Chapter 21

Elissa tensed as she heard feather light footsteps approaching behind her. She had been wandering the halls, surveying the damage from the darkspawn siege on the Keep that occurred a week prior while she was saving Amaranthine from the very same beasts. Things had been going well on all fronts. Nathaniel and she were on cordial, speaking terms and no obvious threats were looming before her. Her brain was trying work out some tactics for their final move on the Mother, when she heard the footsteps grow closer. Just as she could sense someone right behind her, she turned with a quick punch, connecting her fist to the man's jaw. It was then that Elissa saw that the man, now on the floor, was Zevran.

"Zevran! I'm sorry!" Elissa reached out to help him up. She drew him close and put her hand on his face, softly running her thumb across his jaw. "Why were you following me? And why didn't you block my throw?"

Zevran grinned and placed his hands on Elissa's hips as he explained. "I was checking on my voluptuous, future wife who has been skulking about the Keep. You have been so lost in thought this past week."

Elissa smiled and moved both hands behind Zevran's neck, knowing his words were spoken out of concern. She kissed his chin softly and sighed. "Mmm, your future wife. I do love the sound of that." She tilted her head to the side with an arrogant grin. "And your failure to duck?"

"Yes, an unfortunate miscalculation. It was a well-placed shot, I have to admit. But it was entirely your fault that I did not drop. Approaching you from behind is rather…distracting." As the last word left Zevran's lips, his hand slid from her hip and mischievously squeezed her rear-end, pulling her body closer to him as he did so.

A giggle escaped her mouth as she stared into Zevran's eyes. "Distracting? Well maybe I can distract you even more?" She pulled him in for a more passionate kiss. Her fingers ran through Zevran's hair and his hand remained on her bottom as their kiss deepened. They separated for a moment, both smiling, but returned quickly to each other's lips. Their tongues danced as Zevran drew his fingers from Elissa's hip up to her breast. His touch made her shiver, and she nibbled on his lower lip, tempting him to go further.

"You know," he said, eyes bright with desire, "it seems your bosom is quite full as of late. I have been reluctant to mention this, but...do you think, maybe…?"

Elissa pulled away from their embrace, bothered by his inquiry. "I know what you are asking. I…cannot think about that right now. There are too many things, too many lives at stake to be concerned with something that will never come to pass. We need to take care of the Mother before I can venture to think about what the future holds." The Mother: the name was surely a twist of fate, she thought.

Zevran sighed and spoke thoughtfully. "My love, if you are with child, you should not be fighting, you should not be under any undue strain. Let someone else lead. You are not the only one capable of…"

"No! That is out of the question! This is my decision, Zevran! You have no right to tell me what to do!"

"Do I not? Is this child not mine as well as yours? Do you think I wish any harm to come to something that is a part of me? And to have your life in jeopardy, too? Do not carry on irrationally, Elissa!" he shouted angrily.

"I am not having this conversation right now, Zevran." Elissa turned to storm off but Zevran swiftly grabbed her wrist.

"Mi amor, calm down and think about this for a moment. I understand why you are conflicted, but this child deserves to be given a chance to live…and to have an able-bodied mother to raise her." His gaze pleaded for agreement. Her lack of concern for his feelings struck him deeply, but he did not let her see inside his heart.

The confusion in her eyes spoke volumes. "Her?…" she said as a tear fell from the corner of her eye. "I need to go, Zevran. I'll be by the lake if I am needed. Stay here and see that preparations run smoothly for our journey to Dragonbone Wastes." Elissa yanked her arm free and ran for the stairs.

Zevran did not follow her. He knew she would not accept any comfort from him until she sorted out her thoughts. Instead, he would bitterly do as she instructed and so he headed for the armory. After spending some time organizing weapons and doling out instructions, a flash of intuition caused him discontent. He thought he should follow her after all.

It was only a short while before Elissa reached the lake. It was so silent and still, a sharp contrast to everything she had experienced lately. She thought of Zevran, skipping stones on this lake, after he had seen her with Nathaniel. She shook her head, trying to erase the memory of his anguish that day. Elissa had left him at the Keep with the very same expression on his face. She looked down and placed her hand on her stomach and tried to convince herself that no child could grow, be born and survive with the taint that infected her womb.

Lost in depressing thoughts, her brain barely acknowledged the sharp jab to the small of her back until she dropped to her knees, the hit knocking the air out of her lungs. Before she could catch her breath, an unexpected kick slammed into her face causing her to land on her side with her mouth tasting the shoreline. She heard angry commands being ordered in a language not her own, which she couldn't even process due to a second kick to the face. Then everything went black.

When she awoke in her cell, her vision was blurred and she let out a pained moan of frustration. Her entire face ached, and the taste of blood on her tongue caused her to squeeze her eyes shut momentarily. She tried to sit up, but only managed to roll onto her back as she began to sob. The pain in her back no doubt kept her on the floor without the need for any restraints, not that she had any way of escaping. Her armor was gone and replaced with a simple cloth shift that barely covered her naked body. She touched the damp floor, and opened her eyes once more. Her vision had cleared a bit, but the tears still burned.

She lay there silent in the corner of the dark room with only the light of a torch glowing through the metal bars of the cell door. She concentrated on the silence and gradually, she could make out the voices of her captors in a distant room. Their words were foreign but their drawl familiar. The Antivan Crows had finally captured their prey, at least half of their prey. At that realization, Elissa hoped that Zevran had gone to the lake to find her and that he had read the signs of her abduction on the sand.

