Chapter 10 - In the Blood

When Sigrun had left, Nathaniel looked at Loghain, stunned. "Anders? But I thought..." He ran his hands through his hair in agitation. "He always behaved like an older brother toward her. You know, what with their shared past, and... I never..."

"Damn Morena!" Loghain cursed in frustration. "It seems no one could resist her. The more I learn about her, the more I think-" He broke off. "But keep in mind, Howe, we don't know if it's true. And even if it is, we don't know if she was aware of Anders' infatuation with her."

"You're right." Nathaniel was breathing heavily. "You know, I just realized we've been relying on his word all the time. All the things he told us, about when people died, what they died of, which poison was used. He could have lied to us all the time. And everyone trusted him. Maker!" His eyes widened as an idea struck him. "I even overheard Garevel asking him for a sleeping draught yesterday."

Loghain shook his head. "You're getting ahead of yourself. This is all speculation. Why would Garevel drink a sleeping draught while he was out inspecting the battlements? No. We need to hear Anders' version of the events first."

Anders was in his room, sitting on a bench near the window, with a large plate of honey cakes by his side and a small, well-worn book in his hand. Pounce was lying on his lap, purring happily, occasionally hooking a claw into the soft fabric of his robes. The mage greeted Nate with a friendly smile and Loghain with a slightly more reserved nod.

Loghain closed the door behind them with an audible snap. "Anders. We need to talk."

Anders seemed unconcerned. "Of course, Commander. Nate. What's on your mind?"

Nathaniel hesitated. "Look, Anders, you're my friend. You know I like you. But I'm worried. You have to realize that lately a lot of hints have been pointing in your direction."

Anders looked at them for a moment, sincere incomprehension on his face, then, to their surprise, he laughed out loud. "Let me get this straight. You think I killed Morena? And the others?"

"You certainly had every opportunity to do so." Nathaniel replied stiffly. "I fail to see why you're so amused-"

Anders raised a hand to interrupt him, still fighting back a chuckle. "Wait a minute. Of course I had every opportunity. So did you, by the way. But why in Andraste's name would I have wanted to kill Morena? Now, Velanna, I can see why I would want to get rid of her. She was a pain, most of the time." He grew serious, and there was an unexpected soft smile on his lips. "But not Morena. Never."

Nathaniel and Loghain exchanged a quick glance. Well, Sigrun got that bit right.

"Isn't it obvious?" Loghain's voice was gruff. "Because you loved her. Because you couldn't bear to watch any more."

"Watch what?" Anders seemed confused.

"Watch her with others. With Loghain. With me. You must have been horribly jealous!" Nathaniel was getting impatient.

Anders stared at him for a moment, then he shook his head, a sad little smile on his face. "I see. Oh Nate, Nate, I am so sorry. Don't you realize... I would never have killed Morena. I couldn't have harmed her. Besides, I had no reason to be jealous, none at all. I knew she would always come back to me."

There was a moment of silence when both Nathaniel and Loghain were staring at him incredulously.

Anders shrugged. "Of course she slept with others. Using her body to get what she wanted, to tie people to her... That was second nature to her. She probably didn't even think about it."

Nathaniel's face had grown dark at his words. "Using her body... Using others, you mean?" He sounded bitter.

The mage sighed. "Nate, you have to understand. Back in the Tower, we couldn't afford to be romantic about sex. It was... a game at best, a punishment at worst. A means of survival in most cases. She knew I understood. She knew I'd always welcome her back with open arms." He smiled affectionately, but there was a world of grief in his eyes. "She didn't even have to use her magic on me. She was in my blood anyway."

"What do you mean, her magic?" Nathaniel had grown deathly pale.

Anders looked at him, unable to hide his sympathy. "You mean you hadn't worked it out yet? What did she do, Nate? Bite you, accidentally cut your finger? Scratch you with her ring?" He sighed. "Oh, she perfected all those little tricks, back then, practised them on the templars at the Tower. By the time she was sixteen, she had studied all the books on blood magic in the library, and she knew how to control them, how to make them do her bidding. They never even noticed what was happening. She was very subtle, very careful."

"She... I need air!" Without looking at them, Nathaniel got up and staggered towards the door.

Anders followed him with his eyes. "Poor Nate. Maybe I shouldn't have told him."

"It's a bit late for regrets." Loghain didn't bother to hide his contempt. "Blood magic!" He practically spat out the words. He had known Morena was ruthless, but somehow he hadn't expected this. He tried to recall the times when he had shared her bed. There had been plenty of fighting - theirs hadn't been a tender relationship. But had she-

Anders seemed to read his thoughts. "I don't think she used any of her tricks on you. She respected you, Loghain, more than anyone else. And I believe you had no illusions about her. Nate, however... Or Alistair... They were both far too good for her, far too decent."

Alistair. Loghain had gone to see the young man only last night, tried to talk to him, but Alistair had alternated between bouts of crying and attempts to attack him with his bare fists. Yet Mistress Woolsey had claimed he had actually gotten better since Morena was gone... Well, if Anders was right, the effect of the blood magic should wear off with her death.

He frowned. "But if she used blood magic on Alistair, why didn't she release him when she had no further use for him?"

Anders seemed unconcerned. "I've no idea. Maybe she wanted to punish him. You see, she had it all planned out so nicely. Alistair would be king, and she'd be his mistress and the real power behind the throne. But when she pardoned you... She couldn't make Alistair betray his innermost convictions, not without turning him into a mindless thrall. She could make sure he'd never stop loving her, though." He smiled a tired smile. "It wasn't wise to cross Morena."

Loghain sighed. "Most people would say she got what was coming to her."

"Don't be so quick to judge her." Anders stepped back to the window and looked out over the snowy landscape. "She was barely fourteen when Ser Agravain decided he had to have her. I... tried to console her, but Morena never wanted solace. She wanted revenge. She wanted to gain the upper hand." He turned back and looked the other man squarely in the eyes. "And that is something you can understand, isn't it, Loghain?"

Loghain's eyes narrowed. "You presume too much, mage." Even if he is closer to the truth than he'll ever know.

He turned to go, when a thought crossed his mind. "Out of curiosity, Anders... you never mentioned who you needed the Quiet Death for."

"I didn't think it was important." Anders' tone was light. "Why do you want to know?"

Hugs and thanks to zevgirl for her heroic effort in betaing this.