Chapter 13

"With a little luck we can help it out, we can make this whole damn thing work out.
With a little love we can lay it down, can't you feel the town exploding?
There is no end to what we can do together, there is no end

The willow turns his back on inclement weather,

and if he can do it, we can do it, just me and you

And a little luck we can clear it up, we can bring it in for a landing
With a little luck we can turn it on, there can be no misunderstanding

With A Little Luck by Paul McCartney and Wings

Sabrina had pushed them hard the past two days, and now she and Zev were about a mile away from the entrance to Wending Woods. After reading Tristen's note, Zev and Sabrina had quickly packed and headed out that very night, much to the protests of Fergus.

"Bean, it's too dangerous to leave in the middle of the night. Just wait a few hours and the sun will be coming up," Fergus pleaded.

"Fergus, they have our King! I don't know how long he has, but in a few hours it may be too late. Not to mention, Tristen has already left and is probably already there. He and my Wardens are in danger too. I can't wait," Sabrina said as the stable hand boosted her into her saddle.

"Then give me a few minutes and I will come with you," Fergus said.

"NO! If something happens to both Alistair and Tristen you are the next logical King of Ferelden. You need to stay here and stay safe," Sabrina ordered.

Fergus took a step back and smiled at the authority that his baby sister exuded. She had never used the power of her position to issue him a command before. He had never been more proud of her than he was at that moment.

"Fine, but in the morning I am sending half a dozen of Highever's Knights to Wending Woods to assist in any way possible," Fergus insisted.

"Fine, but I don't want them entering the Woods. I will send them instructions if I need their aid and Fergus, they need to be alert. Darkspawn killed all the royal guards and took our King, the knights need to be vigilant," Sabrina replied. She paused for a moment then added, "And send a mage."

Fergus nodded. "I will let them know and I will send Regan with them," Fergus said as he grabbed her ankle to get her attention. She looked down at him. "You need to be careful too, Bean. I need you to come back."

Sabrina smiled down at her brother, "Don't worry, Fergus. I will be coming home again."

They had made it to Vigil's Keep just as the sun had begun to crest over the horizon. She had stopped in order to switch out for fresh horses when Oghren found her and reported that Tristen had left early the day before. At first, Sabrina was puzzled about why Tristen hadn't taken Oghren and Sigrun with him. Then it hit her and her stomach clenched with fear. He didn't want to take every Warden in Ferelden with him just in case they didn't make it back. She turned to Oghren, "Can you and Sig be ready to leave with us in thirty minutes?"

"By my Ancestor's balls I'll make sure we are ready, Commander," Oghren bellowed. "I was worried I was going to be left out of this fight."

As they approached the entrance to the Wending Woods Sabrina noticed a man stumbling towards them. It took her a moment to realize the man was Alistair. She slid down from her horse and ran to him. He collapsed just as she reached him.

"Alistair," she cried out as she knelt down beside him and pulled him to her. She cradled his head in her lap as she looked him over for wounds, but couldn't see any.

"Alistair, where are you injured?" Sabrina asked.

Alistair looked at her with a dazed expression on his face. He reached up and touched her cheek. "Are you real?" He moaned.

"Yes, I'm real. Where are you hurt, Alistair?" She asked again.

Alistair ran his fingers through her hair, "I thought for sure I would never see your beautiful face again."

Sabrina clasped Alistair's hand in hers, trying to get him to focus. "Alistair, I need you to tell me where you are injured."

"The Architect, d-drained my blood," Alistair choked. "W-would have killed me if Tristen and the Wardens hadn't arrived."

"By the Maker, drained your blood?" Sabrina said flabbergasted. "You need iron to help replenish your blood supply. Oghren, do you still have that beef jerky?"

"Yes, Commander," Oghren said as he rummaged through his backpack and handed it to her.

She broke off tiny pieces and placed them in Alistair's mouth. "Eat this. The iron will help your body replace the blood."

"How do you know about that?" Oghren asked.

"Wynne told me about it once," Sabrina said.

