Thanks to everyone who has read and favorited this story!
A very special thanks to my new reviewers: tgail73 and KayraCousland - You both made my day!
To the awesome "We Hate Howe Club" and my repeat reviewers: lisakodysam, voltagelisa, Shakespira, Lavinia Luscious, zevgirl
Miltonia, CCBug, sandradee27, Nithu, Nanicane and FallingDarkAngel: Thank you all so much! I think the Circle will be interesting for you all...
To my unbelievable Beta Reader, Lisa, without whom my life would be so much emptier - I hope you enjoyed your Fade treat!
Bioware owns all!
Zeva and her party walked in shocked silence through the halls. Bodies littered the ground, torn and broken. They entered what appeared to be a dormitory area, large open rooms with cots lining the walls.
"So many beds, and yet one wonders where the occupants are," Zevran spoke, breaking the silence. "Or maybe we should prefer not to know."
Zevran had been watching Zeva closely, his concern for her growing with each body she passed. She had steadily grown paler as they had travelled forward. He feared that she was remembering her own home, her own friends and family, lying dead at her feet; all of it his fault. His guilt from the conversation the night before weighed heavily on his mind. He had helped destroy her life, and he could only hope he would find some way to redeem himself, eventually.
"I am wondering; where are all the abominations the idiot Templar spoke of?" Morrigan pondered aloud, a smirk on her face. "Naturally, a bunch of men whose sole purpose in life is to stifle magical freedom would run at the first sight of true power. So much for the mighty, frightening Chantry, hmm?"
Zeva nodded to the witch and slowly approached a closed door before them; loud noises coming from the other side. She grasped the handle and looked back to her companions, making sure they were prepared, then shoved the door open wide and stepped through.
The door opened onto a spacious room, and Zeva could see a group of mages inside, including several children. On the opposite side, some sort of magical barrier had been erected and a demon was rising from it, preparing to attack the group.
Before the demon stood a figure vaguely familiar to Zeva, raising a staff above her head and casting a spell. Frost flew from her staff, and the demon disappeared below the barrier. The mage turned to greet the newcomers and Zeva got a closer look at her face, remembering where she had seen her before.
"You are Wynne, right?" she asked the older woman as she walked further in the room. "I remember you from Ostagar."
Nodding, the mage stared warily at the party. "Yes, and I remember you as well, Zeva, but I must insist that you come no closer," she responded, her hand still tightly gripping her staff. "Grey Warden or no, I will defend myself and these children if you mean us harm."
Lowering her daggers, Zeva softly spoke, "I do not intend to harm any of you. I came here to see if I could be of assistance."
Wynne strapped the staff back onto her back and relaxed visibly. "I will accept that, for now. How did you come to be here at the Tower?" she asked.
"I came seeking the aid of the Circle of Magi against the Blight, and to request help in saving a possessed child," Zeva explained. "Upon my arrival, Knight-Commander Greagoir informed me of the problems within the Tower and I offered to help. Apparently, he feels it is too late and has called for the Rite of Annulment, which has not arrived yet. I had no intention of allowing that to happen, as long as there may be mages left alive inside. So, my friends and I are here to provide assistance, if we can."
"The Rite of Annulment? Then Greagoir believes us all to be dead," Wynne said sadly, looking at the children. "Well, we aren't, as you can see."
"All I see is a group of spineless mages who allow their lives to be led by an equally cowardly group of men dressed in skirts," Morrigan said, anger rising in her voice as she stared at Wynne. "Zeva, I fail to see the point in helping these 'cattle', as it were. They let others rule their lives and then seem shocked when their masters choose to kill them. Let them die, I say!"
"Your taste in companions is quite interesting, Zeva," Wynne said, eyeing Morrigan suspiciously. "An apostate, I see."
Zeva saw Morrigan reach for her staff and quickly moved between the two women. "Morrigan, please, let's discuss this later," she stated calmly. "For right now, let's concentrate on getting the mages out of here. Greagoir said he will only open the doors to release you if the First Enchanter tells him the Tower is clear. Wynne, have you seen the First Enchanter? Do you know if there are any other mages alive besides your group?"
The elderly woman turned toward the barrier and explained, "I erected this barrier to keep any abominations inside the Tower from reaching the children. I will dispel it if you will agree to join with me in saving the Circle. I am not sure what to expect once we get inside or if there is anyone else alive; but as it is our only hope, I have to try."
