A/N - onto one of my favorite conversational characters, Sten. I always thought he gave the group an annoy stoic feel that made me wanna punch his hard head in. At least he doesn't bitch and complain like some people... Anyway, thanks to all that added this story to your alerts/favorites! And a big happy cookie of thanks to those who've commented. It makes me giggle more than putting Alistair on the spot and melting the mountain tops of the Frostback Mountains. LOL! I love you all!
Serene awoke early the next morning before anyone else and changed into her own clothes. She headed down to the tavern to get something to eat before taking another look around Lothering. She poked around at her porridge and her thoughts wandered off to the dream she had the previous night. She had just decided to act against her better judgment and let things happen, she never thought how far things would go. It was a dream and wouldn't have to worry about any kind of repercussions.
Alistair washed his face as he tried to cool his face off from his dream. Since his joining, his dreams had been filled with darkspawn and the archdemon. The dream he just had was different, new and slightly disturbing. He felt like he was going to be struck by lightning for just thinking that way, let alone acting it out in a dream. What made it worst was that it was Serene he had done all that with, someone he wouldn't mind actually reacting the whole dream with and had to face her in a little bit.
Alistair's breath stopped for a moment as he got to the bottom of the stairs and caught sight of a woman with brown-red hair pulled up in a neat ponytail. He fought against the blush that crept up on his face as he remembered a moment from his dream when he was behind her. He walked towards her to join her when he noticed the chucks of pink and purple in her hair. How he had just noticed that he didn't know.
"Good morning." Alistair announced softly as he walked toward the table she was sitting at. Serene nearly choked on her porridge when she heard him. She managed to get herself under control when his face came into view. Unfortunately, Alistair's face wasn't under control.
"Morning, Alistair. I'm guessing you were the one that put the blanket on me last night?" Serene asked softly. Alistair nodded and sat down. Alistair swallowed hard as he tried to figure out what to say and cleared his throat.
"I wanted to apologize for seeing you like that. I…" Alistair started to apologize but Serene laughed and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Why is it that you always apologize for something that isn't your fault? It's actually I that should apologize for taking your tunic without asking." Serene said. Alistair blushed slightly and smiled.
"That's understandable, Serene. I don't mind you using my shirt. I…" Alistair lost the words he was going to say when he remembered a moment in his dream about her wanting to get into his shirt. Alistair turned deep crimson.
"I hate you, Bella." Serene murmured under her breath as she realized that she and Alistair had the same dream. She could almost hear Bella laughing in her head. She wasn't going to give in that easy though. Alistair shifted in his seat, which brought Serene's attention back to him.
"You can continue to use it or keep it if you like. I can always get another before too long. I know it probably smells funny, but I…" Alistair rambling stopped when Serene put her fingers to his lips.
"I actually like the smell of cheese. Don't worry about it, Alistair or you're head will pop off." Serene said with a sweet smile on her face that made both of them blush. Alistair went to move his lips around her fingers when footsteps came towards them.
"I see I'm not the only early riser." Alistair and Serene turned to see Leliana. She smiled devilishly at them as they both turned red. "Did I interrupt something, no?"
"We were just discussing where we should go once we leave Lothering." Serene said quickly. Alistair merely nodded his head in agreement as Leliana took the seat across from Serene.
"Of course you were. With your red faces and your fingers on his lips." Leliana joked. Serene sighed and Alistair coughed to recover from the blushing.
"That was about something else." Serene said quickly. Leliana giggled.
"Nothing to do with you sleeping in Alistair's tunic and him wrapping you in a blanket, yes?" Leliana asked. Serene swallowed hard and Alistair blushed again.
"I was just doing what was right. She probably didn't know that she…" Alistair seemed to have lost his voice as his face became a darker shade of red.
"Anyway, we should get started with talking about that before everyone else wakes up. Discussions like this might cause problems. Alistair, I think, has had enough teasing to last a lifetime. Maybe let up just a little bit?" Serene said, trying to calm Alistair before Brandon woke up and the situation turn into a grudge. Leliana nodded.
"Of course. Please accept my apologies." Leliana said. Serene groaned.
"That's the first thing I want people to stop doing. There's entirely too much apologizing around here. I swear I'll beat the next person who apologizes to me." Serene snapped. Leliana laughed and winked at Alistair.
