Chapter 81: Loved Ones
The sun rose over the village of Redcliffe.
Several militia and knights had remained alert through the night, making sure that no more undead surged from the darkened castle. Others worked to keep the dying fires contained, making sure that they did not spiral out of control and take the battered village with them.
As for the people themselves, morale seemed high; the night had brought them victory, the first real victory they had tasted since this crisis had begun.
It was enough to bolster them after so long without hope.
Wynne and Alim had worked through the night, using their magic to treat the wounded. Stab wounds, slashes, and burns were the most common of those injuries.
Murdock the village mayor had taken a spear in the gut. Wynne working in concert with Alim was able to save the man's life, he would likely need to be off his feet for a couple of days, but that was far better than the alternative.
Of their party, Morrigan was by far the worst injured. Alistair had refused to leave her side while Alim worked. The witch had not been as badly wounded as Murdock, but the arrows that she had been struck with had been tipped with some sort of toxin that made treating her difficult.
The spells needed to cleanse her blood were difficult, but not impossible, a little before midnight the witch lapsed into a restful sleep. Barely a scar left on her body thanks to the effort of the two mages.
Alistair had thanked them both profusely for their help.
Wynne had headed off to get some rest while Alim tended to the others. Leliana refused to leave his side, despite his protests that he was fine.
A couple of hours later, the elf and the bard had disappeared together.
Shayle, who agreed to stand watch, sighed as the two retreated off together.
Squishy people and their coupling.
She could remember what it was like to want such things, but that did not mean that she missed it, no.
Being a golem was far superior to mere flesh.
No, she did not miss being mortal…not in the least…
…not in the least.
IOI
It was a few hours after sunrise when a tired and bone weary Wynne emerged from the chantry.
She stood on the chantry steps, taking stock of the village, damaged yes, but still standing.
They probably could ask for little else.
The elder mage sighed, breathing in the air, the smell of burning and battle still present.
Still, fresh air was fresh air; it did her old bones a lot of good.
Bann Teagan had tracked her down this morning. The revered mother hoped to hold a morning service honoring the heroes who had protected the village.
He had spoken to both Alistair and Theron, but Alim was nowhere to be found.
It fell to Wynne to bring him back.
She spoke with Shayle. The golem had last seen the elf slipping into the stables with Leliana a few hours earlier.
The elder mage blanched.
The stable?
She could not imagine what Alim had wanted there.
Shayle simply chuckled and went about her business.
Wynne followed the golem's suggestion and went in search of their leader.
It would not be wise to keep the Bann waiting.
IOI
"Alim?"
Leliana groaned. A cold spring breeze blew into the stable shocking her awake, far more than Wynne's voice. She tried to pull her cloak up over her head, but it did not work, not with the two of them curled up in it.
"Alim are you in here?"
The bard sighed heavily. She stretched like a sleepy cat, her body still sore from the battle and her and Alim's…revels.
She sat up slightly, admiring Alim's bare chest, the way his elven ears twitched as he slept.
Adorable, she thought, and far more skilled with each…challenge she lay before him. He had come up with some interesting ideas last night, expanding nicely on the things she had taught him in Orzammar. He not only knew how to please her physically, but was showing her things she had not realized that she liked.
The elf was definitely and apt pupil to be sure.
The bard smiled slyly, her body warming slightly at the memory of the elf's physical…skills. She hated to admit it, but Marjolaine had been right…
Make-up sex was better than normal sex.
After Alim had finished up with the wounded last night, she had pulled him aside. After everything that had happened the last few days, she felt they needed to talk, and the chantry was a little too crowded. The stable had been the most private place that the two of them could find for their…talk.
It had not been…much of a conversation.
They had both been so raw after the battle so grateful to simply be alive. He had pulled her into his arms and held her; they were both murmuring they were sorry by that point. Of course, things only expanded from there, holding soon turned to groping, and groping to kissing.
The two of them had ended up naked in one of the stalls, making love under her cloak on a bed of soft straw. Eventually the stress of the day had caught up with them and they ended up falling into a deep dreamless sleep.
It had not been as nice as their room in the warden compound, but it had been relaxing enough. The smell of the hay and sweat, the warmth of her lover's body pressed against her.
Leliana snuggled against him.
Maybe they would be lucky and Wynne would just go away.
