Chapter 13

11:45 pm Kinloch Hold, Month 11 - Firstfall, of the Dragon Age

As Greagoir and Cullen made their way down to the Great Hall of the tower to meet with the visitors awaiting them, several Templars were standing semi-circle around the armed strangers, Greagoir watched as the group stood patiently waiting, he then walked forward between the strangers and his Templars to address the guest.

"I am who you seek. Knight-Commander Greagoir your purpose here?" Vexed as he was, he maintained his calm.

Deedo extended a gloved hand in greeting, "Well met, we have come seeking my daughter." When the gesture refused, she swept her hand in motion to the companions behind her.

Perplexed, the Knight–Commander's eyebrow raised, he scoffed, "Daughter?" He looked at the female claiming to be Lady Deedolit with skepticism. "I am unsure whom you are referring to. Most mages who come here are orphaned, or sent to us by their parents."

Cullen, watching from behind Greagoir, felt as if he had heard this stranger's voice before, pitch slightly different but altogether familiar. The only thing visible was her mouth under the hood of her cloak.

Shifting slightly, she felt her hands tingling. A second taller elf placed a hand on her shoulder. She continued as cordially as possible, "I am looking for a young girl, her age eighteen Springs, Lady Deedolett Swiftleaf." She admitted cheerfully.

Greagoir feeling a little more suspicious now. "I know of no Swiftleaf, however, I know of Deedolett, but you are?" His voice remained firm.

She turned her head to the group behind her–remained quiet, nodded their consent.

"Lord Xellexes Silvercloud of Felwithe, cousin of our Lady." He bowed his head slightly in greeting, with a long polished wooden staff that crackled with red energy on his back, his short silver hair shifted back in place, tapered ears, sapphire eyes holding a hint of mischief against his swarthy peach skin.

"Lady Lili'Enyel Swiftleaf of Surefall Glade, daughter of our Lady." She bowed her head slightly, not taking her eyes off the Commander.

With an elegantly carved bow of translucent material and gold, it looked too big for its owner. Her short silver-lavender hair ruffled from her, tucking her hair behind her slightly pointed ears, her lavender eyes, enhancing her bronzed skin, held a firm gaze to the strangers before her.

The two shortest with mahogany tresses that fell past their shoulders, each bright, deep peridot eyes containing curiosities taking in all the people in their presence, warm copper skin making their eyes brighten more.

"Lady Ruroni Swiftleaf of Kelethin, daughter of our Lady." She had an elegant lute carved with delicate designs, embedded gems strapped to her back, and a scabbard on her hip looking much too young for wielding a weapon of any kind.

"Lady Tenkou Swiftleaf of Kelethin, daughter of our Lady." She had an odd-looking wooden crook with vines twisted around, little sparks of pale blue lightning arched along the length of her staff faintly. They bowed, warm identical smiles playing at both of their lips.

The tallest of them removed his hood, short-cropped hair of white gold shining in the firelight, his warm skin pristine save for a small cut on his left eyebrow, his eyes the color of clear waters, when he bowed his head, they shifted slightly in color, "The elder brother of Lady Deedolett Swiftleaf, Brother of Lord Ikal'antulien Swiftleaf, Lord Okhor Tagnik'zur Phazan Swiftleaf, Son of Lady Deedolit Swiftleaf and …"

"Okhor, no." The woman silenced his speech.

"But Mother."

"I know, just not now." She turned her head apologetically.

Okhor nodded, standing tall, his face familiar to Cullen, and his gaze intense. His sisters stepped forwards coming to either side of him.

The woman that stood before Greagoir her head slightly bowed and a golden circlet settled right between her eyebrows within her warm moonlight hair shimmering, long braided plat that wrapped around her neck and the remainder tucked in her cloak, a pair of warm aquamarine eyes looked back at the Commander. Her skin, the warmest kiss of cinnamon, glowing against the torchlight. Her face is dreamily familiar, making Cullen stare unabashedly.

