Heh. Since I don't know if anyone is actually even reading this, if you're enjoying it, can I get a teensy review?

Chapter Ten

Winding

"Someone fetch the Arlessa, and be quick about it," the Captain snapped from where he stood on the rampart.

Isolde Guerrein arrived shortly. "This had better be good, Captain, I don't take orders from the likes of you."

He nodded and handed her the spyglass. "Looks like we're about to have company, lady."

She took the brass telescope and peered through to where he indicated. "What in Thedas am I looking at, Captain?"

"It would seem the Hero of Fereldan is making a house call, lady, and it would seem she has brought an army of children with her."

"She will not take my son from me," the Arlessa said. "Not again." She turned and went back into the castle.

"Redcliffe," Fable said. "What's happened to Redcliffe?"

Smoke rose from the village. She lifted a hand to shield her eyes against the sunlight and noticed that the smoke specifically was drifting from where the Chantry had stood.

"Sweet Andraste," Cullen said from beside her. "It's happening all over again."

They were all exhausted. The last three nights had found the group defending the children against the shades that fought them every step of the way to the castle. There seemed to be no end to the waves of shades and rage demons. Rage demons were the worst as they lit the forests aflame all along the winding road to Redcliffe. It had rained ash on them day and night for three days.

A rider rode out to meet them.

"Ser Perth," Fable called and waved her hand to him.

"Ser Fable," he said and dismounted. "It is good to see you, friend."

"You know I am no knight, ser," she replied.

"Are you not? It seems to me that only the honor was overlooked. You are more knight than most of those under my command," he replied. "But you did not travel so far to exchange pleasantries with an old knight, lady. The Arlessa would know what business you have in Redcliffe. We have seen a great deal of trouble as of late and we are not at our best."

"Tell me, what trouble?"

"A group of mages burned the Chantry to the ground under the cover of dark. All inside perished, we have given chase, but they have proved formidable. They seem to be headed to Denerim."

"Denerim?" Fable looked as though the air had been pushed out of her.

Cullen stepped forward. "Please, ser, we need to speak to the Arlessa. It seems we are fighting the same battle."

Ser Perth nodded. "This way."

Before they followed him, however, Fable swung around on Anders, pointing her staff at his throat. "One foul word about the Chantry or oppression to the Arlessa and you will leave these children out in the cold. She is a pious bitch and I'll not have you ruin this, Anders."

He raised his eyebrows at her. She whirled around and followed the knight on the gray mare before her.

"Well," Hawke began, "that was unexpected."

"Her concern is for the children, and I don't blame her, we have been lucky we haven't lost anyone along the way. This road is not meant for them and if the mage sticks his foot in his mouth again, he may undo every diplomatic overture the Grey Warden has made thus far," Fenris said. "If it were up to me, I'd leave him outside or gag him."

Hawke looked between the two of them. Merrill bounced up, "Oh, look, it's an angry mob, come out to greet us."

"Merrill, let's not show ourselves as mages just yet, yeah? I'm thinking Redcliffe may have had enough of magic for this week."

"I agree," Fable said. She turned to the magelings. "No mention of the Circle, it'll be like a game. If those people try to guess where we're from, the game is to tell them anything but the Circle, okay? And no magic, none, whatsoever."

"Did we all hear the Warden-Commander?" Hawke called out. "Novices, to me," she said and several of the older children stepped forward. "Do you see those people? They don't want mages in their village, so we're not mages. Not today. Understand?"

Dagna stepped up and said, "I'll make sure there's no hokey business, but, what are we going to do if she won't see us?"

"I don't know, Dagna, I really don't."

They were stopped outside the village. Several of the villagers remembered Fable from the Blight and greeted her warmly. Others, however, looked over the strangers with suspicion.

"Rhiannon Hawke!" A voice called from the crowd.

Hawke looked surprised and looked around. "Miriam?"

"Come over here and talk to me, young lady."

"Ma'am," Hawke replied and obeyed like she were twelve years old and fighting with Bethany in the square again.

"What are you doing here, girl? I thought you and your mother were in Kirkwall?"

"We were, there has been some trouble in Kirkwall as of late."

