Chapter 25: The Proving
Fergus Cousland had never been to a Grand Proving in Orzammar before.
The last time he had been here, he had been about…thirteen, maybe fourteen; he had travelled with his Father Teyrn Bryce Cousland and King Maric. They had come as a show of support, a sign of unity between the dwarves of Orzammar and the Kingdom of Ferelden.
King Endrin had held a proving in their honor, but Father had forbidden young Fergus from attending, he had heard that some of the bouts in the proving were death matches.
He had no desire for his young son to see such brutality, at least not until he was older.
Young Fergus had been furious at the time; he had thought that he could handle it. Now looking back, he was grateful for his Father's discretion; it had allowed him to hold onto some of his innocence a little bit longer.
Innocence…that was now dead.
The wardens had chosen to fight in Lord Harrowmont's honor. Fergus approved of that, he…he did not like the thought of someone murdering their way to the crown.
If this Prince Bhelen had done everything that some of the dwarves claimed; he was unfit to rule.
The world did not need another Arl Howe.
The proving arena was packed by the time they had arrived. Dwarves of every caste had packed the massive arena. The sounds of the crowd were a constant buzzing in their ears. The smell of oil and cooking food was everywhere. Vendors travelled the crowd, selling meet skewers and programs. Jesters and acrobats kept the crowd calm while the masses filed in.
The sights the sounds of the massive arena were incredible, even Fergus found himself intimidated. He could only imagine how Alim and Morrigan must have felt.
They had both grown up fairly isolated lives, she in the wilds, he in the tower, the crowd must have been very over whelming for the two mages.
Not that either would show it, they were both too proud for that.
Alim had brought their entire crew with him, even Bandit followed at his heels, Shale was the only one who did not join them, the golem felt that it might be tempted to squish someone if any dwarf offered to buy it again.
The dwarves still saw Shale as a piece of property.
If they pushed the issue they would find out how wrong they were.
Alim went to locate the proving master; he needed to find out how to sign up. Zevran and Leliana accompanied him. While the elf signed up, it would be their job to speak with two of Harrowmont's fighters, Gwidon and Baizyl, they had apparently withdrawn, and Lord Harrowmont wanted to know why.
Fergus sighed, even here; they could not escape the pitfalls of dwarven politics.
Alistair had offered to fight on their behalf, but Alim refused him. The elf felt that his magic would give him the edge against dwarven opponents. They were resistant to magic sure, but lightning of flame would still burn them.
Leliana voiced her concern; some of these dwarves had been fighting all their lives. Alim might find himself outmatched.
"Have faith, sister," Alim had said dryly.
She frowned, clearly not interested in his jokes.
Fergus found that he agreed with her.
IOI
Leliana watched the proving with her heart in her throat.
Alim looked so small standing there alone in the center of the arena; his had pulled down spellbinder in one hand, his staff in the other.
She offered a quick prayer to the Maker for his safety.
Despite the way he treated her the most of the time, she found herself worried about their fearless leader. Alim was no picnic to be sure, he was rude, cold, and a bit of a smartass, but she could not shake the feeling that he was also necessary. Alim would be needed to stop the Blight.
Provided some dwarf did not stick a sword through his middle.
Before the proving had begun, she and Zevran had sought out the two Harrowmont fighters. One had been blackmailed by Bhelen to step down. The other had been told lies regarding Harrowmont that he had already given up the throne.
The two rogues reported to their leader.
Alim nodded, but decided to do nothing.
This surprised Leliana at first.
Zevran had laughed.
"Clever warden," he chuckled, "This way…the lord is beholden only to you, his one and only champion."
Alim smiled.
"When in dwarven lands, do as the dwarves do," he smirked.
The bard in Leliana saw the wisdom in this; it was manipulation at its finest.
A small smile played across her features.
Alim was more cunning than she had realized.
Once the task with the fighters was done, the two rogues joined the others in the noble box reserved for visiting dignitaries. Alistair looked as nervous as Leliana felt. Bandit whimpered slightly, the Mabari wanted to be down fighting at its master's side.
Alim's first bout was with a young warrior named Seweryn. The boy was good, he was very good, but he had no experience fighting a mage, much less one armed with both a staff and a sword. The elf mage spun like a whirlwind, he broke through the man's defenses. Spellbinder tagged his chest, Alim electrified the blade.
Seweryn fell.
The fight had taken only a minute, maybe less.
"The winner is…The Grey Warden!" the proving master shouted.
The crowd went wild!
IOI
Alim's next bout was with a pair of twins, since they had been born at the same time they were allowed to enter as a single person.
Leliana did not see the fairness in that, but then she was no dwarf.
Myaja, the female warrior, and her rogue brother Lucjan tried to surround the elf. The rogue's blade left shallow cuts in Alim's side and arms. Myaja lunged in and out, waiting for her brother to weaken the mage.