"I mean no harm. I have just come for my child. If she is not here, please excuse us so that we may search elsewhere." She bowed her head once again. The gem that dangled sparkled brightly when the torchlight hit it.

"Deedo..." Cullen harshly whispered as he pushed his way to the front to stand next to the Knight Commander.

"You know this name?" She asked as she raised a tapered eyebrow, pointing to herself. Deedo did not know what they wrote her about in the history books of Ferelden after she left for her home in Norrath, Maric saw she was the famed mage who put King Maric back on his throne. Rumors circled that she may have died decades prior when she was no longer seen at Maric's side. The woman before them looked too young. She could not in the slightest be the same mage.

Cullen's mouth agape as he nodded, his head ever so slightly. Deedo's eyes caught the shine of a gem from the torchlight in the foyer. A knowing smile spread from the familiar piece. "This!" she walked to stand in front of Cullen, pointing as she reached for the necklace he wore.

"How did you come to this?" Deedo said, fingering the chain to place the gem in her gloved palm. Cullen leaned back slightly; she stood straight, almost meeting his eye.

"She gave it to me…" he said as she examined the stone.

"From my name tell me, I had crafted this and some others, with a few trinkets for my little girl." She looked him in the eyes, pleading as tears welled.

Greagoir was a young man, a templar only when he first heard of the woman before him. He watched the woman, for he had heard of Deedolit of Felwithe, but she should be older. This woman looked not a day over the age from when he first heard about her. He was unsure how to respond. Does a parent come for their child? Deedolett is a mage, and if her mother is a mage...

"I am who you need to speak with if you will come with me, all of you." He nodded as Deedo turned her head to look at the older man.

Deedo did not move when the Templar's leader started away. The other Templars stood on edge.

"Ma'am?" One of the Templar questioned as he was trying to escort her to follow.

Her jeweled eyes cut to the boy next to her, then settled on the back of the Commander when he turned to face them once again. "You are attempting to hold me here. I will assume that my daughter is not within Kinloch."

The Knight - Commander took a breath, if this indeed Lady Swiftleaf that was written about in books, there is nothing at all to hold her here, "You are correct, she is not here, I would just like to speak with you in private before you continue your search."

Deedo's hands were tingling. She inclined her head as she stepped to follow, with the others close behind her.

The group–led by the Knight Commander, headed to his office. Cullen followed behind the group, assessing each of the strangers. He wondered why in the name of the Maker this woman looked strikingly similar to Deedolett. Claiming to be her mother, Olett had no memories of her past. She was in the tower long before he came into service. When she was just a babe. At least that was what they shared with each other years ago.

He noticed also they even shared the same graceful gait, practically gliding through the corridors.

Once in the office the group stepped in, Deedo took the seat at the desk, Xellexes stood to her right with Okhor to her left, Lili'Enyel stood nearest the door while Ruroni and Tenkou placed themselves on the sill of the window, pulled the lute from her back strumming a soft song play filling the room with a warm relaxing essence.

Cullen went to enter when the knight commander halted him.

"Allow him in, please. I have some questions I would like to ask." Deedo's words softened Greagoir's expression, allowing Cullen to observe.

Once Greagoir sat at the desk, he folded his hands as he assessed the woman before him.

He inhaled deeply before he started his questions. So many he wanted to ask, but with the First Enchanter helping Deedolett with the Blight, he would have to hold most until his return.

"You said your name is Deedolit of Felwithe, I have heard of such a person, have you helped secure King Maric's throne?"

Deedo smiled graciously, her heart stinging briefly, "Yes I am, and I helped him." She nodded before she continued looking back at the man with the necklace. "If that is the case, then can you tell me where I can find the girl, your relationship with her?"

Greagoir's brow furrowed as he listened; visibly, he was formulating questions and answers to give. If this is indeed the Deedolit from then, then Deedolett with her strange powers, 'No, Deedolett could just be named after her.' baffled "She came to us fifteen years ago. She had left from the tower for over a year, she came back once as leader of the Grey Wardens. Seeking aid for their Order."

