Chapter 119: The Duel
"Are you sure there is nothing I can say to make you stop?"
"I am honor bound to kill you, ser," Ser Landry said flexing his arms; the knight drew his sword and dropped into a fighting crouch."
"I will settle for nothing less than satisfaction."
Alim rolled his eyes, his expression pained. They had only been in the Denerim market a few moments when the knight recognized him from Ostagar. Apparently he took exception to the fact that Alim and Alistair had survived that battle while so many of his friends had not.
Now they were all standing behind the Gnawed Noble Tavern, about to fight a duel to the death.
The warden mage shook his head.
This was hardly a stellar beginning to their attempt to unseat Loghain.
Arl Eamon had stressed the fact that they needed to get out into the city and start unravelling The Teyrn's web of lies. They also needed to gauge the people's reaction to Alistair's existence, and evaluate the resistance they would face in trying to make the former Templar turned warden king.
"Test the waters," the Arl had advised, "we need the support of the people, see where they stand, both high and low born. We will need them all if we are to stop Loghain and defeat the Darkspawn horde."
The elf sighed. If Ser Landry's reaction to the wardens' presence was typical, then they had a long hard road ahead of them.
Behind him Alistair, Seri, Zevran, Morrigan, and Bandit stood. Leliana would have been there as well but the elf had sent her on ahead to the Tavern, hoping that the bard would be able to pick out any possible friends that might help them gather allies before the Landsmeet got underway.
Alim knew that his love could go unseen by most if she wished, blending into a crowd was one of her specialties, if anyone in their party could learn discreetly who was on their side and who wasn't it was she.
The elf frowned.
He was grateful that she wasn't here right now. Who knew what she would have done to Landry and his men for forcing such a stupid confrontation.
"I could fight this idiot for you if you want," Seri offered, "I have competed in the Grand Proving after all..."
The former dwarven princess smiled wickedly.
"I'll end it quick, if that is what you wish Alim."
The elf shook his head.
"Thanks for the offer Seri, but I'll handle this."
He glared at the man and his seconds."
"Sometimes people just have to be taught a lesson."
Zevran chuckled.
"Would you like some soldier's bane for your blade, dear warden?" the assassin offered, "Never underestimate the value of a good poison."
Again the warden mage shook his head.
No proxies, no poisons, and no tricks, if he didn't beat Landry straight up there would soon be a line of arrogant nobles demanding satisfaction where ever they went.
That could not be allowed.
He couldn't just beat Landry; he had to humiliate him as well.
Only then might the nobles give them the respect they deserved.
Bandit growled at the fool threatening his master. The elf patted the dog on the head, whispering calming words to him. Morrigan and Alistair stood just behind Seri and Zev, trying not to look at each other, the cold awkwardness that had grown between them needed to stop, Alim realized.
He would not allow their breakup to affect the mission, they needed to learn to deal with what had happened and move on.
Alim drew both his staff and Spellbinder; lightning crackled the full length of the sword's blade. Landry stepped away from his seconds, his sword and shield at the ready.
"May the Maker take you into his arms, Ser." He said respectfully.
The elf glared at him.
"Yeah," he snorted, "You too."
The Ferelden warrior lunged.
IOI
Morrigan watched the battle with a gleam in her eyes and a feral sneer on her lips.
It was clear to her that the Fereldan knight was in way over his head. Alim had battled demons and darkspawn both, a pampered noble twit who was too stupid to know that he was in the presence of his betters would be simplicity itself.
The witch shook her head.
The man was just lucky that Leliana was not here. The bard was a bit…protective of her man. Had she been here the fool likely would have gotten one of the poison throwing knives the girl kept hidden in her boot down his gullet, it would have been entertaining true, but likely would not have served their purpose.
Morrigan hated to admit it, but she had been wrong about Leliana. She seemed like just another chantry twit at first glance, but there was more to her. The girl possessed a cruel cunning that Morrigan not only respected but admired in herself and others.
