"Cullen, we have to go. Now!" Cassandra fought with an urge to slap the man who stood in front of her and despite the terrible situation they have all been in, he still hesitated.
"But we are still missing a few people."
Was all the Commander said but Cassandra knew the hidden meaning behind the words. Ellena was not here and no one saw her. As much as the Seeker wished to hope that the woman was alright there were other, more pressing things to take care of. And the most important one right now was to get out of Haven. She settled on a reasonable approach and lightly clasped Cullen's shoulder in what she hoped was a friendly and reassuring gesture.
"Leliana is still out there looking for survivors. She will make sure Ellena and the others get here but right now, we have several dozens people here who are frightened and injured and it is our responsibility to get them into safety. We will lead them along the path Chancellor Roderick mentioned."
"If it makes things easier I will wait here for Leliana and others to regroup and then show them the way so we can catch up with you." Varric hastened to side with Cassandra and she gave him one of her rare smiles and a nod of approval.
"Very well. Lets get everyone moving then. Where is Roderick?" Cullen asked while his attitude shifted to that of his commander self. That was one of the things which Cassandra always admired about the man. He could shift gears in an instant and when he did the transformation was incredible. Where in one moment stood a man who was afraid and reluctant to leave Ellena behind was now an ex-templar and commander of the Inquisition who made his way through scared people of Haven and was already issuing the orders.
It took them several more moments to organize all of the survivors before they could head out into the lower dungeons under the Chantry. Once more Cassandra had to wonder what kind of a structure stood there before someone decided to rebuild it into the church building they came to know today. With such massive jail and now a hidden escape tunnel into the mountains her suspicion about the original purpose of the object only grew.
As the Inquisition set out from the chilling and dark caverns which zig-zagged underneath the mountains a blistering cold of the blizzard which has been raging fully through the mountain valleys finally hit them in the full force. They followed a barely recognizable path along the mountain sides and Cassandra finally decided to look back at what was left of Haven.
Even now from the distance she could see the red glow of fires and the dark smoke which spiraled upwards towards the skies. The Venatori and the mysterious Elder One who had attacked them surely came in with an overwhelming force. Had it not been for Roderick and his sudden recollection of this pilgrim path, all of them would have been probably dead by now. Her eyes turned from the smouldering ruins of Haven and she tried to recount just how many people were here. Several dozens at least, maybe over a hundred. It seemed that most of the towns people got out.
Cassandra could see Josephine and Blackwall who marched next to each other. Vivienne seemed composed as always as she made her way along the group of Templars who were helping several injured people through the snowdrifts. Her eyes lingered for a moment on Solas' back. The apostate mage walked in silence at the edge of the group, his head slightly bowed and he looked as if lost in some deep thoughts. A sudden ear splitting roar interrupted the silence of the night and everyone stopped dead in their tracks only to look up to the sky to see enormous, black dragon. The beast circled a few times above Haven before it swooped in among the fires which flared skywards upon its landing. This cannot be. But no matter how much Cassandra wanted to deny the facts, the monstrous dragon looked like one thing only. The Archdemon.She frantically made her way forwards to meet up with Cullen and the others. "We have to hurry, we cannot stay here."
"But we have nowhere to go." Cullen objected and Cassandra could see her own worries reflect on his face.
"If I may." Solas suddenly interrupted them and motioned for them to follow him away from the main group. "I might have a suggestion about our possible destination." The elf said finally. The flatness of his voice, despite their dire situation made Cassandra angry.
"We are listening Solas." Cullen replied after only a moment.
"To the north I know of the place which waits for a force to hold it. Where the Inquisition can rebuild and grow. It is called Skyhold."
"Can you lead us to it?" Cassandra asked and felt a tiny bit of hope among all the fears and worry which had hold of her heart.
"I will show you the way."
Together with Cullen the three of them pushed everyone to their limits, to get them as far away from Haven as possible. They only settled to rest for a couple of hours when the exhaustion took hold of everyone. At least they had gained enough distance from the immediate danger.