Now it was Deedo's turn to look confused. "Eighteen Springs have passed, how is that possible, she was but three when taken from me. Have my calculations been wrong? Okhor and she were born in the year of 9:15 Bloomingtide. Grey Warden? I am unfamiliar with that."

12:00 am, Kinloch Hold, Lake Calenhad, Month 11 - Firstfall, 9:31 of the Dragon Age.

As the minutes ticked by from her spot by the window, Ruroni noticed a faint light in the distance reaching the darkened skies. She motioned for Lili to note the odd phenomenon. Cullen watched on as the older girl summoned a spell–his skin tingle slightly, but barely noticeable.

She gasped then reached the man known as Xellexes, he too went to the window pulling a small telescope from his robes, they conversed quietly amongst each other, "That is not lightning." Shrugging with the two young women's response, he turned to Lady Deedo, excusing himself, leaned in her ear.

"Pillar of light, you do not recognize it?" She excused herself and went to the window; she leaned on the sill following the finger of the Ranger. Deedo straightened up and pointed out into the distance. Suddenly, without warning, a scream from Okhor shattered the quiet of the room.

"Okhor!" The girls and their mother rushed to his side, his screams growing louder and more agonizing. His head thrown back, eyes wide, tearing, mouth agape, the others calling him to shake him from his plight.

The Templar Commander stood in shock. Some Templars from the hall rushed into the room, just as Tenkou cast a spell, rendering him unconscious.

"Okhor, Okhor, what is happening!" Deedo cradled his head as she sat on the floor. Looking up accusing the men in the room.

Cullen spoke quietly, barely breathing it out, "Was not our doing." As he moved from his position by the wall to assist, if he could, tentatively approaching before the glare of Deedo halted his movements. Her face relaxed, allowing him to approach.

"Then who do I blame for the harm of my son? There was a light in the distance and it is unknown to anything we would be familiar with." Glaring at the leader of this tower, "What was that light, it lit up the sky." pointing to the window while still holding her son's head to her breast.

"Denerim." Greagior answered with confusion about his face when the elf boy screamed for no reason at all.

She remembered the maps that were given to her, "What in the… Just what would cause Denerim to fire magics into the night? Is King Maric in trouble?" Deedo's jaw tightened.

Greagoir went to speak, but his mouth snapped shut. She was that Deedolit and she knew nothing of what had happened during the past twenty-odd years or even the past year.

Cullen spoke quicker than Greagoir could. "Is she truly your daughter?" his heart thrummed as he looked into the eyes of the familiar elf woman. His brow beaded with sweat from the worry in the woman's voice.

The young man in her lap stirred. "Okhor, are you well, what happened?"

He spoke in elvish, Deedo checked him over as did his sister who wields healing magics. Waving her hands over her brother, whispering, she nodded a few times as Deedo closed her eyes, breathing in deeply.

She rose to her feet helping her son to his, her hands went to her face, she stood for a moment certain of what needed to be done, "I am going to Denerim now, you will stay here."

As she expected, they met her with vehement refusal, loudest from Okhor and Tenkou.

"Mother, no, we will not leave you." said Okhor steadfastly as he rose to his feet.

She turned to Greagior. "Can you keep my children safe until my return?"

"It is ill-advised to leave at all, you are a mage."

"Who has saved your King!" Reaching into her cloak, she unwrapped her long braid from her neck, pulling a golden chain free. On the end was a ring, the symbol of the Theirin house.

"She is my daughter stolen from me. I know Maric from saving his life, and getting him back on the throne from Meghren. I was there when Meghren died!." Shaking her head, Deedo needed to leave. She could feel it. She gazed in his direction, then sighing. Her stomach twisted. This was to be where she found her.