How much time had passed, she didn't know, but she was not surrounded by her own excrement and that was one encouraging thought. There was nothing familiar about her location, but she thought she must not be too far from the Keep. Amaranthine City? Maybe, for it was close to the Keep, yet far enough away that a rescue would take time to plan. The shock of her situation wore off and she tried to think of what might happen next. Before a clear idea entered her head, the cell door swung open and a dark haired Crow walked in, followed by a woman and another man.

"Finally awake Warden? We have been so patient waiting to see those lovely sapphire eyes of yours," the Crow said smoothly. His rich accent caused her to close her eyes and she could almost see Zevran's face. "No, no. You must not sleep yet, Commander," he ordered as he slapped her face to keep her from nodding off.

Her eyes popped open. "How long have I been here?" she asked quietly.

"Only since yesterday. Tsk, tsk. So foolish of you to wander off alone without the deserter. I expect he will come for you soon enough. The question is, will you still be alive when he arrives?"

"What do you want from me? I have nothing you need. Is this revenge for Taliesan, or something more?"

"Oh, yes, revenge is sweet, and luring the traitor to us will be more than rewarding, I assure you."

"Zevran is neither stupid nor weak. He will know this is a trap, so you might as well kill me now and save yourself the effort."

He chuckled at her boldness. "Oh-ho, Commander, you make me laugh. He will come, of that I have no doubt. In any case, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Antonio. I work for Master Ponifico. You may have heard our names mentioned by your lover, no?"

"Of course...Antonio." It was clear to Elissa that she was in very deep waters with little to keep her from drowning.

"How is your back? So painful, I know. My mage here will heal you a bit; just enough for you to appreciate how much the Crows enjoy torture. Tia, now please," he said flatly. Antonio motioned to the mage and Elissa instantly felt the healing powers surge through her body. Her aches subsided and she was able to get on her feet. Although the pain was not completely absent, she felt well enough to lunge at Antonio with all her might. Unfortunately for her, he expected that to happen and he swiftly grabbed her hands and shackled them to a metal ring that was secured to the wall of the cell. The chains were only long enough for her to lie on the floor a few inches from the wall and no farther.

"Now, now lovely Elissa, do not be so quick to attack me. That will make for many unpleasantries put upon you. My mage and I shall leave you in the company of Ramon, this fine Crow here." Antonio put his hand on the man's broad shoulders. "He will most certainly enlighten you as to our ways." Antonio and the mage exited and locked the cell door, leaving the immensely muscular Crow standing before Elissa, leering.

She could smell him as he stood a few feet from her and the scent was musky and most unpleasant. She pressed her back to the wall, knowing what was to come. Elissa steeled her brain to endure that which was the most heinous of acts one could do to a woman and she thought how lucky she had been up until now, never having been raped like so many other women she had seen in her travels as a Grey Warden.

The Crow moved closer to Elissa, fury in his eyes. "You are a very beautiful woman. My fellow Crows shall be so jealous of the fun times I will have with you." One large hand stroked her cheek savagely as the other tore off her shift. "Mm, and a deadly body to match your spirit, I see."

Elissa pinched her eyes closed as Ramon's hands roamed over every inch of her skin. He groped her breasts and bit her neck all at once, causing her to flinch. She wondered if she could persuade him to go easy, to not hurt her and the unborn child she now feared for. Zevran was right, she thought, about so many things. How could she be so stupid to walk away from the Keep without as much as a guard for her protection?

"Please…please, listen to me, Ramon," she whispered to the Crow desperately.

"Quiet, bitch. One more word…" he threatened.

"I am with child," she stated calmly.

The man pulled back slightly and grinned evilly. "A first for me then, puta. I will enjoy this all the more."

"Damn and blast you!" she shouted, slamming her head to his chest. Ramon's open palm slapped her face twice and blood dripped from the split on her lip. He grabbed a fistful of hair and pushed her head against the hard wall.

"A feisty one, you are. I will break you of that bad habit," he promised. "Enough talk!" With that command, he took hold of her shoulders and pressed her body down to the damp floor of the cell. She struggled to free herself from his grasp, but he was too strong, too heavy and too determined.

"Do not make this any harder than it has to be, whore. Tomas! Viene aquí!" he shouted while turning his head to the cell door. Elissa took that opportunity to sink her teeth into his arm, drawing blood.

A forceful hand swept across her face again, nearly knocking her unconscious. "You will regret that," he hissed. The other Crow had entered the cell and was awaiting instruction. "Tomas, hold her legs for me. I grow tired of this woman's games!" Tomas stood above her head and pulled her legs up by the ankles, exposing Elissa to the man whose breeches were now down around his knees. In one quick, painful thrust, Ramon stole her will to fight. As Tomas and Ramon took turns defiling every part of her body, she prayed even harder for Zevran to save her from this humiliation and suffering, to save her and their child. Please Zevran, please hurry. All she could do was pray, and let her mind escape what her body could not. She closed her eyes and let herself drift to a ship full of carefree guests and free flowing wine.

As Zevran approached the lake, he too thought back to the last time he had been there, worrying over the mental state of his lover. Scanning the area now, he saw no sign of Elissa. He knew he was less than an hour behind her as he walked the perimeter of the lake. Eventually, he came upon some disturbed sand and upon closer inspection, his breathing ceased and his heart was gripped with dread. The profile of his lover, the mother of his child, and the woman of his dreams was imprinted in the sand.