"Then let us go, Wynne," Zeva said, moving toward the barrier.
As they approached the doorway, Wynne spoke quietly to Zeva, "Here we are. I am somewhat amazed at myself for having kept it in place this long."
"You are a strong woman, Wynne, and you did what you had to do," Zeva replied. "Those children are only alive thanks to you."
"Thank you, Warden," the mage said, a smile on her face. "Now, let us proceed. We should be cautious. I do not know what awaits us beyond this door."
"Never fear, my dear mage," Zevran intoned from his position next to Zeva. "Our wonderful Grey Warden is more than capable of protecting herself, as I learned the hard way."
"And don't you forget it," Zeva said, chuckling, as Wynne brought down the barrier and the party stepped through.
o~~~~~~~~o
"Denerim, at last," Leliana said as she, Duncan and Nihlus entered the market district, late on their second day of travel. They had encountered a few small bands of darkspawn on their journey, but had easily defeated them.
"So," Duncan said as they moved past the merchant stalls, "should we go to Genitivi's right away, or get some rest and see him in the morning?"
Leliana stretched her arms above her head, moaning softly. "Well, if my vote counts, I would appreciate a meal and a bath," she replied.
"As you wish, milady," the Warden said, laughing softly. "I find myself longing for a decent meal myself. We should be able to find rooms at the Gnawed Noble Tavern for the night." As they walked on, his smile faded and he appeared lost in thought.
Leliana reached out and clasped his arm, turning him to face her. "She will be fine, Duncan, you know this," she said quietly. "I have seen few fighters like Zeva, and I am sure she can handle anything she may encounter on the way to the Tower. Or, is it not the darkspawn that concern you?"
Shaking his head slowly, Duncan smiled. "You see through me too easily, Leliana," he said softly. "I haven't slept well, these past couple of nights, wondering if she is with him."
"Duncan, you need to put such thoughts from your head," the bard advised. "Whatever may be happening right now, you have absolutely no control over it. The only thing you can control is how you react when you see her again."
"I know. It just drives me mad to think he may be touching her; experiencing her in a way I..." he let the rest of the sentence drop.
"Have not, am I correct?" Leliana finished for him. At his silent nod, she squeezed his arm gently. "Well, if all goes according to plan, that should end soon, my friend. And once you are reunited, I am sure that she will never want anyone else. She cares for you far too much. Now, we have much to do tomorrow, so let's get that food, shall we?"
Smiling softly, she pulled him into the Gnawed Noble Tavern, unaware of the men outside whom had overheard their conversation. "We need to speak to Arl Howe right away," the older of the two said, his voice low and menacing.
o~~~~~~~~o
Cleaning the blood from his blades, Zevran turned to Zeva and smiled. "As much fun as I am having, my dear, I think you should refrain from picking up random black vials from now on," he said jovially. The party had just defeated a Revenant, which had appeared when Zeva lifted a vial from under a broken statue in the Senior Mage's Quarters, and it had broken in her hand.
"True, but it did provide me a chance to redeem myself for the Revenant who knocked me out in Redcliffe," Zeva commented, and Morrigan laughed aloud.
"Now, this is a tale you simply must share later, my lovely Grey Warden," Zevran purred, smiling lasciviously, "possibly over some Antivan brandy in my tent."
"Well," Zeva responded as she passed closely behind him, running her fingers across his neck, "I suppose we had better get this over with quickly then, hadn't we?"
They were on the second floor of the Tower, the Senior Mage's Quarters. Upon entering the central chamber, they had discovered a Tranquil mage, Owain, who had managed to survive the demons' onslaught. He spoke to them of a fellow mage, Niall, who had come to the stockroom looking for a particular tome, the Litany of Adralla. This particular tome helped defend against mind possession, and Wynne had been quite disturbed to learn that blood magic was behind the attack on the Tower.
"I knew Uldred was power-hungry," she had stated angrily, "but to use blood magic! He must be truly insane!" Uldred was a Senior Mage who had fought alongside the King's men at Ostagar; however, upon his return to the Circle, he had attempted a coup, and Wynne was sure that his actions had caused the destruction that they were now witnessing.
