Darkness bathed the entire dungeons of the palace, lit by only the far spaced torches marking the walls. Two Templars stood silently in front of one cell, silent and unwavering without even a single word spoken between the two even though they had been guarding the small room for hours. Behind them, appearing to be doing nothing but sleeping, was the Blood Mage known as Aeden, kept only alive for further interrogation from the King himself. In the depths of his mind though, he was wide awake, alive and chain free in the Fade, a place most Blood Mages struggled to find entry to. A few centuries practice had brought him a bought of knowledge, though.
The Fade was an interesting place, a place that could mold and form into your greatest dreams and desires. It was currently though merely in a neutral stage, blurred edges and unknown cliffs that fell off into no where. Most would be afraid, seated within the heart of a different world than that of the living. Aeden felt come though, a serenity that only came from a man who was in complete control of everything around him. He needed no demons to make deals with, for he practically was one. Unlike Flemeth, he had allowed no rumors to spread about him over the centuries his life had spanned on through. This in turn, made him even more deadly. You learn to fear and protect yourself from the evils you know, but what about those that are foreign to you?
After what seemed ages of waiting, the impatient elderly man finally began to see the forming specs that eventually became the solid forms of his two sons, Samson, tall and broad, and Samuel, tall and lithe. Both brothers seemed no older than thirty, but yet aged and tainted in a way that only those who fell so deeply into the dark arts could appear. In the same likeness of their Father, they bore the black webs of veins throughout their body, eyes murky and white with the only indication of color their corrupted blood. They bowed before their Father, the man that gave them life and sought to control every aspect of it.
"Have you located the woman, yet?"
Samson was the one to speak, "She resides in her former home, Castle Cousland, in the depths of Highever city. There she lives with her brother and an elven scum. We believe her to only be in the second trimester."
"As soon as you believe her to be in the ninth month, I want you both to sedate and bring her to the chambers beneath the Brecilian Forest. We must get the child as soon as it is born, then I would like to see if she holds the ancestry in her blood to birth more mage children, ones of the same power the one she carries contains. The power of our home, of the Tevinter Imperium, is in the palm of our hands and we must not fail. This is a pathway that can lead us into smashing the Quanari species out of existence and growing from the shadows of our former glory into taking claim once more over the southern nations. Do I make myself understood?"
Both men nodded in unison, knowing that if they failed their Father both would be met with something far greater and more painful than death.
….
Alistair watched the dancing orange flames from within the fireplace, eyelids falling with the promise of soon to come slumber. It was warm in his chambers, but no so much so that he was uncomfortable. Rather, everything was just the right degree, a slight cooling breeze falling over his exposed skin from the window he had opened. Only his pants, a new silken pair that made his arse feel like he was sitting on a cloud, he had never quite been so comfortable.
He allowed his eyelids to fall, leaning further into his overly cushioned chair and letting the calm feeling of sleep pull him into a loving embrace and then...someone banged on his bedroom door and he tumbled out of the chair with a thud, nearly putting a foot in the fire. Teagan slowly opened, peeking his head open to find a disgruntled and nearly torched Alistair.
"Bloody hell, Teagan! Were you knocking on the door or were you trying to make me piss myself?" Pulling himself up, he stood and tried to look as Kingly as possible.
"Might I say my King, that is not something very difficult to do."
"You're a bad person." He crossed his arms over his chest, hoping Teagan didn't notice his pajama pants.
"As I've been told. Besides the fact that you are the easiest scared world known warrior I have ever met, we have more important and less comedic issues at hand. Issues that include Lady Cousland."
"Has she been located?" Alistair couldn't disguise his excitement, hopefulness igniting in his chest.
"Yes, it seems the search party was rather unneeded. Her elder brother, the Teyrn, he has sent a letter. She is...not in a state to travel, exactly." Teagan paused for a moment, rethinking his words; he had been told of the pregnancy, but was instructed to not tell the King.
"What? Is she alright?"
"Yes Alistair, she is fine, but Fergus asks that if you would like to speak to her, that you come to Cousland Castle. If not, Aurora would not be able to visit you for...another three or four months." He silently cursed himself, Maker, if Alistair didn't catch on it would be a miracle.
"Three or four months? What kind of illness does she have?" Luckily, Alistair wasn't exactly skilled in the topics of sexual education. What more would someone expect from some who grew up in a Chantry? The only thing they taught their was abstinence, which obviously had not worked in his favor.
"One that is...spread from person to person. Now," Teagan was desperate to change the subject before he gave anything more away, "We both know you have been itching to get out of this Maker forsaken palace for months."
"You're not wrong there..."
"You will be required to bring guards with you though, Alistair."
He groaned, "I've killed dragons! Broodmothers! I can go to Highever alone, Teagan."
The older man squinted his eyes, brow furrowed, "Do I dare ask what even a Broodmother is?"
"No, you do not. Usually you would think a situation involving several pairs of breast would be an enlightening one, but Maker...this was like a wet dream turned nightmare."
"Alistair." Teagan shook his head, setting a hand to his forehead.
"Hey, don't face palm me until you've seen it. Back to the matter at hand, I am more than able and equipped to go to Castle Cousland on my own. You know this, Teagan."
"I also know that my knocking nearly made you wet your drawers and that you don't exactly pay attention once deep in thought."
"I'm not saying you have to take the entire Royal Army, Alistair, but you are not going alone and that is final."
He pouted but gave in, falling back into his chair with a pitiful whine of a voice, "Fine."
