TITLE: Dorian
CHAPTER: 10
AN: This is all I have in me right now. More soon. Promise.
Dorian
Oh, fucking perfect.
She dismissed me, Dorian Pavus, an Altus Mage from Tevinter like a common serving boy? She's changed alright, but not for the better. Bloody wench. This was not to be born! Furious, tired, and concerned about Felix I rushed headlong down the stairs.
"Andraste's tit's!" The silver toe cap of my boot caught on something and down I went. No doubt I tripped over some female bit of frippery. Now I'm staring up at the ceiling.
"Dorian?"
Cole made an appearance while I counted my bones to see which one broke from my fall down the last two steps. I'm almost sure I can't move my right leg because the bloody silver spur on my boot is gouged into the wood.
"Good morning, Cole." See? I can be polite. There he is, perched on the railing just above my head.
"Why do you struggle against the natural order of life?"
Then he closed his eyes and I thought he might disappear. But no, I'm fated to hear more of Cole's lofty advice. I did manage to roll to my feet and metaphorically and physically dust myself off. What did he say, the natural order of life? Oh, of course. Men, women, marriage, children, and all that rot.
"You worry you'll end up like your father," he said as if that were that were the answer to why the stars hung in the sky.
He could cut to the bone, this one. So it wouldn't do to get impatient with him. But the stairwell of the Inquisitor's quarters was not the place to have this conversation. Luckily I got him to follow me outside. Where I found a wall to lean against and stilled myself for whatever he might say.
"You have everything at your fingertips to avoid such a fate."
"Cole. Your advice is well taken. I've been up all night and I'm ready for a draft of spiced wine and sleep. So unless you intend to follow me to the latrines, the inn, my bathing chamber and bed, I suggest we save this conversation for another day."
That seemed to satisfy him. He peered at me from under that great hat of his, "I'll watch over them for you. They are both sleeping now. He is very ill, isn't he? I wonder…if I were to…"
"Good day, Cole." I left him to his mutterings.
My room offered little refuge. Thoughts of Felix nagged at me. That he would receive the best care possible didn't worry me. What did nag at me is the possibility that Circe created a very real barrier between a cherished friend and myself. As soon as the roads were clear I'd take him home and stay with him until the end. How I might pay for it was another matter. My candle gutted out by the time I figured a way to finance the trip.
First thing in the morning, I'd go up and put the idea to him. I'd sell that ridiculous amulet and Felix and I would go home to the world where we belonged. Away from Cole and the Inquisitor who created more questions than either of us could answer. I made it as far as the latrines and my room to pick up the amulet before heading to the keep.
After a sleepless night, the Orlesian shopkeeper had just opened her small stand when I approached while dawn cast a thick layer of ice fog across the ground. What were either of us doing out here at this hour? Ten minutes of haggling got me a fair bit of gold for my amulet. More than enough to get us back to Tevinter. A tight pain caught me unawares when I my intentions finally sunk in. No, I thought and pushed it away. Back in Tevinter we could fall back into the predictable life of two wealthy noblemen. Endless rounds of parties, sex with stray men out looking for entertainment without needless attachment and I'd stay drunk through it all.
Until my face and body began to change and bloat with age and those men no longer sought me out. Then what? By then Felix and my family would be died. Here, I have friends. Not friends. No. We fight together over a common cause. When it is over we'll be strangers again. That goes for that black-haired witch at the top of the castle, too.
I ignored the greetings of the castle residents and took the stairs to Circe's chamber two at a time. With any luck—I glared at the mountains hidden behind the ice fog—Spring will come early this year.
The sound of laughter met me on the stairs.
"If you wish to eat, My Lord. You'll have to work for it." Circe said with the mischievous laughter, I'd heard once or twice and never directed at me.
Slowing my steps I stopped on the stairs when I could just see into the room. Circe sat at her small dining table smiling at the Felix. My friend, using the furniture for support found his way to the table and dropped heavily into the chair.