Deciding that this Litany of Adralla could be helpful against Uldred and his followers, the group had moved forward, facing several groups of blood mages, in addition to demons.
In First Enchanter Irving's office, Zeva discovered a large, ornate black book, which she was not able to read. She took it to Morrigan, who immediately clasped it to her chest and spoke in the most excited tones Zeva had ever heard her friend utter. "You found Flemeth's Grimoire," the witch cried. "I had hoped we might find it here, but upon seeing the state of this place, I wasn't sure. And I had never mentioned it to you before. How lucky that you stumbled across it!"
Flipping a few pages, Morrigan continued, "As soon as we leave here, I shall set about reading it. I do not intend to squander this opportunity to learn more than Flemeth wished me to know!" Smiling broadly at Zeva, she tucked the book gently into her pack.
They continued fighting their way up, passing through the Great Hall and onto the fourth floor, which housed the Templars' Quarters. Here they found the most disturbing of scenes - a Desire Demon had bewitched an uphappy Templar, convincing him that they were married with children. Zeva took great pleasure in killing the demon, believing the deception to be the worst form of torture.
After leaving the Desire Demon's room, Zeva and her companions continued forward and approached the last closed door in the hallway.
Zeva pushed the door open and they entered. Inside they were greeted by a Sloth Demon, who spoke with Zeva, its voice hypnotic. Though they tried to fight the urge to sleep, her companions fell to the demon's ministrations one by one. Zeva was the last to succumb, and even as she slipped into the Fade, she knew she must fight, or they were all doomed...
o~~~~~~~~o
Duncan and Leliana met the following morning in the dining room of the Gnawed Noble Tavern. They had learned from the proprietor that Brother Genitivi's house was just across the street from the tavern, and they found it easily, knocking on the door.
When no one answered, the duo entered the house, followed closely by Nihlus. They were met in the main room of the house by Weylon, Brother Genitivi's assistant.
Duncan explained that they needed to locate the Urn of Sacred Ashes to cure Arl Eamon, and they needed to know where Genitivi had gone.
"Please don't ask me to tell you, Ser. The last group who left after him never returned, and I would not wish the same on you," Weylon said nervously.
Leliana looked carefully at the assistant. "You seem quite anxious, Weylon," she said. "Would you mind telling me what exactly you are hiding from me?"
"Wh-what makes you think I am hiding anything?" the scholar said, his voice shaking. "I j-just don't want anyone getting hurt, is all."
Duncan stepped closer to the man, his posture threatening. "I suggest you answer my companion immediately, or there will be consequences," he said, his patience wearing thin.
Suddenly, Weylon moved away, his voice rising. "I don't know why I keep up this charade," he exclaimed. "I tried to get you to stay away peacefully, but you have left me no choice. What I do I do in your name, Andraste!" With that, his hands began to move and Duncan could see he was casting a spell. He and Leliana rushed the man and within moments, the mage lay dead on the floor.
A careful search of the home yielded the corpse of the true Weylon, and Genitivi's diary, which indicated that the Brother had headed for a small town named Haven, which was located far to the south west, near the Frostback Mountains.
"Well I consider that to be a rather successful mission, all things considered," Leliana said as they exited the house. "Now, I suggest we do some shopping and then head back to Redcliffe. I am sure you are anxious to return soon."
"Yes, though I have to agree with you," Duncan replied. "We need to stock up on supplies before leaving tonight."
Leliana laughed heartily. "Oh, no, Duncan!" she said excitedly. "This shopping trip is not for essentials. You will be purchasing some items for your fellow Warden before we exit Denerim."
"Do I even want to know what sorts of items you are referring to?" Duncan asked, his face reddening slightly.
"No need to fear, Warden Commander," she said coyly. "It isn't anything too sordid. But I do feel a trip to the local jeweler is in order, as well as the local dress shop. Oh, and shoes! We must get shoes! Come on!"
Duncan could only shake his head in disbelief as he was led from one corner of the market district to the other, all the while unaware of the group of men watching their every move...
o~~~~~~~~o
"Zeva, darling get up!" a female voice pulled the Warden from her sleep. "I will not have you late for your own wedding, you stubborn girl!"
Slowly, Zeva opened her eyes. She was in her bedroom in Highever Castle, and her mother was bustling about the room, pulling items from drawers and ordering servants around.
