Chapter 93: Game Over
Alim glanced around in surprise. The bard master's safe house was not quite what he expected. He expected a room built for death, that every nook and cranny would contain a waiting guard or deathtrap, all the better to kill them, and punish Leliana.
This…was not like that at all.
The outside might have looked like a shack, but this was something else. The room looked a little neglected, but it was clear that money had gone into furnishing this place once; no expense had been spared on turning the safe house into a comfortable little nest. If not for the rather nasty neighborhood outside, you might have expected to find a room like this in the nicer part of Denerim, perhaps the home of an aging aristocrat, or a merchant who did not spend much time at home, which might have explained the rundown look of the place.
Appearance was everything, that is what the safe house seemed to say, and what you see before you is the apex of wealth and power.
In short, it was not the kind of place one expected to find a dangerous spy.
"Well," he whispered to Leliana, "This…is…well…interesting."
His lover did not respond, her attention was all on the room's sole occupant, a dark haired woman sitting on a loveseat, a lute resting on her lap.
She smiled up at the warden and his allies.
Alim's ears twitched.
This…must have been Marjolaine.
He was not sure what he had expected, after all of Leliana's tales about the woman. He had expected some ugly witch, armed to the teeth with bows and daggers. The bard master was certainly not that.
She was an elegant woman, with pale skin and bewitching dark eyes. She looked to be in her late thirties, maybe early forties, though care and a beauty regiment had clearly kept the effects of the years away, her long black hair fell to the small of her back, the noble clothes she wore though fine were loose enough for ease of movement. Her dress was slit just so to allow her freedom of movement and no doubt show off her lovely legs, which he was not strong enough to ignore having a little peek at.
He could not help it, and he suspected that none of the other men in their group would either.
Which was likely the whole point; this Marjolaine likely thrived on distraction and seduction.
She shifted slightly as they entered. No doubt to both entice and distract them from what they needed to do…
…A spider welcoming the fly into its web.
She retained a polite smile, even though she had likely heard the fall of her door guards. She seemed relaxed and completely in control of the situation.
Marjolaine's regard fell on her former student at long last, her smile filled with warmth.
"Leliana," she purred in a rich Orlesian accent, "So nice to see you again, my dear."
The younger woman glared at her, the woman that she had once obeyed without question.
"Spare me the pleasantries," the red head spat, "I know your…"
The bard master clucked.
"Yes, I know," she interrupted, "You must excuse the shabby accommodations, but you see what I have to work with."
The woman shook her head with regret, acting every bit the embarrassed hostess.
"These Fereldans know nothing of true finery," she continued, "And this whole country smells like wet dog! No matter what I do I cannot get the smell out! Even now, it is in my hair, my clothes, Blucck!"
Alim's eyes narrowed, as a native Fereldan he took some offense to what the woman had said. The Orlesians could say what they wanted, but no warrior in Thedas would turn his or her nose up at the prospect of having a trained Mabari at their side. A skilled warhound was as good as any sword. She…
Alim shook his head, he…he willed his temper to cool.
Leliana had warned him about this, Marjolaine liked being in control, everything she said was carefully measured, she knew the mindset of her targets well, and all before she engaged them. It allowed her to manipulate her enemies. He needed to try and remain calm and follow his love's lead.
She knew this woman best after all. The one who had tried to kill her…
The one she had loved once.
He looked at Leli, trying to gage her reaction.
Her eyes were dead, cold as stone.
Part of him wondered what could be going through her head at this moment.
The rest was afraid to know…where did his Leliana end, and the spy, that she had once been, begin…
The elf's brow furrowed.
He was not sure that he wanted to find out.
IOI
Leliana snorted, clearly not buying her old teacher's hostess act.
"I have not come here to discuss the smell of Ferelden, Marjolaine," she said.
The bard master smiled.
"Then tell me my pretty thing," she cooed, "What have you come here for?"
Anger flashed in the younger bard's eyes. After everything that had happened…
"Don't ever call me that again," she hissed, "Ever!"
Marjolaine laughed lightly.
"You enjoyed hearing it once, knowing that you had a special place at my side, and in my bed."
Oghren snorted at that, but Alim said nothing. She knew what Marjolaine would likely do to throw them off balance; she was willing to bet her methods had not changed much in the last three years.
Part of her wanted to lunge at her old master, to tear out her eyes with her bare hands, but she knew that she would likely not survive such an attempt, her old master enjoyed reducing people to their basest desires, it made them all the better to destroy.
The "pretty thing" comment had been meant to do just that.
No, she needed to remain cool and calm.
Leliana took a breath, centered herself and started again.
"You…you framed me," she growled, "Had…had me caught…and…and tortured. I stayed away from Orlais because I thought that here in Ferelden I would be rid of you."
Her glare turned down right glacial.
"But it seems that I am not."
