The Cost of Pride
Megatoxic
*Disclaimer: I do not own any Bioware/DA characters or themes. Fallen is mine, but completely inspired by my favorite RPG game.*
*This is a split POV chapter at the end. It should be easy enough to follow along with, but just giving a head's up.*
Chapter 7: A Blast of Righteous Power
I told Kalen to entice her. He was an attractive enough elf, and he seemed to always have a female companion at night. I assumed that he would have no problem seducing Fallen, but apparently shame should fall upon me for assuming. When he had relayed what my pupil had told him, I was surprised to find that I felt rather proud of her response to his advances. She was of course wrong about who sent him to her, but she saw Kalen as the bait that he was told to be.
The truth was that the woman continued to surprise me every day it seemed. She was intelligent and compassionate. She had The Herald wrapped around her little finger very securely as well. As someone who knew the importance of having friends in high places, I was impressed by that fact. Leliana's scouts were still coming up empty-handed when digging into her past as were my own. It was clear at this point that she had been sent from somewhere unheard of at this point in time. I was an old man amazed at the possibilities of a place I had never seen or heard of before. The adventurous side of me was even more intrigued by her because of this.
Fallen's powers had progressed quickly as well. I would like to be able to say that it came down to my excellent skills as a teacher, but I simply knew this was not the case. She possessed a pool of mana unfound in the quicklings of this age. Her focus and willpower was indomitable, and I could not wait to see what she would be like in the fade. Her mana was very comparable to my own as far as feel, and she was able to connect to my mana in a way that no other being had ever before. Considering my age this was an accomplishment. It was an intimate experience with her. She could feel how strong and vast my power was and instead of being afraid or warry of it she seemed to want to bask in it. The night that she pulled from me to set the wards was the first night since I had awoke that I had felt the pull of desire for another.
If my old companions could have seen me about to devour a helf-shem in the most sinful of ways I would have been teased for centuries! I had to remind myself repeatedly that night that she had tainted blood and that she would bring shame to what I stood for if I crawled into her bed with her and took her. I watched her as she walked beside The Herald chatting away about harts. The Herald, Cassandra, Varric, Fallen, and I had set out before the sun had even risen in the sky. We were on foot for now, but Cassandra had said we were hopefully going to fix that soon. I certainly hoped so.
We were gaining good ground, but we all knew it would take us nearly a week on foot to reach the Crossroads. I noticed as Fallen walked that she had lost some weight during our time training together. She had not been fat by any means, but now she looked a bit smaller… more petite… more elven. Her hair had grown out a bit too, and the sun had lightened it a bit making it appear more red than brown. It was tied in a simple, but sensible single braid thrown over one of her shoulders. If one added in her freckles and big brown eyes to be accounted for, she was really quite a beautiful creature. How had I never noticed this before?
That's when the thought hit me… I should seduce her myself. None of the others were here to judge me, and my agents would understand the necessity if I explained it to them. After the event with our manas the night before, I knew that she wanted me. She desired me even. She was basically elven just with round ears and more curves… which is I was honest with myself I could admit I was a little curious about. If I could get her to care for me then perhaps I could learn her secrets. It was also quite possible that with the right leverage I could turn her into a very strong, be it unknowing, Agent of Fen'heral. If I played my hand right, her ties with The Herald could be most beneficial to my cause.
"You know Chuckles, if you keep staring at her like that she might combust," Varric teased quietly from beside me. The Herald and Fallen were too far ahead to hear, but Cassandra laughed softly from Varric's other side. "Why not just tell her of your interest?" the seeker asked lightly, "you have been living with together for some time now. It may be that she even suspects or already returns your favor." Much to their surprise I replied, "I was just thinking about doing as much." Cassandra adopted a rather far off look on her face before replying, "Do it when it's just the two of you and make sure she feels all your attention on her." She seemed to come back to herself and added, "And be a gentleman about it. We're in tents out here and if I even suspect that you're being rough or demanding with her elf I will barge in faster than you can say 'Maker's balls.'" Varric snickered, "Alright seeker don't get your armor all bunched up. I don't picture Chuckles as the sort."
"What are you crippled halla talking about?" The Herald and Fallen had stopped on a ledge overlooking a field for us to catch up and it was The Herald who had asked the question. Fallen was staring with wide eyes at the landscape before us. "Chuckles here was just educating us on the ways of women," Varric said sardonically. The Herald snorted, "Well surely he's learned something about women at his age." I felt my brow crinkle in frustration, "Just how old do I look?" She chose to ignore my question and turned to Fallen next, "What do you think of the view?" In response, Fallen smiled broadly at us, "It reminds me of home. It's perfect." I was intrigued by her mention of her home, but also happy to see greenery coming up in the near future. I warded my feet from the elements, but it was still nice when I did not have too.
We walked until we were a couple hours out of the snow and The Herald and the seeker agreed to stop for lunch. The two rogues very quickly caught a couple of hares, and I agreed to season and roast them. Fallen was brushing and braiding The Herald's long hair back when I started listening in to their conversation. They were sitting on a large rock near where I was roasting the meat. "Well we should work out tent arrangements for tonight. There are two tents, but five of us." The Herald was picking at a piece of dirt beneath her fingernail as she spoke and looked relaxed. "I suppose I can sleep wherever as long as Solas sets wards for me," Fallen replied easily.
I decided to be bold and start working on my plan in that moment, "Well it would make the most sense if Fallen and I shared a tent together. I need to set our wards and besides we are already used to sharing a space together." I felt pleased when a blush graced her pretty freckled cheeks at my words. I could also feel the approval and support coming off of Cassandra, "Indeed, the two mages can have one tent and us three the other." Varric nodded agreeably, "It's not like you or I will take up much space," he pointed between himself and The Herald to signify who he meant. "Only if ya'll are sure? One of you could share with us if you wanted too," Fallen encouraged. "We'll see how tonight goes lethallan and if we need to adjust then we will," The Herald stated.
