Chapter 11

DA 9:31 Cassus/Haring Denerim

When they returned they found that Alistair had collected himself better than they would have assumed possible. As they proceeded going through the events of the last days leading to the slaying of the archdeamon Alistair would reply briefly but precisely, mostly repeating what he had previously told them. When Epson attempted to open up things, Alistair would strive to close them down. Sagital was growing weary of phrases like: "That's a supposition…" "May be your theory…" "'Fraid I disagree".

Eventually she intervened:

"So tell us, Alistair, what do you know of the symptoms of the taint?"

"Am I now being asked to give you guys a 101 on being a grey warden?"

"Humour us."

"Very well. Increased appetite, reduced lifespan, impaired fertility, nightmares, tapping into the Darkspawn hoard mind…"

"Why does it reduce your lifespan?"

"The nightmares get worse, you start hearing more and more…Whatever… It affects your sanity, drives you mad."

"Anything else?"

He held his hands out, "No."


They called time on it shortly after that. Konrad asked for them all to meet after lunch.

"So from this list we have from both of them on the effects of the taint, what is missing?"

Dummond replied: "The physical effects…"

"Precisely."

"So assuming Alistair's knowledge of the effects of the taint was obtained from Duncan and Alistair in turn informed Neriya… Does the fact that information on the physical effects of the taint were withheld from them by Duncan support their assertions that he also failed to inform them of the ultimate sacrifice outcome?" Summed up Sagital.

"I tend to think it does," replied Konrad, "but of course it is not conclusive proof. In any event, I don't and never expected to obtain conclusive proof of anything in this whole sorry turn of events. I have not been disappointed."

"Do we move on now?" Asked Pryce, "and accept that if Alistair or Neriya did anything to twist the outcome of slaying the archdeamon it was done within the space of some ten days?"

"I think we should explore other alternatives, that the initiator of what happened was neither the lad nor the lass, although they clearly benefited, but someone else who was making preparations considerably in advance of the last ten days…"

"Magic." Said Epson.

"Yes it would involve magic of some kind and that reduces the field, at least among the group to Wynne and this other one, this… Morrigan."

"But Wynne's old school and a healer…" began Pryce.

"And so am I. What was that you were telling me about the other day, Pryce?... Nevermind. But for the record I would agree, we can eliminate Wynne on the grounds that this outcome does not fit her and would be entirely out of character. So we are left with Morrigan."

"Morrigan, who disappered." Added Sagital.

"Yes, curious that…" Said Konrad.

"They both made very clear their dislike for her, perhaps that is intriguing in itself, seeing how diverse their little group was in the first place…" put in Dummond "Grey wardens to the hilt, use what you can, how you can, and enjoy the ride…" he added admiringly.

"I can't speak for Neriya, but Alistair's dislike seemed genuine. Very genuine and he does not strike me as a person who hates easily, especially someone of the opposite sex." Said Sagital.

"Insofar as Neriya shows any emotions, she also expressed a dislike of Morrigan, although she explained it by saying that Morrigan lacked compassion. I think that was genuine." Added Pryce.

"And what do we know of Morrigan apart from that?"

"A practitioner but not circle, an apostate, as if that really means anything…" said Sagital.

"A hedge or wild witch," added Pryce. "The problem with us mages is that we are too trained," he opined, "we're generally taught in the same way so we develop the same skill sets and practice similarly, we've lost our appreciation for what hedge magic might be like and might do, so in a situation like this, we are lost…"

"Any suggestions on how we might bring this together?" At the end of the table Epson gingerly put up his hand. "Epson?" Said Konrad.

"Ummm, well…They couldn't have done it, but it may be this Morrigan. They don't like Morrigan, but we seem to agree that they're hiding something. Some guilty little secret." He waggled his eyebrows, "And… Morrigan did a runner… She did a runner just when the potential for payback seemed at its highest, him being king and all now. So she got something from them, in a moment of weakness, say that night at Redcliffe, something more valuable to her than a King's gratitude."

He paused and looked at Konrad, "seems to me we have some sort of blackmail scenario going here. Of course," he said glancing quickly at his companions, "Not that I know anything about blackmail myself… but… Morrigan, having made her preparations, like all good blackmailers do, set the trap and when she saw the opportunity, trading them their lives in exchange for… We don't know, something they didn't like giving, something shameful…" Another pause and a shrug.

"Please continue." Said Konrad.

"OK, so I'm the dunderhead here, but magic, wild magic, bad magic, doesn't it often require a trigger or a source of energy to activate it? Blood, death, child sacrifice… Um, I don't know…" He said eyeing Sagital, "sex?"