"Zev, I need you to start a fire and cook up that fish we brought with us," Sabrina ordered and then turned her attention back to Alistair. "Where are Tristen and the other Wardens?"

"They found me in the Architect's laboratory and released me from the restraints. We were making our way out when the fighting started. Tristen insisted that I was in no shape to fight and told me to get the hell out of there. I stumbled out here and you found me."

"So Tristen is still in the mines?"

Alistair nodded. Sabrina looked over at Zev. "Zev, I want you and Sig to stay with Alistair until I return or until the Highever Knights arrive. Oghren you're with me."

Alistair grabbed her wrist, "Where are you going?"

"I'm going into the mines to find my wardens," Sabrina replied.

"Bree, you can't go. You're the one the Architect wants. You can't go in there," Alistair said as panic began to set in his voice.

"Alistair, I have to go. These are my wardens, I can't just stand by and do nothing," Sabrina replied.

"But you will be walking to a trap. It's your blood he wants. Bree, please you can't go. He could kill you!"

She smiled at him, "We both know the dangers that go along with the job, Alistair. If I fall there will be someone else to replace me and to continue the fight. I'm expendable…"

"NO! You're not, Bree. There is only one of you. You can't walk in there knowing it's trap to catch you," Alistair pleaded.

Sabrina smiled, leaned down and kissed Alistair's forehead. "I have to go." She pulled her riding cloak off and laid his head down on it. "I'll be back soon."

Alistair gently grabbed her wrist once again. "Please Bree, please come back. Even if we can't be together, I need to know that you are in this world."

Sabrina looked at him for a moment; something had changed in him and softened him. "I promise I will be back."

Then she stood and called for Oghren to join her and they headed into the mines.

xxXxx

After they had killed the dragons, Tristen, Anders, Nate and a venomous elf by the name of Velanna made their way out of the mine. They headed towards the main entrance of the woods. He was hoping to find Alistair somewhere along that road. Anders had cast several healing spells on Alistair before they sent him out of the mines, but the man needed a lot more medical attention than that.

The group entered a small clearing and Tristen noticed an elf standing by a fire cooking and Sigrun was leaning over Alistair.

Tristen made his way over to his sleeping brother and knelt down beside him.

Sigrun looked up and smiled, "Hey there, the King is resting comfortably. Sabrina suggested we cook him some fish to get iron in him, but since Anders is here, he can just heal him."

"The iron will be good for him even with the healing…"

Before he could finish his sentence the elf sauntered up and looked over both of the Theirin brothers. "By Andraste's sweet arse, that's incredible. Bree said you were identical, but you really have to see it to believe it."

Tristen stood up and extended his hand, "You must be Zevran. I'm Tristen."

Zevran shook his hand, "You can call me Zev."

"Nice to meet you, Zev, I've heard a lot about you."

"Oh really, was that from Sabrina or through Alistair's dreams? Because I wouldn't believe everything that is in that man's mind?"

Tristen raised an eyebrow. So the assassin knew about the dreams, lovely. They are obviously closer than even Alistair realized. "Well, I've learned not to believe everything that is in my brother's dreams, not mention I like to make my own decisions about people when I meet them."

Zev laughed, "I think this version is better already. Can we keep him and toss the older version away?"

"Hey, I'm awake here," Alistair grumbled.

"Oh Alistair, I didn't see you awake there," Zev chortled.

"Bullshit," Alistair retorted.

Tristen looked around the camp and didn't see her anywhere. "Where is Sabrina?"

Sigrun's smile faltered slightly, "Aaah, she isn't with you?"

"No, why would she be with me?" Tristen asked.

"She left here over a couple of hours ago to go find you," Sigrun said as her voice wavered.

Alistair's eyes flew open and he looked at Tristen, "He's got her."

Tristen felt the panic begin to rise up, but he pushed it down. He needed a clear head to formulate a plan. "Did Oghren go with her?" Sigrun nodded. "And that was it? Why didn't you go in with her Sig?"