"Trouble, yes, I can see that, it seems to dog us at every turn, doesn't it?" The old woman looked at the children behind Hawke.

"What have you brought to Redcliffe, Rhiannon?"

"We have brought no trouble, Miriam, I swear, we have brought some children that need refuge. We were hoping they could stay with Lady Isolde."

"Hmmph, Lady Isolde won't take them, I'll tell you that right now. I won't tell anyone you're an apostate, though, not with the Chantry being burned to the ground by mages two nights ago." Miriam looked at Hawke and she pulled her chin forward. "What's happened, child? You are not the same. Where is Leandra?"

Anders sat playing with Wendy, one of the smaller girls. They were playing a clapping game and he was listening to Hawke and the elder when it happened. Hawke started to cry.

He watched as her face crumpled and she brought the back of her hand to cover her mouth so she wouldn't sob aloud. Her shoulders slumped and she brought the other hand up to cover her mouth as well, she couldn't contain it.

Miriam rubbed her back. "It's okay, child, it'll be alright."

Hawke poured out everything that had happened to Leandra to her mother's old friend.

"Your mother was an amazing woman, Rhiannon. I've never had a friend who was more giving. So strong and alive, and so in love with her lad, she was. Your mother would tell me time and again that it was love that set her free. You are that freedom, child, don't you ever forget that." Miriam left Hawke with a hug that left Hawke longing for her mother.

"You are so bloody beautiful," Anders said.

She turned around and found his expression soft and sad. Hawke placed a slim hand on his cheek and gave him the smallest of smiles. She leaned in and pressed her forehead to his chest. He wrapped his arms around her.

The last seven years had hardened the Arlessa. Isolde Guerrein rode out with her knights behind her. The Arl had not spent much time in Redcliffe, leaving the governing to Isolde and Teagan. Teagan had spent a great deal of time in Redcliffe, before leaving it entirely to Isolde to assist Alistair with Orlais. Isolde had taken the reins in hand and led with a sterner fist.

That was before Connor had come home two nights before. She would not lose her son to the Grey Warden's meddling again. Her hair had been cut short and she wore archer armor that gleamed like a diamond in the sun.

Fable cringed. Lady Isolde coming out to treat with her in full armor was not a good sign. She turned and handed her staff and dagger to the tall ex-Templar at her side. With her hands held out at her side, she approached the Arlessa.

"You travel in strange company, Grey Warden," Isolde said.

"It is good to see you are well, Lady Isolde."

"I assume you are here for Connor?"

"For? Connor is here?" Fable was taken aback. She hadn't even thought of Connor. "May we speak to him? We had no idea he'd survived what happened at the Circle, Lady, he might shed some light on what happened."

"You are not here to take Connor away?"

"Where would we take him? The Circles all over Thedas are falling to insurrection. He is safe?"

"He is safe, if not shaken. Who have you brought with you?"

"The last survivors of the Circle of Magi, Lady Isolde. Children, nearly two dozen of them. They haven't anywhere else to turn."

"And you expect me to do what with these children, Grey Warden?"

"You are a protector of mage children, Lady, I have seen it myself. You are their mother."

Isolde signaled to Perth to help her dismount.

"I have not forgotten Redcliffe's debt to you. I do not want you to think we are ungrateful."

Fable shook her head. "There will be no debt between us if you can see to these magelings. They need a loving hand, they are frightened. You have a castle to keep them safe. Do not let what happened to Connor happen to these children. I could think of no one else I would trust these charges to."

A knight on a white horse behind Lady Isolde removed his helm and dismounted. With his helm tucked beneath his arm, he approached the Warden-Commander. Nathaniel stepped between them.

"No, it is alright, Nathaniel," Fable said. She gently pushed the warden aside. "Connor?"

The tall teenager took a knee before her. "We had no idea why you would come here after the massacre. I ask your forgiveness for your treatment, you look exhausted. Please come inside the castle, we would not turn these magelings away, Fable Amell. How could we?"

Fable smiled at the memory of the boy she had saved seven years ago. "You are well?"

"I am, and I have much to tell you, including where the mages have gone. But come inside, we will speak after you are rested. There is someone inside that I'm sure you would like to see."