Home Again, Home Again

Once they were all inside … along with Aveline, Bethany, Leandra, Orana, Bodahn and Sandal, Alistair put his finger to his lips and cast a spell. It was a handy little spell that Keeper Lanaya taught him years ago in Ferelden. Alistair loved Dalish magic and he had become damn good with it.

Templars would constantly try to catch the Dalish keepers with rune traps having various enchantments: listening, strength leeching, mana draining and so on. He walked around the estate and slowly panned the blue light beaming from his hand over everywhere he could think of where the Seekers might have hidden some kind of magical trap or rune … most likely those that amplified sound so they could listen in from the outside.

Bethany put wards on all the doors and windows that would alert them if any had been breached.

Alistair found ten runes. With Varric's help, they disarmed three traps on chests of family mementos. No one knew what the traps would do, but they doubled their efforts and found two more. Sandal "turned off" the runes.

Just to be safer, they decided to hold important conversations only in the basement. It took a long time to clear it to the walls and securely barricade, ward and soundproof the door to Darktown, but Alistair was as sure as he could be that it was secure.

In the basement — at a couple of old tables pushed together — is where they found themselves after hours of searching, finding, destroying and securing. They put a couple of benches and mismatched chairs around the makeshift conference table. Bethany studied one of the mechanisms after dinner. "I think this sprays some kind of fluid on the person who trips it. Probably something they can track."

"So." Varric finished his cookie and sat down across from Alistair. "I guess I can understand this dumbass move, but I was handling it just fine."

Alistair took a deep breath. "I know Varric, but I wasn't."

"Obviously," Varric snorted. "What's this proof you mentioned and when's it gonna get here?"

Alistair smiled at Bethany. "It's already here, in truth."

"You're getting betting at lying," Varric mumbled.

"Right," Bethany said as she put the defused trap aside and got out parchment and quill. Then, she pulled out a book and a stack of parchment bound with leather straps that had already had a lot of stuff written on it.

"I know the Circles rebelled." Varric leaned forward.

"Lambert nullified the Nevarran Accords, Varric. He got his feelings hurt because Divine Justinia seemed to be siding with the mages, interfering with his authority. It seems like he decided that all apostates needed to be captured or killed. And, of course, since the Circles were no longer, all mages were apostates." Alistair sat back. "The mages fled to Andoral's Reach and found out that the Rite of Tranquility could be reversed. A big fight happened and lots of people died."

"Maybe he had a point," Alistair added with a sigh. "Not that the Divine was wrong. She became sympathetic when she got word of the result of her experiment. The Divine had sent a Tranquil to find out. The Seekers didn't even tell the Divine!"

"No shit?!" Varric was dumbfounded.

"No shit. Isabela came back with that book. I didn't ask her how. Didn't want to know, really," Alistair said.

"What is it with Rivaini and books?" Varric mumbled.

"And, she found Devon and brought him here. They were laying low with us back at the cave, but should be on their way here. Bethany is almost finished copying it. No doubt Nightingale will be getting a message soon that it was stolen from Lambert's quarters after he was killed at the White Spire. Lambert's replacement will probably be looking for it. Like I said, I don't know many more details." Alistair's look hardened. "After Meredith blew up the Chantry, hell broke out in more places than here. We've been on the run for three years and no one really bothered us. There has to be a reason they dragged your ass in now."

Aveline just shook her head. "Stupid Meredith and stupid Chantry. They assumed that a mage blew up the Chantry and all hell broke loose … no different than if a mage had done it."

Alistair got up and took a deep breath. "Anyway, it turned out that book is the history of the Seeker order. It outlines how to make a Seeker. Cassandra was right. They undergo a strenuous time alone … to empty their minds from the clutter of the secular world. They become Tranquil."

Alistair picked up his empty bowl and threw it against the wall. His mother came halfway down the stairs and Alistair went to her. "I'm sorry, Mother. I lost my temper a moment there."

Leandra put her hand on the side of Alistair's face. "After what you've all been through, no apology is necessary." With tears in her eyes, she turned to everyone seated around a makeshift table in the center of an empty basement. "It's just so good to see everyone again."

Alistair hugged his mother. "Are you all right up there?"

"We're fine. Fenris is at the top of the stairs. I'm sure he'll catch anything untoward. Orana and I are preparing a reserve of portable food … just in case." Then, Leandra nodded and slipped back upstairs.

"Maker, if we hadn't followed that suitor to his lair that one night …" Carver looked like he was about to throw his own bowl.

