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Chapter 37 - Keep Your Enemies Closer
Dragon. A huge dragon. Purple. Ominous. Deadly.
Jinx had never before felt so small, nor so vulnerable.
I'm going to die here.
The darkspawn on the tower were overwhelming. The whole thing was madness. She felt her stamina depleting. It was slowing her down.
From behind her Morrigan cackled wildly.
That sleazy witch is insane.
Then there was a blinding white light, and she felt she was falling. But instead of landing on a hard cold stone floor, she fell into a cushion of velvety softness.
And then it was dark.
Morrigan looked up, away from Jinx's unconscious body. She had cast a protective ancient spell on her. It had not depleted all of her mana, but she drank a lyrium potion. Marcus stood up slowly. He looked small beside the dead Archdemon. He had struck the final blow, saving not only his friends' lives but all of Ferelden. He turned his head and his gaze caught hers.
She gazed at him but a moment, then looked down at Jinx once again.
Marcus understood and he nodded.
Morrigan turned and faced the edge of the tower. She shape shifted into an enormous spider.
Then she was gone.
...
Wynne closed the door softly behind her. She was tired, but relieved. Both Jinx and the child in her womb were safe. It was funny how this new life had held on with such tenacity. Wynne smiled as she made her way to the library. The child was already displaying a stubbornness that it had clearly inherited from both its parents.
They were at Eamon's estate in Denerim. It was one of the many older, stronger estates that were still standing after the Blight. A week had gone by. During that week, the baby in Jinx's womb had been close to perishing. Yet it had held on. Wynne's healing magic had helped of course.
Jinx had also been slipping in and out of an unhealthy sleep. It was as if she had lost all will to live. During one of the moments when she was lucid, Wynne had whispered three words to her, and from that moment on, Jinx had fought to stay awake for longer periods and had started eating again.
"Remember your child."
...
Queen Anora had sent a messenger every day to Eamon's estate, inquiring about Jinx's health. She wanted an audience with her at her earliest convenience she said. And so, two weeks after the final battle, Jinx had dressed in her Black Runic Warden Armor and had asked Marcus, Zevran, Wynne and Leliana to go with her.
When they arrived at the Palace, they were taken immediately to the throne room. The doors opened and for the briefest of moments Jinx faltered. She shut her eyes, the memory of the last time she had been there came crashing down upon her: Alistair's angry red face loomed up in front of her, his hands roughly hitting hers and pushing her away with force, his eyes screaming at her...
A hand on her shoulder brought her back. It was soft and reassuring. The bard smiled at her and Jinx swayed slightly in response. Behind her Zevran's hands moved instinctively readying themselves to catch her should she fall. But Jinx squared her shoulders and walked to the lone regal figure standing on the dais.
She went down on one knee, bowing graciously before the queen and stood up when asked to.
"How are you feeling, Amanda?" The queen inquired kindly.
"I am well, Your Highness," Jinx answered in a quiet voice. Brilliant eyes held the queen's piercing blue ones. The queen nodded.
"I have some news to share with you that is of utter importance," Anora said, smiling.
For a wild moment her heart thumped in her chest, as she briefly dared hope she had somehow had news of Alistair. Then she forced it to quiet down.
Stop being so silly. She would not have called me here for that!
"Yes, Your Majesty?" She asked, her voice a monotone.
"Come with me," the queen said, and they followed her to the corridor that led to the guest chambers.
The queen stopped in front of a door. She paused for a moment, and then opened it, asking Jinx to step inside.
Jinx did as she was asked and stopped right after crossing the threshold. Propped on the bed, looking thin and haggard was...
"Fergus! Fergus! Fergus!" She said his name over and over again like a litany as she ran forward and threw herself into his outstretched arms.
"Ouch, little sister, careful. I am not yet fully recovered and you are wearing heavy plate armor!" Fergus chuckled, his words barely discernable as she embraced him.
"Oh, I'm sorry! Oh, thank the Maker for you!" She said, and burst into tears. "Oh, Fergus, I thought you were dead for sure!"