"Alim? Are you in here? Bann Teagan wants to…OH MY!"
The bard sighed.
Or not.
The bard blushed, as the elder mage stared down at her and her lover.
"Hello Wynne," she murmured.
"Hello child," the mage replied in her mother voice.
Leliana's blush darkened. The emphasis on child made her feel like she was ten years old again.
It was not a pleasant experience.
Leliana pulled her cloak up around the two of them, to better protect their modesty. They had done nothing wrong of course, both were of age and consenting adults.
It was not their fault that Wynne had found them out.
Oh Maker.
IOI
Wynne cleared her throat loudly, that finally woke the elf. He groaned and sat up.
He glared at his old mentor.
"What are you doing here?" he grumbled, "It is too early, go away."
The old woman crossed her arms; she did not deem it necessary to answer him.
"Bann Teagan wants to speak with you warden," she said crisply, "He wishes to honor you for your aid last night."
Alim brushed some of the straw out of his short brown hair.
He gave the mage his dirtiest look.
"You got me up for that?"
"The whole village is being assembled," the elder mage snorted, "You should both get washed up and be ready. You don't want to make a bad impression do you?"
Alim groaned as the old woman stomped off.
The elf glanced at the blushing bard.
"Dirty old woman," he grumped.
Leliana sighed as she slipped out from under the cloak, the morning chill making her shiver.
He lay back, admiring the view.
She gave him a look.
"Do you see my smalls?"
He pointed up on a rafter beam. She glanced up and saw the offending piece of clothes hanging from a nail.
"How did they get up there?"
The elf chuckled.
"You should know," he smirked, "They're your smalls."
She gave him a sly smile as she pulled her shirt over her head. The elf hunted around for his trousers.
The bard shook her head.
"You realize the whole camp is going to hear about this?"
Alim snorted.
"First smart crack I hear, I feed the offender to the darkspawn."
The bard giggled.
"You are in rare form this morning dearest," she purred.
"I don't like having my naked ass spied on," he grumbled pulling up his pants.
"At least it is a nice ass," she commented.
He gave her a smile, pink coloring his ears.
"Thank you love."
"Anytime my dearest."
IOI
The darkness began to fade.
Morrigan moaned, still groggy from the pain. She felt warm breath on her neck.
Slowly, carefully the witch opened her amber eyes.
Alistair lay on floor next to her bedroll; he was lying close to his arm around her, their hands clasped.
The witch's eyes narrowed.
"Unhand me fool," she growled.
Alistair woke with a start.
"Huh…what?" he murmured.
Kally who had been passing by glared down at the witch.
"You could be a little more polite this morning Morrigan," she advised, "Alistair saved your life last night…again."
The elf hurried off, eager to gather up the rest of their party.
Alistair sat up, wiping the sleep out of his eyes.
Morrigan was sitting up glaring at him.
The warden smiled at her.
"If you are scowling, at least you are feeling better," he said dryly.
She rolled her eyes.
IOI
"You are such a fool Alistair," she growled throwing off her bedroll. She hunted around for her staff, pulling it to her.
Alistair ran his hand through his hair, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable.
He…he had hoped…
She paused. He heard her curse under her breath, when she turned, her eyes were not as angry as they had been moments before.
She looked almost apologetic.
"You are a fool," she repeated, "But…you have saved my life…again. I…I am grateful."
The witch shook her head.
"Thank you my Alistair, my sweet little fool."
She made her way out of the chantry, glaring at any villager who might try to stop her.
Alistair chuckled.
It seemed she had accepted his apology…
Lucky me, he thought.
IOI
Bann Teagan stood before the village and formally thanked the defenders of Redcliffe. He did not deny that the wardens and their allies had likely saved Redcliffe last night, there was no need.
Everyone knew the truth about that.
Alim and Leliana were going out of their way to avoid Wynne's stern gaze. Alistair was about to ask him about that, but the look on the elf's face stopped him cold.
That was a discussion for another time.
Once Revered Mother Hannah had finished her blessings, Bann Teagan pulled Alim aside. He whispered something about having a way into the castle, and asked that the elf join him at the windmill on the outskirts of the village.
Alim and the others followed the nobleman.
The elf was eager to hear what the noble had to say.
