5. No Good Deed Goes Unpunished
Tasha groaned, coughing as she came to. Slowly her memories returned as did an icy fury that snaked down her back. Jowan. He lied. He attacked her and the first enchanter and Greagoir, plus half a dozen other Templars, and used blood magic. Blood magic. Worse, he condemned her to the same fate he would have.
A metallicky sweet taste lingered in her mouth and as soon as she realized that, she reached for her magic to find her stores a little replenished. Someone had put a weak phial of lyrium down her. It was enough to give her the boost she needed to heal her arm. Her lips silently moved as she cast the spell. Her breathing eased as the pain receded.
"Tasha. Tasha. Miss Amell, are you alright?" Irving asked. It took dredging up her not inconsiderable willpower to force her eyes open. Still, she managed it.
"Damn it. Damn it!" she snapped gruffly as her surroundings came into focus. "I should have seen...I should have known something was wrong when I couldn't read him." She met Irving's pale gaze. "This is my fault."
"Yes, it is and you are being taken into custody." Greagoir growled to her right.
That made her sit up in alarm despite the sudden pounding in her head. "Excuse me? I was just following orders."
"And we have no idea how much influence the blood mage may have had over your mind. You need to be kept in isolation and under observation."
Panic burned in her heart. Even though she expected it, actually hearing it sent flutters through her spirit. "What? You can't be serious!"
Greagoir glared at her as she scrambled to her feet. "I am serious. Your actions have made a mockery of the Circle and they have since you arrived here. In fact, I'm only surprised it took the blood mage as long as it did under your influence. You were probably the one who gave him the idea in the first place."
Anger burned cold in her eyes and her fists clenched at her sides. Frost inched away from her feet. Every Templar in the room tensed and suddenly she could feel them coiling, preparing to smite her if she so much as blinked a spell. Gritting her teeth, she backed down, forcing the magic away, though tension still radiated from her body.
"Knight-Commander, if I may." All three of them turned to the approaching Duncan. "I am not only looking for mages to join the king's army. I am also recruiting for the Grey Wardens." Hope flared up so strongly and painfully that Tasha had to clench her jaw to keep from gasping, slicing through the anger. "Irving spoke highly of Tasha, and I would like her to join the Warden ranks."
"What?" Greagoir snapped. "You promised him a new Grey Warden?"
"She has served the Circle well," Irving pointed out. "She would make an excellent Grey Warden."
"Dedication is required of the Grey Wardens. Fighting the darkspawn requires great sacrifice, often the expense of your own life. She has proven that she is willing to make sacrifices for the greater good." Irving watched a dark flicker cross Tasha's eyes and wondered at it.
"I object. You say she operated under your instructions, Irving, but I do not trust her." Greagoir glared at her. "I must investigate this issue and I will not release this mage to the Grey Wardens."
"If the Grey Wardens will have me, I will gladly go." She jerked her chin up mulishly, jaw set as she glared at the Knight-Commander.
"Greagoir, mages are needed. She is needed. Worse things plague this world than blood mages. You know that." Duncan said, lifting an eyebrow. "I take Tasha Amell under my wing and bear all responsibility for her actions."
"Tasha does not deserve a place in the Order." Tasha glared at Greagoir, which he ignored.
"Why? Do we not reward service? She has served the Circle well." Irving interjected. He faced Tasha, eyes serious. "You have an opportunity few even dream of. Do not squander it."
She blinked in delighted disbelief. And then she thought of Cullen. "What is in store for me?" she asked, enthusiasm squashed.
"We must make our way to Ostagar, where the king's army is camped. You will be initiated there. I will explain more when the time comes." Duncan explained.
It didn't seem real but there was something that had her straining for freedom like she hadn't done in years. Slowly, she turned to the First Enchanter. As much as the two had butted heads since she'd come there, he'd helped her learn about her empathy and learn how to actually use it and control it. And now he had helped her leave, something that he knew she'd wanted her entire stay at the Circle. He was giving her freedom. "Thank you for everything, First Enchanter," she said earnestly. She did not hug him.
"Come, your new life awaits." Duncan gripped her arm, sparks flying wildly though weakly. She resisted any efforts to follow him.
"I have people I need to see and say goodbye to," she told him, eyes pleading but firm. He watched her for a moment before nodding. There was a quick gleam of triumph in her grey eyes before she said, "I'll meet you downstairs when I'm done." Without waiting for an answer, she turned and went down to the library. Dennet was down there with Art this time. Both looked up. "Could I talk to Dennet for a moment?" Art watched the black-haired mage curiously.
"Of course."