"That good idea was all on you, little brother. Bethany and I thought you were being paranoid." Alistair squeezed Carver's shoulder. "And, yes, thank the Maker we went along anyway."

Then, Alistair got his angry face back. "But, to continue, after the Seekers become Tranquil, they're visited by a spirit of compassion to reverse the Tranquility. No idea where they learn their blood magic abilities." He raised an eyebrow at Varric.

Varric sighed. "Wait … are you saying that the Templars knew all along that Tranquility could be reversed?!"

Alistair nodded at the book. "Well, the Seekers did. At least, the Lord Seeker did. They weren't very forthcoming about their secrets, so the Templars probably didn't know. Seekers also don't take lyrium. Kinda confirms that Templars don't need it either."

"They're afraid the world is about to fall apart," Varric whispered. Then, he looked up at Alistair. "Hawke, Nightingale told me to talk about Corypheus next. She came to my room at the Hanged Man and gave me that nudge."

Alistair pursed his lips. "Corypheus was a damn powerful darkspawn. The Seekers must have been interested because of the locks."

Bethany gritted her teeth. "I've always thought that stress caused Mother's miscarriage."

"Me, too, Bethany," Alistair said sadly. Ultimately, it meant that Alistair got the benefit of being raised by Leandra and Malcolm Hawke, but he always wondered how things would have been different. He suspected it wouldn't have been better to be raised by King Maric … in fact, he was certain it would have been much, much worse.

As much grief as mages got from the Chantry, Alistair was a strong believer in the Maker and His Bride, Andraste. It had to have been the Maker's Touch that Fiona and Duncan were there at that sad time in Leandra's and Malcolm's lives.

"You mean I went through all that trouble to kill the Archdemon and you let out one of the original crazy magisters?" Devon asked as he came down the stairs with Isabela. "Amateurs."

Bethany stood. "Nope! We killed him. But, if Loghain hadn't told us about the Archdemon sending its essence into a warden, we might have let Larius walk away."

"He wasn't the Archdemon, but he was a darkspawn mage. We all got the feeling that something was up with Larius," Carver said. "After we killed Corypheus, Larius acted too smooth. Alistair froze him and the rest of him beat him into a pulp … which we burned. No other wardens were around. He's dead."

Alistair grinned and went directly to Isabela, planting a passionate kiss on her full lips. "I've missed you."

She laughed. "I hear that the Ferelden Queenie thinks you're the stud I know you are, sweet thing." She slapped his butt. "I'm just trying to decide if I want to stay here or run for my life. Threatening an army of Seekers?! Are you crazy?"

"You should know crazy, love," Alistair answered with a wink.

Isabela winked back. "Devon's good buddy, Sten … now the Arishok … gave him that book. Said to give it to you. Said it made us even for giving back the Tome of Koslun. Now, you know, Hawke. Didn't think I should put that bit in writing."

"And, no, he didn't say where he got it," Devon added.

Alistair, Bethany, Aveline, Varric and Carver all said one word at the same time. "Tallis." Alistair added, "Long story. Varric can tell you later."

Devon down and sighed. "I think the Qunari just want the Chantry to fall apart. I read it on the ship on the way here. That book might just do it. Anyway, the Seekers have surrounded Hightown. Athenril had to sneak us by their blockade through her smuggling tunnels and back alleys."

Isabela rubbed up next to Alistair and kissed him on the cheek. "And, you bet I know crazy," she said seductively. Then, she walked to the sideboard and took a bite of a sweet roll. "Crazy enough to help the enemy and try to calm things down? You can be such a good boy sometimes." She winked. "I find that soooo hot."

…

AN: Thanks for the favorites and follows, fullmetal1985 and ! And thanks for your story alert, ChaoticHarmony1991!

RohanVos, glad you're still enjoying the story. I like Alimage stories, too.

Judy, always there with the boost to keep me going. Thank you!

Superstar Kid, thank you so much for your kind words! Such good motivation you give me. :)

You guys may be curious why I stopped posting for so long. There were many reasons, but finding out that Arsinoe de Blassenville had died really threw me for a long time. Her story "Victory at Ostagar" drew me into FanFic and her encouragement to write my own stories got me started. I tip my ale to you at the Maker's Side, Arsinoe!

However, I didn't stop writing. I have another story almost ready to get going as soon as I finish this one … Elethea Cousland's take on Origins will be a little bit different from canon. And, yes, Judy, I've even begun an Inquisition ending to "What Have We Here" … just for you. ;)