IOI
An hour later, Alim, Alistair, Wynne, Morrigan and Leliana found themselves in a cold wet tunnel that apparently ran under Lake Calenhad.
The elf tried not to think about the dripping water down here. He tried to kill any thought of this tunnel flooding a drowning them all.
That was not conductive to a safe journey.
They had met at the Windmill as planned. Teagan had informed them of this passage, which was opened by his signet ring.
The Bann had meant to join them, but circumstances had changed shortly after their arrival.
The drawbridge on the castle lowered. Alim and the others had drawn their weapons, expecting another wave of undead…
What they got was something far different.
The Arlessa, Lady Isolde Guerein, with a small company of bodyguards appeared. She made her way to the windmill.
She needed Bann Teagan's help, she claimed, needed him to follow her to the castle, alone.
Alim had not been pleased by that idea, and Isolde had not been too pleased with him.
Who…who is this elf Teagan, and how dare he speak to me in such a manner?
Alim held his temper in check, barely.
The Orlesian born noble made the word elf sound like the dirtiest of curse words.
Thunder rumbled overhead.
Leliana touched his hand, hoping that would calm her lover.
It worked for now.
A brief discussion with Isolde revealed what had occurred within castle Redcliffe. It had all started with Isolde bringing in a new tutor to teach her ten year old son Connor, a teacher who was apparently more than he seemed.
The tutor as it turned out was not just a man, but a mage as well, a mage apparently hired by Teyrn Loghain, for the soul purpose of poisoning Arl Eamon.
A task he had apparently succeeded in.
The Arl had lapsed into a coma, and nothing seemed to bring him out of it.
It was shortly after Arl Eamon fell ill that the first attack had occurred. Isolde believed that the mage had cursed her family, that these walking corpses were the flowering of that curse.
Alim glanced at his fellow mages, given what they had seen so far that made sense. The mage had likely become an abomination when he realized he was likely going to be executed.
An abomination would be more than able to summon these monsters.
The Arlessa claimed that the man was locked up, but Alim knew that that would not likely stop his magic.
Only one thing could do that.
The plan that he and Teagan came up with pretty much on the fly, Teagan agreed to enter the castle and try to help Connor while the wardens slipped in through the secret passage.
The Bann hoped to distract whatever evil had caused this, to give the wardens and their allies a fighting chance to save the Arl.
Alim had agreed grudgingly. Nothing that Isolde said made him feel good about this. She was clearly worried about her son, but…
He could not shake the feeling that there was more to it.
…That there was something more going on.
IOI
Alim was fighting a bout of claustrophobia when the tunnel finally curved upward towards a door.
The group paused before entering; on the other side they could clearly hear the sounds of undead snarling.
Snarling that quickly mixed with screams…screams of a living victim!
Alim blasted down the door. He realized that they were in the dungeons of the castle!
Three undead were trying to claw their way into a cell.
"STAY AWAY FROM ME! SOMEONE HELP!"
The elf did not hesitate; he leapt straight into the fray.
Spellbinder flashed as he cut down two of the monster's with a single stroke.
The last one lunged, only to be knocked on its back by an arrow from Leliana's bow.
Alistair charged in ending the creature's empty existence.
The elf glanced back at the cell.
"Hello," a timid voice emerged from within, "Is anyone out there?"
The elf sheathed his sword.
"Are you alright?" he asked.
The prisoner stepped into the light. He was a young man in his early twenties, he was dressed in blue robes of the circle, his long black hair was matted from days of imprisonment, and several days of stubble graced his chin.
He looked at his rescuer.
"Yes, I fine," he said, "You got…here…Alim? Alim is that you?"
The elf paled.
He…he knew that voice.
"Jowan?" he murmured.
Jowan laughed nervously.
"Hello old friend. I…"
The imprisoned mage gasped as a blast of wind slammed him against the back of his cell.
Alim stood outside the cell, his eyes flashing with anger. Magic the color of fresh blood flared in his eyes.
Magic directed at the man in the cell.
The prisoner was right to be afraid.
"Wait,' Jowan cried, "Alim! Let me explain!"
The elf's eyes narrowed in rage.
"Goodbye Jowan," he growled.
The elf raised his staff.
The mage gasped.
"Good bye "FRIEND!"
Something struck Alim from behind.
The elf cursed as all the wind went out of him.
Everything went dark.