Chapter 5

Teagan watched Marlena supervise the shipment of wine that would be going Orzammar. She had hired some Blackstone Mercenaries she had done jobs for during the Blight to escort the wagon all the way to the Frostback Mountains and then the surface dwarves would take over the rest of the way. With her expertise, the winery was close to breaking even after nearly five months since her arrival. There had only been one major catastrophe, when it was discovered forty barrels of wine had essentially turned to vinegar due to sabotage. Someone had apparently broken in and did something to the barrels. Marlena was able to sell the vinegar to an Orlesian vendor which enabled them to recover some of the cost but it left her furious and for a couple of weeks she hid in the warehouse and kept watch at night before finally secretly setting a trap and only letting Teagan, Ser Donall and Ser Perth about it.

Teagan looked away as she walked right past him without speaking. Earlier that day, they had a fight about his refusal to practice walking on an everyday basis. He reached a point where he could maneuver the chair by shuffling his feet but she was not satisfied with his progress. Marlena kept pushing and pushing and he simply bit back. For every day they did get along, the other three days they would fight. A few days ago he had thrown his tray at her and she had come back and dumped a bowl of porridge on him. Teagan just did not know what to make of her. He could say the vilest things to her and she would not even bat an eye but during the moments they did get along, he could see the vulnerability in her eyes.

He saw her walk down the path that led to the lake and had Britta push him in that direction before she left him by some trees to get something to eat. Teagan watched as Marlena removed her boots then dip her feet in the water. Marlena looked around and suddenly to his complete shock, started to undo her armor. Teagan gasped as she then removed her small clothes.

He could not deny it. Marlena had a beautiful body. She had a finely sculpted stomach, her breasts were high, firm and she had the pinkest nipples he had ever seen. There was a long scar across her right shoulder and he imagined for a moment his lips brushing against it.

"Maker!" He watched her dive into the water

Teagan looked down at his trousers and realized he was at least partially aroused from watching her and cursed himself for dishonoring Kaitlyn's memory that way.

"Just what do you think you are doing?"

He turned to see Britta looking at him.

"It's not what you think." Teagan's face turned bright red.

"Oh really now?" Britta grabbed the chair and pushed him back towards the castle. "With all due respect my lord, you have a lot of nerve intruding on Marlee that way after all she has done for you!"

"Please do not mention this to her." He begged.

"All she wants to do is help you and then you spy on her."

"Alright. I'm sorry. Just please don't say anything."

"It's too late Teagan. I already know."

He turned to see Marlena glaring at him.

"I'll take him Britta." She said. "You can have the rest of the day off and in fact take tomorrow off as well."

"Marlena I am truly sorry for intruding on you." Teagan said. "It was rude and inappropriate."

"Oh I am not offended but you are going to make it up to me." Marlena said as she pushed him past the castle.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm taking you to where you are going to make up for that little transgression."

Marlena pushed Teagan into the barn.

"What in the Maker's name are you doing?" He yelled as he fell out of the chair and onto the floor when she tilted the chair.

Marlena took the chair, opened the doors, and rolled it outside as Teagan continued to bellow.

"I will need two bedrolls, some water, and have the cook prepare a light supper." Marlena told Britta. "And please apprise Ser Perth and Ser Donall of the situation."

"Yes Marlee." Britta said.

Marlena shut the doors and barred them then walked back to where Teagan was huddle on the floor.

"So let me get straight to the point Teagan." Marlena said. "You intruded on my privacy therefore you are going to make it up to me by walking. I am tired of the excuses. I'm fed up with the fighting and it broke my heart having to send a birthday gift to your daughter in your name."

"Nobody is forcing you to stay." Teagan growled.

"Would you like me to leave?" Marlena asked. "Because I will make arrangements and leave as soon as tomorrow."

Marlena walked over to the doors and opened one of the them

"Please…don't go."

Marlena turned around and slowly walked towards him.

"Then pull yourself up and walk!" Marlena demanded

"I can't."

"Actually the better word is won't. You don't want to walk because you believe you should have died along with Kaitlyn and your son."

"I hate you!"

"I don't care if you hate me Teagan." Marlena said. "Because you know what I am saying is true."

"No!"

"Isolde snuck in your room. She stabbed you first but it rendered you paralyzed from the waste down. Kaitlyn woke up but Isolde got her. You blame yourself because you could not save her."

Marielle watched as he pulled himself up using the wheelbarrow. He turned to her and took two steps before losing his balance and falling.

"I should have died that night." Teagan closed his eyes. "Why did I survive?"

"Teagan, I still ask myself that every day of my life" Marlena said. "When I escaped from the castle with Duncan, I hated myself for not staying behind. It took a long time for me to get over that."

"What Howe did was not your fault."

"And what Isolde did was not your fault." Marlena said. "The only person to blame for this is your brother. You have spent your entire life living under his shadow and he took advantage of that."

"I hate him."

"You have every right to hate him Teagan but hiding yourself away, lamenting on what you should or should not have done is not going to help you. It's showing those nobles that you are nothing without your brother which makes you an easy target for them. And most of all, its not helping your beautiful little girl."