Dennet followed her to a secluded section of the library, tucked away from any prying eyes and ears. He blinked at her. "Tasha, what's wrong?"
She leaned close, eyes fixed on him with unwavering sternness, an expression he'd rarely seen before on her. "I'm going to tell you something. You can't tell anyone," she murmured.
"I won't say a word. What is it?"
She hesitated before taking a deep breath. "Rebecca has a baby. That's why I've been rooming with her." Dennet's eyes could have fallen out of his head with how much they were bulging. She waited for a moment for him to process that before continuing. "I know you're just an apprentice. But something has happened and I have to leave." Now, his jaw dropped. "I need you to help take care of her. No one will notice an apprentice. You guys tend to be invisible." She paused, thinking. "Well, I wasn't but pretty much every Templar stationed here knows my name and knows I could be trouble. Anyway, she needs someone with her. Get permission from Irving. Whatever. But I need you to help her. Can you do that?"
"What happened? Where are you going?"
"I'm joining the Grey Wardens." Now excitement lit up his eyes and Tasha held up a hand. "Not now. But please. Please do this for me."
"Fine. I'll help as much as I can." A wide grin lit up her face.
"Thank you!" Before he could respond, she was gone.
"What was that about?" Art asked as she went to walk past.
"Nothing." She stopped, looking at him. "Actually, I'd like you to do something. I know I don't have any right or authority to ask for this. But can you keep an eye on Dennet for me and cover for him if he needs it?" He nodded, opening his mouth to say something when she nearly jogged past him and up the stairs.
She knocked softly before entering. Rebecca sat on her bed. She looked up, frowning. "What is it?"
"I'm leaving." The young mother blanched. Raw fear pulsed through her and Tasha fought not to flinch away from it. Rafe wiggled a little in her arms, sensing his mother's panic. Instantly, Tasha wrapped her gift around him, blanketing him in comfort. He settled.
"But, you can't!" Rebecca protested.
"I have to. If I stay here, I'll be put into quarantine and possibly sent to Aeonar, which would do horrible things for my hair," Tasha quipped, trying to bring humor in even though the smile didn't reach her eyes.
"Aeonar? What the hell happened?"
Tasha sighed. "Look, it's a long story." Rebecca just stared at her friend. "Fine, I helped Jowan escape the Circle and it turns out that he's a blood mage. Who knew?"
"Jowan? A bl-blood mage?" Rebecca asked in disbelief.
"Yeah." Tasha nibbled on her lip unconsciously. "I really need to go. Duncan told me to hurry."
She knelt in front of the pair of them and smoothed a slightly shaky hand over Rafe's head. Rebecca didn't notice but Tasha still put in the effort to still the trembling. She gently kissed his forehead. "Be a good boy for your mommy. I'll be back when I can." Then she pressed her magic into his soul, asking him to be quiet and brave. The muscles in her jaw tightened as she stood and walked out.
She was somewhat distracted walking down the hall and didn't notice her surroundings. Her arm was grabbed and she was pulled into a nook hidden from view. Her magic flared and frost blossomed beneath her feet, sparks scattering around them.
"Easy," Cullen murmured. She banked down her temper and her gift. "What is going on?" he asked when she had settled again. "M-My superiors are having a field day and no one will tell me anything."
"So you assume I had something to do with it?" Tasha arched an eyebrow.
"You did have something to do with it. What happened?" He wasn't going to back down and she didn't have to read him to know that he was worried.
"Jowan's a blood mage. I helped him escape the Circle. I've been recruited by the Grey Wardens as my "reward" for being a traitor to one of my best friends. That's about it." Tasha's tone was flat and anger clearly bubbled underneath. Cullen's jaw dropped. She looked up at him. "I really have to go. Duncan is waiting."
She hesitated. Jowan was gone. Anders was in isolation. That left him, the only one of her closest friends that could actually say goodbye.. When he didn't respond to her waiting, a small sigh escaped her. Tasha turned and walked away, every part of her crying out for something, anything. Nothing.
Duncan took one look at her and simply nodded. Greagoir fumed still, and Tasha felt the heat of his anger and frustration as she passed. The Templars guarding the door separating the tower and the outside world were normally at least polite if watchful. Now, they eyed her warily and with barely restrained hostility but they opened the door.
For a moment, it was all Tasha could do to blink in the overwhelmingly bright sunshine until her eyes adjusted. A smile appeared on her face when, despite the heaviness of her heart, excitement began to grow. Her head lifted and she took her first steps outside as a free woman in over a decade.
AN: Well, this is sort of late but it's still Friday technically here. I hope y'all enjoy. Let me know what you guys think or any reactions or anything really.