"Because she insisted that the two of us stay here to guard the King," Sigrun said defensively. "And you know how she is once she sets her mind to something. There was no stopping her."

"That's what happens when you think with what's between your legs," Zev said dryly.

Tristen ignored the assassin's comments. "Okay, I need fresh men with me so Sig and Zev, you're with me. Anders you stay here and continue to heal the king. Nate I want you to keep guard and keep an eye out for the elf." Nate gave a curt nodded.

Zev stepped forward and added, "There should be about half a dozen Knights from Highever on their way here."

"That's good to know. We may need them." Tristen said as he turned to Sig and Zev, "Let's go."

Once again, Tristen made his way through the mines, however this time he was not in fear for himself, but for Brin. The Architect desperately wanted her blood. He had nearly drained Alistair and he didn't know what he would do to her. The thought terrified him and he picked up his pace as he worked his way through the tunnels. He came across the prison cells that they had been in earlier and saw Oghren lying on the floor. Zev made quick work of the locks and the cell door swung open. Tristen bent down and examined the dwarf. "He's alive. I wish I had some smelling salts."

Zev grinned, "Oh I have something better." Zev rummaged through his pack and pulled out a flask. He waved it under the dwarfs nose a couple of times. Like a cat tracking a mouse Oghren's head followed the flask until his eyes popped open and quick as lightening grabbed the flask from Zev's hand.

Tristen laughed. "I didn't think a dwarf could move that quickly."

"When it comes to alcohol never underestimate our speed," Sigrun piped in.

"Zev, my evil twin, it's so good to see you again and you brought me a treat," Oghren said as he took a large gulp from the flask.

Zev laughed, "The Broma Brothers ride again, my friend." Zev reached out, took Oghren's hand and pulled him up.

"Oghren, where is the Commander?" Tristen asked.

"Well, the last thing I remember was this tall darkspawn emissary standing on a platform above us. This creature was uglier than a wart on a bronto's ass. He cast a spell that put both of us to sleep. Next thing I knew the smell of a fine brandy pulled me out of dream that involved the well formed bosoms of a girl I grew up with, a bucket of ale, a nug and a whip."

Zev laughed, "I don't think even I want to know the details of that one my friend."

Tristen stood up and headed in the direction of the Architect's laboratory. Zev, Sigrun and Oghren quickly followed. When they entered, he saw a dwarf standing by the same table that Alistair had been on. Tristen saw that Sabrina was now strapped to the table and the dwarf had just injected something into her veins. Sabrina's body began to convulse violently. Tristen drew his sword, rushed the dwarf and brought his sword down in an arch. She barely sided stepped the blade. She drew her sword and began to circle defensively. The dwarf was so focused on Tristen that she never heard Zevran sneak up behind her until she felt the blade slide across her neck. Zev let her slide to the ground. All three turned to the now motionless and unconscious body of Sabrina. Tristen rushed over to her and checked for a pulse, breathing a sigh of relief when he found a slow, but steady one.

Zev picked up the syringe; he smelled the needle and tasted a drop of the liquid, "It's a concentrated form of crow's poison."

"Fuck," Tristen muttered as he quickly undid the restraints and scooped her up in his arms.

They ran through the mines and exited, this time with no resistance. The Architect must have left after he had taken all that he needed from Sabrina. On the way back to their companions, they ran into two hurlocks and three genlocks.

Zev yelled over to him, "We have this. Get her to camp so that Anders can heal her. There is an antidote for the poison in my backpack."

Tristen quickly ran back to camp. "Anders," he yelled as he rushed in and laid Sabrina down on a bedroll by Alistair.

Anders was at his side immediately. He raised his hands over her body as he examined her. "That bastard almost completely drained her, but there is something else wrong."

"She was injected with concentrated crow's poison," Tristen replied.

Anders' face went white, "Oh, oh shit. With so little blood in her veins the poison would travel even quicker throughout her body. I can't even hope to heal her without an antidote."

"Zev said he has some in his pack," Tristen said as he leapt up to get the assassin's bag.