"I don't know, I think he might like it." Leliana said and Alistair blushed again. Serene groaned and got up to leave.
"I'm going to see if there's anything else we can do around here before we start with the treaties. Come find me when Morrigan and Brandon are up and ready to go." Serene said as she walked out of the tavern. Alistair gave Leliana a look and the woman giggled at him. It didn't help his current color of redness.
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Serene was glad to be away from the whole Alistair situation for a bit. It was quite clear that Bella was using her ability in the Fade to manipulate the two of them to her will. Not that Serene really objected much, there were worst men than Alistair. In fact the only man she could think of that was better than Alistair was Duncan.
Serene's thought wandering led her to the end of town where a large man stood in a cage. He looked like he stood a foot or two taller than Alistair, and well built. Most likely a warrior of some kind. Serene wondered why he would be in a cage like that, waiting for the darkspawn to kill him.
"You are not one of my captors." The man stated as Serene approached him. Serene shook her head.
"No, I'm not. Who are you?" Serene asked.
"I am Sten of the Beresaad." Sten said simply.
"What are you doing in the cage?" Serene asked.
"Standing." Sten said. Serene's eye twitched slightly.
"I can see that. Why are you in the cage?"
"I committed a crime."
"What crime did you commit that required the punishment of being locked in a cage?" Serene snapped.
"I killed people." Sten said simply. Serene pinched the bridge of her nose and groaned. Her head was going to start hurting after too long of this back and forth. Sten seemed to be one of those people that only answered the question that was asked and offered nothing more.
"You're a warrior, yes?" Serene asked.
"I am of the Beresaad." Sten answered. Serene groaned again. This was getting her nowhere. She was starting to question why she was even bothering talking to this man. Clearly he was put in the cage for driving people crazy with his speech. As she stared at the cage, she thought of something. The darkspawn were most likely headed toward Lothering and would most likely destroy everything and anyone here, including Sten. It seemed a bit inhumane, even for a killer, to be torn apart by darkspawn because he was left helpless in a cage.
"I'm not sure what that means, but if it means warrior, I need someone like that. I don't know what exactly your killing was, but I don't think you'll find redemption in being helplessly ripped apart by darkspawn." Serene said.
"I am not helpless." Sten stated. Serene nodded.
"Still, I'm guessing you're a man of honor or would at least prefer to die like one?" Serene asked. Sten nodded.
"That is the way of the qunari." Sten said.
"Well, would you find it an honorable death dying to defeat the darkspawn?" Serene asked.
"But I am in this cage." Sten said.
"Oiy. I mean if I could get you out of the cage, would you help me fight darkspawn?" Serene asked as her right eye started to twitch uncontrollably. Sten thought for a moment and then nodded.
"Yes." Sten said. Serene sighed and nodded.
"Good, now I just need to figure out how to get you out and I'm all set." Serene stated, mostly to herself.
"The chantry woman holds the keys to the cage. If you convince her to release me, she will give you the key." Sten said. Serene nearly died from shock. That was actually volunteered information.
"Very well, I'll go speak to the Revered Mother and come back with the key." Serene said. Sten shrugged.
"I will be surprised if you do." Sten said plainly. Serene turned away and stomped off as she rolled her eyes. As much as she needed another stubborn male following her around, at least this one would be quiet and leave her to her own devices.
Serene made her way to the chantry and into the Revered Mother's office. Apparently the woman was an early riser as well. Serene bowed her head reverly as she approached the mother.
"Maker's blessing, Warden. Is there anything else you need of me?" Mother asked. Serene smiled and nodded.
"I came across the qunari at the end of town and was wondering if I might bring him with me in order for him to attone for his crimes." Serene said. The mother frowned.
"He killed a whole family, including the children. Who's to say if I let him out, you and I won't be next?" The mother asked. Serene shrugged.
"He looks like a warrior and I need all the help I can get fighting the darkspawn. Wouldn't it be better than he died protecting the world from the Blight than being torn apart?" Serene asked. The woman nodded and handed Serene the cage key.
"Very well, but if he kills anymore innocents, their blood is on your hands, Warden. Now good luck to you and Maker watch over you." The woman said. Serene bowed her head and took the key. She turned and walked out of the chantry, towards Sten's cage. The others joined her as she passed by the tavern.