Leliana gasped as Alim took a cut to the left leg.
The warrior charged.
Alim pushed his staff forward; Myaja tripped, and fell right on his blade.
The dwarf gasped, spellbinder had impaled her shoulder.
Alim grinned ferally, he cracked her in the head with his staff, she went down without a sound.
Alim summoned healing magic, his wounds closed.
He was sweating, but now undamaged. He grinned at the remaining sibling.
"Your turn now," he purred.
Lucjan, distracted by his sister's defeat was no match for Alim on his own.
He joined his sister in unconsciousness.
The elf had won again.
The crowd went mad.
Despite the brutality of the fight, Leliana found herself clapping excitedly.
Alim was safe!
IOI
The next fight was against Hanashan, a member of the legendary Silent Sisters. Alim had heard of them, warrior women who cut out their own tongues to show their devotion to their order.
Not his preferred date, but he would try anything once, he thought.
Hanashan attacked him with a great sword. She managed to disarm him of his staff. Their blades clanged loudly. Spellbinder held against dwarven steel. Alim tried to electrify the blade, but Hanashan was ready for him, she had watched his earlier bout.
She released her sword, and grabbed the elf with her bare hands.
She broke Alim's left arm.
Alim fell to his knees, he screamed in agony.
The silent sister raised her hand, ready to deliver a knockout blow.
Alim glared at her, his brown eyes glowed red with magic.
He touched her cheek.
"BITCH!" he spat.
He electrified his hand.
Hanashan screamed silently.
Alim did not kill her, but it came close.
She fell, her hair bursting into flame.
Her second ran out to tend to her.
Alim limped away holding his damaged arm.
Healing magic flowed, he was no healer, and his magic was weakening.
He hissed in pain as he tested the arm.
The bone was healed, but the arm was still sore.
He gasped, downing a flask of lyrium, he hated the stuff, but he had no choice.
The proving would continue.
IOI
Leliana fled her seat, she could not watch any longer.
Bandit was at her side, they made their way down to the fighters' room below the arena.
She found Alim sitting there, the elf looked exhausted, he was pale and sweating; she could see clearly how he was favoring his left arm.
It would be clear target for his next opponent.
"You can't continue," she informed him.
He glared at her.
"I can and I will sister," he said stubbornly.
"You're going to get yourself killed," she replied.
"I still have a little bit left," the elf said trying to smile.
She glared at him.
The proving master came over.
"You fight next, warden," he said, "This is paired combat, so you will need a second."
Alim nodded, he was about to ask her to run and fetch Alistair.
She did not give him the chance.
"We will be ready," she informed the master, "I am Leliana, the warden's second."
Alim's eyes widened.
She met his look with a cool gaze of her own.
He could not help it, he was shocked.
"You…you want to fight with me?" he asked.
"Since you insist on trying to kill yourself," she replied with a sniff, "How can I not?"
Alim snorted, the sister continued to surprise him.
He smiled at her.
"Are you ready to kick some dwarf ass, sister?" he asked.
Leliana gave him a wolfish smile.
"Always," she purred.
IOI
Alistair was shocked.
He saw Alim limp out onto the field again…and at his side…
Was that…that was Leliana!
Their opponents entered next, wojek…or wojik something and his second Velanz.
Alistair never could pronounce dwarven names.
When the gong sounded, Alim summoned a great wind against Velanz. Leliana broke off, firing arrows at Wojek. The dwarf tried to get in close with a huge maul.
Leliana pulled her short sword and dagger.
The warrior was good, but slow. Leliana peppered him with slashes from her blades, and kicks from her feet. Alim used the winds he had summoned to fling Velanz into his partner.
The dwarves fell into a tumble.
Leliana was on them in a second.
She put her knee into Wojek's throat; she applied pressure, choking him out.
Alim cracked Velanz in the face with his staff.
The battle ended, Alim looked at Leliana, her hair was wild from exertion, her blue eyes bright with excitement, she grinned, out of breath, but victorious.
She is radiant, he thought, but quickly pushed away such thoughts.
She was still a chantry sister, and he was still him.
He knew what they were like.
He could not forget.
He would not forget!
IOI
Morrigan snorted like an angry mare. The final round of the proving was about to begin.
And she…had been left out.
Alim, Alistair, Leliana, and Sten had been chosen to take part in this final four on four match.
She had expected Alim to choose her, she…she would have protected him during this fight, used her magic to show him that she was superior to the others.
She had needed this.
She needed to catch his eye, to reawaken his attraction for her.
Mother's plan depended on it!
The witch cursed silently.
Back in the wild, she had been sure Alim had been attracted to her. She had thought that she would be able to use that to her advantage. However that elven girl he met among the Dalish had changed all that. When she had died he had been left in mourning.
She…she had no experience with that; she did not know how to comfort a man, not in a way that would make him want her.