Her old master shrugged.
"I am a part of you my dear Leliana," she said, "and I always will be."
"Then why did you send assassins to kill me? Why do you want me dead?"
"Dead," Marjolaine laughed, "If I wanted you dead you would be, my dear. I know you my Leliana, four or five men, you could dispatch easily. Consider those fools and…invitation. They were meant to bring you here, to bring you to me, and…lo and behold…here you are."
"You could have just sent her a letter," Alim said dryly.
Leliana dared glance at him, but did not take her eyes off her former master.
"Believe nothing she says," she cautioned, "She is lying, I know how she works."
"That you do indeed," Marjolaine agreed.
"Enough games then," the red haired woman demanded, "What are you doing here Marjolaine? Why are you back in Ferelden?"
The bard master sighed.
"In truth," she began, "You know things about me, things that could do great harm to me if they fell into the wrong hands. For that reason, I cannot let you be. Do you think I did not know where you were? Did you think I would not watch my Leliana? The peasant life, the simply clothes, the hair cut short like a boy…this…this is not her I thought."
The elder bard smiled.
"Clever Leliana, very clever, you almost had me fooled. I waited, and watched, but no couriers were sent from that hole you hid in, no letters, no messages, you barely spoke with anyone. What were you planning? Then you left that little village of yours so suddenly, and in the heavily armed company of these people. What conclusion could I draw…?"
She glared at her former apprentice.
"You tell me?"
Leliana's eyes widened.
"You…you thought I left Lothering because of you? You thought…thought this all some plan for…for revenge?"
"It is what I would do in your place," Marjolaine shrugged.
Fury bloomed in the young bard's breast.
"You…you are insane! Paranoid!"
It was then that her Alim came to her defense.
"Leliana is helping us fight the Blight," he said, "That is all."
Marjolaine grinned at him.
Is that what you all think?" she chuckled, "Look at you all?"
She gestured to them all, but kept careful watch on Leliana.
"You say you wish to fight the Blight, that Leliana wishes it," she laughed, "There are no darkspawn here, little one. Non, you see, my Leliana needed warriors to help deal with me. Getting into your good graces was a lot easier than hiring mercenaries, much cheaper as well."
She gave her old apprentice an appraising look.
"You look at her and you see a simple young woman, a friend, trusting and warm, it is an act."
Marjolaine turned back to Leliana again.
"You have not changed my Pretty Thing."
Leliana's heart raced, not because of the comment, but because of her former master's words, she…she knew that Marjolaine was a liar…she was…
But…
But…
Part of her feared the truth in those lies. Had…had she been manipulating this? Had she done it right from the beginning? She had suspected when she first came to Lothering that Marjolaine still watched, but she had never dealt with those watchers she…she had become comfortable in her life, and forgot…
She did her best to push back a whimper.
We're the same.
Was…was Marjolaine right?
Her old master smiled.
"Do you know why you were a master manipulator my Leliana, because you enjoyed the game, you reveled in it. You reveled in the power that it gave you."
"I'm nothing like you," Leliana whispered, her heart and head at war, fear and doubt tore at her rage.
"I left because I did not want to become you."
"But you are me," Marjolaine said, "You cannot escape it; I will repeat what I said to you when we last parted, all those years ago. If we are nothing alike, then why do you stand before me, a weapon in hand?"
The bard master grinned.
"We're the same."
The words almost made Leliana crumble. She…she thought that she was coming here to escape from her former master, to finally be free.
Had she simply been playing the game again?
Had this all been a game?
Alim pushed her behind him, perhaps he saw that she was weakening, his eyes flashed angrily.
"You don't know her," he snarled, "We would not even be here if you had not sent assassins for her. I don't know who that girl was you trained, but I know the woman I met in Lothering. That woman could not do the things you are saying."
The elf's ears lowered in anger.
"I know I trust Leliana, no matter what you say."
Her love's confession touched the bard, after everything they had been through, after all the fighting and darkness…
It pleased her to know that at least one of their party, the one who knew her most intimately, trusted her.
It gave her hope.
It gave her strength.
She glared anew at her master.
Marjolaine chuckled.
"Ooh," she purred, "You certainly have this one wrapped around your little finger my pretty thing. I can just imagine how far you have gone to do so."
She smirked at Alim.
"Do you like the taste of her my friend," the bard master asked, "She always reminded me of wild strawberries. What about that cute little sigh when you finish having her, does she still do that?"
Leliana stepped forward, her strength renewed, her strength and her anger.
"You will not interfere in my life anymore Marjolaine," she declared, "You have caused too much pain. It…it ends here!"
"And how do you intend to end this, my dear?"
Leliana drew her daggers.
The bard master threw back her head and laughed, a laugh tinged with madness.
"You think that you can just kill me, like that?"
