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!
Chapter 11: Back on Track
With the nightmares of the Fade behind them Draco, Irasabeth, Alistair and Wynne stood at the bottom of the stairs leading up to the tower where something called the Harrowing happened for mages.
"What do you think is up there?" Draco asked the tiny woman on his right.
The redhead shrugged, "could be nothing but dead bodies…then again could be more demons." She looked up at him, "should we have sent Leliana and Zevran to help make sure the mage children are safe? We might have been able to use their help considering that some of us are a little shaken by what happened in the Fade."
"If we had gone in with an army would the First Enchanter have stayed alive? The less people we have the less of a chance we have of accidentally killing one of the mages who are being held captive."
"So you are planning on saving the mages?" Wynne asked softly making the younger man look back at her.
He offered her a small smile and put his hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry Wynne, I promised you that we would get the first enchanter safely out and we will." He patted the pack that held the Litany of Adralla. "Besides with this and you we should be able to do this no problem."
The elder woman gave him a tired smile, "ah to be young and with hopes like yours. I'll just be glad when this nightmare is over."
"So will the rest of us." Alistair chimed in quietly.
Draco nodded handing her the Litany, "you're the only one who can read this. So you just stand back and use it when we need it. Irasabeth will stay next to you and keep you guarded and us guarded form the back with arrows. Alistair and I will take point and try to take down as many of these fuckers with us as possible."
They all nodded at him and he turned taking a deep breath and rolling his shoulders. "Time to bash some demons back into hell," he kicked the door open and knew in his gut that it was time to fight.
The battle raged and by the time it was over, none of the mages were lost and Uldred was killed. Draco walked to the First Enchanter and knelt down. "First Enchanter Irving?"
The elder man looked up at him with tired eyes, "yes…who are you?"
"My name is Draco Cousland, I've been sent up here to rescue you and hopefully have you stop the Rite. Are you and the other mages ok?"
"We are fine now that you have saved us."
"It's good to see you safe Irving."
"Wynne? You are safe." The other mage said, his voice colored with relief and something more that Draco could only pinpoint as love.
Wynne blushed slightly and smiled. "Yes, these young people helped me get up here to rescue you." She knelt down and ran her hands over the wounds on his legs, her hands glowing with a soft white/blue light. "Oh Irving, you were really hurt, my magic is so low I'm not sure how much I can heal right now."
Irving smiled and took her hand. "I am fine Wynne; you have done enough to where I can walk. Tell me…how many other mages made it?"
She clasped his hand in hers and sighed. "Only three of us Irving, as full mages. There are students but they are only children and I'm scared about what this has done to their fragile little minds."
Draco cleared his throat, "I hate to interrupt, but we should get everyone downstairs so that the asshole in silver armor doesn't blow the place to hell and back."
"You are right young man. You will have to help me down the stairs though…whoever decided to place mages in a tower should be tossed off the top of this tower." Irving grumbled as he was hauled to his feet by Draco and helped downstairs.
Once down in the main chamber of the tower Draco sat Irving down in a chair. "How are you doing Irving?"
"I am fine young man." He looked past the warrior to the Templar who was making his way over to him. "Ah Greigor, I was wondering how long it would take you to come to me."
"Iriving, you are alive."
"That I am, with the help of these fine young men and woman who braved the abominations to save us." The elder mage said coolly making Draco stifle a smile at the obvious stab to the Knight-Commander.
"We tried to get to you." Greigor said, "But we were nearly decimated by the abominations."
Wynne opened her mouth to retort when Irving stopped her. "Please Wynne, Greigor we will discuss what happened here in privet, for now…I do believe that I owe this young man and his friends something for saving the last of the Circle." He turned his eyes to Draco and smiled weakly. "What can I do to repay you for what you have done for us?"
Draco reached into his bag and pulled out the ancient treaty holding it out to Irving. "First Enchanter Irving, the Grey Wardens are calling upon a treaty that was given many years ago by the Circle of Fereldin to aid us against the Blight." He smiled, "Will you answer the call?"
Irving smiled back as he took the treaty, "as we have done in the past we will do now. I will send the call out to mages who were away from the tower during this crisis and we will be there when the Wardens call for us."
Draco fisted his hand over his heart and bowed. "We are grateful First Enchanter, now we must leave. And if you will be so gracious as to let Wynne travel with us we would be grateful, we are in need of a woman of her skill."
Irving looked up at Wynne, "Wynne?"
"Irving, I need to leave the tower, I left once knowing that it was my calling to fight the Blight. I came home and nursed my wounds but the Blight is far from over." She said with a nod.
Irving sighed, "you are right Wynne. Far be it from me to stop you when you put your mind to something. Just come home safe eh?" He chuckled.
Wynne smiled and squeezed his hand. "I'll check in every few days Irving."
Draco nodded, "well we have what we need, let's head back to camp and plan-"
"Um Draco…" Irasabeth said scratching her neck, "we did come here for a specific reason remember?"
"Huh?"
The elf rolled her eyes before looking at Irving. "Look, we didn't come here just for the treaties, there's a little boy who needs your help…desperately. He's possessed by a demon and we need to get into the fade to save him, Jowan said-"
"Jowan? He's alive?" Irving asked his voice laced with surprise.
"Erm…yeah….and he was hired on as a tutor for the Arls of Redcliff's son who has displayed magical talent, but the Arlessa didn't want her son taken away, blah blah blah, but we're not here to do that we are here because the boy is in trouble. Can you please send some mages with us and with the lyrium so we can save him and his father?"
Irving sighed as he slowly stood up. "Child, you ask a lot of us, especially since our numbers are so low, but we cannot ignore a child in danger, especially one who didn't get the training he needed. I will gather a few mages and they will meet you in Redcliff, of that you have my word."
Irasabeth smiled gratefully, "Thank you Irving."
He smiled as he walked through the double doors again and the small group of friends left the tower. On the boat ride across the lake Draco sat next to Alistair who was eerily silent.
"What's wrong Ali?" He asked softly so only the other man could hear.
"Wh-what happened in the Fade…I'm so ashamed of it, but I-I want it…what I had but I want it with you." Alistair whispered blushing hotly.
Draco smiled as he wrapped his arm around Alistair's waist. "Don't worry Alistair; there will be time for that. I promise, I plan on wiping the touch of the demon from your memory and show you what it's like to feel the love of a dragon." He purred kissing Alistair's neck lightly. "You will be mine, I promise."
Alistair shivered and nodded looking straight ahead. Draco chuckled as he saw the shore get closer and made it up in his mind that once Conner was free he was going to finally taste Alistair.
A/N: well there you go! Hope you enjoyed!