Early in the morning the next day a small group of latecomers arrived with Varric and Leliana leading the way. Cassandra felt a wave of relief when she saw them but that relief was short lived when her eyes did not find Ellena among them and her heart sank just as Varric lightly tapped on the flap of Cullen's tent. What struck her the most was the unusual serious and somber expression on the dwarf's face. She had never seen him looking like this before and when his back disappeared inside Commander's tent the Seeker suddenly felt a pang of pain in her heart. Judging from what she had just witnessed, Ellena did not make it. And despite the fact that Cassandra never really talked with that woman before, she now came to a realize that they had lost a good, honest person. Someone who tried her best to help despite the confusing and ugly situation they were all hurled into. And even though their time together was rather short lived Cassandra finally admitted to herself one thing. She had lost someone who she just started to see as a friend.
Her eyes were still looking on Cullen's tent when she saw her friend hastily rush out and with a sigh the Seeker stood up and decided to follow him towards the small clearing hidden amongst a circle of short and wind beaten spruce trees.
It took Cullen a good moment to fully realize what Varric had said to him in the tent. Ellena had been cut off from everyone by that huge dragon and the Elder One came for her. According to Leliana's recount of the events the chance for her to survive was close to nill. The ex-templar growled in anger and pain and with the full force of his arm smashed his fist against the nearest tree trunk. He failed her. Again and again he told Ellena that he will protect her but when it really came to it, he was not there.As if guided by some cruel desire his mind already started painting pictures of Ellena's small and ragged form laying motionlessly in the snow. Alone and abandoned.
"Cullen..."
"Not now Cassandra." Cullen growled in general direction where the voice of his friend came from. But he felt as if all the strength had left his body. His knees gave up under him and his whole form slowly crumbled into the snow.
"By the Maker Cassandra...I failed her. I left her there alone to die."
"There was nothing you could have done. We needed you here. Ellena would not want you to abandon all these people and get hurt on her behalf."
"I will never know what she might have wanted. I...I really cared for her you know." Cullen at last heard himself admit his feelings for the elf woman aloud to someone else than emptiness of his own room.
"I know. She was a great woman. I do not think I ever gave her enough credit for how brave she really was." Cassandra slowly took few steps towards her friend and gently layed one hand on his shoulder.
"I need to go back. I need to find her or see for myself that she is really gone. I will not be able to live with myself otherwise."
Cullen lifted his head and thought for a brief moment that he must have really looked awful because when his eyes met with Cassandra's, instead of an argument she only nodded.
"Very well. I will lead everyone together with Solas to Skyhold. I will make sure we mark the way for you. But Cullen...be careful. I do not want to lose you too." The Seeker gave Cullen's shoulder one tight squeeze before he could hear her footsteps crunch in the deep snow as she made her way towards the main camp.
Twenty minutes later Cullen stood ready with his things packed and strapped to the back of one of the horses. He gave one last glance to the string of people who trailed through the deep snow towards the north and hopefully the place Solas had promised to them.
Exalt the Elder One, the will that is Corypheus.
"It is your own fault little girl. You have interrupted a plan which took years of planning and instead of dying you stole its purpose. I do not know how you survived but the mark was crafted to assault the very Heavens and you have spoiled it with your stumbling."
The red light flared from the orb in Corypheus' hand again and Ellena collapsed on her knees once more. The pain made her sick, dizzy and she prayed that he would end it. Wished to die only to escape it.
"I will find another way. But you, I will not suffer even an unknowing rival."
She could only watch as he tore the chain, which bound her to the trebuchet free and with power unmatched he slowly lifted the small elf off the ground. All the muscles in her back protested against his grasp and for a moment she feared that the pull would dislocate her shoulders.
Ellena could hardly breathe. Every time she drew in a shaky breath the pain in her left arm pierced through her and her back threatened to break. Frantically she searched around for anyone or anything which would help her. It was at that moment when she realized that aside from her torturer and the Archdemon there was someone else present. A woman she had not seen before. Clad in dark dress, her fair hair reflected the flames around them and formed a sort of halo around her head.