My wedding day? Zeva thought groggily. I'm getting married today?
Her mother sat on the edge of her bed, brushing her hair from her eyes. "It's about time you woke up, Zeva Cousland!" she said and placed a kiss on her forehead. "What will Nate think of you if you leave him at the altar!"
Nate? Suddenly Zeva sat up in her bed, glancing about her room. In the corner, hung on her wardrobe, was her mother's wedding gown. It had been specially fitted for her, and her eyes filled with tears at how wondrous it looked.
Eleanor laughed softly. "No tears today, my darling!" she said, hugging Zeva tightly to her. "Today is a day for celebrating! Now, up with you! I will go and check on the preparations. You climb into that tub of hot water and clean up. I will be back soon and we will get you ready for your big day." With that, Eleanor collected the servants and they exited Zeva's room.
The bride-to-be climbed out of bed and removed her nightgown, slipping into the warm water up to her chin. My wedding day! she thought blissfully. How long had she waited for this day to arrive, when she would become Mrs. Nathaniel Howe. There was something strange, itching at the back of her brain, however; as though there was something important she should be remembering.
She was so engrossed in her own thoughts that she didn't hear the soft footsteps behind her, coming from the window. She jumped as she felt a familiar pair of warm hands lightly brush over her shoulders, dipping into her bath water to caress her breasts, gently rubbing her nipples.
Releasing a low groan, Zeva whispered huskily, "You know, Nathaniel Howe, my father would have your hide if he caught you in here before the wedding."
She heard a soft chuckle next to her ear as the hands continued their massaging, slowly delving lower into the tub to slide sensually across her abdomen. "Then we will just have to make sure he doesn't come in, won't we?" her betrothed said as he pulled his arms from the bath and moved to the bedroom door, locking it and turning to face her.
Nathaniel Howe was a striking man, and Zeva had loved him since she was a young girl. He had a stern face, with a prominent nose and deep gray-blue eyes. At this moment, those eyes were transfixed on Zeva, filled with desire. He walked slowly toward the bathtub, removing his clothes, and Zeva gasped at his finely chiseled body and formidable manhood.
"Isn't it bad luck to see the bride before the wedding?" she purred as Nate climbed in the bathtub behind her, laying his legs over hers.
"Who cares?" he replied wickedly, his hands once again searching out her breasts and fondling them, hardening her nipples. "I say the worst luck would be missing this opportunity to lie with my future bride, away from the prying eyes of the hundreds of guests which have swarmed onto the property." Slowly he moved a hand down her stomach and onto her sex, gently pulling apart her folds and stroking her delicate button, causing her to gasp in delight.
"Nate... we... shouldn't..." Zeva began, but quickly lost her voice as he inserted two fingers inside her, moving them in time with his caresses, hitting her most sensitive spot with each thrust.
"Maker, Nate, don't stop!" she cried as he began nibbling on her neck, bringing her closer and closer to fulfillment. She threw back her head and squeezed her eyes closed as she came, hard, bucking against his hand. As the waves of her passion subsided, Nate pulled her face to his and kissed her gently, caressing her tongue with his own.
Slowly, Zeva opened her eyes, gazing at her beloved. "I love you, Zeva," he said, and kissed her once more.
"And I, you, Nate," she replied, lifting her hips and positioning herself over his engorged member. Slowly, never taking her eyes from his, she slid over him, moaning at the feel of him deep inside her. They had been together many times, but each occasion was new and marvelous, as they continually looked for unique ways to pleasure each other.
Zeva felt Nate's muscles tense as he began thrusting ardently into her, crying out her name. He wrapped his arms tightly around her stomach and drove himself further into her, splashing water onto the floor as their passion reached its peak. Satiated, they lay in the tub, relishing the last moments of peace before they would be forced to separate.
After they had dried off and dressed, Nate crossed the bedroom and kissed Zeva one last time. "I will see you soon, my darling," he said and climbed through the window, disappearing around the roofline of the house.
After Nate's departure, Zeva sat on her bed, feeling somewhat confused. Though she loved Nate, and knew she was supposed to be marrying him, there was something missing. Her mind kept telling her that there was someone else she should be waiting for, someone important. She kept having flashes of memories - dark brown eyes, olive skin - but that couldn't be right! None of that was Nate, and he was her betrothed, wasn't he?
