Chapter 51: Emptiness
Holding Caves
Hadriana was dead on the ground and Fenris turned to the others. Even though he had killed his former master's apprentice, he didn't feel any better. "We are done here" The elf walked the gang.
"Do you want to talk about it, my friend?" Sebastian asked.
Fenris looked back and glared at the prince and Ericks just groaned while Aveline shook her head. "Too soon, Shiny…"
"No, I don't want to talk about it!" Fenris snapped. He then started to pace back and forth. "This could be a trap! Danarius could have sent Hadrian here to tell me about this 'sister'"
"Even if he didn't trying to find here would still be suicide! Danarius has to know about her and has to know that Hadriana knows" he said. "All that matters is I finally got to crush this bitch's heart. May she rot and all other mages with her"
Ericks crossed his arms. "You know damned well they're not all like your magisters"
Fenris scoffed; of course he knew Ericks was talking about his younger sister. He admitted Bethany was a strong mage could be trusted with her mage. But he knew for every mage like Ericks' sister, there were two more mages that would abuse their powers. He's seen it too many times. "And who should be our example? The abomination? Or how about the blood mage that's always with us?" he asked. "Even if I found my sister, who knows what the magisters have done to her. What has magic touched that it doesn't spoil?"
Fenris then stopped and sighed in frustration…any further and he would risk burning his only bridge. "I…need to go" The gang headed back to Kirkwall.
The Hawke Estate
After reporting back to the qunari, Ericks headed back to the mansion to get some rest. Bodahn came up to him. "What is it, Bodhan?"
"There's a…elven woman here, messere?" the dwarf said confused. "She claims she was sent here by you. I, ah, didn't know what to tell her"
"Ah, that would be Orana" Ericks said. "Where is she?"
"Mistress is showing her around" Bodahn said. "My boy is also with her" Ericks went upstairs and saw Orana with his mother and Sandal. The elf was in better clothing than the rags Ericks found her in. Orana was just taking it all in.
"This place isn't like home at all. Minrathous was so noisy"
"Do not worry dear, you'll learn to get used to it"
Orana nodded. "Yes Mistress"
"Enchantment"
"Well hello to you too, Sandal" Ericks said. "Ma's boring you with baby stories of me?"
"Oh no, master…she's been very good to me, I swear" Orana said.
Ericks shook his head. "You don't have to call me master, Orana" Orana just tilted her head, not surprising….she's been a slave for so long that it's been baked into her very being. Leandra crossed her arms; no doubt his mother had questions about what happened…it was going to be a long explanation. "Ma, I'd like to talk to Orana"
"Very well" She then came close to her son. "An elven slave? Maker's Breath, Ericks I hope you know what you're doing" Leandra and Sandal walked away.
"So any trouble getting here?" Ericks asked.
"Your home was difficult to find. I've never been out on my own before. But…I found it" Orana said. "Many people know of you"
"Yeah well, I have that effect on people" he said.
"I hope I've made myself useful. I've already begun cleaning, and I can cook…not as good as papa, but a little" the elf said. "Is there…anything else you'd like me to do?"
"You're already working?" Ericks asked. "I would have thought you would be resting after everything you've been through"
"I miss papa, the other servants. I…try not to think about what happened" Orana said. "I even feel sorry for the magister. Is that bad?"
The rogue sighed. "It's more than she deserved" he said. "Any other skills you have?"
"Not many, master" she said. "The magister bade me to clean, and sometimes fetch…but papa told me to keep out of her sight much as I could" Orana's body then became defensive. "But I can learn! I'll serve you well! Please don't hurt me" The poor girl was used to being beaten for slight mistakes, and that was when her former master was in a pleasant mood. Orana had seen much worse when Hadriana's patience and temper was at an end. Ericks rubbed her head gently.
"You don't have worry, kid…no one's going to hurt you" Ericks said. "I can promise that"
"I…thank you" she said.
"One more thing, since you'll be staying here, Orana, it will be as my servant" Ericks said. "That means you will be paid, like everyone else"
Orana was taken aback. "You mean…I won't be a slave anyone?"
"That's right, at any time you can leave if you feel like dissatisfied with me as your employer" the rogue said. "No strings attached"
"I…a slave am all I've ever been, like papa and grandpapa before me" Orana said. She then bowed to Ericks. "I'll try to be a good servant. Thank you, Master. You're too good to me"
"Don't call me…you're welcome" Ericks said. "If you have any questions fill free to ask me, my mother or Bodahn" The Hawke household had dinner that night, despite her modesty, Orana's cooking was very good. With enough training, she could become a world class chef if she wanted. It was going to take her a while to get used to this newfound freedom of hers but until she could figure things out, at least she was in the company of good people.
"Messere? Serah Fenris is here to see you" Ericks got up from the table and spotted Fenris sitting on the bench in the commons. After the business with Hadriana, Fenris had disappeared for a while. None of the others went to go look for him; with the elf's state of mind it wouldn't be wise.