"I don't care what people think. I never did."

"I know that. That is one of the many reasons why I like you Teagan. But what about your little girl? Rowann has one parent left. You have to stop depriving her of your love."

"She looks so much like Kaitlyn." He choked

"You should not be afraid of that Teagan." Marlena said. "You should embrace the fact that she has so much of her beautiful mother in her."

She watched him scoot towards the wheelbarrow and slowly pull himself up.

He managed to take four steps before collapsing.

"That's two more steps than the last time." Marlena smiled. "With a little more practice, you will be by the doors in no time."

"You are a cruel taskmaster." Teagan said between breaths. "Was it your plan all along to lock me in here?"

"Truthfully? I was thinking of having Ser Perth and Ser Donall carry you here. You just made it easier when you decided to watch me swimming in the lake."

"I am sorry for…intruding on you that way."

Marlena walked over and held out her hand to him. "Apology accepted. Now stand up."

"You're serious?" Teagan asked.

"I'm deadly serious." Marlena said. "We are not leaving this barn until you can walk out."

"I'm going to need some sort walking stick you know." He took her hand and wrapped his other arm around her waist and pulled himself up.

Marlena could feel her heart beat against her chest when she felt him against her.

"I had a cane made for you." Marlena walk over to the other side barn and came back holding a very ornately carved cane and handed it to him. "You probably won't need it very long."

"You just don't give up do you do you?"

"No I don't." Marlena grinned. "You can plan your revenge on me once you start walking regularly."

"You better watch yourself then." Teagan said as he tried to remain steady. "You will never know when I might strike."

"I plan to hold you to that."

Marlena took several steps back and watched as Teagan take several tentative steps before falling.

"Just think, if you had not spied on me, you would not be in this predicament." Marlena laughed.

"You should not have been swimming naked to begin with." Teagan replied.

"There was nobody else by the lake until you came around."

"You are incorrigible you know."

"Thank you." Marlena curtsied as she watched him stand up.

Marlena and Teagan went on like this for hours. They would bicker and pick at each other as Teagan continued to walk a few more steps each time before falling. Ser Perth had left the left the bedrolls, food, and water outside the door which Marlena retrieved. She took out a loaf of bread, cheese, and a mince pie. There was also a bottle of wine, which she took a sip from.

"So nice of you to torture me with all that food set out." Teagan said.

"You're halfway to it Teagan." Marlena said. "If you can come here, we can stop."

Marlena could see the sweat, grime, and exhaustion on his face but she was also seeing determination.

"This mince pie is delicious." She said, taking a bite.

His stomach growling painfully, Teagan slowly made his way toward where she was sitting. Marlena stood up and held out her arms when he was two feet from her.

"Come on Teagan." She encouraged. "I knew you could do it!"
He dropped the cane and collapsed in her arms.

They stood there in silence just looking at each other for the longest time and Marlena watched as Teagan shivered slightly as tears filled his eyes.

"No, I don't want you to see me this way." He turned away.

"Teagan, you never have to hide how you feel from me. It doesn't make you less than a man. When I reunited with my brother after the Blight ended, we wept tears of joy and then we cried for what we lost. You don't have to be afraid anymore. Let me help you."

With tears streaming down his face, Teagan looked at her one last time before burying his face against her neck to finally unleash the grief he kept buried for so long.

A couple of hours later Marlena and Teagan sat against the wall, eating and sharing the bottle of wine.

"Thank you Marlena." He said. "Thank you for being such a good friend and helping me. I don't know how I will ever repay you."

"Teagan, you and Kaitlyn stood by me when your brother did those horrible things. I will never forget that. And as for repaying me, that will be the day I see you reunite with your daughter."

"I only regret not being able to do more for you back then. Perhaps you would have not had to leave Ferelden."

"It's not your fault." Marlena said. "And besides, I've decided to stay."

"You have?" Teagan asked. "I'm relieved to hear that. The work here is not completed and I want you here when I eventually see Rowann."

"You can count on me Teagan." Marlena smiled.

"How long have we've been in here?" Teagan asked.

"At least eight hours or more." Marlena yawned.

"Shall we head back to the castle?" Teagan asked.

Marlena stood up and helped Teagan up then handed him his cane.

Taking his other hand, Marlena opened the door and found Ser Perth, Britta, and some of the other servants standing outside. They looked shocked when they saw Teagan standing next to her.

"Why are you all staring at me like that?" Teagan asked, feeling uncomfortable by the attention.

"Marlee!"

Marlena and Teagan turned to see Ser Donall running toward them. He stopped and looked at Teagan with surprise when seeing him standing there.

"Is something wrong?" Teagan asked

"That trap you put in the warehouse was set off." Ser Donall said. "They're bringing him now."

Marlena saw two of the Blackstone Mercenaries dragging the figure towards them."

Marlena ripped the sticky black netting that covered him and was shocked to see the man was Jarrod, the master brewer.