Konrad look at Epson and then cast his eyes around the table: "Epson… That intervention was… Compelling… Extremely compelling."

Epson glowed with satisfaction.

"Well, it seems we have a way forward here now… Morrigan."


"Morrigan…" said Alistair, looking at his fingernails. "We met her after Ostagar."

"How?" Asked Sagital.

"We were struggling to get away from the battlefield after our recovery. The place was overrun with darkspawn… She seemed to be doing the same thing. So we joined forces, you can't really be picky in a situation like that…"

"What do you know of her?"

"Hardly anything." Said Alistair making eye contact, "an apostate obviously but she was very cagey about who she was, where she came from… We didn't get on, as I've said, the whole templar/mage apostate thingy, but apart from that, we just didn't get on on a personal level so it's not like she ever told me the story of her life."

"Would she have told Neriya?"

"Don't think so, especially since Neriya and me… Became involved."

"So what do you know about her?"

"Apostate, heartless, arrogant, conceited… Liked jewellery."

"Jewellery?"

"Yeah, you know, shiny stuff… bub…, I mean baubles"

"How…"

"In the early days, Neriya tried to keep on her good side… There not being many of us and all. Occasionally we'd find stuff and that's what Morrie liked. Trinkets. Sooo superficial."

"Why did she leave?"

"How do I know?"

"Humour me: Speculate"

"She wasn't up to the big fight. Self-sacrifice, not her style. She was all about self-interest."

"And you had nothing to do with Morrigan, Alistair?"

"I wasn't her type, she wasn't mine."

"Not in those last few days…"

"We barely spoke."

Epson intervened, leaning forward: "What did you give her? What did she want from you?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean in exchange for ensuring that you both survived when the archdeamon was slain?"

"I don't follow…"

"My question is, she cast some kind of spell to prevent either of you from perishing when the archdeamon was slain, so what did you give her in exchange for that?"

"You are really going out on a limb here. I don't know where you got this crazy idea from…"

"She prevented you both from dying, pretty boy, so your love could continue to flourish and in turn you agreed to make some form of sacrifice…"

"Sacrifice? Are you accusing us of being apostates now?"

"In exchange…"

"Epson, what can I say? This train of thought is completely barking, even for you… But think this through, why would we strike a bargain like this with someone we both despised, especially since, if she didn't deliver, at best there would be only one of us still standing to call her to account?"

"You were desperate…"

"You're desperate, desperate to hang the full blame for some kind of, of… Of mystical foul up, on Neriya and me…"


"I hate him" Said Epson after they had called time: "hate him, hate him, hate him and HATE HIM…!"

"Calm down, Epson" said Sagital, "you really shouldn't take this job so seriously…"

"If I didn't take it seriously, I wouldn't be able to do it…" He took a few deep breaths holding his hand to his stomach, "right, I know what I'm going to do, I'm going to confiscate his die…"

"Gosh, that is just so mature…" she jumped up to try to prevent him from leaving the room but was too late. She let herself collapse against the wall and sighed…

Alistair was casting the runes as Epson stormed into the cell.

"Give those, here! You're not meant to have those…"

"OK…"

Alistair stood, held out his hand, let his wrist go limp and tipped the rune die into Epson's hand.

"Childish things" said Epson, looking down at the runes, "the toys of a snivelling baby…"

"Go fuck yourself, Epson. I'm sure you do it very competently…"

Epson threw a punch. Alistair blocked it, "Oops!".

At that moment, inconveniently, Sagital came in "Stop…"

"Look, Sagital," said Alistair whilst still restraining Epson, "why don't you just give us ten minutes or so? Numbskull and I have something to sort out…"

"Yeah, couldn't agree more…" snarled Epson without so much as turning to look at her.

"Because," said Sagital, "that is not what we do around here…" she hit Epson on the back of the head with a fist.

"Ow!"

"Get out, next time it's my sword. And as for you…" she said turning on Alistair, " It's about time you started living up to your station…"

"And what would that be? Alistair the brief? Bastard king in waiting?"

"No! Alistair the Asshole…The idiot who hides behind his own illegitimacy to avoid making uncomfortable decisions, the guy who plays to his weaknesses rather than his strengths! Grow up."

She slammed the cell door before locking it.


The mood was far more subdued around the table at supper than it was at lunch.

"Well, this part seems prepared too." Remarked Pryce. "It was to be expected, these are resourceful people… It would be interesting to see if they got on previously with Morrigan or if this animosity was recent, the result of a falling out, but again… there has always been the possibility that they are innocent… That this was some kind of fluke."

