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Chapter 35

Lya came back to consciousness slowly. Her head felt heavy and her whole body ached. She felt herself rocking and could smell salt. As she regained her faculties, she could felt the rope binding her hands behind her back and her feet together, as well as the cloth gag tied across her mouth. So it wasn't a dream. Damn.

She heard someone moving towards her and her eyes snapped open. The man who had been leaning over her took a quick step back with a muffled oath. Her eyes glared up at him, conveying all the anger she could muster. And then she felt that faint pulse from him, the taint streaming through his blood as it did hers. So Osric had finally made his move.

The Warden stepped back to her side and spread his hands in an appeasing gesture. "Please, your Majesty, I have no desire to make this trip anymore unpleasant than it has to be. I will remove your gag if you promise not to scream. It wouldn't do you any good and I confess a dislike to hearing women scream." Lya continued to glare at him, but jerked her head in assent. He reached over and gently untied the gag. She worked her jaws and ran her tongue over her dry lips, trying to get moisture back into them.

Lya struggled into a sitting position, and surprisingly, the man helped her. She looked around the small cabin. It was neat and well-appointed, with late afternoon light streaming through the porthole. It seemed the First Warden spared no expense for this little adventure. She turned her attention to her captor. He was an average man. Average height, average build, average features; completely unremarkable save for the dark skin that marked him as Rivaini. He wore nondescript leather armor and carried a sword and dagger. He watched her take stock of him and finally asked, "So, do I pass inspection?"

"Sadly, yes," she said calmly. She could feel the berserker rage in her, twisting and fighting to get out and she grimly forced it back down. In battle it was an asset, but here could prove to be her undoing. "You do realize you're going to die, don't you?"

The man chuckled. "Come now, your Majesty, you're hardly in a position to be making threats. We're both reasonable people. Why don't we simply be civil about this? We are going to be traveling together for awhile and I see no reason we can't get along."

"Don't you?" she asked quietly. She let a sweet smile curve her lips, the same one she reserved for stubborn banns who wore out her patience. "I apologize if you thought I was threatening you. That was not my intention at all. I was merely informing you of what was going to happen. For your kindness, I thought it was the least I could do."

The man sighed. "Your Majesty, please, I will ask one more time. Can we not be civil? There is no reason for us to be at odds while we are together. Things will be far more pleasant if you cooperate."

"Will they? Shall we sit and have tea then, perhaps discuss the weather? Or maybe we could discuss current fashion. I always find that a fascinating subject." Her eyes narrowed. "You have abducted me from my home and family. I have no idea if my husband and children even live or if I will ever see them again. I am being taken somewhere, presumably to be held as a hostage, interrogated or both. And you expect me to be civil?" she asked scornfully.

"I expect you to be everything I've been told about you," the man said, a thread of irritation coloring his voice. Then he sighed. "I understand you have every reason to be angry at your current situation, but I am not the one to discuss it with. My job is simply to make sure you arrive at your destination safely. I see no need for me to be cruel in the process. As for your family, unless others were acting on different orders that I do not know about, they are unharmed. As for what will happen to you, I cannot say. The decision will not be mine."

Lya said nothing, her lips pressed together in a firm line. Loath as she was to admit it, he was right. She gained nothing by antagonizing this man. She recalled the Wardens who had come with Alistair when he returned from Weisshaupt. He had gained their trust by being personable and approachable. While she didn't have his effortless charm that so often won people over, being far more comfortable as a commander and leader, she could do it. She wished now that she had had the patience to learn Alistair's templar training. It would be very useful to focus and call upon that stillness of mind.

"I apologize, Warden," she finally said. "Let's just say that I'm out of sorts at the moment. You have been kinder than I could expect for our situation and I thank you for that." She dipped her head towards him.

"Thank you, your Majesty. I confess I do not know if I could be as gracious in your position. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Alvarro."

"And my name is Lya, though you know that of course. If you truly want to put me at ease, use it. For some reason, I find it grates on my nerves when people refuse to refer to me by anything other than a title."

He smiled broadly at her. "Very well, Lya. I am glad we could come to an understanding. Now let me go over a few rules." She quirked an eyebrow at him. "Believe me when I say these rules are designed for your protection. First, do not attempt to escape. We are at sea and there is no where you can go. The crew will not help you, so attempting to subvert them will only lead to me having to confine you. Secondly, please do not attack myself or the crew. Not that you will be allowed a weapon, but you are nothing if not resourceful. We have heard stories of your prowess, and if your husband's abilities were anything to go by, you are one of the most skilled blades in all of Thedas. Any fight would be decidedly one-sided, but I doubt you would be able to kill all of us. I might not be able to guarantee your safety in that situation." He allowed himself a small smile. "It is also decidedly difficult to sail a ship all by yourself. Thirdly, I ask you not to harm yourself in any way. That would also lead to confining you."

Her jaw dropped open, unable to hide her shock. "Why in Andraste's name would I harm myself?"

