Chapter 21
Fenris hadn't been at the Hanged Man when she and Anders arrived after her little breakdown. Everyone had looked surprised when they had walked in together, Isabela winking suggestively. Varric mentioned that Fenris 'wouldn't be happy' and Eve had pretended she didn't see her fellow wardens self-satisfied smirk over that comment.
She and Anders managed to get Garrett to speak to them in her room about her mother, about seeing if they could reconnect her to the fade. He was horrified at the revelation her mother was Tranquil, in fact he was quietly seething with rage.
Anders had also told him about the Tranquil Solution he had heard rumours of and had agreed to help. They had all decided they would deal with Eve's mother first and then Ser Alrik, as Anders needed to find out when exactly the Templar would be in the dungeons.
It was left to Eve to decide where she would take her mother to see if Justice could temporarily reverse the rite. That was why Eve was on her way to Fenris's mansion to visit the elf. She could hardly take the woman to Garrett's, or Anders clinic, especially if it all went wrong. The Hanged Man was completely out of the question, but Fenris's was perfect. It escaped too much notice, since his neighbours believed it to be vacant and it was tucked away from the main flow of Hightown traffic. But would he agree?
It was no secret he hated mages and hated Anders, but he'd also practically gone missing since finding the Qunari delagates and Eve's had decided not to return with Aveline. She couldn't quite understand why he'd not been around, that morning they'd been locked together in splendid pleasure, she had felt exactly how happy he'd been about that and he'd bloody initiated it! But they'd been interrupted - Maker she had been so mad - and then he'd heard that vitriolic from Ser Varnell, not that he didn't know her mother was a mage, but maybe he'd changed his mind about them? Wait… them? There was no them. Just two people with the same agenda of finding whatever gratification they could with each other. Simple, uncommitted sex.
Or maybe not if Fenris was no longer interested. But he was a free man, it was his choice, as dissapointing as that was. The idea of not being with him like that made Eve's insides squeeze painfully. Which was foolish because there were more important things to worry about right now than that, and she had promised to feel no more for someone who shared her bed than detached fondness. Or at most, friendship. Not romance, or Maker forbid, the 'L' word.
It was the middle of the day, the sun high up in the blue sky above Kirkwall. It was the month of Solace and whereas in Feraldan it would be fairly warm, here it was becoming almost unbearably hot, especially in heavy armour.
She didn't bother knocking on the front door, if anyone saw her it would be a give away the house was not as empty as believed. So she quietly slipped in to the relieving coolness of the estate through the unlocked front door.
"Fenris?" She called out to the silent mansion. She couldn't hear him, but he was a quiet man, it didn't mean he wasn't there.
She continued in to the main hall where they had sparred only a few days ago, the memory of him above her making her run hot in ways which had nothing to do with the weather.
"Fenris?" She called out again. Great, he wasn't here. Maybe he'd gone off with Garrett to help that Chantry Brother, Sebastian, who'd been introduced them all to during one of Varric's card nights. He seemed nice enough, just very devout. And shiny.
She sighed in annoyance. Well, this had been a waste of time. She could go to the room he lived in to be sure he wasn't here, but that seemed rather invasive especially if he weren't... A creak sounded from up the stairs. Eve quickly turned her attention to the door of Fenris's room.
She heard it again. Shit. Maybe someone had broken in? It was entirely possible, it looked like a forgotten dilapidated building, but there were still items worth stealing inside.
She crept up the stairs quietly, an art form in armour, before reaching the door to his room and not taking any chances, kicked in the door, only for a glowing apparition to launch itself at her and push her up against the nearest wall by her shoulders.
It took a second for her eyes to adjust to the swiftness in which she now found herself pinned against stone, to see that it wasn't an intruder, but Fenris himself, his face contorted in anger and confusion.
"Fenris!" She growled at him under his unrelenting grip. "It's me, Eve!"
His eyes seemed to suddenly clear from whatever thoughts possessed him, growing wide with the realisation he had her held up against a wall. His grip relaxed a little, his tattoos dimmed, and he slowly released Eve.
At least he hadn't thought to rip her heart out. Apparently Fenris had the same visualisation.
"Venhadis, woman! I could have killed you!" He gritted out between his teeth staring in to her face.
"I called out for you several times, thought you weren't here, heard something from your room and was making sure there wasn't an intruder rifling through your things!" She defended. "What were you doing?" She looked at him properly and then quickly turned away, embarrassment and desire quickly colouring her face. He was naked. Not half naked, not naked save for his undergarments, just completely... naked! Fuck!