"Grab my pack too, I am going to need lyrium," Anders said.

As Anders began to cast healing spell after healing spell, Tristen ran and got both of the bags and brought them back to Anders. When he returned, Alistair had slid beside her, grasping her hand and it looked as if the man was praying. That was good because he had a feeling she was going to need it. They found the antidote and managed to get her to drink it, not knowing if they were already too late.

Anders was still working on her when Zev, Sigrun and Oghren made their way back into the camp and they ran over to where Anders was working. He was becoming drained and weak.

Nate grabbed Valenna by the arm and dragged her over to where everyone was gathered. "You're a mage, you need to help him," Nate demanded.

"Why should I help this shem?" The elf questioned.

"Because she is your only hope of becoming a Warden so you can find your sister. She dies and so do your chances of finding your sister and if you do nothing and let her die, you'll be lucky if I don't slice your throat open," Nate growled at her.

"I'm doing this for my sister, not her," the elf hissed as she bent down and began helping Anders cast healing spells.

Tristen was pacing back and forth as he watched Anders and Valenna continually work on her. He couldn't lose her, not now, not like this. There was so much he needed to say, so much he wanted to still experience with her. He loved her so much that the thought of her not being here in this world with him was unbearable and he felt a sharp pain in his chest at the very thought of it.

After several hours both of the mages were completely drained and fell back exhausted. Tristen brought both of them a canteen of water and helped them sit up. After taking a long sip of water Anders sighed, "We have done all that we can. She is in the Maker's hands now."

Tristen knelt beside her and gently brushed her hair out of her face. Alistair was on the other side of her still grasping her hand and gently stroking. She began to tremble and moaned, "Tristen, p-please…oh…love."

Tristen felt his heart stop and his breath catch. He looked up at Alistair and he had become completely still. They both looked over at Anders, but it was Zev that responded. "It's the effects of the poison as it works its way through her system. Even with the antidote, it will make her delirious and cause her to hallucinate. It's good that this stage is starting this soon. The quicker that it works its way through her the less damage it will do."

Tristen brought his bedroll over and placed it on the other side of her.

Zev looked on half amused at the two Theirin Brothers as they both stood vigil over the woman they both loved. Zev hadn't prayed in years, but tonight as he fell asleep he begged the Maker to spare her life.

Tristen had fallen asleep curled up next to her and Alistair sat on her other side as he stroked her arm, her face and ran his fingers through her hair. Tears filled his eyes as he thought about how badly he had treated her over the past several months and now he may never have the opportunity to make it up to her. He had been so incredibly selfish. Tristen had been right, he had only thought of himself, of his needs, his pain and his desires never once putting hers first. He pleaded with the Maker to forgive him, to let her live so that he could make up for all the harm he had caused her.

She began to shake again and her voice cried out causing Tristen to bolt straight up. "A-Ali…don't…please," her head thrashed back and forth. "Tr-trust me…I love…you, Ali…stair…don't leave me…pl-please," she cried out as her body shook and she sobbed. Alistair's eyes widened as utter horror rocked him.

Her body continued to quake and tremble. She screamed and she waved her arms out in front of her as if fending something off and then she grasped her side as she shrieked. "Ali…Ali..I'm dying…I…I ne-ed you…I j-just want to say…g-goodbye…my love."

Zev came up from behind him. "She is reliving what happened on top of the tower. I believe that is what she said right after the Archdemon's tail had sliced her open," Zev said coldly letting his words sink in and they found their mark.

Alistair grabbed her hand, brought it to his lips and gently kissed it, as the tears flowed down his cheeks.

"Bree, I'm so sorry, I'm so, so sorry. Please forgive me, Love. Please forgive. OH MAKER, I should have been there." He pulled her into his arms and began to rock her. He kissed her forehead and brow over and over again as he chanted, "I should have been there. I'm so sorry. I should have been there." And she thrashed and whipped around in his arms, but he just clung to her chanting that he should have been there.