"Hush little sister, don't cry. I very nearly died, yes. I was out scouting in the wilds with my men when the darkspawn attacked us. I passed out and when I woke up I was in a Chasind hut, feverish and wounded. Long months passed before I could stand on my feet again. When I finally set off towards Denerim, I heard about what was happening and was amazed to learn that my little sister was leading the wardens!"
"He is still very ill, but I have made arrangements. Howe's men have been captured and Castle Cousland is in need of some repairs, but it is once again yours," Anora said cheerfully from the door. She had not moved and was watching the scene with a small smile on her face. A smile that did not reach her eyes, Jinx was quick to notice.
"Thank you, Your Highness. You have no idea what this means to me," Jinx said, keeping her face calm. She didn't want to let on that she knew Anora was up to something, or at the very least, wanted something. That cold smile had said it all.
"It is the least I can do for someone who has done so much for Ferelden," the queen said. "For now, Fergus must remain in bed. I urge you and your companions to come stay at the palace. There is plenty of room here for all of you. Once Fergus is well enough to travel, I can help in arranging the trip for you. For the time being, we are repairing the city, but I have no doubt that we will be more than happy to spare a few men to help you with your repairs at Castle Cousland."
"Your Highness, you are too kind," Fergus said, smiling.
"Nonsense, I want to do this. If you will all forgive me, I have pressing matters to attend."
They all bowed as she left the room.
Her companions gathered around and she excitedly introduced her friends. She told Fergus that they were like family to her and he smiled at this.
"I thank you deeply for taking such good care of her," he told them. Then he turned a weary glance back to Jinx. "We have much to talk about, sister. But I fear I am getting tired. I hope you will come stay at the palace as the queen suggested?" Fergus said.
"Nothing will keep me away from you now," Jinx murmured as she hugged Fergus again briefly. There were tears in her eyes again when she broke away from his grasp. "Nothing."
...
As it happened, the arl was in the main hall when they got back to the estate.
"Ah, there you are. I trust your audience with the Queen went well?" The arl said kindly. His cold eyes regarded Jinx and she bristled visibly.
What is it with these noble people? First Anora now him. Or am I being paranoid?
My brother Fergus has been found. He is in the palace, the queen is taking care of him there," she said in a quiet voice, brilliant green eyes taking in Eamon's reaction very closely.
"Ah. That is wonderful news indeed," Eamon said, smiling mechanically. Jinx's anger immediately flared up.
She walked right up at him and thrust an index finger into his face, her companions pinching the insides of their cheeks to keep from laughing, while Zevran's face lit up as he grinned openly at the scene that was unfolding before him.
"Listen, you sleazebag," she began, the finger poking at Eamon's chest accusingly. "I know you hate me. I know that you never agreed to my marriage to Alistair. I don't know why, but you made it very plain. Now you pretend to care about me?" Poke. "What do you think I am, stupid?" Poke.
"Please, Amanda, I assure you it was not my intention -" the arl began but she interrupted him.
"You think I believe that?" She demanded.
"You must calm down, the child..." Eamon said hurriedly.
"Aha! That's what this is all about, isn't it? Of course. I have been such a fool not to see it before," her voice lowered, and her hand did as well, as her brow furrowed in thought.
Eamon let out a sigh of relief.
"Well, guess what?"Jinx said unexpectedly, causing Eamon to take a step back in surprise. "We're leaving. The queen has asked us to stay at the palace while my brother recuperates," she grinned wolfishly at him. "Thanks for keeping us here. It's been pleasant, ta-ta!" She waved a hand and strode off, while the rest of her companions grinned and followed her up the stairs.
Eamon frowned as he watched her leave. That girl was going to be so difficult. He would not have kept her safe but for the child she carried. A child that meant so much to him, he could practically taste the power it would give him.
It was time to put the first phase of his plan to work.
...
"You are married and he abandoned you? He left you while there was a Blight taking place? And you are with child?" Fergus echoed angrily, his cheeks tinged crimson.