"You're a taskmaster, Inquisitor. I see why you're so formidable a leader."
"Nonsense," she said, pouring him tea. You needed to get out of bed before that chest infection took hold of you again. A healer at my father's court claims laying in bed allowed the humours to pool and linger.
Then I watched my friend, lean forward and take the Inquisitor's hand in his. "Thank you, Circe. You and Dorian saved my life."
He sat back in his chair and watched Circe pour her own tea. In fact, she did everything but look him in the eye. I know her and I know Felix. She knows what's coming.
"Now, tell me, Inquisitor. What's this tempest brewing between you and Dorian?"
"We fight. During a mission we fight side by side, synchronized and strong. Afterwards, we continue to fight."
"Circe?"
She set her cup down with a clatter. "What does it matter? Soon this fight will be over. Once our victory is assured and the world set to rights, Dorian and I will become what we were before."
"What do you want from him?"
"Oh, Felix. I want what I have now. I have his friendship. Just as The Bull and Cullen and the rest are my friends. Perhaps not true friends, but we're brother's in arms. We fight well together! But…"
Felix caught her on her second trip around the room. I watched him pull her clenched hands out of her sleeves and hold them to his chest.
"You are not the same woman I met in Redcliff. You're a leader and a soldier. Somewhere inside your heart, you found a fierce and beautiful courage. Can you not grant that Dorian is capable of change, as well?"
Well, I don't have to stand for this. The man is half dead. What did he think he would do next? Kiss her? I'm the only one around here with any right to tough the Inquisitor. By Andraste, I'll make him see the light. She fit perfectly...whether in a fight or offering comfort, she belonged at my side.
My feet carried me to the top of the stairs before I knew what I planned to say or do. That I was probably about to make a fool out of myself didn't occur to me. His hands cupped her face, sliding his fingertips into her hair.
"You've also grown more lovely, Circe."
Oh, sure. Turn on that famous Tevinter charm when it suits him. Yes? What does he want from her? What could she possibly want from him that I cannot give her?
I watched him press the back of her fingers to his lips. "Thank you for taking care of me last night. I feel much better this morning...stronger."
She leaned into him and he caught her around the waist. The rutting bastard intended to kiss her! Stronger, my sculpted ass! I'd never been jealous of anything in my life. Never had to be. This morning, watching them together, jealousy rose like bile in my throat burning away all common sense. Damn him! I'll call him out, that's what I'll do.
I heard, "You're so good for me, Felix," just before I caught him by the collar and spun him around to face me.
He didn't try to fight me or defend himself. Odd. My fists didn't hesitate and I took a swing at him. I was that angry. He was after my Circe and jealousy guided my actions. What if she'd grown tired of our fighting? I couldn't bear the thought of losing her to him. Not even to my best friend. The man I loved like a brother. I'd have much to explain to Andraste when this was over.
He caught my fist easily with a blocking spell.
Circe didn't back away, she didn't even react. In a moment, my vision cleared and I saw how they watched me. Felix with his familiar eyebrow climbing into his hairline and Circe with her hands folded calmly at her waist with that damn imperious smile on her face.
"You knew I was there..." The air rushed out of me and I dropped into a chair. "...You knew I was there."
"Give us some credit, Dorian. We are mages. You didn't actually think you were sneaking up on us?" That was from Circe, looking down at me, much the way my mother used to when she was about to scold me.
Then Felix hauled me out of the chair and wrapped a hand around the back of my neck. "You great fool. I love you, but you're a man who leads with his heart and it never fails to get you into trouble."
I relaxed and dropped my forehead to his. "I thought you liked trouble?"
"Now that's settled, why don't you join us for breakfast, Dorian. You look done in. Didn't you sleep at all last night?"
And that was, as they say, that. Circe made a place for me and we sat and talked and drank at least three pots of tea while we enjoyed breakfast.