A/N: Well folks, here we are! The long awaited sequel to my other story. Now, for those of you who have not yet read To Kiss A Thief please do so or else you will be quite confused. As for the rest of you, thank you so much for your continued support!
And, as always, please review! Don't make me say it in French...err...Orlesian.
Note: Part of the letter is taken from the Codex entry: A Confidential Letter To The Warden-Commander.
Also, expect updates to be less frequent with school starting up again soon and such.
)O(
"Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road
Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go
So make the best of the test, and don't ask why
It's not a question, but a lesson learned in time."
- Green Day, Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life)
"I still don't understand why."
Jenji sighed and ran her hands through her hair for the fiftieth time that day. "Because, Daveth, I have been ordered to by this...First Warden person. He's like the omnipotent, all-knowing, Grey Warden and if he tells me to do something I have no choice."
"And he didn't care that you have a family to think about now?"
"I don't think he cares much about anything other than himself," she said, handing him a letter bearing the all too familiar griffin seal:
Warden-Commander,
By now you are well aware that the Arling of Amaranthine has been granted to the order by your new king. We have since come to the conclusion that there is no one more suitable to rebuild what the Blight has claimed than the one who ended it. And so, it is my honor to be the first to congratulate you, Arlessa.
The nominal leader of our order is the First Warden, but you can expect little assistance or guidance so far from the Anderfels. Even those close to Weisshaupt learn to suffer alone. The rumors are true-the First Warden is often embroiled in the politics of the Anderfels and has little opportunity to consider worldly matters. I would like to believe it is a matter of survival, and not political self-interest.
Know that your mission is vital. You carry the hopes of our order. If the highest among us holds noble titles outside the Anderfels, perhaps we will be better situated when the next Blight comes, as we all know it must.
Luck be with you,
- Ser Thomas Rayelle, secretary to the First Warden.
"Sounds nice, doesn't it?" Jenji asked, though he knew it was a rhetorical question. "I'm on thin ice with the Wardens as it is. They know we did something...strange in order to survive, and they know I know. This is my way of paying my dues. In fact, if it wasn't for Adaia, they'd probably kill me just to be safe. So I guess I'm lucky."
"How long...?"
She looked away. "...I don't know. Three months, maybe more."
"Jenny..."
"I know!" she snapped, pacing around the room frantically. "Trust me, the very thought of leaving you and Ada for that long is killing me; but I have to do this."
"Okay," Daveth agreed. "If you really have to do this, then we'll make it work somehow."
"You can't come with me," she said, as if having read his thoughts.
"I understand."
"No you don't, but I appreciate it." The elf smiled. "I hate this as much as you do."
"Yeah, I know."
Somewhere in the house a baby started to cry.
)O(
After what could only be described as going away sex, Jenji slept peacefully. It was nice not to be jolted awake by nightmares or Adaia - who Kay had been generous enough to look after for the evening. Daveth was also enjoying a full night's sleep, something that had become quite rare for them in recent months.
And as much as she longed for this to last, there was something Jenji needed to do.
Reluctantly, she pulled away from the warmth of his arms, imagining how hard it would be to leave, especially since there was a good chance she wouldn't be coming back. But they didn't talk about that.
The chest contained things she'd hoped to give Adaia once she came of age, but maybe a little more blood wasn't so bad.
Fang and Thorn...
Something about the blades now made her skin crawl.
Of course there was also her Felon's Coat. It was the best - and perhaps most expensive - purchase she'd ever made.
Then there were her mother's boots...Mamae had made them for her before she was even born...and Father had given them to Jenji on her not-wedding day.
Yes, a little more bloodshed couldn't hurt.
For now though, she would leave the items until they were needed.
Ms. Kay looked up when she heard footsteps down the hall. Jenji was frowning.
"Honestly, Kay, are you drinking while caring for my baby?" the elf demanded, half serious.
"No; I'm drinking while caring for...uh...five babes, not just yours." The old woman set the bottle aside and scowled.
If she didn't have the utmost confidence in Kay's ability, the elf would have been furious. But as it happened, she did.
"Well, how is she?" Cautiously, Jenji moved to look at the sleeping infant.
"Oh she's fine. Fell back asleep 'bout an hour ago." Kay replied. "I'll give you a moment alone if you like."
"Thank you." Once Kay had left the room, Jenji picked up her baby and held her close. Adaia stirred slightly but continued to dream.
The babe had grown surprisingly fast lately, and she tried to imagine her three months from now.
It felt like an eternity to be away from home.
Jenji wanted to say something at that moment, but she knew it wouldn't matter.
)O(
Many people whom Jenji hadn't even met came to see her off to Amaranthine.
But all she cared about where those she had.
"Now, Wynne is pretty busy at the palace, but she is available in case of emergency. Leliana is going away on some sort of Chantry business in a few weeks, but until then she's yours, day or night. And of course there's always Kay-"
"-I think I'll manage." Daveth smiled.
"Right; of course. Sorry, I'm just a little...nervous." Jenji admitted.
She was terrible at saying goodbye.
"Well, I would feel a lot better about this whole thing if you weren't going alone." he said.
"But I'm not."
"You're...not?"
"My Lady, I-"
"-Erlina?" Daveth exclaimed. "Erlina gets to go with you?"
"Well it's more like she insisted, actually."
"My Lady, we really must be going." Erlina said.
"...Right."
Jenji allowed the other elf to lead her away, towards the ship. Three months, she told herself, maybe less...
"Are you all right, my Lady?" Erlina asked, seeming concerned.
"I told you to stop calling me that. Plenty of people will be calling me that soon enough anyway."
"I'm sorry."
Jenji sighed. "No, it's not you, Erlina. I just...have a bad feeling about this, you know?"
The bard nodded.
She attempted to get some rest before their arrival, her efforts in vain. Worries plagued her mind, not just for herself but Daveth and Ada and everyone else. Maybe some time away from it all would be a good thing. Not that it was a vacation by any means.
She'd overcome her fears before, faced foes and impossible odds, how much harder could this be?