"Fergus, please. He didn't know I am with child, and he was angry because Loghain was the one who betrayed -"
"The king and left the wardens to die, yes, I heard you the first time, Jinx. I'm not stupid," Fergus snapped.
Jinx started and felt her own anger start to boil, but instead of reacting violently like she always did, she burst into tears. Angry tears.
"I love him Fergus. He is the father of my child. And I'm not giving up on him. As soon as you are better and the castle is fully repaired, I want to -"
"You cannot be serious! You want to go look for him? When he should be returning to you on his hands and knees for being such an arse? You will do no such thing!" He raised his voice.
"I am not asking for your permission," she said, the hot angry tears streaming down her face.
"You are with child! You cannot travel Maker knows where in that condition!" Fergus exclaimed.
"Then I'll wait until my baby is born!" She sobbed back.
Fergus sighed, his anger ebbing away slowly. He could see that his sister was deeply in love with him. He knew how stubborn she was. So he tried a different approach. He started to reason with her.
"Think about it, sister. Would you travel with an infant, exposing him to danger? What if you encounter darkspawn? What if they succeed in tainting him? Think about what you are saying. The darkspawn have not yet retreated. I have heard the news that there are still groups of them wandering around."
She hesitated, her sobs gradually quieting down.
"I will send Zevran and Leliana then. They promised me to look for him."
"That is a much better option," Fergus agreed, relief written plainly on his face.
"I want to find him, Fergus. I am so lost without him. I feel like I am dead inside," she murmured.
Fergus pulled his sister close to him, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.
But even as he comforted her, and held her close, he still felt anger. Anger at the man who had hurt her like this.
Maker forgive him, even if he was King Maric's only living son and a grey warden, the only thought he had at that moment was to take a sword and drive it through Alistair Theirin's heart.
...
Howe lifted his head groggily to the lone window high above his head. It was cold and damp in the cell he was being kept. He had no idea how long he had been here, but at least he was now being fed regularly.
There had been a time when he had heard a battle through bouts of unconsciousness, somewhere in the distance. Those were the days when he had not been fed at all. His only source of nourishment had been a trickle of water from the rain, coming from the window high above him, dirty water by the time it reached him, but he had lapped it up nevertheless. Then he had struggled with the rats. He had killed them all, and had started to eat them when the hunger had become unbearable.
But that had suddenly changed some time ago. Two soldiers had appeared. One of them carrying some bread and a pitcher of water. This had gone on for several days. Always bread and water. But at least it was something.
When he was lucid, he wondered who had captured him and kept him prisoner. He had to get to Loghain somehow. Then he and Loghain would finally kill whoever it was, and - his parched lips twisted into a smile. Revenge was so sweet.
Several days later, though Howe had no knowledge of real time, the door of his cell opened and he vaguely made out another figure with the two men. The figure stepped into the dim half-light of the cell.
"We have a lot to talk about," Eamon said as he grinned wolfishly. "If you are done eating bread and drinking water to survive, we may come to an arrangement. If you refuse, then we will take away the bread for a day or two."
"Eamon?" Howe muttered in disbelief. He tried to stand up, but one of the soldiers stepped forward and pushed him back roughly. The same soldier drew his sword, and kept the tip a few inches from the side of his neck.
"Now. Tell me," Eamon said in a matter-of-fact voice. "Will you collaborate with me or will I be forced to reduce your pathetic diet?"
"Once Loghain knows of this, he'll -"
Eamon burst into a peal of laughter, interrupting Howe. His laughter was maniacal, and caused his blood to run cold. After a few minutes, Eamon stopped laughing and stepped closer to him.
"Loghain is dead," he whispered, his eyes glinting malevolently in the dim light. "Queen Anora rules and has placed a warrant for your arrest. She wants you executed for your crimes against the Couslands. Oh, and - the dealings with the Tevinter slavers as well."
Then he turned slowly to leave the cell, his two guards immediately falling in step behind him. Once outside after one of the guards had locked the door, he turned back to Howe, who was staring at him agape.
"You gave me the wrong answer, Howe. No bread for you."
...