Twas a shame that she wasted her skills in serving an absentee father figure, and worshipping a mad woman who had died centuries ago.
She glanced over at Alistair; he still refused to meet her gaze. She sniffed and looked away.
Why did he have to make this so difficult? They had had fun for a time. She had told him back in Orzammar that she expected nothing from their coupling, but pleasure and release from their burdens.
Now the fool had become like a clinging vine, it was most…most disturbing.
The witch frowned.
And what was worse, she actually felt…felt…
She pursed her lips.
She was not sure exactly what she felt. Regret was for those who were not strong enough to move past such weakness. Flemeth had taught her that. People pass in and out of your life all the time.
It was pointless to form such…such…attachments.
She had no time for regrets.
She was too smart to allow them to fester.
Alim back pedaled, magic crackled off his sword as he parried the knight's blow. Alistair tensed, no doubt debating whether he should jump in and aid the elf.
Again Morrigan sneered.
A wise man would have asked her to aid their leader. A simple spell to slow down the knight's perceptions would work far better than a fool swinging a sword. She…
But he is my fool.
Morrigan almost hiccupped. The voice in her troubled thoughts sounded like her.
She tried to ignore it.
Things have moved beyond Mother's plan. You may not want to admit it, but you care about these people.
They are just tools, and shall be discarded when the time is right.
You are lying to yourself.
Silence.
The fight continued, the knight tried to corner Alim, but his heavy armor was starting to work against him. The man might have been used to fighting in such a suit, but he continued to attack with barely attempting to take a breath. Alim meanwhile was fighting more defensively, conservatively. He was letting the man wear himself out.
The witch smirked.
It was only a matter of time now.
Again she glanced at Alistair. The fool had only agreed to accompany them, because he wanted Alim's support when he went to see his family. She had heard most of had been said between the two them, having witnessed most of it in animal form.
Few paid attention to a common house cat, licking its paws by the windowsill.
The girl…Goldanna as she was called, was apparently Alistair's half-sister. He wished to meet with her, in case something should happen once they finally went off to face the Archdemon.
Foolish sentiment, she thought.
Is it? The voice spoke up again.
And you have never thought about going out into the world, finding other witches. Seeing if anymore of Flemeth's children still live?
She shook her head.
It was one of the reasons that first drew her to Lothering as a girl. She had slipped into the Tavern, listening for tales of other witches, her kin.
Nothing had come of it of course, but still…
ARRRRGH!
The Fereldan knight cried out in pain! Alim's blade, had caught him, it had bit deep into his upper thigh. Before the knight could retreat, Alim crushed his good knee with a savage strike from his staff.
The Fereldan sank to his knees as Alim kicked his sword away, an arcane bolt from the elf's staff, sent his shield flying away in the opposite direction.
The man gasped for breath.
He had been beaten.
He said nothing as Alim raised his staff, merely closed his eyes.
The elf struck him in the back of the head, not enough to break his skull, but just enough to render him unconscious.
The beaten warrior slumped to the ground.
Morrigan arched an eyebrow.
What was this now, she thought.
Was Alim going to spare the fool?
She shook her head,
She thought him smarter than that.
IOI
Alim panted, sweat running down his brow. The fight had taken a bit more out of him than he had thought it was. This Landry might have been a fool, but he definitely had some skills.
They had not saved him in the end, but that did not take away what he possessed.
The man did have skills.
One of the knight's seconds stepped forward.
"The day is yours, ser," he said looking down on his beaten master.
"Finish it."
Alim glared at the young squire, and down at the beaten knight.
He sheathed his sword.
"I…have other plans." He said.
The elf kneeled down, and reached out with his healing magic. Nothing too fancy, he had no desire to see the man back on his feet, at least not quickly.
Landry's seconds did not even try to approach as he did his work.
Alim looked up at them glaring coldly.
"As I told your master before he insisted on this ridiculous duel, Loghain's claims against the wardens are false."