She sighed, this plan was not going the way she had wanted it to, not at all!
She could almost feel Flemeth's disapproving gaze on her right now.
If one cannot be seduced dear girl, then try the other.
The young witch flinched.
Alistair…she…she and Alistair, the very thought of it made her feel ill.
It did not matter how handsome he was, how strong or brave he appeared…
He…he was Alistair.
She watched him fight; the dwarven warrior he faced tried to maneuver around him, while one of his fellows engaged him directly.
She whispered under her breath.
The horror spell stopped the potential back stabber in his tracks. Alistair dealt with the first warrior, and then swiftly dealt with the other.
He never even realized that she had cast, and neither had the dwarves.
The witch smiled to herself.
It had been two months since they had started their journey, and her powers had doubled in that time, not to mention that she had learned to wield them with subtlety.
She was growing stronger; soon she would be strong enough that even her dear sweet Mother would not be able to deny her what she wanted!
Her eyes fell on Alistair.
A hint of a cruel smile came to her lips, cruel…yet hungry.
He was…handsome. The armor he wore did little to hide his muscled torso and strong arms.
She felt a twinge of warmth in her lower belly.
Perhaps…if Alim was not open to her advances…perhaps…
This would not be so unpleasant after all.
IOI
The crowd roared; the sound became deafening as a new proving champion was crowned.
The crowd chanted a chant that shook the very stone itself.
WAR-DEN, WAR-DEN, WAR-DEN!
The proving master had to shout to be heard over it.
Alim and the others accepted their victory with grateful bows, informing the crowd that it had been for the greatness of Lord Harrowmont.
None would doubt the elf's loyalty to Harrowmont now, and that was the whole point.
The first phase of Alim's plan had been a success, if they were quick and cunning…
The second phase would go just as easy.
IOI
Leliana limped off the field of battle. Alistair supported her the best he could.
The bard gasped with each step.
The deep gash in her right thigh gushed hot blood.
The sister winced painfully, she felt light-headed.
She had gotten careless.
Piotin Aeducan had been all but defeated, his men were all unconscious. Alim demanded the dwarven commander's surrender.
He shrieked angrily, pulling a blade from his boot.
He tried to plunge it into the elf's heart.
Leliana kneed him hard in the groin.
The dwarf gasped, as he staggered back, he buried the blade into her leg.
Alim blasted him with lightning.
He did not get up again.
"Set her down here Ali," Alim ordered.
The former Templar complied, putting the injured sister down on the nearest stairs.
"I will be alright," she informed the elf, her eyes were cloudy with pain and blood loss.
"You will be after I have healed you," he said dismissively.
He reached for her leg.
She seized his hand.
"Non!" she spat, "I will be fine."
"Yes, he said angrily, "You need healing or you may bleed to death. So…STAY STILL!"
She fell silent.
His fingers brushed her wounded thigh, his touch warm on her bare skin.
Leliana felt her heart skip a beat.
She found herself staring intently into Alim's face.
The elf had lost his hat during the battle. She realized…she had never seen him without it. He had boyish features, but not unattractively so. His short brown hair was sticky with sweat. His ears were large for an elf, but they suited him, they were… in fact quite cute…adorable even. His pale skin did nothing to hide the concern in his features, but the most telling feature was his eyes.
She found herself getting lost in those eyes.
They were liked deep brown pools, deep and soulful. Occasionally a spark of lightning would shimmer there.
His touch was so firm, yet it was gentle. She shivered slightly.
It had been a long time since she had allowed anyone to touch her bare thighs.
The last had been Marjolaine; her old master's touch had set her skin ablaze.
She felt magic touch her skin, it was both hot and cold at the same time. She felt the flesh knitting back together.
She swallowed hard, his touch, she…she felt a flicker of warmth in her belly.
He found himself staring into her excited blue eyes.
The elf cleared his throat.
"There," he said nervously, his large ears had turned pink; he searched around for his lost hat. Bandit brought it to his master; it had a bit of dog slobber on it, but was otherwise fine.
He slipped the hat back onto his head.
Leliana released the breath she had not realized she had been holding.
"Are you okay?" he asked her.
Was he talking to her?
"Sister, are you all right?" he repeated, "Leliana?"
Hearing him say her name woke her up.
"I…Yes…I'm…I'm fine," she coughed, turning away.
He removed his hand from her thigh.
She felt a surge of…disappointment.
"Good," he responded. He turned to the others, "We have accomplished our first task. We shall now return to the warden quarters and rest, the next move is Lord Harrowmont's."
One by one the others followed.
Leliana was the last to come. Her eyes held Alim's back.
She felt strange, her heartbeat faster, the memory of his gentle touch.
Gus stopped to wait for her.
"Are you feeling all right, sister?" he asked.
Leliana nodded, she was fine.
Her eyes never left the elf's back.
She doubted that she would ever be the same again, but for now… she was fine.