"I was asleep." She heard him grunt before he stalked off, hopefully to get himself dressed. Andrastes tits, now she'd never be able to look at him without seeing him like that again. Of course that was no bad thing, he was, for lacking a better word, magnificent. Though she hadn't seen him long enough to trace his tattoos down his body.
She stayed on the landing outside his chamber, unsure of his mood.
"Why are you here?" He appeared from the doorway, his face scowling, though thankfully he was now fully dressed.
"I wanted to ask you something," she admitted, feeling uncomfortable under his anger filled gaze.
"And that couldn't wait until later?" He spat.
Later? Half the day was already gone and no, her bloody Tranquil mother couldn't wait anymore, she'd already been waiting Eve's whole life! Why was he so angry at her? He had no right and no fucking reason to be treating her like this.
Rage coursed through her like flames. How dare he speak to her like this!
"Actually, Fenris. It can wait. I no longer need your assistance." Eve told him with forced politeness before she could tell him to just fuck off. Then she turned away from him and down the stairs wishing she could punch something.
"I'm sorry." His voice carried down to her, stopping her mid step. "I'm sorry, Eve. I did not mean to be angry with you."
"Could have fooled me." She told him with a withering look over her shoulder.
"You caught me at a bad moment."
"Asleep, you told me. In the middle of the day no less."
He was silent for a moment. "I did not realise it was that late."
"Obviously." She continued to leave.
"Wait." he called out, his voice closer. "If you need my assistance you only have to ask."
Eve turned round to see him descending the staircase.
"Like I said. I no longer need your help." She was being stubborn, she knew that, despite Fenris's apology which she guessed he didn't actually do all that often.
"Why must you be so obstinate?" He demanded.
"I haven't seen you for several days since that... massacre," she started.
"I did not think you wished to see me or speak about what happened." Fenris interjected.
"I don't care about you not coming to see me about what that bloody Templar said." She told him. It was only partly true, she had been somewhat disappointed not to see Fenris after she had found her mother and spoken to Anders, but why would he have turned up to check on her? She had told him she wished to be alone, though she had hoped he would have been, not necessarily enthused to see her today, but certainly not threatening.
"Then what is it you need of me?"
"I found her."
"Your mother." He stated, as if he already knew. Was she that predictable?
"Yes." She looked away from his penetrating gaze.
"It wasn't what you expected."
She barked out a cold laugh that echoed around the hall. "That's one way of putting it." She told him and continued to tell him that she had found her to be Tranquil. That she had spoken to Anders about it afterwards and did not miss the growl that rose from Fenris's throat at the mention of the healer's name.
She told him how they were going to try and reconnect her mother to the Fade with Justice's help, if only to end her suffering if need be. That his mansion would be ideal to bring her.
"If you did agree of course," Eve concluded, "I do not expect you to be here. I know how you feel about mages, about Anders..."
"I will be here." He told her adamantly, his voice a low vibration in his chest. "I do not trust your safety in the company of so many mages."
Eve crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow, "You think I can't look after myself?"
"I think you would... appreciate, the help should you need it." His eyes bore in to hers.
"Thank you then."
"I hope you know what you're doing."
"I never said I did." She sighed sadly, wishing she could blot out the voice that told her this would all go wrong.
"When do you wish to bring your mother?"
"Tomorrow before noon if that is alright with you? I need to tell Garrett and Anders, but they have already agreed."
"Then I shall wait for you here."
She nodded a final thanks and left, hoping for the best when tomorrow arrived.
First thing the next day, after checking with Anders and Garrett that they were still willing to help, Eve went to the Gallows to collect her mother.
It was quiet this early, only a few stall holders setting up their wares, a few Templars standing guard. She looked around, Anders was right, there seemed to be a fair few of newly Tranquil, the telling sunburst branded on to their foreheads in lyrium, the bright and raw wounds a sign of how recent the rite had been carried out. Her mother's brand was long healed and faded in comparison.
She waited for what felt like hours to see whether she could spot her mother herself, but she finally relented in to asking a Templar, a fairly young man with severely cut chestnut hair and a thin moustache, for help.
"Excuse me, Ser?" She approached him.
"How can I help you, Serah?" He answered, his face betraying his confusion at being spoken to by a civilian.