She had almost decided to leave her room and search for her parents when a knock sounded at the door. Zeva opened it, dressed in her robe, and found Arl Rendon Howe standing in the hallway, smiling at her.
"Zeva, may I come in for a moment?" he asked casually. "I have something for you."
The uncomfortable feeling returned to Zeva, but she brushed it aside, opening the door wider to allow him entrance. "Of course, Ser," she said happily.
Howe entered her bedroom and glanced around, as though looking for something. "Well, I know you have much to do, but I am anxious to share something with you that I have long been wanting to give you," he said warmly, turning to face her.
Smiling broadly, Zeva moved closer to Howe, her curiosity piqued. "That is really not necessary, Ser," she said politely. "Marrying Nate is the greatest gift I could ever receive."
Something dark flashed behind Howe's eyes and Zeva suddenly felt chilly, as though the temperature in the room had dropped. She looked out of the window to see the sky had begun to gray, storm clouds slowly moving over the horizon.
She glanced back at Howe, and now she could tell something was definitely amiss. His once cheerful smile had grown closer to a sneer, and he began moving slowly toward her, a wicked gleam in his eye. "Arl Howe, what is going on? Is something wrong?" she asked nervously.
She felt her back hit the bedroom door and realized that she had been moving away from him as he was advancing on her. "No, my dearest Zeva, nothing is wrong. I just wanted to give you your wedding gift," he said, his voice now carrying a dangerous edge to it.
"I-I think you should go now," she said quickly, moving her hand behind her, searching for the doorknob. She knew she needed to escape, to put as much distance between herself and Howe as possible.
"Don't be frightened, my darling," he said and he placed his hands on her door, one on each side of her body. " Now for that present," he said and grabbed her head, covering her mouth with his own, his tongue sliding against hers.
Zeva fought to push him away, but it was as though her limbs refused to obey. She was powerless as Howe ripped her robe from her, his hands roaming over her body, caressing her intimately.
At the touch of his hands, Zeva's memories came flooding back - the attack on her home, her conscription into the Grey Wardens, Duncan. With the recollections came her power and she shoved Howe away, running across her bedroom and grabbing the knife from her dresser, turning to face him.
Howe stood staring at her, only it was no longer Howe. Zeva could see that his eyes were glowing and his teeth were pointed. He spoke in a voice which was definitely not human. "I offered you the perfect dream, and still you had to fight me!" the being said. "So there will be no pleasant dreams for you. Now you will live with the nightmare you created!"
"I think not, demon," Zeva said and attacked, slashing at the creature with her knife. "Howe could not defeat me and neither will you!"
The demon grabbed at Zeva and threw her onto the bed, attempting to leap onto her. She rolled to the floor and came up behind her attacker, slicing into its back. It wailed and threw an arm back, catching Zeva in the face, throwing her into the window sill.
She made a quick recovery and as the Howe demon charged her, she dropped to the ground, kicking up with her feet. The momentum of its attack propelled the creature out the window and Zeva jumped up, watching it fall to the ground, far below her. As its screams died away, she turned to find a glowing platform behind her. Looking down, she realized she was once again wearing her armor and weapons, and she approached the pedestal, touching it cautiously. Shivers ran through her body and she was transported away...
o~~~~~~~~o
Zeva fought her way through the Fade, altering her shape and rescuing her companions. Morrigan had been with Flemeth in her dream, and was quite perturbed with Zeva for taking so long to arrive. They quickly destroyed the Flemeth demon, and Morrigan vanished before her eyes.
She found Wynne amongst a group of dead apprentices. The mage was deeply distraught and it took a great deal of convincing to get her to believe it was all a dream. It wasn't until one of the apprentices attempted to entice her to stay with them that she awoke to her situation and helped Zeva fight off the demons.
After more shapeshifting and many more battles, she arrived at Zevran's dream. She walked through the haze and saw him kneeling next to a body, rocking back and forth, as though in anguish. The body appeared to be an elven woman, and she was covered in blood. Zeva could see the slit across her throat, which was the obvious cause of death.
"Zevran, are you alright?" she said quietly, approaching him slowly.
He didn't look up; Zeva could hear him repeating "Rinna, what have I done? I am so sorry," over and over again.