He repaired Landry's knee, and healed the wound on his thigh.
"By insisting on this fight, he offered his life to me, which makes it mine to do as I wish."
The elf's ears twitched.
"I have chosen to spare him. When he wakes let him know that he owes his life to the Grey Wardens. He should rest and give himself time to heal. His skills will be needed when we finally take the fight to the darkspawn."
The squire went ballistic.
"YOU SHAME HIM!" the boy snarled.
"No," Alim said coldly, "I defeated him, his life was mine to take, and I have chosen to give it back."
The elf frowned.
"Let him think on that when he wakes up."
It was that moment that the city guard arrived. Alim had just spoken to their Sergeant, a man named Kylon not two minutes before.
"What is the meaning of this?" he demanded.
Alim sighed and wiped the dirt off his hand.
"This man fell coming out of one of the store, Sergeant," the warden lied, "He came down wrong and busted his knee."
The elf shrugged.
"I offered to heal him, but I'm afraid he passed out from the pain."
Alim turned to Landry's seconds.
"I think I can trust you lads to get this man somewhere safe where he can rest and recover?"
It took them a few minutes to respond, no doubt they were considering how best to respond to all this.
If they acknowledged that Alim had beaten their master in a duel and spared his life, Landry's honor would have been stained. If they chose to keep quiet only the few that had witnessed the fight in this alley would ever know.
The only man who would have to deal with this shame would be Ser Landry himself. He would have to decide how to deal with it.
Faced with either private or public humiliation, there was really no choice.
The men collected their fallen master and carried him off towards the Gnawed Noble Tavern.
One of them even muttered thanks to elf as they passed by.
Kylon gave the warden a fishy look, but said nothing. He might have suspected what had happened, but since no one had been permanently injured, he chose to let the matter pass.
Kylon and his men left the alley.
Alim sighed and dusted himself off.
Bloody waste of time, he thought.
That could have ended so much better.
Alistair went up to congratulate his fellow warden, while Bandit barked happily.
Seri and Zev approached next, both were smirking.
Alim gave them a questioning look.
"My dear warden," Zev sneered, "That was positively cruel."
Alim shrugged.
"Cruel, yes," he agreed, "but also…necessary."
Seri shook her head.
"I know nobles, Alim," she said, "That man is going to be beyond insulted when he wakes up. You made him look bad before his men."
Again Alim shrugged.
"Better than making a fool of him in public, it will hurt more knowing that he owes me for preserving what shred of honor he had left."
"He might kill himself, you know," Seri said, "You here about that in Orzammar sometimes, a warrior choosing death before dishonor."
Alim snorted at that.
"If the man is that stupid to throw his life away after he started all this, then perhaps he deserves to die."
The warden sighed.
"Of course, maybe he will take what I said to heart. We are going to need all the help we can when we go after the Archdemon.
"I would rather have one more blade then the bragging rights for killing some fool in an abandoned alley."
IOI
Morrigan considered what Alim had said. Yes, at first glance one might simply say that the elf was too weak to do what was needed, but the more she thought about it…
The witch smiled.
Mental punishment could be as useful as physical, and the scars lasted much longer. The knight would have to live with the fact that he had not only failed in his challenge, but that now he owed his life to one he had called a murderer and a traitor.
The very thought sent a chill down her spine.
Such a delicious revenge…
…delicious.
She fell in step behind the elf as he led them back out into the market place. Once again Alim had shown not only why he continued to lead them, but why he had taken up that role in the first place.
The elf continued to justify her faith in him, continued to prove why she called him leader, leader and more.
The witch almost chuckled.
She was proud to call him leader.
She was proud…to call him friend.
She glanced over at Alistair.
Now she just needed to figure out what she was going to do with her former bedmate.
Once that was done, all would be well.
And maybe then she would be able to get back to carrying out her plan.
The time was quickly coming. She would need to decide soon…
What happened between her and the wardens would change her life forever…and perhaps…
…even the world.