Chapter 12 – Midnight Fighting
Everyone was drunk, or at the very least, tipsy. Merrill swayed from side to side, Aveline gave off very unusual giggles and many were just all over Varric's table in various means of incapacitation. So, when night fell deep, Anders, Isabela and I went with Hawke to retrieve the relic.
That seemed to be the ongoing theme, Anders and me vying for Evelyn's attention and love. Though Anders was already a man of her past, rather than her future, he was nevertheless competition. And I refused to lose. We made a stop to the estate, allowing Anders' new cat to curl up with Widge.
Much to Isabela's disappointment, there was no fight. The cat seemed more than content to sidle against the Mabari, taking comfort in the heat and companionship. Evelyn's only response was, "I told you so."
As I looked around the foyer, I noticed many packages that were not yet unpacked. Though unwilling to question her personally, I had been curious. Thankfully, Isabela was blunt enough to ask, "What are in those?"
Evelyn stiffened but gave a genial smile and answered vaguely, "Random things."
Knowing Isabela, she would have asked more questions so Evelyn cut her off saying, "We can talk later. Let's find your relic first."
The streets of Lowtown were quiet, no thugs, no gangs, no one to impede our way until we reached the Foundry. A group of Qunari stood there awaiting Isabela, ordering, "Halt! You shall surrender the relic!"
Isabela answered brusquely, "I don't have your stupid relic."
With that, they attacked us. I had never faced a Qunari squad and they were by no means easy to defeat. Though each fell easily after their leader died, it had taken quite a while to even dent their skin. I was very grateful that they wore no armour.
Evelyn and I shared a glance. Our previous assumptions of the Qunari seemed accurate. Anders accused, "Anything you'd like to tell us, Isabela?"
"Er… yes, about that. The relic belongs to the Qunari and there's a small chance that they want it back."
Evelyn's voice became cynical, "A small chance? You realize that the Arishok has been looking for this, stuck here because of it, correct?"
Isabela had the good sense to look contrite and muttered, "I've always known what the relic is, I just didn't want to worry you…"
"How kind of you", I commented wryly.
She waved her hands helplessly, "The relic is a Qunari text handwritten by some philosopher of theirs. I stole it from them, they followed me to reclaim it and now, they're stuck here."
Evelyn slapped her forehead, her loose dress floating about her, "You could have done something about the Qunari!"
She had the gall to be unrepentant, "Done what? The blighted thing didn't show up for three years! Look, the book is right in this building and I'm not going to let it slip away again. It's the only thing that'll get Castillon off my back. Please tell me you'll give me the relic."
Evelyn sighed, exasperated by the events that had transpired. She looked up to the sky for a moment, as though wondering why she'd ever come back to Kirkwall but eventually nodded, "It's yours. Your life depends on it."
Anders rounded on her, "You'll let her walk away with the one thing that'll save everyone?"
Evelyn did not answer. Her loyalty was to her family. She couldn't be the cause of Isabela's death. I hissed at Anders without Isabela overhearing, "Did you really think Isabela is going to just hand it over?"
The three of us shared a look of resignation before following.
We were already too late. Tevinter mages, a handful of Qunari were already fighting over the Tome of Koslun. Wall-Eyed Sam took the opportunity to run and Isabela ran after him, leaving us to fight both mage and Qunari.
I flipped my bow out and took aim but Evelyn stopped me, "No. Let them fight. We'll take out the remainder. The Qunari are not easy prey."
Mages fell, they were no match for charging Qunari but they had, at the very least, weakened the few that came toward us. The fight became easier. Most were already weak from taking damage. I noticed that the Qunari seemed to be straight up fighters, preferring the use of brute force. This would come in useful, I was sure.
A little bruised, we raced out of the Foundry only to find Wall-Eyed Sam's cold, dead body and Isabela's note that she had left with the relic.
Evelyn crumpled the letter and burnt it, removing the one piece of evidence that Isabela had taken the relic and left. She gave a slightly snide comment, "Relic issue resolved. Next!"
