The Dragon and the Griffon
A/N: Draco Cousland is a Warrior whom Duncan recruited from Highever. Irasabeth Tabris is a rouge Duncan found in the Elven Alienage. This is going to be the story about how these two very different people become close friends and took on the Blight with their small band of misfit allies.
A big old thanks to my beta Lisa! You are a lifesaver!
PS: Alright everyone, I know that usually you'd hit Lothering after getting Morrigan& but I really hate writing about Lothering and since nothing really significant comes out of the place besides 2 team mates then we are gonna skip it and I'll lightly touch base on it. So this takes place in the camp.
Chapter 5: And so it begins
Draco sat in the courtyard of the castle watching his nephew and brother wrestle on the ground. Ares ran around them, barking excitedly and his father stood next to him laughing. His mother and his sister-in-law sat in chairs sipping tea and smiling at their boys. Draco closed his eyes and took a deep breath smiling, glad to be back home. He opened his eyes again and found himself face to face with the ugly face of the Archdemon. It opened its mouth and let out a roar sending him flying back into the blackened flames.
Draco jolted awake, sweating and panting, his shirt clinging to the hard muscles of his chest. Ares whined and licked at his face, his ears flat against this head. Draco rested a trembling hand on his head, "it's alright boy," he whispered softly.
"Are you alright?" A soft feminine voice asked.
He looked up to see one of their newest companions, Leliana, holding out a water skin for him. He gladly took it with a smile, "thank you Leliana."
"Draco? Are you alright?" Alistair asked as he walked up and sat down next to him.
"Yeah…just a bad dream, is all," he said.
"Yeah…that's normal. At least you're taking it better than Irasabeth, she got sick," he said earning a smack upside the head, when said redheaded elf walked up and delivered the blow. He smiled apologetically, "I was just saying."
"Well there's no need to just say," the elf said. "Why didn't you tell us about the nightmares?"
"Lay off of him Irasy, a lot has happened to all of us the past few days," Draco said, tiredly.
Irasabeth sighed and nodded as she shakily sat down on a stump. "I'm sorry Ali, I think all of this has us all a little uptight and shaky," she said softly.
Alistair smiled and laid a comforting hand on her arm, "I know, it's alright," he said softly, "well now that you are both up we can get a move on." Alistair stood up and held out a hand to Draco who smiled and clasped his forearm, allowing the other man to haul him to his feet.
Packing up the camp went slow and quietly. They loaded up the cart that the dwarven merchant who had decided to hang around them, so graciously offered, to keep their things in. Draco walked up to the horse and smiled as he stroked its glossy mane, "such a strong steed. How did you ever find such a good horse?" He asked the dwarf.
"Found 'im when we were leaving home. He was just standing on the side of the road, didn't think it right to leave 'im."
Draco smiled, and walked to where Irasabeth was adjusting her armor. "Are you alright?" He asked.
Irasabeth sighed, "this armor is really tight today for some reason." She muttered.
Leliana walked over and smiled, "it's because you have the straps too tight. You must not have noticed when you slipped the breasts plate on," the young Bard said, smiling as her nimble fingers picked at the buckles and loosened the armor for more breathing room. "There you go," she said.
Irasabeth smiled appreciatively at her. "Thanks Leliana, I guess I'm still a little shaken up by the dreams."
Leliana smiled as she walked off to help Alistair secure everything in the wagon and Draco put a hand on Irasabeth's shoulder. "Don't worry, once we get some fighting in you'll feel right as rain," he gave her a dazzling smile, making her laugh.
"Don't waste your charm on me, you should be putting that to better uses than charming me."
Draco laughed, "but you are so tempting! I can't help myself." He smiled as he turned around and ran right into Sten's chest. He staggered back and clutched at his nose, "holy Maker! What the fuck are you made out of? Rocks?"
Sten just scowled at him, mumbling something in Qunari and walked off.
Draco touched his nose and checked for blood. "Damn, he's like a fucking boulder."
Irasabeth laughed as she walked over to him and took his face in her hands, pulling his face down to hers. "You know, for a fearsome dragon, you are such a baby, Draco," she laughed as she inspected his nose. "You'll be fine," she said.
Draco glared at her grumbling as he touched his nose tenderly and walked off. "Let's go! We have to go see Arl Eamon."
Alistair paled as Draco walked nearer to him, "we…we're going to Redcliffe already? Shouldn't…shouldn't we go somewhere else first? Gather up some allies?"
Draco arched an eyebrow at him, "why do you want to avoid going to Redcliffe? I thought it was your idea to go to the Arl for help."
It…it was…but why don't we show him that we can do what we say we are going to do."
Draco shook his head, "no we need his support first, our army will mean nothing if we don't have the support of a strong figurehead. I can't use my name to gather support because with Howe alive my family name is tarnished. We need Eamon, Alistair, and we can't do this without getting to him first."
Alistair sighed, "alright, alright let s just go." He said as he walked off ahead of the group.
Draco laughed, "Alistair…Redcliffe is the other way."
Alistair turned a bright shade of red causing Irasabeth and Leliana to laugh along with Draco. Sten shook his head, and Morrigan just rolled her eyes and walked off. Draco gave a brilliant smile to Alistair, making the other man blush even more. Draco walked close to him, making their shoulders bump.
You know Alistair, "you are very cute with that blush on your cheeks". Draco teased lightly.
Alistair's blush darkened and he fumbled for words. Draco smiled as he leaned forward and dropped his voice low, "I wonder if that blush covers more than just your face."
Alistair squeaked and turned his face away, "hey…hey let s just go. If we move quickly we can be in Redcliffe by tomorrow," he said as he took off ahead of the group to get away from Draco and calm his mind.
Draco smiled as he watched him go and fidget with himself, "damn he's too cute."
Irasabeth shook her head, "if you keep teasing him like that you'll end up scaring him off," she chided.
Draco grinned wolfishly at her, "or it will make him go so mad with lust and want that he'll jump me when I least expect it." He whistled for Ares and began to play with the dog as they walked.
Leliana fell into step with Irasabeth, "so, Draco and Alistair…"
"No, not yet at least. Much to Draco's dismay," Irasabeth laughed.
"Should we interfere?"
Irasabeth smirked, "I say we should since Alistair is still a virgin."
"Even better, we can teach him," Leliana said.
The two women walked close together scheming about a good plan to get the two warriors together. Morrigan and Sten walked silently at the back of the cart, shaking their heads at the four people in front of them.
A/N: And here we have chapter 5. A good little filler. I promise that the next chapter will be longer. Reviews are love!