Note: Contains references to Non-Con. But not described.
A little after midnight, Seren and the Comtesse arrived back at the estate, the house once more illuminating the darkness as a shining beacon on the horizon. Offering her granddaughter a simple 'goodnight', the Comtesse retired to her chambers, leaving a weary Seren with little else to do, other than return to her own.
Strangely, Lilly was not awaiting Seren when she stumbled into her room, not that it registered as particularly alarming. In her state of exhaustion, Seren felt considerably relieved to not have to contribute to socialisation, the thought alone draining. That was until she faced undoing a corset while wearing it, which funnily enough was not entirely straightforward.
After several minutes of awkwardly turning in the mirror, trying desperately for a better view, her arms painfully twisting backwards in an attempt to undo the blasted garment, Seren was finally free, her aching rib cage tender at first but easing with time. She threw on an old shirt and a pair of breeches, deposited her nightmarish shoes under the bed, then retrieved the letter Cullen had given her, pulling an armchair close to the fire.
Though the handwriting was familiar, until Seren opened the envelope and saw the name at the bottom, she couldn't quite place it.
Seren,
I hope this letter finds you well. It was awful to hear what happened in Haven, but we were all relieved to hear from your father that you were safe. Please remain that way my dear.
Unfortunately, this is not a letter I wished to write and I'm sure not one you had hoped to receive for some time. But I made you a promise that I'd look out for your father and keep you updated.
My dear, he's not been well. He tells me that he writes to you, but as you haven't been to visit, I wonder exactly what he's told you and more importantly, what he hasn't. This winter's been hard on him. I've been taking meals to him every day for a couple of months now, because he's just so frail, love.
I don't want you to panic though dear. He's hanging on, and manages most of the time. Our Fred helps with any jobs your father can't manage on his own, so he's not without anything, I assure you. He's still insisting on looking after the garden single-handedly. Stubborn as a druffalo, your father.
But I do think it's time. He needs more constant care now, and we can't offer anymore.
I know you will do what's right and I hope to see you soon love.
Stay safe,
Aunty Pat
Shit. Seren dropped the letter to her lap, fretfully chewing at her lip. She'd known this day would come, suspected it to be sooner rather than later from her father's last letter. It had been so brief, his words scrawled unevenly across the page, some barely recognisable as a language, with great ink drops where he had clearly paused to think for long periods.
Aunty Pat wasn't really a relative, but she'd been her mother's best friend when Seren was growing up. Patricia Sheldrake had lived next door with her family as long as Seren could remember. Freddie, Pat's eldest, had been Seren's only friend for many years, at least until she'd met Cullen.
Unlike so many of the village during the blight, her parents and the Sheldrakes had managed to escape Honnleath just in time, the darkspawn hoards arriving within days of their departure. Seren would never forget the day she learned that Cullen's parents had not been so lucky.
When the blight ended, despite her protests, Seren's parents returned to Honnleath along with the Sheldrakes. Both families helped with the clean-up, the whole village stricken with grief as they dealt with the darkspawn's aftermath. Seren hadn't returned, unable to face what had become of her home, unable to face the empty houses and missing faces of people that were now lost to memory.
With time, slowly but surely, the village had been rebuilt, the strength of those returning creating a community that was hard to shatter, and life in Honnleath began to resemble normality once more.
After her mother passed, Seren had insisted her father return with her to Denerim but he'd flatly refused leaving his home for 'that scum of a city'. In the end, she'd had to leave him, practically begging Mrs Sheldrake to keep an eye on him; the thought of something happening to him while she was away, being utterly unbearable.
Seren began to send money back to him, all that she could afford to spare, often imploring him in her letters to hire any help he required. She had a strange feeling that those requests were being ignored, James Pasquet being a proud man who never wanted to be anyone else's burden but his own.
She knew what she had to do, what the right thing was to do. But convincing her father that leaving his home was now a necessity, was going to be tricky to say the least.
Seren sighed and got to her feet. She searched the room from a pot of ink, finding one stuffed away at the back of a drawer in the dresser, grabbed a couple of paper scraps and sat at the dressing table, lighting a candle to increase the light.
Cullen,
Something's wrong.
My father's
Seren crossed it out, crumpled the paper into a ball and tossed it into the fire with surprising accuracy. If she told him, he'd only worry. Plus to write and explain everything required energy she didn't possess. So she started again.
Commander,
Gone to Honnleath. Urgent business.
Be back in a few days.
SP
She'd send Taylor and Brett back to Skyhold with the note and travel home alone. Seren knew Cullen would be less than pleased, but she figured that by the time he found out, there would be nothing he could do. No doubt he'd be pissed when she returned but that was another day's problem.
I don't think things could get any worse. Seren closed her eyes and rubbed the bridge of her nose, feeling the starting signs of one of her headaches.
Suddenly, Lilly burst into the room, causing Seren to jump up from her seat, intuitively in the direction of her weapon still leaning against the wall.
"I'm so sorry, my lady! I should have been waiting. You must forgive me. I…I…I lost track of the time." Lilly stuttered, clearly flustered, her voice breaking in several places. Seren visibly relaxed, exhaustion quickly replacing the alarm of Lilly's entrance.