I told her, "We had best get to Aveline. She'll want to know of this."
We found a sober Aveline nursing a headache outside the Qunari compound with a small retinue of guard. She looked up when Evelyn's shadow fell upon her path. Aveline questioned, "What happened?"
Evelyn shook her head in response, a symbolic answer that Isabela had left with the relic. Aveline cursed foully and even Evelyn winced as though she had been struck physically, "I told you!" Evelyn did not dignify with a response.
Aveline told the Qunari guard, "I request an audience with the Arishok."
"He will allow it but not in this number", his voice was resolute, thrumming with authority.
"I will only bring my friend and a small complement of my guard. Is that few enough?"
The guard seemed surprised at Aveline's easy agreement but my gut tightened. Something about all this did not seem right, I was very certain that things would end badly. What could one woman do? What could Evelyn do that hadn't been attempted by the others? The Arishok, though respected Hawke, still perceived her as disposable.
As a portion of the guard waited outside the compound with Anders and me, I heard nothing from the conversation. I saw only movements and two elves that must have been the fugitives Aveline mentioned. From what I could see, the conversation was going nowhere. Though there were no shouts of movements of violence, the Arishok's stance was unforgiving and unnegotiable.
Anders fidgeted beside me, "I can't hear anything and things aren't looking good." I nodded.
Our worst fears came to life when the Arishok raised his hand to silence Aveline and turned away. Spears came flying down from the sides of the Qunari compound and from above, impaling all of Aveline's guards within a second. Two attacked Evelyn and Aveline in close combat. Aveline made short work of the first being heavily armoured but Evelyn had to duck and weave, her agility serving her well rather than brute force. Evelyn weaved around the Qunari and thrust her staff at his back, leaving his body searing from the flames.
As Aveline and Evelyn fled the scene towards us, Evelyn turned at the very last moment to exchange a dark promise to the Arishok that spoke plainly: This will not go unpunished.
I yelled, "Evelyn!" and seeing my expression, all of us fled towards Lowtown. Along the streets, Evelyn and Aveline weaved elsewhere, taking another route. By the time Anders and I found them again, they appeared to be in deep discussion for a while already.
There were angry slashes along Evelyn's robes whilst Aveline's armour seemed a little worse for wear, dents appearing where they had not been only a few minutes previous. Apart from that, the two seemed fairly healthy, considering the circumstances.
I told Evelyn, "Thank the Maker you're alright. I was worried."
Aveline stated, "The Qunari are assaulting the city. And fast. The Arishok has planned this for who knows how long. We should head to the Keep to rally my guardsmen. Whatever happens, be careful."
The walk to the Viscount's Keep was long and unrelenting. Qunari seemed to be at every corner, impeding our way, attacking us with vigour whilst our energies began to fade. Towards the end, Evelyn began to lose focus. Exhausted by the overuse of her magic, she had barely any energy left to walk or run.
As one of the Qunari charged towards her in the Chantry courtyard, she foolishly stood her ground aiming spell after spell. She would not survive if his body slammed into hers and so, I grabbed her by the arms, shoving her behind me. From my force, I knew she probably fell. As the rest of us readied towards defeating the mage-like Qunari, it became unnecessary as a sword poked straight through his chest and he fell to the ground without a whimper.
A heavily armoured Templar with blonde hair narrowed her eyes at us. I recognized her. Knight-Commander Meredith. She offered a hand that pulled Evelyn to her feet. There was a shrewd, calculative look in her eye that warned me of trouble. Templar and apostates were not a good mix. Her first words were, "I know you. The name, Hawke, has turned up in my reports many times. Too many times."
Aveline seemed to breathe easier, "Its good we've found you."
Anders and I seemed to disagree through our mutually exchanged glances. Though we did not particularly like one another, there was now a grudging respect. With two apostate mages in our group, it seemed like the worst possible time.
Meredith continued, "The Qunari are taking people to the Keep and may already be in control. We will need to deal with them."
Evelyn shook her head, "Why are they taking hostages?"
Aveline supplied, "They're taking everyone important to kill or convert."