"I'm looking for a Tranquil, by the name of Saira?"
"And?"
"I need to speak with her."
"What do you want with her?"
"Does it matter? I wish to speak with her." Eve was hardly going to tell him she was her daughter.
"It does matter because the mages are under our jurisdiction, who they socialise with is in our interest."
"She's just a Tranquil. It's not like she can do magic."
"That is not the point, Serah."
"Can you just tell me where I might find her and I'll leave you alone." She tried reasoning, though it probably sounded less than reasonable. He was starting to piss her off.
"Is there a problem here Ser Grigsby?" A deep yet soft voice asked with authority behind her, she turned to say that indeed, yes, there was a problem, until she recognised the Templar who had approached. Cullen. Shit. Shit. Shit. She hoped he didn't recognise her, it had been awhile and he had been somewhat, traumatised, by his experience in the Fereldan Circle. Though she guessed from his apparent sanity the rumour he'd gone mad and on a mage killing spree had been nothing but rumour.
"This woman here had requested to know where Tranquil Saira is." Ser Grigsby asked in a faltering voice.
"And why haven't you told this woman..." Cullen prompted, turning to Eve.
"Eve Thorne." She told him.
"And why, Ser Grigsby have you not told Serah Thorne where Saira is?"
"Because she didn't tell me why she wished to speak with her." Grigsby told him, though his previous confidence was lost in the face of Cullen.
"The Tranquil are here only by choice. We have no true authority over them. Now, as way of apology over your rudeness to this woman, why don't you go and find Saira, she will be in the Library no doubt, and bring her here." Cullen told him, his tone offering no chance of refusal. Ser Grigsby nodded shakily and walked as fast as he could, difficult in the plate and robe monstrosity the Templars wore.
"My apologies, Serah." Cullen turned to Eve. "Ser Grigsby is a new recruit. I will have to make sure he better understands our roles here."
"Thank you." She replied, avoiding giving him eye contact.
"You said your name was Eve Thorne?" He asked.
"I did."
"Fereldan?"
"Raised."
"Ah." He seemed to be looking at her rather intently. "You do remind me of her."
"Her who?" Shit. He recognised her. Shit!
"Saira. You are her daughter are you not?" He said.
Eve let out a breath she'd been holding. "I am. Though I only found her recently. I believed her to be dead."
"We don't allow mages any contact with family members, but, as I heard you rightly say to Ser Grigsby, she is Tranquil now, we have no reason to keep her here if she no longer wishes to be."
"So if I wished to... have her live with me? If she didn't come back?" Eve asked. There was a chance her mother would not be returning after all.
"Entirely acceptable." He nodded. "Though notification of such a thing would be appreciated."
"Thank you Ser?" She would pretend she didn't know him, keep up the pretence that he was merely a stranger to her since he recognised her only as Saira's daughter and not as one of the Grey Wardens who had rescued him from demons and blood mages.
"Knight-Captain Cullen, Serah, and my pleasure. I shall bid you good day. If you are approached by anymore Templars lacking knowledge please point them in my direction." He told her politely.
"Of course. Thank you again, Knight-Captain." She replied, pleased he seemed to have moved on from the horrors of Kinloch Hold.
She only waited another half an hour before she saw her mother walking calmly towards her. This time she was wearing dark brown robes that fitted her slight frame better than what she'd been in when Eve had last seen her.
"Good morning." Saira spoke in the concise monotone of the Tranquil. "Ser Grigsby alerted me of your presence. Do you wish to talk? I am currently free of duties for the rest of the day."
"I, um, yes." Eve spoke stiltedly, still uneasy about the woman before her, now noticing how her nose, though much like Eve's, had obviously been broken in the past and reset badly. A scar marred the bottom left of her lip and chin, and there was a strange crescent scar on her neck below her right ear.
"Where would you prefer to talk?"
"If you don't mind, I have a... friends... residence he said we could use. My current lodgings are not really proper for talking." Not a lie, not entirely.
"Whatever you prefer." Saira told her emotionless.
"Yes. Well, let's go then." Eve told her, walking onwards, her mother following closely and silently behind.
Eve thought about how she might have her mother, her real mother not this Tranquil shadow of a woman trailing behind her, for a few minutes. Be able to ask her whether being like this was what she wanted, or, like she had heard from the lips of so many other mages, that she would rather be dead. Eve would give her that, the only thing she could and the thought made her sick to her stomach.