Tristen's heart broke as he watched helplessly at the anguish his brother was in, wishing there was something he could do to help him through this. Sabrina finally calmed down and fell back into a restless sleep in Alistair's arms and as much as Tristen wanted to hold her and comfort her, he knew that Alistair needed to come to terms with something so that he could let her go.

The rest of the night she remained quiet and sedated. Zev and Anders came and checked on her in the morning. Zev gave a curt nod before he turned to Alistair and Tristen, "Well it would seem that the poison moved quickly through her system and now we just wait and pray for her to wake up."

Over the next three days all of the men in her life that loved her in one form or another stood watch over her and cared for her as she continued in the death like sleep. On the morning of the fourth day as her head rested in Tristen's lap she began to stir and she gave a slight moan. Tristen gently stroked her hair. Sabrina's eyes fluttered open and she tried to focus on her surroundings. She looked up into Tristen's face and smiled warily.

"Welcome back, Mon Soleil" he sighed with relief.

"How long?" She whispered as her voice cracked.

Tristen reached for some water and eased her up so that she could take a sip. "You have been in a coma for a little over three days. You really had us worried."

"What happened?"

"You don't remember?"

She took another sip of water and she whispered, "I remember the Architect taking my blood and telling me his crazy plan to stop the Blight, but then he left and I thought for sure I was going to die strapped to that table. Then his crazy minion came in and injected me with something and that is all I remember."

"The bitch injected concentrated Crow's Poison into your bloodstream…what little blood was left," Tristen said bitterly.

Alistair had heard them talking and knelt down beside them. She looked over at him and smiled.

"I'm glad you are okay, Alistair," she murmured.

Alistair laughed. "You're glad I'm okay? That's ironic considering we have all been standing vigil over you."

She smiled sheepishly, "Sorry."

Anders made his way over and pushed Alistair out of the way, "Maker's balls, would you two back off and give her some breathing room?" He insisted that Tristen lay her down on the bedroll. He began to examine her as he muttered under his breath, "Like a bunch of damn vultures looking for their next meal."

Sabrina tried to laugh, but started to choke. Anders gave her another sip of water. Both Tristen and Alistair looked perturbed by the comment, but Anders looked directly at Alistair and Tristen, "How about the two of you go over to the fire and get some breakfast."

Both of the brothers were about to protest, but Anders cut them short. "I need to examine my patient and I think she would like a little privacy for that."

Once they had made their way over to the fire, Anders turned his attention back to Sabrina. "I thought you might like some time to actually collect your thoughts without the Theirin Stalkers hovering over you."

She smiled at him gratefully and whispered, "Thanks." She laid her head back down to rest.

"Bree, you're going to be fine, but you're going to need to rest. No chasing after the Architect until we have you back to full strength. You hear me?" Anders asked.

She nodded and as he watched her drift back to sleep he gently stroked her hair.

Tristen walked over to Anders, "Is she going to be okay?"

Anders looked at Tristen and then over to where Alistair sat. "Yes, she is going to be okay, but she is going to need plenty of rest so if you and your brother could keep your petty jealousy to yourselves she might heal faster. "

Tristen nodded his understanding and walked back to the fire.

They spent one more day so that Sabrina could get some of her strength back. Tristen could tell that Alistair wanted to talk with Sabrina, but he was hesitant so Tristen asked him about it. Alistair said now wasn't the time. That she was weak and needed to fully recover without him adding to her stress. Tristen smiled to himself, well, what do you know, maybe you can teach an old dog new tricks.

The Highever Knights had arrived a few days before and it was agreed that the Knights would escort the King back to Denerim, so early the following morning the Knights and the King headed for Denerim while the Wardens headed back to Vigil's Keep.

Author Notes – Thank you once again to everyone for your reviews and for adding this story to your alert and favs list. I truly appreciate you taking the time to read and review this story. It's wonderful hearing your thoughts and comments.

I also want to thank Goddess Beta One – RandomWittering and Goddess Beta Two –Jinx1983 for their spankalicious beta-ing skills, for your support and for being such a great sounding board. You ladies are the best and I am honored to call you my friends!