"Mother, Kal'an, he will hear you. I will stay, as will Ruroni. Heart go with mother, you as well Tenkou." Lili insisted.

Greagoir fit to object, his hand raised, ready to dispel any magic if they so much as cast, but he halted. She was indeed the famed mage who was by Maric's side.

The Royal Palace, Denerim. The Battle of Denerim, Archdemon Defeat.

"Kal'an, can you hear me, I have returned." Deedo heard nothing. "Kal'an, I know the hour is late. Are you in Gwaren with the Teyrn or with King Maric?" Just as they stepped through the portal on the steps of the castle.

There was no response. The two beside her were looking on. Okhor turned from the shut castle doors to the lights of the city. "I supposed we arrived late." His nose wrinkled at the smell.

Tenkou was already tapping furiously at his elbow. Her mother was frantic with her call to their brother, not noticing what was going on around them.

"Mother…" Tenkou grabbed her mother's arm. Before them was the city, alight with fires and people shouting, straggled fighting still going on.

"By the Goddess." Deedo's heart was in her throat. The city was ablaze, and they saw Darkspawn crawling everywhere, beyond that the smell. She remembers that putrid smell, and it was everywhere. Just what happened? Her eyes searched, scanning the city before her. She turned her back, the doors closed. One less worry. She turned to face the destroyed city once more. She began casting, grabbing both children, took off in a near sprint down the steps and towards the glowing fires.

Shouting for people to clear the injured, and wounded, to drive the Darkspawn back that remained, most of the rotted creatures were already fleeing from where they came, Tenkou stopped every so often to cast blanketed healing. Okhor aided as well, Deedo agitated. She needed to see Kal'an, Cailan, Loghain, or Maric; as no one was giving her an answer. The castle barred, and then there was the Darkspawn scurrying about on the surface.

'Stop your fret, the castle is safe.' Deedo could hear in the back of her mind, "The Darkspawn?" She whispered.

"You will not live to see the coming Blight."

Deedo's mind-numbed, heart hammered in the pit of her stomach, "No, no, this cannot be!" chilling depths slammed into her left her breathless. Her eyes frantically scanned as she saw soldiers dead in the streets, raking her eyes over all the people lying. She needed to find them.

Her eldest could not answer, for he was in battle alongside his father or the King. Her mind was erratic, "FOCUS DEEDO FOCUS!" she screamed.

The Mage saw her children helping to move people out of the way. The tingle of magic hung in the air and heavily laced it with death.

A great surge of adrenaline shot through her. It was warm and unpleasant.

Deedo cursed under her breath as she began swiftly casting levitation on soldiers who could not move; haste, quickening to the ones fending off the monsters, her magic flowing from her fingertips, as a weaver wove fabric. "Move them to safety!" Deedo called, reached behind, casting on her children, proceeding to help the others move bodies off of the streets.

When the Elder mage moved further up the main street, her children were behind her. Darkspawn now fighting to get out of the city, Deedo saw blood. Summoning her staff, she charged forward, a shout from Okhor forced any Darkspawn to target him directly, and a flurry of arrows filled the misshapen creatures.

Tenkou murmured, summoned winds to heft the creatures as she swiftly cast to engulf them in flames, sending them crashing to the earth.

Deedo swung her staff, catching them off guard. She froze them in place with a mesmerizing spell, and Okhor just as easily dispatched them of their heads.

Deedo cast levitate on several more people as they ran to the main street, "Move back, the road to the castle is clear." She shouted to them, her spells whipped about casting choke on darkspawn Hurlocks running to gaping holes in the ground, sending mind spells that turn them on each other, spells of dazzling red sparks that leaped from her fingers to the genlocks as they flee, searing their malformed brains.

Seeing one of the King's guards, she grabbed the boy by the arm. "Where is the King!" she growled. With a startled shake of his head, she released him and continued to scan. The blocked roads source, large chunks of earth upturned, buildings had crumbled, broken, cutting off paths. The fires were being put out, but not quick enough. If the city were to be saved, she would have to create rains.