"But the records…" said Konrad

"We know they are hiding something," said Epson, "we all pick up on that…"

"But innocents sometimes also hide or feel guilty about things…" Objected Dummond "which of us here doesn't have a secret or two in their past…"

"The records are centuries old," replied Pryce "the fourth blight ended 400 years ago, how do we know that good old Garahel didn't die in Antiva of heart failure or his injuries rather than because he slew the archdeamon?"

The question only seemed to add to the prevailing gloom.

"I for one…" said Konrad "feel I would benefit from an early night today, I need to think things over… Tomorrow we start little after dawn."

When Sagital entered his cell Alistair was just a bundle on the left wrapped up tightly on his cot fully dressed facing the wall clutching the rather thin blanket. She put the candle down on the floor beside her and watched him for a while even though she could see little more than the back of his head.

Then she reached out and shook his shoulder gently.

"For the love of the Maker…" he groaned, "bugger off…"

"Alistair…"

"Umm, Sagital… Not the usual wake up…" which was a fork being struck on a metal bucket, "I am having some good dreams here… why…"

"What do you dream about?" she asked her voice suddenly full of inquisitiveness.

"Oh sod, that's none of your business is it?" He sighed, "happy things…"

He threw his legs over the side of the cot and quickly pulled the blanket around him, and rubbed his eyes "I'm cold… Anyway… Why are you here?" he said looking around at the darkness, "Is this some kind of perverse new interrogation technique, asking about my dreams?"

She put her finger to her lips, "I thought we should talk…"

"Now? What time is it anyway?"

"I'm sorry I can't tell you…"

He took a breath and coughed "Even the air feels cold, has it snowed?"

"I'm sorry…"

He was silent for a moment or two as if taking stock of the situation or mulling things over. He looked down at her and added in a quieter voice "Is this extracurricular?"

She shrugged.

"Do the others know you're here…"

She looked towards the door.

"Well, what is it? Yes or no?"

She shook her head.

"Is there a way to get my runes back?"

"I apologise, but Epson is very taken with them, he went to sleep clutching them…"

"Huh, so who's the child now… Well since he's asleep and you've woken me… Couldn't we do something to help me get back to sleep? Me being relatively inexperienced and all…"

"That suggestion is beneath you," she whispered scathingly "you sound like…"

He interrupted her, "so how's Neriya coping with this, knowing her, I bet she's doing just peachy compared to the hash I seem to be making of it…"

"I…"

"Yes. You're sorry but you can't tell me… OK, so, to sum up: No runes, no nookie, no news of Neriya… What exactly are you offering me here, Sagital?"

And she stunned him for the second time in three days when she leant over and put her arms around him. Alistair froze. Then she started to cry.

He allowed her to sob for a few minutes, wondering if the tears were genuine, and then opening his arms to loosen hers from around him said: "Let… me… go…"

"He beats… me" She said lowering her arms but burying her face in his chest.

"I am sorry, but what is that to me? You seem a big enough girl and not short on your own resources…"

"When you… Give me refuge…"

"Is that a strange new way of asking for… Forget it."

"I am serious," she snuffled "here in your kingdom…"

He took her by the shoulders and pulled her off him holding her in front of him: "Darling, don't know if you've noticed but in these last few days the sum total of my "kingdom" is this little cell… I'll be damned if I cut another desperate deal with a devious woman to get out of a tight corner. And I'll deny ever saying that."

She looked down at the floor.

"Give me your knife."

She looked at him surprised.

He sighed. "You're in casual clothes if this is extracurricular you are breaking plenty of rules just speaking to me like this. If Epson beats you, wouldn't he beat you even more if he found out you were with me, like this?… you must have brought something along. I would… I promise I won't use it unless I have to defend my or Neriya's life. You want my help? I won't tell anyone you gave it to me and I will return it, I swear by Andraste's virtue. Give it to me here…" he held out his hand.

She pulled the knife out from under her sleeve and laid it in his outstretched palm. It seemed a delicate thing, but strong, as long as the distance between his wrist and the tip of his middle finger. Its blade was shaped like a leaf, pointed at the end, wide at the middle. Where the midrib would be it was cast thickest tapering towards a razor thin, razor sharp, edge.

Unbidden she pulled out the scabbard and handed that to him too.

He breathed in "These are my terms. Information, you give me information, two questions… and a promise to get me a sword if things start going pear-shaped. If not, I'll still have the knife... If I get out of here I'm sending you all packing back to sacré Orlais. You too, but, I will turn a blind eye if you return. I'll give you passage, not refuge. Just passage, say to the port here. You told me to be mindful of my station. There you have it. If you agree nod. Then you can say you didn't tell me anything."