Silence descended on us as we sat around eating the hares I had prepared just a short while later. Their silence was all the approval I needed. I finished before the others and excused myself with an excuse that I needed to relieve myself. I stepped into the woods close by and allowed my silent feet to take me in and away from prying eyes and ears. I had not traveled as a wolf in a long time. I longed to reach out for my spirit form, but I resisted the urge as I came to a small clearing. I reached up at my jawbone necklace and tapped it twice. My jawbone was very special to me. It was a gift from Mythal and a powerful tool. When a new initiate, of any importance joined, I linked them to the necklace by blood so that I could summon them when I had need.
I did not have to wait long before two elves approached me from deeper within the forest. Kalen appeared as I had hoped he would and with him was a blonde elven woman bearing Sylaise's slave mark over her right eye. I believed that her name was Ila. She wasn't a very important agent. She must have been with Kalen when I called for him. She had abandoned her clan to follow me from what I remembered. The both bowed slightly out of respect and I felt a touch of irritation. I continued to insist with my agents that I did not require such displays, "My Lord, we have still found nothing of your foci or Corypheus or the woman for that matter, but Ila has news about the artifacts that you mentioned." The woman nodded her head firmly and stepped forward, "There is one north of here in a cave according to a lone Dalish woman I encountered. Her clan has been curious about it for a while now, but she is the only one willing to approach it."
"Very good. I will find a way to convince them that we must approach it when I sense it is close enough to do so," I inclined my head to each of them in thanks, "continue to stay alert. Do as Leliana asks of you both, but remember our end goal and approach me with any conflicts." Kalen opened his mouth to respond when a scream from back at camp broke the still of secrecy surrounding us. I easily recognized the voice it must belong too. "Fallen," Kalen and I said at the same time. He stepped forward as if to go with me, "No. You and Ila return to your scouting ahead of us as Leliana requested. I will handle whatever situation awaits." As I turned hurriedly to get back, I saw Ila's hand reach out and force Kalen away. Did he actually have interest in Fallen? I must make my new plan clear to him soon.
I fade stepped my way back and paused for a minute at what I saw. There were bandits everywhere. At Least a dozen of them and The Herald was laying unmoving with a bloody wound to the side of her head near the rock she had been sitting on with Fallen. Varric was standing on said rock blasting arrows into the fray, Cassandra was bashing left and right with her shield, and Fallen was being held off the ground by her throat by a very larger warrior with a great axe in his other hand. Honestly, I was astounded that I even hesitated before stepping to The Herald's side. I quickly healed her head injury which was relatively minor before seeking Fallen again with my eyes.
Her face was nearly blue and looked so small in his large hand. I blasted the brute with a wall of ice. The wall stretched pretty far as I had put more power into it than I meant to display in front of the seeker in my haste to free Fallen. It hit roughly eight of the bandits causing them to become momentarily incapacitated. Cassandra started shield bashing those she could reach and Varric's arrows became focused there as well. As I was reaching for another spell, I felt something slice into my right side painfully. A barrier… a stupid barrier… the very first thing I had taught Fallen was the thing my old wolf's ass forgot. The pain was intense and biting. I knew it would heal faster than a normal elf, I was after all immortal, but that did not spare me the pain.
Through the haze of my pain, I felt her. I felt her as I had never felt another mage before. It was as if she reached behind the veil while wide awake and brought out a blast of righteous power. The ground shook beneath us and a rain of fire descended into the battle crushing and incinerating foes on the spot. She stood there like an avenging goddess bringing the doom of her power upon the world. Not wanting her to drain herself to the point of death, I opened myself to her and pushed my mana towards her. I felt the same intoxicating rush as last time, but this time I could taste her on my tongue almost. It was that physically intimate being so bonded to her. I could feel the need to protect; her need to protect in our bond. I was in awe of her in that moment and before I blacked out I think she felt the awe I had laid bare for her.
……………………………..
I rushed to Solas' side and was met by a very disoriented Ellana, "What in Fen'harel's jewels was that lethallan?" I shook my head and felt my neck throb as I croaked out, "What do I do?" I felt tears pool into my eyes and my hands trembled as I applied pressure to his side. It was bleeding so badly! Cassandra kneeled down beside me, "Can't you heal him?" "I don't know how!" I chokingly sobbed. Ellan's face turned stony, "Then we do as the Dalish." Next thing I knew, she had taken charge of the situation.
We were cleaning the wound with water from our canteens. The rogue reached into one of her many pockets and brought out a thick needle and thread which she handed to me. I started to shake my head adamantly when Ellana gave me an intense look, "No way Fallen. This is you man and if anyone's stitching him up it's you so that he can blame the scar on you." I didn't even have the energy to argue that Solas would never be "my man." Next thing I knew, we were inside a tent that Casandra and Varric had hastily thrown up and I was stitching up his side.
Ellana was keeping a careful watch over my work, and I was very thankful for that. I had no medical experience and did the best I could. I was so disturbed by the sight of the skin being pulled back together that I couldn't even appreciate the fact that he was half naked in front of me. I hoped he wouldn't scar too bad from my handiwork. Could an immortal elf even scar? Was this for nothing? Wouldn't he heal anyways? Wouldn't the others have been suspicious if I hadn't acted concerned? I barely registered another bedroll being placed out beside Solas. Someone took the needle and thread from me, and gentle hands pushing me back. I heard Cassandra ask about wards before the darkness claimed me.
Translations:
Shem: short for 'shemlen'; refer to previous chapter
Lethallan: someone with whom one is familiar
Resource:
http/dragonage./wiki/Elven_language