"I say it merely as a precaution, Lya. Some people…make rash decisions in a position such as yours. I do not think you are the type of person to do so, but I wanted to be clear. I think those are all the rules we need to go over for now. There will be a few more once we dock, but we can discuss them then. Do I have your word that you will follow them?"

Lya did not hesitate to answer. "Yes." She tried to be an honest person, but when the lives of those she loved were on the line, she had no compunction about using whatever advantage she could. She would follow his rules as long as it benefitted her.

Alvarro looked at her for a long moment before carefully unsheathing his dagger and cutting her bindings. "I'll accept that. For now, you might want to get changed into something more comfortable." He moved back to the desk he had been leaning on to pick up a backpack on the floor next to it and handed it to her.

She took the pack, frowning, and opened it. Inside were an assortment of tunics and trousers. As she examined them, she realized something else. "These are all mine," she said slowly, looking back up at Alvarro.

"Yes," he said. "I arranged to have some of your things brought with you in order to make you more comfortable." Lya looked at the clothes in disbelief. To know these people had been close enough to kill her family was horrific enough, but the thought of them going through her things, picking and choosing pieces of her life to take, made her feel sick. She closed her eyes against the nausea, willing it away. He was trying to upset her, throw her off-balance.

"Thank you," she said, cursing the raggedness of her voice, the unsteadiness she couldn't mask. He watched her reaction and nodded, and then left the small cabin so she could get changed in privacy. She did so hurriedly, noting that her stab wound had been smeared with a poultice and carefully bound. It was nearly healed by now, and was unlikely to even leave a scar. It gave her hope that Alvarro had been telling the truth. No need to keep your prisoner healthy if you intended to kill them.

After stowing her dress in the pack, she checked the cabin. He had been careful. There was nothing she could use as a weapon, not an effective one at any rate. Attacking him while still on the ship would be a bad idea, but she hated being in a hostile situation with nothing to defend herself. She would bide her time, and look for an opportunity if one ever came.

They remained aboard the ship for nine days. During the entire trip, Alvarro was nothing but respectful and courteous. He escorted her on deck for fresh air when the weather permitted. He brought her meals, made sure her clothes were clean and proved to be a surprisingly delightful conversationalist. Lya fought the urge to be lulled into complacency by it. She carefully avoided any topic of conversation that could possibly imply any weakness, firmly keeping in front of her the fact that he would use it against her.

She was surprised at his interest in her struggles against both the Blight and in Amaranthine. She found herself recounting the events and her impressions of things and she finally asked why he wanted to know so much from her directly when plenty had been written on the subject.

He looked thoughtful. "I suppose I am curious because you have had more experience with darkspawn than any other Warden. Whatever the reasons we are here now, I am still a Grey Warden. I am truly interested in defeating the darkspawn and in hearing the stories of a Warden who has faced them from the source." Lya had mulled that over, filing the information away for later. It might not prove useful, but one never knew.

They eventually docked in an unknown town and Alvarro waited until nightfall before gathering their things and escorting her off the ship. As they crossed the deck under a moonless night, Lya felt the faint pull of the taint and stiffened. The gentle pressure of Alvarro's hand on her back kept her moving down the gangplank. Waiting at the end of the pier for them were five more Grey Wardens and two horses. Alvarro tied their belongings to his horse while the other Wardens watched her swing up into the saddle of her mount.

Lya studied them as they rode. It was a stern group, and they were all clearly competent. They had finely crafted weapons and armor and Lya knew they weren't for show. They were there to make sure she got to her destination. The group included a mage and an archer, so if she tried taking off, they would be able to take her down without much effort. The warriors and rogues wouldn't be a problem if she could get her hands on some armor and a weapon. She gritted her teeth and forced herself to relax. There was nothing she could do right now.

The Wardens did not stay in town. Instead the small party rode through and beyond it, traveling for a handful of hours before Alvarro pulled up. He led the group off the road to a small, well-sheltered clearing. The rest of the Wardens immediately began to make camp.

Alvarro approached her and held out a hand, which she accepted to dismount. He gestured towards the Wardens who were busy setting up. "They will take care of getting everything ready. But I wanted to go over those few other rules I mentioned on the ship. Please, do not attempt to escape. You wouldn't get far and we would have to bring you back by force. As good as we are, there is the chance that you could be grievously harmed if you resisted. Do not make us do that."

"Not to mention the First Warden would probably not be happy if you brought be to Weisshaupt crippled or dead."

"Well, there is that, but I am more concerned about your well-being. I do not want to hurt you.

"Also, you will not attempt to attract any attention or notice when we go through or stop in any town. Do not try to tell anyone that you are the queen of Ferelden or a Grey Warden or a prisoner. If you do…"

"You'll have to confine me."

"Yes." For his part, Alvarro did seem truly regretful about having to threaten that. Lya struggled to remember that she was a prisoner and he her captor. He was playing a part, just as she was by pretending to be the meek captive.

"And please, please, do not attack any of us. We are going to be pushing hard, and that will be more difficult if we have to tie you across the saddle."

"I understand."

"Thank you. We will afford you as much privacy as possible, but I'm sure you understand that we cannot leave you alone. We will be respectful, I assure you."