"I've been thinking about what happened with Hadriana" Fenris said. "You and I don't always see eye to eye, but that doesn't mean you deserved my anger. I owe you an apology"
"Eh, water under the bridge" Ericks said. "Grudges are tiring"
Fenris chuckled. "You are generous" he said. "When I was still a slave, Hadriana was a torment. She would ridicule me, deny my meals, and hound my sleep"
"I was powerless due to her status and she knew it" Fenris looked at his hand and balled it into a fist. "The thought of her slipping out of my grasp now…I couldn't let her go. I wanted to, but I couldn't"
"You don't sound too happy about paying the magister back…"
The elf sighed. "I…I don't, instead I feel nothing but…disquiet" he said. "To feel it again, to know it was they who planted it inside me…it was too much to bear"
"But I didn't come here to burden you further"
Ericks shook his head. "It ain't a burden…as much as pain in the ass you are, I do consider you a friend"
Fenris just gave a mirthless chuckle. "Friends…I'm not certain I know what that is…" The elf turned and walked out of the mansion. Bodahn walked up beside Ericks.
"Your friend…he seems lost" the dwarf said sadly.
Ericks sighed. "Yeah"
Darktown
Ericks went down to Anders clinic to see him, he had gotten a message from one of the little urchin boys that lived in Darktown. In the past three years, Anders has become more reclusive, verging on paranoia. When not with Ericks, he spends his time among the Fereldan refugees in Darktown, healing their ills and counting on their loyalty to protect him from curious templars. After his friend Karl was made Tranquil, and then killed, Anders was convinced that the Chantry's entire structure must be overturned to free mages completely from their control. He has joined a group of like-minded apostates who are slowly wearing away Kirkwall's Circle by helping other mages escape. The spirit of Vengeance inside him has manifested more strongly, making it nearly impossible for him to control himself when fighting templars. When he arrived at the clinic, he saw Isabela and Anders talking.
"…don't come running to me next time you pick up one of these diseases"
Isabela scoffed. "Isn't that the point of magic?" She walked out of the clinic and winked at Ericks, the rogue just shook his head.
"I don't want to know" Ericks said. "Long time no see, Anders. How is my favorite hermit doing?"
"Things just keep getting worse. I had Templars practically on my doorstep the other night"
Ericks frowned. "That's not good…did they discover you?"
"Not me specifically. They were just checking the refugee camps" Anders said. "But it's not like this place is a secret. It's only a matter of time" He sighed and rubbed his head. "The knight-commander is out of control. Even her own people have been talking about it"
"The curfews. The midnight raids on mages' families. Everyone I know, forced into hiding so they won't be made Tranquil"
Ericks crossed his arms. "And I'm bet Justice loves it" Anders was silent.
"In the Fade, there is no 'time'. Emotion rules everything. Justice doesn't know how to sit idle until the right moment to strike" the mage said. "And I can't say I have any greater patience. I fear what my anger has made of friend"
"You chose to merge with him. Only you can make it work"
"I am trying" Anders said. "I have restrained Justice as much as I can by not attacking the Templars openly. I helped the mages as best I can, but this cannot stand"
"Have you noticed how many Tranquil are in the Gallows courtyard lately?" he asked. "And don't tell me I'm just sensitive to it. I've been watching and every day there are new Tranquil, selling their bloody wares"
"Good mages, too. People I know passed their Harrowing"
"Weird the Chantry don't step in, isn't that against the law?" Ericks asked.
"It is, the Templars are using the rite to silence those who speak against them" Anders said. "They're working on a deliberate plan to turn every mage in Kirkwall within the next three years"
Ericks crossed his arms. "I know you have problems with the Templars but…"
"There are groups in Kirkwall who help those fleeing the Circle. I've talked to people on the inside" he said. "This plan is the work of a Templar named Ser Alrik"
"I've heard of him…Betty mentioned him in one of her letter" Ericks said. "Said he gave her the creeps"
"She's right to feel that way…he's the one who did the rite on Karl" Anders said angrily. "A real bastard that one is, he enjoys making the mages beg" Anders had a run-in with the Templar when he was involved with a resistance group called the Mage Underground. They were apostates in Kirkwall that helped mages escape from the Circle. He couldn't say more for Ericks and the group's sake, but he had seen his work firsthand. The knight-commander was at least true in her convictions however misguided Meredith believed she was helping people. Alrik was different however he is a sadist, who has experimented on mages in order to find out what it takes to push them into the arms of demons.
"Templars really need to find a hobby, gardening is always good" Ericks said. "Might actually do something about that twitch of theirs"
"Come with me, tonight, please. Help me find the evidence of Alrik's 'Tranquil Solution'" The Tranquil Solution, Alrik's idea of a 'peaceful' solution to the so-called mage problem…to sunder the mind of every mage in the Free Marches. The Templar is trying to bring his plan to the Divine in Val Royeaux. If it's a success every mage in Thedas would be tranquil and under his command.
"You don't have to ask me twice…if he's really as bad as you're saying then that means Betty's in trouble" the rogue said. "Though this Alrik would be a fool to keep such a plan in writing"
"Then let us pray he's a fool as well as a bastard"
A race to stop a threat to all mages! Next Time! Review and Comment!
