The Dragon and the Griffon
A/N: Draco Cousland is a Warrior whom Duncan recruited from Highever. Irasabeth Tabris is a rouge Duncan found in the Elven Alienage. This is going to be the story about how these two very different people become close friends and took on the Blight with their small band of misfit allies.
A big old thanks to my beta Lisa! You are a lifesaver!
Chapter 13: My turn to save you
The months ran by and the fights didn't get any easier. Alistair often found himself in Draco's tent being rubbed with healing poultices and getting a full massage before being loved into a comfortable loving sleep. They had saved the Arlessa and her son, saved the Circle, chosen a new King in Orzammar, and even woke Arl Emmon up with the Ashes of Andraste. The Blight was spreading, and Draco knew they were running out of time. The party stopped outside of the Bracilian Forest, knowing that they needed every treaty filled before making the march on Capital and facing Loghan. He took a deep breath as he rotated his neck.
"I defiantly know what is going to happen once the Blight is over." He muttered.
Alistair smirked, "What's that? Put me in a dress and make me dance the marigold?"
Draco laughed as he slid his hand into the other man's hand and lifted it to his lips kissing his knuckles softly. "I plan on drinking a lot of wine and fucking you senseless until you can do nothing but blush and smile every time my name is mentioned or you sit down and your ass tingles."
Alistair blushed hotly and swallowed past the lump in his throat. "Boy…you do know what to say to make a man blush."
"Nope, just you Alistair." He laughed, but his laughter quickly faded when he heard the snapping of something in the trees. "Everyone get ready…we have company." He dropped Alistair's hand and his fingers wrapped around the hilt of his sword his eyes scanning everything.
Leliana moved around, notching an arrow into the bow waiting for anything while Irasabeth and Zevran stood back to back taking in everything. Draco moved back with Alistair Oghren and Sten to guard Morrigan and Wynne who began to cast spells to help the group. "The birds have stopped in the trees, there's nothing in this forest now." Irasabeth breathed.
Zevran looked around, his golden eyes sharp. "One…two…six…nine…fourteen…we might be in more trouble than I thought." He whispered, "But at least it doesn't smell like darkspawn." He chuckled earning a jab to his ribs from the other elf. "What did I say?"
Draco rolled his eyes as he stepped past the elves motioning for everyone to stay back. "Come out! We know you are there!" He yelled. He held his breath and waited but nothing came and he lowered his weapon and shield before turning back to the group. "Guess they move on."
"Draco looks out!" Irasabeth screamed, a moment before something big collided with the man knocking him into a tree.
"Attack!" Yelled a gravelly growling voice, answered by a chorus of howls as monsters poured from the cover of the trees.
The creatures came charging full force and the small group to let loose with steel, arrows, and spells. Draco pushed himself to his feet, throwing his shield aside and charging at the big thing that had originally knocked him down. He collided into the thing with his shoulder knocking it back and grinned. "C'mon ugly, you hit me first, let's dance." He taunted gripping his sword tight and blocked the monsters arm as it came down. "C'mon give me all you got!" he laughed dancing around it as it swung, he didn't anticipate it's other arm swinging back and it caught him across the belly, shredding his armor. Draco gasped as he clutched at his midsection and stumbled back. The monster took its chance and snarled as it dove at him closing its jaws around his midsection and began to shake him like a rag doll.
"Kadan!" Sten snarled as he charged forward bringing Asala down hard across the beast slicing it right down the middle. The monster howled and dropped Draco before being grabbed by its friends and they all ran off. Wynne and Morrigan skidded over and dropped down holding their hands over him.
"Damnit, my magic isn't working." Wynne said, her aged face lined with worry as her eyes flicked from the wound to Draco's face. "Morrigan?"
"Nor is mine, our magic isn't healing these wounds. We can't heal him."
Alistair dropped down taking Draco's head in his lap, "no, you guys have to heal him. You can heal anything." He pleaded.
Draco reached up and took his hand, smiling through the blood in his mouth. "It's ok love…it's only a scratch." He laughed which ended in coughing, blood marring his spittle.
"Shut up you stupid man, you have extensive damage, that our magic can't heal." Morrigan snapped.
"And you won't be able to." A male voice called out to them. They looked up to see a male elf in robes walking to them fallowed by a small group of elves with their weapons drawn and looking around at the trees as they walked to surround the small group of companions. "Your friend was bitten by a werewolf, we have lost many hunters because of them, you are lucky you all survived."
"Survived?! Draco is dying! And our healers can't save him!" Alistair cried.
Irasabeth put her hand on his shoulder. "You are obviously a Keeper, My name is Irasabeth Tabris, and I am from an Alienage in Denirem. Please can you help us?"
"A city born? Tell me did you come all the way out here to find the Dalish and run away from the hardships of life?" He all but sneered at her.
She glared back standing right in front of the man. "I am a Grey Warden! We have come here to get your help for a treaty that was promised by the Dalish and you are expected to honor that promise." She growled waving the treaty in his face. "But now you have to help us because we don't know what to do to help Draco, if we lose him we are one Grey Warden short of stopping the blight."
"My apologies, we Dalish are not used to dealing with outsiders. You must forgive me. Mirtha, Hanoral, help take the man to the encampment I will explain everything on the way." The two elves rushed forward to grab Draco carrying them between them as the rest of the group fallowed. Wynne hovering closely to Draco as they walked.
By the time they reached the encampment Draco had broken out into a fever and sweats making Wynne and Morrigan worry more. The robed elf, Zathrian, explained the curse and everything that went with it. Alistair walked over to Draco and knelt down next to the cot he occupied, Wynne using her magic to keep him cool and keep him alive. "Don't worry Draco, just stay alive." He whispered looking down at the man who he knew stole his heart. "It's my turn to save you." He whispered.
"Then you better get to it Alistair, I'm starting to get tired." Wynne said gravely. "I'll hold out until you get back but don't take your sweet time, now hurry."
Alistair laid a chaste kiss on Draco's lips and got up. "Stay alive Draco…stay alive." He whispered as he grabbed Zevran Irasabeth and Leliana and led them into the forest to find the source of the curse.