Lya sighed. "I understand."

Alvarro nodded. "I was sure you would. We'll eat shortly and then allow you to get some rest. Tomorrow will be a long day."

Lya settled back in the tub and sighed. When Alvarro said she wouldn't be left alone, he had meant exactly that. That first night, she had been provided a tent. Throughout the course of the night, the three female Wardens took turns watching her. That had been repeated every night since. During the day, she rode in the middle of the party, all of the Wardens surrounding and watching her. When she needed to relieve herself, one of the women always came with her. When they washed up in small streams or lakes, or when they stopped at an inn, like they were now, there was always someone watching her bathe.

She looked over at the Warden standing against the wall, watching her with a disinterested eye. It wasn't that she was embarrassed or uncomfortable. She had gotten over that a long time ago. But now there was always someone with her, every single minute; she didn't have a single moment alone.

Reflecting on it, she realized she had never truly been alone since her last night in Highever. Ever since then there had always been someone, usually more than one, nearby. She had had space, though; times when she could go off by herself and just be alone. It didn't matter that there would be someone watching for her return, or would go after her if she did not, she always had some time for herself.

There was none of that now. It was unsettling to be constantly watched, to have people always looking for some sign that she wasn't behaving or had decided to stop playing nice. It was made worse by the fact that except for Alvarro, none of them would talk to her. They would talk amongst themselves, quietly, but fell silent when she joined the group. A question would be answered in as few words as possible if not ignored entirely. It was irritating, which was the entire point, and she kept trying to maintain a calm façade.

Sighing, she pushed up and stepped out of the tub, reaching for a cloth to dry herself with. The Warden, Saraid her name was, watched clinically, a slight frown creasing her brow as she noticed the scar on Lya's hip.

Lya noted the look, and ran a thumb almost fondly over the perfectly circular two inch scar. "Archdemon," she said pleasantly. "They bite." Lya recall the sickening lurch of her stomach as the archdemon had tossed her into the air and caught her in its jaws, the pain as a tooth found its way through the joins of her armor. The wound had healed, but not even Wynne's skill had been able to remove the scar.

She ran her thumb over it once more and ignored the slight widening of Saraid's eyes to get dressed in the leather armor Alvarro had provided that first morning after they broke camp. It was a small victory to be able to surprise any of them and she would take what she could get.

Saraid escorted her down to the common room where the group would eat yet another near-silent meal. And the Warden escorted her back upstairs once it was done. Surprisingly, Alvarro followed them up and gestured for Saraid to leave so he could talk to her in private.

"Once we leave in the morning, we'll only be a few days from Weisshaupt. I know this last month has been tiring, but we'll be pushing harder than we have been."

"It's nothing I can't handle."

Alvarro grinned. "I've noticed that. Still, I wanted you to be prepared. Get as much rest as you can tonight. It's likely to be in short supply in the near-future."

"Thank you. I appreciate it."

He nodded and turned to leave, but hesitated before the door. He turned back to look at her and pursed his lips in thought. "I probably shouldn't say this, but Weisshaupt can be overwhelming. Do not let it, and the First Warden, cow you. Remember who you are and draw strength from it."

Lya frowned. "Why are you telling me this? I would think Osric would disapprove of you trying to help me."

"Maybe, maybe not. The First Warden is a complicated man and he does not respect weakness. I thought you should be warned." He paused. "I also happen to like you. My duty here doesn't mean I have to hate or dislike you. I will bring you to Weisshaupt, and I would capture you again if you tried to escape, but there is nothing that says I can't give a fellow Warden a piece of advice."

"I…." She wasn't sure how to respond. "Thank you, I think. If nothing else I appreciate the thought."

"You're welcome." Alvarro tipped his head in a respectful little salute and opened the door to allow Saraid back in. Lya settled back into the narrow bed, thinking. From what Alvarro said, she could show no weakness at Weisshaupt, not unless she wanted it exploited by Osric. She settled down, willing herself to sleep, knowing she would need it in the weeks to come.

They made Weisshaupt late on the third day, the winter snows slowing them more than Alvarro would have liked. The roads were mostly clear, but the extra time meant they did not arrive until after the sun had set.

In the darkness, lights burned in windows of the fortress. Lya couldn't see the entire structure very well, but she was able to get a general sense of size. It was massive, cut into the very rock face to rise high and imposing above them.

She swallowed hard. It would be easier to tell in the daylight, but from what she could see, the word impregnable didn't seem to come close to describing Weisshaupt accurately. She thought back to what she would have done if Alistair hadn't come back. Stupid, stupid little fool, she thought, clenching her teeth around the hysterical laugh that was caught in her throat.

Hopes of escaping, or of having someone come to her rescue, died as they drew closer. The party dismounted in the courtyard, a handful of grooms coming to take to horses. The Wardens formed up around her as they mounted the steps, moving towards the entrance. As the massive doors swung open to admit them, Alvarro stepped up behind her.

"Welcome to Weisshaupt," he murmured, his words as much a greeting as a warning.