She drew closer and spoke louder, hoping to break his trance. "Zev, please talk to me. It's Zeva. You are in the Fade. None of this is real," she explained.
He slowly looked up at her, his eyes filled with tears. Her heart broke at the pain she saw within them. "So, you are here, as well. Another reminder of my atrocities, I see," he said sadly, returning his gaze back to the elven woman.
Her concern for him growing, Zeva knelt next to him, cautiously placing her hand on his back. He shrunk away, and she withdrew her arm.
"Look at me, Zevran," she said determinedly and placed her hand under his chin, turning him to face her. The tears were now streaming down his face. She gently wiped them away, smiling tenderly at the tortured elf. "You are real and I am real," she began, placing his hand in hers and squeezing gently. "Everything else is a trick of the Fade. Remember the demon we encountered in the Tower? He is doing this to you, just as he did to Morrigan, Wynne, and myself. Whatever tortures he has created for you, we can defeat them together. Please trust me."
"Now, that is a laugh, is it not, my friend?" a heavily accented voice said from behind them. "She asks you to trust her? Methinks she should be the one concerned with trust, would you not agree?"
A dark skinned fighter with close cropped black hair and a beard stepped into view. He approached the duo and stared down at the dead elf. "Rinna trusted you, didn't she, Zev? That got her far, eh?" he said, laughing cruelly. "And now you have convinced another gullible lass to believe your lies. I think she may find her end the same, don't you?"
Zeva felt Zevran begin to pull away, and she held fast to his hand, staring up hatefully at the intruder. "You know nothing, demon!" she spoke angrily. "I know you wish to torture my friend, but that ends now! I will see you release your hold on him, even if I must fight you alone."
"No, leave me, Zeva," Zevran said quietly. "I deserve nothing more than this punishment. After poor Rinna, and what I have done to you..."
"I think not, Arainai!" Zeva retorted, once again turning his face to her. "You tried to kill me and still I saved your life. I will not have you throw it away on fantasies! If I must prove to you what is real, I shall!" She leaned close to him and kissed him deeply, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him to her. She felt a momentary resistance, and then he slowly began to awaken, responding to her kiss and running his hands up her back.
Several long moments later, Zeva pulled away and gazed into his eyes, which had now regained their light. "I think it is time we send your friend back to where he came from, don't you?" the Warden said softly, rising to her feet and offering him her hand.
"I concur, my lovely Grey Warden," Zevran said and grasped her hand, allowing her to pull him up. They turned toward the demon as one, removing their weapons and preparing to fight.
Despite the creature calling several minions to its aid, the two rogues quickly dispatched their foes. As the last demon fell, Zevran turned to the Zeva. "I do not know how to tell you what your rescue meant to me. I..." he began as his form shimmered and vanished from sight.
Approaching the final pedestal, Zeva placed her hand upon it, knowing she would soon face the true master of this nightmare.
o~~~~~~~~o
Zeva appeared in an open field and before her stood the Sloth Demon. Her companions appeared beside her and together they approached the being.
The creature attempted to convince her to go back to her peaceful sleep, all to no avail. Soon the battle was on, and they fought the being in each of its forms; ogre, rage demon, abomination, shade and arcane horror. Finally, they were once again faced with its true form and after an exhaustive battle, the demon lay dead at their feet.
Niall, who had been trapped in the Fade before Zeva's party, appeared and told them to collect the Litany of Adralla from his body once they awoke. He said it would protect them in their fight against Uldred. Though Zeva argued that she would help Niall to live once they made it back, he said he had been gone too long and that the Sloth Demon had destroyed him.
After bidding Niall farewell, Zeva felt herself being pulled from the Fade, and she awoke on the hard floor in the Templars' Quarters, surrounded by her companions. She rose to her feet unsteadily and located the Litany on Niall's body, placing it in the belt loop of her armor.
As she turned to the rest of her party, her eyes fell on Zevran. He stood perfectly still, staring at her, his gaze more intense than she had ever seen it. She crossed the room and threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly. Slowly he brought his arms up and returned her embrace, shaking slightly.
"Thank you, Zeva," he said and kissed the top of her head. "Now, let us finish this, shall we? I don't know about you, but I long to leave this hell and get some proper sleep."
Zeva nodded and the group exited the room, ready for the confrontation with Uldred and his blood mages.