"Tenkou, I need you to make it rain, now!"

Tenkou stopped leveling the earth, nodded, praying, "With the blessing of the Rainkeeper, grant me the power to summon your storm." Thunder rumbled as dark storm clouds gathered overhead, growing louder with each passing second.

"Okhor, I need you to hoist me.." Deedo's body shifted.

"As you wish!" Okhor tossed the changing form of his mother into the air. Deedo gathered the water-filled clouds, spreading them from above, sending them off to the areas that were glowing the brightest. From her vantage, she spotted a group of several people rushing hurriedly to the castle. Amongst them, Loghain, and a cropped-haired Maric.

"Where did the rain come from, did clouds just appear over one spot?" Leliana called as she held onto Zevran, who tried to assure her he was well enough to run on his own.

"I do not know, but someone fell from the sky a moment ago." He said from her side.

Alistair was hovering close to Sten's elbow as the giant Qunari carried the small Elven mage in his arms. "We need to get inside the castle. We can deal with whatever it was later!"

Loghain trailed behind. The few of his men that remained loyal, he ordered to help with the cleaning up and making sure that no more Darkspawn lingered about. There was someone heading towards them in a hurry. Their manner of dress was odd, but the voice, he knew that voice.

"Maric!"

"Deedo?" Loghain was stunned as he now dreaded what was to come.

Everyone came to a halt as Deedo approached, tears in her eyes a smile that made everything seem all was well, but it was far from it, the moment she looked at the boy before her, her smile faded, "You are not Maric."

Her eyes searched amongst them. "Loghain!" She rushed to the man's arms. Deedolit nearly took the former Teyrn off his feet from the impact. Deedo crashed into his arms, hearing her sobbing. Instinctively, he patted her back.

"Where are my Kal'an, Cailan, and Maric? Are they not with you?" She sobbed harder, going on about how no one could give her the information she needed.

Loghain's heart twisted, immediately tears stung his eyes from the names that came from the elf's lips, "Gone, my Lady." He whispered.

Three words sobered her to reel. "What?" Her eyes widened in confusion. "What did you say?" recoiling, she felt the chilled depths once more, her body feeling numb. The Beguiler searched her memory, shaking her head as she refused.

Loghain was here, her firstborn. She left him in their care. Love and Godson were here as well, they had to be, "Kal'an… Mother is here, please my darling… Wh-where are… are." Her eyes pooled with tears that, like everything around her, drowned all her senses to muffle.

Loghain looked away at the sight of her, her slow desperate plea, those tears of hers. "They are gone! Same as I, you knew!"

She knew, yet did not wish to admit she had known.

A gleaming sword that danced with warmth unsheathed, aimed at the man who carried his twin. "RELEASE MY SISTER AT ONCE!"

The world around her slowly came into focus. The once muted sounds roared to life. Louder still, Okhor's voice carried the fragile flickering sliver of light in her suddenly darkened mind, turning from Loghain to what her boy was speaking of.

Alistair drew his sword in response. Deedo looked back at Loghain, who turned from her questioning gaze. The tall woman came forward between her son and the man who is Maric's identical, "Sheath your sword my son, never aim a blade at your sister's rescuers."

Okhor frowned and nodded. Doing as told, Deedo looked to the stranger who held her daughter. She sobbed when he uncovered her head, revealing the sleeping Warden. The same child that she lost all those years ago.

"My Baby… My little Deedo. We found you." Deedo the Elder stroked the cheek of her long-lost child.

Tenkou smiled with tears burning her eyes, "We found her." She spoke to her twin. Shortly the quiet sounds of elvish filled the air.

Loghain came to his senses. "My Lady, we need to get her in for a full examination. May we talk after?" He had not expected to see her, not this soon, and the tall male with her. He knows that face, and if his suspicions are correct, the news he has to share undoubtedly will devastate as well as be Deedolit's undoing.