14.
Their group felt much smaller with the larger than life dwarf and the ex-Guard Captain gone. Cullen missed Varric's outrageous stories even though some of them had made him want to blush and he had had to restrain himself from covering Bethany's ears at times. She didn't appreciate being treated like a chaste flower. He knew Bethany missed Aveline's stoic manner and unshakeable good sense. He looked at her amazed at how she had not seemed to have aged in the years since he had first spied her in the Gallows. He wondered if it was the magic she carried, but he had seen other mages their faces weathered and beaten by the war. He didn't know and didn't much care she was his beautiful perfect rose in the middle of much destruction. All things considered he felt himself to be a very lucky man. Whichever way this whole thing played out he would always be proud to be a part of it.
Merrill's and Fenris' voice broke through his consciousness, he sighed sick of hearing them argue. He couldn't quite figure Fenris out. He hated mages yet travelled with them fighting for their cause. "Stop Fenris" Merrill sounded near tears. "I know you disagree with my choices, but what has been done can't be undone." Fenris stared stonily at her "No, it can't" he growled with his strangely deep voice. The first time Cullen had heard him talk he had stared in surprise amazed that such a deep rumbling could come from such a slight being. Cullen quite liked him though at first was wary that his hatred of all things magical may one day extend to Bethany. Fenris made it clear to all of them though that he had the utmost respect for Bethany seeing her as the strongest mage he had ever met. His feelings for Merrill were another thing entirely. "Why don't you two just get it over with and kiss?" Garrett's voice was snarky, he too was sick of hearing them fight. The joke had the desired effect making them both clamp their lips together.
Suddenly Isabela stopped and was looking around her warily "there is something…." her words were cut off by the appearance of a heavily armed group emerging from the bushes. "It's them" one of them shouted drawing his sword. Cullen and the others fanned out quickly drawing their weapons. Fenris started pulsing blue and pushed his hand through the chest of the nearest bandit triumphantly ripping out his heart. Cullen shuddered what a way to go he thought not for the first time, having witnessed it before. His sword moved quickly dealing fire damage from the rune Sandal had put there before they had left. He felt the sizzle of magic at his back and heard Bethany cry out "leave my man alone" he grinned loving that she always had his back. "Pull back, pull back" she shouted they ran leaving the bandits confused standing in a group not sure what was going on. Fireballs fell from the sky and Cullen winced at the sounds of their agonised screams and the smell of burning human flesh. The battle ended quickly and he spied one of the bandits moving painfully on the ground. "These are not merely bandits" he announced moving over to the huddled form. Flipping the bandit over with his foot he ignored the moans of pain "who sent you?" he demanded placing his sword across her throat. "Mercy, Ser mercy" she groaned. Cullen shook his head "who sent you?" he repeated impatiently. "I do not know their names only that they are from Tevinter" he heard Fenris growl. "Where did you get this task?" Cullen barked. "There is a camp, due east from here. You cannot miss it." Cullen dropped her head back to the ground running his sword through her heart before turning to the others. "Due east it is then" Garrett said. Fenris was pacing angrily, "Danarius is dead. Who else would be after me?" Bethany placed her hand on his arm "perhaps they are not after you Fenris. There are other reasons…." Fenris shook her hand away "of course they are after me, they will always be after me for as long as I live."
They travelled east looking for any signs of other ambushes. Spying the small encampment Isabela and Garrett scouted ahead of them. Cullen and the others remained out of sight waiting for them to return. After quite some time Bethany became worried "it has been too long. I fear they have been captured, we must…." She stopped talking breathing a sigh of relief when Garrett and Isabela returned. "Well?" Fenris demanded impatiently "what did you find?" Garrett held a piece of parchment in his hand "I am afraid you are right Fenris. They are indeed here for you" his tone was apologetic. He passed the parchment to him. "Garrett" Bethany hissed at him taking the paper from Fenris. She read aloud masking the elf's embarrassment at not being able to read. "Reward for the murderer of my brother" a crudely drawn picture of Fenris was underneath. "His sister" Fenris breathed "I had forgotten about her, of course she would come for me." "Whoever drew this was no artist" Cullen said randomly. "We must burn this camp to the ground" Isabela's eyes flashed. She valued the ideal of freedom highly and would die before she returned anyone to chains. They all nodded in agreement making quick plans of attack.