"Master. The town is ours." The woman announced in a voice thick with familiar accent. She must have been from Tevinter. Ellena thought.
"Very well. Prepare our forces, we will leave soon."
The woman regarded the elf with the set of pale eyes but when she saw Ellena's face a hint of recognition flashed across her features. But Ellena could hardly dwell on it. Another tremor shook through her body and Corypheus tosed her aside like a ragdoll. The impact when her body slammed into the hard wood and metal of the trebuchet behind her knocked all the air from her lungs and she was left on the ground in a pitiful, gasping heap.
Ellena desperately tried to think about something else. Tried to remember how to will her mind to focus on other things and to leave her aching body aside until this monster would deal her the finishing blow. Cullen's face appeared before her and she could hear a sob escape from her lips. How she longed to see him again. Wanted to feel his arms around her once more. Just to drown in his embrace. Ellena urged her mind with all her remaining will to stay focused on Cullen. On every detail of his face she could still remember. The little scar above his lip. The half smile he gave her. The flush of his cheeks when they have first kissed and his eyes. Those gentle brown eyes which always regarded her with gentle reassurance.
It was working. She could feel herself slipping into a blissful darkness and the pain seemed a bit more distant and dull now. Ellena could breathe a bit better and somewhere deep within her mind a crazy idea came to life. If she was about to be killed by this mad man she should stand up and face him. Her whole life as far as she could remember she has always bowed down to someone. Knelt, squirmed, whithered and begged. More times than she could even count. But if this was her last day in Thedas she wanted to be true to her former resolve and wanted to stand proud as much as she could muster and look that man in the eyes.
His amused chuckle , as Ellena fought with her own legs and stumbled about, only strengthened her courage. She could stand up, even if she had to lean against the catapult behind her. But it was better than to accept her own death lying helplessly in the snow. She looked up only to notice that other woman again. She stood behind The Elder One, obscured from his vision and with an offhand gesture motioned towards a pile of crumbled wooden planks and crates not far from them.
"Very well. I see you are just like the others. You fight on even though your battle is already lost." Corypheus took one step closer and Ellena could see his outstretched hand blaze up with a red light. But she focused her eyes on the woman behind him once more. The woman nodded again towards the pile of wood and her lips mouthed a single word "Run".
And she did. Just when Ellena forced her whole body to push through the veil of pain and bolted to the side to make a break for it, the trebuchet behind her creaked and with a loud snap it hurled its load against the mountain side. The sound of an avalanche which followed topped every thunder Ellena ever heard in her life. She saw the mass of white snow come crashing down towards them just as she reached the crates and fell through a hidden hole in the ground.
Ellena woke up to the complete darkness and cold around her. The horrible visions about what had happened earlier still haunted her and it took her several moments to recall her memory and to get any recollection of where she was. The place was damp and she could hear wind blowing through the corridors. Somewhere in the distance a measured tap tap of water dripping pierced the silence and the air smelled of stone, moss and burned wood.
She tried to move slightly but a horrible pain shot through her whole back and left her pinned down to the ground with shaky breaths. That's right. Corypheus smashed me against that trebuchet.Ellena gave up on moving for now and instead focused on other things. Her body felt so cold that each breath she took sent violent shivers through her whole bing. Next she tested her hands and found out that she could slightly move the fingers. Tried the same with her feet but all she could feel was ice cold numbness. I have to get out of here.The urge of that thought drove her into a frantic desperation and Ellena tried to crawl forward. She knew that if she stayed here she would freeze to death or one of the Venatori would find her and finish the job.
On shaky knees and supported by her freezing hands the wounded elf managed to lift herself on all four and couple of moments later finally got herself to stand up. After a while her eyes adjusted to the darkness and Ellena could see the faintest of lights somewhere in the distance. Several moments later she settled into a steady pace and with the help of the cave wall which supported her left hand and shoulder her steps brought her steadily towards the exit. Unsure about how much time had passed while she layed unconscious among the wreckage Ellena hoped that the faint green light which she spotted over the nearest mountain peaks was a promise of dawn. Yet a reminder of another problem presented itself before her as she realized that she had no idea where the Inquisition might have gone to. With resignation Ellena moved forward as the only logical conclusion. She just had to keep walking.