The servant girl did knock but entered before Konrad, who was shaving, got a chance to say "come in". He reflected ruefully that that was fairly typical of the general lack of finesse he had observed ever since coming to Ferelden, both in the people and the country.

"You have a visitor…" said the redheaded lass, "downstairs…".

Konrad snorted "Why did you let her in?"

"She's an old lady, I wasn't going to but she told me I really should leave her standing in the snow and would I do that to my own granny? My granny died… two winters ago, and no, I wouldn't, so…"

Konrad wished he had noticed before he hired her that she talked too much "Where is she?"

"In the parlour… I lit the fire."

"Tell her I shall be right down once I have finished here."

"Yes"

He had heard of her by reputation but somehow he hadn't been told how tall she was and that she was still very beautiful. She had been warming her hands at the fire but she stood to her full height when he entered. The pale winter light from the window made her skin look slightly translucent and unearthly. He had heard some very strange rumours about her lately, not that he gave them any credence.

"Excusez-moi de vous déranger," she began, "and please overlook my poor Orleisian, it was much better, once, alas now a long time ago. It has been some time since I have had the opportunity to practice it… You must be Konrad…"

"And you must be Wynne…"

She put her hand up and patted her hair, "Well… It is slightly perturbing to be recognised."

"Lass" he said "Fetch us some spiced wine. Please sit down." He said turning to Wynne.

"Thank you" she said, "it may be a bit early in the day but conversation always flows easier with wine, don't you think?"

The girl brought them a cup each and they sipped in silence for a while.

"Why are you here?"

Her blue eyes met his, "You are holding my king downstairs, why should I not be here?"

"But of course he is more to you than that…"

"They are more to me than that. You are a soldier, no? They were my commanding officers, or near enough, for almost two years. They are good leaders and dedicated fighters. I respect them. I respect them a good deal and it pains me to see them in this situation."

Konrad did not reply but concentrated on his wine.

"May I ask, what is the purpose of your investigation?"

"From mage to mage?"

"From mage to mage." Replied Wynne.

Konrad explained as briefly as he could.

Wynne let her hands fall into her lap: "And you think Alistair or Neriya would have the power or the means as well as the intent to do that… Always assuming, of course that Grey Warden tradition has it right… When did the fourth Blight end? As I grow old I find my memory for quaint historical facts is not what it once was..."

"5:20 Exalted…"

"Four hundred years ago! Well, as I say, do we really know what happened four hundred years ago… But even setting that to one side, what you hypothesize would require a good deal of magical practice and preparation time. Neriya is of course a mage but far less experienced than you or I. As for Alistair… Well, mage to mage again, the Theirins have always had their own brand of magic, but it is magic that runs through their veins, not learnt or consciously applied. Most of them are quite unaware of it and 'tis better so."

"This Morrigan…"

"An apostate sure enough, but not even a civil one. Very full of herself, very arrogant… Very young."

"Blood magic…"

"Surprisingly no. But what you contemplate here goes far beyond simple blood magic… We are in the realm of transubstantiation, spiritual transference on an unwieldy scale…"

"And yet they seem to be hiding something…"

"And who does not? If I were to spin for you the tales of all the sins I have committed in my life, we would be sitting here a very long time indeed. As for yourself… Oh, you know how mages love to gossip even at our level."

Konrad held up his hand "I should presume my many misdemeanours are well known… But suppose they were the means, the means for the maleficar's end."

"They are very much what they appear to be. Two young people very taken with each other, coping in circumstances which many others would find hard to endure. If they were, they would hardly do it consciously… No, they would not."

They were silent again.

"Is there anything further I can do to assist you?" Asked Wynne.

"You have been extremely helpful and have given me much to think about."

Her mouth tightened slightly but she nodded. "I am sure. I should go."

"To the circle tower?"

"No. I will be remaining in Denerim to await your determination."

They rose and she turned towards him.

"Do remind me… the formal farewell…"

"You lean towards the other person to your right and then to your left."

"Ah yes of course!" she said and did it perfectly. But keeping her hands on his shoulders, she looked straight at him once again and said "There are still many of us here who recall how things were over thirty years ago… And a few of us would do anything to avoid a return to that situation…"

Konrad hesitated, "I am sure you would…"

"Be assured. Irving sends his regards…" She said releasing him.

As she left the room, Konrad couldn't help muttering to himself: "I'm sure he does."