After waiting for the cover of night the guards posted at the entrance of the camp were taken out quickly by Isabela's and Garrett's expert stealth. Bethany had wanted to rain fire down to take them by surprise but the idea had been dismissed as they didn't know if there were any innocents there. Isabela and Garrett took out as many as they could with surprise attacks before their presence was discovered. Hearing the bird call that signified it was time for them to attack they ran in from different directions, leaving the slavers floundering not sure which way to direct their attacks. Bethany and Merrill concentrated on the other mages, removing the chance of them keeping their enemies healed. Cullen and Fenris moved quickly cutting down anyone that got in their way quickly and efficiently. Garrett and Isabela kept others in a state of confusion appearing behind them from what seemed like nowhere slicing their sharp daggers into their backs before disappearing just as quickly. Soon the group stood breathing heavily from their exertions surrounded by corpses, the smell of magic lingering in the air.
Fenris strode over to a chest cursing when he found it was locked. Isabela moved next to him expertly sliding her knife in, she wiggled it around sighing with pleasure when she heard the barrels slide back. Opening it up Fenris scowled at the mess of papers it contained silently cursing his inability to read. Isabela took them out handing an even amount out to each of them. They crouched around a fire trying to make out the scribbled words in the dim light. Fenris scoured the rest of the camp looking for clues. To his intense disappointment Danarius' sister had not been there and he knew that while she lived he would never be free. Will it ever end? The words kept playing through his mind like a mantra threatening to send him to the brink of madness. "His sister is in Orlais" Garrett told him. Fenris nodded "then I must go there. I must keep trying to end it although I fear I never shall be able" his voice held more sadness than anger. He had enjoyed being part of this group. They were kind and understanding people and he had come to view them as his family. He thought back to the night after they had fled Kirkwall. He had decided to leave the next day unable to reconcile himself to the idea of continuing to travel and fight with Anders. He had stood just as shocked as the rest of them when Bethany had marched over to Anders attacking him with her words and fists. Still he had thought they would allow the abomination to stay. He had watched with an unaccustomed feeling of happiness in his chest as Anders had been banished from the camp. He could remain with them and not be alone and for that he had fallen in love with Bethany a little. But they had their own battle to fight and as much as he hated to leave them he knew he must.
They scavenged what they could carry from the camp. Finding robes and armour everywhere they replaced their damaged and tattered ones. Cullen saw that Garrett had found a new dagger and was shining it a smile playing on his lips as he admired it. Cullen picked up a shield inspecting it for damage, deciding it was in far better condition than the one he had he slung it on his back. He wasn't going to replace his sword not after Sandal had so lovingly enchanted it for him. Stuffing jewels and coins in their bags they settled in for the night. They took it in turns to guard the camp in pairs. Fenris had asked to pair with Garrett stating that he needed to speak with him. Merrill sighed with relief, since Varric and Aveline had left she usually ended up on duty with Fenris and she wasn't in the mood to deal with his snide remarks.
"What did you need to speak with me about Fenris?" Garrett asked "it had better be important as you are interfering with mine and Isabela's alone time you know?" Fenris smiled "and for that I apologise. You know I must leave now?" Garrett moved his shoulders trying to ease some of the tension in them "I had guessed as much. But it saddens me nonetheless. We can come with you, you know?" Fenris shook his head "no, you have your own battle to fight that is much more important." Garrett sucked on his lower lip "you know Fenris, I have been curious as to why you have stayed. I know your feelings on mages and whilst I have enjoyed having you with us and been grateful for your help I still don't understand your motivation." Fenris considered the question "I was going to leave the day after we fled Kirkwall. But seeing Bethany take a stand against Anders shifted my opinion of mages somewhat. I don't know if they should all be free, but caging Bethany would be a crime against nature." His head was low causing his hair to hide his face. "You love her?" Garrett asked astonished as the elf had never betrayed his feelings. "My feelings are neither here nor there. I must leave to attend to this business. Just know as soon as I am done I will come looking for you and I will help to finish this." Garrett clapped his hand on Fenris' shoulder "I will miss you my friend." Fenris returned the gesture "and I you." Fenris left before the others awoke not wanting the protracted goodbyes.