By the time she made it over the nearest hill her clothes were soaked with snow and she had lost all feeling in her legs and hands. The freezing wind lashed at her face and any other exposed patches of skin with ferocity of thousand needles and the iron handcuffs which were still tightly clasped around my wrists felt as if they froze to her skin. It was only a memory of Cullen which kept her going. One foot before the other. Each step took all the strength she had left and yet it seemed that the snowy peaks were still too far away for her to reach. Just when she could see the skies above turn pink with the dawn her body finally reached its limit and the exhausted elf collapsed into the soft snow.
Ellena looked at her hands and saw the skin there unnaturally white at some spots while several deep-red blisters formed around her fingers and at the top of her palms while her wrists under the frosty irons of her bounds turned deep blue. But she was too tired to give it any more thoughts. All she could do was try and move her hands but she couldn't. The cold snow under her cheek pierced her skin with with numbing pain and coldness but that too soon had stopped worrying her. She was simply just too exhausted and wanted to sleep.
A sound of muffled hooves stirred her from the restless slumber and Ellena found herself still buried in the snow drift, though it must have snowed meanwhile because half of her body was now covered in a new, light layer of dusty hoofbeats grew louder and louder and she could hear low grunts and neighs from a horse somewhere around her. She had to draw attention to herself otherwise this snowy plain would turn into her grave.
I am here.Was what she wanted to scream out but her throat was so hoarse and her lips trembled so much that she could not articulate a single word. Instead Ellena tried to move but that too proved as a vain effort. She felt tears burn on her cheeks as the reality of her helplessness dawned on her. She needed to call on the rider, whoever it was and kept forcing her lungs and vocal cords to function and in the end managed to let out a single cry of utter desperation.
The rider must have heard her because the horse suddenly stopped and a muffled thud revealed that someone had jumped from the saddle.
"H...help...!" Finally the freezing elf forced herself to say at least one word and then she could hear someone's footsteps rushing towards her.
"Ellena!"
It was Cullen's voice. And just in the moment Ellena was dead sure that her mind had finally gave up on her and that she had succumbed to hallucinations. But if this was supposed to be some figment of her imagination before certain death then she was grateful that it had turned out to be Cullen. A moment later though she could feel his hands around her as he gently lifted her from the freezing prison and indeed enought it all seemed so real.
"Maker's breath, you are so cold. Just hold on. I will have a tent and fire up in no time." His warm breath tickled her on her frozen cheeks and she decided that she did not care if this was real or not. It was Cullen and Ellena finally felt safe. But also so tired. The soft fabric of his cloak welcomed her and she closed her eyes. She could afford just a bit of a rest.
"Hey, don't fall asleep on me. Please." Cullen slightly shook her in his arms as he carried the elf towards his horse and Ellena forced her eyes open for just a bit longer. From her position in his embrace she could see his chin and then his eyes as he looked down on me. It was really him. She wanted to smile or say something but she just couldn't. So she kept blinking, perhaps much faster than normally, to fight off sleep which had threatened to swallow her any moment now.
A series of forceful shakes brought her back from darkness just as she heard Cullen's frantic voice. "Ellena, please! Wake up." The exhausted elf blinked a few times and realized that they were now in a dimly lit and warm tent. Cullen sat next to her his hands were holding her shoulders and his face was contorted with fear. "Thank the Maker. Stay with me. It will be alright. Just keep looking at me Ellena, you cannot fall asleep. Not yet."
Ellena nodded warily and followed him around the space with her gaze. Her eyelids felt extremely heavy and it took all her focus and remaining strength to keep them open. To her relief Cullen knew what to do. In a matter of moments he pried the cuffs open and carefully removed them from her wrists. Thankfully she could not see her hands but a sharp intake of breath the ex-templar drew warned her that something was very wrong.