"It's fine Lilly, don't worry." As the maid moved across the room, scooping up the garments Seren had lazily abandoned on the floor, the Lieutenant noticed Lilly was not only shyly trying to hide the right side of her face, but also sniffling. Seren's brow creased. "Lilly, are you alright?"
"Of course, my lady. Everything's fine." Lilly tried to smile, her tone undeniably strained, still deliberately shielding her face, but Seren didn't miss the wince.
"Lilly?" Seren got to her feet, placing a hand on Lilly's arm. "Lilly, what's wrong?"
After a pause, the maid timidly turned around, revealing a swollen, bleeding lip and a bruising eye, which was growing a shade of purple deeper with every passing second.
"Lilly, who did this to you?" Seren asked, horrified at the state Lilly was in, though a gut feeling told her she already knew the answer to her question.
"No one, my lady. Please don't concern yourself. I just… tripped." The maid's eyes filled with tears, and she turned her face away from Seren in an attempt to hide it. That's when Seren noticed the torn skirt.
"Did someone…?" The Lieutenant felt her blood run cold, heard the ice in her own tone, the mere thought of someone assaulting another in such a way was insufferable.
"Please, my lady. Don't ask these questions." Lilly was practically begging, her teary eyes pleading for Seren to let it go. But the Lieutenant had every intention of getting to the bottom of it.
"Who did this to you?" She demanded.
"I can't… Please, I can't."
"Lilly, you have tell me. I can protect you, I swear it."
"He said he'd hurt Grace. I couldn't let him… I couldn't. Not my little girl." Lilly was sobbing, dropping to her knees in a puddle of torn fabric and tears. The sound was heart-wrenching, a mixture of despair and shame that cut right to the core.
Seren knelt down, placed her hand on Lilly's back and softened her tone, not completely sure how to comfort her but wanting to try. "Who Lilly?"
For a second, Lilly's sobs came to an end. She held the Lieutenant's gaze, unsure how to proceed, sniffling as she formed her answer. "Lovet." Lilly admitted, a couple of tears escaping from the corners of her watery eyes, tracing down her already damp cheeks.
Seren produced a handkerchief from her pocket, placing it delicately in Lilly's hands. Lilly gratefully took it, dabbing tentatively at her swollen face.
"It's going to be okay. I promise. Come with me." Seren said, standing again.
"But Grace!" The maid's eyes filled with fresh tears, predictably distressed by the thought of something happening to her child.
"Don't worry," Seren said. "I'll send Taylor to fetch her. You'll both be safe."
With Lilly in tow, Seren downright hammered on the Taylor's door, arousing a rather bedraggled version of the recruit from the depths of sleep.
"Lieutenant?" Taylor's tone was of drowsy confusion.
"I need you to fetch Lilly's daughter, Grace, from the servant's quarters. Immediately."
Taylor straightened, her tone more resolute. "Yes, Lieutenant."
Seren set off down the hall, reaching Brett's door in a few strides. She raised her fist to knock, but the door opened of its own accord, revealing the recruit who had already heard the commotion up the hall.
"Lieutenant." Brett nodded.
"Brett, we're leaving tonight. Get packing." Seren turned to Lilly. "Stay here with Brett. You'll be safe with her."
"Thank you, my lady." Lilly answered weakly.
Seren forced a smile. Glancing at Brett, she added "You don't leave her alone for an instant. Clear?"
"As crystal, Lieutenant." Seren turned, heading back up the hall. "Where are you going?" Brett shouted after her.
"I need to have a chat with someone." Seren paused. "When Taylor gets back, tell her to find Ser Ashleigh. And you guard that child and her mother with your life, do you hear me?"
"Of course Lieutenant." Seren nodded, then disappeared at high speed to find a dead man.
Seren had no idea where he'd be, but there was one thing she knew; she was determined to find the son of a bitch. Fury fuelled her as she sprinted along the corridors, revolted by the monster who had violated someone as vulnerable as Lilly. In the end, he wasn't so hard to find.
Casually leaning against one of the walls in the gallery, undoubtedly where he had been posted for the remainder of the night, stood the guard she was looking for.
"Lovet!" Seren careened in his direction, fists clenched at her sides as she ran down the stairs, her rage burning from the inside out.
"My Lady. What can I do for you?" Lovet answered coolly, a small smile growing at her appearance. Seren stopped a few metres from him, her steps echoing around the room.
"I'm not here for a chat. I want you out. Grab your stuff and go." She said through gritted teeth, glaring at him, her anger all-consuming.
"I'm sorry my lady, I don't understand." Lovet said innocently, his smile growing larger.
"We're not playing this game. Get out now before I make you."
"Ahhh I see." He sneered, taking a step towards her. "You're jealous."
"What?" Seren's mind went blank.
"Lilly must have told you of our… arrangement." Lovet took another step. Seren instinctively edged backwards.
"So that's what you call rape in Antiva is it?" Seren snapped, her tone dripping with malice.
"Such an… ugly word. And it was consensual. Mostly."