"What have you been up to this morning?" Brandon asked as they all caught up with her. He hardly noticed how Serene and Alistair were purposely avoiding eye contact for fear they would both burst into flames.
"Getting one more recruit and then we're heading out. I think to the Circle Tower first. Maybe we can get another mage to come with us." Serene said. Morrigan scoffed.
"What would we need with one of those idiots?" Morrigan snapped. Serene didn't bother turning around.
"We need someone who can heal. Unless you know how to do it, Morrigan?" Serene asked.
"I see your point, Warden. Lead on." Morrigan stated. Alistair covered his mouth to hide the laughter. Hopefully that wouldn't be the last time Serene put Morrigan in her place.
"Now we just need to free this qunari and we're gone." Serene said as she approached Sten's cage.
"Whoa, wait. A qunari?" Alistair asked. Serene turned to him and nodded.
"Yes, whatever that is. I can't just let him sit in that cage and be slaughtered by darkspawn. Besides, we can use any sword we can get, right?" Serene asked. Alistair nodded in agreement and backed away from her.
"You returned. I did not think you would." Sten said as Serene started to undo the lock.
"I hardly lie, Sten. Now you will help us against the Blight or I'm going to flip out on you." Serene said plainly. Sten gave her an odd look.
"What does that mean, flip out?" Sten asked. Serene shook her head and stepped out of the way for Sten to get out of his cage.
"Nevermind. If you're good to go, we can leave now." Serene said. Sten nodded and the group headed for the road out of town. As they came to the road, Serene could feel her spider senses tingling and she drew her sword and dagger, quickly followed by Alistair and Brandon.
"Darkspawn." Alistair announced and everyone else drew their weapons. They ran up the stairs to find two dwarves trying to defend themselves against the darkspawn. Alistair charged into the group of darkspawn with Brandon on his heels and Serene moving quickly to get behind them with Leliana. Sten, unarmed at the moment, stood behind with Morrigan. The group made quick work of the darkspawn and Serene approached the two dwarves.
"Are you two alright?" Serene asked as she wiped the tainted blood off her blades. The elder dwarf nodded.
"Thank you very much, Warden. Bodahn Feddic is the name and this here is my son, Sandel." Bodahn said.
"Hello." Sandel said politely. Serene nodded to the younger dwarf for a moment and turned her attention back to Bodahn.
"Don't mind Sandel, he's a bit simple." Bodahn said. Alistair stepped close to Serene.
"I think he might have had too much exposure to lyrium." Alistair whispered. Serene nodded.
"Are you heading out of town?" Serene asked. Bodahn nodded.
"I heard darkspawn are heading this way, so me and my son are heading away."
"Would you like to travel with us for a bit?" Serene asked. Bodahn bowed his head and then shook it.
"No offense, but there is probably more excitement on your path than my boy and I are up for."
"None taken. We must be on our way then. Good luck to you." Serene said as she started to walk away from the dwarves and everyone else followed her.
"May the ancestors watch over you, Warden!" Bodahn called out to her. Serene turned to look at him and nodded.
"So we're done helping everyone now, Warden?" Morrigan asked. Serene shook her head.
"As long as there is a blight happening, then I'm not done helping." Serene said bluntly. "If it bothers you so much, you are free to leave anytime."
"Twould not be what Mother wanted." Morrigan said. Serene shrugged and quickened her pace.
"Then I suggest you stop complaining if you're not going to do something about it." Serene snapped. Morrigan smiled and nodded. Of the three wardens, Serene was the only one that impressed Morrigan. Alistair was a complete idiot that seemed to cave to the junior wardens and if a woman smiled just right, Brandon would fall over dead. Serene somehow knew how to handle each of them, merely by watching them for awhile. Morrigan would have abandoned them out in the Wilds had either of the men taken control over the group for the lacked the intelligence to lead. Even Fawkes would have been a better leader than either Alistair or Brandon. The only reason Morrigan could think of that Serene still had the two idiots with them was because they were Grey Wardens. As for the chantry twit and the qunari, Morrigan was confused. What could Serene have been thinking bringing that bubble headed woman and the quiet man with them? Morrigan had half a mind to question Serene about it, but she remembered the last time someone questioned her decisions. Brandon still had a bruise from where Serene slapped him for bad mouthing Alistair. Flemeth had an odd fasination with Serene and Morrigan didn't know why, but she would figure it out.