"I will get you out of the clothes now. Just nod if you feel any pain." At those words Ellena was finally able to crack the tiniest and weakest of smiles. At first she was not even sure if he had seen it but a moment later she felt his warm lips gently kiss her forehead and he lightly stroked her hair. Ellena had to admire Cullen's efficiency. It had seemed that the commander fell into his all business mode for the time being as he carefully managed to get the elf out of her clothes. The sleeves of her leather jacket had to be cut open, same as her trousers because Cullen did not want to risk more damage to her already injured skin. In a matter of minutes Ellena found herself stripped from all the clothes and wrapped under a warm layer of soft and dry blanket.
"There." Ellena felt his arms again around her shoulders and he propped her slightly against a makeshift pillow formed out of his bags and spare blanket. "This should help you stay awake. I will need to tend to your hands and feet. It will hurt but it needs to be done." She could see a genuine sadness reflect on his face and desperately wanted to tell him something which would ease his mind. She did not care if what he did hurt. The simple fact that he was here with her, that he came back, was making her so incredibly happy. And she needed him to know that.
"Thank you." Was all she could say, the words rasped through her throat and forced her to cough a few times.
"Shh. Don't talk." Cullen softly ran the tips of his fingers over her cheek before he spoke again. "Try to drink this. It's only warm water mixed with healing potion. But it should help you get a bit warmer and ease the pain." Ellena felt the edge of the cup lightly pressed against her lips and only after the first sip she realized just how thirsty she had been.
"There you go. Good girl." Cullen smiled at the elf woman before he turned his attention to her hands. He proceeded methodically and treated the frostbites with professionalism which made Ellena wonder just where he had learned about all this. After a moment she could feel the tingling and burning pain spread from her fingers and toes but as Cullen had assured her that was a good sign. Yet her whole body still shook with tremors caused by a deep, inner cold which seemed reluctant to give up on tormenting her. When the last bandage was wrapped around her wounds Cullen finally sat down next to her and let out a breath of relief. "You're still shaking." Her remarked while his eyes never left hers.
"I...I can..not.s...s..top it." Was all she could say through clenched teeth as she fought with her chin which trembled in uncontrollable shivers. "We need to warm you up quicker. There is a way..." Cullen mused for a moment before he gave Ellena one apologizing look and moved slightly away and in few fluid motions took off his shirt, socks and breeches and remained clad only in the pair of his underpants.
Despite the cold Ellena felt a blush flush over her cheeks and noticed the same reaction on Cullen's face. "I am sorry...but this is really the quickest way how to get you warm." He muttered nervously and rubbed his neck quickly before she could feel his body slide under the blanket. His strong arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her closer and she felt the radiating heat engulf her as they layed tightly pressed against each other.
"You look better, I think you can rest now. We will set out tomorrow when you get stronger." Cullen whispered into her hair and nestled his chin into the crook of her neck as he leaned in closer to look the elf in the eyes.
"Andraste preserve me I feared that I have lost you." He whispered and Ellena slightly shifted in order to face him better. Their faces were so close that their noses could almost touch and she felt inconceivably lost in those honey-brown eyes which were looking down at her with such a gentle gaze that had left her heart skip a beat and she wanted nothing more than to melt into his embrace.
"I kept thinking about you the whole time." She replied, this time more coherently as her body slowly stopped trembling. In the spur of the moment and after she recalled all those regrets which still hung around her heart, Ellena slowly moved her head up and, with unusual boldness which she had no clue where it came from, locked her lips with his in a brief but sweet kiss.
"You need to rest Ellena." Cullen whispered but his head stayed close to hers and their foreheads connected as he tightened his embrace around her small frame.
"You will be here when I wake up, right?"
"I promise I will never leave you again. Ever." His words made her heart swell with bliss and a moment later Ellena felt his mouth gently kiss her forehead again, but he did not stop there. Another kiss was planted at the tip of her nose, cupid's bow and finally their lips met once more in a deeper kiss, which left them slightly panting and their heads spinning.
"Now we rest." Cullen said decisively and reached out to extinguish the lights and Ellena felt herself drift off to the sleep. The most calm sleep she's had in years.
.Updated: 27.3.2016