"You threatened her child." He moved closer, slowly but still closer. Seren backed away, suddenly anxious at his sneer.
"Come, come now my Lady. We both know what this is really about. I've seen the way you look at me. There really was no need for the secrecy." Lovet took a long stride, reaching out for her so he was almost close enough to touch. Seren jumped back, panic biting at her heart.
"Stay away from me." She warned, as he watched her as a predator watches prey.
"We can play your games if that's how you like it. I know what you want, can give you what you need…" Another step, and Seren was backed against a wall, stuck between a potted plant and an ancient sideboard.
She cleared her throat. "Try and touch me again and I'll cut your balls off. Then personally ram them down your throat. I'm warning you."
Lovet glanced at her waist, noting the distinct lack of weapons.
Fuck. Seren's heart pounded, her eyes widening as Lovet sneered, his hand caressing the blade at his hip.
"With what?" Lovet was so close she could smell him, could feel his breath against her skin. But she couldn't move. Seren was paralysed, her sheer panic crippling. Her mind raced, desperate to get away, but she had no weapon, and he was likely stronger than her, even with his gangly frame.
He leant in, beginning to sniff at her skin, nuzzling into her hair, inhaling her scent. He reached out to touch, lazily running his fingers across her jaw, down her neck, across her collarbone, under her shirt... Seren saw red.
'Be unexpected, but not stupid. Never stupid.' Her words rang in her ears, her only chance was to aim for the soft areas, ensuring maximum impact with little effort.
Before he had any idea what had crossed her mind, Seren punched him quick and hard in the neck. Lovet reeled back choking and gagging, and with a swift kick to the groin, the man was convulsing, his knees buckling and hitting the floor with a painful thump.
On his knees before her, Seren brought up her own knee, his head snapping backwards with the impact to his chin. His whole body shot back, hitting the tiles with a dull thud. Lovet coughed and groaned, rolling helplessly on the floor while Seren towered over him.
"Go near her, or the child, again and I swear to the Maker, I will slit your throat. I want you gone. If I ever even catch a glimpse of you in the corner of my eye, you will regret the day you were born, I can promise you that."
"You think some stupid bitch like you can scare me?" The guard furiously spat, offering only a dark scowl.
With the last shred of her patience completely spent, Seren booted him in the face with everything she could muster. His head smacked back onto the tile, his body going limp instantly, blood pouring from his now extremely misshapen nose.
For a moment she thought he was dead, as blood pooled beneath his head, oozing red across the tiles and into the channels between, dispersing with startling speed.
But his chest continued to rise and fall. Just.
Sick bastard would live.
Seren thought about ending him there, smothering him with her bare hands, taking the life from the vile and heartless creature sprawled across the floor. She knew he deserved it, but she couldn't bring herself to take a life when the owner couldn't even fight for it.
Instead with her hands shaking uncontrollably and her whole body pulsing with adrenaline, Seren hurriedly disarmed him, worried he'd awaken before anyone found them.
It's over, she told herself. It's done. You're okay. You're okay… Extremely shaken, she slumped down against the wall, tears threatening to spill as she hugged her knees to her torso.
Finally, a set of rushed, heavy footsteps grew close but Seren couldn't look up. She was transfixed by Lovet's breathing and the blood creeping across the floor. Ser Ashleigh appeared in the doorway.
"Maker's breath! Is he?"
"No. He's still alive." She said blankly.
"Are you alright…"
Seren dragged the heels of her hands across her eyes, sniffling slightly as she got to her feet. "I'm fine." She said as confidently as she could manage.
"My lady?"
"I'm fine. Just let it go." Seren said firmly. "I need our horses readied"
"You're leaving? Tonight?" Ser Ashleigh exclaimed.
"Yes. We can't stay now. And neither can Lilly and Grace."
"Maker's breath, he didn't…"
"Just get him out." Before I do something I'll regret.
Seren stepped around Lovet's unconscious form, careful to avoid the blood and Ser Ashleigh's face.
Walking back, she felt dirty, a knot forming in her stomach as she reached the recruits' rooms. Taylor had been true to her word and collected a sleepy Grace, who was clutching a rather battered teddy bear tightly to her chest with one hand and sucking the thumb of her other. Brett had begun packing, several bags already full on the bed. Everyone stopped what they were doing when Seren entered.
"You're coming to Skyhold with us." The Lieutenant addressed a pale looking Lilly. "We will protect you. And Grace. You have my word."
"I can't ask that of you, my lady."
"You're not asking." Seren forced another smile. "Go with Brett and collect your things. We're leaving as soon as." Once Brett and Lilly had left, Seren turned her attention to Taylor. "You're to set them up in my quarters when you reach Skyhold."
"You aren't coming with us Lieutenant?"
"I have some things I need to attend to. I need you to give this to the Commander as soon as you arrive back. It explains where I'm going. And I need you to explain what happened here if you could. I expect you and Brett to look after them, especially Lilly." Seren lowered her voice, with a sideward glance at the little girl, who thankfully appeared to be oblivious to all that had happened. "She'll need a healer."
"Yes, Lieutenant."
"Right, gallery in ten." Seren didn't wait for a response.