read.
She was very polite and expressed an interest in speaking to me later which I look forward to. Her father was a bit taken aback by my suggestion that she would make an excellent recruit and while I made a promise to him that I would not invoke the Right of Conscription, Marissa is an adult and capable of making her own decisions so I intend to formally invite her again. I am going to keep that promise I made to myself after Lorena was killed.
Marissa put the book down. "I can't believe it. My aunt mentioned a Duncan in her journals. I just thought it was another man. I never dreamed it could be him "
She reached over and handed one her aunt's journals to Wynne.
"Aunt Lorena once told me that she considered herself married even though they could not be together. She was talking about Duncan."
Marissa opened Duncan's journal and poured through the pages while Wynne read her aunt's.
I know why I could no longer feel her. Lorena is dead; and the way she was killed was not only heinous but cowardly. She was killed as she walked away from an admirer she spurned. And now I feel an emptiness that will never be filled again.
My contacts in Highever say her niece has been inconsolable. I have taken a leave from the Wardens. I made my request sound as if I was looking for recruits but I am going to find the man that did this to her and he is going to meet my blade. I know I am violating what the Wardens stand for but this is something I cannot put aside.
"He was the one who killed him." Marissa said. "So many pieces to the puzzle are coming together now. I still don't understand why he would have contacts tracking me for all these years."
Wynne looked up from what she was reading. "Your aunt mentions in her journal that she wrote letters to Duncan and that she talked about you in great detail. Perhaps you were the connection to her that he was seeking. "
"But why recruit me to the Gray Wardens?" Marissa asked.
"Didn't you say your aunt wanted so much more for you?" Wynne smiled
Marissa turned the page and began to read another entry.
It is done. The man who killed my Lorena is dead. In the end, he begged for mercy so I ended his own suffering that was brought by my hand. The Maker will sit in judgment of him as well as me but I don't care. She did not deserve to die in that manner. My mind is haunted by the decision of not recruiting her to the Gray Wardens. The fear of losing her was just too great for me to consider. While on my way to the crypt today, I took a detour through the wooded area of the grounds and saw a young girl sitting under a tree and I immediately realized she was Lorena's niece when I watched her summon a fox. I remained hidden in the bushes and watched her cavort with the animals she called forth and then she got up, ran down a hill before she somersaulted several times. It was then that I decided that while I would keep my distance; I would have my contacts give me updates on her life. It's a fool hardy thing to do, but I think Lorena would not mind me keeping tabs on the niece she held so dear."
"Duncan was afraid he would lose her to the Joining." Marissa said.
"And he wanted to give you that chance to be everything your Aunt wanted you to be." Wynne smiled.
Marissa wiped the tears from her eyes and continued to browse through
the journal and looked up after reading one passage.
"He really cared a great deal about Alistair and held him high regard."
Marissa said.
"You need to show him this." Wynne said. "It would ease his burden."
"I will." Marissa said.
"How are you two doing?"
"It's strange." Marissa said. "There are moments when it's like that night he left never happened, while other times we seem to be avoiding each other."
"You will never be able to move forward until you talk with him about the events of that night." Wynne said. "And neither will he."
"Believe me Wynne." Marissa sighed. "I know."
Thomas Howe knelt before the portrait of Marissa, placing flowers before it.
He should have hated her for killing his father but it made him love her all the more because she had freed him from the years of abuse he had endured. His father had even lied to him about promising to keep Marissa alive and all that was left for him was this portrait. Thomas had managed to escape his father's estate with a sizable portion of gold and soon he would have his heart's desire with the help of the blood mages that work for him.
"So beautiful." He whispered. "We will be together soon my love."