"Charming" was all Meredith offered.
Evelyn offered, "I am willing to do whatever it takes to defend my home but I am content in travelling in my own party."
"You think I'm a fool, do you? I saw you using magic." I cursed inwardly whilst Anders gave a cynical comment, "Uh oh. Here it comes."
Meredith raised a stern finger, "You have one chance and one chance only to prove yourself, apostate. Do not test me."
Evelyn's eyes turned deadly, yet another promise that Meredith would pay the ultimate price if she even dared to harm her but Meredith relented, "Head to the Keep. I'll see what remains of my men. These creatures will pay for this outrage."
As she walked away, Evelyn muttered, "Bitch."
Everyone looked to her in surprise. We had rarely heard her swear. She shook her head, "I guarantee you, that woman will cause trouble for us if she can."
A low groan caught our attention and Evelyn helped an elder mage to his feet.
"Many thanks, my friend." His voice was weak, gruff but still unyielding. Clearly, a good sign.
"You don't seem badly injured compared to the others." Evelyn commented though her voice was clearly distressed by all of the fallen mages around her.
"The others! Surely, they cannot all be." He surveyed the damage around him before his eyes lay upon a young woman's body.
"Andraste's Grace", he muttered as he reached her but Evelyn was the first to recognize the body.
"Bethany!" she rushed to her sister's side, cradling her body as the elderly mage healed her wounds.
A rush of breath came from Bethany and her eyes fluttered open.
"Evelyn?" Bethany murmured, still groggy from being unconscious.
"I'm here." Evelyn held her younger sister tightly, her hands soothing out Bethany's frazzled hair.
The young girl murmured, "I've missed you. I –"
Evelyn hushed her saying, "We'll talk later." She laid a kiss upon Bethany's forehead and slowly picked her up from the ground.
"First Enchanter Orsino. You survived." Meredith's voice rang through the courtyard.
"Your relief overwhelms me, Knight-Commander" replied Orsino, his voice taut with sarcasm.
"There is no time to talk. We must strike back before it is too late."
"And who will lead us into battle. You?" Orsino taunted.
"I will fight to defend this city as I have always done." Meredith was incredibly self-righteous, a quality that I'm sure most found irritating.
"To control it, you mean. I will not have our lives tossed to the flames to feed your vanity", Orsino argued. Meredith seemed very well used to giving orders and expecting them to be followed. My stomach dropped.
Evelyn exchanged glances with her sister and her ears twitched as if to say, "Seriously? This is what we're arguing about?"
Bethany shrugged her shoulders. Evelyn interrupted, "Let's not fight. As amusing as mage versus Templar is, we have bigger threats to deal with."
Orsino muttered, "Then perhaps you should lead us."
"What?" came Meredith's indignant squawk, "She isn't even of this city!"
"Neither am I, yet I don't hear you complaining that we are both trying to defend our home."
If looks could kill, Evelyn would have died a terrible death. Meredith was evidently threatened by Evelyn's presence and this did not bode well considering that she was the Knight-Commander who wielded a degree of control over Evelyn's mage status.
Meredith nodded, "Well whatever it is you plan, be quick about it."
Evelyn tilted her head in a fashion that was calculated to annoy but on face value, appeared to be acquiescent. It had the desired effect. Meredith stiffened and her fists clenched. What Meredith wouldn't give to run Evelyn through was a list that probably did not even exist.
As though unaffected, Evelyn stated, "Let's head to the Keep and see what we find first", and gestured for Meredith to lead the way.
As our group hung back, Bethany joined her sister. She commented, "I can't believe you still do that annoying head thing. And to the Knight-Commander? You do realize what she can do to you, right?"
Evelyn quipped, "And here I thought I was the only one who disliked her intensely. Sister dear, she can, for all intents and purposes, kiss my ass."
Anders chuckled under his breath and though I shot her a half-disapproving look, I know I ruined it by smiling. I was simply grateful that for a moment, we were all relatively unharmed.
Meredith. What a bitch, right? Please R&R!
Love,
Ann