Marjolaine rose from the love seat, she stood with her hands at her side. She held out her arms welcoming her former apprentice to try and attack.
"I made you Leliana," she declared, "I can destroy you just as easily."
The younger bard had heard enough, she dropped into a fighting crouch.
She lunged.
The door to the kitchen and bedroom exploded open; more guards flooded the room, supported by two mages.
Leliana heard Alim cursed.
Here was the trap they were expecting.
IOI
Alim had no time to aid his lover. He attacked one of the mages why Wynne attacked the other. Oghren, Seri and Bandit did what they could to keep the bard master's mercenaries back.
Leliana…she had her own problems.
Marjolaine fell back, tipping over the love seat as she back pedaled, a pair of hidden daggers appeared from sheaths on her back. She met her former apprentice blade for blade and kick for kick.
Both women were easily matched, not surprising given their history.
Teacher versus student.
One of Marjolaine's mages tried to catch Bandit in a crushing prison. Alim blasted back with lightning, the mage's shield held, but it gave the dog time to reverse his own attack.
The dog leapt on one of the mercenaries attacking Seri, tearing out the man's throat. It freed up the dwarf to deal with the mage that was giving him fits.
The dwarven resistance to magic gave Seri the edge she needed, the mage was clearly not a skilled hand to hand fighter.
The dwarf ended it quickly.
Alim sent a stone fist rocketing at one of the warriors trying to gang up on Oghren, crushing the man's breast plate and flinging him back. No longer harried by a two on one attack, the dwarven berserker brought down his ax hard on the shoulder of his remaining opponent.
Mercenary armor did not hold up long against good dwarven steel.
Wynne and the warden focused their attacks on the remaining mage. Fighting two against one, did not appeal to the mage's sensibilities, he tried to run.
Bandit caught him from behind. He…
A pained yelp drew Alim's attention. Leliana hopped back, blood running down her thigh from a shallow cut. Marjolaine grinned, her noble clothing cut in several places from her apprentice's blades.
The bard master glowed with dark pleasure.
Alim started to raise a hand.
Leliana must have suspected that he was coming to her aid.
"Non," she shouted, "Mine!"
The warden understood. He did not cast a spell. The dwarves also stood down. Wynne looked concerned, but did not interfere.
This was something that Leliana needed to do herself.
She had to end this herself, it was the only way she would be free.
IOI
"So much anger my pretty thing, so much rage," Marjolaine laughed.
"You let this get personal. I tried to warn you about that."
The younger bard did not respond to her taunting, did not rise to the trap, she focused entirely on ending this fight…
…ending Marjolaine.
They clashed again, daggers flashing.
Leliana felt her vision turning red, she gasped as found herself sweating, and Marjolaine's cruel jeering face driving her on.
She pushed her master back, Marjolaine was still quite skilled, she could not deny that, but too many easy victories had dulled her skills somewhat. After months of combat, Leliana was much sharper, and much more dangerous.
She glared at her former master.
Marjolaine might have been smiling, but there was nervous tick to her left eye, doubt perhaps?
She pushed forward.
"You honor me, my dear," Marjolaine continued, "You have proven my skill by becoming what you are, the perfect weapon, and the perfect manipulator."
The bard master let out a pleased sigh.
"You are everything I wanted, the perfect bard, just as I was once."
She slashed at her student, but too slowly.
Leliana knocked one of the daggers from her hand, and pushed forward.
The bard master found herself pinned against the wall, only a single blade between her and her student. She looked for an escape but there was none.
She smirked.
"Even in defeat I still win my pretty thing," she cooed.
She made one final desperate lunge; Leliana was there, waiting for her.
The younger bard's dagger slid between her ribs, piercing the older woman's heart.
Marjolaine's eyes widened, she stared into her former apprentice's eyes a mix of respect and shock.
She smiled dreamily.
She leaned forward and kissed Leliana's nose.
"We are…the… same," she cooed intimately.
Leliana pulled her blade from her former master. Marjolaine fell. She lay on the floor of her ruined safe house, a contented smile on her face.
Leliana looked down on her, a mix of shock and pity on her face.
She thought of Tug and Sketch, she thought of everything that had happened almost three years ago.
Justice at last…or was it revenge?
She could no longer be sure.
Marjolaine sighed, letting her head slip to the sticky carpet.
"I…still…win," she whispered, "I still…wi…my…my pret…pretty… thin…."
She sighed, and fell still.
Leliana stared down at her, unsteady on her feet, her breath coming in ragged gasps.
"It…it is over," she murmured, "She…she is dead."
She looked at Alim. He gave her a worried look.
"Leli?"
She looked about to cry.
"She is dead because of me."
"You did what you had to…you…LELIANA!"
She felt herself falling to the floor, suddenly she could not breathe!
Darkness took her.
And somewhere in the darkness Marjolaine was laughing…
…Waiting for her.